News 15:00

BULLETIN 22 August 3 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Cabinet reassures the public the Mpox outbreak is under control
# BUSA won’t sign the Presidential Health Compact
# And, soccer: Chelsea signs the Portuguese forward Joao Felix

# Cabinet has reassured the public that the Mpox outbreak in South Africa is under control. It also commended healthcare workers for their efforts in managing the outbreak. Briefing the media on the outcomes of the cabinet meeting, minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, stated that health authorities have implemented effective containment measures, and the spread of the virus has been minimised: 

# Business Unity South Africa says it has consistently supported the goals of the Presidential Health Compact since its inception in 2018. CEO designate Khulekani Mathe says however, the group has not signed the current new version because it has been unilaterally amended by government, transforming its original intent and objectives into an explicit pledge of support for the National Health Insurance Act. He says these changes to the Health Compact were made without consultation:

# Tshwane Emergency Services extinguished a gas pipeline fire in Pretoria West, preventing a potential catastrophe. Responding to an explosion, firefighters contained the blaze while safely evacuating a 500-meter radius. Technicians from Sasol helped shut off gas valves, allowing the fire to burn out safely. Acting spokesperson Lindsay Mnguni says no injuries were reported, and the cause remains under investigation:

# Soccer: Chelsea has confirmed the signing of Portuguese forward Joao Felix on a permanent transfer from Atletico Madrid, shortly after England midfielder Conor Gallagher completed a move in the opposite direction. Felix has signed a seven-year contract with Stamford Bridge as he returns to the club where he made 20 appearances on loan in the 2022/23 season. No transfer fee was revealed for the former Benfica star, who made two appearances for Portugal at Euro 2024, but UK media reported earlier Chelsea had agreed to pay Atletico 913-million-rand.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-96-cents and the euro at 20-rand-1-cent. One British pound costs 23-rand-56-cents and Bitcoin trades at 61-thousand-256-dollars-68-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-504-dollars-69-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 76-dollars-41-cents a barrel.

# And finally, a six-year-old boy who was missing for five days has been found deep in a forest in Vietnam. Dang Tien Lam, who lives in the northwestern Yen Bai province, was playing in a stream with his nine siblings on 17 August when he wandered into the hills and got lost. He was found about six kilometres from where he went missing.  He told his rescuers to pick him up because he was too tired to stand. The boy survived on leaves and wild fruits, as well as drinking stream water.

Stay tuned for more news………….