News 11:00

BULLETIN 22 January 11 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# President Cyril Ramaphosa says education is powerful in breaking the cycle of inter-generational poverty
# A landslide in southwestern China buries at least 47 people
# And tennis: Dayana Yastremska and Linda Noskova both reach their first career Grand Slam quarterfinal 

# President Cyril Ramaphosa says education is about so much more than personal betterment or obtaining a qualification to seek gainful employment; it’s a ladder out of poverty. In his weekly newsletter, he says the achievements of last year’s matriculants show the progress government has made not only in making education more accessible but also in making it more equal. Ramaphosa says government continues to invest heavily in improving school infrastructure, including school sanitation, and in the provision of teacher and learner support materials to schools in poor districts.

Meanwhile the Activists and Citizens Forum is calling on Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi to stop his irritating populism. This comes as the premier has reiterated his call for government to scrap the Independent Examination Board exams and establish one matric examination. The forum’s spokesperson, Dennis Bloem, says it is very strange that Lesufi is demanding that the government must do away with the two Grade 12 certificates, but in the meantime, they are still promoting separate housing development:

# Given the public’s frustration with corruption and incompetence, which are eroding South Africa’s potential, it’s not surprising that political parties will try to present solutions to voters. This is the view of political analyst Mpumelelo Mkhabela. Political parties have regularly spoken against corruption and the need for ethical leadership in public institutions. In an opinion piece for News24, Mkhabela says the reality is that anyone can make the promise to rid the country of corruption and incompetence, but the difference to a discerning voter is believability.

# Search and rescue efforts are underway for at least 47 people believed to be buried in a landslide in southwest China’s Yunnan province. More than 500 people have been evacuated from the region, and there are no immediate reports of deaths or injuries. Landslides, often caused by rain or unsafe construction work, are not uncommon in China. At least 70 people were killed in landslides last year, including more than 50 at an open pit mine in the Inner Mongolia region.

# Tennis: Qualifier Dayana Yastremska of Ukraine is through to the first Grand Slam quarterfinal of her career, after knocking out two-time champion Victoria Azarenka of Belarus at the Australian Open. The 23-year-old defeated the former world number one, 7-6, 6-4. Czech teenager Linda Noskova also advanced into her first major quarterfinal after Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina had to retire from their round of 16 match due to a back injury. Yastremska says it took everything out of her to win against Azarenka:

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 19-rand-6-cents and the euro at 20-rand-79-cents. One British pound costs 24-rand-24-cents and Bitcoin trades at 41-thousand-175-dollars-39-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-and-20-dollars-69-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 78-dollars-24-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….