News 08:00

BULLETIN 21 July 8 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Minister Motshekga says South Africa won’t get entangled in the US-Iran conflict
# The Election Commission says political parties or candidates who spread disinformation will be penalised
# And, Donald Trump imposes 50-percent tariffs on a wide range of Canadian goods 

# Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Angie Motshekga, says South Africa will not get entangled in the US-Iran conflict, upholding its strict non-aligned foreign policy. Government has continuously maintained that the country engages globally based on sovereign equality, mutual respect and non-interference. At least three-thousand-468 people have been killed in US-Israeli attacks on Iran. Motshekga says South Africa maintains diplomatic relations across different regions:

# The Electoral Commission says the Electoral Code of Conduct on Countering Disinformation is aimed at creating a more reliable information environment by strengthening resistance against disinformation, manipulation and coordinated inauthentic online behaviour. Today is the deadline for public comments on the new code, which could result in political parties and candidates who deliberately spread false information during election campaigns facing penalties. IEC vice chairperson, Janet Love, told the SABC that the code promotes ethical communication, transparency and accountability:

# The Gauteng National Taxi Alliance and the South African National Taxi Council have threatened a province-wide shutdown if their demands are not addressed within seven days. The taxi associations accuse the provincial government of failing to meaningfully engage the industry. They have cited delays in issuing operating licences and poor consultation on transport policies. The Gauteng National Taxi Alliance chairperson, Mpho Motsepe, says the taxi industry’s relationship with Roads and Transport MEC, Kedibone Diale-Tlabela, has completely broken down:

# US president Donald Trump has imposed 50-percent tariff on a range of Canadian goods, ranging from everyday consumer items like wine and hockey sticks to industrial goods such as commercial cement and electrical equipment. He says this is to offset Canada’s discriminatory treatment of US exports, including cars, dairy and alcohol. The new tariffs will exclude energy products, fish, critical minerals and potash. They also exclude products already subject to tariffs aimed at protecting national security, such as steel and aluminium. The tariffs will go into effect in 30 days.

# Tennis: The Women’s Tennis Association says players will have to undergo a one-time test for the SRY gene, which is part of the Y chromosome and causes male characteristics to develop. Previous WTA rules allowed the participation of transgender women provided their declared gender was female, and they maintained a lower testosterone level for two years before competing. Players who refuse the test will face disciplinary action. WTA says the women’s eligibility policy is designed to maintain fair competition for all players participating in tournaments.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-49-cents and the euro at 18-rand-81-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-15-cents, and Bitcoin trades at 65-thousand-426-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-47-dollars-65-cents a fine ounce, and Brent crude oil is quoted at 86-dollars-83-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….