London Olympics 2012: Let the Games begin!

Check out this great video of the countdown of the London Olympics. Four-time gold medallist Michael Johnson takes us through 26-minutes of London's road to staging the greatest sporting show on the planet. Including exclusive interviews with Usain Bolt, Michael Phelps, David Beckham, Jessica Ennis, Vivian Cheruiyot, Danny Boyle, Seb Coe and others.

DON'T MENTION SKIN COLOUR (from Intelligent Life)

While visiting a friend I came across this article from The Economist's bi-monthly issue of Intelligent Life (May/June).

I wanted to share this article with all of you and therefore post it here, although already some months old still relevant.

Find the original article by Patrick Barkley here.

It's been the most exciting English Premiership season for years, but the game has been marred by two racial incidents. Patrick Barclay shows how football can move on...

Dutch desiger Marga Weimans debuted at the Amsterdam fashion week with mobile technology

During the opening night of Amsterdam Fashion Week, Dutch Fashion Designer
Marga Weimans, who is of Surinamese descent, added as first designer mobile technology to her work. The last dress from the couture show consisted of 300 mobile phones, who were called by the public, making the dress come to life.

London Olympics: Selective breeding by slave owners created superior black American and Caribbean sprinters?

Photo:Yohan Blake

In an interview with the Daily Mail, Olympic legend Michael Johnson says a ‘superior athletic gene’ in the descendants of West African slaves means black American and Caribbean sprinters will command the sport at the London Games.

Video: Harry Belafonte: "Faced with Oppression, I Had to Act" + Film in UK

Film of singer and civil rights activist Harry Belafonte "Sing Your Song" is in UK cinemas now.

To promote the film he was interviewed by Sarfraz Manzoor of the Guardian. In the interview he talks about his life and work in music, cinema and fighting for social equality - as chronicled in a new memoir.

Save Timbuktu!

30 June 2012: UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova expressed her distress and dismay over the destruction of three sacred tombs that are part of a World Heritage site in Timbuktu, Mali. Ms Bokova called on the belligerents to cease the destruction immediately.

In 2008 Europe's minorities saw Obama's election as example. Any progress in 2012?

In 2008 Europe debated over whether is was possible that a Black person could also be a President, or a Prime minister in a European country. But the deep economic crisis, the turmoil in the Arab world and the London riots seem to have overshadowed the debate. In the video (2008) the possibility of a Black Obama is discussed.

Carnaval Tropical de Paris 2012 - Saterday 7 July

Photo by anw.fr

Every July, Paris Tropical Carnival winds its way through the city streets. The event, which comes just after World Music Day, brings the vibrancy and passion of the Caribbean to the French capital on July 7th.

Video: Esperanza Spalding - "Crowned & Kissed"

The brand new video of the song "Crowned & Kissed" from her album Radio Music Society.

Keti Koti festival 2012 - Commemoration abolition of slavery on July 1st in Amsterdam

Keti Koti (Breaking the Chains) is the annual celebration and commemoration of the abolition of slavery in 1863 in the former Dutch colonies on July 1st. It will be celebrated in the City of Amsterdam in the Oosterpark on Sunday July 1st.

VIDEO: Hip Hop on trial: Hip-hop doesn't enhance society, it degrades it (London)

Is Hip Hop the authentic voice of the oppressed that turns anger into poetry and political action? Or is it a glorification of all that holds back oppressed minorities and hinders them from mainstream assimilation?

Video: Sherry Davis from London - "Aint That Love"

UK songstress Sherry Davis from East London will release her debut single "Ain't That Love" in July, but here is the brand new video.

Hardly any minorities in new French parliament

Seybah Dagoma is one of the few "minority" MP's

AFP - The new French parliament following Sunday's election will have only 10 MPs from minorities in the 577-seat chamber, a number deemed inadequate by a rights group.