Author: Ashley Gonzalez

Critics suggest the deaths that occurred between July 19 and 26 are due to Cuba’s current COVID-19 spike. What We Know: Within nine days, Cuban state media announced that five generals passed away. These generals were Armando Choy Rodriguez, Eduardo Lastres Pacheco, Ruben Martinez Puente, Marcelo Verdecia Perdomo, and Agustín Peña Pórrez. The men, aged 58-87, served in the military under the communist regime and were considered war heroes. Despite their reputation on the island, the government has not released the causes of their deaths. Cubans on the island and exiles wonder what happened to those generals. Many believe that…

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President Joe Biden hosted several Cuban leaders at the White House on July 30, such as Manny Diaz, Yotuel Romero, and Sen. Bob Menendez, among others. What We Know: The President of the United States held this meeting to discuss how his administration responded to Cuba’s July 11 protests. Biden felt pressure from Cuban-American citizens and politicians who held protests across the nation and capital, urging him to do more for the island. More specifically, the exile community wants the President to begin by restoring internet access to islanders and intervening with the military. Prior to the meeting, the Biden…

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The family feud over James Brown’s estate began after his death on Christmas Day in 2006. What We Know: Attorney David Black told the Associated Press the legal battle came to an end as family members reached a settlement on July 9. However, details of the settlement were not disclosed. Brown’s estate, which is estimated to be worth anywhere between $5 million to more than $100 million, had been the face of lawsuits over the years. One of the litigations’ central figures includes the Godfather of Soul’s former partner Tomi Rae Hynie, who claimed she was Brown’s fourth and final…

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Till will highlight Mamie Till-Mobley’s fight to obtain justice for the murder of her 14-year-old son, Emmett Till. What We Know: In 1955, while visiting family in Mississippi, Emmett became a victim of a hate crime; Carolyn Bryant, a 21-year-old white woman, accused him of harassing her at a grocery store. Several days later, Carolyn’s relatives took Emmett, beat him, and lynched him. While preparing for his funeral, Emmett’s mother Mamie insisted on an open casket to raise awareness on violence towards Black people in the South; Mamie’s actions are considered one of the catalysts for the civil rights movement.…

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Former President Donald Trump’s ex-lawyer went to Little Havana’s Versailles Restaurant the same day Cuban-Americans held a candlelight vigil outside the White House. What We Know: Rudy Giuliani denounced Cuba’s government to a small crowd. He entered Versailles at 9 a.m., but began his speech at 12:30 p.m. to around 15 people; in his discussion, he called the communist regime one of the most “inhumane, indecent, horrible” ones in history. He continued by scorning President Joe Biden for his delayed reaction to Cuba’s July 11 protests. Despite the fact that Biden released a statement on July 12 standing in solidarity…

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A caravan of Cubans from across the country left early Sunday morning to America’s capital; their goal was to gather outside the White House once more and stay overnight. What We Know: Demonstrators in Washington, D.C. stood outside and held a candlelight vigil to commemorate Cuba’s historic 26th of July events. On that date in 1953, Fidel Castro attempted his first political overthrow of President Fulgencio Batista. His revolutionary soldiers conducted an attack on the Moncada military barracks in Santiago de Cuba. Although the event ended in his arrest, it symbolized the first time a group challenged Batista’s leadership, and…

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Alongside twenty other countries, the United States asked Cuban leaders to “respect the universal rights and freedoms of the Cuban people, including the free flow of information to all Cubans.” What We Know: The countries which signed this joint statement include Austria, Brazil, Colombia, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Ecuador, Estonia, Guatemala, Greece, Honduras, Israel, Latvia, Lithuania, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Republic of Korea, and Ukraine. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and other foreign ministers condemned Cuba’s mass arrests and asked island leaders to restore internet access. In the document, foreign leaders declared that Cubans exercised “universal freedoms of…

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ESPN announced Maria Taylor would begin work with NBC Sports by covering the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. The news comes after she and ESPN could not reach an agreement about her contract extension. What We Know: In light of her departure, ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro celebrated Taylor’s “ability and work ethic;” additionally, he mentioned he was proud of the work she did for the company. Pitaro stated the network remains determined to build a “deep and skilled talent roster” to reflect the athletes and topics they report and fans they serve. In regards to leaving her former position, Taylor expressed gratitude…

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Prosecutors say that former R&B singer R.Kelly abused a 17-year-old boy in 2006 after meeting him at a Chicago McDonald’s. What We Know: Lawyers claim that the singer, whose real name is Robert Kelly, initially offered to help the boy with his music career and invited him to his studio. After Kelly questioned the boy on what he would do to make it in the industry, Kelly propositioned and had sexual contact with the minor. The young boy also introduced his 16 or 17-year-old male friend to Kelly; the singer eventually began a relationship with this other boy. Prosecutors allege…

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Organizing committee president Seiko Hashimoto announced the news a day before the Olympics’ July 23 Opening Ceremony. What We Know: The organizing committee dismissed director Kentaro Kobayashi due to a joke about the Holocaust made during a 1998 comedy act. Throughout his performance, Kobayashi includes the use of the phrase “Let’s play Holocaust.” Hashimoto stated that when the committee learned Kobayashi used a phrase mocking a historical tragedy, they were extremely disappointed. He also apologized for “causing such a development” just a day before the Olympics began; Hashimoto proceeded to express remorse for troubling the involved parties and people across…

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