BEYONCE AND THE ROLE OF AN ARTIST?

Singer-songwriter Beyoncé Knowles-Carter is being slammed on social media for the Israeli premiere of her film, 'Renaissance.' Attendees were recorded waving Israeli flags while singing her hit, 'Break My Soul.' This is one of several instances that has sparked debate about the responsibility of African artists while Israel bombs the Gaza Strip. However, this isn't new, as we hear from six Africans who have spoken out over the years.

Please follow us on Telegram, Link in Bio

NEW ZEALAND MP DEFIES PLEDGE TO KING CHARLES

Rawiri Waititi, a Maori New Zealand Parliamentarian, is making waves after he performed the Haka ceremonial dance and decided to pledge his allegiance to his descendants and Te Tiriti o Waitangi (the Treaty of Waitangi) during his swearing-in as an MP.

The Treaty of Waitangi, which is an agreement signed between Maori chiefs and the British crown in 1840, is revered among New Zealand's indigenous people.

Under the treaty, the Maori ceded the sovereignty of their territory to the British crown in exchange for protection from what they said were threats from the French. The treaty stated that the indigenous people would retain full rights to their land and natural resources, but, as if this colonial story hadn’t been told before, British authorities reneged on most of the treaty terms and stole vast tracts of land.

Continued... In recent years, the Treaty of Waitangi has become a rallying cry for the Maori people as they seek reparations and redress for the racist crimes they have suffered at the hands of both the colonial and post-colonial administrations.

Please follow us on Telegram, Link in Bio

FAILURE OF DEMOCRACY FUELING COUPS

In just a few years, Africa has witnessed a number of military coups. Soldiers have moved from their barracks and settled into presidential palaces. The events have left many wondering what could be behind the phenomenon. Is it a case of soldiers lacking respect for democracy, or might external interference have something to do with it?

In an interview with RT Africa, former South African President Thabo Mbeki addresses this issue as he highlights the link between military takeovers and the failures of democracy. He also underscores the unwillingness of some leaders to break exploitative ties with former neo-colonial powers.

FACTS OF THE WEEK

European racists have always panicked over African migrants. In this week’s Facts of the Week, African Stream lays out the truths - and exposes the half-truths and outright lies - in the Africa/Europe migrant debate.

WEST’S TOXIC CLIMATE DEMANDS ON AFRICA

COP 28 - aka, the 2023 UN Climate Change Conference - is coming to a close in Dubai, and pressure is mounting on Africa to slash its use of fossil fuels.

While going green is of course an admirable goal, there are certain nuances when it comes to our continent.

The West out-pollutes us by far - and its development was powered by dirty energy and industries. Now it’s insisting we go green before we’ve even had a chance to catch up in terms of development, yet also it offers us little incentive or support.

It’s almost as if it wants to keep us down and keep coming to it with a begging bowl. African Stream’s Miss Phyll digs deeper into what’s at stake.

TWO JAMAICANS ARGUE OVER PALESTINE-ISRAEL

You might have heard TikTok posts have turned many young people into supporters of the Palestinian liberation struggle. Israel backers and the administration of US President Joe Biden have accused the social media platform of serving a Chinese agenda to undermine the United States, the largest supporter of Israel. However, TikTok has denied its algorithm has boosted pro-Palestine videos into users' feeds. In fact, the Chinese company recently reported a pro-Israel hashtag has trended far more since the 7 October escalation, which has so far killed more than 17,000 civilians in Gaza.

However, new data shows 70 per cent of TikTok's 1.67 billion users are under the age of 35. These young people have been learning for the first time about the 75-year Palestine-Israel conflict, venting their outrage on the platform and on the streets.

Continued... In this recent video from a small town in Jamaica, we might be witnessing a generational divide, as an older man argues 'Israel for Israelites,' while the younger one defends Palestine.

What could explain the stark difference in opinion? Let us know below.

WHY THEY WANT TO BALKANISE AFRICA

‘Balkanisation’ means breaking up a larger state into smaller ones - and it’s a powerful weapon of control, especially if the smaller states are then turned against each other. It’s what the colonialists have tried to do with Africa. This has successfully kept us punching below our weight on the global stage. African Stream’s Inem Richardson explains how, and also why Pan-African unity is the right response!

THE METEORIC RISE OF TEMS

With her mesmerising voice and unique style, Nigerian singer-songwriter Tems is on a roll of incredible achievements, and it looks like her rise to stardom is only going to keep reaching new heights!

NO MATTER THE LANGUAGE, WE ARE AFRICANS

Obi Egbuna, Jr, a Pan-African activist and journalist, appeared on the 'Rock Newman Show' in Washington, D.C., to discuss all things Africa. He presented a poem that is directed at children to understand that, despite the various countries Africans inhabit, ultimately, we are all African.

The language barrier between Africans has partly come as a result of colonialism, as well as migration and slavery. However, despite our diversity, we must remember that we are all united by our motherland, Africa.

PLO LUMUMBA ON SUDAN CRISIS

What started in April as skirmishes in Khartoum between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has burst into an all-out conflict. General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, who leads the SAF and is the chairman of the country's Transitional Sovereignty Council, had collaborated in 2019 with his former deputy chairman, the RSF’s General Mohamed 'Hemedti' Hamdan Dagalo, to topple the government of President Omar al-Bashir. Together, they orchestrated a military coup in 2019, and another one in 2021. But tensions over how the RSF would integrate into the SAF eventually led to fighting that has festered over the last eight months. Caught in the crossfire are Sudanese civilians. More than 12,000 people have been killed this year, according to the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project. Plus, thousands more have been injured and about 7 million have been internally and externally displaced, worsening an acute humanitarian crisis.

Continued... In a recent exclusive interview with African Stream in our Nairobi office, Pan-Africanist scholar PLO Lumumba discussed several issues across the African continent, including the ongoing crisis in Sudan. Take a look and let us know what you think about Lumumba's position.

If you'd like to watch more, head over to our YouTube channel for the whole conversation.

CONFESSION OF AN ECONOMIC HIT MAN

Ever wonder exactly how the United States subverts democracy and the aspirations of countries?

In this clip, we hear from the horse’s mouth about the array of tools that are used to shape the international landscape to US favour. John Perkins bore witness to his time at a US-based consulting firm, for which he said the US National Security Agency screened him. Decades later, Perkins published an exposé, ‘Confessions of an Economic Hit Man.' The book lays out how individuals are recruited to promote the interests of corporations and Western government agencies in developing countries, at the expense of the people.

Continued... Perkins' job involved convincing poor countries' leaders to accept loans for infrastructure and development projects that were often unnecessary and unsustainable. Since recipient countries could not easily pay off these loans, they fell into a cycle of debt and dependency. This allowed the United States and its corporate interests to exert control over these countries, effectively turning them into economic and political vassals.

Let us know what you think of Perkins' explanation.

CLIMATE CHANGE: MO IBRAHIM CALLS OUT THE WEST

During the Inaugural African Climate Summit, Sudanese entrepreneur Mo Ibrahim called out the United States, Europe and China over the large amount of carbon emissions they produce.

He asked who gave them the right to do such a thing, emitting anywhere between 6.5 and 17 tons of carbon per individual annually when, according to science, the global average should not be more than 3 tons of carbon per person yearly? He proposed that these countries pay for the harm they are causing because that is the only way to effect change.

At the moment African countries continue to bear the biggest brunt of climate change yet are the lowest carbon-emitting nations. On average, each individual on the continent emits just 1 ton of carbon annually.

Please follow us on Telegram, Link in Bio

Continued….This year's celebrations come against the backdrop of a deteriorating economy. Kenyans are struggling with the high cost of living and increased taxation. The national currency has lost 20% of its value in 2023, attributed to high debt levels and shrinking government revenue.

President William Ruto came into power promising to ease the burden on citizens but has done the opposite. Many say he is singing to the tune of Western powers - as played by the IMF and World Bank, who are apparently dictating the country's economic policies. He has also pledged to send a police force to Haiti, against the wishes of many Kenyans.

Please follow us on Telegram, Link in Bio

THE CRISIS IN AFRICA’S RICHEST COUNTRY

DRC should be flourishing right now - it possesses an estimated $24 trillion in wealth in the form of natural resources. Instead, it is being torn apart by war and Western greed and exploitation. Millions internally displaced, countless killed, masses in poverty, swathes of the population exploited in slave-like conditions.

Activists like @chakabars - who has over a million followers on Instagram - are doing their bit to raise awareness, but the world at large still hasn’t taken note.

Continued….He witnessed the aftermath of a recent attack by locals on a UN truck in DRC’s North Kivu - suspected of transporting Rwandan-backed rebels, who’ve been among the main perpetrators of genocidal violence in the region.

Since the days of the limb-chopping Belgium King Leopold, to the Apples and Teslas of today, instability has been used as a tool for extracting the country’s ample resources - and the people of Congo have paid the highest price.

DRC urgently needs change. Please watch, like and share, and let us know what you think the most viable solutions are.

Please follow us on Telegram, Link in Bio