Short-Term Thinking Is Driving the US's Pivot Away from Africa
When South African President Cyril Ramaphosa sat down for a meeting with US President Donald Trump in the Oval Office this week, he was likely hoping to strengthen their relationship and boost trade between the two countries. Instead, Trump embarrassed the veteran politician in front of the world's media with a video that used out-of-context and inaccurate information to suggest that a genocide of White Afrikaner farmers is taking place in South Africa, along with seizures of their land.
The genocide claim has been widely debunked, including by Afrikaner rights groups that decry murders of local farmers. (As if to head off the accusation, Ramaphosa brought two White South African professional golfers and the country's White agriculture minister to the meeting with Trump, saying, 'If there was Afrikaner farmer genocide I can bet you these three gentlemen would not be here.') But that reality hasn't stopped the US from using the charges as justification to cease almost all aid to South Africa and boycott Group of 20 meetings being held in the country.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
11 minutes ago
- USA Today
50 arrests, 600 non-lethal rounds fired: LAPD says they can handle the protests
50 arrests, 600 non-lethal rounds fired: LAPD says they can handle the protests LAPD says they have made 50 arrests and fired over non-lethal rounds to quell fraught protests. Charges against demonstrators include attempted murder with a Molotov cocktail. Show Caption Hide Caption Active-duty marines deployed for Los Angeles anti-ICE protests President Donald Trump is sending in active-duty Marines to assist law enforcement with immigration protests in Los Angeles, California. Officials at the Los Angeles Police Department said Monday that despite violent demonstrations, local police can handle whatever protesters throw at them and that additional federal help is unnecessary and could become a hindrance. 'The possible arrival of federal military forces in Los Angeles - absent clear coordination - presents a significant logistical and operational challenge for those of us charged with safeguarding this city,' Police Chief Jim McDonnell said in a statement. 'The Los Angeles Police Department, alongside our mutual aid partners, have decades of experience managing large-scale public demonstrations, and we remain confident in our ability to do so professionally and effectively.' McDonnell's statement comes amid the administration of President Donald Trump saying that the city is out of control. 'Due to increased threats to federal law enforcement officers and federal buildings, approximately 700 active-duty U.S. Marines . . . are being deployed to Los Angeles to restore order,' Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said in a post on X. 'We have an obligation to defend federal law enforcement officers - even if Gavin Newsom will not,' Hegseth said of the California governor. In addition to the 700 Marines, a Pentagon spokesperson said 2,000 National Guardsmen were ordered to Los Angeles. Trump already ordered 2,000 guardsmen to the city. LAPD has admitted that things have gotten hectic. Officers have fired over 600 non-lethal bullets and made 50 arrests. On Saturday, LAPD said 29 people were arrested for failing to follow orders to disperse. 21 people were arrested Sunday. Charges against them included attempted murder with a Molotov cocktail and assault with a deadly weapon on a police officer, LAPD said. Police said officers used tear gas on the 'hostile crowd' as well as over 600 rounds of non-lethal bullets. Among those hit was an Australian journalist covering the protests. But the office of Governor Gavin Newsom has said that Trump's move to put National Guardsmen and Marines in Los Angeles has provoked the worst of the unrest. Newsome announced Monday that an additional 800 state and local police officers would be deployed to Los Angeles to handle confrontations between protestors and national guardsmen that were sent in 'illegally,' according to the governor's office. Karen Bass, LA's mayor, backed Newsom: 'While Washington choreographed these chaotic events, the LAPD and local law enforcement continue to effectively respond.' At least five Los Angeles Police officers received minor injuries, according to LAPD. Five police horses also 'were targeted and sustained minor injuries.' Police said protest groups used handheld radios 'to coordinate and evade law enforcement.'
Yahoo
12 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Sunnova files for bankruptcy on residential solar woes
By Tanay Dhumal (Reuters) -Sunnova Energy said on Sunday it had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in the United States, as the residential solar panel installer buckled under the pressure of mounting debt and weakening demand. Sunnova is the second residential solar company to file for bankruptcy this month, reflecting the challenges faced by the industry as it struggles to cope with higher interest rates, an incentive cut in top market California and fears of subsidy rollbacks. Last week, privately held Solar Mosaic filed for bankruptcy protection, while industry pioneer SunPower collapsed a year back. On Monday, Sunnova said it had entered into agreements with Atlas SP Partners and Lennar Homes under which it would sell certain assets to each company for a value of $15 million and $16 million respectively, pending court approval. The company will continue its regular operations throughout the sale process. Sunnova filed for protection in the Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas after warning in March that it might not be able to continue as a going concern. The company listed its estimated assets and liabilities in the range of $10 billion to $50 billion and had a total debt of $10.67 billion as of December 31, according to a court filing. Sunnova said last week it would lay off about 55% of its workforce, or 718 employees, in a bid to cut spending. Earlier this month, its unit, Sunnova TEP Developer, had also filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. President Donald Trump's administration, which is pushing to maximize oil and gas production, canceled a partial loan guarantee of $2.92 billion last month that was awarded to Sunnova by the Biden administration. Companies that put solar panels on U.S. homes said last month that a Republican budget bill that has advanced in Congress could deal a massive blow to the industry by eliminating a generous subsidy for homeowners that had buttressed the industry's growth. "Depending on what happens with the tax bill in Congress, the conditions in this market may become even worse in 2026, because Congress is considering ending the tax credit for residential solar," Raymond James analyst Pavel Molchanov said. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Hamilton Spectator
14 minutes ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Trump heads to Fort Bragg while facing criticism for deploying military at Los Angeles protests
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump plans to speak at Fort Bragg on Tuesday to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Army as he deploys the military in an attempt to quiet immigration protests in Los Angeles. Fort Bragg, located near Fayetteville, North Carolina, serves as headquarters for U.S. Army Special Operations Command. Highly trained units like the Green Berets and the Rangers are based there. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Army Secretary Dan Driscoll will also be at Tuesday's event, along with service members, veterans and their families. Trump has promoted the Army's anniversary as a reason to hold a military parade in Washington, D.C. , on Saturday, which is also his 79th birthday. Tanks and other vehicles will roll down city streets in a reminder of how the Republican president is reshaping the armed forces after returning to the White House this year. Trump, who sees the military as a critical tool for domestic goals, has used the recent protests in Los Angeles as an opportunity to deploy the National Guard and U.S. Marines to quell disturbances that began as protests over immigration raids. Trump has authorized the deployment of 4,000 National Guard soldiers to the city over the objections of Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom. About 700 Marines were also due to formally deploy to Los Angeles. California sued Trump over the deployment, with the state attorney general arguing that the president had 'trampled' the state's sovereignty. California leaders accused Trump of fanning protesters' anger, leading crowds to block off a major freeway and set self-driving cars on fire. 'We're gonna have troops everywhere,' Trump said over the weekend. 'We're not going to let this happen to our country.' Fort Bragg has been in the middle of a cultural tug-of-war over the military. It was named after a Confederate general, then renamed to Fort Liberty two years ago. Hegseth brought back the Bragg name , but said it was being used to honor an Army paratrooper who served in World War II. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
