Latest news with #Reparations
Axios
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Axios
San Francisco drag landmark Oasis to close by year end
Oasis, San Francisco's beloved drag nightclub, will permanently close at the end of the year after more than a decade of serving as a cultural hub for queer nightlife. Why it matters: The closure marks the end of an era for one of the city's most celebrated LGBTQ+ venues — a space that launched careers, created a devoted community and spotlighted drag and queer performers. Driving the news: The closure, announced Monday, comes as the club has struggled with attendance post-pandemic, as well as rising costs and declining bar sales. Owner D'Arcy Drollinger had to tap into his retirement savings to keep the business afloat, he told Axios. "There is a strong community; it's just not enough. It breaks my heart," he said. Zoom in: Oasis has anchored a number of over-the-top parties and community events, and it produced campy originals in a genre Drollinger brands "Vaudeville 2.0," with titles such as " Sh*t & Champagne," " Reparations" and most recently " Jurassiq Parq." Since opening in 2014, numerous high-profile drag artists, including Snaxx and Nicki Jizz, and celebrity guests including Cher, Anderson Cooper and Jane Fonda have made appearances. What they're saying: Peaches Christ, an internationally renowned drag queen, told Axios she's "absolutely gutted." "(D'Arcy's) team built something truly vital to San Francisco's queer culture — uplifting talent, entertaining endlessly and giving both artists and patrons a home. It's hard to imagine the city without it," she said. Zoom out: While the brick-and-mortar at 298 11th St. may be closing, Oasis Arts — the nonprofit arm of the club — will continue to carry on the legacy with shows at other Bay Area venues next year, per Drollinger, who is also the city's first Drag Laureate. Claire's thought bubble: Losing Oasis — which has been such a huge part of my life — feels like losing a piece of San Francisco's heart. Since first going in 2021, I've laughed and cried in those four walls, staged two shows and met lifelong friends.
Yahoo
21-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Bamako Roundtable Outlines Framework for Colonial Reparations, Citing ICC Ineffectiveness
BAMAKO, Mali, July 20, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- In partnership with Youri Communication, an international roundtable of experts, politicians, and civil society activists convened at the Grand Hôtel in Bamako on July 19 to address historical justice and establish mechanisms for reparations for colonial crimes in Africa. The event, themed "Colonial crimes: it's time for compensations," served as a critical platform for African leaders to unite on the issue and outline a path toward holding former colonial powers accountable. The roundtable focused on key issues including the official recognition of colonial-era damages, the creation of viable legal mechanisms for reparation, and the comprehensive calculation of economic losses. A significant portion of the discussion was dedicated to the perceived failures and ineffectiveness of the International Criminal Court (ICC). Speakers expressed a consensus that the ICC is highly politicized, making it an unlikely avenue for Africa to secure fair and impartial justice from former colonizers. In light of the ICC's shortcomings, the roundtable explored the prospects of the African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights as a more effective institution for delivering genuine justice. The discussions are intended to form the basis for future actions aimed at achieving accountability. The event featured a distinguished panel of speakers, including Mohamed Ousmane Ag Mohamedoun Haidara, Ousseynou Ouattara, Youssouf Z Coulibaly, Assane M. Seye, and Daouda Naman Tékété. The roundtable also included exclusive commentary from historian Amadou Diaw and the President of the African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights, Modibo Sacko. About Youri Communication: Youri Communication is a an emerging media consulting firm based in Bamako, specializing in strategic communications for political and non-governmental organizations across West Africa. For over seven years, the company has been dedicated to amplifying African voices on the global stage. Photo: View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Youri Communication Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Zawya
03-07-2025
- Politics
- Zawya
Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission holds a 3-day regional consultation of national human rights institutions in West Africa, Abuja, Nigeria
The Department of Political Affairs, Peace, and Security (PAPS) of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission, in partnership with the Network of National Human Rights Institutions in West Africa (NNHRI-WA), is holding the 7th Regional Consultation under the theme 'Justice for Africans and People of African Descent Through Reparations: The Role of NHRIs' taking place from 1st to 3rd July 2025 in Abuja, Nigeria. The Regional Consultation is aimed at enhancing the overall role of NHRIs towards the promotion and protection of human rights with added focus on protection of migrants and internally displaced people, implementation of regional and international human rights mechanisms, improving conditions of detention, human rights and reparative justice framework, and the shrinking civic space in West Africa. Welcoming participants to the Consultation, Dr. Anthony Ojukwu, SAN, Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission of Nigeria (NHRC) expressed appreciation to the participants for honouring the invitation and commended the continued support and partnership of the ECOWAS Commission and the relevant UN systems (UNOWAS and UN-OHCHR) towards the successful organisation of the regional consultation. He further noted the escalating violations of human rights across West Africa occasioned by undemocratic changes of governments, shrinking civic spaces, conflicts, terrorist insurgency, forced displacements of populations and climate change. To this end, he urged for solidarity among NHRIs towards advancing a unified, stable, and human rights friendly West Africa. Delivering the Opening Remarks, Ambassador Abdel-Fatau MUSAH (Ph.D.), Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, represented by Mr Ebenezer Asiedu, Head of Democracy and Good Governance, expressed ECOWAS Commission's appreciation to the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and particularly the National Human Rights Commission of Nigeria for successfully hosting this regional consultation. He also congratulated the participants on commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of ECOWAS. While stressing the importance of reparatory justice for Africans and people of African descent to addressing historical injustices, in line with the theme of the Consultation, he noted that the conversation should embrace current realities of our societies as it relates to the enjoyment of rights by the Rights-holders and reparations of human rights violation in the region. Accordingly, he recommended the need for a Human Right-based approach to reparatory justice for both past and present injustice and human rights violations. To this end, he noted the Commission's ongoing efforts to develop a regional transitional justice framework with a particular focus on the principle of reparatory justice. He therefore urged the participants to enrich the framework with their inputs and guidance on how human rights principles and role of National Human Rights Institutions can be further entrenched in transitional justice generally and reparatory justice in particular. Declaring the Regional Consultation open, Dr Salamatu H. Sulaiman, Chairperson of the Governing Board of the, National Human Rights Commission of Nigeria expressed her gratitude to participants on behalf of the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. She emphasized the need for multi-stakeholders' collaboration towards a unified agenda for reparative justice to address the needs of Africans, restore dignity and foster reconciliation. She therefore urged participants to take advantage of the consultation to make insightful contributions and renew their unwavering commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights in West Africa. Goodwill Messages from Mr Benjamin Hounton, Deputy Regional Representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights for West Africa Region and Ms. Barrie Lynne Freeman, Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for West Africa and the Sahel commended the network for the annual consultation as a unique space for in-depth dialogue, peer-to-peer exchange that strengthen collaboration, ensure accountability and an opportunity to reflect on how the role of NHRI's can be further enhanced to advance human rights across the subregion. Participants at the Regional Conference included Hon. Prince Lateef O. Fagbemi, SAN, Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Nigeria, Dr Joseph Whittal, President of the NNHRI-WA and Commissioner for the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice CHRAJ, as well as members of the Governing Council of the Nigerian NHRC and Heads of NHRI's of Member States. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
Russia Today
02-06-2025
- Business
- Russia Today
Details of Ukraine's proposals for talks with Russia revealed
The memorandum prepared by Ukraine for the Istanbul talks with Russia rejects Moscow's key demands for recognition of new Russian regions, neutrality for Kiev, and limitations on the size of Ukraine's armed forces, Reuters has reported. The second round of talks between Russia and Ukraine, which resumed after a three-year break in mid-May, is expected to take place in Türkiye on Monday. The two sides earlier agreed that they will each present memorandums detailing their vision of how to settle the conflict. Reuters reported on Sunday that Kiev's document does not include recognition of Crimea, the People's Republics of Donetsk and Lugansk, and Kherson and Zaporozhye regions as part of Russia. According to Ukraine, the current shape of the front line should be the starting point for negotiations on territory, it added. Kiev also insists that it cannot be forced to accept neutrality, claiming that its potential NATO membership should only depend on a consensus within the US-led military bloc, the agency said. Restrictions on the size of the Ukrainian military armed forces have also reportedly been ruled out in Kiev's memorandum. However, it calls for Russia to pay reparations and for the use of Moscow's assets frozen by the West to rebuild Ukraine, Reuters said. According to the agency, Kiev's roadmap begins with a demand for a full ceasefire of at least 30 days, an exchange of prisoners in an 'all-for-all' format, followed by a meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukraine's Vladimir Zelensky. Reuters noted that the demands in the Ukrainian memorandum 'diverge considerably' from the terms previously voiced by Russia. Moscow has declined to make the details of its memorandum public or present it to the Ukrainians before the talks in Istanbul. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said last week that the document includes the 'principles of [a] settlement, a timeframe for a potential peace agreement, [and] a potential ceasefire for a certain period of time.' Russian officials have stressed that any peace deal with Ukraine should address the root causes of the conflict and include guarantees of Kiev's neutrality, demilitarization, denazification, and recognition of the new territorial reality on the ground.
Zawya
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Zawya
Message of the President of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) on the occasion of the celebration of Africa Day, 25 May 2025
My dear brothers and sisters of our beloved Africa and its islands, It is with pride, but also with a great concern that I address you on this African day of 25 May, while we are celebrating the 62nd anniversary of the establishment of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) now the African Union (AU). As the African Union's theme for the Year 2025 is calling to 'Justice for Africans and People of African Descent Through Reparations', I would like to salute the AU Commission for this choice to call on attention to the urgency of the need of Justice for the entire African Peoples on the Continent, its Islands and the Diaspora. We will never cease to reiterate our concern for the urgent challenges facing our continent and its lovely people, including injustice, terrorism, conflict, poverty, issues of education, healthcare, dialogue, inter-religious dialogue, ecology, refugees and displaced people, Human trafficking, etc. According to the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights (ACHPR), 'contemporary conflict and crisis situations (in Africa) have forced millions of people – men, women and children – to flee in order to escape suffering, human rights violations and starvation' (Addressing Human Rights Issues in Conflict Situations, 2019). And, unfortunately, vulnerable groups, especially women and children, 'suffer the most egregious human rights abuses in conflict'. As Catholic Church, Family of God in Africa, we trust that African Leaders will very care of the appeals and pastoral exhortations of Pope Leo XIV, following in the footsteps of his predecessor Pope Francis, is reinforcing the Church's commitment to justice, peace, and the dignity of all the peoples, particularly the poor, the marginalized, and those suffering the consequences of conflict, inequality, and neglect. We echo the prophetic message delivered by Pope Francis during his apostolic journey to the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan from January 31st to February 5th, 2023, while in his impassioned plea, the Holy Father implored, 'Hands off Africa! Stop choking Africa: it is not a mine to be stripped or a terrain to be plundered. May Africa be the protagonist of its own destiny! May Africa, the smile and hope of the world, count for more. May it be spoken of more frequently, and have greater weight and prestige among the nations!' The Justice, Peace and Development Commission (JPDC) of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences in Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) continue carrying his mission and we invite you all to be the architects of 'the Africa we want', a better Africa, made up with joy and hope. This is part of our mission that we carry out through SECAM-JPDC and our Liaison Office in Addis Ababa. Participating as partner in the Conference held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from 27 to 28 February 2025, under the theme 'The Role of Faith Communities and Ethical Organizations in Advancing Justice for Africans and People of African Descent through Reparations', the AU SECAM Liaison Office along with representatives from religious organizations, scientific and ethical institutions, and cultural associations of African and international civil society, launched an important appeal to the world for the reparation of the damage caused to the Africans and People of African Descent. On this Africa Day, we urge African and world leaders, but also all individuals, to mobilize and work for justice and human rights, while combating all forms of discrimination, economic exploitation, illegal exploitation of natural and mineral resources, inhuman and degrading treatment, emotional trauma and all kinds of suffering endured by Africans. Let us all, as 'Pilgrims of Hope', promote and protect every single life, reduce poverty, take care of 'Our Common Home' – the Earth – building Bridges for Peace and Hope everywhere on the African continent and beyond. Happy Africa Day. Sunday, 25 May 2025 ✠ Fridolin Cardinal Ambongo Besungu Archbishop of Kinshasa President of SECAM Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM).
