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Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb has issued a formal advisory reminding DC employers of their obligation to comply with the District's Wage Transparency Act, which has been in effect for one year. The law requires employers to include wage and benefit information in job postings and prohibits retaliation against workers who discuss compensation. Since gaining authority to enforce wage theft laws, the Office of the Attorney General has secured over $35 million through investigations and lawsuits, with more than $20 million recovered under Schwalb's leadership. The advisory emphasizes that employers must disclose salary ranges and healthcare benefits in job postings, cannot restrict wage discussions among employees, and must post notices informing workers of their rights.

Kenneth Clark, born in 1914, became the first Black psychology Ph.D. from Columbia University and, along with his wife Mamie, conducted groundbreaking "doll tests" revealing segregation's harmful effects on Black children's self-perception. Walter Charles Carrington, born in 1930, served as a U.S. Ambassador to African nations and advocated for democracy in Nigeria where he lived for decades after marrying Nigerian physician Arese Ukpoma. Mary Church Terrell, who passed away in 1954, was a prominent civil rights activist who co-founded the National Association of Colored Women, fought for racial and gender equality, and served on D.C.'s Board of Education. All three figures made significant contributions to civil rights, education, and social justice through their professional work and activism.

Money Matters for Youth, founded by Gail Perry-Mason in 1996, is a comprehensive financial literacy initiative in Detroit that teaches students aged 8-18 about investing, entrepreneurship, and wealth creation. The program goes beyond basic financial education to provide holistic development through its annual five-day camp, where participants learn about multiple income streams, budgeting, and leadership skills. In partnership with One Detroit Credit Union, the program recently awarded $25,000 in scholarships to 25 Detroit-area teens, who also received collegiate checking accounts with no fees or minimum balance requirements. For nearly 29 years, Perry-Mason has mentored thousands of youth, creating a generational ripple effect with many former participants returning as volunteers and mentors.

A federal judge has blocked a Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) rule that would have removed medical debt from the credit reports of approximately 15 million Americans. Judge Sean Jordan, appointed by Trump, ruled in favor of credit reporting industry groups who claimed the CFPB exceeded its authority under the Fair Credit Reporting Act. The now-blocked rule aimed to prevent medical debt, which often stems from billing errors or unavoidable emergencies, from negatively impacting credit scores. This decision particularly affects Black Americans, who disproportionately carry medical debt, and leaves in place a system where medical debt continues to impact creditworthiness despite not being a reliable indicator of financial behavior.

The Advancement Project has released a report titled "Our Silence Will Not Protect Us: Tracking Recent Trends in Anti-Protest Laws," highlighting how 103 bills criminalizing protest have been introduced or passed since January 2024, threatening First Amendment rights across the United States. These laws redefine constitutionally protected activities as criminal conduct, targeting movements led by marginalized communities through increased penalties, restrictions on common protest behaviors, and limitations on where demonstrations can occur. According to Carmen Daugherty, the organization's deputy executive director, these measures represent a coordinated backlash against dissent that threatens democracy itself. Recent examples include the militarized response to immigration protests in Los Angeles, where demonstrators faced tear gas, pepper spray, and National Guard deployment after ICE raids sparked public outcry.

The District of Columbia is experiencing a significant rise in unemployment claims, ranking last in the nation according to WalletHub's latest report. Data shows DC's initial unemployment filings increased by 22.63% over the previous week and 73.21% compared to the same period last year, placing the District 51st overall behind all states in stabilizing its labor market. Experts attribute these trends to multiple factors including uncertainty around AI adoption, tariff impacts, tourism slowdown, and cautious hiring practices. Specialists predict continued challenges in the job market with structural issues such as skills mismatches and younger workers struggling to find single well-paying jobs with benefits.

The Trump administration is facing increasing pressure from supporters and Republicans to release more information about files related to convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein. Though Trump's name reportedly appears in unreleased Epstein investigation documents, the White House has given mixed responses, with some officials denying the reports while others acknowledge them without disputing their existence. Despite previously promising transparency during his campaign, Trump has recently reversed his position, stating the case is closed and criticizing supporters who continue pressing the issue. The Department of Justice and FBI released some materials in February 2024 but announced in July that no additional files would be made public, fueling ongoing conspiracy theories among Trump's supporters.

The White House has denied reports from The Wall Street Journal that President Trump was informed in May by Attorney General Pam Bondi that his name appeared among hundreds mentioned in Justice Department documents related to Jeffrey Epstein. While the original report noted that being named in the documents was not evidence of wrongdoing, Trump administration officials called it "fake news" and politically motivated. Meanwhile, a federal judge denied the Justice Department's request to unseal Epstein case files from Florida, and a House subcommittee voted to subpoena the Justice Department for its Epstein files. The controversy occurs amid growing pressure on the administration to release more information about Epstein, who died in prison in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.

Lauren Pisciotta, Kanye West's former assistant, is currently hiding in fear after filing a lawsuit alleging sexual harassment, assault, and rape against the rapper. The civil case, originally filed in June 2024 with updated claims this year, includes allegations that West orchestrated "swatting" incidents targeting Pisciotta after she filed her lawsuit. Pisciotta claims she experienced sexual assault while working for West beginning in 2021 and alleges he fostered a workplace environment filled with racism and antisemitism. West and his team deny all allegations, calling them "fantasy fiction," with the case expected to return to court next month.

Columbia University has agreed to pay $200 million to the Trump administration over allegations it failed to protect Jewish students amid Israel-Gaza war protests. In exchange, the government will restore some of the $400 million in federal grants it previously froze or terminated. The settlement includes implementing various campus rule changes such as reorganizing the Middle Eastern studies department, hiring special officers empowered to make arrests, requiring ID for protesters, banning face masks during demonstrations, and disciplining students involved in campus encampments. Education Secretary Linda McMahon described the deal as "a seismic shift" in holding universities accountable, while Columbia's acting president Claire Shipman emphasized it allows their "essential research partnership with the federal government to get back on track."

The Trump administration has released over 240,000 pages of previously sealed FBI surveillance records on Martin Luther King Jr., despite opposition from King's family and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. The document dump, described as "unprecedented" by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, contains records that had been under court seal since 1977 and were originally scheduled to remain sealed until 2027. King's children, Martin III and Bernice, urged the public to view the files within their historical context, noting their father was subjected to invasive surveillance by J. Edgar Hoover's FBI in attempts to discredit him and the Civil Rights Movement. The release fulfills President Trump's executive order to declassify assassination files related to MLK, JFK, and RFK, though some critics view the timing as a distraction from controversy surrounding Jeffrey Epstein files.

The Trump administration has introduced a comprehensive AI Action Plan featuring over 90 policy actions to boost U.S. innovation in artificial intelligence while reducing regulatory barriers. The 28-page roadmap aims to develop data center infrastructure, promote American technology, and eliminate policies that hinder AI development in both government and private sectors. President Trump is expected to sign three executive orders related to the plan, including measures to promote international export of U.S.-developed AI technologies and address perceived ideological biases in AI systems. While administration officials frame the initiative as critical for maintaining U.S. dominance over China in AI development, critics argue the plan primarily serves tech industry interests at the expense of public needs and safety.

The article discusses the cultural significance of Black sitcoms in American television history, highlighting their role in providing authentic representation and shifting cultural narratives. It specifically focuses on Malcolm-Jamal Warner's portrayal of Theo Huxtable on The Cosby Show, describing his character as a relatable blueprint for Black masculinity. The article reports Warner's tragic death by accidental drowning in Costa Rica on July 20, 2025, at age 54, which prompted widespread grief from colleagues and fans. In response to Warner's passing, NewsToter compiled a ranking of the greatest Black sitcoms of all time, though the specific rankings are not provided in the excerpt.

French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte have filed a defamation lawsuit against right-wing influencer Candace Owens for repeatedly claiming that Brigitte Macron was born male. The lawsuit, filed in Delaware, states that Owens has spread "outlandish, defamatory, and far-fetched fictions" despite multiple requests for retraction. Owens has promoted this conspiracy theory to her nearly 7 million followers on X and through her podcast, standing by her allegations even after the lawsuit was filed. The legal action also accuses Owens of falsely claiming that the Macrons are blood relatives and that Emmanuel Macron was installed in office through a CIA plot.

US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has declassified a 2020 House Intelligence Committee report that she claims reveals a "treasonous conspiracy" to undermine the 2016 presidential election. Gabbard alleges the document proves the Obama administration "directed the creation of an intelligence community assessment they knew was false" regarding Russian interference favoring Trump. Democrats counter that this declassification is an attempt to distract from controversy surrounding the Trump administration's refusal to release Jeffrey Epstein files. The report challenges CIA methodology but provides little evidence contradicting the widely accepted intelligence conclusion that Russia sought to influence the election in Trump's favor, a view supported by multiple bipartisan investigations.

U.S. Representative Cory Mills (R-FL) faces an eviction lawsuit filed by landlord Parcel 47F LLC on July 9 in the District of Columbia Superior Court for allegedly failing to pay $18,229.05 in rent for a luxury Washington D.C. apartment. The landlord issued a notice on January 22 requiring Mills to pay the overdue balance or vacate by February 26, with the complaint showing the congressman's monthly rent exceeded $17,000 plus additional fees. Despite making frequent payments, Mills accumulated significant unpaid charges, and the landlord is now seeking possession of the property and a money judgment for the outstanding balance. Mills, a U.S. Army veteran and Trump supporter who serves on the House Armed Services and Foreign Affairs Committees, has not responded to requests for comment about the lawsuit.

Two cleaning companies, J&B Cleaning Services and Cuzco Facilities Services, have agreed to pay $290,000 to settle allegations that they failed to pay required overtime wages to hotel housekeepers in Washington, D.C. The settlement includes $215,000 in restitution for 323 workers and $75,000 in civil penalties following an investigation by the Office of the Attorney General sparked by a tip from the hospitality workers' union UNITE HERE Local 25. Investigators found that employees working for both companies in the same workweek weren't paid the legally required time-and-a-half for hours worked beyond 40 from January 2021 through this year. The companies, which share common ownership, will implement several compliance measures while denying any wrongdoing.

The Senate has approved President Trump's demand to rescind $9 billion in federal spending, including $1.1 billion from public broadcasting, in a narrow 51-48 vote. The cut specifically targets the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), which funds NPR and PBS and supports over 1,500 local public radio and television stations nationwide. Only two Republican senators opposed the bill, while a last-minute amendment to restore CPB funding failed. If approved by the House by Friday, these cuts would impact federal funding for public media from October 2025 through September 2027, potentially forcing stations to implement layoffs and reduce programming, with rural and underserved communities facing the greatest impact.

On the fifth anniversary of freedom fighter John Lewis's death, over 1,600 locations across the United States hosted "Good Trouble Lives On" demonstrations to protest President Donald Trump's administration and advance Lewis's vision of democracy. In Washington D.C.'s Franklin Park, community leaders, activists, and artists rallied before marching to the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Demonstrators nationwide criticized the Trump administration's policies on voting rights, federal funding, and immigration, invoking Lewis's philosophy of nonviolent yet assertive protest against unjust leadership. The protests come amid concerns about voter suppression legislation like the recently House-passed SAVE Act, which would require citizenship documentation for voter registration and potentially make voting more difficult for minority communities.

Target is facing mounting backlash after quietly withdrawing from its $2.1 billion diversity, equity, and inclusion pledge made following George Floyd's murder. The company is experiencing declining sales and increasing boycotts led by civil rights activists who condemn Target for abandoning Black communities while simultaneously funding prosecutorial strategies targeting Black youth. Instead of addressing these concerns directly, Target has pursued celebrity partnerships and collaborations, such as teaming with Kai Cenat and AMP to launch the TONE personal care brand. Religious leaders, activists, and journalists have criticized these efforts as distractions that avoid accountability while failing to engage with Black-owned media outlets that serve affected communities.

The discovery of at least 100 unmarked graves of Black children near Maryland's Cheltenham Youth Detention Center has spotlighted the state's historically racist youth justice system that continues today. Maryland ranks fourth nationally in incarcerating people for childhood crimes and charges more youth as adults per capita than almost every other state, with Black children seven times more likely to face adult charges than white peers. Senator William C. Smith Jr. plans to reintroduce legislation to narrow the 33 offenses that automatically send children to adult court, restricting such transfers to only the most severe crimes. The Sentencing Project highlights that despite nationwide decreases in youth tried as adults, Black youth—comprising less than 15% of the youth population—make up 63% of those detained pending criminal court hearings.

Artificial intelligence adoption is increasing among U.S. firms, yet research from Goldman Sachs, Brookings, and other organizations indicates it has not led to widespread job losses as initially feared. Instead, AI investment is associated with business growth, increased employment, and significant productivity gains, with companies reporting labor productivity improvements between 23% and 29%. However, the workforce is experiencing a complex transformation where certain roles like call center positions are slowing, while demand for college-educated workers and those with STEM degrees is rising. The technology is already reshaping corporate structures by reducing middle management positions and potentially exacerbating inequality by favoring highly-skilled workers and larger companies with resources to implement AI tools.

HARLEM WEEK, celebrating its 51st edition from August 1-17, 2024, returns with the theme "Celebrate Our Magic" to honor Harlem's cultural, spiritual, and historical legacy. What began in 1974 as a one-day event founded by Percy Sutton has evolved into a 17-day global celebration featuring over 100 events spanning arts, music, health, business, technology, and education. This year's festivities will honor notable figures including civil rights leader Hazel Dukes, Rep. Charles Rangel, and music legends like Kool & The Gang and Roberta Flack, while also commemorating Malcolm X's centennial and Harry Belafonte's legacy. The celebration culminates with HARLEM DAY on August 17, transforming 135th Street with three entertainment stages, a health village, and diverse musical performances that showcase Harlem's vibrancy and global influence.

The new tax bill approved by Congress caps federal student loan borrowing for medical students at $50,000 annually and $257,000 total, eliminating the previously unlimited Grad PLUS loans starting in 2026. This change will force many medical students to seek private loans, which lack the protections and forgiveness options of federal loans, particularly impacting those pursuing careers in nonprofit settings. Medical education typically costs over $300,000, meaning students will face significant funding gaps under the new rules. Critics worry these restrictions will deter lower-income and diverse students from pursuing medical careers, potentially worsening the projected physician shortage of 86,000 doctors by 2036.

The newly passed "Big, Beautiful Bill" represents the most substantial rollback of health coverage since the Affordable Care Act (ACA) was enacted in 2010, potentially leaving up to 16 million Americans uninsured while increasing the federal deficit by as much as $4 trillion over the next decade. According to Larry Levitt of KFF, this legislation will reduce federal health spending by more than $1 trillion, primarily through cuts to Medicaid and health insurance subsidies. Key provisions include new Medicaid work requirements, which could cause 4.8 million people to lose coverage due to bureaucratic complications, and the removal of eligibility for ACA coverage from many lawfully present immigrants. Yale professor Natasha Sarin warned that these healthcare cuts could result in 100,000-200,000 excess deaths over the next decade, while the bill's tax cuts will disproportionately benefit wealthy households.

In Burkina Faso, a nation with only 70 ophthalmologists for 23 million people, Dr. Claudette Yaméogo stands as the country's sole pediatric ophthalmologist, treating children with eye injuries that are often seen too late for effective intervention. Most eye specialists are concentrated in major cities, making access nearly impossible for the 70% of the population living in rural areas, as evidenced by only 52 of over 2,000 ophthalmology procedures being performed in rural regions in 2024. The financial burden is significant for families like Isaka Diallo's, who spent valuable time and money to reach Dr. Yaméogo only to learn his injury had become too severe to treat effectively. Despite government coverage for children under 5 on paper, families often must purchase medications elsewhere and face surgery costs that can represent several months of income.

Michigan is experiencing a severe decline in local journalism, with 40% of newspapers lost since 2005 and more than half of counties down to one or no local news outlets. This crisis prompted a summit at the Detroit Athletic Club on July 22, organized by the Local Media Association and partners, where media leaders discussed the consequences of declining local coverage and potential solutions. The gathering highlighted alarming statistics, including the loss of 58% of journalism jobs in Michigan over 15 years, and emphasized the critical role local journalism plays in maintaining community accountability and democracy. Leaders from various media organizations stressed the importance of partnerships, diversified funding models, and community engagement as pathways to rebuilding local news infrastructure.

Erik Menendez has been diagnosed with a serious medical condition, leading to his transfer from prison to an outside medical facility, though specific details about his condition have not been officially confirmed. This development comes just weeks before Erik and his brother Lyle are scheduled for a parole hearing after serving 35 years for murdering their parents in 1989. Earlier this year, the brothers' sentences were reduced from life without parole to 50 years to life, making them eligible for parole consideration due to their young ages at the time of the crimes. Their lawyer, Mark Geragos, has called for Erik's medical furlough ahead of the August 21 parole hearing, describing it as "the only fair and equitable thing to do."

Human remains discovered in the Guatemalan jungle are believed to belong to Raymond Vincent Ashcroft, a 66-year-old American birdwatcher who disappeared in February 2023 while visiting the ancient Maya city of Tikal. Clothing matching what Ashcroft wore on the day of his disappearance was found alongside human bones approximately 14km from the archaeological site. Ashcroft had separated from his birdwatching group to return to their hotel but never arrived, prompting immediate search efforts including sniffer dogs and an Interpol yellow notice, all of which were unsuccessful until this recent discovery. Officials from Guatemala's Attorney-General's Office have stated that DNA testing will be conducted to confirm if the remains are indeed those of the missing tourist.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has firmly stated that Canada will not accept an unfavorable trade deal with the United States as the August 1 deadline approaches, after which President Trump will impose new 35% tariffs on Canadian imports. The two nations, significant trading partners, are in a standoff following Trump's return to office and implementation of sweeping tariffs, including 25% on certain Canadian goods and 50% on aluminum and steel. Carney indicated potential protective measures for key industries like aluminum and lumber while suggesting additional support may be needed for sectors most affected by U.S. tariffs. Canada exports approximately three-quarters of its goods to the U.S., with bilateral trade valued at over $750 billion in 2024 according to the U.S. Trade Representative.