#Angolan Swallow

[alonglistofbirds]

[262/10,977] Angolan Swallow - Hirundo angolensis

Order: Passeriformes Suborder: Passeri Superfamily: Sylvioidea Family: Hirundinidae (swallows, martins and saw-wings) Genus: Hirundo (typical swallows)

Photo credit: Lars Petersson via Macaulay Library

[lilithism1848]

Atrocities US committed against AFRICA

In early 2017, the US began conducting drone strikes in Somalia against Al Shabab militants. An attack on July 16th killed 8 people.

In 1998, the US bombed the Al Shifa pharmaceutical factory in Sudan, killing one employee and wounding 11. It was the largest pharmaceutical factory in Khartoum, producing medicine both for human and veterinary use. The US had acted on false evidence of a VX nerve agent from a single soil sample, and later used a false witness to cover for the attack. It was the only pharmaceutical factory in Africa not under US control.

In June 1982, with the help of CIA money and arms, Hissene Habre , dubbed Africa’s Pinochet, takes power in Chad. His secret police, use methods of torture including the burning the body of the detainee with incandescent objects, spraying gas into their eyes, ears and nose, forced swallowing of water, and forcing the mouths of detainees around the exhaust pipes of running cars. Habré’s government also periodically engaged in ethnic cleansing against groups such as the Sara, Hadjerai and the Zaghawa, killing and arresting group members en masse when it was perceived that their leaders posed a threat to the regime. Human Rights Watch claimed that Habre was responsible for thousands of killings. In 2001, while living in Senegal, he was almost tried for crimes committed by him in Chad. However, a court there blocked these proceedings. Then human rights people decided to pursue the case in Belgium, because some of Habre’s torture victims lived there. The U.S., in June 2003, told Belgium that it risked losing its status as host to NATO’s headquarters if it allowed such a legal proceeding to happen. So the result was that the law that allowed victims to file complaints in Belgium for atrocities committed abroad was repealed. However, two months later a new law was passed which made special provision for the continuation of the case against Habre. In May 2016 he was found guilty of human-rights abuses, including rape, sexual slavery and ordering the killing of 40,000 people, and sentenced to life in prison.

In the 1980s, Reagan maintains a close relationship with the Apartheid South african government, called constructive engagement, while secretly funding it in the hopes of creating a bulwark of anti-communism and preventing a marxist party from taking power, as happened in angola. Later on, in the wars against Apartheid in South Africa and Angola, in which cuban and anti-apartheid forces fought the white south african government, the US supplied south africa with nuclear weapons via Israel.

In 1975, Henry Kissinger launches a CIA-backed war in Angola, backing the brutal anti-communist leader of UNITAS, Jonas Savimbi, against Agostinho Neto and his Marxist-Leninst MPLA party, creating a civil war lasting for 30 years. The CIA financed a covert invasion via neighboring Zaire and a drive on the Angolan capital by the U.S. ally, South Africa. Congress continues to fund UNITAS, and their south-african apartheid allies until the late 1980s. By the end of the war, more than 500,000 people had died and over one million had been internally displaced.

In 1966, a CIA-backed military coup overthrows he widely popular Pan-Africanist and Marxist leader Kwame Nkrumah in Ghana, inviting the International Monetary Fund and World Bank to take a lead role in managing the economy. With this reversal, accentuated by the expulsion of immigrants and a new willingness to negotiate with apartheid South Africa, Ghana lost a good deal of its stature in the eyes of African nationalists.

In 1965, a CIA-backed military coup installs Mobutu Sese Seko, described as the “archetypal African dictator” in Congo. The hated and repressive Mobutu exploits his desperately poor country for billions.

In 1962, a tip from a CIA spy in South Africa lead to the imprisonment of Nelson Mandela, due to his pro-USSR leanings. This began his 27-year-long imprisonment.

In 1961, the CIA assists in the assassination of the democratically elected congolese leader Patrice Lumumba, throwing the country into years of turmoil. Before his assassination the CIA sent one of its scientists, Dr. Sidney Gottlieb, to the Congo carrying “lethal biological material” intended for use in Lumumba’s assassination. This virus would have been able to produce a fatal disease indigenous to the Congo area of Africa and was transported in a diplomatic pouch.

In 1801, and again in 1815, the US aided Sweden in subjugating a series of coastal towns in North Africa, in the Barbary Wars. The stated reason was to crack down on pirates, but the wars destroyed the navies of Algeria, Tunisia, and Morocco, and secured European and US shipping routes for goods and slaves in North Africa. US Representatives stated: “When we can appear in the Ports of the various Powers, or on the Coast, of Barbary, with Ships of such force as to convince those nations that We are able to protect our trade, and to compel them if necessary to keep faith with Us, then, and not before, We may probably secure a large share of the Meditn trade, which would largely and speedily compensate the U. S. for the Cost of a maritime force amply sufficient to keep all those Pirates in Awe, and also make it their interest to keep faith.” Thomas Jefferson echoed and carried out the war, saying that war was essential to securing markets along the Barbary Coast.

[desoldesal]

Ana Moura - Andorinhas

With “Andorinhas,” the first single from her upcoming album (to be released this year), the singer employs an image of swallows as a symbol of artistic renewal, “of freedom and emancipation, of pure creativity, of refusing the chains of success, a declaration of a will for the future.”

Accompanied by a graceful video shot on the roofs of a popular Olhão neighborhood in the Algarve, the song combines Portuguese guitar, an instrument emblematic of fado, with African percussion and electronic layering. Dressed in a traditional Algarvian outfit, called “bioco,” which is reminiscent of the burqa, Ana Moura combines ancestral imagery with a remarkable burst of modernity. Of Angolan origin on her mother’s side, the singer nods to her heritage by uniting with the popular Angolan singer Paulo Flores who features in a cameo at the dinner table, where conviviality and diversity reign between generations.

[sole-cuore-amore-e-droga]

Czech Republic brings their language back to Rotterdam 2021

Reviews coming in a little too into rehearsal period? Honestly don’t care, I’m happy I have caught on with quite the speed right now (only to lose it soon after I guess), because the last two actually came out on two days in a row, hah! Up next is Czech Republic to be talked about, let’s go.

ARTIST & ENTRY INFO

Joining the trend of Czech-Men-Surprisingly-Looking-Like-How-They-Are-In-Their-30s, here comes one Ben da Silva Cristóvão (aka Ben Cristovao, aka Benny Cristo), and his Angolan father explains why is his original surname so funkily Portuguese. Mans went to the finals of the Czechoslovakian version of Pop Idol in the same year Czech Republic finished with 0 in the semifinal and ended their Eurovision career for a brief moment in time (thanks for the fact linkage, Euromovidas). Since then he has quite significantly exploded in their music scene, releasing material after material, performing as a supporting act to Mr. Worldwide himself, and doing all kinds of concerts back in the day. Most of his material is in Czech, so like for TIX, Eurovision is an opportunity for him to present himself better in English, somehow.

As his Eurovision entry, “Omaga”, is MOSTLY in English. Until the miracle strikes and you hear two lines in Czech - that is right, Czech Republic having lines in Czech on their entry is a miracle in the regard that we last heard Czech Republic sing in Czech on their very debut in 2007, when the entire song was in that language. It did not give them fruitful results, but that’s not language’s fault. Now say what you will about 2021 having had that potential to kill languages that we have heard in 2020 (Slovenian, Amharic...), but 2021 is quite the greater kind of thing in that regard that we have, because of Czech Republic and the entry I’ll write a writeup for next, Denmark. "Omaga” is a clubby-ish pop song with guitar influences, something that Benny himself has never really done before stylistically, because from his repertoir, he does kinda have something somewhat laidback and toned down more than those upbeat energetic kinda stuffs, but if that is not usually his style, then he has got to be a master of many styles, lol. Lyrics are about a man wanting to woo some girl who is tired of his stupid things but she really makes him happy and he is stunned by her beauty so much he can’t help but go “omaga” “oh my God” at her constantly. Benny did that one thing about “Kemama” to “Omaga”, which is simplifying an otherwise already easy-ish phrase into a somewhat made up but catchy word (in “Kemama”’s case it was something along the lines of “OK mama”), but does that matter in the end? It’s the music that does, in this case.

REVIEW

And in this case the music is reeeeeaaaaally THAT good.

It’s an instant turn on, if not from the lowkey minuscule-tropical beginning, then it gets going from the verses on, which features some insane catchy bass chops(?) and engaging fast singing from Benny.

I also love how differently does he sing the second and third choruses from the first one, like, he goes higher on some words (“happy you’re here” and “beautiful”), and the post-chorus chorus?? The repetition of “oooooh-my-GOOOOD, oh my Gooood” is just working me the right way?????

And the Czech lines are pure magic. Whenever I hear them, my mood is made, the time feels like it freezes, I just feel smitten by the fact that it exists. Now will it be the first entry with Czech lyrics to make it? I dunno, you decide, and I trust you, even if foolishly.

I don’t know what is it with these lyrics and what was it with “Kemama”, but it’s one of those songs dying to be turned into a dance sensation, like, a song viral on TikTok thanks to a dance challenge. You can make so many simplistic moves to whatever he’s singing.

Also the music video is pretty fantastic. Full of movie references I both recognize on spot, and don’t! For instance, this is also a movie reference, and also I’ve seen this piece of music video clip material as a ČT exclusive backstage preview of whatever they were filming for Benny.

this is very relatable. whole world IS crazy

Literally quite a lot of things in the song are perfect, and so are about the rest of my top 5, maybe even top 6. Switzerland has a great second pre-chorus among many moments, Malta has a perfect combination of the chaos within itself, San Marino is a fantastic pop song with a cool little feature verse, Italy has THAT bridge, Lithuania has the unexpected good vibes. Czech Republic is just perfect for me for the most part, without a specific moment, because there are a lot of specific moments. Good vibes all around.

Though at first I thought he was singing “you’ve been hung too long, I’ve been hung too long” (it’s “home” instead in these words). *-* doesn’t help that the “why don’t you let me have it” line sounds like Benny’s asking for sexual favours that are constantly rejected against his favour. Go simp somewhere else :P

Approval factor: SAY YES SAY YES SAY YES (- Ben & Tan) Follow-up factor: Stellar! ČT had to give up their future televised NF project due to drop outs of their previous HoD for 2020, but even then, his good pals are making sure that Czech still retain a really good maintained interest in Eurovision with their songs and all. And they gave up the NF itself to have Benny Cristo to participate for the second year in a row, with an internal song, and all is fine and dandy. “Kemama” and “Omaga” are two kickass songs in a row. Qualification factor: I really want to be optimistic about the chances of this guy. I really do. I just really want to shrug off the deadpan reactions from the press center that he was constantly getting. But what if there is no hope, and his rather lackluster looking performances are what we getting live. The visuals don’t please me a lot, with the wide shots towards the arena and not much more focus on Benny, and I would absolutely hope he’s gonna do well vocally... but... I was at first really sure he would, because he’s energetic and electrifying. Now? Might be swallowed over the competition + hopeless-ish acts performing way better than him on the night + he’s on 3rd, and while Manizha will escape that, Benny could get sadly torpedoed. Hope it’s not the case :(

INTERNAL CORNER

There were some nice moments to talk about, but they’re mostly few and far in between, BUT there was this one livestream that stood out to me in a weird way - ESCZ, the thing that is in charge of Czech Republic’s Eurovision ordeals ever since like 2018, had an Instagram livestream with Benny to talk about his Eurovision related details, that among 3 songs shortlisted they’ve chosen one, that some sort of a preview will allow a singles only early peek into the entry, and so on.

There’s also this, which made me think that Omaga’s certainly qualifying.

Just... wow. And the last higher notes he’ll certainly attempt to pull off in Rotterdam as seen in rehearsals, so I cross my fingers nothing goes awry with that.

ANY LAST WORDS?

Please Eurovision Gods, for the love of Verka and Conchita and whoever else, GIVE THIS SONG A QUALIFICATION. During the season the Czech Republic managed to slide into my top 3 and take that 3rd place spot from San Marino (yeah San Marino in my top 3 who’d’ve thought??), and that alone tells me that it is such a good song, and one of those that would seriously break me if I lost it in the semis. Please. Don’t let Benny flop. He doesn’t deserve that. Not even an ounce of that.

Or else he’ll come to haunt your nightmares after the night of the semi like this

[chrysaliseuro2018]

Lisbon by Day and Night

So day 1 really in Lisbon and George had organised a free walking tour. Alex had arrived very late the night before so we all said a hearty hello in the morning. Alex is a a Canadian Aussie living in London and you don't get much more cosmopolitan than that. It was so lovely to catch up again. Some breakfast in house and then a quick sorty to the start of the tour which was not far away. Our tour guide was Joao (hard J ie Jow though he said he responded to anything including Joe) who advised he was 24 and a student of linguistics. Fantastic English, curly hair with the beard. He looked like a gentle version of one of those old Portuguese seafarers. There were 19 in the tour group and Joao was pretty engaging. The first half of the tour was reasonably devoted to various hints eg the practicaIities of negotiating the public transport system and insights into good bars and cafes and indeed where to buy the best pastel de natas. We also saw the funicular and various other sights including the view across the city from the Santa Justa viewing platform which was pretty speccy. The "hero" of the tour was an American cousin aged around early 50s who proffered opinions , suggestions, comments, questions and general observations at every opportunity. This was much to Penny's amusement and I have to say added to the quirkiness of the tour (there's nothing better than an eccentric). Joao stoically responded blandly to a regular and obvious stream of comments eg. when Joao was discussing one of the early (and most cool) nightclubs in Lisbon that his parents had attended which actually turned people away if they didn't like the look of you (unheard of in the 70s in Lisbon) our mate said you mean just like studio 54 in New York. A bemused Joao indicated that a lot of places do that now but it didn't matter old chum pressed on with his point till he felt it was made ( ie Joao thanked him for his contribution probably secretly thinking could the earth open up and swallow this guy) much to our amusement. Anyway the tour progressed. Mixed reviews. Joao I felt was probably catering for a youngish audience though split his tour in two with the second half devoted to a bit more history of Lisbon and Portugal. We did hear about King John (Joao - apparently every 2nd bloke is called Joao here) the 1st of Portugal (the illegitimate son of the previous King) who in the 14th century had basically saved the country's independence from Spain in a battle. Apparently he got rid of a number of his half- relatives to ensure his early access to the throne including his half sister. This was met with some voluble anguish by our American friend who was hoping for a happier ending. Also we heard of poet Luiz Vaz de Camoes, Portugal’s national poet, who died in 1580 and wrote Os Luciadas - Portugal's national epic poem about that country's achievements in the 16th century. Their national day is in his honour. This cove also had some legendary stories about being shipwrecked and swimming with one arm to the shore while the other held the draft manuscript of the poem above the waves. This was embellished by Joao (and via legend) with the possibility that Camoes also had his sweetheart on the boat but chose to save his manuscript instead. Also that he was reciting a new poem in his head and thought it was so good that he let the manuscript go as he preferred the new version he was reciting as he swam. Whatever the truth it was a good yarn and he was obviously quite a character in real life. Perhaps the most intriguing story was around the fall of fascism and the dictatorship in Portugal which finally happened in 1974. It also signalled the end of their colonial status. Joao had obviously heard a lot from his parents about life at that time and clearly read a lot which he relayed. Portugal had chosen to go its own way. It was neutral during the second world war and subsequently aligned itself with neither super power having no time for communists and no time for democracy. The dictatorship was still waging war in places like Angola to retain its colonies but more importantly the various mineral revenues originating there that supported it. Being not a particularly rich country its army was ill equipped to fight these wars and so the airforce was relied on to bolster it. This all changed when the Russians provide the Angolans with missiles which quickly accounted for the Portuguese airforce - end of the war. We probably got the simplistic version but it was pretty riveting. Just as riveting was how the dictatorship lost power domestically in 1974, basically overthrown by a small number of army dissidents who were quickly supported by elements of the navy and particularly civilians who quickly took to the streets as things changed. We were taken to the square where much of the action happened and it was virtually a bloodless coup. So these stories lifted the tour and we saw some interesting sights along the way though Lisbon ain't Prague. We generally liked the tour though voted our guide in Barcelona ahead of Joao simply because he gave us better insights over 2000 years+ of the history of the city. Joao was a bit narrower in focus timewise though entertaining enough. Amusingly at the end who should be providing him with a critique of his performance but American chum. I reckon Joao would have liked to reverse the critique but he took it in good spirit. At the end of the tour we quickly found ourselves in the neighbourhood of Alfama where lunch of sardines or octopus salad (the latter for Liz and Penny - gritty apparently) + beers ensued. Amusingly the table was at an angle of 20 degrees so Penny's head on the lower side was much lower than George's on the other side of the table. Vertigo inducing though the beers helped. It was the usual jolly lunch with everyone in good form and plenty of debriefing about our American tour mate. Waiter was a bit grumpy (wrong job) but all this stuff adds to the colour. All good and then Liz and I headed off to explore Alfama further and everyone else to wherever they chose. We basically walked around Alfama and other areas on the way home taking it all in. We had booked dinner for 7.00 (only time available otherwise we would have stuck to our preferred Spanish eating time of 8.00pm+) at the place we could not get into the previous night - the Cantinho do Avillez so that was the next commitment for that day. We all rolled up at home in the late afternoon Liz and I snoozed, the team had a few beers but by 7.00 we were at the Cantinho. Food was superb and we knew why it was so highly rated. Funky joint, friendly staff even had a stout beer. We ate amongst other things - exploding olives (soft and an immediate explosion of flavour in your mouth), octopus, tuna, pigs trotters, various tapas offerings together with great red wine. No wonder it got booked out. Despite the insistence on an early start by the restaurant there was no pressure to leave and so we trundled out around 9.00ish (can't remember). More drinks were required and we were recommended a venue by the waitress but opted for a wine bar suggested by our friend Caitlyn Box who lives in London "Jose Maria da Fonseca". Tables were scarce to come by though we secured a big barrel for us all to lean on and place drinks on just outside in the lane way which did the trick. We hoed into the red wine kindly donated by Alex and a jolly fun time was had by all. When we were finally offered an inside table we declined as we were so happy with our external spot on a mild evening. After an hour or so ( can't remember) Liz and I headed off and left the " kids" to play. They went to the place suggested by the waitress at the restaurant which turned out to be a bit dodgy and in a dodgy part of town strip clubs etc) so they ended up at the the local bar suggested for us by Joao on the tour. Turned out it was really laid back a bit like a house party rather than a bar. He said it was alternative. That tour is starting to look more valuable. George was home first around 1.00 as I had to let her in since we only had two keys and the others trailed in later (Liz and I were out to it). Great food, great wine even a good beer, great fun, everyone in fine form - a brilliant night.

[sciencenews18]

Researchers have discovered a new and less lethal of the deadly Ebola virus in Kenya. The new strain dubbed Bombali Ebola virus is yet to cross over to the human populaces with scientists skeptical that it is a probability. The discoveries published by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Diary outlined that the new virus is being carried by Angolan free-tailed bats in Taita Taveta. Twitter Tweets CDC: CDC Investigation Notice: 72 E. coli infections reported from five states. The source of the outbreak has not been identified. If you have symptoms of E. coli, see your healthcare provider and write down what you ate before you got sick. https://https://www.cdc.gov/ecoli/2019/o103-04-19/index.html

Patients screened in Taita Taveta 

The project was carried out mutually by Maasai Mara University, the University of Nairobi and the University of Helsinki. Paul Webala, a member of the Maasai Mara University contributors, conveyed that patients who have come into contact with the bats have been screened with no sign of infection. Noticing that Ebola virus has previously been found among wildlife in Kenya, Webala stated that it is unlikely that people would get infected. "Given the tremendous distance between Sierra Leone and Kenya and that the bat species involved isn't believed to travel large distances, there is no danger of infection," the researcher stated. "Up to this point, five ebolavirus species were known, with three of these - Bundibugyo, Sudan and Zaire ebolaviruses - associated with large human outbreaks. The latter is responsible for the devastating 2013 to 2016 outbreak in West Africa and the continuous outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo. "However, the reservoirs of ebolaviruses have remained enigmatic, however, organic product bats have been implicated and demonstrated as the reservoir for related  Marburg virus (Species: Marburg marburgvirus). "A year ago a 6th Ebola virus species, Bombali virus, was found in saliva and feces from bats in Sierra Leone," The illnesses began in early Walk, as indicated by the CDC. A specific sustenance item, grocery store or restaurant fasten still can't seem to be linked to the outbreak. Subsequently, the CDC isn't recommending a specific sustenance item to be avoided right now. People normally get wiped out from the toxin-producing germ two to eight days after swallowing the E. coli. To keep away from the disease, the CDC advises people to wash their hands, cook meats completely, maintain a strategic distance from cross-contamination of sustenance preparation areas, wash leafy foods, dodge unpasteurized dairy items and juices and don't prepare nourishment for others when you are wiped out. Symptoms include severe stomach cramps, diarrhea (often ridiculous) and vomiting, with some people running a low fever. A life-threatening entanglement known as hemolytic uremic syndrome can develop in five to 10% of E. coli illnesses and develops a week after the onset of symptoms. People with this inconvenience ought to be hospitalized. Signs that this difficulty has developed include losing shading in cheeks, lower urination frequency, and extreme tiredness.

medical April 08, 2019 at 12:35PM

[tagamark]

The Lifeline Arrives…

New Post has been published on https://tagasafarisafrica.com/africa-travel-news/the-lifeline-arrives/

The Lifeline Arrives…

This season has been one of the driest I have experienced in the Okavango, and when talking to people whose families have lived in the Delta for generations, they absolutely agree.

The dry conditions make for magical experiences, with lechwe kicking up dust as the males spar and chase each other

Not the most positive way to start a blog I know, but Mother Nature has an amazing way of balancing things out. As with everything in life, there are positives and negatives. However, we humans tend to look at things from our personal perspective rather than the fine balance that plays out in this intricate ecosystem.

The Okavango Delta, one of the largest alluvial fans in the world, is the centre of extraordinary life, and each year we eagerly await the seasonal waters from their source in the Angolan highlands.

With drier than usual conditions, all channels ceased to flow, and only very deep waterholes contained any hope. Elephant dug open some of the dry pans and these waterholes provided a much-needed water source for various animals and birds.

This is where nature balances things out. These waterholes and pans created ideal breeding conditions for insects that have a water-based larvae phase. This meant that we had large irruptions, or hatchings, of mayflies and mosquitoes. With fish numbers at an all-time low, the insects thrived. While we possibly think of insects in a negative light, this new abundance provided a real treat for birdlife too, especially African red-eyed and dark-capped bulbuls, and even more so the lesser-striped swallows, among other insectivorous birds.

These outbreaks have been so good that the swallows, which are normally summer breeders, have already had a winter clutch and are building again for the second time this season, preparing for their usual nesting period.The mayfly numbers were also a welcome food source for skinks and other insect-eaters.

This is Mother Nature at her best. Looking after all her progeny, even in times of drought.

Baboons take the opportunity to drink from one of the last water pans

Eventually, the water did arrive, slow and very low, but it is here – filling only the deep channels, but still creating a vein-like formation to feed the lifeline back into the Delta.

Hippo settling back into areas with fresher water; the youngsters took the opportunity to bask in the sun and eat the new grasses

Hippos returned to their pools with less friction and fighting between them.

Buffalo herds also arrived, with zebra and elephant all making their daily walk to drink from the fresh water, providing us with amazing sightings in front of Jao, Jacana and Pelo camps.

Zebra on the Jao floodplain making their way through the dust to the fresh water

A buffalo bull keeping a watchful eye on things, what with all the lions about

Their arrival has also meant that the lions and wild dogs have also have had lots of prey to feast on, with the Jao Pride seen feeding on four different buffalo kills over the last three weeks.

The wild dogs seem to hunt on the floodplain in front of Jao almost weekly, and with the water flowing past camp, more antelope have come to drink and feed daily. Their presence was a magnet for the wild dog, which made six kills this month in and around Jao.

The Jao Pride on one of their buffalo kills, a fine feast

A female leopard has been setting up territory around Jao Camp and also made two kills this month, one in camp and the other right next to the main Jao bridge.

The new female leopard on a reedbuck kill close to the Jao bridge

The water has spread out in the low lying floodplains and we have started hearing frogs again, as well as seeing the first signs of catfish runs. The lifeline of the arriving water is spreading, and restoring the balance once again.

The rare sitatunga antelope, also happy to have fresh water

Post courtesy of Wilderness Safaris

[fullfrontalbirds]

Angolan Swallow (Hirundo angolensis)

© Mark Easterbrook