News 13:00

BULLETIN 2 December 1 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The DA says the Competition Commission must not put BEE ahead of education in the Curro deal
# Rugby: Etzebeth is expected to face the music today
# And Samsung unveils its first multi-folding phone

# The DA has expressed concern at reports that the Competition Commission has imposed transformation conditions on the plan to turn Curro schools into a non-profit organisation. Curro already serves over 70-thousand learners, with 85-percent from historically disadvantaged communities. The DA’s Toby Chance says they oppose any attempt by authorities to turn this genuinely transformative measure into any kind of black economic empowerment deal, which would be racialism dressed up as transformation:

# Human Settlements minister, Thembi Simelane, has urged Southern African parliaments to take bold, people-centred action to confront the escalating climate crisis threatening development, human security, and the right to adequate housing across the region. She addressed the Southern African Development Community’s parliamentary forum in Durban. Simelane says the groups most affected by climate disasters are rural communities and residents of informal and peri-urban settlements located in floodplains, steep slopes, wetlands, and fire-prone areas:

Moving abroad:

# Pope Leo is wrapping up his first foreign trip in Lebanon today where he will lead a prayer at the 2020 bomb blast site. In his first speech overseas since his election in May, Leo warned that ambitions and choices that trample on justice and peace, are destabilising the world. In Turkey, he also appealed to president Tayyip Erdogan to be a mediator for world peace. The pontiff said earlier the only solution to the conflict between Israel and Palestine must include a Palestinian state.

# Rugby: Springbok lock Eben Etzebeth is expected to face a disciplinary hearing today after his red card against Wales. He was sent for making contact with the eye area of flanker Alex Mann in the 73-0 routing. The most-capped Bok in history faces a lengthy ban, but a mitigating factor is that this was his very first red card in 141 Tests. Lood de Jager and France Mostert also received red cards during the tour, but Mostert’s was later rescinded.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-11-cents and the euro at 19-rand-87-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-62-cents and Bitcoin trades at 86-thousand-593-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-207-dollars-87-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 62-dollars-95-cents a barrel.

# And finally: Samsung Electronics unveiled its first multi-folding smartphone in a bid to strengthen its position in a sector where competition is expected to intensify. The launch of the Galaxy Z TriFold marks Samsung’s attempt to reinforce its footing in a segment where Chinese rivals have been gaining ground. The model, costing about 42-thousand-rand, uses three panels and is nearly 25-percent larger than Samsung’s latest foldable Galaxy model. It says the new device is not intended to drive sales volume, but rather for customers who specifically want it.

Stay tuned for more news………….