What's going on in Africa...

Interesting article, Olivier! And encouraging for keeping up with breathwork training. As far as the incident in the video goes, I wonder if it could be something like that, a few people with better tolerance, or if there might not have been some circumstance in their immediate environments that mitigated the effects.
 
Really serious threat ? Allready two countries are monitoring the spreading...
South Africa, here in Cape Town (Source) :

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Help the city get shot of shot hole borers that are infesting our trees​

The City of Cape Town can confirm that the invasive polyphagous shot hole Borer beetle (PSHB) has been sighted in Newlands. Picture: City of Cape Town/Twitter


Cape Town - Residents have been reminded to attend an online meeting regarding the invasive Polyphagous Shot Hole Borer beetle (PSHB), which has now been discovered in trees in Newlands, Rondebosch and Mowbray.
The meeting, hosted by the City, is taking place from 6.30pm to 8pm on Tuesday where officials will provide more information about the symptoms of infested trees, how to report sightings to the City, and what action to take.

The beetle poses a serious threat to the urban forest as infested trees have to be chipped. Residents are encouraged to get involved in preventing this pest from spreading even further.
Some trees in Newlands, Rondebosch, Mowbray and Claremont have been infested already, with the Liesbeek River being identified as a priority pathway.
Mayco member for Spatial Planning and Environment, Eddie Andrews, said: “We are calling on residents, interest groups and experts to assist the City to prevent this pest from spreading even further.

“The beetle is threatening our urban forest. This is a very serious and alarming situation. I want to caution our communities not to be complacent, and to inspect all trees on private properties for symptoms of infestation. It is very important to note that infested trees may not be removed from the property as the removal of the chipped wood will spread the pest to other areas.
“At this online meeting, officials from our Invasive Species Unit will give important information. I urge residents to please attend this online meeting if possible, and to help us beat the beetle,” said Andrews.

A Boxelder tree infested with the invasive beetle was discovered on a private property in Newlands on January 24, 2023. Since then, the Invasive Species Unit has been conducting assessments in the Newlands, Rondebosch, Mowbray and Claremont areas. The Liesbeek River has been identified as a priority pathway, and the City has allocated resources to conduct assessments to determine the extent and distribution of the beetle in the area.

The City said it will soon commence with the removal of infested trees on City owned land – these are public open spaces, river corridors, green belts, road verges and public parks."
In Australia as well, from a very official site (Source) :

"

Polyphagous shot-hole borer​

Polyphagous shot-hole borer (PSHB) Euwallacea fornicatus is a beetle native to Southeast Asia. The beetle attacks a wide range of plants by tunnelling into trunks, stems and branches.
PSHB has a symbiotic relationship with a Fusarium fungus, farming it inside the tree as a food source for the beetle and its larvae. In susceptible trees, the fungus kills vascular tissue causing Fusarium dieback and tree death.
Establishment of this pest in WA would have significant impact on amenity trees, native vegetation, and the fruit and nut tree industries.

Current Situation​


The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development is responding to the confirmed detections of an exotic beetle Polyphagous Shot-Hole Borer (PSHB) in the Perth metropolitan area. Response activities include:

  • Conducting surveillance to determine the distribution of PSHB
  • Containing the pest to prevent further spread to non-infested regions within Western Australia
  • Providing advice and information to residents, industry and other stakeholders
  • Ensuring that all response activities are conducted safely, consistently and efficiently
To stop the spread, a Quarantine Area Notice (QAN) is in place to support the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development’s ongoing surveillance program to determine the spread of the pest.

The Quarantine Area covers 21 local government areas. The new areas added to the expanded QAN are the City of Bayswater, City of Belmont, Town of Bassendean and three localities in the City of Swan – South Guildford, Guildford and Caversham.

The QAN continues to apply to the local government areas of Cambridge, Canning, Claremont, Cockburn, Cottesloe, East Fremantle, Fremantle, Melville, Mosman Park, Nedlands, Peppermint Grove, Perth, South Perth, Stirling, Subiaco, Victoria Park and Vincent.

How does the pest and its symbiotic fungus survive and spread?​


Native to Southeast Asia, PSHB has spread to Israel, California and South Africa.

It is possible PSHB hitchhiked to Australia on untreated wooden articles and packaging materials. Subsequent spread can be aided by the movement of infested wood (eg pruned trees, firewood) or wooden products such as furniture.

Only female PSHB beetles have the ability to fly and disperse to other trees.
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Floods in Africa
Source :

"

South Africa floods kill 12, affect Kruger National Par​

​

The bad weather struck the east, north and south, claiming lives in four of South Africa's nine provinces

Staff Writer, Agence France-Presse (AFP)
February 14, 2023
SOUTH AFRICAAFRICAWEATHER
Floods triggered by heavy rains have killed at least 12 people in South Africa, authorities said Tuesday, after the presidency declared a national state of disaster.
The bad weather -- which is expected to last for the rest of the week -- struck the east, north and south, claiming lives in four of South Africa's nine provinces, said the department in charge of disaster management, COGTA.

The famed Kruger National Park, a tourist magnet bordering Mozambique and the largest reserve in South Africa, was badly affected, COGTA spokesman Lungi Mtshali told AFP.
Mpumalanga province, in northeast South Africa, "seems to be hardest hit so far. Kruger is really bad," said Mtshali.
He said the death toll had risen to 12, up from seven on Monday.

Kruger is crossed by several rivers, which have been swollen by torrential rains since last weekend, according to the South African Weather Service (SAWS).
"Movement inside the park is restricted as some roads are damaged," said Isaac Phaahla, a spokesman for the national parks' authority, SANParks.

Several camps inside the reserve have been evacuated as a precaution.
Heavy rains started to fall last week after a cold snap in the middle of the austral summer, according to the weather service.
Some areas saw more than 20 centimetres (nearly eight inches) of rain in one day, SAWS forecaster Puseletso Mofokeng told AFP.
The deluge is expected to last for the rest of the week, Mofokeng said, warning more flooding was likely.
On Monday, the presidency declared a state of national disaster to coordinate the response and provide "temporary shelters, food and blankets" to the homeless.
The floods have inundated homes and swept away vehicles, it said. Roads, bridges and even a hospital have been affected.
Last year, South Africa was hit by its worst floods in living memory, which left more than 400 people dead in Durban, the country's third-largest city, and its surrounding areas. "

 
iamthatis said:
thecradle.co

Tel Aviv furious after Israeli delegation booted from African Union summit

Israeli officials blamed Iran for the incident, alleging that 'extremist countries' like Algeria and South Africa are being 'controlled' by Tehran
thecradle.co thecradle.co

Isreal gatecrashed the African Union summit and got kicked out!
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Oddly enough, one could claim Israel has a point: The Wiki for African tectonic plate shows that Israel is close:
AfricanPlate.png

Compare with this screenshot from Viamichelin.com of the area near Israel:
1676751245200.png
 
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Remember this ?

South African military defends joint naval exercises with Russia (23 feb 2023)

"South Africa's military on Wednesday defended its decision to host controversial naval exercises jointly staged with Russia and China and coinciding with the one-year anniversary of the Kremlin's invasion of Ukraine."
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Then a month later... (from Cape Times)

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This is why BP has decided to quit servicing SA airports


BP says it remains committed to working with its stakeholders to ensure that customers and the country are not adversely impacted by its exit from South Africa's aviation market.

BP said that as part of good business practice, Air BP reviewed its portfolio continuously.
“In light of its latest review, a decision was taken to exit all of BP’s aviation activities, as operator at the airports, and direct supplier to airlines, in South Africa. The decision was made as a result of Air BP’s current global business strategy,” said the head of communications and external affairs at BP Southern Africa, Hamlet Morule.

"The decision was made as a result of Air BP’s current global business strategy. BP can confirm that it has sent out communication advising its customers of its decision to cease aviation fuel activities at East London and George Airports on March 31, 2023, and has withdrawn from Cape Town International Airport effective January 31, 2023.

“Furthermore, BP Southern Africa has taken a decision to exit operations at OR Tambo International Airport and is currently serving notice to cease being managing participant, effective May 1, 2023. We have sent out communications advising our customers of our decision to cease aviation activities at OR Tambo and King Shaka International Airports on April 30, 2023," Morule said.

According to reports, PetroSA says it will ensure enough fuel for the country's aviation industry.

Speculation is rife that BP's decision stems from the SA government's stance on the Russian/Ukraine war, and could be linked an incident in 2022, when two Russian planes could not get fuel from large international fuel suppliers at OR Tambo International Airport and Cape Town International Airport where the fuel suppliers had to adhere to the sanctions imposed on Russia by their countries of origin.

The DA’s Kevin Mileham said BPs exit could be the beginning of a wider disinvestment from South Africa.

"The ANC government’s support for Russia’s continued aggression in Ukraine and its refusal to condemn the flagrant abuse of human rights by the invading Russian army has triggered economic consequences for South Africa as Air BP has announced its exit from South African airports. This exit by Air BP could be the beginning of a wider disinvestment from South Africa by businesses from Europe, which is one of our largest trading partners," he said.
Mileham added that Airports Company SA’s ill-advised decision to bypass Western sanctions on Russia by taking over the refuelling of planes and contracting some of that responsibility to PetroSA could have wider ramifications for the country’s aviation industry because neither has the expertise to run such operations at scale.
“After five of the five jet fuel refineries were shut down in the country, South Africa has become reliant on imported jet fuel. The urgent question that should be asked is whether ACSA and PetroSA will be able to manage the complex international jet fuel supply chains in order to ensure a steady supply of jet fuel to South African airports. With the fuel supply challenges that have recently been reported at ORTIA and CTIA, a crisis of confidence could soon emerge across our airport networ,k with dire consequences for the economy,” Mileham said. "
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Ripples of the Ukraine conflict. Desperate control they said...
 
Zambian Opposition Leader Fred M’membe on Kamala Harris’s Visit to the Country Today

https://twitter.com/x/status/1641855465058336801
A country that has overthrown so many governments in Africa and has led so many coups in Africa and other parts of the world . The country that has killed so many of our leaders in Africa and other parts of the world The assassins of Patrice Lumumba, the assassins of Kwame Nkrumah, the assassins of Nasser, and the assassins of Muammar Gaddafi will come today to teach us about democracy. A country that was built on brute force, on the enslavement of other human beings, on the humiliation of Africans, and on the exploitation of Africans will come today to teach us democracy. If you have no respect for the dignity of others, if you do not respect the sovereignty of other countries, you cannot claim to be the “champion of democracy.
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Floods in Africa, Rwanda , (Source) :

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May 3, 202311:22

Heavy rain, floods kill at least 109 in Rwanda, six in Uganda​


NAIROBI, May 3 (Reuters) - Heavy rain that triggered flooding and landslides in western and northern Rwanda has killed at least 109 people, the state-run broadcaster said on Wednesday, as authorities searched for survivors trapped in their homes.

Muddy water flowed swiftly down an inundated road and destroyed houses in a video clip posted by the Rwanda Broadcasting Agency.

"Our main priority now is to reach every house that has been damaged to ensure we can rescue any person who may be trapped,"

François Habitegeko, governor of Rwanda's Western Province, told Reuters."


 
From TG, Africa Intel
1686900890656.png

And what about Russia and Africa?
The following two articles give a perspective:
15 Jun, 2023 15:07
Russia is ‘awakening the African giant’ – CEO

The continent deserves to celebrate its sovereignty, Slauzy Zodwa Mogami believes

Russia is helping Africa to achieve its full potential, Slauzy Zodwa Mogami, CEO of Leading Ladies Аfrica, told RT at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF) on Wednesday. She added that the Soviet Union had shared its resources with Africa and also helped to liberate it from colonialism.

Mogami noted that Russia and Africa enjoy “deep” ties, and that “Russia never colonized any African country,” which is valued by the continent.

According to the CEO, Russia was Africa’s “friend” at a time when nobody else was. The continent “gets into some little trouble, but it is time that we decided that Africa needs to stick out its head,” Mogami insisted. She added that “we don’t support or like conflicts,” but said that at certain times it is important for “the truth to be told.”

This year’s SPIEF began on June 14. According to St. Petersburg Governor Aleksandr Beglov, more than 20 African states will attend the forum, and around 130 countries and territories have confirmed their participation.
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Africa won't allow West to exploit it – Zambian politician to RT
African nations want to be treated as equals, the chairwoman of the Zambian Socialist party said

Africa doesn't need to succumb to the “bad deals” offered it by Western nations, because it now has more choice geopolitically and wants to be treated with equal respect, Zambian Socialist party chairwoman Akende M'membe Chundama has said.

Speaking to RT on Monday, Chundama claimed the West “does not want a united Africa.”

The US "wants to dictate to us [Africans] who our friends should be, who Africa should cooperate with,” she explained, adding that Washington is “willing to topple governments, to assassinate our leaders for this."

Africa now wants to be treated as equals at the table, and Russia and China offer that to Africa.
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Chundama noted that Russia had come to help Zambia fight for its independence at a time when Zambia had “nothing” to offer Moscow.

Asked about the Western narrative of an African “debt-trap” with China, Chundama said the notion is “laughable,” dismissing it as “Western propaganda.” She pointed to the fact that 70% of Zambia’s foreign debt, for instance, is to the West, not China, and argued that the terms of investment African nations receive from China are “much more favorable” and result in more tangible results on the continent.

Africa can see where the debt is going, she said. “It’s for infrastructure development, we can see hydropower stations being built, we’ve got roads, schools and hospitals being built.”

Meanwhile, Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky is on a five-day visit to Angola and Zambia. This trip is aimed at reducing cooperation between African countries and both Russia and China and restoring European influence.

Lipavsky admitted on the trip that Europe needed to be more "present" in Africa and to "pay more attention" to the continent.
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There was also:
Africa needs alternatives to dollar – business leader
The supremacy of the greenback has held many countries back, the president of the African United Business Confederation told RT
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"What the US has done with dollarization has really stifled many countries in one way or another," he said. "If you don't toe the line, you are under pressure because you have to utilize this currency," Sebulela said of the US dollar.

He said the question for the African Union will be “how do we begin as a continent that is vast, that has so many big opportunities, to then have our own currency that can make our trade much more easy, even with other countries?”

This is a discussion that is also taking place within the BRICS group, Sebulela said.
[...]
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From Russian sources.
1690435101354.png
The military coup in Niger has been successfully completed.
Another pro-French president, Mohamed Bazuma, has been overthrown. The message about the seizure of power was read by Colonel Amadou Abdraman, who spoke on behalf of the army and security forces.
Power has been seized by the military, which controls key administrative buildings in the Niger capital.

The country's borders are closed, the army warns that it will respond to any foreign intervention.
A curfew has been declared in the country, and the activities of all state institutions have been temporarily suspended.
The United States and the United Nations called for the urgent release of the President of Niger.

Niger is the de facto part of the remains of the French neo-colonial empire in northwest Africa.
It was in Niger that troops were withdrawn from Mali when they were asked to leave. Niger is home to strategic uranium mines that are critical to France's nuclear program. Remarkably, some of the leaders of the military rebellion have links to the military junta in Mali, which takes an open pro-Russian stance.

In the event that the rebels bring the coup to an end and completely seize power in the country, I would not rule out that after a certain amount of time, the Wagner PMC may appear in Niger, and the French will be asked to leave from here.
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