News 16:00

BULLETIN 26 February 4 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# There is a demand for answers on the condition of SANDF soldiers in the Democratic Republic of Congo
# Motorsport: Albert Park in Melbourne’s Formula One track walk returns after a one-year ban
# And a Chinese man loses 515-thousand-rand paid to an AI-generated ‘girlfriend’

# Minister of Defence and Military Veterans, Angie Motshekga, is facing pressure to provide clarity on the status of South African National Defence Force soldiers in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This follows reports that members are trapped in Goma with limited supplies. The DA demands a full tally of soldiers and details on their condition. The party’s Nicholas Gotsell also wants an explanation for the continued deployment despite the dangers posed by M23 rebels:

# The Eastern Cape Department of Health is calling for calm amid the outbreak of the hand, foot and mouth disease. The province has recorded 13 cases so far including four at educational centres in East London. The department’s spokesperson, Siyanda Manana, says the outbreak remains under control, and at the current moment there is no serious public health threat detected:

# US president Donald Trump says he expects his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelensky, in Washington on Friday to sign a minerals deal. Against a hostile backdrop where Washington has aligned with Moscow, the agreement will hopefully pave the way for more co-operation between Kyiv and America. Without confirming an agreement, Trump said that in return for the deal, Ukraine would get the right to fight on. The US president has been pushing for access to Ukraine’s minerals in return for military and other aid to the country since Russia launched a full-scale invasion three years ago.

# Motorsport: Spectators will be allowed to enter the Albert Park track in Melbourne when Australia kicks off the Formula One season on 16 March. The practice was banned last year after a large number of fans got onto the track in the closing stages of the 2023 race and were able to reach Nico Hullkenberg’s stranded Haas car. The organisers say the so-called track walk returns after approval from authorities, describing it as a unique and cherished experience. Safety measures will be in place.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-39-cents and the euro at 19-rand-28-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-28-cents and Bitcoin trades at 88-thousand-251-dollars. Gold sells at two-thousand-914-dollars-27-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 72-dollars-34-cents a barrel.

# And finally: A man in Shanghai, China, lost nearly 515-thousand-rand after being tricked into a long-distance relationship with an AI-generated girlfriend. Scammers used generative artificial intelligence software to create realistic video and still images of a young woman. The victim transferred the money to what he believed was his online lover’s bank account, after the scammers convinces him she needed funds to open a business and help a relative with medical bills. The scammers even created a fake ID and medical reports to support the ruse.

Stay tuned for more news………….