Author: BBC News

South Africa could become a “failed state”, a senior official of the ruling African National Congress (ANC) has said. The admission by ANC secretary general Fikile Mbalula comes as South Africa experiences power cuts, known as load-shedding, of up to 10 hours a day. The country is also battling high levels of corruption, all of which has damaged confidence in the ANC government. Please subscribe here.Please subscribe here: #SouthAfrica #BBCNews source

Rescuers in Taiwan are working to reach more than 600 stranded people, a day after the island experienced its worst earthquake in 25 years. One survivor has recounted how tremors unleashed rockslides “like bullets” around the coal mine he was working at. The 7.4 magnitude earthquake hit near the eastern county of Hualien, killing nine and injuring more than 1,000 people. Some stuck in tunnels and near a national park have been rescued by helicopters, but 34 are still missing. Read more on the BBC News website: Subscribe here: For more news, analysis and features visit: www.bbc.com/news #Taiwan #TaiwanEarthquake #BBCNews…

Event organisers have moved the catwalk for this year’s Dakar Fashion Week outdoors because of Covid-19 restrictions. Models have displayed the latest West African fashions on an open-air catwalk among majestic baobab trees in Senegal. Please subscribe HERE source

Cold water swimming has grown in popularity in recent years, with many participants claiming it has physical and mental health benefits. Now scientists at Portsmouth University, UK are testing these claims with surprising results. The university’s Dr Heather Massey says studies have shown that cold water immersion has some “therapeutic effect” on conditions such as high blood pressure, migraines and symptoms of menopause and depression. Subscribe here: #Health #Sport #BBCNews source

A 10-month-old baby has been partially paralysed after contracting polio in Gaza, United Nations officials have said. According to the UN, Gaza has not registered a polio case for 25 years, although type 2 poliovirus was detected in samples collected from the territory’s wastewater in June. The head of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said he is “gravely concerned” and confirmed that efforts are under way to roll out a vaccination programme in the coming weeks. In efforts to contain the spread, the UN has been pressing for a week-long pause in fighting to carry out a…

Professor Brian Cox has verbally sparred with a newly elected Australian politician who believes climate change is a global conspiracy. The British physicist behind BBC’s Wonders of the Universe was a guest on the adversarial panel show Q&A. Also on the Australian TV show was senator-elect Malcolm Roberts from the anti-immigration One Nation party. The celebrity scientist was dumbfounded by Mr Roberts’ claim that climate change data was manipulated by Nasa. Please subscribe HERE Islamic State’s ‘Most Wanted’ World In Pictures Big Hitters Just Good News source

India’s prime minister Nahrendra Modi and his BJP party are widely predicted to win next month’s general election. But his second term in power has been marked by deepening religious polarisation and increasing islamophobia. There are more than 200 million muslims in India, making up the country’s largest religious minority. Following a wave of violence against India’s muslims, members of the community have told the BBC that they are living in fear and are being marginalised and suppressed. Those claims are strongly denied by India’s Hindu nationalist government. Sophie Raworth presents BBC News at Ten reporting from northern India by…

Since the start of the pandemic amateur day traders have turned to online trading platforms where users can buy shares or fractions of shares without paying any commission. It’s opened up the stock market to a whole new generation of investors, but some industry insiders warn that those who are new to trading don’t fully appreciate the risks. The BBC’s Ben Thompson takes a closer look for Talking Business. Please subscribe HERE #BBCNews source

Italy’s current government is led by the Brothers of Italy party, which has roots in post-war fascism. Its leader, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, has said her movement has completely changed and that it is clear her politics are not those of the people raising their arms in Milan. But some fear she and her party have not moved far enough away from their political origins and that what was once considered the extreme is becoming mainstream. Ms Meloni’s Brothers of Italy party bears the same three-coloured flame logo adopted by neo-fascist groupings after the second world war, but she has…

Lesotho’s ‘white gold’ is the water which plays an important role in the south African country’s economy. This is largely due to the Katse dam which, standing at 185m (600 feet) tall, it is Africa’s second largest curved dam. But despite being water rich the country remains economically poor and its citizens haven’t been feeling the benefits. Demands have increased for Lesotho’s water from other parts of southern Africa, including South Africa where, in Johannesburg, taps run dry due to its growing populations and climate change. Government officials have acknowledged the problem and say they are acting to address it.…