Mercury -julkaisun 2022-09-06 -irtonumeron sisällysluettelo

TRELLIDOR Holdings’s revenue fell by 1 percent to R513 million in the year to June 30, and headline earnings per share plunged by 99 percent to 0.4 cents, the company’s results showed yesterday. Included in the results was a provision for the Labour Court judgment of R32m. The group said household budgets were stretched and consumers traded down, resulting in lower demand for its higher-priced and premium pro- ducts. In addition, the subdued residential property market and increasing trend in estate living had a negative impact on sales of Trellidor’s traditional product. Trellidor’s distribution was predominantly through a national network of 51 franchise owners, essentially small businesses. The government’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic had a disproportionate negative impact on small businesses. The franchise network had…

The Road Freight Association (RFA), the taxi industry and a civil society organisation that tracks food prices welcomed the fuel price cuts announced yesterday, but they warned it would be some time before consumers would see relief across the value chain for food and other services impacted by the fuel prices. The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy said that the price of both grades of petrol would be slashed by R2.04 per litre, while the price of diesel 0.05% and 0.005% sulphur would drop by 56.34 cents per litre and 46.34 cents per litre respectively. The wholesale price of illuminating paraffin would go down by 82c per litre. The department said lower prices were due to lower international oil prices and the stronger rand during the period under review.…

BEAVERS are back! A Sky News feature illustrates how a pair of beavers introduced to a stream in West Sussex, England, have created their own wetland. Their dams push back the stream’s flow and create a significant storage of water and enhancement of the local water table. The Eurasian beaver became extinct in Britain in the 16th century, but there are hopes that its reintroduction could provide considerable environmental benefits. A population of beavers that mysteriously reappeared on the River Otter in Devon more than 10 years ago has been monitored by wildlife groups ever since. Studies of their behaviour and its impact will form an important part of the decision-making by Britain’s Department for the Environment and Rural Affairs over whether to reintroduce beavers, and potentially other formerly…

Congratulations to Mr Tony Ball (The Mercury, September 2) on his clinical analysis of the absurd amounts claimed by municipal employees for “overtime” purportedly “worked”. But there is one thing which you got wrong, sir – you used the polite word “skulduggery” among eThekwini Council pay clerks and supervisors. What, in fact, is happening is outright stealing of money from our municipality by these employees. Any experienced auditor will confirm that he/she must be satisfied that the opportunity for “collusion” between staff does not exist in order to safeguard a corporation/company’s assets before he/she can sign off its financial year-end accounts. The blame for this theft also falls on the shoulders of our municipal management, who sign this off, as they, as responsible officials, should have the common sense to…

Like a child, the president is playing a game of hide and seek. Now you see him, now you don’t. He ducked the question-and-answer session in Parliament because he had to be with his wife who had to undergo a medical procedure. Sounds reasonable enough. The EFF was disappointed. They were waiting to go hammer and tongs over the Phala Phalala Farm scandal. Proceedings were held up for an hour as the EFF turned Parliament into a street fight. Only after some EFF members were thrown out of Parliament, did the session finally start. President Cyril Ramaphosa made a virtual appearance. Phala Phala was on everyone’s tongue. But the president dodged the questions, saying he couldn’t comment on it as the matter was under police investigation. A lame excuse? Well,…

An amendment to the Maintenance Act to blacklist maintenance defaulters with credit bureaus is on the cards. In a written reply to questions, Justice and Correctional Services Minister Ronald Lamola said until now, the department had not implemented referrals to the credit bureaus of default orders as per the requirements of the Maintenance Amendment Act. “There is a gap in the current legislation which prevents the implementation of section 11 of Act No 9 of 2015 as it does not create a correlative responsibility for the credit bureaus to receive the default orders from the maintenance clerks and maintenance officers. “Although the department developed an internal circular to guide the officials on how to deal with the forwarding of the default orders, this circular has not been implemented pending the…

Home Affairs Minister Aaron Motsoaledi says the newly launched Branch Appointment Booking System (Babs) is helping to deal with the practice where people pay others to queue on their behalf at the department’s offices. EFF MP Lorato Tito wrote to Motsoaledi asking how the department was tackling the long queues at department offices across the country. In his written reply, Motsoaledi said technological measures were being implemented by the State Information Technology Agency (Sita) to deal with system downtime. “Sita is upgrading its network infrastructure at the cost of R400 million. They had promised that this work will be completed by next month.” He said the department was continuing with efforts to improve client experience and recently launched Babs as part of its “War on Queues” efforts. The department has…

Pierre Jacobs will take the reins as the new principal of Glenwood High School in October after current principal Dr Andri Barnes retires at the end of the month. Barnes will retire at the end of September after taking the helm in 2017. The school said Barnes took the reins of an “unsteady carriage” about five years ago and broke the glass ceiling by becoming the first female principal of a traditional boys school in South Africa. “Dr Barnes has successfully balanced Glenwood High School and poised the school to step with confidence into this new chapter of its history,” said the school. It said the process of recruiting a principal was rigorous and intensive. “We are excited to announce the appointment of our new headmaster, Mr Pierre Jacobs, who…

THE board of Mhlathuze Water has appointed Dr Simo Lushaba as the utility’s interim chief executive. The announcement on Monday came as suspended CEO Mthokozisi Duze faces fraud charges at the Durban Specialised Commercial Crimes Court, along with suspended chief financial officer Babongile Mnyandu. Duze is charged with intimidation, defeating or obstructing the course of justice and fraud and is expected to appear in court today for a bail application ruling along with two other co-accused. Mnyandu is currently out on R60 000 bail and will return to court on December 6. The alleged fraud to the value of about R37 million was discovered during an internal audit. Among the accused is the director-general in the KwaZulu-Natal premier’s office, Nonhlanhla Mkhize. She is charged with intimidation and defeating or obstructing…

The IFP’s Chief Whip in Parliament, Narend Singh MP, together with the Conservation Action Trust, represented by Francis Garrard, co-hosted the South African première of Lions, Bones and Bullets at an in-person screening at Parliament in Cape Town on August 30. Lions, Bones and Bullets is an award-winning documentary made in South Africa, which follows the journey of Penguin South Africa author, Richard Peirce, as he investigates the captive lion breeding industry. The film offers a valid appraisal of this “industry”, based on an informed, fact-based investigation. In his recorded introduction, Peirce said he believes South Africa has a special responsibility as a key guardian of many of the world’s iconic species. The screening was attended by several MPs across portfolios, who share a deep concern for, and belief in…

RECONCILIATION between the ANC and IFP will finally eliminate the possibility of a re-emergence of political violence in KwaZulu-Natal and set the province on a sustainable economic growth trajectory. The reconciliation will be good for economic growth and the creation of a unified province that can attract foreign investment. Speaking at the launch of the Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi Foundation in Durban last week, the IFP president emeritus Mangosuthu Buthelezi said he was optimistic that his party and the ANC can heal the wounds of the past by embracing the path to reconciliation. Buthelezi’s comment comes after the KwaZulu-Natal ANC issued a statement to the media wishing Buthelezi well on his 94th birthday. On Friday, the ANC replied to Buthelezi’s reconciliation plea by announcing that it had set up a team…

Kenya’s Supreme Court yesterday unanimously upheld William Ruto’s presidential win in a scathing judgment that blasted opposition leader Raila Odinga’s accusations of cheating. Soon after, Odinga tweeted that he would respect the ruling even though he disagreed with it, easing fears that Kenya would see any repeat of the violence that followed disputed votes in 2007 and 2017. There were no immediate signs of protest in Odinga’s stronghold of Kisumu city or the low-income areas of Nairobi that support the left-wing politician. East Africa’s most wealthy and influential nation had been on tenter- hooks since the August 9 elections, which pitted Ruto, a former chicken seller, against two of nation’s most powerful political families. Similar accusations of cheating triggered deadly election violence, often with ethnic undertones, during the two…

OTTAWA: Two men suspected of killing 10 people in a stabbing rampage that devastated an indigenous community in Canada were at large yesterday as authorities tried to determine a motive for attacks that shocked a nation where mass violence is rare. Police launched a manhunt for Damien Sanderson, 31, and Myles Sanderson, 30, after they allegedly stabbed people in 13 different areas across an indigenous community and its surrounding province on Sunday. At least 15 others were wounded. The attacks in Saskatchewan province were among the deadliest in Canada’s modern history. Indigenous leaders say they may have been drug related. | Reuters…

The Springboks’ attitude against the Wallabies was one of their best traits on Saturday. They were fired up. They were determined. And they stood back for nothing. That is the kind of roar we need to see from Jacques Nienaber’s team every week. Springbok behemoth Eben Etzebeth and Wallaby prop Allan Alaalatoa’s ‘coming together’ was one of the biggest talking points to emerge from the Boks’ Rugby Championship victory Down Under, which saw them break a nine-year losing streak in Australia. That moment, and there refusal to stand back throughout the game, showed attitude in bucketloads. Following that altercation between the two on-pitch captains, reaction came from all over the rugby world, and outside of it. Memes of the Bok lock’s “angry eyes” were all round, so were the “don't…

FOR THE YEAR ended June 30, 2022, the group said its headline earnings per share increased by 6.1 percent to 530.6 cents compared to 499.9c last year. Group revenue increased by 4.3 percent and was supported by a combination of improved sales volumes in key categories and price increases to ameliorate significant cost pressures. The board declared a final ordinary dividend of 292c per share, resulting in a full-year ordinary dividend of 462c, which was 6.2 percent higher than last year, and in line with the growth in headline earnings, the group said. “The group’s performance in the first semester was disrupted by the civil unrest in July 2021, with all of our facilities and retail stores closed to safeguard our staff. “Direct losses amounted…

Business conditions at South African firms continued to improve in August, the latest PMI data showed, although the rate of growth eased amid signs of a slowdown in customer demand. This comes after consumers were hit by steep price increases in July, with headline annual inflation rising to a 13-year high of 7.8 percent due to elevated fuel and food costs. The S&P Global South Africa Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) edged lower to 51.7 points in August from a 14-month high of 52.7 points in July. This reading signalled a modest improvement in business conditions in three months. S&P Global said both output and new orders grew for the fourth consecutive month, albeit at a slower pace, as customer demand appeared to ease. The rate of expansion…

AS preparations for King Misuzulu’s coronation gather pace, the opposing faction in the royal household has indicated its intention to continue challenging the process that led to President Cyril Ramaphosa recognising him as the next Zulu king. King Misuzulu, who performed the Ukungena Esibayeni ritual last month which drew a large turnout, is set to be crowned on September 24, a day after his birthday. However, Prince Mandlakapheli Zulu, who represents the faction that is calling for Prince Simakade Zulu to ascend to the throne, said yesterday that they were not losing sleep over the event as they were preparing to mount legal action. “They can go ahead with that political game. “As the royal household we know our position and remain firm on it,” said the prince. Asked about…

A reader writes … “Dear Rod: Thank you for your columns which are read every day here. However, your latest writing on ‘self’ is a bit high in content and troublesome to digest! We do prefer down-to-earth content which is always readable. I believe your ability to reach so many readers will be at risk if they shy away from complicated stuff we can read in so many books. Kind regards from one of your readers.” I really appreciate the above response. Yes, Murray Bowen’s concept of “Differentiation of Self” is perhaps “high in content”, but it is also inescapably necessary if a person wants to become healthier in his or her relationships. The capacity to love and be loved without losing oneself to that love or to that lover…

Mr Ian Lloyd reminds us (The Mercury, September 5) about the intensity of the chaos of the present world. In the same edition of the newspaper, Mr Kevin Govender points to next year’s Football World Cup host, Qatar, adding another “feather in their cap”. Where do these opinion pieces intersect? Mr Lloyd expresses fear for future generations. Mr Govender, meanwhile, makes it clear that Qatar is an autocratic state where tomfoolery will not be permitted. Two worlds on the same Earth: one that chooses to colonise other people’s land and resources and even blatantly misbehave in foreign territory. Typical European impertinence. The other, like many Arab states, that imprisons people’s minds, where people are not permitted to think too much, selectively utilising religion to keep a few rich, but treating,…

Sadly, President Cyril Ramaphosa is accused of many serious charges, but he doesn’t want to talk or answer any questions about the issue, even before Parliament, the highest authority in the political system of any country. He said at the last National Assembly that his lawyers advised him not to answer questions on the matter because some law-enforcement agencies were investigating. The president is setting a terrible example for all officials who might be required to appear before Parliament to answer questions. They can all refuse to talk, upon legal advice from their lawyers. The president’s refusal to respond to questions from the opposition MPs undermines the constitutional obligation of Parliament and the representatives of the people to hold all government executives accountable. It also defeats the purpose of having…

Scientists at the Durban University of Technology (DUT) have analysed the drinking water in different parts of the eThekwini region and the results look good, according to the director of the university’s Institute for Water and Wastewater Technology (IWWT), Professor Faizal Bux. This comes after the institute tested the tap water in parts of the eThekwini region. Bux said there had recently been much concern about the quality of Durban’s tap water. “We have conducted microbiological testing on random samples from the greater Durban area (south, north and west) and the tap water satisfies SANS 241 microbiological drinking water standards,” he said. According to the South African Bureau of Standards (Sabs), all water that complies with the requirements of SANS (SA National Standard) 241 is deemed to be safe for…

A 25-year-old man linked to a syndicate was arrested for attempted fraud at the uMngeni Municipality Traffic and Licensing Department yesterday. Mayor Chris Pappas said the man was caught at the uMngeni Licensing department when a staff member picked up on his unusual behaviour. “It was discovered he was using a false name and was planning to write a learner’s licence on behalf of someone else who was not present,” he said. Pappas said the man was apprehended by law-enforcement officials from the uMngeni traffic department and the department of transport. “It has since emerged that the police were on the hunt for this suspect as this is not his first time committing this crime,” he said. According to the mayor, it is alleged a syndicate from Hammarsdale is running…

The provincial executive committee (PEC) of the ANC in KwaZulu-Natal is expected to hold a special meeting soon as branches are due to start their nomination process for members who will serve on the national executive committee (NEC) of the party. This comes in the lead-up to the party’s December national elective conference. Branch members nationally have the opportunity to make nominations from September 7-30. The NEC is the party’s highest decision-making body between conferences and at the Nasrec elective conference in 2017, no KZN representative was included in the ‘top six’ structure – the first time this has happened since the advent of democracy. Therefore, some members of the ANC in KZN said after the provincial elective conference that it wanted at least two representatives in the ANC’s top…

The sad passing of Lorraine Botha MPL on the last day of Women’s Month is significant. The dreadful news of her untimely death was met with great grief across the caucus of the ANC in the Western Cape Provincial Legislature. At such a time, political differences are put aside to appreciate life and to acknowledge the great strides the person had made to improve the lot of others. The late Ms Botha served as my counterpart, as chief whip, for the DA for just under three months. We had entered the legislature together in 2014 and had to learn the ropes of serving the people of the Western Cape together. A hard worker who died with her boots on, Ms Botha was impeccable in her appearance and gracious in her…

At least 46 people were killed when a strong earthquake struck south-western China yesterday, state media reported, as violent tremors in a remote region damaged homes and left some areas without electricity. The magnitude 6.6 quake hit about 43km south-east of the city of Kangding in Sichuan province at a depth of 10km, according to the US Geological Survey. Fourteen people lost their lives in Sichuan’s Shimian county and seven died in nearby Luding county, while more than 30 were injured, according to state broadcaster CCTV. Tremors shook buildings in the provincial capital of Chengdu – where millions are confined to their homes under a strict Covid-19 lockdown – and in the nearby megacity of Chongqing, local residents said. “I felt it quite strongly. Some of my neighbours on the…

The Israeli army conceded yesterday for the first time that one of its soldiers had likely shot Palestinian-American reporter Shireen Abu Akleh after having mistaken her for a militant. “There is a high possibility that Ms Abu Akleh was accidentally hit by IDF (Israel Defence Forces) gunfire fired towards suspects identified as armed Palestinian gunmen,” said the army’s final investigation report into her May 11 death. The acknowledgement comes after months in which the army had insisted it was impossible to determine the source of the deadly shot that killed the celebrated Al Jazeera journalist in the occupied West Bank, saying it could have been militant fire. “Our conclusion is that it’s not possible to determine unequivocally which gunfire killed her, but there’s a higher probability that she was hit…

NAIROBI: Parts of Somalia will be hit by famine between October and December as a drought worsens and global food prices surge, the UN said yesterday. The Horn of Africa is experiencing its worst drought in 40 years and experts say the region is on track for a fifth consecutive failed rainy season. “Famine is at the door,” UN humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths said. Famine would affect parts of south central Somalia but it is worse now than in 2010 and 2011 due to four failed rainy seasons and decades of conflicts, the UN said. The 2011 famine claimed more than a quarter of a million lives, most of them children.…

Early season surprise package Royal AM will be looking to cement top spot on the Premiership standings as they host KwaZulu-Natal rivals Richards Bay at Chatsworth Stadium today. Thwihli Thwahla went to the top of the league following their 2-1 win over Sekhukhune United last weekend, combined with Orlando Pirates’ surprise 1-0 defeat at the hands of Maritzburg United on Sunday. The win for Royal AM against Sekhukhune was their second league victory on the trot as they recorded a win over Maritzburg two weeks ago. There is no doubt that Dan Malesela’s Royal AM has exceeded the expectations of most people this season. The team impressed last term, finishing third. However, they had a close season filled with trouble as they lost last season’s top scorer Victor Letsoalo and…

THE days of people living on Ingonyama Trust land and not paying for municipal services could soon be a thing of the past, as eThekwini Municipality moves closer to charging residents a flat rate. The metro has revealed progress on this proposal that was mooted by eThekwini mayor Mxolisi Kaunda a few months ago. Kaunda had complained that some people living on Ingonyama Trust land had built mansions and were using some of the city’s services without paying anything, even towards the upkeep of those services. The metro is allegedly owed nearly R200 million by the Ingonyama Trust Board (ITB) for outstanding rates on its land. The council in total is owed nearly R17 billion for services, including R1bn by government departments. The issue of the Ingonyama Trust debt…

The job of North West Premier Bushy Maape is safe for now, despite the fact that he lost his battle to become the ANC provincial chairperson to the incumbent Nono Maloyi. This was confirmed by Maloyi yesterday when he addressed the media about the outcome of his party’s first provincial executive committee (PEC) meeting, in Rustenburg, yesterday. Maloyi was answering media questions about the future of Maape in the North West legislature after ANC members in Gauteng took a decision to recall Premier David Makhura. However, that was hampered after it was found that the party’s Gauteng executive apparently failed to follow proper procedures before making such a decision. As a result, Makhura will stay on for now, but has already indicated his intention to hand over the baton. Insiders…

Apple Watch’s ECG heart sensor has once again saved a man’s life by sending him alerts for a low resting heart rate on almost 3 000 occasions. David Last, 54, of the UK, credited Apple Watch for saving his life. His heart resting rate was found to have dropped as low as 30 beats per minute (it is normally between 60 and 100bpm). After tests including a 48-hour ECG and MRI, his cardiologist told him that he had a massive heart blockage. His heart stopped 138 times in 10-second intervals over a 48-hour ECG period. Last had an operation and a pacemaker was installed to detect abnormal heart rhythms. He said his wife gave him the Apple Watch as a gift on his birthday in April this year. “If she…

In The Mercury (September 2) we read of a really sad state of affairs where a seriously injured man waited in vain for an ambulance. Let it be made crystal clear, far and wide, that I’ve tried using that so-called emergency number on two or three occasions – in vain. Instead of the phone being answered with a simple “Emergency service please state place and nature of emergency”, I was greeted by an utterly useless, time-consuming recorded message, stating in “long-hand” that it is a criminal offence to make prank calls, that my phone service would be terminated and some other balderdash details if my call was anything but an emergency situation. Forget about using provincial or government services (themselves a laughable misnomer!). Instead call on the private services and,…

Two headlines (September 4) that won’t appear in the South African press: Two woman LGBTQ activists have been sentenced to death for “corruption on earth” by an Iranian Revolutionary Court. It’s estimated that between 4 000 and 6 000 gays and lesbians have been executed since the Islamic revolution in 1979. According to a British human rights campaigner, one woman was denied access to a lawyer, adding that both will probably be hanged using the “barbaric long, slow strangulation method; much favoured by the Iranian regime in order to maximise the victim’s suffering”. The second headline reads: Five Palestinians have been executed on Sunday (September 4) by Hamas, two for “collaborating” with Israel and the others for murder and robbery. Since January this year, 15 people have been executed by…

The proposed Unlawful Entry on Premises Bill caused a stir on social media after a video was circulated claiming that the bill prevented you from self-defence if someone trespassed on your property. The bill, drafted by the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development to repeal and replace the Trespass Act of 1959, is currently out for public comment. The video, since deleted, was widely shared on TikTok and Facebook and featured a woman describing a hypothetical home invasion and claiming that if the bill became law, it would be illegal for homeowners to defend themselves against housebreakers. In the video, the woman said: “Your only duty is to inform the intruders that they are intruding and if you feel threatened you must inform the SAPS.” However, the department has since…

AS the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Human Settlements looks at different options to accommodate flood victims and move them out of mass care centres, a Rental Assistance Scheme (RAS) has been proposed. The department said it was discussing a Rental Assistance Scheme as a form of Temporary Emergency Accommodation for April 2022 flood victims now living in shelters. Department spokesperson Mbulelo Baloyi said in the pipeline was a Memorandum of Agreement to be entered into with Ithala Bank to manage the distribution of Rental Assistance to the approved beneficiaries. “This will mean the Department of Human Settlements will pay the rental on behalf of the approved flood victims, so we are looking for home owners who are willing to rent out their residential units,” he said. Baloyi said 1 166 Temporary…

STAFF members at the Msunduzi Municipality have been placed on suspension after allegations emerged of them colluding with property owners to defraud the municipality out of millions of rand owed for rates and services. About seven employees in the debtors unit have allegedly been implicated in the collusion. Acting city manager Nelisiwe Ngcobo said the municipality had brought in workers from the finance unit to take over the work of the suspended staff following the allegations. Ngcobo is leading a campaign to recoup millions of rand owed to the municipality for rates and services. The municipality is owed about R1.2 billion for rates and is looking to collect close to R200 million of this amount in the coming days. It is also looking to recover more than R500m owed for…

Police in Malipsdrift, Limpopo, have launched a manhunt for a group of suspects after five women were allegedly gang-raped, one man was shot and injured and six men were assaulted. Limpopo police spokesperson, Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo said the incidents were allegedly carried out by a group of six gun-wielding suspects who stormed into two funeral parlours next to Leporong early on Sunday. “According to reports, two female friends were on their way to visit a boyfriend working at a funeral parlour. (They were) accosted by six men who took them to the first mortuary,” he said. They proceeded to the next mortuary and found three female and six male employees. The men were beaten, the women raped. | Mercury Correspondent…

We depend on nature and the ocean for food, medicine and livelihoods When Sinegugu Zukulu, Nonhle Mbuthuma and Siyabonga Ndovela grew up, everything revolved around the life-giving ocean on the Wild Coast. Their parents and grandparents taught them how the ocean mattered. For them, as members of fishing communities on the Wild Coast, like those on the West Coast, the ocean still matters. They depend on the ocean for their sustainable livelihoods and take their connection to the ocean seriously. They do not just go to the beach for recreation, but harvest food and medicines through a craft passed on from generation to generation. They bear duties and obligations relating to the sea and other shared resources like our land and forests; it is incumbent on them to protect the…

Ukraine made its boldest claim yet of success on the battlefield in its week-old counter-offensive against Russian forces in the south, while European markets reopened yesterday in free-fall after Russia kept its main gas pipeline to Germany shut. After days of declining to give details about their new offensive, Ukrainian officials posted an image online of three soldiers raising a flag over a town in Kherson province, a southern region occupied by Russia since the war’s early days. The image of the flag being fixed to a pole on a rooftop, purportedly in Vysokopyllya in the north of Kherson, was released as President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said that Ukrainian forces had captured two towns in the south and one in the east. Russia has said it has repelled assaults in Kherson.…

Liz Truss will become Britain’s next prime minister after winning a leadership race for the governing Conservative Party yesterday, vowing to press ahead with promised tax cuts and action to tackle a deepening energy and cost of living crisis. After weeks of an often bad-tempered and divisive leadership contest, Truss, currently the foreign minister and the favourite to win, beat former finance minister Rishi Sunak in a vote of Conservative Party members, winning by 81 326 votes to 60 399. “I will deliver a bold plan to cut taxes and grow our economy,” Truss said after the result was announced. “I will deliver on the energy crisis, dealing with people’s energy bills, but also dealing with the long-term issues we have on energy supply.” Truss takes over as the country…

London: More than 1 100 people crossed the Channel in small boats on Sunday, figures showed yesterday, as campaigners challenged the legality of a policy to deport some asylum seekers to Rwanda. The Ministry of Defence said 1 160 migrants were detected in 25 boats in the 24 hours to midnight on Sunday, after 960 made the journey on Saturday. The arrivals take the number of people having made the crossing this year to 27 384, nearly as many for the whole of 2021 when 28 526 were intercepted. It is also the second time in two weeks that over 1 000 people have been picked up in a single day. A record 1 295 were brought ashore on August 22. | AFP…