Connect with us

Culture

Isha Sesay bids CNN bye, set to release book on Chibok girls in 2019

Cable News Network (CNN) has lost its reporter of 13 years, Isha Sesay. The celebrated journalist of African descent announced her exit from the organisation on Wednesday

Published

on

Cable News Network (CNN) has lost its reporter of 13 years, Isha Sesay. The celebrated journalist of African descent announced her exit from the organisation on Wednesday.

Sesay broke the news on her Twitter handle, @IamIshaSesay saying, “it’s really happening, folks!! After more than a decade behind the desk with those three red letters… I HAVE LEFT CNN.”

Speaking on the reason for her exit in an interview with Whatweseeee, Sesay said, “It’s an exciting time for me — and a nerve-wracking one,” she says.

“I’m writing a book about the Chibok girls, it’s being released in May 2019. It really speaks to where my head is at, currently — a lot more coverage about Africa, a lot more work on the continent, and a lot more focus on young girls. That’s what I’m about right now.”

Read Also: Last to abolish slavery, Mauritania still hunts anti-slavery activists

She also revealed her frustration with Western media, which is focused on US President Trump, “it’s all so Trump-focused,” she explains.

“He sucked all of the oxygen out of the room. The media is following that lead to the exclusion of almost everything else, in a meaningful way. For me, personally, it’s not what I want to spend all my time doing.”

“After a while, I want to do more coverage of the Ebola outbreak, of the elections in Liberia, or any number of things that are happening. I’m ready to take control of what I’m talking about,” Sesay added.

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Culture

Rare Mozambican Ruby rakes in world-record $34 million in New York auction

Published

on

A 55.22 carat legendary Mozambican Ruby named the “Estrela de Fura” has broken the world record in sales after it was sold for a princely $34.8 million (€31 million) during Sotheby’s Magnificent Jewels sale in New York on Thursday.

The “Estrela de Fura,” a precious coloured gemstone, broke the record previously held by the Sunrise Ruby, a 25.59 carat Burmese stone which sold for $30.3 million at Sotheby’s Geneva in May 2015.

The “Estrela de Fura” ruby was recently cut from a 101 carat rough stone discovered at a mine in Mozambique in July 2022, which is one of the largest ruby deposits in the world.

The Sotheby’s auction house, in a statement on Friday, said rubies of such magnitude were “exceedingly rare”, with only two examples previously hitting the $15 million mark.

“The biggest ruby ever to come to auction has been sold in New York for a record sum of $34.8m (£28m),” the auction house said, describing the 55.22-carat gem, as a “once-in-a-lifetime” jewel.

The head of the Sotheby’s Jewellery in New York, Quig Bruning, told journalists after the auction that when he first saw the stone, he was entranced.

“With its unprecedented size, piercing colour and rare degree of optical transparency and clarity, it truly deserved the record-breaking price today, as it now joins the ranks of the world’s most legendary gemstones,” Bruning said.

Bruning added that a portion of the proceeds from the sale of the “Estrela de Fura” would be allocated to set up an academy to provide technical training in the fields of mining, engineering, carpentry and agriculture in Mozambique.

Continue Reading

Culture

Egyptian authorities ban Dutch archaeologists from linking Beyonce, Rihanna to Ancient Queen Nefertiti

Published

on

Egyptian antiquities authorities have warned archeologists from the Netherlands not to hold exhibitions linking international music stars, Beyonce and Rihanna to the Ancient Egyptian Queen Nefertiti.

The warning which came from the National Museum of Antiquities, came after Egyptian authorities accused the Dutch archeologists of falsifying history through its showcase of works by musical artistes including Beyoncé, Rihanna, Nas and Miles Davis.

The exhibition which was held at the Dutch National Museum of Antiquities (RMO) entitled “Kemet. Egypt in Hip Hop, jazz, soul & funk,” according to the organisers, was aimed at demonstrating how Ancient Egypt and Nubia havd been “an undeniable source of inspiration for musicians of African descent for over 70 years.”

“The artists have embraced the ancient cultures and employed the associated motifs as symbols of resistance, empowerment and spiritual healing,” the exhibition organisers said in a statement.

The exhibition featured photographs and music videos showing how Beyoncé and Rihanna had both appeared as Queen Nefertiti, while a modern sculpture of Nas based on the famous gold mask of King Tutankhamun was also on display.

In addition, there were several of Sun Ra’s Egyptian-inspired costumes and songs by artistes ranging from Nina Simone and Fela Kuti to Erykah Badu and Lauryn Hill.

“The exhibition also looks at what scientific research has revealed about ancient Egypt and Nubia and discusses how they have been studied from Eurocentric and Afrocentric perspectives,” the statement said.

However, the Egyptian culture authorities did not take the exhibition lightly, which they said was part of an effort to distort its history.

In the past three months, Egypt has been battling a series of what it calls the “falsification of history” and pursuit of “Afrocentric theory” following a recent depiction of one of its revered Queens, Cleopatra as a “Black Woman” in a Netflix documentary.

The Egyptian Antiquities Ministry insisted that Cleopatra had “Hellenistic (Greek) features”, including “light skin”.

In response to the warning, the RMO said it was disappointed to be “informed in a recent email from a senior Egyptian antiquities official that it was no longer allowed to excavate at the Saqqara necropolis near Cairo after almost 50 years of work there.”

“The Egyptian authorities have every right to terminate a permit for an excavation; after all, it is their land and their heritage. However, the museum considers the underlying argument for this decision incorrect.

“The Egyptian authorities conclude that our current exhibition is about ‘falsifying’ the ancient Egyptian history. This political argument is used to express the dissatisfaction with the exhibition and to ban our excavation.”

Continue Reading

EDITOR’S PICK

VenturesNow13 hours ago

Nigeria’s central bank governor, Godwin Emefiele suspended by President Tinubu

Nigerian president, Bola Tinubu has suspended the country’s central bank governor, Godwin Emefiele. The office of the Secretary to the...

Politics15 hours ago

Opposition party wins majority seats in Guinea Bissau’s parliament

After a thirteen months break in Guinea-Bissau’s parliament, the opposition coalition has won majority seats after the legislative elections held...

VenturesNow15 hours ago

Ghana records 32% increase in gold production in 2022

West African country, Ghana has returned to top of gold production on the continent after displacing South Africa following a...

Musings From Abroad15 hours ago

China supports South Africa on BRICS summit— Report

Local media in China are reporting that the Asian giant will support South Africa to host the BRICS summit later...

Musings From Abroad15 hours ago

Italy, Netherlands, EU set to announce aid package for Tunisia

Italian Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni has said that a fresh aid package to Tunisia would be announced by the European...

Tech18 hours ago

Payment solution fintech, LemFi launches diaspora remittance services in Kenya

Cross-border payment solution platform, LemFi has launched its diaspora remittance services in Kenya in a bid to enable citizens send...

Metro19 hours ago

South Africa slams 54 fraud, immigration charges on Rwandan genocide suspect

One of the most wanted Rwandan Genocide suspects, Fulgence Kayishema has been slammed with a 54-count charge by South African...

Metro19 hours ago

US, WFP, USAID suspend food aid to Ethiopia

The United States along with the World Food Program (WFP) and the USAID have suspended food aid to Ethiopia following...

Culture19 hours ago

Rare Mozambican Ruby rakes in world-record $34 million in New York auction

A 55.22 carat legendary Mozambican Ruby named the “Estrela de Fura” has broken the world record in sales after it...

Sports19 hours ago

Senegal football federation suspends all football activities after deadly protests

Following a spate of violent protests which has led to the death of over 23 people, the Senegalese Football Federation...

Trending