News 13:00

BULLETIN 11 February 1 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The European Council backs South Africa’s G20 leadership amid the US boycott
# The US consulate could close if Sandton Drive is renamed
# And soccer: Pep Guardiola wants City to prove they still have something special in the match against Real Madrid

# European Council president Antonio Costa has pledged full support for South Africa’s G20 leadership after the US opted to skip the summit. US secretary of State Marco Rubio cited concerns over South Africa’s policies. In a call with president Cyril Ramaphosa, Costa highlighted the continued strengthening of ties and multilateral cooperation ahead of the South Africa-European Union summit on March 13. They affirmed they share the same values of democracy, human rights, dignity and equality, and hope the summit will help consolidate their strong bilateral partnership. 

Meanwhile, frontrunner for United States ambassador to South Africa, Joel Pollak, has warned of the possible closure of the US consulate in Johannesburg if Sandton Drive is renamed Leila Khaled Drive. The proposed name change, backed by the ANC and the EFF, continues to face strong opposition. Palestinian activist Khaled is best known for her involvement in plane hijackings. Pollak argues that honouring Khaled is in direct conflict with core US values. The proposal has since been halted.

# Build One South Africa has launched its Business Council, a platform built for small, medium, and micro enterprises, to ensure their voices are central to economic policymaking. Small businesses are the backbone of the country’s economy, contributing over 60-percent of employment and more than 40-percent of gross domestic product. BOSA’s spokesperson, Roger Solomons, says the council will consist of a wide range of role players focused on unlocking SMME growth:

# Soccer: Pep Guardiola has challenged his Manchester City side to prove they are still something special in their blockbuster Champions League tie against Real Madrid tonight, despite a turbulent season for the Premier League champions. The two clubs meet in Europe’s elite competition for a fourth consecutive season, but this time much earlier as both under-performed in the new league phase. City sneaked into the next round in 22nd place in the 36-team table by winning their final game against Club Brugge, while defending champions Real finished 11th.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-46-cents and the euro at 19-rand-4-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-84-cents and Bitcoin trades at 98-thousand-257-dollars. Gold sells at two-thousand-909-dollars-44-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 76-dollars-44-cents a barrel.

# And finally: University of Pretoria researchers have led an international team of astronomers who have provided deeper insight into the entire life cycle of giant radio galaxies. The study challenged known theoretical models by explaining how extragalactic cosmic fountains grow to cover such colossal distances. Leader of the study Gourab Giri says astronomers study galaxies for more than just the stars they can see, as they also look at many, often interrelated, phenomena:

Stay tuned for more news………….