A high-speed train collision south of Madrid killed 64 people and injured scores more on Wednesday, with the toll likely to rise, authorities said in one of Europe's deadliest such disasters this century.

These chocolate dipped crunchies put a little extra treat into a South African favourite, with practical tips for slicing, cooling, dipping and storing them well.

South Africa will continue importing poultry and poultry products from Brazil despite an outbreak of Newcastle disease in the South American country, provided exporters meet strict veterinary health requirements. The Department of Agriculture said South Africa was notified on 20 October 2026 by Brazil of the Newcastle disease outbreak in the state of Santa Catarina. Newcastle disease is a highly contagious viral disease that affects domestic poultry and wild birds worldwide, caused by virulent strains of avian paramyxovirus type 1. Imports to continue The department on Wednesday said the veterinary health certificates negotiated between South Africa and Brazil provide for trade in fresh poultry meat, hatching eggs and day-old chicks to continue during a Newcastle disease outbreak, provided that the applicable requirements are met. The outbreak of Newcastle disease follows the outbreak of Avian influenza, commonly known as bird flu. This is a contagious viral infection caused by type A influenza viruses that primarily affect wild aquatic birds and domestic poultry, and can occasionally spread to mammals – including dairy cows, cats, minks and humans. Certificate to allow imports The department said the certificates require that the birds come from premises at which no cases of Newcastle disease have occurred during the past six months, including within a 10-kilometre radius of the premises for fresh poultry meat. The abattoir and cutting plant must also not be situated in a Newcastle disease-infected zone. Measures to allow trade For hatching eggs and day-old chicks, the farms and relevant facilities must have been free from the disease for the past 12 months and must not be situated in a Newcastle disease-infected zone. “South Africa has requested Brazil’s veterinary authorities to ensure that all consignments intended for export to South Africa comply with the relevant certification requirements,” said the department. “South Africa appreciates Brazil’s prompt notification and the continued cooperation between the two countries’ veterinary authorities. “These measures allow trade to continue while safeguarding animal health in South Africa.”

Can you believe it? It feels like just the other day I was all nerves as I lined for the start of the 2026 National Rally Championship at Gerotek. And here we are this weekend about to tackle the dirt for the last time at the TRAC N4 Dullstroom National Rally in our TGRSA GR Yaris. Long and demanding I am still all nerves. It is the most technical and demanding rally on the calendar. Last year, less than half the field made it to the finish line. One mistake and it is over for any team. This Mpumalanga-based event runs over two full days and 12 competitive stages, totaling 166km within a wider route of 488km. Friday’s seven stages are contested in the SAFCOL Belfast Plantation forests, starting from the Dullstroom Oval at 10am before we reach Parc Fermé much later that evening. Saturday moves to the S&N Timbers plantation for a further five stages, with the rally concluding at Parc Fermé by 2:30pm. Despite our best intentions, things don’t always go our way, and we have had to retire the car during the year. Picture: Stefan van Niekerk A finish is vital The bottom line is that we must finish both days to score any points. This not only makes it an exercise in consistency to close out the season successfully. It also makes it a true endurance test of man and machine. The current weather forecast for Dullstroom points to a cool, unsettled Friday. With a prediction that says the high will be around 24 degrees and the low near 12 degrees. But it’s the chance of light rain through the SAFCOL Belfast Plantation stages, before conditions clear for a warmer, largely dry Saturday that is going to test everybody. Dense plantation forest lines most of the narrow road route. And we have been warned that the stage conditions under the forest canopy differ vastly from the open-road picture. Our little TGRSA GR Yaris pocket rocket walks through the VW Polo GTI valley of death at every race. Picture: Stefan van Niekerk A podium maybe Although the brief was never about chasing points or positions due to this being a development year, we find ourselves going into the finale second in the NRC2 class standings. Me and co-driver, Kes Naiddo, are chasing class leaders Bruce Swatton and Craig Reyneke in their Volkswagen Polo. While Lynton Swatton and Tommy Coetzee, also in a Volkswagen Polo, are right on our tails for a step on the podium. To add a bit of extra drama, seasoned campaigners Johan Strauss and Caro Storm in their Subaru Impreza have entered and they have all the pace in the world when their car works. And superfast rookie, Dawie van der Merwe and Matt Kohler in a Volkswagen Polo, who cleaned up at the Algoa National Rally, are looking to finish on top again. This means they can easily upset the apple cart for us within an impressive 40-car overall entry for this finale. No two rallies have been the same this year, and the unexpected should always be expected. Picture: Stefan van Niekerk Development continues Despite it being the final outing of the year, it doesn’t mean that development has stopped on our TGRSA GR Yaris. The TRAC N4 Dullstroom National Rally will see us debut a new WRC-based wide-body kit and large rear wing on the car. And this will give us more high-speed downforce and stability. There have also been some tweaks made to the cars tuning and mapping to improve power delivery in the stages. Also, an intercooler spray kit, which is automatically triggered when things get too hot under the hood, has been fitted to manage intake temperatures. Without a dedicated team behind the car, we would not be where we are this year. Picture: Stefan van Niekerk We learn all the time This has been a big year of development for the TGRSA GR Yaris and a proper learning curve for us and our technical crew. I really want us to finish it the way we started. Pushing hard where we can and still bringing the car home. A strong result at Dullstroom would be the perfect way to close out 2026.

The first Soweto Derby of the 2026/27 season kicks off on Saturday, 31 October at the FNB Stadium at 15:30. As always, it will be about much more than three Betway Premiership points, with bragging rights also at stake. Supporters of Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates moved very swiftly to snap up all the available tickets within hours after sales opened on MyTicket. WATCH THE SOWETO DERBY WITH R165 The cheapest adult ticket that includes traveling to the FNB Stadium costs R165. The deal features a Level 1 general admission ticket and return bus transport through Gautrain services. Supporters who preferred to purchase a Soweto Derby match ticket without transport paid R140 for Level 1 seating. Level 5 tickets were also priced at R140, while Level 2 tickets went for R200. Children also grabbed Soweto Derby tickets at lower prices. They started at R50. A children’s ticket with Gautrain return bus transport will cost R75, while the package with Rea Vaya transport will be R110. ORLANDO PIRATES ARE FAVOURITES OVER KAIZER CHIEFS Pirates, unlike Chiefs, have delivered a near-flawless start to the 2026/27 Betway Premiership season. The defending champions are serious title contenders alongside Mamelodi Sundowns. Coach Abdeslam Ouaddou’s side have not tasted a loss in eight matches. Pirates have seven wins and one draw with 22 points in the bag. The mighty Sea Robbers, also competing in the CAF Champions League group stage, have 19 goals scored and just one conceded. That combination of attacking firepower and defensive resilience has put Pirates in a strong position at the top of the standings as they look to challenge the reigning champions for the league crown. Meanwhile, Chiefs, have somehow, had a not-so-bad season and have unbeaten start of their own. Coach Fernando Da Cruz’s team are fifth place after eight matches. The Glamour Boys have three victories and five draws with 14 points. Although their resilience has made them difficult to defeat, the performances have made Da Cruz face the wrath of the Chiefs faithful. With 13 goals scored and eight conceded, Chiefs are showing signs of greater structure. Victory in Saturday’s Soweto Derby could just provide exactly the boost the club needs for confidence against a buckling and fearsome Pirates. CAN KAIZER CHIEFS SHOCK ORLANDO PIRATES? Share your thoughts by clicking on the red comments block below.

Two Wynberg Boys’ High School old boys, Zachary Porthen and Yaqeen Ahmed, have earned call-ups to the Springbok squad for the second leg of the Nations Championship. The announcement marks a special moment for Wynberg Rugby, with the school celebrating the selection of two former pupils for the same Springbok tour for the first time since Doug Hopwood and Lionel Wilson in 1965. Porthen, who matriculated in 2022, and Ahmed, who left the Cape Town school in 2025, are among the 37 players selected for the upcoming leg of the tournament. Uncapped players Ahmed is one of six uncapped players in the squad, giving him an opportunity to make his Springbok debut. Porthen, meanwhile, has already made his mark in South African rugby history. On 1 November 2025, he became the youngest Springbok prop to take the field in the professional era when he played against Japan. He currently has eight Test caps to his name. Wynberg Boys’ High School has produced 16 Springboks – including currently uncapped Yaqeen Ahmed. Schedule The Springboks will begin the second leg of the Nations Championship against Italy on Saturday, 7 November, before taking on France on Friday, 13 November and Ireland on Saturday, 21 November. Those matches will be crucial to their hopes of finishing the league stages in the strongest possible position ahead of the Finals Weekend, scheduled for London from 27 to 29 November. The Springboks currently lead the Southern Hemisphere standings on points difference, tied with New Zealand on 15 points. Wynberg Boys’ High School Springbok old boys SpringboksDate of birthToski Smith9 April 1871Pieter Dormehl4 November 1872Syd Ashley23 February 1880Frank Mellish26 March 1897Bennie Osler23 November 1901Sharkey Osler31 January 1907Jock van Niekerk1 June 1907Frankie Waring7 November 1908Dougie Holton28 September 1932Lionel Wilson25 May 1933Doug Hopwood3 June 1934Dave Stewart14 July 1935Rob Louw26 March 1955Sikhumbuszo Notshe28 May 1993Zachary Porthen31 March 2004Yaqeen Ahmed28 July 2006 Springbok squad for second leg of Nations Championship: Props: Thomas du Toit, Ox Nche (both Hollywoodbets Sharks), Wilco Louw, Ntuthuko Mchunu, Zachary Porthen (all Stormers), Gerhard Steenekamp (Bulls) Hookers: Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears), Jan-Hendrik Wessels (Bulls) Locks: Lood de Jager (Wild Knights), Salmaan Moerat (Stade Rochelais), Ruan Nortje (Kubota Spears), Riley Norton (Stormers), Franco Mostert (Honda Heat) Loose forwards: Paul de Villiers, Siya Kolisi (both Stormers), Cameron Hanekom (Bulls), Emmanuel Tshituka (Hollywoodbets Sharks), Jasper Wiese (Urayasu D-Rocks) Utility forwards: Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz), Marco van Staden (Bulls) Scrumhalves: Cobus Reinach (Stormers), Morne van den Berg (Lions), Grant Williams (Kobe Steelers) Flyhalves: Yaqeen Ahmed, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (both Stormers), Luan Giliomee (Bulls), Manie Libbok (Kintetsu Liners) Centres: Damian de Allende (Wild Knights), Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles), Markus Muller (Stormers), Canan Moodie (Bulls) Outside backs: Sebastian de Klerk (Bulls), Aphelele Fassi, Ethan Hooker, Edwill van der Merwe (all Hollywoodbets Sharks), Kurt-Lee Arendse (Mitsubishi Dynaboars), Damian Willemse (Stormers)

Vodacom Group CTO Dejan Kastelic says South Africa could switch off 3G within two years if operators act together.

A year after leaving the FATF grey list, South Africa's anti-corruption reforms have stalled.