Good News 14:00

BULLETIN 8 January 2 pm

Good afternoon, here is your Good News:

# Cape Town port’s manager, Rajesh Dana, says they plan to take up their rightful place as one of the leading ports in the world and it is spearheading efforts to collaborate with all players to improve productivity and eradicate backlogs. The port is situated on one of the world’s busiest trade routes and Dana says it will always retain strategic and economic importance for that reason alone. He says the planned development of the Culemborg precinct of land adjacent to the port is set to be a game-changer to enhance capacity. 

# An elderly woman in her 90s has been rescued from under the rubble of a two-story house more than five days after a powerful earthquake struck Japan. Rescuers found the woman in Suzu City in Ishikawa prefecture on Saturday evening, 124 hours after the quake struck, and took her to a nearby hospital. A doctor told reporters the woman is well enough to have conversations, but her legs are injured. The 7.5 magnitude earthquake on New Year’s Day triggered tsunami alerts as far away as eastern Russia.  At least 126 people has died in the disaster.

# An American school teacher, Anne Hanson, has experienced a miraculous reunion with her Japanese host family after 22 years following the recent 7.6 magnitude earthquake. Facing outdated email addresses, she turned to the internet, filling out a form on the Uozu City Hall website. Less than 24 hours later, her Japanese host from two decades ago, Akihiko Kiyokawa, responded, facilitated by a friend who saw Hanson’s message. Hanson, from Arizona, says this remarkable reconnection stands as a testament to hope, resilience and the enduring power of human connection, even in challenging times.

# Botswana’s government has congratulated Peggy Serame for being awarded Finance minister of the Year for Africa 2024 by The Banker magazine. The magazine, which is a Financial Times Publication based in London, was first published in January 1926, to provide economic and financial intelligence for the world’s financial sector, over a broad spectrum of issues. Serame is an economist by profession and Botswana’s first female minister of Finance. She is recognised for her intellectual leadership and effective stewardship of the economy since assuming her role in April 2021.

# And finally, Oppenheimer was the big winner at the Golden Globe Awards, taking home five awards including the top prize for Best Film. Cillian Murphy and Robert Downey Jr were both recognised for their acting performances, while Christopher Nolan won best director. Succession scored the most wins in the TV categories following its acclaimed fourth and final season. Sarah Snook, who played Shiv Roy, was named best leading actress in a TV drama, with Kieran Culkin taking best leading actor. Meanwhile, Barbie won the first box office achievement award, after grossing 26-billion-rand worldwide.