The film Moffie has started a campaign to bring awareness to homophobia in South Africa. They have a series on YouTube that has various videos of South African gay men recounting their experience with the word, moffie. The men are using this chance to reclaim the word but also acknowledge the pain they received from it. 

The film industry in South Africa is not as extensive as American cinema, but the stories they tell bring attention to the past and present of the country. The appeal of film is not high to South Africans, but the international appeal has made it apparent there is an audience for South Africa’s film industry. Some major films have been filmed in South Africa but were meant for the American audience. If the resources that came to South Africa were used improve the infrastructure of the film industry there, then the audience there would feel more inclined to support. 

Moffie is sparking needed attention to South Africa for the film industry to be taken seriously there. The primary problem that affects the industry is the fact the audience doesn’t feel the need to go to the theaters and watch. If more money in distribution and marketing were put towards the films created in South Africa, then it would have a better chance of reaching the people. Films like Moffie show that South Africa produces undeniable talent. If the proper actions aren’t taken to broaden the exposure of films that are made there, then the film industry will never reach its maximum potential.

“The subject matter did bother me at first,” he says from his home outside Cape Town, where he’s self-isolating under coronavirus lockdown. “It was my mum who actually said to me, ‘Why make another film about white men in apartheid South Africa?’ “

“But the challenge is to find the centre of it that resonates with you completely. And for me, that became not just about the character’s sexuality, but about the shame factor: the fact that under this regime, boys were sort of shamed into becoming a certain kind of man. Because we keep asking the question, especially in South Africa: where does our toxic masculinity come from? When I looked at it that way, when I sort of saw this as an exploration of our past that informs our present, I was more comfortable with it.”

“I know it’s a very triggering film – it had to be,” he admits. “We’ve had an overwhelming range of reactions to the film in South Africa: some from gay men who had been to the army and felt identified and recognised, some from men who don’t necessarily acknowledge the fact that they are still traumatized. One member of the press had a panic attack at a screening. These are common experiences, but they haven’t been widely addressed in South African culture.”

Though the film is set in the whites-only domain of the army, Hermanus doesn’t skimp on depicting anti-black violence: “It was a dangerous choice, I know, to have all of the black characters be physical objects, victimised on the sidelines. But that’s how it was: there’s a white gaze there, and we needed to see that.” He cites inspiration from the 2010 Abdellatif Kechiche historical drama Black Venus – which depicted the white objectification and abuse of black South African performer Saartjie Baartman, to divisive effect.

Hermanus is prepared for pushback on the point of view he’s taken, but doesn’t see South African cinema evolving via kid-glove treatment of its own ugly history. “The challenge in the South African film landscape right now is that it still seems to exist very much within racial boundaries: white money making nostalgia pieces for white people that are devoid of black people, and then you’ve got black filmmakers making romantic comedies and genre films about black lives,” 

The Controversy of the Iran Nuclear Deal
Under the Iran Nuclear deal, Iran is limited to 5,000 IR-1 enrichment machines, down from their original 20,000; the excess machines were to be dismantled and placed under the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) observance. For 15 years, the only enrichment facility allowed is at Natanz. Iran is only allowed to keep 300 kilograms of 3.67% enriched Uranium total in all forms.
All excess enriched Uranium was required to be sold, shipped abroad, or diluted to natural uranium levels. A whole host of other regulatory changes, restrictions, and plans for developing Iran’s nuclear capabilities are also included and can be seen in the table below.

The importance of the Iran nuclear deal is not left out of contemporary US politics; remaining outside of the JCPOA is an important platform in former President Donald Trump’s 2020 campaign, whereas his opponent President Joe Biden has affirmed the US’ reentry into the treaty upon his election.
The US’ reentry into the JCPOA means one thing: Iranian nuclear material refinement will continue. While Remaining outside of the JCPOA the United States can apply sanctions against Iran’s oil and banking sectors to hopefully reduce cashflow available for Iran’s infrastructure development. In Iran, President Hassan Rouhani stated in 2019 that Iran would resume high level enrichment of uranium if the rest of the P5 plus Germany could not protect them from US sanctions.

Russian and Chinese Support
Russian and Chinese influence over the JCPOA deal has allowed Iran to continue their nuclear program. A nuclear deal with Iran without Russia and China would not have been possible, as the two countries have supported Iran for years. China has invested heavily in the country as a part of the Belt and Road Initiative, and Russian arm sales and petroleum/natural gas buyouts have secured a stable income for Iranian energy. Supporting the Iranian economy allows continued enrichment and nuclear study.
Back in the news cycle once again, Iran was rocked by explosion after explosion in the month of July, one of these targeting the famous Natanz nuclear facility. Other explosions occurred at an ammunition dump, a power station in Isfahan, Tondgooyan petrochemical plant, and a gas storage tank complex near Mashad. Of uncertain origin, reports regarding the Natanz explosion from the Iranian government indicate sabotage.
Iran has blamed both Israel and the US, while an independent and unverifiable hacking group calling itself the Homeland Cheetahs has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Is There Historical Precedent?
The Homeland Cheetahs claim to be an Iranian dissident group, and their name is similar to groups linked with the Iranian Revolutionary Guard’s cyber force – Persian Cat and Charming Kitten.
It seems highly unrealistic the Natanz explosion was caused by such a hacking group, as it is unlikely physical damage could be caused through cyber means. In 2010, more than 15 nuclear facilities in Iran were targeted by a virus known as Stuxnet, a continuous replicating virus that targeted the Windows-based Siemens Step7 software utilized by the facilities. In total, more than 984 total uranium enriching centrifuges were destroyed, resulting in the loss of millions of dollars. The virus allowed the hackers to control what ever piece of machinery or system it had infected, and the centrifuges targeted were shaken apart.
Overall, the attack is estimated to have reduced efficiency by 30%. This is a direct example of physical damage resulting from a virus, but the damage was machine related. It is reported the Natanz attack was not machine related, and therefore is likely not the result of a virus or cyber-attack.

More likely, and reported by the Iranian government, is physical sabotage. The Hamshahri newspaper of Tehran wrote on 7 July “"the site is being constantly protected by machine guns and more powerful air defense systems such as the S-300 are stationed at sensitive places and near the borders, so an air strike on the site in Natanz is almost impossible." The Iranian government has so far corroborated the Hamshahri assessment, stating the attack occurred from within, as no exterior shrapnel from any rocket or bomb was recovered at the scene. Iran has so far refused to offer any more comment, preferring to wait for the investigation to be completed.
The New York Times reported the blast to have delayed Iran’s nuclear program for up to another two years, a considerable setback for the nation. The JCPOA comes to term fully in 2030, but several restrictions are reduced in 2025 to the point where Iran can easily recover from this incident. Iran could possibly develop a nuclear weapon within months of the JCPOA ending, and continued support from Russia and China can only work to further Iran improvements.

Is There Historical Precedent?
The Homeland Cheetahs claim to be an Iranian dissident group, and their name is similar to groups linked with the Iranian Revolutionary Guard’s cyber force – Persian Cat and Charming Kitten.
It seems highly unrealistic the Natanz explosion was caused by such a hacking group, as it is unlikely physical damage could be caused through cyber means. In 2010, more than 15 nuclear facilities in Iran were targeted by a virus known as Stuxnet, a continuous replicating virus that targeted the Windows-based Siemens Step7 software utilized by the facilities. In total, more than 984 total uranium enriching centrifuges were destroyed, resulting in the loss of millions of dollars. The virus allowed the hackers to control what ever piece of machinery or system it had infected, and the centrifuges targeted were shaken apart.
Overall, the attack is estimated to have reduced efficiency by 30%. This is a direct example of physical damage resulting from a virus, but the damage was machine related. It is reported the Natanz attack was not machine related, and therefore is likely not the result of a virus or cyber-attack.

1. Going seasonless
Alessandro Michele announced that Gucci would no longer follow the traditional fashion week structure. In a series of diary entries posted on his Instagram called “Notes from the Silence,” the designer wrote that Gucci will reduce its number of shows from five to two with “seasonless” co-ed collections. These changes are in response to the coronavirus pandemic’s impact on the fashion industry and the uncertainty surrounding planning for fashion week events. Michele also expressed that Gucci’s transition was necessary due to the brand’s need to “abandon the worn-out ritual of seasonalities and shows to regain a new cadence.” He argued that fashion as it is now requires “excessive waste, speed, and cost, hindering creativity and also raising major environmental concerns.”

2. Sustainability
On the topic of environmental concerns, Michele’s new collection, “Off the Grid” was the beginning of Gucci’s shift toward sustainability. The website emphasizes “reducing total environmental footprint by 40% by 2025, from a 2015 baseline relative to growth.” Gucci also plans on “decreasing greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2025,” as well as “attaining 100% traceability for raw materials,” and “using 100% renewable energy by the end of 2020.” The company is developing new eco-friendly sourcing solutions, raw materials and processes. Off the Grid comprises of a series of unisex luggage, accessories, footwear and ready-to-wear, and is complemented by a global campaign shot by Harmony Korine. The collection is perhaps Gucci’s most unique as of recent.

3. Transparency
As Gucci and other popular luxury brands make significant changes in their production procedures, they seem to  be taking notes on companies like Everlane. Everlane was one of the first popular clothing brands to build a reputation for supply chain transparency when they were founded in 2010. When you buy a piece of clothing from Everlane, you can check the cost of materials, labor, transport, and duties, and learn about who made it and where it's been. The company's head of apparel, Kimberly Smith who has been with Everlane for five years says she's learned that to be a sustainable company, you must also be a transparent company.

4. Technology
The potential to use augmented reality to create avatars of customers is being talked about a lot in fashion right now. In November 2019, performance artist Marina Abramović presented a new wave mixed reality art experience at the Serpentine Gallery in London. Attendees wore a Magic Leap headset and watched Abramović’s avatar float in and out of sight. The nineteen -minute piece is called “The Life” and was created using volumetric video capture technology. Although this technology is not new, the implementation of avatars into the online sizing experience could be extremely useful.

5. Genderless fashion
Going back to Gucci, the unisex aspect of Off the Grid is really emphasized in its global campaign featuring a cast of city people deciding to live in rustic treehouses, contrasting with the New York sky filled with towering buildings. The campaign stars icons like Jane Fonda, Miyavi, David de Rothschild, Lil Nas X, and King Princess. Off the Grid is appealing to customer who want to be more conscious about their shopping in several ways, not just from an environmental standpoint. Brands are starting to recognize the gender inclusivity that unisex clothes bring, and how it may improve their sales to implement them into their collections.

This also raises the question of genuity, however. Are designer brands like Gucci making ethical changes because they truly care and want to change their company for the better, or because they know it will help their image and most likely bring in more customers. Regardless of what the answers to these questions are, there are what seem to positive changes being made in fashion right now, despite the industry’s current climate. The world is morphing into a place that is almost unrecognizable to a lot of people, and fashion is starting to reflect that. This will be a new chapter for fashion and everyone who is passionate about it.

I believe that one of the key problems posed by Gulf intervention in the African continent is continued economic exploitation of vulnerable countries. For example, the UAE utilizes its immense shipping and maritime capabilities to import various commodities from the continent. Between 2010 and 2015, the UAE imported approximately $5 billion dollars worth of goods from Africa. While the hard currency is surely appreciated by the continent, the commodities they are giving up could have been used to support struggling nations in Africa.
Saudi Arabia, on the other hand, has been investing heavily in agriculture, purchasing approximately 500,000 hectares of Tanzanian land in 2009. Again, I cannot help but feel concerned about agrarian land being taken from a continent that regularly suffers famine.

I fear that rapid investment and growing economic ties with various African countries may also bring the Gulf States into an eventual collision with China which continues to pour unfathomable sums of money into various infrastructure, agricultural, and energy projects across the continent every year.
We must not discount the real possibility that Chinese and Gulf State tensions may become increasingly heightened as both parties vie for dominance of an increasingly exploited Africa. Africa has had a long history of proxy conflicts and further economic combat between powerful states like Saudi Arabia and China may create new security risks and possibly even new conflicts.

The Gulf States have increased security operations in Africa, but once again I fear that this may only bring more conflict to the continent instead of furthering stability. For example, the Gulf States have been actively creating overseas bases on the Horn of Africa to fuel the ongoing war and humanitarian crisis currently unfolding in Yemen. I believe that such actions may work to destabilize the security of Horn countries like Somalia and Djibouti. I also suspect that such security operations may in fact be efforts to increase the diplomatic and reputational standing of Gulf Countries in the eyes of the international community.

Will Todman, an associate fellow at the Middle East program of the CSIS, puts it quite clearly, “The impact of Gulf states’ rivalries in Africa is becoming increasingly damaging, as their zero-sum rivalry has provoked retaliations, which have dangerously destabilized vulnerable parts of Africa, I shudder at the thought of my home continent once again becoming a battleground for various rival states to display their supremacy. We must look for solutions to the continued exploitation of Africa at the hands of foreign powers.

When the border dispute between Eritrea and Ethiopia descended into bloody conflict in 1998, few could have predicted where a peace agreement would be signed some 20 years later. On September 16, 2018, the Eritrean and Ethiopian leaders sat at desks facing one another in the middle of a lavish hall in the Peace Palace in Jeddah. A huge portrait of Abdulaziz, Saudi Arabia’s first king, loomed over them. King Salman bin Abdulaziz sat underneath, with Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman and the secretary general of the United Nations Antonio Guterres on either side. The optics were clear: It was under Saudi sponsorship that decades of conflict ended. The deal would be known as the “Jeddah Peace Agreement.”1
The Jeddah Peace Agreement is the latest example of Arab Gulf states’ increasingly assertive interventions in sub-Saharan Africa. Although the Arabian Peninsula shares historic religious, economic, and linguistic links with parts of sub-Saharan Africa, Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states have rapidly deepened their economic and security ties across the African continent in the last decade, and a growing diplomatic role has followed. Gulf states are seeking to demonstrate their status on the world stage by acting as powerbrokers in African conflicts, and they have also attempted to secure the backing of African states in their own disputes. As they prepare to play a more significant role on the world stage, GCC states have come to view sub-Saharan Africa as a laboratory in which they can test more assertive international interventions.

Although Gulf Arabs have traded with Africans for centuries, the global financial crisis from 2007 to 2008 motivated GCC states to deepen their economic ties with Africa. With economies in the West slowing down, Africa’s fast-growing economies and expanding middle classes became an increasingly attractive prospect for investors across the world. But three other key factors prompted GCC states to turn to Africa. Building economic ties in Africa helped Gulf states capitalize on their geostrategic location, increase their food security, and enhance their reputation as benevolent Muslim actors. Expanding their economic influence in Africa has provided GCC states with their most important source of leverage to advance their security and diplomatic goals.
GCC states have advanced their strategies of economic diversification and reduced reliance on oil by investing in African markets, which became even more critical when oil prices crashed in 2014. The UAE invested an estimated $11 billion in capital in Africa in 2016, overtaking Saudi Arabia to become the largest GCC investor and the second largest in the world after China.2 Gulf companies’ expertise in the energy sector makes them especially attractive to African states seeking to develop their energy industries, and Saudi Arabia recently announced a $10 billion investment in South Africa’s energy sector.3 Meanwhile, Gulf states’ ability to execute large-scale infrastructure projects is also appealing to rapidly-developing African states.

1. Cricket isn’t the only sport that has been played at Lord’s.

While it is recognized as the epicentre of cricket matches, there is actually more than just cricket that is housed at Lord’s. Lord’s houses a tennis court which is open all year round to its members. If non-members want to play tennis at the venue, they have to be “introduced” by a

current member. During the first World War, a baseball game was held at Lord’s to raise funds for the Canadian Widows and Orphans Fund. Several other sports like bowls and archery have been held at Lord’s in the past. Lord’s was also the venue of the London Pre Olympics Field Hockey Tournament in 1967, and was the venue for the 2012 Summer Olympics for the archery competition (taking place in front of the Pavilion).

2. Today’s grounds are not where Lord’s originally was.

Though the current ground celebrated its 200th anniversary back in 2014, this was not its original site. Back in its earliest years, Thomas Lord established three grounds between 1787 and 1814, and these grounds were only one of the original three. Lord’s first original grounds was

where Dorset Square now stands, known as Lord’s Old Ground. His second original grounds, referred to as Lord’s Middle Grounds, operated between 1811 and 1813 before it was abandoned to make way for the construction through its outfield of the Regent’s Canal. Today, the ground can hold over 30,000 spectators, and proposals are still being developed to increase capacity and amenity.

3. Lord’s houses the world’s oldest sporting museum.

Did you know the world-famous cricket ground also operates as a sporting museum? Lord’s is the home of the MCC Museum, which is the oldest sports museum in the world. The museum contains the world’s most celebrated pieces of cricket memorabilia, and has been collecting memorabilia since 1864. There are many iconic pieces that are on display, such as the original Ashes urn, as well as cricket kit used by Victor

Trumper, Jack Hobbs, Don Bradman, Shane Warne, and others. The museum also contains the battered copy of Wisden that helped to sustain E.W. Swanton through his captivity in a Japanese prisoner-of-war camp during the second World War. The museum continues to collect artifacts while commissioning new paintings and photography. They also have recently opened a new exhibition that celebrates and honors the life of Brian Lara, who is known as one of the greatest batsmen of all time.

Baseball may be considered a staple sport for Americans, but the game of cricket actually generates way more cash in sponsorships than Major League Baseball.

The rise of cricket
Cricket has been around for centuries, since the 1500s. With 104 nations as official members of the International Cricket Council, it’s one of the world’s most popular sports.
But cricket is most profitable in India. The Indian Premier League, or IPL, is a relatively new league. It’s only in its eleventh season and has already generated more money from sponsorships than Major League Baseball. According to advertising media company GroupM, the IPL made $1 billion in sponsorship money in 2017. Compare that to the $892 million the MLB made in sponsorships in 2017, according to IEG, a sponsorship evaluation firm.
In 2017, the IPL was valued at $5.3 billion, according to financial advisory firm Duff & Phelps. The IPL saw a 26 percent increase in its

value from 2016, thanks to new broadcasting deals, the value of its title sponsor Vivo, and an increase in brand value for all of the teams, Duff & Phelps said.

A twist on the traditional sport
The sport is rich in tradition, but recent changes have been made to shorten playing time, which has helped boost its commercial success.
Traditional cricket matches known as test matches can go on for days. The longest cricket match lasted 10 days between England and South Africa in 1939.
Leagues like the IPL have adopted a streamlined version of the sport known as Twenty20. These games can , making matches easier to watch, and allows for more matches to be played. Hundreds of millions of viewers are now watching this new version of cricket.

As food security decreases in the upcoming months, more complications will arise, and unrest will spread. Over 20 million individuals  in East Africa are sensitive to food insecurity according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Classified as the most destructive pest in the world, the desert locust swarm is up to 150 million insects per square kilometer dense, and just one swarm can eat the same amount of food 35,000 people can eat in a day.
Last January, the FAO requested 153 million dollars in aid to Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Uganda, Tanzania and Yemen to fund the resources needed to get rid of the locusts. FAO predicted the swarm multiplied close to 400 times by the end of that June.

Oxfam, a global organization working to end the injustice of poverty, works with local organizations in affected areas in north and eastern Kenya. Together, they are tracking the swarms and creating a plan on how to handle deploying aerial and ground pesticides.
Currently afflicted by disastrous floods, Kenyan roads are slowing response times to afflicted areas. The long-term effects of both the locust crisis and the flooding will likely reduce any education and infrastructure progress in the region. Some of the harshest conditions in the world, Kenya is undergoing great change due to both local and international pressure on the government to make improvements throughout the country.

The World Health Organization projects a 5% drop in Africa’s GDP due to the economic standstill brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic and the locust swarm. According to United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, as many as 20 million jobs will be lost.
Desert locusts are usually restricted to the semi-arid and arid deserts of Africa under normal circumstances. Locust numbers decrease because of natural deaths or through migration. This year has had higher levels of moisture in heightening the breeding  conditions for desert locusts.
Intense rains, heat waves, and tropical cyclones have led to more unforeseeable swarms of

locusts, making it troublesome to prevent future outbreaks. Aerial sprays are the best way to combat this infestation, but COVID-19 set back a numerous initiatives to control the insect outbreak.
Even doing their part, NASA applied cameras and satellite data over the region to monitor environmental changes and their causes. This is not the end of Kenya’s fight against locust swarms, but the beginning. With new technology and proper care, Kenya’s path to agricultural success is made ever clearer. The only thing that can be done now is help to alleviate stress caused by food shortage.

As the Coronavirus pandemic exploded across the world earlier this year, another even more conspicuous plague was tearing through East Africa:  locusts. The voracious little beasts are particularly fond of carbohydrates like grains, a staple of subsistence farmers across the continent. Back in January, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) predicted the worst was still to come, and that by June, the size of the swarms could grow by a factor of 500. And now, at the worst time, a second wave of locusts 20 times bigger than the first has descended on the region, thanks to heavy rains late last month, according to the FAO. The swarms have infiltrated Yemen and firmly established themselves across the Persian Gulf, having laid eggs along 560 miles of Iran’s coastline. New swarms are particularly severe in Kenya, Ethiopia, and Somalia.

"The timing is really horrendous, because the farmers are just planting, and the seedlings are just coming up now since it's the beginning of the rainy season," says Keith Cressman, senior locust forecasting officer with the FAO. "And it's right at the same time when you have an increasing number of swarms in Kenya and in Ethiopia. There's already pictures and reports of the seedlings getting hammered by the swarms. So basically that's it for the farmers' crops."
This represents an unprecedented threat to food security and livelihoods,” FAO officials wrote in a brief last week. All this is happening while the region locks down to stave off the coronavirus pandemic, and as travel restrictions mean experts can't get to countries to train people. It’d be hard to imagine a more brutal confluence of factors. 

1. Arjen Robben
Known for his dribbling skills, speed, crossing ability, and accurate left foot long-range shots from the right wing, Arjen Robben is no short of an icon in the Bundesliga. He first came to prominence with Groningen, where he was given the title of player of the year for the 2000-2001 Eredivisie season. After years of transferring between several football clubs, he transferred to Bayern Munich in 2009 for a fee of €25 million.

He scored the winning goal in the 2013 UEFA Champions League Final, further given the name of Squad of the Season. He also appeared in the 2010 FIFA World Cup Final, where the Netherlands lost to Spain. In 2014, Robben was named to the FIFPro World XI and the UEFA Team of the Year and fourth place in the Ballon d’Or. In Germany he won 20 trophies, including 8 Bundesliga titles. Robben was ranked as the fourth-best footballer in the world by The Guardian in 2014.

2. Marco Reus
Marco Reus is another player in the Bundesliga that is not one to be messed with. Reus plays as an attacking midfielder or forward for the Germany national team and Borussia Dortmund, where he also serves as the team’s captain. In 2009, he joined Borussia Mönchengladbach where he had his most successful season in 2012; he scored 18 goals and having 8 assists for the Bundesliga, helping Borussia

Mönchengladbach secure a place in the following season’s UEFA Champions League. At the end of that season, Reus joined his home club Borussia Dortmund and helped the club reach the 2013 UEFA Champions League Final in his first season. With Dortmund, Reus won the DFL-Supercup three times in 2013, 2014, and 2019, as well as the DFB-Pokal in 2017. Reus has also played in UEFA Euro 2012 and the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

3. Manuel Neuer
Regarded as one of the best goalkeepers in the world, Manuel Neuer is one of the Bundesliga’s best. Neuer serves as both goalkeeper and captain for both Bundesliga club Bayern Munich and the Germany national team. He has been described as a “sweeper-keeper” because of his unique playing style and speed when rushing off his line to anticipate opponents. He started his career at Schalke 04 where he won the DFB-Pokal and DFB-Ligapokal. In 2011, he signed up

for Bayern Munich, and has been claiming victories ever since, including seven Bundesliga titles and a UEFA Champions League. He has been awarded the UEFA Goalkeeper of the Year and the IFFHS World’s Best Goalkeeper four times each. He was also selected as Germany’s number one goalkeeper for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. Neur won the 2014 FIFA World Cup with Germany, and the Golden Glove award for being the best goalkeeper in the tournament.

In other times, you might call it the simple infectiousness of football. The Bayern Munich squad have only been back together a few days and, already, any concerns about returning have totally given way to excitement. The players are just loving playing and training as a group again. It’s been the same at title rivals Borussia Dortmund, where “everyone” was desperate to get back.
“You could tell how much we have all looked forward to this moment,” David Alaba said from the Bayern camp this week. “You could feel that in training, everyone was hungry – and looking forward to the first game.”
Those last three words may not have been intentional, but carry so much weight. This weekend’s Bundesliga matches are actually the 26th of the season, of course. Much more importantly, they are also the first of football’s new era, and maybe the first of a long-term new reality.
“The whole world will be watching the Bundesliga,” former Bayern star Owen Hargreaves tells The Independent.

And just as this grand experiment – that really is the only word to use – could go a few ways, there is more than one side to this return.
The first is the most pressing. Everyone in football needs the Bundesliga to safely succeed. Everyone in the game needs this first week to go well. It may be the only way we have football for some time.
One figure involved with Bayern hopefully told The Independent that Angela Merkel “could prove the saviour of football”. The flip side is that any failure could doom the game for some time. A proliferation of positive tests could be a disaster the game struggles to recover from.
“My hope is we can give a concept and strategy to other leagues,” Dortmund sporting director Carsten Cramer says. “But we know if we fail, the problems afterwards will be even bigger than before. There’s relief, but also so much pressure.”

Whether it is your first time going to the City of Lights, or you call it your home, there is no better way to immerse yourself in French culture and the Parisian lifestyle than listening to melodic and catchy French music. Here are five French artists you should add to your “Traveling to France” playlist.

1. Stromae
If you don’t know where to start with exploring French music, there’s no better artist to get started with than Stromae. Although he is technically Belgian, many French people consider him as an essential to French culture. Over the years he has become a household name not just in France, but across Europe and around the world. Half Rwandan and half Belgian, Stromae’s music consists of a mix between hip hop, house, and electronic while

drawing inspiration from African music his parents played from when he was a child. Give “Alors on danse” and “Papaoutai” a listen; you’ll be singing the lyrics nonstop in no time!

2. L’Impératrice
Founded in 2012, L’Impératrice is a pop and disco band consisting of six musicians: Flore Benguigui on vocals, Charles de Boisseguin on keyboard, Tom Daveau on drums, David Gaugué on bass guitar, Hagni Gwon, also on keyboard, and Achille Trocellier on electric guitar. L’Impératrice has been labeled as the cornerstone of French pop music for their unique sound, consisting of a blend of 70s space disco and downtempo 90s synth with a 21st-century twist. If you are looking for the perfect summer-esque music for your Paris trip, add “Vanille Fraise” and “Sonate Pacifique” to your queue.

3. Louane
Best known for being a semi-finalist in the second season of France’s version of The Voice, Louane is not one to be messed with. Her debut album “Chambre 12” has topped charts in France for four weeks since its start, with her song “Avenir” claiming first-place as well. Aside from her music, Louane has made a name for herself in the acting world—she got a role in La Famille Bélier, and she won a César Award for her performance as Paula Bélier in the film. Along with “Avenir,” her other song “Jour 1” has had over 27 million listens on Spotify, which makes her a must-listen in the French music world.

4. Christine and the Queens
If you’re looking for an alternative or R&B sound in the French music world, look no further because Christine and the Queens makes no exception for unique and pleasing artistry. Héloïse Letissier, also known as Christine and the Queens, combines music, performance, and different platforms of art for showcasing her work. She was inspired by drag queens during her trip to London, which allowed her to add the “Queens” part to her stage name. She recently collaborated with American artist Charli XCX, and is heard on her song titled “Gone.” For more synth-esque and experimental pop sounds, listen to “People, I’ve been sad” and “Je disparais dans tes bras.”

5. Angèle
Here we have another Belgian singer to add to our list, but make no mistake; her music has become treasured and loved in French culture. Angèle was one of 2018’s biggest breakout acts in French and Belgian pop, and is the only Belgian singer to beat Stromae’s record for most

weeks at the top of the Belgian singles chart with her single “Tout oublier.”
Angèle has been turning heads in the Francophone music world with her unique and authentic voice. In addition to “Tout oublier,” make a space for “Oui oui non” for your French music playlist.

Nearly 400 years ago, the chief minister to King Louis XIII established l’Académie Française, a council whose aims were to prevent “impurity” from sullying the French language. The Académie operates to this day as a coven of cloak wearers who preside over matters of linguistic importance: A recent decision had them lowering their shields against the scourge of Anglophone terms like “email” and “chicken nuggets.”
France’s stuffiness about its mother tongue is one of the reasons why pop music with English lyrics became standard for the country’s native bands since the dawn of the rock’n’roll era—it represented the rebellious antithesis of traditional chanson française. “For my generation of musicians, this idea emerged that it was old-fashioned to write in French and that you were aligning yourself with the pompous, middle-class

30-something crowd,” says 36-year-old Agnès Gayraud, singer of Parisian minimalist pop act La Féline. “If you sang in French, either you were simple or preachy—totally uncool, basically, nothing to do with the radical possibilities of rock that you imagined when you were a teenager.”
But times have changed, and La Féline are now among those who are rebelling against the rebellion by spearheading the unlikely rehabilitation of French as the language of pop within France. “These days, it’s almost tacky to sing in English,” Gayraud suggests. “It means sacrificing your creative desires for the promise of an international career—which, as we know, only happens for a select few acts, and rarely the most credible ones.”

DOS/DDOS Attacks
Attacks can occur in various ways; Denial of Service (DoS) and Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks can overwhelm any network or system, causing a complete overload and shutdown. The largest DDoS attack ever recorded targeted the popular software developer GitHub in 2019. Almost 1.35 terabytes of traffic per second attacked GitHub at the same time, an unprecedented amount of data requests.
This was achieved by utilizing Memcached servers; Memcached servers are owned by businesses and institutions and sit online without any authentication defense. They can be sent queries and accessed by any IP address. In 2018 attackers used the IP address of GitHub to access these servers, routing all the much larger responses to GitHub. This type of DDoS attack is known as an amplification attack and has become increasingly common due to ease of access. While the damage was mitigated with third-party help, the attack was widely seen as a successful attack, as the traffic was sustained for over 20 minutes.

More commonly, smaller attacks between 50 and 500 gigabits per second are being seen around the world, increasing concerns of how private individuals, corporations, and governments can handle such assaults, especially if they occur at the same level as the GitHub attack. Taking down or increasing encryption on Memcached servers is one way to handle DDoS attempts, but no firm solution has presented itself, as more Memcached servers are being sought everyday by hackers.

Phishing Scams:
Another major cybersecurity threat is phishing, a hostile link usually sent through email, result in sensitive data being stolen. Coupled with malware, a malicious software designed to hold accounts and information hostage on the computers it infects, accounts for 90% of all system data breaches. Phishing scams alone are reported to have targeted 76% of businesses in the last year.

One of the highest profile phishing scams of the last few years targeted the Democratic National Committee (DNC) in 2016. The hacking group known as Fancy Bear utilized fishing links to gain access to private emails and accounts of members of the DNC, exposing some of the DNC’s inner workings and the group Cozy Bear, who had gained access several months before hand. Cozy Bear maintained observation on the DNC and was only detected after the Fancy Bear attack.
Both Cozy Bear and Fancy Bear originate in Russia and are connected to the Russian Security Service. Phishing attacks use a combination of social engineering to trick people into opening links and are hard to defend against. Because the level of effort going into a phishing attack is so low, it is an attractive option for a single individual, and even more powerful for groups.

Future Responses to Cyber Threats:
Few nations acknowledged the use of cyber-attacks to further policy abroad, and most

attacks originate from NGOs. Likely directed by state powers, NGOs who perpetrate attacks seek to protect their own anonymity, creating identification problems. As an extension of the identity crisis, countries who cannot identify their attackers cannot respond. When they do, however, there are usually reprisals. For example, in 2019, cyber-attacks originating from a Hamas building were targeted in an Israeli bombing campaign. The building was destroyed, and Israel claimed a successful operation. This raises the question of what type of response do cyber attacks warrant.
In 2016, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) stated any cyber-attack on one country will trigger a collective military response from the entire alliance. Cyber attacks are also now becoming a common response to military action. In June 2019, Iran downed a US surveillance drone over the Straits of Hormuz. In response, the US targeted key infrastructure in Iran, attacking computer targeting systems for missile and rocket launchers throughout the country.

With cyber attacks by state entities becoming more prevalent, countries are seeking to combine their newfound capabilities with conventional action. One of the most practiced in this regard is Russia. In the 2008 invasion of Georgia, the Russian Federation used a combination of cyber and conventional attacks to knock out Georgia’s information sharing systems, and during the Crimean Conflict, unexplained blackouts occurred through much of Crimea and the Donbass regions. Attributed to Russian NGOs, the blackouts spread discontent throughout Ukraine allowing Russian backed separatists to gain traction in the East.
Cyber-attacks are relatively cheap, with little to no risk for the initiating party, and can have wide ranging effects. With few acknowledged attacks, hundreds more occur each day, and the danger is ever increasing. Not capable of fully replacing a conventional military, cyber attacks and intelligence gathering instead augment them, and increase the effects of a coordinated attack. As seen with the Russian invasion of Georgia and the Crimean Conflict, the combination of both cyber and conventional forces can secure victory. It is likely that exploration of cyber capabilities will continue, but who will be on the receiving end of such attacks?

Moving Online:
In 2020, administrative centers for countries are moving online. To reach each citizen, countries are expanding internet access at an unprecedented level. Some, like Estonia, have opted to go completely online, doing away with physical documents, in-person voting, and even banking activities. While a seemingly ingenious leap into the future, electronic has placed Estonia in danger.
In 2007, Estonia was targeted in a country-wide attack which crippled the country, resulting in riots and general unrest as people could not access vital resources. Most IP addresses targeting Estonia in 2007 pointed to Russia, but the identities of the attackers are unknown. Requests for help from the Russian government in identifying the perpetrators were ignored, and Estonia was left to fend for itself. In the years following the several weeks long attack, Estonia has ramped up their cyber security. Estonia now boasts one of the best cyber security groups in Europe, and fights on the frontlines of cyber warfare, everyday against network attacks.

Responses to growing cyber threats cannot be made in fear. Estonia’s success in curtailing cyber attacks since 2007 grows after each instance, and the country is asserting its cyber control. In response to growing threats, it is likely other countries will begin to band together, creating intelligence and data sharing organizations to bolster defenses, much like the Five Eyes network seen in the intelligence community.

Moving Online:
Positive action, rather than reaction, is required to mitigate destructive cyber activities, and only through action can data be protected. A new age of information sharing is upon us, and threats continue to emerge and grow as development occurs. Secure online presence is essential in the modern era and staying ever vigilant against cyber threats is a must.

While the city would have to compete with Hollywood for the center of the film industry, one scene New York undoubtedly dominates is the theater industry. Broadway is to theater as Hollywood is to film, and it’s thanks to this, that New York has gained the reputation of the home of more “serious” entertainment. Broadway, which some film actors today will still take part in to add a more “sophisticated” aspect to their persona, was responsible for producing giants of film talent such as Orson Welles (Citizen Kane) and Marlon Brando (The Godfather). New York has also played an enormous part in producing talent through its many film schools that call the city home. New York University and Columbia both have top film programs that make New York the dream destination for students hoping to learn the art of film. NYU in particular has become infamous for producing talent.

The school has been responsible for artists from Scorsese and Spike Lee, to Lady Gaga and James Franco. As of 2019, NYU is the college with the most Hollywood stars, producing almost double as many professionals in the industry as any other school (Forbes). Many of these industry giants have also returned to NYU, emphasizing the role of education in filmmaking. Spike Lee continues to play a large role at NYU. Lee started teaching at NYU in 2001, and in 2002, he was appointed Artistic Director of the graduate film program. Lee stresses hands-on experience, and even invited 15 students to be interns on his now Emmy-winning documentary When the Levees Broke. Other actors have followed in his footsteps to give back to the filmmaking community. Franco has notably gone back to NYU to take classes and teach lectures, making NYU all the more attractive to film star hopefuls.

Beyond the school systems, New York is also home to acting studios such as the Stella Adler Studio of Acting, which lays claim to the creation of method acting. Even though New York doesn’t have the large studio lots of the West Coast, the city has become an incubator for creatives and a magnet for artists. Today, the city has become home to smaller production companies such as the very popular A24 (Moonlight, Ex Machina, Lady Bird), as well as renowned film festivals such as NYFF and the Tribeca Film Festival.

New York does not have the constant exposure to the film industry that Los Angeles is known for, nor does it have the overtly aesthetic feel of Paris. Yet, every street is filled with an allure that has intoxicated and inspired countless artists to create. New York’s appeal is a je ne sais quoi that filmmakers have tried to capture, and the result is an extensive list of culturally significant films, all of which add to the romanticism of New York. 

Every part of the city from gritty to posh is captivating in a way that, lets be honest, LA doesn’t really compare to - who needs a production lot when every street of the city is film ready? Think of the infamous car chase under the Bensonhurst train tracks in The French Connection, or the top of the Empire State

Building in An Affair to Remember and Sleepless in Seattle.
How different would the history of film look without Tom Hanks dancing on the piano at FAO Schwarz in Big, the assassination of Don Fanucci on Mulberry Street in The Godfather II, or more recently, Joker dancing on the stairs on Shakespeare Ave in The Bronx? 

New York is not a backdrop or just a location, the city is director, star, and muse. What exactly is so great about New York that keeps the artists flocking is hard to explain, but what they feel has been the subject of many films. So I feel that it’s fitting to end with the beginning of one such film - Manhattan: “He adored New York City. He idolized it all out of proportion - he romanticized it all out of proportion. To him, no matter what the season was, this was still a town that existed in black and white and pulsated to the great tunes of George Gershwin.”