News 15:00

BULLETIN 7 May 3 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The police commissioner calls for the public’s help in finding a missing journalist
# Asian markets rise before talks between US and China on tariffs
# And cricket: Virat Kohli says Mark Boucher had the biggest influence on his career

# National police commissioner Fannie Masemola has appealed for public assistance in the search for missing journalist Sibusiso Ndlovu and his partner, Zodwa Mdhluli. The couple disappeared on 18 February after leaving their home in Mpumalanga. Police have reclassified the case as kidnapping and hijacking and arrested suspects are expected in the KwaMhlanga Magistrates’ Court today. Masemola says community cooperation is crucial to bringing the couple home safely:

# The chairperson of Parliament’s portfolio committee on Police, Ian Cameron, is pushing for legal reforms to protect civilians from VIP bodyguard abuse. This follows police management’s decision to clear eight VIP bodyguards of deputy president Paul Mashatile following the 2023 N1 highway assault in Gauteng. The officials still face 12 criminal charges and will appear in the Randburg Magistrate’s Court again in June. Speaking to Newzroom Afrika, Cameron called the decision a betrayal of public trust:

# Asian shares rose today after China and the United States said they would hold trade talks at the weekend, fanning optimism that the superpowers can row back high tariffs. Beijing’s moves to ease some key monetary policy tools to kickstart the world’s number two economy boosted hope among investors who have been left punch drunk by US president Donald Trump’s explosive first few months in power. Washington has been in talks with numerous countries to avoid Trump’s sweeping levies, with Japan and South Korea among the first in the queue.

# Cricket: Indian great Virat Kohli credits former South African wicketkeeper Mark Boucher for having the biggest influence on his career. Kohli was only 19 when he started playing for Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the Indian Premier League in 2008. He says Boucher was his only teammate to point out his weaknesses and helped him to rectify it. Boucher also told him that when he returns to India to commentate in four years from then and he doesn’t find Kohli playing for his country, he would do a disservice to himself.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-26-cents and the euro at 20-rand-77-cents. One British pound costs 24-rand-38-cents and Bitcoin trades at 96-thousand-991-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-386-dollars-15-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 62-dollars-38-cents a barrel.

# And finally: Broadcaster, writer, and naturalist David Attenborough believes his new film, Ocean, could play a decisive role in saving biodiversity and protecting the planet from climate change. The film highlights how the ocean has shaped the world and why the future of the planet is intertwined with the health of the ocean. Countries have committed to protecting a third of the world’s oceans by 2030. Attenborough says the state of the ocean has almost made him lose hope for the future of life on the planet. 

Stay tuned for more news………….