Business
Empowerment Conference ULTRA 2024 Returns to Houston February 3rd
- Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired - April 25, 2024
- Navigating Bias and Ethics in AI-Powered Cybersecurity: The BRACE Framework Approach - April 17, 2024
- Body of O.J. Simpson to be cremated this week; brain will not be studied for CTE - April 16, 2024
Business
Black Family Loses Out on Discrimination Lawsuit Over Investment Property
The Houstonian black real estate investors filed the federal lawsuit after they said they were prohibited from buying condos in a community advertised to Asian buyers.
Last Wednesday, the racial discrimination lawsuit filed by three Black real estate investors in Texas was dismissed “without the option to refile.”
“The decision hinged less on whether the family had been discriminated against than whether the Fair Housing Act, which prohibits discriminating in the ‘sale or rental of a dwelling,’ had been violated,” the Houston Chronicle reports.
In 2022, James Ra-Amari and his wife Misty Ra-Amari, and Misty’s sister Rosemary Afful filed a civil lawsuit in federal court against realtor Josie Lin, “Lin’s company, UMRE; Grand West Condominiums; Grand West Residential Condominium Association, Inc.; United Property Management; and RE/MAX and EXP Reality, two real estate brokerages.”
The three investors purported that Lin “refused them the option to purchase three condominiums in a newly constructed community. They say that they were denied the units because of their race.”
The Ra-Amaris and Afful sought “compensatory, special, and punitive damages, economic damages for alleged violation of the Fair Housing Act, and infliction of emotional distress.”
According to the civil lawsuit, the condos’ marketing materials were “advertised as ‘…a new option for a safe and simple Asian life’ and [said], ‘Katy Asian town is within walking distance.’”
In addition, there was allegedly an “information packet [that] marketed the complex as a ‘new option for Chinese and Asian communities.’”
The suit also claimed that Lin told the three real estate investors that “all the current owners were personal friends and knew each other.”
The Black family’s argument: Lin’s comments in concert with the promotional materials explicitly targeting “‘Asian communities’ established discrimination.”
But the judge dismissed many of the defendants from the suit, citing that the Ra-Amaris and Afful failed to establish a business relationship between themselves and Lin or that Lin was an agent “acting on their behalf.”
The defendants filed a motion to dismiss the case in its entirety, arguing semantics, pointing out that “a condo is only a ‘dwelling’ if the buyer planned to occupy it, and the family had identified themselves instead as investors in court documents. Additionally, they argued that the family had never indicated in court documents that they had actually made an offer.”
United States District Judge David Hittner largely sided with the defendant’s assertions that the Black family had failed to demonstrate they even “had a case.”
In a written statement, the plaintiffs’ attorney Justin Moore said “This case highlights the ongoing challenges and importance of the Fair Housing Act.”
“Our stance is that real estate investment has historically been a pathway for many Americans to build wealth, and our clients’ endeavors align with this tradition,” Moore continued. “Property at its essence is an investment…Your home is an investment whether you live in it or not.”
- Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired - April 25, 2024
- Navigating Bias and Ethics in AI-Powered Cybersecurity: The BRACE Framework Approach - April 17, 2024
- Body of O.J. Simpson to be cremated this week; brain will not be studied for CTE - April 16, 2024
Business
Oil prices edge higher amid mixed US cues, Red Sea strikes continue
Investing.com– Oil prices rose slightly in Asian trade on Thursday as severe cold weather appeared to have spurred some disruptions in U.S. production, while military action in the Middle East raged on.
But gains in crude were limited by industry data showing an unexpected build in U.S. inventories. While the cold weather caused some production stoppages, it also appeared to have dissuaded travel, which is a key driver of U.S. fuel demand.
Strength in the dollar weighed on oil prices, as traders priced in a smaller chance of early interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve, following stronger-than-expected retail sales data.
Oil prices were also reeling from steep intraday losses on Wednesday, after gross domestic product data from top importer China missed expectations for the fourth quarter. Overall growth in 2023 also barely edged past a government target, indicating sustained economic weakness in the world’s largest oil importer.
Brent oil futures expiring in March rose 0.5% to $78.23 a barrel, while West Texas Intermediate crude futures rose 0.6% to $72.90 a barrel by 20:25 ET (01:25 GMT).
Both contracts were trading largely flat so far in 2024, as markets weighed expectations of worsening demand against fears of tighter Middle Eastern supplies. U.S. and UK forces carried out a fresh wave of strikes against the Iran-aligned, Yemen-based Houthi group this week, as the group continued with its attacks on vessels in the Red Sea.
Oil prices had sharply pared intraday losses on Wednesday after top U.S. oil producing state North Dakota said severely cold weather would see output fall by over 50%- a trend that is likely to dent overall U.S. production, which hit record highs over the past two months.
US oil inventories unexpectedly rise, product stockpiles see sustained builds- API
But severe cold weather in the U.S. appeared to also be eating into demand. Data from the American Petroleum Institute (API) showed an unexpected build in U.S. inventories over the week to January 12.
A particular point of contention was gasoline and distillate inventories logging a third consecutive week of strong gains, highlighting weaker demand in the world’s largest fuel consumer. Cold weather shut down travel across vast swathes of the U.S. over the past two weeks.
The API data usually heralds a similar reading from official inventory data, which is due later on Thursday.
Elsewhere, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries released its first monthly report for 2024, slightly earlier than usual amid increased market uncertainty.
The cartel maintained its global oil demand forecast for 2024, and said demand will grow by 1.85 million barrels per day in 2025.
- Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired - April 25, 2024
- Navigating Bias and Ethics in AI-Powered Cybersecurity: The BRACE Framework Approach - April 17, 2024
- Body of O.J. Simpson to be cremated this week; brain will not be studied for CTE - April 16, 2024
Business
OMG: Incredibly Expensive Things Found Only in Dubai
Over the past few decades, the city of Dubai has evolved into one of the world’s most architecturally and technologically advanced cities. Those who live in Dubai have a taste for the more luxurious things that life has to offer.
Dubai attracts celebrity vacationers like Robert De Niro, the Kardashians, and pretty much every Instagram influencer out there. The city, which has a GDP of $108 billion, boasts attractions like resorts, marine-life parks, skyscrapers, and artificial islands. The ultramodern architecture contrasts nicely with all of the natural flora and fauna in the emirate.
The people of Dubai are able to indulge themselves in everything from golden desserts to exotic pets. Given the right amount of money, there are not many things that Emiratis are not able to purchase. The following are just a handful of life’s hidden pleasures that one can find in Dubai.
- Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired - April 25, 2024
- Navigating Bias and Ethics in AI-Powered Cybersecurity: The BRACE Framework Approach - April 17, 2024
- Body of O.J. Simpson to be cremated this week; brain will not be studied for CTE - April 16, 2024
-
Column1 week ago
Navigating Bias and Ethics in AI-Powered Cybersecurity: The BRACE Framework Approach
-
News2 weeks ago
Trump trial update: Trump rebuked by judge for speaking during jury selection — and 7 jurors are seated
-
Lifestyle2 weeks ago
Body of O.J. Simpson to be cremated this week; brain will not be studied for CTE
-
Education2 weeks ago
11 Communication Students Awarded Scholarships at TSU’s Commweek
-
Africa2 weeks ago
Donors raise more than 2 billion euros for Sudan aid a year into war
-
Africa2 weeks ago
SA users of Starlink will be cut off at the end of the month
-
News2 weeks ago
Nigeria: chibok abduction anniversary spurs demands for justice
-
News2 weeks ago
Nigeria suspends permit of 3 private jet operators