News 12:00

BULLETIN 15 October 12 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# A six-monthly HIV prevention jab is confirmed to be effective in two pivotal studies
# A Christian forum demands consent in funeral insurance policies amid a fraud surge
# And rugby: Argentina’s Pablo Matera will miss the Italy clash after a red card ban

# A six-monthly HIV prevention injection containing lenacapavir has been confirmed effective in two pivotal studies. The first study, PURPOSE 1, showed no HIV infections among two-thousand-134 participants, while the second, PURPOSE 2, reported two infections among two-thousand-179 participants. This translates to a 96-percent reduction in HIV infections compared to background incidence. Gilead Sciences plans to file for regulatory approval to market lenacapavir for prevention. It’s currently registered in some countries for treatment, but not yet available in South Africa for preventive use.

# The South African National Christian Forum is urging the Financial Sector Conduct Authority to tighten regulations to address rising funeral insurance fraud. They are concerned about people being insured without their consent, leading to financial exploitation and, in some instances, fatal outcomes. The forum’s president, Marothi Mashashane, proposes stricter regulations requiring full disclosure and consent from the insured, as well as limiting multiple policies on the same person: 

# The United Africans Transformation says peace between Israel and Palestine cannot be achieved through the killing of innocent civilians. On the seventh of October last year, Hamas attacked Israel killing nearly one-thousand-200 people and taking more than 200 hostage. In retaliation attacks, Israel has killed over 42-thousand people in Gaza. UAT’s spokesperson, Doer Mabule, says the international community must do more in demanding an immediate ceasefire:

# Rugby: Argentian flanker Pablo Matera has been handed a two-week ban for the red card he received in the last Rugby Championship match against South Africa in Mbombela last month. He was sent off in the 56th minute of the Los Pumas’ 48-7 loss to the Springboks, for charging into a ruck. The ban will see Matera miss Argentina’s Test against Italy in Udine on the ninth of November. He will however be available to face top-ranked Ireland in Dublin and France in Paris.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-64-cents and the euro at 19-rand-23-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-6-cents and Bitcoin trades at 65-thousand-723-dollars-79-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-653-dollars-12-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 74-dollars-16-cents a barrel.

# And finally: Italy’s most famous fashion designer, Giorgio Armani, says he plans to retire within the next two or three years. The 90-year-old remains firmly in control of his empire since he founded it nearly 50 years ago. Armani founded the fashion house in 1975, and presented his first ready-to-wear collections the following year. He has no children and his heirs are expected to include his sister, three other family members working at the company, his long-term collaborator and partner, Pantaleo Dell’Orco, and a charitable foundation.

Stay tuned for more news………….