News 11:00

BULLETIN 28 February 11 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# An epidemiologist says Trump’s cut of funding poses serious risks to South Africa
# GOOD wants the investigation report into the George building collapse tabled in council
# And, prime minister Starmer says Britain will support a peace deal in Ukraine

# Renowned epidemiologist Salim Abdool Karim warns that the abrupt and brutal approach taken by the US against HIV/Aids organisations risks unnecessary consequences. The American government has cut funding to the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS-funded HIV organisations in South Africa, which receive their funds through the United States Agency for International Development. Pepfar accounts for about 17-percent of the country’s HIV/Aids budget. Karim told News24 that many HIV-positive people who accessed treatment through Pepfar partners now do not have access to medication.

# Basic Education minister Siviwe Gwarube has defended the foldable desks introduced in Eastern Cape and Western Cape schools, stating they are scientifically approved for safety. The multifunctional design includes a wheelie school bag, a desk, a chair, a solar light, and a USB charging port. Gwarube says the initiative aims at addressing infrastructure challenges in rural areas:

# The GOOD Party in George is calling for the findings of the investigation into last year’s building collapse to be tabled in council. The building was still under construction when it collapsed in May, resulting in the death of 34 people, while 28 were rescued. GOOD’s Chantelle Kyd says by reviewing the findings, they can prevent incidents of this nature from occurring in future and also give much-needed closure to the victims’ families:

# UK prime minister Keir Starmer says a Russian-Ukrainian peace deal must be tough and fair. He met with US president Donald Trump at the White House, where achieving lasting peace in Ukraine and ending Russia’s full-scale invasion was top of the agenda. Starmer stressed that Trump and his administration have largely ignored that Russia is the aggressor in this war. He adds that a peace deal cannot award the aggressor:

# Rugby: Three legends of Irish rugby announced their retirement from international rugby at the end of the Six Nations. Record caps holder Cian Healy, last year’s title-winning skipper Peter O’Mahony, and fellow Test centurion Conor Murray are on course for what could be a fairytale ending to their Test career with an unprecedented third successive Six Nations title. The Irish have recorded three victories from three Tests in this year’s competition, though they host biggest rivals France next Saturday.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-47-cents and the euro at 19-rand-19-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-24-cents and Bitcoin trades at 79-thousand-576-dollars. Gold sells at two-thousand-863-dollars-55-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 72-dollars-90-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….