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Gambian Lawmakers Refuse To Lift Ban On Skin-bleaching Products

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Gambian Lawmakers Refuse To Lift Ban On Skin-bleaching Products

A government proposal to lift a ban on skin-bleaching products which are widely used across Africa has been rejected by Gambian lawmakers.

Skin lightening is also practised in other parts of the world such as South Asia and the Middle East, and is particularly popular among women. But it is controversial, with many people arguing that the phenomenon is a toxic legacy of colonialism and that the bleaching agents used to lighten skin pose health risks.

Yahya Jammeh, who for 22 years ruled the tiny West African state with an iron fist, banned the practice in 1996. The former president fled The Gambia in 2017 after losing presidential elections to a relative unknown, Adama Barrow.

READ ALSO: Ambode, Ribadu, Others Make List As APC Raises New Committee Ahead Of 2023

Barrow’s government sought to lift the skin-bleaching ban last year, arguing that it discriminated against women. Justice Minister Dawda Jallow also argued that criminalising people for using cosmetic products was an unfair punishment. However, on Monday, several lawmakers argued in favour of maintaining the ban, citing health or religious reasons.

“The chemicals used in the production of skin-bleaching creams are hazardous to human health,” Momodou Camara, an MP, told the assembly. Twenty-three MPs voted to uphold the ban, with 10 votings to repeal it, an AFP journalist said. Other MPs were either not present in the chamber, or abstained from voting. [AFP]

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Grandchildren Abandon Nelson Mandela’s Mansion, Unable To Pay Bills

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The last place former South African President Nelson Mandela called home has been abandoned.

The mansion on 12th Avenue in Houghton was being occupied by his grandchildren.

They moved out after the power was cut due to unpaid utility bills.

The grandchildren say they are supposed to be paid by the Nelson Rolihlala Mandela Trust.

10 years after the statesman’s death, his estate has still not been wound up.

In an eNCA exclusive, senior reporter Silindelo Masikane sat down with Mbuso Mandela, who accuses executors of the trust of collusion.

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Ex-president  Jailed For Corruption

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Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz

Mauritania’s former president, Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz, has been sentenced to five years in prison for money laundering and “illicit enrichment”.

Abdel Aziz led the West African country for a decade after coming to power in a 2008 coup and was an ally of Western powers fighting Islamist militants in the Sahel region. He had been on trial since January and denied corruption allegations.

The court found Abdel Aziz guilty of two of 10 charges late on Monday, following an inquiry into allegations of embezzlement of public property and corruption.

One of his lawyers called the ruling “a political verdict targeting a man and his family”. Prosecutors said the former head of state’s conviction was historic.

The court, which specialises in corruption and economic crimes, acquitted some of Abdel Aziz’s associates who had also been on trial, including two former prime ministers.

Abdel Aziz was succeeded in 2019 by a political ally, Mohamed Ould Ghazouani, who remains president, but Abdel Aziz’s government quickly came under scrutiny over actions including deals on offshore oil projects.

Abdel Aziz has the option of appealing his sentence at the Supreme Court.

Reuters

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Israel-Hamas Truce To Begin At 7am On Friday With First Hostages To Be Freed, Says Qatar

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Thirteen women and children being held hostage by fighters in Gaza will be the first to be released – as the temporary truce in Gaza between Israel and Hamas begins at 7am local time (5am UK time) on Friday, Qatar has said.

Dr Majed al Ansari, spokesperson for Qatar’s foreign ministry, said it had received a list of the civilians to be freed around 4pm local time (2pm UK time) tomorrow – and families would be given priority.

He said it was expected Israel would release Palestinian prisoners in return as part of the deal.

“We are hoping that we don’t see any further delays,” he said.

“I think we have reached a point now where everything is in place, we are ready to go on the ground.”

The deal, agreed following talks mediated by Qatar, Egypt and the US, will include the Red Cross visiting the hostages and bringing medicines to them.

It would also mean hundreds of trucks carrying humanitarian, medical and fuel supplies would be allowed to enter Gaza, while Israel would halt all air missions over southern Gaza and maintain a daily six-hour daytime no-fly window in the north.

Dr al Ansari said humanitarian aid would start flowing into Gaza as soon as the truce begins, adding it was “a fraction” of what it needs.

The ceasefire had been set to take effect at 10am local time on Thursday (8am UK time) – after six weeks of fighting.

The structured agreement was reached and confirmed on Wednesday morning, but more than a day later an expected announcement of the official start time had yet to materialise.

Asked about the delay by reporters at a news conference in Doha, Dr al Ansari said discussions had been “very difficult and detailed”.

“We wanted to make sure that nothing would cause harm in the process of getting the hostages out, and the perimeters of the agreement are agreed upon in the operational sense, on both sides,” he said.

He added the temporary truce includes a comprehensive ceasefire in both north and southern Gaza – and it was hoped it will lead to a permanent truce.

Hamas has agreed to free 50 Israeli women and child hostages held by fighters in Gaza, in exchange for Israel releasing 150 Palestinian women and children from Israeli jails.

Israel had said the truce could last beyond the initial four days as long as the fighters free at least 10 hostages per day.

A Palestinian source has told the Reuters news agency a second wave of releases could see as many as 100 hostages freed by the end of the month.

Both sides have said they will go back to fighting once the truce is over.
Sky News

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