🇳🇦NamibiaSouthern Africa
Romelu Lukaku scores in Belgium's friendly win over Croatia after year-long international absence
via The Namibian1 min read
Belgium captain Youri Tielemans praised Romelu Lukaku's return to international football, calling his goal in a 2-0 friendly win over Croatia "ideal." Lukaku, who had been sidelined since September 2025 due to injury, scored in the 96th minute of the match in Rijeka. This marked his first appearance for Belgium in over a year and comes after playing only 64 minutes for his club this season due to a hip injury. Tielemans emphasized Lukaku's importance to the team, stating, "We know how important he is to the group. He is sharp and mentally everything is fine too. We are going to need him very badly." Belgium's coach Rudi Garcia started Charles De Ketelaere in an attacking role, with Lukaku coming off the bench. Tielemans scored Belgium's first goal in the 38th minute. Croatia, who were World Cup semi-finalists in 2022, had chances from Luka Modric and Ante Budimir. Lukaku's goal was his 90th international goal. Belgium will next host Tunisia on Saturday, while Croatia will host Slovenia on Sunday before starting their World Cup campaign against England on June 17.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by The Namibian.
Czech player Jakub Mensik, 20, defeated Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca in the French Open quarter-finals with a score of 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 7/3. This victory marks Mensik's best performance at a Grand Slam, and he will now face second seed Alexander Zverev in the semi-finals on Friday. Mensik, ranked 27th in the world, described his performance as one of his best. The match was the youngest men's quarter-final at Roland Garros since 2006. Mensik secured the first two sets with early breaks. Although Fonseca broke Mensik at the start of the third set and later led 5-3, Mensik saved a set point and fought back. Fonseca saved six match points to force a tie-break, but Mensik ultimately won on his seventh match point.
Must ReadBusinessman Mathews Hamutenya has denied political connections to State House and disavowed involvement in the Namibian government's decision to award international oil trader Vitol the sole right to supply fuel to Namibia for the next three months. Hamutenya's name surfaced on social media after the Minister of Industries, Mines and Energy, Modestus Amutse, announced the deal. This agreement is seen as beneficial for Hamutenya, who is a partner with Vitol in a storage facility. Hamutenya clarified that his business is with Vitol SA Ltd Pty, not Vitol Bahrain, the entity awarded the tender, despite a letter from the energy ministry instructing wholesalers to communicate fuel requirements to Vitol SA. The Independent Patriots for Change IPC party has previously linked Hamutenya's company, Millenium Investment Holdings, to the president's son, Ndeli Ndaitwah, who co-founded Vaneli Foods CC, listed as a subsidiary of Millennium Investment Holdings. Hamutenya stated he has known the Ndaitwah family for years and that his son and the president's son attended the same school, but denied any affiliation by blood or otherwise. The government's awarding of the contract to Vitol has raised concerns about competitiveness in the downstream retail sector, especially as Hamutenya's son, Miguel, recently acquired 52 service stations, making his company, Nasan Energies, the third-largest fuel retailer in Namibia. The Namibia Competition Commission had previously banned Nasan from purchasing
A bill proposing amendments to public enterprise governance in 2025 has caused division among National Assembly members. The bill aims to give Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare authority over state-owned enterprises, including the power to appoint and remove board members in consultation with relevant line ministers. Independent Patriots for Change parliamentarian Isra Kanyemba opposed the bill, calling it a "power grab" that weakens accountability and risks turning public enterprises into tools of political convenience. Kanyemba argued the proposal creates a fragmented system with increased Cabinet and State House involvement, leading to poor governance and excessive political control. Parliamentarian Vilho Ihemba also expressed concern about the centralization of power. Conversely, Swapo parliamentarian Clemencia Coetzee defended the bill, stating it would clarify reporting structures and improve coordination, addressing service delivery challenges in underperforming entities. Deputy Minister of Agriculture Ruth Masake also supported the bill, believing it would enhance accountability by distributing ownership and oversight responsibilities to line ministries.
Must ReadWorkers at Lucky Star and Amawandle canning factories in South Africa face uncertainty as the facilities are set to close at the end of June. Employees, some with decades of service, express concern over potential job losses and lack of income for several months. The Food and Allied Workers Union Fawu has engaged the minister of forestry, fisheries and the environment, Willie Aucamp, highlighting the need for industry intervention and value-chain analysis to improve the fisheries sector's economic contribution and employment. Fawu emphasizes the importance of job security for its members. The Oceana Group, which owns the factories, confirmed a temporary consolidation of operations due to challenges with fish supply, with Amawandle's operations shifting to Lucky Star. Oceana Group communications manager Rolf Carelse stated that the full quota of fresh pelagic fish has been caught, and the company is struggling to secure sufficient imported frozen fish. Carelse added that procurement teams are working to secure frozen products and that no employees, including permanent, contract, and seasonal workers, will be affected by this decision, which was made to protect jobs. Oceana acknowledges its critical role as a major employer in the Laaiplek and Velddrif communities.