News 08:00

BULLETIN 17 April 8 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The government condemns the continuous bombing of civilian targets in Gaza
# The High Court sets aside Transnet’s contract for diesel locomotives
# And a judge finds probable cause to hold Trump’s officials in contempt

# The South African government has condemned the continuous bombing of civilian targets in Gaza, the most recent being the missile strike by Israeli forces on the al-Ahli Arab hospital in Gaza City. The strike destroyed the intensive care and surgery departments of the hospital. Department of International Relations and Cooperation’s spokesperson, Chrispin Phiri, says Israel has bombed, burned and destroyed at least 35 hospitals in Gaza since the start of the war in October 2023, a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law:

# The High Court in Pretoria has set aside the 2014 contract between Transnet and Wabtec South Africa Technologies. This is concerning the procurement of 233 diesel locomotives worth eight-billion-rand. The court declared that the 2014 locomotive supply agreement and its associated subcontracts were invalid. As part of the settlement agreement, Transnet will retain the 233 diesel locomotives delivered by Wabtec. Financially, Wabtec will retain all payments received under the contract, while Transnet will receive 70.35-million-rand.

# The Department of Correctional Services has suspended eight G4S officials, including the director of operations, following the death of an inmate during a raid at the Mangaung Correctional Centre in Bloemfontein, Free State, last month. Mangaung officials said Mpho Makhubeni had an asthma attack. However, the post-mortem revealed that he died from succumbing to blunt force injuries complicated by pepper spray inhalation. Correctional Services Commissioner, Makgothi Thobakgale, says Makhubeni was assaulted by G4S personnel:

# US federal judge James Boasberg has ruled that probable cause exists to hold officials of president Donald Trump’s administration in criminal contempt. This is for violating his orders to halt the use of the Alien Enemies Act to deport over 200 alleged Venezuelan gang members last month. The 227-year-old law is meant to protect the US during wartime to carry out mass deportation. Boasberg says that senior Trump officials can either return the people who were supposed to have been protected by his injunction or face contempt proceedings.

# Soccer: Arsenal are through to the Champions League semifinals for the first time since 2009 and only the third time in their history after knocking out holders Real Madrid. The Gunners took a 3-0 lead into the second leg of the quarterfinals before winning 2-1 at the Bernabeu to seal a 5-1 aggregate triumph. Meanwhile, Inter Milan beat Bayern Munich 4-3 on aggregate at the San Siro after drawing the second leg 2-2. Arsenal will face PSG in the semifinals while Milan will take on Barcelona.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-83-cents and the euro at 21-rand-42-cents. One British pound costs 24-rand-90-cents and Bitcoin trades at 83-thousand-884-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-342-dollars-8-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 65-dollars-78-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….