” Today we lost a giant “Reacted Barack Obama on Twitter. the Boston Globe reproduces a photo of the former president presenting the Presidential Medal of Freedom, in 2011, to ” the legend of the Celtics, the gigantic champion of Boston “, as pointed out by Boston Globe. Bill Russell, gigantic in height – 2.08 meters –, his titles – eleven times NBA champion in 13 years – but not only: he was the first African-American superstar in basketball. ” A pioneer “, Underlines another star, Michael Jordan, in the New York Times : “ He prepared the way and was an example for all the black players who joined the NBA after him. “. Especially since, recalls the Christian Science MonitorBill Russell won his last two tournaments as a coach, “ the first black coach of a major popular sport in the United States “.
A tireless defender of the civil rights of African Americans
” Bill Russel’s Greatest Accomplishment Is Being One of the Major Civil Rights Heroes “, writing USA Today. Among other things, the player participated in the 1963 March on Washington alongside Martin Luther King. Born in Louisiana, which was one of the most violent states against blacks “, Bill Russell has, underlines the New York Times“ used from his youth to his death his celebrity to fight racism, without worrying about the consequences on his popularity “.
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Star Nichelle Nichols
” I am not afraid “, says Nichelle Nichols, before kissing her partner William Shatner (Captain Kirk) in “ one of the first interracial kisses in television history » recalls the site Deadline. Nichelle Nichols played Lieutenant Uhura in the original Star Trek series, the one from the 60s. She helped change attitudes on television by showing a black woman in a position of authority », Analyzes the washington post.
Comedian Whoppi Goldberg remembers having, as a teenager, yelled at her parents to come and see with her that there was “ a black woman on television who does not play a servant role “, note variety. NASA had also recruited Nichelle Nichols as ” spokesperson for encouraging women and African Americans to become astronauts », and in fact « Dr. Mae Jemison, the first black woman to fly in the US space shuttle, cites Star Trek as reasons that made her join NASA writes Deadline. And again, the washington post emphasizes the role of Martin Luther King: aware of the importance of the character of Uhura on television, the pastor convinced his interpreter not to abandon the role, which from the first season was increasingly reduced… Nichelle Nichols had 89 years old.
► To read also: United States: African-American actress Nichelle Nichols, heroine of Star Trek, died at 89
Nancy Pelosi on her way to Taiwan?
Nancy Pelosi is in Asia, and the possibility of a visit by the speaker of the House of Representatives to Taiwan, which China would like to bring back into its fold, irritates Beijing to say the least: “ The United States is playing with fire “says Beijing. This Sunday, reports the New York Times, Chinese President Xi Jinping had his American counterpart on the phone for more than two hours. But according to people close to the president, Joe Biden refused to ask Nancy Pelosi to cancel his trip, “ out of respect for the independence of the Congress and then also not to back down in the face of Chinese threats “.
As a result, still according to officials interviewed by the New York Times“ Nancy Pelosi may yet change her mind, but it seems unlikely “. Politico for his part summarizes the European reactions to this possible trip to Taiwan: “ European officials are reluctant to position themselves in the dispute “, but the diplomats” accept the fact that there is a real danger of the situation spiraling out of control “: according to specialists, ” President Xi will want to react strongly to any sign of US support for Taiwanese independence, in part because he will seek a third term as China’s leader this fall “.
► To read also: On the way to Asia, Nancy Pelosi maintains the blur on her visit to Taiwan
In Haiti, a journalist fromAlter Press kidnapped
Edner Décime, kidnapped on July 17 by armed individuals in Delmas 30, on the northeastern outskirts of Port-au-Prince, “ in a line, in front of a petroleum product distribution station », Reports Alter Presswhich states: the concern only grows, because the family is unable to raise the required sum “.
The newspaper speaks of fifteen days of silence and inaction by the authorities ” from ” this spectacular collective kidnapping – many people were kidnapped on the same day. And recalls that from January to the end of June 2022, according to the UN, 680 people were kidnapped in the Haitian capital.