News 12:00

BULLETIN 3 December 12 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The ATM says economic hardships frequently amplify the risk of teenage pregnancies
# South Africa approves a 150-percent tax incentive for electric vehicle manufacturers
# And cricket: India’s captain takes himself out of the final Test against Australia

# The African Transformation Movement says it is deeply concerned over the alarming rise in teenage pregnancies in the country. A 13-year-old girl gave birth on Christmas Day and a 12-year-old girl on New Year’s Day. The ATM’s Zama Ntshona says economic hardships frequently amplify the risk of teenage pregnancies. He adds that young girls may feel pressured to engage in relationships that provide financial support, which can inadvertently lead to unintended pregnancies:

# South Africa has enacted a 150-percent tax incentive for electric and hydrogen vehicle manufacturers, effective March 2026. According to News24, this initiative aims to transition the automotive industry over the next decade. A 500-million-rand investment allowance is set for the 2026/2027 tax year. Manufacturers investing in new infrastructure and equipment for producing electric or hydrogen-powered vehicles will qualify, boosting local production and supporting green energy innovation.

# South Korean anti-corruption investigators failed to detain the country’s impeached president Yoon Suk Yeol today, after an almost five-hour stand-off with Seoul’s presidential security service. Investigators withdrew from the presidential compound after they were blocked from entering Yoon’s official residence. A Seoul court issued a warrant for Yoon’s detention on 31 December after he evaded multiple requests to appear for questioning. Investigators say his short-lived martial law declaration on 3 December could have amounted to rebellion.

# Cricket: India captain Rohit Sharma is sitting out the final Test against Australia being played in Sydney following a poor run of form with the bat. The 37-year-old has scored just 31 runs in five innings in the series. Stand-in captain Jasprit Bumrah insists Rohit opted to rest himself, but many say it could be the end of the road for him. India are 2-1 down, with one match drawn, and need a win at the SCG to snatch a series draw and stay in contention to face South Africa in June’s World Test Championship final at Lord’s.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-17-cents and the euro at 19-rand-23-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-17-cents and Bitcoin trades at 96-thousand-411-dollars. Gold sells at two-thousand-652-dollars-94-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 75-dollars-79-cents a barrel.

# And finally: The City of Cape Town’s Fire and Rescue Service set a record in December when they helped to deliver five babies in just 20 days. The Mfuleni and Hout Bay Fire Stations had two births apiece, while the fifth a twin was born during a callout in Gugulethu. Mayoral committee member for Safety and Security, JP Smith, says in that three-week period, firefighters attended to hundreds of incidents:

Stay tuned for more news………….