ADDIS ABABA, Jan. 13 (Xinhua) — The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Africa reached 10,159,243 cases as of Wednesday evening, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said. The specialized healthcare agency of the African Union (AU) said the death toll across the continent stands at 232,363 with 9,046,310 recoveries so … Read more
CAPE TOWN: Virat Kohli and Kagiso Rabada fought out a battle of cricketing heavyweights as India and South Africa on the first day of the series-deciding third Test at Newlands on Tuesday. Kohli provided the chief resistance as South Africa, led by Rabada, bowled India out for 223. The tourists hit back when Jasprit Bumrah claimed … Read more
The seventh edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) is set to begin in less than three weeks and the preparations are underway. The competition is scheduled to begin on January 27 at the National Stadium in Karachi whereas the final will take place in Lahore on February 27. However, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) … Read more
CAPE TOWN – South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who died on Boxing Day at the age of 90, was the moral compass of his beloved “Rainbow Nation”, never afraid to speak truth to power, whatever its creed or colour. A tireless activist, he won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984 for combatting white minority rule … Read more
Former South African legend AB de Villiers, who retired from all forms of the game in November 2021, hopes to play a key role in the future setups of both his country’s national team and his Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Royal Challengers Bangalore. “I still believe that I have a role to play in … Read more
YAOUNDÉ: The Africa Cup of Nations, kicking off Sunday in Cameroon after a delay over Covid concerns, is also posing major security, political and organisational challenges for the host nation. Some were fearing yet another postponement, with African football chief Patrice Motsepe saying late last month that the rapid spread of the Omicron variant in a country with … Read more
MOUNT MAUNGANUI: An ecstatic Bangladesh captain Mominul Haque was lost for words at his side’s shock eight-wicket win over world champions New Zealand at Mount Maunganui on Wednesday. It is the first time Bangladesh have won in New Zealand, and Mominul could not contain his emotion when Mushfiqur Rahim clouted a boundary off Kyle Jamieson … Read more
JOHANNESBURG: Four years after impressing Indian captain Virat Kohli as a teenage net bowler, Marco Jansen produced a destructive spell of bowling for South Africa on the first day of the second Test at the Wanderers Stadium on Monday. Jansen, 21, took four for 31 as India were bowled out for 202 after winning the … Read more
GABORONE, Botswana, Jan 3, 2022 (AFP) – President Mokgweetsi Masisi of Botswana, which with South Africa was the first country to detect the Omicron variant of coronavirus, is isolating after testing positive for Covid, the government said on Monday. “The president does not have any symptoms and will continue to receive close medical monitoring by his … Read more
CAPE TOWN – The interior of South Africa’s National Assembly, the lower house of the parliament, was “extensively destroyed” by a fire that broke out early Sunday, a local official said Monday morning. As of 6:50 a.m. (0450 GMT) Monday, firefighters have been working at the fourth floor of the National Assembly building, which is … Read more
JOHANNESBURG: Morocco head to Cameroon without out-of-favour Chelsea midfielder Hakim Ziyech and hoping to end a 46-year wait for a second Africa Cup of Nations title. The North Africa kingdom boasts one of the strongest leagues in the continent and its stars are dotted across Europe, but the national team consistently underachieves in the flagship tournament. … Read more
CENTURION: South African wicketkeeper-batsman Quinton de Kock announced on Thursday his retirement from Test cricket with immediate effect. The shock announcement from De Kock, 29, came just hours after he was part of the South African team beaten by 113 runs in the first Test against India at SuperSport Park. De Kock said he remained committed to … Read more
JOHANNESBURG, Dec 31, 2021 (AFP) – South Africa, where the Omicron variant was detected last month, says its latest coronavirus wave has peaked without a surge in deaths or hospitalisations, enabling the country to lift a nightly curfew for the first time in 21 months. The Omicron variant emerged in November to become pandemic’s dominant variant, … Read more
CENTURION: India made patient progress on the fourth morning day of the first Test against South Africa at SuperSport Park in Centurion on Wednesday. India were 79 for three in their second innings at lunch, an overall lead of 209. The tourists added 63 runs for the loss of two wickets in 26 overs during … Read more
LIMA, Dec. 19 (Xinhua) — Peru confirmed the first four cases of the Omicron variant of COVID-19, Minister of Health Hernando Cevallos announced on Sunday. Cevallos said that one of the patients was a woman who had journeyed from South Africa while another was a Peruvian healthcare worker. He added that all patients are currently … Read more
ADELAIDE: Joe Root became just the fourth player in history to chalk up 1,600 Test runs in a calendar year Saturday — and the first since 2008 — but a maiden century in Australia again eluded him. The England captain has been in brilliant form in 2021, arriving for the Ashes with 1,455 runs from 12 Tests, … Read more
ISTANBUL, Dec 18, 2021 (AFP) – Turkey will send 15 million Covid-19 vaccine doses to Africa, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced on Saturday at a major summit of the continent’s leaders, adding that the low vaccination rates there were a blot on humanity. Ankara has invested heavily in developing trade and diplomatic ties with the world’s … Read more
PARIS: The coronavirus is once again disrupting global sport, forcing the cancellation of English Premier League matches and the scrapping of a one-day cricket series. AFP Sport looks at the state of play around the world as authorities scramble to cope with the surging pandemic. Football Five of the 10 Premier League matches scheduled for … Read more
JOHANNESBURG, Dec 17, 2021 (AFP) – Infection rates are soaring across South Africa as a result of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus, but fewer people have died or required hospital treatment compared to previous waves of Covid, health officials said Friday. On Wednesday, South Africa recorded the highest number of infections the nation has ever seen in … Read more
JOHANNESBURG, Dec. 16 (Xinhua) — With the latest COVID-19 cases at 26,976, the National Coronavirus Command Council has retained lockdown restrictions at “adjusted level 1”, health authorities said on Thursday. Dr. Angelique Coetzee, chairperson of the South African Medical Association (SAMA) told Xinhua that “it makes sense to keep lockdown at this level as hospitals … Read more
ADDIS ABABA, Dec. 16 (Xinhua) — The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Africa surpassed the 9-million mark on Wednesday as the continent strives for adequate access to vaccines. The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) said that as of Wednesday evening, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases had reached 9,033,788 as … Read more
TOKYO, Dec. 14 (Xinhua) — Japan has prepared 13,000 quarantine rooms for people returning from abroad, up 2,000 from the previous week, as part of the measures against the Omicron variant of the COVID-19, Health Minister Shigeyuki Goto said on Tuesday. Entrants may be required to move to facilities near the airport instead of the … Read more
NEW DELHI: India batsman Rohit Sharma has been ruled of the three Tests in South Africa due to a hamstring injury he suffered while training, the country’s cricket board said on Monday. Rohit, who has replaced Virat Kohli as the national limited-overs skipper, was earlier named vice-captain of the Test squad scheduled to begin the series on … Read more
Pakistan on Monday became the only team to register 18 wins in a single calendar year, beating their previous best of 17 wins in 2018, as the Men in Green thrashed West Indies in their latest encounter at the National Stadium, Karachi. Read more: Pak vs WI: Pakistan win by 63 runs against West Indies … Read more
JOHANNESBURG, Dec. 13 (Xinhua) — A laboratory research has suggested that the Omicron variant can partially escape antibody immunity induced by the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine. The research, led by professor Alex Sigal from the Africa Health Research Institute in South Africa, has been submitted to medRxiv, a preprint server for health sciences. The research confirms … Read more
PORT LOUIS, Mauritius, Dec 11, 2021 (AFP) – The Indian Ocean island nation of Mauritius has recorded its first two infections of the Covid-19 Omicron variant, both linked to people returned from South Africa, with a dozen more contact cases feared. Health Minister Kailesh Jagutpal told a press conference on Friday the pair were asymptomatic and had … Read more
BRISBANE: Joe Root and Dawid Malan put on a defiant unbeaten partnership of 159 to give England hope of salvaging a draw in the opening Ashes Test at the Gabba on Friday. A rejuvenated England were 220-2 at the close of play, with skipper Root on 86 and Malan 80, only 58 runs behind Australia. … Read more
BRISBANE: England number three Dawid Malan admitted Friday that he thought his Test cricket career was over before his recall to the team earlier this year. The 34-year-old South African-born Malan was speaking after his gritty 80 not out in England’s second innings against Australia in the first Ashes Test at the Gabba. Malan and England captain … Read more
