Freedom Day is celebrated in South Africa

27 April commemorates the day in 1994 when the first democratic election was held in South Africa. Today, South Africa celebrates Freedom Day to mark the liberation of our country and its people from a long period of colonialism and White minority domination (apartheid).

Apartheid 'officially' began in South Africa in 1948, but colonialism and oppression of the African majority had plagued South Africa since 1652. After decades of resistance, a stalemate between the Liberation Movement and the Apartheid government was reached in 1988.

The ANC, South African Communist Party (SACP), Pan African Congress (PAC) and other organisations were later unbanned on 2 February 1990, and a non-racial constitution was eventually agreed upon and adopted in 1993. On 27 April 1994, the nation finally cast its vote in the first democratic election in the country. The ANC was then voted into power, and Nelson Mandela was inaugurated as the President of South Africa on 10 May.

It is important to note however, that "freedom" should mean emancipation from poverty, unemployment, racism, sexism and other forms of discrimination. We are 15 years into our new democracy and many of these issues are still rife in our country. We are still a long way away from solving many of the legacies of Apartheid and now face new challenges, like the growing inequality among South Africans and political and economic instability in the region caused by a new elite who are interested in pursuing their own interests.

Freedom Day therefore serves as a reminder to us that the guarantee of our freedom requires us to remain permanently vigilant against corruption and the erosion of the values of the Freedom Struggle and to build an active citizenry that will work towards wiping out the legacy of racism, inequality and the promotion of the rights embodied in our constitution.

Source: sahistory.org.za

Captain America: Civil War’s post-credits scenes have been revealed

Image Source: Marvel

Not too long ago, we found out why Marvel decided to cut a post-credit scene from Captain America: Civil War. But don’t plan on hurrying out of the theater once the credits start rolling. Relax, chat with friends, as there’s one more thing coming. Sure, it won’t be Hulk or Bruce Banner in it, but we’ll see at least one of the superheroes appear in the post-credits scenes in this Captain America flick. Spoilers follow below.

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Civil War already premiered in some European countries and will hit theaters in America next week. Meanwhile, Birth Movies Death found out there are quite a few post-credits scenes you should be ready for.

First of all, there’s a mid-credits sequence that’s part of the story and the character arcs that have been playing for critics for more than a month. And then there’s the final sequence where Spider-Man appears, with a message saying “Spider-Man Will Return.”

It’s not clear at this time whether both sequences will play in U.S. theaters. Birth Movies Death says that European viewers only got to see the final scene, a short and to-the-point clip that’s all about Spidey. It’s not supposed to tease Doctor Strange or Thor: Ragnarok, in case you were wondering.

We already know that Spider-Man will have to take sides in Civil War, after seeing two clips showing him in action. But it looks like Marvel has big plans for him, considering the post-credits promo he’s getting.

Source: http://bgr.com

Duterte Details of BPI bank account to be disclosed May 2

MANILA, Philippines – Rodrigo Duterte has instructed his lawyer to have his bank account in the Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) Julia Vargas branch opened in front of Senator Antonio Trillanes IV on Monday, May 2.

He told reporters on Friday, April 29, that he has given instructions to BPI.

“[I told them] to open it on Monday in front of Trillanes and [Atty Sal] Panelo. Allow Panelo to explain first the legal ramifications,” said Duterte.

Salvador "Sal" Panelo is Duterte’s legal counsel. Duterte said he won't join them in BPI on Monday because he will be in Davao City on that day from where is supposed to travel to Zamboanga City for a sortie.

“Be there on Monday para at least malaman exactly how much. Hindi ako makapunta kasi punta akong Davao. Si Sal Panelo will be there because he is my legal counsel,” he said.

Duterte said he still wants Trillanes to execute an affidavit but was not clear if this would be a condition to letting BPI open his bank account on Monday.

“I just want it proper. That’s the procedure. You execute an affidavit, you accuse a person then the person, if he so desires, ipakita. Definitely it’s less than [P211 million],” he said.

As to how much money is in the account, he said it contains “a little lesser” than P211 million. He said he had been told by Panelo not to elaborate on the contents of the account.

But the Davao City mayor said the large sums deposited during his birthday may have come from rich friends of his.

“Regalo nga sa akin. Sila na may nagsabi na nung birthday ko maraming pumasok eh (They are gifts for me. You're the ones saying a lot of money was deposited during my birthday),” he said.

Asked why these sums are not reflected in his 2014 Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Networth (SALN), he said by the time he filed the SALN, he had already spent the amount.

“‘As of’ ‘yun eh. Wala na, ginastos ko na. Nag-happy-happy ako [It says in SALN, 'As of.' It's gone, I spent it. I used it to be happy],” he said.

But he insisted whatever money is in the bank account is not ill-gotten wealth.

“May explanation ako diyan. Hindi naman lahat ng pera namin ninakaw. Saan ko ninakaw? I’ve been mayor for 22 years. Mayroon ba kayong nakitang kaso? Ask anybody in Davao kung nakialam na ako sa transaction,” he said.

(I have an explanation for that. Not all politicians' money is stolen money. Where did I steal? I've been mayor for 22 years. Have you seen any case? Ask anybody in Davao if I was i in any transaction.)

Trillanes, a vice-presidential candidate trailing in pre-election surveys, claims to possess authentic documents proving Duterte has 17 bank accounts in 3 banks through which P2.4 billion worth of transactions were made.

He alleged that Duterte’s joint account with daughter Sara Duterte contained P227 million in 2014 but this amount is not declared in the mayor’s SALN. Duterte dismissed Trillanes' allegations then as "garbage".

Trillanes identified and listed at least 9 transactions involving the mayor's alleged joint account with his daughter, former Davao City mayor Sara Z. Duterte.

The non-declaration of these funds could be grounds for impeachment if Duterte is elected president.

Source: rappler.com

French teacher invented Aubervilliers School attack

A teacher at a French preschool who said he had been stabbed by a man shouting "Islamic State" has admitted he made the story up, prosecutors say.

The teacher said he had been attacked while alone in a classroom in Aubervilliers, a suburb of Paris.

But prosecutors said he had wounded himself with a box cutter and was now being questioned as to why he lied.

France remains on high alert following the terror attacks in Paris on 13 November that left 130 people dead.

The 45-year-old teacher - who has not been named - has been treated in hospital for superficial wounds to his side and neck.

According to his account, a man had attacked him with a box cutter at about 07:10 (06:10 GMT) on Monday and had shouted: "This is for Daesh [Islamic State]. It's a warning".

The incident sparked a manhunt in the northern suburb, as police tried to track down the alleged attacker.

The anti-terrorism branch of the Paris prosecutor's office also opened an investigation for attempted murder in relation to a terrorist act.

Earlier on Monday, Education Minister Najat Vallaud-Belkacem visited the scene and vowed to increase security at French schools.

All classes at the Jean-Perrin preschool were cancelled.

Mayor of Aubervilliers Pascal Beaudet said it was not yet known what had motivated the teacher to lie.

He said the teacher had 20 years' experience and was "appreciated" by parents at the school.

Last month, the Islamic State's French-language magazine Dar-al-Islam recently urged followers to kill teachers in France, describing them as "enemies of Allah" for teaching secularism.

Rachel Schneider, of the French primary school teachers' union SNUipp, said many teachers had been alarmed by the threat.

"We have received many calls from colleagues, who are very worried," she said.

"They don't necessarily think there will be an organised attack, but they fear this message of murderous madness will inspire unstable people to action."

Aubervilliers is in the Seine-Saint-Denis department of the Ile-de-France region.

A Quebec Judge Slammed Canada’s 'Antiquated and Ridiculous’ Marijuana Laws While Handing Down a $1 Fine

A Quebec judge has called out Canada's "ridiculous" marijuana laws, noting that lawyers and others who work in the legal system are probably getting high themselves.

Judge Pierre Chevalier recently handed down a $1 fine to man who was prosecuted for possession of 30 marijuana plants.

Mario Larouche, 46, suffers from pain stemming from a car accident; he was found in possession of the plants illegally after he tried unsuccessfully to get a medical marijuana prescription from his doctor. According to Le Droit, the crown counsel in his case requested he be jailed for 90 days and ordered to pay a $250 fine.

Chevalier dismissed that recommendation and said Larouche was the victim of a system that "does not give people access to a natural medicine that goes back centuries."

Characterizing current marijuana laws as "obsolete," he added that there's little doubt that crown attorneys, defence lawyers and judges are among the 50 percent of Canadians who use weed.

"I think it's time we look much more leniently [at] things that happen."

He also expressed approval of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's plans to legalize weed.

"We've stagnated on this in Canada because, politically, the people were probably not ready for laws to evolve to this level," he said, adding previous politicians have been too afraid of losing votes to change the laws.

Members of Quebec's Liberal government have expressed concern over legalization. Public Security Minister Lise Thériault said public safety needs to be a priority when the new laws roll out.

With taxes, Larouche was fined a grand total of $1.30.