News 17:00

BULLETIN 23 January 5 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The African Development Bank and the UK extend a climate-pact guarantee for South Africa
# An MEC in Limpopo welcomes the additional rescuers deployed to flood-stricken areas to recover missing people
# And rugby: Springbok André Esterhuizen leads the Sharks against the Stormers

# The African Development Bank and the UK have extended a climate-linked 16.3-billion-rand debt guarantee to South Africa. This is part of the climate-finance pact known as the Just Energy Transition Partnership, between South Africa and some of the world’s richest nations. The British High Commission says the debt guarantee extension is to enable the South African government to deliver the Municipal Utility Reform Project and to develop other low-carbon infrastructure projects this year.

# The Limpopo MEC for  Co-operative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs, Basikopo Makamu, has welcomed the deployment of additional rescuers from the National Disaster Management Centre. This is to bolster efforts to recover missing persons swept away by heavy rainfall. The number of missing persons in the province stands at five, while there are 19 fatalities. The department’s spokesperson, Tsakani Baloyi, says rescuers are working around the clock to ensure that all missing persons are recovered:

# The DA calls on the police to intensify intelligence-led operations as the Western Cape faces a deadly start to the year. Between 1 and 17 January, 195 murders were recorded in the province, averaging eleven killings a day. The party argues gang violence and illegal firearms continue to terrorise communities. The DA’s Benedicta van Minnen urged the police to work with provincial and local law enforcement to protect residents and restore safety:

# President Donald Trump says the United States has an armada heading towards Iran, but hopes he would not have to use it. He renewed warnings to Tehran against killing protesters or restarting its nuclear programme. US officials say the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and several guided missile destroyers will arrive in the Middle East in the coming days. They say additional air-defense systems were also being eyed for the region, which could be critical to guard against any Iranian strike on US bases.

# Rugby: Versatile Springbok André Esterhuizen returns to captain the Sharks in tomorrow’s United Rugby Championship clash with the Stormers in Cape Town. He will partner his international teammate Ethan Hooker at centre. Coach JP Pietersen picked a strong bench, including Bok captain Siya Kolisi, Bok prop Ox Nché and Bok scrumhalf Grant Williams. The Sharks are currently in a lowly 14th position on the log, meaning they desperately need a victory. The undefeated Stormers top the log.

And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-14-cents and the euro at 18-rand-95-cents. One British pound costs 21-rand-83-cents and Bitcoin trades at 89-thousand-178-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-943-dollars-69-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 64-dollars-49-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….