News 15:00

BULLETIN 5 January 3 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Minister Lamola calls for a progressive UN Security Council meeting on the US’ Venezuelan violations
# Soccer: United sacks Ruben Amorim after just 14 months
# And King Charles pays tribute to the Auschwitz survivor Eva Schloss who died at the age of 96

# International Relations and Cooperation minister Ronald Lamola says South Africa is anticipating a progressive United Nations Security Council meeting today following the United States’ capture of Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. They are being held at the Metropolitan Detention Centre in New York and are expected in court today. Lamola says the move is unlawful, adding that the US remains unpredictable:

Meanwhile, Denmark’s prime minister, Mette Frederiksen, says the US has no right to annex any of the three countries in the Danish kingdom. US president Donald Trump has repeatedly raised the possibility of Greenland becoming an annexed part of America, citing its strategic location and mineral wealth. A poll last year showed that the vast majority of Greenland’s 57-thousand inhabitants want to become independent from Denmark but have no wish to become part of the US. Frederiksen says Greenland is covered by NATO’s security guarantee. 

Back home:

# The Border Management Authority has arrested two facilitators for aiding illegal border crossings between Zimbabwe and South Africa. Assistant commissioner Nkhuliseni Luvhengo says 99 people were arrested at the Beitbridge border post in Musina, Limpopo, over the past 24-hours. He credited drone technology for detecting undocumented travellers and smugglers carrying hazardous goods, including diesel. Luvhengo says the duo are expected to appear in court soon:

# Soccer: Ruben Amorim had been removed as heach coach of English side Manchester United after just 14 months. Yesterday’s 1-all Premiership draw against Leeds meant the club could only win one of its last five matches. The decision follows reports of growing tension between the Portuguese coach and United’s hierarchy over the January transfer window and the tactical approach. Darren Fletcher was appointed interim coach, taking over before Wednesday’s game against Burnley.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-44-cents and the euro at 19-rand-21-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-14-cents and Bitcoin trades at 92-thousand-957-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-429-dollars-17-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 60-dollars-73-cents a barrel.

# And finally: Britain’s King Charles has led tributes to Anne Frank’s step-sister and Holocaust survivor, Eva Schloss, who has died aged 96. She was the co-founder and honorary president of the Anne Frank Trust. In the 1940s, Schloss and her family were chased from their home in Austria and lived as refugees in the Netherlands before they were captured and sent to the notorious Auschwitz concentration camp. Charles says the horrors she endured are impossible to comprehend and yet she devoted her life to overcoming hatred and prejudice.

Stay tuned for more news………….