SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un supervised another test firing of a new multiple rocket launch system the country plans to deploy to its forces starting this year, state media said Saturday, part of its move to bolster its lineup of weapons targeting South Korean population centers. North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency said Friday’s test confirmed the “advantage and destructive power” of the 240-millimeter multiple rocket launcher and its guided shells. Its testing activities included salvo launches of 600-mm multiple rocket launchers in April that state media described as a simulated nuclear counterattack against enemy targets. Following Friday’s test, Kim issued instructions to maximize the production of the 240-mm multiple rocket launchers and their guided shells, which he said would bring a “significant change” to the combat capabilities of his forces, the North Korean news agency said. U.S. and South Korean officials have accused the North of providing artillery shells, missiles and other military equipment to Russia to help extend its warfighting in Ukraine.

ShareIn a move aimed at enhancing financial inclusivity and accessibility, MTN South Africa has partnered with Investec and Electrum to introduce PayShap, a real-time, low-cost interbank digital payments service, on its Mobile Money (MoMo) platform. PayShap, launched earlier this year by the South African Reserve Bank, facilitates instant digital payments between banks within 60 seconds. By integrating PayShap into MoMo, MTN users gain access to a faster and potentially more cost-effective way to conduct transactions. PayShap, a collaborative effort between BankservAfrica, the Payments Association of South Africa, and the Banking Association of South Africa, has gained rapid traction, surpassing one million transactions within six months of its market launch. Electrum, as the cloud-based payments solutions provider, will ensure the smooth integration of PayShap with the MoMo platform.

Investment in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region saw a significant decline in April 2024 with only 19 startups raising $55 million. This marked a 78% decrease month-on-month (MoM) from the $254 million raised in March 2024, but it represented an 87% increase year-on-year (YoY). To date, it has already deployed $17.5… pic.twitter.com/IIEFqoaek4 — BitKE (@BitcoinKE) April 11, 2024Bahrain-based alternative asset manager, InvestCorp, completed a significant merger and acquisition deal by acquiring NSEIT, the digital technology division of India’s National Stock Exchange (NSE), in a transaction valued at $120 million. U.S. tech giant, Microsoft, also invested $1.5 billion for a minority stake in UAE-based regional AI player, G42, with the aim of delivering advanced AI solutions with Microsoft Azure across various industries and markets. Follow us on Twitter for latest posts and updatesJoin and interact with our Telegram community____________________________________________________________________________________

The United States is supporting Morocco’s efforts to prevent and combat human trafficking with a $2.5 Million donation aimed at reinforcing the detection, identification, protection, return and rehabilitation of victims of this serious crime. The grant was made by State Department’s Office to Monitor & Combat Trafficking in Persons, to IOM with its implementing partners, UN Office on Drugs & Crime and the International Labor Organization. These are important steps toward implementation of Morocco’s 2023-2030 National Plan to Combat and Prevent Human Trafficking, and the National Referral Mechanism for Victims of Human Trafficking. Ambassador Talwar praised Morocco’s efforts to hold sex and labor traffickers criminally accountable, identify trafficking victims and prevent this heinous crime. The project aims to improve the protection of human trafficking victims, while helping them recover from the trauma and ensuring that they are integrated into their communities.

The fibre network operator aimed to complete a 100km network ring and route by the end of November 2023. In addressing these challenges, the third-largest fibre-to-the-home provider in South Africa, MetroFibre turned to NEC XON in Cape Town. NEC XON is an African integrator of ICT solutions and part of NEC, a Japanese global company. NEC XON has operated in Africa since 1963 and delivers communications, energy, safety, security, and digital solutions. NEC XON planned and delivered a dense wavelength-division multiplexing network, boasting a huge capacity of over 28 Terabits.

A long-exposure photo shows the aurora borealis over Portland, Maine, on May 10. Courtesy Benjamin WilliamsonAmong a flurry of surreal images capturing the dazzling auroras is one taken by Benjamin Williamson of a lighthouse in Portland, Maine. "It's one of the most incredible things I've ever seen, the awe and wonder," Williamson told CNN. He said he used a long-exposure technique to snap the shot, but did not edit it. Watch the full interview with Williamson here.

The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which issued a rare solar storm warning, said the solar outburst reached Earth at about 16:00 GMT on Friday, hours sooner than anticipated. The most powerful geomagnetic storm in recorded history, known as the Carrington Event after British astronomer Richard Carrington, occurred in September 1859. pic.twitter.com/qLsC8GbWus — NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center (@NWSSWPC) May 10, 2024‘Gift from space’Social media lit up with people posting pictures of auroras from northern Europe and Australasia. The storm could also produce northern lights as far south in the United States as Alabama and across northern California, according to the NOAA. “That’s really the gift from space weather – the aurora,” Rob Steenburgh, a scientist with the Space Weather Prediction Center, told The Associated Press news agency.

NBK Wealth MENA Fund Manager of the YearKUWAIT: NBK Wealth made a special presence at the MEED Awards ceremony this year by securing the coveted award of MENA Fund Manager of the Year. NBK Wealth recently unveiled its brand identity as the largest local and regional wealth management group with AUM exceeding US$ 20 billion. NBK Wealth provides clients with numerous unique advantages, ensuring them an unmatched experience. In KSA, NBK Wealth Management led the companies in terms of increase in AUM with a 1,004 percent QoQ increase in Q4 2023. As NBK Wealth celebrates this remarkable achievement, the group remains steadfast in its commitment to continuous development.

“What we’re expecting over the next couple of days should be more significant than what we’ve seen certainly so far,” Mike Bettwy, the operations chief at NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center, said at a news conference Friday morning. For people in many places, the most visible part of the storm will be the northern lights, known also as auroras. As Friday turned to Saturday in Europe, people across the continent described skies hued in a mottling of colors. Alfredo Carpineti, an astrophysicist, journalist and author in north London, saw them with his husband from the rooftop of their apartment building. “It is incredible to able to see the aurora directly from one’s own backyard,” he said.

Karnak Temple, Luxor, Egypt is just one of the iconic locations the total solar eclipse on Aug. 2, 2027 will be visible from. Related: What's the difference between a total solar eclipse and an annular solar eclipse? Partial solar eclipseA partial solar eclipse will be seen across Africa, the Middle East and Europe. Remember — a 99.999% partial solar eclipse is a 0% total solar eclipse! A traveler's guide to total solar eclipses 2026-2034:" $9.99 from AmazonCheck out Jamie Carter's eclipse traveler guide "When Is The Next Eclipse?

Mozambique’s army is fighting armed groups who launched a major attack on the northern town of Macomia, President Filipe Nyusi has said in a televised address. The town is in Cabo Delgado, a gas-rich northern province where groups linked to the ISIL (ISIS) group, launched an armed uprising in 2017. Rwanda has also deployed troops to Mozambique to help fight the armed groups. That project is some 200km (124 miles) north of Macomia, the town under attack. ExxonMobil, with partner Eni, is also developing an LNG project in northern Mozambique and said last week that it was “optimistic and pushing forward” as the security situation had improved.

Tems performs at Honeyland Festival at Crown Festival Park on November 12, 2023 in Sugar Land, Texas.

A pair of archaeologists have uncovered a strange series of rock art carvings that show boats and cattle – both vitally in need of water to work properly – in the middle of one of the driest parts of the African desert. It’s a finding that sheds light on the changing face of North Africa’s ancient environment and a climate collapse around 5,000 years ago. Credit: SuppliedCooper also describes the art as “nicely carved” as opposed to what is usually seen with desert rock art. While Cooper and Vanhulle can’t explain the reason for the style or existence of the rock art in this location, they do theorise why so much rock art is found in such an arid, little-populated part of the desert, which would be incapable of supporting livestock. Before the climate collapse agricultural practices allowed people to begin congregating in cities.

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As Managing Director of One Linkage, Hepsy Mkhungo spearheaded the development of Linkage platform, a cloud-based platform that bridges the gap between corporates and SMEs. Linkage empowers Enterprise and Supplier Development stakeholders to effectively manage, track, and develop SMEs for integration into corporate supply chains. The Linkage platform fosters transparency and removes obstacles that hinder impactful engagement between the two stakeholders. Utilising Linkage empowers corporates to meet supply chain transformation goals while granting SMEs supplier opportunities and development to meet corporate standards. It streamlines Enterprise and Supplier Development fund management and procurement, providing advanced analytics for informed decision-making through an analytics tool.