Table of contents for NM-2021-04-23 in Mercury

Sandile Mchunu sandile.mchunu@inl.co.za THE CLICKS Group restored its interim dividend after suspending it last year over Covid-19 uncertainties on its operations. The retail-led healthcare group yesterday declared an interim dividend of 142.5 cents a share in the six months to end February. Last year, Clicks declared a dividend of 450c after it reported a double-digit growth in earnings during the period. Chief executive Vikesh Ramsunder said the board approved the interim dividend as the group reported strong cash generation during the period. Clicks reported a 11.5 percent increase in cash generated by operating activities to R1.3 billion. “Last year we decided to suspend the interim dividend payment because of the uncertainty created by the Covid-19 outbreak,” Ramsunder said. “However, following an improvement in trading conditions we decided to restore…

Lutho Pasiya lutho.pasiya@inl.co.za American singer Demi Lovato has offered a little more explanation after slamming a Los Angeles frozen yoghurt shop, The Bigg Chill, for offering diet options. Lovato took to Instagram this week to share more about the situation. She initially went public with her frustrations with the store after her visit to the shop over the weekend, saying the sugar-free and diet foods offered were “triggering” for her, as someone who had overcome an eating disorder. She also used the hashtag #DietCultureVultures with her story. The yoghurt shop replied to Lovato on social media. “We carry items for diabetics, celiac disease, vegan and, of course, many indulgent items as well,” it wrote. Lovato said she “jumped to conclusions” and didn't intend to use her celebrity status to bully…

Baldwin Ndaba baldwin.ndaba@inl.co.za ANC veteran and businessman Tokyo Sexwale has stuck to his guns over the alleged theft of billions of rand in donor funds from the South African Reserve Bank (Sarb) and has since laid criminal charges. Despite denials by Finance Minister Tito Mboweni and Sarb governor Lesetja Kganyago, Sexwale yesterday insisted that the WSB Heritage Funds existed and were funnelled out of the central bank, through 18 banks, for the benefit of prominent and powerful individuals, whose names he could not disclose for fear of jeopadising the criminal investigation. Sexwale, who described the Sarb as a “crime scene”, told the media in Johannesburg that the matter was being probed by the Directorate for Priority Crimes Investigation (DPCI), also known as the Hawks. Armed with documentary proof – in…

FAROUK ARAIE | Johannesburg IT IS imperative that the confrontation between India and Pakistan be solved through honest diplomacy. Nuclear roulette will not lead to a lasting accord and permanent peace on a heavily militarised frontier. The repetitive pantomime, which involves honouring the dead with crocodile tears; candles; moments of silence; crowds of strangers holding hands; pledges of solidarity; the endless singing of national anthems and bouquets of roses mounded up as colourful, if wilting, temples to the dead, must be complemented by face-to-face talks at the highest levels. The circumstances in Asia are unique and require a more holistic approach. Success will depend on a multi-dimensional perspective that brings together the energies and insights of a range of state and non-state actors, not least civil society in…

EBRAHIM “EBKOYBIE” ESSA | Durban My son, a journalist in the US, again enquires from my wife: “So what is dad writing about this time?” She replies: “What else, Azad? The usual sad stories – poverty; prejudice; nostalgia around Mayville, Grey St, Indian villages; right-wingers and government corruption. He never writes anything about laughter, happiness or joy.” My son immediately replies: “Same here, mom. Where is that laughter or happiness that lasts long enough for us to find the words to describe it?” His reply got me thinking, again, that hearing about another person’s joy doesn’t necessarily attract attention, or get anybody to do anything useful. Congratulating others for their success is often tinged with an element of envy, especially if it’s not concerning one’s family. Even…

ADIEL ISMAIL | Mountview The response to the recent mountain fires that led to UCT’s Sport Centre, Smuts and Fuller Halls, and the Jagger Library being gutted raises a couple of questions. Why did the government, either the Western Cape or national government, fail to come to the rescue of the 4 000 UCT students who were left “homeless” by the fire? Why was it left to the disaster response and non-governmental organisation, Gift of the Givers, to come to their aid? We, as law-abiding and working citizens, pay our taxes diligently and would expect the government to assist us, its citizens, in the case of any disaster. Undeniably, the mountain fire that started on Sunday was a disaster and the Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs…

Thami Magubane thami.magubane@inl.co.za The results of Wednesday’s by-elections are an indication that people still have faith in the ANC and there is no party in the eyes of the voters that is ready to remove it from power. That is the view from a political analyst following the party’s victories in by-elections across the country. “People have faith in the ANC, it’s just a pity that the party’s leaders are not appreciating that public faith,” said analyst Thabani Khumalo. He said no political party has positioned itself to attract even the disgruntled voters of the ANC. “The year the DA won all those metros, it was not because it had attracted supporters from the ANC but rather because ANC members had decided not to vote,” he said. Despite…

Siyabonga Mkhwanazi siyabonga.mkhwanazi@inl.co.za The government has backed the decision by the health regulator to lift the suspension of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. The ban was introduced after six women had developed blood clots in the US after using the vaccine, and one died. Acting Minister in the Presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni said yesterday this decision came after the Cabinet endorsed the decision of the regulator. “Cabinet welcomed the recommendation by the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority to lift the suspension of the J&J Sisonke vaccination programme. “Our scientists will continue to monitor all South Africans as and when they are vaccinated. “By mid-April 2021, more than 292 623 (health-care workers) had been vaccinated under the Sisonke vaccination programme,” said Ntshavheni. She said the suspension had been in line with…

The all-electric Volkswagen ID.4 minivan has been named the 2021 world car of the year (as voted for by 93 motoring journalists from 28 countries that make up the World Car Awards jury panel). Ralf Brandstätter, the chief executive of Volkswagen Cars says: “We are particularly pleased about our ID.4 being named world car of the year. Not only because it is one of the most important car awards in the world but because the jury also honoured a great idea and a great team. This year’s winner was chosen from an initial entry list of 24 vehicles, then a short list of three finalists as announced on March 30. The top three in the world finalists for 2021 were the Honda e, the Toyota Yaris and the…

Pritesh.ruthun@inl.co.za Audi is pushing ahead with its “e-volution” towards electric mobility and has unveiled its A6 e-tron concept ahead of its premiere at the Auto Shanghai 2021 motor show in China this month. Unlike the e-tron GT sports car that shares its gizzards with the Porsche Taycan, the new A6 and luxury EVs from Audi will be built on the company’s new “premium platform electric”, or PPE for short. Audi says that beginning late next year, its first production cars in the C- and later B-segment will be built with PPE technology. You might have expected the latest luxury EV from Audi to sport A8 branding, but this car comes with an A6 emblem, which Audi says represents its place in the brand’s luxury-class model series. So while…

The AU’s disease control body and World Health Organization yesterday urged African countries not to waste Covid-19 vaccines donated to them, after confusion in Malawi and South Sudan about whether doses they received had expired. Malawi has said it plans to destroy more than 16 000 doses of Astra- Zeneca vaccine manufactured by the Serum Institute of India because the shots were not administered before the April 13 expiry date on the packaging. The doses were supplied via the AU thanks to a donation from telecoms group MTN South Sudan has set aside 59 000 doses supplied by the AU and is not using them because of the same expiry issue, a government official told Reuters last week. But John Nkengasong, director of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and…

JAKARTA: Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo has ordered an all-out effort to find a missing submarine in a race against time to save the 53 crew, whose oxygen supply defence chiefs said would last only until Saturday. Indonesia sent a helicopter and five ships to search waters north of Bali but found no signs of the KRI Nanggala-402, which went missing early on Wednesday during a drill. Yudo Margono, the navy chief of staff, said the crew’s air supply would last only until Saturday. Malaysia and Singapore have offered assistance. An aerial search found an oil spill near the submarine’s dive location. The oil slick could indicate damage to the vessel or could be a signal. | Reuters…

Bongani Hans bongani.hans@inl.co.za OCEANA Empowerment Trust (OET) beneficiary Sfiso Buthelezi was left disheartened and enraged with the Trust after his payout after vesting this year turned out to be a lot less than what he had expected. The 47-year-old Durban resident, who no longer works for one of the biggest fishing companies in the country, said when he was given the 10-year shareholding status in 2007, the Trust had initially promised that he would receive about R500 000 cash in 2017. However, after the company had extended the lock-in period to 2021 it paid him less than R200 000, which was far less than the expected R500 000. When the company entered into a deal with employees, some of them were given up to 6 000…

Dineo Faku dineo.faku@inl.co.za PRODUCTION at Kumba Iron Ore, South Africa’s biggest iron ore producer, was rocked by rail constraints, as well as lower domestic offtake, in the first quarter to the end of March. Kumba, a unit of Anglo American plc, said in a production report for the first quarter that total sales had fallen by 4 percent to 10.3 million tons and export sales were down 2 percent to 10.2 million tons on the decrease in iron ore railed to port, as well as suboptimal levels of finished stock at Saldanha Port. “Rail performance deteriorated significantly during the period due to a series of operational challenges and train delays caused by severe weather conditions and a locust outbreak,” said the group. It said as a…

Nonhlanhla Nozizwe Hlatshwayo nozizwe.hlatshwayo@inl.co.za The trials and tribulations that Mhlengi Gwala has faced in the past four years would have prompted many to throw in the towel, but for the Durban triathlete, quitting was not an option. Gwala was viciously attacked while cycling in 2018, by three men who tried to cut off his legs with a chainsaw. One of his legs was severely injured. At the time of the incident, the young athlete had a promising sporting career and had competed in two international triathlons. After undergoing a gruelling operation to repair the damage to his leg, doctors were optimistic that Gwala would be able to return to competitive sport. Gwala continued to compete in events, but said last April he developed an infection in his injured leg. “I…

Scientists have discovered what may be the smallest-known black hole in the Milky Way galaxy and the closest to our solar system. The researchers said the black hole is roughly three times the mass of our sun, testing the lower limits of size for these extraordinarily dense objects that possess gravitational pulls so strong not even light can escape. A luminous star called a red giant orbits with the black hole in a so-called binary star system named V723 Mon. The black hole is located about 1 500 light years – the distance light travels in a year, 9.5 trillion kilometres – from Earth. By way of comparison, the closest star to our solar system, Proxima Centauri, is 4 light years away. Black holes form when massive stars die and…

DR MOHAMED I MULLA | Ladysmith THE letter by David Cartwright (The Mercury April 21) “Reparations have already been paid” refers. The argument used by Mr Cartwright, in claiming that the country was “handed on a silver platter to the ANC” and hence reparation is complete, is puerile and smacks of arrogance. This attitude, sadly, still permeates through the minds of some of the previously advantaged. Apartheid was such a grave sin and a crime against humanity that its victims may forgive but will never forget. Those who benefited from it will never understand nor fully empathise with its victims. To claim that the handover was “unconditional” is pathetic and suggests that Mr Cartwright has selective amnesia for the processes which led up to 1994. It is about…

In a district of Lagos, Nigeria’s megacity, a group of teenagers wade through a mass of plastic bottles, food containers and bags that have blocked a waterway. Wearing gloves and masks, they pick up the discarded plastic and drop them into refuse bags. Their aim is to clear the waterway that was constructed to prevent flooding in the city’s Sangotedo district, while raising awareness of the problems caused by single-use plastic. “We need to start now because in a few years it’s going to be too late to do anything,” said Esohe Ozigbo, the 15-year-old climate change activist who leads the group of youngsters, who are focused on the need to address environmental issues. To reinforce their message about the extent of the waste in Lagos, Ozigbo and her fellow…

AS much as you are able, live a full, complete life. Our children enjoy seeing us fulfilled. When we are not, there is an unspoken pressure that somehow they are responsible for making it right. Offer freedom, space, room to grow. This is tough because we really don’t want our children to get hurt. It’s likely your sons and daughters will be as willing to learn from you as you were to learn from your parents. Give privacy, offer trust. How much you trust is up to you. How much privacy you afford is up to you. It is not up to what they may or may not deserve. Love and welcome their friends even if their friends do not embody your values. Rejecting their friends can lead to greater…

Zelda Venter zelda.venter@inl.co.za Lawyers must always first ensure that children are taken care of before lining their pockets, a judge has said. Judge Demise Fisher of the Gauteng High Court, Johannesburg, was delivering a scathing judgment in the case of an attorney where claims were instituted against the Road Accident Fund (RAF) on behalf of children whose breadwinner had died. The judge said lawyers simply settled matters with the RAF where claims were lodged on behalf of children because their breadwinner had died. However, these had to be done with the court’s scrutiny. This, the judge said, was needed to ensure the child’s remaining parent or caregiver was utilising the money for the child’s needs, and to determine whether the money should not rather be held in a trust on…

Vernon Mchunu and Sakhiseni Nxumalo at least 143 people having died from fire-related incidents in KwaZulu-Natal over the past five years, and with the dry winter season approaching, the current shortage of firefighters and specialised equipment is concerning. This was expressed by the DA yesterday following revelations that KZN was short of 583 firefighters and equipment to put out fires, with rural municipalities such as uPhongolo, Emadlangeni (Utrecht), Nkandla and Ndwedwe facing the worst shortages. Each of the 54 municipalities was short of at least one fire engine, Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs MEC Sipho Hlomuka said in reply to a question in the legislature. At least 50 people have died in the Estcourt-based Inkosi Langalibalele, uPhongolo lost 36 citizens, 20 died at Nquthu, the Ladysmith-based Alfred Duma recorded 15…

Zintle Mahlati zintle.mahlati@inl.co.za MAGISTRATE Muzikawukhelwana Ncube has been nominated as a judge to the Land Claims Court in KwaZulu- Natal. His nomination comes as the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) yesterday announced the names of candidates nominated to fill vacant positions at the KZN High Court division and a secondment to the Land Claims Court. The JSC this week conducted interviews to fill vacant positions at the country’s courts. During the interview, Ncube shared his passion and support for land reform – particularly the rights of labour tenants. He has been a magistrate for 38 years and has acted as judge at the Land Claims Court since 2006. He holds various degrees in environmental law. He was questioned on his views on the expropriation of land without compensation. Ncube said he…

The ‘hosting or transit’ houses in neighbouring countries were often SADF targets Chitja Twala In South Africa, the month of April is referred to as Freedom Month with April 27 known as Freedom Day. In celebrating and commemorating this day in 2021, it is important to acknowledge the role of the contribution of safe houses to the liberation Struggle. The safe houses were sometimes referred to as “hosting or transit” houses. The relative dearth in academic research and the scrutiny of those houses cannot be left unattended. This academic investigation attempts to contribute to the South African historiography on cross-border politics and that of liberation Struggle studies. After the banning of liberation movements/organisations such as the ANC, the PAC and others by the apartheid regime in the 1960s, these movements…

I find myself reminiscing about the song by Marvin Gaye, titled What’s Going On. I am sure this is the right question to ask those in leadership: what is going on? It is the step-aside rule that is causing this polarisation of views. I listened to Tokyo Sexwale mentioning the unknown or known Heritage Fund to help fund student financing problems. The question remains: why the revelation now… what’s going on? I also listened to Mr Gwede Mantanshe’s presentation at the Zondo Commission. What was interesting to me with his presentation was the ANC Integrity Commission’s decision which was communicated to the NEC about then state president’s future (Jacob Zuma) to step aside. Still, the decision by the Integrity Commission for the then president to step down did not materialise,…

In a nation where top officials can be seen pounding through the surf in skimpy Speedo swimwear, a plan to force a strict dress code on Australian civil servants has the workers fighting for the right to “bare arms”. An 11-page “dress and appearance” code mailed to employees of one of the country’s largest government departments in February lists Ugg boots, flip-flops and sportswear such as football jerseys among the items deemed too casual even for Casual Friday. But for people working in hotter parts of the country, a directive banning sleeveless clothing – including dresses and women’s blouses – was the one that really worked people up into a sweat. The rules at the Department of Home Affairs apply even to those working from home and taking video calls.…

Though their performance in the game was far from perfect, Golden Arrows coach Mandla Ncikazi was satisfied that his troops did what they needed to do to down SuperSport United 1-0 at the Lucas Moripe Stadium in Atteridgeville on Wednesday afternoon. The win took Abafana Bes'thende back to second place in the DSTV Premiership, usurping Kwa-Zulu Natal neighbours AmaZulu who played out to a 0-0 draw with leaders Mamelodi Sundowns. “I’m happy that we got over the line. It was not the best of games but we are now at that stage of the season where the quality of the game is affected by what is at stake and I think that today was one of those games. “We just wanted to get over the line. “I…

THE enigmatic demeanour of Kaizer Chiefs coach Gavin Hunt at Wednesday's post-match press conference is best summed up by the saying: “Sometimes not saying anything is the best answer – you see, silence can never be misquoted!” When some of Hunt’s comments are placed under the microscope, it raises suspicions of internal strife at the club. There is nothing strange about Hunt looking crestfallen after Chiefs were defeated by Cape Town City. It is alarming when he says he cannot divulge his thoughts on the team's failures. “The bottom line is that it is not what I think. It is what the club thinks. I know what is needed and what is not needed, but right now, it doesn’t matter what I think,” was the succinct reply when…

THE rock and surf fishing is currently in a bit of a slower period. The edible fish are starting to pick up with the colder months coming, while the inedibles are starting to slow down. The North Coast has seen most of the inedible action. This along with some good size stumpies and kingfish being landed. The edibles have mainly been caught on chokka and prawn baits while the sharks and rays have happily accepted any fleshy fish bait. Seola has seen a lot of kob over the past few months. Chokka and sardine baits have been the most successful for these smaller kob. The cleaner the water, the whiter the bait. The inedibles have preferred bigger fleshy baits. There have been some raggies around so consider a wire trace.…

Having been major players in the doomed plan to wreck the Champions League this week, Chelsea and Liverpool face a crucial weekend trying to ensure they qualify for next season's edition via a top-four finish in the Premier League. Chelsea edged back into the top four with a draw against Brighton & Hove Albion on Tuesday, but only by virtue of goal difference over West Ham United who they face tomorrow. West Ham, were one of the most vocal clubs in criticising Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal's decision to jump on board the European Super League ship, calling it an "attack on football". Chelsea and the other five English renegades all made dramatic U-turns on Tuesday, effectively killing off the new 20-club league in which…

DELTA Property Fund’s re-issued and corrected audited annual financial state- ments for the year to February 29, 2020, reflected a 48.7 percent decline in distributable earnings to 34.6 cents per share (2019: 67.4c), primarily due to rental reversions on leases renewed, increased vacancies and corporate tax payable on earnings retained, a state- ment said yesterday. Net asset value per share fell 22.3 percent to R5.54 (R7.13) and was mainly negatively affected by a fair value adjustment to investment properties. The company went through significant changes post the 2020 financial year including appointment of a new board to drive a better performance. Forensic reports last year also found irregular practices such as previous executives who had “in the execution of their duties, undermined the company's governance practices, which resulted in…

AT THIS STAGE the Trustees are not aware of any legal action against the Trust. Should this arise, it will be dealt with through the appropriate legal channels. The cash payout was not subsequently converted to a loan. It was a cash payout paid to all employee beneficiaries. It was funded by a capital contribution to the Trust by Oceana. The capital contribution was referred to as a loan for ease of understanding, as the Trust had to pay it back. This is standard in trusts of this nature. The 2013/14 amendment did not result in a dilution of shares. Employee beneficiaries were fully informed about the amendment to the Trust deed. From 2013 to 2014, there was a material amendment to the Trust deed to provide for the extension…

Viwe Ndongeni-Ntlebi viwe.ndongeni@inl.co.za FLU season, which typically falls between April and September in South Africa each year, is likely to coincide or overlap with the anticipated third wave of Covid-19. “The flu shot is not effective against Covid-19, but will help protect against the flu which can weaken the immune system and lower your defence against Covid-19 infection. It is especially important for those who have a co-morbidity or chronic condition, such as asthma,” says Clicks pharmacist Waheed Abdurahman. “It is also an important conservation measure for reducing the burden on healthcare resources during the pandemic.” Last year, however, South Africa reported historically low rates of flu infection. Scientists believe this was a result of lockdown restrictions, as well as social distancing and hygiene measures – all of which significantly…

Ntombi Nkosi ntombi.nkosi@inl.co.za Chief electoral officer Sy Mamabolo yesterday welcomed the announcement by President Cyril Ramaphosa that the local government elections would be held on October 27. The Electoral Commission of South Africa (IEC) said the announcement allowed it and all stakeholders to begin preparations to ensure the country’s sixth municipal council elections were free, fair, and safe. “This year’s elections will be among the most challenging yet faced by the electoral commission, political parties, candidates and other stakeholders. “Campaigning and mobilising citizens, and conducting registration and elections in person, as required by our legal framework, presents unique challenges to us all under Covid-19 conditions,” said Mamabolo. He said the commission would soon embark on a national voter registration campaign to facilitate and encourage participation in the elections by as…

AGI ORFANOS | Blouberg AS I write this letter, I am extremely upset and disheartened. I have no knowledge of the details except for photos on social media about the fire that has destroyed one of the most historic buildings and restaurants in the country, Rhodes Memorial Restaurant. I have often written to the City of Cape Town which claims it spends more than R600 million a year putting out fires. I have asked in my emails to the City, and Table Mountain National Park, as well as letters to the press, why they can’t have effective video surveillance as most of Cape Town is flat and smoke can be seen from 30km or more away. From Bloubergstrand there are social media photos taken hours before the fire…

HEY man, the word “marijuana” is now like taboo. You gotta like call it by its proper name, “cannabis”. “Pot”, “weed”, “reefer” and “jazz cabbage” are also out, according to Huffington Post. Cannabis has become respectable. (They don’t mention, “dagga”, “zol”, “Durban poison”, “spliff” or ntsangwe.) Yes, cannabis is respectable. Businesses are openly trading in it. Daniel Hayden, of Extractioneering, an Oregon-based brand says: “Any term applied to cannabis other than ‘cannabis’ is negligent and abusive behaviour that we abhor. “The term ‘marijuana’ is a Mexican slur, although it is tolerated when combined with the word ‘medical’ for specific purposes (medical marijuana).” The word originates from Mexican Spanish and was used by American politicians who criminalised marijuana in the 1930s because they wanted to underscore that it was a Latino,…

MAGGIE TAYLOR | Berea Beautifully written description you published of exactly how things were in Durban during the evil apartheid era – it was exactly as you described (The Mercury, April 22). That is why it is so tragic and disgusting that the very party that fought in the Struggle for freedom for the suppressed majority has let them down, instead of prioritising the lives of those on whose behalf they fought. They have done the complete opposite with corruption. Jean Paul Bouvier said it all in his letter.…

Two police officers in Mpumalanga are being lauded after helping a woman give birth at the entrance to the police station in Bethal. Sergeant Itumeleng Motalane and Constable Tilane Lebitsa were on duty on Monday when a community member alerted them to a woman in labour crying out for help outside the police station. They rushed to the scene and found the 35-year-old Congolese woman accompanied by her husband and sister. “The woman was screaming due to excruciating labour pains. Noticing that she was about to give birth, Motalane, who at that time was joined by Constable Lebitsa, acted as midwives and assisted the woman deliver her healthy baby boy,” Mpumalanga police spokesperson Colonel Donald Mdhluli said. “After the baby was born, the officers took the mother and her baby…

Sakhiseni Nxumalo sakhiseni.nxumalo@inl.co.za DURBAN taxi commuters were left stranded yesterday after more than eight taxi associations embarked on a protest, demanding an immediate release of their impounded taxis. It alleged that more than 100 taxi operators blocked the streets, demanding an immediate release of more than 50 taxis which taxi owners said were impounded by the metro police last Thursday. The taxi blockade and traffic disruptions started just after 6am. A number of roads were affected including Chris Hani Road (North Coast Road), Umgeni Road near Durban Station, Julius Nyerere Avenue (Warwick Avenue) near Dr Pixley KaSeme (West) Street and Dr Pixley KaSeme Street outside City Hall. The protesters then moved to Sylvester Ntuli (Brickhill) Road where they parked their taxis at the old drive-in site that is used by…

Mark Keohane Proteas cricket coach Mark Boucher has won three of the 13 series in all formats of the game: T20s, ODIs and Tests. He has lost at home and abroad. He has played with a full-strength side and he has also introduced second-string teams because of unavailability of players in the Indian Premier League, as just one example. His international return as a coach is dismal, but why is he seemingly exempt from criticism? And why the contempt from so many shown to the few who dare question Boucher and his role as national coach? Boucher had many glorious moments as a national player. He scored runs, took catches and made stumpings. He was a permanent fixture in the national side for more than a decade. He was considered…

us president joe Biden’s administration yesterday pledged at a US climate summit attended by world leaders to slash US greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030, a target it hopes will spur other big countries to raise their ambition to combat global warming. The US, the world’s second-leading emitter after China, seeks to reclaim global leadership in the fight against global warming after former President Donald Trump withdrew the country from global efforts to cut emissions. Biden unveiled the goal to cut emissions by 50%-52% from 2005 levels at the start of a two-day virtual climate summit attended by leaders of 40 states including China, Russia and India. “This is the decade we must make decisions that will avoid the worst consequences of the climate crisis,” Biden, a Democrat, said…

A Syrian missile exploded in southern Israel yesterday, the Israeli military said, in an incident that triggered warning sirens near the secretive Dimona nuclear reactor and an Israeli strike in Syria. An Israeli military spokesperson identified the projectile as an SA-5 surface-to-air missile fired by Syrian forces against Israeli aircraft. He said it overflew its target to reach the Dimona area, 200km south of the Syrian border. The missile did not hit the reactor, exploding some 30km away, the spokesperson added. The sirens that sounded overnight in the Dimona area followed weeks of heightened tension between Israel and Iran, a close ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, amid renewed global negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear programme. Israeli media have said air defences around the Dimona reactor and the Red Sea port…

Cheryl Waterman HAVING experienced a dearth of district bowls in 2020, the launch of the 2021 season has certainly provided enthusiasts with a glut of competition. With the season opening late, on 14 March, the Open and Veteran Singles Championships have been played to completion; the Men’s Inter-club League approaches round three this weekend and the Port Natal Mixed Pairs Championship will be completed on Sunday when the semi-finals and finals are played at Amanzimtoti Bowling Club. Reading like the red carpet of local lawn bowls, not one of the eight remaining contenders is a stranger to the pressure of district finals. Outgunning their opposing quarter-finalists 34 shots to nine, John Connellan and Glenda Matthews (Stella Park) will take the mat against Gerdus Beukes and Talia Russon (Hillary), who fought…

MAMELODI Sundowns co-coach Manqoba Mngqithi made a sombre admission following his team’s draw with AmaZulu in the DStv Premiership on Wednesday, saying their players showed signs of fatigue due to their heavy schedule. But that shouldn't by any means be taken as admission of weakness or vulnerability by their opponents who are also chasing the league title. After all, they’ll know that Sundowns are well capable of upping the tempo during championship time. The Brazilians have won the league title for three seasons in a row. They juggled domestic and continental football where they had reached the knockout stage under the astute guidance of former coach Pitso Mosimane. Of course, fellow title hopefuls Golden Arrows and AmaZulu who are second and third on the log standings and…