African Stream

Continued….. 8. Dakar, Senegal – Witness the ancient Senegalese tradition of “Laamb” in Dakar, Senegal! This unique spectacle combines sport with cultural heritage, featuring traditional wrestling matches held in sandy arenas.

4. Ikeja, Nigeria – Civil society groups mark Nigeria Democracy Day with peaceful protests against economic hardship and ‘unfriendly government policies’. 5. Giza, Egypt – People from across Egypt gather at Bargash Market to buy and sell camels for Eid Al-Adha. It commemorates Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son in obedience to God. During the festival, families that can afford to sacrifice an animal (sheep, goat, camel, or cow) do so and then divide the meat equally among themselves, the poor, and friends and neighbours. It’s a time for family, feasts, and charity. 6. Adjame, Ivory Coast – The bustling market in Adjame, Ivory Coast, is alive with the sights and sounds of sheep being sold for the upcoming Eid Al-Adha festival.  7. Accra, Ghana – Meet Ace-Liam Nana Sam Ankrah, crowned ‘the youngest male artist in the world’ by the Guinness Book of Records. Hailing from Accra, Ghana, he’s produced paintings since he was just 17 months old.

From a trial of coup plotters in Kinshasa, DRC Congo, to the world’s youngest artistic prodigy in Accra, Ghana. Here’s our weekly photo dump. 1. Kinshasa, DR Congo – Benjamin Reuben Zalman-Polun, a U.S. national, appears at a trial hearing at Ndolo Prison in Kinshasa, DR Congo. About 50 individuals, including three Americans and a Belgian, are accused of a coup attempt on May 19. 2. Gedaref, Sudan – People displaced from Sudan’s Jazira state arrive in packed vehicles at the entrance of the eastern city of Gedaref. Sudan is facing the world’s largest displacement crisis as fighting continues between the Sudanese Army and paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. Millions are at risk of famine and have fled their homes. 3. Hile, Alifa, Cameroon – Thousands displaced by Boko Haram attacks in Cameroon endure harsh conditions in makeshift tents in Hile Alifa, near the border with Nigeria. 

WHY SHOULD I CARE ABOUT GAZA? Are people in the United States doing politics wrong? Nina Turner seems to think so.  Back in March, the activist and former elected government official told ‘Breakfast Club’ radio programme co-hosts that Black voters and other people of conscience must be willing to issue consequences to politicians who don’t work for the people. Turner also connected domestic failures and imperialist violence abroad. She argued it is impossible to see the contradiction of allowing homelessness in New York City as the US spends billions funding and arming Israel, which has k*lled at least 36,000 Palestinians since the 7 October escalation in the 76-year Israeli occupation of Palestine. As many have, she relayed that the Black struggle in the US and worldwide struggles for liberation are connected.  Please follow us on Telegram, Link in Bio

WHO IS DAN GERTLER? Israeli businessman Dan Gertler stands out as a central figure in the exploitation and control of minerals in the Democratic Republic of Congo - raking in $200,000 daily from his operations in the DRC. Those profits allegedly go towards the construction of apartheid-imposing walls in the West Bank. His family’s legacy is rooted in diamond exploitation on the African continent during the colonial era, and Gertler followed in their footsteps. His business grew massively thanks to unscrupulous deals with DRC’s former ruling Kabila dynasty. He’s been heavily sanctioned by the US government, but the Biden administration is now looking to soften the restrictions to give him a chance to sell up and get out of Africa - and thereby ‘demonstrate’ that its stick can be wielded with effect. African Stream’s Wambura Mwai explains what you need to know about Dan Gertler. Please follow us on Telegram, Link in Bio

DAVE CHAPELLE SCHOOLS HECKLER ON PALESTINE Comedy can get very serious, as a Dave Chapelle audience found out in October last year when a heckler took issue with his unscripted comments on Isreal and Palestine towards the end of the gig. He condemned the 7th October killing spree and hostage raid, as well as Israel’s mass killing of innocent civilians and the world’s (then) silence - at which point someone shouted out that he should “shut the F up.” And that was like a red rag to a bull. In this clip, journalist Briahna Joy Gray (@bjoyg) - then a co-host on The Hill’s Rising show - relates how the exchange unfolded, and how the stand-up, with enthusiastic support from the rest of the audience, stood up for Palestinians. How do you think Chapelle handled the heckler? Video credit: The Hill Please follow us on Telegram, Link in Bio

Continued….. Worse, some Black people in America seem deeply confused about who they are, judging by the comment the creator of this video was responding to - claiming there is such a thing as a ‘Native Black American’ identity. As this brother responds, “Y’all gone and lost your damn African minds!” What are your thoughts on this important topic? Video credits: PORTCITYVIBES via TikTok Please follow us on Telegram, Link in Bio

BELIEVE THE DNA: YOU’RE AFRICAN! The science confirms it: the average Black person in the US typically has around 73% African ancestry, genetically speaking. Given the history of slavery, that’s hardly surprising. But a debate has sprung up within America’s Black community about whether links to the African continent should be de-emphasised in favour of focusing on the systemic, knock-on harm done to it through slavery. One reason is that, for example, wealthy Nigerians coming to study at prestigious US universities can skew diversity quotas if the distinction between descendants of slaves brought to America and Africans who arrived more recently isn’t kept clearly in mind. Even if that’s the case, though, there’s no reason why Black people in America should deny their roots in the face of overwhelming scientific evidence. Rather, it’s the diversity quotas that need better criteria.

CONGO SLAVERY POWERS BATTERY INDUSTRY Global tech companies are making billions of dollars churning out products whose rechargeable batteries are supposedly made using ethically sourced (clean) cobalt. But it's all a lie, as Siddharth Kara, author of "Cobalt Red - How the Blood of the Congo Powers Our Lives," reveals in this clip. As an expert on modern slavery, human-trafficking and child labour, Kara has travelled to the Democratic Republic of Congo to explore how the minerals in our devices are sourced. In this clip, he describes the horrific conditions he saw in one mine he visited. According to the IMF, four critical minerals in DR Congo - copper, nickel, cobalt and lithium - will generate $16 trillion in the next 25 years. This vast wealth is why the Congo has been in conflict for so long, thanks to foreign interests using proxy militia to control the mines. Your insights and reactions in the comments are always appreciated. Video credit: @PowerfulJRE Siddharth Kara: @siddharth.kara

DANAI GURIRA’S POWERFUL SPEECH AGAINST R*PE IN CONGO UN goodwill ambassador and Hollywood actor Danai Gurira drew attention to the unspeakable violence faced by women and children in war-torn counties during a UN Security Council debate. She called on powers to acknowledge women and survivors all over the world and bring to light crimes that have gone unseen. She highlighted the case of Africa in particular, where there’s been a shocking rise in sexual violence in DRC, Sudan and Ethiopia. She asks, “Is fighting your wars on the bodies of your most vulnerable a tactic of war?” What’s your reaction to her message?