Inhoudsopgave van 2024-06-11 - Star

Siphokazi Kayana and Nomfundo Mkatshwa AS ARTIFICIAL intelligence (AI) has become increasingly sophisticated and mainstream, it is also clear that it will have a significant impact on almost every industry and field of business. That includes legal proceedings, such as arbitrations. The emergence of generative AI is an exciting development that has the potential to make lawyers and legal work more efficient and set forth a new era of legal services. It goes without saying that while the legislative and regulatory landscape of AI is yet to be developed, it is worth looking at how AI, particularly generative AI tools, will impact arbitrations. Will these tools be a help or a hindrance? A helping hand There are several areas within arbitrations where AI tools could be incredibly helpful. Generative AI…

Renowned music producer and entrepreneur, Kabelo “Prince Kaybee” Motsamai recently visited the L-Tido podcast, where he provided clarity on some issues that have kept him on top of the trends list. But before he got into that, he told L-Tido about how he came to fame. “Before I got into the fame I was very selfless, I use to do things that were very disgusting in a way, because I come from the streets, bro ... When you are on the streets there is quite a lot that happens. “I left home after dropping out of Grade 11. I went to Bloemfontein, started hustling, I never told my mom where I was going. I was gone for three or four years, never saw my mom. So I was in the…

Award-winning rapper Cassper Nyovest has announced that his first single for the year is set to be released on August 2. The news has fans buzzing with excitement, especially after the Mama I Made It hitmaker, whose real name is Refiloe Maele Phoolo, took a brief hiatus from music to focus on his newfound spiritual journey. The rapper and songwriter has become one of the country’s top musicians over the past decade. In 2014, he released his debut album Tsholofelo, which included hit singles like Doc Shebeleza and Gusheshe, which featured Okmalumkoolkat. In 2018, Nyovest released the album Sweet and Short, which has since achieved platinum status. Renowned for its fusion of kwaito and hip hop, the album features popular tracks like Hase Mo States and Remote Control, showcasing his…

FORMER Eskom acting CEO Matshela Koko, who feels his name was dragged through the mud for a number of years, is ready to fight back against the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA). The NPA suffered a blow in the matter against Koko last week. On Thursday, Koko took to social media platform X, saying he had suffered long enough. He also posted a Gauteng High Court, Johannesburg, ruling between him as the applicant and the NPA as first respondent, and ABB South Africa as second respondent. “The court ordered: ‘The application is removed from the roll. “The first respondent is to pay the costs of the applicant on an attorney-client scale’.” Speaking to The Star, Koko said he will soon be back in court again dealing with the NPA. “I…

Defence and Military Veterans Minister Thandi Modise and senior leadership in the SA National Defence Force (SANDF) will hand over the mortal remains of Sergeant Mbulelo David Ngubane to the family on Monday. This follows Ngubane’s tragic death during a clash between M23 rebels and Southern African Development Community (SADC) forces in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) on May 30. The ceremony will be held at the Waterkloof Air Force Base on Monday afternoon. On June 6, the SANDF announced the name of Ngubane, who died in the line of duty on May 30 in Sake in the DRC, according to Defence Corporate Communication’s head Siphiwe Dlamini. Ngubane, 39, a operational medical practitioner in the SA Military Health Service (SAMHS), was shot and killed when the…

From Page 1 City Power will remotely switch off the customer’s geyser once they reach high consumption-levels,” said City Power spokesperson Isaac Mangena. Load reduction is set to occur for only two hours during peak times, from 6am to 10am and 4pm to 10pm. Over 80 areas are set to experience load reduction and they will be grouped into six blocks such as Braamfontein, Alexandra, Mondeor, Klipfontein, Lawley, and Naturena. Mangena explained the emergence of load reduction was to encourage residents to use electricity sparingly, despite the low temperatures and expected cold fronts next month. However, customers failed to reduce their energy use. Mangena highlighted the seasonal changes that affect energy consumption during summer when City Power consumed less megawatts, compared to an increase in autumn and especially winter. “City…

THE Fuba II Zibi Royal family is fighting among themselves over the chieftaincy of the AmaHlubi Traditional Community in the North West. The family have urgently applied to interdict the newly appointed Inkosana Vulindlela Zibi from performing functions as Kgosi, or senior traditional leader of the Amahlubi. The family also want North West Premier Bushy Maape to be interdicted from issuing a notice in the North West Gazette recognising Inkosana Vulindlela Zibi as Kgosi. The family said Maape should also be interdicted from serving the notice in the House of Traditional Leaders. Vulindlela referred questions to spokesperson Mangelengele Zibi who said they were aware of the application and the matter is sub judice. He said their opposition grounds were listed in their court papers. Chief director of communications in the…

Basha Uhuru Freedom Festival has promised a diverse line-up, creative experiences, and art-filled experiences for its 2024 edition, marking Youth Month from June 27 to 29. The festival, one of Gauteng’s largest youth arts events, draws thousands of culturally diverse youth to Constitution Hill for the celebration in a safe and engaging environment. This year’s edition of the festival, titled “30 Years of Creative Freedom,” will emphasise the significance of young people’s involvement in creative and social movements. This year’s performers and participants include Sophie Ndaba, Mmabatho Montsho, Kabza De Small, MÖRDA, Sjava, Nadia Nakai, FKA Mash, Kujenga, Holly Rey, Solo Ntsizwa ka Mthimkhulu, and PONACOLADA X NKLY. The Visions of Freedom Film Festival, curated by Mmabatho Montsho, is set to be a significant highlight of this year’s gig. Montsho…

Religious Leaders United for Peace (RLUFP), an organisation of interfaith religious and community leaders advocating for peace in our communities, met in Durban on Saturday. The organisation was formed on January 11, 2024, during the same time that South Africa’s Legal team was at the ICJ in their groundbreaking case. It was formed after a group of interfaith leaders came together over concerns and fears of instability and violence leading up to and after the elections. The group had agreed then, that any remote threat of violence and unrest must be taken seriously. It further agreed that to mitigate this growing threat, a message of peace and tolerance needs to be expeditiously spread by religious leaders who have historically been at the forefront of South Africa’s liberation Struggle. At Saturday’s…

I WOULD like all those analysts and ANC members who don’t want a DA and ANC coalition, to give honest reasons why not and then give the DA a chance to reply. It’s all very well (Mathews) Phosa and (Lindiwe) Sisulu saying they are against a coalition with the DA. Why? Sisulu says: “We are ideologically at variance with the DA. I cannot imagine having to drag people who do not have similar issues into our problems and be able to take our country forward.” I’m not sure what she is talking about; we all have similar issues in this country, and we need to find common ground to get us back on track. Then Mr Roscoe Palm asks: “If the ANC enters into a grand coalition with the DA,…

The recent South African general elections, which culminated in a hung Parliament, have left the nation in a state of political uncertainty. The MK Party’s (MKP) legal threats over the Electoral Commission of SA (IEC) certification of the elections and its attempts to block the first parliamentary sitting have exacerbated this instability. The MKP’s decision to boycott the parliamentary proceedings underscores the deepening crisis in the nation’s political landscape. The party’s actions reflect a broader issue: a growing disillusionment among citizens with the political process. The voter turnout of just 58.64% is a stark indicator of this disenchantment. South Africans are increasingly sceptical that their participation in elections will lead to meaningful change in their lives. This apathy is fuelled by the perception that political leaders are more interested in…

Singapore: Pollution from man-made emissions and other sources like wildfires has been linked to around 135 million premature deaths worldwide between 1980 and 2020, a Singapore university said yesterday. Weather phenomena like El Niño and the Indian Ocean Dipole worsened the effects of these pollutants by intensifying their concentration in the air, Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University said, unveiling the results of a study led by its researchers. The tiny particles called particulate matter 2.5, or “PM 2.5”, are harmful to human health when inhaled because they are small enough to enter the bloodstream. They come from vehicle and industrial emissions too. | AFP…

BOSTON: Moderna said yesterday that its combination vaccine to protect against both Covid-19 and influenza generated a stronger immune response in adults aged 50 and over when compared to separate shots against the viruses in a late-stage trial. In the study, the combination using messenger RNA technology generated greater antibodies than currently marketed traditional flu vaccines and Moderna’s Spikevax mRNA Covid shot, the company said. The vaccine, mRNA-1083, elicited a higher immune response against two A strains and one B strain of the flu in older adults when compared with widely used flu shots. | Reuters…

SINGER-songwriter Ross Learmonth has entered a new era in his career that has allowed him to showcase not only his longevity as an artist, but his true talent as a songwriter. Since his departure as the frontman of renowned local rock group Prime Circle, Learmonth’s first few singles Wild, Screaming and Young all went to number one across a variety of South African radio stations. “It’s been incredible. It’s for the good and the bad,” he explained about his new era as a solo artist. “I think it’s been great to do that just to sort of allow people to be who they are and things to be what they are and get over yourself a little bit.” Chasing the goal of trying to write a good song has been…

South African singer and songwriter, Tyla is securing her bag. The popiano sensation, who recently became the country’s youngest Grammy Award winner, has already started collaborating with some of the world’s biggest fashion houses and technology brands. In February, the Water hitmaker partnered with American fashion brand, Gap. The 22-year-old led their spring 2024 campaign, “Linen Moves”, which is a fusion of fashion, music and dance, celebrating originality and self-expression. These are all qualities the songstress has become renowned for embodying and this campaign marked her debut in the fashion mainstream. Gap has a storied history of partnering with big artists and Tyla joins the likes of LL Cool J, Madonna and Missy Elliott, who have been ambassadors for the major retailer. In the advert, Tyla can be seen dancing…

CITY Power announced that it has started implementing load reduction in parts of Johannesburg to prevent the grid from total collapse, as the power utility is facing extreme energy consumption with the cold winter weather. City Power’s implementations include intensifying ripple relay systems to cut geyser consumption and cut-off operations against illegal connections. Geysers are among the biggest energy consumers, because they absorb 50% of monthly household electricity costs. “Part of our measures to lighten the load on the grid through load reduction includes installation of ripple relays. “These ripple relay receivers at different households are connected to at least 69 of our substations, and we can monitor customers’ consumption load remotely,” said he utility. Turn to Page 2…

EFF president Julius Malema has rejected being involved in a Government of National Unity (GNU) proposed by ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa last week. Ramaphosa addressed the media, saying the ANC is going into a GNU and invited all willing parties to participate in the proposed multiparty government. In what has been the ANC’s most dismal performance in the history of democratic elections since 1994, the party could garner just over 40% of the vote. The red berets’ deputy president Floyd Shivambu maintained Malema’s stance that the party – ousted from its third spot by the uMkhonto weSizwe Party (MKP) – will not join a multiparty government if the DA and the Freedom Front Plus (FF+) are involved, saying the two parties represent racial oppression. Shivambu was addressing the media at…

From Page 1 The account holder was highly critical of President Cyril Ramaphosa and defended former president Jacob Zuma, who at the time had been found guilty of contempt of court after failing to appear at the Constitutional Court, for which he was sentenced to 15 months’ direct imprisonment at Estcourt Correctional Centre in KwaZulu-Natal. She said she was arrested after a phone call from a certain minister. “On March 30, 2022, the magistrate struck off the case and lashed out at the state (National Prosecuting Authority) for abuse and malicious prosecution towards me after they failed to provide evidence,” she said. Sphithiphithi Evaluator said she wants Cele, provincial head of the Hawks in Gauteng Major-General Ebrahim Kadwa and the NPA to account for the alleged damage to her family.…

THE future of work is undergoing a rapid transformation, driven by technological advancements, shifting economic dynamics and evolving societal needs. As the backbone of the future workforce, today’s youth must be equipped with essential skills to navigate this complex environment effectively. Equipping young people with the right skills and aptitudes not only propels economic development and social stability but also enables them to realise their potential in a competitive global market. Globally, the demand for skills is being shaped significantly by the integration of technologies associated with the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR). According to the World Economic Forum (2023), a substantial portion of job functions will transition to machines by 2027. Furthermore, 23% of job roles are expected to change by 2030, necessitating immediate and strategic action to prepare youth…

As SOUTH Africa celebrates Youth Month with varied activities, the South African music charts honour exceptional young musicians dominating local and global charts. TitoM and Yuppe, known for their sensational hit song Tshwala Bam, which features the captivating vocals of S.N.E. and the electric production of EeQue, have been hailed as musical mavericks for making waves in the world of entertainment. It is revealed that their much-loved song Tshwala Bam has been setting the Official South African Charts on fire for 14 consecutive weeks. TitoM, whose real name is Thato Mathobela, and Yuppe, whose real name is Bongani Sibanyoni, have had a turbulent path, but their undying dedication has paved the way for their spectacular climb. Their rise to the top is an incredible story of devotion, hustle, and the…

SA ESSAYIST, poet, cultural worker and social critic, Mphutlane wa Bofelo’s latest book of poems, Ya lla Koriana Azania, Ditheko, Dithotokiso le Dithoholetso, was launched to an appreciative book crowd at the Lit Culture Books in Maboneng Precinct last week. The event was attended by Jaki Seroke and poet Kgafela oa Mogogodi and many other poets and writers. Speaking during the launch, director of information and library services at the University of Free State, Jeannet Malopyane said the university was happy to play a meaningful role in uplifting indigenous languages. “As the publisher of this book, the university languages and library services, we are happy and proud that our stories are going to be recognised and recorded through this book. We want to see more and more of this to…

AS WE celebrate National Youth Day on June 16, let us recommit ourselves to empowering the next generation to become protagonists of building a better world. In one of its statements, the Baháí International Community says: “young people have a significant role to play in transforming society. When youth are taken seriously and resources are channelled towards different programmes that raise their capacity to become significant actors in processes of community change, the results can be striking”. But many current approaches to raising youth treat them in a passive way, as receptacles of information rather than active members of their community. Yet, young people are anxious to become partners in helping plan the world they will inherit. Youth can begin by making a difference in the community where they live.…

Amid the climate crisis, it is easy to be overwhelmed and pessimistic about the prospect of securing a sustainable and healthy future feeling like a distant and unachievable reality. Despite this, our coastlines provide a source of hope. Blue carbon ecosystems (BCEs) have emerged as crucial components in climate change mitigation strategies. This year, the theme for World Oceans Day (June 8), “Catalysing action for our ocean and climate”, provided a great opportunity to champion the unsung coastal custodians. BCEs are coastal and marine ecosystems that feature mangroves, seagrasses and salt marshes. The ecosystems can potentially be major role players in the fight against climate change, as they capture and store carbon in their vegetation and the soil in which they grow. They can do this at a much faster…

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in the Middle East yesterday hoping to deliver the ceasefire that President Joe Biden proposed last month, in an all-out push by Washington to secure an end to the Gaza war. Speaking after meeting Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in Cairo on the first stop on his trip, Blinken said Hamas was the only side that had yet to agree to Biden’s ceasefire proposal, which Washington says Israel has already accepted. “My message to governments throughout the region, to people throughout the region, is if you want a ceasefire, press Hamas to say yes,” Blinken told reporters before departing Egypt to visit Israel where he was due to meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Sisi said it was important to lift obstacles to humanitarian…

ABUJA: At least 50 people were killed and an unspecified number kidnapped, including women and children, when gunmen attacked the village of Yargoje in northwest Nigeria at the weekend. A year after President Bola Tinubu came to power promising to end widespread insecurity, attacks in the northwest by armed gangs, or bandits, have become almost routine, with authorities seemingly powerless to stop them. Dozens of gunmen on motorbikes stormed Yargoje in the Kankara local government area of Katsina state on Sunday, residents said. Attacks in rural areas and kidnapping for ransom are rife in northern Nigeria. | Reuters…

Scottie Scheffler, freed of charges from his arrest outside the PGA Championship last month, enters the US Open at Pinehurst No 2 in North Carolina this week as the clear favourite, while Xander Schauffele hopes to build on his Major breakthrough. In addition to building on an already remarkable year on the golf course, Scheffler will undoubtedly be hoping this week goes smoother than his time in Louisville, Kentucky, last month when he was arrested before the second round of the PGA Championship. Thankfully for Scheffler, he can focus entirely on golf as all charges from the incident in Louisville were dropped after what a prosecutor agreed was a misunderstanding between the world’s top-ranked golfer and an officer directing traffic. The 27-year-old Scheffler, who won the Memorial Tournament on Sunday,…

SOUTH African DJ and record producer Murdah Bongz also known as Mörda, has recently released his highly anticipated EP titled CR4ZY. The five-track EP takes listeners on an exhilarating journey through “reactive music”, a genre designed to get people grooving. The award-winning producer considers this new EP, “music for the feet”. “I always make music for the soul, but now I want to make people move physically,” he said in a statement. He said the inspiration for the EP came from his ability to recognise everyday moments that catch his attention. “I was inspired by the sounds I was being exposed to, sounds from moments that would just pop up from nowhere.” This unique approach has resulted in an innovative and instantly engaging collection. CR4ZY’s tracklist features in-demand singer, pianist,…

Social media commentator Sphithiphithi Evaluator, whose name is known to The Star, is suing Police Minister Bheki Cele for R10 million for unlawful arrest during the 2021 insurrection case. Sphithiphithi Evaluator (who wishes to remain anonymous) was the only female arrested and charged with instigation after she was accused of being behind unrest tweets and was charged with using social media to instigate unrest. She was arrested in August 2021 at her home in Ekurhuleni amid being accused of inciting public violence through X (formerly Twitter) account Sphithiphithi Evaluator @_Africansoil and appeared in the Germiston Magistrate’s Court, where she was granted R3 000 bail. At the time, she said 10 plain-clothes police officers stormed her house without a warrant and arrested her in front of her children, aged 3 and…

CR faces rift in Top 7 over proposed GNU President Cyril Ramaphosa announced on Thursday that the governing ANC has invited other political parties to form a GNU – a broad partnership of multiple parties working together to form a new Cabinet and government instead of a direct coalition of two parties with majority votes. A GNU is usually formed during a state of emergency or instability in government. Ramaphosa now faces a rift in his top seven as ANC chairperson Gwede Mantashe and Deputy President Paul Mashatile are dead set against the GNU. Sources inside the NEC have revealed to The Star that many in the NEC believed the GNU is a disguised ANC-DA coalition. Mashatile is allegedly said to believe that the GNU project is an old strategy…

A woman who got married to her husband while he was still married to his first wife has failed to convince the Namibian Supreme Court that her marriage was legal. She approached the Supreme Court after the High Court dismissed her application to have her marriage with the deceased declared putative. Anastasia Amunyela and the late Phillip Amunyela met in March 1995 while she was studying in London. He told her he was separated from his wife and left her with their children in their marital homebefore moving to London. A year later, in August 1996, the couple got married in London. They had one boy together. Amunyela died in Namibia without a will in November 2014. Anastasia was subsequently the executrix of Amunyela’s estate. She appointed a legal representative…

African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) president Collen Malatji has slammed the “formation of a coalition government that only includes black political parties”, saying the ANC was not a black organisation but a party for all. In an interview with Newzroom Afrika, Malatji said the ANC believed in nation building, a non-racial society and also bringing people together. “We are not going to participate in some divisions called the black-only parties in South Africa. That’s not what the ANC fought for,” Malatji said, speaking to the broadcaster. “It has fought for all citizens to be one and united to build the nation. Anything that has to do with dividing society, the ANC won’t participate, we are a leader of society.” Malatji said the ANC was not a black organisation but…

TWO former senior police officers acquitted on criminal charges relating to the 2012 Marikana massacre are each demanding R3 million from the SA Police Service and the National Prosecuting Authority for loss of income. North West ex-deputy provincial commissioner responsible for operations at the time, William Mpembe, and Gideon van Zyl, formerly head of detectives in the province, want compensation for their prosecution following their arrest by the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (Ipid) for failing to report the death at Lonmin’s Andrew Saffie Hospital of mineworker Modisaotsile van Wyk Segalala on August 16, 2012. In March 2018, Mpembe and Van Zyl were charged alongside Brigadier Dingaan Madoda and Lieutenant-Colonel Oupa Pule with defeating the ends of justice, contravening the Ipid Act for failure to report Segalala’s death in police custody…

The civil rights organisation AfriForum will turn to the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, on June 25 against the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) in a bid to stop it from considering municipalities’ applications for electricity tariff increases, which must be implemented on July 1, without the required cost studies. The organisation said in terms of a court order issued in October 2022, a cost study is required as part of municipalities’ applications for tariff increases. This is also prescribed by the Electricity Regulation Act. According to Morné Mostert, manager of local government affairs at AfriForum, the use of a cost study for tariff increases is critical because it gives a clear outline of what municipalities’ tariffs must be to deliver the service properly, and maintain networks. “The applications…

IN A claim with a twist, an elderly man who claimed millions in damages against a hospital group after he went blind in one eye following an operation has raised a constitutional challenge after the hospital group had a private investigator monitoring him. Nicolaas de Jager, 66, objected in the Gauteng High Court, Pretoria, about the Netcare group wanting to introduce the evidence of the private investigator in a bid to prove that De Jager’s eye was in fact not hampering his ability to lead a normal life. De Jager, the plaintiff, submitted that the evidence of the private investigator was irrelevant, immaterial and could neither prove nor disprove the extent of his damages. If anything, it was argued on his behalf, that the hospital group violated his constitutional right…

The SA National Blood Services has made a call for blood donations to mark World Blood Donor Day on June 14. SABS senior manager, Thandi Mosupye, said that this year, under the ongoing and impactful #WeAreThePulse campaign, they are seeking to celebrate the lifesaving contributions of whole blood donors across the nation and inspire new donors to join in this vital act of service. World Blood Donor Day is a global event established by the World Health Organization to raise awareness about the need for safe blood. Mosupye said the SABS aims to highlight the essential contribution blood donors make in keeping people and communities healthy. “Each year, thousands of South Africans require blood transfusions during medical procedures, emergencies and for ongoing medical conditions,” she said. World Blood Donor Day…

WELL-known dancer and musician Robot Boii is bearing the brunt of criticism on social media after an incident embroiling DJ Tumelo “Mr JazziQ’’ Manyoni in sexual harassment allegations. There are calls for him to speak out about an alleged incident at the YFM Studios where Mr JazziQ was accused of sexual harassment by drive-time show producer Ngcebo Mcobothi. Mcobothi drew attention on social media after she took to X alleging that she was sexually harassed in alift by Mr JazziQ after rejecting his advances. Robot Boii was among the people with Mr JazziQ and Ngcebo at YFM Studios, as depicted in a video. Podcast presenters MacG and Sol Phenduka have questioned the veracity of the accusations, to which Boii responded by saying Mr JazziQ had released a statement when questioned…

THE CURRENT political impasse cries out for complete and quality leadership from all political formations, including the labour movements. Unfortunately, it is only the ANC and the DA that have risen to the occasion. The other parties are struggling like a pedestrian trying to cross a highway with cars moving in both directions at a mesmerising pace. Collectively, the leadership has to chart the way forward in the aftermath of the recent elections, whereby the ANC’s electoral performance slipped from the 57.50% in 2019 to 40.18% this year. It is a matter of national concern when some opposition party leaders don’t even know what the concept “coalition” entails. It is even more disappointing to see that others are clueless on the idea of a “Government of National Unity”. This is…

WHEN the books of the Gaza war between Hamas and the Israeli Defence Force are written in the years ahead, history will reveal the true heroes. Imtiaz Sooliman, founder of the Gift of the Givers, will be first on the list. Your colour, religion and political beliefs mean nothing to him. If you need help anywhere in the world, his team is on a plane in 24 hours with food, medical supplies, water … Many heroes will emerge – those who died in service, caregivers, voluntary doctors, the list is endless. Standing at the head of the queue, however, will be Imtiaz Sooliman, whom history will judge with kindness and respect for his dedication to humanity and to those in need.…

In a 2022 article, Is Ramaphosa deliberately bringing the ANC and the country into disrepute?, political analyst Sipho Singiswa posed the question: “Is Ramaphosa treating the ANC in the same way as he is dealing with SOEs – by running it into the ground in order to break it from the inside? After all, he is the poster boy of the corporate class with the mandate to leverage his influence to advocate for and ‘achieve’ corporate-friendly policy amendments, especially the South African Mining Policies. “If so is this to ensure that the ANC’s electoral dominance is destroyed by creating the possibility of a coalition government out of a selection of neo-liberal parties and in collusion with his long-time business partners to uphold and entrench the corporate status quo, protected from…

pyongyang: The sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has warned that South Korea will face unspecified “new counteraction” by the North if it keeps sending anti-Pyongyang propaganda leaflets and playing its loudspeaker broadcasts. The statement by Kim Yo-jong came after the South resumed propaganda loudspeaker broadcasts toward the North, reports Yonhap news agency. Kim claimed that the North had sent 7.5 tons of “waste paper” in 1 400 balloons across the border over the weekend, arguing that they were just garbage that contained nothing related to political propaganda. | IANS…

WILMINGTON: US President Joe Biden’s son Hunter Biden will not testify when his criminal trial resumes on charges he hid his drug use from the government in 2018 to illegally buy a gun, according to CNN. Abbe Lowell, Hunter Biden’s lawyer, indicated in court yesterday his client will not testify, allowing the judge to give the jury an instruction that they should not hold it against Biden that he did not testify in the case. The instruction will be given later today. Prosecutors in the first criminal trial of a US president’s child rested their case on Friday after testimony that offered an intimate view of the younger Biden’s years of struggle with alcohol and crack cocaine. | Reuters…

Australia’s two-time ODI World Cup-winning captain Ricky Ponting said he told India skipper Rohit Sharma that his captaincy was outstanding in the side’s thrilling six-run win over Pakistan in a low-scoring Group A match in the T20 World Cup. India were bowled out for 119 in 19 overs at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium on Sunday. In reply, India bowled superbly as Pakistan were restricted to 113-7 in 20 overs, to register their second win of the competition. Jasprit Bumrah was the hero of India’s win through his sensational spell of 3-14, including 15 dot balls. He also got excellent support from Hardik Pandya, who took 2-6 from two overs after conceding 18 in his first two overs. Mohammed Siraj, Arshdeep Singh and Axar Patel took a wicket each…

All-rounder Nadine de Klerk has called on the Proteas Women’s team to be “positive and brave” on their tour of India. The Proteas have arrived on the subcontinent for an all-format tour that includes three ODIs, three T20Is and a solitary maiden Test. It is the first tour in more than a decade where the Proteas Women’s team will be without former head coach Hilton Moreeng. Bowling coach Dillon du Perez has been handed the reins on an interim basis. The team also has a new batting coach in Baakier Abrahams, who has enjoyed great success with the double SA20 champions Sunrisers Eastern Cape the past two seasons, and will hopefully look to replicate that with the Proteas Women’s team. There has been significant progress since Abrahams took over on…