Operations have gone from a search and rescue mission to a recovery mission as search crews desperately try to find the bodies of six missing construction workers who fell into the water after a cargo ship struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, causing it to collapse.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg met with President Biden and spoke with members of the media about the next steps. Here are the areas they say they’re focusing on.
“Reopen the port. Deal with the supply chain implications until the port does reopen, rebuild the bridge, and deal with the surface transportation implications until the bridge is rebuilt. We are concerned about the local economic impact with some 8,000 jobs directly associated with port activities, and we are concerned about implications that will ripple out beyond the immediate region because of the port’s role in our supply chains,” said Buttigieg.
The Port of Baltimore is one of the largest shipping hubs. As many as 30,000 people use that bridge daily and 15,000 jobs are dependent on it.
Spring has sprung and AURN Gaming has just concluded its first tournament of 2024. We collaborated with Black Girl Gamers on AURNGAMING x BGG presents ‘Fall Guys’ tournament, our first with this game. Black Girl Gamers originally started out as a Facebook group and has now expanded to over 10,000 women around the globe who share a passion for gaming.
With a $750 prize pool (1st place received $500, and 2nd place received $250) and a total of 93 people who registered for the tournament, the turnout was great! We had Black Girl Gamers’ own @takemetochurch_ttv host the finals on AURNGAMING Twitch channel. Church’s casting was engaging, lively, and hilarious for those watching the finals on Twitch. AURN Gaming also gave away three $50 Amazon gift cards just for joining us on Twitch. Overall, it was a great turnout and an excellent collab with Black Girl Gamers.
This was the first of five gaming tournaments this year so be sure to follow AURNGAMING on Twitch and @aurnonline on Instagram to stay in the loop on upcoming tournaments.
Because we always need a soundtrack while gaming, check out @aurnonline’s Fall Guys playlist on Spotify.
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs was blindsided by the raids on his Miami and Holmby Hills mansions. TMZ is reporting that he was with his family at Miami’s Opa Locka Executive Airport, gearing up for a spring break getaway with his high school-aged children when the agents descended upon them.
Now, it halted their plans, needless to say, but adding to the intrigue, we now know that news helicopters were hovering above Diddy’s Los Angeles property even before the feds arrived, hinting that there was a planned covert operation in progress.
Well, it’s been confirmed that the raids are part of that federal probe centered on Diddy’s allegations, which encompass a spectrum of serious charges, including sex trafficking, sexual assault, and involvement in illegal narcotics and firearms. The warrants were issued by a federal court in New York, but so far Diddy’s team has not responded to any of the inquiries from media outlets, including this one.
Mase and Cam’ron are the latest rappers to revel in Diddy’s current predicament. You know, the opening of the latest episode of their podcast, IT IS WHAT IT IS. We saw the two hosts joke about what they saw on the news on Monday. “Reparations is getting closer and closer,” Mase said, as they both laughed, and everyone else laughed too. Then Mase said, “I’ll be sure to give you your percentage.”
Of course, neither mentioned Sean Combs by name. You know, Mase and Diddy have had a long-embattled history. Mase was signed to Bad Boy back in the late 90s, and then he gave his publishing rights to Diddy for $20,000. He attempted to get his catalog back for years, and in January 2020, he publicly slammed Diddy when he turned down Mase’s offer to buy back his publishing for $2 million.
Well, just last August, when Diddy was giving everybody their publishing back, Mase finally got his, too. And as it turns out, Mase had just finished the paperwork before this raid. Good timing on that one.
The entire world saw Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ homes raided by Homeland Security here in Los Angeles and in Miami. It turns out that the folks handcuffed at the L.A. mansion were Diddy’s two sons, who were hauled out of his home during the federal raid. The two were briefly handcuffed but released and not arrested.
Justin and King Combs, who were seen on video in handcuffs as Homeland Security agents swept through their father’s Beverly Hills estate, ended up arriving and eventually hightailing it late Monday night with their stuff in tow. Once the raid was over, the streets were cleared and we’re told the house seemed relatively empty, that is until around 10:30 p.m., when one of the boys came back, gathered boxes or luggage, and, of course, the paparazzi were stationed outside recording the action from beyond the main gate.
In the meantime, while this was all going down, Diddy was seen pacing at a private plane airport in Miami. The feds showed up there too. They did not arrest the music mogul, but no matter how you look at it, Diddy’s got some real trouble coming.
There will be a lot more on this story, I am sure. We will keep you posted. And don’t forget to check out all of our coverage on just about everything right here @aurnonline.
Marilyn Lands, a Democrat who prioritized reproductive rights in her campaign, has secured a special election victory in deeply conservative Alabama, marking a significant moment for her party in the Deep South.
Lands’ win has been hailed by Democrats aiming to challenge the perceived extremity of the state’s GOP stance on abortion and reproductive rights. In a state where Republicans dominate all statewide offices and hold a substantial majority in the Legislature, Lands’ victory over Republican Teddy Powell is a noteworthy achievement.
Alabama’s stringent abortion laws, including a near-total ban, have drawn national attention, and recent legal rulings affecting reproductive services have intensified the debate.
(AURN News) – The Biden administration continues to grapple with the ongoing situation at the southern border, with no clear solution in sight. During Monday’s White House press briefing, National Security Advisor John Kirby addressed questions about potential executive actions on immigration but emphasized the limits of what the president can do unilaterally.
When pressed on whether more executive actions were being considered, Kirby stated, “I don’t have any announcements to make with respect to executive action.”
But he pushed back against the notion that President Biden has not taken any steps, noting he has kept U.S. troops deployed at the border and worked with Mexico. Ultimately, though, Kirby argued that stemming the flow of migrants and curbing issues like fentanyl trafficking requires additional resources that only Congress can provide.
“But the idea that he hasn’t taken executive action when warranted is just not true. He has. But there is a real limit to executive action in terms of what’s needed down there. What’s needed is funding, more than anything. And, again, for all the people out there expressing concerns about the border, number one, we share those concerns, which is why the president put, you know, billions of dollars into a national security supplemental to give the Border Patrol, to give the customs courts additional resources. You got to have funding for that,” he said.
The administration previously requested billions in a supplemental budget for agencies like Border Patrol and immigration courts, which Kirby framed as evidence of their concerns. And as the crisis continues with no clear resolution, pressure will likely mount on both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue to find a workable solution.
Click play to listen to the AURN News report from Jamie Jackson:
WASHINGTON (AURN News) – The White House Office of Public Engagement hosted a roundtable last week to highlight President Biden’s efforts to support the mental health of Black men in America.
According to the White House, President Biden has made addressing the nation’s mental health crisis a priority since taking office in 2021. In 2022, his administration released a comprehensive strategy aimed at strengthening mental health services, increasing access to care, and promoting healthier environments.
As part of this initiative, the White House launched the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, expanded funding for community mental health centers, and established new Centers of Excellence to help deliver culturally competent, high-quality mental health support.
The Biden administration says it has pledged to continue investing heavily in mental health and substance abuse treatment, including through the president’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2025.
Click play to listen to the AURN News report from Jamie Jackson:
Born on March 26, 1944, Diana Ross is a legendary singer and actress. She got her start in the 1960s with her involvement in The Supremes. She contributed to the group’s immense success before embarking on a solo career in the 1970s, producing hits like “Reach Out and Touch (Somebody’s Hand)” and “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough.”
Ross expanded into acting, notably starring in films such as “Lady Sings the Blues,” earning an Academy Award nomination, along with roles in “Mahogany” and “The Wiz.”
In 1993, she was recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the most successful female music artist in history, having sold over 100 million records worldwide. Honored for her contributions, she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988 as a member of The Supremes alongside Florence Ballard and Mary Wilson.
“Approximately 1:30 a.m., a cargo ship leaving the port of Baltimore struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge. This caused a catastrophic collapse of the bridge. First responders from the Maryland Transportation Authority, the Toll Authority. At this time, this is an active search and rescue mission. We know there were individuals on the bridge at the time of the collapse working on the bridge. Contractors for us.”
That was Maryland Secretary of Transportation Paul Wiedefeld this morning talking about the horrific collapse of the Key Bridge in Maryland. Right now, we don’t know how many workers were on the bridge at the time of the crash, but they’re looking for at least seven people who went missing.
Some have been rescued from the water after the ship hit a pillar supporting part of the bridge. We also know that there were several cars and trucks on the bridge at the time of the collapse.
Governor Wes Moore has declared a state of emergency. He also spoke earlier this morning.
“The preliminary investigation points to an accident. We haven’t seen any credible evidence of a terrorist attack.”
It’s been a day of legal drama for former President Donald Trump. First, a New York court cleared the path for his criminal trial over hush money payments to Stormy Daniels relating to an extramarital affair to begin on April 15.
It’s a historic moment as Trump becomes the first former U.S. president to stand trial. This decision came after debates over the late turnover, they say, of crucial documents by prosecutors. Trump commented briefly outside the courthouse.
“It will obviously be appealing, but this is a pure case of voter intimidation and election interference,” said Trump.
In a turn of events, the former president found some relief as a New York appeals court ruled he could post a reduced bond of $175 million to appeal his hefty $464 million civil fraud judgment related to his shady business practices.
The ruling temporarily shields Trump from immediate property seizure efforts by New York Attorney General Letitia James.
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis recently addressed concerns regarding the potential delay of the election interference prosecution against former President Donald Trump due to ongoing proceedings concerning her romantic relationship with special prosecutor Nathan Wade, whom she hired for the case.
In an interview with CNN on March 23, Willis asserted that despite efforts to impede progress, the case has not been hindered. In the interview she stated, “I don’t feel like we have been slowed down at all… the train is coming.”
Furthermore, Willis dismissed suggestions that her reputation required redemption, asserting that she had not engaged in any actions warranting embarrassment.
Regarding her relationship with Wade, she remarked, “I’m not embarrassed by anything I’ve done… my greatest crime is that I had a relationship with a man, but that’s not something I find embarrassing in any way.”