--- title: "While you were sleeping: 11 September 2017" description: "Hurricane Irma downgraded, sanctions debated for North Korea, and British air pollution out of control." 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/2017-09-11-while-you-were-sleeping-11-september-2017/" published: "2017-09-11T05:59:02" lang: "en-ZA" word_count: 670 --- # While you were sleeping: 11 September 2017 > Hurricane Irma downgraded, sanctions debated for North Korea, and British air pollution out of control. By John Stupart · Published 11 September 2017, 07:59 SAST ## Content **Monday, 11 September 2017** *"Go down this set of stairs and then just run, run as fast as you can."* **Lt David Brink, 9/11** ![Image](https://i2.createsend1.com/ei/d/53/E3D/FDC/csimport/849x493q70Kristen-diamonds1.055631.jpg) STORY OF THE DAY [Zimbabwe: Marange diamond fields firms ‘captured’ by sinister spooks, state elites](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-urdditt-l-c/) Political elites and security services have captured the companies mining Zimbabwe’s Marange diamond fields and siphoned off billions, even as the government blames private companies for crucial data gaps in its accounts, a report released on Monday alleges. KRISTEN VAN SCHIE reports. [Irma peters out after US landfall](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-urdditt-l-q/) Hurricane Irma has been downgraded to Category 2 after wreaking havoc on mainland US and the Caribbean. In St Martin and St Barts, six of every 10 homes are damaged or destroyed, with Barbuda described as "barely habitable". West coast Florida residents have been warned to avoid the seaside as well, with warnings of swells up to 15ft. [Anderson clobbered in US Open final](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-urdditt-l-a/) Rafael Nadal put an end to Kevin Anderson's fairy tale final on Sunday night. A woefully one-sided match saw Nadal defeat Anderson 6-3, 6-3, 6-4, with the former never once facing a break point. Anderson's historic achievement at the US Open, however, will remain an incredible feat, not just for his career but in terms of inspiring future South African tennis champions. [Draft of sanctions on North Korea presented](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-urdditt-l-f/) On Sunday a revised UN draft resolution was circulated among the Security Council. Detailed in it were proposed sanctions to be placed on an increasingly bellicose North Korea. A "progressive" oil embargo appeared to be the focus of the sanctions, but ultimately represented a significantly less aggressive draft than initially proposed. [UN slams UK air pollution](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-urdditt-l-z/) Apparently, the UN had a busy weekend. On Sunday the international organisation took a break from punishing North Korea to criticise the United Kingdom for failing to address its ongoing air pollution problem. With over 40,000 deaths in the UK linked to air pollution, the UN slammed British government "inaction" over improving the country's air quality. — IN NUMBERS 114% The percentage of Switzerland's population that can be accommodated in a nuclear shelter. FACTS OF THE DAY Today in 2001 a**l-Qaeda** launched a series of aircraft hijackings that ultimately saw 2,997 people killed in a single day. The **Boston Tea Party**was commonly known as "the destruction of the tea" until the 19th-century advent of actual tea parties. ![Image](https://i6.createsend1.com/ei/d/53/E3D/FDC/csimport/GleakswN24.190025.jpg) FEATURED ARTICLES ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/849x493q70Carien-ZumaVryheid.jpg) [Shifting ground: Zuma enters KZN battlefield amid rumours and counterstrikes](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-urdditt-l-jr/) BY CARIEN DU PLESSIS ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/849x493q70rebecca1NDZMAIN.jpg) [ANC Campaign Notebook: Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma gets down to business at Cape rally](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-urdditt-l-jj/) BY REBECCA DAVIS ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/849x493q70grootes-zuma.jpg) [Analysis: Unpredictability rules as Zuma enters the real game of risk](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-urdditt-l-ji/) BY STEPHEN GROOTES ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/849x493q70AnnBernstein-urbangrowth.jpg) [CDE’s Opportunities First: The key to urban growth is creating cities of hope for the poor](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-urdditt-l-jh/) BY ANN BERNSTEIN ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/849x493q70Merten-parlyshuffle.jpg) [Analysis: SA Parliament – a placeholder amid ANC factional battles](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-urdditt-l-ju/) BY MARIANNE MERTEN ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/849x493q70EFS_Sep10.jpg) [Evita's Free Speech: Ep.107 – Evita ducks hurricanes here and there (Video)](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-urdditt-l-tr/) BY PIETER-DIRK UYS ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/849x493q70Brooks-TrumpSep11.jpg) [US: From Hurricane Harvey to Cyclone Donald, a country weathering multiple storms](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-urdditt-l-tj/) BY J BROOKS SPECTOR ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/849x493q70Kristen-SADCwrap.jpg) [The SADC Wrap: Shootings in Lesotho and Tanzania, and Angola’s opposition challenges vote tally](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-urdditt-l-ti/) BY KRISTEN VAN SCHIE OPINIONISTAS ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/190x170q70Yonela-Diko-new-photo.jpg) [A Tribute to Sindiso Magaqa: Let us not be the architects of our own demise](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-urdditt-l-th/) A column by YONELA DIKO ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/190x170q70Brij-Maharaj.jpg) [Politics, Power and Passion – A Pernicious Pestilence](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-urdditt-l-tu/) A column by BRIJ MAHARAJ ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/190x170q70Paul-Trewhela.jpg) [Der Führer Mugabe and the Gukurahundi – a warning to South Africa today](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-urdditt-l-ir/) A column by PAUL TREWHELA ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/190x170q70axolile\(1\).jpg) [Premier Zille’s childhood toilets not comparable to informal settlements](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-urdditt-l-ij/) A column by AXOLILE NOTYWALA — **Weather** BFN: min: 12° max 31°, sunny CPT: min: 11° max: 16°, rainy DBN: min: 17° max: 26°, sunny EL: min: 14° max: 27°, sunny JHB: min: 16° max: 29°, sunny KIM: min: 14° max: 33°, cloudy NLP: min: 14° max: 36°, sunny MHK: min: 17° max: 32°, sunny PMB: min: 14° max: 32°, sunny PE: min: 12° max: 29°, sunny PTA: min: 16° max: 32°, sunny **Financial Data** Oil=$53.78 Gold=$1,346.60 Platinum=$1,007.60 R/$=12.94 R/€=15.52 R/£=17.05 $/€=0.83 JSE All Share=55,724.67 DJIA=21,797.79 FTSE 100=7,438.50