News 09:00

BULLETIN 23 May 9 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The FF Plus says Trump exposed the truth about South Africa
# Two suspects wanted for at least six cash-in-transit robberies were shot dead
# And the man accused of killing the Israeli Embassy staffers has officially been charged

# The Freedom Front Plus says president Cyril Ramaphosa’s meeting with US president Donald Trump exposed South Africa as a country plagued by violence, a struggling economy, collapsing infrastructure, and overall stagnation. In the meeting at the White House on Wednesday, Trump confronted Ramaphosa with false claims of genocide against whites, including allegations of mass killings and land seizures. The FF Plus says the world now knows that South Africa is a country where Afrikaners and other minorities are bullied, oppressed, and marginalised by race-based legislation.

# Minister in the Presidency responsible for Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation, Maropene Ramokgopa, will lead a delegation to BAIC South Africa in Gqeberha today. Spokesperson Litha Mpondwana says the engagement will explore ways to enhance monitoring and evaluation systems, boosting the state’s ability to deliver impactful and accountable governance under the Seventh Administration:

# Two suspected cash-in-transit suspects were killed in a shootout with police at Wasbank near Ladysmith in KwaZulu-Natal on Thursday. Police spokesperson, Robert Netshiunda, says the two suspects were allegedly involved in at least six cash-in-transit robberies at KwaDukuza, Verulam, Phoenix, Greytown, Nyomi, and Langlaagte between 2022 and March this year. He says they followed up on intelligence about the whereabouts of the suspects:

# The suspect accused of killing two young Israeli embassy staff members outside the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington on Wednesday evening has been charged with first-degree murder. Elias Rodriguez has also been charged with the murder of foreign officials and related firearm charges. At least one of the charges, using a firearm to commit murder, carries the possibility of the death penalty. Interim US attorney for Washington, Jeanine Pirro, says they will add additional charges as the evidence warrants.

# Cricket: Ollie Pope scored an unbeaten 169 as England reached 498 for three in their first innings at stumps on day one of their one-off Test against Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge. Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley were also impressive with the bat, scoring 140 and 124 respectively. This is Zimbabwe’s first Test in England in 22 years. Despite his recent poor run of form, Crawley says he is not feeling any extra pressure for his place in the team:

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-92-cents and the euro at 20-rand-28-cents. One British pound costs 24-rand-11-cents and Bitcoin trades at 110-thousand-717-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-314-dollars-9-cent a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 63-dollars-60-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….