WHY DEBT SINKS AFRICA NOT AMERICA

Why is it that America can run up huge debts and survive, but African countries cannot?
Well, it’s simple. The US can print the greenback, while the rest of the world can’t.
Listen to economist Michael Hudson explain how that basic fact underpins the world order and keeps Uncle Sam on top.

THE UPC: CAMEROON’S TRAGIC INDEPENDENCE HEROES

A shout-out to our brothers and sisters in Cameroon celebrating Independence Day! January 1st marks a pivotal moment in their history: the day the country broke free from colonial domination and embarked on its journey as a sovereign nation. However, this milestone was not achieved without immense sacrifice, revolutionary struggle, and the enduring fight for Pan-African unity. While the date is formally tied to the leadership of French-backed president Ahmadou Ahidjo, the true heroes of Cameroon’s independence remain the revolutionary Union of the Peoples of Cameroon (UPC) and the countless lives sacrificed in the fight against imperialism.

Continued……. The UPC fought and died for the independence and unity of Cameroon, as well as that of Africa - but they paid a terrible price. Ahidjo - backed by France - waged a genocidal war against not just the UPC but also the Bamiléké people. However, the UPC organised the peoples of Cameroon and fought to keep the country together, even across linguistic lines.

While the Cameroonian War of Independence is often referred to as the ‘Forgotten War’ because the more successful Algerian Revolution overshadowed it at the time, the history of this struggle continues to shape Cameroon in the present.

Since independence in 1960 and the elimination of the UPC, a single political party and only two presidents have ruled the country: Ahmadou Ahidjo and Paul Biya.

Despite many setbacks, the UPC worked tirelessly to build relationships with other Pan-African organisations and leaders, from Kwame Nkrumah to Patrice Lumumba and Ahmed Ben Bella. Though not yet achieved, their objective of a unified and liberated Africa continues to inspire us in the ongoing struggle.

Today, as Cameroon reflects on its independence, it is crucial to rekindle the revolutionary spirit of the UPC and the broader Pan-African movement. With this milestone, let us honour the legacy of the country’s revolutionaries by working toward the realisation of their dreams: a Cameroon and an Africa that is truly free.

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https://youtu.be/R58wESzIKp0

LAWN OF THE BEAST

A nice, well-kept garden looks innocuous enough, but the reasons it became popular aren't so beautiful.
We look at the thorny colonial history of the British lawn, which left its mark on the African landscape

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If you want to support our work, please consider joining our Patreon! Our African-centered videos take many hours to conceptualise, develop, research, noscript, present and edit. We need your support to sustain the production value of the channel and to help us reach new audiences. Join our community at patreon.com/AfricanStream, where we'll provide some of our members with great perks! Link in Bio!

‘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.

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:

Continued…….. 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.)

‘ALIENS DID IT!’ A RACIST CONSPIRACY

From the pyramids and the Great Zimbabwe National Monument, to the legendary city of Timbuktu, ancient, pre-colonial African civilisation is stunning - too stunning for some racists to handle. They’d rather believe wonders of the world such as these were created by aliens than by Africans. African Stream’s Clinton Nzala breaks it down.

SEAN IN TOTTENHAM, PT 2: ISRAEL VIOLATES INT'L LAW

Thanks to popular demand, we're dropping part 2 of Sean, our man in Tottenham, England, dropping truth bombs during a recent call into an LBC radio programme.

He shines a spotlight on Israel's clear violation of international law, violations that its Western backers have chosen to do nothing about despite their self-appointed position as upholders of the 'rules-based order.'

Sean reminds us of the West's main reasons for invading Iraq and Libya: Supposed violations of international law. Yet, they disregard even worse violations by Israel.

Continued………. Why haven't they done anything to stop Israel's genocide of Palestinians, whose death count so far has exceeded over 186,000, according to a Lancet study? And after it had been calculated, a Palestinian child is killed every 10 minutes? And as millions starve as Israel throttles delivery of relief supplies to a mere trickle? And while hospitals, schools and refugee camps are routinely bombed as part of an ethnic cleansing campaign?

The radio host tamely replies that the European Union's foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, has asked Israel to exercise its right to self-defence within international law.

As Sean puts it, it's all talk and no action because all the West has done is provide bombs and financial support to Israel, thus being complicit in the ongoing genocide.

Let us know what you think by sharing your comments.

NATO NABS KENYA

Kenyans will remember 2024 for President William Ruto's extravagant state visit to the US in May, during which Joe Biden announced that Congress was working on officially designating the East African country as a major non-NATO ally. The decision meant Kenya would effectively abandon a 60-year non-alignment policy that brought benefits from both the Western and Eastern blocs of nations.


Kenya is strategically located in Eastern Africa and boasts a tech-savvy, ethnically diverse, hardworking population of 56 million. The country is the gateway to the immensely wealthy Great Lakes region, with a natural harbour and relatively modern transport corridors linking it to Africa's interior. It’s clear why Washington was keen to lock Nairobi firmly into its orbit - as, of course, were the likes of Moscow and Beijing, whose foothold on our continent is fast expanding.

Continued……So what does Kenya actually gain - and what does it lose - by siding with Washington & Co.? Well, we’ve indulged our amateur-dramatics skills to bring you the answers! African Stream's Wambura Mwai, Ahmed Kaballo and Eric Gavala star, respectively, as Kenya, the US-led NATO bloc and the China-Russia axis!

Enjoy the show, and let us know what you think - of our points, if not our acting skills!

SISTER SOULJAH ON KU KLUX KLAN

In this 1992 interview with Larry King, rapper and activist Sister Souljah responds to an incredible accusation.
A caller claims her actions are on a par with white supremacist David Duke. Her answer is as powerful as it gets.
To do it justice, you’ll have to listen to the clip, but let’s just say she lays out some history that should never be forgotten.

The Ku Klux Klan (KKK) is a violent white supremacy organisation founded after the U.S. Civil War. Since 1865, the KKK has killed many Blacks in the U.S., including by lynching. Members burn crosses and march wearing hooded gowns to terrorise Black people. In addition to hate crimes, the KKK has opposed any form of equality with Africans in the U.S. Perhaps that’s why the caller thinks our sister doesn’t deserve to wear her jewels?

Video credit: @Larry King Live, CNN

HOW WESTERN TECH INDUSTRY DESTABILISES DRC

Could the West’s greed for electronics, advanced tech and profits be contributing to the genocide in Congo? A bold question, but one that needs to be asked. The DRC should be one of the richest nations in the world, given its immense mineral wealth. But instead, it’s consistently ranked as one of the poorest. Moreover, it’s being torn apart by conflict and a humanitarian crisis. African Stream’s Erick Gavala takes a deep dive into how greedy Western technology giants - and their growing appetite for DRC’s most sought-after minerals - are escalating the country’s insecurity.

HOW U.S. SECRETLY GAVE BLACKS SYPHILIS IN SICK EXPERIMENT

The Tuskegee Syphilis Experiment was a study conducted between 1932 and 1972 by the United States Public Health Service and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on a group of nearly 400 Africans in America. They were injected with syphilis, and the aim of the study was to observe the effects of the disease when left untreated - though by the end of the study, medical advancements meant it was entirely treatable. The men were not informed of the nature of the experiment and there was no signed consent. 128 of them either succumbed to syphilis or died of complications related to the disease - or, as @corruptionreport puts it in this clip, were “killed.”

An official apology wasn’t forthcoming until 1997, and no one was ever prosecuted over the deaths. According to the Equal Justice Initiative, “an undisclosed portion of the settlement money remains in court-controlled accounts with an uncertain fate.”

𝗙𝗔𝗟𝗟𝗔𝗖𝗜𝗘𝗦 𝗢𝗙 𝗔𝗙𝗥𝗜𝗖𝗔𝗡 𝗛𝗘𝗔𝗗𝗦 𝗢𝗙 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗧𝗘

We’ve all heard them talk, charming words, excellent cadence, captivating delivery..... but do they have anything to offer us beyond fiery speeches? Well it turns out that the only thing they have to bring to the table is neo-colonialism. Do you agree with us or did we miss the mark?

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If you want to support our work, please consider joining our Patreon! Our African-centered videos take many hours to conceptualise, develop, research, noscript, present and edit. We need your support to sustain the production value of the channel and to help us reach new audiences. Join our community at patreon.com/AfricanStream, where we'll provide some of our members with great perks! Link in Bio!

SCALING THE HISTORY OF BENIN’S AMAZING WALLS

Did you know that in 1010 AD, the largest man-made structure in Africa was located in the Old Benin Kingdom, in present-day Nigeria? The mighty Walls of Benin - in their prime - stretched 16,000 km (beaten only by the Great Wall of China’s 21,000 km!). Alas, this glorious kingdom was destroyed - and looted - by the British. Here’s a quick look at the key history of one of the world’s engineering wonders.

ISRAEL, A HAVEN FOR FLEEING CHILD ABUSERS

Africa was the victim of seven settler-colonial regimes, with Apartheid South Africa being the biggest, followed by Algeria, Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe), Kenya, Mozambique, Angola and German South-West Africa (Namibia). So, we know a thing or two about why settler colonialism is bad for the native population.

But the latest settler-colonial project in the Middle East is not only making life difficult for Palestinians but also for Israelis, jeopardising their children’s safety by allowing paedophiles from around the world to settle in the so-called Jewish state.

The Jewish Community Watch says that 32 paedophiles in their database have moved from countries around the world to Israel over the past decade. But that is just a drop in the ocean. According to an Israeli paedophile monitoring association, tens of thousands of paedophiles operate in Israel every year, leading to about 100,000 victims annually (you can find the report in The Jerusalem Post).

Continued….. How does this happen?

Well, while Palestinians are being driven out of their homes to make space for Israeli settlers, any person anywhere with a Jewish mother or maternal grandmother or any Jewish convert can move to Israel, claim citizenship and have access to land. Unfortunately, this policy has been abused by criminals, including paedophiles, to escape justice.

Tens of thousands of paedophiles operate in Israel each year, a country where nine out of ten sexual-assault cases get closed without a conviction, according to an annual survey released by the Association of Rape Crisis Centers in Israel.

This CBS News investigation from 2020 breaks down the loophole that allows accused and convicted American paedophiles to escape justice by moving to Israel.

Please watch and let us know your thoughts.

WILL ISRAEL BUILD CANAL TO RIVAL SUEZ THROUGH GAZA?

The Suez Canal - a vital artery for global shipping - has given African nation Egypt significant economic and geopolitical clout. But could a rival canal through Israel give it a run for its money?

Although first tabled 60 years ago by former Israeli prime minister David Ben-Gurion, it became a live possibility again during the Trump-mediated Abraham Accords talks (normalising ties between Israel and some Arab nations).

And now with Tel Aviv turning the Gaza Strip into uninhabitable rubble, some wonder whether the proposed canal might have a shorter, cheaper route to the Mediterranean.

Would the international community turn a blind eye if it meant savings on shipping? African Stream’s Ahmed Ghoneim breaks it all down in 90 seconds.

NAIVASHA: KENYA’S COLONIAL SIN CITY

The World Rally Championship traditionally descends on Kenya every year, when thousands of pleasure-seeking fans head to the main action in Naivasha. As African Stream’s Wambura Mwai finds out, the town’s seedy past may have something to do with the wild parties often accompanying the event.

A Las Vegas in the heart of the Kenya colony, that was Naivasha’s reputation in the heyday of the British Empire. Cocaine-fuelled orgies, wife-swapping parties, crimes of passion and hedonism were standard fare for a group of mostly British aristocrats and adventurers who settled near the Aberdare Mountain Range between the 1920s and 1940s. Their decadent lifestyle earned them the nickname the “Happy Valley set” and is the subject of films and books depicting their antics, such as “White Mischief”.

Have a watch and pile in with your comments.