South Africa - Page 13

Boko Haram Threatens to Execute South Africans over Xenophobia

Boko Haram, the Islamist terrorist organization, has threatened to kill all South Africans in Nigeria, Niger, Chad and the surrounding region, according to media reports based on a video allegedly released by the group. The threat came as a response to a wave of xenophobic attacks in South Africa, in which ordinary South Africans, primarily blacks, have killed, maimed, abused and expelled other Africans throughout the country, killing seven thus far and displacing thousands.

Boko Haram members poised with guns, ammunition, camouflage, masks

Female Muslim Author Beaten, Sent to Mental Hospital After Praising Rushdie

Zainub Priya Dala, a South African Muslim author and psychologist, was “violently attacked for expressing admiration for Salman Rushdie” the day after praising the author. After countless phoned-in threats to recant, Dala was placed under psychiatric care in which she was “drugged until I could not walk” and advised to adopt a proper Muslim lifestyle.

South African Author ZP Dala

Trevor Noah at ‘Daily Show’: A Long Shot to Succeed

South African comedian Timothy Noah has been named to succeed Jon Stewart as host of The Daily Show on Comedy Central. Noah is talented and funny, and as a fellow native son of South Africa, I wish him well. Unfortunately, Noah is a mismatch for the show. Stewart would be a tough act to follow in any circumstances, but Noah lacks any obvious fluency in American politics or media, and his specialty in racial and ethnic humor suggest that his repertoire will remain limited.

Stewart and Noah (Screenshot / YouTube)

Bomb-Sniffing Elephants? Not So Nutty, Says U.S. Army

Dogs, bees, rats, and even dolphins and sea lions have been used to help sniff out explosives throughout most of the world. Recently, elephants have been added to that list as researchers in South Africa have teamed up with the U.S. Army to train these massive yet gentle mammals help them detect TNT; a common explosive material found in land mines.

bomb-sniffing-elephant-AP