24 hours in pictures, 1 August 2025
Through the lens: The Citizen's Picture Editors select the best news photographs from South Africa and around the world.
Congress activists burn an effigy of US President Donald Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi as they protest against the Indo-US trade deal, after the former imposed 25 percent tariffs on Indian goods, during a demonstration in Kolkata on August 1, 2025. President Trump labelled Russia and US ally India 'dead economies,' indicating that his threat to ramp up tariffs on New Delhi will now go ahead. India will face 25 percent tariffs while also announcing an unspecified 'penalty' over New Delhi's purchases of Russian weapons and energy. (Photo by Dibyangshu SARKAR / AFP) Participants attend the launch of Ghana's Affirmative Action (Gender Equality) Act at the Accra International Conference Centre, in Accra, Ghana, 31 July 2025. 31 July marks the official launch of Ghana's Affirmative Action Act which was passed a year ago by Ghana's Parliament. Ghana's Affirmative Action (Gender Equality) Act, 2024, mandates a minimum of 30 percent women's representation across public institutions, increasing to 50 percent by 2030. It also introduces penalties for non-compliance, tax incentives for private sector adherence, and applies to political parties, trade unions, the judiciary, and public agencies. Picture: EPA/FRANK KPORFOR Cowboy boots are seen at the Rio of Mercedes cowboy boot factory, on July 31, 2025, in Mercedes, Texas. In an unusual consequence of Donald Trump's tariffs, cowboy boots 'made in the USA' will suffer from the 30% tariff due to come into force on August 1 targeting South Africa, which produces the overwhelming majority of the ostrich leather so prized for these boots. (Photo by RONALDO SCHEMIDT / AFP) (L-R) Silver medallist South Africa's swimmer Pieter Coetze, gold medallist Hungary's swimmer Hubert Kos and bronze medallist France's swimmer Yohann Ndoye-Brouard celebrate on the podium of the men's 200m backstroke swimming event during the 2025 World Aquatics Championships in Singapore on August 1, 2025. (Photo by MANAN VATSYAYANA / AFP) This handout photo taken over Gaza and released on August 1, 2025 by the Spanish Ministry of Defence shows the release of humanitarian aid from a Spanish Air Force Airbus A400M Atlas airplane over Gaza. (Photo by HANDOUT / Spain Defence Ministry / AFP) Festival-goers attend the first day of the Pol'and'Rock Festival in Czaplinek, north-western Poland, 31 July 2025. The festival will run until 02 August. Picture: EPA/JERZY MUSZYNSKI A fisherman smokes a beedi, a hand-rolled cigarette, as he rests inside his boat on the banks of the Yamuna River in New Delhi on August 1, 2025. (Photo by Arun SANKAR / AFP) Hot air balloons are prepared to participate during the celebration of the XXV International Hot Air Balloon Regatta 'Haro, capital of Rioja' and the XLI Spanish Aerostation Championship, in Haro, La Rioja, Spain, 31 July 2025. The events take place from 30 July to 03 August. Picture: EPA/RAQUEL MANZANARES Members of the Gumatj clan of the Yolngu people from north-eastern Arnhem Land perform the Bunggul traditional dance during the 25th annual Garma Festival in Gulkula, Northern Territory, Australia, 01 August 2025. Garma Festival, Australia's most significant Indigenous cultural gathering, is held each year on Yolu Country in northeast Arnhem Land, uniting ceremony, community, and national dialogue as it celebrates a significant 25-year milestone in 2025. Picture: EPA/JAMES ROSS Soldiers of the Croatian Armed Forces take part in a military parade in Zagreb, Croatia, 31 July 2025. Croatia marked the 30th anniversary of Operation Storm, the last major battle of the Croatian War of Independence in August 1995, with a military parade featuring more than 3,500 soldiers and several hundred military vehicles. Picture: EPA/ANTONIO BAT A cosplayer in the character of Zhuge Liang of a video game poses during ChinaJoy, known as China Digital Entertainment Expo and Conference, at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre in Shanghai on August 1, 2025. (Photo by Hector RETAMAL / AFP)
MORE: 24 hours in pictures, 31 July 2025
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
eNCA
9 hours ago
- eNCA
Bangladesh's Yunus calls for reform on revolution anniversary
Bangladesh's interim leader on Tuesday marked the one year anniversary since the overthrow of the autocratic regime of Sheikh Hasina by calling for people to seize the "opportunity" of reform. But Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus, the 85-year-old who is leading the caretaker government as its chief adviser until elections are held, also warned against those he said sought to roll back gains made. "Today marks an unforgettable chapter in the history of Bangladesh", Yunus said, marking a day he said had led to "liberating our beloved nation from the grip of long-standing fascist rule". The South Asian nation of around 170 million people has been in political turmoil since a student-led revolt ousted then-prime minister Sheikh Hasina on August 5, 2024, ending her 15-year rule. Yunus later addressed crowds of thousands outside parliament, standing in the rain, issuing a "proclamation" alongside leaders of key political parties -- a document to be added to the country's constitution. "The trust of the people... as expressed by the mass uprising for addressing the political and constitutional crisis in Bangladesh is justified, legitimate and internationally recognised," he read from the document. "The people of Bangladesh express their desire for ensuring good governance and fair elections, rule of law and economic and social justice, and for introducing lawfully democratic reforms for all state and constitutional institutions". The crowd, some wearing headbands made from the national flag, and who included families of those killed in the deadly crackdown on the protests, applauded after Yunus read the document. Fariha Tamanna, 25, who travelled to Dhaka on a government-sponsored train, said it was "deeply satisfying" to hear the government "acknowledge the uprising". "There's still a long road ahead, so many wrongs continue," she added. "But I still hold on to hope." Kazi Solaiman, 47, a teacher in an Islamic school, said it was a day of celebration. "An oppressor was forced to flee by the people's uprising," he told AFP. "I hope Bangladesh never again becomes a land of tyranny." - 'Stand united' - Hasina's rule saw widespread human rights abuses, including the mass detention and extrajudicial killing of her political opponents, and Yunus has pledged to overhaul democratic institutions. "The sacrifice of thousands has gifted us this rare opportunity for national reform, and we must protect it at any cost," Yunus said in letter issued to mark the anniversary. "The fallen autocrats and their self-serving allies remain active, conspiring to derail our progress." But he said that while the interim government had made "extensive reform efforts", a deal on measures to prevent a return to authoritarian rule remained elusive. Political parties are jostling power ahead of elections, slated for early 2026. "Dialogue continues with political parties and stakeholders on necessary reforms, including the political and electoral systems," he added. He called for people to remember the sacrifices made last year and work together. "Let us stand united beyond all divisions to confront and defeat these threats," he added. "Together, we will build a Bangladesh where tyranny will never rise again." Protests began on July 1, 2024, with university students calling for reforms to a quota system for public sector jobs. They culminated on August 5, 2024, when thousands of protesters stormed Hasina's palace as she escaped by helicopter. Hasina, 77, remains in India, where she has defied court orders to attend her ongoing trial on charges amounting to crimes against humanity. By Sheikh Sabiha Alam
IOL News
9 hours ago
- IOL News
Manufacturing sentiment in South Africa improves as business conditions steady in July
With three consecutive months of growth above the neutral 50.0 mark, the latest S&P Global PMI results suggest a stabilising environment despite ongoing economic challenges. Image: Costfoto / NurPhoto via AFP. The S&P Global South Africa Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) edged up to 50.3 in July, from 50.1 in June, marking a slight but noteworthy improvement in the country's business conditions. This is in line with the latest seasonally adjusted Absa PMI, which increased by 2.3 points to 50.8 in July, following eight consecutive months in contractionary territory. With three consecutive months of growth above the neutral 50.0 mark, the latest S&P Global PMI results suggest a stabilising environment despite ongoing economic challenges. The index, which serves as a comprehensive indicator of the operating conditions in the private sector, reflects a blend of positive trends, particularly in new business and employment. S&P said the growth was predominantly driven by an uptick in new orders, as several firms observed revitalised client activity. Nevertheless, reports indicate that the broader economic landscape remains challenging, with various sectors experiencing divergent performances. While the services and wholesale and retail sectors saw expansion, industries such as construction faced downturns. Furthermore, although domestic sales improved, new export business has dwindled for the fourth straight month, hinting at potential headwinds in international trade. Output levels, albeit broadly unchanged, signify an upward movement since June, when a minor decrease was noted. July witnessed firms raising their employment figures for the second consecutive month, marking the swiftest growth in hiring since May 2024. This hiring surge was attributed to stabilising supply chains, with improved vendor performance observed for the fourth month in a row—highlighting easing port congestion that has historically stricken South Africa's logistics. David Owen, senior economist at S&P Global Market Intelligence, said business conditions across South Africa improved in July, driven by greater sales and increased employment. Owen said the rise in staffing was the fastest for over a year, showing that firms were more willing to take on new workers in order to boost their capacity and competitiveness. "This nevertheless had an adverse impact on costs aswage inflation accelerated, leading to quickest rise inbusiness expenses since April. However, the increasein charges remained modest and even softened, whichsuggests that firms largely expect this cost jump to betemporary," Owen said. "There was also a solid recovery in business expectations in July, after the survey metric dropped to its lowest level since mid-2021 in June. Firms highlighted a slight improvement in the demand outlook, although there werestill concerns about global trade policy and exchange rate movements." As companies worked to fulfil current orders, S&P said backlogs declined at the fastest pace since February, allowing some businesses to destock unused inputs. This contributed to a slight decline in total inventories, revealing a potential shift towards leaner operational strategies. However, as positive signs emerge, cost pressures have intensified. The July survey indicated a marked increase in price levels, fuelled mainly by rising staff costs. Wage pressures have surged for three consecutive months and remain significantly above average. In tandem, purchase costs have risen due to increased charges for fuel and materials, pushing the rate of input price inflation to its highest since April.
eNCA
10 hours ago
- eNCA
Oil giant BP surprises with better than expected earnings
Oil giant BP, which recently pivoted away from green energy, posted Tuesday better-than-expected quarterly earnings and announced a fresh review of costs. The British group's return to profit in the second quarter contrasted with weaker results from energy rivals, as lower exceptional charges offset falling oil prices. Profit after tax came in at $1.63 billion in the April-June period, compared with a net loss of $129 million in the second quarter of 2024, BP said in an earnings statement. Stripping out exceptional items, underlying net profit was down nearly 15 percent. "This has been another strong quarter for BP operationally and strategically," chief executive Murray Auchincloss said in the earnings statement. BP on Monday said it made its biggest oil and gas discovery in 25 years off the coast of Brazil. In February, BP launched a major pivot back to its more profitable oil and gas business, shelving its once industry-leading targets on reducing carbon emissions and slashing clean energy investment. However, energy prices have come under pressure in recent months on concerns that US President Donald Trump's tariffs will hurt economic growth, while OPEC+ nations have produced more oil. BP managed to post a profit for the second quarter thanks to impairments which were lower than one year earlier, along with a revaluation of assets -- notably in relation to liquefied natural gas (LNG) -- and divestments. - Sector woes - By contrast, US rivals ExxonMobil and Chevron, along with French group TotalEnergies, posted heavy falls to their net profits in the second quarter. As did oil giant Saudi Aramco, which on Tuesday announced its 10th straight drop in quarterly profits as a slump in prices hit revenues. The average price for Brent North Sea crude, the international benchmark, stood at $67.9 per barrel in the second quarter, down from $85 one year earlier. British rival Shell still managed to post a slight increase to its profit after tax for the latest reporting period. As for BP, Auchincloss said the company was launching "a further cost review and, whilst we will not compromise on safety, we are doing this with a view to being best in class in our industry". Shares in BP gained 2.2 percent in London morning deals following its results and news of a fresh dividend and share buyback. "A slick turnaround plan pumped up BP's second-quarter results," noted Derren Nathan, head of equity research at Hargreaves Lansdown. "Despite lower oil and gas prices, it's managed to push underlying profits up by nearly $1 billion from the first quarter to $2.4 billion, well ahead of analyst forecasts." Nathan added that "shareholders will be glad to see this matched with financial discipline". BP already announced plans this year to cut cleaner energy investment by more than $5 billion annually and offload assets worth a total of $20 billion by 2027. It recently agreed to sell its onshore wind energy business in the United States, while Shell has also scaled back its climate objectives. BP last month named Albert Manifold as its new chairman, replacing Helge Lund, whose departure was announced amid the strategy reset. The group's net profit plunged 70 percent in its first quarter, hit by weaker oil prices. By Ben Perry
