Gaza hospital strike
Gaza hospital strike- US assesses that Israel is ‘not responsible’ for Gaza hospital blast.
The US government assesses that Israel “was not responsible” for the blast at a hospital in Gaza on Tuesday, according to the National Security Council, following President Joe Biden’s comments that a Palestinian militant group was behind the strike.
A spokesperson for the NSC, Adrienne Watson, said the assessment was based on available reporting, including “intelligence, missile activity, and open source video and images of the incident.”
“While we continue to collect information, our current assessment, based on analysis of overhead imagery, intercepts and open-source information, is that Israel is not responsible for the explosion at the hospital in Gaza yesterday,” Watson said in a statement on Wednesday.
The NSC followed up with an additional statement Wednesday afternoon leaning further into its assessment. “Intelligence indicates that some Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip believed that the explosion was likely caused by an errant rocket or missile launch carried out by Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ). The militants were still investigating what had happened,” Watson said.
Israeli officials have released audio of what they say is Hamas militants discussing the blast and attributing it to a rocket launched by PIJ.
Officials told CNN separately that the initial evidence gathered by the US intelligence community suggests that the hospital strike came from a rocket launched by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad group.
Among the evidence that’s been gathered is a blast analysis that suggests it was a ground explosion rather than an airstrike that hit the hospital, one of the sources said. There was no singular crater suggesting there was a bomb, but there was extensive fire damage and scattered debris that is consistent with an explosion starting from the ground level, according to the source.
That analysis is one datapoint that’s led intelligence officials to lean toward assessing that the attack on the hospital was a rocket launch gone wrong.
Still, the blast analysis is just one of the things being examined by the intelligence community, which has surged intelligence collection assets to the region. US intelligence officials have not made a final assessment and are still gathering evidence, the officials said.
In addition to the blast analysis, the initial US assessment was based on overhead imagery collected from US satellites and intelligence intercepts provided by the Israelis, according to officials.
Current and former law enforcement officials say US the assessment of the cause of the blast is being hampered because of the lack of access to the site and analysis of the bodies recovered. FBI teams can typically use samples from the scene to, within hours, identify the rocket fuel and explosives used, one former FBI official said. Without examining the scene, US officials are left to analyze signals and other intelligence that can help make a strong circumstantial assessment of the cause but is not definitive.
Biden says ‘errant rocket’ led to blast
Not long after landing in Israel on Wednesday, Biden weighed in on who was behind the strike on the hospital. “Based on what I’ve seen, it appears as though it was done by the other team, not you,” Biden told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after his arrival in Israel on Wednesday.
Asked what made him confident the Israelis weren’t behind the hospital strike, Biden said: “The data I was shown by my Defense Department.”
In his remarks later on Wednesday, Biden reiterated that based on the information the US has seen, the blast appears to have been “the result of an errant rocket fired by a terrorist group in Gaza.”
“The Palestinian people are suffering greatly as well – we mourn the loss of innocent Palestinian lives,” he said. “Like the entire world, I was outraged and saddened by the enormous loss of life yesterday in the hospital in Gaza. Based on the information we’ve seen to date, it appears the result of an errant rocket fired by a terrorist group in Gaza. The United States unequivocally stands for the protection of civilian life during conflict, and I grieve, I truly grieve for the families were killed or wounded by this tragedy.”
Authorities in Gaza have said Israel was behind the deadly blast at the hospital, while the Israel Defense Forces said its intelligence showed a “failed rocket launch” by the Palestinian Islamic Jihad group was responsible for the explosion.
An IDF spokesman said Wednesday that imagery following the blast showed “no cratering and no structural damage to nearby buildings.”
“There are no craters here. The walls stay intact. This shows is it not an aerial munition that hit the parking lot” of the hospital, IDF spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said at a news conference Wednesday. “Analysis of our aerial footage confirms that there was no direct hit of the hospital itself. The only location damaged is outside the hospital in the parking lot where we can see signs of burning.”
The US intelligence community has been reviewing different kinds of intelligence to try to reach an assessment, including overhead imagery from satellites as well as the blast analysis, the officials said.
“I’m not sure the IC is ready to make an absolutely conclusive attribution but what we’re hearing is consistent with what the president said,” Rep. Jim Himes of Connecticut, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said following a classified briefing on Capitol Hill on Wednesday morning.
House Intelligence Chairman Mike Turner of Ohio and Himes issued a joint statement Wednesday saying, based on information from the Biden administration, they believed the hospital attack “was not the result of Israeli military action.”
Senate Intelligence Chairman Mark Warner of Virginia and the panel’s top Republican, Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, said in a joint statement that the information they reviewed left them “confident” the strike was “the result of a failed rocket launch by militant terrorists and not the result of an Israeli airstrike.”
Israel provided US with intelligence
Israel has also provided the US with intelligence it has gathered related to the explosion, according to an Israeli official and another source familiar with the matter. The Israeli official said that Israel had passed signal intelligence on the explosion to US intelligence. Signals intelligence includes intercepted communications and other forms of data collected through various means.
“I believe the US intelligence community likely has enough imagery, communications intercepts, and other data to determine where the projectile originated that stuck in the Al-Ahli al-Arabi hospital and what the original statements of people on the ground were as to what they believed happened,” said Mick Mulroy, a former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Middle East and retired CIA officer.
“In addition, from the video released publicly, the explosion is consistent with a rocket that still had a lot of rocket fuel at the time of impact,” Mulroy added.
Retired Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling, a CNN national security and military analyst, said the US military has overhead platforms that see “a missile burn when it takes off or when something explodes and comes out of the sky.”
The imagery released by the Israeli military of the explosion site was also “compelling,” Hertling said.
“It is very compelling, but when you also look at that aftermath, where’s the crater? When you’re talking about a crater from an Israeli bomb, there’s going to be a hole there,” he said.
British officials in public and private on Wednesday have not yet gone as far as the US. One official said it’s “not conclusive, but the Israeli assertion is not unfounded.”
“We’re not quite there yet,” another official said. “Not because we dispute what they’ve seen. We’re still at ‘Let’s look at all the facts.’”
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said Wednesday that British intelligence services were working “rapidly” to establish the facts behind the deadly blast.
“We should not rush to judgments before we have all the facts on this awful situation,” Sunak told lawmakers in the UK parliament.
US intel surges collection in the region
Multiple officials said that the US intelligence community has surged intelligence collection assets to the region, primarily through overhead intelligence collection as well as some special operations support.
One military source described the move as “a major shift” and “lots of focus on this from across the IC,” though the source said it’s not clear how long this shift will last.
It’s not clear how helpful the additional resources will be when it comes to both hostage intelligence and Hamas planning in such a densely populated area, according to a US official – especially if most of the hostages are in the tunnels.
It might help a little bit with planning for potential ground clearance, and some of the signals intelligence collection capabilities could detect Hamas communications to help pinpoint hotspots of their activity. But the official noted that Hamas has been pretty smart about staying off communications – one of the reasons, sources say, the group was able to avoid Israeli detection during the planning of the October 7 attack in Israel.
Overhead surveillance would likely be much more helpful for keeping an eye on Hezbollah and Iran, according to two officials. The US would absolutely not want to be surprised by a Hezbollah attack, however unlikely, and could provide the Israelis with warnings and indications of any imminent operation.
Health Department to introduce new vaccines to improve existing coverage
As part of efforts to improve coverage of existing vaccines, the Department of Health is set to introduce new vaccines to be included in the routine expanded program on immunisation at a cost of R3.5 billion.
Health Minister, Dr Joe Phaahla, made the announcement during a media briefing following a meeting with Health MECs held in Centurion on Thursday.
Phaahla noted that South Africa continues to experience outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases, despite a strong childhood vaccination programme.
He said there is an ongoing need to improve coverage of existing vaccines and add new vaccines to the expanded program on immunisation schedule.
The Minister said the department is introducing a better packaged/derived vaccine that will prevent Whooping Cough, Tetanus and Diphtheria and reduce the chances of these conditions resurfacing within the communities.
“We are also introducing a combination vaccine of measles and rubella that will protect young girls, particularly during pregnancy which may lead to birth defects,” Phaahla said.
He said all these changes, recommended by the Ministerial-appointed National Advisory Group on Immunisation (NAGI), will be implemented with effect from January 2024.
Expansion of online birth registrations rollout
The Minister also announced that the Department of Home Affairs has made budget provision for the set-up and operational costs for the expansion of Online Registration System by an additional 91 health facilities during 2023/24 financial year.
This forms part of collaborative efforts between the Departments of Health and Home Affairs to ensure that all births are registered on time, through the Online Birth Registration system, which has been rolled in 161 health facilities with ability to issue birth certificates on the spot.
“These facilities will be allocated full-time Home Affairs officials to provide birth registration service during office hours. The establishment of the system in these new facilities will commence by the end of October 2023. This initiative will go a long way in providing early birth registration,” Phaahla said.
Integration of COVID-19 vaccinations into primary health services
Meanwhile, the Minister announced that the department has decided to make a number of changes related to COVID-19 vaccinations, which include transitioning from a mass vaccination campaign to integrate vaccination into routine primary health care services.
This is in line with World Health Organisation (WHO) recommendations.
Phaahla said the current available Pfizer vaccine stock purchased as part of the COVID-19 national vaccination rollout will expire at the end of October 2023, while the J&J vaccine doses will expire at the end of February 2024.
The EVDS (Electronic Vaccination Data System) will continue to record all COVID-19 vaccinations until 29 February 2024, thereafter those vaccinated will receive a paper-record of vaccination, but they will still be able to download vaccination certificates as long as they have at least one vaccination code.
“The department plans to procure vaccines for administration in the public sector and will continue to work with the private sector to facilitate availability of vaccines. All restrictions limiting procurement of vaccines by private sector providers will be lifted,” Phaahla explained.
He added that the investigation and causality assessment of COVID-19 vaccination-related Adverse Events Following Immunisation (AEFIs) will continue and mechanisms for processing No Fault Compensation Scheme claims will be retained.
Phaahla also gave an update on various issues affecting the public health system, including cost containment measures; audit outcomes and performance against targets; medico-legal claims, among others.
MANGOSUTHU BUTHELEZI TURNS 95, NO CELEBRATION WHILE HE’S STILL IN HOSPITAL
The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) founding president has been in hospital for more than a month after developing a complication after a recent procedure.
JOHANNESBURG – Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi turned 95 on Sunday.
However, there will be no big royal celebration for the Amazulu Traditional Prime Minister, who will instead spend the day in hospital.
The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) founding president has been in hospital for more than a month after developing a complication after a recent procedure.
But his family said his health has improved.
READ: Buthelezi responding well to treatment in hospital, says IFP
Buthelezi is an iconic figure in South African politics and is one of the country’s oldest statesmen.
The IFP describes him as a committed public servant and leader.
Buthelezi has been flooded with well wishes and prayers from opposition parties and supporters.
READ: Ramaphosa wishes hospitalised Buthelezi a speedy recovery
The ANC in KwaZulu-Natal said a “statesman of Buthelezi’s stature is still needed in South Africa”.
His family said if Buthelezi made steady progress, he could be discharged in this coming week.
F1 – 2023 DUTCH GRAND PRIX – POST-RACE PRESS CONFERENCE TRANSCRIPT
DRIVERS
1 – Max VERSTAPPEN (Red Bull Racing)
2 – Fernando ALONSO (Aston Martin)
3 – Pierre GASLY (Alpine)
TRACK INTERVIEWS
(Conducted by Giedo van der Garde)
Q: Pierre Gasly, P3. Man, I think that must be satisfying, no? What a result for you and the team, the first podium for you together with Alpine.
Pierre GASLY: All I want to say is, let’s go! Yes! I’m feeling so stoked, honestly. What a race, coming back from the summer break and, you know, it hasn’t been the easiest start of the year, just trying to improve race by race and it was good to get some time off, come back and straight into it. We had a third place in Spa in the Sprint, it wasn’t exactly like a normal podium and I’m super pleased for all the guys to get that P3.
Q: When you heard Pérez had a five seconds penalty, I guess you were pushing flat out in the last few laps?
PG: Yeah, I was pretty upset that I got a five second penalty earlier in the race and I was like ‘OK, now it’s 1-1’, and then, yeah, obviously I tried to push as hard as I could to stay within five seconds, and managed to do it. It was a very long race. Very challenging from start to finish and it was greatly executed from all the guys.
Q: Perfect, enjoy it, man. Fernando, P2. Why is it always you love those tricky conditions, on the beginning, at the end, it looks like in the rain, half wet, this is really your thing?
Fernando ALONSO: Yeah, it was a very intense race, obviously at the beginning with wet conditions we were very, very fast. And we stopped maybe one lap too late, but the same as the leaders. And yeah, the car was flying today – very competitive, very easy to drive. In these conditions, you need a car that you can trust and I did try the car a lot today. So, I did enjoy, thanks to all the fans. The energy that we live here in Zandvoort is very unique. It was two years ago when this race came, I thought I will never experience maybe the Zandvoort podium because I was not in a position to think about that. And today it’s going to be very special to share the podium with Max and Pierre now.
Q: That’s nice to hear. Was it hard for you, because there’s like a party going on and you have this wait with the red flag and you have to jump back in the car you have to concentrate, but the crowd was going mad. I guess it must be hard to get back in the zone?
FA: Yeah, it is one of those races that is difficult, as you said, to concentrate, to stay focused for such a long period of time but yeah, as I said, I think this is a very special race track, with all the fans and the energy going on, so you feel always very focused. Happy for Max, congratulations to everyone. I did think about trying a move in the last restart but then I thought maybe I cannot exit the circuit so I stayed calm in second.
Q: Enjoy, man. Max Verstappen, for the third time in a row the winner of the Heineken Dutch Grand Prix. This must feel amazing?
Max VERSTAPPEN: Incredible and also today they didn’t make it easy for us I think with the weather to make all the time the right calls. But yeah, incredibly proud. I mean, I already had goosebumps when they were playing the national anthem before the start. And you know, even with all the bad weather, the rain, the fans were still going at it, so an incredible atmosphere.
Q: You also now equalled Sebastian Vettel with nine wins in a row. I think that’s mega spectacular. Are you up for the 10th one next week?
MV: I’ll think about it next week. I’m first going to enjoy this weekend. You know it’s always tough. The pressure is on to perform and very happy of course to win here.
PRESS CONFERENCE
Q: Max, what an extraordinary race. So much action, so much tension. How satisfying was it to deliver the win?
MV: Yeah, it’s fantastic. Look at this [shows bags of sweets]. I got this now. It’s the highlight of the day for me. Well, yeah, I mean, the race itself was very hectic, of course. I mean, lining up and seeing the rain coming down, yeah, it was tough to make the right calls. I mean, I thought together with the team, you know, they told me, like, the rain is coming, but maybe not enough to switch to an Inter or maybe survive for a few laps, you know, so we decided together to stay out for one more lap, but that at the end of day was then the wrong call. But it made the race definitely more fun, because from there onwards I had to pass a few cars, I had to close the gap up front. But luckily I think within a few laps I closed down like 10 seconds of the gap. So that was very important for the rest of my race. And when we went on to the slick tyres as well, I think that the tyres were holding on quite well on the car for my stint and it was very enjoyable to drive. But then you think you’re going to have, let’s say, an easy ride home, and then they tell me 10, 15 laps before the end, there’s some rain coming again. And this time it was not just some rain, it was quite a lot. So we pit for Inters and within a lap it almost becomes undriveable on an Inter and we opted to go to an extreme. But the problem we have at the moment is that the Intermediate is basically too good compared to the extreme. So even when there’s a downpour like that you still actually want to be on an Inter because it’s faster, but at one point there were so many rivers on the track it just becomes incredibly dangerous. So at the time, I was a bit, well, not upset, but disappointed with the red flag. But I guess in hindsight, with so many people on Intermediates it was probably the right thing to do.
Q: And Max the car seemed competitive in all conditions.
MV: Yeah, it was quick on the Intermediates and quick on the Soft tyres as well.
Q: Now, what were the most stressful moments in that race? And how worried were you by Fernando, just ahead of that mini-Sprint at the end?
MV: Yeah, I think the first laps on the slicks were quite stressful. You don’t want to immediately go off the track. And also knowing how much grip there is still out there on the tyres, with the amount of water coming down, was not easy. And of course the final restart, you know, with seven laps ago, six laps to go or whatever, I knew that my first lap the whole weekend already has not been the best with warm-up, so I knew that I had to survive that first lap. And yeah, Fernando was pushing very hard behind and I could see him close in my mirrors. But once I had the temperature in my tyres it was all well balanced again.
Q: And you’ve equalled Sebastian Vettel’s record of nine in a row and the team’s unbeaten run this season continues. Can we get your thoughts on that?
MV: Yeah, it was probably one of the more difficult races to win again. But yeah, nine in a row was something I never even thought about. So yeah, very happy with that. But I think I’m in general very happy to win here in front of my own crowd.
Q: Max, very well done to you. Thank you. I’m sure there’ll be some more questions in a minute. Fernando, coming to you now. What a race, your seventh podium of the season. You seem to have incredible pace in all conditions as well?
Fernando ALONSO: Yes, today the car was really working really well. And yeah, I felt confident driving. I had trust in the car, which obviously in these conditions you need that level of trust in how much you push. And yeah, the car was fast in dry, it was fast on Inters and probably our most competitive part was at the beginning of the race when it was just a few drops of rain but we still were on the slick Tire. And yeah, quickly we switched to the Inters, so we could not capitalise on that. But we still made some moves – in Turn 3 at the start, on Alex and George, and also on Lando on lap two. So yeah, I was quite happy with the race and it was one of those Sundays where you feel connected with the car, you feel in sync with the car, and everything you do, the car is just answering perfectly.
Q: You were running some upgrades here. Do you think you’ve got back to where you were earlier in the season? Or is it too early to say after a race like that?
FA: I think it’s too early to say. I think that the car is better than the previous events that’s for sure. I felt the car was, as I said, easier to drive. We were more competitive. We’ve been in the top five in every session this weekend. It was not only in the race where we were fast. I think we felt competitive since Friday. But Monza next week is a completely different layout, minimum downforce there and drag. And let’s see if we can still be competitive.
Q: You said on the radio, ‘we will win one soon’, maybe there. One final one from me, Fernando, just give us your thoughts going into that mini-Sprint at the end? Were you thinking about winning or were you thinking of just defending second?
FA: I was thinking about trying. So I was not conservative, let’s say! I thought about what to do, a lot, in the red flag period. So I thought, what were the possibilities, obviously, the move into Turn 2 was something that was in my head, also into Turn 1. I discussed it with the team as well. That was my feeling, that I wanted to try today. But obviously, I don’t want to compromise any big points for the team, because second was very important as well. But they were happy with me to try. I think they have the trust in me as well and in whatever I decide. So yeah, at the restart, I tried in Turn 4 launching the lap, trying to be flat in the banking with the cold tyres, which is a little bit risky, and tried to be side-by-side at least into Turn 1 but I was not that close. So after that I tried some different lines – inside, outside – the opposite of Max for the first lap, in case one of the lines was very grippy or much grippier than he is. And yeah, it was close, but not enough.
Q: Very well done to you, thank you. Pierre, third in the sprint at Spa and then third in the Dutch Grand Prix at the very next race. Feels like you’re on a roll?
PG: Yeah. Yeah, it looks like that. Yeah, I mean, it was extremely tricky today, as Fernando and Max said. All the conditions were pretty much thrown at us from the start. We ended up on slicks in the dry, in damp conditions, then feeding the Inters on the wet, but then on a drying track. So it was all about adapting yourself to the conditions and really playing with the limits. But after the summer break, I was really excited to get back in the car and today was probably the most fun I’ve had all season. Very exciting to be fighting for these positions. And yeah, they were important goals to make but the whole team executed a very strong race. And I’m pleased, because we haven’t been very fortunate since the start of the year, kind of involved in some unfortunate situations on many occasions, which goes to some points and which kind of built some frustration but you’ve got to keep your head down and always trying to improve what you can on yourself, and today it paid off. So yeah, big congrats to the guys and a great way to restart the second part of the year,
Q: Your jump up the order today was made right at the beginning of the race, but you stayed there. Did the pace of the car surprise you in the dry?
PG: I mean, we knew we were starting outside the points and there was this rain coming. Took a good start and out of that last corner, I saw the rain, I could see the intensity, and I saw the opportunity and the reward. So I called it straightaway. I wanted to box, also to benefit from a slightly drier track to warm up the tyres on that first lap. And it really worked out well. So it put us in a strong position, fourth place straightaway. Then there were 71 laps to go. So still a pretty long day at the office. But it felt great. We managed to pull away from the Ferrari, we had a five second penalty, which wasn’t great and put us back behind Carlos, which we had to overtake after that. But all in all, there’s some very good pace and good calls from the team and good strategy. So I’m happy to start this second part of the season in that way.
Q: And was it difficult to stay within five seconds of Perez at the end?
PG: It’s never easy to stay within five seconds of a Red Bull, that’s for sure. But you know, I mean, I saw the opportunity, I knew what was on the table and yeah, just gave everything I had out there. And actually, I expected to struggle a bit more with a warm-up initially, but the conditions were not too bad. So, it was yeah, pretty much a couple of qualifying laps at the end, which were really rewarding and I can feel what he was feeling: I went through it a couple laps before with these five seconds penalties. So yeah, I just tried to get everything I could.
Q: And how much confidence does this result give you going into Monza next weekend?
PG: I think it does give some confidence. I think it’s definitely coming more together with a team. It’s obviously this sort-of adaptation part, since the start of the year, trying to learn from each-other. Last weekend in Spa we had a good top-three finish in the Sprint in Intermediate conditions, like in the wet. Again today, we managed to make the best out of these conditions. There is a clear trend that the car seems to work a bit better in the wet. Now we’ve got to improve and keep working because we’re still slightly further back in the dry. But there were definitely some good signs of pace today and we need to go from there.
QUESTIONS FROM THE FLOOR
Q: (Christian Menath – motorsport-magazin.com) Question for you Max. Will you agree that it’s mostly about risk management for you at the moment, and how is it working with the risk management for you? Is it coming naturally or are you thinking about things like Fernando just explained?
MV: Yeah. Especially in the beginning. And also, when you have this kind of tricky race, for sure, it was a lot about risk management. I mean, when I compare it to a few years ago, where I’m not fighting for the championship, I’m driving completely different for sure. But that’s fine. I mean, even while driving like this, I know that they have a car, which is capable of a lot. So that probably helps to, to be a little bit more in control, I guess.
Q: (Scott Mitchell-Malm – The Race) Max, some people underestimate how hard it can be when, even if you’ve got the fastest car, to keep winning. Is this kind of race the ultimate example of just how hard it can be to keep a win streak going in? How satisfying is it to win a grand prix this complicated?
MV: Yeah, absolutely, I mean, even if you have the best – and I think there have been more dominant cars in the past than what we have at the moment and they haven’t been able to do so, to win nine in a row, whatever, the consecutive wins we have as a team. So yeah, it is hard and especially like today, it’s easy to make a wrong call or even drop it yourself in the gravel or whatever. So, yeah, it’s never that straightforward unfortunately.
Q: (Jesús Balseiro – Diario AS) A question to Fernando. What do you do on Turn 3, first lap. How did you overtake Albon and Russell through the inside on that special corner?
FA: It was FP1 or FP2 it was wet and in one of the out-laps I let a few cars go on the normal racing line and I found a lot of grip on the inside casually, by just letting people go. So, I kept in my head, all the time, all the weekend, in case it was wet. I was ready to try again and, to be honest, when we were on the grid, and the red lights were on for the start of the race, there were a lot of drops in the visor. So, that’s the worst feeling you can have. Because you are ready to start the race on a slick tyre, and on your visor, you see that it’s raining, So, you have no idea of the grip that you will find in Turn 1 braking, or Turn 3. So, I thought everyone will be a little bit cautious in Turn 3 with the grip level, and also just outside Turn 3 there is paint in the Aramco, so you have to be a little bit cautious there. So I thought about the inside line, it could work and yeah, we overtook those two cars. Definitely, that should be the overtake of the month, again. I hope.
Q: (Ronald Vording – motorsport.com) It’s a twofold question to Max. You talked about laps on the Intermediate, when you closed down Checo. At one point you were over four seconds quicker than him. Just how special were those laps behind the wheel, and how many risks did you take there? And secondly, if you compare this Zandvoort win to the previous two, how much more tricky and maybe also how much more rewarding, is this one?
MV: I mean, I knew I had good pace on the Intermediates and I knew that when I had to push, the whole weekend already, you know we were quick. So, it was more about just keeping them alive for whenever you would need them, if there was more rain coming or whatever. So, in the beginning, I think, it was pretty good. But yeah, to compare the wins, I think all of them have been different. So, this one definitely was definitely the hardest one to make all them the right calls to the end.
Q: (Kevin Scheuren – motorsport-total.com) Question to Pierre please. You had a nice wheel-to-wheel battle with Max in the early stages of the race, where it seemed he pushed you a little bit wide in Turn 3. Can you talk us through that moment from your perspective? Especially concerning how stewards may note such a situation – and in other situations they don’t note it and investigate it.
PG:
I think I’ve I finished more than five seconds behind Max, so it doesn’t really matter to me, depends how much Fernando pays me, then we can discuss how much you’re willing to give! Yeah, it was a wheel-to-wheel battle and, I mean, Max knew that if you’ll push me slightly wider on the paint in the wet, if I put a wheel on there, then I’ll just understeer wide. It was on the limit. Yeah, if I’ll be in his position, and you’ve got to pass a car, you’ll play with the limit and that’s why you will try. So I’m not too fussy about it. Yeah, it’s just racing. And yeah, close racing.
Q: (Andrew Benson – BBC) One for Max and one for Fernando. Max, since Miami you’ve moved on to another level compared to Checo and everybody else. Has anything in particular happened? Can you explain why that is? And Fernando, what do you make of what Max has achieved so far this year? Do you think he’s operating on a level separate from anyone else? Or do you think you or Lewis, for example, could challenge him if you were in the same car?
MV: Yeah, I think I learned a lot from the race in Baku, how to do some things with the car, how to set it up. Of course, I didn’t win that race in Baku but actually I really tried a lot of stuff and different tools in the car. That’s why throughout the race it was a little bit inconsistent, but at one point, I got into a good rhythm with what I found. But then I damaged my tyres a bit too much. But it was like ‘OK, that’s quite interesting for the next races’. And I basically implemented that and it has helped me on every track.
FA: Yeah, it is underestimated sometimes what Max is achieving. I agree with the comment and the question that your colleague made before. I think to win in such a dominant matter in any of the professional sports, it is so complicated. So to be at the same level of him, obviously, we have a lot of self-confidence, drivers in general. So I do believe that I can do good as well as well. I don’t know about Lewis, but me, yes! And Lewis as well, and everyone, I think you need to enter in a mood, in a state that you are, as I said before, connected with a car. I think days like today, I felt that I was at my best and have been giving 100% of what I felt and my abilities on a racing car, but maybe in Spa I was not at that level or in Austria or something like that. So you always feel that there is room to improve and you are not 100% happy with yourself, as I am today. And I think Max is achieving that 100% more often than us at the moment, than any of the drivers, so that’s why he’s dominating.
Q: (Jake Boxall-Legge – Autosport) Max, when the second downpour started to come towards the very end of the race, I think you were asked if you wanted to come in and you decided to ask the team to delay your stop a lap. Could you explain your thought process there? Were you just sort of a little bit scared of burning up the Inters too early or did you just feel already quite good?
MV: Yeah, I mean, that lap was definitely too dry in the back, but it started raining, like, on the main street, for example. Then I went again and I came again through Sector 2 and it was still dry. But I don’t know, of course, what’s going on the main straight or Turn 1 and apparently it was really coming down. So then the team told me ‘no, no, you have to come in this lap’. So, it’s a bit of feeling, I think, also, from both sides, you know. Sometimes it can be a little bit more up to you , sometimes a bit more up to the team. And at the end of the day, you have to trust each other in making the right call. And I was very happy that they called me in that the second time around.
Q: (Ed Spencer – Total-motorsport.com) A question to Pierre. Pierre, today you ended a podium drought of over two years. How sweet does it feel considering that the first half of the season was fairly tricky?
PG: Well, it’s obviously very satisfying when you get a reward for the work that we’re all putting in in the team. I think objectively, you’ve got to look at the package that you’ve got. And obviously last year, with AlphaTauri we were nowhere near a podium finish at any point. We just didn’t have the speed. I think this year we came close in Monaco, running in third position and it was clearly a missed opportunity, with the, sort of, extra stop, which wasn’t necessary. But no, it’s a sort of season where you’ve just got to keep trying, just keep trying again and again and there’s going to be a point where things are going to click and today it did, and it was probably the most challenging race of the year. There were a lot of obstacles. There were many moments where we could have got it wrong. But as a team, we just tried to maximise that and that’s why I’m really pleased and I’m really proud of the team, because we haven’t been really fortunate but you’ve got to keep trying and keep looking at yourself and seeing the areas where you can improve. And that’s what we’ve been doing. The top three in Spa didn’t feel the same. Obviously, it was a third place, but it’s a Sprint and I didn’t get to go on the podium. But clearly, this one feels a lot better. And I hope we can build up from there with the guys.
Nadine Dorries officially out as MP, 81 days after announcing resignation with ‘immediate effect’
Having been appointed steward and bailiff of the Three Hundreds of Chiltern, Ms Dorries is now no longer an MP. When the Commons returns from recess on 4 September, a writ can be moved to trigger a by-election within 21 to 27 working days.
Nadine Dorries is officially no longer an MP, 81 days after she announced her resignation from the Commons with “immediate effect”.
The former culture secretary did not step down instantaneously, instead remaining in her role as a politician as she claimed she was looking into why she was refused a seat in the House of Lords.
Following the publication of a stinging resignation letter to Rishi Sunak over the weekend, Ms Dorries has finally vacated her Mid Bedfordshire seat.
Politics latest: Ministers to reform rules to boost housebuilding
She was appointed as steward and bailiff of the Three Hundreds of Chiltern on Tuesday morning – one of two historical posts that MPs have to be given in order for them to give up their position as a member of parliament. There is no formal process to stop being a member of the Commons.
An arch Boris Johnson loyalist, Ms Dorries was expected to be elevated to the upper chamber in her former boss’s resignation honours list.
When this did not come to fruition, she announced her intention to resign, and has since blamed Mr Sunak for blocking her from the Lords; Mr Sunak denies he blocked her appointment.
As the Commons is currently on recess, a date cannot be set for the by-election to replace Ms Dorries in Mid Bedfordshire.
If the writ to hold the vote is moved on the first day MPs return – 4 September – the by-election should be held within 21 and 27 working days.
This would put the likely timetable for a vote right around the time of Conservative Party and Labour Party conferences, which are being held from 1 October to 4 October, and 8 October and 11 October respectively.
Speaking today, the prime minister thanked Ms Dorries for her service.
Mr Sunak said: “I’m grateful to Nadine for her service both as an MP and a minister.
“We are looking forward, and delighted to support our fantastic candidate in Mid-Beds, Festus Akinbusoye, who is the local candidate, the only local candidate in this election; also the local police and crime commissioner.
“He’s got a fantastic track record of already standing up for local people, and I hope he can continue to do that as a new member of parliament.”
The Conservatives, Labour and Liberal Democrats have all been campaigning vociferously in Ms Dorries’s seat over the summer, despite her not having left until today.
Ms Dorries had a sizeable majority of 24,664. This is a larger majority than what was overturned by Labour in Selby and Ainsty earlier this year, or the Liberal Democrats in Somerton and Frome.
Labour finished second in the seat in 2019, with almost double the number of votes as the Lib Dems.
Nesquik discontinued in South Africa due to low demand
You’d have to be as fast as Nesquik’s mascot, Quicky the bunny, to get your hands on the flavoured milk drink as Nestlé is no longer restocking SA shelves.
Nestlé announced Nesquik would be discontinued due to drop in sales and lower demand.
“We remain committed to bringing innovation to the cocoa malt beverages category, and we are eager to improve and introduce new products that will be hitting the shelves soon,” said Takudzwa Mupfurutsa, business executive officer dairy for Nestlé East and Southern Africa.
“As part of this strategic shift, Nestlé will be bidding farewell to Nesquik in SA. Effective from August 21, Nestlé Nesquik strawberry 500g, Nestlé Nesquik strawberry 250g, Nestlé Nesquik chocolate 500g and Nestlé Nesquik chocolate 250g will be no longer be produced in SA and thus discontinued.
“While Nestlé understands that this may disappoint some consumers, this change follows a drop in sales and lower demand for Nestlé Nesquik.”
Milo, Nestlé Hot Chocolate and Nestlé Cocoa are favoured by the SA market.
“They are here to stay, ensuring that consumers can continue to enjoy the exceptional quality and taste they have come to expect from Nestlé. These brands have shown remarkable performance and consumer loyalty, making them the focus of Nestlé’s efforts to build a healthier and sustainable business for the future,” said Mupfurutsa.
“We would like to express our deepest gratitude to our consumers for their unwavering support throughout the years.”
Steve and Marjorie Harvey infidelity claims cause a stir
Johannesburg – American television personality Steve Harvey and his wife, Marjorie Elaine Harvey, found themselves at the centre of discourse after reports of infidelity surfaced on social media.
According to the allegations, Marjorie reportedly had an affair with the couple’s bodyguard, and one of their personal chefs, pictured in 2015 in Las Vegas.
This was followed by claims that their marriage was on the rocks and reports that Harvey was divorcing his wife.
The pair, who have been married since 2017, had been serving couple goals before the news broke on the internet.
Harvey adopted Marjorie’s three children from her previous relationship – 26-year-old model Lori, Morgan, and Jason.
In a shared TikTok video, Harvey spoke about the relationship and said they were fine.
Their fans have slammed the response, saying it does not give an in-depth response to the allegations.
“Before I get started, just let me say that I’m fine. Marjorie’s fine… I don’t know what y’all doing, but find something else to do ’cause we’re fine. Lord, have mercy. I ain’t got no time for rumours and gossip. God’s been good to me; I’m still shining.“
Marjorie also shared a post on Instagram highlighting that the couple do not entertain lies spread about them.
“This is the website: https://mattmcmillenministries.com/how-to-handle-being-lied-about/ My husband and I don’t usually stop to address all the foolishness and lies that have been spread about us. However, to whom much is given, much is required. I understand that with my platform comes some sort of responsibility for those who may not be as strong as we are. Read and share this with your loved ones who may not know how to properly cope. God bless all of you.”
Harvey has always spoken fondly of his wife.
It is also reported that during a past interview with ‘People’ in 2012, Harvey raved about his wife and admitted she had changed the way he existed.
“I’d never been in a healthy adult relationship; I’d never been loyal; I’d never been fully respected,” he said.
Harvey has since been posting his everyday motivational messages on social media, where mixed views are shared.
“No matter what happens, life ain’t over. As long as God wakes you up, that means he ain’t through with you yet. When God wakes you up, he has something for you that you haven’t received. Every day you have the opportunity to make something happen.
“God will seed your imagination with something that is just for you. Ever wonder why you told someone a dream and they shot it down completely? Because God gave it to you and you only. It wasn’t meant to be shared. Protect what God puts in your imagination,” Harvey said on social media.
Leon Schuster talks hospital stay as he cheers on the Springboks
In a video posted on social media, South African comedian Leon Schuster appears in a hospital bed. He gave a message to fans of the South African Rugby team ahead of their game against New Zealand’s All Blacks on Friday. The Springboks beat the Kiwis 35-7.
Schuster has been recovering from back surgery in a Pretoria hospital, according to Huisgenoot. The actor had back surgery earlier this month and recently returned to the hospital.
Schuster hurt his back while filming Mr Bones 3: Son of Bones, which he starred in.
In a video posted on Afrikaans is Groot’s Facebook page, Schuster said:
Schuster also went on to sing his new song Die Bokmasjien in the video.
Under the video posted by Afrikaans is Groot, fans of Schuster poured out their support for him.
Mason Greenwood to leave Man United after charges dropped
Manchester United forward Mason Greenwood will leave Old Trafford, he and the Premier League club said on Monday, to avoid being a “distraction” despite being cleared of allegations of assault and attempted rape.
Greenwood, who was suspended by United in January 2022 when accusations against him surfaced on social media, was charged with attempted rape, controlling behaviour and assault last October.
He had been due to stand trial on November 27, but all criminal charges against him were dropped in February, with the Crown Prosecution Service saying it was due to “the withdrawal of key witnesses and new material that came to light”.
United said their investigation began once charges were dropped.
“Based on the evidence available to us, we have concluded that the material posted online did not provide a full picture and that Mason did not commit the offences in respect of which he was originally charged,” the club said in a statement.
But it said “all those involved, including Mason” recognised the difficulties with him recommencing his career at Manchester United.
“It has therefore been mutually agreed that it would be most appropriate for him to do so away from Old Trafford, and we will now work with Mason to achieve that outcome,” it said.
‘Best decision’
In a statement to British media, Greenwood said he had “made mistakes”, adding: “I did not do the things I was accused of.
“Today’s decision has been part of a collaborative process between Manchester United, my family and me.
“The best decision for us all is for me to continue my football career away from Old Trafford, where my presence will not be a distraction for the club.”
Greenwood came through United’s youth academy and made his first-team debut in 2019 aged 17. He was a key member of the side in the 2021-22 season, making 18 Premier League appearances before being suspended.
“I thank the club for their support since I joined aged seven. There will always be a part of me which is United,” added Greenwood, who also played once for England in 2020.
“I intend to be a better footballer, but most importantly a good father, a better person, and to use my talents in a positive way on and off the pitch.”
Last week, British media reported that United were considering Greenwood’s return to the squad, after which a group of fans staged a protest outside Old Trafford ahead of United’s season-opening win over Wolverhampton Wanderers.
In an open letter addressed to the club’s fans, CEO Richard Arnold said the club had considered several outcomes, one of which was Greenwood’s reintegration into the squad, before coming to their decision.
“This case has provoked strong opinions, and it is my responsibility to minimise any distraction to the unity we are seeking within the club,” Arnold said.
“Though we have decided that Mason will seek to rebuild his career away from Manchester United, that does not signal the end of this matter.
“The club will continue to offer its support both to the alleged victim and Mason to help them rebuild and move forward positively with their lives.”
Domestic violence charity Women’s Aid said United’s decision to part ways with Greenwood will be a “relief for many survivors of domestic and sexual abuse”.
“The way that alleged domestic abuse cases are treated in clubs has a huge impact on public understanding about what is accepted and tolerated in society,” a spokesperson for the charity said.
What the babies’ parents told Lucy Letby as she was sentenced
Families of the babies who were murdered and attacked by Lucy Letby have told Manchester Crown Court of the horrific impact the serial killer has had on their lives.
The former nurse will spend the rest of her life in prison, with no chance of parole, for murdering seven babies and trying to kill six others. Their parents gave victim impact statements before she was sentenced. Some of the surviving babies have been left with disabilities, they said.
In court, families of the babies sat in the public gallery, some crying quietly. Members of the jury were also visibly upset as they listened to the statements. Letby refused to attend court to hear the suffering she had caused.
Reporting restrictions protect the identities of the babies and their families, so they are referred to as babies A to P.
Warning: This article contains details some readers may find upsetting
Mother of Baby A and B
“You thought it was your right to play God with our children’s lives.”
The twins were attacked in June 2015 – Baby A was murdered on 8 June and Letby attempted to kill his sister 28 hours later.
“Our minds are so traumatised it won’t let us remember the night you killed our child,” their mother said in a statement. “After losing (Baby A) we were riddled with fear for his sister (Baby B). We are so thankful that we had that fear for her, as it saved her life… there was always a member of our family at her side watching.”
“Little did we know you were waiting for us to leave so you could attack,” she added.
“You thought you could enter our lives and turn it upside down but you will never win. We hope you live a very long life and spend every day suffering for what you’ve done.”
Mother of Baby C
“Knowing his murderer was watching us was like something out of a horror story.”
The mother of Baby C remembered the “overwhelming wave of emotion” she felt when she first held Baby C, whom she called “my tiny feisty boy”. He was murdered on 14 June, 2015.
She wore her first-born’s hand and footprints around her neck after his death. But when Letby was arrested she felt “so conflicted” – the nurse had been the one to take those prints.
She cried as she spoke of the impact Letby has had on her family: “There is no sentence that will ever compare to the excruciating agony that we have suffered as a consequence of your actions.”
Mother of Baby D
“I was desperate to feel her, smell her, cuddle her.”
The mother of Baby D held a toy rabbit as she spoke from the witness box. After her daughter was murdered on 22 June 2015, she pushed for answers, but she was initially told it was not a police matter.
“I missed (Baby D) so much. I was desperate to feel her, smell her, cuddle her. I was desperate to keep her safe.”
She said she lost confidence “as a woman, as a friend, as a wife”, and said her marriage suffered. “It has been hard to keep strong together at times.”
“Since (Baby D) passed away I live behind my own shadow.”
Mother of Baby E and F
“Our worlds were shattered when we encountered evil disguised as a caring nurse.”
Letby murdered Baby E on 4 August 2015. She attempted to murder his brother 24 hours later.
The mother of the twin boys said the family had been “living with a life sentence because of Letby’s crimes”. She said her surviving son had been left with complex needs after the attack. She is still frightened to leave him alone.
When Letby was first identified as a murder suspect, she and her husband felt “cheated, deceived and utterly heartbroken”. She described Letby’s absence from court as “just one final act of wickedness from a coward”.
Father of Baby G
“Her condition affects every aspect of our lives.”
Baby G was left severely disabled by Letby. The nurse was found guilty of attempting to murder her twice, in September 2015.
“Every day I would sit there and pray. I would pray for God to save her. He did. He saved her, but the devil found her,” her father said of their time in hospital.
The court heard Baby G is now registered blind, has cerebral palsy and progressive scoliosis. Her father said she needs substantial care and that her mother only gets about two hours of sleep a night.
“We see other families and their children fishing, playing football, other things we can’t do. She will never have a sleepover, go to high school, have a boyfriend, get married.”
Mother of Baby I
“A part of us died with her.”
Baby I was alert, content and feeding well before she died, her mother said. The family was planning to bring their daughter home when they were told she’d had another collapse, on 23 October 2015. Letby was found guilty of murdering her.
“She was our gorgeous little princess and I can’t even begin to explain the pain when we lost her.”
The mother said her whole body was shaking when she was told someone had been arrested for murder. “We were both absolutely broken that someone could do something so evil to our precious little girl.”
She has had therapy and taken medication over the past six years to cope with her daughter’s death. “We have been in some very dark places mentally.”
After the death of Baby I, they had another daughter who was born prematurely and with sepsis, but she said she found it incredibly hard to be back on a neonatal unit. She refused to leave her daughter’s side until she came home.
“We struggle with trust. I won’t leave my kids in a hospital. We will never give anyone that type of trust with our kids again. I don’t think we will ever get over the fact that our daughter was tortured until she had no fight left in her.”
Father of Babies L and M
“Letby kept looking over at me.”
The serial killer attempted to murder the twin boys in early April 2016. Their father said the image of his son collapsing was “forever etched” in his mind.
The family was initially told by doctors that the events were “normal for premature babies”, he said in a statement. “Little did we know that a year or so after their birth the police would come knocking on the door and break the news that this could be an attempted murder case.”
He said he had been prescribed anti-depressants but “even though they have helped, they can never take away the feelings I have as a parent”.
During the trial, he said he had to sit in Letby’s line of view one day, saying the nurse kept looking over at him. “That made me feel quite uncomfortable and uneasy and I had to move in the afternoon, so I was out of her view.”
Mother of Baby N
“We believe Baby N has lasting damage as a result of the injuries he sustained.”
Letby attempted to murder the baby boy in June 2016. “The day we were called to the neonatal unit was the worst day of our lives,” his mother said in a statement.
She said she always knew her son had been deliberately harmed: “I don’t know if it was a mother’s instinct, but I just knew.” She added: “We just questioned why a healthy baby boy was fine one minute and bleeding from the mouth and needing CPR the next.”
“We both relive this every day.”
She said she felt “happy and relieved” when the police contacted them to say they were investigating Letby. “We felt like we were being listened to.”
The family still has a camera in their now seven-year-old’s bedroom so they can check on him while he sleeps. “We are extremely protective,” she said. “We wanted him to be home-schooled as we didn’t want anybody else looking after him.”
Parents of Baby O and P
“It has destroyed me as a man and as a father.”
The parents had triplets, all boys. Two of the brothers were murdered on 23 and 24 June 2016 respectively.
Their parents gave statements via a pre-recorded video, played in court. “Going through the ‘firsts’ with the surviving triplet is very hard,” said the mother. “I started to blame myself. I thought I’d passed on an illness to all three of the boys – an infection.”
After the death of Baby P Letby seemed “inconsolable” said the mother, who thanked the nurse at the time. She said she hates the fact Letby was the last person to hold her son.
The boys’ father spoke about watching Baby O deteriorate and die. “It was horrific to see – it is an image that I’ll never forget,” he said. He sobbed throughout his statement and many in court were in tears.
He said he had suffered mental breakdowns and struggled with alcohol and suicidal feelings. He is still classed as long-term sick.
“The anger and the hatred I have towards [Letby] will never go away,” he said. “It will continue to haunt us and will always have an impact on our lives.”