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President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa is re-elected for a second term following a stunning last-minute coalition agreement.

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6 months ago

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Legislators on Friday re-elected South African President Cyril Ramaphosa to a second term. This came about when his party, hours before the election, forged an unexpected coalition agreement with a former political rival.

In Parliament, African National Congress leader Ramaphosa defeated the unexpectedly nominated Julius Malema of the far-left Economic Freedom Fighters with a decisive win. In the 400-member house, Ramaphosa earned 283 votes to Malema’s 44.

With the support of some smaller parties and legislators from the Democratic Alliance, the nation’s second-largest party, 71-year-old Ramaphosa was able to win a second term. After the African National Congress (ANC) lost its long-held majority in a historic election two weeks ago, reducing it to 159 members in Parliament, they supported him in the vote and helped him over the finish line.

The ANC and the DA inked the last-minute deal during a break in what ended up being an extended parliamentary session, thereby guaranteeing Ramaphosa’s continued leadership of Africa’s most developed economy. In their first national coalition in which no party holds a majority in Parliament, the parties will now share governance of South Africa.

The agreement, known as a government of national unity, unites the ANC with the Democratic Alliance (DA), a white-led party that has long served as the primary opposition and the ANC’s most ardent opponent. Two smaller parties at least joined the deal as well.

The agreement, which thrust South Africa into unknown territory, was hailed by Ramaphosa as a “new birth, a new era for our country” and he urged the involved parties “to overcome their differences and to work together.”

He declared, “This is what we are going to do, and this is what I promise to accomplish as President.”

Since the apartheid system of white minority rule ended in 1994, the ANC, the renowned party of Nelson Mandela, had controlled South Africa with a comfortable majority.

However, in the humiliating national election held on May 29, a pivotal moment for the nation, it lost its 30-year majority. The vote took place in the midst of a general outcry among South Africans due to the country’s high rates of unemployment, inequality, and poverty.

Given the radically divergent philosophies of the ANC, a former liberation movement, and the centrist, business-friendly DA, which received 21% of the vote in the national election—the second-largest percentage after the ANC’s 40%—analysts caution that difficulties may lie ahead.

To start, the DA took issue with the ANC government’s decision to bring a highly sensitive case before the UN Supreme Court, accusing Israel of genocide in Gaza.

The first person to confirm the deal was DA leader John Steenhuisen.

He said, “A deal has been signed, and the DA lawmakers will vote for Ramaphosa for president,” as he left Friday’s sessions to give a speech that was broadcast live on television. “From today, the DA will co-govern the Republic of South Africa in a spirit of unity and collaboration,” he stated.

The Parliament session started at 10 a.m. in the unusual setting of a conference center near Cape Town’s waterfront, after the city’s historic National Assembly building was gutted in a fire in 2022. The house first went through the hours long swearing-in of hundreds of new lawmakers and electing a speaker and a deputy speaker.

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The presidential election took place late at night, and the results weren’t made public until well after 10 p.m. As midnight slipped into Saturday, Ramaphosa concluded his acceptance speech.

The MK Party, led by former president Jacob Zuma, boycotted the meeting, although this had little bearing on the results because a quorum only requires a third of the chamber.

Speaking with anyone else who wished to join the unity government, the ANC was willing to listen, according to Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula. He claimed that the multi-party accord will “prioritize the country across the political and ideological divide.” There are eighteen political groups represented in Parliament.

A few parties declined to participate, among them Malema’s EFF.

The Patriotic Alliance, whose leader, Gayton McKenzie, served a prison sentence for bank robbery, and the Inkatha Freedom Party were the other two parties who signed onto the coalition agreement.

McKenzie claimed that just as he had been granted a second shot at life, South Africa now had one as well—a chance to address its severe socioeconomic issues.

After the election results were announced on June 2, Parliament had to vote on the president within 14 days, giving the ANC a deadline to reach a coalition agreement. The final negotiations for a coalition agreement were held over the course of Thursday and Friday, according to party officials, after the ANC had been trying for two weeks to reach one.

Since the African National Congress (ANC) won the first all-race election in 1994 and put an end to over fifty years of racial segregation, South Africa has not experienced such a high degree of political unpredictability. Since then, starting with Mandela, every leader in South Africa has come from the ANC.

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The new unity administration also had similarities to the 1994 act of reconciliation when the African National Congress (ANC) held the majority and Nelson Mandela, South Africa’s first Black president, invited political rivals to join a unity government. In his early political career, Ramaphosa had been instrumental in such negotiations.

The ANC’s hand was forced this time.

Leader of the PA McKenzie remarked, “The ANC has been very magnanimous in that they have accepted defeat and said, ‘let’s talk.”

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Health

Namita Thapar and Anupam Mittal of Shark Tank India argue on work-life balance: “70-hour work week…”

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3 hours ago

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December 21, 2024

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Shark Tank India’s Namita Thapar and Anupam Mittal clash over work-life balance debate: ‘70-hour work week…’

Should employees work longer hours? In a recent interview Shark Tank India’s Namita Thapar and Anupam Mittal expressed their contrasting views.

Creating the right work-life balance isn’t easy, and if you work for yourself, it can be almost impossible, as per entrepreneurs Namita Thapar and Anupam Mittal, who were both seen together in various seasons of the popular reality show Shark Tank India. Also read | Tips for maintaining a healthy work-life balance

During a recent interview with Humans of Bombay, Namita Thapar expressed her view on work-life balance, saying people who own businesses must work long hours, but ‘common’ salaried employees don’t need to. However, Anupam Mittal had a different viewpoint.

Anupam Mittal on work-life balance
When asked if he believed work-life balance was achievable and his view on the debate around it, Anupam, who is the founder-CEO of Shaadi.com, said, “I think it is a big lie that’s being told to this generation, and I think it stinks because you are not ever going to… okay this is for people who want to achieve something extraordinary in life… you are not going to achieve anything extraordinary in life by counting the hours that you are putting in. Work-life harmony and flexibility, all that I understand.”

He then spoke about how the productivity in his company has gone up by 30 percent due to a hybrid work model as people get to take care of their personal life while also being available for work from home.

He added, “But simply clocking hours as a means of defining work-life balance is destroying a whole generation. We work 16 hours a day because we believe so much in what we are trying to build; and we never looked at our clocks and watches, although we were on salaries. I think that really builds character, right? When you struggle… success builds ego, but struggle builds character. I think people need to really go all in as far as (possible), if they want to achieve (something) in the early part of their career, when they still have the energy and the clarity in terms of what they want.”

Chiming in, Namita, the CEO of Emcure Pharmaceuticals, said, “This is a crock of bull****. Pardon my language. I completely disagree. I apologise for interrupting you (Anupam).”

Namita Thapar on work-life balance
Namita then explained her position, saying, “Basically this whole discussion and argument that is going on, pardon my language, is a crock of bull****. I will give you three data points, very specific data points. No. 1, when Emcure went public, it was $3 billion, my family owns 80 percent, so imagine the kind of wealth I am making. The founders, set of co-founders and top management, look at the kind of money they are making. Obviously, we could work 20 hours a day, which is what we all do. But the employee? Today, my accountant, he is making a salary, he does not have the upside of putting in that kind of hours. If he is going to put in that kind of hours, my second data point is, he is going to have serious, serious, serious physical and mental health issues.”

She added, “So, I think for founders and high stakeholders, who make tons of money — go for it. Work 24 hours a day forever! But I think for the common man and woman… (there needs to be) a certain number of hours that they are supposed to work, and of course when there are deliverables… people work longer hours, but it is not on a non-stop, standard number basis.”

Namita also said, “Third thing: For God’s sake, don’t get married and have children because the next generation is suffering because of non-existent parents… just spare them the misery and mental health issues due to having an absentee parent. So, I think for people with high stakes, yes (work long hours), but for common employees, have a reasonable work limit, knowing that there will be some blips during deliverable time, but it cannot be a constant 70-hour work week, which is what a lot of people are proposing.”

Here are a few tips and tricks for work-life balance
A balanced lifestyle is not just a luxury; it’s essential. Finding the right balance between work and personal life is crucial for maintaining a healthy lifestyle, managing stress levels, and promoting better sleep quality. Click here to check out six helpful ways to maintain work-life balance for better mental health.

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Festival

Learn about Christmas 2024’s background, significance, and the reasons it’s observed on December 25.

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4 hours ago

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December 21, 2024

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Christmas 2024: Know about history, importance, significance of this day and why it’s celebrated on December 25

The birth of Jesus Christ is celebrated on December 25. Find out the history and significance of this day.

Christmas 2024: Christmas is a much-anticipated festival of the year. It is celebrated every year on December 25 to mark the birth of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, as per Christians. The holy day also celebrates his teachings of love, forgiveness, and compassion. This holiday brings families and friends together, celebrating the warmth and cheer of Christmas, from singing Christmas carols to decorating the Christmas tree. Here’s more about the history of this special day.

The Bible does not exactly mention the birth date of Jesus Christ. There’s no specific date or month. It’s very vague. This suggests that the early Christians did not celebrate Christmas and his death and resurrection (Easter). The Bible, as a work of theology, is centred more on the teachings. However, it wasn’t until centuries later that the celebration of Jesus Christ’s birth was formally established with December 25 being chosen. But it was not through any direct Biblical reference but rather it coincides with the Roman winter solstice festival.

Ancient Rome used a different calendar back then so the winter solstice fell on December 25. On this day Romans observed dies natalis solis invicti (birthday of the Invincible Sun) celebrating the end of the winter and resurgence of the sun. This day is special as after winter solstice the days begin to lengthen, marking the ‘rebirth’ of the sun. Early Christians may have chosen December 25 to align with this celebration of light and the ‘rebirth’ of the sun, adeptly symbolizing Jesus as the ‘light of the world.’ Jesus Christ in John 8:12 referred to himself as the light of the world.

Importance of Christmas
Christmas cheer is enthusiastic and infectious, from celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ to bonding with family, exchanging gifts, and preparing meals together. It is also a day to reflect on and celebrate the teachings of Jesus Christ. Christmas is a widely celebrated festival, across cultures and the globe.

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Sports

Visa problems cause Arjun Erigaisi’s World Rapid and Blitz C’ship trip to the US to be delayed; Grandmaster makes an appeal.

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4 hours ago

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December 21, 2024

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Arjun Erigaisi’s US travel for World Rapid and Blitz C’ship delayed due to visa issues; Grandmaster issues plea

Indian Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi launched a plea, asking the US Embassy to look into the matter and “expedite the process.”

Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi is in big limbo. He has been left high and dry ahead of the upcoming World Rapid and Blitz Championship in New York. The 21-year-old is still waiting for his visa, and he has now taken to social media to launch a plea, asking the US Embassy to look into the matter and “expedite the process.”

In his post, Erigaisi also tagged Union Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, asking them for help.

The World Rapid and Blitz Championship is slated to be held in New York from December 26-31. The tournament will also feature chess stars such as Magnus Carlsen, Fabiano Caruana, Ian Nepomniachtchi, and Boris Gelfand.

Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Arjun Erigaisi wrote, “Last week, I submitted my passport to you (US Embassy) for visa stamping, and it still has not been returned. I request you to please expedite the process and return my passport as soon as possible, as I need it for my travel to New York for the World Rapid & Blitz Championship.”

For the uninitiated, Arjun Erigaisi is looking to secure a spot at the next edition of the Candidates tournament. He is currently in a two-way race with USA’s Fabiano Caruana.

The Candidates is an eight-player event to find a challenger to Gukesh Dommaraju at the next World Chess Championship.

Arjun Erigaisi stated that he had submitted his passport for visa stamping on December 13, 2024.

“My appointment was initially scheduled for December 3. I was not planning to play in Qatar because of this. Then we got to know that it’s possible to pre-pone the appointment. Biometrics was done on November 26, and the visa interview a few days after that. After it was done, I left for Qatar. And when I returned from there, I submitted my passport to the US Embassy,” Arjun told The Indian Express.

2800 mark in the Elo rating
Erigaisi recently became only the second Indian, after five-time World Champion Viswanathan Anand, to surpass the 2800 mark in Elo ratings.

He also won an individual and team gold medal at the Chess Olympiad in Budapest.

“It’s the World Rapid and Blitz Championship. It’s still a World Championship. Very prestigious. If I do well there, I will have the chance to qualify for the Candidates tournament,” Arjun said.

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