News 16:00
BULLETIN 25 April 4 pm
Good afternoon. I am……..
In this bulletin:
# The Eastern Cape Liquor Board’s failures violated human rights
# President Cyril Ramaphosa urges action on universal accessibility in the transport sector
# And rugby: The Sharks bring back their Boks for the clash with the Scarlets
# The South African Human Rights Commission’s Nomahlubi Khwinana has criticised the Eastern Cape Liquor Board’s lax conduct, linking it to violations of fundamental human rights in the Enyobeni tavern incident. Khwinana says persistently issuing liquor licenses without adequate monitoring and enforcement capacity directly contravenes constitutional and international human rights laws. She emphasises this endangered vulnerable communities and neglected obligations to safeguard lives:
# President Cyril Ramaphosa says urgent action is needed on universal accessibility within the transport sector. He was speaking at the Transport Summit on Universal Accessibility in Ekurhuleni, Gauteng. The president emphasises the need to address persistent barriers faced by persons with disabilities. Ramaphosa called for collaboration and concrete solutions to address barriers to accessibility, stressing the imperative of ensuring safety for pedestrians, cyclists, and public transport users. He also acknowledges the transformative potential of emerging technologies in shaping more inclusive transportation systems:
# The World Bank is advising South Africa’s National Treasury on a climate risk strategy after recent floods. Options include climate insurance or a contingency fund for major weather events. Municipalities could also be encouraged to invest in infrastructure and other measures to reduce the impact of unexpected weather events. The bank says setting up a bulwark against the impact of weather disasters would be another step taken by government to tackle the impacts of global warming. The plan follows severe floods in KwaZulu-Natal, which damaged infrastructure and caused casualties.
# US secretary of State Antony Blinken has called on the United States and China to manage their differences responsibly as he landed in Beijing for tough talks with the rival power’s leaders. He is expected to address a range of thorny issues, including Chinese support for Russia and its treatment of Taiwan, with China likely to raise trade concerns such as new US action against popular Chinese social media app TikTok. Tomorrow a full day of talks is planned with China’s political leadership, including a possible meeting with president Xi Jinping.
# Rugby: Lukhanyo Am leads a vastly experienced, Springbok-laden Sharks side for the team’s United Rugby Championship clash with Scarlets tomorrow evening. After a week’s break, head coach John Plumtree has brought back many of his experienced players for this clash in Wales. Phepsi Buthelezi, selected at flank this week, warns they have plenty to respect as they go into the match against the Welsh. The team includes Ox Nché, Vincent Koch, Eben Etzebeth, Grant Williams and Makazole Mapimpi. Kick-off is at 8:35 SA time.
# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-99-cents and the euro at 20-rand-36-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-76-cents and Bitcoin trades at 64-thousand-21-dollars-24-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-325-dollars-86-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 87-dollars-32-cents a barrel.
Stay tuned for more news………….