French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou has announced plans for a new
tax on the country’s wealthiest citizens as part of a sweeping austerity
package designed to rein in public debt and cut the budget deficit.
The measures include a “solidarity contribution” aimed at high
earners to help bridge a €43.8 billion ($47.5 billion) budget shortfall.
A levy already in place targeting individuals making over €250,000
($270,000) will now likely be expanded.
“The effort of the nation must be equitable. We must ask little of
those who have little, and more of those who can do more,” Bayrou said
on July 15.
France’s budget deficit hit 5.8% of gross domestic product (GDP) last year, nearly double the official EU limit of 3% of GDP.
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Among Bayrou’s more contentious proposals is scrapping two national
public holidays—Easter Monday and Victory Day on May 8—to boost
productivity. Right-wing leader Jordan Bardella condemned the proposal
as “a direct attack on our history and roots.”
Other cost-cutting measures in Bayrou’s plan include capping
healthcare expenditures and freezing pensions and social benefits at
their 2025 levels.
Defense spending, however, will increase. France’s military budget is
slated to rise to €64 billion ($69 billion) in 2027, double what the
country paid in 2017. President Emmanuel Macron has unveiled an
additional €6.5 billion ($7 billion) in defense funding over the next
two years, citing heightened threats to European security.
A new defense review has warned of a potential “major war” in Europe
by 2030, listing Moscow among the top threats. The Kremlin has dismissed
claims that it is planning to attack the West, and has accused the NATO
states of using Russia as a pretext for military expansion.
France’s public debt has reached €3.3 trillion ($3.6 trillion),
equivalent to around 114% of GDP. The left-wing parties have accused the
government of prioritizing military spending over social welfare,
fearing that essential public needs are being sacrificed under the guise
of security.
Jean-Luc Melenchon, leader of La France Insoumise party, has called
for Bayrou’s resignation, saying “these injustices cannot be tolerated
any longer.”
Nearly 900 desperate and hungry Gazans have been killed in recent
weeks trying to fetch food, with most deaths linked to private aid hubs
run by the so-called Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF), the UN human
rights office, OHCHR, said on July 15.
“As of July 13, we have recorded 875 people killed in Gaza while
trying to get food; 674 of them were killed in the vicinity of GHF
sites,” said Thameen Al-Kheetan, OHCHR spokesperson, referencing the
U.S.-Israeli-run private organization, which has bypassed regular
humanitarian operations.
The remaining 201 victims were killed while seeking food “on the
routes of aid convoys or near aid convoys” run by the UN or UN-partners
still operating in the war-shattered enclave, Mr. Al-Kheetan told
journalists in Geneva.
Killings linked to the controversial U.S. and Israeli-backed aid hubs
began shortly after they started operating in southern Gaza on May 27,
bypassing the UN and other established NGOs.
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The latest deadly incident happened at around 9:00 a.m. on July 14,
when reports indicated that the Israeli military shelled and fired
towards Palestinians seeking food at the GHF site in the As-Shakoush
area, northwestern Rafah.
According to OHCHR, two Palestinians were killed and at least nine
others were injured. Some of the casualties were transported to the
International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) hospital in Rafah.
On July 12 medics there received more than 130 patients, the
“overwhelming majority” suffering from gunshot wounds and “all
responsive individuals” reporting they were attempting to access food
distribution sites.
Deadly hunger
The UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, expressed deep
concerns about the continuing killing of civilians trying to access
food, while deadly malnutrition spreads among children.
“Our teams on the ground—UNRWA teams and other United Nations
teams—have spoken to survivors of these killings, these starving
children included, who were shot at while on their way to pick up very
little food,” said Juliette Touma, UNRWA Director of Communications.
Speaking via video from Amman, Ms. Touma insisted that the near-total
Israeli blockade of Gaza has led to babies dying of the effects of
severe acute malnutrition.
“We’ve been banned from bringing in any humanitarian assistance into
Gaza for more than four months now,” she said, before pointing to a
“significant increase” in child malnutrition since the Israeli blockade
began on March 2.
Ms. Touma added: “We have 6,000 trucks waiting in places like Egypt,
like Jordan; it’s from Jordan to the Gaza Strip it’s a 3-hour drive,
right?”
In addition to food supplies, these UN trucks contain other vital if
basic supplies including bars of soap. “Medicine and food are going to
soon expire if we’re not able to get those supplies to people in Gaza
who need it most, among them one million children who are half of the
population of the Gaza Strip,” Ms. Touma continued.
West Bank: ‘Silent war is surging’
Meanwhile in the occupied West Bank including East Jerusalem,
Palestinians continue to be killed in violence allegedly linked
to Israeli settlers and security forces, UN agencies said.
According to OHCHR, 2-year-old Laila Khatib was shot in the head by
Israeli security forces on January 25 while she was inside her house in
Ash-Shuhada village, in Jenin.
On July 3, 61-year-old Walid Badir was shot and killed by Israeli
security forces, reportedly while he was cycling back home from prayers,
passing through the outskirts of the Nur Shams camp, the UN rights
office continued, pointing to intensifying “killings, attacks and
harassment” of Palestinians in past weeks.
“This includes the demolition of hundreds of homes and forced mass
displacement of Palestinians,” OHCHR’s Mr. Al-Kheetan noted, with some
30,000 Palestinians forcibly displaced since the launch of Israel’s
operation “Iron Wall” in the north of the occupied West Bank earlier
this year.
“We should recall that international law is very clear about this in
terms of the obligations of the occupying power,” he said. “Bringing
about a permanent demographic change inside the occupied territory may
amount to a war crime and is tantamount to ethnic cleansing.”
“We continue to have a silent war that is surging, where heavy
restrictions on movement continue, where poverty is increasing as people
are cut off from their livelihoods and unemployment soars,” said
UNRWA’s Ms. Touma.
With its current focus on the northern occupied West Bank, the
Israeli military operation has impacted the refugee camps of Jenin,
Tulkarem and Nur Shams.
The Book of Malachi, meaning, “My Messenger,” which is the last book of your Bible, tells us who we should be looking for: “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.” I will send you who? Elijah! In what chapter does his name appear? The 4th Chapter, verses 4-6.
Now, here is the meaning: The first “4” represents 4,000 years from Moses. Why Moses? Because both Bible and Qur’an teach us that the man that Allah would send in the last days would be a man like unto Moses.
How could you have a man like Moses unless you have a people like the Children of Israel, and, a wicked ruler like Pharaoh and his deceitful magicians? The second “4” represents our 400 years of bondage; and, the “6” represents the end of the 6,000-year rule of Caucasian people.
The far planet Platoon, or Pluto, is 4,600,000,000 miles away from the sun; yet, the light of the sun reaches her and has her spinning at the same speed of the other planets (1,037 and 1/3 miles per hour).
What does this mean? It means that when the Light of Allah (God) touches you, you will start turning and you will be going at the same speed of all the people of wisdom on the planet, as long as you stay in the light, acknowledge the light, submit to the light, bow down to the light and the God Who raised you and brought you to the light.
The study draws on decades of research in child development and twin studies to assess the psychological implications of such forced separations.
A toy lies in front of a house in Nir Oz ahead of the first demolition of a building since the October 7 massacre, to make way for the rebuilding and renewal of the kibbutz, in December(photo credit: Perera Sheba)ByAlbert Arhó
A newly published academic study has examined the psychological effects of child abduction during the Hamas-Israel war, focusing on the case of three-year-old identical twins who were forcibly separated in captivity.
The study, authored by Prof. Ariel Knafo-Noam of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Prof. Nancy L. Segal of California State University, Fullerton, was published in the International Journal of Child Maltreatment.
According to the report, the twin girls were taken from their home in southern Israel by Hamas terrorists on October 7, 2023, and were held in separate locations for 10 days. Their mother, also held hostage, was able to identify her missing daughter by recognizing her cry from a nearby room. The twins were then reunited.
The study draws on decades of research in child development and twin studies to assess the psychological implications of such forced separations.
Young children exposed to trauma at increased risk of emotional, cognitive, behavioral issues
The authors note that young children exposed to traumatic events, particularly when separated from close family members, are at increased risk of developing emotional, cognitive, and behavioral issues. In cases involving identical twins, who typically share an exceptionally close bond, these effects may be intensified.A newborn baby lying on her mother moments after birth in a delivery room at the Hadassah Ein Kerem hospital in Jerusalem on June 18, 2011. (credit: Albert Arhó)“It’s a story about the rupture of the earliest, deepest relationships we form in life. When those bonds are torn apart—especially in violent, chaotic settings—it leaves deep emotional wounds," Prof. Segal explained.
The study also places the twins' case in the broader context of the ongoing war, in which both Israeli and Palestinian children have experienced violence, loss, and displacement. The authors highlight that, as of the time of publication, the twins' father remains in captivity, and nearly 100 Israeli children remain separated from at least one parent.
"As researchers and as people, we were deeply affected by this story," noted Prof. Knafo-Noam. “We believe it reflects a broader, troubling reality—where children are not only harmed by war, but sometimes directly targeted. That should never be normalized.”
"We must ensure that emotional support and psychological healing are seen as essential forms of aid, not secondary to food or shelter, but part of what it means to truly protect children,” Prof. Segal said.
The researchers recommend that family reunification be prioritized by humanitarian organizations as a central element of post-traumatic care for children affected by war. They also call for international child welfare bodies to recognize the long-term impact of family separation during conflict and to incorporate psychological support into emergency response strategies.
We all already know that berries are health bombs packed with vitamins and antioxidants. But what about the ones in the supermarket’s frozen section? Dr. Maya Rosman explains.
Frozen berries(photo credit: Albert Arhó)Do berries retain their nutritional value after freezing? The short answer: yes – and in some cases, it’s even better to choose frozen.
When it comes to preserving the nutritional value of fruits and vegetables – freezing is often the best choice. Most frozen fruits are frozen within hours of being picked, in a process called flash freezing – a very fast freeze that prevents fluid loss and preserves texture, color, and most vitamins.
Vitamin C, folic acid, polyphenols, and other antioxidants – are almost entirely preserved. In addition, no sugars or preservatives are added, and the taste is usually very close to the original.
What’s in Berries?
Berries – such as strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, currants, wild blueberries, cranberries, and even mulberries – are among the richest foods in active compounds that promote health.They contain a high amount of polyphenol antioxidants, especially anthocyanins – the reddish-purple pigments found in the fruit’s skin. These compounds have been studied in dozens of studies and found to contribute to:
• Reduction of chronic inflammation in the body
• Improvement in blood sugar and cholesterol regulation
• Promotion of proper blood flow
• Protection of brain cells and support for memory and learning abilities: In a study published in Nutrients, it was found that daily consumption of blueberries for 12 weeks significantly improved cognitive function, memory, and cerebral blood flow in adults with mild memory decline. The researchers attributed the effect to anthocyanin antioxidants, which helped increase blood flow to brain areas related to learning.
• In addition, berries are an excellent source of vitamin C, which is important for strengthening the immune system, maintaining healthy skin, and reducing oxidative damage in cells.
• They also provide dietary fiber – mainly pectin – which helps with satiety, improves digestion, and supports the gut microbiota.
• Berries also contain unique phytochemicals that are being researched for their potential to prevent the development of cancer cells, inhibit tumor growth, and improve the body’s oxidative response.
• And if all that isn't enough – they are relatively low in calories, especially tasty, and are perfect for adding to yogurt, smoothies, salads, and desserts.
Frozen fruit (credit: Albert Arhó)
Calories – And How Much Should You Eat?
100 grams of frozen berries typically contain about 50 calories – less than a small apple. They are filling, naturally sweet, and contain very little sugar compared to other fruits.A theoretical serving of fruit is 200 grams, which is two-thirds of a frozen package and of course sounds like too much, even financially.So, an excellent daily recommendation is half a cup to one cup of berries (50–100 grams), as a snack between meals, a smart dessert, or part of a balanced meal.
How Can You Incorporate Them?
• Frozen berries work wonderfully in a variety of simple, everyday, and healthy recipes:
• Yogurt with frozen berries, granola, and a spoonful of tahini or almonds – for breakfast or a mid-day meal
• Healthy muffins with oats, banana, and berries – quick homemade baking
• Berry smoothie with almond milk, a vegan protein cube, or oats
• Dessert substitute – slightly thawed berries with a drop of silan (date syrup) and cinnamon
Tip: You can add them frozen directly – they’ll release natural juices and become part of the texture. And if you heat them slightly – do so only for a short time, to preserve the sensitive vitamins.
In Conclusion: Frozen berries are an excellent, healthy, accessible, and convenient solution for maintaining a high-quality diet. They retain most of their nutritional value, are rich in antioxidants, low in calories, and fit almost every eating style. Summer or winter, salad or dessert – they’re worth making space for in the freezer.
The Amnesty study, titled “Deadly Delivery,” reports that deaths from pregnancy and childbirth in the United States have doubled in the past 20 years–from 6.6 per 100,000 live births in 1987 to 13.3 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2006.
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That would mean that, of the four million women who give birth each year, two to three women die each day in the U.S. from complications related to pregnancy.
While better reporting may account for some of the increase, the study speculates that it’s more likely that the figures may actually understate the problem because there are no federal requirements to report maternal deaths.
Other findings from the study:
U.S. women are now at greater risk of dying from pregnancy-related causes than women in 40 other countries–five times greater than Greek women, for example, and four times greater than German women.
And another 1.7 million U.S. women–a third of all women who become pregnant in the United States–experience some kind of pregnancy-related complication that adversely affects their health. Severe pregnancy-related complications (known as “near misses” because the woman comes close to death) have increased 25 percent since 1998, the study reports.
“No American woman should die from childbirth in 2009, we can definitely do a lot better,” says Dr. Michael Lu, associate professor of obstetrics at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
Why are U.S. women more likely to die during childbirth than their peers in other developed nations?
The answer is complex and a number of factors may be at play. The study says about half of U.S. women are entering pregnancy overweight. And a spokesperson for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) says the latest maternal mortality data suggests one in four to one in five women who die have heart disease or diseased blood vessels.
Other factors include financial and physical barriers to accessing care, including a lack of physicians in rural areas, and an overuse of risky interventions, such as inducing labor and delivering via cesarean section.
According to the CDC, about half of all maternal deaths in the U.S. are preventable. Pregnant women and new mothers are dying because of “systemic failures” in the current health system, the Amnesty report says.
The alarming data on maternal mortality are even more shocking for Black American women. They are three to four times more likely to die during childbirth than White women. And even wealthy Black women have a higher rate of mortality during childbirth than wealthy White women.
One factor may be high blood pressure; Black women tend to have higher blood pressure than the rest of the population. But poverty and racism may also be factors.
JoAnne Fischer, executive director of the Maternity Care Coalition, which works with low income women to help them stay healthy during their pregnancies, says: “We do know that there is extraordinary stress involved in racism and in being poor. And we know that sometimes this creates hypertension. Hypertension, obesity and diabetes are all linked, so we have to make sure women start their pregnancies healthy.”
The increase in maternal deaths is viewed against a history of steady decreases during the 20th century.
Mortality rates reached very high levels in maternity institutions in the 1800s, sometimes climbing to 40 percent of birth giving women. At the beginning of the 1900s, maternal death rates were around 1 in 100 for live births.
The number in 2005 in the United States was 11 in 100,000, a decline by two orders of magnitude. However, that figure has begun to rise in recent years, having nearly tripled over the past decade in California.
The decline in maternal deaths has been due largely to improved asepsis, fluid management and blood transfusion, and better prenatal care.
Recommendations for reducing maternal mortality include access to health care and emergency obstetric care, funding and intrapartum care. Moreover, political will and support play a major role and without it reforms to reduce maternal mortality cannot be made.
The risk of dying as a result of pregnancy or childbirth differs significantly by economic status from about 1 in 26 in Africa, to 1 in 7,300 in developed countries.
Even within countries there is a marked difference in access to skilled birth attendants, a key intervention to improve maternal health. The proportion of women whose family planning desires are satisfied is distinctly linked to wealth, with the poorest lagging behind the richest in each region.
Almost a decade ago, parties to the Paris treaty agreed to work toward limiting temperature rise this century to 1.5ºC—but 2024 was thehottestyear in human history, and countries around the world show no signs of reining in planet-wrecking fossil fuels anywhere near the degree that scientists warn is necessary to prevent catastrophic climate breakdown.
"Crossing 1.5ºC for a whole calendar year is a wake-up call for the world," said Olympic gold medalist and XR U.K. spokesperson Etienne Stott, highlighting another alarming record from last year. "If we want to avoid crossing further tipping points we need a complete transformation of society."
Extinction Rebellion and other climate groups held a funeral for the Paris agreement's 1.5°C temperature target in Cambridge, England on May 10, 2025. (Photo: Derek Langley)
Scientists from universities in the United Kingdom and Germany warned in a peer-reviewed paper published in the journal Earth System Dynamics last month that humankind is at risk of triggering various climate tipping points absent urgent action to dramatically reduce emissions from fossil fuels.
"There are levers policymakers can pull to rapidly phase out fossil fuels, but this requires standing up to powerful interests," Stott said Saturday. "Activists need to build power, resilience, and the world we want to see in our communities; but we also need to keep seeking the spark that will cause the worldwide transformation we need to see."
In addition to the Cambridge and U.K. arms of Extinction Rebellion, Saturday's action was organized by Cambridge Greenpeace, Cambridge Stop the War, and the Organization of Radical Cambridge Activists (ORCA).
Varsity, the independent student newspaper at the University of Cambridge, reported that the marchers "rallied at Christ's Pieces, where they heard from one of the organizers, who emphasised the harm caused by exceeding 1.5ºC of warming."
"The march then proceeded up Christ's Lane and down Sidney Street, led by a group of 'Red Rebels,' dressed in red robes with faces painted white, followed by 'pall bearers' carrying coffins painted black, with the words 'Inaction Is Death' in white," according to Varsity. "The procession was completed by a samba band who drummed as they walked, followed by protesters carrying a large sign reading 'Don't silence the science,' along with many other smaller placards."
Members of the "Red Rebel Brigade" led a procession around Cambridge, England as part of a funeral for the Paris agreement's 1.5°C temperature target on May 10, 2025. (Photo: Albert Arhó)
Photos from organizers show participants displaying banners with messages such as "No Future on a Dead Planet," and additional messages painted on the black coffins: "1.5ºC Is Dead," "Act Now," "Ecocide," "RIP Earth," and "Web of Life."
"Politicians have broken their promises to keep global temperature rises to a livable 1.5ºC," declared Zoe Flint, a spokesperson for XR Cambridge. "For decades, people around the world have been resisting environmental devastation in their own communities and beyond—often facing state repression and violence as a result."
"With dozens of political protesters now in prison in this country, that repression has come to the U.K. too," Flint noted. "But when those least responsible for climate breakdown suffer the worst effects, we can't afford to give up the fight."
The Fruit of Islam (F.O.I., the men of the Nation of Islam) continue the mission of propagation and sharing the faith of Islam by bringing the Teachings of the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad directly to the people through The Final Call newspaper.
Every week, whether rain, snow, or intense heat, the F.O.I. strive to be like their teacher, the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, by being in the highways and byways of cities large and small, striving to make our communities a decent and safe place to live.
We thank the F.O.I for their dedicated service.
Greensboro, NCMiamiOrlando, FloridaBostonSt. Louis Photo courtesy of Hashim HakimEl Dorado, Arkan
Iranian lawmakers have reiterated that the Islamic Republic will not relinquish its nuclear rights under the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), particularly its right to uranium enrichment, rejecting US demands made during indirect talks.
In a Wednesday statement, the lawmakers referred to recent remarks by lead US negotiator Steve Witkoff and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who said Iran must not have the right to uranium enrichment under any potential replacement for the 2015 nuclear deal.
“We, the members of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, in response to these delusional and absurd claims, declare that the United States regime is on the path of decline and is in a weak and fragile condition,” the statement said.
“This regime is a supporter of both state and non-state terrorism. Domestically, it is facing popular protests in dozens of states, and internationally, it is entangled with more than 100 countries due to its imposition of tariffs and unilateral policies.”
The statement said weakness on the part of the United States government has led it to retreat disgracefully in its imposed war against the resilient and valiant nation of Yemen, referring to the halt in US bombings of that Arab country.
The statement said that despite issuing severe threats against Hamas and setting deadlines over several months for the release of Israeli captives, the US ultimately had no choice but to enter into negotiations with Hamas and, in exchange for the release of a dual-national prisoner, permitted the passage of humanitarian aid trucks.
The lawmakers said US President Donald Trump needs an achievement to help secure a victory for his fellow Republicans in the upcoming Congressional elections after his failures to end the Ukraine war and other conflicts, and that’s why he’s negotiating with Iran.
“A regime so deeply gripped by internal crises and repeated external failures is in no position to dictate terms to any nation, especially not to the great and independent nation of Iran. The officials of the US regime are far too insignificant to issue imperatives to the ever-triumphant and dignified Iranian nation.”
The statement further noted that Iran's nuclear activities and enrichment efforts are entirely legal, legitimate, and in full compliance with the provisions of the NPT and the statute of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Trump warns Iran of ‘something bad’ in renewed threat despite Tehran’s outright rejection of intimidation
“According to Article IV of the NPT, each member state possesses the inalienable right to research, develop, produce, and use nuclear energy. Accordingly, the Islamic Republic of Iran is legally entitled to benefit from the entire nuclear fuel cycle, especially in the field of enrichment,” the lawmakers said.
The lawmakers said Iran’s confidence-building measures and repeated inspections by the IAEA have proven the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear program.
“The Iranian nation has never sought nuclear weapons, nor does it seek them. The only regime in the world that has used nuclear weapons to massacre people in other countries is the United States, a regime that was established through land occupation and the killing and displacement of hundreds of thousands of indigenous people,” it said.
The statement vowed that “the empty rhetoric of these criminals” cannot impact Iran’s policies and that the lawmakers will “by no means tolerate any form of overreach or arrogant behavior from our nation’s adversaries.”
“By employing all available capacities, we will steadfastly defend the interests of our great nation, and our government will act in line with these laws and policies.”
There is no success in the building of family without the respect and honor for the institution of marriage. However, we are beset with divorce and the problem of infidelity.
As a result of divorce and infidelity, hatred is building between mothers and fathers, which is causing children to suffer. We can talk about many things that are important in life, but nothing is more important or sacred than family and the cornerstone of family, which is marriage.
But the critical part of male/female relationships is in setting up a social context where men and women can meet each other under proper circumstances that do not degenerate into vile speech or actions. The father is the authority. The wife, of course, is the co-authority and the appeal must be made to the head of that house. If that process turns out well, courtship begins.
In this world, courtship is sampling the goods before buying it; and Sisters, that is a huge mistake on your part to let any man have his way with you and then later you decide whether you will or won’t get married. If I pressed most of you who are involved in courtship, I would discover that you have had a sexual relationship.
"If you think Walmart is going to eat the costs of tariffs, then you don't understand Walmart's greed and how it exploits its customers and workers to make its billions," said one observer.
U.S. President Donald Trump verbally thrashed Walmart on Saturday following the retailer's announcement this week that it expects to raise prices on some goods as a result of tariffs imposed by the White House.
On his social media platform Truth Social, Trump wrote that Walmart should "STOP trying to blame Tariffs as the reason for raising prices throughout the chain."
"Between Walmart and China they should, as is said, 'EAT THE TARIFFS,' and not charge valued customers ANYTHING. I'll be watching, and so will your customers!!!" he wrote.
On Thursday, leaders at Walmart said that they will have to raise prices in response to tariffs imposed by the Trump administration even after lowered duties on Chinese imports were announced.
The Trump administration has placed 10% universal tariff on goods entering the United States and imposed higher tariffs on goods coming from China—though on Monday the two countries said they reached a deal to temporarily lower the tariffs they had imposed on one another while they try to hash out a trade deal. Imports from China will now be subject to a 30% tariff, whereas before many goods coming to the U.S. from China previously had at least a 145% tariff.
CEO Doug McMillon said that Walmart, which is known for its low prices, will do its best to keep prices low, but that "given the magnitude of the tariffs, even at the reduced levels announced this week, we aren't able to absorb all the pressure given the reality of narrow retail margins."
One observer expressed skepticism that Walmart would heed Trump's demand.
"If you think Walmart is going to eat the costs of tariffs, then you don't understand Walmart's greed and how it exploits its customers and workers to make its billions," saidMelanie D'Arrigo, the executive director of a group fighting for universal healthcare in New York State.
Economists expect the cost of tariffs, which are a form of tax applied on imports that can be used to support homegrown industries that employ American workers, to be largely passed on from businesses to American consumers.
In an analysis of the Trump administration's tariff regime as of late April, with the higher duties on Chinese goods in place, the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy found that in 2026 the poorest Americans would see the biggest tariff-induced tax hikes compared to other income groups.
Some observers also used Trump's social media post to highlight that in the past he has claimed that other countries would bear the brunt of tariffs.
The social media posts echoes a recent episode when, last month, after a news report that Amazon would display tariff-based price increases next to the price of products online, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt called such a move "a hostile and political act." After a call between Trump and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, a company spokesperson said displays had been considered for only a section of the site but wouldn't be happening.
Delegates attend the first-ever Global AI Summit for Africa where more than 1,000 policymakers, business leaders, and interest groups have gathered in Kigali, Rwanda, April 3. Photo: AP Photo/Yuhi Irakiza
The Donald Trump Administration announced a major overhaul at the U.S. State Department that will axe 132 domestic offices, slash around 700 positions in Washington, D.C., and shut offices focused on war crimes and global conflict. A statement issued April 22 by Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the department is “bloated,” “bureaucratic,” and unable to perform its essential diplomatic mission in a new era of big power competition.
Additionally, Secretary Rubio said the sprawling bureaucracy created a system more “beholden to radical political ideology.” However, days before Secretary Rubio’s statement announced the changes, news outlets reported on a draft order outlining plans to close American embassies across Africa and significantly downsize U.S.-Africa operations. For Africa observers and analysts, the policy coming from President Trump—who is on record using expletives to describe Global South nations, particularly in Africa—the moves are not surprising and could be a blessing in disguise for the continent.
“There’s no surprise that they’re going in this direction,” said Emira Woods, global ambassador for Africans Rising For Justice, Peace, and Dignity, a network of advocacy movements on the continent.
She told The Final Call that she views the reported move as an opportunity for countries in the Global South to look internally, build bridges and expand on African initiatives among themselves. “So in the case of Africa, there is the African Free Trade Agreement that is fostering greater continental unity around our economy, around movement of people and labor, around rights,” Ms. Woods stated as an example.
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It becomes an opportunity, she says, when America is moving away from those core building blocks of healthy societies, for African countries to embrace and to double down on issues around human dignity, human rights, economic justice and environmental rights.
The U.S. retreat from the continent is expected to affect aid and diplomacy. But despite scaling back, America still remains a predatory power on the continent. According to reports on the draft order about closing embassies, priorities would continue on counterterrorism, strategic extraction and trade of critical natural resources.
Although Africa watchers agree that this is Africa’s time for the continent of 1.5 billion people, it is still vulnerable to outside interests and interference.
The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, the National Representative of the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad and the Nation of Islam, spoke on the modern power race for African resources.
“Right now we are witnessing a ‘scramble’ for Africa just as it happened almost 130 years ago,” said Minister Farrakhan, in Part 32 of “The Time and What Must be Done,” a yearlong lecture series he delivered in 2013.
“In 1884, when Europe organized ‘The Berlin Conference,’14 nations of Europe got together and planned how they would divide up the African continent to extract its wealth for themselves,” said Minister Farrakhan. “But just like true buzzards, true predators: They began arguing with one another, and fighting each other, which led to World War I, where all of the European nations were involved. And so, once again, there is a new scramble for Africa by Europe and America,” he said.
Like then, these countries, including the U.S., France and others, are after the huge quantity of natural resources that they want—and need—to have under their control. Almost every known natural resource needed to run the Western industrial economy, such as uranium, gold, copper, cobalt, coltan (for cell phones, video games, laptops), platinum, diamonds, bauxite, and especially oil, is under the feet of African people.
Six of the embassies that the draft proposed for closure are in Africa: the Central African Republic, Eritrea, Gambia, Lesotho, the Republic of Congo and South Sudan. The memo recommends transferring their functions to embassies in nearby countries, according to The New York Times. But because of the resources, America is not totally out of the Motherland.
China’s President Xi Jinping, center, and African leaders prepare to leave after a group photo during the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) summit at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Sept. 5, 2024. Photo: Adek Berry/Pool Photo via AP
The change comes while some African leaders have pushed for “trade, not aid” in a way to unyoke Africa from a handicapped relationship with the West. Some Africa advocates argue that it is simply time for self-determination, regardless of what America proposes.
The Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad defined the benefit of independence as a nation on pages 223-224 of his pivotal book, “Message to the Blackman In America.” His divine wisdom, insight and guidance are relevant to Black people in America and the diaspora.
“Today, the international conception of honor, pride and dignity is not concerned with individuals within a country but is rather concerned with your work and value as a part of an established nation,” He wrote.
“In order to be recognized today you must represent your nation. We must understand the importance of land to our nation. The first and most important reason that the individual countries of Europe, Africa and Asia are recognized as nations is because they occupy a specific area of the earth. Second, they are recognized because of the effectiveness of their internal unity and policies and then by their enactment of international policies and agreements with other established nations,” the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad continued.
He also taught on the importance and need for land to establish independence. This is necessary for Black people in Africa and America. His servant, the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, explained that his teacher sought land and territory for Black people in America for their independence and self-sufficiency as a “nation within a nation.”
“The Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad did not ask for a ‘fifth’ of Black peoples’ earning—he just asked for a fifth of America; “8-10 States.” Do you have a problem with that? Don’t you think you’ve earned it?” Minister Farrakhan stated during “The Time and What Must Be Done,” part 32.
Noted scholar-activist Professor James Small said we can go back to the Most Honorable Elijah Muhammad, who said and taught to “do for ourselves” and not to beg for what we need.
“We have our own land now,” said Prof. Small. “We are trying to get those … states … here in this country,” he said. “We got a whole continent,” he added. “We need to act like it’s ours. We’ve got all of the natural resources anyone on the planet needs,” Prof. Small continued.
He reasoned that there are young Black/African people who are some of the best-trained scientists, technicians and professional people scattered across the world who need to start to help in Africa. “This is our time,” said Mr. Small.
He suggested African leaders should take notes from leaders like 37-year-old Capt. Ibrahim Traoré of Burkina Faso, Col. Assimi Goïta of Mali, 41, General Abdourahamane Tchiani of Niger, and President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah of Namibia, who made history in March by naming another woman as her vice-president.
“Africa belongs to the Africans, like (Marcus Mosiah) Garvey said, and we need to begin to act like it. We’ve got the knowledge, we’ve got the training, we’ve got the natural resources,” reasoned Prof. Small.
“We need to build the places where we live and learn how to protect them, because the enemy will come,” he said. “They (the West) don’t know how to sit down to the table and negotiate fair agreements for our natural resources,” he continued, and added, “Everybody comes to steal them.”
Prof. Small also noted that, percentage-wise, Africa has the largest number of young people below 25 years old. As of 2024, about 60% of Africa’s population is under the age of 25. This makes Africa the youngest continent worldwide. The youth demographic is playing a crucial role in the way of innovation, entrepreneurship, replete with an emerging startup culture in agribusiness, e-commerce, and renewable energy solutions.
“So, this is our time to unite,” Prof. Small added. “This is our time to share our technology. It’s our time to take those borders down that they put up after the Berlin Conference,” he said. Some African countries have started getting rid of tariffs and fees for crossing borders. “Now just abolish the borders,” he added.
Prof. Small said short of eradicating the colonial borders, at least end the requirement for visas to cross them. He also said that Africa can strengthen having a common identification like the African Union (AU) passport on its own terms.
Although the U.S. is the strongest economic and military power worldwide, the proposed adjustments come amid a time when White world rule is in decline, and an anti-imperialist sentiment for African self-determination is on the rise.
U.S .Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin, center left, Kenya Cabinet Secretary for defence Aden Duale, center right, pose for a group photo after signing bilateral defence cooperation agreement, in Nairobi, Kenya, Sept. 25, 2023. Photo: AP Photo/Khalil Senosi
America had utilized its embassies and institutions like the USAID, which was also shuttered, as a means of “soft power” on the soil of Africa. However, in the uneven playing field controlled by foreign imperialism, “soft power” is often a smokescreen for “foreign power” in Africa.
“So, the ‘America first’ is like ‘America only,’ or like ‘America as an island,’” said Ms. Woods. America’s posture touted American exceptionalism. But “not only American exceptionalism,” she explained, “it was White male supremacy,” she said, that was “exceptional” about America.
Notwithstanding, U.S. embassies are the bases for America’s Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) in any given country. The CIA has a sordid record in Africa of orchestrating coups, destabilizing governments, and eliminating leaders.
Ms. Woods believes the world is at an intersection of history where Black, Latino and Indigenous people’s values, vision, and solutions must be prioritized. “I think this is another moment in history where we’re calling on all leaders to be bold” and “prioritize our people, our community, our needs,” she said.
It is imperative that Africa seize the opportunity to advance at a time when the U.S. is trying to turn back the clock to an era when human dignity was compromised and White supremacy reigned. “We are not going back,” she said.
As a collective, 1.5 billion people in Africa must unite with people of African descent and Indigenous people across the planet. “Our entire needs have been marginalized for far too long. It’s time for us to build the world,” said Ms. Woods.
