News Bulletin of 9 March 2026, 7am

More than 185 bird species have been recorded at Melville Koppies, and visitors will soon have a new way to discover them. A new bird-watching guide to the area will be launched on March 15, helping nature lovers spot some of the many birds that call this green space home.The guide was developed by Ashlyn Campbell, a Greenside Design student who first visited the Koppies with her class in 2025. It offers practical tips on which paths to follow to find particular bird species.Visitors who can’t attend the launch can still explore the reserve any Sunday between 08:00 and 11:30.

A robotics team from Cape Town has claimed their sixth consecutive national championship and is heading to Texas. Ignite’s Autonova is representing South Africa at the global FIRST Tech Challenge in Texas next month. The team also won the prestigious Innovate Award and qualified for the World Championship. Team member Matthew Greenwood said the results are especially impressive given this year’s complex “Decode” challenge. The challenge involved robots collecting and launching coloured balls into goals, creating patterns, and navigating the field alone.

The quiet English village of Holmes Chapel, where Harry Styles grew up, has become a year-round pilgrimage site for fans. Visitors from around the world stop at places tied to the singer’s early life, including the local train station—where the ticket office has turned into a fan shrine—and the bakery where he once worked. The village has seen an extra surge in visitors following the success of Styles’ solo career after One Direction and renewed excitement around his music.