Transcript

Hello everyone, this is Erika, and welcome to the January 7, 2024 edition of ‘Just a Moment News’. Let’s dive into the stories that are making headlines today.

First up, we’re talking rugby. In a nail-biting United Rugby Championship match, the Hollywoodbets Sharks suffered a narrow 18-20 defeat against the Emirates Lions. The game, held in Durban, saw the Sharks’ Boeta Chamberlain miss a crucial penalty in the final moments, which could have resulted in a dramatic victory. The Lions, however, managed an impressive comeback from an 18-3 deficit at halftime. Marius Louw, the Lions’ captain, scored a late try that was converted by former Shark Sanele Nohamba, securing their lead just before Chamberlain’s missed opportunity. This victory marked the Lions’ first win in Durban since 2017 and extended their winning streak to five games this season. Meanwhile, the Sharks continue to struggle this season, despite showing signs of progress under coach John Plumtree.

Next, we turn to space. A commercial lunar lander, set to launch on Monday, is carrying cremated human remains to the Moon. This has sparked controversy with the Navajo Nation, who view the Moon as sacred. Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren has criticized the act as desecration and a disregard for Indigenous cultural beliefs. Astrobotic, the company behind the lander, is conducting a private mission, but as NASA is a major customer of Astrobotic, questions about its influence over such missions have been raised. The mission will carry remains of several individuals, including notable figures like Arthur C. Clarke and Gene Roddenberry.

In other news, Cathy and Miles Alexander, a South African couple who worked on Jeffrey Epstein’s private island, Little St James, from 1999 to 2007, have recently resurfaced in legal documents during Ghislaine Maxwell’s trial. Despite allegations suggesting they might have been aware of Epstein and Maxwell’s illicit activities, the Alexanders maintain they were unaware of any wrongdoing. They describe their time on Epstein’s island positively, stating that Epstein was good to them in certain respects and they tried to reciprocate.

In sports broadcasting news, the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) has successfully secured broadcast rights for the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) soccer matches, thanks to a combined sponsorship of about R50 million from Hollywood Bets and McDonald’s. This ensures that South Africans will have free-to-air access to the matches. The rights include not only the Afcon matches but also other Confederation of African Football (Caf) tournaments, totaling 52 matches.

Moving on to aviation, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has ordered a temporary grounding of 171 Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft following a serious incident with an Alaska Airlines flight. The flight made an emergency landing due to a “pressurization issue” that resulted in a part of the fuselage separating from the aircraft, leaving a significant hole. The FAA will issue an Emergency Airworthiness Directive for inspections, taking approximately four to eight hours per aircraft.

In the world of UFC, CEO Dana White admitted in 2017 that the organization often kept fighter salaries confidential. This policy has led to controversies, notably with CM Punk, a professional wrestler with no prior professional fights, whose high payout upon joining UFC caused unrest among other fighters. The issue of fighter pay secrecy is a key element in an ongoing antitrust lawsuit against UFC.

Finally, in entertainment news, Gerard Butler is set to reprise his role as Stoick the Vast in the live-action remake of ‘How to Train Your Dragon.’ The project, led by original co-director Dean DeBlois, will also feature Mason Thames and Nico Parker, playing Hiccup and Astrid, respectively. Universal has set a June 13, 2025 date for the project.

That’s all for today’s edition of ‘Just a Moment News’. This is Erika, signing off. Stay tuned for more updates tomorrow.

Keywords - moment, daily, news