AURN News

(AURN News) - When it comes to the best airlines of 2024, one budget carrier is defying expectations and soaring to the top. A new report from WalletHub has ranked ultra-low-cost Spirit Airlines as the third-best airline overall, surprisingly besting industry giants like Delta, American, and Southwest. 

The WalletHub study analyzed a range of factors including affordability, safety, reliability, and comfort across major U.S. airlines. While Delta grabbed the titles for most reliable and most comfortable airline, the report named Spirit as both the most affordable and safest option for flyers.

At the top of the rankings was Alaska Airlines taking the number one spot, followed by regional carrier SkyWest Airlines. The biggest surprises were Spirit's number three ranking and Southwest Airlines landing at the very bottom of the list in tenth place.

The complete rankings of the top 10 airlines for 2024 were as follows:

Southwest faced widespread operational meltdowns in 2022 during the holiday meltdown where 16,900 flights were cancelled and two million passengers were stranded. In December Southwest received a hefty $140 million penalty from the U.S. Department of Transportation.

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Today marks the end of the Affordable Connectivity Program, and Congress has yet to intervene. The critical federal initiative launched to support low-income Americans offers significant monthly discounts on high-speed internet -- $30 for most and $75 in tribal areas. In just over two years, it's been a digital lifeline for 23 million households with a notable impact on military families and communities of color. 

Black households, in particular, have relied heavily on these subsidies for access to essential services such as homework support, virtual health care, and employment training. These benefits extend through various community and national programs like Connected Nation, which have been instrumental in promoting digital literacy and connectivity, especially in underserved rural areas.

With the program's closure, these communities stand at a precipice, potentially facing higher costs that could force tough choices between internet access and basic needs.

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(AURN News) — A new Bible edition intertwining scripture with American patriotic texts has drawn scathing criticism from a North Carolina pastor who lambasted the tome as "blasphemous" during a recent viral sermon. 

The "God Bless The USA Bible," released last month, sells for $59.99 and includes the full Bible text along with the chorus lyrics to the song "God Bless the U.S.A," the U.S. Constitution, Bill of Rights, Declaration of Independence and Pledge of Allegiance. Its publishers claim it is the "only Bible endorsed by President Trump." But Rev. Loran Livingston of Central Church in Charlotte pushed back forcefully against those marketing claims.

"Politics is of this world. You think it's your duty to be political about this, that and the other. No! Your duty is to serve the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul, body and strength and love your neighbor as yourself," Livingston declared. 

The pastor condemned the unique Bible edition as "disgusting" and "a ploy," arguing Christians should not conflate their spiritual responsibilities with civic duties like voting. "Let me tell you something. The gospel is not an American gospel. It is the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ," he admonished congregants.

GodBlessTheUSABible.com, which sells the book, has stressed it is "not political and has nothing to do with any political campaign." It says Donald Trump's name and likeness are used under a paid license that can be revoked.

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It seems like the axe is falling over at the Grio. Of course, I'm talking about Byron Allen's media conglomerate. Well, an individual with knowledge of the situation did tell TheWrap.com that members of the podcast and video teams have been laid off, along with managing editor Christy Oglesby.

The individual also told TheWrap that Allen Media Group is making strategic changes to better position the company for growth, but it does result in expense and workforce reductions across all divisions. The company did come out with their own statement but the spokesperson declined to talk about the specifics regarding the layoffs.

The Grio was acquired by Byron Allen Media Group in 2016. They also own 27 network affiliate broadcast television stations in 21 U.S. markets. Byron has done very well. And I'll tell you one thing I know to be true of him: he always has a plan and he usually lands on his feet. So I'm sure that he'll be okay. We do know that. And hopefully all of the other layoffs will find other jobs.

Will is refusing to take part in the publicity campaign for his new movie, "Bad Boys: Ride or Die." We all know he does not want to talk about the infamous 2020 Oscar slap and the state of his marriage with Jada Pinkett Smith.

You know, he really doesn't do interviews anymore, but I do have to say that he showed up and showed out at Coachella recently. Will popped up on stage at the end of Colombian singer J Balvin's set. He rapped the lyrics to his smash hit, "Single Men in Black," while dressed in his 1997 character Agent J's trademark black suit. Yep. It still fits. Go Will.

And for all these stories and a whole lot more, don't forget to follow Tanya Hart on social media @tanyahollywood and @aurnonline, and also check out our video interview with Quvenzhané Wallis about her new thriller, "Breathe." You don't want to miss that one.

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Students at Columbia University are continuing their protest, demanding that the school divest its $13.6 billion endowment from any company linked to Israel.

Protestors yelled, "Let's finish what they did in 1968," referring to protests related to the Vietnam War, as they took over Hamilton Hall and smashed windows.

Even freedom fighter Angela Davis showed up at Columbia to give support to the students.

"This is the moment we have all been waiting for," Davis said. 

College protests are taking place all over the U.S. -- from the University of Berkeley to Virginia Tech and the University of Connecticut -- as schools grapple with how to deal with protestor encampments, increasing numbers of arrests, and students not backing down even when faced with suspension.

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(AURN News) - The battle against stubbornly high inflation is facing fresh headwinds as the latest economic data shows the U.S. economy maintaining robust momentum, complicating the Federal Reserve's efforts to engineer a slowdown and tame price pressures.

The Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) index, the Fed's preferred inflation gauge, rose 2.7 percent in March compared to a year earlier, according to a recent Commerce Department report. Adding to the Fed's challenges, the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) report for the first quarter of 2024 showed an increase of 1.6 percent, the government reported last week. The growth was fueled by a $407.1 billion jump in personal income and a 3.1 percent rise in disposable income, pointing to strong consumer spending. The mixed data dashes hopes for rate cut anytime soon by the Fed. Many analysts had anticipated rate cuts this year after inflation showed signs of moderating in 2023. However, the timing of potential cuts continues to be pushed back as price pressures persist.

Earlier this month, AURN News reported that Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell reiterated the central bank's commitment to restoring 2 percent inflation, its long-standing target. "Of course, the outlook is still quite uncertain, and if incoming data suggest that inflation is more persistent than I currently expect it to be, it will be appropriate to hold in place the current restrictive stance of policy for longer. I am fully committed to getting inflation back to 2 percent,” Powell told the International Research Forum on Monetary Policy in Washington.

The Fed has raised interest rates 11 times between March 2022 and July 2023. From December of last year to today, the Fed has held rates steady in an effort to douse the highest inflation in 40 years. However, the latest numbers cast doubt on whether the pauses have been enough to meaningfully restrict economic activity and relieve price pressures.

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"The Barnes Bunch" premiered April 19 on WE TV and is already gaining a large audience. The new series follows NBA champion and successful podcaster, Matt Barnes, alongside his fiancée, model and reality personality, Anansa Sims.

They are truly the modern blended family with six children between two of them, but both Matt and Anansa have had their share of drama. So I asked, why do a reality show?

"I think the trust in the producing partners, Datari Turner, someone that Anansa has known since she was a teenager, Jamie Foxx and I have been good friends for a handful of years. So just having that trust, but then also, you know, being people who watch TV, wanting to put a perception of a strong Black family out there, and you don't get that too often, particularly in the reality world. So I think we wanted to show people that it does exist. We wanted to show people that it is real, not perfect, but real. Blended families are the new norm. And I think we've mastered the blended family gang with all six of our kids. So for all those reasons, that's why we wanted to jump into this space together," Barnes said.

You can watch the entire video interview with Matt and Anansa on AURN's YouTube. You don't want to miss it. And don't forget to check out the show on WE TV or All Black Network. It airs on Friday. And new episodes every Tuesday.

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Time is up, but they're not moving. Despite a stern warning from Columbia University demanding students protesting the U.S. response to the war on Gaza clear their encampment by 2:00 p.m. or face suspension, the protest is still very much alive.

Ignoring the ultimatum, students are rallying around their cause, demanding the university divest from Israel. The university, aiming to secure a peaceful campus environment ahead of the May 15 commencement, has offered to reveal its investments and review proposals on socially responsible investing. 

Yet tensions soar as protesters, undeterred, continue to chant for transparency and divestment, even as the university threatens suspension to restore order for upcoming exams and graduation ceremonies.

Meanwhile, Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was asked during the White House briefing if the administration believes the students should face suspension. 

"We're going to continue to say all Americans have the right to peacefully protest. At the same time, we have to call out any hateful rhetoric," Jean-Pierre said.

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On April 29, 1899, Duke Ellington, an accomplished jazz pianist, composer, and bandleader, was born in Washington, D.C. Over a career spanning 50 years, he composed around 3,000 songs and performed worldwide.

Born Edward Kennedy Ellington, he began piano at age 7, and he crafted his inaugural composition, "Soda Fountain Rag," at 15. Through the '30s and '40s, Ellington's career flourished, marked by hits like "It Don't Mean a Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing" (1931) and "Sophisticated Lady" (1932), among others. 

His accolades include the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1969 and the Legion of Honor from France in 1973. 

Ellington passed away in 1974 at the age of 75.

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Today marks the kickoff of the White House's Economic Opportunity Tour. Vice President Kamala Harris and Congressional Black Caucus Chairman Steve Horsford are leading a panel that dives deep into enhancing economic opportunities for minority-owned businesses and boosting wealth in Black communities.

The dialogue today follows the recent unveiling of the Congressional Black Caucus's ambitious plan, co-sponsored by all 60 members, and aimed at closing the alarming wealth gap, where the average wealth of white Americans stands at $284,310 compared to just $44,100 for Black Americans.

The plan focuses on crucial areas like housing, entrepreneurship, employment, and tax fairness to foster generational wealth and economic equity. With historic steps already taken to increase access to capital for small businesses, the tour promises to be a cornerstone in advancing these initiatives further.

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