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Singer Akon’s plans to build a futuristic city in his family’s home country, Senegal, have fallen through. The project, which failed to make much visible progress despite the singer’s plans to raise billions of dollars in investment, has apparently been canceled by the Senegalese government. It will now be replaced by a less ambitious resort development.

Senegal pivots to tourism as Akon City ‘no longer exists’

Bloomberg reported Serigne Mamadou Mboup, who runs Senegal’s tourism development agency Sapco, told L’Agence de presse sénégalaise that Akon’s project “no longer exists.” Last year, Sapco reportedly gave Akon a two-week deadline to begin construction in Mbodiène, a coastal city about 50 miles from the capital, Dakar, that was to be the site of the new Akon City. The singer forfeited most of the property at the Mbodiène site by failing to make scheduled payments to the Senegalese government. Instead of the $6 billion project pushed by Akon, Sapco now plans to spend approximately $1.2 billion, mostly raised from private donors, to develop the area as a tourism destination and “a true engine of growth” in the Senegalese economy.

Plans for a solar-powered, cryptocurrency-adopting, real-life ‘Wakanda’

The cancellation of Akon City ends a project that has been in development for nearly a decade. Akon first announced in 2018 that he would build a futuristic city in Senegal, the home country of his parents and where he spent much of his youth. Akon obtained 2,000 acres of land from then-President Macky Sall to build the city, and finalized an agreement with the government in 2020 to build the city in two phases over 10 years; the second phase of construction was to have started in 2025. The city was to have various high-tech features, including solar power as its primary source of energy. It was also to have its own cryptocurrency, labeled the Akoin. These advanced plans drew comparison to the futuristic Wakanda from Marvel’s Black Panther.

Government and Akon scale back plans

“We are looking at Akon city to become the beginning of Africa’s future,” Akon said about the project at a ceremony in 2020. “Our idea is to build a futuristic city that incorporates all the latest technologies, cryptocurrencies and also the future of how African society should become in the future.” Akon’s grand plans failed to come together, as his Akoin currency did not gain the value he was looking for and construction of a hospital, shopping mall, school and other facilities did not happen by their planned 2023 deadline. Despite Akon City being scrapped, it appears that the singer is still involved in the development project for the Mbodiène area. Per the BBC, Mboup said, “Fortunately, an agreement has been reached between Sapco and the entrepreneur Alioune Badara Thiam,” referring to Akon by his full name. “What he’s preparing with us is a realistic project, which Sapco will fully support.”

So even though Akon City is no more, the singer may still be able to help develop and economically benefit part of the country he considers a home. As the Senegalese government seeks funding to develop the land that it had once set aside for Akon, we will see if the musician is able to pull things together to make good on at least some of his promises.

A Bronx mother is demanding answers after the NYPD said her 18-year-old daughter allegedly died by suicide just hours after being taken into custody over the July 4th holiday weekend.

According to CBS News, police found Saniyah Cheatham unconscious inside her jail cell at the 41st Precinct on Longwood Avenue in the Bronx just before 1 a.m. Saturday. Several police officers performed CPR on the young woman before she was later pronounced dead at Lincoln Hospital.

Cheatham, a Bronx Community College student, had just been spending time with family at a Friday cookout in Crotona Park, her mother said.

“We [were] hanging out, having a good time. ‘Mommy, I love you,’ giving me a kiss,” Thomasina Cheatham said, per CBS News.

🕊️Justice for Saniyah Cheatham!On Friday, July 4, Saniyah Cheatham went from her family’s cookout to a jail cell at the 41st Precinct in the Bronx, where she later died Saturday morning at 12:40 a.m.Saniyah’s mother, Thomasina Cheatham, has confirmed to the media that her… pic.twitter.com/c9raGa4wXG— Party for Socialism and Liberation (@pslnational) July 9, 2025

A fight with her girlfriend led to Saniyah Cheatham’s arrest

According to the family, Cheatham and her girlfriend got into a physical fight after the cookout, which led to their arrest. Officers later administered CPR measures on her after being found lifeless and unresponsive in her cell around 12:40 a.m., NBC News reported.

While the NYPD’s Force Investigation Division investigates Cheatham’s death, her mother disputes the claim that her daughter died by suicide.

18-year-old Saniyah Cheatham was found dead in an NYPD holding cell — hours after spending time with family at a July 4th cookout. Police say suicide. Her mother says that doesn’t add up. The family is demanding video and truth. pic.twitter.com/acVEvDkn5e— Ben Crump (@AttorneyCrump) July 11, 2025

“What happened to her? I don’t believe she killed herself,” Thomasina said, according to NBC News. “Maybe she said something they didn’t like, they roughed her up. I don’t believe my daughter committed suicide.”

The NYPD said Cheatham used a sweater to asphyxiate herself, but Thomasina noted she was wearing different clothing the last time she saw her.

“She did not have on a sweater that day,” she said.

On Tuesday, the family demanded that the NYPD release surveillance footage from inside the precinct and that the arresting officers turn over their body-worn camera video.

“Oh she hung herself on the bars. I would like to see that,” Thomasina said.

As of now, the medical examiner has not determined an official cause of death following an examination on Sunday.

Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. has announced its new class of honorary members during the organization’s 57th National Convention. The sorority bestowed eight women with the sorority’s highest distinction, including the one and only Queen Latifah.

Delta Sigma Theta named eight women who it says represent the sorority’s values of public service focused on the Black community.

“This year’s class of Honorary Members represents a powerhouse group of barrier-breaking women across politics, entertainment, business, sports, and social impact,” the sorority’s international president Elsie Cooke-Holmes said, according to Watch the Yard. “Each one a force in her field and a reflection of Delta’s enduring mission.”

Delta Sigma Theta’s new class of honorary members

In addition to Queen Latifah, Delta Sigma Theta named political strategist Donna Brazile, actress Danielle Brooks, Olympic athlete Jackie Joyner-Kersee, businesswoman Janice Bryant Howroyd, tech CEO Toni Townes-Whitley, sports executive Swin Cash and entrepreneur Fawn Weaver as honorary members.

“These extraordinary women represent a wide spectrum of excellence—spanning arts and entertainment, business, education, politics, sports, and advocacy. Each has made an indelible mark through her leadership, innovation, and service on both national and global stages,” the organization captioned an Instagram post.

“Honorary Membership is the highest honor bestowed by Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated—reserved for women who have significantly advanced the public good while excelling in their chosen fields,” it continued. “We welcome these phenomenal trailblazers into our beloved sisterhood with immense pride, joy, and unwavering sisterly love.”

Ford is recalling more than 850,000 vehicles nationwide due to a low-pressure fuel pump issue that may cause the system to fail, potentially resulting in an engine stall while driving, increasing crash risks.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced on Monday that the recall affects specific Ford and Lincoln vehicles from particular model years, detailed below.

FordBronco2021-2023FordExpedition2022FordExplorer2021-2023FordF-1502021-2022FordF-250 SD2021-2023FordF-350 SD2021-2023FordF-450 SD2021-2023FordF-550 SD2021-2023FordMustang2021-2022LincolnAviator2021-2023LincolnNavigator2021-2022

How does Ford plan to fix the issue?

While a remedy to address the issue is under development, Ford plans to send notification letters to owners regarding potential safety risks on Monday, according to the NHTSA. The Michigan-based carmaker will send another round of letters once the remedy is available.

“The owners will be notified by mail and instructed to take their vehicle to a Ford or Lincoln dealer to have the remedy performed. There will be no charge for this service,” according to the NHTSA report.

Ford began investigating the issue in recent years, launching a September 2022 review into fuel pump problems in 2021–2022 vehicles after a spike in warranty claims. The company traced the issue to contamination in low-pressure fuel pumps. While failure rates initially declined after supplier fixes, new complaints emerged in 2024, according to the report.

Additionally, Ford linked the problem to a supplier defect affecting vehicles built between July 2021 and July 2022. With nearly 2,000 warranty claims, the automaker approved a recall on June 30, 2025. Ford is unaware of any reports of accidents or injuries related to this issue.

What are the warning signs of loss of fuel pressure for consumers?

Loss of fuel pressure may occur when internal contamination or reduced clearances in the low-pressure fuel pump lead to increased friction and a higher risk of vapor lock, especially when fuel levels are low, according to the report.

“Prior to fuel pump failure, the customer may experience poor engine performance (misfiring or running rough), a check engine light, or a reduction in engine power,” the NHTSA states. “Fuel pump failure is more likely to occur in low fuel or warm weather and hot fuel conditions in the fuel tank.”

The maker of the Ritz crackers brand has announced a nationwide recall of several sandwich cracker packages and cartons due to a labeling error that could lead to “life-threatening allergic reactions” for some consumers, according to the Food and Drug Administration.

Why were the Ritz cracker sandwiches recalled?

Mondelēz Global LLC, which owns the popular Ritz brand, announced a voluntary recall on Tuesday, warning consumers that the company had manufactured the individually wrapped snack items sold at nationwide retailers with incorrect labels stating they were Cheese variety, even though the product may have been a Peanut Butter variety.

The FDA states that the recalled Ritz crackers include 8-pack, 20-pack, and 40-pack cartons of Ritz Peanut Butter Cracker Sandwiches, as well as the 20-pack Ritz Filled Cracker Sandwich Variety Pack carton.

“People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to peanuts may risk serious or life-threatening allergic reactions by consuming this product,” Mondolez Global LLC said in a statement released by the FDA. “All outer cartons affected are labeled correctly and provide an allergen advisory statement indicating that the product ‘contains peanuts.’”

Essential information consumers need to know

Product DescriptionRetail UPCBest When Used By DatesPlant CodeLocation on Package11.4 oz. Ritz Peanut Butter Cracker Sandwiches (8 Count: 8 x 1.38-oz. 6-pack carton)0 44000 88210 51 NOV 25 – 9 NOV 25AE onlyTop of package27.6 oz. Ritz Peanut Butter Cracker Sandwiches (20 Count: 20 x 1.38-oz. 6-pack carton)0 44000 07584 21 NOV 25 – 9 NOV 252 JAN 26 – 22 JAN 26AE onlyTop of package55.2 oz. Ritz Peanut Butter Cracker Sandwiches (40 Count: 40 x 1.38-oz. 6-pack carton)0 44000 07819 51 NOV 25 – 9 NOV 25

There are no reports of injuries or illnesses from the recalled products

The company added that the cartons containing only Ritz Cheese Cracker Sandwiches are not affected by this recall. Additionally, the Ritz Peanut Butter Cracker Sandwiches and Ritz Filled Cracker Sandwich Variety Packs with different Best When Used By dates and plant codes than those listed are not affected by the recall.

The recall was issued after a supplier error caused defects in the packaging of peanut butter products; the company is taking steps to prevent such mistakes from happening again.

“There have been no reports of injury or illness reported to Mondelēz Global LLC to date related to this product, and we are issuing this recall as a precaution,” the FDA said.

The FDA recommends that consumers who have a peanut allergy should not eat these products and should discard any product containing the information in the grid table.

Tyler Perry accuser Derek Dixon is speaking out.

The actor, who has starred in Tyler Perry’s The Oval for 85 episodes between 2021 and 2025, has spoken to The Hollywood Reporter in an exclusive interview. Dixon filed a lawsuit against Perry June 13, alleging that the media mogul sexually harassed and assaulted him, including groping his buttocks at Perry’s Atlanta home and sending sexually suggestive texts, such as calling him “thick.”

Dixon told the outlet via email, “I couldn’t just let him get away with this. Everyone deserves to go to work and do their job without their boss trying to have sex with them. My goal is to help ensure that the next generation of actors and creatives don’t have to choose between their dreams and their dignity.”

In his first interview since filing a $260M sexual assault claim against Tyler Perry, actor Derek Dixon says he felt compelled to go public because “everyone deserves to go to work and do their job without their boss trying to have sex with them” https://t.co/kq5LsPkpg6 pic.twitter.com/n2XA65t7ah— The Hollywood Reporter (@THR) July 10, 2025

Dixon describes an alleged pattern of misconduct in the workplace

Dixon alleges that Perry has “engaged in a pattern of exploiting male actors in his productions and using his power in the entertainment industry to harass employees,” the article states. Dixon recounted the high points of his lawsuit, stating that he met Perry in Sept. 2019 while working as an event coordinator for Legendary Events. The company was organizing the opening party for Tyler Perry Studios when Perry singled Dixon out.

Perry eventually gave Dixon the role of Dale in Tyler Perry’s Ruthless after meeting him and promised that the role could grow. Dixon later transitioned with the character from Ruthless to The Oval.

According to Dixon’s lawsuit, the role and other offers were used by Perry to allegedly hold power over him. Dixon claims Perry had a tendency to kill off characters played by actors he wanted to control, including Dixon’s, which created a dynamic where actors would do whatever it took to keep their characters—and jobs—secure.

Dixon also said Perry once complained that people didn’t give him anything in return for what he provided, and told Dixon, “I couldn’t piss him off or my character could easily just stay dead.”

Dixon stated in the lawsuit that he didn’t initially know if Perry was interested in men or seeking a sexual relationship. Dixon, who is gay, said he will not speak for Perry as to how he identifies.

“Regardless of his sexual orientation or gender, he should not be speaking to any of his employees, whether they be men or women, gay, straight or bisexual, about their sexual preferences, how often they’re having sex, or physically assaulting them.”

Dixon recounts alleged incidents

One of the major points of Dixon’s complaint is his account of a January 2020 incident at Perry’s house. Both men had consumed alcohol, and Perry told Dixon he was too drunk to drive home and offered him a place to sleep in the guest room. Dixon said that after he went to bed, “[Perry] climbed into bed with me and began rubbing my thigh. I immediately jumped out of the bed and said, ‘I’m not that sexual’ and stood up until he left the room. I thought that my reaction made it clear that night that I was not interested.”

Dixon said Perry encouraged him to write a pilot while The Oval was on hiatus during the COVID-19 pandemic. When Perry read the finished script, he told Dixon he loved it and wanted to shoot it.

“I couldn’t believe he actually liked it, much less wanted to shoot the pilot for it,” said Dixon, adding that Perry’s offer made him feel grateful. “It was one of the best things to ever happen to me at the time.”

Dixon believed that he and Perry were on the same page and that nothing inappropriate would continue.

“There were times when I was around him and nothing would happen. So I thought he got the picture, and that created a false sense of security,” he said. “… I now realize I let my gratefulness for what he’d done for me cloud my self-respect.”

Later, Dixon came to believe that Perry—who was under contract with Viacom and couldn’t shop Dixon’s show for two years—was only using the pilot as leverage.

“I believe he was trying to dangle my dreams in front of me for as long as he could to prevent me from talking,” he said.

Dixon is seeking $260 million in damages.

Perry’s attorney, Matthew Boyd, told The Hollywood Reporter that he believes Dixon is “an individual who got close to Tyler Perry for what now appears to be nothing more than setting up a scam.”

“Tyler will not be shaken down and we are confident these fabricated claims of harassment will fail,” said Boyd.

A new report from the CDC found that the U.S., has the highest rate of measles since 2000. Per the CDC’s report, several states this year have reported at least one measles case. A total of 1,288 measles cases have been confirmed so far in 2025, the CDC adds.

The highest report of measles cases is seen in Texas. According to Politico, the CDC has reported that at least 750 people in Texas have been infected, including three who died in connection with the outbreak. Other infected states also include New Mexico and Kansas. The outbreak  has been largely seen in religious communities where vaccine skepticism is common.

What are experts saying about the 2025 measles outbreak in the U.S.?

Dr. William Moss, an epidemiologist at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, is among the health experts who’s expressing concern about the growing rate of measles in the U.S.

“It’s a huge red flag for the direction in which we’re going,” Moss told the New York Times.

Experts also fear that additional vaccine-preventable diseases such as pertussis and Hib meningitis could follow the measles outbreak. Although it’s possible to cure measles symptoms quickly, experts say the virus can lead to pneumonia and other related issues.

Vaccines have become politicized

Dr. Adam Ratner, a pediatric infectious disease expert, told the New York Times that vaccines have become politicized in recent years, causing many people to avoid immunizations.

In 2000, the U.S. declared that measles have been eliminated. Now, however, health experts say the country may lose that designation. While vaccine advocates continue to express their concerns, the CDC’s data shows that immunization rates have dropped after the pandemic, particularly for children. For the 2022-23 school year, there was a 2% drop in vaccinated kindergarteners, compared to the years before the pandemic, Politico reported.

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who is known for speaking out against vaccines, says the U.S. is handling measles better than other countries. Per Politico, Kennedy said the U.S. “is a model for the rest of the world.” 

Microsoft Outlook users were thrown for a loop as the email service experienced an outage.

According to Forbes, users have reported several issues, including Microsoft Outlook not recognizing their licenses and the service working extremely slowly.

Users started reporting service issues Wednesday evening

Downdetector, an online platform that tracks service outages, determined Microsoft Outlook users started reporting issues Wednesday evening. By Thursday morning, thousands of users were reporting issues, with 60% claiming login issues and 35% noting server connection issues. The outage seemingly affected users in several countries, including the U.K., Australia and Canada, USA Today reported. It’s unclear how many users are impacted by the outage.

The Microsoft Office service health portal confirmed the outage and let users know that Microsoft is “working on it.” It also explained that the outage impacted several Outlook email services, including Outlook.com, Outlook Mobile and the Outlook desktop client.

Microsoft provided an update to users early Thursday morning on X, formerly Twitter, informing them a fix for the issue had been deployed; however, many responded that it still wasn’t working for them.

We’ve determined the cause of the issue and have deployed a fix. We’re closely monitoring its deployment and expect the issue to gradually resolve as deployment progresses. You can find more details within our service health portal: https://t.co/3p00ir2aVB— Microsoft 365 Status (@MSFT365Status) July 10, 2025

“We’ve begun a broad expedited deployment of the configuration change across all affected infrastructure. We expect most impacted users will experience relief within the next two hours, as the fix saturates the environment. We’re closely monitoring service health telemetry to ensure the recovery continues as expected. We understand how impactful incidents of this type can be, and we’re continuing to open any additional workstreams to expedite recovery and restore availability. We’re continuing to apply the configuration changes to fix the underlying problem and completing additional validation efforts to ensure authentication components are properly configured,” the services’ current status reads.

Microsoft Outlook crashed last month after a system update

The Microsoft Outlook outage comes after years of frequent issues impacting Microsoft services. In June, an update to Microsoft Outlook left many users unable to read messages or create a new one, Forbes reported. Attempts to do so led to crashes, with Microsoft claiming, “This issue occurs because Outlook cannot open the Forms Library.”

The Outlook crashes appeared to affect users who updated Outlook for Microsoft 365, beginning with version 2504. Microsoft encouraged users experiencing the issue to create a FORMS2 folder to improve their email service.

Regarding the most recent outage, Microsoft’s service status mentions the next update by Thursday at 6:30 p.m. UTC / 2:30 p.m. ET.

Aldi, the nationwide grocery chain, has issued a recall of several products sold at its stores across 37 states. According to Newsweek, the recalls include vitamin products, as well as several popular snacks and meals. Consumers have been told to “discard” products

Aldi has announced that vitamin supplier RV Pharma has recalled its Welby Vitamin B12 product. Per Newsweek, the company issued the recall after failing to disclose that the product may be harmful for people with allergies. People who bought the vitamin brand are urged to return it to the store for a full refund. Welby Vitamin B12 was sold across 37 states.

What food items did Aldi recall?

The recalled food items from Aldi include Casa Mamita Chicken & Cheese Taquitos, which was flagged for possible metal contamination. The taquitos were sold in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.

Aldi also collaborated with Cargill Meat Solutions Corp to recall Park Street Deli Pork Carnitas, another item that may have metal contamination. In addition, the Atlantic Salmon Portions with Seafood Stuffing have been recalled due to undeclared soy; it was sold in California, Nevada and Arizona. Casa Mamita Churro Bites Filled with Chocolate Hazelnut Cream were removed from shelves because it may contain undeclared milk.

Have any illneses been reported?

No illnesses have been reported so far, but customers are still advised to avoid consuming any of the recalled products.

“While ALDI is committed to providing only the best quality at the lowest prices, our top priority is the safety of you and your family,” Aldi said in a statement, per Newsweek. “From developing stringent standards to working with trusted manufacturers on product quality and testing, every measure possible is taken to fulfill that promise.”

One inmate‘s organization created a monumental event that had a lasting impact on his fellow prisoners who are girl dads.

In April, what was initially supposed to be a “Family Night” turned into the first-ever Father-Daughter “Parent Prom” held at San Quentin Rehabilitation Center’s chapel. The event allowed fathers the chance to reconnect with or meet their daughters for the first time in a special way, according to KTVU. This was made possible by Tram Nguyen, who has been incarcerated for 22 years and is one of the imprisoned members of The People in Blue, a prison reform advocacy collective.

“I recognized that the majority of these people that came to prison, that committed crimes, also came from a dysfunctional home,” Nguyen told KTVU. “A lot of the incarcerated people come from underserved communities, single-parent households.”

This weekend the Chapel at San Quentin was transformed into a day of memories for their first-ever Parenting Prom. The father-daughter dance had 20 fathers enjoying the dance with their families. The ultimate goal being to bridge the family divide, heal, and promote family unity. pic.twitter.com/R2eO29p7so— CA Corrections (@CACorrections) April 7, 2025

What led to San Quentin’s first father-daughter prom?

Before the event took place, Nguyen helped create an eight-week educational program called Family Communication Workshops. The mission of these assemblies was not only to support the 18 men who voluntarily participated personally but also to “strengthen communication and improve emotional intelligence and understanding within families”—something Nguyen understood firsthand through his self-work.

In these classes, there were engaging lessons and conversations to help them look inward and get to the root of some of the mental and emotional anguish that had impacted their dynamics with relatives. They pledged to keep consistent, open lines of communication with their daughters and the rest of their families.

“We walked through some of the most healthy aspects of family dynamics, like communication skills and emotional intelligence, helping everybody to understand where their emotions come from and how it leads to certain behaviors and how to cope in healthier ways,” Nguyen explained.

Following the shadow work, 16 of the fathers were able to unite with their daughters. The occasion was filled with excitement and heartfelt tears as they stepped onto a red carpet to kick off a night of music, dancing and games. The memorable event was endorsed by the association Friends of The People In Blue. Morgan Hubbard, who is part of the coalition of stakeholders, shared how emotionally moving the entire production was for all involved.

“The entire event was extremely touching and heartening. There was not a dry eye in the house for MOST of the day!!! Lots of happy tears and smiles,” Hubbard said, per KTVU.

San Quentin’s first father-daughter prom was a night to remember

Nguyen reflected on the program’s unexpected momentum, noting, “I was surprised how much attention and how big it got towards the end.”

“I never let them know that we were going to have a family night. So they did it because they wanted to improve their relationship with their family,” he added. “I think they were confused at the same time because they were in prison. It was something that they did not expect that could really come through.”

Building on that moment, Nguyen recalled the workshop’s touching finale, which occurred at the “Parent Prom.”

“The daughters all handed over the completion certificate to the father, and the fathers wrote a letter to express their appreciation and love for them, especially the renewed love and appreciation for them for participating in the workshop and what that meant for them,” he explained.