Kendrick Lamar surprises with new album 'GNX' LOS ANGELES (AP) — Kendrick Lamar gave music listeners an early holiday present with a new album. The Grammy winner released his sixth studio album “GNX” on Friday. The 12-track project is the rapper’s first release since 2022’s “Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers.” Lamar’s new album comes just months after his rap battle with Drake. The rap megastar will headline February's Apple Music Super Bowl Halftime Show in New Orleans. The 37-year-old has experienced massive success since his debut album “good kid, m.A.A.d city” in 2012. Since then, he’s accumulated 17 Grammy wins and became the first non-classical, non-jazz musician to win a Pulitzer Prize. Ancient meets modern as a new subway in Greece showcases archaeological treasures THESSALONIKI, Greece (AP) — Thessaloniki, Greece’s second-largest city, is opening a new subway system, blending ancient archaeological treasures with modern transit technology like driverless trains and platform screen doors. The project, which began in 2003, uncovered over 300,000 artifacts, including a Roman-era thoroughfare and Byzantine relics, many of which are now displayed in its 13 stations. Despite delays caused by preserving these findings, the inaugural line has been completed, with a second line set to open next year. Conor McGregor must pay woman $250K in sexual assault case, civil jury rules LONDON (AP) — A civil jury in Ireland has found that mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor sexually assaulted a woman in a hotel penthouse after a night of heavy partying. The Dublin jury awarded the woman more than $250,000 for her lawsuit that claimed McGregor “brutally raped and battered” her on Dec. 9, 2018. The lawsuit says the assault left her heavily bruised and suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. McGregor testified he never forced her to do anything and that the woman had fabricated her allegations after the two had consensual sex. The jury found for the woman on Friday. At least 15 people are sick in Minnesota from ground beef tied to E. coli recall U.S. health officials say at least 15 people in Minnesota have been sickened by E. coli poisoning tied to a national recall of more than 160,000 pounds of potentially tainted ground beef. Detroit-based Wolverine Packing Co. recalled the meat this week after Minnesota state agriculture officials reported multiple illnesses and found that a sample of the product tested positive for E. coli O157:H7, which can cause life-threatening infections. Symptoms of E. coli poisoning include fever, vomiting, diarrhea and signs of dehydration. Actor Jonathan Majors’ ex-girlfriend drops assault and defamation lawsuit against once-rising star NEW YORK (AP) — Jonathan Majors’ ex-girlfriend has dropped her assault and defamation lawsuit against the once-rising Hollywood star after reaching a settlement. Lawyers for Majors and Grace Jabbari agreed to dismiss the case with prejudice Thursday. Jabbari is a British dancer who had accused Majors of subjecting her to escalating incidents of physical and verbal abuse during their relationship. Representatives for Majors didn’t respond to emails seeking comment Friday. Jabbari’s lawyer said the suit was “favorably settled” and her client is moving on with “her head held high.” Majors was convicted of misdemeanor assault and harassment last December and sentenced to a yearlong counseling program. Hyundai, Kia recall over 208,000 electric vehicles to fix problem that can cause loss of power DETROIT (AP) — Hyundai and Kia are recalling over 208,000 electric vehicles to fix a pesky problem that can cause loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash. The recalls cover more than 145,000 Hyundai and Genesis vehicles including the 2022 through 2024 Ioniq 5, the 2023 through 2025 Ioniq 6, GV60 and GV70, and the 2023 and 2024 G80. Also included are nearly 63,000 Kia EV 6 vehicles from 2022 through 2024. The affiliated Korean automakers say in government documents that a transistor in a charging control unit can be damaged and stop charging the 12-volt battery. Dealers will inspect and replace the control unit and a fuse if needed. They also will update software. Christmas TV movies are in their Taylor Swift era, with two Swift-inspired films airing this year Two of the new holiday movies coming to TV this season have a Taylor Swift connection that her fans would have no problem decoding. “Christmas in the Spotlight” debuts Saturday on Lifetime. It stars Jessica Lord as the world’s biggest pop star and Laith Wallschleger, playing a pro football player, who meet and fall in love, not unlike Swift and her boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce. On Nov. 30, Hallmark will air “Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story.” Instead of a nod to Swift, it’s an ode to family traditions and bonding, like rooting for a sports team. Hallmark’s headquarters is also in Kansas City. Top football recruit Bryce Underwood changes commitment to Michigan instead of LSU, AP source says ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Top football recruit Bryce Underwood has flipped to Michigan after pledging to play at LSU. That's according to a person familiar with the situation who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to share the recruit’s plans to join the Wolverines. Underwood pinned a post on his Instagram account, showing a post in which On3.com reported that he has committed to Michigan. The 6-foot-3 quarterback played at Belleville High School about 15 miles east of Michigan's campus, and told LSU nearly a year ago he intended to enroll there. Emperor penguin released at sea 20 days after waddling onto Australian beach MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — The only emperor penguin known to have swum from Antarctica to Australia has been released at sea 20 days after he waddled ashore on a popular tourist beach. The adult male was found on Nov. 1 on sand dunes in temperate southwest Australia about 2,200 miles north of the Antarctic coast. He was released Wednesday from a boat that traveled several hours from Western Australia state's most southerly city of Albany. His caregiver Carol Biddulph wasn't sure at first if the penguin would live. She said a mirror was important to his rehabilitation because they provide a sense of company. Biddulph said: “They’re social birds and he stands next to the mirror most of the time.” Shohei Ohtani wins third MVP award, first in NL. Aaron Judge earns second AL honor in 3 seasons NEW YORK (AP) — Shohei Ohtani won his third Most Valuable Player Award and first in the National League, and Aaron Judge earned his second American League honor on Thursday. Ohtani was a unanimous MVP for the third time, receiving all 30 first-place votes and 420 points in voting by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor was second with 263 points and Arizona second baseman Ketel Marte third with 229. Judge was a unanimous pick for the first time. Kansas City shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. got all 30 second-place votes for 270 points, and Yankees outfielder Juan Soto was third with 21 third-place votes and 229 points.The idea should be politically disqualifying: Imposing tariffs on imports raises prices paid by American consumers and businesses. No politician should be able to tell voters he’ll raise their costs, and receive their blessing. Yet Donald Trump does. He campaigned in the 2024 presidential race by promising aggressive new levies on imports from basically everywhere and won a convincing electoral college victory. Voters don’t seem to think Trump’s tariffs will harm them. Trump is now moving fast to put his tariffs into place once he takes office in January. He says one of his first-day priorities will be slapping a 25% tariff on imports from Mexico and Canada, and a new 10% levy on goods from China. Those are America’s top three trading partners , and they ship about $1.3 trillion in goods to the United States each year. If those taxes go into effect, they’d raise the cost of those imports by about $236 billion. Most economists say across-the-board tariffs impede efficiency , depress growth , and kill jobs . The Peterson Institute for International Economics estimates Trump’s full tariff plan would cost the typical household $2,600 per year in higher costs . Voters say, meh. Why the disconnect? Three reasons. First, tariffs are confusing. A recent Morning Consult poll asked voters about their views on tariffs and found that many people don’t even know what they are, exactly. Only 25% correctly said a tariff is a fee a US company pays to the US government to import a product. Sixty percent incorrectly said the foreign company or the foreign government pays the fee, and 15% said they don’t know. So most Americans mistakenly think somebody other than Americans pays the tariffs. Read more: How do tariffs work, and who really pays them? Yet 56% of Americans think US companies and consumers bear the majority of the costs imposed by tariffs. And they’re split on whether tariffs would be good or bad for the US economy. Thirty-eight percent think a 20% tariff would be good for the economy, while 41% think it would be bad, and 21% don’t know. The overall picture is that Americans have a poor understanding of tariffs and, not surprisingly, are conflicted about what they’re likely to accomplish. Second, Americans don’t feel like Trump’s tariffs caused any harm during his first term, when he placed new taxes on steel and aluminum imports and about half of all imports from China. Those tariffs did cause limited harm by raising costs to some US producers. But that came at a relatively benign time for the economy, when inflation was low and the massive COVID-era supply chain disruptions hadn’t happened yet. Trump also crafted those first-term tariffs in a way that raised the cost of intermediate goods, such as components, while keeping finished retail products off the list. Producers saw the price hikes but managed workarounds — such as getting components from Vietnam instead of China — that limited the impact felt by final purchasers, aka American shoppers. There was one exception: washing machines. Trump placed a 20% tariff on imported washing machines, which promptly raised the price of laundry equipment by 12% and boosted the profits of manufacturers. That’s a template for what’s likely to happen in Trump’s second term if he directly tariffs finished consumer goods. Third, Trump tends to threaten much larger tariffs than he actually imposes. When running for president in 2016, for instance, he said he might impose a 45% tariff on all Chinese imports. As president, however, he levied tariffs ranging from 7.5% to 25% on just half of Chinese imports, while exempting most finished consumer products. Trump watchers now understand that he threatens tariffs as a negotiating tactic. “While Trump is the 'Tariff Man' and will be willing to see through these proposals, we also see him as prepared and willing to back down in exchange for key policy concessions,” financial firm Raymond James explained in a Nov. 25 analysis. “The announcement of the tariffs — almost two months before Trump is sworn into office — should be viewed as a play to bring Mexico, Canada, and China to the negotiating table fairly early on." Trump wants China to crack down on illegal fentanyl shipments to the United States. He wants Mexico to do the same and also get better control of migrants passing through the country as they try to cross the US southwest border. It’s not clear what he wants from Canada, but he’ll assuredly come up with something. Economists versed in the unhappy history of tariffs worry that Trump will overplay his hand and tank the US economy. To many Americans, however, tariffs are an arcane concept that Trump uses to heckle adversaries with little impact on everyday life. If we’re lucky, it’ll stay that way. Rick Newman is a senior columnist for Yahoo Finance . Follow him on Twitter at @rickjnewman . Click here for political news related to business and money policies that will shape tomorrow's stock prices . Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance
Bettie Gean Littles MinorLOS ANGELES (AP) — Democrats and Republicans agreed on at least one thing before November’s election: California would play a central role in determining control of the U.S. House. Indeed it did. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.
Published 5:45 pm Wednesday, December 4, 2024 By Natchez Obituaries Dec. 27, 1942 – Nov. 29, 2024 NATCHEZ – Services for Mrs. Bettie Gean Littles Minor, 81, of Natchez, who died on Friday, Nov. 29, 2024, in Dallas, TX will be held on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024, at noon at Pilgrim Baptist Church. Visitation will be held on Friday, Dec. 6, 2024, from 5 until 6 p.m. at Pilgrim Baptist Church with the Order of Easter Star Burial Ritual at 6 p.m. and on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024, the body will lie in state from 11 a.m. until the time of service at the church. Burial will be held on Monday, Dec. 9, 2024, at 10 a.m. at the National Cemetery under the direction of Robert D. Mackel and Sons Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the family or to Bettie L. Minor Scholarship Fund. Life and Legacy of Bettie Gean Littles Minor: Bettie Gean Littles Minor was born on Dec. 27, 1942, in Hazlehurst, MS, to the late Willie and Mary Overton Littles. She was the third of ten children and the eldest daughter. Bettie’s spiritual journey began at eight years of age when she accepted Jesus Christ as her personal Saviour at Sardis Missionary Baptist Church. She became a dedicated young Christian and participated in every aspect of her church, from speaking to singing and teaching. Bettie continued working in church ministry throughout her youth and adult life. She was an avid believer, studier, and follower of Jesus Christ and never missed an opportunity to let her spiritual light shine (and did it ever shine brightly)! Bettie’s education began at Sardis Elementary School and continued at Parrish High School, where she graduated with high honors in 1960. She continued her education at Utica Junior College, excelling as President of the Student Body and becoming the runner-up for Miss Utica Junior College. Bettie graduated as the Salutatorian of her class. After graduating from Utica, Bettie attended Alcorn A&M College, earning her Bachelor of Science in Social Studies in 1964 and graduating with honors. Bettie’s passion for teaching brought her to Natchez, in 1964, where she began her career as a Social Studies teacher at Sadie V. Thompson High School. She later taught at North Natchez, South Natchez, and Natchez High School, dedicating 38 years to shaping the minds and futures of her students. After retiring in 2003, Bettie continued her commitment to education by working part-time as a tutor for the Natchez Children’s Home. Her quest for knowledge was lifelong. Bettie earned a Master’s in Political Science with honors from Ball State University in 1970 through a fellowship program. She furthered her studies at institutions such as Tuskegee Institute, Southern University, the University of Southern Mississippi (Natchez Branch), and Mississippi State University. Bettie was an active member of her community, contributing to various organizations and causes. She worked with the NAACP and the Democratic Women of Adams County, served as Secretary for the Adams County Democratic Committee, and was a past president of the Adams County Teachers’ Association. Bettie joined Emma Morris Chapter #12, Order of the Eastern Star, in 1970 and served in many roles, including Secretary, Treasurer, and Truth and Wonder. She rose to the Grand Matron of Adah Grand Chapter O.E.S. of A.R. in 1990, serving for five years, and later became a Grand Lecturer. Bettie’s dedication to fraternal service was extraordinary, exemplified by her 54 years of service, devotion to God, her work, and all the members with whom she worked and served. Bettie participated in the organization of two subordinate Amaranth courts, Adam-Odel Amaranth No. 2 and Evelyn Lille K Amaranth Court No. 3. She also played a pivotal role in founding Dixon, Jackson, and Pernell Most Exalted Royal Grand Court of Amaranth. She served as its first Royal Grand Matron. She was the Past Supreme Grand Royal Matron of the Supreme Grand Royal Amaranth Court, which spans the United States, Canada, the Bahamas, Trinidad & Tobago, the United Kingdom, and beyond. In addition, Bettie helped organize the Ida Court of Heroine of Jericho and the Alkoron Court No. 1 Daughters of Sphinx in 1991 and served as its first Most Worthy Grand Matron. She was elected to the Supreme Court of Daughters of Sphinx’s Board of Directors and later served as the second Vice Supreme Grand Matron. Bettie, the Supreme Grand Matron, was also elected President of the Federation of Eastern Stars of the World and chaired the registration committee for many years. Bettie was instrumental in founding Julia Blanton Gleaners, a juvenile group within the fraternal organization. Bettie gave up her membership with her home church and united with Beulah Missionary Baptist Church in 1970, where she served as Secretary, Chaplain of the Senior Choir, and President of the Beulah Clubs. She also served as Recording Secretary for the Women’s Auxiliary of Adams County and on the Memorial and Praise Committee. Bettie sang with the Gospel Choir, the Voices of Hope, where she was the Financial Secretary for the Voices of Hope, and participated annually in the Fall Pilgrimage. On June 27, 1970, Bettie married Robert Lee Minor Sr., her lifelong partner. They had two children, Vermelle Artisia Minor and Marco B. Minor. Bettie also embraced the role of mother to Maurice Minor, Minnie Minor (deceased), Robert Lee Minor Jr., and Carl Elijah Minor. She was a godmother to Araina Price Carter, Frank Woods Ill (B.J.), Clemetha (Fran) Woods-Gines, and Reverend LC. Williams. Bettie Gean Littles Minor’s life reflected her faith, love, and unwavering dedication to family, Christ, education, and community. She was a devoted spiritual leader, educator, civic leader, and faithful servant of the Lord. Bettie leaves a legacy of excellence, compassion, and service, following in the footsteps of her Savior, Jesus Christ, who said in Mark 10:45: “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve...” Bettie Minor was a servant and loved every minute of serving. She leaves behind to cherish her memory: her children, Vermelle, Marco, Bobby, Maurice, and Carl Minor; her godchildren, Araina Price, Frank (BJ) Woods, Clemetha (Fran) Woods-Gines, and Rev. L.C. Williams. Bettie’s memories will also shine in her siblings; sisters Hannah L. McCoy of Birmingham, AL; Marilyn G. Williams of Memphis, TN; sisters through Blessings; Mary F. Jackson, Geraldine Littles, and Pamela Littles of Picayune, MS; brothers, Albert 0. Littles of Hazlehurst, MS, and Rev. Harold Littles (Pamela) of Picayune, MS; brother-in-law, Chris Minor of Crosby, MS; grandmother, Nina Mae Littles of Hazlehurst, MS, and aunt, Marilyn Littles of Sontag, MS; along with a host of nieces, nephews, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, great-great-grandchildren, and special sister friends, Mary J. Taylor, Beverly Woods, Faye Logan, Rose Sweazer, Dorthy Bassett, Janie King, Eva Hall, and Charlene Bradford, and Robert Lee’s Buddy and her friend forever and overseer, Jack Patterson, along with a host of Eastern Star Sisters and Mason Brothers, Friends, and loved ones. ”Well done, good and faithful servant.” Well Done!Researchers from a local university are conducting a community-led research project to map the drug crisis in Surrey. Michael Ma, PhD and Tara Lyons, PhD from Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) are working with the Surrey Union of Drug Users (SUDU) to highlight "the lack of specific research on Surrey’s toxic drug supply crisis, harm reduction and the regulation of people who use drugs," notes a KPU news release Tuesday (Dec. 10). Surrey had the second-highest number of drug overdose deaths in the province for the first nine months of 2024, according to the . Gina Egilson, a board member at SUDU, said, "Surrey's losing more and more people to toxic drug overdoses, with at least four to five people dying every week." “There's a deep urgency to improve the system through more support and resources in Surrey. This research will be an empowering skill-building opportunity that will help guide SUDU's advocacy." In an , Ma noted that the majority of research on overdoses in B.C. is focused on Vancouver's Downtown Eastside, even though most overdoses have occurred in Vancouver, Surrey and Victoria. “For too many years there hasn't been enough focus on the escalating drug crisis in Surrey,” Ma said. “So we want to try to build more capacity and support in Surrey through resources, funding and infrastructure.” The project will draw from people with lived experience of substance use, who will take an "active role as participants and collaborators in the research," notes the KPU release. “This research is just not for pure scholarly academic reasons. It’s a community development project that has a research component. It can be leveraged for social action to generate new social, economic and political policy that could benefit people who are suffering, being misunderstood or being under-researched,” Ma said. Pete Woodrow, a board member at SUDU, said, “I've never seen this kind of collaboration between people of lived experience and established researchers." “It not only creates a bridge of understanding between two groups that would not normally have contact, it also gives us an opportunity to gain a greater handle on where services are most needed. So often the intent of help falls short or misses the mark due to the lack of a proper map of marginalized population.” Lyons added, “We don’t see people as objects of study in the work we're doing. They're experts who are guiding the kind of questions we're going to ask and how we will communicate the information.” A $339,159 grant from the will help fund this project.
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One of Silicon Valley’s biggest civil rights groups is changing leadership. The Rev. Jethroe Moore II has made his second and likely final exit from the NAACP San Jose/Silicon Valley after buying a home in Douglasville, Georgia six months ago. It’s opened the door for someone new to take the reins — a former county correctional officer. Sean Allen, a retired sergeant with the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office, is running unopposed in the group’s election to replace Moore as president on Saturday, and will take over the 82-year-old organization with roughly 260 members early next year. The former sheriff training officer has in many ways been prepped for the job and not just under Moore’s tutelage. Before joining the NAACP in 2021, Allen was for years a rare dissenting voice against sheriff leadership from within the county jail. When reporters in 2017 investigated abuse after the jail beating of Michael Tyree that led to his death, Allen was the only one out of eight correctional officers who talked on record. When a violent training accident killed a cadet in 2020, he publicly deemed it a long-running issue. After suing the sheriff’s office twice for workplace discrimination and joining the NAACP, Allen also helped lead protests against the use of police dogs and Tasers . His rise through the group first met hesitation in civil rights circles. Allen recalls some community leaders telling him they hated cops and refused to interact with him. He said things have changed over time, partly thanks to Moore’s extensive relationships. Yet Allen said the hesitation resurfaced in his bid for president. “People questioned: ‘Hey, is this guy gonna be more loyal to law enforcement?’” Allen told San Jose Spotlight. “And I’ve never represented that.” Asian Law Alliance Executive Director Richard Konda, whose group has challenged police misconduct alongside the NAACP for years, doesn’t have any reservations. “Sean Allen has been a strong advocate for civil rights and his leadership will as the new president of the local NAACP chapter ensure that the visionary leadership of (the) Rev. Moore will continue,” Konda told San José Spotlight. “Sean has been an active member of the Coalition for Justice and Accountability and has been very involved in CJA’s advocacy against Tasers and police attack dogs. We look forward to continuing to work with him on these and other civil rights issues. Moore, who often stayed with Allen and his family while traveling back and forth from Georgia over the past half-year, has come to know him as a close personal friend. He said he trusts Allen to “show up for the people.” “I want Sean to keep us down — to cobble together all the different ethnic groups — and ensure that when we say we’re speaking with the community, we really mean it,” Moore told San José Spotlight. The incoming president said he’s grappling with the idea of filling his mentor’s shoes. Moore spent decades building connections with local leaders and trust with other community organizations. When San Jose’s Black community spoke out against racist election attack ads published by the San Jose Chamber of Commerce, then known as the Silicon Valley Organization, Moore organized a diverse list of leaders to push back. It prompted the chamber to dismantle its political action committee behind the ads. Moore also helped establish Juneteenth as a recognized holiday in San Jose. Related Stories “I wanted to poise the organization to be on the sphere of what was happening — we wanted to be the first to weigh in on a critical issue and make sure we had a presence on that situation,” Moore told San José Spotlight. “I got in trouble a lot of times because it would go against the state’s position. But our goal was to protect the citizens of Santa Clara County.” In 2021, Moore announced he was moving to Atlanta, Georgia in search of better opportunities. But just one year after leaving San Jose, the beloved civil rights leader was back — separated from family, ousted from a job where he reported inappropriate conduct and struggling to find work. This time, he said he’s got more reasons to be hopeful about his latest move back east. “We’ve been fortunate enough to buy a home in Georgia on a quarter acre,” he told San José Spotlight. “I always promised my wife and kids a home.” Changing of the guard Allen said it will take time to get to Moore’s level. But he’s already looking ahead. He said he plans to continue the chapter’s government watchdogging and accountability efforts — a pursuit he said distinguishes his NAACP chapter from others in the state. “We just had a state convention and I learned about how some of the other branches are going down the same path — but it sounds to me, from the interactions we had, that we are in a different space. Particularly because we have a lot of insiders in the government informing us,” Allen told San José Spotlight. While all 57 NAACP branches in California and Hawaii are governed by the same policy principles, Silicon Valley has “one of the best branches in ensuring government accountability and fair and equal treatment of African Americans and people of color,” Rick Callender, a high-ranking leader of the NAACP’s statewide chapter and CEO of Valley Water, told San José Spotlight. “Allen has been a long fighter for equity and justice,” Callender said. “He came from the trenches doing battle, and he has fought not only for himself, but others. I fully support him as the incoming president for the San Jose/Silicon Valley NAACP.” Former Milpitas Vice Mayor and San José Spotlight board President Bob Nuñez briefly helmed the NAACP during Moore’s first move to Georgia. He said his hope is the community will rally around Allen. “Somebody has to be the watchdog. But I also think you need the ability to bring people together. Somebody has to point out what we did wrong, but it shouldn’t be the only thing we do,” Nuñez told San José Spotlight. Allen agrees. He said he also wants to put more energy toward college education access. He said he’s courting local academics to join the NAACP’s executive board, in an effort to coax local community colleges into covering tuition and other expenses for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated students. He also said he intends to enhance awareness of the NAACP as an advocate for all marginalized communities. “Most people think of the NAACP and think it’s Black only. That’s not the case,” Allen told San José Spotlight. “We’re fighting for the rights of everyone. That is the mission of the organization. That will be broadcast and represented publicly everywhere. (The) Rev. Moore has expressed the same thing. I think that we have to make changes about how we’re bringing it to other people.” Contact Brandon Pho at [email protected] or @brandonphooo on X, formerly known as Twitter.