May 2023 – Eritrea Wire

May 31, 2023

Berliner Tageszeitung: Criminal complaint in Berlin, Germany, against Elon Musk and Twitter for possible fraud to the detriment of users

BERLIN, May 31, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — BERLINER TAGESZEITUNG reports today that a criminal complaint has been filed with the Berlin public prosecutor’s office against Elon Musk, file number: 253 UJs 1012/23, alleging that Musk charged Twitter users on their credit cards but blocked them without giving any reason.

Source: https://www.BerlinerTageszeitung.de/wirtschaft/269895-criminal-complaint-in-berlin-germany-against-elon-musk-and-twitter-for-possible-fraud-to-the-detriment-of-twitter-users.html

“Blocking user accounts is a daily occurrence at Twitter, but the fact that they then continuously charge money to users’ credit cards makes the matter explosive and is currently occupying the Berlin Public Prosecutor’s Office (Federal Republic of Germany). In any case, the question arises as to how much power a medium like Twitter can be granted at all and when the regulatory authorities should intervene to protect Twitter users.”

Incidentally, this is not the first time Elon Musk has been investigated, as there is also currently an investor lawsuit against Tesla CEO Elon Musk. The lawsuit is about Musk’s tweets in August 2018 with the premature announcement that he wanted to take the electric car company off the stock market and had secured the financing to do so. It later emerged that there were no firm commitments from investors.

“Elon Musk lied,” said a lawyer for the plaintiffs.

US Judge Edward Chen (Judge of the United States District Court for the Northern District of California) had already found in the 2022 trial that Musk’s statements in the tweets had not been true.

“We will continue to monitor the case closely and report further developments as new information becomes available. It remains to be seen how the criminal charges against Elon Musk and Twitter will develop and what the consequences might be.

From a factual point of view, it should be noted that according to Article 48 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, the presumption of innocence applies to defendants and accused persons, which must also apply in the case of the criminal charges against Elon Musk for “suspected fraud to the detriment of Twitter users”.

META KEYS: Elon Musk, Elon Musk Twitter, Elon Musk Strafanzeige, Twitter accounts, Thierry Breton, Thierry Breton Twitter, Berlin public prosecutor’s office against Elon Musk, Twitter users, BERLINER TAGESZEITUNG, verified Twitter accounts

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f3c50532-be3a-4bad-8e85-7253731d594c

Press Contact:

BERLINER TAGESZEITUNG
Press Contact: P. Hansen
Unter den Linden 21
10117 Berlin
Germany
Mail: Info@DeutscheTageszeitung.de
Web: http://www.DeutscheTageszeitung.de

GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 8849854

May 31, 2023

Economic woes dash job prospects in low income countries: ILO

In its new Monitor on the World of Work report, ILO shows that while in high-income countries, only 8.2 per cent of people willing to work are jobless, that number rises to over 21 per cent in low-income countries – or one in every five people.

Low-income countries in debt distress are worst affected, with more than one in four people who want to work unable to secure employment.

Widening jobs gap

ILO’s Assistant Director-General for Jobs and Social Protection, Mia Seppo, said that global unemployment was expected to fall below pre-pandemic levels, with a projected rate of 5.3 per cent in 2023, equivalent to 191 million people.

However, low-income countries, especially those in Africa and the Arab region, were unlikely to see such declines in unemployment this year.

The 2023 global jobs gap, which refers to those who want to work but do not have a job, is projected to rise to 453 million people, she said, with women 1.5 times more affected than men.

Africa hit hardest

The UN agency further indicated that Africa’s labour market had been hit the hardest during the pandemic, which explained the slow pace of recovery on the continent.

Unlike wealthy nations, debt distress across the continent and a very limited fiscal and policy space, meant that few countries in Africa could put in place the kind of comprehensive stimulus packages they needed to spur economic recovery, ILO explained.

Inadequate social protection

Ms. Seppo stressed that without improvement in people’s employment prospects, there would be no sound economic and social recovery. Equally important is investment in welfare safety nets for those who lose their jobs, the ILO senior official insisted, which is often inadequate in low-income countries.

According to the agency’s research, boosting social protection and expanding old age pensions would increase gross domestic product (GDP) per capita in low and middle-income countries by almost 15 per cent over a decade.

Social investment benefit

The annual cost of such measures would be around 1.6 per cent of GDP – a “large but not insurmountable” investment. Ms. Seppo suggested that the amount could be financed by a mix of social contributions, taxes and international support.

“There is an economic gain to investing in social protection”, she said.

Ms. Seppo also insisted that the need to create fiscal space for social investment in low-income countries should be considered “with urgency as part of the ongoing global discussion on the reform of the international financial architecture.”

Prepare for the future of work

While the unemployed divide projected by the report was worrisome, it was “not inevitable”, Ms. Seppo said, and the right concerted action on jobs and social protection funding could support a recovery and reconstruction which leaves no one behind.

In calling for improved capacity to develop “coherent, data-informed labour market policies” that protect the most vulnerable, the ILO senior official insisted that these should have an emphasis on upskilling and reskilling the labour force to prepare it for a “greener, more digital world of work”.

Source: EMM/ UN

May 31, 2023

“We have a youthful population and we prioritise.

President Hage Geingob said the high unemployment rate, especially amongst the youth, can disrupt peace and stability, therefore Namibia is open to business by foreign investors in an effort to combat the unemployment crisis.

Geingob during a courtesy visit to State House by a delegation of 11 investors from India today, said although Namibia has political peace, the high unemployment rate especially amongst the youth is not a good thing and can disrupt the peace.

“Politically we are peaceful but unemployment, youth unemployment is not a good thing to have, it can disrupt peace. While we can boast that we are a peaceful country, we have basic problems of unemployment. We have really been suffering since I took over office from the economic downturn, severe drought and COVID-19, but now we are very optimistic and Namibia is open to do business,” he said.

At the same occasion, Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila said the government has put in place a governance framework that supports investment accompanied by the rule of law.

“We have a youthful population and we prioritise our youth to ensure that we provide a skilled labour force to ensure productivity of labour competitiveness of companies for optimal benefit that we are hoping should be mutually shared between the investors and our country so that we can prosper together,” she noted.

Source: Namibia News Agency

May 31, 2023

AU Expanded Mechanism Discusses Implementation of Continental Roadmap for Resolution of Conflict in Sudan

The Third Meeting of the Expanded Mechanism on the Sudan Crisis discussed today the implementation of the African Union Roadmap for the Resolution of the Conflict in Sudan.

During the opening session, African Union Commission Conflict Management Directorate, Political Affairs, Peace and Security Director Sarjoh Bah said the AU has been working on a number of issues since the last meeting on 2nd May, 2023.

It has convened two meetings on the trilateral mechanism in order to agree on the way forward, and also held a meeting of all humanitarian organizations working in Sudan to discuss how to cooperate, he added.

“This third meeting of the expanded mechanism is the first engagement we are undertaking following the PSC summit level meeting that took place on Saturday, to share the outcome of the meeting and to discuss the way forward,” the director stated.

Bah further stated that AU is embarking on a tour of regional capitals to express concerns about the crisis in Sudan, and the potential impact on the neighboring states and the continent as a whole if the fighting is not arrested immediately and an inclusive political process is allowed to start.

At the last meeting, it was agreed that the AU would consult to put in place a Core Group that would guide the work of the international community in addressing the Sudan crisis.

The director said that the AU is now ready to convene the Core Group in the coming week.

“While doing that, we need to start planning and preparing for the inclusive negotiations on a political process, one which would address both the immediate and long-term causes of the Sudanese crisis.”

While disagreements over the reform of the security sector did provide the immediate trigger for the conflict, Sudan and the Sudanese need to address the systemic grievances that date back decades.

The African Union is working to support such an inclusive political process, which would allow for the full representation of the voices of all sectors of Sudanese civil society and political parties, Bah elaborated.

Deputy Head of Office UNOAU and Director of Political Affairs, Gérald Mitchell said the UN fully endorses the demand that the Sudanese warring parties in this conflict resume a political process that will yield a democratic outcome in line with the democratic aspirations of the Sudanese people without delay.

Building on the work we have done in the trilateral mechanism, Mitchell pointed out that “the United Nations remains committed to working closely with the African Union and regard as we pursue a permanent ceasefire, facilitation of humanitarian access, and providing support to the Sudanese actors in preparing the ground to the right moment to return to civilian democratic rule.”

IGAD Permanent Representative to the African Union, Maureen Achieng said the authority is steadfastly committed to fostering peace in Sudan and the broader region.

“We are by now well aware of the ongoing efforts by IGAD Member States, the African Union, and the international community at large to address the situation in Sudan and bring the warring parties to the negotiating table.”

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

May 31, 2023

Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Initiative Exemplary for Africa: ECA Director

The Green Legacy, which enhances biodiversity side by side with economic activities, is an interesting example for Africans, the Economic Commission for Africa Technology, Climate Change, and Natural Resources Director said.

United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) Technology, Climate Change, and Natural Resources Director, Jean-Paul Adam told ENA that the Green Legacy program that Ethiopia has been undertaking side by side with other economic activities, such as growing coffee, which provides jobs and improves livelihood not only contributes to the protection of biodiversity but also to the economy.

“There are some interesting examples in Ethiopia, where you have the Green Legacy, which protects the natural environment; and it happens side by side with economic activities,” he said, adding that the “growing of coffee (for example) provides jobs and which improve livelihoods.”

According to him, it’s very important that these types of planting are done in a way that enhances biodiversity; and this means properly choosing the type of plants and also looking at the impact of this planting on the environment.

For instance, the country is considering how the plantation can address the issue of water retention, he noted.

Indigenous saplings friendly to the environment and seedlings that boost agricultural yields have been increased during the Green Legacy plantation campaigns, it was learned.

UNECA has been providing technical support to Ethiopia’s works to protect biodiversity.

Adam pointed out that “Ethiopia is already doing a program that is very vast and which has a very big impact, and we are supporting simply to provide technical expertise to ensure that you are getting the right results.”

The country is also doing a successful program for building back better post-COVID-19 in terms of launching a biodiversity green initiative to promote the sustainable management of catchment areas in critical energy infrastructure zones by deploying nature-based solutions.

The Green Legacy Initiative which protects biodiversity side by side with economic activities that benefit the people through job creation and improving livelihood is an interesting example for Africans.

The director believes that biodiversity is one of the most important elements for African countries to realize economic transformation.

However, it is being exploited, extracted, or made use of without benefiting enough of the population, according to Adam.

“So having the right frameworks on the protection of biodiversity can allow us to develop economic activities that protect the biodiversity, while also delivering improvements in job creation and livelihoods.”

The director advises countries to maximize their income from different sectors, including ecotourism, by developing sustainable value chains in agriculture.

African countries should also have strategies for better coordination in implementing the Convention on Biodiversity and Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna in a way that also improves their economic opportunities.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

May 31, 2023

Int’l Community behind National Dialogue in Ethiopia: UNDP Resident Representative

The international community is behind the national dialogue in Ethiopia and places much importance in the process that brings and consolidates peace in the country, UNDP Resident Representative Turhan Saleh told ENA.

The representative said that the international community, which is behind this process, is supporting the Ethiopian National Dialogue Commission (ENDC) to build its capacity to undertake the dialogue successfully.

In an exclusive interview with ENA, Saleh noted that the commission is incredibly important because it would enable to find peaceful means of resolving differences of important national issues in the country.

According to him, the Ethiopian National Dialogue Commission has a significant role for the development of political culture in instilling the spirit of negotiation and compromise.

The dialogue will provide a forum for allowing the participants to find common ground that provides something and benefits Ethiopia, he added.

The United Nations Development Programme, on behalf of the UNDP, is coordinating all development assistance to the National Dialogue Commission.

UNDP Resident Representative Saleh revealed that 35 million USD support is expected for projects related to the dialogue commission in 3 years.

The first country, Japan, recently provided 3 million USD assistance through UNDP to the process and other countries will come to forward soon, he said.

The representative stressed that this shows how much importance the international community places on the national dialogue process to bring and consolidate peace in Ethiopia.

The Ethiopian National Dialogue Commission was established by the House of People’s Representatives in February 2022 with a three-year mandate to lead an independent, inclusive, and transparent national dialogue across the country.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

May 31, 2023

Shifeta urges African youth to contribute to developmental goals

Environment and Tourism Minister Pohamba Shifeta has emphasised the importance of African youth contributing to innovative development programmes that are compatible to the Sustainable Development Goals and regional tourism programmes.

Shifeta at the opening of the African Youth in Tourism Innovation Summit and Challenge at Swakopmund on Wednesday said young people should aim to become transformational industry change-makers and future leaders of the tourism sector.

“The youth of Africa and all industry players should collaborate and form partnerships to place African brands/destinations at the centre of the global dialogue, displaying and expressing the love and warmth of the African people, diverse culture, abundant wildlife and rich history of the continent in your engagements with friends across the globe,” he expressed.

The Namibian Government, he said, is a member state of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), which enables it to subscribe to and support its agenda of Africa that positions tourism at the centre stage for inclusive growth in order to optimise the sector’s contribution to sustainable development of Africa at large.

“This African agenda for inclusive development can only be achieved with the inclusion of the youth and women in the tourism ecosystem. I therefore urge you all to embrace innovation, digital disruptive change and harness your potential to succeed in the tourism sector and your participation at this summit is of utmost crucial and surely indicates your passion and love for the industry,” he said.

The summit is a pan-African youth initiative which was established in 2019 in South Africa.

It serves as a voice for the youth and emerging enterprises in tourism, travel, hospitality, aviation and all related industries with the sole objective to among others; connect, innovate and grow themselves, their businesses and the entire travel & tourism economy of the African countries.

The four-day event aims to harmonise and influence government policies, introduce strategies and adopt new technologies that support the development and growth of the Small, Medium, and Micro Enterprises, tourism businesses and create market access for youth entrepreneurship.

It is being attended both in-person and virtually by about 2 000 attendees from 38 African countries.

Source: Namibia News Agency