News 13:00

BULLETIN 28 July 1 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# South Africa and Nigeria agree to strengthen cooperation on migration and regional security
# Motorsport: Lando Norris still believes he can win the F1 crown again this year
# And newly-released audio recordings reveal Joe Biden acknowledged possessing classified material

# South Africa and Nigeria have agreed to strengthen cooperation on migration, crime and regional security. Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola, met with Nigerian president Bola Tinubu during a diplomatic mission to Abuja on behalf of president Cyril Ramaphosa. Dirco’s spokesperson, Chrispin Phiri, says concerns were raised regarding the involvement of certain foreign nationals, including Nigerian citizens, in organised crime, illicit drug trafficking, and financial fraud:

# The Southern African Development Community is committed to making cross-border transactions cheaper and faster. The Angolan kwanza has become the second settlement currency on a regional payment system that had operated exclusively in rand for 13-years, mainly to leverage South Africa’s advanced financial infrastructure. Botswana and Mozambique are next in line to join the system. South African Reserve Bank Governor, Lesetja Kganyago, says it’s an important milestone for regional financial integration:

# The Eastern Cape Transport Department has placed a senior official on precautionary suspension following an investigation into an alleged irregular appointment. The matter involves Phelisile Melane, who was appointed as deputy director: Employee Relations. An independent fact-finding investigation examined the recruitment process, qualifications used during the appointment and submissions from those involved. The department’s spokesperson, Unathi Binqose, says Melane will face a disciplinary hearing:

# Motorsport: Defending Formula One champion Lando Norris believe it’s not too late to stage a title fightback after winning his first Grand Prix of the season for McLaren in Hungary on Sunday. The Brit is currently fifth in the drivers’ championship, 91 points behind log leader, Italian Kimi Antonelli of Mercedes. Norris refers to last season, when Red Bull’s Max Verstappen was 104 points off the lead with ten races left and eventually lost by just two points. He says the pressure is definitely on Antonelli.  

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-76-cents and the euro at 19-rand-5-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-28-cents and Bitcoin trades at 63-thousand-387-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-and-42-dollars-65-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 88-dollars-42-cents a barrel.

# And finally: Right-wing Oversight Project has released audio recordings of former US president Joe Biden in which he acknowledges possessing classified material after leaving office as vice-president. Some of the recordings are of him in conversations with his ghost writer, Mark Lewis Zwonitzer, who helped with his 2017 memoir, Promise me, Dad. There are moments where Biden appears to struggle with dates and information. The recordings also include him discussing policy disagreements with former president Barack Obama and his decision on whether to run for president in 2016.

Stay tuned for more news………….