Mihri Belli, Turkish politician and writer, died from respiratory failure at 96.

Mihri Belli was a prominent leader of the socialist movement in Turkey. He was legendary for having fought on the partisan side in the Greek Civil War  died from respiratory failure at 96..
Belli was repeatedly prosecuted and sentenced to prison for his political views, and was altogether imprisoned for 11 years, and forced into exile for another 18.
Belli wrote several influential books on the Turkish left and was, for many years, a source of inspiration for leftist Turkish youths.

(1916 – 16 August 2011)

Early life

Belli was born in 1916 in Silivri, then in the Ottoman Empire, to Mahmut Hayrettin Bey, later a prominent leader of the Turkish War of Independence in Urfa.
He was educated at Robert College in Istanbul, and in 1936 went on to study economics at the University of Mississippi in the United States of America. There he was introduced to Marxist thought and revolutionary action. He took part in the activities of the civil rights movement in Mississippi.

Return to Turkey

Belli returned to Turkey in 1940, where he joined the illegal Communist Party of Turkey (TKP).
Turkey was at the time under a one-party regime. The government, under the influence of the German advances in the initial years of the World War II, had abandoned its policy of friendship with the USSR. The only opposition party in Turkey in these days was the underground TKP. Belli, after returning to Turkey, contacted the illegal party via his elementary-school friend David Nea, who was the party secretary for Istanbul at the time. Belli became a member of the central committee of the TKP in 1942.
He served as assistant professor with professor Fritz Neumark at the Faculty of Economics of Istanbul University in the years 1943–1944. There he was among the founders and organizers of the İlerici Gençler Birliği (Progressive Youth Union).^[4] In 1944 he was arrested for these activities and sentenced to two years imprisonment and exile.

Greek Civil War

Belli left Turkey in 1946, and joined the Greek Civil War as a guerrilla fighter. He rose to the rank of lieutenant-colonel in the Democratic Army of Greece. He was wounded twice in battle, and was treated in Bulgaria and the USSR.
In 1950 he was imprisoned in Turkey for a short while for entry without a passport and illegal possession of a handgun. Shortly after his release, he was imprisoned again in 1951 in a wave of TKP arrests. This time he was sentenced to 7 years in prison and two years and four months of forced relocation.
A documentary about his time in Greece, entitled "Καπετάν Κεμάλ, ο σύντροφος" ("Captain Kemal, A Comrade"; Turkish title "Kaptan Kemal, Bir Yoldaş") was made by the prominent Greek filmmaker Fotos Lamprinos.^[5]

Turkish revolutionary movement

During the 1960s, Belli could write and speak without having to use an alias. Nevertheless, also in that period he served prison time for various articles and speeches. He was part of the group who published the revolutionary magazines Türk Solu and Aydınlık Sosyalist Dergi. Expelled from the TKP, he joined the newly formed Workers Party of Turkey (TİP). At this time, he developed his well-known thesis known as Milli Demokratik Devrim (National Democratic Revolution), abbreviated MDD.^[6] With his friends, he contacted Deniz Gezmiş and Mahir Çayan, who were at the time leaders of the youth movement amassing popular support. The ideas of MDD quickly gained prominence among the leftist youth movement; it became the main theoretical framework for most of the leftist groups that flourished in Turkey in that period^[7] and played a key role in the '68 movement in Turkey, giving it a Marxist and revolutionary characteristic.^[8]
Mihri Belli left Turkey after the 1971 military coup to avoid arrest, and was for a while a guest of the Palestinian Liberation Organization. He returned to Turkey briefly, en route to Western Europe. There he stayed for a while and helped with the magazine Yurtsever (Patriot). He was back in Turkey when the centre-left Republican People's Party (CHP) under Ecevit emerged as the largest party in the 1973 elections.
After the amnesty of 1974, he founded the Labour Party of Turkey (TEP) in 1975. Immediately after the founding of the party, the prosecutor's office of the Martial Law Court took notice and demanded the removal of the word Kurd from the party program and other documents. The Constitutional Court banned the TEP for demanding equal rights for Kurds.
In 1979, Belli faced an assassination attempt in which he was severely injured. After the 1980 military coup, he left for the Middle East. From there he moved to Sweden, where he followed the Kurdish movement closely until he returned to Turkey in 1992. In 1997 he met with Abdullah Öcalan, where they came to the common conclusion that a solution to the Kurdish issue under the umbrella of a unitarian state, instead of a federative solution, was possible on the basis of equality and voluntary union. The report of this meeting was later published in book form.
In 1996 Belli participated in the founding of the Freedom and Solidarity Party (ÖDP), and that of the Socialist Democracy Party (SDP) in 2002. He was a candidate for member of parliament for Istanbul in the 2002 elections.
In 2005, the portraits Belli had made 50 years earlier, while in prison, were presented in an exhibition "Lines From Prison". He was imprisoned for 11 years, and forced into exile for 18. Together with several other founding members he resigned from the SDP in 2007 and took part in the 2008 founding of the Workers' Socialist Party (İşçilerin Sosyalist Partisi), better known by the shortened name Socialist Party (Sosyalist Parti), along with others who left.

Death

Mihri Belli died in his home in Istanbul from respiratory distress, on 16 August 2011.^[1] He is buried in Feriköy, Şişli, Istanbul.

 

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Creed Black, American newspaper publisher (Lexington Herald-Leader), died at 86.

Creed Carter Black was an American newspaper executive and publisher of the Lexington Herald-Leader, where he published a series of articles on corruption in Kentucky's coal industry and the University of Kentucky's Wildcats men's basketball team died at 86..

(July 15, 1925 – August 16, 2011)

In addition, Black also worked as an executive for The Nashville Tennessean, Savannah Morning News, the now defunct Savannah Evening Press, Chicago Daily News and Philadelphia Inquirer during his career.^[1] Black served as the President of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the National Conference of Editorial Writers, the American Society of Newspaper Editors and the Southern Newspaper Publishers Association.^[1]

Outside of journalism, Black served as an assistant secretary of health, education and welfare for legislation during the first eighteen months of President Richard Nixon's first term in office.^[1]
Black was born on July 15, 1925, in Harlan, Kentucky.^[1] His father was struck and killed by lightning when he was five years old and he moved to Paducah with his mother.^[1] He began his career in professional journalism by working at the Paducah Sun-Democrat as a part-time journalist when he was seventeen years old.^[1] He enlisted in the U.S. Army during World War II, serving in the infantry in the European Theater.^[1] He was awarded the Bronze Star during the war.^[1] Black obtained his bachelor's degree^[1] from Northwestern University and his master's degree from the University of Chicago after the war.^[1]
Creed Black died of complications from a stroke in Miami, Florida, on August 16, 2011, at the age of 86.^[1]

 

 

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Augustus Aikhomum, Nigerian admiral and politician, Vice President (1986–1993), died at 72.

Augustus Akhabue Aikhomu was an Admiral in the Nigerian Navy, who served as the de facto Vice President of Nigeria during the Ibrahim Babangida-led military junta from 1986 to 1993 died at 72..

(20 October 1939 – 17 August 2011) 

He hailed from Idumebo-Irrua, Edo State, in southern Nigeria. As a student, Aikhomu spent various periods of his early life studying at Irrua Government School, Yaba College of Technology, Royal Britannia Naval College in Dartmouth, England, Long Gunnery Specialist Course, India and the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru, Nigeria.
Aikhomu was the Commanding Officer, Shore Patrol Craft, commanding officer, NNS Dorina, chief of naval personnel, naval headquarters, chief of naval operations (1983–84), and chief of naval staff (1984–86). Aikhomu is survived by his wife, Rebecca, and six children.
Aikhomu will be remembered for the act that he was a highly detribalised Nigerian who displayed professionalism and loyalty while serving as chief of Naval Staff, Chief of General Staff and later, in the regime of General Ibrahim Babangida, as Vice President. Aikhomu in his later years was a key player in the politics of Nigeria. He was at a time the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of All Nigeria Peoples Party, an opposition party in the country. As a nation builder, Aikhomu in the various tributes by his associates was described as a national hero, a dependable ally, an uncommon statesman, a great naval officer, a highly disciplined gentleman and a respected mentor to most of his subordinate officers during the Babangida Administration. Aikhomu left his footprints in his native town of Irrua, where he bequeated many developmental projects to his name, especially the Irrua Specialist Hospital, the referral hospital for lassa fever in the country.

 

 

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Huw Ceredig, Welsh actor, died he was 69.

Huw Ceredig , born Huw Ceredig Jones, was a Welsh television actor best known for playing Reg Harries in the Welsh soap opera, Pobol y Cwm  died he was 69..

(22 June 1942 – 16 August 2011)

Personal life

Huw Ceredig was born in Brynamman, Carmarthenshire in 1942,^[2] the son of Reverend Gerallt Jones, and Elizabeth J. Griffiths,^[3][4] a Welsh teacher. Ceredig was educated at Llandovery College, where one of his teachers was the Welsh rugby player and coach Carwyn James, before going on to train as a teacher at Trinity College in Carmarthen. He was a member of the renowned Cilie family of poets,^[5] and was raised in Llanuwchllyn. Ceredig was the brother of Welsh politician Alun Ffred Jones, folk singer/politician Dafydd Iwan, and Arthur Morus.^[6][7]
Ceredig re-mortgaged his house to purchase instruments for the new Welsh band Edward H. Dafis and introduced them to the stage for the first time at the Welsh National Eisteddfod in Ruthin in 1973.^[5]
He played the part of Reg Harris on S4C's long-running soap opera, Pobol y Cwm, for 29 years, from 1974 to 2003. He also played the father of Rhys Ifans and Llŷr Ifans as "Fatty Lewis" in the film Twin Town. He also provided Welsh-language voices for Superted, and more recently, Meees.^[2]
Ceredig was married to Margaret, and they had two daughters. He died, following a long term illness, at Morriston Hospital,south Wales on 16 August 2011.^[8] Ioan Gruffudd, who played his son on Pobol y Cwm for ten years was one of those who paid tribute.^[9]

Career

In Huw's early days, he won a scholarship to Llandovery College, where one of his teachers was the Welsh rugby player and coach Carwyn James, before going on to train as a teacher at Trinity College, Carmarthen. There his interest in drama was fuelled by the celebrated Welsh drama lecturer Norah Isaac, and while teaching in two schools at Maesteg, near Bridgend, he began acting as an amateur in his spare time, using the stage name Huw Ceredig.
After being spotted in productions at the Swansea Welsh language theatre, Ceredig was offered small parts on Welsh television. He was teaching at his local primary school in Laleston, near Bridgend, when, in his early 1930s, he decided to become a professional actor. He joined the cast of Pobol Y Cwm at the outset, and remained a popular fixture in the show for almost 30 years. When he was written out in 2003 — Reg Harries met with a car accident — Ceredig was aggrieved that he had not been allowed to stay for another year to complete three full decades in the part.
Between 1987 and 1994 his on-screen son, Gareth Wyn Harries, was played by the young actor Ioan Gruffudd, who later became a film star, with credits including Titanic (1997), Black Hawk Down (2001), Fantastic Four (2005) and Rise Of The Silver Surfer (2007). Ceredig’s own film credits include the 1992 comedy Rebecca’s Daughters and the Dylan Thomas biopic The Edge of Love (2008). He also featured as Fatty Lewis in the cult comedy film Twin Town (1997), which launched the career of Rhys Ifans, and was also seen in other television roles in Emmerdale, Heartbeat and Z-Cars.
His voice was familiar to generations of younger viewers through his voiceover work on Welsh television series, notably the animation SuperTed and more recently Meees, about a family of multicultural operatic sheep (“meees” being the Welsh for “baaas”, the noise that sheep make). Ceredig, who became a household name in Wales, was a gregarious man with a remarkable gift for forging firm friendships. A fan of sport in general, his overriding passion was for rugby, and for a time he served as chairman of Bridgend Rugby Club. He was also a devotee of the Turf, and at one period was the part-owner of a racehorse.

Death

Huw Ceredig died on August 16, 2011 aged 69 of natural causes.

Filmography

Television

• Pobol y Cwm - Reg Harries, opera sebon (1974–2003)
• Z Cars - Det. Con. Probert, cyfres, 1 pennod (1977)
• The Life and Times of David Lloyd George - D.A. Thomas, cyfres, 1 pennod (1981)
• Ennal's Point - Len Dunce, cyfres, 4 pennod (1982)
• The District Nurse - Rowlands, cyfres, 1 pennod (1984)
• We Are Seven - Jim Powell, cyfres, 12 pennod (1989–1991)
• Rebecca's Töchter - Mordecai Thomas, cyfres, 1 pennod (1992)
• Yr Heliwr - Peter Webb, cyfres, 1 pennod (1997)
• Emmerdale - George Gibbons, opera sebon, 1 pennod (2003)
• Heartbeat - Cyril Williams, cyfres, 1 pennod (2005)
• Doctors - Kenneth Gough, cyfres, 1 pennod (2005)
• Y Pris - Rhidian Edwards, cyfres, 4 pennod (2007)
• Hawkmoor
• Enoc Huws

Film

• The Mouse and the Woman - Sergeant (1981)
• Giro City - Elwyn Davies (1982)
• I Fro Breuddwydion - Ffermwr, ffilm teledu (1987)
• Twin Town - Fatty Lewis (1997)
• The Edge of Love - John Patrick (2008)

Voice

• Superted
• Meees

 

 

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Albert Facchiano, American mobster, died at 101.

Albert Joseph Facchiano , also known as "Chinkie" and "the Old Man", was a Miami mobster with the New York Genovese crime family who was involved in loansharking and extortion in South Florida. Facchiano achieved notoriety for being indicted on mob crimes at age 96.

(March 10, 1910 – August 16, 2011)

 

Background

A longtime underworld figure, Facchiano oversaw armed robberies, money laundering, bank fraud and other criminal activities for the Genovese family for nearly nearly 60 years. Although considered a "low-level figure" by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Facchiano has an extensive arrest record.
In 1930, Facchiano was arrested in New York for rape, but the charge was later dismissed.^[2] In 1932, Facchino was convicted in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania of robbery and receiving stolen goods and was sentenced to two to five years in prison. In 1936, Facchiano was arrested in New York on grand larceny charges, in 1944 for bookmaking charges.^[3]

Federal investigation

In 1979, Facchino was convicted in Alabama of federal racketeering charges and sentenced to 25 years in prison. While still in prison, Facchiano became involved in an investigation of Reagan Administration U.S. Secretary of Labor Raymond J. Donovan and his alleged ties to organized crime. Investigators claimed that in January 1979 Facchiano and Genovese mobster William Maselli had met with Donovan. The subject of this meeting was setting up so-called "no show" jobs for Genovese mobsters at Schiavoni Construction, Donovan's company, at sites near Miami, Florida.^[4] Donovan denied that the meeting took place and claimed his innocence. In 1982, Facchiano reportedly testified to a New York grand jury on the Donovan case. In 1987, Donovan was tried and acquitted of larceny charges.^[5]

Later life

In the Fall of 1987, Facchiano was released from prison. In 2001, in a conversation recorded by the FBI while Facchiano was dining with other Genovese mobsters, he offered to do a killing if the family needed it. Mobster Joseph Zito said that Facchiano should retire and leave murders to the younger guys. Facchiano, who was 91 at the time, allegedly responded 'that you’re never retired', and then reiterated his willingness to 'kill for the family'.^[2]
In 2006, Facchiano was indicted in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, on charges of supervising mob associates engaged in crimes such as robbery, money laundering and bank fraud from 1994 to 2006. That same year, Facchiano was indicted in New York for attempting to intimidate or kill a mob witness in Florida in 2005.^[6]
In February 2007, Facchiano pleaded guilty to witness tampering and racketeering charges from both indictments.^[7] On June 4, 2007, Facchiano, 97 years old at the time, was sentenced to six months of house arrest and 18 months of probation. He avoided jail time due to his advanced age and poor health. At the sentencing, Facchiano told the judge that he was “sorry” for his crimes. He also said that he “would never get mixed up anymore” and his “days in organized crime are over”.^[8]
On August 16, 2011, Facchiano died in Florida of natural causes.^[1]

 

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Akiko Futaba, Japanese ryūkōka singer, died at 96.

Akiko Futaba born Yoshie Katowas a Japanese popular music (ryūkōka) singer died at 96.. As of the end of the World War II, she was one of the most popular female singers in Japan, competing with Hamako Watanabe and Noriko Awaya.^[1] In addition, she had taken part in the Kōhaku Uta Gassen (Japan's one of most famous year-end shows) 10 times.^[2]

(February 2, 1915 – August 16, 2011) 


She was born in Hiroshima, Hiroshima Prefecture and raised in Miyoshi, Hiroshima Prefecture.^[3] She graduated from the Tokyo Music School. Impressed by Takeo Masunaga (also known as Ichiro Fujiyama) at a performance held by the music school, she debuted in 1936. Her famous song "Furuki Hanazono" (古き花園 lit. "Old Flower Garden"^?) was released in 1939. On August 6, 1945, she narrowly avoided the atomic bombing of Hiroshima because she was riding a train traveling through a tunnel at the time of the explosion.^[1]
She ceased activity as a singer in 2003, and retired in Hiroshima Prefecture.

Discography

• Ano Yume Kono Yume (あの夢この夢 That Dream, This Dream^?) : 1936
• Otome Jūku (乙女十九 Girl at the Age of 19^?) : 1937
• Furuki Hanazono (古き花園 Old Flower Garden^?) : 1939
• Ano Hana Kono Hana (あの花この花 That Flower, This Flower^?) : 1940
• Wakarete mo (別れても Even If We're Apart^?) : 1946
• Otome Gokoro wa (乙女心は A Girl's Heart Is^?) : 1946
• Francesca no Kane (フランチェスカの鐘 The Bells of Francesca^?) : 1948
• Yume yo Mō Ichido (夢よもういちど Once Again, Dream^?) : 1949
• Hoshi no Tameiki (星のためいき Star's Sigh^?) : 1950

 

 

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Frank Munro, Scottish footballer (Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.), died from a heart attack 63.

Francis Michael "Frank" Munro ( was a Scottish international footballer who played as a centre back died from a heart attack 63..
Munro played for Dundee United and Aberdeen in his native Scotland before moving to Wolverhampton Wanderers in 1968. Here he won a League Cup winners medal while with the club, and played in the first-ever UEFA Cup Final.

25 October 1947 – 16 August 2011)

Early Career

Munro started his career as a centre-forward with Chelsea at junior and amateur level in 1961–62, after leaving school, but he left without signing professional forms.^[1] Following this, he returned home to his native Scotland and signed as a professional for Dundee United.^[1] He broke into the first team in 1964 and won four youth caps for his country during his time at Tannadice.
In October 1966, he moved to fellow Division 1 outfit Aberdeen for £10,000.^[1] His first season proved a success as he collected a runners-up medal as the team fought its way through to the 1967 Scottish Cup Final, losing 0–2 to Celtic at Hampden Park. This was sufficient to qualify for Europe though, and they competed in the Cup Winners' Cup the following season, giving Munro his first — but not last — taste of European football. Munro scored Aberdeen's first goal in European competition, in a 10–1 win against KR Reykjavik.^[1]
In the summer of 1967, Munro and Aberdeen travelled to America to compete in the newly formed United Soccer Association league. Due to the lack of existing teams, the league organisers instead imported several established teams from around the globe to compete under 'franchise' names. Aberdeen competed as the "Washington Whips", based in the capital. The Whips won the Eastern division and so progressed through to the championship play-off match in July, where they faced the Western champions, Los Angeles Wolves (represented by Wolverhampton Wanderers). The Whips eventually lost 5–6 in extra time, but Munro's performance in scoring a hat-trick, caught the eye of the opposition manager Ronnie Allen.^[1]

Wolverhampton Wanderers

In October 1968, Wolves acted upon this display and signed Munro for £55,000.^[1] Munro went on to play 371 times in total for the club, becoming firmly established at centre back, despite signing as a midfielder. He also chipped in with 18 goals in total, including scoring in both legs of the 1972 UEFA Cup semi final defeat of Ferencváros and played in the final, collecting another runners-up medal after a 2–3 aggregate defeat to Spurs.^[1]
Munro didn't have to wait too long though for a winners' medal as Wolves lifted the 1974 League Cup, after a 2-1 victory over Manchester City at Wembley. The Wolves also won the Texaco Cup in 1971.^[1]
His performances for Wolves also won him nine Scotland caps — as well as four at Under-23 level — spread from 1971 to 1975. His full debut coming on 18 May 1971 against Northern Ireland.^[1] His last appearance for Scotland was in a 1–1 draw against Romania in Bucharest.^[1]
Shortly after helping the Midlanders to regain their First Division status in 1976–77 — after a year outside it — Munro returned to Scotland when the lure of Celtic proved too strong. He signed after a short loan period in December 1977 for £20,000. Munro was the last player Jock Stein signed as Celtic manager.^[1]

Later life

Stein saw Munro as being a replacement for the injured Pat Stanton.^[1] His time in Glasgow was to prove short-lived, however. Despite picking up another runners-up medal (in the 1978 Scottish League Cup), Celtic only finished fifth in the Scottish Premier Division.^[1] Munro was released by Celtic in the summer of 1978 and he headed for a new challenge in Australia by signing for South Melbourne Hellas, managed by former Wolves goalkeeper Dave MacLaren. Although initially this was only planned as a short-term arrangement, he ended up moving there permanently.
During the 1980s Munro took up a player/coach role at Albion Rovers, before retiring as a player.^[1] He later managed Hamlyn Rangers (now known as Geelong Rangers F.C.) and Keilor Park (formerly Keilor Australia). He returned to the UK in 1991 and settled in Wolverhampton,^[1] with his partner Naomi. He suffered a stroke in the early 2000s that left him confined to a wheelchair for his remaining life. He died on 16 August 2011 after suffering acute breathing difficulties.^[2]

Honours

with Aberdeen

• Scottish Cup runner-up: 1967

with Wolverhampton Wanderers

• League Cup winner: 1974
• UEFA Cup runner-up: 1972
• Football League Second Division Champions: 1976–77

with Celtic

• Scottish League Cup: 1978

 

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