A federal court ruled on Thursday that South Carolina can use a congressional map, which it previously deemed unconstitutional due to harmful impact on Black voters, given that the primary election is nearing and the U.S. Supreme Court has been slow to act on an appeal of the case.

The three-judge panel ruled to keep South Carolina’s congressional map in place despite previously ruling the map violates Black voters’ constitutional rights. The state’s primary elections are June 11 with early voting beginning in less than two months.

Democrat Michael B. Moore, congressional candidate for South Carolina’s 1st Congressional District, expressed disappointment in the court’s decision.

“As a representative of the targeted group that was unconstitutionally denied their political voice, this is deeply troubling,” he told theGrio. Moore is seeking to oust U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace, a Republican.

April Albright, legal director of Black Voters Matter, told theGrio that she is “heartbroken” by the court’s decision.

“It makes no legal sense. It’s heartbreaking for Black voters in South Carolina because they only have one viable option to send someone to Congress,” Albright said.

Adriel I. Cepeda Derieux, deputy director for the American Civil Liberties Union’s Voting Rights Project, said in a statement that the court’s decision “has undermined democracy.”

Derieux added that this ruling has “further entrenched voter suppression in the state.”

Last year, the same three-judge panel took on the case Alexander v. South Carolina Conference of the NAACP in which the NAACP contended that Republican lawmakers violated Black voters’ 14th and 15th Amendment rights by unconstitutionally redrawing thousands of Black residents from the state’s 1st Congressional District to other districts, including Democratic Rep. James Clyburn’s 6th Congressional District to diminish the power of Black voters.

In January 2023, the judges ordered South Carolina to redraw the controversial congressional map because it was “unconstitutional.” The Republican-led state filed an appeal, in which the Supreme Court granted certiorari and halted the lower court’s order to have the map redrawn.

The Supreme Court heard oral arguments last fall and many suspected the court would issue a decision before the March deadline to give lawmakers a chance to redraw the map. However, the court has yet to publish an opinion.

The lower court judges felt pressure to act quickly, given the current election cycle, and decided to keep the current map in place.

“With the primary election procedures rapidly approaching, the appeal before the Supreme Court still pending, and no remedial plan in place, the ideal must bend to the practical,” the judges wrote.

Moore suggested that the Supreme Court is “playing politics.”

“They didn’t want to put their hand on the scale of this race and potentially add back a number of Democrat votes to the district,” Moore said. “So, the lower court was forced to use the current map.”

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In a statement obtained by theGrio, Leah Aden, senior counsel for the Legal Defense Fund, stated that this is “justice delayed.”

She added that the “plaintiffs have made every effort to get a decision and remedy before another election under a map that denies them their rights.”

Moore told theGrio the current map should not hamper efforts for Democrats to flip the House chamber, maintain control of the Senate and re-elect President Joe Biden.

Moore is confident that he will be able to unseat Mace in November.

“We’ve got the plan and we’ve got the team to flip this seat,” Moore said. “Republicans are pulling out all stops to hold on to power as long as they can.”

This comes a day after some voting rights advocates criticized federal judges for keeping Florida’s Congressional map in place ahead of the 2024 general elections.

Albright of Black Voters Matter told theGrio that gerrymandering cases in the U.S. have increased because voters of color are growing in size and white voters are threatened.

“They’re creating apartheid-like conditions to maintain power and to stop minority voters from deciding where resources go in the state,” Albright said.

“It’s got to stop and if the Supreme Court refuses to do it, the people have to begin to fight tooth and nail to change it,” she added.

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Chance Perdomo, acclaimed for his roles in popular series like “Gen V” and “Chilling Adventures of Sabrina,” tragically passed away at the age of 27 in a motorcycle accident, as reported by Deadline. The actor’s unexpected demise has left the entertainment industry and his fans in shock and sorrow.

A statement released on behalf of Perdomo’s family and representatives shared with Deadline, expressed their grief and requested privacy as they mourn the loss of their beloved son and brother. It highlighted Perdomo’s profound love for the arts and zest for life, leaving an enduring impact on all who crossed his path.

The producers of “Gen V” also paid tribute to Perdomo, reminiscing about his vibrant personality, remarkable talent, and unwavering charm. They described him as an enthusiastic force of nature and a genuinely kind-hearted individual. The loss of Perdomo has deeply affected his colleagues and friends, with many struggling to comprehend the sudden absence of such a beloved figure.

Expressing condolences, Amazon MGM Studios and Sony Pictures Television, along with the entire “Gen V” family, extended heartfelt thoughts and support to Perdomo’s family and loved ones during this difficult time. The news of Perdomo’s passing comes as a devastating blow, especially considering his anticipated return for Season 2 of “Gen V,” where he portrayed Andre Anderson, a character with magnetic manipulation abilities.

As the industry mourns the loss of Chance Perdomo, production for Season 2 of “Gen V” is expected to be delayed as cast and crew cope with the untimely passing of their cherished colleague and friend.

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A Nigerian woman’s brutally (and I mean brutally) honest review of a brand of tomato paste landed her in handcuffs and as the named defendant of a lawsuit accused of committing an egregious cybercrime.

For the record, the evergreen debate over jollof rice in West Africa is similar to African American debates over how to make the best potato salad or any other staple dish. One of the main ingredients for jollof rice is tomato paste, so it’s safe to say making sure you use the right brand can be a make-or-break decision.

A report from CNN said 39-year-old entrepreneur Chioma Okoli took to Facebook in September to share her thoughts on a new tomato puree: Nagiko Tomato Mix by local company Erisco Foods Limited. To her audience of 18,000 followers, she slammed the product for tasting too sweet, per the company’s Facebook post.

“I went to but Tin tomatoes yesterday that I will use to make stew, but didn’t see my favourites, so I decided to buy this one. When I opened it, I decided to taste it omo! Sugar is just too much! Haa biko let me know if you hav used this tin tomato before because this is an ikegwuru situation!” read Okoli’s post.

Over 3,000 comments later, one counter-critic replied to her review, demanding she stop “spoiling her brother’s product.”

In response, Okoli snapped back saying, “Help me advise your brother to stop ki***ing people with his product, yesterday was my first time of using and it’s pure sugar.”

A week later, plainclothes cops popped up on her church in Lagos and detained her, per CNN.

Read what happened next from CNN:

In legal filings seen by CNN, the Nigeria Police Force alleged that Okoli used her Facebook account “with the intention of instigating people against Erisco Foods,” adding in a statement on March 7 that it had “unearthed compelling evidence” against her from its preliminary investigations.

According to the police, Okoli was charged with “instigating Erisco Foods Limited, knowing the said information to be false under Section 24 (1) (B) of Nigeria’s Cyber Crime Prohibition Act.”

Okoli was separately charged with conspiring with two other individuals “with the intention of instigating people against Erisco Foods Limited,” which the charge sheet noted was punishable under Section 27(1)(B) of the same act.

She risks a seven-year sentence if convicted of this charge.

Luckily, Okoli was able to bond out of jail but under the condition she issue a public apology to the company, which she still has not given. In addition to the criminal charges, she also faces a civil suit filed by the company on allegations that her comments caused several suppliers to sever ties with them, the report says.

Since September, the police attempted to arrest Okoli again and she’s filed a countersuit against the food company and the police claiming her arrest was a violation of her constitutional right to freedom of expression and personal liberty, the report says.

PARIS (AP) — More than a sporting competition, the Olympics are also a powerful political stage widely used in the past by totalitarian regimes as a propaganda tool but also by athletes as a driver of change in the fight against racial inequalities.

Before this summer’s Paris Olympics, an exhibit in the French capital shows how the games have been a “mirror of society” since the beginning of the 20th century.

Historian Paul Dietschy, one of the curators, told The Associated Press on Wednesday that “this exhibit tries to show … this relationship between ideology, power and the Olympic Games.”

The exhibit at the Shoah Memorial, in central Paris, features photos, documents and Olympic items as well as film archives from the past century. It opens to the public on Friday and is scheduled to last until mid-November, organizers said.

It notably highlights the 1936 Berlin Olympics, which was used by Nazi Germany for propaganda purposes; the 1968 Mexico Olympics, where Black sprinters Tommie Smith and John Carlos raised their fists to protest racial injustice in the U.S. and the 1972 Munich Olympics, which was the scene of a brutal attack on 11 Israeli team members who were killed by Palestinian militants.

Dietschy said the exhibit sought to show the historic and political significance of the Olympics “through the life of big stars or champions like Alfred Nakashe, who was a Jew from Algeria competing in swimming and who was deported to Auschwitz” concentration camp during World War II. Nakashe competed with the French team in Berlin in 1936 and in the first postwar Summer Olympics in London in 1948 after surviving the Holocaust.

The exhibit also tells the stories of athletes who embody Olympic values like Jesse Owens, the U.S. Black athlete who won four Olympic gold medals in Berlin.

Historian Caroline François, one of the curators, stressed that “the 1936 Games are emblematic with Jesse Owens’ story, because he is both an immense champion who left his mark on the history of sport … but also because of his personality, his career, his close ties to German champion Luz Long.”

“Owens embodies this struggle to confront Hitler and the Nazi ideology … But he himself was a victim of racism and segregation in the United States,” she said.

The exhibit also addresses the issue of how Olympic stadiums were turned into internment camps during World War II. Following the Nazi invasion of France in 1940, the country was ruled by a government commonly known as Vichy France, which collaborated with Nazi Germany.

The displays feature photos of the Vel d’Hiv stadium outside Paris, where French police herded about 13,000 people on July 16-17, 1942 before they were deported to Auschwitz. The stadium had been used for boxing, wrestling and weightlifting during the 1924 Paris Olympics.

International politics, again, are expected to be on the agenda of the Paris Olympics this year.

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The International Olympic Committee said earlier this month that Russian and Belarusian athletes won’t be allowed to take part in the traditional parade at the opening ceremony in the French capital.

Russia and Belarus are barred from team sports at the Olympics because of Moscow’s war in Ukraine, and the IOC has laid out a two-step vetting procedure for individual athletes from those countries to be granted neutral status. Those athletes must first be approved by the governing body of their individual sport and then by an an IOC-appointed review panel.

Amid the Israel-Hamas war, IOC President Thomas Bach recently said that Israel faces no threat to its Olympic status and added: “Since the heinous attack on the Israeli team (during the 1972 Munich Olympics), there were always special measures being taken with Israeli athletes.”

In recent times, totalitarian and democratic powers have been competing, including through sports, Dietschy said.

“So the Olympic Games of Paris are a huge moment, because we will see if the peace values will be respected,” he said. “We’ll see if sports can be also a way of spreading universal democratic values.”

“The context (now) is more tense as a war is spreading in the world. Maybe the (Paris) Games will be a moment of peace,” Dietschy said hopefully.

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Beyoncé continues to make waves in the music industry, with her current album, ‘COWBOY CARTER,’ reaching unparalleled levels of success on Spotify. The album, which is the second act after ‘RENAISSANCE,’ has earned Beyoncé the highest streaming album launch of her career on the site, outperforming its predecessor.

On its first day of release, ‘COWBOY CARTER’ received an incredible 76.1 million streams on the global Spotify chart, solidifying its standing as a music industry behemoth. This achievement officially breaks the record for the most first-day streams for any album on Spotify in 2024, demonstrating Beyoncé’s everlasting popularity and impact.

Notably, ‘COWBOY CARTER’ has a remarkable tracklist, with all 24 qualifying songs peaking simultaneously on global Spotify. Among these, prominent tracks are “TEXAS HOLD ‘EM,” “II MOST WANTED,” and “JOLENE,” which debuted at #5, #7, and #8 on the global Spotify list. The album’s broad selection of tracks showcases Beyoncé’s versatility as an artist and ability to connect with people across genres.

In addition to her solo work, Beyoncé’s collaborations with other musicians have received notice on Spotify. Her collaboration with Miley Cyrus on “II MOST WANTED” landed at number seven on the global Spotify list, demonstrating her ability to command attention and produce chart-topping singles.

Following the release of ‘COWBOY CARTER,’ Beyoncé reached a new milestone by being the #1 most-streamed artist on global Spotify for the first time.

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PARIS (AP) — Lawmakers in France’s lower house of parliament on Thursday approved a bill that would ban discrimination over the texture, length, color or style of someone’s hair.

The bill’s authors hope the groundbreaking bill sends a message of support to Black people and others who have faced hostility in the workplace and beyond because of their hair.

But the measure still faces a long road ahead. It goes to the Senate next, where it could face opposition.

While only 50 of the National Assembly’s 577 lawmakers were on hand for the vote, they overwhelmingly backed the bill in a 44-2 vote. There were four abstentions.

Supporters of the measure outside parliament were overjoyed that the bill made it to the legislative body.

“It’s about time,” exclaimed Estelle Vallois, a 43-year-old consultant getting her short, coiled hair cut in a Paris salon, where the hairdressers are trained to handle all types of hair — a rarity in France. “Today, we’re going even further toward taking down these barriers of discrimination.”

The draft law echoes similar legislation in more than 20 U.S. states. The bill was proposed by Olivier Serva, a French lawmaker from the French Caribbean island of Guadeloupe. He says that if it eventually becomes law, it would make France the first country in the world to recognize discrimination based on hair at a national level.

“This is a great step forward for our country,” Serva said after the vote. “France has done itself proud.”

The bill would amend existing anti-discrimination measures in the labor code and criminal code to explicitly outlaw discrimination against people with curly and coiled hair or other hairstyles perceived as unprofessional, as well as bald people. It doesn’t specifically target race-based discrimination, though that was the primary motivation for the bill.

“People who don’t fit in Eurocentric standards are facing discrimination, stereotypes and bias,” Serva, who is Black, told The Associated Press.

Leftist parties and members of President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist party Renaissance have supported the bill, which was enough to get it through the National Assembly. The bill is now headed for the conservative-dominated Senate, where it will likely face opposition from right-wing and far-right lawmakers who see it as an effort to import U.S. concepts about race and racial discrimination to France.

In the United States, 24 states have adopted a version of the CROWN Act — which stands for Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair — banning race-based hair discrimination in employment, housing, schools and in the military. U.S. federal legislation passed in the House in 2022, but Senate Republicans blocked it a month later.

Opponents of the French bill say France’s legal framework already offers enough protection to people facing discrimination over their natural Afro hair, braids, cornrows or locs.

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Authors of the bill disagree. One example they cite is a Black French flight attendant who sued Air France after he was denied access to a flight because of his braids and was coerced into wearing a wig with straight hair. Aboubakar Traoré won his case in 2022 after a decade-long judiciary battle. But the court ruled that he wasn’t discriminated against over his hair, but because he is a man, since his female counterparts were allowed to wear braids.

France doesn’t collect official data about race, because it follows a universalist vision that doesn’t differentiate citizens by ethnic groups, which makes it difficult to measure race-based hair discrimination.

Advocates of the bill hope it addresses Black French people’s long struggle to embrace their natural hair.

Aude Livoreil-Djampou, a hairdresser and mother of three mixed-race children, said that while some people view the draft law as frivolous, it’s about something deeper.

“It’s not only a hair issue. It will give strength to people to be able to answer, when asked to straighten their hair, they can say: ’No, this is not legal, you cannot expect that from me, it has nothing to do with my professional competence.’”

Djampou-Livoreil’s salon takes care of all kinds of clients, from those with straight hair to those with tight curls.

“It’s very moving to have a 40-year-old woman, sometimes in a very high position, finally embracing her natural beauty. And it happens every day,” she said.

Salon customer Vallois hopes that her 5-year-old daughter will live in the future in a society that doesn’t stigmatize their hair.

“When I was younger, I remember lamenting the lack of salons and even hair products (for frizzy hair) — there was a time when, unfortunately, we had to use products designed for European hair and not adapted to our hair. I’m glad, today, that things are more accessible and there’s change,” she said.

“There’s no reason to be ashamed of who you are, whether it’s your hair or even the fact that you don’t have any!”

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“Summer House: Martha’s Vineyard” is back, and theGrio caught up with stars Jasmine Ellis Cooper and Bria Fleming, who offered their reflections after their first season and hints of what fans can expect from their second summer out on the Vineyard.

As theGrio previously reported, “Summer House: Martha’s Vineyard” is one of the most promising new shows on Bravo, following an all-Black friend group during their summer together in Martha’s Vineyard. Cooper and Fleming are once again joined by Nicholas “Nick” Arrington, Jordan Emanuel, Shanice Henderson, Amir Lancaster, Preston Mitchum, Summer Marie Thomas, and Alex Tyree this season, with Noelle Hughley as the newbie in the group.

When speaking to Cooper and Fleming, they broke down their respective approaches to their second season of reality TV.

“Everyone has grown since then,” Fleming explained when looking back at her first summer with the cast. “I know for myself I was a little nervous and hesitant in the beginning going back on the vacation and just being involved with everybody because you don’t know what to expect. Everyone’s in the house, you can get good drama, bad drama or a mixture.”

She added that she chose to go into this summer with an “open mind” and wanted to “be herself.”

Cooper’s husband, Silas Cooper, an Army officer, was in the show’s first season but went on a 10-month deployment to Eastern Europe just before Season Two filming began.

Entering the house solo this year, Cooper told us she took a different approach, explaining that watching the first season she regretted not speaking her mind more. “I really wish I would have vocalized how I felt or thought about things more, and I wish I just had a little more fun, so going into this summer that’s all I was focused on: speak my mind and have fun.”

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Since the first season aired last summer, the “Summer House: Martha’s Vineyard” cast members have enjoyed a rabid online fanbase, Cooper and Fleming told us. “A lot of viewers know people that I know,” Cooper said. “We are representing people that can look to the screen and be like, ‘I know her, or my homegirl knows her or I feel like I see myself in this group … and that doesn’t happen all the time. That is really special.”

“We’re also the only all-Black young cast on air,” Fleming added. “And that speaks a lot. They even get to experience all of our flaws, the good and the bad. It just shows we’re not perfect, but this is our daily life and we’re willing to share and hope that we can inspire.”

“Summer House: Martha’s Vineyard” airs 9 p.m. ET/PT on Bravo, with episodes streaming the next day on Peacock.

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