Barackface: africa

Showing posts with label africa. Show all posts

Friday, July 18, 2025

18: Africa

The Drum Report: Markets, Tariffs, and the Man in the Basement (novel)
World War III Is Unnecessary
Grounded Greatness: The Case For Smart Surface Transit In Future Cities
The Garden Of Last Debates (novel)
Deported (novel)
Empty Country (novel)
Trump’s Default: The Mist Of Empire (novel)
The 20% Growth Revolution: Nepal’s Path to Prosperity Through Kalkiism
Rethinking Trade: A Blueprint for a Just and Thriving Global Economy
The $500 Billion Pivot: How the India-US Alliance Can Reshape Global Trade
Trump’s Trade War
Peace For Taiwan Is Possible
Formula For Peace In Ukraine
A 2T Cut
Are We Frozen in Time?: Tech Progress, Social Stagnation
The Last Age of War, The First Age of Peace: Lord Kalki, Prophecies, and the Path to Global Redemption
AOC 2028: : The Future of American Progressivism

Captain Ibrahim Traoré’s Bold Initiatives In Burkina Faso

Here’s a deep dive into Captain Ibrahim Traoré’s bold initiatives in Burkina Faso—and how they’re reshaping infrastructure, multinationals, and sovereignty across Africa:

🏗️ Infrastructure & Industrial Projects

Traoré’s leadership has launched several high-impact infrastructure and industrial projects aimed at fueling domestic development and reducing reliance on foreign powers:

Road and Transport Upgrades
- Major road expansions have roughly doubled national road coverage, easing rural connectivity (Wikipedia).
- Plans are underway to renovate the Abidjan–Ouagadougou railway, reinforcing key trade corridors (Wikipedia).
Energy & Power Expansion
- Burkina Faso is building a 25 MW Donsin solar farm (with battery storage) near the new Ouagadougou-Donsin airport—backed by a €45.7 M concessional loan from China (YouTube, Wikipedia).
- Additionally, a 30 MW Nagreongo solar plant contributes clean energy to the national grid (Wikipedia).
Gold Refinery & Mines Nationalization
- Commissioned in November 2023, the first domestic gold refinery processes ~400 kg of gold daily, creating 100 direct jobs and 5,000 indirect ones (Wikipedia).
- Through state-owned SOPAMIB, Traoré’s government nationalized foreign-owned mines, taking control of Boungou and Wahgnion and five additional assets by June 2025 (Wikipedia).
Industrialization of Agriculture
- The country’s first tomato processing factory reduces post-harvest losses and boosts agro-industry (The Wall Street Journal, Modern Ghana).
- A national center for cotton processing aims to keep more value-add within Burkina Faso (Wikipedia).

💰 Challenging Multinational Corporations

Traoré is reshaping relations with big foreign players:

Renegotiation of Mining Contracts: Gold-mining contracts were revamped to favor increased state revenue, challenging the traditional dominance of Western firms (The Wall Street Journal).
State Takeover of Mines: SOPAMIB’s nationalization of mines previously operated by London-listed Endeavour Mining demonstrates direct government control over strategic resources (Wikipedia).
Licensing and Export Controls: In 2024, export permits for artisanal gold were halted to clamp down on illicit trade and boost transparency (Wikipedia).
Debt Autonomy: Traoré’s administration reportedly cleared $4.7 billion in external debt and refused conditional loans from IMF/World Bank (Wikipedia).

These maneuvers are seen as resource nationalist moves, sending a clear message that African governments are no longer bystanders to foreign resource extraction .

🛡️ Redefining Sovereignty Across Africa

Traoré is redefining sovereignty through domestically-driven policy and regional realignment:

1. Pan-African Confederation

Co-founded the Alliance of Sahel States with Mali and Niger (est. July 2024), aiming to pool resources, energy, finance, and defense outside ECOWAS (Wikipedia).
Built institutions like a Sahel-wide investment bank, regional court, passport, biometric ID system, and shared telecommunication protocols (Wikipedia).

2. Military & Security Autonomy

Expelled French troops in early 2023, signaling a pivot away from France .
While engaging diplomatically with Russia and Turkey, Traoré notably refused to rely on foreign mercenaries, emphasizing national military sovereignty (The Wall Street Journal).

3. Domestic Ideology Revival

Promotes “Progressive and Popular Revolution” echoing Thomas Sankara: suspension of the constitution, state control of key industries, cancellation of debt, focus on food self-sufficiency, and Sankara’s reinterment in a new mausoleum (Wikipedia).
Pushes cultural decolonization: restoring faso dan fani in courts, downgrading French colonial influence (Wikipedia).

🎥 Video Highlight

Explore his transformative journey in this visual deep dive:

The New Face of BURKINA FASO : Ibrahim Traoré City in 2025

✍️ Summary: The “Traoré Effect”

Traoré is steering Burkina Faso toward:

Self-reliant infrastructure (roads, rail, power, factories, refineries),
State-led resource control and revenue capture,
Debt-independent development models,
Pan-African regional frameworks that bypass Western institutions,
Cultural sovereignty rooted in Sankarist legacy.

Critics point to rising insecurity—over 17,000 insurgent deaths since his takeover—and expanded military rule through postponed elections (The Wall Street Journal, Modern Ghana, Wikipedia). Nonetheless, his model of national sovereignty and economic nationalism is gaining traction among like-minded leaders across Africa .

Captain Traoré’s narrative is one of a young military leader challenging neocolonial status quo: forging a self-sufficient nation, reclaiming its resources, and inspiring a regional bloc that dares to redefine sovereignty on African terms.

Captain Ibrahim Traoré: Burkina Faso’s Revolutionary Leader Redefining African Sovereignty

In the heart of West Africa, Captain Ibrahim Traoré has emerged as one of the continent’s most captivating—and controversial—figures. At just 37 years old, the world’s youngest head of state has ignited a powerful mix of admiration and debate since seizing power in a coup in September 2022. His radical reforms, staunch anti-imperialist rhetoric, and emphasis on economic self-reliance have positioned him as a symbol of resistance to neocolonialism, drawing comparisons to Burkina Faso’s revolutionary icon, Thomas Sankara. But what exactly has Traoré achieved so far? How is he transforming infrastructure, confronting multinational corporations, and redefining sovereignty across Africa? Let’s explore the unfolding story.

A Vision for Transformation: Traoré’s Achievements in Burkina Faso

Since assuming power, Traoré has launched an ambitious agenda targeting Burkina Faso’s security, infrastructure, and economic independence. His administration has made visible progress in infrastructure and policy reforms, though immense challenges remain.

Infrastructure Development

Traoré’s government has placed infrastructure at the heart of its development strategy:

Ouagadougou-Donsin Airport: Scheduled for completion in 2025, this airport is designed to handle 1 million passengers annually. The goal is to improve regional connectivity and stimulate economic growth.
Road Construction and Rehabilitation: Over 995 kilometers of urban, rural, and intercity roads have been built or upgraded under his leadership, directly benefiting more than 500,000 people. Traoré has set a goal of constructing 5,000 km of roads annually.
Agricultural Industrialization: In a landmark push for value addition, Traoré has overseen the establishment of two tomato processing plants, a locally funded tomato factory, and a National Support Center for Artisanal Cotton Processing. These facilities aim to reduce raw exports and foster domestic agro-industry.

Posts on X (formerly Twitter) frequently highlight his government’s provision of agricultural machinery to rural communities and his focus on food self-sufficiency.

Economic Reforms

Traoré’s economic policies emphasize fiscal fairness, national production, and anti-elitism:

Salary Adjustments: Ministerial and parliamentary salaries were reduced by 30%, while civil servants received a 50% wage increase, aimed at narrowing income gaps and boosting morale.
Debt and Growth: While some online claims suggest Traoré eliminated the country’s $5.6 billion external debt, these are unverified. Nonetheless, Burkina Faso’s GDP has grown from $18.8 billion in 2022 to $22.1 billion by early 2025. Poverty has declined sharply from 83% in 1990 to 27.7% in 2023.
Projections: Analysts forecast an average GDP growth of 8% annually between 2025 and 2043, potentially lifting over 2.4 million people out of poverty.

Social Initiatives

Traoré’s social policies have received both praise and scrutiny:

Education: He has pledged free education from nursery to university, though implementation progress remains uneven.
Emergency Relief: Between 2022 and 2023, over 1.4 million people received food and nutritional aid, and 10,000 women were supported through income-generating projects.

However, Burkina Faso remains deeply affected by jihadist violence. As of 2024, nearly 40% of the country is outside state control, with 20% of schools and health facilities disrupted.

Challenging Multinational Corporations: A Push for Resource Sovereignty

Traoré’s administration has taken aggressive steps to reassert national control over Burkina Faso’s mineral wealth, particularly in the gold sector, which contributes 16% of GDP and over 80% of exports.

Nationalization and the New Mining Code

Mine Takeovers: The Boungou and Wahgnion gold mines, formerly operated by foreign companies like Endeavour Mining, have been nationalized.
Mining Law Reform: The July 2024 Mining Code compels foreign companies to transfer 15–30% ownership to the state and contribute to a national gold reserve. It also mandates workforce training for Burkinabé nationals.
State Mining Company: A new state-owned enterprise now oversees key mining operations.

These moves have provoked backlash. In 2024, Australian firm Sarama Resources initiated arbitration proceedings after losing its exploration license.

Building Local Processing Capacity

Gold Refinery: In November 2023, Burkina Faso opened its first national gold refinery, with a processing capacity of 150 tonnes annually. This reduces dependency on European refiners and keeps value within the country. As Traoré stated, “We will no longer be refining our gold abroad.”

This step aligns with broader regional trends, such as Mali’s push for domestic processing.

Local Development Contributions

Mining Fund for Local Development (FMDL): Under Burkina Faso’s 2015 Mining Code—rigorously enforced under Traoré—companies must invest in social infrastructure. Since 2019, over $307 million has been disbursed to 351 communes. Some of these funds have recently been redirected toward counter-insurgency efforts.

While these policies have enhanced national control, critics warn of potential inefficiencies and corruption in state-run enterprises, which could deter future investment. Western firms face increased scrutiny, while companies like Russia’s Nordgold continue to receive preferential treatment.

Redefining Sovereignty: From Ouagadougou to the Sahel

Traoré’s rhetoric and policy choices have elevated him into a broader Pan-African spotlight. His message of anti-imperialism, sovereignty, and youth empowerment resonates far beyond Burkina Faso.

Anti-Colonial Breaks

Exit from French Influence: In 2023, Traoré expelled French troops and suspended French aid and media presence, ending decades of military cooperation under Operation Sabre.
Rejection of IMF and World Bank Loans: He has publicly denounced international financial institutions as tools of neocolonialism. Nonetheless, Burkina Faso continues to receive funds, including a $100.4 million World Bank grant in 2024.

Strategic Realignment

New Alliances: Traoré has pursued partnerships with Russia, China, and North Korea. Russia has reopened its embassy, offered military support, and pledged to build a nuclear power plant in Burkina Faso.
Withdrawal from ECOWAS: In 2024, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger exited the regional ECOWAS bloc to form the Alliance of Sahel States (AES)—a regional grouping focused on joint anti-terrorism and economic coordination.

Pan-African Digital Persona

Digital Populism: Traoré’s image is carefully curated on social media. AI-generated videos and memes portray him as a modern-day Sankara or “Africa’s Messiah.” His followers, particularly in Kenya, Tanzania, and the diaspora, echo slogans of resource nationalism and continental unity.
Censorship Concerns: Detractors warn of growing online censorship and algorithmic populism, where digital adoration may mask weak institutions and silence dissent.

Ongoing Sovereignty Challenges

Security Risks: Burkina Faso’s insurgency has intensified, with coup attempts in 2023 and 2024 allegedly backed by foreign actors.
Currency Constraints: The CFA franc, still linked to the French Treasury, remains a symbol of economic dependence. Traoré’s government has expressed interest in creating a regional currency through the AES.

A Revolution in Progress—or a Fragile Experiment?

Captain Ibrahim Traoré represents a rare moment in modern African politics—a young, defiant leader seeking to reclaim national and continental dignity through bold reforms. His infrastructure projects, economic reforms, and nationalization drives suggest a serious attempt at building a self-reliant Burkina Faso.

But the road ahead is treacherous. The persistent insurgency, fragile institutions, and potential for economic mismanagement could undermine his goals. While his digital following fuels inspiration, it also raises the specter of authoritarianism and unaccountable governance.

If Traoré can translate charisma into stable, inclusive development, he may succeed in redefining sovereignty for a new African generation. If not, he risks repeating the tragic cycle of leaders who inspire much but deliver too little.

Friday, June 13, 2025

The Untapped Power of South-South Trade: A New Road to Global Prosperity

The Untapped Power of South-South Trade: A New Road to Global Prosperity

For too long, global trade conversations have revolved around the traditional corridors of the Global North — between the U.S., Europe, China, and Japan. But beneath the radar, a different story is unfolding: the rise of South-South trade. This quiet revolution, fueled by shared experiences, complementary strengths, and rapidly evolving digital tools, could be the single greatest catalyst for shared prosperity in the 21st century.

Learning from Peers, Trading with Peers

In education, it's often said that students learn best from those who are just a step ahead — not from the world’s top experts. The same principle applies to trade. When countries at similar stages of development collaborate, they understand each other’s challenges better and can co-create more relevant solutions. Many Global South economies share similar development timelines, infrastructural needs, and demographic profiles. This common ground forms the perfect basis for mutual growth.

The Case for a Digital African Currency Zone

Africa, for instance, is primed to leap ahead. A continent-wide digital currency zone, powered by mobile money, blockchain, and AI, could overcome many of the problems that plagued earlier monetary unions like the Eurozone. The mistakes of the past don’t have to be repeated when today's tools allow real-time tracking, smart contracts, and decentralized risk-sharing mechanisms.

This could supercharge intra-African trade, reduce dependence on foreign currencies, and increase financial inclusion in ways that physical infrastructure never could.

India's Digital Blueprint: A Global Asset

India’s digital public infrastructure, led by Aadhaar (biometric ID) and UPI (real-time payment interface), may be one of the most exportable governance innovations of our time. Unlike China’s investment-heavy Belt and Road Initiative, India’s "code not concrete" model is lighter, faster, and cheaper to implement — especially across African and Southeast Asian nations that are eager to digitize without taking on unsustainable debt.

Much like how many nations skipped landline phones and jumped directly to mobile, developing economies can now bypass traditional financial infrastructure and leap into the digital future. Indian blockchain companies, working alongside local fintechs, could create an entirely new architecture for South-South payments and remittances.

Labor as Trade: A Forgotten Cornerstone

Trade isn’t just goods and capital — it’s also people. The Gulf-South Asia labor corridor offers a case study in how mobile labor has fueled development on both ends. South Asian workers helped build Gulf megacities; their remittances transformed villages back home. This "trade in labor" model could inspire better immigration reform in countries like the United States, where economic needs clash with nativist politics.

Rather than criminalize undocumented workers, the answer lies in documenting them. Managed migration, seasonal work visas, and bilateral agreements can formalize labor flows — respecting human dignity while boosting productivity.

Recognizing the Growth That’s Already Happened

It’s time we corrected a blind spot in the global narrative. The Global South has not merely waited for development; it has already grown — dramatically. The same three decades that saw China’s rise also witnessed explosive growth in parts of Latin America, Southeast Asia, and Africa. But because it was dispersed and less centralized, it often went unnoticed.

This overlooked momentum is not just real — it’s ripe for acceleration.

Conclusion: A South-South Century

We are standing at the threshold of a new economic age. The old north-south hierarchy is giving way to a horizontal network of collaboration among emerging powers. With digital tools, youthful populations, and a growing confidence in their own models, the Global South is poised not just to participate in globalization — but to redefine it.

Let us not waste this moment. The fastest path to mutual prosperity may well lie in the Global South trading with itself — building a world economy that is fairer, more human, and more in tune with the realities of the majority.

At the end of the classic 1972 film The Godfather, the new don of the family, Michael Corleone, attends a baptism while his men wipe out the heads of the other New York Mafia families—all of them Michael’s enemies, and all intending one day to do him harm. Rather than wait for their eventual attacks, Michael dispatches them himself. “Today, I settled all family business,” Michael says to his traitorous brother-in-law, before having him killed. ............. Tonight, the Israelis launched a broad, sweeping attack on Iran that seems like an attempt to settle, so to speak, all family business. The Israeli government has characterized this offensive as a “preemptive” strike on Iran: “We are now in a strategic window of opportunity and close to a point of no return, and we had no choice but to take action,” an Israeli military official told reporters. Israeli spokespeople suggest that these attacks, named Operation Rising Lion, could go on for weeks. ............ But calling this a “preemptive” strike is questionable. The Israelis, from what we know so far, are engaged in a preventive war: They are removing the source of a threat by surprise, on their own timetable and on terms they find favorable. They may be justified in doing so, but such actions carry great moral and practical risks. ........... Preemptive attacks, in both international law and the historical traditions of war, are spoiling attacks, meant to thwart an imminent attack. In both tradition and law, this form of self-defense is perfectly defensible, similar to the principle in domestic law that when a person cocks a fist or pulls a gun, the intended victim does not need to stand there and wait to get punched or shot.

Middle East airspace shut after Israel strikes Iran, airlines cancel flights Airlines steered clear of much of the Middle East on Friday after Israeli attacks on Iranian sites forced carriers to cancel or divert thousands of flights in the latest upheaval to travel in the region. ......... Proliferating conflict zones around the world are becoming an increasing burden on airline operations and profitability, and more of a safety concern. Detours add to airlines' fuel costs and lengthen journey times. ........ Israel on Friday said it targeted Iran's nuclear facilities, ballistic missile factories and military commanders at the start of what it warned would be a prolonged operation to prevent Tehran from building an atomic weapon. .......... FlightRadar data showed airspace over Iran, Iraq and Jordan was empty, with flights directed towards Saudi Arabia and Egypt instead. ....... With Russian and Ukrainian airspace closed due to war, the Middle East region has become an even more important route for international flights between Europe and Asia.

Empty Country https://t.co/yMDHpkCSP2
— Paramendra Kumar Bhagat (@paramendra) June 13, 2025

The Untapped Power of South-South Trade: A New Road to Global Prosperity https://t.co/Tq1jdiFXN8 @haugejostein @SATravelTrade @jasonhickel
— Paramendra Kumar Bhagat (@paramendra) June 13, 2025

Empty Country (novel)
Trump’s Default: The Mist Of Empire (novel)
The 20% Growth Revolution: Nepal’s Path to Prosperity Through Kalkiism
Rethinking Trade: A Blueprint for a Just and Thriving Global Economy
The $500 Billion Pivot: How the India-US Alliance Can Reshape Global Trade
Trump’s Trade War
Peace For Taiwan Is Possible
Formula For Peace In Ukraine
The Last Age of War, The First Age of Peace: Lord Kalki, Prophecies, and the Path to Global Redemption
AOC 2028: : The Future of American Progressivism

Sunday, June 01, 2025

The $50 Trillion Unlock: Why GovTech, Not the BRI, Will Transform the Global South

The $50 Trillion Unlock: Why GovTech, Not the BRI, Will Transform the Global South

In recent years, the world has watched China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) reshape infrastructure development across continents. Roads, railways, ports, and pipelines have sprung up across Asia, Africa, and Latin America—symbols of Beijing’s growing global influence. In response, the US and EU have tried to offer counter-narratives and limited investments. But none of these efforts, impressive as they may seem, have come close to truly meeting the infrastructure needs of the Global South.

That’s because they’re all still playing an old game.

The real revolution won’t be in who builds the most roads or who lends the most money—it will be in who unleashes the latent wealth already buried in the soil of the Global South. The key? GovTech-powered land digitization. The act of precisely mapping, recording, and registering land ownership for every plot of land in every village, town, and city. Not just on paper, but on secure digital platforms tied to national ID systems and satellite imagery.

Why This Changes Everything

The vast majority of land in the developing world today—rural and urban alike—is informally held. Families live on it. Farmers farm it. But they can’t leverage it. Without legal recognition or digitized proof of ownership, land can’t serve as collateral for loans. That locks out hundreds of millions from credit markets and entrepreneurship. It traps the economy in an informal loop of low productivity and high poverty.

Now imagine this:

Every parcel of land is satellite-mapped.
Ownership is clearly established through digital title deeds.
Disputes are resolved via mobile courts or blockchain-backed records.
This digitized land becomes bankable collateral.

Suddenly, we’re not talking about aid or debt diplomacy—we’re talking about unlocking $50 trillion in dead capital, as Hernando de Soto famously argued. That’s money that local people could borrow from local banks to build homes, start businesses, or invest in community infrastructure. It’s money that doesn’t need to come from Beijing, Washington, Brussels, or the IMF. It’s already there.

A GovTech Revolution in the Making

This is what GovTech—government technology—makes possible.

GovTech is more than digitizing services or putting tax forms online. It is about re-engineering the very operating system of a country. Think:

Satellite-based land mapping.
Mobile-first property registries.
Blockchain land ledgers.
Integration with digital ID systems like India’s Aadhaar.
Interoperable databases between banks, courts, and land records.

This isn’t hypothetical. India has begun this journey. Rwanda has made progress. Estonia is already operating like a fully digitized state. But these are early experiments. The massive rollout—across Africa, South Asia, Latin America, and small island nations—is still ahead.

Why the BRI and the West Can’t Compete

The BRI builds things for governments. GovTech builds capabilities within governments. The former creates dependence. The latter builds sovereignty.

Western infrastructure programs, when they do exist, tend to focus on financing mega-projects, which often take years to execute and don’t always address the foundational needs of rural populations.

By contrast, land digitization is scalable, inclusive, and locally empowering. You don’t need to borrow billions from a superpower to do it. You just need satellites, software, and political will. You can map a country in months, not decades.

The Multiplier Effect

Once land is digitized, its value is activated:

Credit expansion: Farmers and micro-entrepreneurs gain access to capital.
Tax efficiency: Governments can collect more accurate property taxes to fund local projects.
Corruption reduction: Transparent ownership records end elite land grabs.
Urban development: Slums can be upgraded with real titles and services.
Foreign investment: Investors trust a land market that’s digitally verifiable.

This is the most inclusive form of economic stimulus the world has never tried.

The Call to Action

If you want to help the Global South rise, don’t build another port. Build digital infrastructure for governance. Build systems that turn land into leverage. Build GovTech.

With the right vision and partnerships, a coalition of tech firms, philanthropists, and forward-thinking governments could roll out a global LandTech initiative in the next five years. The returns would dwarf the BRI. They would permanently alter the economic trajectory of billions.

Infrastructure starts beneath your feet. It’s time we recognized that the most valuable resource in the Global South isn’t foreign capital. It’s local land, waiting to be unlocked.

Let’s do it—with satellites, software, and sovereignty.

The $50 Trillion Unlock: Why GovTech, Not the BRI, Will Transform the Global South 🧵
— Paramendra Kumar Bhagat (@paramendra) June 2, 2025

Thursday, June 22, 2023

22: Africa

“So there’s this startup called @acquiredotcom, and basically, and im not even making this up you can check it out online, it's a marketplace that helps you acquire profitable SaaS startups. You don't even need a startup idea anymore you can just buy one with paying customers.” pic.twitter.com/Jvnq6nmNAu
— Andrew Gazdecki (@agazdecki) June 22, 2023

The amount of people who only hit me up when they need something makes me 100x more excited to help the people who hit me up just to say hi
— Alex Friedman 🤠 (@heyalexfriedman) June 22, 2023

Did you know there are 34.4 billion chickens on planet Earth?
— Peter H. Diamandis, MD (@PeterDiamandis) June 22, 2023

hello pic.twitter.com/X5FU29gu6j
— Varia Bortsova 💙💛 (@variainayurt) June 22, 2023

My 26th year was a solid one.

🍷 Stopped drinking. Best decision ever.

🦄 4 new portfolio companies become unicorns.

💵 $125M invested

💰 4 exits

🎙️ 167 podcast episodes.

📊 100M downloads

🚀 20VC grew 328%

Time to build. This is just the start. Bring on 27. 🚀 pic.twitter.com/ysdOcvbqZU
— Harry Stebbings (@HarryStebbings) June 22, 2023

Did you hear the news?? Kourtney Kardashian wants to buy a startup too pic.twitter.com/7bcMIbmE5F
— acquire.com (@acquiredotcom) June 22, 2023

San Francisco is the worst-run city of the 149 biggest in the U.S., according to a new ranking of their operating efficiencies. https://t.co/j4MZ4QnMjJ
— SF Examiner (@sfexaminer) June 21, 2023

My Latest :

प्रचण्डलाई लाग्छ– उपप्राध्यापक कुटिएर के भो त, बाँचेकै छन् । दुई छाक खाएकै छन्। विद्यार्थीहरुलाई थुनेर किन दुःख दिने?

बालेनलाई लाग्छ– अदालतका ती आदेश मान्छु, जो मेरा हितमा छन्। अदालतका ती आदेश च्यात्छु, जो मेरो खिलाफ छन्।https://t.co/edMR6HT28w
— Basanta Basnet (@basantabasnet) June 22, 2023

I’m not trying to be mean, but I’m completely transfixed by this guy’s LinkedIn bio.

There isn’t a single discernible fact in here. I’ve been staring for 10 minutes and I still couldn’t tell you what he does, what his background is, or what any of his skills are.

It’s pure art. pic.twitter.com/p7NJBETP2F
— Robert Sterling (@RobertMSterling) June 22, 2023

Today, DoorDash is bigger than Uber Eats even though it didn't already have a global network of millions of drivers and riders like Uber did

Here's what co-founder Tony Xu did to acquire DoorDash's initial users: pic.twitter.com/EEunXZJw1R
— Michael Houck 💡 (@callmehouck) June 22, 2023

Thinking today of all the Texas prisoners whose cells will be over 100 degrees this week.

We know from past heat waves that many won't make it out alive.

The state legislature just had another chance to pay for A/C, and again decided not to. https://t.co/AdlJDoPzLK
— Maurice Chammah🍹🎻 (@MauriceChammah) June 21, 2023

Is Balen Shah turning into a populist demagogue?

You can't defy a court order! https://t.co/NYTJaB0Ll1
— Akhilesh Upadhyay (@akhileshU) June 22, 2023

Did Balen watch it before he banned it? Or you, before supporting that ban?🤔😅

Anyway, @salokya watched it. You might want to read his extensive analysis in this thread: https://t.co/lRiIGIeTSG
— Kashish Das Shrestha कशिश दास श्रेष्ठ (@kashishds) June 22, 2023

One reason I hated my 9-5 was rush hour.

You spend 8 hours a week sitting in traffic. 368 hours a year.

Do that for 45 years and it's 690 days of your life down the drain.

When you're old, how much do you think you'd pay to get 2 more years?

Everything.

Move online.
— Kieran Drew (@ItsKieranDrew) June 22, 2023

Most founders are builders not scalers.

It’s rare to be great at both.

Your job is to find product market fit.

Get the engine going. First customers.

Then hire great leaders to scale.

You need to be working "on" the business.

Not "in" the business.
— Andrew Gazdecki (@agazdecki) June 22, 2023

Book me for an hour https://t.co/ZyMs85AX1O
— Paramendra Kumar Bhagat (@paramendra) June 22, 2023

Good job mayor @ShahBalen, its seems like italian town. You did good job mayor balen ji, really appreciate pic.twitter.com/j2unqc0Lsf
— Rajesh Kumar (@rajesh_98) June 21, 2023

King balen♥️ pic.twitter.com/UYtUH7qYlU
— मणि कोईराला (@king_number05) June 18, 2023

सलाम बालेन pic.twitter.com/Rbx4IQEXB7
— जम्बल प्रवासी (@bT3JBbiKzo3274e) June 19, 2023

#Kathmandu mayor Balen Shah said Sita is not India's daughter ahead of the release of Prabhas-Kriti Sanon's #Adipurush https://t.co/4cRF6Hct6p
— Hindustan Times (@htTweets) June 16, 2023

Huge respect Balen Sir
True leader 🙏❤️ pic.twitter.com/yx9MES8B9j
— Pratima Rai (@praatey) June 19, 2023

#Kathmandu mayor Balen Shah earlier gave three days' time to change #Adipurush's dialogue that Sita is India's daughter https://t.co/rjGdBiNhGR
— Hindustan Times (@htTweets) June 18, 2023

Good Reply Balen Ji👍😍👍😁👍😃👍 pic.twitter.com/glDMreARn1
— Rishi Kharel (@RishiKharel10) June 18, 2023

संसदमा बालेनकाे चर्चा । Balen shah, mayor Kathmandu metropolitan pic.twitter.com/2J3AzwDvhW
— Taksar (@taksarmag) June 16, 2023

Just hired a private chef. It’s insanely cheap in Japan.

She’s dropping off food like this 2 times a week and I can request whatever. So much better than delivery.

No groceries or dishes to wash. pic.twitter.com/AjBXqeybf9
— Nathan Lands (@NathanLands) June 22, 2023

Tonight’s obnoxious mansplainer: “Have you heard of Bain? Have you heard of McKinsey? Do you know what pontificate means? Do you know about artificial intelligence? Do you know what exits are? You’re too young to know about the dot com boom” 😡
— Katie Roof (@Katie_Roof) June 22, 2023

twitter:

"sf is dead"
"nyc is expensive"
"miami is unserious"
"la is fake"

what about: live in the city you love and enjoy it :)
— jack mcclelland (nyc) 🕺 (@jackmmcclelland) June 22, 2023

We need some data on this because almost nobody I know in Asia wants to move to America

Generally not regarded as such a great place to live anymore like it used to be 10-20y ago

Asia more modern and more opportunities now https://t.co/lTlCUFso2f
— @levelsio (@levelsio) June 22, 2023

got told on a date last night “if you lost 20 lbs and kept the personality more dudes would look at you”…and wow men, unsolicited comments like this fuck with our self-esteem and it’s just wildly inappropriate to say out loud. do better.
— Cristina Vanko 💘 (@cristinavanko) June 21, 2023

JUST IN: First results are in for SF's new policy to crack down on drug use.

Since May 30, law enforcement "encountered" 58 people. Some were cited or booked into jail, but none accepted offers of treatment upon their release.

More at the link. ⬇️ https://t.co/7MtvHEruv8
— The San Francisco Standard (@sfstandard) June 21, 2023

I’m the first-born son, of a first-born son, of a first-born son… dating back to 1749.

Finally got to see the family book that has been passed down with the name of every first born son and his wife from 1749.

Can’t wait to show this to my first-born son when he’s older. pic.twitter.com/ULfruiMwWm
— Yohei (@yoheinakajima) June 22, 2023

It gets better: Grand Theft Auto games lower crime rates

When a GTA game is released, violence & crime actually drop, as potential criminals stay inside to play (This applies to other big shooters, too, so the yearly CoD releases are actually good for the world, sorry to say). https://t.co/3W3Q0dhg8W pic.twitter.com/BVQWK5K0tv
— Ethan Mollick (@emollick) June 22, 2023

The secret to success isn’t mentors, it’s peers.

Surround yourself with people on a similar level who are doing great things.
— Eunice Ajim (@euniceajim) June 22, 2023

the most frequent dialogue in my life:
- Why are you arguing with me?
- I'm not arguing!
🤦🏻‍♂️😜
— Veniamin Bakalinskiy 💡🚀 (@venibak) June 22, 2023

I’m rebranding.

Profile overhaul.

Expanding to new socials.

TikTok, Instagram, LinkedIn.

Will be pushing more products (free because I love you all) and more email content.

Going back to my old ways and commenting on everything.

Could backfire but whatever lmao.
— Aaron (@IAmAaronWill) June 22, 2023

Also lack of personality and a comms team obsessed with trolling on Twitter rather than real-life media appearances https://t.co/gwJwCFHWpM
— Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) June 22, 2023

Caste restricts opportunity . Restricted opportunity constricts ability. Constricted ability further restricts opportunity. Where caste prevails , opportunity and ability are restricted to ever narrowing circle of people.

- Ram Manohar Lohiya pic.twitter.com/LKTUEHYd9e
— Prabhakar Bagchand (@PBagchand) June 22, 2023

Solution: https://t.co/zWA35SNPdB
— Paramendra Kumar Bhagat (@paramendra) June 22, 2023

Mirror now composes with all Ethereum NFTs, with inline minting.

Big step forward in NFTs becoming even more first class on Mirror!

Try pasting your favorite Zora, Manifold, or Sound drop into the editor and seeing what happens 👀 https://t.co/XyU8L2K0m3
— nis.eth (@Iiterature) June 22, 2023

Absolutely. The people here at #cryptosummit and across the United States, that are building the actual technology, are serious, honorable and talented. They won’t let this country be left behind. https://t.co/2UdhFiiBP8
— paulgrewal.eth (@iampaulgrewal) June 22, 2023

Two Cybertrucks spotted on the freeway https://t.co/0VYJEMGDm3 pic.twitter.com/KdFDyZPpH7
— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) June 22, 2023

How Can ChatGPT Help Create And Implement Customer Referral Programs?
How Can ChatGPT Analyze Customer Feedback Data And Suggest Ways To Improve Customer Satisfaction?
How Can ChatGPT Provide Recommendations For Improving Customer Loyalty Programs?
How Can ChatGPT Suggest Ways To Use Gamification To Engage Customers?

Friday, July 24, 2020

Coronavirus News (191)

Curtis Waters, TikTok king: 'There are no gatekeepers to the industry anymore' TikTok is fast becoming the new grassroots centre of the music industry, the YouTube generation a relic of the past.

Uganda - where security forces may be more deadly than coronavirus In Uganda, at least 12 people have allegedly been killed by security officers enforcing measures to restrict the spread of coronavirus, while the country has only just confirmed its first death from Covid-19. ............. The 30-year-old headteacher was one of those allegedly killed by security forces enforcing a coronavirus lockdown. ........ Critics say the force puts guns in the hands of young, poorly trained people who are unable to reduce the tension in a confrontation. .......... "We've found that security forces have been using Covid-19 and the measures put in place to prevent its spread as an excuse to violate human rights"

Coronavirus in South Africa: Inside Port Elizabeth's 'hospitals of horrors' exhausted doctors and nurses are overwhelmed with Covid-19 patients and a health service near collapse. .......... With key staff on strike or sick with coronavirus in the Eastern Cape province, nurses are forced to act as cleaners, surgeons are washing their own hospital laundry and there are alarming reports of unborn babies dying in overcrowded and understaffed maternity wards. .............. South Africa - which held the coronavirus back for months with an early, tough, and economically devastating lockdown - now sees infection rates soar nationwide, prompting President Cyril Ramaphosa to warn that "the storm is upon us". ........... raises fundamental questions about how those extra months were used, or wasted, by officials. ............. Covid has opened up all the chronic cracks in the system. It's creating a lot of conflict ............... has seen departments turning on each other, and using Covid-19 as an "opportunity to air every grievance that ever happened" ................. "We have seen unions shut down hospital after hospital. Each time one staff member or patient tests positive, all staff down tools. While all these union demands are being met, nothing happens… for up to two weeks," one doctor complained. ................. Health services were circling the drain for 10 years. Now they've collapsed .............. staff were "anxious, fearful… and overwhelmed." ............ the provincial health department was generally seen as so inept and dysfunctional that private donors, businesses and charitable funds anxious to help in the fight against Covid-19 were refusing to deal directly with it. ........... One doctor cited a "culture of not wanting to discomfort your superiors which means people don't often tell it like it really is. ........ a desire by government "to be seen to be doing the right thing", rather than making tough decisions, citing the recent decision to resume community testing for Covid-19, despite the fact that it immediately pushed the entire testing system - including, crucially at hospitals - into a week-long backlog that rendered it almost useless. ............... But the clearest lesson from Port Elizabeth may well prove to be about human nature, and how we respond under extreme pressure. ................ And then there is a third group. "The plain obstructive - a huge element, passive or overtly aggressive," said another source. For them, any sense "of altruism, or duty, has gone. It went a long time ago".

Why US-China relations are at their lowest point in decades The message is that China is responsible for the Covid mess in the country, not him. ............ China has added to the recent run-up in tensions with its harsh national security law in Hong Kong and its repression of Muslim minority Uighurs, which triggered several rounds of US sanctions. ............ a speech about China delivered by Mr Pompeo this week. In rhetoric reminiscent of the Cold War, he accused Chinese leaders of being tyrants on a quest for global domination, and framed America's competition with Beijing as an existential struggle between freedom and oppression. .............. The Chinese do not appear to be looking for escalation, and analysts agree that President Trump does not want a serious confrontation, certainly not a military one ............... unintended conflict. "The buffer that has historically insulated the US-China relationship, the presumption that the goal is to de-escalate and solve problems… has been stripped away" .................. William Cohen, a Republican politician who served as defence secretary under the Democratic President Bill Clinton, thinks it's dangerous that China is being seen as an adversary across the political spectrum.

Coronavirus: South Africans divided over second alcohol ban When it comes to coronavirus, South Africa is the hardest-hit country in Africa with more than 275,000 cases. ........... President Ramaphosa also announced a night-time curfew and said the wearing of masks outdoors was now compulsory.

Covid-19 in Africa: Fighting fake news about coronavirus what the WHO has called an "infodemic" around Covid-19

India coronavirus: Online classes expose extent of digital divide

Trials of a vaccine and new drug raise hope of beating covid-19

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