"Kenya trade with me more?" – European Union

In this issue, I talk about the recent trade agreement between Kenya and the European Union (and whether it's truly a good thing for Africa or not) and forced sterilization programs in Japan, the United States and Europe. Also, a photo montage on the Cuba by Agnès Varda, a grieving article for the 'anniversary' of 'Bye, Bye Roe v Wade', a trailer for a new Disney show that upset a lot of people (mostly in South America), your next 'cleaning' playlist with a lot of Brazilian Samba, and so much more.

Kenya and the European Union updated their relationship status to 'closer business partners'

What happened:
Kenya and the European Union have signed a trade deal, the EU-Kenya Economic Partnership Agreement.

Why this matters:
This latest deal is the first broad trade deal between the EU and an African nation since 2016, and the most comprehensive agreement that Kenya has ever negotiated with the EU. Kenya currently sends roughly one-fifth of all its exports to the EU, its biggest market.

Tell me more:
Once ratified and entered into force, Kenya will receive duty-free and quota-free access to the EU; meaning, they can send all of their products to the EU. In turn, the EU will receive more and more trade benefits such as tariff reductions over a period of 25 years, meaning, the EU cannot send all of its products to Kenya all at the same time but gradually. NTV Kenya livestreamed the entire event; you can watch them sign the trade teal at State House here. There are a few comments on that YouTube video; and none of them seem to be on the same page about it. But Kenyan Trade Minister Moses Kuria is pretty happy about it, saying "Today is a very proud moment for Kenya, and I believe a very proud moment for the European Union." European Union Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis said Africa was a "priority region" for the EU, and he hoped the Kenya deal would "be a boost" to future trade links with Africa.

Did you know that Kenya mainly exports agricultural products to the EU? More than 70 percent of Kenya's cut flowers are destined for Europe.

What's the criticism?
Critics say that the actual purpose of such deals is to create a Free Trade Area between two economically unequal regions, i.e. Africa and Europe. Some are saying this could lead to European products flooding Kenya, with local industries losing out because they cannot compete with the low European prices. "The Ruto administration should use this window to bolster homegrown industries to make local products competitive," writes an editorial by Daily Nation, one of Kenya's most popular independent newspapers.

Plus, there's criticism that, for example, the (tons and tons of) water used for cut flowers that Kenya exports to the EU could be used much more sustainably and more Kenya- or neighbor-oriented. After all, a single rose that is grown in Kenya takes around 10 liters of water to produce.

The deal has also raised questions about East African unity in general, writes Waihiga Mwaura for BBC. The only reason Kenya had to strike its own agreement is because the rest of the East African Community refused to sign the 2016 one that was brokered with the EU (they didn't really need it because only Kenya from the East African Community falls in the category of "emerging country", meaning only Kenya needed a deal for exports to enter the EU market).

Historical context:
One of Kenya's main imports to the EU is tea.There's a very violent history behind this product. Basically, when British colonialists ruled in Kenya from 1895 until 1963, half a million Indigenous Kenyans were violently evicted during British colonization in order to make room for tea plantations. Tens of thousands of people died during that time. To this day, an estimated 200,000 acres of ancestral land is still owned by several British tea companies, including Lipton (formerly owned by Unilever), Finlay's, and Williamson Tea. A month ago, AJ+ did this insightful mini-documentary on "The Violent History of Britain's Cup of Tea".

Fun fact:
If you love having flowers in your home, but are looking for more environmentally sustainable ways to do this, there are a few simple things you can do instead of buying that bouquet: potted plants, wooden or paper flowers, cacti and succulents, or seasons flowers grown closer to your home are good alternatives.

Report: 'Over 25,000 Japanese citizens have been forcibly sterilized'

What happened:
A report to the Japanese National Diet revealed that more than 16,000 Japanese citizens were sterilized without consent under a eugenics law between 1948 until 1996, including two nine-year-olds.

Why this matters:
Sterilization is a safe and effective form of permanent birth control used by more than 220 million couples around the world today. When it's performed...