Affirmative action

The city of Johannesburg, South Africa, is to follow the lead of Cape Town and seek alternative power suppliers other than Eskom, the state-run electricity monopoly that has been gutted by overly aggressive affirmative action and mismanagement. Two decades ago, Eskom provided the world’s cheapest power, and was discussing high-tech investments in new technology such as pebble-bed nuclear reactors. The company was considered a candidate for privatization to boost foreign investment. But pushback from South Africa’s trade unions led to that plan being shelved. Moreover, the country’s ruling party, the African National Congress, found it convenient to use state-owned companies like Eskom to offer jobs to local cronies. Eskom and other state-owned enterprises also implemented aggressive affirmative action policies that saw white engineers displaced by black replacements who often could not do the job, forcing companies to hire consultants and foreign workers. Moreover, cities … [Read more...] about Johannesburg to Follow Cape Town, Break from State Power Company

This weekend, the Catholic Church made the news yet again over its views on abortion – this time concerning US House speaker Nancy Pelosi ’s ability to receive the sacrament of communion due to her pro-choice stance. While it’s no secret that the Catholic Church, and other churches, have been long-term vocal opponents of abortion , this move to block a sacrament from a politician is absolutely over the top. Religious organisations that involve themselves in politics in this way should lose their tax exempt status. Religious organisations are already not required to comply with rules that secular spaces must follow. For example, the Catholic Church has been blessed by the government with tax exemptions , as much as $3.5bn in government Covid-19 aid and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) bypassing . The requirements for these benefits are given to them under the condition of their religious organisation status. This status has responsibilities attached to … [Read more...] about If the Catholic Church can’t stay out of politics, it should start paying taxes

"You didn't want to get involved in the Ukraine conflict militarily for obvious reasons," a reporter, addressing President Joe Biden , stated in a press conference in Tokyo on Monday. "Are you willing to get involved militarily to defend Taiwan, if it comes to that?" "Yes," said Biden. "That's the commitment we made," the president explained after the reporter expressed skepticism. "We agree with the 'one-China' policy; we've signed on to it and all the attendant agreements made from there. But the idea that—that it can be taken by force—just taken by force—is just not appropriate. It will dislocate the entire region and be another action similar to what happened in Ukraine. And so, it's a burden that's even stronger." A White House official, speaking anonymously to The Washington Post , then said there was no change in American policy, maintaining that the president had merely repeated a pledge, in the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979, to give Taiwan the military means to … [Read more...] about Biden’s Taiwan policy: overruled by China—and the White House | Opinion

President Joe Biden 's remarks on Monday about the U.S. "commitment" to defend Taiwan militarily if the island is attacked by China appears to represent a more aggressive approach than previous presidents have taken. While Biden said that the U.S. policy of so-called "strategic ambiguity" on Taiwan had not changed, his comments are his strongest warning yet to China that the U.S. would defend Taiwan if it's attacked. Biden may feel emboldened to take a harder line against China following the strategic failures of the Russian invasion of neighboring Ukraine, where Russian forces could not seize the capital city of Kyiv during the first stage of the war and have subsequently fallen back. The president directly linked the issue of a hypothetical Chinese attack on Taiwan to the Russia-Ukraine conflict on Monday as he answered a question about Taiwan's defense. Biden told reporters in Tokyo that China was "already flirting with danger right now by flying so close and all the … [Read more...] about Joe Biden, emboldened by Russia’s failures, gets aggressive toward China

While tank movements, drone strikes, and conventional warfare have been key aspects of Ukraine's war against a Russian invasion, the online battle against disinformation and propaganda has been a hallmark of what many consider the first war of the digital age. Mike Madrid and Ron Steslow, known stateside as co-founders of the influential Lincoln Project, which they exited before it was hit by allegations and infighting, are among those who see the Ukraine-Russia war as part of a broader struggle between democracy and authoritarian forces. That's why the two men planned an under-the-radar 10-day trip to Ukraine in the beginning of May, aided by a Russian information specialist, to meet with three officials in Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky 's administration to discuss the work they've done and how they can be of help. "We believe there needs to be a global coalition of activists engaged in the fight for democracy," Madrid, now back in California, told Newsweek. He … [Read more...] about Ukraine May Use Lincoln Project’s Anti-Trump Tactics Against Putin

Thomas Markle is sharing a YouTube channel with a press photographer who checked out the house next door to Meghan Markle 's mother—even after his own past run-ins with the paparazzi. Karl Larsen took a widely circulated set of photographs of Meghan and Prince Harry at the polo on Saturday. He also runs a critical YouTube channel about the Duke and Duchess of Sussex with his co-host—Meghan's father Thomas Markle. And Larsen visited the house next door to Meghan's mother Doria when it was up for sale, touring the backyard where he suggested he could hear children playing . Larsen told Newsweek he did not intend to suggest the children were the Sussex children, Archie and Lilibet Mountbatten-Windsor, and was only joking. However, the saga has echoes of Thomas Markle's own experiences with the paparazzi in the run-up to Meghan and Harry's royal wedding in 2018. The Duchess of Sussex told Oprah Winfrey in her March 2021 tell-all: "They moved into the apartment next … [Read more...] about Thomas Markle now hosting show with photographer who targets Meghan, Doria

The deliberately vague U.S. position on its willingness to defend Taiwan isn't gone, Joe Biden told reporters on Tuesday, 24 hours after pledging a military intervention if the democratic island were to be attacked by China. The president answered "no" when asked in Tokyo whether his calmly spoken commitment to defend Taiwan had broken the policy known as "strategic ambiguity," which for more than 40 years has seen past presidents and officials purposely skate around the question of possibly deploying American forces to the Taiwan Strait. "The policy has not changed at all. I stated that when I made my statement yesterday," Biden said, according to reporters covering the final day of the first Asia tour of his presidency. The policy Biden referenced on Monday was the U.S.'s "one China" policy , which recognizes the legitimacy of the Chinese government in Beijing, but acknowledges—rather than recognizes or accepts—the position that Taiwan is part of China . Among the … [Read more...] about Joe Biden says no change in U.S. ambiguity on Taiwan defense

A video showing a girlfriend's "petty" reaction to her boyfriend not doing any chores at home has gained viral attention online. Shared on TikTok on Thursday, the video—that has now received over 5 million views—was posted by couple Sarah and Bobby who use the handle sarahandbob241. In the video, Bobby says: "I appreciate I don't do any chores in the house, and this has been acknowledged in the past, but I feel like this is a message because she's made her side of the bed and left my side." Throughout the now-viral video, the text overlay reads: "When your girlfriend is working at pettiness level 100." Showing a beautifully made half of the bed and another that is still un-made, the video has left viewers in stitches. One viewer wrote: "I need to start doing this," while another said: "She's got a point. Not going to lie, I've done the same thing." In a 2022 paper, University of Utah associate professor Daniel Carlson analyzed surveys from the 1990s and early 2000s to break … [Read more...] about Man shares girlfriend’s tactic to make him do chores: “Pettiness level 100”

Rivian said last week that it has partnered with environmental advocacy group Tread Lightly! to advance stewardship education for electric vehicle (EV) offroaders. The company says that as more of its products reach customers - and the trails - it will be important to understand that stewardship and conservation go further than their vehicle choices. To realize this goal, Rivian is putting together a team of educators called Master Tread Trainers who will keep drivers and the wider community informed about Tread Lightly!'s T.R.E.A.D principles for off-roading. Those principles encompass traveling responsibly through designated areas, respecting the rights and property of others, educating yourself on the area and applicable regulations, avoiding sensitive areas and making sure to model appropriate behavior. For Matt Caldwell, director of the stewardship group, the name of the game is getting everyone on the same page about who's responsible for public lands. He told … [Read more...] about Rivian partners with environmental group to protect the trails it tackles.

Thor: Love and Thunder has released a new trailer that gives Marvel fans their first glimpse of new villain Gorr the God Butcher, played by Oscar-winner Christian Bale. The Thor 4 trailer reveals Gorr as a villain with ashy grey skin, a scarred face and white robes. Perhaps the gods made fun of the character's monochrome pallor as a kid, because now he is known as the God Butcher—pretty bad news for the MCU 's favorite god, Thor (played by Chris Hemsworth). Gorr the God Butcher is a relatively recent addition to the Thor comics, but has made an impact in his first decade. Selecting Bale as the character continues the tradition of casting Oscar-winning actors to play Thor bad guys, following Cate Blanchett's turn in Ragnarok . Here's what we know about Gorr the God Butcher from the comics, and what the makers of the movie have said about their version of the character. Who is Gorr the God Butcher? In the comics, there is a dark existential question at the … [Read more...] about Who’s the villain in “Thor: Love and Thunder”? Meet Christian Bale’s Gorr