Sommaire pour 2023-10-04 de Cape Times

THE COMPETITION Commission of South Africa has called on interested parties to comment on draft revised Public Interest Guidelines related to merger control within 30 days. According to Legal firm Webber Wentzel, since the amendment of the Competition Act a few years ago, the public interest component of merger regulation had achieved particular prominence. “Over the 2021/22 financial year, at least a quarter of all mergers were approved subject to public interest conditions. As a result, businesses have been eager for clearer guidance from the competition authorities on when public interest conditions will be applied and how these conditions should be structured,” it said. In a statement yesterday, the commission said in February 2019, the Competition Act 89 of 1998 was amended to address concentration and the lack of transformation…

ACTOM, a major supplier of electrical equipment, services and balance of plant to the renewable energy sector, is invest- ing R100 million to expand its Pretoria plant. According to group CEO of Actom, Mervyn Naidoo, the company offers tech- nology and advanced products to address issues facing the electro-mechanical industry, from large-scale infrastructure installations to smaller projects and sup- port services. Its Southern and Sub-Saharan African distribution network comprises 13 branches across the country. “We have earnestly started expanding our plant and this will contribute to growing the economy of Gauteng in particular, and the country in general, by building local capacity in manufacturing electro-mechanical equipment,” he said in a statement. The expansion of the Pretoria plant would result in 30 additional people being employed. The company already…

THE COMPETITION Tribunal said yesterday it will give its decision in due course as to whether to confirm or not the settlement agreement by consumer goods company Unilever South Africa on its possible market division case. This is after Unilever and the Competition Commission reached a settlement agreement following the Commission in 2017 referring a case against Unilever and Sime Darby Hudson Knight for prosecution for possible division of markets between 2004 and 2013. According to the commission, in its investigation, it found the two companies entered into a sale of business agreement which contained a non-compete clause that restricted each of them to produce and supply certain pack sizes of margarine and edible oils in possible contravention of the Competition Act. Sime Darby settled the matter with the Commission…

SOCIAL grant beneficiaries in KwaZulu-Natal were told to withdraw their money from ATMs and retailers after several Post Office branches in the province ran out of money yesterday. This as civil society decried the issues that continue to plague Sassa in the disbursement of grants, saying hardly a month passed without a problem reported from the entity. Postbank spokesperson, Bongani Diako said pensioners who were set to receive their payments yesterday should make use of retailers that include Boxer, Pick n Pay, Spar, Shoprite, Usave and ATMs instead of Post Office branches. “This is due to many Post Office branches in KwaZulu-Natal having reported that they anticipate to have insufficient cash in store as a result of cash delivery delays. “The Sassa gold cards operate like any other bank card…

Ingredients: For the base 1½ cups cake flour, 1 tsp baking powder, ¼ cup caster sugar, 1 large egg, 125g butter, plus extra for greasing For the filling 3 large egg whites, 250ml fresh cream, 250ml soured cream, 250g cream cheese, ¾ cup caster sugar, 3 large egg yolks, 2 tbs apricot juice (from the tin), 2 tbs cornflour For the apricot layer 410g canned apricot halves, icing sugar for dusting Method: To make base, add all dry ingredients in bowl. Add other ingredients and use hands to knead mixture into a smooth dough. Wrap in plastic wrap and leave in fridge for 30 min. Pre-heat oven to 180°C. Grease a 22cm springform (loose bottom) cake tin. Line base and sides of tin with dough. Blind bake cheesecake base for…

YOUR Monday edition “government silent on its plans despite looming fuel price increase” refers: Unfortunately, this is the nature of our current government. Whenever they are faced with a need to do something we have a screaming silence. Over and above this, we have a president that calls for an investigation or a new committee whenever anything negative occurs. These committees just spend more money, more time and come up with no answers. It is about time that the citizens of the country need to ensure that they have a Parliament that is active and responsive, and takes into account looming issues such as a fuel price increase.…

A PAARL man has been released from custody after his conviction and sentencing for stealing libido tablets from a Dis-Chem store last year was set aside. Josquin September appealed against his conviction and sentencing on the grounds that the presiding magistrate at the Paarl Magistrate’s Court “committed a gross irregularity” by failing to explain his right to legal representation before he was asked to plead to the charge. This was found to be true when the transcribed version of the matter was listened to by Western Cape High Court Judge Robert Henney. September was arrested on July 26 last year on a charge of theft of a pack of Erect Capsules to the value of R109.95 from the retail pharmacy. He pleaded guilty to the charge against him and the…

A GRADE 11 learner from Humansdorp Secondary School in the Eastern Cape is recovering in hospital after sustaining neck and spinal injuries during a rugby tournament in Knysna on Saturday. Anzil Williams broke his neck in two places during a rugby match on day one, according to the school. In a post on social media, the school asked for prayers, saying doctors had told his family that he was paralysed from the neck down. Williams was attempting to tackle another player from the Rheenendal Boys U16 Boys team during the match. Tournament organiser Aschin Klein said the incident happened fast. “Anzil attempted to tackle one of the players from the Rheenendal Boys, after that he went down. The referee immediately blew the whistle and called on the paramedics and the…

In 2018, EFF number two Floyd Shivambu denied receiving R10 million from VBS Mutual Bank. Shivambu said he had no dealings with the bank and described any attempt to link the red berets to the saga as cheap politicking. At the time, he was reacting to the report that of the nearly R2 billion siphoned from the financial institution, his brother, Brian, allegedly received about R16m. Of this, it was claimed that R10m went to the MP and party’s chief whip. And now, Shivambu will have nine days of his salary docked because he failed to disclose to Parliament three payments he received from a company linked with VBS, according to a report from Parliament’s ethics committee. In its investigation, the committee found that he breached the code…

The party of French President Emmanuel Macron said yesterday that it would put forward a bill this year to combat surging numbers of reported bedbug cases, which are being increasingly seen as a major potential public health problem. Bedbugs have gone from being a subject of potential derision to a contentious political issue in France in recent weeks, with aghast citizens reporting seeing the creatures in locations including trains and cinemas. The head of Macron’s Renaissance party in the French National Assembly, Sylvain Maillard, said a cross-party text would be ready “at the beginning of December” to combat the “scourge” of bedbugs. He said the president’s party and its allies had decided to make the subject a “priority” and urged the right-wing and hard-left opposition to come up with…

LOS ANGELES: Tom Hanks has warned that a dental plan ad using his face was faked with artificial intelligence (AI). The Castaway star, 67, denied endorsing a teeth-cleaning product and insisted the promo has nothing to do with him. Hanks, who has been on strike with Hollywood unions over pay and AI, has spoken out about the “artistic challenge” that AI represents to Hollywood. He said: “Anybody can now recreate themselves at any age they are by way of AI or deepfake technology. I could be hit by a bus tomorrow … but performances can go on.” | Bang Showbiz…

New Delhi: Indian police raided the homes of at least eight journalists and activists yesterday, local media reported. The developments deepen concerns over a crackdown in a country where media freedom has nosedived. Those raided are reported to be connected to the English-language news website NewsClick, with Indian authorities filing a case in 2021 alleging the organisation was receiving funding from US millionaire Neville Roy Singham. Singham is said to have “sprinkled its coverage with Chinese government talking points”, claims Singham rejected. The Mumbai Press Club expressed its “deep concern” at the raids. | AFP…

LAGOS: At least 37 people, including two pregnant women, were burned to death after a blast at an illegal oil refinery in southern Nigeria, a local security official and community leader said yesterday. Illegal refining is common in the oil-rich Niger Delta region as impoverished locals tap pipelines to make fuel to sell for a profit. The practice is often deadly. The latest incident happened this week in the Ibaa community, in Rivers State, officials said. A witness saw charred remains of 15 people at an open space surrounded by burnt palm trees and a motorbike. Relatives had identified some of the victims and taken them for burial. | Reuters…

A standoff of epic proportions looms after the PSL has shown CAF the middle finger. Last month, CAF informed the PSL that the inaugural season of the African Football League (AFL) will start on October 20, in Dar Es Salam, Tanzania, and Mamelodi Sundowns had been invited to participate. In the letter, CAF requested that the PSL adjust the domestic schedule so that Sundowns could fulfil its DStv Premiership assignments at a later date and attend the AFL. Sundowns are scheduled to play their opening match against Petro Atletico in that tournament in Luanda on October 21. The second leg is to be played in Pretoria a week later. Depending on their success, there could be semi-final and final. Each round will be played over two legs. If Sundowns reach…

It is not being helped by declining commodity prices, we could see further weakness THE rand fell to its lowest level against the dollar in four months yesterday on the back of fresh strength in the US dollar, as global oil prices soared. Markets were concerned about the prospects of further interest rate hikes to curb the potentially rising inflation. The local currency weakened by 0.8% to R19.35 against the greenback by lunchtime yesterday, its lowest since June 2, pressured by a stronger dollar and the rising fuel prices. The US dollar hit a fresh 10-month high following ongoing strong US economic data, which supports the higher-for-longer interest rates narrative amid expectations that monetary policy will need to stay restrictive for “some time”. The dollar’s strength was further supported…

THE DIPULA Income Fund is “refreshing” many of its retail assets with a 200 million investment to provide modern, accessible appealing shopping experiences for retail- ers and customers. Dipula is invested in a R10 billion portfolio of 169 properties spanning one-million square metres across nine provinces in South Africa. Its retail property portfolio represents more than 60% of its gross rental income. Dipula invests in urban convenience centres and lower living standard measure retail in townships, rural areas and towns throughout South Africa. CEO Izak Peter- sen said in a statement that they were optimistic about the defensive perfor- mance of retail property, and believed in optimising this by keeping their shopping centres fresh, relevant and appealing to both retailers and customers. Dipula has earmarked more than…

THE FOSCHINI Group Limited (TFG) will list its shares for trade on the stock exchange A2X Markets from October 10, 2023, a statement said yesterday. A2X provides a secondary platform for companies to list their shares for trade. Other well-known retailers with secondary listings on the platform include Mr Price, Truworths, Shoprite, Pick n Pay and Woolworths. TFG is South Africa’s leading speciality retail group and has a unique portfolio of brands, geographic reach and customer retention initiatives both in South Africa, the UK and Australia which include more than 4 600 outlets, 34 brands, 46 500 employees and 30 million TFG Rewards customers. TFG CEO Anthony Thunström said they were continually looking for new ways to add value to our customers and shareholders. “As…

In the past, women have been the subject of more research than fathers. And mothers have always been seen as the main carers for kids, while fathers have traditionally been seen as playmates. However, gender roles have become more equitable over time in many nations, and current research indicates that dads play a significant role in many aspects of a child’s development. Like mothers, fathers play a crucial role in a child's emotional growth. Being a dad takes a lifetime, yet anyone can father a child. Every child’s father fills a unique function in their life that cannot be filled by anyone else. A child's experience with their father can have a significant impact on them and help mould them into the people they become. Finding out you're going to…

There was an uptick in ATM explosive attacks and digital fraud, according to the South African Banking Risk Information Centre’s (Sabric) Annual Crime Stats 2022 report. Despite the activation of dye-stain technology, ATM explosive attacks rose by 23% and criminals often succeeded in removing the stains from the cash, the report noted. Digital crime, which is placed into three categories – digital banking fraud, online banking fraud and mobile banking fraud – saw a 24% spike. “Cybercriminals took advantage of banking clients’ utilisation of platforms to engage in their unlawful actions, resulting in a substantial impact on the financial industry. Alongside the rise in incidents, the financial losses associated with digital banking fraud also saw a large increase. Gross losses escalated from R440 123 125 in 2021 to R740 847…

In Langa’s heart, a tale unfolds, Langa is the oldest township with stories yet untold. A centenary came, a chance to shine, But parallelism and politics stole away time. With dreams of celebration ablaze, Langa’s spirit, high it did raise. The hype and conceptualising began, joy in the air, A hundred years of culture, history and heritage to share. Days turned to weeks, weeks to months, But parallelism and politics emerged, casting doubts. A clash of events, a conflict profound, Langa's centenary overlooked, now unwound. The plans were made, the stage was set, But parallelism and politics fuelled a different cascade. A neighbouring celebration, grand and bright, Overwhelming spotlight, dimming Langa’s light. Yet Langa stands tall, resilient and strong, Our centenary spirit is still echoing in its song. Though the…

I REFER to the article “Deputy minister cracks whip over shoddy repairs to potholes” in the Cape Times on Monday. Well done Minister Bernice Swarts. It is certainly time that someone in authority took an interest in the deteriorating road system in South Africa. What is desperately needed, however, is not only talk, but action. The ANC government is too keen on talk, committees, etc, but no action and no one is held accountable for shoddy work. An example of not only potholes, but a complete disintegration of a road, is the R26 between Wepner and Fouriesburg. A road to avoid if you value your car’s suspension system. How is a road allowed to fall into such a state of disrepair? The authorities seem very complacent about the…

The lack of more of it is the problem, and its failings are symptomatic of a deeper crisis THE DA’s court application against the ANC’s cadre deployment policy, and subsequent judgments of the High Court, has again brought the matter into public and legal discourse,. A DA victory would be pyrrhic and solve nothing. The DA is misdirecting the public discourse to defend the status. It wants the bureaucratic apparatus of the state to remain as constituted by the apartheid regime, as if the latter employed people based on any merit other than being white. To this end, the DA vulgarises the policy, and the ANC is unable to unashamedly defend it because cadre deployment is far from what the ANC is doing. Much more problematic is the fact that…

The UN Security Council this week approved a Kenyan-led mission aiming to bring stability to Haiti, a year after leaders in the violence-ravaged Caribbean nation first pleaded for help. The Western Hemisphere’s poorest nation has been in turmoil, with armed gangs taking over parts of the country and unleashing brutal violence, and the economy and public health system also in tatters. Haitian Prime Minister Ariel Henry and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres have been calling since late 2022 for international support to back the police force, but much of the global community had been jaded by the failure of earlier interventions in Haiti. The resolution passed with 13 votes in favour, with China and Russia abstaining. It was hailed by Haitian foreign minister Jean Victor Geneus as bringing a “glimmer of…

Thousands took to the streets of Ghana’s capital Accra yesterday demanding the central bank governor be removed for what they say is the mismanagement of the economy during the worst debt crisis in a generation. The demonstrations are the latest show of frustration with rising living costs, joblessness and hardship in one of West Africa’s largest economies. Similar multi-day protests gripped the capital last month. The crowd marched to the central bank’s head office under the watch of riot police, blaring reggae from speakers and calling for bank governor Ernest Addison and his two deputies to resign. Many were dressed in red and black, colours typically worn at funerals. Ghana’s central bank in July posted a record loss of 60.8 billion cedi ($5.3 billion) for 2022, mostly due to debt…

NEW YORK: Sam Bankman-Fried’s fraud trial got under way with jury selection yesterday, nearly a year after his now-bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange’s collapse shocked markets. US District Judge Lewis Kaplan told a group of 50 prospective jurors in a courtroom in lower Manhattan that he would ask them questions to try to seat a 12-member panel that could be fair to both prosecutors and Bankman-Fried’s defence. Federal prosecutors say the 31-year-old former billionaire embezzled from FTX customers through its November 2022 bankruptcy to prop up his hedge fund Alameda Research, buy luxury properties and donate more than $100 million to US political candidates. Bankman-Fried has pleaded not guilty to seven counts of fraud and conspiracy. He has acknowledged inadequate risk management, but denied stealing funds. | Reuters…

Warsaw: Warsaw and Kyiv said yesterday that they had agreed to speed up the transit of Ukrainian cereal exports through Poland to third countries, a first step towards resolving their “grain war”. It is the first breakthrough since the start of a diplomatic spat between the two allies that was triggered when Poland slapped a ban on imports of Ukrainian grain, aimed at protecting local farmers against a collapse in cereal prices. Ukrainian exports transiting Poland on route to world markets, in Africa and the Middle East in particular, remain authorised. Some Ukrainian grain destined for world markets will transit directly through Poland. | AFP…

PROTEAS captain Temba Bavuma is back in the saddle. After a week of fearing the worst due to Bavuma’s sudden return to South Africa for “family reasons”, he has returned to India and the full focus can now shift to the Proteas’ opening 50-over World Cup game against Sri Lanka in Delhi on Saturday. As it turned out, Bavuma did not miss much of the on-field action due to both warm-up matches against Afghanistan and New Zealand being affected by the weather. The Afghanistan clash was abandoned, while Monday’s hit out against the Black Caps allowed the bowlers to get a full complement of 50 overs under their belts but the batters were only out there for 37 overs before they were forced to return to the shed. In his…

FORMER Chelsea manager Frank Lampard said the Premier League club’s struggles this season have not taken him by surprise. Former Tottenham Hotspur boss Mauricio Pochettino took over at Chelsea in July after they finished 12th the previous season, during which Thomas Tuchel, Graham Potter and Lampard were in charge at various points in the campaign. Pochettino’s expensively assembled team are 11th this season after taking just eight points from seven matches after only their second victory in the league on Monday. “I’m not completely surprised at some of the difficulties. I think having lived it first-hand at the end of the season,” Lampard told Sky Sports on Monday. “Top managers – in Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter. “So, I think you could see – I felt I could see some…

FRANCE captain Antoine Dupont is meeting his goals at training following his return to their World Cup squad after surgery on a broken cheekbone and will know next Monday if he can resume playing rugby, the team’s health manager said yesterday. The scrumhalf also passed a return-to-play protocol and will see surgeon Frederic Lauwers, who will decide whether he is allowed to engage in physical contact with other players. “He met the goals we had set - being at 50%, then at 70% of his running capacities,” France’s health manager Bruno Boussagol said. The French camp is hoping their captain, who is already sidelined for Friday’s final Pool A game against Italy, can be fit for a potential quarter-final in mid-October but there will be several deciding factors. “The next…

Western Province coach Salieg Nackerdien is hoping his team can maintain their intensity when they face AET Tuskers in the Cricket SA 1-Day Cup competition at Newlands today at 1pm. Province are currently unbeaten in the competition, having claimed two solid wins on the road against North West Dragons and Lions over the past fortnight. Last season’s runners-up also bagged two points for a washed out match against the Warriors, which has placed at the top of the log with 11 points from three matches. But Nackerdien has forewarned his charges not to take the Division 1 newcomers from Pietermaritzburg lightly. The Tuskers have only played one match in the top-flight thus far but it was a significant one as they humbled the defending champion Lions by nine wickets at…

THE PUBLIC Investment Corporation (PIC) has reported a 27% plunge in profit for the year ended March 31 on the back of poor performing assets on the JSE due to weaker economic conditions and higher levels of risk aversion among major investors. This was in spite of the largest asset manager in South Africa growing total assets under management (AUM) by R52.1 billion or 2%, to R2.599 trillion, compared to R2.548trln a year ago. The PIC yesterday reported a net profit of R221 million and a balance sheet growth by R200m for the 2022/23 financial year, which was characterised by high levels of global inflation and higher interest rates. PIC acting chief financial officer Brian Mavuka said global financial markets had to contend with tighter financial…

SUMITOMO Rubber South Africa, backed by its Japan-based parent company Sumitomo Rubber Industries (SRI), plans to boost production of Dunlop tyres at its Ladysmith plant with a R1.7 billion investment. The production capacity is being boosted as more Original Equipment Manufacturers look to domestic tyre producers to meet their vehicle specifications, a statement said. The investment drive was announced during the 50th anniversary of Dunlop’s Ladysmith manufacturing plant on Monday. The facility opened in October 1973. Sumitomo Rubber South Africa (SRSA) also distributes the Sumitomo and Falken tyre brands.Minister of Trade Industry and Competition, Ebrahim Patel, said the new investment would provide a boost to local production, strengthen the factory’s output, support local jobs and modernise the plant. “South Africa has an 88-year history of tyre manufacturing, and…

THE family of two South African engineers locked up in Equatorial Guinea’s Mongomo Prison, are calling on the Department of International Relations and Co-operation (DIRCO) to pursue every avenue available to help bring them home. Frederik ‘Frik’ Potgieter, 53, and Peter Huxham, 55, were arrested at their hotel in Malabo in Equatorial Guinea on February 9 on drug-related charges. In June, they were found guilty of trafficking and illicit possession of drugs and sentenced to 12 years’ imprisonment each. In addition, they were ordered to pay $5 million (more than R96m) each in damages with an additional $2.5m (more than R48m) fine to be shared between them. The men deny any wrongdoing, with their families saying they believe the matter is politically motivated. This follows reports that their arrests were…

Legal advice indicated that no action can be taken against former officials THE embattled SA Social Security Agency (Sassa) has let former officials responsible for overpayment of R316 million to service provider Cash Paymaster Services off the hook without accounting for their actions. The entity cited a legal opinion that no action could be taken against the officials following a forensic investigation. This was disclosed by Auditor-General Tsakani Maluleke in her report where she audited the finances of the entity during the 2022-23 financial year. She picked up the material irregularity in October 2021 and demanded Sassa to explain steps it had taken to address this and recover the financial loss. In her report, Maluleke said the saga dated back to June 2014 when Sassa made a R316m payment to…

“The tsotsis,” lamented our wonderful gardener when describing the murder of his twin brother in Mossel Bay, “robbed him and stabbed him.” Another crime statistic, another unsolved and unknown murder as the victim was not a prominent soccer player or even an obscure singer. Yet this was a huge personal tragedy for the family, mourning the loss of a thoroughly decent person, a hard-working citizen and a caring brother, son, father and husband. While millions of people in dire financial straits would never harm another, unemployment – and therefore poverty – is a crime generator. However, a dynamic maritime industry can ignite significant local and offshore employment projects – starting in local ports. With careful, bold and visionary management, the serious woes at Transnet, peaking with its frightful financial situation…

IT IS with disappointment that I learned about a confidential report that shows the Treasury’s damaging review of the Msunduzi municipality in KwaZulu-Natal. This is not the first time that we, Pietermaritzburg citizens, have read such distressing news. Here, I am reminded of Johann Mettler who was appointed in 2010 to rescue the maladministered Msunduzi municipality. Undeniably, for some time Pietermaritzburg citizens have been complaining about the poor service delivery from the municipality. Regrettably, no real action was taken to fix up, not only the financial health but also service delivery issues. Now, once again, we are faced with another shocking news of the city’s declining finances. The impact will be devastating on social development and the lives of people, especially the less privileged and senior citizens if the city…

PRASA says it has proven to be capable and competent to run the country’s rail services, and has made significant strides over the last 18 months. This as devolution continues to be a hot topic, with experts saying it’s not about who runs the rail system but about competency, ethics and skills. Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis remains steadfast that the national government has failed to deliver a reliable service and needs to hand over the work to capable metros. Speaking at the Urban Mobility Summit yesterday on reforming the public transport, he said the City was in the process of lodging an intergovernmental dispute on passenger rail devolution and service standards. This year's summit held under the theme “Building resilience and driving transport reform” is under way at the DHL Stadium.…

WHEN it comes to rivalry between the BRICS members, the focus is usually on India and China. Besides a 1996 agreement between the neighbours, which prohibited the use of guns and explosives along the disputed western Himalayan border area, troops from the two countries occasionally exchange fire. For example, a military standoff in January 2021 resulted in injuries to soldiers on both sides. It occurred near India’s Sikkim state, which is located between Bhutan and Nepal. Tensions between India and China worsened after a deadly Aksai Chin-Ladakh clash in 2020 and a brawl at India’s north-eastern territory of Arunachal Pradesh in December 2022. While Beijing and New Delhi reportedly committed to intensifying efforts to de-escalate tensions at their contested border, it is reported that the tensions endure in BRICS. However,…

Thailand’s police arrested a teenage gunman suspected of killing a Chinese national and critically wounding six people yesterday in a shooting spree at a luxury Bangkok mall, the latest high-profile gun violence to rock the country in recent years. Hundreds of people, including children, were seen screaming and racing into the streets after gunshots rang out at the Siam Paragon mall, a major shopping and entertainment venue popular with tourists in Bangkok’s crowded commercial heart. Emergency services said a woman had been killed and six people wounded, five critically, correcting an earlier statement that three people had died. Police said the deceased was a Chinese citizen. National police chief Torsak Sukvimol said the suspected shooter was 14 years old and had been receiving psychiatric treatment, but had skipped his prescribed…

The British government’s independent migration adviser yesterday recommended abolishing one of the main routes for businesses to hire migrant workers in sectors where there are severe staff shortages. The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) said making it easier to recruit low-wage workers increased the risk of exploitation. Business lobby groups had previously called for the government to expand the number of occupations on the list to help firms facing issues recruiting staff after Brexit. Employers can hire migrant workers at 80% of a job’s usual “going rate” for occupations on the list. For occupations on the list, employers can bypass the general minimum salary threshold for a skilled worker visa of £26 200, MAC said. It said that no employer should be able to pay below the going rate, to protect…

KATHMANDU: Two earthquakes rocked western Nepal yesterday, injuring 17 people, damaging homes and triggering a landslide that blocked a major highway. The landslide after the quakes of magnitude 6.3 and 5.3 in the district of Bajhang, bordering India, blocked the road to the southern plains, the interior ministry said. The temblors, centred on Talkot and Chainpur, struck with an interval of about 30 minutes. Tremors from the quakes were felt as far away as the Indian capital of New Delhi, where people rushed out of their homes and office buildings in case the structures were compromised. There were no immediate reports of damage. | Reuters…

Madrid: Nine migrants were arrested in the Canary Islands on “piracy” charges for forcing the ship that rescued them to change course for Spain instead of Morocco, police and rescuers said yesterday. They were among a group of 78 migrants who tried to cross from the African coast to the Canary Islands in two boats that got into trouble and were rescued on Monday by a Dutch tugboat. But when they realised the boat was taking them to the port of Tan Tan in southern Morocco and not to the Spanish archipelago, they allegedly became aggressive towards the crew, pulling out knives. The tugboat then changed course for Fuerteventura. | AFP…

RB Leipzig face Champions League title holders Manchester City tonight, having emerged strongly from a close-season rebuild which could have derailed the young club. Champions League regulars who had just won their second German Cup in succession, Leipzig lost four first-team players to big money deals in the close season, underlining their place in the European football hierarchy - still viewed as a small-club outsider. Centre-back Josko Gvardiol moved to City, midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai to Liverpool and top scorer Christopher Nkunku to Chelsea all for large transfer fees, while Konrad Laimer went to domestic rivals Bayern Munich on a free. But continuing their remarkable ability to identify and develop young talent, Leipzig brought in several new players from across Europe, many of whom have already shone in a Leipzig uniform.…

Patrick Maswanganyi is glad that he heeded Orlando Pirates’ last-minute call, having become a fan favourite since arriving at the club. Having cut his footballing teeth at the renowned Stars of Africa Football academy, Maswanganyi honed his craft in Portugal, playing for UD Oliveirense and Academica OAF’s reserves. But after failing to get a senior debut abroad, 'Tito' returned home to join SuperSport United last season, making his professional breakthrough at the age of 24. Maswanganyi slotted into the system under coach Gavin Hunt without fuss, helping the club to a third-place finish in the league last season. And while he wasn’t popular, it appears that Pirates were keeping tabs on him as they – surprisingly – made an offer for him during pre-season. “It’s also something that I didn’t…