Índex per 2023-10-30 a Mercury

Migos may have introduced Offset to us, but it also deprived us of knowing him fully. Being part of a group can overshadow your individual identity. But going solo did wonders for Offset’s career because we got to see his funny side as well as his sense of style. We’ve seen him attend fashion shows with his wife, Cardi B. But the cherry on top was when he launched his fashion range, Offset Tears. It consists of T-shirts, hoodies, denim jeans and jackets. The range was inspired by his second album Set It Off. And because he’s now a fashionista, thanks to his influential and stylish wife, he is collecting one-of-a-kind fashion items. For example, he already has the Bape limited edition jacket inspired by Michael Jackson’s Thriller. With only…

SOUTH Africans from all walks of life are praising the Springboks not only for making history by becoming the first team to win the Rugby World Cup four times, but also for giving citizens of the country some much-needed hope and inspiration over the past eight weeks. Professor Bonke Dumisa, an independent economic analyst who watched the final at one of the fan parks in Durban, said that the Springboks winning the World Cup had unified the nation. “It has been incredible to see South Africans coming together at fan parks to support the Springboks over the past few weeks. “It has been a welcome distraction from all the negativity and challenges that we are facing in South Africa.” Dumisa added that it was truly unique to see the Springboks…

Congratulations to Southside Radio station and its new manager Thansen Nepal, who has increased listenership. As a result, the station has become well recognised in the community. It has become a home for local artists and the radio station has made its platform available for airing and conducting interviews with local dignitaries. These interviews are thought-provoking and make for one of the most popular programmes, which most listeners enjoy. Some of the household names and role models include the likes of Yogambal Singaram, Meshantan and Thashriya Naidoo have kept listeners mesmerised. I have the utmost gratitude to all presenters for a job well done. The best way to remain the best radio station and increase exposure is to have a mobile station that can all shopping centres and cultural…

IT HAS been said that “the pen is mightier than the sword”. This leads me to be agreeably surprised that you printed last week two letters from Barbara de Silva and Harry Sewall respectively, though tucked away from the normal “letters to the editor” space. The letters stressed the need for balanced reporting in the printed media on some problems facing South Africa and the world. I strongly associate myself with their comments on the need for balanced reporting on the Middle East problems and on “the real meaning of apartheid”. Unfortunately we live in a time when misinformation, disinformation, xenophobia and ethnocentrism are rife in the world. Also, the average citizen is a product of his or her environmental influences. Added to this is the dichotomy in the views…

The National Assembly passed the controversial Basic Education Laws Amendment Bill – also known as the Bela Bill – last Thursday, setting up a legal showdown with the DA and AfriForum that have vowed to fight it all the way to the Constitutional Court. Central to the DA and AfriForum’s gripe is that the bill will require a school governing body to submit the language policy of a public school and any amendment thereof to the head of department for approval. According to the bill, the language policy must take into consideration the “language needs of the broader community” – which the DA and AfriForum say is an attack on Afrikaans-medium schools. The bill was passed on Thursday with 223 votes to 83 amid protests outside by the Cape…

The Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) has thrown Dr Nandipha Magudumana a lifeline. On Friday, the court granted Magudumana’s request for leave to appeal the decision of the Bloemfontein High Court which dismissed her application to declare her repatriation from Tanzania unlawful. She had argued that there were “compelling reasons” for the high court to grant her leave to appeal. In June, the Bloemfontein High Court dismissed Magudumana’s application to declare her arrest and apprehension in Tanzania unconstitutional and unlawful. Judge Phillip Loubser found that her arrest and return to South Africa was a disguised extradition, as she had argued, but that she had consented to it, giving the South African criminal courts jurisdiction. In her appeal plea, Magudumana argued whether consent may be given to an unconstitutional and unlawful…

IT IS all systems go for the matric Class of 2023, whose examination season kicks-off this morning. English will be the first paper to kick-start the five-week exam period which begins at 9am. Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshekga, addressed the media on the state of readiness for this year’s matric class during a media briefing in Pretoria yesterday. According to the department, more than 717 377 matric candidates are expected to sit for the National Senior Certificate (NSC) exams across 6 898 centres. The minister also warned this year’s candidates of the dangers of being involved in paper leaks and cheating, saying they could be blocked from participating in exams for three years as a result. “We have not had a leak since 2020 because we work closely with…

Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma said it was crucial that all South Africans acknowledge the role that military veterans played in the Struggle for a democratic South Africa. Dlamini Zuma was speaking in uMgababa, south of Durban, yesterday, at an event to remember those who had lost their lives during the political violence in KwaZulu-Natal, and uMkhonto we Sizwe (MK) veterans who were killed in the Struggle against apartheid. She said it was important for current and future generations to remember that the freedom being enjoyed “was not free, and many people made the highest sacrifice for it”. “The ANC and MK is a multi-racial organisation and MK fought for this freedom, but it is also important to understand what they…

African states remain unimpressed with failure of the West to honour pledges THIS Friday President Cyril Ramaphosa will host the 20th Africa Growth Opportunity Act (Agoa) Forum at Nasrec in Joburg which is destined to attract the participation of a large number of official trade delegations from AU member states. The fact that South Africa was invited by US President Joe Biden to host the forum on his behalf suggests a welcome realpolitik rapprochement between Washington and Pretoria. This is largely due to the bridge-building visit by Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen to South Africa last January and by other US officials subsequently, and a seemingly more pragmatic policy approach by the Ramaphosa government towards boosting economic relations with the US in the face of entrenched economic challenges at home including…

Israeli forces are expanding ground operations in Gaza while their fighter jets have struck hundreds more Hamas targets, the Israeli military said yesterday, in what Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called the second phase of a three-week-old war. Telephone and internet communications were partially restored in Gaza yesterday after a more than day-long blackout that had badly impacted rescue operations as Israel pounded targets of the militant Hamas group that controls the territory. “Israel cut us off from the world in order to wipe us out, but we are hearing the sounds of explosions and we are proud the resistance fighters have stopped them at metres distance,” said Shaban Ahmed, a public servant who stayed in Gaza City despite an Israeli warning to evacuate south. Ahmed said he only learnt…

The mother of Liverpool winger Luis Diaz was rescued from kidnappers on Saturday but a search remains ongoing for his father, Colombian President Gustavo Petro said. Petro posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, that Diaz’s mother was rescued in Barrancas, in the north of Colombia. “We continue in the search for the father,” he added. Colombia’s attorney general’s office said it had been working intensively on the case. “From the moment the attorney general’s office learnt of the kidnapping of the parents of Luis Diaz, in the Barrancas sector of La Guajira, a specialised team have been working to find the location of these people and find those responsible,” the office said on X. Local media reports said that Luis Manuel Diaz and Cilenis Marulanda were at a service…

Nairobi: King Charles III must offer an “unequivocal public apology” for abuses during colonial rule, the Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) said yesterday, two days before the British monarch visits. King Charles and his wife, Queen Camilla, embark tomorrow on a four-day trip to the East African nation, his first visit as king to a Commonwealth member. “We call upon the King, on behalf of the British government, to issue an unconditional and unequivocal public apology … for the brutal and inhuman treatment inflicted on Kenyan citizens,” the non-government KHRC said. According to Buckingham Palace, King Charles was expected to tackle “the more painful aspects” of the UK’s historic relationship with Kenya. In Nairobi, he will meet entrepreneurs, young Kenyans, and participate in a state banquet. | AFP…

Athens: Some 400 migrants and refugees protested at the port of Rhodes island yesterday, demanding to be transferred elsewhere in Greece and obstructing port traffic to press their demands, the Greek coastguard said. Most of migrants and refugees who protested their conditions had been rescued after making the perilous Mediterranean crossing after which they were transported to Rhodes for processing. The migrants obstructed the launch of the “Nissos Chios” vessel, preventing it from leaving the island, meaning an incoming ship was unable to dock. Negotiations were underway between port police and the migrants.| AFP…

At the ripe age of 37-years-old Deon Fourie never pictured himself playing a Rugby World Cup final for almost the full 80 minutes against New Zealand. But the evergreen Springbok had to last just over 75 minutes on Saturday evening in the Stade France and played his best Test in the Green and Gold to help the team claim a record fourth World Cup title while defending their crown won in 2019. South Africa outlasted the All Blacks to claim a third one-point win in three knockout games, winning 12-11 in Paris. Fourie, who became the oldest Springbok to make his debut in 2021, played with heart and put in a warrior-like performance despite not having the best of games throwing in at the line-out. But he will be excused…

Bidvest delivered a “hat-trick“ of 20% growth for three years in succession and created 6 000 jobs in 2023, chief executive Mpumi Madisa said in the group’s 2023 annual report, posted last week. Bidvest, valued at R88.5 billion, is a leading South African services, trading and distribution group. Madisa said that for three years in succession, Bidvest had delivered growth in headline earnings per share in excess of 20%, which, when considering the current market environment, was an exemplary achievement. Over the past year, each of the group’s seven divisions delivered double-digit percentage growth in trading profit. Six of the seven divisions generated a return on funds employed in excess of 30%, again demonstrating the group’s focus on maximising shareholder returns, she said. “Our strategic focus on…

TRELLIDOR Holdings, a manufacturer of custom-made barrier security pro-ducts, has to satisfy its lenders that breaching its debt covenants this year is not material, and how it plans to degear debt. This is according to chief financial officer Damian Judge, in the firm’s 2023 annual report released on Friday. As at June 30 this year, driven primarily by the decrease in financial performance during the second half of 2023, the group’s debt to earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (Ebitda) ratio (excluding IFRS 16) of 5.1x, breached the 2.0x debt to Ebitda covenant set by the group’s primary lender. In addition, total senior debt service cover of 0.8 breached the covenant of 1.2. Its debt is at R121.5 million, from R96.4m the prior year, excluding lease liabilities. He…

Hailey Bieber has revealed why she and her husband Justin Bieber often dress like they are on “two separate planets”. The model, 26, and singer, 29, who married in 2018, are regularly trolled for looking different when they go out to events. She told GQ Hype that Justin typically got ready first, which could partially explain why he had been seen looking ultra-casual compared to her glamorous looks when they attended events. “He may want to wear baggy sweats to dinner, and I might want to wear a tiny little dress just because that’s how I’m feeling. “We can’t sit there and be like, ‘So I’m going to wear this and you’re going to wear this’.” Hailey recently showed up at a Rhode launch event wearing a glamorous red Ermanno…

EXPERTS have predicted a big drop in fuel prices on Wednesday, but were quick to caution consumers that this is unlikely to cause a reduction in food prices. Economist Dawie Roodt said he expected a big decrease in the fuel prices. “The petrol price will come down by at least R2 a litre, while the diesel price will decrease by more than R1 a litre. “This will help to reduce some of the upward pressure on inflation which was at 5.4% for September. Unfortunately, the fuel price decrease is unlikely to result in any food price decreases. However it can help to slow down the rate at which food prices are increasing.” Professor Bonke Dumisa, an independent economic analyst, agreed that the fuel prices would decrease. “I wouldn’t want to…

Who bears the brunt of the lack of support for events like the South African Music Awards (Samas)? Those attending such events require transportation. The car hire industry should benefit from the occasion, but loses out. The textile industry also suffers losses as dressmakers and designers, who typically create special clothing for the event’s attendees, cannot earn their usual profits. Hospitality industries such as B&Bs, hotels, Airbnbs and others that expect to host out-of-town guests are also negatively impacted when such events don’t go ahead. Who is affected within the value chain involving these businesses? Food suppliers, drivers who transport stock, fast-food delivery, filling stations, packaging manufacturers, beverage suppliers, and others. Graphic designers lose the opportunity to design and print promotional material for small events leading up to the main…

“And hast thou slain the Jabberwock? Come to my arms, my beamish boy! O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!“ He chortled in his joy. LEWIS Carroll’s poem, Jaberwocky, is generally taken to be amusing nonsense. But it could also describe the Springboks’ sensational victory over the All Blacks, becoming the first country ever to win the Rugby World Cup four times. The Jaberwock is New Zealand rugby. The chortler is Rassie Erasmus. Or it could be Jacques Nienaber. Or it could be Siya Kolisi. Or it could be any supporter of Springbok rugby. I must confess I had ma doots beforehand. In their one-point semi-final win over England, the Boks looked both mentally and physically exhausted after their challenging progress through the pool and quarter-final stages. Could they recover in just…

Deputy President Paul Mashatile has said the government will support farmers that were affected by avian influenza outbreaks in some parts of the country. Mashatile said there were measures that were being taken by the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development to support the farmers through a blended finance scheme. “This scheme is about R3.5 billion. Those farmers that are affected by avian influenza flu will get support from this programme,” he said. Mashatile was responding to oral questions in the National Council of Provinces last week. He told the MPs that Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development Minister Thoko Didiza and the SA Poultry Association appeared before the portfolio committee to confirm that support measures were being taken to help the affected farmers, particularly small scale farmers.…

Hawks members from the Durban Serious Organised Crime Investigation team have arrested a 23-year-old suspect for the brutal murder of a police sergeant. Sergeant Dumisani Cele, 45, was shot dead at a tuck shop in Inanda in April. He was off duty. Cele had been stationed at PSS Durban Harbour. Njabulo Mzimela is alleged to have fired multiple shots at Cele who was standing next to his vehicle on April 2. Hawks members were assigned the case docket after a murder case was reported at Inanda police station. The Hawks said Mzimela was arrested in Ntuzuma after an intensive investigation. Mzimela appeared in the Ntuzuma Magistrate’s Court on Friday and was remanded in custody. His case was postponed to November 3. Major-General (Dr) Lesetja Senona, the provincial head of the…

THE latest business confidence data has revealed that companies involved in the construction sector are uncertain about their future in Durban as belief in this sector has plummeted. The Business Confidence Index (BCI), released this month by the University of KwaZulu-Natal and the Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry for the third quarter, shows that confidence in the construction sector is at an all-time low due to illegal activities of construction mafia groups. It showed that in the third quarter, business confidence in the sector dropped by more than 10 points. Economic experts warned that the City should protect this industry as the sector and infrastructure development are the bedrock of economic growth. The index measures the confidence levels of businesses across the city. According to the report, the…

After just over one week of no scheduled power cuts, Eskom announced that Stage 2 load shedding would be implemented from 4pm yesterday afternoon until 4pm today. “Thereafter, Stage 3 load shedding will be implemented from 4pm until 5am tomorrow, followed by Stage 2 load shedding until 4pm. This pattern will be repeated daily until further notice," said Eskom spokesperson, Daphne Mokwena. She said breakdowns were currently at 16 150MW of generating capacity while the out of service capacity for planned maintenance is 5 950MW. Mokwena said over the past 24 hours, a generation unit each at Duvha, Grootvlei, Kusile and Matimba power stations was taken offline for repairs. In the same period, a generation unit at Kriel Power Station was returned to service. “Eskom teams are working tirelessly to…

OBSERVED annually on October 30, Africa Day for Food and Nutrition Security is an opportunity to reflect on the persistent challenges and tremendous opportunities that define the continent’s food landscape. It also serves as a reminder of what we must do to ensure that no one goes to bed hungry on this vast and diverse continent. Africa is a place of incredible diversity, from its sites and cultures to its agricultural potential. This diversity is both a blessing and a challenge when it comes to ensuring food and nutrition security for the continent’s rapidly growing population. In celebration of this year’s Africa Day for Food and Nutrition Security, I would like to explore the importance of indigenous and underutilised crops in transforming Africa’s food systems and, in turn, boosting the…

THERE was nationwide mourning in Kazakhstan yesterday after 42 people died in a blaze at an ArcelorMittal mine, the worst accident in the Central Asian country’s post-Soviet history. The tragedy, which struck at the Kostenko coal mine in the Karaganda region Saturday, came after a series of deadly incidents at ArcelorMittal mines and has prompted the nationalisation of the company’s local affiliate. “The bodies of 42 people were found,” Kazakhstan’s emergency services said on social media. “The search for four miners continues.” Rescuers earlier warned that finding the remaining miners alive were “very low”, due to the lack of ventilation and the force of Saturday’s explosion, which spread over 2km. The death toll overtook a 2006 accident that killed 41 miners at another ArcelorMittal site. It also came just…

The Group of Seven industrial countries will today agree a code of conduct for companies developing advanced artificial intelligence systems, a G7 document showed, as governments seek to mitigate the risks and potential misuse of the technology. The voluntary code of conduct will set a landmark for how major countries govern AI, amid privacy concerns and security risks, the document said. Leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) economies made up of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Britain and the US, as well as the EU, kicked off the process in May at a ministerial forum dubbed the “Hiroshima AI process”. The 11-point code “aims to promote safe, secure, and trustworthy AI worldwide and will provide voluntary guidance for organisations developing the most advanced AI systems”. The code urges companies…

Riyadh: Negotiations in Jeddah between Sudan’s warring parties will focus on a ceasefire deal and the delivery of humanitarian aid, but not on broader political issues, Saudi Arabia said yesterday. The talks aim “to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian assistance, establish ceasefires and other confidence-building measures, and build towards a permanent cessation of hostilities”, the foreign ministry said. The talks are being held in partnership with a representative of the AU and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, the East African regional bloc led by Kenya. The US State Department said “Sudan’s civilians must be the ones to define Sudan’s path going forward”. | AFP…

Tripoli: Four people were killed and several wounded when armed groups clashed yesterday in the western Libyan city of Gharyan, several sources said. “Fighting broke out suddenly in the early hours between armed groups in the city, resulting in four deaths and several injuries,” a security source in the city 100km south of Tripoli said. The source said the fighting has continued “intermittently” in different areas of Gharyan, forcing authorities to cut access to the city to “protect the lives of pedestrians and travellers”. A medical source at the Gharyan hospital confirmed that four people were dead and 10 had been wounded. | AFP…

Feel that chill up your spine? Spooky Season is officially here! Halloween has become a day to celebrate imagination and fun. It originated from an ancient Celtic seasonal festival to mark the end of the harvest and to remember the dead (known as Samhain), which is celebrated from sunset on October 31 to sunset on November 1. Although Halloween is not a locally recognised holiday, the activities associated with the day are gaining traction in South Africa, with residential estates and schools hosting trick-or-treat parties or fund-raising activities for families. If you are planning a fabulous party to celebrate, here are some spooky Halloween recipe ideas you can make at home for adults and kids. These recipes by entrepreneur and chef Jan Kohler are a little scary, a little sweet…

THIS one is for you, South Africa. That is the refrain from the Springbok team that has put smiles on faces this morning following a 12-11 defeat of the All Blacks that left nerves jangling before an eruption of joy across the country. Captain Siya Kolisi and his merry men touch down at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg at 11am tomorrow, and thousands are expected to meet the warriors who have made the Boks the most successful team in Rugby World Cup history by winning an unprecedented four titles. Outgoing Bok coach Jacques Nienaber encapsulated the sentiment of players and fans alike when he said: “Relief is probably the first word that comes to mind. Before kick-off, all of us felt ‘we can’t mess this up’.” Nienaber, who is…

THE IFP believes that the ANC-led provincial government in KwaZulu-Natal is to blame for the killing of amakhosi. This, after Inkosi Siphamandla Khumalo of the Amantungwa Traditional Council in Utrecht (Emadlangeni) was shot dead, along with his wife. Their 4-year-old child survived. The incident happened in Kingsley between Blood River and Dundee on Saturday. This is after Inkosi Khumalo survived an assassination attempt on his life last year. As the IFP, we were led to believe by the KZN provincial government that the KZN Department of Community Safety and Liaison had been allocated R11.5 million for the proposed establishment of a Community Safety Intervention Unit, for the protection of traditional leaders in KZN. Why then do amakhosi continue to be slaughtered? Where is the R11.5m? Why was Inkosi Khumalo not…

YOUR nation-wide support for your World Cup rugby team, visible on several social media platforms and televised widely in non-rugby playing areas of the world, was inspiring, unified, and often hilarious. It was a testament to your love of sports, the athletes who represent you, and your love for your great nation. Despite admitted problems the nation faces – problems common to many countries in all hemispheres – you really are able to rise above difficulties, thoroughly enjoy yourselves and deploy your unique brands of humour. It was not only your rugby team that was heroic these past two weekends. Schools, clubs, and families all across the nation appeared to express unified support for the Springboks – a rare, surely a rather unique accomplishment in a world where many nations…

Thousands of people marched through Johannesburg on Saturday to celebrate Pride, singing, dancing and making their support clear for LGBTQ+ communities across Africa whose relationships are criminalised. At the front of a parade that organisers estimated was 24 000-strong was Mandela Swali, a 25-year-old Ugandan gay man who was attending his first Pride, having been in South Africa just a month-and-a-half. Swali, his face coated in glitter, and draped in a Ugandan flag, recounted how he had fled his country in 2021 while on bail, having been arrested when his landlady caught him having sex with his boyfriend. “I feel like I’m at home,” Swali said, after the 6km march through some of Johannesburg’s neighbourhoods. Uganda introduced one of the world’s harshest anti-gay laws in May, including the death penalty…

COUNCILLORS in eThekwini Municipality are proposing drastic measures to cope with deadly natural disasters, including condemning houses built in dangerous and vulnerable areas. ANC councillor Nkosenhle Madlala said it was important that the City take pre-emptive action to prevent loss of life by educating people about the areas they live in, if those areas were deemed at risk of flooding. Madlala was speaking after members of the executive committee were briefed on the disastrous storms that occurred earlier this year, which claimed lives, displaced and injured people and destroyed homes. One of the most severe was the June rain storms, which saw several people lose their lives and caused infrastructure damage that will cost an estimated R543 million to repair or rebuild. The report on the June rains…

The Academic and Professional Staff Association (Apsa) of the University of South Africa (Unisa) has called for Minister of Higher Education Dr Blade Nzimande to reconsider his decision to place the university under administration. The union said it supported Unisa’s assertion that the minister had acted prematurely in appointing an administrator while there are matters pending before the court. On Friday, Nzimande announced that he has appointed former University of Johannesburg VC, Professor Ihron Rensburg, as the administrator to oversee the affairs of the embattled institution for the next 24 months. On Saturday, Unisa slammed the minister for his “premature” decision as the issue of reviewing the Independent Assessor’s report is still before the court. Unisa also said the minister’s announcement was in contempt of the court order handed down…

AN INKOSI and his wife were shot dead on Saturday during an attack at their home in eMadlangeni, near Utrecht, which falls under the Amajuba District Municipality. KwaZulu-Natal Premier Nomusa Dube-Ncube strongly condemned the murder of AmaNtungwa Traditional Council Inkosi Patrick Siphamandla Khumalo and his wife. She expressed shock and sadness at the killing, describing it as a tragic loss to the community and the province. “The murder of Inkosi Khumalo and his wife comes almost a year since he survived an assassination attempt on his life near his home,” she said. “On behalf of the KwaZulu-Natal provincial government and the people of KwaZulu-Natal, I convey my heartfelt condolences to the Khumalo family and the AmaNtungwa Tribal Authority. Inkosi Khumalo was a passionate advocate for his people and worked tirelessly…

SOUTH Africans are worthy of all the high praise they are being showered with for cheering on our Springboks in defending their Rugby World Cup title and becoming the first team to win the Webb Ellis Cup four times. No one acknowledges the important boost Boks fans at home provided other than Captain Siya Kolisi in all his interviews. That was no different on Saturday night in France after the Springboks defeated their old foes New Zealand to defend the title they won against England in Japan four years ago. The South Africans would be the first to admit that the road to the final was a bumpy one especially against hosts France in the quarter-finals and England in the semis. The intensity of the England game landed 44-year-old…

Indian police were questioning a man who surrendered after at least one homemade bomb exploded at a convention centre in Kerala state yesterday where a Christian group was holding a prayer meeting, killing a woman and wounding dozens of others. After initial questioning, the native of the city of Kochi, who surrendered in the southern state’s Thrissur district, will be interrogated in detail by a senior police official, Asianet News reported, citing sources. The situation was under control and the police and other agencies were investigating it, Ernakulam District Collector NSK Umesh told Reuters. “Investigation is taking its course, and we ensuring that everyone is getting the best medical treatment.” The incident took place during a Jehovah’s Witnesses convention in Kalamassery, about 10km northeast of Kochi, and local media said…

LOS ANGELES: American-Canadian actor Matthew Perry from the US TV sitcom Friends has died at the age of 54 after an apparent drowning, TMZ reported, citing law enforcement sources. He was found on Saturday at his LA home after first-responders were called out for cardiac arrest. Perry was found in a hot tub. No drugs were found at the scene, and there was no foul play, the sources said. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Perry’s classmate in Ottawa, wrote on X: “Thanks for all the laughs, Matthew … you will be missed.” | Sputnik…

RABAT: Four explosions in the city of Smara in Morocco-controlled Western Sahara late on Saturday killed one man and injured three others, Moroccan local authorities said. The blasts damaged two houses, authorities said. The judicial police was investigating the source of the projectiles that hit the residential area, authorities said. Morocco considers Western Sahara its own territory, but the Algerian-backed Polisario Front wants an independent state there. Morocco has said autonomy is the most it can offer to the territory as a political solution. In November 2020, Polisario said it had resumed its armed struggle. | Reuters…

Tokyo: Mouse embryos have been grown on the International Space Station (ISS) and developed normally in the first study indicating it could be possible for humans to reproduce in space, a group of Japanese scientists said. The researchers, including Teruhiko Wakayama, professor of University of Yamanashi’s Advanced Biotechnology Centre, and a team from the Japan Aerospace Space Agency (JAXA), sent frozen mouse embryos on board a rocket to the ISS in August 2021. Astronauts thawed the early-stage embryos using a special device designed for this purpose and grew them on the station for four days. | AFP…

THE strength of the Proteas will be put to test this week as they get set to play New Zealand and India at the 50-over World Cup. The Proteas have recorded five victories in their first six group matches. It is already an improvement from how the 2019 campaign turned out for South Africa, a campaign that saw then captain Faf du Plessis’ team crash out of the tournament well before the round-robin stage finished. This time around, the Proteas have managed to string together big victories, including a win against Australia, a team that always does well at World Cups. This week, the Proteas are set to take on their toughest challenge as they face the Black Caps on Wednesday followed by the hosts on Sunday. A lot has…

WHILE Springbok supporters were reaching for the defibrillators during the World Cup final on Saturday, Handre Pollard would have us believe that he was the calmest man at the Stade de France. Pollard, who went to the World Cup through the back door after an injury to Malcolm Marx, kicked 13 out of 13 in the matches he played — Tonga, France, England and New Zealand. Each time he lined up a kick, South Africa drew a breath, but Pollard says he was cool with it all. “When you are out on the field it is pretty normal, it’s just rugby, man,” Pollard said. “Once you are in the cathedral you just get going and trust your process. The guys have trust in me and I trust them. If I…