Record audiences for Game of Thrones finale, Niki Lauda dies

[B](race yourself. Email is coming... [FIRST THING With John Stupart]( Tuesday, 21 May 2019 “If you think education is expensive, try ignorance.” Robert Orben Story of the Day [Prosecute the Prosecutors! Zuma puts NPA on trial]( By Greg Nicolson Jacob Zuma’s attempt to have corruption charges against him dropped is a tall order, but that doesn’t mean he’ll go on trial any time soon. [Bryanston branch now open]( WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING [Record audiences for Game of Thrones finale]( Over 19-million American viewers watched the season-ending finale of Game of Thrones, a new record for HBO. With it came a veritable unsullied's-worth of criticism for the season and ending episode. Regardless, the ending of season eight saw much anguish that the series had ended. Rest assured that the fame and fortune of this series is sure to generate spin-offs well into your old age. [Trump blocks former counsel from Congress appearance]( President Donald Trump has told former White House counsel Don McGahn to not obey an order to appear before a Congressional panel on the Russia investigation. McGahn made a regular appearance in the Mueller Report, probably adding to the ongoing campaign of legal obstruction by Trump. [F1 Champ Lauda dies]( Niki Lauda has died, aged 70. The three-time Formula One champion had suffered from complications relating to influenza just months after a lung transplant. Lauda won his titles in 1975 and 1977 with Ferrari, and snatched his final championship in 1984 with McLaren. [Eiffel Tower climber arrested]( Authorities have arrested a man who climbed over the tourist security rails of the Eiffel Tower and began ascending the landmark. His motives have remained unclear, but his actions were highly illegal nonetheless. Rescuers managed to talk him back into custody after he clung to the tower for over six hours. Picture of the Day By EPA-EFE/THEMBA HADEBE Former South African president Jacob Zuma, right, appears at the High Court in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, 20 May 2019. In Numbers 1,760 The number of PlayStation 3's that comprised the US Department of Defence's most powerful computer in 2010. Facts of the Day Today is Quinton Fortune's birthday. Lox is an 8,000 year old word for smoked salmon. Its meaning or pronounciation has not changed at all. [Bryanston branch now open]( Featured Articles [ANC’s choices for top posts in Parliament represent a fascinating mix of factional interests]( [ANC’s choices for top posts in Parliament represent a fascinating mix of factional interests]( By Marianne Merten [Is South Africa ripe for a climate change class action lawsuit?]( [Is South Africa ripe for a climate change class action lawsuit?]( By Brandon Abdinor [DA’s social media meltdown: Helen Zille rebuked by party behind the scenes, but wider battle rages]( [DA’s social media meltdown: Helen Zille rebuked by party behind the scenes, but wider battle rages]( By Rebecca Davis [Implicated NPA KZN boss Moipone Noko headed for top North West job]( By Marianne Thamm [Out with the secure solution — banks phasing out safety deposit boxes]( By Sasha Planting [Magashule’s unsteady post-election poker game, with the future of the ANC at stake]( By Stephen Grootes Opinionistas [Fitness of the Public Protector to hold office is in serious question]( A column by Professor Balthazar [Mayday! The NPA’s Hermione Cronje is navigating treacherous waters]( A column by Paul Hoffman [‘Game of Thrones’ was never really about the destination]( A column by Jonah Dylan Weather BFN: min: 6° max: 20°, sunny CPT: min: 11° max: 16°, cloudy DBN: min: 17° max: 21°, cloudy EL: min: 11° max: 21°, cloudy JHB: min: 8° max: 23°, sunny MHK: min: 9° max: 26°, sunny NLP: min: 14° max: 26°, cloudy PE: min: 10° max: 19°, cloudy PMB: min: 13° max: 18°, cloudy Financial Data All Share = 49551 -1.06%▼ DJIA = 25762 -0.35%▼ Brent Crude = $72.19 -0.10%▼ Gold = $1279 +0.06%▲ R/$ = 14.43 -0.09%▼ R/€ = 16.01 +0.05%▲ R/£ = 18.40 -0.07%▼ R/BTC = 19429 -1.45%▼ * At +- 5am / % open to close [Bryanston branch now open]( [FORWARD THIS EMAIL TO A FRIEND]( [Fb] [Tweet] [Link] [Yt] Copyright © 2019 Daily Maverick, All rights reserved. You are receiving this mail because you are awesome and on the Daily Maverick First Thing subscriber list. Interested in advertising with us? [Click here to sign the pact.](mailto:advertising@dailymaverick.co.za?subject=Advertising%20query%3A%20First%20Thing%20Mailers) [Getting too many emails from us? Manage your preferences]( [Unsubscribe](