News 08:00
BULLETIN 11 March 8 am
Good morning. I am……..
In this bulletin:
# Ambassador Bozell wants to repair the deteriorating US-SA relationship
# The government welcomes the dismissal of over 50 corrupt immigration officials
# And, North Korea denounces the acts of aggression by the US and Israel
# US ambassador to South Africa, Brent Bozell, says he has come to the country with a positive tone to lower the temperature of the deteriorating relationship between the two nations. He spoke at the Biznews Conference in Hermanus, Western Cape. Bozell says the two countries have big differences regarding international legal proceedings, strategic relationships, or elements of domestic policy. However, he says there are five areas where progress should be straightforward:
# The government has welcomed the dismissal of more than 50 immigration officials found to be involved in corruption at ports of entry across South Africa. A further 38 immigration officials are currently under investigation. The affected ports of entry include the Beitbridge, Lebombo, Oshoek and Maseru Bridge border posts, as well as OR Tambo International Airport. Government acting spokesperson, William Baloyi, says the dismissals are part of taking additional steps to root out fraud and corruption at the country’s ports of entry:
# The DA in Gauteng says the budget tabled by MEC of Finance, Lebogang Maile, focused on the wrong priorities and excluded the urgent need to address the collapsing infrastructure, which has resulted in the water and electricity crisis. Maile tabled a 179.2-billion-rand budget for the 2026/2027 financial year on Tuesday. The DA’s Ruhan Robinson says the maintenance needs of this province have been severely neglected for several years:
# North Korea has accused the United States and Israel of destroying regional peace and escalating instability worldwide by mounting what it says is an illegal military attack on Iran. This comes as Israel has launched a new wave of strikes in the Iranian capital, Tehran, and also in a suburb of Beirut in Lebanon. North Korea says it supports the Iranian people’s choice of new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei. It adds that rhetorical threats and military action aimed at undermining another country’s government can never be tolerated.
# Cricket: Former Australian opener Matthew Hayden will coach Gujarat Titans’ batters in this year’s Indian Premier League. He played for Australia in a total of 273 matches, scoring 15-thousand runs before retiring from the international game in 2009. Hayden also played 32 IPL games for Chennai Super Kings, helping them clinch the title in 2010. The 54-year-old says good batting applies pressure, while great batting owns games, which is the standard he wants to set at Titans. This year’s IPL starts on the 28th of this month.
# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-23-cents and the euro at 18-rand-87-cents. One British pound costs 21-rand-82-cents, and Bitcoin trades at 69-thousand-690-dollars. Gold sells at five-thousand-212-dollars-77-cents a fine ounce, and Brent crude oil is quoted at 86-dollars-70-cents a barrel.
Stay tuned for more news………….