--- title: "While you were sleeping: 25 August 2017" description: "Thai ex-PM skips court time, major winnings for Massachusetts lotto player, and revolutionary new fibre discovered." type: "NewsArticle" publisher: "Daily Maverick" site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za" section: "South Africa" author: "John Stupart" author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/johnstupart/" canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2017-08-25-while-you-were-sleeping-25-august-2017/" published: "2017-08-25T05:29:13" lang: "en-ZA" word_count: 642 --- # While you were sleeping: 25 August 2017 > Thai ex-PM skips court time, major winnings for Massachusetts lotto player, and revolutionary new fibre discovered. By John Stupart · Published 25 August 2017, 07:29 SAST ## Content **TGIF, 25 August 2017** *“The best index to a person's character is how he treats people who can't do him any good, and how he treats people who can't fight back.”* **Abigail Van Buren** ![Image](https://i2.createsend1.com/ei/d/14/F75/BC8/csimport/849x493q70thamm-mugabe-court.224805.jpg) STORY OF THE DAY [#MugabeGate: The people vs Mugabe and the government of South Africa](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-uldritt-l-x/) By MARIANNE THAMM Gabriella Engels and Afriforum have filed a review application in the Pretoria High court against South Africa's Minister of International Relations and Co-operation Maite Nkoana-Mashabane and Zimbabwean first lady Grace Mugabe. The application seeks to set aside Nkoana-Mashabane's decision to grant diplomatic immunity to Mugabe after she allegedly went on the rampage and assaulted Engels in a Sandton hotel and later slipped out of the country to escape criminal charges. [Thai PM pulls a Grace Mugabe](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-uldritt-l-m/) Ex-prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra has missed a court ruling on her controversial negligence trial, sparking a warrant for her arrest. The former PM's lawyer argued that she had missed her court date due to illness. "Sick of courts" evidently was not admitted as acceptable. [UN calls for less Sudanese interference](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-uldritt-l-c/) The United Nations on Thursday warned Sudan not to interfere with its peacekeeping mission to the country. The organisation's Security Council made an announcement through its Egyptian secretary, who warned that "The members of the Security Council reminded all parties that the obstruction of activities of international peacekeeping may be subject to sanctions." [Space age power thread could make energy waves](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-uldritt-l-q/) American and South Korean researchers announced today that a new type of thread can generate electricity through twisting and stretching. Far from making a funky jersey, the material could power entire regions when placed in the right waves, for example. Made from carbon nanotubes, the revolutionary new fibre is called "twistron". [Massachusetts mom wins $758.7 lottery](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-uldritt-l-a/) A mother of two in Massachusetts has won a colossal $758.7 in America's Powerball lottery. Mavis Wanczyk won the single largest lottery prize for an individual by picking numbers that included family birth dates. Tax will take a large chunk out, however. — IN NUMBERS 500 The dollar amount in millions of value for artwork stolen in the world's greatest art heist. This was in Boston in 1993. FACTS OF THE DAY Today in 1944 **Paris** is liberated by the Allies. **Portobello, cremini and button mushrooms** are all the same kind of mushroom. ![Image](https://i6.createsend1.com/ei/d/14/F75/BC8/csimport/GleakswN24.190025.jpg) FEATURED ARTICLES ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/849x493q70Becs-pottinger.jpg) [Bell Pottinger: Trouble mounts for Guptas’ PR firm](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-uldritt-l-w/) BY REBECCA DAVIS ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/849x493q70merten-BSchronicles.jpg) [BS Chronicles: When facts fall by the wayside on the freeway of political spin](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-uldritt-l-yh/) BY MARIANNE MERTEN ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/849x493q70Carien-2campaigns.jpg) [ANC Leadership Race: A Tale of Two Campaigns](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-uldritt-l-yu/) BY CARIEN DU PLESSIS ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/849x493q70Brooks-diplomaticIMmunity.jpg) [#MugabeGate: A handbook to diplomatic immunity and impunity](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-uldritt-l-jr/) BY J BROOKS SPECTOR ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/849x493q70greg-bobani.jpg) [Coalition blues: UDM likely to pull out of Nelson Mandela Bay](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-uldritt-l-jj/) BY GREG NICOLSON ![Image](https://images.www.dailymaverick.co.za/images/resized_images/849x493q70Bheki-SARS.jpg) [Public Protector: Accountability Now seeks investigation into Guptas' tax affairs](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-uldritt-l-ji/) BY BHEKI C. 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