News 15:00

BULLETIN 13 January 3 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Umalusi condemns violence against learners during the exam period
# The DA submits questions to the Gauteng legislature over broken finances
# And Cricket: Cummins and Hazlewood are included in Australia’s Champions Trophy squad

# Umalusi has strongly condemned the reported cases of female learners being raped while preparing for their examinations in the Eastern Cape. The quality assurance body described the incident as deeply shocking. In his media address, Umalusi CEO Mafu Rakometsi urged law enforcement and stakeholders to ensure learners’ safety:

# The DA in Gauteng says it has already submitted questions in the provincial legislature, to ascertain the steps that will be taken to ensure that Gauteng provincial government does not go bankrupt. The party’s Alan Fuchs says in September last year, MEC for Finance Lebogang Maile publicly warned that Gauteng could face bankruptcy due to spiralling liabilities in the health department, national budget cuts, and outstanding e-toll obligations:

# Mozambique is set to swear in its new parliament today, following months of deadly protests over an election in October that the opposition said was rigged. Opposition leader Venancio Mondlane has called on his supporters to hold peaceful protests from today till Wednesday, when Frelimo’s Daniel Chapo is due to be installed as president. Two opposition parties, Renamo and the Democratic Movement of Mozambique, MDM, announced they would boycott today’s session, which will swear in new parliamentarians.

# Cricket: Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood have been named in Australia’s squad for the Champions Trophy which begins on the 19th of February in Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates. Cummins will captain the side. Allrounders Aaron Hardie and Matthew Short have also been included in the 15-player squad, as well as Nathan Ellis as the fourth pace bowler. Australia is grouped with England, South Africa and Afghanistan.

# Financial indicators: The dollar trades at 19-rand-15-cents and the euro at 19-rand-51-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-21-cents and Bitcoin trades at 91-thousand-396-dollars. Gold sells at two-thousand-679-dollars-35-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 80-dollars-74-cents a barrel.

# And finally: Researchers are increasingly utilising artificial intelligence to safeguard endangered species. By analysing extensive data, AI helps identify behavioural patterns, enabling early interventions to prevent ecological disruptions. This technological approach seeks to enhance conservation efforts by providing insights into species’ habits and environmental changes. Speaking to Deutsche Welle, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research’s, Ortwin Aschenborn, says the integration of AI in conservation strategies represents a significant advancement in preserving biodiversity:

Stay tuned for more news………….