AfricanStream

So, it looks almost certain US Vice President Kamala Harris will be the Democratic Party’s torch-bearer for the 2024 presidential elections. After Joe Biden quit his bid for a second term, she’s expected to get the nod at the Democratic National Convention slated for August. And if that goes to plan, she’ll then fight Republican Donald Trump for the presidency. But do you think a Harris victory would signal anything good for the Global South? Her record shows little difference to Trump when it comes to pushing US imperialism around the world. African Stream’s Salifu Mack takes us through her foreign misadventures in Latin America and the Caribbean.

In this 1992 interview with Larry King, rapper and activist Sister Souljah responds to an incredible accusation. A caller claims her actions are on a par with white supremacist David Duke. Her answer is as powerful as it gets. To do it justice, you’ll have to listen to the clip, but let’s just say she lays out some history that should never be forgotten. The Ku Klux Klan (KKK) is a violent white supremacy organisation founded after the U.S. Civil War. Since 1865, the KKK has killed many Blacks in the U.S., including by lynching. Members burn crosses and march wearing hooded gowns to terrorise Black people. In addition to hate crimes, the KKK has opposed any form of equality with Africans in the U.S. Perhaps that's why the caller thinks our sister doesn't deserve to wear her jewels? Video credit: @Larry King Live, CNN

Why do Black churches welcome ‘crooked’ politicians? It’s a question asked by podcaster Sabby Salvati following President Joe Biden’s recent appearance at the Mount Airy Church of God in Christ, in Philadelphia. He also pulled off a similar stunt in January when he visited the historic Mother Emanuel AME Church Charleston, in South Carolina. For Sabby, it’s more than an invasion of a sacred space by politics. She sees it as a collaboration between Black community ‘misleadership’ and the political class that controls it. For her, it makes no sense churches open their doors to leaders who bankroll Israel and Ukraine, but ignore the poverty of congregations who can’t afford to put money on the collection plate. Mt.Airy is no stranger to U.S. politicians. Republican President George Bush, whose father’s presidency was marked by criticism of his inaction on HIV/AIDS, made a visit there in 2007 for World Aids Day. It’s also received other notable guests such as Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. Do you agree with Sabby on this? Video credit: @Sabbysabs2

Payment discrimination in Hollywood is an ongoing issue for many industry actors, extras, writers, and stagehands. The 2023 Writer's Guild of America strike brought the hectic movie-making sector to a standstill in the face of such rampant inequality. In this interview with The Breakfast Club, actor Ernie Hudson spoke about how he moved to Hollywood with hopes of becoming rich and famous. However, he would eventually realise you can become popular and poor. Famous Pose Emmy-winning actor Billy Porter has also spoken on this subject, stating that the general public has a particular perception that we're millionaires. However, he was forced to put his house for sale due to the financial crisis; Porter and many other actors, writers, and stagehands made Tinseltown go around living paycheck to paycheck. You might think boo-hoo, but many Africans in America are shown these actors and entertainers as examples of success that show anyone can make it in 'show business'. However, the truth is a lot more complicated, as many are not making it as we were/are led to believe.

Emmett Till would have turned 83 today - had racists not lynched him aged 14. In 1955, he was falsely accused by Carolyn Bryant of whistling at her and threatening her. Two men, one of them her husband, kidnapped the boy, tortured him to death, mutilated his body and dumped it in a river. The men confessed to the murder but were acquitted by an all-White jury. Emmett’s vile murder shaped the Black civil-rights movement in America. 250,000 people attended his funeral. Close-up photographs of his face and body, and the television coverage of the funeral, turned his lynching into a global symbol of racial injustice. But even in death, racists won’t leave Emmett alone. White nationalist and supremacist groups over the years have found ways to desecrate his memorial marker - located at the place where his swollen and disfigured body was discovered. Who knows what a life this beautiful boy would have gone on to have. His fate is a cause of great sadness and a reminder of the atrocities our people have had to endure. May he inspire our continued resistance. Happy Birthday, Emmett Till.

The US does what it accuses China and Russia of doing, but on an ‘industrial’ scale. That is The Grayzone (@thegrayzonenews on IG, X and TikTok) founder Max Blumenthal’s read on US media strategy in Africa. The independent media outlet’s founder and editor (@maxblumenthal on X) argued during a ‘Pan-African Attitude’ episode that US media campaigns advance US interests by shaping perceptions to reflect US views on geopolitical issues. Key among them has been pushing anti-China and anti-Russia messaging. For instance, organisations funded by US government agencies, such as the Pentagon’s Minerva Institute and various National Endowment for Democracy-funded NGOs, train and develop professional networks for young African journalists. While these opportunities may appear beneficial, they often come with strings attached, steering these journalists towards promoting narratives that support US foreign policy interests. That’s just one aspect of US media strategy. Have a watch to find out more. And, please share your thoughts in the comments.

Burkina Faso President Ibrahim Traoré has been showing off his leadership skills on the football pitch. The military captain skippered a side that beat the country’s national team 3-2 in a friendly and even got on the scoresheet. However, his ultimate goal remains the transformation of his country. Since coming to power, he’s overhauled geopolitical alignments within the West African region. He’s teamed up with Russia, Iran, Venezuela, and Nicaragua over neocolonial powers such as France and other EU states. He’s also formed an Alliance of Sahel States with neighbours Niger and Mali and wants to build a Pan-African federal state in the future. According to the Pew Research Centre, he’s the world’s youngest president at 36 years old. And he’s certainly on the ball when it comes to inspiring Burkina’s young population, whose average age is just 17. After the game, Traore said he loved sports for instilling national pride and would always encourage people to compete for the country. It makes you wonder which other world leaders could do this. Most are over 60, with Cameroon’s Paul Biya the oldest at 91! video credit: FasoSports/X

Independent news outlets African Stream and The Grayzone have recently been in the crosshairs of Western corporate media houses. For instance, US-based NBC ran a smear piece on African Stream, accusing us of disinformation without evidence. The Grayzone (@thegrayzonenews on IG, TikTok and X) has been on the circuit much longer. This year, a Washington Post journalist attempted to smear the Grayzone for its reporting on the October 7th attacks, even though it included information that Israeli media sources have corroborated. Another Washington Post article reported on what has been in the public domain for years: A Grayzone editor had been a paid contributor for an Iranian state-run news outlet, Press TV. In the latest ‘Pan-African Attitude’ episode, our guest, Grayzone founder and editor @maxblumenthal (X), theorised Western imperialists’ goal is to control the narrative. Much of the US public views mainstream outlets like NBC and the Washington Post as trusted sources, so online encyclopaedias like Wikipedia use these news outlets’ material to flesh out pages. However, in 2007, the US-based research foundation Santa Fe Institute announced their application, WikiScanner, tracked the source for Wikipedia edits to CIA and FBI computers. When online tools that use artificial intelligence, like ChatGPT, churn out answers based on internet scans of websites like Wikipedia, propaganda against independent media becomes consolidated. Have a watch, and please let us know what you think.

Speaking to documentarian Louis Theroux (@LouisTheroux on X and @officiallouistheroux on IG) in 1999, the late Pan-Africanist and former Nation of Islam leader Dr Khalid Muhammad (1948-2001) joked that Brits love horses more than Black people. He was reacting to Theroux’s shock at seeing a pair of horse-leather trousers in a Harlem clothing store. Khalid used the opportunity to point out Theroux’s compassion for a pony, but not for victims of Britain’s colonialism, particularly in Africa. Jokes aside, Brits have a love affair with horses, splashing millions of pounds on them. At the annual Royal Ascot, a horse pageant, competitors can win nearly £10 million ($12.92 million) in prize money. Horse racing is the UK’s second-most popular sport after football. And the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace, involving horses, is a must-see attraction. Yet, horses are far more treasured compared to Africans, with Britain exploiting our labour and resources on the continent and using police brutality to keep us in line in the UK. Video credit: ‘Louis Theroux’s Weird Weekends,’ @BBC

Senegalese legislator and Pan-African organist Guy Marius Sagna called out the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) parliament for allowing one US and two Swiss institutions to participate in their 18 July session and submit input. While we could not identify the US-based organisation, ECOWAS’ documents show Swiss-based International Human Rights Commission and Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue attended the session in Abuja, Nigeria. As Sagna, an ECOWAS Parliament member, points out in this clip, much debate occurs when African leaders and representatives have something to say during ECOWAS Parliament sessions. But, as soon as Western representatives open their mouths to present their reports, the floor is quiet. Sagna asks why ECOWAS should collaborate with Swiss- and US-based institutions. He questions the moral authority of Western countries that talk to African representatives about human rights and good governance. Sagna has a long history of frontline organising work through his organisation, the Front for an Anti-Imperialist Popular and Pan-African Revolution (FRAPP), which led the campaign’ France Dégage’ (‘France, Get Out’ in English). Video credit: @afriquemedia (X)

Looks like someone’s nervous about people power. Uganda’s president addressed the nation to warn citizens - especially Gen Z - against taking part in anti-corruption protests on Tuesday (23rd July). Yoweri Museveni clearly doesn’t want to see the kind of mass-rallies that have swept Kenya and forced its president, William Ruto, to make concessions - though in this video, he claims what he’s really worried about is protesters stepping on the wares of street sellers! He said people should just come and see him for a friendly chat if they want to see any changes… as if! Museveni also presented himself as a defender of the ‘revolution.’ He came to power in a military coup in 1986, when he wrested control from Milton Obote. Since then, he’s ruled with an iron fist, cracking down on opposition figures such as Bobi Wine and Kizza Besigye with house arrests and violence. Tuesday’s planned protests are largely driven by growing public discontent with the government. In his address, Museveni said he and his team were ‘wealth creators’ - and warned protesters that they’d be ‘playing with fire’ if they dared to gather en masse in the capital Kampala. That’s created concerns that there will be violent scenes, as were seen in Nairobi a few weeks back, when peaceful protesters were met with deadly police brutality. Do you think Ugandan’s will heed their president’s warning? Video credit: @ubctvuganda

Medical supplies are so scarce in eastern DRC, crowds gather as soon as health workers arrive to offer help in the war-torn region. The desperate situation was highlighted by #TheRealHumanitarian documentary, which followed X Medical provider Joy Dale. She says her ‘tiny, little medical supplies’ run out every day, as people queue for treatment. The Democratic Republic of the Congo has been the site of one of the world’s most violent conflicts for decades, with militia groups fighting for control of resources. Many have international backers, with a UN expert recently confirming Rwanda’s ‘de facto control’ of the M23 rebel group. The consequences for civilians are devastating. Since the beginning of 2024 nearly 358,000 have been displaced, bringing the total number of internally displaced persons to around 7.1 million. Disease is widespread, prenatal care is limited, and sanitation systems have been destroyed. Aid groups, such as @focuscongo (also shown in the video) step in to help, but the roots of the crisis remain. Video credits: foreverjuicebae #TheRealHumanitarian documentary

We all know how creative our people can be, and this viral clip of Ugandan children re-enacting the assassination attempt on Donald Trump has sparked plenty of reactions online. Kids with wooden guns pretend to be Trump’s security detail while real audio from the shooting is played over the top. It was posted by TikToker Blud Ug, who’s made many other spoof videos about current events. This latest @https://www.tiktok.com/@bloodoffical0 has been viewed millions of times, and many people appreciate the kids’ talent. Others say it shows the power and reach of American politics worldwide. While we never condone violence, we couldn't help but smile at this satirical take. Film producers may contact them soon. Video credit: https://www.tiktok.com/@bloodoffical0

Kwame Ture (1941-98), formerly known as Stokely Carmichael, remains a towering figure in the annals of Pan-Africanist history. In this clip from an unknown date, Ture denounced elder activists who wanted to know when they can stop working. Ture was well-known for sleeping on couches as he traveled and eating the same food as students when visiting university campuses. Born in Trinidad and Tobago and raised in Harlem and the Bronx, Ture’s journey to becoming a prominent revolutionary began at Howard University. Later, his tenure as chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) marked a turning point in the civil rights struggle, emphasising grassroots organising as the cornerstone of liberation. Ture popularised the ‘Black Power’ concept during the 1960s, galvanising marginalised communities worldwide. As he evolved, his unwavering commitment to Pan-Africanism manifested in his work with leaders like Kwame Nkrumah and his later efforts to promote socialist ideals across the African diaspora, cementing his legacy as a catalyst for justice. In the twilight of his life, Kwame Ture remained a beacon of hope and resilience for activists worldwide. His relentless pursuit of justice never wavered, even as he battled illness. Ture’s legacy continues to inspire contemporary movements.

Another racism row has hit Argentina’s footballers. After beating Colombia to lift the Copa America trophy, they sang racist songs about Black French players. It was live-streamed by Argentine star Enzo Fernandez (@ezojfernandez) who’s now facing an investigation by French football authorities and his English club Chelsea. Similar racist songs were sung by Argentina fans at the Qatar World Cup less than two years ago. Despite condemnation, we now have the Argentina players joining in. Players who star in a side that doesn’t have a single Black player. Ahmed Ghoneim (@ahmed.ghoneim.official) tackles the long history behind the racist dressing room that blights world football.

The US is a circus, is it not? Faced with imperial implosion as witnessed by over half a million homeless people, unaffordable healthcare, crumbling infrastructure while the military is earmarked to receive a trillion dollars annually, the ruling class has turned to spectacle and neon lights as a distraction. In this video, former wrestling star Hulk Hogan endorses Donald Trump in his trademark shirt-ripoff fashion. Birds of a feather flock together. That means while Hogan was sacked from WWE over allegations of racism after he referred to his daughter’s Black lover using the N-word, Trump, during his previous presidential term, was quoted referring to African states as “shithole countries”. More recently, during a televised debate with his main rival for the US presidency, Joe Biden, Trump referred to labour intensive, low wage gigs as ‘Black jobs.’ But really, are the Democrats any better? Was it not Biden who played a pivotal role in authoring the 1994 Crime Bill, which disproportionately put Black men behind bars and fuelled the ever-sprawling prison industrial complex? He also opposed attempts to desegregate school buses. During a 1977 Senate Judiciary hearing Biden said, “Unless we do something about this, my children are going to grow up in a jungle, the jungle being a racial jungle with tensions having built so high that it is going to explode at some point.” Regardless who occupies the White House, no US presidential candidate seems to have a bonafide or even hint of a Black People’s Agenda. But no worries, brothers and sisters, here comes Hulk Hogan, leaping about and ripping his shirt to shreds, ready to save the day! Credit: NBC News

In the last few decades, accusations of being a 'sell-out' have been part of the South African political landscape. Politicians, especially in the liberation movement-turned-ruling party, the African National Congress (ANC), have often accused each other of having been apartheid spies or collaborators during the liberation struggle that lasted until the end of apartheid in the early 1990s. The accusations have again come to the fore following a decision by the Cyril Ramaphosa-led ANC to form a Government of National Unity (GNU) that includes political parties, such as the Democratic Alliance (DA) and the Freedom Front Plus (FF+), white-led organisations with a history of opposing policies that seek to reverse the negative effects of decades of apartheid legislation that excluded non-white people from participating and benefiting from the white-controlled economy. In this clip from a recent episode of a podcast hosted by South African media personality and academician Sizwe Mpofu Walsh, South African lawyer Muzi Sikhakhane claimed a 'sell-out' faction controlling the ANC led to the GNU's creation. Video credit: @_smwx on YouTube, @SizweMpofuWalsh on X and IG, @sizwempofuwalshofficial on FB

Though the United States has only existed for a few hundred years, it maintains effective control over peoples all over the world, with cultures thousands of years older. Musician and composer Frank Zappa (1940-93) highlighted the absurdity of this relationship in this 1982 clip. The United States has long exploited African cultures for profit. Between slavery on the unceded Indigenous territories now known as the United States and neocolonialism around the world and in Africa, our people’s labour, resources, and cultural products (like hip hop) helped build the US economy. Zappa said the United States has always had more to learn from other cultures than vice versa. He further questioned how a country that is not focused on maintaining a culture can exist. Let us know what you think in the comments. Video credit: Manhattan Cable TV

These Kenyan protesters vent the anger being felt across the country, as calls grow louder for President Ruto’s resignation. He recently U-turned on a controversial IMF-backed finance bill after weeks of protests against it, but many remain unconvinced. As a result, demonstrations continue and have morphed into wider demands for systemic change. Discontent’s reached boiling point with President Ruto failing to deliver on election promises to improve the lives of the country’s citizens. Once in power, he scrapped fuel subsidies and the subsequent finance bills heaped extra tax burdens on the poor. All this while corruption, taking a third of the country’s budget, remains unaddressed. Police, meanwhile, continue to brutally crack down on protests. Over the last four weeks there have been arrests, abductions and killings of at least 50 at the hands of security agencies, who appear to act with impunity.

Germany is likely to become the third Western country whose military forces will leave Niger. On 16 July, German Foreign Affairs minister Annalena Baerbock announced Germany is no longer able to continue military operations due to Niger's partnership with Russia and Niger’s lack of trust in Germany. This came after Niger refused to allow immunity from prosecution for German troops. Niger also recently expelled troops of Germany’s fellow NATO allies, France and the US. France exited in December. Germany is set to evacuate by 31 August. The US is due to depart by 15 September. Italy is the only remaining Western entity occupying Niger. Germany pulled out of Mali in December 2023 for similar reasons. Nigerien civilians, like their Malian and Burkinabé neighbours, prefer their government not to partner with US and European countries to combat terrorism. Niger has instead strengthened its relationship with Russia and Iran. It has also entered into the Alliance of Sahel States with Burkina Faso and Mali, a confederation with shared economic, foreign and security policies. All three alliance members ousted Western-backed leaders in recent years to the applause of most of their populations.

In 2009, the United Nations (UN) declared July 18 as Nelson Mandela International Day, in honour of the South African anti-apartheid icon, who was born on this date in 1918. Mandela is remembered as a man who helped lead South Africa out of the crimes and excesses of apartheid. Western mainstream media may downplay him as a fluffy older man who liked to dance and forgive his oppressors, but we remember him as an anti-imperialist until the end. In this video, Mandela calls out America as a warmonger. A country that supports carnage, consistently breaks the rules and is more than willing to go to any lengths, even at the expense of fundamental human rights, to push its hegemonic agenda. He lambasts the US for its invasion of Iraq and the war it initiated 20 years ago. An unnecessary military campaign resulting in the deaths of anywhere between one and two million men, women and children. When former US Secretary of State,Madeleine Albright, was asked if US sanctions that claimed the lives of up to 500,000 Iraqi children were justified, she responded, ‘We think the price is worth it.’ Mandela was instrumental in tearing down South Africa’s oppressive apartheid regime, as well as speaking up for other oppressed African states. May he continue to rest in peace and power! Video credit : Democracy Now

Youth-led protests in The Gambia are demanding plans to boost salaries for politicians and the judiciary are scrapped. They’re against the unpopular Judiciary Officers Bill and National Assembly Remuneration Bill and voiced their anger in the capital, Banjul. Calling themselves ‘Concerned Gambians’ demonstrators chanted ‘reject the bill, we are tired’ They’ve put forward an eight-point list of demands to authorities including better compensation for public servants and equitable allocation of natural resources. It comes at a time of high inflation which topped 18 per cent last September, and follows protests in Kenya that saw IMF tax-hikes abandoned. Video credit @cecild84 @EYEAFRICA TV

You’ve probably seen the headlines, ‘Democracy is crumbling in the Sahel.’ But what exactly is democracy, and who gets to define it? In the West, the term refers to participation in an electoral system that brings forward new presidential candidates every several years. However, outside of the occasional election, many citizens are disengaged, having no way to be involved in decision-making processes regarding the economy, foreign policy, domestic security and other concerns. The Sahel is different. Three countries in this arid region south of the Sahara Desert, known as Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, have formed a confederation under the newly established Alliance of Sahel States (AES). They have embarked on an alternative path where they share a common economy and foreign policy. Military leaders govern the three countries, but this is not the repressive, brutal military rule we sometimes see. Instead, this is closer to former Burkina Faso President Thomas Sankara’s (1949-87) style of ‘coup governance,’ which he referred to as a popular and democratic revolution. African Stream journalist Inemesit Richardson went to all three AES countries to hear directly from the mouths of the people: What is democracy, and are these Sahelian states currently democratic? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

Hundreds gathered outside the French embassy in Tunisia on 16 July to protest Israel’s continued massacre of Palestinians in Gaza, aided by European and US arms, diplomatic cover and funding. Demonstrators waved Palestinian flags and placards that read ‘stop the genocide.’ The protest came in the wake of an Israeli airstrike that killed at least 90 people and wounded 300 others in Gaza’s Al-Mawasi camp, designated by Israel as a humanitarian zone. Since 7 October, Israel’s military onslaught has k*lled more than 38,000 Palestinians. However, British medical journal Lancet reports the casualty figure could be as high as 186,000 people. Further, most k*lled in Israeli airstrikes have been women and children, despite Israel’s claim that its military operation targets H*mas members.

Burkina Faso President Ibrahim Traoré held a public meeting on 11 July with various organisations in the capital, Ouagadougou, to detail his plans. In addition to sharing essential goals, he educated Burkinabé people on imperialist tactics, explaining how the Western media—specifically, Hollywood films—are a powerful form of racist propaganda meant to further imperialist objectives. Many have noticed how Traoré’s (@capitaineib226 on X) speeches mirror those of Pan-Africanist Malcolm X (1925-65), who once stated, ‘The press is so powerful in its image-making role, it can make the criminal look like he’s the victim and make the victim look like he’s the criminal... If you aren’t careful, the newspapers will have you hating the people who are being oppressed and loving the people who are doing the oppressing.’ Please share with us some examples of how the Western media does imperialist propaganda. Video credit: Faso7 TV (@faso7tv on YT, @faso7_bf on X and IG, @faso7bf on TikTok)