News 13:00

BULLETIN 11 June 1 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# An economist links the construction slump to higher input costs
# Canada introduces legislation to restrict access to social media for children under 16
# And roadrunning: Cape Town joins seven other cities in the World Marathon Majors

# The FNB/ Bureau for Economic Research Building Confidence Index shows South Africa’s construction sector has become more pessimistic in the second quarter, falling to 38 from 42 in the previous quarter. The bank’s economist, Siphamandla Mkhwanazi, says the decline is linked to weaker building activity, lower profitability and rising costs, partly driven by global uncertainty linked to the conflict in the Middle East:

# Minister of Higher Education and Training, Buti Manamela, has enforced strict consequence management and accountability processes at the Construction Education and Training Authority. CETA was placed under administration in August last year due to systemic failures, including four consecutive qualified audit opinions, and significant overcommitment of discretionary grants, over 2.7-billion-rand in total commitments against limited income. The department’s spokesperson, Matshepo Seedat, says an acknowledgement of debt has been signed:

Moving abroad:

# The Canadian government has introduced the Safe Social Media Act to hold social media and artificial intelligence platforms accountable and restrict access for children under 16. This comes amid calls from parents and advocates to bolster children’s safety online. Other countries consider similar bans. Culture minister Marc Miller says while laws exist to respond once harm has happened, there is currently very little that requires online services to prevent harm:

 # Roadrunning: Cape Town has been included in the World Marathon Majors – the first race in Africa to be recognised and the eighth worldwide. This year’s race on 24 May saw the event pass the final assessment stage. The Mother City joins Tokyo in Japan, Boston, Chicago and New York in the US, the British capital of London, Sydney in Australia, and the German capital of Berlin. CEO of the series, Dawna Stone, says Cape Town’s unique culture, welcoming residents and wonderful setting provide a whole new dimension.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-52-cents and the euro at 19-rand-5-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-6-cents and Bitcoin trades at 62-thousand-737-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-and-84-dollars-29-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 91-dollars-55-cents a barrel.

# And finally: Health experts are warning that rising stress, heart disease and sleep deprivation among South African men are contributing to a growing burden of chronic illness. Long working hours, shift work and lifestyle pressures are increasing risks of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and long-term inflammation. Stellenbosch University researcher, Gerald Maarman, says rooibos tea, which is caffeine-free, may help support better sleep and heart health when used as part of a healthy lifestyle, although it is not a medical treatment.

Stay tuned for more news………….