News 11:00

BULLETIN 23 May 11 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The US’ research funding cuts have plunged South African universities into a crisis
# The United Nations says the international framework to protect civilians is collapsing
# And cricket: Rajasthan Royals’ teenage sensation is included in India’s Under 19 touring squad

# The US government’s research funding cuts have plunged South African universities into a crisis, with 44 programmes worth 2.5-billion-rand affected. The Wits Health Consortium says it requires 1.8-billion-rand from the National Treasury to replace all current US grants over the next three to four years. The University of Cape Town says without intervention, it stands to lose over 437-million-rand in research funding in the next 12 months. The North West University has had five projects worth 5.4-million-rand terminated. The Department of Higher Education says this matter has been escalated to the Presidency.

# The ACDP has raised concerns over delays in implementing the Economic Regulation of Transport Amendment Act. The act aims to establish a single transport regulator covering road, rail, shipping, and aviation. During the National Assembly’s plenary session, the party’s Wayne Thring said the act, passed by Parliament and signed by president Cyril Ramaphosa, remains in limbo due to a referencing error listing the wrong year:

# The DA in Tshwane welcomed the immigration enforcement operation conducted by the Department of Home Affairs in Plastic View this morning. Several residents were arrested. The DA’s Cilliers Brink says the non-enforcement of immigration laws over many years has placed a considerable burden on local authorities, especially when land is unlawfully occupied by undocumented foreign nationals:

# United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator, Tom Fletcher, is warning that systems protecting civilians in armed conflicts are collapsing. Last year, the UN recorded more than 36-thousand civilian deaths in 14 armed conflicts, while displacement reached a record 122-million people globally. Fletcher says the measures required to protect civilians are longstanding and time-tested; they require strict adherence to international law and the adoption of good-faith policies:

# Cricket: Rajasthan Royals’ explosive teenagter batter, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, will represent India at youth level after being named in the Under 19 squad for a multi-format tour of England. The 14-year-old became the youngest to score a century in men’s T20s last month when he reached the milestone from only 35 balls – smashing 11 sixes and seven fours. Suryavanshi has already scored 252 runs in seven matches for Rajasthan. The tour of England includes five one-day matches and two multi-day encounters.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-83-cents and the euro at 20-rand-27-cents. One British pound costs 24-rand-9-cents and Bitcoin trades at 110-thousand-777-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-330-dollars-36-cent a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 63-dollars-46-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….