News 07:00

BULLETIN 2 June 7 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The US embassy claims more Afrikaner refugees are leaving for America
# A total of 31 people were killed near an aid distribution centre in Gaza
# And tennis: Alcaraz and Swiatek are through to the French Open quarterfinals

# The US embassy in Pretoria says refugees continue to arrive in America from South Africa on commercial flights as part of the Afrikaner resettlement programme’s ongoing operations. Last month, a group of 49 Afrikaners left the country for the US, claiming that they were victims of genocide and sought refugee status. The embassy told News24 it is reviewing inquiries from South Africans who have expressed interest in settling in America. It adds that it is contacting eligible individuals for refugee interviews and processing.

# Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Velenkosini Hlabisa, has called on all initiation schools to ensure they are properly registered and compliant ahead of the upcoming winter initiation season. Launching the Safe Customary Initiation Awareness Campaign over the weekend, Hlabisa called for zero deaths, following 90 fatalities last year. He stressed that all initiation schools must ensure the safety and well-being of all initiates are top priority this season:

# The United Civic Society in Action has condemned Trade minister Parks Tau’s decision to grant Ithuba Holdings a 12-month temporary National Lottery licence. This move follows a court ruling deeming such an extension unconstitutional, limiting it to five months. Tau is appealing the decision, citing public interest. However, the Civic Society’s Tebogo Sithathu argues that the minister’s action undermines the rule of law and sets a concerning precedent:

# Parliament’s presiding officers have expressed shock and condemned the senseless killing of IFP deputy chief whip Khethamabala Petros Sithole. The 68-year-old, who was deployed to the National Assembly in 2010, was gunned down in Katlehong on the East Rand on Saturday evening. Parliament’s spokesperson, Moloto Mothapo, says Sithole was a seasoned and principled public servant whose life was defined by unwavering service to the people of South Africa:

# At least 31 people were killed and over 100 injured after Israeli forces opened fire near the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation hub on Sunday. According to the Palestine Red Crescent Society, crowds of people had converged on the site in the Rafah area to obtain aid when Israeli forces opened fire. However, the US and Israel-backed Gaza foundation says the reports are fabricated, as all aid was distributed without incident. The Israeli Defence Forces says findings from an initial inquiry show its forces had not fired at Gazans.

# Tennis: Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz is through to the quarterfinals of the French Open, after defeating American Ben Shelton,  7-6, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4. The Spaniard will face another American, Tommy Paul, who beat Australian Alexei Popyrin, 6-3, 6-3, 6-3, while Italian Lorenzo Musetti saw off Denmark’s Holger Rune, 7-5, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2. In the women’s draw, defending champion Poland’s Iga Swiatek beat Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan, 1-6, 6-3, 7-5, to make the last eight, while top seed Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus defeated American Amanda Anisimova, 7-5, 6-3.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-94-cents and the euro at 20-rand-41-cents. One British pound costs 24-rand-21-cents and Bitcoin trades at 105-thousand-436-dollar-10-cents. Gold sells at three-thousand-306-dollars-12-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 63-dollars-97-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….