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While you were sleeping: 11th January 2017

While you were sleeping: 11th January 2017

Obama gives final "yes we did" speech, China sends aircraft carrier to Taiwan Strait, and rhinos use poo like Facebook.

Wednesday, 11th January 2017

“Dontopedalogy is the science of opening your mouth and putting your foot in it, a science which I have practised for a good many years.”
Prince Philip

 
 
Op-Ed: Independence of Western Sahara is an inalienable right

By their own admission, the ANC veterans’ intervention to confront the crisis in their organisation has set them on a “parallel process”. Their societal-wide consultation process and push for a national consultative conference is outside the normal course of party business. Now they want to go even further to try to change the ANC’s process of electing leaders. Considering the vested and factional interests in the leadership contest, and hostility towards the veterans in some quarters, they will face an uphill battle. But if the process is not changed, the ANC will continue powering towards its own destruction. 

 
 
 

WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING

Obama’s farewell speech caps presidency

President Barack Obama delivered his farewell speech last night, emphasising that America was improved in virtually “every measurable way” following his presidency. Speaking in Chicago, Obama’s speech highlighted the ongoing divisiveness of racism while also stressing the importance of national unity going forward.

 

Charleston Church shooter sentenced to death

Dylann Roof, the 22-year-old who shot and killed nine black South Carolina churchgoers, has been sentenced to death. Roof was found guilty of 33 charges by a jury and will be formally sentenced by a federal judge on Wednesday. Roof remained unrepentant throughout the verdict, reiterating that he still felt like he “had to do it”.

 

China’s aircraft carrier enters Taiwan Strait

China’s sole aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, has entered the Taiwan Strait in a clear show of force by Beijing. This move comes straight off the back of Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen’s visit to the United States. Taiwanese F-16 fighter jets are monitoring the vessel.

 

Rhinos use poo like social media: study

A new research report by South African and German scientists has shown that rhinos use their dung to signal gender, age, and sexual availability. Using synthesised equivalent scents throughout Hluhluwe-iMfolozi Park, the researchers were able to “attract territorial males using female heat-signalled scent”. At the very least, rhino poo is possibly less full of shit than half of your daily feed on Facebook.

 
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IN NUMBERS

157

The number of awards Meryl Streep has won as an actor.

 

FACT OF THE DAY

Today in 1879 the Anglo-Zulu War began.

The programming language Python is named after Monty Python.

 

FEATURED ARTICLES

Video – State Capture, Part I: The Rogue Unit

BY DAILY MAVERICK CHRONICLE

 

ICG: South Sudan – Rearranging the Chessboard

BY INTERNATIONAL CRISIS GROUP

 

OPINIONISTAS

Nkola Motata: The hanging-in judge

A column by PIERRE DE VOS

 

ANCYL President Collen Maine, your conduct is alien

A column by RHULANI THEMBI SIWEYA

 
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Weather
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