News 10:00

BULLETIN 24 December 10 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Deputy president Mashatile says in 2025 South Africa has made progress worth celebrating
# Belgium becomes the latest country to join South Africa’s ICJ genocide case against Israel
# And Australians are called to embrace a message of hope and resilience this Christmas

# Deputy president Paul Mashatile says 2025 has been a reminder that the greatest strength does not lie in the corridors of government but in the resilience and unity of South Africans. In his Christmas message, he highlighted key achievements, including the 0.5-percent gross domestic product growth in the third quarter, managing the energy crisis, and hosting a successful G20 Leaders’ Summit. Mashatile says as citizens look to the year ahead, he has urged them to embrace the meaning of Ubuntu:

# Belgium has formally joined South Africa’s case at the International Court of Justice, alleging Israel is committing genocide in the Gaza Strip. South Africa brought the case in December 2023, arguing that Israel’s war in Gaza violates the 1948 United Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. Other countries, including Brazil, Colombia, Ireland, Mexico, Spain and Turkey, have already joined the case. Belgium was among a group of countries to recognise an independent Palestinian state in September.

# The Supreme Court of Appeal has granted the family of the late former Zambian president Edgar Lungu leave to appeal a Gauteng High Court ruling over his burial. The 68-year-old passed away in a Pretoria hospital in June. The Lungu family turned to the SCA after the court ruled that Zambia is entitled to repatriate the former president for a state funeral and for him to be buried at Embassy Park. The family has welcomed the decision, saying it remains committed to pursuing what it believes is a just outcome.

# Australian prime minister, Anthony Albanese, says Christmas will feel different this year for citizens following the terror inflicted on Jewish Australians celebrating Chanukah at Bondi Beach. The anti-Semitic massacre last Sunday claimed the lives of 15 people. In his Christmas message, Albanese has called for the nation to come together and embrace a message of hope and resilience:

# Golf: Five-time major champion, Brooks Koepka, has decided to step away from LIV Golf effective immediately, with one year remaining on his current deal. The 35-year-old American, who has been one of the Saudi-backed circuit’s marquee names since 2022, says he remains passionate about the game, but he feels like this is the right moment to spend more time with his family. During his time as captain of the LIV Golf team, Smash, Koepka won five trophies, including individual and team titles.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-66-cents and the euro at 19-rand-66-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-53-cents and Bitcoin trades at 86-thousand-898-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-487-dollars-87-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 61-dollars-83-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….