South Africa, World
While you were sleeping: TGIF 5 May 2017
House votes to repeal Obamacare, Boko Haram leader hale and hearty, and USA-Australian ties mended.
TGIF. 5 May 2017
“Shoelaces are the
Jimmy Breslin
STORY OF THE DAY
Surviving against all odds – and court judgments: How Jacob Zuma does it
By RANJENI MUNUSAMY
President Jacob Zuma suffered yet another blow on Thursday when he was ordered by the North Gauteng High Court to provide reasons for his firing of Pravin Gordhan and Mcebisi Jonas from the Cabinet – and pay the costs of the application. You would think that these numerous losses in the courts, as well as being booed, mass protests and mounting calls to step down, would eventually break the President’s obstinacy. But Zuma remains impervious. “I am not leaving the office right now,” he casually told journalists at the World Economic Forum in Durban this week. Zuma’s resilience is related to how the ANC failed to hold him accountable and his ability to manipulate and manoeuvre behind the scenes.
The House voted to repeal Obamacare by a single extra vote. President Donald Trump lauded the victory, but now faces an uphill battle overcoming tougher political foes in the Senate. The House was meant to be the easy part. Now, four months since taking office, it appears as though Obamacare’s legislative walls have begun to crack.
Boko Haram leader claims no injury
Despite two airstrikes and Nigerian military claims of injuring Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau, the leader has published a new video insisting on fine health. Appearing in a seated position flanked by two armed men, Shekau professed ignorance at the knowledge of an attack or the deaths of any of his militants.
Iceland tunnels into volcano to harness energy
“Thor”, a drilling rig place on top of a volcano, has drilled 4,7km down into a volcano in order to harness thermal energy in Iceland. If successful, the drilling will yield 10 times more electricity than currently generated through coal and oil. If unsuccessful, the Icelandic drilling could unearth eldritch gods from a nether world, buried deep inside Iceland’s
Freshly-invigorated after chipping away at Obamacare, President Donald Trump met with
IN NUMBERS
224
The number of words in a palindrome poem about alcoholism by Demetri Martin.
FACTS OF THE DAY
Today in 1981 IRA stalwart Bobby Sands died after 66 days hunger-striking.
Glasnost’s reforms unveiled so many cover ups in the Soviet Union that all history exams were cancelled in 1988.
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OPINIONISTAS
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