News 07:00

BULLETIN 10 January 7 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The Palestinian ambassador to the UK stresses the importance of South Africa’s genocide case against Israel
# Solidarity calls for urgent solutions as doctors express frustration over placement woes
# And, Tom Cruise is set to develop and produce original films for Warner Brothers

# Palestinian ambassador to the UK, Husam Zomlot, says the outcome of South Africa’s case against Israel at the International Court of Justice will have major consequences. South Africa is accusing Israel of genocide in its war on Gaza. The court based in The Hague will hold a hearing into the case tomorrow. Speaking to the SABC, Zomlot says what South Africa is doing is not only saving the Palestinian people but all of humanity:

# Trade union Solidarity warns of a critical doctor placement crisis, exposing financial and management challenges in the Department of Health. According to the union, the department’s Nicholas Crisp, a key National Health Insurance advocate, denied a doctor shortage, but evidence shows up to a thousand junior doctors are struggling for placements. They revealed concealed issues, attributing the problem to serious funding shortages. Solidarity’s Theuns du Buisson urges government to act swiftly, advocating for private sector involvement and training to address the ongoing crisis.

# The DA says the explosion site in Lilian Ngoyi Street, Johannesburg, is a distressing monument to inaction and neglect. It says the site’s deterioration, coupled with recent flooding and a crime wave, adds to the woes. According to the party, shop owners report financial strain and job losses, while promises of enhanced security remain unfulfilled. The DA’s Belinda Kayser-Echeozonjoku says the street, lingering in disrepair for over six months, symbolises the doomsday coalition’s consistent failure to address pressing resident needs:

# The Public Servants Association in the Free State has expressed concern about the prolonged water crisis in Theunissen, adversely affecting local healthcare facilities. According to the PSA, inadequate water supply poses significant challenges for the clinics, jeopardising patient care and heightening infection risks. The association’s Aubrey Nappie says shortages hinder essential medical procedures, sterilisation, and general hygiene, leading to a surge in infections among healthcare workers. Nappie urgently calls on authorities to swiftly provide safe water access, especially in healthcare facilities, for the Theunissen community.

# Rugby: Bulls coach Jake White says squad depth will be important over the next few weeks. The Bulls won’t have their Springboks available for the next two rounds of the Champions Cup, nor the United Rugby Championship derby against the Lions at the end of the month. This is a result of an enforced five-week break for all Springboks being decreed by SA Rugby. White says the focus now is their clash against Bristol on Saturday:

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-66-cents and the euro at 20-rand-41-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-73-cents and Bitcoin trades at 45-thousand-999-dollars-54-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-31-dollars-59-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 77-dollars-93-cents a barrel.

# And finally, award-winning actor Tom Cruise has signed a new deal to develop and produce theatrical films with Warner Brothers Discovery. The movies will be a mix of original productions and franchise fare and will star Cruise. He has worked at Warner Bros in the past, but it has been a decade since he appeared in the studio’s Edge of Tomorrow. The company says it is excited to welcome Cruise back and looks forward to bringing more of his genius to life on screen in the years ahead.

Stay tuned for more news………….