Transcript

Hello, and welcome to ‘Just a Moment News’ with your host, Erika, on this 29th of July, 2024. Let’s dive straight into today’s news stories.

Starting off in South Africa, there’s an interesting situation unfolding in Johannesburg. The city is currently in a dispute regarding its population figures after the latest census conducted by Stats SA. While Cape Town’s population has increased by twenty-seven point six percent to four point seven million, Johannesburg’s growth was only eight point three percent, bringing its population to four point eight million. This is significant because the City of Joburg had planned for a population of six million based on previous estimates. This discrepancy affects financial transfers from the national budget, as these are calculated based on population size among other factors. The accuracy of the census data is upheld by Stats SA, but the City of Joburg has raised concerns about potential undercounting.

Moving over to Cape Town, there was a major power outage at Cape Town International Airport, which has caused quite a disruption. The outage affected runway lights and air traffic navigation services, leading to grounded flights and significant delays. Technicians are on the scene trying to resolve the issue, and airlines like FlySafair are working to minimize the impact on travelers by sending updates and managing rescheduling.

In sports, South African swimmer Tatjana Smith has made headlines by qualifying for the Women’s 100m Breaststroke semi-finals at the Paris Olympics. Smith, who won her heat with a time of one minute and five seconds, is set to compete against world record holder Lilly King. This marks a significant moment for Smith, especially after the spectator-less Tokyo Olympics in 2021.

In Formula 1 news, Mercedes’ driver George Russell faced a setback when his car was disqualified for being underweight by one point five kilograms at the Belgian Grand Prix. Initially celebrated as the winner, the discovery during the post-race weigh-in led to his disqualification. Mercedes has acknowledged the mistake and is looking into preventive measures for the future.

Back to the Paris 2024 Olympics, there’s been a hiccup with the triathlon training sessions. Due to pollution from heavy rains, training in the River Seine was canceled for two consecutive days. The organizers are hopeful that conditions will improve in time for the upcoming events.

Over in Japan, there’s a demographic concern as the nation’s population continues to decline, with a significant drop of over eight hundred sixty-one thousand people last year alone. This has prompted the government to implement measures aimed at encouraging childbirth and addressing the declining birth rate.

Lastly, in entertainment news, fans of “The Old Guard” will be pleased to know that the sequel is still on track. Despite a long hiatus and changes in Netflix’s leadership, production on “The Old Guard 2” wrapped up last September, with the release expected soon. The sequel promises to continue the saga of immortal warriors with Charlize Theron leading the cast.

That wraps up our news for today on ‘Just a Moment News’. Thank you for joining me, Erika, and make sure to tune in next time for more updates. Have a great day!

Keywords - moment, daily, news