News 13:00

BULLETIN 27 August 1 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Minister Gwarube announces the appointment of new members of the National Education and Training Council 
# Zambia welcomes the Constitutional Court ruling on Lungu’s burial
# And tennis: Williams and Fernandez receive a wild card for the US Open’s women’s doubles

# Basic Education minister Siviwe Gwarube has announced that Penelope Vinjevold has been appointed as new chairperson of the the National Education and Training Council. She is a former head of the Western Cape Education Department. Gwarube says the council, which consists of 15 new members and established in 2009, is now being revitalised to fulfil its important mandate. She says this is the first time the council has been activated and is operational:

# The Zambian government says it remains committed to working with former president Edgar Lungu’s family on funeral arrangements that balance their wishes, and state obligations. This follows South Africa’s Constitutional Court declining the Lungu family’s direct appeal against a ruling from the High Court in Pretoria. Lungu passed away in South Africa on 5 June. Secretary to the cabinet Patrick Kangwa also thanked Zambian citizens for their support:

News from the Middle East:

# Catholic and Greek Orthodox priests and nuns will remain in Gaza City despite Israel’s plan for a military takeover. The religious communities said in a joint statement evacuation orders were already in place for several neighbourhoods in Gaza City. Hundreds of displaced people have taken shelter in the Greek Orthodox compound of Saint Porphyrius and the Catholic Holy Family compound since the outbreak of the war, including children and those with special needs. Stray Israeli fire hit the Holy Family church last month, killing three people and wounding ten others.

# Tennis: American Venus Williams and Canadian Leylah Fernandez will team up in the US Open women’s doubles after receiving a wild-card entry. Williams has won the title twice at Flushing Meadows. The pair are among seven wild-card teams in the draw. Forty-five-year-old Williams, who made a comeback last month following 16 months away from the tour, says she is thrilled to be back on court and playing pain-free:

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-72-cents and the euro at 20-rand-54-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-83-cents and Bitcoin trades at 110-thousand-993-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-382-dollars-77-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 66-dollars-36-cents a barrel. 

# And finally: Lakes, which cover nearly four-percent of the planet’s land surface, are disappearing at an alarming rate due to pollution, habitat loss, invasive species, and climate change. Today marks World Lake Day, which aims to raise awareness of the importance of lakes and the sustainable management of lakes and related ecosystems. The United Nations’ Environment Programme warns that by 2050, lakes ecosystem value could drop by 20-percent, pollution could more than double, and methane emissions may surge.

Stay tuned for more news………….