News 13:00

BULLETIN 15 July 1 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# President Ramaphosa urges decisive climate action to deal with challenges
# Camera-shy cigarette makers dominate the league of tax-evading brands
# And, soccer: Argentina wins the Copa America for a record 16th time

# President Cyril Ramaphosa has called for decisive action to address climate change challenges. Speaking at the Climate Resilience Symposium in Pretoria, Ramaphosa emphasised the need for investments in green infrastructure and renewable energy. The president highlighted government’s efforts in implementing urgent reforms, boosting economic growth, and pursuing fiscal sustainability. He notes that Operation Vulindlela has successfully reformed key sectors, as the country aims for net-zero emissions by 2050:

# Tax Justice SA founder, Yusuf Abramjee, says the chief suspects in the multi-billion-rand illicit cigarette trade are the same manufacturers asking the courts to prevent the South African Revenue Service from monitoring their output. A major study released by market researchers Ipsos shows that illicit cigarettes are now sold in almost two in every three stores across South Africa. Abramjee says this is the highest level ever recorded:

# Police say almost 15-thousand firearms and firearm parts were destroyed in Vanderbijlpark, Gauteng, last week. Spokesperson Athlenda Mathe says in February, more than 18-thousand firearms and firearm parts were also destroyed. The number since 2019 comes to more than 263-thousand-500. Mathe says the weapons include those that have been surrendered voluntary and others that were handed in during the amnesty period:

# In one of his first interviews since an attempted assassination, Donald Trump told conservative US media he felt he had been saved “by luck or by God”. Speaking as he prepared to board a flight to the upcoming Republican national convention in Wisconsin, Trump said his speech will now be totally different to the one he planned, as he now had a chance to bring the country together. A spectator was killed in the attack, while two other people were seriously injured. The gunman, who also died, has been named as Thomas Matthew Crooks.

# Soccer: World champions Argentina defeated Colombia one-nil to win the Copa America for a record 16th time at Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium. Lautaro Martinez scored the winning goal in extra time to earn Argentina their third consecutive major title after winning the Copa America in 2021 and the World Cup the next year. The match was delayed by more than an hour as thousands of fans without tickets attempted to forcibly enter the sold-out 65-thousand-capacity stadium, which is set to host 2026 World Cup games.

# And, the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-8-cents and the euro at 19-rand-73-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-50-cents and Bitcoin trades at 62-thousand-685-dollars-31-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-411-dollars-89-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 85-dollars-12-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….