Charlie Murphy Dead at 57 Charlie Murphy, the brother of A-list movie star and comedian Eddie Murphy, has died at 57. His manager said that he had been battling leukemia. Murphy was receiving chemotherapy at a New York hospital when he passed away on April 12, 2017. After spending many years working for his brother…
The British paper the Daily Mail has a big check to write to Melania Trump. The First Lady, who filed suit against the newspaper in August of 2016, recently settled with the publication. Melania brought the suit against the newspaper after they published—without any evidence—an article that stated Melania had worked as a high-end escort…
Outspoken African Activist Jailed for Her Acerbic Tongue Calling the President of your country names might be considered freedom of speech in some places, but in Uganda, it will land you in jail. At least that is what activist Dr. Stella Nyanzi recently found out when she was summarily arrested after giving a lecture in…
An open source software mapping platform co-founded by a Kenyan woman is being used by young Somalis to help drought and famine-stricken families get emergency relief. The name of the platform is Ushahidi, which in Swahili approximately means “to witness and record.” Ushahidi has already been used to coordinate earthquake relief efforts in Haiti and Chile, record environmental damage…
Amidst Terror Attacks and a State of Emergency, Pope Francis Plans to Visit Egypt Despite the state of emergency declared in Egypt after two deadly suicide attacks on two Christian churches, the Vatican has confirmed that Pope Francis is moving forward with a visit in late April. The attacks were carried out on Palm Sunday, an…
The job of the most embattled and long suffering member of the United States White House is not getting any easier. As the foremost spokesperson representing the administration of President Donald Trump, Press Secretary Sean Spicer is tasked with the seemingly impossible task of putting a positive spin on the work of arguably the most…
As the Christian community around the world prepared for Holy Week celebrations, a most unholy incident took place on a runway of O’Hare International Airport in Chicago, one of the busiest hubs for air travel in the world. The dreadful incident involved the violent removal of Dr. David Dao, a 69-year old Asian physician, from…
Several days ago, humanitarian rescue worker Daniel Calvelo saw his week bookended with death and new life. The 26-year-old was working as part of Spanish NGO Proactiva Open Arms. They were doing search and rescue missions in the Mediterranean Sea, a job that is sometimes dangerous, often devastating, and occasionally full of joy and hope. Calvelo…
St. Jago High School student Brianna Lyston is the next big sprinter from a nation known for their sprinters. This is an impressive feat in and of itself, but how about the fact that Usain Bolt’s legacy is now on the back of a 12-year-old girl? That’s right—Brianna has already shattered a ceiling never broken…
Fresh off a PEN/Open Book award for her 2016 story collection, What Is Not Yours Is Not Yours (Riverhead Books), author Helen Oyeyemi continues to emerge as a voice of global importance. At just 32 years of age, Oyeyemi is already a veteran author of six highly acclaimed books. Oyeyemi was born in Nigeria in 1984 and…
Did you know we are in the midst of the United Nations International Decade for People of African Descent? On the 23rd of December 2013, the UN General Assembly decided on resolution 68/237, proclaiming a decade dedicated to people of African descent. The period runs from 2015 to 2024, promoting the themes of recognition, justice,…
Soprano Measha Brueggergosman’s voice has been described as stunning, rich, thrilling, and vivacious. The New Brunswick, Canada native has traveled the world performing opera and art song and, as CBC describes, she is “widely hailed as one of the great sopranos of the 21st century.” From Carnegie Hall to the Sydney Opera House, the world…
Nigeria gained her independence on October 1, 1960 from Great Britain and will be celebrating 57 years of independence this weekend. The country was granted independence under a constitution with parliamentary government provision and a level of self-rule for the country’s three regions. Nigeria, however, became a federal republic after gaining full independence from…
Champeta: Music and Liberation Through music, we become uplifted beyond the scope of everyday problems, often entering a different world, if only for a while. Music transcends the boundaries of time and place, and that is what champeta has been able to do. Champeta is a fusion, what can be understood as the love child of Colombian…
