South Africa on Wednesday indefinitely pushed back the coalition government’s first national budget speech to parliament in a shock move following internal pressures over tax hikes. The speech to outline the government’s fiscal priorities, including ways of raising revenue, was due to be delivered by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana in parliament. “We have decided to adjourn proceedings for a date to be determined,” Speaker Thoko Didiza said during a charged session in the chamber. There had been no agreement on the budget proposals between the parties in the executive, she said. After ruling South Africa alone since the end…
Author: Osas Monday
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France’s right-dominated Senate has backed a bill to ban religious symbols including the Muslim headscarf in all sport competitions, professional and amateur, sparking accusations of discrimination from the left and rights advocates. The bill still needs a majority of votes from the lower-house National Assembly to become law, but the right-leaning government has thrown its weight behind the measure. Critics see the headscarf worn by some Muslim women as a symbol of creeping Islamisation after deadly jihadist attacks in France, while others say they are just practising their religion and should wear what they want. Under France’s brand of…
Residents in a central Manila neighbourhood lined up Wednesday, as dengue cases spike nationwide, to collect a bounty—one peso for every five mosquitoes, dead or alive. Carlito Cernal, village captain in Addition Hills, said the awareness-raising project he initiated could have a “huge impact” on curbing the tropical disease’s spread when combined with local clean-up efforts. Philippine health officials and experts who spoke to AFP were less convinced, but enthusiasm was high among residents who carried pails, cups and other containers filled with dengue-spreading mosquitoes to exchange for cash at the village hall. Iluminado Candasua brought three live specimens…
The Department of Agriculture is trying to re-hire several employees it accidentally fired at the weekend who were working on the US response to bird flu, local media reported. “Although several positions supporting (bird flu efforts) were notified of their terminations over the weekend, we are working to swiftly rectify the situation and rescind those letters,” a USDA spokesperson told NBC News. “USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service frontline positions are considered public safety positions, and we are continuing to hire the workforce necessary to ensure the safety and adequate supply of food to fulfill our statutory mission.” US…
Archaeologists have uncovered a long-lost tomb in Egypt, the first to be discovered since Tutankhamun’s burial in 1922. Egyptian officials announced the discovery on Tuesday, revealing the tomb of King Thutmose II, the last of the missing royal tombs from Egypt’s 18th Dynasty. Thutmose II, who reigned from around 1550 BC to 1292 BC, was the ruler for over two centuries. Mohamed Ismail Khaled, Secretary-General of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities, called the discovery one of the most significant in decades. READ ALSO:Kane doubtful for match against Frankfurt “This is the first time funerary furniture belonging to Thutmose II…
Less than a third of Niger’s vast territory has internet access, so the West African country is betting on satellite broadband to bridge the digital divide in remote rural areas. The patchy coverage is mostly down to a lack of investment and the destruction of relay antennae by the numerous armed groups active in the country, according to electronic communications regulator ARCEP. In November, Niger’s military rulers granted a five-year contract with US billionaire Elon Musk’s company Starlink to provide high-speed internet access across the Sahel state. It is one of around 15 African countries to have authorised the…
27 mins ago In an effort to uphold academic standards and eradicate unregistered educational institutions masquerading as ‘miracle examination centres,’ the Federal Government has launched a nationwide initiative to monitor and evaluate schools. The move is aimed at ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements and maintaining the integrity of the education system. The Guardian reports that Miracle Examination Centres… 28 mins ago Residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have commended Minister of the FCT, Nyesome Wike for opening the newly constructed Karmo District Market for business. Some of the residents, especially those living around the Karmo district, including traders, spoke…
A South Korean court said on Wednesday it had reopened the case of the assassination of former president Park Chung-hee by his intelligence chief. Park had ruled the country with an iron fist for more than 15 years when he was shot and killed by spy boss and trusted aide Kim Jae-gyu during a dinner in 1979. Kim was subsequently sentenced to death by a military court for killing the head of state with the goal of “insurrection” and was hanged shortly after. But his family appealed to the court to revisit the case in 2020, claiming that, while…
To deepen partnerships, the French-African foundation has launched its 2025 applications for the young leaders’ programme under the theme: “Lead with purpose”. Through the initiative, at least 30 outstanding young professionals from Africa and France are expected to join this year’s cohort. The programme aims to strengthen impactful Franco-African partnerships across various sectors. Specifically, applicants are expected from sectors that include arts, sports, entrepreneurship, executive roles, diplomacy, politics, activism, journalism, and other impact-driven fields The 2025 edition is a call to action encouraging leadership driven by responsibility, commitment, the power to inspire and unite. The exceptional cohort will be…
A coin stolen from a Polish museum has been returned by Australian police after it ended up in the hands of a collector in Perth. The 1813 Holey Dollar coin was stolen from a museum in Toruń in north-central Poland between 2011 and 2018. This has led to Polish authorities on a global hunt, the Australian Federal Police (AFP) said in a Monday statement. READ ALSO:Electrician arraigned for pumping machine theft The coin was first exported into Germany, where it was offered for sale in two auctions. From there, it made its way to Melbourne in Australia, where it…