Transcript

Hello everyone, this is Erika with ‘Just a Moment News’, bringing you the most interesting stories from around the world on this lovely day, January 23, 2024.

Let’s start with a peculiar incident in South Africa. The mayoral chain of Nelson Mandela Bay Mayor Gary van Niekerk has been missing for the past seven months, stirring up quite a controversy. The chain, worth around R3 million, was last seen secure in the mayor’s office safe. The office clerk, formerly the acting director of the mayoral office, is at the center of this mystery. He’s refused to hand over the safe keys following his demotion to clerk, leading to his suspension and a pending disciplinary hearing. The chain’s absence isn’t just a financial loss; it also symbolizes the mayor’s office and its traditions.

Moving on to the world of gaming, a modder known as TheZZAZZGlitch has discovered a unique way to extract Game Boy Advance ROM data from crash sounds. After recording GBA crash sounds for over four hours, TheZZAZZGlitch noticed specific waveforms in the audio that corresponded to the game data. After refining the process, he was able to achieve a 100% accurate ROM, demonstrating an innovative approach to data recovery.

In space news, NASA’s Mars Ingenuity helicopter had a brief scare when it lost communication during its 72nd flight on Mars. Fortunately, NASA was able to reestablish contact the following day. The helicopter has been operational since April 2021, far exceeding its expected lifespan. NASA is now focused on diagnosing the recent communication issue.

Over to the academic world, Professor Anthony Figaji from the University of Cape Town has made history by receiving the Wellcome Discovery Award for his groundbreaking research in neuroscience. His work focuses on understanding how the brain responds to infections, particularly tuberculosis meningitis, a prevalent condition with high mortality and disability rates. The award recognizes the potential for high-impact research in Africa and challenges the notion that career advancement in the field requires relocation to high-income countries.

In the world of electric vehicles, Elon Musk has explained why Tesla hasn’t launched in South Africa yet. Musk pointed to the high import duties imposed to protect the local industry, making it unfeasible for Tesla to enter the market. This comes as the South African government plans to start exporting locally manufactured EVs by 2026.

In a bid to cut food waste, supermarkets are turning to AI. Too Good To Go, a Danish company, has developed an AI-powered tool that helps supermarkets manage expiration dates more efficiently. The technology recommends appropriate discount rates as products near their expiration, reducing manual workload and helping supermarkets reduce food waste.

A unique drinking game is sweeping Britain. Participants post their photos, pub location, and table number on a Facebook page, hoping for strangers to buy them drinks. The game, facilitated by the J D Wetherspoon chain’s app, has indirectly boosted business and attracted over half a million members.

Finally, in the entertainment world, “Tokyo Vice,” a new series on HBO Max, merges yakuza drama with an American coming-of-age story set in Tokyo around the turn of the millennium. The series offers a fresh take on the neo-noir genre, with Ansel Elgort’s performance adding to the show’s appeal.

That’s all for today’s news. I’m Erika, and this has been ‘Just a Moment News’. Thank you for tuning in, and we’ll catch you next time with more interesting stories from around the globe.

Keywords - moment, daily, news