(NEW YORK) — Lizzo is known for making fans feel “Good as Hell” with her music, and now she is doing the same with an upcoming shapewear line called Yitty.
“This is a dream 5 years in the making” the Grammy Award-winning superstar wrote on Instagram about her newest venture, which is slated to launch on April 12.
In partnership with Fabletics, the “no-shame, smile-inducing shapewear” is designed for all body types and will include undergarments ranging in size from XS to 6X.
“I was tired of seeing this sad, restrictive shapewear that literally no one wanted to wear,” Lizzo said in a statement. “I had an epiphany like, ‘Who can actually do something about this?’ I decided to take on the challenge of allowing women to feel unapologetically good about themselves again.”
Regarding her own journey as a body-positive advocate, Lizzo said she felt she was always told, through social constructs, that her body wasn’t good enough.
“And, in order to be considered ‘acceptable’ I had to inflict some sort of pain upon it to fit into an archetype of beauty,” she said. “Because of this, I’ve been wearing shapewear for a long time, maybe since I was in fifth or sixth grade.”
The collection will include three different drops, including Nearly Naked, which is a lightweight seamless collection designed to comfortably shape and firm your natural curves; Mesh Me, which will include smoothing mesh styles that can be worn as underwear or outerwear; and Major Label, which will be an assortment of everyday lifestyle pieces that are super soft.
Additionally, everything included in the lineup has a musical spin with vibrant names such as Tempo Lavender and Headliner.
Yitty, which is named after Lizzo’s childhood nickname, comes on the heels of another dream fulfilled for Lizzo. The star says she was “crying in an ice bath” on the day her body-positive dance reality show “Watch Out for the Big Grrrls” premiered.
“Instead of thinking about size in this linear way, we’re thinking about it on a spectrum where everyone is included,” Lizzo said. “Everyone’s size is just their size. It’s not high, it’s not low. It’s not big, it’s not small. It’s just your size.”
(WASHINGTON) — Attempting to combat what’s he’s labeled “Putin’s price hike,” President Joe Biden announced a plan on Thursday to release roughly 1 million barrels of oil per day from the nation’s strategic petroleum reserve over the next six months to reduce energy and gas prices.
Biden told Americans “there is no firm answer” as to when gas prices will go down, but predicted they will go down “fairly significantly.”
“Today I want to talk about one aspect of Putin’s war that affects and has real effects on the American people: Putin’s price hike that Americans and our allies are feeling at the pump. I know how much it hurts,” Biden began. “As you’ve heard me say I grew up in a family, like many of you, where the price of gasoline was discussed at the kitchen table. None of it should hinge on whether a dictator declares war.”
Biden blamed “two roots” for the high energy costs: Russian President Vladimir Putin’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine and the lingering economic effects of COVID-19.
“When COVID struck, demand for oil plummeted, so production slowed down worldwide. Because of the strength and the speed of our recovery, demand for oil shot back up much faster than the supply. That’s why the cost of gas began to rise last year. The second root is Vladimir Putin,” he said.
Biden predicted Americans could pay “anything from 10 cents to 35 cents a gallon” less at the pump, setting up the national average would fall below $4 a gallon. Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis for Gas Buddy, pointed ABC News to a tweet in which he raised some skepticism.
“I do believe the national average could eventually fall under $4/gal in the weeks ahead, but I don’t necessarily think this SPR release is the event that will be the primary catalyst for it,” he said in a tweet Thursday. “If anything it could help get us there quicker, but again, likely at the expense of long term stability.”
Biden announced the major step during a scheduled event to discuss actions his administration is taking to rein in soaring energy prices that have spiked even further following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“The action I’m calling for will make a real difference over time, but the truth is, it takes months, not days, for companies to increase production. That’s why the next part of my plan is so important,” he said. “Today I’m authorizing the release of 1 million barrels per day over the next six months.”
He said the release was coordinated with allies and partners around the world.
Speaking directly to oil company executives, Biden told them “enough of lavishing excessive profits” and passing on the cost of oil to consumers, adding that they have “everything they need” and “nothing is standing in their way” to boost production.
“They don’t want to increase supply because Putin’s price hike means higher profits,” Biden said.
He went on to propose a “use it or lose it” policy, calling on Congress to create legislation to tax companies if they’re sitting on idle wells and lands that aren’t producing for Americans.
“No company should take advantage of a pandemic or Vladimir Putin at the expense of American families,” Biden said. “Production and innovation, that’s what they should do.”
“Invest in your customers,” he added, noting that it’s not only “the patriotic thing” but “it’s good for your business as well.”
Senior administration officials also acknowledged relief at the pump may be delayed.
“We’re not focused right now on sort of the immediate short-term price movements,” an official said on a call with reporters earlier Thursday, adding that the focus is on addressing the gap in supply as Russian oil comes off the market.
The first barrels from the announcement are set to come to the market in May for delivery that month. Officials said all the funds from the sale of the oil will go to restocking the reserves.
“We expect that to occur once the oil price has come down, we are no longer in an emergency,” an official told reporters.
About 3 million barrels a day of Russian oil will come off the market in April due to Western sanctions, according to the International Energy Agency, and this plan could help alleviate pain at the pump by helping to replace that loss.
This would be the third time Biden has had to tap into the strategic petroleum reserve. In November, he authorized the release of 50 million barrels as gas prices surged ahead of the holidays, and along with 30 other countries, the U.S. released 30 million barrels following the start of the war in Ukraine, though that did little to ease skyrocketing prices.
As of Friday, there were more than 568 million barrels of oil in the reserve, according to the Department of Energy.
Given the complexity and volatility of the oil market, many geopolitical and economic factors feed into oil prices and there is no guarantee this release will keep prices down for an extended period of time.
Overnight, crude oil prices were down roughly 5% in reaction to Biden’s expected announcement, which means the price at the gas pump could also dip in the coming days.
The current national average for a gallon of gas is $4.23, according to AAA, $1.35 higher than this time last year.
(WASHINGTON) — Oil prices are dropping Thursday morning in response to news that President Joe Biden is moving forward with a plan to release roughly 1 million barrels of oil per day from the nation’s strategic petroleum reserve over the next six months, the White House has confirmed.
Biden is expected to announce this step on Thursday afternoon during a scheduled event to discuss actions his administration is taking to rein in soaring gas prices that have spiked even further following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Biden will also call on “Congress to make companies pay fees on wells from their leases that they haven’t used in years and on acres of public lands that they are hoarding without producing,” the White House said in a release.
About 3 million barrels a day of Russian oil will come off the market in April due to Western sanctions, according to the International Energy Agency, and this plan could help alleviate pain at the pump by helping to replace that loss.
This would be the third time Biden has had to tap into the strategic petroleum reserve. In November, he authorized the release of 50 million barrels as gas prices surged ahead of the holidays, and along with 30 other countries, the U.S. released 30 million barrels following the start of the war in Ukraine, though that did little to ease skyrocketing prices.
As of Friday, there were more than 568 million barrels of oil in the reserve, according to the Department of Energy.
Given the complexity and volatility of the oil market, many geopolitical and economic factors feed into oil prices and there is no guarantee this release will keep prices down for an extended period of time.
Overnight, crude oil prices were down roughly 5% in reaction to this plan, which means the price at the gas pump could also dip in the coming days.
The current national average for a gallon of gas is $4.23, according to AAA, $1.35 higher than this time last year.
(NEW YORK) — As Americans continue to file their taxes ahead of Tax Day, the Federal Trade Commission has slapped a lawsuit against a company behind a popular tax filing software.
The FTC announced on Tuesday it is suing Intuit, the makers of TurboTax, over what it calls “bogus advertisements” that mislead taxpayers into believing they can file their taxes for free with the software.
The commission says that in reality, most customers can’t use TurboTax’s free products “because it is not available to millions of taxpayers, such as those who get a 1099 form for work in the gig economy, or those who earn farm income.”
The FTC points out that in 2020 alone, approximately two-thirds of tax filers weren’t eligible to use the company’s free products.
With the deadline for filing taxes just around the corner — Tax Day is April 18 — the FTC has also filed a complaint in federal district court asking that Intuit cease its “deceptive advertising” immediately.
(WASHINGTON) — A bipartisan coalition of senators introduced legislation on Monday meant to improve transparency in the highly competitive and notoriously murky federal contracting process, taking aim at companies that accept lucrative work from government agencies without having to disclose potential conflicts of interest.
The bill, called the Preventing Organizational Conflicts of Interest in Federal Acquisition Act, would seek to mitigate conflict-of-interest concerns by forcing contractors to “disclose other parts of their business that conflict with the work they are bidding to perform for the government,” according to Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.
“If we don’t know whether [federal contractors] are serving other, potentially conflicting interests, we can’t be confident that Americans are getting exactly what they pay for,” said Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, a cosponsor of the bill.
For many American companies, federal contracts represent a crucial source of revenue, as well as visibility and credibility. Firms from every major business sector compete for this work, and winners often execute their end of the agreement while pursuing outside business opportunities — which sometime overlap with their federal contracts.
While existing rules stipulate that government agencies assess potential conflicts of interest before determining contract winners, watchdogs say the process remains opaque.
“Based on current federal contract regulations, agencies cannot always discern whether government contractors have business relationships with foreign governments and private entities that could create a conflict of interest,” said Noah Bookbinder, president of the nonprofit government watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington.
Scott Amey, general counsel for the government ethics watchdog Project on Government Oversight, warned that “without more guidance, organizational conflicts of interest can result in unfair competitive advantages and biased contract awards — both of which compromise the impartiality of the federal government and the integrity of the contracting process.”
In a press release announcing the new legislation, lawmakers cited reporting in ProPublica that raised conflict-of-interest questions about consulting giant McKinsey & Company’s recent work for the Food and Drug Administration. ProPublica reported that in at least one FDA contract, McKinsey allegedly failed to disclose its conflicts of interest with corporate pharmaceutical clients despite its contract with the agency obligating the firm to do so.
According to documents obtained by ProPublica, McKinsey allegedly advised the FDA’s drug-regulation division for more than a decade while simultaneously accepting work from major pharmaceutical companies. In some cases, according to ProPublica, McKinsey helped those clients navigate FDA regulations while advising the FDA on how to strengthen regulations for the pharmaceutical industry.
Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., said McKinsey’s handling of its work with the FDA demonstrates “the danger that conflicts of interest can pose in government contracting.”
“Our bipartisan bill would help ensure that companies that enter into a contract with the government are acting in the best interest of the American people,” Hassan said.
A McKinsey spokesperson told ProPublica that the firm “had been fully transparent that we serve pharmaceutical and medical device companies.”
Republican Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa joined Peters, Grassley, and Hassan in sponsoring the federal legislation.
(CHICAGO) — It’s no surprise Americans are feeling the impact of the country’s worst inflation in 40 years. In fact, the Federal Reserve is already considering raising interest rates again, according to Chairman Jerome Powell. They raised rates by a quarter-point just last week.
Americans feeling the financial strain are now finding creative ways to save. Enter The Swap-O-Rama in Alsip, Illinois, on the south side of Chicago.
The self-declared oldest flea market in Chicago is advertised to be home to hundreds of vendors, selling thousands of different products at affordable prices.
“You get a lot of stuff in bulk and it’s a lot cheaper.”
That’s Marquita of Gary, Indiana. She told ABC News’ Perspective podcast that she’s seen her dollar getting stretched further and further as she shops for her family of six.
“If I go to the store and I get a meal, I want to say it’s been like $100 for a whole meal. And that’s just like if I get like 10 things […] I try to go to the store, even the cheaper stores, it’s now become $100 for a full meal.”
Sherman is a local vendor and sells all the things you’d normally find at CVS or Walgreens, but for a fraction of the price. He understands why people come to the flea market looking to save.
“They figure I’m at the flea market, I should be able to get it cheaper than store.”
But consumers aren’t the only ones feeling the sting of inflation.
Clay is a bracelet vendor at Swap-O-Rama. He says he’s struggling to turn a profit. What cost him $40 in supplies a year-and-a-half-ago is costing him closer to $100 today. Now, he has to charge shoppers more, which some aren’t willing to pay.
“The last month, people are actually looking to negotiate more. You know, I guess because they’re paying more for everything else. So everyone’s pretty much looking for more of a deal now.”
Listen to the rest of this past week’s highlights in the Perspective podcast.
(NEW YORK) — Vanessa Bryant has partnered with Nike to honor the life and legacy of her late husband, basketball star Kobe Bryant.
The athletic apparel company announced Thursday that in collaboration with the Bryant family there will be a focus on championing a new generation of fans and encouraging youth participation in sports.
To kick off the partnership, the first shoe, the Kobe 6 Protro “Mambacita Sweet 16,” will be a tribute to Vanessa and Kobe’s daughter, Gianna “Gigi” Bryant.
Kobe, 41, and Gigi, 13, died in a tragic helicopter crash along with seven others in January 2020.
The news of the company’s new partnership comes a year after it was initially announced that Kobe Bryant’s long-held partnership with Nike had come to an end as well as Vanessa previously slamming the brand over unauthorized sneakers honoring Gigi.
“I am happy to announce that we will continue my husband’s legacy with Nike and look forward to expanding his and Gigi’s global impact by sharing the Mamba Mentality with youth athletes for generations to come,” Vanessa said in a statement.
In addition to the new partnership, Nike and Vanessa will also work together to create a youth basketball center in Southern California, as well as continue to outfit the NBA and WNBA athletes who carry the legacy of the Mamba Mentality.
“Kobe Bryant means so much to so many of us, not just NBA fans but globally beyond the game,” John Donahoe, the president and CEO of Nike, said in a statement. “His impact in growing the sport, particularly encouraging women and young people to pick it up, endures as one of his deepest, lasting legacies. Together with Vanessa, we hope to honor Kobe and Gigi by championing a new generation for many years to come.”
(NEW YORK) — When it comes to the NCAA March Madness basketball tournament, brackets are either busted or booming. So one brand came up with a way to sweeten the experience for everyone.
Krispy Kreme announced on Thursday that through Sunday, March 27 all guests who bring in their bracket — whether it’s on paper or an app — will receive a free Original Glazed doughnut each day they do so.
You always win with team #KrispyKreme🙌 TODAY 3/24 – 3/27, you can visit any US shop to show us your booming or busted bracket & we’ll give you one FREE Original Glazed #doughnut! Yes…we’re serious! 🍩 See full offer details & participating US shops at https://t.co/Ks0SA31BkDpic.twitter.com/x4pPcfClsR
Customers who join the confectioner’s rewards program can also get a dozen Original Glazed doughnuts for just $1 with the purchase of any regularly priced dozen through Monday, April 4.
The offer is valid in shop, drive thru and online with the Krispy Kreme app.
(NEW YORK) — Pale pastel colors and fresh fruit are just a couple of indicators that we’ve left winter behind and moved on to sunnier spring days ahead.
Dairy Queen has embraced both the flavors and colors for spring with a dose of nostalgia for its latest limited-time menu addition.
The light purple hued fruity blast dipped cone is made with DQ world-famous soft serve in a cone that’s dipped into a fruity cereal flavored shell.
(NEW YORK) — As governments scramble to seize high-profile assets owned by Russian oligarchs, a quiet effort is gaining momentum in the West to target their alleged “enablers” — the lawyers, lobbyists and money-handlers who critics say help them hide, invest and protect their vast wealth in U.S. and European institutions.
“The yachts and jets and villas get the most attention, but a lot of the oligarchs’ money is in private equity and hedge funds – places we can’t see,” said Maira Martini, a researcher with the corruption watchdog Transparency International. “That’s the money that really matters to them.”
For decades, wealthy business tycoons with close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin have enlisted the services of reputable bankers and lawyers in the West to navigate loopholes that obscure their identity. While it’s not necessarily illegal to use obscure entities and agents to protect finances, critics say the laws need to be strengthened to create more transparency.
Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project, a global investigative reporting platform that focuses on corruption, organized crimes and illicit financing, claims to have uncovered over 150 assets worth $17.5 billion held by 11 Russian elites and their alleged enablers, while a Forbes report identified more than 82 properties across the world — a collective of $4.3 billion — held by 16 sanctioned Russian oligarchs.
Assets that have surfaced are likely only a fraction of these oligarchs’ actual wealth. The true extent is difficult to track because they often use a convoluted network of shell companies, obscure entities and stand-ins to keep their finances hidden, experts said.
But now, with war raging in Ukraine, lawmakers and corruption watchdogs are calling on governments to close those loopholes and crack down on the middlemen who know how to exploit them.
“Putin’s oligarchs cannot operate without their Western enablers, who give them access to our financial and political systems,” said Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tenn. “These unscrupulous lawyers, accountants, trust and company service providers and others need to do basic due diligence on their clients to ensure that they are not accepting blood money. This isn’t rocket science – it is common sense policy to protect democracy.”
In Washington, Cohen and others have introduced the ENABLERS Act, which would require real estate brokers, hedge fund managers and other entities to “ask basic due diligence questions whenever somebody comes to them with a suitcase full of cash,” said Rep. Tom Malinowski, D-N.J., a co-sponsor of the bill.
The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, a global network of journalists and newsrooms that have tracked the wealthy’s tax havens and financial secrecy, has identified at least a dozen networks of facilitators, offshore agents and banks across the world that have allegedly helped Russia’s elites move and hide their money based on its analyses of public records and leaked financial documents the group has obtained over the past decade.
This includes a range of actors, from global offshore law firms that create shell companies and other obscure entities to help wealthy Russians keep their finances clouded, to one-man shops in offshore tax havens that help set up “nominee” shareholders and paid stand-ins to conceal the real owners of entities.
ICIJ also points to the roles of major law firms in helping shape the modern tax avoidance system as well as the roles of big financial institutions and banks in helping wealthy Russians move their money.
Last year, The Washington Post, as part of its collaboration with ICIJ’s Pandora Papers project, reported on how South Dakota, with its limited oversight, vague regulations and trust secrecy, has become a tax haven for secretive foreign money.
Rep. Tom Malinowski, D-N.J., co-sponsor of the ENABLERS Act, stressed that the United States “has become one of the easiest places in the world for corrupt kleptocrats around the world to hide money.”
“What we’ve basically allowed is a system where people can steal their money in countries without the rule of law and then protect their money in countries like ours where they can count on property rights and courts and privacy rules to safeguard his loot for life,” Malinowski said. “We should not be complicit in the theft that supports dictatorships like Putin.”
Experts warned that sanctions and asset seizures, while effective in the short term, may be toothless over time if secrecy loopholes remain in place. On Wednesday, Transparency International published an open letter calling on Western leaders to take steps to stem rules that foster opacity.
“To disguise their wealth and keep them out of the reach of law enforcement authorities, kleptocrats will turn to lawyers, real estate agents, banks, crypto-service providers and banks in your countries,” the letter reads. “You must redouble your supervision efforts over the gatekeepers of the financial sector.”
