What’s At Stake: The news media applauds Basketball Africa League (BAL) which kicks off its inaugural season on May 16 at Kigali World Arena, news organizations examine the actions of the French military that resulted in civilian deaths in the nation of Mali, and media outlets report clashes and killings in Sudan.
Basketball Africa League (BAL) 2021 announces inaugural season
NBAE Amadou Gallo Fall
On March 29, Amadou Gallo Fall, Basketball Africa League (BAL) president, announced the start of the Inaugural season of the league developed as a partnership between the National Basketball Association (NBA )and the International Basketball Federation(FIBA).
“Our goal is to build a top-flight competition that will reflect the continent’s talent, passion and love for the game of basketball,” Fall said.
BAL is set to kick off its first season at the Kigali arena in Rwanda. The 12 team tournament was scheduled to debut in March 2020 but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Starting May 16, Angola, Egypt, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal, Tunisia, Algeria, Cameroon, Madagascar, Mali, Mozambique, and Rwanda will face each other in a series of 26 games concluding on May 30.
This league is applauded by athletes, fans, and media worldwide because it could be a great way for talented African players to be discovered.
U.N: French Army killed 19 Malian civilians in an airstrike
UN/C-Span UN peacekeepers return to their helicopter following a mission to the village of Sobane Da in the Mopti region of Mali.
On March 30, the United Nations(UN) revealed information about an airstrike attack conducted by the French Army on Malian territory on Jan. 3. After the attack in the village of Bounti, central Mali, French officials stated that all victims were Islamist militant. However, U.N. investigations contradict this information.
After speaking to more than 400 people in a series of interviews including at least 115 face-to-face interviews, U.N. investigators concluded that the attack resulted in the death of 22 people, including 19 civilians and three armed men, all attending a wedding. While a statement from France’s defense chief denies the U.N.’s finding, news organizations worldwide are now focused on France and its actions in Mali and neighboring countries.
Malian officials have yet to comment on the situation.
Tribal clashes in Sudan claim dozens of lives
Getty Images On April 5, the Sudanese government declared a state of emergency in West Darfur state after at least 40 people were killed and 58 injured in a three-day tribal clash in its capital El Geneina, according to the United Nations.
Before this clash, at least 129 people were killed, and 108,000 people were displaced from El Geneina due to clashes between members of the Masalit tribe and Arab tribes in January. While Sudanese officials state that Military reinforcements are sent to help the populations, residents in the area report that no real military is present to calm the situation.
As the tribal clashes continue, more media outlets around the world are reporting the issue, putting more pressure on the Sudanese government to act and stop the killings.
