News 12:00

BULLETIN 15 December 12 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Australia’s prime minister is seeking tougher gun laws following the deadly Bondi Beach shooting
# More storms are expected to sweep parts of South Africa this week
# And cricket: England’s coach says his players can change the narrative in the third Ashes Test

# Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese says he will push for tougher gun laws following yesterday’s terror incident at Bondi Beach in Sydney. Fifteen people were killed when a father and son duo started shooting randomly at a Hanukkah event. Australia already has some of the world’s toughest gun laws, with only 31 gun-related murders recorded between July 2023 and June last year. Albanese says tougher gun laws will be on the cabinet’s agenda:

# Activists and Citizens Forum is concerned about reports that the Madlanga commission of inquiry’s interim report will not be made public. President Cyril Ramaphosa established the inquiry following explosive allegations by KwaZulu-Natal police commissioner, Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, of corruption and interference in the criminal justice system. The forum’s spokesperson, Dennis Bloem, says South Africans won’t accept the decision to keep the report a secret:

# More storms are expected to sweep across parts of South Africa this week, bringing heavy rain, strong winds and possible flooding in some areas. The South African Weather Service has issued a yellow level 2 warning for severe thunderstorms over parts of North West, Limpopo, Gauteng and Mpumalanga. A 30-percent chance of thundershowers is forecast over the central interior into the eastern parts today. The service says the country is in a weak La Niña season with above-normal rainfall, especially over the central and eastern parts.

# Cricket: England’s coach Brendon McCullum says his players have a massive chance in the third Ashes Test against Australia to change the narrative. The tourists were crushed in the first two Tests in Perth and Brisbane by eight wickets, and only a victory at Adelaide Oval this week will be enough to keep the five-match series alive. McCullum says they are unlikely to make any batting changes in the third Test:

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-85-cents and the euro at 19-rand-76-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-51-cents and Bitcoin trades at 89-thousand-752-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-342-dollars-51-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 61-dollars-6-cents a barrel.

# And finally: Parliament’s portfolio committee on Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities has called on the public and organisations to nominate candidates for appointment as commissioners to the Commission for Gender Equality. Nominees must be South African citizens with proven commitment, knowledge and experience in promoting gender equality. Appointments will be made by president Ramaphosa based on recommendations by Parliament. Applications close at midnight on 1 February.

Stay tuned for more news………….