Innholdsfortegnelse for 2025-06-24 i Mercury

When Kim Kardashian dropped a screenshot of her heart-to-heart with ChatGPT on her Instagram Stories, she probably didn’t expect the internet to collectively raise its eyebrows. The reality TV star and business mogul thanked the AI chatbot for “taking accountability”, prompting ChatGPT to respond in kind: “I really appreciate you saying that … I’ll keep raising my game to meet your standards.” But beyond the headline-grabbing moment, Kardashian’s interaction with ChatGPT reflects something much deeper, a growing trend where artificial intelligence is becoming an intimate part of our daily lives. Whether it’s for productivity, creativity or even emotional support, more and more people are turning to AI tools like ChatGPT. And while it’s undeniably impressive, it’s also raising eyebrows and sparking debates about how these tools are shaping our thoughts,…

If you’ve ever been to a concert and found yourself watching it through your phone screen – you’re not alone. We exist in a world where everything is documented, filtered and posted before the final encore, and now Sabrina Carpenter is daring to ask the question: What if we just… didn’t? In a recent Rolling Stone interview, the star opened up about the idea of banning phones at her concerts. “This will piss off my fans, but absolutely,” she said when asked if she’d consider implementing a no-phone policy. The Espresso singer shared that the best concert experience she’s had in recent years was a phone-free one seeing Silk Sonic perform in Las Vegas. “They locked my phone,” she explained. “I’ve never had a better experience at a concert. Everyone’s…

The world at large is a much safer place than it was two days ago, but Trump’s critics are quick to jump to conclusions that there must be some political motivation for this attack on Iran’s nuclear sites in Fordow, Natanz and Esfahan. Depending on where you stand with Donald Trump as a mere person or what your ideological or religious views are, the way that you reason and the conclusions that you will reach will be directly linked to your personal belief systems. Personally, I do not believe that when a regime warns of your annihilation and keeps enriching uranium to weapons grade, that I should be so naive as to believe that they have been saying this for fun for several decades now. Iran's ties with North Korea…

A recent article (The Mercury, June 13) on B-BBEE covered the report from Solidarity and FMF; and the reaction from Cosatu; which included the tired old claim that "most senior positions in the private sector are held by White males". Does skin colour really matter, if the businesses are prospering, and helping SA's economy? Are optics more important than efficiency? As someone who started protesting against apartheid 55 years ago, because I (and most of the world) believed that discrimination on the basis of race was wrong - I have to shake my head that the message still hasn't sunk in. Apparently the report implied that B-BBEE was reducing employment - well, hello!, if decent employers still believe that racial discrimination is wrong, then they will obviously avoid the ridiculous…

The National Financial Ombud Scheme South Africa (NFO) has recouped R328.5 million for consumers who had filed complaints about financial institutions since it was established a year ago. The NFO recently released its 2024 annual report and provided statistics on the financial complaints it had dealt with. Between 1 March 2024 and 31 December 2024, the NFO handled 35 855 complaints that had been dealt with by its four divisions - Non-life and Life Insurance, Banking and Credit. Reana Steyn, Head Ombud and CEO of the NFO, said the sheer number of complaints received and the large sum of money recovered was testament of the NFO’s effectiveness and commitment to fairness in dispute resolution and the power of independent mediation. “This recovery of monies has helped individuals and families regain…

The unfolding conflict in Iran has profound implications that resonate globally, posing a significant challenge to international security and stability. The recent military actions have led to tragic losses, with the death toll surpassing 856 and more than 3 396 wounded since Israel initiated its operations on June 13. In the light of this devastation, South Africa has taken a resolute stand against Israel and the escalation of violence and advocated for a peaceful resolution to the Middle East conflict. The ramifications of this war impact countless innocent lives, destabilising not only the region but also the broader international community. The military strikes targeting military and nuclear sites, alongside civilian infrastructure, violate established principles of international law. South Africa, with its commitment to justice and human rights, needs to…

Tesla began offering robotaxi services Sunday in the US city of Austin, Texas, an initial step that Elon Musk’s backers believe could lead to the company’s next growth wave. “Super congratulations to the @Tesla_AI software & chip design teams on a successful @Robotaxi launch!!” Musk posted on the X platform. “Culmination of a decade of hard work.” The kickoff – which comes as Musk refocuses on his business ventures following a contentious stint in Donald Trump’s administration – will employ the Model Y sport utility vehicle rather than Tesla’s much-touted Cybercab, which is still under development. The long-awaited launch follows the dramatic meltdown earlier this month in relations between the US president and the world’s richest person, which saw a cascade of bitter attacks from both men. Since then, Musk…

PARIS: French prosecutors have charged and jailed a 17-year-old Islamic State group sympathiser suspected of planning attacks on synagogues, sex shops and public gatherings, the national anti-terror office said at the weekend. “He was not yet at the stage of carrying out an attack, but he was getting ready,” Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau said. The suspect was arrested last week, prosecutors said. Defence lawyer Florian Godest Le Gall said his client was a “troubled boy pushing who was testing the boundaries of what is forbidden”. “There is no real targeting of specific sites or actual intent to act,” he said. “There is a lot to clarify, particularly around his mental state and vulnerability,” he added, ruling out any “true radicalisation”. Retailleau said the suspect had pledged allegiance to the Islamic…

Orlando Pirates yesterday announced the appointment of Moroccan tactician Abdeslam Ouaddou as the club’s new head coach, officially bringing the search for José Riveiro’s successor to a close ahead of the 2025/26 season. Ouaddou arrives at Mayfair after guiding Marumo Gallants to safety in the Betway Premiership last season. He took over in the second round of the campaign and helped the Limpopo outfit steer clear of relegation, but parted ways with the club following a contractual dispute with management. The 45-year-old edged out several strong candidates during the Pirates’ search process, including former Mamelodi Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena and ex-AmaZulu FC mentor Pablo Franco Martin. While Mokwena’s return to Orlando Stadium – where he previously served as assistant and co-coach – seemed all but certain at one stage, insiders…

Having not played against the Barbarians before, Springbok winger Cheslin Kolbe is excited about the prospect of facing them this Saturday in Cape Town. There is no doubt that the flyer and his skillset would fit a Baabaas team like a glove should he play for them, but he will oppose the invitational side, known for their flair game, as part of the world champions at the DHL Stadium in the Mother City (5.10pm kick-off). Conditions might not suit a running affair in the Cape winter, but the Boks believe they can adapt to what is asked of them to start the 2025 international season with a victory over their “unknown” opponents. “I haven’t played against the Baabaas before, but just watching them, they are a team that chucks the…

We love our dogs like family. They greet us with wagging tails, comfort us on tough days and ask for little more than a walk and a treat. But lately, a question has been quietly echoing online and in vet clinics – “Are we medicating our pets for just being themselves?” A recent viral TikTok video by content creator Dr Jef has stirred the pot on pet parenting, sparking a fiery debate about whether we’ve lost sight of what it means to let animals just be animals. The clip zooms in on an unsettling trend: more and more dogs are being prescribed psychiatric medication like Prozac, not for serious mental health disorders, but for simply behaving like dogs. Barking. Chewing. Running wildly around the house. Behaviours that were once shrugged…

He's done it for America. He's put America first and bombed Iran. US bombers struck three enrichment plants and razed them to the ground. He gloated it was a spectacular success. Just yesterday he was talking peace. He said let's use diplomacy instead of bombs to resolve the Middle East crisis. But then Israel launched a surprise attack on Iran. Then Trump said he'll wait for two weeks and then decide whether the US should enter the Middle East fray. But suddenly he sends his war planes into Iran to bomb its nuclear sites. How can anyone trust this double-talking man? Iraq, Libya, Syria, Afghanistan, and now Iran. The US cannot stay away from the Middle East. And Trump cannot stay away from controversy and trouble. The attack on Iran…

If you’re going to fight with people you love... Armies fight to maim, kill and destroy. Friends and lovers “fight” to clarify misunderstandings. They fight to love more deeply, to do better at understanding and appreciating each other. Enemies watch, plot and strategise against each other to defeat the opponent and gain the upper hand, striking a winning blow. Friends and lovers resist maneuvering and manipulating. Friends understand that friendship and love are not about winning or losing. Foes capitalise on the weaknesses of the other side to dominate and take control. Friends in conflict affirm the strengths of those they love. They desire that necessary conflicts result in deeper love and stronger commitments, with everyone having the opportunity to become closer, stronger and wiser. Enemies become experts in propaganda…

The gender-based violence (GBV) incident, which took place during the recent Gas Motor Show in Durban, is both appalling and disturbing. What was intended to be a high-profile event, celebrating automotive culture, has now become a chilling reminder of the pervasive and unchecked violence that women continue to face in our country. Footage and eyewitness accounts of the brutal assault — which occurred in full view of the public — have sparked national outrage, and rightly so. Even more disturbing, however, is the inaction of on-site security and South African Police Service (SAPS) members, who failed to intervene decisively to stop the assault or apprehend the perpetrator in real-time. Such passivity in the face of a blatant act of violence raises serious questions about the readiness and willingness of law…

South Africa has ranked 64th out of 69 countries in the IMD World Competitiveness Rankings for 2025, highlighting ongoing challenges with governance, infrastructure and job creation. According to the report, South Africa continues to struggle with a high unemployment rate and lack of employment opportunities, as well as corruption and poor government effectiveness. The report also cites poorly located and inadequate infrastructure that limits social inclusion and economic growth, along with rising public debt levels amid a shrinking fiscal space as key challenges. This is the lowest ranking for South Africa since 2021. Reacting to the ranking, economist Dawie Roodt said the core issue is not economic but political. “The main reason behind all of this is an ineffective government, a corrupt government with the wrong ideologies and policies. So…

THE eThekwini Municipality has intensified its rabies awareness and vaccination initiatives after a dog owner in the eZimbokodweni area, near KwaMakhutha, died after contracting rabies when his unvaccinated dog bit him. The man tragically lost his life after being bitten by his unvaccinated dog, which later exhibited signs of rabies, displaying unusual aggression and concerning behavioural changes. An investigation by the City’s Communicable Diseases team revealed that the man had sustained the dog bite in March, yet only sought medical assistance two months later when the rabies virus had already taken hold. The recent case echoes a similar event from last year in the Ngonyameni area, where a three-year-old child lost their life after contact with a suspected rabid dog. Rabies, a severe viral zoonotic disease, is transmitted through the…

National commitment to establish researcher development as a priority is required From a comparative perspective, if a nation’s investment in research consistently translates into the development of emerging indigenous researchers, South Africa would by now be making significant progress toward establishing itself as a hub for nurturing a new generation of world-class scholars. The production of world-class scholars is not just an academic exercise; it is the bedrock of nation-building. World powers such as Germany, South Korea, the US, and China are among the leading countries in cutting-edge and innovative research, with increased investments in developing their research environment. For instance, the US and South Korea invest more than 3.45% of their GDP in research and development. This investment is not just to increase scholarly publications; it promotes the creation…

Aerial assaults raged between Iran and Israel this week, while Tehran vowed retaliation over the bunker-buster bombs American warplanes unleashed at the weekend on three nuclear sites. US President Donald Trump insisted the attack had “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear capabilities, but other officials said it was too soon to determine how significantly Tehran’s nuclear programme had been impacted. As the world awaited Iran’s reply, supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei called the bombing campaign Israel launched on June 13 “a big mistake”. “The Zionist enemy... is being punished right now,” Khamenei wrote on social media. Sirens sounded across Israel and Iran this week as the arch enemies exchanged their latest round of fire. The Israeli army said it was intercepting missiles from Iran, while Iranian state media Fars said the air defence…

Leaders from the west African bloc Ecowas at the weekend admitted during talks in the Nigerian capital that the region was in trouble, facing mounting unrest and political instability. “Our region is at the crossroads,” said Sierra Leone’s Julius Maada Bio as he took over the rotating chairmanship of the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) from Nigeria’s Bola Tinubu. West Africa is “facing serious challenges, some long-standing, others new and evolving”, he said. They included “insecurity in the Sahel and coastal states, terrorism, political instability, illicit arms flow and transnational organised crimes”. It was time to “overhaul our collective security architecture” including intelligence-sharing and rapid response, he added. “The democratic space is under strain in parts of our region – the constitutional order has been disrupted.” Coups and…

ISTANBUL: Turkiye will not allow extremists to drag Syria back into chaos and instability, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said yesterday after a suicide attack killed 22 at a Damascus church. “We will never allow our neighbour and brother Syria... be dragged into a new environment of instability through proxy terrorist organisations,” he said, vowing to support the new government’s fight against such groups. He did not explain what he meant by “proxy” groups but vowed that Turkiye would “continue to support the Syrian government’s fight against terrorism”. The Damascus government blamed the weekend’s shooting and suicide attack – the first of its kind in the Syrian capital since the fall of strongman Bashar al-Assad six months ago – on Islamic State group militants. | AFP…

Travis Head believes Australia are equipped with the experience and depth to cope without star batters Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne, as the team prepares for the first Test against the West Indies in Barbados this week. An out-of-form Labuschagne has been dropped for the series opener, while Smith is sidelined with a finger injury. Their absence marks the first time since the 2018 Boxing Day Test against India – when Smith was serving a suspension for ball-tampering – that Australia will field a Test side without either of the two mainstays. Labuschagne has featured in 53 consecutive Tests, while Smith had played 51 in a row, according to Cricket Australia. Sam Konstas and Josh Inglis, who have just two Test caps each, will replace the veteran duo, who boast…

When Sean Fitzpatrick woke up on the morning of the 1995 World Cup final, he parted the curtains of his hotel room in Sandton, Johannesburg, and his heart sank. Outside was a small army of South African fans, brandishing placards along the lines of “This is our day, you are going to lose.” On the way to the match at Ellis Park, there was the chilling sight of fans with “voodoo dolls” of the tournament’s star performer, the blockbusting All Black wing Jonah Lomu. The dolls had ropes around their necks. Of course, these fans were extremists but that kind of behaviour summed up the passion that swept across South Africa. Fitzpatrick said in his autobiography that he understood that New Zealand were up against way more that the Springbok…

You’d be forgiven for thinking cataracts are an “old person’s problem”. But more South Africans are being diagnosed with cataracts much earlier in life and it’s affecting how they live, work and drive, especially at night. As we mark Cataract Awareness Month, it’s a good time to bring our eye health back into focus because the truth is, cataracts are the world’s leading cause of blindness, according to the World Health Organization, yet they’re also one of the most treatable. Simply put, cataracts happen when the lens of your eye becomes cloudy, almost like someone smeared Vaseline on your glasses. Wesley Language, an optometrist from Execuspecs, explains, “It’s like looking through a foggy window. Over time, it distorts your vision, dulls colours and makes tasks like reading or recognising faces…

Reading L Oosthuizen’s letter (The Mercury, June 19), one is struck by a paradox: how confidently one can write about the Middle East while forgetting nearly everything about it. We are told that Israel’s military actions are acts of “bravery” and that its strikes on Iranian soil are “necessary”, even heroic. This argument, however, overlooks a crucial point: international law. Pre-emptive attacks, particularly on nuclear sites, are not typically praised within legal frameworks, even when they align with political sympathies. The letter also portrays Israel as the defender of the “free world.” It is a noble phrase until one considers the millions of Palestinians living under apartheid, denied civil rights and freedom of movement. Then comes the claim that there is “no occupation” and that genocide is a “false narrative.”…

Next year, the country will hold the local government elections. The election results are obvious: no political party will win with a majority. Coalition governments will be formed in most, if not many, municipalities. The challenge is that, in South Africa, coalition governments don’t work at the local government level. That said, the silly season is upon us. When it became public that Helen Zille is considering running for the Joburg mayor, the first person to jump was the Action SA leader, Herman Mashaba. Mashaba went public to tell the world that Zille is not fit to run Joburg. The pertinent question is: Why is Mashaba worried about Zille’s interest in leading Joburg as a mayor? He seems to be afraid that she may garner more voter support and eat…

STURM und Drang … the entire world is on its head following the American strike on Iran’s nuclear armament works. Has Iran’s nuclear capacity been eliminated? Nobody (apart from Trump) seems to know for certain. US President Trump – he of the red hat proclaiming “Make America great again” – seems to think so. But others are not so sure. Had the Iranians already produced and set aside elsewhere enriched uranium for use in a nuclear bomb? Nobody (apart from Trump) seems to know for certain. What is the Ayatollah discussing with President Putin of Russia? The tension is enormous. Under the circumstances, perhaps it’s best to hold our breath for now. And, oddly enough, material is at hand that could take our minds off the crisis, if only temporarily.…

For a small country like the Netherlands, organising a Nato summit is a big endeavour at the best of times. The government collapsing three weeks beforehand has not exactly made life easier. With whole districts and key roads blocked for weeks, and schools and businesses closed, the usually serene seaside city of The Hague has certainly felt the force of the impending summit. To much grumbling, even some cycle lanes have been shut down, usually unthinkable in the land of bikes. Dozens of trees have also been uprooted to make way for the temporary buildings housing the thousands of delegates and journalists attending the summit. For the Netherlands, welcoming 32 world leaders including US President Donald Trump is quite simply the biggest event it has ever hosted in terms of…

GENEVA: The risk of genocide in Sudan’s devastating civil war remains “very high”, amid ongoing ethnically motivated attacks by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, a top UN official warned yesterday. Since April 2023, Sudan has been torn apart by a power struggle between army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Daglo. The fighting has killed tens of thousands and displaced 13 million, including four million who fled abroad. “Both parties have committed serious human rights violations,” said Virginia Gamba, a UN under secretary-general and acting special advisor to UN chief Antonio Guterres on the prevention of genocide. “Of specific concern to my mandate is the continued and targeted attacks against certain ethnic groups, in the Darfur and Kordofan regions,” she told the UN Human Rights Council in…

ADDIS ABABA: Experts and policymakers have called on African countries to re-envision the role of public institutions toward fostering equitable governance by addressing historical service delivery gaps. They made the call during the 10th African Public Service Day, held under the theme “Enhancing the Agility and Resilience of Public Institutions to Achieve Equitable Governance and Rapidly Address Historical Service Delivery Gaps,” on June 21-23 at the headquarters of the AU in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa. Heads of African public service institutions, senior government officials, representatives of various international organisations, academics, and civil society actors underscored the vital imperative of reforming public institutions in Africa to close historical gaps and injustices. | Xinhua…