Sunday Notes: Oprah, NBA Playoffs, Coachella, and more

April 16, 2023, Edition

Culture

Oprah Winfrey to deliver commencement address at HBCU alma mater

Talk show host, television producer, actress, author, and media proprietor Oprah Winfrey is set to deliver the undergraduate commencement address at her alma mater, the historically Black Tennessee State University (TSU).

Oprah Winfrey to deliver commencement address at alma mater

Oprah Winfrey is set to delivery the undergraduate commencement address at her alma mater, Black Tennessee State University (TSU).

New York Amsterdam NewsAmNews Staff Reports

Sports Roundup

Celtics offense shines in Joe Mazzulla’s playoff debut, but they have work to do

Jared Weiss of The Athletic writes on the Celtics crushing the Hawks and nearly let them back in. They pulled off the win, but there's work to do to be ready for contention.

Celtics offense shines in Joe Mazzulla’s playoff debut, but they have work to do

The Celtics were crushing the Hawks and nearly let them back in. They pulled off the win, but there’s work to do to be ready for contention.

The AthleticJared Weiss

'That's Julius': Randle wows in return, Knicks win

‘That’s Julius’: Randle wows in return, Knicks win

New York’s Julius Randle finished with 19 points and 10 rebounds in nearly 34 minutes of action, as the Knicks authored a 101-97 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference playoff series.

ESPNNick Friedell

Harden authors 'perfect game,' 76ers win Game 1

Harden authors ‘perfect game,’ 76ers win Game 1

James Harden finished with 23 points and 13 assists in 36 minutes during an NBA playoff opener that Philadelphia coach Doc Rivers described as “a perfect game,” and the 76ers cruised past the Brooklyn Nets, 121-101, on Saturday.

ESPNTim Bontemps

Africa

Ghana Becomes First Country to Approve Oxford's Malaria Vaccine

Ghana Becomes First Country to Approve Oxford’s Malaria Vaccine

The vaccine, developed by Oxford University, has shown high efficacy and received approval from Ghana.

OkayAfricaSughnen Yongo

Sudan paramilitary says it has seized the presidential palace

New York City

A Tiny Number of Shoplifters Commit Thousands of New York City Thefts

Nearly a third of all shoplifting arrests in New York City last year involved just 327 people, the police said. Collectively, they were arrested and rearrested more than 6,000 times, Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell said. Some engage in shoplifting as a trade, while others are driven by addiction or mental illness; the police did not identify the 327 people in the analysis.

The victims are also concentrated: 18 department stores and seven chain pharmacy locations accounted for 20 percent of all complaints, the police said.

A Tiny Number of Shoplifters Commit Thousands of New York City Thefts

Nearly a third of all shoplifting arrests in the city last year involved just 327 people, the police said. Businesses say they have little defense.

The New York TimesBy

Rutgers University Faculty Members Suspend Strike

Rutgers University Faculty Members Suspend Strike

With progress made on pay increases and job security, classes are expected to resume on Monday, officials said.

The New York TimesBy

Music

Coachella Roundup: Metro Boomin, The Weeknd, Didddy, Bad Bunny, Jai Paul

Metro Boomin Enlists The Weeknd, Diddy & More All-Star Avengers in Superhero (and Villain) Coachella Performance

Future and Don Toliver also performed songs from Metro’s Billboard 200-topping album “Heroes & Villains.”

BillboardHeran Mamo

Bad Bunny Brings Out Post Malone, Rides a Jet Ski & More During Historic Two-Hour Set at Coachella 2023

The Puerto Rican hitmaker also delivered a lengthy heartfelt speech, in which he said, “don’t believe everything you hear.”

BillboardGriselda Flores

Jai Paul gives first-ever live performance at Coachella: Video + Setlist

The electronic artist was a 2010s wunderkind before going into hiding in 2013.

ConsequenceCarys Anderson