News 14:00

BULLETIN 18 November 2 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Singapore confiscates a record haul of smuggled rhino horns from South Africa
# Mogotsi claims the KwaZulu-Natal police chief and the Zulu king are linked to the CIA
# And rugby: Four Springboks are nominated for the 2025 World Rugby Awards

# Singapore’s National Parks Board announced the seizure of a record 35.7-kilogram of smuggled South African rhino horns worth about 15-million-rand en route to Laos. The largest haul in Singapore to date was found in cargo declared as furniture fittings, and also contained around 150-kilogram of other animal parts, including bones, teeth and claws. Investigations showed the white rhino horns originated from South Africa. All rhino species are protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, which means it is illegal to trade them.

# Controversial North West businessman Brian Mogotsi told the Madlanga commission KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi and King Misuzulu kaZwelithini were allegedly recruited by the US’ Central Intelligence Agency. Mogotsi admitted the information was based on hearsay from a source, yet insisted suspicions in intelligence work must be investigated. Commissioners pressed him for evidence and he conceded no further details supported the claim beyond remarks about US training and travel:

# Patriotic Alliance leader and minister of Sports, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, says it would be a massive mistake for the ANC to remove president Cyril Ramaphosa. This follows growing rumours of his possible resignation after this weekend’s G20 leaders’ summit. Speaking on Facebook Live, McKenzie said inflation at its lowest in years and improved job creation in the third quarter show the government of national unity was moving the country in the right direction:

Moving abroad:

# Palestinian Foreign minister Varsen Aghabekian Shahin says the United Nations Security Council’s adoption of a resolution endorsing US president Donald Trump’s plan to end the war in Gaza was a necessary first step on a long road toward peace. The resolution also authorises a multinational security force to be deployed to Gaza and imposes an international guardian mechanism for the territory ravaged by two years of war. Shahin adds other issues needed to be addressed, including Palestinian self-determination and eventual independence.

# Rugby: Springboks Pieter-Steph du Toit, Malcolm Marx and Ox Nché, together with France’s Louis Bielle-Biarrey, have been nominated for the World Rugby Men’s 15s Player of the Year Award, to be announced on Saturday. Another Bok, Ethan Hooker, has been nominated in the category Men’s 15s Breakthrough Player of the Year, together with Fabian Holland of New Zealand, Henry Pollock from England and Australian Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii. World Rugby chairperson Brett Robinson says the awards represent a celebration of the very best the sport has to offer.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-22-cents and the euro at 19-rand-95-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-65-cents and Bitcoin trades at 91-thousand-475-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-and-41-dollars-60-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 63-dollars-78-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….