Author: newsnote correspondent
The Gordhan family has announced the passing of Pravin Gordhan, former South African Finance Minister and an iconic political figure. Gordhan passed away peacefully in the early hours of the morning, surrounded by his family, close friends, and comrades in the liberation struggle according to the family spokesperson. He was 75 years old. Gordhan, a committed political activist since his teenage years, played a pivotal role in South Africa’s transition to democracy and its fight against state capture. His last government position was as the Minister of Public Enterprises from 2018 to 2024, following two terms as Finance Minister from…
James Earl Jones, the prolific film, TV and theater actor whose resonant, unmistakable baritone was most widely known as the voice of “Star Wars” villain Darth Vader, died Monday morning at his home in Dutchess County, N.Y., his rep confirmed to Variety. He was 93. After overcoming a profound stutter as a child, Jones established himself as one of the pioneering Black actors of his generation, amassing a bountiful and versatile career spanning over 60 years, from his debut on Broadway in 1958 at the Cort Theatre — renamed the James Earl Jones Theatre in 2022 — to his most recent performance in 2021’s “Coming…
South African consumers will be able to stretch their rands a little further this month thanks to fuel price cuts announced earlier this week. The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) reduced the price of both grades of petrol by 92 cents per litre, while diesel prices fell by 79 cents (500ppm) to R1.05 (50ppm). This means that a litre of 95 Unleaded fuel costs R21.40 on the coast and R22.19 in Gauteng, while the cheaper 93 Unleaded sells for R21.79. Petrol prices have fallen to their lowest level since February 2023. According to the DMRE, the declines in…
Siya Kolisi and Malcolm Marx scored tries as South Africa recorded a fourth win in a row against New Zealand for the first time in 75 years with an 18-12 Rugby Championship victory in Cape Town on Saturday. It was a high-octane encounter full of energy and endeavour in front of a fervent crowd of 55,000, but both sides committed numerous errors that stunted their momentum. Captain Kolisi, playing with a fractured nose, crossed early in the second half and Marx late on as the world champions edged the arm-wrestle and took a giant step towards the Rugby Championship title. The fly-half…
Distance runner Rebecca Cheptegei, 33, suffered 75 percent burns on her body after her boyfriend allegedly doused her in gasoline and set her on fire at her home in Trans Nzoia County in western Kenya on Sunday, Sept. 1, police said, per the Associated Press, BBC News and ESPN. Trans Nzoia County Police Commander, Jeremiah ole Kosiom said Monday, per the outlets, that the attack happened during a dispute between Cheptegei and her boyfriend Dickson Ndiema. “The couple were heard quarrelling outside their house,” he told journalists. “During the altercation, the boyfriend was seen pouring a liquid on the woman before burning her.” Ndiemma…
Brazil’s telecommunications regulator said on Friday it was suspending access to Elon Musk’s X social network in the country to comply with an order from a judge who has been locked in a months-long feud with the billionaire investor. The popular social media platform missed a court-imposed deadline on Thursday evening to name a legal representative in Brazil, triggering the suspension. Musk has argued that Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes was trying to enforce unjustified censorship, while the judge has insisted that social media needs hate speech regulations. “They’re shutting down the #1 source of truth in Brazil,” Musk…
On Saturday, the Springboks fought to defeat the All Blacks 31-27 in an exciting Rugby Championship Test at Ellis Park. The All Blacks lead 27-17 with roughly 12 minutes remaining until the Springboks scored two late tries to secure an incredible come-from-behind victory. The All Blacks eventually caved under pressure, giving up 14 penalties to South Africa’s five. The Boks scored three tries through Bongi Mbonambi, Kwagga Smith, and Grant Williams, while flyhalf Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu kicked 16 points. New Zealand secured a try-scoring bonus point with four tries from Codie Taylor, a brace from Caleb Clarke, and Jordie Barrett. They…
When you think about a model or beauty pageant contestant, the image that comes to mind is someone slim and tall. However, Ufa Dania is challenging these stereotypes by being the first dark-skinned plus-sized woman to contest at the Miss Universe Nigeria pageant. Ufa Dania is a content creator who’s currently representing Kwara State. “Let’s redefine what it means to be a queen,” she said in her Miss Universe introduction video. “The most controversial part about me running the competition is the fact that I may not look like the standard ‘pageant girlie’ but I beg to differ. I cannot be boxed.” She said…
South African billionaire Johann Rupert has overtaken Nigerian industrialist Aliko Dangote as Africa’s richest person, according to the latest data from the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. Rupert controls Richemont, one of the world’s largest luxury goods firms, which owns brands like Cartier and Montblanc. His net worth has surged by $1.9bn to $14.3bn, placing him at 147th position globally, 12 places ahead of Dangote. The Nigerian’s fortune has fallen by $1.7bn (£1.3bn) this year, giving him a net worth of $13.4bn, Bloomberg reports. The downturn in Dangote’s wealth underscores Nigeria’s challenging economic environment, where his conglomerate primarily operates. Since President Bola Tinubu…
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg admitted in a letter on Monday that his company, Facebook, was pressured by the Biden-Harris administration to censor Americans, particularly regarding COVID-19 content. Zuckerberg made the admission in a letter to House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, more than a year after providing the committee with thousands of documents as part of its investigation into content moderation on online platforms. Along with documents, the Meta CEO said, the company has provided a dozen employees to be available for transcribed interviews, stressing Meta’s cooperation with the investigation. “There’s a lot of talk right now around how the U.S.…