SOUTH SUDAN OVERCOME ANTHEM HITCH FOR OLYMPIC DEBUT WIN

Nothing seems to faze South Sudan’s basketball team. When they lined up against Puerto Rico for their first-ever Olympic match, organisers mistakenly played the national anthem of neighbouring Sudan. Over 99% of South Sudanese voted to separate from Sudan in 2011, so imagine their frustration in hearing the Olympic games still thought they were one country. But Sunday’s disrespectful mix-up only spurred the Bright Stars to victory, according to their forward Nuni Omot. His side claimed a 90-79 win to go joint-top of their group with the mighty USA, who they face on Wednesday. And you’d be foolish to write off the Africans’ chances in that one, given they only lost to the USA by a single point in a friendly a few days ago.

Continued….. Before that match, former NBA stars and pundits ridiculed the South Sudan players but were soon left eating humble pie.

Whatever lies ahead for the Bright Stars, the world’s youngest country has had an amazing journey. It gained independence from Sudan in 2013, and its men’s national basketball side didn’t play their first competitive match until 2017. Now, they’re on the brink of reaching the quarter-finals of their first-ever Olympics.

We could be hearing the South Sudan national anthem a couple more times yet!

PRAYING ‘THE DEVIL’ DOESN’T TAKE VENEZUELA!

Oil-rich Venezuela has been in the crosshairs of the US for decades, enduring crippling sanctions aimed at provoking a regime-change that will enable easy exploitation of the country’s natural wealth.

Resisting imperialism has made life difficult for millions of Venezuelans, as their government sticks to the principles established by late revolutionary leader, Hugo Chávez.

Not one to cower under Washington's threats, Chávez - addressing the United Nations General Assembly in New York in 2006 - had choice words for the then-US president, George W. Bush, branding him the Devil. It is a speech that still resonates today.

Continued….. Incumbent Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has just been declared the winner of the July 28th election - but the US is already interfering, saying, ”the will of the people of Venezuela must be respected” - or, translated: "We are not pleased with the results as they do not serve our interests, and therefore Maduro must go!"

It’s the kind of treatment Africans have also had to endure.

How do you think Chávez would have handled this kind of meddling?

Video credit: UNTV

This image has sparked some debate online. It shows members of St. Cloud, Minnesota‘s Somali community donning their MAGA caps in support of Donald Trump. That’s quite a shocker, given the things he’s had to say about Somalia and Somali immigrants - including as president. He branded Somali refugees a “disaster,” accusing them of bringing crime and terrorism into the United States.

Ilhan Omar, the first Somali-American elected to Congress - as Democratic Representative from Minnesota - has been a frequent target of Trump’s disparaging remarks. He has accused her of being unpatriotic and has made xenophobic statements about her, which have been widely criticised as racist and Islamophobic. His insinuations include doubting the legitimacy of her citizenship and labelling her as a representative of a problematic ideology, which has amplified divisions and hostility towards the Somali and broader Muslim communities.

Continued….. One of Trump’s many bigoted policies includes the infamous Muslim Ban, which was enacted immediately after his 2017 inauguration. This ban restricted travel from several predominantly Muslim countries, including Somalia. The policy was widely criticised as discriminatory and harmful to Muslim communities worldwide, including Somalis in the US, who felt targeted and marginalised by the sweeping restrictions.

With all that in mind, why would Somalis in the US back Trump this time round? Answers in the comments please!

Image credit: @suud_olat

CHAVEZ’S SOLIDARITY WITH HAITI

Venezuela’s election authority has declared incumbent president Nicolas Maduro the winner of Suday’s presidential election. The National Electoral Council announced that Maduro amassed 51.2% of the 11-million votes cast. His closest challenger, opposition candidate Edmundo González, garnered 44%.

Maduro’s victory means the Bolivarian revolutionary project initiated by late President Hugo Chávez continues to move forward. Many in Africa will remember Chávez for deepening ties between Caracas and the African continent.

Under his leadership, two Africa-South America Summits were held to enhance South-to-South relations.

Continued….. Chávez was also the first Latin-American president to openly declare himself of African descent. His powerful words, “We carry Africa inside us, Africa is part of us, Latin-Caribbean America cannot be understood without Africa,” continue to inspire across Latin America and the Caribbean.

Chávez was not only a man of words but he backed them with action. While in office, he played a critical role in improving the lives of the historically marginalised Afro-Venezuelans.

His push for economic and social policies that empowered people of African descent went beyond the borders of his homeland to places such as Haiti, where millions benefitted from his government’s solidarity and support. African Stream’s Clinton Nzala explores that side of Chávez’s legacy in this report. Please let us know your reactions in the comments.

Scandal has rocked Judo at the Olympics, over accusations an Algerian athlete deliberately exceeded his weight limit to avoid facing an Israeli opponent.

Messaoud Redouane Dris was set to fight Israel’s Tohar Butbul on Monday (July 29th) in the 73kg class. However the Algerian was disqualified after weighing 400 grammes over the maximum, handing Butbul a walkover win.

The International Judo Federation (IJF) has stated that it will investigate the incident following a claim by the Israeli Olympic Committee that Dris purposefully gained weight in order to avoid competing with an Israeli athlete.

The IJF has made it clear that if Dris is found guilty, he will face the consequences. This incident, however, is not an isolated one, as the IJF has noted that similar cases of athletes exceeding their weight limits have occurred in previous Olympics.

Continued……. In September 2021, the IJF handed a ten-year ban on Dris’s compatriot Fethi Nourine and his coach Amar Benikhlef for withdrawing from the 2021 Tokyo Games in order to avoid facing Butbul, the exact Israeli athlete Dris was to face today.

Nourine stated that his refusal to face Butbul was in solidarity with the people of Palestine.
Dris has not issued any statement that his being ‘overweight’ has anything to do with politics. However, a social media post by one of his sponsors, Algerian telecommunications firm Mobilis, hinted in that direction. The post stated that ‘Dris won everyone’s respect. Honour and the [Palestinian] cause come first before anything else.’

In the run-up to the 2024 Olympics, several stakeholders and human rights organisation called for Israel to be banned from the games over its genocidal military onslaught against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, which has killed more than 39,000 people since October 2023.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has, however, refused to do so, claiming it wants to remain ‘neutral’ to avoid turning the games into a ‘political tool.’ This position has been ridiculed by many for its obvious hypocrisy, considering that Russian athletes have been told they cannot compete under the banner of the country due to its war against Ukraine.

AMERICA’S GOT A PROBLEM

The United States has the highest rate of civilian gun ownership in the world, with an estimated 393 million firearms. That’s more than one gun for each of about 341 million people. It should then not come as a surprise that gun-related injuries killed 42,967 people in the United States in 2023.

Research shows a correlation between stricter gun laws and lower rates of gun violence.

However, the mainstream media doesn’t point out that, for Africans, ensuring the right of self-defence against white supremacist violence is paramount. Further, guns find their way into inner cities, where many of our people are forced to live, amplifying the danger of street violence.

Continued….. The modern gun-control movement emerged after California enacted legislation in 1967 upon seeing Black Panthers wielding firearms in public to defend their communities against brutal police violence.

Some say the high rate of gun violence in the United States mirrors US military violence around the world.

Some would also say it really should not be a surprise that the United States doesn’t offer its citizens healthcare or guarantee other human rights, as the speaker, Ayishat Akanbi (@ayishat_akanbi on IG and X) mentions, because the US began as a profit-driven settler colony rather than simply as a refuge for those allegedly escaping religious persecution.

PAID CROWD CHEERS NETANYAHU IN CONGRESS

Does this 60 second clip show the power of money in politics? Watch as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gets nearly 50 standing ovations during his address to US Congress last week.

He called pro-Palestine protesters ‘Iran’s useful idiots’ and demanded more American support to ‘finish the job’ in Gaza, as if the deaths of likely more than 186,000 Palestinians, according to Lancet, is not enough. Dozens of Democrats boycotted his speech but, as you can see, his message was well received by most.

Although disheartening, it’s worth remembering this is largely a paid crowd. In 2024, Israel’s main lobby group, AIPAC, is set to spend $100-million across its political entities, according to Politico. And their main targets are politicians deemed insufficiently supportive of Israel.

Continued….. So, just how influential is the lobby group? Here is an excerpt from their website, ‘So far this cycle, an AIPAC-endorsed candidate has won in every district (224 races) where an endorsee was on the ballot. All 90 AIPAC-backed Democrats who have had their primary races in 2024, have won. These Democrats are strong pro-Israel voices’

NIGERIENS BACK COUP LEADERS ONE YEAR ON

It’s been a year since Niger had a revolutionary coup d’etat that rallied widespread public support. But how do Nigeriens feel today about their new government led by The National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland (CNSP)? Well, we headed to the capital Niamey to find out. And the reaction was overwhelmingly positive.

From women’s organisations to political parties and community groups, most back the country’s drive for greater independence away from former colonial power France.

One of the organisations we caught up with was The Union of Nigerien Scholars. It’s existed since August 1960, before Niger’s independence, and has witnessed the country’s evolution every step of the way. I

Continued….. t’s a mass Marxist-Leninist trade union that’s based around Niger’s schools and universities and it’s publicly backing and working alongside the CNSP. Their positive reaction just one of many we received.

This might come as a shock if you’ve been reading reports on the anniversary by US news agency Associated Press. It claims there’s ‘growing frustration’ on the streets, and businesses are ‘failing’. Well, for the record, we went there to find out first hand and, honestly, it was hard to come across anyone who didn’t support Niger’s new revolutionary leaders.

NETANYAHU LIES IN US CONGRESS

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has already been labelled a ’genocide perpetrator’ by some world leaders. And his recent address to US Congress has likely just earned him a new one: Pathological liar.

During a speech that was boycotted by a good number of US politicians, Netanyahu delivered a toxic cocktail of outright fabrications and Israeli propaganda. He dished it all, from claims there are no civilian casualties in Rafah to denials about blocking Gaza-destined humanitarian aid. He also accused pro-Palestine protesters of being Iranian agents.

African Stream’s William Sakawa reacts to the leader’s diatribe of falsehoods.p

NIGER’S REVOLUTIONARY YEAR

On 26th July, Niger’s revolutionary new leadership turned one year old. There was a large celebration in Niamey to mark the anniversary - but what was there to celebrate?

Firstly, General Abdourahamane Tchiani - who heads Niger’s military government - has severed ties with France, which - colonially and neo-colonially - had occupied and exploited the Sahel nation for some 100 years. Paris’ troops were booted out and French uranium miner Orano had a licence revoked - meaning greater security sovereignty for Niger and a reclamation of its long-looted mineral wealth.

Continued….. Niger also entered into a Pan-African confederation with fellow Sahel states Burkina Faso and Mali. The security pact means the trio can pool intelligence and resources in the fight against terrorism, but the alliance will also see greater economic and cultural integration. It’s a model that many Africans promoting a borderless continent have felt inspired by - and would like to see rolled out further afield.

In this video, we explore what else has changed in Niger over the last year. Let us know in the comments if you think the party in Niamey was big enough!

‘NOT A CUTE LOOK’ MISS SOUTH AFRICA XENOPHOBIA

The xenophobia surrounding this year’s Miss South Africa beauty contest has gone up a notch. An online petition’s been launched to disqualify 23-year-old Chidimma Adetshina from the competition. Even though she was born in South Africa, some don’t like the fact her father is Nigerian and her South African mother has Mozambican roots. The petition, at change.org, has already got 7,000 signatures since its release on July 29th.

Chidimma says the criticism is ‘Black-on-Black hate’ and she’s received plenty of support. Miss South Africa organisers insist she meets all criteria to take part in the final on August 10th. And content creator Jacqui Jax has also leapt to her defence, pointing out former winner, Vanessa Carreira, was Portuguese-Angolian.

Continued……In this clip she says, ‘this afrophobic, xenophobic rhetoric is starting to stick on South Africa, and it’s not a cute look.’

The country’s been plagued with xenophobia resulting in violence and discrimination against immigrants which is straining diplomatic relations with other African countries. It also tarnishes South Africa’s image as a diverse and inclusive nation.
Pile in with your comments.

Video credit: starring_jacquijax