News 16:00

BULLETIN 16 July 4 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The National Nuclear Regulator reviews three radioactive contamination events at Koeberg
# Herotel will launch its Amazon Leo satellite internet service in South Africa, beating Musk’s Starlink
# And soccer: Bellingham hails Messi after England’s World Cup exit

# The National Nuclear Regulator is reviewing three radioactive contamination incidents that occurred inside Koeberg nuclear power station’s unit two in Cape Town during maintenance work over the past two weeks. The regulator says the contamination was confined to controlled areas within the reactor building and posed no risk to the public or the environment. News24 reports workers were monitored and found to have radiation exposure well below safety limits. Unit two remains offline for scheduled maintenance and is expected to return to service in September.

# Western Cape police are offering a cash reward of up to 50-thousand-rand for information that could lead to the arrest of the murderers of a Ghanaian national. Thirty-five-year-old Bashira Issaka was shot and killed inside his container business premises last month after attackers demanded a protection fee from him. Police spokesperson, Thembakazi Mpendukana, says the investigating officer is exploring all avenues in a bid to bring the perpetrators to book:

Meanwhile, the GOOD Party in Stellenbosch is concerned about the ongoing pattern of fatal shootings in Groendal, including the most recent reported loss of life, which may be linked to extortion syndicates targeting local spaza shops. The party’s Grechard Petersen says the triple murder in Jakaranda Street in May and the subsequent fatal shooting in Langrug were not isolated incidents. He says they form part of a disturbing pattern that points to a growing safety crisis in parts of Groendal:

# Herotel has announced a partnership with Amazon Leo to launch satellite internet services in South Africa from 2027. Herotel managed to beat Elon Musk’s rival Starlink service to the local market by outmanoeuvring it on local regulatory compliance. The new service, branded Evry, will use Amazon’s low-Earth orbit satellite network to connect homes and small businesses, particularly in underserved rural areas. The company says it will manage installations and customer support through its national network. The agreement marks Amazon Leo’s first satellite internet partnership in Africa.

# Soccer: England’s midfielder Jude Bellingham has praised Argentinian captain Lionel Messi after England’s 2-1 World Cup semi-final defeat. Bellingham called the 39-year-old an exceptional player, saying his movement, ball control and intelligence remain unmatched. He admitted facing Messi in person deepened his admiration for the legend. Bellingham also expressed disappointment over England’s tactics, saying defending their lead proved costly. He believes the team will learn from the defeat:

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-38-cents and the euro at 18-rand-77-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-13-cents and Bitcoin trades at 64-thousand-73-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-and-21-dollars-83-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 84-dollars-48-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….