Good News

BULLETIN 22 January

Good afternoon, here is your Good News:

# Western Cape Education MEC, David Maynier, has welcomed the findings of an investigation by Stellenbosch University, which evaluated the impact of the department’s #BackOnTrack learning recovery programme. The programme consists of interventions for learners, including extra weekend and holiday classes, as well as additional training for teachers. The report states that the intervention works and is reversing learning losses in the province. Maynier says the report also highlights some challenges, including improving participation rates and attendance:

# Relate Bracelets says it remains committed to empowering disadvantaged communities. The organisation has raised over 80-million-rand for social impact by selling over 4.4-million handmade bead bracelets. The bracelets are made by the seniors of Ikamva Labantu Seniors’ Clubs in Cape Town’s townships, all of whom earn an income. Relate Bracelets says it has more than 60 causes, from wildlife conservation and health programmes to early childhood development and women empowerment.

# The second season of the South Korean drama Squid Game and the boxing match between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul helped Netflix boost its subscriber numbers. The streaming service finished 2024 with 301.63-million subscribers globally. Netflix says Squid Game is on track to become one of its most-watched original series seasons, while the Tyson-Paul fight became the most-streamed sporting event ever. The movie Carry-On featuring Jason Bateman and Taron Egerton has joined Netflix’s all-time top 10 films list.

# Three-time Oscar nominee, Ryan Gosling, is reportedly in talks to star in an untitled Star Wars movie, set to be written and directed by Deadpool and Wolverine filmmaker Shawn Levy. The movie is said to be a standalone project that is not connected with the Skywalker Saga, which concluded with 2019’s Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Gosling’s recent project is the sci-fi thriller Project Hail Mary based on the bestseller by Andy Weir. It is set to be released in March next year.

# And finally: University of Cape Town scientists, using South Africa’s MeerKAT radio telescope, have discovered a rare giant radio galaxy named Inkathazo, meaning trouble in Zulu and Xhosa. Spanning 3.3 million light years, its bent plasma jets challenge existing physics models. Researchers emphasise this milestone as a leap in understanding cosmic phenomena ahead of the Square Kilometre Array’s launch.

Stay tuned for more news………….