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Antoinette Isama
Mar. 15, 2018 10:05AM EST

Rising Afro-Brazilian Politician Marielle Franco Has Died in a Targeted Assassination in Rio

The city council member was known for her social work in Brazil's favelas and critiques of the police.

Marielle Franco, a popular Afro-Brazilian city council member, was killed alongside her driver Anderson Pedro Gomes by two attackers on a downtown street in Rio de Janeiro last night, The Guardian reports.

She was 38 serving her first term in office.

Rio's head of public security, Richard Nunes, says there would be a "full investigation" into the killings, despite the military's takeover of policing in the city last month from the surge in violence.

According to Dr. Keisha-Khan Y. Perryon Twitter, Franco participated in a panel discussion entitled, "Black Women Moving Structures," shortly before she was killed. Franco streamed the conversation live on her Facebook page. You can view it here.

Police officials say two men in a car fired nine shots into the car carrying Franco and Gomes. A press officer was shot in the back seat—but survived. Officials believe Franco was targeted.

READ: The Seeds of Marielle: These Courageous Afro-Brazilian Women Are Running for State Office Despite the Odds

Franco was a proud Afro-Brazilian and an underdog in Rio politics. She won the fifth highest vote count among council members when she was elected in 2016. She was a police violence expert and recently accused officers of being overly aggressive when searching homes in gang-controlled favelas, The Guardian says.

A member of the Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSOL), Franco was known for her social work in the favelas. Her party called for a march on Friday to protest violence in Rio.

Brazil's public security minister, Raul Jungmann, says federal police will help in the investigation of her death.

Mourners have gathered on social media to laud her commitment to the community and for her radical activism.

UPDATE: Thousands have gathered in Brazil to mourn the loss of Franco as the bodies arrive to City Hall. Watch live via teleSUR English here for the first streaming, here for the second, or below.

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Here Is What Africans Googled in 2022

Several African countries used Google to quickly get information about worldwide events.


The year 2022 was full of ebbs and flows. With the vast health and economic changes that swept through the world, it is no wonder that several African countries were curious to stay informed about events happening both in and out of the continent. On Wednesday, Google released its annual “2022 Year in Search Report,” which displays users' search habits throughout the year.

There was data from four countries in Africa: South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, and Egypt. Here are interesting tidbits from each country.

South Africa

South Africans proved, through their aggregated Google search history, that they are curious doers who are interested in how things function and who certain people are. South Africans had several queries about how to accomplish certain tasks, including "How to go live on Whatsapp" and How to check matric results online." Several public figures made the Google search history in South Africa, including Sonia Booth, Zeenat Simjee, Will Smith, and Chris Rock. Here is a comprehensive list of what South Africans were digging through Google for this year.

Nigeria

Nigeria primarily inquired about the ASUU strike, which caused a public uproar among Nigerian youth; The Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON); and the iPhone 14. Other major inquiries included Peter Obi, who is one of the leading presidential candidates that has left an impression on many Nigerian citizens. American actors Will Smith and Johnny Depp were searched a lot while Yul Edochie was the top searched Nollywood actor. The top searched musicians were Oxlade, Black Sheriff, Asake, and Portable. View the full list here.

Kenya

Some of the general trending Google search topics that Kenyans inquired about this year included AFCON, Climate Change, and World Cup 2022. Kenyans were also curious about the Russia-Ukraine Conflict COVID-19 Registry and the 2022 Kenya Elections. Several Kenyans also wanted to know the lyrics to Ayra Starr's "Rush." Several local public figures such as Martha Karua, Juliana Cherera and Johnson Sakaja made the list. View the complete list here.

Egypt


Egyptians were curious about the economy, with several general searches asking what the dollar exchange rate was in comparison to the Egyptian dollar. Residents in the Northeast African country also researched the ongoing World Cup, where their team is currently thriving. Many Egyptians were also curious about the ongoing Russia and Ukraine conflict, which has affected many parts of the world. Some of the artists featured in Egypt's Google search this year included Egypt's Mayar El Beblawi, celebrated Egyptian actor Hisham Selim, Samir Sabry, and Jala Fahmy, among others. Here is a complete list of the most searched events, places, and things in Egypt this year.

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