News 11:00

BULLETIN 12 February 11 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Solidarity launches a campaign against South Africa’s race-based laws
# The Italian police arrest 150 members of the Mafia
# And cricket: Australia’s Mitchell Starc has withdrawn from the Champions Trophy

# Solidarity says it will launch a comprehensive national and international campaign against South Africa’s race-based laws, including affirmative action and broad-based black economic empowerment. Solidarity’s Jaco Kleynhans says their action plan includes pressuring the government to change the country’s race laws and liaising with the G20 countries to put South Africa’s race-based laws on the agenda. He says they will also request the International Labour Organisation to appoint a special rapporteur to send to the country:

# The Department of Correctional Services says it has met all recommendations set by the Public Protector to develop an escape prevention strategy. The department briefed Parliament on its action plan to comply with the remedial action contained in the Public Protector’s report on Thabo Bester’s escape from Mangaung Correctional Centre in the Free State. The department’s Pheladi Kekana says they have also established guidelines for managing security incidences, anti-corruption and fraud prevention, and whistle-blowing policy procedures:

# The DA in Gauteng has reiterated its call for the Department of Education to take immediate action to address the overcrowding crisis in schools across the province. The party’s Sergio Isa dos Santos says during an oversight inspection at the Randvaal Primary School in Sedibeng, he found 53 learners in a single classroom. He says severe overcrowding at schools has created an environment not conducive to learning and teaching:

# Italian police arrested almost 150 people in a major operation against the Sicilian Mafia in Palermo, areas of which remain in the grip of powerful Cosa Nostra clans. Warrants were issued against a total of 183 people, 36 of whom who were already in custody, for crimes including mafia-type criminal association, attempted murder, extortion, drug trafficking and illegal gambling. More than one-thousand-200 officials were involved in dawn raids, in what media reports say was the biggest operation against the Cosa Nostra since 1984.

# Cricket: Australian fast bowler Mitchell Starc has withdrawn from the Champions Trophy in Pakistan for personal reasons. His withdrawal means Australia will be without their entire World Cup-winning frontline pace attack for the tournament, which starts next Wednesday. This follows after injuries had already ruled out Pat Cummins, Josh Hazlewood, and Mitchell Marsh, alongside the retirement of Marcus Stoinis. Steve Smith will captain the team in Cummins’ absence.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-48-cents and the euro at 19-rand-15-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand and Bitcoin trades at 95-thousand-870-dollars. Gold sells at two-thousand-893-dollars-18-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 76-dollars-56-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….