Elon Musk, the South African-born U.S. billionaire and head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), recently took to X (formerly Twitter) to call for the shutting down of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and Voice of America, both of which are funded by the U.S. government, reported <a href="https://english.news.cn/20250211/bc10bdc93f6742c0901378e1581f10d4/c.html">Xinhua</a>.
His comments came after Richard Grenell, the U.S. special envoy for special missions, criticized these media outlets for being taxpayer-funded and filled with “far-left activities.” Wrote Grenell:
<blockquote>
Radio Free Europe and Voice of America are media outlets paid for by the American taxpayers. It is state-owned media. These outlets are filled with far-left activists. I’ve worked with these reporters for decades. It’s a relic of the past. We don’t need government-paid media outlets.
</blockquote>
Musk backed up Grenell’s comments, saying, “Yes, close them. Europe is free now (not counting the stifling bureaucracy). Nobody listens to them anymore. They are just crazy radical leftists talking to themselves while burning American taxpayer money. That’s about $1 billion a year wasted.”
VOA, established in 1942, is the oldest and largest U.S. international broadcaster. It creates content in 48 languages across digital platforms, TV, and radio, including a special service for Zimbabwe called Studio 7, which has been on air since 2003.
Studio 7 is an important source of independent news for Zimbabweans, offering broadcasts in Shona, Ndebele, and English. It covers a wide range of topics, including politics, civil society, health, sports, and the arts.
If the threat to shut down VOA goes through, it could leave over two dozen Zimbabwean journalists in Washington without jobs.
Elon Musk has also criticised federal funding for media organisations like Politico, The Associated Press, and The New York Times, arguing that such spending is an inefficient use of taxpayer dollars.

Pindula News

Elon Musk wants to close down VOA Studio 7, a radio station that gives news to people in Zimbabwe. He thinks it's a waste of money because not many people listen to it. He also doesn't like other media funded by the government. Many people disagree with him, saying Studio 7 is important for Zimbabweans. If it closes, many journalists could lose their jobs. Elon Musk also doesn't like federal funding for other media organizations like Politico and The New York Times.

Elon Musk Calls For Closure Of VOA Studio 7

South African-born American billionaire Elon Musk has called for sanctions to be imposed on Julius Malema, labelling him an “international criminal” due to remarks he made at a recent rally.
Malema, the leader of the South African opposition party Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), stirred controversy by declaring that the party would “cut the throat of whiteness.”
The comments, captured in a video shared on X by Mario Nawfal, have raised significant alarm, although the exact time and place of Malema’s statements remain unclear. In the video, Malema said:
<blockquote>
These people, when you want to hit them hard, go after a white man. They feel terrible pain because you have touched a white man. We’re cutting the throat of whiteness.
</blockquote>
Nawfal claimed that Malema stated they “will kill white women, children, and their pets,” although these specific words were never spoken in the video.
In response to the clip, Musk remarked, “Immediate sanctions for Malema and declaration of him as an international criminal!”
Musk also accused Malema of openly calling for genocide against white people.
In response, Malema labelled Musk a typical “spoiled brat” and a direct beneficiary of apartheid privileges, vowing to continue his fight for equality between black and white people. Said Malema:
<blockquote>
I really think you have entirely lost your left brain: a typical spoiled brat and direct beneficiary of Apartheid whiteness.
I know black people look the same to you, typical racist. Look closer, and you will realise those are two different people. America is exposing us to its stupidity.
I don’t care about your sanctions; I will never stop fighting for black people to be equal to white people, and if that makes me an international criminal, I am proud to be one.
</blockquote>

Elon Musk wants sanctions against Julius Malema for saying bad things about white people. Malema, a South African politician, said they will "cut the throat of whiteness." Musk called Malema an international criminal and accused him of promoting genocide against white people. Malema called Musk a spoiled brat and said he will keep fighting for equality between black and white people, even if it makes him an international criminal. They are in a big argument about race.

Elon Musk Calls For Sanctions Against Julius Malema

Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX, announced that the company is working swiftly to increase Starlink’s internet capacity in dense urban areas in Africa.
This decision comes in response to the temporary halt of new Starlink sign-ups in several African urban centres due to overwhelming demand.
Starlink reported that these regions had reached network capacity, leading to the suspension of new user registrations.
Musk said African users residing outside city centres can still sign up for the service, as there is significant capacity available in these areas. Musk wrote on X:
<blockquote>
Starlink is working to increase Internet capacity in dense urban areas in Africa as fast as possible.
Please note that there is still significant capacity outside of city centers.
</blockquote>
This development comes as Starlink’s residential service has sold out in Bulawayo, just a week after the internet service provider announced that the city centre and surrounding areas had reached full capacity.
Harare reached capacity a few weeks ago for the SpaceX product, and Bulawayo follows suit as users seek what they consider an affordable and fast internet connection.
According to the Starlink map on its website, Bulawayo is now marked as sold out. This designation indicates that the internet service capacity has been fully utilised in specific areas, particularly in densely populated cities.
As a result, customers can place orders but will enter a queue until the capacity for the low-orbit satellites can be increased.
Meanwhile, Elon Musk has not provided a specific timeline for when this increased capacity will be available.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Elon Musk is working to make Starlink internet better in African cities because many people want to sign up for it but there is not enough space. People who live outside the cities can still sign up because there is more space there. The service has already sold out in some cities like Bulawayo. People can still order it, but they will have to wait until more space is available. Elon Musk has not said when this will happen.

Elon Musk Pledges To Boost Starlink Capacity In African Cities Amid Soaring Demand

The Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ) has warned individuals and companies who are caught distributing and advertising Starlink Internet Services’ gadgets that they will be arrested.
Some are advertising Starlink Internet Services kits, especially on social media platforms like Facebook yet the service provider has not been licenced in the country.
Many have already installed the gadgets and these risk being arrested.
An unnamed official from POTRAZ told <a href="https://www.hmetro.co.zw/starlink-raids-on-the-way/">H-Metro</a> that raids will be done soon to deal with those breaking the law. Said the official:
<blockquote>
It’s not allowed to sell or use Starlink in Zimbabwe and police will be mounting raids and arrests soon.
All those advertising the gadgets are putting themselves at risk and they stand warned to stop selling and using them.
We are seeing it and there is a need for proper processes. We will be mounting raids with the police in Harare soon.
The use of unlicensed telecommunication is not allowed. The service should wait for approval, the telecommunications process states that they must not interfere with other services.
Their approval is very necessary so that we make sure there is no interference of frequencies.
Starlink is still in the process of applying for a license, they are not yet licensed.
So far two people have been arrested in Vic Falls and Bulawayo and their cases are before the courts.
</blockquote>
Developed by Elon Musk’s space exploration company SpaceX, Starlink is a satellite internet network that provides high-speed broadband internet services.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Advertising, Distributing And Using Starlink Internet Not Allowed In Zimbabwe - POTRAZ

Zimbabwean journalist Hopewell Chin’ono recently sent a letter to Elon Musk, the CEO of X (previously known as Twitter), expressing his concerns about explicit content on the social media platform. Chin’ono believes that the platform has turned into a platform for pornography since Musk took over, and he feels that Musk himself is promoting this kind of content. He requested the South African-born businessman to take action and make the platform more suitable for families again. We present Chin’ono’s open letter below:
<blockquote>
Dear @elonmusk
This platform has literally become a pornography site since you bought it. It is unfortunate that instead of putting a halt to pornography on @X, which is formerly known as Twitter, you are fuelling it with images like the one in your post. Your @X account has a disproportionately wide reach with 169 million followers, you are an opinion maker and as such, you should use such power responsibly. 
Twitter was a space where serious issues across the spectrum were discussed, and where family members regardless of age would be comfortable to navigate around in the comfort of our homes, and pornography was not widespread as it is now. 
But now many people are worried to open @X in the presence of people they respect because a pornographic picture or video can pop up. There is also a disproportionate unsolicited pornographic material on many people’s timelines.
 Please can you address this new but sad reality, please make the platform enjoyable again as it once was. 
There are sites meant for pornography, and those that partake in that sad habit of watching pornography know where to find them. 
This is a genuine concern about the rampant explicit content on @X which I hope you will seriously look into and deal with. 
I know that you talk a lot about free speech, but surely pornography can’t be part of that free speech, this is now abusive to @X account holders who are here for decent engagement. Please return the platform to a more family-friendly environment it used to be. 
Thank you.
</blockquote>
<h3><a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">More Pindula News</a></h3>

Hopewell Chin'ono Complains To Elon Musk Over Explicit Content On Twitter (X)

Toneo Rutsito, the founder of TechnomagTv, has criticised Zimbabwean government officials for suggesting that the southern African nation might decide to choose China’s G60 satellite over SpaceX’s Starlink, owned by Elon Musk. Rutsito described the idea as foolish and embarrassing, urging the government to reconsider.

<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/2024/01/03/zimbabwean-government-could-allow-chinas-g60-starlink-instead-of-spacexs-starlink/">Zimbabwean Government Could Allow China’s G60 Starlink Instead Of SpaceX’s Starlink – Charamba</a></li>
</ul>
Rutsito argued that SpaceX’s Starlink has a proven track record, having been tested and used successfully over the years. In contrast, the Chinese G60 satellite is still in the trial phase. He expressed concerns about China’s reputation for spying on its citizens and claimed that allowing China to provide internet services in Zimbabwe would be a violation of human rights, including the right to privacy. He said:
<blockquote>
Shanghai Gesi Aerospace Technology, a state-owned company established in 2022 is the one to run the G60 satellite factory. These young Turks do not even have national coverage for their 1 billion people let alone the African Market and hence will provide pathetic speeds! To start with submitting national data traffic to a country notorious of curtailing freedom of expression and access to information would be as nefarious and tantamount to violation of Human rights and freedom of expression! China does not even allow access to Facebook Whatsapp and Twitter to its citizens and spies on its citizens daily, this is gross! In Ukraine, Ellon Musk said his internet can not be used for war! It was actually blamed for switching off internet that led to Ukraine drones failing to attack Russia but here we are, someone twisting the facts to suite his singing for supper narratives!
The G60 Starlink project started in 2016, with the Shanghai government announcing its cluster plans in 2021. As of July, the local government said they would send nearly 1,300 satellites into orbit during the initial phase of the project. This figure is far off to date! This is a drop in Ocean against what Starlink has done in terms of geo space coverage and connectivity and to think Zimbabwe Gvt must trust and sign up a struggling and poorly connected aerospace player coz its Chinese is not only ignorant but stupid!
</blockquote>
In comparison, Rutsito lauded SpaceX’s Starlink project, which started launching satellites in 2019. He mentioned that the project currently has over 5,289 small satellites in low Earth orbit, with plans to deploy up to 42,000 satellites in the future. Rutsito argued that Starlink’s extensive coverage and connectivity make it a more reliable choice for Zimbabwe.
Rutsito questioned the national security concerns cited by proponents of the Chinese G60 satellite, arguing that only authoritarian regimes fear open connectivity platforms like Starlink. He pointed out that eight African countries have already adopted Starlink without facing any national security issues.
<h3><a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">More Pindula News</a></h3>

"Choosing Chinese G60 Over Elon Musk's Starlink Is Stupid, Shameful" - Rutsito

Elon Musk, who currently holds the title of the wealthiest person in the world, with an estimated net worth of $244 billion according to Forbes, recently expressed his belief that human civilisation should have established moon bases and cities on Mars. He made this statement in response to a post about the Wright brothers’ first flight in 1903.
Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, highlighted the remarkable progress made by humanity in the past. He stated:
<blockquote>
Only 66 years from first flight to landing on the moon, but now half a century has passed since the last moon landing. That cannot be our high water mark as a civilization. Humanity should have a moon base, cities on Mars and be out there among the stars!
</blockquote>
The Apollo 11 mission, which took place on July 20, 1969, was a significant milestone in space exploration. Astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins successfully travelled to the moon. Armstrong and Aldrin descended to the lunar surface in the Lunar Module named “Eagle,” while Collins orbited the moon in the Command Module named “Columbia.” Armstrong’s famous words, “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind,” echoed throughout history. The astronauts conducted experiments, collected samples, and captured photographs before returning to the lunar module.
After the Apollo program, there were no further moon landings due to various factors. The missions were expensive, and the United States government faced budget constraints. The cost of sending astronauts to the moon and maintaining the necessary infrastructure became increasingly challenging. Additionally, priorities shifted towards other space exploration endeavours, such as the development of the Space Shuttle program, the International Space Station, and robotic missions to explore other planets and celestial bodies.
Public interest and political motivation for moon missions dwindled as the Apollo program was primarily driven by the competition between the United States and the Soviet Union during the Cold War. With the conclusion of this competition, the urgency to continue lunar missions diminished.
Nevertheless, there has been a renewed focus on returning to the moon in recent years. NASA’s Artemis program, announced in 2019, aims to land astronauts on the lunar surface by 2024. Private space companies like SpaceX, led by Elon Musk, have also expressed their intentions to send humans to the moon and further explore space.
<h3><a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">More Pindula News</a></h3>

Elon Musk Says Human Civilisation Should Have Established Moon Bases And Cities On Mars

Tesla founder, Elon Musk has said artificial intelligence (AI) is the most disruptive force in history adding that there will come a point where no job is needed due to AI.
Elon Musk made the remarks during an interview with Rishi Sunak, the British Prime Minister. The interview followed the AI Summit at Bletchley Park.
Elon Musk, the owner of X, formerly Twitter, who is also the richest man in the world, said robots will be able to do almost everything a human can do. Watch the video below for more.
<div class="wp-video" style="width: 640px;">
<video class="wp-video-shortcode" controls="controls" height="1138" id="video-266126-1" preload="metadata" width="640"><source src="https://t792ae.c2.acecdn.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Elon-Musk-predicts-there-will-come-a-point-where-no-job-is-needed-due-to-artif.mp4?_=1" type="video/mp4"/><a href="https://news.pindula.co.zw/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Elon-Musk-predicts-there-will-come-a-point-where-no-job-is-needed-due-to-artif.mp4">https://news.pindula.co.zw/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Elon-Musk-predicts-there-will-come-a-point-where-no-job-is-needed-due-to-artif.mp4</a></video></div>
Artificial intelligence (AI) is a part of computer science that makes machines and computer systems smart. It helps them do things that normally need human intelligence. AI tries to create computer programs that can think, learn, and solve problems like humans do. It uses different techniques like machine learning, natural language processing, and computer vision. AI is used in many things like virtual assistants, self-driving cars, suggestion systems, and medical diagnosis. It makes things work better and helps make good decisions. Some people worry about AI because they’re not sure what it will do in the future. They think it might take away jobs and cause problems for people.
<h3><a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">More Pindula News </a></h3>

Elon Musk: There Will Come A Point Where No Job Is Needed Due To AI

Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Jenfan_Muswere/">Jenfan Muswere</a> has announced that Zimbabwe has received an application from Starlink to obtain a license for offering satellite internet services.
Muswere stated that the application is currently under review by the <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Postal_and_Telecommunications_Regulatory_Authority_of_Zimbabwe/">Postal &amp; Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ)</a>. It is anticipated that the application will likely be approved. Muswere who was the Minister of Information Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services before his recent appointment to the Ministry of Information made the remarks during a meeting with editorial executives of privately-owned media organisations. He said:
<blockquote>
What I remember is that they submitted their application for licencing and POTRAZ was still going through that application… Of course we want to see it approved.
It’s not possible to have fibre-optic cables across the country. It’s a reality that we need satellite technology for communication purposes. What we want as the government is a situation where every citizen from Binga to Chiredzi is also connected. That’s what the government wants, to leave no-one behind.
</blockquote>

<ul style="list-style-type: square;">
<li><a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/2023/02/07/elon-musk-hasnt-approached-us-for-licencing-spacex-project-starlink-potraz/">What we know about Starlink</a></li>
</ul>
Starlink is a satellite internet venture owned by Elon Musk’s SpaceX. Starlink has already introduced its services in various African countries, but it still needs to obtain regulatory approvals in many other nations.
Starlink expects to launch its services in Zimbabwe in the last quarter of 2023, as stated on its website. However, the final approvals from the Postal &amp; Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ) are taking longer than anticipated.
Starlink is seen as a potential solution to the limited internet connectivity in remote areas of Zimbabwe where it is economically unfeasible for mobile phone companies to install towers due to sparse populations. The company’s technology enables the transmission of broadband signals to areas with limited ground infrastructure or where installation would be expensive or challenging.
While Starlink offers faster internet speeds compared to the average in Zimbabwe, the service comes at a higher cost. Its affordability remains a concern, given that the average wage for Zimbabwean workers is below US$200. Many hope that Starlink’s entry into the market will lead to reduced internet prices, which are currently among the highest in Africa. This may require investments from non-governmental organizations and the government to make the service accessible to underserved populations.
<h3><a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">More Pindula News</a></h3>

Zimbabwe Received Starlink's Satellite Internet Service License Application: Minister Muswere

<header class="entry-header tz-wp-tw-mb-2">
The <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Postal_and_Telecommunications_Regulatory_Authority_of_Zimbabwe">Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe POTRAZ)</a> has said Elon Musk hasn’t approached the regulator for licencing Starlink, a SpaceX project providing internet all over the globe.
This comes amid media reports suggesting that Starlink was coming to Zimbabwe at an unspecified time in 2023.
An official at POTRAZ told Pindula News that the regulator has no comment on the case adding that they were only seeing reports in the media. The official spoke to this reporter on condition of anonymity:
<blockquote>
Starlink has not approached POTRAZ for a licence so we don’t know their intentions yet.
</blockquote>
The official then referred this reporter to the Director General of POTRAZ, <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Gift_Machengete">Dr Gift Kallisto Machengete</a>, for an official response. 
We, however, could not get a comment as his phone was not being answered.
Starlink works in the same way as VSAT in that you buy a piece of equipment that faces the sky and connects you to the internet via a satellite above you in space, according to <a href="https://www.techzim.co.zw/2023/01/elon-musks-spacex-has-confirmed-starlink-is-coming-to-zimbabwe-this-year-south-africas-date-is-still-unknown/">Techzim</a>.<cite></cite>
</header>
<div class="entry-content">
<h2 id="h-how-does-it-compare-to-vsat-in-zimbabwe">How does it compare to VSAT in Zimbabwe?</h2>
<blockquote>
Starlink is another satellite-based internet service provider just like Zodsat, Utande, and Telco. The only difference is that all VSAT providers in Zimbabwe are using a 3rd party satellite provider, predominantly Eutelsat and Avanti.
Starlink on the other hand is actually launching its own satellites into space which in essence means they are involved in the process end to end. 
</blockquote>
<h3>Speed</h3>
<blockquote>
You can get <a href="https://www.satelliteinternet.com/providers/starlink/#:~:text=SpaceX's%20Starlink%20internet%20has%20grown,RV%2C%20or%20business%20satellite%20internet." rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">50 to 250Mbps on Starlink Internet and Starlink RV (Mobile home) and 150 to 500Mbps on Starlink Business</a> with all 3 variants having unlimited internet. The fastest VSAT speed you can get from Zimbabwean providers is 25Mbps with upload speeds going as high as 6Mbps.
</blockquote>
<h3>Monthly package costs</h3>
<blockquote>
Starlink Internet is US$110 per month, Starlink RV is US$135 per month and Starlink Business is US$500 per month. 
Highest-spec VSAT packages available in Zimbabwe: 
</blockquote>
<ul>
<li>Utande’s 120GB package is US$363; </li>
<li>Liquid Home’s Unlimited package is US$554; </li>
<li>TelOne’s Unlimited package (650GB) is US$600; </li>
<li>Zodsat’s Unlimited package is US$455. </li>
</ul>
<h3>Setup cost</h3>
<blockquote>
It’s US$599 for Starlink Internet and Starlink RV and US$2 500 for Starlink Business, excluding shipping and duty. 
</blockquote>
<ul>
<li>Utande – US$183 (Equipment hire) US$487 (US$350 equipment only)</li>
<li>Liquid Home – US$1440</li>
<li>Telco – US$700 (US$600 equipment only)</li>
<li>TelOne – US$580 to US$1360</li>
<li>Zodsat – US$450</li>
</ul>
<h2>When will Starlink be available in Africa?</h2>
<blockquote>
<table class="tablepress tablepress-id-580 tablepress-responsive" id="tablepress-580">
<tbody class="row-hover">
<tr class="row-1 odd">
<td class="column-1">2023</td>
<td class="column-2">2024</td>
<td class="column-3">Unconfirmed launch window</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-2 even">
<td class="column-1">Angola (Q2)</td>
<td class="column-2">Botswana</td>
<td class="column-3">Algeria</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-3 odd">
<td class="column-1">Benin</td>
<td class="column-2">Burkina Faso</td>
<td class="column-3">Chad</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-4 even">
<td class="column-1">Burundi</td>
<td class="column-2">Cameroon</td>
<td class="column-3">Central African Republic</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-5 odd">
<td class="column-1">Congo</td>
<td class="column-2">Cape Verde</td>
<td class="column-3">Djibouti</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-6 even">
<td class="column-1">Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)</td>
<td class="column-2">Comoros</td>
<td class="column-3">Eritrea</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-7 odd">
<td class="column-1">eSwatini</td>
<td class="column-2">Egypt</td>
<td class="column-3">Ethiopia</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-8 even">
<td class="column-1">Gabon</td>
<td class="column-2">Gambia</td>
<td class="column-3">Equatorial Guinea</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-9 odd">
<td class="column-1">Kenya (Q2)</td>
<td class="column-2">Ghana</td>
<td class="column-3">Guinea</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-10 even">
<td class="column-1">Malawi</td>
<td class="column-2">Guinea-Bissau</td>
<td class="column-3">Lesotho</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-11 odd">
<td class="column-1">Mauritania</td>
<td class="column-2">Ivory Coast</td>
<td class="column-3">Libya</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-12 even">
<td class="column-1">Mauritius</td>
<td class="column-2">Liberia</td>
<td class="column-3">Madagascar</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-13 odd">
<td class="column-1">Morocco</td>
<td class="column-2">Namibia</td>
<td class="column-3">Mali</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-14 even">
<td class="column-1">Mozambique (Q2)</td>
<td class="column-2">São Tomé and Príncipe</td>
<td class="column-3">Niger</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-15 odd">
<td class="column-1">Nigeria</td>
<td class="column-2">Tunisia</td>
<td class="column-3">Sierra Leone</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-16 even">
<td class="column-1">Rwanda</td>
<td class="column-2">Uganda</td>
<td class="column-3">Somalia</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-17 odd">
<td class="column-1">Senegal</td>
<td class="column-2"> </td>
<td class="column-3">South Africa</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-18 even">
<td class="column-1">Seychelles</td>
<td class="column-2"> </td>
<td class="column-3">South Sudan</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-19 odd">
<td class="column-1">Somaliland</td>
<td class="column-2"> </td>
<td class="column-3">Sudan</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-20 even">
<td class="column-1">Tanzania</td>
<td class="column-2"> </td>
<td class="column-3"> </td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-21 odd">
<td class="column-1">Togo</td>
<td class="column-2"> </td>
<td class="column-3"> </td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-22 even">
<td class="column-1">Western Sahara</td>
<td class="column-2"> </td>
<td class="column-3"> </td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-23 odd">
<td class="column-1">Zambia (Q2)</td>
<td class="column-2"> </td>
<td class="column-3"> </td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-24 even">
<td class="column-1"> </td>
<td class="column-2"> </td>
<td class="column-3"> </td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</blockquote>
<h2><a href="https://news.pindula.co.zw/">More Pindula News</a></h2>
</div>

"Elon Musk Has Not Approached Us For Licencing SpaceX Project Starlink" - POTRAZ

Elon Musk, the CEO of electric car giant Tesla, will face trial on Tuesday over allegedly manipulating the stock market with a 2018 tweet which claimed that he had sufficient funding to take Tesla private, causing a whirlwind in the company’s share price.
Musk was swiftly sued by shareholders for allegedly costing them billions of dollars with the Twitter post that said funding was “secured” to buy out the company’s shareholders.
Judge Edward Chen on Friday refused to transfer the proceedings to Texas, the southern state where Musk moved Tesla’s headquarters and jury selection is scheduled to begin on Tuesday, AFP reported citing a spokesperson for the court.
Defence lawyers had argued that Elon Musk would be denied a fair trial in San Francisco, where most of the fired Twitter workers reside. 
According to Bloomberg, Judge Chen expressed confidence at the hearing that impartial jurors could be chosen.
Musk’s short tweet in 2018 has already attracted the attention of authorities. 
The US stock market regulator, the Securities and Exchange Commission, ordered that Musk step down as chairman of the board of Tesla and pay a fine of US$20 million.
<h2><a href="https://zero.pindula.co.zw/">More Pindula News</a></h2>

Tesla CEO Elon Musk Faces Trial Over A Tweet Which "Manipulated The Stock Market"

The Tesla Inc. chief executive officer, Elon Musk, has become the only person in history to ever lose $200 billion from their net worth.
Musk’s wealth plummetted to $137 billion after Tesla shares tumbled in recent weeks, including an 11% drop on Tuesday, according to the <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-12-30/elon-musk-becomes-first-person-ever-to-lose-200-billion?leadSource=uverify%20wall">Bloomberg Billionaires Index</a>. 
His fortune peaked at $340 billion on November 4, 2021, and he remained the world’s richest person until he was overtaken this month by Bernard Arnault, the French tycoon behind luxury-goods powerhouse LVMH.
The round-number milestone reflects just how high Musk (51) soared during the run-up in asset prices during the easy-money pandemic era.
Tesla exceeded a $1 trillion market value for the first time in October 2021, joining the likes of global technology companies Apple Inc., Microsoft Corp., Amazon.com Inc. and Google parent Alphabet Inc.
Now Tesla’s dominance in electric cars is in jeopardy as competitors catch up. Competitors include Ford, BMW, Mercedes, Toyota, Hyundai, GM, Volkswagen, Honda, and Nissan.
Tesla shares fell 65% in 2022 and Musk sold so much in 2022 to help cover his Twitter purchase. 
Musk’s stake in his closely held Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) is at $44.8 billion (42.2% of SpaceX), according to a recent filing.
In response to the decline of his fortune, Musk told Tesla employees that they should “not be too bothered by stock market craziness.”
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Tesla And Twitter CEO Elon Musk Loses US$200 Billion

Twitter has reinstated former US President Donald Trump’s account after Twitter CEO and new owner Elon Musk posted a poll on Twitter on Friday night asking the platform’s users if Trump should be reinstated.
According to <a href="https://thenewshawks.com/measles-deaths-hidden-to-avert-panic-red-cross/">CNN</a>, the final poll results on Saturday night showed 51.8% in favour and 48.2% opposed. The poll included 15 million votes. Musk tweeted on Saturday:
<blockquote>
The people have spoken. Trump will be reinstated. Vox Populi, Vox Dei (the voice of the people is the voice of God).
</blockquote>
Before the ban, Trump was Twitter’s most influential, if controversial user, according to CNN.
He has 90 million followers and his tweets often move the markets, set the news cycle, and drove the agenda in Washington.
Asked on Saturday what he thought of Musk buying Twitter and his own future on the platform, Trump said:
<blockquote>
They have a lot of problems. You see what’s going on. It may make it, it may not make it.
</blockquote>
Trump was in Las Vegas at the Republican Jewish Coalition meeting when he made the remarks.
He said he liked Musk and “liked that he bought (Twitter), adding “He’s a character and I tend to like characters… But he’s smart.
Ahead of the 2020 presidential election, Twitter began applying warning labels to Trump’s tweets in an attempt to correct his election-rigging claims.
Twitter banned Trump’s account following the January 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol. Twitter said at the time:
<blockquote>
After close review of recent Tweets from the @realDonaldTrump account and the context around them we have permanently suspended the account due to the risk of further incitement of violence.
In the context of horrific events this week, we made it clear on Wednesday that additional violations of the Twitter Rules would potentially result in this very course of action.
</blockquote>
Twitter said two tweets by Trump had violated the company’s policy against the glorification of violence.

Elon Musk Restores Donald Trump’s Twitter Account

Twitter’s new owner Elon Musk appeared to have deleted a tweet posted on Sunday referencing an unfounded theory regarding the attack on the husband of U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi at their San Francisco home.
The since-deleted tweet was in response to one by former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who blamed the attack on hateful rhetoric by the Republican Party.
Clinton linked the attack to an L.A. Times story about how the suspect promoted far-right conspiracy theories online, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us/elon-musk-deletes-tweet-with-unfounded-theory-about-pelosi-attack-2022-10-30/?taid=635ef9c0be9c930001890192&amp;utm_campaign=trueAnthem:+Trending+Content&amp;utm_medium=trueAnthem&amp;utm_source=twitter">Reuters news agencies</a> reported.
Musk replied to Clinton, linking to a site called the Santa Monica Observer: 
<blockquote>
There is a tiny possibility there might be more to this story than meets the eye.
</blockquote>
Fact-checkers have described Santa Monica Observer as a purveyor of hoaxes, including that Clinton herself died on September 11 and has since been replaced by a lookalike, according to The Associated Press.
With fears growing of increasing political violence ahead of the November 8 midterm elections, Musk’s tweet prompted fresh concerns about how he will handle hate speech and misinformation on the social media platform, which the outspoken Tesla CEO <a href="https://zero.pindula.co.zw/worlds-richest-man-buys-twitter/">purchased last week for $44 billion.</a>
The suspect in the Pelosi attack, David DePape, is due to be charged on Monday with multiple felonies for allegedly clubbing Paul Pelosi over the head with a hammer on Friday after forcing his way into the couple’s home shouting “Where is Nancy?”
Meanwhile, <a href="https://zero.pindula.co.zw/husband-of-us-house-speaker-nancy-pelosi-undergoes-surgery-for-skull-fracture-after-attack/">Paul Pelosi has undergone surgery for a skull fracture</a> and other severe injuries to his right arm and hands after being attacked on Friday morning by a male assailant, believed to be David DePape.
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Paul Pelosi Attack: Elon Musk Responds To Hillary Clinton Referencing Unfounded Theory

Elon Musk fired Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal along with three other top executives including legal executive Vijaya Gadde as soon as he acquired the microblogging site. 
Reports claimed that Musk is apparently running a cleaning drive at Twitter and earlier there were reports which said that Musk may fire up to 75% of Twitter’s workforce. 
The CEO of electric car maker Tesla Inc (TSLA.O) and self-described free speech absolutist also fired Chief Financial Officer Ned Segal, according to people familiar with the matter. 
He had accused them of misleading him and Twitter investors over the number of fake accounts on the platform.
Agrawal and Segal were in Twitter’s San Francisco headquarters when the deal closed and were escorted out, the sources added.
Musk, who also runs rocket company SpaceX, plans to become Twitter’s interim CEO according to a person familiar with the matter and following an earlier report by Reuters. 
Musk also plans to scrap permanent bans on users, Bloomberg said, citing a person familiar with the matter.
Musk said in May he would reverse Twitter’s ban on Donald Trump, whose account was removed after the attack on the U.S. Capitol. 
The former U.S. president previously said he won’t return to the platform and has instead launched his own social media app, Truth Social.
Musk tried to calm Twitter employee fears that major layoffs are coming and assured advertisers that his past criticism of Twitter’s content moderation rules would not harm its appeal.
As news of the deal spread, some Twitter users were quick to flag their willingness to walk away.
European regulators also reiterated past warnings that, under Musk’s leadership, Twitter must still abide by the region’s Digital Services Act, which levies hefty fines on companies if they do not control illegal content.
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Elon Musk Fires Twitter Top Executives

The world’s richest man, Elon Musk, has completed his US$44 billion takeover of Twitter.
Musk tweeted “the bird is freed”, in an apparent reference to Twitter’s bird logo and his desire to see the company have fewer limits on content that can be posted.
A number of top executives, including the chief executive officer, Parag Agrawal, have reportedly been fired.
The other officials who have been sacked include Chief Financial Officer Ned Segal and legal affairs and policy chief Vijaya Gadde.
Musk had accused them of misleading him and Twitter investors over the number of fake accounts on the platform.
Musk, who also runs rocket company SpaceX, plans to become Twitter’s CEO after completing the acquisition and plans to remove permanent bans on users.
Before closing the deal, Musk changed his Twitter profile description to “Chief Twit.”  | <a href="https://www.reuters.com/markets/deals/elon-musk-completes-44-bln-acquisition-twitter-2022-10-28/">Reuters</a>

World's Richest Man Buys Twitter

Twitter Inc (TWTR.N) on Monday accused Elon Musk, the world’s richest person, of “knowingly” breaching an agreement to buy the social media firm, days after the Tesla Inc chief sought to back out of <a href="https://news.pindula.co.zw/2022/04/26/the-richest-man-elon-musk-buys-twitter-for-us44-billion/">the $44 billion deal.</a>
In a letter sent to Musk, dated Sunday and filed with regulators on Monday, Twitter said it had not breached its obligations under the merger agreement as indicated by Musk on Friday for looking to end the deal. The letter said:
<blockquote>
Twitter demands that Mr. Musk and the other Musk Parties comply with their obligations under the Agreement, including their obligations to use their respective reasonable best efforts to consummate and make effective the transactions contemplated by the Agreement.
</blockquote>
The company has planned to sue Musk to force him to complete the deal, a threat he laughed off on Monday when he sent a series of tweets joking about Twitter and its threat to enforce the agreement in court. Twitter is planning to file a lawsuit early this week in Delaware, people familiar with the matter told <a href="https://www.reuters.com/markets/europe/twitter-slides-after-musks-44-bln-deal-falls-apart-2022-07-11/">Reuters</a>. 
Twitter said in the letter that the merger agreement remained in place, adding it would take steps to close the deal. 
Twitter’s shares ended down 11.3% at $32.65, a 40% discount to Musk’s $54.20 bid and the biggest daily percentage drop in more than 14 months. They rebounded less than 1% in extended trading.
Tesla’s shares closed down almost 7%.
Legal experts say the 16-year-old social media company has a strong legal case against Musk, but could opt for a renegotiation or settlement instead of a long court fight. 
In May this year, Musk said <a href="https://news.pindula.co.zw/2022/05/17/the-44-billion-twitter-deal-cannot-move-forward-elon-musk-cites-deceit/">the deal could not move forward</a> because of “20% fake/spam accounts, while 4 times what Twitter claims, could be much higher. 
<h2>Pindula News</h2>

Twitter Plans To Sue Elon Musk As The Tesla Chief Walks Out Of $44 Billion Deal

Elon Musk may be looking for a better deal with his Twitter acquisition and $44 billion may now be sounding like a price that is just a bit too high. 
During a tech conference called “All In” in Miami on Monday, Musk remarked that he believes 20 per cent of users on the platform are fake or spam accounts, and it may be the reason the Tesla CEO did not rule out the possibility of a deal reformation that would require him to pay a lower price.
According to Bloomberg, Musk stated the possibility of a reformed Twitter was not “out of the question,” causing Twitter’s stocks to fall further. 
Analysts have questioned Musk’s taste for the $44 billion acquisition agreement over the past several days.
While Musk reaffirmed that he is still committed to acquiring Twitter after stating the deal is on hold last week, he also confirmed during his nearly two-hour-long interview that a new price, especially a lower one, would not be far-fetched.
Musk reportedly said that the more questions he asks Twitter brass, the more his concerns grow, as he is yet to receive a concrete answer on how many fake or spam accounts are on the platform.
In a Twitter message this Tuesday, Musk said the deal cannot move forward until he’s been furnished with the information he requested. He said:
<blockquote>
20% fake/spam accounts, while 4 times what Twitter claims, could be *much* higher. My offer was based on Twitter’s SEC filings being accurate. Yesterday, Twitter’s CEO publicly refused to show proof of &lt;5%. This deal cannot move forward until he does.
</blockquote>
End of last month, he said, “Next I’m buying Coca-Cola to put the cocaine back in.” We don’t know whether this was not a joke or not.
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"The 44 Billion Twitter Deal Cannot Move Forward," Elon Musk Cites Deceit

The richest man in the world, Elon Musk, clinched a deal to buy Twitter Inc (TWTR.N) for $44 billion cash on Monday.
Political activists expect that a Musk regime will mean less moderation and reinstatement of banned individuals including former President Donald Trump but some human rights activists voiced fears of a rise in hate speech. 
Discussions over the deal, which last week appeared uncertain, accelerated over the weekend after Musk wooed Twitter shareholders with financing details of his offer.
Under pressure, Twitter started negotiating with Musk to buy the company at his proposed $54.20 per share price. Musk said in a statement:
<blockquote>
Free speech is the bedrock of a functioning democracy, and Twitter is the digital town square where matters vital to the future of humanity are debated.
</blockquote>
Former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey weighed in on the deal late on Monday with a series of tweets that thanked both Musk and current Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal for “getting the company out of an impossible situation.” He said:
<blockquote>
Twitter as a company has always been my sole issue and my biggest regret. It has been owned by Wall Street and the ad model. Taking it back from Wall Street is the correct first step.
</blockquote>
Twitter shares rose 5.7% on Monday to finish at $51.70. The deal represents a near 40% premium to the closing price the day before Musk disclosed he had bought a more than 9% stake.
Even so, the offer is well below the $70 range where Twitter was trading last year.
Jonathan Boyar, managing director at Boyar Value Group which holds a stake in Twitter said:
<blockquote>
I think if the company were given enough time to transform, we would have made substantially more than what Musk is currently offering.
If the public markets do not properly value a company, an acquirer eventually will.
</blockquote>
Twitter said Musk secured $25.5 billion of debt and margin loan financing and is providing a $21 billion equity commitment.
Musk, who is worth $268 billion according to Forbes, is chief executive of both electric car maker Tesla Inc (TSLA.O) and aerospace company SpaceX, and it is not clear how much time he will devote to Twitter or what he will do.
The Twitter transaction was approved by the company’s board and is now subject to a shareholder vote. No regulatory hurdles are expected, analysts said.
More: <a href="https://www.reuters.com/technology/exclusive-twitter-set-accept-musks-best-final-offer-sources-2022-04-25/">Reuters</a>

The Richest Man Elon Musk Buys Twitter For US$44 Billion

The soon to be Amazon former CEO Jeff Bezos has reclaimed his tittle as the World’s richest man after South Africa’s Elon Musk’s Tesla shares dropped 2.4% last week on Tuesday and knocked $4.6 billion off Musk’s fortune, Business Today reports.
Bezos who was the world’s richest man for 3 years before being overtaken by the African last week reclaimed his position as his value is around 900 million more than that of Musk’s.
According to the publication:
<blockquote>Tesla’s shares fell 2.4 per cent on Tuesday, February 16, wiping out $4.6 billion from Musk’s fortune. Meanwhile, Bezos, who had held the title for over three years until last month, regained his number one position with a net wealth of $191.2 billion, or $955 million more than Tesla’s CEO.</blockquote>
Musk’s reign as the world’s richest man lasted for about 6 weeks before Bezos who is going to step down as the Amazon CEO this year to focus on his other company Blue Origin.
More: <a href="https://www.businesstoday.in/current/world/jeff-bezos-is-worlds-richest-person-again-after-elon-musks-short-stint-at-top-ends/story/431488.html">Business Today </a>

Jeff Bezos Becomes World's Richest Person Once Again

According to Oxfam, the world’s 10 richest men in the last year have made enough cash to vaccinate the entire world against COVID-19. IOL News reports.
Oxfam according to Wikipedia:
<blockquote>is a confederation of 20 independent charitable organizations focusing on the alleviation of global poverty, founded in 1942 and led by Oxfam International. It is a major nonprofit group with an extensive collection of operations.</blockquote>
According to Oxfam researchers, billionaires like Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Bill Gates, etc earned a combines $540 Billion in one year:
<blockquote>The 10 richest men, a list led by Bezos and Musk which also includes LVMH luxury group’s CEO Bernard Arnault, Microsoft’s Bill Gates and Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg saw their net worth increase by $540 billion in the same period.
That sum would be enough to prevent anyone from falling into poverty as a result of the pandemic and pay for a vaccine for everyone on earth, researchers calculated.
The pandemic marks a “pivotal” point which has exposed economic disparities and built support for “transformative” policies.</blockquote>
Oxfarm also said a temporary tax on excess profit made some corporations globally could have raised billions of dollars last year:
<blockquote>A temporary tax on excess profits made by the 32 global corporations that have profited the most during the pandemic could have raised $104 billion in 2020</blockquote>
Meanwhile. rich countries are reportedly ordering the COVID-19 vaccine in droves while poor countries are relying on vaccine schemes and some of them on donations to vaccinate their populations.
More: <a href="https://www.iol.co.za/news/world/worlds-richest-men-earned-enough-during-pandemic-to-vaccinate-entire-world-oxfam-af08b9c0-1949-5c9a-8019-0e6e8284b137">IOL News</a>

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