News 09:00

BULLETIN 23 December 9 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The minister of Police highlights the progress in the safer festive season operations
# The ANC is to use its 113th birthday to strengthen its base in the Western Cape
# And Soccer: Liverpool beat Spurs to go four points clear at the top of the Premier League

# Police minister Senzo Mchunu has commended nationwide efforts to ensure safety during the festive season. Over two-thousand-699 new police constables have joined operations, with 526 deployed in the Eastern Cape. Since October, over thirteen-thousand-679 suspects were arrested, 351 firearms seized, and 298 stolen vehicles recovered. Mchunu expressed concern about insurance-related murders, urging community vigilance and cooperation. He emphasised continued efforts to combat crime:

# The ANC says its 113th birthday, set to be held in Khayelitsha, Cape Town on the eleventh of January, will strengthen the party’s connection with the province’s people. President Cyril Ramaphosa will also deliver the party’s January 8 statement. Since the ANC lost power to the DA in the Western Cape in 2009, it has struggled to make inroads in the province. Secretary-general Fikile Mbalula says the party will use the January 8 statement to reflect on its achievements while reaffirming its commitment to tackling poverty, unemployment, and inequality.

# The Border Management Authority says its Hi Tivise operation will assist in curbing criminal activities, such as human trafficking and smuggling illicit products, from other countries into South Africa. The operation launched recently is aimed at mobilising citizens to play their role in reporting suspicious criminal activities, in all South African ports of entry. BMA commissioner Michael Masiapato says they are committed to ending corruption activities happening in the ports across the country:

# Ten members of a family died after a small plane crashed in the southern Brazilian city of Gramado. The plane reportedly hit the chimney of a building, as well as a house and a shop as it fell, leaving 17 people on the ground injured. Brazilian businessman Luiz Claudio Galeazzi was taking his family on a trip to Jundiaí, in the São Paulo state. According to authorities, the plane had taken off in unfavourable weather conditions. An investigation into the cause of the accident is underway.

# Soccer: Liverpool have moved four points clear at the top of the Premier League table after beating Tottenham Hotspur six-three. Mohamed Salah and Luis Diaz scored two goals each, and Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister were also on target for the Reds. Salah has 229 goals in 373 games for Liverpool, moving him into fourth place in the club’s all-time list of goal-scorers. Liverpool manager Arne Slot was happy with the overall performance:

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-28-cents and the euro at 19-rand-8-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-99-cents and Bitcoin trades at 95-thousand-64-dollars. Gold sells at two-thousand-627-dollars-86-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 72-dollars-87-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….