UN head condemns attacks on civilians during Ukraine visit

The head of the United Nations said Ukraine has become “an epicenter of unbearable heartache and pain” — a description underscored a short time later by the first Russian strike on the capital since Moscow’s forces retreated weeks ago.

Russia pounded targets all over Ukraine on Thursday, including the attack on Kyiv that struck a residential high-rise and another building and wounded 10 people, including at least one who lost a leg, according to Ukraine’s emergency services.

The bombardment came barely an hour after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a news conference with U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who toured some of the destruction in and around Kyiv and condemned the attacks on civilians.

Meanwhile, explosions were reported across the country, in Polonne in the west, Chernihiv near the border with Belarus, and Fastiv, a large railway hub southwest of the capital. The mayor of Odesa, in southern Ukraine, said rockets were intercepted by air defenses.

Ukrainian authorities also reported intense Russian fire in the Donbas — the eastern industrial heartland that the Kremlin says is its main objective — and near Kharkiv, a northeastern city outside the Donbas that is seen as key to the offensive.

In the ruined southern port city of Mariupol, Ukrainian fighters holed up in the steel plant that represents the last pocket of resistance said concentrated bombing killed and wounded more people. And authorities warned that a lack of safe drinking water inside the city could lead to outbreaks of deadly diseases such as cholera and dysentery.

In Zaporizhzhia, a crucial way station for tens of thousands of Ukrainians fleeing Mariupol, an 11-year-old boy was among at least three people wounded in a rocket attack that authorities said was the first to hit a residential area in the southern city since the war began. Shards of glass cut the boy’s leg to the bone.

Vadym Vodostoyev, the boy’s father, said: “It just takes one second and you’re left with nothing.”

In Lyman town near Slovyansk, where Russian forces are reportedly trying to advance as part of their Donbas push, another tragedy unfolded on Monday when shelling rained on Tatiana Maksagory’s home.

“There was such a blast and then smoke; you couldn’t hear anything,” she said, crying outside a hospital with a wound in her neck. “You couldn’t see anything in front of your eyes, and then I see that my grandson is lying on the ground.”

Maksagory’s 14-year-old grandson, Igor, was declared dead after emergency services drove him to the hospital. Her daughter was in serious condition and her son-in-law was also killed.

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Afghanistan: Former army general vows new war against Taliban

An ex-general in the Afghan army says he and many other former soldiers and politicians are preparing to launch a new war against the Taliban.

Lt Gen Sami Sadat said that eight months of Taliban rule has convinced many Afghans that military action is the only way forward.

He said operations could begin next month after the Islamic Eid festival, when he plans to return to Afghanistan.

The Taliban took control of the country in a rapid offensive last August.

The hard-line Islamists swept across the country in just 10 days, as the last US-led Nato forces left following a 20-year military campaign.

Speaking for the first time about the plans, Lt Gen Sadat told the BBC he and others would “do anything and everything in our powers to make sure Afghanistan is freed from the Taliban and a democratic system is re-established”. “Until we get our freedom, until we get our free will, we will continue to fight,” he said, while refusing to be drawn on a specific timeline.

The general underscored how the Taliban had been reintroducing increasingly harsh rule – including severe restrictions on the rights of women and girls – and it was time to stop their authoritarian order and start a new chapter.

“What we see in Afghanistan in eight months of Taliban rule has been nothing but more religious restrictions, misquotation, misinterpretation and misuse of the scripts from the Holy Koran for political purposes.”

He initially planned to give the Taliban 12 months to see if they would change, he said. “Unfortunately, every day you wake up the Taliban have had something new to do – torturing people, killing, disappearances, food shortages, child malnutrition.”

He said he received hundreds of messages daily from Afghans asking him what he was going to do about it.

But in a country shredded by more than forty years of conflict, many Afghans are weary of war, desperate to leave, or struggling to survive in the midst of a deepening economic crisis. The UN speaks of a country marked by “combat fatigue” with millions on the brink of starvation.

Many in rural areas which bore the brunt of Nato’s war against the Taliban have welcomed the relative calm now that US and Afghan warplanes have left the skies and Taliban attacks have ended.

Lt Gen Sadat, who commanded Afghan government forces in the southern province of Helmand in the last months of the Taliban offensive, is also accused of ordering attacks which killed civilians. When questioned about the charges he denied them.

In August last year he was appointed to head the Afghan special forces and arrived in Kabul the day the Taliban swept in and his commander-in-chief President Ashraf Ghani fled the country.

Asked whether there was any alternative to another war, Lt Gen Sadat said he hoped that moderate Taliban, known to be uncomfortable with a growing raft of restrictions reminiscent of draconian Taliban rule in 1990’s, could be part of a new government.

“We are not against the Taliban,” he said, just against their current “textbook,” describing an Afghanistan where “everyone fits in, not a country only for Taliban.”

In recent weeks, an audio message in which the general speaks about an armed fight against the Taliban with the aim of “re-liberating” Afghanistan was leaked to the media.

In the past, armed groups including the Taliban won Afghan wars with the support of neighbouring countries, a foothold in the country, and foreign funding.

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Meta Spreads Cheer On Wall Street As Facebook Adds More Users

Shares of Meta Platforms Inc (FB.O) rose 17% in a relief rally on Thursday after having lost nearly half their value this year, as the social media giant surprised Wall Street with a better-than-expected rise in users joining the platform.

The stock helped lift the tech-heavy Nasdaq in premarket trading, spreading cheer to several internet and technology names. Apple, Amazon and Alphabet were all up more than 2%.

“Investors seem to be clamoring for good news and Meta’s results coming within touching distance of expectations scratched that itch,” said Laura Hoy, equity analyst at Hargreaves Lansdown.

Analysts appeared mixed in their views on the results. At least five brokerages cut their price targets on the stock, while three raised their expectations.

Of the 63 analysts covering the stock, 46 have a “buy” or higher rating and only two analysts rate the stock “sell” or lower. The median price target on the stock is $300, well above its current trading price of $200.

Facebook’s daily active users (DAU), a key metric for advertisers, came in at 1.96 billion, slightly higher than the estimate of 1.95 billion.

While that was enough to send the shares soaring, Wall Street analysts took a more cautious tone, citing worries ranging from the war in Ukraine, Apple’s App Store policy changes to competition from ByteDance’s TikTok.

“We do not believe the overall FB business has changed much over the past 90 days, but headwinds related to iOS changes, TikTok competition & Reels monetization are better understood,” J.P Morgan’s lead analyst Doug Anmuth said in a note.

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João Lourenço talks to Vladimir Putin and Mario Draghi

Luanda – The Angolan Head of State, João Lourenço, had this Thursday, a call with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin and the President of the Italian Council of Ministers, Mario Draghi.

At different times, President João Lourenço discussed with the two entities the situation in Ukraine and its consequences.

In a note, by the way, the Secretariat for Institutional Communication and Press Affairs of the President of the Republic states that President João Lourenço's contacts with his interlocutors were made within the framework of the obligation that the member states of the United Nations have to contribute to the world peace and security.

The conversation took place in an atmosphere of "quite cordiality" and aimed to reach an immediate ceasefire and the return to the table of talks aiming to find peace, not only for Ukraine but also for Europe.

 

US Cases Trending up Again: Covid-19

The US is in a “transition phase” of the pandemic, Dr. Anthony Fauci told CNN yesterday.

The nation’s leading infectious disease expert noted that, in fact, Covid-19 cases are trending up again, though it’s not anywhere near the rise we saw over the winter with the Omicron wave.

While new cases and hospitalizations are ticking back up in most states, fewer people are dying of Covid-19 now than during most of the pandemic.

Fauci said that although the coronavirus won’t be eradicated, the level of virus in society could be kept very low if people are intermittently vaccinated, possibly every year.

In Washington, DC, a White House official also confirmed yesterday that Vice President Kamala Harris does not have Covid-19 symptoms a day after testing positive.

Harris completed her two-dose regimen of the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine in January 2021 and has received two booster doses.

DNT News

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Burkina Faso – 8 miners trapped in pit for 6 days

Eight miners – six Burkinabes, one Tanzanian, and one Zambian – have been trapped in a pit near the town of Reo for six days, authorities say.

The miners were last seen on Saturday at the Perkoa mines located in the center west part of the country, some 15 kilometers fro the nearest town of Reo.

some of the family members of the miners have made theor way to the site as rescuers work to extract them in what has thus far been a vain exercise.

The mine was evacuated, and rescue efforts are ongoing with support from the government, local communities and other mining companies in the area, the company told The Northern Miner by e-mail on Monday.

“We are deeply saddened by this unexpected event,” the company’s CEO Ricus Grimbeek said in a press release on April 18. “Our immediate focus is on search and rescue. We will provide further updates as the situation unfolds and we determine the cause of the flooding event. Our thoughts are with the family, friends, and colleagues that have been impacted.”

DNT News

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‘May God Judge You Both’, Yul Edochie’s Wife Reacts As Husband Shares Photos Of New Wife & Son

The wife of Nollywood actor, producer and director, Yul Edochie has reacted to a post the husband made on his verified Instagram page on Wednesday announcing the birth of his son by Nollywood actress, Judy Austin, who he also confirmed as his second wife.

Vanguard reports that Yul Edochie who is married to May Edochie with 4 lovely kids welcomed a bouncing baby with his colleague turned baby mama, Judith Austin in 2021.

Announcing the birth of his son, Yul wrote: “It’s time for the world to meet my son.

“His name is STAR DIKE MUNACHIMSO YUL-EDOCHIE. Born by my second wife @JudyAustin and I love him so much, just as much as I love my other children.”

May Edochie who commented on the post minutes after wrote:

“May God judge you both.”

This has attracted comments from concerned followers who feel it could be a stunt of reality.

Meanwhile, going through May Edochie’s Instagram page, she had shared a cryptic post hours before Yul made public the birth of his son.

Source: vanguardngr

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Russia ponders, then backs out of referendum on southern Ukraine

As part of the second phase of its invasion, Russian officials say they are actively trying to secure all of Ukraine’s eastern regions.

Russian President Vladimir Putin warned yesterday that any country interfering in Ukraine would be met with a “lightning-fast” response from Moscow.

This comes as Ukrainian officials said that almost the entire territory of the Luhansk region suffered shelling over the past 24 hours.

In Kherson, there had been reports that the Russians would organize some form of a referendum on whether the southern region should become an independent republic, but a Russian-appointed official said its return to Ukrainian control is “impossible” and has ruled out a referendum to decide its future.

Separately, Canadian lawmakers yesterday voted unanimously to recognize “acts of genocide” being committed by Russia in Ukraine. The Kremlin, however, continues to deny any involvement in the mass killings of Ukrainian civilians.

DNT News

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Meet Nadra Mao, the Somali Swiss beauty settling Black refugees from Ukraine

Her organization MOKO has stepped up to provide relocation help to "people of color" fleeing war-torn Ukraine

There is a heroine in Switzerland, and the Africans who left Ukraine and made their way to that country cannot stop talking about her.

Nadra Mao’s belief that people fleeing the same war should not be treated differently by virtue of their original country of citizenship has successfully resonated with the authorities in Switzerland.

When the war broke out in Ukraine and residents were fleeing westward, rumours were ripe that some European countries were discriminating against the mostly African students also fleeing to safety.

Many countries eventually opened their doors to all refugees, but when it came to processing their stay in those countries, Ukrainian and other European nationals were treated favorably in what resident status was assigned to them.

Switzerland was no different. And that is what prompted Nadra Mao to seek justice using the right channels based upon relationships she had built over the years.

Mao petitioned a member of the Swiss Parliament Sibel Arslan of the Green Party to champion two motions to the Federal Council of Switzerland.

Sibel Arslan, Green Party, Switzerland

 

 

The motion was to grant all refugees from Ukraine legal entry into Switzerland for a free 90-day stay regardless of original country.

This motion was granted and that is what precluded African students fleeing the war in Ukraine to obtain legal entry into Switzerland for that 90-day stay.

Absent of this motion by Nadra Mao, those the African students would have had to enter Switzerland illegally and would have been compelled to seek asylum. This legal entry is significant because it qualifies the students to apply for an ‘S’ status.

The second motion asks that those with no reason to, or unwilling to return to Ukraine to not be forcibly sent back and be allowed to obtain the ‘S’ status. This was also granted.

A third motion, which was denied, asked that the law concerning the ‘S’ status should be used on everyone regardless of citizenship.

In addition to these successful bold motions to the Swiss government, Nadra Mao was also highly instrumental in helping to settle the African students fleeing Ukraine. Her organization MOKO is the one supporting the students and making them comfortable at their new settlements.

Mao was always at the arrival points to personally welcome the African students. Mao’s activism not only shows how great it is to see Africans fight for each other regardless of the region they come from, but also shows that an attitude of not taking ‘no’ for an answer can open many doors and opportunities.

DNT News with Special reporting from Magdaline Nonkwia, Bern, Switzerland.

 

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Angola focuses on mineral wealth

Dundo - The Minister for Mineral Resources, Oil and Gas, Diamantino de Azevedo, said Tuesday in Dundo, Lunda Norte province, that the Angolan government will continue to pay special attention to the country's mineral wealth, creating laws and a business environment capable of attracting investors to the mining sector.

Diamantino de Azevedo made this statement during a conference on the current situation of the mining sector and strategy for the sustainable development of the mining industry in Angola, organised by the Law Faculty of Lueji A'nkonde University.

According to the Cabinet minister, over the last three years the changes made to the mining sector, particularly decentralisation and increase of diamond cutting capacity, marketing policy and reducing the bureaucracy of licensing, had made it possible to attract Angolan and foreign investors.

He noted the return of De Beers and arrival, for the first time in Angola, of Rio Tintos, two of the world's biggest diamond mining companies.

He said that currently over 20 national and foreign companies had a licence to explore for gold, copper and lithium.

Happy 28 April, International Girls in ICT Day

 28 April, International Girls in ICT Day, established by ITU and celebrated in over 150 countries around the world, celebrates girls and young women and encourages them to pursue studies and careers in the technology sector through training of coding, development of mobile applications and IT.

Ghana Comes Second In The 2021-2022 Huawei ICT Competition Regional Finals

 At the just ended Huawei ICT Competition regional finals held in South Africa, the all-girls team from Ghana placed 2nd amongst the 6 teams that contested for the competition under the Innovation track.

The girls, Esther Aboagyewaa Abankwa, Martha Esinam Kekele Demanya and Gladys Obuobi who are final year students of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology came second with their AI project topic, “WaterBits” – An Artificial Intelligence-Based Water Quality Predictor, which automatically classifies the quality of water and determines its safety for drinking.

Speaking on their project, “WaterBits”, the team lead, Gladys Obuobi mentioned that, statistics from the United Nations (UN) report indicate that about 1.5 million people living at rural communities die each year from contaminated water-driven diseases hence their Artificial Intelligence solution, designed to help address the issue.

The Dean for Quality Assurance and Planning Unit at KNUST, Professor Jerry John Kponyo, praised the girls for making it to the global finals and making their institution proud. He assured them of KNUSTs unflinching support in the quest to ensure that the team make Ghana proud at the Global finals. He further encouraged the team to believe in themselves and work harder towards the winning of the ultimate prize.

“Your innovation has the potential to impact a lot of lives in the rural communities and that should be your motivation,” he said. He commended Huawei for giving the ladies the opportunity to explore their potentials and prove themselves through the Huawei Seeds for the Future Women in Tech Initiative.

Mrs. Jenny Zhou, Director for Public and Government Affairs at Huawei Ghana also commended the ladies for being the only girls’ team to make it to the global finals. She encouraged them to put in more effort to make Ghana proud at the global finals.

“Coming this far means you are very capable and can do better if more effort is put into it. Personally, I am glad you are projecting Ghana as the only team with ladies competing at the global finals. I believe you have been well connected through this program and this will go a long way to shape your career path.” She said.

Prof. Lidia Arthur Brito, the UNESCO Regional Director for Southern Africa, commended Huawei for building the capacity and skills of young talents in the Sub region, by giving them the opportunity to be a part of the digital world.

“Technologies can indeed empower people, commodities, countries and continents but technologies can also discriminate and leave people out of this development. By raising the capacity and skills of young talents in different sphere, I say this is immensely appreciated.”

According to her, participation of women in ICT is very low, however, she is glad more women are being trained by Huawei in various technologies like AI. She congratulated the various academic institutions for supporting Huawei to make the ICT Competition inclusive to all.

This year, 15 000 students from over 200 universities and colleges from Sub-Saharan Africa participated in the 2021-2022 Huawei ICT Competition. From the 48 competing teams, Nigerian and Kenyan teams won first prize in the regional final. Teams from Uganda, Ghana, Nigeria, and Tanzania claimed second prize.

The South African team which reached the top ten of the 2021 Huawei Global Tech4Good Competition for designing an intrusion detection system that uses wireless and cloud technologies to curb rhino poaching was honored with a Top Performance Prize.

Over the past 5 years, 80 000 university students from Africa registered for the competition, and more than 20 teams entered the global finals.

The Huawei ICT competition has grown into the biggest competition of its kind in Africa and across the globe. It offers a global stage for students to showcase and practice their ICT knowledge and skills.

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Egypt lifts ban on night prayers after backlash

 The Egyptian government has reversed its decision to ban night-time prayers and retreats in mosques following a public outcry.

Both practices are customary during the fasting month of Ramadan, with retreats taking place in the last 10 days of the month.

Religious Affairs Minister Mohammad Mokhtar Gom’a had said the ban was designed to avoid spreading coronavirus.

But Muslims in Egypt demanded equality with Christians who have been gathering in large numbers to celebrate Easter this week.

A hashtag trending on Twitter on Tuesday described Egyptian President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi as an “enemy of God”.

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SA president pledges more flooding aid plus audit

 The South African president has promised more help to rebuild communities devastated by the recent floods, but has warned of tougher measures to ensure relief funds are not lost to corruption.

Some 435 people died and more than 50 are still missing – most in KwaZulu-Natal province.

Cyril Ramaphosa said the flooding was evidence that climate change was the biggest threat to the future of humanity.

He said many South Africans were worried that money for victims of the flooding would be lost to corruption – something he described as a great source of shame.

Mr Ramaphosa said real-time audits would be carried out to prevent funds being stolen.

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Chinese killed in blast in Karachi

 Three Chinese nationals and their Pakistani driver were killed in an explosion in the southern city of Karachi, police say.

The blast ripped through their van, injuring at least four others near the university’s Confucius Institute.

Police have yet to determine the cause of the blast – but the separatist Baloch Liberation Army said the van was attacked by a female suicide bomber.

The group opposes Chinese investment in Pakistan, saying locals do not benefit.

If confirmed, it would be the first time an attack by the group has been carried out by a female militant.

The group has targeted Chinese nationals on a number of occasions, as has the Pakistani Taliban.

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Bitcoin becomes official currency in Central African Republic

 The Central African Republic has approved Bitcoin as legal tender – just the second country to do so.

CAR is one of the world’s poorest countries, but is rich in diamonds, gold and uranium.

It has been wracked by conflict for decades and is a close Russian ally, with mercenaries from the Wagner Group helping fight rebel forces.

Lawmakers voted unanimously to adopt Bitcoin as legal tender, said a statement from the CAR presidency.

The move puts CAR “on the map of the world’s boldest and most visionary countries”, it said.

El Salvador became the first country to adopt Bitcoin as an official currency in September 2021 – a move criticised by many economists, including the international Monetary Fund.

CAR currently uses the French-backed CFA franc as its currency, along with most other former French colonies in Africa.

Some see the adoption of Bitcoin as an attempt to undermine the CFA, amid a contest for influence over the resource-rich country between Russia and France.

“The context, given the systemic corruption and a Russian partner facing international sanctions, does encourage suspicion,” French analyst Thierry Vircoulon told the AFP news agency.

CAR abstained from condemning Russia in the UN General Assembly

The CAR has suffered from ongoing conflict since its independence in 1960.

In 2013, mainly Muslim rebels seized control of the largely Christian country. Self-defence militias were formed to fight back, leading to widespread massacres along sectarian lines.

After President Faustin-Archange Touadéra came to office in 2016, the country started shifting its strategic alliance from France towards Russia.

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Elon Musk buys Twitter for $44 billion

Tesla Founder and CEO Elon Must has struck a deal to purchase Twitter for $44 billion, which translates into $54.20 per share that the world’s richest man will pay to owners.

In a tweeted statement after the deal was announced, Musk said “free speech is the bedrock of functioning democracy and Twitter is the digital town square where matters vital to the future of humanity are debated.”

Elon Must mounted a hostile takeover bid of Twitter earlier this month against which the then board of the company fought to avert. But in the end, shareholders caved in and approved the sale.

Stay tuned to DNT for more on this developing story.

DNT ews.

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Nigeria Arrests Suspected Billionaire Drug Lord

The Nigerian authorities say they have arrested a suspected drug trafficker, described as a billionaire drug baron, while onboard a plane at Lagos’ main airport.

In a statement, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency said investigations had identified Chief Afam Ukatu as a major importer of large consignments of Tramadol, an opioid painkiller that the agency deemed illicit.

The arrest was made on 13 April but announced on Monday.

It’s unclear whether Mr Ukatu has responded to the accusations or where he’s being held.

It followed months of surveillance and evading arrest, the agency said.

Mr Ukatu is accused of owning pharmaceutical and plastic manufacturing companies that “he used as a cover to import illicit drugs into Nigeria”.

“This is in addition to operating 103 bank accounts, most of which are used to launder money,” the agency said.

 

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‘It looks like returning to Ghana was a mistake’ – Evacuated students from Ukraine lament

The Ghanaian students who fled the war in Ukraine say they are frustrated by the government’s lackadaisical attitude in placing them in new schools despite numerous assurances and promises.

Leadership of the students say despite the many assurances, nothing concrete has been done so far.

The government of Ghana evacuated over one thousand students who were in various universities in Ukraine at the peak of the war, although others refused to return to Ghana.

In a Citi News’ interview, the President of NUGS Ukraine, Philip Bobbie Ansah, says the students are frustrated.

“We had a couple of meetings initially and they [government] made us understand that they are very much positioned to help us and secure schools for us. They requested data which we made available to them. Everything seems so slow. We do not know what is happening now.”

“Students and administrators have given them everything they asked for but we do not know what is causing the delay. Some of us refused to come to Ghana which seems like the best decision because they have opportunities, so it now looks like it was a mistake for some of us to come to Ghana.”

The government had given indications of engaging Ghanaian students who were evacuated from Ukraine on options available to ensure the continuity of their education.

This was reiterated at a meeting with parents of the students and other stakeholders in Ghana.

The meeting deliberated on ways government would support the students continue their academic calendar.

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Kenyans worried about election violence

Most of Kenya’s elections over the last 20 years have involved some level of violence and protests.

The worst was in 2007 when at least 1,000 people were killed and more than half a million displaced.

So it’s not surprising that many in Kenya are looking ahead to the upcoming elections in August with a sense of nervousness.

Kenyan journalist John Allan Namu tells us that it doesn’t help that some politicians are using “unsanitary” language on social media, that the independent election body is underfunded and untrusted by many Kenyans, and that the recent process for nominating candidates was chaotic and controversial.

“We are not rid of the ghost of violence in our elections… Even though it has not been switched on, there is current violence and intolerance that can be turned on at any moment,” he says.

“We are a country that has refused to take the many turning points that have been offered to us either through very painful points in our past or through opportunities,” he adds.

So what hope is there for a peaceful election in Kenya?

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Togo MPs Pass Vote To Join Commonwealth

Togo’s parliament has passed a resolution asking the government to make a formal bid for membership of the Commonwealth, a group of mainly former British colonies.

The country is already a member of the Economic Organisation of West African States (Ecowas) and the International Organisation of La Francophonie – a group of French-speaking countries that are mostly former French colonies.

“Togo is not leaving the Francophonie. It will only strengthen the English teaching programmes and reactivate other partnerships,” the privately-owned Icilome news website quoted speaker of parliament Yawa Tsegan as saying.

The resolution, passed on Friday, asked the government to submit its application for Commonwealth membership at the bloc’s next summit in Rwanda in June.

The West African nation embarked on the process of joining the Commonwealth in 2014.

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Costa Rican Vice President, Epsy Campbell Barr, Reveals Her African Identity

The Vice President of Costa Rica, Epsy Campbell Barr, has disclosed what her African identity is.

Speaking to a gathering in Accra whilst visiting Ghana during a Return Mission that is targeted at Africans living in the diaspora, she explained that her family DNA tests proved to her that she is truly an African.

This, she added, is because her results showed that she was from multiple African countries, including Ghana; a discovery that has made her very happy.

“I’m a descendant and daughter of Africa, specifically from Nigeria, Mali, Benin, Togo, Ivory Coast, and Ghana, and I also have in my blood the imprint of Cameroon, Congo and the Bantu people of the West. This is what my family DNA analysis provided and that’s why I say with all authority that I’m proud that I’m here, that I’m a daughter of Africa,” she said.

Espy Campbell Barr also sent a word out to other diasporans that they can return home and enjoy the beauty of their heritage.

“Today, I speak to you from the bottom of my heart, to say with strength to the generation of African people who were violently taken away from their families, their communities, their tribes, their histories, that we’re able to return,” she said.

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People Of African Descent Have Stories Only They Can Tell – Bawumia

As part of initiatives by the United Nations to advance the rights of people of African Descent by promoting recognition, justice, and development, a high-level diaspora forum centered on ‘The Return Mission’ was held in Accra to advocate the reconnection of Africans in the diaspora.

Vice-President of Ghana, His Excellency, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, speaking at the forum noted that every person of African descent – Afro-descendants has a story with regards to racism, xenophobia, slavery, and colonialism, only they can tell.

According to him, despite developments and civilization all over the world, persons of African descent still struggle to find a sense of belonging as racism, and xenophobia among others increases.

“These deep-seated biases still prevail in the world we live. With Afro-descendants struggling to find a sense of belonging in the land where they were born but which rejects them at every turn,” he bemoaned.

He appealed that Afro-descendants should not be “sidelined in discussions on the advancement on the protection of rights and demand for equity,” noting that Africans and Afro-descendants just like every other person in the world deserve protection and fairness.

He further applauded persons of African descent who happen to face yet resist all forms of racial discrimination from all angles and walks of life.

“Join me, while I salute every single Afro-descendant who bravely challenged the order of the day by continuing to resist all forms of racial discrimination,” Dr. Bawumia said.

The forum was graced by various dignitaries including the Vice-President of Costa Rica, Her Excellency Epsy Campbell Barr, and the Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Dr. Natalia Kanem.

The forum which was held in Ghana’s capital precedes this year’s International Day for People of African Descent which will be observed on August 31, 2022.

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African Leaders Congratulate Macron On Election Win

African leaders are congratulating French President Emmanuel Macron on his re-election after a convincing victory over rival Marine Le Pen.

Mr Macron is the first sitting French president in 20 years to be re-elected.

Senegal’s President Mackey Sal, the current African Union chairman, sent his best wishes for Mr Macron’s re-election

Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abbey Ahmed said he looked forward to working with Mr Macron to strengthen ties between the two countries.

President Paul Kagame of Rwanda hailed Mr Macron’s leadership that “seeks to unite and not divide”.

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Macron defeats Marine le Pen for another five-year term in France

THIS JUST IN – The Ministry of Interior of France has announced the preliminary results of the run-off election between incumbent Emmanuel Macron and far right challenger Marine le Pen and Macron has successfully pushed back her challenge

The preliminary results have Macron winning 58% of the votes to Marine le Pen’s 42% to book another five-year term for the now face of France.

Leading into the run-off, even conservative dailies endorsed Macron and encouraged voters to return him to pursue the national unity policy and also stay the course in light of the conflict to their east between Russia and Ukraine.

Neither candidate had yet spoken at the time of going to press.

More on this developing story.

DNT News, with correspondence reports from Hon. Osei Mensah, Paris

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Beijing kicks off mass testing after spike in Covid cases

The Chinese capital Beijing has kicked off mass testing for millions of residents after a spike in Covid cases.

The Chaoyang district reported 26 cases over the weekend – the highest number so far in Beijing’s latest surge.

Long queues outside supermarkets and shops were seen despite government assurance of a sufficient food supply.

It comes amid fears that Beijing could face a similar situation to Shanghai, which has seen some 25 million people shut in their homes for weeks.

All 3.5 million residents in the city’s largest Chaoyang district will undergo three rounds of mass testing, according to a notice by the city’s disease prevention team.

The news prompted residents to rush to stock up essential supplies, with images circulating on local media showing supermarket shelves emptied of goods and snaking queues at check-out counters.

Beijing’s major supermarkets also extended their opening hours to accommodate the spike in demand.

A supermarket in Beijing

“Never thought I would go to the market early in the morning….when I got there, all the eggs and prawns were gone and all the meat was snatched up,” said one Weibo user in Shanghai, before adding they managed to get some vegetables.

Another Weibo user in Shanghai said: “Seeing people in Beijing rush to buy food is both funny and distressing… its like looking at what my own life was like just last month.”

State-media news outlet The Global Times said that Beijing’s fresh food companies have been ordered to increase the supply of groceries like meat, poultry eggs and vegetables.

They also quoted health experts as saying that the results of the mass testing would indicate whether there is a need to escalate measures further, such as locking down several areas.

Separately, Pang Xinghuo, deputy director of the Beijing Center for Disease Prevention and Control, told state-media outlet China Daily that the number of cases in Beijing is expected to increase in the following days.

The latest outbreak in Shanghai, first detected in late March, has seen more than 400,000 cases recorded so far and 138 deaths.

Some of the measures Chinese authorities have enforced include placing electronic door alarms to prevent those infected from leaving and forcibly evacuating people from their homes to carry out disinfection procedures.

Some in locked-down areas of Shanghai say they have been struggling to access food supplies, and forced to wait for government drop-offs of vegetables, meat and eggs.

Green barricades have also been erected overnight in parts of Shanghai without prior warning, effectively preventing residents from leaving their homes.

In contrast to many other countries, China is pursuing a zero-Covid strategy with the aim of eradicating the virus from the country completely.

While officials managed to keep infection levels relatively low at the beginning of the pandemic, later lockdowns have struggled to contain more recent, transmissible variants of the virus.

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Home Business International U.S. promises more aid, return of diplomats in Kyiv visit

American Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Monday after a secrecy-shrouded visit to Kyiv that Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelenskyy is committed to winning his country’s fight against Russia and that the United States will help him achieve that goal.

“He has the mindset that they want to win, and we have the mindset that we want to help them win,” Austin told reporters in Poland, the day after the three-hour face-to-face meeting with Zelenskyy in Ukraine.

Austin said that the nature of the fight in Ukraine had changed now that Russia has pulled away from the wooded northern regions to focus on the eastern industrial heartland of the Donbas. Because the nature of the fight has evolved, so have Ukraine’s military needs, and Zelenskyy is now focused on more tanks, artillery and other munitions.

“The first step in winning is believing that you can win,” Austin said. “We believe that they can win if they have the right equipment, the right support, and we’re going to do everything we can … to ensure that gets to them.”

The trip by Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was the highest-level American visit to the capital since Russia invaded in late February.

They told Zelenskyy and his advisers that the U.S. would provide more than $300 million in foreign military financing and had approved a $165 million sale of ammunition.

“We had an opportunity to demonstrate directly our strong ongoing support for the Ukrainian government and the Ukrainian people,” Blinken said. “This was, in our judgment, an important moment to be there, to have face-to-face conversations in detail.”

Blinken said their meeting with the Ukrainians lasted for three hours for wide ranging talks, including what help the country needs in the weeks ahead.

“The strategy that we’ve put in place, massive support for Ukraine, massive pressure against Russia, solidarity with more than 30 countries engaged in these efforts is having real results,” Blinken said.

“When it comes to Russia’s war aims, Russia is failing. Ukraine is succeeding. Russia has sought as its principal aim to totally subjugate Ukraine, to take away its sovereignty, to take away its independence. That has failed.”

Asked about what the U.S. sees as success, Austin said that “we want to see Ukraine remain a sovereign country, a democratic country able to protect its sovereign territory, we want to see Russia weakened to the point where it can’t do things like invade Ukraine.”

They also said Biden would soon announce his nominee to be ambassador to Ukraine, Bridget Brink, and that American diplomats who left Ukraine before the war would start returning to the country this coming week. The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv will remain closed for the moment.

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