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Chicago women who booked rooms for homeless during polar vortex given $50K on ‘Ellen’ Morgan Gstalter - 02/07/19 05:01 PM EST A good Samaritan who paid for hotel rooms during Chicago’s polar vortex to shelter more than 100 homeless people was given $50,000 on Wednesday’s “The Ellen Show.” Candice Payne, a 34-year-old real estate broker from the Windy City, booked 30 hotel rooms last week during the record-low temperatures in the city.  Host Ellen DeGeneres said she was so inspired by Payne’s generosity that she reached out to Walmart for the five-figure donation so she can continue providing shelter for people in need. She presented Payne with a $25,000 check from Walmart, then gave her an additional $25,000 check after a commercial break. “She did it with no expectation of anything in return, and that is the type of person I want to meet,” DeGeneres said of Payne’s good deed. Payne said she began calling around to hotels asking to book empty rooms but none wanted to take her up on her offer. She eventually called the local Amber Inn last Wednesday, when temperatures reached -25 degrees. Robyn Smith, the manager of the Amber Inn, told The New York Times that others in the community started to “piggyback off Candice” and call in anonymously to book more rooms for her cause. Smith ended up lowering prices so everyone was accommodated. Social media helped Payne organize a caravan of drivers with trucks and cars to provide transportation. In all, she was able to secure 72 rooms over the course of five nights with the help of others who pitched in, helping a total of 122 people. Payne told DeGeneres that she was inspired to help because her boyfriend experienced homelessness in his life. “The misconception about homeless people is they think that they’re lazy or they just don’t want a job,” Payne said. “And truth be told, a lot of people are one paycheck away from their same situation.” Payne also has an initiative called Action for a Cause which she said combines her passion for real estate with her goal of helping displaced Chicagoans find housing.   https://www.instagram.com/p/BtttPYxFIyM/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=t0nx0dy4jgxd

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Warren: Trump ‘may not even be a free person’ by 2020 MJ Lee, CNN National Political Correspondent (CNN)President Donald Trump might be in jail by the time Election Day comes around, Massachusetts Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren said on her first full day of campaigning as a declared presidential candidate. "By the time we get to 2020, Donald Trump may not even be President," Warren said to voters in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, gathered at the Veterans Memorial Building. "In fact, he may not even be a free person." The moment marked a notable shift in tone for Warren, who has been reluctant to take on Trump directly by name since she announced her exploratory campaign on New Year's Eve. Lamenting that the country is in a "dangerous moment," the Massachusetts Democrat said, "What happens in 2020 is going to determine the direction of our nation, the direction of our people." "Every day, there's a racist tweet, a hateful tweet, something really dark and ugly," Warren said of Trump. "And what are we, as candidates, as activists, the press, going to do about it? Are we going to let him use those to divide us?" The answer to that question, Warren went on to say, was to avoid the trap of engaging in every one of Trump's actions. "Here's how I see it: Donald Trump is not the only problem we've got. Yeah. Donald Trump is the symptom of a badly broken system," Warren said. "So, our job as we start rolling into the next election is not just to respond on a daily basis. It's to talk about what we understand is broken in this country, talk about what needs to be done to change it and talk about how we're going to do that, because that is not only how we win, it's how we make the change we need to make." A Warren campaign official told CNN that the presidential candidate does not plan to engage in every single tweet or attack from Trump as the 2020 season ramps up. Much as she has been doing over the last month, Warren will continue to ignore much of his "every day efforts to divide and distract," the official said, noting that Warren wanted to use her first event of the day to explain her rationale for this strategy. https://www.instagram.com/p/Btts_SRlclM/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1tjnf7p52r7ni

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5 Minors Have Been Arrested In The Deadly Shooting Of A Pa. Native Musician, Police Say CBS Pittsburgh Follow KDKA-TV: Facebook | Twitter PITTSBURGH (KDKA/CBS NEWS) – Five juveniles are charged with criminal homicide in the shooting a 24-year-old Nashville musician, according to police. The musician, Kyle Yorlets, was shot outside his home on Thursday afternoon, police said Friday in a statement. Yorlets, a Carlise, Pa. native, is a member of the Caverton musical group that was founded in 2014. According to the groups Facebook page, Yorlets contributed vocals and guitar to the group. Photo Credit: (Matt Blum) The five minors — three girls and two boys — range in age from 12 to 16. They were arrested at a Walmart in Nashville. “The investigation shows that the five were in a stolen Chevrolet Colorado pickup truck in the alley that runs behind Yorlets’ home when they spotted him outside,” police said. “The juveniles interacted with Yorlets, took his wallet, and ultimately demanded that he surrender the keys to his vehicle. It is believed that he was fatally shot after he refused.” Police said a gun was recovered. Metro Nashville PD ✔@MNPDNashville Being charged with criminal homicide in the Yorlets case are 3 girls, ages 15, 14, & 12, and 2 boys, ages 16 & 13. They will be taken to Juvenile Detention. They were all arrested at the West Nashville Wal-Mart. A gun has been recovered as was a stolen car in the parking lot. 141 1:50 AM - Feb 8, 2019 Twitter Ads info and privacy 167 people are talking about this CBS Nashville affiliate WTVF reports that Yorlets belonged to a local band called Carverton. “We are in a state of shock and are having to grasp the reality that is now in front of us,” the band said in a Facebook post. “We will never forget Kyle, and though he is gone too soon his legacy is here to stay,” the band said. https://www.instagram.com/p/Bttsuf2FGjK/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1f4fpo4834urm

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Trump Jr. calls father's tweet about Warren's Native American heritage 'savage' Donald Trump Jr. called a tweet by his father about Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren's Native American heritage "savage" in a social media post Saturday. Warren officially announced her run for president on Saturday, which drew a tweet from President Trump that referred to the Massachusetts senator as "Pocahontas." He also added, "See you on the campaign TRAIL, Liz." It's unclear why he capitalized "trail," though some speculated online afterward that it could have referred to the "Trail of Tears." Donald J. Trump ✔@realDonaldTrump Today Elizabeth Warren, sometimes referred to by me as Pocahontas, joined the race for President. Will she run as our first Native American presidential candidate, or has she decided that after 32 years, this is not playing so well anymore? See you on the campaign TRAIL, Liz! 170K 5:54 PM - Feb 9, 2019 Twitter Ads info and privacy 92.3K people are talking about this The "Trail of Tears" was a forced relocation of the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Muscogee and Seminole tribes in the wake of the Indian Removal Act of 1830. Tens of thousands of Native Americans were removed from their lands and forced to march to Oklahoma, with thousands dying as a result. ABC News reached out for comment from the White House on the apparent reference, but did not receive a response. Trump Jr. later posted the tweet on Instagram, saying: "Savage!!! Love my President." The post included a retweet of the president's initial post. That retweet referred to Native American genocide. "The Native American genocide continues with another murder by the president," the tweet read. The nonprofit United to End Genocide estimates that there were about 10 million Native Americans before European settlement and just 300,000 left by 1900. The president's taunts of Warren's ethnicity center around her claims of holding Native American ancestry. The senator took a DNA test last year that showed she was overwhelmingly European, but it did support the existence of an unadmixed Native American ancestor in her pedigree six to 10 generations ago. https://www.instagram.com/p/BttshHxlNzO/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=2uvijrh7phj0

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Woman dead, three people wounded after two separate shootings on Chicago-area highway Illinois police are investigating two highway shootings Monday that left a woman dead and three people wounded. The shootings on Interstate 57 in the Chicago area occurred about eight miles and six hours apart. An Illinois State Police spokesman Tuesday declined to tell The Associated Press whether investigators believe the two shootings are connected, adding they "have come to no conclusions." The three people traveling in one vehicle were shot while driving northbound on the interstate, near Calumet Park, at about 4 p.m. Monday, according to Illinois State Police. A 38-year-old man was critically wounded, and two boys, 15 and 12, were hospitalized in stable condition, police said. An 8-year-old girl in the vehicle was not shot but was also hospitalized in stable condition. A stretch of the highway was closed until after 8 p.m., police said. About two hours after that section of the interstate reopened, police responded to a crash on the northbound side of the highway, near Oak Forest, about 8 miles southwest of the location of the first shooting. When officers arrived, they discovered a 55-year-old woman in her vehicle dead from an apparent gunshot wound. Police said the victim was a U.S. Postal Service employee who had been on her way to work. Police are asking anyone who witnessed either shooting to come forward with information. https://www.instagram.com/p/Bthk4K-AjcW/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1bobk5cpcz21o

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Pope admits clerical abuse of nuns including sexual slavery EPA Pope Francis made the admission while visiting the Middle East Pope Francis has admitted that clerics have sexually abused nuns, and in one case they were kept as sex slaves. He said in that case his predecessor, Pope Benedict, was forced to shut down an entire congregation of nuns who were being abused by priests. It is thought to be the first time that Pope Francis has acknowledged the sexual abuse of nuns by the clergy. He said the Church was attempting to address the problem but said it was "still going on". Sex abuse and the Catholic Church Pope Francis made the comments on Tuesday to reporters while on a historic tour of the Middle East. He admitted that priests and bishops had abused nuns, but said the Church was aware of the issue and "working on it". "It's a path that we've been on," he said. "Pope Benedict had the courage to dissolve a female congregation which was at a certain level, because this slavery of women had entered it - slavery, even to the point of sexual slavery - on the part of clerics or the founder." Alessandro Gisotti of the Vatican press office later told CBS News that the order in question had been based in France. Pope Francis said sexual abuse of nuns was an ongoing problem but happened largely in "certain congregations, predominantly new ones". Last November, the Catholic Church's global organisation for nuns denounced the "culture of silence and secrecy" that prevented them from speaking out. Just days ago the Vatican's women's magazine, Women Church World, condemned the abuse,saying in some cases nuns were forced to abort priests' children - something Catholicism forbids. The magazine said the #MeToo movement meant more women were now coming forward with their stories. https://www.instagram.com/p/Bthkw-zAF1d/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1050n11cq9ext

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Apple retail chief Angela Ahrendts out suddenly Jefferson Graham LOS ANGELES—It wasn't that long ago for Apple retail chief Angela Ahrendts was being talked about as a potential successor to current CEO Tim Cook.  The former Burberry's CEO joined Apple five years ago to take over its retail division. On Tuesday, Apple announced she was out of a job, with such little fanfare that the headline of the release was about her successor, Deirdre O’Brien, being named the Senior Vice President of Retail + People.  O'Brien is a 31-year Apple veteran who is currently in charge of human resources.  In the release, Ahrendts said she was leaving Apple for "new personal and professional pursuits." Daniel Ives, an analyst with Wedbush Securities, said the move is a big "surprise," considering how many thought she was the "heir apparent" to Cook. "But if you look at the success of the retail side, even though she's a retail legend, it's been rocky. If Apple was going to make a change, this is a good time to do it rather than six months from now, when it will launch new iPhones." After years of runaway sales success for the iPhone, Apple's holiday quarter found a 16 percent year over year sales dip for the once iconic product. Apple has blamed the results of changing conditions in China and a fluctuating dollar in many markets. It's not that the retail stores have done poorly, says Ives, but they've haven't grown sales either, says Ives. "Someone new could be a good thing, given the lackluster performance we've seen over the last six to nine months," he adds.  Just last week, Ahrendts introduced several new programs for the store, a series of classes called "Today at Apple," that look to bring education to consumers, as a way of hooking them deeper into the Apple ecosystem.  Apple has 506 stores and recently opened a big, splashy one in Paris, on the Champs-Élysées. In an interview with USA TODAY in November, she said Apple was one-third of the way through upgrading the retail stores into “gathering spaces, where people can come in, get service and support and learn about everything they would do on their devices.” https://www.instagram.com/p/BthkrBsg4aZ/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1mw6s1lu9lpr7

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Trump to meet North Korea’s Kim this month in Vietnam President Donald Trump will hold a two-day summit with North Korea leader Kim Jong Un Feb. 27-28 in Vietnam to try to convince him to give up his nuclear weapons program. The announcement was made in Trump’s prepared remarks the White House released for his Tuesday night State of the Union address. WATCH: What ‘denuclearization’ means to North Korea’s Kim Jong Un Trump has said that his outreach to Kim and their first meeting last June in Singapore opened a path to peace. But there is not yet a concrete plan for how denuclearization could be implemented. U.S. intelligence chiefs believe there is little likelihood Kim will voluntarily give up his nuclear weapons or missiles capable of carrying them. Private analysts reviewing commercial satellite imagery have assessed that the North is still developing nuclear and missile technology despite suspending tests. https://www.instagram.com/p/BthkcrAAsKV/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=sw8jxd6g6ksb

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Self-Described ‘Most Hated Hoe in L.A.’ Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison A South Los Angeles woman who called herself “the most hated hoe in L.A.’ and admitted to coercing young women, including minors, into sex trafficking through violence and intimidation received a sentence of 15 years in federal prison Thursday, authorities said. This image from the Instagram account @prettyhoeforever was posted on Sept. 24, 2018. The account has the description line: “The MOST HATED hoe in LA.” Michelle Williams received the mandatory minimum sentence after pleading guilty in November to a single count of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion, according the the U.S. Attorney’s Office. She will also be required to pay restitution to her victims. As part of her plea deal, Williams admitted to recruiting victims, including minors, into commercial sex trafficking, U.S. DOJ spokesman Ciaran McEvoy said in a written statement. She also admitted to abuse of her victims that included beatings, threats and forcing one victim to get a tattoo of the pimp’s name on her face. Through her social media, in which she used the moniker “Pretty Hoe” and described herself as “the most hated hoe in L.A.,” Williams posted video that showed her beating young women and threatening them with guns, officials said. “Williams also admitted in the plea agreement to using the internet to recruit two minors to engage in commercial sex acts,” according to McEvoy. “Williams would then retain the proceeds from the minors’ sex acts for her own benefit.” https://www.instagram.com/p/BtU2vF0gk-a/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=jg269ebpclr4

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The Best X-Rated Movies in History charlesbramesco Charles Bramesco TweetShare In 1968, the Motion Picture Association of America replaced their nuance-free, prohibitive Production Code (a.k.a. the Hays Code, the reason couples in old movies had to sleep in separate beds) with a system of alpha-numerical ratings denoting mature material or its absence. In 1990, they introduced the rating of NC-17 for films with such explicit content that they’d be unsuitable for any children under seventeen, regardless of adult accompaniment. In the sweet spot between those two points, the X reigned supreme. The MPAA reserved their distinction of ‘X’ for only the most salty-mouthed, violent, or sexually libertine content, making it an instant marker of controversy when deployed for a new release. Many pornographic films took advantage of the MPAA’s failure to copyright their ratings system and branded themselves with an X to affect the appearance of extra-salaciousness, but some more well-regarded films closer to the mainstream earned the dubious honor as well. Below, we’ve compiled a rundown of these X-rated classics available to stream now — just make sure nobody’s watching over your shoulder. https://www.instagram.com/p/BtU2mQIAZgt/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=x0londmesb6h

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Chicago police say ‘Empire’ actor Jussie Smollett refuses to hand over cellphone to them CHICAGO — "Empire" actor Jussie Smollett has refused to turn over his cellphone to detectives, who are investigating the alleged attack that sent him to the hospital earlier this week, Chicago police said Thursday. The actor declined to share telephone records that could show he was speaking with his manager just as the alleged assault happened early Tuesday morning in Chicago, police spokesman Anthony Guglielmi told NBC News. Smollett has told police he was confronted by two men who allegedly hurled racist and homophobic slurs just before they beat him up. They are investigating the case as a possible hate crime. The manager has told police he heard the attackers say, "This is MAGA country," during the assault, officials said. When police asked Smollett for his cellphone and records to confirm the call, he refused to share them, according to Guglielmi. It wasn't immediately clear if Chicago police would seek to obtain those records independently. A representative for the actor did not immediately return messages seeking comment about the cellphone and phone records. But in a prepared statement issued late Thursday afternoon, Smollett's family, through the same representative, reiterated his claim of being attacked because of his race and orientation. "In the early hours of Tuesday morning, our beloved son and brother, Jussie, was the victim of a violent and unprovoked attack. We want to be clear, this was a racial and homophobic hate crime," according to the family statement. "Jussie has told the police everything from the very beginning. His story has never changed, and we are hopeful they will find these men and bring them to justice." Police have reviewed hundreds of hours of footage from more than 20 surveillance cameras in the area, according to Guglielmi. They have not found any images of the alleged attack, but do have footage that shows part of Smollet's journey to and from the neighborhood. Police have released pictures, taken from surveillance cameras, of two "potential people of interest" but stopped short of calling them suspects. https://www.instagram.com/p/BtU2lNXgzsi/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=12mcmjumrt733

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Ahead of Super Bowl 2019, 33 arrested on sex trafficking charges in Atlanta ATLANTA — Authorities say 33 people have been arrested in Atlanta on sex trafficking charges ahead of the Super Bowl. Homeland Security Investigations Agent Nick Annan tells The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that the arrests happened this week, but declined to discuss case specifics due to ongoing investigations. Authorities say four victims have already been rescued. Advocates for sex trafficking victims say sex traffickers are attracted to large sporting events, such as this Sunday’s game between the Los Angeles Rams and New England Patriots. Douglasville police say 16 people were arrested last week as part of an undercover operation whose timing was related to the Super Bowl. Atlanta police Chief Erika Shields says planning for Super Bowl security began over two years ago. Dozens of local, state and federal agencies are assisting with security. https://www.instagram.com/p/BtU2UyHABby/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=spkclij9qk8w

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Exclusive: Ocasio-Cortez, Markey to unveil Green New Deal bill as soon as next week Amy Harder Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) are set to unveil legislation laying out a “Green New Deal” as soon as next week, Axios has learned. Driving the news: A spokeswoman for Markey confirmed the offices are working on legislation, but said there is no final text and timing isn’t final yet for next week. A request to Ocasio-Cortez’s office wasn’t immediately returned. Varshini Prakash, co-founder of the Sunrise Movement, also said legislation is due as soon as Wednesday or Thursday of next week. The youth-led group has been at the forefront of the Green New Deal movement. The big picture: The Green New Deal is a set of vague, but broad progressive policy goals seeking to transform the economy in the name of fighting climate change. It has risen from obscurity to prominence since the November election, with Ocasio-Cortez, a rising progressive star, leading the charge. Democrats eyeing presidential runs — including Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Kamala Harris — are backing the general concept of the Green New Deal, which is sure to play a role in the 2020 primary. Details: It’s unclear to what extent the proposal will adhere to a draft legislative document circulating that describes the policy, which dates back to Ocasio-Cortez’s campaign website. That document includes a goal of 100% renewable electricity within 10 years (up from 17% today), a federal jobs guarantee for people working in the low-carbon transition, and universal healthcare.It’s light on details on how that would be funded and is also silent on whether the policy includes a price on carbon dioxide emissions, long considered central to climate change policy. Between the lines: The two Democrats leading the proposal represent a bridge between the old and new guard progressives. Markey was co-author of the last big climate-change legislation Congress considered a decade ago, while Ocasio-Cortez is the highest profile member of a new crop of House progressives. https://www.instagram.com/p/BtSLOFtgqs6/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1b6ktxdp8rhdi

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Drake tips two female McDonald’s employees $10,000 each AOL Staff At a time in the world where it seems that bad news is constantly overshadowing the good, it can take just one kind story to lift us up! Case in point: Drake's overly generous gesture to two McDonald's employees. The 35-time Grammy nominee walked into a local McDonalds where he handed two female employees a stack of $10,000 each. Not much is known about who the women were or the reason for his gesture, but the 32-year-old rapper no doubt, made these ladies' day.  AJ @imajnoel  · Jan 26, 2019 Just saw Drake in McDonald’s... crazy. AJ @imajnoel And he gave two female employees $10,000 each... in cash. 290 7:07 AM - Jan 26, 2019 Twitter Ads info and privacy 98 people are talking about this  Lux@pur3luxury  · Jan 26, 2019 Replying to @imajnoel Are you serious AJ @imajnoel pic.twitter.com/tu1IR8jZ2M 114 2:02 PM - Jan 26, 2019 Twitter Ads info and privacy 45 people are talking about this This isn't the first time the Toronto-born rapper has handed out stacks of cash. In his "God's Plan" music video, Drake walked into a crowded supermarket in a low-class neighborhood with a megaphone and says "Anything you guys want in the store is free -- whatever you guys want!" The considerate move brought the happy customers to tears. Throughout the entire video, the rapper can be seen spending time with fans and handing out cash and scholarship checks to families in need. https://www.instagram.com/p/BtSLESwgvIv/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=19cj9lxosb7po

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Here’s The Weird Stuff People Are Doing To Show How Cold It Is In The Midwest Dangerously cold weather hit much of the Midwest on Wednesday, as a split in the polar vortex brought arctic temperatures and icy winds. With windchill, some areas experienced lows that felt like –50 degrees. Many schools, businesses, and government buildings closed in response to the near-record temperatures, which were expected to continue into Thursday morning. https://www.instagram.com/p/BtSK4p-AGNK/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=69egnzpvbg67

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Mystery illness sees Canada halve its Cuba embassy staff Reuters A 14th person has now been affected by the symptoms at Canada's embassy in Havana Canada will cut its embassy staff in Cuba by up to half after a mystery illness affected another person there, authorities in Ottawa have said. Medical testing after the reappearance of unusual symptoms in November saw a 14th Canadian affected. Canada's foreign office said the number of staff will now be cut by up to half as a result. US staff have also been affected by the illness, which causes dizziness, nausea and difficulty concentrating. Canada has discounted the idea of a "sonic attack" being the cause - a theory previously put forward by the US state department last year. US tests two more over Cuba 'sonic attack'What is a covert sonic weapon? A statement released by Global Affairs Canadasaid "employees, spouses and dependents" at the embassy were among the affected, and all were receiving ongoing medical treatment. While the embassy would remain open some services could be affected in the future, the statement read. Staff numbers will now drop from about 16 to up to eight, the Associated Press reports. AFP/Getty The US says its staff in Cuba have also been affected by the mystery illness Canada recalled diplomatic families from Havana in April after some minors started showing the symptoms. More than a million Canadians visit Cuba each year, but there is no evidence they are at risk. Cuba has repeatedly denied its involvement. Canada says it has worked in "close cooperation" with Havana since the health problems first came to light in 2017. Unlike the US, Canada never cut off diplomatic relations with Cuba after its revolution in 1959. Similar symptoms have affected US embassy staff in China. A State Department release last year said people should watch for "any unusual, unexplained physical symptoms or events, auditory or sensory phenomena". A US and a British scientist however have put forward another theory - insect noise. Their study suggests the sound recorded by US staff in Cuba was in fact the song of the Indies short-tailed cricket. https://www.instagram.com/p/BtSKtDpgZMx/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1hssloxb5m23l

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New York City To Pay $3.3 Million To Kalief Browder Estate Tanya A. Christian      Huffington Post Live Kalief Browder became a victim of the criminal justice system at 16. Nearly four years after his death, his family has reached a settlement. Tanya A. ChristianJan, 24, 2019 New York City has agreed to pay the estate of Kalief Browder $3.3 million for its involvement in the 2015 suicide of the 22-year-old Bronx native. Browder was imprisoned at just 16 for allegedly stealing a backpack. He was never charged with a crime or found guilty of the robbery but spent three years on Riker’s Island awaiting trial after being unable to come up with bail. For nearly two of those years he was held in solitary confinement. Three years after his release — and a concerted effort to reacclimate to life on the outside — Browder hanged himself in his childhood home. According to the New York Times, the settlement was cited in court documents and confirmed by the city. In a statement, The New York City Law Department said, “Kalief Browder’s story helped inspire numerous reforms to the justice system to prevent this tragedy from ever happening again, including an end to punitive segregation for young people on Rikers Island.” Browder’s story has been credited with making significant reforms to the criminal justice system. Since his story first appeared in the New Yorker, the use of solitary confinement for juveniles has been banned by federal prisons, New York’s “Raise The Age” policy went into effect making it unlawful for young people under the age of 18 to be tried as an adult. And the #CloseRikers movement scored a huge win when in June of 2017, New York City Mayor Bill DeBlasio pledged to close Rikers Island for good. The Times reports that estate lawyer, Sanford A. Rubenstein, declined to comment on the settlement but noted that papers are being submitted to the judge “to finalize the resolution of this matter.” https://www.instagram.com/p/BtCqulyg2p-/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=jojozdygxmvv