News 11:00

BULLETIN 19 August 11 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# ActionSA says the optimism over the government of national unity ignores the facts
# Hamas accuses Netanyahu of obstructing a ceasefire deal
# And tennis: Sinner will face Tiafoe and Sabalenka plays Pegula in the Cincinnati Open finals

# ActionSA says the Ramaphoria that swept the nation in 2019 has parallels to the optimism that exists now for the government of national unity, as they both arise from desperation and hope more than probabilities. The party’s Pieter Scribante says the post-election media narrative has shifted from doom and gloom to renewal and optimism. He says reports of an economic revival, increasing economic confidence, and a new dawn for South Africa are not supported by any policy shifts or new legislation:

# Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth, and Persons with Disabilities, Sindisiwe Chikunga, says the alarming high rates of gender-based violence and femicide make being a woman in South Africa more dangerous than being in war-torn areas. During the final three months of last year, 285 children and one-thousand-135 women were murdered, and 18-thousand-474 women and two-thousand-281 children were violently assaulted. The department’s spokesperson, Cassius Selala, says minister Chikunga calls on men to lead the call to end gender-based violence and femicide:

# Three suspects, including a police member, were killed in two separate shootouts with KwaZulu-Natal police in Ntuzuma following a robbery in Richmond. Police spokesperson, Robert Netshiunda, says six suspects, some disguised in police attire, held a shop owner and staff at gunpoint before robbing them. He says the victims were robbed of their guns, money and other items:

# Hamas has accused Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu of putting obstacles in the way of an agreement and setting new conditions and demands with the aim of prolonging the war. A new ceasefire plan drawn up by the US, Qatar, and Egypt was presented last week following two days of high-stakes talks in Doha. Hamas says the latest proposal does not include a permanent ceasefire, and backtracks on other terms. The militant group has reiterated its desire to enact a three-phase proposal introduced by US president Joe Biden.

# Tennis: World number one Jannik Sinner will face American Frances Tiafoe in the Cincinnati Open final. The Italian defeated Germany’s Alexander Zverev and Tiafoe saved two match points on his way to a 4-6, 6-1, 7-6, victory over Denmark’s Holger Rune. In the women’s draw, world number three Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus will take on American Jessica Pegula in the final. Sabalenka defeated world number one, Iga Swiatek of Poland, 6-3, 6-3, while Pegula got the better of Spain’s Paula Badosa, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-81-cents and the euro at 19-rand-67-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-9-cents and Bitcoin trades at 58-thousand-738-dollars-79-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-503-dollars-48-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 79-dollars-54-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….