News 14:00

BULLETIN 20 February 2 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The new NSFAS board is urged to resolve the student accommodation crisis
# Hamas hands over the bodies of an Israeli mother and her two young sons who died in custody
# And soccer: Bellingham is banned for two matches for dissent

# Education activist Hendrick Makaneta has called on the newly appointed NSFAS board to urgently address student accommodation challenges by ensuring timely payments. He emphasises that no qualifying student should be left without housing, as a stable environment is crucial for academic success. Makaneta also urges the board to investigate students unfairly removed from funding lists. He calls for university partnerships to provide temporary housing solutions:

# The City of Tshwane says the Rietvlei Nature Reserve has been temporarily closed as a result of flooding that was caused by recent heavy rains. Roads have also been damaged. Spokesperson Lindela Mashigo says the conditions pose risks to vehicles and safety:

# Limpopo premier Phophi Ramathuba will lead the provincial executive council in providing support to the families of deceased South African National Defence Force soldiers, during their funerals this weekend. Fourteen soldiers were killed in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo during clashes with M3 rebels last month. Provincial government’s spokesperson, Ndavhe Ramakuela, says funeral services have been organised in several towns:

# Hamas handed over coffins it said contain the bodies of four Israeli hostages, including those of the Bibas family. This morning’s ceremony to return the bodies of Shiri Bibas, her two young boys, four-year-old Ariel and 9-month-old Kfir, and 83-year old Oded Lifshitz, took place at a former cemetery in the southern Gazan city of Khan Yunis. Hamas displayed the four black coffins on a stage in front of a banner depicting Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu as a blood-stained vampire.

# Soccer: Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham was hit with a two-match La Liga ban by the Spanish Federation’s disciplinary committee after he was sent off for dissent. The English international was dismissed by referee Jose Munuera Montero during the champions’ 1-all draw at Osasuna on Saturday. Bellingham, who insisted he had been expressing his frustration and didn’t insult the referee, will miss league matches against Girona and Real Betis on 23 February and 2 March, respectively.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-50-cents and the euro at 19-rand-31-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-33-cents and Bitcoin trades at 98-thousand-236-dollars. Gold sells at two-thousand-952-dollars-60-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 75-dollars-87-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….