Transcript

Good morning, everyone! This is Erika from Just a Moment News, and today is August 23rd, 2023. Let’s dive into today’s headlines.

First up, veteran journalist Derek Watts has passed away at the age of 74 after battling lung cancer. Watts, known for co-hosting Carte Blanche, was described by his former co-host Ruda Landman as a consummate professional and easy to work with. He had been diagnosed with skin cancer last year, which then spread to his lungs. In June, he stepped back from Carte Blanche to focus on his health. Colleagues in journalism and Carte Blanche expressed shock and paid tribute to him on Twitter. Our thoughts go out to his family and loved ones during this difficult time.

Moving on to international news, South Africa and China have signed ten memoranda of understanding, including a donation of emergency energy equipment worth R170m to South Africa. The collaboration also includes agreements on cooperation in green energy, science, technology, innovation, higher education, and training. This assistance from China aims to relieve the load on the grid and includes generators, gasoline and power vehicles, solar PV batteries, and inverters. Additionally, agreements were signed for the promotion of direct investment, strengthening investment in digital industrialization, and a protocol for the export of avocados to China. This collaboration is seen as a crucial step in enhancing economic ties, investment, and development between the two nations.

In sports news, Wayde van Niekerk, a South African athlete, survived a semifinal scare in the 400m race at the Budapest stadium. He advanced to the final as a fastest loser, becoming South Africa’s first finalist of the showpiece. Pre-competition favorite Steve Gardiner of the Bahamas and Botswana’s Bayapo Ndori both fell to injury, opening the door for Van Niekerk’s advancement. This is a significant achievement for Van Niekerk, who has been working to regain his form since a 2017 knee injury. He now has a chance at a podium finish in Thursday’s final. Good luck to him!

Now, let’s talk about space exploration. India’s Chandrayaan-3 spacecraft is approaching the moon’s surface for a historic landing attempt, set for Wednesday at 5:45 p.m. IST (8:15 a.m. ET). If successful, this will be India’s first soft landing on the moon, making it the fourth country to achieve such a feat, following the United States, China, and the former Soviet Union. The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has been capturing stunning visuals of the lunar surface, and the landing attempt will be livestreamed. We wish the ISRO the best of luck with this exciting mission!

Shifting gears to entertainment news, billionaire creator MrBeast unintentionally stirred up geopolitical tensions with his latest YouTube stunt. In a competition reminiscent of “Squid Game,” participants from every country on Earth had a chance to win $250,000. However, the map used in the video inadvertently took stances on global conflicts and territorial disputes, leading to online discussions and criticism. MrBeast has not publicly responded to the criticism or the implications of the video. It seems that most of the controversial depictions were the result of limited research and editing rather than intentional stances on divisive global matters.

Lastly, let’s talk about an upcoming film. Benicio del Toro stars as Detective Tom Nichols in Netflix’s “Reptile,” a crime thriller about the murder of a young real estate agent. Justin Timberlake portrays one of the suspects, and Alicia Silverstone appears as Nichols’ wife, aiding in the investigation. The film also features Eric Bogosian, Ato Essandoh, Domenick Lombardozzi, and Michael Carmen Pitt. This is the first on-screen reunion for Silverstone and del Toro since 1997’s “Excess Baggage.” Both actors expressed enthusiasm about the film’s unpredictable plot. “Reptile” is set to release on Netflix on October 6th.

That’s all for today’s news. Thank you for tuning in to Just a Moment News. This is Erika, and I’ll see you next time.

Keywords - moment, daily, news