News 08:00

BULLETIN 26 May 8 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The deputy minister of Home Affairs warns that illegal immigration is fuelling human trafficking
# The March and March Movement wants a state of emergency declared over illegal immigration
# And, the US launches “self-defence” strikes on southern Iran

# Deputy minister of Home Affairs, Njabulo Nzuza, says government acknowledges that South Africa faces serious challenges linked to illegal immigration, including human trafficking and the smuggling of goods into the country. He and his Police Ministry counterpart, Polly Boshielo, will lead a task team of deputy ministers to enforce compliance with the law amid escalating anti-illegal-immigration protests. Nzuza warned that criminality linked to illegal immigration should not be used as a reason to destabilise the country:

Meanwhile, the anti-immigration civic group March and March Movement has called on the government to declare a state of emergency to address illegal immigration in South Africa. The group has planned a national shutdown on June 30th, which is also the deadline it has set for undocumented foreigners to leave the country. The movement’s founder, Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma, is calling on the government to halt the processing of refugee applications and begin the mass deportation of undocumented foreign nationals, among other demands:

# Free State Agriculture says the latest order of the High Court in Pretoria marks a decisive turning point in the ongoing fight to protect South Africa’s livestock industry against foot-and-mouth disease. The court confirmed that farmers may procure and administer foot-and-mouth disease vaccines without state permission. Free State Agriculture president, Francois Wilken, says the order is a major step forward for farmers who have been left exposed for too long:

# The US military conducted what it says were “self-defence strikes” on southern Iran on Monday, targeting Iranian missile launch sites and boats around the Strait of Hormuz. This is amid a ceasefire and ongoing negotiations to end the war. The strikes come as the Iranian Foreign Ministry stated that some progress has been made in talks with the US, but a deal to end the conflict is not imminent. The US Central Command says the military will continue to defend American forces while using restraint during the ongoing ceasefire.

# Tennis: Frenchman Gael Monfils and Swiss Stan Wawrinka suffered defeats in the opening round of the French Open, their final appearance in Paris. They are retiring at the end of the year. Monfils lost to compatriot Hugo Gaston, 6-2, 6-3, 3-6, 2-6, 6-0, while 2015 champion Wawrinka lost to Dutchman Jesper de Jong, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4. In the women’s draw, four-time champion Iga Swiatek of Poland dispatched Australian wildcard Emerson Jones, ‌6-1, 6-2 in the first round. There were wins also for Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina and Italian seed Jasmine Paolini.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-32-cents and the euro at 18-rand-99-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-1-cent, and Bitcoin trades at 76-thousand-508-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-538-dollars-57-cents a fine ounce, and Brent crude oil is quoted at 94-dollars-95-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….