News 08:00

BULLETIN 16 February 8 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Cosatu welcomes the proposed extension of the Special Emergency Grant
# Airlink is launching a new direct service from Mbombela to Johannesburg and Mozambique
# And, president Putin urges the Russians to have more children for the sake of his people’s survival

# Cosatu has welcomed government’s announcement of its intention to extend the Special Relief of Distress grant for an additional year until March 2025. This will provide comfort for 8-million unemployed people receiving this critical poverty alleviation support. Cosatu’s acting spokesperson, Matthew Parks, says although the grant has many limitations, it has provided an invaluable source of relief for millions of South Africans without an income, and has laid the foundation for the long-awaited basic income grant:

# Build One South Africa calls on Finance minister Enoch Godongwana to address township economic growth in his budget speech. BOSA advocates for a comprehensive plan to uplift the economy, create jobs, and improve living standards. Party leader Mmusi Maimane this week met Soweto entrepreneurs to discuss their needs, culminating in recommendations for Godongwana. Proposals include infrastructure improvements, township special economic zones, and mentorship programmes. Maimane envisions townships as economic hubs with the right environment for economic growth:

# Airlink is set to launch a new route from Mbombela to Johannesburg and Mozambique in July. This bush and beach service will connect Mbombela’s Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport with the renowned Mozambican coastal resort Vilanculos, and Johannesburg. Operating on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays until 5 January next year, the direct service will utilise modern Embraer regional jets. BusinessTech reports tickets for the route are already available, responding to popular demand for convenient travel options. This seasonal route complements Airlink’s year-round daily direct Johannesburg-Vilanculos service.

# President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday Russian families must produce at least two children for the sake of the nation’s ethnic survival, and three or more if it is to develop and thrive. Russia has suffered heavy but undisclosed casualties since launching its war in Ukraine nearly two years ago. As a result, hundreds of thousands of people have fled the country out of opposition to the conflict or fear of being called up to fight. The country suffered two decades of gradual population decline following the collapse of the Soviet Union, exacerbated by chronic problems such as alcoholism.

#  Golf: Tiger Woods says he is pain-free as he prepares for his first PGA Tour event of 2024 at the Genesis Invitational. But, the 15-time Major champion says he is still adapting after the ankle surgery he underwent in April 2023. Woods’ schedule has been limited since injuring his leg in a car crash in 2021. He withdrew from the Masters in April 2023 before returning to competitive action at the Hero World Challenge in December. He says he still has ambitions to play for as long as possible.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-95-cents and the euro at 20-rand-40-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-86-cents and Bitcoin trades at 52-thousand-202-dollars-70-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-and-4-dollars-29-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 82-dollars-75-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….