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Archives for July 2015

Hundreds of Johannesburg families evicted by ‘Red Ants’

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NIGEL BRANKEN, 16/07/2015 /FRANCE24 One of our Observers in Johannesburg has filmed a startling sight: trucks full of chanting men in red shirts, some armed with rifles, taking over a block of residential buildings in central Johannesburg and throwing the contents out onto the street. On Tuesday, these dreaded “Red Ants”, as they are called, brutally carried out a court … [Read more...] about Hundreds of Johannesburg families evicted by ‘Red Ants’

African literature: Caine Prize winner stages small ‘mutiny’ by sharing bounty

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 By Ryan Lenora Brown, 7 JULY 2015, The Christian Science Monitor Zambian writer Namwali Serpell has promised to share her $15,000 winnings with the other finalists as a way to challenge what she calls the divisiveness of an annual prize awarded for African writing.  JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA — Each summer, the announcement of the Caine Prize for African Writing stirs up … [Read more...] about African literature: Caine Prize winner stages small ‘mutiny’ by sharing bounty

WATCH: Merkel’s Awkward Interaction With Tearful Palestinian Girl

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KRISHNADEV CALAMUR, 16 JULY 2015, NPR German Chancellor Angela Merkel's attempt to explain her country's asylum policy to a young Palestinian whose family is close to deportation reduced the girl to tears. The girl, identified in news reports as Reem, tells Merkel in fluent German she wants to go to university. But, she says, her family, who came to Germany four years ago … [Read more...] about WATCH: Merkel’s Awkward Interaction With Tearful Palestinian Girl

Why the Iran Deal Makes Obama’s Critics So Angry

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PETER BEINART, 14 JULY 2015, THE ATLANTIC  The nuclear agreement highlights the limits of American power—something the president’s opponents won’t accept. “Mankind faces a crossroads,” declared Woody Allen. “One path leads to despair and utter hopelessness. The other, to total extinction. Let us pray we have the wisdom to choose correctly.” The point is simple: In life, … [Read more...] about Why the Iran Deal Makes Obama’s Critics So Angry

Do pop stars know they’re patronising Africa?

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BY ADEKEYE ADEBAJO, 13 JULY 2015, BUSINESS DAY (SOUTH AFRICA) THIRTY years ago today, Irish pop star Bob Geldof organised a star-studded concert at London’s Wembley Stadium attended by 72,000 people (another 100,000 fans graced a concert in Philadelphia) to raise funds for Ethiopian famine victims. "Live Aid" reached 1.9-billion people across 150 countries and raised … [Read more...] about Do pop stars know they’re patronising Africa?

How The Iran Nuclear Deal Could Reshape The Middle East

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Greg Myre, JULY 14, 2015, NPR Is it a good deal? President Obama and his detractors are headed for a ferocious debate on this question following the nuclear agreement announced Tuesday in Vienna between Iran and six world powers. The evidence likely will trickle in over an extended period. What's certain is that the narrow and highly technical negotiations on Iran's … [Read more...] about How The Iran Nuclear Deal Could Reshape The Middle East

My Friend Fred

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BY CHRISTIAN CARYL, 14 JULY 2015, Foreign Policy Rwanda's persecution of a key reformer shows what it really thinks about freedom of the press. Rwandan President Paul Kagame has a vision. He believes that he can boost the prosperity of his country by transforming it into a linchpin of Africa’s information economy. In his efforts to attract banks and tech companies, he has … [Read more...] about My Friend Fred

Think Tankers “Often Asked to Manipulate Data,” Claims Expert

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Till Bruckner, policy entrepreneur, 07/14/2015, Huffington Post Professor Donald Abelson has been researching think tanks for over two decades. He has just submitted the manuscript for his latest book, Northern Exposure: Revealing the Canadian Think Tank Landscape, in which he claims that while several Canadian public policy institutes have established international … [Read more...] about Think Tankers “Often Asked to Manipulate Data,” Claims Expert

Iran nuclear deal: What happens next around the world

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By Andrew Hammond, 14 July 2015, Reuters In a dramatic breakthrough, Iran and the P5+1 — the United States, China, Russia, France, United Kingdom and Germany — reached on Tuesday a final, comprehensive deal to curb Tehran’s nuclear program while gradually easing international sanctions. Despite criticism of it, the deal is a major historic landmark that could have profound … [Read more...] about Iran nuclear deal: What happens next around the world