News 18:00

NEWSFLASH NEWS AGENCY 16 November 6 pm

Good afternoon. I am……..

In this bulletin:

# Julius Malema garners support in a motion calling for the closure of the Israeli embassy
# The South African Weather Service warns El Niño will intensify in mid-summer
# And Motorsport: Get ready for Formula One cars flying down the Las Vegas Strip

# Julius Malema says South Africa must refuse to share territory with murderers. The EFF leader was making reference to the Israeli embassy in South Africa. The party brought the motion before Parliament to garner support from opposition parties to have the embassy closed amid the ongoing Israeli-Palestine conflict. The motion debated today in a mini-plenary of the National Assembly, will be voted on at a later date. Malema says the embassy should be closed immediately:

Play sound: ENG-MalemaOnEmbassy

# The South African Weather Service warns the El Niño-Southern Oscillation may intensify in mid-summer, increasing the likelihood of heat waves. Currently in a moderate El Niño state, it’s expected to persist into early autumn next year, impacting weather conditions. It typically brings warmer, drier conditions and uncertainty exists for above-normal rainfall in the northeast, while below-normal rainfall is predicted in other parts. During a National Press Club media briefing lead scientist Christien Engelbrecht urged the public to follow monthly updates for potential changes in rainfall predictions:

Play sound: ENG EngelbrechtOnElNino

# DebtBusters’ third quarter Debt Index indicates there has been a slight reduction in the median annual debt-to-income ratio, from 115-percent in 2022 to 108-percent this year. DebtBusters’ executive director, Benay Sager, warns the debt-to-income ratio is still high and unsustainable for those in the top income bands. He says the average interest rate for a bond has risen from 8.3-percent in the fourth quarter of 2020 to 12.4-percent in the third quarter of this year. In addition, the demand for debt counselling and online debt management continues to grow.

# Motorsport: It is a brand-new stop on the Formula One calendar this weekend – the Las Vegas Grand Prix. The centrepiece of the street race is a two-kilometre run down the famous Las Vegas Strip, home of all the major casino hotels. The first practice session will take place tomorrow morning, South African time, with the race starting at eight on Sunday morning. Ferrari is fighting for second place in the Constructors’ Championship and Spanish driver Carlos Sainz says he can’t wait to try out the new track:

Play sound: ENG Carlos Sainz

# Financial indicators: The dollar trades at 18-rand-31-cents and the euro at 19-rand-91-cents. One British pound costs 22-rand-75-cents and Bitcoin trades at 36-thousand-670-dollars-3-cents. Gold sells at one-thousand-973-dollars-39-cents a fine ounce and Brent crude oil is quoted at 78-dollars-74-cents a barrel.

# And finally: The United Nations’ Children’s Fund, UNICEF, is calling for children to be prioritised and included in the final COP28 decisions, taking place in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates from the 30th of this month. UNICEF emphasises the need for an expert dialogue on children and climate change, as well as the incorporation of children and intergenerational equity into the Global Stocktake. It also advocates for the inclusion of children and climate-resilient critical services in the final decision on the Global Goal for Adaptation.

Stay tuned for more news………….