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While you were sleeping: 4 March 2016

While you were sleeping: 4 March 2016
By John Stupart
04 Mar 2016
0

North Korea prepares for nuclear war, Republican debate gets infantile, and Hamilton, Alonso slam state of Formula One.

“The person, be it gentleman or lady, who has not pleasure in a good novel, must be intolerably stupid.” 

– Jane Austen

Story of the Day
SARS Wars: Who benefits from ‘urgent’ restructuring?
As what looks likes like an increasingly destructive war continues between the finance minister, the SARS Commissioner and, we presume, the President himself, much of the attention is focused on what we know. It’s the war of the statements, with lawyers’ letters thrown in as extra ammunition. But what may be more important is what is actually happening at SARS. What is really going on within the institution that is being fought over so bitterly? Because no matter what Gwede Mantashe wants or thinks, this is increasingly looking like a fight for control and resources. By STEPHEN GROOTES.

While you were sleeping
North Korea talks nuclear weapons
Kim Jong-Un has told his military leaders to prepare for a “pre-emptive” attack footing. Most worryingly, the round-faced dictator has told officers to get ready to use nuclear weapons. This is all posturing, of course, but difficult to hear if one lived in South Korea.
Read More 

Republican debate going as expected
Poor fact checking, shouting matches, and a dick joke from the Orange Menace have marked the Republican debate thus far. Donald Trump issued a comment implying that Marco Rubio was a little… small. ‘Make America Great Again’ just gained a whole new meaning.
Read More

Romney calls Trump a ‘fraud’
The Republicans have found their backbone with Mitt Romney leading the charge in condemning Donald Trump’s rise from a spray-tanned joke to a genuine threat. Romney and fellow Republican leaders are attempting to stall the Trump campaign. Next up: a fight behind the bike sheds after break.
Read More

New galaxy discovery pushes back the clock
A new galaxy found by the Hubble Telescope has placed the formation of the universe back another few hundred million years or so. GN-z11, as it is named, was first spotted two years ago, but astronomers were only able to date the formation on Thursday. This will likely be the last major discovery by the Hubble Telescope before the James Webb Space Telescope comes online in 2018.
Read More

Hamilton, Alonso slam state of Formula 1
Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso have labelled the state of Formula One modern motorsport “broken”. They were referring to a raft of changes to qualifying rules just weeks before the start of the Australian Grand Prix, as well as a new proposed ‘halo’ safety system that makes vehicles look a bit tame. 
Read More

In Numbers
282
The length, in feet, of Trump’s yacht. He sold it in the 1990s to pay off debt.

Facts of the Day
Today in 1932 Miriam Makeba was born. She passed away in 2008.

Fact of the day: Iguanas have three eyes. The third eye can only perceive brightness.

Weather & Financial Data
BFN: min: 18° max: 32°, cloudy
CPT: min: 20° max: 33°, sunny
DBN: min: 22° max: 33°, cloudy
EL: min: 21° max: 29°, sunny
JHB: min: 15° max: 30°, cloudy
KIM: min: 23° max: 35°, cloudy
NLP: min: 15° max: 32°, cloudy
PMB: min: 14° max: 32°, rainy
PKN: min: 16° max: 30°, sunny
PE: min: 19° max: 32°, cloudy
PTA: min: 17° max: 31°, cloudy
Oil=$36.95 Gold=$1,256.75 Platinum=$942.86
R/$=15.63 R/€=17.09 R/£=22.09 $/€=1.09
JSE All Share=51,787.01 DJIA=16,835.56 FTSE 100=6,130.46 : Source

Now on Daily Maverick
FEATURES
SARS Wars: Who benefits from ‘urgent’ restructuring?
By STEPHEN GROOTES.

Parliament: Zuma seeks to move the goalposts on land reform
By MARIANNE MERTEN.

Despite registration challenges, IEC insists it’s on a (voters’) roll
By GREG NICOLSON.

The tolerant continent: Stats show Africa is open-minded, mostly
By SIMON ALLISON.

Nigeria and SA: Africa’s superpowers try to kiss and make up
By PETER FABRICIUS for ISS TODAY.

US 2016: Romney gets his Mitts into thumping Trump
By J BROOKS SPECTOR.

GroundUp: Schools suffer while Eastern Cape fails to spend education budget
By NOMBULELO DAMBA-HENDRIK for GROUNDUP.

SA vs AUS T20 series preview: Opening berth up for grabs
By ANTOINETTE MULLER.

SA vs West Indies preview: Women seek momentum ahead of World T20
By ANTOINETTE MULLER

OPINIONS
Andrew Ihsaan Gasnolar: It’s not just the IEC that’s breaking

John Matisonn: Nkandlanomics: Yes, it’s a thing

Mandla Lionel Isaacs: The Invictus Myth exposed: We need to talk about white violence

ROBYN WOLFSON VORSTER: A mounting tally of small bodies: Why are we killing our children?

Gallery

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