Transcript

Hello, everyone! Welcome to “Just a Moment News.” I’m your host, Erika, bringing you the latest headlines on this 23rd of July, 2024. Let’s dive into today’s stories:

First up, there’s exciting news for sports enthusiasts in South Africa. The 2024 Summer Olympic Games, set to be held in Paris from July 27 to August 11, will be accessible for free viewing. While MultiChoice’s DStv has secured pay-TV broadcasting and streaming rights, the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) has obtained the free-to-air rights for a sum of one hundred and twenty-two million Rand. This cost contributed significantly to SABC’s financial losses in 2022, accounting for 58% of its total loss. SABC plans to broadcast the games on SABC Sport and its other channels, as well as on its SABC+ video streaming service. It’s not confirmed if all gold medal events will be shown live on SABC+. DStv, on the other hand, will provide extensive coverage across multiple channels, depending on the subscription package. Team South Africa, with one hundred and forty-nine athletes, will compete in twenty-one sports, with notable athletes like Tatjana Smith and Wayde van Niekerk among the favorites.

Moving on, let’s talk about Jordy Smith, a name well-known in the surfing world. At thirty-six, Smith is the oldest surfer on the professional circuit and is gearing up for the 2024 Olympics in Tahiti. Despite missing the 2020 Tokyo Olympics due to a knee injury, Smith is back and ready to represent South Africa. His journey includes significant career milestones, including a potential deal with Nike and choosing to sign with O’Neill instead. Smith’s story is one of resilience and passion, as he continues to inspire young surfers while balancing his professional life with family commitments in Cape Town, Jeffreys Bay, and Hawaii.

In the tech world, cybersecurity startup Wiz has recently declined a twenty-three billion dollar acquisition offer from Alphabet, Google’s parent company. Wiz’s CEO, Assaf Rappaport, shared this decision in a note to the company’s twelve hundred employees, highlighting their goal to achieve one billion dollars in annual recurring revenue and pursue an IPO. This decision reflects the confidence of Wiz’s management and investors in the company’s future as an independent entity.

Now, a study by OpenResearch has revealed some intriguing findings about the impact of providing unconditional cash to America’s poorest. Over a three-year period, one thousand participants received a monthly stipend of one thousand dollars. While the money was mostly spent on essentials like food and housing, the study found that it did not significantly improve the recipients’ physical well-being or long-term financial health. The cash grants did not address deeper issues such as income inequality or job displacement due to automation, and in some cases, led to increased debt and reduced work participation.

In the realm of science, a new model that mixes AI and physics is making waves in global weather forecasting. Developed by Google’s AI team and the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, the NeuralGCM model combines physics-based atmospheric circulation with AI parameterization. This model competes with top models for ten-day forecasts and can perform long-term runs covering decades, though it struggles with extreme warming scenarios and underestimates tropical extreme events.

Lastly, a survey conducted by CNN and Plan International has highlighted the online safety concerns of young women and girls. Out of over six hundred participants across nine countries, seventy-five percent reported experiencing online harm, with cyberflashing being the most common issue. The participants expressed a need for better support and resources from governments, authorities, and tech companies, emphasizing the importance of improved education on digital literacy and stronger legal measures to ensure safety.

That’s all for today’s episode of “Just a Moment News.” I’m Erika, and I hope you found these discussions enlightening. Join us again next time for more updates. Stay informed and take care!

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