Good News

BULLETIN 12 December

Good afternoon, here is your Good News:

# The National Film and Video Foundation says the immense talent and creativity of the South African film industry is unmatched. The top eleven nominations for the best international feature film category for the Oscars will be announced on Tuesday. South African film Old Righteous Blues is in the running. The film is about a young man’s journey to overcome personal limitations and rise above the ghosts of the past to unite a fractured community. The final top five films for the category will be announced on January 17th.

# DStv Stream users clocked over 430-million hours in 2024, driven by hit movies, dramas, and sports. The streaming platform saw the Springboks’ November rugby win over Scotland as the top live event. Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom led movies, while Yellowstone topped international series. Locally, My Brother’s Keeper was most binged. Platform updates boosted DStv Stream’s appeal, with features like Cloud PVR and smarter recommendations. DStv says December promises fresh series, 500 live soccer matches, and more exclusive content.

Meanwhile, Google’s 2024 Year in Search reveals South Africans’ strong interest in current affairs, entertainment, sports, and celebrity news. According to News24, Dricus du Plessis led athlete searches, while Tyla topped music queries. The Electoral Commission emerged as the most searched news event due to the national elections, followed by the two-pot system, and the US elections. Other top topics included the missing Joslin Smith, the death of actor Mpho Sebeng, and the Africa Cup of Nations soccer tournament.

# University of Fort Hare’s Human Movement Science Department has collaborated with Uppsala University in Sweden, on a research project to promote child health. This is by addressing the growing burden of childhood malnutrition in the Eastern Cape. Fort Hare says the initiative aims to tackle both stunting and obesity, with a particular focus on the role of micronutrient deficiencies, affecting approximately 33-percent of children in the region. A total of 324 children have died due to acute malnutrition since 2021.

# And finally: Music legend Elton John has been named Time magazine’s 2024 Icon of the Year. The magazine noted the 77-year-old’s multi-decade influence, citing his 57 US top 40 hits, and his evolution from a flamboyant performer to a Broadway composer, Disney songwriter, and collaborator. Having performed over four-thousand-500 concerts over half a century, he retired from touring at the end of 2023. John says he feels that he was somehow chosen to be as famous as he is because he can withstand the burdens it brings.

Stay tuned for more news………….