insert_link South Africa In S.A, the DA has secured an outright majority in Beaufort West’s by-elections In S.A, the Democratic Alliance has secured an outright majority in Beaufort West's by-elections, allowing the party to govern the municipality independently. The victory in wards one, three and six in the Central Karoo, displaced the Patriotic Alliance, ANC and Karoo Democratic Force. The DA’s Daylin Mitchell says this outcome promises a new era for the town plagued by corruption and poor service delivery: todayJune 21, 2024 21
insert_link Health / Medical South African Health Department to Explore AI for Faster Tuberculosis and Silicosis Diagnosis The S.A Department of Health says it’s considering exploring artificial intelligence tools to accelerate tuberculosis and silicosis diagnosis. Following the World Health Organisation's recommendations, the department is hosting a conference from today until Saturday in Sandton, Gauteng, to discuss using AI to improve diagnosis and address backlogs, especially among mineworkers. The department’s, Foster Mohale says the conference will feature health professionals, mining representatives, and AI tech companies to promote awareness […] todayJune 20, 2024 23
insert_link Namibia Government Declares National Emergency Amid Severe Drought, Allocates N$825 Million for Relief The government has declared a national emergency due to a severe drought and allocated N$825 million for relief efforts. However, Deputy Prime Minister, John Mutorwa announced a funding gap of N$482 million, with the total required amount being N$1.307 billion. Poor rainfall in the 2023/24 season has caused a 53% reduction in crop yields, and the country's dams are only at 55% capacity, exacerbating the water shortage, especially in central […] todayJune 20, 2024 12
insert_link World Kishida Cabinet faces no confidence motion Japan’s main opposition party is filing a no-confidence motion against Cabinet. The move follows criticisms of government measures to reform party funding as ‘inadequate’. Chris Gilbert reports from Tokyo. todayJune 20, 2024 17
insert_link World 900,000 Indian students impacted after government nullifies exams 900,000 students in India are now stuck in limbo after officials scrapped a common entrance exam just a day after the students took the test. Officials say the "integrity of the exam was compromised" - raising concerns about questions leaking ahead of the test. The exam is mandatory for students seeking admissions in PhD programs or looking for teaching roles in federal government run universities. Ishan Garg has more from […] todayJune 20, 2024 62
insert_link Business / Economics Rössing Uranium Reports Record Performance in 2023 Rössing Uranium's 2023 Sustainability and Performance Report reveals record achievements, with the mine producing 6.4 million pounds and selling 6.9 million pounds of uranium, resulting in N$6.48 billion in revenue, a significant increase from 2022's N$4.84 billion. Key markets included China, North America, and EMEA. Dividends of N$177 million were paid. The mining sector contributed 14.4% to GDP, with over N$21 billion spent on local procurement and N$6.4 billion in […] todayJune 20, 2024 18
insert_link South Africa Faith Communities Advocate for Improved Energy and Climate Governance in South Africa The Southern African Faith Communities Environment Institute says it hopes the S.A government of national unity will bring better energy and climate governance to the country. SAFCEI’s Francesca de Gasparis says the environment institute wants to see accessible and affordable electricity, with the lights on every day, and available to all South Africans: todayJune 20, 2024 19
insert_link World Putin arrives in Vietnam for state visit condemned by US Russian president Vladimir Putin has arrived in Vietnam for talks with its communist leaders on the final stop of his two-nation tour of Asia after signing a defence pact with North Korea's leader, Kim Jong-un. It's his first visit since 2017, but the trip has drawn the ire of its top trade partner, the US. Laura Westbrook has more from Hong Kong. todayJune 20, 2024 15
insert_link Africa Five Civilians Killed in Eastern Congo Amid Ongoing Conflict At least five civilians, including three women and a girl, were killed in a bombardment in eastern Congo's North Kivu province on Wednesday reports Reuters. An army spokesperson accused the M23 rebel group of the attack. This incident highlights the escalating civilian toll from the over two-year conflict between Congolese forces and the Rwanda-backed M23 militia, which has displaced at least 1.5 million people, according to U.N. data. todayJune 20, 2024 7
