World News

The mayor of New Orleans has called on residents to evacuate unprotected city neighbourhoods as Hurricane Ida bears down on the Louisiana coastline. "What I am told is that this storm will not be weakening," Mayor LaToya Cantrell said.

Hurricane Ida has intensified over the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico ahead of its expected arrival on the southern US coast. It has already brought heavy rain and high winds to western Cuba.

Ghana’s chief Imam Sheikh Osman Sharubutu has donated more than $8,000 (£5,800) to support the construction of a controversial national cathedral.

The African country has a history of inter-religious harmony, although the donation is regarded as unusual. The 102-year-old cleric said the gesture was to strengthen peaceful co-existence between Christians and Muslims.

The US intelligence community has been unable to determine the origins of Covid-19, and is split on whether it leaked from a lab or developed in nature, according to a new report. The report issued by the office that oversees the nation's 18 spy agencies did conclusively determine that it was not developed as a biological weapon.

Experts warn that time is running out to gather evidence of its beginnings.

The Saint Lucia Tourism Authority has introduced a new option to the extended-stay ‘Live it’ program, in response to travel trends and customer demand.

Visitors can now embrace island life in Saint Lucia with a multiple entry visa for up to one year. Through both options of the program, Saint Lucia is inspiring travellers to immerse themselves in local culture, while exploring the destination’s natural beauty on an extended stay vacation or working remotely with ease.

French-American entertainer and World War II resistance fighter Josephine Baker will be interred in France’s Pantheon Mausoleum after a successful petition. France will bestow one its highest honours on famed Black French-American entertainer, Josephine Baker. 

A request to have her remains interred in the Pantheon Mausoleum has been approved. An aide to Emmanuel Macron confirmed to AFP that the ceremony would take place on November 30.

Private jets filled the runway of the airport in the northern Nigerian city of Kano as members of Nigeria's elite and West African dignitaries flew in for the wedding of the president's son and the daughter of a prominent religious and traditional leader.

The marriage of Yusuf Buhari to Zahra Nasir Bayero is one of Nigeria's biggest celebrity events of the year. Thousands attended the event at the palace of the Emir of Bichi, a town in Kano state.

An annual report conducted by researcher, James McKay, and published by the Financial Times' Professional Wealth Management magazine, has ranked the Federation of St Kitts & Nevis' Citizenship by Investment (CBI) Programme as the world's best. The report, known as the CBI Index, is one of the industry's most comprehensive and reliable tools for comparing CBI programmes on the market.

The nation was also awarded perfect scores in the Ease of Processing and Due Diligence pillars. St Kitts & Nevis has achieved maximum points for its due diligence procedures for five consecutive years.

As their memorable and groundbreaking trip draws to a close, centurians Mother Fletcher and Uncle Redd have completed something that many thought would never happen, returning home to Africa. After receiving countless gifts, honorary titles and many happy memories, they will be bidding farewell to Ghana, and we wish them all the best, and a safe flight home.

It has been an honour for The Phoenix Newspaper to be Media Partners throughout this momentous visit, and we would like to personally wish Mother Fletcher and Uncle Redd the best of health and happiness for the future.

Look out for full coverage in the September edition of The Phoenix Newspaper!

We've been following the story of two of the survivors of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, Viola Fletcher, age 107 and her brother Hughes Van Ellis (Uncle Redd), age 100 during their return to Ghana, and yesterday they took part in an Official Naming Ceremony after The Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Ghana Tourism Authority Beyond the Return, Diaspora Affairs, Office of the President and the Diaspora Africa Forum came together.

Dressed entirely in white, signifying the new beginning, the siblings were in attendance with some of their family members.

It was announced that Maki Kaji, the Japanese man known as the "Godfather of Sudoku", has died.

He gave the number puzzle its name after publishing it in his magazine Nikoli in the 1980s. Since then the popular game - involving placing the numbers 1 to 9 in each row, column and square of a 9 by 9 grid - has spread around the globe.

Upgraded Points recently published the results of a vaccine survey that reveals how Americans feel about various travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic. With ongoing debate surrounding personal freedoms and the ability to travel unhindered throughout the country, most now believe that proof of vaccination should be a requirement. 

The survey also indicated which generation was more likely to disagree with vaccination passports and how both male and female respondents feel about the issue. Upgraded Points regularly conducts and provides such in-depth reports for traveling and credit card usage, as well as helpful tips and resources for travellers.

Uganda is to take in 2,000 refugees who have fled Afghanistan after Taliban militants took power on Sunday.

The deal was agreed following a request from the US government. The first group of 500 Afghans were expected to arrive on Tuesday, but officials now say discussions about the arrangements are still ongoing.

Business operations in the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI) are uninterrupted following the passage of Tropical Storm Grace, which has now been reclassified as a depression, over the weekend.

The weather system brought rainfall, and had no impact on the Territory’s tourism infrastructure, the Department of Tourism reported.

In April 2013, the Rana Plaza factory in Dhaka collapsed killing over 1,100 workers, making it one of the world’s worst industrial accidents in the garment sector. The Bangladesh Accord on Fire and Building Safety (the Accord) was established to ensure Rana Plaza never happened again. 

It was a landmark agreement that ensured global fashion brands acknowledged direct responsibility for factory conditions by addressing buildings and fire safety. This led to improved safety in 1,600 garment factories employing more the two million people.

Rescue workers are rushing to locate survivors of the deadly earthquake that struck Haiti as a tropical storm is heading towards the Caribbean nation.

At least 1,297 people are known to have died in the 7.2-magnitude quake and an unknown number are still missing. Tropical Depression Grace is now expected to pass over the worst affected area.

The event will take place from 17-20 August 2021 @ 11.30 Jamaica Time 

Purpose: This virtual indaba is organized to honour the memory and legacy of PanAfricanist Marcus  Mosiah Garvey and to reflect on his teachings and vision for a recreated Africa, that is the proud united home for African people wherever they happen to be. The get-to-gether aims at inspiring Africans to rethink and reposition Africa and Africans as an equal and respected member of the human family.

The Context:  By way of background, Jamaica and South West Africa (now Namibia after independence in 1990) have had a long, brotherly and progressive relationship.  It all started in the early 1920s when the consciousness of Marcus Mosiah Garvey, an African born in Jamaica was captured by the plight, suppression and the largely unnoticed struggle of the black population in South Africa and South West Africa. This lead him to establish branches of the UNIA/ACL, first in Lüderitz, then Windhoek and Walvis Bay , the prominent centres for international trading in Namibia.  

Fast forwarding to 1990, Jamaica was clearly among the most visible frontline countries  in the diaspora  that was absorbed in the liberation struggle and in the advocation in the UN and other international fora of Namibia’s plight under the wretched apartheid system of South Africa. Jamaica’s presence in Namibia’s pre-independent preparations, through the UN and directly, was equally prominent. In consequence, Jamaica became one of the few, if not the first country to welcome Namibia, signed MOU of deeper cooperation, and  opened its borders, free of visa to Namibians to live, study and work. 

Relationship and its Progression: In appreciation, the Namibian President, Dr Hage Geingob in July, 2017 hosted Prime Minister Andrew Holness as the first Head of State or Government, from the Caribbean. During the occasion, Namibia and Jamaica renewed and extended the Cooperation agreement and  among things,  officiated at the renaming of a prominent street in the Capital city of Windhoek the honour of the Rt Excellent Dr Marcus Garvey.  The PM’s very productive week-long visit was followed up in 2018 by a delegation lead by Senator Williams, Mayor of the Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation who signed, among other things, a City-to City Twinning agreement and an MOU of cooperation. 

A delegation to the KSAMC from Windhoek Municipality  lead by the Mayor, Dr Job Amupanda  is scheduled for mid September, 2021, during which time there will be an assessment of progress made on the MOU and adjustments made where necessary to improve and strengthen economic  cooperation and relations

Garvey’s Lessons and Influence: This 134^th Birthday of the Late Marcus Garvey is fitting occasion for our Continental and Diaspora celebration of this PanAfrican Legend.  And we are fortunate to have the presence of Garvey’s biological son, Hon Dr Julius Garvey and H.E. Dr Sam Nujoma, Garvey’s spiritual son who literally translated  translated  into action Garvey’s lectures and vision when he became Namibia’s first and  3-term President.   Dr Nujoma is alive, and very active as ordinary citizen No 1. He will be sharing  is memory of Garvey and the inspiration and wisdom which made him not only loved but an effective and respected national,  regional and Continental leader.

The Theme for the 134^th Birthday Commemoration event is African Unity – the Spinal Chord.  The spine and chord are reminders of what link the upper and lower body and the Notochord holds the spine and gives it its functionality.  The chord being the symbolism of Africa’s values, traditions, the culture, music, rhythm and spirit of community and Ubuntu hold everything in place and gives the body its functionality. If the spine is weak, the body is paralyzed  is unable to stand up the pressures that will come up.  The chord  is a reminder of our agility and resilience as a people  and of our distinct commitment to communal and community improvement as distinct from individualism and materialism.

The Commemoration Event:  The first day of the virtual symposium August 17, is devoted to Garvey himself, reflecting on what he stood for and his vision for a United Africa that is prosperous and self-reliant. Some 10 international speakers of renown from the Continent and the Diaspora will share their perspectives. This first session will be followed by a multidisciplinary panel of experts discussants to contemplate the implications for all of us who share Garvey’s vision of a United and vibrant Africa. The following 3 days (18-20August) will have speakers on specific aspects that Garvey emphasized in lectures,  books and practice of what a prosperous, and Inclusive Africa should embrace through good leadership, governance and economics, education, science and technology, vocational and entrepreneurial skills for innovation,  effective value added production and strategic trade and the restoration of African’s sovereignty, dignity,  pride and belief in ourselves, and our rich legacy and future.

The Bottomline:  At the end of the Session on Friday, a table of at least 4 resolutions with goals and targets will be developed and  tabled. It is proposed that we transmit to the secretariats of the AU six regions and copied to the Heads of State and Governments in all Regions and the Caribbean for their appropriate decision and action. These resolutions will be drawn from the each of the sessions. More immediately, a book will be produced to reflect and capture for posterity, the views, remarks and the collective wisdom shared at the symposium.