Tabla de contenidos para 2023-07-07 en Mercury

THE SOUTH African Reserve Bank (SARB) said yesterday it would not comment on whether or not it froze the funds in five accounts linked to the ailing Steinhoff’s local operations. This comes after an online publication, the Daily Maverick, published a story claiming that the central bank froze Steinhoff’s funds which are valued at about R5.5 billion. Steinhoff owns 44.5% of Pepkor and 75% of European discount retailer Pepco and stakes in US Mattress Firm and Greenlit brands, an Australian furniture seller. In response to the Business Report queries, SARB said: “As the SARB, we are unable to comment on ongoing investigations and matters relating thereto”. According to the report, Steinhoff did not clearly declare in its latest annual financial statements that the central bank has frozen its accounts.…

The bill will accelerate the destruction of the legal tobacco value chain, says Batsa Tobacco industry stakeholders said yesterday, they support the need for regulation in the tobacco industry, but it must be based on reality and should not lead to job losses. The tobacco industry stakeholders held a press briefing in Johannesburg yesterday, as the Parliament’s portfolio committee on health invited public comments on the Tobacco Products and Electronic Delivery Systems Control Bill. British American Tobacco SA (Batsa) said the bill would accelerate the destruction of the legal tobacco value chain and permanently entrench a dominant illicit trade, without reducing smoking. Batsa general manager Johnny Moloto said: “The 2020 tobacco sales ban (during the Covid-19 lockdown), which South Africa’s courts declared unconstitutional, demonstrated the effects of prohibition as consumers…

A REPORT detailing the extent of the damage caused by the recent storms in Durban has revealed that eThekwini Municipality will need close to R280 million to fix damaged homes and infrastructure. The figure is preliminary as the true extent of the damage following heavy rainfall that lashed some parts of Durban last Tuesday, is still being assessed. Members of the executive committee were briefed on the damage yesterday, detailing extensive work that needed to be undertaken to repair roads, bridges and electricity infrastructure. It also detailed the humanitarian support being offered to the victims. The storm damage report was compiled by the City’s disaster management and emergency control unit. Deputy city manager (DCM) for community services Dr Musa Gumede told councillors that the change in the weather and the…

OPPOSITION parties have accused Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) MEC Bongi Sithole-Moloi of “wasting a golden opportunity” when she provided an “inadequate” response on the Section 154 intervention in eThekwini during the State of Local Government Debate yesterday. Opposition parties have insisted that yesterday’s debate on the state of municipalities was a chance for the MEC to bring everyone up to speed about what had happened in eThekwini Municipality since the announcement of the implementation of a Section 154 in the City. The DA and IFP said that while they felt that the intervention was a mild one when what was needed was a Section 139(b), the MEC had a chance to update the public on what had happened since the announcement. The DA’s Martin Meyer noted that in…

With frightening routine, we are losing profound and dedicated members of our community. With heavy hearts we had to bear the loss of Essop Goolam Pahad, who served as the minister in the Presidency from 1999 to 2008, at 84. A powerful pillar of our democracy is no more. Essop was a close confidante of president Thabo Mbeki and guided us through his presidency. His family played a crucial role in our liberation and were instrumental in establishing non-racial soccer. The Dynamos Football Club is their legacy that will be remembered for decades to come. He gave a potent voice to the claims of the neglected, the poor, the sick, the oppressed and those whom he assisted in every facet of life. The scope of his accomplishments defy description and…

The finish to the Durban July was a nail-biting thriller. It was a Battle of the Titans between two leading contenders for first position in this prestigious race. The contenders in this epic battle were, See It Again and Winchester Mansion. The favourite was See It Again, but in horse racing you never can tell who will win. About 44 000 spectators watched this spectacle with bated breath. With just 300m to the finish line, See It Again tapped on his horse power. Not to be outdone, Winchester Mansion relied on his fire power. He pulled his Winchester and out-gunned his rival to win by a head and ride into horse racing history. Do It Again just couldn’t do it this time? Maybe better luck next time! For Trip Of…

A trainee inspector at the Cape of Good Hope (CoGH) SPCA has been hailed as a hero by his colleagues after he saved a kitten in distress this week. On Monday, trainee inspector Lindo Mbele responded to a family in Belgravia who called for help to save the kitten that was stuck in a tree. The kitten had managed to scale the tallest tree in their garden. Mbele said he observed the tree and concluded that he could climb it as there were many branches to use as a foothold. “I had to do it barefoot. I also knew I wouldn’t be able to climb up with a cat carrier because I needed both my hands free. “It took me about 25 minutes to reach the kitten, and then she…

OPPOSITION party councillors in the eThekwini Municipality believe the resignation of the head of the City’s corruption-busting unit, amid allegations that he was being threatened, could undermine the City’s fight against corruption. Head of the City Integrity and Investigative Unit (CIIU), Mbuso Ngcobo, resigned this week amid allegations that he was receiving threats believed to be linked to his testimony in the ongoing corruption trial of former mayor Zandile Gumede. Gumede, former city manager Sipho Nzuza, former councillors and others are standing trial on a multimillion-rand corruption case. During the trial, Ngcobo testified about how the investigation into this alleged corruption had originated. The head of communications in the eThekwini Municipality, Lindiwe Khuzwayo, said yesterday: “We can confirm the resignation of CIIU head Mbuso Ngcobo. “We cannot comment on whether…

Goal in any process of renaming should be institutional change and transformation AT THE end of each academic semester, it is always a worthwhile, necessary and indeed interesting exercise to actively reflect on what transpired in the life and times of a university. This is helpful not only to consolidate and to catch up on many levels, but also to plan for the semester ahead. Reflection, to a degree, fills you with a sense of emotion and gratitude because you remember the highs and the lows, moments of joy and anxiety, and very often also moments of pride and disappointment. But of all the moments that are called into remembrance through reflection, it is those that lead to profound internal and external change that stand out. My role at Stellenbosch…

A dozen Arab tribal leaders from Sudan’s western region of Darfur have pledged allegiance to paramilitaries at war with the army – a move analysts warn could tip the scales in the months-long conflict. The war between army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, who commands the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), has wreaked havoc on Darfur, where experts fear a widening ethnic divide could spell more violence. In a video released this week, leaders from seven of South Darfur state’s main tribes urged their members to desert the army and fight instead for the rivalling RSF. “This announcement will have a massive impact” on the war in Sudan, which has killed nearly 3 000 people, said veteran journalist Abdelmoneim Madibo. “Like in El Geneina, it will divide…

The UN has verified a record-breaking number of grave violations against children affected by war last year, reaching 27 180 cases, according to a Security Council briefing. An annual UN report for children and armed conflict called for urgent and decisive action to protect boys and girls from death, recruitment, rape, and other atrocities. The report encompasses 26 situations across five regions globally. The UN confirmed that 18 890 children experienced grave violations during armed conflicts in 2022. Tragically, 8 630 children were killed or maimed, 7 622 were recruited for combat, and 3 985 were abducted. The report identified 1 165 children, mostly girls, who endured rape, gang rape, forced marriage, sexual slavery, or sexual assault, with some cases resulting in the victims’ death. It also said 1 163…

Harare: Zimbabwe’s leading opposition said yesterday that police arrested eight of its supporters after banning a campaign rally, in a move the party denounced as part of an escalating crackdown ahead of national elections. The country, where the ruling Zanu-PF party has been in power since 1980, is bracing for a tense vote on August 23. On Wednesday, police fired tear gas and clashed with supporters of the opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) in the south-eastern town of Chiredzi, preventing it from holding a rally. President Emmerson Mnangagwa, 80, is seeking re-election. His main challenger is CCC’s leader, Nelson Chamisa, 45. | AFP…

London: A British parliamentary committee yesterday upheld groping allegations against a former senior government official and recommended an eight-week suspension. Conservative MP Chris Pincher resigned in July 2022 as deputy chief whip following accusations that he groped two men while drunk at an exclusive London club. The committee said Pincher’s conduct “represented an abuse of power”. It recommended a suspension of eight weeks which could pave the way for a by-election in Pincher’s constituency of Tamworth, central England. | AFP…

The Cricket SA Awards - also known as “SA Cricket’s Oscars” - returns this evening at the Vodaworld in Midrand for the first in-person ceremony post Covid-19 lockdowns. Its significance cannot be understated after the low-key virtual ceremonies over the past couple of years that was indicative of the administrative turmoil Cricket SA had experienced over that period. But with CSA seemingly getting its house in order over the past 12 months there is reason to celebrate again, especially after the Proteas Women’s team historic feat in becoming the first South Africa senior team to reach an ICC T20 World Cup final and the relative resurgence of the Proteas’ Men’s team during the home international season. An almost ironic embodiment of this turnaround in fortunes, particularly for the Proteas Men’s…

MINISTER of Employment and Labour Thulas Nxesi has encouraged job seekers not to undermine certain reliable job opportunities available to them on the back of South Africa’s unemployment crisis. Nxesi yesterday launched the Jobs Fair initiative and the Public Employment Services (PES) buses at Nasrec in Johannesburg. “Taking an entry-level job might lead to processes of discovery of talents and skills that you have. You will never know what you are good at unless you try,” Nxesi said. “Use our labour centres to talk to employment practitioners and counsellors, for advice, seek out mentors and trusted people that can help you during your job search journey.” The purpose of the Jobs Fair is to create an opportunity for work seekers to meet with prospective employers and other organisations or departments…

HERIOT real estate investment trust (Reit), which has been in the process of acquiring control of Safari Investments through the past year, said yesterday it had acquired a further 385 237 Safari shares at R5.65 each, bringing its shareholding to 57%. Heriot said in a JSE notice yesterday it and its associates, Reya Gola Investments and Heriot Investments, had held 56.8% of the total Safari shares in issue prior to the latest purchase. The purchase was executed by way of an on-market block trade on the JSE. It is not a hostile takeover. The parties had sought Competition Approval for a merger early last year already. Compared with many South African Reits, Safari appears to be trading well after declaring an unchanged dividend of 32 cents for the…

ATTACQ, the JSE listed real estate investment trust said yesterday agreements had been concluded for the Public Investment Corporation (PIC) to acquire a 30% stake in subsidiary Waterfall Investment Company (Awic), which owns Attacq’s flagship development Waterfall City, for R2.7 billion. The parties had announced in February that they were considering a deal to acquire a stake in Awic and provide it with a shareholder loan advance. Should the transaction be approved by shareholders, the PIC would acquire 30% of the shares and shareholder loans in Awic in exchange for R2.39bn in cash, with an additional R300 million injected by the PIC as a shareholder loan. Attacq would retain control of Awic with a majority stake of 70%, and it would continue to provide asset, property, development and…

EVERY year, hundreds of thousands of South Africans emigrate. Some go in pursuit of new career opportunities, while others hope for a safer environment for their children. Still others leave to be closer to children and grandchildren who’ve already left the country or to study at a prestigious university overseas. While it’s difficult to put an exact number on how many people emigrate every year, it’s worth noting that a 2022 survey found that 25% of registered voters were considering emigration. Data released last year, meanwhile, shows that more than 914 000 people left the country between 2015 and 2020. Barring a few younger people who leave with nothing but the clothes in their suitcases, each one of those people will have gone through a lot of time-consuming financial…

ARTIFICIAL Intelligence (AI) is revolutionising the cybersecurity landscape, changing the way businesses can detect, prevent, and respond to cyber threats and offering a more robust and proactive approach to cybersecurity. AI has the potential to substantially reduce the cost and complexity of cybersecurity strategies. However, AI technologies also come with a range of ethical, legal and privacy implications that must be considered. Organisations must find the right IT partner to help them plan for and invest in proactive measures, such as staff training and education, to ensure that their cybersecurity defences can best leverage the benefits AI has to offer while minimising the risks involved. Harnessing the Power of AI AI has powerful potential when it comes to enhancing cybersecurity, with machine learning algorithms able to quickly and accurately detect…

In our fast-paced world filled with constant distractions and overwhelming responsibilities, finding inner peace and calm can seem like an impossible task. However, meditation is accessible to everyone, regardless of their initial doubts or perceived limitations. Below is some practical guidance: Debunking misconceptions The first step on a meditation journey is to dispel the myths. Meditation is not about clearing your mind of all thoughts or achieving an instant state of bliss. It is an ongoing practice that involves cultivating awareness, embracing the present moment, and nurturing a non-judgmental attitude towards your thoughts. Start small and build Beginners often struggle to meditate because they attempt to sit for long periods. Instead, start with short sessions, such as five minutes per day, and gradually increase. Consistency is key. Choose a comfortable…

METRO police plan to introduce measures to improve safety along the national routes and prevent violent incidents similar to those that took place on the N2 near Chesterville, where two trucks were burnt by protesters on Sunday. According to the police unit, the community were protesting over being without power for a number of days. Acting metro head Sbonelo Mchunu said: “We intend to install CCTV technology to watch over our freeways and highways with licence-recognition plates as well as facial-recognition cameras. “We want to advance a request that repeat offenders of municipal infrastructure vandalism – be it through theft, road surface or illegal dumping – be deprived of access to municipal services until they surrender themselves to authorities. This will include interruptions caused by so-called business forums.” Metro…

How many times must a man go to court and find no joy? I am sure many of us have lost count of how many times former president Jacob Zuma has approached the courts on various issues related to his involvement in the arms deal scandal. For years, he tried every legal loophole to get the arms deal charges dropped. But time after time, the courts stood firm and rejected each application. Then, Zuma switched tactics and wanted Judge Piet Koen to recuse himself from the corruption trial as he felt he was biased against him. The judge obliged but Zuma found no relief from his successor, Judge Nkosinathi Chili, who ruled that he stand trial on the set date. But Zuma just wouldn’t give up. He was a fighter…

POLICE have yet to make an arrest in connection with ongoing investigations into the assault of three SANDF members, allegedly at the hands of guards from the SAPS VIP Protection Unit. Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) spokesperson Robbie Raburabu confirmed that charges of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, pointing of a firearm and malicious damage to property, were opened at the Sandton police station. However, he said arrests could only be effected after investigations had been concluded. Police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said police management was now addressing the members’ “unacceptable behaviour and conduct” as part of their internal disciplinary processes. They have since been issued with intent to suspend letters. She explained that, in line with labour procedures, the officers would have the opportunity to give…

When it comes to double cab bakkies South Africans are spoilt for choice and when GWM entered the market with their well-priced and even better specced P-Series, that really threw the cat among the pigeons. We’re also a sucker for a good looking exterior and with the recent launch of the range topping P-Series LTD, GWM have done just that. Bold and rugged is what we like and it does that very well. The leisure market is a big industry locally and this offering that slots in above the LS and LT models, not only looks the part but backs it up practically as well. They’ve added 18-inch Gloss Black rims shod with decent Cooper All Terrain tyres, black sports bar, a plastic bin liner, steel front and rear bumpers,…

IN THE past, South African football was always able to turn to its fairy godfather, Patrice Motsepe, in times of need. A few days ago, South African football was plumbing the depths of despair after the national women’s team and the national federation Safa were locked in a stand-off over finances. The stand-off seemed to be heading for a stalemate until Safa president Danny Jordaan and Sports Minister Zizi Kodwa turned to Motsepe to rescue a dire situation on the eve of the team’s World Cup departure for New Zealand. He in turn sent in Motsepe Foundation co-founder Precious Moloi-Motsepe, his wife, armed with a R6 million cheque to a meeting the next day. The Motsepe money will serve as a top-up bonus for the players and technical staff. It…

More than 10 million people had signed up to Threads, Meta’s rival to Twitter, within the first few hours of its launch, the company’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg said yesterday. The app went live on Apple and Android app stores in 100 countries on Wednesday, and will run with no ads for now, but its release in Europe has been delayed over data privacy concerns. Threads is the biggest challenger yet to Elon Musk-owned Twitter, which has seen a series of potential competitors emerge but not yet replace one of the world’s biggest social media platforms, despite its struggles. “10 million sign-ups in seven hours,” Zuckerberg wrote on his official Threads account yesterday. Accounts were already active for celebrities such as Jennifer Lopez, Shakira and Hugh Jackman, as well as media…

Stockholm: Climate activist Greta Thunberg has been charged with disobeying police during a June climate protest in southern Sweden, the public prosecutor said this week, most likely risking a fine. The prosecutor said it had charged the 20-year-old activist after she “refused to obey police orders to leave the site” of a protest in the southern city of Malmo on June 19. Thunberg joined the protest organised by environmental activist group, Reclaim the Future, as they attempted to block the entrance and exit to the Malmo harbour to protest the use of fossil fuel. The group said: “After blocking the activities that are burning our future, we are now being charged with criminal offences. While charges are being brought against us, the real crime is going on inside the doors…

Minsk: Belarusian President Alexandr Lukashenko yesterday said that Yevgeny Prigozhin, chief of the Russian Wagner mercenary group that staged a short-lived rebellion last month, was in Russia. Under the deal to end the stand-off brokered by Lukashenko, charges against the Wagner chief were dropped and he was offered a move to Belarus. Over a week ago Lukashenko said that Prigozhin had arrived in Belarus. Prigozhin’s private jet has made several flights between St Petersburg and Moscow. Lukashenko said the rest of the Wagner fighters were still at their bases in eastern Ukraine or Russia’s Krasnodar region and an offer for Wagner to station some of its fighters in Belarus stood. | IANS…

MANILA: Tonga faces permanent losses from sea level rises and is at risk from a seismic event, said a new report launched by the Asian Development Bank yesterday. The 2023 Multi-Hazard Disaster Risk Assessment report warns that without measures, permanent losses from sea level rise would be high in the future in this island country in the South Pacific. Tropical cyclones and the eruption of the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano in 2022 affected up to 80% of Tonga’s population and badly hit its fragile economy. The report says buildings have the highest risk of losses, while flooding may also cause significant road losses. | Xinhua…

THE rains put an abrupt stop to the sardines’ movement north. The fish have more than likely pushed out into the deep, but we will have to wait and see. The North Coast has seen plenty of grey sharks caught. Zinkwazi has been productive with some anglers landing double digits in a single outing. These fish can get fussy so don’t go too heavy on your traces. Also, make sure to add floatation to your bait to get your bait off the bottom. Chokka and a fishy bait mix is deadly. The central coast has seen good fish caught on lures. There are fish for all levels and interests. The shad have been full up around the piers and are always keen to eat a drifted sardine or spoon. The…

THE CONFEDERATION of Trade Unions (Cosatu) said its stay-away yesterday to highlight labour and socio-economic issues was successful and it was looking forward to the Medium Term Budget Policy Statement (MTPBS) later on this year to gauge government's response to the demands presented. Spokesperson Matthew Parks said the turnout in all nine provinces and major urban areas had been overwhelming and where workers did not go to the marching events, they staged pickets outside their places of employment. At least two unions, the Democratic Nurses Association of South Africa and the South African Transport and Allied Workers Union marched shoulder to shoulder in delivering the petitions to various institutions including the South African Reserve Bank, the South African Local Governments Association, government institutions and at various employer organisations. The South…

FINANCE Minister Enoch Godongwana has urged African countries to focus on tax transparency to counter tax evasion and illicit financial flows which continue to bleed the continent billions of dollars every year. This comes as South Africa has recently been greylisted by the Financial Action Task Force due to certain deficiencies in its anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism and proliferation financing framework. Godongwana yesterday said the African Union Commission estimated the amount of illicit financial flows from Africa ranged between €48 billion (R977.7bn) and €77bn, in its domestic resource mobilisation report of 2019. The Minister yesterday delivered an address at the 13th Meeting of the Africa Initiative, hosted by the South African Revenue Services (Sars) in Cape Town. He emphasised the importance of tax transparency…

PUBLIC Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan said his department was working with the Presidential State-owned Enterprises Council (PSEC) to identify entities that should be rationalised or disposed of. Gordhan said the department was also developing legislation that will govern the SOEs with the PSEC. “President Cyril Ramaphosa mandated the department, together with the members of the Presidential State-Owned Enterprises Council appointed in June 2020, to support the government in repositioning state-owned enterprises (SOEs) as effective instruments of economic transformation and development,” said Gordhan. He was responding to parliamentary questions from EFF MP Omphile Maotwe who asked whether his department had lived up to its mandate of championing and directing the restructuring of SOEs to ensure their optimal economic and developmental impact. The minister also said preparatory work was under way this…

Disney? Grand Canyon? Broadway? Statue of Liberty? Washington DC? My dad loved all of the above on his several visits to the US and recalled them each with great fondness. But, dad’s real love of this nation though, was rather peculiar and once he made me aware of it, it was easy and inexpensive to provide. He loved the rural breakfast spots. He enjoyed these often-crowded establishments where the waitresses called him honey and sweetie-pie and yelled customer orders at the short-order chef who in turn yelled “order up” while cracking eggs and turning strips of bacon and shifting piles of hash browns on the crowded grill. He enjoyed the backchat between the waitresses and the regulars whose orders they remembered through sheer repetition and whose wives and families they…

I write to express my deep concern and disappointment regarding the sudden resignation of the head of the City Integrity and Investigations Unit (CIIU) in eThekwini Municipality. The circumstances leading to his resignation, including receiving death threats from unknown individuals and the potential risk to his family, are distressing and indicative of a dark reality we are facing in our society. It is disheartening to witness a dedicated public servant being forced to quit his position simply because he had the courage to tackle corruption at the highest levels of the municipality. The CIIU, under his leadership, played a crucial role in investigating and exposing corruption allegations. Thanks to its findings, arrests have been made, and the matters are being prosecuted in court. However, his departure in such a distressing…

A passenger travelling in a minibus taxi on the M4 Southern freeway was seriously injured after a steel object allegedly flew off a truck and pierced the taxi’s windscreen on Thursday. ALS Paramedics spokesperson Garrith Jamieson said the accident occurred on the M4 Durban bound, near Quality Street, just after 10am. Jamieson said that when paramedics arrived at the scene, they found what was believed to be a freak accident. “A taxi had been travelling on the southbound carriageway when it is believed that a metal object flew off a truck and pierced the windscreen of the taxi,” he said. He said a male passenger in the front seat of the taxi, who is believed to be in his thirties, sustained serious injuries. Jamieson said the SAPS was at the…

SECTION27 and other organisations have expressed their concern that despite a court ruling earlier that pregnant and lactating women, and children under 6 must receive free health services, some hospitals and clinics still insist on payment. There are also reports of pregnant migrants being turned away from hospitals. Since the ruling, the Sexual and Reproductive Justice Coalition and other civil society organisations have received reports of public health facilities (administrators and individual clinicians) demanding that pregnant migrant women pay to access services. In April the Gauteng High Court, Johannesburg, upheld the right of these women and children to access free health services at all public health establishments, including hospitals. This followed an application brought by Section27 alongside women denied access to such services. The ruling reaffirmed the rights set out…

ETHEKWINI Municipality mayor Mxolisi Kaunda called on communities to work closely with the City and law-enforcement agencies after six people in possession of stolen car parts from municipal vehicles were arrested for state vehicle theft. Metro police spokesperson Boysie Zungu said the suspects were arrested and handed over to the nearest police station. According to the City, the arrest follows another recent success where the Metro Police Task Team recovered an NDM VW in uMlazi. The City said eThekwini Municipality was experiencing a sharp rise in hijacking incidents involving municipal and contractor vehicles. Known hot spots are Mayville, Folweni, uMlazi, KwaMashu, Inanda, Zwelibomvu, Hammersdale and KwaNdengezi. In the current financial year, the City said it had lost no fewer than 95 vehicles, with the number rising daily. “This has had…

JULY marks the month when at least two invitations for diplomatic receptions will arrive in one’s mailbox. While the West has been good at this kind of soft diplomacy whereby one is wined and dined, China continues to pump investment into hard diplomacy. A decade ago, President Xi Jinping launched the Belt and Road Initiative. Today, more than 152 countries and 32 international organisations have signed more than 200 co-operation agreements with China under this initiative. The concept of the project is steeped in history, with the original Silk Road expanding westward of China’s Han Dynasty, 206 BCE to 220 CE, and then later, under the Tang Dynasty, 618 to 907 CE, establishing trade routes across Eurasia, Africa and Oceania. Even though launched four years earlier, in 2017, President Xi…

US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen arrived in Beijing yesterday, kicking off a visit aimed at improving communication and stabilising the tense relationship between the world’s two largest economies. Yellen’s trip until Sunday is her first to China as treasury secretary, and comes weeks after Secretary of State Antony Blinken paid a rare visit to the country. She arrived in Beijing and was greeted on the tarmac by US Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns, as well as Chinese finance ministry official Yang Yingming. The visit will see Yellen seek to expand lines of correspondence, avoid miscommunications and widen collaboration on the global economy, climate change, debt distress and other issues, according to a Treasury official. Her trip – which comes in the face of concerns over China’s economic recovery and US…

A tragic burst of gun violence in multiple US cities over the Independence Day weekend has claimed more than a dozen lives. Four people were killed and seven others were injured in a shooting at a Fourth of July celebration party in Shreveport, Louisiana, authorities said. At least one gunman opened fire at a gathering of about 100 people in the community event, that has reportedly taken place for more than a decade, police said. Hours after US President Joe Biden lamented the new “wave of tragic and senseless shootings” on Tuesday, nine people, including two minors, were injured when a shooter from a vehicle opened fire at people attending a Fourth of July celebration in Washington DC, police said. In downtown Fort Worth, Texas, at least three people were…

Istanbul: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy will visit Istanbul today for talks with Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The meeting is to focus on an expiring deal to ship Ukrainian grain across the Black Sea, as well as next week’s Nato summit. Zelenskiy is expected to push Erdogan to agree to Sweden’s membership of Nato before the July 11-12 alliance summit in Lithuania. Turkey is blocking Sweden’s candidacy because of a dispute about Stockholm’s allegedly lax attitude toward Kurdish militants in the Nordic country. | AFP…

Paris: Donations have been halted for an online collection for a French policeman who sparked nationwide riots last week by shooting a teenager dead, with the fund reaching more than ¤1.6 million (R33.2 million). Far-right media commentator Jean Messiha, behind the initiative, said that he had closed it “because it has reached a comfortable level”. The mother of Nahel M, the 17-year-old shot last week, has launched legal action against Egyptian-born Messiha. Several left-wing MPs have also launched legal action to try to close the fund. The amount raised for the officer is four times larger than the ¤400 000 pledged in a separate collection for the mother of Nahel. | AFP…

STAN Wawrinka set up a Wimbledon third-round clash with seven-time champion Novak Djokovic yesterday, hoping to “not get killed” by a rival he first faced 17 years ago. The 38-year-old Wawrinka, who has won three Grand Slam titles, made the last 32 by seeing off Argentina’s 29th seed Tomas Martin Etcheverry 6-3 4-6 6-4 6-2. It will be his first time in the third round at the All England Club since 2015, when he went on to make the quarter-finals. Former world No 3 Wawrinka, now ranked at 88 after a lengthy battle with injuries, has only beaten Djokovic six times in 26 meetings. However, they have never met on grass. “I will enjoy it if I don’t get killed,” said Wawrinka. “Novak is an amazing champion. I am happy…

ANOTHER race, another personal best for is on the cards for Glenrose Xaba. The Boxer Athletic Club athlete is super-charged, as per her nickname, and just can’t seem to stop running faster. Ahead of Sunday’s Absa Run Your City Durban 10k, expectations are that Xaba will once again improve her 10km time in the women’s only elite race in which Ethiopian Yalamzef Yehualaw will be going for a world record. Xaba has improved her 10km time twice already this year – running a 32:12 in the Gqeberha leg of the SPAR Grand Prix Series before becoming the third fastest South African female in the distance with a 31:56 in Durban last month. Only national record holder Elana Meyer with her 31:13 and Colleen de Reuck have competed the distance…