Category: Great Moments

A Heritage of great moments in the history of the continent and the black race

Sad Moments in Mali : Fallen Brothers and the Black Winter

On By Dr. Y.In Great Civilizations, Great Moments, Great PeopleLeave a comment

 

Map of Mali with its capital Bamako

Over the past week, there have been severe confrontations/battles in Mali between the government forces backed by the proud people of Mali and the jihadists forces funded by the West. These intense attacks culminated on April 25, 2026, with the deaths of the Malian Defense Minister, General Sadio Camara, members of his family, and countless soldiers and civilians. We have learned that the attacks were complex, coordinated, and simultaneous.

General Assimi Goita

As always, the Western media celebrated, and wondered where the Malian president was, and told us that the rebels were now in total control of Kidal. On Tuesday, President General Assimi Goïta, addressed the nation, and told us that, “A violent halt was put to the attackers who sought to establish a climate of violence.” These attacks, as President Assimi Goïta shared, were “coordinated [and] of an extreme gravity.”

ECOWAS Members – old map

The attacks were quite complex, as they were very sophisticated; the bandits were no longer thugs driving simple motorcycles, but advanced military vehicles instead, had high technology, missiles, and even satellite access for such coordination, and much more. As you can see, common bandits cannot have access to such high tech or intelligence: where do they get the money? It is clear that they are funded by the West, with France at the forefront, Ukraine, the E.U. and thus NATO, and the ECOWAS countries which are governed by puppets of France (Côte d’Ivoire, Nigeria, Benin, Algeria, Mauritania). Remember that American general who lied about Ibrahim Traoré last summer visited several of these countries to establish other centers for the AFRICOM (What are American Troops doing in Nigeria ?)? This time, the jihadists hit almost simultaneously the cities of Gao, Kidal, Mopti, and Kati. You can see that this is an army, and not just ‘rebels’ as labelled by the western media, directly financed by the West with France in the front. It is said that they are numbering several thousand men.

Flag of Mali
Flag of Mali

President Goïta said, “Thanks to the promptness and professionalism of the armed and security forces, the attackers – whose objectives was to instill a climate of widespread violence in the affected localities –were  dealt a decisive blow. Thanks to the calm of the personnel deployed and the maintenance of a cohesive chain of command, the enemy’s nefarious plot was thwarted, resulting in the neutralization of a significant number of attackers. As I speak to you now, security measures have been reinforced; the situation is under control, and operations involving combing, search, intelligence gathering, and security consolidation remain ongoing.”

 

AES Logo

This, as you can see, is the black winter (dark winter), President Ibrahim Traoré of Burkina Faso referred to at the beginning of the year. However, what the enemy has forgotten is that Assimi Goïta, Ibrahim Traoré, Abdourahamane Tchiani are all proud descendants of the great Mali Empire, Songhai Empire, Kanem-Bornu Empire, and offspring of the mighty Sundiata Keïta, Kankan Musa, Samori Touré, and so many others; these are men whose ancestors have been fighting for their freedom for generations (like Malians fighting the French forces at the battle of Sikasso). The fight for freedom did not start yesterday in 2020, but has been ongoing for centuries. As President Goïta said, “Our people have made the choice, the choice of sovereignty and dignity. The choice is the expression of a national will, fully embraced and boldly asserted. It comes at a price, and we are fully aware of it. This choice is the only path worth taking if we wish to offer our children a future that is free, just, and prosperous.” As president Goïta told us in 2022, No Sacrifice is too Big for this Country.

The World Bank Wants Nigeria to ‘Open’ up its Oil Market

On By Dr. Y.In Great MomentsLeave a comment
Flag and map of Nigeria
Flag and map of Nigeria

Early this month, the World Bank made recommendations to the government of Nigeria, asking them to open the country’s borders to allow imports of premium motor spirit imports. This is seen as a way to edge Dangote refineries. On April 7, the World Bank, in its Nigeria Development Update, recommended that Africa’s most populous country prioritize imports, stating that imported fuel will be cheaper than domestically produced petrol. Days later, after the outcry of Nigerians, the World Bank deleted its NDU report and clarified that its recommendation is not a blanket stamp on fuel importation but a broader strategy linked to reforms and consumer protection in Nigeria. It later reversed its earlier stance on downstream oil sector liberalization, stating, “In the case of Nigeria, the focus should be to provide targeted support to the most vulnerable people through their well-functioning social safety net system, and the World Bank Group stands ready to step up its existing support.”

Dangote Refinery (Source: Leadership.ng)

Recall that Aliko Dangote, Africa’s Richest Man Built One of the World’s Largest Oil Refineries in Nigeria, and is now supplying countries in the midst of the Iran war and blockade in the strait of Ormuz. This has been a major game changer for the country and for Africa as a whole. Picture this, you are an oil producer, yet you export the crude oil to be refined elsewhere and later on import it at a higher price and very often low-grade quality (Swiss Firms poison Oil destined for Africa). Dangote has changed this, and at a time where the world is in turmoil because of the blockade in the strait of Ormuz which supplies over 20% of the world’s oil, his refinery has been able to meet demands. The West could not see this ‘independence’ too well, because their oil companies used to own the oil in Nigeria and refine it, and sell it back at premium prices.

Fuel

My question to the ‘caring’ (sarcasm) World Bank is this: where were you when your oil companies, Shell, BP, … were spilling oil in the Niger delta, thus creating major oil pollution? Justice at last from Shell … for Nigerians! Did you recommend that they clean up? Did you recommend that they compensate for all the environmental damages, the loss of livelihood, water contamination, health problems, forced migration, and loss of lives, caused while making humongous benefits? Did you stop Shell when it sold its subsidiary to absolve itself from paying for damages? Yet, your sister organizations at the UN and several human-rights organizations have said that the scale and duration of the oil pollution in the Niger Delta amounts to such a severe environmental injustice that some activists and scholars have described it as an “environmental genocide.” Now the World Bank wants us to believe that it cares so much for Nigerians that it wants them to save money at the pump by allowing foreign imports! REALLY???

After the World Bank redacted their statement, how can sane ‘experts’ make a recommendation to any country that imports is better for their livelihood? particularly to an oil producing country to import oil? They must think we are idiots.

Nigeria should not bow down to that institution which has never helped any country in the world except the imperialist ones that it serves. Nigeria and Africa should stick to working towards its independence (economic, political, cultural, etc) from these vipers!

To learn more, check out the articles at Guardian.Ng, The Africa Report, or the Daily Post Nigeria.

Bassolma Bazie of Burkina Faso Sets the Record Straight in Lome, Togo

On By Dr. Y.In Great Moments, Great PeopleLeave a comment
Flag of Burkina Faso

On April 18, 2026, during the AES-ECOWAS summit in Lomé, Togo, President of the National Commission of the Alliance des États du Sahel (AES) for Burkina Faso, Bassolma Bazié set the record straight. His intervention was fiery and strongly contrasted the AES with the ECOWAS/CEDEAO bloc. He reacted to current political tensions in West Africa, while delivering a forceful political address in Lomé. He spoke in defense of the AES, and made a call for African sovereignty. His speech was a call to action, and at the same time a summary of the progress Burkina Faso and the AES countries have made on their own. I felt proud to be African!

President Capitaine
Ibrahim Traore (Source: sig.gov.bf)

He detailed some of the progress Burkina Faso has seen between 1960 to 2022 when it was ‘independent and democratic’ and ruled by the Western puppets, and since 2023 under the ‘junta’. The progress in 3 years is amazing, should be applauded and copied by all. Burkina Faso which never had air force bases, now has at least 4. Every citizen is happy to join in the effort of liberating their country. There were months when doctors and nurses who did not protest and understood the dire situation facing their countries did not receive pay; the President of the Faso, once the money came in, paid all the arrears. Burkina Faso saw its very first renal transplant operation last month; a first since forever! All citizens contributed, from their savings and salaries, over $2 billion to the cause of their country. Now that they are owners of their own destinies, they can do transactions without passing through the French slave currency FCFA, which gives them freedom to bargain with other countries and choose partners.

Here are some of the points President of the National Commission of the AES, Bassolma Bazié covered:

  • Assertion of Sovereignty : Bazié emphasizes that the AES countries (Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger) are reclaiming their autonomy and refusing external interference. He said “they [the West] will no longer impose leaders upon us, our raw materials will serve our people” [“On ne va plus nous imposer des dirigeants, nos matieres premieres vont servir a nos peuples…“]. AES countries should control their own resources, define their own political systems, choose their own partners, and reject “tutelage” from former colonial powers.
  • Critique of ECOWAS (CEDEAO) : He argues that ECOWAS has drifted from its original mission established by its founding fathers, and now acts against the interests of its own member states. It has become an instrument of foreign powers, which imposes sanctions that harm African populations, and interferes in the internal affairs of sovereign states.
  • Defense of the Sahel Alliance : He presents the AES as a necessary response to security, political, and economic challenges, positioning it as a more authentic and people‑centered alternative. As you know, before the Alliance reclaimed its lands and its territories, the foreign forces and interventions had utterly miserably failed. Bazié says that sovereignty is not negotiable, even under pressure. Now, the Sahel countries have been fighting alone and faced terrorism financed by the same foreigners. The AES is building a new security architecture whose foundation is the cooperation between the 3 countries. He
  • Call for African Unity : Despite criticizing ECOWAS leadership, he calls for solidarity among African nations and urges them to rethink their alliances, to be really sovereign and to use their resources for their own people. Unity must be horizontal, not imposed. African institutions must serve African peoples, not external agendas. The AES is open to cooperation with other African states, but cooperation must be based on respect and equality.
  • Reaction to International Pressure : He denounces what he sees as foreign manipulation and insists that Sahel countries must define their own path.

 

Industrialization in Africa : Ibrahim Traoré Tells it All

On By Dr. Y.In Great Economy, Great Moments, Great PeopleLeave a comment
President Capitaine
Ibrahim Traore (Source: sig.gov.bf)

In his April 2, 2026 interview, the President of Burkina Faso, Ibrahim Traoré, showed, through simple examples, like his illustrious predecessor Thomas Sankara, that true sovereignty is impossible without industrialization.

He used simple everyday objects, in layman’s terms, including a spoon, to illustrate how Africa remains trapped in a colonial economic model where it exports raw materials and imports the finished goods at a much higher cost. He took the example of soy beans that are grown locally, yet soy oil is imported; similarly with cotton which is produced locally, yet, clothing is imported from abroad even though there is a local industry. He said that Burkina Faso must stop exporting raw resources only to buy back manufactured items. Doesn’t this remind you of Sankara at the UN tribune? The Faso Dan Fani: Woven Cloth of the Homeland.

Faso Dan Fani

In 1986, the President of the Faso, Thomas Sankara, declared that it was important to “produce and consume Burkinabé.” Thus, Sankara declared “In all the villages of Burkina Faso, we know how to grow cotton. In all villages, women know how to spin cotton, men know how to weave it into cloth, and other men know how to sew those threads into clothes... [Dans tous les villages du Burkina Faso, l’on sait cultiver le coton. Dans tous les villages, des femmes savent filer le coton, des hommes savent tisser ce fil en pagnes et d’autres hommes savent coudre les pagnes en vêtements …]” and further “We should not be slave of what others produce [Nous ne devons pas être esclave de ce que les autres produisent].”

Fuel

Traoré argued that Africa must produce locally, adding value to its own resources instead of enriching foreign industries. Like currently, the world is held up by the energy crisis caused by the Iran war and the blockade of the strait of Ormuz. Can you imagine that some African oil-producing countries like Cameroon, Congo, Gabon, have an oil/fuel penury? How come? well, for instance, Cameroon’s oil refinery burnt down a few years back, and Cameroonian oil is exported to Europe, bought back from them to be imported into the country as cheap toxic fuel! There are countless examples like that: Swiss Firms poison Oil destined for Africa. This is why Africa’s Richest Man Dangote has built one of the world’s largest oil refineries.

Traoré explained that Burkina Faso cannot remain dependent on foreign factories for basic goods. He insisted that local transformation of resources is the only path to real independence. To come back to the spoon example, Burkina Faso exports metal ore, while foreign countries turn it into spoons or tools, and Burkina buys those finished products back.  This is not development; it is dependency!

Flag of Burkina Faso

This development must be led by Burkinabe, and Africans themselves. It cannot be dictated by foreign institutions (IMF, World Bank, UN, etc) which do not serve our interests. Africa must build its own industries, and the opportunities and job creations are endless, from the example of the spoon, plates, medicine, clothing, housing materials, etc. True Burkinabe and African sovereignty cannot be done with industrialization!

 

Ibrahim Traore’s Masterclass: Press Conference on April 2, 2026

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Capitaine President Ibrahim Traore (Source: sig.gov.bf)

On April 2, 2026, President Ibrahim Traoré of Burkina Faso addressed the local and international press for more than 2 hours. He focused on several major themes central to Burkina Faso itself and its relationship with foreign powers. It was a real masterclass. He did not fall for the numerous press’ traps.

Below are some key themes he focused on:

Sovereignty and independence

Traoré emphasized that Burkina Faso must strengthen its sovereignty in all areas: political, economic, and security-related. He framed the country’s current path as a struggle for real independence, and not symbolic autonomy which many African countries have had since their ‘independence‘ in the 1960s. It is important to reclaim our sovereignty! He highlighted that Burkinabé are now in charge of their own army, and is funded and trained by Burkinabé themselves; thus the mindset and strategy have changed and lent to victories against terrorism.

“We are heirs of the revolution” by Thomas Sankara

Economic Liberation

Optimal management of our resources and end the dependency on foreign powers and for Africa to build its own systems. He reminded us, almost like President Thomas Sankara before, that we have to build and plant what we need to achieve self-sufficienty (Thomas Sankara in His Words, Thomas Sankara’s Speech at the United Nations / Discours de Thomas Sankara aux Nations Unies, Thomas Sankara Speech on Debt and Unity, “The National Economy: Independent, Self-Sufficient, and Planned at the Service of Democratic and Popular Society” — Thomas Sankara). Taking the example of a spoon that we use to eat, but yet is imported; or Africa which imports food from other countries, when it is the continent with the most arable lands in the world. Something has to change.

Security and the war against terrorism

For a country like Burkina Faso, Western-style democratic systems cannot be simply grafted or copied to a nation like his, fighting terrorism and dealing with Western embargo, and deep institutional corruption. Security and stability must come before adopting external political needs.

Democracy and Media Reactions

President Traoré said that “Burkinabé must forget democracy,” and many Western media were triggered by it. In reality, the president of the Faso (PF) was trying to say that western electoral models cannot function effectively in Burkina Faso during wartime and when it is trying to free itself from imperialist chains.  Moreover, as we have discussed here before, Africans must stop falling into the trap of democracy; the West has cheated Africa for far too long with that word called democracy that most of them do not even apply! The PF also reminded us about the “Charte du Mandé” the very first declaration of human rights in the world established in Africa and which shows that Africa’s ancestral governance should be made more relevant today and is adapted to our struggles.

Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso

Justice and institutional reform

The PF highlighted that the focus is on rebuilding institutions and creating systems that are resistant to corruption and external manipulation. He also showed how old traditional/local/ancestral governments could live in harmony with the modern republican government for the benefit of the homeland.

Africa’s geopolitical position

He positioned Burkina Faso within a broader African struggle for independence. As the leader of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), he stated that priorities would be on the operationalization of the unified force, the acceleration of regional integration, and the implementation of major economic initiatives. He urged Africans everywhere to see themselves as part of one global community which should fight for its independence.

 

Discovery of a New Species of Dinosaur in Niger : Spinosaurus Mirabilis

On By Dr. Y.In Great Moments, Great ScienceLeave a comment
Map of Niger

In the Sahara desert, in the country of Niger, near the city of Tesker, a team of scientists has discovered a new species of dinosaur which lived in the area 95 million years ago. The new species, named Spinosaurus mirabilis, measures 12 m long, has a long snout adapted for catching fish, and features a spectacular curved crest on its head which is the largest ever found on a predatory dinosaur.

The expedition has been led by American paleontologist Paul Sereno from the University of Chicago who explains that the crest was likely ornamental, similar to features seen in some modern birds, rather than a weapon; this could later be found not to be the case, as we, humans, often interpret some ancient findings through our modern eyes. The dinosaur also had interlocking teeth, ideal for gripping slippery fish, showing its adaptation to life near water. This rare finding was cause for great joy within the team. Using modern tools including solar-powered laptops, members of the team were able to digitally assemble the images of the bones right in the middle of the Sahara.

Paleontologist Paul Sereno with a skull cast of the Spinosaurus mirabilis.
Credit: Keith Ladzinski / Fossil Lab, University of Chicago / AFP/Getty

The team will be returning to Niger for further work. Sereno and his team are helping to establish a Heritage Center at the University of Niamey and planning 2 museums, one in the capital and the other in Agadez to showcase the country’s rich paleontological history.

This discovery sheds a light on the fact that the Niger’s desert is a major dinosaur fossil site, with many more discoveries to be made. There is a great need to train Nigerien and African archaeologists, paleontologists, and museum specialists as the field is overall a virgin field in Africa. Africans need to learn, so that they can tell their own history!

Check out Sci News, Discover Magazine, UChicago News, as well as the interview in RFI for more.

 

The UN Recognizes the Transatlantic Slave Trade as the Gravest Crime against Humanity

On By Dr. Y.In Great Moments1 Comment
Slaves on board a ship

On Wednesday, the United Nations passed a resolution recognizing the transatlantic slave trade as “the gravest crime against  humanity.” The resolution was started by Ghana’s president John Mahama who rallied the world to ratify a landmark vote against the transatlantic slave trade. The decision has been welcomed throughout Africa. It is believed that over 15 million people were deported from the continent, moved across the globe and enslaved in totally inhumane conditions for over 4 centuries. Some question the numbers: how could the transatlantic slave trade show numbers like 15 millions over 4 centuries when we all know that a ship carried about 250 to 400 people, and that at the height of the trade, 30,000 people per year were taken from Elmina castle alone (Reclaiming African History: Elmina Castle – West Africa’s Oldest Slave Fort), that’s 3 million people in one century from Elmina alone; now do the math, and add all the other slave forts across Africa! … you would agree that the math is not math-ing.  And to think that it took so long to be recognized! Now that it is recognized, what does this mean? Is it just an empty “we recognize the wrong we did to you…” and nothing else?

Slave capture

By the way, guess which countries voted against the resolution? Argentina, Israel, and the USA. Guess who abstained? Most European countries!

Excerpts below are from the Guardian.

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… On Wednesday, less than two years after completing a remarkable comeback as Ghana’s president…, [John Mahama] rallied the world to ratify a landmark vote against transatlantic chattel slavery, despite major opposition from the same western entities that drove it for centuries.

The resolution to declare the practice as “the gravest crime against humanity” passed with a decisive majority at the UN general assembly and has been largely welcomed across Africa. Yet the details of the tally reveal a world still deeply divided on the gravity of the sin of enslaving more than 15 million people as chattel over the course of 400 years.

Inner courtyard at Elmina Castle (Source: Ghana.nl)

Thus, the 123 states who voted for it were just as noteworthy as those that did not. Most of the assembly was in support including Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, most of Latin America, all former victims, as well as the Arab world, who themselves have the dark history of trans-Saharan slavery under their belt. Russia called it a “long overdue recognition”.

Perhaps because of their history of subjugation of Indigenous people and perpetuation of chattel slavery, the western bloc of Australia, Canada, the UK and the EU states all abstained in the vote, electing to postpone their day of atonement.

The three states to publicly vote against the resolution were Argentina, where two-thirds of the value of all imports arriving at the port of Buenos Aires between 1580 and 1640 were enslaved Africans; Israel and the US, where 11 states seceded rather than obey the Emancipation Proclamation freeing enslaved Africans.

…

How Puppet Regimes are Built : 3 Consequences

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Statue of Behanzin in Abomey, Benin
Statue of Behanzin in Abomey, Benin

Today, we will continue our discussion on “How Puppet Regimes are Built.” We will focus on African regimes, particularly those installed in Francophone Africa, regimes inherited from the colonial era. We all remember how King Behanzin, Prempeh I, Samori Toure, and countless others were replaced by docile and easy to manipulate puppets serving France. This is still ongoing, and can explain those ridiculous laws or rules, or even election numbers made by these horrible puppets today: Sassou Nguesso, Paul Biya, Alassane Ouattara, to name just a few. Given that their authorities are not based on the sacred laws of the countries, but are rather backed by foreign powers and their guns, they do not fear to strangle their people for decades. A century later, the modus operandi of the puppets installed yesterday during slavery times and today during ‘independence’ has not changed

“Quand l’Africain était l’or noir de l’Europe” de Bwemba Bong

Below are the consequences of building puppet regimes, as detailed by Pr. Bwemba Bong in his book “Quand l’Africain était l’or noir de l’Europe. L’Afrique: Actrice ou Victime de la Traite des Noirs? – Démontage des mensonges et de la falsification de l’histoire de l’hydre des razzias négrières transatlantiques” (When the African was the black gold of Europe. Africa: Actress or Victim of the Slave Trade ? – Dismantling the lies and falsification of the hydra history of the transatlantic Slave Raids),” MedouNeter 2022, p. 170 (translated to English by Dr. Y, Afrolegends.com). In his section titled “The transformation of the administrators of the so-called French-speaking colonial Black Africa into anti-African, ethnic ogres and terrorists”, he explains so well :

… The slave-trading origins of the power held by “African political leaders” have entailed three notable consequences:

    1. It has undermined the sacred foundations of authority in Black Africa, for that authority “ceases to derive its legitimacy from a reference to ancient sacred procedures. It no longer appears to have received its sole consecration from the Ancestors, from divinities, or from the ritual forces associated with every manifestation of authority. This phenomenon is further accentuated by the fact that missionary activity creates a religious diversity that fractures the spiritual unity of which the sovereign or the chiefs serve as symbols. At the same time, it contributes to a secularization of authority,” writes Georges Balandier [in Le contexte sociologique de la vie politique en Afrique noire, dans Revue française de science politique, 1959, p.604-605].
    2. Traditional checks and balances have been destroyed: the Council of Elders, in particular, vanished due to the control exerted by European slave traders. Consequently, punishable abuses—even those that were effectively sanctioned—were no longer, and are no longer, curbed in accordance with the interests of the group. Georges Balandier characterizes this phenomenon as a “rupture of traditional systems for limiting power,” a rupture he describes in these terms: “sovereigns wield a more arbitrary power, albeit one that is more circumscribed, and the consolidation of power matters more than the acquiescence of the governed. The latter, conversely, may attempt to appeal to the foreign administration in order to oppose certain decisions made by traditional authorities. On both sides, the relationship is distorted, and mutual obligations no longer appear clearly defined.”
    3. By the grace of the occupying power, delinquent slave-broker intermediaries [western puppets in Africa] had become, and remain to this day, the replacements for legitimate traditional authorities. This status, bolstered by the perverted prerogatives inherited from their European creators, enabled them then, as it does now, to assume the responsibilities of tax collectors, census takers, administrators, and the like. It also empowered these “chiefs” to requisition populations for forced labor, the construction of bridges and roads, and other such tasks. The overwhelming majority of these “chiefs” were remunerated by the slave system in their capacity as public agents.

Standing in Solidarity with our Cuban Brothers and Sisters

On By Dr. Y.In Great Moments, Great People1 Comment
Flag of Cuba

Our hearts go out to our Cuban brothers and sisters who are currently getting strangled alive! Yes… alive! Through no fault of their own, except standing for their freedom. Cuba has been struggling, facing embargo for over 64 years (the US imposed embargo on Cuba on February 3, 1962), and now, since January 3rd when the US kidnapped the Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro and his wife (Pirates of the Caribbeans in Venezuela, or the Renewed Face of the Far West), Cuba has been denied any oil imports. Until then, Venezuela had been providing 50 % of all of Cuba’s oil. Since then, all other countries, like Mexico, which were providing oil to Cuba have stopped after getting threatened by American president Donald Trump with tariffs. On Monday, the power grid collapsed, and on Wednesday power was partially restored to the island of 11 millions. Faced with years of embargo, Cuba’s power grid is aging and now with the recent oil blocade, it is falling apart. Highways are deserted, hospitals suffer, doctors operate with candle lights, and mothers give birth in darkness.

Whatever happens, Cuba is a beacon to the ‘small’ people of the world, and we stand with them. Cubans with Fidel Castro (Fidel Castro: Ideas cannot be Killed!) have shown us that the size of a country or its people does not matter when fighting for freedom and principles. Cuba is a small country, but its actions, its help, has been immense to Africa for the past 50 years. Even to this day, doctors across Africa have been trained in Cuba, and Cuban doctors have vastly supported the health-care services of many countries including Ghana. We stand with them!

Excerpts below are from Al Jazeera.

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Fuel

Cuba has reconnected its power grid and brought online its largest oil-fired power plant, energy officials said, putting an end to a nationwide blackout that lasted more than 29 hours amid a United States move to choke off the island’s fuel supply.

After the country’s 10 million people had been plunged into darkness overnight, the Caribbean island’s national power grid had fully come back online by 6:11pm (22:11 GMT) on Tuesday. However, officials said power shortages may continue because not enough electricity is being generated.

In addition to cutting off oil sales to Cuba, US President Donald Trump has escalated his rhetoric against the Communist-run island, saying on Monday he could do anything he wanted with the country.

A US State Department official blamed the Cuban government for the grid collapse, calling blackouts a “symptom of the failing regime’s incompetence”.

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel fired back at Washington, criticising its “almost daily public threats against Cuba”.

“They intend to and announce plans to take over the country, its resources, its properties, and even the very economy they seek to suffocate in order to force us to surrender,” Diaz-Canel wrote on social media on Tuesday night, shortly after power returned nationwide.

Cuba has yet to say what caused Monday’s nationwide grid failure, the first such collapse since the US cut off the island’s oil supply from Venezuela and threatened to slap tariffs on countries that ship fuel to the nation.

By midday on Tuesday, grid workers successfully fired up the Antonio Guiteras power plant, a decades-old behemoth that underpins the country’s power grid.

…

March 8 : International Women’s Day – Central African Women Celebrate with a Rowing Competition

On By Dr. Y.In Great Moments2 Comments
Women in a rowing competition on the shores of the Ubangi River in Bangui (Source: Africanews)

For the International Women’s Day (IWD) this year, the women of the Central African Republic (CAR) decided to have a rowing competition in the capital Bangui, as opposed to the usual parade. I thought the idea sweet, and wanted to share. The competition took place on March 8, 2026, on the shores of the Ubangi River in Bangui. The ladies of Bangui came out in droves and participated in a 100% rowing feminine competition. In our countries, rowing competitions are usually male, rarely do we have a female competition; this might be a first! Imagine the togetherness spirit these women showed, the courage, and the fun! And the men came out to cheer the women in the race; there were thousands of spectators. This is an inspiration to other women in the country, on the continent, and around the globe, how about making IWD an action day?

Excerpts below are from Africanews.

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Women celebrating IWD by rowing in a 100% female competition in Bangui (Source: Africanews)

The women of Bangui, the capital of the Central African Republic, responded enthusiastically to the call from the organizers of the all-female canoe race on the Ubangi River.

In a frenzied atmosphere, the women flexed their muscles, paddling in long canoes. This year in Bangui, they wanted to celebrate International Women’s Day in a different way. Along the riverbank, a roaring crowd cheered the arrival of the winners.

“You know, it’s usually our husbands who do the races, but for this day, we thought, why not us! We are just as capable as our husbands, and we are proud of it. I am very happy that my village, Bokassi 1, was able to take first place in this race,” declared Jupsie Mameleyabi, captain of the Bokassi women’s team.

… “I am very proud to have participated in this race. I witnessed the bravery of Central African women and girls; they were courageous, committed, and determined, and that is what March 8th is all about. March 8th is about celebrating women’s victories and their commitment, and they demonstrated that this afternoon. So, congratulations to the Central African Republic for winning, and congratulations to the women and girls of the Central African Republic. Rights, justice, and action for all the women and girls of the Central African Republic,” explains Rachel Miam Diagone, UN Women Resident Representative in the Central African Republic.