Breakfast Edition: 6 October 2015
WATCH & LISTEN: Here's a recap of this morning's top news.
AFGHAN FORCES CALLS IN US ATTACK ON HOSPITAL: The top US-commander in Afghanistan, General John Campbell has revealed that Afghan forces called in a US air strike on a Kunduz hospital that killed 22 people. The hospital belongs to the medical charity, Doctors without Borders, who have branded the attack a war crime.
This marks the first US military acknowledgement that it was behind Saturday's devastating raid which caused patients to burn to death in their beds. According to General Campbell's statement, Afghan forces advised that they were taking fire from enemy positions and asked for air support from US air forces. This is at odds with previous US military claims that the strike was carried out to protect American Special Forces on the ground from enemy fire. Doctors Without Borders spokesman, Borrie La Grange says they've seen the US change its story too often to believe the latest statement.
OSCAR PISTORIUS PAROLE REFERRED: There is no indication of when Oscar Pistorius' application to be freed from jail under correctional supervision will again be considered by the parole board. The parole review board on Monday referred the matter back to the parole board. The International Supporters group for Oscar Pistorius' Willie Roos believes the move is to keep the disgraced Paralympian behind bars until the State's appeal against his conviction of culpable homicide and five year jail sentence is heard in November. The State still believes that there was enough evidence to change the conviction to one of murder, which carries a much longer jail term.
LIMPOPO MAN IN COURT FOR ALLEGEDLY KILLING HIS CHILDREN: A Limpopo man, who allegedly killed his four sons by slitting their throats, is expected to appear in the Magatle Magistrate's court today. He faces four charges of murder for his sons aged between 4 and 13. The 36 year old is expected to apply for bail today. Maidi Monareng reports.
NEGOTIATIONS IN COAL MINING SECTOR: As the strike by NUM members in the coal mining industry enters a third day, and negotiations at some gold mines are still not resolved, the new Mineral Resources Minister, Mosebenzi Zwane has appealed to stakeholders to work together to resolve labour disputes as speedily as possible. His spokesperson, Ayanda Shezi, says a speedy wage resolution is in the best interest of all involved, as well as the country.
SPRINGBOKS VS. USA AT THE RUGBY WORLD CUP: Bulls scrumhalf, Rudy Paige will make his debut in a Springbok jersey tomorrow, when South Africa face the USA in their last pool-B Rugby World Cup clash at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London. Echbert Boezak reports from London - where coach Heynecke Meyer announced his largely unchanged team last night.
A MAMMOTH DISCOVERY: A US farmer got the surprise of a lifetime when digging in his soybean field in Michigan. He was trying to clear out room for a natural gas pipeline when he struck something hard. It turned out to be almost a COMPLETE Mammoth. A team of palaeontologists helped excavate the creature who died almost 15,000 years ago. Head of the team, Daniel Fischer says this was an amazing discovery.
JEREMY CLARKSON FORCED TO GO TO REHAB: Jeremy Clarkson was forced to go to rehab after being sacked from Top Gear. The 55-year-old presenter - who was axed from the motoring show earlier this year for punching a producer in a row over a steak - has revealed he almost suffered a break-down after the incident. Writing in his column for The Sunday Times newspaper, he shared: "Back in the summer it was decided by people with serious faces and stethoscopes that I needed a complete break. "And they weren't talking about two weeks in the sun with a book, and a million cocktail parties every night. They were talking about a whole month in the Stone Age. Jeremy spent a month going to bed by 22:00 and practicing yoga, meditation, zumba and t'ai chi and is now back on his feet after signing a whopping £10m deal to front a new car show for Amazon with his Top Gear colleagues James May and Richard Hammond.
