Chinua Achebe, the Nigerian novelist considered the father of African literature, died March 21 in Boston. He was working as the David and Marianna Fisher University Professor and professor of Africana studies at Brown University in Rhode Island at the time of his death.

By Molly Hooven, Washington,D.C During National Poison Prevention Week, March 17-23, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) urges parents and caregivers to secure pesticides and other household chemicals in locked cabinets out of children’s reach.

By Charlene Porter, Washington, D.C The United States advocates a proposal to create a vast marine reserve in Antarctica’s Ross Sea, said Secretary of State John Kerry at a March 18 event. At the same time, he emphasized the Obama administration’s renewed focus on climate change and environmental stewardship.

St.Paul,Minn Minnesota Governor, Mark Dayton is bringing his proposed ‘Budget for a Better Minnesota’ to the people of Minnesota. In an effort to engage Minnesotans in personal conversations about his proposed investments in education, job creation, and improving the lives of middle-class families, the governor will be hosting ‘Meetings with Mark’ in communities around the state, starting with a town hall meeting in Duluth on Wednesday, March 20th at 6:00…

By Doug Schultz, St.Paul, Minn More than one million people in Minnesota rely on private wells as their source of drinking water, but too many of them are not tested on a regular basis for things that can make people sick, such as bacteria, arsenic, or nitrate. While wells can provide high quality drinking water, state health officials estimate that at any given time as many as 25 percent of…

By Chip Unruh, Washington, DC With less than 20 days remaining before Liberian refugees living legally in the United States face deportation, U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) and U.S. Representative Keith Ellison (D-MN) are calling on the Obama Administration to lift the March 31st deadline and reintroduce the Liberian Refugee Immigration Fairness Act to allow eligible Liberian nationals to continue living here legally and provide them with a path to…

St.Paul, Minn National Native HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (NNHAAD) will be observed in Minnesota and across the nation on Wednesday, March 20. The goal of the day is to raise awareness about the impact that HIV/AIDS has had on American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians and to honor those who are infected or affected or who have died due to the disease.

Laurel, Maryland, US The United States based arm of Liberia’s largest opposition political party, the Congress for Democratic Change-USA (CDC-USA) has joined the mother party in Liberia to mourn the loss of Madam Anna Moneh Quiwah, mother of the party’s political leader, Ambassador George Manneh Weah. CDC-USA is deeply saddened and expresses its heartfelt condolences to Ambassador Weah, his siblings, family members, and the entire CDC family for this irreplaceable…

By Lovetta Tugbeh The Coalition for Justice in Liberia (CJL), a U.S.-Liberia based human rights advocacy organization, in collaboration with international human rights organizations will hold a series of conferences and training during the months of March and April, to highlight the state of human rights in Liberia.

To The President of Liberia Her Excellence Madam Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Executive Mansion Monrovia, Liberia C/O Dr. Edward B. McClain, Jr. Minister of State & Chief of Staff And/or Mr. Beyan Koto, NCD Dear Madam President,