A missing poster for Jill Meagher is taped to a lamppost on Sydney Rd on September 28, 2012 in Melbourne, Australia. Coburg man Adrian Ernest Bayley was charged overnight with the murder and rape of Irish national Jill Meagher.
Venezuela’s Presidential Election — Reports of violence have erupted in the South American country as the October 7 election approaches, according to BBC. On Saturday the supporters of President Hugo Chávez killed three activists who endorsed the opposition candidate, Henrique Capriles, during a parade in which more than 100,000 Venezuelans gathered to back Capriles. BBC described the upcoming election as the most contentious election the country has faced in over a decade, as Chávez has ruled the country since 1999. Chávez was quoted as saying it would be impossible for him to lose.
The Festival of Traffic Jam — Sunday marked the first day of the eight-day holiday week in China to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival, known as a time of severe highway congestion. This year’s traffic is made worse by a new policy, which waives the freeway toll during holidays, according to CNN. More than 85 millions people were traveling on the road on Sunday. The government estimated 740 million trips will take place during the week.
Australia’s Murder Trial — Facebook has denied the request from Victoria Police to remove hateful messages against a man arrested for the rape and murder of 29-year-old Jill Meagher, The Sydney Morning Herald reports. Numerous Facebook hate pages directed toward Adrian Ernest Bayley, 41, have gone viral. One post in particular has generated 44,000 “likes.” Police fear these hate posts will incite violence and affect the trial. The murder case has shaken Australia. On Sunday 30,000 marched the streets in Melbourne in remembrance of the murdered Irish woman.
Cambodia Jails Journalist – A Cambodian court has sentenced Mam Sanando, a prominent journalist, for 20 years for an alleged plot of rebellion against the government, the BBC reports. Sonando runs the Beehive radio station, which allows dissident opinions against the government and has caused a tension between the Cambodian journalist and the Prime Minister Hun Sen, who demanded Sonando’s arrest. Amnesty International called the conviction “absolutely outrageous.”
South African Inquiry – South African President Jacob Zuma has set up an inquiry into the fatal shootings of 44 striking workers at the Marikana mine, according to the BBC. The violent protests at the platinum mine led to 46 deaths and weeks of unrest and has been cited as “the most deadly police action since the end of apartheid in 1994.” Due to the scope of the inquiry, only 44 of the 46 deaths will be investigated. Video footage of striking miners being shot at by South African police may be used in the hearings.