Zaila Avant-garde, 14, became the first African American to win the 90-year-old Scripps National Spelling Bee on Thursday by correctly spelling 'Murraya,' a genus of plants, staying cool after a near miss with a botanical word in a previous round.
Fourteen year-old Zaila Avant-garde became the first African American winner of the Scripps National Spelling Bee broadcast on ESPN on Thursday, winning $50,000 and the coveted Scripps Cup.
Avant-garde sealed her victory with the word 'Murraya,' a genus of plants, staying cool after nearly misspelling another botanical word in a previous round.
Hailing from New Orleans, Avant-garde is the first Black contestant to win the championship since Jody-Anne Maxwell from Jamaica in 1998.
She's also an accomplished basketball player, and has even set several Guinness World Records for dribbling multiple basketballs at a time.
Avant-garde told the Associated Press in an interview before the finals she hoped to inspire other African American spelling bee hopefuls, particularly those who might not be able to pay for the lessons needed to be competitive.
12 year old Chaitra Thummala from San Francisco came in second place Thursday after misspelling 'neroli oil,' but still took home a $25,000 prize.
This year's competition added rules meant to avoid having multiple champions, like the eight winners who shared the title in 2019.
This Day in History: , Kendrick Lamar Becomes the
First Rapper to Win the Pulitzer Prize.
April 16, 2018.
Lamar was awarded the
Pulitzer Prize for Music for his
extraordinary 2017 album, 'DAMN.'.
It was the first time the
prestigious award had been granted
to a genre outside of classical music or jazz.
According to the Pulitzer Prize administrator,
the decision to recognize
Lamar's work was unanimous.
['DAMN' is] a virtuosic song collection unified by its vernacular authenticity and rhythmic dynamism that offers affecting vignettes capturing the complexity of modern African-American life, Pulitzer Prize
Awarding Committee.
Lamar grew up during the 1990s
in Compton, CA, surrounded by the
influence of artists like Tupac Shakur and Dr. Dre.
His previous album efforts
became known for their social commentary.
A fellow nominee called Lamar
“one of the greatest living American composers, for sure.”
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 00:54Published
This Day in History:, Jackie Robinson Breaks Color Barrier.
April 15, 1947.
The 28-year-old baseball player
became the first African American
to play for Major League Baseball.
The Georgia native stepped onto the grass
of Ebbots Field in Brooklyn as a Brooklyn Dodger.
Two years later,
the star infielder was named the
National League's MVP as well as a batting champ.
He led his team to six National League
pennants and the World Series in 1955.
Robinson was subjected
to the racism of both players and
baseball fans throughout his career.
Jim Crow laws forced him to dine
at different restaurants and stay at
different hotels than the rest of his team.
Robinson was inducted into
the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962.
His number, 42, was the the first to be retired in 1997
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 00:58Published
Donald Trump's supporters have resorted to creating and circulating AI-generated counterfeit images depicting black voters, purportedly to sway African Americans towards Republican voting. BBC Panorama's investigation unearthed numerous deep fakes portraying individuals of African descent endorsing the former president. Despite Mr. Trump's overt attempts to court black voters, crucial for Joe Biden's victory in 2020, there is no direct evidence linking these manipulated images to his campaign. Co-founder of Black Voters Matter, an organisation advocating for black voter participation, highlighted these manipulated visuals as part of a calculated effort to construct a false narrative portraying Mr. Trump has been widely embraced within the black community.
#USElection #TrumpSupporters #AIimages #FakeNews #Disinformation #AfricanAmericanVoters #ManipulatedMedia #VoterTargeting #PoliticalDeception #ElectionInterference #BlackVoters #TrumpCampaign #DigitalManipulation #RacialTargeting #SocialMediaManipulation #PoliticalPropaganda #FalseNarratives #Misinformation #ElectoralInfluence #MediaForgery
~HT.178~PR.152~ED.103~GR.124~
Hailee Steinfeld is set to star opposite Michael B. Jordan in Ryan Coogler's untitled supernatural thriller being made by Warner Bros. Pictures. The buzzy project starts shooting later this month in New Orleans. The cast also includes Wunmi Mosaku, Delroy Lindo and Jack O'Connell, among others.
Credit: The Hollywood Reporter Duration: 01:13Published
This Day in History:, New Orleanians Take to
the Streets for Mardi Gras.
February 27, 1827.
Groups of masked students
danced in the streets,
marking the beginnings of the
city's Mardi Gras celebrations.
The Mardi Gras celebration
was brought to the region by French
settlers towards the end of the 1600s.
By the time students in
New Orleans danced in the
streets in costumes and masks.
the celebration of Carnival
had been popular in Mobile, AL,
for more than 100 years.
The New Orleans student
celebrations were inspired by their Paris studies.
Within five years, a French plantation
owner had begun raising money
to fund the celebration.
The first fully organized
Mardi Gras occurred in 1857
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 00:50Published
Eyeballs all across the nation continue to flock toward Caitlin Clark ... Monday night's WNBA Draft -- which the former Iowa superstar headlined -- was just.. TMZ.com
Caitlin Clark Selected No. 1 Overall , by Indiana Fever in 2024 WNBA Draft.
The WNBA draft took place on April 15
at the Brooklyn Academy of Music.
The WNBA draft took place on April 15
at the Brooklyn Academy of Music.
Clark, the record-breaking NCAA star who's amplified interest in women's basketball, is headed to play with Indiana, ESPN reports. .
Clark, the record-breaking NCAA star who's amplified interest in women's basketball, is headed to play with Indiana, ESPN reports. .
I dreamed of this moment since I was in
second grade, and it's taken a lot of hard
work, a lot of ups and downs, but more
than anything, just trying to soak it in, Caitlin Clark, via statement.
The last time that the Fever won a
WNBA title was in 2012, ESPN reports. .
The last time that the Fever won a
WNBA title was in 2012, ESPN reports. .
But Clark is determined to help the team
"get back to championship habits." .
I'm very lucky to be going there
to an organization that really
loves women's basketball, Caitlin Clark, via statement.
You see it today, I think they had 17,000
tickets claimed to just watch the draft.
I think that shows the excitement in
Indianapolis. It's a great basketball city, Caitlin Clark, via statement.
For myself, I can't imagine a more perfect
fit, a better place for me to start my
professional career, an organization that
really just believes in women's basketball
and wants to do everything the right way. , Caitlin Clark, via statement.
So I couldn't be more
excited to get there, Caitlin Clark, via statement.
Other top WNBA picks include
Cameron Brink and Rickea Jackson,
who are headed to the Los Angeles Sparks.
Other top WNBA picks include
Cameron Brink and Rickea Jackson,
who are headed to the Los Angeles Sparks.
and Kamilla Cardoso and Angel Reese,
who will play with the Chicago Sky.
and Kamilla Cardoso and Angel Reese,
who will play with the Chicago Sky
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 01:31Published
Ex-Ohtani Interpreter , Likely to Face Federal Charges, Sources Say.
NBC reports that Shohei Ohtani's former interpreter
may face federal charges in connection with a
gambling investigation into a California bookie. .
According to sources, Ohtani has
been assisting with the investigation.
The news from NBC follows a similar report by TMZ
that Ippei Mizuhara, the former Ohtani interpreter,
will be facing charges by federal authorities.
On March 21, Mizuhara was fired by the L.A. Dodgers
after attorneys representing Ohtani alleged
"massive theft" had occurred related to sports gambling.
On March 21, Mizuhara was fired by the L.A. Dodgers
after attorneys representing Ohtani alleged
"massive theft" had occurred related to sports gambling.
In response, Major League Baseball , opened an investigation. .
On March 25, Ohtani made his first public comments on
the matter, saying that he had been betrayed and lied to,
while denying any involvement in gambling.
I’m very saddened and
shocked that someone
who I trusted has done this, Shohei Ohtani, via NBC.
Ippei has been stealing
money from my account
and has told lies, Shohei Ohtani, via NBC.
NBC reports that Mizuhara is both Ohtani's
interpreter and long-time friend who has had
a constant presence beside the baseball phenom.
The scandal, involving over $4.5 million in wire transfers
from Ohtani's account, was brought to light
following reports by ESPN and the 'Los Angeles Times.'
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 01:30Published
OJ Simpson , Dead at 76.
The football star and actor who was acquitted of murder charges in the '90s has died after battling prostate cancer, ESPN reports. .
His family took to X on April 10
to share the news of his death. .
On April 10th, our father,
Orenthal James Simpson,
succumbed to his battle with cancer. , O.J. Simpson's family, via X.
He was surrounded by his
children and grandchildren. , O.J. Simpson's family, via X.
During this time of transition, his family
asks that you please respect their
wishes for privacy and grace, O.J. Simpson's family, via X.
Simpson played in the NFL for 11 seasons, nine of which were with the Buffalo Bills.
But his football career was overshadowed by the murders of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown,
and her friend, Ronald Goldman, in 1994.
But his football career was overshadowed by the murders of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown,
and her friend, Ronald Goldman, in 1994.
Simpson, a murder suspect at the time, famously led L.A. police on a low-speed chase in a white Ford Bronco driven by Al Cowlings.
About 95 million people tuned
in to watch the televised chase.
About 95 million people tuned
in to watch the televised chase.
In 1995, Simpson was found not guilty of murder, but in 1997, he was found liable for the two deaths and was ordered to pay the victims' family members $33.5 million.
At the age of 61, Simpson was imprisoned
for armed robbery and other felonies. .
He served a nine-year sentence.
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 01:30Published
Caitlin Clark , Has No Regrets , Following Loss
to South Carolina.
Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes lost 87-75
to the South Carolina Gamecocks in the national championship game on April 7.
Even though the Hawkeyes lost in the finals both
this year to South Carolina and last year to LSU, .
Iowa had only made it to the Final Four
one other time in 1993, ESPN reports. .
Iowa had only made it to the Final Four
one other time in 1993, ESPN reports. .
When I reflect back on my
[Iowa] career, I know I gave
it every single thing I had, Caitlin Clark, via statement.
Basically, everybody believed
there's no way Iowa was making
the Final Four once. But to do it
twice? That's pretty incredible, Caitlin Clark, via statement.
Clark also said that she has no regrets
about how her college career ended. .
Clark also said that she has no regrets
about how her college career ended. .
Whether it's the way the fans have
supported me, the way I've been able
to represent my state where I grew up,
my family being at every single game -- , Caitlin Clark, via statement.
... there's not a regret in my
mind of how things went, Caitlin Clark, via statement.
I'll be able to sleep every night
even though I never won a
national championship, Caitlin Clark, via statement.
Clark leaves Iowa as one of the
best players in NCAA history.
Clark leaves Iowa as one of the
best players in NCAA history.
She had 3,951 points, 1,144 assists and 990 rebounds throughout the course of her college career.
Clark has her eyes set on the WNBA next. She's expected to be the No. 1 draft pick by the Indiana Fever on April 15, ESPN reports. .
Clark has her eyes set on the WNBA next. She's expected to be the No. 1 draft pick by the Indiana Fever on April 15, ESPN reports.
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 01:30Published
This Day in History:, The Great San Francisco Earthquake.
April 18, 1906.
At 5:13 a.m., an earthquake
struck offshore of San Fransisco,
a city with a population of 400,000 at the time.
The quake was felt from
southern Oregon to Los Angeles,
and ruptured 296 miles of the San Andreas fault.
Destroying San Francisco's water mains,
the quake ignited massive, devastating
fires all over the city that could not be combated.
The fires burned for days,
resulting in the deaths of more than
3,000 people and destroying more than 28,000 buildings.
More than half of the city was
left homeless by the disaster.
Damages were estimated to close to $15 billion in
today's dollars. The recovery and rebuild allowed city
planners to make great improvements to San Francisco
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 00:57Published
OJ Simpson, the NFL star acquitted of m-rder charges, has died at 76, confirmed by his family on social media. Despite legal controversies, including a civil suit finding him liable for deaths, Simpson's legacy spans football, acting, and media. Born in San Francisco, he rose to fame at USC, then excelled with the San Francisco 49ers and the Buffalo Bills before transitioning into Hollywood.
#OJSimpson #NFLStar #NFL #OJSimpsonDead #OJSimpsonnews #Footballnews #Simpsons #Worldnews #Oneindia #Oneindianews
~HT.97~ED.194~
Remembering Maya Angelou.
Marguerite Annie Johnson was born on
April 4, 1928, and died on May 28, 2014.
Here are five
facts in honor
of the poet.
1. Angelou was the second poet
in history to read a poem at a
presidential inauguration.
2. She worked with both
Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X.
3. She was named Wake Forest University's first Reynolds Professor of American Studies in 1982.
4. Angelou was the
first Black woman to
conduct a streetcar
in San Francisco.
5. Prior to becoming
a poet, she was in an
opera, ‘Porgy and Bess,’
and a journalist.
Happy Birthday,
Maya Angelou!
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 00:52Published
These US Cities, Have the Highest Populations of, Millionaires.
According to a report by Henley & Partners,
the United States remains the top country in the
world for private wealth creation and accumulation.
Quartz reports that the U.S. accounts
for about 32% of global liquid investable
wealth, valued at approximately $67 trillion.
Here are some of the cities
with the largest populations of
millionaires, according to the report.
Austin, This Texas city had the biggest explosion
in millionaire growth in the U.S. over the past
ten years, reaching 32,700 by the end of 2023. .
Miami, This Florida city is home to
35,300 millionaires and 15 billionaires,
including Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos.
Boston, While having just eight billionaires,
the fewest of any other city on the list,
this New England city is home to , 42,900 millionaires.
Seattle, This Washington State city is the home of
some of the largest corporations in the U.S.,
including Amazon and Microsoft. It's also
home to 54,200 millionaires and 11 billionaires. .
Chicago, Approximately 120,500 millionaires
live in this Midwestern metropolis. .
Los Angeles, The second-most populous city in the U.S. has about, 212,100 millionaires and 43 billionaires.
San Francisco, The tech hub of the U.S. boasts the most
billionaires with a whopping 68, as well as
the second-most millionaires with 305,700. .
New York, The city with the most high
net worth individuals has about , 349,500 millionaires
and 60 billionaires
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 01:31Published
10 Surprising Pi Day Facts.
In honor of Pi Day on March 14,
here are 10 facts about the
essential math constant.
1. Because pi is an infinite number,
every single digit will never be determined.
Pi has currently been calculated
to 22,459,257,718,361 digits.
2. Pi has it’s own writing style
called Pilish. The number of letters in
successive word are chosen to match
the number sequence found in pi.
3. Pi can be hand-calculated fairly easy
by creating a circle with a protractor
and measuring its diameter with a ruler.
4. Pi was discovered by ancient
Babylonians nearly 4,000 years ago.
5. Physicist Larry Shaw, the "Prince of Pi,"
launched the first pi celebration in 1988
at a San Francisco science museum.
6. Some people believe that tau,
which is pi multiplied by two,
is a more intuitive irrational number.
7. Albert Einstein was born on March 14, 1879
and Stephen Hawking died on March 14, 2018.
8. The symbol for pi is the Greek
letter π . It is the first letter of the
Greek words for “periphery”
and “perimeter.”.
9. Because the exact number of pi can
never be calculated, we will never be able
to find the exact circumference or area of a circle.
10. The record for most digits of pi memorized
is held by Rajveer Meena of India. He recited
70,000 decimal places of pi in 2015
Credit: Wibbitz Top Stories Duration: 01:23Published
![This Day in History: Kendrick Lamar Wins Pulitzer Prize [Video]](https://video.newsserve.net/300/v/20240416/1372805410-This-Day-in-History-Kendrick-Lamar-Wins-Pulitzer.jpg)
![This Day in History: Jackie Robinson Breaks Color Barrier [Video]](https://video.newsserve.net/300/v/20240415/1372714964-This-Day-in-History-Jackie-Robinson-Breaks-Color.jpg)
![U.S Election: Trump supporters target African-American voters with faked AI images | Oneindia News [Video]](https://video.newsserve.net/300/v/20240304/1367669580-Election-Trump-supporters-target-African-American.jpg)
![Ryan Coogler's Untitled Supernatural Thriller Adds Hailee Steinfeld Alongside Michael B. Jordan | THR News Video [Video]](https://video.newsserve.net/300/v/20240409/1372276366-Ryan-Coogler-Untitled-Supernatural-Thriller-Adds-Hailee.jpg)
![This Day in History: New Orleanians Take to the Streets for Mardi Gras [Video]](https://video.newsserve.net/300/v/20240227/1366972130-This-Day-in-History-New-Orleanians-Take-to.jpg)
![Caitlin Clark Selected No. 1 Overall by Indiana Fever in 2024 WNBA Draft [Video]](https://video.newsserve.net/300/v/20240416/1372810584-Caitlin-Clark-Selected-No-Overall-by-Indiana.jpg)
![Ex-Ohtani Interpreter Likely to Face Federal Charges, Sources Say [Video]](https://video.newsserve.net/300/v/20240411/1372436232-Ex-Ohtani-Interpreter-Likely-to-Face-Federal-Charges.jpg)
![OJ Simpson Dead at 76 [Video]](https://video.newsserve.net/300/v/20240411/1372430228-OJ-Simpson-Dead-at-76.jpg)
![Caitlin Clark Has No Regrets Following Loss to South Carolina [Video]](https://video.newsserve.net/300/v/20240408/1372158356-Caitlin-Clark-Has-No-Regrets-Following-Loss-to.jpg)
![This Day in History: The Great San Francisco Earthquake [Video]](https://video.newsserve.net/300/v/20240418/1372987608-This-Day-in-History-The-Great-San-Francisco.jpg)
![O.J. Simpson, Renowned NFL Star Succumbs to Cancer at the Age of 76| Oneindia News [Video]](https://video.newsserve.net/300/v/20240411/1372417658-Simpson-Renowned-NFL-Star-Succumbs-to.jpg)
![Remembering Maya Angelou [Video]](https://video.newsserve.net/300/v/20240404/1371804384-Remembering-Maya-Angelou.jpg)
![These US Cities Have the Highest Populations of Millionaires [Video]](https://video.newsserve.net/300/v/20240321/1370122396-These-US-Cities-Have-the-Highest-Populations-of.jpg)
![10 Surprising Pi Day Facts [Video]](https://video.newsserve.net/300/v/20240314/1368651230-10-Surprising-Pi-Day-Facts.jpg)
![Zaila Avant-garde, Spelling Bee champ, honored with parade [Video]](https://video.newsserve.net/300/v/20210719/2107192353-Zaila-Avant-garde-Spelling-Bee-champ-honored-with.jpg)
![Parade Held for Spelling Bee Winner [Video]](https://video.newsserve.net/300/v/20210719/2107190415-Parade-Held-for-Spelling-Bee-Winner.jpg)
![Frisco Girl's Dream Comes True As She Comes In Second Place At National Spelling Bee [Video]](https://video.newsserve.net/300/v/20210716/2107162325-Frisco-Girl-Dream-Comes-True-As-She.jpg)
