--- title: "While you were sleeping: 11 August 2017" description: "Trump ups the rhetoric against North Korea, van Niekerk misses out on another gold, and piglets gene-coded in medical breakthrough." 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/2017-08-11-while-you-were-sleeping-11-august-2017/" published: "2017-08-11T05:54:29" lang: "en-ZA" word_count: 800 --- # While you were sleeping: 11 August 2017 > Trump ups the rhetoric against North Korea, van Niekerk misses out on another gold, and piglets gene-coded in medical breakthrough. By John Stupart · Published 11 August 2017, 07:54 SAST ## Content **TGIF, 11 August 2017** *“Science is magic that works.”* **Kurt Vonnegut Jr.** ![Image](https://i2.createsend1.com/ei/d/91/0B0/248/csimport/849x493q70Gleaks-BecsBrandSA1.050623.jpg) STORY OF THE DAY [Scorpio and amaBhungane #GuptaLeaks: How Ajay Gupta was trusted with crafting SA’s global image](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-kuddkhk-l-p/) By SCORPIO, AMABHUNGANE and NEWS24 From the time of the notorious 2013 Sun City wedding, the Guptas’ activities in South Africa have attracted a great deal of negative international media attention. Indeed, the reputational damage caused by the Guptas’ state capture to the global image of South Africa is probably incalculable. But one man might be able to help calculate it: Ajay Gupta, who for a full decade – until 2016 – sat on the board of Brand South Africa. That’s the body responsible for crafting a positive image of South Africa overseas. [Trump and Korea ratchet up rhetoric](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-kuddkhk-l-x/) It appeared on Thursday that President Donald Trump and North Korea are upping the ante, with the former telling Dear Leader to be "very, very nervous". Both countries are scaling up the verbiage ahead of a planned August missile launch by the North. Trump's response so far has been to play stupid diplomatic games, possibly resulting in the winning of stupid nuclear prizes. [Van Niekerk misses out on double, but SA medal tally now best ever haul](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-kuddkhk-l-m/) Wayde van Niekerk lost out on a gold medal and doing the 200/400m double in less time than what it takes to even form a coherent thought. But his silver medal took South Africa's tally to five - the country's best ever haul at the IAAF World Championships. [Gene-coded piglets pave way for medical breakthroughs](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-kuddkhk-l-c/) Hold on to your bacon, medical science just got interesting. Scientists have successfully customised the genetic code of piglets to eradicate several dormant viral infections. In doing so, the pathway for animal-to-human organ transplants might well be possible. The team of Harvard geneticists were able to successfully edit the embryonic cells of a pig and place them into a surrogate using the standard clone technique. If you're clutching your Bible right now, bear in mind that your morning bacon could well hold the key to saving millions of lives. [McIlroy suffers serious setback at Quail Hollow](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-kuddkhk-l-q/) Rory McIlroy's hopes for a fifth major were severely dashed on Thursday, after firing a one-over 72 and placing 33. McIlroy had been looking far better until a bogey on the 13th, a double bogey on the 14th, and a missed par putt on the 15th. McIlroy will have to hope for both a fantastic next round of golf and a series of disasters for his fellow competitors. — IN NUMBERS 19 The century that saw "dude" introduced as a popular slang term. FACTS OF THE DAY Today in 1972 saw the last American combat unit leave **Vietnam.** During filming for the Wolf of Wall Street,**Jonah Hill**had to be hospitalised for snorting too much fake cocaine. ![Image](https://i6.createsend1.com/ei/d/91/0B0/248/csimport/GleakswN24.190025.jpg) FEATURED ARTICLES ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/849x493q70Gleaks-BecsBrandSA.jpg) [Scorpio and amaBhungane #GuptaLeaks: How Ajay Gupta was trusted with crafting SA’s global image](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-kuddkhk-l-e/) BY AMABHUNGANE & SCORPIO ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/849x493q70thamm-hitman.jpg) [Killers for hire: Corrupted law enforcement nourishes assassins in SA](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-kuddkhk-l-g/) BY MARIANNE THAMM ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/849x493q70grootes-zumaEra.jpg) [Analysis: Political déjà vu – Lessons from a time of ordinary problems](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-kuddkhk-l-yd/) BY STEPHEN GROOTES ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/849x493q70merten-mbkasGender.jpg) [Gender-based Violence: Mbalula admits SAPS neglects cases – but no special treatment for Manana](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-kuddkhk-l-yk/) BY MARIANNE MERTEN ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/849x493q70ant-vanNiekerkSilver.jpg) [Wayde to go: Close, but no double for Van Niekerk this time](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-kuddkhk-l-jl/) BY ANTOINETTE MULLER ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/849x493q70becsZumaBullets.jpg) [Explainer: The upcoming bullets that President Zuma must dodge](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-kuddkhk-l-jy/) BY REBECCA DAVIS ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/849x493q70kristen-Mcgown.jpg) [McGown: ‘I did my best to see the best in the bad situations and the difficult times’](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-kuddkhk-l-jt/) BY KRISTEN VAN SCHIE ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/849x493q70brooksStandoff.jpg) [The Donald vs Kim Jong-un: When Bluster trumps Diplomacy](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-kuddkhk-l-jd/) BY J BROOKS SPECTOR ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/849x493q70nicolsonMananaBail.jpg) [Manana: Deputy Minister slips in and out of court as claims of special treatment swirl](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-kuddkhk-l-jk/) BY GREG NICOLSON ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/849x493q70fab-kenyanobservers.jpg) [Kenyan Election: Observers give poll the thumbs up, urge Odinga to challenge results peacefully](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-kuddkhk-l-tl/) BY PETER FABRICIUS ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/849x493q70bheki-bridgenew.jpg) [Johannesburg N3 bridge collapse: traffic flow restored, but questions remain over inspections](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-kuddkhk-l-ty/) BY BHEKI C. SIMELANE OPINIONISTAS ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/190x170q70Zweli-Mkhize-bw.jpg) [The motion of no confidence – where to now for our beloved ANC?](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-kuddkhk-l-tt/) A column by ZWELI MKHIZE ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/190x170q70e41a4dfa4a643c00376ac2cc63396bfb.jpg) [Debunking the claims on dissolving Parliament and holding elections](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-kuddkhk-l-td/) A column by PIERRE DE VOS ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/190x170q70David-N.jpg) [DA’s captured leadership is an obfuscation to a real change in SA](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-kuddkhk-l-tk/) A column by DAVID KA-NDYALVAN ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/190x170q707fc6b61188b1c5c5e41f8b57f7356f0c.jpg) [The Other News Round-Up: Plastic Fantastic](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-kuddkhk-l-il/) A column by MARELISE VAN DER MERWE — **Weather** BFN: min: 8° max 24°, cloudy CPT: min: 12° max: 15°, cloudy DBN: min: 13° max: 28°, sunny EL: min: 14° max: 25°, sunny JHB: min: 7° max: 21°, sunny KIM: min: 8° max: 27°, sunny NLP: min: 9° max: 27°, sunny MHK: min: 7° max: 25°, sunny PMB: min: 12° max: 31°, sunny PE: min: 10° max: 28°, sunny PTA: min: 9° max: 23°, sunny **Financial Data** Oil=$52.28 Gold=$1,274.23 Platinum=$975.30 R/$=13.41 R/€=15.77 R/£=17.41 $/€=0.88 JSE All Share=55,700.64 DJIA=21,921.20 FTSE 100=7,389.94