Transcript

Hello everyone, this is Erika on the ‘Just a Moment News’ podcast, and today is January 22, 2024. I’ve got some interesting news stories to share, so let’s dive right in.

First up, we’re looking at the 2023 matric results from South Africa. The private schools in the country are known for their high-quality education and consistently impressive results. Despite the high tuition fees, parents often choose these schools for their smaller class sizes, personalized attention, and highly qualified teachers. In 2023, the national pass rate for matric students increased to 82.9%, while private schools under the Independent Examinations Board achieved a higher pass rate of 98.46%, showing a slight improvement from the previous year. The top-performing private schools were particularly noteworthy among all-girls and co-educational institutions.

In sports news, South Africa trounced Namibia with a 4-0 victory in their Group E match at the Africa Cup of Nations. The game was virtually decided in the first 40 minutes with South Africa’s Percy Tau scoring the opener, followed by two impressive goals from Themba Zwane. This win catapulted South Africa to second place in their group, trailing Mali by a point.

Meanwhile, in San Francisco, a conflict over pickleball, a popular sport among Silicon Valley’s elite and local families, has intensified. The dispute began when a resident launched a petition to suspend pickleball in Presidio Wall playground, citing noise concerns and ecological impact. This has led to protests from pickleball enthusiasts, who argue that the sport’s popularity warrants the space and that the noise concerns are exaggerated.

In more sports news, South African para-athlete Darren Thomas won the bronze medal at the Wodapalooza CrossFit event in Miami, Florida. This is a significant achievement in the Adaptive Seated division. Darren’s accomplishment is particularly notable as he is the first African adaptive male CrossFit athlete to compete internationally in this challenging category.

In Australia, all applications for the Significant Investor or “Golden Visa” programme have been halted. The government plans to change this and many other aspects of Australia’s migration system in order to create a system which delivers for the country.

Over in the UK, multiple Ryanair flights experienced significant delays and diversions due to Storm Isha, affecting routes across Europe. The storm brought severe weather conditions, including heavy rain and strong winds, posing challenges to air travel.

Lastly, a new study challenges the traditional view of the Megalodon, a massive prehistoric shark. The study suggests it was more slender than previously thought. This finding revises scientists’ understanding of the Megalodon’s behavior, its role in ancient ocean life, and the reasons behind its extinction.

That’s all for today’s news. This is Erika from ‘Just a Moment News’, hoping you found these stories as intriguing as I did. Until next time, stay informed and stay safe.

Keywords - moment, daily, news