South Africa, World
While you were sleeping: 18th January 2017
Obama commutes Manning's sentence, Nigeria accidentally hits refugee camp, and US to donate $500 million to UN Climate Fund.
Wednesday, 18th January 2017
“But I want to be clear. What I am proposing cannot mean membership of the single market.”
Theresa May
STORY OF THE DAY
The Gender Contender: Dlamini-Zuma and Mbete vie to be the woman on top
By RANJENI MUNUSAMY
The ANC national working committee (NWC) has decided there should be no public engagement on the succession issue until after the policy conference in June. As this is the hot topic this year, it is virtually impossible to put the genie back in the bottle. There is massive public interest in who succeeds President Jacob Zuma and a lot at stake for the ANC factions competing for dominance. The declaration by the ANC Women’s League (ANCWL) that they would campaign for Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma to be the first woman president puts her firmly in contention. But the Speaker of the National Assembly, Baleka Mbete, will not let Dlamini-Zuma run on the gender ticket without a fight.
WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING
Obama commutes Chelsea Manning’s sentence
President Barack Obama has commuted WikiLeaks contributor Chelsea Manning’s sentence. Manning, sentenced to 35 years in prison for leaking over 700,000 classified documents, will now be released in May. Her release has been applauded by Julian Assange and Edward Snowden alike, although Assange made no indication of making good on a long-standing promise to hand himself in for extradition if Manning was pardoned.
Nigerian air strike hits refugee camp
A Nigerian Air Force jet has mistakenly hit a refugee camp in Rann, Borno State. Thus far at least 52 have been killed and over 150 injured. Authorities believed the pilot had confused Rann for a Boko Haram camp believed to be nearby. The Nigerian Air Force has an unhealthy reputation for poor accuracy in its operations against Boko Haram.
Gambian assembly approves state of emergency
Gambia’s parliament has approved outgoing president Yahya Jammeh’s introduction of a 90-day state of emergency. Invoked just a day before Jammeh’s presidency was due to end, the desperate move is another last-minute attempt at clinging on to power. Regional power ECOWAS is expected to intervene militarily and quite literally pry Jammeh’s mitts off the presidency.
US to donate $500m to Climate Fund
The Obama Administration announced on Tuesday that it would be contributing $500-million to the United Nations Green Climate Fund. The parting shot was announced by State Department spokesman John Kirby. Given incoming President Donald Trump’s stance of, well, denying climate change, this might be the last contribution by the US to the fund for the next four years.
IN NUMBERS
792,985
The number of signatures on an Australian petition to prevent the rising of beer prices.
FACT OF THE DAY
Today in 1986 saw modern hockey begin in the shape of The Hockey Association in England.
Philadelphia cream cheese originated from New York.
FEATURED ARTICLES
OPINIONISTAS
The scourge of inequality: There can be no peace or freedom while it persists
A column by JAY NAIDOO
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