News 06:00
BULLETIN 24 November 6 am
Good morning. I am……..
In this bulletin:
# South Africa’s inflation rate has increased compared to that of other countries
# GOOD welcomes the unchanged interest rates but has a warning for consumers
# And, the World Health Organisation asks China for more details about an unexplained pneumonia outbreak
# South Africa’s headline inflation rate has shown a more gradual increase compared to many other emerging and advanced economies. Speaking on the interest rate, Reserve Bank Governor Lesetja Kganyago underscored the sensitivity of the country’s inflation rate to shocks. He says in South Africa’s fiscal landscape, external financing needs are set to rise as the current account deficit expands, driven by improved trade outcomes in the third quarter. The central bank kept interest rates unchanged:
Meanwhile, the GOOD Party has welcomed the decision by the South African Reserve Bank to maintain the repo rate at 8.25-percent, providing temporary relief amid growing financial pressure. With inflation reaching 5.9-percent in October, driven by rising food prices, the party is of the view that consumers face challenges in basic survival. Secretary-General Brett Herron says however that the unchanged interest rates may alleviate immediate strain but consumers should expect an impact on festive season spending:
# A Gauteng Department of Education official survived an attempted hit in the south of Johannesburg yesterday and is currently in a stable condition in hospital. The male official is from the department’s Johannesburg South District overseeing Learning and Teaching Support Material. The department’s spokesperson, Steve Mabona, says the official was in his vehicle at the Chris Hani Road and Golden Highway intersection near Southgate Mall when he was suddenly shot by an unidentified assailant:
# The World Health Organisation is urging China to furnish detailed information regarding an outbreak of pneumonia impacting children in the north of the country. This comes amid a surge in cases of influenza-like illnesses. The WHO has requested comprehensive epidemiologic and clinical data, along with laboratory results related to the clusters of pneumonia among children through the International Health Regulations mechanism. The organisation is also seeking insights into recent trends in the circulation of known pathogens, including influenza and mycoplasma pneumoniae.
# Rugby: The Stormers and Cardiff will kick off the weekend’s United Rugby Championship action in the Welsh capital this evening. At the same time, Edinburgh will welcome Italian team Benetton to the Scottish capital. Tomorrow, the Lions will host Zebre of Italy in Johannesburg, while the Bulls and Irish outfit Connacht will do battle at Loftus. The Sharks will play Welsh team Dragons in Durban, Leinster and Munster will meet in Ireland, and Glasgow Warriors will welcome Irish team Ulster to Scotland.
# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-79-cents and the euro at 20-rand-50-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-57-cents and Bitcoin trades at 37-thousand-472-dollars-81-cents. Gold sells at one-thousand-994-dollars-44-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 81-dollars-37-cents a barrel.
# And finally, the fifth edition of the Festival for Afrikaans will take place in the De Regentes Theatre in The Hague, Netherlands, from today until Sunday. This year, for the first time, the festival is presenting a concert dedicated to South African classical/art music. The main work on the programme is the Concerto, For Those Who Can’t Sleep But Still Dream Of Dancing, by composers Dizu Plaatjies and Matthijs van Dijk. The piece is performed by the SA Strings Foundation Festival String Orchestra with Matthijs van Dijk as conductor.
Stay tuned for more news………….