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…
Although there are some marked differences between African Millennials and their American counterparts, they share a certain sentiment towards personal banking. In Nairobi, the Commercial Bank of Africa (CBA) recognizes that long queues, red tape, and triplicate banking forms are not in the best interest of this customer segment—i.e. account holders born in the 1980s and…
Just three months after giving birth to her first child, Janet Jackson is reportedly splitting from her husband. The former couple welcomed son Eissa in January. Jackson and husband Wissam Al Mana have been married since 2012. It’s her third marriage, having previously been married to James DeBarge and René Elizondo Jr. Al Mana is a…
Cardi B had a huge night at the 2017 BET Hip Hop Awards, a feather in her cap after a year full of big successes. Born Belcalis Almanzar, the 25-year-old rapper from New York with Dominican heritage had an unusual path to stardom. She was a stripper who became a viral Instagram star. That got…
The 2017 BET Hip Hop Awards aired on Tuesday night. Hosted by DJ Khaled, the show featured a number of great performances and several artists left with well-deserved trophies. In addition to hosting, DJ Khaled also performed. To start the show, T-Pain, Rick Ross, Trick Daddy, and Plies joined Khaled for“I’m So Hood.” Many were…
Kenyan National Super Alliance (NASA) presidential candidate, Raila Amollo Odinga, has pulled out of the repeat elections scheduled for 26th October 2017. Mr. Odinga has pulled out of the elections citing grievances not met by the electoral body in Kenya, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC). Following the nullification of the presidential…
The New York Times reported this week that legendary producer Harvey Weinstein has a long history of sexual harassment allegations. A few days after that news broke, Weinstein was fired from his own company by the board. Now, several Hollywood stars are speaking out against Weinstein. According to the Times, Weinstein reached legal settlements with…
