News 11:00

BULLETIN 26 August 11 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The FF Plus says a fair free-market system is needed to fix the trade crisis with the US
# Four new foot and mouth disease cases have been recorded in the Free State
# And tennis: South Africa’s Lloyd Harris and Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz are through to the second round of the US Open

# The Freedom Front Plus says Trade, Industry and Competition minister, Parks Tau, has missed a golden opportunity to do away with the ANC’s failed socialist policies, and replace them with a fair free-market system. Government intends to grant temporary exemptions from standard competition legislation to boost exports. This is on condition that small- to medium-sized enterprises meeting broad-based black economic empowerment requirements are included. FF Plus’ Jaco Mulder says these failed policies have directly contributed to the current trade crisis with America:

# Build One South Africa remains concerned with the continuing absence of a South African ambassador to the US. The party has presented president Cyril Ramaphosa with a set of credible candidates for the position. They are African Continental Free Trade Area secretary general, Wamkele Mene, corporate governance expert Reuel Khoza, and Wits School of Governance head and member of the President’s Economic Advisory Council, Mzukisi Qobo. BOSA says the current vacuum at the helm of the country’s mission in Washington is untenable.

# The Free State Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has confirmed four new cases of foot-and-mouth disease. Three of the cases are in Kroonstad – two of them on commercial farms and one in a communal grazing area. The fourth case is on a commercial farm near Cornelia in the Mafube Municipality. The department says movement restrictions have been implemented on all farms within a ten-kilometre radius of the affected farms. It adds that it has prioritised vaccination of the infected farms.

# United Nations secretary general, António Guterres, has called for a prompt and impartial investigation into the deadly Israeli airstrikes on Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis, Gaza. The airstrikes killed at least 20 people, including five journalists. The journalists had worked with Reuters, Associated Press, Al Jazeera and Middle East Eye. Guterres’ spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric, says an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza is now needed more than ever:

# Tennis: Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz defeated big-serving American Reilly Opelka in straight sets to reach the US Open second round. The second seed is aiming for his second crown at Flushing Meadows. South Africa’s Lloyd Harris beat Argentina’s Sebastian Baez, also in three sets, while Norwegian Casper Ruud saw off Austrian Sebastian Ofner. In the women’s draw, Australian Open champion Madison Keys suffered a shock three set defeat in the first-round to Mexico’s Renata Zarazua. Another American, Venus Williams, also lost in three sets to Czech Karolina Muchova.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-66-cents and the euro at 20-rand-52-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-76-cents and Bitcoin trades at 109-thousand-951-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-376-dollars-59-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 67-dollars-77-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….