Former Montgomery County, Pa., prosecutor Bruce Castor is expected to testify that he promised Bill Cosby not to charge him for an alleged sex assault, the Associated Press reports. A judge will determine at a Feb. 2 hearing whether a legally binding agreement exists that protects the entertainer from criminal prosecution. CNN said it obtained…

The White House declared a federal emergency in Flint, Mich., Saturday to alleviate the city’s lead-contaminated water crisis, the Detroit Free Press reports. President Barack Obama’s response releases up to $5 million and authorizes the Federal Emergency Management Agency to coordinate relief efforts. This action will cover 75 percent of the costs of providing clean…

Esaw Garner praised the decision to punish a police sergeant at the scene of her husband’s death but vowed Saturday to continue her battle for justice, the New York Daily News reports. “When they indict Daniel Pantaleo, then I’ll jump for joy. Until then, I’m just gonna keep going on, using your faith and my…

South Carolina authorities are investigating a suspicious fire Friday night at the house of former North Charleston Police Officer Michael Slager, the Charleston Post and Courier reports. A neighbor put out the flames, which caused minor damage to the vacant home. Slager has not lived there since his arrest on murder charges for killing Water…

Kyle Canty will have to pack his bags and return to the United States after Canadian officials rejected his asylum application, CBC News reports. The African-American citizen entered Canada back in September. He told border officials in Vancouver that he was coming for a visit but later filed for refugee status. Canty, pointing to Michael…

Baltimore public housing officials agreed to settle a class-action lawsuit for up to $8 million with tenants who accused maintenance workers of sexual harassment, the Baltimore Sun reports. According to the lawsuit, workers demanded sexual favors from the victims in exchange for making repairs. Those who refused the sexual advances endured life-threatening conditions in their…

The family of a 14-year-old black girl accuses Mall of America security guards of using excessive force to restrain her over a curfew violation, as the local NAACP calls for a boycott, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports. According to Isabella Brown’s family, mall guards approached her around 5 p.m. on Dec. 26 and asked Isabella…

Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant said Friday that he’s calling on the state’s attorney general to investigate comments made by a local councilman, the Jackson Clarion-Ledger reports. Jackson Ward 3 Councilman Kenneth Stokes said, “When you have these police officers coming from other jurisdictions and they will not respect human life, then I said we should…

Samaria Rice told MSNBC’s Melissa Harris-Perry Saturday that she’s “mad as hell” that a grand jury declined to indict the Cleveland cop who fatally shot her 12-year-old son, Tamir. “Due to the corrupt system, I have a dead child,” she told Harris-Perry. Rice added: “I feel like breath has been taken out my body again,…

The Somali Islamist group al-Shabab released a recruitment video Friday targeting African Americans and Muslims, which features Donald Trump, the Associated Press reports. It appeared on Twitter and reportedly recounts the stories of several Somali-Americans from Minnesota who journeyed to East Africa to fight alongside al-Shabab. The nearly hour-long video points to Ferguson, Mo., and…