News 14:00

BULLETIN 7 May 2 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The investigation into the George building collapse is underway
# The South African tourism sector shows strong growth in international arrivals
# And, tennis: Ten-time champion Nadal will start his Italian Open campaign against a qualifier

# Western Cape premier Alan Winde has confirmed an investigation into the George building collapse is underway. Independent engineers have been assigned to probe the incident. Rescue crews are treating the site as a rescue operation for three days, adhering to international standards. The number of fatalities has risen to six, with 47 people still missing. In a media briefing, Winde states the identity of the company responsible for the building’s construction remains undisclosed due to ongoing police investigations:

# Sadtu urges the Department of Basic Education to create a conducive environment in schools for teachers to work and apply the rules for dealing with unruly and aggressive behaviour. The union demands justice and fairness for those dealing with the recent fight between learners and a teacher at the Glenvista High School in Johannesburg. Sadtu’s Mugwena Maluleke says learners should be in class, prepared and disciplined, and parents should ensure they always instill discipline and values on their children:

# Statistics South Africa’s latest report reveals a thriving tourism sector, with international arrivals from January to March 2024 reaching 2.4-million. This marks a 15.4-percent increase from the same period in 2023. Africa leads the surge, with 1.8-million arrivals from Zimbabwe and Ghana. Tourism minister Patricia de Lille attributes Ghana’s growth to a visa-waiver scheme and targeted marketing initiatives. She says other regions, including the Americas, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, also contributed to the sector’s expansion, reflecting South Africa’s enduring appeal to global travellers.

# Tennis: Ten-time champion Rafael Nadal will start his Italian Open campaign against a qualifier this week. The Spaniard clinched his tenth title in Rome in 2021 and was eliminated in the round of 16 in ’22, while injuries kept him out last year. He traditionally uses the tournament as final preparation for the French Open, which he had won a record 14 times. World number one, Novak Djokovic of Serbia, has a bye in the first round and will face Russian Roman Safiullin or a qualifier in the second.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-46-cents and the euro at 19-rand-88-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-15-cents and Bitcoin trades at 64-thousand-962-dollars-7-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-314-dollars-29-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 83-dollars-13-cents a barrel.

# And, finally: The South African National Defence has labeled the inauguration of the Defence Artificial Intelligence Research Unit as a significant milestone. Led by the minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, Mondli Gungubele, the initiative was launched with the aim of integrating A-I into defense operations. As the fourth hub of the Artificial Intelligence Institute of South Africa, the unit’s establishment aligns with global trends in military A-I adoption. Discussions at the National A-I Summit highlighted plans for A-I regulation to shape national policies and ensure responsible A-I implementation.

Stay tuned for more news………….