Top Stories

Top Stories
BBC declares it will fight Donald Trump’s defamation claim – but should it?
As President Trump follows through on his threat to sue the BBC, what are the options for the corporation?

Top Stories
Footballer who fled Taliban hopes to become ‘Pakistani Haaland’
Umar Nawaz turned to football to help him adjust to life in the UK – now he’s representing his country.
Top Stories
News24 | Wednesday’s weather: Severe thunderstorms, possible flooding, wind, hail in 7 provinces
The South African Weather Service has issued warnings across several provinces, including parts of KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, the North West, Free State, northern Eastern Cape, eastern Northern Cape and Mpumalanga, where excessive lightning, strong winds and hail can be expected. Milder weather with some showers is forecast for parts of the Western Cape.

South Africa
SA chose reconciliation over division: Ramaphosa
Ramaphosa spoke at the commemoration of the Day of Reconciliation at the Ncome Museum in Nquthu, KZN

South Africa
DJ Warras’ family appeals for privacy after his death
Warras, whose real name is Warrick Stock, was a well‑known radio and television personality in SA

South Africa
High traffic at Beitbridge as BMA processes surge of travelers
BMA commander Ntakuseni Lambani, acknowledges the high number of trucks coming from SA
South Africa
President Ramaphosa warns against false narratives aimed at dividing South Africans
President Ramaphosa warns against false narratives aimed at dividing South Africans
President Cyril Ramaphosa has cautioned against misinformation and false narratives that seek to portray South Africa as a deeply divided society, warning that such narratives are designed to sow fear, hatred and division.
Speaking at the National Day of Reconciliation commemoration at the Ncome...

World
Search for body of last hostage held by Hamas in Gaza is delayed due to bad weather
A storm has battered the Gaza Strip, creating misery for displaced Palestinians and delaying the search for the body of the last Israeli hostage held by militants there.

World
Bondi Beach gunman originally from India, police say
Sajid Akram had “limited” contact with his family in Hyderabad since moving to Australia 27 years ago, a police official said.

World
Ukraine struggling to keep lights on under Russian attack, says energy boss
DTEK boss Maxim Timchenko says the intensity of Russian strikes is so frequent there is no time to recover.

World
Rob Reiner’s son Nick arrested. And, Brown University shooting suspect image released
Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner’s son Nick has been arrested in connection with their deaths. And, authorities have released new images to help identify the gunman in the Brown University shooting.

Africa
Defenders ‘scared’ of Nigeria’s Osimhen – Onyeka
Victor Osimhen is described as a striker “on another level” by team-mate Frank Onyeka ahead of Nigeria’s bid to win the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.

Africa
Sudan’s RSF trying to cover up mass killings in el-Fasher, researchers say
Satellite images show the paramilitary force is burying and burning bodies, Yale University researchers say.

Africa
French court sentences ex-DR Congo rebel and politician to 30 years in jail
In a landmark trial, Roger Lumbala faced accusations about atrocities committed during the Second Congo war.

Africa
‘Bandits’ kidnap worshippers during church service in Nigeria
At least 13 people are missing after armed men stormed a church, an official tells the BBC.

Business
EU waters down plans to end petrol and diesel car sales by 2035
Carmakers, particularly in Germany, have lobbied heavily for concessions to the planned rules.

Business
Employment Rights Bill clears last parliamentary hurdle
Business Secretary Peter Kyle he was “delighted” the bill had completed its passage through the House of Lords.

Business
Sunak defends Covid loan scheme over excessive fraud claims
Critics say Bounce Back Loans were vulnerable to fraud, but Sunak cited need for speedy rollout

Business
What you need to earn to buy the cheapest Audi, BMW, and Mercedes in South Africa at the end of 2025
Owning a premium German car in South Africa has become a luxury reserved for the country’s top earners.

Politics
Mixed political views mark Reconciliation Day
Some parties view the day as vital for unity and nation-building

Politics
Reconciliation must be a continuous commitment: UDM
UDM SG Zandile Phiri says true nation-building requires citizens’ active participation.

Politics
Inequality, unemployment, corruption undermines national unity: IFP
IFP Chief Whip Nhlanhla Hadebe says reconciliation can’t remain symbolic.

Politics
Palestinian travellers didn’t seek asylum in SA: Schreiber
On November 13, 153 Palestinians landed in Johannesburg with only 23 producing required documents.

Sport
Nancy ‘grateful’ for Celtic backing amid losing start
Wilfried Nancy says “I don’t have to prove anything to anybody” amid criticism of his losing start as Celtic manager.

Sport
Cardiff in ‘good space’ to retain top players after Wales stars exit Ospreys
Cardiff and Scarlets are hopeful of retaining their top players after Wales captains Jac Morgan and Dewi Lake opted to swap Ospreys for Gloucester.

Sport
McErlean and Armstrong secure M-Sport WRC drives
Motorsport Ireland Academy duo Josh McErlean and Jon Armstrong will drive for M-Sport in the World Rally Championship in 2026.

Sport
Ulster boosted by midfield returns for derby date
Centres Stuart McCloskey and Jude Postlethwaite are set to feature when Ulster travel to Leinster on Friday night.

Education
‘A shifting system’: concerns over students’ civil rights rise as DoJ changes priorities
Under Trump, the department that once rooted out race- and disability-based discrimination has begun opening investigations over antisemitism and transgender policies
The 10-year-old was dragged down a school hallway by two school staffers. A camera captured him being forced into a small, empty room with a single paper-covered window.
The staffers shut the door in his face. Alone, the boy...
Education
The Untold Story of How Jeffrey Epstein Got Rich
For years, rumors swirled about where his wealth came from. A Times investigation reveals the truth of how a college dropout clawed his way to the pinnacle of American finance and society.
Education
Liberia: Making Education Better
[Liberian Observer] When President Joseph Nyuma Boakai officially launched the Excellence in Learning in Liberia (EXCEL) Project, the ceremony marked more than the unveiling of a five-year education program. It symbolized a renewed national reckoning with one of Liberia’s most enduring postwar challenges: how to rebuild an education system battered by conflict, epidemics, chronic...
Education
South Africa: Hotspot Libraries Are a Safe Haven for Children
[Daily Maverick] In 2016, a community leader saw a gap for educational spaces. Nearly a decade later, libraries across Cape Town offer kids a safe place to learn.

Lifestyle
Thousands of Gauteng learners still waiting to be placed in schools for 2026
More than 16 000 Gauteng pupils are still waiting to be placed in the province’s schools for the 2026 academic year.

Lifestyle
RIP: Siya Kolisi pays tribute to former Springbok Women captain
Springboks captain Siya Kolisi paid tribute to former Springbok Women captain Lusanda Dumke, who passed away at the age of 29.

Lifestyle
Eskom targets site near penguin colony for new nuclear power plant
South Africa’s power utility is assessing a coastal site near a critically-endangered African penguin colony for a new nuclear power plant.

Lifestyle
Christmas bonus: Five ways to use this extra money smartly
If you’re one of the lucky South Africans who have received a Christmas bonus, here’s how you can spend it responsibly.
Entertainment

Entertainment
Record total carries Proteas women to ODI series victory over Ireland
South Africa’s batters compiled 375/6, racking up the national team’s highest ODI innings total.

Entertainment
Robbery suspects beaten by angry mob after seeking protection in traffic police vehicle [VIDEO]
Early reports of the incident suggested the traffic officer had been assaulted but the North West provincial government clarified matters.

Entertainment
Weather alert: Severe thunderstorms to lash KZN and Gauteng on Wednesday
Find out what the latest weather forecast from the SA Weather Service means for your region for 17 December 2025.
Science/Tech
High-Speed Traders Are Feuding Over a Way To Save 3.2 Billionths of a Second
A millisecond used to be a big deal for the world’s quickest traders. A dispute over huge trading profits at one of the world’s largest futures exchanges shows they now think a million times faster [non-paywalled source]. From a report: The controversy is about an arcane technical maneuver in which high-speed traders bombard Frankfurt-based Eurex with useless data. The idea is to keep their...

Science/Tech
Sarkee Capital Announces G4 Milestone as Dual-Track Strategy Enters Build-Out Phase
New York, NY — Sarkee Capital (SKC) today announced a significant milestone in the development of its G4 system, confirming that the firm’s Dual-Track Strategy has successfully completed live-market validation and has formally entered the build-out phase. The advancement follows extensive testing in cryptocurrency markets and reflects SKC’s commitment to disciplined, risk-controlled...
Science/Tech
Tech Giants Can’t Agree On What To Call Their AI-Powered Glasses
The glasses-shaped face computers that tech companies have been building for years now face an identity crisis, and their makers can’t agree on what to call them. Meta has asked a journalist to refer to its Ray-Ban glasses as “AI glasses” to distinguish them from Google Glass. Google, whose Project Aura is a collaboration with Xreal, calls the product “wired XR glasses” because the company...

Science/Tech
How MetaTrader 5 is redefining the standards for trading platforms in South Africa
Across South Africa’s growing trading sphere, you’ve probably noticed how expectations around platform performance and reliability have shifted. More traders want deeper analytics, broader market access and tools that simplify complex decisions in real time. Recent figures reflect this rise, with around 190,000 active retail traders in South Africa in 2025 and online retail projected […]

Motoring
Major airport in ruins in South Africa
The once-bustling Thaba ‘Nchu Airport, opened in 1988 as one of Bophuthatswana’s flagship infrastructure projects, now stands as a stark symbol of a local economy that has long since stalled.

Motoring
Best-selling cars under R300,000 in South Africa
These 10 budget models account for more than a quarter of all the cars sold in South Africa.

Motoring
Know your rights when travelling on South Africa’s roads this December
Wherever you are going, you are likely to encounter an increased number of roadblocks, and the onus is on you to know your rights when pulled over.

Motoring
Good news for European carmakers
The European Union is preparing to relax its impending ban on combustion engine vehicles, a decision that will influence the cars made by brands like BMW, Mercedes, and VW.

Health
One way to deal with OCD and intrusive thoughts
Complex presenter Kimberly Wilson speaks to Nina Higson-Sweeney about ways to manage OCD.

Health
Plans to fix NHS dental care and save some patients hundreds of pounds
The new proposals mean those needing complicated care over numerous appointments could save up to £225.
Health
Flu Cases Skyrocket in New York City, Earlier Than Expected
The city and surrounding region have some of the highest levels of flu-like illness in the United States.

Health
Man died from sepsis after 34-hour medication delay
The man could have survived had he been given the correct antibiotics, a report finds.