News in a nutshell

SAPS big fish arrested | Gordhan has a plan | Capital punishment ended in CAPITAL LETTERS | Fury in Iran | Abu Akleh’s killing ‘deliberate’ | Book bans on the rise | Will robots get the joke?

Former SAPS head Kgomotso Phahlane and several Crime Intelligence big fish arrested over R54-million tender fraud

The swoop on former SAPS chief Kgomotso Phahlane and generals in Crime Intelligence is bound to stir up a vipers’ nest. More arrests can be expected with a paper trail leading to Fikile Mbalula.

2022-09-20  |  Daily Maverick

Eighteen Eskom veterans sign up to help restore operations

Pravin Gordhan says his department has been working around the clock with Eskom to ease power cuts. Interventions include recruiting former Eskom employees and approval to procure 1,200MW of power.

2022-09-19  |  BusinessLIVE  | Paywalled

ConCourt upholds ruling which found Executive Ethics Code unconstitutional

The Executive Ethics Code must be changed to require members of the executive to disclose donations received in internal political party campaigns. The law in its current guise is unconstitutional.

2022-09-20  |  News24

More than 150 judgments outstanding for more than six months – most recent report

But even the late judgments report appears to be late. Overall there were 830 reserved judgments, the longest outstanding one dating back to 12 December 2012.

2022-09-20  |  GroundUp News

This is Cape Town’s best run train

#UniteBehind activists held a protest at Mouille Point's Mini Blue Train, the one train that has consistently run on time and safely for over 60 years, to highlight the breakdown of commuter rail.

2022-09-20  |  GroundUp News

News From Our Continent

Equatorial Guinea abolishes the death penalty

'I am writing in capitals to seal this unique moment: "EQUATORIAL GUINEA HAS ABOLISHED THE DEATH PENALTY",' Vice President Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue said on Facebook.

2022-09-20  |  Al Jazeera

World News

Iranians demand end of morality police after death of Mahsa Amini

Mahsa Amini died on Friday after she was arrested by the morality police for not wearing the hijab and her trousers correctly, unleashing fury in the streets against the treatment handed out to women.

2022-09-20  |  The Guardian

Joint investigation finds Abu Akleh’s killing ‘deliberate’

A probe by Forensic Architecture and Al-Haq reveals that an Israeli sniper repeatedly shot at Abu Akleh. According to the investigation, the sniper targeted those who tried to rescue the journalist.

2022-09-20  |  Al Jazeera

US school book bans on the rise due to advocacy groups, report says

More than 1600 book titles were banned in schools over the past year because of groups like Moms for Liberty, pushing to ban books covering LGBTQIA+ topics or with black protagonists.

2022-09-19  |  Reuters

Health News

From Cameroonian village to Stellenbosch professor – top TB researcher reflects on a remarkable journey

When Novel Chegou arrived in Stellenbosch from Cameroon in 2004 he sold African crafts for money to study. Today he's a professor in molecular biology and human henetics and heads a TB research lab.

2022-09-20  |  Spotlight

Sport

Aleksandr Sorokin shatters his own 24-hour record

The Lithuanian ultrarunner ran 319.6km at the 24-hour European championships in Verona, averaging 4:30/km over 24 hours. He began running in 2013 to get in shape when he weighed 100kg and didn't stop.

2022-09-18  |  Canadian Running Magazine

And Then There's This ...

To bond with humans, robots are learning to laugh at the right time

Scientists are teaching Erica, an advanced humanoid robot, the nuances of laughter. She isn't ready for the stand-up circuit but there may soon come a day when it truly feels like she gets your jokes.

2022-09-20  |  CNET

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