Transcript

Hello, everyone! This is Erika from “Just a Moment News,” bringing you today’s headlines for September 23, 2024. Let’s dive right into our stories.

First up, the N3 toll route has fully reopened after a severe snow storm over the weekend that unfortunately resulted in two fatalities due to hypothermia. The road was closed as motorists found themselves trapped in heavy snow, causing a major disruption between Tugela Plaza and Harrismith. The N3 Toll Concession has now cleared the extensive backlog of traffic and assessed the route for safety, advising travelers to only begin their journeys during daylight hours for added safety.

Moving on to a legal battle in the sports world, South African artistic swimmers Jessica Hayes-Hill and Laura Strugnell were unlawfully withdrawn from the World Championships in Doha by Swimming South Africa. This abrupt decision prevented them from potentially qualifying for the Paris 2024 Olympics. The court found their disciplinary hearing unfair and in violation of procedural protocols. The swimmers are now suing for damages totaling seven million two hundred thousand Rand, including lost sponsorships and emotional distress.

In business news, Shoprite CEO Pieter Engelbrecht launched a R1 sweet initiative after being inspired by a child’s longing gaze at treats during a store visit. This initiative is part of a broader strategy to address the needs of underserved communities, with Shoprite seeing significant growth and reaching two hundred billion Rand in revenue in 2023. The company continues to innovate, including the introduction of the Sixty60 on-demand delivery platform.

Switching to technology impacting daily jobs, the introduction of the Street Wallet app is helping South African car guards go cashless, significantly boosting their earnings. The app accommodates various digital payment methods, although challenges like limited mobile Internet access and high data costs remain hurdles for widespread adoption.

In scientific advancements, researchers have decoded the oldest human DNA found in South Africa to date, dating back around ten thousand years. This breakthrough provides insights into the genetic history of the San and Khoekhoe groups and highlights the genetic stability in the region until about one thousand two hundred years ago when new populations brought significant cultural changes.

Another intriguing scientific development involves the mysterious 19th-century figure Kaspar Hauser. Recent DNA analysis has conclusively disproven theories of his royal lineage, confirming that he was not related to the Baden royal family, despite long-standing rumors and speculations about his origins.

Lastly, in the realm of marine biology, scientists have mapped the genome of the Greenland shark, which can live up to 400 years. Their findings, which reveal a genome twice the size of humans’ and rich in certain genes that may contribute to longevity, could provide valuable insights into biological aging processes.

That’s all for today’s news. Thank you for tuning in to “Just a Moment News.” I’m Erika, and I hope you found these stories enlightening. Have a great day!

Keywords - moment, daily, news