News 12:00

BULLETIN 14 February 12 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The EFF calls for an end to arms sales to Israel
# The UN says rebuilding Gaza is a monumental task
# And motorsport: Lando Norris is ready to challenge for the F1 drivers’ championship

# The EFF is deeply concerned that despite South Africa’s prohibition of weapons sales to Israel, there are indications of very serious breaches of this embargo. It says in 2023 South African arms companies sold arms worth 3.3-billion-rand to countries among Israel’s largest suppliers, including the US, Germany, Hungary, Italy and France. The EFF demands that government must urgently reform the country’s weak and administratively inept approach to weapons exports, and strengthen the capacity of the National Conventional Arms Control Committee to fulfil its legal mandate.

Meanwhile, the United Nations says it is racing against time to expand humanitarian relief and prepare for the monumental task of rebuilding Gaza, as a fragile ceasefire holds. Earlier this week Hamas suggested there might be an indefinite delay in the release of the next three hostages due to violations by Israel, but confirmed yesterday the hostages will be released tomorrow. The UN’s Office for Project Services says the scale of the destruction in Gaza poses a logistical and financial challenge likely to persist for years.

# Communications and Digital Technologies minister, Solly Malatsi, says the deadline for beneficiaries to swap their gold Sassa card for the black Postbank card has been extended to the 20th of March. The original deadline was the 28th of February. Malatsi says they trust this extension will provide much-needed extra time for grant recipients to replace their cards:

# Motorsport: McLaren’s Lando Norris says he is determined to challenge for the drivers’ championship again this year, as the new Formula One season begins in Australia next month. The Brit helped McLaren to a first constructors’ crown since 1998 last year. However, he finished 63 points behind Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, who claimed his fourth successive drivers’ title. Norris says he needs to get his elbows out but also be smart in his battles with Verstappen:

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-39-cents and the euro at 19-rand-27-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-13-cents and Bitcoin trades at 96-thousand-905-dollars. Gold sells at two-thousand-938-dollars-19-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 75-dollars-14-cents a barrel.

# And finally: The Gauteng Department of Health encourages couples to celebrate Valentine’s Day by prioritising their health with active, affordable date ideas. Instead of traditional dinner dates, couples are urged to take walks, go hiking, dance, cycle, or even jog together. The department’s Motalatale Modiba says regular exercise can lower the risk of heart disease, strokes, and diabetes, while also improving mental well-being:

Stay tuned for more news………….