Gambian lawmakers urge compensation for children’s deaths
BANJUL, Gambia—Gambian lawmakers on October 26 urged compensation for the families of 70 children whom authorities believe may have died after taking a contaminated cough syrup imported from India. The special legislative session was held several weeks after the World Health Organization issued an alarm about 66 deaths from acute kidney injury. Gambian authorities launched an urgent door-to-door campaign to...
African Union, HBCU partnership discussed at summit
During the 77th Session of the United Nations General Assembly recently, an annual sidebar meeting was held at the Permanent Mission of the African Union to the United Nations in New York. Scholars, development practitioners, along with civil society representatives met in-person and virtually about strengthening partnerships between Africa and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). The sidebar was...
Mali vows to defend nation against French intrusions and meddling
Mali’s foreign minister has slammed France’s continued attempts to undermine the sovereignty and national security of his country, pledging that Bamako is resolved to defend itself. “The government of Mali reserves the right to exercise its right to self-defense … if France continues to undermine the sovereignty of our country and to undermine its territorial integrity and its national security,”...
The Gambia says child deaths linked to Indian cough syrup have risen to 70
The Gambia says the number of children who died of acute kidney damage thought to be linked to Indian-made cough syrups has increased to 70. President Adama Barrow gave the update at an emergency cabinet meeting held on October 13 to review various aspects of the incident. The cough syrup was made by an Indian company called Maiden based in New Delhi. The...
Female African warriors and their brave fight against the African slave trade
The film “The Woman King,” directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood and starring award-winning actress Viola Davis, though receiving much acclaim, has also been criticized for historical inaccuracy. When questioned about the “backlash” Davis paraphrased Prince-Bythewood, stating, “you’re not going to win an argument on Twitter.” Davis’ husband and producing partner, Julius Tennon added, that the film depicts history but also...
Ex-Kenyan official slams UK govt. over ‘act of gross inhumanity and injustice’
Former chief justice of Kenya Willy Mutunga attacks the British government over “act of gross inhumanity and injustice” one month after two Kenyan tribes filed a case against the British government at the European Court of Human Rights over alleged colonial abuses. The Talai and Kipsigis said in the lawsuit that the abuses include tortures, mistreatment and theft of land allegedly committed in western Kenya’s Kericho...
European powers snub Africa at climate control summit
Backed into a corner, African leaders have publicly come out swinging. Or should this opening salvo say: Seeing the fate of Africa being at stake African leaders issued “harsh words” to their former colonial masters. According to Senegalese President and African Union chief Macky Sall, the European powers “have not just put the fate of Africa … at stake...
Biden administration’s military action in Africa shows U.S. footprint still there
The latest iteration of “scramble for Africa” by foreign interests, is not only being seen in the number of countries involved, but with the U.S. military strategies utilized. The United States African Command (U.S. Africom) is pushing military might as seen in the August return of its annual Senior Enlisted Leader conference in which NATO participated. According to several...
Minister Farrakhan’s historic Nigeria comments highlighted in Jay-Z verse
Ari Melber of MSNBC often makes references to rap lyrics during his broadcasts. In a recent segment he talked about lyrics by businessman and hip hop artist Jay-Z. In his verse dropped in a new song, Jay-Z references a clip from a 1996 CBS “60 Minutes” interview of Mike Wallace and the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan that in my...
Libya: Political stalemate and lack of progress on elections
Leaders in Libya must take immediate steps to resolve their political impasse, which is spilling over into increasing violence, UN political affairs chief Rosemary DiCarlo told the Security Council on Aug. 30. The North African country became divided between two rival administrations in the years after the overthrow of former leader Muammar Gadhafi a decade ago. The government of National...