Jazz ambassadors abroad versus U.S. racism at home
During the Cold War with communism and the old Soviet Union, the American government tried to use jazz musicians to bolster its global reputation and used cultural performances to cover covert operations in Africa. There was often tension between musicians representing American interests abroad while their people suffered at home. The U.S. State Department’s first actual jazz ambassador, Dizzy Gillespie,...
Kenya: UN expert hails historic reparations ruling in favor of Indigenous peoples
An independent UN human rights expert hailed a decision July 18 by the African Court on Human and People’s Rights, to award reparations to the Ogiek Indigenous peoples, for harm that they suffered due to “injustices and discrimination.” The historic ruling follows a landmark judgment delivered by the court on May 26, 2017, finding that the government of Kenya had violated the right...
U.S. responds to China foreign minister’s five-country Africa tour
China’s foreign minister’s first trip abroad, like all visits, began with a trip to Africa. It marked the 33rd consecutive year the continent was the destination of Chinese foreign minister’s annual first overseas visit. That trip was followed by a subsequent trip to Africa by the U.S. Treasury Secretary. The new Chinese foreign minister and former Chinese ambassador to the...
Is the turmoil in Niger leading to a power shift in West Africa?
Tensions in West Africa are boiling over in response to an unconstitutional power grab in the landlocked country of Niger after members of the presidential guard deposed its democratically elected pro-West president on July 26. The swift reaction from the international community and regional leaders has pitted African nations against other African nations. But a July 30 communique that included strong...
Russia reopens Burkina Faso embassy after three decades
Russia has reopened its diplomatic mission in Burkina Faso after a gap of nearly 32 years. The West African country has been distancing itself from its historical partner France over the past year. The Russian Embassy in Ouagadougou was reopened on December 28. It was closed in 1992. This was all announced by the government of Burkina Faso and separately confirmed by...
Namibia eyes White farms for land redistribution
GINNEWS WINDHOEK (GIN)–frustrated over the slow pace of land transfers from Whites to landless Blacks, a Namibian government minister warned that the country may move to expropriate White-owned farms if White farmers continue to resist land reform. “There is a (provision) in our constitution that private assets can be expropriated in the public interest. Fair and just compensation must be provided...
Congo Brazzaville president elected African Union Chairman
President Denis Sassou Nguesso succeeds Obasanjo as AU chairman African Union opens with plea for peace, economic development (FCN, 01-23-2006) Khartoum, Sudan (PANA) - African leaders Tuesday elected President Denis Sassou Nguesso of Congo Brazzaville as the next African Union (AU) chairman, to succeed Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, who led the Union for 18 months. Nguesso's election on the second day of...
The Unholy Alliance Between Israel and South Africa’s Apartheid Regime
(FinalCall.com) - You'd think with all the recent ink, with both Foreign Affairs and the UK-based Guardian articles “Bringing Israel's Bomb Out of the Basement” and “Revealed: how Israel offered to sell South Africa (SA) nuclear weapons,” that Israel's nuclear arsenal would be big on the WikiLeaks list of revelations. And if that's not enough you'd think the...
Congo atrocities just the cost of doing business?
(FinalCall.com) - President Obama's upcoming trip to Tanzania may have more to do with Rwanda than meets the eye. During the recent 21st African Union/Organization of African Unity summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Tanzanian President Jakaya Mrisho remarked that Rwanda should “negotiate” with the FDLR (Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda), a rebel movement operating in the...
‘Pink Tax’ costly for African females needing personal care products
@jehronmuhammad While South Africa and Tanzania, facing increased “global” scrutiny in 2018 removed their tax on women's sanitary pads, the government of the East African country re-introduced the tax while unveiling its budget, according to the Daily Nation. This taxation of menstrual products has intensified menstruation stigma and has been especially “punishing to girls from low-income homes who have...