Microsoft in a patch of trouble over WannaCry

[Daily Maverick] FIRST THING with JOHN STUPART TGIF, 19 May 2017 “Human nature is not a machine to be built after a model, and set to do exactly the work prescribed for it, but a tree, which requires to grow and develop itself on all sides, according to the tendency of the inward forces which make it a living thing.” John Stuart Mill STORY OF THE DAY [Unburdening, Uncapturing: SACC and SACP take leadership while ANC dithers]( By RANJENI MUNUSAMY With 36 member churches and organisations representing millions of Christians, the SA Council of Churches (SACC) is arguably the biggest organised formation in the country. A pastoral letter to be issued across congregations reflecting on state capture and the report of their Unburdening Panel could have massive political consequences. The ANC had the opportunity to “unburden” itself of state capture and did not. So for the first time since the height of apartheid, the church is intervening to take on “a government that has lost its moral legitimacy”. The SACP, meanwhile, is convening “progressive forces” in the country for a national imbizo that could set the agenda for the big political conferences coming up. [Microsoft withheld critical patch]( A new report revealed late on Thursday that Microsoft did not fully distribute a patch for its operating systems which would have drastically mitigated the WannaCry spread. The patch, released in March, was only made available to Windows 10 users. Older OS users had to pay for the update. Microsoft's greedy attempts to coerce users into buying new software ultimately created a far larger security gap than necessary. [Trump calls probe 'witch hunt', denies wrongdoing]( President Donald Trump took to Twitter yesterday to pan allegations of meddling in an FBI probe against him. He called it "the single greatest witch hunt of a politician in American history!" Some of Trump's Republican allies have now begun softening up on the possibility of impeachment. With 2018 congressional elections looming large, the bombastic president may well leave less pie at the political table for his Republican allies next year. [Basquiat masterpiece fetches massive sum at auction]( A Japanese billionaire has purchased a Basquiat work for $110.5-million at auction. Sotheby's made the announcement on Thursday evening, noting that the price was a new record for the 20th-century artist. The piece, a skull-like object on a stick in acrylic and paint, has been virtually unseen since the 80s. Yusaku Maezawa, 41, the proud new owner, promptly took a picture of his new piece and put it on Instagram. [Antarctica seeing unprecedented plant growth]( Moss growth on Antarctica is growing at record levels, indicating the growing effect of climate change. Combined with reports of an irreversible disintegration of the ice shelf, it appears as though Antarctica is going much the way of the Arctic. A researcher from the University of Exeter noted that the moss growth had increased rapidly in the past half century. — PICTURE OF THE DAY BY EPA/VILLAR LOPEZ People hide their faces during a flash mob on the occasion of the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia in Pamplona, Navarra, Spain, 17 May 2017. The international event is held every year on 17 May. IN NUMBERS 15 The sentence in Ethiopia for using Skype fraudulently. FACTS OF THE DAY Today is Ho Chi Minh's birthday. The Vietnamese Communist leader was born in 1890. Yellow Stone Park is the world's first national park. It is also known as "America's best idea". FEATURED ARTICLES [Unburdening, Uncapturing: SACC and SACP take leadership while ANC dithers]( [Unburdening, Uncapturing: SACC and SACP take leadership while ANC dithers]( BY Ranjeni Munusamy [Party Funding: Follow the Power]( [Party Funding: Follow the Power]( BY Stephen Grootes [TRAINSPOTTER – City Budget: The Great Unholy Tshwane Alliance brings us Pretoria-on-the-Rhine]( [TRAINSPOTTER – City Budget: The Great Unholy Tshwane Alliance brings us Pretoria-on-the-Rhine]( BY Richard Poplak [Parliament: ANC promises to end secrecy on private political funding, but wants more public funding]( [Parliament: ANC promises to end secrecy on private political funding, but wants more public funding]( BY Marianne Merten [Op-Ed: A lesson for Cyril Ramaphosa, from Hillary Clinton]( [Op-Ed: A lesson for Cyril Ramaphosa, from Hillary Clinton]( BY David Reiersgord [SABC: No silver lining at disciplinary hearing for Hlaudi]( [SABC: No silver lining at disciplinary hearing for Hlaudi]( BY Greg Nicolson [Analysis: As culture wars intensify, some white Afrikaners push back]( [Analysis: As culture wars intensify, some white Afrikaners push back]( BY Rebecca Davis [AmaBhungane: Free State IT staff transferred in favour of politically connected company]( [AmaBhungane: Free State IT staff transferred in favour of politically connected company]( BY AMABHUNGANE [Op-Ed: To Cape Town, with Love]( [Op-Ed: To Cape Town, with Love]( BY Jeffrey Barbee [House of Cards: Mbalula 2 – Ntlemeza 0 as court strikes the Bern’s application]( [House of Cards: Mbalula 2 – Ntlemeza 0 as court strikes the Bern’s application]( BY Marianne Thamm [Explainer: Everything you (n)ever wanted to know about the Cape’s water crisis]( [Explainer: Everything you (n)ever wanted to know about the Cape’s water crisis]( BY Marelise van der Merwe OPINIONISTAS [Blowing the whistle on the Speaker: Refusing a secret ballot would be a parliamentary obstruction]( [Blowing the whistle on the Speaker: Refusing a secret ballot would be a parliamentary obstruction]( A column by DAVID LEWIS [Unlearning toxic behaviour]( [Unlearning toxic behaviour]( A column by Kenneth Diole [ConCourt judgment explicitly links access to land and housing with the protection of dignity]( [ConCourt judgment explicitly links access to land and housing with the protection of dignity]( A column by Pierre de Vos [The Other News Round-Up: Sorry seems to be the hardest word]( [The Other News Round-Up: Sorry seems to be the hardest word]( A column by Marelise van der Merwe — Weather BFN: min: 8° max: 22°, sunny CPT: min: 11° max: 23°, sunny DBN: min: 18° max: 23°, sunny EL: min: 17° max: 25°, sunny JHB: min: 6° max: 22°, sunny KIM: min: 10° max: 24°, sunny NLP: min: 10° max: 26°, sunny PMB: min: 8° max: 25°, sunny PE: min: 9° max: 23°, sunny PTA: min: 14° max: 23°, sunny Financial Data Oil=$52.53 Gold=$1,254.44 Platinum=$935.07 $=13.43 €=14.94 £=17.47 $/€=0.92 JSE All Share=54,197.12 DJIA=20,628.64 FTSE 100=7,437.86 [FORWARD THIS EMAIL TO A FRIEND]( Copyright © 2017 Daily Maverick, All rights reserved. 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