Latest news with #BlueShadow
IOL News
14 hours ago
- IOL News
South African engineers granted clemency by Equatorial Guinea's President
Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronlad Lamola, welcomed Frik Potgieter and Peter Huxham home at Lanseria Airport with their families. Image: Supplied Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola, has confirmed that Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, the President of Equatorial Guinea, has granted clemency for the two South African engineers imprisoned for drug trafficking charges two years ago. The families of engineers Peter Huxham and Frik Potgieter also expressed their relief and gratitude to everyone including the South African government for never giving up on their plight Department of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) spokesperson, Chrispin Phiri, said the release was a coordinated effort between the department, the families and their employer, SBM Offshore. 'The Government of the Republic of South Africa welcomes the release of Mr Peter Shane Huxham and Mr Frik Potgieter from detention in the Republic of Equatorial Guinea. This release follows the granting of clemency by the President of Equatorial Guinea,' said Phiri. The duo were arrested on February 9, 2023 on drug trafficking charges and were sentenced to 12 years' imprisonment. They were working offshore in the central African country, and the arrest came just two days after a South African court ordered the seizure of a super yacht, called Blue Shadow valued above R300 million, and two luxury villas belonging to vice president of Equatorial Guinea, Teodoro 'Teodorin' Nguema Obiang Mangue, the son of the president Mbasogo. "South Africa expresses its sincere gratitude to the Government of Equatorial Guinea for considering and ultimately granting this Presidential pardon, allowing Mr Huxham and Mr Potgieter to return home to their loved ones,' said Phiri. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading 'Since their arrest, the South African Government has remained actively engaged through diplomatic channels, including sending Special Envoys, to secure their release on humanitarian grounds. Throughout these sustained engagements, the Government consistently appealed for clemency, highlighting the humanitarian aspects of the case and the profound impact on the families of the detained. 'The Government of South Africa acknowledges the complexity of the matter, including its sensitive diplomatic and legal dimensions. It appreciated the Government of Equatorial Guinea's continued provision of consular access and the spirit of constructive diplomatic dialogue that has been maintained throughout this period." Shaun Murphy and Francois Nigrini, spokespersons for the families, said they were relieved. 'We are overwhelmed with relief and joy. The last two years and four months have been unimaginably painful for both of our families. Today, we are finally able to say: Frik and Peter are safely back home. 'The families expressed their deepest appreciation to everyone who worked tirelessly behind the scenes, including Frik and Peter's employer (SBM Offshore), the South African and UK governments, international diplomatic partners, parliamentarians, legal teams, Hostage International and other civil society organisations, and the media. They are also grateful to former Minister of International Relations, Naledi Pandor, and the current Minister, Ronald Lamola, who visited Equatorial Guinea as envoys for the President of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa. ' The families also thanked South Africans and everyone worldwide for signing their online petition which called for their release. Get your news on the go, click here to join the Cape Argus News WhatsApp channel. Cape Argus
Mint
16 hours ago
- Politics
- Mint
Oil Workers Detained in Equatorial Guinea Return to South Africa
(Bloomberg) -- South African contractors jailed in Equatorial Guinea after working in the country's offshore oil fields returned home on Saturday following more than two years of detention. Peter Huxham and Frik Potgieter, both South African nationals, were arrested on drug-trafficking charges in February 2023, days after a South African court ordered the seizure of one of Equatorial Guinean Vice President Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue's yachts. The two incidents were linked, Bloomberg reported in April last year. South Africa raised concerns over the detention and requested the release of the men, who have denied any wrongdoing. They were pardoned earlier this month, the vice president of Equatorial Guinea, known as Teodorin, said in a post on X. 'The Government consistently appealed for clemency, highlighting the humanitarian aspects of the case and the profound impact on the families of the detained,' South Africa's ministry of international relations said in a statement. It added that it 'acknowledges the complexity of the matter, including its sensitive diplomatic and legal dimensions.' Huxham and Potgieter worked for the same Dutch oil services company, though the men had never met before. SBM Offshore NV booked them into the same hotel ahead of their flights back to South Africa. They were, in short order, arrested, convicted of cocaine trafficking, sentenced to 12 years in prison and fined $5 million each. The men had been working on Exxon Mobil Corp. and Chevron Corp. production vessels off the Equatorial Guinea coast when Teodorin Obiang lost a court case in South Africa. The vice president had two of his properties in Cape Town seized, along with the 67-meter yacht, the Blue Shadow, which he maintained belongs to his country's Ministry of Defense. The United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention in an opinion on the case last year found the imprisonment of the South Africans was in breach of multiple international human rights and that they should be released. More stories like this are available on
Mint
3 days ago
- Mint
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 flaunts sleek design in new leaked renders: Here's what's coming
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 has been in the limelight for its expected design upgrades. This year, the foldable has been reported to undergo several changes, from a new hinge to an ultra-slim design. However, just ahead of launch, a new design render of the Galaxy Z Fold 7 has started to circulate over the internet, giving us a detailed look at the smartphone. In the renders, we can spot a similar design profile of the Galaxy Z Fold 7 as its predecessor, with a triple camera setup. Although the slimness is clearly visible, it gives us hope for a refined design. A tech publication, Android Headlines, has revealed the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 renders, showcasing a detailed look of the upcoming foldable design. The smartphone was shown in two colour ways, Blue Shadow and Jet Black. Although additional colour variants are expected to be showcased during launch. Based on the renders, it is suspected that the Galaxy Z Fold 7 could measure between 3.9mm and 4.5mm in thickness when unfolded. In terms of weight, the smartphone could be 215 grams, which seems quite promising. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 is reported to feature a 6.3-inch Dynamic AMOLED cover display with a 120Hz refresh rate and an 8.2-inch Dynamic AMOLED foldable display with a similar 120Hz refresh rate. For scratch resistance, the smartphone is expected to be protected with Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2.
India.com
3 days ago
- India.com
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 Pictures Leaked, Expected Launch On July 9
New Delhi: Samsung is likely to reveal the Galaxy Z Fold 7 at its Galaxy Unpacked event, which might happen on July 9. Before the launch, some leaked pictures have shown the phone in two colors: Blue Shadow and Jet Black. There might be two more colors coming too. Design and Size (Expected) The Galaxy Z Fold 7 is expected to be slimmer and lighter than the previous model, the Galaxy Z Fold 6. When opened, it could be about 3.9 to 4.5 millimeters thick. This thinner design is thanks to a new hinge, which also helps make the phone weigh less — around 215 grams, which is about 24 grams lighter than the Fold 6. Samsung is trying to make foldable phones easier to carry and use. Bigger Screens (Expected) Samsung usually makes the outer screen bigger with each new Fold phone. This time, the cover screen might be 6.5 inches, a bit bigger than the 6.3 inches on the Fold 6. The main inside screen could also get bigger, up to 8.2 inches, which means a better viewing experience. Other Features (Expected) The Fold 7 might be Samsung's thinnest and lightest foldable phone yet — about 9 millimeters thick when folded. It's also expected to have better AI features built into the system, including voice controls. Possible New Version: Fold 7 Ultra There are hints that Samsung might also launch a Galaxy Z Fold 7 Ultra, a fancier version with better performance and premium materials.
GSM Arena
4 days ago
- GSM Arena
Galaxy Z Fold7 storage and color options leak with full renders
Samsung's upcoming Galaxy Z Fold7 is expected to launch on July 9 and an online retailer from Finland leaked the storage and official color options for the new device. Like its predecessor, Galaxy Z Fold7 is getting three storage trims: 256GB, 512GB and 1TB. The 256GB and 512GB versions will be available in Jet Black, Silver Shadow and Blue Shadow colors. The top-tier 1TB model will be offered in Jet Black and Blue Shadow. Galaxy Z Fold7 in Jet Black By the way, these are the official color options which will be available from retailers, but if past releases are anything to go by, Samsung will likely offer a few exclusive options too. In related news, Android Headlines shared official-looking renders of the Z Fold7 in its Blue Shadow and Jet Black colors. The new renders show the device's slim profile which is rumored to measure between 3.9mm and 4.5mm when unfolded. Z Fold7 is also expected to weigh 215 grams. Galaxy Z Fold7 in Blue Shadow Source 1 (in Finnish) • Source 2
