News 08:00

BULLETIN 25 June 8 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The DA leader says service is their only priority in the government of national unity
# Cosatu is planning National Day of Action in defence of workers’ rights
# And Julian Assange will not be extradited to the US

# The DA leader John Steenhuisen says the party’s core mission in the government of national unity is to serve, uplift and deliver dignity to all the people. The party celebrated 20 years since it was formed yesterday. Steenhuisen says the coming together of parties that seek to protect the Constitution against those who would tear it up, represents a hopeful moment for the country. He says it will take years of sustained hard work, perseverance, maturity and cooperation across all sectors of society to get the country back on track.

# Union federation Cosatu is gearing up for a National Day of Action to safeguard workers’ rights. Amid concerns over job losses and economic challenges, the federation plans nationwide protests. Its affiliates will lead campaigns to prevent retrenchments across various industries. Briefing the media at their headquarters in Braamfontein, Cosatu’s Mike Shingange advocated for fair employment practices:

# The Gauteng Department of Health has confirmed a fire in the female psychiatric unit at Dr George Mukhari Academic Hospital which sadly resulted in the passing of a 35-year-old female patient. The patient was admitted to the hospital in Ga-Rankuwa on Thursday. The department’s spokesperson, Motalatale Modiba says she was placed in a seclusion room yesterday, as part of her prescribed treatment:

# US authorities have agreed to drop their demand for Julian Assange to be extradited from the UK after reaching a plea deal with the WikiLeaks founder. In return for pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to obtain and disclose national defence information, Assange will be sentenced to time served.  He has already spent 62 months in a British prison. WikiLeaks said Assange left Belmarsh prison on Monday morning after being granted bail by the High Court. By the afternoon he was at Stansted Airport where he boarded a plane and left the UK.

# Tennis: Andy Murray continues to work with his medical team after undergoing surgery over the weekend. A statement from the Brit’s team confirmed “no decisions had been made” over his participation at Wimbledon, and that further updates would be provided. Murray’s mother, Judy Murray, also posted her disappointment on X over reports her son won’t compete at Wimbledon. The three-time Grand Slam winner retired injured in the first set of his second-round match against Jordan Thompson at Queen’s Club last week.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-10-cents and the euro at 19-rand-44-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-98-cents and Bitcoin trades at 61-thousand-356-dollars-31-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-327-dollars-75-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 85-dollars-9-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….