Marikana: Police Lied, Faked Farlam Commission Evidence – Once again, the Marikana Commission has adjourned, this time until Wednesday. But it’s not because of administrative issues or the issue of the miners’ legal fees. In an explosive statement, the Commission says the South African Police Service (SAPS) has lied, withheld evidence, and presented a false version of what happened on and around 16 August 2012. [dailymav]
Chicago Park Shooting: Several Injured – Authorities say 11 people, including a three-year-old child, were injured when a gunman opened fire on people in a park. [sky]
Russia ‘Seizes’ Greenpeace Ship After Arctic Rig Protest – Greenpeace says 29 activists, including six Britons, are being held at gunpoint by Russian security officers who stormed the group’s ship in the Arctic. [bbc]
Putin Says He May Seek 4th Presidential Term – President Vladimir Putin said Thursday he may run for a fourth presidential term in 2018, confirming the expectations of most Russians and frustrating those now working to restore free elections in Russia. [abc]
Clooney, Cheadle Push Obama On Bashir – Hollywood actors George Clooney, Don Cheadle and Mia Farrow and other human rights activists on Thursday urged US President Barack Obama to do everything in his power to prevent Sudan’s indicted president from attending the UN General Assembly. [iol]
SA Expats Voting: IEC Bill Adopted Amid DA Court Bid – The Electoral Amendment Bill, which gives expatriates the right to vote for the National Assembly, has been approved by all parties except the DA. [mail&guardian]
Ex-Stripper Suing Daily Mail for Using Her Photo on HIV+ Actress Story – Last month, Cameron Bay, who is not the woman pictured in this story, became the first of three U.S.-based adult performers to test positive for HIV. Before Bay came forth publicly, the Daily Mail dashed off an August 22 article about the porn industry shutting down in response to the affected actress’s results and illustrated the story with a sultry photo of the above woman, soft-core webcam entrepreneur Danni Ashe. [gawker]
Syrian Government Says War Has Reached Stalemate – Deputy PM says neither side is strong enough to win and government may call for ceasefire at Geneva talks. [guardian]
SA Inventor Up For International Prize – A South Africa innovator has won a finalist place in a global competition to find simple technological solutions to improve the lives of ordinary people. [news24]
Baby Killed After Freak ‘Accident’ On Airport Conveyor Belt In Spain Believed To Be American – A 5-month-old baby boy died on Wednesday night after getting trapped on a baggage collection conveyor belt at a Spanish airport. [nydaily]
This Is What It Looks Like INSIDE The New iPhone – Apple’s next generation of iPhones are upon us and iFixit has wasted no time tearing apart the new gold 5S. [verge]
Camelot’s Next Chapter: Caroline Kennedy En Route To Japan Ambassadorship – Caroline Kennedy marked Camelot’s next chapter Thursday during a Senate confirmation hearing to become the next ambassador to Japan. [msnbc]
New Tell-All Exposé Reveals Jack Nicholson’s Chronic Drug Use – Hollywood legend Jack Nicholson was one of the most prolific actors of his time before recently deciding to retire. But his rise to the top wasn’t just fueled by ambition and talent: A new memoir, Nicholson, by Marc Eliot, reveals how Jack’s drug use was intimately tied with his career successes — and failures — for many years. [radar]
Tony Blair’s Daughter Held At Gunpoint – Former prime minister Tony Blair’s daughter was held up at gunpoint during an attempted robbery in central London. [bbc]
How Much Longer Can Earth Support Life? – Earth could continue to host life for at least another 1.75 billion years, as long as a nuclear holocaust, an errant asteroid or some other disaster doesn’t intervene, a new study calculates. [mashable]
Toddlers Denied Tiaras: Behind The French Push To Ban Pageants – France, a country famous for young sex symbols, is moving to ban beauty pageants for young girls. Christopher Dickey on the anti-American sentiment behind the bill. [beast]
Tragic Versace Mansion Goes Under The Hammer – The palatial Miami mansion where iconic fashion designer Gianni Versace was murdered goes under the hammer on Tuesday with auctioneers hoping to clinch a sale for as much as $40 million. [luxuo]
Mars Mystery Deepens: Curiosity Rover Finds No Sign of Methane – NASA’s Mars rover Curiosity has revealed no trace of methane, a potential sign of primitive life, on the Martian surface, contradicting past evidence of the gas spotted by spacecraft orbiting the Red Planet, researchers say. [space]
Two Drivers Shoot Each Other Dead In Road Rage Drama At Car Wash During Evening Commute – Two drivers were dead on Wednesday after an incident of road rage erupted into a fatal shoot-out. Robert Taylor, 56, and 43-year-old James Pullum were killed in the gun battle around 6.45pm on Wednesday in Ionia, Michigan. [dailymail]
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