Good News

BULLETIN 3 March

Good afternoon, here is your Good News:

# A film about a lap-dancer who impulsively marries a Russian playboy, Anora, won best picture at the 97th Academy Awards held in Los Angeles. The film won five awards in total – best director for Sean Baker, best actress for Mikey Madison, original screenplay, and editing. Adrien Brody was named best actor for The Brutalist. Kieran Culkin won the Oscar for best supporting actor for A Real Pain, with Zoe Saldaña named best supporting actress for her performance in Emilia Pérez. Best adapted screenplay went to Conclave.

# Captain America: Brave New World, starring Harrison Ford, Anthony Mackie, and Shira Haas, topped the North American box office for the third consecutive weekend. New release Last Breath, a film about deep-sea divers racing to save a stranded teammate, debuted at number two, with Neon Studio’s comedy-horror film The Monkey in third. Paddington in Peru and Dog Man wrapped up the top five. Mufasa: The Lion King is still in the top ten, coming in at number 6 at the box office.

# The Mangosuthu University of Technology in KwaZulu-Natal says it is taking proactive steps to raise awareness about human papillomavirus and its link to cervical cancer. In South Africa, more than five-thousand women succumb to cervical cancer annually. The university’s Biomedical Sciences Department will embark on an HPV awareness drive tomorrow, marking International HPV Awareness Day. MUT senior lecturer Rajendrie Govender says the good news is that cervical cancer is largely preventable through vaccination, regular Pap smears, and lifestyle choices that minimise HPV exposure.

# The Department of Women, Youth and Persons With Disabilities says it is important to raise awareness about deafness and hearing loss and to promote access to ear and hearing care. Today is World Hearing Day, which is being commemorated under the theme, Changing mindsets: Empower yourself. Make ear and hearing care a reality for all. The department’s spokesperson, Cassius Selala, says there are approximately four-million people with a hearing disability in South Africa:

# And finally: South Africa’s first pangolin rescue centre has opened in Lapalala Wilderness Reserve in Limpopo. The Pangolarium, launched by the African Pangolin Working Group, offers trafficked pangolins a chance to heal and return to the wild, while providing veterinary care and rehabilitation. The Pangolarium enhances conservation efforts and security for these endangered creatures as they are the world’s most illegally traded mammals.

Stay tuned for more news………….