News 18:00

BULLETIN 6 January 6 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Cyril Ramaphosa urges South Africans to realise the Constitutional promise
# Fikile Mbalula says Venezuela is being targeted for its resource independence
# And, Pope Leo urges kindness to foreigners at the closure of the Catholic Holy Year

# ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa has called on South Africans to actively realise the rights enshrined in the Constitution, shaped by anti-apartheid activist Joe Slovo. Speaking at the 31st Annual commemoration of the liberation stalwart in Soweto, Ramaphosa urged fundamental transformation to undo the legacy of colonialism and apartheid. Ramaphosa reaffirmed commitments to fighting unemployment, poverty and inequality, advancing workers’ rights, gender equality, and inclusive economic participation:

# ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula says Venezuela is being targeted because of its efforts to maintain control over its natural resources and pursue independent economic policies. He argues that this mirrors historic struggles for economic transformation and equitable access to resources, and that reactionary forces oppose Venezuela’s pursuit of economic justice and sovereignty. Briefing the media, Mbalula called for the immediate release of president Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores:

# Soccer: Responding to the Venezuelan situation, AZAPO has called on world governing body FIFA to suspend the United State from all activities, including the hosting of this year’s World Cup, saying this is in reaction to its illegal, imperialist military strikes launched against Venezuela on Saturday. AZAPO chairperson Amukelani Ngobeni says the US must be excluded from all FIFA-sanctioned events until its military forces are withdrawn and Venezuela’s sovereignty is restored:

# Remains believed to belong to one of two young men missing since a New Year’s Day incident at Pennington Beach on KwaZulu-Natal’s South Coast have been found. Seven beachgoers were swept out to sea while swimming – two were saved with three bodies recovered earlier. Search and rescue teams, including IPSS Medical Rescue and the National Sea Rescue Institute, continue extensive operations along the coastline and at sea to locate the remaining missing person.

# Pope Leo closed the Catholic Church’s Holy Year by sealing shut the special Holy Door in St Peter’s Basilica. He urged Christians worldwide to help those in need and treat foreigners with kindness. Care for immigrants has been a central theme of Leo’s early papacy. During the Vatican ceremony he said the record 33.5-million pilgrims who visited Rome during the Holy Year should have learned not to treat humans as mere products. Holy years, typically occurring every 25 years, are considered a time of peace, forgiveness and pardon.

# And the financial indicators: The dollar trades at 16-rand-36-cents and the euro at 19-rand-15-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-11-cents and Bitcoin trades at 94-thousand-375-dollars. Gold sells at four-thousand-466-dollars-90-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 62-dollars-5-cents a barrel.

Stay tuned for more news………….