SpaceX make historical announcement

[Daily Maverick] FIRST THING with JOHN STUPART Tuesday, 28th February 2017 "The annual exodus of Kiwis to Australia raised the average IQ of both countries.” Former New Zealand prime minister Robert Muldoon [Plug into the original power plant. Go Solar.]( STORY OF THE DAY [Analysis: The awful politics of xenophobia]( South Africans have a certain reputation for public robustness. We fight, scream, and shout at each other, all in the name of deciding what would make for a better country. At times, though, this robustness threatens to derail us at a time when many people could be vulnerable to serious harm. On Friday in Pretoria, violence broke out during a march planned by people who were “opposed to illegal immigrants”. The police struggled to maintain order. And instead of speaking with one voice, everyone in a leadership position was busy pointing fingers, particularly at Joburg Mayor Herman Mashaba. By STEPHEN GROOTES. [SpaceX to send tourists to the moon by 2018]( Space travel has come a long way from its Cold War competitive roots. SpaceX announced late on Monday that two tourists have paid deposits and are in the process of health screenings in order to be sent around the moon -- by 2018. This will be the first space flight to the moon since the Apollo missions of the 60s and 70s. No specific amount for the trip per person was published, however. [Trump announces major defence spending increase]( Not to be outdone by space exploration, President Donald Trump announced a $54 billion spending increase in defence and security, a bump of 10 percent. The increase will come at a cost for foreign aid, which will bear the brunt of the reduction. In context, this means more drones for counter-terrorism, but God help America should Ebola break out again. [Liberian authorities and Sea Shepherd nab poachers]( If you thought that the Sea Shepherd spent all its time harassing Japanese whaling trips, think again. The organisation, in conjunction with Liberian authorities, successfully identified and captured three illegal fishing vessels in territorial waters. A Chinese, Ghanaian, and Senegalese-flagged ship were all captured along with their crew. With illegal fishing costing the region $1.3 billion annually, nobody will be showing the poachers much mercy in court. ['Et tu Leicester?' as Shaespeare takes command]( Leicester City's new manager Craig Shakespeare appeared to watch his new charges stick the blade in Claudio Ranieri's side even deeper, defeating Liverpool 3-1 and looking like the team of 2016. Ranieri was sacked as manager after a miracle season last year, but failed to produce results this year. Proving the bitter cynicism with which top football is run, Shakespeare looks set to produce both results and a litany of witty headlines. — [Plug into the original power plant. Go Solar.]( PICTURE OF THE DAY BY EPA/RONALD WITTEK A float referring to US President Donald Trump during the Rose Monday carnival parade in Mainz, Germany, 27 February 2017. Rose Monday is the traditional highlight of the carnival season in many German cities. IN NUMBERS 95 Al Capone's IQ. FACTS OF THE DAY Today in 2013 Pope Benedict XVI resigned. He was the first to do so in six centuries. WD-40 is not patented, as that would force the makers to reveal its formula. FEATURED ARTICLES [Analysis: The awful politics of xenophobia]( [Analysis: The awful politics of xenophobia]( BY Stephen Grootes [Op-Ed: Xenophobia and the question of universal rights]( [Op-Ed: Xenophobia and the question of universal rights]( BY Raymond Suttner [Rhino sale bombshell hidden in new draft regulations]( [Rhino sale bombshell hidden in new draft regulations]( BY Don Pinnock [Nzimande hails Mbeki as one of the greatest intellectuals of the liberation movement]( [Nzimande hails Mbeki as one of the greatest intellectuals of the liberation movement]( BY News24 [Gauteng Xenophobia: Gigaba and Mashaba trade accusations]( [Gauteng Xenophobia: Gigaba and Mashaba trade accusations]( BY Greg Nicolson [Op-Ed: Let’s get mining under way – again]( [Op-Ed: Let’s get mining under way – again]( BY Dirk de Vos [ISS Today: Trump keeps Africa guessing]( [ISS Today: Trump keeps Africa guessing]( BY ISS TODAY [Oscars 2017: A whimper that ended with a bang]( [Oscars 2017: A whimper that ended with a bang]( BY Rebecca Davis [GroundUp: Gauteng school withdraws xenophobic letter]( [GroundUp: Gauteng school withdraws xenophobic letter]( BY GroundUp OPINIONISTAS [Why tax collectors love sinners]( [Why tax collectors love sinners]( A column by Ivo Vegter [Fixing the economy in a den of robbers]( [Fixing the economy in a den of robbers]( A column by Ayabonga Cawe [The deadly power of patriarchy]( [The deadly power of patriarchy]( A column by ROBYN WOLFSON VORSTER [An open letter to Brian Molefe]( [An open letter to Brian Molefe]( A column by SIPHO PITYANA — [Plug into the original power plant. 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