News 12:00

BULLETIN 2 December 12 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Mbalula says the ANC failed to convince the SACP against contesting next year’s elections independently
# Airbus says most of the six-thousand recalled A320 jets are now modified
# And Andrew is formally stripped of his last remaining royal titles

# ANC secretary general, Fikile Mbalula, says they have failed to persuade the South African Communist Party to reconsider its decision to contest the 2026 local government elections independently. The SACP stated that its decision was informed by the ANC’s failure to commit to the reconfiguration of the alliance. The ANC has previously said it would not remove SACP ministers and deputy ministers who serve in cabinet under the ANC banner. However, Mbalula says the question of dual membership may need to be reconsidered:

# Cosatu says the success of the rollout of the HIV prevention drug, Lenacapavir, must be paired with robust awareness drives aimed at educating the public about its availability. Lenacapavir is a new long-acting antiretroviral drug that is delivered by injection only twice a year, offering six months of continuous protection per dose. The drug will be rolled out early next year. Cosatu’s Nonzuzo Dlamini says Lenacapavir was shown in clinical trials to be safe and nearly 100-percent effective at preventing HIV:

Moving abroad:

# Airbus fleets were returning towards normal operations after the European aircraft manufacturer pushed through abrupt software changes faster than expected. Dozens of airlines from Asia to the United States said they had carried out a snap software retrofit ordered by Airbus after a vulnerability to solar flares emerged in a recent mid-air incident on a JetBlue A320. Airbus says the vast majority of around six-thousand of its A320 aircraft affected by the safety alert had been modified, with fewer than 100 jets still requiring work.

# Gymnastics: USA Gymnastics and the US Centre for SafeSport are facing a lawsuit after two gymnasts alleged they were sexually abused at Chow’s Gymnastics and Dance Institute in Iowa. The lawsuit alleges that both organisations were told about coach Sean Gardner’s inappropriate and abusive behaviour in December 2017, but failed to properly investigate, report him to the police, or revoke his coaching credentials. Meanwhile, Gardner faces federal child pornography charges for allegedly placing a hidden camera in a bathroom at a gymnastics studio in Mississippi to record his students.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-8-cents and the euro at 19-rand-85-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-57-cents and Bitcoin trades at 86-thousand-909-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-210-dollars-12-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 63-dollars-8-cents a barrel.

# And finally: Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor has been formally stripped of his last remaining royal titles. King Charles has ordered that his brother’s membership of the Order of the Garter, to which he was appointed in 2006, be removed. Andrew’s roles in the royal family came to an end over growing concerns about his association with late convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein. Andrew still retains his rank as a vice-admiral in the Royal Navy, but Defence minister John Healey has said this is being looked at with Buckingham Palace.

Stay tuned for more news………….