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☆ Why Racist Violence Keeps Happening - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-29 | by ( Esau Mccaulley | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

Anti-black racism and white supremacy are frequent topics of research in history, law, anthropology, economics, sociology and religion. Racism resides in the mind, the heart, twisted imaginations and long-festering resentments that surge in times of perceived loss of power. Addressing anti-Black violence would require that we take seriously the disease of racism that has infected our Republic since its founding. You can close all the doors and shut the windows, but the truth will seep in through vents and chimneys. Americans must let the truth into the house or it will suffocate itself on the toxic fumes of malice and false memories.

Persons: “, Du Bois, James Baldwin Locations: America, Republic

[1/4] Zimbabwe's President Elect Emmerson Mnangagwa speaks to the media at State House in Harare, August 27, 2023. REUTERS/Philimon Bulawayo Acquire Licensing RightsHARARE, Aug 27 (Reuters) - Zimbabwe's re-elected President Emmerson Mnangagwa suggested on Sunday that those people questioning the results of last week's election, which an opposition leader dismissed as a "gigantic fraud", take their case to court. The election commission said on Saturday that Mnangagwa, 80, had won the election with 52.6% of the vote while the opposition Citizens' Coalition for Change (CCC) leader Nelson Chamisa got 44%. Chamisa, speaking on social media platform X, formerly Twitter, said of the election: "It's a blatant and gigantic fraud." It was unclear whether the opposition would use the courts to dispute the election results, as Zimbabwe's judges have historically sided with the governing party.

Persons: Elect Emmerson Mnangagwa, Emmerson Mnangagwa, Nelson Chamisa, Mnangagwa, Robert Mugabe, Christopher Mutswangwa, ”, Munjodzi Mutandiri, Mkwananzi, Nyasha Chingono, Carien du Plessis, Bhargav Acharya, Nick Macfie, Kirsten Donovan Organizations: State House, REUTERS, Philimon, Rights, Citizens ' Coalition, ZANU, Southern, Liaison, Southern African Development Community, Thomson Locations: Harare, Philimon Bulawayo, Rights HARARE

☆ Here are 2 major themes to watch in the week ahead after Friday's market rally
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-26 | by ( Zev Fima | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +10 min

As August is known to be, it's been a rough month-to-date for all three of those stock market benchmarks so far. This past week, the overall market was oversold, according to Jim Cramer's trusted S & P Oscillator. After Friday's strong finish, we'll see if the market's oversold condition abates as two major themes play out in the week ahead: Earnings from two Club names — Salesforce (CRM) and Broadcom (AVGO) — and key economic reports ahead of September's Fed meeting. Outside of the labor market and inflation, we'll also get a look at the housing market with the pending home sales on Wednesday. As we heard from fellow Club name Palo Alto Networks (PANW) last week, companies are growing more cautious and more closely scrutinizing large sales deals.

Persons: Jerome Powell's, Powell, it's, Jim Cramer's, Friday's, —, It's, we've, we'll, we're, Salesforce, AVGO, We're, Brown, Forman, Campbell Soup, LULU, Jim Cramer, Jim, Angela Weiss Organizations: Nasdaq, Federal, Nvidia, Dow Jones, Broadcom, Fed, Labor, Club, Palo Alto Networks, VMWare, HEICO Corporation, Bank of Montreal, BMO, Bank of Nova, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, HP, PVH Corp, Patterson Companies, Veeva Systems, UBS, Academy Sports, Hormel, Signet Jewelers, Dell Technologies, Jim Cramer's Charitable, CNBC, Traders, New York Stock Exchange, AFP, Getty Locations: Jackson Hole , Wyoming, China, Bank of Nova Scotia, New York City

REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko Acquire Licensing RightsHARARE, Aug 26 (Reuters) - Zimbabwe's elections commission said late on Saturday that incumbent Emmerson Mnangagwa had won this week's presidential election with roughly 53% of the vote, but the opposition and analysts immediately questioned the result. ZANU-PF supporters started singing and cheering at the results centre after the elections commission said Mnangagwa had won. Mnangagwa also narrowly defeated Chamisa at the last presidential election in 2018. The opposition alleges that election was rigged but the constitutional court upheld the result. While the run-up to the election has been largely free from violence, the police routinely ban opposition rallies and arrest opposition supporters using Zimbabwe's tough public order laws.

Persons: Emmerson Mnangagwa's, Siphiwe, Emmerson Mnangagwa, Mnangagwa, Robert Mugabe, Mnangagwa's, Nelson Chamisa, Chamisa, Nicole Beardsworth, ZEC, Nyasha Chingono, Nelson Banya, Carien du Plessis, Bhargav, Alexander Winning, Daniel Wallis Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, ZANU, Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, Citizens ' Coalition, PF, University of, SADC, Thomson Locations: Shurugwi, Midlands Province of Zimbabwe, Rights HARARE, Zimbabwe, Southern, Witwatersrand, Johannesburg

☆ China had almost 2 million excess deaths after the end of ‘zero-Covid,’ U.S. study finds
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-26 | by ( Jennifer Jett | Cheng Cheng | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

There were almost 2 million excess deaths in the two months after China lifted its "zero-Covid" restrictions, a U.S. study found, contradicting official figures from Beijing that have been criticized as too low. Researchers estimate there were 1.87 million excess deaths from all causes among people 30 years and older from December 2022 to January, according to the study from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle published Thursday. "Our study of excess deaths related to the lifting of the zero-Covid policy in China sets an empirically derived benchmark estimate," the researchers wrote. The way the study estimates data is not "scientifically rigorous," but it is nonetheless an "objective" and "beneficial" attempt, Jin added. Jin said the actual data could be a few percentage points lower or higher than the study estimates.

Persons: Fred, Jan, Zhanwei Du, Lauren Ancel Meyers, Jin Dong, Jin Organizations: Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, University of Hong, University of Texas, Baidu Locations: China, U.S, Beijing, Seattle, Tibet, University of Hong Kong, Austin

☆ Haitians shelter in sports center as fresh attacks displace nearly 9,000
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-26 | by ( Jean Loobentz Cesar | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

A man carries an elderly man as they flee their neighbourhood Carrefour Feuilles after gangs took over, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti August 15, 2023. Residents began moving out of the area en masse from Aug. 12, when armed gangs mounted their attacks on the area. Ariel Henry, Haiti's unelected prime minister, called for urgent international security assistance last October. "Even if this foreign force comes, when it leaves we will be in the same situation," said Youseline. Reporting by Jean Loobentz Cesar in Port-au-Prince and Sarah Morland in Mexico City; Editing by Andrea RicciOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Ralph Tedy Erol, Ariel Henry, Henry, Orisca Marie Youseline, Kale, Feuilles, Gedeon Jean, Tropical Storm Franklin, Jean, Jean Loobentz Cesar, Sarah Morland, Andrea Ricci Organizations: Carrefour, REUTERS, Residents, Security, Gymnasium Vincent, Embassy, Lycee Carrefour, Tropical, Monde, Thomson Locations: Carrefour Feuilles, Port, Prince, Haiti, Carrefour, Mexico City

☆ French minister Darmanin warns of risk of Marine Le Pen victory in next election
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes/file photo Acquire Licensing RightsPARIS, Aug 25 (Reuters) - French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin - whom President Nicolas Sarkozy said would be a good future head of state - warned on Friday of the risk that far-right politician Marine Le Pen could win the next presidential election in 2027. Le Pen lost to President Emmanuel Macron in the second round of the 2022 election, echoing an identical outcome in the 2017 vote. "The fact of the matter is that in five years' time, a victory for Madame Le Pen is quite probable," Darmanin told La Voix du Nord, in an interview published in Friday's paper. "If we let a large part of the working class and middle class go over to Marine Le Pen, the professional classes will not support us in the second round. That is what could get Marine Le Pen elected in 2027, not questions on migration," he added.

Persons: Gerald Darmanin, Gonzalo Fuentes, Nicolas Sarkozy, Darmanin, Le Pen, Emmanuel Macron, Madame Le Pen, Bruno Le Maire, Sudip Kar, Gupta, Bertrand Boucey, Ingrid Melander Organizations: Overseas, REUTERS, Rights, RTL, du, Thomson Locations: Paris, France, French

☆ BRICS invites six nations to join developing world bloc
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

A person walks past the Sandton Convention Centre, which will host the upcoming BRICS Summit, in Johannesburg, South Africa August 19, 2023. REUTERS/James Oatway/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsJOHANNESBURG, Aug 24 (Reuters) - Leaders of the BRICS group of developing nations have invited Saudi Arabia, Iran, Ethiopia, Egypt, Argentina and the United Arab Emirates to join, in a move aimed at growing the clout of a bloc that has pledged to champion the "Global South". South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, who is hosting a summit of BRICS leaders, announced on Thursday that the new candidates would be admitted as members on Jan. 1, 2024. And while all BRICS members publicly expressed support for growing the bloc, there were divisions among the leaders over how much and how quickly. More than 40 countries have expressed interest in joining BRICS, say South African officials, and 22 have formally asked to be admitted.

Persons: James Oatway, Cyril Ramaphosa, BRICS, Carien du Plessis, Joe Bavier, Toby Chopra, Emelia Organizations: Sandton, REUTERS, Rights, United, West ., BRICS, Thomson Locations: Johannesburg, South Africa, Rights JOHANNESBURG, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Ethiopia, Egypt, Argentina, United Arab Emirates, Brazil, Russia, India, China, Beijing, Moscow, West

President of China Xi Jinping attends the plenary session during the 2023 BRICS Summit at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg, South Africa on August 23, 2023. GIANLUIGI GUERCIA/Pool via REUTERS Acquire Licensing RightsBEIJING/JOHANNESBURG, Aug 24 (Reuters) - China's leader Xi Jinping told African leaders at a meeting on the sidelines of the BRICS summit on Thursday that China would launch initiatives to support Africa's industrialisation and agricultural modernisation. "China will better harness its resources for cooperation with Africa and initiatives of businesses to support Africa in growing its manufacturing sector and realizing industrialisation and economic diversification," Xi said without providing details. Xi's pledge was made as the BRICS Summit wrapped up, during a meeting with leaders and ministers from the African Union and 11 African countries including Libya, Nigeria, Senegal and Zambia. "In 2009, it issued grants and loans worth $88 billion to support infrastructure projects in Africa.

Persons: China Xi Jinping, GIANLUIGI, Xi Jinping, Xi, Xi's, Wu Peng, Brad Parks, William, William & Mary, Parks, David Monyae, Michael Martina, Carien du Plessis, Rachel Savage, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: REUTERS Acquire, Rights, African Union, U.S, William &, University of Johannesburg's Centre, Thomson Locations: China, Sandton, Johannesburg, South Africa, Rights BEIJING, JOHANNESBURG, Africa, Libya, Nigeria, Senegal, Zambia, Brazil, Russia, India, Egypt, Ethiopia, China Africa, Kenya

☆ BRICS invites six countries including Saudi Arabia, Iran to be new members
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

A person walks past the Sandton Convention Centre, which will host the upcoming BRICS Summit, in Johannesburg, South Africa August 19, 2023. REUTERS/James Oatway/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsJOHANNESBURG, Aug 24 (Reuters) - The BRICS group of nations has decided to invite six countries - Argentina, Egypt, Iran, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates - to become new members of the bloc, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Thursday. The debate over expanding the BRICS bloc, comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, has topped the agenda at a three-day summit in Johannesburg ending on Thursday. While all BRICS members have publicly expressed support for growing the bloc, there were divisions among the leaders over how much and how quickly. Reporting by Bhargav Acharya, Carien du Plessis and Anait Miridzhanian Editing by Alexander WinningOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: James Oatway, Cyril Ramaphosa, Bhargav Acharya, Carien du Plessis, Anait, Alexander Winning Organizations: Sandton, REUTERS, Rights, United Arab, South, Thomson Locations: Johannesburg, South Africa, Rights JOHANNESBURG, Argentina, Egypt, Iran, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Brazil, Russia, India, China

BRICS - whose acronym was originally coined by an economist at Goldman Sachs, currently comprises Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed called the BRICS leaders' decision to invite Ethiopia to join "a great moment". "It shows the determination of BRICS countries for unity and cooperation with the broader developing countries." More than 40 countries have expressed interest in joining BRICS, say South African officials, and 22 have formally asked to be admitted. "The expansion and modernization of BRICS is a message that all institutions in the world need to mould themselves according to changing times," he said.

Persons: Cyril Ramaphosa, Narendra Modi, Sergei Lavrov, Alet Pretorius, Goldman Sachs, BRICS, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Ramaphosa, Lula, globalisation's, Mohammed bin Zayed, Abiy Ahmed, Antonio Guterres, Xi Jinping, Bhargav Acharya, Sergio Goncalves, Ethan Wang, Vladimir Soldatkin, Joe Bavier, Toby Chopra, Emelia Organizations: South, India's, Russia's, REUTERS, United Arab, United, United Arab Emirates, New Development Bank, Ethiopian, United Nations, . Security, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, BRICS, Indian, Thomson Locations: Johannesburg, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Ethiopia, Egypt, Argentina, UAE, JOHANNESBURG, United Arab Emirates, Brazil, Russia, India, China, Ukraine, United States, Beijing, Moscow, United Arab, Lisbon

☆ A mysterious 40,000-year-old hip bone suggests human ancestors and Neanderthals shared a cave — and perhaps a culture
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-24 | by ( Marianne Guenot | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

The bone could mean modern humans shared the cave with Neanderthals. The early human bone was found in a cave at the center of a debate about Neanderthal culture. Maureille is an author of the study about the hip bone, and an archaeologist from the University of Bordeaux. This raises a controversial hypothesis: that modern humans and Neanderthals shared the mysterious Châtelperronien culture, which has long baffled scientists. Research there suggests modern humans shared a cave with Neanderthals and Denisovans about 45,000 years ago.

Persons: Bruno Maureille, Will Oliver, Maureille Organizations: Service, University of Bordeaux, Sci Locations: Wall, Silicon, Arcy, France, London, Europe, Spain, Renne, Siberia

Lula and counterparts Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met for dinner and a mini-retreat on Tuesday evening. China and Russia are keen to expand BRICS to give the bloc more global clout. LEADERS DISCUSS MEMBERSHIP CRITERIAMore than 40 countries have expressed interest in joining BRICS, say South African officials. While no new members are expected to be admitted to BRICS during the summit, leaders are weighing a framework and criteria for joining, details of which could be included in a joint declaration due to be finalised on Wednesday. South African organisers say there will be no discussions however of a common BRICS currency, an idea floated by Brazil as an alternative to dollar-dependence.

Persons: Brazil Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, China Xi, Cyril Ramaphosa, India Narendra Modi, Sergei Lavrov, Vladimir Putin, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Lula, Cyril Ramaphosa of, Xi Jinping, Narendra Modi, Africa's Ramaphosa, Modi, Putin, Plessis, Krishn Kaushik, Joe Bavier, Emelia Sithole Organizations: Russia's, China, Washington, United States, Group, Indian, BRICS, U.S ., Thomson Locations: China, India, Sandton, JOHANNESBURG, Russia, Ukraine, South, Johannesburg, Brazil, United, Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa, BRICS, Argentina, South Africa, Johanneburg, New Delhi

This has in turn meant authorities have urged climbers to delay scaling the mountain, which straddles the French-Italian border, because high temperatures have created dangerous conditions. "The heat wave has also an impact on high mountains, it doesn't stop on the plains," said Nicolas Zickler, commanding officer of a high mountain police rescue team. "The routes have changed, the timing of the season has changed, the weather conditions have changed," she said. "The decrease of the glaciers is worrying," said the president of Mont Blanc guide company Compagnie des Guides de Chamonix, Olivier Greber. Reporting by Cecile Mantovani, Denis Balibouse, Writing by Charlotte Van Campenhout; Editing by Chris ReeseOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Mat Cooper, Daniel Trevena, Les Cosmiques, Denis Balibouse, Nicolas Zickler, Cooper, Mont, Olivier Greber, It's, Cecile Mantovani, Charlotte Van Campenhout, Chris Reese Organizations: REUTERS, Compagnie des Guides de Chamonix, Thomson Locations: Chamonix, France, Blanc, CHAMONIX, Mont Blanc, Australian, Swiss, Blanc's

☆ Stagwell's Mark Penn explains why he's betting on AI, and what brands get wrong about supporting social issues
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-23 | by ( Lauren Johnson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

He said brands often botch supporting social issues because they lack a balanced worldview. Insider spoke with Penn about why he's betting on artificial intelligence, buying experiential marketing shops, and how brands should handle thorny social issues. Big brands like Bud Light and Target have been in the news after backlash for supporting social issues. How should brands handle supporting social issues? I don't think people are spending enough time or thinking about that as the fundamental change.

Persons: Mark Penn's Stagwell, —, Mark Penn's, Hillary Clinton, He's, Stagwell, Penn, Bud, We've, Johnny, latelys, — we'll Organizations: WPP, Publicis, Service, Democrat, Republican

REUTERS/Alet Pretorius Acquire Licensing RightsJOHANNESBURG, Aug 22 (Reuters) - African countries want China to shift its focus from building infrastructure on the continent to local industrialisation, China's top Africa diplomat said on Tuesday at a briefing on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in South Africa. "African integration is already escalating and many African countries (have) asked China to consider (a) shift (of) our focus," Wu Peng, director-general of China's department of African affairs at its foreign ministry, said. China will talk through its plans for African industrialisation with African leaders on Thursday at a special roundtable on the sidelines of the Aug. 22-24 meeting of the BRICS bloc - Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. Between 2000 and 2020, Chinese lenders - mostly state-owned banks - agreed to lend $160 billion to African countries, according to Boston University. He also said that investments by Chinese companies in Africa, especially from small and medium-sized companies, would increase.

Persons: Xi Jinping, Alet Pretorius, Wu Peng, Wu, Xi, Carien du Plessis, Tannur Anders, Emelia Sithole Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Africa Continental Free Trade, Boston University, for, Africa Cooperation, Thomson Locations: Pretoria, South Africa, Rights JOHANNESBURG, China, China's, Africa, Brazil, Russia, India, for China

☆ Opinion | How Hip-Hop Became America’s Poetry
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-22 | by ( John Mcwhorter | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

As a kid in the 1970s, even one attending private schools, I was directed to drive by poetry slowly now and then, but rarely to actually stop and take it in deeply. Today, while vanishingly few people are up for reciting poems such as Joyce Kilmer’s “Trees” or Tennyson’s “The Charge of the Light Brigade,” vast numbers can eagerly and effortlessly recite hip-hop lyrics. But true verse of the kind featured in hip-hop — poetry that does not rely on melody or harmony — centers the word alone. In contrast to the synergy of song and word, verse is an especially heightened form of language alone. Rap is verse poetry, in all of its verbal richness and rhythmic variety, a deft stylization of speech into art.

Persons: ’, doughty, W.E.B, Du Bois, Louis Untermeyer’s, Gioia, Pushkin, “ Oppenheimer, Barbie, Joyce Kilmer’s Organizations: ., America, Light Brigade

☆ How Ron DeSantis Joined the ‘Ruling Class’ — and Turned Against It
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-20 | by ( Nicholas Confessore | More About Nicholas Confessore | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +4 min

In January, Pinellas school district officials yanked Toni Morrison’s classic novel “The Bluest Eye” from high schools after a parent complained about a two-page rape scene. But in counties like Pinellas, his policies and rhetoric have already had what his critics believe is their intended effect. She objected to parts of the syllabus Mr. Robinson had distributed to his class on African-American history, which her son had briefly enrolled in. “I don’t stop my class and ask my white kids, ‘Hey, how are you feeling?’ What kind of teacher would do that?” Mr. Robinson said. In January, someone reported Mr. Robinson for a TikTok mentioning that he had taught students in his Dunedin sociology class about the Black thinker W.E.B.

Persons: DeSantis, yanked Toni Morrison’s, Ruby, ”, Jeffrey Sachs, Diaz, Laura Hine, Renee Chiea —, —, Brandt Robinson, Robinson, Chiea, Nell Irvin Painter, DeSantis’s, Mr, “ It’s, Robinson’s, W.E.B, Du Bois Organizations: Republican, Liberty, Disney, Acadia University, Dunedin High School, Princeton, America, Mr, The Times, Black Locations: Pinellas County, Pinellas, ”, New Orleans, Nova Scotia, Tallahassee ’, Florida, Dunedin

REUTERS/Stephanie Lecocq Acquire Licensing RightsPARIS, Aug 18 (Reuters) - Paris will ban pony rides for children in its public parks from 2025 following a campaign by animal rights activists who argue that the ponies are not well treated. Pony rides have been a popular feature in Paris parks like Champ de Mars, Parc Monceau and Parc du Luxembourg for decades, mostly on the weekends and during school holidays. It just turns ponies into entertainment objects," Paris Animaux Zoopolis (PAZ) activist Amandine Sansivens said. Stephane Michaud, director of AnimaPoney - which operated pony rides in several Paris parks but has now closed half of these - said his ponies work only about 150 days per year. They love the contact with the ponies," said Celine Papouin, whose daughter confidently sat astride a pony in Parc Monceau.

Persons: Paris Animaux Zoopolis, Stephanie Lecocq, Champ de, Zoopolis, PAZ, Amandine Sansivens, Stephane Michaud, Celine Papouin, Geert De Clercq, Jan Harvey Organizations: Paris, REUTERS, Rights, Parc du, Thomson Locations: Paris, France, Monceau, Parc, Parc du Luxembourg, Rambouillet, Parc Monceau

[1/2] China's President Xi Jinping takes his seat at the first closed session of the leaders of the BRICS summit meeting in Johannesburg, South Africa, July 26, 2018. China's interactions with African leaders will follow last month's Russia-Africa summit in St Petersburg, where Russian President Vladimir Putin held court with the 17 African heads of state who attended out of the 54 African countries invited. Chen said Xi and African leaders will draw up a blueprint for cooperation to create jobs and improve livelihoods in Africa. It is not clear yet how many heads of state will attend the Aug. 22-24 BRICS summit, but South African officials said more than 70 had been invited. Between 2000 and 2020, Chinese lenders, mostly state-owned banks, agreed to lend $160 billion to African countries, according to Boston University, and Chinese companies have also invested heavily in mining on the continent.

Persons: Xi Jinping, Gianluigi, Chen Xiaodong, Xi, Cyril Ramaphosa, Vladimir Putin, Chen, Macky Sall, Azali Assoumani, Carien du Plessis, Rachel Savage, Tomasz Janowski Organizations: Rights, Forum for China Africa Cooperation, Union, Boston University, Thomson Locations: Johannesburg, South Africa, Rights PRETORIA, China, Africa, Brazil, Russia, India, South, Pretoria, St Petersburg, Comoros

☆ An Arabic Adaptation of ‘Chicago’ Razzle Dazzles Lebanon
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-18 | by ( Sara Aridi | More About Sara Aridi | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

As the orchestra began vamping for roughly a thousand festivalgoers at a 19th-century palace in a mountainous town in Lebanon, Selma Fehmi — the Velma Kelly character in a new Arabic version of the musical “Chicago” — started to croon lyrics to the tune of “All That Jazz.”But this reimagining of the show’s opening song quickly provided a Lebanese twist: “Hurry, pick me up and let’s take a drive/to a small place hidden in the center of Beirut.”The Arabic adaptation of “Chicago,” the longest-running show currently on Broadway, debuted at the Casino du Liban in May with a sold-out run that extended to five nights. The team returned with three performances in August at an art festival in Beiteddine, a town some 20 miles southeast of Beirut — where this adaptation takes place — and now hopes to take the show abroad, within the Middle East and beyond. Despite dealing with American cultural references and wildly different syntax, translating the musical into Arabic came pretty smoothly, said Roy ElKhouri, the writer, choreographer and director of the adaptation. The context particularly speaks to present-day Beirut, said Anthony Adonis, who adapted the lyrics.

Persons: Selma Fehmi —, Velma Kelly, ” —, Roy ElKhouri, Anthony Adonis Organizations: Broadway, Liban Locations: Lebanon, Beirut, ”, Chicago, Beiteddine, Beirut —

☆ BRICS nations to meet in South Africa seeking to blunt Western dominance
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-17 | by ( Tim Cocks | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

An attendant is stands next to South African, Indian, Russian, Brazilian and Chinese flags during a plenary session of BRICS Summit, in Xiamen, China September 4, 2017. South Africa will host Chinese President Xi Jinping, Brazil's Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the BRICS summit from August 22 to 24. Russia needs friends to counter its diplomatic isolation over Ukraine, and so is keen to bring in new members, as is its most important African ally, South Africa. BRICS nations are keen to project themselves as alternative development partners to the West. Officials in Brazil, China and South Africa said climate change may come up but indicated it wouldn't be a priority.

Persons: Tyrone Siu, S.Africa, Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, Brazil's Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Narendra Modi, Naledi Pandor, BRICS, Breton Woods, disbursing, Laurie Chen, Lisandra, David Stanway, Carien Du Plessis, Alexandra Hudson Organizations: BRICS, REUTERS, Tyrone, Global, Indian, New Development Bank, World Bank, Alexandra Hudson Our, Thomson Locations: Xiamen, China, India, Brazil, JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, Ukraine, . South Africa, United States, Saudi Arabia, Argentina, Egypt, AFRICA, BRICS, Russia, Africa, Beijing, Brasilia, Singapore, Johannesburg

☆ US investor group clinches tax credit deal for $1.5 bln renewable power acquisition
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-16 | by ( Isla Binnie | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Power-generating Siemens 2.37 megawatt (MW) wind turbines are seen at the Ocotillo Wind Energy Facility California, U.S., May 29, 2020. Invenergy said in a statement it agreed to sell tax credits worth $580 million to Bank of America, and put those funds towards buying 14 projects from American Electric Power (AEP.O). It "creates a financeable transferability product that will be used to scale the growth of renewable energy," Fang said. Analysts at investment bank Credit Suisse have estimated the IRA could lead to the generation of tax credits worth $576 billion by 2031. Private equity firm Blackstone has invested around $4 billion in Invenergy.

Persons: Bing Guan, Joe Biden's, Invenergy, Karen Fang, Fang, Blackstone, Isla Binnie, Marguerita Choy Organizations: Energy Facility, REUTERS, Invenergy, Blackstone, Bank of America, American Electric Power, Bank of, International Energy Agency, Credit Suisse, Treasury Department, Internal Revenue, Canada's, Thomson Locations: Energy Facility California, U.S, Invenergy, Canada's Caisse, Quebec

☆ Former Team Sky doctor Freeman banned for four years
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Aug 15 (Reuters) - Former British Cycling and Team Sky chief medical officer Richard Freeman has been banned from all sport for four years, effectively Dec. 21 next year, UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) said on Tuesday. "The decision of the independent tribunal of the National Anti-Doping Panel confirms that Richard Freeman broke the UK Anti-Doping Rules," said UKAD chief executive Jane Rumble. UKAD opened an investigation in 2016 after receiving information of a possible anti-doping violation by individuals linked to Team Sky at the Criterium du Dauphine race in June 2011. Freeman worked for British Cycling and Team Sky during a golden period of success between 2009 and 2017. British Cycling chair Frank Slevin noted the verdict and thanked the NADP for its work.

Persons: Richard Freeman, UKAD, Freeman, Jane Rumble, sachets, Sky, Frank Slevin, Richard Freeman’s, Alan Baldwin, Ed Osmond, Pritha Organizations: British Cycling, Team Sky, Sky, Criterium, Investigators, General Medical Council, Thomson Locations: British, Manchester, Ineos

☆ They Review Movies on TikTok, but Don’t Call Them Critics
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-15 | by ( Reggie Ugwu | More About Reggie Ugwu | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

Unlike film departments at major metropolitan newspapers or national magazines, individuals on MovieTok generally don’t aspire to review every noteworthy film. “A lot of us don’t trust critics,” said Lucious, 31. “They watch movies and are just looking for something to critique,” he said. “Fans watch movies looking for entertainment.”MovieTok creators are not the first in the history of film criticism to rebel against their elders. And movie bloggers in the 2000s charged print critics with indifference or hostility to superhero and fantasy films.

Persons: Joe Aragon, Monse Gutierrez, Bryan Lucious, Seth Mullan, ”, Lucious, “, François Truffaut, Jean, Luc Godard, du Cinéma, Pauline Kael, Bosley Crowther, “ There’s, Mattias Frey, Noël Carrol Organizations: du, New Yorker, The New York Times, City University of London

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