News 13:00

BULLETIN 12 February 1 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The Gauteng Health Department is concerned about the rise in S-T-I and H-I-V infections 
# The City of Cape Town ramps up its focus on alternative energy solutions 
# And Soccer: Hugo Broos is keen to stay on as the Bafana Bafana coach

# The Gauteng Health Department says it is concerned about the surge in Sexually Transmitted Infections and HIV infection. Between April and December last year, 167-thousand-109 men sought treatment at public health facilities in the province, with about 40-percent being treated for Male Urethritis Syndrome. The department’s spokesperson, Motalatale Modiba, says the syndrome is indicative of newly acquired S-T-Is:

# The City of Cape Town says alternative energy solutions are being investigated in informal settlements where grid-connected electrification is not possible. This is part of its Urban Energy Poverty Programme. Mayoral committee member for Energy, Beverley van Reenen, says access to safe and sustainable energy sources remains a vital focus for the city, not only to improve living conditions but also to reduce the risk of devastating fires primarily caused by open, unattended flames:

# American police are investigating after a woman armed with a rifle and accompanied by a young child was killed after she started shooting at people attending a service in celebrity pastor Joel Osteen’s megachurch in Houston, Texas. The five-year-old child and another person were wounded, with the child in critical condition. Two off-duty law enforcement officials reportedly shot the woman. Osteen is described as one of the wealthiest and most popular pastors in the US, reaching millions of people with his media broadcasts and radio programmes.

# Soccer: Hugo Broos says he remains committed to staying on as Bafana Bafana coach. He has been linked to the vacant national coaching jobs for Tunisia and Algeria. The 71-year-old led South Africa to a third-place finish in the Africa Cup of Nations, which was won by hosts Ivory Coast. Broos, whose contract expires in June 2026, says the only way he will leave is if the South African Football Association fires him:

# Financial indicators: The dollar trades at 19-rand-3-cents and the euro at 20-rand-50-cents. One British pound costs 24-rand-2-cents and Bitcoin trades at 48-thousand-92-dollars-90-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-and-22-dollars-70-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 81-dollars-61-cents a barrel.

# And finally: The contents of renowned British naturalist and father of evolutionary theory, Charles Darwin’s vast personal library are being published for the first time today, coinciding with what would have been his 215th birthday. The 300-page catalogue published by Darwin Online details seven-thousand-400 titles across 13-thousand items including journals, pamphlets and reviews. The project includes a virtual reconstruction of the library. Academic, John van Wyhe, who led the project, says some of the books date back to Darwin’s school days such as Oliver Goldsmith’s A History of England 1821.

Stay tuned for more news………….