Man cured of sickle cell, opioids in aid flour Gaza authorities say and other stories from Black, Asian and Arab communities you shouldn't have missed this week - curated by Melissa Sigodo
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This week, the world stood on the brink of a potential WW3 after Israel attacked Iran. As this news dominated the headlines, plenty of hugely important stories slipped through the cracks. But as usual, I’ve recapped them for you so please share this newsletter with others who will also find it informative.
This week, you also may have noticed you did not get your weekly news story. I am aiming for it will be out tomorrow though so please look out for it. It is important.
Despite the lack of story, it hasn’t been a quiet week. On Tuesday, I hosted a Twitter Space about the Windrush scandal and the compensation scheme which victims say is designed to fail. For those of you unfamiliar, the Windrush scandal saw mainly Black British citizens stripped of their rights with many detained or deported. It was exposed in 2018 but since then, over 50 people have died waiting for their compensation, while others are still waiting or fighting for their citizenship to be reinstated.
I was joined on the space by lawyers, advocates, academics and most importantly, the victims who shared their heartbreaking stories. We had about 500 live listeners and about 400 people have listened to the recording which you can also listen to here. We are seeing many similarities with the Windrush scandal and what is unfolding in the US with Trump’s new immigration laws and the use of ICE agents. So for those of you in the States, it is definitely worth a listen.
So, the reason for the delayed newsletter this week is due to the fact that I am writing this with sore arms after attending my first-ever dodgeball game yesterday. You may remember the great story that The Source contributor Arike Idris wrote about The Dodge Club which was also picked up by BBC Radio London after we broke it, and it was a pleasure to be invited to try it out. I’m pleased to say that The Source was part of the winning team as Arike made it to the final. We’ve made a video about our first time playing dodgeball so do look out for that coming soon. I think you’ll find it quite entertaining, even if it’s at our expense.
Also follow us on Instagram for more content @thesourcenewsletter as well as TikTok @thesourcenewsletter.
Here’s a preview of what you can catch over on our socials and I hope it will brighten the end of your weekend. I personally had a great time making this video.
There’s a huge chunk of world news in the newsletter this week including some deeply disturbing reports from in Gaza where Palestinians continue to be killed while trying to access aid.
So, without further ado, here are the important stories you shouldn’t have missed this week.
Top stories
Marcus Monzo who killed 14-year-old Daniel Anjorin has been sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 38 years. He was found guilty of murdering the teenager who was on his way to school when he was attacked by Monzo with a sword. Read the full story by Lucy Manning and Cachella Smith at the BBC.
The father of Daniel Anjorin described how he ran out of his home on the day his son was murdered and found him lying on the ground ‘in a pool of blood.’ In a personal statement he told the Old Bailey that after discovering his son he “reached down, called his name and held his head.” Read the full story by Amy-Clare Martin at The Independent.
Two police officers who conducted the strip-search of a 15-year-old Black schoolgirl (known as Child Q) while she was on her period, exposing her intimate parts while no appropriate adult was present - committed gross misconduct and have now been fired. In a statement, the girl said ‘she did not know if she could feel normal again.’ The panel said they did not find that race played a part in how she was treated. Read the full story by ITV News.
Good News
A man says his life has changed after becoming one of the first people to be cured of sickle cell thanks to a stem-cell transplant from one of his sisters. After battling the disease for forty years, J’rimaya Okojie was told he was cured following the pioneering treatment. Read the full story by Savannah Nicholson at The Argus.
Four-time Olympic champion Mo Farah has been awarded an honorary degree from Oxford University. The athlete who was trafficked to the UK as a child, entered the history books by becoming the first British athlete to run the 5,000m in less than 13 minutes and became Britain’s first 5,000m world champion in 2011. Read the full story by Matt Simpson at Oxford Mail.
Education
A 21-year-old woman who grew up in care was only able to complete eight months of school in six years due to being moved around to 14 different homes between the ages of 13 and 18. Lesha from West Sussex says that authorities did not prioritise her education. Read the full story by Sam Harrison at BBC.
Tributes
Tributes have been paid to a “genuinely lovely” 15-year-old boy who died while swimming in Ireland. Kofi Owusu was in the water with friends under a footbridge near Laytown Beach before he went out of sight. Read the full story by Olivia Kelleher at The Irish Times.
Tributes have been paid to the “legendary” defence lawyer Courtenay Griffiths who has died aged 69. He was one of the first Black lawyers to achieve queen’s counsel status in Britain and was said to have “considered it his duty to open doors” and give opportunities to those may go without. Read the full story by Chris Osuh at The Guardian.
Policing
Black children arrested by police are a staggering 15 per cent more likely to be “criminalised” than white children who are arrested for similar offences, a study has found. Black children are also less likely to be offered the resources including mentoring to help them avoid ending up with a criminal record. Read the full story by Vikram Dodd at The Guardian.
Male Violence Against Women and Girls
A silent walk has been held to mark the third year anniversary of Zara Aleena who was murdered and raped as she walked home after seeing friends. Jordan McSweeney who had stalked the law graduate before attacking her had been released from prison nine days earlier. Read the full story by Helen William at The Independent.
A man who stabbed his wife to death while she pushed their baby in a pram has been found guilty of murder. Habibur Masum tracked Kulsuma Akter to her women’s refuge before attacking her in broad daylight and walking away. Watch the report by Sky News.
Health
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