Podcasts about Congo

“We've had a pope who was able to grasp and understand the problems in third world countries.”In 2023 Pope Francis showed his commitment to Africa by visiting two countries riven by conflict: the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan. Hundreds of thousands of people turned out to celebrate him in Kinshasa. But his decision was not a surprising choice – given that he'd made social justice and the rights of the poor and suffering central to his papacy.So when the news of his death was announced yesterday, it was greeted by African Catholics with both sadness, but also prayers of thanks for his life.For today's Africa Daily, Alan Kasujja hears from two Congolese people who met the pope as students, Mpongo Simon and Christine Mwanini, and speaks to Father Desmond Nair, a Catholic Priest of the Archdiocese of Durban, South Africa.

Organe de la parole, la voix se forme à travers l'air expulsé entre les replis du larynx, plus communément appelés cordes vocales. Or, ces cordes vocales peuvent être fragiles et ainsi occasionner extinction de voix, voix enrouée ou cassée… Comment prendre soin des cordes vocales ? Quels sont les facteurs pouvant les fragiliser ? Peut-on changer ou améliorer sa puissance vocale ? Dr Gérald Fain,chirurgien oto-rhino-laryngologiste (ORL) à Paris. Auteur de l'ouvrage De la parole au chant, qu'est-ce que la voix ?, aux éditions Belin Jacques Weber, acteur, réalisateur et scénariste français Pr Dieudonné Nyembue,médecin spécialiste ORL, chef de département de spécialités aux Cliniques universitaires de Kinshasa et directeur général de l'Institut de recherche en sciences de la Santé de Kinshasa en République démocratique du Congo.Programmation musicale :► Barbara – Dis, quand reviendras-tu ?► Nina Simone – Feeling good.(Rediffusion)

Les autorités congolaises tirent à boulets rouge sur l'ancien président.Kinshasa annonce en effet, relève le site Actualité CD, « l'ouverture de poursuites judiciaires contre Joseph Kabila, accusé de “participation directe à l'agression menée par le Rwanda à travers le mouvement terroriste AFC-M23“. Kinshasa ordonne aussi la saisie de l'ensemble de ses biens mobiliers et immobiliers. Des mesures de restriction de mouvement ont été prises à l'encontre de ses collaborateurs, présumés impliqués dans ce que les autorités qualifient d'“affaire de haute trahison à l'égard de la Nation“. Enfin, le ministère de l'Intérieur a pour sa part suspendu les activités du Parti du Peuple pour la Reconstruction et la Démocratie (le PPRD), formation dirigée par Joseph Kabila. »Le cerveau du M23 ?« Coup de tonnerre sur la scène politique congolaise ! », s'exclame Afrik.com. Il s'agit là d'un « basculement inédit dans l'histoire récente de la RDC, poursuit le site panafricain. Joseph Kabila, président de 2001 à 2019 et aujourd'hui sénateur à vie, était jusqu'à récemment resté en retrait de la vie politique active. Mais son retour et les accusations portées contre lui pourraient bien faire voler en éclats l'équilibre fragile issu de la transition démocratique. À Kinshasa, pointe encore Afrik.com, certains hauts responsables vont plus loin encore, désignant ouvertement Kabila comme le cerveau de la résurgence du M23 sous l'étiquette AFC. Une accusation grave, lourde de conséquences, qui risque d'aggraver les tensions politiques alors que l'est du pays reste en proie à de violents affrontements et à une crise humanitaire persistante. La question maintenant est de savoir, s'interroge Afrik.com, si la RDC a besoin d'un tel scénario à ce moment précis. Les mesures que s'apprête à prendre le pouvoir contre l'ancien dirigeant ne risquent-elles pas de créer plus de problèmes que d'en résoudre ? »Quel rôle ?Ce qui a mis le feu aux poudres, c'est la présence de Joseph Kabila à Goma, ville occupée par le M23. D'après plusieurs sites d'informations congolais, l'ancien président est dans la capitale du Nord-Kivu depuis vendredi. D'après l'un de ses proches, interrogé par 7 sur 7, « Joseph Kabila est venu à Goma comme ambassadeur de la paix et non pour adhérer à une opposition armée. (…) C'est le début d'un marathon dans plusieurs parties du pays. »Il n'empêche, analyse Afrikarabia, site spécialisé sur la RDC, « le retour d'exil de Joseph Kabila à Goma, après un crochet par Kigali, qui soutient les rebelles, est un pari risqué qui semble confirmer la thèse de Kinshasa qui associe l'ancien président au M23 et au Rwanda. »Afrikarabia qui s'interroge : « quel rôle peut désormais jouer Joseph Kabila ? (…) L'ancien président est-il revenu pour initier une médiation dans le conflit à l'Est ? (…) Souhaite-t-il consulter l'ensemble des forces politiques pour un dialogue interne ? Pour quelles finalités ? Peut-il rejoindre l'initiative des Églises catholiques et protestantes ? (…) Dans l'incertitude politique créée par le chaos sécuritaire à l'Est, un espace politique existe bien entre le M23 et Félix Tshisekedi. Joseph Kabila espère (peut-être) pouvoir s'y glisser, dans le rôle du rassembleur. »Reste, pointe encore Afrikarabia qu'au « sein de la société civile, on garde un bien mauvais souvenir des années Kabila : tripatouillage électoral, répression sanglante, corruption et prédation… L'ancien maître du Congo, qui a gouverné 18 ans sans partage, ferait davantage partie du problème que de la solution. »À quand l'union sacrée ?La presse ouest-africaine s'interroge également : « que compte faire Kabila au juste ?, se demande le quotidien Aujourd'hui à Ouagadougou. Quel est son poids réel sur le mouvement AFC-M23 ? Que prépare Félix Tshisekedi contre lui ? Va-t-il le faire inculper ou même embastiller ? » Ledjely à Conakry se demande si les mesures prises par Kinshasa contre Kabila « ne sont pas de nature à isoler davantage le pouvoir congolais qui a pourtant besoin d'un minimum de consensus pour faire face à la crise politico-sécuritaire. »« On le voit bien, conclut L'Observateur Paalga, la RDC n'a pas mal qu'à sa rébellion à l'est. Elle est aussi malade de la rupture d'alliance entre Félix Tshisekedi et Joseph Kabila. Plus généralement, les politiques congolais peinent à trouver le plus petit dénominateur commun indispensable pour une vraie union sacrée du pays afin de gérer les multiples crises qui l'assaillent et dont la guerre à l'est n'est que le mouvement le plus visible du dandinement inquiétant de ce géant aux pieds d'argile. »

Il a bouleversé la curie romaine et marqué le monde entier par ses prises de position humanistes et progressistes, sans pour autant remettre en cause les fondamentaux de la doctrine catholique. Fils et petit-fils d'émigrés italiens en Argentine, le pape François n'a eu de cesse d'appeler au respect de la dignité humaine, et notamment de celle des personnes migrantes. Installé au Vatican en 2013, il avait d'ailleurs surpris en réservant son premier voyage officiel à la petite île italienne de Lampedusa où les naufrages de migrants se succèdent depuis près de 15 ans. François y avait dénoncé « le monde sauvage » dans lequel nous vivons. En septembre dernier à Marseille, il avait appelé à nouveau à l'ouverture et à la responsabilité. Pour avoir accru le rôle des laïcs baptisés dans l'Église, donné davantage de responsabilités aux femmes au Vatican, pour son ouverture à la bénédiction des couples de même sexe, le pape François a été traité d'hérétique par ses opposants conservateurs. Il a pourtant aussi approuvé un texte qui qualifie l'homosexualité de péché ; et n'a jamais remis en question les fondamentaux du catholicisme comme la condamnation de l'avortement ou de l'euthanasie. Il a également œuvré, avec des résultats mitigés, à lutter contre les crimes pédophiles dans l'Église après la mise à jour de nombreux scandales.Reportage en PologneLa dégradation de sa santé était connue depuis des semaines et en Pologne, une des places fortes du catholicisme, les pratiquants ont suivi son évolution avec attention. Le souverain pontife entretenait avec ce pays une relation assez difficile en raison du conservatisme affirmé de l'Église polonaise. Notre correspondant Adrien Sarlat s'est rendu à la rencontre des fidèles devant l'église Saint-Florian de Varsovie.Reportage en BelgiqueLes hommages au pape ont afflué du monde entier, y compris d'Afrique, où l'épiscopat n'appréciait pas ses positions progressistes sur les sujets de société. L'Afrique, où par ailleurs François avait dénoncé sans relâche les conflits qui ravagent le continent ; tout récemment encore au sujet de la République démocratique du Congo. À Bruxelles, Pierre Benazet est allé recueillir les impressions des passants du quartier surnommé Matongé, en référence à une des communes de Kinshasa. Là, pour l'essentiel, les chalands et les commerçants sont d'origine de RDC.Entretien avec Marco PolitiMarco Politi, spécialiste du Vatican à Rome, auteur de Francois, l'Église déchirée (Éd. Plon), par Frédérique Lebel.

Les autorités congolaises tirent à boulets rouge sur l'ancien président.Kinshasa annonce en effet, relève le site Actualité CD, « l'ouverture de poursuites judiciaires contre Joseph Kabila, accusé de “participation directe à l'agression menée par le Rwanda à travers le mouvement terroriste AFC-M23“. Kinshasa ordonne aussi la saisie de l'ensemble de ses biens mobiliers et immobiliers. Des mesures de restriction de mouvement ont été prises à l'encontre de ses collaborateurs, présumés impliqués dans ce que les autorités qualifient d'“affaire de haute trahison à l'égard de la Nation“. Enfin, le ministère de l'Intérieur a pour sa part suspendu les activités du Parti du Peuple pour la Reconstruction et la Démocratie (le PPRD), formation dirigée par Joseph Kabila. »Le cerveau du M23 ?« Coup de tonnerre sur la scène politique congolaise ! », s'exclame Afrik.com. Il s'agit là d'un « basculement inédit dans l'histoire récente de la RDC, poursuit le site panafricain. Joseph Kabila, président de 2001 à 2019 et aujourd'hui sénateur à vie, était jusqu'à récemment resté en retrait de la vie politique active. Mais son retour et les accusations portées contre lui pourraient bien faire voler en éclats l'équilibre fragile issu de la transition démocratique. À Kinshasa, pointe encore Afrik.com, certains hauts responsables vont plus loin encore, désignant ouvertement Kabila comme le cerveau de la résurgence du M23 sous l'étiquette AFC. Une accusation grave, lourde de conséquences, qui risque d'aggraver les tensions politiques alors que l'est du pays reste en proie à de violents affrontements et à une crise humanitaire persistante. La question maintenant est de savoir, s'interroge Afrik.com, si la RDC a besoin d'un tel scénario à ce moment précis. Les mesures que s'apprête à prendre le pouvoir contre l'ancien dirigeant ne risquent-elles pas de créer plus de problèmes que d'en résoudre ? »Quel rôle ?Ce qui a mis le feu aux poudres, c'est la présence de Joseph Kabila à Goma, ville occupée par le M23. D'après plusieurs sites d'informations congolais, l'ancien président est dans la capitale du Nord-Kivu depuis vendredi. D'après l'un de ses proches, interrogé par 7 sur 7, « Joseph Kabila est venu à Goma comme ambassadeur de la paix et non pour adhérer à une opposition armée. (…) C'est le début d'un marathon dans plusieurs parties du pays. »Il n'empêche, analyse Afrikarabia, site spécialisé sur la RDC, « le retour d'exil de Joseph Kabila à Goma, après un crochet par Kigali, qui soutient les rebelles, est un pari risqué qui semble confirmer la thèse de Kinshasa qui associe l'ancien président au M23 et au Rwanda. »Afrikarabia qui s'interroge : « quel rôle peut désormais jouer Joseph Kabila ? (…) L'ancien président est-il revenu pour initier une médiation dans le conflit à l'Est ? (…) Souhaite-t-il consulter l'ensemble des forces politiques pour un dialogue interne ? Pour quelles finalités ? Peut-il rejoindre l'initiative des Églises catholiques et protestantes ? (…) Dans l'incertitude politique créée par le chaos sécuritaire à l'Est, un espace politique existe bien entre le M23 et Félix Tshisekedi. Joseph Kabila espère (peut-être) pouvoir s'y glisser, dans le rôle du rassembleur. »Reste, pointe encore Afrikarabia qu'au « sein de la société civile, on garde un bien mauvais souvenir des années Kabila : tripatouillage électoral, répression sanglante, corruption et prédation… L'ancien maître du Congo, qui a gouverné 18 ans sans partage, ferait davantage partie du problème que de la solution. »À quand l'union sacrée ?La presse ouest-africaine s'interroge également : « que compte faire Kabila au juste ?, se demande le quotidien Aujourd'hui à Ouagadougou. Quel est son poids réel sur le mouvement AFC-M23 ? Que prépare Félix Tshisekedi contre lui ? Va-t-il le faire inculper ou même embastiller ? » Ledjely à Conakry se demande si les mesures prises par Kinshasa contre Kabila « ne sont pas de nature à isoler davantage le pouvoir congolais qui a pourtant besoin d'un minimum de consensus pour faire face à la crise politico-sécuritaire. »« On le voit bien, conclut L'Observateur Paalga, la RDC n'a pas mal qu'à sa rébellion à l'est. Elle est aussi malade de la rupture d'alliance entre Félix Tshisekedi et Joseph Kabila. Plus généralement, les politiques congolais peinent à trouver le plus petit dénominateur commun indispensable pour une vraie union sacrée du pays afin de gérer les multiples crises qui l'assaillent et dont la guerre à l'est n'est que le mouvement le plus visible du dandinement inquiétant de ce géant aux pieds d'argile. »

Pope Francis Dies Easter Monday Morning After Seeking End To Warshttps://osazuwaakonedo.news/pope-francis-dies-easter-monday-morning-after-seeking-end-to-wars/21/04/2025/#Breaking News #Francis #Pope ©April 21st, 2025 ®April 21, 2025 12:32 pm Camerlengo of the Apostolic Chamber,Cardinal Kevin Farrell, at about 9:45am on Monday announced the death of Pope Francis from the Casa Santa Marta, hours after Pope Francis had called for an end to wars in Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan, Congo, Yemen and other humanitarian crises in Myanmar, South Sudan, in the Sahel, the Horn of Africa, the Great Lakes, Lebanon, Syria, and thus, begging political leaders not to yield to fear but use the state resources under their custody to fight and eradicate hunger and promote development among the people, which, the Pope said, are weapons of peace, adding that, there can't be peace without the freedom of religion, expression, thoughts and respect for one another views, just as the Pope on Sunday at around 11:30am, less than 20 hours to his death, met in person with the Vice President of United States, James David Vance after the Pope had called on President Donald Trump to end his anti-immigrant policy, asking Catholics in America to reject the anti-immigrant narratives canvassed by the US government led by President Donald Trump. #OsazuwaAkonedo

En RD Congo, le gouvernement a ordonné des poursuites judiciaires contre l'ancien président Joseph Kabila et des responsables de son parti politique, le PPRD. Tous sont accusés de complicité avec les rebelles du M23, qui occupent de larges territoires dans l'est du pays. Ce nouveau tour de vis des autorités congolaises intervient alors que Joseph Kabila a annoncé son retour au Congo après une année d'exil.

* Israel bombs homes and tents in besieged Gaza "Israel has killed at least seven more Palestinians in nighttime strikes on a home and tents for the displacement across Gaza. Four people, including two children and a girl, were killed in a strike on a tent for the displaced in the Al-Mawasi area in western Khan Younis in southern Gaza. One person was killed and 20 others, including 15 children, were wounded in a separate strike on a home in the Khan Younis refugee camp. And two people were killed and several others wounded in another strike that hit a tent in western Gaza City." *Death toll from US strikes on Yemen mounts to 74 Yemen's Houthis have said US strikes on a fuel port killed 74 people and wounded more than 170, making it the deadliest attack of Washington's intensified month-long air campaign. *Iran and US to resume crucial nuclear talks in Rome " Iran and the United States will hold a new round of nuclear talks in Rome to resolve their decades-long standoff over Tehran's atomic aims, under the shadow of President Donald Trump's threat to unleash military action if diplomacy fails. Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and Trump's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff will negotiate indirectly through mediators from Oman, a week after a first round in Muscat that both sides described as constructive." *DRC boat disaster leaves at least 148 people dead " At least 148 people have been found dead in Democratic Republic of Congo after a motorised wooden boat caught fire and capsized. Officials said that the boat was carrying as many as 500 passengers, including women and children, when it overturned in the Congo River located in the country's northwest region." *Erdogan: Al Aqsa Mosque is our red line " Turkish President Rejep Tayyip Erdogan has strongly condemned Israeli actions at the Haram al Sharif, reiterating that the Al Aqsa Mosque and the surrounding complex belong solely to Muslims and must remain intact. He declared that Al Aqsa is a “red line” for Türkiye, emphasising it would remain so forever. Erdogan called on Israel to immediately halt all provocations, raids, and actions that threaten the sanctity and unity of the holy site."

VOV1 - Theo Bộ Nông nghiệp và Môi trường, từ đầu năm 2025 đến nay, cả nước xảy ra 129 vụ cháy rừng, thiệt hại trên 150 ha rừng, tăng gần gấp đôi so với cùng kỳ năm 2024.- Thủ tướng Phạm Minh Chính chủ trì Lễ khởi công, khánh thành 80 dự án, công trình trọng điểm thuộc nhiều lĩnh vực trên khắp cả nước chào mừng kỉ niệm 50 năm ngày Giải phóng miền Nam thống nhất đất nước.- Giá trị thương hiệu quốc gia Việt Nam thăng hạng, khẳng định hiệu quả của chính sách phát triển kinh tế và hội nhập sâu rộng mà Việt Nam đã kiên định theo đuổi.- Các địa phương thực hiện lấy ý kiến của nhân dân về đề án sắp xếp đơn vị hành chính cấp tỉnh và cấp xã.- Tại nhiều địa phương xuất hiện tình trạng khô hanh hiếm thấy, dẫn tới nguy cơ cháy rừng tăng cao.Theo lưu ý của cơ quan khí tượng thủy văn, các địa phương cần có biện pháp khẩn cấp để ứng phó ngay, khắc phục hậu quả nhằm ngăn chặn, hạn chế đến mức thấp nhất thiệt hại do hạn hán gây ra.- Mỹ và Iran bước vào vòng đàm phán thứ 2 về chương trình hạt nhân của Iran.- Nhật Bản xảy ra loạt trận động đất vào đêm qua rạng sáng nay; còn tại Congo lật thuyền khiến ít nhất 148 người chết và mất tích

The Coalition flags plan to boost small business if it wins the next election, At least 148 people killed in a boat accident in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Carlton post consecutive AFL wins for the first time in 10 months

Basandja Coalition Cover of The Moral Circle On today's show, I'll speak to author and philosopher Dr. Jeff Sebo on his latest publication entitled, “The Moral Circle: Who Matters, What Matters and Why”, we'll switch gears and speak One Earth Film Festival executive director Ana Garcia Doyle on their upcoming 14th annual gathering and then round out the show with Friends of the Congo executive director Maurice Carney and Basandja Coalition founding leader Samuel Yagase who are currently touring the California. One Earth Film Fest Poster The post Author Jeff Sebo, One Earth Collective, Basandja Coalition appeared first on KPFA.

Des restes de la Première Guerre mondiale au Rwanda. À l'ouest du pays, aux alentours de la ville de Gisenyi au bord du lac Kivu, un guide tente de mettre en avant un site historique vieux de plus d'une centaine d'années. À l'époque, le Rwanda est sous administration allemande. Les militaires installent une base avancée à Nengo pour défendre la frontière avec la République démocratique du Congo, à l'époque colonie belge. De notre correspondante régionale,Sur les pans de la colline de Nengo, Susanne Mukankusi désherbe autour de jeunes pousses d'eucalyptus. De l'histoire ancienne de cette montagne sur les hauteurs de Gisenyi, où elle habite depuis presque 50 ans, elle ne connaît que les rumeurs : « Les gens plus âgés que moi, qui habitaient ici, disent qu'il y a une tranchée en haut de la colline. J'ai entendu dire qu'ils [les Allemands, NDLR] ont fait la guerre et qu'ils ont laissé du matériel et une tranchée. »Une histoire méconnue de la Première Guerre mondiale, que Karim Gisagara tente de mettre en lumière. C'est en travaillant sur un nouveau sentier de randonnée que tout en haut de la colline, le guide tombe sur le site historique : « Tu vois, là où tu marches, ce n'est pas de la roche, C'est du béton. Ils ont construit ce site avec du béton pour stabiliser les armes. »Une tranchée encore visible 110 ans plus tard. Du haut de la colline de Nengo, les militaires allemands avaient une vue imprenable sur le lac Kivu et la ville de Goma. « Ils avaient leur campement juste derrière. Pour la population, ce n'était pas leur guerre, c'était la guerre des Blancs. Ils se sont battus en ville avant que les Belges débordent de l'autre côté de la montagne. Ils ont tiré quelques coups de fusils à Goma et Gisenyi, mais quand ils se sont retrouvés contournés, ils ont décidé d'abandonner leurs positions », raconte Karim GisagaraRestaurer le lieuEn mai 1916, les troupes allemandes se replient rapidement, d'abord dans le sud, à Nyanza, puis quittent le pays. « On va restaurer le site, on va restaurer aussi le campement. On va essayer de faire des recherches, en faisant appel des historiens pour nous aider à comprendre ce qui s'est passé, explique le guide. Après ça, on va commencer la restauration. »Une guerre européenne exportée sur un autre continent avec de lourdes conséquences pour le pays. « La fin de la guerre mondiale a marqué la fin d'une époque allemande, mais c'était la prolongation d'une époque coloniale qui allait mal tourner. Les Belges vont investir un autre système d'occupation, vont beaucoup se mêler dans les affaires internes, ils vont bouleverser la politique du Rwanda, ils vont institutionnaliser les races et les ethnies. »D'autres sites de la Première Guerre mondiale restent visibles au Rwanda. L'année dernière, une équipe de chercheurs a même retrouvé, au fond du lac Kivu, les restes d'un bateau allemand de l'époque.

Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have declared the formation of a rival government in areas under their control, will that change the course of the civil war that is now entering its third year? Will former president of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Joseph Kabila who is planning to return to country, help to find a solution to the conflict with M23 rebels? Why are Kenyan ants of interest to smugglers?Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers: Tom Kavanagh in London, and Blessing Aderogba in Lagos Senior Producer: Patricia Whitehorne Technical Producer: Francesca Dunne Editors: Alice Muthengi and Andre Lombard

How do you talk about your writer-self on TedX and make a difference to listeners? Catriona spills the tea everything, as well making the very good case to let potential readers make up their own minds about our books! Catriona Turner is a Scottish writer and editor. Before living abroad, she worked as an English teacher in Scottish schools. She has since spent fourteen years globally mobile with her family, living in France (three times), Uganda, Congo, and Denmark. Her first book, Nest: a memoir of home on the move, was published in June 2023, and she is now working on a follow-up memoir of returning to Scotland. Her writing has also appeared in anthologies, and she had a regular column in Danish magazine The International. The TEDx talk she delivered in November 2024, titled ‘Find Your Main Character Energy', is available to watch on YouTube. She now lives in Aberdeen with her husband, sons (a teen and a tween), and a brand new puppy. Links mentioned: Catriona's TedX talkThe Word BothyFree proofreading checklistCatriona's WebsiteCatriona's InstagramMonna McDiarmid's Fairy Godmothering Class

The release of Sinners in cinemas brings with it a special episode of Film Stories, where Delroy Lindo joins Simon for a chat about the film. They also talk about Delroy's career, his key collaborations, his approach to his work and more. Along with Sinners, you get bits of Malcolm X, Da 5 Bloods, Ransom and Congo in the conversation. Delroy Lindo proves to be quite the interviewee... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

durée : 00:57:58 - Cultures Monde - par : Mélanie Chalandon, Julie Gacon - Dans le conflit qui touche l'est de la République démocratique du Congo, l'Église catholique tente de se positionner en médiateur. Toutefois, cette initiative n'est pas au goût du président Félix Tshisekedi, qui entretient une relation tendue avec l'institution catholique. - réalisation : Vivian Lecuivre - invités : Trésor Kibangula Analyste politique et cofondateur de l'institut congolais de recherche Ebuteli, ancien journaliste de Jeune Afrique; Onesphore Sematumba Analyste senior pour la République démocratique du Congo et le Burundi auprès de l'International Crisis Group; Marie Miran-Guyon Maîtresse de conférence à l'Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales (EHESS), membre de l'institut des mondes africains (Imaf), historienne et anthropologue, spécialiste du fait religieux en Côte d'Ivoire et dans les pays du golfe de Guinée.

Interview with Mélanie Gouby on conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo - 19:40 Read more about Tristen Naylor, Kelly's new co-host, on our website: https://isd.georgetown.edu/profile/tristen-naylor/ Kelly and Tristen break down the Trump administration's new tariffs, the revival of U.S.-Iran nuclear talks, and Ecuador's recent presidential election. Later, Kelly speaks with investigative journalist Mélanie Gouby about conflict in the DRC and stalled peace talks between the government and Rwandan-backed rebels. Mélanie is an investigative journalist, writer, and documentary filmmaker based in London. Her work focuses on the systemic root causes underpinning violence and conflict, and their impact on human rights, development and the environment. She was the East Africa correspondent for the French newspaper Le Figaro from 2014 to 2016, and has contributed to outlets including the Guardian, the New York Times, the Independent, National Geographic, Foreign Policy, France 24, BBC, Deutsche Welle, and Vice. In May 2012, Mélanie covered the early days of the M23 rebellion for the Associated Press. She was previously the bureau chief for the Institute for War & Peace Reporting in the eastern DRC. The opinions expressed in this conversation are strictly those of the participants and do not represent the views of Georgetown University or any government entity. Produced by Theo Malhotra and Freddie Mallinson.  Recorded on April 15, 2025. Diplomatic Immunity, a podcast from the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy at Georgetown University, brings you frank and candid conversations with experts on the issues facing diplomats and national security decision-makers around the world. Funding support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York. For more, visit our website, and follow us on Linkedin, Twitter @GUDiplomacy, and Instagram @isd.georgetown

Pour essayer de résoudre le conflit meurtrier dans l'est de la RDC, l'Union africaine va chercher aujourd'hui un médiateur qui vient d'un pays très éloigné du théâtre des opérations. Il s'agit de Faure Gnassingbé, le président du Togo. Pourquoi ce choix ? A-t-il plus de chances de réussir que son prédécesseur, l'Angolais Joao Lourenço ? Pour l'Institut Ebuteli, Pierre Boisselet est responsable des recherches sur les violences en République Démocratique du Congo. Il répond aux questions de Christophe Boisbouvier.   RFI :  L'attaque des quartiers ouest de Goma le week-end dernier est-elle le signe que le M23 ne contrôle pas la totalité du territoire qu'il a conquis ces trois derniers mois dans l'est du Congo ?  Pierre Boisselet : Oui, en tout cas, c'est certainement le signe que leM23 n'est pas totalement en mesure d'assurer la paix et la sécurité dans le territoire sous son contrôle. Alors les événements du week-end dernier sont probablement les plus spectaculaires qui ont eu lieu, au moins depuis que le M23 a pris les villes de Goma et Bukavu, au début de l'année… Mais il y en a eu d'autres. On pense notamment aux explosions qui ont eu lieu à Bukavu peu après la conquête de cette ville, en marge d'un meeting de Corneille Nangaa. Il y a aussi eu ces derniers jours des incursions de miliciens wazalendo aux abords de la localité de Kavumu, au Sud-Kivu, où l'on trouve le principal aéroport de cette province du Sud-Kivu. Donc, on voit que, à plusieurs endroits et à plusieurs moments, le M23 a montré que son contrôle de la situation n'était pas total.Il y a un mois, le M23 s'est emparé aussi de la ville de Walikale, sur la route de Kisangani. Et puis, quelques jours plus tard, le mouvement rebelle s'est retiré de cette position importante. Est-ce un retrait stratégique ou politique ? Alors, c'est probablement un peu des deux. Ce qu'on peut dire, c'est qu'on a constaté que le M23 avait beaucoup de difficultés à maintenir ses lignes logistiques jusqu'à cette localité de Walikale qu'il venait de conquérir, notamment la route entre Masisi et Walikale n'était pas du tout sécurisée et les convois étaient à la merci d'attaques de harcèlement. Mais par ailleurs, ce retrait est aussi intervenu au moment où les discussions étaient relancées par le Qatar. Une des conséquences de la prise de Walikale, ça a été la fermeture de la mine d'Alphamin qui est contrôlée par des capitaux américains. Et donc voilà, le fait qu'il se soit retiré, ça a permis l'annonce au moins de la reprise de la production dans cette mine. Donc on peut imaginer qu'il y a pu aussi avoir des pressions politiques qui ont abouti à ce retrait.Et le retrait du M23 de Walikale a coïncidé avec la visite d'un émissaire américain à Kigali ?Tout à fait, Monsieur Boulos, qui d'ailleurs a lui-même annoncé la reprise des activités d'Alphamin dont je parlais à l'instant. Donc voilà, on peut imaginer qu'il y a eu un message de passé à cette occasion.Y a-t-il eu un deal entre messieurs Trump et Kagame ?Alors… Là, je ne saurais m'avancer jusque-là. Ce qu'on sait, c'est qu'il y a eu des discussions. Alors en réalité, surtout entre le gouvernement congolais et le gouvernement américain sur l'accès aux immenses ressources minérales congolaises. Alors est-ce qu'il y a eu d'autres négociations parallèles ? Ça, je ne le sais pas.Du côté des médiations internationales, le Qatar a réussi un joli coup, c'était le 18 mars dernier, quand il a réuni les présidents Tshisekedi et Kagame à Doha. Mais est-ce que cela n'a pas été un succès sans lendemain ? Alors c'est peut-être un tout petit peu tôt pour l'affirmer, mais c'est vrai que ça n'a pas forcément embrayé avec un processus très convaincant, je dirais. On sait que, depuis ce 18 mars, il y a eu des délégations du M23 et du gouvernement congolais qui devaient se rencontrer à Doha pour poursuivre sur la lancée du sommet. Mais à ce stade, il y a vraiment peu d'écho. Il semblerait qu'il y ait assez peu d'avancées dans ces discussions qui ont donc suivi le sommet.Dernière surprise, c'était le week-end dernier :  l'Union africaine a désigné le président togolais Faure Gnassingbé comme nouveau médiateur à la place de l'Angolais João Lourenço. Est-ce que João Lourenço se heurtait à la méfiance de Paul Kagame ? Ce qui n'est peut-être pas le cas du nouveau médiateur togolais ? Alors ce qui est certain, c'est que le Togo entretient de très bonnes relations avec le Rwanda. Ce qui était peut-être un peu moins le cas de João Lourenço. Donc ça, ça peut être un point positif.Faure Gnassingbé s'entend bien aussi avec Felix Tshisekedi ?Oui, il semblerait. Et donc, l'arrivée fracassante du Qatar dans cette médiation n'avait pas forcément été anticipée par l'Union africaine et l'a quelque peu marginalisée. Donc probablement qu'il s'agit aussi, au moins en partie, de replacer l'Union africaine dans cette médiation.En allant chercher un pays en Afrique de l'Ouest, très loin du théâtre des opérations ?Oui, notamment. Alors c'est vrai que, contrairement à João Lourenço d'ailleurs, le président togolais ne siège dans aucune de ces deux organisations que sont la SADEC et l'EAC, dont on connaît les tensions. Et donc ça pourrait lui donner un avantage en termes de neutralité. Mais peut-être que la difficulté, par contre, ça sera pour le président togolais d'arriver à convaincre les deux présidents d'arriver à un compromis. On ne voit pas forcément de quel moyen de pression, il dispose pour leur tordre le bras et y arriver.À lire aussiConflit dans l'est de la RDC: le président togolais désigné médiateur par l'Union africaine

In this special episode of Dimensions of Diversity, Lloyd Freeman, Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer at Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney, engages in an inspiring conversation with Sozi Tulante, the former City Solicitor of Philadelphia. Born in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sozi shares his remarkable journey, which includes seeking political asylum, attending Harvard University, and building a distinguished legal career that features roles as a federal prosecutor and city solicitor.Sozi reflects on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s dream and the wider pursuit of the American Dream. He discusses the challenges surrounding immigration, race, identity, and leadership within the legal profession. Throughout the episode, Sozi offers valuable insights on the importance of mentorship, the need for diversity in law, and how systemic change can lead to meaningful impact.Dimensions of Diversity is a podcast created by Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney, highlighting diversity in the workplace. Hosted by Lloyd Freeman, Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, the podcast features meaningful conversations with industry and community leaders working to advance D&I. 

Join me and special guest billy woods on Saturday, May 10 at Loudmouth BK for the eighth iteration of Reel Talk, a Reel Notes movie night. We'll be screening the 1997 psychological horror film Cure and talking about his latest album, Golliwog. Tickets and more info here.  If you'd like to see full video of this and other episodes, join the Reel Notes Patreon at the Homie ($5/month) tier or higher. You also get early access to episodes, an invite to our Discord server, access to the Reel Talk archives, and more!My guest this week is London-via-Brooklyn rapper, producer, and model Goya Gumbani. We spoke about The Boys, Invincible, Blade, the work of Spike Lee—particularly Mo' Better Blues—making music in Brooklyn and how his move to London amplified his creative drive, a brief tour of his discography and one-producer projects, and the creative process behind his latest album Warlord of the Weejuns, out now everywhere via Ghostly International. Come fuck with us. Warlord of the Weejuns is available wherever music is sold, streamed, or stolen. Consider copping directly from his Bandcamp. Follow Goya on Instagram (@goya.gumbani), Twitter (@Goyagumbani), and TikTok (@goya.gumbani).My first book, Reel Notes: Culture Writing on the Margins of Music and Movies, is available now, via 4 PM Publishing. Order a digital copy on Amazon.Reel Notes stands in solidarity with the oppressed peoples of Palestine, Congo, Sudan, Tigray, and Haiti. Please consider donating to the Palestine Children's Relief Fund,  The Palestinian Youth Movement, The Zakat Foundation, HealAfrica, FreeTigray, and/or Hope For Haiti.  For information about contacting your representatives to demand a ceasefire, finding protests, and other tools, check out CeasefireToday!Follow me on Instagram (@cinemasai), Twitter (@CineMasai_), Bluesky (@cinemasai.bsky.social), TikTok (@cinemasai), Letterboxd (@CineMasai), and subscribe to my weekly Nu Musique Friday newsletter to stay tapped into all things Dylan Green.  Support the show

Au Congo-Brazzaville, les zones agricoles protégées, lancées par le gouvernement en 2021 pour diversifier l'économie, commencent à devenir une réalité. À Bouansa, dans le sud du pays, la zone agricole protégée est consacrée à la culture du maïs. Et la première récolte de l'année 2025 commence. Dans la plaine de Bouansa, les paysans de la zone agricole protégée, tous de vert vêtus, observent le travail de la moissonneuse-batteuse sur près de 60 hectares de maïs. La superficie, étendue, a été cédée par l'État congolais aux agriculteurs de la région pour qu'ils y plantent la céréale. L'un d'eux, Alain Roger Mabika, a été désigné président de la zone agricole protégée. Il espère que les rendements progresseront avec les années :« Ici, nous n'avons produit que le maïs, rien d'autre que le maïs. Quant à l'estimation, tel que je vois là, on peut dire que par hectare, nous avons au moins trois tonnes. Si nous prenons trois tonnes par hectare, ça veut simplement dire que nous devons donc nous retrouver avec 180 tonnes. Pour nous, c'est une façon d'aider ceux qui font de l'industrialisation. »Après la récolte, le maïs est stocké dans un endroit bien protégé. Il sera ensuite vendu aux sociétés brassicoles et aux éleveurs qui en manquent souvent. À ce jour, les importations d'alimentation humaine et animale sont évaluées à 600-700 milliards de francs CFA.Les zones agricoles protégées, un soutien pour les locauxPrès de 300 agriculteurs ont planté du maïs à Bouansa. « Nous produisons beaucoup ici. Nous ne sommes pas des fainéants. Avec la main, nous travaillons. Nous avons vraiment de la bonne production », affirme un cultivateur. « On plante le maïs pour nous soutenir. Ça nous aide et ça nous donne de l'argent », ajoute une cultivatrice.Les zones agricoles protégées ont déjà commencé à produire du manioc, des bananes, des tomates et du riz, dans d'autres régions du Congo-Brazzaville. Ce dont le président de la République s'est félicité à Bouansa. « Merci de la façon dont vous avez suivi l'initiative lancée lors de la campagne électorale passée. Il faut qu'au Congo, l'agriculture aille de l'avant ! », a lancé le président Denis Sassou Nguesso.À travers les zones agricoles protégées, les autorités espèrent lutter contre le chômage, contre la sous-alimentation et diminuer la facture des importations alimentaires.À lire aussiCongo-Brazzaville: des zones agricoles protégées pour assurer l'autosuffisance alimentaire

Donate (no account necessary) | Subscribe (account required) Join Bryan Dean Wright, former CIA Operations Officer, as he breaks down today's biggest stories shaping America and the world. Iran Peace Talks Falter as Trump Suspects Stalling – Despite optimistic signals from U.S. and Iranian negotiators, President Trump warns the Ayatollah may be playing for time, possibly to build a nuclear weapon. Meanwhile, 80,000 Yemeni troops prepare to launch a massive offensive on the Iran-backed Houthis. Trump Blasts Zelenskyy, Mulls Shock Strategy in Ukraine – After Zelenskyy criticized Vice President Vance, Trump fires back and suggests it may be time for Europe to take full responsibility for the war. He hints at ending U.S. support unless progress is made in peace talks. China Squeezes Europe with Rare Earth Embargo – No shipments of critical minerals to Germany for weeks, pushing Europe toward economic crisis. Trump allies speculate Beijing may have secretly undermined U.S. and EU mining efforts through environmental activism and elite influence. Congo Minerals Deal Inches Closer – Trump's envoy says there's a “path forward” for U.S. access to Congo's $20T in mineral riches. Companies like Rio Tinto and KoBold Metals are lining up, potentially reshaping the global supply chain. U.S.-Mexico Water Conflict Heats Up – Trump threatens tariffs and sanctions over Mexico's failure to release treaty-mandated water to Texas. He also floats an FDR-scale civil works plan to desalinate and reroute water from northern Mexico into the American Southwest. Probiotics Boost Mood and Emotional Intelligence – New Dutch research finds that gut health supplements reduce stress and improve emotional perception, possibly offering new hope for autism treatment and everyday mental health. "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." - John 8:32​

In this episode, Loye and Fola discuss the implications of President Trump's global tariff policy, particularly its adverse effects on African economies like Lesotho.  The conversation then shifts to the increasing involvement of Middle Eastern countries in African politics, highlighting Qatar's mediation in the DRC conflict.  Finally, we explore the potential of AI in Africa, emphasising the need for infrastructure and proactive engagement in the AI revolution.What in the world (WITW) video: https://www.instagram.com/p/DHn5mTlIftO/?igsh=Ymw2MHc1dDY4cXJzBonus WITW: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DIbzwrMM2Jc/?igsh=MWwwZTFiczVjOXlkbg==Timestamps:02:14 Trump's tariffs13:14 Gulf States in Africa25:05 Africa's AI infrastructure36:33 What in the World?https://www.instagram.com/thebrief.xyz/

It’s Monday in America, time for The World’s Greatest Political Podcast: THE LEFT SHOW! This week, J.M. Bell, Taylor, JC, and Tiffany talk about immigration and Trump’s crimes against humanity, the draft dodgers military parade, Americans released from the Congo, and the right wing hypocrisy on transgender women. #686 The World’s Greatest Political Podcast – […]

In this episode, an IPC analysis reveals the highest number ever recorded of acutely food insecure populations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo due to conflict, economic instability and surging food prices; sustainable water management is essential to feed Europe and Central Asia and build resilience against climate change, shows a UN report co-authored by FAO; and the Food Price Index remains stable in March.  Producer: Heriberto Araujo, Ruki Inoshita, Flora Trouilloud Presenter: Ruki Inoshita Sound: Eric Deleu Editorial supervision: Ho Tszmei ©FAO/ Alessandra Benedetti

En este episodio, un análisis de la CIF revela el mayor número jamás registrado de poblaciones en situación de inseguridad alimentaria aguda en la República Democrática del Congo; la gestión sostenible del agua es esencial para alimentar a Europa y Asia Central y para la resiliencia de la región frente al cambio climático, según un informe de la ONU del que es coautora la FAO; y el Índice de Precios de los Alimentos se mantiene estable en marzo.   Productores: Heriberto Araujo, Ruki Inoshita, Flora Trouilloud Presentador: Heriberto Araujo Sonido: Eric Deleu Supervisión editorial: Ho Tszmei ©FAO/ Alessandra Benedetti

Dans cet épisode, une analyse de l'IPC révèle le nombre le plus élevé jamais enregistré de personnes en situation d'insécurité alimentaire aiguë en République démocratique du Congo en raison des conflits, de l'instabilité économique et de la flambée des prix des produits alimentaires ; une gestion durable de l'eau est essentielle pour nourrir l'Europe et l'Asie centrale et renforcer la résilience face au changement climatique, selon un rapport de l'ONU coécrit par la FAO ; et l'indice des prix des produits alimentaires reste stable en mars.  Producteurs: Heriberto Araujo, Flora Trouilloud, Ruki Inoshita, Présentatrice: Flora Trouilloud Son: Eric Deleu Supervision éditoriale: Ho Tszmei ©FAO/ Alessandra Benedetti 

In this episode of Soar Financially, Andy Home, Senior Metals Columnist at Reuters, joins us to expose the geopolitical war playing out through critical minerals. From rare earth restrictions to China's supply chain chokehold and the U.S.'s scramble for independence, we unpack how metals have become the new weapons of global power.We dive into the battle over Congo, the truth behind Ukraine's mineral deal, and why Western nations are years behind in processing, refining, and even understanding what's underground. Andy breaks it all down with clarity, history, and sharp insight.------------

Kenyan President William Ruto is scheduled to travel to Beijing later this month for an official state visit, where he's widely expected to finalize a long-awaited deal to extend the Chinese-built Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) to the Ugandan border. But the key question remains: will China agree to fund the 475-kilometer extension? Eric and Géraud also explore why a Chinese mining company continues to produce large volumes of cobalt in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, despite a government ban on exports of the valuable blue metal. Plus, they unpack the latest testimony from General Michael Langley, the top U.S. military commander for Africa, and what his comments reveal about Washington's current outlook on China-Africa relations. JOIN THE DISCUSSION: X: @ChinaGSProject | @eric_olander | @christiangeraud Facebook: www.facebook.com/ChinaAfricaProject YouTube: www.youtube.com/@ChinaGlobalSouth Now on Bluesky! Follow CGSP at @chinagsproject.bsky.social FOLLOW CGSP IN FRENCH AND ARABIC: Français: www.projetafriquechine.com | @AfrikChine Arabic: عربي: www.alsin-alsharqalawsat.com | @SinSharqAwsat JOIN US ON PATREON! Become a CGSP Patreon member and get all sorts of cool stuff, including our Week in Review report, an invitation to join monthly Zoom calls with Eric & Cobus, and even an awesome new CGSP Podcast mug! www.patreon.com/chinaglobalsouth

Happy Going! We're all getting punchy heading into the weekend, as if the weekend will be a breather for any of us. David Waldman effectuates our weekending KITM, and I facilitate that with this summary, I hope. Donald K. Trump pardoned a corporation, yet has not appointed a horse to Senate, which might be more of a late term thing. Polytheism seems to be wearing thin in Trump/Musk circles, with Elon Musk's pride goething before his fall. Thou shalt bow down thyself only onto Trump in Cabinet meetings. (Graven images available at the door.) Two people guilty of not praising Donald enough are being investigated for treason, while Trump shops for his presidential Luger. Marco Rubio is punishing the country of South Sudan for not accepting the Democratic Republic of the Congo citizen he sent there by mistake. The commander of a Greenland military base was ousted when she failed to rattle her saber loudly enough for JD Vance. US tells Greenland “I see you have Injuns! We have Injuns!” Kennedy Center president Richard Grenell believes people boycotting the Kennedy Center hate Republicans, when mostly they hate Richard Grenell. What happens when the courts can't trust the Executive Branch? Well, we are about to find out, because the courts can't trust the Executive Branch. Learn more about courts of equity, such as the Court of Chancery. Kash Patel plans to work remotely in his FBI position but wasn't remotely working in his ATF job. Hey now… there's no proof that Marjorie Taylor Green participated in insider trading this week, or placed pipe bombs prior to Jan 6… It just looks like that. RFK Jr. will discover the cause of autism by this fall, but if you have cancer, you'll need to wait a little longer.   It's only TLDR if you don't take the time to read it! How did the President lose and when did he lose it in the SCOTUS Alien Enemy Act case? Curtis Yarvin always wanted to destroy the United States and the global economy, yet somehow still feels empty inside.

After two years of war in Sudan, famine is spreading, warn UN teams Tariff uncertainty also offers potential for developing economies Democratic Republic of the Congo emergency sees one child raped every 30 minutes

In this incisive episode of Geopolitics with Ghost, host Gordon McCormick (Ghost) unpacks a tangled web of foreign policy, natural resources, and covert warfare unfolding in Africa, with a laser focus on the Democratic Republic of Congo and Sudan. Ghost begins with the return of three American mercenaries convicted of participating in a failed coup in the DRC, analyzing why the Trump administration might have intervened to bring them home. His theory? These men may hold the keys to uncovering who's funding instability in the mineral-rich region, possibly tying back to Israeli oligarch Dan Gertler and the long arm of Western intelligence. The episode then moves to Sudan, where Ghost exposes how the U.S. has worked to block Russia's effort to build a Red Sea naval base, tracing a timeline from diplomatic threats to the eruption of civil war. Drawing from maps, UN data, historical coups, and public statements by Western and Russian officials, Ghost dissects how Sudan has become a central battleground in the struggle between globalist control and sovereign alliances. He challenges official narratives, questions who really backs each side in the Sudanese conflict, and explains why Russia and China's expanding influence in Africa is both a threat to the old guard and a potential lifeline for nations seeking independence from Western coercion. With sharp analysis and deep historical context, Ghost helps listeners understand the deeper stakes behind what looks like chaos, and why the battle for Africa's future might decide much more than just regional power.

Hosts: Leah Murray and Greg Skordas  You may recall an interesting story from several months ago about a couple of Utahns being involved in an attempted coup in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Those men were imprisoned in the country and faced the death penalty... until this week. Now, they're back in the United States facing additional charges. It's a bit of a complicated situation, so KSL Legal Analyst Greg Skordas breaks it down. 

Hosts: Leah Murray and Greg Skordas  SCOTUS chimes in on wrongful deportation case  The fight over the future of a Maryland man wrongly deported to an El Salvador prison continues today. Last night, the Supreme Court said the man must be returned to the United States but also said that the courts can't just tell the executive branch how to bring the man home. The Supreme Court passed the case back to the lower courts, who held a hearing earlier today. The Inside Sources discuss the latest on the case.    Can non-citizens be deported for their beliefs?   Columbia University activist Mahmoud Khalil is a legal permanent U.S. resident. But the government is trying to deport him for his alleged antisemetic beliefs. The federal government was ordered to turn over evidence to the courts explaining why they felt he should be deported; instead, they submitted a brief memo in which Secretary of State Marco Rubio says Khalil could be expelled for his beliefs. Can a non-citizen be deported for their beliefs? It’s a little complicated... The Inside Sources hosts explain.    Senator John Curtis explains some recent initiatives with Inside Sources  Energy dominance doesn't come without a cost. And while Congress works on the full budget and tax package, Senator John Curtis (R-UT) is asking Congressional leaders to keep some of the energy tax credits put in place by the Biden Administration. Senator Curtis is also looking at ways to fix and improve our forests -- something we here in the West are all-too-familiar with. The Senator joins the program to discuss both of these initiatives.    Utah leaders hope to turn state into an AI hub following trade mission to Canada  Artificial intelligence -- it's one of the biggest buzzwords in technology right now. And in a technology-friendly state like Utah, the inclusion of AI is all but guaranteed. This week, Governor Cox and other Utah leaders have been travelling through Canada, meeting leaders in energy and AI. Now, that trade delegation is hoping to take what they learned and make Utah the next global hub of artificial intelligence.    Utahns involved in Congo coup attempt now facing charges in the US  You may recall an interesting story from several months ago about a couple of Utahns being involved in an attempted coup in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Those men were imprisoned in the country and faced the death penalty... until this week. Now, they're back in the United States facing additional charges. It's a bit of a complicated situation, so KSL Legal Analyst Greg Skordas breaks it down.    Trump administration wants more federal oversight of Columbia University  Schools that receive federal funding often must do certain things to keep that money (Title IX is a good example -- schools must not discriminate based on sex). But to what extent can the federal government enforce that? The Trump administration says that for Columbia University -- which was a central part of the pro-Palestinian protests last year -- to keep their funding, they need to allow more federal control and oversight.    Erasing shame or erasing history  The philosopher George Santayana said it best: "Those who forget their history are condemned to repeat it." It's been a quote used by history teachers and professors for more than 100 years, showing the importance of learning our history. But history isn't always pretty -- it can be raw, ugly, and absolutely terrible. President Trump's administration says it wants to erase the kind of shame associated with those awful events. But is that the best move... to ensure we don't repeat the atrocities of the past?    Resources for people experiencing homelessness  People experiencing homelessness tend to face some unique challenges most of us might not think of. To help with some of these unique issues, the courts hold a kind of homeless outreach program. Greg Skordas took part in some of that this morning; he talks about it with co-host Leah Murray.   

El Centro de Comercio Internacional calcula que la guerra de aranceles puede hacer que el comercio mundial se contraiga entre un 3% y un 7% . La oficina de derechos humanos advierte que las acciones de Israel en Gaza están poniendo cada vez más en peligro la existencia de los palestinos como grupo.Una niña es violada cada media hora en la República Democrática del Congo

In late February in DC, I attended the US premiere of the Bertelsmann Foundation of North America produced documentary “Lithium Rising”, a movie about the extraction of essential rare minerals like lithium, nickel and cobalt. Afterwards, I moderated a panel featuring the movie's director Samuel George, the Biden US Department of Energy Director Giulia Siccardo and Environmental Lawyer JingJing Zhang (the "Erin Brockovich of China"). In post Liberation Day America, of course, the issues addressed in both “Lithium Rising” and our panel discussion - particularly US-Chinese economic rivalry over these essential rare minerals - are even more relevant. Tariffs or not, George's important new movie uncovers the essential economic and moral rules of today's rechargeable battery age. FIVE TAKEAWAYS* China dominates the critical minerals supply chain, particularly in refining lithium, cobalt, and nickel - creating a significant vulnerability for the United States and Western countries who rely on these minerals for everything from consumer electronics to military equipment.* Resource extraction creates complex moral dilemmas in communities like those in Nevada, Bolivia, Congo, and Chile, where mining offers economic opportunities but also threatens environment and sacred lands, often dividing local populations.* History appears to be repeating itself with China's approach in Africa mirroring aspects of 19th century European colonialism, building infrastructure that primarily serves to extract resources while local communities remain impoverished.* Battery recycling offers a potential "silver lining" but faces two major challenges: making the process cost-effective compared to new mining, and accumulating enough recycled materials to create a closed-loop system, which could take decades.* The geopolitical competition for these minerals is intensifying, with tariffs and trade wars affecting global supply chains and the livelihoods of workers throughout the system, from miners to manufacturers. FULL TRANSCRIPTAndrew Keen: Hello, everybody. Last year, we did a show on a new book. It was a new book back then called Cobalt Red about the role of cobalt, the mineral in the Congo. We also did a show. The author of the Cobalt Red book is Siddharth Kara, and it won a number of awards. It's the finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. We also did a show with Ernest Scheyder, who authored a book, The War Below, Lithium, Copper, and the Global Battle to Power Our Lives. Lithium and cobalt are indeed becoming the critical minerals of our networked age. We've done two books on it, and a couple of months ago, I went to the premiere, a wonderful new film, a nonfiction documentary by my guest Samuel George. He has a new movie out called Lithium Rising and I moderated a panel in Washington DC and I'm thrilled that Samuel George is joining us now. He works with the Bertelsmann Foundation of North America and it's a Bertelsman funded enterprise. Sam, congratulations on the movie. It's quite an achievement. I know you traveled all over the world. You went to Europe, Latin America, a lot of remarkable footage also from Africa. How would you compare the business of writing a book like Cobalt read or the war below about lithium and cobalt and the challenges and opportunities of doing a movie like lithium rising what are the particular challenges for a movie director like yourself.Samuel George: Yeah, Andrew. Well, first of all, I just want to thank you for having me on the program. I appreciate that. And you're right. It is a very different skill set that's required. It's a different set of challenges and also a different set of opportunities. I mean, the beauty of writing, which is something I get a chance to do as well. And I should say we actually do have a long paper coming out of this process that I wrote that will probably be coming out in the next couple months. But the beauty of writing is you need to kind of understand your topic, and if you can really understand your topics, you have the opportunity to explain it. When it comes to filming, if the camera doesn't have it, you don't have it. You might have a sense of something, people might explain things to you in a certain way, but if you don't have it on your camera in a way that's digestible and easy for audience to grasp, it doesn't matter whether you personally understand it or not. So the challenge is really, okay, maybe you understand the issue, but how do you show it? How do you bring your audience to that front line? Because that's the opportunity that you have that you don't necessarily have when you write. And that's to take an audience literally to these remote locations that they've never been and plant their feet right in the ground, whether that be the Atacama in Northern Chile, whether that'd be the red earth of Colwaisy in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. And that's the beauty of it, but it takes more of making sure you get something not just whether you understand it is almost irrelevant. I mean I guess you do need to understand it but you need to be able to draw it out of a place. It's easier when you're writing to get to some of these difficult places because you don't have to bring 900 pounds of equipment and you can kind of move easier and you're much more discreet. You can get places much easier as you can imagine, where with this, you're carrying all this equipment down. You're obvious from miles away. So you really have to build relationships and get people to get comfortable with you and be willing to speak out. So it's different arts, but it's also different rewards. And the beauty of being able to combine analysis with these visuals is really the draw of what makes documentary so magic because you're really kind of hitting different senses at the same time, visual, audio, and combining it to hopefully make some sort of bigger story.Andrew Keen: Well, speaking, Sam, of audio and visuals, we've got a one minute clip or introduction to the movie. People just listening on this podcast won't get to see your excellent film work, but everybody else will. So let's just have a minute to see what lithium rising is all about. We'll be back in a minute.[Clip plays]Andrew Keen: Here's a saying that says that the natural resources are today's bread and tomorrow's hunger. Great stuff, Sam. That last quote was in Spanish. Maybe you want to translate that to English, because I think, in a sense, it summarizes what lithium rising is about.Samuel George: Right. Well, that's this idea that natural resources in a lot of these places, I mean, you have to take a step back that a lot of these resources, you mentioned the lithium, the cobalt, you can throw nickel into that conversation. And then some of the more traditional ones like copper and silver, a lot are in poor countries. And for centuries, the opportunity to access this has been like a mirage, dangled in front of many of these poor countries as an opportunity to become more wealthy. Yet what we continue to see is the wealth, the mineral wealth of these countries is sustaining growth around the world while places like Potosí and Bolivia remain remarkably poor. So the question on their minds is, is this time gonna be any different? We know that Bolivia has perhaps the largest lithium deposits in the world. They're struggling to get to it because they're fighting amongst each other politically about what's the best way to do it, and is there any way to it that, hey, for once, maybe some of this resource wealth can stay here so that we don't end up, as the quote said, starving. So that's where their perspective is. And then on the other side, you have the great powers of the world who are engaged in a massive competition for access to these minerals.Andrew Keen: And let's be specific, Sam, we're not talking about 19th century Europe and great powers where there were four or five, they're really only two great powers when it comes to these resources, aren't they?Samuel George: I mean, I think that's fair to say. I think some people might like to lump in Western Europe and the EU with the United States to the extent that we used to traditionally conceive of them as being on the same team. But certainly, yes, this is a competition between the United States and China. And it's one that, frankly, China is winning and winning handily. And we can debate what that means, but it's true. I showed this film in London. And a student, who I believe was Chinese, commented, is it really fair to even call this a race? Because it seems to be over.Andrew Keen: Yeah, it's over. You showed it at King's College in London. I heard it was an excellent event.Samuel George: Yeah, it really was. But the point here is, to the extent that it's a competition between the United States and China, which it is, China is winning. And that's of grave concern to Washington. So there's the sense that the United States needs to catch up and need to catch up quickly. So that's the perspective that these two great powers are going at it from. Whereas if you're the Democratic Republic of Congo, if you are Bolivia, if your Chile, you're saying, what can we do to try to make the most of this opportunity and not just get steamrolled?Andrew Keen: Right. And you talk about a grave concern. Of course, there is grave concern both in Washington, D.C. and Beijing in terms of who's winning this race for these natural resources that are driving our networked age, our battery powered age. Some people might think the race has ended. Some people may even argue that it hasn't even really begun. But of course, one of the biggest issues, and particularly when it comes to the Chinese, is this neocolonial element. This was certainly brought out in Cobalt Red, which is quite a controversial book about the way in which China has essentially colonized the Congo by mining Cobalt in Congo, using local labor and then shipping out these valuable resources back to China. And of course, it's part of a broader project in Africa of the Chinese, which for some critics actually not that different from European 19th century colonialism. That's why we entitled our show with Siddharth Kara, The New Heart of Darkness. Of course, the original Heart of darkness was Joseph Conrad's great novel that got turned into Apocalypse Now. Is history repeating itself, Sam, when it comes to these natural resources in terms of the 19th-century history of colonialism, particularly in Africa?Samuel George: Yeah, I mean, I think it's so one thing that's fair to say is you hear a lot of complaining from the West that says, well, look, standards are not being respected, labor is being taken advantage of, environment is not being taken care of, and this is unfair. And this is true, but your point is equally true that this should not be a foreign concept to the West because it's something that previously the West was clearly engaged in. And so yes, there is echoes of history repeating itself. I don't think there's any other way to look at it. I think it's a complicated dynamic because sometimes people say, well, why is the West not? Why is it not the United States that's in the DRC and getting the cobalt? And I think that's because it's been tough for the United states to find its footing. What China has done is increasingly, and then we did another documentary about this. It's online. It's called Tinder Box Belt and Road, China and the Balkans. And what we increasingly see is in these non-democracies or faulty democracies that has something that China's interested in. China's willing to show up and basically put a lot of money on the table and not ask a whole lot of questions. And if the West, doesn't wanna play that game, whatever they're offering isn't necessarily as attractive. And that's a complication that we see again and again around the world and one, the United States and Europe and the World Bank and Western institutions that often require a lot of background study and open tenders for contracts and democracy caveats and transparency. China's not asking for any of that, as David Dollar, a scholar, said in the prior film, if the World Bank says they're going to build you a road, it's going to be a 10-year process, and we'll see what happens. If China says they'll build you a road a year later, you'll have a road.Andrew Keen: But then the question sound becomes, who owns the road?Samuel George: So let's take the Democratic Republic of the Congo, another great option. China has been building a lot of roads there, and this is obviously beneficial to a country that has very limited infrastructure. It's not just to say everything that China is doing is bad. China is a very large and economically powerful country. It should be contributing to global infrastructure. If it has the ability to finance that, wonderful. We all know Africa, certain African countries can really benefit from improved infrastructure. But where do those roads go? Well, those roads just happen to conveniently connect to these key mineral deposits where China overwhelmingly owns the interest and the minerals.Andrew Keen: That's a bit of a coincidence, isn't it?Samuel George: Well, exactly. And I mean, that's the way it's going. So that's what they'll come to the table. They'll put money on the table, they'll say, we'll get you a road. And, you know, what a coincidence that roads going right by the cobalt mine run by China. That's debatable. If you're from the African perspective, you could say, look, we got a road, and we needed that road. And it could also be that there's a lot of money disappearing in other places. But, you know that that's a different question.Andrew Keen: One of the things I liked about Lithium Rising, the race for critical minerals, your new documentary, is it doesn't pull its punches. Certainly not when it comes to the Chinese. You have some remarkable footage from Africa, but also it doesn't pull its punches in Latin America, or indeed in the United States itself, where cobalt has been discovered and it's the indigenous peoples of some of the regions where cobalt, sorry, where lithium has been discovered, where the African versus Chinese scenario is being played out. So whether it's Bolivia or the western parts of the United States or Congo, the script is pretty similar, isn't it?Samuel George: Yeah, you certainly see themes in the film echoed repeatedly. You mentioned what was the Thacker Pass lithium mine that's being built in northern Nevada. So people say, look, we need lithium. The United States needs lithium. Here's the interesting thing about critical minerals. These are not rare earth minerals. They're actually not that rare. They're in a lot of places and it turns out there's a massive lithium deposit in Nevada. Unfortunately, it's right next to a Native American reservation. This is an area that this tribe has been kind of herded onto after years, centuries of oppression. But the way the documentary tries to investigate it, it is not a clear-cut story of good guy and bad guy, rather it's a very complicated situation, and in that specific case what you have is a tribe that's divided, because there's some people that say, look, this is our land, this is a sacred site, and this is going to be pollution, but then you have a whole other section of the tribe that says we are very poor and this is an opportunity for jobs such that we won't have to leave our area, that we can stay here and work. And these kind of entangled complications we see repeated over and over again. Cobalt is another great example. So there's some people out there that are saying, well, we can make a battery without cobalt. And that's not because they can make a better battery. It's because they want to avoid the Democratic Republic of the Congo. But that cobalt is providing a rare job opportunity. And we can debate the quality of the job, but for the people that are working it, as they say in my film, they say, look, if we could do something else, we would do it. But this is all there is. So if you deprive them of that, the situation gets even worse. And that something we see in Northern Chile. We see it in Nevada. We see in Africa. We see it in Indonesia. What the film does is it raises these moral questions that are incredibly important to talk about. And it sort of begs the question of, not only what's the answer, but who has the right to answer this? I mean, who has right to speak on behalf of the 10 communities that are being destroyed in Northern Chile?Andrew Keen: I have to admit, I thought you did a very good job in the film giving everybody a voice, but my sympathy when it came to the Nevada case was with the younger people who wanted to bring wealth and development into the community rather than some of the more elderly members who were somehow anti-development, anti-investment, anti mining in every sense. I don't see how that benefits, but certainly not their children or the children of their children.Samuel George: I guess the fundamental question there is how bad is that mine going to be for the local environment? And I think that's something that remains to be seen. And one of the major challenges with this broader idea of are we going to greener by transitioning to EVs? And please understand I don't have an opinion of that. I do think anywhere you're doing mining, you're going to have immediate consequences. The transition would have to get big enough that the external the externalities, the positive benefits outweigh that kind of local negativity. And we could get there, but it's also very difficult to imagine massive mining projects anywhere in the world that don't impact the local population. And again, when we pick up our iPhone or when we get in our electric vehicle, we're not necessarily thinking of those 10 villages in the Atacama Desert in Chile.Andrew Keen: Yeah, and I've been up to the Atacama's, perhaps the most beautiful part in the world I've ever seen. It's nice. I saw the tourist side of it, so I didn't see the mining. But I take your point. There is one, perhaps, the most positive section of the film. You went to France. I think it was Calais, you took your camera. And it seems as if the French are pioneering a more innovative development of batteries which benefit the local community but also protect them environmentally. What did you see in northern France?Samuel George: Point, and that gets back to this extractive cycle that we've seen before. Okay, so northern France, this is a story a lot of us will know well because it's similar to what we've see in the Rust Belt in the United States. This is an industrial zone, historically, that faced significant deindustrialization in recent decades and now has massive problems with unemployment and lack of job opportunities, as one of the guys says in the film. Nothing's open here anymore except for that cafe over there and that's just because it has gambling guy. I couldn't have said it any better. This EV transition is offering an opportunity to bring back industrial jobs to whether it's Northern France or the United States of America. So that is an opportunity for people to have these more advanced battery-oriented jobs. So that could be building the battery itself. That could be an auto manufacturing plant where you're making EV electric vehicles. So there is job creation that's happening. And that's further along the development stage and kind of higher level jobs. And we meet students in France that are saying, look, this is an opportunity for a career. We see a long-term opportunity for work here. So we're really studying batteries and that's for university students. That's for people maybe 10, 15 years older to kind of go back to school and learn some skills related to batteries. So there is job creation to that. And you might, you may be getting ready to get to this, but where the real silver lining I think comes after that, where we go back to Georgia in the United States and visit a battery recycling plant.Andrew Keen: Right, yeah, those two sections in the movie kind of go together in a sense.Samuel George: Right, they do. And that is, I think, the silver lining here is that these batteries that we use in all of these appliances and devices and gadgets can be recycled in such a way that the cobalt, the lithium, the nickel can be extracted. And it itself hasn't degraded. It's sort of funny for us to think about, because we buy a phone. And three years later, the battery is half as good as it used to be and we figure well, materials in it must be degrading. They're not. The battery is degrading, the materials are fine. So then the idea is if we can get enough of this in the United States, if we can get old phones and old car batteries and old laptops that we can pull those minerals out, maybe we can have a closed loop, which is sort of a way of saying we won't need those mines anymore. We won't have to dig it up. We don't need to compete with China for access to from Bolivia or Chile because we'll have that lithium here. And yes, that's a silver lining, but there's challenges there. The two key challenges your viewers should be aware of is one, it's all about costs and they've proven that they can recycle these materials, but can they do it in a way that's cheaper than importing new lithium? And that's what these different companies are racing to find a way to say, look, we can do this at a way that's cost effective. Then even if you get through that challenge, a second one is just to have the sheer amount of the materials to close that loop, to have enough in the United States already, they estimate we're decades away from that. So those are the two key challenges to the silver lining of recycling, but it is possible. It can be done and they're doing it.Andrew Keen: We haven't talked about the T word, Sam. It's on everyone's lips these days, tariffs. How does this play out? I mean, especially given this growing explicit, aggressive trade war between the United States and China, particularly when it comes to production of iPhones and other battery-driven products. Right. Is tariffs, I mean, you film this really before Trump 2-0, in which tariffs were less central, but is tariffs going to change everything?Samuel George: I mean, this is just like so many other things, an incredibly globalized ecosystem and tariffs. And who even knows by the time this comes out, whatever we think we understand about the new tariff scenario could be completely outdated.Andrew Keen: Guaranteed. I mean, we are talking on Wednesday, April the 9th. This will go out in a few days time. But no doubt by that time, tariffs will have changed dramatically. They already have as we speak.Samuel George: Here's the bottom line, and this is part of the reason the story is so important and so timely, and we haven't even talked about this yet, but it's so critical. Okay, just like oil, you can't just dig oil out of the ground and put it in the car. It's got to be refined. Lithium, nickel, cobalt, it's got be refined as well. And the overwhelming majority of that refining occurs in China. So even your success story like France, where they're building batteries, they still need to import the refined critical minerals from China. So that is a massive vulnerability. And that's part of where this real fear that you see in Washington or Brussels is coming from. You know, and they got their first little taste of it during the COVID supply chain meltdown, but say in the event where China decided that they weren't gonna export any more of this refined material it would be disastrous for people relying on lithium devices, which by the way, is also the military. Increasingly, the military is using lithium battery powered devices. So that's why there's this urgency that we need to get this on shore. We need to this supply chain here. The problem is that's not happening yet. And okay, so you can slap these tariffs on and that's going to make this stuff much more expensive, but that's not going to automatically create a critical mineral refining capacity in the United States of America. So that needs to be built. So you can understand the desire to get this back here. And by the way, the only reason we're not all driving Chinese made electric vehicles is because of tariffs. The Chinese have really, really caught up in terms of high quality electric vehicles at excellent prices. Now, the prices were always good. What's surprising people recently is the quality is there, but they've basically been tariffed out of the United States. And actually the Biden administration was in part behind that. And it was sort of this tension because on the one hand, they were saying, we want a green revolution, we want to green revolution. But on the other hand, they were seeing these quality Chinese electric vehicles. We're not gonna let you bring them in. But yeah, so I mean, I think the ultimate goal, you can understand why a country that's convinced that it's in a long term competition with China would say we can't rely on Chinese refined materials. Slapping a tariff on it isn't any sort of comprehensive strategy and to me it almost seems like you're putting the horse before the cart because we're not really in a place yet where we can say we no longer need China to power our iPhone.Andrew Keen: And one of the nice things about your movie is it features miners, ordinary people living on the land whose lives are dramatically impacted by this. So one would imagine that some of the people you interviewed in Bolivia or Atacama or in Africa or even in Georgia and certainly in Nevada, they're going to be dramatically impacted by the tariffs. These are not just abstract ideas that have a real impact on people's lives.Samuel George: Absolutely. I mean, for decades now, we've built an economic system that's based on globalization. And it's certainly true that that's cost a lot of jobs in the United States. It's also true that there's a lot jobs and companies that have been built around global trade. And this is one of them. And you're talking about significant disruption if your global supply chains, as we've seen before, again, in the COVID crisis when the supply chains fall apart or when the margins, which are already pretty slim to begin with, start to degrade, yeah, it's a major problem.Andrew Keen: Poorly paid in the first place, so...Samuel George: For the most part, yeah.Andrew Keen: Well, we're not talking about dinging Elon Musk. Tell us a little bit, Sam, about how you made this movie. You are a defiantly independent filmmaker, one of the more impressive that I know. You literally carry two large cameras around the world. You don't have a team, you don't have an audio guy, you don't ever sound guy. You do it all on your own. It's quite impressive. Been you shlep these cameras to Latin America, to Southeast Asia, obviously all around America. You commissioned work in Africa. How did you make this film? It's quite an impressive endeavor.Samuel George: Well, first of all, I really appreciate your kind words, but I can't completely accept this idea that I do it all alone. You know, I'm speaking to you now from the Bertelsmann Foundation. I'm the director of Bertelsman Foundation documentaries. And we've just had this fantastic support here and this idea that we can go to the front line and get these stories. And I would encourage people to check out Bertelsmen Foundation documentation.Andrew Keen: And we should have a special shout out to your boss, my friend, Irene Brahm, who runs the BuzzFeed Foundation of North America, who's been right from the beginning, a champion of video making.Samuel George: Oh, absolutely. I mean, Irene Brahm has been a visionary in terms of, you know, something I think that we align on is you take these incredibly interesting issues and somehow analysts manage to make them extraordinarily boring. And Irene had this vision that maybe it doesn't have to be that way.Andrew Keen: She's blushing now as she's watching this, but I don't mean to make you blush, Sam, but these are pretty independent movies. You went around the world, you've done it before, you did it in the Serbian movie too. You're carrying these cameras around, you're doing all your own work, it's quite an achievement.Samuel George: Well, again, I'm very, very thankful for the Bertelsmann Foundation. I think a lot of times, sometimes people, when they hear a foundation or something is behind something, they assume that somebody's got an ax to grind, and that's really not the case here. The Bertelsman Foundation is very supportive of just investigating these key issues, and let's have an honest conversation about it. And maybe it's a cop-out, but in my work, I often don't try to provide a solution.Andrew Keen: Have you had, when we did our event in D.C., you had a woman, a Chinese-born woman who's an expert on this. I don't think she's particularly welcome back on the mainland now. Has there been a Chinese response? Because I would say it's an anti-Chinese movie, but it's not particularly sympathetic or friendly towards China.Samuel George: And I can answer that question because it was the exact same issue we ran into when we filmed Tinder Box Belt and Road, which was again about Chinese investment in the Balkans. And your answer is has there been a Chinese reaction and no sort of official reaction. We always have people sort of from the embassy or various affiliated organizations that like to come to the events when we screen it. And they're very welcome to. But here's a point that I want to get across. Chinese officials and people related to China on these issues are generally uniformly unwilling to participate. And I think that's a poor decision on their part because I think there's a lot they could say to defend themselves. They could say, hey, you guys do this too. They could say, we're providing infrastructure to critical parts of the world. They could said, hey we're way ahead of you guys, but it's not because we did anything wrong. We just saw this was important before you did and built the network. There are many ways they could defend themselves. But rather than do that, they're extremely tight-lipped about what they're doing. And that can, if you're not, and we try our best, you know, we have certain experts from China that when they'll talk, we'll interview them. But that kind of tight-lip approach almost makes it seem like something even more suspicious is happening. Cause you just have to guess what the mindset must be cause they won't explain themselves. And I think Chinese representatives could do far more and it's not just about you know my documentary I understand they have bigger fish to fry but I feel like they fry the fish the same way when they're dealing with bigger entities I think it's to their detriment that they're not more open in engaging a global conversation because look China is gonna be an incredibly impactful part of world dynamics moving forward and they need to be, they need to engage on what they're doing. I think, and I do think they have a story they can tell to defend themselves, and it's unfortunate that they very much don't do it.Andrew Keen: In our DC event, you also had a woman who'd worked within the Biden administration. Has there been a big shift between Biden policy on recycling, recyclable energy and Trump 2.0? It's still the early days of the new administration.Samuel George: Right. And we're trying to get a grip on that of what the difference is going to be. I can tell you this, the Biden approach was very much the historic approach of the United States of America, which is to try to go to a country like Congo and say, look, we're not going to give you money without transparency. We're not gonna give you this big, you know, beautiful deal. We're going to the cheapest to build this or the cheapest build that. But what we can compete with you is on quality and sustainability and improved work conditions. This used to be the United States pitch. And as we've seen in places like Serbia, that's not always the greatest pitch in the world. Oftentimes these countries are more interested in the money without questions being asked. But the United states under the Biden administration tried to compete on quality. Now we will have to see if that continues with the Trump administration, if that continuous to be their pitch. What we've see in the early days is this sort of hardball tactic. I mean, what else can you refer to what's happening with Ukraine, where they say, look, if you want continued military support, we want those minerals. And other countries say, well, maybe that could work for us too. I mean that's sort of, as I understand it, the DRC, which is under, you know, there's new competition there for power that the existing government is saying, hey, United States, if you could please help us, we'll be sure to give you this heaping of minerals. We can say this, the new administration does seem to be taking the need for critical minerals seriously, which I think was an open question because we see so much of the kind of green environmentalism being rolled back. It does still seem to be a priority with the new administration and there does seem to be clarity that the United States is going to have to improve its position regarding these minerals.Andrew Keen: Yeah, I'm guessing Elon Musk sees this as well as anyone, and I'm sure he's quite influential. Finally, Sam, in contrast with a book, which gets distributed and put in bookstores, doing a movie is much more challenging. What's the goal with the movie? You've done a number of launches around the world, screenings in Berlin, Munich, London, Washington D.C. you did run in San Francisco last week. What's the business model, so to speak here? Are you trying to get distribution or do you wanna work with schools or other authorities to show the film?Samuel George: Right, I mean, I appreciate that question. The business model is simple. We just want you to watch. You know, our content is always free. Our films are always free, you can go to bfnadox.org for our catalog. This film is not online yet. You don't need a password, you don't a username, you can just watch our movies, that's what we want. And of course, we're always on the lookout for increased opportunities to spread these. And so we worked on a number of films. We've got PBS to syndicate them nationally. We got one you can check your local listings about a four-month steel workers strike in western Pennsylvania. It's called Local 1196. That just started its national syndication on PBS. So check out for that one. But look, our goal is for folks to watch these. We're looking for the most exposure as we can and we're giving it away for free.Andrew Keen: Just to repeat, if people are interested, that's bfna.docs.org to find more movies. And finally, Sam, for people who are interested perhaps in doing a showing of the film, I know you've worked with a number of universities and interest groups. What would be the best way to approach you.Samuel George: Well, like you say, we're a small team here. You can always feel free to reach out to me. And I don't know if I should pitch my email.Andrew Keen: Yeah, picture email. Give it out. The Chinese will be getting it too. You'll be getting lots of invitations from China probably to show the film.Samuel George: We'd love to come talk about it. That's all we want to do. And we try, but we'd love to talk about it. I think it's fundamental to have that conversation. So the email is just Samuel.George, just as you see it written there, at BFN as in boy, F as in Frank, N as in Nancy, A. Let's make it clearer - Samuel.George@bfna.org. We work with all sorts of organizations on screenings.Andrew Keen: And what about the aspiring filmmakers, as you're the head of documentaries there? Do you work with aspiring documentary filmmakers?Samuel George: Yes, yes, we do often on projects. So if I'm working on a project. So you mentioned that I work by myself, and that is how I learned this industry, you know, is doing it by myself. But increasingly, we're bringing in other skilled people on projects that we're working on. So we don't necessarily outsource entire projects. But we're always looking for opportunities to collaborate. We're looking to bring in talent. And we're looking to make the best products we can on issues that we think are fundamental importance to the Atlantic community. So we love being in touch with filmmakers. We have internship programs. We're open for nonprofit business, I guess you could say.Andrew Keen: Well, that's good stuff. The new movie is called Lithium Rising, The Race for Critical Minerals. I moderated a panel after the North American premiere at the end of February. It's a really interesting, beautifully made film, very compelling. It is only 60 minutes. I strongly advise anyone who has the opportunity to watch it and to contact Sam if they want to put it on their school, a university or other institution. Congratulations Sam on the movie. What's the next project?Samuel George: Next project, we've started working on a project about Southern Louisiana. And in there, we're really looking at the impact of land loss on the bayous and the local shrimpers and crabbers and Cajun community, as well as of course This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit keenon.substack.com/subscribe

Hii leo jaridani tunaangazia hali ya watoto nchini DR Congo, na masuala y awanawake nchini Tanzania. Makala inatupeleka nchini Kenya kuangazia harakati za vijana za kusongesha Ajenda2030, na mashinani tunasalia huko huko kumulika misaada kwa wakimbizi.Shirika la Umoja wa Mataifa la Kuhudumia Watoto, UNICEF limeripoti kwamba huko mashariki mwa Jamhuri ya Kidemokrasia ya Congo, kila nusu saa takribani mtoto mmoja anaripotiwa kubakwa huku ghasia zikiendelea katikati ya janga linalozidi kukua la ufadhili finyu wa kifedha.Shirika la Umoja wa Mataifa linalohusika na masuala ya wanawake UN WOMEN nchini Tanzania chini ya ufadhili kutoka Muungano wa Ulaya wanashirikiana na jeshi la polisi kuendesha mradi huko visiwani Zanzibar wa kukomesha unyanyasaji dhidi ya wanawake na wasichana na tayari manufaa ya mradi huo yameanza kuonekana.Makala leo inatupeleka Nairobi Kenya kwa Stella Vuzo kutoka kitengo cha habari cha Umoja wa Mataifa UNIS Nairobi akizungumza na Winifred Njiru mwanafunzi wa chuo kikuu fani ya uhakiki au quantity surveyor aliyeshiriki majadiliano ya wiki iliyopita kuhusu malengo ya maendeleo endelevu yaliyoandaliwa na Club De Madri, anaeleza nini kama kijana anapaswa kufanya      kuchangia ajenda hiyo ya maendeleo.Na katika mashinani Cindy McCain, Mkurugenzi Mtendaji wa WFP, akizungumza kutoka kituo cha shirika hilo kilichopo Mombasa, Kenya anaeleza juhudi wanazofanya kuwasaidia wakimbizi wa Sudan na Jamhuri ya Kidemokrasia ya Congo DRC."Mwenyeji wako ni Assumpta Massoi, karibu!  

Mtoto mmoja alibakwa katika kila nusu saa huko Mashariki mwa Jamhuri ya ya Kidemokrasia ya Congo, DRC wakati mapigano yaliposhika kasi mwanzoni mwa mwaka huu kati ya jeshi la serikali FARDC na waasi wa M23, katikati ya ufadhili finyu wa kifedha, limesema shirika la Umoja wa Mataifa la Kuhudumia Watoto, UNICEF. Anold Kayanda na maelezo zaidi.

Two former Utah high school football players --faced the death penalty in the Republic of Congo -- accused of an attempted coup in the country -- then their lives were spared.  Dave and Debbie speak with Dennis Romboy with the Deseret News to break down the details of this story. KSL Legal Analyst Greg Skordas shares his perspective.  

The US and Russia carried out a prisoner swap earlier today, resulting in the release of US citizen Ksenia Karelina. Also, hippos in the Democratic Republic of the Congo are dying of a surprising cause: anthrax. And, a look into the struggle to get aid into earthquake-devastated Myanmar. Plus, a Japanese town is using trading cards inspired by Pokémon to build connection between generations. Listen to today's Music Heard on Air. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Donate (no account necessary) | Subscribe (account required) Join Bryan Dean Wright, former CIA Operations Officer, as he breaks down today's biggest stories shaping America and the world. Liberation Day: Part II – Trump's Tariff Strategy Tightens – As the 10%–104% global tariffs take effect, nations across Asia bend to U.S. pressure. Vietnam, Indonesia, and others rush to offer trade concessions, while Trump warns Europe's pharmaceutical sector that it's next. Supreme Court Win Allows Trump to Continue Federal Workforce Cuts – The Court blocks a lower judge's ruling that tried to reinstate fired workers. The broader legal fight continues, but for now, Trump's plan to reduce the federal bureaucracy proceeds. Coal Comeback: Trump Revives U.S. Mining, Ukraine Cheers – New executive orders push federal coal expansion, with unexpected support from Ukraine, whose steel industry relies on U.S. coal. Environmentalists rage, but Trump calls it essential for reindustrialization. Trump Floats Tax Hike on Millionaires to Fund Working-Class Relief – The White House signals support for raising the top income tax rate to 39.6% to pay for tax cuts on tips and overtime. A test of loyalty looms in Congress as traditional Republicans bristle. Drone Strikes on Mexican Cartels? CIA and Pentagon Poised – U.S. officials weigh lethal strikes against cartel targets. Trump may consult Mexico's president, but is unlikely to hesitate if opportunity strikes. Tin, Terror, and Trump's 2x4 Diplomacy – In the Congo, Trump pressures Rwanda to back off from a key U.S.-owned tin mine. In Panama, migrant crossings plunge 99% from Biden-era highs, defying global “expert” predictions. Peace or War? Trump's Iran Deadline Nears – With peace talks set for Oman and B-2 bombers still striking Houthi targets, the clock ticks toward a potential military showdown in May. "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." - John 8:32​

Join me and special guest billy woods for the eighth iteration of Reel Talk, a Reel Notes movie night, on Saturday, May 10 at LoudmouthBK. We'll be screening the 1997 psychological horror film Cure and talking about his latest album, Golliwog. Tickets and more info here.  If you'd like to see full video of this and other episodes, join the Reel Notes Patreon at the Homie ($5/month) tier or higher. You also get early access to episodes, an invite to our Discord server, access to the Reel Talk archives, and more!My guest this week is Detroit rapper, producer, engineer, and Bruiser Brigade member J.U.S. We spoke about The Electric State, the use of AI in music and film, Friday, Batman: The Animated Series, coming up in the Detroit rap scene, meeting Danny Brown and joining the Bruiser Brigade, and the creative process behind his last two projects—3rd Shift, produced entirely by Squadda B, and Lord of the Streams part 2: Curse of the Castle. Come fuck with us.3rd Shift and Lord of the Streams part 2 are available wherever music is sold, streamed, or stolen. Consider copping Lord of the Streams part 2 directly via Bandcamp. Follow J.U.S. on Instagram (@j_u_s_) and Twitter (@i_am_J_U_S).Read Alphonse Pierre's profile of J.U.S., which is one-third of a larger piece on the current Michigan rap landscape, at Pitchfork. My first book, Reel Notes: Culture Writing on the Margins of Music and Movies, is available now, via 4 PM Publishing. Order a digital copy on Amazon.Reel Notes stands in solidarity with the oppressed peoples of Palestine, Congo, Sudan, Tigray, and Haiti. Please consider donating to the Palestine Children's Relief Fund,  The Palestinian Youth Movement, The Zakat Foundation, HealAfrica, FreeTigray, and/or Hope For Haiti.  For information about contacting your representatives to demand a ceasefire, finding protests, and other tools, check out CeasefireToday!Follow me on Instagram (@cinemasai), Twitter (@CineMasai_), Bluesky (@cinemasai.bsky.social), TikTok (@cinemasai), Letterboxd (@CineMasai), and subscribe to my weekly Nu Musique Friday newsletter to stay tapped into all things Dylan Green.    Support the show

Welcome to The Weekly, produced by TAB Media Group, which publishes The Alabama Baptist and The Baptist Paper. Each episode features news headlines read by TAB Media Group staff and volunteers. New episodes are released weekly on Wednesday mornings. Articles featured in this episode: Disaster Relief volunteers busy following widespread storms (0:39) Alabama Baptists assisting in tornado cleanup efforts (1:33) Gambling bills will not appear before Alabama legislators this year (2:18) Violence in Democratic Republic of Congo escalates (3:02) Myanmar earthquake destroys churches (4:17) Orphan care ministries making great strides (4:49) Visit TAB Media HERE Subscribe on iTunes HERE

The issuance of corporate bonds has slowed to a crawl, thanks to all that uncertainty in the economy. And without raising money in the bond market, firms may pull back on long-term investments. Also in this episode: The Democratic Republic of the Congo extends its ban on cobalt exports to raise prices, strains in the bar and restaurant business lead to closures and we answer listener questions on trade policy.

The issuance of corporate bonds has slowed to a crawl, thanks to all that uncertainty in the economy. And without raising money in the bond market, firms may pull back on long-term investments. Also in this episode: The Democratic Republic of the Congo extends its ban on cobalt exports to raise prices, strains in the bar and restaurant business lead to closures and we answer listener questions on trade policy.

It's Tuesday, April 8th, A.D. 2025. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 125 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com.  I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Kevin Swanson Horrific Muslim persecution of Christians in Sub-Saharan Africa The Gatestone Institute's International Policy Center has released its report on the persecution of Christians in Africa.   The report claims that the West is ignoring the carnage playing out in Sub-Sahara Africa, and that Muslim “Jihadists are murdering, raping, torturing, kidnapping, enslaving, and, in some instances, burning people alive — across Africa, and now in Syria.” The newly-installed Syrian government and the al-Qaeda-affiliated HTS terrorists, are still conducting door-to-door purges, massacring religious minorities in cruel, sadistic ways. Reliable reports indicate they have massacred 7,000 Christians and Alawites, a sect of Islam. And the death toll is still rising. Jihad is spreading in at least twelve African nations. Muslim jihadists beheaded 70 Christians in the Congo in February. Church leaders are targeted, abducted, tortured, and murdered. Christian villages have been burned down. Plus, pastors, priests and lay Christians have been abducted by the Islamist Allied Democratic Forces. More than 16.2 million Christians in Sub-Saharan Africa have been driven from their homes by jihadist violence and conflict. Women and girls are abducted, forced into "marriage," forced to convert to Islam, raped, and subjected to forced labor. Some are forced to act as suicide bombers or human shields at the hands of jihadis. Boko Haram and the Islamic State West African Province regularly attack, abduct, and murder Christians in Cameroon located in Central Africa. Churches have been set on fire and church leaders and seminary students kidnapped. Plus, the report claims that no Christian is safe in Burkina Faso, a country in West Africa.  Hundreds of churches there have been closed. The Muslim-run nation of Libya, in North Africa on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, countenances widespread slavery, forced labor, and human trafficking. Sharia law is strictly upheld. For a Muslim to convert to Christianity is a crime punishable by death. Any Libyan woman suspected of associating with Christians faces house arrest, sexual assault, forced marriage, or even death. Nigeria remains the worst example of Jihadist murder and mayhem. Tens of thousands of Christians have been murdered and thousands of women and girls have been abducted and subjected to sexual violence. But, do keep in mind what Jesus said in Matthew 16:18. He declared, “On this rock, I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.” British Christian nurse in trouble for referring to confused man as man More outrageousness from the United Kingdom. A nurse has lost her job with the National Health Service because she was caught referring to a pedophile transgender person as a “Mister.” Nurse Jennifer Melle, age 40, was fired from her job in Carshalton, Surrey, after having to endure the patient hurling racial slurs at her. She added, “I am devastated to have been suspended. … Despite being the one placed at risk, I am the one being punished. The message I have received is clear: I am expected to tolerate racism, deny biological reality, and suppress my deeply-held Christian beliefs." Appearing on Free Speech Nation, she shared her Biblical convictions. MELLE: “I thank Jesus for giving me the courageous spirit, standing on the Word of God. According to the Word of God, Genesis 1:27 said, ‘God created a male and female.' I just stood by it. I said, ‘Well, I'm a Christian woman, and I love the Lord, and I know beyond male and female is an abomination to the Lord. And I can't do that.'” Represented by the Christian Legal Centre, Andrea Williams, its chief executive, criticized the National Health Service for allegedly focusing on trans ideology instead of protecting its staff from racial and physical abuse. U.S.-China tariff war heats up The tit-for-tat tariff war with China is heating up.   On Friday, China announced a 34% tariff on U.S. imports as an answer to President Trump's 34% reciprocal tariff. Yesterday, the U.S. president announced an additional tariff of 50% effective tomorrow, unless China backs down, reports CBS News. Aboard Air Force One on Sunday night, President Trump did not pull any punches. TRUMP: “When you look at the trade deficit that we have with certain countries, way over a billion [dollars] per country. With China, it's a trillion dollars. And we have to solve our trade deficit with China. We have a trillion dollar trade deficit with China. Hundreds of billions of dollars a year we lose with China. And unless we solve that problem, I'm not going to make a deal. “Now, I'm willing to deal with China, but they have to solve their surplus. We have a tremendous deficit problem with China. They have a surplus of at least a trillion dollars a year. And I want that solved. No other President has taken it on.” New Yorkers need “good moral character” before carrying handgun The U.S. Supreme Court let stand a New York law that requires residents to demonstrate “good moral character” before they are permitted to carry a handgun. The law requires applicants to have “the essential character, temperament and judgement necessary to be entrusted with a weapon and to use it only in a manner that does not endanger oneself or others.” Stocks, Dow Jones, and Nasdaq down U.S. stocks are down over the last week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 4,000 points, 11% down for the year.   And the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite was down by about 2,000 points, settling around 15,570 points on Monday evening. The Nasdaq is down 19% on the year, about where it was in November 2021.  Court awards 7,000 sexual abuse victims $4 billion in Los Angeles While the state-controlled foster care system is supposed to protect children, the unaccountable system, made up of sinful men and women, has become the predator. Last week, the courts awarded a record $4 billion against the Los Angeles County's juvenile detention and foster care system. The settlement was the largest of this kind, distributed to 7,000 plaintiffs — victims of unspeakable sexual abuse. L.A. officials have issued concerns that the fine might bankrupt the county.  The rise of America's “assassination culture” The Network of Contagion Research Institute and Rutgers University's Social Perception Lab have issued a report concerned with a rising “assassination culture” in the United States.  Especially troubling is the view that 31% of respondents stated it would be at least somewhat justifiable to murder Elon Musk.  And 38% said it would be at least somewhat justifiable to murder President Donald Trump. Among those who identify left of center, 48% to 55% would justify these assassinations. 22 million watched House of David finale And finally, the producers of the Amazon-released program, House of David, announced over the weekend, that the season finale had achieved #1 on Prime. WatchWonderProject took to Instagram with a message: “All glory to God!” Thus far, the program has brought in 22 million viewers. Of Amazon's new releases in 2025, House of David has taken the top position, holding its own in the top 10 for 38 days. Producer and writer for House of David, Jon Erwin, previously produced Christian films like October Baby, I Can Only Imagine, and American Underdog. The studio has announced a forthcoming Season 2. Let us not forget David's greater Son who reigns today, over all. Luke 1:32 declares, “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to Him the throne of his father David.” Close And that's The Worldview on this Tuesday, April 8th, in the year of our Lord 2025. Subscribe by Amazon Music or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com. Or get the Generations app through Google Play or The App Store. I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ. Print stories British Prime Minister: Time to focus on Britain British Prime Minister Keir Starmer spoke yesterday, indicating an end to globalization, and a return to nation's focusing in on their own national interests, reports The Independent. He called the present times “a completely new world.”  Former Brazilian president thanked God for Trump's re-election Brazil's previous president Jair Bolsonaro addressed a peaceful protest of 40,000 in Sao Paulo over the weekend, thanking God publicly that Donald Trump was re-elected in the United States, reports Breitbart. Bolsonaro told the crowd, “I have nothing but gratitude for the two years we spent together in our respective presidencies.”

Myanmar: unseasonably early rains fuel fears of disease spreadDemocratic Republic of the Congo crisis: 41,700 refugees have fled violence to Uganda: UNHCRGaza: UN aid teams and partners continue essential humanitarian work

In episode 211 host Galit Friedlander and guest, powerhouse performer and educator Rob Bynes (Beyoncé's Renaissance Tour, Super Bowl LV, Bad Bunny and more), dive into what really fuels longevity in the dance industry. From getting scouted before he even had a headshot to performing on some of the biggest stages in the world, Rob shares the mindset shifts, self-talk tools, and career pivots that have kept him grounded and growing. We get into training like an athlete, managing pressure under global spotlights, and how Rob's faith plays into his career decisions. Follow Galit: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/gogalit Website - https://www.gogalit.com/ Fit From Home - https://galit-s-school-0397.thinkific.com/collections You can connect with Rob Bynes on Instagram. Listen to DanceSpeak on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Who is Massad Boulos the man steering the US and the DR Congo towards a mineral deal?What's Uganda's role in the DR Congo crisis?And are African youth more resilient than their western peers?Presenter: Audrey Brown Producers: Frenny Jowi and Charles Gitonga in Nairobi, Blessing Aderogba in Lagos with Tom Kavanagh and Amie Leibowitz in London. Technical Producer: Philip Bull Senior Producer: Paul Bakibinga Editors: Andre Lombard and Alice Muthengi

With this episode of Guerrilla History, were continuing our series on African Revolutions and Decolonization with an outstanding case study on the Congo, looking at the process of colonization, how decolonization unfolded, Lumumba's short time as Prime Minister, and the transition to the Mobutu regime.  We really could not ask for a much better guest than Prof. Georges Nzongola-Ntalaja, who not only is one of the foremost experts in not only this history, but also served as a diplomat for the DRC.  We're also fortunate that the professor will be rejoining us for the next installment of the series, a dispatch on what is going on in the Eastern Congo and the roots of the ongoing conflict there.  Be sure to share this series with comrades, we are still in the very early phases of the planned ~40 parts, so it is a great time for them to start listening in as well!   Also subscribe to our Substack (free!) to keep up to date with what we are doing.  With so many episodes coming in this series (and beyond), you won't want to miss anything, so get the updates straight to your inbox.  guerrillahistory.substack.com   Georges Nzongola-Ntalaja is Professor Emeritus of African and Afro-American Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and previously served as the DRC's Permanent Representative to the United Nations.  Additionally, he is the author of numerous brilliant books, including Patrice Lumumba and The Congo from Leopold to Kabila: A People's History Help support the show by signing up to our patreon, where you also will get bonus content: https://www.patreon.com/guerrillahistory