News Bulletin of 15 May 2025, 8am

Transport Minister Barbara Creecy says the government has received overwhelming responses from the private sector to invest in the country’s rail infrastructure. The minister delivered the keynote address at the 25th Africa Rail Conference in Sandton Johannesburg. Creecy says South Africa will produce a refined rail master plan before the end of the year. SOUND

Home Affairs Minister Dr Leon Schreiber says digital transformation will help with the registrations of newborns in South African public hospitals.Speaking during the Peace and Security Cluster question-and-answer session in parliament on Wednesday, Schreiber said his department is working on decentralising Home Affairs services and making them more accessible.

A new study from NASA has found big differences between the two sides of the moon. Using data from the GRAIL mission, scientists discovered that the side of the moon facing Earth is hotter and more active beneath the surface than the side that faces away. This is likely because of strong volcanic activity billions of years ago, which caused heat-producing elements like thorium and titanium to build up on the nearside. As a result, the nearside is smoother with large flat plains, while the farside is rough and mountainous. NASA’s Ryan Park said the study also created the most detailed map of the moon’s gravity, which will help future missions land and travel more safely.