South Africa's ANC executive closes ranks around Ramaphosa over "Farmgate" scandal, SABC reports

JOHANNESBURG, May 14 (Reuters) - A meeting of the National Executive Committee of South Africa's African National ‌Congress on Wednesday resolved to close ranks around ‌President Cyril Ramaphosa over his "Farmgate" scandal, public broadcaster SABC reported.

South Africa's ANC party meets to discuss President's Farmgate scandal

• The ​meeting supported Ramaphosa's decision to launch a legal challenge against an independent panel report that found evidence he committed misconduct, SABC politics reporter Samkele Maseko wrote in a ‌post on X.

• ⁠Ramaphosa earlier this week faced down calls to resign over the scandal, in which ⁠thieves stole bundles of cash stuffed in a sofa on Ramaphosa's ranch in 2020.

• The ANC blocked impeachment proceedings ​against Ramaphosa ​over Farmgate in 2022 ​but the constitutional court ‌revived the process last week.

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• The ANC's National Executive Committee, a decision-making body that guides members, met on Wednesday to discuss how to handle the scandal.

• At the start of the meeting, a top ANC official ‌threw his weight behind Ramaphosa, ​telling reporters that calls for Ramaphosa ​to step down ​were opportunistic and there was nothing in ‌the constitutional court judgment that ​said Ramaphosa ​must resign.

• Ramaphosa, head of state since 2018, has denied wrongdoing over Farmgate.

• Around 0800 GMT ANC ​officials will brief ‌the media on the outcomes of the National ​Executive Committee meeting.

(Reporting by Anathi Madubela and ​Sfundo Parakozov;Editing by Alexander Winning)

bySator Tenet

in

May 14, 2026

South Africa's ANC executive closes ranks around Ramaphosa over "Farmgate" scandal, SABC reports

JOHANNESBURG, May 14 (Reuters) - A meeting of the National Executive Committee of South Africa's African National ‌Congress on Wedn...

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Turkish Airlines plane evacuated after smoke seen from landing gear in Nepal

By Gopal Sharma

KATHMANDU, May 11 (Reuters) - A Turkish Airlines plane was evacuated after ‌smoke was observed from its landing ‌gear while it was taxiing after landing in ​Nepal's capital of Kathmandu, the airline said, forcing the closure of the airport for an hour.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) ‌had earlier said ⁠a fire broke out in the right rear tyre of the ⁠Airbus A330, which was doused before the plane was towed to the taxiway.

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All 277 ​passengers and ​11 crew on ​board were evacuated ‌using the emergency exits, and nobody was injured, the aviation regulator and airline said.

"Technical inspections of the aircraft have been initiated by our teams. Initial assessments indicate that ‌the smoke was caused ​by a technical malfunction ​in a hydraulic ​pipe," Yahya Ustun, the airline's ‌senior vice president, communications, ​said on ​social media platform X.

An additional flight has been planned for the return of ​the passengers, ‌he added.

(Reporting by Gopal Sharma; Writing ​by Sakshi Dayal; Editing by Clarence ​Fernandez and Jamie Freed)

bySator Tenet

in

May 13, 2026

Turkish Airlines plane evacuated after smoke seen from landing gear in Nepal

By Gopal Sharma KATHMANDU, May 11 (Reuters) - A Turkish Airlines plane was evacuated after ‌smoke was observed from its landing ‌...

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Whoopi Goldberg falls back on “The View”, slams people who save seats in church: 'I'm gonna be in your chair'

Whoopi Goldberg once again fell back in her chair on The View.

Key Points

• The Oscar-winning actress called out people who save seats in church.

• "I'm telling you now, if you come down, I'm gonna be in your chair," Goldberg said.

Whoopi "Queen of Collapse" Goldberghas once again put on astunning display of chair-based performance art— this time asThe Viewcohosts broke down a Hot Topic about saving seats in public places.

Amid the discussion, Goldberg called out people who save seats in church, and specified why she felt it was such a big issue on Wednesday's live episode of the long-running talk show.

"To me, here's the biggest reason you don't want to do that, is because you want people to be on time," the 70-year-old said. "You don't want them to start thinking, oh, somebody's going to hold this for me, and you don't have to work on getting your behind out of there to get there on time. Don't do that!"

She continued, "If you're at a place and you see all these empty seats, I'm telling you now, if you come down, I'm gonna be in your chair, because I paid just like you paid," Goldberg said.

"I think it's okay to move the towel,"Sunny Hostinchimed in, referencing people who save chairs at public pools.

"Yeah, because people put books there, pocketbook, I'll put it right under there," Goldberg said, before putting on a little show as she fell back in her chair to demonstrate how she'd luxuriate in a seat after moving someone's belongings.

"I think you can move it," Hostin reiterated, to which Goldberg responded, "Hell yeah, you can move it!"

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"But it shouldn't be okay for anybody to do it. If you're at a thing, you should have the right, the same rights as everybody else in that building or apartment complex, unless you're having a party and you let everyone know you're doing that," Goldberg continued.

The cohosts then warned that, sometimes, people might engage in a physical altercation over saving seats in public.

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"You don't want to do that with us," Goldberg joked. "Because we will hit back. I'm just saying!"

Goldberg has long displayed her EGOT-winning acting chops at the Hot Topics table, mounting stunning feats of collapse over discussions ranging from observations aboutBen Affleck and Jennifer Lopez,Donald Trump, andcoverage of theReal Housewivesfranchise.

The Viewairs weekdays on ABC.

Read the original article onEntertainment Weekly

bySator Tenet

in

May 13, 2026

Whoopi Goldberg falls back on “The View”, slams people who save seats in church: 'I'm gonna be in your chair'

Whoopi Goldberg once again fell back in her chair on The View . Key Points The Oscar-winning actress called out pe...

Read More