South Africa's ex-president denies he oversaw a web of corruption during his term in office.
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Monday, July 15, 2019
Sunday, July 14, 2019
Reports state that median Black wealth may reach zero by 2053
The median wealth of Black Americans will plummet to zero by 2053, if things remain as they currently are.
You read that correctly.
Black Enterprise magazine reports that according to the Prosperity Now and the Institute for Policy Studies’ The Road to Zero Wealth report, it doesn’t matter how fat your six-figure salary may be (or how many degrees you have) the financial future looks dim. It doesn’t even matter whether or not you have a C-level suite with matching title from a major corporation, Black people are often still negatively impacted by a lower net worth than other communities.
Read More: How racist housing contracts stole $4 billion dollars in wealth from Black families
Even education doesn’t appear to be the leveling agent that it has been touted to be in generations past. The latest Federal Reserve Board Survey of Consumer Finances reports that a Black person with a Bachelor’s degree still earns only two-thirds of the median net worth of a white person with no bachelor’s degree, Black Enterprise reports.
This is largely impacted by the rate that Black students take out student loans – 77.7 percent versus 57.5 percent of white students, and this results in a higher likelihood of debt early on.
Read More: How much more money (than you) does Kamala Harris have?
“If the economy is growing at 3%, you have to earn 6% to build wealth. Your income has to grow faster than the economy,” Jeff Wilson II, author of The Lies our Parents Were Sold and Told Us and principal at The W2 Group accounting firm, told Black Enterprise. “Unfortunately, if you have massive amounts of student loan debt, your earnings will not grow faster than the debt burden that just kicked in.”
The dismal statistics hit Black women even harder. While Black women are the most educated demographic now in the United States, their net worth doesn’t reflect this fact.
According to Black Enterprise, single black women ages 20-39 who hold a Bachelor’s degree, have a median net worth of -11,000 to $0 compared to white woman in the same bracket whose net worth ranges from $3,400 – $7,500. Married Black women ages 20-39 with Bachelor’s degrees have a median net worth of -20,500 to $7,700 while married white women have a net worth range of $18,700 to $97,000.
Read More: Pras, formally of Fugees fame, charged in Obama campaign finance scheme
And this isn’t merely impacting young to mid-life women. Reports say a single sister over 60 years of age with a Bachelor’s degree has a median net worth of $11,000 while white women in the same bracket have a net worth of $384,400. Married Black women with Bachelor’s degrees who are over 60, have a median net worth of $424,000 compared to $778,000 for the average over 60, married white woman.
J.D. Smith, a wealth coach at Wealthy Women Daily, told the magazine that the solution lies in how Blacks think of accumulating wealth. He said it’s typical for African-Americans to talk about working hard instead of working smart.
“The harder you work for someone else, the more taxes you are subject to pay. I’m not just talking about income taxes. There are lifestyle taxes that communities of color disproportionately pay that no one really talks about,” Smith told the magazine. “We have to be equipped with the knowledge to transform the income we make into wealth we can keep. Your money has to start working for you if you want to build wealth.”
The post Reports state that median Black wealth may reach zero by 2053 appeared first on theGrio.
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Donald Trump writes racist tweet about congresswomen of color
Today, President Donald Trump took to twitter and did what we have become accustomed to him doing – writing offensive posts that are as unpresidential as they are divisive.
Read More: Republicans run racist Colin Kaepernick ad with darkened skin for Trump 2020 campaign
Weighing in on the situation between four congresswomen of color and Nancy Pelosi, for whom they have been critical, Trump took to twitter to tell the non-white congresswomen, including Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, Rashida Tlaib of Michigan and Ayanna S. Pressley of Massachusetts, to “go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came.”
….and viciously telling the people of the United States, the greatest and most powerful Nation on earth, how our government is to be run. Why don’t they go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came. Then come back and show us how….
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 14, 2019
“So interesting to see ‘Progressive’ Democrat Congresswomen, who originally came from countries whose governments are a complete and total catastrophe, the worst, most corrupt and inept anywhere in the world (if they even have a functioning government at all), now loudly and viciously telling the people of the United States, the greatest and most powerful Nation on earth, how our government is to be run,” Trump tweeted. “Why don’t they go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came. Then come back and show us how it is done.”
Read More: Booker blasts Trump for zero Black nominees to circuit court judicial positions
“These places need your help badly, you can’t leave fast enough,” Trump added. “I’m sure that Nancy Pelosi would be very happy to quickly work out free travel arrangements!”
This prompted a sharp defense of the congresswomen from Pelosi and other Democrats, who viewed it as “xenophobic” and just the latest racist rant from the commander in chief, according to The New York Times.
“When @realDonaldTrump tells four American Congresswomen to go back to their countries, he reaffirms his plan to “Make America Great Again” has always been about making America white again,” Pelosi tweeted. “Our diversity is our strength and our unity is our power.”
When @realDonaldTrump tells four American Congresswomen to go back to their countries, he reaffirms his plan to “Make America Great Again” has always been about making America white again.
Our diversity is our strength and our unity is our power. https://t.co/ODqqHneyES
— Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) July 14, 2019
Pelosi added “I reject @realDonaldTrump’s xenophobic comments meant to divide our nation. Rather than attack Members of Congress, he should work with us for humane immigration policy that reflects American values. Stop the raids. – #FamiliesBelongTogether!”
Read More: Sen. Kamala Harris and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez introduce Fair Chance at Housing Act
Trump’s tweets are undeniably playing to his base. Out of the four liberal congresswomen, Omar is the only one who was actually born outside of the United States, in Somalia. Pressley is Black and was born in Cincinnati and raised in Chicago, according to The New York Times. Ocasio-Cortez, who is Puerto Rican, was born in the Bronx, and although Tlaib’s parents immigrated to the United States from Palestine, the congresswoman was born in Detroit.
Three of these brave women have taken to twitter, the same medium, that the president did to reply to his ignorance.
Mr. President, the country I “come from,” & the country we all swear to, is the United States.
But given how you’ve destroyed our border with inhumane camps, all at a benefit to you & the corps who profit off them, you are absolutely right about the corruption laid at your feet. https://t.co/HLKQCotR8T
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) July 14, 2019
THIS is what racism looks like. WE are what democracy looks like. And we’re not going anywhere. Except back to DC to fight for the families you marginalize and vilify everyday. pic.twitter.com/vYzoxCgN0X
— Ayanna Pressley (@AyannaPressley) July 14, 2019
Yo @realDonaldTrump, I am fighting corruption in OUR country. I do it every day when I hold your admin accountable as a U.S. Congresswoman. Detroit taught me how to fight for the communities you continue to degrade & attack. Keep talking, you’ll be out of the WH soon. #TickTock
— Rashida Tlaib (@RashidaTlaib) July 14, 2019
The four newcomers have become increasingly vocal in their disagreements with Pelosi and other Democrats, as well as Republicans.
Apparently in the Trump administration, non-white, liberal women can’t disagree with the establishment.
Hollywood has responded to Trump’s attack. Celebrities have come out in full force to voice disgust with the POTUS.
Saluting these women. Stay pushing. Stay shining. Stay working. Stay a pain in the ass of the #RacistInChief and all his co-horts. Stay true to who you are. Stay safe. Stay together. Stay making us proud. #FourQueens pic.twitter.com/jkcXe6Z96F
— Ava DuVernay (@ava) July 14, 2019
Our #RacistInChief just told four American Congresswomen “go back to their countries…” Immigrants & their children are the heart of our country. I am proud to be #MadeByImmigrants @realDonaldTrump racist rhetoric only makes me fight harder for all. #FirstGenerationAmerican pic.twitter.com/Oh4lEDUf65
— Karamo Brown (@Karamo) July 14, 2019
Trump is a racist.
Trump is a racist.
Trump is a racist.
Trump is a racist.
Trump is a racist.
Trump is a racist.
Trump is a racist.
Trump is a racist.
Trump is a racist.
Trump is a racist. #RacistInChief— Morgan J. Freeman (@mjfree) July 14, 2019
Dear @realDonaldTrump, Those young Congresswomen must go back to their countries of NY, MN, OH and continue working on the most corrupt, inept, total catastrophe of a government (a.k.a. present day U.S.A). BTW, do you have an app that tracks your lucid moments? xoBette #BeBette pic.twitter.com/efWU86Mds2
— Bette Midler (@BetteMidler) July 14, 2019
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17 Career Books for Black Women to Help Them Level Up Professionally
We are halfway through the calendar year…and if you’re anything like us, you are already planning for 2020. As you aspire to level up financially and professionally—we’ve put together a list of career propelling books for black women written by black women. Whether you’re trying to find more balance in your life, explore your purpose, combat bias in the workplace, or work your way to the C-suite—this list is for you. After all, the best way to prepare for your future is to plan for it.
Each of these authors has the experience of navigating the world and the workplace as black women who have had to get to the core of who they are in order to experience success as defined by themselves.
If you are ready to begin a new chapter in your career and life, take a look at these reads!
17 Career Books for Black Women
1. What I Know For Sure by Oprah Winfrey
Organized by theme—joy, resilience, connection, gratitude, possibility, awe, clarity, and power—these essays offer a rare and powerful glimpse into the mind one of the world’s most extraordinary women. Candid, moving, exhilarating, uplifting, and dynamic, the words Oprah shares in What I Know for Sure shimmer with the sort of wisdom and truth that listeners will turn to again and again.
2. Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand In the Sun and Be Your Own Person by Shonda Rhimes
In Year of Yes, Shonda Rhimes chronicles the powerful impact saying yes had on every aspect of her life—and how we can all change our lives with one little word. Yes.
3. The Little Black Book of Success: Laws of Leadership for Black Women by Elaine Meryl Brown, Marsha Haygood, Rhonda Joy McLean
Each chapter in the WORKBOOK correlates to a chapter in THE LITTLE BLACK BOOK OF SUCCESS and contains a number of questions and quizzes to help you tailor each lesson to your individual needs.
4. Strategize to WIN: The New Way to Start out, Step up, or Start Over in Your Career by Carla Harris
In Strategize to Win, Carla Harris gives listeners the tools they need to get started; get “unstuck” from bad situations, redirect momentum, and position themselves to manage their careers no matter the environment.
5. Expect to Win: 10 Proven Strategies for Thriving in the Workplace by Carla Harris
While climbing the corporate ladder, Harris had her own personal missteps and celebrated numerous victories. She vowed that when she reached senior management, and people came to her for advice, she would provide them with the tools and strategies honed by her experience.
6. Finding My Voice: My Journey to the West Wing and the Path Forward by Valarie Jarrett
Jarrett shares her forthright, optimistic perspective on the importance of leadership and the responsibilities of citizenship in the 21st century, inspiring listeners to lift their own voices.
7. Double Down: Bet on Yourself and Success on Your Terms by Antoinette M. Clarke and Tricia Clarke-Stone
If you’re tired of getting second-class rewards for first-class work and you’re ready to be respected for who you are, Double Down will give you the tools and tactics to go all-in on your dreams.
8. The Path Made Clear: Discovering Your Life’s Direction and Purpose by Oprah Winfrey
Oprah shares what she sees as a guide for activating your deepest vision of yourself, offering the framework for creating not just a life of success, but one of significance.
9. More Than Pretty: Doing The Soul Work That Uncovers Your True Beauty by Erica Campbell
This book explores issues of self-esteem, identity, and God’s design for love and intimacy. She is candid about her own struggles, sharing honestly about her battle to feel “good enough” in an industry that fixates on outward appearances.
10. Believe Bigger by Marshawn Evans Daniels
Believe Bigger is about resilience, reclaiming your life, and how God uses rejection, hardship, and unexpected circumstances to awaken something greater within…if you’re willing to embrace disruption. You’ll see her go from heartbroken and hitting rock bottom financially to building a multimillion-dollar faith-centered enterprise and finding something super sweet along the way.
11. More Than Enough: Claiming Space for Who You Are (No Matter What They Say) by Elaine Welteroth
Welteroth moves beyond the headlines and highlight reels to share the profound lessons and struggles of being a barrier-breaker across so many intersections.
12. Swimming with Sharks in Dark Waters by Athene Brinson
This book is designed to help you identify, and cope, and achieve success in those corporate environments that are not well.
13. FutureProofed: How to Navigate Disruptive Change, Find Calm in Chaos, and Succeed in Work & Life by Natalia Peart
Drawing from her own research and consulting practice and the latest in business, neuroscience, psychology, and design thinking, Dr. Natalia Peart presents a new paradigm and step-by-step pathway for thriving in fast-moving times.
14. It’s About Time: The Art of Choosing by Valorie Burton
It’s About Time helps you re-imagine a life that is meaningful—at a pace that is natural—with a load that is doable and equips you with the tools to make it happen.
15. Own Your Phenomenal Self by Rita P. Mitchell
No matter your background, experience, education, or credentials, you can have what you want out of life, and you can have it on your terms.
16. Werk 101 by Koereyelle DuBose
WERK 101: Get-Your-Life-Together Guide” is the ultimate handbook sharing health, wealth, and lifestyle lessons for the modern-day woman.
17. Boss Bride by Charreah K. Jackson
This book is a bridge to create a love life and career that fulfills you: it’s time to go hard or go home.
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Parents of one of R. Kelly’s girlfriends believe she wants to commit suicide
With all of the criminal sex abuse charges swirling around R. Kelly since early this year, parents of one of the two women who had been living with the R&B singer now fear their daughter is planning to kill herself.
Parents of Joycelyn Savage worry that she and a second woman, Azriel Clary, have made a suicide pact and will go through with plans to kill themselves if Kelly is ultimately sent away for a long time, reported TMZ.
Read More: R. Kelly reportedly paid thousands for the return of sex tapes missing from his collection
Both Savage and Clary were reportedly living with Kelly inside of Trump Tower Chicago, but have relocated to another unit. Gerald Griggs, lawyer for the Savage family, told TMZ that the family believes both women are hiding out with people close to Kelly at an undisclosed location in Chicago.
Griggs says after Kelly’s most recent arrest last week, the Savages are now scared that the women are planning to kill themselves if it appears he won’t be coming home. Griggs also stated that the parents can’t seem to locate where the women even are.
Read More: REPORTS: R. Kelly arrested on federal charges of sex trafficking
According to TMZ, the parents may notify police and fill out a missing person’s report if they can’t find Joycelyn soon.
But as the Savages are worried about an alleged suicide plot, Azriel’s parents don’t believe this to be the case. Azriel’s parents tell TMZ that they don’t suspect the women have a suicide pact. They also tell the outlet that they know where their daughter, Azriel, is – in another apartment unit in the same Trump Tower building.
They say the singer actually had two apartment units in the building, and the second one was in their daughter Azriel’s name.
Read More: Chicago woman claims she was gang raped at R. Kelly’s music studio
Kelly’s latest criminal charges came Thursday night in Chicago.
As he walked his dog, federal agents raided his apartment and sealed it off. He is now facing many federal charges in New York and Illinois, including racketeering, sex trafficking and obstruction of justice.
The feds reportedly didn’t raid the second apartment in Azriel’s name.
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Survey Shows Gen Z Expects Higher Salaries After Graduation
If you are an employer and you want to catch the attention of Gen Z, you have to show them the money says a new report.
The latest demographic cohort to enter the workforce are graduating from college with a mindset that sets them apart from other generations. Specifically, they want more financial incentives.
According to a survey released by Clever, the average Gen Zer expects to make $57,964 one year out of college. This is $10,000 above the national median salary for recent grads with bachelor degrees.
That’s right—the new generation entering the workforce isn’t playing it small on the financial scale. They aren’t expecting to sit around and wait for a promotion to get the salary they seek. They are expecting the numbers to work in their favor now so they can exceed the nation’s median salary of $47,000 for recent grads with less than five years of relevant work experience.
Is Gen Z acquiring degrees and skills that will increase their income potential significantly above the average? Or is the next generation of workers creating a new reality where they believe their degree grants them immediate access to a higher salary?
Clever, a real estate data company that connects homeowners with top real estate agents in their area, performed a survey of 1,000 undergraduates to understand salary expectations and career aspirations for the next generation of workers.
Clever also used PayScale’s College Salary Report to analyze undergraduate pay expectations with median early-career salaries across the 11 most popular majors. Those majors include Engineering, Physical or Life Sciences, Nursing, Business, Computer Science, Political Science/Economics, Finance/Accounting, Psychology, Communications/Journalism, Education, and Humanities/ Liberal Arts, English/ History.
Key Findings
- Early- career salary expectations were higher than the national median across most majors. Business majors had the highest expectations, expecting 31% above the national median.
- Generation Z prefers financial rewards over workplace engagement and flex time. This is completely different than the purpose-driven goals that millennials sought to achieve in the workplace.
- Less than 40% of current undergraduates strongly believe their college education is worth the cost. The No. 1 reason Gen Zers pursue higher education is to increase their earning potential.
The study reveals that Gen Z is more financially focused than their millennial colleagues. While millennials were on a mission to find purpose and work-life balance, the new generation is prioritizing more money for their time and skills. Gen Zers are also focused on paying off debt before they make any huge life commitments such as having children or buying a home.
What do these results mean for employers who want to attract top talent? It means that firms will have to create packages that appeal to the needs of the new generation in order to remain relevant in the workplace. If companies don’t find a way to appeal to Gen Z, they may lose out on capturing the next wave of talent that will reshape the workplace.
Or maybe Gen Z will have to be more realistic when it comes to their salary expectations.
The proprietary data featured in this report is derived from a survey commissioned by Clever Real Estate and conducted by Pollfish.
Black Enterprise Contributors Network
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Saturday, July 13, 2019
The Audacity of Entrepreneurship: 7 Ways To Boss Up In The Face of Adversity
It sounds super cool and trendy to be “a boss” but one thing is for certain, entrepreneurship is not for the faint of heart. Instead, being an entrepreneur takes daring, risk-taking, confidence, and yes, sometimes audacity.
Dee Williams is the CEO of Individual Audacity, a company that teaches driven, audacious individuals and leaders how to decide on a course of action in their career, business, or life and how to execute on those decisions. She’s the new co-founder of the tech startup MyStartup Assist.
Williams is also founder and CEO of Identifize Consulting, a recruitment and staffing consulting firm launched in 2011 after she left corporate America working as a recruiter and staffing professional in the IT space.
According to Williams, it takes a lot of inner work of choosing where you want to direct your energy, thoughts, and emotions to overcome adversity. It’s systematic by focusing on the end goal and not the present circumstance or what’s happening now. Despite the adversity, know where you’re going and where you’re going to focus. This is what she calls Individual Audacity—a conscious choice and unapologetic resolve of “this is who I am; these are my goals, and I live by that freely.”
Williams shares seven reasons why entrepreneurs must have audacity:
1. Unpredictable Challenges:
It’s inevitable in business, there will be good days, bad days, ups and downs and in order to maneuver through, you must be audacious. Sometimes, you’ll feel like you’re on top of the world and winning, and other times, it’ll seem like you’re the biggest loser. However, be bold in your decision-making in the days, weeks, and months ahead.
2. Idea Ownership
The idea that you’re bringing to the table is unique to you. So, if you don’t own, embrace, or uphold it, then who will. It was given to you, so you possess the tenacity and willpower to execute. You must be audacious to bring your ideas into the world. Most people die with world-changing ideas still in their mind.
3. Marketplace Competition:
Competition is fierce and employers today are fighting over talent. They’re fighting over people who can bring their business initiatives, goals and objectives to light. Don’t just start something that already exists with the same business model and put your personality on it. No! Take that business model, do your research, get your market fired up and create something that your market absolutely wants and enjoys. Showcase your ingenuity by introducing something of high value to the marketplace.
4. Doors of Opportunity:
Being audacious is about seizing the opportunity to meet new people; about hearing and seeing what’s happening around you so that you can identify the opportunities made available to you. But you can’t do that if you’re stuck in a box or expecting things to be one specific way. You must be audacious enough to recognize connections and how they are a part of your plan. You could be seated at a dinner table and a conversation leads to a new partnership or business deal. Recognize when opportunities show up because they’re all around you. However, if you don’t have that audacious spirit within, you will never be able to recognize the opportunities and the people that can help you realize them.
5. Profitability and Growth:
Generating revenue is not always as easy as we think it should be. So, you start the business, price and package your product or service. You market and get out there, and it’s not selling. Now what? This can really shake a person’s confidence after so much time has been invested. You must be audacious enough to create different ways to present your business and generate income. For example, understanding your market better and know what your market needs.
6. Authenticity and Transparency:
In a world where everyone is supposed to think, look, and act the same, what really draws people to a business or brand is pure authenticity. Being true to who you are regardless of your dialect, height, weight, background, race or religion. Being audacious with your message is also key. People aren’t looking for perfection these days; they are looking for identification and connection. When you can bring all that you are, even your flaws to the surface, people resonate with that.
7. Believe What’s Possible:
There is a fundamental difference between “knowing” and “believing.” Many believe they can start a business and they do. But they don’t know that the business can be successful especially after hitting some major bumps in the road. They have enough audacity to start a business but not enough to sustain an entrepreneur’s mindset. You must believe it can be done and know that it’s going to happen. You can’t just have one half of the equation. Check your self-talk. Examine what you are feeding into your mind on a consistent basis that’s shaping your belief system.
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Oprah Winfrey opens private road at her home to help evacuations during Maui brush fire
Oprah Winfrey is being praised across social media for opening the private road on her property to help with the Maui fire evacuations in Hawaii.
A large brush fire on the island erupted Thursday, prompting evacuations and diverting flights on the island, officials said, USA Today reports.
Residents in the town of Maalaea and in parts of Kihei received an evacuation notice on the cell phones after a fire started along Kuihelani Highway, forcing thousands to leave their homes. Shelters in Wailuku and Kihei have been made available for the displaced, Maui County officials said.
—Oprah considering a reboot of ‘The Oprah Winfrey Show’—
“We are asking everyone to conserve energy, conserve water, and do what you can to be prepared,” Maui Mayor Mike Victorino said. “If you need to evacuate, please be aware of what’s going on around you.”
Meanwhile, folks have been showing their appreciation to Winfrey online after the media mogul opened the gate to the private road on her property in Maui so residents of Maalaea and parts of Kihei could flee the area quicker and more safely, CNN reports.
Several locals tweeted Winfrey asking her to share the code to the gate to allow residents to evacuate the area.
“@Oprah there’s a huge brush fire on Maui right now! People are trying to evacuate Kihei-my husband and son included!” one person tweeted. “If you would kindly share the code to your gate/road, folks can evacuate through Kula.”
Another said, “@Oprah Maui is on fire consider opening the ranch road so we can get upcountry.”
—Oprah Winfrey gets emotional at Hollywood empowerment event—
Winfrey was quick to respond, noting that “Access to the road was given to county officials immediately. This was many hours ago. Hoping for the safety of all.”
Hi there Jack, Access to the road was given to county officials immediately. This was many hours ago. Hoping for the safety of all. 🙏🏾 https://t.co/BxsPNUkkJC
— Oprah Winfrey (@Oprah) July 12, 2019
“Of course it is,” one person replied to Winfrey after she made clear that the road on her property is open, “because you’re awesome and always prepared to do for others,” the fan added.
Another said: “Of course Oprah comes thru with the clutch.”
Hawaii’s Governor David Ige also tweeted his appreciation to Winfrey, “A big mahalo to @Oprah for giving @mauicounty access to your private road for use to assist in the #Mauifire,” he wrote.
A big mahalo to @Oprah for giving @mauicounty access to your private road for use to assist in the #Mauifire https://t.co/DPC6qkAGrq
— Governor David Ige (@GovHawaii) July 12, 2019
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R. Kelly reportedly paid thousands for the return of sex tapes missing from his collection
Following R. Kelly’s arrest on federal charges of sex trafficking comes word that he paid thousands of dollars to recover videotapes of himself having sex with teenage girls.
Kelly was arrested in Chicago Thursday night and is expected to remain in custody until Tuesday.
—BREAKING: R. Kelly charged with 11 brand NEW counts of sexual abuse—
As previously reported by TheGrio, the embattled singer is facing two separate federal grand jury indictments in Illinois and New York. The U.S. attorney spokesman Joseph Fitzpatrick has told the Associated Press that the 13-count indictment includes charges of child pornography, enticement of a minor and obstruction of justice.
Kelly is accused of recruiting young women for sex and allegedly convinced folks on his team to conceal his sexual encounters with teens. He reportedly spent hundreds of thousands of dollars buying back several missing explicit videotapes of his alleged victims.
Prosecutors say Kelly videotaped himself having sex with at least four girls under the age of 18 beginning in 1998. Years later, when the R&B hitmaker discovered some of the tapes were missing from his “collection,” he began paying “hundreds of thousands of dollars” to several people to recover them, the indictment says.
Kelly then directed those same people to take polygraph tests to confirm that they had returned all copies of the tapes.
—Ice Cube explains why Lamar Odom was booted from BIG3: ‘we want players who actually play’—
The Illinois indictment has charged Kelly with “one count of conspiracy to receive child pornography, two counts of receiving child pornography, four counts of producing child pornography, five counts of enticement of a minor to engage in criminal sexual activity, and one count of conspiracy to obstruct justice,” reports CNN.
The New York indictment accuses him of sexual exploitation of a child, kidnapping, forced labor and trafficking women and girls from 1999 to the present.
NBC4 New York reported that R. Kelly was picked up by Homeland Security NYPD Investigation agents and NYPD Public Safety Task Force, and is expected to be taken to New York. However, during his brief appearance in a Chicago federal court on Friday, the judge delayed a decision on whether Kelly should be taken to New York to face charges until he is arraigned in Chicago, according to the CNN report.
“R. Kelly’s Enterprise was not only engaged in music; as alleged, for two decades the enterprise at the direction of R. Kelly preyed upon young women and teenagers whose dreams of meeting a superstar, soon turned into a nightmare of rape, child pornography, and forced labor. The musician turned predator allegedly used his stardom to coax some victims into nefarious sex acts while certain members of his enterprise calculatingly facilitated the aberrant conduct,” Homeland Security Special Agent-in-Charge Angel Melendez said in a statement.
R. Kelly has been accused of multiple crimes against women over the past 20 years. He has vehemently denied all present and past allegations of sexual misconduct which has been leveled against him.
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Jaden Smith on why he’s ‘becoming a full-time inventor’
Jaden Smith created a water filtration system for the people of Flint, Michigan, and launched the “I Love You” food truck on his birthday this month to feed vegan meals to the homeless in Los Angeles. Now the rapper and young entrepreneur says he’s ready to become a full-time inventor.
“I want the world to know that I am switching professions and that I am becoming a full-time inventor,” Smith tells Complex. “I’m going to spend all of my time inventing new technologies because I think I’m better at that than making music.”
—Jaden Smith celebrates his birthday by launching free vegan food truck for the homeless-—
Smith recently released a new album ERYS, along with its first single “Again,” and has been prepping to hit the road with Tyler the Creator for the IGOR tour. But the son of Hollywood royalty says “I’m not a musician. I’m an inventor. Elon Musk is my idol and I’m not gonna stop until I’m like Elon Musk.”
As previously reported by TheGrio, Smith’s celebrated his 21st birthday (on July 8) by launching his I Love You mobile restaurant; a food truck servicing L.A.’s Skid Row district. Back in March Smith’s foundation made headlines for helping bring clean water to Flint, Michigan by deploying a mobile water filtration system known as “The Water Box” that reduces lead and other potential contaminants.
In his interview with Complex, Smith further explains why he dropped his last name on music streaming services.
“You want to know why? Because Willow’s name is “just Willow.” And everything is a character. I feel like I had to separate the things that I do as different characters,” he explains.
“Jaden Smith is the guy that does the vegan food truck in L.A., and gets that out to the homeless people, and does the Water Box in Flint, and starts Just Water, and sits down with Al Gore. Jaden is just a musical artist.”
—Drugs and alcohol not involved in Kendrick Norton accident that cost him his arm—
Smith says he and his sister “are like a band,” comparing their dynamic to that of hip-hop duo OutKast and their famed Speakerboxxx/The Love Below album.
“Me and Willow are like OutKast except we only ever release individual albums.” You remember how OutKast did that one album where it was like two albums? That’s me and Willow. It’s like we’re not really a band, but we kind of are. It’s Jaden and Willow, we have to have the uniform names.”
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Drugs and alcohol not involved in Kendrick Norton accident that cost him his arm
Police say Miami Dolphins lineman Kendrick Norton made an improper lane change that led to the horrific 4th of July car crash which caused him to have his left arm amputated.
The accident occurred early Thursday morning on a Miami-area highway when Norton made an improper lane change that resulted in his Ford F250 pickup truck sideswiping a Maserati before colliding with a concrete barrier and landing upside-down, Yahoo Sports reports.
—-Miami Dolphins player Kendrick Norton loses arm in crash—-
The police report that Norton was exiting the highway on the Northbound ramp when he decided at the last minute to switch to the Southbound exit ramp. That’s when he crashed into the Maserati — sending Norton’s vehicle careening into a barrier then flipping over.
Norton and his female passenger, 34-year-old Shakir Williams, suffered major injuries and both were transported to a nearby hospital, TMZ reports. Police said neither were wearing seatbelts.
Norton’s left arm reportedly had to be amputated by paramedics on the scene in order to remove him from the wreckage. There were reportedly no drugs or alcohol found in his system, but Norton has been issued a citation for the improper lane change.
—Congressman, celebs push for A$AP Rocky’s release from jail—
“I am as comfortable as I can be with the situation. I am doing fine and the best I can,” Norton shared with CBS4 in Miami on Thursday. “I am staying strong because of all of the support from all of the fans, all of the teams, my family and everyone. That is what is pushing me, my faith and the support from my family, my grandparents, my sports agent. Everyone is going above and beyond with nothing in return. Just to see people who have been supporting me is just great.”
Sadly, he now recognizes that his football career is over.
“I realize that I will not be able to play for anyone,” Norton told CBS4. “We are working past that you know. That reality is sinking in. I am alive and I am grateful.”
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Friday, July 12, 2019
Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta resigning amid Jeffrey Epstein scandal
WASHINGTON (AP) — Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta said Friday he is resigning following renewed scrutiny of his handling of a 2008 secret plea deal with wealthy financier Jeffrey Esptein, who is accused of sexually abusing dozens of underage girls.
President Donald Trump, with Acosta at his side, made the announcement as he left the White House for a trip to Wisconsin and Ohio. The president said Acosta had been a “great” labor secretary.
“I hate to see this happen,” Trump said. He said he did not ask Acosta to leave the Cabinet.
Acosta said his resignation would be effective in seven days. Acosta said he didn’t think it was right for his handling of Epstein’s case to distract from his work as secretary of labor.
“My point here today is we have an amazing economy and the focus needs to be on the economy job creation,” Acosta said.
Acosta was the U.S. attorney in Miami when he oversaw a 2008 non-prosecution agreement Jeffrey Epstein. Epstein avoided federal charges, plead guilty to state charges and served 13 months in jail. Similar charges recently filed against Epstein by federal prosecutors in New York had put Acosta’s role in the 2008 deal under renewed scrutiny.
Top Democratic lawmakers and presidential candidates had demanded that Acosta resign over his handling of the agreement, which a federal judge has said violated federal law because Acosta did not notify Epstein’s victims of the arrangement. The Justice Department has been investigating.
Trump had initially defended Acosta but said he’d look “very closely” his handling of the 2008 agreement.
The deal came under scrutiny earlier this year following reporting by the Miami Herald.
Epstein, 66, reached the deal to secretly end a federal sex abuse investigation involving at least 40 teenage girls that could have landed him behind bars for life. He instead pleaded guilty to state charges, spent 13 months in jail, paid settlements to victims and is a registered sex offender.
Acosta had attempted to clear his name, and held a news conference — encouraged by Trump — to defend his actions. In a 50-plus-minute lawyerly rebuttal, Acosta argued his office had secured the best deal it could at the time and was working in the victims’ best interests.
“We did what we did because we wanted to see Epstein go to jail,” he said, refusing to apologize for his actions. “We believe that we proceeded appropriately.”
Pressed on whether he had any regrets, Acosta repeatedly suggested that circumstances had changed since then.
“We now have 12 years of knowledge and hindsight and we live in a very different world,” he said. “Today’s world treats victims very, very differently,” he said.
After federal attorneys in New York announced the new charges against Epstein this week, Acosta tweeted that he was “pleased” by their decision.
“The crimes committed by Epstein are horrific,” Acosta tweeted. “With the evidence available more than a decade ago, federal prosecutors insisted that Epstein go to jail, register as a sex offender and put the world on notice that he was a sexual predator.”
“Now that new evidence and additional testimony is available, the NY prosecution offers an important opportunity to more fully bring him to justice,” he said.
Acosta, the nation’s 27th labor secretary, took on the role officially in early 2017, leading a sprawling agency that enforces more than 180 federal laws covering about 10 million employers and 125 million workers. He was confirmed in the Senate 60-38.
But Acosta had frustrated some conservatives who had been pushing for his ouster long before the Epstein uproar. Among their frustrations were Acosta’s decisions to proceed with several employment discrimination lawsuits and to allow certain Obama holdovers to remain on the job.
Acosta is a former federal prosecutor and civil rights chief. Before joining the administration he was dean of the Florida International University law school.
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Visiting lecturer to spearhead project exploring the geopolitics of artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence is expected to have tremendous societal impact across the globe in the near future. Now Luis Videgaray PhD ’98, former foreign minister and finance minister of Mexico, is coming to MIT to spearhead an effort that aims to help shape global AI policies, focusing on how such rising technologies will affect people living in all corners of the world.
Starting this month, Videgaray, an expert in geopolitics and AI policy, will serve as director of the MIT Artificial Intelligence Policy for the World Project (MIT AIPW), a collaboration between the MIT Sloan School of Management and the new MIT Stephen A. Schwarzman College of Computing. Videgaray will also serve as a senior lecturer at the MIT Sloan and as a distinguished fellow at the MIT Internet Policy Research Initiative.
The MIT AIPW will bring together researchers from across the Institute to explore and analyze best AI policies for countries around the world based on various geopolitical considerations. The end result of the year-long effort, Videgaray says, will be a report with actionable policy recommendations for national and local governments, businesses, international organizations, and universities — including MIT.
“The core idea is to analyze, raise awareness, and come up with useful policy recommendations for how the geopolitical context affects both the development and use of AI,” says Videgaray, who earned his PhD at MIT in economics. “It’s called AI Policy for the World, because it’s not only about understanding the geopolitics, but also includes thinking about people in poor nations, where AI is not really being developed but will be adopted and have significant impact in all aspects of life.”
“When we launched the MIT Stephen A. Schwarzman College of Computing, we expressed the desire for the college to examine the societal implications of advanced computational capabilities,” says MIT Provost Martin Schmidt. “One element of that is developing frameworks which help governments and policymakers contemplate these issues. I am delighted to see us jump-start this effort with the leadership of our distinguished alumnus, Dr. Videgaray.”
Democracy, diversity, and de-escalation
As Mexico’s finance minister from 2012 to 2016, Videgaray led Mexico’s energy liberalization process, a telecommunications reform to foster competition in the sector, a tax reform that reduced the country’s dependence on oil revenues, and the drafting of the country’s laws on financial technology. In 2012, he was campaign manager for President Peña Nieto and head of the presidential transition team.
As foreign minister from 2017 to 2018, Videgaray led Mexico’s relationship with the Trump White House, including the renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). He is one of the founders of the Lima Group, created to promote regional diplomatic efforts toward restoring democracy in Venezuela. He also directed Mexico’s leading role in the UN toward an inclusive debate on artificial intelligence and other new technologies. In that time, Videgaray says AI went from being a “science-fiction” concept in the first year to a major global political issue the following year.
In the past few years, academic institutions, governments, and other organizations have launched initiatives that address those issues, and more than 20 countries have strategies in place that guide AI development. But they miss a very important point, Videgaray says: AI’s interaction with geopolitics.
MIT AIWP will have three guiding principles to help shape policy around geopolitics: democratic values, diversity and inclusion, and de-escalation.
One of the most challenging and important issues MIT AIWP faces is if AI “can be a threat to democracy,” Videgaray says. In that way, the project will explore policies that help advance AI technologies, while upholding the values of liberal democracy.
“We see some countries starting to adopt AI technologies not for the improvement for the quality of life, but for social control,” he says. “This technology can be extremely powerful, but we are already seeing how it can also be used to … influence people and have an effect on democracy. In countries where institutions are not as strong, there can be an erosion of democracy.”
A policy challenge in that regard is how to deal with private data restrictions in different countries. If some countries don’t put any meaningful restrictions on data usage, it could potentially give them a competitive edge. “If people start thinking about geopolitical competition as more important than privacy, biases, or algorithmic transparency, and the concern is to win at all costs, then the societal impact of AI around the world could be quite worrisome,” Videgaray says.
In the same vein, MIT AIPW will focus on de-escalation of potential conflict, by promoting an analytical, practical, and realistic collaborative approach to developing and using AI technologies. While media has dubbed the rise of AI worldwide as a type of “arms race,” Videgaray says that type of thinking is potentially hazardous to society. “That reflects a sentiment that we’re moving again into an adversarial world, and technology will be a huge part of it,” he says. “That will have negative effects of how technology is developed and used.”
For inclusion and diversity, the project will make AI’s ethical impact “a truly global discussion,” Videgaray says. That means promoting awareness and participation from countries around the world, including those that may be less developed and more vulnerable. Another challenge is deciding not only what policies should be implemented, but also where those policies might be best implemented. That could mean at the state level or national level in the United States, in different European countries, or with the UN.
“We want to approach this in a truly inclusive way, which is not just about countries leading development of technology,” Videgaray says. “Every country will benefit and be negatively affected by AI, but many countries are not part of the discussion.”
Building connections
While MIT AIPW won’t be drafting international agreements, Videgaray says another aim of the project is to explore different options and elements of potential international agreements. He also hopes to reach out to decision makers in governments and businesses around the world to gather feedback on the project’s research.
Part of Videgaray’s role includes building connections across MIT departments, labs, and centers to pull in researchers to focus on the issue. “For this to be successful, we need to integrate the thinking of people from different backgrounds and expertise,” he says.
At MIT Sloan, Videgaray will teach classes alongside Simon Johnson, the Ronald A. Kurtz Professor of Entrepreneurship Professor and a professor of global economics and management. His lectures will focus primarily on the issues explored by the MIT AIPW project.
Next spring, MIT AIPW plans to host a conference at MIT to convene researchers from the Institute and around the world to discuss the project’s initial findings and other topics in AI.
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Republicans run racist Colin Kaepernick ad with darkened skin for Trump 2020 campaign
As Donald Trump revs up his 2020 re-election campaign, ads launched from the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) taking aim at Colin Kaepernick.
And it appears the former NFL player and activist’s skin color was darkened.
—O.J. Simpson at odds with Colin Kaepernick over canceled ‘Betsy Ross’ Nikes—
Critics blasted the NRCC for sending out a fundraiser email featuring Trump standing next to a Betsy Ross flag, The Daily Mail reports. Kaepernick, the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback who=kneeled during the national anthem in protest, looks like he’s a few shades darker for some reason.
The email said: “WHO DO YOU STAND WITH? DONALD TRUMP AND THE BETSY ROSS FLAG OR ANTI-AMERICAN FLAG COLIN KAEPERNICK.”
The NRC denies that the photo was tampered with.
“’The photo was not darkened,” NRCC communications director Chris Pack said in an email to Yahoo News.
—As Dems debate busing, southern schools slowly desegregate—
“Dear @GOPLeader Kevin McCarthy: I served with you in the California legislature and now in Congress. I do not believe you are a racist. If the below is true, then I hope you will fire those who were responsible,” wrote Congressman Ted Lieu.
The email was also sent to face-off with the famed athlete for his recent activism, convincing Nike to ditch Betsy-Ross emblazoned sneakers since they are considered offensive because of ties to the Revolutionary war era and slavery.
The brand listened and decided to opt out of selling the Air Max 1 USA shoe. Their stock also reportedly went up two per cent immediately following backlash from conservatives.
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Viral bagel shop guy says he’s not racist but uses n-word and he’s the MLK of short people
A short man who went nuts in a New York bagel shop and started ranting about how women treat him because of his diminutive stature, is still holding fast to his hateful beliefs about them.
—Cardi B claps back at Jermaine Dupri over ‘stripper rappers’ comments—
Chris Morgan is the little man with the big mouth who got tackled in a now viral video for trash-talking about women, screaming at employees and complaining they mistreat him on dating websites because he’s not a tall drink of water.
The 5-foot hot-head got his behind handed to him when he went off in the Bagel Boss in Long Island and started ranting and spewing outbursts at employees.
Olivia Shea recorded the video on Twitter saying:
“So in bagel boss this morning, the misogynistic d—-ebag seen in the video was degrading almost all of the female staff as well as other patrons. F— this guy.” The video has since gone viral with more than 20 million views.
“He just went totally nuts. He said ‘why are you smiling at me?’” a manager of the shop told the Post. “He started saying it’s because ‘I’m short and nobody wants me.’”
The man has gotten some fame from his shortcomings, and appeared on Hot 97 to further offend people by calling himself “the modern Martin Luther King” of short people.
He also claims he’s not racist nor a homophobe and he only uses the n-word in certain situations, TMZ reports. He says he feels the way he does about women because he’s been burned by them.
—O.J. Simpson at odds with Colin Kaepernick over canceled ‘Betsy Ross’ Nikes—
Let’s hope Napoleon gets some therapy for his short-man complex.
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As Dems debate busing, southern schools slowly desegregate
This small Mississippi Delta town serves as a reminder that fierce debates over the integration of black and white students are not a thing of the past.
Two rival high schools in Cleveland, one historically black and the other historically white, had to be merged just two years ago after a judge determined that all-black student bodies in the 3,400-student district were illegal vestiges of segregation. It is one of scores of school districts around the U.S. still facing federal desegregation mandates, and the decision followed a fight over the town’s segregated schools that dates back to 1965.
The federal government’s role in integrating schools came into the national spotlight following an exchange during the 2020 Democratic presidential debate between Joe Biden and Sen. Kamala Harris. The former vice president was attacked for his work as a senator in the 1970s to oppose federally-ordered busing to achieve a racial balance in schools. Harris pointed to the fact that she was a beneficiary of a busing program that allowed her to attend an integrated elementary school in California.
The clash proved to be a stumbling block for Biden’s campaign, but the debate’s focus on 1970s-era busing — when the practice was at its peak — belied the fact that federally ordered integration efforts still exist in many places.
Joseph Wardenski, the Justice Department’s lead lawyer during the 2015 trial, said Cleveland is an example of why school desegregation isn’t “ancient history” and said he was surprised at comments made by Biden in the debate that indicated a lack of support for court-ordered busing.
“There is still very much of a role for courts and the federal government to get the job done,” said Wardenski, who is now in private practice.
Since Cleveland’s consolidated high school opened in 2017, there have been some points of tension, including a pair of lawsuits claiming administrators unfairly altered grade-point-averages to give white students valedictorian and salutatorian honors. But many see the consolidation as progress.
“It’s better that they brought the schools together as far as having the races interact,” said Allison Tyler, whose 16-year-old daughter, Valecia, is black and a junior at the high school.
The district’s majority-white school board resisted the merger for several years, despite federal pressure, with some predicting white flight to private schools.
Indeed, the district’s white student enrollment has dropped sharply since the 2014-2015 school year, the last before changes were ordered, even though Census figures show Cleveland’s number of white children has held steady. White enrollment that had been around 30% has fallen three years in a row, to 23% last year, according to reports filed in the case.
The two sons of Carmen Oguz are among the white children who have stayed to attend Cleveland Central High School this fall. Oguz said the family chose to remain in the district, in part because her younger son wanted a more competitive football team. She said she’s also happy with the academics.
“We pay tax dollars. We wanted the public school system to work,” she said.
However, Oguz said that most of her younger son’s friends made a different choice on graduating from a magnet elementary school and left the district. “He was definitely in the minority,” she said.
Currently, an estimated 150 to 200 school districts nationwide are operating under desegregation orders, according to Erica Frankenberg, a Pennsylvania State University professor, who said nobody keeps a precise count.
Schools in the South are better integrated racially than those elsewhere because of desegregation plans implemented in the 1960s and 1970s, Frankenberg said. And while every district is different, she said “what we can say pretty definitively is that desegregation has been shown to have a wide range of academic and social benefits.”
Districts released from court orders have tended to relax their integration efforts, a major factor in the resegregation of many schools nationwide, according to Sheneka Williams, an associate professor at the University of Georgia.
Communities may support desegregation in the abstract, but “oftentimes, they don’t want to shuffle their kids around for racial balance,” Williams said. “They think it’s a good idea on the whole, but as an individual, do they really want to go through all it takes to maintain it? That answer is no.”
In districts released from federal desegregation orders, as well as districts that were never under court order, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that race can’t be used as the driving factor in assigning students to public schools, whether to integrate or segregate them. However, a 2016 Century Foundation report found at least 100 districts and charter schools nationwide have voluntary desegregation plans that work around the ruling by mixing students from families with different incomes or educational levels, factors often associated with race. Those plans may consider race as one factor, using magnet schools or voluntary transfers to try to achieve balance.
Through earlier integration efforts, Cleveland High and its neighboring middle school, once all-white, were by 2011 about half white and half black. But East Side High School and its associated middle school, once all-black by law, remained almost entirely black. The school district and even some African-Americans defended the two sets of schools, pointing to community pride in East Side’s athletic teams and traditions.
The district began operating a new Cleveland Central High School based at the former Cleveland High in August 2017. The football team went undefeated that season before losing in the playoffs, and donations are funding an expanded program for high school students to take college classes at neighboring Delta State University.
“It’s not as bad as I thought it would be,” Valecia Tyler said as she was leaving a summer program one day last week.
But advocates are watching closely. The Rev. Edward Duvall, a Baptist pastor and part of a group of African Americans who pushed for consolidation in the district, advocated for a new high school building that could be symbolic break from the segregated past, and he’s disappointed the district chose instead to renovate old buildings.
“This is a microcosm of the nation,” he said. “How do we merge these two cultures together? If we work and put it together, we can be an example for the nation.”
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FIFA gets tougher on racism in disciplinary code update
FIFA is doubling its minimum ban for racist incidents to 10 games, and will start inviting players to make victim statements at disciplinary hearings.
Stricter handling of discrimination allegations is a key theme of the redrafted FIFA disciplinary code which takes effect next week.
“Topics like racism and discrimination have been updated, putting FIFA at the forefront of the fight against this appalling attack on the fundamental human rights of individuals,” soccer’s world body said in a statement Thursday.
The minimum ban for players or officials rises from five to 10 games, and victims can soon be heard in person by FIFA judging panels.
“FIFA will not let down victims of racist abuse,” FIFA said, adding the victims “may be invited by the respective judicial body to make an oral or written victim impact statement.”
“For a first offense, playing a match with a limited number of spectators and a fine of at least 20,000 Swiss francs ($20,000) shall be imposed on the association or club concerned,” FIFA said.
In recent seasons, FIFA and European soccer body UEFA have closed cases of alleged racist abuse for lack of evidence beyond testimony of the players involved.
“In the past some players have felt let down by the action taken,” said Piara Powar, executive director of the Fare network, soccer’s leading discrimination monitoring group.
Overhauling its disciplinary rules, FIFA will also impose transfer bans on clubs that default on debts in cases processed in-house and at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
FIFA is also preparing to open the doors of some judicial hearings, offer free legal counsel to parties, and publish more verdicts online.
“For the first time, certain types of disciplinary hearings — concerning doping and match-manipulation cases — will be open to the public if the parties request it,” FIFA said.
To modernize and improve its work, FIFA worked with London-based Fare and now includes specific language including sexual orientation as a discrimination issue, bringing it into line with FIFA’s statutes.
“We welcome the clear reference to homophobia,” Powar said. “FIFA has sanctioned acts of homophobia quite extensively in Latin America in particular, but the previous rules were not fit for purpose.”
When players are subject to abuse by fans, FIFA already has an escalating three-stage process for referees to act, leading to games being abandoned. It applies in all 2022 World Cup qualifying games, which Fare observers will attend after assessing the risk of discrimination.
FIFA has clarified that abandoned games are forfeited as a 3-0 loss by the fans’ team “unless there are exceptional circumstances.”
“Our expectation is that national Football Associations will mirror the new procedures and implement them,” Powar said of FIFA’s 211 member federations.
Transfer bans — typically imposed for breaking rules to sign youth players — will be extended to cases of defaulting on debts to players, coaches or other clubs. Previously, clubs risked a deduction of league points.
“A transfer ban has been shown to be the most effective instrument for this purpose,” said FIFA, which will lift a ban when debts are paid. Currently, teams are deducted points in about 10 mostly low-key cases per year, which are not publicized.
FIFA’s move toward more transparency will see judicial panel leaders make the final decision — to approve a request in a doping case or require it in a match-fixing prosecution — on allowing the media in and live-streaming proceedings.
This follows a European Court of Human Rights ruling last year which required CAS to relax secrecy around its traditional closed-door hearings. However, lawyers are rarely expected to recommend openness for their clients.
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