News 09:00

BULLETIN 15 May 9 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The ACDP believes the National Health Insurance will collapse the health sector
# Eighteen victims of the George disaster have been identified
# And athletics: The Commission for Gender Equality calls for support for Semenya

# The ACDP says the National Health Insurance Bill, in its current form, will lead to a collapse of the country’s health sector, and negatively impact economic growth. President Cyril Ramaphosa is set to sign the bill into law at the Union Buildings in Pretoria today. ACDP’s, Marie Sukers, says none of the concerns of the health sector has been given due consideration, with public participation merely becoming a tick-box exercise for the ANC government:

Meanwhile the Board of Healthcare Funders is just one of the major industry bodies for medical aid schemes that will be challenging the controversial bill. The Board of Healthcare Funders says it does not believe in its current form the bill is going to achieve universal health coverage. The South African Medical Association and The Health Funders Association have also indicated legal challenges.

# The Victim Identification Centre and Forensic Pathology Service in George in the Western Cape, has completed the identification of 18 of the 33 deceased from last week’s building collapse. Nineteen construction workers are still unaccounted for. The George Municipality’s spokesperson, Chantel Edwards-Klose, says the 18 consists of seven from South Africa, five from Malawi, three from Zimbabwe two from Mozambique, and one from Lesotho:

# US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, says Washington remains committed to supporting Ukraine. Russia is pushing ahead with its new advance into northeastern Ukraine, including Kharkiv, after making several major advances there over the past week. Blinken, who made a surprise visit to Kyiv yesterday, admitted that the delay of American military aid has played a role in Ukraine’s struggles to contain Russia’s growing dominance:

# Athletics: The Commission for Gender Equality is calling on countries and activists to rally behind Caster Semenya, in an endeavour to seek justice not only for herself but other affected athletes. The European Court of Human Rights is today set to make its final decision on Semenya’s legal battle over testosterone regulations. The double Olympic 800 metres champion is challenging the requirement to lower her testosterone levels to compete. The commission says a favourable outcome will be of importance to athletes with differences in sexual development worldwide.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-37-cents and the euro at 19-rand-88-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-14-cents and Bitcoin trades at 61-thousand-839-dollars-33-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-359-dollars-33-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 82-dollars-87-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….