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TUESDAY, 19 MAY 2026, 12:51

Top Stories

Former Spanish PM Zapatero investigated in influence peddling case

Today at 12:43 PM, via Daily Maverick

MADRID, May 19 (Reuters) – Former Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero is being investigated for alleged influence peddling and related crimes, the country’s High Court said on Tuesday.Zapatero’s office in Madrid was being searched along with three other premises, the court said in a statement, adding that the former premier had been summoned to testify on June 2.Zapatero, a key...

Top Stories

Trump official helped secure US visa for fugitive Polish minister

Today at 12:40 PM, via Daily Maverick

U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau instructed senior State Department officials to facilitate and approve a visa for a fugitive former Polish cabinet minister, allowing him to flee to the United States from Hungary, three people familiar with the matter said.

Top Stories

ICC prosecutors say Libyan suspect was notorious torturer

Today at 12:36 PM, via Daily Maverick

A 47-year-old suspect accused of overseeing one of the most notorious prisons in Libya was known as a ruthless torturer nicknamed “the angel of death” by detainees, prosecutors told judges at the International Criminal Court on Tuesday.

South Africa

GALLERY | National Orders 2026

Today at 12:17 PM, via SABC News

The National Orders is underway at the Sefako Makgatho Presidential Guesthouse in Pretoria.

South Africa

Protecting initiates’ lives and restoring the dignity of customary initiation

Today at 12:08 PM, via SAnews

Protecting initiates’ lives and restoring the dignity of customary initiation

By Legadima Leso, Head of Communications, Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs 

Each year, as the winter and summer initiation seasons approach across South Africa, thousands of young people prepare for one of the most significant moments of their lives: customary initiation. For generations,...

South Africa

PSC welcomes sharpened legislation

Today at 12:05 PM, via SAnews

PSC welcomes sharpened legislation

By Sihle Manda 

The Public Service Commission Amendment Bill is poised to become one of the most consequential reforms in South Africa’s public administration landscape. 

Should it see light of day, the legislation will significantly expand the authority of the Public Service Commission (PSC), strengthening oversight across national, provincial...

South Africa

Restoring dignity through opportunity and protection

Today at 12:03 PM, via SAnews

Restoring dignity through opportunity and protection

By Nomakhosazana Meth, Minister of Employment and Labour

May Day is a profound reminder of the hard-fought battles for labour rights, and the collective power of social dialogue. From the factory floors and deep-level mines to the bustling tech hubs and vast agricultural lands, the hands of our workers continue to build the...

Africa

Defunct Malawian Bank seeks $552m compensation

Today at 12:45 PM, via Mail & Guardian

A bank that ceased operations more than two decades ago is seeking compensation from Malawi that could approach a 10th of the country’s annual budget, following a court ruling that regulators illegally revoked its licence

Business

The Deliberate Business: A Smarter Approach to SME Funding

Today at 12:37 PM, via BusinessTech

Small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) play a critical role in South Africa’s economy, driving job creation, innovation, and growth across industries. But in today’s environment, running a business is not just about growth – it’s about navigating pressure.

Business

Government doubles down on NHI after latest blow

Today at 11:59 AM, via BusinessTech

The National Department of Health says the latest ruling by the Constitutional Court, axing the state’s “Certificate of Need”, has nothing to do with the NHI.

Politics

MK Party axes Nhlamulo Ndhlela as spokesperson and MP

Today at 12:40 PM, via Mail & Guardian

The uMkhonto weSizwe Party has axed Nhlamulo Ndhlela as its national spokesperson and MP with immediate effect, appointing the former editor of ‘The Star’, Sifiso Mahlangu, as his replacement

Education

There is no state more impotent than being a parent of a teenager doing A-levels | Zoe Williams

Today at 12:00 PM, via The Guardian

Holding a flashcard for chemistry or further maths fills me with a unique kind of horror. Does anyone really understand this?

There’s a chart doing the rounds on social media, ranking philosophers by how punk they are. Hobbes and Heidegger, it says, are “basically a cop”; while for Dionysus the Renegade, Marx and Parmenide, it declares: “They’re not punk, punk is them.” I have no...

Entertainment

Zozi Tunzi to host Miss Universe Zimbabwe 2026

Today at 12:35 PM, via The Citizen

Zozi Tunzi’s appointment reflects the growing stature of Miss Universe Zimbabwe and signals organisers’ ambition to deliver a world-class production.

Entertainment

Spanish court orders €55m tax refund for Shakira

Today at 12:16 PM, via The Citizen

A Spanish court has ordered the tax authority to refund Colombian pop star Shakira more than 55 million euros ($64 million) wrongly collected in a dispute over her 2011 taxes, according to a ruling seen on Monday.

Science/Tech

Governance must catch up with innovation, says Huawei

Today at 12:29 PM, via ITWeb

At the ITWeb Security Summit 2026 in Johannesburg, Huawei will argue that as AI moves from experimentation to production, companies must focus on governance, security and operational accountability.