AURN News

In an unprecedented move, a federal panel has struck down Alabama's revised congressional voting boundaries for failing to properly represent its Black community.

This now marks the second time that Alabama's redistricting efforts have been legally challenged and tossed out, despite a prior Supreme Court mandate. The eyebrow-raising aspect here: Alabama's own legislators admit that the newly proposed map did not meet legal guidelines and yet they went ahead with it.

Now, a court-appointed specialist will design a new map featuring at least two districts where Black voters have a realistic chance to elect candidates who represent their interests, just in time for the 2024 election.

In a state where nearly 27 percent of the population identifies as Black, this map-drawing process has significant implications, not only in Alabama but in neighboring states like Georgia, which are embroiled in similar controversies.

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No bathrooms, no performers, no bathrooms, no food, lots of mud, no bathrooms. I'm talking about the Burning Man thing that happens in the desert every year.

In normal years, people at the festival have to contend with sweltering temperatures and dust storms. But this year, because of climate change, there was mud galore and many people tried to embrace the mud, even though they were getting flooded by it, by throwing some parties inside a recreational vehicle that perhaps wasn't mudded out.

They were playing games, getting to know other people, and some celebrities even attended, like Chris Rock, Cindy Crawford and Diplo. And apparently they had to hitchhike out of the desert location. Not sure who they caught a ride with, since the traffic jam was eight hours long just to get to the two lane highway which takes you really out of there.

All of this begs the question, why are you out in the desert with 70,000 people and you don't even get dinner and a show?

Well, Beyoncé put on a show. She pulled out all the stops for her special birthday occasion and her third and final concert at SoFi Stadium here in Los Angeles. She's been turning it up every night, all over the weekend.

At the show, Diana Ross led the crowd in a happy birthday sing-along. That was, of course, for Beyoncé's birthday, which was on September 4. Kendrick Lamar, who joined Beyoncé on stage on the final date of her Lemonade tour back in 2016, actually came out about two hours into the show to perform "America Has a Problem."

It was a heck of a weekend here at SoFi Stadium. In the house for the show were Adele, Lizzo, Zendaya, Justin and Hailey Bieber, Katie Perry, Brandi. Oh, and by the way, I think Chris Rock must have made it back, 'cause somebody saw him there too. Kate Hudson, Kim and Chloe Kardashian, along with Kylie Jenner, were also in attendance for Beyoncé's big, big night.

She is doing so well. She probably won't have to work in another 10 years 'cause her daughter, Blue Ivy, is out there on stage with her every night. I'm counting on that girl.

In what many are considering a 'hmm' moment and apparently themed for Labor Day, Bad Boy Records founder Sean "Diddy" Combs has decided to reassign his Bad Boy Publishing rights back to all of the Bad Boy artists and writers who helped build the company into a powerhouse it is today.

Artists in question include the Notorious B.I.G.'s estate, Faith Evans, Mase, Lox, 112 and many more unspecified creators.

Details are not available at the moment about all the assets, but everyone knows they're worth hundreds of millions of dollars. And it has increased dramatically in recent years as the artists are really getting their music out there.

Now, the source notes that Combs has received multiple million dollar offers for the rights to Bad Boy Publishing, but instead has decided to reassign the rights to the songwriters. There are some people who are wondering why is he doing this? Maybe he just found God.

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(AURN News) — Recent polls conducted by the Wall Street Journal have raised concerns for President Joe Biden in his 2024 re-election bid. The surveys, which gauged public opinion on his job performance and the possible 2024 presidential election match up with former President Donald Trump, paint a challenging picture for the incumbent president.

According to the most recent poll released this week, President Biden's approval rating stands at 42%, with a clear majority of 57% of registered voters expressing disapproval of his job performance. Furthermore, only 36% of those surveyed believed that President Biden was "mentally up for the job," indicating growing doubts about his capacity to lead effectively.

The survey, conducted between August 24 and August 30, also revealed significant discontent among respondents regarding the state of inflation and the economy. These concerns highlight the pressing issues facing the Biden administration as it seeks to regain public confidence. Perhaps most notably, a substantial 73% of those polled believed that Biden is too old for the demanding role of the presidency.

In a separate Wall Street Journal poll, respondents were asked, "If the 2024 presidential election were held today, for whom would you vote?" The results showed a closely contested race, with former Trump and Biden in a virtual tie. Trump garnered support from 40% of respondents, while President Biden trailed closely at 39%.

This statistical deadheat underscores the competitiveness of a potential rematch between the two political heavyweights and underscores the challenges Biden may face in securing a second term. The latest WSJ polls add to a series of recent surveys that have indicated declining approval ratings for the President.

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Dollar General will donate more than $2.5 million to nonprofit organizations and other efforts to heal the traumatized community where a white supremacist fatally shot three Black people on Aug. 26, at its Jacksonville, Fla., store, the company announced Friday (Sept. 1).

According to a statement, the discount retailer said it will donate $500,000 to the First Coast Relief Fund, which supports North Florida residents after natural disasters and other tragedies, as well as $1 million to nonprofits and community organizations based on input from “conversations with the local community.”

Dollar General will also match donations of up to $1 million for its Employee Assistance Foundation and donate $50,000 to local food banks to help with food insecurity.

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Redistricting drama is unfolding in Georgia and Florida, two GOP-led states, as courts grapple with allegations that new maps suppress minority voters.

In Georgia, a federal trial kicks off this week probing whether Republicans illegally weakened the voting power of Black residents. Meanwhile, in sunny Florida, a state judge tossed out a congressional map saying it unconstitutionally diluted Black voting strength.

These are not isolated events and could tip the scale in the 2024 Congressional elections. In Georgia, if Republicans lose the trial, they may have to redraw the maps, potentially losing their nine-five majority in the U.S. House delegation.

In Florida, the rejected map had Republicans winning 20 out of 28 districts. The judge's ruling could change that landscape, especially in districts between Jacksonville and the Panhandle.

Both states have historically faced accusations of voter discrimination. Now they are ground zero for a nationwide debate on fair representation.

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The return back to work after Labor Day could look different for nearly 1 million Americans. Over a million American workers, including employees of FedEx, Zoom Communications, and Lyft, are set to leave their home offices behind after Labor Day. But will they all comply?

Office rates stand to go up 65% by the year's end. If this happens, attendance could skyrocket to 80% on popular in-office days like Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

However, the ride back to the office is far from smooth. The question is, what will that mean for a sudden influx of employees rushing to work?

73% of companies are grappling with the challenges of this transition. Some of them are even seeing increased employee exits when in-person work is mandated. Some companies are downsizing their office space.

The lesson: Companies need to weigh the real cost of unused office space and the value of employee preferences. How would a return to office mandate affect your decision to stay at your job?

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A Missouri judge ruled Thursday that an elderly white man must stand trial for shooting and seriously injuring unarmed Black teenager Ralph Yarl in April when the high school honor student mistakenly rang his doorbell in Kansas City, the Associated Press reports.

Andrew Lester, 84, pleaded not guilty to charges of first-degree assault and armed criminal action on April 20. The ruling came after a preliminary hearing to determine whether to move forward with a criminal trial. Lester is now slated to appear in court on Sept. 20 for an arraignment.

Yarl, now 17, was among the witnesses who testified in the Clay County courtroom. At least six other witnesses, three neighbors and three police officers, also testified, and a recording of Lester’s 911 call was played, local station KCTV reported.

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In a striking decision from Washington D.C., former Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani lost a defamation suit to Georgia election workers Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss.

The loss could mean a heavy price tag for Giuliani, who recently admitted to making false statements about the workers, implying they tampered with ballots in the 2020 election. The result of those false statements: Freeman and Moss endured threats, emotional distress, and reputational damage.

Judge Beryl Howell voiced stern criticism, noting Giuliani's failure to cooperate adequately in the case. That failure could now cost him thousands, if not millions, in damages. Giuliani has already been sanctioned nearly $90,000 in this case.

While the damages' exact value remains undecided, one thing is clear: this isn't about just money. As Freeman and Moss stated, what they went through after the 2020 election was a "living nightmare."

As their journey for justice continues, a significant question arises: What's the real cost of spreading false information?

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On International Overdose Awareness Day, the White House announced it was making major moves to tackle the overdose pandemic that is hitting communities hard. The Biden administration is pouring in more than $450 million to prevent drug misuse, treat those affected, and bring traffickers to justice.

To spotlight the devastation caused, especially by illicit fentanyl, the administration has marked this week as overdose awareness week.

A sigh of relief for many, the CDC revealed 13 months straight without a rise in overdose deaths, signaling progress in this uphill battle.

The funding includes $20.5 million towards drug-free communities, targeting local prevention efforts, and $279 million is set aside by the CDC to boost harm reduction strategies, link patients to critical care, and stay ahead of the ever-evolving overdose crisis.

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Larry Elder, the conservative voice who claimed election fraud in California's recall with no proof and controversially suggested that slave owners deserve reparations, is feeling the burn of exclusion, this time from the Republican presidential debate.

Elder cried foul on digital platform X, formerly known as Twitter, asserting the Republican National Committee's snub felt all too familiar.

The RNC has announced the lineup of eight participants for the first primary debate (Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis; Vivek Ramaswamy; former Vice President Mike Pence; former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley; former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie; South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott; former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum), but Elder insists he's met every mark to be center stage.

While notable names like Ron DeSantis are in, the candidate leading in the polls, former President Donald Trump, opted out. Another Black candidate, Will Hurd, will not be on stage either.

The irony is Elder is once again feeling sidelined, especially in a party he staunchly supports. Is Elder's exclusion a genuine oversight or another episode of his ongoing drama with the GOP?

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