News 14:00

BULLETIN 21 October 2 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# South Africa secures a 272-billion-rand investment for power projects
# The ANC calls for an investigation into suspected political sabotage amid Tshwane’s power outages
# And tennis: An injured Naomi Osaka’s season has come to an end

# Energy and Electricity minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa announced that South Africa has secured 272-billion-rand from European investors for the Independent Power Producer Programme. He told the media the investment reflects confidence in Eskom and aims to promote cleaner energy through transparent bidding. Ramokgopa emphasised the need to reduce electricity costs as the country has now achieved 208 consecutive days without load-shedding:

# The ANC in Tshwane has expressed deep concern over ongoing power outages affecting various parts of the city. The party calls for an investigation into the outages, which they suspect are part of a political sabotage effort to undermine the new administration led by mayor Nasiphi Moya. ANC regional secretary George Matjila pledges to enhance services for residents amid disruptions and urges the public to be patient while they address these challenges:  

# The National Prosecuting Authority has dropped charges against the fourth accused in the Joslin Smith disappearance case. Lorentia Lombaard appeared in the Vredenburg Magistrate’s Court on the West Coast today alongside Joslin’s mother, Kelly Smith, and co-accused Jacquen Appollis and Steveno van Rhyn. The trio faces charges of trafficking persons for exploitation and kidnapping. Their next court appearance is set for 31 January for pre-trial proceedings. Joslin went missing on 19 February in Saldanha Bay while in the care of Appollis, her mother’s boyfriend.

# Israel’s military conducted a series of overnight airstrikes on Lebanon targeting dozens of locations used by Hezbollah to finance its operations. It says numerous steps were taken to mitigate the risk of harming civilians, including sending advance warnings of the attacks. The threat saw hundreds in Beirut flee their homes, with Reuters reporting panicked crowds filling streets. Israel was targeting Hezbollah’s Al Qard al Hassan unit, which pays operatives and helps to buy arms. The institution is also used by ordinary Lebanese and has more than 30 branches across Lebanon.

# Tennis: Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka’s season has come to an end. She pulled out of next month’s Billie Jean King Cup finals in Spain due to injury. The Japanese former world number one sustained a back injury during this month’s China Open before skipping the Japan Open and the Pan Pacific Open. Osaka is currently ranked 56th after returning from a maternity break this season. She hopes to get healthy in time for the ASB Classic in Auckland at the end of December.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 17-rand-61-cents and the euro at 19-rand-11-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-93-cents and Bitcoin trades at 68-thousand-441-dollars-84-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-730-dollars-62-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 74-dollars-9-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….