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The South African
28-05-2025
- Sport
- The South African
Ex-Orlando Pirates star and PSL midfielder on Richards Bay's radar
Ex-Orlando Pirates star Gabadinho Mhango is on the brink of joining Richards Bay FC, as the KwaZulu-Natal club prepares a double swoop that also includes out-of-favour midfielder Lindokuhle Mtshali. Both players are being lined up to reinforce the squad ahead of the 2025/2026 Betway Premiership season. The Natal Rich Boyz are looking to bounce back from a difficult campaign, and the addition of two experienced players could prove crucial as the club eyes a stronger showing next term. Mhango has parted ways with Marumo Gallants just as the season comes to a close, with the final fixtures wrapping up this Friday when SuperSport United take on Golden Arrows. The Malawian international joined Gallants after the club purchased Moroka Swallows' top-flight status. Although expectations were high, Mhango's season was modest, he scored five goals and registered one assist in 25 appearances across all competitions. His game time diminished significantly towards the end of the campaign, featuring only twice in the final seven matches, starting once and coming off the bench in another. Midfielder Lindokuhle Mtshali is also expected to leave Sekhukhune United after a frustrating season. Having joined the Limpopo side from the now-defunct Swallows, Mtshali found himself on the fringes of the squad, making just two appearances all season. His situation deteriorated in April when he was suspended following an unauthorised absence. Although the issue was later resolved, he didn't feature again before the season's conclusion. Mhango and Mtshali previously played together at Swallows before the club's PSL status was sold to Abram Sello's Marumo Gallants. Richards Bay FC could now reunite the pair as part of their transfer strategy heading into the new season. A source revealed that the club are in a strong position to secure both signings. With talks expected to accelerate as the transfer window opens. Top football agent Mike Makaab, who represents both players, confirmed Richards Bay's interest. However, he made it clear that no contracts have been signed yet. 'There is interest but nothing has been finalised as yet, but there is interest,' Makaab said, as quoted by FARPost . Can Richards Bay land this experienced duo which includes an ex-Orlando Pirates star? Let us know by leaving a comment below or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X, and Bluesky for the latest news.
The Herald Scotland
17-05-2025
- General
- The Herald Scotland
How to encourage swallows and house martins to your garden
Some migrants still build mud nests in caves and under cliff overhangs, but many are now attracted to our villages and towns. Our houses and outbuildings offer safe spots and there's often a goodly insect population for their chicks. We can help by providing an artificial nest from a garden centre. This is usually very popular with potential occupants as it saves time and energy spent on constructing their own. A nest must be placed at the correct distance from an overhang and where it will be sheltered from hot sun, wind and driving rain. A successful artificial nest is very worthwhile. There's evidence that birds using one or a previous year's nest actually raise more chicks, both because it gives them the time to have more than one brood and because the nest is less likely to collapse, causing an all-too-common brood failure. And House Martins find it impossible to make mud stick firmly to our modern, plastic soffits. Read more An easily-accessible outbuilding is great but if you need to shut or lock a shed overnight, be sure to keep it shut all the time. For security reasons, I have to lock the workshop at night, so must always remember to keep it shut all the time to keep out exploring birds. For hygiene, we have to regularly clean bird feeders but since both Swallows and House Martins reuse nests from the previous year, a build up of nest parasites doesn't seem to be a significant problem. As well as providing accommodation for these migrants, we can also ensure our gardens have a steady supply of insects. Swallows and House Martins feed on small flies, aphids, flying ants and beetles. And to my delight they'll help reduce the dragoons of blood-sucking clegs and mosquitoes. Swallows often skim low over short grassland and burns but House Martins tend to feed higher in the air. Since they need fairly small insects, especially for feeding to their chicks, it's important to grow lots of open, flat topped flowers like Achilleas and umbellifers which attract small flying insects. Let herbs like dill, fennel and coriander flower and later in the summer the flowering stems of mint are also useful. Check out which flowers attract small flies, not just the larger bees, and see if you can grow more of them next year. Sadly we have no control of the effect of climate change on all of this. Unusually dry springs like this one and wet summers like last year reduce insect populations and warmer early springs bring migrants before insect populations have built up. So all we can do is provide the best conditions possible. Plant of the week Plant of the Week (Image: unknown) Iris germanica 'Florentina' is an early flowering bearded iris with silvery white falls and standards and yellow beards. The sharply pointed buds are tipped grey/blue. It is scented and the rhizomes are a source of orris used in perfumery. Hardy and long-lived, my slowly growing clump has been flowering for decades, it will thrive with good drainage and a sunny spot. The leaves persist in to the winter but become rather tatty and it best to trim them up in early spring.
Irish Independent
10-05-2025
- Irish Independent
Nature Trail: Barn Swallows make an epic journey from Africa
By now, lots of them have made the journey to our shores from their wintering grounds in South Africa and they are a common sight as they get on with their annual chore of building a nest, laying eggs and rearing a family. The average adult Swallows weights about 20 grammes roughly equivalent to the weight of 20 shirt buttons. It is amazing to think that such a light little creature flies all the way from Africa what with facing such obstacles as crossing both the Sahara desert and the Mediterranean sea and coping with all that the weather can throw at it. The journey is about 10,000km long and it is known that birds can travel 300km a day almost as long as a trip from Cork to Donegal. Allowing for holdups due to weather along the way and allowing minimum time for feeding and resting, a fit bird would still need about six weeks to complete the epic journey. Those that do make the long and hazardous trip are starting to build now. Nowadays most Swallows nest indoors favouring all sorts of agricultural buildings from barns to sheds, outbuildings, dairies, etc. Having a Swallow nesting in a building is traditionally taken to be a sign of god luck. Both parents build the nest. They start by collecting mud pellets and reinforcing each pellet with fibres of plant material. The pellets are stuck together to fashion an open shallow cup and the whole structure is firmly attached to some support like a wall, rafter, or girder. For comfort, the cup may be sparsely lined with feathers. The female lays four or five flossy white eggs and she incubates them for about two weeks before they hatch. Both parents feed the young for three weeks before they fly. Insects caught in flight comprise the staple diet. These insects are stored in the parents' throats and the nourishing ball of food is delivered to the hungry youngsters by their attentive parents. Once the young have flown, the parents go on to raise a second and even a third family. Having a third family is risky as both parents and youngsters may be ill prepared to make the marathon journey back to the wintering grounds in Africa.
The South African
04-05-2025
- Sport
- The South African
Kaizer Chiefs midfielder prepares for exit
Kaizer Chiefs midfielder George Matlou is on the brink of free agency. In fact, it looks all but sealed. The 26-year-old's contract expires in June, and AmaKhosi remains reluctant to extend his deal in Soweto. Injuries have limited his season, and he has managed eight league appearances since returning on January 5. According to reports, AmaZulu has eyes on the former Swallows man. 'What I can tell you now is that the team that I know to have shown interest in George (Matlou) is AmaZulu. It could still be at the early stages as things are but it's believed that they have enquired about him,' the Siya crew reported. A second source reaffirmed the rumours, saying, 'There are no talks at the moment regarding the renewal of his contract. His current contract expires in June this year and by now he should be knowing whether he is staying or not and that's what could give AmaZulu a chance to sign him for free. His future at Chiefs is not clear.' Kaizer Chiefs are eyeing several midfielders for the offseason window, namely Azam FC's Feisal Salum, and will supposedly have to axe players to clear up the roster. It appears Matlou could be one of those unlucky subjects, but for now, his agent, John Wilson, say's he's focused on the weeks ahead with AmaKhosi. 'There are no talks at the moment regarding the renewal of his contract,' Wilson confirmed. 'His current contract expires in June this year and by now he should be knowing whether he is staying or not and that's what could give AmaZulu a chance to sign him for free. His future at Chiefs is not clear.' Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
Times
26-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Times
Tim Burton's Oxfordshire home is on sale for £4.5m
The gothic film director and producer Tim Burton is selling his enchanting eight-bedroom country home in Sutton Courtenay, about four miles from Abingdon. The historic former mill house was built in 1741 and is bursting with period splendour. The front door is reached through a rose-covered courtyard and there's a book-lined study warmed by an intricately carved fireplace. On the second floor, there are two attic bedrooms, a large bathroom and a sitting area: the perfect teenage retreat. The 17 acres of grounds are a Swallows and Amazons-style web of gardens, waterways and Thames river frontage, including three islands. A rare idyll of cinematic proportions. On the banks of the River Thames at Wapping in east London, this beautiful grade II listed Georgian
