Good News
BULLETIN 8 May
Good afternoon, here is your Good News:
# Afrikaans’ centenary as an official language is celebrated today. Thomas Walters of the DA says over the decades, Afrikaans has developed into a language that reflects the diversity of South Africa, and is a language that connects people, carries stories, and shapes communities. He says today is an opportunity to pay tribute to all the poets, writers, educators, artists, and ordinary Afrikaans speakers, as well as the various Afrikaans dialects that shape and build Afrikaans.
# Qatar Airways has announced that from June 1st, it will operate one of its weekly Doha to Cape Town flights using a Boeing 777, offering passengers complimentary ultra-fast Starlink wi-fi. The airline, already boasting the world’s largest Starlink-equipped 777 fleet, is also the first to fit the system to Airbus A350s. Celebrating 20-years in South Africa, Qatar Airways says the move deepens its regional ties, alongside chef recruitment, African cuisine on board, and investment in Airlink. It currently flies to 29 African cities weekly.
# South African award-winning drummer and composer Kesivan Naidoo, and his acclaimed ensemble, Kesivan and The Lights, will be doing a special live recording at the Baxter Concert Hall in Cape Town on Saturday. This is part of their national tour titled Freedom in Sound. The tour honours South Africa’s rich jazz heritage to celebrate 30 years of democracy. Kesivan and The Lights are performing at the Untitled Basement in Braamfontein, Johannesburg, today, and the Chris Seabrooke Music Hall at Wits University tomorrow.
# A final shortlist of five proposed designs for the national memorial to Queen Elizabeth the Second has been revealed by the British government. The memorial, commemorating the life of Britain’s longest-reigning monarch who died in September 2022, will be built in St James’ Park in central London. Three of the five proposed designs feature the late queen riding a horse, reflecting her lifelong enthusiasm for equestrianism. The winning entry will be chosen later this year, but there is no date set yet for when the finished memorial will be unveiled.
# And finally: Disney has announced plans to open its first theme park in the Middle East. The resort, which will be on Abu Dhabi’s Yas Island in the United Arab Emirates, is a collaboration between Disney and local leisure and entertainment company Miral. Disney already has six theme parks spanning North America, Europe and Asia. Disney chief executive Robert Iger describes the plans for the new park as a thrilling moment for the company and says Disneyland Abu Dhabi would be authentically Disney and distinctly Emirati.
Stay tuned for more news………….