News 14:00

BULLETIN 17 April 2 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# France and US meet over a Ukrainian ceasefire
# The Western Cape receives a record number of school applications for 2026
# And shooting returns to the Olympic Games in LA in 2028

# US secretary of State Marco Rubio will meet French president Emmanuel Macron today about crafting a Ukrainian ceasefire, as Washington and Europe seek common ground on ending the fighting. Top Ukrainian officials are also in the French capital to meet European Union and US delegations. Rubio and US president Donald Trump’s special envoy to Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, arrived in Paris, with US envoy Steve Witkoff expected to join, as Trump’s push for a ceasefire has yet to bear fruit despite his pledges to quickly end the war.

# Cosatu says it offers its full support to Mcebisi Jonas after president Cyril Ramaphosa appointed the former deputy minister of Finance as presidential envoy to the United States. The union federation’s spokesperson, Matthew Parks, says they will continue to work with government and business to ensure that relations with the US are set on a mutually beneficial path. He says this is necessary to protect the jobs of workers and will unlock further trade and investment between the countries:

# ActionSA expressed deep concern over the government’s concerted efforts to force the relocation of the Taiwanese Liaison Office from Pretoria to Johannesburg. ActionSA’s Matthew George says driven by questionable motives, the government’s actions reflect conduct that undermines the principles of mutual respect and diplomatic courtesy that should be extended to all foreign representatives:

# The Western Cape Education Department has received a record 164-thousand-565 on-time applications for Grades R, 1, and 8 placements in 2026. This is an increase of 12-thousand-577 from the previous year. The department has announced that schools will begin offering placements from 30 May, and parents must confirm by 17 June. Education MEC David Maynier says late applications will close on 16 May:

# The International Shooting Sport Federation has welcomed the return of shooting events to the heart of the Olympic Games at Los Angeles 2028. The federation says the event will feature target shooting at a temporary indoor range in Long Beach and shotgun events at the Los Angeles Clay Shooting Sports Park in El Monte, both within Los Angeles County. The federation’s president, Luciano Rossi, praised the decision, emphasising the importance of athletes being integrated into the main Olympic experience.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-85-cents and the euro at 21-rand-43-cents. One British pound costs 24-rand-95-cents and Bitcoin trades at 84-thousand-249-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-323-dollars-85-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 65-dollars-69-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….