Canada Pushes Spotify, Netflix and Other Foreign-Owned Streamers

 

Canada’s House of Commons has passed Bill C-11 with an eye to raising around $800 million annually from U.S. streamers and social media platforms as they become obligated to subsidize local Canadian film, TV and music product.

Kimberly Dowdell Becomes First Black Female President of American Institute of Architects

 

The Architect’s Newspaper reports Dowdell was elected by delegates at the 2022 AIA Annual Meeting, held virtually earlier this month. Dowdell’s one-year tenure will begin in 2024. In 2023, Dowdell will serve as the AIA First Vice President/2024 President-elect. Current First Vice President Emily Grandstaff-Rice will become president, replacing current President Dan Hart.

Seven Gunned Down During Family Barbecue

 

Police in San Antonio say that a shooting at a barbecue on Saturday night killed two people and left five others injured.

Police responded to the scene around 10:15 p.m. when they said a family was having a barbecue in their front yard when the shooter pulled up and opened fire, according to news station KENS 5. Two people were pronounced dead at the scene while five others were treated at the hospital for their injuries. Their conditions are unknown, the news station reported.

Will Donald Trump Get Indicted?

 

Members of the House committee investigating the Capitol riot said Sunday they have uncovered enough evidence for the Justice Department to consider an unprecedented criminal indictment against former President Donald Trump for seeking to overturn the results of the 2020 election.

Thousands Rally in Nationwide Protests

 

Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets on Saturday for the annual March for Our Lives rally, a nationwide protest against gun violence.

The non-profit group, founded by survivors of the 2018 Parkland shooting, told NBC News there were about 450 rallies planned across the United States, including in cities like Chicago; Los Angeles; NYC; Detroit; and Washington, D.C. The demonstrations come amid renewed calls for tighter gun control measures, as the nation continues reeling from a series of mass shootings.

Did Instagram Addiction Result in Eating Disorder

 

A California family is suing Meta, claiming Instagram is to blame for their teenage daughter’s eating disorder and mental health issues.

NBC News reports the lawsuit was filed Monday in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, by Kathleen and Jeffrey Spence on behalf of their daughter Alexis Spence. The lawsuit alleges Alexis, who began using Instagram at age 11, suffered from “anxiety, depression, self-harm, eating disorders, and, ultimately, suicidal ideation” after becoming addicted to the social media platform.

Two Employees Rescued From Chocolate Factory

 

A Lancaster County 911 spokesperson told TODAY that a call was received around 10:51 a.m. about the incident. “The incident currently is being downgraded, but originally two employees were stuck in a sort of dry chocolate,” the spokesperson said. The Elizabethtown Fire Department later transported the two workers to a nearby hospital as a likely precautionary measure.

Geico Sued For $5.2M

 

A Missouri woman who claimed to have contracted a sexually transmitted disease during sex in a car has been awarded $5.2 million from the car insurance giant Geico. 

What The Ban on Cigarettes Mean

 

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is moving forward with plans to ban menthol cigarettes and all flavored cigars—policies that agency officials say could help prevent some of the roughly 500,000 U.S. deaths linked to tobacco each year.

“The actions we are proposing can help significantly reduce youth initiation and increase the chances that current smokers quit,” FDA Commissioner Dr. Robert Califf said in a statement. “It is clear that these efforts will help save lives.”

How Bill Spruill turned his employees into millionaires

 

Black tech entrepreneur Bill Spruill turned his employees into millionaires when he sold his startup Global Data Consortium for an undisclosed amount.

The North Carolina tech company was sold to the owner of the London Stock Exchange. The financial details have yet to be disclosed, but Spruill described the amount as a “Bronto-level transaction,” which NetSuite bought for $200 million in 2015.

$100 Million Endowment Fund for Slavery Reparations

 

News recently surfaced noting Harvard University is setting $100 million aside as part of an endowment fund to “close the educational, social and economic gaps that are legacies of slavery and racism.” The news was revealed during Harvard's president's email sent to students, staff, and faculty. 

A 100-page report was linked to the email, which a 14-member committee created on Harvard and the Legacy of Slavery. A legal historian and constitutional law expert named Tomiko Brown-Nagin served as a chair. 

Elon Musk to Acquire Twitter for $44 Billion

 

According to an announcement from Twitter, the company revealed they entered a deal to be acquired by the billionaire for $44 billion. Twitter shareholders will reportedly receive $54.20 per share, and the social media network will become a privately held company upon the finalization of the deal. As a result of the news, trading for Twitter was halted. 

What's To Happen If US Arms Ukraine?

 

What will happen if the United States keeps arming Ukraine in this war. Russia has sent a formal diplomatic note to the Biden administration warning the U.S. against further arming Ukraine.

The note, sent to the State Department, revealed Moscow's irritation with President Biden's decision to continue to approve arms transfers as the conflict shifts to eastern Ukraine. It used the same type of language Russia has been using for some time to object to Western efforts to bolster the Ukrainian military against the invading Russian forces. 

How Global Warming Is Affecting Airlines

 

Airlines have canceled more than 3,300 U.S. flights this weekend and delayed thousands more, citing weather in Florida and other issues.

FlightAware, a website that tracks flights, noted major disruptions at several Florida airports, including Miami, Ft. Lauderdale and Orlando, as well as Baltimore and other airports around the country. JetBlue, Southwest, Alaska Airlines, Frontier, Spirit and American Airlines were most affected, according to FlightAware. Local news reported storms in Florida on Saturday. Several airlines said Sunday that operations are returning to normal.

House Passes Bill Decriminalizing Marijuana

 

The U.S. House of Representatives have reportedly voted to approve a bill decriminalizing marijuana. 

The Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement Act (the MORE Act) was approved Friday by a 220-204 vote. Three of the 220 votes in favor of passing the bill were Republican lawmakers. 

Connecting Black Studies with STEM Subjects

 

The University of California San Diego will be bringing in 13 new, tenure-track faculty members who will connect Black studies with STEM subjects. Diverse Education reports three hires have already been announced.

The first three hires by UCSD are neurobiologist Dr. Hiruy Meharena, computer scientist Dr. Imani N.S. Munyaka, and chemist Dr. Lisa Jones. UCSD’s DEI Chancellor, Dr. Becky Petit told Diverse Education this cluster of hires focuses on diversifying its Black faculty over the next two years. UCSD is also working on a cluster of Latinx talent.

Children Hospitalized After Drinking Milk Contaminated with Sanitizer

 

Young children in New Jersey were hospitalized Wednesday after consuming milk from cartons contaminated with sanitizer. 

Students at both the Early Childhood Development Center and the Riletta Twyne Cream Early Childhood Development Center in Camden were taken to the hospital after consuming the contaminated milk.

$3 Million Worth of Drugs Seized During Traffic Stop

 

On February 22, 2022, a deputy with the Criminal Interdiction Team of Central Oklahoma (CITGO) spotted a van driving erratically on I-35 northbound near 122nd Street in Oklahoma City. 

Corporation Invests $122 Million to Support Black Businesses

 

The Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) has invested $122 million to support the growth of Black-owned banks and businesses.

LISC announced the investment that was closed through LISC’s Black Economic Development Fund (BEDF). The massive funding came from major companies, including Netflix, Paypal, Square, HubSpot, Aflac, Costco, Dicks Sporting Goods, ThermoFisher Scientific, Wayfair, McKinsey & Co., and Dupont.

Will $6 Billion in Student Loan Debt Be Forgiven?

 

According to reports, the Biden Administration is set to cancel over $6 billion in student loan debt. The debt cancellation comes as part of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program which added another 30,000 borrowers. The program will wipe away debt after a period of on-time payments for 10 years.