First deaf Miss South Africa crowned after divisive competition

Published

3 months ago

August 12, 2024

Mia le Roux has become the first deaf woman to be crowned Miss South Africa following a divisive competition which saw one finalist withdraw after being trolled over her Nigerian heritage.

In her acceptance speech, Ms Le Roux said she hoped her victory would help those who felt excluded from society to achieve their “wildest dreams, just like I am”.

She said she wanted to help those who were “financially excluded or differently abled”.

Last week 23-year-old law student Chidimma Adetshina pulled out of the competition following allegations that her mother may have stolen the identity of a South African woman.

Ms Adetshina was born in South Africa to a Nigerian father and a mother of Mozambican origin.

She had been at the centre of a social media storm for several weeks, with many people, including a cabinet minister, questioning her right to represent the country.

She said she had been the victim of “black-on-black hate”, highlighting a particular strain of xenophobia in South Africa known as “afrophobia”, which targets those from other African countries.

Ms Le Roux, 28, was diagnosed with profound hearing loss at the age of one and has a cochlear implant to help her perceive sound.

She said it had taken two years of speech therapy before she was able to say her first words.

After winning, the model and marketing manager said: “I am a proudly South African deaf woman and I know what it feels like to be excluded.

“I know now that I was put on this planet to break boundaries and I did it tonight.”

Source: BBC

Bitcoin hits $90,000 for the first time as Trump backs crypto

Published

13 minutes ago

November 14, 2024

Kayode Sanni-Arewa

Bitcoin reached a record high above $90,000 on Wednesday, as the world’s largest cryptocurrency gained from President-elect Donald Trump’s pledge to ease regulation on digital assets.

Bitcoin surged to a peak of $91,000 before settling at $90,670.

The volatile asset has soared since Trump’s US presidential election victory last week, repeatedly setting new records.

Trump had pledged during his campaign to make the United States the “Bitcoin and cryptocurrency capital of the world.”

His previous term included corporate tax cuts that boosted market liquidity, encouraging cryptocurrency investment.

In September, Trump announced he and his sons, along with entrepreneurs, would launch a digital currency platform called World Liberty Financial. However, its sales launch earlier this month was lacklustre, with only a fraction of tokens sold.

Cryptocurrencies have drawn global attention, marked by extreme volatility and the collapse of major industry players, including the FTX exchange.

In the lead-up to the election, Trump reportedly became the first former president to use Bitcoin in a transaction, buying burgers at a New York restaurant that hailed it as a “historic transaction.”

AFP

News

NYSC announces date for ‘2024 Batch C’ registration

Published

18 minutes ago

November 14, 2024

Kayode Sanni-Arewa

The management of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, on Wednesday, announced the date for the online registration of prospective 2024 batch C stream I corps members.

The management said the exercise will commence on Thursday, 14 November, 2024.

This was made known in a post on the official X handle of the NYSC on Wednesday.

“Online Registration for 2024 Batch ‘C’ SC Stream I commences 14th November 2024,” the statement read.

The orientation course will commence later on a date to be announced by the NYSC management.

News

More Nigerians, Others Deported By Libya Govt

Published

21 minutes ago

November 14, 2024

Kayode Sanni-Arewa

Few months after many Nigerian were deported, the Department for Combating Illegal Migration in Libya has deported seven Nigerians, three Bangladeshis, and three Ghanaians detained at the Qanfoudah Immigration Detention Centre.

The deportees were flown out of Libya via Benina International Airport in Benghazi.

in a statement on their X handle on Tuesday, confirmed that these individuals were deported for violating Libyan law.

The statement read, “DCIM deported 13 migrants (3 Bangladeshis, 3 Ghanaians, and 7 Nigerians) from the Qanfoudah Immigration Detention Centre via Benina International Airport in Benghazi. All individuals, ,,,were deported for violating laws in force in the Libyan state.”

At the time of filing this report, total number of deported Nigerians still sketchy.