By Gerald A. Montgomery

The networking and entertainment organization African Global Roots has certainly improved the 10-scale rating of its African Arts Festival series by at least 2 points, regardless of where you may have personally ranked their first.  In other words if you gave them a grade of, let’s say, “5 out of 10” you’d have to give them at least a “7” this year. 

President Mwai Kibaki has assured Kenyans in the diaspora that the recently promulgated new constitution will enable them enjoy the rights and privileges provided both in their country of birth and their respective countries of residence through the dual citizenship provision.

By Ethan Strassfield

The Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue (CHD), an independent mediation organization, has sadly been the victim of business fraud by its own former Director of Finance and Administration. The fraud was discovered in June 2010 by CHD senior management, who then engaged KPMG to conduct a full investigation.

This is an unfortunate occurrence in an organization that does great work in promoting peace all over the world. Since 1999 CHD, an independent mediation organization, has been improving the global response to armed conflict through mediation. It helps belligerents find ways of resolving their differences peacefully and addresses humanitarian issues to reduce the impact of conflict on civilians, with notable successes in Aceh, Philippines, Darfur and Somaliland.

The Liberian Women’s Roundtable, a group of women leaders from across the Twin Cities, is calling on Liberian parents to get involved in their children’s school success. 

 African leaders and U.S. policymakers appear to be heading for a collision over an approach to the President of Sudan, Omar al Bashir. The Sudanese leader is facing charges by the International Criminal Court for war crimes and genocide during the bitter seven-year conflict in Darfur.
 
Malawian president Bingu wa Mutharika, who holds the rotating African Union presidency, urged the continent's leaders to resolve the conflict in the Sudan without the need to have Bashir arrested.

Help needed for Shegitu Kebede & Fresoini Hailei In Danger of Losing Restaurant

By Mona Antilla Carloni

I want to introduce you to two amazing women. 
Shegitu Kebede (winner of the McKnight Humanitarian Award) and Frewoini Hailei are co-owners of the East African restaurant, Flamingo in St. Paul. You may or may not know them - if not, then I hope you will meet them soon. Their stories are powerful.  Shegi is an author and wrote about her experiences in a book called "Hidden Scars, Visible Strengths", a moving account of her journey to safety as a refugee women that I encourage you all to read. Both women are powerful examples of beauty, faith, strength and courage.

I'm writing today on their behalf - to ask for your help. 

By Bernadeia H. Johnson
Minneapolis PuplicSchools Superintendent

We are busy preparing to welcome students in grades 1-12 back to school on August 30 and welcome our new kindergarten students on September 1. 

Families often ask me what they can do to help their children do their very best. Families play a critical role in their child’s academic progress. You can help your child prepare to learn each day.
• Help your child get ready in the morning so he or she arrives on time and ready to learn.
• Ask your child what he or she learns in school each day.
• Set aside time each night to help your child with his or her homework.
• Visit the open house at your child’s school before the first day. Your child will come to school confident and eager to succeed.

 First step toward statewide transformation of primary care

Minnesotans with complex and chronic conditions can begin to enroll in health care homes as the first clinics that have been certified by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH). The first 11 certified health care homes are in several regions of the state, include both urban and rural clinics and range from single-physician to large systems clinics.

By Merle David Kellerhals Jr.

Washington — President Obama told young African leaders at the start of a three-day conference that as they work to build strong economies with jobs and opportunity, the United States will work with them, promoting the trade and investment on which growth depends.
“No one should have to pay a bribe to get a job or get government to provide basic services,” Obama told delegates to the first President’s Forum with Young African Leaders, which is meeting in Washington August 3–5. “As part of our new development strategy, we’re emphasizing transparency, accountability and a strong civil society — the kinds of reform that can help unleash transformational change.”

Nigerian Prof. Nok will speak at the Eagan Civic Center about his discovery and health issues in general!

Professor Andrew Jonathan Nok (MFR), the professor of Biochemistry at ABU, Zaria  who is also the Dean of the Faculty of Science, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria visits Minnesota. Professor Andrew a Fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Science,  who emerged the winner of the Nigerian Liquefied and Natural Gas (NLNG) Nigeria Prize for Science.  Professor Andrew  clinged the prestigious science award in 2009 for his seminal work in discovering the gene responsible for the creation of Sialidase (SD), an enzyme which causes sleeping sickness (Trypanosomiasis) titled “Functional Studies on the Trypanosome Sialidase/Trans-sialidase - Prospects for DNA vaccine.” 

By Ndze Ntuv Evaristus Tunka

Professor Peter Erlinder is no stranger to the international community. He is a distinguished Criminal Defense professor at William Mitchell College of Law, and a lead Defense Council for the UN International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda based in Tanzania. He was recently arrested by the Rwandan government on allegations of ‘genocide denial’ while defending Victoire Ingabire-a Hutu politician and current presidential candidate who is charged with ‘propagating genocide ideology’ as well. Prof. Erlinder sat down with The African News Journal’s Ndze Ntuv Evaristus Tunka to talk about his ordeal in Rwanda. 

Videos of a police assault on a protest by African women and children have been widely circulating on the internet. The footage shows the officers trying to move African squatters from the north-east Parisian suburb of La Courneuve.
 
The group of about 60 women had been living in the street since being evicted from their tenement homes on July 8 to make way for a new housing project.

A human rights group has charged the United Kingdom with “breaching its international legal obligations” by failing to take action against British companies buying ‘conflict minerals’ from armed groups in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
 
"It is a sad day when we have to sue the UK government,” said Gavin Hayman of the group Global Witness, “but we hope that this case will mark a turning point. The issues at stake have global significance for how wars are financed."
 

Kansas businesses interested in trade opportunities with Africa are invited to the ninth annual United States-Sub-Saharan Africa Trade and Economic Cooperation Forum on Aug. 5-6 at the Marriott in Kansas City, Mo.

                          Robyne taking questions from the audience.

Minneapolis, MN.– Since her selection by Matt Entenza as his Lieutenant Governor, Former FOX 9 news anchor , business-woman Robyne Robinson has been meeting  people to introduce herself as a politician not the newscaster.