🔅 AI: Nigeria's Music Producer Make It Work & Strikes in Cape Town
Plus, Russia's Flag is All the Rage & Rwandan Genocide Suspect Permanently Excused.
Hey there, champions of curiosity,
Tomorrow, no newsletter – just a quick inbox siesta. But fear not, Monday brings our return. We hope you enjoy a weekend of relaxation, and maybe a dash of adventure!
Now, let's dive into the news... 👇
Photo of the day: Bagamoyo Rd, Dar es Salaam — Tanzania
Markets:
🔴 Nigerian SE: 64,167.39 (-1.75%)
🔴 Johannesburg SE: 76,837.44 (-0.23%)
🔴 Ghana SE: 3,105.52 (-0.08%)
🔴 Nairobi SE: 105.05 (+0.13%)
🔴 US S&P 500: 4,467.71 (-0.70%)
🔴 Shanghai Composite: 3,244.49 (-0.49%)
*Data accurate as of the close of markets across the continent
Brief & Bright: Africa's Top Five Highlights
Nigeria's Music Scene: AI's Got Talent
Eclipse Nkasi, a Nigerian music producer, thought AI would be the end of his career. But he had a change of heart and used the tech to create an entire album in just three days—a task that would normally take months and thousands of dollars. How? He got AI to auto-generate lyrics and song titles, and another app to create the tunes. He then used a third app to transform his vocals into a computer animation, the album's "singer" Mya Blue. Nkasi said AI should be seen as an opportunity for artists to reinvent themselves and work faster and better. Music critic Omotolani Alake agrees, but cautions that there are still lots of unknowns—especially when it comes to copyright.
South Africa to Host President Xi
President Cyril Ramaphosa is hosting Chinese President Xi Jinping for a state visit this month. One of the world's most powerful men has been off the radar for most of the year. In fact, Xi has only left the country twice in 2023, both times to meet with President Putin in Moscow. South Africa is the lucky nation that gets to play host for the second time. The two leaders will meet in Pretoria and sign a few memorandums of agreement. The meeting will take place on the first day of the BRICS summit. Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will join, while Putin is expected to join in virtually. Xi’s trip underscores the importance of Africa in China’s foreign policy.
Cape Town's Taxi Strike: Five Dead, 120 Arrested
The city’s taxi drivers and owners have been protesting since August 3rd, and it’s not going so well. Five people have died, and 120 have been arrested... All of this is because taxi drivers are upset about what they say is “heavy-handed tactics” by law enforcement, such as impounding taxis for minor offences (like not wearing a seatbelt or not having a registered driver). The South African government has ordered the immediate release of the minibus taxis, and Police Minister Bheki Cele called for the city and the drivers to “swallow their pride” and work together to resolve the issue. But in the meantime, folks in the Masiphumelele township have set up barricades and set them on fire, and kids can’t get to school. The UK has issued a travel warning after the strike was listed as a high-security threat for tourists visiting.
The Rise of the Russian Flag in West Africa
Tailors across the region are busier than ever making the tricolour banners since a military coup in Niger late last month, and the trend isn’t just limited to Russia. The flags of neighboring Burkina Faso, Guinea, and Mali, which have all experienced military takeovers in the past year, are also in vogue. The pro-Russian sentiment has Western powers concerned—after all, they’ve seen their influence wane in former regional allies. One resident in Niamey, the capital of Niger, admitted that before the coup, he hadn’t even known the Russian flag. “It’s really a fashion statement,” he said.
Rwandan Genocide Suspect Permanently Excused from Trial
The trial for Felicien Kabuga, an elderly Rwandan genocide suspect, has been indefinitely suspended by UN appeals judges, who said the defendant has dementia. Kabuga was arrested in France last year after being on the run for more than 20 years. He was one of the last suspects wanted by the court that prosecutes war crimes from the 1994 Rwandan genocide, in which Hutu majority extremists killed more than 800,000 minority Tutsis and Hutu moderates. The judges also ordered a lower trial chamber to consider under what circumstances Kabuga could be released. His lawyer had argued he should be set free, and the judges have agreed—so long as Kabuga’s dementia makes it impossible for him to stand trial. Prosecutors had argued that halting the trial would be unfair to the victims, but it looks like they won’t get their day in court.
Food for Thought
“Wisdom does not come overnight.”
— Somali Proverb.
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