News 13:00

BULLETIN 14 October 1 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The Madlanga commission approves a remote testimony agreement for safety reasons
# Britain’s unemployment rate is the highest in four years at 4.8-percent
# And cricket: Ian Botham is concerned over England’s lack of preparation for the Ashes

# The Madlanga commission has accepted an agreement between evidence leaders and lawyers for News24 and Daily Maverick for witness one, Mister X, to testify remotely and off-camera for security reasons today and tomorrow. Evidence leader Matthew Chaskalson says today’s testimony will have statements and exhibits like WhatsApp discussions shown on-screen. Commission chairperson Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga confirmed the arrangement, adding that the final ruling on remaining witnesses will be delivered on 23 October:

# ActionSA is calling for the immediate release of the Special Investigating Unit’s report into the University of Fort Hare. Vice-chancellor Sakhela Buhlungu believes last week’s violent protests were an attempt to delay the release of the report, which implicates 33 high-ranking politicians in academic fraud at the university. ActionSA’s Matthew George says citizens have a right to know the names of those who have manipulated a historic institution for personal and political gain:

Moving abroad:

# Britain’s unemployment rate has edged up to the highest level in over four years, adding to the country’s economic strains ahead of the annual budget. The rate reached 4.8-percent in the three months to the end of August, the highest level since the first half of 2021. That is in comparison to unemployment at 4.7-percent in the three months to the end of July. The data comes as Britain endures stagnant growth and stubbornly-high inflation, around six weeks before the Labour government sets out its latest tax and spending plans.

# Cricket: Former English great Ian Botham is concerned over his country’s lack of proper preparation for the Ashes series against Australia, starting in Perth on 21 November. He says it borders on arrogance despite them last winning a Test on Australian soil in 2011. England will play a single three-day warm-up against the travelling England Lions in Perth before the series. Botham says the tourists have to get used to the weather, the fields, the opposition and the crowds when playing against a whole country.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-44-cents and the euro at 20-rand-16-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-16-cents and Bitcoin trades at 111-thousand-808-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-138-dollars-87-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 61-dollars-66-cents a barrel.

# And finally: Banhine National Park in Mozambique, once devastated by war and poaching, is being restored to its former wildlife glory. Nearly 400 animals, including zebra, wildebeest, and antelope, have been relocated from Maputo National Park to Banhine as part of a major rehabilitation effort. The park forms part of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park linking Mozambique, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. Conservationists are hopeful that tourism and biodiversity will soon thrive again.

Stay tuned for more news………….