News 13:00

BULLETIN 13 March 1 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The SA maritime authority monitors the Middle Eastern conflict amid shipping route concerns
# A UN probe finds Russian crimes against humanity in mass Ukrainian children deportations
# And soccer: Trump suggests Iran should skip the World Cup for their own life and safety

# The South African Maritime Safety Authority says it is closely monitoring the Middle Eastern conflict and its potential impact on global shipping routes. Fighting involving the US and Israel against Iran has disrupted traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, through which about 20-percent of global oil passes. Shipping companies are increasingly rerouting vessels around the Cape of Good Hope. SAMSA CEO Dennis Mqadi says they are ready to assist vessels navigating South Africa’s coastline with safety and navigational support.

# Transport deputy minister Mkhuleko Hlengwa says road fatalities is costing the economy approximately 266-billion-rand annually. Driver behaviour accounts for about 80-percent of fatal crashes, while pedestrians represent nearly 45-percent of road fatalities. Hlengwa told Newzroom Afrika over 11-thousand-400 people died on South African roads last year. He emphasises government is intensifying road safety efforts ahead of the upcoming long-weekends and holidays, with increased law enforcement deployment and public education campaigns:

# The City of Johannesburg’s Property Company has opened 18 criminal cases after several city-owned properties were fraudulently transferred to individuals without consent. The fraud involved forged documents and signatures, and the cases have been registered with police across multiple police stations. The city is also seeking High Court orders to retransfer the properties back to municipal ownership, and it remains committed to protecting public assets and holding those responsible accountable.

Moving abroad:

# At least one-thousand-200 Ukrainian children have been systematically deported and forcibly transferred by Russia since 2022. This is according to the United Nations Human Rights Council’s latest report. Commissioner Erik Møse says they have found Russian authorities committed two types of crimes against humanity: deportation and forcible transfer of children, as well as enforced disappearance. He adds many parents and legal guardians remain unaware of the children’s fate and whereabouts:

# Soccer: US president Donald Trump says he doesn’t believe it’s appropriate for Iran to play at the World Cup for their own life and safety amid the conflict in the Middle East. Iran is scheduled to face Belgium, Egypt, and New Zealand at the tournament, which will be held in the US, Canada, and Mexico from 11 June. Iran says no individual could exclude a country from the World Cup, suggesting the US was unable to provide the necessary security for participating teams.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-85-cents against the rand and the euro at 19-rand-30-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-36-cents and Bitcoin trades at 71-thousand-765-dollars. Gold sells at five-thousand-an-87-dollars-50-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 98-dollars-61-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….