Kenya – President William Ruto has fired the full cabinet Secretaries and the Attorney General and has only retained the Minister of foreign affairs and the Deputy President. This follows after widespread protests regarding the new tax bill that has now been scrapped and general corruption within the government. Commentators have suggested that President Ruto is simply playing for time and believe that he has lost all support as president and should have resigned his position or called for new elections. He intends to hold further consultations and it is likely that he will try form a Government of National Unity incorporating other political players, in order to save his presidency.
Natural Gas Imports from Russia was a point of a heated debate in the South African Parliament yesterday, with Minister of Mineral and Petroleum Resources Gwede Mantashe stating that the government and his department were “not ashamed” at the prospect of “importing gas from Russia”. Opposition parties believe that the government has not properly managed the natural gas resource opportunities that exist and have driven away potential partners and now want to import from a foreign nation.
Woolly Mammoth Uncovered: International research team have made a breakthrough in assembling genome and 3D chromosomal structures of 52,000-year-old woolly mammoth. The mammoth had been frozen and the team were able to determine unprecedented detailed genetic data. The results were first published in the science journal Cell. The study aim was to attempt to understand the reasons behind demise and extinction of species.
Suspended train services in Cape Town due to Flooding: According to NEWS24, multiple train services have been suspended because of the ongoing floods in the Western Cape. Affected areas are Ottery, the Cape Flats, Strand and Firgrove areas. As a safety precaution, Metrorail announced the temporary suspension of their services to the areas. This means many of the residents in that area that utilise the train service will have to find an alternative mode of transport. Fortunately, the train services between Malmesbury and Cape Town are still in operation. However, the flooding in the Malmesbury area has also caused a delays on this line.
