Headline

Chinua Achebe’s Daughter Wins Harvard Medical School Award

Published

2 years ago

July 8, 2024

Maureen Achebe, daughter of the renowned novelist, late Chinua Achebe, has received the Brigham and Women’s Hospital 2024 Faculty Development and Diversity Awards.

Her brother and chairman of the African Integrated Development Enterprise Public Benefit Corporation, Chidi Achebe, made this known in a LinkedIn post on July 2.

Chidi stated that the hospital, a premier teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School based in Boston, Massachusetts, notified Maureen of her award in a letter dated July 2, 2024, which he also shared.

The post read, “2024 Faculty Development and Diversity Awards

“To God be the glory always! Ekenedili Chukwunna! Very big deal at Harvard! All glory to God!

“Maureen Okam-Achebe, President, AIDE Healthcare International, Associate Professor, Harvard Medical School, Director, Harvard University’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital Outpatient Infusion Centre. Also Clinical Director, Non-Malignant Hematology Clinic. Director, Brigham and Women’s Hospital Sickle Cell Programme and Instructor in Medicine, Harvard Medical School. Triple-board certified in Medical Oncology, Hematology, and Internal Medicine. Alumnus of the University of Port Harcourt Medical School and the M.T. Chan Harvard School of Public Health.

“Sweetie: Very proud of you. Keep on keeping on!”

Quick facts about Maureen Achebe

Maureen Achebe earned her first medical degree from the University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria; a Haematology and Medical Oncology training at Yale School of Medicine; and a Master’s in Public Health at Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

The doctor is also an Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School; Director of Brigham and Women’s Hospital Outpatient Infusion Center; clinical director, of the Non-Malignant Hematology Clinic; director, of Brigham and Women’s Hospital sickle cell program; and instructor in medicine, at Harvard Medical School

The medical expert co-chairs the data subcommittee of the American Society of Hematology Consortium on Newborn Screening for Sickle Cell Disease in Africa.

The sub-committee seeks to demonstrate the benefits of screening and early intervention for SCD underway in seven countries in sub-Saharan Africa.

She also serves as a commissioner on the Lancet Non-Communicable Disease and Injuries Nigeria Poverty Commission as the sickle cell disease expert and guides the identification and prioritisation of policies, interventions, and integrated delivery platforms to effectively address and reduce SCD burden in the country.

The expert is actively involved in clinical trials and translational research at BWH and was an investigator in the development of two of the most recently used US FDA-approved drugs for SCD.

According to Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Maureen Achebe will be honoured for her accomplishments on October 28, 2024.

Headline

Indian Court Denies Bail To Nigerian Man Over Drug Charges

Published

4 hours ago

May 28, 2026

Editor

A court in India has denied bail to a 44-year-old Nigerian national, Cristian Soporuchukwu, who is currently facing drug trafficking charges in the country.

Cristian Soporuchukwu initially entered India on a business visa but was later arrested over allegations of involvement in the sale of hard drugs.

Reports indicated that after arriving in India, Soporuchukwu travelled through Goa, Delhi, and Mumbai, where he allegedly established links with suspected drug traffickers.

He was accused of purchasing MDMA crystals and distributing them to college students and information technology workers.

According to reports, operatives of the Beguru Police arrested Cristian Soporuchukwu in April 2025 for allegedly selling MDMA crystals around Begur Lake and the AECS Layout Road area.

The New Indian Express reported that the High Court of Karnataka subsequently dismissed the Nigerian’s bail application.

“The anti-narcotics wing seized about 1 kg of MDMA crystals, a pocket weighing machine, 10 zip-lock covers, a mobile phone and a scooter from him,” the report stated.

Justice V. Srishananda, while ruling on the bail application, reportedly held that errors relating to the grounds of arrest could not automatically justify bail in serious narcotics-related offences under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances, NDPS, Act.

The court further noted that Cristian Soporuchukwu had allegedly overstayed his visa in India, according to the report.

Headline

Strait Of Hormuz: US Announces Sanctions Against Iran

Published

5 hours ago

May 28, 2026

Editor

The United States Treasury has announced sanctions against Iran’s Persian Gulf Strait Authority.

Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent, said this in a statement on Wednesday.

The statement extended the threat of sanctions to anyone paying the fees, saying they may be providing support to and receiving services from Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, and therefore may be exposed to sanctions risk.

“The Iranian military’s latest attempt to extort global maritime trade is proof that Economic Fury has left the regime desperate for cash.

“Treasury has deprived the Iranian regime of revenue for their weapons programs, terrorist proxies, and nuclear ambitions,” Bessent said.

Bessent added that the US has succeeded in disrupting tens of billions of dollars’ worth of revenue from being accessible to Tehran.

Headline

US Launches New Airstrikes On Iran

Published

5 hours ago

May 28, 2026

Editor

The United States has launched new airstrikes in southern Iran.

The strike shot down four one-way attack drones that posed a threat around the Strait of Hormuz and then a ground control site.

A US official revealed that American forces struck an Iranian ground control station in Bandar Abbas that was about to launch a fifth drone.

The official described the strikes as purely defensive, saying the US intended to maintain the ceasefire.

Report says this is the second time in three days that the US has carried out self-defense strikes against Iranian military targets in southern Iran.

Recall that on Monday the US carried out airstrikes against Iranian missile locations and boats that US Central Command said were preparing to launch mines in the Strait of Hormuz.