News 15:00

NEWSFLASH NEWS AGENCY 16 November 3 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The head of Gift of the Givers in Gaza is killed during the conflict 
# The DA’s oversight visit to the Koeberg power station is cancelled at the 11th hour 
# And Roadrunning: A Scottish athlete is banned for a year for riding in a car during a marathon 

# South African help organisation Gift of the Givers has confirmed the death of the head of its office in Gaza, Ahmed Abbasi, during the ongoing conflict between Hamas and Israel. He and his brother were killed when returning from morning prayer. The organisation says Abbasi served the people of the enclave with distinction for the past 10 years and implemented multiple projects, including the care of orphans, widows, the elderly and sick people. It says he delivered water through their desalination plants, distributed food parcels, provided meals and upgraded damaged homes.

# The DA says its planned oversight visit to the Koeberg nuclear power station in Cape Town was abruptly cancelled under dubious circumstances. The party claims despite earlier approval the oversight was scrapped after security clearance, citing a routine media advisory as the reason. The visit aimed to address concerns about delays in unit one’s return to service, unit two’s imminent shutdown, and Koeberg’s license renewal, potentially impacting energy stability. The DA’s Kevin Mileham suspects Public Enterprises minister Pravin Gordhan’s involvement or an attempt to evade questions on Koeberg’s life extension.

# Union federation Cosatu has condemned EFF leader Julius Malema’s unwarranted attacks on teachers, expressing contempt for his disregard for their constitutional rights. Malema demands the Independent Electoral Commission ban teachers from working in next year’s elections, citing their union affiliations. Cosatu’s Matthew Parks says the Constitution guarantees freedom of association and expression, asserting the IEC’s discretion in hiring individuals irrespective of union membership. Parks advises Malema to grasp constitutional principles and focus less on Twitter tantrums:

Play sound: ENG ParksOnMalema

# Roadrunning: A Scottish long-distance runner was banned for a year after riding in a car during a race earlier this year, and then claiming third place. Joasia Zakrzewski was caught out after data from the tracking system at the GB Ultras marathon from Manchester to Liverpool showed she rode four-kilometres with a car. The Independent Disciplinary Panel of United Kingdom Athletics didn’t accept her explanation that she did inform the organisers she finished the race in a non-competitive way. It says Zakrzewski shouldn’t have accepted the trophy.

# Financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-23-cents and the euro at 19-rand-80-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-63-cents and Bitcoin trades at 37-thousand-460-dollars-7-cents. Gold sells at one-thousand-965-dollars-83-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 80-dollars-99-cents a barrel.

# And finally: Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis says interfaith leaders have reaffirmed Cape Town as a city of diversity, inclusion and tolerance. The city held its annual Interfaith Dialogue at the Civic Centre earlier this week. Hill-Lewis says in light of major conflicts raging in the world, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mali, in Sudan, in Ukraine and particularly in the Middle East, interfaith leaders have reaffirm the precious value of each human life, regardless of faith or background:

Play sound: ENG GeordinonInterfaithLeaders

Stay tuned for more news………….