News 09:00

BULLETIN 13 January 9 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# South Africa is confident it has presented a compelling case at the International Court of Justice
# OUTA welcomes the sanctions against software giant SAP
# And, motorsport: Dakar Rally: Sebastien Loeb claims his second stage win in the Saudi Arabian desert

# Justice and Correctional Services minister Ronald Lamola has expressed confidence in the country’s case before the International Court of Justice in The Hague in the Netherlands. On the other side, Israel defended itself against accusations of genocide, arguing that South Africa painted a distorted picture. Lamola addressing the media after Israel’s presentations and refuted claims that humanitarian aid mitigated actions amid ongoing bombings, citing the United Nations’ stance. He believes the law and the court’s jurisprudence are on their side:

# The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse has welcomed the sanctions against German software company SAP, implicated in corruption at South African state-owned entities. SAP is ordered to pay 2.2-billion-rand in restitution through corporate alternative dispute resolution, with an additional 750-million-rand to the criminal asset recovery account. OUTA CEO Wayne Duvenage has condemned SAP’s involvement in corruption, emphasising the need to hold individuals and companies accountable for their actions in South Africa.

# The Bank of Namibia has joined the Network for Greening the Financial System, aimed at strengthening its environmental and climate risk management in the financial sector. The network is a global collaborative body focused on managing risks and mobilising capital for green and low-carbon investments. The bank’s Naufiku Hamunime emphasises the commitment to sustainability and staying at the forefront of global dialogue, and exchanging knowledge with like-minded central banks to align the financial system with green principles:

# Motorsport: Audi’s Carlos Sainz led the Dakar Rally yesterday as Sebastien Loeb claimed his second stage win in the Saudi Arabian desert. Nasser Al-Attiyah’s hopes of defending his title disappeared in the dunes. Spaniard Sainz, a triple Dakar winner, completed the 549-kilometer, 48-hour Chrono sixth stage with a lead of 20 minutes and 21 seconds over Swedish teammate Mattias Ekstrom, with Loeb third a further nine minutes behind. Nine-times world rally champion Loeb, driving a Prodrive Hunter, won the stage by two minutes from Sainz, with Ekstrom third.

# And, finally: The World Health Organisation has declared Cape Verde as malaria-free, making it the third African nation to achieve this status. Against the background of ongoing malaria challenges across the continent, with an estimated 608-thousand deaths and 250-million infections in 2022, this achievement has been lauded by WHO Regional director for Africa, Matshidiso Moeti. Moeti says, Cape Verde’s success highlights the progress made in combatting malaria and signifies a major accomplishment for the nation in the fight against this deadly disease.

Stay tuned for more news………….