--- title: "While you were sleeping: 31st January 2017" description: "Trump fires dissenting attorney general, climate change goals cannot be met by renewables alone, and Quebec shooter charged." type: "NewsArticle" publisher: "Daily Maverick" site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za" section: "Newsdeck" author: "John Stupart" author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/johnstupart/" canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2017-01-31-while-you-were-sleeping-31st-january-2017/" published: "2017-01-31T05:53:48" lang: "en-ZA" word_count: 871 --- # While you were sleeping: 31st January 2017 > Trump fires dissenting attorney general, climate change goals cannot be met by renewables alone, and Quebec shooter charged. By John Stupart · Published 31 January 2017, 07:53 SAST ## Content **Tuesday, 31st January 2017** *"Do you think it looks fine to shave your beard and leave only a moustache? It was not men whom God created like that, but dogs and cats."* **Peter the Great** ![Op-Ed: Independence of Western Sahara is an inalienable right](https://i2.createsend1.com/ei/d/08/D49/7C4/csimport/849x493q70Marianne-PravinOpenBook11.050509.jpg) STORY OF THE DAY [Pravin Gordhan: ‘Systematic and highly organised campaign by the Gupta family’](http://subscriptions.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-hyvkdt-l-n/) By STEPHEN GROOTES In the political battle between the Gupta family and Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan, punches have started to come thick and fast, the use of elbows is becoming more prevalent, and we all know that no holds are barred. On Monday, Gordhan filed his formal legal papers in response to papers already lodged by the Guptas. They were responding to his orginal application for a declaratory order that he does not have the power to intervene in the relationship between the Guptas and their former banks. At the heart of this is the 72 suspicious transactions amounting to R6.8-billion that the Financial Intelligence Centre was worried about. While the court papers are supposed to be about the law and technical argument, they actually open a window on what is really happening here; politics, by other means. WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING [Defiant Attorney General fired by Trump](http://subscriptions.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-hyvkdt-l-p/) Brooking no dissent in his ranks, President Donald Trump has sacked an acting Attorney General. Sally Yates had ordered her subordinates not to defend or uphold Trump's Muslim ban. In turn, Trump fired Yates on Monday, stating that she had "betrayed the Department of Justice". It is unlikely Yates is losing any sleep over her decision. [Student charged with Quebec shootings](http://subscriptions.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-hyvkdt-l-x/) A political science student has been charged with Quebec City's fatal mosque shootings. Alexandre Bissonnette is suspected to have extremist beliefs, largely espousing an anti-feminist, ultra-nationalist ideology. Bissonnette, it seems, clearly did not read enough traditional political philosophy during his classes. [Smoking costs world over a trillion dollars](http://subscriptions.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-hyvkdt-l-m/) It costs $1.4-trillion to be exact. A study conducted by the World Health Organisation has indicated that at least 1-20th of the world's health care systems are occupied with smoking-related illnesses or diseases, while 40% of the burden is laid on developing countries' health care systems. [Renewables not enough to match Paris climate goals](http://subscriptions.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-hyvkdt-l-v/) The rapid expansion of renewable energy worldwide will not be sufficient to meet the Paris climate goals, including a 2-degree temperature cap. Without a reduction in fossil fuel use, no amount of expanded renewable energy will be enough to meet the target laid out by mid-century. Tax fossil fuels, the Centre for International Climate and Environmental Research in Oslo, Norway says, or prepare for climate change disaster. — IN NUMBERS 180 The number of moon rocks gifted to the world by the United States that are currently unaccounted for. FACTS OF THE DAY In 1943 German Field Marshal Friedrich Paulus surrendered to the Soviets, thereby effectively ending the **Battle of Stalingrad**. A full surrender followed two days after. Around 762 AD, **demand for books in Baghdad** was so high, that any book dealer would be paid the tomes' weight in gold. 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