Transcript

Hello everyone, this is Erika from ‘Just a Moment News’ and today is the 9th of March, 2024. Let’s dive into some of the top stories of the day.

Firstly, Johannesburg, South Africa’s largest city, is in the throes of a severe water crisis. The city’s residents are grappling with ongoing water outages and technical failures that have left large parts of the city parched. The crisis has led to increasing frustration among the citizenry, who are criticizing city officials for their lack of leadership. In an attempt to mitigate the crisis, Rand Water has boosted the water supply by 100 million litres, but the recovery is expected to be slow. The water shortage is largely attributed to power outages at the Rand Water Eikenhof pump station. Despite some improvements, the western parts of the city continue to face water scarcity. Leading water scientist, Professor Anthony Turton, has warned that Johannesburg is on the brink of a systemic failure and that major technical and managerial improvements are needed to ensure the city’s water security.

Next, we have news from the tech world. OpenAI, the artificial intelligence research lab, has announced that Sam Altman is returning to its board of directors. The company is also welcoming three new members, Sue Desmond-Hellmann, Nicole Seligman, and Fidji Simo. This comes after an internal investigation found that Altman’s actions did not warrant his removal from the company. Amidst leadership upheaval and an SEC investigation, OpenAI has also unveiled new governance initiatives, including a whistleblower hotline and a strengthened conflict-of-interest policy. The company’s governance structure is being stabilized and issues related to Altman’s management style and communication are being addressed.

Moving on, Equinix, a US-based data centre giant, is all set to open its first facility in Africa. The company has confirmed that it will be launching a facility in Johannesburg, South Africa, in June 2024. The decision follows a $160 million investment announcement in December 2022. The new facility aims to capitalize on the demand for better digital infrastructure and connectivity. The company plans to establish a Johannesburg Internet Exchange presence at the site, marking a significant step in the growth of the digital economy in the region.

In other news, the South African Football Association’s offices were raided by the Hawks, an elite police unit, over allegations of fraud and theft linked to its president, Danny Jordaan. The investigation focuses on alleged misconduct between 2014 and 2018, where Jordaan is accused of misusing SAFA’s resources for personal benefits. This includes hiring a private security firm and a public relations company without board approval.

In the world of sports, Anthony Joshua, the two-time world champion, knocked out Francis Ngannou, the mixed martial arts star, in just the second round of their heavyweight clash. Joshua’s quick victory was a brutal display of punching power. Despite the loss, Joshua encouraged Ngannou not to give up boxing, stating that he still has a lot to offer the sport.

Finally, a Pentagon report has dismissed popular conspiracy theories about the US government’s contact with aliens. The report, mandated by Congress, found no evidence that the US government or private companies have been reverse-engineering extraterrestrial technology. The report also concluded that most sightings of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena, or UFOs, were misidentifications of ordinary objects and phenomena.

And, for the movie buffs out there, the remake of the 1989 cult classic “Road House” directed by Doug Liman has hit the screens. In this version, Jake Gyllenhaal plays the character of Dalton, who is now named Elwood. The film has been praised for its unique story elements, impressive action sequences, and Gyllenhaal’s compelling portrayal of Dalton.

That’s all for today’s news roundup. This has been Erika from ‘Just a Moment News’, wishing you a great day ahead.

Keywords - moment, daily, news