US reporter Gershkovich among 26 freed in Russia prisoner deal

BIGGEST PRISONER EXCHANGE SINCE THE COLD WAR

]
Issued on: 01/08/2024 - 

Video by: Fraser JACKSON

US reporter Evan Gershkovich and former US marine Paul Whelan were among 26 prisoners released Thursday in a swap deal between Russia and several western countries, Turkey's presidency said. Gershkovich was arrested in Yekaterinburg last March on espionage charges. FRANCE 24's Fraser Jackson reports

Mali rebels claim to have killed at least 130 soldiers, Russians in July clashes

Mali's Tuareg rebels announced on Thursday that they had killed at least 131 Malian soldiers and Russian Wagner mercenaries during intense clashes in late July. Despite the heavy losses, Russia reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the Malian junta, emphasising ongoing military and socioeconomic cooperation.


Issued on: 01/08/2024 - 

Undated photograph provided by the French military showing three Russian mercenaries, in northern Mali.

 © French Army handout via AP

By: NEWS WIRES


Mali's northern Tuareg rebels said on Thursday they had killed at least 84 Russian Wagner mercenaries and 47 Malian soldiers over days of fierce fighting in late July, as Russia signalled its ongoing commitment to the Malian junta.

The rebel movement, the Permanent Strategic Framework for Peace, Security and Development (CSP), previously said it had killed dozens in the clashes around the northern border town of Tinzaouaten, while an al Qaeda affiliate said it had killed 50 Wagner fighters in an ambush in the same area.

Even before the latest death toll claimed by the CSP, the losses appeared to be Wagner's heaviest defeat since it stepped in two years ago to help Mali's military authorities fight groups that have been waging insurgencies in West Africa's Sahel region since 2012.

Neither Mali nor Wagner have said how many troops they lost in the clashes, although in a rare statement on July 29, Wagner said it had suffered heavy losses.

Malian authorities have also acknowledged severe losses in the battle without giving numbers.

Read moreMali rebels say they killed dozens of government troops, Wagner mercenaries

The apparent rout does not appear to have damaged the outlook for Russian-Malian cooperation.

On Thursday, Russia's foreign ministry said Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov had spoken with his Malian counterpart and expressed Russia's "firm intention to continue rendering the necessary support," including on socioeconomic issues, boosting the combat capability of the armed forces, and training military personnel. The statement did not mention the recent fighting.

The Russians have been in Mali since the army, which seized power in two coups in 2020 and 2021, kicked out French and U.N. troops that had been involved in fighting Islamist insurgents for a decade, replacing them with Wagner.

The Malian authorities have accused Tuareg and jihadist groups of collaborating, but in its statement the CSP said it had fought alone "exclusively from the beginning to the end" of the recent clashes.

It said it had taken seven Malian soldiers and Wagner fighters prisoner, as well as seizing a large amount of weapons, ammunition, vehicles, and other equipment.

The Tuareg live in the Sahara desert, which includes parts of northern Mali. Many complain of marginalisation by the Malian government.

Tuareg separatists launched an insurgency against Mali in 2012, demanding an independent homeland called Azawad. Their struggle later became entangled with an al Qaeda-aligned Islamist rebellion in the same region.

(Reuters)

Trump questions whether Harris is ‘Black’ at conference of Black journalists

Donald Trump claimed that Kamala Harris had misled voters about her race during an interview at the National Association of Black Journalists in Chicago on Wednesday.

THEY SHOULD NEVER HAVE INVITED HIM,

ITS MORE THAN INAPPROPRIATE 

IT'S INSULTING

APRIL RYAN

Issued on: 01/08/2024 - 

01:56

Former US president and 2024 Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump answers questions during the National Association of Black Journalists annual convention in Chicago, Illinois on July 31, 2024.

 © Kamil Krzaczynski, AFP

By:NEWS WIRES|

Video by:FRANCE 24


U.S. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump questioned whether his Democratic rival Kamala Harris is "Black" during a contentious interview at the country's largest annual gathering of Black journalists on Wednesday.

"Is she Indian or is she Black?" Trump said of his opponent in the presidential race, drawing a smattering of jeers from an audience of about 1,000 people. "She was Indian all the way, and all of a sudden she made a turn and became a Black person."

Harris, who is of Indian and Jamaican heritage, has long self-identified as both Black and Asian. She is the first Black and Asian American to serve as U.S. vice president.

"What he just said is repulsive," White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said at a briefing in response to Trump's remarks. "It's insulting."

Since launching her White House campaign earlier this month, Harris has faced a barrage of sexist and racist attacks online, with some far-right accounts questioning her racial identity.

Republican Party leaders have urged lawmakers to refrain from personal attacks and focus on her policy positions.

Trump himself has used personal insults against Harris and said he was going to ignore advice that he tone down his rhetoric in this campaign. "I'm not gonna be nice!" he told supporters at one campaign rally.

Trump also declined to say on Wednesday whether Harris was a "DEI hire," as some Republicans have claimed, saying, "I don't know."

DEI stands for "diversity, equity and inclusion" initiatives aimed at increasing representation of women and people of color in the workforce to address longstanding inequities and discrimination. The term "DEI hire" is now used to suggest a person is not qualified and was chosen on the basis of race or gender.

The panel interview at the National Association of Black Journalists' annual convention in Chicago started on a tense note, when ABC News reporter Rachel Scott listed a series of racist comments Trump had made and asked why Black voters should support him.

In response, Trump called the question "horrible," "hostile" and a "disgrace" and described ABC as a "fake" network.

"I have been the best president for the Black population since Abraham Lincoln," he boasted.

Trump repeated a line from the presidential debate in June, claiming that migrants crossing the U.S. southern border would take away "Black jobs," a term that drew criticism from some Black leaders.

"What exactly is a 'Black job,' sir?" Scott asked him. "A Black job is anybody with a job," Trump replied.

When asked about his position on granting police officers immunity following the death of Sonya Massey, a Black woman who was shot and killed by a sheriff's deputy in Illinois, Trump acknowledged that he didn't know much about the case -drawing some gasps from the crowd - but added that "it didn't look good to me."

'Questions that weren't fully answered'

The interview began more than an hour late, which the Trump campaign said was due to problems with the event's audio equipment. An NABJ spokesperson did not immediately comment on what caused the delay. The session, originally scheduled for an hour, ended abruptly after 30 minutes when the campaign said he was out of time, according to Scott.

Trump's invitation had received a backlash from some members, prompting a co-chair of the convention to step down in protest. During the interview, some of Trump's false statements were met with murmurs and laughter from the crowd.

At one point, someone yelled out, "Sir, have you no shame?" before others shushed him.

Leah Mallory, a 21-year-old at Fordham University, described the conversation as "unreal."

"I honestly feel like it wasn't as conducive as we hoped it would be," she said. "I feel like what we heard were several things that he said before, and there were questions that weren't fully answered."

Courting black voters

Trump has been actively courting Black voters and has held events in cities with large Black populations, including Atlanta, where he plans a rally on Saturday.

He had made inroads with Black men in particular after President Joe Biden, his former Democratic opponent, struggled to mobilize Black voters, traditionally the most loyal Democratic voting bloc. Biden won Black voters 92%-8% over Trump in 2020, according to Pew Research.

But Biden's decision to step down in favor of Harris could make it more challenging for Trump to hold his gains. The presidential race is likely to come down to narrow margins in a handful of battleground states. A national Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Tuesday showed Trump leading Harris 43%-42%, within the poll's margin of error.

Read more  How polls rate Kamala Harris's chances against Trump

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The Black journalists' association, founded in 1975, regularly invites presidential candidates to address its annual gathering, but Trump was the first Republican to accept the offer since George W. Bush in 2004.

The association's president, Ken Lemon, said in a statement, "While we acknowledge the concerns expressed by our members, we believe it is important for us to provide our members with the opportunity to hear directly from candidates and hold them accountable."

Trump frequently goes after the media on the campaign trail, calling news outlets the "fake news," and sparred often with members of the White House press corps during his 2017-2021 presidency.

Harris, who did not attend the convention, is scheduled to speak to a Black sorority in Houston later on Wednesday.

REUTERS

Wikipedia.orgen.wikipedia.org/wiki/One-drop_rule

One-drop rule - Wikipedia

It asserted that any person with even one ancestor of black ancestry ("one drop" of "black blood") is considered black (Negro or colored in historical terms).

Pbs.orgwww.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/jefferson/mixed/onedrop.html

Mixed Race America - Who Is Black? One Nation's Definition - PBS

In the South it became known as the "one-drop rule,'' meaning that a single drop of "black blood" makes a person a black. ... you say that someone who is&nbs...

Lithub.comlithub.com/how-the-one-drop-rule-became-a-tool-of-white-supremacy/

How the “One Drop Rule” Became a Tool of White Supremacy

Feb 22, 2021 ... The message was clear: No matter how white you may appear, if there is but one drop of Black blood in your lineage, you will be considered Black ...

N-word political committee materializes during Trump interview with Black reporters

Alexandria Jacobson, Investigative Reporter
July 31, 2024 

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump speaks with Rachel Scott, senior congressional correspondent for ABC News at the National Association of Black Journalists convention in Chicago on Wednesday. 

(Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)

CHICAGO — In the midst of former President Donald Trump's interview today with Black journalists, a person created a federal super PAC that uses the N-word, according to an official filing with the Federal Election Commission that Raw Story reviewed.

A statement of organization for "N----- for Trump" was filed at 2:35 p.m. ET Wednesday with the FEC, the documents indicate.

The treasurer, listed as "Mitchell, Jeremiya, Tommy" of Brewton, Ala., did not immediately respond to Raw Story's request for comment at the email listed in the filing.

On Thursday, Jeremiya Mitchell, the creator of the PAC, told Raw Story that the filing is legitimate.

"The idea behind N--- for Trump, I saw the 'White Dudes for Harris' thing, and it was so cheap. It's like a slap in the face," Mitchell told Raw Story in a phone interview. "This is kind of like the other side of the coin to that because too often Black men are overlooked and disregarded completely when it comes to politics, because nobody gives a f--- about us really."

Spokespeople for the Trump campaign did not immediately respond to Raw Story's request for comment.

The FEC declined to comment on specific committees but shared that the agency has a "verification process for potentially false and fictitious filings," said Judith Ingram, a spokesperson for the FEC, via email.

Trump's tumultuous interview in Chicago at a National Association of Black Journalists conference included the former president questioning whether presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris — the vice president since 2021 — is Black.

Trump's nephew, Fred C. Trump III, also accused Donald Trump of having used the N-word during a tirade in the 1970s, according to a book published last week. Trump's campaign denied the accusation as "completely fabricated and total fake news of the highest order."

Weaponizing FEC filings

While the Mitchell said the "N----- for Trump" PAC filing with the FEC is legitimate, political provocateurs and pranksters sometimes create fake political committees as the filings are relatively easy to generate and automatically published to the FEC's government website, FEC.gov.

"The FEC makes it very simple. They have a great online portal that literally, a kid, could go create a PAC," Mitchell told Raw Story. "It's almost scary, but a lot of people don't even put in the effort to learn about what a PAC is, to even go take this next step to create one."

RELATED ARTICLE: 'That's a lie': The 10 quotes Trump said to Black journalists that led to outbursts

A political committee registered with the FEC in June indicated that Trump would name his former national security adviser, Michael Flynn, as his vice presidential running mate, which Trump's campaign manager confirmed to Raw Story as "fraud." Trump named Sen. J.D. Vance (R-OH) as his running mate during the Republican National Convention in mid-July.

Numerous other campaigns have experienced fraudulent FEC filings.

President Joe Biden, who has since dropped out of the 2024 presidential race, endured the creation of fake political committees in his name.

Former Vice President Mike Pence needed to quash premature rumors of his 2024 presidential run because of a fraudulent of a federal political committee created in 2022.

Such fake FEC documents have caused public confusion and even threatening situations that led to racist screeds or doxxing of private individuals.

The FEC prohibits other persons from "misrepresenting themselves as speaking, writing or otherwise acting for or on behalf of any candidate or political party for the purpose of soliciting contributions."

However, fraudsters often only receive sternly worded letters about the violation.

The article was updated on Aug. 1, 2024, with comment from Jeremiya Mitchell and the Federal Election Commission.


Alexandria Jacobson is a Chicago-based investigative reporter at Raw Story, focusing on money in politics, government accountability and electoral politics. Prior to joining Raw Story in 2023, Alex reported extensively on social justice, business and tech issues for several news outlets, including ABC News, the Chicago Sun-Times and the Chicago Tribune. She can be reached at alexandria@rawstory.com. More about Alexandria Jacobson.

Colombia rebels to halt attacks during UN biodiversity summit

Bogotá (AFP) – Colombia's EMC guerrilla group said Thursday it would not launch attacks in the city of Cali during the upcoming COP16 UN biodiversity summit, as it had previously threatened.

Issued on: 01/08/2024

Colombian special forces stand guard at Farallones de Cali National Natural Park on the outskirts of Cali on July 6, 2024, during security operations ahead of the upcoming COP16 Summit

 © JOAQUIN SARMIENTO / AFP/File

The rebels, who broke away from the FARC guerrilla movement when that group signed a peace deal in 2016, had ramped up attacks in towns around Cali in recent months, with a spate of bombings and shootings setting authorities on edge.

"To guarantee the smooth running of COP16 we decree the suspension of offensive military operations against public forces in the city of Cali, in the period between October 11 and November 6."

The summit runs from October 21 to November 1.

In July, the EMC warned the 16th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP16) of the Convention on Biological Diversity "will fail even if they militarize the city with foreigners."

The event hopes to attract some 12,000 delegates and exhibitors, as well as heads of state, to one of the world's most biodiverse countries.

Presenting itself as "protector of forests, waters and animals," the EMC criticizes COP16 as an event that prioritizes commercial interests and "justifies militarism."

But this summit is an opportunity "to open a debate on the need for a change in the economic model and a questioning of extractivism and predatory exploitation of the planet," the statement said.

The summit security manager, General William Castano, recently said more than 10,000 uniformed officers supported by Interpol, Europol and Ameripol were working on defense and intelligence cooperation dubbed the "Hummingbird Plan."

The idea is to "minimize criminals' attempts to affect security at the COP," he said.

Cali is the capital of the southwestern Valle del Cauca department, an EMC stronghold and the main coca-growing region in Colombia, the world's largest cocaine producer.

Being granted COP16 host status was a major coup for Gustavo Petro, Colombia's first-ever leftist president, who campaigned on an ambitious conservation and climate change program.

Petro has seen his quest to achieve "total peace" in a nation struggling to emerge from decades of armed conflict bogged down in complicated negotiations with a variety of armed groups.

The EMC recently split into supporters of Petro's peace efforts and opponents led by a man known as Ivan Mordisco, who commands an estimated 2,000 fighters.

Rights groups accuse guerrillas in Colombia of taking advantage of various ceasefires to expand their influence by seizing more territory and recruiting new members.

© 2024 AFP

Smooth hammerhead shark makes rare visit to Cape Cod

July 30, 2024 


A smooth hammerhead shark was caught on camera during a rare sighting in Cape Cod. Photo courtesy of the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy/Facebook


July 30 (UPI) -- A smooth hammerhead shark was caught on camera making a rare visit to the waters of Cape Cod.

The Atlantic White Shark Conservancy shared photos on social media showing the smooth hammerhead swimming in Cape Cod off the coast of Monomoy Island.

The conservancy said the photos were snapped July 20 by witness L. Bovenzi,

"We may be a white shark organization but we will always appreciate a special shark sighting," the post said.

Officials said it is rare to see hammerheads in the area, and especially rare to see a smooth hammerhead so close to shore.

Dolphin cruises help Istanbul treasure its Bosphorus bottlenoses

Istanbul (AFP) – As the first dolphin fin surfaced from the Bosphorus, a ripple of excitement went round passengers on a free boat ride to see one of Istanbul's most graceful sights.

Issued on: 29/07/2024 -

A dolphin swims in the Bosphorus strait that cuts through Istanbul © Yasin AKGUL / AFP
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Whether they live there or are just passing through, dolphins and porpoises feel very much at home in the busy strait that bisects the Turkish megapolis of some 16 million people.

Istanbul city council organises free summer dolphin spotting trips with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) to raise awareness of the dangers facing the sea mammals.

The wildlife project's head Ahmet Yasar Yildiz said the city council was doing "everything they can" to keep them in the strait linking the Black Sea to the Mediterranean.
Cansu Ilkilinc, of the WWF, tells passengers about the Bosphorus dolphins © Yasin AKGUL / AFP

"This is their home and dolphins must continue to live here," the 59-year-old said.

Their presence in the Bosphorus was the sign of a "perfect ecosystem", he added. "The strait is clean, cleaner than most bays, and we want to keep it that way."

Microphone in hand on the boat's top deck, WWF Turkey's marine mammals programme leader Cansu Ilkilinc explained to the crowd below that the strait is home to two species of dolphin and one species of porpoise -- an impressive number for an exceptionally busy urban waterway.
Climate change, habitat loss
Keep your eyes peeled: the dolphins are one of Istanbul's most gracious sights © Yasin AKGUL / AFP

As a key corridor for international maritime navigation, 39,000 ships passed through the Bosphorus Strait last year, according to Turkey's ministry of transport -- not including pleasure boats and the ferries that constantly ply from one side to the other.

Despite the volume of shipping and straddling Turkey's largest city, dolphins seem to prefer the strait's waters to the Black Sea and Sea of Marmara on either side.

This is because fish are abundant and the strong currents spirit away pollution, Yildiz said.

Yet all is not pristine for the dolphins in the strait, the wildlife project lead warned, with threats from climate change, pollution, overfishing and habitat loss.

Two dolphins swim side by side in Istanbul's Bosphorus strait © Yasin AKGUL / AFP

"Uncontrolled construction and industrialisation are a problem everywhere, and it's a serious problem in Istanbul," he added.

Yet since the first free educational outings began in 2022, their success has been remarkable.

"Only once have we not seen a dolphin," Yildiz told AFP, adding that the hundred or so spaces on the trips are booked up "within three minutes" when they go online every fortnight.

Follow the seagulls

Playtime: A dolphin calf soars towards a seagull in the Bosphorus strait near Istanbul 

© Yasin AKGUL / AFP

During these outings, the WWF attempts to keep a record of the strait's resident dolphins, hoping to identify them by a distinctive feature such as a mark or a scar.

"One of them has been living here since 2012, you can recognise it from its dorsal fin," smiled Ayse Oruc, head of WWF Turkey's Marine Biodiversity programme, marvelling at the variety of life in the heart of "one of the biggest cities in the world".

Besides the harbour porpoise, the Bosphorus is home to both the common and bottlenose dolphin, Ilkilinc said.

The 31-year-old offered up a few tips for spotting them: "When the seagulls dive and disturb the water, it means they've seen fish underneath, which the dolphins feed on."

She also advised those hoping to catch a glimpse of a dolphin pod to follow in the wake of cargo ships, tankers and -- above all -- fishing boats.

Thar she blows: Istanbulites spotting dolphins on the free cruise designed to raise awareness of the city's resident dolphins © Yasin AKGUL / AFP

Twenty-four-year-old student Deniz Dincergok came back to shore delighted.

"At one point, a baby dolphin came out of the water and turned around, showing its belly. It was a magnificent moment," he said.

© 2024 AFP

Olympics show golden age of metal music

Paris (AFP) – A thundering performance by thrash metal band Gojira at the Olympics opening ceremony shows how much the demonic-sounding genre has entered the pop culture mainstream.

Issued on: 29/07/2024 

Gojira performed with opera singer Marina Viotti at the Conciergerie

© Zhang Yuwei / POOL/AFP/File

The head-banging foursome gave a unforgettable performance on the balconies of the historic Conciergerie palace along the banks of the Seine on Friday night with a song evoking the guillotine executions of the French Revolution.

They were joined by opera singer Marina Viotti, for "Ah! Ca ira" ("Ah! It'll be fine"), based on the famous revolutionary song of the 1790s.

Viotti was still riding high from her appearance in front of more than a billion TV viewers when AFP spoke to her on Monday.

"It's dizzying," the 38-year-old French-Swiss mezzo-soprano said.

Viotti has dates coming up at Milan's La Scala and the Paris Opera, but she is no stranger to metal, having performed with groups Lost Legacy and Soulmaker.

She was overjoyed to bring the music to a wider audience.

"I've read comments on social networks saying 'I never listen to metal but, this one, it's great, it gave such energy to the show,'" she said.

She hopes it will help change the image of metal and finally rid the genre of its "Satanist" or "violent" cliches.

A surprise inclusion in the Olympics show, Gojira are a French band that have won over metalheads around the world with their pulverising guitars and earth-shattering drums.

"It's crazy, a very nice surprise and a world first for metal," said Corentin Charbonnier, a doctor in anthropology and a French researcher on metal music.

"Right now, we're living in a golden age for metal," he said.

Charbonnier helped curate France's largest-ever exhibition about the genre at -- of all places -- the Paris Philharmonic, which is running until September 29.

Metal is usually traced back to English group Black Sabbath in the early 1970s, merging with glam in the form of Kiss around a decade later and finding its textbook form with US band Metallica in the 1980s and 1990s.

Gojira performed a version of revolutionary song 'Ca Ira' 

© Zhang Yuwei / POOL/AFP/File

It is now a fully established genre even in France, with a dedicated festival -- Hellfest -- that attracted around 240,000 fans to its latest edition last month.

Metallica headlined the festival for the second time in three years.

"What is interesting in the current revival of metal culture is that some want to be recognised and others want to stay in the shadows, in the counter-culture," Charbonnier said.

The Olympics show has perhaps made it harder to stay niche -- Gojira saw their Spotify streaming numbers jump by 282 percent in France over the weekend, and 129 percent worldwide.

"Some people worry that we risk losing the essence of the music" if it grows too mainstream, Viotti said.

"But, in my eyes, we must move in the direction of union, gathering, sharing, building bridges."

© 2024 AFP

Japan's Horigome retains Olympic men's street skateboarding title

Paris (AFP) – Japan's Yuto Horigome landed the highest-scoring trick of the men's street skateboarding competition in Monday's final round to retain his Olympic crown.


Issued on: 29/07/2024 -

Yuto Horigome clinched the men's street skateboarding title with his final trick 

Odd ANDERSEN / AFP
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He edged out American Jagger Eaton by 0.1 points, with another US skateboarder, Nyjah Huston, taking bronze.

The day after 14-year-old compatriot Coco Yoshizawa won gold in an all-teenage women's final, the 25-year-old Horigome continued Japanese domination in a final where the top six finishers were all 22 or older.

Horigome lay fourth after the two runs that opened the final. He leapt up the standings with a big score in the first of his five tricks, but fell on the next three.

That allowed Huston to take the lead.

In the penultimate round Tokyo bronze medallist Eaton just stayed on his board on landing as he hit what was at that point the biggest score of the afternoon with a 95.25 to go into gold-medal position.

But Horigome rose to the challenge with a 97.08 for a total of 281.14 points.

Eaton totalled 281.04, while Huston edged out Sora Shirai of Japan for bronze.

Ginwoo Onodera, the 14-year-old Japanese skater, was eliminated in the preliminary round after failing to score on four of his five tricks.

© 2024 AFP

Refugee team boxer Ngamba one step from historic medal at Paris Olympics

Boxer Cindy Ngamba of the Olympic Refugee Team has won her first fight at the Paris Games and is one victory from earning the team's first-ever medal. Ngamba, who was born in Cameroon and sought haven in the UK aged 11, said she hopes to "give motivation" to refugees across the world.


Issued on: 01/08/2024 

Ngamba is hoping to win the first-ever medal for the IOC Refugee Team

. © Mohd Rasfan, AFP

By:NEWS WIRES

Boxer Cindy Ngamba said Wednesday she hoped to inspire refugees around the world as she fought her way to within one bout from making history with the Olympic Refugee team's first-ever medal.

The 25-year-old Ngamba was born in Cameroon but sought safe haven in Britain aged 11 as she is a lesbian, which is illegal in her native country.

She qualified by right for the boxing competition -- the first Refugee Athlete to achieve that -- and showed she had every right to be in Paris, out-pointing Amanda Tammara Thibeault from Canada for a place in the last eight.

Boxing hands out bronze medals for losing semi-finalists, meaning she is guaranteed a medal in the women's 75kg if she overcomes France's Davina Michel on Sunday.

"I visualise any situation that can happen in the ring... and I'm prepared for it as I've seen hardship in life," Ngamba said after her bout.

"I have had to keep smiling and keep on pushing through life. I am just one of millions of refugees all around the world and I hope I give them motivation," she added.

Britain wanted to select her in their boxing team for the Paris Games and boxing officials appealed unsuccessfully for her to receive a British passport.

Ngamba has had her brushes with officialdom however, as she was arrested and thrown into a detention camp aged 20 when she went to tell the authorities where she was living.

"Imagine thinking you're just going to sign then go back to your house to go about your day, and then you're put in the back of a van with handcuffs on," Ngamba told the BBC.

She had a tough upbringing, bullied at school for her poor English, her weight, and her body odour. Two gym teachers took her under their wings and introduced her to boxing.

But that is all behind her now and she said that just being in Paris "meant the world" to her.

"I am sure it means the world to people all around the world, not even athletes, that are going through life with so many issues and obstacles, they don't believe in themselves, and feel like it's the end of the world," she said.

(AFP)

FASCISM IN UK

'Southport was just the spark': UK hit by unrest as far-right exploits knife attack tragedy

The UK has been hit by violent unrest in recent days following a knife attack targeting children, with far-right anti-immigration groups accused of using the tragedy to incite further disorder. Violence erupted first in Southport and then spread to other towns, raising key questions about the role of social media, political responses, and the far-right’s influence in fueling these disturbances.


Issued on: 01/08/2024 - 

Protestors remonstrate with Police officers during the 'Enough is Enough' demonstration on Whitehall, outside the entrance to 10 Downing Street in central London on July 31, 2024. © Benjamin Cremel, AFP

By: NEWS WIRES


The UK has been rocked in recent days by violent disorder following a knife attack targeting children, with already ascendant anti-immigration far-right elements accused of hijacking the response to the tragedy.

Here are some of the key questions around this week's events.

What has happened?

Violence first flared on Tuesday night in Southport, northwest England, where Monday's stabbing spree allegedly carried out by 17-year-old suspect Axel Rudakubana occurred.

A crowd numbering in the hundreds gathered in the seaside town near Liverpool after a vigil, and attacked police and vehicles, lit fires and threw missiles at a mosque.

The disturbances lasted late into the night and injured dozens of police officers.

Several other English towns and cities then saw unrest on Wednesday night, including in London where police arrested 111 people and more officers were hurt.

Hundreds had gathered on Whitehall, outside the prime minister's Downing Street office and residence, with officers "subjected to assault, abuse and violent disorder", according to the capital's Metropolitan Police.

"It is shameful that some have sought to exploit this tragedy as justification for their own violence and criminality," said Met Assistant Commissioner Matt Twist.

Read more Protesters clash with UK police after knife attack that killed three girls

Who's been blamed?

Police have pointed to people from outside Southport for orchestrating Tuesday's riot there, in particular supporters of the English Defence League (EDL).

High-profile far-right agitator Tommy Robinson helped establish the Islamophobic organisation, whose supporters have been linked to football hooliganism, 15 years ago.

Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley Lennon, has maintained a stream of social media posts about the Southport stabbings and subsequent unrest.

"As disorder spreads... don't say I didn't warn you," he said on X late Wednesday.

Rioters in Hartlepool, northeast England, and other flashpoints Wednesday night have chanted Robinson's name during disturbances.

Other far-right figures and social media handles have been similarly active online posting about the recent events.

Actor-turned-"anti-woke" activist Laurence Fox shared with his more than 525,000 X followers details of the Whitehall demonstration that turned violent.

It comes less than a month after the general election, when Nigel Farage's anti-immigrant Reform UK party captured 14 percent of the vote – one of the largest vote shares for a far-right British party.

The Brexit architect has rallied support in typically Eurosceptic communities by decrying the levels of immigration to the UK, in particular the continued arrivals of migrants on small boats across the Channel.

How have political leaders responded?

Farage, elected to parliament for the first time last month, has faced criticism of helping to fuel the disorder after he posted a video questioning "whether the truth is being withheld from us" over the Southport attack.

Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner accused him of stoking "conspiracy theories".

Former counter-terror police chief Neil Basu said Farage was giving the EDL "succour" and "a false basis for the attacks on the police".

Prime Minister Keir Starmer – in power for less than a month – has warned rioters they will "face the full force of the law" as he seeks to quell the growing unrest.

He will host police chiefs from across the country Thursday to discuss the situation.
What about social media?

Sites like X have been heavily criticised for spreading misinformation about the Southport stabbings suspect.

Online speculation and unverified information about his identity, faith and background, including claims he was Muslim or an immigrant, have helped fuel anger around the attack, according to experts.

"What happened in Southport was just the spark that then ignited what has been months and months of this diffusion of anti-Muslim, anti-immigrant disinformation," hate speech researcher Marc Owen Jones told AFP.

Loughborough University misinformation expert Andrew Chadwick said the events have underlined the need for technology firms to adopt a "better approach" to handling "blatant disinformation".

"With levels of distrust as high as they are in British society of both media and governments and politicians, then it creates this environment which is really, really difficult to manage," he noted.

(AFP

Teen in court over UK stabbings as Starmer seeks to quell unrest


By AFP
August 1, 2024


Many in the public remain frustrated by the stream of reports of violent crimes - Copyright AFP GREG BAKER

Yelim LEE

A teenager appeared in court Thursday charged with murdering three girls in a mass stabbing at a Taylor Swift-themed dance party as violent protests over the attack erupted in several English cities.

The 17-year-old — who cannot be named due to his age — faces three counts of murder and 10 of attempted murder following the killings Monday in Southport, northwest England.

The attack has shocked the country, while misinformation online about the background of the suspect has fuelled violent disturbances by far-right agitators who targeted a mosque and clashed with police in Southport.

Protests rocked London, and the northern cities of Hartlepool and Manchester on Wednesday night. More than 100 people were arrested outside Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s official Downing Street residence.

Starmer was to hold an emergency meeting Thursday with police chiefs seeking to quell the unrest.

The stabbing suspect was remanded in custody during a five-minute appearance at Liverpool magistrate’s court. He was to appear at the city’s Crown Court later in the day.

The youth wore a baggy grey tracksuit and black slippers and smiled before he was asked to sit down, according to reporters in the courtroom.

A judge in the Crown Court was to give a further ruling on the youth’s detention.



– Unrest –



The teenager is accused of murdering Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine.

He allegedly wounded another eight children and two adults during the frenzied attack that has sparked an outpouring of grief in Southport, a quiet seaside town.

Social media misinformation about him contributed to violent clashes in Southport on Tuesday night, in which bricks were thrown at a mosque and 53 police officers were injured.

Police have blamed members of the far-right English Defence League grouping, an Islamophobic organisation founded 15 years ago whose supporters have been linked to football hooliganism.

The protests spread on Wednesday, including to Downing Street.

Protesters throw bottles at police and shouted, “We want our country back” and “Stop the boats,” — the latter a reference to small boats bringing irregular migrants across the Channel.



– ‘Full force of the law’ –



In Hartlepool, northeast England, demonstrators set police cars on fire and threw objects at the officers, with police saying eight arrests were made.

Hartlepool police said officers faced having “missiles, glass bottles and eggs being thrown at them, with several suffering minor injuries.”

At the meeting with police leaders, Starmer will say the events at Southport “serve as a reminder of the bravery of our emergency service workers and the vitally important work they do to keep the public safe,” a statement by the prime minister’s office said.

He will also say that while the right to protest must be protected, “criminals who exploit that right in order to sow hatred and carry out violent acts will face the full force of the law”.

The Labour government has vowed to clampdown on crime and antisocial behaviour, with interior minister Yvette Cooper promising policies including ramping up the presence of community police “in every corner of the country”.

Starmer will tell police leaders “that they should not hesitate to use their powers to stop mindless violence in its tracks and make sure justice is served,” the statement said.