Bob Johnson Hands Bobcats to Jordan
On Wednesday, the rest of the NBA's Charlotte Bobcat owners approved Michael Jordan's ownership of the team, making Jordan the first former-NBA player to own a basketball team. Jordan purchased the team for $275 million from Bob Johnson, the first African American to be majority owner of a NBA team. Yesterday night, Johnson handed the team over to Jordan in a ceremony that was open to the public. Afterward, Jordan fielded questions, regarding his new ownership and how he plans to steer the Bobcats on to a path of success. The Bobcats are ranked 22nd out of 30 teams in attendance and are known for their poor performances. Jordan, of course, plans to turn all of that around. [NBA.com]

Toni Morrison Apart of Upcoming Literary Event
Toni Morrison will be among the writers featured at the sixth annual PEN World Voices Festival of International Literature in New York City. Other writers featured are Salman Rushdie, Richard Price and Sherman Alexie. Writers will read and discuss their work from April 26th to May 2nd. [CBS News]

Two More Democrats Pledge Support to Health Care Overhaul
President Barack Obama may finally be able to breathe a sigh of relief after the health care vote takes place on Sunday. Till then, though, the President has been giving a number of speeches throughout the country, shoring up support from both the public and Congressional Democrats. Rep. Bart Gordon, D-Tenn., and first-term Rep. Betsy Markey, D-Colo. are the latest Democrats to pledge their support to the cause, solidifying the goal of passing health care reform this weekend. [AP]

Man Proposes to Girlfriend on NJ Transit Bus
On Thursday, a college student proposed to his girlfriend, also a student, on a NJ Transit bus parked at Port Authority in N.Y. Adam Frohlinger said he chose the bus, adorned with flowers and decorations, for his proposal, because he knew fiancee Leora Feigenbaum would never expect it. The couple are planning an August wedding. [Washington Post]

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Tiger Woods to Return to Golf
Tiger Woods announced yesterday that he would return to his beloved game of golf at the Augusta Nationals in three weeks. Woods had stepped away from the game for four months, after a car accident that fired off a sex scandal that tarnished his image. [Black Voices]

More and More Terrorists Are Homegrown
The latest string of alleged terrorists illuminate one basic point: more and more terrorists are homegrown. The U.S. government has quite a task ahead of itself since it discovered that the terrorists that were once sought outside America's shores are now concretely within. These terrorists are said to be fueled by Islamic extremism and aspire to maim and kill American citizens for the love of jihad. [Yahoo News]

Hawaii Looking to Pass Bill Ignoring Birthers' Requests
With the continued requests to see evidence that President Barack Obama is indeed a natural-born U.S. citizen, Hawaii's House Judiciary Committee is attempting to pass a bill that would allow government officials to ignore these requests. Even though Hawaii Health Director Dr. Chiyome Fukino issued two statements validating President Obama's birth, "birthers" continue to ask, wasting both time and money. [ABC News]

Lawyer Behind Jackson's Empire Negotiates Sony Contract
John Branca is the lawyer who negotiated Michael Jackson's estate record-breaking deal with Sony Music, which is worth $250 million. Branca initially worked with Jackson for 30 years and was most responsible for Jackson's financial empire. Now he continues to work for Jackson posthumously, breaking records even in a declining market. [Salon.com]

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Mrs. Obama to Speak with Junk Food Giants Today
First Lady Michelle Obama has talked to schools and nutrition groups across the country in order to fight childhood obesity. Today, she takes her speech to junk food giants, such as Kraft Foods Inc., Coca Cola Co. and General Mills Inc. These companies, with their products stocked throughout schools nationwide, have had a devastating effect on students' waistlines. Consequently, there is already a bill moving through Congress that would remove junk food from schools entirely, as Mrs. Obama has made healthful eating for children her top initiative. [NY Times]

Obama Works Hard to Get Health Care Passed
President Barack Obama is said to being doing all he can to get Democrats who voted against health care reform on board. He is having unscheduled one-on-one meetings with unsure Democrats and promising them more help with their particular states in the future. The countdown for the historic vote has already started as legislators will take their final vote sometime this week. One of the major actions that need to be taken before the vote can happen is the revealing of the price tag for the hefty health overhaul from the Congressional Budget Office. [AP]

Warning: New HIV-Infection Rates Up
Michel Sidibe, head of U.N. AIDS, says that new HIV infection rates are climbing again, because many at-risk groups have laws criminalizing them, making it difficult to get the proper care they need. HIV rates are rising in homosexuals, prostitutes and drug users. According to Sidibe, the increase is bad news that is even exacerbated when one takes in to account that many governments are introducing radically conservative legislation. Citing countries, such as Uganda who are trying to pass a bill that would put homosexuals to death, minority groups are not being allowed the protection nor the access they need. [Yahoo News]

Jackson Estate Signs Biggest Recording Contract in History
Michael Jackson's estate has signed the biggest recording deal in history with Sony Music Entertainment, worth $200 million for the next seven years. The deal will reportedly re-release Jackson's 1979 "Off the Wall" album as well as release another album comprised of his never-before-released recordings. The contract doesn't stop there. Video games and DVD video compilations are also in the works. [TMZ.com]

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President to Speak to Ohioans on Health Care
Today President Barack Obama will speak in Ohio to gain added support for the health care overhaul he is trying to pass this week. Ohio is the home of Natoma Canfield, a woman who wrote a letter to the president to inform him that she had given up her health insurance because it was too expensive. Canfield's sister will introduce President Obama to the audience. [Google News]

Americans to Begin Receiving Census Forms Today
Expect to start receiving your 2010 U.S. Census forms from the government starting today. More than 120 million forms have reportedly been sent out. [Yahoo News]

ACORN Branches Try to Reinvent Themselves After Scandal
Since ACORN saw its name tarnished with the pimp, prostitute scandal, many ACORN branches have changed their names, with the hopes of regaining federal funding. While ACORN has been vindicated in court most recently, it is still difficult for the organization to resurrect their reputation. [AJC.com]

ANC Youth Leader Convicted of Hate Speech
The youth leader of the African National Congress (ANC), Julius Malema, was convicted today of hate speech. In January 2009, Malema made a speech, regarding a woman who charged that the now-incumbent President of South Africa, Jacob Zuma, raped her. President Zuma was cleared of the charges in 2006, and Malema was seen as "perpetuating rape myths," when he announced to a crowd that Zuma's accuser had, had a "nice time," because she remained with Zuma throughout the night. Malema will have to make a public apology and donate $6,700 to a women's center for his offense. [AP]

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Tiger to Return to Golf Soon
Two sources speaking on condition of anonymity, say that Tiger Woods will most likely play in the Masters in August. Woods has been seen practicing for two weeks and had swing coach Hank Haney with him over the weekend. [AP]

John Edward's Ex-Aide to Appear in Court Today
Andrew Young, Senator John Edwards' former aide, will appear in court again today, after being sued for invasion of privacy by Edward's mistress, Rielle Hunter. Young was almost sent to jail earlier this week, because he was caught lying about what he had done with Edwards' sex tape. [Forbes.com]

Americans Receive Too Many Tests
In response to the publicly released results of President Barack Obama's medical check-up, recent reports are criticizing the way many in America receive their care. From their viewpoint, Americans are receiving too many tests that often expose them to needless invasive treatments and side effects with very little benefits, if any. According to a medical journal, Americans need to understand that "more care is not necessarily better care." This extends to the rate of cesareans in this country as well. Many doctors are said to request repeat cesareans for women that are also unnecessary but are expensive. These medical journals suggest going back to the old-school advise of exercise, enough sleep and no smoking, rather than undergoing more tests in the name of health. [Yahoo News]

Funeral Home Loses Body
A van outside of a funeral home was towed on Monday, leaving the owner of the vehicle to panic. Unbeknownst to the police officer who ticketed and towed the vehicle, the van not only belonged to the funeral home but also contained a dead body inside of it. The funeral director was finally able to locate his van and quickly explained to the towing company the situation. They released the van back to the owner, who was then able to get the body on the scheduled Miami flight in time. The director plans to fight the $115 ticket and claims that the sign in the van, which identifies the vehicle, fell flat on the dashboard.

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Marion Jones Gets New Job
Call it a true comeback: Formerly disgraced Olympian runner Marion Jones got a new gig: WNBA team Tulsa Shock announced that they signed Jones to a one-year contract on Wednesday night. [Black Voices]

President Is Close to Finalizing Health Care for Millions
In what would top even the drama on TV, President Barack Obama and his fellow Congressional Democrats have been able to not only regain momentum on health care, but are looking to take their final vote on it next week, before the President leaves the country. It is reported that congressional leaders are very close to a final deal, and the President will meet with the Congressional Black Caucus and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus at the White House today to discuss the revolutionary legislation. [Washington Post]

Sexually Abusive Father to Stand Trial
A 51-year-old unnamed New Jersey man has been accused of beating and raping all five of his daughers, while impregnating three of them with 6 children. The man will stand trial five times, for each child who was victimized. According to the Associated Press, "He faces 27 charges including aggravated sexual assault, sexual assault, lewdness, child endangerment, aggravated criminal sexual contact and criminal sexual contact." [AP]

800 Mozambicans Trapped By Flood
Since the flood level alert was raised to red on Tuesday, 800 Mozambicans have been trapped by floodwaters that continue to rise. Local authorities need to evacuate 130,000 people, due to rising floodwaters that have assaulted the area since February. [ABC News]

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Jennifer Hudson to Sing at NCAA Championship Game
Singing sensation Jennifer Hudson has been chosen to sing "One Shining Moment," after the NCAA basketball championship game. Teddy Pendergrass and Luther Vandross previously sang the song. Hudson will be the first woman to sing for the event. [NY Times]

Soldiers Kill 2, Wound 5 After Shooting in to Unruly Crowd
With authorities and residents paranoid, after the massacre that killed more than 200 Christians on Sunday in the area of Jos, Nigeria, soldiers opened fire on a crowd and a truck that was out after the government-issued curfew late Tuesday. The group was trying to stop the truck from entering their village, but after refusing to leave the area against authorities' wishes, some were shot by soldiers. Unfortunately, two villagers were killed, five were wounded and the suspicious truck ended up containing only cattle and baskets. [Yahoo News]

Americans Give Solid Marks for Obama and Dismal Ones for Congress
According to an Associated Press-GfK poll, while many Americans are fed up with Congress and wish to fire them in November, more than half, 53 percent, still support President Barack Obama and believe he is doing a decent job with the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and health care and the economy. [AP]

Former John Edwards Aide Almost Goes to Jail
Andrew Young, an ex-aide to Senator John Edwards, almost went to jail over sex tapes of Edwards and his mistress. Initially, Young said the tapes were sealed in a safety deposit box, but then later, he admitted to showing the tape to a limited number of people, including ABC News. The judge handling the case has ordered Young to turn over all materials by Friday. [MSNBC]


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