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(16) updates to this series since Updated 11 min ago
The NBA great Bill Russell has died at age 88. His family said on social media that Russell died on Sunday. The statement did not give the cause of death, but Russell was not well enough to present the NBA Finals MVP trophy in June due to a long illness. Russell anchored a Boston Celtics dynasty that won 11 titles in 13 years. His last two were as the first Black head coach in any major U.S. sport. Russell was a Hall of Famer, five-time MVP and 12-time All-Star. He won with defense and rebounding and waged battles with Wilt Chamberlain. Russell also marched for civil rights with Martin Luther King Jr. and stood with boxer Muhammad Ali when he refused military induction.
Reaction from the basketball world and beyond on the death of NBA great and 11-time champion Bill Russell, who died Sunday at the age of 88.
Nichelle Nichols has died. The actor broke ground for Black women on television as the beautiful, no-nonsense communications officer Lt. Nyota Uhura on the original “Star Trek” TV series. Martin Luther King told Nichols she was an inspiration, encouraging many to open their minds about civil rights. Co-star William Shatner, who shared TV's first interracial kiss with her, called Nichols a beautiful woman who did much to redefine social issues in the U.S. and throughout the world. She also inspired astronaut Mae Jemison, who was thrilled to meet Nichols before becoming the first black woman in space. Nichols was 89.
Trailblazer was a word used by many to mourn the passing of actor Nichelle Nichols, who died Saturday at age 89. Nichols broke barriers for Black women in Hollywood when she played communications officer Lt. Uhura on the original “Star Trek” television series, and paved the way not just for future television actors of color but astronauts as well. Tributes from fellow actors poured in on social media Sunday. Her “Star Trek” co-star George Takei said he would have more to say soon but that his heart is heavy. Celia Rose Gooding, who plays Uhura on the current “Star Trek” wrote that, “She made room for so many of us.”
U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has held talks with Singapore's leaders at the start of her Asian tour as questions swirl over a possible stop in Taiwan that has fueled tension with Beijing. Singapore's Foreign ministry says Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong welcomed a deeper U.S. engagement with the region but stressed the importance of U.S.-China relations for regional peace. Pelosi didn’t confirm reports that she might visit Taiwan, amid strong warnings from China against any meddling in its affairs with the island democracy, which is claimed by Beijing as its own territory. Pelosi is scheduled to visit Malaysia on Tuesday and South Korea on Thursday, Her schedule on Wednesday is unclear, and there are no details about when she will go to Japan.
The first ship carrying Ukrainian grain has set out from the port of Odesa. The departure of the ship laden with corn follows an internationally brokered deal that is expected to finally allow large stores of Ukrainian crops to reach foreign markets and ease a growing hunger crisis. The Sierra Leone-flagged cargo ship Razoni departed Odesa on Monday morning headed for Lebanon. Russia and Ukraine signed separate agreements with Turkey and the U.N. clearing the way for Ukraine to export 22 million tons of grain and other agricultural goods that have been stuck in Black Sea ports because of Russia’s invasion. Ukraine is one of the world’s key breadbaskets.
Even as the Russian war machine crawls across Ukraine’s east, trying to achieve the Kremlin’s goal of securing a full control over the country’s industrial heartland of the Donbas, Ukrainian forces are scaling up attacks to reclaim territory in the south. The Ukrainian troops have made inroads into the Russian defenses and used U.S.-supplied rocket launchers to strike bridges and military infrastructure in the south, forcing Moscow to divert its forces from the Donbas to counter the new threat. With the war in Ukraine now in its sixth month, the coming weeks may prove decisive for the outcome of the conflict.
Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin is declining to endorse Joe Biden if the president seeks a second term in 2024 and is refusing to say whether he wants Democrats to retain control of Congress after the November elections. Manchin, who's one of the Democrats’ most conservative and contrarian members, made his comments during interviews on the Sunday news shows. He also expressed hope that fellow Democratic Sen. Kyrsten Sinema will back the party's package of climate, health care and tax initiatives that Manchin helped negotiated. She joined Manchin last year in forcing cuts and changes in larger versions of the plan. Support from every Democrat in the 50-50 Senate is needed to overcome anticipated unanimous Republican opposition.
The White House is making more than $1 billion available to states to address flooding and extreme heat exacerbated by climate change. Vice President Kamala Harris is set to announce the grant programs Monday at an event in Miami with the head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency and other officials. The competitive grants will help communities across the nation prepare for and respond to climate-related disasters. The announcement comes as the death toll rises from massive flooding in Kentucky and as wildfires in California and Montana explode in size amid windy, hot conditions and force evacuations. The White House says “the impacts of the climate crisis are here.”
President Joe Biden has tested positive for COVID-19 for the second straight day, in what appears to be a rare case of “rebound” following treatment with an anti-viral drug. White House physician Dr. Kevin O’Connor says in a letter Sunday that the president “continues to feel well” and will keep on working from the executive residence. After Biden tested positive on Saturday, he canceled upcoming plans to travel and hold in-person events. He's isolating for at least five days in accordance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines. The 79-year-old Biden first tested positive on July 21. He was treated with the anti-viral drug Paxlovid and he had ended his isolation on Wednesday.
Crews battling the largest wildfire so far this year in California braced for thunderstorms and hot, windy conditions that created the potential for more fire growth as they sought to protect remote communities. The McKinney Fire was burning out of control in Northern California’s Klamath National Forest, with thunderstorms a major concern on Sunday. The blaze had grown to more than 80 square miles just two days after erupting in a largely unpopulated area near the Oregon line. In northwest Montana, a blaze sparked in grasslands near the community of Elmo grew to more than 17 square miles after advancing into forest. Crews also are fighting a fire in Idaho.
A 17-year-old boy from Stillwater, Minnesota died and four other people were seriously hurt after they were stabbed while tubing down a Wisconsin river Saturday afternoon. St. Croix County Sheriff Scott Knudson said the attack happened around 3:45 p.m. Saturday near the town of Somerset, Wisconsin, which is about 35 miles east of Minneapolis. A 52-year-old man from Prior Lake, Minnesota was arrested afterward when he was getting off the river downstream. Two of the victims were flown to a hospital for treatment and two others were taken by ambulance. The sheriff's office said Sunday their conditions ranged from serious to critical. The names of the victims and the suspect were not immediately released.
Pat Carroll, a comedic television mainstay for decades, and the voice Ursula in “The Little Mermaid,” has died. She was 95. Her daughter Kerry Karsian, a casting agent, said Carroll died at her home in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, on Saturday. Carroll was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, in 1927. Her family relocated to Los Angeles when she was 5 years old. She won an Emmy for her work on the sketch comedy series “Caesar’s Hour” in 1956, was a regular on “Make Room for Daddy” with Danny Thomas, a guest star on “The DuPont Show with June Allyson” and a variety show regular.
A decision on discipline for Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson following accusations of sexual misconduct is coming Monday. Two people with knowledge of the situation told The Associated Press that retired judge Sue L. Robinson has informed the NFL and the NFL Players’ Association she’s ready to issue a ruling on Watson’s disciplinary hearing that concluded a month ago. Watson was accused of sexual harassment and assault by 24 massage therapists in Texas and has settled 20 of the civil lawsuits filed against him. Four lawsuits remain pending and the attorney representing the women has said he hopes to take them to trial sometime next spring. However, Watson agreed to settle three of the four, Houston attorney Tony Buzbee told ESPN early Monday.
When Juan Soto turned down a $440 million, 15-year deal to stay with the Washington Nationals, it ensured Tuesday’s trade deadline would have a little juice. It’s shaping up to be a memorable one, with MLB’s expanded postseason helping nearly 20 teams remain in contention. The Soto sweepstakes could include even more bidders than that. The 23-year-old is a two-time All-Star, a Home Run Derby champion, a World Series winner and famously one of the most difficult at-bats in baseball. Pry him away from the Nationals, and a club could enjoy 2 ½ seasons of Soto and his signature batter’s box shuffle before he can test free agency.
England beat Germany 2-1 in the final of the European Championship after extra time to win its first major women’s soccer title. Chloe Kelly scored the winning goal on a rebound in the second half of extra time after Germany failed to clear a corner. The game finished 1-1 after 90 minutes at Wembley with Lina Magull for Germany canceling out Ella Toone’s goal. The good-natured atmosphere inside the stadium drew contrasts with violent scenes when the England men’s team lost its European Championship final to Italy at the same stadium a year ago. England’s title comes 56 years after its only major men’s title which was also an extra-time win at Wembley over Germany at the 1966 World Cup.
Things to know today: Nation reacts to weekend deaths of basketball legend Bill Russell, 'Star Trek' icon Nichelle Nichols; Pelosi opens Asia trip; and more.
The NFL has suspended QB Deshaun Watson for six games following accusations of sexual misconduct made against him by two dozen women, sources say.
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