Bring That Week Back: Week of Feb. 8
Beyonce and Alicia Keys team up for video. More top stories!
1 / 31
Beyonce and Alicia Keys Shoot Video in Brazil - Beyoncé and Alicia Keys are shooting the music video for their song, “Put It In A Love Song” in Brazil. Between scenes the duo switched several exotic and stunning carnival-esque costumes. B also gave a concert in the Brazilian city of Salvador that erupted in gunfire between groups of young people. The singer is safe.
2 / 31
Federal Agents Seize SCLC Records - Federal prosecutors are investigating the Southern Christian Leadership for alleged fraud by some prominent members, totaling more than half a million dollars. Investigators were spotted taking computers, files and other items out of the Ohio home of SCLC chairman, Rev. Raleigh Trammell and his daughter Angela Goodwine. Trammell says he’s cooperating.
3 / 31
Haitians Start Rebuilding Lives and Neighborhoods - In the month since the worst disaster in Haitian history, an enormous international aid effort has not provided the people of the Marassa 14 neighborhood with the food, shelter and security they need. So they built a new community from scratch.
4 / 31
Obama Mulls Move of Terrorist Trial From New York - A few months ago, President Obama left the planning and execution of the trial of Sept. 11 terror suspect, Khalid Sheik Mohammad, completely up to his Attorney General Eric Holder. But new reports say, facing growing opposition about the trial’s being held in New York, the president plans to insert himself in the process and possibly select another venue.
5 / 31
Mary J. Blige Lobbies Congress - Mary J. Blige signed her name along with two dozen recording artists petitioning Congress to pass the Performance Rights Act. If it becomes law, the act would require radio stations to pay royalties to singers, in addition to the songwriters who already get paid. Other signees included: Sheryl Crow, Dave Matthews, Josh Groban and Fergie.
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6 / 31
Michael Jackson Doctor Charged and Released - Michael Jackson's doctor returns to court in April to find out the date for the next major step in the case — a proceeding that will reveal for the first time the evidence the prosecution believes will show his "gross negligence" was the direct cause of the pop star's death. Dr. Conrad Murray pleaded not guilty Monday to a charge of involuntary manslaughter and a judge released him on $75,000 bail.
7 / 31
Michelle Obama<bR>Launches Campaign - First Lady Michelle Obama brought together Cabinet members, mayors, sports and entertainment figures, business leaders and more to announce the launch of her national campaign against childhood obesity called “Let’s Move.” It will involve promoting healthier schools, increasing physical activity for kids, improving access to healthy foods and giving people more nutrition information.
8 / 31
BET Partners With Michelle Obama - BET Networks is joining First Lady Michelle Obama in her new campaign against childhood obesity. “BET Networks is honored to work with the First Lady and to be a part of the Let’s Move campaign addressing the issue of childhood obesity across the nation,” said BET CEO and Chairman Debra Lee. "The mission of the Let’s Move campaign fits squarely within our corporate responsibility priorities and augments the work we have been doing for many years through the BET Foundation.”
9 / 31
Bootsy Collins to Become Sigma - Diving officials say Michael Wright's national championship win in the men's 1-meter springboard competition makes him the first African-American national champion in USA Diving's history. Wright, a 22-year-old senior at the University of Tennessee, won the title Monday at the USA Diving Winter National Championships. Wright is the first Black member of Tennessee's swimming and diving team.
10 / 31
Black Diver Makes History - Diving officials say Michael Wright's national championship win in the men's 1-meter springboard competition makes him the first African-American national champion in USA Diving's history. Wright, a 22-year-old senior at the University of Tennessee, won the title Monday at the USA Diving Winter National Championships. Wright is the first Black member of Tennessee's swimming and diving team.
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11 / 31
Obama Grant to Benefit States - The Obama administration is awarding $975 million in grants to help states and health care providers adopt health information technology. The grant money comes from the economic stimulus legislation passed by Congress last year and is part of the administration's push to get doctors, hospitals and others to move from paper to computerized record-keeping.
12 / 31
Mandela Marks 20 Years of Freedom - South Africans on Thursday celebrated the steps that sounded apartheid's death knell 20 years ago: Nelson Mandela walking to freedom after 27 years in prison. South Africans are celebrating how far they have come since Nelson Mandela took his first steps to freedom 20 years ago, as some thousands gathered for commemorations Thursday at what was known in 1990 as Victor Verster Prison, in Drakenstein, near Cape Town.
13 / 31
What's Going on in the House? - Four members of the House of Representatives – Republicans Vern Ehlers (Mich.) and Lincoln Diaz-Balart (Fla.), and Democrats Diane Watson (Calif., pictured here) and Patrick Kennedy (R.I.) -- all announced they won’t be seeking re-election this year.
14 / 31
Detroit Corruption Trials Begin - The first trial in a long-running investigation of corruption in Detroit government is opening in federal court. After a series of guilty pleas from other defendants, prosecutors will begin putting evidence before a jury Monday in the case against Sam Riddle. He's a political consultant who's accused of collecting bribes for Monica Conyers (wife of Congressman John Conyers (D-Mich.) when she was on the Detroit City Council.
15 / 31
President Obama Meets With Black Leaders - Responding to growing concern that he is not paying enough attention to the alarming unemployment rate among African Americans (16.5 percent compared to the national number of 9.7 percent), President Barack Obama met for nearly an hour in the thick of a blizzard with Black leaders. Among them were Al Sharpton, Benjamin Jealous and Marc Morial. A White House official said the discussion “addressed the challenges facing economically disadvantaged communities.”
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16 / 31
N.O. Residents Return to New Homes - Some New Orleans residents had more reason to celebrate this week than the Saints Super Bowl victory over the Colts. About 90 families, all Katrina survivors, who were displaced by the storm, are moving into brand new homes – and a whole new life -- in their old neighborhood. The mixed-income Harmony Oaks development replaces the federally-funded C.J. Peete Housing projects (Magnolia Projects), which were damaged by Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
17 / 31
Obama Promises 95,000 Jobs a Month - It looks like dollars from Pres. Obama’s stimulus package may finally start having some impact. According to a White House report released this week, we can expect about 95,000 new jobs each month this year. “To understand where we must go in the next year and beyond, it is important to remember where we began one year ago,” said Obama in a letter to Congress.
18 / 31
Snow Buries East Coast - The mid-Atlantic region – particularly the D.C. to Baltimore corridor -- was paralyzed by a blizzard that dumped more than two feet of heavy snow last weekend. Then Tuesday, several more inches were added to the first wallop in a second storm. A power outage affected more than 218,000 homes and businesses and a number of areas in the region recorded all-time high record snowfalls.
19 / 31
Rush Limbaugh Calls Obama Uppity Black - Absolutely no surprise here. Rush Limbaugh recently called the President “uppity” on “The Rachel Maddow Show.” The conservative radio talk show host called Obama an elitist “Harvard man,” distinguishing the president’s brand of uppity from that of Clarence Thomas. He said Thomas is an uppity Black, meaning to Limbaugh, that he thinks independently of the Black majority. Obama, though, is just plain uppity, he pointed out.
20 / 31
Lil Wayne Sentence Postponed - Lil Wayne was scheduled to report to prison on February 9, but a New York judge pushed the date back to March 2 because Wayne was scheduled to undergo dental surgery on February 12 in Miami. His attorney said he’d need 10 days to recover.
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21 / 31
Kid Cudi Apologizes - Sources say Kid Cudi called to apologize to a fan he punched in Vancouver. The rapper was caught on camera stealing the victim of what he now says was an alcohol-induced moment of violence. The same reports claim Cudi offered the fan, Michael Sharpe, an all-expense paid weekend in New York.
22 / 31
Jay-Z and LeBron to Mentor - Thousands of Haitians prayed, wept and danced among tent shelters in the capital's main square on Friday as President Rene Preval asked his people to 'dry their eyes' and rebuild a month after the catastrophic earthquake that killed more than 200,000 people. Haitians joined in a national day of mourning and prayer amid the rubble a month to the day after the magnitude-7 quake wrecked the capital, Port-au-Prince, and surrounding towns and cities.
23 / 31
Obama Challenges GOP to Debate - President Obama came out strong this week, challenging his Republican critics to a televised debate on health care reform. The president, who says Republican lawmakers need to bring their own ideas for reform to the American people, wants the discussion to happen later this month.
24 / 31
Haiti President: Dry Your Eyes and Rebuild - Thousands of Haitians prayed, wept and danced among tent shelters in the capital's main square on Friday as President Rene Preval asked his people to 'dry their eyes' and rebuild a month after the catastrophic earthquake that killed more than 200,000 people.Haitians joined in a national day of mourning and prayer amid the rubble a month to the day after the magnitude 7 quake wrecked the capital, Port-au-Prince, and surrounding towns and cities.
25 / 31
Dr. Dre Sues<bR>Over "Chronic" - Dr. Dre sued the new iteration of Death Row Records on Thursday claiming the label failed to pay royalties and released a new version of his iconic album "The Chronic" without his permission. Dre, whose real name is Andre Young, filed the suit in federal court in Los Angeles against WIDEawake Death Row Records and its parent companies.
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26 / 31
Akon Becomes<bR> Radio Host - R&B singer Akon will soon be a radio host in the U.K. "We are delighted to welcome one of the world's greatest R&B artists to 95.8 Capital FM," said Paul Jackson, a programming director for the British radio station. He goes on air Feb. 13.
27 / 31
Holyfield’s Wife Says He Hit Her - Evander Holyfield's wife claims the boxing great hit her several times after an argument about her payments to their church, and she has received a temporary protective order against him. Candi Holyfield, the boxer's third wife, said her 47-year-old husband hit her in the face, the back of the head and her back on the night of Feb. 1 after she refused to show him check stubs of her giving to the church, according to Fayette County court records. He was concerned she was not giving to the church.
28 / 31
Lou Gossett Jr. Diagnosed With Cancer - Oscar-winning actor Louis Gossett Jr. says he is being treated for prostate cancer. In the announcement Tuesday, Gossett said the disease was caught early and he expects to make a full recovery. The 73-year-old actor said he is going public about the disease because there is not enough emphasis in the African-American community on fighting it with preventive examinations and early treatment.
29 / 31
New Orleans Wins Super Bowl - Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints became Super Bowl champions after rallying to beat Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts 31-17 on Sunday in one of the NFL's most thrilling title games. Brees tied a Super Bowl record with 32 completions, the last a 2-yard slant to Jeremy Shockey for the winning points with 5:42 remaining. The Pro Bowl quarterback was chosen Super Bowl most valuable player.
30 / 31
George Clinton Son Found Dead - George Clinton, Jr., the son of funk music pioneer George Clinton, was found dead in his apartment in Tallahassee on Monday (2/1). The medical examiner's office says that Clinton Jr. died of natural causes, but they have yet to release any additional information. After not seeing him for a few days, the maintenance man went inside his apartment to check on him and found him dead. Apparently, he had been dead for a couple of days.