News 08:00

BULLETIN 17 January 8 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The EFF says the Gaza ceasefire is a small but critical reprieve
# The US is confident the ceasefire will go into effect on Sunday
# And the DA wants an overhaul of the Education Department’s online registration system

# The EFF says the Israel-Hamas temporary ceasefire is a victory against Israel’s war of extermination, and will allow for desperately needed aid to reach Palestinian victims. The ceasefire deal, which was brokered by Qatar, Egypt, and the US, is set to go into effect on Sunday. The EFF’s deputy president, Godrich Gardee, says while these steps offer a glimpse of hope, they do not erase the catastrophic destruction inflicted upon Gaza or the genocidal intent behind Israel’s actions:

Meanwhile, Israel’s cabinet has pushed a crucial vote on the temporary Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal to Saturday. Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused Hamas of having reneged on parts of the agreement which had created a last-minute crisis. Israeli strikes have killed 86 and injured 258 since the ceasefire deal was announced. US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, says a loose end was being tied up, but he is confident that the three-phase agreement will go into effect on Sunday:

# Transport minister Barbara Creecy says FlySafair’s request for her to intervene and exempt it from some of the provisions of the Air Services Licensing Act is premature. The airline had requested the minister to intervene in regulatory proceedings that have found it on the wrong side of South Africa’s foreign ownership restrictions and in possible breach of its operating licence. Creecy says the Air Services Licensing Council should eventually pronounce its final determination, and then FlySafair can exercise its right to appeal if it feels aggrieved.

# The DA in Gauteng is proposing an extensive overhaul of the provincial Education Department’s current online registration system, to prevent future enrolment challenges. The party conducted an oversight at the Joburg East District Office, where it found some parents having difficulties uploading documents to the online registration system. Furthermore, they raised concerns about the lack of secondary schools in Midrand. The DA’s, Sergio Isa Dos Santos, says the department must establish community registration hubs equipped with free internet access and support staff:

# Cricket: Due to rain, the SA20 match between the Joburg Super Kings and Pretoria Capitals had to be abandoned at the Wanderers on Thursday evening. The Super Kings won the toss and put the Capitals into bat, with the visitors restricted to 138 for eight. The rain started pouring down as the Super Kings batters walked to the middle to start the chase, and the umpires called the game off. Both teams receive two points each. Today, the Durban’s Super Giants take on the Sunrisers Eastern Cape.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-79-cents and the euro at 19-rand-36-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-99-cents and Bitcoin trades at 101-thousand-116-dollars. Gold sells at two-thousand-715-dollars-39-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 80-dollars-68-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….