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Gymnast Gabby Douglas is facing a major setback at the 2016 Rio Olympics. According to reports, Douglas won’t be advancing to the all-around finals. Even though Douglas finished with the third highest score in the Olympic qualifiers on Sunday, only two people per country can compete in the all-around finals, preventing her from defending her 2012 title. U.S. gymnast Simone Biles came out on top on Sunday, finishing with a 62.366. Aly Raisman came behind Biles with a 60.607. Douglas finished with a 60.131. Biles and Raisman will represent the U.S. in the all-around competition, which is slated to take place on Tuesday. The rule was put in place by the Olympics to promote international diversity, however many people believe that it keeps top performing athletes —like Douglas — out of the competition. “I think the two-per-country rule is the dumbest thing ever. Who cares if there [are] five Chinese girls in the bar final up there. The best five should be able to compete,” said Raisman. The same thing happened to her during the 2015 World Championships. Although Gabby won’t be competing in the all-around finals, she will participate in the uneven bars final with fellow gymnast Madison Kocian. Read more.


DNC Heightens ‘FLOTUS for Senate’ Rumors with Bumper Sticker

Although President Obamas time in the White House is nearing its end, many people are hopeful that First Lady Michelle Obama will get involved in politics after his departure. The Democratic National Convention printed Obama bumper stickers as a way to heighten the rumors surrounding the First Lady possibly joining the Senate. The bumper stickers were distributed amongst Hillary Clinton’s supporters in exchange for a $10 campaign donation. The stickers feature an image of Michelle Obama with a popular quote from her DNC speech: “When they go low, we go high.” Although many people want FLOTUS to run for office in Illinois, several individuals who are close to the First Lady claim that she has no plans to get involved in politics and that her friend Valerie Jarrett will most likely end up running instead. Read more.


Family of Ahmed Mohamed File Lawsuit Against Texas School Officials

The family of Ahmed Mohamed, a Muslim teenager who was apprehended after bringing a homemade clock to school, filed a lawsuit against Texas school officials on Monday. The lawsuit claims that Mohamed’s civil rights were violated. He was arrested after school officials claimed that his homemade project was a bomb. Although the charges were dropped against Mohamed, he faced suspension. The family has filed the lawsuit against the city of Irving, Irving Independent School District, and his school’s principal. After the incident took place, the family made the decision to move from Texas to Qatar, where Mohamed was granted a scholarship. Read more.


Black Religious Leaders Break the Law to Support Hillary Clinton

According to reports, a group of African-American pastors are breaking the law in order to endorse Hillary Clinton. It’s against the law for clergymen to show solidarity with political figures in places of worship, however a new survey shows that several religious leaders are demonstrating their support for Clinton. The study revealed that 9 percent of individuals who have attended a worship service over the past few months have heard a member of the clergy endorse a candidate. Nearly 11 percent of people said they have heard clergy speak out against a political candidate. In regards to Black churches, 28 percent of people who say they have gone to an African-American Protestant church over the last few months have heard their pastor endorse Clinton. The study revealed that 20 percent of those who attended a Black church have heard their pastor share opposing views of Trump. The consequence for a member of the clergy sharing their political views in a place of worship is the church losing its position as a tax-exempt group. Read more.


Jay Pharaoh to Leave ‘SNL’ After Six Years

After a six-year stint on Saturday Night Live, comedian Jay Pharaoh has decided to leave the show. While he was a cast member, Pharaoh broke several barriers, becoming the second-youngest African-American castmate and one of the first Black comedians who signed on to do the show after SNL found itself in hot water for not being diverse. Pharaoh was known for his imitations of individuals, including President Obama, Jay Z, Kanye West, Ben Carson, Kevin Hart, and Katt Williams. Taran Killam will also be leaving the show. Although NBC hasn’t officially released a statement, Killam said he didn’t receive a contract renewal. “I had sort of had it in my head I would make this upcoming year my last year, but then heard they weren’t going to pick up my contract,” he said. “I was never given a reason why, really.” Read more.

PHOTO CREDIT: Getty

NEWS ROUNDUP: Gabby Douglas Won’t Advance To All-Around Olympic Finals; FLOTUS For Senate?…AND MORE  was originally published on newsone.com