Colin Powell, "favorite of presidents," dies at 84

Colin Powell, the first Black secretary of state in the US, has died from Covid-19 complications at 84; China's economic growth slows amid mounting woes.

Tonight's Sentences was written by Jariel Arvin.

Colin Powell, "favorite of presidents," dies at 84

Brooks Kraft/Corbis via Getty Images

• Colin Powell, who influenced American foreign policy in multiple Republican administrations and was the first Black secretary of state, has died from complications due to Covid-19 at the age of 84. [CNN / Devan Cole]

• Powell’s family said the diplomat had been fully vaccinated. A longtime aide also said Powell struggled for years with multiple myeloma, a type of cancer that affects the body’s ability to fight infection. [Politico / David Cohen and Quint Forgey]

• “We want to thank the medical staff at Walter Reed National Medical Center for their caring treatment. We have lost a remarkable and loving husband, father, grandfather and a great American," the Powell family’s statement read. [Facebook]

• Powell shattered a number of ceilings as the first Black national security adviser, chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and secretary of state under George W. Bush, who said the popular general was such “a favorite of presidents” he was twice chosen for the Medal of Freedom. After retiring, both Democrats and Republicans tried to recruit Powell to run for president but he never did. [NYT / Eric Schmitt] 
• Powell also faced criticism for his role in launching evidence that Iraq was hiding weapons of mass destruction. Powell later said this “blotted his record.” [AP / Robert Burns, Eric Tucker, and Eileen Putman]

• Responding to the news on Monday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Powell was an “extraordinary leader.” The country’s first Black secretary of defense, Lloyd Austin, said the loss of his friend and mentor feels like “a hole in my heart.” [USA Today / AP]

China's economic growth slows

• China’s economy slowed to 4.9 percent in the third quarter compared to the same period last year, a steep decline from nearly 8 percent growth the previous quarter, due to a number of problems including supply chain disruptions, power outages, and a new limit on debt for real estate developers. [The Week / Catherine Garcia]
• Amid soaring prices, the Chinese government ordered several provinces to ration electricity supply, causing blackouts that have decreased labor output as factories are forced to shut down. To make matters worse, severe floods in China’s biggest coal-producing region have also limited productivity, further raising costs, in a downturn experts say may continue in the months to come. [BBC / Katie Silver]

• Further adding to the country’s woes: China’s government limited how much debt property developers can take on. Now, Evergrande, a massive Chinese real estate company and the world’s most indebted firm, could default on its loans, which could damage the global economy. [CNBC / Weizhen Tan]

• So far, Chinese government officials are blaming the country’s economic struggles on international problems such as the continuing coronavirus pandemic. [Washington Post / Eva Dou]

• The pandemic did bring one economic bright spot for China, as Chinese exports rose 28.1 percent in September compared to the same period last year. The increase was driven by global consumer spending on products made in China as much of the world locked down due to the spread of the delta variant. [NYT / Keith Bradsher]

Criminal gangs prevented Haiti’s prime minister Ariel Henry from attending an event on Monday, a day after a dozen American missionaries and their families were abducted, as security in the country rapidly deteriorates. [Guardian / Peter Beaumont]

• Two thousand people have been evacuated as a week of flash flooding and landslides have killed dozens and destroyed entire communities in southern India. [Washington Post / Jennifer Hassan]
• Widespread strikes for increased pay are roiling the US labor market, despite a major Hollywood union reaching a new labor agreement. [Reuters / Ben Klayman]
• The US Environmental Protection Agency has unveiled a plan to deal with PFAs, the “forever chemicals” polluting the nation's drinking water. [AP / Matthew Daly]

"Over our many years working together — even in disagreement — Colin was always someone who gave you his best and treated you with respect. ... Colin embodied the highest ideals of both warrior and diplomat.”

[President Joe Biden comments on the legacy of Colin Powell]

Sean Illing talks with writer and New York Times Book Review editor Pamela Paul about her book 100 Things We've Lost to the Internet and the ways, big and small, that the internet has changed our lives. [Spotify]

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