‘LEAVE EUROPE? ONCE EUROPE GETS OUT OF AFRICA!’

Racists in Europe will often mask their hatred as patriotism, telling Black and Brown people to ‘leave’ and ‘go back’ to their ‘own countries.’ The level of ignorance is galling. It was Europeans that came and pillaged our ancestral lands. It’s our wealth they built their more ‘advanced’ societies on - something that continues to this day through neo-colonial exploitation.

Continued…. Adding to the irony is the fact that Europe controls two African territories on the Northern Coast: Ceuta and Melilla. This control, which dates back to Spanish colonisation, symbolises the ongoing neo-colonial presence of Europe in Africa. It highlights the contradictory nature of European immigration laws and policies: on the one hand, European countries fortify their borders against African migrants, while on the other, they maintain sovereign territories on African soil, revealing a shameless double standard. At the same time, neo-colonial policies towards African nations continue to create terrible living standards that force Africans to look for livelihoods outside of Africa, while her plundered resources feed the Global North.

In this video, a brother expresses sentiments shared by many Africans living in Europe and in the diaspora: until Europe (and the rest of the Western world) leave Africa and provide restitution, Africans will not leave Europe. Africans are rightfully ennoscriptd to be in Europe and enjoy the fruits of their blood, sweat and tears. The video is particularly timely, given the recent racial violence we have seen erupt in the UK lately.

Unfortunately, we don’t know the video author’s name and can’t link to his account. If you can enlighten us, please do in the comments - where your reactions to what he has to say are also most welcome!

(Source video was shared by @Tasetireloaded2 on X.)

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YES, KAMALA HARRIS WILL KEEP ARMING ISRAEL AS PREZ

What would a Kamala Harris presidency look like? Many people are excited for a woman president but are anxious about her pro-Israel policy.

However, based on what we know, it probably wouldn’t look too different from Joe Biden’s presidency. While recent efforts have attempted to depict Harris as a slightly more pro-Palestine option, this could not be further from the truth. She and her national security advisor, Phil Gordon, have made it clear that a Harris presidency does not mean an end to arming Israel, which has k*lled more than 40,000 Palestinians since 7 October.

Continued….. The Lancet medical journal went as far as to report Israel has k*lled more than 186,000 as of early July. 

Israel does not have a track record of respecting ceasefires. Some might wonder: What is the point of Harris claiming to work for a ceasefire when the US could practically put an end to the onslaught overnight by cutting financial and military aid?

And, we wonder, will the people demand more from Harris? Let us know in the comments.

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PRO-PALESTINE WORKERS BLOCK WEAPON SHIPMENTS

Workers around the world are showing massive solidarity with Palestine by disrupting weapon deliveries to Israel.

Dockers in Spain and Italy have refused to handle deadly shipments, while unions in Canada and the UK have disrupted arms factories. Meanwhile, in India, unions are protesting the government’s plans to send workers to replace Palestinians. They represent a powerful global labour movement that’s supporting Palestinian rights.

Continued….. Workers have long been at the forefront of resistance, achieving notable successes. During the apartheid-era in South Africa, widespread strikes and labour actions were crucial in undermining the regime. The 1973 Durban strikes, led by Black workers, were a turning point, galvanising widespread anti-apartheid sentiment and leading to significant political and social change. During the U.S. Civil Rights Movement, protests, such as the Black-led Montgomery Bus Boycott, were instrumental in challenging racial segregation. Similarly, the 1970s labour strikes in Chile, headed by workers under Salvador Allende, showcased the power of organised labour in resisting authoritarian regimes and advocating for democratic reforms.

These historical victories underscore how collective action and solidarity can help dismantle systemic injustices.

William Sakawa looks at how workers’ muscles are being flexed once again.

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PALESTINE SUPPORTER STORMS DNC STAGE

Pro-Palestine protesters crashed the Democratic National Convention welcome party for delegates on 18 August in Chicago. 

In a viral video, a protester ran up the steps of a stage and grabbed a microphone to say, ‘There’s a gen*cide happening in Palestine, 150,000 people are dead, you are funding a gen*cide and the [Biden-] Harris administration keeps funnelling money to Israel.’ To clarify, the Gaza Health Ministry has reported more than 40,000 deaths, while the Lancet medical journal has estimated the death toll was more than 186,000 as of early July.

Continued……. ‘From the inside and out, the DNC cannot party while there is a gen*cide in Gaza,’ wrote Direct Actions for Palestine (@directactions4palestine on IG), a Chicago-based advocacy group that posted a video of the protest. ‘Welcome to hell week.’

The following day, thousands of pro-Palestine protesters took to the streets against the DNC. Then, on 20 August, Harris accepted the Democratic Party’s nomination for president.

Do you agree with the protesters’ tactic? Let us know in the comments.

Video credit: @directactions4palestine (IG)

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BOTSWANA UNEARTHS WORLD’S SECOND-BIGGEST DIAMOND

Watch the moment Botswana’s leader receives the world’s second-largest diamond. You can almost hear the thud as it’s dropped into his hands at a press conference. Smiling from ear to ear, President Mokgweetsi Masisi says ‘God is good’ as he stares at the massive stone.

The gem is 2,492-carats (almost half a kilo) and was unearthed in the country by Canadian mining firm Lucara Diamond Corp. It’s the biggest find since 1905’s discovery of the Cullinan Diamond in South Africa, which was 3,106 carats. Although the Botswana whopper hasn’t been valued yet, a smaller diamond found at the same Karowe Mine sold for $63m in 2016.

Continued…. The African country is blessed with natural riches, but unlike other nations on the continent, it’s managed to avoid the ‘resource curse.’ Prudent government policy has seen much of the country’s wealth stay within its borders. It boasts Africa’s fourth-biggest GDP per capita and has some of the lowest corruption levels. It’s also allowed Botswana to avoid IMF loans and debt traps. The World Bank found Botswana to be one of the few countries in Africa that fully funds social protection programs out of its own resources, dedicating 4.4% of its GDP to social spending. However, it’s not without its problems. There’s still high inequality and unemployment is running at around 23%, according to website Statista.

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BBC RUNNING DEFENCE FOR ISRAEL

Here’s another example of Western media obscuring Israeli responsibility. It’s a headline from the BBC after a nurse blamed Israel for an air strike that killed his wife and six children in Gaza. We've added the word Israel which, for some reason, was omitted from the original. That’s despite the grieving father, Ashraf El Attar, telling the UK outlet: ‘Israel has committed a grave injustice. My entire family has been wiped out in an instant, leaving me with nothing.’

However, the BBC report did stress the Israeli military doesn't deliberately target civilians and was ‘eliminating terrorists’ in the area.

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KAMALA’S CROCODILE TEARS OVER GAZA

During a closing-night speech at the Democratic National Convention, US Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic Party’s nominee for president, lied about what happened on 7 October, using long-ago debunked allegations of r*pe to back Israel’s military onslaught, which has k*lled at least 40,000 Palestinians since 8 October. In almost the same breath, she expressed grief over starving Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip while her administration continues to arm and fund Israel. 

Her unflinching support for Israel continues despite thousands of people who protested in the streets for months and, most recently, at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago ahead of her accepting the nomination.

Continued….. Just this August alone, the US approved $20 billion in weapon sales to Israel, in addition to an annual $3.8 billion military aid package that will renew each year until 2028. Washington has bypassed congressional approval by shipping ‘bunker buster’ bombs, which can weigh a tonne each, and other explosives that fall below the approval threshold (by either cost or size). If such support continues, how will she bring an end to the suffering of Palestinians, as she claims? How about an arms embargo and an immediate and permanent ceasefire, for a start?

Do you think Kamala’s pro-Israel policy will bring lasting peace to Palestine? Let us know in the comments.

Video credit: @cbsnews

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SOUTH AFRICANS, NIGERIANS PRANK CAB DRIVERS

Nigerians and South Africans are trolling each other with fake taxi orders. A number of accounts have been blocked on the ride app Bolt after people in South Africa started making prank bookings in Nigeria - where people then decided to ‘retaliate.’ It may sound like fun and games, but cabbies - whose margins are thin at the best of times - have taken a hit, losing time and potential earnings from genuine orders, while wasting fuel during a cost-of-living crisis. Love between the two countries has waned recently over the Miss South Africa pageant controversy. This saw South African-born Chidimma Adetshina forced to step down due to allegations her mother (who has Mozambican roots) used identity fraud to obtain citizenship - while her father is Nigerian. Do you think these ‘cab wars’ could be connected?

A.E.S. BRINGS UKRAINE BEFORE UNSC

Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso, founders of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) confederation, have written to the United Nations Security Council that Ukraine is supporting terrorism in their territories.

In late July, Ukrainian representatives faced backlash for publicly professing support for terrorists k*lling Malian Armed Forces. This led Senegal to summon the Ukrainian ambassador, who also represents Ukraine in the neighbouring countries. Then, Mali and Niger officially cut diplomatic ties with the Eastern European country. 

Kiev said the claim is unfounded. However, the Ukrainian Defence Ministry intelligence agency’s press representative stated on Ukrainian national television that Ukraine provided intelligence to a Mali-based rebel group. Plus, according to an unnamed Western security source speaking with the AFP news agency, Ukraine is communicating with the rebels.