Good News

BULLETIN 18 June 

Good afternoon, here is your Good News:

# The current Miss Teenager South Africa, Pearl Mathebula, was crowned Miss Teen Model International 2025 in Peru. She is the first South African to win the title. The Miss Teenager South Africa organisation describes the 17-year-old from Limpopo as a shining symbol of South African empowerment and cultural pride on the global stage. Pearl’s victory is seen as an inspiration to young girls in South Africa, encouraging them to pursue their dreams with confidence and kindness.

# The University of Johannesburg is celebrating South Africa’s Tebogo Makhubela, who has been named a 2025 National Geographic Wayfinder Award recipient. A geologist and speleologist, Makhubela is one of only 15 global honourees this year. The 35-year-old’s journey from student to leading researcher has included groundbreaking work in the Cradle of Humankind. The award was handed out by the National Geographic Society in Washington, DC. Makhubela has received funding to support his fossil and cave research, as well as postgraduate students under his supervision.

# Music icon and philanthropist Dolly Parton, actor and producer Tom Cruise, choreographer and actor Debbie Allen, and production designer Wynn Thomas will receive honorary Oscars at the Governors Awards in November. Parton will be recognised with the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, while Cruise, Allen and Thomas will receive the Honorary Award. Academy president, Janet Yang, says these four legends’ extraordinary careers and commitment to the filmmaking community continue to leave a lasting impact.

# Qatar Airways has been named the world’s best airline for a record ninth time at the Skytrax World Airline Awards. The awards are known as the Oscars of the aviation world. Qatar was also named best airline in the Middle East, world’s best business class, and best business class airline lounge. Five-time winner of the world’s best airline award, Singapore Airlines, took second place, with Hong Kong’s flag carrier, Cathay Pacific, in third. Meanwhile, Ethiopian Airlines was crowned the best airline in Africa for the seventh year.

# And finally: Today is International Picnic Day, a chance to pack a picnic basket and eat out in the open air with friends or family. Although there are no records about the exact origin of this day, it is believed to date back to the end of the French Revolution and the Victorian Era. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the world’s largest picnic was held in Lisbon, Portugal, on June 20th, 2009, where over 22-thousand people attended.

Stay tuned for more news………….