Ant Financial Services, which was formerly known as Alipay – also the name of its biggest product – is an affiliate of Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group. The Vodacom deal is the first time it has licensed the Alipay technology platform to a third party without taking an equity stake in the venture, said Vodacom Group CEO Shameel Joosub.
Archiv: South Africa
Suspected mercenaries were released from arrest after two days
A group of 20 men evacuated from Benghazi, Libya and suspected of having been contracted to lend support to General Khalifa Haftar’s forces, were held under arrest in Malta for two days before being released without charge.
Multiple law enforcement sources speaking to this newspaper say the police are still investigating the incident, almost a year on since the arrival of the men on two RHIBs (rigid-hull inflatable boats) at the Valletta seaport in June 2019.
By Air and Sea, Mercenaries Landed in Libya. But the Plan Went South.
The abortive mercenary expedition last summer was organized and financed by a network of secretive companies in the United Arab Emirates, according to a confidential report submitted to the United Nations Security Council in February. The companies are controlled or part-owned by Christiaan Durrant, an Australian businessman and former fighter pilot who is a close associate of Erik Prince, America’s most famous mercenary entrepreneur.
Western Team Went to Help Moscow’s Man in Libya, UN Finds
Opus and Lancaster 6 financed and directed an operation to provide Haftar’s forces with helicopters, drones and cyber capabilities through a complex web of shell companies, according to two diplomats who briefed Bloomberg on the contents of the UN Panel of Experts report shared with the Security Council’s sanctions committee in February. The diplomats also shared excerpts of the report with Bloomberg.
S Africa court issues orders to end police abuse during lockdown
Human rights groups and experts have welcomed a series of orders issued by a South African court that compel authorities to prevent police and army brutality during the enforcement of a lockdown meant to curb the spread of coronavirus.
WHO and UN launch drive to accelerate vaccine development
As the deaths caused by the coronavirus passed 190,000 at the global level and the number of cases crossed the 2.7 million threshold (Johns Hopkins University data updated Friday), a „historic collaboration“ was launched to accelerate the arrival of a vaccine.
Secretary-General’s remarks at the launch of the Statement of Commitment and Call for Support for the Global Collaboration to Accelerate the Development, Production and Equitable Access to New COVID-19 Tools [as delivered]
This launch brings together world leaders, the private sector, scientific and humanitarian actors and other partners to promote health, keep the world safe and advance the public good.
Human health is the quintessential global public good.
And today, we face a global public enemy like no other.
$8-billion effort aims to speed development of coronavirus vaccines and treatments
Friday’s launch event was co-hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and philanthropists Bill and Melinda Gates.
Leaders from South Africa, Rwanda, Germany, Great Britain, Spain, Italy, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Finland and Costa Rica joined the call to pledge their commitment to work with and support the ACT Accelerator.
Representatives from the United States and China were noticeably absent.
Global collaboration to accelerate new COVID-19 health technologies
The launch of the new collaboration is being co-hosted by WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Emmanuel Macron, President of the French Republic, Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
The virtual event will include senior United Nations, government and public health and industry leaders from around the world.
World leaders call for global collaboration in COVID-19 fight
World leaders have joined the World Health Organisation in calling for global collaboration to accelerate the development and equitable access to new COVID-19 tools, including vaccines.
SA military plane crash-lands at Goma airport | Update with Chris Ocamringa
A South African military plane has crash-landed at Goma airport in the eastern DRC. SABC Correspondent Chris Ocamringa has more information on this developing story. He joins us on the line from Goma.
S. African navy hosts Russia, China for maritime exercise
. It is the first trilateral exercise between the three countries and is scheduled to take place off the southern coast of South Africa over the period of Nov. 25-30.
Russian bombers land at Waterkloof Airforce Base
Russia has landed two long-range Tupolev bombers at the Waterkloof Airforce Base. The training mission is aimed at boosting military ties with South Africa.
SA eyes Egypt arms deal
The message the world and South Africa needs to send to Egypt is that its human rights abuses will not be tolerated and that there should be no selling of arms to Egypt while this situation continues.
Johnny Clegg (With Nelson Mandela) – Asimbonanga – 1999
Independent Media officially launches its #Elections2019 coverage
Independent Media officially launches its 2019 elections coverage on Monday, exactly one month before South Africa’s most contested election yet.
The Independent Media team will pull out all the stops in providing political content, as-it-happens video footage and fast digital news.
South Africa – E-Evidence Training
(1.3.2019) The event was a great example of collaborative working between intergovernmental organisations, 14 Focal Points, representatives from the US and U.K. Central Authorities and Service Providers.
Next we move onto the Caribbean and then Australia!
Huawei to build data centers in South Africa
The Chinese firm, at the center of global security concerns, will challenge Amazon.com Inc, which is also expanding its presence in the emerging tech hub of Cape Town in a challenge against cloud computing rival Microsoft Corp.
Ramaphosa announced as African Union chair for 2020
President Cyril Ramaphosa was on Sunday announced as chairperson of the African Union for 2020, when he will take over from Egyptian President Fattah el-Sisi, AU chair for 2019.
ANC to test idea that Constitution allows expropriation without compensation
The ANC will press ahead with expropriation of land without compensation in terms Section 25 of the Constitution as it currently stands, national executive committee (NEC) member Ronald Lamola said on Monday.
Calls for inquiry into Israel’s Gaza killings
We, Israelis who wish our country to be safe and just, are appalled and horrified by the massive killing of unarmed Palestinian demonstrators in Gaza (Reports, 15 May). None of the demonstrators posed any direct danger to the state of Israel or to its citizens. The killing of over 50 demonstrators and the thousands more wounded are reminiscent of the Sharpeville Massacre in 1960 in South Africa. The world acted then. We call upon decent members of the international community to act by demanding that those who commanded such shootings be investigated and tried.
The current leaders of the Israeli government are responsible for the criminal policy of shooting at unarmed demonstrators. The world must intervene to stop the ongoing killing.
SA withdraws Israel ambassador after Gaza deadly attack
In a statement, the South African government says it condemns in the strongest terms possible the latest act of violent aggression carried out by Israeli armed forces.(…)
It goes on to say: „Given the indiscriminate and gravity of the latest Israeli attack, the South African government has taken a decision to recall Ambassador Sisa Ngombane with immediate effect until further notice.“