The Greene County Democrat

Category: Newswire

  • Newswire : What Black women should know about hair relaxers and their health

    By Claretta Bellamy NBC News

    The damage chemical hair relaxers can have on Black women is coming under intense scrutiny. 
    Several landmark studies have been published in the last year highlighting the link between chemical hair relaxers — which break down proteins in hair to straighten it — and increased rates of uterine cancer. And last week, after pressure from Democratic Reps. Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts and Shontel Brown of Ohio, the Food and Drug Administration proposed a ban on hair-smoothing and hair-straightening products containing formaldehyde, an ingredient known to cause cancer. 
    As more research continues to reveal potential dangers, hundreds of Black people have filed lawsuits against big-name beauty and cosmetic retailers like L’Oreal and Revlon, blaming their chemical hair straighteners as causes of uterine cancer, fibroid tumors and infertility. 
    The latest research on the effects of hair relaxers was published Oct. 10 by Boston University. According to the Black Women’s Health Study, or BWHS, postmenopausal Black women who have used chemical hair relaxers more than twice a year or for more than five years have an increased risk of developing uterine cancer.  
    In following 44,798 Black women for up to 22 years, researchers found a higher rate of uterine cancer among postmenopausal Black women who reported having used chemical hair relaxers for at least 10 years, regardless of frequency. 
    Better grasping Black health and the factors that contribute to racial disparities in cancer was the intent behind the 22-year study. 
    “The idea here is that a renewed emphasis or attention to the potential dangers of these products, I hope, will spur policies, and that will sort of help reduce exposure in this population or even help us identify potentially safer alternatives to straighten hair,” said the lead author of the study, Kimberly Bertrand, an associate professor of medicine at Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine. Revealing the potential risks of hair relaxers, she said, can help spread awareness and encourage making safer choices.
    To Rep. Pressley, oversight into these ingredients touches upon generational issue that Black women have long grappled with.
    “For generations, systemic racism and anti-Black hair sentiment have forced Black women to navigate the extreme politicization of hair,” she said in a statement to NBC News on Wednesday. “We’ve seen this play out in schools and in the workplace, where Black folks have been criminalized, punished, or overlooked in personnel decisions just for how our hair grows out of our head. As a result, Black women have turned to straightened or relaxed hair as an attempt to advance socially and economically. But regardless of how we wear our hair, we should be able to show up in the world without putting our health at risk, and manufacturers should be prevented from making a profit at the expense of our health.”
    NBC News spoke to Bertrand and other researchers to answer some questions Black people may have about chemical hair straighteners and the potential risks to their health
    What has the research said about chemical hair relaxers and women’s health so far?
    Several studies have found that chemical hair straighteners have harmful effects on the body. Last year, the National Institutes of Health published a major study linking chemical hair straighteners to a higher risk of uterine cancer. The study analyzed data from 33,497 U.S. women ages 35 to 74 who were followed for nearly 11 years. During that period, 378 cases of uterine cancer were diagnosed.
    According to this month’s BWHS, women who reported using hair relaxers more than twice a year or who used them for more than five years had a greater than 50% risk of developing uterine cancer compared to those who rarely or never used relaxers, additional data from the study shows. 
    In 2021, the BWHS found that Black women who used hair products containing lye, an ingredient typically found in salon relaxers, at least seven times a year for more than 15 years had a 30% increased risk of developing breast cancer. Among the 50,543 women who participated in the 25-year study, 2,311 participants had developed breast cancer, including 1,843 who developed invasive breast cancers, meaning the cancers spread into surrounding breast tissue. While Black women have a 4% lower incidence rate of breast cancer than white women, Black women have a 40% higher breast cancer death rate, according to the American Cancer Society.
    Other studies have shown that hair relaxers can cause fibroids and an early onset of puberty in girls, Bertrand said. Early puberty can increase the risk for metabolic syndromes such as obesity, Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease in adulthood. 
    Why are hair relaxers so harmful? 
    Chemical hair relaxers contain endocrine-disrupting chemicals, which can disrupt the functions of the endocrine system (which includes the thyroid, ovaries, pancreas and adrenal glands) and affect hormone levels. These chemicals include phthalates and parabens, which can be found in relaxers. People can be exposed to them by absorption through the skin or inhaling them in the air. 
    Black women are often exposed to endocrine disruptors by using relaxers, which are applied on the scalp, said Jasmine Abrams, a research scientist at the Yale University School of Public Health.
    “If you have ever gotten a relaxer, you know it usually sits on for a little bit, and most people sort of alert their hair stylist that it needs to be washed out once it starts tingling or burning — and at that point, you are running the risk of burns,” said Abrams, one of the authors of a study this year linking chemical hair straighteners to issues with fertility. 
    “And if you’re running the risk of burns or any sort of injury with that type of chemical,” she added, “then you’re definitely increasing your risk for absorption. If you do that over time for many, many years, then it can, of course, become continuously problematic.”
    Endocrine-disrupting chemicals can also be found in some beauty products like lotions, body washes and perfumes, she added. 
    Are all chemical hair relaxers dangerous, or are there safer alternatives?
    Parabens, phthalates and other chemicals that are often found in chemical hair straighteners pose a greater risk than other products because of scalp exposure, Bertrand said. Even other chemical hair straighteners marketed as safer to use, including no-lye relaxers, still pose potential risks.
    “In our study, women who reported using non-lye relaxers were pretty much just as likely to report scalp burns as those who use lye relaxer,” she said. 
    Hair-straightening products are “very poorly regulated” by the federal government, Bertrand said, and many mask harmful chemicals under names such as “fragrance and preservatives, so women don’t really know what they’re being exposed to.”
    U.S. law does not require the Food and Drug Administration to approve cosmetic products and ingredients, other than color additives, before they go on the market, according to the FDA website. However, the FDA announced last week that it would propose a ban on hair-straightening and hair-smoothing products containing formaldehyde. The FDA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
    Stricter regulations of ingredients in cosmetic products and using alternative methods like heat straightening may help reduce exposure to harmful chemicals, Bertrand said.
    In a statement to NBC News on Wednesday, Pressley applauded the FDA, saying the public health of Black women “is at stake.”

  • Newswire: Report reveals that racial disparities in incarceration persist, despite progress

    By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

    A recent report from the Sentencing Project has revealed significant strides have been made in reducing racial inequities in incarceration over the past two decades. However, the study also warns that ongoing push back from policymakers threatens to impede further progress.
    
The report, titled “One in Five: Ending Racial Inequity in Incarceration,” highlights a notable decline in the lifetime likelihood of imprisonment for Black men born in 2001 compared to those born in 1981. While one in three Black men born in 1981 faced the prospect of imprisonment, the figure has now dropped to one in five for those born in 2001.
    
The authors attribute the decline to reforms, particularly in drug law enforcement and sentencing for drug and property offenses. Urban areas, predominantly home to communities of color, have significantly reduced imprisonment rates.
    
Despite these positive trends, the report underscores that imprisonment levels remain alarmingly high nationwide, particularly for Black Americans. The authors caution that the U.S. remains entrenched in the era of mass incarceration, with a 25% reduction in the total prison population since 2009, following a nearly 700% surge in imprisonment since 1972.
    
The report further notes that the prison population in 2021 was nearly six times larger than it was half a century ago, before the mass incarceration era, and continued to expand in 2022. The U.S. also maintains a five to eight times higher prison and jail incarceration rate than France, Canada, and Germany. Notably, states such as Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Oklahoma have incarceration rates nearly 50% above the national average.
    
“The reluctance to fully correct sentencing excesses, particularly for violent crimes as supported by criminological evidence, prolongs the harm and futility of mass incarceration,” the authors concluded, emphasizing that racial equity in incarceration remains an elusive goal.
    
The report also highlights persistent disparities among different racial and ethnic groups. The lifetime likelihood of imprisonment for Black men born in 2001, while reduced, remains four times that of their white counterparts. Black women face an imprisonment rate 1.6 times higher than white women in 2021.
    
The Sentencing Project stressed that addressing these disparities necessitates a dual approach, targeting the criminal legal system and the underlying socioeconomic conditions contributing to higher crime rates among people of color.
    
However, the momentum for continued progress remains precarious. Recent increases in specific crime categories, particularly homicides, during the COVID-19 pandemic and the opioid overdose crisis have prompted lawmakers to reevaluate criminal justice reforms. This has resulted in a bipartisan backlash, including proposals to expand mandatory minimum sentences for federal drug offenses.
    
The Sentencing Project said it’s taking proactive measures to safeguard and build on the progress achieved thus far. They are producing four reports that delve into the persistence of racial injustice in the criminal legal system while highlighting promising reforms. The first installment provides an overview of prison and jail incarceration trends and community supervision, with subsequent reports focusing on police interactions, crime rates, and critical drivers of disparity within the criminal legal system. “These reports aim to contribute to ongoing efforts to achieve a more equitable and just criminal justice system for all Americans,” the authors wrote.
    
Despite recent changes that have decreased the number of people involved in the criminal justice system and have addressed racial and ethnic disparities, “we are still in a time where mass incarceration is a major issue,” the authors continued.

    They affirmed that excessive control and punishment, especially targeting people of color, do not help achieve community safety goals and harm families and communities. While people of color face higher crime rates than whites, they tend to be less supportive of stringent crime control measures when compared to whites, the authors asserted.
    
To address the injustices outlined in this report, the authors said there remains a need for policies and practices changes that unfairly affect communities of color, and authorities should seek to reduce excessive punishment for all individuals. “The United States would still have an incarceration crisis,” University of Pennsylvania professor Marie Gottschalk wrote in the report, “even if it were locking up African Americans at ‘only’ the rate at which whites in the United States are currently incarcerated—or if it were not locking up any African Americans at all.”

  • Newswire : African nations ‘deeply divided’ over Israel-Hamas war

    Pro-Palestinian rally in South Africa


    Oct. 23, 2023 (GIN) – Back in 1963, the founders of the Organization of African Unity pledged to work and speak as one, forge an international consensus in support of the liberation struggle and fight against apartheid.
     
    Their aims were high. The achievements less so.  Last week, a one-day Cairo Summit for Peace, attended  by leaders and top officials from more than a dozen countries, closed without agreement on a joint statement two weeks into a conflict that has killed thousands and visited a humanitarian catastrophe on the blockaded Gaza enclave of 2.3 million people. 
     
    Only one Africa leader, President Cyril Ramaphosa, was in attendance.
     
    The speeches reflected growing anger in the region, even among those with close ties to Israel as the war sparked by a massive Hamas attack enters a third week with casualties mounting and no end in sight. 
     
    The current Israel-Hamas conflict in the Gaza strip has left the African continent deeply divided, with some countries choosing to remain silent while others openly showing solidarity with either Israel or Palestine.
     
    Kenya, Ghana, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo all expressed some form of support for Israel since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war.
     
    “Kenya joins the rest of the world in solidarity with the State of Israel and unequivocally condemns terrorism and attacks on innocent civilians,” said President William Ruto, writing on Twitter, now known as X.
     
    Ghana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs proclaimed Israel’s right to exist and defend itself while cautioning that country to exercise restraint and seek negotiation talks for both parties.
     
    Rwanda called the Hamas attack an ‘act of terror’ while the Democratic Republic of the Congo expressed support for Israel from the presidency’s Twitter account.
     
    South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, in contrast, expressed solidarity with the people of Palestine.
     
    “All of us standing here pledge our solidarity for the people of Palestine,” he said at a recent meeting of the African National Congress in Johannesburg. “We stand here because we are deeply concerned about the atrocities that are unfolding in the Middle East.” 
     
    One of Palestine’s strongest African supporters is Algeria which condemned ‘brutal air strikes by the Zionist (Israel) occupation forces in the Gaza Strip’. They stated they were in ‘full solidarity with the Palestinian people’ while calling on the international community to act against ‘repeated criminal attacks.’
     
    Tunisia, a member of the Arab League like Algeria, expressed ‘complete and unconditional support for the Palestinian people “who have been ‘under Zionist occupation for decades.” They called on the world ‘to stand by the Palestinians and remember the massacres carried out by the Zionist enemy.”
     
    Countries that are more neutral include Nigeria which, on the day of the attack, condemned the “cycle of violence and retaliation that the current escalation has assumed.”
     
    While Uganda has not taken an official side, President Yoweri Museveni urged Israel and Palestine to strive for peace and a ‘two-state solution’.
     
    “African countries take different positions based on their political and geopolitical interests,” said Louis Gitinywa, a Rwanda-based political analyst and constitutional lawyer. “This is nothing new. States have interests, they don’t have friends.”
     
    The only African country with a strong historical attachment to Israel is Ethiopia, but it is yet to make clear its stance on the current situation.
     
    Buchanan Ismael, a political scientist at the University of Rwanda, pointed out that some African countries depend on Israel for military technology and weapons.
     
    “I don’t think African states have very strong diplomatic relations with Israel,” he said. “Their ties are based on an “opportunistic way of cooperation and assistance.” 
     

  • Newswire: New museum head troubled by human remains taken from graves

    Sean M. Decatur

     Oct. 16, 2023 (GIN) – Sean M. Decatur, recently appointed to head the American Museum of Natural History, is well aware of the obstacles that could await him in his new job.
     
    It’s clear from an essay he wrote for the Chronicle of Higher Education titled “The Cost of Leading While Black.”
     
    “If you are a Black person in America, you can measure with an egg timer how long it takes for an intense disagreement to lead to the invocation of racist tropes,” he wrote. “The dynamics of race in America are fractal: They can be observed at all scales, from the paths of power in Washington to the gravel paths of bucolic Gambier, Ohio.”
     
    His current challenge will be to move forward with all due speed on the disposition of skeletons of indigenous and enslaved people taken from their graves and the bodies of New Yorkers who died as recently as the 1940s.
     
    The museum is facing questions about the legality and the ethics of its acquisitions.“Figuring out exactly what we have here is something that is important to do moving forward,” Decatur said.
     
    “Human remains collections were made possible by extreme imbalances of power,” Decatur noted in a letter sent to staff members this week. “Moreover, many researchers in the 19th and 20th centuries then used such collections to advance deeply flawed scientific agendas rooted in white supremacy — namely the identification of physical differences that could reinforce models of racial hierarchy.”
     
    Currently, the museum has three people involved in repatriating remains, although Decatur said part of his initiative is to focus more resources in this area.
     
    Decatur discussed the desecration of the cemetery for enslaved people in his letter to the staff. The cemetery most likely dated back to colonial times and was excavated during construction in the Upper Manhattan neighborhood of Inwood. A photo from that time displays the skeletons that had been pulled from the ground. Workers formed a pyramid with the skulls.
     
    In an interview, Decatur said he found the treatment of the bodies disturbing. In his staff letter, the president said of the remains, “Identifying a restorative, respectful action in consultation with local communities must be part of our commitment.”
     
    Recently, John Jay College professor Erin Thompson  learned about the New York museum’s “medical collection” while conducting research into the ethical and legal questions that surround its holdings of remains. She was surprised to see the collection included New Yorkers who had died as recently as the 1940s.
     
    Efforts to more fully research those remains were stymied by the museum, she said, which denied her access to its catalog. Human remains currently on display in the museum range from skeletons to instruments and beads made from, or incorporating, human bones.
     
    “None of the items on display,” Decatur said in his letter, “are so essential to the goals and narrative of the exhibition as to counterbalance the ethical dilemmas presented by the fact that human remains are in some instances exhibited alongside and on the same plane as objects.
     
    “These are ancestors and are in some cases victims of violent tragedies or representatives of groups who were abused and exploited, and the act of public exhibition extends that exploitation

  • Newswire: Social Security benefits to increase despite Republican calls for reform

    By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent


    In the face of increasing pressure from elected Republican officials to reform safety net programs, the Social Security Administration has announced a 3.2% increase in benefits for 2024. Starting December 29, recipients of Social Security will see an average boost of $50 per month in their retirement benefits, a change attributed to the annual Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) calculated based on inflation readings from July, August, and September.
    “Social Security and SSI benefits will increase in 2024, and this will help millions of people keep up with expenses,” stated Kilolo Kijakazi, acting commissioner of Social Security.
    The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W), which showed increases of 2.6% in July, 3.4% in August, and 3.6% in September, is where the adjustment comes from.
    Despite this positive news for Social Security beneficiaries, a political battle looms over the long-term fate of these crucial programs. During the 2022 campaign season, several Republican incumbents, and candidates, including Florida Sen. Rick Scott and Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson, advocated for significant changes, including cuts and the need for annual funding reauthorization.
    Scott’s 11-point legislative agenda included a provision proposing the expiration of all federal laws every five years, which he argued would best serve to “preserve those programs.” Johnson, who narrowly won reelection, called for transforming all mandatory spending into discretionary funds, asserting this would enable better evaluation and problem-solving for programs facing financial strain.
    Unsuccessful GOP Senate candidates in various states also floated proposals to end at least one of the programs through privatization or significant cuts, highlighting a growing divide on the issue within the Republican Party.
    Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security each constitute critical pillars of support for a significant portion of the American population, particularly seniors and those with limited means. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, Social Security alone accounts for most older Americans’ monthly income, with nearly a quarter relying on it for 90% of their income.
    According to the Social Security Administration, over 67 million people received benefits in 2023, with nearly 90% of those over 65 relying on the program. Stanford University’s white paper on Social Security outlines its historical development, emphasizing its role in safeguarding retirees against financial insecurity.
    While the program remains crucial for many, the same Stanford paper highlights that demographic and economic shifts pose challenges to its long-term financial stability. The authors contend that policymakers must confront the issue and explore potential reforms to ensure the program’s continued viability.
    “Social Security is an essential program that provides critical support to millions of retirees, survivors, and disabled individuals,” the authors asserted. “While reforming Social Security is challenging, policymakers must act to address the program’s long-term funding shortfall and ensure that the program can continue to meet its important mission.”

  • Newswire: Hate crimes surge in 2022 leading to an urgent call for unity and action

    By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

    The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has released its comprehensive Hate Crime Statistics for 2022, revealing a troubling surge in hate-fueled incidents across the United States. Recent attacks in New York and Chicago are stark reminders of the urgent need for increased awareness and action.

    In 2022, the FBI transitioned to the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) for data collection, representing a significant step towards more accurate reporting. The new data reflects submissions from 13,293 law enforcement agencies employing NIBRS data, covering over 256 million U.S. inhabitants. Additionally, data from 2,431 non-transitioned agencies was accepted, representing 55,441,278 inhabitants, expanding the population coverage to 93.5%.
    The Hate Crime Statistics 2022 report reveals that law enforcement agencies reported 11,634 criminal incidents involving 13,337 related offenses motivated by bias towards race, ethnicity, ancestry, religion, sexual orientation, disability, gender, and gender identity.
    In New York, a Sikh man faced a vicious attack aboard an MTA bus in Queens this week. The assailant, allegedly expressing xenophobia, targeted the victim and attempted to remove his turban—a sacred religious symbol—forcibly. This incident is a stark reminder of the persistent hate plaguing American society.
    Meanwhile, in Chicago, a horrific incident over the weekend resulted in the tragic murder of a six-year-old boy. Wadea Al-Fayoume and his mother fell victim to a brutal attack, with the assailant singling them out due to their Muslim faith. The suspect, Joseph Czuba, now faces charges of murder and hate crimes. This shocking incident highlights the devastating consequences of hate-fueled violence.
    In response to the surge in hate crimes, President Biden released a statement condemning the 25 percent increase in antisemitic incidents from 2021 to 2022. He stressed the imperative of unity in speaking out against hate and bigotry, pledging his administration’s dedication to combating antisemitism and Islamophobia.
    While there was a positive 38 percent decrease in hate crimes targeting Asian Americans, the overall levels remained stable, underscoring the need for sustained efforts to eradicate hate-fueled violence. Anti-LGBTQI+ hate crimes rose 16 percent, and Muslim and African Americans continue to be overrepresented among victims, Biden said.
    “There’s more to do when it comes to ending hate-fueled violence,” the president insisted. “That means coming together and speaking out against hate and bigotry in all its forms. All Americans deserve to live their lives with dignity, respect, and safety.

  • Newswire : Understanding the nation’s ticking fiscal time clock 

    U.S. Capitol with government shutdown signs

    By Charlene Crowell, NNPA Newswire Contributor

    For the second time this year, Congress’ inability to reach consensus on essential fiscal legislation has devolved into largely partisan bickering and literal, last-minute temporary financial band-aids. On September 30, the last day of the 2022-2023 federal fiscal year, a continuing resolution (CR) provided a 45-day reprieve, just in time to meet a midnight deadline that would have resulted in a federal government shutdown.
    In signing the stop-gap appropriations measure, President Joe Biden acknowledged its benefit and also reminded the nation of how unnecessary it really was.
    “This bill ensures that active-duty troops will continue to get paid, travelers will be spared airport delays, millions of women and children will continue to have access to vital nutrition assistance, and so much more,” said President Biden. “But I want to be clear: we should never have been in this position in the first place. Just a few months ago, Speaker McCarthy and I reached a budget agreement to avoid precisely this type of manufactured crisis.” Readers may recall that in late spring and facing a first-ever national debt default, another piece of compromise legislation led to the Fiscal Accountability Act.

    That eleventh hour maneuver provided a two-year window for the Treasury Department to borrow – as needed – funds to pay the nation’s more than $31 trillion of debt.  In return, according to the Congressional Budget Office  (CBO), cutbacks on discretionary spending would result in a drop in projected budget deficits of about $4.8 trillion over the next decade, and a savings of $0.5 trillion in interest. But this fiscal compromise requires Congress to return to that deferred problem in January 2025.

    Neither of these developments have been well-received by the public. Only days before the September 30 fiscal rescue, a consumer poll taken September 19-24 by Monmouth University echoed President Biden’s concerns:
    74 percent of respondents disapproved of the job Congress is doing;
    68 percent believed the government is on the wrong track; and
    64 percent supported compromise to enact a new budget.

    “The vast majority of Americans want to avoid a shutdown. The faction who does not want any compromise may represent a small proportion of the public, but they hold outsized influence in the U.S. Capitol,” said Patrick Murray, director of the independent Monmouth University Polling Institute.

    By mid-November, the nation will again face a shutdown at a time when families typically and excitedly finalize preparations for annual Thanksgiving gatherings. If a full federal spending plan for the new 2023-2024 fiscal year that began October 1 is not approved, many will also await learning whether the federal government will be able to function during a season dedicated to blessings.
    As with most budget cut decisions, potentially affected personnel are understandably anxious. Currently, there are 4.5 million people who are either military or civilian federal employees, according to the CBO.
    Similarly, agencies that administer programs that respond to vital needs are in a similar dilemma.
    For example, the stark rise in requests for disaster relief from flooding, hurricanes, and wildfires caused the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to recently appeal to Congress for an additional $16 billion to serve communities in distress. On September 19, Deanne Criswell, FEMA Administrator testified before a House subcommittee, alerted lawmakers to the agency’s shrinking ability to keep pace with surging requests.

    “On average, we are seeing a disaster declaration every three days,” testified Criswell. “We strive to be vigilant stewards of taxpayer dollars, and we are careful in our projections of how much funding will be required for the Disaster Relief Fund. However, there are times when the number and intensity of disasters outpaces appropriated funds, and we find ourselves in such a moment today.”

    Funding for these and other needs now have been added to the traditional conservative calls to cut entitlement programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) more commonly known as food stamps. As of this spring, 41.9 million people who comprise 22.2 million households were enrolled in SNAP, according to Pew Research.

    According to the Department of Education, an estimated 26 million students would be affected by a proposed $4 billion cut in funding schools serving low-income children. In higher education, Pell Grants that provide a critical source of financial aid for low-to-moderate income college students would be cut by 22 percent, and the maximum award would be lowered to $1,000 – at a time when the cost to attend college continues to soar.
    Time will tell whether this Congress will face and respond to America’s real needs. But tens of millions of Americans potentially could be impacted by a federal government closure while the nation is on a ticking fiscal time clock.

  • Newswire : Humanitarian crisis deepens in Gaza as conflict escalates

    Rockets fired from Gaza, during Israel-Hamas war

    By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent

    The conflict in Israel has triggered a cascade of far-reaching consequences, resonating globally. The strife has spurred widespread protests in major cities worldwide, with demonstrators advocating for peace and justice in the region. Concurrently, the United States has witnessed a surge in hate crimes, reflecting the heightened tensions and polarized sentiments surrounding the issue.
    The enduring debate surrounding Israel’s perceived occupation of Palestine continues to be a focal point of discussion, with proponents and critics engaging in a fervent exchange of perspectives. The multifaceted developments underscore the intricate interplay of political, social, and international forces in the ongoing conflict.
    As the conflict continues to escalate, up to 600 Americans find themselves stranded in Gaza, grappling with dwindling essential supplies and a dire humanitarian situation. The State Department has reported that access to clean water, food, fuel, and medical provisions has become increasingly scarce.
    In retaliation for Hamas attacks on Israel, the Israeli government has enforced a blockade, leaving Gaza without electricity for several days. The toll of the conflict is stark: over 2,450 casualties and 9,200 injuries have been reported in Gaza, while in Israel, 1,400 individuals have lost their lives and 3,500 have been wounded.
    Among the casualties are 30 Americans, victims of Hamas’ attack on Israel and the ensuing warfare, according to a State Department spokesperson. Automated emails and ambiguous phone calls from the State Department have hampered efforts to ensure the safety of Palestinian Americans, leaving families uncertain about evacuation prospects.
    
The Rafah crossing, a vital gateway, remains closed, further complicating exit strategies. Additionally, the hub has suffered physical damage from Israeli airstrikes in Gaza.
    At home, protests have intensified as well as hate crimes. In a horrifying incident in Illinois, a 6-year-old boy was tragically stabbed to death, and his mother – both Lebanese – critically wounded in an alleged anti-Muslim hate crime. Joseph Czuba, 71, the landlord, is accused of the brutal attack, which authorities attribute to the ongoing Middle Eastern conflict. President Biden swiftly condemned the attack, categorizing it as a hate crime.
    Biden has warned Israel sternly, cautioning against an occupation of Gaza during the planned major ground assault in response to the Hamas terror attack. Meanwhile, discussions are underway regarding a potential solidarity visit by Biden to Israel.
    At press time, we learned that that President Biden will embark on a diplomatic mission to Israel and Jordan on Wednesday, October 18. The visit aims to reaffirm the United States’ “unwavering support for Israel” in the wake of a recent terrorist attack by Hamas and to strategize on future actions.
    Following his visit to Israel, Biden will travel to Amman, Jordan, where he will hold discussions with key regional leaders. The itinerary includes meetings with King Abdullah, Egyptian President Sisi, and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. This visit with Arab leaders has been postponed due to the horrific bombing of the Ahli Arab Hospital in southern Gaza on Tuesday, October 17th., killing hundreds of Palestinian civilians, while Biden was enroute to the Middle East.
    Israel has announced the evacuation of 28 northern communities along the Lebanon border amid escalating attacks in the region concurrent with the ongoing conflict against Hamas. This move has raised concerns about the potential for a second war between Israel and Hezbollah, based in Lebanon.
    Amid escalating tensions, the U.S. reportedly has engaged in back-channel talks with Iran, cautioning against further escalation and potential intervention through Hezbollah. Israel’s emergency government, meanwhile, has mobilized 300,000 reservists in preparation for a major ground offensive.
    Also, the international community continues to grapple with the potential for the conflict to extend beyond the region. U.K. Foreign Secretary James Cleverly urges Israel to minimize civilian casualties to prevent further escalation.
    In the United States, reactions to the conflict vary, with Black Americans expressing various emotions. Many drew parallels between the struggles of Palestinians and African Americans in their fight against systemic racism, as highlighted through social media campaigns. Through those lenses, many were reminded of former U.S. President Jimmy Carter’s past comments on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, where he emphasized his belief in “the illegal occupation of Palestine.” In a 2006 PBS-TV interview, Carter discussed his book, “Palestine, Peace Not Apartheid,” regarding the Israeli-Palestine conflict.
    “This apartheid, which is prevalent throughout the occupied territories, the subjection of the Palestinians to horrible abuse, is caused by a minority of Israelis — we’re not talking about racism, but talking about their desire to acquire, to occupy, to confiscate, and then to colonize Palestinian land,” Carter said. “So, the whole system is designed to separate through a ferocious system Israelis who live on Palestine territory and Palestinians who want to live on their own territory.”

  • Newswire : Foundation taps Zimbabwe writer citing‘remarkable courage’ for Freedom Prize

    Tsitsi Dangaarembga

     

    Oct. 9, 2023 (GIN)- Highly regarded Zimbabwe author Tsitsi Dangaarembga has been tapped for the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom award, given to individuals with “remarkable courage and dedication” and political activism.
     
    Ms. Dangarembga received the prize this week in Johannesburg. Tinashe Mushakavanhu, a research fellow at the University of Oxford who specializes in Zimbabwean literature, said Dangarembga has a place in the modern canon.
     
    “Her most important contribution is being the first Black Zimbabwean woman writer to publish a novel in English. In that sense, she is a pioneer and a leading light, so much that her book, “Nervous Conditions,” is considered one of the best African books of the 20th century,” said Mushakavanhu.
     
    Praised for her first novel “Nervous Conditions” in 1988, she next wrote “The Book of Not,” and drew most attention for “This Mournable Body” which was shortlisted for the Booker Prize in 2020.
     
    In this book her character is foiled, most often by the noxious combination of racism and capitalist accumulation, and the distorted relations it produces between the novels’ characters, writes Ismail Muhammad.
     
    She is also the recipient of the 2021 PEN International Award for Freedom of Expression.
     
    Aside from her writing, Dangarembga has made headlines for her political activism. The 64-year-old was convicted by a Zimbabwean court last year of “inciting violence” after staging a peaceful protest with a friend during which the two women stood quietly on a roadside holding placards calling for political reform. That conviction was overturned earlier this year by a higher court.
     
    “I don’t conceive of myself as an activist writer,” she said in a recent interview. “I conceive of myself as a person who has a story to tell, and my story has an intention. My intention is to tell stories in which Zimbabweans can see themselves reflected. And I think that is important for the well-being of the individual — to understand the complexities of the lives they are living and the challenges, and to possibly point to possible solutions. 
     
    “When individuals are able to engage in that process, it leads to the health of the nation.”
     
    Among the previous winners of the Africa Freedom Prize is Nigerian novelist Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.
     Danai Mupotsa, a senior lecturer in African literature at Johannesburg’s Witwatersrand University, notes that female writers from the continent have been receiving more attention and accolades lately.
    What it indicates, maintains Dangarembga, is the publishing world has “’shifted to open up” and is publishing more work by African woman writers
     

  • Newswire : Simone Biles wins her 6th world all-around gold medal, breaking her own record

    Simone Biles

    By Kaetlyn Liddy, NBC News

     

    Ten years after she won her first world title in Antwerp, Belgium, at age 16, Simone Biles added another all-around gold medal to her collection Friday in the same city where it all began. 
    She became the most decorated gymnast in history and the first female gymnast to win six all-around world titles.
    This win, at the Artistic Gymnastics World Championships, marks her 27th world medal and breaks the record for total world and Olympic medals combined, passing Larisa Latynina, who represented the Soviet Union. Biles now has 34 world and Olympic medals: 27 world championship medals — 21 of which are gold — and seven Olympic medals.
    The reigning all-around world champion, Rebeca Andrade of Brazil, won the silver medal, and Biles’ teammate, Shilese Jones, claimed the bronze.  For the first time in the history of the sport, the world all-around podium was comprised of three Black gymnasts.
    In the all-around final, gymnasts must compete on all four events: vault, uneven bars, balance beam and floor. Biles set the tone for her competition with a stuck landing on her first skill. She did not compete her eponymous Yurchenko double pike vault, but opted for a Cheng and scored a 15.100.
    Biles then moved to the uneven bars, where she delivered a clean routine for a 14.333. The event is the only apparatus where Biles did not top the standings in the qualification round, but she will still be in the uneven bars final on Saturday.
    She wobbled at the beginning of her performance on the balance beam but delivered a confident routine after a shaky start. With just under a point lead over Jones and Andrade going into the fourth and final rotation, Biles needed a score of 12.901 to win the gold medal. She stumbled on a dance skill, but hit all of her tumbling passes to score a 14.533.
    Biles’ individual all-around win came two days after she led the U.S. women’s team to their seventh consecutive gold medal. The team competition started on a tough note for Team USA, with Joscelyn Roberson, who trains alongside Biles at World Champions Centre in Spring, Texas, sustaining an injury in warmups and being carried off the podium before the first rotation. Roberson appeared to land at a low angle while she was warming up for a difficult vault called the “Cheng,” which Biles also performs.
    Regardless, that day the U.S. team finished more than two points ahead of the silver medal-winning team, Brazil. Biles competed on all four events, anchored the final rotation and delivered the floor routine that clinched the team gold. On Wednesday her score of 15.166 was the highest floor score of the championships.
    Biles also became the oldest U.S. woman to ever win a world championship medal at age 26.
    Biles already has two gold medals from these world championships, but she still has plenty of competition ahead of her. She qualified for every possible final, including every individual apparatus final. Biles qualified in first place for the all-around, vault, floor exercise and balance beam finals and in fifth place for the uneven bars final.
    In the qualification round Sunday, Biles became the first woman to land a new vault, the Yurchenko double pike, successfully getting the skill named after her in the code of points. It has been awarded a difficulty score of 6.4 — the highest of any vault in women’s gymnastics — and will be called the “Biles II,” as it is her second original skill on the apparatus.
    Sunday also marked her return to international competition after she struggled with the “twisties“ and pulled out of multiple events at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.