Articles by Steven Gilchrist

Located in eastern Africa, Ethiopia is the second most populated nation on the African continent. Ethiopia is also the oldest independent country in Africa. On November 4, 2020 a conflict started when Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed ordered a military attack against regional forces in the Tigray section of Ethiopia. Tigray is the northernmost regional state in Ethiopia. Tigray is the 5th most populated of the 11 regional states in Ethiopia. The regional states are divided by ethnicity. The orchestrated military offensive was the result of a long-standing feud between the Ethiopian government and influential political leaders in Tigray.  The Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) has been designated a terrorist organization by the Ethiopian government. Opposition forces in Tigray have formed the Tigray Defense Forces (TDF) which includes TPLF and non-TPLF members. The ongoing conflict has left and estimated 10,000 people dead and over 350,000 people on the brink of starvation.

Located in southeastern Africa, Zimbabwe is a landlocked nation with a population of approximately 15 million people. A former colony of Great Britain, Zimbabwe's independence was officially recognized on April 18, 1980. Currently, there are 16 official languages spoken in Zimbabwe. In 2003, the Zimbabwean economy collapsed. This economic collapse led to millions of Zimbabweans fleeing the country. The economic problems resulted in about 3/4 of Zimbabwe's citizens to live on less than $1 (U.S.) dollar/day. Modern Zimbabwe has one of the highest inflation rates of any nation in the world. In 2019, inflation in Zimbabwe drastically increased. Furthermore, in 2020, export revenues declined due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The World Food Program estimates that over 2 million Zimbabweans are at risk for food insecurity caused by frequent droughts, fuel shortages, lack of clean drinking water, power outages, and poverty. Facts about Zimbabwe: Chief of State: President Emmerson Dambudzo

In December 2021, the United States Congress passed H.R. 55 also known as the Emmett Till Antilynching Act. Originally introduced by U.S. Rep Bobby L. Rush (D-Illinois) this legislation would make lynching a federal hate crime. The H.R. 55 legislation would be the first time in American history where lynching would be considered a federal hate crime. According to research from the Equal Justice Initiative, from 1865 to 1950 more than 6,500 African Americans were lynched in the United States. Regarding the passage of the Emmett Till Antilynching Act, Representative Rush said: "It has been more than 120 years since the first antilynching bill was introduced in Congress. Despite nearly 200 attempts since then to codify lynching as a federal crime, it has never been done. The Emmett Till Antilynching Act would correct this historical injustice and ensure that the full force of the United States federal government is always brought to prosecute those who commit the monstrous act of lyn

Boston, MA. - On June 4, 1979, Proclamation 4664 was issued by President Jimmy Carter. This Presidential Proclamation established National POW/MIA Recognition Day. This day of recognition honors American service members who were imprisoned and returned and also those who remain unaccounted for from military conflicts. POW/MIA plaque & seat, MA State House Last year, National POW/MIA Recognition Day was held on September 16, 2021. In paying tribute to American service members who are still missing, President Joe Biden said: "On National POW/MIA Recognition Day, we remember the debt we owe to them and to their families. We pay tribute to our former prisoners of war and recommit to the difficult but essential task of seeking out answers for the families of those still missing. We will always remember and honor our Nation's prisoners of war and those still missing in action, and keep faith with our promise as a Nation to bring all of our heroes home."  At the Massachusett