News 15:00

BULLETIN 31 March 3 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The illegal medicine trade thrives in Johannesburg as immigrants turn to the black market
# Chinese smartphone giant Huawi announces a 28-percent drop in profits
# And tennis: Alexandra Eala shoots up to 75th in the world rankings after her heroics in Miami

# A thriving black market for unauthorised medicines has emerged in Johannesburg, primarily catering to immigrants who face barriers to accessing healthcare. Ground Up reports that smuggled medicines, including antibiotics and contraceptives, are sold without prescriptions, bypassing the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority. This informal trade has raised concerns about public health, as improper usage of drugs can lead to side effects and the circulation of counterfeit medicines. The authority, in collaboration with law enforcement, is now working to address this illegal market.

# The DA in Gauteng is calling for the immediate suspension of tender evaluation committee chairperson, Hulisani Tshikovhi, along with others implicated in the nine-billion-rand feeding scheme tender. The DA’s Sergio Isa dos Santos says this scheme in the provincial Department of Education, has left over 1.6-million learners, primarily from underprivileged areas, at risk of missing out on much needed nutrition and they are learning on empty stomachs:

# Stock markets have fallen in Asia and Europe after US president Donald Trump suggested that new tariffs he is set to announce this week will hit all countries, not just those that have the biggest trade imbalances with his country. In Japan the Nikkei closed more than four-percent lower today. In the UK, the FTSE 100 index was down about 0.8-percent in morning trade, while Germany’s Dax index and France’s Cac 40 were both down one-percent. The price of gold rose to another record high, hitting over three-thousand-124-dollars an ounce.

Meanwhile, Chinese smartphone maker giant Huawei announced that profits fell 28-percent last year as it faced international economic uncertainty and weak consumption at home. The Shenzhen-based company has been at the centre of an intense standoff between China and the United States after Washington warned its equipment could be used for espionage by the Chinese government, an allegation Huawei denies. Sanctions since 2019 have cut the firm’s access to US-made components and technologies, forcing it to diversify its growth strategy.

# Tennis: Young Philippines star Alexandra Eala shot up from 140th to 75th in the world rankings after her heroics at the Miami Open in the US. The 19-year-old product of the Rafael Nadal Academy in Spain beat three Grand Slam champions on her way to the semifinal, where she lost to losing finalist Jessica Pegula of America. Miami champion Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus remains number one in the rankings, followed by Poland’s Iga Swiatek and three Americans – Coco Gauff, Pegula and Madison Keyes.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-36-cents and the euro at 19-rand-88-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-79-cents and Bitcoin trades at 81-thousand-969-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-116-dollars-28-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 72-dollars-80-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….