News 16:00

BULLETIN NEWS AGENCY 2 January 4 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The Eastern Cape Transport Department records 202 December road deaths
# Cricket: Kwena Maphaka becomes SA’s youngest Test player in the second Test against Pakistan
# And, research suggests a single cigarette slashes 20 minutes off your life expectancy

# The Eastern Cape Transport Department has recorded 202 road fatalities in December, with negligence and drunk driving as leading causes. The department’s spokesperson Unathi Binqose revealed over 500 arrests for drunk driving during that period, with nighttime travel accounting for almost 38-percent of the fatal crashes. He urges motorists to plan routes and avoid nighttime travel as return holiday traffic volumes surge:

# The National Agricultural Marketing Council says South Africa’s agricultural export dynamics to the European Union countries are poised to undergo significant shifts due to the stringent environmental and sustainability requirements under the EU Green Deal. Council spokesperson, Mashao Mohale says while the EU remains a vital trading partner, accounting for substantial export growth, compliance with the Green Deal’s clauses is imperative for maintaining access to this market:

# The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics has reported a six-percent decline in Gaza’s population due to the ongoing conflict. This amounts to 160-thousand people, 55-thousand who are presumed dead and eleven-thousand displaced since October 7, 2023. The Bureau now estimates the population at 2.1 million, a significant drop from pre-war numbers. The Human Rights Watch further alleged that countless deaths resulted from malnutrition, dehydration and illness due to actions by Israeli authorities. The International Criminal Court is seeking arrest warrants for Israeli officials over alleged war crimes.

# Cricket: Eighteen-year old Kwena Maphaka will make his Test debut at Newlands in Cape Town when the second Test against Pakistan starts tomorrow. He will become South Africa’s youngest Test player at 18 years and 271 days old, since spinner Paul Adams. All-rounder Wiaan Mulder is back in the team, as well as spinner Keshav Maharaj. They replace injured batter Tony de Zorzi and all-rounder Corbin Bosch, who had a dream debut in the first Test. Maphaka replaces fast bowler Dane Paterson.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-65-cents and the euro at 19-rand-31-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-27-cents and Bitcoin trades at 96-thousand-745-dollars. Gold sells at two-thousand-641-dollars-16-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 75-dollars-50-cents a barrel.

# And, finally: If your New Year’s resolution is to quit smoking, it might help to know that new research says it could extend your life expectancy. New research in Britain found that each cigarette that is smoked can slash about 20 minutes off people’s life expectancy. Researchers say a pack of 20 cigarettes amounts to almost seven hours of life lost per pack, with people who smoked throughout their lives losing around 10 years of life. The research says it’s never a good time to start smoking, but if you’re a smoker, the best time to stop is now.

Stay tuned for more news………….