News 08:00

NEWSFLASH NEWS AGENCY 15 November 8 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The GOOD party urges urgent action for a basic income grant
# Israeli military is carrying out an operation against Hamas in the Al-Shifa Hospital
# And tennis, Jannik Sinner gets his first-ever win over Novak Djokovic

# The GOOD party is urging urgent action for a basic income grant of 999-rand per month in response to South Africa’s current unemployment rate of 31.9-percent. Despite a modest 0.7-percent improvement, the party believes the figures underscore the persistent need to address poverty in the sluggish economy. The GOOD Party’s Brett Herron says the grant is an immediate and effective step required to position the country at a lower-bound poverty line:

Play sound: ENG-HerronOnBIG

Meanwhile, the latest Statistic South Africa’s Quarterly Labour Force survey for the third quarter shows Cape Town has added 205-thousand new jobs over the last year, more than all other metros combined. The metro’s unemployment rate fell by 3.8-percent year-on-year. Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis says Cape Town’s economy is showing resilience, with employment levels above pre-Covid levels for three consecutive quarters:

Play sound: ENG GeordinonUnemployment

# The National Union of Mineworkers says it has decided to terminate the closed-shop agreement at Gold One Modder East Mine in Springs, Gauteng. Work stopped last week after the mine found workers were planning another sit-in underground, the same as what happened three weeks ago. Workers are refusing to be represented by NUM, which enjoys the majority representation, instead wants the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union. NUM says it has taken a responsible decision to safeguard the jobs and save the lives of innocent workers.

# The Israeli Defence Force says it is carrying out a precise and targeted operation against Hamas in a specified area in the Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. The hospital has become a strategic objective for Israel, which sees it as the nerve centre of Hamas’ administrative and military capabilities. The IDF says it recently told Gazan authorities that all military activity within the hospital had to end but this has not happened. It adds that the intent is that no harm is caused to the civilians being used by Hamas as human shields.

# Tennis: Jannik Sinner earned his first-ever win over Novak Djokovic to hand the world number one his first loss since Wimbledon at the ATP Finals in Turin. The Italian defeated the Serb, 7-5, 6-7, 7-6, to close in on a semifinal spot in the Green Group. In the other match, Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas was forced to retire due to a medical reason after just three games against Holger Rune, handing the Dane his first win. Sinner says it means a lot to him to beat the world number one:

Play sound: ENG SinnerOnBeatingNovak

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-22-cents and the euro at 19-rand-83-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-76-cents and Bitcoin trades at 35-thousand-463-dollars-3-cents. Gold sells at one-thousand-965-dollars-68-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 82-dollars-69-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….