Your Black Global

What the Hayell? Man Caught Cheating, Beats His Wife for Interrupting

2012-01-05T14:19:00.001-05:00

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Concert Promoter is Kidnapped When Nas Fails to Show up in Angola

2012-01-03T16:44:00.001-05:00

Patrick Allocco says goons came and kidnapped him when Nas took the money and didn't perform in Angola.

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Woman Who Sent Fake WMDs and Anti-Semitic Monkey to Politician is Shot Dead by Police

2011-12-26T18:36:00.001-05:00

Jameela Barnette seemed to be very upset with the Jewish community when she died.

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Mrs. Botswana Speaks Out about Black Women Being Left out of the 2011 Mrs. Universe Pageant

2011-12-19T22:45:00.001-05:00

The 2010 - 2011 Mrs. Botswana, Nomalanga Mhlauli-Moses, writes about the exclusion of black women from the lists of finalists and judges at the 2011 Mrs. University pageant.

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Nigeria Won't Apologize for New Anti-Gay Legislation

2011-12-08T10:18:00.001-05:00

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Idris Elba Set to Play Nelson Mandela in "Official" Biopic

2011-12-07T23:17:00.001-05:00

Idris Elba as Nelson Mandela? Hmmmmm

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Wyclef Defends Charity After Being Accused of Squandering Millions

2011-11-30T12:52:00.001-05:00

A lot of folks are asking Wyclef - where did all that money go?

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Nigerian Prisons Holding Hundreds without Trial

2011-11-25T09:24:00.001-05:00

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Ballin Out of Control.....African Prince Has $2 million Maserati and Private Jet Seized by the Feds

2011-10-27T10:14:00.001-04:00

Did you know that Maserati's can cost $2 million dollars? This guy does.

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Nigerians Sue Dutch Shell for $1 Billion for Oil Spill Damages

2011-10-22T16:55:00.001-04:00

Your Black World reports

A tribal king in Nigeria has filed a lawsuit in the US courts against Royal Dutch Shell. The suit, filed in Detroit, is seeking $1 billion in damages for pollution that the company has allegedly done to the environment, which has made people sick.

This is yet another suit against the company that is also accused of significant human rights violations involving the torture and murder of activists who protested their presence in the country. The case is a test for the possible liability of multi-national corporations with a US presence under the Alien Tort Statute. The law goes back to 1789 and was meant to ensure to foreign governments that the US would not allow companies to breach international law.

The case alleges that Shell’s Nigerian operations are "well below internationally recognized standards to prevent and control pipeline oil spills" because the Anglo-Dutch company "has not employed the best available technology and practices that they use elsewhere in the world."

The suit notes a report by the United Nations that there was widespread contamination in the Nigerian Delta after 50 years of oil extraction. The groundwater was then contaminated and hydrocarbons had penetrated the soil for up to five meters.

Gadhafi is Dead

2011-10-20T13:30:00.001-04:00

The Libyan dictator had a 42-year run that has now come to an end.

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Mother of Conjoined African Twins Begs for International Help

2011-10-20T10:35:00.001-04:00

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Shell Oil Paid Nigerian Military to Squash Peaceful Protests

2011-10-04T12:44:00.001-04:00

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Black Woman Crowned Miss Universe 2011

2011-09-13T08:22:00.001-04:00

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Pipeline Explodes in Kenya, Setting Neighborhood on Fire

2011-09-12T13:06:00.001-04:00

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Nigerian Central Bank Converts Its Dollars to Chinese Yuan

2011-09-12T10:46:00.001-04:00

The Nigerian Central Bank has announced that it’s going to convert roughly 10 percent of its $33 billion in foreign reserves from dollars into Chinese Yuan. Central Bank Governor Lamido Sanusi made the announcement this weekend in Bejing. The announcement is significant because Nigeria is the world’s top oil producer.

The amount to be converted, $3.3 billion, is not a great deal of money. But the decision reflects a global loss of confidence in the dollar relative to the Yuan, which is connected to a declining belief in US economic stability. It also shows that the Yuan is emerging to become an important global currency.

“I don't think the symbolism should be lost on anyone," says Razia Kahn economist at Standard Chartered-Bank. “The fact that you have a major African oil producer saying we're going to diversify our reserves has a significance that can't be ignored. It's a goodwill gesture in the hope that it will lead to more Chinese investment in Nigeria."

The bank is expected t have a currency swap with China, which allows the country to do more business in Nigeria with its own currency, instead of converting to dollars.

Overloaded Boat Capsizes in Tanzania, Killing Hundreds

2011-09-10T18:32:00.001-04:00

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Gadhafi Calls Out US: "They Want to Control Our Oil By Force"

2011-09-05T19:38:00.002-04:00

By: Shani K. Collins, Your Black World

Muammar Gaddafi is not Tweeting or Facebooking, but he sure is sending messages to the Libyan people. The outlandish, flamboyantly dressed ruler of Libya said in no certain terms will he surrender, as he encouraged Libyans to continue to fight rebels.

In several new statements, Gaddafi said:

“This time the imperialists want to re-occupy Libya to deprive the Libyan people of their resources. They also want to control our water and oil by force. They want to occupy Libya, occupy the great industrial river. Imperialism by force has led us into a war. The Libyan people have no interest in entering such a war. They want to humiliate the Libyans by force. We have to return Libya to its glorious days. They want to control our resources in order to subjugate us.”
“The imperialist powers want to subjugate the Libya people. We prefer death to being subjugated under western control. We will not allow Libya to become a colony. Libya’s soil will become fire in order to burn them. You will not settle on our land. You will not find it easy to staying on our.” “Prepare yourself for a long campaign. The imperialists powers will not be able to fight this campaign for long. Stop this campaign and let the Libyan people reach an agreement. The different tribes will always stand against you.”

Clearly convinced that the female gender is the weaker sex, Gaddafi, said: “We will fight in every valley, in every street, in every oasis, and every town. We won’t surrender again; we are not women; we will keep fighting.”

National Public Radio reports: “After six months of civil war, rebels have seized control of most of Libya, including the capital Tripoli, effectively ending Gadhafi’s rule. The longtime leader and his family have not been captured, but rebels say they are hot on Gadhafi’s trail. Rebels say they are carefully pulling together clues about Gadhafi’s whereabouts from captured regime fighters and others.

Gadhafi has been the ruler of Liyba for 42-years. Despite Libya’s current civil war, Gadhafi refuses to step down.

Shani K. Collins is a freelance writer. You may visit her at www.shanicollins.com

African Union Refuses to Recognize Libyan Rebels

2011-08-31T14:16:00.000-04:00

By Chika Onyeani ~

A rebel fighter about to machete another black African to death

"The decision of the African Union as articulated by both President Zuma and Dr. Ping is totally sound; however, not for the reasons they adduced, but for the fact that the rebels need to account for the killings of black Africans, not for the pretensions of "confusing them as mercenaries hired by Gaddafi," but because of the anti-black, racist and innate hatred of black Africans, even though there are a million dark Africans who are Libyan citizens and are maltreated as well. There is no reason beating about the bush with regards to this point: the African Union must finally come to terms about the racist attitude of Arabs and especially Arab-Africans towards mainland Africans. In the past, the African Union had dealt with this issue by sweeping it under the carpet for such a long time in the name of a united Africa. To do otherwise, is a disservice to the millions of mainland Africans who live in the other 48 states of the continent. It is to the ultimate commendation of Dr. Ping to have come out and boldly state the obvious: the so-called Libyan rebels are killing black Africans from mainland Africa, pretending that they are "mercenaries" hired by Gaddafi rather than their innate hatred of black Africans."

Before it was just a 'rumor', but yesterday African Union Commission Chairman, Dr. Jean Ping, came out boldly to state the fact that the Libyan rebels under the so-called Transitional National Council have been engaged in massive killings of black Africans from mainland Africa, as well as Libyans who have darker skins. This is a happening in Libya that the well-oiled propaganda machine of the Western media has conveniently refused to tell, but rather churning out stories about killings by pro-Gaddafi forces. The Western media is in such a frenzied hysteria about hanging Gaddafi that they have totally ignored massive abuses by the Transitional National Council.

Dr. Ping said that Libyan rebels may be indiscriminately killing black people in Libya because they have confused innocent migrant workers with mercenaries. He told reporters Monday that this is one of the reasons the AU is refusing to recognize Libya's rebel Transitional National Council as the country's interim government. He said "We need clarification because the TNC seems to confuse black people with mercenaries. They are killing normal workers."

On Friday, 26th August, President Jacob Zuma of South Africa had made it plain that the African Union would not be recognizing the Libyan rebels soon. This is after the 15-member Peace and Security summit had met, and after an address by Tanzanian-born former foreign minister and now United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Asha Rose Migiro had pleaded for the African Union to recognize the Transitional National Council. Said Dr. Migiro, "We must help the country’s new leaders to establish an effective, legitimate government - a government that represents and speaks for all the country’s diverse people; a government that can deliver on its people’s hope." But the 15-member committee disregard her pleas and voted not to recognize the rebels.

Speaking after the Peace and Security meeting, President Zuma who chaired the meeting, noted that ""The reality on the ground is that there is fighting going on in Tripoli. Is that not a reality? People are still dying [in] very heavy fighting. That is the situation as we understand it, which is a reality in Libya." He continued, "And we are taking our position informed by that reality. We are looking at the reality from our point of view."

The decision of the African Union as articulated by both President Zuma and Dr. Ping is totally sound; however, not for the reasons they adduced, but for the fact that the rebels need to account for the killings of black Africans, not for the pretensions of "confusing them as mercenaries hired by Gaddafi," but because of the anti-black, racist and innate hatred of black Africans, even though there are a million dark Africans who are Libyan citizens and are maltreated as well. There is no reason beating about the bush with regards to this point: the African Union must finally come to terms about the racist attitude of Arabs and especially Arab-Africans towards mainland Africans. In the past, the African Union had dealt with this issue by sweeping it under the carpet for such a long time in the name of a united Africa. To do otherwise, is a disservice to the millions of mainland Africans who live in the other 48 states of the continent. It is to the ultimate commendation of Dr. Ping to have come out and boldly state the obvious: the so-called Libyan rebels are killing black Africans from mainland Africa, pretending that they are "mercenaries" hired by Gaddafi rather than their innate hatred of black Africans.

In a March31, 2011 article, Mr. Wolfgang Weber wrote, "The opposition forces in Libya attempting to march on Tripoli with the assistance of American, French and British bombs are far removed from the image of innocent civilians fighting for freedom and democracy promoted by the media and political circles."

He quoted an article by Gunnar Heinsohn, author of Encyclopaedia of Genocide (Rowohlt, 1998), in which Heinsohn quoted well-known Zimbabwean journalist and film-maker Farai Sevenzo that dealt with the massacres perpetrated by the so-called "rebels" against black Africans. He quotes Sevenzo as writing, "“Because mercenaries from Chad and Mali are presumed to be fighting for him [Gaddafi], the lives of a million African refugees and thousands of African migrants are at risk. A Turkish construction worker told the British radio station BBC: ‘We had seventy to eighty people from Chad working for our company. They were massacred with pruning shears and axes, accused by the attackers of being Gaddafi’s troops. The Sudanese people were massacred. We saw it for ourselves.’ ”

Sevenso further writes, “All the stops of international criminal law have been pulled against those prepared to bloodily defend their power. The material assets at risk are meticulously listed. But neither in the text of the resolution nor in the speeches of US Secretary of State Clinton or French President Sarkozy is any mention made of warnings or legal threats directed to the insurgents. The use of ‘mercenaries’ by the Libyan leadership is expressly condemned. But genocidal acts conducted under the same pretext—such as the mass killings of black African workers reported by Farai Sevenzo—go unmentioned…. A cloak of complete silence is being thrown up surrounding the deeds of his [Gaddafi’s] opponents.”

Weber wrote further as follows, "On February 28, the Arab TV station Al Jazeera reported the racist massacre of black African workers by so-called “freedom fighters” as follows: “Dozens of workers from sub-Saharan Africa, it is feared, have been killed and hundreds are hiding because angry opponents of the government are hunting down black African mercenaries, witnesses reported…. According to official reports, about 90 Kenyans and 64 people from southern Sudan, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Zambia, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone and Burundi landed in Nairobi today.
“One of them, Julius Kiluu, a 60-year-old construction manager, told Reuters: ‘We were attacked by people from the village. They accused us of being murderous mercenaries. But in reality they simply refuse to tolerate us. Our camp was burnt down. Our company and our embassy helped us get to the airport.’

“Hundreds of black immigrants from the poorest African countries, who work mainly as low-wage day laborers in Libya, have been wounded by the rebels. From fear of being killed, some of them have refrained from going to a doctor.”

This is a narrative that the Western media refuses to acknowledge and publish, in their zeal to portray Moamar Gaddafi as a monster, bent on massacring his people. And moreso to lay their hands on Libya's oil and the $110 billion that Gaddafi invested for the Libyan people in Western banks. Already many of these banks have mismanaged billions of dollars of Libyan investment fund, and there is no better way of covering their criminal behaviors than supporting the Transitional National Council, with all the might of NATO. Mind you, what I am saying here has nothing to do with the fact that I vehemently abhor African dictators like Gaddafi who stay in office for life and then engineer their children to take over from them. I am entirely for Gaddafi leaving the stage in Libya, but not with the type of arrogance display of white European messianic zeal that the NATO countries have perpetrated in Libya.

Before the question is asked about the 22 African countries that have recognized the Transitional National Council, let me just say this. The powerhouse of African countries, Nigeria, has been cited as one of the new countries that have recognized the Libyan rebels. I must state here that Nigeria has an axe to grind, legitimately of course, against Gaddafi who had called for the break-up of Nigeria into two countries on religious basis, Muslim and Christians but went further to add insult to injury by calling for the breakup of the countries into six geo-political zones. On the other hand, President Abdoulaye Wade, who was one of the first major African leaders to recognize the rebel group and even flew to Benghazi to offer his support, is trying to curry the favor of Western countries in his quest to stay in office and manipulate himself into a third term. When the time comes, Sarkozy, Cameron, Merkel and Obama will abandon him just as they conspired to effect regime change in Libya.

To deny recognition for the Transitional National Council, is the best decision the African Union has made for a long time now, and it needs to stay steadfast in its position until the rebels in Libya come forward to account for their barbaric and brutal massacre of black Africans from mainland Africa.

Chika Onyeani is the author of the internationally-acclaimed and No.1 bestselling book, "Capitalist Nigger: The Road to Success - A Spider Web Doctrine," as well as the blockbuster novel, "The Broederbond Conspiracy (aka The Black James Bond) adapted by the San Francis State University to teach students who to write a spy novel. He is the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of the award-winning African Sun Times.

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Gadhafi Shows An Infatuation with Condoleezza Rice

2011-08-29T20:58:00.001-04:00

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Nelson Mandela Now Has a Clothing Line

2011-08-25T11:56:00.001-04:00

Your Black World reports

The Nelson Mandela Foundation now has a clothing line that is designed to fight the HIV epidemic that has taken over South Africa. The line has clothing that features the number "46664," which Mandela had to wear during his time in prison.

The clothes will be manufactured by Seardel, a company out of South Africa. They also have a set of women's dresses as well. Between seven and nine percent of the revenue generated by the clothing line will go toward fighting HIV/AIDS.

"When you buy a 46664 shirt, you are not just buying apparel. You are investing in a process that will help spread the legacy of Nelson Mandela by supporting the long-term sustainability of 46664," said Achmat Dangorm, a member of the board.

"You are also helping to positively stimulate the local clothing and textile manufacturing industry," he added.

Nelson Mandela was in the Robben Island prison from 1964 through 1982. He spent time in other prisons up until his release in 1990. He was elected president of South Africa in 1994.

Some are wondering how many years Mandela has to live. Rumors abound that he is not in good health.

Global Warming Linked to Famine in Africa

2011-08-22T18:30:00.002-04:00

by Shani K. Collins, Your Black World
The impact of global warming has been heavily debated as an environmental and a political issue for years. A recent report issued by a team of researchers at the University of California, Santa Barbara, found that global warming is in fact the culprit in the East Africa drought that has claimed the lives of tens of thousands of Somalians.

The drought is the worst in 60 years, according to researchers. Researcher Chris Funk, who collects climate information to identify the causes of droughts said in a Huff Post interview that he ”saw the potential for trouble in Somalia long before everyone else did, and came to the conclusion that back-to-back droughts that have devastated Somalia in the past year are likely part of a larger trend connected to global warming.”
Funk added, ”The possibility of back-to-back droughts combined with a variety of other factors — including a long-term warming trend, high food prices in the region and the lingering effects of the droughts that choked East Africa in 2007, 2008 and 2009 lead he and his research team to realize that if back-to-back droughts occurred, it would be catastrophic for the region.”

“There are many problems in East Africa,” Funk said, but “there’s been a lot of positive movement in the internal aid world over the last five or six years. Governments and other organizations have been pouring money into the region, and just as importantly, they’ve been directing it toward attempts to make long-lasting, structural changes."

Funk also said: “The situation is not getting any better in East Africa. And if we don’t try to solve those long-term problems, I’m afraid this kind of thing is going to happen more frequently, not less.” ABC News has launched the “Be the Change. Save a Life” Initiative to provide ways to help the crisis. Several charitable organizations such as Doctors Without Borders and Global Giving are listed on the website: http://abcnews.go.com/International/somalia-famine/story?id=14088327
Doctors Without Borders: http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org.
Global Giving: www.globalgiving.org. Edesia Global, the makers of Plumpy’nut, a nutritional a peanut-paste with milk powder, sugar and vitamins/minerals, has partnered with Global Giving to assist the famine relief efforts. Plumpy’nut is easy to distribute, and within 4-10 weeks children can make a full recovery. Plumpy’nut is given to the mothers and caregivers of children under medical supervision.

Shani K. Collins is a freelance writer. Visit her at www.shanicollins.com

President Obama Tells the Syrian President that He Needs to Step Down

2011-08-22T14:45:00.001-04:00

by S. Renee Greene, Your Black World

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Near Record Food Prices Threaten to Cause More Hunger in Africa

2011-08-17T10:06:00.001-04:00

By JasmineHughes

The Horn of Africa has seen better days. Recently, we have been hearing reports of the prolonged droughts, particularly in struggling areas like Somalia, but also contributing to the dire situation are the near record high food prices. According to the World Bank Group’s Food Price Watch released earlier this week, the prices of food are near the record high levels seen in 2008.

“Nowhere are high food prices, poverty and instability combining to produce tragic suffering more than in the Horn of Africa,” said World Bank President Robert B. Zoellick. “The World Bank is stepping up with short-term help through safety nets to the poor and the vulnerable in places like Kenya and Ethiopia, along with medium term support for economic recovery. Long term support is also critical to build drought resilience and implement climate-smart farming.”

During this Summer alone, it’s been reported that 29,000 children under five have died in Somalia and 600,000 children in the region remain at risk in the ongoing crisis that is threatening the lives and livelihoods of more than 12 million people.

The Food Price Watch says global food prices in July 2011 remain significantly higher than a year ago. Specifically, In Somalia, prices of locally produced cereals have continued to increase since October 2010. Prices of the two major commodities that are domestically produced, red sorghum and white maize, have increased up to 240 percent and 154 percent respectively.

“Persistently high food prices and low food stocks indicate that we’re still in the danger zone, with the most vulnerable people the least able to cope,” Zoellick said. “Vigilance is vital given the uncertainties and volatility that exists today. There is no cushion.”

Uncertainties about the global economy combined with the political situation in the Middle East and North Africa region will likely to keep oil prices volatile in the short-term, it added.

To provide some sense of security, the World Bank Group is providing $686 million to save lives, improve social protection, and foster economic recovery and drought resilience for people in the Horn of Africa.

Economic recovery will be the focus over the next two years and to start, the Bank will target the most vulnerable by improving safety nets. In the longer term, they will focus on building resilience to droughts, including investments in drought risk reduction and risk financing, as well as climate-smart agricultural practices.

“We are stepping up to address this crisis with a sense of urgency,” said Zoellick, who has been advocating for the G20 to put food first since the beginning of this year.

The G20 Agriculture Ministers meeting in June agreed to exempt humanitarian food aid from export bans and to pilot small regional emergency food reserves that could be used to replenish national safety nets. There is another meeting set for November at which, issues of increased coordination and risk management will be discussed.

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About jasminesnroses

Hello World. I'm a recent graduate of Rutgers University, trying to make my mark. I have many interests, curiosities and ideas. All of which can be found here. So stick around =)

New Film Discusses the Crisis in the Congo: A Must See

2011-08-17T08:35:00.001-04:00

Walmart Seeks to Expand Into Africa

2011-08-16T18:35:00.001-04:00

by Kirsten West-Savali, Your Black World

Corporate conglomerate, Wal-Mart, may discover that the stranglehold it has on entrepreneurial endeavors in the United States may not come to fruition in Africa.

Pepkor Ltd., South Africa’s largest clothing company, makes plans to expand into Nigeria, as Wal-Mart continues its mission to hold the monopoly on discount shopping. However, Chairman of Pepkor, Christo Wiese, is not concerned about the competition:

“Africa is awakening,” said Weise. “It’s a huge market of almost a billion people with huge resources and a young population. People spend when they’re young.”

Pepkor, which follows Wal-Mart’s business model of targeting low-income earners, plans to invest $100 million rand ($14 million U.S. dollars) in the first stage of expansion. First on the agenda is a store in Nigeria, with plans on another 50 outlets in the foreseeable future.

With a 16.5 billion purchase, Wal-Mart now owns 51 percent – the controlling stake – in Massmart Holdings Ltd, the largest wholesaler in South Africa. Still, Weise in undeterred. He believes that the African economy will expand at a more rapid rate than the U.S. and Europe.

“There’s enough for everybody. It’s a growing market,” said the 69-year-old billionaire.

According to Bloomberg, Wiese has a net worth of an estimated $1.6 billion, controls Shoprite Holdings Ltd. (SHP), Africa’s largest grocer, and holds more than a third of Brait SA (BAT), the biggest South African private equity company.

Though Wal-Mart has its supporters – despite the legal issues that continue to plague the corporation – many believe that the “evil empire,” known just as well for slave wages and alleged sexual harassment as it is for discount prices, would be poisonous to the African economy. Among the detractors is Christy Hoffman, deputy general secretary of UNI Global Union, who describes Wal-Mart as a competing nation:

“With annual sales of more than $400bn, if Walmart were a country, it would be the world’s 25th-largest economy. Its annual sales are nearly double the size of South Africa’s annual GDP of $227bn. As the world’s biggest company, Walmart single-handedly sets the standard for retail practices worldwide. Its business model is based on ever-lower prices. While low prices sound welcome, when those prices come at the expense of suppliers, workers and communities, the cost is just too high.”

With Pepkor positioning itself to be the African Wal-Mart, it remains to be seen what this struggle for dominance will entail for small business owners. However, it is certain that with economic collapse threatening to weaken the financial systems of the United States and Europe and the need for fresh markets becoming a necessity, the world’s eyes, once again, turns to Africa.

Peace Corps Volunteer Molested Young Girls in a South African Orphanage

2011-08-15T10:14:00.001-04:00

By JasmineHughes, Your Black World

Marita Rademeyer, a South African psychologist, said South African studies show only 1 in 9 reported cases of child abuse go to court, and the rare times when convictions are made, sentences rarely approach the 30 years that a peace corps volunteer now faces in the U.S.

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Meet Ahmed: A Face of Somalian Starvation

2011-08-11T23:00:00.001-04:00

By JasmineHughes

We’ve all seen the graphic pictures on the news and read the heart wrenching stories on the famine currently happening is Somalia. The situation doesn’t seem to be getting any better and for some the help may have come a bit too late.

In the middle of this famine, there is a place that houses the sickest survivors. Along the border between Somalia and Kenya at the International Rescue Committee hospital is a place some call the stabilization center. As a medical term, it refers to the normalization of vital signs, replacing fluids and treating acute and deadly illness.

Not to our surprise, however, this place is far from stable. Instead it is filled with people who are starving to death, in some cases, their bodies too far gone to even absorb the food finally made available to them.

Live from Somalia, CNN reporter Sanjay Gupta, recalls his sightings at the hospital. “I met 6-year-old Ahmed Mohammad there. As soon as he entered Dadaab refugee camp with his father after 10 days of walking under the East African sun, it was clear his tiny prone body may have been robbed of nutrition for too long,” Gupta says.

Dr. Humphrey Musyoka told Gupta that the boy is half the size he should be and that had a couple more weeks gone by the child would have been lost.

Musyoka knows, because over the last few months, he has seen it happen more times than he likes to remember.

Dying of starvation is neither quick nor painless. Not too long after food deprivation the body resorts to fuel reserves in the liver and fatty tissues. Once the fat is all gone, and the person is a skeleton of what he or she once was, the body searches for protein, and finds it in muscle tissue. Even the muscle of the heart is consumed, leaving someone drained and listless.

The body shuts down. The pulse, the blood pressure and body temperature drop and little kids such as Ahmed completely stop growing.

Once the danger of Ahmed’s condition was assessed, Musyoka immediately started a plan to save him. An IV was placed, and fluids were started slowly. Too much fluid could have overwhelmed his system. The same could be said of many foods, which may cause severe diarrhea or vomiting.

Ahmed will be given Plumpy’nut, a paste that has a balance of protein, carbohydrates and fat, along with vitamins and minerals.

The key is to give a lot of calories in small amounts because Ahmed’s stomach is now so shrunken from his malnutrition. Ahmed will have his blood drawn to check for anemia and possible bacterial infections.

Musyoka said he is cautiously optimistic about Ahmed, but he carries a lot of anguish over what he has seen this summer. As do we all.

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About jasminesnroses

Hello World. I'm a recent graduate of Rutgers University, trying to make my mark. I have many interests, curiosities and ideas. All of which can be found here. So stick around =)

US To Give $100 Million to Somalia

2011-08-10T17:15:00.001-04:00

The Somalia famine crisis is considered to be one of the worst humanitarian crisis in decades.

According to U.S. reports, over 29,000 children 5 years of age or younger have died within the last three months. The United Nations stated that close to 700,000 Somali children are considered malnourished, which will probably add to the death toll of small children.

Unless immediate relief efforts arrive, hundreds of thousands of Somali children could die, a U.S. official stated. Washington, however, is planning to announce $100 million in aid.

Jill Biden, the wife of U.S. Vice President Joe Biden, recently visited the East Africa region to talk about awareness and to raise funds.

“What I’m asking is for Americans to reach out and help because the situation is dire. There is hope if people start to pay attention to this.”

Only 20 percent of aid is actually reaching the almost 3 million Somalis who need it, stated Mark Bowden, a top U.N. humanitarian official for Somali.

Another humanitarian official, Kiki Ghebo, said that more than food for hungry Somalis is needed. Vaccines for medical purposes, plastic sheeting, and cooking utensils are also of importance.

Islamist insurgents have been making it difficult for Somalis to receive aid. Recently, there have been several gunfights at various distribution centers. At least 10 people were killed.

Written by antkyle15

August 10, 2011 at 5:34 pm

Posted in Uncateg

American Moms Working with Mothers in Africa

2011-08-09T20:03:00.001-04:00

by Ayvaunn Penn, Your Black World

For those mothers who love their little ones, the affection they shed on their children connects them to mothers across the world. That is what the ten American mothers — including African-American mom Karen Walrond — learned on their trip to Kenya. This group of mommy bloggers is a part of the ONE campaign. The mission of their trip was to be able to share with the moms in the U.S. what moms in Kenya face with challenges such as HIV, malaria, and famine.

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Somalia Famine Claims The Lives Of Over 29,000 Children

2011-08-05T08:19:00.002-04:00

Your Black World Reports

A reported 29,000 children under the age of 5 have died in the recent famine in Somalia, according to estimates by the U.S. government. The drought is the worst in Somalia in the last 60 years, and the United Nations estimates that there are over 640,000 small children who are acutely malnourished. They also predict that the number of dead children will continue to grow.

Nancy Lindborg, a U.S. government official who works with ailing countries, said that the 29,000 children that have died have all passed in the last 90 days. The United Nations has declared that there are three famine zones in Somalia, bringing the total up to give. Over 3.2 million out of 7.5 million people in Somalia are in dire need of assistance.

It has been difficult to get support to the people of Somalia because there are al-Qaida-linked militants controlling some of the areas in need of food. Al-Shabab is denying that there is a famine, and won't allow the World Food Program to enter into the areas it controls.

Tens of thousands of refugees have fled to nearby countries in search of food and water.

Gates Foundation Accused of Ordering African Vaccinations at Gun Point

2011-07-28T12:35:00.001-04:00

By JasmineHughes

Vaccinated or not, either way you’re getting shot. That is the message being sent by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and its partners in Africa that are helping the organization achieve its goal of vaccinating every single child on the planet.

According to a recent report in the Malawi Voice, at least 131 Malawian children were vaccinated this week at gunpoint after having previously fled the country with their parents to avoid the pokes.

CLICK TO READ

Ghana Minister Orders the Arrest of All Homosexuals

2011-07-27T00:12:00.001-04:00

CLICK TO READ

UN and Other Groups Meet to Solve Somalia Famine Problem

2011-07-26T23:09:00.001-04:00

by Ayvaunn Penn, Your Black World

According to reports from CNN, “the World Bank has pledged more than $500 million for famine victims in Somalia as the United Nations met in emergency session Monday to address the aid response in Somalia, the hardest-hit nation in the region.” Robert B. Zoellick, the World Bank President, released a public statement saying, “Immediate relief and recovery is the first priority, and it is important to act fast to reduce human suffering.” The UN reports that over 12 million people are suffering from the famine, and that includes two regions of Somalia.

Some officials believe that better preventative measures could have been taken to prevent such devastation with adequate preparation on the part of government leaders. Barbara Stocking, the chief executive of Oxfam, states:

“World leaders have no excuses for not generously responding…This should not be happening. It is a colossal outrage that the warnings went unheeded, that the lessons of previous famines have been ignored. Yes, we need to save lives today, but we also need to ensure that people have a future. Above all, we need to build a global food system that allows everyone enough to eat.”

Josette Sheeran, the executive director of the World Food Program says, ”Women have been telling us throughout the area that they’ve had to leave children along the road who can’t make it, who are too weak to make it and have died along the way.” Striving to prevent any more of this from happening, it still remains true that distributing food in areas within proximity of the militant Islamist group Al-Shabaab is risky. Sheeran says that despite this, they are willing to do what they can to try to get people the help they need. Al-Shabaab is recognized by the U.S. as a terrorist group, and they do not like foreign-aid agencies helping their people because they feel they are “Western spies and Christian crusaders.” In precaution, the World Food Program has airlifted goods to Dolo which borders Ethiopia.

As conditions worsen, relief agencies are expediting efforts and figuring out ways to supply supplements to regions that are suffering the most. CNN reports, “About 60% of the Somali population is not getting aid, [according to] Sheeran. Aid groups are hoping to reach Somalis in the country before they flee to overcrowded camps in Kenya and Ethiopia for help.”

Ayvaunn Penn is the founder of Your Black Poets and an award winning writer completing her degree in English and philosophy. To inquire about her freelance editing services, click here. To like Ayvaunn on Facebook, click here.

Fox News Racism: Host Says Obama is “Inviting Hoods to the Hizzouse”

2011-06-14T09:33:00.001-04:00

Fox Business is out of control with their racism.

click to read

Rapper Lupe Fiasco Says that President Obama is a Terrorist

2011-06-08T20:20:00.001-04:00

It appears that Lupe has a lot to say about President Obama and US foreign policy.

Click to read

The Supreme Court Orders Release of Prison Inmates, but What Does It Mean?

2011-05-25T01:20:00.001-04:00

click to read

Fox News says that Obama is “Chugging 40s in Ireland”

2011-05-24T15:45:00.001-04:00

click to read

IMF Chief Allegedly Rapes African Women, Then Tries to Bribe Her Family

2011-05-24T11:42:00.001-04:00

click to read

President Obama Reaches Back to His Irish Roots

2011-05-24T08:45:00.001-04:00

click to read

Mother Shoots It out With Police over Daughter’s Medication

2011-05-23T08:09:00.001-04:00

click to read

Meet National Debate Champion, Dayvon Love

2011-05-21T22:50:00.001-04:00

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Race-Baiting by NBC? White Females Claim Black Athletes Raped Them

2011-05-21T13:05:00.001-04:00

Two white female students claim that black athletes raped them. But the way the story is presented is racially-disturbing.

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15-Year Old Girl Gets Admitted Into Harvard

2011-05-21T07:41:00.001-04:00

Yes, this is what our kids are supposed to be.

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Dr. Boyce Watkins: Those Ugly, Ugly Black Women

2011-05-20T20:17:00.001-04:00

Dr. Boyce Watkins analyzes the recent conclusion by a London scholar that black women are less attractive than other races

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Head of IMF Accused of Sexually Assaulting a West African Maid

2011-05-18T15:05:00.001-04:00

Click to read

Hearing it from the Man Who Knew Osama bin Laden

2011-05-11T09:45:00.001-04:00

Dr. Wilmer Leon speaks with the journalist who knew Osama bin Laden well.

click to read

Technorati Tags: dr. wilmer leon,black scholars,african american scholars

Why Would Osama bin Laden Try to Recruit Black People?

2011-05-10T00:05:00.001-04:00

Dr. Wilmer Leon and Dr. Boyce Watkins discuss the allegation that Osama bin Laden once tried to recruit disgruntled blacks to be part of his revolution.

click to read.

What Your Probably Don’t Know about bin Laden, Pakistan and US Foreign Policy

2011-05-07T19:55:00.001-04:00

With the killing of Osama bin Laden, Americans remain woefully ignorant of what our government does overseas in the name of the United States.

click to read

Osama Planned to Use Disgruntled Blacks to Attack the United States

2011-05-07T09:42:00.001-04:00

Reports say that Osama bin Laden planned to recruit disgruntled blacks to engage in widespread attacks on the United States.

click to read.

Giving Bush Credit for Bin Laden Means Giving Him Credit for EVERYTHING

2011-05-06T09:33:00.001-04:00

by Dr. Wilmer Leon

After releasing the long form of his birth certificate President Obama said, “We’ve got some enormous challenges out there… We’re not going to be able to solve our problems if we get distracted by sideshows and carnival barkers.”

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“Birthers” Replaced by “Deathers”: Don’t Believe Bin Laden is Really Dead

2011-05-06T08:23:00.001-04:00

by Brook Griffin, Your Black World

Last week, when President Barack Obama released his long-form birth certificate, he silenced many of the critics, birthers, who didn’t believe that he was born in the United States. Now, the birth certificate controversy has been replaced by another one: whether or not Osama Bin Laden is actually dead.

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Technorati Tags: barack obama,black politics,deathers

President Obama Heads to Ground Zero

2011-05-05T08:14:00.001-04:00

Washington (CNN) -- U.S. President Barack Obama will visit New York's ground zero Thursday, days after a nighttime raid in Pakistan led to the death of the terror leader behind the attacks that toppled the twin towers.

Obama's visit will include a wreath-laying ceremony, the White House said. He does not plan to deliver a speech.

He will also visit Engine Company 54, which lost 15 firefighters in the terror attacks on September 11, 2001.

Former President George W. Bush will not appear alongside his successor.

A spokesman for Bush said he turned down an invitation to travel to the site of the 9/11 attacks.

"He appreciated the invite, but has chosen in his post-presidency to remain largely out of the spotlight," spokesman David Sherzer said in a statement.

As the president prepares to cap a week that started with an announcement late Sunday night that a team of Navy SEALs had stormed a Pakistan compound and killed bin Laden, more details are emerging about the raid.

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50th Anniversary of the Freedom Riders: Thank You For All You’ve Done

2011-05-04T17:58:00.001-04:00

Dead NFL Player Dave Duerson would Not Have Qualified for Full Disability Benefits

2011-05-04T16:55:00.001-04:00

By ALAN SCHWARZ Published: May 4, 2011

BOSTON — As the football world absorbs Monday’s news that Dave Duerson had the football-related brain damage he suspected before fatally shooting himself in February, an overlooked detail has emerged: had Duerson reached out for help via the N.F.L.’s disability plan, which he helped administer, his neurological injuries would not have qualified for a high level of benefit, if any at all.

The disability program jointly run by the league and the players association gives its “football degenerative” award for total and permanent disability, up to $110,000 per year, for injuries deemed related to football that arise within 15 years of the player’s retirement. Anything that manifests itself later receives no more than $40,000, and players with neurological impairments have had difficulty getting that.

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Obama Refuses to Release Bin Laden Photos

2011-05-04T14:17:00.001-04:00

Washington (CNN) -- President Barack Obama has decided not to release photos of Osama bin Laden's body as evidence of his death, an administration official briefed by the White House told CNN Wednesday.

The decision settles the debate over whether to release the images, though Obama's choice is sure to garner criticism.

Earlier, two top senators involved in national security said the photos of bin Laden's corpse should be released.

Sen. Carl Levin, D-Michigan, who chairs the Armed Services Committee -- and who has not seen the photos -- said the United States should wait to allow the emotions of people around the world who may be sympathetic to bin Laden to cool down.

"I'd let a little time pass so we that we don't play into the hands of people who want to retaliate with what obviously will be a sensational picture. I would not want to feed that sensation so I'd wait days or weeks," he said.

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Bishop Desmond Tutu Announces Changes in South African Aids Policy

2011-05-03T18:22:00.001-04:00

Your Black World Reports

Desmond Tutu -- former Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town, South Africa -- says South Africa should not be embarrassed about its policies to combat AIDS.

"For many years we were embarrassed in international gatherings for what we were not doing in fighting AIDS. We therefore thank the Minister of Health, Aaron Motsoaledi, for the change in policy....It is a very rare privilege and honor for us the older ones to say we are passing the baton to you the young to carry on with the fight against this pandemic." - Desmond Tutu

Aaron Motsoaledi is leading the rigorous anti-AIDS testing and treatment campaign pledged by President Jacob Zuma in 2009. This anti-AIDS effort is being lauded by AIDS activists who experienced conflict with a previous health minister who endorsed natural remedies as AIDS treatments and looked skeptically upon the connection between HIV and AIDS. Taking strides to engage younger generations in this fight against disease, Motsoaledi and Tutu attended a United Nations conference discussing ways to motivate new generations to get involved in proliferating the AIDS-prevention message.

Please join the Your Black World Coalition by visiting YourBlackWorld.com

How does the Bin Laden Assassination a Impact the Obama Presidency?

2011-05-03T17:21:00.001-04:00

Dr. Boyce Watkins, YourBlackWorld.com – Scholarship in Action

I spoke to noted political scientist, Dr. Wilmer Leon from Howard University about the recent killing of Osama Bin Laden and what this means for the Obama Presidency.

Dr. Leon lays out the history of Bin Laden and the US role in creating the power base that Bin Laden relied upon in order to attack the United States on September 11. The video is below and if you can’t see it, click here.

Dr. Boyce Watkins is the founder of the Your Black World Coalition. To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered to your email, please click here.

[blip.tv http://blip.tv/play/AYK4rloC]

Technorati Tags: black scholars,barack obama,black politics,black political scientists

Glenn Beck Says “Let’s kill Obama, I mean Bin Laden”

2011-05-03T12:14:00.001-04:00

Dr. Boyce Watkins, Your Black World

In yet another interesting Fox News public gaffe, Glenn Beck recently made a comment about killing President Obama, by mistakenly making reference to the president when discussing Osama Bin Laden.

During one of his monologues, Beck was arguing that President Obama came off as arrogant in his speech about the death of Bin Laden, and that he doesn’t deserve as much credit as the troops who’ve been looking for Bin Laden since 2001.

His mistake wasn’t as glaring as Liz Trotta in 1998, who said that we would “take them both out if we could,” but it’s still problematic to hear coming from Beck. Beck is not the only reporter to mistakenly reference the death of President Obama. Norah O’Donnell from MSNBC did the same thing on Twitter.

The video is below. If you can’t see it, please click here.

[blip.tv http://blip.tv/play/AYK4pC8C]

Chisholm Commission on presidential Accountability Gives Its Assessment of the 2012 Budget

2011-05-03T02:34:00.001-04:00

The Shirley Chisholm Presidential Accountability Commission

Assessment of President Barack Obama’s 2011 Budget Address

Institute of the Black World, 31-35 95th Street, East Elmhurst, NY 11369

www.ibw21.org Email: info@ibw21.org 718-429-1415

President Obama’s recent address concerning the budget and fiscal crisis facing our nation has been the focus of much reflection and thought. After extensive discussions among members of the Shirley Chisholm Presidential Commission (SCPAC) and consultations with national organizations and agencies keenly interested in the interest and aspirations of Black America the Commission has formulated the following response.

The SCPAC applauds President Obama for putting forth a principled and responsible vision for bringing the federal deficit under control and protecting our nation’s most vulnerable populations.

click to read

Technorati Tags: black politics,chisholm commission,president obama

Donald Trump Congratulates President Obama on Bin Laden Killing

2011-05-03T00:20:00.001-04:00

Your Black World Reports

In the video below, “The Donald” congratulates President Barack Obama for killing Osama Bin Laden. Twitterers had been joking that Trump would now begin asking to see Bin Laden’s death certificate as official proof that President Obama has actually killed him.

Now that Trump has officially been hit hard by the Obama Administration in recent days, he has remained quiet and asked that the public stop discussing party politics and “remember those who lose their lives in 9/11.” Perhaps this is the end of Donald Trump’s public statements, for at least a little while. If you can’t see the video below, please click here to watch.

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How are Black Women Affected by Not Having a Father in the Home?

2011-05-02T17:46:00.001-04:00

In the conversation below, I interview Squeaky Moore and Ashley Shaunte, two aspiring filmmakers who’ve been able to make fatherless homes into a viral topic on the Internet. Their short public service video on the topic has drawn hundreds of thousands of viewers, primarily because the idea of being without a dad has such a profound emotional impact on us all.

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Rush Limbaugh: “Thank God for President Obama”

2011-05-02T17:17:00.001-04:00

Your Black World Reports

It looks like even Rush Limbaugh is seeking to give President Obama credit for killing Osama Bin Laden. On his radio show, Limbaugh had this to say:

"Ladies and gentlemen, we need to open the program today by congratulating President Obama," Limbaugh said. "President Obama has done something extremely effective and when he does, this needs to be pointed out. President Obama has continued the Bush policies of keeping a military presence in the Middle East. He did not scrub the mission to get Bin Laden. In fact, it may be that President Obama single-handedly came up with the technique in order to pull this off."

Limbaugh had more to say:

"Our military wanted to go in there and just scorch the earth, but President Obama single-handedly understood what was at stake here. He alone understood the need to get DNA to prove the death ... it was President Obama single-handedly and alone who came up with the strategy that brought about the effective assassination of Osama bin Laden," Limbaugh said, concluding, "Thank God for President Obama."

Click here to watch the video or click below.

[blip.tv http://blip.tv/play/AYK4jGkC]

Out-of-Work Mom Explains Why She Broke the Law

2011-05-02T14:11:00.001-04:00

by Goldie Taylor – TheGrio.com

I lost my job.

For the next few months, we got by on small consulting contracts and what was left of our savings. It will get better, I told myself, as I picked up boxes of food from a local church.

It didn't.

Day turned to night, and soon we lost our home. My children and I moved into a small, rodent infested apartment. I put the kids to bed, scrubbed the walls, fixed the toilet, taped the windows and patched the holes in the baseboards with steel wool and duct tape. It had to be enough.

In a post 9/11 economy, there were few opportunities for an out of work communications executive. It didn't matter that I had cut my teeth as a vice president with one of the world's largest public relations agencies. A bevy of stock options earned in Silicon Valley weren't worth the paper they were printed on.

Four months later, I sat in the middle of the living room floor clutching an eviction notice. The electricity had been shut off. I started to pray. The tears became sobs. Then, there was wailing. I shouted at a God I swore either didn't exist or didn't care that we had no food, no place to go. "If you are who you say you are, you wouldn't do this to them!"

We left almost everything. Our dog, Claire, was taken to a local shelter.

click to read

Detroiters Protest NAACP Giving Award to Confederate flag-waving Kid Rock

2011-05-02T00:39:00.001-04:00

Your Black World Reports

A group of protesters met outside the Cobo Center in Detroit to protest the NAACP’s decision to give an award to Kid Rock, an entertainer who flies the Confederate Flag during his concerts. Adolph Mongo, head of Detroiters for Progress, spoke to the group.

"Do you know what that flag stands for? It stands for hatred, bigotry, racism, murder," he said.

NAACP President Wendell Anthony defended giving an award to Rock.

"We're not lifting up the flag. We're lifting up a gentleman who has worked very hard to be a beacon for Detroit," Anthony said. "We believe in protests -- we're the NAACP, we fight for it -- and if it's righteous, we'll even join with you."

Dr. Boyce Watkins at YourBlackWorld.com expressed his concerns with the NAACP decision, asking, “would the Jewish Anti-Defamation League give an award to a man who put a swastika on stage during his performance? I think not.”

Dr. Watkins then goes on to say that this is yet another example of the NAACP sacrificing its values in order to raise money. A recent survey conducted by Your Black World found that 41% of the black respondents do not feel that the NAACP is being run efficiently. This incident leads some to question the relevance of a civil rights organization that is not empowered enough to challenge the use of the Confederate Flag, arguably the most recognized symbol of racism in American history.

To join the Your Black World Coalition, please visit YourBlackWorld.com.

Russell Simmons’ Open Letter to President Obama: Don’t Forget Our Plight

2011-05-01T15:07:00.001-04:00

Your Black World Reports

I listened to your speech last week at Rev. Al Sharpton's National Action Network's 20th anniversary dinner, talking among friends and close supporters. This was an annual African American dinner, a very important one. While I know that any Democrat would have fulfilled their promise to come back if they had won the '08 election, I also know the significance, and the special burden it poses on you, as the first African American President, at the same time.

Still, I woke up the next day feeling uneasy, not because you didn't take issues of direct significance to the black community head-on -- like the fact that one in three black children go to jail once in their lifetime or that black people have an unemployment rate double the amount of white people -- but because nowhere in your deep and thoughtful remarks did you talk about the elephant in the room that affects ALL Americans, irrespective of color: the growing ranks of poor Americans, Americans struggling not just to meet their mortgage payments but to eat, sleep under a roof, educate their kids and pay their basic bills.

As a passionate advocate of yours since I joined your campaign in 2008, there is something you need to hear: in trying to soar above party politics, you risk forgetting your most important commitment to inclusion and empowerment. As you prepare for your speech to the nation tomorrow night, I write this letter to you as a friend and strong advocate.

The rich are already at the table, as are the Democrats, the Republicans, the Tea Party and the unions, the business interests and the moneyed interests. The poor can't afford for you to forget about them, and you cannot afford it either. Of all Americans, the poor are not just the real victims of this recession; they are the victims of a thirty year campaign of smear and neglect, to strengthen the rich on the backs of the rest of America in the dim and ultimately futile fantasy that the rich getting richer will somehow "trickle down."

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My Personal “WTF Moment” – 4/30/11

2011-04-30T17:48:00.001-04:00

You never know what you’ll see walking through a random antique store. I’m speechless

President Obama Meets with Participants in the 1968 Sanitation Strike

2011-04-29T16:21:00.001-04:00

“The President invited the living participants in the Memphis Sanitation Strike to honor their courage, and their fight on behalf of all workers for safe conditions, respect in the workplace and a better life for themselves and their families. As workers across the country continue to face challenges to their rights, the issues for which these men fought continue to be relevant and the President remains committed to the causes for which they marched.” – from the White House

Oil Companies are Making Less Gas but Much Higher Profits

2011-04-28T23:51:00.001-04:00

Gasoline prices are skyrocketing — and so are oil company profits.
Exxon Mobil Corp. earned nearly $11 billion in the first three months of the year, a rollicking 69% increase over its performance for the same period last year. That's on sales of $114 billion.
It's the same story for the other big oil companies. Royal Dutch Shell turned a profit of $6.3 billion in the first quarter, and BP — despite lingering costs from the Gulf Coast oil spill— made $7.1 billion.

click to read

President Obama Picks a New Defense Secretary

2011-04-27T08:31:00.001-04:00

Washington (CNN) -- President Barack Obama will name CIA Director Leon Panetta as his nominee to succeed Robert Gates as defense secretary, a senior defense official and another U.S. official said Wednesday.

Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, will be named to replace Panetta as CIA director, a senior defense official said.

Panetta took over at the CIA in February 2009.

Panetta, 72, was chief of staff to President Bill Clinton between 1994 and 1997. Previously he was director of the Office of Management and Budget. The California Democrat served in the House of Representatives from 1977 to 1993.

Before coming to the CIA, he spent 10 years co-directing a public policy institute with his wife, Sylvia.

Click to read

CNN Kills the Birther Movement Once and For All

2011-04-26T09:03:00.001-04:00

by Dr. Boyce Watkins, YourBlackWorld.com

Let’s hope that the Birther Movement is on its way out the door. If it isn’t completely out the door, it’s on its death bed. CNN has engaged in an all-out assault on the Birther Movement by doing a detailed investigation on whether or not President Barack Obama was born in the United States.

In the video below, the network goes to the extreme to settle the question once and for all. Personally, I found the investigation to be quite compelling. There are others, however, including Donald Trump, who’ve spent all of their time engaging in their own investigations and coming to “very interesting” conclusions.

As I mentioned yesterday when referencing the attacks on Obama by Donald Trump, I’m actually glad that leading Republican Presidential candidates are building political bridges to nowhere. The fact remains that a) spending time on the Birther issue is only going to make potentially legitimate candidates look silly when the myth is refuted, and b) the American public really doesn’t care about the issue, at least not as much as they care about jobs, education and the other things that actually matter.

Rev. Al Sharpton and I discussed the Birther issue at length on his show yesterday. Given that Sharpton is a bit more committed to the Obama Administration than I am (I will likely vote for Obama, but I don’t fall in love with any political candidate and try to evaluate them as objectively as possible), I’ll have to admit that I didn’t want to even discuss the Birther issue for very long. But Sharpton had a lot to say about it, and Republicans should understand that going down to “Crazyville” with Birther Conspiracy theories only serves to bolster Obama supporters in their ability to undermine the credibility of the Republican Party. Personally, when Sharpton and I spoke, I preferred to hit other issues, like the pending death of Rocky Clark and the arrest of Tonya McDowell. So, whether you’re Democratic or Republican, discussing the Birther issue is simply a misuse of valuable time.

Dr. Boyce Watkins is a Professor at Syracuse University and founder of the Your Black World Coalition. To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered to your email, please click here.

[blip.tv http://blip.tv/play/AYK2xgcC]

Technorati Tags: black politics,barack obama,birther movement,black news,african american news

Your Black News – 4/25/11

2011-04-25T08:13:00.001-04:00

Technorati Tags: black news,african american news,black politics,african american politics

25% of All Americans Don’t Believe President Obama was Born in the United States

2011-04-24T12:46:00.001-04:00

From CBSnews.com

A quarter of all Americans incorrectly think President Obama was not born in the United States, according to a new CBS News/ New York Times poll.

Among all Republicans, 45 percent believe he was born in another country, as do 45 percent of Tea Party supporters, the poll shows.

Since the start of Mr. Obama's 2008 presidential campaign, rumors have existed that he was born outside of the United States. The"birther" myth has steadily persisted through Mr. Obama's presidency, in spite of overwhelming evidence he was born in the United States -- including his 1961 birth announcement, printed in two Hawaii newspapers.

Businessman and television personality Donald Trump has pushed the issue into the spotlight in recent weeks, insisting that he is unconvinced of Mr. Obama's origins. While Trump has used the issue to bring more attention to his possible Republican presidential bid, other Republicans are trying to tamp down the "birther" talk.

House Tea Party Caucus Chairwoman Michele Bachmann said recently that it's time to "move on" from the issue. Additionally, Arizona's Republican Gov. Jan Brewer recently vetoed a bill, penned in response to questions about Mr. Obama's origins, that would have made Arizona the first state to require presidential candidates to provide proof of their birth before getting on the state ballot.

The myth seems fated to live on, however, as a new book will come out next month entitled,

Click to read

Technorati Tags: black politics,african american politics,barack obama

Visit Your Black World for more news.

Congo in Harlem

2009-10-03T12:15:00.002-04:00

The conflict raging in Democratic Republic of Congo is the deadliest humanitarian crisis since World War
II. It has taken nearly 6 million lives since 1996, most of them women and children. But despite the vast
human toll, most Americans are still unfamiliar with the conflict, and even less so with Congo’s vibrant
culture and traditions.

During the month of October, the Maysles Cinema presents Congo in Harlem. Congo in Harlem a
month-long series of film screenings accompanied by special events, panel discussions, performances, and
receptions. Congo in Harlem will provide audiences with more than the traditional movie-going
experience -- it will offer opportunities to discover Congolese culture, learn about the ongoing
humanitarian crisis, engage in dialog, and get involved.

October 18th - 24th marks International Congo Week, a worldwide initiative to join in solidarity with the
people of Congo in breaking the silence about the conflict. Congo in Harlem will coincide with this
initiative, and offer a critical venue for reflection, discussion, and action.

The films programmed in this series are intended to educate, inspire, provoke, and entertain. They present
a broad range of subjects and experiences from important and often underrepresented voices. There are
historical investigations of Congo’s heroes and despots (Lumumba; Mobutu, King of Zaire; and
Congo: White King, Red Rubber, Black Death); intimate accounts of the current conflict (Lumo,
Women in War Zones and Reporter); rare glimpses of the colonial era (Matamata/Pilipili and
Pygmy Thrills); celebrations of Congolese artists and musicians (Jupiter’s Dance and Afro@Digital); and films made by established and emerging Congolese directors (La Vie Est Belle and Yole!Africa Shorts Program). Most screenings will be accompanied by panel discussions, featuring the filmmakers, experts, and activists.

Selected evenings will feature receptions with Congolese food, drinks, live poetry, dance, and musical performances. Proceeds from the events Congo in Harlem will benefit various organizations working inside Congo.

Throughout the month, a digital of slideshow of A Congo Chronicle: Lumumba in Urban Art, will be projected in the cinema’s community space, courtesy of the Museum for African Art. The space will also be used for the sale of Congo-related books, DVDs, crafts and clothing.

Click here to view schedule of films and other events during Congo Week.

MCKNIGHT IS DOING THINGS RIGHT!!!

2009-09-24T06:00:00.000-04:00

When R&B crooner Brian McKnight first hit the charts and radio waves in 1992, music fans were not only impressed with his vocal ability, but also his songwriting talent, and his skills as a multi-instrumentalist (he can play nine instruments). Clearly marked as his modus operandi, McKnight has maintained his music career by multi-tasking.

read more click here

Technorati Tags: brian mcknight,black celebrity gossip,black celebrites

Afghanistan/Pakistan, Where Empires Go to Die - II

2009-08-26T12:54:00.001-04:00

by Dr. Wilmer J. Leon III

Under the pretext of responding to the September 11, 2001 attacks in America, the United and States and Great Britain invaded Afghanistan on October 7, 2001 under the banner of Operation Enduring Freedom. President Bush 41’ told the American people that the US strikes were,

“…designed to disrupt the use of Afghanistan as a terrorist base of operations, and to attack the military capability of the Taliban regime…we will make it more difficult for the terror network to train new recruits and coordinate their evil plans. Initially, the terrorists may burrow deeper into caves and other entrenched hiding places…At the same time, the oppressed people of Afghanistan will know the generosity of America and our allies. As we strike military targets, we will also drop food, medicine and supplies to the starving and suffering men and women and children of Afghanistan… ”

During the 2008 presidential campaign, candidate Obama promised to immediately withdraw troops from Iraq in order to bolster the forces in Afghanistan in order to defeat the Taliban and Al Qaeda. “It’s time to refocus our attention on the war we have to win in Afghanistan.”

I believe that this tactic was taken by the Obama team in order to placate the anti-Iraq contingent of the American electorate on the left while not leaving himself vulnerable to the “soft on defense” hawkish argument on the right. As a campaign tactic this approach proved to be successful. In reality, this may prove to be one of the greatest miscalculations President Obama has made. The real question here becomes, what’s the best tactic to accomplish this end?

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EX GIANT PLEADS GUILTY

2009-08-20T12:21:00.000-04:00

NEW YORK(AP)—Former New York Giant Plaxico Burress (notes) pleaded guilty Thursday to a weapons charge and agreed to a two-year prison term for accidentally shooting himself at a Manhattan nightclub.

The ex-wide receiver pleaded guilty to one count of attempted criminal possession of a weapon, a lesser charge than he initially faced. Under a plea agreement, he agreed to a two-year prison sentence and two years of supervised release.

Burress was indicted earlier this month on two counts of criminal possession of a weapon and one count of reckless endangerment. He faced a minimum sentence of 3 1/2 years if convicted at a trial.

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BLACK MAN DIES IN POLICE CUSTODY

2009-08-20T11:15:00.000-04:00

Technorati Tags: black male,Tennessee,police,death

Investigators in Tennessee are looking into how an 18-year-old man died while in police custody.

The Daily News Journal in Murfreesboro reports that Andron Reed died after officers arrested him Friday night. They say it all started when Reed led them on a high-speed chase.

It eventually ended in a crash, but authorities say Reed did not have any apparent injuries.

Reed's brother, who was with him at the time, told a Memphis newspaper that he could hear Reed being beaten at the jail.

Reed was later found unresponsive and died.

Investigators say he put up a struggle with officers when he was arrested, but they're not sure if that's what caused his death.

"We do know that he was fairly combative, that officers had to use some restraint to get him under control, these are things that we know right now," said TBI Spokesperson Kristin Helm. "Whether or not he was beaten or died from natural causes, those are things that will be determined as a result of the autopsy and the course of our investigation."

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VICK WAS SICK IN PRISON

2009-08-17T14:12:00.001-04:00

NEW YORK (AP)—Michael Vick (notes) says he cried in prison because of the guilt he felt about being involved in dogfighting, and was disgusted with himself for allowing it to happen.

In an interview with “60 Minutes” that aired Sunday night, Vick said the day he walked into prison he realized “the magnitude of the decisions that I made.

“And, you know, it’s no way of, you know, explaining, you know, the hurt and the guilt that I felt. And that was the reason I cried so many nights. And that put it all into perspective,” he said.

A three-time Pro Bowl pick during six seasons with the Atlanta Falcons, Vick served 18 months in federal prison for running a dogfighting ring and was reinstated last month by the NFL after being out of action since 2006.

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Minister Farrakhan's Wife Featured in National Women's Magazine

2009-08-15T01:46:00.001-04:00

Chicago, IL (BlackNews.com) - There is a saying that "behind every good man, is a good woman," however, in the case of The Honorable Minister Farrakhan, the leader of The Nation of Islam and the convener of the Million Man March, "behind every great man is a phenomenal woman."

Mother Khadijah Farrakhan, wife of The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, is featured on the cover of the current issue of Virtue Today Magazine, an inspirational new women's magazine out of Raleigh, North Carolina, that focuses on uplifting women. Mother Farrakhan is featured along side Michelle Obama and Winnie Mandela for the cover story: Black First Ladies. Mother Farrakhan is the First Lady of The Nation of Islam

2009 El Salvador Elections: " Si, Se Puede "

2009-08-11T13:17:00.002-04:00

As an international observer at the 2009 Presidential elections in El Salvador, I was so astonished to witness history in the making. At the end of the election day, hundreds of voters cheered the campaign slogan in the streets, “ Si, Se Puede.” because for the first time, true democracy has finally won victory over the strongest right wing party. Farabundo Marti National Liberation (FMLN) candidate, Maurico Funes defeated National Republican Alliance (ARENA) party candidate, Rodrigo Avila in a tight race. The Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE) reported that President Maurico Funes won majority vote of 51.23 percent over 49.1 percent for Arena party.

In January, the presidential campaign exit polls showed that FMLN party’s potential unprecedented win could possibly beat ARENA’s four consecutive presidential election winning streak at a close margin. In order to lessen corruption, the Supreme Electoral Tribunal approved over 4,000 registered international and national observers. Under my program, the 8th Center For Exchange and Solitary International (CIS) recruited up to 265 observers from 11 foreign nations to observe in 28 different municipalities. Our monitoring team was assigned in Ilabasco, Cabanas (pro-Arena party area), which is a municipality located northeast part of El Salvador.

On Election Day:

My assessment of the electoral process corroborated the marginal state of El Salvador’s democratic institution. On election day, acting as a complete impartial bystander was the biggest challenge for me. Although I was not authorized to participate in the elections, its was very difficult to not intervene due to the transparency issues. Consequently, I’ve recorded over a dozen irregularities; ranging from violations in voting privacy, the usage of invalid citizenship identifications, senior citizen assistance, and counting duplicate ballots. Other than procedural issues, logistical implications was also a problem. The voting tables occasionally formed lines wrapped around the booths, which caused traffic in the middle of the center. The voting booth equipment was somewhat mistreated. Several voting tables were missing issued curtains. Also, there was a huge unbalanced of Arena party colors surrounding the voting center. The ARENA campaigners distributed food and beverages, did not remove hung up party flags on nearby buildings and transported distanced voters to the voting centers.

Despite fraud, the election process performed better than what we expected. Our finalized report asserted that there were no major incidents held during the elections. The report stressed other implications, such as circulation of anti-party propaganda, bribery votes and attempt votes from voters from neighboring countries (Nicaragua, Honduras and Guatemala). In conclusion, there is still room to rectifying the legality of the voting process. This new era will provide the electoral system a better chance in providing free and fairer elections in the future. This historical election ended two decades of strong conservative and corruptive rule. Under President Maurico Funes’s leadership, the country can be more committed to achieving sustainable democracy. In retrospect, high levels of longevity corruption and oppression crippled the democratic system. The country suffered from severe socio-economic losses under the ARENA party. Overtime, poverty, unemployment, illiteracy and human rights violations exacerbated in poorer communities. The growing pains within poor communities ended up polarizing the country between the military and the ex-guerilla Marxist rural rebels.

With this new victory, The FLMN party can rebuild a new and prosperous democratic institution. President Maurico Funes’s platform focuses on the implementation of policies that will benefit the majority of the people, which will guarantee freedom of expression, human rights protection and equal participation in the free market and investment climate. In doing so, the new administration must first establish reconciliation with ARENA party in order to work with the legislative majority, which is an excellent approach in reducing the income disparity, ensuring civil liberties and strengthening domestic security.

Still yet, President Maurico Funes faces intensive criticism from the ARENA party. ARENA political opponents believe that President Maurico Funes’s win in the executive power will exercise Venezuelan socialist influences. Also, critics argued against President Funes foreign policy decisions. Many argue against President Funes’ support to re-integrate stronger relations with the U.S and fear that he will be one of U.S‘s bully puppets. Since Post-Reagan administration, the U.S-El Salvador relation has been very controversial in the country. Many anti-American critics have expressed deep concerns focusing on El Salvador’s involvement in the Iraq War, CAFTA, and the usage of U.S. dollarization as El Salvadorian currency.

President Funes advocated that his change reform will reshape El Salvador’s foreign policy. His platform does not represent the old leftist school of thought nor advocates Chavez, Oretga and Castro influences. Instead, President Funes is a true proponent in establishing a different tone to El Salvador’s global image by resetting relations, especially with the U.S. and Latin American countries. El Salvador can not afford to repeal against CAFTA and U.S. dollarization. This course of action would debilitate the country’s economic security during the current global financial crisis. At The 2009 Summit of the Americas, President Funes proposed that El Salvador must strengthen relationships by respecting those existing global trade-military agreements but ensure that those future decisions represent the interest of the people. El Salvador looks forward to further cooperation with U.S. if only the Obama administration is willing to listen and not to impose power on the country.

Many Nigerians Dislike Foreign Oil Companies

2009-06-29T11:20:00.001-04:00

LONDON (Reuters) -- Oil rose to $70 a barrel on Monday after Nigeria's main militant group said it attacked a Royal Dutch Shell oil platform, outweighing a fairly bearish report from the International Energy Agency (IEA).

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) said its fighters struck the Shell Forcados platform in the Delta state.

There was no immediate independent confirmation but Shell said it shut in some oil production at its western operations in the Delta while it investigated reports of attacks.

U.S. crude for August delivery rose to a high of $70.06 per barrel, up 90 cents, before slipping back slightly to $69.75.

"The Nigerian supply disruptions brought in some buying," said Christopher Bellew, broker at Bache Commodities in London.

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Over a quarter of All South African Men Admit to Rape

2009-06-22T09:36:00.001-04:00

South Africans received a horrifying measure of just how bad their country's rape crisis is with the release this week of a study in which more than a quarter of men admitted to having raped, and 46% of those said that they had raped more than once.

The study, conducted by South Africa's Medical Research Council, reveals a deeply rooted culture of violence against women, in which men rape in order to feel powerful, and do so with impunity, believing that their superiority entitles them to vent their frustrations on women and children. The men most likely to rape, the researchers found, were not the poorest, but those who had attained some level of education and income.

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Historic Gathering Off-Broadway With Second Black Woman in History to Win Pulitzer for Drama

2009-06-04T11:07:00.003-04:00

The Manhattan Theatre Club and the Off-Broadway play “Ruined”

have provided a platform for the women of the Congo to share with the global community
the nature of the conflict in the Congo, its impact on Congolese women and how each and every one of us can play a role in bringing an end to the unnecessary suffering of the women of the Congo.

Congolese women will participate in a forum hosted by Congo Global Action, Friends of the Congo and Ellen Stone Belic Institute at Columbia College, Chicago on Sunday, June 14, 2009, 2 PM,
following the production of the Pulitzer winning play “Ruined.”

The June 14th production of “Ruined” is a benefit fundraiser in support of the work of Friends of the Congo and Congo Global Action. Proceeds from the sale of tickets will go to support the work of these two organizations with women in the Congo.

You can support our efforts by purchasing tickets for this historic event.

Find out more about the June 14th production and panel discussion.

Read the press release of this historic event.

View a brief monologue by one of the lead actors in the play.

Learn more about the situation of women in the Congo.

Find out more about the play.

Friends of Congo, Congo Global Action, Ellen Stone Belic Institute at Columbia College, Chicago, George Malaika Foundation, Congo Restoration, Common Cause UK, Foundation Shalupe, HEAL Africa, Lisa Jackson of Jackson Films, Playwright Lynn Nottage, second African American woman in history to win Pulitzer Prize for drama and cast members of "Ruined" will participate in the historic event.

For more information, please call Friends of the Congo at 202-584-6512 or Congo Global Action at 202-884-9784. You may also email info@friendsofthecongo.org or info@congoglobalaction.org. Visit www.friendsofthecongo.org, www.congoweek.org
or congoglobalaction.org for more details.

Can Obama Achieve Peace in the Middle East?

2009-05-28T20:34:00.001-04:00

Israel must halt West Bank settlement activity and the Palestinians need to increase West Bank security to advance the Middle East peace process, President Obama said Thursday after meeting with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, left, meets with President Obama Thursday.

"I am confident that we can take this process forward if all the parties are willing to ... meet all the obligations that they have committed to," Obama said after meeting with Abbas at the White House.

Abbas said his Palestinian Authority was committed to fulfilling its obligations under the 2003 Middle East road map, and both men called for immediate progress in the peace process.

The talks came days before Obama is scheduled to meet with Saudi King Abdullah in Riyadh and deliver a long-awaited speech on relations between the United States and the Muslim world in Cairo, Egypt

Last week, Obama pushed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for a firm Israeli commitment to Palestinian statehood as part of the so-called two-state solution -- a position strongly advocated Thursday by Abbas.

Netanyahu has committed to removing illegal settlement "outposts" but has also pledged to continue expansion, or "natural growth," of existing settlements.

Technorati Tags: barack obama,african americans,black politics,african american politics,black news,african american news

Black News: Kenyan Court Verdict Draws Outrage

2009-05-15T09:00:00.001-04:00

In a case that stirred fierce resentments over race and land, a Kenyan judge on Thursday sentenced the son of a baron to eight months in prison for killing a black poacher on his vast family estate.

The sentence handed down to Thomas Cholmondeley — a fraction of the possible life in prison he faced — provoked shouts of protest fromMaasai tribesmen and sighs of relief from white landowners, both of whom packed into the crowded courtroom.

Judge Muga Apondi last week convicted Cholmondeley of manslaughter in the 2006 shooting of a 37-year-old black poacher, Robert Njoya. The judge had reduced the charge down from murder, saying he believed Cholmondeley's attempts to give Njoya first aid helped prove that he accidentally shot the poacher when aiming at his dogs.

On Thursday, the judge said he took the three years Cholmondeley had already served into account, concluding, "I hereby wish to impose a light sentence on the accused to allow him to reflect on his life."

Cholmondeley's parents, Lord and Lady Delamere, listened to the verdict along with Sarah Njoya, the widow of the dead poacher, and traditionally dressed Maasai activists whose elongated earlobes brushed the traditional red-checked blankets they wore.

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Technorati Tags: kenya,black news,african american news,black global news,africa news

Black Global News: Kenyan Man Sues Over Lack of Sex

2009-05-11T03:22:00.001-04:00

A Kenyan man has sued activists who called on women to boycott sex to protest the growing divide in the nation's coalition government.

James Kimondo said the seven-day sex ban, which ended this week, resulted in stress, mental anguish, backaches and lack of sleep, his lawyer told the state-run Kenya Broadcasting Corp.

The lawsuit filed Friday claims lack of conjugal rights affected Kimondo's marriage and seeks undisclosed damages from the G-10, an umbrella group for women's activists, KBC said.

The women's caucus caused a national debate when it urged women to withhold sex to protest increasingly frosty relations between President Mwai Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga.

Citizens of the east African nation are frustrated by a shaky coalition government, which was formed after post-election violence killed more than 1,000 people in 2008. The wrangling between Kibaki and Odinga has sparked fears of more violence.

Gender activists say they are not worried about the lawsuit.

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Technorati Tags: kenya,black news headlines,african american news,black news,black global news

Africa News: Uganda President Calls for African Space Program

2009-05-05T08:25:00.001-04:00

ENTEBBE, Uganda (AFP) – Africans must travel to the moon to investigate what developed nations have been doing in outer space, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni said Saturday.

"The Americans have gone to the moon. And the Russians. The Chinese and Indians will go there soon. Africans are the only ones who are stuck here," Museveni said, addressing a meeting of the Uganda Law Society in Entebbe.

"We must also go there and say: 'What are you people doing up here?'."

Museveni urged the assembly of Uganda's top lawyers to support East African integration, arguing that one of the region's goals should be to develop a space programme.

"Uganda alone cannot go to the moon. We are too small. But East Africa united can. That is what East African integration is all about," he said. "Then we can say to the Americans: 'What are you doing here all alone?'."

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Technorati Tags: Yoweri Museveni,black news,africa news,african american news,uganda

Somalia’s Prime Minister Asks for Weapons Embargo to be Lifted

2009-04-23T11:12:00.001-04:00

Somalia's prime minister told CNN Thursday that the international naval patrols in the Gulf of Aden are not solving the problem of piracy in the region.

Somalia's prime minister says the international naval patrols are having little effect on the piracy problem.

Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Ali Sharmarke pointed to the recent increase in pirate attacks as evidence, and called for the U.N. arms embargo on Somalia to be lifted so the government can fight back against the pirates and local militant Islamist groups.

"One of our biggest problems is that al-Shabaab has AK-47s, and the pirates have AK-47s, and the government has AK-47s," the prime minister told CNN's David McKenzie in Nairobi, Kenya.

"You can't expect the government to win against such a problem. The only way is to have sufficient capability, and it starts with lifting the arms embargo. You know, we have been handicapped by those sanctions." Watch more from Somalia's PM »

The arms embargo on Somalia has been in effect for more than 16 years. Most serviceable weapons and almost all ammunition currently available in the country have been delivered since 1992, in violation of the embargo, according to the U.N. Security Council.

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Technorati Tags: somalia pirates,african news,black news headlines,african american news,black news

Dr. Ronald Walters Speaks on Obama’s Boycott of UN Racism Conference

2009-04-23T08:45:00.001-04:00

by Dr. Ronald Walters, University of Maryland

I am missing something here. President Barack Obama just went to Europe and Iraq and made speeches saying that he would be deferential to Communist China, that he would meet without conditions with the leadership of Iran and that he wanted to open up a new relationship with the Islamic world. Then he went to the Conference of the Americas in Trinidad and shook the hand of Hugo Chavez of Venezuela who has said some devilish things about America and the Bush administration. But the key issue that took the conference over was the American overture to Cuba to talk, in response to Raul Castro’s statement that he would talk with the U. S. and that everything would be on the table. Moreover, the Obama administration has said that it wanted to open up a new chapter in its relationship with the United Nations. To that end, it has appointed an African American Ambassador and put in its application for a seat on the Human Rights Commission. Against this background, the decision of the Obama administration not to go to the United Nations Conference On Racism in Geneva, Switzerland April 20-24 would appear to be a powerful refutation of this relatively liberal approach to the international community it has established.

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Technorati Tags: dr. ronald walters,black politics,african american politics,racism,barack obama

Playwright Lynn Nottage Wins the Nobel Prize

2009-04-22T19:59:00.001-04:00

Stories of race and gender prevailed at this year's Pulitzer Prizes, with "Ruined," Lynn Nottage's harrowing tale of survival set against the backdrop of an African civil war, winning for drama Monday and books about slavery, civil rights and Andrew Jackson also receiving awards.

In a rare victory for the short story, Elizabeth Strout's "Olive Kitteridge," a collection set in New England and linked by the forthright title character, a math teacher and general scold with an understanding heart. It was the first book of short stories to win since 2000 (Jhumpa Lahiri's "Interpreter of Maladies").

Three prize winners centered on racial history, from colonial times to the 20th century.

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Technorati Tags: lynn nottage,black news,african american news,black writers,african american writers

Why Obama Doesn’t Care about the UN Racism Conference

2009-04-21T23:28:00.001-04:00

by Dr. Christopher Metzler, Georgetown University

As President Obama shook hands with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, he was willing to take the political heat. He said that he was not concerned about the politics of the hand shake and more concerned about extending an open hand to nations hostile to the U.S. The open hand, it seems, is not so open after all. The President announced that, like the Bush Administration, the United States will boycott the world anti-racism conference (Durban II), which opens in Geneva today. According to the President, "I would love to be involved in a useful conference that addressed continuing issues of racism and discrimination around the globe. We expressed in the run-up to this conference our concerns that if you adopted all of the language from 2001, that's not something we can sign up for. "Hopefully some concrete steps come out of the conference that we can partner with other countries on to actually reduce discrimination around the globe, but this wasn't an opportunity to do it."

He is not willing to take the political heat in this case because there is language criticizing Israel and the West in the final document. As the world celebrates the election of the first Black President, the United States boycotts the world conference against racism. Symbolism, it seems has met political reality.

On this issue, it is difficult to reconcile the President's rhetoric with his actions. The President has repeatedly said that his policy is to talk with those with whom he disagrees. He is talking to Chavez, to Ahmadinejad, to Medvedev and Kim but cannot talk to human rights defenders about the best way to address the continuing significance of racism world wide? Surely the message cannot be that the United States does not believe that the right to be free from racism is not a basic human right.

Technorati Tags: christopher metzler,black scholars,african american scholars,black professors,african american professors,barack obama,black politics

Black News: US Now the “Number One Enemy” for Somali “Pirates”

2009-04-13T12:32:00.001-04:00

The rescue of an American ship captain held at gunpoint in a daring operation that left three pirates dead and ended a five-day standoff drew threats of retaliation from angry pirates Monday.

Those threats raised fears for the safety of some 230 foreign sailors still held hostage in more than a dozen ships anchored off the coast of lawless Somalia.

"From now on, if we capture foreign ships and their respective countries try to attack us, we will kill them (the hostages)," Jamac Habeb, a 30-year-old pirate, said from one of Somalia's piracy hubs, Eyl. "(U.S. forces have) become our No. 1 enemy."

A Mogadishu airport staff member said mortar shells were fired toward the airport as a plane carrying U.S. Rep. Donald Payne, D-N.J., took off safely from the Somali capital on Monday.

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Technorati Tags: somalia,pirates,africa news,african american news,black news headlines

Zimbabwe Will No Longer Use its own currency

2009-04-12T17:43:00.001-04:00

Zimbabwe will not use its own local currency for at least a year, a state newspaper reported on Sunday, while it tries to repair an economy which critics say was destroyed by President Robert Mugabe.

The southern African state has allowed the use of multiple foreign currencies since January to stem hyperinflation which had rocketed to over 230 million percent and left the Zimbabwe dollar almost worthless.

The state-controlled Sunday Mail said the unity government of Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai decided the Zimbabwe dollar should only be reintroduced when industrial output reaches about 60 percent of capacity from the current 20 percent average.

"The Zimbabwe dollar will be out for at least a year. We resolved that there will be no immediate plans to (re)introduce the money because there is nothing to support and hold its value," the newspaper quoted Economic Planning and Development Minister Elton Mangoma as saying.

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Technorati Tags: zimbabwe,mugabe,black news,africa news

Black News: Somali “Pirates”: Watch the Video

2009-04-12T11:13:00.001-04:00

What’s the deal with Somalia’s “pirates”? Somalia has no government right now, but the country is gaining global attention after a recent incident with a US tanker. Click the video to watch.

Technorati Tags: black news,african american news,black global news,somalia,pirates

Black News: Somalia Government Has Collapsed

2009-04-09T08:02:00.001-04:00

Warlords and militias terrorizing villages. No functioning government, courts or police. Drought and hunger afflicting half the country.

That's the situation in Somalia driving the epidemic of piracy off its coast, experts say. The chaos means there are no easy military or diplomatic solutions for the U.S. and allies to prevent attacks such as the one on the Maersk Alabama on Wednesday.

"There are not any straightforward or obvious answers," said Chris Albin-Lackey, a senior Africa researcher at Human Rights Watch. Piracy "is, at the end of the day, a symptom of state collapse."

Jendayi Frazer, who was assistant secretary of State for African Affairs in George W. Bush's administration, said, "The idea that we could police that area through ships is not working. The problem is not in the sea — it's on the shore."

But international efforts to establish stability in Somalia have foundered.

The African Union has about 3,000 peacekeepers in Somalia tasked with keeping order in the capital, Mogadishu, but they are ineffective, said Jennifer Cooke, who directs the Africa program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a think tank. Regular U.S. troops haven't been on the ground in the country since just after the Battle of Mogadishu in 1993, in which 18 Americans died. That battle, immortalized in the filmBlack Hawk Down, left Americans with "psychic scars" about putting troops in Africa, Cooke said.

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Technorati Tags: somalia,black news,african american news,africa news,pirates

Pope Says Condoms Won’t Stop AIDS in Africa

2009-03-18T16:03:00.000-04:00

Pope Benedict XVI said on his way to Africa Tuesday that condoms were not the answer in the continent's fight against HIV, his first explicit statement on an issue that has divided even clergy working with AIDS patients.

Benedict arrived in Yaounde, Cameroon's capital, Tuesday afternoon to a crowd of flag-waving faithful and snapping cameras. The visit is his first pilgrimage as pontiff to the African continent.

Benedict had never directly addressed condom use, though his position is not new. His predecessor, Pope John Paul II, often said that sexual abstinence — not condoms — was the best way to prevent the spread of the disease.

Benedict said that the Roman Catholic Church is in the forefront of the battle against AIDS.

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African Leaders: Financial Crisis Threatens Chaos

2009-03-17T10:18:00.001-04:00

Some African countries could "go under" if they are not helped through the global downturn, threatening "total chaos and violence", Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi warned the G20 on Monday.

At a meeting of African leaders in London ahead of next month's summit of the Group of 20 rich and emerging countries, presidents and prime ministers from across the continent warned of the costs of ignoring Africa.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown was meeting African leaders to hear their concerns about the world economic downturn in the G20 build-up.

"They should care about Africa because it is in their interests," Meles, who will attend the G20 as the chair of the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), told reporters.

"Any stimulus money spent in developed countries is going to have less global impact than if the same amount of money were to be spent in Africa.

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Black News: Sudanese Soldier Says He Was Told to Rape Children

2009-03-05T20:38:00.000-05:00

The story

I wanted to believe the man in front of me wasn't a rapist. I knew he was a former Sudanese soldier, I knew he wanted to talk about rape in Darfur. A humanitarian group working on Darfur issues had introduced him to us. They told us his testimony was important to hear.

Last year in Darfur aid workers told me children as young as five were being raped in the huge displacement camps that are home to several million Darfuris. In some camps, they told me, rape had become so common that as many as 20 babies a month born from rape were being abandoned.

As I sat inches from Adam --not his real name -- I feared the revulsion I knew I would feel at my own questions as I asked about rape and his involvement. I have interviewed rape survivors in Darfur. I have two daughters. I am a human being with a conscience. It would be hard to listen to his replies.

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Mugabe Criticized for Lavish Birthday Party

2009-02-28T19:58:00.001-05:00

Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe was celebrating his 85th birthday with a lavish all-day party Saturday despite the fact that the country is gripped by an economic and health crisis.

President Robert Mugabe and his wife, Grace, attend a cake-cutting ceremony for his birthday Saturday.

Mugabe's ZANU-PF party said it raised at least $250,000 to hold the party in Mugabe's hometown of Chinhoyi, about 120 kilometers (75 miles) outside of the capital, Harare.

Critics of the president say the country is desperate for that amount of money to be spent instead on its citizens, who are suffering from a cholera outbreak, food shortages, and spiraling hyperinflation. On Friday, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai visited a hospital's closed intensive care unit that he said needed $30,000 to resume operating.

During the celebrations, Mugabe announced that his controversial land reform would not be reversed. The program is designed to have white-owned farms given to blacks, and there have been violent seizures of such farms since the program began in 2000.

He emphasized that the country's "indigenization program" -- which forces all major foreign companies operating in Zimbabwe to have at least 51 percent black ownership -- will be carried out. It began last year and hasn't been implemented yet.

Mugabe's birthday falls on February 21 but his party loyalists postponed the celebrations as they were raising money for the event.

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