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What does Watch Night mean for Black Americans today? It dates back to the Emancipation Proclamation

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:49:00 GMT

The tradition of Watch Night services in the United States dates back to Dec. 31, 1862, when many Black Americans gathered in churches and other venues, waiting for President Abraham Lincoln to sign the Emancipation Proclamation into law, and thus free those still enslaved in the Confederacy.It’s still being observed each New Year’s Eve, at many multiracial and predominantly Black churches across the country.What is the historical background of Watch Night services?As the Civil War raged on, Lincoln issued an executive order on Sept. 22, 1862, declaring that enslaved people in the rebellious Confederate states were legally free. However, this decree — the Emancipation Proclamation — would not take effect until the stroke of midnight heralding the new year.Those gathering on the first Watch Night included many African Americans who were still legally enslaved as they assembled, sometimes in secrecy.“At the time, enslaved Black people could find little respite from ever-pr...

Activists who engage with voters of color are looking for messages that will resonate in 2024

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:49:00 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — This year’s elections in Louisiana didn’t go the way that voting rights advocate Ashley Shelton had hoped, with the far-right conservative attorney general replacing a term-limited Democratic governor and consolidating Republican control in the state.Turnout was just 37%, despite the efforts of activists like her.“Even when you work hard and you do all the things you’re supposed to, you get an unfortunate outcome, which was these statewide elections,” said Shelton, the executive director of Power Coalition for Equity & Justice in Louisiana.She said it will be a challenge to regain trust from the communities of color she typically focuses on, mostly because of a constant drumbeat of disappointments in recent years, from attacks on voting rights to the failure of a sweeping student loan forgiveness plan. While Louisiana is not a battleground for national races, Shelton’s experience in the state serves as a window into some of the challenges President Joe Biden fa...

Pakistan election officials reject former prime minister Khan’s candidacy in parliamentary election

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:49:00 GMT

LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — Election officials in Pakistan rejected former Prime Minister Imran Khan on Saturday as a candidate in the country’s February parliamentary election. His lawyers have said they will appeal.Khan is in prison serving a three-year sentence for corruption and also faces a stack of other charges, making it difficult for him to run for office. But he still filed nomination papers, buoyed by an appeals court’s August decision to suspend his criminal conviction.Election officials disallowed Khan’s candidacy because of his conviction and what they said was his disqualification under the constitution, according to documents. They also rejected the candidacies of former members of his Cabinet. The decisions were a fresh blow for Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, which authorities have targeted during a monthslong crackdown.The 71-year-old former cricketer is the country’s most popular opposition figure.He was kicked out of office in April 20...

Albania’s ex-Prime Minister Berisha put under house arrest while investigated for corruption

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:49:00 GMT

TIRANA, Albania (AP) — An Albanian court on Saturday ordered house arrest for former Prime Minister Sali Berisha, who leads the opposition Democratic Party and is being investigated for possible corruption.Judge Irena Gjoka of the First Instance Special Court on Corruption and Organized Crime, which covers cases involving senior officials and politicians, accepted prosecutors’ request to put Berisha, 79, under house arrest after he violated the previous restrictive measures of reporting every two weeks. He was also barred from traveling abroad.His lawyer, Genc Gjokutaj, said the court also barred Berisha from communicating with people other than his family who lives with him, and considered the order a violation of law. Depriving Berisha of communication may become a wider political issue because he’s the leader of the main opposition party.Gjokutaj said he would appeal the court order. It is not clear how police officers would monitor Berisha at his apartment in downtown Tira...

US seizes more illegal e-cigarettes, but thousands of new ones are launching

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:49:00 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal officials are seizing more shipments of unauthorized electronic cigarettes at U.S. ports, but thousands of new flavored products continue pouring into the country from China, according to government and industry data reviewed by The Associated Press.The figures underscore the chaotic state of the nation’s $7 billion vaping market and raise questions about how the U.S. government can stop the flow of fruit-flavored disposable e-cigarettes used by 1 in 10 American teens and adolescents.More than 11,500 unique vaping products are being sold in U.S. stores, up 27% from 9,000 products in June, according to tightly held industry data from analytics firm Circana.“FDA whacks one product and then the manufacturers get around it and the kids get around it,” said Bonnie Halpern-Felsher, a Stanford University psychologist who develops anti-vaping educational materials. “It’s too easy to change your product a little bit and just relaunch it.”Halpern-Felsher says she is ...

6-month-old baby dies after hit-and-run crash on South Side: CPD

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:49:00 GMT

CHICAGO -- Chicago police are searching for the driver that ran away from the scene of hit-and-run crash. It is unknown whether the crash caused the death of a six-moth-old baby girl.According to police, the driver of a chevy was travelling westbound on 63rd Street near the 6300 block of South Cottage Grove Avenue around 9:42 p.m. when it ran a red light and struck a ford SUV in the intersection. The vehicles struck two other vehicles and a male and female in the chevy fled on foot and are not in custody. Police seek information after 1 injured in Irving Park hit-and-run A man and woman in the ford were transported by the CFD to the University of Chicago Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries. The baby in the ford was being taken by her parents to Comers Children Hospital with breathing difficulties when the accident occurred. The baby was transported to the hospital and pronounced dead. It is unknown if the accident caused the child's death. There is currently no one ...

Ending the year with bright and warm conditions

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:49:00 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The final weekend of 2023 brings bright and warm weather. The first week of 2024 starts cold.Afternoon highs today will warm to the upper 60s to low 70s. Warming southwest winds this afternoon will aid in the warm up.Tomorrow will be warmer with many highs in the low to mid 70s. Once again, a warming southwest wind leads to the unseasonably warm afternoon.Ending the year warm to starting the new year coldA cold front moves north to south late Sunday night into the first few hours of Monday. The front will clear the area before the sun comes up Monday. It leaves a brisk north wind that will keep temperatures in the 50s during the afternoon.New Year's Eve night will be clear. Midnight temperatures will be in the low 50s.Midnight on New Year's EveIn fact, all of our highs next week will be in the 50s. Mornings will be colder with mainly 30. The coldest morning will be Thursday when minimums will drop to the low to mid 30s.2023 will end with 26.83". This is more nine in...

Justin Fields knows there’s a typical timeline in the NFL. The Chicago Bears QB thinks he’s ‘just at the start.’

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:49:00 GMT

Two years, eight months and one day ago, Chicagoan Carlos Nelson walked across the NFL draft stage, shook Commissioner Roger Goodell’s hand, removed his mask and announced the pick.With the 11th selection, the Chicago Bears were taking Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields.Masked-up Bears fans at the first in-person draft after the emergence of COVID-19 cheered, and NFL Network analysts heaped praise.“This is an exciting moment here for the Chicago Bears,” analyst Daniel Jeremiah said. “This is a team that has a pretty good defense in place. They just didn’t have any juice. There was no excitement on this offense. … He’s going to give this Chicago Bears team something they don’t have, and it’s going to be a lot more fun to watch.”Charles Davis cued up the comparison: Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott. Davis cited the body and arm, the ability to move around and extend plays, the adaptability and toughness.After decades...

The chilliest start to last weekend of 2023 gives way to sunny Saturday

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:49:00 GMT

ST. LOUIS -- Clouds have gradually cleared overnight and it's a cold start to the last weekend of 2023. The good news is that today will be a sunny day with highs above normal, in the upper half of the 40s. Clouds increase overnight and lows once again fall to around freezing. Sunday will be cold and brisk, with a mix of clouds and some sun. We could even have a few spotty flurries as well. New Year's Day will be quiet, with highs around 40. Slight rain chances return Thursday.

Paula Abdul sues 'American Idol' producer Nigel Lythgoe for sexual assault

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:49:00 GMT

Paula Abdul filed a lawsuit Friday accusing Nigel Lythgoe of sexually assaulting her while she was working on “American Idol” and “So You Think You Can Dance.”Lythgoe is best known as the executive producer of the hit reality competition shows — he produced "American Idol" from 2002 to 2014 and "So You Think You Can Dance" from 2005 to 2014.According to Variety, Abdul claimed in the early years of working on “American Idol,” Lythgoe had sexually assaulted her and again in 2014 when she was working on “So You Think You Can Dance.”During the first alleged assault, Abdul claims Lythgoe shoved her against the wall of an elevator before grabbing her genitals and breasts, and shoving his tongue down her throat. She pushed him away and when the elevator doors opened, she ran out and called her representatives for help.LOS ANGELES, CA - JULY 27: Paula Abdul (L) and Nigel Lythgoe arrive at the Dizzy Feet Foundation's 3rd Annual Celebration of Dance Gala held at Dorothy Chandler Pavilion on ...