POLICE DETAIN THREE IN WASHINGTON REDSKINS PLAYER'S MURDER

MIAMI -- Police have detained at least three people in the Fort Myers area for questioning in the death of Washington Redskins football star Sean Taylor.

A law enforcement official in Lee County confirmed the men from the Fort Myers area were in custody, but requested anonymity because the investigation is being handled by Miami-Dade County police.

Miami-Dade police Detective Carlos Maura said he was not aware of anyone in custody. He said only that detectives were in the Fort Myers area for a case, but declined to say which one.

The Miami Herald, which first reported the development on its Web site, said investigators believe three suspects learned of Taylor's house through someone who unwittingly set up the burglary by bragging about his wealth. The suspects include two teenagers and a man in his 20s, all from the Fort Myers area, the paper reported.

A telephone message left at the Florida City Police Department for Taylor's father, Chief Pedro Taylor, was not immediately returned.

Richard Sharpstein, a former Taylor lawyer and family friend, said: "It looks like the police are pursuing extremely good leads. It appears that the burglary was exactly as I've always stated, not random, that Sean's house was targeted."

Evidence at Taylor's home indicated one or more intruders barged into the house early Monday in an attempted burglary, Miami-Dade police director Robert Parker said Wednesday. After a confrontation inside the home, Taylor was shot once in the upper leg and died early Tuesday after losing a tremendous amount of blood.

Taylor's family has scheduled a funeral service for 11 a.m. Monday at Pharmed Arena at Florida International University in Miami.

Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press

UPI VIDEO NEWS 11.30.07

Bush calls on Congress to approve war funding.

President Bush is urging Congress to approve billions of dollars in war funding before Christmas. He said that if Congress doesn't clear the funds, the Army would have to shut down bases and start laying off more than 100 thousand civilian workers by mid-February. Defense Secretary Robert Gates has already ordered the Army and Marine Corps to plan for cutbacks. A spokesman for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says the speaker has no plans to revisit war funding before the end of the year.

Meanwhile, Congress is close to raising fuel economy standards for most U.S. cars and trucks. The bill would increase the corporate average fuel economy standard to 35 miles per hour fleet-wide by 2020. Right now, the standard for cars is 27 and a half miles per gallon and just more than 22 for trucks. However, the legislation also has several significant loopholes that would allow auto companies to get around the new limits. The Senate passed the mandate in June, and the House is expected to vote next week.

Pakistan's Pervez Musharraf says his country's state of emergency will be lifted and the constitution restored in less than three weeks. That's before the general election is held January 8. Musharraf made the announcement yesterday, after being sworn in to presidential office as a civilian for another five-year term. The move was welcomed by main opposition leader Benazir Bhutto, who intends to take part in the general elections under protest. But former Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said his party would boycott and demanded the reinstatement of judges done away with by Musharraf.

Public health officials are calling for tighter restrictions on salt content in food. They argue that cutting back on its overuse could save thousands of lives each year. The Center for Science in the Public Interest wants the Food and Drug Administration to beef up labeling, require manufacturers to cut salt in packaged foods, and subject it to stricter regulations. The FDA hasn't considered this issue since 1982 but says it's the right time to revisit it.

KATRINA CREATES CHANGES IN NEW ORLEANS POLITICS

Whites to take control of city council.

As a result of the recent local elections, the New Orleans City Council will soon have a white majority for the first time in over 20 years.

The election results are a clear and dramatic indication of the displacement of the city's predominantly Black population by Hurricane Katrina which struck the city in 2005.

Estimates vary but it is believed by most experts that as many as half of the Blacks displaced by Hurricane Katrina have been unable to return to the city and establish new residences.

The election results also confirm initial fears that powerful political and economic forces would take advantage of the displacements to turn New Orleans into a smaller, higher income and whiter city. For example, virtually none of the reconstruction projects planned by the city to benefit lower income Blacks has gotten off the drawing board. In addition, those African Americans who have managed to re-establish themselves in the city may have lost faith in the political process.

In the Nov. 17 elections, for example, the 52,614 people casting ballots was down sharply from the 113,000 who voted during the 2006 elections for mayor. In addition, 29,700 whites voted compared to only 22,900 Blacks casting ballots.

As a result, veteran white politician Jacquelyn Clarkson was able to defeat Black candidate Cynthia Willard-Lewis in the contest for an at-large seat on the city council.

The Council now has four white and three Black members.

JACKSON STATE UNIVERSITY STUDENT'S BODY FOUND

By HOLBROOK MOHR

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — The ex-boyfriend of a Jackson State University student led police to her decomposing body in the woods off a quiet street Thursday and was charged with murder, authorities said.

The body of 20-year-old Latasha Norman, an accounting major who worked at the school paper and was described by her friends as a serious student, was found near some old tires, a faded blue tarpaulin and empty beer bottles.

Her ex-boyfriend, Stanley Dwayne Cole, was charged with murder, Police Sgt. Jeffery B. Scott said.

Cole, 24, had hired an attorney, Scott said, but he did not know the lawyer's name. A sergeant at the Hinds County jail said Cole had been booked into the facility, but she did not know the name of his lawyer, either. A bail hearing was set for Friday.

Norman, who like Cole was from Greenville in the Mississippi Delta, had been the target of attacks in the weeks before she disappeared Nov. 13 after leaving a class, authorities said.

Jackson State President Ronald Mason said he believes Norman left the campus with Cole.

Cole had been charged with simple assault after police said he hit her. And someone had slashed Norman's car's tires and removed the vehicle's license plate, investigators said.

Her disappearance caused an outpouring of emotion on the 7,900-student campus, where students have held candlelight vigils.

UPI VIDEO ENTERTAINMENT NEWS 11.30.07

Drea de Matteo has a baby girl.

Actress Drea de Matteo is trying out a new role...as a mom. "The Sopranos" star and boyfriend, musician Shooter Jennings welcomed a baby girl on Wednesday. Her name is Alabama Gypsy Rose. She's the first child for the pair, who've reportedly been dating for about six years now. The actress first announced she was pregnant last May.

Spain's Queen Sofia honored former President Bill Clinton and actress Penelope Cruz last night. The two were awarded the Queen Sofía Spanish Institute's Gold Medal at the annual gala in New York. That award is given to those who contribute to improving relations between the U.S. and Spain. Veteran journalist Barbara Walters, Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger and Vogue magazine's editor in chief Anna Wintour were among the big celebrities that attended the formal event.

Jennifer Love Hewitt is engaged. The actress' spokesperson says she and boyfriend, Scottish actor Ross McCall made it official last week. There's no word on a wedding date yet. The two have been dating about 2 years and this will be the first marriage for both of them.

Brad Pitt says he's swearing off nude scenes. In an interview with BBC Pitt says he wont take it all off in front of the camera anymore for the sake of his kids. The actor says he wants his 4 children to be able to watch his work without him being embarassed. In the past Pitt bared it all in films like "Thelma and Louise," and "Troy."

Laura Bush is unveiling this year's White House Christmas decorations. She appeared on both "The Today Show" and "Good Morning America" yesterday to preview the holiday trimmings. This year's tree is apparently 19 years old and 18 feet tall and came from North Carolina. The 2007 decoration theme is "Holiday in the National Parks" featuring ornaments honoring the country's parks and historical sights. Included in the décor of course are the traditional White House gingerbread house and the holiday buffet.

CANCER RISK HIGHER IN POOR BLACK WOMEN

Study of women in D.C. public housing shows sobering results.

Reuters reports that impoverished black women in U.S. cities face a greater risk of getting cancer because of unhealthy diets, according to a report released on Wednesday.

The study of more than 150 women living in public housing in Washington, D.C., found that 61 percent of them met none or just one of five goals for maintaining a healthy diet.

The goals included adequate consumption of fruit and vegetables, a low percentage of fat intake, consuming no alcohol, eating moderate calories and adhering to a U.S. government Healthy Eating Index, which measures overall quality of diet.

"African-American women ... face a worse cancer incidence and mortality rate than most other ethnic groups and poor African-American women are at an even greater disadvantage," said Ann Klassen, an associate professor at Johns Hopkins University's Bloomberg School of Public Health.

"Improving diet is one effective way to help these women lower their risk for developing cancer," Klassen said, adding that the women in the study went on to participate in a program aimed at improving nutrition.

Cancer risk can be assessed using measures that include diet, age, ethnicity and genetic factors. The study was relevant not just to black women in cities elsewhere but to poor women from other ethnic groups, researchers said.

The findings were presented at a conference in Atlanta of the American Association for Cancer Research.

The study also found a link between depression, smoking and poor diet, and determined that women born in the U.S. capital were more likely to have an unhealthy diet than women who had moved to the city from elsewhere.

DON IMUS EXPECTED TO GET SOME PAYBACK MONDAY

Roker, Russert, Ford Jr., Newsweek editors reportedly in line of fire; Najee Ali announces protest.

When Don Imus returns to the airwaves Monday for the first time since his firing last April over racist and sexist remarks, word has it that he's fixin' to unleash eight months of pent-up frustration at the public figures who abandoned him during the controversy.

"I think he will have some scores to settle," Page Six quoted of Phil Boyce, the general manager of Imus' new radio home at New York's WABC.

Private eye Bo Dietl, who will join Imus in the 8 a.m. hour on Monday, told Page Six that former Imus regulars Harold Ford Jr. and Al Roker may be called out by Imus on his first day.

"They turned their backs on him so fast," Dietl said. "Al Roker had his stomach stapled - he should have had his mouth stapled."

One longtime listener wondered: "Will Imus ever give Newsweek editors another chance to plug their books on his show since they cut and ran when Al Sharpton started his crusade to get him off the air?"

Dietl said Imus' "nappy-headed hoes" remark "brought attention to that Rutgers basketball team. They really benefited. It turned out to be a positive thing."

Meanwhile, activist Najee Ali of Project Islamic HOPE says a coalition of Los Angeles and black leaders from across the nation will participate in a national day of silent protest Monday at 11 a.m. from ABC radio's Los Angeles affiliate, KABC (3321 S. La Cienega Blvd.).

"Don Imus and his quick return to radio is a blatant slap in the face to black women," Ali stated. "Imus shouldn't return to radio until he makes amends and helps repair the damage that he has done with his racist and sexist comments. Shame on ABC Radio for giving him a national platform to continue his campaign of sexist rhetoric."

Ali says the coalition will also call for a national boycott of Don Imus sponsors who are supporting his radio program.

TPMtv: TPMtv Highlight Reel: CNN/YouTube GOP Debate

Missed last night's GOP Youtube debate? We've got all the ugly highlights -- just be sure you're wearing a bib and a bulletproof vest.

UPI VIDEO NEWS 11.29.07

Republican candidates clash over illegal immigration.

Illegal immigration is proving to be a hot topic among Republican presidential candidates. That's after they squared off in their first-ever YouTube/CNN debate last night. Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney attacked former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani, saying he promoted illegal immigration. Giuliani shot back saying Romney had quote a sanctuary mansion at his home where illegal immigrants were employed. A viewer also asked the candidates whether they believe every word in the Bible is true. Former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee who's also a Baptist minister said he believes the Bible is exactly what it is. Giuliani said he believes the Bible but not literally true in every aspect.

Israel's Prime Minister says his country's survival will depend on a two-state solution with Palestinians. Ehud Olmert told an Israeli newspaper that if the solution collapses, the country would face a struggle for equal voting rights for all, including the Palestinians. This comes after Olmert, President Bush and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas pledged to try to reach a two-state settlement by the end of 2008 at this week's Mideast conference in Annapolis, Maryland. Israel worries that Palestinians could eventually outnumber Jews if Israel continues to control all the territory it captured during the 1967 Middle East war.

A former Pakistani Prime Minister is dismissing President Pervez Musharraf's presidency as illegitimate. Nawaz Sharif said the Supreme Court Musharraf did away with to ensure a second term should be restored to rule on his election. He also demanded an end to emergency rule and a release of opponents jailed after the crackdown. Sharif returned from exile in Saudi Arabia this week, eight years after Musharraf, who was then army chief, ousted him.

Washington Redskins fans are mourning the loss of safety Sean Taylor. People are paying their respects to a makeshift memorial set up outside of the Redskins training facility in Ashburn, Virginia. Flowers, balloons, cards and teddy bears are filling the park. Taylor died Tuesday from gunshot wounds after an apparent burglary of his Miami home.

UPI VIDEO ENTERTAINMENT NEWS 11.29.07

Friends say Spears pregnancy rumors are false.

Several sources are rejecting rumors that Britney Spears is pregnant...again. A close friend of the pop star tells In Touch magazine those reports are false. Tabloids have said that Spears is expecting a baby with music producer J.R. Rotem. But he denies it, saying the rumors are completely made up.

Just one day after winning "Dancing With the Stars" Helio Castroneves has revealed his engagement is over. The professional racecar driver tells "Inside Edition" he and his fiancée Aliette Vazquez are calling off the upcoming wedding. Castroneves says luckily, the ABC dancing competition kept him busy and helped him deal with the break up. He added that his ex is a great person and he's sure they'll remain friends.

Some of the biggest female stars are working to help register more women to vote. Actress Susan Sarandon and Kerry Washington were just a couple of the celebrities that attended last night's WE Vote '08 event in New York. The campaign is looking to register more than 1 million women to vote in next year's election. Former congresswoman Geraldine Ferraro was also there to support the cause as well as actress Ally Sheedy.

Fans are getting into the holiday spirit with Josh Groban's new album. His recent release "Noel" is number one on the Billboard 200 this week. It's reportedly the first time a holiday album has topped the list since Kenny G in 1994. Last week's frontrunner, Alicia Keys' "As I am" fell to number two. And in third is the mix CD "Now 26."

The popular iPhone is landing in the hands of many French consumers. Apple released the mobile device in France yesterday. Customers lined up in several Orange stores around the country yesterday. Orange is the only mobile service provider in France. Paris' most famous avenue, the Champs-Elysees, was also packed with people trying to get their hands on one. The iPhone includes an ipod, internet access and a phone. Apple has reportedly sold more than 1.4 million of them already and plans to sell nearly 10 times that amount in 2008.

DISTORTING SEAN TAYLOR'S MURDER

THE HUTCHINSON POLITICAL REPORT

A handful of black sportswriters hit the ceiling when they read initial press reports on the shooting death of Washington Redskins All pro safety Sean Taylor.

The issue was the perennial, suspect, and sneaky alleged double standard in the reporting on and public view of tragedies that befall blacks and whites, especially athletes and celebrities.

The howl of protest goes up that when a black athlete is accused of bad behavior, criminality or boorishness the press and public go ballistic. They dredge up every misdeed the player has committed and ad nauseum drill it home that they are bad guys (or girls) and deserve the scorn of the nation.

When white athletes are accused of the same or worse bad behavior, criminality or boorishness, the excuses fly like raindrops in a hurricane, and then the news of their misdeeds vanishes from print and the airwaves faster than a Houdini disappearing act. Taylor is no exception to this rule, and the black journalists that raised the hue and cry were right to scream their lungs out about it.

The first accounts of Taylor's murder were spare on details of the shooting, since there was almost none, and there were no suspects, no reported clues, and no reported motivation for the shooting. But the reports more than made up for the sparseness by dredging up every sordid detail about Taylor's past run-ins with the law.

The image rammed into the public brain, was what's become a template for depicting supposedly bad behaving, bad acting young black males. The war of words was now on with a vengeance. The denials flew hot and heavy that any disrespect, and minimizing the tragedy, or that a subtle dump the blame for Taylor's death on his alleged thug lifestyle was intended. After all, those run-ins did badly color his life. As distasteful as they might be, they were fair game for reporting ... (READ MORE)

Earl Ofari Hutchinson is an author and political analyst. His new book: The Latino Challenge to Black America: Towards a Conversation between African- Americans and Hispanics (Middle Passage Press October 2007). email: hutchinsonreport@aol.com - web: www.earlofarihutchinson.blogspot.com

BlackAmericaWeb.com Launches Survey

BlackAmericaWeb.com Launches Survey to Gauge Views on Issues in ’08 Presidential Race.

BlackAmericaWeb.com will launch a comprehensive issue-oriented survey today to engage readers about topics of concern to the black community during the 2008 presidential election.

The purpose of the survey is to solicit feedback from readers about issues being discussed by Democratic and Republican presidential candidates in what is perhaps the most significant presidential election for black Americans in modern history.

The Democratic frontrunners are Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) and Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL). Clinton, who is leading in most national polls, is trying to become the first female president, while Obama, who is leading Clinton in fundraising, hopes to be elected as the first black president.



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HAVE YOUR SAY RIGHT NOW! Click here to take BlackAmericaWeb.com's “Election '08“ survey.



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On the Republican side, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, Arizona Sen. John McCain and former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson are among those vying for the nomination.

The 2008 BlackAmericaWeb.com survey will feature a variety of questions on issues, including the war in Iraq, jobs & immigration, poverty, criminal justice, education, economy & housing, health care and rebuilding New Orleans after Katrina.

BLACK ENTERPRISE SHOWS US WHO'S 'HOT'

Tyra, Blige, Diddy, Fiddy, LeBron make magazine's annual Hot List.

Black Enterprise has announced its annual Hot List of America's Most Powerful Players Under 40, a group that includes achievers in the fields of media, music, entertainment, and sports.


The tally, which appears in the magazine's new December issue, includes such under-40 superstars as Tyra Banks, Mary J. Blige, Sean "Diddy" Combs, 50 Cent and Nick Cannon.


"These celebrities have shrewdly leveraged their fame to build multimillion-dollar empires that will sustain them beyond their careers in sports and entertainment," says BE Editor-at- Large Carolyn Brown. "Plus, this year's list goes outside the box to include business executives, top-ranked money managers, and medical researchers whose impact on our world is undeniable."


The issue is available for the first time in BE history under five different covers featuring LeBron James, Chris Brown with Kirk Franklin, Queen Latifah, Wyclef Jean with John Legend, and Venus Williams.


Here is BE's 2007 Hot List: America's Most Powerful Players Under 40:

DeAnna Allen, 39, Partner, Dickstein Shapiro L.L.P.
Tyra Banks, 34, TV Producer, Bankable Productions
Mary J. Blige, 36, Singer
Chris Brown, 18, Singer, Actor
Nana Boateng, 30, Designer
Kawanna Brown, 34, Chief Operating Officer, Magic Johnson Cos.
Nick Cannon, 27, Actor, TV Producer
Edwidge Danticat, 38, Author, Brother I'm Dying
Adrian M. Fenty, 37, Mayor, District of Columbia
Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter, 37, Rapper, President & CEO, Def Jam
Susan Chapman, 39, Global Head of Operations, Citi Realty Services
Sean "Diddy" Combs, 37, Rapper, CEO, Music/TV Producer, Bad Boy Worldwide Entertainment Group
T. Troy Dixon, 36, Managing Director, Deutsche Bank Securities
Rosalyn Durant, 31, Vice President, Programming & Acquisitions, ESPN
Chinedu U. Echeruo, 34, Founder, CEO, Hopstop.com
Lisa Ellis, 37, Executive Vice President, Sony Music Label Group
Kirk Franklin, 37, Singer
Amy Ellis-Simon, 35, Managing Director, Head, Multiproduct Sales &
Emerging Client Coverage, Merrill Lynch
Njema Frazier, 37, Physicist, National Nuclear Security Administration
Sean "The Pen" Garrett, 29, Songwriter, Music Producer
Magnus Greaves, 33, Founder, Doubledown Media
Richard C. Gay, 39, Senior Vice President, Strategy & Business Operations,
VH1 & CMT
Tracy Green, 36, Associate Executive Director, Finance Department,
Bellevue Hospital Center
Thierry Henry, 30, Professional Athlete
Floyd Nathaniel "Danja" Hills, 26, Music Producer
Lewis Hamilton, 22, Professional Athlete, Formula One race driver
Mellody Hobson, 38, President, Ariel Capital Management L.L.C.
Barrington Irving, 24, Aviator
Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson, 32, Rapper
Paulianda Jones, M.D., 28, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Vanderbilt
University School of Medicine
Alicia Keys, 26, Singer, Songwriter, Actress
Melanie Kinchen, M.D., 38, Medical Director, Orthopaedic Surgeon,
Presbyterian Intercommunity Hospital Spine Center
Ronald Holt, Jr., 39, President & CEO, Hansberger Global Investors Inc.
Charles King, 38, Senior Vice President, Agent, William Morris Agency
Beyonce Knowles, 26, Singer, Actress
Kimora Lee Simmons, 32, Creative Director, Phat Fashions L.L.C.
Phil Ivey, 31, Professional Poker Player
Kevin Liles, 39, Executive Vice President, Warner Music Group
Treena Livingston Arinzeh, 37, Biomedical Engineer, New Jersey Institute
of Technology
Vanessa Morrison, 38, President, Twentieth Century Fox Animation
LeBron James, 22, Professional Athlete, Cleveland Cavaliers
Tim "Timbaland" Mosley, 36, Music Producer
Andrea Nelson Meigs, 39, Talent Agent, International Creative Management
Wyclef Jean, 35, Rapper, Music Producer
Will Packer, 33, and Rob Hardy, 35, Film Producers; Director, Rainforest
Films
Steve Pamon, 37, Senior Vice President, Digital Distribution & Strategic
Partnerships, Home Box Office
Brian Parker, 32, Vice President of Emerging Markets & New Business
Development, Choice Hotels International
Tyler Perry, 38, Playwright, Actor, Screenwriter, CEO, Tyler Perry Studios
John Legend, 29, Singer
Dana "Queen Latifah" Owens, 37, Singer, Actress
Lisa Pickrum, 37, Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer, RLJ
Cos.
Usher Raymond IV, 29, Singer, Actor
Shonda Rhimes, 37, TV Producer, Writer, Director, Grey's Anatomy
Marcus Samuelsson, 37, Co-Owner, Aquavit
Will Smith, 39, Actor, Film Producer
Window Snyder, 32, "Chief Security Something or Other," Mozilla
Steve Stoute, 37, Founder, Chairman, Translation Consultation & Brand
Imaging
LaDainian Tomlinson, 28, Professional Athlete, San Diego Chargers
Kara Walker, 38, Artist, Kara Walker: My Complement, My Enemy, My
Oppressor, My Love
Shane and Shawn Ward, 34, President & Co-Founder; Creative Director & Co-
Founder, Detny footwear by SHANE&SHAWN
Kanye West, 30, Music Producer, Rapper
Stevie Williams, 28, Professional Athlete, Skateboarding
Venus Williams, 27, Professional Athlete, Tennis
Kehinde Wiley, 30, Artist, Recognize! Hip Hop and Contemporary Portraiture
Eldrick "Tiger" Woods, 32, Professional Athlete, Golf

CHILDREN APPEAR TO BE MATURING EARLIER

Black Girls Leading the Way

There is growing anecdotal evidence that young children, especially African American girls, are reaching puberty at earlier and earlier ages.

St. Louis Children's Hospital pediatric endocrinologist Bess Marshall says the apparent trend is sending "a panic through parents."

Nationwide, experts in the field believe they are seeing increasing numbers of females entering puberty as young as age eight and Black girls appear to be reaching puberty a year earlier than white girls.

According to Dr. Marshall public hair and breast buds appear to be developing earlier but the start of the menstrual cycle (as early as age 10 but normally around age 12) does not appear to be changing.

Interestingly, the earlier entrance into puberty seems to be taking place almost exclusively among girls. There is no clear indication that boys are entering puberty at earlier ages.

The anecdotal evidence prompted the National Institutes of Health to announce recently that it will soon begin a major study of the apparent trend.

Meanwhile, some experts believe that being overweight tends to send females into puberty at younger ages.

OLD WHITE WOMEN HEAD TO KENYA FOR BOOTY CALLS

Tourist Board says new UK fad is 'something we frown upon.'

By Jeremy Clarke
MOMBASA, Kenya (Reuters) - Bethan, 56, lives in southern England on the same street as best friend Allie, 64.

They are on their first holiday to Kenya, a country they say is "just full of big young boys who like us older girls."

Hard figures are difficult to come by, but local people on the coast estimate that as many as one in five single women visiting from rich countries are in search of sex.

Allie and Bethan -- who both declined to give their full names -- said they planned to spend a whole month touring Kenya's palm-fringed beaches. They would do well to avoid the country's tourism officials.

"It's not evil," said Jake Grieves-Cook, chairman of the Kenya Tourist Board, when asked about the practice of older rich women traveling for sex with young Kenyan men.

"But it's certainly something we frown upon."

Also, the health risks are stark in a country with an AIDS prevalence of 6.9 percent. Although condom use can only be guessed at, Julia Davidson, an academic at Nottingham University who writes on sex tourism, said that in the course of her research she had met women who shunned condoms -- finding them too "businesslike" for their exotic fantasies.

The white beaches of the Indian Ocean coast stretched before the friends as they both walked arm-in-arm with young African men, Allie resting her white haired-head on the shoulder of her companion, a six-foot-four 23-year-old from the Maasai tribe.

He wore new sunglasses he said were a gift from her.

"We both get something we want -- where's the negative?" Allie asked in a bar later, nursing a strong, golden cocktail.

She was still wearing her bikini top, having just pulled on a pair of jeans and a necklace of traditional African beads.

Bethan sipped the same local drink: a powerful mix of honey, fresh limes and vodka known locally as "Dawa," or "medicine."

She kept one eye on her date -- a 20-year-old playing pool, a red bandana tying back dreadlocks and new-looking sports shoes on his feet.

He looked up and came to join her at the table, kissing her, then collecting more coins for the pool game.

"JUST UNWHOLESOME"

Grieves-Cook and many hotel managers say they are doing all they can to discourage the practice of older women picking up local boys, arguing it is far from the type of tourism they want to encourage in the east African nation.

"The head of a local hoteliers' association told me they have begun taking measures -- like refusing guests who want to change from a single to a double room," Grieves-Cook said.

"It's about trying to make those guests feel as uncomfortable as possible ... But it's a fine line. We are 100 percent against anything illegal, such as prostitution. But it's different with something like this -- it's just unwholesome."

These same beaches have long been notorious for attracting another type of sex tourists -- those who abuse children.

As many as 15,000 girls in four coastal districts -- about a third of all 12-18 year-olds girls there -- are involved in casual sex for cash, a joint study by Kenya's government and U.N. children's charity UNICEF reported late last year.

Up to 3,000 more girls and boys are in full-time sex work, it said, some paid for the "most horrific and abnormal acts."

"PREYING ON POVERTY?"

Emerging alongside this black market trade -- and obvious in the bars and on the sand once the sun goes down -- are thousands of elderly white women hoping for romantic, and legal, encounters with much younger Kenyan men.

They go dining at fine restaurants, then dancing, and back to expensive hotel rooms overlooking the coast.

"One type of sex tourist attracted the other," said one manager at a shorefront bar on Mombasa's Bamburi beach.

"Old white guys have always come for the younger girls and boys, preying on their poverty ... But these old women followed ... they never push the legal age limits, they seem happy just doing what is sneered at in their countries."

Experts say some thrive on the social status and financial power that comes from taking much poorer, younger lovers.

"This is what is sold to tourists by tourism companies -- a kind of return to a colonial past, where white women are served, serviced, and pampered by black minions," said Nottinghan University's Davidson.

"LIVE LIKE THE RICH"

Many of the visitors are on the lookout for men like Joseph.

Flashing a dazzling smile and built like an Olympic basketball star, the 22-year-old said he has slept with more than 100 white women, most of them 30 years his senior.

"When I go into the clubs, those are the only women I look for now," he told Reuters. "I get to live like the rich mzungus (white people) who come here from rich countries, staying in the best hotels and just having my fun."

At one club, a group of about 25 dancing men -- most of them Joseph look-alikes -- edge closer and closer to a crowd of more than a dozen white women, all in their autumn years.

"It's not love, obviously. I didn't come here looking for a husband," Bethan said over a pounding beat from the speakers.

"It's a social arrangement. I buy him a nice shirt and we go out for dinner. For as long as he stays with me he doesn't pay for anything, and I get what I want -- a good time. How is that different from a man buying a young girl dinner?"

(Editing by Daniel Wallis and Sara Ledwith)

UPI VIDEO NEWS 11.28.07

Pervez Musharraf steps down as army chief.

Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf is no longer the country's military leader. He stepped down today, just a day before he takes the presidential oath for a third term as a civilian. In a farewell ceremony to the army, an emotional Musharraf said the army is his life and his passion. The president has been under pressure recently to step down as military leader and end emergency rule in the country.

President Bush and Mideast leaders are forging ahead with the peace process. Yesterday, Bush announced there was quote a joint understanding between Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to build a path for peace by the end of 2008. No actual peace deal was reportedly made, but the two leaders made an agreement about the understanding. The two did acknowlege that they haven't yet addressed any divisive issues that have killed deals before, but a joint declaration is a step forward. Last week, it wasn't clear whether there'd even be an actual peace conference.

In the Gaza strip, Hamas supporters are protesting the Middle East peace conference. Tens of thousands rallied peacefully yesterday. The protest was reportedly organized by Hamas militants who weren't invited to the conference because they refuse to recognize Israel and renounce violence. The group's leaders have organized daily protests against the conference for several days now and stepped up their criticism of moderate Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, calling him a traitor to Palestinians.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy is trying to restore order in his country. This comes after three consecutive nights of rioting that's caused widespread damage and injuries. Sarkozy chaired a security meeting today in an attempt to diffuse the situation. It all started when two teenagers were killed in a collision with a police car earlier this week. Police are maintaining their innocence. Around the country, twenty cars have been burned and rioters have set fire to two libraries.

UPI VIDEO ENTERTAINMENT NEWS 11.28.07

Helio Castroneves named "Dancing" champ.

Helio Castroneves is this season's "Dancing With the Stars" champion. The professional racecar driver took the title on last night's finale of the ABC reality show. He and his partner Julianne Hough beat out the other final celebrity contestants... Spice Girl Melanie Brown and singer Marie Osmond. Last night's live show featured a special performance by Celine Dion.

R&B star Usher and his wife Tameka Foster have a new member in their family. Sources tell People magazine Foster gave birth to a baby boy on Monday. There's no word on a name yet. The couple announced they were expecting over the summer. The two got married in Atlanta in September.

Angelina Jolie is already getting recognition for her work in the film "A Mighty Heart." The actress was reportedly nominated for a Spirit Award for her role as Marianne Pearl, the wife of slain journalist Daniel Pearl. The Spirit Awards honor independent films. Other nominees competing with Jolie are Sienna Miller, Ellen Page and Parker Posey. The event will air of the Independent Film Channel on February 23.

Amy Winehouse is canceling all her upcoming shows for 2007. On her website the singer says she can't perform without her husband, Blake Fielder-Civil on stage with her. Her music label says after all her recent stress, the decision is based on doctors orders. Her husband was recently sentenced to jail time for attempting to manipulate a witness in a previous assault case.

Daniel Craig and Nicole Kidman are teaming up for a new film. The two attended the world premiere of their new fantasy thriller "The Golden Compass" last night in London. The film is based on a trilogy of novels by Philip Pullman. It also stars Eva Green and Sam Elliot. Actor Hugh Grant and Joan Collins also attended the event. "The Golden Compass" hits theaters December 7.

UPI VIDEO NEWS 11.27.07

Mideast officials prepare for peace summit.

Mideast officials are working on a joint agreement on how negotiations should proceed at the peace summit today in Annapolis, Maryland. But diplomats say there's no guarantee that any work plan would be agreed upon. Representatives of more than 40 countries, including Arab nations like Syria and Saudi Arabia, will attend the conference at the U.S. Naval Academy. Yesterday, President Bush met with both Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. Both expressed optimism that a renewed peace effort would be made.

Vice-President Dick Cheney is expected at work today after doctors shocked his heartbeat back to normal rhythm yesterday. Cheney went to a doctor yesterday, complaining of a cough from a cold. There, it was discovered that he had atrial fibrillation, or an irregular heartbeat. That can lead to an increased risk of stroke. The 66-year-old vice president has had four heart attacks since 1978.

The White House has announced that it's reached a deal with the Iraqi government to negotiate long-term relations between the countries. President Bush and Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki signed the "Declaration of Principles" agreement yesterday via video link. The document reportedly moves both countries closer to bilateral relations and is the first of a three-step process.

In sports, Washington Redskins safety Sean Taylor has died after he was shot in his Miami home yesterday. Taylor's former attorney says he never regained consciousness after the shooting and lost too much blood. He added that the incident was most likely an attempted robbery. There had reportedly been a previous attempt to break into Taylor's home last week. The 24-year-old football player spent four years with the Redskins, but had been out with a sprained right knee.

UPI VIDEO ENTERTAINMENT NEWS 11.27.07

Spears and Federline battle for holiday visitation rights.

Britney Spears and her ex Kevin Federline are now battling over their kids during the holidays. Their attorneys apparently went head to head in court yesterday to determine a holiday visitation schedule. There's no word yet on what was decided. Over Thanksgiving the pop star reportedly took her sons to brunch at the Four Seasons hotel before dropping them off at Federline's house. As of now Spears can see her kids two times a week.

Actors Don Cheadle and George Clooney are being honored for their work in Darfur. People magazine says they'll share the 2007 Peace Summit award from a group of Nobel Peace Prize winners that includes leaders like Archbishop Desmond Tutu and former President Jimmy Carter. The award will be presented next month in Rome. Both actors have traveled to Sudan to bring awareness to the war-torn region of Darfur.

Jerry Seinfeld is promoting his new "Bee Movie" in Israel. The comedian reportedly premiered the Hebrew version of the animated film in the country recently . He co-wrote, co-produced and lends his voice to the release. Seinfeld also reportedly met with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert while he was there. He jokingly told reporters he sees similarities between comedians and politicians...they both want to be liked.

Paul McCartney may have a new woman in his life. The former Beatle has reportedly been seen with actress Rosanna Arquette in London recently. A British newspaper says the two were spotted together on a couple of occasions...once at a concert and another time strolling along the grounds of a historic house. McCartney is in the middle of a bitter divorce battle with his ex Heather Mills.

Hundreds of thousands of people gathered in Vancouver over the weekend to kick off the holiday season. More than 300,000 people reportedly attended the fourth annual Rogers Santa Claus parade on Sunday. A snow Queen, Santa's helpers and of course Santa Claus himself all waved from floats in anticipation for the upcoming holiday.

TPMtv: Sunday Show Roundup

The Sweet Smell of Success?

Onward and upward in Iraq? So says John McCain. And Lindsey Graham says the "surge" is probably the most successful counterinsurgency program in the history of the world. But what about political reconciliation? And when do we leave exactly?

BILL GATES URGES BLACKS TO BECOME TECH PROS

Tremendous Opportunities Await; African Americans Are 'Particularly Underrepresented.'

Apparently prompted by a recent study showing that less than 10 percent of the graduates of computer science programs are Black, Microsoft founder and Chairman Bill Gates last week urged African Americans to become computer technology professionals.

Gates, one of the world's richest men, was speaking last Friday at a conference sponsored by the National Society of Black Engineers at Microsoft's headquarters in Redmond, Washington.

The study prompting Gates' comments was released by the National Science Foundation. It showed that fewer than 6,000 of the 52,500 computer science graduates in the United States in 2004 were Black.

Gates said the nation is facing a shortage of technology professionals.

"The United States is not turning out from any group as many of the great engineers as there will be jobs for." He added, "Blacks are particularly underrepresented in the tech industry."

The Black engineers group named Microsoft the top employer for Black engineers. Meanwhile, Gates said Microsoft would partner with NSBE to enable it to hire and promote more Black engineers.

DIABETES EPIDEMIC GROWS

The Impact is Being Felt Globally; UN Takes Action.

The Global Partnership for Effective Diabetes Management called for an overhaul in the world's attitude and approach toward diabetes treatment and prevention in order to reverse the rising diabetes epidemic recently recognized by the first United Nations (UN) World Diabetes Day.

"The UN Resolution is a major milestone as it recognizes diabetes as a serious, growing and costly threat to individual and world health." said Martin Silink, International Diabetes Federation President and campaign lead for the UN Resolution on Diabetes. "The staggering statistics of this disease show that there is absolutely no room for complacency."

"If we don't take action now, by 2025 almost 400 million people will be living with diabetes globally," said Professor Stefano Del Prato, chair of the Global Partnership and professor of endocrinology at the University of Pisa, Italy. "No single patient, physician, government or region is equipped to confront diabetes alone.

Worldwide, diabetes currently affects 246 million people. By 2025, it is expected to affect almost 400 million and the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates increases in diabetes rates will occur in developing countries because of population growth, ageing, unhealthy diets, obesity and sedentary lifestyles.

WASHINGTON REDSKINS PLAYER SEAN TAYLOR DIES

Associated Press

MIAMI -- Washington Redskins safety Sean Taylor died early Tuesday, a day after he was shot at home by what police say was an intruder. He was 24.


Family friend Richard Sharpstein said Taylor's father told him the news around 5:30 a.m.



"His father called and said he was with Christ and he cried and thanked me," said Sharpstein, Taylor's former lawyer. "It's a tremendously sad and unnecessary event. He was a wonderful, humble, talented young man, and had a huge life in front of him. Obviously God had other plans."


He said Taylor died early Tuesday at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami, where he had been airlifted after the shooting early Monday.


Doctors had been encouraged late Monday when Taylor squeezed a nurse's hand, according to Vinny Cerrato, the Redskins' vice president of football operations. But Sharpstein said he was told Taylor never regained consciousness after being transported to the hospital and that he wasn't sure how he had squeezed the nurse's hand.


"Maybe he was trying to say goodbye or something," Sharpstein said.


Taylor was shot early Monday in the upper leg, damaging an artery and causing significant blood loss.


"According to a preliminary investigation, it appears that the victim was shot inside the home by an intruder," Miami-Dade County police said in a statement.


But police were still investigating the attack, which came just eight days after an intruder was reported at Taylor's home. Officers were dispatched about 1:45 a.m. Monday after Taylor's girlfriend called 911.


Sharpstein said Taylor's girlfriend told him the couple was awakened by loud noises, and Taylor grabbed a machete he keeps in the bedroom for protection. Someone then broke through the bedroom door and fired two shots, one missing and one hitting Taylor, Sharpstein said. Taylor's 1-year-old daughter, Jackie, was also in the house, but neither she nor Taylor's girlfriend were injured.


Police found signs of forced entry, but have not determined if they were caused Monday, or the previous burglary.


The shooting happened in the pale yellow house he bought two years ago in the Miami suburb of Palmetto Bay. Eight days before the attack someone pried open a front window, rifled through drawers and left a kitchen knife on a bed at Taylor's home, according to police.


"They're really sifting through that incident and today's incident," Miami-Dade Detective Mario Rachid said, "to see if there's any correlation."


Born April 1, 1983, Taylor starred as a running back and defensive back at Gulliver Preparatory School in Miami. His father, Pedro Taylor, is police chief of Florida City.


A private man with a small inner circle, Taylor rarely granted interviews. But, behind the scenes, Taylor was described as personable and smart -- an emerging locker room leader.


Especially since the birth of his daughter.


"From the first day I met him, from then to now, it's just like night and day," Redskins receiver James Thrash said. "He's really got his head on his shoulders and has been doing really well as far as just being a man. It's been awesome to see that growth."


An All-American at the University of Miami, Taylor was drafted by the Redskins as the fifth overall selection in 2004. Coach Joe Gibbs called it "one of the most researched things" he'd ever done, but the problems soon began. Taylor fired his agent, then skipped part of the NFL's mandatory rookie symposium, drawing a $25,000 fine. Driving home late from a party during the season, he was pulled over and charged with drunken driving. The case was dismissed in court, but by then it had become a months-long distraction for the team.


Taylor also was fined at least seven times for late hits, uniform violations and other infractions over his first three seasons, including a $17,000 penalty for spitting in the face of Tampa Bay running back Michael Pittman during a playoff game in January 2006.


Meanwhile, Taylor endured a yearlong legal battle after he was accused in 2005 of brandishing a gun at a man during a fight over allegedly stolen all-terrain vehicles near Taylor's home. He eventually pleaded no contest to two misdemeanors and was sentenced to 18 months' probation.


Taylor said the end of the assault case was like "a gray cloud" being lifted. It was also around the time that Jackie was born, and teammates noticed a change.


"It's hard to expect a man to grow up overnight," said Redskins teammate and close friend Clinton Portis, who also played with Taylor at the University of Miami. "But ever since he had his child, it was like a new Sean, and everybody around here knew it. He was always smiling, always happy, always talking about his child."


On the field, Taylor's play was often erratic. Assistant coach Gregg Williams frequently called Taylor the best athlete he'd ever coached, but nearly every big play was mitigated by a blown assignment. Taylor led the NFL in missed tackles in 2006 yet made the Pro Bowl because of his reputation as one of the hardest hitters in the league.


This year, however, Taylor was allowed to play a true free safety position, using his speed and power to chase down passes and crush would-be receivers. His five interceptions tie for the league lead in the NFC, even though he missed the last two games because of a sprained knee.


"I just take this job very seriously," Taylor said in a rare group interview during training camp. "It's almost like, you play a kid's game for a king's ransom. And if you don't take it serious enough, eventually one day you're going to say, 'Oh, I could have done this, I could have done that.'


"So I just say, 'I'm healthy right now, I'm going into my fourth year, and why not do the best that I can?' And that's whatever it is, whether it's eating right or training myself right, whether it's studying harder, whatever I can do to better myself."


His hard work was well-noted.


"He loved football. He felt like that's what he was made to do," Gibbs said. "And I think what I've noticed over the last year and a half ... is he matured. I think his baby had a huge impact on him. There was a real growing up in his life."

UPI VIDEO NEWS 11.26.07

Former Pakistani Prime Minister returns from exile

Tens of thousands of supporters greeted former prime minister Nawaz Sharif of Pakistan when he returned from exile yesterday. Sharif's comeback poses a challenge for President Pervez Musharraf, who imposed emergency rule on his country four weeks ago, and pro-Western opposition leader Benazir Bhutto. His arrival came one day before the deadline for registering to take part in parliamentary elections in January. Party officials said Sharif would register as a candidate. Bhutto is also prepared to register her candidacy.

Two Arab countries have agreed to join Israel and Palestine in the Mideast peace talks this week. A top Palestinian negotiator welcomed both Syria and Saudia Arabia to the summit in Annapolis Maryland, saying the inclusion of the wider international community will correct the mistakes of the last Israeli-Palestinian peace talks in the U.S. in 2000. The countries agreed to attend in these days leading up to tomorrow's conference after a push from the Arab League, which agreed to participate following a meeting on Friday.

Firefighters are starting to gain control over a fierce wildfire that's ripped through Malibu. Forty-nine homes have been destroyed in what officials say is the worst fire to strike the area in 15 years. This was the second fire there in a little more than a month. Officials say the flames are no longer a threat to homes with dying Santa Ana winds, but warned it was too early to declare victory. Investigators believe the fire was started by people.

The sister of former President John F. Kennedy and the founder of the Special Olympics is in the hospital. Eunice Kennedy Shriver is reportedly in fair condition after being admitted more than a week ago to a Massachusetts hospital. There are no other details on her status, but a spokesman says Shriver has had many health challenges in the past several months, but it's expected she'll bounce back. The 86-year-old was hospitalized two years ago after suffering a minor stroke and hip fracture.

UPI VIDEO ENTERTAINMENT NEWS 1.26.07

Hulk Hogan and wife splitting

Hulk Hogan is getting a divorce. His wife, Linda Bollea, reportedly filed papers last week after 24 years of marriage. A St. Petersburg Times reporter apparently broke the news to Hogan on Friday night. Hogan told the reporter he was shocked and caught off-guard. He added that his wife has been in California for the past three weeks. The couple has two teenage children.

A wildfire that's sweeping through Malibu has destroyed the home of a member of the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Bassist Flea, whose real name is Michael Balzary, reportedly said his home had burned to a crisp. The wildfire began Saturday and grew quickly, forcing thousands of residents from their homes. Fire officials say they expect to have the blaze under control by Tuesday.

Teen superstar Miley Cyrus recently celebrated her 15 birthday in front of a sold-out crowd. The star of the hit Disney show Hannah Montana performed in her hometown of Nashville over the weekend to 15,000 screaming fans. Cyrus's audience serenaded her, singing "Happy Birthday" toward the end of her "Best of Both Worlds" concert, followed by a fireworks display and a cake delivered on stage.

Former Bachelor contestant Mary Delgado may be facing up to one year in jail. That's after she reportedly assaulted bachelor, Byron Velvick, who gave her the final rose and a marriage proposal. Delgado and Velvick appeared on the sixth season of ABC's The Bachelor. Police say the two got into an angry confrontation last week, and Delgado hit Velvick in the face, splitting his upper lip. Delgado is charged with one count of battery.

Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium premiered in London over the weekend with some interesting characters attending the event. Actor Dustin Hoffman posed with a toy soldier while also juggling with a man on stilts. He also got cozy with a zebra alongside actor Zach Mills. Hoffman plays a 243-year-old proprieter of a magical toy store who wants to retire but has some problems doing so when his manager, played by Natalie Portman, does whatever she can to keep that from happening.

MINORITIES HIT HARDEST BY HOUSING CRISIS

By Dana Ford

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - In May, Alvin Clavon received a foreclosure notice on the simple, Spanish-style house in South Los Angeles that he shares with his wife and three boys.

Clavon bought the place in 2003 with a fixed-rate loan. They painted the walls, fixed the yard and made friends with the neighbors, who let the Clavon boys pick their basil.

In 2005, he worked with a mortgage broker to refinance his home with another fixed-rate loan. But on the night before signing, the family was offered an interest-only, adjustable-rate mortgage.

Clavon, a 35-year-old executive assistant at a bank, said he felt stuck. The ball was rolling, he trusted his broker and so the next day, he signed the loan.

"Turned out to be the worst thing I could have done," said Clavon, who like so many others in danger of losing their home to the U.S. housing crisis, is African American.

The Clavons live in a zip code, 90047, with one of the largest black populations in the city, and also one of the highest rates of foreclosure -- a common combination.

Researchers agree minorities are more likely than whites to get high-cost mortgages, but analysts can't agree why.

Does the 90047 zip code have a high foreclosure rate because African Americans were forced into high-cost loans? Or is the area's foreclosure rate the result of economics?

Either way, say some minority and housing activists, the fact that minorities are disproportionately hurt by lending practices in the United States is real -- and so are its consequences.

RACE OR RISK?

Study after study show that minorities are more likely than whites to get subprime mortgages, which are high-cost loans made to people with poor credit. In its heyday earlier this decade, the subprime market was cheered as an avenue through which historically shut-out borrowers could get loans. That frequently meant minorities.

So long as home prices rose, the subprime market seemed a positive example of how to increase home ownership, but as the housing market weakened this year, many began to question whether the loans were fairly priced.

In September, the Federal Reserve released a study that found 52.8 percent of African-Americans got a high-cost home loan when they refinanced in 2006, compared to 37.7 percent of Latinos and just 25.7 percent of whites in the same year.

A similar study by the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now, known by its acronym ACORN, in September found the same pattern even when income was equal.

According to ACORN, upper-income blacks were 3.3 times, and Latinos 3 times, more likely than upper-income whites to have a high-cost loan when purchasing a home in 2006.

"I keep hoping one day I'll do a study where race doesn't play a part," said Liz Wolff, author of the ACORN study.

"But clearly, there is a racial bias," she added.

Jay Brinkmann, vice president of research and economics at the Mortgage Bankers Association, disagrees.

He believes that if researchers could account for all the factors that go into pricing a mortgage, they would find race doesn't matter.

"The pricing is based on risk, not race," said Brinkmann.

THE AMERICAN DREAM

The answer may be decided in court.

In July, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, or NAACP, filed a discrimination suit against 11 of the country's largest lenders, saying minorities are steered toward high-cost loans more often than whites, even after all risk factors are considered.

The ACORN study found that high foreclosure rates cause higher rates of crime, lower tax revenue and property values. In other words, whole minority communities, not just individuals, are hurt when houses go under, said Hilary Shelton, director of the Washington D.C. Bureau of the NAACP.

"The individual stories are heart-wrenching," said Shelton. "Part of the American dream, is being able to have a safe secure home where you can raise your family."

"But if we go beyond that and see how it affects entire groups ... we know there is a racial factor," said Shelton.

Despite the foreclosure notice on his house, Clavon still owns it. He'd like to sell, but can't find a buyer.

"The facts are there. So-called minorities are disproportionately represented in these loans," Clavon said about subprime lending.

"You can make out of that what you will."

(Editing by Peter Henderson, Mary Milliken and Eddie Evans)

NBC 'NIGHTLY NEWS' TO EXPLORE BLACK WOMEN

Beginning tonight, "NBC News with Brian Williams" will examine issues facing African-American women across the U.S. in a new series "African-American Women: Where They Stand."

The series will cover a wide-range of topics - from their role in the '08 Presidential race, to the increased health-risks that have been of longtime concern.

Monday's installment will discuss the progress of African-American women in the field of education. Nearly two-thirds of African-American undergraduates are women. At black colleges, the ratio of women to men is 7 to 1. And that is leading to a disparity in the number of African-American women who go on to own their own businesses. Rehema Ellis will talk to educators, students and businesswomen about the reasons behind the disparity.

Tuesday, Ellis will look at the relationships of African-American women, and how the gender disparity in education and business has an affect on relationships sought by those women. Some even say the implications could redefine "Black America's family and social structure." In the past fifty years, the percentage of African-American women between 25-54 who have never been married has doubled from 20% to 40%. (Compared to just 16% of white women who have never been married today). Ellis sits down with the members of a Chicago book club and talk about this difference and how it impacts them.

Dr. Nancy Snyderman will discuss the increases risks for breast cancer for African-American women on Wednesday. Mortality rates for African-American women are higher than any other racial or ethnic group for nearly every major cause of death, including breast cancer. Not only are African-American women more likely to die from breast cancer, but they're less likely to get life-saving treatments. Dr. Snyderman will profile one of the only oncologists in the world who specializes in the treatment of African-American women with breast cancer.

On Thursday, Ron Allen will take viewers to South Carolina -- the first southern primary state -- and ask the question: Will race trump gender or gender trump race? In South Carolina, black women made up nearly 30 percent of all democratic primary voters in 2004. This year, polls show a significant number are undecided, torn between choosing the first African-American or first female Presidential candidate. Allen talks with the undecided, as well the state directors for the Clinton and Obama campaigns, who happen to be African-American women.

To close the series on Friday, Dr. Snyderman will raise the frightening statistic that African-American women are 85% more likely to get diabetes, a major complication for heart disease. And, like breast cancer, more black women die from heart disease than white women. Dr. Snyderman will profile a leading expert and a unique church-based outreach program in South Carolina that seeks to spread the word about heart disease risks to black women congregants.

Meanwhile, Mara Schiavocampo, Digital Correspondent for "Nightly News," will address two hot topics in the African American community: interracial dating and the impact of hip hop music on black women.

• An Essence.com poll found that 81% of participants approved of black women dating non-black men. According to a U.S. Census Bureau report in 2000, 95,000 black women were married to white men. In 2005, that number increased to 134,000. Schiavocampo will talk to experts about the trend and discuss how this defines the "Black family" of the future.

• Schiavocampo will convene a panel of leading black men and women from the hip-hop industry for a discussion on whether hip hop lyrics and videos positively or negatively affect black women. The roundtable also will address how these portrayals are affecting relationships between black women and black men.

JACKSON STATE UNIVERSITY STUDENT MISSING

The FBI is now involved in a search for Jackson State University student Latasha Norman, a junior accounting major from the Mississippi Delta city of Greenville who has been missing for over a week.

The 20-year-old was last seen on Nov. 13 at the end of an afternoon accounting class. Her car was left on the campus, but she never returned to her dormitory room when the class ended at 2:30 p.m.

In recent weeks, Norman had been the target of several attacks. According to the Associated Press, someone slashed the tires of her car and removed her license plate. Also, Norman's ex-boyfriend Stanley Cole, was arrested on Thursday and charged with simple assault after being accused of striking Norman with his fist Oct. 9 as the two argued in a restaurant parking lot in Pearl. Cole, who has withdrawn as a student from Jackson State, is currently free on bond.

Norman filed reports of the incidents with campus police after her father suggested she do so.

Police say they have no suspects. Among those they have questioned are Cole and her current boyfriend.

Meanwhile, the newly named chief of Jackson City's police department says race is among the reasons why Norman's case hasn't received national media attention.

"As far as the interest by the national media in the story, I think race probably had an impact," said Police Chief Malcolm McMillin, who is white. "It's a small college in the South. It's the daughter of simple people who maybe are not important outside of their circle, and maybe we don't attach the same importance to them that we do for other people."

McMillin said the nation's attention has been drawn to a Chicago case in which a former police officer, Drew Peterson, is suspected in the disappearance more than three weeks ago of his wife, Stacy. The couple is white.

"We need to show the same kind of concern for this," McMillin said of Norman's disappearance, adding that heightened exposure could help develop leads in the case.

HERB AND JAMAAL

© 2007 Stephen Bentley/Creators Syndicate, Inc.

THE BOONDOCKS

© 2007 Aaron McGruder/Dist. by Universal Press Syndicate

UPI VIDEO NEWS 11.21.07

Warren Jeffs sentenced to prison.

Polygomous-sect leader Warren Jeffs has been sentenced to at least 10 years in prison. Jeffs was ordered to serve two consecutive sentences of 5 years to life for being an accomplice to rape. He allegedly forced a 14 year old girl to marry her 19 year old cousin. Jeffs heads the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints where the members practice polygamy and arranged marriages. He's been in jail for more than a year now and reportedly attempted suicide.

Former White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan says President Bush mislead the public over that CIA leak cover up. In McClellan's new book he blames Bush and Vice President Cheney for deceiving the media on the leaking of CIA operative Valerie Plame. McClellan recounts a press conference in 2003 when he said White House aides Lewis Scooter Libby and Karl Rove had nothing to do with the leak. He now says that statement wasn't true, but he was advised to pass along false information. McClellan says he was advised by Rove, Libby, Cheney and even the President himself. His book "What Happened" wont hit the shelves until April.

Hundreds of thousands of civil servants went on strike yesterday in France. Workers like teachers, hospital staff and train drivers took the streets for a 24 hour day of protest. Demonstrators demanded better pay and more job security from France's President Nicolas Sarkozy. It's predicted that 30 percent of all French civil servants participated in yesterday's walkout. The movement began about a week ago with transport workers who have been on strike regarding pension reforms.

Shoppers are being warned to watch out for toy hazards. Federal regulators outlined a variety of toy dangers to beware of yesterday. Those warnings included lead-based paint...which has caused the recall of millions of products in the past few months. Other hazards include toys like skateboards that cause kids to fall, chargers that could create burns, and small toys which kids could choke on.

UPI VIDEO ENTERTAINMENT NEWS 11.21.07

Dennis Quaid's newborns suffer medical mistake.

Dennis Quaid's newborn twins are now recovering the hospital after a major medical mistake. Sources say the babies were accidentally given a huge dose of an anti-blood clot medication. They apparently started to bleed out but now luckily, both are stable. Zoe Grace and Thomas Boone were born through a surrogate carrier to Quaid and his wife Kimberly earlier this month.

Celebrities are continuing to support Hollywood's writers. Alicia Keys performed at yesterdays solidarity march for the Writers Guild of America. Thousands of people were at the event. "Grey's Anatomy" actress Sandra Oh could also be seen along the picket lines. It marked the 16th day of the WGA strike against the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television producers.

GQ's "Men of the Year" have been revealed. The magazine's 12 annual special edition features former President Bill Clinton, rapper Kanye West and the star of the new "James Bond" Daniel Craig. They can all be seen on 3 covers of next months issue, set to hit newsstands November 27. Also included on the list are "American Idol" judge Simon Cowell, actor Tom Hanks and New York's Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

Broadway could lose more than 130 million dollars this holiday season. The stagehand strike in New York has shut down 27 productions for 10 already, and if it continues...the shows could miss a major peak season. Last year Broadway took in more than 134 million dollars...just in the time period from Thanksgiving to Christmas. As of now, shows are cancelled at least until November 25. Stagehands are on strike because of lack of job security and wage disputes. There are no plans for talks.

The rock band Velvet Revolver is being denied entrance into Japan. The band reportedly had to cancel an upcoming tour there because they were not given entrance Visas.. They were scheduled to perform in several Japanese cities later this month. On the band's website they said the strict Japanese immigration officials looked at each the band members backgrounds. They also apologized to their fans for disappointing them.