News 11:00

BULLETIN 13 December 11 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The NPA wants unhindered access to state capture evidence
# President Ramaphosa is hosting the president of Germany
# And a teenager from India becomes the youngest-ever chess world champion

# National Director of Public Prosecutions Shamila Batohi says they don’t have access to crucial evidence that can help expedite state capture cases. The Justice Department has been accused of obstructing the NPA’s access to the records of evidence gathered by the state capture commission. Batohi told the SABC they are looking at legal options to get unhindered access to the evidence so they can successfully prosecute cases referred to it by the commission:

# Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs minister, Velenkosini Hlabisa, says various councils in municipalities are yet to conclude the spaza shop bylaws. Speaking to Newzroom Afrika, Hlabisa said this bylaws are crucial for economic inclusion and job creation. This comes as the spaza shop registration deadline has been pushed to Tuesday. Hlabisa emphasised its role in regulating businesses, ensuring compliance, and supporting local traders:

# President Cyril Ramaphosa is hosting German president Frank-Walter Steinmeier in Pretoria today. Germany is the third largest market for South African exports, the third largest source of overseas tourists, as well as a major investor and development partner. The Presidency says the leaders will have an opportunity to engage on a variety of issues of mutual interest, thereby enhancing the strategic relationship and fostering closer cooperation between the two countries. It adds that Steinmeier will also have an opportunity to lay a wreath at Freedom Park.

# Tennis: Next year’s US Open will be the last for tournament director Stacey Allaster, who will then take up a strategic advisory position within the US Tennis Association. She joined the body eight years ago as CEO of professional tennis, and became the first female tournament director in 2018. Former great Billie Jean King praised Allaster for promoting equality and progress, and for working tirelessly to raise the bar. Allaster will be part of a panel who will select her successor after next year’s US Open.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-80-cents and the euro at 18-rand-60-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-49-cents and Bitcoin trades at 99-thousand-791-dollars-1-cent. Gold sells at two-thousand-688-dollars-91-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 73-dollars-39-cents a barrel.

# And finally, eighteen-year-old Gukesh Dommaraju has made history by becoming the youngest-ever undisputed classical chess world champion. The Indian teenager beat China’s Ding Liren in the final in Singapore. He takes over the title of youngest champion from Russia’s Gary Kasparov, who was 22 when he won nearly four decades ago. Gukesh says winning is the best moment of his life:

Stay tuned for more news………….