According to the latest World Population Prospects Report, the global population figure has just reached a huge milestone, with 8 billion people now occupying the planet. China and India are the two most populous countries, with almost 36% of the global population between them. To explain how this milestone was reached is…. 

GUEST: Diego Iturralde, Chief Director for Demography and Population Statistics @Stats SA  

Eskom has just announced that the country’s prolonged load-shedding will continue to be implemented over the next few months as the power utility has no money to burn diesel anymore. Joining us to unpack this latest announcement is ……. 

GUEST: Ted Blom, Energy expert 

President Cyril Ramaphosa has once again called for the African Union to be made a permanent member of the G20. The President was speaking during the Working Session on Food and Energy Security at the G20 Leaders’ Summit, which is currently underway in Bali, Indonesia. Joining us to share thoughts on the significance of the G20 Leaders’ Summit is…… 

GUEST: Professor Patrick Bond, Political Economist & Professor of Sociology at the University of Johannesburg 

Teachers and pupils at Georgetown High School in Pietermaritzburg in KwaZulu-Natal were robbed while attending an overnight study session in preparation for exams this week. The robbers allegedly cut the fence and held the security guard at gunpoint before robbing the teachers and pupils. They made off with 20 cellphones and wallets. How are the learners doing now, are they in any condition to write? We are now joined by KZN education spokesperson, Siqiniseko Shezi.

Airline industry expert, Gidon Novick has resigned from the board of South African Airways’ chosen equity partner, Takatso Consortium. Among the reasons for leaving, Novick sites lack of communication as well as well as the company’s inability to raise sufficient funds to allow him to fulfil his duties. Takatso Consortium is the strategic equity partner chosen by the department of public enterprises to take a 51% stake in SAA. Aviation expert Phutego Mojapele says this is no surprise. 

ActionSA has withdrawn from the DA led coalition in Ekurhuleni. This comes just a few days after they voted in favour of reinstating mayor Tania Campbell after she was ousted through a vote of no confidence. The party says it is concerned about the state of service delivery in the area. What exactly has changed since that vote in favour of Campbell? We are now joined by ActionSA’s Gauteng Provincial Chairperson, Bongani Baloyi.

Amid the mounting calls to ban ownership of pit bulls as domestic animals in South Africa. We hear from an animal behaviourist who is going to educate us more about Pit Bull dog breeds. This as we know that Pit Bulls can be extremely dangerous if mishandled or forced to act in a certain way. Countries, where the ownership of pit bulls is banned, include Russia, Finland, Denmark, the United Kingdom, Portugal, parts of Germany, parts of China, parts of Brazil and parts of Australia. 

GUEST: John Faul, animal behaviourist 

Recent weather conditions have affected a number of households in Gauteng. According to the MMC for Human Settlements in Johannesburg Mlungisi Mabaso, the number of victims affected by flooding at Nancefield hostel in Soweto has increased from 300 families to an unknown number. The City of Joburg is currently busy trying to assist displaced residents, while on the other hand, trying to assess the damage caused by the heavy rain and flooding. For more on this, we are joined by….. 

GUEST: Mlungisi Mabaso: MMC for Human Settlements, City of Johannesburg  

On World News today we ask, Is Australia planning to hold a referendum on the Monarchy? Following the recent death of Queen Elizabeth II. It appears that some people in Australia are getting busy planning for a future as a republic. This as the country is considering ditching the monarchy altogether as some citizens there are of the view that the Elizabethan era is now over and it is time for them to move into the Australian era.

GUEST (UK): Sir Anthony Seldon, UK’s Historian & Political author  

Let’s now tell you more about this disturbing story of Ranga Gova who was hijacked and kidnapped on the 3rd of November near Midstream Mediclinic Centurion, in Gauteng. Gova has been missing for eight days and we are told that the police are still searching for him. For more on this story, we are now joined by….