Young Ethiopian Prince's earthly body remains at Windsor Castle

When King Charles III was crowned earlier this month - and certainly before that when Queen Elizabeth II has passed away - we heard a lot about the bad that happened from the days of the British Empire. Ethiopia was looted after a conflict against the Emperor Tewodros after a failure in diplomacy.

Of course I will add that Tewodros did take a British consul hostage after this communiques with Queen Victoria were left ignored which prompted a response from Britain back during the 1860s. Brought back to Britain was an Ethiopian Prince Alemayehu who unfortunately had no other family with him as the Queen of that time took an interest in him and helped to support him. A royal supporting a royal.

His mother Empress Tiruwork Wube had been taken to Britain also, however, she had passed away during that journey. Sadly the Prince himself died there in 1879 aged 18 after over a decade in exile from Ethiopia. 

While that African nation is no longer a monarchy today, the last Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie was deposed by a communist regime in 1973, the Ethiopian republic wants Alemayehu's remains returned to his native land. Sadly authorities in Britain has so far refused citing that removing his remains would disturb other's earthly remains.

Prince Alemayehu is buried at Windsor Castle according to The Guardian he's buried with nine others at  St. George's Chapel.

Matt Walsh asks Maasai tribe "What is a Woman?"

 

[VIDEO] I recently saw What is a Woman via Daily Wire. It's a very interesting documentary exploring the "gender ideology". These people from Africa gives the most simple answer which is strangely complicated question for many of us in the west what is a woman?

Basically a mother gives birth to babies, the question isn't that complicated that's what a woman is. A woman is an adult human female who gives birth to babies. An adult human female's body is designed for that purpose yet ask an American and they got to think about it. Basically we've arrived at the point that basically being a woman is cosplay.

I think I'll have more thoughts on this later, however, this whole ideology as evolved to the point that now we must affirm a person who identifies as some type of animal. We meet someone who identifies as a wolf.

Please don't let Star Trek get so woke that someone identifies as an alien species. People can't be so lost that they don't even want to identify as human.

CNN: The genre that made Black Panther - afrofuturism

So what exactly is "afrofuturism"?

Afrofuturism intersects science fiction, technology and ancient African mythologies.

"It's people of African descent looking at themselves in the future and what their society and their culture will look like ten years from now, twenty years from now, a thousand years from now," Fikayo Adeola, founder of arts and animation company Kugali, told CNN.

The term Afrofuturism was first coined by author Mark Dery in a 1993 essay "Black to the Future," but the ideas were around long before.

From the 1950s, American jazz musician Sun Ra -- who is considered one of the earliest proponents of Afrofuturism -- drew on ancient African influences as well as space imagery in his music and performances.

"This was in an era where African-Americans looked very much like second class citizens. Afrofuturism was a tool that they could use to imagine a better future, and the movement continued into the contemporary era," said Adeola.

Afrofuturism spanned literature too.

"Science fiction authors like Octavia Butler took it to the next level bringing in futuristic technology and interactions with aliens. The science fiction genre wasn't very inclusive of black people in the early days.

"It was very much up to these early African-American authors to say that actually 'no, there are other people in the future,'" Adeola explains.  

Well while I'm not a Marvel fan this one movie that's worth seeing. Black Panther isn't the first Black superhero ever, however, with his first appearance in Captain America: Civil War he made an impression. An African king who doubles as a masked warrior to protect his people and his characterization is perfect for Marvel's universe. Just to explain I do see a difference between the Marvel Comic and the DC Comic universes.

As for afrofuturism, I want to find out more...

#BringBackOurGirls

[VIDEO] In today's edition on the US House floor yesterday these young women who were kidnapped from their school by Islamic fundamentalists last month were honored with a moment of silence. Recently a video of this Islamic fundamental group indicated that they would sell their victims. Again let's hope for a safe return to their families for those 300 schoolgirls!

#BringBackOurGirls

[VIDEO] Unfortunately, there is a group in Nigeria that advocates for an end to Western education. Been hearing a lot about this and I'm sharing this because it's serious. Apparently a group of girls were pulled from school last month by this group - terrorists - and now the leader made a rambling video talking about selling these girls.

Wow, how barbaric! Reading the article from CNN, I understand that this group received training by al-Qaida affiliates and well that means Islamic fundamentalism is involved.

Every now and then there are stories about some girl having to fight for an education because unfortunately there are some deep beliefs about whether or not girls should be educated. These are things that we'd take for granted in this country, but in the rest of the world someone might take issue with this.

This terrorist group in Nigeria - Boko Haram which means "Western education is sin" - is just another group who apparently have acted upon this belief. If you believe they're terrorists, then you might be scared for these girls. They've been kidnapped which is bad enough, now they could be forever away from their families.

Let's hope the Nigerian government can rescue these girls and defeat these terrorists.

Nelson Mandela passed away yesterday

[VIDEO] South African President Nelson Mandela passed away yesterday he lived a long time to the age of 95. He had been a longtime prisoner for his anti-apartheid activities until his release from prison in the late 1980s. Not long after that apartheid rule was at an end and he found himself President of South African in which all of her citizens regardless of race were allowed to vote.

In the video above Pulitzer Prize winning columnist Clarence Page talks about President Mandela's legacy. He mentioned a number of things I didn't know, but those are things that are of note. His most important legacy, is he left South Africa as the strongest nation on the continent. Could any of his successors have risen to the occasion as he had?

I was prepared to take this time to get on my soapbox and start throwing some opinions around. One opinion to thrown out is that he like Blacks here in this nation sparked a movement that was necessary. Apartheid was wrong just as segregation was wrong here. I could cringe at people calling the injustice here "American apartheid", but then in some respects there were little difference.

Yeah Blacks were forced to give up their seats to a white person on a bus. Yeah Blacks were forced to be served in very inferior accommodations. Yeah like South Africans, Blacks weren't even allowed to cast a ballot and influence the direction of their nation, state or even cities. Still the civil rights and anti-apartheid movement was necessary.

Although there is one thing I would still get on my soapbox about. Unfortunately humans still look at each other differently. You don't live here, what are you doing here? You don't speak like us? It easy to point out the differences between people and then turn around and say I'm better than you because of these minor differences.

Now I realize I'm putting apartheid simply here. But that's the deal while Africans in South African were probably more in number than the whites who instituted apartheid the differences were only because of skin color and possibly an assumption that whites were superior. Sadly I'm sure people still point out the differences, in fact perhaps the roles have reversed.

Now that Blacks are in power over there I'm sure there are still some tensions. All the same if President Mandela has a legacy it's that we need to continue to bridge these minor differences whatever tongue you speak, your ethnicity, your faith, or even your geography. These differences are minor but somehow we still have to find a way to live together and hopefully we too can build a positive legacy for the next generation.

VIDEO: "Giant in the Sun" Northern Nigeria 1959

[VIDEO] This documentary is close to 20 minutes. I have yet to watch it, but I will share this description:

A production of the Northern Nigeria Information service in 1959 presents "Giant in the Sun" a short documentary showing the foundation laid down for the development of the Northern region just before Nigeria's independence in 1960.This is believed to be one of the earliest coloured film documentary shot in Nigeria and one of the best to come out from Africa.Nigeria will surely survive and recover her past lost glory by effectively and efficiently utilizing her abundant human and natural resources.

I post this realizing that as a man of African descent, this blog generally doesn't talk about Africa a lot. Perhaps when things in Africa are bad do I start talking about it. It's probably about time to look at the good things of Africa, even if those good things were in the past.

In 1959, Nigeria wasn't yet independent from the British Empire. I would be very curious what this film documents of the time before independence.

Hat-tip Instapundit!

Mubarak Steps Down, Ceding Power to Military

Looks like the people of Egypt or if you prefer the Muslim Brotherhood has finally accomplished the unthinkable, the overthrow of an autocratic regime. President Hosni Mubarak has ceded power to the military and has decided to step down. I though there would be more of a prolonged fight before he got the hint.

President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt resigned his post and turned over all power to the military, ending his 30 years of autocratic rule and bowing to a historic popular uprising that has transformed politics in Egypt and around the Arab world.

The streets of Cairo exploded in shouts of “God is Great” moments after Mr. Mubarak’s vice president and longtime intelligence chief, Omar Suleiman, announced during evening prayers that Mr. Mubarak has passed all authority to a council of military leaders.

"Taking into consideration the difficult circumstances the country is going through, President Mohammed Hosni Mubarak has decided to leave the post of president of the republic and has tasked the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces to manage the state’s affairs," Mr. Suleiman, grave and ashen, said in a brief televised statement.

Even before he had finished speaking, protesters began hugging and cheering, shouting “Egypt is free!” and “You’re an Egyptian, lift your head”

He had declared that he wouldn't stand for re-election later this year. He also attempted to restructure his government to stave this off. All for naught and he's forced to give it up sooner than he would like. I even posted an AP video that showed his time in power as Egyptian president.

Also, I watched live coverage on YouTube courtesy of Aljazeera [WATCH]. Saw part of his speech yesterday and it definitely seemed like he wasn't ready to go. So the people would have to wait. Indeed it was said that he was going to announce his resignation and the protesters were intently listening. Alas as they continued to listen and saw that he wasn't going to leave, they started hissing. It was something else.

I wish the major networks here in this country offered live feeds on YouTube. If not merely the news networks at that very least the local news station affiliates. Of course that's not to say they have to have some programming to fill up the programming day.

Egypt Officials Seek to Nudge Mubarak Out

President Hosni Mubarak

It seems that saying he will not run for another term as Egyptian President isn't enough for those protesters there. He's still not going anywhere unfortunately and that also means there are some who wants to nudge the longtime incumbent out of the way. NY Times:

President Hosni Mubarak appeared increasingly isolated on Friday, as hundreds of thousands of protesters returned to Tahrir Square and the Obama administration and some members of the Egyptian military and civilian elite pursued plans to nudge him from power.

The country’s newly named vice president, Omar Suleiman, and other top military leaders were discussing steps to limit Mr. Mubarak’s decision-making authority and possibly remove him from the presidential palace in Cairo — though not to strip him of his presidency immediately, Egyptian and American officials said. A transitional government headed by Mr. Suleiman would then negotiate with opposition figures to amend Egypt’s Constitution and begin a process of democratic changes.

Administration officials said that among the ideas that had been discussed were suggesting to Mr. Mubarak that he move to his home at Sharm el Sheik, the seaside resort, or that he embark on one of his annual medical leaves to Germany for an extended checkup. Such steps would provide him with a graceful exit and effectively remove him as the central political player, going partway toward addressing a central demand of protesters on the streets of Cairo.

Meanwhile, Mr. Suleiman and top military officers are being encouraged to have detailed discussions with opposition groups, conversations that would ultimately include how to open up the political system, establish term limits for the president and enshrine some key democratic principles ahead of elections scheduled for September.

This article is worth reading. A very good briefing on the political situation in this Middle Eastern state.

AFRICAN VOICES: Football team owner determined to rebuild Congo

A profile of Moise Katumbi courtesy of CNN:

Since he was elected governor of Katanga province in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2007, Moise Katumbi has been intent on change.


From fixing roads to repairing factories and schools, Katumbi has been leading a rebuilding program that he hopes will transform the mineral-rich province.

Those efforts have helped Katumbi earn what seems to be genuine affection from the people. It isn't uncommon for him to be met by cheering crowds wherever he goes in Katanga.

His popularity is also boosted by his ownership of TP Mazembe, the remarkably successful football team that comes from the area and which made history last year when it became the first African team to reach the FIFA Club World Cup final.

"I can't live without my soccer team," says Katumbi. If he had to choose between the governorship and being chairman of the team, "I think I'll go to my team," he says.

A self-made businessman, Katumbi worked his way up from selling fish as a teenager from the back of his brother's truck to becoming one of the DRC's most successful entrepreneurs.

It's great to know that, there are leaders in Africa who are about making positive change. One day he could lead the nation or inspire someone to to what he has done for one province in the DRC.

Thabo Mbeki to Zimbabwe to mediate new crisis

Mbecki having resigned the Presidency of South Africa recently is still in demand apparently. Now he has to mediate in another African nation of interest, Zimbabwe. What is he doing there?

President Robert Mugabe swore in two vice presidents Monday, having already said his party would control all key ministries, prompting condemnation from the European Union and pushing power-sharing talks to the brink of collapse.

With opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai having threatened to walk out of the talks, former South African President Thabo Mbeki was flying to Zimbabwe Monday to try to save the deal he originally brokered.
The European Union condemned Mugabe's unilateral move. British Foreign Secretary David Miliband said Europeans would "play no part in supporting a power grab by the Mugabe regime."

"It is important that there is an international united response that says that the results of the elections need to be respected and a power grab will not be respected," Miliband told reporters at EU talks in Luxembourg.
While Zimbabwe's politicians grapple with each other, half of the population — 5.1 million people — faces starvation, two-thirds of children are out of school and water shortages have led to deadly cholera outbreaks in three parts of the country, according to aid agencies.

Mbeki was flying to Zimbabwe on Monday afternoon after all parties called for his intervention, his spokesman Mukoni Ratshitanga said. Mbeki has been chief negotiator in the dispute that erupted after elections that gave Tsvangirai's party the most votes.

On Sept. 15, Mbeki persuaded the rivals to share power, with the opposition holding 16 Cabinet seats and Mugabe's party 15. But the two sides have yet to work out details of the new government, including which side would control which ministries.

What do you expect with a man who made it clear he wasn't going to lose his re-election? Now he doesn't seem like he's even willing to share power with his rivals. This shouldn't be a surprise to anyone should it?

S. Africa's ruling party ousts President Mbeki

Wow, this is news from the AP. I can't say that I've been following South African politics, but I would have assumed that the ANC was solid.

South Africa's ruling party said Saturday that President Thabo Mbekihad agreed to resign after being asked to step down, a move that couldheighten turmoil in Africa's economic powerhouse.

African National Congress secretary-general Gwede Mantashe said thetop-level National Executive Committee has ''decided to recall thepresident of the republic before his term of office expires.''

Mantashe said that Mbeki accepted the news.

I think I need to find out what else prompted this. Well it was said in this article there was some pressure to call for early elections from a former deputy. This might require some digging.

ADDITION: Here's more from Bloomberg:

The order by the ANC's 86-member National ExecutiveCommittee came eight days after a High Court judge suggestedMbeki pressured prosecutors to pursue corruption charges againstZuma, the likely winner in 2009 elections. He can't be namedimmediately because he is not a member of parliament. Thelegislature will choose an interim successor from its ranks.

Zuma, 66, has the backing of labor unions and the CommunistParty, who opposed Mbeki's sale of state companies and effortsto balance the budget deficit. Zuma, who wrested control of theANC from Mbeki in a Dec. 18 party vote, has pledged to increasespending on health and education and do more to fight crime.

``We are determined to heal the rifts that may exist'' inthe party, ANC Secretary-General Gwede Mantashe told reporterstoday in Johannesburg.

It seems like Zuma was able to force this. Zuma might be the next President of South Africa. He's even said to have been courting white South Africans:

Zuma has also courted poor white Afrikaners, alienated byMbeki's criticism of South Africa's white community and byaffirmative-action policies.

``We are going to go through a phase of quite a lot ofpolicy uncertainty,'' said Kevin Lings, an economist at StanlibAsset Management in Johannesburg, said in a telephone interview.``Zuma is by his nature, and the way he's approached things,more consultative than Mbeki. It will delay decisions on keypolicy initiatives.''

Of course Zuma has his problems which was probably why he was forced to leave the Mbecki administration...

Zuma has been under investigation for taking bribes fromarms dealers since 2001, and charges against him were reinstatedon Dec. 28.

Judge Chris Nicholson invalidated the charges on Sept. 12,saying prosecutors didn't follow proper procedures and that thecase may have been politically motivated, a ruling the NationalProsecuting Authority plans to appeal.

The ANC is the dominant party in South Africa so it's not likely that there will be a big shakeup. Who else might be able to step in if the ANC seems unable to govern?

Via Instapundit.

Support Bongo

One amazing project affected by the “black blogger boycott” is Bongo, a film and web series that follows a group of street youth recording a hip hop album in Tanzania.

Jay Grandin and Leah Nelson do amazing work. They are now looking for contributions to help finance the project. Regardless of how you feel about the Verizon situation, check out their work and help meet their fundraising goal by making a contribution on this page.

Via 1939Media!

Zimbabwe: Leftists to blame for Robert Mugabe's blood-letting

Telegraph:

A few years ago, when the tyrant of Zimbabwe was moving from being wicked to being downright evil, I wrote that we should invade Harare, depose him, and supervise free elections. Invited to appear on a BBC programme to defend this stance, I was assailed by an "Africa expert" who told me that diplomatic pressure on Mugabe was bound to work, that the idea of sending the Parachute Regiment in to sort the monster out was offensively colonialist, and that I was wrong.
White liberals like him are as much to blame for the terror, starvation, brutality and genocide that now scar this once-rich and stable country. The supposedly civilised world has allowed Mugabe and his horrors to happen, mainly unchecked. Sanctions on his country merely starve those who disagree with him. Zimbabwe has all the natural, and had all the human, resources to be an example to the rest of Africa. It is now merely a symbol of what happens when a dictator takes charge, and those who might rein him in simply look away.

So it is infuriating to hear some Leftists and liberals saying, through the teeth of their post-imperial guilt, that perhaps an armed intervention is the only way to rid the world of this brute. Had this been done years ago, when they took the opposite view, how many lives might have been saved? How many productive people, black and white, would have felt able to stay in Zimbabwe, rather than flee with their talents abroad? Would it still be a country with a life expectancy in the low thirties, something not heard of in Europe since the early Middle Ages? How proud does the Left, with its stupidly romantic notions of the inviolate nature of "black freedom fighters", feel about what it has so ably helped Mugabe achieve?

Of course, even now the Leftists who are recanting cannot bear the thought of a military operation being conducted by Britain alone - not that our exploited and resource-starved Armed Forces are in a position to take out Mugabe. It is argued that there should be a UN or multinational force, something that most of us old cynics will believe only when we see it. Frankly, I couldn't care less who liberates Zimbabwe - North Korea, the Taliban or Venezuela are welcome to it: they couldn't be any worse than the incumbent.

Yet the gutlessness of our Foreign Office continues. The disastrous Lord Malloch-Brown, who is to international diplomacy what a lamp post is to a dog, said this week that it would be wrong for "the mangy old British lion" to strip Mugabe of his honorary knighthood. Let us ignore for the moment the question of whether a Foreign Office minister should insult his country so, another sign that this oaf is unfit for office. Four days later the knighthood did indeed go, on a recommendation from David Miliband, the Foreign Secretary, to the Queen. Mr Miliband had said just two weeks earlier that removing the knighthood was not a good idea. And the Tories are no better. This week they ordered the suspension of a prospective parliamentary candidate who made the blindingly obvious observation that the late Ian Smith was better than Mugabe. It is time these people grew up.

I may not agree with military interventionism in a nation's internal affairs but I wish there could be a solution to the problem of Mugabe's desperate power grab in Zimbabwe.

Robert Mugabe’s thugs shout: ‘Let’s kill the baby’

In maintaining control of this African republic, the brutality knows no bounds. Article via Newsalert:

A baby boy had both legs broken by supporters of President Robert Mugabe to punish his father for being an opposition councillor in Zimbabwe.

Blessing Mabhena, aged 11 months, was seized from a bed and flung down with force as his mother, Agnes, hid from the thugs, convinced that they were about to murder her.

She heard one of them say, “Let’s kill the baby”, before Blessing was hurled on to a bare concrete floor.

Blessing, who may never be able to walk properly, was one of the youngest victims of atrocities against the opposition party Movement for Democratic Change in the run-up to last Friday’s sham presidential election.

As Mugabe, 84, the only candidate in the election, prepared to be sworn in as president today, it emerged that his forces of terror plan to pulverise opponents to prevent them from ever threatening his leading Zanu-PF again.

Leaked minutes of the Joint Operations Command (JOC), which has orchestrated the violence since Mugabe lost a first round of voting in March, revealed that it is willing to wipe out opposition supporters.

This is certainly one of those situations where peaceful demonstration as advocated by Mahatma Gandhi isn't likely to help this situation. This has got to be one of the sickest stories that I have seen coming from Zimbabwe. It's very unfortunate that the population has been largely intimidated from actually being able oppose this old man who just doesn't want to let it go.

The lesser of two incredibly awful evils

Megan McArdle talks about life in Zimbabwe during two different eras. One era with the nation known as Rhodesia and the other era as Zimbabwe under the regime of Robert Mugabe. Via Instapundit.

Zimbabwe opposition leader pulling out of election

NUTS!!!! A tyrant not ready to go apparently has won once again. Story via Instapundit...

Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai said Sunday he is pulling out of this week's presidential runoff because mounting violence and intimidation have made it impossible to hold a credible election.

Tsvangirai announced his decision about Friday's election during a news conference in Zimbabwe's capital after thousands of ruling party militants blockaded the site of the opposition's main campaign rally in a now routine pattern of intimidation.

"We can't ask the people to cast their vote on June 27 when that vote will cost their lives. We will no longer participate in this violent sham of an election," he said. "Mugabe has declared war, and we will not be part of that war."

He said it is the United Nations' responsibility to make sure the people of Zimbabwe are protected from the violence now under way in the country.

Tsvangirai said he would put forward new proposals by Wednesday on how take the country forward. He did not provide any details about what the proposals would include.

"Our victory is certain, but it can only be delayed," he said.

Tsvangirai won the first round of the presidential election on March 29, but did not gain an outright majority against 84-year-old President Robert Mugabe, who has held power since independence from Britain in 1980.

That campaign was generally peaceful, but the runoff has been overshadowed by violence and intimidation, especially in rural areas. Independent human rights groups say 85 people have died and tens of thousands have been displaced from their homes, most of them opposition supporters.

Tsvangirai complained that he was being treated like a "common criminal," with his attempts to tour the country stymied by police at roadblocks.

The state-controlled media have banned opposition advertisements, claiming they "contain inappropriate language and information." The media cited one ad that claimed that Tsvangirai won the election, "which is not the case, hence the runoff."

Tendai Biti, the opposition party's No. 2, was arrested within minutes of his return from South Africa last week and is being held on treason charges.

Tsvangirai had hoped to address his main campaign rally for the runoff Sunday afternoon.

But a Movement for Democratic Change statement said that armed soldiers and police in full riot gear took over the show ground early afternoon. It said that riot police mounted road blocks around the venue and on the main approaches to Harare. It said troops were jogging down another road leading into central Harare.

The party said military helicopters were flying around the city and around the second city of Bulawayo.

"Zimbabwe clearly is under military rule," the statement said.

The former breadbasket of Africa is only becoming the land of Mugabe for the foreseeable future.

Chicago-born diplomat riles Zimbabwe leader

Hey there's a Chicago component to the turmoil going on in Zimbabwe as they prepare for the future in terms of who will be running the nation. Tribune:

Early Wednesday, for example, McGee drove to a tense slum in Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe. At no trifling risk, he said he watched young backers of President Robert Mugabe round up about 500 men, women and children. The militants marched the terrified crowd down a road to a field, where they were forced to chant pro-Mugabe slogans. Laggards were brutally assaulted with clubs and tire irons.

McGee and his companions discreetly shot some video. But he is no journalist. Nor is he an aid worker. Nor a rights activist. He's the startlingly assertive U.S. ambassador to Zimbabwe.

"I've been sent here to do a job, and I'm not interfering in the internal politics of this government," McGee, 59, said by phone from Zimbabwe, where he has been mocked as a "self-anointed Good Samaritan" by the official media and threatened with expulsion by Mugabe. "We're just trying to cast some light on a terrible situation."

For anyone accustomed to the stereotypes of risk-averse U.S. diplomats hunkering down in fortified embassies against an often hostile if not anti-American world, the barrel-chested McGee comes across as something of a shock: an activist diplomat who has virtually dared one of the world's most oppressive regimes to eject him as he embarks, video cameras in tow, on high-profile "field trips" to alleged torture camps, hospitals crammed with bloodied opposition activists and, most recently, the embattled slums of Harare.

Mixing fancy dinners at his official residence with nauseating slide shows of Zimbabwean voters who have been beaten to a pulp, Washington's man in Harare has even cajoled a few fellow ambassadors into following his lead: brazening the way through police checkpoints to expose a largely hidden wave of political terror that, since an inconclusive March election, has killed about 60 people and displaced at least 30,000 more.

Like many human-rights groups, McGee attributes most of the electoral violence to Mugabe's ruling ZANU-PF party. Using language that would scorch a more conventional diplomat's eyebrows, he has dubbed Zimbabwe an "outlaw country" and its leadership "a bunch of greedy people who want to remain in power at all costs."

Go Ambassador McGee!!! I'm very glad to know someone in American government is concerned about the situation there in Zimbabwe.

Here's a State Department Bio and another article about the ambassador from Wikipedia.

Go read the whole article when you get a chance!

Violent Mobs Make Their Way South To Cape Town, South Africa

This story via The News Junkie. I wonder if South Africa is unraveling right now:

Attacks on foreigners in the Gauteng province seem to have abated with police reporting that the situation has been "quiet" since Wednesday evening.

Director Govindsamy Mariemuthoo insisted on Thursday that the heavy police presence and number of arrests made have somewhat quelled the situation.

However, reports indicate that renewed violence had broken out in the Ramaphosa informal settlement, outside Reiger Park on Gauteng's East Rand on Thursday.

Ekurhuleni municipality spokesperson Willy Dlamini said incidents had been reported in the area. He was unable to provide any further information.

The xenophobic attacks broke out in the Alexandra township last Sunday and have since spread across the province and now into Mpumalanga, the North West and KwaZulu-Natal.

While the situation in Alexandra was calm, it was evident that the flame which had been ignited in the township had not yet been extinguished.

Resident Florah Khwerana said: "People are tired, this is not going to stop now."

She said government and dignitaries who visited the township in the wake of the violence and condemned the violence were making the situation worse.

"They are living the good life... they don't know how we live. Its like the government is against its own people and this is making us more angry," she said.

Khwerana said while the violent nature of the attacks were wrong, residents were very angry.

"How can everyone provide food at the police station for them and here there are our own people hungry. They don't provide for their own."

Karabo Mapetho agreed that the violence was wrong, but she too wanted foreigners to return to their homes.

"This fight will never be over until they go home," she said.

Mapetho said foreigners were viewed as criminals by the local community and this was the main reason they had to leave. They also took jobs which could potentially be filled by South Africans.

I was going to make this about apartheid since that's not an issue in South Africa there is certainly some growing pains to be had there. Xenophobia isn't going to be good for a nation on a continent that would need some good news for a change.

Zimbabwe party: Military plotting to kill leader

I could take this with a grain of salt because this is politics we're talking about here. Then again this is Zimbabwe where an aging leader is unwilling to let his power go and allow for a peaceful transition so it isn't a surprise that the opposition is making such an accusation. Sun-Times:

Zimbabwe's opposition party accused the country's military Monday of plotting to assassinate the group's presidential candidate using snipers.

The Movement for Democratic Change said Morgan Tsvangirai planned to return to Zimbabwe to contest the June 27 runoff election once security measures are in place to protect him against the alleged assassination plot. The opposition says it received details of the alleged plot on Saturday as Tsvangirai was on his way to the airport in Johannesburg, South Africa, to return home.

''The assassination plot involves snipers,'' party Secretary-General Tendai Biti told The Associated Press after a news conference in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi. He said 18 snipers were involved in the alleged plot.

''It is the military (plotting), the JOC (Joint Operational Command) that has been running the country'' since Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, lost March 29 elections to Tsvangirai. ''I cannot speak (more) of that because it would put a lot of lives at risk,'' Biti said.

Biti also condemned African leaders' failure to confront Mugabe, Zimbabwe's leader of 28 years, in the strongest terms yet used by his party.

He said the campaign of violence blamed on Mugabe's regime could backfire, saying that many of the millions of Zimbabweans who have fled the country planning to return to vote in the June runoff presidential election.