--- title: "While you were sleeping: 28 February 2018" description: "11 sick after envelope opening on base, Kushner loses his clearance, and if you hate body odour, you likely love Trump." 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/2018-02-28-while-you-were-sleeping-28-february-2018/" published: "2018-02-28T05:28:50" lang: "en-ZA" word_count: 759 --- # While you were sleeping: 28 February 2018 > 11 sick after envelope opening on base, Kushner loses his clearance, and if you hate body odour, you likely love Trump. By John Stupart · Published 28 February 2018, 07:28 SAST ## Content **Wednesday, 28 February 2018** *“History is a Rorschach test, people. What you see when you look at it tells you as much about yourself as it does about the past.”* **Jennifer Donnelly** ![Image](https://i2.createsend1.com/ei/d/A8/D66/DD0/csimport/849x493q70ThammEPENet11.051324.jpg) STORY OF THE DAY [Sitting Bucks: Damning survey explains how Net1 benefits from close proximity to social grant recipients](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-otjtdjy-l-x/) By MARIANNE THAMM One of the spin-offs of the relationship between Sassa, Net1 and its subsidiary, Cash Paymaster Services, has been the easy and lucrative access the US-listed company has had to some 17-million South Africans who receive social grants. Net1 subsidiary, Moneyline, offers grant recipients loans, often without requesting proof of income and on condition they surrender Sassa cards and open an EasyPay Everywhere Account. A shocking survey among grant recipients last year highlighted several problematic practices. WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING [Possible chemical attack on US base](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-otjtdjy-l-m/) At least 11 people have become ill after an envelope was opened on a US military base. The Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall received the letter which contained an "unknown" substance, which after being opened prompted several personnel to complain of burning extremities. Although a deliberate chemical attack has not yet been confirmed, the signs seem to point towards it. [Kushner loses clearance](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-otjtdjy-l-c/) President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner has lost his top-level security clearance. White House formal clearance procedures were never followed by Kushner, leading to his loss of his access to secret intelligence. Kushner now has to negotiate peace in the middle east without all information tools at his disposal, and he is in an entirely weakened position ahead of Benjamin Netanyahu's visit in the coming days. [Hate BO? You probably love Trump](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-otjtdjy-l-q/) A bizarre new study has released its findings relating to haters of body odour and authoritarianism. Marco Liuzza from Italy's Magna Graecia University conducted two large-scale surveys to evaluate people's dislike of body odour. The link lies within a deep-rooted instinct to avoid disease and pestilence, something which can translate into avoiding both the sick and smelly and the "foreign" or othered individual. The study indicated that BO haters also preferred authoritarian leaders. [Barcelona launches eSports team](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-otjtdjy-l-a/) Barcelona announced late on Tuesday that it would be launching a professional eSports team. Barca will compete against other European clubs' eSports teams in Pro Evolution Soccer 2018 (PES2018). A statement made by La Liga indicated that it expected the global eSports market to exceed $1-billion by 2020. If you shout at your kids for playing too much FIFA, perhaps let them game on for a bit more if they show some skill. — IN NUMBERS $2 million The bounty set for Tupac's mother. She is currently living as a fugitive in Cuba after killing a policeman and robbing a bank. FACTS OF THE DAY Today in 1900 the **siege of Ladysmith** is lifted. In a pinch, **mayonnaise** can be used as a thermal paste. FEATURED ARTICLES ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/849x493q70carien-provinces-headache.jpg) [Analysis: Ramaphosa’s state of the nation is taking shape, but the provinces are in dire need of TLC](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-otjtdjy-l-e/) BY CARIEN DU PLESSIS ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/849x493q70Fritz-FUL.jpg) [Op-Ed: Mxolisi Nxasana must be reinstated as National Director of Public Prosecutions](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-otjtdjy-l-g/) BY NICOLE FRITZ ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/849x493q70merten-land-CR.jpg) [Parliament: Historic land expropriation agreement reached amid South Africa’s changing politics](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-otjtdjy-l-yd/) BY MARIANNE MERTEN ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/849x493q70rebecca-Sune-Scopa-Water.jpg) [Cabinet Reshuffle: Gugile Nkwinti inherits a Water Department that may tip SA into chaos](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-otjtdjy-l-yk/) BY REBECCA DAVIS & SUNÉ PAYNE ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/849x493q70duplooy-gender\(1\).jpg) [Op-Ed: We can’t tax ourselves out of inequality](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-otjtdjy-l-jl/) BY DIRK DE VOS ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/849x493q70tlhaname-motaung-CR.jpg) [Op-Ed: Former anti-Ramaphosa faction is speaking in tongues, bewildered and bemused](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-otjtdjy-l-jy/) BY TLHABANE MOTAUNG ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/849x493q70leila-nofilter-lindiwedlamini.jpg) [No Filter, Volume 4: Shackville two years on – a perspective from the student who graduated](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-otjtdjy-l-jt/) BY AYANDA CHARLIE AND LEILA DOUGAN ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/849x493q70amab-lesothoDagga.jpg) [Lesotho: Deputy health minister caught up in attempt to smuggle R5m worth of dagga to SA](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-otjtdjy-l-jd/) BY MNN CENTRE FOR INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALISM OPINIONISTAS ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/190x170q70Oscar-van-Heerden.jpg) [Free at last, free at last, thank God almighty, we are free at last](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-otjtdjy-l-jk/) A column by OSCAR VAN HEERDEN ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/190x170q70e41a4dfa4a643c00376ac2cc63396bfb.jpg) [Inxeba (The Wound): The Appeal Tribunal’s homophobic reclassification of dramatic art as pornography](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-otjtdjy-l-tl/) A column by PIERRE DE VOS ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/190x170q70Susan-Booysen.jpg) [Stuck, half-way through the Ramaphosa Rubicon](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-otjtdjy-l-ty/) A column by SUSAN BOOYSEN ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/190x170q70Nomfundo-Mogapi.jpg) [Cabinet Reshuffle: Wounded leaders, leading a wounded nation](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-otjtdjy-l-tt/) A column by NOMFUNDO MOGAPI — **Weather** BFN: min: 16° max 23°, sunny CPT: min: 16° max: 23°, sunny DBN: min: 20° max: 27°, cloudy JHB: min: 14° max: 24°, cloudy KIM: min: 19° max: 32°, cloudy MHK: min: 17° max: 28°, cloudy NLP: min: 17° max: 30°, cloudy PE: min: 18° max: 29°, cloudy PMB: min: 17° max: 31°, sunny PTA: min: 16° max: 27°, rainy **Financial Data** Oil=$66.86 Gold=$1,315.44 Platinum=$983.33 R/$=11.68 R/€=14.30 R/£=16.26 BTC/$=10,610 JSE All Share=59,027.22 DJIA=25,685.62 FTSE 100=7,387.36