News 13:00

BULLETIN 30 Julie 1 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Saftu urges government to take decisive action to ensure that schools are safe
# Minister Kubayi is concerned by runaway informal settlements
# And, news from the Olympic Games: The men’s triathlon is postponed due to the poor water quality in the Seine

# Union federation Saftu urges government to take decisive action to ensure the protection of learners and teachers at school. This comes after two gunmen yesterday shot and killed a teacher in full view of learners and her colleagues at Phikiswayo Primary School in Ntuzuma, Durban. Saftu’s spokesperson, Trevor Shaku, says schools should at all times remain sanctuaries of safety and learning:

# Minister of Human Settlements, Mmamoloko Kubayi, has emphasised the need for a much firmer approach in dealing with illegal occupation of land. She says runaway informal settlements are unsustainable and must be contained. The ministry’s spokesperson, Hlengiwe Nhlabathi-Mokota, says it is imperative to create liveable neighbourhoods in both rural and urban areas and achieve spatial transformation:

# The EFF has congratulated Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro on his re-election. Thousands of people descended on central Caracas yesterday, calling for the government to fall over alleged election irregularities. The opposition has disputed Maduro’s declaration as fraudulent, saying its candidate, Edmundo González, won convincingly with 73.2-percent of the vote. The EFF says this electoral victory is a powerful testament to the monumental progress achieved through Maduro, boldly prioritising the needs and welfare of the masses over the insidious interests of the elite.

# Olympic Games: The men’s individual triathlon has been postponed due to the polluted River Seine in Paris. World Triathlon says water-quality tests carried out early this morning showed that the river running through the French capital was unsafe for swimming. It adds that despite the improvement of water quality levels over the last hours, the readings at some points of the swim course are still above the acceptable limits. The race, which was originally slated to take place today, will now be held after the individual women’s race tomorrow.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-32-cents and the euro at 19-rand-85-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-56-cents and Bitcoin trades at 66-thousand-844-dollars-42-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-389-dollars-5-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 78-dollars-82-cents a barrel.

# And finaly, researchers at New York’s Binghamton University have developed a self-powered bug that can skim across water, potentially transforming aquatic robotics. This seeks to address the challenges in aquatic environments, which cover 71-percent of the Earth’s surface. Professor Seokheun Choi says the new aquatic robots are more reliable under adverse conditions than solar, kinetic or thermal energy systems. He says this innovative technology could revolutionise how data is collected and transmitted in marine settings, enhancing environmental monitoring and maritime operations.

Stay tuned for more news………….