South Africa, World
While you were sleeping: 25th January 2017
Trump brings back pipe deals, Modi invited to the USA, and coral reefs tend to stay damaged once damaged.
Wednesday, 25th January 2017
“Set wide the window. Let me drink the day.”
Edith Wharton
STORY OF THE DAY
Op-Ed: Black Ops, paid Twitter, fake news – a real threat to SA’s democracy
By MARIANNE THAMM
Even with the alleged
WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING
Pipe dreams for Trump’s Tuesday
President Donald Trump resurrected two key oil pipeline deals yesterday. The Dakota and Keystone XL pipeline projects were brought back from the dead. Aimed at transporting oil to key locations in North Dakota and the Gulf from Canada respectively, the deal could legitimately see a lot of hazardous, expensive oil off the back of rail freight and piped underground. Environmentalists and President Barack Obama both disagreed, however.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been invited to the White House “this year”. The Trump administration reiterated the United States’s support and ongoing partnership with India. Although not quite getting the immediate invite – they’re no Israel – the Indian invite will certainly help shore up some uncertainty of just where they stand with the new president.
Damaged coral tends to stay damaged
A new study released today has indicated that corals suffering bleaching and other damage tended to remain damaged long after. The study examined damaged coral reef systems dating as far back as 1994 and compared them to their 2014 versions. Although some coral did grow back, the variety of types and the marine ecosystem they sustained were greatly diminished. Score another one for global warming.
Oscar nods avoid last year’s controversy
Hollywood’s critics appeared hushed at the revealing of the 2017 Oscar nominations. Six African-American actors were nominated, including Viola Davis and Denzel Washington. A fresh panel of voting judges, this time including women and minorities, appeared to allay fears of another #OscarsSoWhite controversy.
PICTURE OF THE DAY
BY EPA/HARISH TYAGI
Indian soldiers sit on camels during the Beating the Retreat ceremony rehearsals in New Delhi, India, 24 January 2017. Beating the Retreat is conducted on 29 January in India, three days after the Republic Day, marking the adoption of the constitution of India and the transition of India from a British colony into a republic on 26 January 1950.
IN NUMBERS
16
The percentage of Lithuanians who are resistant to HIV.
FACTS OF THE DAY
Today in 2011 the first wave of the Egyptian revolution began, chiefly in Cairo and Alexandria.
Popsicles were originally going to be called “Eppsicles” after their inventor Frank Epperson.
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