Newsdeck
While you were sleeping: 12 May 2018
Trump interferes with FBI, "USA first" for Arctic talks, and Man U to Europa Finals.
TGIF, 12 May 2017
“On the night of New Year’s Day, I thought of a wonderful New Year’s resolution for the men who run the world: get to know the people who only live in it.”
Martha Gellhorn
STORY OF THE DAY
Generational change: Why South Africa needs to go French on political leadership
By RANJENI MUNUSAMY
President Jacob Zuma’s public explanation for his midnight Cabinet reshuffle is that he wanted to bring younger leaders into government. With Zuma refusing to produce the fake intelligence report he told ANC officials was the real reason he fired Pravin Gordhan and Mcebisi Jonas, it remains to be seen whether infusing young blood in government is a sudden priority or a convenient excuse. The election of 39-year-old Emmanuel Macron as France’s new president broke the trend of crusty seniors leading the global powers. Together with Canada’s Justin Trudeau, Macron could force the world to rethink who leads it. While young leaders are rising in South Africa’s opposition, the ANC is still suffocated by the old guard.
Meddling allegations surface between Trump/Comey
President Donald Trump asked now-fired FBI director James Comey three times whether he was under investigation. It was revealed during an interview on Thursday evening that the world’s most powerful mandarin asked Comey on three occasions whether he was being investigated. The mere questioning itself has raised questions of interference in what is means to be an independent agency. Whether anything can be done, however, remains the operative question.
US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson warned eight nations with people living in the Arctic that he would put “America first” when it came to climate. Aside from the fact that nobody is first when it comes to “winning” climate change, Tillerson’s comments have scuppered the Arctic Council’s meeting in Alaska before it really ever started.
Dutch inventor’s ocean cleaner to go online soon
Boyan Slat’s plastic collector designed to clear up trillions of tonnes of garbage in the ocean looks set to come online in the next 12 months. Originally planned for a 2020 operation, several new breakthroughs in Slat’s design has accelerated his timeline. If you lost your flip flops in the Pacific at any point in your life, odds are Slat’s machine will find them.
Man United inches through to Europa Final
Manchester United has clinched a crucial 1-1 draw against Celta Vigo to proceed to the Europa League final. Winning 2-1 on aggregate, United are set against Ajax in a 24 May final showdown. Manager Jose Mourinho was quoted as saying that “after 14 matches we are in the final. If we win the Europa League I am more than happy. It would be amazing”.
IN NUMBERS
2
The number of kids Nelly sends to college each year.
FACTS OF THE DAY
Today in 1941 the Z3, the world’s first programmable, fully automatic computer is unveiled in Berlin.
Rome’s first
FEATURED ARTICLES
Generational change: Why South Africa needs to go French on political leadership
BY RANJENI MUNUSAMY
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