China & Africa, Libya, Dinosaurs

China and Africa

Recently one of the articles I wrote was about China’s influence in Africa. I guess you could call this a continuation of that article.

Trade between China and Africa has increased during the past decade to $120 billion, with China building roads in Addis Ababa, and providing numerous jobs for ethipians. Africa has expressed their appreciation, but many other countries feel that by doing so, China is undermining the efforts of organisations trying to link progress with improvements in government. And just recently, the new headquarters of the African Union (which was financially backed by China) was unveiled. Apparently it is the tallest building in Addis Ababa. The first AU summit is said to take place this Sunday.

That’s it. China’s taking over the world.

Libya

100 days after the bloody death of Libya’s former dictator, Col Gaddafi, Libyan prisoners have come forward, alleging that they have been tortured while in a detention facility in Misrata. The facilitators of the centre (which is controlled by unaccountable militias) were aware that prisoners were being taken away to be tortured, but they were “helpless to stop it”. Apparently incidences like this are widespread in Libya, with extrajudicial executions and the rape of both men and women being among the norm.

The head of Misrata's military council, Ibrahim Beitelmal, denies involvement in any abuses and says his accusers have a hidden agenda.

Sure they do.

Dinosaurs

A nest of dinosaur eggs recently discovered in South Africa is 100 million years older than the previous “oldest site”. Palaeontologists found 10 separate nests, each containing clutches of up to 34 eggs measuring 6-7cm. The fossils are of the Massospondylus (a relative of the long-necked diplodocus). Because of the amount of eggs found, paeleontologists believe that this is the earliest-known case of “colonial nesting”. The fossils were found in a stretch of rock in South Africa’s Golden Gate Highlands National Park and researchers suggest that more nests will be revealed as the weathering of the rock continues.

Most people don’t care about dinosaurs, which I think is a shame because I think dinosaurs are cool. And I particularly find this discovery exciting because it may bring us one step closer to finding out what really happened to the dinosaurs. The whole topic on dinosaurs got me thinking though; do creationists acknowledge the existence of dinosaurs? Or do they try to pass them off as one of “God’s many creations”?

Can’t you just hear the cynicism in that last bit?