News 12:00

BULLETIN 26 January 12 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The gold price hits a historic high
# Tennis: Defending champion Madison Keys is knocked out of the Australian Open
# And the Eastern Cape police seek dog donations for its K9 units

# The gold price surged to a record high above five-thousand-dollar per fine ounce this morning, as investors piled into safe-haven assets amid rising geo-political uncertainties. Gold climbed to five-thousand-and 89 dollar per fine ounce on the spot market. Experts from local firms like Ninety One, Knox, and Rand Swiss view the rally as positive for South Africa’s economy and its gold miners, predicting prices could range from existing highs to over six-thousand dollar per ounce later this year.

# The minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth, and Persons with Disabilities, Sindisiwe Chikunga, says government has a responsibility toward the driver involved in the deadly school transport crash in Vanderbijlpark, Gauteng. Last week’s crash claimed the lives of 14 learners when their minibus driver overtook other vehicles and collided with a truck. Speaking at a joint funeral in Sebokeng, Chikunga acknowledged the community’s anger and heartbreak while emphasising accountability, rehabilitation, and due process.

# The Cape Winelands District Municipality’s Fire Services confirm firefighting operations are continuing in the mountains above Franschhoek. The municipality’s Jo-Anne Otto says the fire, first reported on the 17th, has largely been contained, but an active fire line remains at the top of the Banghoek Valley. She says ground and aerial teams are operating in extremely steep, dangerous terrain, while a related fire line is managed in the Overberg:

# Tennis: American Jessica Pegula has knocked out defending women’s singles champion and compatriot Madison Keys to reach her fourth Australian Open quarterfinal. She will next face compatriot Amanda Anisimova, who defeated China’s Wang Xinyu. In the men’s draw, Lorenzo Musetti is into his first quarterfinal in Melbourne after beating American Taylor Fritz. The Italian will face record ten-time champion Novak Djokovic of Serbia, who reached the last eight when Czech Jakub Mensik withdrew due to injury.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-3-cents and the euro at 18-rand-98-cents. One British pound costs 21-rand-88-cents and Bitcoin trades at 87-thousand-813-dollars. Gold sells at five-thousand-and-96-dollars-77-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 65-dollars-2-cents a barrel.

# And finally: Eastern Cape police is issuing an urgent appeal to the public for donations of dogs to bolster its K9 units. Spokesperson Majola Nkohli says a critical shortage of suitable dogs is currently impairing essential crime-fighting, search and rescue, and detection operations across the province. He says to be considered, dogs must be healthy, confident, energetic, and not fearful of people or loud noises:

Stay tuned for more news………….