News 12:00

BULLETIN 12 January 12 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The outcome of South Africa’s genocide case against Israel could take years 
# SA credit providers are posing a risk to the country’s removal from the grey-list
# And Cricket: The Yorkshire Cricket CEO defends his decision to approve controversial takeover 

# The Ceasefire Centre for Civil Rights anticipates a lengthy timeline before a verdict is reached on whether Israel has committed acts of genocide in Palestine. South Africa presented its case accusing Israel of genocide to the International Court of Justice in The Hague in the Netherlands yesterday, and Israel is replying today. The organisation’s director, Mark Lattimer, says the court will now merely look at provisional measures like an injunction or an interim order, but a decision on the merits of the case and a final judgment could take years.

Meanwhile, the Al Jama-ah Party has commended the South African legal team for presenting a strong case against Israel in The Hague. The party is, however, disappointed that Justice and Correctional Services minister, Ronald Lamola, has unfairly condemned Hamas’ actions during its attacks on Israeli territory on the seventh of October. Party leader Ganief Hendricks says the question is whether this was in self-defense considering the fact that Palestine has been under enforced occupation for 75 years:

# South African credit providers are posing a significant obstacle to the country’s removal from the Financial Action Task Force’s grey-list. Their slow adoption of Financial Intelligence Centre Act regulations, mandated for accountable institutions, may result in severe penalties. CEO of Debtsource, Frank Knight, warns that a lack of compliance among credit providers, including major international entities, could not only lead to financial consequences but also damage South Africa’s reputation. Meeting the force’s December 1 deadline is crucial for the nation’s bid to escape the grey-list.

# Climate change is threatening litchi production in South Africa. According to the Agricultural Research Council, unprecedented storms and heat waves have impacted farmers, prompting discussions at the second annual Litchi Cultivar Day. Solutions to sector challenges were explored, emphasising agro-processing and developing new cultivars for extended product availability. Despite climate change challenges, the council remains committed to producing high-quality litchis. The event showcased imported cultivars and litchi-based products, aiming to equip farmers with new skills for effective farm management.

# Cricket: Yorkshire Cricket CEO, Stephen Vaughan, has defended the decision to approve the controversial Colin Graves-led consortium takeover of the club amid a dire financial situation. Graves’ previous tenure at Yorkshire as chairperson between 2012 and 2015, was a period in which the club was fined for failing to address the systemic use of discriminatory or racist language. Vaughan told BBC that they spoke to more than 350 potential parties when seeking fresh investment but the Graves-led offer was the only viable option:

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-59-cents and the euro at 20-rand-40-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-74-cents and Bitcoin trades at 45-thousand-665-dollars-44-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-and-37-dollars-81-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 79-dollars-22-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….