Continued…..Hester has given £10 million ($12.76 million USD) in the past year to the ruling Conservative Party (the Tories) that has governed the UK since 2010. Reports say a party spokesperson confirmed Hester is its 'largest-ever donor.' The UK Labour Party leader, Keir Starmer, has asked the Tories to return the donation.

A TPP statement - the company Mr Hester founded said Hester telephoned Abbott twice to try to apologise and that he 'accepts that he was rude about Diane Abbott in a private meeting several years ago, but his criticism had nothing to do with her gender nor colour of skin.' The company's statement also said Hester abhorred racism, 'not least because he experienced it as the child of Irish immigrants in the 1970s.'

Abbott didn't seem to accept that, though and said, "The fact that two MPs have been murdered in recent years makes talk like this all the more alarming."

Let us know what you think of Hester's remarks.

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SOUTH AFRICA CALLS FOR GENOCIDE PROTESTS

South Africa’s foreign minister has called for protests outside the embassies of countries supporting Israel. Nalendi Pandor is urging people to make posters with the banner ‘stop genocide’ and says it’s time to ‘stand up and be visible.’

She was speaking at last week’s ANC dialogue on Palestine and said her country’s tough stance is about fighting racism, colonialism, occupation and upholding the UN Charter. Pretoria has taken Israel to the UN’s top court over its bombardment of Gaza that’s killed over 31,000 Palestinians.

This snippet is from her powerful speech and you can watch a longer version on our YouTube channel. She’s a rock for justice. Will you respond to her call to protest?

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U.S. MEDIA OUTLETS PASS OFF IDF-LINKED INDIVIDUALS AS JOURNALISTS

Western journalists and politicians routinely attack and discredit media houses in the Global South as simple propaganda mouthpieces. One would therefore expect the professionalism, integrity and objectivity of Western media outlets to be beyond reproach. However, the insidious ties between private interests and Western media has apparently metastasised, running much deeper than previously expected.

Continued….In this clip, data journalist Mona Chalabi exposes how major US outlets such as the New York Times and Wall Street Journal published reports by individuals with direct links to Israel’s military and intelligence services. They were touted as impartial journalists reporting on the conflict in Gaza. She also highlights how this behaviour not only misinforms the public but also has far-reaching consequences, as top decisions are being contemplated and made based on these reports.

One African country, South Africa, has found itself a victim of such unsubstantiated reporting on numerous occasions. As of late 2023, the ANC-led government put Israel in the dock at the International Court of Justice, alleging that Tel Aviv is committing genocide against Palestinians. In response, a flurry of media reports have been published, ranging from how South Africa is a ‘legal arm’ of H*m*s to how it was paid by Iran to launch the legal challenge against Tel Aviv.

What are your thought in the role of the media during Israel’s brutal war in Gaza?

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NAMIBIANS DEMAND LAND GERMAN GENOCIDERS STOLE

Descendants of the Herero and Nama people are demanding the return of ancestral lands Germany stole during what historians consider the 20th century’s first genocide.

Between 1904 and 1908, colonial authorities in Namibia killed between 34,000 to 100,000 Herero and Nama people, according to some estimates.

Despite Germany issuing an apology in 2021, descendants say few practical steps have been taken to address some of the enduring injustices. For example, Namibia’s white people—making up only about five per cent of the population, with some being descendants of the genociders in question—own more than 70 per cent of farmland.

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MAURICE BISHOP’S MESSAGE TO AFRICANS IN THE UNITED STATES

Today, the 13th of March, marks 45 years since the New JEWEL Movement ousted the corrupt dictatorship of Prime Minister Eric Gairy through a bloodless coup in Grenada. It is an excellent time to bring back the revolutionary prime minister, Maurice Bishop’s, address in New York about the danger Grenada’s revolution posed to the United States.

Continued….The New JEWEL Movement—New Joint Endeavor for Welfare, Education and Liberation—swiftly established the People’s Revolutionary Government, ushering in a new era of socialist ideals. Under Bishop’s leadership, Grenada underwent a profound socioeconomic transformation marked by extensive reforms and initiatives to uplift the primarily poor population. By 1982, the following occurred: a literacy campaign, the construction of new schools, and the establishment of agricultural cooperatives that particularly benefitted unemployed youth in rural areas. Cuban aid bolstered these efforts, providing expertise in education, healthcare, and infrastructure development, notably constructing a modern international airport to replace the hazardous existing airstrip.

Unemployment plummeted from 49 per cent to 14 per cent within four years. Symbolising the shift in priorities, vibrant billboards promoting education adorned the island, signalling a departure from those that had advertised cigarettes and alcohol. Grenada’s revolution sparked tangible social progress and economic development, leaving a lasting legacy of change and empowerment among its populace.

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KENYA'S US-BACKED HAITI MISSION ABORTED
AGAIN

Kenya’s US-backed plan to send police to Haiti has hit another roadblock. Nairobi has halted the deployment of 1,000 officers following the resignation of unelected Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry. Kenya’s foreign ministry says it will decide what to do next after the installation of a new constitutional authority on the Caribbean Island.

It’s the latest in a string of obstacles facing the deployment, including a high court ruling that called it unconstitutional. Citizens of Haiti and Kenya have berated the operation as a Black mask used to cover American foreign policy and interests.

Continued…..Previous interventions have been disastrous. The most infamous was the UN’s so-called stabilisation mission, MINUSTAH, between 2004-2017. It was blamed for the deaths of at least 10,000 Haitians from cholera after a sewage leak was traced back to a UN base. Dozens of its peacekeepers were also accused of wanton killings and sex crimes, including against children. With Kenyan police notorious for their brutality, it’s unclear how much better this proposed round of occupation would be for Haitians.

What’s more, while Haiti is portrayed as an island ruled by savage gangs, the trail of destruction left by Western policy is ignored. Apart from interventions failing to bring peace, we shouldn’t forget France made Haiti pay tens of billions of dollars for daring to free itself from slavery. Then, the US looted Haiti’s gold, removed popularly elected leaders and installed puppet dictatorships like that of Duvalier.

What country wouldn’t be unstable after such abuse of sovereignty?

AFRICA’S FASTING FASTEST

African Muslims will follow some of the world’s shortest fasting hours during Ramadan. Here’s a look at five cities and their hours of suhoor and iftar this week.

MOROCCANS SHOW PALESTINIAN SOLIDARITY

While Muslims around the world celebrate Ramadan, prayers and thoughts are with Palestinians who can’t.

Israel’s destruction and blockade of the Gaza Strip means those living there cannot observe the holy month. But they’re not forgotten. These pictures from Tétouan, in north-central Morocco, again show the strength of feeling as hundreds took to the streets in solidarity.

The UN says a quarter of Gaza’s population is on the brink of famine. And the European Union’s foreign Policy chief, Josep Borrell, has now accused Israel of using starvation as a weapon of war. Earlier today, Israel claimed a convoy of six trucks with World Food Programme aid had been allowed to enter the Gaza Strip. But that’s miniscule. How long will it take before Palestinians get the aid they need?

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Four years ago, on March 13th, 26-year-old Breonna Taylor was fatally shot during a police raid in Louisville, Kentucky. Seven plain-clothed White officers forcibly entered her home with a so-called ‘no-knock’ warrant as part of an investigation. It meant they didn’t have to declare their presence or purpose and they opened fire 32 times. One officer fired 10 ‘blind’ shots through a covered window and glass door.

An autopsy revealed Breonna, a Black emergency room technician, died from five bullet wounds to the chest. It sparked protests across the country with demonstrators using the slogan #SayHerName.

No officer has been indicted for the homicide. According to data collected by Washington Post, Black people constitute about 13% of the population in the USA - yet make up a quarter of those killed by police every year. That's twice more than their White counterparts who make up the bulk of the population.

Continued….Many of these killings of Black people living in America are unwarranted, unarmed, unprovoked and disproportionate. Despite racial and civic justice protests since the 1950's and beyond, they continue.

However, there has been one positive development on the anniversary of Breonna's death. Kentucky Senator, Rand Paul, has reintroduced a bill aimed at creating a nationwide ban on no-knock warrants. It’s called the Justice for Breonna Taylor Act.

May she rest in peace.

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ISRAELI WOMAN DEHUMANISES PALESTINIAN BABIES

This shocking clip is doing the rounds, showing Israeli women blocking aid convoys into Gaza. They’re being interviewed by a CNN reporter when one of them says it’s her right and duty to prioritise a life of an Israeli baby over a Gazan baby.

According to the UN, a quarter of the two million people living in the besieged Strip are on the brink of famine. In the four months of Israeli bombardment, over 13,000 children have been killed - that’s more than in the last four years of global war. But, to this woman, it’s justified because H*m*s has taken hostages.

The EU has now accused Israel of using starvation as a weapon of war. Will it change anything?

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U.S. TO DRC & RWANDA: ‘WALK BACK FROM BRINK OF WAR’

The United Nations Security Council held an emergency meeting last month, where the US representative said the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and its neighbour, Rwanda, must ‘walk back from the brink of war.’

Over the years, the United Nations and human rights groups have released evidence showing the DRC’s neighbours have participated in destabilising what has been described as the heart of Africa. The DRC has some of the richest reserves of minerals used to build high-tech devices and electric cars. The UN said discrepancies in the DRC’s and neighbouring countries’ export figures indicate a ‘pattern of smuggling.’

Continued….Several months ago, Angolan President João Lourenço pledged to protect the M23 militant group that the UN has accused of sex crimes, civilian murders and bombardments in the DRC. Since then, Angola and Kenya discussed disarming and integrating the M23 into civilian society by first placing them in a military garrison.

Since the mid-1990s, the violence in the DRC has caused the second-largest internal-displacement crisis in Africa.

Let us know what you think in the comments.

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AFRICA CAN’T DEVELOP IN ISOLATION!

Would cutting off Africa from the rest of the world be a good development model for the continent? After all, it’s suffered terribly at the hands of colonialists, and some warn it mustn’t trust the likes of Russia and China. However, no country has ever developed in isolation, not even the United States.

Have a listen to our interview with Zambia’s Socialist Party President Fred Mmembe, who says the continent must embrace relations with the rest of the world. But it must do so with eyes wide open and mutually beneficial deals. Africa has resources, but it needs infrastructure and modern technology. The question is, from where should it seek help?

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PANDOR PRAISES MULTIPOLARITY!

In this clip, South Africa’s foreign minister gives a robust defence of a multipolar world.

Speaking at a recent ANC conference, Naledi Pandor explained why it was important that all states have a voice on the geopolitical stage - especially when it comes to things like the imposition of sanctions. If powerful states like the US try to impose their will on others by going round such checks and balances as the UN, then smaller nations will always be at risk of economic blackmail - if not worse.

However, is Pandor putting too much faith in the UN? Given the way some nations abuse their veto on the Security Council, some say it’s no longer the guard it once was. Your thoughts, as always, are appreciated.

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DO SOUTH AFRICANS THINK THEY'RE EUROPEAN?

Have you noticed how some people view South Africa as ‘different’ to the rest of Africa? Julius Malema, the leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters, says such a belief is a relic of colonial powers trying to keep the continent divided.

In this clip Malema urges South Africans to stop feeling as if they’re somehow closer to Europe than the rest of Africa. Unity, above all, is the only way forward. Do you agree? Please leave your thoughts below.

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WAR VICTIMS NEED HELP THIS RAMADAN

As we enter the holy month of Ramadan, we remember our brothers and sisters on the brink of death in Gaza, Sudan and the DRC. African Stream’s Ahmed Ghoneim calls out Muslim leaders for their inaction and demands they represent the will of their people.

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KENYANS SAY NO TO RUTO’S HAITI MISSION

Kenyans have embarrassed their president on his own X account. In a post, William Ruto doubled down on sending 1,000 police to Haiti as part of a US-backed mission. On the same thread, a user then polled people on whether they wanted the deployment to go ahead. A staggering 5,000 responded with 80 per cent of them saying NO!

Kenya’s foreign ministry had declared the mission was on hold after Haiti’s unelected Prime Minister, Ariel Henry, resigned. However, a few hours later, Ruto insisted officers would be sent as soon as a new Presidential Council was in place on the Caribbean Island.

It’s a decision that has little support in Kenya, which is facing its own security crisis. In recent months, bandit-related violence has killed 74 people and displaced more than 2,500 people in the North Rift area.