News 11:00

BULLETIN 1 July 11 am

Good morning. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# AfriForum calls for the devolution of policing powers
# The US Senate is in a marathon voting session on Trump’s Domestic Policy Bill
# And tennis: Yulia Putintseva asks for a spectator to be removed at Wimbledon

# AfriForum warns that Operation Shanela Two may not succeed without structural reforms to decentralise policing powers. The organisation argues while national efforts to tackle crime are welcome, the government’s centralised policing model has repeatedly failed. AfriForum’s Jacques Broodryk says local safety structures such as neighbourhood and farm watches have proven more effective in many areas and should be better supported:

# The Freedom Front Plus in Gauteng has asked the MEC for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Jacob Mamabolo, to provide safe wheelchairs access at the offices of the Rand West Local Municipality in Randfontein. FF Plus spokesperson Jaco Mulder says one of its councillors who uses a wheelchair, Charles Brough, injured his back on Thursday when he, a helper and a worker fell down a set of stairs. He says the lift is always out of service:

# A marathon voting session on US president Donald Trump’s sweeping domestic policy bill is underway in the Senate after a weekend of negotiations and delays. The open-ended, hours-long series of votes on amendments is still going with no end in sight. The extended voting session provides an opportunity for Republicans to make any eleventh-hour adjustments to the package. Trump’s multitrillion-dollar bill would lower federal taxes and infuse more money into the Pentagon and border security agencies, while downsizing government safety-net programmes, including Medicaid.

# Tennis: Kazakhstan’s Yulia Putintseva asked for a spectator to be removed after expressing concerns about his behaviour during her first-round match at Wimbledon.  At the start of her encounter with American Amanda Anisimova, the 30-year-old approached the umpire to report the spectator, describing him as crazy and dangerous. It was not immediately clear what action was taken, but play resumed after the chair umpire consulted security personnel. A visibly emotional Putintseva lost 6-love, 6-love in the match that lasted only 44 minutes.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-66-cents and the euro at 20-rand-79-cents. One British pound costs 24-rand-25-cents and Bitcoin trades at 107-thousand-11-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-331-dollars-29-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 66-dollars-72-cents a barrel.

# And finally, over eight-thousand learners are gathering at Rhema Bible Church in Randburg, Johannesburg, for the 2025 ABC Motsepe South African Schools Choral Eisteddfod from today till Thursday. The national event, hosted by the Departments of Basic Education and Sport, Arts and Culture, in partnership with the Motsepe Foundation, features categories like Opera Solo and Small Ensemble. A new Champ of Champs category debuts this year to elevate competition and encourage broader participation from rising school choirs nationwide.

Stay tuned for more news………….