News 11:00

BULLETIN 26 February 11 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# President Cyril Ramaphosa says the national budget will help the country achieve more rapid and inclusive economic growth
# It’s D-Day for the ANC to hand over the outstanding cadre deployment documents
# And rugby, Argentina’s men are crowned champions in Vancouver

# President Cyril Ramaphosa says over the last five years government has taken several actions to get the economy back on track, including implementing far-reaching reforms in the energy and logistics sectors. In his weekly newsletter, he says Finance minister Enoch Godongwana presented a national budget that takes the country further along on the path of reviving the economy. Ramaphosa says the budget shows government remains committed to achieving a sustainable fiscal trajectory, it protects critical services and social spending, and it includes new measures to support growth and create jobs.

# The DA says the ANC has until the end of today to hand over the outstanding documents related to its cadre deployment committee meetings dating back to January 2013, or it will launch a contempt of court application. Last week, the ruling party handed over to the DA its cadre deployment documents as per the Constitutional Court order. However, the DA says the ANC failed to include president Cyril Ramaphosa’s emails and WhatsApps, even though he was the committee’s chairperson, and it failed to provide a list of all decisions taken by the committee.

# The EFF in Gauteng says the increasing occurrences of blue light hijackings in the province over the past few months is alarming. It is alleged that a so-called blue light gang is operating on the N3 highway near Heidelberg, where they dress in police uniforms stop vehicles and rob or even kidnap the occupants. The EFF’s, Naledi Chirwa-Mpungose, says it is disheartening that criminals now don the once-respectable police uniform and use blue lights to commit vicious crimes:

# Australia has imposed financial sanctions and travel bans on seven Russian prison officials it accuses of mistreating Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny at the Arctic prison colony. He died earlier this month while being held at the prison. The Russian opposition leader was serving a 19-year term for charges widely viewed as politically motivated. Deputy prime minister, Richard Marles, says Australia holds Russian president Vladimir Putin and his government responsible for Navalny’s treatment and death in custody. The Kremlin has denied having anything to do with his death.

# Rugby: Argentina reinforced their position as the top men’s team in the world currently, by winning their third straight Canada Sevens crown in Vancouver. The Pumas came from behind to defeat New Zealand 36-12 in the final, to tighten their grip on the eight-leg World Rugby Sevens Series. Meanwhile, a hattrick from Portia Woodman-Wickliffe, saw New Zealand beat France 35-19 to win the women’s final for the second consecutive year. Woodman-Wickliffe says the new players in the squad stepped up:

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 19-rand-27-cents and the euro at 20-rand-86-cents. One British pound costs 24-rand-42-cents and Bitcoin trades at 51-thousand-522-dollars-87-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-and-32-dollars-51-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 81-dollars-43-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….