News Bulletin of 17 June 2025, 7am

Indoor Padel Revolution has launched a community-based initiative that blends sports with compassion. Pawdel was launched six weeks ago and has donated 600 padel balls to Randburg SPCA. The programme is run by IPR manager Josephine Baxter, a former SPCA employee, who says the initiative is about encouraging local padel players to donate their old, but still usable, balls. The collected balls are then handed over to the SPCA to provide enrichment for shelter dogs. Donated balls are used in outreach programmes, that help disadvantaged communities deal with high stray animal issues.

In celebration of Youth Month, the Cotton On Foundation has launched a bold new initiative aimed at transforming literacy outcomes in South Africa. Titled “Beyond Words”, the national campaign sees the Cotton On Foundation and the Nomzamo Lighthouse Foundation come together in a long-standing and now extended partnership, with the collective goal to raise and invest R20 million into literacy across the country. The initiative comes in response to the stark reality that 81% of Grade 4 learners in South Africa are unable to read for meaning, while 78% of public schools still operate without libraries. But it also signals hope: a united, focused and long-term drive to improve literacy across the country and change the story.

Netflix has announced exciting upgrades to enhance user experience and content discovery. At a product and tech event, the streaming giant revealed a new short-form vertical video feature for its mobile app, similar to Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts. Additionally, Netflix is introducing an AI-powered search tool to streamline content exploration. These updates aim to keep Netflix competitive and user-friendly. SOUND