Good morning readers. Today the news comes via the newsfeed at Unknown Report.
Newly-appointed Public Protector Kholeka Gcaleka is opposing the Hola Bon Renaissance (HBR) Foundation’s legal challenge seeking to overturn her report that cleared President Cyril Ramaphosa of wrongdoing in the 2020 theft of undeclared US dollars at his Limpopo farm. The foundation argued that the theft did not relate to state affairs or public administration and claimed Gcaleka’s report shielded the president from criminal prosecution, contrary to the findings of a section 89 panel that determined he had a prima facie case to answer. Gcaleka defended her report, stating that her investigation did not delve into the sale of buffalo on the farm and that such matters were beyond the scope of the Public Protector’s authority in private affairs – New Public Protector to defend Phala Phala report in court (Sunday Independent/IOL ~ News)
South Africa has strongly condemned Israel’s attacks on Palestine and may consider cutting diplomatic relations with Israel. Last year, South Africa’s Parliament voted to downgrade its embassy in Israel in response to Israel’s continued occupation of Palestinian territory. The Department of International Relations and Cooperation accused Israel of conducting a genocide through its Gaza strikes and criticized the US and European Union for supporting Israel with military aid. It called on the International Criminal Court (ICC) to issue arrest warrants for those responsible for the deaths of children in Gaza. South Africa voiced support for a UN General Assembly resolution calling for a humanitarian truce in Gaza but faces challenges due to the US’s veto power in the Security Council – African support needed for a peace mission in Palestine (IOL)
Tadej Pogacar, the Slovenian cyclist who won the Tour de France in 2020 and 2021, has expressed his intentions to prioritize the Tour de France in his race program. Pogacar recently won the Saitama Criterium race, defeating Jonas Vingegaard, Peter Sagan, and Mark Cavendish. He stated that race planning discussions with his team are ongoing, and race strategy is a year-round consideration. Pogacar highlighted the importance of racing, emphasizing that it’s a continuous and dedicated process. The 25-year-old cyclist has had a successful 2023, recovering from a fractured wrist to participate in the Tour de France and winning several other major races, cementing his status as a top cyclist – Pogacar says race plans ‘don’t stop’ after Japan win (France24 ~ Live News)
The television series “For All Mankind” faces a unique challenge: aging its characters over several decades in a world where the space race never ended. The show’s central character, Ed Baldwin, played by Joel Kinnaman, ages from middle age to his 70s. The series uses makeup, costume design, and other techniques to age the characters convincingly. Makeup artists subtly age the actors, adding wrinkles and gray hair, while costume designers create costumes that murmur age, and spacesuits that reflect both futuristic and past worlds. The series explores an alternate reality where the space race has different outcomes, from surviving celebrities to climate solutions – ‘For All Mankind’ Launches a Mission to Mars, With New Wrinkles (The New York Times ~ What to Watch)
Nicolas Cage discusses his role in the film “Dream Scenario,” where he plays a mild-mannered college professor who unexpectedly becomes famous through people’s dreams. He reflects on his own experiences with fame and how the film resonated with his past struggles with viral moments and online fame. Cage talks about his career and working with emerging filmmakers. He emphasizes the importance of authenticity and how it can sometimes be challenging in the age of social media. Cage shares his perspective on interviews, the dangers of clickbait, and the value of candidness – With ‘Dream Scenario,’ Nicolas Cage Reclaims the Memes (The New York Times ~ What to Watch)
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