At least 18 civilians were killed in attacks by Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on villages in Al Jazirah State, doctors and activists said Monday.
The attacks come amid accusations against the RSF of “violations and mass killings” targeting civilians in Al Jazirah, though the RSF has not responded to the claims.
Clashes between the RSF and the Sudanese army resumed in Al Jazirah on Oct. 20 after RSF leader Abu Aqla Kikil, a native of the area, defected and declared his allegiance to the army.
By December 2023, Kikil’s RSF faction had taken control of several cities in Al Jazirah, including Wad Madani, the state’s capital.
The RSF currently controls large swaths of Al Jazirah, excluding Al Manaqil and its surrounding areas, which stretch southward to the border of Sennar State and westward to the border of White Nile State.
The Sudanese Doctors Network, a non-governmental organization, said Monday that an RSF attack on a village in eastern Al Jazirah over the weekend left 13 people dead and several injured.
“We condemn the ongoing killing of unarmed civilians in eastern Al Jazirah villages alongside looting, forced displacement and blockades imposed by the RSF,” it said in a statement.
It also highlighted that RSF attacks have forced “tens of thousands to flee to neighbouring states, creating a humanitarian disaster and unprecedented displacement.”
Separately, the Nidaa Al-Wasat news platform said RSF forces attacked Umm al-Qura in eastern Al Jazirah on Monday, killing five civilians and injuring several others.
Sudanese authorities and the RSF have not commented on the reports.
Since mid-April 2023, the Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF have been engaged in a conflict that has resulted in more than 20,000 deaths and displaced nearly 10 million people, according to the UN.
There have been growing calls from the UN and international bodies to end the conflict, as the war has pushed millions of Sudanese to the brink of famine and death due to food shortages, with the fighting spreading to 13 of Sudan's 18 states. By Adel Abdelrheem Anadolu Agency
Students of the Rumbek University protest in solidarity with unpaid lecturers on November 4, 2024. (Radio Tamazuj)
Students of the Rumbek University of Science and Technology (RUST) Monday morning staged a peaceful demonstration within their campus, demanding 10 months’ pay arrears for the academic staff of the institution.
They gave a seven-day ultimatum to the national government to clear all the arrears, failure which there would be a massive strike, targeting government infrastructure.
The President of the student’s guild, Sabit Job Reec, told Radio Tamazuj that they had issued the seven-day ultimatum to the National ministries of Higher Education and Finance and planning to clear the 10-months arrears for the academic and the non-academic staff or face a massive protest.
“I am here with executive of the students’ union to present the concerns. We are not having lectures and there is no food on the campus,” he said.
“The families of the members of staff are suffering and we want the government to pay them. We have given a one-week ultimatum in our second call to the national ministries of Higher Education and Finance and Planning and the Chancellor of all the universities,” he added.
Another student’s representative, Dut Michael, said they had been stranded for three months without any learning.
“We need the ministry to pay our teachers their arrears so that they resume their duties. We are also demanding that the university contractor too be paid three years’ arrears,” he said.
He said some students, especially from the distant areas, had nowhere to get food from.
“We are urging our government, particularly the Ministry of Higher Education, to respond to our demands,” he said.
Bhakita Philip said the issues were the salaries for the lecturers and the non-academic staff and food for the students.
Pieng Paanic said it was time the government listened to the voice of the people.
“We need education, and this education cannot happen when our lecturers are not given their rights. So, we need 10-months’ salary arrears for the academic and the and non-academic staff,” he said.
South Sudan’s economy has been under pressure in recent years, with crude oil export revenue having dwindled since a 2013-2018 conflict and, more recently, export disruptions due to war in neighbouring Sudan.
Civil servants and soldiers have gone unpaid salaries for several months. Professionals with monthly salaries ranging from $10 to $50, such as teachers and doctors, have also experienced protracted payment delays. Radio Tamazuj
If the new amendment bill passes, employers and individuals who remit withholding tax will be charged a hefty amount for failing to adhere to this time limit.
According to the Tax Procedures (Amendment) (No. 2) Bill 2024, a person who is required under the section to withhold tax and, without reasonable cause, fails to do so would suffer a penalty of 10 per cent of the amount owed.
“A person who is required under this section to withhold tax and, without reasonable cause, fails to withhold the whole amount of the tax which should have been withheld; or fails to remit the amount of the withheld tax to the Commissioner by the fifth working day after the deduction was made, shall be liable to a penalty of ten per cent of the amount not withheld or remitted,” part of the bill reads.
In the Finance Bill 2024, the government also sought to introduce a withholding tax on goods supplied to public entities at a three per cent rate for residents and five per cent for non-residents. Withholding tax is a type of income tax paid to the government by the payer of the income or the employer rather than by the recipient of the income or the employee.
It is deducted at the source and charged to the employer instead of from the employee and is significantly lower than the Pay-As-You-Earn (PAYE) Tax.
Another proposal in the bill that has been basically plucked from the Finance Bill 2024 and could highly impact what employers remit to their employees is the one proposing an increase in the monthly deductible for pension contributions.
If this is enacted, it could transition the pension sector from Exempt-Exempt-Exempt to Exempt-Exempt-Tax increasing the contributions from Ksh20,000 to Ksh30,000.
This revelation comes just as the National Treasury Cabinet Secretary (CS) John Mbadi confirmed that the government would be reviewing the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) Act 2024 in order to level the playing field for employers in the private sector seeking to introduce their own private pension for their employees.
“The government is committed to addressing these issues to safeguard the operations of all pension funds and give employees the most favourable pension benefits,” Mbadi stated in his November 4 address.
Even after it was declared unconstitutional by the Employment and Labour Relations Court (ELRC) on four grounds, the contentious act that has fought legal battles since its enactment continues to work.
In a ruling in February of this year, the Supreme Court through Chief Justice Martha Koome lifted the orders of the Court of Appeal that allowed the government to increase mandatory pension contributions under the NSSF scheme and referred the matter back.
"In the circumstances, this case is to be remitted to the Court of Appeal to determine the substantive merits of the Judgment of the ELRC. Due to the nature of the matter, the surrounding public interest, and the time taken by the case in the corridors of justice, it is prudent that the matter be heard on a priority basis," the CJ ruled. By Maurine Kirambia, Kenyans.co.ke
Zanzibar’s government is seeking to support blockchain startups and recently launched a sandbox where they can experiment with new products and services before they launch publicly. At the same time, the Vietnamese government has launched a national blockchain strategy with one bold goal: to become Asia’s blockchain hub.
Zanzibar launches blockchain sandbox
Zanzibar has launched a sandbox for blockchain startups to spur innovation from local companies and attract innovators from neighboring countries.
In its announcement, the Zanzibar government welcomed all startups developing solutions on the blockchain and utilizing other emerging technologies such as AI. However, it revealed it would prioritize those solving the key challenges affecting the island region, including financial inclusion, certificate issuance, and identity verification.
“The primary objective is to create a conducive environment for the development of cutting-edge technologies, including blockchain, AI, and other emerging technologies. Innovators will have the opportunities to work on pilot projects, collaborate with experts, and receive mentorship from industry leaders, which is very critical,” commented Said Seif Said, who heads the e-Government Authority of Zanzibar, as reported by local outlets.
Zanzibar is a semi-autonomous group of islands off the coast of East Africa. With a population of just over 800,000, it has its own government and president but remains under Tanzania’s sovereignty.
In mainland Tanzania, the government has been pushing for blockchain adoption in recent years. Earlier this year, it partnered with the African Blockchain Association to educate the citizens about blockchain.
Sandboxes have become critical in the development of blockchain applications. They allow innovators more latitude as they develop their products and provide more regulatory clarity as they collaborate with authorities.
This month, the European Blockchain Sandbox Initiative welcomed its second cohort, which included 41 watchdogs from 22 EU countries. In August, the Thai SEC launched its sandbox for the digital asset sector, while a month earlier, Hong Kong’s central bank welcomed Standard Chartered (NASDAQ: SCBFF), Animoca Brands, JD.com (NASDAQ: JD), and others into its sandbox.
Vietnam’s ambitious blockchain strategy
In other news, Vietnam has been a hotspot for digital assets over the past five years, ranking in the top three for adoption on the Chainalysis Adoption Index since 2021. A high unbanked population, low faith in the national currency, and zero taxation are among the factors that contribute to this growth. Now, the government wants to channel this adoption to the underlying blockchain technology.
Deputy Prime Minister Ho Duc Phoc signed off on the new strategy, which aims to lay the groundwork for the adoption of blockchain by 2025 and make Vietnam a blockchain hub by 2030. The country’s Ministry of Information and Communications is spearheading the initiative, specifically through the National Electronic Authentication Center (NEAC).
The strategy hinges on six key pillars, including growing the digital infrastructure, establishing growth control mechanisms, and building a sustainable digital economy. It also outlines some key action areas, which include offering legal clarity to the sector, churning out skilled developers, and investing in research and development.
Under R&D, the government will push for blockchain research in the three national innovation centers and build ten more training facilities dedicated to the technology. It will also integrate blockchain into the curriculum of universities, colleges, and research institutions. Earlier this year, civil societies in Vietnam launched the Vietnam Academy of Blockchain and AI Innovation to spur the two transformative technologies.
The strategy assigns specific actions to various government agencies and industry bodies, including NEAC and the Vietnam Blockchain Association (VBA).
“This strategy will position Vietnam among the top countries in blockchain application and research in the region, ensuring that we master and utilize blockchain across all social and economic sectors, contributing to a stable and prosperous digital nation,” commented To Thi Thu Huong, the director of the NEAC.
The VBA was the only private sector organization assigned a role in implementing the new strategy, which the association’s vice president, Phan Duc Trung, says is in recognition of its continued contributions to the sector.
“VBA is aware of its responsibility towards this very young but potential industry. We are committed to actively and proactively performing the assigned tasks to promote community development in the direction of research, practical application, and maximizing the benefits of blockchain technology as shown in the national strategy.”
Establishing a legal framework for blockchain and digital assets will be just as critical to the success of the strategy. Despite leading ASEAN in digital assets, Vietnam still lacks a comprehensive framework for the sector, hindering the technology’s implementation by mainstream organizations and pushing local startups to set up operations abroad. Coingeek
Kenya has emerged as the country where individuals spend the most time on social media, a new report has revealed.
The GWI report compiled by Cable.co.uk revealed that most Kenyans spend an average of 3 hours and 43 minutes daily.
This is against the global average of 2 hours 23 minutes.
“The world spends a huge amount of time using social media too, with the latest research from GWI revealing that the “typical” social media user now spends 2 hours and 23 minutes per day using social media,” read the report in part.
This places Kenyans at the forefront of global social media engagement, surpassing countries like South Africa and Brazil, which follow closely with daily averages of 3 hours and 37 minutes and 3 hours and 34 minutes, respectively.
Filipinos, Nigerians, and Colombians are also notable participants in this digital landscape, spending an average of 3 hours and 33 minutes, 3 hours and 23 minutes, and 3 hours and 22 minutes per day, respectively.
Similarly, the study indicates that 2023 saw the addition of 266 million new social media users worldwide, equating to a staggering 8.4 new users every second.
The data also reveals that humanity is set to collectively spend an astounding 500 million years on social media in 2024.
In particular, countries along the western edge of the Persian Gulf demonstrate high ratios of social media users relative to their populations. By PHIDEL KIZITO, Capital News
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