One of King of Swaziland’s 15 Wives Commits Suicide

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One of King of Swaziland’s 15 Wives Commits Suicide

One of the wives of the polygamous king of Swaziland has been found dead at his private palace after reportedly taking her own life, the Daily Mail reported.

The body of Senteni Masango, 37, was discovered on Friday afternoon amid reports she had been suffering from depression having not been allowed to attend her sister's funeral.

Queen LaMasango, as she was known after her marriage, was one of 15 wives of King Mswati III of Swaziland - Africa’s last absolute monarch. She married the king back in 2000.

She married the king at the age of 18, after being specially selected from a dance ceremony. The couple had two children together.

According to sources close to the palace, the queen was said to have struggled with life at the palace.

She resorted to plastic surgery and painting in her spare time to relieve the misery of her royal life.

However, a source close to the king said “The king finds her death very painful. They were a happy couple.”

In 2002 Amnesty International accused the king and his agents of “violating the human rights” of Zena Mahlangu, another 18-year-old who was snatched from school and forced into marriage.

He married his most recent wife, Siphelele Mashwama, 19, who is the daughter of one of his cabinet ministers, last September.

Two of his wives have left him. Putsoana Hwala and Delisa Magwaza left the royal house in 2004. Magwaza fled the king’s palace for London.



Many US Ice Cream Producers to Phase Out Artificial Food Dyes by 2028

Volunteers scoop ice cream before a press conference on the steps of the United States Department of Agriculture on July 14, 2025, in Washington, DC. (Getty Images/AFP)
Volunteers scoop ice cream before a press conference on the steps of the United States Department of Agriculture on July 14, 2025, in Washington, DC. (Getty Images/AFP)
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Many US Ice Cream Producers to Phase Out Artificial Food Dyes by 2028

Volunteers scoop ice cream before a press conference on the steps of the United States Department of Agriculture on July 14, 2025, in Washington, DC. (Getty Images/AFP)
Volunteers scoop ice cream before a press conference on the steps of the United States Department of Agriculture on July 14, 2025, in Washington, DC. (Getty Images/AFP)

Dozens of US ice cream producers are planning to remove artificial colors from their products by 2028, a dairy industry group and government officials said on Monday.

The producers, which together represent more than 90% of ice cream sold in the US, are the latest food companies to take voluntary steps to remove dyes since Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in April said the US aimed to phase out many synthetic dyes from the country's food supply.

Several major food manufacturers, including General Mills, Kraft Heinz, J.M. Smucker, Hershey and Nestle USA, have previously announced their plans to phase out synthetic food coloring.

The 40 ice cream companies will remove Red 3, Red 40, Green 3, Blue 1, Blue 2, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6 from their retail products, excluding non-dairy products, according to the International Dairy Foods Association.

The IDFA announced the plan at an event at the US Department of Agriculture headquarters on Monday with Kennedy, FDA Commissioner Marty Makary and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins.

"We know that our current health outcomes, especially for our children, are unsustainable and that American agriculture is at the heart of the solution to make America healthy again," Rollins said at the event, referencing a slogan aligned with Kennedy.

Rollins and Kennedy have worked closely together on food sector efforts like encouraging states to ban soda from the nation's largest food aid program.

Kennedy has blamed food dyes for rising rates of ADHD and cancer, an area many scientists say requires more research.

The IDFA said artificial dyes are safe, but that ice cream makers are taking the step in part to avoid disruption to sales from state efforts to phase out dyes from school foods and West Virginia's recent food dye ban.