News 14:00

BULLETIN 19 December 2 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# A new report flags the declining effectiveness of the G20
# A livestock traceability system is to be implemented amid the foot and mouth disease outbreak
# And soccer: The Bafana Bafana winger Appollis is declared fit for the AFCON opener against Angola

# A new report released by South Africa’s G20 presidency shows most members believe the forum’s overall effectiveness has declined, despite progress in key areas. About 75-percent of members say the G20 is less effective than before, with many criticising an overcrowded agenda and too many sherpa working groups. While leaders’ summits and financial coordination scored moderately well, members are calling for fewer working groups and closer cooperation with global institutions.

# Minister of Agriculture, John Steenhuisen, says the Livestock Identification and Traceability System will be implemented by the second week of January as part of efforts to combat foot and mouth disease. The department’s spokesperson, Joylene van Wyk, says the system, through geo-location, will help track the movement of vaccinated animals. She says a Section 10 scheme is also being developed in terms of the Animal Diseases Act:

Moving abroad:

# Namibia’s Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety, and Security has declared a month-long amnesty period for foreign nationals who have overstayed their immigration permit visas in the country. This will allow foreign nationals not to face prosecution, fines, or detention. Spokesperson Rauna Nyorkor says all foreign nationals have been granted until the 16th of January to present themselves to the nearest immigration office or border post:

# Soccer: Winger Oswin Appollis is available for Bafana Bafana’s Africa Cup of Nations opener against Angola in Marrakech, Morocco, on Monday. He was seen limping off at full-time after South Africa’s 1-0 victory over a second-string Ghana side at Dobsonville Stadium in Soweto on Tuesday. The 24-year-old established himself as a regular under coach Hugo Broos while still with Polokwane City before his move to Orlando Pirates. SAFA’s chief medical official, Thulani Ngwenya, says the team has a clean bill of health.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-78-cents and the euro at 19-rand-65-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-45-cents and Bitcoin trades at 88-thousand-115-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-331-dollars-26-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 59-dollars-31-cents a barrel.

# And finally: Major global energy company BP has appointed Meg O’Neill as its new CEO, making her the first woman to lead a major global oil company. This also marks its fourth CEO shake-up in the last six years alone. The move comes as BP struggles to catch up with rivals after corporate setbacks, war impacts and weak returns from renewables. O’Neill, formerly CEO of Woodside Energy, is expected to steer BP back toward oil, gas and liquefied natural gas amid pressure from activist investor Elliott Management.

Stay tuned for more news………….