NEWSFLASH NEWS AGENCY 13 February 12 pm

Good afternoon,

In this bulletin:

# Education officials complain about offices infested with reptiles
# A drought in Spain causes a flooded village to emerge after 40 years
# And, Olympic officials want a wider probe into a figure skater’s positive drug test

# Department of Education officials in the Northern Cape claim they are working under hazardous conditions. The South African Democratic Teachers’ Union reports the offices are infested with snakes, scorpions and spiders. Sadtu’s Malgas Motsabi says they have raised concern with the department numerous times, but their plea for a safe working environment has fallen on deaf ears:

Play sound: ENG EducationReptiles

# Operation Dudula members have vowed to return to Hillbrow, Johannesburg, next weekend to continue confronting undocumented foreign nationals. Yesterday police fired rubber bullets, teargas and water cannon to disperse the crowd as their march was not authorised. Operation Dudula’s Nhlanhla Lux Dlamini says their plan to deal with hijacked buildings, drug lords and foreign informal traders will not be deterred. Dlamini adds their next operation will have the relevant authorisation from law enforcement:

Play sound: ENG NhlanhlaLux

# A ghost village has emerged on the Spanish-Portuguese border where drought has nearly emptied a dam. The Aceredo village was flooded in 1992 to create the Alto Lindoso reservoir. The local mayor says a Portuguese energy company has mismanaged water use. With the reservoir at 15-percent of its capacity, details of a life frozen in 1992 have emerged. Visitors flocking to the site have found partially collapsed roofs, crates with empty beer bottles in what used to be a cafe, and a rusting old car.

# Olympic Games: Officials say they would welcome an anti-doping investigation into the Russian doctors, coaches and family of figure skater Kamila Valieva. The 15-year-old broke down in tears after an emotional practice session which was held as her case was being decided. The teenager’s future at the Olympics is uncertain after she tested positive for a banned substance. Valieva won a gold medal in a team event in Beijing earlier and is next scheduled to compete in the women’s competition on Tuesday.

# And finally: A biography of the South African Council for the Blind founder Mike Bowen has been launched. The book titled Blindness and the power of Inner Vision was written by Hilary Marlow and is  available in print and in braille. The council’s Xolisa Yekani says Bowen, who himself is blind, played a critical role to make sure the council exists.

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