Tabla de contenidos para 2024-03-06 en Cape Times

Social media is rife with an abundance of wide-ranging life hacks, tips and tricks, with scores of users eager to give a range of them a try. This includes viral beauty trends, which often promise youthful, clear and flawless skin at a fraction of the cost and time when compared to cosmetic procedures. But skin experts have warned that not all these trends, which usually promote the use of everyday household products and toiletries, are safe or effective. “Not all beauty advice offered by the internet is good for the skin,” Kevin Khosa, the customer service manager at SKIN Functional explained to Independent Media Lifestyle. “There are many fads and it is easy to get swept up in the virility of some of these trends.” Meanwhile, Tzvia Hermann, the co-founder…

THE Government Printing Works (GPW) assured Parliament yesterday that it has back-ups to store its data. In February 2021, the GPW’s server crashed and led to the loss of data, a move that affected the printing of government gazettes and compiling of the institution’s annual reports. This led Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi to appoint a ministerial review panel to investigate the incident where it was found that the crashing of the institution’s server was due to poor maintenance of the ICT infrastructure, most notably the non-replacement of the batteries. The panel presented its report to Motsoaledi in July 2022 and the entity received the report in September 2022. Briefing the home affairs portfolio committee yesterday, CEO Alinah Fosi said the management of GPW had immediately developed action plans in…

Former ANC cabinet minister Nathi Nhleko has resigned from the ruling party, as was widely reported yesterday. The resignation follows an exchange with ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula, who had accused Nhleko of lying to Parliament in defence of then president Jacob Zuma during the Nkandla upgrade inquiry. In May 2015, Nhleko said Zuma did not have to repay the state a cent for the R246 million upgrade of his private home, in a 50-page report which set out a security purpose for all the features deemed luxuries by the public protector at the time, advocate Thuli Madonsela. Nhleko said a fire drill was held, and the rescue services arrived more than an hour after they were summoned. This, coupled with low water pressure in the rural area, meant that the…

The US this week imposed sanctions on Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa and other senior leaders but scrapped a broad two-decade-old pressure campaign on the troubled country, replacing it with targeted action. Citing rights abuses and corruption, President Joe Biden’s administration slapped sanctions on 11 Zimbabweans including Mnangagwa and three companies. The order blocks any assets they hold in the US and bars them from unofficial travel to the country. Biden simultaneously abolished an earlier sanctions program on Zimbabwe launched in 2003. Other than the people listed on Monday, Zimbabweans formerly under US sanctions will see restrictions lifted. “The changes we are making today are intended to make clear what has always been true: our sanctions are not intended to target the people of Zimbabwe,” Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo said.…

Washington: Amazon founder Jeff Bezos took back his spot as the world’s richest man this week, dethroning Elon Musk on the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. Bezos’ net worth stands at $200 billion (R3.7 trillion), surpassing the Tesla chief’s $198bn. Musk, who also heads X (formerly Twitter) and SpaceX, has seen his riches fall by more than $30bn as Tesla’s share price has dropped 25% recently. A court in January approved the annulment of Musk’s Tesla compensation agreement, worth $55.8bn, struck in 2018. Bezos, who no longer runs Amazon, has benefited from its rising stock price. The French CEO of the luxury group LVMH, Bernard Arnault, is in third place, worth $197bn. | AFP…

MAPUTO: The number of people who fled their homes in northern Mozambique has peaked to over 112 000 in the last two months due to jihadist violence, with 61 000 being children, NGO Save the Children said yesterday. Fresh unrest broke out in the lawless province a few weeks ago, according to local reports and figures for displaced people from the UN. It has placed the total number of displaced people at 112 894 from December 22 to March 3. The thousands of families have fled by bus, canoe or on foot. The insurgency erupted in October 2017 when fighters attacked coastal areas in gas-rich northern Cabo Delgado, close to the Tanzanian border. | AFP…

Manchester City may be 3-1 up in their Champions League round-of-16 tie against Copenhagen but manager Pep Guardiola has warned his defending champions against any complacency in tonight’s second-leg clash at home. City, second in the Premier League, face leaders Liverpool on Sunday, whom they trail by a point, but the Spaniard said the focus remained on reaching the Champions League quarter-finals. “In football, details make the difference. Everything can happen,” he said yesterday. “We concede a goal in the 85th minute ... concede two, we have to go to extra time. “I have a lot of respect for Copenhagen. They defend, they have a good system ... they’re really well organised.” Guardiola cited the example of RB Leipzig, whom City beat 3-1 on the road in the group stage…

England coach Steve Borthwick’s flirtation with a – relatively – more creative attacking game was horribly exposed in defeat by Scotland and he is likely to return to his tried and tested kicking approach in a bid to tame a rampant Ireland on Saturday. Other than a well-crafted early first-phase try by Fraser Dingwall, England failed to deliver the new aspects of attack that Borthwick has been promising to “layer on” and they looked toothless and confused in a 30-21 defeat. England find themselves in the unaccustomed position of being 4-1 outsiders on their own Twickenham patch, with Ireland a 6-1 shot to make it four championship wins in a row in the fixture. A bonus-point win for Ireland, meanwhile, will secure the title with a week to spare. Ireland…

LIFE OFFICES and asset managers represented by the Association for Savings and Investment South Africa (Asisa) had made “encouraging progress towards achieving transformation targets” set by the Amended Financial Sector Code (FSC) and have exceeded ownership targets, the association said yesterday. However, reaching management control and employment equity targets remained a challenge for an industry dependent on scarce specialised skills such as actuarial and asset management expertise, said Asisa senior policy adviser for transformation, skills development and education Lister Saungweme. “While we are not where we want to be, we are seeing progress, albeit slow progress, towards meeting management control, employment equity and skills development targets,” she said. The Amended FSC came into effect on December 1, 2017, and measures financial sector transformation using a balanced Broad-based Black Economic Empowerment…

No matter what your grocery budget is, we all want to be smart shoppers. And when budgets are squeezed, we still want to do the best we can to feed our families healthily. Here are six tips to stretch your grocery budget. Some of the ideas you may have heard before but, hopefully, some will be new. Don’t make breakfast a fancy affair Breakfast is one meal that does not have to be complicated or expensive. Breakfast foods like eggs, muesli, and toast are not only inexpensive but also filling. Make your own home-made muffins and fast breads. Do not waste your time with mixes and other empty shortcuts. Cereal for breakfast can break the bank. Unless you spot a great sale, you should only buy cereal in bulk when…

A study commissioned by the Cape of Good Hope SPCA on the impacts of fireworks on marine species has recommended the cessation of firework displays at the V&A Waterfront, citing the impacts of anthropogenic noise on wild animals. They found Hartlaub’s gulls and Cape fur seals exhibited a “strong behavioural response during the firework display by increasing vocal behaviour, and the seals shifted from sleeping to vigilant and locomotive behaviour at the onset of the fireworks. In air, the frequency range of firework noise overlapped the vocal signals of both species, resulting in potential acoustic masking”. The case study on the short-term impacts of fireworks on marine species comes after the dismissal of the SPCA’s high court application to interdict a New Year’s fireworks display from taking place at V&A…

IMMEDIATE short-term interventions for management of alien invasive plants at the Vaal River include revision of the integrated control approach, which will assess the use of a herbicide that is registered with the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD). Ministers of Water and Sanitation, Senzo Mchunu, and Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Barbara Creecy, yesterday provided an update on the clearing of alien invasive plants at the Vaal River by Rand Water. Officials had last month back-tracked on their bid to use sub-lethal chemicals to clear the Vaal River following a growing public outcry over the long-term effects on the river. Since December 2023, the Vaal River has become overrun with water lettuce and water hyacinth, an invasive aquatic species originating in South America, with negative environmental…

China actively participates in international affairs, engaging in global governance IN THIS era filled with challenges and opportunities, the wave of globalisation brings infinite possibilities to the world, along with numerous challenges and uncertainties. As the Consul General of China in Cape Town, South Africa, I have had the privilege of witnessing and participating in the role China plays on the global stage and how we are committed to building a community with a shared future for mankind, promoting the establishment of a more just, equal, and inclusive world. The Profound Significance of Building a Community with a Shared Future for Mankind The concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind is not only the core of China’s foreign policy but also China’s significant contribution to the…

Hamas negotiators will remain in Cairo for another day at the request of mediators, keeping ceasefire talks going after two days with no breakthrough, an official from the militant group said yesterday. The Cairo talks have been billed as a final hurdle to reach the first extended ceasefire in the war between Hamas and Israel – a 40-day truce during which Israeli hostages would be freed and aid pumped into Gaza – ahead of Ramadaan, which is due to begin at the start of next week. “The delegation will remain in Cairo for more talks, they are expected to wrap up this round later today (yesterday),” a Hamas official said. Egypt’s Qahera television also reported the talks had been extended for a third day, but said they were “facing difficulties”.…

Raging violence in Haiti triggered by a top gang leader’s push to overthrow the prime minister has forced more than 15 000 people to flee their homes, many of which have been destroyed. The situation escalated at the weekend with Prime Minister Ariel Henry’s trip to Kenya to tie up a deal for the deployment of foreign troops in Haiti. Haiti’s threadbare government has declared a state of emergency after inmates escaped in two major prison breaks and heavy gunfire spread across the capital. Henry’s arrival date back in Haiti remains unclear. Meanwhile, multiple embassies have recalled their staff and neighbouring Dominican Republic says it will never accept setting up refugee camps. The UN’s immigration office said at least 15 000 people had been displaced due to violence. “I didn’t…

LONDON: British finance minister Jeremy Hunt will cut the rate of social security contributions by two percentage points in his budget statement today, possibly his last before an election expected later this year, reports said. The cut to National Insurance Contributions (NICs) will be the central measure of Hunt’s budget after he decided against more expensive income tax cuts because of the tight fiscal room for manoeuvre available to him. Hunt is also expected to create a new tax on vapes, extending by one year a windfall levy on energy firms’ profits and tightening the rules on “non-dom” people living in Britain on their income abroad. | Reuters…

TEHRAN: Iran executed at least 834 people last year, the highest number since 2015, as capital punishment in the Islamic republic surged to a “staggering” level, human rights groups said yesterday. The number of executions, which Iran has always carried out by hanging in recent years, was up about 43% on 2022. It marked only the second time in two decades that more than 800 executions were recorded in a year, after 972 executions in 2015, Norway-based Iran Human Rights (IHR) and Paris-based Together Against the Death Penalty (ECPM) said. So far this year, Iran has executed at least 83 people, according to IHR’s figures. | AFP…

The stakes are expected to be at an all-time high as a potential relegation six-pointer takes centre stage when Richards Bay travel to Chippa United tonight. The two teams will collide at the Buffalo City Stadium in a 7.30pm kick-off, seeking what could prove to be a valuable three points in the final run-in. After their decent start to the campaign, the Chilli Boys have somewhat fallen off their wagon in the last 10 league matches and slipped out of the top eight into a potential relegation discussion in the process. Chippa’s free fall cost coach Morgan Mammila (who is now a technical director) his job. The club appointed SuperSport United-groomed Thabo September and Kwanele Kopo on a co-coaching basis as they look to secure their place in next…

Gabby Sidibe is joining the mommy gang as she announced that she is expecting. The multi-award-winning actress known for her role in Precious is expecting a double bundle of joy. She took to social media to announce that she and her husband, Brandon Frankel, are expecting twins. She wrote on Instagram: “I’m pregnant! We thought it was time to give our cats some responsibility, so we’re giving them each a baby to take care of! Double the babies, double the cats, double the fun!! Twin delivery coming soon! Twinty Twinty Four!!” Her followers congratulated her with some sending her best wishes on the delivery of her children. “Yesss, as a mom to identical twin boys, I want you to remind yourself of how powerful and strong you are to have…

CHIEF Justice Raymond Zondo is this week expected to review his decision to appoint retired justices, including controversial Justice Zak Yacoob, at the Constitutional Court to assist with applications for leave to appeal. This follows criticism from several NGOs and questions about the constitutionality of his decision. The Office of the Chief Justice had earlier said that the decision to appoint retired justices at the apex court was meant to be on a trial basis, and if it did not work as planned, the initiative could be discontinued. Zondo had said the retired justices would be fulfilling a support service to the justices of the Constitutional Court because of their huge workload since the expansion of the court’s jurisdiction. The chief justice said that the retired judges would not take…

AN application for an order compelling various organs of state to cease making vaccinations against Covid-19 available was refused by the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria. The application failed on various grounds, including a lack of sufficient evidence that the vaccines caused “strange” medical conditions. Three non-profit organisations – Covid Care Alliance, Transformative Health Justice and Free the Children – Save the Nation – asked, among other things, for an order interdicting the government from urging South Africans to be vaccinated against Covid-19 and from distributing vaccines to vaccination centres. The grounds for the application were that they, together with some doctors in South Africa, had tried to draw the attention of the government and health authorities to what they have labelled “strange and unusual medical conditions” which they had witnessed…

Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi yesterday ruled out the arbitrary freezing of fraudulent visas and permits issued by his department’s officials to foreign nationals without following due processes. Motsoaledi said when his department encountered fraudulent documents, those involved in fraudulent activities tried to fight back. “They claim they are not the ones who committed fraud and would claim to have been helped by an immigration agent and say they were not aware the agent practised fraud, so we are forced to investigate,” he said. Motsoaledi said he wished he could just freeze the affected visas. “That is my desire and that is a desire of every member of the public,” he said. But,the minister said, the law did not allow his department to take this route. “When we deal with…

The University of Pretoria’s World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for the Prevention of Deafness and Hearing Loss is leading transformative efforts to address global hearing loss. Unmet ear and hearing care needs affect more than 80% of the world’s population and cost nearly $1 trillion (R19 trillion) annually as a result of unaddressed hearing loss. World Hearing Day was observed across the globe on Sunday. This year’s theme, “Changing mindsets: ear and hearing care for all, let’s make it a reality”, was a call for global collaboration to meet the unmet ear and hearing care needs. Hearing loss is an invisible epidemic that affects millions of lives due to the lack of accessible care and societal biases. In Africa, the repercussions of unmet ear and hearing care needs are especially…

The Philippines said yesterday that China Coast Guard vessels caused two collisions with Philippine boats and water-cannoned one of them, leaving four crew injured during a resupply mission in the South China Sea. Manila summoned a Chinese representative over the incidents, which happened in waters around Second Thomas Shoal in the Spratly Islands where the countries have contesting maritime claims. A Philippine government task force said in a statement that “China Coast Guard and Chinese Maritime Militia vessels harassed, blocked, deployed water cannons, and executed dangerous manoeuvres in another attempt to illegally impede or obstruct a routine resupply and rotation mission”. The China Coast Guard said it “took control measures” against Philippine ships’ “illegal intrusion” in waters around the shoal. The BRP Sindangan, along with a sister ship, had been…

Two men have been charged with violating export controls for allegedly conspiring to send millions of dollars of weapons to South Sudan, the Justice Department said yesterday. The pair allegedly sought to send rifles, grenade launchers, Stinger missile systems, hand grenades and ammunition to South Sudan, the department said in a statement. The defendants, Abraham Chol Keech of Utah, and Peter Biar Ajak of Maryland, “sought to unlawfully smuggle heavy weapons and ammunition from the US into South Sudan,” Assistant Attorney General Matthew Olsen said. South Sudan “is subject to a UN arms embargo due to the violence between armed groups, which has killed and displaced thousands,” he added. Between February 2023 and February 2024 the pair sought to illegally buy weapons from undercover law enforcement agents and smuggle them…

Washington: A Massachusetts Air National Guardsman accused of posting classified intelligence information online has pleaded guilty to the crimes, in exchange for a possible sentence of 16 years in jail. Jack Teixeira, the airman, pleaded guilty to all six counts of “willful retention and transmission of national defence information” in a federal court in Boston, Massachusetts. He previously pleaded not guilty. Under detention since his arrest in April 2023, Teixeira posted to an online gaming chat group secrets including about the Russia-Ukraine conflict. It may have compromised the way the US gathers intelligence, officials say. | IANS…

Tokyo: Starting today, robot deliveries will be offered in a small area of Tokyo by US-based food app Uber Eats, which hopes to roll out the service more widely in Japan. The country, facing growing labour shortages, changed traffic laws last year to allow delivery robots on public streets, and other companies including Panasonic are trialling cute new machines to transport goods. Moving at up to 5.4km/h and with flashing lights, there’s a human operator on standby in case of trouble. App users must wait outside for the robot to arrive, but one day it could come to their door, said Uber Eats. The service could also one day go to rural areas, where many are elderly and drivers are scarce. | AFP…

The 2024 edition of the T20 Challenge kicks off on Friday with South African cricket fans still buzzing after yet another successful SA20 tournament The stage is then set to see what the domestic set-up has to offer, as this might be the last opportunity for some players to impress ahead of the T20 World Cup, which will be hosted in the US and Caribbean later this year. The first few matches of the tournament will see full-strength teams taking to the field before the Proteas depart for the Indian Premier League (IPL). Here, Obakeng Meletse looks at five batsmen that might have the most impact leading up to the tournament. Janneman Malan Malan’s inclusion might raise a few eyebrows as he’s been missing in action. From the highs of…

The Springboks’ first alignment camp in Cape Town comes to an end today after 43 players had the opportunity over the last couple of days to be part of head coach Rassie Erasmus’ first plans as they build up to the 2027 Rugby World Cup. Although a short one, there would have been key information shared with the invited players that excluded those currently plying their trade overseas. Independent News looks at five outcomes the Boks would have wanted from the alignment camp. Understanding Rassie’s roadmap to the ‘threepeat’ The World Cup in Australia is still three years away, but this was the first step towards building for that tournament, where the Springboks will look to assert their dominance again. It will take baby steps, though, as the current crop’s…