A Georgia mother who set out to protect her child was just convicted of murder for a revenge plot gone wrong. According to a March 29 press release issued by the Office of the DeKalb County District Attorney, a jury found 42-year-old Danyale Harris guilty on charges of felony murder, aggravated assault, conspiracy to commit aggravated assault and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony after she and a group attempted to confront the man she believed sexually abused her daughter. – Angela Johnson Read More
JOHANNESBURG (AP) — South African footballer and Olympian Luke Fleurs has been killed in a hijacking in Johannesburg, his Kaizer Chiefs club said on Thursday.
The 24-year-old defender was shot while waiting to be attended to at a petrol station in the Honeydew suburb in Johannesburg, according to police.
Supersport United’s Luke Fleurs in action during the DStv Premiership match between Supersport United and Richards Bay at the Lucas Moripe Stadium, Atteridgeville, South Africa, on Jan. 22, 2023. (Muzi Ntombela/BackpagePix via AP)
“Luke Fleurs tragically lost his life last night during a hijacking incident in Johannesburg. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends at this difficult time,” Kaizer Chiefs said in a statement.
According to police spokesperson Mavela Masondo, the attackers fled with Fleur’s vehicle and police were investigating a case of murder and car hijacking.
Fleurs previously played for the national under-23 side, representing South Africa at the Tokyo Olympics.
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Fleurs is the latest among thousands of people who are victims to fatal hijackings in South Africa, which has one of the highest murder rates in the world.
The latest official crime statistics from October-December last year showed 5,973 hijacking cases reported.
A new comedy is set to hit Netflix with the official trailer debut of “Mother of the Bride,” starring Brooke Shields and Miranda Cosgrove. Directed by Mark Waters and written by Robin Bernheim Burger, the film promises a hilarious journey through the chaos of wedding planning.
The film also features Sean Teale, Chad Michael Murray, Rachael Harris, and Benjamin Bratt. Michael McDonald, Wilson Cruz, Tasneem Roc, and Dalip Sondhi will all appear in the ensemble.
The storyline revolves around Lana (Brooke Shields), whose life takes a tumultuous turn when her daughter, Emma (Miranda Cosgrove), returns from abroad with surprising news: she’s getting married! But the twist? The wedding is set to take place in Thailand in just one month.
As Lana attempts to navigate the whirlwind of last-minute wedding arrangements, she discovers a shocking revelation: the man who has stolen Emma’s heart is the son of Lana’s past love, a man who broke her heart years ago. With tensions rising and emotions running high, Lana finds herself facing her unresolved feelings while trying to support her daughter’s happiness. With humor, heart, and plenty of unexpected twists, “Mother of the Bride” promises to be a delightful exploration of love, family, and the chaos of wedding planning.
Executive produced by Brooke Shields, Oliver Ackermann, Galen Fletcher, Robin Bernheim Burger, Amanda Phillips, Jimmy Townsend, and Vince Balzano, the film is set to captivate audiences with its charming cast and captivating storyline.
Fans eagerly anticipate the release of “Mother of the Bride,” slated to hit theaters soon, offering a comedic escape into the world of wedding mayhem.
In news that can only be described as “WTF, Dwayne?”— Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson revealed that he won’t be endorsing anyone for president this year and his reasoning why just might shock you.
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Speaking in an interview with Fox News (???) with Will Cain, Johnson explained that he wouldn’t be publicly endorsing any political candidate ahead of the 2024 election due to the “division” he claimed he spawned back when he endorsed Joe Biden back in 2020.
“The endorsement that I made years ago with Biden was one I thought was the best decision for me at that time. I thought, ‘I’m in this position where I have some influence and I felt it was my job then to exercise my influence [and] share: This is who I’m going to endorse.’ I’m not going to do that,” Johnson said. “I was then, the most followed man in the world, and am today. And I appreciate that. But what that caused was something that tears me up in my guts—which is division. That got me. I didn’t realize that then, I just felt like there was a lot of unrest and I’d like things to calm down.”
Hmmm. A few quick questions, Dwayne: “division” amongst whom? And what exactly were they divided about?
He continued:
“The takeaway after that was it caused an incredible amount of division. I realize now going into this election, I will not do that. My goal is to bring this country together. I believe in that. There will be no endorsement. At this level of influence, I will keep my politics to myself. It is between me and the ballot box. But I will tell you this: Like a lot of us out there, not trusting of all politicians, I do trust the American people and whoever they vote for that is my president and who I will support 100 percent.”
Later, when asked whether or not he was happy with the current state of the country, the “Red Notice” actor said no, citing “today’s cancel culture and woke culture.”
“Today’s cancel culture, woke culture, division, etc — that really bugs me,” Johnson explained. “In the spirit of that, you either succumb to that and be what other people want you to be, or you be yourself and be real … and that might make people upset and piss people off, and that’s okay.
Oof. Again, just really quickly—I have a few more questions: what the hell do you mean “woke culture?” Can you even define what being “woke” means? Can you define it accurately? Do you know where the term originated and how it’s been unjustly and inaccurately bastardized?
Perhaps more importantly, can you smell the BS you just cooked up into this interview, Dwayne? Because readers, viewers and fans definitely will. There’s a difference in being yourself and it pissing people off and being a narcissist, racist, deliberately divisive, offensively discriminatory, and intentionally ignorant human being and pissing people off because of it.
There’s also a difference in wanting the world, folks in power and policies to reflect and empower the diverse people that make up this country’s population and whatever “woke culture” bullshit some other folks are trying to make exist. Newsflash: it doesn’t. With such a huge platform like the “Jumanji” star has, it would behoove Johnson to think twice before spewing certain dogwhistle terminology lest it further stoke the flames of the very division he claims to be so disheartened by.
GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — DJ Horne has taken a long road to the Final Four.
The 6-foot-2, 180-pound guard has been the undersized, unoffered recruit out of North Carolina State’s base of Raleigh. He’s been the strong mid-major performer for two years at Illinois State, followed by the reliable scorer at power-conference program Arizona State.
And now, he’s the twice-over homecoming star: playing a lone season with the Wolfpack to net the most improbable of Final Four runs that has brought him back to the state of Arizona, less than an hour from his previous college stop with the Sun Devils.
“Everybody has their own path,” Horne said Friday.
“Coming back after the whole journey and everything like that, I would say that coming home (to N.C. State) there’s been a lot of love and people showing me respect for my grind and my journey to get back to where I am now.”
NC State guard DJ Horne, left, and guard Dennis Parker Jr. exit their locker room after a media availability ahead of a Final Four college basketball game in the NCAA Tournament, Thursday, April 4, 2024, in Glendale, Ariz. NC State plays Purdue on Saturday. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson )
Horne has been a perfect fit for the Wolfpack entering Saturday’s game against Purdue in the national semifinals, N.C. State’s first time on this stage since the “Cardiac Pack” title run of 1983 under the late Jim Valvano. He’s been the explosive perimeter scorer as part of a 1-2 punch with burly March Madness star DJ Burns Jr. in the paint.
And his ties to Raleigh have positioned him to appreciate this moment as well as anybody could with N.C. State owning a spotlight it normally has to fight to share with nearby Atlantic Coast Conference rivals Duke and North Carolina.
“Getting him back to Raleigh,” Wolfpack coach Kevin Keatts said, “I thought that was very important.”
The player that’s getting this shot now is very different from the one who left North Carolina as a three-star recruit to play for the Redbirds of the Missouri Valley Conference. He took a second-year jump in production there to average 15.1 points in 2020-21 while shooting 44.6% from the field and 42.4% from 3-point range, making him an attractive player just in time for NCAA legislation clearing the way for players to transfer without having to sit out at a new school.
That ultimately led Horne to Arizona State.
“When we brought him in from Illinois State, we saw how productive he had been,” said Sun Devils coach Bobby Hurley, a former Duke player. “I thought his game would translate, moving up a level from the mid-majors. And he didn’t disappoint. DJ was a guy we never promised anything to when he came into our program, and he fought for it.”
Horne averaged 12.5 points while starting 62 games over two seasons for the Sun Devils, including their return to March Madness after missing two straight NCAA fields. Horne also came up big in Arizona State’s lone tournament game, crossing over defender Rondel Walker to create some space and then burying a straightaway 3-pointer to tie the game with 15.6 seconds left and finishing with a team-high 17 points in a narrow loss to TCU.
“DJ’s a fighter, he believes in himself,” Hurley said. “Like a lot of small guards, he plays with a chip on a shoulder. When he gets going and starts making a couple shots, man, you better look out because he’s a dangerous guy. I think his confidence grows, his belief grows.”
N.C. State’s DJ Horne reacts after a made basket during the first half of the Wolfpack’s 80-67 win in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday, March 21, 2024, at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Pa. (Kaitlin McKeown/The News & Observer via AP)
Across the country around that time, Keatts was looking for backcourt help as he retooled the roster after the loss of high-scoring duo Jarkel Joiner and Terquavion Smith. Horne’s development was perfectly timed. He became the top addition for the Wolfpack, who had reached the NCAAs last season.
“Coming in, (Keatts) basically gave me the keys, man,” Horne said.
“He told me up front: ‘We’re going to need you to do this, we’re going to need you to lead, we’re going to need you to be the guy.’ Me knowing my game, knowing what I wanted out of this year, I couldn’t pass up that opportunity.”
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Joel Justus, a Wolfpack assistant coach who works with the guards, said Horne arrived with confident polish, strengthened through building successful seasons at the mid-major and then the power-conference levels to appear in 159 college games.
“It’s a totally different day in college basketball because you are coaching experienced guys,” Justus said. “You are coaching guys that have been in situations. So it’s much more of a collaborative experience for both player and coach. … When we got him here, it was a little bit of, ‘Hey, this is your first year of professional basketball, you’ve got to treat that that way.’”
Horne has risen to that challenge, averaging a team-high 16.8 points with multiple big showings during N.C. State’s nine-game surge that led to an ACC Tournament title (the first since 1987) and this improbable Final Four trip. The highlight was his 29 points in the ACC title game to take down eventual No. 1 NCAA regional seed North Carolina, then coming through with 39 points and six 3-pointers in the wins against Marquette and Duke — the second of this March surge against the Blue Devils — that advanced the 11th-seeded Wolfpack out of the South bracket.
It’s a run that has harkened back to the Wolfpack’s miracle run of 41 years earlier, earning 2024 a place in Wolfpack lore alongside 1983 and the 1974 squad that won the national championship — a run that included beating UCLA in the Final Four to end John Wooden’s run of seven straight championships.
Horne admitted he had allowed himself to dream a bit as he left Arizona State last year about the possibility of returning to the state to play in the Final Four. That’s exactly what he was doing Friday as the Wolfpack took the court for its open practice, breaking into big smiles and bobbing his head along with music from the Wolfpack band during the festive event.
Like with everything else, Horne gets to savor that wrinkle, too.
“I was already planning on coming back out here to visit my guys and everything,” Horne said. “But expenses-paid trip and the Final Four, it doesn’t get any better than that. Just to see that it came full circle and it’s right here in front of my face now, I’m ready to take advantage of it.”
On April 5, 2024, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) and Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Wally Adeyemo visited Casa Yurumein, a Garífuna cultural center in The Bronx, to promote the free IRS Direct File program. The initiative aims to assist qualified New Yorkers save time and money throughout tax season.
The Garífuna community in The Bronx, along with representatives from organizations like the Central American Black Organization and Hondurans Against AIDS, highlighted the benefits of the IRS Direct File option for taxpayers.
Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez addressed the difficulties that people have when using private corporations to e-file their taxes, citing unexpected fees and delays. She applauded the Direct File pilot program for eliminating the middlemen and allowing millions of Americans to file their taxes directly with the IRS. Ocasio-Cortez encouraged New York citizens with minor tax needs to use the free tool before the 2024 Tax Deadline.
Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Wally Adeyemo praised President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act for allowing millions of Americans to submit their taxes for free and in a simple manner directly with the IRS. Adeyemo underscored the significance of optimizing refunds and noted that the Direct File application walks taxpayers through the procedure step by step. He encouraged New Yorkers and Americans in the 11 participating states to check directfile.irs.gov to see if they are eligible to save time and money.
Representative Ocasio-Cortez took a proactive approach and presented a live Direct File webinar on Thursday, April 4th, 2024, to demonstrate how to use the software properly.
Direct File, an easy-to-use platform, allows roughly one-third of taxpayers in 12 participating states, including an estimated 2.8 million New York taxpayers, to file their taxes for free directly with the IRS for the first time. New Yorkers can check their eligibility and file their taxes online at directfile.irs.gov.
In an effort to highlight the people who are leading colleges and universities across the nation, we at Watch The Yard reached out to North Carolina A&T State University and did an interview with Jasmine Amaniampong the 2023-2024 Student Government Association president.
The position of SGA president is a highly respected role and there is a special pride that one takes in being elected by their peers to lead. Amaniampong, who is majoring in Economics, is from Concord, NC. She is a proud Spring 2023 initiate of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
We interviewed Jasmine Amaniampong, and talked to her about her position, goals, future and what it means to hold this type of leadership position in 2023-2024.
Read the full interview below.
What is the biggest thing you’ve learned as an SGA president so far?
As SGA President, I’ve learned that students and administration on campus are truly drawn to the art of communication, transparency, and advocacy. When student leaders are able to properly update their student body, listen to them, and provide them with solutions it truly makes an impact on the campus environment.
What made you decide to attend North Carolina A&T for undergrad?
I decided to attend A&T because of the familial vibe of the institution! Hospitality is so real on this campus & I also received the Cheatham-White Scholarship.
Photo Credit: @alexusbphoto
How has North Carolina A&T molded you into the person you are today?
My experience at A&T has really taught me the importance of doing EVERYTHING with passion. I’ve accomplished all of my goals and been so involved because I’ve been genuinely passionate about everything I’ve done.
What specific initiatives have you headed up this year (or are planning) and how do you think they will improve the school and surrounding community?
Here are just a few things I’ve implemented:
Walking Office Hours – an opportunity for the Ujima Administration E-Board members to meet students where they are at during typical SGA office hours
Monthly IG E-Board Updates – keeping the student body informed with all that SGA is doing
Blue & Gold Table Talk semesterly implementation – a former SGA event that has now been implemented bi-annually for students to have round table discussions with some of the highest administration on campus
IG story Recap of Board of Trustee Meetings & any important info circulating campus
Naming: “Ujima Administration” – encouraging unity, collective work, and responsibility within the SGA Admin this year
These are just a few initiatives I’ve hit on that I believe have helped with approachability, organization, and the spreading of credible information on our campus.
How is your SGA administration/school currently working on attending to the mental health of students?
Currently, my Vice President of Internal Affairs, Jordan Lightfoot, is working on an initiative that would allow for students to pick 2 additional mental health days per a semester that would count as an excused absence. A&T has already implemented two permanent universal mental health days from a previous SGA Administration.
What does leadership mean to you?
Leadership means sacrifice, passion, approachability, and advocacy. In order to be an effective leader, it is important to be guided by these traits as they help you communicate effectively while making real impact. Being a liaison between administration and students is very fulfilling and refreshing when possessing these qualities.
Photo Credit: @designedby.ejf
We now live in a digital world, what do you think schools need to do to represent themselves online in 2023/2024?
Our institution is very social media focused, almost all orgs have social media pages. However, something that all entities of the campus can do better (students & admin) is showing ALL aspects of the student life, not just the “negative” or partying —my institution is far from just that.
Why do you think Watch The Yard is important to Black students and college culture?
Watch The Yard is great for representation of HBCU students!!
What do you plan on doing after graduation?
To be determined!
We at Watch The Yard would like to commend Jasmine Amaniampong for her work as the SGA president of North Carolina A&T.
Share this on Facebook and help us highlight Jasmine Amaniampong and North Carolina A&T.
“The make-up of the yacht quickly evolved from just DEFENDANT S. COMBS and his family to include a constant rotation of suspected sex workers and other A-List celebrities such as French Montana and actor Cuba Gooding, Jr,” the complaint states, with the “extremely unpleasant” Oscar winner making another appearance in another Combs lawsuit. “DEFENDANT S. COMBS turned what was sold as a wholesome family excursion into a hedonistic environment. According to PLAINTIFF, it resulted in an unexpected increase in workload for her and her colleagues as well as unwanted exposure to unlawful drug use, sex work, and general chaos…
…Christian Combs is said to have followed O’Marcaigh out of the recording studio down the hall, where he attempted to force the steward “to perform oral copulation on him” before another crew member walked in.
The next day, a bruised O’Marcaigh says she was “berated” by the captain of the boat for what happened. She was also ordered to continue to work around the Combs, and, with the captain supposedly getting “a generous tip” from the elder Combs, O’Marcaigh says she was fired from what had been her dream job a few months afterwards.
Per official court documents, O’Marcaigh is alleging seven total complaints against the two: assault, battery, sexual assault, premises liability, aiding and abetting, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and negligent infliction of emotional distress. She’s seeking a jury trial and is being represented by Tyrone Blackburn—the same lawyer representing the aforementioned Lil Rod in his separate case.
In response to O’Marcaigh’s suit, Diddy’s lawyer Aaron Dyer criticized O’Marcaigh’s attorney in a statement to Deadline:
“This is just another lewd and meritless claim from Tyrone Blackburn — just like what he filed in the Rodney Jones lawsuit, which he still has not served. This complaint is filled with the same kind of manufactured lies and irrelevant facts we’ve come to expect from Blackburn.
This is exactly why the federal judge in New York slapped him two days ago for a ‘pattern of behavior’ in ‘improperly [filing] cases in federal court to garner media attention, embarrass defendants with salacious allegations, and pressure defendants to settle quickly,’ and why he was referred to the disciplinary committee in the Southern District of New York. We will be filing a motion to dismiss this outrageous claim.”
ST. LOUIS (AP) — The Association of Black Students at St. Louis’ Washington University on Friday held a sit-in at a dining hall where a group of students last month allegedly threw eggs, stood on tables and used racial slurs in front of primarily racial minority workers.
University spokesperson Julie Flory in a statement said the private college does not “share information about any specific incident or investigation involving our students or other members of our community.”
A police officer rolls past Brookings Hall on the campus of Washington University, Wednesday, March 11, 2020, in St. Louis, Mo. (Robert Cohen/St. Louis Post-Dispatch via AP, File)
“We are working directly with our students and other members of our community to address their concerns,” Flory said.
Dining hall workers felt intimidated and uncomfortable when students on March 21 jumped on tables, spit at each other and used racial slurs, the president of a local food workers union, David Cook, told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
The Association of Black Students told the newspaper that most of the workers that night were racial minorities.
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St. Louis Democratic state Sen. Karla May in a Friday statement said she reached out to student advocates and campus leaders “to ensure steps are being taken to address these overt acts of racism.”
The Association of Black Students met at the cafeteria Friday to write thank-you notes and show support for workers who were present during the alleged incident, which the group said was “not an isolated instance of violence.”
“It shows how racism is still a part of the culture and has been fostered at Washington University, elite institutions, and historically white organizations for far too long,” the group said in a statement posted on the social media platform Instagram.
LSU’s bid for the Final Four halted on Monday night as they succumbed to Caitlin Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes in a gripping Elite Eight showdown. However, the loss carried deeper implications for the Tigers as it likely marked the end of Hailey Van Lith’s tenure with the team.
Van Lith, the 22-year-old standout, has reportedly entered the transfer portal, as per various sources. With four years of college basketball under her belt, Van Lith’s decision comes amidst an additional year of eligibility granted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Having spent three impactful seasons at the forefront of women’s basketball in Louisville, Van Lith made waves last offseason by opting to transfer. Amidst considerations from prestigious programs like Stanford and South Carolina, she eventually found her way to LSU, the reigning champions at the time.
However, with the culmination of the current season, Van Lith faced a pivotal decision. With Wednesday being the deadline to declare for the imminent WNBA Draft, speculation loomed over her future.
Notably, when the league released the list of players who formally applied for inclusion on Thursday, Van Lith’s name was conspicuously absent. Her absence from the draft declaration suggests that Van Lith has chosen to forego the opportunity to join the ranks of this year’s WNBA prospects.
This decision places her on a divergent path from notable peers like Caitlin Clark, teammate Angel Reese, South Carolina’s Kamilla Cardoso, and Stanford’s Cameron Brink, who are all set to enter the draft fray.
