Man given warning after feeding homeless, national disaster in Zimbabwe and other stories from Black, Asian and Arab communities living in the UK you shouldn't have missed - curated by Melissa Sigodo

The Space is back!

Good morning, afternoon or evening,

Thank you for subscribing to The Source. I hope you are all doing well.

Thank you as well to those of you who watched the trailer for my conversation with Deputy Mayor for London, Debbie Weekes-Bernard. The episode is out tomorrow at 8pm so I will send a reminder so you don’t miss it. Please don’t forget to subscribe, give it a like, share etc. It helps it succeed by reaching more people.

My YouTube channel aims to give a platform to Black people in the UK who have and are making an impact. As you are all aware, many mainstream platforms tend to amplify the voices of those who seek to make the world a much tougher place for minorities. In doing so, they are spreading their hateful rhetoric which then becomes normalised and people are led to believe that everyone holds these harmful views. The truth is that many people don’t. They just rarely get the time and space to share their opinions without being shouted down or interrupted. But the Space with Melissa Sigodo is where they can.

If you would like to support this work, please upgrade your subscription to £5 a month. Thank you to those of you who already have. If you would like to sponsor or collaborate, please do send me a message.

Otherwise, this week’s newsletter includes updates on the conflict in Congo and Sudan, doctors and NHS staff investigated or suspended over Palestine related activism, a video interview of the Superbowl performer who held flags of Sudan and Palestine during Kendrick Lamar’s set and a $10million settlement following Sonya Massey, a Black woman who was shot dead in her home.

Without further ado, here’s what you shouldn’t have missed this week.

News

Rapper Santan Dave has helped fund a new scheme that provides recovering elderly patients discharged from St George’s Hospital with essential items to help them settle back at home. The packs are provided by the Juliet O Foundation set up by his mum. Full story

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Apprentice contestant Chisola Chitambala says she hopes that her appearance on the show will “amplify visibility for Black female entrepreneurs”. The Essex based businesswoman who founded a virtual assistants company says she wants to inspire Black women. Full story by Vic Motune at The Voice

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Late British reggae icon Smiley Culture received a plaque honouring him at his former south London home. Full story by BBC

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Black History Month along with other events have been removed from Google’s calendar sparking outrage among users. Google’s spokesperson said maintaining the cultural moments “wasn’t scalable or sustainable”. Full story by Jay Peters at The Verge

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A Croydon activist, Ringo Vision who runs a mobile soup kitchen serving home-cooked meals from a shopping trolley to the homeless has been given a police warning stating his work was causing antisocial behaviour. He’s now been forced to stop helping. A petition has been launched calling for the warning to be removed. Full story by Harrison Galliven - Local Democracy Reporter

Immigration and Asylum

A Palestinian mother and father along with their children aged seven, eight, 17 and 18 who fled Gaza, have been granted the right to live in the UK following an appeal after they applied to enter the country through a Ukrainian refugee scheme. The judge said the situation in Gaza remains "exceptionally dangerous" and "dire". Full story by Sky News. However, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he did not agree with the decision to let the family settle. Full story by Rajeev Syal at The Guardian

The Home Office must pay £100,000 to an asylum seeker who was unlawfully detained after she reported to an immigration centre. Full story by Chris Osuh at The Guardian.