Youth-led protests over exam irregularities and job prospects have forced Narendra Modi's government into a rare retreat, raising questions about the Indian prime minister's political dominance and the strength of Brand Modi ahead of key state elections.

Lesego Modutle wants to know why Cape Town forgot how to say hello.

Six foreign nationals have died in a devastating blaze in the Eastern Cape, prompting the South African Police Service (SAPS) to open an inquest docket after officers on patrol heard an explosion and discovered the building engulfed in flames. The blaze occurred at a Tsomo business premises in the early hours of Tuesday, 28 July 2026. Explosion According to reports, at approximately 03:40am, police officers on patrol heard a loud explosive sound near the Tsomo police station. Police spokesperson Nobuntu Gantana said the officers immediately drove towards the station to investigate and, upon detecting a strong smell of smoke, traced it to a store known as MAA Cash and Carry. “Officers discovered huge flames emanating from the building and rushed to the back of the shop, where people were known to be residing.” Bodies Gantana said upon arrival, officers established that multiple people were trapped inside the building. “They attempted to gain entry, along with private security personnel and members of the local community who came to assist. Despite their combined rescue efforts, only one person managed to escape. Sadly, six other occupants succumbed to the fire. “Firefighters arrived on the scene, and despite challenges posed by thick smoke and rainy weather, they managed to extinguish the blaze, and all six burnt bodies were recovered,” Gantana said. Gantana added that the deceased have since been identified by their employer. No foul play “All necessary role players were summoned to the scene, including Emergency Medical Services, SAPS members, Provincial Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) and members of the Local Criminal Record Centre (LCRC). At this stage, no foul play is suspected.” Gantana said the investigations into the incident are continuing. Xenophobic attacks Meanwhile, Nigeria has urged South Africa to do more to prevent xenophobic attacks on African migrants, as the two countries met this week to try to cool tensions. Foreign nationals have come under attack, and foreign-owned shops have been looted over the last few months, as some South Africans blame immigrants ​for problems such as crime and unemployment. Nigeria completed its voluntary repatriation programme last Thursday, with the final flight taking 305 returnees home from Johannesburg. In total, nearly 1 490 citizens were returned to the West African country. Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola, led a high‑stakes mission to Abuja this week, opening candid talks aimed at repairing strained relations between the two nations.

You can talk all you like, but it may go in one ear and out another. Empathy and love are not always spoken in words or in WhatsApps. They are felt, which is why touch leaves such a lasting impression, both consciously and subconsciously. No amount of texting, video calling or conversation can replace it, research suggests. However, because of overuse of the latter, we are missing out. We may be in touch, but we have lost contact. And this comes, experts say, at a cost, because we are only starting to realise how important touch is in a world where, well, frankly, it’s going missing in action. It was your first language Long before any of us could string a sentence together, we understood touch and spoke the language of touch and close personal contact. It is how babies first learn they are safe, and that instinct, ingrained since infancy, never really leaves us. In a 2024 paper published in the journal Anthropology of Consciousness, researchers examining touch in a digitalised world wrote that touch needs no translation and no interpretation. A hand on the shoulder simply says, “I am here.” And that is the kind of universal connection everyone understands. Bodies respond to touch Touch is more than just a physical sensation. It is chemistry. In a paper for the New York-based research foundation the Garrison Institute, emotion scientist Dr Tracy Dennis-Tiwary cited research showing that holding a partner’s hand slows the brain’s threat response. Is that not incredible to contemplate? Another study found that stressed teenagers who instant messaged their mothers released little to no oxytocin, the bonding hormone, while those who spoke to them or met them in person did receive a hit of the same. A hug, in other words, does the heavy emotional lifting that a WhatsApp voice note cannot. The forgotten sense of digital life Touch has been called the forgotten sense of the digital world. Yet, after a day of back-to-back messages, phone calls, voice notes and Zoom meetings, many of us feel hollowed out and exhausted. We have communicated plenty and connected very little. The distance is subtle, but it adds up over time. It may also help explain why meeting in person often feels more productive and meaningful than gathering online. Touch can hold relationships together Trust is not built on words only. In Psychology Today, psychotherapist Hugh Willard cited a meta-analysis from Germany’s Ruhr University which concluded that touch plays a significant role in supporting good physical and mental health. It is the handshake, the pat on the back and the hand held in a waiting room at the hospital, for example, that make relationships feel close rather than just existing. Experts say you can message someone every day and still feel like strangers because frequency of contact is not the same as physical closeness. Touch moulds your personality Developmental psychologists at Italy’s University of Padua, in a paper published in Frontiers in Psychology, wrote that touch is fundamental from birth. Children who grow up with consistent, nurturing contact regulate their emotions better, form stronger attachments and manage stress more easily as adults. This is not something we outgrow because it forms the foundation we continue building on throughout life. Touch is not simply a nice-to-have. Evidence from multiple studies suggests it is a basic human need that never expires, no matter our life stage.

Orlando Pirates fans are dismayed at the club’s decision to let go of Thabiso Sesane. Will they regret this decision in the long run? Fans aren’t amused that Sesane has left Orlando Pirates Pirates fans aren’t exactly delighted that Thabiso Sesane has left the club. The 26-year-old has been desperately unfortunate with injury issues, notably a tendon problem which ruled him out of the entire 2025-26 season. Sesane was a stellar component of the Pirates back four in 2024-25 until injury struck at the halfway mark of the campaign. Fans on social media are battling to see the logic of letting him go. Their hearts also bleed for the man, understandably so. Faith25 said: “Sesane was good. They’re going to miss him.” Evelynle said: “My heart bleeds for Sesane. He is the kind of player we need ko CAF bafethu. Sesane is the quality that we need, and to think he wasn’t given game time to prove himself. Even Mabasa is the quality striker we don’t have at Pirates.” Mjobi said: “Eish. My heart bleeds for Sesane. Pirates needs that kind of player. Especially with the Champions League to challenge for, and the Betway league to defend.” What’s going on with Appollis? As things stand, 24-year-old Bafana star Oswin Appollis is staying put with the champions. There were rumours of a big-money move to Portuguese giants Porto, but those whispers have died down. It might be an opportune outcome for Pirates, who have already sold Rele Mofokeng this window. Losing two marquee names in the same window might have been too much to handle. Links to Emile Witbooi persist, while Cemran Dansin could get more responsibility in the first team. Title defence looms large for Orlando Pirates Meanwhile, Milford FC are the visitors to Orlando Stadium on matchday 1 of the 2026-27 Betway Premiership season. The defending champions have lost several big names, although they are also looking to future-proof their squad by signing exciting youngsters. Pirates vs Milford kicks off on Saturday, 1 August at 15:30.

Sizekhaya are the new national lottery operators in South Africa having officially taken over from ITHUBA on 1 June 2026. They have introduced a host of changes, including the new PowerBall XTRA which replaced the PowerBall Plus draw. As a reminder, PowerBall and PowerBall EXTA draws take place every Tuesday and Friday evenings at 21:00, live on e-tv and SABC 2. Those wishing to play have until 20:40 on the day of each draw to do so. HOW TO PLAY THE POWERBALL The PowerBall costs R10 per board. Players match five numbers from a pool of 50, plus a PowerBall number from 1 to 16, either self-selected or via Quick Pick. Adding PowerBall Xtra costs an extra R5 per board, giving a second shot at winning from the same numbers, bringing the combined cost to R15 per board if you play both. WHERE TO BUY YOUR TICKETS Tickets are available at authorised National Lottery retailers, on the National Lottery website and app, or via USSD by dialling 1207529#. If you’re playing PowerBall through a banking app, Capitec, FNB, Absa, Nedbank, Standard Bank, TymeBank and African Bank all let you select numbers or Quick Pick directly from your phone before the cutoff. Winners of R50 000 or more receive free trauma counselling and financial advice, and all National Lottery winnings are paid tax-free directly into the winner’s account. Players must be 18 or older. Please play responsibly. Verify all results at the National Lottery website. HAVE YOU MISSED A DRAW? Draws come thick and fast and there’s a good chance that you may have missed seeing the results of one to date. All the PowerBall draw results since 1 June 2026 DateNumbersPowerBallWinner28 July3, 12, 27, 36, 4715No winner24 July4, 8, 13, 22, 381No winner21 July15, 40, 41, 47, 5016No winner17 July6, 9, 31, 37, 424No winner14 July9, 13, 21, 36, 404No winner10 July2, 12, 13, 20, 2312No winner7 July16, 18, 21, 29, 4711No winner3 July9, 14, 27, 32, 3415R69 520 478.3030 June21, 26, 40, 42, 4415No winner26 June17, 26, 37, 40, 4513No winner23 June16, 25, 32, 33, 5011No winner19 June9, 10, 27, 37, 4413No winner16 June2, 19, 20, 40, 4311No winner12 June7, 23, 27, 30, 456No winner9 June5, 8, 12, 19, 491No winner5 June2, 16, 33, 37, 436No winner2 June2, 10, 22, 28, 497R128 593 394.50 Big winners to date Sizekhaya’s first ever PowerBall jackpot win came on 2 June 2026, when a Ndwedwe man turned a R30 Boxer ticket into over R128 million. On 3 July 2026 there was another R69.5 million winner. All the PowerBall XTRA draw results since 1 June 2026 DateNumbersPowerBallWinner28 July23, 26, 29, 44, 495No winner24 July14, 16, 22, 37, 4210No winner21 July12, 16, 32, 33, 3916No winner17 July18, 21, 40, 41, 4316No winner14 July10, 23, 34, 35, 372No winner10 July3, 8, 10, 28, 4812No winner7 July16, 29, 32, 45, 472No winner3 July5, 21, 39, 46, 4712No winner30 June8, 14, 16, 25, 4415R45 733 457.30 x 3 *26 June16, 20, 31, 33, 478No winner23 June3, 25, 27, 39, 404No winner19 June7, 23, 26, 38, 4615No winner16 June5, 12, 17, 20, 431No winner12 June3, 9, 32, 42, 461No winner9 June19, 32, 40, 45, 4811No winner5 June2, 23, 44, 48, 5014No winner2 June4, 12, 27, 35, 4115No winner * Thanks to Sizekhaya’s cascading rule, the PowerBall XTRA draw on Tuesday, 30 June was shared by three players who each matched the five numbers drawn Will you be South Africa’s next PowerBall or PowerBall XTRA multimillionaire? The South African is the first to report PowerBall and PowerBall results as they happen. Bookmark this link to check the latest results.

Acer's Boksburg assembly and a curated channel are shielding local buyers from global component shocks.

Seasoned operational leader Collin Govender will drive the healthcare platform’s next phase of growth.