News 13:00

BULLETIN 3 November 1 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Government warns against altering the national flag
# Cricket: Glenn Maxwell calls time on his international career
# And South Africa bans a film over its Holocaust denial

# Government has called on members of the public and organisations to refrain from altering or distorting the prescribed design of the South African national flag. This follows reports regarding a demonstration organised by the Christians United for Africa and the South African Friends of Israel outside Parliament last week, where the country’s flag was altered. Government deputy spokesperson William Baloyi says the national flag is not an interchangeable emblem or a design that should be modified:

# Agricultural organisation SAAI is disappointed by the US’ decision to exclude South Africa from the African Growth and Opportunity Act. Chairperson Theo de Jager says many farmers blame the ANC’s refusal to condemn the Kill the Boer chant, abandon expropriation without compensation and exempt US investors from BEE requirements, as well as its close ties with Iran. He estimates 62-thousand jobs are at risk, with litchi, citrus, wine, nut and fruit producers’ likely hardest hit:

Staying with agricultural matters:

# Namibia’s foot-and-mouth disease outbreak is placing growing financial pressure on the beef industry, threatening revenue, jobs and export markets. Savanna Beef CEO Ian Collard says prolonged disruptions to livestock movement and processing could have serious consequences for farmers, meat processors and the wider economy. He says the industry needs urgent intervention to contain the outbreak and minimise further financial losses:

# Cricket: Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell has called time on his international career that spanned 14 years. The 38-year-old has represented Australia across 149 one-day matches, 130 T20s and seven Tests. He won the 2015 and 2023 Men’s World Cups and the T20 World Cup in 2021. Maxwell has ten international hundreds and 136 international wickets to his name. He has also announced his retirement from his first-class career with Victoria, but will continue with the Melbourne Renegades in the Big Bash League.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-64-cents and the euro at 18-rand-63-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-34-cents and Bitcoin trades at 76-thousand-897-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-908-dollars-36-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 110-dollars-43-sents a barrel.

# And finally: South Africa’s Film and Publication Board has refused to classify a film for the first time in 13 years, barring its distribution and public screening. The documentary, Hebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America, was found to promote antisemitism, deny the Holocaust and incite hatred against Jewish people. The decision was published in the Government Gazette. Anyone who knowingly distributes, broadcasts or publicly exhibits the film, or offers it for sale or hire, faces a fine of up to 500-thousand-rand, five years in prison, or both.

Stay tuned for more news………….