KAMPALA, Dec 7, 2021 (AFP) – Uganda announced Tuesday that it had detected cases of the Omicron Covid-19 variant in travellers coming into the country, the first infections to be reported in East Africa. The cases were detected in people screened at Entebbe International Airport who flew in from five different countries, Ugandan medical authorities said … Read more
JOHANNESBURG, Dec 6, 2021 (AFP) – South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday urged citizens to get vaccinated as the country battles an unprecedented surge in cases driven by the new Omicron variant. The number of daily infections rose five-fold in the space of a week, from 2,828 on November 26 to 16,055 last Friday. About … Read more
JOHANNESBURG: Cricket South Africa confirmed on Saturday India will play three Test matches on their tour which starts later this month but “under the strictest Covid-19 guidelines”. The CSA added the tour will be delayed by a week to allow for “effective logistical planning” following an outbreak of the coronavirus Omicron variant in the host country. … Read more
NEW DELHI, Dec 4, 2021 (AFP) – India’s cricket board on Saturday delayed the national side’s South Africa tour over the heavily mutated Omicron strain of Covid-19, it said in a statement. Omicron was first discovered in South Africa and has led to global panic, uncertainty and fresh travel curbs in the last few days, raising … Read more
LONDON: Oil rose for the second day on Friday after Opec+ said it would meet again to review output if the Omicron Covid-19 variant impacts demand, Arab News reported. Prices were still headed for the sixth week of declines on concern a steady increase in supply from the Organization for Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies including … Read more
LAHORE: Qasim Akram will lead the 15-player Pakistan U19 squad in the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup which will be played in January-February 2022 in the West Indies. The Lahore-born Qasim will also captain the team in the U19 Asia Cup that will be played in the UAE later this month. The junior selection … Read more
UNITED NATIONS, United States, Dec 1, 2021 (AFP) – UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday slammed travel bans targeting specific countries and regions imposed over the new Covid-19 variant as “unfair” and “ineffective.” “With a virus that is truly borderless, travel restrictions that isolate any one country or region are not only deeply unfair and punitive … Read more
JOHANNESBURG, The newly-discovered Omicron variant is likely to fuel a surge in South Africa’s coronavirus cases that could see daily infections treble this week, a top epidemiologist warned Monday. Health monitors reported over 2,800 new infections on Sunday, up from a daily average of 500 in the previous week and 275 the week before. “We can … Read more
DUBAI: The new Covid-19 variant, omicron, has prompted global economic concerns, as fears of its spread begin to affect stock markets and oil prices, Arab News reported. Saudi Arabia’s main market, the Tadawul All Share Index, opened 5.3 per cent lower on Sunday, trading near 10,700 points. The Dubai Financial Market was down 8.49 per cent in … Read more
JOHANNESBURG: International sport in southern Africa effectively ground to a halt on Saturday as a result of travel bans caused by the new Omicron coronavirus variant. The Joburg Open golf tournament, part of the new DP World Tour, was the only major event played – and that was severely curtailed. A cricket series between South Africa and … Read more
ABU DHABI, One hundred percent of the United Arab Emirates‘ population has received at least one dose of a vaccine against Covid-19, the health ministry has said. The announcement late Friday came amid growing global concern over a new Covid variant dubbed Omicron that was first detected by South Africa. The World Health Organization said the new variant is … Read more
THE HAGUE, Dutch health authorities said Saturday that 61 passengers from two flights from South Africa tested positive for Covid-19 and the results were being examined for the new Omicron variant. The people who tested positive were now being quarantined in a hotel near Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport, where the 600 people on board the two planes from … Read more
CANBERRA, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) — Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison will send letters to all Australians urging them to book their coronavirus booster vaccine as soon as possible. In a letter to every Australian home, Morrison said booster shots were the key to keeping Australia open and avoiding a deadly fourth wave of COVID-19 infections. … Read more
PRETORIA: Pakistan and South Africa have signed an agreement on the establishment of Pakistan-South Africa Joint Commission. The document was signed by Pakistan High Commissioner to South Africa Mazhar Javed and South Africa’s Minister for International Relations and Cooperation Dr GNM Pandor, in Pretoria. The agreement provides for an institutional mechanism for bilateral cooperation in … Read more
SYDNEY: Pat Cummins is widely regarded as an all-round nice guy with an excellent cricketing brain, doggedly overcoming early-career injuries to reach the pinnacle of the game. A decade after making his international debut, he is not only the world’s premier bowler but Australia’s 47th Test skipper, elevated to one of the nation’s highest-profile roles … Read more
CENTURION: A below-strength South African team will be seeking a clean sweep when they play the Netherlands in a three-match one-day international series starting at SuperSport Park on Friday. The series forms part of the International Cricket Council‘s World Cup Super League which is a qualifying tournament for the 2023 Cricket World Cup. Hosts India and the best-placed seven … Read more
Princess Charlene of Monaco, the wife of Prince Albert II, is receiving specialised treatment for extreme fatigue at a confidential location outside the principality, a source close to the palace told AFP on Tuesday. The source, who asked not to be named, confirmed that Charlene was no longer in Monaco after returning to her family … Read more
Marcus Smith wants to see England “kick on” after steering Eddie Jones’s men to a thrilling 27-26 win over world champions South Africa. Saturday’s success at Twickenham, sealed by Smith’s 79th-minute penalty, rounded off an unbeaten end-of-year series for England. It was arguably England’s best display since their 2019 World Cup final loss to the … Read more
Former South Africa captain AB de Villiers, on his Twitter handle, announced his retirement from all formats of cricket, saying: “Now, at the age of 37, that flame no longer burns so brightly.” “It has been an incredible journey, but I have decided to retire from all cricket. ” Ever since the backyard matches with … Read more
Gregor Townsend has made seven changes to his side, with five of those in the forward pack, for Scotland’s concluding Autumn Nations Series match against Japan at Murrayfield on Saturday. Scotland are looking to return to winning ways after last week’s 30-15 defeat by world champions South Africa. This will be Scotland’s first match against … Read more
SYDNEY: Next year’s Twenty20 World Cup will be held across seven venues in Australia, officials confirmed Tuesday, with Sri Lanka and the West Indies forced to play for a place in the Super 12. The tournament, which was supposed to be held Down Under in 2020 but was pushed back two years due to coronavirus, … Read more
JOHANNESBURG, Nov 10, 2021 (AFP) – Left-arm spin bowler Keshav Maharaj will captain South Africa in three one-day internationals against the Netherlands, starting on November 26. Cricket South Africa on Wednesday announced a 16-man squad missing several leading players, including regular white ball captain Temba Bavuma. Bavuma and fellow batsmen Aiden Markram, Quinton de Kock and Rassie … Read more
DUBAI: Australia is looking to their top-order batting led by the explosive David Warner as well as Adam Zampa’s bag of leg-spin tricks to get past a red-hot Pakistan in Thursday’s second semi-final of the Twenty20 World Cup. The Aussies made their first semi-final of the tournament since 2012 with four wins and a better … Read more
DUBAI: He was the fresh-faced 15-year-old who stared down Shoaib Akhtar in the nets, became the highest-ranked T20 batsman in the world before being elevated to national hero after masterminding a rare Pakistan victory over India. In the breathless aftermath of that 10-wicket win over their fiercest rivals at the World Cup, the national cricket captain was … Read more
SHARJAH: South Africa bowed out of the Twenty20 World up on Saturday but coach Mark Boucher said the young team is headed in the “right direction” and will soon be rewarded with a trophy. The Proteas won their final Super 12 league match in Sharjah to hand England their first loss in the tournament but … Read more
SHARJAH: England skipper Eoin Morgan admitted the prospect of losing injured opener Jason Roy for the Twenty World Cup semi-final “really hurts the mood” in the team. Roy, 31, suffered a calf injury and collapsed to the ground while chasing a quick run in Saturday’s 10-run loss to South Africa. Despite the defeat, England, along … Read more
SHARJAH: Rassie van der Dussen smashed an unbeaten 94 as South Africa beat England by 10 runs but failed to qualify for the semi-finals of the Twenty20 World Cup on Saturday. Group 1 winners England and Australia, who beat West Indies in the first match of the day, made the final four from the six-team … Read more
DUBAI: Australia skipper Aaron Finch on Friday called Mitchell Starc their go-to bowler as they take on a wounded West Indies in their decisive final group match of the Twenty20 World Cup. Australia demolished Bangladesh by eight wickets on Thursday to move ahead of South Africa on net run-rate and a win in Abu Dhabi on Saturday … Read more
