News 08:00

BULLETIN 21 June 8 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# TLU SA says the time has come for a non-racial approach to agriculture
# Cosatu is going to discuss the salary increases of MPs with president Ramaphosa
# And tennis: The Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz is knocked out of Queen’s in the last 16

# TLU SA says the time has come for a non-racial approach in agriculture, where every individual has equal access to land. The agricultural organisation’s CEO, Bennie van Zyl, says those who want to farm must be willing to step forward voluntarily, understanding that agriculture is not merely a short-term commitment or an income supplement, but a lifelong calling:

# Cosatu plans to discuss annual salary increases for members of Parliament and other public representatives with president Cyril Ramaphosa. Earlier this year, a 2.5-percent increase was approved, raising new MP salaries to 1.27-million-rand per year. Cosatu’s parliamentary co-ordinator, Matthew Parks, emphasises the need for discussions on fair remuneration, arguing that resources should be redirected to lower-earning public service workers like nurses, police officers and cleaners:

# Productivity South Africa says the country has improved its global competitiveness ranking and business efficiency. The organisation’s acting Chief Economist, Juliet Mashabela says according to Productivity SA and the Switzerland-based Institute of Management Development’s World Competitiveness Yearbook for 2024, South Africa is now ranked 60th out of the 67 countries surveyed. Mashabela says significantly, South Africa improved its business efficiency by six places:

# A new giant dinosaur with the largest frill horns ever seen among prehistoric creatures has been discovered. Resembling the build of a rhino, Lokiceratops rangiformis was named after the Norse god Loki. Its fossils were unearthed in the US state of Montana. The dinosaur, which roamed Earth nearly 78-million years ago, had a uniquely ornate frill with at least 20 horns on it, scientists said, and measured 6.7 meters long. Weighing around five-and-a-half tonnes, it used a powerful beak at the front of its mouth to graze on low-growing vegetation.

# Tennis: Wimbledon champion and world number two, 21-year-old Carlos Alcaraz, says losing is part of life. The Spaniard suffered a shock defeat against Britain’s Jack Draper in the last 16 of the Queen’s Club tournament in London on Thursday. Alcaraz, also the reigning Queen’s champion, lost 7-6 and 6-3, with the British number one claiming the biggest win of his career. The 22-year-old Draper is bidding to become the first British men’s singles champion at Queen’s since Andy Murray won his fifth title at the event in 2016.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-95-cents and the euro at 19-rand-24-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-73-cents and Bitcoin trades at 64-thousand-332-dollars-29-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-361-dollars-73-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 85-dollars-53-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….