News Bulletin of 17 May 2026, 12pm

UJ Student’s “Seeds of Kindness”
A third-year University of Johannesburg student is making a difference through her outreach initiative, *Seeds of Kindness*, which supports homeless people across Johannesburg with meals, clothing, and other essentials.Founded by Athina Shezi and inspired by her grandmother’s values of compassion and ubuntu, the project relies on donations and volunteers to reach those in need. It has also expanded to assist struggling students alongside people living on the streets.

Sandton and Gauteng
SA Surgeon Advances 3D-Printed Ear Bone Hearing Trials
Pretoria ENT surgeon Mashudu Tshifularo is set to lead clinical trials at Steve Biko Academic Hospital using 3D-printed titanium middle-ear bones to help restore hearing. The study will involve 45 patients and builds on his 2019 breakthrough. This was when he performed the world’s first middle-ear transplant using 3D-printed oseekils. The procedure uses robotic surgery to replace damaged ear bones with biocompatible titanium implants, offering a less invasive treatment for hearing loss.
South Africa
Wordle Game Show to Hit TV as News Outlets Expand Digital Puzzles
US broadcaster NBC has announced it will produce a television game show based on the popular word puzzle Wordle.The show is scheduled to premiere in 2027. Jonathan Knight, head of games at The New York Times, said Wordle’s simplicity and accessibility helped turn it into a global phenomenon. He noted that developing the TV adaptation took around two and a half years, with the company opting to co-produce the show rather than simply license the brand.

World
Financial Indicators
Your financial indicators for this hour:

The Rand is trading at 16.68 to the US Dollar, 22.22 to the British Pound, and 0.00 to the Euro.

Gold is trading at 4,539.75 dollars a fine ounce, Brent Crude Oil is at Error per barrel, and a Bitcoin will set you back 78,142.00.
Harry Styles Tops Charts Again
A decade after rising to fame with One Direction, Harry Styles has firmly established himself as one of the world’s biggest pop stars.The British singer launched a new months-long tour in Amsterdam yeterday following the release of his fourth album, Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally. Released on 6 March, the album quickly reached number one in around 20 countries, including the UK, France and the United States.The success follows his Grammy-winning 2022 album Harry’s House, which earned album of the year.


Local: 70 words (32%), National: 71 words (33%), International: 77 words (35%)