Facts and Opinions is on a reduced publishing schedule until after Labour Day in September, when our regular columnists and schedule will return. What Comes After Colombia’s Peace Deal?   By Annette Idler  Analysis What will happen after the  Colombian government and the guerrilla group FARC finalized a peace deal, ending the long-running war?  An official end to war with the FARC is only the start of the road to peace. Mudlarks and History on the Thames  By Neal Hall   Photo-essay A torch on his head, Jason Sandy scours the nighttime London foreshores of the Thames river, searching for objects that could offer a glimpse

New York’s Colour Line, Between Black and Blue, by Ruth Hopkins  Magazine  When American police officers shot dead two black men – Anton Sterling and Philando Castile – within 24 hours in the sweltering heat of July, thousands took to the streets to protest against the violence that they say is predominantly aimed at African Americans. Two days later, a sniper killed five police officers, who were guarding a demonstration. His aim? To kills as many white cops as possible. The reciprocal violence exposes a raw inflamed wound, where many hoped there was a scar. Ruth Hopkins reports from New

Where I live, in the Pacific Northwest, aboriginals and many newcomers refer to ourselves as The People of the Salmon. This week, sports fishing was cancelled, alongside closed commercial harvests, on the mighty and mythical Fraser River. Too few wild salmon are returning from the Pacific Ocean to spawn, said the joint Canada/U.S. Pacific Salmon Commission. The waters are nearing historically hot temperatures, and flowing much lower than average. We are all occupied this week by sports in Rio, grotesque politics in the United States, endless wars in the Middle East, and global financial markets in flux. Earth Overshoot Day on Aug. 8 received little attention (see below). Nor

Dump the Olympics, by Tom Regan, Summoning Orenda columnist There comes a time in life when all good things must come to an end. This is certainly true of the “modern” Olympics with one small change – the Olympics are no longer a good thing. South African politics see tectonic shift, by Jonathan Manthorpe, International Affairs columnist South African voters delivered the most stinging rebuke to the party of Nelson Mandela since it led the country out of apartheid a quarter century ago. The messianic reputation of the African National Congress is crumbling under the weight of administrative incompetence and endless corruption