Monthly Archives: April 2021

2021-04-05: News Headlines

Kester Kenn Klomegah (2021-04-05). Mozambique: Insurgency Causing Irreparable Havoc And Devastation. .com What has been referred to as Islamic attacks and insurgency is causing irreparable deep havoc and devastation in Cabo Delgado province of Mozambique. The insurgency that began in 2017 has unimaginable negative effects on settlements of the civilian population, and on business and industry operations. It has consistently received global condemnation from regional and international community. | International aid agency sources said between 6,000 and 10,000 people were still waiting to be evacuated to safety following the raid on Palma. Dozens of civilians were killed, including South Africans, in Palma where a m…

Eurasia Review (2021-04-05). Rise Of Oxygen On Earth: Initial Estimates Off By 100 Million Years. eurasiareview.com New research shows the permanent rise of oxygen in our atmosphere, which set the stage for life as we know it, happened 100 million years later than previously thought. | A significant rise in oxygen occurred about 2.43 billion years ago, marking the start of the Great Oxidation Episode — a pivotal moment in Earth's history. | An international research team including a UC Riverside scientist analyzed rocks from South Africa formed during this event. Findings, published this week in the journal Nature, include the discovery that oxygen fluctuated dramatically after its early appearance until it became a perman…

(2021-04-05). Rise Of Oxygen On Earth: Initial Estimates Off By 100 Million Years. .com New research shows the permanent rise of oxygen in our atmosphere, which set the stage for life as we know it, happened 100 million years later than previously thought. | A significant rise in oxygen occurred about 2.43 billion years ago, marking the start of the Great Oxidation Episode — a pivotal moment in Earth's history. | An international research team including a UC Riverside scientist analyzed rocks from South Africa formed during this event. Findings, published this week in the journal Nature, include the discovery that oxygen fluctuated dramatically after its early appearance until it became a perman…

orinocotribune (2021-04-05). Alex Saab: 'I was Tortured and Pressured' to Sign Voluntary Extradition. orinocotribune.com In a recent interview with the Colombian news outlet El Espectador, Colombian-Venezuelan businessman and Venezuelan special envoy àÅlex Saab confessed to having been a victim of torture from the first day of his "kidnapping" in Cape Verde. He asserted that he was pressured "to sign voluntary extradition statements and give false testimony." Saab has been in detention in Cape Verde—first in prison and now under house arrest—since his arbitrary and irregular arrest in June 2020 in that country. | "I was kidnapped by Cape Verde in collusion with the United States," said the Venezuelan diplomat duri…

Henry Giroux (2021-04-05). The Plague of Historical Amnesia in the Age of Fascist Politics. counterpunch.org As the boundaries of the unthinkable become normalized, historical consciousness is replaced by manufactured forms of historical amnesia and ignorance. As white supremacy becomes entrenched at the highest levels of power and in the public imagination, the past becomes a burden that must be shed.[1] Disparaging, suppressing or forgetting the horrors of history has become

CounterPunch News Service (2021-04-05). NUMSA Demands the Immediate Release of American Political Prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal. counterpunch.org The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA), as the biggest trade union in South Africa, and one of the largest on the African continent, has made an urgent call to the Governor of Pennsylvania in the U.S. Mr. Tom Wolf to intervene in the case of Mr. Mumia Abu-Jamal. Abu-Jamal, formerly known as

Laura Finley (2021-04-05). Ban the Death Penalty for Those with Serious Mental Illness. counterpunch.org The death penalty is an antiquated and barbaric form of punishment. This is why most nations have ended it. The top six executing nations in 2019 were China, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Egypt, and the U.S. The U.S is especially cruel in that there is no categorical exemption for the seriously mentally ill from receiving

WSWS (2021-04-05). This week in history: April 5—11. wsws.org On April 6, 1996, fighting broke out between rival militias in Liberia. Some 20,000 civilians took refuge at the United States embassy to escape the bloody battles, and in the following weeks hundreds of civilians were killed and much of downtown Monrovia was destroyed.

WSWS (2021-04-05). UN condemns French airstrike on wedding in Mali that slaughtered 22. wsws.org Immediately after the airstrike, the Macron government maintained that it had hit a gathering of 30 members of an "armed terrorist group."

MEE correspondent (2021-04-05). 'Egypt with no slums': Authorities displace residents for mummies and modernity. middleeasteye.net 'Egypt with no slums': Authorities displace residents for mummies and modernity | Many Egyptians have been forced to leave their houses to make room for Egypt's tourism aspirations in Old Cairo | Mon, 04/05/2021 – 18: 36 | Demolition underway in Magra El Oyoun, just one of the areas affected by a new project to regenerate Old Cairo (Supplied) | In a resplendent ceremony watched by hundr…

Staff (2021-04-05). Ethiopia Accused of Using Rape as a Weapon of War in Tigray as New Evidence Emerges of Massacres. democracynow.org We get an update on how the Ethiopian government has announced Eritrean forces are withdrawing from the Tigray region in northern Ethiopia, where harrowing witness accounts have emerged of Eritrean soldiers killing Tigrayan men and boys and rape being used as weapon of war by Ethiopian and Eritrean soldiers. Eritrea entered the Tigray region to support Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's military offensive in November targeting the Tigray People's Liberation Front. The true death toll from the conflict remains unknown, but researchers recently identified almost 2,000 people killed in 150 massacres by warring fa…

Rayhan Uddin (2021-04-05). Egyptians criticise mummy parade for neglecting the living. middleeasteye.net Egyptians criticise mummy parade for neglecting the living | Journalists and activists denounce celebration of ancient Egypt as distraction from repression, poverty and government's poor handling of pandemic | Mon, 04/05/2021 – 17: 33 | A performer rides a two-horse chariot at the start of the parade of 22 ancient Egyptian royal mummies (AFP) | Egypt held an extravagant parade on Saturday, as it trans…

MEE staff (2021-04-05). EU says withdrawal of foreign fighters a 'precondition' to Libya's stability. middleeasteye.net EU says withdrawal of foreign fighters a 'precondition' to Libya's stability | European Union council president vows support for new unity government and process of national reconciliation | Mon, 04/05/2021 – 17: 47 | Fighters loyal to the Government of National Accord secure area of Abu Qurain against forces loyal to Khalifa Haftar on 20 July 2020 (AFP) | The European Union has pledged its support for Libya's…

Omnia Amin (2021-04-04). An Egyptian woman who dared: the Nawal El Saadawi I knew. zcomm.org Nawal was someone who unabashedly crossed all boundaries set by religious, political and societal authorities…

RT (2021-04-04). Pope calls for end to war, violence, and 'race for new weaponry' in Easter message. rt.com Pope Francis condemned the conflicts in Syria, Yemen, and Libya, calling for an end to the "clash of arms" in his Easter message. | In the address, Francis There are still too many wars and too much violence in the world! May the Lord, who is our peace, help us to overcome the mindset of war. | The Pope singled out the conflicts in Syria, Yemen, and Libya…

Ray Hanania (2021-04-04). Black Lives Matter's Hawk Newsome Appalled By Lack Of Coverage Of Houthi Massacre Of Ethiopians. .com The horrific deaths of scores of Ethiopian migrants in a detention center in Sanaa run by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi militia is further proof that anti-black racism exists on every continent, according to Hawk Newsome, a founding member of Black Lives Matter (BLM) Greater New York. | Racial tensions and the deaths of black people in police custody have provoked repeated bouts of protest and unrest in the US and Europe in recent years. | Newsome played a key role in the worldwide movement that has rocked US cities since the police killing of African-American George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25, 2020. | During…

MEE, agencies (2021-04-04). Egypt says current talks 'last chance' to stop Ethiopia refilling Nile dam. middleeasteye.net Egypt says current talks 'last chance' to stop Ethiopia refilling Nile dam | Meeting in Kinshasa between Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia over the Grand Renaissance Dam comes after Sisi warned of 'unimaginable instability' if Ethiopia proceeds | Sun, 04/04/2021 – 21: 47 | The Grand Renaissance Dam on the Blue Nile in Guba, Ethiopia (AFP) | The latest meeting between Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia over…

teleSUR (2021-04-04). Why Africa Gets Fewer Jabs: Roots of Vaccine Apartheid. telesurenglish.net The batch of 600,000 vaccine doses landing in Ghana on February 24, 2021, was the first shipment to sub-Saharan Africa under the multilateral COVAX facility led by the United States and the European Unions. By then, tens of millions had already been vaccinated in the US and the UK, writes Howard Stein, a professor of Afroamerican and African studies at the UniversIty of Michigan, in Africa is a Country…

Updated: 2021-04-06 05:58 | 01:58 EST | 18 | 0 | 5 | 13 | 0

2021-04-04: News Headlines

Ray Hanania (2021-04-04). Black Lives Matter's Hawk Newsome Appalled By Lack Of Coverage Of Houthi Massacre Of Ethiopians. eurasiareview.com The horrific deaths of scores of Ethiopian migrants in a detention center in Sanaa run by Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi militia is further proof that anti-black racism exists on every continent, according to Hawk Newsome, a founding member of Black Lives Matter (BLM) Greater New York. | Racial tensions and the deaths of black people in police custody have provoked repeated bouts of protest and unrest in the US and Europe in recent years. | Newsome played a key role in the worldwide movement that has rocked US cities since the police killing of African-American George Floyd in Minneapolis on May 25, 2020. | During…

MEE, agencies (2021-04-04). Egypt says current talks 'last chance' to stop Ethiopia refilling Nile dam. middleeasteye.net Egypt says current talks 'last chance' to stop Ethiopia refilling Nile dam | Meeting in Kinshasa between Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia over the Grand Renaissance Dam comes after Sisi warned of 'unimaginable instability' if Ethiopia proceeds | Sun, 04/04/2021 – 21: 47 | The Grand Renaissance Dam on the Blue Nile in Guba, Ethiopia (AFP) | The latest meeting between Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia over…

Omnia Amin (2021-04-04). An Egyptian woman who dared: the Nawal El Saadawi I knew. zcomm.org Nawal was someone who unabashedly crossed all boundaries set by religious, political and societal authorities…

Kester Kenn Klomegah (2021-04-03). Fewer African Students Came To Russia In 2020. eurasiareview.com As federal government scholarships are highly limited, Russia's educational institutions are ready to train more and more specialists on tuition paying basis for Africa. There are plans to boost the number of African students, but currently, approximately 60% of the total African students are on private contracts in the Russian Federation. | "The present and the future of Russia-Africa relations is not about charity, it's about co-development," stated Evgeny Primakov, Head of the Russian Federal Agency for International Humanitarian Cooperation (Rossotrudnichestvo) and also a member of the Secretariat of the R…

Aidan O'Brien* (2021-04-03). US Values Vs Chinese Values: Empire Vs Bandung As Seen From Cape Verde — OpEd. eurasiareview.com In February the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinkin, made it a priority to phone Rui Figueiredo, the Foreign Affairs and Defense Minister of Cape Verde. They spoke about commerce and "security" (1). | Why? Why is the tiny African nation of Cape Verde (population 550,000) a US priority? In short: because the US is behind China in the latest "scramble for Africa". | To rectify its position, vis-à -vis China, in Africa (and elsewhere): "U.S. President Joe Biden pledged to put values at the heart of his administration's China policy. Since entering office, he has called on the world's democracies to gird for a n…

The Conversation (2021-04-03). An Egyptian woman writer who dared: the Nawal El Saadawi I knew. juancole.com By Omnia Amin | — Throughout the Middle East and beyond, the name Nawal El Saadawi is not one that can be received with indifference. During her lifetime and even after her passing on 21 March 2021, the Egyptian author, physician and activist evokes intense feelings that range from love and respect to hatred and …

VOA (2021-04-03). Al-Shabab Attacks Military Bases In Southern Somalia. eurasiareview.com By Harun Maruf | The militant group al-Shabab has launched attacks on Somali military forces in Lower Shabelle region, Somali regional officials said. | The attacks in the early hours of Saturday, around 4 a.m. local time, targeted military bases in the towns of Barire and Awdhegle in southern Somalia. | Al-Shabab claimed responsibility for the attacks. | The forward operating bases are manned by the Somali military to protect several bridges along the Shabelle river that authorities say are key to keeping vehicles carrying explosives from entering Mogadishu. Attacks started off with suicide car bombs on both…

Eurasia Review (2021-04-03). African Elephants Only Occupy A Fraction Of Their Potential Range. eurasiareview.com Many wildlife species are threatened by shrinking habitat. But according to new research, the potential range of African elephants could be more than five times larger than its current extent. | Due to 2,000 years of human pressure, African elephants have suffered dramatic population declines, and their range has shrunk to just 17% of what it could be, say researchers who led the new study, in Current Biology. | The dramatic reduction in range is due to the killing of elephants for their ivory and the encroachment of humans into elephant habitat. Evidence for elephants being drastically reduced in certain regi…

Eurasia Review (2021-04-03). Deprivation Is 'Driving' Covid-19 Ethnic Disparities. eurasiareview.com Deprivation among society at large is 'driving' Covid-19 disparities among minority ethnic groups – predominantly South Asian and Black African or Caribbean populations – and could be considered the main cause of disproportionate infection rates, hospitalization and deaths experienced by these populations, according to new analysis from the University of Leicester. | The study, supported by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Leicester Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) comes a day after a government-commissioned review concluded race and racism have become less important factors in explaining soci…

Rick Rozoff (2021-04-03). Stop NATO archives: Articles. antibellum679354512.wordpress.com Stop NATO articles 2009-2014 The following are available at the link above: Africa: Laboratory and Battleground for Pentagon's 21st Century WarfareMay 29, 2014 Second Stage Interoperability: NATO Trains For Combat In EuropeMay 26, 2014 U.S. Tests Advanced Missile For NATO Interceptor SystemMay 23, 2014 NATO, U.S. Seek to Consolidate Western Military Blockade of Russia in …

Anonymous669 (2021-04-03). New Batch Of Syrian Militants Moved To Turkey. What Is The Next Stop? southfront.org Illustrative image | A batch of Syrian militants has arrived in Turkey in preparation for a possible deployment in Libya or other countries, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported on April 3. | According to the London-based monitoring group, around 380 militants were taken to Turkey in the last few days. Libya is the most likely end destination. | Despite recent

Anonymous103 (2021-04-03). Somalia: Al-Shabaab Carried Out Simultaneous Attacks. Dozens Killed, Including Civilians (Photos). southfront.org In Somalia, al-Qaeda-affiliated al-Shabab have carried out three attacks. Two were simultaneous. The terrorists used suicide bombers loaded with explosives. | On April 3, Al-Qaeda-affiliated Al-Shabaab fighters attacked military bases in Barir and Avdhegla, about 100 kilometers southwest of the Somali capital, Mogadishu. The jihadist organization claimed the killing of 47 soldiers, the seizure of 6 cars and other military equipment. The Somali National Army, in turn, claims to have repelled the attack, killing a number of terrorists. As evidence, they published photos of some killed jihadists. |

Anonymous007 (2021-04-03). Authorities Express Doubt Boko Haram Really Downed Fighter Jet. southfront.org Screengrab from the alleged downing video. Click to see full-size image | On April 2nd, Boko Haram claimed that it had shot down a Nigerian Air Force fighter jet. | This was reported by Reuters, and a video The loss of Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Alpha Jet 475 dealt a blow to Nigeria's efforts to combat jihadist insurgencies in the La…

MEE, agencies (2021-04-03). Egypt: Suez Canal traffic now cleared, authorities say. middleeasteye.net Egypt: Suez Canal traffic now cleared, authorities say | An investigation into the grounding of the Ever Given container ship is expected in coming days | Sat, 04/03/2021 – 11: 24 | Ships queueing to pass through the Suez Canal, one of the world's most important shipping lanes, on 30 March 2021 (AFP) | All vessels still waiting in the Suez Canal after the recent refloating of the very larg…

Amr Emam (2021-04-03). Egypt's royal mummies paraded through Cairo to new home. middleeasteye.net Egypt's royal mummies paraded through Cairo to new home | Mummies of 18 kings and four queens transferred to new museum, accompanied by hundreds of performers in traditional ancient costume | Sat, 04/03/2021 – 19: 59 | The parade of 22 of Egypt's royal mummies leaves the Egyptian Museum in central Cairo (AFP) | Egypt has transferred two dozen ancient mummies from the Egyptian Museum in central Cairo, where they h…

Amr Emam (2021-04-03). Egypt's royal mummies in spectacular parade through Cairo. middleeasteye.net Egypt's royal mummies in spectacular parade through Cairo | Mummies of 18 kings and four queens transferred to new museum, accompanied by hundreds of performers in traditional ancient costume | Sat, 04/03/2021 – 19: 59 | The parade of 24 of Egypt's royal mummies leaves the Egyptian Museum in central Cairo (AFP) | Egypt has transferred two dozen ancient mummies from the Egyptian Museum in central Cairo, where they…

Sharmila Devi (2021-04-03). [World Report] New Libyan Government faces health challenges. thelancet.com Interim Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah must deal with COVID-19, migration, and the legacy of 10 years of conflict. Sharmila Devi reports.

Andrew Green (2021-04-03). [Obituary] Stuart Saunders. thelancet.com Physician who specialised in liver disease and was Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cape Town. Born in Cape Town, South Africa, on Aug 28, 1931, he died on Feb 12, 2021, in Cape Town, aged 89 years.

_____ (2021-04-03). Vaccine Nationalism Is Putting World Health At Risk. popularresistance.org It's 9: 21pm, and the phones of journalists across South Africa are buzzing. The health department has just released the country's daily Covid-19 statistics in a WhatsApp message. | 'We convey our condolences to the loved ones of the departed and thank the health care workers who treated the deceased.' The single line has been repeated in every statement, every night, for the last year. | Officially, 52,846 people in the country of almost 59 million have died of Covid-19 since the epidemic began in March. But experts warn that the true death toll could be in the hundreds of thousands. Today, just 0.4 percent of So…

Updated: 2021-04-05 05:58 | 01:58 EST | 20 | 0 | 18 | 3 | 0