News 12:00

BULLETIN 31 October 12 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Deputy president Paul Mashatile is to brief Parliament on efforts to address South Africa’s water challenges
# Cricket: The Proteas force Bangladesh to follow-on on the third morning in Chattogram
# And one person wins the second-largest Lotto jackpot ever recorded in South Africa

# Deputy president Paul Mashatile will today brief the National Assembly about government’s efforts to address South Africa’s water challenges. He will also discuss potential investments from the United Kingdom and Ireland, recent measures by the water task team, and actions against municipalities for pollution. Spokesperson Linah Ledwaba says updates on the national dialogue and land expropriation amendments will also be provided:

# COPE is calling on government to announce an inclusive economic Codesa, saying the state of the economy is concerning. Tabling the medium-term budget policy statement in Parliament yesterday, Finance minister Enoch Godongwana said they forecast a real growth-domestic-product growth of 1.1 percent this year. This is lower than the estimate of 1.3 percent in February. COPE’s Pakes Dikgetsi says fiscal sustainability is imperative:

# Actor and former Republican governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger, has become the latest celebrity to endorse vice president Kamala Harris for next week’s American election. Schwarzenegger says if Donald Trump wins, then he will divide, insult, and find new ways to be more un-American. Meanwhile, astronaut Buzz Aldrin, the second man to ever walk on the moon, has endorsed Trump, praising his support of space exploration. Singer Nicky Jam has retracted his endorsement of the former president after a comedian insulted Puerto Rico at a Trump rally on Sunday.

# Cricket: Proteas captain Aiden Markram enforced the follow-on after a 416-run first-innings lead in the second Test against Bangladesh in Chattogram. The hosts resumed on 38 for four on the third morning after South Africa declared on 575 for six yesterday. Kagiso Rabada quickly added three wickets to his two from yesterday, and Keshav Maharaj took another before Mominul Haque and Taijul Islam frustrated the bowlers with a 103-run ninth-wicket partnership. Bangladesh was eventually bowled out for 159. A short while ago, the score was 68 for five.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-69-cents and the euro at 19-rand-21-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-99-cents and Bitcoin trades at 72-thousand-408-dollars-33-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-779-dollars-19-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 72-dollars-21-cents a barrel.

# And finally: One person has won yesterday’s Lotto jackpot and is now 103.6-million-rand richer. The winner, yet to be identified, matched six numbers. The operator of the National Lottery, Ithuba, says the jackpot was the second-largest ever recorded in South Africa, following the 110-million-rand prize shared in January 2018 by four winners. When the next Lotto draw takes place on Saturday, the jackpot will be an estimated three-million-rand.

Stay tuned for more news………….