Afrilition: Jason Arday and the Cannibal Game

Rest well, Jason Ardy; tomorrow shines light beyond ìlara towards Afrilition. Tomorrow, there is an African world where our love is enough and our approval is the reward of our value.

by Adewale Ajadi  

August 18, 2026

Racism is a sleight of hand game. The best way to understand it is by exploring what my Yoruba ancestors call ìlara. In my culture and language, we say “ìlara ko gbo ògùn.” Ìlara does not respond to medication or a cure. It is desiring someone’s essence out of profound admiration, even love, but in a manner that is twisted by the idea of scarcity; hence the need to obtain it by all means. It is the tragic, corrupted pilgrimage of a misplaced spirit seeking the beautiful essence of another that it doesn’t realise it already possesses within its own Orí.

Afrilition opens up the African world, and even though the book is out, life continues to evolve through the lens it contains. I received notice of the imminent release of the hardcover, which coincided with the tragic news of Professor Jason Arday’s death. He had recently resigned from the post he held in Cambridge, hounded for the crime of lacking merit to hold a PhD or even be appointed as a professor, despite the awarding university affirming his award after a completed investigation. He rests in the deepest love, and I extend divine solace to his family.

Afrilition is about the place of African love in creating a space of abundance for humanity. It makes it difficult to focus on the individual experience only. At the Heart of Afrilition is a fundamental premise: we cannot build the future in reaction to racism or any pathology that will distract and detract from our intentional purpose. It is, however, legitimate to decimate any such element that stands in the path of our desired goal or destination.

As much as it is important to engage more in the creative thinking about the future that is Afrilition, it is also important to critically explore the racism that continues to reduce and dislocate the lives of people who share the African identity across the world. At the core of Jason Arday’s virtual ‘lynching’ is the university, which itself is of African origin. Between 857-859 BCE, when Europeans were centuries away from exploring higher learning institutions, a woman in Fez, in modern-day Morocco, started in a mosque what is now known as the University of al-Qarawiyyin. Her name was Fatima-al-Fihri and her creation is the oldest University, which still runs till today.

Ìlara has caused the Western system to warp desire into hatred, in its effort to obscure insecurity and vulnerability. Watching the rehabilitation of Neandertals after years of denigration, to adjust for the presence of their DNA in Europeans, is a classic act. Worse is the idea that Europe is a continent, when it does not meet the objective standards that describe a continent. It is simply part of the Asian landmass. Yet, these are the keepers of meritocracy and the champions of objective standards.

It takes amazing gall and sheer audacity to borrow an African concept, whether Islamic or otherwise, and become the gatekeeper of its merit to the point of asserting the unworthiness of people of African descent to exercise access, agency, or leadership, without acknowledging the proprietary ownership that should be accorded to Africans. Not surprising at all, since the global hegemon that asserts its role as protector of democracy still gerrymanders votes racially in its own country, but thinks nothing of bombing and killing young girls in their school in pursuit of an alleged democratic ideal. Objective standards are tools used to oppress others but never applied to the gatekeepers and enforcers.

Racism is a sleight of hand game. The best way to understand it is by exploring what my Yoruba ancestors call ìlara. In my culture and language, we say “ìlara ko gbo ògùn.” Ìlara does not respond to medication or a cure. It is desiring someone’s essence out of profound admiration, even love, but in a manner that is twisted by the idea of scarcity; hence the need to obtain it by all means. It is the tragic, corrupted pilgrimage of a misplaced spirit seeking the beautiful essence of another that it doesn’t realise it already possesses within its own Orí. This is the pathology that drives a world in which the most diverse, genetically and culturally, are reduced to objects of perpetual attack, reduction, and ridicule, for supposed inferiority defined by pigmentation.

Ìlara has caused the Western system to warp desire into hatred, in its effort to obscure insecurity and vulnerability. Watching the rehabilitation of Neandertals after years of denigration, to adjust for the presence of their DNA in Europeans, is a classic act. Worse is the idea that Europe is a continent, when it does not meet the objective standards that describe a continent. It is simply part of the Asian landmass. Yet, these are the keepers of meritocracy and the champions of objective standards. Their history of adjusting accepted standards to ensure their primacy has no rival.

Mo Ló is effective use, and Afrilition offers insights and possibilities, not as competition to the Western scarcity model but as an alternative imbued in abundance; a recognition that there is enough space in the sky for all birds to fly. It is no accident that Africa is home to all modern humans because what it lacks in comfort it provides the two critical elements for human survival and evolution. It provides adaptiveness and resilience.

You do not build an entire global apparatus to violently subjugate a people, unless you are secretly, profoundly, intimidated by the power of their essence. This system is driven by what my egbon, Lawson Oyedokun Oyekan ( a ceramicist and sculptor), and I term “cannibaligame.” At the deepest level, racism is a systemic attempt to consume, extract, and possess the spiritual frequency of another group because the oppressor’s own collective Orí has become fractured and disconnected from the source. Racism understood as ìlara is a profound, civilisational heartbreak: a violent, multi-century tantrum borne of a group that looked at the spiritual and cultural essence of others, fell in love with it, realised they could not possess it internally, and decided to cage, classify, and consume them instead.

We Africans are in some way responsible for this, not just because of the completeness of the colonial experience and the oppressive nature of what we have now accepted as education, but also because of the virus of the ego that makes us seek validation from the very system that works to subjugate and relegate us, whilst extracting our very essence and appropriating it for sectional benefits. For the sake of late Jason Addy and all of us who seek to be Barristers or Doctors, titles and positions that barely register value compared to the inestimable value of our essence, we need to develop the Mo Ló of Africanness in its diversity and complexity.

Mo Ló is effective use, and Afrilition offers insights and possibilities, not as competition to the Western scarcity model but as an alternative imbued in abundance; a recognition that there is enough space in the sky for all birds to fly. It is no accident that Africa is home to all modern humans because what it lacks in comfort it provides the two critical elements for human survival and evolution. It provides adaptiveness and resilience. Rest well, Jason Ardy; tomorrow shines light beyond ìlara towards Afrilition. Tomorrow, there is an African world where our love is enough and our approval is the reward of our value.

Adéwálé Àjàdí, a lawyer, creative consultant and leadership expert, is author of the newly released Afrilition: 21st Century African Manifesto, and Omoluwabi 2.0: A Code of Transformation in 21st Century Nigeria.

Arday Backed Palestine; Man Behind Witch Hunt Believes in Racial Hierarchy and Supports Israel

August 17, 2026 at 1:04 pm

A woman walks across the Great Court at Trinity College, part of the University of Cambridge, in England on 14 October 2020 [JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP/Getty Images]

Online scrutiny has turned towards pro-Israel academic Nathan Cofnas, whose intervention helped propel allegations against the late Cambridge professor Jason Arday into the national spotlight. Social media users have uncovered  his controversial views on race and along with his outspoken support for Israel.

Following Arday’s death, users on X have circulated screenshots of comments attributed to Cofnas concerning Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory, alongside his well-documented description of himself as a “race realist”.

Describing the public furore over the death of Arday one commentator on X said: “A Jewish Zionist academic – Nathan Cofnas, who was suspended due to his promotion of ‘hereditarianism/race realism’ – the kind of racial superiority ‘science’ that claims Black people are inherently ‘BIOLOGICALLY’ less intelligent than white people, was responsible for the jealous rage-filled media dog pile on Jason Arday”.

Another widely shared thread highlights a post attributed to Cofnas in which he states: “There’s no way for Israel to avoid occupying or tightly controlling the Palestinian territories.”

Another screenshot circulating in the same thread attributes to Cofnas the argument: “There is nothing wrong with inherently occupying territory based on historical claims,” adding that Jews are “the oldest extant distinct group of people with claims to this piece of land”.

The posts have generated scrutiny of the political views of a figure who became closely associated with the controversy surrounding Arday.

Cofnas has publicly described himself as a “race realist” and has promoted what he calls a “hereditarian revolution”. In his usage, race realism refers to the belief that differences in outcomes between racial groups, including differences involving intelligence, are partly explained by inherited biological differences rather than solely by discrimination, environment or social conditions.

In his own published writing, Cofnas has challenged the idea that racial groups possess equal distributions of innate cognitive ability.

Cofnas has also argued that under what he considers a genuinely colour-blind meritocratic system, Black representation at elite institutions would decline dramatically. Cofnas wrote that Black people would “disappear from almost all high-profile positions outside of sports and entertainment” and predicted that the proportion of Black professors at Harvard would approach zero.

These views previously generated significant controversy at Cambridge. Emmanuel College ended its association with Cofnas after concluding that his statements conflicted with its values, although Cambridge University later determined that complaints against him fell within protections for lawful freedom of expression.

Footage of  Cofnas saying “After the revolution, I’ll be the head of the dept of eugenics & race science at Harvard,” is also circulating online.

The contrast with Arday’s own position on Palestine has also attracted attention.

Arday publicly supported an academic campaign challenging the suppression of Palestinian scholarship.

In August 2025, Arday was listed as a signatory to a statement condemning Harvard Education Publishing Group’s cancellation of a special issue of the Harvard Educational Review dedicated to Palestine and education.

The statement accused the publisher of suppressing discussion of the “genocide, starvation and dehumanisation” of Palestinians and warned of a wider effort to silence Palestinian voices and scholarship.

More than 700 academics and education professionals ultimately backed the statement.

Arday’s name appeared among the initial signatories in his capacity as professor of sociology of education at Cambridge University.

The contrast between Arday’s support for Palestine and Cofnas’ belief in racial hierarchy as well as his endorsement of the Zionist state of Israel, has become a prominent feature of the discussion now unfolding online.

‘Modern-day Lynching’: Jason Arday’s Death Ignites Debate Over Race and Academia in Britain

Jason Arday, Cambridge's youngest Black professor, died days after resigning amid intense scrutiny over plagiarism allegations, academic record

Aysu Bicer

19 August 2026

At a mass vigil in London’s Trafalgar Square on Monday evening, thousands gathered to mark the death of Professor Jason Arday. But when journalists approached attendees, particularly members of the Black community, the response was generally a firm refusal to give interviews.

For them, speaking to the media that had spent weeks dissecting Arday's career felt like feeding the very machine that destroyed him.

Among those who did speak, anger was directed at the intense media scrutiny Arday faced in the weeks before his death, with some accusing the British media of subjecting him to a "modern-day lynching."

The controversy also raised questions about the University of Cambridge's handling of Arday's appointment and its response to allegations concerning his academic work and record.

Arday, 41, rose to prominence after becoming the University of Cambridge's youngest Black professor in 2023, when he was appointed professor of sociology of education. The son of Ghanaian immigrants, Arday grew up in a working-class family in south London. He had spoken publicly about his autism and learning difficulties and wrote that he was nonverbal until 11 and did not learn to read and write until he was 18.

His career came under intense scrutiny in July after allegations of plagiarism emerged alongside questions about elements of his academic record and personal story.

The controversy quickly spread beyond academic circles, generating weeks of extensive British media coverage as further questions were raised about Arday's work, background and Cambridge's vetting of his credentials.

Arday resigned from his Cambridge post on Aug. 5, saying his decision should not "be mistaken for an acceptance of the narratives that have surrounded me." A week later, the university announced it would investigate the circumstances surrounding his appointment.

Two days later, on Aug. 14, Arday was found dead at his home in south London. Police said his death was being treated as unexpected but was not believed to be suspicious.

The 'race realist' accuser

The academic whose allegations helped ignite the public firestorm is Nathan Cofnas, a self-described "race realist" who has openly campaigned against diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies.

Cofnas previously held a research fellowship at Emmanuel College, Cambridge. In 2024, he lost his research associate role after publishing a blog post arguing that Black people have lower average intelligence than white people and that in a meritocracy there would be "close to zero" Black professors at Harvard.

Speaking to Anadolu, Cofnas rejected suggestions that he bore responsibility for Arday's death, saying his focus had been on what he described as a "pernicious ideology" rather than Arday personally.

"I didn't want him to be fired," Cofnas said. "I wanted him to remain a professor and to be the face of DEI, which I consider a pernicious ideology … Arday simply represented the corrupt system of DEI, and that was behind my interest in the case."

Asked whether his campaign was driven by anti-Black bias and why he focused so intensely on an academic who had been open about his autism and learning difficulties, Cofnas maintained that his findings were factual.

He portrayed Arday as a product of a broader institutional system and placed responsibility on the university.

"I see Arday as, in some ways, a victim," Cofnas said. "He was responding to a set of incentives that are created by the DEI system ... people who knew better set him up to be humiliated."

Cofnas alleged that Cambridge had been aware of the plagiarism claims since 2023, when they were raised by another academic, but had failed to act on them.

"When Arday became too much of an embarrassment for the university, they made it clear that they're not going to protect him. Cambridge immediately threw him under the bus,” he said.

"I said that there are qualified Black people who could have received that position in the United Kingdom. So I said, why would Cambridge hire Arday, who is clearly not qualified, and not find a Black person who is qualified? I would ask Cambridge what they think about Black people and what Cambridge thinks they're capable of if they think Arday, who is literally learning disabled, is the best scholar that they can find," he added.

Cofnas insisted he was not specifically targeting Black academics, arguing that plagiarism and academic misconduct are broader problems that should be addressed regardless of race.

“Certainly, plagiarism is a problem in academia. There are a lot of powerful people, including many white people, who have engaged in wrongdoing in academia. I’m very much in favour of holding them to account and getting to the bottom of why they are able to perpetrate whatever wrongdoing they may have done.”

Questions over tokenism, Cambridge's vetting

An academic of Asian origin who spoke to Anadolu on condition of anonymity said that while the allegations against Arday were serious, greater scrutiny should be directed at Cambridge and those responsible for his appointment.

"How come at this moment, no one in Cambridge is being held accountable?" the academic asked. "Even if that's the case, someone should be held accountable. The guy that let him in, right? Who pushes him to be the poster boy of Cambridge? If there is an investigation, the target shouldn't be on the professor, but it should be on whoever runs the show."

The academic pointed to a systemic reliance on superficial diversity – or "tokenism" – that uses minority scholars for superficial prestige without granting them genuine structural power, leaving them vulnerable when controversy strikes.

"Tokenism is everywhere," the scholar said. "I got invited to be on the panels of a lot of interviews which I don't deserve to be on. I help a lot of other departments which are completely white to interview someone because they need someone Asian or minority to be on the panel. I'm not even involved in the decision-making. They just want to have someone Asian on the panel. I'm the token."

Public grief: "A modern-day lynching"

At the Trafalgar Square vigil, some mourners described Arday's treatment as evidence of broader hostility toward Black people in elite institutions.

"It is a modern-day lynching, and that's all I can say," one attendee, who asked not to be named, told Anadolu. "It was a lynching of a man who did not deserve this."

A recurring theme among the mourners was the belief that Arday had been treated differently from his white peers, with some arguing that white academics have faced similar or more serious allegations without receiving the same level of media scrutiny.

"There have been white professors at Cambridge who have done far worse and have not received the treatment that he did," the same interviewee continued, condemning Cambridge, the media and Cofnas.

"They hounded him for his race. It was jealousy and pure hatred, and this is how it ended. It ended with the life of a young man who had so much potential ... And I can assure you, this will not be the first, and will certainly not be the last, because it will happen again each time a Black person puts their head above the parapet."

Another attendee at the vigil linked the controversy to Britain's colonial history and questioned the moral authority of institutions scrutinizing Arday over plagiarism.

"If you want to do DEI, look at the religion of the people who are in roles in the world ... where they decide a narrative," the attendee said, expressing a personal sense of disenfranchisement. "I can't see myself as a British citizen. I never will. This is not a game for us. We don't belong in this place."

The attendee also drew a comparison between the plagiarism allegations against Arday and artifacts acquired during Britain's colonial past that remain in British museums.

"This place is a place of stolen goods, right in there, right in all the museums, full of stolen goods," the attendee said. "We're talking about plagiarism. Give me a break. This country is built on theft. How dare they talk about plagiarism, which is theft, theft of the mind, theft of greatness. It's all in the museums."

Another Londoner framed Arday's treatment as part of a broader debate over race and equality.

"No young professor should be hounded like this because of his skin color," the Londoner told Anadolu. "This is part of a wider culture war over race and equality, both here and in America."

Jason Arday and the Human Cost of Workplace and Public Racism

The hounding of the late Jason Arday is an all too familiar experience for many black people. Roger McKenzie Calls for Collective Action to Combat What Can Feel Like Personal Isolation

Tributes left after a vigil, organised by campaign group Stand Up to Racism, for Professor Jason Arday on the steps of the National Gallery in Trafalgar Square, central London

Roger McKenzie

Media / 18 August 2026

Morning Star 

I WAS going to start this column by saying I couldn’t believe what has happened to Cambridge University Professor Jason Arday, but sadly I can and so can many black people who have held senior positions in an organisation or found themselves in the public eye. 

I’m not speaking for all black people in that position but from my own experience and in the light of the tragic passing of Professor Arday.

I never met Arday but want to convey my heartfelt condolences to the partners and two small children that he left behind. It is hard to imagine the grief they are experiencing.

What is often left out of the discussion, or sometimes vitriol, about racist attacks or harassment is the real impact that it has on the person on the receiving end.

Over time, it erodes you on the inside. No matter how much you try to show a brave face, lift your head and straighten your back to the outside world and even your own family. It eats away at you on the inside in a way that can cause irrecoverable damage.

I dare say this is what has happened to Arday. Having to justify your existence every day is no small feat. There are countless black people who will know exactly what Arday went through and fought with themselves over whether or not to take the same tragic step that he did.

Arday had been accused of plagiarism in his PhD. He denied the accusation and Liverpool John Moores University found against the complaint and upheld the award of his doctorate. 

But these complaints never seem to go away if you are black.

The witch-hunt against Arday followed him around in a way that it rarely does for anyone else.

He then faced harassment over his charity fundraising, his running and over other details of his early life.

Anything that could be dug up, with any substance or not, was used to harass Arday.

I really have no idea about any of the accusations against Arday but I entirely understand how racism works and the pile-on against him was just that – racist.

On the academic side, the fact is that accusations of plagiarism are not uncommon in academia. What is entirely unusual is the amount of attention paid by the corporate media to the allegations against Arday.

Using the word “allegation” is incorrect in this instance. It was nothing short of a public lynching of Arday.

Simply put, Arday was held to a different standard than others at the university and across academia in a frenzy of racist jealousy.

In the same year that Arday was appointed at Cambridge, another professor was found to have plagiarised work but kept his job. Few reading this would have even heard that such a thing took place.

In that case, the university concluded that any “intellectual theft” was “the product of negligent acts but was not deliberate.”

One of the figures who pushed the accusations against Arday was Nathan Cofnas, a former Cambridge academic and self-described “race realist.”

Cofnas once wrote: “In a meritocracy, Harvard faculty would be recruited from the best of the students, which means the number of black professors would approach 0 per cent.”

He added: “Blacks would disappear from almost all high-profile positions outside of sports and entertainment.”

I’ve seen no evidence that Arday had been found guilty of plagiarism but those behind the campaign of vilification were not prepared to consider that there was any doubt.

I have no idea of the truth of what has occurred here. That will no doubt come to light over time. 

But there is a pattern of the sort of hounding of black people in senior positions or the public eye. If you don’t believe me, go and talk with Diane Abbott, the first black woman elected to Parliament. Clearly, she was one too many for some people.

Last year, in another example, a black fire-chief, Wayne Brown, took his own life because he “couldn’t take it anymore” after months of alleged harassment and questions over his qualifications, an inquest was told.

Brown was found dead at his flat in Birmingham by police in January 2025.

If I had enough time and space, I could no doubt find and list many other examples.

Taking a personal example, I recall having to make a formal complaint against a colleague who clearly thought he should have been appointed to a role I had got. 

I was the first black person ever to hold that specific role in the long history of that particular organisation. I like to think I was appointed because of the skills and expertise I had accumulated over many years.

My colleague took it upon himself to tell anyone prepared to listen that I had only been appointed because I was black. 

The organisation investigated and gave the colleague a slap on the wrist. I was told by the senior manager who was investigating my complaint that “You didn’t expect us to do anything more than that did you?” My answer was of course I didn’t – because I certainly did not expect them to take firm action. 

That is the experience of many black people in the workplace. Our complaints about race-related matters are often dealt with in a way that is designed to make the problem go away, rather than dealing with the underlying issue of racism.

Unfortunately, it was not the first or last time that a similar questioning of my skills and expertise has taken place. I also know from speaking with other black friends and colleagues that this is far from an uncommon experience.

With respect to Cambridge University, we do know that they have only ever appointed a very small handful of black professors.

In 2024, only 0.3 per cent of Cambridge professors identified as black. This is roughly 2-3 individuals out of 759 professors. 

Some 1.4 per cent of all academic staff were black.

Arday was appointed as the youngest black professor at Cambridge (age 37) in 2023.

Later, in 2025, Dr Ola Osman was appointed as an Assistant Professor (not a full Professor), becoming the youngest black lecturer in Cambridge’s history.

Being the “first black” anything is, I can assure you, not a bed of roses.

Not only is there resentment from those who think you only got the job because of the colour of your skin but also an over-the-top expectation from some other black people as well as probably well-meaning liberals.

You are often expected to bring about major changes to institutions that have developed structures and cultures designed over many years, and, in the case of Cambridge, centuries to resist change.

In many ways, you just can’t win as a black person in public life. They say we should aspire to high office but as soon as you do you face unprecedented attacks that serve to warn anyone even dreaming of following you what the likely consequences might be.

A more collective approach to rooting out racism that does not reduce someone at work to the colour of their skin but appreciates their skills and expertise is what is needed.

Racism is real. It is not a figment of our imagination as black people. Racism has consequences. Sometimes that means some of us believe we simply can’t face it any longer. More of us have faced the same dilemma as Jason Arday than many can ever imagine.

Two Hundred and Forty-nine Articles, a Black Professor, One Media Industry

CLAUDIA WEBBE speaks out against the lethal mechanics of Britain’s culture-war press

Tributes left after a vigil, organised by campaign group Stand Up to Racism, for Professor Jason Arday on the steps of the National Gallery in Trafalgar Square, central London, August 17, 2026

ON JULY 24 2026 the Telegraph opened its front page and rebranded a black Cambridge professor. Not by his name. Not by his title. Not by his work. The paper called him “Cambridge’s diversity poster boy.” Chosen deliberately. Reused in headline after headline. That was the starting gun.

Twenty-two days later, on August 14, Jason Arday was found dead at an address in Battersea. He was 41 years old.

Between those two dates the British media published 249 articles about him. One hundred and eighty-eight of them appeared in the nine days between his resignation on August 5 and his death. Fourteen national outlets appeared on the same bar chart when the press-accountability project NewsCord audited the cycle.

The Times ran 44 pieces. The Telegraph ran 40. The Daily Mail ran a psychiatrist’s speculative diagnosis of Arday’s mind, and hours later he was gone, and the column was quietly deleted from the Mail website without acknowledgement. At 3.11pm on August 14, one minute before the ambulance service called the police from Arday’s home, the Telegraph published a piece interrogating whether the boy Arday had described in his memoir had really existed.

These are not my numbers. They are the numbers of a NewsCord audit, cross-referenced against the Telegraph’s own public archive, which returns roughly 40 of the paper’s own Arday articles in a single query.

He had asked them to stop. In his resignation letter on August 5 Professor Jason Arday wrote that he had concluded “the only way to bring this chapter to an end is to step away.” He asked, in his own words, “only for understanding, for compassion, and for the space to begin again.” One hundred and eighty-eight articles were published about him in the nine days that followed.

The story that broke in July was that a Cambridge professor faced questions about citation and about his CV. That is a matter for internal investigation. Liverpool John Moores University had already adjudicated the same plagiarism claims and had cleared him. Exactly one national article in the entire 22-day cycle mentioned that adjudication. One, out of 249. Every other paper knew, and every other paper omitted this.

The story the media told was not the story that was there. The Daily Mail coined “Professor Plagiarism” and used it as his name in headlines. The Telegraph coined “diversity poster boy” and then coined “Cambridge fantasist” and then coined “Cambridge’s woke poster boy.” Every rebrand carried a different attack. Every rebrand became headline furniture. Once you rename a black person and demonise them you have relieved yourself of the obligation to report accurately. You have made them a character in your serial.

The Spectator sustained the pile-on in weekly opinion form. Twelve separate pieces in three weeks. Toby Young called Arday “the gift that keeps on giving.” Tom Slater wrote “How Black Lives Matter created Jason Arday.” Peter Wood was imported from the American National Association of Scholars to write about “the Dukes and Dauphins of DEI.” Patrick West published a headline calling a living professor a fool. Andrew Gilligan opened a second front on Arday’s Cambridge colleague Farah Ahmed. So, in the Spectator alone we have 11 writers, one editor, and one proprietor. Both revenue models paid. Advertising against the daily papers.

We have seen this pattern before: Diana. Caroline Flack. Amy Winehouse. In each case the industry rebranded the subject, sustained the coverage past the point of professional duty, and printed the eulogy for the person it had hunted. Meghan Markle was renamed, reframed and driven out of the country by the same press. She survived. Others did not. In every comparable pile-on where the subject was a white man, the news cycle moved on. 

The plagiarism claims that regularly surface in British academia do not become national serials. Only when the subject is black. Only when the subject is working-class. Only when the subject represents, in the media’s own political language, everything the culture-war press is paid to attack. NewsCord’s editors put it in plain terms after Arday died: “When it concerns a black man from a working-class background, the cycle doesn’t move on until he is dead.”

I speak from my own case. The Crown Prosecution Service was obliged to apologise to me, after an independent finding of service failure, for a press release, that carried a false and reputationally damaging claim. That press release drove the media pile-on that sustained the original false reporting for years. Vile online abuse and phone calls continue to this day. It feels like slow murder. The coverage of the apology was a fraction of the coverage of the false claim.

Racism in the media is rife as an institutional operation. We are talking about an industry whose commercial logic responded to a black professor’s public position by generating 249 articles in 22 days. And with a Times headline the morning of his death interrogating his childhood. And a Telegraph column published at 3.11pm that day. And a Daily Mail column commissioned from a psychiatrist to speculate about a black professor’s mental state, deleted after Jason Arday died, without a word of explanation. And an industry that took the word of a self-described “race realist” academic and ran with it.

Nathan Cofnas has been described in those terms by his own college’s master and by the Cambridge University and College Union. Nathan Cofnas is the philosophy fellow who wrote that in a meritocracy black people “would disappear from almost all high-profile positions outside of sports and entertainment” and that the number of black professors at Harvard “would approach zero.”

Cambridge’s Emmanuel College terminated his affiliation on the finding that his views challenged the college’s core values. The Cambridge University and College Union condemned them as “race pseudo-science” and “eugenics.” Simon Woolley called it “abhorrent racism, masquerading as pseudo-intellect.” By all accounts, a known racist, the paper trail belongs to Cofnas. What the industry chose to do with it belongs to the media institution itself. 

The mechanism has three parts. Rebranding. Volume. And the extension of the pile-on to anyone who spoke up the target, James Arday. The Telegraph attacked the Good Law Project, which co-ordinated an open letter of 10,000 signatories defending Arday. It even attacked the radio presenter James O’Brien for defending Arday on air. It attacked the vice-chancellor for having hired Arday. It attacked the panel that appointed him. It hounded every academic who signed and named each one it said had withdrawn. On July 24, the day the Telegraph broke the story, the University of Cambridge itself called the campaign “a vile campaign to undermine his credibility” and said its own internal investigation had cleared him.

Three weeks later Cambridge opened a fresh inquiry and let him resign. The university walked away from a public defence it had already made.

When its own reporting drew a Metropolitan Police inquiry, the Telegraph made that inquiry the story, converting itself from participant into martyr. Arguably, that is the move a newspaper makes when it has run out of arguments and has to change the subject to itself.

The commercial logic is the part socialism, and our socialist politics must name plainly, because no-one else in the mainstream will. Racism sells. Cruelty sells. The rebranding of a black professor sells. The Times ran 44 articles on one black man in three weeks because 44 articles on one man in three weeks moved subscriptions, moved advertising, moved clicks, and moved the platform algorithms that carried each headline into millions of pockets. Every ad slot beside every headline paid. Every share on every social media platform paid. The industry converted a black professor into content, and Jason Arday in the middle of it was converted into a corpse.

Our answer as socialist and as civil society is not a plea to be nicer. It is not another code of conduct. It is not another Ipso complaint form. The Leveson inquiry produced its recommendations in 2012. Parliament shelved them. Ipso adjudicates fewer than 2 per cent of racism complaints in favour of the complainant. Reform through the industry’s own bodies ends in the industry’s own boardroom.

What we need is public power. A publicly accountable regulator with the power to withdraw press cards. Journalism co-operatives owned by their workers and their communities. A public-interest media commons of the kind funded in Norway, Sweden and Finland. A statutory duty of care on outlets that publish about individuals, enforceable in court. 

A break-up of the ownership concentration that puts five billionaires in charge of most of what a nation reads. The Norwegian PFU. The Swedish Pressens Opinionsnamnd. These models exist. They are what workers won in countries where the trade union movement understood one thing. Frederick Engels wrote of this in 1845. He called it social murder. Ruth Wilson Gilmore in 2007 called it racism organised through institutions to produce premature death. Both were describing what the British press has industrialised. The press is a workplace. The newsroom is a factory. The product of that factory, unregulated, is preventable harm.

The internationalist answer is solidarity. The black scholars of Britain stand with the black scholars of America, with Palestinian scholars barred from British campuses, with the Indian Marxist tradition that produced BR Ambedkar’s insistence that caste and race are structures of political economy. The press of the ruling class attacks for profit. It attacks for advertising. It attacks for subscriptions. It attacks for power. Every stage of the pile-on is profit. The dossier was profit. The rebranding was profit. The sheer volume and quantity of the articles was profit. The obituary was profit. And the debate about the pile-on is profit now.

Two hundred and forty-nine articles. Fourteen outlets. One media industry. One black professor. A wife. Two children. A father now buried at 41, a family in grief. And a Britain where the press writes obituaries for the people it hunted.

They published the evidence themselves. The media. The university. The state. All culpable.

Claudia Webbe was the member of Parliament for Leicester East (2019-24). You can follow her at www.facebook.com/claudiaforLE and x.com/claudiawebbe.

Founder of Former TPLF Urges Illegal TPLF Leadership to Surrender to Federal Gov’t

Addis Ababa, August 18, 2026 (ENA) — Founder of the former Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), Aregawi Berhe, said the only option left for the leadership of the illegal TPLF is to surrender to the federal government before it is too late.

Founder of the now defunct TPLF, Aregawi Berhe, told ENA that Ethiopia is a strong nation with a history of overcoming every challenge it faces with victory. 

In this regard, he noted that the illegal TPLF's past attempts to destabilize Ethiopia as a proxy for foreign powers have completely failed. 

He further explained that its current efforts to continue with this similar destructive agenda will also fail entirely and lead nowhere.

Describing Shaebia as "a dry piece of wood", Aregawi noted that the regime is now attempting to exploit the youth of Tigray for its evil purpose after destroying the Eritrean youth in the country. 

He warned that the illegal TPLF's desperate clinging to this depleted group will only end in its total destruction.

Therefore, Aregawi advised leaders of the illegal group to abandon their destructive acts and surrender to the federal government. 

He pointed out that the federal government has been repeatedly extending a peace gesture, and many fighters have responded positively and returned to peaceful life.

The founder emphasized that like the other fighters, the leadership of the illegal TPLF should also take advantage of the peace offers and seize the opportunity. 

When they choose the path of peace, we will play our part to ensure the federal government receives the group's leadership just as it has done for the other fighters, Aregawi said.   

Illegal TPLF Faction Exploiting Tigray Youth to Serve Destructive Agendas of Shaebia, Egypt: Former ENDF Officer

Addis Ababa, August 18, 2026 (ENA) —The illegal TPLF faction is exposing the youth of Tigray Region to exploitation to advance the destructive agendas of Eritrea’s regime, Shaebia and Egypt, Colonel Gebrewahid Hailu, stated.

In an exclusive interview with ENA, Colonel Gebrewahid, a former Ethiopian National Defense Force officer, said the faction has subjected the people of Tigray to severe hardship while pursuing political and military objectives that serve external interests rather than the welfare of the region’s population.

He identified Egypt and Shaebia as the principal forces behind the anti-Ethiopian “Tsimdo” coalition, portraying the illegal TPLF faction as an instrument carrying out the directives of external actors seeking to weaken Ethiopia.

Colonel Gebrewahid further stated that the faction’s activities, conducted in alliance with domestic extremist elements and external adversaries, are aimed at destabilizing Ethiopia.

According to him, the group’s actions are undermining peace and derailing development efforts.

He recalled that the Pretoria Peace Agreement represented a landmark step toward ending the conflict and addressing the peace and development aspirations of the people of Tigray.

 However, he said the illegal faction is obstructing implementation of the agreement and seeking to impose its own authoritarian control over the region.

Colonel Gebrewahid said the people of Tigray are bearing the consequences of these actions, particularly through the forced recruitment of young people for military purposes.

Recalled that international organizations and human rights groups, including Human Rights Watch and the European Union, have expressed deep concern over reports of forced military conscription, child recruitment, and a coercive mobilization decree implemented by authorities in Ethiopia's Tigray region.

Colonel Gebrewahid said the recruitment campaign is causing deep distress among families and mothers in Tigray. 

Those who oppose the practice, face arbitrary arrests, abductions and other forms of mistreatment.

The former defense officer further argued that such actions violate Ethiopia’s Constitution, undermine the public interest and run counter to the spirit and objectives of the Pretoria Peace Agreement.

He also drew parallels between the faction’s alleged forced recruitment practices and what he described as the longstanding coercive practices of Shaebia, saying that Eritrea’s ruling group has subjected its own population, as well as Ethiopians and Tigrayans, to repression and displacement.

Shaebia is exploiting the conflict in northern Ethiopia to inflict suffering on the people of Tigray and relationship between the illegal TPLF faction and Shaebia under the “Tsimdo” banner as an alliance detrimental to the public interest, Colonel Gebrewahid underscored.

He said the faction’s treatment of children and youth as instruments of war reflects a disregard for their lives, aspirations and future, arguing that young people should instead be given opportunities for education, employment and development.

According to Colonel Gebrewahid, the leadership of the illegal faction continues to operate in accordance with external interests while showing little regard for the hardships faced by the people of Tigray.

He said the alleged abduction and forced recruitment of young people from their families demonstrates the faction’s disregard for the welfare and rights of the region’s population.

Colonel Gebrewahid said growing opposition among the people of Tigray to the faction’s actions reflects mounting rejection of what he described as a destructive political agenda.

He also called for sustained efforts to free the population from coercion and restore peace, stability and accountable governance in the region.

Ethiopia: Authorities in Tigray Accuse Addis Ababa of Drone Strike Near Mekelle

Ethiopia

Authorities in Ethiopia's Tigray region have accused the federal government of launching a drone strike near the state capital Mekelle.

In a statement on social media, Tigrayan authorities said the drone hit a farmer training center in Dandera village, some 15 kilometres outside the city.

The Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), which governs the state, said there were no injuries and did not provide further details.

A local priest, who requested anonymity, said at least one person was killed.

"I saw one fighter killed in the strike being carried away in a vehicle," he told AFP, adding that he believed two other people had been wounded. He said the projectile had landed on farmland close to a school, near a watering hole used for local farmers' livestock.

Tensions between Tigray and Addis Ababa have been mounting in recent weeks, with both parties massing forces on either side of the regional border.

They've also trading accusations of trying to start a new conflict, less than four years after a peace deal ended a devastating civil war that claimed at least 600,000 lives.

Ethiopia's federal army has not commented.

Column: Seeing China's Poverty Alleviation Through African Eyes

Source: Xinhua| 2026-08-18 16:55:45|Editor: huaxia

by Michael Mbew

My recent visit to China, including participation in the African Mainstream Media Workshop in Beijing and a visit to the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, offered me a valuable opportunity to observe firsthand one of the most remarkable development transformations in modern history.

Beyond official documents and statistical indicators, the visit provided deeper insights into the policies, institutions and governance practices that have supported the Chinese modernization and its successful fight against extreme poverty.

Conversations with government officials, academics, entrepreneurs, community leaders and ordinary residents highlighted not only China's economic achievements, but also the long-term vision, strategic planning and policy consistency that have sustained its development over several decades.

The most striking observation is the integration of economic growth with social development. Development is not confined to major cities but extends to rural communities through infrastructure, education, healthcare, agricultural modernization and digital technology.

The precision and targeted nature of China's poverty alleviation strategy provides one of the clearest examples of this approach.

Rather than applying a one-size-fits-all solution, every village, household and individual was assessed according to their unique circumstances. Local authorities identified the particular challenges facing families before designing targeted interventions, whether through improved housing, better healthcare, expanded educational opportunities, vocational training or agricultural assistance. Such precision helped address the structural causes of poverty instead of merely providing temporary relief.

Equally important was the accountability embedded throughout the process. Poverty alleviation is not treated solely as an isolated welfare program but as a national priority supported by clearly defined responsibilities, measurable targets and coordinated implementation across different levels of government. This institutional commitment ensured that policies were translated into concrete outcomes.

The experience in Ningxia is a vivid example.

Once among China's relatively underdeveloped regions, Ningxia has combined rural revitalization with agricultural modernization, ecological conservation and industrial upgrading. Modern irrigation systems, improved farming techniques, agricultural processing facilities and stronger market connectivity have enabled local communities to transform traditional farming into competitive value-added industries. Rather than focusing solely on increasing production, emphasis has been placed on developing complete industrial value chains capable of generating sustainable incomes.

Education and vocational training have also played a central role in this transformation. Investment in human capital reflects the recognition that lasting poverty reduction depends not only on financial assistance but also on equipping people with the knowledge, skills and opportunities needed to participate in an increasingly modern economy.

Several factors are behind China's achievements.

Foremost is sustained political commitment. Poverty alleviation remained a national priority for decades, supported by long-term planning and consistent implementation; Second is evidence-based decision-making. Extensive data collection, household surveys and continuous monitoring enabled policymakers to identify local needs accurately and adjust interventions accordingly; Third is sustained investment in infrastructure. Roads, electricity, telecommunications, schools and healthcare facilities have connected rural communities with markets, public services and broader economic opportunities, laying the foundation for inclusive development; Fourth is the cultivation of industries based on local comparative advantages. Communities have been encouraged to develop sectors suited to their unique geographical conditions, whether agriculture, manufacturing or tourism; Technology has further strengthened these efforts. Digital platforms have expanded market access for farmers and small businesses while improving financial inclusion and the delivery of public services, particularly in rural areas.

China's experience challenges a common perception that poverty reduction on such a large scale would inevitably require decades of continuous financial support alone. Instead, the emphasis has been on creating opportunities through employment, entrepreneurship, education and market participation. This approach seeks not only to lift people out of poverty but also to enhance their capacity to achieve sustainable livelihoods.

The Chinese modernization also demonstrates that economic growth alone does not fully explain its development story. Behind the impressive statistics lies a governance model characterized by long-term planning, practical policymaking, continuous evaluation and the flexibility to adapt to changing circumstances. Economic development has been pursued alongside social stability, technological innovation, environmental protection and cultural preservation.

Africa's development path will inevitably differ from China's. Political systems, demographic structures, and historical experiences vary considerably across the continent, making it neither practical nor desirable to replicate China's model wholesale. Nevertheless, several underlying principles remain highly relevant.

Long-term national development planning provides policy continuity; Continued investment in infrastructure creates conditions for economic growth; Expanding education, vocational training and technical skills prepares young people for increasingly competitive economies; Strengthening agricultural value chains through local processing and industrialization can generate employment while retaining greater value within African economies; Equally important are effective governance, accountability and evidence-based policymaking to ensure that development initiatives produce measurable results.

The emphasis on tailoring development strategies to local realities may also offer valuable lessons for African policymakers. Development challenges differ significantly between regions and communities, making localized planning and targeted implementation particularly relevant across much of the continent.

China's poverty alleviation journey demonstrates what is possible when long-term planning, political commitment, effective implementation and broad public participation come together around a common national objective.

The experience shows that development is not achieved overnight. It requires persistence, investment in people, continuous innovation and the willingness to adapt policies as circumstances evolve.

While every country must develop according to its own realities, China's experience provides valuable lessons on strategic planning, infrastructure development, education, industrialization and good governance.

Editor's note: Michael Mbewe is an international relations and diplomacy reporter at Channel Africa International of the South African Broadcasting Corporation.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Xinhua News Agency.

China Congratulates Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema on Re-election: Foreign Ministry

Source: Xinhua| 2026-08-18 16:57:45|Editor: huaxia

BEIJING, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- China congratulates Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema on his re-election, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said Tuesday.

Lin said at a regular news briefing that China attaches high importance to developing relations with Zambia, and stands ready to work together with Zambia's new administration to further deepen China-Zambia comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership and deliver greater benefits to the people of both countries.

Hichilema received more than 2.9 million valid votes, or over 50 percent of the total, meeting the constitutional requirement for an outright victory without a run-off, according to data released by the Electoral Commission of Zambia.

Dozens Killed in Gold Mine Collapse on Cameroon-CAR Border

Source: Xinhua| 2026-08-19 05:07:00|Editor: huaxia 

YAOUNDE, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Dozens of miners were killed and many others trapped Tuesday after a gold mine collapsed in a border village between Cameroon and the Central African Republic (CAR), according to witnesses and local media reports.

The incident occurred at about 3 p.m. local time in the village of Zamboye.

Authorities have not released an official death toll. However, media outlets in both Cameroon and CAR reported that more than 100 people were feared dead.

Rescue operations were underway to reach the miners believed to be trapped underground following the collapse. 

50 Migrants Rescued, Bodies of 7 Recovered off Libyan Coast

Source: Xinhua| 2026-08-19 02:17:15|Editor: huaxia

TRIPOLI, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- Fifty migrants were rescued and the bodies of seven others were discovered on Monday by a humanitarian vessel operated by Italian non-governmental organization Emergency in international waters off the Libyan coast, the organization said.

The organization said its vessel found the migrants aboard a two-deck wooden boat and carried out the rescue operation, transferring the survivors onto its vessel.

It did not provide the nationalities of the migrants or further details about the circumstances of the incident.

Libya is a major departure point for migrants seeking to cross the Mediterranean to Europe. Migrant boat accidents frequently occur off its coast, resulting in deaths and disappearances.

Zimbabwe Begins Formal Inquest into Ferry Capsize Disaster

Source: Xinhua| 2026-08-19 01:53:15|Editor: huaxia

HARARE, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- The Zimbabwean government has launched a formal inquest into the Lake Kariba ferry capsize disaster, whose death toll has now risen to 93, a cabinet minister said on Tuesday.

Acting Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa told a post-cabinet media briefing in the Zimbabwean capital of Harare that preliminary investigations indicate that the passenger ferry, which capsized on Lake Kariba on Aug. 11, 2026, was carrying about 180 passengers and goods, thus exceeding its carrying capacity.

The vessel reportedly capsized after being struck by strong waves. Mutsvangwa said the government notes that the Meteorological Services Department had issued an early warning advising all lake users against sailing.

Mutsvangwa noted 77 passengers were rescued, 93 deceased persons were retrieved as of Aug. 18 while seven people who were confirmed by relatives to have been on the boat are still missing.

"The government has commenced formal investigations which include examining the structural remains of the vessel and probing on operational and compliance issues," Mutsvangwa said.

Speaking at the same press briefing, Local Government and Public Works Minister Daniel Garwe attributed the accident to human error and negligence by the boat captain, who proceeded with the journey despite early weather warnings from the Meteorological Services Department advising against sailing.

Garwe dismissed speculation that the boat was unfit to sail, confirming it held a valid fitness certificate issued by the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure Development.

The cabinet has approved a full inquest to determine the exact circumstances that led the late captain to disregard early warnings and safety protocols. 

Xi Extends Condolences to Indonesian President Over Strong Earthquake

Source: Xinhua

Editor: huaxia2026-08-17 20:17:45

BEIJING, Aug. 17 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday sent a message of condolence to Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto over the strong earthquake that struck Indonesia recently.

In his message, Xi said that upon learning that the strong earthquake caused serious casualties and property losses, he would like to extend, on behalf of the Chinese government and people, deep condolences over those who lost their lives and sincere sympathies to the bereaved families and the injured.

Xi expressed belief that under the leadership of the Indonesian government led by Prabowo, the Indonesian people will overcome the disaster and rebuild their homeland at an early date. 

Drone Attack on Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant Bus Stop Kills 1, Injures 17

Source: Xinhua

Editor: huaxia2026-08-19 02:32:15

This photo taken on March 29, 2023 shows the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant in southern Ukraine. (Photo by Victor/Xinhua)

MOSCOW, Aug. 18 (Xinhua) -- A bus stop used by staff of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP) came under a drone attack, leaving one dead and 17 injured, the plant said on Tuesday.

"The Ukrainian forces launched a targeted strike on a public transport stop in the city of Energodar. At the time, ZNPP employees were there, waiting for a bus that was supposed to take them to their work shifts," the plant said in a statement.

International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Grossi described the attack as "an unacceptable act" and added that it posed a risk to the plant's safety.

According to Grossi, such acts run counter to IAEA principles and create serious risks to the nuclear safety and security of the plant amid the ongoing conflict.

The Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant, one of Europe's largest nuclear facilities, has been under Russian control since March 2022. It has repeatedly faced nuclear safety challenges since the escalation of the Ukraine crisis.

Venezuela: A Retreat is Not a Surrender

Concessions to Washington by the post-Maduro leadership in Caracas are designed to preserve the core of the Bolivarian Revolution not betray it, argue Roger D Harris, Francisco Dominguez and Mara Paez Victor. How the solidarity movement responds is critical

 Acting president Delcy Rodriguez [Pic: government.ru/Creative Commons]

16 August 2026

“NOTHING is easier than to be idealistic on behalf of others.” Karl Marx, 1858.

The US military kidnapped the lawful Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife and National Assembly deputy Cilia Flores on January 3, 2026, resulting in over 100 fatalities of civilians as well as Cuban and Venezuelan guards.

This surprise attack flagrantly violated international law but in expectation that the US could act with impunity. Even the left-leaning governments of Brazil and Colombia offered only mild rebukes. Then Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil said: “We found ourselves alone.” That is the context of subsequent developments.

The attack was the climax of a quarter of a century of US and allied (particularly Canadian and British) machinations against Venezuela: asphyxiating sanctions, stolen assets, diplomatic isolation, cyber attacks, assassination attempts, mercenary invasions, and establishing a fake parallel government. For the two months preceding the invasion, the US navy blockaded oil shipments. Even so, the empire’s goal of regime change was not achieved.

The revolution’s resilience compelled the US to escalate

Washington failed to destroy Chavismo, founded by Hugo Chavez and carried forward by his successor Nicolas Maduro. Venezuela did not collapse into chaos after the abductions. The US-backed far-right opposition did not seize power, but found itself more marginalised.

Vice-President Delcy Rodriguez was sworn in constitutionally as acting president. The top command held firm, backed by the National Assembly and supreme court. Likewise, the civic-military union and the communes and grassroots Chavista institutions supported the government.

Relying on military superiority, Washington made a mafia-style “offer you can’t refuse.” US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called Rodriguez to deliver an ultimatum to collaborate or face national destruction and the murder of her and other leaders. Variations of this scenario are corroborated by both the corporate press and Chavista sources.

Trump threatened: “There is more where that came from.” With US forces deployed off its coast, a military confrontation would have meant annihilation. Rodriguez made a tactical retreat in the face of overwhelming force.

Venezuela did not surrender

The Chavista state institutions and the powerful grassroots revolutionary organisations remain intact. Yet, US imperialism, pointing a gun at the government’s head, can force unpalatable decisions, such as the deportation of the former minister of industry Alex Saab to the United States.

Former Chavez official Sergio Rodriguez Gelfenstein observes: “What is at stake is the survival of the state and the republic, which if lost, would make the discussion on any other topic banal.” Former Venezuelan foreign minister Jorge Arreaza said, “everything is now negotiated,” with Washington in daily give-and-take sessions.

Legislative reform had long been on Maduro’s agenda. However, revisions to laws governing the exploitation of hydrocarbons and hard minerals involved offering generous conditions to foreign investors.

Another planned initiative, the new amnesty law, promotes reconciliation and denies extremists pretexts for violence. The law excludes “anyone who has committed war crimes, human rights violations, homicide, drug trafficking, or treason.”

The government is negotiating with the moderate opposition, as Maduro did.

Rodriguez has counselled prudence and patience. The core Chavista leadership, the military, the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV), and community formations have remained united.

Long-sought gains achieved

The US now in practice recognises the Venezuelan government as legitimate. The Bolivarian project has forced its greatest adversary into a reversal.

Since 2019, the US blocked transactions with Venezuelan banks. US restrictions cut Venezuela off from the global financial system. Oil sales to the US have now resumed, with some revenue returning to the domestic economy. The US-dominated International Monetary Fund (IMF) is again engaged with Venezuela. Rodriguez has stated that Venezuela is not seeking IMF loans, but access to its own frozen funds.

Although sanctions largely remain in place, special licenses and a temporary easing of economic restrictions for earthquake relief have provided some breathing space, although the broader structure of US economic warfare is intact. Nonetheless, this is preferable to the total oil blockade imposed before the January 3 assault.

Rodriguez has demanded that Venezuela be freed from all sanctions. She has even appealed to King Charles III for the return of 31 tons of Venezuelan gold held by the Bank of England.

Changed political landscape

Judging compromises by an idealised Chavez-era standard is mistaken. The balance of forces confronting today’s Venezuelan leadership is more unfavourable.

Some international commentators invoke Chavez to discredit the current leadership. Ignoring the changed context, infantile leftists claim that Chavez never compromised and that “one does not negotiate with the enemy,” forgetting the advice of Fidel Castro during the 2002 coup: “Don’t immolate yourself, Hugo.”

Chavez governed during a commodities boom that provided resources for  benefits unavailable under sanctions today. The geopolitical context has shifted significantly since Chavez’s time, especially with the present “Donroe Doctrine.” Not since Maduro’s victory in July 2024 has a left-leaning candidate won in Latin America. The last seven presidential elections have been won by the right. Until this reactionary trajectory is reversed, further retreats are likely.

The impact of the illegal unilateral coercive measures have eroded public support for the government. Years of comprehensive sanctions – despite the 2021-2025 economic recovery following an 75 per cent GDP contraction – have left Venezuela vulnerable. Currently the Venezuelan economy is operating at 30 per cent of its pre-sanctions level.

The Rodriguez government is buying time to salvage the economy, although the June 24 earthquakes caused physical damage estimated at over $37 billion (£27bn), over a third of Venezuela’s gross domestic product. Most Venezuelans want domestic peace and a return to prosperity, not a confrontation with the US empire.

“Unity is the most important thing – without it, nothing is possible; with it, everything is possible.”

Those were the words of Fidel Castro as he was organising the Cuban Revolution in 1956. Most dangerous for the sister Bolivarian Revolution is the suggestion that the current leadership has betrayed the cause and that a truly leftist “third way” can replace them. There have always been competing factions within the Bolivarian movement. But political choices must ultimately be resolved within Venezuela itself, not by outsiders.

These “third way” analyses, equating and rejecting both Caracas and Washington, typically fail to address what Venezuelans could realistically do at this historical juncture – long on what’s wrong but short on viable alternatives.

It was not so long ago that the likes of far-right Maria Corina Machado highlighted “cracks and fissures within the Chavista ranks.” She anticipated “the beginning of a social explosion” against the elected Venezuelan government. Now some solidarity activists are repeating this.

Left disunity in Bolivia should be a lesson of what could happen in Venezuela. The Chavista leadership is painfully aware of this, hence their vigorous effort to establish the broadest united front against US colonisation. Rather than being traitors to the cause, the Rodriguezes and Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello represent the most militant Chavistas – fighters from the very inception of the revolution.

What solidarity requires

Constructive criticism and solidarity activism need not be counterposed. Dissident opinions are appropriate when contextualised and advance common goals – not as individualistic venting.

Some among the left have appointed themselves as guardians of the faith, judging negatively from afar the very difficult and risky tactical retreat undertaken by the Bolivarian leadership, even though it prevented a suicidal military confrontation with US imperialism.

The international left’s disappointment regarding Venezuela’s retreats is understandable. But the Global South is not about to fulfil the revolutionary aspirations of those living in the belly of the beast. That is the task for people in the imperial core.

As a Venezuelan activist friend said: “You gringos tell us how to make our revolution when our problem is you have failed to make yours.”

Venezuelans will determine their path without foreign interference, either right or left. Solidarity necessitates efforts to accompany and uplift, not dictate to the Venezuelans. Internationalists in the US, Canada, and Britain need to place the primary focus on our own imperialists. All other contradictions are secondary.

The solidarity movement must unite the broadest alliance to defend national sovereignty and the right to self-determination. It must strongly oppose the farcical New York trial of Nicolas Maduro and Cilia Flores, demand the lifting of all sanctions, and call for the return of stolen assets.

The old slogan, El pueblo unido jamas sera vencido. (A united people will never be defeated.) is truer than ever,

Roger D Harris is a founder of the Venezuela Solidarity Network in North America. Francisco Dominguez is the national secretary of the Venezuela Solidarity Campaign in the UK. María Paez Victor is the founder Louis Riel Bolivarian Circle in Canada.

Ebola: Water Scarcity Hampers Control Efforts in Epicentre

A severe shortage of clean water and sanitation facilities is undermining efforts to contain the Ebola outbreak in Mongbwalu

World News

A severe shortage of clean water and sanitation facilities is undermining efforts to contain the Ebola outbreak in Mongbwalu, a gold-mining town in the Democratic Republic of the Congo's Ituri province, where residents struggle to maintain basic hygiene while facing the deadly virus.

Every morning, residents walk several kilometers with plastic containers to collect water from a nearby natural spring. Most families cannot afford public water taps, while local groundwater is often contaminated by runoff from nearby mines.

"Three water jugs cost 1,000 francs. If you have 10 jugs at home and only 1,000 francs left, plus children to feed, what do you do? That financial pressure is what forces us to walk miles every day to collect free spring water," said Francoise Ididi, a local resident.

According to Oxfam, an international aid organization focused on poverty and emergency relief, only one in five of Mongbwalu's 140,000 residents has reliable access to safe water. Every drop must be carefully rationed between cooking, drinking and cleaning, leaving little for handwashing, which is a key measure in preventing Ebola transmission.

"During this Ebola outbreak, it's important to wash your hands regularly. But if water is hard to find, or if there isn't enough water in the household, it's difficult to protect yourself against this disease," said Isaac Lure, another resident.

The crisis extends to public spaces. At the central market, where hundreds gather daily, sanitation facilities are scarce.

"There are no handwashing stations and no sanitizers here. We go the entire day without washing our hands unless we did so at home. The authorities need to take action, because the rule right now is to wash your hands," said Neema Mave, a vendor at the market.

Some NGOs have set up water tanks, but the crisis is compounded by small-scale gold mining, which leaves thousands of vulnerable workers exposed to contaminated water daily. Public health experts warn that water scarcity is accelerating the health emergency, as residents make do with whatever little water they can source.

Somalia Clashes with Regional Forces Over Control of Key City

Somali national forces clashed with troops loyal to an ousted regional leader on Monday over control of a key city, the government said, accusing him of allying with Islamist insurgents.

Several states in the deeply fragmented country are opposed to control by President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who also faces a long-running insurgency by the Islamist Al-Shabaab group that controls vast swathes of central Somalia.

In March, the government sent in troops to oust the head of South West State, Abdiaziz Hassan Mohamed Laftagareen. He launched a failed attempt to retake the state in May.

Troops loyal to Laftagareen again attacked Somali army positions in the state capital, Baidoa, around 5:00 am on Monday, this time with the help of Al-Shabaab militants, according to a statement by the federal government.

The assault involved "vehicles laden with explosives", the statement said, adding that government troops killed nearly 30 militants in their response.

A spokesperson for the Laftagareen administration claimed their fighters held parts of Baidoa, but witnesses told AFP they were soon forced out.

Resident Adan Nurey told AFP of "heavy fighting in several areas".

"We saw both sides exchanging fire on some streets, and the fighting continued for several hours," he said by phone, adding that Laftagareen's forces later withdrew and federal troops regained full control of the city.

Doctors Without Borders (MSF), who run facilities in the city, confirmed the fighting and said that "several casualties have reached the hospital".

It was unable to give further details but said the clashes had been on "two fronts".

Resident Salad Ali said there were "deaths and injuries, and several people were taken prisoner".

"I saw several bodies on the road, although I could not determine the exact number," he told AFP.

The president has been attempting to move Somalia towards democratic elections, replacing a system based around clan elders.

But he has been criticised for extending his own mandate, while the security situations and divisions between rival clans mean there has been little progress on organising elections beyond a few localised pockets.

Cholera Outbreak Spreads in Cameroon as Cases Top 1,000

Photo taken on September 6, 2010: Health workers spray a chlorine solution intended to eliminate the bacteria that causes cholera in Ganjuwa, in Nigeria’s rural Bauchi State.

Cholera epidemic

A cholera outbreak is spreading across northern Cameroon, with more than 1,000 cases and 28 deaths reported since mid-July, according to health authorities.

At Mora District Hospital, medical staff are taking precautions as suspected and confirmed patients arrive. Amine Ozong Kavaye, general supervisor at the Mora treatment centre, said the facility received its first case on the 18th — a three-year-old child from Aïssa.

The centre has recorded 25 cases so far, including nine negative rapid diagnostic tests and one death. Staff are currently treating two hospitalized patients and receiving an average of one to two patients each day.

The response is being coordinated across the districts of Fotokol, Mada, Makary and Kolofata, with support from Doctors Without Borders.

At Mora, three tents have been set up to separate suspected cases from hospitalized patients. Patients are tested before being transferred for treatment if they test positive.

Meanwhile, community health workers are conducting door-to-door awareness campaigns, urging residents to avoid open defecation and improve hygiene and sanitation.

Health officials are particularly concerned about the region’s limited access to clean drinking water and poor sanitation, and are racing to contain the outbreak before the rainy season intensifies.

Mali Jails Government Critic for 'Discrediting State'

Under General Assimi Goita, the junta has failed to keep its promise to hand power back to civilians by March 2024

World News

A Malian court sentenced on Monday a prominent broadcaster and an influencer, who had both criticised the ruling junta, to seven years in jail, an AFP journalist saw.

The sentences are the latest issued to Malians critical of the unstable west African country's military government, which came to power following back-to-back coups in 2020 and 2021.

Television and radio commentator Mohamed Youssouf Bathily -- alias Ras Bath -- was convicted by the court in Bamako of criminal conspiracy and discrediting the state, alongside Rokia Doumbia, a noted campaigner known online as "Rose, the cost of living".

Both had been in custody for several years following the airing of a 2023 programme by the journalist dedicated to the economic difficulties facing ordinary Malians.

They were given three years' suspended sentences on top of their seven-year jail terms.

Having been held since March 2023, Ras Bath's emaciated and gaunt features shocked many Malians when he took the stand in his trial, which opened on August 10 at the Bamako Court of Appeal's criminal chamber.

Two lawyers told AFP on condition of anonymity that the prosecutor had told the court that "Ras Bath is a danger" to the junta and "must be kept a long way from social media and the radio".

Prosecutors alleged the broadcaster and influencer were "in association" with each other, with Ras Bath having invited "Rose" onto his show on two previous occasions.

Ras Bath's lawyers denied the accusations.

The broadcaster's father, former government minister Mohamed Aly Bathily, who was also serving as his son's defence counsel, told AFP that they had not yet decided whether to appeal.

'Shock to educate'

With the motto "shock to educate", a direct and plain-speaking style and criticism of Mali's social and political problems, Ras Bath has earned both a strong following, especially among the country's many younger people, and several run-ins with the law.

He was first arrested in Mali in August 2016 for "incitement to disobedience among the troops" before being released two days later under pressure from his supporters.

In July 2017, while abroad, he was sentenced in absentia to 12 months in prison, without serving any time.

He also took part in the 2020 M5-RFP protest movement against president Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, who was later overthrown by army officers on the promise of curbing the country's long-running jihadist insurgency.

In December 2020, the broadcaster was arrested again in a case involving an alleged plot against the junta. After the case was dismissed for lack of evidence, he regained his freedom in April 2021.

In July 2023, he was acquitted of separate charges that he falsely claimed that former prime minister Soumeylou Boubeye Maiga had been "assassinated" while in detention under the junta.

Since coming to power, the army has imposed severe restrictions on freedoms in Mali, squeezing the space for dissident voices through the courts, coercion and the dissolution of political parties.

Under General Assimi Goita, the junta has failed to keep its promise to hand power back to civilians by March 2024.

Mali ranks 121st out of 180 countries in the 2026 edition of media watchdog Reporters Without Borders' World Press Freedom Index.

The Sahel country has been wracked since 2012 by a serious security crisis, notably fuelled by violence from jihadists allied to Al-Qaeda or the Islamic State group, along with criminal gangs and armed separatists.