--- title: "While you were sleeping: 26 March 2018" description: "Russian mall blaze kills 37, Stormy Daniels talks out over intimidation, and Australian cricketers play down cheating." 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/2018-03-26-while-you-were-sleeping-26-march-2018/" published: "2018-03-26T05:58:05" lang: "en-ZA" word_count: 736 --- # While you were sleeping: 26 March 2018 > Russian mall blaze kills 37, Stormy Daniels talks out over intimidation, and Australian cricketers play down cheating. By John Stupart · Published 26 March 2018, 07:58 SAST ## Content **Monday, 26 March 2018** *“Consistency is the defense of a small mind”* **David Eddings** ![Image](https://i2.createsend1.com/ei/d/A2/F88/870/csimport/849x493q70Merten-ANC-NEC1.050700.jpg) STORY OF THE DAY [NEC: State Capture accused will not be supported by the ANC colours](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-odjxil-l-p/) By MARIANNE MERTEN. With elections topmost in the ANC’s collective mind, there’s the political pickle of former president Jacob Zuma facing trial on criminal charges related to the late-1990s arms deal and the State Capture commission of inquiry. After three days’ discussions, the ANC National Executive Committee on Sunday took the path well trodden – compromise. ANC members as individuals may show support for and solidarity with those implicated in State Capture, but not in ANC colours, so there’s no “false impression that the ANC as organisation identifies with, or approves of, the misdemeanours of which any member or leader may be accused”. WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING [Russian mall fire kills 37](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-odjxil-l-x/) At least 37 shoppers have been killed in a blaze in a Siberian shopping mall. The Kemerovo shopping centre caught fire in one of the cinema halls. Thus far, officials have reported at least 69 people missing, including 40 children. Roughly 300 firefighters have been deployed to combat the blaze, which has destroyed over 1,000 square metres of retail space. [Adult film star threatened over Trump affair](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-odjxil-l-m/) Stormy Daniels has said she had been threatened by a man in a parking lot to keep silent about her affair with Donald Trump. Talking to Anderson Cooper, Daniels stated that "a guy walked up on me and said to me, 'Leave Trump alone. Forget the story.' And then he leaned around and looked at my daughter and said, 'That's a beautiful little girl. It'd be a shame if something happened to her mom.'" [Saudi intercept Yemeni missile attack](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-odjxil-l-c/) Saudi military forces successfully intercepted seven Yemeni rebel missiles on Sunday. The attack appeared to target Riyadh, with falling shrapnel killing one civilian and wounding two others. Houthi rebels were believed to be responsible for the missile attacks. Coalition (against the rebels) spokesperson Turki al-Malki blamed Iran for its support of the Houthi rebellion. [Clarke calls for forgiveness over ball-tampering](http://email.touchbasepro.com/t/d-l-odjxil-l-q/) Former captain Michael Clarke has urged the cricket-watching public to exercise forgiveness on Steve Smith's cheating fiasco. The Australian balls-up over the weekend, where Smith admitted to encouraging batsman Cameron Bancroft to tamper with the match ball, has created a wave of anger towards the squad. With the Aussies still due to face a much-less-chilled Wanderers crowd in the next test match, you can expect Australia's ball-gate to continue well into Johannesburg's game. — IN NUMBERS 200 The number of years that tomatoes were considered poisonous in Europe. FACTS OF THE DAY Today in 1934 the**United Kingdom introduces the driving test.**Before that was apparently motoring bedlam. The Swedish programmer that developed **Spotify** also was the creator of uTorrent. 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