· Salif Keita, the Malian music icon and pioneer of the Afro-pop genre, was born albino and ostracized in his native land. Now, he reveals that gays were his earliest supporters and instrumental in his success. Keita says that when he was younger, gays in the capital city of Bamako "helped me, gave me clothes and shoes and then sent me to sing in the bars." Keita's latest CD is M'Bemba and he kicked off his American tour last week—the Washington Post gushes over his performance, noting "there have seemingly never been any harsh words for Malian singer Salif Keita's gorgeous voice."

· Uganda: The minister for ethics and integrity, Dr. James Nsaba Buturo, slams gays for seeking rights and recognition. “Years back, these people were unheard of and alien to our African culture. It is an abomination for them to shamelessly demand for a law protecting their interests,”

A tragic footnote to the story of the Cameroonian men detained for more than a year on sodomy charges. One of the recently released prisoners, 30-year-old clothing designer Alim Mongoche, has died from AIDS-related complications. He received no medical care during his imprisonment.

· Archbishop Peter Akinola—the leader of Anglican Church of Nigeria and a fierce opponent of gay bishops and same-sex marriage—is not sold on the idea of a semi-schism in the worldwide Anglican Communion.

Comments

[Derrick from Philly]

I love the story on Salif Keita. I wish some of the anti-gay Afrocentric folks knew about him and his experience as a boy being helped by gay Africans who appreciated him for his talent and not for his body. For the most part gay people are good people...yeah.