IEC's record number of voters, Al Jazeera blocked in Bangladesh

[Click here for the web version of this email]( [Daily Maverick] TGIF, 22 March 2019 While You Were Working [Registered voters reach record number]( The IEC has noted that there are 26.75-million registered voters, the highest number since democracy began in South Africa. At least 1.3-million new voters joined the roll, with Gauteng and KZN topping the list for provinces with the most voters. Just how these voters will vote, however, is less of a certainty. [Indonesian carrier cancels Boeing orders]( Indonesia's Garuda airline has announced that it will be cancelling a large order for the troubled Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft. Garuda had placed an order for 49 aircraft, but cited a lack of faith in the model and its reliability as reason for ending the order. Boeing has replied that it would send a delegation of officials to Indonesia to discuss the cancellation. Presumably they will not be flying on a 737 Max 8 themselves. — [Click to RSVP]( [Trump says China deal 'close']( President Donald Trump has stated today that China and the United States are close to securing a new trade deal. US officials have cautioned against over-enthusiasm, however. Negotiators will need to secure an agreement in Beijing before a Chinese delegation visits the White House in April. While Trump's version of "close" may differ with officials, a deal, and possible end to a global trade war, could only be a good thing. [Al Jazeera censored in Bangladesh]( The government of Bangladesh has blocked Al Jazeera's English website following a critical article. The specific article had linked a senior defence chief to the disappearance of three individuals involved in a disagreement with his wife. This is not Bangladesh's first censorship roadshow, with similar actions in 2017 showcasing the country's willingness to squash freedom of the press. — [Unlike Eskom - We Won’t Keep You In The Dark]( Our journalists work hard every day exposing the corruption in our country. In fact, Daily Maverick has published 147 Scorpio investigations since 2017. We’re not going to keep that behind a paywall. Our readers need to know what’s really happening in South Africa. The number one benefit of becoming a Maverick Insider is ensuring that our investigations remain free and accessible to all. [Sign up and help us]( enlighten all South Africans. [Click to RSVP]( Featured Articles [Ramaphosa’s NPA investigative unit: An unknown compromise]( [Ramaphosa’s NPA investigative unit: An unknown compromise]( BY Greg Nicolson [The Great VBS Heist: Former ANCYL Limpopo leader’s R35.4m spending list exposed]( [The Great VBS Heist: Former ANCYL Limpopo leader’s R35.4m spending list exposed]( BY Pauli Van Wyk [Activists occupy Rondebosch golf club, celebrate ‘Reclaim the Land Day’]( [Activists occupy Rondebosch golf club, celebrate ‘Reclaim the Land Day’]( BY Tessa Knight Opinionistas [Amazing Grace: Staying true to one’s humanity in the age of unreason and politics by the shameless]( BY Judith February [Adam Habib’s search for a pragmatic radicalism]( BY Imraan Buccus [Click to RSVP]( [FORWARD THIS EMAIL TO A FRIEND]( Copyright © 2019 Daily Maverick, All rights reserved. You are receiving this mail because you are awesome and on the Daily Maverick Afternoon Thing subscriber list. Want to advertise in this mail? [Talk to us.](mailto:advertise@dailymaverick.co.za?subject=Advertising%20query%3A%20Afternoon%20Thing) [Getting too many emails from us? Manage your preferences]( | [Unsubscribe](