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Hundreds recall life of Malcolm X on anniversary

 
Published Feb. 22, 2015

New York

Hundreds recall life of Malcolm X on anniversary

Several hundred people gathered in New York on Saturday for a moving series of speeches, poetry, songs and prayer to commemorate the short life and evolving legacy of Malcolm X, who was cut down by a hail of assassins' bullets a half-century ago. A series of local elected officials, friends, family members and religious leaders used the event to highlight the remarkable transformation of the former Malcolm Little. In his 39 years, Malcolm went from petty criminal and prisoner to Nation of Islam leader and, finally, to a martyr widely celebrated as one of the nation's most influential human rights leaders. "Malcolm is a transformational figure," said Ron Daniels, a longtime activist and president of the Institute for the Black World 21st Century. "His story is one of a life changed. He came out of the ghetto, like so many, but managed to raise himself up to be a leader with a global vision." The ceremony was held at the same Harlem ballroom where Malcolm was killed 50 years ago. The former Audubon Ballroom is now the Malcolm X and Dr. Betty Shabazz Memorial and Educational Center, a brightly lit space for the arts and community events with a huge mural depicting pivotal scenes from Malcolm's life. A blue spotlight marks the spot where he was killed.

Yemen

Ex-leader flees house arrest, rejects rebels

The Yemeni leader who resigned the presidency last month and fled to the country's south on Saturday said all actions taken since Shiite rebels stormed the capital, Sana, in September are illegitimate, hinting that he will seek to reclaim his power and office. The move exacerbates worries over a regional breakup and further instability in the volatile country, the Arab world's poorest and home to a powerful al-Qaida affiliate. The rebels, known as Houthis, control Sana and several major cities, while the south is largely free from their rule and officials there have rejected the rebel takeover amid talk of a potential secession.

Los Angeles

West Coast seaports tackle cargo backlog

Dockworkers along the West Coast began the monthslong task Saturday of clearing seaports of cargo that was caught up in a contract feud between their union and employers. Parked off the Southern California coast is a flotilla of ships bulging with thousands of semitrailer-sized containers. Gene Seroka, the leader of the Port of Los Angeles, the nation's largest, said it would take three months "to get back a sense of normalcy." The dockworkers and their employers reached a tentative contract agreement Friday evening after a monthslong labor dispute.

India

Polluted air cuts years off lives, study finds

More than half of India's population lives in places with such polluted air that each person loses an average of 3.2 years in life expectancy, according to a recent study by researchers from the University of Chicago, Yale and Harvard. Altogether, 660 million Indians could lose 2.1 billion years as a result of air pollution at enormous cost to the country's economy, the researchers found. "This study demonstrates that air pollution retards growth by causing people to die prematurely," said Michael Greenstone, an author of the study and the director of the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago.

Times wires