News 06:00

BULLETIN 11 June 6 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# President Ramaphosa will meet with president Trump during the G7 Summit in Canada
# The inclement weather in the Eastern Cape claims seven lives
# And cricket: The coach doesn’t expect the Proteas to choke in the Test final

# President Cyril Ramaphosa says he will have bilateral meetings with various heads of State, including US president Donald Trump, on the sidelines of the upcoming G7 Leaders’ Summit in Canada. The meeting with Trump will take place after the two leaders met at the White House in May. Reflecting on his recent visit to Washington, Ramaphosa dismissed criticism of the trip, saying it was a strategic move to reset relations with one of South Africa’s key trading partners:

# Communications and Digital Technologies minister, Solly Malatsi says the decision to grant billionaire Elon Musk’s Starlink an operating license in South Africa lies solely with industry regulator Icasa. While Musk resists complying with Black empowerment equity rules, Malatsi proposes alternatives like investing in Black-owned businesses. The minister says Starlink could boost rural connectivity, but its future hinges on navigating South Africa’s empowerment laws amid political debate and regulatory scrutiny.

# Build One South Africa says the government must stop gaslighting young people and take urgent action to address youth unemployment. During the Youth Day debate in Parliament, BOSA’s deputy leader, Nobuntu Hlazo-Webster, called for all townships to be declared Special Economic Zones to attract investment and create jobs. Hlazo-Webster also called on President Ramaphosa to fire Small Business Development minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams for failing to support young entrepreneurs overwhelmed by bureaucracy:

# Seven people have died during flooding emanating from inclement weather conditions in the Eastern Cape. Six bodies were found along Decoligny village in Mthatha, while the seventh body was recovered in Tsolo near the Bedlana River. Provincial government spokesperson, Khuselwa Rantjie, says rescue teams are still searching for a minibus carrying school children that was swept away while crossing a bridge near Mthatha. She says three pupils were rescued:

# The UK has sanctioned two Israeli far-right ministers over comments they made on Gaza. Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich will both be banned from entering the UK and will have any assets in the UK frozen as part of the measures announced by Foreign Secretary, David Lammy. Smotrich has campaigned against allowing aid into Gaza, while Ben-Gvir has called for Gazans to be resettled from the territory. Both ministers belong to right-wing parties which help to prop up Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition government.

# Cricket: Proteas coach Shukri Conrad realises there will be nerves when they play Australia in the final of the World Test Championship in London from today but doesn’t expect his players to choke as had happened to a South African team too often in the past. Seven of the team members have played at the hallowed field of Lord’s in the past. Conrad says the new ball will be critical, and he selected pace bowler Lungi Ngidi over Dane Paterson to make the most of that issue.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-70-cents and the euro at 20-rand-24-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-91-cents and Bitcoin trades at 110-thousand-149-dollar-90-cents. Gold sells at three-thousand-321-dollars-94-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 66-dollars-61-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….