Book of drawings reflect regular violence shaping childrens’ lives in a Rio de Janeiro favela
RIO DE JANEIRO—Dozens of young children and teenagers from Rio de Janeiro’s Mare neighborhood gathered for the launch of a book in which they show, with their own words and pictures, how violence in their poor, bayside community weighs on their young lives. The book, titled “I Was Supposed to be at School,” features drawings and testimonies collected from youngsters...
Farrakhan speaks to the Arab World through Al Jazeera
CHICAGO (FinalCall.com) - The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan spoke to the Arab World in two interviews both airing on Al Jazeera. On Sept. 10, he was interviewed by Abderrahim Foukara for the Liqaá al-Yaum (Today's Encounter) program at The National House. Mr. Foukara, originally from Morocco, discussed a wide-range of topics with Min. Farrakhan, including the proposed Park 51 Islamic...
Thousands protest French government’s mandatory Covid-19 vaccine, pass
In the aftermath of protests in France, the government is moving ahead with its controversial Covid-19 vaccine mandates. The French parliament passed a law requiring vaccines for all health workers and special virus passes for domestic travel and restaurants. It is a move that did not sit well with thousands who view it as government interference into personal, private...
Driving progress: Botswana prepares for historic UN conference on landlocked countries
Leaders from landlocked developing countries, (LLDCs) will gather in Gaborone, Botswana, this December to tackle challenges, explore solutions, and build alliances for a more equitable and prosperous future. At the Third UN Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries, known as LLDC3, innovative solutions and strategic partnerships will be outlined and leveraged to “unlock the full potential of these nations.” LLDC3 is set to...
Ethiopia and Egypt say no agreement in latest talks over a contentious dam on the Nile
NAIROBI, Kenya—Ethiopia and Egypt said the latest round of talks over a huge, highly contentious hydroelectric dam Ethiopia has built on the Nile’s main tributary again ended with no deal. The countries blamed each other after three days of discussions in Addis Ababa concluded on Dec. 19. Egypt’s Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation said the talks were unsuccessful due to Ethiopia’s “persistent...
UN: 258 million people faced acute food insecurity in 2022
ROME—More than a quarter-billion people in 58 countries faced acute food insecurity last year because of conflicts, climate change, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia’s war in Ukraine, according to a report published May 3. The Global Report on Food Crises, an alliance of humanitarian organizations founded by the UN and European Union, said people faced starvation and...
Spain restarts talks to resolve Catalan secession crisis
BARCELONA, Spain—Spain’s prime minister and Catalonia’s leader met Sept. 15 to restart negotiations in hopes of finding a solution to the ongoing political crisis caused by the region’s separatist movement. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez said the two-hour meeting with regional president Pere Aragonès was important to continue mending relations between their governments, but that there would be no quick fix...
Africa’s place in global diplomacy defined by colonial and post-colonial history
Africa’s placement in global diplomacy has almost always been informed by its “colonial and post-colonial history,” wrote Takudzwa Hillary Chiwanza, a barrister, journalist and social media content professional. “When African countries got independence, they inherited the colonial power structures of the colonizers without fundamentally altering them, thus perpetuating the dominance of capitalism to the detriment of the masses: the urban...
Israel’s spyware, cyber warfare were used on Palestinians and exported to Africa
Late last year, journalist Antony Loewenstein told inkstick.com, “In the last 10 years, Israel has made significant efforts to build relationships with Africa, but these are mostly transactional and a way to hopefully win support in the UN and other international forums.” Loewenstein, who was based in South Sudan in 2015 and Jerusalem between 2016 and 2020, is the author...
UN rights chief says Myanmar’s junta committing crimes against humanity
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet has accused Myanmar’s military junta of committing crimes against humanity, warning that the situation in the country seems to be heading toward a “fullblown” conflict in the wake of a February coup. Ms. Bachelet raised the alarm in a statement on April 13 and said expressing condemnations and imposing punitive measures...