China’s President Xi Jinping warns against ‘Cold War’ in Asia-Pacific

 Chinese President Xi Jinping warned Thursday against letting tensions in the Asian-Pacific region cause a relapse into a Cold War mentality.

His remarks on the sidelines of the annual summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum came weeks after the U.S., Britain and Australia announced a new security alliance in the region which would see Australia build nuclear submarines. China has harshly criticized the deal.

Xi spoke in a pre-recorded video to a CEO Summit at APEC, which is being hosted by New Zealand in a virtual format. Xi is scheduled to participate in an online meeting with other Pacific Rim leaders including U.S. President Joe Biden on Saturday.

In his speech, Xi said attempts to draw boundaries in the region along ideological or geopolitical lines would fail.“The Asia-Pacific region cannot and should not relapse into the confrontation and division of the Cold War era,” Xi said. Xi also said the region should make sure to keep supply lines functioning and to continue liberalizing trade and investment.“China will remain firm in advancing reform and opening up so as to add impetus to economic development,” he said.

The most pressing task in the region is to make an all-out effort to fight the pandemic and to emerge from its shadow as soon as possible, he said. Human rights lawyer Amal Clooney also spoke at the CEO summit, saying she believed that liberal democracies could improve global human rights by pressuring autocratic nations. She said businesses also needed to play a role.

In all, APEC members account for nearly 3 billion people and about 60% of the world’s GDP. But deep tensions run through the unlikely group of 21 nations and territories that include the U.S., China, Taiwan, Russia, and Australia.

Many of the countries in Asia endeavor to balance Chinese and U.S. influences on the economic and geopolitical fronts.

China claims vast parts of the South China Sea and other areas and has moved to establish a military presence, building islands in some disputed areas as it asserts its historic claims.

Both Taiwan and China have applied to join a Pacific Rim trade pact, the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, with Beijing saying it will block Taiwan’s bid on the basis that the democratically governed island refuses to accept that it’s part of communist-ruled China.

And it remains unclear whether all APEC members will support a bid by the U.S. to host the 2023 round of APEC meetings.

New Zealand’s Foreign Minister Nanaia Mahuta said Wednesday that APEC was founded on consensus and that there was not yet a confirmed host for 2023.

Officials say they have made significant progress during some 340 preliminary meetings leading up to this week’s leaders’ meeting. APEC members have agreed to reduce or eliminate many tariffs and border holdups on vaccines, masks and other medical products important to fighting the pandemic.

…………………………………………………………

Cautious welcome for unexpected US-China climate agreement

 Activists and politicians have cautiously welcomed an unexpected US-China declaration that vowed to boost climate co-operation.

The EU and UN described the move as encouraging and an important step, but Greenpeace said both countries needed to show more commitment.The US and China are the world’s two biggest CO2 emitters.

They said they would work together to achieve the 1.5C temperature goal set out in the 2015 Paris Agreement.

Scientists say that limiting global temperature rises to 1.5C will help humanity avoid the worst climate impacts. This is compared with pre-industrial temperatures.

The announcement by the two global rivals was made on Wednesday at the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow, which officially ends on Friday.

US President Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping are now expected to hold a virtual meeting as early as next week.According to China’s climate envoy, the announcement was agreed following some 30 meetings over the past 10 months.The reaction to the surprise agreement has been largely positive, but experts and activists have warned that concrete action must now be taken to support the promises.

Genevieve Maricle, director of US climate policy action at pressure group WWF, said the announcement offered “new hope” that the 1.5C limit might be achieved.But she added that “we must also be clear eyed about what is still required if the two countries are to deliver the emission reductions necessary in the next nine years”. Greenpeace International Executive Director Jennifer Morgan warned that China and the US needed to show greater commitment to reaching climate goals.

Former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, who is president of the Asia Society which works on global climate change agreements, told the BBC that the agreement was “not a game changer” but was a big step forward. “The current state of geopolitics between China and the United States is awful, so the fact that you can extract this… agreement between Washington and Beijing right now is [important],” he said.

…………………………………………………………

France’s Macron commits to restarting nuclear power development to meet growing environmental challenges in France

 

France's President Emmanuel Macron gestures as he speaks during the presentation of "France 2030" investment plan at The Elysee Presidential Palace in Paris, on October 12, 2021. - Hydrogen, semiconductors or electric batteries: Emmanuel Macron details on October 12, 2021, the priority sectors of the "France 2030" plan to "bring out the champions of tomorrow", in the face of Chinese and American competition and criticism of the "decline" of France. (Photo by Ludovic MARIN / POOL / AFP) 

President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday announced France would restart the construction of new nuclear plants in order to better meet growing energy and environmental challenges.

“To guarantee France’s energy independence and achieve our objectives, in particular carbon neutrality in 2050, we will for the first time in decades relaunch the construction of nuclear reactors in our country,” Macron said in an television address to the nation on Tuesday.

Macron, speaking as the COP26 climate summit continues in Glasgow, vowed that France would also continue to develop renewable energy.

France, which derives the majority of its electricity from nuclear power, is currently building one new third-generation EPR nuclear reactor in Flamanville in Normandy.

But work on the site, which began in 2007, has still not been completed. French energy firm EDF this spring submitted a feasibility study to the government for a programme to build six new reactors.

“If we want to pay for our energy at reasonable rates and not depend on foreign countries, we must both continue to save energy and invest in the production of carbon-free energy on our soil,” Macron said.

The Green party in France denounced this decision to restart the construction of new nuclear power plants. “I am not surprised, but I am scandalised. It’s not up to the president to announce like that, without any debate, that we are going down the dangerous path of a nuclear programme. […] It is really the wrong way to persist in nuclear power,” said Julien Bayou of Europe Ecologie-les Verts.

In a statement, Greenpeace France lashed out at Macron’s announcement, accusing him of electioneering ahead of April 2022 polls. Macron has not declared his candidacy but is widely expected to stand in next year’s elections.

“Announcing a nuclear revival and the construction of new reactors as the nuclear industry is mired in fiascos is totally disconnected from reality,” said Greenpeace France’s energy transition campaigner Nicolas Nace, pointing to the delays at Flamanville.

“Too expensive, too slow and too dangerous, nuclear power is obsolete in a climate emergency,” he added.

Macron’s announcement comes as the head of the UN nuclear agency said last week on the sidelines of the COP26, he saw atomic power playing a key role balancing climate concerns and the world’s energy needs.

………………………………………………………

Man to plead guilty in rapper Mac Miller’s drug death

 An Arizona man accused of supplying the dealer who sold Mac Miller the drugs that killed the rapper has agreed to plead guilty to a federal charge, prosecutors said Wednesday.

Ryan Michael Reavis, 38, will admit to a single count of distribution of fentanyl, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles said in a statement.

Reavis knowingly supplied counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl to co-defendant Cameron James Pettit, 30, of Los Angeles, according to a plea agreement. Pettit sold the pills and other drugs to Miller, who two days later suffered a fatal overdose, according to prosecutors.

Another co-defendant, Stephen Andrew Walter, 48, of Los Angeles, agreed last month to plead guilty to one count of distribution of fentanyl. Prosecutors said Reavis supplied the pills to Pettit at the direction of Walter. Reavis and Walter are each expected to enter their pleas in the coming weeks.

The case against Pettit is pending. Reavis, formerly of West Los Angeles, moved to Lake Havasu, Arizona, in 2019.

Miller’s assistant found the rapper unresponsive in his Los Angeles home on Sept. 7, 2018, and he was declared dead soon after.

Miller, a Pittsburgh native whose real name was Malcolm James Myers McCormick, was a beloved and respected figure among hip-hop fans. “Circles,” his sixth and final studio album, was released posthumously in 2020.

…………………………………………………………

Kundai Chiyanika: Not every job will be for you, bloom where you are planted

CLICK TO TWEET

Kundai Chiyanika is a Zimbabwean television and radio host. She is fun loving and always keen for an adventure. An explorer at heart, she loves new places and new people.

A proud mommy of two, Kundai is building a name for herself in the entertainment industry. Her life motto is ‘Be happy and stay happy’ and she’s focusing on building her brand around that. SLA contributor Ruva Samkange recently caught up with Kundai to learn more about her brand.

---

You recently moved back to Zimbabwe, what did you want to do when you came back?

I had lived in Cape Town for a long time and had some personal issues so I felt that it was time to move back home to be with family and regroup. At first, I really didn’t have an idea of what I wanted to do. I had enjoyed baking so I started a small baking business in my hometown. The market was not sustainable and I felt like it wasn’t what I really wanted to do.

@KundaiChiyanika wanted to make sure she was not just working because she had toCLICK TO TWEET

Even though I struggled with what I what wanted to do, I always knew I wanted to work actively with people and that an office job wasn’t for me. I wanted to make sure I did something that suited my personality and was not just working because I had to.

You ultimately went into radio at ZiFM. What made you go into radio?

Well, radio found me. A friend of mine sent me a flyer about an entertainment company that was looking for a female co-host for a radio slot. I shared it with another friend and she asked me why I wasn’t trying out. I was scared but she encouraged me.

The experience has been amazing, I never thought I would love it so much. My co-presenter Dannythatguy and I get along like a house on fire, we present The Switch and Fire Friday. Our show is the pre-party, helping people get ready for a Friday night.

You now work on Kwese Sports, what made you venture into television?

I’ve secretly always wanted to be an actress since I was a child. So television has always been something I would jump at the chance for. I think it is a natural progression. A lot of people I work with did radio.

I get to diversify my portfolio through television with exposure to different mediums, Kwese Sports is a Pan- African channel. Even though I’m a couple of months in I have traveled and will continue to travel between across Africa and I can’t wait to get more African stamps in my passport.

How hard has getting into media been?

I have been very fortunate that an opportunity became available when I was not looking. But the industry is so competitive. Once you are in, the pressure is on to produce a quality product because there are 10,000 people behind you hungry for your job.

I have learnt that passion is not enough. You have to keep chasing the dream. Fight for it and keep trying to improve. There is always room for more.

You have to keep chasing the dream. Fight for it & keep trying to improve - Kundai ChiyanikaCLICK TO TWEET

How different are radio and television?

With radio, my personality comes out a whole lot more because my show allows that. Television is a whole different beast. If you are nervous people can see it a mile away and there is more pressure to be perfect.

Like I said its a very natural progression. Television is the next step for a lot of radio personalities. Once you conquer one, you’re hungry for the next challenge. I am lucky I still get to do both.

What advice would you give to someone looking to get involved in television and radio?

Don’t copy anyone. Be inspired but always be yourself. Also, keep making demos and keep sending them. Try to make those contacts. Entertainment in Zimbabwe is hard, you need to become visible to build your brand. Do promos, host events, be relevant.

Be inspired but always be yourself if you're looking to get in TV and radio @KundaiChiyanikaCLICK TO TWEET

I’m not a social media person but I had to open myself up and become active online. Having updated Twitter, Facebook and Instagram accounts will let people know who you are. Make sure your name comes up when people are are looking for an entertainment personality to host events or when job opportunities arise.

What are the most important lessons you’ve learnt on your journey?

Try not to compare your journey to someone else. Unfortunately, this industry is about comparisons and people’s preferences so you have to sometimes put blinders on and focus on what you need to do. Not every job will be for you. Try not to dwell too much. The hustle never stops.

---

If you’d like to share your story with She Leads Africa, let us know more about you and your story here. 

SpaceX returns 4 astronauts to Earth, ending 200-day flight

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Four astronauts returned to Earth on Monday, riding home with SpaceX to end a 200-day space station mission that began last spring.

Their capsule streaked through the late night sky like a dazzling meteor before parachuting into the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Pensacola, Florida. Recovery boats quickly moved in with spotlights.

“On behalf of SpaceX, welcome home to Planet Earth,” SpaceX Mission Control radioed from Southern California. Within an hour, all four astronauts were out of the capsule, exchanging fist bumps with the team on the recovery ship.

Their homecoming — coming just eight hours after leaving the International Space Station — paved the way for SpaceX’s launch of their four replacements as early as Wednesday night.

The newcomers were scheduled to launch first, but NASA switched the order because of bad weather and an astronaut’s undisclosed medical condition. The welcoming duties will now fall to the lone American and two Russians left behind at the space station.

Before Monday afternoon’s undocking, German astronaut Matthias Maurer, who’s waiting to launch at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, tweeted it was a shame the two crews wouldn’t overlap at the space station but “we trust you’ll leave everything nice and tidy.” His will be SpaceX’s fourth crew flight for NASA in just 1 1/2 years.

NASA astronauts Shane Kimbrough and Megan McArthur, Japan’s Akihiko Hoshide and France’s Thomas Pesquet should have been back Monday morning, but high wind in the recovery zone delayed their return.

“One more night with this magical view. Who could complain? I’ll miss our spaceship!” Pesquet tweeted Sunday alongside a brief video showing the space station illuminated against the blackness of space and the twinkling city lights on the nighttime side of Earth.

From the space station, NASA astronaut Mark Vande Hei — midway through a one-year flight — bid farewell to each of his departing friends, telling McArthur “I’ll miss hearing your laughter in adjacent modules.”

Before leaving the neighborhood, the four took a spin around the space station, taking pictures. This was a first for SpaceX; NASA’s shuttles used to do it all the time before their retirement a decade ago. The last Russian capsule fly-around was three years ago.

It wasn’t the most comfortable ride back. The toilet in their capsule was broken, and so the astronauts needed to rely on diapers for the eight-hour trip home. They shrugged it off late last week as just one more challenge in their mission.

The first issue arose shortly after their April liftoff; Mission Control warned a piece of space junk was threatening to collide with their capsule. It turned out to be a false alarm. Then in July, thrusters on a newly arrived Russian lab inadvertently fired and sent the station into a spin. The four astronauts took shelter in their docked SpaceX capsule, ready to make a hasty departure if necessary.

Among the upbeat milestones: four spacewalks to enhance the station’s solar power, a movie-making visit by a Russian film crew and the first-ever space harvest of chile peppers.

The next crew will also spend six months up there, welcoming back-to-back groups of tourists. A Japanese tycoon and his personal assistant will get a lift from the Russian Space Agency in December, followed by three businessmen arriving via SpaceX in February. SpaceX’s first privately chartered flight, in September, bypassed the space station.

NASA’s Kathy Lueders, head of space operations, said engineers would evaluate the lagging inflation of one of the four main parachutes, something seen in testing when the lines bunch together. Overall, though, “the return looked spotless.”

“I can’t tell you how excited I am to see all four of the crew members back on Earth,” she added, “and I’m looking forward to launching another set of four this week.”

…………………………………………………

Alima Ndiaye from Senegal crowned Miss Africa Great Britain 2021

Alima Ndiaye from Senegal crowned Miss Africa Great Britain 2021

Financial Credit controller and model, Alima Ndiaye from Senegal has been crowned Miss Africa Great Britain 2021.

The Grand Finale took place at the Royal Regency Hall, London on Friday, the 5th of November 2021.

Alima beat other beautiful finalists to clinch the crown and was crowned by her predecessor, Chinyanta Kabaso from Zambia. Venessa Njoki from Kenya was 1st runner-up and Shade Yesufu representing Nigeria was crowned 2nd runner-up.

According to Miss Africa Director Dele Onabowu, the competition was extremely close and any of the girls were worthy of the crown on the night.

The winner becomes a goodwill ambassador for Miss Africa GB, charged with designing and implementing a charity program based on her Pageant Platform. Miss Africa supports the winner in executing their platform in serving humanity and making our world a better place.

Over the last ten years, their Queens have devoted their time to charity work in the UK and Africa.

Alima is an advocate for Child Education for underprivileged children and promises to dedicate her reign to this cause. She will now be the ambassador for the Queens 4 A Reason Charity and embark on a charity mission to Senegal.

…………………………………………………………