Rorisang Modiba delivers daily updates from around the world.
India – Coldplay fans were outraged when tickets for the January 2024 Mumbai shows were resold for up to $11,000 (R190,000). After the official seller, BookMyShow’s website crashed and tickets sold out quickly, they appeared on resale sites at massively inflated prices. Lawyer Amit Vyas filed a police complaint, alleging possible bot purchases and black market sales. Mumbai police have summoned BookMyShow’s CEO, who denies involvement in reselling and has reported fake ticket sales.
Israel – Israel’s military launched limited ground raids into southern Lebanon, worsening its conflict with Hezbollah. This follows recent airstrikes, including one that killed Hezbollah’s leader. The operation targets villages near the border that threaten northern Israel. It’s the first ground combat between Israel and Hezbollah since 2006. The duration is unclear, but Israeli forces have been preparing for months. Artillery strikes and airstrikes were reported in Lebanon, including near Beirut.
Congo – Basketball star Dikembe Mutombo has died at the age of 58 from brain cancer. He played for 18 years, from 1991 to 2009, and was one of the best shot blockers in NBA history. Mutombo was an eight-time All-Star and four-time Defensive Player of the Year. The Atlanta Hawks and Denver Nuggets have retired his jersey numbers, and he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2015. Mutombo was also known for his charity work in Congo through his foundation and his involvement with the Special Olympics.
Connecticut – The state has reported its first case of ‘Rickettsia parkeri rickettsiosis’, a tick-borne disease similar to Rocky Mountain spotted fever but milder, causing headaches, fever, rashes, and muscle pain. The disease is spreading north due to climate change and travel. The Gulf Coast tick, which carries the disease, was first found in Connecticut in 2021. Around 30% of these ticks are infected.
New York – A Manhattan company, Tally Health, has developed CheekAge, a test that uses cheek cells to estimate a person’s biological age. Unlike most tests that use blood DNA, CheekAge uses cheek swabs and can provide an age estimate that differs from a person’s actual age. This test is linked to health risks. A study published in ‘Frontiers in Aging’ showed that CheekAge can predict health risks using blood samples. While it doesn’t predict when someone will die, it provides insights into how biological age correlates with health risks.
Nigeria – Babaji Daule, a 35-year-old zookeeper, was killed by a lion at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library Wildlife Park. Daule was showing guests the lion feeding outside normal hours when he left the safety gate open and was attacked. The lion bit him in the neck, killing him instantly. The lion was subsequently shot. Park officials said this was not standard procedure, and police blamed negligence. The park offered condolences and emphasised the importance of safety.
Pictured above: Coldplay.
Source: Coldplay/X
