End of Castro era as new president takes the helm

[Daily Maverick] Thursday, 19 April 2018 “Most of us are called on to perform tasks far beyond what we can do. Our capabilities seldom match our aspirations, and we are often woefully unprepared. To this extent, we are all Assistant Pig-Keepers at heart.” Lloyd Alexander Story of the Day [‘Those graves were our title deeds’]( By amaBhungane Moving him to correctional services may be an effort to neutralise any support Arthur Fraser enjoys from among the shadowy world of spooks and spies, but such reasoning highlights the paradox that the true threat to the state comes from within. Fraser’s track record disqualifies him from serving as a senior most public servant. It also disqualifies him from being a free man. While You Were Sleeping [Castro regime ends]( Cuban President Raul Castro has handed over power to his deputy Miguel Diaz-Canel. Castro's stepping down ended a six-decade legacy of his family. A pseudo Richard Gere look-alike, Díaz-Canel was the sole candidate within the party to replace Castro. He will be tasked not only with filling some very big boots, but with following through with some major economic liberalisation, started by his predecessor with President Obama. [SpaceX TESS mission successfully launched]( SpaceX was able to make a flawless launch of TESS (the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite). Delayed a day so engineers could perform more checks, the launch went without a hitch just after midnight, with the first stage rocket returning successfully to a drone platform at sea. TESS will seek out the skies for cosmic, life-bearing planets. If you think your day is going well, imagine the satisfied smiles of the average SpaceX employee today. [Amazon Prime hits 100-million]( Amazon Prime membership has exceeded 100-million, according to company chief Jeff Bezos. Writing in an annual letter, Bezos noted that along with the subscriptions, over five-billion items were shipped using the premium, fast delivery service. South Africans, however, have been long-accustomed to the cold shoulder of Amazon's SA Post Office-phobia. For now, you'll need to content yourself with exorbitant delivery fees for your Alexa. [Americans waste 150,000 tons of food per day]( Each American on average wastes 422 grams of food per day. A study by the University of Vermont established this wastage - the majority of it consisted of fruit and vegetables. The land required to farm this wasted food equated to 30-million acres, or 7% of America's farmland. You should still feel guilty for not finishing your supper, however. Picture of the Day By EPA-EFE/CHRISTOPHE PETIT TESSON Refugees in a rubber dinghy are rescued by members of the NGO SOS Mediterranee from the vessel Aquarius during an operation to rescue migrants, about 50km off the Libyan coast in the Mediterranean Sea, 18 April 2018. In Numbers 20% The percentage of Greenland's population who have attempted suicide. Facts of the Day Today is King Mswati III's birthday. Anyone who gets him a Maybach gets exiled free of charge. In the United States, pimps can have their cash confiscated but not their jewellery. Thus the need for "bling" as a pawnable bail asset. Featured Articles [‘Those graves were our title deeds’]( By amaBhungane [South Africa, a country in a need of healing]( By Stephen Grootes [Taking the fight against apartheid’s bankers to their backyard]( By Khuraisha Patel [Porsche 718 GTS: Sharper, Faster, Pricier]( By Deon Schoeman [Findings of new study unequivocal – protect the horticultural haven]( By Marelise Van Der Merwe [ANC Youth League boat rocks while fired-up candidates wait in the wings to replace Collen Maine]( By Carien Du Plessis [Swaziland: King Mswati’s birthday is overshadowed by human rights violations]( By Shireen Mukadam Opinionistas [Would Judge Motata’s removal from office be warranted to safeguard the integrity of the Judiciary?]( By Pierre De Vos [Gaping wounds and the clamber to contain the Winnie fallout]( By Susan Booysen [Brand Winnie: The race is on]( By Derek Carstens [ADHD in Adults: When accomplishments feel like accidents]( By Antoinette Muller Weather BFN: min: 7° max: 22°, sunny CPT: min: 11° max: 17°, cloudy DBN: min: 18° max: 23°, rainy JHB: min: 11° max: 22°, cloudy KIM: min: 8° max: 22°, sunny MHK: min: 11° max: 26°, sunny NLP: min: 17° max: 32°, cloudy PMB:min: 14° max: 21°, rainy PE: min: 11° max: 24°, sunny PTA: min: 14° max: 26°, cloudy Financial Data Oil=$73.14 Gold=$1,351.08 Platinum=$942.51 R/$=11.92 R/€=14.76 R/£=16.94 $/€=0.80 JSE All Share=57,713.29 DJIA=24,795.19 FTSE 100=7,317.34 BTC$=8 105 [FORWARD THIS EMAIL TO A FRIEND]( Copyright © 2018 Daily Maverick, All rights reserved. You are receiving this mail because you are awesome and on the Daily Maverick First Thing subscriber list. [Getting too many emails from us? Manage your preferences]( | [Unsubscribe](