Somalia on the Brink, Blinken calls Ruto, White House comments on Tigray and the Obamas return to White House even as Democrats may soon lose power
Here is our top story today: But first, my friend and colleague?Steven Nelson?of the New York Post does not get called on at the White House most times during press briefings. He’s also rarely invited to events with President Biden.
The New York Post is the oldest newspaper in the United States and fourth largest in circulation. It’s a great paper that I personally like and I believe they are doing a great job. They are not perfect but they write well and address issues no one in Washington wants to talk about.
But there is a problem, newspaper leans right (Republicans). It’s on the other side of The New York Times, which leans left (Democrats). As a result, my friend Nelson does not get called on. His questions are often about issues the White House does not want to address, the Hunter Biden saga, the border crisis, and several other issues. But Nelson may start getting questions again in about two years if a Republican President comes to power. Press freedom is an illusion, even here in the United States.
I was rarely called on when Psaki was there after I pressed her about the discriminatory Omicron ban on only African nations last year. When I started getting a few questions recently, some people went to complain that I was getting too many questions. Yes, you heard me well, some people went to complain that I was getting too many questions.
In reality, I was getting one question now and then. And it’s not even about me being black or this or that, I don’t even pay any attention to that. It’s human nature!
To me, we live, we all die, so in reality, racism, tribalism and crazy nationalism are just a waste of time and a human creation. In reality, even people from the same race, tribe, country or church will malign, attack and hate one another.
Most whites are killed by whites and most blacks are killed by blacks. That’s just the reality although that’s not the narrative out there. What I am saying is no one is superior or inferior to anyone. Our destiny is the same, death! When you think about death, you will live your life to the fullest. You will not waste time going after people, attacking, maligning, or any other thing that does not add anything to your life. You will separate professional life from personal life but you will live both to the fullest.
That’s why I have kept moving like Nelson. Despite the attacks on me, the protests, the threats to suspend me, the crazy talks, I kept moving. Life is too short to waste time on such things. My voice matters, that’s all that I know. In that briefing room, when everyone wants to talk about Russia, Russia, Russia, China, China, China, Ukraine, Ukraine, Ukraine, Uk, UK, UK, Europe, Europe, Europe, I am that reporter telling them, enough with those, let’s talk about Somalia and mobilize assistance also as we are doing in Ukraine, after all, millions of people are on the brink of famine there. Let’s mobilize the world to end the war in Tigray and let’s make it cheaper for farmers to get fertilizers in Africa as we do elsewhere.
I may not yet have the enormous resources that the other guys have, but I have been as productive as a human being can possibly be. Below are our top stories today.
Simon Ateba, Publisher and White House Correspondent for Today News Africa in Washington.