GEORGIA – Cornel West yesterday referred to President Obama and other politicians as a “coward” who only cares about “vanilla” children. West is a frequent critic of Obama and also said the president did not care when “Black folk” get shot down in his own sate.

BY KUSH AZRAEL

Staff Reporter

Africa

Thirty-five countries in Africa will be hosting U.S. troops as part of an intensifying Pentagon effort to train countries to battle extremists and give the U.S. a ready and trained force to dispatch to Africa if crises requiring U.S. military emerge. The teams will be limited to training and equipping efforts, and will not be permitted to conduct military operations without specific approvals from the secretary of defense.

DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC of CONGO

Congolese entrepreneur Verone Mankou want to be to Africa what Apple is to the U.S. That is he wants the majority of people on the continent to use the smart phone and tablet he has developed. His company VMK makes a tablet called Way-C which means “light of the stars” and now a smart phone called “Elikia” which means hope. The tablet is the size of Samsungs Galaxy Tab and costs $300. The android based smart phone costs $170 without a contract.

Caribbean

JAMAICA – A new study has found an alarming trend among young people who engage in transactional sex. According to the results of the 2012 HIV/AIDS Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behavior Survey (KABS), the economic climate is being blamed for an increase in young people here exchanging sex for money. The survey shows an increase in the number of youngsters involved in, or supportive of getting gifts like cellular phones, clothing and jewelry from multiple partners in exchange for sexual favors.

United States

ILLINOIS – The Rev. Jesse Jackson advocated anti-violence and gun control during his traditional Christmas sermon at the Cook County Jail, where he challenged inmates to help get weapons off the street. Jackson has long been a supporter of gun control, including a ban on assault weapons. He called the deadly shootings at a Connecticut elementary school a tipping point for the nation when it comes to gun control.

GEORGIA – Cornel West yesterday referred to President Obama and other politicians as a “coward” who only cares about “vanilla” children. West is a frequent critic of Obama and also said the president did not care when “Black folk” get shot down in his own sate.

“Not a peep not a mumblin’ a word when the Black folk getting’ shot!” said West.” But now Newtown Connecticut, vanilla side, low in behold we got major conversation.” He made his comments during a recent edition of The Smiley & West show.

NEW YORK – Spike Lee thinks Quentin Tarantino’s new slavery revenge movie “Django Unchained” is the wrong thing. Lee say’s he’s boycotting the movie because he finds it insulting. “American slavery was not a Sergio Leone spaghetti western. It was a holocaust. My ancestors are slaves stolen from Africa. I will honor them,” said lee on Twitter.