News 13:00

BULLETIN 16 January 1 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The Police has confirmed a rescue cage is underground in the Stilfontein mine evacuation efforts
# ePanic buttons are activated for teachers at Gauteng’s high-risk schools
# And Rugby: Its sink or swim for South African teams in European competitions this weekend

# The Police has confirmed that a mine rescue services cage has been deployed underground at Stilfontein shafts to search for more illegal miners. Police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe said one-thousand-907 illegal miners have resurfaced since 8 August last year. Major arrests include one-thousand-125 Mozambican, 465-Zimbabweans, 26-South Africans, amongst others. She confirmed that eighty-seven bodies have been recovered. Nine hospitalised miners remain under police guard:

# The Gauteng Provincial Legislature has activated ePanic buttons for three-thousand teachers who are stationed at high-risk schools across the province. The activation aims to address escalating violence, gangsterism, and crime. Schools such as Eldorado Park Secondary and Glenvista High have reported violent incidents, including stabbings and teacher-pupil altercations. A December 2024 report identified 245 high-risk schools, with 75 prioritised for interventions including security guards, metal detectors, CCTV cameras, and school safety committees. The ePanic app is meant to ensure a rapid law enforcement response to emergencies.

# Outgoing US president Joe Biden has warned of a developing oligarchy in America, stressing the importance of holding the ultra-wealthy to the same expectations as the working and middle class. He delivered his farewell address at the Oval Office on Wednesday, as his four years in the White House and a half-century in Washington is coming to an end. Biden also called for the Constitution to be amended so that no president should have immunity for crimes committed in office:

# Rugby: It will be a case of sink or swim for the five South African teams participating in the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup this weekend as the pool stage wraps up. The Sharks and Stormers, who are both in fourth place in their pools, will have one last roll of the dice to secure playoff spots in the Champions Cup, while the Lions and Cheetahs, both ranked fifth in their groups, will be under immense pressure to register victories to keep their Challenge Cup playoff hopes alive.

# Financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-82-cents and the euro at 19-rand-38-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-98-cents and Bitcoin trades at 98-thousand-736-dollars. Gold sells at two-thousand-704-dollars-51-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 80-dollars-84-cents a barrel.

# And finally: Edward Berger’s Vatican-set Papal mystery-thriller, Conclave, leads this year’s Bafta Film Awards nomination with 12. They include best film, director, leading actor for Ralph Fiennes and supporting actress for Isabella Rossellini. Spanish-language musical-thriller about a trans-Mexican cartel boss, Emilia Pérez, has received eleven nominations including leading actress for Karla Sofía Gascón and supporting actress for Selena Gomez and Zoe Saldaña. The Brutalist has nine nominations, followed by seven for Anora, Dune: Part Two and Wicked. The awards will be held in London on the 16th of February.

Stay tuned for more news………….