Table of contents for 2023-11-14 in Cape Times

ALTRON’S share price increased by 6.06% to close at R8.75 on the JSE yesterday, even though group headline earnings fell by more than 100% to a headline loss per share of 63 cents, following significant restructuring write-downs. The interim dividend, however, was up 56% to 25c per share, supported by an increase in the dividend payout ratio from at least 40% to at least 50% of headline earnings from continuing operations. “We are in the early phases of our journey, however, the successful profit improvement strategies in Altron Systems Integration and Netstar, with focused execution on our growth levers, delivered pleasing results,” said the CE Werner Kapp. He said their aim was to be the leading platform and IT Services business in their markets. The operating loss before capital…

CONSUMERS in South Africa are under immense pressure with the cascade of bad news resulting in increased prices at the till. Producer Price Inflation continues to rise. The latest figures show an increase from August’s 4.3% to 5.1% in September. Things are going to keep becoming more expensive, following higher fuel prices, a high lending rate to try to keep inflation in check and a weak, volatile rand. Despite this, retailers have to sell goods and consumers need to buy goods. If the prevailing conditions weren’t enough to threaten consumer loyalty, it is all playing out in an era of more competition than ever before and a consumer that demands a superb shopping experience. While this would appear to spell bad news, the flip side of the coin is that…

The lack of sleep is a major contributor to burnout, warns Dr Alison Bentley, a sleep expert and medical doctor at Restonic Ezintsha Sleep Clinic in Johannesburg. She added that work stress is often blamed for poor sleep, but in some cases, disorders like insomnia or obstructive sleep apnoea could be the cause. Bentley also cautioned that daytime fatigue resulting from these disorders can be misinterpreted as early burnout. About 10% of adults have chronic insomnia, and 40% have sleep apnea. Bentley explained that the first step in treating these disorders is to identify them. She added that not being able to doze off, without any clear reason is a big cause of ongoing sleep problems. She suggested keeping a sleep diary which can help track sleep patterns and identify…

The Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA)will hear arguments today in a case which raises important questions around how courts respond to matters of intimate partner violence, which includes whether a kiss can be construed as consent to sex. The Initiative for Strategic Litigation in Africa is represented by the Centre for Applied Legal Studies in the appeal. In October 2021, the Eastern Cape High Court handed down judgment in an appeal by Loyiso Coko, who had been found guilty of raping his then-partner. Although the complainant had said “no” to sexual intercourse and had cried and tried to push the accused off her, the court found that the accused had not intended to rape her, and instead had mistakenly believed that she had consented. In making this determination, the court…

THE Department of Public Service and Administration is on track in terms of employing women in management positions but it is lagging in meeting government targets in hiring the youth. This was confirmed by Public Service and Administration Minister Noxolo Kiviet when responding in writing to parliamentary questions. EFF MP Rosina Komane asked Kiviet about the representation of women and youth in her department. Komane said the report presented by the Auditor-General of South Africa before the portfolio committee mentioned that her department still has not met the representation target of 35% for women and youth. In her reply, Kiviet said the representation of women at senior management service (SMS) level in the department was 47.14% of SMS members, which is 2,86% less than the set national target of 50%,…

A HOTEL company has failed in its court bid and has been given a month to vacate a Cape Peninsula University of Technology’s (CPUT) property where they want to continue operating the administration of accommodation. CPUT, after a counter-application to the Western Cape High Court to have the matter heard in the fast lane of the division, was recently successful and granted an eviction order provided that the university pay the company R4.8 million for liens costs. Ma-Afrika and tenants in a number of units at the Welgevonden sectional title scheme premises – which are used for the purposes of student accommodation for CPUT students and were originally also leased to Ma-Afrika for running its Best Western Cape Suites Hotel, restaurant and conference centre – were given a month’s notice…

SOUTH Africa’s freedom rests directly on the activism and civil disobedience of hundreds of thousands of “ordinary” South Africans resisting apartheid for decades. We owe it to the generations before us who fought for our freedom to oppose repressive laws and apartheid everywhere. Seeing people of all ages and from all communities and organisations assemble, demonstrate and march last Saturday in Cape Town’s CBD proved that our call, voices and cries were not in vain. Thank you to the ordinary South Africans living in Cape Town for standing up for the Palestinian struggle for self-determination and for opposing this current brutal war and genocide against defenceless, innocent people. The scenes of support and solidarity, the placard posters and banners, the pickets, the protest marches and the chants for a free…

I WAS looking at the news and photos of the devastation and chaos caused by all the recent wars and explosives … the Bang!Bang! I was also looking at the orderly world around us: the tides, the phases of the moon, the sequence of the seasons (autumn never comes before spring ), day and night, sun-rise always in the East (on the right in the Southern Hemisphere) and then setting in the West, the migration of fish, birds, animals, insects, etc. It is impossible for me to believe that Creation came into being by the "Big Bang!" I think scientists must look into another dimension/direction.…

HOW refreshing for the Cape Argus to publish a rare letter that doesn't decry Israel. This after months of being bombarded – pun intended – with daily images of the destruction in Palestinian and of people holding dead or injured children, and with articles calling Israelis murderers and terrorists. So, in the spirit of fairness, how about publishing some pictures of the death and destruction in Israel from the thousands of rockets launched by Hamas? And I mean Hamas and other terrorists, not Palestinians, most of whom just want to get on with their lives, but can’t because of the terrorists who are in control. Naledi Pandor has called for top Israeli decision-makers to be arrested and tried by the International Criminal Court. There’s no mention of doing the same…

Despite headwinds, the Red Dragon is geared to grow more than most major economies Recently, the National Bureau of Statistics of China released economic data for the first three quarters, showing that China’s gross domestic product (GDP) grew 5.2% year-on-year, making it a leader among the world’s major economies. Several foreign financial institutions, including Deutsche Bank and JPMorgan Chase, have raised their expectations for China’s economic growth for the year, projecting it will exceed 5%. The International Finance Forum released a report that predicts China will contribute as much as 32% to global economic growth this year. Despite the sluggish world economic recovery and high global inflation, China’s economy has demonstrated strong resilience, great potential and enormous vitality, and remains a leader and main engine of global economic growth. Our…

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak brought back former leader David Cameron as foreign minister yesterday in a reshuffle triggered by his firing of interior minister Suella Braverman after her criticism of police threatened his authority. It was the latest reset for a prime minister whose party is badly lagging the Labour Party before an election expected next year. The return of Cameron suggested Sunak wanted to bring in a more centrist, experienced hand rather than appease the right of his party which supported Braverman. It also reawakens divisive debate over Brexit: Cameron held the referendum on EU membership in 2016 and was hated by many on the right of the party after he campaigned to remain. He quit hours after Britain voted to leave. Under fire from opposition MPs and…

Ugandan prosecutors yesterday charged the commander of a feared militia with terrorism and murder over the killing of two foreign tourists and their driver last month. A commander in the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) militia, Abdul Rashid Kyoto, alias Njovu, was captured earlier this month, and is also accused of leading a horrific massacre at a school in June. Uganda has blamed the ADF, which is affiliated with the Islamic State group, for the murder of the honeymooning tourists and their local guide. Prosecutors have “sanctioned two charges of terrorism, three charges of murder, three charges of aggravated robbery and one charge of belonging to a terrorist organisation” over the tourist attack, the director of public prosecutions said yesterday. A Briton and a South African were murdered along with their…

LONDON: Indi Gregory, a critically ill eight-month-old baby girl from Britain who was taken off life support over the weekend following a legal battle, has died overnight, her family said yesterday. Indi’s parents lost a legal fight last month to keep her on life-support machines and have her transferred to a Vatican children’s hospital in Rome. Indi suffered from an incurable mitochondrial disease. Doctors in Britain’s National Health Service said she suffered from significant pain and distress. English courts agreed. Her father, Dean Gregory, said: “The NHS and the courts not only took away her chance to live a longer life, but they also took away Indi’s dignity to pass away in the family home.” | Reuters…

QUETTA: Pakistan yesterday opened three new border crossings to accelerate the repatriation of undocumented Afghan nationals who have been ordered to leave the country or face expulsion, officials said. Many Afghans have opted to go home voluntarily. Pakistan’s move affects more than 1 million Afghans, many of whom Islamabad says have been involved in militant attacks and crime, a claim Kabul rejects. The new crossings were set up at the Afghan border in south-western Balochistan province in addition to the main crossing in Chaman district. The mass migration has raised fears of a humanitarian crisis as Kabul grapples with the logistics. | Reuters…

South African men’s cricket teams have a rather painful memory of World Cup knockout matches. However, Proteas spinner Tabraiz Shamsi said that the past has no effect on the current crop of players as they are a different bunch from the other Proteas World Cup teams. “That doesn’t matter one bit, we’re a different group of players. Before we got to the World Cup, nobody said that we’d be in the semi-final and here we are. We’re just excited for the opportunity,” he said. “That’s what propels this team – instead of feeling pressure, we see it as an opportunity to do something special. “No South African men’s team has been in the World Cup final and that, for us, is very exciting because it is an opportunity to do…

Teary-eyed Mamelodi Sundowns coach Rhulani Mokwena was awash with a flood of emotions after being showered with praise from all quarters, including Fifa supremo Gianni Infantino. The victorious Mokwena, who had guided his charges to the inaugural African Football League (AFL) championship, was bursting with pride at the post-match media conference where he offered to talk about his red-carpet moment with Fifa president Infantino. He had a touching experience as he walked up on to the stage for the medal ceremony at Loftus Versfeld. “If I can tell you something, as I walked on to the stage, Dr Patrice Motsepe, the CAF president and our former club president, congratulated me. As I walked further on to the Fifa president, Mr Infantino, the first thing he said to me was: ‘Your…

AECI AIMS TO double the profitability of its core mining and chemicals business by 2026 and become a global top three integrated mining explosives and chemicals solutions provider by 2030. The ambitions were laid out at a recent capital market day, where AECI CE Holger Riemensperger announced a revised strategy, which aims to extract value from its underlying operations. Businesses deemed non-core in the new strategy – Much Asphalt, Animal Health, Schrim, Sans Fibers and Bever- age – would be exited over a period. AECI is a diversified chemicals solutions company employing 7 168 people at more than 100 sites, with a presence in 22 countries. “AECI is more than a business. It is a South African institution. At our core, we enable safe mining operations. “While some synergies…

A STRONGER performance in South Africa and the newly acquired Egyptian operation failed to unshackle Vodacom from the impacts of regional volatility and higher costs of starting up in Ethiopia, and the JSE-listed mobile operator’s headline earnings per share fell 4.2% for the six-month period to September 30. South African companies with operations across Africa such as MTN and MultiChoice among others have been battling regional currency and exchange rate woes. Vodacom, which has operations in countries such as Kenya, Egypt and the Democratic Republic of Congo, yesterday reported that headline earnings per share for the September 2023 interim period had slowed down by 4.2% to 438 cents. Investors in the company on the JSE responded negatively, with the share price shedding 4.04% to close at R103.25 on the…

IN A WORLD grappling with the perils of disinformation, the recent arrest of two members of the Indian wrestling team in New Delhi shed light on the concerning potential of AI-generated images. The two women were arrested after protesting against alleged sexual harassment by the president of India’s national wrestling federation. Afterwards, two photographs of the wrestlers in a police van appeared online – one where they were sombre and the other where they were grinning happily. The manipulated photo of the women smiling (probably created with any of the easily available AI-powered photo editing apps such as FaceApp) was widely circulated on social media by supporters of the wrestling federation president. The incident serves as an omen of a disconcerting future where discerning reality from fiction becomes an increasingly…

Diabetes is a chronic condition characterised by elevated blood sugar levels. While lifestyle changes alone may not be sufficient to manage diabetes, they play a crucial role in its overall management, along with medication (if prescribed) and regular monitoring. Making the right lifestyle choices and following a healthy overall routine can greatly influence your health and help in the management of diabetes. This recipe will help you make a delicious, healthy meal your entire family is sure to enjoy. Mushroom and veg-loaded pancakes with tomato relish Serves 6 Ingredients Tomato relish 1 white onion, finely diced 500g ripe cherry tomatoes, quartered 125ml vinegar 50g Sweetly or another non-nutritive sweetener of choice Pancakes 150g stone-ground wholemeal flour ½ tsp baking powder 1 tsp sea salt 180ml ice-cold water 1 large free-range…

UWC student Ntembeko Myalo had been out on a warning over an alleged rape incident when he was caught on video viciously stabbing his wife, a Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) student, at the weekend. Myalo, 32, wearing a grey jersey, attempted to hide his face with visible lumps on his forehead while in the dock yesterday. He made his first appearance at the Bellville Magistrates' Court facing an attempted murder charge after he attacked his spouse at South Point, the Orchard student accommodation in Belhar on Saturday. The court heard the accused had a pending rape case for which he is expected to return to court on December 4. “(The attempted murder) case has been postponed until November 20, for bail application,” National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Eric…

AS A REGULAR contributor over many years, I understand that space is difficult but to be candid, there comes a time when all relevant facts must be considered. When the savage, macabre attacks occurred in Israel on October 7, this publication joined most of the civilised world in strongly condemning the barbaric acts. When Israel responded militarily, most reasonable people, including this newspaper, supported its actions. Now, a few weeks later, history is again repeating itself. Israel is winning despite being bombarded from all sides. The visuals from Gaza show massive destruction and suffering. Every feeling civilised person would naturally have great sympathy for the victims of the ferocious attacks. Yet, where were the feeling civilised people of Gaza when a young German-Israeli hostage was dragged naked through the streets…

FURTHER to the letter I wrote, I have discovered that Sanral recently sent 29 officials on a trip to Prague, despite its poor performance, in defiance of a Treasury ruling that travel be kept to a minimum. Yet, only one half of its budgets for non-toll roads has been spent on maintenance and improvements in the past four years. The Minister of Transport also went to Prague with a delegation from her department. Interestingly, it transpires that the Sanral chairperson was paid more than R3 million in fees during the 2022/23 year, double that received by the Eskom and Transnet chairpersons. This excessive expenditure needs to be thoroughly investigated and strict measures taken to ensure it doesn’t recur. No doubt similar examples of unnecessary and wasteful expenditure can be…

THE news that Minister Fikile “Fixfokol” Mbalula is “prepared to sell his socks” to defend his integrity in laying a charge of crimen injuria and defeating the ends of justice against the former chair of Productivity SA and Thuja Capital CEO is newsworthy for one main reason. Mbalula may have been gifted with many things but political integrity is certainly not one of them. Whether he’s guilty of soliciting a bribe or not, he’s wasting his money (and his socks) if he’s going to try to defend it. He’ll have to find it first.…

ANYONE with an iota of humanity in them cannot deny that they are deeply moved by the harrowing images coming out of Gaza. Innocent infants who should be swathed and tended to by their mothers are wrapped in white death shrouds, with names scribbled in Arabic script; mother’s screeching and praying in anguish. The death toll in Gaza stands at 10 000, more than 4 000 of which are children. Masses of civilians, their belongings on their backs or donkey carts, are making an exodus from northern Gaza. The elderly, the infirm with canes and wheelchairs; the young who have no idea of war are among them. Whole city blocks have been reduced to rubble and smoke. Schools and bakeries transformed to ruins. Not even hospitals, churches and mosques have…

Ethnic minority insurgent groups attacked security posts in Myanmar yesterday, residents, rebels and an official said, as fighting erupted on two new fronts, and thousands of people crossed into neighbouring India seeking safety. Myanmar’s military junta is facing its biggest test since taking power in a 2021 coup after three ethnic minority forces launched a co-ordinated offensive in late October, capturing some towns and military posts. The military-installed president last week said Myanmar was at risk of breaking apart because of an ineffective response to the rebellion. The generals say they are fighting “terrorists”. One of the three allied insurgent groups, the Arakan Army (AA), which is fighting for greater autonomy in Rakhine State in western Myanmar, seized posts in the Rathedaung and Minbya areas, about 200km apart, AA spokesperson…

MANILA: A Philippine court yesterday granted bail to a former senator and fierce critic of a former president’s bloody “war on drugs” after nearly seven years in jail on charges she always denied. Leila de Lima, 64, faced various charges in 2017 within months of launching a Senate inquiry into the President Rodrigo Duterte’s brutal anti-narcotics campaign, in which thousands of users and dealers were killed by police or in mysterious circumstances. Duterte, whose term ended in 2022, accused her of colluding with drugs gangs while she was justice minister, which led to charges of conspiracy to trade narcotics. Two of three cases against De Lima have been dismissed and she had sought bail in the one pending case on health grounds, which the court granted yesterday. |…

Reykjavik: After a series of recent earthquakes, authorities in Iceland have declared an emergency over a possible volcanic eruption posing a threat to a now-evacuated town. The Icelandic Meteorological Office (IMO) said there was a considerable risk of an eruption with authorities ordering thousands of people living in the south-western town of Grindavík to leave. The IMO said the probability of an eruption on or just off the Reykjanes Peninsula increased since Sunday and could start at any time in the next few days. Reykjanes Peninsula had remained dormant to volcanic activity for 800 years before a 2021 eruption. | IANS…

Taking on Australia in any event, anywhere in the world, is a daunting task, regardless of the calibre of players making up the Australian team. When it comes to crunch games, be it World Cup knockouts or any other ICC event, the Australian cricket team tends to resemble how Real Madrid perform in the Uefa Champions League – it doesn’t matter their LaLiga form, when it’s Champions League time, they are always in the running to win the trophy. Real Madrid have won more Champions League trophies than any other club. The Australian cricket team is the world’s most decorated. So, what does this mean for South Africa, a team with no World Cup trophy and very little to boast about on the international stage, when they face the Aussies…

Clarification about AgriBEE requirements for agricultural exports issued THE DEPARTMENT of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (Dalrrd) would continue to ensure all farmers enjoy access to EU and UK markets, according to the department’s Minister, Thoko Didiza. Yesterday, the government issued a statement in which it said it was clarifying incorrect views about the AgriBEE requirements for agricultural exports to the EU and UK. It said the department had recently published two gazettes outlining the procedure for exports from the Southern African Customs Union and Mozambique to the EU and the UK, respectively, to take advantage of preferential tariff rate quotas for certain agricultural and agro-processed products. “The weekend newspapers misrepresented the government’s message about the procedure and annual application for export permits to the EU and UK markets,”…

IN THE BEGINNING, it was a machine that could fit in a room. It was followed by a machine that required a desk to operate and thereafter, only a hand was required. Now, you might just need something to wear to have the same computing power that required a room many years ago. This is the thought that crossed my mind as I was thinking about the significance of the product, Ai Pin, that was launched last week by a couple who formerly worked at Apple, Bethany Bongiorno and Imran Chaudhri. If the founders of Humane, the company behind the AI device, succeed in getting consumers to buy into their product, they would have pioneered a significant shift in the history of computing industry. Before we get into the significance…

THE Office of the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (DPCI), which is mandated to oversee the conduct of members of the Hawks in their investigations, has been without a judge for over a year now. Retired Judge Frans Kgomo’s term of office came to an end 13 months ago. This was revealed in the 2022-23 annual report of the Office of the DPCI Judge, which has blamed the low rate of case finalisation on the absence of a judge to sign off reports. Office of DPCI Judge director Charmaine Marshall said the year under review had presented a number of challenges, such as the departure of Judge Kgomo due to the end of his contract term. “There has not been a replacement judge as yet,” Marshall said. However, she said…

‘It’s very difficult to make a living out of the little the department gives’ Small-scale fishers (SSF) in the Western Cape have been dealt a heavy blow following the Department of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment (DFFE) decision to slash the West Coast Rock Lobster Total Allowable Catch (WCRL TAC) by almost 17%. DFFE earlier this month announced the TAC for the 2023/2024 fishing season had been reduced by 16.43% from the previous fishing season. With this, the near shore allocation decreased from 93.9 tons to 78.54 tons, while the offshore allocation saw a decline from 69.1 tons to 57.79 tons. According to DFFE, the decision was guided by the principles of the Marine Living Resources Act which included best available science and information, a precautionary approach and “the need…

Ingredients 1kg deboned leg of lamb (cut into cubes) 1 tot olive oil 1 tot butter 2 onions (chopped) 4 garlic cloves (crushed or chopped) ginger, equal in volume to the garlic (grated) 1 tsp coriander powder 1 tsp cayenne pepper (or chilli powder) 1 tsp cumin 5 cloves (whole) 5 cardamom pods 1 cinnamon stick 2 tots tomato paste 1 cup plain yoghurt 1 cup fresh cream 100g ground almonds salt and pepper fresh coriander Method Get as much heat under the potjie and flash-fry the meat in two batches. You’re not trying to cook the meat. Set the seared meat aside for later use. Add the oil, butter and chopped onion to the potjie and fry the onion for a few minutes until it gets some colour. Add…

SOUTH Africa has one of the highest murder and rape rates in the world, a corrupt government and here is Pandor calling for the arrest of Israeli officials. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black! There are 22 Arab states, 57 Muslim nations that refuse entry to Gazans. Bottom line: nobody cares about the Palestinians. The brutal attack by Hamas on Israel on October 7 that left 1 440 Israelis dead and 240 being taken hostage into Gaza, started this war but now that Israel defends itself she is blamed for retaliating. Mrs Pandor ignores the Muslim-on-Muslim violence taking place all over the world in Yemen, Sudan and Pakistan. She reserves her venom only for Israel which will not commit national suicide to appease people like Pandor. What…

The article in your November 7 issue, “Malema’s views on illegal foreigners could hurt EFF at polls”, refers. EFF leader Julius Malema is well known to flip flop on his views. His views on foreign labour will change many times before next year’s elections. The issue of foreigners and foreign labour in South Africa is becoming more and more of a nightmare. As we feel the economic belt tightening and the unemployment figures rising, we need to try to understand that the average South African who has become desperate because of the ANC’s failure will be looking for someone to blame. The ANC is quick to push blame wherever it can find an easy defenceless target. The blame is ill founded and the reality is job creation in South…

FOUR people remain hospitalised following the outbreak of a suspected food-related illness at the City’s Culemborg 1 Safe Space. Patricia Van der Ross, Mayco member for community services and health, said yesterday that the City was awaiting the results of medical testing following several residents at the shelter facility displaying indications of illness. She noted that investigations were ongoing and it would be premature to speculate on the cause of the incident after concerned homeless persons advocates raised the alarm about the quality of food being served at the facility. “On November 11, emergency services were dispatched to the City’s Culemborg 1 Safe Space, as 16 male clients displayed symptoms of diarrhoea, nausea, headaches, vomiting and abdominal cramps. Seven were hospitalised, while the remaining nine received on-site medical care. Glucose…

The hospitals in northern Gaza have been forced out of service amid fuel shortages and intense combat, with the death toll inside the territory’s largest facility rising, the Hamas-run health ministry said yesterday. Israel argues that its Hamas enemies built their military headquarters under the Al-Shifa hospital complex, while UN agencies and doctors in the facility warned a lack of generator fuel was claiming lives, including infants. Witnesses reported intense overnight air strikes, with tanks and armoured vehicles just meters from the gate of the sprawling Al-Shifa compound at the heart of the Gaza City, now an urban war zone. The Hamas government’s deputy health minister, Youssef Abu Rish, said the death toll inside Al-Shifa rose to 27 adult intensive care patients and seven babies since the weekend as the…

Rescuers in northern India battled for a second day yesterday to save 40 workers trapped underground after the road tunnel they were building collapsed, bringing down tons of debris. Teams using heavy excavators have been working non-stop since the collapse early yesterday to clear piles of concrete and earth, but with more debris falling as workers tried to clear a passage, a giant steel pipe was being prepared as an escape route. “All the 40 workers trapped inside the tunnel are safe,” Karamveer Singh Bhandari, a senior commander in the National Disaster Response Force, said from the site in the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand. Oxygen was being pumped into the blocked portion of the tunnel, with food sent through a water pipe. Rathodi said excavators had removed about 20m of…

MADRID: The Spanish parliament will vote on Thursday to confirm the new government of Socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, who is assured of a majority after securing the support of Catalan separatists. Parliamentary debate will begin tomorrow with a vote of confidence expected on Thursday, said lower house president Francina Armengol. In exchange for the votes of the Catalan separatist parties, Sanchez agreed to a controversial amnesty for those involved in a failed 2017 secession attempt. With support of the far left, with whom he has ruled, and parties representing Basques, Catalans and the Canary Islands, Sanchez can expect to receive 179 votes, with 176 needed. | AFP…

Paris: President Emmanuel Macron yesterday hosted religious leaders for talks on combating anti-Semitism in France, a day after a Paris march rallied tens of thousands to express anxiety over an upsurge in acts against Jews. The country has seen an upsurge in anti-Semitic acts since Hamas’s bloody October 7 attack on Israel killed around 1 200 people. Macron called on people to rally around the country’s “values” and “universalism”. He has been rebuked by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after criticising in a weekend interview Israel’s extensive bombing campaign in Gaza. Macron “expressed his solidarity with Israel,” the Elysee said.…

It’s desperation mode for the Stormers and Sharks this weekend as they seek to turn their losing fortunes around in the United Rugby Championship (URC). The Stormers, South Africa’s premier side over the past two seasons and former URC champions, have a tough task at Thomond Park in Limerick when they take on champions Munster in their third match of the European tour on Saturday. They are 0-2 so far, after falling to Glasgow Warriors and Benetton, and something seriously needs to click for the Cape side if they are to turn their fortunes around. They have had little success with their usually powerful scrums, and haven’t reaped the rewards of a good rolling maul in the first two tour matches. Getting that right against Munster, who boast one of…

India are the overwhelming favourites to lift a third World Cup but a star of the country’s 1983 breakthrough triumph has warned of the threats posed by cricket’s “glorious uncertainties”. Rohit Sharma’s side have cruised into the semi-finals, where they will face New Zealand tomorrow, with nine wins from nine matches in the group phase. Now, Syed Kirmani, who played a major role in the 1983 title victory that set India on the road to becoming the sport’s financial powerhouse, has warned against complacency undermining the nation’s hopes. Kirmani, 73, believes the West Indies, who arrived at the 1983 World Cup as two-time champions, paid the price for underestimating India. “Superb,” Kirmani said, when asked for his thoughts on the 2023 World Cup side who are looking for a third…