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CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — Barry Steenkamp, the father of Reeva Steenkamp, the woman who was fatally shot by Olympic runner Oscar Pistorius, has died, a family spokesperson said Friday. A foundation set up by the Steenkamp family in memory of Reeva said Barry Steenkamp died in his sleep on Thursday evening. “It is with heavy hearts that we announce the sudden and peaceful passing of Barry Steenkamp,” the foundation said in a statement on its Facebook page. At that meeting, Steenkamp said he urged Pistorius to confess that he had intentionally shot Reeva in rage after an argument. Barry Steenkamp wasn't able to attend because of poor health, family spokesperson Koen said at the time.

Persons: — Barry Steenkamp, Reeva Steenkamp, Oscar Pistorius, Tania Koen, Barry Steenkamp's, Reeva, Barry Steenkamp, “ Barry, Pistorius, Steenkamp, “, Oscar, ” Barry Steenkamp, ”, Barry Steenkamp wasn't, Koen, ___ Organizations: Paralympic, British, Daily Mail, Pistorius, AP Locations: CAPE, South Africa, Pistorius, AP Africa, africa

☆ South Africa hooker Marx ruled out of World Cup
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Rugby Union - Rugby Championship - South Africa v New Zealand - Mbombela Stadium, Mbombela, South Africa - August 6, 2022 New Zealand's Samisoni Taukei'aho in action with South Africa's Malcolm Marx REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsSept 14 (Reuters) - South Africa's World Cup title defence suffered a major blow on Thursday when hooker Malcolm Marx was ruled out of the remainder of the tournament with a long-term knee injury as coach Jacques Nienaber delayed naming a replacement in the squad. The pair were not deemed fit enough when the World Cup squad was announced on Aug. 8 but both played a major role in the team's 2019 triumph. Stormers hooker Joseph Dweba was the nominated standby option when the squad was announced. One of the leading hookers in world rugby, Marx has also been a strong ball carrier for the Springboks and a key source of turnovers at the breakdown. Reporting by Julien Pretot and Nick Said; Editing by Alison Williams; Editing by Peter RutherfordOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Africa's Malcolm Marx, Siphiwe, Malcolm Marx, Jacques Nienaber, Nienaber, Bongi Mbonambi, flyhalf Handre Pollard, Pollard, Joseph Dweba, Marx, Malcolm, Deon, Marco, Mbonambi, Van Staden, Julien Pretot, Nick Said, Alison Williams, Peter Rutherford Organizations: Rugby Union, Rugby, New Zealand, Mbombela, Africa's Malcolm Marx REUTERS, World, Leicester Tigers, South African Rugby, Romania, Sunday, Springboks, Bongi, Thomson Locations: Africa, New, Mbombela, South Africa, Bordeaux

☆ Australia toughens ban on training 'certain foreign militaries' after pilot case
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-14 | by ( Kirsty Needham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

FILE PHOTO: Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles speaks to the media at the 19th Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore June 12, 2022. A series of cases where former military pilots living in Australia had worked for a South African flight school training Chinese pilots, which the United States alleges are Chinese military pilots, has prompted the crackdown. Penalties of up to 20 years prison will apply for providing military training or tactics to a foreign military or government body, including hybrid civilian and military organisations, or state-owned companies, without authorisation from the defence minister. The Test Flying Academy of South Africa was placed on a U.S. trade blacklist on national security grounds in June for "providing training to Chinese military pilots using Western and NATO sources". A court was told Hartley, a former British military pilot, was suspected of organising the training of Chinese military pilots delivered by the flight school.

Persons: Richard Marles, Caroline Chia, authorises, recenty, Daniel Duggan, Keith Hartley, Hartley, Kirsty Needham, Lincoln, Simon Cameron, Moore Organizations: Australian Defence, REUTERS, Rights, United Nations, Defence, U.S . Marines Corp, Flying Academy of South, TFASA, Australian Federal Police, Thomson Locations: Singapore, Australia, African, United States, Britain, New Zealand, Canada, China, Australian, Flying Academy of South Africa, U.S, AVIC, British

☆ Elon Musk 'associates love with being mean or abusive,' Grimes told biographer Walter Isaacson
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-12 | by ( Grace Kay | Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Elon Musk "associates love with being mean or abusive" Grimes told Musk's new biographer. AdvertisementAdvertisement"When you're from a dysfunctional background or have a brain wired like his," Wilson told Isaacson, "intensity takes the place of intimacy." AdvertisementAdvertisementIn 2017, Musk's mother, Maye Musk, told Rolling Stone that Errol Musk was "a terrible human being," and in 2019, she told Harper's Bazaar that their marriage was abusive. AdvertisementAdvertisement"He has numerous minds and many fairly distinct personalities," she told Isaacson, according to the book. "When we hang out, I make sure I'm with the right Elon," she told Isaacson.

Persons: Elon Musk, Grimes, Musk's, Elon, Walter Isaacson, Errol Musk, He's, Claire Boucher, Isaacson, Amber Heard, Heard, Musk, Elon Musk Musk's, Justine Wilson, Wilson, —, Maye Musk, Stone, Harper's, he'd, Tesla, Martin Eberhard Organizations: Service, Elon, Wired Locations: Wall, Silicon, African

☆ Putin Hails Elon Musk as an 'Outstanding Person' and Businessman
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-12 | by ( Sept. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

VLADIVOSTOK, Russia (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday hailed South African-born businessman Elon Musk as an "outstanding person" and businessman whose SpaceX company had become a major player in the space transportation industry. Former Russian president Dmitry Medvedev took to X earlier this month to laud Musk over that decision - which has been sharply criticised by Ukrainian politicians - as "the last adequate mind in North America". Putin, speaking at an economic forum in Russia's far east, did not refer to the Starlink incident. But when asked about the success of Musk's SpaceX company in launching rockets into space, he said:"As far as private business and Elon Musk is concerned... he is undoubtedly an outstanding person. "He (Musk) is an active and talented businessman and he is succeeding a lot, including with the support of the American state," added Putin.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Elon Musk, Musk, Dmitry Medvedev, laud Musk, Putin, Andrew Osborn, Gareth Jones Organizations: Tuesday, SpaceX, Elon, Reuters Locations: VLADIVOSTOK, Russia, U.S, Sevastopol, Ukrainian, North America, Moscow

☆ Time to target fossil fuel demand, not supply
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-11 | by ( Hugo Dixon | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

Campaigners are, of course, right that the world needs to cut its use of fossil fuels. But focussing on curbing supply is not as effective as pushing for measures that cut demand - such as carbon taxes, faster permissioning of renewable energy and green subsidies. International climate negotiators are also wrangling over whether to “phase down” fossil fuels. Demand for fossil fuels will fall if they are more expensive - and economies will have a strong incentive to switch to renewable energy. Regulation is another method for driving down demand for fossil fuels.

Persons: Ajay Banga, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Narendra Modi, Cyril Ramaphosa, Joe Biden, Evan Vucci, wouldn’t, George Hay, Thomas Shum Organizations: World, Indian, REUTERS Acquire, Reuters, OPEC, European Union, EU, Thomson Locations: New Delhi, India, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Nations, Canada, United States, OPEC, China, U.S, United Kingdom, EU

☆ In J.M. Coetzee’s New Novel, Love Awakens an Austere Soul
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-11 | by ( Dwight Garner | More About Dwight Garner | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

THE POLE, by J.M. Coetzee’s novels are slim, and so, by and large, are his characters — they’re Modiglianis, not Boteros. The most wraithlike, a saintly hunger artist, is the protagonist of his novel “The Life and Times of Michael K,” which won the Booker Prize in 1983. When an ample person does show up in Coetzee’s work, moral stigma is often attached. Lurie takes her fleshiness as a sign she’s fled the strictures of civilized intellectual life.

Persons: J.M . Coetzee, J.M, — they’re, Michael K, John Lurie, ”, Lurie, she’s, Coetzee isn’t, Witold Walczykiewicz, I’ve, It’s, Witold, Hulked, Max von Sydow, “, Beatriz, Dante, She’s Organizations: South, Deutsche Grammophon Locations: She’s, Warsaw, Barcelona

TORONTO (AP) — After a three-and-a-half-hour documentary on his life, Paul Simon had only sympathy for the audience. The 81-year-old Simon, himself, hadn't watched the film before its debut, and he didn't watch it Sunday, either. “In Restless Dreams,” which takes its name from a lyric in “The Sound of Silence” ("In restless dreams I walked alone"), also intimately captures Simon painstakingly assembling his latest album, “Seven Psalms," which was released in May. “I haven’t accepted it entirely, but I’m beginning to,” Simon told the audience of his hearing loss in a post-screening Q&A. “Having the truth about me depicted by an observer is very interesting to me," Simon said.

Persons: Paul Simon, Simon, hadn't, “, ”, Art Garfunkel, ” Simon, Gibney, “ Sinatra, ” “, Jake Coyle Organizations: TORONTO, South, ”, Twitter Locations: Queens , New York, Wimberly , Texas

☆ India's Modi: there is need to expand mandate of multilateral development banks
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

World Bank President Ajay Banga, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and U.S. President Joe Biden pose for the group photo during G20 Summit, in New Delhi, India, Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023 Evan Vucci/Pool via Acquire Licensing Rights Read moreNEW DELHI, Sept 10 (Reuters) - There is a need to expand the mandate of multilateral development banks and develop global standards to regulate cryptocurrencies, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi told G20 leaders during a summit of the bloc on Sunday. The group of 20 major economies has pledged in a declaration at the New Delhi meeting to strengthen and reform the banks and has accepted a proposal for tighter regulation of cryptocurrencies. "We need to expand the mandate of multilateral development banks. Our decisions should be immediate and effective in this direction," Modi said during a G20 leaders' session. Reporting by Shivam Patel in New Delhi; Editing by Jacqueline WongOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Ajay Banga, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Narendra Modi, Cyril Ramaphosa, Joe Biden, Evan Vucci, Modi, Shivam Patel, Jacqueline Wong Organizations: Indian, Thomson Locations: New Delhi, India, DELHI, cryptocurrencies

☆ Opinion: Johannesburg’s hijacked souls
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-09 | by ( Eleni Giokos | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Born in Greece and raised in South Africa, she presents the network’s Connecting Africa and Marketplace Middle East feature shows. Either abandoned by their owners or surrendered to gangs, these “hijacked” buildings typically house migrants or poverty-stricken locals in downtown Johannesburg. The first time I visited one of these buildings I was based in South Africa as a correspondent, and what I found was shocking. “I can take you to buildings 10 times worse than this,” the mayor told me. Some of the gangs were not even from South Africa, we were told.

Persons: Eleni Giokos, Read, Herman Mashaba, “, Renney Plit, Plit, Afhco, Becky Anderson, ” Mashaba, ”, Anderson, Cyril Ramaphosa Organizations: CNN, Afhco Holdings, Twitter, Facebook South Locations: Dubai, Greece, South Africa, Johannesburg, Zimbabwe, ”

☆ Fearless Scotland have belief they can top a tough World Cup pool
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-09 | by ( Nick Said | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MARSEILLE, France, Sept 9 (Reuters) - Scotland have one win in 21 years against world champions South Africa over their last 15 meetings, but there is a genuine belief among the class of 2023 they can claim victory in their Rugby World Cup Pool B opener in Marseille on Sunday. This is despite the fact they are in a tough group that also includes world number one Ireland, with two teams to progress to the quarter-finals. "We've done well recently with an underdog tag, but I don't think we need it. Scotland have lost their last seven in a row against the Boks but have only met them twice in the previous five years. A hallmark of this Scotland team is their speed at the ruck and that will be crucial against a well-drilled South African defence.

Persons: Jamie Ritchie, Ritchie, they've, we've, Nick Said, Mike Harrison Organizations: South, Rugby, Springboks, Thomson Locations: MARSEILLE, France, Scotland, South Africa, Marseille, Glasgow, Edinburgh

☆ Mangosuthu Buthelezi, Zulu Prince Who Roiled South African Politics, Dead at 95
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-09 | by ( Sept. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +6 min

(Reuters) -Mangosuthu Buthelezi, a veteran South African politician, Zulu prince and controversial figure during the apartheid liberation struggle, has died, the presidency said on Saturday. Critics dubbed Buthelezi a war lord but to his legion of followers in the rural Zulu heartland, he was a visionary. A Zulu chief, Buthelezi became KwaZulu's chief minister in the 1970s, where he tried a delicate balancing act: refusing outright independence and criticising Pretoria's racial policies while still playing a role in the homeland farce. Ashpenaz Nathan Mangosuthu Gatsha Buthelezi was born on Aug. 27, 1928, in Mahlabathini, the son and heir of Chief Matoli Buthelezi and Princess Constance Magago Dinuzulu. In 1953 he was installed as acting chief of the prominent Buthelezi clan and four years later was confirmed as chief.

Persons: Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi, Prince, KwaPhindangene, Cyril Ramaphosa, Buthelezi, Nelson Mandela, Critics, Inkatha, Thabo Mbeki, King Cetshwayo, Henry Kissinger, Peter Carrington, Ashpenaz Nathan Mangosuthu Gatsha Buthelezi, Matoli Buthelezi, Princess Constance Magago Dinuzulu, Irene Mzila, Bhargav Acharya, Nelson BanyaEditing, Angus MacSwan, Frances Kerry Organizations: Reuters, South, Freedom Party, Home Affairs, African National Congress, Zulu Monarch, IFP, ANC, British, Black University of Fort, ANC Youth League, U.S Locations: KwaZulu, Natal, South Africa, Zulu, Johannesburg, Black University of Fort Hare, Lesotho, Mahlabathini

☆ Mangosuthu Buthelezi, Zulu prince who roiled South African politics, dead at 95
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

South Africa's leader of the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) Mangosuthu Buthelezi speaks to supporters ahead of the national elections, in Richards Bay, north of Durban, in South Africa, April 19, 2009. REUTERS/Rogan Ward Acquire Licensing RightsSept 9 (Reuters) - Mangosuthu Buthelezi, a veteran South African politician, Zulu prince and controversial figure during the apartheid liberation struggle, has died, the presidency said on Saturday. South Africa's main opposition Democratic Alliance (DA) party described Buthelezi as a "great leader". "Prince Buthelezi was a giant on South Africa's political landscape," DA leader John Steenhuisen said. Critics dubbed Buthelezi a war lord but to his legion of followers in the rural Zulu heartland, he was a visionary.

Persons: Mangosuthu Buthelezi, Rogan Ward, Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi, Prince, KwaPhindangene, Cyril Ramaphosa, Buthelezi, Nelson Mandela, Prince Buthelezi, John Steenhuisen, ANC Buthelezi, Critics, Inkatha, Thabo Mbeki, King Cetshwayo, Henry Kissinger, Peter Carrington, Ashpenaz Nathan Mangosuthu Gatsha Buthelezi, Matoli Buthelezi, Princess Constance Magago Dinuzulu, Irene Mzila, Bhargav Acharya, Nelson, Angus MacSwan, Frances Kerry Organizations: Freedom Party, IFP, REUTERS, South, Home Affairs, African National Congress, Zulu Monarch, ANC, Nelson, Nelson Mandela Foundation, Mandela's, Democratic Alliance, Reuters, British, Black University of Fort, ANC Youth League, U.S, Thomson Locations: Richards Bay, Durban, South Africa, KwaZulu, Natal, Zulu, Johannesburg, Black University of Fort Hare, Lesotho, Mahlabathini

CNN —Veteran apartheid-era South African politician and Zulu prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi has died aged 95, the country’s president announced Saturday. The Zulu chief, a controversial figure who had a seat on South Africa’s National Assembly and a long political career, led a movement that underwent deadly clashes with the African National Congress (ANC). Buthelezi and his liberation movement Inkatha ye Nkululeke ye Sizwe clashed with the African National Congress (ANC) over many years, particularly throughout the 1980s during rebellions against apartheid. He became a member of the Youth League of the ANC while studying at South African Native College (now the University of Fort Hare), but was expelled for his political activities. Buthelezi won a seat in the National Assembly, and was appointed minister of home affairs in ANC leader Nelson Mandela’s coalition government.

Persons: Mangosuthu Buthelezi, “, Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi, Prince, KwaPhindangene, Cyril Ramaphosa, “ Prince Buthelezi, ”, Nelson Mandela, Buthelezi, ” Ramaphosa, waKwaPhindangene’s, Sizwe, Walter Dhladhla, Tom Stoddart, Peace, Nelson Mandela’s Organizations: CNN, Veteran, Zulu Monarch, Freedom Party, South Africa’s, Home Affairs, Africa’s National Assembly, African National Congress, ANC, Royal Household, Zulu Nation, Getty, Youth League of, South African Native College, University of Fort, IFP, Zulu, Hulton, Inkatha, National Assembly Locations: South, Africa’s, AFP, Mahlabatini, KwaZulu, Natal, University of Fort Hare

☆ Helicopter crashed into sea off Dubai, search for crew underway -UAE regulator
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

DUBAI, Sept 8 (Reuters) - An AeroGulf helicopter crashed into the sea on Thursday evening and a search is underway for its crew of two pilots, UAE's General Aviation Authority said on Friday. The crash occurred off the coast of Dubai after the helicopter had taken off from Al Maktoum International Airport. One of the pilots of the Bell 212 helicopter is Egyptian and the other is South African, the aviation regulator said. "The search and rescue teams have recovered the wreckage, and the search is still underway for the plane's crew, and the air accident investigation team has moved to the site," the authority said. Reporting by Ahmed Elimam; Writing by Tala Ramadan; Editing by Jamie Freed and Tom HogueOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Ahmed Elimam, Tala, Jamie Freed, Tom Hogue Organizations: UAE's General Aviation Authority, Al, Al Maktoum International Airport, Bell, Thomson Locations: DUBAI, Dubai, Al Maktoum

☆ Factbox: Who is attending the G20 summit in New Delhi?
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

People stand infront of Nataraja, a statue of Hindu lord Shiva as the cosmic dancer, installed next to 'Bharat Mandapam', the main venue of the G20 Summit, in New Delhi, India, September 7, 2023. REUTERS/Altaf Hussain Acquire Licensing RightsNEW DELHI, Sept 8 (Reuters) - Leaders from the Group of 20 (G20) major economies kick off an annual summit meeting on Saturday to coordinate policy on food security, debt problems of vulnerable countries and climate action. Here is a list of those attending and some key leaders who are skipping the meeting in the Indian capital, New Delhi. G20 LEADERS:ARGENTINA'S PRESIDENT ALBERTO FERNANDEZ AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER ANTHONY ALBANESE BRAZIL'S PRESIDENT LUIZ INACIO LULA DA SILVABRITISH PRIME MINISTER RISHI SUNAK CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER JUSTIN TRUDEAU FRENCH PRESIDENT EMMANUEL MACRON GERMAN CHANCELLOR OLAF SCHOLZINDIAN PRIME MINISTER NARENDRA MODI INDONESIAN PRESIDENT JOKO WIDODOITALIAN PRIME MINISTER GIORGIA MELONIJAPANESE PRIME MINISTER FUMIO KISHIDA SAUDI ARABIA'S CROWN PRINCE MOHAMMED BIN SALMANSOUTH AFRICAN PRESIDENT CYRIL RAMAPHOSA SOUTH KOREAN PRESIDENT YOON SUK-YEOLTURKISH PRESIDENT TAYYIP ERDOGAN U.S. PRESIDENT JOE BIDENEUROPEAN UNION: PRESIDENT OF THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION URSULA VON DER LEYEN AND PRESIDENT OF THE EUROPEAN COUNCIL, CHARLES MICHELSPECIAL INVITEES:BANGLADESH PRIME MINISTER SHEIKH HASINAEGYPT PRESIDENT ABDEL FATTAH AL-SISIMAURITUIUS PRIME MINISTER PRAVIND KUMAR JUGNAUTHNETHERLANDS PRIME MINISTER MARK RUTTE NIGERIA'S PRESIDENT BOLA TINUBU OMAN'S SULTAN HAITHAM BIN TARIK AL-SAID SINGAPORE PRIME MINISTER LEE HSIEN LOONG UAE PRESIDENT SHEIKH MOHAMMED BIN ZAYEDOTHERS ATTENDINGU.S. Treasury Secretary Janet YellenThe heads of the United Nations, the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, the World Health Organisation, the World Trade Organisation, the International Labour Organisation, the Financial Stability Board and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. NOTABLE MISSING GUESTSCHINESE PRESIDENT XI JINPING (represented by Prime Minister Li Qiang)MEXICAN PRESIDENT ANDRES MANUEL LOPEZ OBRADORRUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN (represented by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov)Sources: Reuters, officials, state media and domestic mediaCompiled by Aftab Ahmed and Shivangi Acharya; Editing by Sanjeev Miglani and Raju GopalakrishnanOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Shiva, Bharat Mandapam, Altaf Hussain, ALBERTO FERNANDEZ, ANTHONY ALBANESE, LUIZ INACIO LULA DA SILVA, JUSTIN TRUDEAU, EMMANUEL MACRON, OLAF SCHOLZ INDIAN, NARENDRA MODI, JOKO, GIORGIA, FUMIO KISHIDA, FUMIO KISHIDA SAUDI ARABIA'S CROWN PRINCE MOHAMMED BIN SALMAN, CYRIL RAMAPHOSA, YOON SUK, TAYYIP ERDOGAN, JOE BIDEN, URSULA VON DER, CHARLES MICHEL SPECIAL, SHEIKH HASINA, ABDEL FATTAH, PRAVIND KUMAR, MARK RUTTE, BOLA TINUBU, HAITHAM BIN TARIK, LEE HSIEN LOONG, SHEIKH MOHAMMED BIN ZAYED, Janet Yellen, XI JINPING, Li Qiang, ANDRES MANUEL LOPEZ, VLADIMIR PUTIN, Sergei Lavrov, Aftab Ahmed, Shivangi, Sanjeev Miglani, Raju Gopalakrishnan Organizations: REUTERS, LUIZ INACIO LULA DA SILVA BRITISH, FUMIO KISHIDA SAUDI ARABIA'S CROWN, CYRIL RAMAPHOSA SOUTH, TAYYIP ERDOGAN U.S, OF, EUROPEAN, CHARLES MICHEL SPECIAL INVITEES, ABDEL FATTAH AL, Treasury, United Nations, International Monetary Fund, World Bank, World Health Organisation, World Trade Organisation, International Labour Organisation, Organisation for Economic Cooperation, Development, Foreign, Thomson Locations: New Delhi, India, DELHI, BANGLADESH, SHEIKH HASINA EGYPT, NETHERLANDS, SINGAPORE, LEE HSIEN LOONG UAE, MEXICAN, RUSSIAN

☆ Raymond Ackerman, founder of South African grocer Pick n Pay, dies at 92
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

JOHANNESBURG, Sept 7 (Reuters) - Raymond Ackerman, who founded Pick n Pay (PIKJ.J) from just four stores 56 years ago and turned them into one of South Africa's leading grocery retailers, has died aged 92, the company said on Thursday. "It is with profound sadness that we announce the death at the age of 92 of visionary South African, and founder of Pick n Pay, Raymond Ackerman," the company said. The Ackermans retail group was later sold to competitor Greatermans, which started the supermarket group Checkers, now part of bigger rival Shoprite (SHPJ.J). After leaving Greatermans, Ackerman bought four small stores in Cape Town trading under the name Pick 'n Pay. Today it generates 106 billion rand in annual turnover and owns more than 2,000 stores across South Africa and seven other African countries.

Persons: Raymond Ackerman, Gus, Ackerman, Gareth, Pick, Nqobile Dludla, Christina Fincher Organizations: Greatermans, Thomson Locations: JOHANNESBURG, Greatermans, Cape Town, South Africa

☆ Crypto has minted tens of thousands of new millionaires, but they're still only 0.02% of everyone who's ever bought digital currency, a new wealth report says
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-07 | by ( Matthew Loh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

At least 88,200 people have $1 million or more in cryptocurrencies, a new wealth report said. That's out of 425 million total crypto users around the world, according to Henley & Partners. A fortunate few — 182 users — have cryptocurrencies worth more than $100 million, the report said. Crypto-millionaires are defined as people who have at least $1 million in cryptocurrency assets, per the firm's Crypto Wealth Report 2023. But the world's wealthy crypto users are starting to outnumber the number of high-net-worth individuals in entire countries, such as Russia, which has 65,000 millionaires, and Saudi Arabia, which has 52,000 millionaires, per Amoils' estimate.

Persons: That's, Andrew Amoils, Dominic Volek, Volek, — Organizations: Henley & Partners, Service Locations: cryptocurrencies, Wall, Silicon, London, Russia, Saudi Arabia, cryptocurrency

He will have at least one advantage: Chinese President Xi Jinping will not be at the meetings. "But the question ... is whether the United States will be able to step up." FAST GROWTH, HIGH DEBTChinese Premier Li Qiang will represent China at the G20 as its leaders cope with sagging growth and a possible property debt crisis. For his part, Xi is also finding new ways to engage the developing world, hosting a gathering of Central Asian leaders and discussing development in May. Xi is also expected to attend an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in San Francisco in November, where he may meet with Biden.

Persons: Joe Biden, Leah Millis, Biden, Xi Jinping, Zack Cooper, Li Qiang, Vladimir Putin, Sergei Lavrov, Jake Sullivan, Donald Trump's, Sullivan, White, Khulu Mbatha, Cyril Ramaphosa, Trevor Hunnicutt, Nandita Bose, Michael Martina, Carien du, Don Durfee, Grant McCool Organizations: Warehouse Union, Pacific Maritime Association, White, REUTERS, Rights, World Bank, Bank, U.S, Partnership for Global Infrastructure, Investment, American Enterprise Institute, IMF, Global, White House, Trump, Republican, South, Central Asian, United, United Arab Emirates, Economic Cooperation, Biden, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, India, United States, Africa, Latin America, Asia, Washington, China, Russian, East, Central Asia, Saharan Africa, People's Republic, Ukraine, Brazil, South Africa, Beijing, Moscow, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Ethiopia, Egypt, Argentina, United Arab, San Francisco, Carien du Plessis, Johannesburg

☆ Ukraine rips Elon Musk for disrupting sneak attack on Russian fleet with Starlink cutoff
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-07 | by ( Amanda Macias | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

WASHINGTON — A Ukrainian official slammed Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk for ordering engineers to shut off Starlink's satellite network over Crimea last year in order to thwart a Ukrainian attack on Russian warships. The book, titled "Elon Musk," will be released Tuesday. In Ukraine, Starlink has worked as the connective tissue for crucial battlefield communications. Musk, according to Isaacson, was also engaged in a texting conversation with Fedorov. The official pleaded with Musk to restore Starlink's connectivity so that Ukrainian submarine drones could carry out the attack on Russia's warship fleet.

Persons: Elon Musk, Porte, WASHINGTON, Musk, Walter Isaacson, Starlink, Isaacson, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Mykhailo Podolyak, Mykhailo Fedorov, Joe Biden's, Jake Sullivan, Mark Milley, Fedorov Organizations: SpaceX, Tesla, Twitter, Viva Technology, Porte de, WASHINGTON —, Ukrainian, Netflix, Russian, CNN, Joint Chiefs, Staff U.S, Army Locations: Paris, France, Crimea, Russian, Ukraine, Russia, Ukrainian

☆ South African rand firms after consumer confidence, current account data
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

South African Rand coins are seen in this illustration picture taken October 28, 2020. REUTERS/Mike Hutchings/Illustration Acquire Licensing RightsJOHANNESBURG, Sept 7 (Reuters) - The rand recovered some losses on Thursday after a consumer confidence index improved, although new data also showed that South Africa's current account deficit had widened. "Today's consumer confidence and current account figures beat estimates providing some encouragement in what has been a tough year for South Africa with the rand attempting to claw back some lost gains," said DailyFX analyst Warren Venketas. Central bank data earlier on Thursday showed South Africa's net foreign reserves fell to $55.444 billion by the end of August from $55.626 billion in July. South Africa's benchmark 2030 government bond was stronger, with the yield down 2.5 basis points to 10.385%.

Persons: Mike Hutchings, Warren Venketas, Tannur Anders, Nellie Peyton, Bhargav Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Johannesburg Stock Exchange, Thomson Locations: Rights JOHANNESBURG, Africa, Johannesburg

☆ G20 set to grant membership to African Union - sources
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-07 | by ( Carien Du Plessis | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

A man walks past a model of the G20 logo outside a metro station ahead of the G20 Summit in New Delhi, India, September 4, 2023. REUTERS/Anushree Fadnavis/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsJOHANNESBURG/NEW DELHI, Sept 7 (Reuters) - The Group of 20, comprising the world's richest and most powerful countries, will grant membership to the African Union, sources said on Thursday. The South African official, who did not want to be named before the decision was made public, however said that there was still a possibility that someone might veto the resolution. South African presidential spokesperson Vincent Magwenya said: "We wouldn't comment now until the official announcement or post the summit." Countries including Germany, Brazil, South Africa and Canada have also voiced support for African Union membership.

Persons: Anushree, Narendra Modi, Modi, Vincent Magwenya, Carien du, Clarence Fernandez, Raju Gopalakrishnan, Alex Richardson Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, African Union, African, European Union, AU, Reuters, South, Indian, Thomson Locations: New Delhi, India, Rights JOHANNESBURG, DELHI, African Union, South Africa, Brazil, Delhi, Germany, Canada, Carien du Plessis, Johannesburg, Akanksha, Bengaluru

Companies U.s. Commodity Futures Trading Commission FollowWASHINGTON, Sept 7 (Reuters) - A U.S. District Court judge has ordered a South African to pay over $1.7 billion in restitution to victims for operating a fraudulent commodity pool worth roughly that amount in bitcoin, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission announced Thursday. The order against Mirror Trading International Proprietary Limited (MTI) resolves an enforcement case the CFTC had filed against the company and its CEO, Cornelius Johannes Steynberg. In a June enforcement order, the CFTC claimed that MTI solicited bitcoin online from thousands of people to purportedly operate a commodity pool. In reality, only a small portion of the pooled bitcoin was ever invested, at a loss, and the rest was "misappropriated," according to the CFTC. The company ultimately filed for bankruptcy in 2021, shortly after which South African authorities launched a fraud investigation.

Persons: Cornelius Johannes Steynberg, MTI, Paul Grant, Caitlin Webber, Chizu Organizations: U.s . Commodity Futures, U.S, Futures Trading, Mirror, Proprietary, CFTC, Thomson Locations: African

Renewable energy is more reliable but its promise for the region still remains largely unmet. Most households have depended on gasoline generators for power, but recently the government removed a gasoline subsidy, prompting increased interest in solar power, according to dealers. The Nigerian government has not announced incentives to promote solar energy, such as reducing import taxes on solar equipment as demanded by dealers. “The problem was affordability, but now customers can pay installments over a period of 18 months,” said Tunde Oladipupo, an agent for Sun King, a solar power company. Another example of this shift is the Ford vehicle assembly plant in Silverton, Pretoria, which currently sources over 35% of its electricity from solar power.

Persons: Rashmi Shah, ”, William Ruto, Tunde Oladipupo, Sun King, Monsurat Qadri, ” Qadri, ” Mohammed Ettu, Shah, ” Shah, ___ Adebayo, Magome Organizations: Climate Summit, World Bank, CP Solar’s, Associated Press, Kenyan, Solutions, Ford, South, CP, Kenya Power, Lighting Company, Supersport, AP Locations: NAIROBI, Mombasa, Nairobi, Kisii County, Kenya, Africa, Nigeria, Oyo, Lagos, Saharan Africa, South Africa, Stillwater, American, Silverton , Pretoria, Mpumalanga, Kenya —, Abuja, Johannesburg

☆ G20 New Delhi summit 2023: Which countries and leaders will attend?
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

A paramilitary soldier stands guard outside Le Meridien hotel during a rehearsal ahead of the G20 Summit in New Delhi, India, September 2, 2023. BRITISH PRIME MINISTER RISHI SUNAKSunak is expected attend the summit on his first official trip to India as Britain's prime minister. GERMAN CHANCELLOR OLAF SCHOLZScholz has said the upcoming G20 summit in India remains important despite the absence of Russia and China. SOUTH AFRICAN PRESIDENT CYRIL RAMAPHOSARamaphosa has expressed full support for India's G20 presidency while conveying his intent to attend the summit. BANGLADESH PRIME MINISTER SHEIKH HASINABangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is likely to attend the G20 summit in New Delhi, according to Indian media reports.

Persons: Le, Adnan Abidi, JOE BIDEN Biden, Biden, XI, Li Qiang, Xi Jinping, Xi, VLADIMIR PUTIN, Sergei Lavrov, Vladimir Putin, Putin, JUSTIN TRUDEAU Trudeau, Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Zelenskiy, RISHI SUNAK Sunak, KISHIDA, ANTHONY ALBANESE, YOON SUK, YEOL Yoon, OLAF SCHOLZ Scholz, EMMANUEL MACRON, Modi, SAUDI ARABIA'S CROWN PRINCE MOHAMMED BIN SALMAN, CYRIL RAMAPHOSA Ramaphosa, TAYYIP ERDOGAN, ALBERTO FERNANDEZ Fernandez, BOLA TINUBU Tinubu, LUIZ INACIO LULA DA SILVA, URSULA VON DER, CHARLES MICHEL The, SHEIKH HASINA, Sheikh Hasina, ANDRES MANUEL LOPEZ OBRADOR, JOKO, Aftab Ahmed, Shivangi, Nick Macfie Organizations: REUTERS, Criminal Court, ICC, BRITISH, AUSTRALIAN, SOUTH, Associated Press, SAUDI ARABIA'S CROWN, African Union, NIGERIA'S, LUIZ INACIO LULA DA SILVA Brazil, OF, EUROPEAN, CHARLES MICHEL The European Union, BANGLADESH, Thomson Locations: Le Meridien, New Delhi, India, DELHI, India's, Ukraine, U.S, RUSSIAN, Russia, South Africa, Africa, Indonesia, Philippines, China, Saudi, SHEIKH HASINA Bangladesh, Bangladesh, MELONI Italy

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