Aroma Theron
Every week Perdeby puts together this week’s biggest national and international news stories.
So, you have had a tough week with tests and assignments but you still want to be equipped for conversations about current affairs with your friends. We at Perdeby understand that this can sometimes be difficult to balance. This is why we have provided you with a weekly summary of important local and international happenings and events.
Nando’s wants all South African names added to spellcheck
So, what is Nando’s up to now and what have their creative marketing team got in store for us next? Well, listen to this: #rightmyname. This campaign is aimed at Human Rights Day on 21 March, when Nando’s will release a digital dictionary of South African names so that spellcheck on your computer can’t say your name is wrong. People can add their names to a database on the #rightmyname website.
Olympic Athletes from Russia
If you enjoy watching the PyeongChang Winter Olympics to escape the South African summer then you might have seen Russian athletes in plain grey outfits and competing as ‘Olympic Athletes from Russia’ (OAR). So why the mouthful and what happened to Russia’s vibrant red outfits? Well, seeing as Russia allegedly took part in a state-run doping program in the last Olympics, the International Olympic Committee announced on 5 December 2017 that they have suspended the Russian Olympic Committee from the 2018 Winter Olympics. It is alleged that a third of the Russian medals won at Sochi 2014 were the result of doping. But to be fair towards the innocent athletes they can compete but only as OAR. So, the medals that they win won’t contribute towards Russia’s historic medal count.
Cape Town’s day zero moved
Capetonians were overjoyed with the gift of rain on 9 February [MA1] and expressed this joy all over social media. It was apparently amongst the region of 8mm. [UM2] On 20 February, Day Zero (when the taps run dry) was moved to 9 July thanks to the weekly drop in dam levels of only 0.5%. Water restrictions are still set at 50 litres per person daily.
High school shooting in Florida
On 14 February, 19-year-old Nikolas Cruz took an Uber to his former school, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, killed 17 people and injured others with a rifle. This latest shooting has once again brought the issues of gun laws to the forefront of American politics. Students from the high school have since advocated for stricter gun-control laws and more mental health resources. The students have gained popular support and have planned two events the National School Walkout on March 14 and the March for Our Lives on March 24. In response to the shooting, President Trump has argued that teachers would need to be armed in order to stop school shooters.
