South Africa
While you were sleeping: 13 January 2016

Obama's state of the nation address, the Giraffe's ancestor revealed, and Rams to move to LA.
John Updike
WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING |
President Barack Obama sharply rebuked Republican leaders in his state of the union speech. Obama criticised idiotic statements on ISIL and Muslims respectively by both Ted Cruz and Donald Trump. In a final attack on the Orange Menace, Obama lamented whether Americans would “respond to the changes of our time with fear, turning inward as a nation, and turning against each other as a people?”
Two US boats and their crews have been detained by Iran. Ten sailors, nine men and a woman, were placed under Iranian custody after their riverine boats travelling between Kuwait and Bahrain developed technical difficulties. Iran has accused them of “snooping”. That said, Iran’s reasons for detaining anyone are generally shaky as a leaf in autumn.
Since Mexican authorities re-arrested Joaquín ‘El Chapo’ Guzmán, the drug kingpin has been subjected to a host of anti-escape measures. These include reinforcing his cell floor, the posting of extra guards and a constant reshuffling of cells. Thus far El Chapo has been moved no less than eight times. All well and good, but these measures are utterly unprotected from corrupt personnel who may eventually help El Chapo escape a fourth time.
Work by Victorian scientists on the giraffe’s ancestors has been revived thanks to modern technology. With excavated fossils subjected to a barrage of tests and 3D imaging, it now appears as though ‘Sivatherium giganteum’ may well have been the largest ruminant alive. Beyond this, the prehistoric giraffe could prove a missing evolutionary link between giraffe and elephant.
After much paper shuffling, the St. Louis Rams are relocating to Los Angeles. The NFL franchise will move to a new stadium after paying the league a $550 million relocation fee. The San Diego Chargers have an option to join them in LA, but have yet to confirm a move.
FINANCIAL INDICATORS |
Oil=$31.06 Gold=$1,084.50 Platinum=$837.95
R/$=16.47 R/€=17.84 R/£=23.81 $/€=1.08
JSE All Share=48,396.18 DJIA=16,516.22 FTSE 100=5,929.24: Source
IN NUMBERS |
The number of road crashes in South Africa between 1 December 2015 and 11 January 2016.
Today in 1942 saw the first use of the ejection seat. A German pilot flying a Heinkel He-280 jet fighter was the first unfortunate guinea pig.
Fact of the day: London only reached pre-WWII population levels in January 2015. Lest anyone think war’s effects are short-lived.
Weather:
Cape Town: min: 19° max: 27°, cloudy
Durban: min: 21° max: 29°, cloudy
Johannesburg: min: 17° max: 29°, rainy
Kimberley: min: 21° max: 33°, rainy
Nelspruit: min: 15° max: 29°, rainy
Pietermaritzburg: min: 15° max: 30°, rainy
Polokwane: min: 17° max: 29°, rainy
Port Elizabeth: min: 21° max: 30°, cloudy
Pretoria: min: 18° max: 30°, rainy
NOW ON DAILY MAVERICK |
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