Transcript

Good morning, and welcome to Just a Moment News. I’m Erika, and today is August 13th, 2023. Let’s dive into today’s headlines.

First up, Sweden’s defender, Natalie Bjorn, believes her team’s victories over previous champions the United States and Japan have prepared them for the Women’s World Cup semifinal against Spain. Bjorn draws comparisons between Spain’s playstyle and that of the U.S. and Japan, expressing confidence in their preparedness. Sweden has a commendable track record, having reached the semifinals four times in the past and advanced to the final once in 2003. With a squad similar to the one from the Women’s Euros last year, Bjorn emphasizes the significance of reaching the final and the dedication and hard work it represents.

Moving on, the South African Revenue Service (SARS) may collect TV license fees as the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) struggles with debt. Currently, less than 20% of viewers are paying their TV license fees, leading to a revenue shortfall of over R3.6 billion for the SABC. The proposal to replace TV licenses with a tax, collected by SARS, is being considered to help the SABC meet its mandate more efficiently. This proposal aligns with international models, such as the Nordic model, where public broadcasting services are funded through taxes. MultiChoice, a satellite TV provider, supports this proposal. However, concerns have been raised about the financial support to SABC and the need for fairness in competition with commercial broadcasters.

In a tragic incident, a senior manager for Environmental Crime Investigations (ECI), Kobus de Wet, was killed by a hippopotamus while camping in Kruger National Park. De Wet had been with the South African National Parks (SANParks) for over a decade and played a pivotal role in apprehending and securing convictions of numerous poachers. Conservationists shed light on the aggressive nature of hippos, emphasizing their territorial behavior and their instinctive reaction to perceived threats. Hippos, despite being herbivores, are responsible for more fatalities in Africa than other predators like lions and crocodiles. SANParks has expressed their condolences to De Wet’s family and colleagues.

Siya Kolisi, the influential captain of the Springboks, has confirmed his readiness to participate in the 2023 Rugby World Cup after recovering from knee surgery. Kolisi’s inclusion in the squad traveling to France indicates his fitness to play in the upcoming warm-up matches. He expressed optimism and emphasized the importance of mental preparation and the team-first approach. The Springboks’ next matches are against Wales and the All Blacks before heading to a training camp in Corsica. The World Cup journey will commence with a match against Scotland on September 10th.

Billionaire Jeff Bezos and his fiancée Lauren Sánchez have pledged a generous $100 million donation to aid the Hawaiian island of Maui, which has been ravaged by wildfires. Their donation aims to support both the immediate aftermath and the long-term rebuilding efforts. While Bezos’ philanthropy has faced criticism in the past due to his vast wealth, this contribution is expected to have a significant positive impact on Maui’s recovery.

Lastly, social media personality Lil Tay faced a death hoax when her Instagram account was hacked. The false announcement of her passing caused confusion among her followers and the public. However, it has been confirmed that Lil Tay is alive, and her account has been restored with the assistance of Meta. Despite the recent events, Lil Tay has been relatively inactive on Instagram since June 2018, leaving many curious about her future activity on the platform.

That’s all for today’s headlines. Thank you for joining me on Just a Moment News. I’m Erika, and I’ll see you next time.

Keywords - moment, daily, news