News 09:00

BULLETIN 26 February 9 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Cosatu commends South Africa’s grey list progress
# The Airports Company appeals a court ruling on baggage screening equipment
# And the US and Ukraine reportedly agree on a rare earth minerals deal

# Cosatu has commended the government’s progress towards removing the country from the Financial Action Task Force grey list. South Africa was grey listed in February 2023, for not complying with international standards that relate to money laundering and addressing illicit financial flows. National Treasury has addressed 20 out of the 22 action items outlined in its action plan. Cosatu’s spokesperson, Matthew Parks, says the government must ensure that South Africa’s removal from the grey list can be secured by October:

# The Airports Company of South Africa applied for leave to appeal a Gauteng High Court ruling that halted its procurement of baggage screening equipment. The November 2024 judgment allowed Aviation Coordination Services to continue overseeing screening while blocking ACSA from purchasing new equipment until a legal review is completed. ACSA argues that, as the airport authority, it must ensure a fair procurement process.

# Build One South Africa says it will protest alongside several political and community organisations today, ahead of Western Cape premier, Alan Winde’s state of the province address in Beaufort West. The protest is an ardent call for an immediate end to the cutting of teacher posts and for greater budget allocation toward hiring educators in the province. BOSA’s spokesperson, Roger Solomons, says the cutting of around two-thousand teaching posts is unacceptable:

# The US and Ukraine have reportedly agreed terms on a major minerals deal. Ukraine holds huge deposits of critical elements and minerals, including lithium and titanium, as well as sizeable coal, gas, oil, and uranium deposits. According to reports, the deal includes joint ownership of a fund, and Ukraine would in the future contribute 50-percent of future proceeds from state-owned resources, including minerals, oil, and gas. America is trying to access Ukraine’s critical minerals and other resources, as part of wider negotiations aimed at ending the war in Kyiv.

# Soccer: The Premier League race to secure Champions League qualification for next season is intensifying. Chelsea thrashed Southampton four-nil at Stamford Bridge to go fourth in the Premier League table, just their third win in eleven games. Aston Villa suffered a four-one defeat to Crystal Palace, a major blow in their hunt for a Champions League spot. Brighton strengthened their bid for European qualification by beating rivals Bournemouth two-one, and moving just three points off a top-four place. 

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-42-cents and the euro at 19-rand-35-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-30-cents and Bitcoin trades at 89-thousand-122-dollars. Gold sells at two-thousand-915-dollars-4-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 72-dollars-66-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….