Rorisang Modiba brings you daily global updates.
USA – Donald Trump has picked Elon Musk and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy to run a new office that will try to make the US government work faster and cheaper. They will cut red tape, remove extra rules and make federal offices work better. Musk, who runs Tesla and X, has often spoken about waste in government and says he could even shut down some federal departments. Trump has also chosen Fox News host Pete Hegseth as his new defence secretary, but some worry about Hegseth’s lack of experience and his past criticism of diversity in the military. Musk’s new role comes after he supported Trump’s recent campaign with an endorsement and money.
Congo – The World Bank and other groups might help pay for the Grand Inga Dam project in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). This $80-billion project aims to bring electricity across Africa. The DRC government plans to build six more power plants by an existing waterfall in the west, hoping this will fix Congo’s electricity shortages.
England – Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby has resigned after a report revealed he failed to report abuse by a church volunteer, John Smyth, who sexually and physically abused boys at Christian camps. Smyth punished boys by beating them, but the church kept it quiet for years. Church leaders and abuse survivors blamed Welby for not acting sooner, pushing him to step down. Welby said his resignation is best for the Church of England, which has been criticised for protecting abusers instead of victims.
Congo – A new type of Mpox virus is quickly spreading among children in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Burundi. Cases have surged since August, with children almost four times more likely to die than adults. These two countries now make up 92% of Africa’s cases, with more than 25,000 suspected child cases in the Congo and over 1,100 confirmed in Burundi. Save the Children is working with local health officials to provide medical care, isolation tents, protective supplies and education about the virus to protect children in high-risk areas.
Pictured above: Elon Musk.
Source: File
