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Facts, and Opinions: from Ireland’s Rising to the dogs of Costa Rica; a prison rodeo to dissing women

Commentary: Remembering the Pillar, by Brian Brennan A century ago, on April 29, 1916, the Irish Republic ended its brief existence with an unconditional surrender. Though successfully thwarted, it set off a series of events that led to the outbreak of an Irish war of independence between 1919 and 1921. Brian Brennan writes about his experience of Ireland’s independence movement halfway between then, and now.  … read more  Related: The Causes of Ireland’s Rising. By Conor Mulvagh, Explainer … read more The Trump virus goes global, by Jonathan Manthorpe, F&O International Affairs columnist Trumpery – the political disease that is convulsing the United States

AI chills and thrills, climate pledges, a Nazi haven, children’s lit, and a film about a genius: Facts, and Opinions, that matter this week

Reports: China, US, among those pledging to ratify Paris Agreement. By Michelle Nichols & Valerie Volcovici  Report China and the United States, the world’s top producers of greenhouse gas emissions, pledged to formally adopt by the end of the year a Paris deal to slow global warming, raising the prospects of it being enforced much faster than anticipated. The United Nations said 175 states took the first step of signing the deal on April 22, the biggest day one endorsement of a global agreement. Focus on Artificial Intelligence The chilling significance of AlphaGo. By Sheldon Fernandez  Magazine In March, a computer named

Good reads: fresh Facts, and provocative Opinions

KINGS OF THE RANCH. By Brian Brennan   Feature After a historic cattle ranch was added to a major conservation site in the foothills of the Canadian Rockies, the two eccentric brothers who originally owned the ranch were again in the spotlight. Although they saw the property appreciate in value to an estimated $6 million during the 60 years they lived and worked on it, Maurice and Harrold King always gave the outward impression they were barely keeping the wolf from the door. They were squabbling bachelors who disagreed about almost everything yet couldn’t live without one another. Inequality threatens democracy — investors. By Laurie

The back story, to the troubles facing Brazil’s Dilma Rousseff

A Brazilian congressional committee has recommended the impeachment of President Dilma Rousseff. For background on this story and what was recently seen as one of the world’s champion developing economies has plunged into chaos see Jonathan Manthorpe’s column published by F&O on March 17th. Excerpt of the piece, BRICS turning to rubble: The leadership chaos in Brazil and South Africa is a timely reminder for emerging economies that unless they also press ahead with political, administrative, judicial and social reform they are doomed. The presidents of both Brazil and South Africa are clinging to office by their fingernails in the

Fresh facts, and opinions, this week

  Burma’s Aung San Suu Kyi: The Image And The Reality, by Jonathan Manthorpe, F&O International Affairs It has come as a shock to Aung San Suu Kyi’s international groupies and fans that the Burmese freedom icon is not the ethereal Princess in the Tower of their imaginations.  Instead of the pure visionary of a silken and untainted transition from nearly 60 years of military rule to the sunny uplands of inclusive democracy, Suu Kyi is proving herself an assertive and determined knife fighter … read more Panama Papers:  A Conflict of Whistleblowers vs Elites, by Arne Hintz The Panama Papers have brought the powerful

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