News 15:00
BULLETIN 14 April 3 pm
Good afternoon. I am……..
In this bulletin:
# AfriForum hopes Malema’s sentence will reflect the seriousness of his offences
# The bail application of a pastor accused of raping his young relative is postponed
# And the US and Iran may resume talks this week to end the Middle Eastern war
# Lobby group AfriForum hopes the punishment will reflect the seriousness of the offences when EFF leader Julius Malema’s sentencing procedure starts in the East London Magistrate’s Court in the Eastern Cape tomorrow. He was convicted under the Firearms Control Act for discharging a firearm in public, and unlawful possession, during an EFF rally in Mdantsane in July 2018. AfriForum’s Jacques Broodryk says the state seeks a minimum sentence of 15-years:
# The bail application of a 58-year-old pastor accused of raping his 12-year-old relative has been postponed in the Roodepoort Magistrate’s Court in Gauteng. The matter was delayed to allow the defence to obtain further personal details. The accused allegedly assaulted the girl at his Dobsonville home over the Easter Weekend. Residents, political leaders, and learners gathered outside the court calling for justice. The case will resume next Wednesday amid heightened security.
# Suspended Ekurhuleni Metro Police deputy chief Julius Mkhwanazi has been accused of contempt for allegedly misleading the Madlanga commission. Evidence leader Mahlape Sello highlighted inconsistencies in his birth records during questioning. The dispute centres on a postponement request linked to his mother’s death. Mkhwanazi told Sello he was raised by his stepmother, whom he regards as his mother, and does not know his biological mother:
Moving abroad:
# Negotiating teams from the US and Iran could return to Islamabad in Pakistan this week to resume talks to end the Middle Eastern war. Negotiations collapsed last weekend, prompting Washington to impose a blockade on Iranian ports. This drew angry rhetoric from Tehran, while signs that diplomatic engagement might continue helped calm oil markets. A source involved in the talks says both countries could return as early as the end of this week, and a proposal had been shared with Washington and Tehran to resend their delegations.
# Tennis: The Barcelona Open in Spain faced a wave of high-profile departures, with seven players withdrawing or retiring. World number 12, Casper Ruud of Norway, and Canadian Félix Auger-Aliassime pulled out before their opening matches to manage physical fatigue. They were joined by Frenchman Ugo Humbert and local player Alejandro Davidovich Fokina. Eighth-seeded Briton Jack Draper was forced to retire mid-match yesterday due to a knee injury. This significantly clears the path for top-seeded Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz, who is facing Finnish qualifier Otto Virtanen in the first round this afternoon.
# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-35-cents and the euro at 19-rand-29-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-18-cents and Bitcoin trades at 74-thousand-450-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-781-dollars-72-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 95-dollars-91-cents a barrel.
Stay tuned for more news………….