June 2011

Visit the archives.

Months After Tsunami, Japan Admits Three Nuclear Meltdowns and Doubles Estimate of Radiation Leaked

Video Almost three months after the earthquake and tsunami that triggered a nuclear disaster in Japan, new radiation "hot spots" may require the evacuation of more areas further from the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power facility. Japan’s Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency recently admitted for the first time that full nuclear meltdowns occurred at three of the plant’s reactors, and more than doubled its estimate for the amount of radiation that leaked from the plant...

Its Time to Take a Hard-nosed Look at the Problems South African Youth Face

Picture: mikmikko Frank Meintjies - Each year during June the focus turns to youth and the role that youth played in the struggle to end apartheid. This appreciation must advance beyond nostalgia, and should inform a hard-nosed focus on youth to have a more decisive influence on socio-economic development in South Africa.   Youth in South Africa today face many similarities with the youth in the rest of the continent.  While youth increase as a proportion of the population, their socio-economic position worsens....

Poor Energy Policy Undermines Energy Diversity in South Africa

Picture: Chuck Glenn Ashton - In 2010 Anton Bredell, Western Cape Environment Minister, reported that his department had received applications for installation of over 11 000 Megawatts (MW) of wind energy generation capacity. This is more than double the capacity of the controversial Medupi coal fired power station. This could make the Western Cape a net exporter of clean energy. However a number of bureaucratic stumbling blocks have delayed and may halt these mainly privately funded, market-driven initiatives. Instead...

Building an Online Museum of Museums

Video Ever wish you lived in a city that hosted great art museums? Wish no more. A bright young man from Google has invented an online "museum of museums," so anybody with Internet access can explore some of the best museums in the world and view some of the most famous artworks ever produced.  Amit Sood, creator of the Google Art Project, negotiated with 17 museums from nine countries, among them the Tate in Britain and the Museum of Modern Art in New York, to make their artworks...

Freedom for Palestine, the Song by OneWorld

Video A group of international musicians has released a new single by OneWorld, with all proceeds going to UK Charity War on Want for projects in Palestine. The song features Maxi Jazz (Faithless), Dave Randall (Slovo/Faithless), LSK, the Durban Gospel Choir, Jamie Catto (1 Giant Leap) and musicians from around the world. Find the "Disco Nutter Mix" by Yasen Velchev here. Find the "Drum & Bass Mix"  by Dan Birch here.

The Prevention of Scholarship Bill

Picture: eszter Jane Duncan - Christopher McMichael is a PhD candidate in the politics department of Rhodes University. His research investigates the ways in which the international governing body of football, FIFA, used the security arrangements for the 2010 World Cup to cannibalise public funds to the benefit of the Association and its sponsors.  South Africa had to develop complex security plans and invest in state of the art security equipment to meet FIFA requirements, at huge expense to the taxpayer. Policing...