Landmark win for Alabama Democrat

[Daily Maverick] FIRST THING with JOHN STUPART Wednesday, 13 December 2017 “I have made a ceaseless effort not to ridicule, not to bewail, not to scorn human actions, but to understand them.” Baruch Spinoza Help support Daily Maverick. Mobile readers [click here to use]([SnapScan](, or [click here for other options]( . STORY OF THE DAY [amaBhungane and Scorpio #GuptaLeaks: A tale of two captures – Alexkor, Gupta Inc and ‘WMC’]( By AMABHUNGANE and SCORPIO The legendary Grootslang of the Richtersveld is a primordial cross between an elephant and a snake. Now the Richtersveld seems beset by the massive dominance, on the one hand, of the Alexkor elephant and, on the other, by a shelf-company whose corporate coils seem to lead back inexorably to the Guptas. And in the background lurks the presence of a Grootslang that survived: Trans Hex, the company controlled by that old giant of White Monopoly Capital, Christo Wiese. WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING [Jones unseats Roy Moore]( Alabama's Senate tussle left child abuse-accused Republican Roy Moore out in the cold, shaving down the party's Senate majority to just a single seat. Jones' win has been perceived as a rejection of divisive state and national politics. Moore, accused of child abuse and sexual assault, was ultimately defeated by a massive voter turn-out after intense campaigning on both sides. [US demands major cuts to UN budget]( The United States is looking to cut $250-million from the core budget of the United Nations in 2018-2019. The 5% cut would possibly focus on UN missions in Libya, Afghanistan, and Palestinian rights and communications services. The last office, given recent affairs, is probably considered a bonus of the massive cut proposed. [Crack found in Japan bullet train]( For the first time in its history, the Japanese "bullet" train has had a serious incident. A large crack and oil leak was discovered on one of the carriages as it pulled out of station heading towards Nagoya. This is the only time such a serious flaw has been discovered mid-journey. This kind of incident would be called "Wednesday" by most other passenger rail companies. [European GPS satellites launched]( Four more satellites of a 30-satellite project were launched today. The Ariane 5 rocket took off from Kourou Space Centre. When eventually online, the GPS network will provide an accurate position to within a metre. Soon you will be able to get lost with your direction device to an even more precise degree. — Help support Daily Maverick. Mobile readers [click here to use]([SnapScan](, or [click here for other options]( . PICTURE OF THE DAY BY EPA-EFE/CHRISTIAN BRUNA Fire fighters at the scene of an explosion at a gas hub of OMV in Baumgarten, Austria, 12 December 2017. According to reports by the Red Cross, at least one person has died and 18 others have been injured in the explosion. IN NUMBERS 53m The height of a hill in Rome that was made mostly of broken amphora shards. FACTS OF THE DAY Today in 1949 the Knesset votes to move the capital of Israel to Jerusalem. Synchronised swimmers have a high risk of concussions due to kicking each other in the head. Help support Daily Maverick. Mobile readers [click here to use]([SnapScan](, or [click here for other options]( . FEATURED ARTICLES [ANC Leadership Race: Why court cases will probably not disrupt conference – and how the party plans to settle disputes]( [ANC Leadership Race: Why court cases will probably not disrupt conference – and how the party plans to settle disputes]( BY Carien du Plessis [Analysis: In the centre of the ANC’s gravity field – Gwede Mantashe]( [Analysis: In the centre of the ANC’s gravity field – Gwede Mantashe]( BY Stephen Grootes [Scorpio: SANDF document outlines draconian draft state of emergency regulations]( [Scorpio: SANDF document outlines draconian draft state of emergency regulations]( BY PAULI VAN WYK [Analysis: Why are South Africa’s securocrats so jumpy over Jacques Pauw & Ronnie Kasrils?]( [Analysis: Why are South Africa’s securocrats so jumpy over Jacques Pauw & Ronnie Kasrils?]( BY Rebecca Davis [ANC Leadership Race: Policy Explainer 1 – Factional proxy battles play out in proposals]( [ANC Leadership Race: Policy Explainer 1 – Factional proxy battles play out in proposals]( BY Marianne Merten [ANC Leadership Race: Policy Explainer 2 – Forget the bling, viva serving the people, viva!]( [ANC Leadership Race: Policy Explainer 2 – Forget the bling, viva serving the people, viva!]( BY Marianne Merten [The Gathering (video, session 9): Pravin Gordhan tackles the failures of leadership]( [The Gathering (video, session 9): Pravin Gordhan tackles the failures of leadership]( BY Daily Maverick [Land Reform: ‘Expropriation without compensation is a red herring’]( [Land Reform: ‘Expropriation without compensation is a red herring’]( BY Marelise van der Merwe OPINIONISTAS [#SheIsWorthy: Why I support Dlamini Zuma]( [#SheIsWorthy: Why I support Dlamini Zuma]( A column by Fikile Mbalula [ANC Leadership Race: By hook or by crook – we must win]( [ANC Leadership Race: By hook or by crook – we must win]( A column by Oscar van Heerden [The hands that rocked the securocrats’ cradle]( [The hands that rocked the securocrats’ cradle]( A column by Paul Hoffman [Building a city of opportunity based on fairness]( [Building a city of opportunity based on fairness]( A column by Solly Msimanga [The Steinhoff Debacle – the biggest fraud in SA history]( [The Steinhoff Debacle – the biggest fraud in SA history]( A column by Andile Lungisa — Weather BFN: min: 12° max 31°, cloudy CPT: min: 14° max: 18°, rainy DBN: min: 18° max: 24°, rainy EL: min: 15° max: 23°, cloudy JHB: min: 13° max: 24°, cloudy KIM: min: 13° max: 33°, cloudy MHK: min: 14° max: 31°, rainy PMB: min: 13° max: 29°, rainy PE: min: 13° max: 27°, cloudy PTA: min: 16° max: 28°, cloudy Financial Data Oil=$63.21 Gold=$1,241.37 Platinum=$880.25 R/$=13.68 R/€=16.05 R/£=18.21 BTC/$=17,699 JSE All Share=57,523.62 DJIA=24,535.64 FTSE 100=7,500.41 [FORWARD THIS EMAIL TO A FRIEND]( Copyright © 2017 Daily Maverick, All rights reserved. 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