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News Roundup: Air Force Leader, Burundi President, and Chess from Space

US Senate Confirms First Black Air Force Leader

On Thursday, the United States Senate  approved General Charles Q. Brown, Jr. as the new chief of staff (leader) of the US Air Force. It’s the first time an African-American has been selected to lead one of the branches of the US military.

General Brown has served in the Air Force since the 1980s and is now a four star general, one of only 41 military leaders who rank so highly. The vote to confirm General Brown was 98-0, with Democrats and Republicans both supporting the move.

The appointment comes at a time when concerns about fairness for people of color is in the minds of many. Since late May, cities around the US have been rocked by strong protests over police violence against people of color.

U.S. Air Force Central Command, meets with a crew member from U.S. Navy Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 26
On Thursday, the US Senate approved General Charles Q. Brown, Jr. (above) as the new leader of the Air Force. It’s the first time an African-American has been selected to lead one of the branches of the US military.
(Source: US Navy Central Command [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.)

General Brown has spoken plainly about his challenges as a black man in the Air Force, where he was insulted at times, and was often “the only African-American in the room.”

General Brown hopes that seeing him promoted to such a high level will give people some hope. But, he says, “I can’t fix centuries of racism in our country.”

Burundi President Dies, Newly Elected President to be Sworn In

President Pierre Nkurunziza, who led Burundi for 15 years, died on Monday. His death was reported to be caused by a heart attack. Mr. Nkurunziza was just 55 years old.

Mr. Nkurunziza was first elected at the end of Burundi’s civil war in 2005, and was re-elected in 2010. As time went on, Mr. Nkurunziza became more brutal, sometimes using very violent methods of keeping control of the country, punishing and killing those who went against him.

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President Pierre Nkurunziza (above, right), who led Burundi for 15 years, died on Monday at age 55 of a heart attack. Evariste Ndayishimiye (left) was elected president in May and will now be quickly sworn in.

In 2015, Mr. Nkurunziza ran for president for a third time, even though it was illegal. Though many people protested strongly against this, people who opposed Mr. Nkurunziza were treated very harshly.

Burundi held new elections in May, and Evariste Ndayishimiye was elected. He was expected to be sworn in on August 20. Now a court in Burundi says that Mr. Ndayishimiye must be sworn in as president as quickly as possible, perhaps even later this week.

Chess in Space, 50 Years Later

On June 9, two Russian cosmonauts in space played a game of chess against grandmaster Sergei Karyakin back on Earth.

Roscosmos cosmonauts and Expedition 63 Flight Engineers (from left) Ivan Vagner and Anatoly Ivanishin record a public affairs event for Russian media from the International Space Station's Zvezda service module.
On June 9, Russian cosmonauts Ivan Vagner (left) and Anatoly Ivanishin (right) played a game of chess from the International Space Station against grandmaster Sergei Karyakin back on Earth.
(Source: NASA [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons.)

Anatoly Ivanishin and Ivan Vagner, played on an electronic chessboard using a tablet while floating in the International Space Station (ISS). Mr. Karyakin was playing on a regular chess set in Moscow. The players could see and talk to each other over a video link.

Though Mr. Karyakin became famous as the world’s youngest grandmaster ever, he said he felt nervous before the game. He said he’s played many games where he was in a different place than the people he was playing against, “but playing against someone in space is totally different.”

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Mr. Karyakin (above) was playing on a regular chess set in Moscow. The players could see and talk to each other over a video link. Mr. Karyakin said he felt nervous before the game because “playing against someone in space is totally different.”

The game came exactly 50 years after the first game of chess played between space and Earth on June 9, 1970. That game was also played between cosmonauts and people playing in Moscow. The result was the same, too – a draw (tie).

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