South Africa, World
While you were sleeping: 26 January 2018
Massive Korean blaze killed 33, Toyota announces large recall, and Trump propose DACA solution.
TGIF, 26 January 2018
“I’ve fallen in love or imagine that I have. l went to a party and lost my head. Bought a horse which I don’t need at all.”
Leo Tolstoy, 25 January 1851
Thursday’s damning court ruling against former Eskom CEO Brian Molefe is justifiably seen by many as his well-deserved comeuppance. But it is also evident that myths about Brian Molefe are rapidly becoming fact. That he was always either corrupt or incompetent (not true). That he was always one of Zuma’s minions (instead, Molefe was a passionate Mbeki acolyte). The reality is that what makes Molefe’s fall from grace more startling is that he was supposed to be one of the good guys: a man of both competence and energy entrusted with the turnaround of one state-owned entity after another. What happened?
WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING
A hospital has caught fire in South Korea, killing 33 people. Dramatic footage of patients dangling from helicopter ropes and climbing down ladders to escape the inferno was broadcast on Korean television. An estimated 200 people were inside the Sejong Hospital when the fire erupted. Several patients reportedly died while being transferred to other hospitals. This is South Korea’s worst fire in almost 10 years.
Toyota South Africa recalls 700,000 vehicles
Toyota South Africa announced late on Thursday that it had issued a notice to recall over 700,000 vehicles. The recall relates to Toyota’s ongoing battle with Takata-made airbags. The inflators were faulty and could burst. Models dating back as far as 2002 could be affected. If you drive a Toyota, now might be a good time to give them a ring.
Trump makes proposals to curb immigration
President Donald Trump wants his wall, and he wants immigrants out. On Thursday Trump offered a citizenship plan to Congress for 1.8-million “dreamers”, effectively solving the DACA problem. However, Democrats are unlikely to swallow the compromise: $25-billion for Trump’s idiotic wall and an end to the green card lottery, while also cracking down on illegal immigrants currently in the United States.
Tokyo records
By South African standards, -4 celsius is cold, and positively average for a Japanese winter – at least in the north – but not so in Tokyo. The megacity noted that a blanket of cold air arriving on Thursday brought the coldest recorded temperature in 48 years. The ambulance service in Tokyo also experienced the highest volume of calls in 80 years.
IN NUMBERS
50%
The amount of DNA humans share with bananas.
FACTS OF THE DAY
Today in 1905 the Cullinan diamond is found in the Premier Mine near Pretoria. It weighed 3,106.75 carats.
Greasy pizza boxes cannot be recycled.
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