News 08:00

BULLETIN 26 February 8 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Eleven of the South African men lured to Russia have returned home
# Cuba’s coast guard kills four people on a speedboat from Florida
# And cricket: Proteas Women win the ODI series against Pakistan with one game to spare

# Eleven South African men, allegedly tricked into fighting for Russian forces in Ukraine, arrived in Durban yesterday evening. They form part of the group of 17 men who were lured to Moscow under false pretences. Four of them made it home last week. Two of the men remain in Russia; one is in hospital, while the other is being processed before his travel arrangements are made. ANC KwaZulu-Natal spokesperson, Fanle Sibisi, told the SABC that they are calling for an investigation into the men’s recruitment:

# The GOOD Party says this year’s budget offers little relief for the poorest citizens. The party argues the social relief distress grant has been rebranded as a livelihood grant, but at 370-rand per month, it does not lift recipients above the food poverty line. GOOD secretary-general Brett Herron calls for a meaningful basic income grant to promote economic justice, structural inclusion, and gender equity:

# Ekurhuleni mayor Nkosindiphile Xhakaza has reshuffled his mayoral committee again, after the EFF and ActionSA declined to join his administration. The mayor had named his new coalition executive last week, which saw the ANC gain more positions, the EFF’s share cut, and ActionSA brought in for the first time. The three newly-appointed mayoral committee members are Nkgopotse Nsizwa Mekgwe, Siyabonga Mathews Moloi, and Dora Mlambo, all ANC members. Xhakaza says these appointments reinforce the metro’s governance capacity by ensuring that all portfolios are fully constituted, enabling accelerated service delivery.

# Cuba’s Interior Ministry says border guards killed four people and wounded six more on a Florida-registered speedboat that entered the country’s waters. One border guard was injured in an exchange of gunfire. This incident comes amid heightened tensions between the US and Cuba as Washington has blocked virtually all oil shipments from reaching the communist-run island. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio says the nationalities of those on board are still unclear:

# Cricket: The Proteas Women beat Pakistan by 16 runs in the second ODI in Centurion, to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series. Allrounder Annerie Dercksen scored 90-runs off 68 balls as South Africa posted 361 for eight, the second-highest score in Proteas Women’s history. In reply, Ayesha Zafar scored 75, but ultimately the visitors fell short as Dercksen took three wickets, with Pakistan being bowled out for 345 in 49.5 overs. The final ODI will be in Durban on Sunday.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 15-rand-84-cents and the euro at 18-rand-73-cents. One British pound costs 21-rand-49-cents, and Bitcoin trades at 68-thousand-99-dollars. Gold sells at five-thousand-188-dollars-71-cents a fine ounce, and Brent crude oil is quoted at 70-dollars-75-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….