Latest News from Daily Maverick
Daily Maverick
12 hours ago
- Climate
- Daily Maverick
I have a picture for you! 25 May-30 May 2025
Want to send us your photos? You need to be a First Thing Subscriber. When you're subscribed and ready, there'll be a link to submit your own pics in the Picture of the Day section. Guidelines: we try to be as inclusive as possible when publishing your fantastic photos. However, if you can, please try orient your camera horizontally ('landscape' format) and please, please, try send us as high resolution a photo as possible. NOTE: We limit our weekly entries to maximum 20. If your picture's not published, please keep sending them in! First Thing's John Stupart is very much a dog person, but we encourage all pictures. Are you an amateur or professional photographer? While we don't have money for your pics, if you have a portfolio link or options for prints, let us know when you submit your pic and we'll do our best to include it. Note: By submitting a photo you acknowledge that you have given us permission to publish them on this site and in this format. You still hold all rights to your work. If you would like to re-use, print, or otherwise use our subscribers' photos, contact us and we'll put you in touch with the original photographers. Sunday evening beach walk. Photographer: Logan Jooste African Harrier-hawk in Hout Bay. Photographer: Rezza Ernest
Daily Maverick
12 hours ago
- Politics
- Daily Maverick
No holding back: Mehdi Hasan – 'Trump Administration is a sh*t show'
In this hard-hitting episode of The Readiness Report, Redi Tlhabi sits down with influential broadcaster, journalist and Zeteo founder Mehdi Hasan for an unflinching conversation on global politics. From the chaos brought by Trump's administration to the genocide in Gaza, Elon Musk's DOGE distractions, and President Ramaphosa's punchlines, no topic is off-limits. In this episode of the Readiness Report, Redi takes a hard look at Elon Musk's comments about South Africa — and the controversy surrounding the government's reported efforts to lure Starlink, Musk's very own telecommunications provider, into the country. She's joined by outspoken activist, academic, and Daily Maverick columnist Khaya Sithole for a sharp, no-holds-barred conversation. 00:53 Drama in the United States 01:21 Elon Musk and Disinformation 02:30 Mehdi Hasan's Take on Trump 03:01 Trump's Impact on America and the World 04:00 Trump's End Game and Erratic Behaviour 06:01 International Reactions to Trump 08:38 Trump's Relationship with Russia 12:05 Trump, Israel, and Middle East Politics 15:50 Escalating Crisis in Gaza 16:21 Ethnic Cleansing and Personal Reflections 17:35 Global Sentiment Shift 20:10 Media's Role and Responsibility 27:14 Free Speech and Political Hypocrisy
Daily Maverick
15 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Maverick
Adam — a raw exploration of masculinity, race and resilience
Adam challenges traditional ideas of manhood through the story of a young man navigating the harsh realities of a strict farm school in South Africa. Drawing from personal experiences and social influences, directors Liyema Speelman and Winford Collings craft a powerful narrative about identity, belonging and breaking free from outdated norms. Liyema Speelman, co-director of the powerful new drama Adam, challenges traditional binaries through the story of a young man confronting the weight of patriarchy and finding healing in its aftermath. More than just a coming-of-age story, Adam offers a raw look at the emotional armour young men are expected to wear, to hide any sort of vulnerability. Fresh out of high school, Adam is trying to define his identity while learning to survive the harsh realities of a rigid farm school. Resilience, he discovers, isn't a choice; it's a lifeline. Directed by Speelman and Winford Collings, the film is part of Showmax's first-time directors slate in partnership with the Joburg Film Festival. The duo began working on Adam in 2023. After its premiere on 4 May, Speelman spoke to Daily Maverick about the inspirations and personal reflections that shaped the film. Adam, played by Marko Voster, is a hot-headed teenager questioning the next steps for his future after finishing high school. Without any warning, Adam is sent to a technical farm school to give him a new sense of direction. As he gets used to his new environment, Adam is forced to leave his 'old identity' behind and 'toughen up'. From the moment Adam arrives at the farm school it's clear that discipline – and abuse – reigns supreme. The institution, founded by the late father of its authoritarian headmaster (played by Dirk Stoltz), is steeped in legacy. But that legacy casts a long shadow that pushes the headmaster into an obsessive drive to live up to his father's image, ultimately leading him towards unravelling. Adam becomes a target of the built-up rage that the headmaster carries. While his schoolmates try to stay out of harm, Adam suffers, often in isolation, and is fearful to speak up. The brutal abuse he endures forces him to confront and redefine what strength and manhood truly mean. Why is this film relevant today? Adam is reminiscent of the popular South African original film, Moffie, directed by Oliver Hermanus, which came out in 2021. Both films explore initiation through the lens of military training, often portrayed as a rite of passage meant to transform boys into men. Adam draws inspiration from the personal experiences of both directors. Speelman reflects on his time growing up in an all-boys school in Port Elizabeth, which he attended from Grade 1. He recalls how slurs and name-calling, often with references to cult cartoon South Park, were a normalised part of daily life. 'If [these] are the only things that you have known, it becomes an afterthought,' he says, 'but soon this afterthought makes you realise that the 'normality' there is slightly incorrect. 'It takes us as filmmakers to kind of mirror [those experiences] and simply create a new path or give new suggestions as to what people should be doing nowadays.' Andrew Tate and the influence of the manosphere Even today, boys and men are often taught, whether subtly or forcefully, that showing emotion is a weakness. At the farm school, Adam's lack of athleticism sets him apart, and he's punished for it. Beyond the film, social media adds to the pressure, with hyper-masculine influencers pushing harmful ideals onto young and often vulnerable minds. Adam challenges this mindset, offering raw, emotional moments that reveal there's real strength in vulnerability. The directors were also inspired by the 1985 film Come and See, directed by Elem Klimlov. The film explores the heavy burden placed on young men sent to the army, expected to carry the weight of saving their country. Adam is their creative way of engaging with and imagining life within that world. Speelman explains that Come and See 'looks at the idea of boys going to war and being excited about the idea of becoming men and then being utterly terrorised, disenchanted and disillusioned by that idea of masculinity. More recently, in March 2025, Adolescence, the Netflix original series, sparked much-needed conversations around hyper-masculinity and male rage. Speaking to Speelman about the series, he points to Andrew Tate, one of the most infamous influencers known for promoting misogynistic content. 'Andrew Tate has become this beacon of fiery strong men, but it's a false archetype, a false god. 'With the rise of Andrew Tate, there's this anger that's fostered within a lot of young men because there's an element where a lot of their identity was grounded on this old idea of what a man is. 'The man essentially is the ketch of the household, he's the breadwinner but when a lot of those ideas are challenged, where now you're not the breadwinner and you feel like you're not needed, you feel left out and I think that's where there's this growing rage that I've been watching is simmering.' Talking about race Race is a subtle but important theme in the film, reflecting the directors' perspectives as men of colour. Through characters like Liam and Davey, the film highlights the experience of a boy of colour in a mostly white farm school. Although Adam isn't a man of colour, his close relationship with Liam, built on shared struggles with harsh punishments, allows the story to explore how race intersects with power and belonging. Dillon Windvogel as Liam. Speelman explains that 'the racial bodies in the film become that bridge within South African society of creating a friendship. But also [help us] truly understand one another to essentially move forward as one union.' Adam may not have visual components as strong as those in Adolescence and Moffie, but its stripped-down aesthetic is a memorable component of the film. It also taps into a deeper sense of stillness, which Speelman says was intentional. His reasoning behind some inert moments in the film is that 'a lot of emotions, especially through cinema, sometimes are rushed through. I think the type of cinema that I gravitate towards is very arthouse. Within that arthouse, you have to sit within the uncomfortability, and that is where the lessons stick a lot more.' Cinematographer Gray Kotze creates an intimate relationship between the viewer and the characters, and with an eye for documentary, he was able to immerse the viewers in Adam's world. DM
Daily Maverick
16 hours ago
- Sport
- Daily Maverick
PSG primed for maiden Champions League title in tight tussle with Inter Milan
Inter Milan are out to stop Paris Saint-Germain from becoming the latest club to win the European Champions League for the first time. This year's European Champions League finalists – Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Inter Milan – stand at opposite ends of the soccer spectrum. While the French side is seeking its first ever Champions League title, the Italians have won it three times. Under their Spanish manager Luis Enrique, PSG exude youthful exuberance. The likes of teenage forward Désiré Doué, João Neves, Bradley Barcola and Willian Pacho have stepped up under the no-nonsense Enrique. This despite their inexperience playing in Europe's premier club competition. Players such as fleet-footed forward Ousmane Dembélé, goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma and Vitinha provide some experience to balance things out. Nevertheless, they are far from being veterans. Inter, by contrast, is a team stacked with battle-hardened and streetsmart soldiers, from their goalkeeper Yann Sommer to midfielders Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Hakan Çalhanoğlu — plus enigmatic forward Marko Arnautović. However, their talisman is undoubtedly Lautaro Martínez. Battle-scarred Inter While PSG's 3-1 semifinal win over Arsenal was not a walkover, Inter head into the final having come out as 7-6 victors during a titanic last-four clash against Barcelona. Inter's frailties were exposed by a relentless Barcelona attack, but so was their fighting spirit. What will inspire some confidence for the Parisians is the fact that since their success over Arsenal, they have continued winning. A week ago, they brushed aside Reims 3-0 to be crowned French Cup champions. They also clinched the 13th French league title of their history. This means PSG are on the brink of an historic treble should they cast aside Inter on Saturday, 31 May 2025, in Munich. Inter, on the other hand, enter the final nursing heartbreak after being pipped to the 2024/25 Serie A league crown by Napoli. Only one point separated the two teams after all matches had been played. 'The league championship that just concluded left us with something to remember,' Inter manager Simone Inzaghi said. 'There is a lot of suffering in myself and in the players, it's pointless denying it.' Not be trifled with The team can numb this pain by clinching their fourth overall Champions League victory in history. The last time the Italian outfit ascended to the summit of European soccer was in 2010 — under Jose Mourinho. That Mourinho side had a similar profile to this Inter, with its unwavering willpower and tenacity. 'It's Inter's second final in three years. They're ready. They've not made too many changes to their side. It's a team that dominates from set pieces. It's up to us to go into the final in the right frame of mind,' said PSG boss Enrique. 'We've grown a lot this season and the players have progressed a lot. The strength of the team is the most important thing. You learn something every day after many years of experience as a coach, and I'm improving all the time with this group.' The Spanish tactician is not in unfamiliar territory. He reached and won the Champions League final as Barcelona manager in 2015. It is the reason he was brought to PSG in the first place. New era After PSG's strategy of reeling in soccer's superstars failed to pay dividends, only delivering one Champions League final (which they lost to Bayern Munich in 2020), there has been a change of philosophy within the club. The enormous egos of influential figures such as Kylian Mbappe and Neymar (who PSG made the two most expensive players in the world) have been replaced by the earlier-mentioned youthful vigour and humility of the current crop. Whereas in the past the authority of PSG managers in the dressing room may have been questioned, Enrique is the clear conductor of this Parisian orchestra. They have one more major performance this season. If they are to succeed where numerous other PSG teams have failed since the 2011 takeover of the club by Qatar Sports Investments, Saturday's match will have to be the most melodic display of what has been a memorable season for them. The mandate is clear. 'Our aim is to make the club an institution respected around the world. If we are going to make that happen, we have to win the Champions League… Any team that wins it is seen differently by everyone else,' PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi has previously said of the club's ambitions. Over the past 25 years, Chelsea and Manchester City became first-time winners of Europe's most coveted piece of silverware. PSG will be looking to become the latest newcomers to this exclusive club. It's what they've worked towards since 2011. DM
Daily Maverick
16 hours ago
- Climate
- Daily Maverick
Flood risk threatens Swiss valley after village destroyed by glacier
A deluge of millions of cubic meters of ice, mud and rock crashed down a mountain on Wednesday, engulfing the village of Blatten, and the few houses that remained later flooded. Its 300 residents had been evacuated earlier in May after part of the mountain behind the Birch Glacier began to crumble. Flooding increased on Thursday as the mound of debris almost 2 km (1.2 miles) across clogged the path of the River Lonza, causing a lake to form amid the wreckage, raising fears that the morass could dislodge and trigger more evacuations. Late on Thursday, local authorities urged residents in Gampel and Steg, villages several kilometres further along the Lonza Valley, to prepare for possible evacuation in case of emergency. The army is standing by with water pumps, diggers and other heavy equipment to provide relief when conditions allow. Rescue teams have been looking for a 64-year-old man missing since the landslide. Local authorities suspended the search on Thursday afternoon, saying the debris mounds were too unstable for now, and warning of further rockfalls. Residents have struggled to absorb the scale of destruction caused by the deluge, an event that scientists suspect is a dramatic example of the impact of climate change in the Alps.
