Monday Briefing | November 28

Stories to Follow

Amnesty International accuses Nigerian authorities of killing protesters
Nigerian security forces killed 150 peaceful protesters according to a 60-page Amnesty International report released this week. The investigation found “overwhelming evidence” that between August 2015 and August 2016, the Nigerian military had indiscriminately fired into crowds of protesters and embarked in “chilling” mass extrajudicial killings in efforts to crackdown on pro-Biafra protesters. Nigerian authorities deny the report, saying that Amnesty aimed to tarnish the government’s reputation.

Exxonmobil spars with Rockerfellers amidst claims of climate denial
The American oil and gas company, ExxonMobil, is accusing the Rockefeller family of masterminding a conspiracy against its interests. This comes after the Rockefeller Brothers foundation divested its holding in Exxon Mobil earlier this year, and more recently gave a scathing 2-part essay in the New York Review of Books that details ExxonMobil’s funding of climate change denial. David Kaiser, the fifth-generation Rockefeller who penned these essays, noted the “certain historical irony” in the Rockefeller’s criticisms of Exxon Mobil; John D. Rockefeller founded Standard Oil, of which ExxonMobil is its largest direct descendant.

World leaders respond to the death of Castro
World leaders offer mixed sympathies following the death of Fidel Castro, whose chequered reputation has muddied usual political pleasantries. In what was called an “embarrassing episode” Prince Harry took part in observing a minute’s silence in remembrance for the Cuban leader, and the media quickly criticized Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau for a statement following Castro’s death in which he expressed his “deep sorrow” for the loss.

Last Week In JPI

Gay, Palestinian, Israeli: Caught between conflicting identities: “In a delicate, elegant movie, Witzenfeld breaks all stigmas and allows us to peek into a world that we would rarely, if ever, be able to access otherwise. For once, Tel Aviv is not glamorized and gay culture is not oversexualized. The city’s dirty streets, its clubs (The Block, an iconic, underground club located inside of Tel Aviv’s infamous central bus station) and its beaches are, at once, the playground and the warzone of the three protagonists.” Simone Simokeh reviews the movie Oriented in our latest for Insights. Read More.

Happening this week

The North Korean Nuclear Issue: Pivotal Moment in Asian and International Politics? Tuesday, 29 November 2016, 6-8pm | 19 University Place, The Great Room

What does it mean for North Korea to possess nuclear capacity in the conext of continuing Asian security tensions? Please join IRPA for a discussion with Hahn Choong-hee, Ambassador of South Korea to the United Nations. The panel will be focusing on the international community’s challenges related to the North Korea nuclear capability and the perspectives of a nuclear deal. RSVP here.

In your free time

Is it just me, or is Megyn Kelly sort of growing on you? Well, not for everyone, since a bandit of Trump supporters have taken to trashing Kelly’s new book, Settle for More, on its Amazon page by instructing people to leave negative reviews in what publishers HarperCollins are calling an “orchestrated effort”. Doesn’t this make you want to read what all the fuss is about? Find the book- and maybe write your own review- via Amazon here.

This week’s Monday Briefing is brought to you by Prianka Srinivasan.