Mercury -julkaisun 2021-05-04 -irtonumeron sisällysluettelo

Siphelele Dludla siphelele.dludla@inl.co.za The RAND clawed back some losses yesterday after weakening to a two-week low as optimism around vaccine deliveries offset traders’ concerns while data showed the manufacturing sector in South Africa experienced slowing growth in production in April. After starting the trade at R14.50 to the dollar, the rand rose 0.11 percent to R14.39 against the greenback at 5pm. On Sunday, South Africa received its first batch of Pfizer vaccines consisting of 325 000 doses. More shipments are expected in the coming weeks to make a total of 1.3 million by the end of the month and 4.5 million by June. TreasuryONE’s currency specialist Andre Cilliers said the rand had pared gains on Friday due to the US dollar rallying back following better-than-expected growth numbers. Cilliers said the…

AFRICAN Equity Empowerment Invest- ments (AEEI) said yesterday it would keep its shareholders abreast of any further developments arising from the withdrawal of transactional banking facilities at one of its major subsidiaries AYO Technology Solutions, a statement said. AYO on Friday withdrew a cautionary notice to shareholders and said its application for an urgent interdict against FNB, pending the hearing of its main application, was struck off the roll for lack of urgency and alternative third-party payment solutions for AYO had been put in place which would ensure continuity of its business. AYO said the action by FNB primarily affected the transactional bank accounts held by AYO Technology Solutions itself and one other AYO subsidiary that had an alternative transactional banking service provider. Therefore, other than these account closures, no…

Kailene Pillay kailene.pillay@inl.co.za FORMER Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) group chief executive Lucky Montana said he was disappointed with President Cyril Ramaphosa’s testimony before the state capture commission last week, saying the ANC leader missed an opportunity to tell the truth before Deputy Chief Justice Raymond Zondo. Montana, who testified at the Zondo Commission yesterday, was responding to allegations that the ANC received R80 million from Swifambo Rail – a company that was awarded a R3.5 billion tender for the procurement of locomotives. Montana said the ANC did not want to admit it, but it had a huge influence over state-owned enterprises (SOEs). He said it was “a way of life” in the ANC to use public funds to finance its political activities and for ANC leaders to…

Se-Anne Rall se-anne.koopman@inl.co.za The National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) has dismissed claims that a Covid-19 variant, which was first detected in India, has been found in South Africa. The NICD’s comment comes after claims were made on social media that the variant had been identified in a Covid-19 patient in KwaZulu-Natal. NICD acting executive director Professor Adrian Puren said that to date, the B.1.617 variant has not been detected in South Africa and any suspected cases will be investigated. He said the institution had tremendous empathy for the dire situation that was unfolding in India, and would like to reassure the South African public that they were keeping a close eye on developments. Head of public health surveillance and response at the NICD, Dr Michelle Groome, said testing of…

SHARON HOOSEN | DA KZN Spokesperson on Transport OUR beautiful province of KwaZulu-Natal has always drawn the attention of holidaymakers from around the country. It has also had a poor reputation when it comes to an increased number of road accidents during peak seasons, which has seen an increased number of lives being lost. We have seen newborn babies, pregnant mothers and families being wiped out in fatal accidents. Sadly, the recent long weekend was no exception and the DA conveys its condolences to those who lost loved ones on our roads. Apart from the tragic loss of life, the increased road death toll also means that KZN’s Department of Transport (DoT) has failed in its commitment to reduce road fatalities by 30%. The department’s strategy is not…

KEVIN GOVENDER | Shallcross US PRESIDENT Joe Biden, addressed a joint sitting of Congress in which he made an ambitious pitch, redefining the government’s role in the lives of ordinary Americans. He has unveiled a $1.8 trillion family plan that will see the upliftment of welfare of lower- to middle-income groups, children and education. This will be funded by a tax hike on the wealthiest – individuals and corporate business. In contrast, here in South Africa, we have a president who is appearing before a Commission of Inquiry into State Capture in his capacity as president of the ruling/majority party, the ANC. There is an urgent need for the government to redefine its role in society. There is a very fine muddled line between the government and the…

Nonhlanhla Hlatshwayo nozizwe.hlatshwayo@inl.co.za POLICE are searching for two people who could have information regarding the alleged kidnapping of Newlands East teenager Mmeli Ngcobo. Mmeli, 16, was allegedly taken outside his school in Newlands East early this year. At the time, police said it was alleged that on February 17, Mmeli took a cellphone belonging to one of his classmates. Police said his classmate’s parents came to the school and gave Mmeli until February 22 to return it. On February 22, after school, Mmeli was allegedly approached by two men in a Mercedes-Benz and forced into the vehicle. KwaZulu-Natal police spokesperson colonel Thembeka Mbele said yesterday that detectives on the case were appealing to members of the community for assistance in finding Hopewell “Bhuti” Nyamakazi, 48, and Zinhle Promise Nyawuza, 42,…

WITH the winter season approaching, the government, citizens and other stakeholders have an important role to play in ensuring that the death, suffering and destruction playing out in India due to the all-engulfing second wave of Covid-19 does not happen in this country. The resurgence of the Covid-19 pandemic in India has come after a lull in infections, with the country now recording more than 400 000 new daily infections. The situation, which has been worsened by overcrowding, is so severe that hospitals, testing facilities and crematoriums are battling to cope. Given the similarities in the socio-economic conditions between the two countries, it goes without saying that the South African government and scientists have an obligation to carefully interrogate what led to the current tragic state of affairs in India…

The IFP welcomes and supports the release of the report by the High-Level Panel (HLP) “to review policies, regulatory measures, practices and policy positions that are related to hunting, trade, captive keeping, management and handling of elephant, lion, leopard and rhinoceros”. The IFP has been campaigning against the issue of captive-bred lion hunting since 2014, and IFP MP, the late Mario Oriani-Ambrosini, addressed the first Global March Against Canned Lion Hunting in March 2014. The issue has since been taken up and championed by myself as the spokesperson on Environmental Affairs, Forestry and Fisheries. I facilitated viewing of the documentary Blood Lions for the parliamentary environmental portfolio committee, which was then chaired by late Honourable Jackson Mthembu, who later ascended to being Minister in the Presidency. The IFP has consistently…

Britain’s Prince Harry joined pop royalty including Jennifer Lopez at a star-studded concert in Los Angeles on Sunday to urge faster and more even global vaccinations, as he voiced support for India during its devastating Covid-19 outbreak. “Vax Live: The Concert To Reunite The World” featured video messages from the pope and US President Joe Biden and appearances from Hollywood stars such as Ben Affleck and Sean Penn. The show will air on television and YouTube on May 8, after being pre-taped in front of thousands of fully-vaccinated spectators at a vast California stadium. “Tonight, we stand in solidarity with the millions of families across India, who are battling a devastating second wave,” said Prince Harry, who was greeted with a standing ovation. “The virus does not respect borders, and…

Jerusalem: Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said yesterday that he would let his estranged former protege Naftali Bennett serve as premier ahead of him in a coalition to prevent a “left-wing government”. But Bennett, a right-wing nationalist who emerged as a kingmaker following Israel’s inconclusive March 23 vote, dampened the notion that a deal with Netanyahu was in the works. After his Likud party won the most seats in the vote, Netanyahu earned a 28-day mandate to form a coalition which expires at midnight. Bennett said his priority was to end Israel’s political gridlock. | AFP…

LOS ANGELES: The US this week will reunite four migrant families separated at the US-Mexico border during the Trump administration, US officials said, a small step toward fulfilling a campaign promise by President Joe Biden. The families will be allowed to enter the US through an emergency process known as “humanitarian parole”. The US Department of Homeland Security is considering whether they could be granted longer-term immigration status. The American Civil Liberties Union said it did not know how many children remain separated from parents but that the number was likely more than 1 000. | Reuters…

EDWARD WEST edward.west@inl.co.za PPC HAS SOLD its PPC Lime operation as part of a restructuring project to Kgatelopele Lime, a new company that has Swiss mining and minerals resources group IMR Group as a major shareholder, for R515 million. PPC plans to use the net proceeds of R500m to degear PPC’s South African balance sheet. In terms of the restructuring project, PPC’s South African lenders agreed to review the need for a R750m group capital raise if the South African businesses continue to degear towards sustainable debt levels. PPC’s share price gained 3.7 percent to R3.10 yesterday morning. The share has risen steadily from a 12-month low of 43 cents early in November, after the group in the meantime reported relatively robust double-digit cement product sales. Kgatelopele Lime…

Thami Magubane and Vernon Mchunu THE ANC in eThekwini Municipality is facing pressure from opposition parties to fill the city’s deputy mayor position that has been vacant for almost two months. Opposition parties yesterday warned the ANC-controlled council to make the long-awaited appointment, saying the party should remember that this was a critical municipal position that was essential for service delivery. The deputy mayor post became vacant after the resignation of Belinda Scott. Former deputy mayor Fawzia Peer and Themba Shelembe, the deputy chairperson of the finance committee, are apparently among those being mentioned as preferred candidates for the position. Attempts to reach them yesterday were unsuccessful. Sources in the ANC caucus said filling the post of deputy mayor was the responsibility of the provincial leadership, which was keeping…

One in two people worldwide saw their earnings drop due to the Covid-19 pandemic, with people in low-income countries particularly hard hit by job losses or cuts to their working hours, research showed yesterday. US-based polling company Gallup, which surveyed 300 000 people across 117 countries, found that half of those with jobs earned less because of Covid-19 pandemic disruptions. This translated to 1.6 billion adults globally. “Worldwide, these percentages ranged from a high of 76% in Thailand to a low of 10% in Switzerland,” it said. In Bolivia, Myanmar, Kenya, Uganda, Indonesia, Honduras and Ecuador, more than 70% people polled said they took home less than before the crisis. In the US, this figure dropped to 34%. The Covid-19 crisis has hit workers hard, particularly women in low-paid precarious…

MOHAMED SAEED | Pietermaritzburg COUNTRIES around the globe are under pressure and worried about the record numbers of new Covid-19 infections. The emergence of new variants and the tragedy unfolding in India should serve as compelling reasons for the South African government to step up vaccination efforts and continuously promote safety and prevention measures. According to reports, South Africa has the highest number of Covid-19 cases and deaths on the African continent. Besides the deaths and the considerable strain on health-care facilities, the high financial and economic cost of the pandemic is evident in most homes and businesses. To this end, the government needs to increase vigilance at grass-roots level if we want to limit the impact of a possible third wave. In addition to making sufficient vaccine…

JEAN MICHEL BOUVIER | Bryanston I read that after his video conference last week, President Cyril Ramaphosa named climate change as his number one priority in his weekly letter. Pandering to the sheep and banging his cymbals, it seems that every week he is changing his main target and focus, with a different thumbsuck every morning. Last week it was the economy. The previous week was the students’ funding. Before that it was the need to attract foreign investment – and previously it was the pandemic and the vaccines. He has already forgotten his other mantra to tackle poverty and inequality and now it is “climate change”, which by the way is not a switch to turn on and off, as it is so time consuming with a…

The lockdown regulations imposed more than a year ago to try to contain the spread of Covid-19 has had the unintended consequence of a plumper population, a survey released yesterday shows. In the survey of almost 2 000 South African adults commissioned by pharmaceutical company Pharma Dynamics, 45% of respondents said lockdown regulations affected their eating and exercise habits for the worse, with 44% picking up 2-5kg while 15% gained 6-10kg and 4% gained 10kg or more. Pharma Dynamics, the largest provider of cardiovascular medicine in the country, commissioned the survey to assess the effect of the pandemic and the subsequent lockdown on the nation’s eating and exercise patterns. “Treats and calories are up, while exercise is down, which is never a healthy combination,” spokesperson Nicole Jennings said. “Limited access…

Thami Magubane thami.magubane@inl.co.za THE decision by the Ugu District Municipality to terminate the employment of its municipal manager has come under fire from opposition parties, who said the move undermined accountability and was a waste of council resources. The parties said while they were happy to see Dhanpalan Naidoo leave, they did not agree with the way the municipality had handled the matter. The municipality announced at the weekend that it had finally concluded disciplinary proceedings against Naidoo. Naidoo had been on special leave for a few months following an investigation by the Department of Co- operative Governance and Traditional Affairs into the affairs of the municipality. The investigation report had raised several allegations against Naidoo, including that he had funnelled municipal contracts to relatives.…

Zintle Mahlati zintle.mahlati@inl.co.za THE Department of Social Development says there are no plans to extend the R350 social relief of distress (SRD) grant despite growing calls for the programme to be renewed. The grant was introduced last year by President Cyril Ramaphosa as part of social relief initiatives aimed at tackling the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. It has benefited millions of unemployed South Africans. Earlier this year, when the grant was extended by Ramaphosa for a further three months, the South African Social Security Agency (Sassa) said it had processed over 9 million applications each month since May 2020. In January it had paid more than 6.5 million grants a month. The total expenditure had exceeded R16 billion, the agency said. On April 30, Sassa said that the grant…

Sachin Thakur CONTRARY to popular belief, the future is not on hold. It is simply a new normal that we must navigate with our ingenuity. Water, the lifeblood of the economy, is a challenge we must be prepared for. Fresh water will soon outperform oil in terms of profitability. The notion that one gets crude oil for free and pay for water prevails in the Middle East. However, multiple Day Zeros are emerging, raising legitimate concerns over water security. An emerging opportunity is electric vehicles. The fuel infrastructure in South Africa is exceptional, with a dedicated pipeline connecting Johannesburg and Durban. Electric vehicles will, in time, render the pipeline infrastructure, along with petrol stations and petrol attendant jobs, obsolete. Given the impending scenario, could we repurpose the fuel infrastructure…

India postponed exams for trainee doctors and nurses yesterday, freeing them up to fight the world’s biggest surge in coronavirus infections, as the health system crumbles under the weight of new cases and hospitals run out of beds and oxygen. The total number of infections so far rose to just short of 20 million, propelled by a 12th straight day of more than 300 000 new cases in a pandemic sparked by a virus first identified in central China at the end of 2019. Medical experts say actual numbers could be five to 10 times higher. Hospitals have filled to capacity, supplies of medical oxygen have run short, and morgues and crematoriums have been overloaded with corpses. Patients are dying on hospital beds, in ambulances and in car parks outside.…

Taliban insurgents attacked an army outpost in Afghanistan’s south-western Farah province killing at least seven soldiers, local officials said yesterday, as the country braces for violence after May 1, a previously agreed deadline for foreign troop withdrawal. Farah Governor Taj Mohammad Jahid said the Taliban had blown up an army outpost after digging a 400m tunnel to access it from a nearby house. He added that one soldier had also been captured by the insurgents. Two local officials, one speaking on condition of anonymity, said dozens of military, including elite commando forces, had been killed. Provincial council member Khayer Mohammad Noorzai said around 30 had died in the attack and that the base was in the hands of the Taliban. Officials said a blast in the province’s capital yesterday…

MELBOURNE: A leading Myanmar swimmer has called for an international boycott of his country’s Olympic committee, branding it a “puppet” of the southeast Asian nation’s military rulers. Australia-based Win Htet Oo said he had given up his dream of swimming at the Tokyo Olympics in protest at the junta which seized power in February and has killed hundreds in a crackdown on dissent. “I believe that the Myanmar Olympic Committee as it is currently recognised should be expelled immediately from any international sporting events,” said Win Hte. The 26-year-old swam for Myanmar at the 2019 Southeast Asian Games in the Philippines where he posted an Olympic qualifying ‘B’ time in the 50m freestyle, which would allow him to compete at Tokyo on invitation by world swimming governing body FINA. However,…

Liverpool: Thousands danced without face coverings at a music festival in northern England as the British government permitted the country’s first post-lockdown gig. A crowd of 5 000 people cheered, danced and sang along to performances from bands including English indie pop act Blossoms at the sold-out event at Liverpool’s Sefton Park. The festival was part of a pilot project by the British government called the Events Research Programme to test crowd safety at live events. All those attending had to take lateral flow Covid-19 tests before entering the venue and another test afterwards. | AFP…

MANCHESTER United will punish fans who committed criminal acts during the protests on Sunday which led to the Premier League game against Liverpool being postponed, the club said yesterday. United fans protesting against the club’s American owners, the Glazer family, stormed into the stadium which was closed to fans due to Covid-19 restrictions. “The majority of our fans have and will condemn criminal damage, along with any violence towards club staff, police or other fans, and these now become a police matter,” United said in a statement. “The club has no desire to see peaceful protestors punished, but will work with the police to identify those involved in criminal activity, and will also issue its own sanctions to any season ticket holder or member identified, per the published sanctions policy,”…

Zaahier Adams Mamelodi Sundowns co-coach Manqoba Mngqithi has warned his team to remain humble as they close in on a record 400th victory in the DStv Premiership. Following their 3-0 humiliation of Orlando Pirates on Sunday, Sundowns achieved their 399th league win. The Brazilians will look to rewrite the history books when they face Maritzburg United tomorrow. Mngqithi was, though, not happy with his team’s showboating during the victory over the Buccaneers as it did not represent the type of sportsmanship he is renowned for. “When we win we must always win with a lot of humility,” Mngqithi said. “I was not happy with the sounds the players were making when we were keeping possession. That is a sign of arrogance and personally I am someone who doesn’t like…

ATTACQ, the real estate investment trust (Reit) that holds Mall of Africa and Waterfall City among its assets, said the easing of lockdown restrictions from March 1 had resulted in a marked improvement in trading density growth at its retail centres. All its tenants were able to trade with minimal restrictions, the group said yesterday in an update of its retail portfolio's trading performance, and progress made to improve its capital structure. At Mall of Africa, trading density improved 33 percent versus March 2020, compared with a 0.8 percent decline recorded in February over the same month a year before, and a 14.1 percent decline in January on the same basis. Brooklyn Mall saw trading density up 7 percent on the same basis, compared with a…

SANDILE MCHUNU sandile.mchunu@inl.co.za FIRST National Bank (FNB) said yesterday that it had been made aware of a criminal complaint relating to a banking relationship with a client, EOH Holdings, after Transform RSA laid criminal charges of corruption and money laundering against the bank. FNB has been accused by Transform RSA of continuing to provide banking facilities to EOH Holdings despite the company admitting to corrupt activities in its organisation. However, FNB said it would evaluate the complaint after receiving more information and, where required, respond through the relevant channels. “As a reputable financial services provider, FNB endeavours to ensure that its bank accounts are utilised and managed in compliance with the relevant laws,” the bank said. Transform RSA president Adil Nchabeleng maintained that FNB and other South African banks were…

Human minds have been designed in such a way that our focus often goes towards what we do not have, or on what is not going well and seldom on what is going well, or what we have, and that is how worry and fear creep in. It could be our health, home as a shelter, jobs, children or relationships, surroundings, access to clean food, or nature; there is so much in everyone's life to offer a little bit of gratitude for every single day. In fact, gratitude is powerful and said to be one of the quickest ways to feel happier. But what if you are struggling to find things to be grateful for? What if gratitude doesn’t come easily to you? And even if you do find things…

Sihle Mavuso sihle.mavuso@inl.co.za THE squabbling within the Zulu monarchy is not abating despite one side claiming it was ready to meet the other side halfway and reconcile. The latest tensions played out yesterday after the “Royal Rebels”, as they are called in the corridors of the royal court, called another impromptu press conference to lash out at Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi, the traditional prime minister to the Zulu monarch and nation. Royal sources said the press conference was a culmination of anger on the part of senior Princess Thembi Ndlovu (nee Zulu), Prince Mbonisi and others. They came to KwaKhangelamankengane palace in Nongoma to mourn the the death of Regent Queen Mantfombi Dlamini-Zulu but on the sidelines they allegedly used the opportunity to seek an audience with Buthelezi, who late on…

| Karen Elizabeth Gordon WHY does Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg wear clown make-up while board-riding in the surf? A social media shot of him surfing in Hawaii shows so much sunscreen on his face that he could be Bozo the Clown (not to be confused with Bojo the British prime minister). It turns out, according to The Huffington Post, that it was a deliberate disguise. In an Instagram Live chat with Instagram head Adam Mosseri, Zuckerberg said he saw paparazzi following him and used the sunblock to disguise himself. “I noticed there was this paparazzi guy following us and, so I was like: ‘Oh, I don’t want him to recognise me, so you know what I’m gonna do? I’m just gonna put a ton of sunscreen on my…

EBRAHIM “EBKOYBIE” ESSA | Durban IT IS so easy for government agencies to stamp their authority selectively, such as in the case of the R350 allowance which is about to be removed. The amount is meagre, insufficient for even a week’s groceries, let alone rent, but nobody refuses to grab that allowance with both hands. The reason? There is no alternative. Take it or leave it. The government in Pretoria and Plein Street says so. Finished! Why can’t the same principle be applied to the “minimum wage”? Why does there have to be a dictating salary that limits employment? Both employers and the potentially employable lose this way. South Africa is not a First World country by any measure. We have to go back to basics. Thousands, if…

Cheryl | Durban A reader writes: Your column about the boy who felt “invisible” really touched me. He seems to be an intelligent, insightful and sensitive individual. There are always others out there who feel the same way we do. Perhaps he could try to switch his focus at school, and instead of focusing on himself, he could look out to see if he can spot anyone who may be feeling like he does. He could find a really good friend that way. He would know how that other person is feeling, and could interact with him in a way that he himself would like to be treated. Everyone has something interesting within themselves, and the best way to start talking to someone is by asking them a…

ZELDA VENTER zelda.venter@inl.co.za THE Road Accident Fund (RAF) will ask the court for permission to stay hundreds of millions of rand in claims due to several law firms until they have repaid funds paid to them in error. It will ask the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria later this month to suspend the debt due for claims settled or where court orders have been granted. The court action is a desperate attempt to recover hundreds of millions of rand in duplicate payments made to various law firms. If granted, the order will culminate in a later application in which it will ask the Legal Practice Council to appoint a curator to administer the trust accounts of those firms who had received double payments, but refused to repay the money. The RAF…

Sakhiseni Nxumalo sakhiseni.nxumalo@inl.co.za A HELICOPTER instructor and a student pilot were killed in a crash in Durban yesterday morning. The pair were declared dead on the scene after the helicopter they were in crashed on the banks of the Umgeni River, near the M19. Starlite Aviation Training Academy said: “We are devastated to confirm the loss of one of our instructors and a student in a helicopter crash this morning. “Our deepest condolences, thoughts and prayers go out to family and friends during this difficult time and we request that their privacy be respected.” The academy said it could not comment further and said more details would be released in due course. According to emergency services company Emer-G-Med, the incident took place just after 8.30am and emergency personnel were dispatched…

Media workers in east and southern Africa had been increasingly under attack in the past year, Amnesty International said yesterday. In a statement on World Press Freedom Day, Amnesty said that across the region, media workers had been laid off, television stations suspended or shut down, private press targeted and journalists intimidated in a heavy blow to the right to freedom of expression. This was despite the urgent need for access to information during the Covid-19 pandemic. “This blatant attack on independent journalism across the region sends a chilling message that dissent and the uncovering of uncomfortable truths will not be tolerated …” said Deprose Muchena, Amnesty International’s director for east and southern Africa. In Angola, he said, the licences of three television channels had been suspended in April this…

South Africa is a country that is notorious for its levels of gender-based violence Amanda Gouws The SAPS statistics for reported rape cases for 2019/2020 is 42 289 and for sexual assault 7 749 (Department of Police, 2020), amid a huge under reporting of rape. Intimate femicide is five times the global average. Of reported rape cases, only about 14% goes to trial and there are convictions in only about 7% of these cases. There is indeed a high attrition rate. The 2016 #EndRapeCulture and the 2017 #TotalShutdown campaigns were the push back from women against the normalisation of sexual violence. Protests against GBV often demand retributive justice or punishment for perpetrators with greater incarceration and harsher sentencing. Other campaigns demand restorative justice to restore the…

Northern Ireland marked its centenary yesterday under coronavirus restrictions, simmering post-Brexit unrest and a leadership crisis marring the anniversary in the British-ruled province. Northern Ireland, home to 1.9 million people, was created in 1921 as Ireland freed itself from British rule following a war for independence. Commemoration events have been cancelled due to Covid-19 curbs and the weeks leading up to the anniversary have witnessed the worst rioting in the region for years. First Minister Arlene Foster last Wednesday announced her resignation after a reported coup in her Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), where rancour is brewing over the consequences of Brexit. Northern Ireland has been bitterly contested between pro-UK unionists and pro-Ireland nationalists, who do not recognise its legitimacy and regard May 3 as the anniversary of the unjust…

Prominent Asian-American business leaders launched a $250 million (about R3.5 billion) initiative yesterday to support an array of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) causes, vowing to create a national infrastructure for a community that has faced an increasing number of racial attacks. The Asian American Foundation will invest its initial funding – described by organisers as the largest- ever philanthropic effort to support the AAPI community – in three key areas: anti-hate programmes, education, and data and research. The foundation’s board, which has committed $125m over five years, is chaired by Li Lu, founder of hedge fund Himalaya Capital, and includes billionaires Jerry Yang, the co-founder of Yahoo, and Joseph Tsai, co-founder of Alibaba Group Holding, among other executives. Companies such as Coca-Cola Co, Walmart Inc, Citigroup Inc, Amazon.com…

YANGON: The Kachin Independence Army (KIA), one of Myanmar’s most powerful rebel groups, said yesterday it had shot down a helicopter after returning fire following air strikes by the military, a group official said. The UN estimates that tens of thousands of civilians have fled their homes amid fighting between the military and ethnic minority insurgents in remote northern and eastern frontier regions. The conflict intensified after Myanmar’s generals ousted the elected government led by Aung San Suu Kyi in February. The helicopter was shot down around at a village in Kachin province. A resident said four people died in hospital after artillery shells hit a monastery. | Reuters…

Eshlin Vedan Kaizer Chiefs veteran Bernard Parker is confident the Soweto club will shake off their mental block as they face struggling Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila at Peter Mokaba Stadium today. Amakhosi have won just one out of their last five Premiership matches, and today’s game against the relegation candidates provides them with a good opportunity to return to winning ways. Chiefs can also take heart from the fact that they thrashed TTM 3-0 when the teams last met in January. “Right now, what we do more of is mental preparation which will be key for us. It’s coming along because we are showing the fighting spirit and we are showing the will. Our effort on the field of play is good. Here and there, we do make mistakes, hence the…