Latest news with #DavidFrost
Time Out
8 hours ago
- Business
- Time Out
South Africa remains a safe and welcoming destination for travellers
In response to renewed international scrutiny following recent political commentary, South Africa's hospitality leaders have stepped forward to reaffirm the country's unwavering commitment to visitor safety and world-class service. The Federated Hospitality Association of South Africa (FEDHASA) and the Southern Africa Tourism Services Association (SATSA) are united in their message: South Africa remains a safe, vibrant, and welcoming destination for international and domestic travellers. 'Our hospitality industry upholds some of the highest service and safety standards globally,' says Rosemary Anderson, National Chairperson of FEDHASA. From luxury hotels to intimate guesthouses, South African establishments follow stringent health, safety, and security protocols, ensuring peace of mind for millions of guests each year. Despite ongoing national challenges, not uncommon in many parts of the world, the hospitality sector has implemented robust systems to safeguard travellers. These include integrated security technology, highly visible policing in tourism hotspots, real-time support platforms like the Tourism Safety Support Unit, and extensive staff training in emergency response. SATSA CEO David Frost echoes these sentiments, cautioning against sensationalised narratives that don't reflect the real experiences of travellers. 'Millions of tourists arrive safely every year and leave with memories filled with awe, not fear,' he says. Visitor satisfaction remains high, and travel demand from key markets like the U.S. has fully recovered to pre-pandemic levels, with 372,362 American tourists arriving in 2024. Safety-focused initiatives — including a national helpline, the Secura Traveller App, and public-private collaboration — contribute to the continued smooth operation of tourism hubs across the country. 'This industry supports livelihoods across the nation,' adds Frost. 'A single visitor's journey can ripple out to benefit entire communities.' For those planning a trip, the message is clear: South Africa is open, ready, and eager to share its legendary hospitality, diverse landscapes, and resilient spirit with the world.
Irish Times
3 days ago
- Health
- Irish Times
How hard do you have to work to build muscle?
You're sweaty and sore, and just hoisting your gym bag on to your shoulder makes you groan. The workout was exhausting, but was it effective? Many trainers and athletes have long believed that lifting to failure – the moment when you can't complete another repetition of an exercise – is the best way to build muscle. But recent research has challenged that idea, suggesting that training at a slightly lower intensity can produce similar results. 'The question I ask people is: 'Are we getting better or are we getting tired?'' said David Frost, an associate professor in the kinesiology department at the University of Toronto. If you're new to lifting, it can be tough to know how hard your workout should feel. Learning what failure feels like – and understanding when you should push that far – can help you build a sustainable strength-training routine and allow you to safely progress as you get stronger. READ MORE Training to failure? There are two types of failure in strength training. 'Technical failure' is when you can't do another repetition with proper form and control, so you may have to rely on other muscles and joints to lift the weight. 'Muscular failure' happens when your muscles are so fatigued that you can't lift the weight at all. Although you can build muscle mass by training to failure, some experts say the risks may outweigh the benefits. 'If you push yourself to failure and damage your muscles to a very extreme degree in a single workout, that's going to impair what you can do the next day and the next day,' Frost said. Pushing yourself to lift with poor form can also increase your risk of injury. [ Should you push through exercise pain? Opens in new window ] What matters more is that you're working hard each time you step into the gym. Challenging your muscles creates microdamage in the tissue, which is what makes them change. When you rest, that tissue repairs, grows and gets stronger. 'You don't need to necessarily be pushing to failure, but a high level of effort is required over time,' said Brad Schoenfeld, a professor in the exercise science programme at Lehman College in New York who studies how different methods of resistance training affect muscle growth. How much to lift? When you're starting out with strength training, perform new exercises with just your body weight first so you can learn proper form, said Elizabeth Davies, a strength coach in Kent, in England, who works primarily with women who are relatively new to lifting. Once you're ready to add weight, start by picking up a weight that feels light to you. Focus on moving with good form rather than trying to do as many repetitions as possible. You can use what's known as the reps-in-reserve, or RIR, scale to find out how much weight you can handle for a full set. When you perform an exercise, estimate how many more times you could lift the weight – your RIR – before feeling maxed out. You want to choose a weight where at the end of your set, you feel like you have a few repetitions left in the tank. The RIR method lets you adjust your workouts for how you feel – which can vary based on everything from sleep and diet to hormonal changes and stress – rather than sticking to a set amount of weight. Working to build muscle As a new lifter, your muscle tissue will generally adapt quickly to training, so you can stop when you feel like you have five or six RIR and still see progress, Davies said. As you get stronger, research suggests that stopping two or three repetitions before failure can be ideal for maximising muscle growth. Once you're able to complete the same number of repetitions in a given set for two or three weeks in a row, add a bit more weight and see how that changes your sense of effort, Frost suggested. When you're familiar with an exercise and can practice it consistently with good form, it can be worthwhile to occasionally train to failure to refine your sense of how hard you need to work. After all, 'if you don't train to failure, you don't know how far away from failure you are', Dr Schoenfeld said. When your body is pushed beyond its limits, it will also try to adapt to meet that challenge more easily next time, he said. [ Fitness: Is it better to eat before or after exercising? Opens in new window ] If you really enjoy the feeling of hitting your maximum effort, failure can have an occasional place in your workouts. Davies gives her clients that opportunity on single-joint moves such as bicep curls that won't leave them too exhausted and hinder their progress, she said. The key to getting the most out of strength training is stacking up hard work over time, Frost said. On most days, that means aiming to push yourself a little bit more than you did the day before. – This article originally appeared in The New York Times
Travel Weekly
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Travel Weekly
Trump's contentious meeting with South African president sparks tourism concerns
Dorine Reinstein Political soundbites from President Trump during his White House meeting with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa have reignited safety fears around South Africa and has put the tourism industry on edge. With Trump's references to "white genocide" during that tense Oval Office meeting, local tourism operators are bracing for potential ripple effects on inbound tourism from America. "Travelers don't wake up hell-bent on visiting South Africa. They can go anywhere in the world," said David Frost, CEO of Satsa, South Africa's inbound tourism association. "But if they start hearing inflammatory things -- like Johannesburg being a murder capital -- they rule us out." Tourism officials say the reality is that while crime does exist in South Africa, it is concentrated in a small number of urban areas, away from tourism hot spots. Claims like white genocide also remain unsupported by data. Between April and December 2024 there were 19,696 murders reported nationally; only 34 involved farms, and just seven victims were farmers. Following the Oval Office meeting, minister Senzo Mchunu issued a statement saying: "We have respect for the USA as a country, we have respect for the people in that country and for President Trump, but we have no respect for this genocide story -- at all. It is totally unfounded and unsubstantiated." Terry Murphy from African Budget Safaris said that most clients understand the reality in South Africa. "Most clients who travel to South Africa are aware that there are issues with crime," he said. "But we always go above and beyond in terms of educating our clients on how to conduct themselves in terms of awareness of their environment when they are here, especially in the bigger cities when they are not on Tour or Safari with us. Our U.S. clients spend most of their time in the national or private parks under the guidance of seasoned guides." Perceived safety risks have always been part of selling Africa, said Craig van Rooyen, director at Tour D'Afrique. Despite a recent rise in quote requests, he notes that "when USA citizens get worried about the news, they tend to hold off on booking." "Every day seems to bring new developments and news from Trump, and the Oval Office meeting might soon be forgotten," van Rooyen added. "Only time will tell if our current requests will be confirmed or if clients will decide to postpone their plans to another period," van Rooyen added. From the U.S. market perspective, Jim Holden, president of Holden Safaris, said he believes any fallout will be limited. Although there will be some cancellations and postponements, "It won't be like Covid," Holden said. His advice to the South African trade is to show goodwill: "Being ready and willing to delay safaris at crisis time creates so much goodwill." But are Americans welcome? Holden also flags an emotional undercurrent that is currently determining American travel behavior abroad: "Americans think the world now hates all Americans," he said, and even had one client cancel over fears they'd be spat at or met with hostility in South Africa. Murphy has heard similar concerns but emphasizes that U.S. tourists are welcomed warmly in South Africa: "The only concern is this unfounded perception that if South Africans hear someone is from the USA, they wouldn't be warmly welcomed, but that's not the case all," Murphy said. He said he believes most South Africans see through what he calls political showboating: "I firmly believe the USA will continue to be a great source market. … Judging by our bookings, traveler numbers will keep growing." Yet it's not just immediate reactions that worry operators, it's how long negative perceptions stick around. "The real risk lies in narrative lag," said Don Scott, owner of Tanda Tula Lodge. "For the tourism industry, especially at the luxury and conservation-oriented end, trust and perception are everything. We'll need to be proactive in communicating the realities on the ground: that travel here remains as safe, enriching and life-changing as ever; that our conservation and community models are robust and apolitical; and that South Africa's natural beauty and hospitality continue to shine through despite the noise." The country has invested heavily in proactive visitor safety efforts, including the national Tourism Safety Helpline, enhanced security visibility around tourist hotspots and the Secura Traveller App for 24/7 emergency assistance. "South Africa isn't perfect. Like every country, we face challenges. But what we don't have is a crisis that justifies global panic or distorted narratives," Satsa's Frost said. "What we do have is millions of tourists arriving safely every year, and leaving with stories that have nothing to do with fear and everything to do with awe." He urged responsible engagement when discussing complex issues that affect tourism. "This sector employs hundreds of thousands. It puts food on tables from Soweto guesthouses right through to safari camps in Limpopo. And in South Africa, one tourism job typically supports up to seven people, meaning a single traveller's decision has a ripple effect across entire households," Frost said. "If you want honest answers about what travel here looks like today, ask someone who's actually been, or better yet, come and see for yourself."
The Guardian
19-05-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Starmer's EU reset triggers outbreak of Brexit derangement syndrome
Euphoric recall. Or more likely PTSD. It was like we were in a time warp. Back in the madness of the Brexit years. When otherwise sensible people lost all sense of reason. And when the mad became madder still. The days of betrayal and surrender. When our closest allies for the previous 70 years became our deadliest enemy. Time to stare them down. Britons never, never, never shall be slaves. We take no shit from anyone. Keir Starmer's EU reset went to the wire. Of course it did. Every negotiation with Brussels always does. It's in the terms and conditions. There was no way the EU was going to give away something on agricultural standards without getting something on fishing in return. You don't want to encourage other countries to believe they will get a better deal by leaving the EU. Even by the time of the final communique there were still plenty of loose ends. Nothing is agreed until everything is agreed. Remember that? Argh! Still that didn't stop some of the Brexit lunatics from voicing their opinions long before even an outline of a deal was announced. They already had their narrative. This was a surrender on an unforgivable scale. Daniel – unbelievably now Lord – Hannan was writing on X that Britain had become Europe's very own gimp. Squeezed into a black leather jump suit with a ball in our mouth. Sometimes you wish Danny would keep his fantasies to himself. Then there was David – unbelievably now Lord – Frost. What is it about Brexit that led to so many people who had objectively made British citizens less well off getting promoted to the upper chamber? Frosty the No Man was desperately trying to rewrite history. Again. He has been doing that for more than five years now. Our very own Lady Macbeth trying to wash away the blood. Boris Johnson's Brexit negotiator whose whole life is now devoted to trying to uncover the person who negotiated such a bad deal. He was trying to persuade himself that he had always known his fishing deal was rubbish but that the EU would cut him some slack now because they felt sorry for him. The man needs help. It's as if every Brexiter has had a memory wipe. Has no recollection of how deals are made. That the essence of any negotiation is give and take. That there need to be rules which both sides are obliged to follow. But this was also too much for Boris. He went mad on gimp masks too. God knows what you might find in his internet search history. Let's hope Carrie hasn't been keeping tabs on him. Here was how the world worked. Britain was at the top, telling every other country what to do. Anything else would be a total betrayal of our sovereignty. Come late Monday morning, a deal of sorts had been negotiated and António Costa, the president of the European Council; Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, and Keir Starmer were ready to face the media at the Lancaster House press conference. Costa went first. Trying to put everyone to sleep. He has the air of someone who has grown used to the fact that he seldom says anything interesting. It's how he got the job. Everything was marvellous, he mumbled. This was a new chapter. Von der Leyen was slightly more animated. She was pleased the EU and the UK had reached solutions. We were entering a new era of post-Brexit relations. A security and defence partnership. A deal on energy, fish and food. The youth experience scheme. Downgraded from a youth mobility scheme. A sop to the Brits. On no account should anyone think the UK had backtracked on free movement. Better to think of overseas students living entirely in virtual reality. Then came Keir. Flushed with success after his trade deals with India and the US. This was a triumph. No return to the single market or the customs union. But the next best thing. A reminder that British fishers sell more than 70% of their catch to the EU as we don't like the ones they are selling. It was time to look forward to the future. To move on from the same stale old fights. Though it was the past the British media wanted to interrogate. Hadn't we surrendered to the EU? We had sold out our fishers. We had become a nation of rule-takers. Brexit derangement syndrome had gripped the broadcasters. Keir gently reminded everyone he was creating jobs, facilitating trade and growth. Even after nine years, it was still too soon to say the obvious. That Britain had voted to make itself poorer. That Brexiters had radicalised themselves. No one had been insisting we leave the single market and the customs union during the referendum campaign. That had only become a truth some time later. So all Starmer was trying to do was to make the country just a little bit better off. You'd have thought from the reaction that this was a major schism. GB News could barely contain itself. The Tories were threatening to undo all this, the reporter quavered. Er … How exactly? They aren't about to win an election any time soon. If ever. As if to prove how unserious the Conservatives have become, Kemi Badenoch chose to call a press conference in a broom cupboard in the afternoon. Just to embarrass herself. The broadcasters could barely be bothered to cover it as the sound continued to cut out. We could have been underwater. Not waving but drowning. Priti Patel went first. Luckily for her she was totally inaudible. She will appreciate this in later years. Then came Kemi, declaring that Starmer had broken her five golden rules. Rules that even her own MPs don't know or care about. Rules that even the Victorians would have thought nuts. Most Brexit voters now think Brexit was a bad idea. They just want things to return to how they were without anyone reminding them that they had voted for it. We ended with Victoria Atkins and the fish. Vicky had a pet hake who was determined to gasp out his manifesto. 'I, Harry the Hake, do solemnly declare that I will live and die British. I would rather be left to rot on the jetty than be fed to some Frenchie or Kraut. God save the queen. Sorry king.' It had been that kind of a day.
Telegraph
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
The Daily T: Starmer's Brexit betrayal
The Prime Minister has, in his words, struck a 'win-win' deal with the European Union which will begin a 'new era' in UK-EU relations, arguing that he's 'delivering what the British public voted for last year'. The big problem is that, by allowing EU boats access to UK fishing waters until 2038 and agreeing to align with EU food standards, Starmer seems to be ignoring what the British public actually voted for back in 2016. There's no doubt that this is another step moving the UK closer to the bloc – but are we now on a path back into the EU as many suspect Starmer would like? Kamal and Tim are joined by the Telegraph's Europe editor James Crisp, fresh from the summit at Lancaster House, and by Boris Johnson's EU negotiator Lord David Frost.
