News 08:00

BULLETIN 5th May 8 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# A working group will assess the impact of US funding withdrawal
# Julius Malema says the budget fight is to transform the country’s economic structure
# And Netanyahu vows to avenge the Houthi airport attack

# Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation, Blade Nzimande, says he is in the process of appointing a ministerial working group to assess the impact of the withdrawal of research funding by the US government. The US has terminated research funding supporting key biomedical, health, and related collaborative programmes involving the US and South African-based institutions and scientists. Nzimande told eNCA that it is imperative to ensure the long-term security and sustainability of the country’s research and development interests:

# EFF leader Julius Malema says South Africa is faced with continued challenges of unemployment, crime, and violence against women and children, all of it made worse by the economic uncertainty around the recent budget crisis. He addressed the second Central Command Team meeting in Bela Bela, Limpopo, over the weekend. Malema says the budget fight is not just a technical battle, but it’s a fight to transform the economic structure of the country, a structure that remains violently anti-black.

# Western Cape police have launched a manhunt for two suspects who allegedly shot and killed a female administrative clerk attached to the Kraaifontein police station. The 35-year-old was shot in the parking lot next to the Gatesville Mosque in Athlone on Saturday. Police spokesperson, Malcolm Pojie, says another woman was injured in the process and is currently in hospital:

# Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to retaliate against Yemen’s Houthis following a missile strike on the grounds of Israel’s main airport. The missile landed near the main terminal of Ben Gurion airport on Sunday morning, injuring four people. Delta Air Lines, Lufthansa, Air France, and Ryanair suspended flights. Netanyahu says attacks by the Houthis emanate from Iran, adding that their multi-phased response will be at a time and place of their choosing.

# Motorsport: McLaren’s Oscar Piastri started from fourth on the grid to win the Miami Grand Prix, his third successive victory. The Australian’s teammate Lando Norris recovered from dropping back to sixth after a first-lap incident with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen to finish second. Mercedes’ George Russell claimed the final spot on the podium in third. Verstappen finished fourth ahead of Williams’ Alex Albon. Piastri, who has extended his drivers’ championship lead over Norris to 16 points, says he still has some things to improve on:

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-35-cents and the euro at 20-rand-80-cents. One British pound costs 24-rand-38-cents and Bitcoin trades at 94-thousand-191-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-260-dollars-28-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 58-dollars-97-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….