Weekend Argus Saturday 2025-06-21

There I was, minding my own business, music playing softly in the background while I tried to catch a moment of peace – when I felt a little tug at my leg. “Mommy,” he says sweetly, “can I please have R20 for school tomorrow?” A R20? My eyebrows nearly leapt off my face. “Yes, Mommy,” he continues without missing a beat. “I need money to pay for civvies day. And also… tuck shop money.” Right. Of course. Civvies and tuck money. Naturally. Now, I get it. We were all kids once, and this little conversation instantly transported me back to my own childhood — to the sound of my own mommy’s voice echoing in my ears: “Do you think money grow on trees? Or on my back?” Honestly, I…

The 7th International Loving Peace Art Competition, organised by the South Africa branch of the International Women’s Peace Group (IWPG), was a resounding success as it unfolded at the Sherwood Community Hall in Manenberg recently. Children and youth from 11 local schools gathered, bringing with them powerful artwork that voiced their innermost dreams of peace under the theme “Peace, Let’s Be Friends! What can we do to achieve peace?”. With creativity and hope flowing from their brushes, the young participants explored the nuances of peace, depicting scenes filled with empathy, cultural harmony, and a vision of a world free from conflict. Each piece was a heartfelt reflection of a generation yearning for a brighter, more peaceful future. The festivities commenced at 10am and began with an opening prayer and dua,…

Children are embracing technology more and more and are engaging with artificial intelligence powered chatbots, the viral phenomenon of Italian brainrot memes, and a fresh interest in rhythm-based gaming. According to a report, children aged 8 to 10 spend approximately six hours a day glued to screens, while preteens – those aged 11 to 14 – average even more at about nine hours. As a significant portion of their lives unfolds online, understanding their digital interests is paramount for parents hoping to foster healthy online habits. This year’s findings indicate a striking rise in interest surrounding AI tools. Notably, while AI applications didn’t feature in the top 20 most-used apps in the previous year, Character.AI has recently entered the list. Children are increasingly not only curious about AI but actively…

I’ve been waiting years for a proper documentary on the Astroworld tragedy, one that strips away the headlines, the hashtags and the hype to finally give a voice to the people caught in the chaos. It’s been nearly five years since the deadly incident yet only now, through Netflix’s Trainwreck: The Astroworld Tragedy, are we truly beginning to grasp the horror of the music festival. You can practically feel the breathlessness, the panic, the suffocation that engulfed the crowd that night. It’s a grim reminder of what happens when chaos meets carelessness and no one takes responsibility. Astroworld was supposed to be a celebration. Born out of Travis Scott’s childhood nostalgia for the defunct Six Flags Astroworld amusement park in Houston,Texas, the festival was marketed as a surreal wonderland of…

In a candid conversation on BBC’s 1Xtra with host Remi Burgz, Will Smith opened up about the profound transformation he has undergone since the infamous incident at the 2022 Oscars, where he slapped comedian Chris Rock. Smith described the introspective journey as “brutal but beautiful” or “brutiful”, ultimately leading to a new era of creativity and self-awareness. Reflecting on the shocking moment, which was televised worldwide, the actor acknowledged that it forced him to take a “big, strong, honest look at myself”. In the aftermath of the incident, which occurred after Rock made a joke about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith’s hair loss, Smith decided to take a step back and engage in deep self-reflection. “After the Oscars I shut it down for a minute and really went into the…

As she gears up for the release of her highly anticipated album Man’s Best Friend on August 29, Sabrina Carpenter has found herself at the centre of controversy, facing criticism for her image and musical direction. The Grammy-winning artist made headlines when she unveiled the cover art for her upcoming album, which depicts her on her hands and knees while an anonymous male figure in a suit holds her by the hair. The provocative visual has sparked significant backlash, further intensifying the ongoing debate about the sexual nature of her art. In recent remarks, Carpenter pushed back against the criticisms, asserting that there’s much more to her artistry than what critics tend to focus on. “It’s always so funny to me when people complain,” she shared in an interview with…