Cabinet's travel splurge; UK blocks Malema: Today's top 7 stories in 7 minutes
News24 brings you the top 7 stories of the day.
News24 brings you the top stories of the day, summarised into neat little packages. Read through quickly or listen to the articles via our customised text-to-speech feature.
Hey, big spender! SA's travel-happy Cabinet racks up the travel bills
- Despite strained public finances, Cabinet ministers' travel budgets remain unaffected.
- ActionSA requested travel cost details from all 34 Cabinet members, including costs for support staff.
- Responses showed varying travel habits among ministers, with some being big spenders and others more cautious.
Charity 'icon' may have used donor money for beauty treatments, judge says
- Tears Foundation founder Mara Glennie is accused of transferring R2 million in donor funds to her company, Fireworx Management Solutions, for personal expenses.
- A court application revealed concerns about the financial management of the non-profit, leading a judge to dismiss the application and question the legitimacy of a supposed loan.
- The judge has called on Glennie to explain why she shouldn't personally pay the court costs and directed regulators to investigate potential financial irregularities.
UK declines Malema visa application due to his 'extremism'
- Julius Malema has been denied a UK visa due to his support for Hamas and statements about 'cutting the throat of whiteness', deemed 'extremist' behaviour by the UK Home Office.
- The Home Office cited Malema's past statements, including his intention to arm Hamas and his remarks about the potential for violence against white people, as reasons why his presence in the UK would not be conducive to the public good.
- Future visa applications are unlikely to succeed unless he provides compelling new evidence and changes his stance.
Bidders Choice Group
Bentley, Maybachs, and Hiluxes: MaMkhize's Royal AM cars go under the hammer
- A fleet of 14 luxury cars linked to Shauwn Mkhize and Royal AM Football Club is being auctioned to settle a tax debt.
- The auction includes a rare Mercedes-Benz S680 Maybach 'Edition 100' and a Bentley Continental GTC, among other vehicles.
- Bids open on 27 June and close on 2 July, with a R50 000 registration fee required for interested bidders.
THEGIFT777/Getty Images
Kyalami owner plans R180m upgrade amid F1 bid
- Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit plans a $10 million (R180 million) overhaul to meet FIA Grade 1 standards for a Formula 1 race.
- The upgrades will include safety features and improved spectator amenities, potentially taking three months.
- South Africa is competing with other African nations to host an F1 race and needs government support and sponsors to fund the bid.
(Gallo Images/Alet Pretorius)
Boks laud Proteas for showing fight at Lord's: 'That's all SA want to see,' says Rassie
- Rassie Erasmus was inspired by the Proteas' ability to overcome criticism and pressure during their World Test Championship win.
- Siya Kolisi praised Temba Bavuma's tenacity and leadership, highlighting the team effort and individual contributions to the Proteas' victory.
- Kolisi emphasised the significance of the Proteas' win, noting the challenges they faced and the team's resilience in achieving the historic victory.
Kayla Oaddams/WireImage
US filmmaker Tyler Perry faces explosive lawsuit as actor alleges sexual assault
- Actor Derek Dixon is suing Tyler Perry for $260 million, alleging sexual harassment and assault.
- Dixon claims Perry created a 'coercive, sexually exploitative dynamic' after promising career advancement.
- Perry's attorney denies the allegations, calling them fabricated claims of harassment and a shakedown attempt.
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Rwanda, DRC initial peace agreement ahead of signing next week
By Daphne Psaledakis, Ange Kasongo and Anait Miridzhanian WASHINGTON/KINSHASA/DAKAR (Reuters) -Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo technical teams initialed a draft peace agreement that is expected to be signed next week, the two countries and the United States said on Wednesday, aiming for an end to fighting in eastern Congo. The provisional agreement, announced in a joint statement, could mark a breakthrough in talks held by President Donald Trump's administration to end the fighting in eastern Congo and bring billions of dollars of Western investment to the region, which is rich in minerals including tantalum, gold, cobalt, copper and lithium. The provisional agreement, reached after three days of talks, addresses territorial integrity and a prohibition of hostilities and the disengagement, disarmament, and conditional integration of non-state armed groups, according to the statement. The agreement also includes provisions on the establishment of a joint security mechanism that incorporates a proposal discussed by the parties last year under Angolan mediation. The ministerial signing of the agreement is scheduled for June 27. Rwandan and Congolese experts reached an agreement twice last year under Angola mediation on the withdrawal of Rwandan troops and joint operations against the Rwandan Hutu rebel group FDLR, but ministers from both countries failed to endorse the deal. Angola stepped down in March from its position as a mediator between the parties involved in an escalating Rwanda-backed rebel offensive in eastern Congo after several attempts to resolve the conflict. Fighting in eastern Congo escalated this year as Rwanda-backed M23 rebels staged an advance that saw it seize the region's two largest cities, raising fears of a wider conflict. Congo says Rwanda is supporting M23 by sending troops and arms. Rwanda has long denied helping M23, saying its forces are acting in self-defence against Congo's army and ethnic Hutu militiamen linked to the 1994 Rwandan genocide that killed around 1 million people, mostly ethnic Tutsis.
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Inside Titi Ogufere's bold mission to redefine African design
From the moment you step into Titi Ogufere's orbit, one thing becomes clear — she's not just a designer but a visionary. The Lagos-based trailblazer is the founder of Design Week Lagos and the first African president of the International Federation of Interior Architects and Designers. Her work is more than creative — it's anchored in purpose and driven by her belief that design can be a powerful tool for societal change. 'We (Africans) have a strong cultural identity, and I think we haven't really been able to show that to the world,' Ogufere tells CNN. 'I see design as a tool for economic and societal transformation. My vision is to see African products in stores around the world.' Ogufere is not just dreaming — she's doing. From her bustling home office in Lagos she oversees Essential Media Group. This creative enterprise includes 'Essential Interiors Magazine,' the Neflix show 'Made by Design' and the Design Week Lagos event, all forming part of a growing ecosystem dedicated to African design. 'Africa is ripe for an industrial revolution with new authentic designs that the world hasn't seen,' she explains. 'With our local craftsmanship … and being able to create with technology, I feel like it's important to begin to use our local raw materials to create products and create pieces that we can use locally and export.' When Ogufere began her career, interior design was barely recognized in Nigeria. 'At the time I started, it was new,' she recalls. 'I had to go away to school in Dublin (Ireland) to get certified.' Her return to Nigeria in 2006 found a market craving Western aesthetics. 'Clients wanted Italian-style homes,' she says. 'But I knew African design could offer just as much elegance and depth, if not more.' Ogufere founded the Interior Designers Association of Nigeria in 2007, and has since released 27 design publications and books, including 'Vernacular Design,' and 'This is Africa.' Most recently, she debuted the Design and Innovation Hub of Nigeria that connects designers, artisans, and manufacturers. 'It's a whole ecosystem for interiors and product invention,' she says. 'We need a manufacturing hub to create original African products for the world.' In her role as design curator at the John Randle Centre for Yoruba History and Culture in Lagos, Ogufere is embracing tradition while propelling innovation. Walking through the museum she points out intricately carved traditional doorposts, and looms, marveling at their craftsmanship and relevance 'We have the materials here in Africa,' she says. 'But we need technology. We need thinkers to reimagine and develop these traditional crafts for today.' Ogufere is actively making a difference. In April, she hosted a pop-up shop during the Lagos Homecoming Festival, an annual cultural exchange event that brings together artists, designers, and creatives across Africa. Her pop-up shop featured handcrafted steel furniture, hand-dyed textiles, and locally quarried marble pieces; all proudly made in Nigeria. 'We had a lot of international interest, especially from America,' she said at the event. 'Now we're developing an online store to give these products a global platform.' For Ogufere, every piece of design is a story waiting to be told. 'I love any design that involves storytelling,' she says. 'It's not just about deep pockets. I want to create something meaningful — something my clients can be proud of.' Whether it's a centuries-old stool from Ekiti State or a locally woven fabric lampshade, Ogufere believes interiors can speak volumes about African identity, innovation, and pride. 'We need to rethink what African design is,' she adds. 'It's not just Dutch wax or a specific look. Africa is diverse, and there are so many untold stories through material, craft, and design.' From shaping museum spaces to mentoring young designers, Ogufere is building more than beautiful rooms — she's building a movement. And she's just getting started. 'We've done a lot to educate the public, but we need to do more,' she says. 'I believe African design deserves a seat at the global table.'
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Cardano Could Become the Fastest Blockchain in the Crypto - If the Next Up Upgrades Go as Planned
At the moment, when the topic of scalable and fast blockchain arises, Cardano is usually overlooked in favor of projects like Avalanche and Solana, but this could change in the near future. Beneath its calm surface, Cardano is gearing up for some potentially revolutionary upgrades, suppose they all work according to the plan. The changes on the horizon could flip the script for this third-generation blockchain because it could enable it to become the fastest blockchain in the sector, which will definitely have an impact on the Cardano USD price. If you're interested in investing in Cardano, it's best to learn what exactly is changing so you can make smart decisions. Cardano's launch differed from others Cardano was developed by Ethereum's co-founder Carles Hoskinson , who came up with the research-first, peer-reviewed philosophy. Some crypto experts were skeptical when they heard about the academic approach he followed because the sector is fast-moving, but it seems that it was the right solution because it enabled him to build one of the most secure and stable blockchain platforms in the industry. Cardano has a layered architecture that allows it to separate the settlement and computational features, so it was designed for scalability from the beginning. However, since its launch Cardano has struggled with one major criticism, its speed. Transactions per second on the mainnet have historically lagged behind the named competitors, and this is why its developers have decided to bring the upgrades into play. Enter Hydra, Cardano's secret weapon At the center of Cardano's speed evolution is Hydra, a layer 2 scaling solution designed to process transactions off-chain while maintaining security and consensus through the main chain. In simple terms, Hydra works by creating multiple 'heads,' or mini ledgers, allowing individual users or groups to transact simultaneously without waiting for global network validation. Each Hydra head can theoretically process up to 1,000 TPS. Multiply that by multiple heads working in parallel, and the throughput potential becomes enormous. Some projections suggest that, at full capacity, Hydra could enable Cardano to handle over 1 million TPS, which means that it far surpasses any other blockchain currently in operation. It's a bold claim for Cardano, but one that's technologically grounded. The question now is not if Hydra can scale, but whether the ecosystem will be ready to adopt it at scale. We can only wait to see if this happens. Mithril could make the ecosystem lightweight, secure, and fast Hydra isn't the only upgrade planned for the blockchain, Mithril is also gaining the public's attention because it is meant to improve the speed and efficiency of node synchronization, which is essential for maintaining a trustless and decentralized environment. Mithril introduces stake-based multi-signature aggregation. In layman's terms, this means faster bootstrapping of nodes without compromising security, a significant advantage for lightweight clients, mobile apps, or decentralized finance (DeFi) services that demand quick access to accurate blockchain states. When Hydra and Mithril will work in tandem, Cardano not only will be able to achieve faster TPS, but also improved transaction confirmation, node syncing, and real-time decentralization. Together they could form the foundation of what might become one of the highest responsive blockchain ecosystems in the sector. The question that bothers many: Could Cardano have both speed and decentralization? Many crypto experts argue that when a blockchain opts for improved speed, it might trade off its decentralization. There were examples in the market of blockchains that opted to compromise their level of decentralization, or adopted more centralized validator structures to improve their transaction speeds. Well, this might not be the case for Cardano, which is attempting something far more difficult, preserving its decentralization while dramatically increasing its speed. With over 3,000 stake pools running the network and a strong incentive model for participation, the Cardano ecosystem remains one of the most decentralized in the industry. If Hydra and Mithril can succeed without sacrificing this decentralization, Cardano may well set a new standard in blockchain design—a rare balance of speed, scalability, and security. The developer ecosystem is warming up to Cardano Cardano's success is also connected to how open developers are to using it. Its speed success story is tightly connected to the developer activity because historically, Cardano dealt with criticism for its slow smart contract rollout. But since the Alonzo upgrade, which enabled smart contracts on the platform, developer activity has been steadily rising. In 2024 alone, the number of Plutus scripts, Cardano's smart contract language, increased significantly, and the blockchain saw record-high daily transactions. With tools like Marlowe (a domain-specific language for financial contracts) and the upcoming Aiken language (designed to simplify smart contract development), building on Cardano is becoming easier and faster. If developer adoption continues to grow in parallel with the infrastructure upgrades, the platform's throughput capacity will be more than just a technical boast, it will be a real-world utility. Cardano is part of a competitive sector If you want to understand the full implications of Cardano's possible changes, it's essential to have a look at its competition. As you already know, there are many altcoins doing similar things in the sector, and at the moment Solana is the project that holds the title of the fastest blockchain with over 65,000 TPS under ideal conditions, but as critics pointed out several times, it's prone to centralization and outages issues. Similarly, Avalanche offers sub-second finality but relies heavily on complex consensus mechanisms that have their own scaling challenges. Cardano has a unique approach, due to the layered architecture, Mithril's compression, and Hydra parallelization, so it can offer a path to high throughput without sacrificing its core value. Yes, it was not the first to the speed finish line, but it might finish the race as the most balanced solution. Conclusion: a sleeping giant poised to leap Cardano has spent years laying a meticulous foundation, quietly preparing for a moment that could redefine its place in the blockchain world. If Hydra delivers on its scalability promises and Mithril accelerates node performance, Cardano may not only catch up to its faster rivals, but overtake them entirely. And unlike many blockchain speedsters that sacrifice decentralization for velocity, Cardano could offer the best of both worlds: a truly decentralized, secure, and blazing-fast blockchain capable of supporting global-scale dApps, DeFi protocols, and enterprise systems. Jhaleil Swaby Steps Into the Arena for THE HUNGER GAMES: SUNRISE ON THE REAPING RELATED: Sunrise on the Reaping : Glenn Close and Billy Porter Latest Additions to Expansive Cast
