News 12:00

BULLETIN 17 September 12 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The Institute of Race Relations welcomes a call for proposals aimed at resolving objections to the NHI
# Eskom marks a milestone in reducing household emissions near Mpumalanga power stations
# And Cricket: Lungi Ngidi says the Proteas do not underestimate Afghanistan

# The Institute of Race Relations says president Cyril Ramaphosa’s open call for proposals aimed at resolving objections to the National Health Insurance must be embraced. The president signed the NHI into law before the May election, but it has not been promulgated, and so it is not in force. IRR’s, Makone Maja, says there are a few alternatives to NHI that Ramaphosa can consider including enabling affordable medical aids, compulsory medical aids for the formally employed, and health vouchers:

# Eskom has reached a major milestone in its efforts to reduce household emissions near its Mpumalanga power stations through the Masibambisane Air Quality Offset project. The initiative, which has retrofitted 91-percent of targeted homes in Ezamokuhle, focuses on reducing coal and wood burning by providing cleaner energy sources like electricity and LP gas. Eskom spokesperson Daphne Mokwena says the expanded project will reach over 36-thousand households across the province: 

# Boeing’s factory workers walked off the job for the first time in 16 years, halting manufacturing across the aircraft’s Seattle hub in the USA. This is after members of its largest union voted overwhelmingly to reject a contract offer and go on strike. Despite both sides saying they want to reach a deal to end the work stoppage, the history of labour relations at Boeing, and the overwhelming rejection of the tentative agreement, suggest the strike could be a long one.

# Cricket: The Proteas men are currently in the United Arab Emirates, where they will take on Afghanistan in a three-match ODI series, starting tomorrow in Sharjah. South Africa is building squad depth by resting some key players, while welcoming back Lungi Ngidi, who returns from a calf injury to spearhead the bowling attack. The 28-year-old pace bowler says they are not underestimating Afghanistan:

# Financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-61-cents and the euro at 19-rand-61-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-28-cents and Bitcoin trades at 58-thousand-761-dollars-56-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-582-dollars-69-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 72-dollars-26-cents a barrel.

# And finally: At least 274 inmates have escaped from a prison in Nigeria’s Borno state following heavy flooding. Aid agencies reported more than a thousand people had died across western and central Africa. Nigerian Correctional Service spokesperson Abubakar Umar says initially, 281 inmates escaped when a jail wall collapsed and while they were being transferred to a safe and secure facility, but seven were recaptured later.

Stay tuned for more news………….