News 18:00

BULLETIN 8 April 6 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# BOSA’s leader calls for leadership over political chaos in the budget crisis
# Two Chinese soldiers are captured in eastern Ukraine
# And Charles and Camilla celebrate their 20th wedding anniversary in Rome

# Build One South Africa leader Mmusi Maimane calls for strong leadership to tackle the budget crisis, urging a focus on solutions over political chaos. Maimane says the country’s fiscal problems are not just about the proposed VAT increase but stem from a government in paralysis, unable to address key economic issues. He has presented a set of practical proposals, including 180-billion-rand in savings and reforms to state-owned enterprises, aimed at preventing the VAT hike:

# President Cyril Ramaphosa has called for an end to corruption within the South African Police Service and the society. Speaking at the police summit, he emphasised accountability, ethical behavior, and integrity. Ramaphosa called for professionalising the police, improving recruitment, and training to address systemic deficiencies and build public trust. He promised government’s commitment to ensuring safer communities and more effective policing:

# Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy says two Chinese soldiers have been captured while fighting alongside Russian soldiers in eastern Ukraine. He says he had ordered officials to obtain an explanation from Beijing. China is an ally of Russia and has been accused of helping its war in Ukraine, though Beijing has repeatedly denied allegations that it has supplied Kremlin forces with weapons. Zelenskyy describes China as having joined Russia’s war against Ukraine and says he expects the US to react.

# Tennis: Russian world number nine, Andrey Rublev, eyes a long coaching partnership with his compatriot Marat Safin, whom he describes as his idol. The forty-five-year-old former world number one won two Grand Slam tournaments, the US Open in 2000 and the Australian Open five years later. He became the first Russian player to be inducted in the sport’s International Hall of Fame in 2016. Both men were prone to outbursts on court, and Rublev says he hopes Safin’s experience in dealing with his problems will be useful.

# The financial indicators: The dollar trades at 19-rand-50-cents and the euro at 21-rand-28-cents. One British pound costs 24-rand-93-cents and Bitcoin trades at 79-thousand-992-dollars. Gold sells at three-thousand-and-11-dollars-21-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 64-dollars-63-cents a barrel.

# And finally: King Charles watched a colourful flypast with Italy’s president, Sergio Mattarella, today and laid a wreath for fallen soldiers on the first full day of his state visit with Queen Camilla, just days after his latest health scare. The four-day trip comes less than a fortnight after the 76-year-old king was briefly admitted to hospital after experiencing side effects from his cancer treatment. The royals, who will celebrate their 20th wedding anniversary in Rome, waved and smiled as they were driven through the streets of the capital.

Stay tuned for more news………….