Category: Afro Briefs

Parents who want to keep their children off of Facebook may have an alternative wth a new social networking site that captures many of Facebook’s facets, but is geared for younger users. Togetherville is a social networking site that targets children ages 6 to 10 with content that is more age-appropriate. Parents can create their […]

As mobile phones began to increase in popularity, concerns arose that long-term cell phone could cause brain tumors. But a major, decade-long international study which researchers hoped would settle the issue has instead proved inconclusive. According to The Associated Press, a 10-year survey of almost 13,000 participants found most cell phone use did not increase […]

A new type of obesity surgery currently being tested is incision-free, entering through the mouth and throat to snap staples in the patient’s stomach. The scar-free procedure, in which a tube is inserted through the mouth, is designed to help patients feel full more quickly. Doctors say the preliminary results from patients in the U.S. […]

Ali-Ollie Woodson, former lead singer of pioneering Motown quintet The Temptations, died May 30. He was 58. According to The Associated Press, the singer, whose voice helped restore the group’s fame in the ‘80s and ‘90s, died in southern California after suffering from cancer. Although he was not an original member of The Temptations, Woodson […]

According to BlackAmericaWeb.com, prosecutors in the war crimes trial against former Liberian leader Charles Taylor will call supermodel Naomi Campbell as a witness to Taylor’s involvement with “blood diamonds.” The diamonds, which refer to those mined in a war zone and then sold to benefit a warlord, have been at the center of several human […]

After suffering a brain hemorrhage last week, Gary Coleman, 42, died at a Salt Lake City, Utah, hospital. His wife, Shannon Price, requested Coleman be taken off life support, according to reports. But Coleman’s estranged relatives are questioning why a police investigation has not been launched into the “Dif’frent Strokes” stars’ death. Coleman allegedly fell […]

Former “Diff’rent Strokes” star Gary Coleman, died May 28 after suffering an intracranial hemorrhage. He was 42. According to multiple news sources, Coleman was hospitalized Wednesday, May 26 after injuring his head in a fall at his home near Salt Lake City. The fall resulted in a brain hemorrhage, but his family said he was […]

Girl Scouts of the USA announced on May 25 that the organization has joined the National Urban League’s “I am Empowered” campaign. “The National Urban League and Girl Scouts have much in common,” Kathy Cloninger, CEO of Girl Scouts of the USA said in a press release. “Both organizations are committed to empowering people—all people, […]

The trial of a former Chicago police officer accused of overseeing the torture of more than 100 Black men that confessed to crimes they didn’t commit began on May 24. ?Former Cmdr. Jon Burge faces charges of perjury and obstruction of justice, and prosecutors say detectives under his command in the 1980s tortured suspects until […]

A White Georgia high school history teacher could lose her job after permitting advanced placement students to wear mock Ku Klux Klan uniforms at school to film a class project on May 20. Teacher Catherine Ariemma is currently on administrative leave and could face suspension or termination. According to the Associated Press, four Lumpkin County […]

Bushmeat, a highly valued commodity in Africa, may expose Americans to an HIV-like virus, among other deadly and infectious diseases, according to the Grio.com. According to scientists and wildlife advocates, the increasing demand for bushmeat in various African communities across the U.S. is putting public health in America at risk. The meat is often smuggled […]

The lone survivor of the 2007 brutal attack that claimed the lives of three Newark, N.J., natives recently graduated from college, Blackvoices.com reported. Natasha Aeriel received her degree from Delaware State University on May 23, one day prior to the conviction of Rodolfo Godinez, the first of six defendants to be charged in the case. […]