Yesterday’s #NandosDMTheGathering started with a bang – the ignomonious departure of BLF’s “broke” leadership in a loaned luxury German vehicle , but proceeded on to some heavy and far more pertinent topics. The broader problem of fake news, of which BLF form a cog within, how state capture should be uncaptured, and finally, Pravin Gordhan’s words of wisdom on what to do about it all. There is a lot to see, but all of it should be read with your morning coffee.

Rwanda is expected to vote President Paul Kagame in for a controversial third term today. With 98% supporting the term amendment in a constitutional referendum earlier, the odds are certainly in his favour. Opposition leaders have complained of intimidation, suppression of the media, and a general air of unfairness. In Rwanda, however, this appeared to do nothing to dampen Kagame’s rise.

Special counsel Robert Mueller has convened a Grand Jury to investigate links between the Trumps and Russia during the 2016 election. The move allows Mueller the ability to subpoena documents and gain a solid level of information over the links – or lack thereof – between House Trump and House Putin. Whether President Trump will pre-empt such truth-finding by firing Mueller, however, is a distinct possibility.

Australian authorities have revealed what they believe to have been a plot by Islamic State that directed the attempted bombing of an outbound flight. Khaled Khayat and Mahmoud Khayat are believed to have planned to build a second toxic gas bomb aimed at bringing down an Etihad Airways flight from Sydney, all of which had been directed by IS. With a third suspect about to be charged in addition, the plot is definitely thickening.

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