News 17:00

BULLETIN 5 January 5 pm

Goood afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# The ANC is to adopt an official stance on the US action in Venezuela
# The OR Tambo International Airport breaks its border processing record
# And cricket, the Australian cricketer Damien Martyn is recovering after a coma

# The ANC is set to adopt a formal party position on the US invasion of Venezuela as its National Executive Committee meets in the North West ahead of the January 8 Statement. This follows the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, during a raid. The pair is in New York to face drug and weapons charges. ANC spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu-Motsiri says discussions are ongoing:

# The Border Management Authority has confirmed that OR Tambo International Airport has broken its exit-lane record, processing more than 31-thousand travellers in 24 hours, the highest among all ports. Lebombo Border Post followed with 27-thousand, while Beitbridge Border Post processed about 32-thousand. The BMA commissioner Mike Masiapato says operations are running smoothly, despite commuter frustration in processing times. He explained the thorough processes including intensified checks for agricultural biosecurity:

# The South African Petroleum Retailers Association is urging motorists to plan ahead as significant fuel price reductions take effect from Wednesday. This includes maintaining their vehicles for maximise fuel efficiency and remaining informed about future price movements. Petrol prices will drop by up to 66-cents-a-litre, while diesel by one-rand-50-cents-a-litre. Illuminating paraffin and LPG will see notable cuts. SAPRA national chairperson Henry van der Merwe says the reductions offer economic relief:

# Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, are held in the Metropolitan Detention Centre in Brooklyn, New York, where they are likely to be confined to a cell 23-hours a day. Maduro faces drug trafficking charges in the United States after being captured in a dramatic overnight raid. The centre holds roughly one-thousand-300 prisoners, with past residents such as Ghislaine Maxwell and hip-hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs. The jail has been plagued by what inmates and defense lawyers have said are inhumane and unsanitary conditions.

# Cricket: Former Australia batter Damien Martyn has woken up from an induced coma and is making a “miraculous” recovery after he was diagnosed with meningitis just over a week ago. The 54-year-old, who played 67 Test matches between 1992 and 2006, fell ill late last month and was admitted to a Queensland hospital on 27 December. A close friend and former Australian teammate, Adam Gilchrist, says Martyn will remain in hospital and continue to receive treatment.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-53-cents and the euro at 19-rand-23-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-17-cents and Bitcoin trades at 92-thousand-769-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-409-dollars-34-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 61-dollars-4-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….