FILE - In this 1932 file photo, boxer Jack Johnson, the first black world heavyweight champion, poses in New York City. AP Photo
FILE - In this 1932 file photo, boxer Jack Johnson, the first black world heavyweight champion, poses in New York City. AP Photo
FILE - In this 1932 file photo, boxer Jack Johnson, the first black world heavyweight champion, poses in New York City. AP Photo
FILE - In this 1932 file photo, boxer Jack Johnson, the first black world heavyweight champion, poses in New York City. AP Photo

Trump pardons late black boxing champion Jack Johnson


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President Donald Trump on Thursday issued a posthumous pardon to boxer Jack Johnson, the first African-American heavyweight champion, who was jailed a century ago due to his relationship with a white woman.

“I believe Jack Johnson is a worthy person to receive a pardon, to correct a wrong in our history,” Mr Trump said.

In a case that came to symbolise racial injustice, Mr Johnson was arrested in 1912 with Lucille Cameron, who later became his wife, for violating the Mann Act. The law was passed two years earlier and made it a crime to take a woman across state lines for immoral purposes.

The boxer died in 1946.

In signing the pardon, the president cited “tremendous racial tension” during the time Mr Johnson was champion. “He really represented something that was both very beautiful and very terrible at the same time,” Mr Trump said.

Actor Sylvester Stallone, famous as the star of the Rocky boxing-movie franchise, and former world heavyweight boxing champion Lennox Lewis flanked Mr Trump for the pardon in the Oval Office. In April, Mr Trump tweeted that he was considering the pardon after talking to Mr Stallone.

With actor Sylvester Stallone (2nd R) and boxer Lennox Lewis (R) behind him, U.S. President Donald Trump speaks before signing a pardon for the late Jack Johnson, the first black heavyweight boxing champion, at the White House in Washington, U.S., May 24, 2018. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
With actor Sylvester Stallone (2nd R) and boxer Lennox Lewis (R) behind him, U.S. President Donald Trump speaks before signing a pardon for the late Jack Johnson, the first black heavyweight boxing champion, at the White House in Washington, U.S., May 24, 2018. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

Earlier on Thursday, Mr Stallone posted a photo of himself at the White House on Instagram with the caption “Waiting for the moment to go into the oval office for the pardon...”

In the Oval Office, the president said of Mr Stallone: “I love his movies.”

“This has been a long time coming,” Mr Stallone said, adding that Mr Johnson served as the inspiration for the character of Apollo Creed in the Rocky movies.

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How to join and use Abu Dhabi’s public libraries

• There are six libraries in Abu Dhabi emirate run by the Department of Culture and Tourism, including one in Al Ain and Al Dhafra.

• Libraries are free to visit and visitors can consult books, use online resources and study there. Most are open from 8am to 8pm on weekdays, closed on Fridays and have variable hours on Saturdays, except for Qasr Al Watan which is open from 10am to 8pm every day.

• In order to borrow books, visitors must join the service by providing a passport photograph, Emirates ID and a refundable deposit of Dh400. Members can borrow five books for three weeks, all of which are renewable up to two times online.

• If users do not wish to pay the fee, they can still use the library’s electronic resources for free by simply registering on the website. Once registered, a username and password is provided, allowing remote access.

• For more information visit the library network's website.

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3. Hajj

4. Shahada

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Engine: 51.5kW electric motor

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Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate. 

 

Popular Vote Tally

The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.

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• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade

• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels

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Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.

When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.

How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.