South Africa Election, North Korea's Gross Gift, and Shark Attack Capital.

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Big Stories

South Africans Vote in Monumental Election

South Africans voted on Wednesday in an election seen as the most important since apartheid ended 30 years ago.

• The African National Congress (ANC), which ended apartheid in 1994, is facing significant challenges as half of the country's 62 million people live in poverty. President Cyril Ramaphosa was confident in an ANC victory, while opposition leader John Steenhuisen saw a new path to victory for the opposition.

• Poverty and inequality, particularly affecting the Black majority, have eroded trust in the ANC, which promised to improve lives post-apartheid. However, many communities still lack basic services like water and electricity.

• Polls suggest the ANC's support may drop below 50% for the first time, potentially leading to a coalition government. In South Africa, voters elect political parties, not the president. Parties gain parliamentary seats according to their vote share, and Parliament elects the president.

• If the ANC loses the majority, it may be forced to share governance for the first time to keep Pamaphosa as president for a second term.

North Korea’s Stinky “Gifts”

North Korea launched hundreds of balloons carrying feces and other garbage across the border into South Korea, calling them “gifts of sincerity.”

• North Korea claims their balloon launch is retaliation for South Korean defectors and activists sending balloons with anti-government leaflets across the border. These balloons often contain other items like food, medicine, and entertainment media.

• Kim Yo Jong, a powerful figure in North Korea, slammed South Korea's criticism of the balloons while defending their own right to freedom of expression. She vowed to send many times more balloons than South Korea has sent.

• Analysts believe North Korea's balloon launch is a calculated move to test South Korea's response and wage psychological warfare. It's a tactic seen as less risky than direct military action but still disrupts South Korea. South Korea deployed explosive ordnance disposal and chemical warfare response teams to manage the balloons.

• Tensions continue to rise between the two countries. North Korea jammed South Korean GPS signals earlier that day.

Panda Party Will Return to D.C.

The National Zoo in Washington D.C. announced a new giant panda loan agreement with China

• A new pair of pandas, Bao Li (male) and Qing Bao (female), are expected to arrive by the end of 2024. This comes after the previous pandas left for China in November 2023.

• The National Zoo's panda program has played a role in moving giant pandas from endangered to vulnerable on the global extinction list. The new loan agreement includes a research and breeding program with China.

• Giant panda loan agreements across the US have been affected by recent tensions between the US and China. Atlanta Zoo's pandas are also scheduled to return to China later in 2024. However, new agreements suggest that collaborative efforts on giant panda conservation can continue despite political differences — San Diego Zoo might receive pandas this summer and San Francisco Zoo has a separate agreement for a breeding pair.

Little Stories

• Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito refused to step down from cases involving former President Trump and Jan. 6 defendants despite Democratic lawmakers' request. The issue arose because two flags related to Jan. 6 were flown at his homes. An upside-down American flag, a symbol of the "Stop the Steal" movement, was hung outside Alito's home after the Jan. 6 attack, and a second "Appeal to Heaven" flag was flown at his vacation home. Alito said his wife put up the flags. (More)

• A natural gas explosion ripped through a building in Youngstown, Ohio injuring seven people and leaving two others missing. The explosion occurred around 2:45 pm on Tuesday, heavily damaging the mixed-use building. Firefighters are unable to enter the building due to structural concerns, and the search for the missing people is ongoing. (More)

• Northern and central India are facing a brutal heatwave with temperatures exceeding 113F in over 37 cities. Delhi recorded a provisional record-breaking temperature of 126.1F, which is currently being verified. Heat-related illnesses and even deaths have been reported. Water shortages are worsening the situation, and authorities have implemented fines for wasting water. (More)

• Rough seas damaged a pier built by the US that was designed to help provide more aid to Gaza. The Pentagon will stop deliveries and move the pier to Israel for repairs. The fix will take more than a week, causing a delay in aid to Palestinians. (More)

• Three Black men are suing American Airlines for racial discrimination. The three allege that they, along with five others, were removed from a flight based solely on race. American Airlines claims a passenger complained of body odor, but the lawsuit says none of the men were informed of this reason individually. (More)

Extra Credit

A Billionaire is planning another submersible Titanic visit. 

Florida is the shark attack capital of the world. 

Check out the design for double-level first-class airplane seats.

Home Alone house asks $5.25 million.