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Dzhokhar Tsarnaev Was ‘Black’ in Russia. Is He White in America?

Published

11 years ago

January 9, 2015

Oakland Post

Dzhokhar Tsarnaev (AP Photo)

(The Washington Post) – What do Americans see when they look at Dzhokhar Tsarnaev? And do Russians see the same thing?

This week, the court is selecting a jury for Tsarnaev’s trial on charges stemming from the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing. As any viewer of “Law and Order”knows, Tsarnaev is to be tried by a “jury of his peers.” But, as Masha Gessen points out in a recent New Yorker post, “very few of the twelve hundred prospective jurors resemble Tsarnaev.”

This question of “resemblance” could have real-world consequences. In a recent study, Northwestern University professor Nour Kteily found that participants were significantly more likely to demand harsher penalties for the Tsarnaevs if they believed the brothers were “not white.” (Dzhokhar Tsarnaev’s brother, Tamerlan, was killed in a shootout with police after the bombing.)

The bombers’ racial identity has been a thorny issue for some time now. It was a problem even before Dzhokhar Tsarnaev himself had been named in the case. One of the many instructive ironies surrounding the intense speculation about the Boston bombings involves the racial identity of the suspects: from the elusive “dark-skinned male” and columnist David Sirota’s hopes that the bomber would prove to be a “white American” to the identification of the Tsarnaev brothers as the alleged bombers, the American media and blogosphere have puzzled over the extent of the men’s whiteness.

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Bay Area

UC Berkeley Named Top Public University in the U.S. and No. 7 in the World by ‘U.S. News’

Berkeley has been consistently awarded the distinction of the U.S.’s top public university since the Best Global Universities list was first published in 2014. “A strong position in the Best Global Universities rankings recognizes a school’s profound commitment to world-class research and cross-border academic excellence,” said LaMont Jones, managing editor for education at U.S. News.

Published

4 hours ago

June 24, 2026

Oakland Post

Photo by Keegan Houser/UC Berkeley.

The 2026 Best Global Universities rankings evaluated 2,250 research institutions from more than 100 countries

By Lila Thulin

U.S. News & World Report has ranked UC Berkeley No. 7 in its 2026 list of the best global universities, which assesses more than 2,250 research institutions worldwide.

Berkeley also claimed the honor of top public university in the U.S.

Released on Monday, the list evaluates universities from more than 100 countries on 13 metrics such as global and research reputation (as reported by academics and peers) and number of highly cited scholarly papers.

Berkeley has been consistently awarded the distinction of the U.S.’s top public university since the Best Global Universities list was first published in 2014.

“A strong position in the Best Global Universities rankings recognizes a school’s profound commitment to world-class research and cross-border academic excellence,” said LaMont Jones, managing editor for education at U.S. News.

The rankings also assess a university’s strength in various subject areas; these assessments are separate from U.S. News’ 2026 Best Graduate Programs rankings released in April.

This year, Berkeley was named in the top three nationally in seven subject areas – environment/ecology, ecology, water resources, physics, computer science, chemistry, and engineering – and in the top five for a total of 17 subjects. Subject rankings are based heavily on scholarly publications and citations as well as reputation.

In September, U.S. News also released its 2026 Best Colleges list, in which Berkeley was also named the No. 1 public institution among American universities.

That honor joins other accolades judging campus to be the best public university in the country, such as those from Forbes, The Wall Street Journal and Times Higher Education.

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Lock In Car Price: Avoid Dealer Payment Traps!

Watch the long-form video https://youtu.be/YANxGwD2CjI Don’t get swayed by monthly payments! Always settle the out-of-the-door price first, including all fees. Only then discuss monthly payments, terms, and potential add-ons. #AutoNetwork #CarBuyingTips #CarSales #DealershipSecrets #Negotiation
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10 hours ago

June 23, 2026

Oakland Post

Watch the long-form video

Don’t get swayed by monthly payments! Always settle the out-of-the-door price first, including all fees. Only then discuss monthly payments, terms, and potential add-ons. #AutoNetwork #CarBuyingTips #CarSales #DealershipSecrets #Negotiation

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Sell Your Car: Get Offers BEFORE Visiting Dealerships!

Watch the video https://youtu.be/zJF32l2Fz8I. Before you step onto a lot, get a written offer for your trade-in from CarMax, Carvana, or even a competing dealer. Make them beat it, or they lose your business. Get that number on paper, not just in your head. #AutoNetwork #TradeInTips #CarBuying #Negotiation #SmartShopping
The post Sell Your Car: Get Offers BEFORE Visiting Dealerships! appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

12 hours ago

June 23, 2026

Oakland Post

Watch the video

Before you step onto a lot, get a written offer for your trade-in from CarMax, Carvana, or even a competing dealer. Make them beat it, or they lose your business. Get that number on paper, not just in your head. #AutoNetwork #TradeInTips #CarBuying #Negotiation #SmartShopping

The post Sell Your Car: Get Offers BEFORE Visiting Dealerships! appeared first on BlackPressUSA.