Transcript

Good day, listeners! This is Erika from Just a Moment News, bringing you the latest headlines and summaries for today, September 2, 2023.

First up, we have a significant breakthrough in the fight against cash-in-transit (CIT) heists. In Makhado, Limpopo, a 90-minute shootout between police and suspected robbers resulted in the deaths of 18 individuals. These suspects were believed to be part of a syndicate responsible for multiple CIT heists across Limpopo, Mpumalanga, and Gauteng. The police had been monitoring their activities and discovered that they were planning another heist. The suspects had a large number of firearms and explosives, and one police officer was seriously injured during the operation. The raid also extended to Thohoyandou, where four additional suspects were arrested, and several vehicles and automatic rifles were seized. The investigation is ongoing to uncover any other crimes the syndicate may have been involved in…

Moving on to our next story, South Africa’s state-owned port and rail operator, Transnet SOC Ltd., reported a significant loss of 5.7 billion rand for the year ending March 31, 2023. This is a stark contrast to the 5 billion rand profit they made in 2022. The decline in their financial performance was attributed to various issues such as poor management, idle locomotives, and cable theft. These problems led to a drop in freight rail business volumes by 13.6%. As a result, mining companies had to resort to transporting minerals by road, causing an estimated loss of R150 billion in exports last year. The government has taken action by overhauling Transnet’s board and collaborating with businesses to improve services. Security firms have also been hired to address chronic theft and vandalism affecting rail operations. The road to recovery will be challenging, but efforts are being made to turn things around…

In a surprising revelation, a new analysis suggests that our human ancestors faced a near-extinction event in the past, with nearly 99% of them being wiped out. This claim is based on a novel approach to analyzing modern genomes, using a software called FitCoal. By constructing a molecular clock, researchers were able to estimate ancestral populations at different points in history. This study builds on our current understanding of human evolution, migration, and interbreeding with other hominin species. However, the findings are still considered groundbreaking and contentious, as further validation and more genome data are needed. This research opens up new possibilities for exploring our ancient past…

In football news, there is a potential record-breaking transfer offer for Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah. Saudi Pro League team Al-Ittihad is reportedly willing to offer $251 million to secure Salah’s services, surpassing the current record set by Neymar’s transfer to Paris Saint-Germain. While Liverpool has rejected their initial offer, negotiations are ongoing, and Salah’s stance on the potential move remains uncertain. In other Liverpool news, two under-21 players, James Norris and Luca Stephenson, are going out on loan to gain more first-team experience…

Next, we have exciting news for Taylor Swift fans. Her Eras Tour concert film has already generated a staggering $26 million in pre-sale revenue, breaking the single-day sales record previously held by Marvel’s Spider-Man: No Way Home. This success comes at a time when the theater industry is facing challenges, and consumer spending is slowing down. Swift’s film will be streamed after 13 weeks, as her parents bypassed studios to collaborate directly with AMC. This move is seen as the start of a new business line for the theater chain, and it may even signal a resurgence of concert films in theaters. Another film, The Exorcist: Believer, rescheduled its release to avoid competition…

Lastly, Dis-Chem, a pharmacy chain, has received an enforcement notice from the Information Regulator for violating the Protection of Personal Information Act (Popia). This notice comes after a brute-force attack on their third-party service provider, Grapevine, resulted in the unauthorized access of around 3.6 million records. The accessed data included names, email addresses, and cellphone numbers. The regulator found Dis-Chem at fault for not identifying the risk of using weak passwords and lacking adequate security measures. Dis-Chem is now required to take various measures to ensure Popia compliance, including conducting a personal information impact study and updating contracts with data operators. Failure to comply within 31 days could result in a fine of up to R10 million…

That’s all for today’s news stories. Stay informed, stay curious, and have a great day ahead! This is Erika from Just a Moment News, signing off.

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