News 13:00

BULLETIN 10 October 1 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Venezuela’s opposition leader Maria Corina Machado has been awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize
# WaterCAN says Johannesburg’s water crisis is a human rights emergency
# And motorsport: Carlos Sainz asks for coverage of races rather than girlfriends

# Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado has been awarded the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize for her courageous fight to restore democracy in her country. Global attention around this year’s prize also followed speculation about US president Donald Trump’s long-standing pursuit of the honour. The Nobel Committee’s Jorgen Watne Frydnes described Machado as a unifying leader who champions ballots over bullets in the fight for free and fair elections:

# WaterCAN says the City of Johannesburg’s water crisis has become a human rights emergency threatening lives, livelihoods, and residents’ dignity. The organisation is set to protest at mayor Dada Morero’s office next month, calling for water justice. The metro is facing a severe and recurring water crisis caused by ageing infrastructure and insufficient maintenance due to budget constraints. WaterCAN’s executive manager, Ferrial Adam, says underserved communities are being disproportionately affected by unreliable water supply:

# Parliament’s portfolio committee on Justice and Constitutional Development has called on stakeholders and citizens to comment on the General Family Laws Amendment Bill. The bill seeks to amend several key pieces of legislation, namely the Divorce Act, the Matrimonial Property Act, and the Mediation in Certain Divorce Matters Act. Committee chairperson Xola Nqola says this legislation deals with important aspects of family law that directly affect many citizens. He says this is an opportunity to contribute to shaping a fair and inclusive legal framework.

# Motorsport: Williams’ Spanish Formula One driver, Carlos Sainz, thinks television coverage should rather focus on races than the drivers’ girlfriends. This follows after viewers were treated to the sight of high-profile girlfriends and celebrity guests during Sunday’s Singapore Grand Prix while some on-track action wasn’t shown. Sainz’s recovery drive from the back of the grid to tenth position was also not covered. His girlfriend, model Rebecca Donaldson, and other drivers’ partners have huge online followings of their own.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-25-cents and the euro at 19-rand-97-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-94-cents and Bitcoin trades at 121-thousand-755-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-992-dollars-1-cent a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 64-dollars-56-cents a barrel.

# And finally: CapeNature welcomes the successful conviction and sentencing of 38-year-old Mozambican national, Gustigu Mthini, who was found guilty on four charges following a violent attack on a protected spotted eagle-owl in Cape Town earlier this year. He was convicted of the illegal hunting of a protected wild animal, illegal hunting by means of a prohibited hunting method, animal cruelty, and immigration violations. CapeNature’s Luke Folb says every animal has a role to play in maintaining the balance of South Africa’s ecosystems:

Stay tuned for more news………….