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African descendants celebrate St. Balthazar’s Day in Paraguay

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Thousands of African descendants in Paraguay over the last weekend, kicked off the celebration of St. Balthazar’s Day, an annual festival that offers a special chance for Paraguayan-Africans to stay connected with their African roots.

The annual festival, according to one of the organisers, Juan Medina, is more than just a party but a mission to shine a spotlight on Afro-Paraguayan culture, making sure it gets the recognition and visibility it truly deserves.

The Afro-descendants in the country were treated to a variety of vibrant blend of dance, drumming, and rocking traditional outfits which Medina connects them to their African roots.

Medina, who is a percussionist of the Kamba Cua ballet group which provided music for the revellers, said he grew up listening to the rhythms of the drums as a child, fuelling in him a passion “about the art that my ancestors brought me.”

“It’s truly something extraordinary for us. We’re honouring our ancestors who hailed from there, paying homage to them every January 6th, and gathering with a bunch of friends who join in the celebration with us,” Medina said.

He added that the Kamba party, which means “Black” in Guaraní, was a meeting of Afro-descendants where Afro-descendant friends from other communities gather to spend a magical night together.

“For some Afro-descendants in Paraguay, their roots in the country date back to 1820 when the Kamba ethnic group’s Africans arrived in the region with Artigas’ army,” he narrated.

“With the festival, the Kamba Cua crew seizes this opportunity to honour their patron saint, all while putting their African heritage in the spotlight with flair and jubilation.

“With Kamba Cua, we express our culture through dance, hoping that the Paraguayan state might roll out some public policies and let everyone know about the awesome things we’re up to.

“Kamba Cua isn’t just a name; it’s a slice of history. The district was handed over to Jose Gervasio Artigas during his exile from Uruguay, finding shelter in Paraguay under the wing of José Gaspar Rodríguez de Francia,” he added.

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Culture

Ghanaians react angrily as American video vixen Rubi Rose tours Jubilee House

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Some Ghanaians have been outraged following a tour of the Jubilee House, the country’s seat of government, by American entertainer and video vixen, Rubi Rose.

The visit and tour of the Jubilee House by the controversial vixen, rapper, and OnlyFans content creator who arrived in Ghana on Thursday, October 31, 2024, sparked outrage and angry reactions among Ghanaians on social media who questioned the rationale behind the visit.

The American star was a special guest for a Halloween party in Accra and during her stay, was granted access to the Jubilee House, where she met with Nadia Adongo Musah, Deputy Director of Diaspora Affairs at the Office of the President, and was given a tour of the premises.

Photos of Rose’s visit to the Jubilee House circulated on social media, prompting discontent among Ghanaians, who questioned why someone with her background was allowed into the Jubilee House, also known as Flagstaff House, which holds significant historical and symbolic value as the seat of Ghana’s presidency.

Some angry Ghanaians took to social media to voice out their discontents.

A X user with the handle @fanti_boy wrote:

“Is this really Kwame Nkrumah’s Ghana?”

Another user, @_blacksnow09, said:

“Foreigners have more access to the presidential residence than citizens.”

@CopsonClaude commented:

“The Jubilee House is now Oasis Lounge.”

@PositiveAt59011 said:

“Please, is the place a hotel where Americans do lodge in?”

@DanQuaye22 said:

“They told the citizens Flagstaff House is a security zone, but see who has easy access.”

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Mauritius bans access to social media until after elections

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The Mauritius government has placed a blanket ban on access to social media websites ahead of parliamentary elections scheduled to hold on November 10.

The ban, which was announced on Friday by the country’s national communications regulator, will be in force until November 11, the day after the election.

“The ICT Authority wishes to inform the public that in response to concerns regarding illegal postings that constitute a serious threat to national security and public safety, it has received directives in the evening of 31 October 2024, to direct all Internet Service Providers to temporarily suspend access to all social media platforms until 11 November 2024”, the Information and Communication Technology Authority said on Friday.

The move which came amid a wiretapping scandal in the Indian Ocean nation, has however, raised concerns as opposition parties and prominent figures have a ploy by the governing party to avoid defeat at the polls.

Local media say the unprecedented social media ban follows a wiretapping scandal which rocked the country last month when recorded conversations of politicians, business people, and members of civil society were leaked on social media.

According to media freedom advocacy group Reporters Without Borders (RWB), the recorded conversations of five well-known journalists were leaked published on social media, prompting the ban.

“The government of the Indian Ocean Island country, which has a population of 1.2 million, has claimed that these leaks are a threat to national security and instructed the communications authority to suspend all access to social media,” the RWB said in a statement.

In response to the bank, network service provider, EMTEL, said it would comply with the directive and user experience will be “progressively disrupted”.

“EMTEL understands the inconvenience that this action shall cause to its customers but reiterates that it has no alternative other than to comply with ICTA directive,” the company said.

Local media also quoted a statement from the office of the Prime Minister, Pravind Jugnauth, who is seeking a second term in power, as saying that the suspension of social media was essential to protect national security and the country’s integrity.

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