Rayna E. Alexander

Immigration Mr. Kirk supported Mr. Trump’s campaign against immigration, endorsing the so-called Great Replacement Theory, which claims that immigrants will soon displace white Americans. The unsubstantiated theory also claims that Jews are orchestrating the dilution of white power by allegedly encouraging mass immigration. “Jewish communities have been pushing the exact kind of hatred against whites that they claim to want people to stop using against them,” he said on his podcast, “The Charlie Kirk Show,” in 2023.

This guy pushed Great Replacement Theory and explicitly pointed to Jews having a structural role in it. This was the motive for the Tree of Life shooting, which killed 11 congregants

Ebola vaccination begins in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, WHO says The World Health Organization on Sunday said it had begun vaccinating frontline health workers and contacts of people infected with Ebola virus in the Democratic Republic of the Congo's Kasai Province where an outbreak has been declared.

Ebola vaccination begins in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, WHO says reut.rs/4ntGB8L

Senegal's ‘schools for husbands’ aim to shift gender roles and keep mothers from dying Senegal's “schools for husbands” have been training hundreds of men in largely conservative communities on issues ranging from women's rights to the need to help with household chores.

apnews.com/article/sene...

China-Senegal relations enter new phase with renewed political, economic cooperation China and Senegal have deepened their long-standing bilateral partnership with renewed economic and political partnership, and cultural cooperation, highlighting the growing depth of China’s influence...

"As Senegal continues to push for economic transformation, its alignment with the Asian giant signals a gradual shift among African nations seeking development partnerships rooted in shared values and mutual respect."
africa.businessinsider.com/local/lifest...

The Decline and Fall of Area Studies Federal funding cuts and attacks on academic freedom are imperiling area studies programs. It’s important to understand what they are, and aren’t—and what will be lost if they disappear.

"Cuts to federal funding for area studies will be devastating to academia, but ultimately won’t derail the exercise of imperial power. If the colonial model involved weaponized knowledge, the American empire coasts on weaponized ignorance."
www.foreignexchanges.news/p/the-declin...

African leaders urge U.S. to embrace investment-driven partnerships and review tariffs African leaders have called on Monday for an urgent review of U.S. tariffs on African exports, urging a shift towards transformative partnerships and investment in Africa’s economic potential. Address...

What does a world without USAID mean for African countries? Perhaps more investment? This is an opportune time for investors and businesses to invest in African economies: www.afdb.org/en/news-and-...

Highways to hell: west Africa’s road networks are the preferred battleground for terror groups There is fierce competition for access to roads in conflict zones

Fascinating analysis on the role of infrastructure and violence in the Sahel:
theconversation.com/highways-to-...

Who are JNIM, the jihadist ‘ghost enemy’ gaining momentum in the Sahel? Islamist extremist group has capitalised on instability to control a swath of the region

www.theguardian.com/world/2025/j...

Joshua Craze, Sudan’s World War — Sidecar Two years of conflict.

Excellent coverage on the current status of the conflict: newleftreview.org/sidecar/post...

The Congo Basin, a vital home for global biodiversity is at risk If deforestation and forest degradation continue unchecked, at least 27 percent of the undisturbed rainforests in the Congo Basin that existed in 2020 will be lost by 2050.

If deforestation and forest degradation continue unchecked, at least 27 percent of the undisturbed rainforests in the Congo Basin that existed in 2020 will be lost by 2050.

Sudan's RSF launches second drone attack in Port Sudan, security sources say Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces launched a second drone strike in as many days on Port Sudan, targeting fuel depots in the eastern city early on Tuesday, security sources told Reuters, in a major escalation of a two-year-long conflict.

Sudan's RSF launches second drone attack in Port Sudan, security sources say reut.rs/42X5MYD

An interesting verdict from the ICJ. Unfortunately, the case demonstrates the double standard for which war crimes and genocide are prosecuted. #uae #icj #sudan #sudanwar

Trump could be shipping deported migrants to Rwanda under newest proposal President expands effort to house noncitizens in stopover countries before home countries accept them

Trump could be shipping deported migrants to Rwanda under newest proposal

As Boko Haram threat grows, USAID cuts cripple the economy and the response From service providers to cargo transporters, much of Maiduguri’s local economy is tied to the aid sector.

www.thenewhumanitarian.org/news-feature...

Jihadi activities increase sevenfold in Kayes region, near east of Senegal | Africanews A report by the Timbuktu Institute think tank has indicated that the jihadist activities mainly by the JNIM Jihadi group, have expanded into the region of Kayes between 2021 and 2024.

Recent developments in the Sahel pose risks for Senegal's national security.

www.africanews.com/2025/04/28/j...

U.S. Assistance and Terrorism: The Future of West Africa In 2023, surpassing the Middle East and North Africa, the Sahel claimed 43% of all global terrorism deaths. The region’s dominant actor, Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM)–a movement linked t...

My most recent blog post assesses U.S. aid withdrawal and its likely impact on terrorist activity in the Sahel/West Africa.

I cover strategy failures, the implications of geopolitical framing, and likely regional outcomes. Read more here:

rea5259.wixsite.com/raynaalexand...

Benin admits that 54 soldiers killed in border attack by Jnim This is the deadliest known attack since insurgents began operating in Benin at the beginning of the decade.

This trend–terrorism seeping into the littoral states from the north/Sahel–is a canary in the coal mine.

www.bbc.com/news/article...

Moving Beyond Aid: A New Vision for America's Global Engagement Join Unlock Aid and the African Diaspora Network in Washington, DC on April 29-30. We're calling on lawmakers for a new vision for America’s engagement with the world.

Super interesting proposal by Unlock Aid on the future of international development! I highly suggest reading!

unlockaid.substack.com/p/moving-bey...

“The Congo in Africa. Many, many people come from the Congo. I don’t know what that is, but they came from the Congo.”

Haunted by hopelessness: 12 Zambians share their stories as HIV drugs run out Mothers and children, husbands and wives, doctors, truck drivers and religious leaders are all grappling with the fallout from the sudden U.S. cuts in aid.

Without USAID's programming, "half a million additional children will die of AIDS in the next 5 years in sub-Saharan Africa and nearly 3 million more African children will be orphaned by AIDS"

Read More:
www.npr.org/sections/goa...

Africa, "Reciprocal Tariffs" & AGOA Image credit - Koketso Mamabolo

In the face of (US)AID cuts and tariff threats, African leaders are calling for deeper regional economic integration and further implementation of the AfCFTA. I found W. Gyude Moore's analysis insightful. Read here: gyudemoore.substack.com/p/africa-rec...