While you were sleeping: 18 August 2016

Wildfires rage across California, cartel war feared in Mexico, and DNA library published.

By AFP

18 Aug

“I just focused all the anger I had for the Nigerian government in one blow”

– Nigerian Boxer Efe Ajagba explaining his 23 second knockout victory.

Story of the Day

Battleground Metros: Broad DA-led coalition – supported by EFF – poised to take over from ANC

So, it’s official. As official as non-coalition coalition politics gets. The EFF will back DA candidates in the Gauteng metros, the ANC will be out of power in the big cities, and Julius Malema can carry on being the centre of attention. The EFF’s decision to back opposition candidates but not form formal coalitions with them is, in one sense, the perfect calibrated response to a difficult situation, and in another, a recipe for loads of disruption in the longer term. But all that matters to opposition parties is keeping the ANC out so they can now manoeuvre among themselves. By STEPHEN GROOTES.
Read more

While you were sleeping

Fires rage through California

Several 'firenadoes' have developed as wild fires devastate California's naturural environment. The Blue Cut fire has now resulted in San Bernardino declaring a state of emergency, with more firefighters on the way to augment the 1,300 already there. Read More

Cartel war on the horizon for Mexico

Mexican officials have warned of a possible cartel war following the abduction of Joaquin 'El Chapo' Guzman's son. Police suspect a rival cartel mounted the kidnapping, and the group's decision whether to ransom or kill their captive could determine whether a war will happen, or not. Read More

Semenya's Friday semi-final

Caster Semenya cruised through her 800m heat and will run in the semi-finals on Friday morning at 2:31am, starting in lane five. The final is on Sunday at 2.15am. Elroy Grant also ran a very impressive race in the men’s 5,000m and will run in the final on Sunday morning. Other than that, things weren’t so great for Team South Africa. If you missed any of the action, you can catch up with our blow-by-blow account.

Massive DNA library released

On Wednesday scientists published a catalogue of human genetic variations – 10 million to be exact. The catalogue should aid scientists and researchers worldwide in identifying rare diseases. It is unclear whether the catalogue will allow for a giant shark capable of fighting the Californian firenadoes, however.Read More

In Numbers

The number of countries that boycotted the 1976 Olympic games because New Zealand was allowed to participate.

Facts of the Day

Today in 1977 Steve Biko was arrested.

If you put your finger on an otter, there will be more hairs under your fingerthan on an average human head.

Weather & Financial Data

BFN: min: 10° max: 22°, cloudy
CPT: min: 14° max: 23°, sunny
DBN: min: 17° max: 23°, cloudy
EL: min: 19° max: 22°, rainy
JHB: min: 6° max: 22° cloudy
KIM: min: 12° max: 21°, rainy
NLP: min: 8° max: 25°, cloudy
PMB: min: 9° max: 27°, cloudy
PKN: min: 7° max: 22°, cloudy
PE: min: 15° max: 23°, rainy
PTA: min: 7° max: 22°, cloudy

Oil=$49.80
Gold=$1,346.42
Platinum=$1,117.90
R/$=13.43
R/€=15.15
R/£=17.50
€/$=1.12
JSE All Share=52,309.70
DJIA= 18,561.47
FTSE 100=6,859.15
Source

Now on Daily Maverick

FEATURES

	Battleground Metros: Broad DA-led coalition – supported by EFF – poised to take over from ANC By Stephen Grootes
	Battleground Metros: The day the EFF punished the ANC By Greg Nicolson
	KwaZulu-Natal: Opposition Big Three get ready to stand up to the ANC By CYRIL MADLALA
	House of Cards: IPID head of investigations summarily dismissed By Marianne Thamm
	Op-Ed: The Zuma rape trial and its bearing on the post-Zuma era By Raymond Suttner
	Parliamentary Diary: What about Thoko Didiza? By Marianne Merten
	Written on the Soul: Sylvia Vollenhoven on being coloured and listening to ancestral voices By Marianne Thamm
	Analysis: Tackling the deadly duo of TB and HIV/Aids in South Africa By Marelise van der Merwe
	Explainer: The collapsed Sudan peace talks By Nuba Reports
	GroundUp: The lethal toll of informal gold mining By GroundUp
	While you were sleeping: 17 August 2016 By John Stupart
	US 2016: Is the Trumpster heading for the electoral dumpster? By J Brooks Spector