Feb 22, 2019

R. Kelly charged with 10 counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse

Orion Rummler

Demonstrators gather near R. Kelly's studio to call for a boycott of his music. Photo: Scott Olson/Getty Images

R&B singer R. Kelly was charged with 10 counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse on Friday, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. His first court date will be March 8.

Driving the news: According to the Daily Beast, celebrity lawyer Michael Avenatti turned over a video tape to Cook County prosecutors last Thursday that allegedly showed Kelly performing sex acts with an underage girl. Last year, BuzzFeed's Jim DeRogatis published an investigation into Kelly, saying parents told police that R. Kelly kept women against their will in an abusive "cult." BuzzFeed News and Hulu developed a feature documentary on the subject of his alleged abuse and exploitation of young black women.

Go deeper: Women of color have been saying #MeToo for decades

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Marisa Fernandez

Your best defense against coronavirus

Photo: Adrian Greeman/Construction Photography/Avalon/Getty Images

Washing your hands is the best way to protect against the novel coronavirus, according to doctors and health officials, as the virus continues to spread around the globe.

Why it matters: Clean hands can stop germs from spreading in a community, a known characteristic in COVID-19 and influenza.

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Kendall Baker

Major League Soccer embarks on its 25th season

Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios

As Major League Soccer begins its 25th season, the league is financially stable and surging in popularity, and its 26 teams have gorgeous facilities and rapidly increasing valuations.

  • It also continues to expand, with David Beckham's Inter Miami and Nashville SC set to debut this season as the 25th and 26th teams. Plans are in place to reach 30 franchises by 2022 — triple the number from 2004.
Go deeperArrow2 hours ago - Sports
Courtenay Brown

Wall Street falls 3% as coronavirus correction worsens

raders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. Photo: Scott Heins/Getty Images

Stocks fell more than 3% on Friday morning, pushing stocks further into correction territory.

Why it matters: It continues the ugly stretch for Wall Street that began after a spike in coronavirus cases around the world. The S&P is 15% below its recent peak, edging closer to the mark that would technically end the market’s decade-long rally.

Go deeper: The growing coronavirus recession threat

Keep ReadingArrow2 hours ago - Economy & Business