News 12:00

BULLETIN 29 May 12 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Gauteng police deploy ten multidisciplinary airborne surveillance helicopters
# Minister Modise urges the youth to actively participate in today’s election
# And, the White House says US continues to support Israel despite military operations in Rafah

# The Gauteng Provincial Joint Operation and Intelligence Structure has deployed ten multidisciplinary airborne surveillance helicopters and drones today. This is to monitor the elections to ensure that residents cast their votes in a safe and secure environment. Security law enforcement has also been deployed on the ground to help the police. The structure says anyone carrying dangerous weapons including firearms will not be allowed to enter a voting station.

Meanwhile, Defence and Military Veterans minister Thandi Modise has urged young people to actively participate in today’s election. Casting her vote during special voting in Mahikeng, North West yesterday, she emphasised the critical role of voting in holding the government accountable. Modise highlighted that voter apathy could harm the country’s progress, urging the youth to use their votes to shape the nation’s future:

# The White House says recent Israeli operations and attacks in Gaza’s southern city of Rafah do not constitute a major ground operation that crosses any US red lines. This comes after an Israeli strike killed 45 Palestinians, many of them women and children, at a camp for displaced people on Sunday. US National Security Council spokesperson, John Kirby, says America was not turning a blind eye to the plight of Palestinian civilians:

# Motorsport: FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem has suggested Andretti should try to buy one of Formula One’s existing teams, rather than continuing their attempt to set up their own team. Andretti’s bid to enter F1 in 2025 or 2026 has been rejected by commercial rights holders Liberty Media. Andretti are pushing ahead with their plans to join the grid in their own right, having recently opened a UK base at Silverstone. Sulayem says it’s not about the number of teams but the quality on the grid.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-26-cents and the euro at 19-rand-79-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-30-cents and Bitcoin trades at 67-thousand-866-dollars-63-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-347-dollars-32-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 84-dollars-46-cents a barrel.

# And, finally: The Electoral Commission in the Western Cape has urged voters not to wait until the last minute to vote. Voting stations will be open until nine this evening, and everyone in the queue at that time will be allowed to vote. Provincial electoral head Michael Hendrickse says most voters turn out late morning to early afternoon, and plans are in place to manage latecomers. Hendrickse also confirmed that hotspot areas are adequately covered by police, with conflict mediators deployed if necessary.

Stay tuned for more news………….