Author: newsnote correspondent
A powerful magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck Japan’s northeast late Monday, triggering tsunami warnings and evacuation orders for residents. The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said a tsunami of up to three metres (10 feet) could hit the northeastern coast. Tsunami alerts were issued for Hokkaido, Aomori, and Iwate prefectures, with smaller waves of 20–50 cm (7–18 inches) observed at several ports. The quake’s epicentre was located 80 km (50 miles) off the coast of Aomori Prefecture at a depth of 50 km (30 miles). On Japan’s 1–7 seismic intensity scale, the tremor registered as an “upper 6” in Aomori, strong enough…
African National Congress (ANC) Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula has declared the ruling party “fully ready” for its highly anticipated National General Council (NGC), which gets under way on Monday at the Birchwood Conference Centre in Boksburg, east of Johannesburg. The four-day midterm summit – the fifth NGC since 1994 – is widely regarded as the most critical gathering for the ANC since its historic drop below 50% in the 2024 national elections. Delegates from across the country will review organisational performance, assess the leadership collective, and map the road toward the 2026 local government elections. Speaking at a media briefing on…
Tygerberg Hospital in the Western Cape, in partnership with Stellenbosch University, has successfully completed South Africa’s first fully internal bone transport and limb-lengthening reconstruction. The breakthrough procedure was performed on a 64-year-old patient who had endured chronic pain and a significant leg-length discrepancy since a gunshot injury in 2018. The surgical team reconstructed the bone defect and corrected the length difference, restoring mobility and comfort. Professor Nando Ferreira, Head of Stellenbosch University’s Clinical Unit for Tumour, Sepsis and Reconstruction, says the achievement represents a major step forward for local reconstructive surgery. “This approach significantly improves patient comfort, reduces complications, and…
In front of a roaring 31,941 crowd at DHL Stadium, the Springbok Sevens (Blitzboks) became the first men’s team in the modern SVNS era to successfully defend the Cape Town title, edging Argentina 21–19 in a heart-stopping final. The match was a tale of two halves. Argentina struck early and often, racing to a 19–7 lead early in the second half thanks to a brace from the electric Marcos Moneta and an opener from Luciano Gonzalez. The Blitzboks looked rattled, committing uncharacteristic errors and struggling to handle Argentina’s restart pressure. But Philip Snyman’s men have built a reputation for never…
The Border Management Authority (BMA) has intercepted millions of rands worth of stolen vehicles, counterfeit goods and drugs during the second quarter of the year. Delivering a quarterly update during a media briefing in Pretoria on Sunday, BMA Commissioner Michael Masiapato detailed the authority’s operations over the past three months, highlighting significant gains in combating cross-border crime. According to Masiapato, officers intercepted 15 suspected stolen vehicles linked to criminal syndicates as they were being smuggled out of South Africa. The latest recoveries bring the total number of vehicles seized since 2022 to 349. In addition, BMA teams confiscated counterfeit clothing…
Global ratings agency Moody’s Investors Service has affirmed South Africa’s sovereign credit rating at Ba2, two notches below investment grade, with a stable outlook. The decision reflects a familiar mix of deep-rooted challenges and recent green shoots. Moody’s highlighted persistent low growth potential driven by ageing infrastructure, a rigid labour market, stark socioeconomic inequalities and the lingering fiscal burden of state-owned enterprises. On the positive side, the agency acknowledged South Africa’s improved economic resilience in 2025 and tangible progress on structural reforms, particularly the sustained end to load-shedding and better performance at ports and rail networks. “Future rating action will…
Pretoria – A horrific mass shooting at an illegal tavern in Saulsville Hostel, Atteridgeville, claimed the lives of 11 people – including a three-year-old child, a 12-year-old and a 16-year-old – in the early hours of Friday morning, 6 December 2025. Gauteng police confirmed that three unidentified gunmen entered the packed drinking spot shortly after 04:30 and opened fire indiscriminately on patrons. Ten people were declared dead at the scene, while another victim later died at Kalafong Provincial Tertiary Hospital. Fourteen others sustained gunshot wounds and are receiving treatment. “No arrests have been made and the motive for the attack…
In a seismic shift for the entertainment industry, Netflix announced Friday it has entered a definitive agreement to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery’s studios and streaming assets for approximately $82.7 billion, marking the largest media merger of the decade and potentially reshaping how audiences consume films and TV worldwide. The cash-and-stock transaction, valued at $27.75 per Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) share, implies an equity value of $72 billion and includes assumption of more than $10 billion in debt. It eclipses Disney’s $71 billion purchase of 21st Century Fox in 2019 as the biggest Hollywood consolidation to date. The deal, unanimously approved…
Brakpan, Ekurhuleni – Marius “Vlam” van der Merwe, the crucial Witness D who testified before the Madlanga Judicial Commission of Inquiry, was shot dead in front of his wife and two children outside his Brakpan home on Friday night, just after 20:00. The 41-year-old had, only weeks earlier, given explosive testimony (partly in camera) alleging that suspended Ekurhuleni Metro Police acting chief Brigadier Julius Mkhwanazi ordered him in April 2022 to help dispose of the body of a robbery suspect who had been suffocated during an unauthorised EMPD operation. Van der Merwe told the commission the incident involved EMPD officers,…
Mexico will kick off the 2026 FIFA World Cup against South Africa at the Estadio Azteca on June 11 in a repeat of the 2010 tournament opener, after Friday’s draw set the 12 groups for the expanded 48-team finals. The iconic Mexico City stadium, which hosted the 1970 and 1986 finals, will stage the curtain-raiser before co-hosts the United States and Canada enter the competition the following day. The U.S. will face Paraguay in Los Angeles, while Canada take on a European playoff winner – potentially four-time champions Italy – in Toronto. Defending champions Argentina were handed a manageable group…