who went missing from his Vredenburg home on 3 August 2024 CAPE TOWN - Thursday marks two months since the disappearance of Vredenburg matriculant The 19-year-old was last seen leaving his family home on 3 August It's believed that the Louwville High pupil left Port Owen and hitchhiked to Velddrif to watch a rugby match from where it's understood he hitchhiked a lift home he vanished between Velddrif and Vredenburg and his cellphone was later traced to the town of Laingville Fredericks has missed his matric ball and his 19th birthday celebration A number of candlelight vigils and prayer sessions have been held in the West Coast town over the past two months, while search parties have been looking for any sign of the missing teen. His aunt, Desiree Fredericks, said the past two months had been difficult for their family. "We are trying to stay positive but there are certain days, certain times, certain things... especially all these small things that make us think of him... that it gets difficult... because he is a child that didn't walk around and we are used to him just being at home."  Sections 0861 99 00 44    Studio@smile904.fm The communities of Vredenburg and Langebaan are in shock following the stabbing death of a young man at a rugby match in Langebaan at the weekend Tributes have been pouring in for the victim he decided to go and watch a rugby match between Langebaan Rugby Football Club and St Helena RFC It was during the match that he was allegedly stabbed in the back, unprovoked by an individual who has since been arrested Die Burger reports Ryan’s brother and the 18-year-old tragically died in his arms told the publication on Monday that her world has collapsed Western Cape Police spokesperson Sergeant Wesley Twigg says a 28-year-old man has been charged with murder The Boland Rugby Union has expressed its deep sadness at the tragic incident saying they are working closely with the authorities as an investigation is conducted St Helena Bay RFC has also expressed their devastation They have sent their deepest sympathies to the family The brutal end to Samuel’s life again raises concerns about knife and gun crimes where young people often end up being the victims ALSO READ: Seawinds soccer star and teen dad Tyrelle Jonker lured to his death © Smile904.fm hosted and supported by ImmediaTerms of Use | General Contest Guidelines|Archive|Advertise with us|Privacy Policy|Contact Us Minister Londt engaging with beneficiaries Although the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) is a national entity and the Western Cape Government has no mandate over it we have continued to be inundated with queries and complaints from grant beneficiaries across the province These residents want answers about the migration from the SASSA Gold Cards to the Postbank Black Cards This follows SASSA and Postbank’s announcement on 7 February 2025 that beneficiaries have until 28 February 2025 to switch cards From 1 March 2025 beneficiaries will be unable to access their SASSA grant payments with their gold cards After discovering flaws in the process – like the lack of sites for the replacement of cards for beneficiaries living in rural areas in the Western Cape – we have been engaging with SASSA We are doing this for vulnerable residents who are dependent on these grants and who simply cannot afford a situation where they are unable to access their funds.  We are doing it for all those who are looking to us for answers that should be forthcoming from SASSA and the National Department of Social Development SASSA’s regional management referred us to Postbank We have subsequently reached out to Postbank We are still waiting for a response from Postbank Today I visited the Postbank site at a shopping centre in Paarl there were chaotic scenes as Postbank staff member who needed to do the card replacements were not there The deadline for the expiration of the gold cards is looming and yet the service provider seems to lack any sense of urgency There was a long line of grant beneficiaries some having traveled as far as Citrusdal and Gordon’s Bay because there were either no Postbank sites in their areas or there were constant challenges with the system One woman from Citrusdal said she spent R400 on a taxi to get to Paarl but this was the closest place we could go.” We asked people why they do not opt to have their SASSA grants paid into their bank accounts as SASSA has continuously encouraged over the years Many said this is simply not an option they will consider A 73-year-old Old Age grant recipient from Paarl said “I think SASSA must give more time for the replacement of cards This is my fourth time trying to replace my Gold Card But I won’t do banks because of the bank charges It also takes too long getting those details changed at a SASSA office.” SASSA informed us that there are Postbank sites in Vredenburg and Caledon but we have received reports that these are not operational Postbank Black Cards have apparently been there for weeks but no agents in sight to administer the cards we will continue applying pressure on SASSA and Postbank to do right by their clients who depend on these grants for their survival I will also be raising this issue during a meeting with the National Minister of Social Development and MECs from other provinces Audio from grant beneficiaries who spoke to Minister Londt Home | South Africa The Vredenburg Magistrate’s Court in the Western Cape heard new evidence in the case of missing six-year-old Joslin Smith. Smith’s disappearance from her home in the Middlepos informal settlement in Saldanha Bay sparked a major outcry 7 months ago. Her biological mother Kelly Smith, her mother’s boyfriend Jacquen Appollis, and two others have been charged in connection with her case. The accused face charges of trafficking in persons with the purpose of exploitation and kidnapping. The matter was due to have been transferred to the High Court, but the State says they are duty-bound to probe the new evidence. The postponement has been marked as final. National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila says, “What could happen if they require more time next month; the court may ask for an inquiry to find our reasons are genuine and a reason for us to request that. But if we lose that inquiry and we are not granted a further postponement then we will take a decision on whether to transfer the case to the High Court. The emphasis is that the case will not be withdrawn. We have enough evidence to continue and transfer the case to the High Court based on what we have at this stage, but the issue is the new evidence that necessitates that we ask for this postponement,” adds Ntabazalila. Joslin’s disappearance sparked an intensive search operation with the community calling for the return of the child and swift justice. Ntabazalila says the High Court may sit in Vredenburg to preside over the matter at a later stage. “Circuit courts sit every now and then. Even now we have them in our roll where the court goes to areas outside of Cape Town, but that decision comes from the Acting Chief Justice who will make a call whether the court must sit here so that the people of Vredenburg will be able to attend as they have shown interest in the case from the first appearance. So, we depend on the Department of Justice but if they ask us to come here, we will camp here until we finalise the case.” The state requested a postponement so that they could investigate the latest evidence. The case was postponed to October 21, 2o24, and the accused will remain in custody. The girl went missing more than a year ago and hasn't been found. Kelly Smith and two men — her boyfriend and their friend — were convicted of kidnapping and human trafficking over the disappearance of Smith's daughter, Joshlin, who was 6 when she went missing in February 2024. Smith — whose full name is Racquel Chantel Smith — was initially a figure of sympathy when her daughter went missing. Community members rallied around her and volunteered to help police search for Joshlin in the sand dunes near their poor neighbourhood of shacks close to the west coast town of Saldanha Bay, around 120km north of Cape Town. A photograph of Joshlin smiling and with her hair tied in pigtails was broadcast by news stations across South Africa as police then launched a nationwide hunt. Smith said she had left Joshlin with her boyfriend on the day she disappeared, but the case took a shocking twist when Smith was arrested. A woman testified during the trial that Smith had told her she and the two men had sold Joshlin for around US$1000 (NZ$1680) to a traditional healer who wanted the child for her body parts. The judge's verdict did not make any conclusions on who the child was sold to or exactly what happened to her. Smith, her boyfriend Jacquin Appollis and their friend Steveno van Rhyn face life in prison and the judge said sentencing hearings will begin next week. People attending the trial cheered and applauded when Judge Nathan Erasmus read out the guilty verdicts. The trial was held in a Saldanha Bay sports centre that had more space than a courtroom so that members of the community could attend. Kelly Smith, the mother of missing Joshlin Smith, appears in court in Vredenburg, South Africa, March 7, 2024. (Source: Associated Press) A South African woman was convicted of kidnapping and selling her 6-year-old daughter in a case that horrified the country. US states push for speed-limiting devices on the cars of dangerous drivers Virginia this year became the first state to agree to give its judges such a tool to deal with the most dangerous drivers on the road Crime and Justice Erin Patterson shared love of mushrooms in online group Three members of a true crime Facebook group Patterson was part of gave evidence on day five of her Supreme Court trial Sean 'Diddy' Combs' sex trafficking trial begins with jury selection has been held in a grim federal lockup in Brooklyn since his arrest last September Australian club groper dodges jail after attacks caught on CCTV The offender was facing up to 10 years in prison but was instead sentenced to a two-year community corrections order UK police arrest Iranian men over alleged attack plot head of the force's Counter Terrorism Command said police are still working to establish a motive "as well as to identify whether there may be any further risk to the public" Two arrested over alleged plot targeting Lady Gaga concert in Rio Brazilian police said they thwarted an alleged bomb attack planned for Lady Gaga's concert on Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro Blues veteran Bryce Heem announces retirement from rugby 28 mins ago Govt halts all current pay equity claims, makes it harder to lodge new ones 35 mins ago New Zealand's Cardinal John Dew prepares to go into conclave 10:54am Iwi boss to head new board for Taranaki Maunga 10:49am Kiwi motorcyclist killed in 11-bike British Supersport crash 10:33am National introduces members' bill to ban social media for under 16s 4 mins ago 1Two men's shared name brings years of trouble and a hefty bill to one Person dies following morning crash on Auckland motorway The 'Trump slump' boosts the left in Canada and Oz – but what about NZ? Erin Patterson shared love of mushrooms in online group Two arrested over alleged plot targeting Lady Gaga concert in RioBrazilian police said they thwarted an alleged bomb attack planned for Lady Gaga's concert on Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro. Lady Gaga rocks Copacabana Beach with free concert for over 2 million fansCries of joy rose from the tightly-packed fans who sang and danced shoulder-to-shoulder on the vast stretch of sand. Lorde announces new album name, dateThu, May 1 Kim Kardashian to testify in Paris trial over 2016 armed robberyMon, Apr 28 Chubby Checker, Outkast, Cyndi Lauper join Rock & Roll Hall of FameMon, Apr 28 Lorde releases new single after weeks of cryptic teasesThu, Apr 24 Chubby Checker, Outkast, Cyndi Lauper join Rock & Roll Hall of FameMon A South African woman was convicted of kidnapping and selling her 6-year-old daughter in a case that horrified the country The girl went missing more than a year ago and hasn't been found Kelly Smith and two men — her boyfriend and their friend — were convicted of kidnapping and human trafficking over the disappearance of Smith's daughter who was 6 when she went missing in February 2024 Smith — whose full name is Racquel Chantel Smith — was initially a figure of sympathy when her daughter went missing Community members rallied around her and volunteered to help police search for Joshlin in the sand dunes near their poor neighbourhood of shacks close to the west coast town of Saldanha Bay A photograph of Joshlin smiling and with her hair tied in pigtails was broadcast by news stations across South Africa as police then launched a nationwide hunt Smith said she had left Joshlin with her boyfriend on the day she disappeared but the case took a shocking twist when Smith was arrested A woman testified during the trial that Smith had told her she and the two men had sold Joshlin for around US$1000 (NZ$1680) to a traditional healer who wanted the child for her body parts The judge's verdict did not make any conclusions on who the child was sold to or exactly what happened to her her boyfriend Jacquin Appollis and their friend Steveno van Rhyn face life in prison and the judge said sentencing hearings will begin next week People attending the trial cheered and applauded when Judge Nathan Erasmus read out the guilty verdicts The trial was held in a Saldanha Bay sports centre that had more space than a courtroom so that members of the community could attend A teenager who admitted being "addicted to speed" behind the wheel had totalled two other cars in the year before he slammed into a minivan at 180km/h in a Seattle suburb killing the driver and three of the five children she was transporting for a homeschool co-op After sentencing Chase Daniel Jones last month to more than 17 years in prison the judge tacked on a novel condition should he drive again: His vehicle must be equipped with a device that prevents accelerating far beyond the speed limit already is using it and similar measures await governors' signatures in Washington state and Georgia New York and California also could soon tap the GPS-based technology to help combat a recent national spike in traffic deaths "It's a horror no one should have to experience," said Amy Cohen who founded the victims' advocacy group Families for Safe Streets after her 12-year-old son was killed by a speeding driver in front of their New York home more than a decade ago the minivan driver who was killed when Jones ran a red light was building a backyard greenhouse with her husband to help educate several kids who shuttle between homes during the school day Also killed in the March 2024 crash near Hudson's home in Renton were Boyd "Buster" Brown and Eloise Wilcoxson Hudson's two children were sitting on the passenger side and survived "You always hear of these horrific accidents Smith knew Washington state Representative Mari Leavitt who reached out to offer condolences and tell him she was sponsoring legislation to mandate intelligent speed assistance devices as a condition for habitual speeders to get back their suspended licenses Leavitt predicts it will have an even more powerful impact than revoking driving privileges citing studies showing around three-quarters of people who lose their licenses get behind a wheel anyway the state saw a 200% increase in drivers cited for going at least 80km/h over the speed limit according to the Washington Traffic Safety Commission "I guess I don't understand why someone is compelled to want to drive that fast," Leavitt said "But if they choose to drive that fast with the speed limiter It's going to stop them in their tracks." which Washington legislators passed last month and Democratic Governor Bob Ferguson is expected to soon sign using the first letters of the names of the four victims: Buster didn't receive a speeding ticket in his two previous crashes he likely wouldn't have been required to use the speed-limiter ahead of the fatal one And because it could be 2029 before the law takes effect the judge's requirement at sentencing only applies to his time on probation after being released from prison Competing tech companies that joined forces to lobby for ignition interlock requirements for drunken drivers have been working in unison again the last few years to pitch intelligent speed assistance chief government affairs officer at one manufacturer said fleet vehicles including school buses in the nation's capital have been trying it out for years But it took a lot of refinement before the GPS technology could instantly recognize speed limit changes and compel vehicles with the devices installed to adjust accordingly "We've got a lot more satellites in the sky now," said Ken Denton a retired police officer who is the chief compliance officer at Cincinnati-based LifeSafer the devices would prevent cars from exceeding speed limits or whatever threshold regulators set An override button allows speeding in emergencies but states can decide whether to activate it and authorities would be alerted any time the button is pushed which beeps to alert drivers when they are going too fast is required for new cars in the European Union California Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed a similar proposal last year explaining vehicle safety requirements are set by the federal government and he was concerned a patchwork of state laws could stir confusion Before Delegate Patrick Hope agreed to sponsor the proposal in the Virginia Legislature he tried out the device in Nannini's car which was calibrated to not go more than 14km/h over the speed limit "That was my first question: Is it safe?" Hope said Hope is now pondering whether to install it on the cars of his three children the price could be hefty: US$4 (NZ$6.70) per day and a US$100 (NZz$167.50) installation fee The fee would be less for low-income offenders which provides support services to the loved ones of crash victims knows firsthand the kind of impact slowing down speeders can make A year after her son was struck and killed in front of their New York apartment the road's speed limit had been lowered "When you are going a few miles slower it's much less likely to be deadly." Erin Patterson had shared with true crime fans her love of mushrooms excitement over buying a food dehydrator and plans to cook beef Wellington The 50-year-old mother of two has pleaded not guilty to all counts against her including three murder charges for killing her estranged husband's family after feeding them lunch at her Leongatha home Don and Gail Patterson and Heather Wilkinson all died in hospital from death cap mushroom poisoning after eating a beef Wellington Patterson had prepared for them on July 2023 Patterson claims it was "a terrible accident" Three members of a true crime Facebook group Patterson was part of gave evidence on day five of her Supreme Court trial in Morwell The group was created to go over the case of convicted baby killer Keli Lane she was a really good researcher," group member Christine Hunt said about Patterson's online reputation said in 2023 Patterson had shared photos of a black dehydrator with mushrooms inside "She was a bit excited that she'd purchased a food dehydrator," Barkley said via video link Screenshots of Patterson's messages to the group were also shown to the jury "I've been hiding powdered mushrooms in everything the kids had no idea," she wrote in one post said Patterson "seemed to really like mushrooms" In the weeks before the deadly mushroom meal Patterson asked the group if anyone had cooked a beef Wellington and if they had advice Erin said she was making beef Wellington," Hay said "I think she was at the supermarket and she messaged us something about the beef that she was buying." She said Patterson had told them the mushrooms came from an Asian grocer Hay said Patterson asked her for tips on how to make sure the beef Wellington pastry did not go "soggy" as it was one of Hay's favourite dishes said she joked: "I'd make a tofu Wellington" so we had a good laugh about that," she said Patterson's estranged husband Simon finished his evidence to the jury after almost three days in the witness box Defence barrister Colin Mandy SC put it to Simon that he had asked Erin - two days after the lunch - "is that what you used to poison them?" "I did not say that to Erin," Simon responded The jury of 15 people were shown messages from a family group Signal chat between Simon his former wife and his parents - in December 2022 - after he last week claimed she had sent "extremely aggressive" messages to his mother and father which he said were from a few months later having a crack at me and accusing me of some things in response to what I'd messaged her about," he said After his parents tried to help Erin and Simon resolve a dispute over his child support payments his mother Gail took a step back and stopped reading messages from Erin in the group chat "Mum really struggled with anxiety," he said The trial before Justice Christopher Beale will continue today The federal sex trafficking trial of Sean "Diddy" Combs the hip-hop entrepreneur whose wildly successful career has been dotted by allegations of violence began this morning in New York City with jury selection that could last several days Opening statements by lawyers and the start of testimony are expected next week Several dozen prospective jurors got a brief description of the sex trafficking and racketeering conspiracy charges against Combs from the judge who reminded them that Combs had pleaded not guilty and was presumed innocent He wore a sweater over a white collared shirt and grey slacks which the judge had allowed rather than jail clothing His hair and goatee were almost fully grey because dye isn't allowed in jail Unlike other recent high-profile celebrity trials Combs' court case won’t be broadcast live because federal courtrooms don’t allow electronic recordings inside — meaning courtroom sketch artists serve as the public's eyes in the courtroom The trial is expected to take at least eight weeks he faces the possibility of decades in prison Several prospective jurors indicated they had seen news reports featuring a key piece of evidence in the case: a video of the hip-hop mogul hitting and kicking one of his accusers in a Los Angeles hotel hallway in 2016 One prospective juror described a still image she saw from the video as "damning evidence" That woman was rejected from consideration "I'm sorry your honour I'm a little nervous today" The 17-page indictment against Combs — which reads like a charging document filed against a Mafia leader or the head of a drug gang — alleges that Combs engaged in a two-decade pattern of abusive behaviour against women and others with the help of people in his entourage and employees from his network of businesses Combs and his lawyers say he's innocent and any group sex was consensual They say there was no effort to coerce people into things they didn't want to do and nothing that happened amounted to a criminal racket Prosecutors say women were manipulated into drug-fuelled sexual performances with male sex workers that Combs called "Freak Offs" prosecutors say Combs used a mix of influence and violence: He offered to boost their entertainment careers if they did what he asked — or cut them off if they didn't And when he wasn't getting what he wanted the indictment says Combs and his associates resorted to violent acts including beatings Combs has acknowledged one episode of violence that is likely to be featured in the trial a security camera recorded him beating up his former girlfriend Cassie filed a lawsuit in late 2023 saying Combs had subjected her to years of abuse The Associated Press does not typically name people who say they have been sexually abused unless they come forward publicly has said Combs was "not a perfect person" and that there had been drug use and toxic relationships but said all sexual activity between Combs The trial is the most serious in a long string of legal problems for Combs In 1999 he was charged with bursting into the offices of an Interscope Records executive with his bodyguards and beating him with a champagne bottle and a chair later asked prosecutors to go easy on Combs who pleaded guilty to a lesser charge and took an anger management class Combs was stopped by police after he and his then-girlfriend fled a nightclub where three people were wounded by gunfire Combs was acquitted of all charges related to the episode at a 2001 trial was convicted in the shooting and served nearly nine years in prison Combs was charged with assaulting someone with a weight-room kettlebell at the University of California Combs said he was defending himself and prosecutors dropped the case A brazen serial groper who preyed upon 18 women in an Australian nightclub has avoided jail time after a judge found his risk of reoffending was low was facing up to 10 years in prison but was instead sentenced to a two-year community corrections order on Monday He dodged reporters' questions as he left the Victorian County Court The former PwC IT worker pleaded guilty to 17 charges of sexual assault and one count of attempted sexual assault over the attacks at Revolver Upstairs in Melbourne's inner east CCTV footage from the nightclub showed Rayan groping his victims on the buttocks stroking their backs and kissing them on the arms and shoulders The attacks happened on three separate occasions in September and October 2023 Rayan admitted to police he touched one of the women accidentally but claimed he could not remember the other incidents because he was too drunk Victorian County Court Judge Peter Rozen said he held reservations about those claims as he sentenced Rayan over the "brazen" attacks "Your offending was deliberate and you knew what you were doing," he said Judge Rozen said the women were entitled to feel safe in the nightclub and the scale of Rayan's crimes was concerning He noted that three victim impact statements were read to the court where the women described their ongoing anxiety and shattered sense of security Judge Rozen also decided Rayan's moral culpability was considerable and said the 34-year-old lacked insight into his offending But the judge accepted the sexual assaults were at the lower end of seriousness given Rayan's victims were adults and the attacks were fleeting no pending charges and no diagnosed mental health conditions "I accept this offending was out of character for you," the judge said Rayan was sentenced to a two-year community corrections order with 180 hours of unpaid community work He will also have to complete treatment for alcohol abuse and programs to reduce his risk of reoffending British counterterrorism officers arrested four Iranian men over an alleged plot to attack an unspecified target and three others over a national security threat The government called them the biggest "counter state threat and counterterrorism" operations for years The Metropolitan Police force said five men aged between 29 and 46 were detained Saturday in various parts of England under the Terrorism Act on suspicion of preparing "a terrorist act" Four are Iranian citizens and the nationality of the fifth was still being established Police said the attack plot targeted a single location that was not being named "for operational reasons" It said the premises was being given "advice and support" All the suspects were being questioned at police stations and have not been charged Police said they are searching several properties in London the Manchester area of northwest England and Swindon in western England Forensic officers in blue overalls were photographed at a house in Rochdale Three of the counterterror arrests took place in the Greater Manchester area Rochdale resident Kyle Warren told Sky News he "heard a massive bang" and saw "20 or 30 police with guns" drag a man from a neighbouring house "We've seen a man getting pulled out from the back basically got dragged down the side entry and thrown into all the bushes and then handcuffed," he said head of the force's Counter Terrorism Command were arrested in London on suspicion of a national security offence as part of an unrelated investigation Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said "these were two major operations that reflect some of the biggest counter-state threat and counterterrorism operations that we have seen in recent years" Britain's domestic intelligence service has warned of a growing threat from attackers linked to Tehran Cooper said "the ongoing investigation is immensely important" to determine whether the arrests were connected to the Iranian state She said "this reflects the complexity of the kinds of challenges to our national security that we continue to face." the head of the MI5 domestic security service said his agents and police have tackled 20 "potentially lethal" plots backed by Iran since 2022 most aimed at Iranians in the UK who oppose the country's authorities He said at the time there was the risk "of an increase in a presenter at a Farsi-language television station critical of the Iranian government was stabbed in the leg outside his home in London Two men were later arrested in Romania and charged over the attack The UK's official terror threat level stands at "substantial," the middle of a five-point scale the Blues' veteran midfielder whose rugby journey took him from the All Blacks sevens Toulon and back to New Zealand with the Blues has retired from the game at the age of 36 who helped the Blues win the Super Rugby championship last year He is turning his professional attentions to facts and figures in his new role as a mortgage broker it’s the people I’ve met and the memories I’ve made that stand out the most I’m grateful for the opportunity to have represented several teams on my journey and to finish here at the Blues and winning a championship last season was something special.” “I want to make special mention of my wife Jocelyn for supporting me through this entire journey holding it all down at home so I could focus on doing what I love none of this would have been possible,” he said known as "uncle" at the Blues due to his age said the franchise had helped extend his playing career “I’d like to extend my sincere thanks to the entire Blues organisation - the coaches and everyone who’s played some part in my career,” he said “You’ve all played a huge role in making this such a special time in my life I’ve learned so much and will be forever grateful for your belief in me.” “A special shout-out to the medical staff.. you’ve worked wonders on my body as I’ve gotten older..." Heem said he had been working towards becoming a mortgage broker as part of his professional development at the Blues “I’ve had the privilege of learning a lot during my time at the Blues and I’m eager to bring that knowledge and discipline to the world of finance,” Heem said The government is making it harder to make a claim for pay equity that will cut costs There have been massive pay equity claims in recent years for nurses and resthome workers Workplace Minister Brooke van Velden announced the moves to raise the threshold for proving work has been historically undervalued to support a claim on Tuesday saying changes back in 2020 had created problems "Claims have been able to progress without strong evidence of undervaluation and there have been very broad claims where it is difficult to tell whether differences in pay are due to sex-based discrimination or other factors." Claims were concentrated in the public sector with costs to the Crown of all settlements so far totalling $1.78 billion a year "The changes I am proposing will significantly reduce costs to the Crown," she said "The changes will discontinue current pay equity claims The nurse's union has this year had at least 10 pay equity claims in play The PSA union has said pay equity claims and settlements had resulted in significant improvements in pay and working conditions for many workers rnz.co.nz Cardinal John Dew is about to go into conclave to vote for a new pope is among the 133 cardinals gathered in the Vatican to elect a successor to Pope Francis Dew and his fellow Cardinals will be locked away from the world as they participate in daily votes in the Sistine Chapel until white smoke billows from the rooftop signalling a new pope is selected Read more about how the conclave works here He follows in the footsteps of Cardinal Reginald Delargey and Cardinal Thomas Williams - Kiwis who had previously entered conclave in 1978 and 2005 Dew said cardinals had been meeting daily to share their perspectives on the needs of the church and what qualities a new pope would need to possess to address said needs “Listening to what everyone is saying and the kind of person they're looking for to hear the passion that people have for spreading the work of the Gospel,” Dew said “I think one of the things that a new pope will need to do is to continue to try and give hope to the world “But as well as being the leader of the Church he needs to be a world leader who's prepared to speak out and in this world of disinformation and misinformation and sometimes lies Dew said other cardinals who had previously participated in conclavce described the centuries-old tradition as "divinely inspired" “A couple of the cardinals actually said you can go into the conclave and even have some ideas but it's only after a vote or two that things start to clarify,” he recalled but it became very clear that he was the one They described that as the work of Holy Spirit “And the fact that you're in a place where you have no contact with anybody else – no cell phones no iPads – the whole thing becomes a bit like a retreat and a real time of prayer.” Dew said finding a successor among a sea of so many contenders also had him feeling some "apprehension" the fact that this only happens once every few years and it has incredible consequences for the Church and for the world A trail-blazing tribal leader today starts a new job bringing together eight iwi to look after Taranaki Maunga Iwi now have equal say with the Crown in running the former Egmont National Park The Minister of Conservation will need iwi agreement to approve management plans for what is now called Te Papa-Kura-o-Taranaki Wharehoka Wano will lead Te Tōpuni Ngārahu – a new body of representatives from the region’s eight iwi – to govern the park alongside the conservation minister The arrangement is laid out in Te Ture Whakatupua mō te Kāhui Maunga, the Taranaki Maunga Collective Redress Act passed unanimously by Parliament in January Another group called Te Tōpuni Kōkōrangi – half appointed by iwi and half by the Crown – will develop management plans for Te Tōpuni Ngārahu and the minister to consider Wano has for nine years been the first chief executive of Te Kāhui o Taranaki the agency set up when Taranaki iwi settled its historical Treaty claims Wano has helped shape Taranaki iwi’s future and he’s also a trustee for the neighbouring iwi’s post-settlement agency Te Kotahitanga o Te Atiawa. He’s one of the dozen counsellors on the Kīngitanga’s Tekau-mā-rua the advisory body for Te Arikinui Kuini Nga wai hono i te po – as he was for her father the late Kīngi Tūheitia At Wano’s farewell from Te Kāhui o Taranaki veteran campaigner Peter Moeahu said Wano was “an ambassador a diplomat extraordinaire,” and reckoned he would need those skills “You might have thought handling one iwi was bad enough referring to South Taranaki’s Te Pakakohi and Tangahoe which are not recognised as iwi by the Crown Te Kāhui o Taranaki chair Jacqui King said Wano had dealt with arms of the Crown on many fronts really challenging because often you get so impassioned by the unjust behaviours and practices “You have to carry that in such a way that you can't be asked to leave - and Whare is an absolute expert at ensuring he says what needs to be said without being offensive.” Te Kāhui’s operations manager Mark Wipatene said he’d known many aggressive cut-throat chief executives – “silverback gorillas who have massive egos” “They wouldn’t last a day in this space because you can’t operate that way.” “Whare has the ability to navigate through that world and bring his kaimahi with him because he has no ego Liana Poutu helped negotiate the maunga settlement and said Wano’s calming influence wasn’t limited to dealings with government “And when we want to take on some whawhai (fight) Whare’s like ‘are you sure that's how you want to do it?’” Wano’s niece and former colleague Puna Wano-Bryant said he would bring impeccable communication to the Maunga job “He has the ability to open new ways for people to heal and reconcile their own relationships with each other.” Wano-Bryant said she often spotted surfboards in her uncle’s car and he would explain he was off to a “board hui” Fellow surfer and new Taranaki Regional Council chair Craig Williamson has known Wano for almost 20 years and praised his work for the betterment of Taranaki communities We’ve had three board meetings this week.” In 2016 the Crown accepted that Taranaki Maunga and the adjacent ranges would become a legal person and own itself as Te Kāhui Tupua the Crown agreed to share management of the national park Te Papa-Kura-o-Taranaki with iwi There's now a search on for four people to represent the iwi of Taranaki on Te Tōpuni Kōkōrangi serving as the face and voice of Te Kāhui Tupua When Parliament passed the redress law in January it officially recognised the peaks as tupuna maunga – ancestral mountains LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ on Air The National Party has introduced a new members' bill to ban social media for those aged under 16 Christopher Luxon announced the bill alongside National Tukituki MP Catherine Wedd this morning Wedd said the My Social Media Age-Appropriate Users Bill "puts the onus on social media companies to verify that someone is over the age of 16 before they access social media platforms" Key aspects of the Bill would include obligations for the social media platforms defence for providers to rely on reasonable verification measures regulatory oversight and a review after three years there are no legally enforceable age verification measures for social media platforms in New Zealand Members' bills are introduced by MPs who are not Ministers and need to be drawn from a ballot to be debated in Parliament Luxon said he was hopeful of gaining bipartisan support He had spoken with coalition partners ACT and NZ First about it but would let them speak about their position He said this was an issue he had been passionate about since 2018 and as a dad he felt the party needed to do more to keep young people safe from online harm We want to protect our kids from the harms of social media. That’s why today National has introduced a members bill to ban social media for kids under 16 years old. pic.twitter.com/TiQJs87DhQ "It's time that New Zealand acknowledged that for all the good things that come from social media it's not always a safe place for our young people to be and we need to do something about it." He said teachers and parents had raised issues with him including cyber bullying exposure to inappropriate content and exploitation and social media addiction "Social media should not be exempt from social responsibility and it is time we put the onus on these platforms," he said Wedd said social media was "an extraordinary resource" “As a mother of four children I feel very strongly that families and parents should be better supported when it comes to overseeing their children's online exposure The bill closely mirrors the approach taken in Australia which passed the Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Bill in December 2024 At the end of last year, a 1News Verian Poll found more than two-thirds of New Zealand voters supported restricting social media access for under-16s The poll results showed that 68% backed introducing similar legislation in New Zealand as in Australia and 10% were undecided or preferred not to say National Party supporters and women showed the strongest support for the proposed restrictions while opposition was highest among 18-34-year-olds and men Wedd said "other jurisdictions are also taking action" "Texas recently passed legislation which bans under 18s from social media use and the UK the EU and Canada all have similar work in train," she said "This bill builds on National’s successful and successful cell phone ban in schools and reinforces the Government's commitment to setting our children up for success." Family First chief executive Bob McCoskrie welcomed the introduction of the Bill but questioned why it was not a government priority "or at the very least have a parliamentary and public discussion via a Select Committee process" "Family First thanks Catherine Wedd for drafting the Bill but once again calls on all the coalition parties in the Government (ACT and NZ First) to adopt the bill as a Government bill and ultimately walk the talk when it comes to protecting children online “This important discussion needs to be a priority for the Government and not left in a biscuit tin." Shane William Pritchard has been charged with crimes he didn’t commit and chased for debts he doesn’t owe That’s because the Dunedin man is not the only Shane William Pritchard in town While the duo’s shared name and age has sometimes been a handy loophole for one Shane for the other it has caused problems for 36 years It’s been years of fearing every knock on the door Years of wondering if he’ll be hand-cuffed and taken to jail to be honest,” says Shane William Pritchard a scout and a member of the Air Training Corp remembers getting quite a shock when her friend called one evening She'd been acting as a referee for a gun licence for Shane whose friend informed her that the police had a long list of offences against Shane’s name Not long after that the police turned up to where Shane was working at the local tannery to arrest him “You're scrambling in your head to think of ways that you can prove it's not you.” Another Shane William Pritchard had been born in Otago They were separated by just two weeks and about 50 miles – one growing up in Mosgiel the other in Milton – but also by the lives they’d been leading To watch the full video story go to TVNZ+ Shane from Milton had huge problems focusing at school He was raised in foster care and then boys’ homes I just wanted to look cool and get in trouble,” he tells Fair Go Milton Shane was used to run-ins with police he got pulled over in his car and asked about his driving licence one’s got a licence and the other hasn’t.’ And I’m like ‘obviously it must be the one with a licence’.” he went to his bank to draw out an ACC payment and was asked which bank account was his He says that at that point he was trying to figure out what was going on “I thought it was just an error.” But he took advantage of the situation and withdrew a large sum of cash Mosgiel Shane became aware of the withdrawal when a scheduled car payment was declined and when Milton Shane turned up at the bank to withdraw more money Identity fraud was considered but Milton Shane was legitimately expecting an ACC payment so the withdrawal appeared to be a genuine mistake and the police couldn’t take any action 'Anything I could get away with Mosgiel Shane thought the bank incident would have alerted police to the problem But his nemesis had cottoned on to the advantages of having a second identity to use Milton Shane acquired a suite of furniture on hire-purchase Milton-Shane clocked up more driving offences Mosgiel Shane thought about changing his name but realised he’d have to provide his previous name in the process the courts and debt collectors such as Baycorp should be able to distinguish between himself and Milton Shane The police first addressed the issue in the 1990s after Mosgiel Shane went to the media He was given a letter to carry with him should he be apprehended He and his parents felt his situation wasn’t being taken seriously Mosgiel Shane went to the media a second time in the mid-2000s the police gave their word that a record in their system would stop the misidentification from happening again This does appear to have worked as far as police action goes But while Mosgiel Shane was given the same reassurance by the Ministry of Justice he continued to receive demands from the courts for unpaid fines He’d also get stopped and questioned whenever he left the country for work trips or holidays It took a huge toll on Mosgiel Shane’s mental health not realising the constant stress it placed on his life John Pritchard says that at times his son felt his life wasn’t worth living worrying about what he was going to do to himself and that really ate me up.” he and his son were in tears as Shane admitted he was at breaking point He described going for days at a time unable to eat or sleep wondering what might happen next "Am I going to be in a position where they've got me in handcuffs or I've got debt collectors coming to the door?" ...You're spiralling into this black hole." He started taking anti-anxiety medication which helped And events regarding Milton Shane seemed to settle Milton Shane was charged for fishing without a licence in Twizel and failing to comply with fisheries officers But a court registrar incorrectly entered the birth date of Mosgiel Shane in the system both Shanes were being chased to pay the $1530 fine It was Mosgiel Shane who spotted the error and rang the court He also sent a statement from his manager saying he’d not been fishing in Twizel that day The reply he got was to say he’d been given the wrong form and that they wouldn’t accept his proof They just wanted to know how I was going to pay the fine.” The first Milton Shane knew about this was when Fair Go told him Mosgiel Shane had been chased for the fine He was told to pay up or face the consequences feeling he shouldn’t have to pay good money to correct someone else’s mistake But it cost Mosgiel Shane over $5000 in legal fees and took months of back and forth between him “Why should anybody have to pay their own money to right somebody else's wrongs and prove who they are I’m sick and tired of proving who I am all the time.” He wanted the Ministry of Justice to take responsibility and reimburse him for his legal costs saying court staff such as the registrar in this case have immunity if they make mistakes such as the one made here and if I make a mistake and it's affecting my client that it's going to cost them money to rectify a mistake that I've made.” he deserves a million apologies from those guys,” she says Milton Shane told Fair Go he still gets in trouble but wants the other Shane to know he doesn’t use his birth date anymore And he had a message for him: “We’ve got to get it sorted for you so you can have a good life with you and your family because I’m trying to get my life together with my son and my grandson” He offers to meet to see if they can sort it out together but I’m not interested in meeting him,.” says Mosgiel Shane He says he doesn’t hold any grudges and accepts Milton Shane’s apology And he believes the only way for that to happen is for the courts and the Ministry of Justice to give him a guarantee that mix-ups won’t occur in the future Fair Go asked the Ministry of Justice to appear in person to apologise and provide reassurance to Shane of its plans to guard against these mistakes The Ministry declined our request to be on camera saying any comment on an individual case would compromise the independence of the courts as the Ministry operates separately But it did send a written apology directly to Mosgiel Shane It also admitted mistakes can occur in clerical records but said instructions were clear and the importance of getting things right had been emphasised to staff Mosgiel Shane isn’t totally convinced that’s the end of it “All I want is for the Ministry of Justice and the courts to do their job I'd like to live without this hanging over me all the time his criminal check has come back showing a clean slate A person has died following a crash on Auckland's south-western motorway this morning The single vehicle crash was reported to police shortly before 5am the sole occupant of this vehicle died at the scene," a police spokesperson said "Earlier closures of northbound lanes have now lifted and police advise motorists to continue to expect delays as earlier backlogs clear "We appreciate motorists' understanding this morning while emergency services carried out their work." Police said the serious crash unit examined the scene this morning and an investigation was underway into this morning's crash on behalf of the Coroner This is in addition to an earlier crash on Auckland's northern motorway near the Auckland Harbour Bridge Emergency services responded to a two-truck collision on the northern motorway near the Auckland Harbour Bridge shortly after 5am New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) said all lanes south on State Highway 1 were open again following this earlier crash with five lanes available on the Harbour Bridge "Allow extra time for delays on the Northern Motorway to slowly ease this morning three lanes going south were now open again between Onewa Rd and the Harbour Bridge," NZTA said Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's landslide win at the weekend following Canadian Prime Minister's Mark Carney's victory less than a week before should indicate to our politicians that the New Zealand "Trump trend" of 2024 may have peaked Trying to capitalise on the electoral success of US President Donald Trump now that his policies are having real-world effects is proving to be a big mistake for conservative leaders Australian voters have delivered a landslide win for the incumbent Labor Party returning Prime Minister Anthony Albanese for a second term with a clear majority of seats When he said in his victory speech that Australians had “voted for Australian values” an unspoken message was that they’d firmly rejected Trumpian values opposition and Liberal Party leader Peter Dutton had such a bad election he lost his own seat While not the only reason for his electoral demise Dutton’s adoption of themes associated with Trump backfired Opinion polls were projecting Dutton’s Coalition to win and exceeded expectations in the election itself the Liberals were “reduced to a right-wing populist party that is all but exiled from the biggest cities” Commentators identified a number of reasons including his “culture wars” and being depicted by Labor as “Trump-lite” Following a Trumpian pathway turned out to be a strategic blunder And Dutton’s downfall mirrors Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre’s defeat in Canada’s election on April 28 Canada’s incumbent centre-left Liberals were heading for defeat to the Conservatives But there were two gamechangers: the Liberals switched leaders from Justin Trudeau to Mark Carney and Trump caused a national uproar with his aggressive tariffs and his call for Canada to become the 51st US state Pre-election opinion polls then did a dramatic flip in favour of the Liberals who went on to win their fourth election in a row Poilievre’s campaign had adopted elements of the Trump style such as attacking “wokeness” and using derogatory nicknames for opponents His strategy failed as soon as Trump rolled out “America First” policies contrary to Canadians’ economic interests and national pride The takeaway for serious right-wing leaders in liberal democracies is clear: let Trump do Trump; his brand is toxic Trump’s actions are harming America’s allies affirmative action and climate change have seen voters outside the US react with self-protective patriotism A perceived association with Trump’s brand has now upended the electoral fortunes of (so far) two centre-right parties that had been in line to win and had been banking on the 2024 MAGA success somehow rubbing off on them what has been dubbed the “Trump slump” isn’t a universal trend the centre-left Social Democratic-led government was ousted in February in spite of Trump ally Elon Musk’s unhelpful support for the far-right anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD) party the populist Reform UK party has risen above 25% while Labour has fallen from 34% in last year’s election to the low 20s in recent polls But other governing centre-left parties are seeing an upside of the Trump effect In early January it looked like the incumbent Labour Party would be trounced by the Conservatives and the right-wing Progress Party Opinion polls dramatically flipped in early February boosting Labour from below 20% back into the lead Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre will get another term in office Denmark’s governing Social Democrats have enjoyed a small polling boost since Trump declared he’d like to take Greenland off their hands The common denominator underlying these shifts to the left seems to be the Trump effect Voters in countries normally closely allied with the US are turning away from Trump-adjacent politicians people are rallying patriotically around centre-left Trump is harming leaders who could have been his allies the man himself seemed proud of the impact he had in Canada polls in mid-2024 showed support for Trump was growing – heading well above 20% Australia’s election suggests that trend may now be past its peak with debate over ACT’s contentious Treaty Principles Bill behind it and despite NZ First leader Winston Peters’ overt culture-war rhetoric (which may appeal to his 6% support base) the right-wing coalition government’s polling shows it could be on track for a second term – for the time being While the Trump effect may have benefited centre-left parties in Australia and Canada polling for New Zealand’s Labour opposition is softer than at the start of the year While “America First” policies continue to damage the global economy centre-right leaders who learn the lesson will quietly distance themselves from the Trump brand while maintaining cordial relations with the White House could do worse than follow Anthony Albanese’s example of not getting distracted by “Trump-lite” and instead promoting his own country’s values of fairness and mutual respect.","type":"text"},{"_id":"GUGWB5HTRVGGNP5PFWDLBH7SXM","content":"Grant Duncan is a teaching fellow in Politics and International Relations This story is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons licence ","type":"text"},{"_id":"BMPLRKQ2NRDPZOPKHPADSUD4UE","content":" Lady Gaga gave a free concert Saturday night in front of 2 million fans who poured onto Copacabana Beach for the biggest show of her career (...) Thank you for making history with me,” Lady Gaga told a screaming crowd kicked off the show at around 22.10pm local time with her 2011 song Bloody Mary Cries of joy rose from the tightly-packed fans who sang and danced shoulder-to-shoulder on the vast stretch of sand Concert organisers said 2.1 million people attended the show switching between an array of dresses including one with the colours of the Brazilian flag Some fans – many of them young – arrived on the beach at the crack of dawn to secure a good spot “Today is the best day of my life,” said Manoela Dobes a 27-year-old designer who was wearing a dress plastered with a photograph from when she met Lady Gaga in the United States in 2019 Madonna also turned Copacabana Beach into a massive dance floor last year The large-scale performances are part of an effort led by City Hall to boost economic activity after Carnival and New Years’ Eve festivities and the upcoming month-long Saint John’s Day celebrations in June “It brings activity to the city during what was previously considered the low season – filling hotels and increasing spending in bars generating jobs and income for the population,” said Osmar Lima the city’s secretary of economic development in a statement released by Rio City Hall’s tourism department last month Rio’s City Hall said in a recent report that around 1.6 million people were expected to attend Lady Gaga's concert and that the show should inject at least 600 million reais (NZ$178.3 million) into Rio’s economy Similar concerts are scheduled to take place every year in May at least until 2028 Lady Gaga arrived in Rio in the early hours of Tuesday The city has been alive with Gaga-mania since as it geared up to welcome the pop star for her first show in the country since 2012 Rio’s metro employees danced to Lady Gaga’s 2008 hit song LoveGame and gave instructions for today in a video A free exhibition celebrating her career sold out While the vast majority of attendees were from Rio the event also attracted Brazilians from across the country and international visitors More than 500,000 tourists poured into the city in the days leading up to the show according to data from the local bus station and Tom Jobim airport Rio’s City Hall said in a statement yesterday made a cross-continent trip from Colombia to Brazil to attend the show “I’ve been a 100% fan of Lady Gaga my whole life,” said Serrano who was wearing a T-shirt featuring Lady Gaga’s outlandish costumes over the years the mega-star represents “total freedom of expression – being who one wants without shame” Rio officials have a history of organising huge concerts on Copacabana Beach Madonna’s show drew an estimated 1.6 million fans last year while 4 million people flooded onto the beach for a 1994 New Year’s Eve show by Rod Stewart in 1994 that was the biggest free rock concert in history sixteen sound towers were spread along the beach Rio state’s security plan included the presence of 3300 military and 1500 police officers Among those present were Lady Gaga admirers who remember their disappointment in 2017 when the artist cancelled a performance scheduled in Rio at the last minute due to health issues “She's the best artist in the world,” the 25-year-old said I love you” in Portuguese rose from the crowd behind him whose real name is Ella Yelich O'Connor which also displayed what appears to be the album cover art — an X-ray of a pelvis "100% written in blood," the website read The new album's announcement came a week after she released her latest single What Was That The song's music video was filmed at a mysterious pop-up event in New York City's Washington Square Park that was initially shut down by police. The event ended up going ahead after all, and fans who stayed got to hear the new song for the first time. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Lorde (@lorde) It was the first sign of a follow-up to Lorde's previous album Her other albums were 2013's Pure Heroine and 2017's Melodrama she collaborated with British singer Charli XCX on a remix of Girl so confusing — on a re-release of the Grammy award-winning Brat Kim Kardashian thought she was going to be raped and killed when criminals broke into her bedroom in central Paris tied her up and stole more than US$6 million in jewellery 10 people will go on trial in Paris over the robbery abduction and kidnapping of the media personality and the concierge of the residence where she was staying during Paris Fashion Week the night of October 2 Kardashian’s lawyers said she will testify in person at the trial starting Monday and scheduled to run through May 23 "Ms Kardashian is reserving her testimony for the court and jury and does not wish to elaborate further at this time," they said "She has great respect and admiration for the French justice system and has been treated with great respect by the French authorities "She wishes the trial to proceed in an orderly fashion in accordance with French law and with respect for all parties to the case." In interviews and on her family’s reality TV show Kardashian has described being terrified as robbers pointed a gun at her In a 2020 appearance on David Letterman’s Netflix show she tearfully recalled thinking: "This is the time I’m going to get raped Twelve people were originally expected in the defendants’ box and another is seriously ill and can't be tried five of the 10 defendants were present at the scene of the robbery The French press has dubbed them The Granddad Robbers because the main defendants are elderly and have careers as bank robbers with long criminal records Kardashian told investigators she was taken to a bathroom next to her bedroom and placed in the bathtub Her attackers fled on bicycles or on foot and she managed to free herself by removing the tape from her hands and mouth She had also removed the tape from her feet and rushed to her stylist’s room She called her sister Kourtney to tell her about the theft Kardashian told investigators that she had not been injured adding that she wanted to leave France as soon as possible to be reunited with her children According to her testimony and that of the concierge at least one of the suspects had a handgun The gangsters stole many pieces of jewellery estimated to be worth more than US$6 million (NZ$10 million) Only one piece of jewellery — a diamond cross on platinum that was lost during the suspects' escape — has been recovered Two of the accused have partially confessed to the crime is one of two suspected robbers who allegedly entered the apartment his genetic profile was found on the tape used to gag Kardashian who was waiting for him in a parked car at a nearby train station The second robber said he tied up the concierge with cables but did not go up to Kardashian’s apartment said he acted as a lookout in the ground-floor reception area He said he was unarmed and did not personally threaten Kardashian but admitted he shared responsibility for the crime Abbas was arrested in January 2017 and spent 21 months in prison before being released under judicial supervision he co-authored a French-language book titled I Sequestered Kim Kardashian is the second alleged robber suspected of entering the flat although he was filmed by CCTV cameras and numerous telephone contacts with the other co-defendants show his involvement The other defendants are suspected of providing information about Kardashian’s presence in the apartment Others are accused of playing a role in the resale of the jewellery in Antwerp Joe Cocker and Bad Company will be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame — in a class that also includes pop star Cyndi Lauper the rock duo the White Stripes and grunge masters Soundgarden the first female rap act to achieve gold and platinum status and the late singer-songwriter Warren Zevon will get the Musical Influence Award pianist Nicky Hopkins and bassist Carol Kaye will each get the Musical Excellence Award who sang at Woodstock and was best known for his cover of The Beatles’ With a Little Help From My Friends a member of Elvis Costello & The Attractions who argued that Cocker is "about as rock and roll as it gets" Soundgarden — with the late Chris Cornell as singer — get into the Hall on their third nomination They follow two other grunge acts in the Hall — Nirvana and Pearl Jam Bad Company get in having become radio fixtures with such arena-rock staples as Feel Like Makin’ Love Can’t Get Enough and Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy The Ahmet Ertegun Award — given to nonperforming industry professionals who had a major influence on music — will go to Lenny Waronker Some nominees that didn't get in this year included Mariah Carey and subsequent Let’s Twist Again are considered among the most popular songs in the history of rock 'n' roll The 83-year-old has expressed frustration that he hadn't been granted entry before including telling the AP in 2014: "I don’t want to get in there when I’m 85 years old so you better do it quick while I’m still smiling." Lauper rose to fame in the 1980s with hits such as Time After Time and Girls Just Want To Have Fun and went on to win a Tony Award for Kinky Boots have six Grammys and a reputation for pushing the boundaries of hip-hop The White Stripes — made up of Jack White and Meg White — were indie darlings in the early 2000s with such songs as Seven Nation Army Artists must have released their first commercial recording at least 25 years before they’re eligible for induction The induction ceremony will take place in Los Angeles this fall Nominees were voted on by more than 1200 artists historians and music industry professionals The selection criteria include "an artist’s impact on other musicians the scope and longevity of their career and body of work as well as their innovation and excellence in style and technique" Dave Matthews Band and singer-guitarist Peter Frampton were inducted Lorde has dropped her new single What Was That after weeks of cryptic posts and teases that set fans buzzing It's the lead single from her upcoming fourth album and her first original solo release since 2021's Solar Power which is three minutes and 28 seconds in length Some fans had been lucky enough to hear the track in full earlier this week. On Wednesday, Lorde posted a picture of Washington Square Park yesterday with the caption "tonight 7pm". Fans flooded the park an hour before she was supposed to appear, with photos shared of eager fans scaling trees to catch a glimpse of the singer. Shortly before she was to perform, the Royals singer took to social media to tell fans police had shut the event down. "Omg @thepark the cops are shutting us down," the message read. "I am truly amazed by how many of you showed !!! "But they’re telling me you gotta disperse ... I’m so sorry." However, the pop-up event ended up going ahead after all, with fans who stayed getting their first full airing of Lorde's new single. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Lorde (@lorde) Lorde, real name Ella Yelich O'Connor, announced the single last week sharing a headshot-style photo of her wearing a red shirt with a dripping wet face Earlier this month, she dropped a 15-second snippet of the unreleased song. In the video posted to TikTok on April 10, Lorde was seen wearing a white shirt and jeans while walking through New York City. "Since I was 17, I gave you everything/Now we wake from a dream, well baby, what was that? What was that?” she sings over a synth beat. It was the first sign of a follow up to Lorde's previous album, 2021's Solar Power. Her other albums were 2013's Pure Heroine and 2017's Melodrama. Last year, she collaborated with British singer Charli XCX on a remix of Girl, so confusing — on a re-release of the Grammy award-winning Brat. A RUGBY match in Langebaan, Western Cape, turned tragic when an 18-year-old spectator, whose family resides in Upington, was fatally stabbed in an unprovoked attack, leaving his loved ones devastated as police investigate. The Western Cape rugby teams Langebaan Rugby Football Club (RFC) and St Helena Bay RFC were playing on Saturday, March 15, when the incident occurred. Tributes have been pouring in on social media after the victim was identified as Ryan Don Samuels, 18, from Vredenburg. His eldest sister, Berenique Diergaardt, said the last time she spoke to him, he asked for prayers. “My mother and I called him on Saturday. He told us he was in Langebaan visiting our brother, who is a police officer. He said he needed prayers because the Langebaan community was not welcoming to outsiders. “The next call we got from Langebaan was from our cousin, also an officer, who told us Ryan had been stabbed and was lying on the field - alone. “He had gone to visit our brother for the weekend, and while his brother was working a day shift, he decided to watch the rugby match. I called my brother, and he said he would turn around. When he arrived, Ryan was lying in his blood. “There were so many people in that stadium, yet he was alone. No one helped him, no one sat with him in his darkest hour.” The distraught sister explained that when their brother arrived at the scene, he tried to wake Ryan, but it was too late. “All the stab wounds were from behind. Ryan fell, and then the suspect sat on him and stabbed him again - he intended to kill. “There wasn’t a fight. He didn’t argue with anyone or even know anyone there. The suspect was just looking for a fight. “I was informed that Ryan kept asking, ‘What did I do? Why are you stabbing me?’ because when he was attacked, he was just talking to someone.” Diergaardt described her brother as someone who loved dancing and music. “He was always dancing. He was in matric last year and was so excited about it. He was working at Shoprite while figuring out his future. “We don’t live in Vredenburg anymore - we’re in Upington. Ryan stayed with my mother’s friends after we moved when he was in Grade 11. “He was a hustler. He wanted to make money and refused to join the army or become a police officer. “He was the apple of our eye. My mom is in pieces - we all are. When your child is far from you, you always pray for them because the world we live in is not safe.” Boland Rugby Union President Bennie van Rooi expressed deep sadness over the tragedy. “We are working closely with all relevant authorities as an investigation is under way. The safety and well-being of everyone at Boland Club rugby venues remain our priority. “Further updates will be provided as appropriate. We ask that the privacy of those affected be respected during this time.” St Helena Bay RFC also shared condolences. “There are no words to ease the pain of losing someone so young. But please know that you are in the thoughts and prayers of St Helena Bay Rugby Club and its supporters.” Police spokesperson, Sergeant Wesley Twigg, confirmed that Langebaan detectives have registered a murder case. “The victim was declared deceased on the scene by medical personnel. The circumstances surrounding the incident are under investigation. “We can confirm that a 28-year-old male was arrested in connection with the murder and will appear in court once charged.” I believe that having female role models is crucial for attracting more women to the finance sector. It’s not just about encouraging women to enter the field, but also demonstrating that there are ample opportunities to thrive and lead. Women in senior roles, whether in leadership, specialist roles or other decision-making capacities, serve as powerful examples. Their success stories are fundamental in inspiring both current and next generations. Lauren Isaacs 16 August 2024 | 12:10Family and friends of a missing Vredenburg teenager are hopeful he's aliveNineteen-year-old Romano Fredericks was last seen when he left home on the 3rd of August to visit a friend in the West Coast town of Port Owen.Romano Fredericks, who went missing from his Vredenburg home on 3 August 2024. Picture: Facebook/Marvin Fredericks CAPE TOWN - The family and friends of a missing Vredenburg teenager are hopeful that he is still alive and will return home to his loved ones. Nineteen-year-old Romano Fredericks was last seen when he left home on the 3rd of August to visit a friend in the West Coast town of Port Owen. He is currently in his matric year at the Louwville High School. Vredenburg Community Leader, Norman Van Wyk said that Romano Fredericks had been looking forward to attending his Matric Ball earlier this month. "Romano's suit was set out, his family organised the food and stuff, the makeup of the place where the photo shoot was going to take place. He was excited to attend his matric ball, according to his school friends." Van Wyk explains that it's believed that Fredericks left Port Owen and hitchhiked a lift to Velddrif to watch a rugby match. "We also believe that Romano, from Velddrif, hiked a lift supposedly back home and then between Velddrif and Vredenburg, he just disappeared, he went off the grid. We also learned as time went on, that his cellphone pinged in a place called Laingville." Van Wyk said that an extensive search for teen, will continue. CAPE TOWN - The kidnapping and human trafficking case related to the disappearance of six-year-old Joshlin Smith in Saldanha Bay in set to continue in the Vredenburg Magistrates Court in the Western Cape on Monday. Joshlin has been missing for eight months after disappearing from her Middelpos home in Saldanha Bay in February. The little girl's mother, Kelly Smith, and three others are due back in the dock on Monday morning. When Kelly Smith, her boyfriend, Jacquen Appolis, Stevano van Rhyn and Lourencia Lombaard last appeared in court, the State asked for more time to wrap up its case. This after investigators found new evidence related to Joshlin's disappearance, prompting the State to seek a postponement for further investigation. The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has refused to divulge the nature of the new evidence. With the State ready for trial, the matter will be transferred to the Western Cape High Court on Monday. Four accused in the disappearance of six-year-old Joslin Smith are appearing in the Vredenburg Magistrate’s Court in the Western Cape today. The little girl went missing from her house in the Middelpos informal settlement in Saldhana, nearly five months ago. She’s not been found. Clyde Fortuin (wk) Ethan-John Cunningham Adrian du Toit View Full Scorecard Adrian du Toit How can Delhi Capitals qualify for IPL 2025 playoffs after rain washes out match against Sunrisers Hyderabad? SRH vs DC IPL 2025 Highlights: Rain halts chase after Delhi score 133/7; SRH crash out of playoffs It stinks: Tim Paine hits back at handling of Kagiso Rabada's suspension I was supposed to go for Euro 2020 with Italy: Raphinha reveals shocking story The Vanguard SLC was the first custom-built CBE site in Cape Town at which education and research could take place and has since been followed by the Vredenburg site learning opportunities for all medical and health and rehabilitation sciences students These placements have allowed our students to understand the social context of health and disease to learn to work cooperatively with communities and health services to learn clinical skills and to conduct community-based research projects The aim has been to expose our students to a learning environment that is safe and conducive for learning and to ensure that the experience of CBE is so positive that they would want to return to community practice in an underserved area in the future Given the ongoing shortage of adequate public sector facilities the establishment of additional purpose-built educational centers A situational analysis of the Saldanha Bay Sub-District was conducted in 2010 with the aim of establishing a rural teaching Centre in the Sub-District to respond to needs in underserved communities; engage with the social context of health and disease; increase the knowledge and understanding of health expose students to challenges in under-resourced areas It provided an understanding of the specific context and challenges within which a targeted rural student teaching site and placement programme would be located in partnership with Vredenburg Provincial Hospital and the Provincial DoH The rural academic programme based in Vredenburg was implemented in 2011 The Vredenburg house accommodates up to 18 students close to the hospital and is fitted with video conferencing and ADSL connections for distance learning A joint staff Senior Family Physician oversees and coordinates the training of students on the platform The multi-professional programme continues to meet all teaching objectives successfully with a major part played by the Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences and academic activities have been integrated into the service platform adding value to the delivery of health services in the area The site has offered abundant research opportunities; student projects have contributed to quality improvement initiatives and health promotion activities at a community level; HPCSA accreditation as a postgraduate training site for Family Medicine has attracted doctors to the Vredenburg Provincial Hospital thereby helping to address staff shortages; the academic platform has encouraged staff training thus improving staff recruitment and retention; and Vredenburg presents an opportunity for students to experience a District Hospital serving a rural population as part of a district package of care The Vredenburg site is important as a precedent for further development of the teaching platform outside of Cape Town Controversial blogger Musa Khawula was arrested in a Western Cape court after appearing on a murder charge The arrest was made at the Vredenburg magistrate’s court last Tuesday He informed the court that he had a warrant of arrest for Khawula for a civil case in Gauteng Khawula made damning allegations against Nozuko Mbalula the wife of ANC secretary-general Fikile Mbalula and her business partner Michelle Perrow in May The pair obtained an interdict against Khawula following the allegations he made on the social media platform X Khawula alleged that Mbalula and Perrow paid a bribe to secure government tenders worth R150-million between 2013 and 2019 reveal that Khawula has been ordered to pay damages to the applicants He is also ordered to cover the legal costs of the application The blogger is to also remove the defamatory statements from his X feed This he must do within 48 hours of the order being granted Khawula was also ordered to pay R1-million in damages to Mbalula and Perrow But he took to his X account and said he did not have that kind of money National Prosecuting Authority’s (NPA) Western Cape spokesperson Eric Ntabazalila confirmed the matter He said Khawula was arrested at the Vredenburg magistrate’s court Khawula has been in court for the murder case of Wandile Khambule Sunday World reported in August 2022 that the girlfriend of Khambule Khawula rocked up at her residence in Vredenburg And he said he was not interested in what he wanted to say because he was not interested in him romantically I then asked them to go [and] speak outside because there were other people in the house,” said Japhta Japhta “heard people screaming ‘don’t stab him’.” “When I checked to see what was happening outside I saw Khawula running after Khambule with a big knife [and] stabbing him I then asked one of my friends to go and try to stop what was happening He stabbed him in the chest and at the back.” Also Read: How Musa Khawula murdered my boyfriend Musa Khawula appears in court for Khambule’s murder Visit SW YouTube Channel for our video content Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Tel: +27 11 268 6300 Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms & conditions and privacy policy We are experiencing technical difficulties Regular service will be restored as soon as possible The court case regarding the disappearance of six-year-old Joslin Smith eight months ago resumes today The four accused include the little girl’s mother Kelly Smith and her boyfriend Jacquen Appollis They are expected to appear in the Vredenburg Magistrate’s court in the Western Cape on charges of trafficking in persons with the purpose of exploitation and kidnapping During the last appearance, the court heard that new evidence has since come to light and that the postponement to today has been marked as final The community was outraged when Joslin went missing from her house in an informal settlement in Saldanha Bay in February Four people appear in the Vredenburg Magistrate’s court today in connection with the disappearance of 6-year old Joslin Smith (ABC 6 News) – A Goodhue woman appeared in Dodge County Court Nov is accused of causing more than $4,000 in damages to a Kasson home Oct Kasson police responded to 6th Street SW for a burglary report after a man said a woman had thrown a wrench at his TV five times The man told police he had taken Vredenburg away from the home but an argument resulted in them leaving separately he found damage to his front door — a damaged screen and broken glass — with Vredenburg pulling away in a separate vehicle Vredenburg had fled in a car with fake whiskey plates Court documents allege Vredenburg had also damaged or stolen a Milwaukee power drill and battery as well as about $100 in cash from the home Court documents allege the man later said Vredenburg had struck him with an open hand earlier in the day Vredenburg has several previous disorderly conduct Her next hearing had not been scheduled Tuesday morning Any person with disabilities who needs help accessing the FCC Public file should email news@kaaltv.com or call (507) 288-7555 Please check your email and enter your one time pin below:   Open in Gmail Sorry there was an error loading the audio The 2021 local government elections: The ANC won the ward by a landslide The EFF beat GOOD for second place with the latter beating the EFF in one of the voting districts to end up with 9% of the ward vote The DA lost its outright majority in the municipality losing four seats to fall from 17 seats to 13 in the 27-seat council The ANC remained the second-largest in Saldanha Bay GOOD hurt both the DA and the ANC as it surged to third place with four seats The DA formed a coalition with the Freedom Front Plus The by-election: Ward councillor Arthur Gqeba was murdered after arriving home from a meeting Another person was killed in his home on a previous occasion when that individual was mistaken for Gqeba The ANC and EFF were the only two parties on the ballot here The voters’ roll swelled by 33% since the local government elections The EFF is now the fourth-largest party in the Saldanha Bay council The setting: The translation of Mkhambathini from Zulu to English means the “place of the acacia trees” This rural ward sits above the Mkhomazi river This municipality sits in the Valley of a Thousand Hills It straddles the N3 national highway between Pietermaritzburg and Durban It forms part of the Umgungundlovu district which includes Pietermaritzburg and Howick The 2021 local government elections: The ANC beat the EFF by 478 votes with the ANC carrying five of the six voting districts The EFF won in the village of eNtsongeni and also beat the IFP in three out of the other five districts It was able to win more than 30% of the vote in one of the Ngilanyoni districts The ANC was resolute in Mkhambathini, retaining nine seats in the 14-seat council. The EFF and IFP won two seats each with the DA also winning a seat. advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads The by-election: Ward councillor Mzwandile “Nganono” Shandu was shot dead in uMlazi, Durban. Another councillor was injured in the attack. This was one month after surviving an assassination attempt in Mkhambathini.  advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads It also took votes away from both the EFF and the IFP It swept every voting district in the ward with its poorest showing being 69% in one district This is the second consecutive by-election in the uMgungundlovu district where the ANC has improved on its 2021 showing KwaZulu-Natal was becoming a major headache for the party but in this vital Midlands district it has increased its majorities in recent by-elections If these trends continue the ANC will believe that the opposition’s aspirations of taking the province away from the ruling party in 2024 are a fiction The municipality forms part of the Ngaka Morimi Molema district. The principal seat for the district is Mahikeng. It also includes towns such as Lichtenburg, Delareyville and Setlagole. advertisementDon't want to see this? Remove ads The 2021 local government elections: The ANC won comfortably here The EFF was the only other party to get into double figures as it finished well ahead of the third-placed regional party the United Christian Democratic Party (UCDP) Read more in Daily Maverick: DA retains Mangaung ward with solid win, PA snatches votes from ANC in surge to second place The results in 2021 were very similar to 2016 The council shrunk by one seat and this saw the DA fall from two seats to one The EFF beat the Forum 4 Service Delivery (F4SD) for second place with six seats The FF+ and UCDP joined the DA with one seat each The EFF’s second-place finish was built on getting more than 23% of the vote in half of the voting districts The F4SD appears to be the main beneficiary of the UCDP’s absence from the by-election as it more than doubled its returns This is a very positive result for the ANC in the district and it will motivate the party in North West as we head into an election year This concludes the by-elections for the year in the Western Cape and North West The final round of by-elections for the year will be on 13 December There we go then – the eff is using the anc’s own tactics A bit hyperbolic comment about the EFF winning by 319 votes The EFF beat the ANC by 319 votes in a major election upset The EFF increased its vote tally by a staggering 978 votes compared with the 2021 result Were two of these held because the previous incumbent had been murdered That warrants a mention in the intro I would have thought ' + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.webview_notification_text + ' " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_title + " " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_text + "