News 18:00

BULLETIN 26 September 6 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Elaine Harrison confirms a 2019 letter by Bheki Cele warning that political killings are tied to organised crime
# AZAPO calls on communities, parents and progressive organisations to unite in defending children
# And cricket: Pakistan will face India in the finals of the Asia Cup

# A 2019 letter from former Police minister Bheki Cele has revealed deep concern over the handling of political murder investigations in KwaZulu-Natal. The letter, presented at the Madlanga commission in Pretoria through testimony by KZN prosecutions boss Elaine Harrison, warned that witnesses were at risk of bribery or assassination, making prosecutions difficult and undermining the justice system’s fight against political violence:

# The Azanian People’s Organisation says it is unacceptable that, 31 years into democracy, children continue to be brutalised in institutions that should serve as pillars of hope. AZAPO’s Jabu Rakwena says this followed the shocking reports of sexual abuse of learners at St John’s College in Mthatha and at JS Skenjana High School in Idutywa, Eastern Cape. He says AZAPO is calling on communities, parents, and progressive organisations to unite in defending children:

# EU countries kicked off their first talks on proposals to build a “wall” of anti-drone defences, after air incursions from Russia rattled eastern members. Focus has sharpened in recent days on the threat to Europe’s airspace as unidentified drones have shut airports in Denmark. EU chief Ursula von der Leyen made a first call for a “drone wall” in a keynote speech earlier this month, hours after NATO shot down Russian drones in Poland. She said it should be a European capability developed together, deployed together, that can respond in real time.

# Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the UN General Assembly his country has “crushed the bulk” of armed Palestinian group Hamas’s “terror machine” and sought to finish the job “as fast as possible.” Netanyahu celebrated what he said was a series of Israeli strategic victories in the past year that also included targeting Iran’s nuclear programme and assassinating the Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Lebanon. Netanyahu told hostages that he will not rest until they bring all of them home. He also told Hamas to lay down their weapons.

# Cricket: Pakistan will face India in the T20 Asia Cup final on Sunday for the first time after their bowlers made amends for poor batting to upstage Bangladesh in an 11-run victory yesterday. Bangladesh fast bowler Taskin Ahmed grabbed 3-28 as Pakistan batters were sloppy on a sticky Dubai stadium pitch in their last Super Four match, managing a modest 135-8 in 20 overs. Pakistan staged a fightback through pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi and Haris Rauf to limit Bangladesh to 124-9 in 20 overs and book their place in Sunday’s final in Dubai.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-38-cents and the euro at 20-rand-34-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-29-cents and Bitcoin trades at 109-thousand-426-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-771-dollars-95-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 69-dollars-40-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….