News 16:00

BULLETIN 12 July 4 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Metrorail temporarily suspends train services amid severe weather in the Western Cape
# 121 damaged schools in the province need urgent attention
# And, rugby: Fans will be spoiled by another day packed with Test action tomorrow

# Metrorail has temporarily suspended multiple train services in the Western Cape due to severe weather conditions causing widespread flooding. The Cape Flats train service is affected by flooding at Ottery, while the Strand service is halted due to flooding at Firgrove. Additionally, the Malmesbury to Cape Town line is experiencing delays due to flooding. Metrorail spokesperson Zino Mihi says safety inspections are being conducted to assess rail conditions and ensure passenger safety.

Meanwhile, the Western Cape Education Department says 121 schools urgently need attention following the severe storms that swept through the region. Nearly 300 schools have reported damages amidst ongoing rain and strong winds. The department’s Bronagh Hammond says the infrastructure team is working diligently to prioritise repairs and ensure schools can resume normal operations as soon as possible:

# EFF member of Parliament Busisiwe Mkhwebane says many South Africans don’t have access to the office of the Chief Justice, and the office is failing citizens. She was speaking during the office’s budget vote in Parliament. Mkhwebane says more can be done to change and have an independent judiciary:

# Rugby: Another day packed with Test action awaits enthusiasts tomorrow. The USA will play Scotland in Washington, Canada and Romania will do battle in Ottowa and Samoa will face Spain in Apia. Then New Zealand and England will face off in Auckland, followed by Australia and Wales in Melbourne. Japan faces Georgia in Sendai, Namibia plays Portugal in Windhoek, and then there’s the big one between the Springboks and Ireland in Durban. Argentina and France compete in Buenos Aires, and Chile and Belgium in Viña del Mar.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-98-cents and the euro at 19-rand-58-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-31-cents and Bitcoin trades at 57-thousand-366-dollars-14-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-403-dollars-68-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 86-dollars-1-cent a barrel.

# And finally, Meryl Streep confirmed her return for a sequel to The Devil Wears Prada. The 75-year-old American Oscar winner is set to reprise the role of the formidable editor-in-chief of fashion magazine Runway, Miranda Priestly. The new movie will reportedly follow her at the end of her career where she faces the decline of traditional magazine publishing. Emily Blunt, who played her assistant Emily Charlton, will also return, but there isn’t yet confirmation of the participation of Anne Hathaway as the other assistant, Andrea Sachs.

Stay tuned for more news………….