News 14:00

BULLETIN 5 November 2 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The IEC completes results capturing in 18 municipalities
# Republicans call for Trump to change course after the midterm drubbing
# And soccer: A new world record of 51 red cards issued during a youth game in Brazil

# Chief electoral commissioner Sy Mamabolo says results capturing has been completed in 18 municipalities in the Northern, Western and Eastern Cape. He was speaking at the Electoral Commission’s national results operations centre in Midrand, Gauteng. Mamabolo says 35.5-percent of expected results slips have been scanned, while 34.8-percent have been captured. A quarter of all results slips have also undergone independent auditing. Mamabolo says progress has been recorded despite longer ballot papers and higher-than-expected voter turnout:

KwaZulu-Natal police are meanwhile investigating the theft of ballot papers and other sensitive election materials from a voting station in Hillcrest. According to police spokesperson Robert Netshiunda, an IEC presiding official reportedly took sensitive election material to a school being used as a voting station on Tuesday evening. He says the official then stored it inside a guard house before locking the school gate and leaving:

# The MANCOSA School of Information and Digital Technology says the rapid growth of artificial intelligence is transforming industries, economies and everyday life. Technological advancement also brings complex challenges, increasing the need for advanced digital skills, critical thinking and innovative problem-solving. Spokesperson Farad Chohan says preparing young South Africans to navigate the changing digital landscape is essential for economic growth and social development:

Moving abroad:

# US president Donald Trump is facing pressure from within his own Republican Party to change course after the midterm elections handed the Democrats control of Congress. There are calls for changes to his White House team and a rethink of policies regarding Iran and tariffs. Vice-president JD Vance has also blamed the Iranian conflict for the losses. But Trump has shown little willingness to change direction, saying the results are not a personal setback. Democrats can now block legislation and launch investigations into his administration.

# Soccer: A total of 51 red cards issued in a single game in Brazil is a new world record. The cards were given to 43 players and eight coaching staff members during the first-leg Under-20 Championship semifinal between Uberlândia and Mamoré in Minas Gerais, leading to military police being called in. According to the referees’ report, the brawl started in the second half when a Mamoré player taunted the opposition bench after his side took a 3-1 lead, resulting in an Uberlândia coach running onto the field.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-38-cents and the euro at 18-rand-40-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-6-cents and Bitcoin trades at 80-thousand-298-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-123-dollars-17-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 99-dollars-32-sents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….