Out of Africa: The minerals that make the world go round

From laptops to cell phones, cars to airplanes, all kinds of everyday products are made using minerals that come from Africa. It’s no exaggeration to say that the world depends on Africa’s natural resources. Those resources are crucial exports for many African countries, and while resource wealth doesn’t always benefit ordinary people, ... More

Quick Tweets: North Korea, Sudan, Congo, Stiglitz…

A quick round-up of the recent tweets I consider interesting sharing with you. Follow the links, articles are all must-read.   @NickKristof (Nicholas Kristof) Best recent books on North Korea are Barbara Demick’s Nothing to Envy, and also the Inpector O mysteries set inside N.K. @sudanreeves (Eric Reeves) Obstructions of humanitarian relief in ... More

Sunday Roundup: Abyei, WOZA, Rwanda, DSK, Cannes

Today is International Day for Biological Diversity. The UN General Assembly expressed ‘its deep concern about the continuing loss of the world’s biological diversity, and reaffirmed the commitment to the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising out of the ... More

Sunday Roundup: Unhappy China, JPMorgan Chase, Jal

It’s about being ‘happy’ or ‘unhappy’. Support of #Ai Weiwei makes #China “unhappy”. Reported by Yahoo News, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said: ‘The Chinese people also feel baffled — why do some people in some countries treat a crime suspect as a hero? […] The Chinese people are ... More

Sunday Roundup: Free Revok, Chernobyl, ATA-SETI…

For once (kind of) I will start with some graffiti news. This may not be the biggest news of the week for most of you but it is for any #Graffiti art fan. ‘Revok, one of Los Angeles’ best known graffiti writers, was arrested as he prepared to board a plane to Ireland at Los Angeles International Airport, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s ... More

Sunday Roundup: Godard, Pi, Revok, Jon Burgerman

Last week I published my first ‘Sunday Roundup’ post, here comes the second one. The selection of news made by the Sama Team for their weekly Friday Digest on the Sama Gazette is always interesting and I would have also selected several of the articles they have chosen like Obama set to appoint America’s first special envoy to Burma, French ... More

Conflict minerals: the bloody Pandora’s Box…

I usually don’t wear jewelry. Diamonds may be a girl’s best friend but they are definitely not mine. So when I heard about blood diamonds years ago, it didn’t come as a big disillusion. In 2007 I posted about Hotel Rwanda, Syriana, Blood Diamond… Not only entertainment. These films are informative movies the general public needs, and ... More

Hotel Rwanda, Syriana, Blood Diamond… Not only entertainment

Reading your comments about my posts: Davis, Flynn, Dietrich… They did it their way, Dr. Strangelove: Or How I Learned The Power Of Satire and Scarface: first and second impact showed your interest into movies addressing real issues. The movies I like the most watching are the ones with strong themes, whether they are political or about social trends, so ... More