Innholdsfortegnelse for 2022-06-30 i Pretoria News

South African talent is taking over Paris Fashion Week and we love to see it. Multi-award-winning designer David Tlale proves again why he’s one of the best international designers to come from South Africa. The 47-year-old debuted his Spring/Summer 23 collection at the Tranoï menswear show in Palais de Tokyo during Paris Fashion Week last weekend. Tlale says he wanted to embrace diversity and fluidity in this collection. “We’re saying men and women or anybody can wear the garments. In terms of colours, you can see ivory, white and orange, a touch of black and a bit of yellow – these all come from the psychology of clothing to say when you wear a bright colour, it tells you exactly how to behave, and you become a very happy person.…

Selena Gomez says she wants to “change” the beauty industry. The 29-year-old actress launched her cosmetics line, Rare Beauty, in 2019. She admitted that she would like to have an “open conversation” about how beauty related to mental health and had launched a fund through the brand to aid mental struggles. She said: “My hope with Rare Beauty is that we have open conversations around beauty and mental health and can change the industry by breaking down unrealistic standards of beauty together. “That’s why launching Rare Impact alongside the brand was so important to me. We created the Rare Impact Fund to help supply more people with more resources that support their mental health. “One percent of all Rare Beauty sales is dedicated to the Rare Impact Fund – and…

TWO men aged 37 and 52, one a police constable, charged with illegal dealing in pangolin and contravention of the National Environmental Management-Biodiversity Act, have appeared before the Johannesburg Magistrate’s Court. Gauteng spokesperson for the Hawks, Captain Ndivhuwo Mulamu, said the two were arrested last Friday. “Authorities followed up on intelligence received regarding an illegal trade of a pangolin in the Cleveland area, central Johannesburg, on Friday,” said Mulamu. “An intelligence driven operation by the Hawks’ serious organised crime investigation in Germiston and Johannesburg, together with the Benoni K9, was conducted in Cyrildene where they intercepted and positively identified suspects’ white Toyota Verso with two occupants, reportedly on their way to meet with the pangolin potential buyer.” On searching the suspects’ vehicle, the officers discovered that the Toyota Verso was…

THE University of Pretoria’s JuniorTukkie team has turned schooling challenges brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic into fruitful opportunities to help high school learners with their school work and career choices. JuniorTukkie is a flagship project of the university's Department of Enrolment and Student Administration. Through their free jTOnline e-learning platform, the team has embraced the educational opportunities that the virtual world presents one video at a time. From 2012, JuniorTukkie has hosted regular events to empower prospective students to make wise study and career choices, and be better prepared for their exams. The learners used to visit the university’s Hatfield Campus each year to receive dedicated help with end-of-year exam preparation at events such as Winter and Summer schools. During the events, learners were assisted with tools to improve…

THE scrapping of the last Covid-19 curbs, including wearing masks indoors and doing away with restrictions on gatherings, shouldn’t make South Africans lose sight of a possible monkeypox outbreak. That it took so long for the country to detect and identify the first case, should be cause for concern. The case was confirmed last week in a press briefing when Health Minister Joe Phaahla told the nation that the 30-year-old patient from Joburg had no recent travel history. On Tuesday the Health Ministry called for vigilance as South Africa recorded another case – a 32-year-old Cape Town man, also with no travel history. More worrying is the fact that these cases suggest there is a high possibility of local transmission. The source and linkage of cases remain under investigation, and…

Regional leaders voiced alarm yesterday over escalating tensions between Ethiopia and Sudan in a disputed border area and appealed for dialogue to stem the crisis. The calls by the AU and another regional grouping followed claims by Khartoum that the Ethiopian army had executed seven Sudanese soldiers and a civilian during a clash in the volatile Al-Fashaqa area last week, allegations denied by Addis Ababa. Sudan announced it would recall its ambassador to Addis Ababa over the incident in Al-Fashaqa, a fertile strip of land that has long been a source of friction between the two states. AU Commission chief Moussa Faki Mahamat “is following with deep concern the escalating military tension between the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and the Republic of Sudan and deeply regrets the loss of…

TEHRAN: Iran’s foreign ministry said indirect, EU-mediated talks between Tehran and Washington in Doha, Qatar were proceeding in a “serious” atmosphere, denying an earlier report that they had ended. The talks are aimed at overcoming differences over how to salvage a 2015 nuclear pact between Iran and world powers. They started on Tuesday, with negotiators trying to break a months-long impasse that has put on ice negotiations in Vienna to reinstate the pact. Talks between Tehran and major powers stalled in March over Tehran’s insistence that the US remove the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps from its foreign terrorist organisation list. | Reuters…

BRUSSELS: The European Commission proposed yesterday to ban the sale in the EU of flavoured heated tobacco products after a big rise in their consumption. “By removing flavoured heated tobacco from the market we are taking yet another step towards realising our vision under Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan to create a “Tobacco Free Generation” with less than 5% of the population using tobacco by 2040,” EU health commissioner Stella Kyriakides said. The proposed ban would be in force if EU governments and EU lawmakers do not oppose it. Even if approved EU-wide, governments will have months to adapt their legislation. | Reuters…

LONDON: Prince Charles would not now accept large sums of cash handed over to him for his charities, a senior royal source said, after a newspaper reported an ex-Qatari prime minister had given him 3 million euros ($3.2 million), some of it in shopping bags. The heir to the British throne had been personally given three lots of cash by Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani between 2011 and 2015. Charles’s office said the money was handed over to one of his charities who carried out appropriate governance and gave assurances that all processes were followed. But anti-monarchy campaign group Republic demanded that Britain’s Charity Commission investigate. | Reuters…

Intermittent fasting helps change the activity of gut bacteria and increases the ability to recover from nerve damage, according to a study conducted in mice. Researchers from the Imperial College London observed how fasting led to the gut bacteria increasing production of a metabolite known as 3-Indolepropionic acid (IPA), which is required for regenerating nerve fibres called axons – thread-like structures at the ends of nerve cells that send out electro-chemical signals to other cells in the body. This novel mechanism was discovered in mice and is hoped to also hold true for future human trials. The team states that the bacteria that produces IPA – named Clostridium sporogenesis – is found naturally in the guts of humans as well as mice; and IPA is present in human’s bloodstreams too.…

FOREIGN nationals whose applications for asylum in South Africa were rejected do not automatically have the right in law to reapply. If they do, this will allow for a never-ending cycle of asylum applications, according to a judgment by the Western Cape High Court. This followed an application by three Burundian nationals who applied for asylum in South Africa. Their applications were rejected as being manifestly unfounded in terms of the Refugees Act. The refusal was automatically reviewed by the Standing Committee for Refugee Affairs, which confirmed the finding. The women subsequently turned to court to obtain an order directing Home Affairs and its various arms dealing with asylum issues, to accept a second asylum seeker application made by each of them. Their main objective to remain in South Africa…

LIMPOPO police commissioner Lieutenant-General Thembi Hadebe has welcomed hefty sentences handed down against three people convicted for a series of serious crimes committed in September and October 2017. “Ndou Lukase Rembuluwani, 29, Ndou Ben, 29 and Khoza Ngobeni Small, 28, were sentenced to a combined period of 384 years imprisonment by the Limpopo Division of the High Court in Polokwane after they were convicted on a total of 25 cases committed in Seshego and Westenburg policing areas in which residents were tormented by their reign of terror that lasted for two months,” said Limpopo police spokesperson Brigadier Motlafela Mojapelo. He said the trio were members of a group of criminals who were calling themselves “Boko Haram”. They terrorised community members in Limpopo by committing crimes that included murder, attempted murder,…

THE City of Tshwane is continuing its campaign to roll out prepaid meters to make it easier for people to manage their spending, and eradicate the culture of non-payment. MMC for Utility Services and Regional Operations Daryl Johnston told Pretoria News that the campaign would be a positive contribution to the City's efforts to collect needed revenue. It will also boost the #TshwaneYaTima campaign to recoup R17 billion in unpaid municipal bills. “Unfortunately, we are not a bank. We do not have sums of money sitting around somewhere. You can ask the MMC for Finance, Peter Sutton, and he will tell you that we depend on revenue collection. “This roll-out campaign will assist us to deal with the issue of defaulters and make corrections, and then assist those customers who…

Why we can no longer trust Western leaders to lead Just after filling my car’s tank recently, a text went through to my brothers: “Just cost me R900 to fill my tank.” The stop at the garage was followed by a pop-in at the local supermarket. A bottle of juice, half a dozen eggs, a block of cheese, two tomatoes and three rolls cost me a whopping R100. The cost of living has risen rapidly in the past few months. Inflation, in South Africa, is said to be its highest in five years at 6.5%. In Britain it has gone into double digits already, and sits at 11%. The world is in a cost of living crisis and no doubt the people who bear the brunt of this crisis the…

The US vowed yesterday to shore up Europe’s defences in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, as Nato declared Moscow the West’s greatest threat. Meeting in Madrid, alliance leaders said Russia “is the most significant and direct threat to allies’ security and to peace and stability in the Euro-Atlantic area”. This came as Nato welcomed Sweden and Finland as invitees to join the alliance, and US President Joe Biden announced new deployments of US troops, ships and planes. Biden boasted the US announcement was exactly what President Vladimir Putin “didn’t want”, and Moscow, facing fierce resistance from Ukrainian forces equipped with Western arms, reacted with predictable fury. Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov denounced the US military build-up, and warned Nato members that the shifting balance of power “would lead…

Fearing outbreaks of religious violence, police in the Indian state of Rajasthan banned public gatherings and suspended internet services a day after two Muslims posted a video claiming responsibility for slaying a Hindu tailor in the city of Udaipur. Two suspects were being interrogated by federal investigators yesterday, while state police were on guard against any unrest in the state. Brandishing a meat cleaver, two bearded men said in the video they were avenging an insult to Prophet Mohammad caused by the victim. They also alluded to Nupur Sharma, a former spokesperson for the ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), whose remarks about the Prophet earlier this month triggered domestic and international outrage. India’s Home Ministry said federal police have taken over the investigation into “the brutal murder” of…

TRIPOLI: Migrants detained in Libya face horrific abuse, with women especially facing sexual violence, and often forced to submit to rape in exchange for food, UN investigators said yesterday. The Independent Fact-Finding Mission on Libya reiterated that the worst crimes under international law were likely being committed in the war-ravaged country, with migrant women suffering the worst abuse. Migrants are routinely detained by authorities, human traffickers and others in Libya, a key departure point for tens of thousands of people mainly from sub-Saharan Africa hoping to reach Europe. The investigators said migrants in detention face “acts of murder”. | AFP…

ROME: US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a Catholic and vocal supporter of abortion rights, received the Holy Communion yesterday during a papal Mass in St Peter’s Basilica, according to a witness. The ceremony at the Vatican was a marked contrast to the decision by conservative San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone to ban her from receiving it in his own diocese because of her stance on abortion. Pope Francis has said, “I have never refused the Eucharist to anyone,” although he has reiterated that abortion is “murder”. Before the Mass, Pelosi had a greeting with the Pope where she received a blessing. | Washington Post…

CAPE Town-born former professional footballer Leroy Maluka has suggested that new Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro has a lot to offer South African football. Riveiro was recently appointed as the new coach of the Sea Robbers in news that surprised many. The Spaniard had never before coached in South Africa and much of his work in football management thus far has been in assistant roles. Maluka, who spent the bulk of his football career in Finland, is one of the few South Africans who is familiar with Riveiro. The 36-year-old has also since forged a coaching career in Finland and earlier this year was appointed as the assistant coach of Espoon Palloseurran Jalkapalla ry (EPS). Riveiro arrived with assistant coach Sergio Almenara and fitness trainer Miguel Bellver Esteve. Mandla Ncikazi…

In recent years, the term “Boho” has become commonplace in most people’s dictionaries. The Boho style takes a free-spirited and laid-back approach with its artistic and avant-garde design. Boho, short for Bohemian, has been around since the 16th century and exudes an appealing aesthetic and vibe when done correctly. Gabriel Gil, head of design and innovation at Bonito Designs, said: “The Bohemian approach, as a melting pot of cultures and styles, allows the designer tremendous freedom. However, it’s easy to overdo this freedom, resulting in a cluttered, disorganised home.” Gil shares a few easy steps anyone can take to incorporate chic Bohemian style into their homes Play with colours to add a Bohemian tint Bohemian vibes can be incorporated in various ways, whether minimalist or vibrant, neutral or multi-hued. If…

THE Concerned Tshwane Liquor Traders Association has reiterated that alcohol should not be sold to underage customers. Its president Oupa Mthombeni yesterday called on traders to comply with this and all regulations. He was speaking in the wake of the Eastern Cape’s Enyobeni tavern tragedy, where 21 children between the ages of 13 and 17 died at the weekend. “I am so hurt after this incident that there are still taverns that sell alcohol to children or even allow them inside their premises,” he said. “We have been preaching this to the government to say liquor traders must belong to an association. When they are under an association, it is the responsibility of the organisation to educate members about compliance. That is how they can solve the problem.” He said…

Next month, Futurelife will be celebrating Mandela Month with the goal of providing a million meals for vulnerable children. This forms part of the company’s massive drive to distribute more than five million meals to vulnerable children as well as build a preschool. To help deliver on this ambitious plan, Futurelife has partnered with the Nelson Mandela Foundation Early Childhood Development Programme and is inviting all South Africans to join them in this much-needed initiative. The managing director of Futurelife, Mark Bunn, said the harsh reality was that malnutrition and hunger were a constant for many of South Africa’s children. Alarmingly, 4.6 million of the nation’s children will go to bed hungry tonight. Through this new partnership, Futurelife is stepping up to the plate to make sure that this figure…

THE City of Tshwane is still grappling with providing housing to people who applied for RDP homes between 1996 and 2000, said Human Settlements MMC Abel Tau. He attributed part of the difficulties faced by the municipality in addressing the housing backlog to the existence of more than 200 informal settlements with approximately 250 000 people. “In fact, I am going to embark on a process of doing a new study, verifying who’s there (in the informal settlements) and who’s not supposed to be there. It is such a mess what is currently happening. “So we are definitely grappling with dealing with the housing backlog in the City. And let alone the situation in the hostels,” he said. He told the Pretoria News yesterday that the municipality was in the…

Ebrahim Ebrahim’s extraordinary memoir Beyond Fear has had me spellbound, and I am on my third reading of it. I have asked myself why this story is so compelling. The conclusion I came to is that Ebrahim is actually a real hero – a person of extraordinary courage, admired for his brave deeds. In this moment of extreme disillusionment with our body politic, he takes us back to a time when our Struggle for liberation was glorious – he is the embodiment of what was so noble and just about our Struggle. Ebrahim is known for having been one of the only comrades to have been sentenced to two lengthy prison terms on Robben Island: the first for 15 years, and following his trial for high treason in 1989, he…

At least 51 migrants have died after being trapped inside a tractor-trailer truck found abandoned in Texas, authorities said this week, as two Mexican nationals tied to the smuggling tragedy were charged in US federal court. The deceased migrants, 39 men and 12 women, most of them citizens of Mexico, were found on Monday in an industrial area on the outskirts of San Antonio, Texas, about 250km north of the US-Mexico border. The incident marked the greatest loss of life on record from a human trafficking attempt in the US, according to Craig Larrabee, an acting special agent in charge with the investigative arm of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Local authorities described finding the rear door to the trailer open with “stacks of bodies” inside, while others were…

Two Indian women were arrested at a Bangkok airport this week after more than 100 live animals were found in their luggage, Thai officials said, amid an uptick in wildlife trafficking as pandemic travel restrictions are relaxed worldwide. Officials detected suspicious objects in the women’s luggage during an X-ray scan at Suvarnabhumi International Airport. Authorities conducted a search and found 50 lizards, 35 turtles and two porcupines, among other animals. At least two of the animals were dead and many were dehydrated. Among the animals were the yellow-spotted river turtle, which is native to the Amazon and on an international vulnerable species list, and the Peter’s banded skink, which is sold as a pet in the US. The two women were charged with violating Thailand’s customs and public health laws,…

Sydney: More than 6 million bees were euthanised across Australia’s east coast this week, an official said yesterday, in an attempt to eliminate a devastating parasite which has continued to spread despite a lockdown of hives. Six hundred hives have been destroyed since the “Varroa destructor” mite was detected. Bee ecologist Jay Iwasaki of the University of Adelaide described the tiny red-brown mites as “little vampires” that feed on larval honey bees. They can also spread “some very serious viruses” through honey-bee colonies. Australia is the only major honey-producing country where the mite is not already endemic. | AFP…

NEW YORK: Ghislaine Maxwell was sentenced to 20 years in prison this week for helping sex offender and globetrotting financier Jeffrey Epstein sexually abuse teenage girls, in what a judge called a “horrific scheme” that inflicted “incalculable” harm on victims. The British socialite, 60, was convicted in December of sex trafficking a minor, for recruiting and grooming four girls to have sexual encounters with Epstein, then her boyfriend, between 1994 and 2004. Maxwell called Epstein a “manipulative, cunning and controlling man” who fooled everyone in his orbit. She said she was “sorry” for the pain that his victims experienced. Epstein killed himself in a Manhattan jail cell in 2019 at age 66 while awaiting his own sex trafficking trial. US Circuit Judge Alison Nathan said Maxwell did not appear to…