馃嚦馃嚘NamibiaSouthern Africa
Mathieu van der Poel wins Tour de France stage nine in shortened race
via The Namibian3 min read
Dutch cyclist Mathieu van der Poel secured his third Tour de France stage victory on Sunday, winning the ninth stage which was shortened due to intense heat. The 31-year-old former world champion won a sprint among his three breakaway companions, with Tobias Johannessen finishing second and Tom Pidcock third. Van der Poel described the day as "super hard" but expressed satisfaction in achieving a win before the first rest day. He had previously worked as a lead-out man for his Alpecin Premier Tech team-mate Jasper Philipsen in earlier stages. Reigning champion Tadej Pogacar maintained his overall lead, finishing six seconds behind the winner in the chasing peloton. The stage, originally 154.6km from Malemort to Ussel, was shortened by approximately 30km due to a "red alert" weather warning, with temperatures reaching close to 40C. Van der Poel attacked from an eight-man breakaway with 25km remaining, with only Johannessen, Alex Baudin, and Pidcock able to follow. He then out-sprinted his companions to claim the victory.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by The Namibian.
Jannik Sinner successfully defended his Wimbledon title, defeating French Open champion Alexander Zverev in a four-set final. The world number one recovered from losing the first set to secure a 6-7 7/9, 7-6 7/2, 6-3, 6-4 victory. Sinner, who saved the only break point he faced, expressed the special feeling of playing at Wimbledon and not taking it for granted. This win marks his first Grand Slam title since his previous Wimbledon victory and his fifth Slam crown overall. He hit 58 winners against 25 unforced errors in the three-hour and 46-minute match. Sinner's win brings his season record to 44-3, securing his sixth title of the year. Zverev, who had never reached the Wimbledon quarter-finals before, will climb to second in the ATP rankings despite the loss. The match featured tight sets, with Sinner breaking Zverev's serve in the third and fourth sets to clinch the championship.
The Namibian government is investing N$1.5 billion in a fencing strategy within the ||Kharas region to maintain its foot-and-mouth disease FMD-free status. Minister of agriculture, fisheries, water and land reform Inge Zaamwani stated that the veterinary fencing project aims to bolster FMD defenses, establish buffer zones, and safeguard beef exports. Namibia currently holds an FMD-free status without vaccination, allowing it to export to markets such as the European Union and China. Recent FMD outbreaks in neighboring countries, including South Africa's Northern Cape province and Botswana, necessitate increased surveillance and preparedness. Strict movement restrictions have been enforced at southern border posts like Noordoewer and Ariamsvlei to protect livestock and the meat export industry. FMD is a highly contagious trans-boundary animal disease that can severely impact livestock, farmers' livelihoods, national food security, and the agricultural sector. The fencing initiatives include establishing disease-control buffer zones, border and quarantine measures, and upgrading existing fences. The ministry rejected an initial N$179 million quotation for fence erection due to pricing and procurement concerns, and a new bid process is underway for two veterinary cordon fences: a 155km stretch along the Orange River and a 30km section between Klein Manasse and Mata-Mata border posts. The minister emphasized that an FMD introduction into Namibia would lead to significant economic
Must ReadNamibia and China have signed nine cooperation agreements across various sectors, including economic development, health, education, mining, agriculture, tourism, media, and technology. This development occurred during President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah鈥檚 state visit to China from July 6 to 11, where she met with President Xi Jinping. Key agreements include an economic partnership for shared development, a paired hospital cooperation mechanism, and an agreement on technical vocational education and training. The two nations also signed agreements on green minerals, the 2026 Human Resources Development Cooperation Plan, and cooperation between China Media Group and the Namibia Tourism Board. In agriculture, a protocol was concluded for the export of fresh Namibian table grapes to China. Additionally, a letter was exchanged for a Chinese expert group to conduct a feasibility study for the second phase of the China-aided satellite ground data receiving station in Namibia. Minutes were also endorsed for an on-site inspection and meeting regarding the feasibility study of a proposed Namibian smart city pilot project.