--- title: "While you were sleeping: 2 August 2017" description: "Wray enters the FBI fray, Trump interefered in Russian statement with Junior, and Prince Philip begins retirement." type: "NewsArticle" publisher: "Daily Maverick" site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za" section: "South Africa" author: "John Stupart" author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/johnstupart/" canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2017-08-02-while-you-were-sleeping-2-august-2017/" published: "2017-08-02T06:01:32" lang: "en-ZA" word_count: 670 --- # While you were sleeping: 2 August 2017 > Wray enters the FBI fray, Trump interefered in Russian statement with Junior, and Prince Philip begins retirement. By John Stupart · Published 2 August 2017, 08:01 SAST ## Content **Wednesday, 2 August 2017** *“It's alright to have a good opinion of yourself, but we Americans are so smug with our cockiness, we somehow feel that just because we are Americans, we can whip our weight in wildcats.”* **Ernie Pyle** ![Image](https://i2.createsend1.com/ei/d/5A/2B2/96B/csimport/849x493q70guptaLeaks-Brown.050841.jpg) STORY OF THE DAY [amaBhungane & Scorpio #GuptaLeaks: How the family encircled Lynne Brown](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-kuljmy-l-x/) By AMABHUNGANE and SCORPIO New information shows a Gupta web was spun around the Minister of Public Enterprises, Lynne Brown. But was it a trap for a target or a cocoon for an ally? [Wray enters the FBI Fray](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-kuljmy-l-m/) Christopher Wray was voted in as the FBI's new director, three months after President Donald Trump fired his predecessor James Comey. Wray was voted in by a unanimous senate, and vowed to "resign" rather than bow to political pressure. The way things are heading in the White House, that pressure may well be a question of when, not if. [White House admits Trump-son interference](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-kuljmy-l-c/) The White House conceded on Tuesday night that President Trump had "weighed in" on Donald Junior's statement on his meeting with a Russian lawyer. While apologists may argue that this is a simple father-son conversation, critics highlighted how the interference by dad casts doubt as to his "ignorance" about the 2016 meeting. That, and just whether Trump had nothing else more important to do as leader of the free world. [NFL to join marijuana research](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-kuljmy-l-q/) The National Football League is hoping to join its players union in researching the use of marijuana in player pain management. The move could see a step back from punishing players for using marijuana, especially for pain relief. Depending on its findings, a joint NFL/union report could well pave the way for other sports to begin considering its use in medical cases. [Prince Philip begins retirement](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-kuljmy-l-a/) Hold on to your corgies, life is slowing down for the Queen's husband. Prince Philip will officially begin his retirement today, aged 96. Since Elizabeth ascended the throne in 1952, the Prince has attended over 22,000 public engagements and delivered over 5,500 speeches. Some of these were made famous for his typically-blunt jokes or off-colour remarks. With Prince William taking the reins, don't expect such scarlet remarks anytime soon. IN NUMBERS 4 The number of weeks a Scotsman was hungover for after drinking 60 pints. FACTS OF THE DAY Young **Princess Diana** had a guinea pig called Peanuts. Today in 1934 **Adolf Hitler** becomes Führer following the death of President Paul von Hindenburg. ![Image](https://i5.createsend1.com/ei/d/5A/2B2/96B/csimport/GleakswN24.190025.jpg) FEATURED ARTICLES ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/849x493q70guptaLeaks-Brown.jpg) [amaBhungane & Scorpio #GuptaLeaks: How the family encircled Lynne Brown](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-kuljmy-l-w/) BY AMABHUNGANE & SCORPIO ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/849x493q70becs-copyright.jpg) [Copyright Amendment Bill in Parliament: Whose Right is it anyway?](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-kuljmy-l-yh/) BY REBECCA DAVIS ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/849x493q70Merten-sarbparly.jpg) [Reporter’s Parliamentary Diary: Clear uncertainties or we remain in recession, says SARB’s Lesetja Kganyago](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-kuljmy-l-yu/) BY MARIANNE MERTEN ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/849x493q70nicolson-illicitflows.jpg) [Parliament: Illicit financial flows and the history of disappointment](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-kuljmy-l-jr/) BY GREG NICOLSON ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/849x493q70Fokane-Copyright.jpg) [Op-Ed: Bringing our copyright laws into the digital era](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-kuljmy-l-jj/) BY TUSI FOKANE ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/849x493q70Groundup-Op-Ed-Zackie.jpg) [GroundUp Op-Ed: Six reasons why I will be marching against Zuma](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-kuljmy-l-ji/) BY GROUNDUP ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/849x493q70Spicer-tourism.jpg) [Op-Ed: Tourism can re-ignite the South African economy](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-kuljmy-l-jh/) BY MICHAEL SPICER & PAUL BANNISTER ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/849x493q70chronicle-nofilter2.jpg) [No Filter, Vol. 2: Solving problems from the bottom up](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-kuljmy-l-ju/) BY DAILY MAVERICK CHRONICLE OPINIONISTAS ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/190x170q70Andrew-Gasnolar.jpg) [The story of abuse should never be reduced to a statistic](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-kuljmy-l-tr/) A column by ANDREW IHSAAN GASNOLAR ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/190x170q70562c5ffb4076dfd1ddee1be88f4bf94a.jpg) [Public mass transit: Nobody gets it right](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-kuljmy-l-tj/) A column by IVO VEGTER ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/190x170q70Siya-Khumalo.jpg) [#NoConfidenceVote: Some Schadenfreude to get you through](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-kuljmy-l-ti/) A column by SIYA KHUMALO ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/190x170q70Shelagh-Gastrow.jpg) [Philanthropy in a recession](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-kuljmy-l-th/) A column by SHELAGH GASTROW ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/190x170q70Oscar-van-Heerden.jpg) [The hypocrisy of the ICC laid bare: Justice delayed is justice denied](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-kuljmy-l-tu/) A column by OSCAR VAN HEERDEN — **Weather** BFN: min: 7° max 22°, sunny CPT: min: 10° max: 15°, rainy DBN: min: 16° max: 25°, sunny EL: min: 10° max: 26°, sunny JHB: min: 8° max: 19°, sunny KIM: min: 8° max: 25°, sunny MHK: min: 8° max: 23°, sunny PMB: min: 9° max: 29°, cloudy PE: min: 10° max: 25°, sunny PTA: min: 9° max: 21°, sunny **Financial Data** Oil=$51.42 Gold=$1,273.24 Platinum=$947.74 R/$=13.20 R/€=15.60 R/£=17.45 $/€=0.87 JSE All Share=54,888.89 DJIA=21,975.62 FTSE 100=7,423.66