U.S. President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama observe a moment of silence for 9/11 victims on the South Lawn of the White House Friday, September 11th in Washington, DC. Today marked the eighth anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
US Vice President Joe Biden and his wife Dr. Jill Biden also observed the anniversary by visiting the reflecting pool at Ground Zero during a 9/11 memorial ceremony in New York City.
On Friday, over 300 Howard University students crowded the administration building, protesting problems with on-campus housing, delays in financial aid payments and other administration policies. The group also threatened a sit-in before they were turned away from the doors.
Students say they received a text message Thursday night telling them to wear all black and join the protest. Kristopher Owens, a junior advertising major who organized the protest, said it all started when he attempted to have information processed in the administration building earlier this year. He was told that he would have to make an appointment and wouldn’t be able to get one until September 9, although classes started over a week ago. Sitting in class one day, he decided “enough is enough”.
For more on the protest and an interview with Owens, visit I’m Keeping Up.
In a private ceremony at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California, on Thursday, family and friends gathered to say their final goodbyes to pop superstar Michael Jackson, 10 weeks after his death.
Although the service was initially scheduled for sunset, the late arrival of Jackson’s family made it a nighttime affair with Quincy Jones, Elizabeth Taylor, Berry Gordy, Lisa Marie Presley and Chris Tucker in attendance, among others.
Shortly before 10 p.m., Jackson’s brothers carried his casket in for the ceremony upon which his children placed a crown, marking their father’s status as the King of Pop. They also wrote letters to him that will lie with him alongside one of his signature white gloves saying: “Daddy, we love you, we miss you.” Gladys Knight sang “His Eye is on the Sparrow”, and Clifton Davis sang the Jackson 5 hit he wrote, “Never Can Say Goodbye.”
The Jackson family issued the following statement to the public:
“Once again thank all of Michael Jackson’s fans around the world for their generous outpouring of support during this terribly difficult time. Their expressions of love for Michael and his music have sustained the Jackson Family.”
Spelman College student Jasmine Lynn was killed by a stray bullet early Thursday while walking near Clark Atlanta University.
Although no arrests have been made, police have questioned a witness who was taken to the hospital after being chased down and beaten by bystanders who saw the shooting, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution.
“He has some knowledge about what was going on,” Atlanta Police Chief Richard Pennington said. “We can’t say he’s the suspect. We can’t say if he was the actual triggerman. He’s a person of interest.”
Two weeks into her sophomore year, 19-year-old Lynn and some friends were walking down the street when they saw a group of men fighting. One of the men had a gun in his pants, ran around the corner and began shooting behind him.
Lynn, a 2008 graduate of Lincoln College Preparatory Academy in Kansas City, Mo., was majoring in psychology and minoring in business.
Our thoughts and prayers are with Jasmine’s friends and family.
On Tuesday, singer/actor Chris Brown was sentenced to five years of probation and 180 days of community labor to be served at the Commonwealth Catholic Charities in Richmond, Virginia.
He reached a plea deal with prosecutors in June that limited his sentence to probation and no jail time. The 20-year-old is required to take a yearlong domestic violence prevention class and was ordered to stay at least 100 yards away from Rihanna for the next five years unless they are both at an entertainment-related event, in which case he must stay 10 yards away.
Brown must pay $2,500 in restitution and another $2,500 in probation expenses. He must also pay a $30 criminal conviction fee and $400 that goes into a domestic violence fund. He faced a maximum of five years in prison had he been convicted.
According to a search warrant affidavit unsealed today in Houston, Michael Jacksondied of “lethal levels” of the anesthetic Propofol. Dr. Conrad Murray, Jackson’s personal physician, told police that he had been treating Jackson for insomnia for about six weeks, giving Jackson 50 milligrams of Propofol every night through an IV.
Murray said he feared Jackson was becoming addicted and began weaning him off the drugs by lowering the dosage to 25 milligrams and mixing it with two other sedatives, Lorazepam and Midazolam.
Read on for the timeline of the day Michael Jackson died. Continue Reading »
According to published reports, Michael Jackson’s personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, will be charged with manslaughter within the next two weeks following a search warrant to be executed next week in order to gather more evidence against him.
Jackson’s longtime dermatologist, Dr. Arnold Klein, will also be hit with charges related to medical malpractice. A law enforcement source said investigators are still building their case against Klein, and he will not be arrested for at least another two weeks.
In an online video recorded last Wednesday and posted yesterday, Murray released his first public comment since Jackson’s death. In it, the doctor thanked his supporters and said, “I told the truth, and I have faith the truth will prevail.”
Spelman College student Jasmine Lynn was killed by a stray bullet early Thursday while walking near Clark Atlanta University.
