Rorisang Modiba delivers daily updates from around the world.
Zimbabwe – American comedian Tiffany Haddish has been criticised for a TikTok video where she excitedly showed a supermarket in Harare, Zimbabwe, and expressed surprise at its size and range of items. Haddish defended the video, saying it was aimed at dispelling perceptions and ignorance about Africa in the US that there was “war every day”. Haddish said that her trip to Zimbabwe has opened her eyes and that she has been “finding out the truth” about the continent. The video has been viewed over 200,000 times on TikTok.
Iran – Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh was killed in Tehran, reportedly in an attack engineered by Israel, according to Hamas and Iranian state media. Israel has not confirmed its involvement. Haniyeh’s death is a significant blow to Hamas, as he was key in the Gaza ceasefire and hostage talks. This follows the recent killing of another leader of an Iran-backed militant group, raising fears of a regional conflict.
US – Megan Thee Stallion performed her song “Savage” at Vice-President Kamala Harris’ campaign rally in Atlanta, Georgia. She entertained the crowd of about 10,000 before Harris spoke. Harris, now the likely Democratic presidential nominee, spoke about Georgia’s importance in the election, criticised former President Donald Trump, and talked about how she will tackle issues like inflation and abortion rights.
China – Scenes of two men kissing and a trio hugging during the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics were shown live on China’s state TV without censorship. This was a rare moment for the LGBTQ+ community in China, where such content is usually censored. The scenes garnered much attention on social media, with the hashtag “#ParisOpeningCeremonyIsReallyCool#” getting over 600 million views on Chinese social media.
Pictured above: Tiffany Haddish.
Source: Instagram
