Newspaper
The Mercury
Bangladesh-Pakistan flights to resume
DHAKA: Bangladesh and Pakistan are to resume direct flights after more than a decade, Dhaka's national airline said yesterday, as ties warm and regional power balances shift.
1 min |
January 09, 2026
The Mercury
Turkiye will help Syria against fighters
Turkiye's military was ready to \"support\" Syria in its battle with Kurdish fighters in the northwestern city of Aleppo if Damascus asks for help, a defence ministry official said yesterday.
1 min |
January 09, 2026
The Mercury
Why new signing Mason Mushore is the key to AmaZulu's midfield balance
AMAZULU head coach Arthur Zwane has opened up on the reasoning behind the club’s decision to sign Zimbabwean midfielder Mason Mushore, describing the move as both a necessary response to recent challenges and part of a wider plan to strengthen the squad.
2 min |
January 09, 2026
The Mercury
Champions Cup audition for Stormers fringe players against Harlequins
WHILE the Stormers toured without their usual star-studded cast for their third Champions Cup pool clash in London, the Twickenham Stoop provides the perfect stage to highlight the depth that underpins their current success.
2 min |
January 09, 2026
The Mercury
UN chief ready to support dialogue
UNITED NATIONS: UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres this week expressed the availability of his offices to support a possible inclusive national dialogue in Venezuela, his spokesperson said.
1 min |
January 09, 2026
The Mercury
Cape Town sounds alarm as dam levels plummet after heatwave
CAPE Town authorities have issued an urgent appeal for residents, businesses and visitors to cut back on water use after dam levels dropped significantly following a surge in consumption during recent hot weather.
2 min |
January 09, 2026
The Mercury
Sesko spark masks Man Utd disappointment for Fletcher
MANCHESTER United caretaker boss Darren Fletcher hopes Benjamin Sesko's double in a 2-2 draw at Burnley proves to be the launching pad for the Slovenian striker after a tough start to life at Old Trafford.Sesko had scored just twice in 17 appearances since his £74 million move from RB Leipzig prior to Wednesday's trip to Turf Moor.
1 min |
January 09, 2026
The Mercury
Squeezing the life out of the opposition is what the Lions’ Qoma is all about
WHILE the Lions’ results remain inconsistent, their performances are on an upward trajectory, and flanker Siba Qoma reckons they are not far off a \"purple patch\".
2 min |
January 09, 2026
The Mercury
‘A Happy New Year’? Only if we seize the controls from the captains of chaos
WHAT we term as a “year” is merely a virtual “time capsule” in which we are mostly passengers.
1 min |
January 09, 2026
The Mercury
An epic offshore season awaits – 2026 is firing on all cylinders!
Buckle up, because 2026 is rolling in hot with an offshore season that’s already showing serious promise.
2 min |
January 09, 2026
The Mercury
CMS investigates Discovery Health's co-payment recovery claims
THE Council for Medical Schemes (CMS) says it will investigate claims that Discovery Health Medical Scheme (DHMS) is seeking to claim co-payments back from its members due to an error at South Africa's biggest medical aid in December.
2 min |
January 09, 2026
The Mercury
Be your own knight: Finding greatness in yourself
THERE are no knights in shining armour.
1 min |
January 09, 2026
The Mercury
Sharks searching for new ‘Butch’ or ‘Michalak’ to fire up listless attack
THE Sharks have sent a squad composed mostly of up-and-coming youngsters to Manchester to face Sale Sharks in the Champions Cup.
2 min |
January 09, 2026
The Mercury
De Jong’s work rate could be the missing piece in Orlando Pirates’ title push
HE is not the flashiest striker in the league.
2 min |
January 09, 2026
The Mercury
Wildfires challenge firefighting crews in Western Cape amid extreme heat
EXTREME heat, dense vegetation and limited access are complicating firefighting efforts across parts of the Western Cape yesterday as crews continue to battle multiple active wildfires from the Overstrand to the Garden Route.
1 min |
January 09, 2026
The Mercury
IMF Africa chief Abebe Selassie to retire after leading department through turbulent decade
THE International Monetary Fund (IMF) managing director, Kristalina Georgieva, has announced that Abebe Aemro Selassie will retire as director of the IMF’s African Department (AFR) on May 1, bringing to a close a distinguished 32-year career at the Fund.
1 min |
January 09, 2026
The Mercury
Ramaphosa: Unemployment keeps me awake
PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa has expressed concern over the high levels of unemployment in the country, revealing that the issue often keeps him awake at night.
2 min |
January 09, 2026
The Mercury
US asserts control over Venezuela's oil sales
US PRESIDENT Donald Trump's administration said this week it will dictate decisions to Venezuela's interim leaders and control the country’s oil sales “indefinitely” after toppling Nicolas Maduro.
2 min |
January 09, 2026
The Mercury
Yemen separatist leader 'fled' to UAE
YEMEN’S separatist leader has fled to the United Arab Emirates, the Saudi-led coalition said yesterday, after an attempt to seize swathes of territory and move towards independence.
2 min |
January 09, 2026
The Mercury
IFP, ANC clash over Section 154 intervention in Umkhanyakude District
THE IFP-led KwaZulu-Natal Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) is headed for another political showdown with the ANC-led Umkhanyakude District Municipality following the latter's rejection of a Section 154 intervention.
2 min |
January 09, 2026
The Mercury
Trump, lies and the invasion of Venezuela
THE USA invasion of Venezuela underscores what happens when voters elect a lunatic into office based on lies and deception.
1 min |
January 09, 2026
The Mercury
Attempted coups call for counter-force
Misgovernance tempts military to seize opportunities
4 min |
January 09, 2026
The Mercury
‘I don't’: Couple's AI wedding vows rejected by Dutch court
A DUTCH court broke the hearts of a couple after ruling that their marriage, whose wedding vows were drafted with the help of artificial intelligence, was not valid.
1 min |
January 09, 2026
The Mercury
Inanda families mourn as five suspects killed in police shootout
HYSTERICAL cries swept through Bester, Area 10, in Inanda, when the bodies of five suspects were carried from the house they were killed in and placed into the forensic pathology services vehicle.
1 min |
January 09, 2026
The Mercury
SA's naval drills with Russia, China spark fears of financial fallout
Military exercises with BRICS nations raise economic concerns for South Africa
3 min |
January 09, 2026
The Mercury
Royal Victory should take the salute
ROYAL VICTORY ran well below par in the soft in the Gr1 Betway Summer Cup on the Highveld, a race that he had won before, but can make amends when he lines up in the Michael Roberts Stakes at Hollywoodbets Scottsville on Sunday.
3 min |
January 09, 2026
The Mercury
uMngeni-uThukela Water's urgent repairs to pipeline 53 underway
REPAIRS to water pipeline no. 53 in Pietermaritzburg, which supplies approximately 30 megalitres of water per day, are expected to be completed by Saturday.
2 min |
January 09, 2026
The Mercury
How Venezuela's crisis tests global sovereignty
THERE is a reason the argument has stalled on a single word.
4 min |
January 09, 2026
The Mercury
Punishment must be proportionate to the crime
THE recent murder of AFASA chairperson Mr Mbongeni Skhakhane (KwaZulu-Natal) and the death of a motorist on the N17 (Gauteng) as a result of a brick incident depict in vivid terms life in a crime-ridden country.
2 min |
January 09, 2026
The Mercury
Turning pressure into points: Five areas the Bulls must get right to tame Bristol Bears
THE Bulls showed plenty of fight against the Stormers in Cape Town, but their inability to seize control during periods when they held the upper hand ultimately came back to haunt them in defeat.
2 min |