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Daily Maverick
4 days ago
- Health
- Daily Maverick
More than two dozen children have starved to death in Nelson Mandela Bay in the past year
Alarmingly, the numbers have almost doubled since 2023, when 14 children under the age of five starved to death in Nelson Mandela Bay. Twenty-five children under the age of five died of severe acute malnutrition in the Nelson Mandela Bay metro in the past 12 months, and hundreds more had to be treated for less severe conditions triggered by starvation. Statistics released by the Eastern Cape Department of Health reveal that in the past 12 months, 237 children under five were diagnosed with severe acute malnutrition and 501 with moderately severe and acute malnutrition, with more than 100 children being diagnosed in March alone. Alarmingly, the numbers have almost doubled since 2023, when 14 children under the age of five starved to death in Nelson Mandela Bay and another 216 new cases of severe acute malnutrition were confirmed over 18 months between 2022 and 2023. Read more: A silent killer is stalking babies in Nelson Mandela Bay Nelson Mandela Bay is widely regarded as the most prosperous metro in the province. Despite being the largest metro in the province, it has been allocated only R855,283 for its Social Relief of Distress programme by the provincial Department of Social Development. Between August 2024 and March 2025, only 241 food parcels were distributed by the department in the metro. The Human Sciences Research Council's National Food and Nutrition Security Survey, which was published last year, showed that in the metro 40% of children were stunted to some degree, with 14% being diagnosed with severe stunting, and 1.5% diagnosed as 'wasting', meaning their weight is lower than average for their height. According to the survey, 20% of households in the metro were experiencing severe food insecurity. In September 2024, the Eastern Cape Social Economic Council unpacked a provincial strategy to address hunger in the Eastern Cape. This followed the release of a report on hunger in the province by the South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC), which said child malnutrition in the Eastern Cape should be declared a disaster in terms of the Disaster Management Act, compelling the government to intervene immediately and decisively. It found that a substantial percentage of children in the Eastern Cape were suffering from malnutrition. The SAHRC suggested that the government should increase the Child Support Grant (it was R480 at the time and is now R520) and extend the school nutrition programme to early childhood development centres. The Eastern Cape head of the SAHRC, Dr Eileen Carter, said the data that was provided to them had shown that from 2021 to 2022, more than 1,000 children in the province were diagnosed with severe acute malnutrition, and 120 of them had died. The data also showed that 25% of the province's children were stunted. This has now increased to 40%. With the automotive sector being the heartbeat of the province's metros, the Automotive Business Council of SA's CEO, Mikel Mabasa, this month warned that the Eastern Cape was facing a humanitarian crisis because of high export tariffs imposed by the US that will probably come into effect on Friday. The tariffs have put a potential 100,000 jobs on the line. DM
NDTV
21-07-2025
- Business
- NDTV
Study Abroad: Canada Or UK? Top Universities, Fees And Other Details As Per QS Rankings
Study Abroad: Canada Or UK?: Canada and the United Kingdom are among the most sought after destinations for international students because these countries not only offer a multi-cultural environment, but also provide quality education through its world-class universities. But before choosing a country for higher education, it is necessary for students to carry out thorough research about universities and their fee structures. Here is a comparison of the top universities in Canada and UK: 1. Imperial College, London vs McGill University, Canada Imperial College is the top university in the UK and the second best in the world as per QS World University Rankings 2026. The university has a Employer Reputation (ER) score of 100. ER evaluates how highly employer's worldwide regard a university's graduates. A total of 225 courses are offered by the institution. McGill University, Canada is the best in the country and is ranked 27th among the top universities of the world providing courses in Bachelor's (249), Master's (167 programs), 3 MBA courses and 79 PhD programs. The university has a ER of 93.5. McGill university currently has 10,194 international students studying while Imperial College has 9,230 international students. Comparing the top universities of their respective country, UK and Canada, UK's Imperial College has a higher Employer and world-wide reputation. The tuition-fees starts from Rs.22,04,763 for the McGill University, while for Imperial College the tuition-fees starts at Rs.40,70,283. 2. University of Oxford, London vs University of Toronto, Canada University of Oxford is the second best in the UK and ranked fourth among the top universities of the world with a ER of 100. University of Toronto, Canada is the second best in Canada with a global ranking of 29 and an ER of 99.1. Oxford currently has 9,087 international students enrolled while Toronto has a total of 31,911 international students studying. Toronto does not offer PhD programs while Oxford offers 80 programs in several fields. 3. University College London (UCL) vs University of British Columbia, Canada UCL, London is the fourth best university in the country and ninth best in the world. The university's tuition-fees starts at Rs.27,91,051 and has a ER of 99.4. University of British Columbia, Canada provides a total of 496 Undergraduate and Postgraduate programs. It is ranked the 40th best university in the world with an ER of British Columbia currently has 16,228 international students enrolled while UCL has 26,184 international students. 4. University de Montreal, Canada vs University of Cambridge, UK Montreal University charges a tuition-fees of Rs.4,00,196 to international students and is ranked 168th among the top universities of the world. The university has 8,885 international students currently enrolled and has a low ER of 44. University of Cambridge, London has a Employer Reputation score of 100 and provides 300 Undergraduate and Postgraduate programs. The university currently has 7,973 international students enrolled.
GMA Network
13-07-2025
- General
- GMA Network
No winners of major lotto draws on Sunday; Ultra Lotto prize now P215 million
There were no winners of either of the major lotto prizes the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) drew for on Sunday, July 13, 2025. No bettor chose the winning combination of 12-57-41-18-33-17 for the Ultra Lotto 6/58 jackpot, which has risen to P215,283,830.40. There was also no pickers of the winning combination of 04-46-25-11-03-07 for the Superlotto 6/49 prize of P23,469,035.60. Click here for the complete lotto results for Sunday, July 6, 2025. — BM, GMA Integrated News
Time of India
12-07-2025
- Time of India
Retired bank officer cheated out of over Rs1 crore in digital arrest case
Pune: Online fraudsters, posing as crime branch personnel of the Mumbai police , cheated out a retired bank officer (70) of Rs1.17 crore between June 11 and 13 after digitally arresting him in a bogus money laundering case. According to police, the retired officer and his wife stay in a flat in Kothrud. Their son is based in the USA. The victim approached the Pune cyber police with his complaint earlier this month. After verifying the bank transactions, the cyber police registered an FIR. The cyber police stated that the suspects, posing as personnel of the Mumbai crime branch, told the retired bank officer that they were investigating a pan-India investment scam. The fraudsters told him that some suspects from Delhi had duped people of Rs2,283 crore. You Can Also Check: Pune AQI | Weather in Pune | Bank Holidays in Pune | Public Holidays in Pune A bogus police officer in the scamsters' group told the complainant that his Aadhaar card and bank account were used in the investment scam. The fradusters said they would arrest the retired bank officer. They also told the victim that he would be jailed for years and it would defame his family. Later, the suspects told the retired officer that they would arrest him digitally, considering his age. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Learn & Earn Upto 5k Daily By This Method of Intraday Trading TradeWise Learn More Undo They ordered him to keep his video call on for the next three days and kept him under digital arrest, the police said. According to the police, the suspects promised to release him from the digital arrest if he paid them some money. The fraudsters shared details of three bank accounts with him, and the victim transferred money to those. After transferring the money to the suspects, the retired bank officer spoke with his son in the US. The latter advised him to approach the police.
Khaleej Times
02-03-2025
- Business
- Khaleej Times
Dubai: These volunteers sort, wash, sew and restore pre-loved items to raise funds for charity
Inside Al Quoz's industrial maze, a quiet revolution in sustainable shopping and philanthropy is underway. Behind the inviting storefront of the nonprofit Thrift for Good's (TfG) newly opened retail and sustainability hub — where neatly arranged racks of clothing, accessories, shoes, and books appear brand new — a group of volunteers is hard at work. Inside this brightly lit, bustling warehouse turned sustainability hub, volunteers sort, wash, sew, and restore pre-loved items, giving them a second life and keeping them out of landfills. Marketing professional Carine Scharf began her volunteering journey with the store after stumbling upon their outlet in Times Square Centre in 2023. 'I looked them up and came across their call out for volunteers and immediately registered to become one,' the 33-year-old German expat told Khaleej Times. Scharf wears multiple hats as a volunteer with the store, coming in a few times every week to support with everything from front of house roles as a cashier and store organiser and at the back sorting, steaming and preparing fresh stock. Considering herself a 'volunteer ambassador', Scharf said: 'I also provide expertise from my marketing background, help raise awareness for community involvement and make the store look more attractive to customers.' An altruistic community Since opening in 2020, TfG has built a network of more than 3,000 volunteers, with about 70 actively volunteering their time to various tasks that keep the initiative running at any given moment. Giving back to the community has always been important to volunteers like Scharf. "When I came across the store and saw its humanitarian and sustainability mission, I knew it was exactly where I wanted to be. Being part of this family is not only fulfilling but also incredibly fun,' she added. Dubai resident Jennifer Sault founded the store, inspired by her experience working at non-profit organisations and the challenges she encountered in fundraising for philanthropic projects. Witnessing the overwhelming presence of fast fashion in the UAE, she decided to create a volunteer-driven thrifting model that would not only promote a circular economy in fashion but provide a sustainable and transparent way to raise funds. Partnering with the nonprofit Gulf for Good, the store channels 100 percent of its profits to global children's charity projects, making shopping both ethical and impactful for customers. As part of its dual goal, the TfG stores have raised Dh3,283,794 for global charitable projects to date. Last year alone, the store diverted 300,000 pieces from landfills. Sault attributes this success to the invaluable time and effort donated by volunteers. "The sheer volume of clothing that comes through, needing repurposing and ultimately being saved from landfills, is immense. Sorting, storing, preparing items for sale and managing daily operations require many hands and this is where the generosity of the community for a nonprofit shines through," she said. Dedicated hub for volunteers Sault initially relied on sponsors like storage facility The Box and her network of volunteers across the UAE to store excess donated items. After receiving a grant from Visa's She's Next global advocacy program for women-owned small businesses last year, she was able to establish a dedicated hub where volunteers can manage these tasks in-house. 'With 60 per cent of donated items requiring some refurbishment upon arrival, our volunteers used to take them home to wash, mend, remove stains, and repair stitches. Managing inventory this way became challenging, and our operations suffered,' Sault noted. TfG recently launched its Youth Sustainability Club to teach young people how to sew and creatively repurpose end-of-life clothing while earning volunteer hours for school credit. "We want to attract more volunteers and provide them with a dedicated space to contribute. That's why we're calling it a hub. It's more than just a workspace. It's a community-driven space where we can introduce new engagement initiatives in the coming months,' said Sault, adding: 'The hub also serves as a hot-desking space for sustainability-focused startups and individuals, enabling innovation and collaboration.' Spreading the culture of sharing Volunteers say that TfG's diverse pathways to building a more altruistic society make it a compelling place to contribute their time. Judith Ann Hill, a long-time volunteer for the nonprofit Raey School in Ethiopia, volunteers at the store once a week as a sales representative as a way to continue her community service in Dubai. 'Working at the store gives me focus and a sense of purpose. It's also great on a social level as I meet new people and customers from all over the world,' said the 66-year-old Australian expat. "I've had the opportunity to personally share my charity work in Ethiopia with customers. The photos, videos, and posters displayed in the shop not only raise awareness but also inspire more people to embrace thrifting. We receive an incredible number of donations daily from people who love our stores and everything we stand for,' she added. For Ralph Ledesma, volunteering at the store is a natural extension of his values of giving back. As a fashion and interior design specialist, he lends his expertise in visual merchandising and creative direction, enhancing the store's interior and styling for photoshoots. 'The store sheds light on critical issues that need collective action. It's shifting perceptions around consumption, making sustainable shopping and supporting meaningful causes more mainstream,' he highlighted. The 26-year-old has been with the store for two years, an one of his proudest moments was sharing his time serving as a TfG stylist for a fashion show featuring people of determination at last year's F.A.M.E inclusive talent event. 'The participants took center stage with confidence, dressed in pieces from the store. It was a truly heartwarming experience, where fashion, purpose and passion came together in the best way,' he added. 'Contribute in any way' As the store continues to expand, Sault said they will increase community activities at the sustainability hub. They have been donating 10 per cent of unused store items to Serve the City, a volunteer group that distributes goods to various camps. They also partnered with Kiswa UAE to recycle items that cannot be repurposed in the store. "There are countless ways to give back with us, and we invite people to contribute in any way they can. We want to connect people. At the end of the day, it's more than just thrifting, it's about helping kids around the world.' 'Let's look at the bigger picture. See how your actions are helping children around the world and protecting our environment.' 'You'll also become part of a volunteer community that transforms even the most routine tasks into peaceful, enjoyable experiences. Who would have thought that steaming clothes and stamping price tags could turn into your new form of meditative 'me-time',' Scharf added.
