AURN News

Congress faces a ticking clock to prevent a government shutdown by Friday. A bipartisan deal introducing a two-step stopgap bill aims to keep the government funded until March.

The Senate is gearing up for a pivotal procedural vote late Tuesday. However, House Speaker Mike Johnson must confront a growing rebellion within his party. House conservatives have openly criticized the proposed bill, complicating Johnson's task of maintaining government operations while managing internal party conflicts.

Additionally, the House plans to address Hunter Biden's contempt of Congress charge and proceed with the second of four impeachment hearings for Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.

These events add to the already heated political landscape, but this week's proceedings are critical. If Congress passes the stopgap measure, it will be the third such resolution since fiscal 2024 began.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In what is probably the most Blackish Emmys ever with host Anthony Anderson, a reunion of Martin Lawrence's "Martin," historic wins from many Black actors (and by the way, the show was produced by Jesse Collins Entertainment), the 75th Emmys was quite entertaining, quite diverse, and what a celebration.

Quinta Brunson became the first Black actress in 40-plus years to take home the award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy. Of course, that's for her show, "Abbott Elementary." The last Black woman, by the way, to win the award was Isabel Sanford in "The Jeffersons" back in 1981.

But it was Niecy Nash Betts who stole the show with her acceptance speech after winning the award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Anthology Series or Movie. Niecy took a minute to thank the person who's been there since the very beginning, herself. She came back to the press room and explained:

"I'm the only one who knows what it cost me. I'm the only one who knows how many nights I cried because I couldn't be seen for a certain type of role. I'm the one who knows what it's like to go through divorce on camera and still have to pull up and show out and you still got to go home and you have children and a whole life. And so I'm proud of myself. I'm proud that I did something that people said I could not do because I believed in me and sometimes people don't believe in themselves. And I hope my speech was a delicious invitation for people to do just that: Believe in yourself and congratulate yourself. Sometimes you got to encourage, what? Yourself. And that's why it's not called mama-esteem, them-esteem, us-esteem, it's called self-esteem. Cause don't nobody got to believe it, but you."

"Succession," one of my all-time favorite shows, won with six awards each. Of course, the Roy clan of "Succession" and the newfound family of "The Bear" were the Emmy's biggest winners.

And what a show! We'll have a lot more from backstage at the Emmys later on this week, so stay tuned, and don't forget to follow us @aurnonline for all of the YouTube videos that we have from award season.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Donald Trump has won the Iowa caucuses, putting him in the lead in the Republican 2024 presidential race. Trump's margin of victory? Huge, outpacing his rivals by 30 points.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis won the second spot, with a significant distance from Trump's numbers, however.

Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley followed closely behind DeSantis, with just a narrow margin separating the two. These results not only highlight Trump's strong influence in the GOP but also set the stage for a competitive race ahead.

Next on the campaign trail is New Hampshire, which holds its primary on January 23.

With Trump's commanding lead in Iowa, attention now turns to how DeSantis, Haley, and other candidates like Ramaswamy will recalibrate their strategies for the upcoming primaries.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The United Negro College Fund (UNCF) has revealed groundbreaking news: HBCUs are set to receive a historic $100 million gift from the Lilly Endowment, marking the largest donation in the 80-year history of the 37 affiliated HBCUs.

This significant contribution is part of UNCF's ambitious $1 billion capital campaign, aiming to boost student scholarships, HBCU endowments, technology, research, cash reserves, and endowed funds.

A study by the Century Foundation highlights the vital need for increased support, as private non-HBCU endowments are seven times larger per student, and public non-HBCU institutions are three times larger than their HBCU counterparts.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This year started off with a lot of noise coming from Katt Williams on the Club Shay Shay podcast with Shannon Sharpe. Well, Katt called out everybody, including Kevin Hart. Now, as it turns out, Katt is going on tour and is including Kevin Hart's ex-wife, comedian Torrei Hart. She is joining Katt for multiple dates for this upcoming The Dark Matter Tour.

Well, you know, several social media users are calling out Williams and they're calling him messy for inviting Torrei on tour with him, especially after he described Kevin as an "industry plant" during that viral interview. He did say in the past 15 years in Hollywood, no one has a memory of going to a sold-out Kevin Hart show, there being a line for him or even getting a standing ovation at any comedy club.

Well, he said a lot of stuff to Sharpe, but I have to say, I'll bet everyone all over the country is hoping Katt and group show up in their city. We'll keep you posted on ticket sales.​

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A recent report from the Brookings Institute reveals a concerning trend. The racial wealth gap in America widened significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the Federal Reserve Survey of Consumer Finances, between 2019 and 2022, the median wealth gap between white and Black households increased nearly $50,000, a staggering over $240,000.

While overall wealth grew across racial groups, the increase was uneven. Median wealth for Black households rose $44,890, yet this pales in comparison to the $285,000 for white households and $536,000 for Asian American households. This disparity highlights deep rooted inequalities with white households possessing $100 for every $15 held by Black households.

This data underscores centuries of discrimination in public policy and financial practices. Despite progress, the wealth gap remains a stark reminder of persistent economic divide.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Zulu-British War, which was triggered by the escalating encroachment of the British Empire onto the territory of the Zulu nation, began on this day (Jan. 11) in 1879.

Britain, enticed by the riches of Zululand and driven by the desire to consolidate its colonies, sought to subdue the perceived threat posed by the Zulu nation and its leader through the initiation of a war. Under the command of Lieutenant General Frederic Augustus, British forces invaded Zululand.

The British suffered a significant defeat, resulting in the loss of 1,300 men either dead or wounded. Despite these setbacks, the British eventually gained the advantage, leading to the surrender of the Zulu nation in July.

In 1887, Zululand was annexed by the British and later became a part of the Union of South Africa in 1910.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In a passionate plea, Vice President Kamala Harris urged Georgia voters, advocates, and elected officials to persist in their fight for expanded access to the ballot box.

Speaking at a roundtable in Atlanta, Georgia, Harris emphasized the critical importance of the upcoming presidential election and labeled Georgia as ground zero in the battle for voting rights.

With the White House pushing for the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, Harris outlined key policies to protect minority and disenfranchised voters.

Following the 2020 presidential election, false claims of widespread voter fraud by former President Donald Trump and his supporters fueled a greater need for safeguarding access to the ballot box.

As the Biden-Harris ticket prepares for a potential rematch against Trump, Georgia's significance in the fight for voting rights cannot be understated.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin faces growing pressure to resign after the revelation of undisclosed health issues and complications following his recent prostate cancer surgery. He continues to recover at Walter Reed Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland.

The controversy has sparked heated debates on Capitol Hill, with a Democrat now joining the Republican chorus of voices demanding transparency and accountability.

National Security Council spokesman John Kirby addressed the unfolding situation, admitting the lack of information surrounding Austin's hospitalization.

“We did not know he was in the hospital until Thursday. We did not know the condition that put him in the — in the hospital at that time. We certainly didn’t know about the prostate surgery that occurred earlier in December,” Kirby stated during a press briefing Wednesday.

The growing discontent reached a tipping point when Congressman Chris Deluzio of Pennsylvania, representing portions of the Pittsburgh area, became the first Democrat to publicly call for Austin's resignation. Deluzio, who serves on the House Armed Services Committee and is the Vice Ranking Member on the House Veterans Affairs Committee, cited a loss of trust in Austin's leadership.

“I have lost trust in Secretary Lloyd Austin’s leadership of the Defense Department due to the lack of transparency about his recent medical treatment and its impact on the continuity of the chain of command,” he said.

“I have a solemn duty in Congress to conduct oversight of the Defense Department through my service on the House Armed Services Committee. That duty today requires me to call on Secretary Austin to resign.”

The Pentagon says Austin is in good condition and that no date has been set for his release.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ayo Edebiri is everywhere these days, and she certainly helped out the diversity case at this year's Golden Globes for the TV series, "The Bear." Well, she also landed a spot as one of the Associated Press' Breakthrough Entertainers of 2023.

This year alone, Edebiri, the 28-year-old Emmy-nominated actor, starred in "Bottoms," "Theater Camp," and "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem." She also guest starred on "Abbott Elementary" and "Black Mirror" and returned for the second season of "The Bear."

We caught up with the very popular actress backstage at the Golden Globes.

"'The Bear' and 'Bottoms' are both pieces of work that don't underestimate the audience's intelligence. I think The Bear doesn't underestimate people's depth, you know, of like feeling and understanding and empathy and I think 'Bottoms' we were just like no people will be down to be as stupid as possible with us. And just have a good time."

By the way, Edebiri grew up performing at her parent's church in my old neighborhood of Dorchester, Massachusetts. So I am so proud of her and we're going to be seeing a lot of this lady.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices