While you were sleeping: 5 September 2016

By John Stupart

5 Sep 2016

More blue helmets deployed to South Sudan, DRC's gorillas nearly extinct, and Nadal out of US Open.

“Words are like spices. Too many is worse than too few.”

– Joan Aiken

Story of the Day

Gupta Mania: How inexplicable devotion turns ANC leaders into kamikaze pilots

There is one question that should keep every South African up at night: Why did President Jacob Zuma fire Nhlanhla Nene? Nine months later, there is still no reasonable explanation as to why the president, who swore to “devote myself to the well-being of the republic and all of its people”, indulged in such reckless behaviour, costing the country billions. There is now a lobby of people in the ANC willing to lie, as Mosebenzi Zwane did, and sacrifice their reputations, their organisation, our constitutional democracy and South Africa’s future. They all have one thing in common: unwavering loyalty to the Guptas. By RANJENI MUNUSAMY.
Read more

While you were sleeping

More peacekeepers for S. Sudan

South Sudan's President Salva Kiir has agreed to the deployment of additional UN peacekeepers to the East-Central African country. Representatives from the Security Council met with Kiir at his palace to gain his consent for 4,000 blue helmets, all of whom will deploy with a stronger (possibly more aggressive) mandate. Read More

Venezuela protestors released

All but one of the dozens of Venezuelan protestors arrested were released over the weekend. The country was gripped by over a million protestors demonstrating against President Nicolás Maduro over crippling food shortages last Thursday. The individual still in custody is a journalist who published footage of the protests. Read More

DRC gorillas on verge of extinction

Officials in the Democractic Republic of Congo have announced the Eastern Gorilla is now critically endangered and faces imminent extinction. War, illegal hunting and an influx of refugees into former gorilla territory have resulted in a severely depleted population. Just 5,000 remain, to be exact. Read More

Pouille defeats Nadal at US Open

Lucas Pouille has defeated veteran Rafa Nadal at the US Open. Winning 6-1, 2-6, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (8/6) , Pouille will now face Gael Monfils in the quarter-finals. The massive 22,000 capacity stadium appeared to have little effect on the Frenchman's senses. Read More

In Numbers

5-30

The number of minutes per day of sleep that giraffes require.

Facts of the Day

Today is the International Day of Charity. Considering the recent canonisation of Saint Theresa, observance of this may be a timely occasion.

Russian cosmonauts used to carry shotguns into space. This was primarily to fend off bears upon re-entry and landing.

Weather

Financial Data

BFN: min: 12° max: 27°, sunny
CPT: min: 13° max: 16°,rainy
DBN: min: 18° max: 28°, cloudy
EL: min: 18° max: 29°, cloudy
JHB: min: 8° max: 23°, sunny
KIM: min: 16° max: 28°, sunny
NLP: min: 6° max: 30°, sunny
PMB: min: 11° max: 29°, cloudy
PKN: min: 11° max: 26°, sunny
PE: min: 15° max: 22°, cloudy
PTA: min: 10° max: 27°, sunny

Oil=$46.83
Gold=$1,325.21
Platinum=$1,063.84
R/$=14.49
R/€=16.15
R/£=19.27
€/$=1.11
JSE All Share=53,500.07
DJIA= 18,491.96
FTSE 100=6,894.60
Source

Now on Daily Maverick

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