News 13:00
BULLETIN 19 March 1 pm
Good afternoon. I am……..
In this bulletin:
# Consumer inflation holds steady in February at 3.2-percent
# The Freedom Front Plus in Gauteng says nothing will improve without foreign investments and policy reforms
# And tennis: Nick Kyrgios says the lawsuit against the governing bodies is necessary
# Statistics South Africa says annual consumer inflation remained at 3.2-percent last month, unchanged from January. The annual rate for food and non-alcoholic beverages accelerated to a four-month peak in February. Maize meal inflation reached a 17-month high and samp a 19-month high last month. Stats SA’s Lekau Ranoto says goods inflation increased slightly to 2.5-percent, while services inflation dropped to 3.8-percent:
# The Freedom Front Plus in Gauteng says the objective of the provincial budget of unlocking economic growth will require a massive effort from the government to attract substantial foreign investments. MEC for Finance, Lebogang Maile, tabled a 171-billion-rand budget for the 2025/’26 financial year. The FF Plus’s Anton Alberts says the prerequisite for attracting foreign investments is creating an investor-friendly environment, which can only happen if the government implements comprehensive policy reforms:
# Dutch king Willem-Alexander has addressed human rights concerns during his state visit to Kenya, amid growing allegations of abuses. This visit comes despite over 20-thousand Kenyans signed a petition urging the visit’s cancellation, citing arrests of critics and state-linked abductions. Speaking in Nairobi, Willem-Alexander emphasised the importance of free expression and governance. The king, honored with a 21-gun salute, stressed that Kenya and the Netherlands must engage on governance and accountability.
# Tennis: Australia’s Nick Kyrgios says the lawsuit launched by the Professional Tennis Players Association against the governing bodies is a big moment for the sport. The lawsuit alleges anti-competitive practices and a lack of player welfare. Kyrgios is among 12 current and former players listed as plaintiffs along with the PTPA. He told Sky Sports the time has come for change and for players to be heard:
# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-26-cents and the euro at 19-rand-90-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-67-cents and Bitcoin trades at 83-thousand-518-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-and-28-dollars-15-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 69-dollars-65-cents a barrel.
# And finally: Hollywood actor and Grammy-winning musician, Will Smith, will embark on a world tour for the first time in decades. The Based on a True Story Summer Tour will kick off in Hamburg, Germany, on July 13, and will head through other major cities such as London and Monte Carlo, before wrapping in Paris on September second. The tour comes as Smith is set to release his first full-length rap album in 20 years next week. The Based on a True Story album features Teyana Taylor, Jac Ross, and DJ Jazzy Jeff.
Stay tuned for more news………….