Venezuela bans opposition in elections

[Daily Maverick] FIRST THING with JOHN STUPART Monday, 11 December 2017 "I think that if ever a mortal heard the word of God it would be in a garden at the cool of day." F Frankfort Moore [Exclusive Books Top 10]( . For discerning readers. STORY OF THE DAY [ANC Leadership Race: Profile – With five days to go, who is Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma?]( By CARIEN DU PLESSIS Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma has had an impressive career. Member of Parliament for the ANC, national executive committee member, former African Union Commission chair, minister of 18 years and doctor. Yet now approaching the end of the presidential leadership race as the first female contender for the ANC's presidency, she remains an enigma. There has been as much meaning in what she doesn’t say in public, as in what she does say. WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING [Venezuela bans opposition in elections]( Venezuela's dictator-aspirant President Nicolas Maduro has barred major opposition parties from participating in upcoming presidential elections. The move was announced on Sunday as opposition boycotted mayoral elections. Maduro's grip on power looked assured after a visibly angry address questioning why the opposition were boycotting elections. [IS migration to Africa could be on the horizon]( The African Union's commissioner for its peace and security organ warned that up to 6,000 Islamic State violent extremists could return to Africa. Smail Chergui noted with concern the thousands of extremists joining Isis in the Middle East who may return to the continent, thereby spreading an increasing threat on the African continent. [Palestinians 'walk away' from Pence talks]( Not a single Palestinian Authority official will meet with Deputy President and ghoul-in-waiting Mike Pence. The United States accused the PA of "walking away" from a chance to discuss peace in the region. The accusation itself is a bit laughable in the wake of Trump's recognition of Jerusalem as Israel's capital. [Mourinho skirmishes with Man City players]( Manchester United Manager Jose Mourinho entered rival Manchester City's change rooms after his team's 2-1 defeat to complain about their noisy celebrations. Man City's players naturally took great umbrage at Mourinho's impertinence, throwing water and milk at him, with at least one plastic bottle colliding with the manager's head. Mourinho, it seems, may not be as good at managing conflict as football. — [Exclusive Books Top 10]( . For discerning readers. PICTURE OF THE DAY BY EPA-EFE/JEROME FAVRE Visitors look at the inside of the OPod Tube House during the Design Inspire exhibition in Hong Kong, China, 8 December 2017. The OPod Tube House, created by James Law Cybertecture, is an experimental low cost, micro-living housing unit constructed out of a 2.5m-diametre concrete water pipe. The design aims to ease Hong Kong's affordable housing problem. IN NUMBERS 47 The number of cities that are piloting autonomous cars. FACTS OF THE DAY Today is International Mountain Day. Climb a mountain today! Speaking Kurdish in Turkey was illegal until the 1990s. [Exclusive Books Top 10]( . For discerning readers. 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