News 12:00

BULLETIN 9 April 12 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Trump issues a fresh warning to Iran ahead of talks
# The Whistleblower Bill will boost protection against corruption
# And motorsport: F1 technical chiefs are to meet over possible tweaks to the new regulations

# US president Donald Trump is warning if an agreement with Iran is not reached at this weekend’s talks in Islamabad, Pakistan, the military airstrikes will be bigger than anyone has seen before. Tehran has accused the US and Israel of violating the two-week ceasefire, while Israel launched a huge bombardment against Lebanon yesterday, killing nearly 200 people. In a post on Truth Social, Trump says the military’s continued presence in Iran is appropriate and necessary for the lethal prosecution and destruction of an already substantially degraded enemy.

Meanwhile, the Cultural consulate of the embassy of Iran in South Africa has welcomed the ceasefire, saying true security in the Middle East cannot be built on domination of war. It says while the war has brought suffering, it has also revealed the profound capacity of the Iranian people to defend their sovereignty with dignity. The consulate adds Tehran remains committed to a fair dialogue and the pursuit of lasting peace.

# Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development Mmamoloko Kubayi says the Protected Disclosure Bil, known as the Whistleblower Bill, will strengthen protection for whistleblowers exposing corruption. Speaking during the release of the draft bill, Kubayi says findings from the Zondo commission highlighted gaps in current laws, leaving many whistleblowers vulnerable, including cases of dismissal, intimidation and even deaths. She emphasises the bill aims to improve reporting systems, while supporting disclosures:

# Motorsport: Senior technical figures from Formula One teams and power unit manufacturers are meeting today to discuss possible changes to the new regulations introduced this season. This will be the first of three meetings. Some drivers have criticised the introduction of new power-unit regulations, which see a 50-percent split between electrical output and internal combustion engine output. The governing International Automobile Federation says any potential adjustments, particularly those related to energy management, require careful simulation and detailed analysis.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-47-cents and the euro at 19-rand-21-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-5-cents and Bitcoin trades at 70-thousand-985-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-721-dollars-82-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 95-dollars-84-cents a barrel.

# And finally: Rethink Your Drink says research showing South Africans are joining a global trend of drinking less, especially among younger adults, is encouraging. According to Worldpanel by Numerator, 30-percent of South African consumers say they intend to reduce their alcohol intake, nearly double the global figure of 17-percent. Rethink Your Drink’s Kashifa Ancer says people are becoming more intentional about how and when they drink, rather than stopping altogether:

Stay tuned for more news………….