🔅 Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is Back
A Half-Marathon Record & Ex-Prime Minister Arrested in Mauritius
Good Morning from Cape Verde!
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is Back
How about this for an extract?
Each day with Chuka I encountered his otherness. He made his bed as soon as he got up, sheets pulled taut and straight, and wore his shirts neatly tucked in, even on weekends. In his closet, his socks were curled in neat rows. He read books I did not think of as real books, about leadership and project management. He wrote his name, Chuka Aniegboka, on the title pages, at the top right corner, in a geometric hand, which gave me an odd rush of nostalgia, because I had last done that in primary school. He listened to the BBC World News every morning. He liked films that bored me, formulaic thrillers, and he watched them with intense focus. If I spoke, he would pause the film and say, “I don’t want to miss anything.”
“But we already know what will happen!” I would tease.
He lifted weights in the basement, his toolboxes were tidily arranged in the garage, and he closed the jam jar so tight that I could not unscrew the lid myself. One day, watching him replace a door handle on his deck, I thought guiltily that he was like that door: sturdy, reassuring, uncreative. He always ordered a well-done steak at restaurants, never anything else, and back home he would promptly microwave a portion of jollof rice, which came in flimsy plastic containers from a Nigerian caterer in Baltimore, saying that restaurant food never left him full. He crossed himself before he ate, and I thought about how I had stopped crossing myself years ago, because it felt unnecessary and showy. I planned a trip to a Broadway play, and he fell asleep in the middle of it. I nudged him awake, and he said, “Sorry, I should have had coffee at the hotel,” as if it was caffeine rather than interest that should keep him awake. He suggested brunch at the Four Seasons and I suggested something less stuffy.
It’s from a short story featured in The New Yorker that you can access, for free, here.
The short is adapted from Adichie’s new novel, “Dream Count”, which will be published in March.
Ex-Prime Minister Arrested in Mauritius, and Yes—There Are Suitcases of Cash Involved
If you thought your weekend was eventful, try being Pravind Jugnauth—Mauritius’ former prime minister, who found himself behind bars on suspicion of laundering money. Local anti-corruption officers swooped in on Jugnauth, plus three others, and allegedly discovered suitcases packed with cash and fancy Cartier watches.
What’s the Story?
A Dramatic Bust: The Financial Crimes Commission (FCC) raided 10 locations, including Jugnauth’s home, and claims to have seized about $2.4 million in various currencies—US dollars, euros, and UAE dirhams—and seven super-luxe watches.
Sudden Shake-Up: This all comes just 100 days after Jugnauth’s crushing election defeat. His successor, Navin Ramgoolam, had made anti-corruption vows, but few expected the new government to start bagging ex-premiers quite so quickly.
Bail Granted, But Not Without Stipulations
Jugnauth’s Weekend Getaway: He spent a cozy Saturday night in a detention center while his wife, Kobita, was questioned. She’s not facing any charges.
Bail: Late Sunday, a magistrate freed Jugnauth on a $32,000 bond. The ex-PM must promise not to bug any witnesses and inform the police if he plans to move. No mention of whether he gets to keep those timepieces—but probably not.
Others Still in Lock-Up: Two business moguls and a deputy mayor remain in detention. Their lawyers are keeping a low profile, at least for now.
Beyond the Courtroom
Jugnauth, 63, led Mauritius from 2017 to 2024 and hails from one of the political dynasties that have been running the show for years. During his tenure, he negotiated a historic agreement with the UK to settle the long-standing Chagos Islands sovereignty dispute. But the new PM says Jugnauth botched the deal and wants to renegotiate, saying it was unfair to the country.
Kiplimo’s Half-Marathon History: The 56:42 Barrier Is Broken
In Barcelona, Uganda’s Jacob Kiplimo made athletics history by becoming the first person ever to dip below 57 minutes in the half-marathon. The 24-year-old clocked a blazing 56:42 at Sunday’s World Athletics Gold Label race, slicing 48 seconds off the previous world record (57:30) set by Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha in October.
Not only did Kiplimo reclaim the half-marathon world record he previously held from 2021 to 2024, but he also ran a world-best 39:47 for 15 km en route to this stunning performance. Cool, windless conditions helped pave the way for the biggest single improvement ever on the men’s half-marathon mark.
“I didn’t expect to break the world record,” said Kiplimo, who at just 15 made his Olympic debut in Rio’s 5,000m. “But as the kilometres passed, I saw I was on pace and told myself to keep pushing.”
Whoosh! 💨
Food for Thought
“You cannot be too late to change.”
— Malian Proverb