Table of contents for Wednesday, April 7, 2021 in Post

INDIA RECORDS HIGHEST SINGLE-DAY SPIKE Top Bollywood stars test positive ON MONDAY, India registered 103558 new Covid-19 cases in 24 hours. It was the highest single-day spike since the onset of the pandemic last year. On Tuesday, it recorded 96982 new coronavirus cases. The infection rate stands at more than 12.6million. The death toll has increased to more than 165000. The daily cases in India peaked on September 16, 2020, with 97894 people testing positive for the virus in a single day. Monday’s figure is the highest spike since the first case was detected in the country last January. Maharashtra, Punjab, Karnataka, Ker-ala, Chhattisgarh, Chandigarh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Delhi and Haryana were deemed states of grave concern. Owing to the spike in infections, Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired…

‘I THOUGHT SOMEONE WAS PLAYING A PRANK ON ME’ Global recognition for promoting culture JANINE MOODLEY janine.moodley@inl.co.za NIRMALA Govender was recently recognised as one of 25 Inspiring Global Tamil Cultural Women for her social contribution in promoting the Tamil language and South Indian culture. The award was bestowed on her by the Vaureal Tamil Cultural Association (Culturelle Des Tamouls) in France in association with British Tamil Radio. Some of the other recipients were from Australia, Canada, Europe, India, Singapore and the UK. Govender, of Queensburgh in Durban, was presented with a certificate of achievement endorsed by Happy Guptan, the Consul of Community Affairs at the Consulate General of India in Birmingham, and Seema Malhotra, an MP in the UK, via a virtual ceremony. The 57-year-old is a school administrator at…

EIGHT OF 10 OFFICERS DO NOT BELIEVE MINISTER SHOULD BE REMOVED Organisations call for Cele’s dismissal NADIA KHAN nadia.khan@inl.co.za TWO organisations that are concerned with alleged SAPS mismanagement have launched a campaign for Bheki Cele, Minister of Police, to be dismissed. TLU SA, an agricultural organisation that supports farmers, started the “Tsamaea Cele” campaign last Tuesday. It claimed that some police were unable to trace their official firearms and that around 8million pieces of evidence, many from farm attacks, were lost, allegedly due to Cele refusing to pay for an approved system within the approved budget. Other allegations include the promotions of a brigadier to major-general in KwaZulu-Natal. This, said TLU SA, was 10 years after 98 firearms went missing on his watch. It claimed detectives had to personally pay…

MOZAMBIQUE ‘Extremist terrorism is a challenge’ CHARLENE SOMDUTH charlene.somduth@inl.co.za MOZAMBIQUE has a population of roughly 70 000 people of Indian descent and they form the sixth-largest Indian diaspora community in Africa. This is according to statistics from India's Ministry of External Affairs. According to worldeconomicforum.org , the Indian connection with Mozambique dates back to at least the late 15th century. Vasco da Gama found some Indian traders when he arrived on Mozambican shores in 1499. Soon after, Goa in India became a Portuguese colony and Goans began to emigrate to Mozambique to serve as bureaucrats, soldiers or clergy. By the 1800s, Vanika (buniya or Gujarati) merchants from the coastal town of Diu, in India, settled on the Island of Mozambique. More Gujaratis arrived from South Africa in the latter half…

TANZANIA A positive vision for the future CHANELLE LUTCHMAN chanelle.lutchman@inl.co.za INDIANS make up 50 000 of Tanzania’s 58 million population and despite being a minority, the community has contributed considerably to the country’s growth and economy. Tanzania is in East Africa. According to wikipedia.org, Indians arrived in the country as traders. Most were from the Gujarati community and traded in Zanzibar as artisans, manufacturing glass beads using tube-drawing technology. Anup Upadhyay, 34, has been living in Dar es Salaam in Tanzania since 2010. Before this, he lived in Mumbai, India, and worked as an engineer but he decided to relocate in 2008. “I had a job opportunity and this meant leaving India and venturing to a new country that I did not know much about. I did not know its…

Pakistan embarrassed by Taliban’s atrocities WITH reference to the letter “India-Pakistan in search of common ground” by Saber Ahmed Jazbhay (the POST, March 31-April 4). Mr Jazbhay should be advised that he should stop writing letters in ways that underestimate the public’s ability to ascertain the obvious bias with which he writes. The tone and tenor with which he writes smacks of his Islamic supremacist subtleties that actually undermines his own position as a fellow of the South African judicial system. Jazbhay writes as though people in South Africa are unaware of the problems in the sub-continent and who are the real instigators of terrorism there. For the record, General Qamar Bajwa made overtures to India out of self-interest. Pakistan needs India’s support to acquire loan approvals from Western countries.…

Attempts to promote peace are appreciated WITH reference to the letter “India-Pakistan in search of common ground” by Saber Ahmed Jazbhay (the POST, March 31-April 4). Peace starts by changing one’s mindset and not through the barrel of the gun. With respect, Mr Jazbhay, India is often referred to as Hindustan, which once included West Pakistan and East Pakistan. For reasons best known to all, it was divided by the British for their nefarious reasons on religious grounds and millions lost their lives, including the looting of more than $43 billion. Not satisfied with their ill-gotten gains, Pakistan has remained in the same quagmire, while India has grown to be one of the top four economies in the world. Despite the economic and military help provided by the US since…

For Breakfast Jungle Oats 1 cup Jungle Oats 2 cups water 1 stick cinnamon Boil until soft. Add boiled milk with raw honey or sugar. Smoked Snoek Paté 250g deboned smoked snoek 1 medium red onion juice of 1 lemon 3 tbs Nola sandwich cream, fresh cream or mayonnaise 1 tsp dried parsley ½ tsp peri peri spice 1 tsp Fisherman spice seasoning Blend all the ingredients in a food processor, to a smooth paste. Serve on crackers or toasted bread. Steak With Rice And Vegetables STEAK 1kg untenderised steak For marinating: Robertsons Steak and Chop Spice, Robertson Braai Mix and Peri Peri and Aromat 2 red onions, sliced Worcestershire sauce, for thickening Fry the steak in oil on both sides and close the pot with a lid. Add water…

SPIRITUAL BENEFITS For the mind, body and soul MOULANA EBRAHIM BHAM ESAM AL-FETORI Reuters RAMADAAN is once again upon us. This is the sacred month of the Islamic calendar when Muslims observe fasts from dawn until dusk. The fast takes the form of abstinence from food, drink, smoking and carnal intercourse. Nightly prayers, devotions and a retreat during the last 10 days of the month complement the heightened acts of worship during the holy Ramadaan. Guarding the fast also implies being disciplined with one’s time which is precious and should be used in acts of virtue such as the recitation of the Qur’an, introspection and engaging in acts of charity. A person who fasts abstains from engaging in frivolous acts and obscenities, whether in speech or sight. The Divine Ordinance…

FOUR DAY GUIDE TODAY Cricket ANZ Bank Women’s ODI Series: New Zealand v Australia, Second ODI, 2.50am, CRI, ACT, GSD (3am); ODI Series: South Africa v Pakistan, Third ODI, 9.30am, GSD, CRI Cycling Scheldeprijs: 109th Edition, 3pm, VR1 Golf The Masters: Masters on the Range, Day 3, 3pm, GOL; The Masters: Wednesday at The Masters, 6pm, GOL, GSD (6.30pm) Soccer Super Diski: GladAfrica Championship: Uthongathi v JDR Stars, 2.30pm, PSL; DStv Premiership: Orlando Pirates v Maritzburg United, 4.55pm, PSL; DStv Premiership Wrap, 7pm, PSL; Serie A: Inter Milan v Sassuolo, 6.35pm, VR3, SSM; Juventus v Napoli, 6.35pm, FTB; UEFA Champions League, Quarter-final, First Leg: FC Porto v Chelsea, 8.45pm, SSM, EPL; Bayern Munich v Paris Saint-Germain, 8.50pm, GSD, VR1; La Liga Santander: Real Sociedad v Athletic Bilbao, 8.55pm, LIG Tennis…

MY SPORTING MEMORY An all-round sportsman on top of his game ESHLIN VEDAN eshlin.vedan@inl.co.za GROWING up in Clare Road, Clare Estate, Chattergoon’s love for football was harnessed by his late PE teacher Fabs Byrow at SM Jhavary Primary School. Chattergoon grew up in difficult conditions, so much so that he was the only one out of his six siblings to complete formal schooling as his other siblings had to find means to earn an income in order to support the family. “My PE teacher Fabs Byrow laid the solid foundation. He trained and coached us from standard four onwards. He registered us as players of the Colts division (U-12) for Clare Celtics. “The elders of the club ruled that scholars should be exempt from subscription. I enjoyed membership throughout my…

Crematorium woes mount Doubt cast on city’s ability to run facility CHANELLE LUTCHMAN chanelle.lutchman@inl.co.za MOTSHWARI MOFOKENG African News Agency (ANA) FRUSTRATED ratepayers, political leaders and funeral directors have called on eThekwini Municipality to once again fix the Mobeni Heights Crematorium. After numerous incidents, they have questioned the municipality’s ability to effectively run the facility. For more than a decade, the furnaces at the crematorium lay idle. In 2019, the Office of the Public Protector wrote to the municipality asking that it address the issues at the crematorium. The public protector instructed the city to install a new furnace before 2020. In April last year, a R3.5 million furnace arrived in Durban via America. But installation only started in September. In February this year, the crematorium was opened. But within hours,…

COVID: INTERNATIONAL OVERVIEW ‘We cannot be complacent’ DESPITE some countries easing travel restrictions and reopening their economies during the Covid-19 pandemic, they have done so cautiously. For others, a resurgence in infections has led to a strain on health-care. UK UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that from April 12, non-essential shops would reopen and pubs and restaurants would restart outdoor dining as the country moved to step two of the roadmap out of the Covid-19 lockdown. Meanwhile, hairdressers and barbers, as well as gyms and spas, can reopen, along with zoos, theme parks, libraries and community centres. “The net result of your efforts and, of course, the vaccine roll-out is that I can today confirm that from Monday, April 12, we will move to step two of our road…

FIGHTS ABUSE Inspired to get involved in politcs CHARLENE SOMDUTH charlene.somduth@inl.co.za SHEHANA Kajee was exposed to politics from the time she was very young. Under apartheid, her uncles, Amin and Yusuf Cajee, were Umkhonto we Sizwe volunteers, and their tin home in Roodepoort, Gauteng, was often invaded by policemen who searched for information that the ANC wanted to overthrow the government. The trauma of these searches and her uncles having to flee the country to live in exile inspired Kajee to get involved in politics. Today, Kajee, 58, of Durban, runs the DA Women’s Network (Dawn) in KwaZulu-Natal, which fights for the rights of abused women and children. She was recently appointed the party’s deputy chairperson at its provincial congress at the ICC. Kajee will work alongside councillors Elma Rabe…

CORRUPTION ALLEGATIONS Top NPA advocate released on bail JANINE MOODLEY janine.moodley@inl.co.za THE arrest of advocate Matric Luphondo, the acting deputy director of public prosecutions, forms part of a cleansing process within the institution, said the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) this week. Sipho Ngwema, the NPA spokesperson, said the unit was aware of the matter and that Luphondo’s arrest was not a surprise. “The NPA was first to report to (the) NPA management in Pretoria and then (to) the Hawks. Indeed, this is part of the process of cleansing the institution and we appreciate the fact that prosecutors are taking a stand against corruption. It’s encouraging to see them demonstrating a commitment to high ethical values of honesty and integrity.” Luphondo, Lieutenant-Colonel Ayanda Plaatjie, a Hawks official, and Kebone Masange, the…

UGANDA Country of much ethnic diversity CHARLENE SOMDUTH charlene.somduth@inl.co.za INDIANS were brought to Uganda to build railways but today they dominate the country’s economy, contributing up to 65% of its tax revenues. According to Forbes magazine, Uganda’s wealthiest man is also Indian. Sudhir Ruparelia, whose family hails from Gujarat, India, is estimated to have a fortune worth $1.2 billion (R17.4bn). He has investments in banking, insurance, education, broadcasting, real estate, floriculture, hotels and resorts. Wikipedia.org reported that in 1895 the construction of the Uganda Railway began and the Imperial British East Africa Company awarded Alibhai Mulla Jeevanjee, an agent based in Karachi, India, the contract to supply the required labour force. According to the website, Jeevanjee recruited about 32 000 men from Punjab, India, over six years to work on…

Editor’s View Be careful. Be very careful THIS week the death toll from the coronavirus pandemic crossed the 3 million mark world-wide. According to statistics compiled by Reuters, an international news organisation, it took more than a year for the first 2 million people to die as a result of Covid-19. The next million deaths took place in about three months. This comes despite efforts to vaccinate the human population. In the last few days, the number of new infections and deaths worldwide have increased. Brazil and India are particularly hard hit. India recently recorded more than 100 000 new cases in a single day. It included several well-known Bollywood stars. In South Africa the situation is currently manageable given the relatively low number of new infections. However, we dare not…

Borders have to be controlled ONE of the EFF's vision and mission is to do away with border control and have a free flow of people between countries on the African continent. This would be similar to the free trade agreement between African countries. This vision of a borderless Africa is a mission impossible based on the political situation in many of the African countries. Recently, when President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the closure of 20 land borders due to the Covid-19 pandemic, there was an outcry from EFF leader Julius Malema. Apparently, the EFF would like to see at least 40% of South African jobs going to foreigners. Malema said the reason why there were so many foreigners flocking to South Africa was because they took up jobs that locals…

A child’s emotional scars can last a lifetime I AM outraged and saddened by the article “Nine life sentences for rapist stepfather” (the POST, March 31-April 4). Not even hell has a place for scum like this. I hope and pray he will never see the outside of prison. What kind of mind and what man would want to rape his nine-year-old stepdaughter? This is also a wake-up call for our community to never allow another child to be violated and betrayed in this manner. We are generally a community that is suffering from an inability to react when we hear of this type of abuse. The panic and terror the young girl suffered over the four-year period must be overwhelming. Rape is a despicable crime and dealing with such…

Sri Lanka still haunted by Easter bombings SRI LANKA will observe the second anniversary of the Easter Sunday terrorist attacks this year. On April 21, 2019, in a series of co-ordinated suicide bombings, Islamic insurgents targeted three churches and three hotels in Colombo, killing 267 people and injuring more than 500. Fondly referred to the teardrop of India, for its strategic location, and formerly known as Ceylon, Sri Lanka is no stranger to death and destruction. It was the site of a 26-year civil war between the majority Buddhist Sinhalese and the Tamil minority in which an estimated 40000 to 100000 people lost their lives. The armed struggle for the Tamils who wanted their own state was led by the Tamil Tigers. History will tell us that 77 years ago,…

Healthy iftaar recipes Chef Mani Pathak, the executive chef at the Fox in the Field Restaurant in Bengaluru, India. Shrimp And Avocado Salad 200g shrimps or prawns, deveined 50g asparagus, washed and blanched 1 avocado, sliced or diced 1 orange 20ml lemon juice 250g iceberg lettuce, washed and drained 10g micro greens, washed 20ml olive oil/salad oil 20g red cherry tomatoes 2 olives, sliced salt to taste 2g black pepper (whole) 10g garlic 10g jalapeno Mix the olive oil, lemon juice, chopped garlic, salt and pepper and make the emulsion /dressing. Keep separately. Blanch the shrimps. Scoop out the avocado and cut into wedges or any other shape. Peel the orange and cut into segments. Mix the lettuce, orange segments, asparagus, avocado, tomato and shrimps. Pour dressing on top. Garnish…

Ramadaan delights Feriel Sonday shares some family favourite recipes. Follow her on Facebook: Feriel Sonday's Heavenly Bites Chicken Corn Lagan CUT a chicken fillet into small pieces. Stir-fry dry in butter and season with chicken spices and Aromat. Mix together with: 1 tin creamed mielies 3 tbs melted butter 3 eggs, beaten 200ml self-raising flour ½ tsp jeera, turmeric and coriander powder salt to taste fresh dhania, chopped Mix together all the ingredients and pour into a small and greased square dish. Sprinkle with sesame seeds (optional) and bake in a preheated oven at 180ºC for 30 minutes. Supplied…

‘NOBODY IS GIVING ME DIRTY LOOKS’ Covid gives niqab a helping hand ANNA PIELA Wikimedia Commons FACE masks are new terrain for many, who find themselves unable to recognise neighbours and are unsure how to engage socially without using facial expressions. But not for Muslim women who wear the niqab or Islamic face veil. Suddenly, these women – who are often received in the West with open hostility for covering their faces – look a lot more like everyone else. Religious dress I interviewed 38 British and US niqab wearers for my upcoming book on Muslim women who wear the niqab in the US and the UK. Almost all of them were British and American citizens, but they came from all across the world and all walks of life. They…

KINGFISHER SHOWS HOW TO REEL THEM IN Catches few and far between but it’s size that matters THE rock and surf fishing has been a bit slow but the bites that have come have been monsters. The North Coast has produced a good number of raggies around the Tugela area. The areas further north have produced some diamonds but we have not had a proper diamond smash this year. The sandies and honeycombs have been the other two species that have frequented the reports from the north. These fish are best targeted using bigger baits, with a fresh bonito head and some cutlets putting a good number of fish onto the beach. There have been edibles up north but the fishing has been tough with the later hours in the…

WWE’S GREATEST EVENT Cena and Undertaker set to miss WrestleMania? ESHLIN VEDAN eshlin.vedan@inl.co.za WWE WrestleMania 37 will take place over two days this Saturday at the Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, US. The “grandest stage of them all” this year is set to mark fans returning to attendance for the first time since the pandemic struck, though in a restricted capacity. Controversial celebrity turned professional boxer Logan Paul is set to make an appearance in the event alongside Sami Zayn in his singles match against Kevin Owens. Paul, who lost his one and only professional boxing match against YouTuber K.S.I, has to be one of the luckiest people alive. Not only will he soon have an exhibition boxing match against boxing legend Floyd Mayweather, but he is now going…

ESHLIN VEDAN’S EPL VIEW Tau faces uncertain Brighton future ESHLIN VEDAN eshlin.vedan@inl.co.za ONE of the unique characteristics of Sam Allardyce-led sides is that they seldom play attractive football, yet it is hardly surprising when they lose against the under-performing sides in the league but record victories over the best sides. Allardyce’s West Brom may well still be relegated this season but they inflicted a first defeat on Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel who had been undefeated since succeeding Frank Lampard in January. The result was not a fluke and roles were reversed as Chelsea mimicked a relegation-threatened side while the Baggies played as though they are vying for a top four finish. Manchester United’s win against Brighton and Hove Albion last weekend was interesting in a sense that all three goals…

THIS IS NO WAY TO RESPECT THE DEAD Families struggle to find gravesites CHARLENE SOMDUTH charlene.somduth@inl.co.za FAMILIES whose loved ones are buried at cemeteries in Merebank have accused the city of not doing enough to maintain the graveyard. Preston Naidoo, 40, of Merebank, said his mother, Brenda, was buried at the Merebank Cemetery. She died in 2016, aged 55, after a stroke. “I visited her gravesite on March 21 last year to mark her 59th birthday. I was unable to return during the course of the year due to the lockdown and the Covid-19 restrictions. But I went this month for her 60th birthday. “As we drove into the cemetery, I was shocked. It was in a terrible condition. The grass reached my knees and because my mother’s grave does…

PASSING IS A GREAT LOSS Tributes for first KZN premier CHANELLE LUTCHMAN chanelle.lutchman@inl.co.za SHARIKA REGCHAND African News Agency (ANA) Archives DR FRANK Mdlalose, who has been described as an outstanding servant of South Africa, succumbed to Covid-19 on Saturday. He was 89. Mdlalose was KwaZulu-Natal’s first premier, from May 1994 to March 1997; the country’s ambassador to Egypt and the former national chairperson of the IFP. He retired from active politics in 2005. Mdlalose and his wife Eunice were admitted to hospital after contracting the virus. His wife is still in hospital. Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi, the founder of the IFP, said that as one of the first members of Inkatha, Mdlalose had quickly shown his leadership qualities and his ability to ignite a vision in South Africans. “He served in…

HIGH SCHOOL LOVE Best friends for more than five decades NADIA KHAN nadia.khan@inl.co.za Supplied WHAT started as high school friendship blossomed into a love story spanning over 50 years for a Merebank couple. Suminthra Ramgoolam, 70, formerly of Glencoe, and her husband, Ashokumar “Ricky”, 73, formerly of Wasbank, both in Northern KwaZulu-Natal, will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on April 11. Ramgoolam, a housewife, said she met Ashokumar, a retired transport manager, while they both attended ML Sultan Glencoe Secondary School in the 1960s. She was in Standard 6, and he joined the school in Standard 8. “We became best of friends as we could easily talk to each other. He did not live in the same area, so he travelled to school by train every day. On weekends he…

SERVICES Draft budget slammed JANINE MOODLEY janine.moodley@inl.co.za OPPOSITION parties believe eThekwini municipality's R52.3 billion draft budget will do little to sustain service delivery in the city. Mayor Mxolisi Kaunda tabled the draft budget for the 2021/2022 financial year last week. He referred to it as a pro-poor budget and said it would not compromise on service delivery. The budget comprises R47bn for operations and R5.3bn for capital, and includes a social package programme of R4.7bn. A recently adopted indigent policy forms part of the programme, where customers struggling to pay for services will benefit. A consultation process will be held before the final budget is adopted at the end of May. Kaunda said tariff increases would be lower than in the previous six years. “Despite all the challenges, we have…

ZAMBIA Sense of unity among people JANINE MOODLEY janine.moodley@inl.co.za Supplied UNLIKE South Africa, which has one of the largest populations of Indians outside of India, Zambia’s Indian community is small but still prominent. According to the Zambian Ministry of External Affairs, there are 25 000 Indians living in Zambia. Indians arrived in the southern African country in 1905 from Gujarat in India. They were mostly craftsmen and businesspeople. The first group of Indians were Muslim, and Hindu traders followed. The website Nations Encyclopedia said that an estimated 85% conform to some form of Christianity, another 5% to Islam, 5% to other faiths such as Hinduism and the remaining 5% were atheists. The Shaivam organisation lists four Hindu temples in Zambia. There are about seven mosques, as per travel blogs, most…

MORAL VALUES How women in India reclaimed the protest power of ripped jeans DR DEELALI DEWAN The meaning of clothing India has a history of using clothing to convey political meaning and even as a strategy to incite change. As anthropologist, Emma Tarlo explains, in Clothing Matters: Dress and Identity in India, what one chooses to wear has long been understood as a maker of meaning – a way of both expressing and shaping personal identity. For example, in 1903 (as I’ve written about elsewhere), the wealthiest man in India at the time, the Nizam of Hyderabad, chose to wear a simple Western suit to the 1903 Delhi Durbar, a ceremony marking the coronation of the British monarch. In so doing, he instigated the displeasure of a British colonial administration…

Lessons that I’ve learnt MANY of my letters to the press and even in my book make reference to my parents and my teachers, especially at the primary school level. Parents, especially my dad, as semi-literate as he was, taught me basic hygiene. He often watched over me to make certain I was definitely washing my hands thoroughly after visiting the toilet, touching the dirt bin and before touching any food. My dad pursued this line of precaution until it became ingrained in my brothers and I. Alcohol and cigarettes were taboo, and not for religious reasons. Dad never used religious dogma to teach us moral lessons. Cleanliness as next to godliness was never mentioned. Charity and honesty had to be practised for its own abstract reward and not to…

This is not the time to play the long game SHAKESPEARE’S tragedy, Hamlet, provides an object lesson on the hazards of not acting in the moment. Hamlet’s anguished cry of “To be or not to be” signals a cautionary tale on the perils of procrastination. It would seem that President Cyril Ramaphosa (a learned man we are led to believe) has not heeded the lessons of Hamlet’s inability to act decisively. You, sir, are famed for playing the long game politically speaking. In a country which is not flailing helplessly against the economic and political tide which threatens to engulf it, you might well be afforded the time to deliberate about how you intend to cleanse your government of individuals who, for nefarious reasons, wish to create instability in the…

Your Stars SHARRON DUFF ARIES (March 21 – April 19) You have done amazing things with your time and energy and now it’s time to reap some rewards. Enjoy the time away from work. Promotions and scholarships are in your energy so be open to the challenge. Lucky colour: orange. TAURUS (April 20 – May 20) Don’t let other people’s opinions of you stop you from succeeding. Keep the channels of communication open this week so that you can problem solve. Watch your patience levels. You catch more flies with honey. Lucky colour: blue. GEMINI (May 21 – June 20) Read the small print with any contracts and financial agreements. Take your time and don’t rush. There is success in your chart for an exciting new challenge. Be open to…

MANAGING TYPE 2 DIABETES DURING RAMADAAN Faith and health SUE LYNN LAU AND AHMED HUSSEIN Pexels.com THE holy month of Ramadaan sees Muslims all over the world fast during daylight hours. Does having type 2 diabetes exclude a person from fasting? Not necessarily. The decision belongs to the person, but getting some advice from health professionals can help. Type 2 diabetes, which constitutes the majority of diabetes cases, occurs when the body becomes resistant to the actions of insulin, or loses the capacity to produce sufficient insulin from the pancreas. Insulin keeps the body’s blood glucose levels within a healthy range. People with type 2 diabetes can manage the condition by maintaining a healthy lifestyle, including exercising and keeping a healthy diet. In more serious cases, people with type 2…

AT A GLANCE Across the globe POST REPORTER MUSLIMS around the world will mark the holy month of Ramadaan amid Covid-19 this year. The Islamic holy month, which is observed by fasting between sunrise and sunset, will fall between April and May. According to the Islamic calendar, which follows the lunar cycle, Ramadan is expected to start on April 13, subject to the first sighting of the moon. In recent weeks, news from across the world has made headlines in this regard. Here’s a look at some of the plans unfolding in other countries: Saudi Arabia Arabnews.com recently reported that Saudi Arabian authorities announced their Ramadaan operation plan for the Two Holy Mosques in Mecca and Medina, with visitors being urged to get vaccinated against Covid-19 to ensure their safety…

ACTS OF COMPASSION Time to renew faith SHARIQ SIDDIQUI MANY of the world’s 1.8 billion Muslims experienced the holy month of Ramadaan differently last year – disrupted by social distancing during the Covid-19 pandemic. Ramadaan is the ninth month on the Islamic lunar calendar during which Muslims are required to fast from food, drink and sexual activity from dawn to dusk. It is also a time for Muslims to renew their faith and remind themselves of the best they can be by performing acts of compassion. For many Muslims, Ramadaan is centred around helping the poor. Muslims tend to give their zakat – obligatory annual charitable payments – during Ramadaan. In the US, this has traditionally meant fund-raising iftaars – the evening meal to break daily Ramadaan fasts – or…

TEMPO OF THE GAME WILL BE KEY Real Madrid will have advantage at Anfield – Benitez REAL Madrid will benefit more than Liverpool from the absence of fans in their Champions League quarter-final, said Rafa Benitez. Liverpool faced Madrid in Spain last night and the return fixture is at Anfield, where the Merseyside club have struggled in the Premier League this season, with matches taking place without fans due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Benitez, who managed Liverpool from 2004 to 2010 and had a short spell at Madrid, said ahead of last night’s game, that it was crucial the English side get a goal in the first leg. "If they do this then Real have to attack in the second game at Anfield and will then be more exposed in…

PONTING HAPPY Rabada, Nortje join Delhi Capitals to quarantine SOUTH African fast bowlers Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje arrived at the Delhi Capitals' team hotel yesterday. The pair left South Africa before the end of the series against Pakistan and will now be in quarantine for seven days after which they will join the rest of the DC squad before their second match of the 2021 Indian Premier League (IPL). DC are training at the Cricket Club of India with players and coaching staff joining the sessions after completing their quarantine periods. Head coach Ricky Ponting attended his first practice session on Sunday. "I am thrilled with the players that we've got here, and I think we can win the IPL. Might as well go on record and say it…