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Weekly Wrap: 28 May

Gordhan's unlikely ally, protests in Ennerdale, and an Aus-shaped hole in Unesco's Climate Change report.
Weekly Wrap: 28 May
Andrea Teagle
By Andrea Teagle
30 May 2016
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"The magician and the politician have much in common: they both have to draw our attention away from what they are really doing."
- Ben Okri 

Weekly Wrap

Unravelling, re-ravelling Spy Tapes 
Amidst a barrage of criticism, NPA head-puppet Shaun Abrahams said that he would apply for leave to appeal last month’s High Court ruling on the so-called Zuma Spy Tapes, which set aside the withdrawal of criminal charges against President Zuma. Delay it might do, but the appeal is a long shot.
Bad Blood
With the rebellious Gauteng ANC tempered, the South African Communist Party (SACP) has piped up as the lone voice singing in discord with the 'defend Zuma' melody. As well as pushing an anti-Gupta campaign, the SACP has also revealed itself as an unlikely ally to Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan, who fended off attacks from COSATU this week. 
Ennerdale protests
Burning tires sent clouds of black smoke over Ennerdale in Gauteng on Thursday morning, marking one more community that feels as if its demands for service delivery are not being heard. On that note, the SABC will no longer broadcast footage of violent protests. 
Anti-nuclear hypocrisy
Seventy-one years after it the city was decimated, a US President walked on Hiroshima soil again. A sombre but unapologetic Obama made the visit in the name of the USA’s (selective) anti-nuclear stance, which is also shared selectively by Japan.
Australia-shaped hole in climate change report
A chapter on the Great Barrier Reef was bleached from a Unesco Climate Report, after the Australian Department of Environment complained that it would hurt tourism. With 93% of the famous reefs bleached, the chances that such an omission would go noticed were about as high.

Video of the week

The Thomas Beale Cipher from Andrew S Allen 

Fact of the Week

Male panda bears sometimes do handstands while marking trees. Territory marking longevity is improved by aiming the pee as high up the tree as possible, says Panda logic.

target="_blank">Watch.

Sporting weekend

Tennis: 2016 French Open. Day 7 and 8: 10.45am both days. 

Super rugby
Saturday:  Blues v Crusaders, 9am; Brumbies v Sunwolves, 11.35am; Stormers v Cheetahs, 2.30pm. Sunday: Rebels v Force, 7.30am.

 

Soccer  
Saturday: Enefa Champions League:final: Real Madrid v Atletico Madrid, 8.30pm. 
Nedbank Cup final: Supersport Utd v Orlando Pirates, 2.30pm. 

Sunday: NFD, secondplay off: Amatuks v Mbombela, 2.45pm.

 

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