News 08:00

BULLETIN 23 June 8 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The Israeli UN envoy accuses Iran of using diplomacy as a delay tactic
# The DA demands answers from the Police minister over gender based violence statistics
# And cricket: The West Indies beat the Proteas Women in the second T20 to level the series

# Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon, has alleged that Iran’s nuclear programme was not meant to be for energy, but for death and destruction. This is despite Tehran repeatedly insisting that it is not building a nuclear bomb. Danon told an emergency United Nations Security Council meeting in New York on Sunday that by striking three nuclear sites in Iran, the US eliminated the greatest existential threat to humanity. He added that inaction would have been catastrophic:

Meanwhile, the US State Department has issued a worldwide caution for Americans, saying the Israel-Iran conflict has resulted in disruptions to travel and periodic closure of airspace across the Middle East. It says there is the potential for demonstrations against US citizens and interests abroad. Meanwhile, the US Department of Homeland Security has warned of a heightened threat environment in America due to the ongoing conflict. It says low-level cyberattacks against US networks by pro-Iranian hacktivists are likely, adding that the conflict could also motivate violent extremists.

# The DA says it will write to the chairperson of the Police Portfolio Committee, Ian Cameron, to request that the minister of Police, Senzo Mchunu, urgently appear before the Committee. The party says this to explain why senior SAPS officials misled Parliament about the omission of gender-based violence statistics in the latest national crime report. The DA’s Lisa Schickerling says this is not a technical error; it is a deliberate misrepresentation that demands accountability:

# The civil organisation Soil of Africa will picket at Tsebe-Ntlha Primary School in Hammanskraal today, demanding immediate action against alleged corruption and mismanagement at the school. Earlier this year, parents alleged that the principal and the school management had been colluding to steal money, and they also complained about poor infrastructure and sanitation. The organisation’s chairperson, Bongani Ramontja, says parents will no longer tolerate the blatant disregard for transparency and accountability:

# Cricket: The West Indies Women beat South Africa by six wickets to level the three-match T20 series one-all in Barbados. Spinners Afy Fletcher and Karishma Ramharack took two wickets each as South Africa were restricted to 113 for six in their 20 overs. In reply, captain Hayley Matthews scored an unbeaten 63 off 56 balls, as the West Indies reached the target of 114 in the final over. The series decider will be this evening.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-6-cents and the euro at 20-rand-77-cents. One British pound costs 24-rand-24-cents and Bitcoin trades at 101-thousand-370-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-363-dollars-83-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 76-dollars-65-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….