While you were sleeping: 15 March 2016

Russia withdraws from Syria, global sea levels to rise 1.8m, and Andy Murray out of Indian Wells.

By John Stupart

15 Mar

"Whenever I don’t know whether to fight or not, I fight."

– Emily Murphy

Story of the Day

Analysis: The ringing sound of Pravin’s silence
Silence sometimes speaks louder than words. In our cacophonous democracy, few people choose not to speak when they can speak. Those who stay silent are often the ones powerful enough to do so — think Jacob Zuma when it comes to almost any controversial issue. And think Pravin Gordhan, on Monday, who chose to keep quiet on the subject of whether the Gupta family offered the finance ministry to Mcebisi Jonas last year. But even though Gordhan’s not using words, his message is deafening. By STEPHEN GROOTES.

While you were sleeping

Russia withdraws forces from Syria
Five months after sending military forces into Syria to prop up Bashar al-Assad's leaky regime, President Vladimir Putin has instructed his troops to withdraw. The retreat from one of the world's hottest warzones puts the Syrian leader on what can be strategically termed a 'sticky wicket'.
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North Korea rattles the nuclear sabre
Dear Leader Kim Jong-un has instructed his military leadership to prepare to test a nuclear warhead. Combined with ballistic missile tests, this is all adding to the tension for South Korea and her allies.
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US at risk of rising seas
Climate change-related effects on the United States will see 13 million Americans at risk. By the end of this century, researchers believe sea levels will rise by 1.8 metres. Forgetting about the Americans for a second, this would also see untold numbers of other coastal populations in peril.
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Andy Murray out of Indian Wells
The world number two has been defeated in a shock third round result in the Californian tournament. Murray lost to Argentina's Federico Delbonis 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (7/3). Murray will now resurface at the ATP Miami leg.
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In Numbers

15,080,330

The total number of Lego bricks required to successfully recreate The Lego Movie. You'd also need 183 minifigures.

Facts of the Day

Today in 1892 saw the founding of Liverpool. Manchester United fans have hated this fact ever since.

Fact of the day: Nobody climbed to the top of Mount Everest in 2015. This is the first such instance in 41 years.

Ride along. By murder rate, Cape Town is the ninth most dangerous city in the world. The gangs that terrorise the Cape Flats and surrounds are leading drivers of this violence. In the pilot episode of this new web series, Chronicle's Shaun Swingler takes you behind the scenes into the operations of the Cape Town Metro Police Gang and Drug Task Team to show what it's like to battle gangsterism, crime and drug abuse in one of the most notoriously violent places on earth.

Weather & Financial Data

BFN: min: 18° max: 29°, cloudy
CPT: min: 15° max: 24°, sunny
DBN: min: 21° max: 32°, cloudy
EL: min: 18° max: 30°, sunny
JHB: min: 15° max: 28°, rainy
KIM: min: 20° max: 31°, cloudy
NLP: min: 18° max: 29°, cloudy
PMB: min: 14° max: 32°, sunny
PKN: min: 18° max: 26°, cloudy
PE: min: 19° max: 23°, cloudy
PTA: min: 17° max: 28°, rainy

Oil=$39.30 Gold=$1,242.38 Platinum=$959.78
R/$=15.56 R/€=17.29 R/£=22.30 $/€=1.11
JSE All Share=52,471.72 DJIA=17,194.51 FTSE 100=6,176.00 : Source

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