News Bulletin of 17 October 2025, 6pm

Sandton para-cyclist Oswald Kydd is set to lead South Africa’s first-ever mixed para-cycling team in the Old Mutual Wealth Double Century on 22 November.
The 202km race through the Western Cape will showcase the strength and unity of para-athletes from across the country.
At 57, Kydd is one of South Africa’s most decorated para-athletes, with more than 50 national titles and a World Triathlon Champion title to his name. He says the team’s mission is to prove that ability, not disability, defines what’s possible.
Through his leadership, Kydd continues to inspire inclusion, teamwork, and resilience both on and off the road.

Thirteen-year-old Zachary “Zhara” du Toit from Laerskool Lochnerhof in Strand has impressed at the 45th Eskom Expo International Science Fair with her project, Designing a Reusable Crate for Sustainable Grocery Delivery.
A cancer survivor, Zhara won the first place SAICE Environmental Engineering Division Award, taking home R7 000 and a Silver medal. She credits her journey through illness with teaching her resilience, hope, and determination.
Zhara also runs Zhara’s Little Lambs, a project supporting children undergoing cancer treatment, distributing handmade lambs as symbols of courage and love.
She encourages young scientists to pursue topics they are passionate about and to embrace every opportunity the Expo offers.

Bangladesh has begun a major conservation project to return captive elephants to the wild.
The plan will see 96 elephants rescued from private owners and government institutions and released into protected forest areas.
The three-year initiative includes surveys, rehabilitation, and training to help the animals adapt to their natural habitats.
Officials say the project aims to end elephant captivity and boost the country’s critically endangered Asian elephant population.
Experts view the move as an important step toward restoring balance in nature and ensuring a safer future for these gentle giants.