Maree and Graydon

Trump cancels trade talks with Canada over anti-tariffs advert The US president says he is axing negotiations over an advert that used Ronald Reagan speaking negatively about tariffs.

www.bbc.com/news/article...

Another Trump Tariff Tantrum from the thin-skinned Toddler-in-Chief. What was that about the art of the deal?

Lovely spot for a morning tea/coffee break on this morning's game drive, overlooking a small marshy lagoon in South Luangwa, after a great lion encounter (photos to follow).

Lovely morning of game driving here at South Luangwa. 17 (!?) wild dogs and a hunting leopard. It feels good to be back out in the African bush!!

Made it to South Luangwa after a long day of driving. Falling asleep to the grunts of hippos. Looking forward to some game driving tomorrow; leopards and wild dogs await!

Pro travel tip: if you want a good night's sleep, check to make sure your motel doesn't have peacocks wandering in the grounds...

River ‘dies’ after 50 million litres of acidic waste spill into it 50 million litres of waste have flowed into the river, with ‘devastating’ consequences

www.independent.co.uk/news/world/a...

www.telegraph.co.uk/global-healt...

Hope this link works. A horrendous story here in Zambia about a catastrophic pollution spill at a copper mine, its toxic environmental aftermath and the geopolitical ructions due to the miner's ownership.

Dame Jane Goodall remembered as 'true hero for the planet' Leonardo DiCaprio and Barack Obama are among those paying tribute to the leading conservationist.

www.bbc.com/news/article...

One of the all-time greats in primate research, conservation, animal ethics and care for the natural world is no more. A truly inspirational figure. RIP.

‘Free speech for me, not for thee’: how Trump’s censorship blitz is splitting the right After Charlie Kirk’s killing, the US president has unleashed an assault on free speech. Some conservatives are questioning his razor sharp U-turn

www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-i...

Will the egregious throttling of free speech and the advocacy for state censorship by most MAGAts end up becoming another wedge, like the Epstein affair, that ends up splitting MAGAtry? We can only hope...

‘Such Flexible Intensity of Life’ | Verlyn Klinkenborg Their striking intelligence makes octopuses tempting subjects for wishful anthropomorphism and uncanny reminders of nature’s mysteries.

www.nybooks.com/articles/202...

Fabulous, insightful review, putting together 5 books by 3 different authors into a compelling essay on intelligence and anthropomorphism. I think it's a bit harsh on Craig Foster, but well worth reading. (And buying some of the books!!)

Felix Auger-Aliassime is having a tremendous US Open. I thought for a while that he had what it takes to be world number 1, but I have abandoned that fond hope. However he is still a tremendous striker of the tennis ball, and I love watching him play.

I am back in Lusaka after a three-day school trip with 68 grade-11 and grade-12 students down to the shores of mighty Lake Kariba, the most voluminous human-made lake on Earth, filled between 1958 and 1963 as the waters of the Zambezi backed up behind the Kariba Dam.

The myths that made Putin’s war The Alaska summit exposed the flawed history and personal vanity that fuel the conflict with Ukraine, argues Timothy Snyder

www.ft.com/content/9731...

@timothysnyder.bsky.social has written an erudite masterpiece of an article, linking Rurik, The Take of Bygone Years, Hamlet, Trump and Putin. Well worth a read!

A fabulous male #lion from amazing #savuti in northern Botswana a few weeks ago.

A few photos from our fleeting visit to the inimitable Khwai Community Conservancy in northern Botswana a few weeks ago. Such a lovely spot on the edge of the Okavango Delta!

tps://open.substack.com/pub/charlieangus/p/holding-the-line-canada-ukraine-and?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=134wl

Charlie Angus nails it. Trump's hatred of Canada and our ability to exist independently, exactly parallels Putin's view of Ukraine or Netanyahu's view of the Palestinians.

A New Post?!? Greetings from Lusaka Lusaka, Zambia, August 4, 2025 Dear Faithful Followers: I know I've been absolutely terrible at keeping this blog even remotely close to...

graydonstravels.blogspot.com/2025/08/a-ne...

A new blog post is up about the past month's travels and labours. Hope you enjoy it!

Finally downloaded trail cam footage from last week's magical evening at Ihaha campsite in Chobe NP, Botswana. An African civet, a leopard (!) and multiple hyenas paid us a visit in the night. Trail cams are cool!

Chartbook 400: Murder not crisis - Why Israel's starvation of Gaza is exceptional in a global context. For many months, it has been beyond reasonable doubt that the Israeli government, the Israeli military, sections of Israeli politics and society as well as their aiders and abetters abroad, have been ...

open.substack.com/pub/adamtooz...

A well-written post by economic historian Adam Tooze on Israel's ongoing genocide in Gaza. No Western government should be supporting the inhumane cruelty and deliberate mass starvation of two million people by the Israeli government.

140 km from Lusaka, but apparently 2:30 thanks to construction and potholes, apparently.

We made it into Zambia yesterday but it was a close-run thing. Poor advice from a customs "agent" resulted in our vehicle nearly being impounded. It took hours of pleading, reams of paperwork and bucketloads of $ to get Stanley into the country, and we are not done tilting at bureaucratic windmills!

Glad to have made it through the long, dusty, sandy, challenging track from Maun to Kachikau (mostly) mechanically unscathed. Another couple of days of looking at the extraordinary concentration of wild animals in Chobe Riverfront and then it will be of to Zambia!

A long day yesterday with 800 km of driving from Upington, South Africa to Kang, Botswana. The car behaved itself and performed well. No wheels flew off. One more long day today (550 km to Maun) and then we can start to slow down and see some wildlife.

Got Stanley taken 250 km north on the flatbed of a recovery truck to Upington, where repairs are being done: new wheel studs, new rim, brake repairs. We got off lightly!

Had a rear wheel come off our camper today at high speed. Luckily no injuries but very scary and now we are awaiting a tow truck to take us to repairs in Upington.

Some assembly required...

Our new bakkie (we might have to name the vehicle Stanford, according to Grant Welsh's witty suggestion) still has to have our camper insert placed into its loadbed. Unfortunately the sides of the loadbed on this bakkie are a few centimetres too high. Never a dull moment!

Stanley looks so naked with all his canvas sides removed for repair! Our camper is being expertly repaired by mechanic Danie and in a few days he should be ready to drop into the Ford Ranger pickup truck we bought recently. Adventures await!!

Trump's 51st state comments can be taken as 'term of endearment': U.S. ambassador | CBC News U.S. Ambassador Pete Hoekstra says President Donald Trump's renewed 51st state rhetoric can be taken as a compliment, suggesting that's how it's seen by Prime Minister Mark Carney.

www.cbc.ca/news/politic...

A "term of endearment", Mr. Ambassador? More like the creepy compliments whispered down the phone line by an obsessive stalker.

Hoekstra reminds me of the old definition of an ambassador: "an honorable man sent abroad to lie for his country." Except is he honorable?

Today's #MarineLife post is a beautiful Doto sp. nudibranch from Tulamben, Bali. Enjoy!!