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The South African
10 hours ago
- Sport
- The South African
Craven Week opening round fixtures confirmed
The opening round fixtures for this year's U18 Craven Week to be hosted by Middelburg High School in Mpumalanga have been announced. This year will be the 60th edition of the tournament – and the third time it will be hosted by Middelburg. The two previous editions took place in 1978 and 2014. Western Province are the defending champions and are currently on a 15-match win streak at Craven Week. The Cape side's 37-24 win over Free State in last year's main match was their fifth consecutive victory in the unofficial 'final'. It would take a brave man to bet against Western Province contesting this year's final such has been the dominance of the Cape schools this season. Western Province have a number of players returning from last year's side which bodes well for their chances. Somewhat surprisingly, however, considering their dominance in 2025 and their place atop the 'unofficial' schoolboy rankings, Paarl Gimnasium only have two members of the 23-player Western Province team Paarl Boys' High and Rondebosch Boys' High each contribute five players, while four come from Wynberg Boys' High. Along with Paarl Gimnsium, Boland Landbou, Stellenberg and Paul Roos all have two players, while the final member of the team, loose forward Briint Davids, hails from Milnerton. Western Province will begin their campaign against neighbours Boland in the main match on Day 2. This year's U18 Craven Week will run from 7 to 12 July. Pumas vs Limpopo Western Province XV vs Griffons Free State vs SWD Bulls vs Lions Leopards vs Valke Border vs Griquas Sharks vs Eastern Province Western Province vs Boland Kick-off times and field venues will be announced in due course. NOTE: Fixtures for the remainder of the tournament will be confirmed following each day's play. 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 Advertiser
2 days ago
- Business
- The Advertiser
Doubts after 'unprecedented' arrests over luxury fakes
Three men accused of running a multimillion-dollar fake luxury goods empire have been bailed after a lawyer's extraordinary claim governments may be complicit by receiving tax on their sales. Brothers Ahmad Kase Siddiqi, 30, and Ahmad Jawade Siddiqi, 33, as well as Shadi Skaf, 30, have been charged over the sale of everything from counterfeit Rolex watches to Cartier bracelets and Louis Vuitton bags. When police raided their homes on Wednesday, they seized high-end cars including a Mercedes AMG and Lamborghinis. But as a bail hearing resumed on Friday the trio's lawyers maintained it was unclear what crime the accused men had committed. The federal government might be "aiding and abetting" or "conspiring" with the men by taking their income tax, Jawade Siddiqi's barrister Steven Boland alleged. While police have said the scheme netted about $9.75 million in profits, that figure came from bank records stretching back to 2017. Court documents indicate the alleged offences - which include dealing with the proceeds of crime - only took place from 2022. There had also been no concealment of business activity, lawyers argued. Mr Boland told Parramatta Local Court the decision to charge his client was "unprecedented" because police did not make more of an effort to shut down counterfeit sales at markets. "If it's really criminal to import these items, to sell them and to knowingly import these items, you shouldn't be able to walk into a market ... and buy them," he told the court. "There's no government information to that effect, just a suburban police station laying a charge." There were no allegations of fraud, but a breach of intellectual property made by police, rather than brand owners, Mr Boland argued. "It's not clear the brand owners even know or care," he said. Describing the strength of the prosecution case as "moderate", Magistrate Emma Manea bailed the trio on strict conditions. She found issues surrounding the date range of the alleged offending, along with what type of offence underpinned their dealing with proceeds of crime charges. Bail conditions included paying a $50,000 surety, reporting to a police station twice a day, not using social media and not associating with one another. During their raids earlier this week, officers confiscated a cache of more than 500 counterfeit luxury items, such as handbags, sneakers and watches - all imported from China - across three sites. More than $250,000 in cash and a gel blaster firearm were also seized. Fake watches of "extremely good quality" that resembled genuine articles worth more than $20,000 were sold to customers for $800 apiece, police said. Police allege more than one of the trio was receiving Centrelink payments while benefiting from the proceeds of their crimes. The allegedly tainted assets were now under the control of the NSW Crime Commission, its executive director said. Three men accused of running a multimillion-dollar fake luxury goods empire have been bailed after a lawyer's extraordinary claim governments may be complicit by receiving tax on their sales. Brothers Ahmad Kase Siddiqi, 30, and Ahmad Jawade Siddiqi, 33, as well as Shadi Skaf, 30, have been charged over the sale of everything from counterfeit Rolex watches to Cartier bracelets and Louis Vuitton bags. When police raided their homes on Wednesday, they seized high-end cars including a Mercedes AMG and Lamborghinis. But as a bail hearing resumed on Friday the trio's lawyers maintained it was unclear what crime the accused men had committed. The federal government might be "aiding and abetting" or "conspiring" with the men by taking their income tax, Jawade Siddiqi's barrister Steven Boland alleged. While police have said the scheme netted about $9.75 million in profits, that figure came from bank records stretching back to 2017. Court documents indicate the alleged offences - which include dealing with the proceeds of crime - only took place from 2022. There had also been no concealment of business activity, lawyers argued. Mr Boland told Parramatta Local Court the decision to charge his client was "unprecedented" because police did not make more of an effort to shut down counterfeit sales at markets. "If it's really criminal to import these items, to sell them and to knowingly import these items, you shouldn't be able to walk into a market ... and buy them," he told the court. "There's no government information to that effect, just a suburban police station laying a charge." There were no allegations of fraud, but a breach of intellectual property made by police, rather than brand owners, Mr Boland argued. "It's not clear the brand owners even know or care," he said. Describing the strength of the prosecution case as "moderate", Magistrate Emma Manea bailed the trio on strict conditions. She found issues surrounding the date range of the alleged offending, along with what type of offence underpinned their dealing with proceeds of crime charges. Bail conditions included paying a $50,000 surety, reporting to a police station twice a day, not using social media and not associating with one another. During their raids earlier this week, officers confiscated a cache of more than 500 counterfeit luxury items, such as handbags, sneakers and watches - all imported from China - across three sites. More than $250,000 in cash and a gel blaster firearm were also seized. Fake watches of "extremely good quality" that resembled genuine articles worth more than $20,000 were sold to customers for $800 apiece, police said. Police allege more than one of the trio was receiving Centrelink payments while benefiting from the proceeds of their crimes. The allegedly tainted assets were now under the control of the NSW Crime Commission, its executive director said. Three men accused of running a multimillion-dollar fake luxury goods empire have been bailed after a lawyer's extraordinary claim governments may be complicit by receiving tax on their sales. Brothers Ahmad Kase Siddiqi, 30, and Ahmad Jawade Siddiqi, 33, as well as Shadi Skaf, 30, have been charged over the sale of everything from counterfeit Rolex watches to Cartier bracelets and Louis Vuitton bags. When police raided their homes on Wednesday, they seized high-end cars including a Mercedes AMG and Lamborghinis. But as a bail hearing resumed on Friday the trio's lawyers maintained it was unclear what crime the accused men had committed. The federal government might be "aiding and abetting" or "conspiring" with the men by taking their income tax, Jawade Siddiqi's barrister Steven Boland alleged. While police have said the scheme netted about $9.75 million in profits, that figure came from bank records stretching back to 2017. Court documents indicate the alleged offences - which include dealing with the proceeds of crime - only took place from 2022. There had also been no concealment of business activity, lawyers argued. Mr Boland told Parramatta Local Court the decision to charge his client was "unprecedented" because police did not make more of an effort to shut down counterfeit sales at markets. "If it's really criminal to import these items, to sell them and to knowingly import these items, you shouldn't be able to walk into a market ... and buy them," he told the court. "There's no government information to that effect, just a suburban police station laying a charge." There were no allegations of fraud, but a breach of intellectual property made by police, rather than brand owners, Mr Boland argued. "It's not clear the brand owners even know or care," he said. Describing the strength of the prosecution case as "moderate", Magistrate Emma Manea bailed the trio on strict conditions. She found issues surrounding the date range of the alleged offending, along with what type of offence underpinned their dealing with proceeds of crime charges. Bail conditions included paying a $50,000 surety, reporting to a police station twice a day, not using social media and not associating with one another. During their raids earlier this week, officers confiscated a cache of more than 500 counterfeit luxury items, such as handbags, sneakers and watches - all imported from China - across three sites. More than $250,000 in cash and a gel blaster firearm were also seized. Fake watches of "extremely good quality" that resembled genuine articles worth more than $20,000 were sold to customers for $800 apiece, police said. Police allege more than one of the trio was receiving Centrelink payments while benefiting from the proceeds of their crimes. The allegedly tainted assets were now under the control of the NSW Crime Commission, its executive director said. Three men accused of running a multimillion-dollar fake luxury goods empire have been bailed after a lawyer's extraordinary claim governments may be complicit by receiving tax on their sales. Brothers Ahmad Kase Siddiqi, 30, and Ahmad Jawade Siddiqi, 33, as well as Shadi Skaf, 30, have been charged over the sale of everything from counterfeit Rolex watches to Cartier bracelets and Louis Vuitton bags. When police raided their homes on Wednesday, they seized high-end cars including a Mercedes AMG and Lamborghinis. But as a bail hearing resumed on Friday the trio's lawyers maintained it was unclear what crime the accused men had committed. The federal government might be "aiding and abetting" or "conspiring" with the men by taking their income tax, Jawade Siddiqi's barrister Steven Boland alleged. While police have said the scheme netted about $9.75 million in profits, that figure came from bank records stretching back to 2017. Court documents indicate the alleged offences - which include dealing with the proceeds of crime - only took place from 2022. There had also been no concealment of business activity, lawyers argued. Mr Boland told Parramatta Local Court the decision to charge his client was "unprecedented" because police did not make more of an effort to shut down counterfeit sales at markets. "If it's really criminal to import these items, to sell them and to knowingly import these items, you shouldn't be able to walk into a market ... and buy them," he told the court. "There's no government information to that effect, just a suburban police station laying a charge." There were no allegations of fraud, but a breach of intellectual property made by police, rather than brand owners, Mr Boland argued. "It's not clear the brand owners even know or care," he said. Describing the strength of the prosecution case as "moderate", Magistrate Emma Manea bailed the trio on strict conditions. She found issues surrounding the date range of the alleged offending, along with what type of offence underpinned their dealing with proceeds of crime charges. Bail conditions included paying a $50,000 surety, reporting to a police station twice a day, not using social media and not associating with one another. During their raids earlier this week, officers confiscated a cache of more than 500 counterfeit luxury items, such as handbags, sneakers and watches - all imported from China - across three sites. More than $250,000 in cash and a gel blaster firearm were also seized. Fake watches of "extremely good quality" that resembled genuine articles worth more than $20,000 were sold to customers for $800 apiece, police said. Police allege more than one of the trio was receiving Centrelink payments while benefiting from the proceeds of their crimes. The allegedly tainted assets were now under the control of the NSW Crime Commission, its executive director said.
Perth Now
2 days ago
- Business
- Perth Now
Doubts after 'unprecedented' arrests over luxury fakes
Three men accused of running a multimillion-dollar fake luxury goods empire have been bailed after a lawyer's extraordinary claim governments may be complicit by receiving tax on their sales. Brothers Ahmad Kase Siddiqi, 30, and Ahmad Jawade Siddiqi, 33, as well as Shadi Skaf, 30, have been charged over the sale of everything from counterfeit Rolex watches to Cartier bracelets and Louis Vuitton bags. When police raided their homes on Wednesday, they seized high-end cars including a Mercedes AMG and Lamborghinis. But as a bail hearing resumed on Friday the trio's lawyers maintained it was unclear what crime the accused men had committed. The federal government might be "aiding and abetting" or "conspiring" with the men by taking their income tax, Jawade Siddiqi's barrister Steven Boland alleged. While police have said the scheme netted about $9.75 million in profits, that figure came from bank records stretching back to 2017. Court documents indicate the alleged offences - which include dealing with the proceeds of crime - only took place from 2022. There had also been no concealment of business activity, lawyers argued. Mr Boland told Parramatta Local Court the decision to charge his client was "unprecedented" because police did not make more of an effort to shut down counterfeit sales at markets. "If it's really criminal to import these items, to sell them and to knowingly import these items, you shouldn't be able to walk into a market ... and buy them," he told the court. "There's no government information to that effect, just a suburban police station laying a charge." There were no allegations of fraud, but a breach of intellectual property made by police, rather than brand owners, Mr Boland argued. "It's not clear the brand owners even know or care," he said. Describing the strength of the prosecution case as "moderate", Magistrate Emma Manea bailed the trio on strict conditions. She found issues surrounding the date range of the alleged offending, along with what type of offence underpinned their dealing with proceeds of crime charges. Bail conditions included paying a $50,000 surety, reporting to a police station twice a day, not using social media and not associating with one another. During their raids earlier this week, officers confiscated a cache of more than 500 counterfeit luxury items, such as handbags, sneakers and watches - all imported from China - across three sites. More than $250,000 in cash and a gel blaster firearm were also seized. Fake watches of "extremely good quality" that resembled genuine articles worth more than $20,000 were sold to customers for $800 apiece, police said. Police allege more than one of the trio was receiving Centrelink payments while benefiting from the proceeds of their crimes. The allegedly tainted assets were now under the control of the NSW Crime Commission, its executive director said.
West Australian
2 days ago
- Business
- West Australian
Doubts after 'unprecedented' arrests over luxury fakes
Three men accused of running a multimillion-dollar fake luxury goods empire have been bailed after a lawyer's extraordinary claim governments may be complicit by receiving tax on their sales. Brothers Ahmad Kase Siddiqi, 30, and Ahmad Jawade Siddiqi, 33, as well as Shadi Skaf, 30, have been charged over the sale of everything from counterfeit Rolex watches to Cartier bracelets and Louis Vuitton bags. When police raided their homes on Wednesday, they seized high-end cars including a Mercedes AMG and Lamborghinis. But as a bail hearing resumed on Friday the trio's lawyers maintained it was unclear what crime the accused men had committed. The federal government might be "aiding and abetting" or "conspiring" with the men by taking their income tax, Jawade Siddiqi's barrister Steven Boland alleged. While police have said the scheme netted about $9.75 million in profits, that figure came from bank records stretching back to 2017. Court documents indicate the alleged offences - which include dealing with the proceeds of crime - only took place from 2022. There had also been no concealment of business activity, lawyers argued. Mr Boland told Parramatta Local Court the decision to charge his client was "unprecedented" because police did not make more of an effort to shut down counterfeit sales at markets. "If it's really criminal to import these items, to sell them and to knowingly import these items, you shouldn't be able to walk into a market ... and buy them," he told the court. "There's no government information to that effect, just a suburban police station laying a charge." There were no allegations of fraud, but a breach of intellectual property made by police, rather than brand owners, Mr Boland argued. "It's not clear the brand owners even know or care," he said. Describing the strength of the prosecution case as "moderate", Magistrate Emma Manea bailed the trio on strict conditions. She found issues surrounding the date range of the alleged offending, along with what type of offence underpinned their dealing with proceeds of crime charges. Bail conditions included paying a $50,000 surety, reporting to a police station twice a day, not using social media and not associating with one another. During their raids earlier this week, officers confiscated a cache of more than 500 counterfeit luxury items, such as handbags, sneakers and watches - all imported from China - across three sites. More than $250,000 in cash and a gel blaster firearm were also seized. Fake watches of "extremely good quality" that resembled genuine articles worth more than $20,000 were sold to customers for $800 apiece, police said. Police allege more than one of the trio was receiving Centrelink payments while benefiting from the proceeds of their crimes. The allegedly tainted assets were now under the control of the NSW Crime Commission, its executive director said.
Irish Examiner
10-06-2025
- Irish Examiner
Number of historical abuse allegations against Church rise by over 50% in a year
Abuse allegations against the Catholic Church spiked by more than 50% in Ireland last year. Some 385 abuse allegations were made in 2024/2025, up from 252 allegations in the previous reporting period of 2023/2024. The 'startling' rise in historical abuse allegations has been linked to last year's publication of the Report of the Scoping Inquiry into Historical Sexual Abuse in Day and Boarding Schools run by Religious Orders. It is the highest number of new allegations in any reporting period since the National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church in Ireland (NBSCCCI) began publishing figures annually in 2009. The figures are published in the NBSCCCI's annual report for 2024 which covers the period from April 1, 2024, to March 31, 2025. The majority of allegations (291) involve sexual abuse; 55 allegations were of physical abuse, four of boundary violation, one of neglect, one of emotional abuse, one of bullying and 32 cases of alleged abuse for which the type was not provided. In some cases, particularly those relating to sexual abuse, emotional abuse is also noted on the referral form. The vast majority of the allegations were historical, and relate to the period from 1960 to 1989. 282 of the 385, or 73%, are in this category. Two or less than 0.5%, relate to the period post-2000. But 47, or 12%, of allegations did not give a definite timeframe. The 385 allegations were made against 376 respondents, the vast majority of whom were male. Some 64% (241 of the 376 accused) are deceased. Of the remainder, six were still in ministry, 34 (9%) are in prison, a further 25 (7%) are subject to a management plan while 52 (14%) have either been laicised, left the Church Body or are out of ministry. The status of 26 of the accused was unknown. Senior Counsel, Mary O'Toole SC led the Scoping Inquiry into Historical Sexual Abuse in Day and Boarding Schools run by Religious Orders. The report runs to more than 700 pages. It followed a series of abuse allegations from the 1960s and 1970s at schools run by religious congregations. 'There has been a significant increase in the number of new allegations notified to the National Board,' said Aidan Gordon, NBSCCCI CEO. 'This increase in notifications was predominantly from September of 2024 and coincided with the release of the Report of the Scoping Inquiry into Historical Sexual Abuse in Day and Boarding Schools run by Religious and the subsequent media coverage. These events in September 2024 appear to have given individuals renewed strength to tell of their experiences. John Boland contributed to that scoping inquiry as one of a group of survivors of a then Christian Brother teacher, Seán Drummond, at Creagh Lane CBS national school in Limerick in the late 1960s. Mr Boland and many classmates were regularly molested between the ages of six and seven by Drummond in the school. Drummond was a teenager at the time, having entered the Christian Brothers aged 14 and began teaching age 17. Mr Boland and other former Creagh Lane pupils eventually took their abuser to court, where he admitted indecently assaulting 19 pupils, pleading guilty to 36 charges. Drummond was sentenced to two years in prison in 2009. Mr Boland believes there are many more people who have never come forward about the abuse they suffered in religious institutions. 'There will be a lot more,' he said. 'I know a lot of people who are reluctant to come forward. 'I'm hearing stories of abuse that are not in the Scoping Inquiry. And the abuse mainly happened to under-privileged kids who had no education and whose parents had no education, who had no one to fight or them. 'What we're hearing about is just the beginning. But a lot of people [who were abused] have passed away now. A lot of those people we will never hear from.' John Boland contributed to that scoping inquiry as one of a group of survivors of a then Christian Brother teacher, Seán Drummond (pictured), at Creagh Lane CBS national school in Limerick in the late 1960s. File picture: Liam Burke/Press 22 Rachel Morrogh, Chief Executive of Dublin Rape Crisis Centre said that the rise in the number of people reporting sexual violence at the hands of clergy "is naturally very upsetting and reflects the deep, lasting and terrible impact of abuse by those in authority, even decades later". "We hope the increase in people coming forward is a reflection of a community of survivors that is feeling increasingly empowered to speak out. 'This report shows that there are still victims and survivors out there who had not come forward until recently. There must be adequate resources and supports in place for those who need them, and there must be redress for victims and survivors that does not involve adversarial, damaging processes." Support can be found through the 24 hour Rape Crisis Centre National Helpline on 1800 778888. Read More Christian Brothers lose bid to have Limerick abuse case dropped against former Brother
