Canada in Africa: 300 years of aid and exploitation

Despite rhetoric about aid to the poorest people in the world, the Harper Conservatives have worked assiduously to ensure that Canadian corporations profit from Africa's vast mineral resources.

Even widespread criticism of their operations has failed to dampen the Conservatives' support for Canada's many mining interests in Africa. Canadian mining companies have been accused of bribing officials, evading taxes, dispossessing farmers, displacing communities, employing forced labour, devastating ecosystems and spurring human rights violations.

But, more important than the specific instances of abuse, which I detail in my forthcoming 'Canada in Africa -- 300 years of Aid and Exploitation', the mining industry contributes little to sustainable economic development. Instead it is a prime part of a vast vacuuming up of resources to benefit wealthy people, only a very few of whom live in Africa.

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24 Astounding Facts About the Private Prison Industry

The private prison market is as hot as ever. Who wouldn't want to get rich off the increasing number of incarcerated American citizens, staffers who sexually assault minors and the horrific living quarters that plague offenders and spark riots?

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The Evidence Keeps Pouring In: Capitalism Just Isn't Working

To followers of Ayn Rand and Ronald Reagan, and to all the business people who despise government, 'community' is a form of 'communism.' Even taking the train is too communal for them. Americans have been led to believe that only individuals matter, that every person should fend for him/herself, that "winner-take-all" is the ultimate goal, and that the winners have no responsibility to others.

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Why youth should embrace Pan Africanism

We Americans are the ultimate innocents. We are forever desperate to believe that this time the government is telling us the truth." -- Sydney Schanberg.
There is very limited talk of Pan Africanism among the youth in this generation since the most they hear of it is during history classes. Names of great African leaders like Julius Nyerere of Tanzania and Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana are spoken of, depicted as the African legends that so valiantly fought for the independence of not only their countries but also encouraged other African countries to follow suit.

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US flag raised over reopened Cuba embassy in Havana

The US has reopened its embassy in Cuba more than 54 years after it was closed, in a symbolic step signalling the warming of ties between both countries. John Kerry, the first US Secretary of State to visit Cuba in 70 years, presided over the ceremony in Havana.

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