Latest news with #Alliance
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Giant of African literature Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o dies aged 87
Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o, who has died aged 87, was a titan of modern African literature - a storyteller who refused to be bound by jail, exile and illness. His work spanned roughly six decades, primarily documenting the transformation of his country - Kenya - from a colonial subject to a democracy. Ngũgĩ was tipped to win the Nobel Prize for Literature countless times, leaving fans dismayed each time the medal slipped through his fingers. He will be remembered not only as a Nobel-worthy writer, but also as a fierce proponent of literature written in native African languages. Ngũgĩ was born James Thiong'o Ngũgĩ in 1938, when Kenya was under British colonial rule. He grew up in the town of Limuru among a large family of low-income agricultural workers. His parents scrimped and saved to pay for his tuition at Alliance, a boarding school run by British missionaries. In an interview, Ngũgĩ recalled returning home from Alliance at the end of term to find his entire village had been razed by the colonial authorities. His family members were among the hundreds and thousands forced to live in detention camps during a crackdown on the Mau Mau, a movement of independence fighters. The Mau Mau uprising, which lasted from 1952 to 1960, touched Ngũgĩ's life in numerous, devastating ways. In one of the most crushing, Ngũgĩ's brother, Gitogo, was fatally shot in the back for refusing to comply with a British soldier's command. Gitogo had not heard the command because he was deaf. In 1959, as the British struggled to maintain their grip on Kenya, Ngũgĩ left to study in Uganda. He enrolled at Makerere University, which remains one of Africa's most prestigious universities. During a writers' conference at Makerere, Ngũgĩ shared the manuscript for his debut novel with revered Nigerian author Chinua Achebe. Achebe forwarded the manuscript to his publisher in the UK and the book, named Weep Not, Child, was released to critical acclaim in 1964. It was the first major English-language novel to be written by an East African. Ngũgĩ swiftly followed up with two more popular novels, A Grain of Wheat and The River Between. In 1972, the UK's Times newspaper said Ngũgĩ, then aged 33, was "accepted as one of Africa's outstanding contemporary writers". Then came 1977 - a period that marked a huge change in Ngũgĩ's life and career. For starters, this was the year he became Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o and shed his birth name, James. Ngũgĩ made the change as he wanted a name free of colonial influence. He also dropped English as the primary language for his literature and vowed to only write in his mother tongue, Kikuyu. He published his last English language novel, Petals of Blood, in 1977. Ngũgĩ's previous books had been critical of the colonial state, but Petals of Blood attacked the new leaders of independent Kenya, portraying them as an elite class who had betrayed ordinary Kenyans. Ngũgĩ didn't stop there. The same year, he co-wrote the play Ngaahika Ndeenda (I Will Marry When I Want), which was a searing look at Kenya's class struggle. Its theatre run was shut down by the government of then President Jomo Kenyatta and Ngũgĩ was locked up in a maximum security jail for a year without trial. It was a fruitful 12 months, however - as Ngũgĩ wrote his first Kikuyu novel, Devil on the Cross, while in prison. It is said he used toilet paper to write the entire book, as he did not have access to a notebook. Ngũgĩ was released after Daniel arap Moi replaced Mr Kenyatta as president. Ngũgĩ said that four years later, while in London for a book launch, he learnt there was a plot to kill him on his return to Kenya. Ngũgĩ began self-imposed exile in the UK and then the US. He did not return to Kenya for 22 years. When he finally did return, he received a hero's welcome - thousands of Kenyans turned out to greet him. But the homecoming was marred when assailants broke into Ngũgĩ's apartment, brutally attacking the author and raping his wife. Ngũgĩ insisted the assault was "political". He returned to the US, where he had held professorships at universities including Yale, New York and California Irvine. In academia and beyond, Ngũgĩ became known as one of the foremost advocates of literature written in African languages. Throughout his career - and to this day - African literature was dominated by books written in English or French, official languages in most countries on the continent. "What is the difference between a politician who says Africa cannot do without imperialism and the writer who says Africa cannot do without European languages?" Ngũgĩ asked in a seminal, fiery essay collection, named Decolonising the Mind. In one section, Ngũgĩ called out Chinua Achebe - the author who helped to launch his career - for writing in English. Their friendship soured as a result. Away from his literary career, Ngũgĩ was married - and divorced - twice. He had nine children, four of whom are published authors. "My own family has become one of my literary rivals," Ngũgĩ joked in a 2020 LA Times interview. His son, Mukoma wa Ngũgĩ, has alleged that his mother was physically abused by Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o. "Some of my earliest memories are me going to visit her at my grandmother's where she would seek refuge," his son wrote in a social media post, which Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o did not respond to. Later in his life, Ngũgĩ's health deteriorated. He had triple heart bypass surgery in 2019 and began to struggle with kidney failure. In 1995, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer and given three months to live. Ngũgĩ recovered, however, adding cancer to the lengthy list of struggles he had overcome. But now one of African literature's guiding lights - as Nigerian writer Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie once called him - is gone, leaving the world of words a little darker. Ngugi wa Thiong'o and his son discuss family and writing Why Tanzanian Nobel laureate Abdulrazak Gurnah is hardly known back home Africa's lost languages: How English can fuel an identity crisis Go to for more news from the African continent. Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica Africa Daily Focus on Africa
Belfast Telegraph
11 hours ago
- Belfast Telegraph
NI politician caught up in Liverpool victory parade terror believes ‘lucky' decision saved her
Sharon Lowry, an Alliance councillor, was speaking in the aftermath of the celebration that turned into scenes of 'chaos and panic' on Monday. She recalled the emotive day as Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council unanimously agreed to send a letter of support to Liverpool FC and the city's Mayor. It followed a proposal by DUP Alderman Paul Porter. Ms Lowry said: 'I just feel so blessed. We had just been on Water Street about five minutes before the horrific incident, but we decided to walk to another area, as it was just too busy. 'I was over with my husband. We have been Liverpool fans for many years having been childhood sweethearts together and we wanted to be part of a fantastic day of celebrations, which it was until that car came crashing through the crowd of supporters. 'As you can imagine it had been an amazing day. The city was just red. Everybody was just so cheerful. It took quite a long time for the parade to get where we were, then everything went into a panic.' It is estimated up to a million people took to the streets of Liverpool to celebrate the team taking the Premiership League title. Over 65 people are reported to have been injured as a vehicle hit the crowds on Water Street at approximately 6pm on Monday, with 27 – including two children – taken for hospital treatment. Four people remain in hospital. A 53-year-old man from West Derby, Merseyside, has been arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving and driving under the influence of drugs. He remains in custody. Ms Lowry added: 'We had actually been on Water Street just after the parade passed, which was about 5.50pm. 'We had decided to walk up from The Strand to Water Street, but it just looked too busy and we were standing there for about five minutes, then we decided to just take another route, so went back on to The Strand. 'Then literally five minutes after we made that decision, the car came through into the crowd. 'The news just started to come through as we were walking on towards Lime Street train station on our way to get the Liverpool boat back home. You could hear the sirens going off. 'I had actually gone into a bar to use the bathroom and when I came out there was a girl in absolute floods of tears. I was like, oh my goodness are you ok? She said, 'did you not hear what just happened?'' She added: "People on the streets were just getting bits and pieces of information and thinking after seeing the video that the people knocked down and stuck under the car must not have survived. 'I'm not going to lie, I was actually full of panic myself, we just didn't know if this was an attack or an accident and if it was the end of it or if there was more to come. 'Word was spreading right through the crowds. Some random guy showed me the video of the incident and it was just horrific scenes of bodies flying in the air, just awful. 'We were all being herded in one direction away from Water Street so I can only imagine that on the other side of the crowd at Water Street, it was just pure chaos and panic.' Watch: Liverpool flags erected in Carrickfergus The eyewitness accounts of Northern Ireland couple Jack Trotter and his girlfriend Abbie Gallagher have been on several TV stations. The Co Down man, who pleaded for the driver to stop, is a family friend of the councillor. Ms Lowry added: 'We just couldn't believe it, the mood in the city just dramatically changed, very subdued panic in the air. All the train stations were suddenly shut down, people couldn't get out, they were panicking. 'People were on their phones, but the signal wasn't great, because obviously hundreds of thousands of people were trying to get on their phones. 'My phone was pinging non-stop with messages from my family and friends back home to check if we were ok as they knew we were right there. We were very lucky. 'They were especially checking for my nephew back home who was very concerned as he is actually a good friend of the young fella who was interviewed (Jack Trotter) 'It was a really sad end to what had been a fantastic celebration, I just hope that everyone is ok especially those who remain in hospital and I wish them a speedy recovery.'
LBCI
13 hours ago
- General
- LBCI
Zelensky urges NATO to invite Ukraine to June summit
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday urged NATO to invite Kyiv to a summit of the alliance in June, warning that excluding his country would be a victory for Russia. "If Ukraine is not present at the NATO summit, it will be a victory for Putin, but not over Ukraine, but over NATO. Therefore, the decision lies with our partners," Zelensky told a press conference alongside German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. AFP
India Today
15 hours ago
- Automotive
- India Today
We are not going anywhere, says Nissan as it reveals expansion plans
Nissan currently sells the Magnite and the X-Trail in India. Putting to rest all rumours surrounding the future of Nissan Motor India, the carmaker's Managing Director Saurabh Vatsa today said that the Magnite-maker is not leaving the country as it plans to introduce three new models over the next two years. Nissan, which currently sells only the Magnite and the X-Trail in India, will launch a new sub-4 metre MPV in the first quarter of 2026. In mid-2026, the carmaker will introduce a mid-size SUV, which will rival the Hyundai Creta and the Kia Seltos, among others. A third car, which will be a 7-seater SUV, will enter the market in early 2027. According to Nissan, the MPV will be based on the same platform as the Renault Triber, while the mid-size SUV will take inspiration from the popular Nissan Patrol in terms of design. New Nissan cars for India During a select media briefing, Vatsa said: "Nissan has had a very long stint in India, and we are not going anywhere." The new models are not just quick additions but competitive vehicles offering value-for-money, he said, adding that they will be aggressive in style and have advanced features. While the X-Trail is available in India as a completely built-up (CBU) model, the Magnite is manufactured at the company's Alliance plant in Oragadam, Chennai. Although Renault is set to acquire Nissan's complete stake (51%) in the Alliance facility, it will continue to produce Nissan cars, including the three upcoming models. For reference, the Alliance plant has an annual installed production capacity of 4,80,000 units. Even though the X-Trail has struggled to attract buyers, Vatsa stated that other CBU models are currently being actively evaluated for the Indian market. Nissan's dealership expansion plan While Nissan currently has 160 dealerships across the country, Vatsa said that the carmaker is expecting to add 20 more dealerships to its network this year. "There's a special program that we have rolled out for our partners to get ready for the next year as the new cars start coming in," he added. Nissan's volume target Nissan's domestic sales dropped 7.51% to 27,881 units in FY25 from 30,146 units in FY24. However, the exports jumped 65.93% to 71,334 units in FY25 from 42,989 units in FY24. With new models arriving, the carmaker is targeting volumes of 1,00,000 units for the domestic market and another 1,00,000 units for exports by FY27. "We are on track to go to 1,00,000 units domestic and 100,000 units export in FY27," Vatsa said. Nissan Magnite CNG Expanding the Magnite portfolio, Nissan introduced a retrofit CNG kit option for the SUV earlier in the day. It is priced at Rs 74,999. Developed by Motozen, the retrofit CNG kit for the Magnite comes with a 3-year or 1,00,000 kilometre warranty. The installation will be carried out exclusively at government-authorised fitment centres. At present, the retrofit CNG kit option is available in seven states: Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Kerala, Karnataka and Delhi-NCR. Subscribe to Auto Today Magazine Putting to rest all rumours surrounding the future of Nissan Motor India, the carmaker's Managing Director Saurabh Vatsa today said that the Magnite-maker is not leaving the country as it plans to introduce three new models over the next two years. Nissan, which currently sells only the Magnite and the X-Trail in India, will launch a new sub-4 metre MPV in the first quarter of 2026. In mid-2026, the carmaker will introduce a mid-size SUV, which will rival the Hyundai Creta and the Kia Seltos, among others. A third car, which will be a 7-seater SUV, will enter the market in early 2027. According to Nissan, the MPV will be based on the same platform as the Renault Triber, while the mid-size SUV will take inspiration from the popular Nissan Patrol in terms of design. New Nissan cars for India During a select media briefing, Vatsa said: "Nissan has had a very long stint in India, and we are not going anywhere." The new models are not just quick additions but competitive vehicles offering value-for-money, he said, adding that they will be aggressive in style and have advanced features. While the X-Trail is available in India as a completely built-up (CBU) model, the Magnite is manufactured at the company's Alliance plant in Oragadam, Chennai. Although Renault is set to acquire Nissan's complete stake (51%) in the Alliance facility, it will continue to produce Nissan cars, including the three upcoming models. For reference, the Alliance plant has an annual installed production capacity of 4,80,000 units. Even though the X-Trail has struggled to attract buyers, Vatsa stated that other CBU models are currently being actively evaluated for the Indian market. Nissan's dealership expansion plan While Nissan currently has 160 dealerships across the country, Vatsa said that the carmaker is expecting to add 20 more dealerships to its network this year. "There's a special program that we have rolled out for our partners to get ready for the next year as the new cars start coming in," he added. Nissan's volume target Nissan's domestic sales dropped 7.51% to 27,881 units in FY25 from 30,146 units in FY24. However, the exports jumped 65.93% to 71,334 units in FY25 from 42,989 units in FY24. With new models arriving, the carmaker is targeting volumes of 1,00,000 units for the domestic market and another 1,00,000 units for exports by FY27. "We are on track to go to 1,00,000 units domestic and 100,000 units export in FY27," Vatsa said. Nissan Magnite CNG Expanding the Magnite portfolio, Nissan introduced a retrofit CNG kit option for the SUV earlier in the day. It is priced at Rs 74,999. Developed by Motozen, the retrofit CNG kit for the Magnite comes with a 3-year or 1,00,000 kilometre warranty. The installation will be carried out exclusively at government-authorised fitment centres. At present, the retrofit CNG kit option is available in seven states: Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Kerala, Karnataka and Delhi-NCR. Subscribe to Auto Today Magazine Join our WhatsApp Channel
Yahoo
18 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Sino Group Launches the First Partnership Programme with Suppliers to Build a Green Supply Chain 'Supplier Climate Alliance' Fosters Cross-Sector Collaboration
HONG KONG, May 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Corporate carbon management and climate disclosure have gained significant importance and are recognised as vital steps towards achieving carbon neutrality. The 'Supplier Climate Alliance' (the 'Alliance'), one of the first local initiatives aimed at raising awareness about climate change among suppliers, was officially launched. Through this initiative, Sino Group aims to foster cross-sector collaboration among industry players, academia, and the wider business community to engage climate-conscious suppliers, promote carbon management, encourage the disclosure of greenhouse gas emissions data, and ultimately contribute to a more sustainable supply chain. The 'Supplier Climate Alliance' is an initiative led by Sino Group, with SGS Hong Kong Limited as a 'Strategic Partner' to support the professional verification of carbon data. The Alliance also collaborates with the Centre for Civil Society and Governance of The University of Hong Kong, Ernst & Young, the SME Sustainability Society, and the World Wide Fund for Nature Hong Kong as 'Knowledge Partners' to share their carbon management insights and experiences. Participating suppliers are encouraged to engage in workshops and sign the Carbon Management Pledge as a commitment to decarbonisation. The Alliance recently held a launch ceremony and thematic panel discussion, attended by Mr Arthur Lee, Commissioner for Climate Change at the Environment and Ecology Bureau of the HKSAR Government, Mr Paul Chow, Group General Counsel and Group Chief Sustainability Officer, Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited, Ms Miranda Kwan, Director of Business Assurance, SGS Hong Kong Limited, Ms Cindy Chow, Chief Financial Officer & Associate Director (Finance) of Sino Group, and over 50 supplier representatives from various sectors. At the launch ceremony of the Supplier Climate Alliance, Mr Arthur Lee, Commissioner for Climate Change at the Environment and Ecology Bureau of the HKSAR Government, remarked, 'The Hong Kong SAR Government is actively developing a sustainability disclosure ecosystem with the aim of realising the vision of carbon neutrality by 2050 and meeting the national "3060 Dual Carbon Targets". Green transformation at an early stage will enable businesses to contribute to society and gain a competitive edge in the future low-carbon economy. I hope to see more suppliers joining the cause of carbon reduction and embarking on the green transformation of Hong Kong with us, so as to build a low-carbon future for our next generation.' Ms Cindy Chow, Chief Financial Officer & Associate Director (Finance) of Sino Group, said, 'Climate change is a significant global issue. We firmly believe that, in addition to enhancing our own climate resilience, we must collaborate with one another. We are delighted to launch the "Supplier Climate Alliance" with the support of various sectors, combining everyone's expertise and efforts to promote a sustainable supply chain in Hong Kong. We would also like to express our heartfelt gratitude to the Environment and Ecology Bureau and Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Limited for their ongoing leadership and support in promoting sustainable development for local businesses. We look forward to implementing more carbon reduction measures and actions by connecting with like-minded partners and working together to build a sustainable city.' The Alliance will provide regular learning experiences, including knowledge exchange and professional training, aimed at helping suppliers and their employees with essential knowledge about greenhouse gas emissions data collection while seeking to inspire them to strengthen their carbon management and implement best practices. Additionally, the Alliance will host various experiential activities to raise participants' awareness about carbon reduction, including 'Farm Together' workshops, snorkelling experiences with understanding coral restoration at Ocean Park, and visits to Sino Inno Lab and The Spark. Approximately 40 suppliers have joined the Alliance, with more than half committing to the Carbon Management Pledge in alignment with Sino Group's 'Sustainability Vision 2030' and the reduction targets for Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions while enhancing climate-related information disclosure and carbon management reporting. Ms Miranda Kwan, Director of Business Assurance, SGS Hong Kong Limited, remarked, 'SGS is delighted to be part of the Supplier Climate Alliance, supporting the professional verification of carbon data in Sino Group's supply chain. We are also grateful to witness Sino Group be among the first batch of local developers to receive the ISO 20400:2017 Sustainable Procurement – Guidance, incorporating sustainability principles into supply chain management.' Sino Group is dedicated to integrating sustainable development into all aspects of its business and operations, encouraging colleagues, tenants, and residents to embrace sustainability together. The recently held 'Sino Sustainability Month' featured ten diverse tours, seminars, and experiential activities, attracting over 200 employees to participate. Programmes included discussions on ESG trends, 'Farm Together' workshops, snorkelling experiences, visits to the EcoBricks factory, food waste upcycling workshops, and more. These activities aimed to inspire participants to adopt a sustainability-focused mindset and integrate sustainable practices into their daily lives. 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