U.S., Canada and Africa

[Shabelle] At the UN Security Council's Ministerial on Food Security today in New York, Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced nearly $215 million in additional humanitarian assistance to address the global food security crisis, which has been exacerbated by Russia's war on Ukraine and its corresponding impact on global markets.

[HRW] Nairobi -- Minimize Civilian Harm, Ensure Justice for Abuses

[State Department] The below is attributable to Spokesperson Ned Price:

[Capital FM] Nairobi -- Azimio La Umoja-One Kenya presidential flag bearer Raila Odinga has urged the US Congress to expedite reforms to pave way for compensation of Kenyan victims of the 1998 embassy bombing.

[Namibia Economist] The U.S. Government funded DREAMS program and the Ministry of Health and Social Services launched new public awareness materials encouraging young women at risk of contracting HIV to take Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis medication (PrEP) to stay HIV-free. PrEP reduces the risk of getting HIV from sex by 90%.

[The Herald] Fungi Kwaramba -- Political Editor

[State Department] The below is attributable to Spokesperson Ned Price:

[VOA] Nairobi -- African countries are being encouraged to use both soft and hard power to counter the growing threat posed by Islamic State on the continent. The U.S. government is giving more than $100 million to African states to overcome terrorism. Top U.S. security officials say African leadership and voices are needed to ensure security assistance is targeted to where it's needed most.

[FrontPageAfrica] Monrovia -- United States Congressman Chris Smith has said speedy action must be taken against perpetrators of human rights violations and abuses committed during Liberia's 14-year civil war.

[Shabelle] MOGADISHU - Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, the newly elected Somalia President has welcomed the decision by the United States to redeploy troops to the Horn of Africa country.

[Concord] At a luncheon hosted at the Embassy of Sierra Leone, 1701 19th Street , NW in Washington DC in honor of Tourism and Cultural Affairs Minister Dr. Memunatu Pratt, Ambassador Sidique Abou-Bakar Wai informed State Officials, as well as top business people that the Tourism Ministry is in the heart of the President of Sierra Leone, His Excellency Rtd Brigadier Julius Maada Bio. He introduced Dr. Memunatu Pratt to the invitees.

[VOA] Washinton -- Author: Jeff Seldin

[Lesotho Times] The big day has finally arrived.

[Shabelle] The US Secretary of state Antony Blinken has offered Congratulations to the people of Somalia on the successful completion of their presidential election on May 15, and to Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on his victory.

[State Department] The United States congratulates the people of Somalia on the conclusion of their national electoral process. We also congratulate Hassan Sheikh Mohamud on his election as the president of the Federal Republic of Somalia and look forward to working closely with him and the new government.

[VOA] U.S. President Joe Biden has authorized a deployment of fewer than 500 troops to the East African nation of Somalia to conduct operations against the al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab insurgent group, a White House official said Monday, in a reversal of a Trump-era decision to withdraw the forces.

[The Point] WASHINGTON - The U.S. Senate unanimously passed a bipartisan resolution introduced by U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-ID), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, recognising the free, fair, and peaceful December 4, 2021, presidential and April 9, 2022, legislative elections in The Gambia. The resolution also calls on the Gambian government to follow through on recent Truth, Reconciliation, and Reparations Commission recommendations.

[Dabanga] Washington D.C. -- Late on Wednesday, the United States of America's Senate passed a draft resolution "to condemn the military coup in Sudan and support the Sudanese people," and the House of Commons also unanimously passed the non-binding resolution with a quick vote without any objections.

[Premium Times] For the 2021/2022 MWF application cycle, over 19,000 Nigerians started the application, and over 8,000 submitted the application by the deadline.

[VOA] Perkoa -- Executives at Canada-based Trevali Mining Corp. said the company was caught unawares by a torrential downpour during the dry season last month in Burkina Faso that left eight men trapped underground in its Perkoa zinc mine.

[New Frame] Noam Chomsky, Ruth Wilson Gilmour and others pledge their support for the shack dwellers' movement and call for solidarity in the wake of the assassination of Nokuthula Mabaso.

[VOA] Cape Town -- Africa, in recent years, has become the new frontier where China and the United States, the world's two biggest economic superpowers, are competing for influence in a key industry: telecommunications.

[Shabelle] U.S. Army Gen. Stephen Townsend, commander, U.S. Africa Command, along with The Honorable Larry E. André, Jr., U.S. Ambassador to Somalia, met with Muse Bihi Abdi, President of Somaliland, in Hargeisa, Somalia, May 12, 2022.

[FrontPageAfrica] Monrovia -- Advocates for war and economic crimes in Liberia have petitioned The Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission to add more names of Liberians involved in acts of corruption to the Magnisky Sanction list.

[The Herald] Western countries have been accused of using the economic disparities between South Africa and other African countries to divide black people and fuel xenophobic tendencies among Africans.

[White House] Washington, DC -- On May 12, under the leadership of the United States, Belize, Germany, Indonesia, and Senegal, global leaders from across the world's economies, civil society, and the private sector gathered for the 2nd Global COVID-19 Summit.  Summit participants made major new policy and financial commitments to make vaccines available to those at highest risk, to expand access to tests and treatments, and to prevent future health crises.  These are linked here.  Success in these areas is achievable, but

[New Zimbabwe] ZIMBABWEAN born physician Matifadza Hlatswayo Davis has been honoured by US' Drury University with a Distinguished Alumni Award for her media work on the Covid pandemic .

[allAfrica] The Global Tobacco and Nicotine Forum (GTNF) organized a virtual In Focus meeting on the topic of sustainability on the 5th of May. 

[Capital FM] Nairobi -- Kenyans on social media have received the news of Rihanna's Fenty products debut in Kenya with mixed witty reactions.

[VOA] Cape Town, South Africa -- A top U.S. energy official says Russia's war on Ukraine has driven home the need to diversify supply chains, and that Africa can benefit from this. Jose Fernandez made the comment to VOA Wednesday at an annual conference on African mining in Cape Town, South Africa.