News 17:00

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The ANC defends its role in the government of national unity and rejects Helen Zille’s coalition claims
# The Airlines Association urges minister Creecy to resolve air travel disruptions
# And, news from the Olympic Games is that Tatiana Smith could retire after tonight’s medal race in Paris

# ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula has dismissed DA federal council chairperson Helen Zille’s claims that the government of national unity is a coalition between the DA and the ANC. He briefed the media as the party convenes its three-day national executive committee meeting in Ekurhuleni. Mbalula says the ANC remains central to the government of national unity and no government decisions can occur without its involvement: 

# The Airlines Association of Southern Africa has called on Transport minister Barbara Creecy to swiftly address avoidable air travel disruptions. CEO Aaron Munetsi emphasised that flight schedule disruptions financially harm airlines, leading to lost sales and increased costs. He says the halt of South Africa’s air services licensing councils due to unpaid council members exacerbates the issue. Munetsi stresses the importance of maintaining aviation infrastructure and services to support the economy and job creation.

# Home Affairs will not investigate Miss SA contestant Chidimma Adetshina unless a formal complaint is filed. The 23-year-old law student, born in Soweto, faces scrutiny if she should represent South Africa, as her father is Nigerian. She is now amongst the top 11. Deputy minister Njabulo Nzuza confirmed to the SABC that no request for intervention has been received:

# Iran held a funeral ceremony today with calls for revenge after the killing in Tehran of Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh in a strike blamed on Israel. Thousands of mourners paid respects to Haniyeh as the Israeli military confirmed that an air strike in Gaza last month killed the Hamas military chief, Mohammed Deif. Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, led prayers for Haniyeh ahead of his burial in Qatar. In Tehran’s city centre, crowds, including women shrouded in black, carried posters of Haniyeh and Palestinian flags in a procession.

# Olympic Games: Tonight’s medal race in the 200-metre breaststroke might be the final one of the current golden girl of South African swimming, Tatjana Smith. The 27-year-old said recently she no longer wants to be defined by her achievements and that there’s life after swimming. Smith already clinched gold in the 100-metres breaststroke in Paris after winning gold and silver in Japan. She and compatriot Kaylene Corbett are both gunning for a medal, as well as Pieter Coetzé in the men’s 200-metre backstroke.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-19-cents and the euro at 19-rand-63-cents. One British pound costs 23-rand-25-cents and Bitcoin trades at 64-thousand-709-dollars-43-cents. Gold sells at two-thousand-450-dollars-74-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 81-dollars-28-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….