South Africa, World
While you were sleeping: 9 January 2018
South and North Korea hold historic talks, US dumps Trump coal plan, and GoPro goes into emergency mode.
Tuesday, 9 January 2018
“To achieve great things, two things are needed; a plan, and not quite enough time.”
Leonard Bernstein
ANC leaders made much of unity at the party’s first-of-their-kind birthday celebrations on Monday, ahead of a meeting by the newly-elected national executive committee where the ousting of President Jacob Zuma is almost certain to be raised. With one of the most powerful leaders in the party behind this push, it now seems like it might only be a matter of time.
WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING
North and South Korea in historic talks
Both Koreas began the first official round of talks in over two years. The focus of the meeting is strictly that of the upcoming Winter Olympics. Dear Leader Kim Jong Un took a break from trolling President Trump to suggest that his country could send a delegation to the Olympics, which resulted in an offer of talks by the South. The latter’s chief negotiator has begun a narrative of stylising the WInter Olympics as the “Peace Olympics”. If the North agrees, it might be an excellent diplomatic start to 2018.
Energy Commission shuts down Trump coal plans
Long-held ambitions by Donald Trump to subsidise coal and nuclear energy plants were shut down late on Monday. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission found Trump’s plan to be neither justified nor reasonable. The FERC found that changes to America’s energy mix had not diminished its supply nor its reliability. Expect angry Tweets throughout Tuesday.
Mueller mulls interview with Trump
The White House has declined to reply fully on whether President Trump will agree to sit down with Robert Mueller to answer questions on Russian collusion with his 2016 campaign. An interview with Mueller would spark significant political risks for Trump. Trump, however, had already indicated he would sit down with the former FBI director and speak with him.
GoPro plans drastic rescue measures
Action camera designers GoPro announced on Monday that it would be cutting over 20 percent of its workforce and shutting down its drone business. Bugged from the get-go, the GoPro drone was hamstrung by fierce competition and difficult design challenges. A poor holiday season’s sales for the business proved the final straw.
IN NUMBERS
160
The number of daily attempts to access online porn from inside the UK Parliament.
FACTS OF THE DAY
Today in 2007 Steve Jobs introduces the original iPhone.
Most Koreans do not produce body odour due to a specific gene dominance.
FEATURED ARTICLES
Weather
BFN: min: 15° max 32°, cloudy
CPT: min: 15° max: 21°, cloudy
DBN: min: 18° max: 23°, cloudy
EL: min: 14° max: 23°, cloudy
JHB: min: 13° max: 24°, rainy
KIM: min: 16° max: 33°, cloudy
MHK: min: 17° max: 34°, sunny
PMB: min: 13° max: 20°, rainy
PE: min: 12° max: 24°, cloudy
PTA: min: 16° max: 27°, rainy
Financial Data
Oil=$67.75
Gold=$1,318.39
Platinum=$971.50
R/$=12.39
R/€=14.82
R/£=16.80
BTC/$=18,550
JSE All Share=60,038.39
DJIA=25,300.03
FTSE 100=7,696.51
Become an Insider