Uniform rules on Advance Passenger Information collection aim to boost the EU’s security and its ability to fight and prevent serious crime.
The Parliament’s Civil Liberties Committee today adopted two draft reports on collecting Advance Passenger Information (API) to enhance security at the EU’s external borders and to boost the prevention of and fight against crime. They were adopted with 50 votes in favour, 7 against, and 0 abstentions (border management) and 53 votes in favour, 6 against, and 1 abstention (law enforcement).
The new rules will require air carriers to collect and transmit passenger data systematically to competent authorities. They will apply to flights arriving in an EU country from a third country in the case of border management, and also to flights departing from an EU country in the case sharing data with law enforcement. Additionally, EU countries can choose to apply the latter rules to selected flights within the EU.
The collected data will include the passenger’s name, date of birth, nationality, passport details, and flight information. To harmonise data collection, the new laws specify the data elements to be collected. Also, data quality will be improved, as it can only be collected in a uniform and automated way, replacing manual logging.
EP pushes for proportional and court-compliant rules
In their position, MEPs have sought to limit the types of API data to what is necessary, respecting proportionality and fundamental rights, and in accordance with European Court of Justice case-law, and exclude biometric data from the scope. They emphasise that collecting API data is not a reason to check travel documents before boarding, for instance when travelling within the Schengen area. Instead, the data would be collected during check-in procedures.
Also, MEPs want to shorten the time period of airlines and border authorities storing API data after the departure of a flight from 48 to 24 hours, unless travel facilitation measures by the airline require more time. MEPs have also proposed to add a new article ensuring that API data collection does not lead to discrimination based on sensitive features such as sex, gender, ethnic origin, language, minority status, disability or religion. Finally, Parliament wants fines of up to 2 % of an airline’s global turnover if they systematically or persistently violate the rules.
The continuing crisis in Morocco’s education sector is raising concerns about the devastating consequences that could result from current management. After years of failure of the Moroccan education system, the confidence of the majority of citizens seems to have eroded, raising questions about the responsibility of the government led by Aziz Akhannouch, the current Prime Minister and a businessman with billionaire connections.
Reports, both international and national, continue to highlight the alarming state of education in Morocco. According to a Bank al-Maghrib study, the illiteracy rate in Morocco stands at 32.4%, highlighting the persistent shortcomings of the education system. What’s more, 67% of Moroccan children fail to answer a single reading comprehension question correctly, revealing a profound crisis in the acquisition of fundamental skills.
Against this backdrop, the responsibility of the government, led by businessman and Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch, is becoming a matter of concern, not least because of its role in defining policies and budget allocations. Statistics from the Ministry of National Education show that the proportion of the budget allocated to education remains below international recommendations, not exceeding 5.5% of GDP in 2006.
The scarcity of financial resources allocated to education, as highlighted in a UNESCO study, highlights the political choices that can have a negative impact on the education sector. As Prime Minister and a major player in the government, the responsibility of Aziz Akhannouch and his government team for the education crisis is indisputable. Political decisions, including administrative centralisation and the lack of support in rural areas, are contributing to worsening educational disparities.
It is imperative that the government, under the leadership of Aziz Akhannouch, assumes its share of responsibility for the education crisis by recognising the existing shortcomings and taking concrete steps to reform the system. This involves a review of budgetary policies, structural reforms and a commitment to quality education for all Moroccan citizens. In short, the government’s responsibility for this educational crisis cannot be ignored, and significant action is needed to ensure a brighter educational future for Morocco’s youth.
The strikers, demanding the cancellation of all disciplinary decisions and sanctions linked to their militant activities, firmly reject the statute, both in form and content. Their call also includes a pressing demand for higher pay and pensions. Unfortunately, this situation is having a negative impact on students, who are suffering the repercussions of this conflict.
In the shadow of this persistent educational crisis, the responsibility of the government, embodied by Aziz Akhannouch, Prime Minister and billionaire businessman, is highlighted. The need for far-reaching reforms in the Moroccan education system is becoming imperative to ensure a more promising educational future for the country’s young people.
The government and its Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch had promised to create a million jobs and lift a million families out of poverty. The government majority parties had also promised to raise teachers’ salaries to 7,500 dirhams at the start of their careers, with an increase of around 300 dollars, as well as to increase the salaries of health sector workers.
After an inflation of intentions and promises, we are now living in a worrying silence, with a government that says nothing about the fight against corruption or tax reform.
The Vatican has confirmed the ban on Roman Catholics from membership in Masonic lodges. The statement comes in response to a question from the Philippine Roman Catholic bishop, who is seeking advice on how to deal with the increasing number of his parishioners who are members of Masonic lodges.
In its November 13 response, the Vatican responded that Roman Catholic Christians, lay and clerical, are prohibited from membership in Masonic lodges. It refers to the last official ruling from 1983, signed by then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (and finally Pope Benedict XVI from 2005 to 2013), which said that Roman Catholic Freemasons were “in a state of grave sin” and therefore not may receive communion. The reason is that the principles of Freemasonry are “inconsistent with church teaching” and their “practices and rituals”.
In the Philippines Freemasonry among Roman Catholic Christians is becoming fashionable. Christian Masons assist the priests in administering communion, and several high-ranking members of the local synod are also members of a Masonic lodge.
The Vatican advises Philippine bishops to “carry out a catechesis accessible to the population on the causes of incompatibility between the Catholic faith and Freemasonry” in all parishes. They should also consider a public statement on the matter, said the letter, signed by Prefect of the Faith Victor Fernandez and countersigned by Pope Francis.
The Russian delegation will participate in a meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the OSCE in Skopje, after Bulgaria, as promised to North Macedonia, opened the airspace for the Russian Federation, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said, quoted by TASS and BTA.
“Now it seems that Macedonia has invited us to the Council of Foreign Ministers of the OSCE. Bulgaria seems to have promised Macedonia to open its airspace. If it works out, we will be there,” the minister said, speaking at the Primakovski readings forum.
From November 29 to December 1, Skopje will host the OSCE summit, which the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of North Macedonia and OSCE Chairman-in-Office Bujar Osmani described as “the biggest event in the history of North Macedonia”.
76 delegations of OSCE member states and OSCE partners are expected to arrive in Skopje, represented mainly by foreign ministers.
Bulgaria allows Sergey Lavrov’s plane to pass through Bulgarian airspace. This was reported to TASS by the ambassador of Russia to Bulgaria, Eleonora Mitrofanova. She specifies that a positive response was received to Moscow’s note about the foreign minister’s plane flying over to go to the meeting of the Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs in the OSCE meeting in Skopje.
“A positive response was received to our note about the passage of Lavrov’s plane through the airspace of Bulgaria. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria officially informed us that the flight in the sky above the country for our minister is permitted,” Mitrofanova told TASS. Earlier, Lavrov himself stated that the Russian delegation will take part in the OSCE meeting in Skopje if Bulgaria opens its airspace for the flight of the delegation of the Russian Federation.
Before the permission was given by the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the European Commission stated that the flight of the Russian foreign minister did not violate the sanctions of the European Union.
Photo: H. E. Eleonora Mitrofanova, ambassador of Russia to Bulgaria
By Hasanboy Burhanov – Founder of the political opposition movement Free Uzbekistan
Manipulating the mass consciousness of Muslims
Turkish President Recep Erdogan, who considers himself “a great defender of Palestinians and Islam in the international arena,” speaking at a meeting of his party’s Parliamentary Group on Wednesday, November 15, said, “I clearly state this: Israel is a terrorist state. If Israel continues massacres, it will be condemned around the world as a terrorist state” ( https://www.iletisim.gov.tr/turkce/haberler/detay/cumhurbaskani-erdogan-ak-parti-tbmm-grup-toplantisinda-konustu-15-11-23 ).
During the hour-long emotional speech, Erdogan pledged to continue to defend the militant group Hamas, saying it was the political party chosen by the Palestinians.
On the same day, Emine Erdogan, the wife of the Turkish President, while speaking at the “One Heart for Palestine” summit in Istanbul, pointed out the religious dimention of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict: “I wonder how you will explain to Prophet Ibrahim that you killed more than 4,000 children for the sake of your twisted ideology?” (https://tccb.gov.tr/haberler/410/150196/emine-erdogan-filistin-icin-tek-yurek-zirvesi-ne-katildi ).
Apparently Emine Khanum does not believe that every human being will be held accountable for his deeds before Almighty Allah on the Day of Judgement. Otherwise, she and her husband would not manipulate the religious feelings of Turkish citizens for their own selfish purposes.
At the same time, the presidential couple does not mention that the Palestinian paramilitary groups, of which there are a couple of dozen according to various estimates, are divided along two ideological lines: Marxist-Leninist and Shiite. The extreme left-wing paramilitary groups are supported by China and other states with communist ideology, while the Shiite militants are supported by Iran. Members of Hamas, despite their adherence to the Sunni school of belief, have long been funded and coordinated by Iran and Russia.
And the most important thing that the Turkish “defenders of Islam” do not voice is that Iran, together with Putin’s regime, is pursuing a deliberate policy of Shiitisation of the Sunni population not only in the Middle East but also in Central Asia.
If we call things by their names, those people who call on the Islamic world to support and join the Palestinian militants to participate in a worldwide “jihad” against Israel, wish for the destruction of Sunni Muslims and the establishment of communist dictatorships in the world.
Erdogan’s “jihad” against Assad
Since the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in 2011, Recep Erdogan has repeatedly threatened Bashar al-Assad on his Twitter account and through the press, calling him a terrorist.
– “Now they are talking about figures of 600 (thousand), but no. In my opinion, about 1 million people have been killed in Syria. This death toll is still continuing” – 29.11.2016 (https://www.bbc.com/turkce/38145760 ).
During these years, there have been relentless calls from the territories of Russia and Turkey for Muslims in neighbouring countries to do their religious duty and take part in the “jihad” against the Assad regime in Syria. Tens of thousands of naive Muslims from Turkey and the CIS countries, having become hostages of false propaganda, died in a foreign country for the ambitions of hypocritical politicians.
But times have changed, President of Turkey Recep Erdogan has forgotten his threats, he no longer wants to hold Bashar al-Assad accountable for the massacres of the Syrian people. He doesn’t mind sitting at the same table with a tyrant who has drowned hundreds of thousands of innocent Syrians in blood.
The heads of the relevant ministries of Turkey and Syria have already met in Moscow on several occasions to discuss the normalisation of Syrian-Turkish relations. On November 11 this year, Recep Erdogan and Bashar al-Assad met in Riyadh, attending the joint Summit of the Arab League and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, which was dedicated to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
As of March 2023, the death toll in Syria’s civil war is estimated at 913,000.
Ignoring the calls of the lying jihadists, the Muslims of the Central Asian countries should concentrate all their strength and capabilities to fight Putin’s viceroys, who are promoting the revival of the USSR-2 project.
Illustrative Photo by Pixabay:https://www.pexels.com/photo/low-section-of-man-against-sky-247851/
Source: Political Opposition Movement “Erkin O’zbekiston” (Free Uzbekistan), Dusseldorf, Germany
A metal becomes more valuable than oil and gold. Its mining is literally rearranging the world’s economic forces. Lithium.
With the rapid development of electronics, lithium has become no less important – it is the main element of any battery. For 30 years, its demand has grown manifold, and economists consider this metal a key component of future technologies.
We need more and more lithium
At the end of the 20th century, lithium was practically not used in industry, so its extraction was in a small volume – about 5 thousand tons per year. But in 1991, Sony’s lithium-ion rechargeable battery turned things around, writes money.bg.
The battery was successful in many ways. It was light, cheap to manufacture, and charged quickly. And most importantly, the memory effect – the loss of capacity over time – was almost absent.
Lithium-ion (Li-ion) and lithium-polymer (Li-pol) batteries are quickly becoming leaders in production, and the demand for lithium is increasing manifold. This was fueled by the booming production of smartphones, tablets, laptops, etc.
As a result, lithium production in 1995 reached 10 thousand tons, in 2010 – 28 thousand, and today more than 86 thousand tons are produced annually. In the last 30 years, the demand for this metal has increased tenfold! But as time has shown, this is only the beginning.
Development of electric transport
In addition to the development of mobile devices and other gadgets in the world, the electric vehicle market is growing rapidly. However, electric transport for many years could not solve 2 problems: the complexity of charging and power reserve due to the small capacity of batteries.
For more than 100 years, only public transport traveled with electric traction – trolleybuses, trams, electric trains, metro. However, with the advent of new batteries, electric cars got a chance to compete with gasoline and diesel cars.
They pollute the environment less, and most importantly, are more economical to use: costs are on average 40-60% less than the price of a tank of gasoline. Due to the lack of technology and high production costs, they are 1.5-2 times more expensive than conventional cars. However, this difference decreases over time.
There are already over 1.5 billion cars in the world, of which about 1% run on electricity. The potential market is huge, more and more people switch to electric cars every year: if 10 years ago there were not even 500 thousand cars on the planet, then in 2021 there were already 2 million of them. According to experts, in 5 years this number will grow at least 6 times.
In addition, European countries announced the gradual abandonment of the production of cars with internal combustion engines. This is planned to be fully completed by 2030.
This reality and the announced plans have dramatically increased the consumption of lithium raw materials (primarily lithium carbonate). If in 2000 the world needed 68 thousand tons, then in 2019 this indicator already exceeds 315 thousand tons – consumption has increased by 4.5 times.
Rising demand for batteries has affected prices. Lithium carbonate in 2004 cost $ 2 thousand per ton, then 2 years ago – $ 6.5 thousand, in 2021 – $ 17 thousand. At peak times, the price even reached $70 thousand. In short, the market growth is huge.
Who will be the leader in lithium production?
Currently, more than 90% of the world production of lithium compounds falls on Australia, China and the “lithium triangle” – Chile and Argentina. But given the rapid growth of the industry and the steady increase in demand for lithium, it is not surprising that everyone remembered its production and the possible profits.
The United States, the world’s number one economy, is worried about China’s leadership and is therefore increasingly talking about developing its own deposits. The US has 9.1 million tons of lithium reserves, and there is currently only one deposit where industrial production is taking place – this is the Silver Peak mine.
Another potential deposit is Tucker Pass, located in Nevada, which together with the first mine. It could quickly put the US among the leaders in lithium production.
There is less prospective potential in Russia. The only field operating since the time of the USSR in Zavittsk in the 1990s was conserved. A new recovery technology is now being developed which, if successful, could be applied to a closed mine and restore it.
In general, reserves in the Russian Federation are small, estimated at 1 million tons. For comparison, in China there are reserves in the volume of 5.1 million tons, in Australia – 7.3 million tons, in Argentina – 19 million tons.
Rosatom announced the development of deposits in the Murmansk and Irkutsk regions. According to the plan, by 2030 local production will be able to cover the needs of the country. How it will turn out in practice is difficult to predict, writes on the site dzen.ru.
However, Latin America, namely Argentina, Chile and Bolivia, could benefit the most from the growth of the lithium market. On their territory there are more than half of all known world reserves of this metal. The first 2 countries are already among the leaders in lithium production.
If they can build the transport infrastructure and attract international investors, they will literally get rich. Rosatom, by the way, also considers local fields with potential for development.
So, the lithium market is growing and is a profitable investment. In the near future, all countries will be fighting for it, hoping to become the leader in production and get their share of the profits.
According to the Russian Minister of Transport Vitaly Saveliev, 76 Russian planes have been confiscated as a result of the sanctions imposed because of the invasion of Ukraine, “TVP World” reported.
Saveliev expressed his surprise at the sudden decision to confiscate these planes, which were in a warehouse for technical storage, in the process of maintenance abroad, about to perform flights or already ordered and about to be put into service. After the outbreak of hostilities, they were not repatriated to Russia..
Currently, Russia’s aircraft fleet numbers 1,302 aircraft, 1,167 of which are intended for passenger purposes.
Before the start of the conflict, many of the Russian passenger planes were registered in foreign countries and leased to Russian airlines.
Bermuda and Ireland, where a significant number of these planes were registered, revoked the airworthiness certificates of many of them in response to the invasion of Ukraine, effectively blocking nearly $10 billion worth of them in Russia.
In response, Russian President Vladimir Putin approved a law allowing leased foreign aircraft to be registered in Russia, making it harder for countries to repossess them.
In March 2022, Saveliev reported that almost 800 aircraft had been transferred to the national registry.
However, this means that the aircraft does not receive software upgrades from the manufacturer. Maintenance, servicing and inspection to company standards are also affected.
Russia is trying to circumvent sanctions and find ways of replacing Western-made parts and equipment to keep its aeronautics industry in business.
The Russian transport minister also mentioned that Russian airlines have resumed flights to 11 countries that have guaranteed not to confiscate their planes. He explained that negotiations for compensation for these planes and their purchase had been hampered by “the ban and the lack of desire on the part of foreign countries”. Sevliev stressed that due to the lack of these aircraft, Russia will be left without a viable aviation fleet.
These structures, scattered across Iran, functioned as primitive refrigerators
In the waterless expanses of the Persian desert, an amazing and ingenious ancient technology was discovered, known as yakhchāl, which means “ice pit” in Persian. Yakhchāl (Persian: کلکر; yakh meaning “ice” and chāl meaning “pit”) is an ancient type of evaporative cooler. By 400 BC, Persian engineers had mastered the technique of using yakhchāl to create ice in the winter and store it in the summer in the desert
It reveals our ancestors’ sophisticated approach to ice production and dates back to 400 BC. These structures, scattered across Iran, functioned as primitive refrigerators, using a cooling system designed to store ice year-round. The yachts had a distinctive domed shape that housed a huge underground storage area. Constructed of thick, heat-resistant materials, the yachts used an overhead evaporative cooling system.
Working in harmony with the natural climate, cold air enters through the inlets at the base, while the conical design helps expel the remaining heat through the openings at the top. The process of ice production began with shallow lakes filled nightly by freshwater channels. Protected from the sun’s rays by shading walls, the lakes froze during winter nights.
The collected ice was then transferred to a yahchal made of local materials such as adobe, clay, egg white, goat fur, lemon juice and waterproof mortar. These remarkable structures played a vital role in preserving food, drink and possibly cooling the buildings during the hot summer months. Today, 129 yakhchals remain as a historical reminder of ancient Persian ingenuity.
Tournai: a weekend of relaxation and discovery in Belgium
Located in Belgium, Tournai is a town full of charm which offers a multitude of activities for a weekend of relaxation and discovery. Whether you are a history, culture or nature lover, Tournai will seduce you with its exceptional heritage and picturesque landscapes.
The first stop on your visit to Tournai should be the famous Notre-Dame Cathedral. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, this Gothic cathedral is a true architectural masterpiece. Don’t forget to admire its five bell towers, which are the emblematic symbols of the city. Inside, you’ll be amazed by the beautiful stained glass windows and detailed carvings. The cathedral is also known for housing the famous Tournai Treasure, a collection of religious objects dating from the Middle Ages.
After discovering the cathedral, stroll through the picturesque streets of the old town. You will be charmed by the medieval architecture and the half-timbered houses that line the cobbled streets. Don’t miss the Grand-Place, where you can admire the town hall, a magnificent building dating from the 17th century. Take the opportunity to stop at one of the many cafés and restaurants on the square, where you can taste local specialties, such as waffles or mussels and fries.
If you are an art lover, be sure to visit the Tournai Museum of Fine Arts. This museum houses an impressive collection of works of art, ranging from 15th century Flemish painting to contemporary art. There you can admire paintings by great masters such as Rubens, Van Dyck and Bruegel.
After exploring the city, take time to relax and enjoy the surrounding nature. Tournai is surrounded by magnificent landscapes, perfect for walks in nature. The Jardin de la Reine park is an ideal place to relax and recharge your batteries. You can admire French gardens, ponds and a wide variety of trees and plants. If you are a cycling enthusiast, you can also take one of the many cycle paths that cross the region.
If you still have time, don’t miss a visit to the Tournai belfry. This emblematic building of the city offers a panoramic view of Tournai and its surroundings. Don’t hesitate to climb the 257 steps to enjoy a breathtaking view. You can also learn more about the city’s history from the exhibitions inside the Belfry.
In conclusion, a weekend in Tournai is an unforgettable experience. Whether you are a history, culture or nature lover, this Belgian city will seduce you with its exceptional heritage and picturesque landscapes. So don’t wait any longer, plan your getaway to Tournai and let yourself be charmed by this unique destination.
On what would be her 84th birthday this November 26th, we celebrate Tina Turner, the iconic “Queen of Rock.” Born in 1939 as Anna Mae Bullock, she soared to fame with hits like “Proud Mary” and “Nutbush City Limits.” Despite a challenging marriage, she made a triumphant comeback with her 1984 solo album “Private Dancer,” featuring classics such as “What’s Love Got to Do with It.”
Turner’s vibrant performances and roles in films like “Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome” showcased her versatility. Her biopic, “What’s Love Got to Do with It,” further cemented her status as a music and cultural icon. After a successful farewell tour in 2008-2009 and embracing Swiss citizenship in 2013, Turner retired, leaving behind a legacy of over 200 million albums sold and a lasting impact on rock music. Today, we remember her enduring spirit and groundbreaking career.
Most celebrated vocalist in modern music history
Tina Turner is one of the most celebrated vocalists in modern music history. Since first stepping into the spotlight in the late 1950s, her legendary career has spanned over 6 decades and seen the Queen of Rock n’ Roll redefine what it means to be a powerful woman in music. Though she endured incredible hardships early in her career, Tina emerged triumphant as a survivor and pioneering solo artist. Her diverse musical legacy and ability to continually evolve her sound has inspired countless artists in R&B, rock, pop and soul.
Early Days: Discovering Her Voice
Tina Turner was born Anna Mae Bullock in 1939 in Nutbush, Tennessee where her passion for singing took hold at an early age. She grew up singing in her local church choir where she discovered her booming vocal abilities. Inspired by artists like Mahalia Jackson and Bessie Smith, young Tina Turner sang wherever she could around her hometown, absorbing the blues, R&B, gospel and country that permeated the southern musical landscape. Her early singing experiences in the church gave Tina control over her impressive vocal range and laid the foundation for the raw, emotional delivery she would become renowned for.
In the mid 1950s, the teenage Tina attended a rhythm and blues concert by musician Ike Turner and was awestruck by his band’s performance. When the singer never showed up for their gig, Tina jumped onstage to belt out a B.B. King tune that caught Ike’s attention. He was instantly taken with the 16 year old’s commanding stage presence and powerful voice and soon after recruited her to front his band as a background vocalist. After Tina recorded what would become her first commercial vocal on the song “Box Top” in 1958, Ike changed her name to Tina Turner and made her lead singer of his group which later became The Ike & Tina Turner Revue.
The Ike & Tina Turner Revue: Spectacular Highs & Tragic Lows
The newly christened Ike & Tina Turner Revue began touring relentlessly throughout the southern “chitlin circuit” in the late 1950s, gaining notoriety for their electrifying stage performances. Tina’s fiery confidence, sexuality and vocal bombast perfectly complemented Ike’s funky blues arrangements and the duo were gaining a reputation as a must-see live band by 1961.
The Revue finally achieved breakthrough pop chart success in 1962 when Tina’s soulful vocals turned their version of the song “A Fool In Love” into a Grammy-nominated hit and a staple on black radio stations across America. More R&B hits penned by Ike cemented Tina Turner as a star and pushed the Revue’s popularity to new heights throughout the 60s. Tina’s diversity as a vocalist shone through on soulful ballads like “I Idolize You” then on funk-rock tracks like “Bold Soul Sister.”
Tina’s mammoth voice and dazzling stage presence pushed the Revue into the mainstream spotlight when their high-octane version of “Proud Mary” peaked at #4 in 1971 and won the duo their first and only Grammy. They became a sensation touring across the country, even opening for the Rolling Stones in 1969 at the peak of the British band’s fame. Over 20 years, Ike and Tina Turner churned out hit after gritty R&B hit including classics like “River Deep, Mountain High” and “Nutbush City Limits” that still sound as fiery today thanks largely to Tina’s gale-force vocals.
Behind the scenes, however, Tina endured over a decade of horrific abuse at the hands of her husband and musical partner Ike. Though likely unbeknownst to fans enraptured by their immaculate onstage chemistry at the time, Tina endured regular beatings, humiliation and control by Ike who targeted both her and backup singers in his band.
After years of living under Ike’s domineering shadow, Tina Turner finally found the resolve to break free from her toxic musical partnership and marriage. On July 2, 1976, Tina fled with only 36 cents and a gas station credit card, embarking on her second act as a solo artist. When the Revue’s popularity rapidly declined without Tina’s show-stopping presence, it only reinforced that her iconic voice and stage magnetism were the true engines behind their success.
Queen of Rock Tina Turner: Her Triumphant Solo Comeback
After separating from Ike, Tina worked tirelessly to rebuild her musical career from scratch, determined never to be under a man’s control again. Though she struggled through lawsuits and finances, Tina Turner channelled her newfound independence into rebranding her sound. Moving beyond her R&B roots, her distinctive vocals now evoked a resilient woman harnessing the full power of rock’s repetitive rhythms and searing guitar solos in a cathartic fashion.
Tina memorably announced she was back by opening for bands like The Rolling Stones and AC/DC in front of massive crowds. After years out of the spotlight however, music executives remained skeptical that the aging singer could make her own comeback. After one record company dropped her, Tina signed to Capitol Records in 1983, determined to redefine her image through music and companion music videos.
Her solo breakthrough arrived in 1984 with the release of her fifth album, Private Dancer. Bolstered by MTV-ready music videos that dramatized her comeback story, the album spawned endless pop and rock hits globalizing Tina’s unique sound. The assertive female empowerment anthem, “What’s Love Got To Do With It” became Tina’s first and only #1 single and won Record of the Year. “Better Be Good To Me” peaked at #5 while her sultry take on “Let’s Stay Together” cracked the Top 10 a decade after she first recorded the song.
At 45 years old, the Private Dancer album scored Tina 4 Grammys and remains her masterpiece – a seamless fusion of rock guitars and synth pop production with gritty R&B vocals chronicling a resilient woman emerging from life’s wreckage. Almost overnight, her astronomical success turned Tina into an international icon at the forefront of 1980s pop.
Tina rode her hot streak into 1985’s Grammy-nominated album Break Every Rule then found herself in demand from Hollywood, recording movie soundtrack hits like “We Don’t Need Another Hero” from Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome and the James Bond theme song “Goldeneye” in 1995. She filled massive stadium tours with elaborate productions through the late 1990s before executing her final triumphant world tour at 68 years old in 2008.
Over 50 years, Tina Turner’s legendary catalog of music demonstrated rare staying power that reflected her own evolution from R&B starlet to resilient Queen of Rock. Though her iconic vocal abilities were centered around baring pain and vulnerability, Tina’s diverse music radiated empowerment and perseverance that has inspired generations.
Her Monumental Musical Influence
Tina Turner made an indelible impact across the musical landscape starting from her days as Ike’s female foil in the 1960s through her rebirth as rock royalty in the 1980s. Her fiery brand of rhythm & blues laid the groundwork for 60’s soul while her liberating comeback atop MTV-pop epitomized the boundless potential of black female artists.
Early in her career, Tina’s soulful dynamism on tour made her a role model for a generation of young black vocalists including Chaka Khan, Natalie Cole and Whitney Houston who marveled at her resilience against unimaginable adversity. Tina carried herself with a brash confidence that flew in the face of social conventions and inspired bold new artists like Janet Jackson and Beyonce to channel their inner divas.
As she transitioned to rock in her solo work, Tina opened the door for black women to conquer the mainstream music industry on their own terms. She paved the way for successive generations of biracial artists like Mariah Carey, Alicia Keys and Halle Bailey who fused R&B excellence with pop dominance. Even today, artists like Jazmine Sullivan and H.E.R. look to Tina’s silver-lined vocal delivery as they bare their souls against moody production.
Now in her 80s, Tina Turner’s brilliance and influence across the musical spectrum is unimpeachable. Though known for her melancholy love songs, Tina’s career epitomized perseverance that inspired women everywhere. Whether belting out soulful laments from her days with Ike or roaring over pop-synths in the 1980s, her legendary voice conjures a resilient woman overcoming unimaginable adversity – and doing so while setting the standard across multiple genres. Even today, she remains The Queen of Rock n’ Roll.
