Saturday, December 31st
Slaves' mass grave is grim reminder of Brazil's racist legacy
Slaves' mass grave is grim reminder of Brazil's racist legacy Mr Guimaraes and his wife, Ana de la Merced, had unearthed what is thought to be one of the world's largest slave burial grounds, a mass grave where thousands of corpses were abandoned by Brazil's slave traders in the 18th and 19th centuries. Bono aid is making Africa sickThere are probably more annoying things than being hectored about African development by a wealthy Irish rock star in a cowboy hat, but I can’t think of one at the moment. If Christmas, season of sob stories, has turned me into Scrooge, I recognise the Dickensian counterpart of Paul Hewson — who calls himself “Bono” — as Mrs Jellyby in Bleak House. Nigeria: Former President Says 3rd Term is DangerousFormer Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, has joined calls for President Olusegun Obasanjo to leave office when his term expires in 2007. Ancient Egypt 'respected dwarfs' The ancient Egyptians respected dwarfs, and did not see them as having a physical handicap, according to a study by US researchers. A team from Georgetown University Hospital looked at biological remains and artistic evidence of dwarfism in ancient Egypt. Ancient Egyptians worshipped dwarf gods, and many dwarfs held positions of authority in households. Haitian officials say elections to be postponed a fourth timeHaitian electoral officials, plagued by delays and disorganisation, said yesterday that national elections set for January 8 would have to be postponed for a fourth time. Egyptians kill 25 Sudanese refugees outside UN offices WOMEN AND CHILDREN are among 25 Sudanese refugees killed when Egyptian riot police violently stormed a squatter camp in Cairo. The international group Human Rights Watch are leading a chorus of protests over Egypt’s actions. No justification for such violence and loss of life“I am deeply shocked and saddened by the tragic events early today in Cairo,” High Commissioner António Guterres said in Geneva (UNHRO: 30 December 2005). “Although we still do not have all of the details or a clear picture of what transpired, violence left several people dead and injured. There is no justification for such violence and loss of life. This is a terrible tragedy and our condolences go to all the families of those who died and to the injured.” Massacre of the Sudanese in CairoThe Egyptian government’s behaviour with the Sudanese refugees involves ignorance and disdain for the lives of people in addition to its racism. It is a disgraceful stand that we disavow as Arabs and Muslims and as humans. Such inhumane behaviour should not pass without accountability. Analyst Says Racism,Xenophobic May Have Contributed to Action Against Sudanese ProtestersUN Secretary-General Kofi Annan says the fatal confrontation in Cairo between Egyptian police and Sudanese refugees is a terrible and unjustifiable tragedy. In a statement released Friday, Mr. Annan said he profoundly regrets the situation was not resolved peacefully. The Trans Sahara Counter-Terrorism Initiative: U.S. takes terror fight to Africa's 'Wild West'The U.S. government will spend $500 million over five years on an expanded program to secure a vast new front in its global war on terrorism -- the Sahara Desert. But critics say the region is not a terrorist zone, as some senior U.S. military officers assert, and they warn that a heavy-handed military and social campaign that reinforces authoritarian regimes in North and West Africa could fuel radicalism where it scarcely exists. Cameroonians Have Mixed Feelings Over Debt ReliefCameroon is hoping to qualify for partial debt relief under a program sponsored by the International Monetary Fund for heavily indebted countries. However, the process has sparked debate over required reforms, and whether debt forgiveness will change anything in the long run. Pentagon propaganda program orders soldiers to promote Iraq war while home on leaveCritical Flaw Detected in Windows Metafile
Tyehimba on 12.31.05 @ 10:46 PM CST [ link] [ No Comments]
Friday, December 30th
Rio uncovers African slave graves
Can Organic Agriculture Feed the World?In developing countries, UNDP (1992) concluded that organic farming methods seem able to provide similar outputs, with less external resources, supplying a similar income per labour day as high input conventional approaches. Studies show increases in output where local farmers adopt organic farming systems, reaching levels similar to those of high input systems. Organic Farmers Start Juice, Wine ProcessingRio uncovers African slave gravesA crude burial ground for African slaves that historians had thought was lost, has been accidentally uncovered in Brazil. Yemen to mediate between Ethiopia, Eritrea Yemen has offered to mediate to ease escalating tensions between the neighbouring east African countries of Ethiopia and Eritrea, the SABA official news agency reported Thursday. AFRICAN ARTIFACTS, FOSSILS SEIZED IN FRANCECustoms officials in southern France have seized almost 18,000 archaeological objects and precious fossils from Morocco and Mali, some of great value, in the past six weeks. In the first haul, in the town of Arles on November 15, customs seized 17,666 artifacts, artworks and fossils from southern Morocco, stashed in a Moroccan-registered vehicle bound for Germany, the economy ministry said. Among the fossils recovered were a number of trilobites, marine insects that became extinct some 250 million years ago. Aid withheld in response to Ethiopian crackdownWestern donors are considering withholding millions of dollars of aid to Ethiopia, following the country's recent crackdown on the opposition and the press. The sum of $515 million in direct funding for Ethiopian Government programs is reported to be under review. The World Bank representative in Ethiopia says that donors are considering how to redirect the funds. Constitution loses in Haiti election fight: analystsHaiti's constitution is being violated by both the U.S.-backed interim government and by the candidacy of a Haitian American millionaire running strongly in the polls in a long delayed election, analysts say. No release for Museveni's rival Uganda's High Court has again failed to release opposition leader Kizza Besigye, despite his lawyer's appeals. 'It's War On Criminals'An African police chief has ordered officers to "shoot to kill" as he struggles to control violent crime. Zambia's top policeman Ehpraim Mateyo said he has "declared war on criminals" in an attempt to control the high crime rate. Car hijacking, heists and aggravated robberies have become common in Zambia. Recently, several businessmen have been killed by criminals in organised attacks. Mr Mateyo urged officers to "gun down criminals" who have been terrorising people, especially in the capital of Lusaka. "Shoot to kill, that's the only message which will make them stop their criminal activities," he said. Cote d'Ivoire forms transitional govt Cote d'Ivoirean President Laurent Gbagbo issued a decree here on Wednesday, announcing the formation of a 32-member transitional government which is tasked with the implementation of peace deals and preparation for the next presidential election. Obasanjo hails Weah for choosing road to peaceNigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo Wednesday congratulated Liberian presidential candidate, George Weah, for choosing the path of peace for his country after losing his country`s November runoff election. UN, Congo end joint operation, killing 86 Ugandan rebelsUN peacekeepers and government forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) wrapped up a joint operation against Ugandan rebel groups in east DRC with a total of 86 rebels killed, UN mission said on Wednesday. ETHIOPIA: Ban on UN flights still in placeEritrea's ban on UN helicopter flights in its airspace is still in place despite UN Security Council demands that the restriction be lifted, the UN said on Thursday. New Ivory Coast leader faces tough job after forming government New Ivory Coast Prime Minister Charles Konan Banny faced an uphill battle Thursday to disarm the warring factions and bring a reunited country to presidential elections by next October at the latest. Three weeks of tough negotiations finally gave birth to a new government announced Wednesday, shared between supporters of President Laurent Gbagbo, his political opponents and the rebels who have held the north of Ivory Coast since September 2002. Who Owns the Internet 2006?Early in 2006, the international community will revisit a long-simmering issue that was slated for discussion, and perhaps even a solution, in 2005, but was neither discussed nor solved. So important was the issue of political governance of the Internet that it became the focal point of the World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS), a forum with the laudable goal of seeking ways to bring the benefits of the Internet to developing countries. Tech Firms in Oil ScandalTech companies such as St. Jude Medical, Siemens, and Boston Scientific are among the 2,200 businesses implicated in the United Nations oil-for-food program, according to an independent investigative report. A final report released by the Independent Inquiry Committee listed the companies’ subsidiaries as among those that paid kickbacks to the Iraqi government during Saddam Hussein’s rein. 'Anti-imperialists beware — Bush is reading again'Terrorism cases in US may be reopened after wiretap scandal White House wants Sahara Desert as new front for war on terror Thirty years on, women still face discrimination in the workplace The Hidden State Steps Forward How Britain Denies its HolocaustsWhy Do So Few People Know About The Atrocities Of Empire? NSA just one of many federal agencies spying on AmericansMorales to Nationalize Bolivia Oil, Gas Colombian confirms plan to assassinate ChaveIsrael fires to enforce Gaza Strip "no-go zone"Leaking Top Secret Lies
Tyehimba on 12.30.05 @ 04:17 AM CST [ link] [ No Comments]
Thursday, December 29th
Ivory Coast gets new government
DJIBOUTI: Food insecurity worsens as dry spell persistsUN, Congo end joint operation, killing 86 Ugandan rebels UN peacekeepers and government forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) wrapped up a joint operation against Ugandan rebel groups in east DRC with a total of 86 rebels killed, UN mission said on Wednesday. Central African Republic decrees prayer, shuts barCentral African Republic, reeling from years of coups, mutinies and violence, has decreed three days of prayer for reconciliation from Thursday and ordered all bars and nightclubs to shut down for 24 hours. UN finishes partial Nigeria, Cameroon border demarcation The United Nations Office in West Africa (UNOWA) has announced that a team has finished demarcating 260 km of the Nigeria and Cameroon boundary south of Lake Chad. Botswana Shows Success in Treating AIDS GABORONE, Botswana — Catherine had already buried two sisters because of AIDS when she was diagnosed with the dreaded disease. After doctors broke the news, she stopped eating. "I thought that was the end of my life," she said. Kenyan skaters flock to East Africa's first ice rinkEager for a dose of winter, Kenyans are stepping out of blazing equatorial heat into the chill of East Africa's first ice rink for halting forays into sports normally associated with colder climes. Fear, terror still stalk Sudan's Darfur -AnnanEthiopia-Eritrea: Yemen to helpAden - Yemen on Thursday offered to mediate in a mounting crisis between Horn of Africa rivals, Ethiopia and Eritrea, as regional leaders prepared to wrap up a two-day summit in the southern port city of Aden. Ivory Coast gets new governmentAbidjan - War-divided Ivory Coast announced a 32-member unity government on Wednesday that included rebel, opposition party and ruling party ministers and represented a rare firm step toward national reconciliation. Ghana wants once-enslaved diasporaFor centuries, Africans walked through the infamous "door of no return" at Cape Coast castle directly into slave ships, never to set foot in their homelands again. African students protest against racism in Russia Dozens of African students rallied this week to protest against the killing of a comrade in what is believed to be the latest in a string of racially-motivated attacks in Russia's second largest city. One student from Cameroon was killed and another African badly injured on Saturday in an attack by unidentified young people. Police have launched an investigation under a criminal code article dealing with racially-motivated murders. Mbeki congratulates Bolivia's new presidentPresident Thabo Mbeki on Wednesday congratulated Bolivia's new President Evo Morales, describing his election as evidence of the continuing changes in Latin America. Bolivian leader to visit CubaBolivian leader to visit CubaBolivia's president-elect said he will meet with Cuban President Fidel Castro during his first trip abroad since winning the Bolivian presidential elections this month. Secret Invasion: US Troops Steal into ParaguayThe Bush administration has sent troops into Paraguay. They are there ostensibly for humanitarian and counterterrorism purposes. The action coincides with growing left unity in South America, military buildup in the region and burgeoning independent trade relationships. Chicago Turns Down Discounted Venezuelan OilAs Chicago's poorest face an increase to already-high public transit fees, the city is ignoring an offer of discounted diesel fuel to benefit low-income people. America's Tomorrow Throughout human history certain patterns continue repeating themselves over and over again, becoming, if careful attention is paid to study them, a direct harbinger to what tomorrow’s cultures and societies will be like.
Admin on 12.29.05 @ 06:18 PM CST [ link] [ No Comments]
Tuesday, December 27th
Bracelets and pop concerts can't solve our problems
'Bracelets and pop concerts can't solve our problems' One Saturday afternoon in July Africans gathered in bars to watch Wimbledon, sat in the park eating ice cream, and scraped together a basic meal of maize porridge and boiled greens. Hardly anyone knew that in London, thousands had gathered to watch as pop stars and fans gathered in Hyde Park for Live 8, a concert that was meant to be staged for Africa's benefit. Ugandan army hands over 51 rebel militias to CongoThe Uganda People`s Defense Force (UPDF) has handed over 51 rebel militias to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) authorities. The UPDF 2nd Division spokesman Lt. Tabaro Kiconco told Xinhua by telephone on Tuesday that 51 rebels of the Congolese Revolutionary Movement (MRC) were handed over to the Congolese authorities in the presence of United Nations Observer Mission in DRC (MONUC) officials. Racism is a killer of Black representationRobert J. Ellis was forty-eight years of age and was just hitting his stride as an attorney. He had represented Tupac Shakur. He was representing Jamal Barrow, a rapper known as “Shine,” and New York City Councilman Allan Jennings. Ellis called Speaker Gifford Miller’s decision to strip Jennings of committee assignments “institutionally racist.” U.S. threatens sanctionsWashington proposes to take several punitive measures against Abuja if President Olusegun Obasanjo seeks a third term. Tension is growing between the two countries over Nigeria's future leadership. To cap it, the United States Government is reportedly furious with what State Department officials called "an unwarranted attack on the country with the tacit support of the Nigerian leadership by Presidential Spokesman, Femi Fani Kayode". Kyoto's Timetables, UN Red Tape Count Against Africa Africa stands to access hundreds of millions of dollars for clean energy projects and for adapting to adverse effects of climate change after this month's pivotal talks on global warming in Montreal, Canada. But commentators warned this window of opportunity was closing fast. New Orleans Police Shoot, Kill Man Police officers shot and killed a man brandishing a knife in a confrontation that was partially videotaped by a bystander, setting off another internal investigation of the embattled department. AIDS Vaccine Research - Government vs Private IndustryThe chief of federal AIDS research has reportedly said drug companies do not have an incentive to develop a vaccine against HIV. Rubber Workers Charge Slave-Like ConditionsWhen Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf was elected Africa's first female head of state and Liberia's 23rd president in October, she pledged to fight corruption, create jobs and restore electricity and water supplies. Meanwhile, Liberia's largest foreign investor, the multinational company Bridgestone Firestone, is embroiled in a controversy over its alleged use of child labour and toxic pesticides and fertilisers at Firestone's giant rubber plantation outside the capital, Monrovia. Africa switches to unleaded fuel Sub-Saharan Africa will meet a deadline to use only unleaded petrol by the end of 2005, the United Nations says. Lead additives in petrol, linked to disease and environmental damage, are being phased out worldwide. South Africa, the last sub-Saharan country to complete the changeover, is on track for the 31 December deadline. Venezuela Buys Argentine Bonds, Backs IMF PayoffLatin America takes another step away from the IMF and toward regional integration, with the Chávez administration’s agreement to buy $2.4 billion of Argentine debt in the next few months Neocons Use CNN to Continue Psyops Against American MuslimsChavez Welcomes Morales’ Victory in BoliviaFear destroys what bin Laden could not Who Will Fight for the Constitution?
The Year of Vanished Credibility Abandon this Neocolonial Adventure!
Tyehimba on 12.27.05 @ 09:06 PM CST [ link] [ No Comments]
Sunday, December 25th
Why Arnie killed Tookie
Why Arnie killed TookieGovernor Schwarzenegger denied clemency to Tookie Williams because he dedicated his book to Mandela and Angela Davis. In California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's written response to Stanley Tookie Williams" clemency appeal, Schwarzenegger writes: "The dedication of Williams' book "Life in Prison" casts significant doubt on his personal redemption. AU seeks to defuse Chad-Sudan tensionsThe African Union said on Saturday it had sent a delegation to Chad and Sudan in a bid to defuse rapidly escalating tensions between the neighbours marked by Ndjamena's accusation that Khartoum was trying to destabilise its government. UN, Congo battle Ugandan rebelsUN and Congolese troops fought a bloody battle with Ugandan rebels in Congo's war-torn east in their latest move to restore order after the huge nation approved a postwar constitution, the UN said today. African Student Killed, Another Wounded in RussiaRussian authorities say an African student was stabbed to death and another one seriously wounded in two separate incidents in St. Petersburg. Authorities say they have not ruled out any motives for the attack, including extremism and racism. African's murder 'a race crime'A 28-year-old student from Cameroon was killed and another African student seriously injured after they were attacked in separate incidents in what police were treating as a race crime, local officials and Russian media reported on Sunday. Nigeria says it will provide free AIDS drugsNigeria will start providing AIDS drugs for free next year, the government agency in charge of fighting AIDS said, scrapping fees that aid workers say deny access to treatment for poor patients. Cameroon forest faces illegal-logging threatCameroon on the west coast of Africa relies heavily on its trade in tropical wood. No one knows for sure exactly how much it makes from these exports. But according to estimates, about half is from trees illegally felled. Environmental activists have been protesting for years against such tropical rainforest logging. European Union: Dishonest Brokers in upcoming Palestinian parliamentary electionsMore Americans growing weary of civil liberties sacrifices Italy issues EU arrest warrant over CIA kidnap Bombing Al Jazeera: It's No JokeBill Would Allow Arrests For No Reason In Public PlaceThe Ohio Patriot Act has made it to the Taft's desk, and with the stroke of a pen, it would most likely become the toughest terrorism bill in the country. The lengthy piece of legislation would let police arrest people in public places who will not give their names, address and birth dates, even if they are not doing anything wrong. Officials: Muslim sites subject to secret monitoring for radiation "It is a waste of time, it is a waste of resources and it is causing us to be concerned about our citizenship, our constitutional rights," Nihad Awad, executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, told CNN. Explosives found near Colombia leader Manuel Zelaya Wins Honduran Presidency Most Dishonest Elections in HondurasTegucigalpa, Dec 22 (Prensa Latina) Hondura's Civic Movement for Democracy (MCD) described the November 27 elections as the most rigged in the country"s recent democratic history.
Tyehimba on 12.25.05 @ 10:22 PM CST [ link]
Saturday, December 24th
NATIVITY NONSENSE: The Christmas Story
World's poorest pay for WTO compromise: AfricaAfricans reacted with dismay on Monday to a World Trade Organisation compromise deal on global trade, saying the world's poorest continent would pay the price for the intransigence of rich nations. "The developed countries once again failed to extend a hand of solidarity to the poor," South Africa's powerful COSATU labour federation said in a statement, calling Sunday's last-minute WTO agreement in Hong Kong an 'abysmal failure'. Thousands of Displaced Dinkas Trek Home to Southern SudanThe International Organization for Migration says it is helping some 3,500 vulnerable people from Sudan's Dinka tribe return to the homes they fled in Bor, southern Sudan 14 years ago. The agency says the Dinkas are part of a larger group of 12,000 who are spontaneously making their way home on foot. NATIVITY NONSENSE: The Christmas StoryFor most Xians the story of the birth of the Jesus figure is pretty much clear cut; simply turn to the New Testament and there outlined is everything one needed to know about how the saviour, god incarnate came into being. Exactly how Dec 25th came to be the celebrated date may pose a bit of a problem for some but that is hardly a problem worth graying hairs over. After all, the main thing is that "He" was born and he was born to save mankind from eternal damnation. French 'complicit' in genocideThe prosecutor of a French military court has opened an inquest for "complicity in genocide", following accusations against French troops stationed in Rwanda in 1994. MDC expels TsvangiraiSenior officials of Zimbabwe's Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) say they have officially expelled party leader Morgan Tsvangirai. Ethiopia complies with UN border deadlineEthiopian troops began moving back from the tense border with Eritrea as a United Nations deadline for both sides to pull soldiers back by midnight on Friday drew near, a UN source said. The UN Security Council set the deadline in November, when it ordered the Horn of Africa neighbours to reduce troop levels at the frontier, scene of a 1998-2000 border war that killed 70 000, and threatened economic sanctions if they did not obey. Ethiopian leader targets Make Poverty History in mass clampdown on dissent An Ethiopian court has charged 131 politicians, journalists and activists with treason and genocide as the Prime Minister, Meles Zenawi, continues to suppress all dissenting voices in the country. LIBERIA: War is over, but the rebuilding has barely begunChad leader accuses Sudan of 'direct aggression'Chadian President Idriss Deby on Thursday accused his Sudanese counterpart of plotting to destabilise his country, blaming Khartoum for a rebel attack on the frontier town of Adre. Analyst Doubts Third Term Try by Nigeria's ObasanjoNigeria is rejecting US concerns about the debate over whether President Olusegun Obasanjo should run for a third term. The US State Department says allowing Mr. Obasanjo to seek re-election again would undermine democratic values. However, a presidential spokesman says the president has not indicated he would seek a third term and that he respects the constitution. Third Term Debate Divides NigeriaDebate is raging in Africa's most populous nation, Nigeria, over whether the constitution should be changed to allow President Olusegun Obasanjo to seek a third term. The debate features those who strongly support Mr. Obasanjo's economic reform programs, against those who fear a change could lead to dictatorship. Australian charged for race violenceAn Australian man has been charged over the circulation of mobile phone text messages inciting racial violence, the first arrest of its kind since race rioting hit Sydney beaches almost two weeks ago. The Anglo-American War of Terror: An OverviewWhat White America Doesn't Hear"Big Lies" and "Small Lies": White (Phosphorous) Christmas
Tyehimba on 12.24.05 @ 10:47 PM CST [ link]
Friday, December 23rd
Tutu hits out at lack of apartheid prosecutions
The Double Standard of Righteous IndignationI saw a clear ethnic double standard in how sex, drugs and violence is viewed and addressed. This discussion becomes even more important as 50 Cents is being castigated as a promoter of violence and gunplay in his new movie "Get Rich or Die Tryin'." Weah Withdraws ProtestDefeated presidential candidate George Weah has finally backed out of his electoral fraud case against the National Elections Commission. Prejudice on Death RowIf Tookie Williams had killed four black people, would he still be alive today? Ancient prints give fresh view on AboriginesCanberra - Children meandered around their parents' ankles. A man, likely a hunter, dashed through the mud. Somebody dragged a dead animal along the shores of a lake. Now the footprints they left some 20 000 years ago are giving a fresh perspective on the lives of Australian Aborigines. We Will Pay For Cheap Bananas With Prisons, Fear and FragmentationAs hurricanes barrelled through the alphabet this year, pounding Anthony Barnett's two acres of banana fields in St Thomas, Jamaica, his healthy respect for the forces of nature endured. But as the World Trade Organisation meets in Hong Kong this week, it is the deliberate demolition wrought by humankind he fears most. Tutu hits out at lack of apartheid prosecutionsSouth Africa should have prosecuted apartheid-era perpetrators of atrocities who refused to repent, retired Archbishop Desmond Tutu said on Thursday as the country prepared to mark a decade since the creation of its truth commission. Africa fears 'tsunami' of cheap importsSouth Africa's union federation Cosatu planned to use a rally marking its 20th birthday earlier this month to promote a "buy local" campaign. But as some 20 000 unionists marched and chanted "Proudly South African" slogans in a Durban stadium, word went round that the bright red T-shirts each wore were made in China. Australia's RacismAlphabet Originated Centuries Earlier Than Previously ThoughtDreaming of a Non-White ChristmasHow the Media 'Authorize' the Abuse of Government PowerIsrael threatens to cut Gaza power The sudden end of the New York transit strikeSecond toxic spill in two months poisons waterwayANOTHER toxic chemical spill into a Chinese river has forced officials to cut off water to cities and villages along the Bei waterway in a southern province near the border with Hong Kong. Rare seabird flies thousands of kilometers across Asia A Christmas Island frigatebird named Lydia recently completed a 26-day journey over 4,000 kilometers -- across Indonesian volcanoes and some of the busiest shipping lanes in Asia -- in search of food for her baby chick. The trip, tracked with a global positioning device by officials at Christmas Island National Park, is by far the longest known nonstop journey by this critically endangered sea bird. Journal cites evolution studies in 2005The journal Science's pick for breakthrough of the year in 2005 is "evolution in action," focusing on studies of how evolution works and how it affects lives today. Australia's RacismAfter establishing themselves among the black, brown and yellow peoples of Southeast Asia and the Pacific, white Australians proceeded to consider themselves good British colonials. Although they established their country as a prison and then killed off the native inhabitants, they managed to secure for themselves a reputation for being laid back and good-natured. What was less than good-natured was an official policy that restricted immigration by non-whites that was not rescinded until 1973. EU may let GMO crops into organic food-green groupsThe Top 10 Bitterest Ironies of 2005 Bush Pardons Convicted Coke Dealer A Denver lawyer was pardoned Tuesday by President Bush for drug-related crimes she committed more than two decades ago. Wendy St. Charles, now 49, was among 11 people who received presidential pardons.
Tyehimba on 12.23.05 @ 08:41 AM CST [ link]
Thursday, December 22nd
Indigenous People Leap Forward in Bolivia
Morgan Freeman has it wrong on black historyMorgan Freeman, the Academy Award-winning actor, stirred the pot recently when he went on CBS News' 60 Minutes and told correspondent Mike Wallace that he finds Black History Month "ridiculous." Top Attorney: Boycott maintream stores on December 24thAfrican Americans are being urged to boycott mainstream stores for black businesses on December 24th in support of the campaign for Reparations for slavery. Blacks and Non-Black Supporters
of Reparations Will Not Spend Money on Dec. 24thThroughout the nation, on December 24th (Christmas Eve) people who support Reparations for slavery will move their Christmas shopping dollars from mainstream stores and venues to buy from Black businesses according to attorney Barbara Ratliff. The nationwide "Black Buying Blackout" was launched Christmas 2004 to demonstrate support for the struggle for reparations and to create pressure on the political-economic system by demonstrating the impact of Blacks' $700 billion-a-year buying power. For Christmas 2006, the BlackOut will shift to a Boycott--Nov. 24-Dec 24. Southern Africa and reintegrating ex-combatantsThe end of armed conflicts in southern Africa has brought the much desired peace, but also created new challenges on the disarmament and demobilisation of former combatants, and reintegrating them into society, Mozambican Veterans` Affairs Minister, Feliciano Gundana, said here Wednesday. Indigenous People Leap Forward in BoliviaDavid Jovis stands in a circle of supporters cheering on others waving handkerchiefs and dancing the cueca, a traditional Bolivian dance. "This is a triumph not only of a candidate and a party, but of a people," Jovis shouts over the noise of the celebrating crowd. By any measure, Bolivians made history Sunday with their overwhelming vote to make Evo Morales, an Aymara Indian and leader of the nation's coca leaf growers, president of their nation. Never before has the most indigenous country in the Americas been governed by one of its indigenous people. As in Argentina, Brazil and Venezuela before it, Bolivia also elected a president committed to challenging its powerful neighbor to the north. Full Article : pacificnews.orgAir crew back in SAIt was a tearful reunion at the Johannesburg International Airport on Wednesday night as two South African air crew held captive in Equatorial Guinea for over a month were reunited with their family and friends. Does Africa lack market or what to sell?Due to high subsidies, farmers from the rich nations are able to export to the world market at prices below the actual production costs, so farmers without support are thrown out of the market. It is unfair playing ground that casts serious doubt about the rich nations’ commitment to end poverty. Analysts say that ending farm subsidies and all forms of domestic support by the rich nations would increase competitiveness and thereby boost world trade by $280b, theoretically to the benefit of poor countries. However, for this thinking to hold, a number of questions must be answered. If the developed countries opened their markets wide today, what would African countries have to export? World must prevent new Ethiopia-Eritrea war'The world's major powers and the United Nations must move urgently to prevent a new border war between arch-rival Horn of Africa neighbours Ethiopia and Eritrea that could further destabilise the volatile region, a leading international policy institute warned on Thursday. Ethiopia will seek millions of dollars for Eritrea warETHIOPIA yesterday said it would seek "hundreds of millions of dollars" in compensation after an international commission ruled Eritrea started a war between the two countries. ZAMBIA: Landmark judgment for women in customary marriagesLethal Developments: Who Pays for Building in Flood Plains?Of All the Fools He Could Be, Bush is Mostly His OwnIn considering Lincoln's presidency, who in the history of the United States did more than Abraham Lincoln in implementing the values of Democracy as set forth in Jefferson's Declaration? In his famous insight on fools, i.e., those people who fool with the truth and those people who abide the fooling, Abe was providing a warning to dishonest politicians, bureaucrats and businessmen guilty of coercion, incompetence and lies. US Judge Resigns Over Bush's Domestic Spying Authorization: ReportPrivatizing Apartheid in IsraelPrior to the dismantlement of the apartheid regime in South Africa, the privatization of state assets and services was quietly undertaken in order to ensure that the loss of political power would not also mean the loss of an economic status quo beneficial to the White minority. Provocations by US Interests Section Denounced in CubaHavana, Dec 21 (AIN) The Round Table television and radio program was dedicated on Tuesday to the provocations from the new chief of the US Interests Section in Havana and his paid mercenaries. Ice Age Footprints Said Found in OutbackHundreds of human footprints dating back to the last Ice Age have been found in the remote Australian Outback, an official and media reported Thursday. Panamanians march to commemorate fallen About 2,000 people marched through Panama City on Tuesday to commemorate the hundreds of people who died when the United States invaded the Central American country 16 years ago to overthrow dictator Manuel Noriega.
Admin on 12.22.05 @ 01:10 PM CST [ link]
Tuesday, December 20th
Fans warned over racism
Politics : High Turnout in Congo ReferendumCongolese voted on their new constitution for the first time in decades, but many complained that they knew little about the proposed charter meant to pave the way for elections next year. Frelimo And Renamo Still Clashing Over FlagMozambique's main opposition party, the former rebel movement Renamo, has lied to the public about the country's constitution, accused Manuel Tome, head of the parliamentary group of the ruling Frelimo Party on Tuesday. Fans warned over racismCricket fans shouting racist remarks to players or other spectators will be booted out of grounds, Cricket Australia has warned. The zero-tolerance policy was put into place by the governing body shortly after South Africa officials made public yesterday an official complaint about the behaviour of a small group of fans in the WACA Ground stands in Perth on Sunday. Mbeki congratulates Tanzania on electionsSouth African President Thabo Mbeki on Tuesday congratulated Tanzania on last week's presidential election, the country's third since the introduction of political pluralism in 1992. 'What's wrong with the Black Community?' Who in blazes is this "Black Community?" In the first case, when you call people out of their name, they do not have to answer you. There are no people called "Blacks'. Until Trinidadians of every hue and hair type ranging from silvery white lank hair to dadder head recognize that there are no people called "Blacks" we would continue to stumble around trying to find out what is wrong. New Bolivian leader poses challenge to US policy Aid, labor groups say WTO deal betrays poor Researchers Find Barbie Is Often Mutilated The time of the underdog: rage and race in Latin America Demobilization and Reinsertion in Haiti:
The UN's cleansing of Bel Air ahead of elections White House, FBI Lied to 9-11 Commission about 9-11 9/11: Missing Black Boxes in World Trade Center Attacks Found by Firefighters, Analyzed by NTSB, Concealed by FBI. But the FBI states, and also reported to the 9-11 Commission, that none of the recording devices from the two planes that hit the World Trade Center were ever recovered.
Admin on 12.20.05 @ 04:34 PM CST [ link]
Monday, December 19th
World's poorest pay for WTO compromise
Bolivia's poor don't want to be rich, they just want equalityThe man set to become Latin America's first indigenous president, added: "We only want to live well... The poor don’t want to be rich, they just want equality." East Africa's ice skating firstKenyans have been nervously skating on ice - many for the first time - after the launch of East Africa's first ice skating facility. World's poorest pay for WTO compromise: Africa Africans reacted with dismay on Monday to a World Trade Organisation compromise deal on global trade, saying the world's poorest continent would pay the price for the intransigence of rich nations. Time has come to stop famine deaths in Kenya Regions in Kenya that are traditionally stricken by famine, especially in North Eastern and Eastern provinces, are once again staring death in the face. 'Tsunami of cheap goods' overwhelm African jobs Johannesburg - South Africa's union federation Cosatu planned to use a rally marking its 20th birthday this month to promote a "buy local" campaign. Liberian electoral body consolidates position of female president The Electoral Commission in Liberia on Monday consolidated the position of Harvard-trained economist Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf as Africa's first woman president elected. Diego Garcia military base: Mauritius proposes treaty to LondonMauritian Prime Minister Navin Ramgoolam has proposed to his British counterpart Prime Minister Tony Blair, discussions on a formal treaty over the use of Diego Garcia island as a military base by the US, official sources said here at the weekend. Mozambique shoots down new flag Mozambique's parliament has rejected an opposition attempt to get the image of a gun removed from the national flag. President Hu calls for closer ties with Namibia Chinese President Hu Jintao put forward four suggestions for ushering in a new era of China-Namibia relations during talks with Namibian President Hifikepunye Pohamba in Beijing Monday afternoon. Nigeria plane in emergency landing at Ghana airportFamine threatens 3.5m lives in Kenya, Somalia Three and half a million people are at risk of starving to death in Somalia and Kenya. Zimbabwe court dismisses claims to get farms backZimbabwe's High Court has formally dismissed all challenges against the government's controversial seizures of white-owned farms, months after the approval of a law barring courts from hearing such cases. ZANU-PF used its parliamentary majority earlier this year to push through constitutional amendments establishing a new Senate, threatening travel sanctions against critics and making its land grabs legally unchallengeable. Zambia sends 55 peacekeepers to SudanUganda blamed for DRC massacreThe International Court of Justice on Monday held Uganda responsible for the killing, torture and cruel treatment of civilians in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in the late 1990s and ordered Kampala to pay reparations. Tunisia recognizes Iran's right to nuclear technologyTunisian ambassador to Tehran Mouldi al-Sakri said here on Saturday that Tunisia, as one of the Non-Aligned Movement members of the International Atomic Energy Agency Board of Governors, has defended Iran's right to possess nuclear technology and will not revise its policy. Tanzania's ruling party dominates new parliamentThe Tanzanian ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi party (CCM) will dominate the country's National Assembly as it won the lion's share of the elected seats in the 2005 general elections. King furious over costume theftKing Mswati 3 of Swaziland performs a dance at a traditional festival on Sunday but the festivities have been overshadowed by a scandal over the theft of the king's "umdada" costume. U.N. official urges Sudan, Uganda Warning that the lives of millions of Africans are at stake, the U.N. humanitarian chief urged stepped-up international efforts Monday to tackle worsening conflicts in Sudan and Uganda, and severe food shortages in Zimbabwe and southern Africa. The Rise Of Islamophobia In 'White Australia' Islamophobia in Australia is not something suddenly appeared over the horizon because of the weather. To the contrary, racism against Muslims has always been part of Australia’s psyche. Whether it is against neighbouring Indonesia, Malaysia or Muslim Australians; the pall of racism is permanently hovering over Australia. Government policies, including the criminal war against Iraq and the introduction of the so-called "anti-terrorism" laws have legitimised racism against Arab and Muslim Australians. Castro's 'miracle' cures the poor of blindness A Small Matter of Justice Shocked scientists find tsunami legacy: a dead sea In pictures: Bolivians elect leader Quiroga Concedes Defeat in Bolivian Election Morales claims victory in Bolivian election Powell defends rendition, says move not new Colombia slams US for meddling in internal affairs Bolivian Candidates Differ Sharply World Ag Expo ~ Racism in our California Heartland The War Parties, Both of Them Achievements Under Aristide, Now Lost
Admin on 12.19.05 @ 06:56 PM CST [ link]
Saturday, December 17th
African cotton growers rock WTO's plans
Help stabilise the Comoros - MbekiPRESIDENT Thabo Mbeki yesterday led regional calls for foreign donors to help stabilise the impoverished coup-plagued Comoros archipelago as it heads towards elections next year. Annan Urges Donors to Help ComorosAs the Comoros undergoes the transition to democracy and enters a critical stage in its political development, the international community should generously support the archipelago, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan said in a message to donors meeting in the Mauritian capital of Port Louis. Cameroon is one of the wealthiest African countriesIn Cameroon (spelt Cameroun in French), one of the wealthiest African countries, you have a wide choice of places to go and sights to see. Rainforests stretch from the Atlantic Ocean, giving way to savannah and semi-desert in the north. Elephants and bongos congregate by the hundreds in some of Africa's best wildlife parks, and beachcombers laze on long, isolated beaches. BURUNDI: UN to start troop pullout on WednesdaySome 180 soldiers in a Mozambican contingent are set to leave Burundi on Wednesday, marking the start of the withdrawal of the UN Mission there known as ONUB. Ad campaign condemning the murderer of journalistsReporters Without Borders today launched an ad campaign in some 60 African newspapers to draw attention to the many murders of journalists in Africa that go unpunished. The launch comes on the seventh anniversary of Norbert Zongo's murder in Burkina Faso and a few days before the first anniversary of Deyda Hydara's murder in Gambia. Zimbabwe, Botswana sign deal on standardization systemsThe Zimbabwe Standards Association (SAZ) and the Botswana Bureau of Standards (BOBS) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that will see the two bodies' cooperating in six key areas, local newspaper The Herald reported on Friday. African cotton growers rock WTO's plans HONG KONG — African cotton producers warned yesterday that they would refuse to endorse any consensus that might emerge at trade talks if rich countries failed to commit themselves to reducing official cotton subsidies. African Nations Call for U.S. to Eliminate Cotton SubsidiesAt issue is the long-fiber cotton of the type that made up her dress. For more than two years the commodity has been at the center of trade disputes between developing nations and their wealthy counterparts — and it has been a thorn in the side of U.S. trade officials here at the WTO negotiations. Throughout the week, cotton-growing countries in Africa, which are among some of the poorest on Earth, have pressed the United States to swiftly do away with cotton subsidies for American farmers. Africans blame the U.S. support for holding down global prices for the commodity and depressing their economies. Vietnamese, Algerian legislatures sign cooperation agreementAlgiers (VNA) - Visiting Vietnamese National Assembly Chaiman Nguyen Van An and People's National Assembly Speaker Amar Saadani of Algeria on Dec. 17 signed a ten-point Cooperation Agreement between the two legislatures. Central African Republic bans music of misogynyCentral African Republic has ordered radio and television stations to stop broadcasting songs which encourage men to dump their wives, saying such music is a hindrance to the country's development. Rioters burn voting stations on eve of Congo referendum Rioters burned three polling stations in Congo's capital Saturday on the eve of a crucial vote on a draft constitution that grants greater autonomy to mineral-laden regions but is viewed by many as another attempt by corrupt politicians to enrich themselves. Key points about Congo's proposed constitutionThe Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is scheduled to hold a referendum on Sunday on whether to adopt a proposed constitution in the country's first national democratic poll since independence from Belgium in 1960. DR Congo: Annan calls for large, peaceful turn outUnited Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan today called on the people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to vote peacefully and in large numbers in Sunday’s constitutional referendum to bring democracy and prosperity to the vast country that has known neither during decades of civil war and factional fighting. Iran warns Israel of swift retaliation Colombia peace talks begin in Cuba History will Absolve Fidel Telesur is Constructing Another View About The "White Crusaders Of The Racial Holy War"...
Admin on 12.17.05 @ 08:14 PM CST [ link]
Thursday, December 15th
Tookie's Ashes Are South Africa Bound
Skin-Deep DiscriminationWe all know about racism, about whites discriminating against blacks. The prevelance of “colorism”—black on black discrimination, is less known, but it’s an open secret in the black community. The Bitter-Sweet Taste of WTO Sugar DealsThe injustices of Northern sugar subsidies - and the way their reform could damage some developing countries - have been a key focus at Hong Kong. But, John Kamau reports, national policies aimed at helping farmers to cope also have a bearing on the future of the sugar industry. Tookie's Ashes Are South Africa BoundArrangements are currently being made for the remains of recently executed Crips founder Stanley "Tookie" Willams. A large public funeral has been planned for early next week in Los Angeles, then Williams' ashes will be scattered in South Africa, as he had previously requested. U.N. Bans Ivory Coast Rough Diamond Exports The United Nations Security Council accepted France's proposal to ban diamond exports from the Ivory Coast (Cote d'Ivoire.) The council voted unanimously to ban diamond exports after it was revealed diamonds have been used to buy weapons. The African Skulls in the AmericasFor decades it has been believed that the first peoples to populate North and South America crossed over from Siberia by way of the Bering Strait on a land-ice bridge. However, a new study examining the largest collection of South American skulls ever assembled suggests that a different population may have crossed the bridge to the New World 3,000 years before those Siberians.
Tyehimba on 12.15.05 @ 07:51 PM CST [ link]
Wednesday, December 14th
Tookie death shows racism rife in America
Bush Sr. and North Should Join Tookie WilliamsSo, the state of California, run by the Hitler praising Arnold Schwarzenegger, has executed former Crips gang leader Stanley Tookie Williams at San Quentin. Tookie death shows racism rife in America BLACK AMERICA is in mourning today after Stanley 'Tookie' Williams, the reformed ex-gang leader, was executed earlier today. Condemnation as ‘reformed’ gangster Tookie Williams is executed There is outrage and despair from civil rights groups and anti-capital punishment supporters as the “reformed” gangster, Stanley “Tookie” Williams was executed by the state of California yesterday morning. Over one thousand people gathered outside the prison in San Francisco, where the 51-year old’s protest of his innocence came to an abrupt end when he was given a lethal injection. At the end of the chain, the farmers who face ruin As Western subsidies distort Africa's markets, Kate Eshelby in Burkina Faso reports on the victims The bumpy road to clean, green fuelOsman Ibrahim is encouraging farmers in Malawi to abandon their traditional tobacco crops and enter the energy sector — by planting a tree called jatropha (Jatropha curcas). Furious Obasanjo grounds airlines, lashes regulator President Olusegun Obasanjo has grounded two private Nigerian airlines following crashes which killed 224 people in seven weeks. One of the carriers, Sosoliso Airlines, operated the 32-year-old McDonnell Douglas DC-9 that crashed on Saturday in the southern city of Port Harcourt, killing 107 people. Oil output, profits prop up Sudan economy Sudan’s economy is set to expand 13.4 percent next year, from an expected 8.3 percent in 2005, amid higher oil output and profits, the International Monetary Fund said on Monday. Campus racism rises in AustraliaWeah supporters' riots raise fears for Liberian stabilityA riot flared in Liberia and the government warned of a coup plot on Monday after the defeated presidential candidate, George Weah, threatened to block his rival's inauguration, claiming that last month's election was rigged. Racial unrest spreading in Australia The racial unrest that broke out in Sydney's beachside suburbs over the weekend has spread to two other large Australian cities, where people of Middle Eastern descent were assaulted by whites, police said Tuesday. Nigeria`s air crash victims` families feud over remainsFamilies of some of Nigeria`s latest air crash victims are feuding over the remains of some of the over 50 school children who died in the crash on Saturday, the local press reported Tuesday. 50,000 Aborigines face evictionAT least 50,000 Aborigines in tiny Outback communities may be forced to uproot and move to larger settlements under a plan by federal Indigenous Affairs Minister Amanda Vanstone. Senator Vanstone says more than 1000 communities with fewer than 100 people are unviable and government funding cannot solve poverty, unemployment and health problems caused by isolation. The economic realities of racismPeople who watched the rioting in France should note that all is not equal in America either. The economic plight of Africans and Arabs in France is indicative of the ways a small minority of Whites continues to control and dispense the wealth of the planet. Unless economic accommodations are made toward inclusion across racial lines, France's violence could spread to other industrialized countries. Choking the Internet: How much longer will your favorite sites be on line? Stay out of anti-US crusade, Golding warns CaricomRow over CIA 'torture' flights engulfs Blair American hypocrisyRace warfare divides cityGeorge Bush denies ‘myth’ that he’s uninformed
Tyehimba on 12.14.05 @ 08:06 AM CST [ link]
Tuesday, December 13th
Stanley 'Tookie' Williams executed
Stanley 'Tookie' Williams executedUnited States authorities on Tuesday executed Stanley "Tookie" Williams, a convicted killer who was at the centre of one of biggest anti-death penalty campaigns in the United States in decades, a spokesperson for San Quentin prison said. Bush Sr. and North Should Join Tookie Williams So, the state of California, run by the Hitler praising Arnold Schwarzenegger, has executed former Crips gang leader Stanley Tookie Williams at San Quentin. Winnie to keep vow to 'Tookie'If it was still his family's wish for him to be buried in South Africa, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela would do everything in her power to ensure that Stanley "Tookie" Williams's body was brought back here. Williams' Ashes to Be Spread in South AfricaThe body of Stanley Tookie Williams will be cremated and his ashes spread in South Africa, following a large memorial service in Los Angeles, according to a close friend. Zimbabwe releases S African spy South African Intelligence Minister Ronnie Kasrils has returned from Zimbabwe with a South African spy after securing his release. Serious Concern About Food Situation in Southern Africa
Nearly 12 Million People Are in Need of Assistance
FAO Publishes New Africa ReportAfrica's Economic Fate in Its Own HandsAS TRADE ministers gather in Hong Kong for the World Trade Organisation (WTO) meeting this week, many hold out hope of increased prosperity that will come from freer trade. S. Africa's Mbeki addresses Ugandan legislaturePresident Thabo Mbeki Tuesday said that South Africa and Uganda could now embark on fighting pressing challenges like poverty and under-development.
Admin on 12.13.05 @ 05:30 PM CST [ link]
Monday, December 12th
Schwarzenegger Rejects Williams' Bid for Clemency
Schwarzenegger Rejects Williams' Bid for ClemencyCalifornia Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger refused to stop tomorrow's scheduled execution of Stanley "Tookie" Williams, a former gang leader and convicted murderer who had won the support of celebrities and Nobel Prize nominations after he renounced violence. Statement from Gov. Arnold SchwarzeneggerHere is the complete statement by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger denying clemency for Stanley Tookie Williams. Single mother poised to be Chilean President 12 arrested after racist attacks by white youths Gangs of youths carried out a series of hit and run revenge attacks across Sydney last night after a day of racial unrest turned a popular beachside suburb into a battleground. More than 20 people were injured and 16 arrested across the city in the worst race riots Australia has witnessed. 'Integrity' Tops Web Dictionary's Lookups Mexico outlaws death penaltyBolivian could be a 'nightmare' for U.S. Socialist mom to face millionaire in Chile US state signs Cuban trade deal The Revolution Will Not Be Televised - Video Two countries, one booming, one struggling:
which one followed the free-trade route? Race violence rages on REVOLUTION WILL NOT BE TELEVISED A controversial documentary about the men held for the 1983 coup in Grenada is to be aired independently, after UK broadcasters refused to show it. The Cold War's Last Prisoners - Campaigning for the Grenada 17 tells the story of the battle to secure the freedom of members and supporters of the revolutionary regime which operated in Grenada between 1979 and 1983.
Admin on 12.12.05 @ 08:33 PM CST [ link]
Sunday, December 11th
Most in South Africa Reject Genetically Modified Foods
In Africa's cotton fields, trade row reality bites Lefara Soro rests on a mound of rough cotton as the midday sun scorches his fields and says he knows nothing about the debate raging over subsidies paid by rich nations to his competitors half a world away. Census reveals unprecedented levels of racism within the NHS The findings of the first national census of mental health hospitals has revealed unprecedented levels of racism is having a devastating effect on health and the well-being of Black communities who come into contact with the service. Most in South Africa Reject GM FoodsALMOST six out of 10 South Africans either reject or avoid genetically modified foods, according to the results of a poll. But a quarter of the 505 adults surveyed about GM foods said they were happy to eat them. The Research Surveys poll also showed that at least one in three people did not have much knowledge about GM foods. 103 die as Nigerian airliner crashesA Nigerian jet airliner plunged in flames on to the tarmac at Port Harcourt Airport on Saturday killing 103 people, all but seven of those on board, an aviation official said. Liberia Warlord Reinvents Self As SenatorOne witness saw him execute a pleading relief worker accused of profiteering. In a video, he chugged beer while his men hacked off an ousted president's ears hours before his tortured death. Once a powerful faction leader, more recently an evangelical preacher-in-exile, Prince Johnson helped drive Liberia into a catastrophic civil war. Today, he's a senator-elect promising to rebuild this West African nation -- and he is not the only lawmaker with a notorious past. Comedian Richard Pryor Dies at 65 Watch Africa's big five in the World Cup THE 2006 World Cup draw in the former East German town of Leipzig on Friday marked the beginning of final preparations for the 32 nations who will battle it out for soccer's biggest prize next year. Ethiopia to Withdraw Troops from Eritrea BorderEthiopia's foreign minister, Seyoum Mesfin, says his country will withdraw its troops from the tense border with Eritrea, in compliance with a United Nations Security Council resolution passed last month. Israel denies Gaza siege planThe trial of Saddam Hussein: Anti-war movement must reject colonial 'justice'The trial of Saddam Hussein, which has opened with much international publicity, is a desperate attempt to justify and convey some legitimacy on the criminal U.S. invasion and occupation of Iraq. It is an effort to demoralize and divide the resistance to the occupation. It has nothing to do with justice or truth. What Planet is Bill Clinton Living On? Bush Isn’t the ProblemCharities to return dirty medical equipment to US USA to steal oil-rich Arctic region away from Russia
Tyehimba on 12.11.05 @ 06:59 AM CST [ link]
Friday, December 9th
Will Africa stand firm in Hong Kong?
No fear of failure: Will Africa stand firm in Hong Kong?Deadlock. That’s the current state of trade negotiations in the lead up to a crucial World Trade Organisation meeting in Hong Kong from 13-18 December. Expect “rude battles and fierce negotiations” during the meeting, writes Demba Moussa Dembele, as the United States and European Union try their utmost to wrangle a deal that will give them license to loot. In the face of intense pressure, African trade ministers must remember the welfare of their people, stand firm and resist the heavy-handed tactics they will be subjected to, Dembele writes. Benn defends aid for GM crops Britain is to direct more foreign aid to develop genetically modified crops in Africa to speed up economic growth on the continent and use modern science and new technologies to tackle hunger. Wal-Mart apologizes to black man for bad check accusation Wal-Mart has apologized to a black man who was accused of trying to pass a bad check as he was buying thousands of dollars in holiday gift cards to distribute to his company's employees. No festivities for the victims of globalisation It will be a grim festive season this year for one group of as many as 45 000 workers and their families. They are the employees in the textile, clothing, footwear and leather sectors in South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland who have lost their jobs over the past 12 months. Strangers in the Dazzling Night: A Mix of Oil and Misery Across Nigeria's oil-rich Niger Delta, hellish towers of fire throw an auburn glow, scorching the communities that live under them and sending dark columns of smoke into the sky. They are fueled by natural gas, which is found along with the Bonny Light crude that makes Nigeria the second largest economy in sub-Saharan Africa, after South Africa. Caribbean leaders meet with Cuba’s Fidel Castro to strengthen ties in the regionThe heads of governments throughout the Caribbean will meet with Cuba today to discuss regional and international matters, including trade and development issues affecting the region. Cuban president, Fidel Castro and his delegation, will meet with the 15 Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat* members, including Jamaican Prime Minister, P J Patterson, Trinidad and Tobago’s, Patrick Manning and their host, Prime Minister Owen Arthur in Bridgetown Barbados for the second Caricom-Cuba Summit. Row over French law glorifying colonial history causes minister to cancel Caribbean tripThe row over the French government’s decision to retain a law teaching the “positive aspects” of colonial history, has been sparked off again after the country’s Interior Minister postponed his trip to the Caribbean islands of Martinique and Guadaloupe. Nicolas Sarkozy, who has become a controversial figure in the light of the riots that rocked France’s suburbs in October, announced he cancelled his visit to the country’s former colonies, following protests against his visit, scheduled for Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Kenya's new cabinet sworn in amid discordKenyan President Mwai Kibaki swore in a new cabinet on Friday but his effort to revive his administration was in disarray because nearly a third of the ministers and assistants named refused to take up their posts. Integration of east African region crucial to development: MuseveniRape charges end Zuma's hope to lead South Africa Jacob Zuma, the popular deputy president of South Africa's ruling party, was charged with rape yesterday in a case that has ended his hopes of becoming the next president of Africa's political and economic powerhouse. Castro reveals role in Angola, Namibia independenceFor the first time, Cuban President Fidel Castro has revealed details of the large Cuban military participation in the war against South African troops in southern Angola in 1987-88. Some 55,000 Cuban troops aided the Angolan counter-offensive, that drove South Africans back to the Namibian border and to the negotiation table. The result was the independence of Namibia, President Castro recalls. CIA prisoners "taken to North Africa"Following the uproar in Europe over the alleged torture of CIA prisoners in prisons on European soil, Washington is reported to have moved the prisoners to "somewhere in North Africa" well ahead of US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's trip to Berlin and Brussels. While no concrete country is named, it expected that the CIA torture victims are now held in Egypt and/or Morocco. Africa: Gays Call On Govts Not to Ignore ThemGay activists at an international conference on AIDS in Africa have called on governments to acknowledge the existence and specific needs of the gay community in the fight against HIV/AIDS. Inuit upset at US about global warmingSharks, Elephants, Abandoned Puppies and a Tiger of a Total ManI vehemently oppose the killing machine that is called “the death penalty.” It is part and parcel of a more than 200-year historic national desire to perpetrate the killing of Black people – and Black men in particular. I can only hope and pray that Governor Schwarzenegger will extend his thinking about Stanley “Tookie” Williams’ case beyond his political “habitat.” Art, truth and politics In his video-taped Nobel acceptance speech, Harold Pinter excoriated a 'brutal, scornful and ruthless' United States. This is the full text of his address Namibia: State Takes Over Two More Farms History Out of Media BoundsEyewitness: "I Never Heard the Word 'Bomb'"The West, Quietly, is Pillaging Iraq
Tyehimba on 12.09.05 @ 07:00 AM CST [ link]
Thursday, December 8th
UN sends top official to Eritrea
Rifts plunge new Kenyan govt into early crisisKenyan President Mwai Kibaki's bid to boost his flagging administration foundered on Thursday as two senior politicians rejected cabinet posts, saying he had ignored the lessons of a stinging referendum defeat. Musikari Kombo and Orwa Ojodeh rejected the local government and environment jobs respectively. Charity Ngilu was undecided about taking up health, saying she needed to consult colleagues. Strong earthquake hits Papua New GuineaA powerful magnitude 6.1 earthquake hit the northern coast of Papua New Guinea on Thursday night, but there were no immediate reports of injuries. UN sends top official to Eritrea over expulsionThe U.N.'s head of peacekeeping plans to visit Eritrea in an effort to convince the northeast African nation that its move to expel U.N. peacekeepers is unacceptable, a spokesman said on Thursday. Huge swing to Islamists in elections in Egypt U.S. sees problems, progress in Egypt electionsRestoring Trust In Cote D'IvoireThe Ivorian peace process has been given a boost with the appointment of Charles Konan Banny as the consensus Prime Minister charged with reunifying the war-torn country and organising a free and fair presidential elections before October next year. Kabila urges 'massive yes' in DRC referendumKinshasa - Democratic Republic of the Congo President Joseph Kabila has urged his compatriots to vote a "massive yes" in an upcoming referendum on a new constitution. Comoros: Karthala volcanic eruption Information BulletinChad-Sudan Conflict Heating UpChad's President, Idris Deby, on Tuesday called for action to prevent an armed conflict with neighboring Sudan, due to the situation in the refugee camps in the bordering region of Darfur. Burundi rebels 'losing support'Burundi's military said on Wednesday that a new campaign against the country's last active rebel army had badly dented the group's support among its traditional base in the rural peasantry. Annan extends mandate of UN mission in
Central African Republic through 20067 December 2005 – United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan has upgraded the organization’s mission in post-election Central African Republic and extended its mandate until the end of next year at the request of the Government. Central African Republic bans music of misogynyCuba and Algeria Sign Airline Services AgreementsHavana, December 8 (AIN)- During the 13th Session of the Inter.- Governmental Joint Commission, Cuba and Algeria signed an accord on aerial services, on Wednesday in Havana. Obasanjo's military background still haunts him, says UkuekuSlaughter donkeys at ostrich abattoir, MPs suggest Right now, as we speak, donkey meat is a delicacy in countries like Italy and Belgium, countries that do not have as high a number as we do, he said. Dealing with slums in Ghana - The Way forward Over the years that this Parliament has been in existence it focused among others on the need for the provision of accommodation for the people of this land. This is due to the fact that accommodation is considered as one of the basic human needs and is expected to be readily available as well as affordable. At a first glance this is a basic issue that must be relatively easy to deal with. Chinese toxic spill official found hanged A Tainted Trial?
A Stunning Win for Mumia Abu-Jamal Thirty Years After the Indonesian Invasion of East Timor, Will the U.S. Be Held Accountable for its Role in the Slaughter? Are Hispanics an Ethnic Group? Air marshals kill traveller in Miami Angela's Betrayal
Admin on 12.08.05 @ 05:01 PM CST [ link]
Tuesday, December 6th
FROM CHAOS TO CONSCIOUSNESS
FROM CHAOS TO CONSCIOUSNESSThe name Stanley 'Tookie' Williams, is both famous and infamous. Infamous because of his multiple murder convictions in California, which led him to Death Row; Famous because of his works while there, and the growing movement to spare his life, and perhaps achieve his freedom from California’s notorious San Quentin prison. Those works include the writing of several, award-winning anti-gang and anti-violence books, many of them written especially for young folks, which have turned many away from the perils and pitfalls of gang life. They respond to Tookie, because they know that he knows what he’s talking about. Tookie is one of the founders of the Crips gang, which has spread all across the nation. As one of the founders of Cripdom, his words have a resonance that others, either in government or the church, simply can’t match. Tookie’s life example is also known to us through the acting of the Oscar-winning Jamie Foxx, who portrayed the muscular former gangbanger in a tele-drama called, “Redemption”. Foxx, the man and celebrity has joined the call to California’s Governor, fellow actor Arnold Schwarzenegger, to commute his death sentences to life. Just recently, Foxx was joined by his fellow actor, Will Smith, and rapper Snoop Dogg, who has echoed Foxx’s call. Endangered tiger at risk from China spill 'Whiteness' and Other Lies
An Interview with David Roediger Hidden in Plane Sight: U.S. Media Dodging Air War in Iraq Suicide - shoots himself three times 'Dirty negro' insult not always racist-Italy court Group: Online Content Cannot Remain Free Scientists discover new hydrothermal vents Bolivia's likely leftist rule a U.S. nightmare Saddam's Outbursts Well-Received by Some
Tyehimba on 12.06.05 @ 07:22 PM CST [ link]
Sunday, December 4th
The prison industry in the United States: a new form of slavery?
The prison industry in the United States: big business or a new form of slavery?HUMAN rights organizations, as well as political and social ones, are condemning what they are calling a new form of inhumane exploitation in the United States, where they say a prison population of up to 2 million – mostly Black and Hispanic – are working for various industries for a pittance. For the tycoons who have invested in the prison industry, it has been like finding a pot of gold. They don’t have to worry about strikes or paying unemployment insurance, vacations or comp time. All of their workers are full-time, and never arrive late or are absent because of family problems; moreover, if they don’t like the pay of 25 cents an hour and refuse to work, they are locked up in isolation cells. Hereros Back Pohamba's Decision Not to Endorse German Reparation DealTHE Ovaherero Genocide Committee has supported a move by President Hifikepunye Pohamba not to sign a reparation agreement valued at N$160 million, presented to him during his visit to Germany this week. Britain criticised for accepting Nigerian debt repayments The British government has drawn sharp criticism from development charities for taking a debt repayment from Nigeria which dwarfs the UK's entire annual aid budget for the African continent. Don't alter juries to add black people, local judges toldJudges can't bring affirmative action to the jury selection process, even if the jury makeup is not representative of the community, the state Supreme Court said in a ruling issued Friday. Rice rejects protests over terror prisonsWrongful Imprisonment: Anatomy of a CIA MistakeCanadian "Democracy" and Free Speech: "Martin lies, Haitians die".Venezuelans vote for Congress after oil pipe blast Russia's Amur River: native people on worry
about livelihood in wake of Chinese spill A Conversation with Death Row Prisoner
Stanley Tookie Williams from his San Quentin Cell FDA approves injecting ID chips in patients Lebanon: The Dangerous Effects of US Interference Venezuelan ruling party claims victory in congressional election
Tyehimba on 12.04.05 @ 08:56 PM CST [ link]
Saturday, December 3rd
France in new crackdown on immigrants
Countries Could Sue EU, U.S. Over SubsidiesSeveral countries could bring multiple cases against rich countries that subsidize farm products illegally and win, says a report by global development, advocacy and relief organisation Oxfam International. Hampton University Students Face Expulsion for Anti-Bush and Iraq War ProtestThe American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia today sent a letter asking Hampton University officials to refrain from punishing seven students accused of violating school policies by distributing leaflets on campus. The letter recommends that the university revise its rules governing demonstrations and distribution of literature in order to ensure student free speech rights on campus. France in new crackdown on immigrants AFRICANS ARE being targeted in a new French government crackdown on immigration in the wake of recent riots. Riots engulfed many French inner city estates. Some 25,000 illegal immigrants, largely drawn from Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria and from sub-Saharan Africa, face expulsion over the next year. GABON: Police clash with protesters in wake of Bongo re-electionResidents of the Gabonese capital, Libreville, awoke to a city teeming with security forces on Friday, one day after police clashed with crowds protesting the election that put Africa’s longest-serving leader in power for another seven years. MDC Banishes 'Rebels'THE Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) national council yesterday passed a vote of no confidence in executive members of the pro-senate faction, barring them from carrying out party functions until the party congress next year. Blair faces allegations of complicity in tortureDeath By Torture: US Media Ignores Hard EvidenceHow Europe Is Choking Itself - And The World Energy exports to US enter Canada campaign fight Chavez calls watchdog group a top enemy Three Injured by Blasts in VenezuelaVatican theologians study issue of limbo Analysis casts doubt on Vietnam war claims 12,000 Panamanians per year to receive sight operations in Cuba 'Iraqis want Saddam to run for election' Iraq War: Faking the news U.S. Is Said to Pay to Plant Articles in Iraq Papers
Tyehimba on 12.03.05 @ 03:26 AM CST [ link]
Thursday, December 1st
Group considers aggressive approach to exonerate Garvey
Group considers aggressive approach to exonerate GarveyEvery year since 1987, New York Congressman Charles Rangel has introduced a bill before Congress to exonerate Marcus Garvey. Every year, the bill has received a tepid response. No peace in DarfurTHE DISPATCH OF AFRICAN peacekeepers to end government-sanctioned mass murders in Sudan last year won deserved praise. Nations that often complained about interference in their affairs by former colonial powers were stepping forward to solve one of the continent’s own problems. French News Reports Say Peacekeeper in Ivory Coast Was Ordered to KillFrench news media are reporting a colonel says he was ordered to kill an Ivorian from the former head of France's peacekeeping operations in Ivory Coast. The colonel is among four soldiers under investigation in the death of the man last May in the West African country. South Africa justice by the colour bar Eleven years after South Africa’s miraculous transition from apartheid, the spectre of race has reared itself in the judiciary, the very institution that is tasked with upholding the rule of law. Both black and white judges are now accusing each other of racism in their rulings. Interestingly, the country’s constitution, touted as one of the best in the world, is underpinned by a body of laws derived from Roman Dutch and English law. Very little of it incorporates African values, perspectives and philosophies. Ghana's Govt affirms solidarity with Palestinian cause The Government has reaffirmed Ghana's solidarity with the Palestinian cause and renewed support for ongoing efforts of the international community and the United Nations to break the cycle of violence and pursue the peace process. Gabon: Landslide Win for Africa's Longest Serving PresidentOmar Bongo, president of Gabon since 1967, has won a landslide victory at the polls, securing a further seven years at the helm of the small oil-producing nation. Mugabe slates 'super-power' trade rulesZimbabwean President Robert Mugabe on Thursday accused "global super-powers" of dictating international trade rules and urged African and other developing nations to unite against such dominance. Dalit girl faces upper caste wrath in pursuit of educationA 15-year-old Dalit, the only girl from her community to complete higher secondary education in an Orissa village, is facing an upper caste ban on riding a bike, the only way to reach college. But she is determined to carry on. Remembering Tulsa, 1921Eighty-five years ago, allegations that a black man had tried to assault a white woman in a city elevator spurred hundreds of whites to attack what was one of the country's most prosperous black communities, a bustling neighborhood called Greenwood. Racist axe killers get long jail terms Two cousins were jailed yesterday for the murder of the teenager Anthony Walker in what the judge described as "racist thuggery of a type that is poisonous to any civilised society". Africa's HIV sufferers need access to free medical care World Aids Day was marked around the globe yesterday as a moment for much concern, and a small amount of hope. Tentative signs of progress in preventing the spread of HIV and treating those with it are outweighed by the failures of governments, both donors and recipients, to confront the pandemic with the urgency it deserves. British mercenary firm exposed in civilian shooting incident in IraqBush (The Energizer)'s Lies Just Go On and OnFreedom? What Freedom? U.N. Panel Freezes Assets of Two Men Embedded TIME Reporter: Bush Lied In Speech Yesterday About Iraqi Security Forces GM crop failure a warning, says US adviserChilean rightists woo votes from poor minority Bolivia commander takes blame for missiles 44 Acres of Coastline Collapses in Hawaii Iraq, Israel, brew deep Middle East mistrust of US : poll Let God Speak for Himself Bush in Iraq, Slouching Toward Genocide
Tyehimba on 12.01.05 @ 10:50 PM CST [ link]
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