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The Citizen
21-05-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
Is Rupert's place in US delegation double standards or just good for business?
'Imagine what would have happened if the president had taken the Guptas as part of his delegation.' South African businessman and Chairman of Remgro, Johann Rupert speaks at the University of Pretoria in Pretoria, South Africa on 15 October 2008. Picture: Gallo Images/Foto24/Cornel van Heerden President Cyril Ramaphosa's decision to include controversial billionaire Johann Rupert on his negotiation team with the US government has been fiercely criticised by opposition parties and drawn questions from an expert. Rupert has been seen as a controversial figure in local politics and has been criticised by leftist parties such as the EFF for gaining enormous wealth through racist policies that benefited white South Africans before 1994. Rupert will enter the negotiations alongside South African golfers Ernie Els and Retief Goosen. Ramaphosa will also be flanked by his core political team, which includes the Minister in the Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, the International Relations Minister, Ronald Lamola, the Agriculture Minister, John Steenhuisen, and the Trade & Industry Minister, Parks Tau. Rupert's influence over Ramaphosa African Transformation Movement (ATM) spokesperson Zama Ntshona told The Citizen that the party is concerned with the inclusion of powerful 'white figures' in Ramaphosa's delegation. 'President Ramaphosa's decision to include predominantly white figures in this delegation may be perceived as an appeal to 'whiteness' in addressing complex economic challenges. 'This approach prioritises the interests of historically privileged groups and, in doing so, undermines the transformative goals of the post-apartheid era. 'Economic solutions must not come at the expense of inclusivity and should be rooted in equitable representation that acknowledges the historical injustices faced by the majority of South Africans,' he said. It is a criticism echoed by the EFF, who suggested Ramaphosa may be controlled by big business. 'This can only be described as a capture and an exhibition of the undue influence of big business in an interaction between two nations premised on democracy and sovereignty.' EFF spokesperson Sinawo Thambo said. ALSO READ: Rupert in Ramaphosa delegation is 'spitting in face of democracy' – EFF The party has threatened legal action if a reported 'workaround' to allow Trump-backer Elon Musk to bring his Starlink internet services into the country without abiding by local employment equity laws is achieved. ALSO READ: Will Ramaphosa fall into the same trap as Zelensky? — Experts weigh in Double standards? Political analyst Professor Ntsikelelo Breakfast from Nelson Mandela University (NMU) told The Citizen that Ramaphosa likely brought Rupert along to represent the interests of big business in South Africa. 'Rupert's investments are wide and they cut across different sectors, so part of our government's mission is to pitch a proposal for business to the US administration. 'Ramaphosa also wants to show that the government of the day is supported by business in its endeavour to make a change in resetting South Africa's relationship with the U.S,' he said. However, Breakfast said Rupert's inclusion also raises some questions about Ramaphosa's proximity to South Africa's white elite. 'Imagine what would have happened if the president had taken the Guptas as part of his delegation. People would have said state capture, but the same argument is not raised when it comes to Rupert, 'We have double standards when the Guptas had some influence over Jacob Zuma that was seen as state capture,' he said. NOW READ: Is Ramaphosa in trouble? US Secretary of Marco Rubio calls out SA
Time of India
13-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
US senator calls for stronger ethics commitments from Trump deputy health secretary pick
Washington: Democratic U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren called on President Donald Trump's nominee for deputy U.S. health secretary to recuse himself from decisions related to former clients and employers in the healthcare industry for at least four years. Jim O'Neil , a health policy adviser with ties to several healthcare companies, is up for confirmation by the Senate as Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services. In a Monday letter to O'Neil reviewed by Reuters, Warren asked that he pledge to not seek compensation for four years after leaving office from any companies he regulated while serving, and to not lobby the health department or any of its agencies for the same amount of time. O'Neil could not immediately be reached for comment. "Your relationships with biomedical companies regulated by HHS will raise concerns about your impartiality in this role," wrote Warren, who sits on the Senate Finance Committee that will vote on advancing O'Neil's nomination for the Senate to confirm. O'Neil is an ally of tech billionaire and erstwhile Trump-backer Peter Thiel and from 2012 to 2019 managed one of his venture capital firms, Mithril Capital Management. While at Mithril, he invested in biotechnology companies, some of which currently seek approvals for products from the Food and Drug Administration. He also served as chief executive of his philanthropic Thiel Foundation and as a managing director at Thiel Capital. O'Neil also advises and serves on the board of ADvantage Therapeutics which is developing an Alzheimer's drug that will require FDA approval . He has agreed to recuse from ADvantage's specific-party matters for one year or two years if he receives a bonus from the company, as required by law. Prior appointees have voluntarily made ethics commitments beyond those required by laws and government regulations, Warren wrote, and so should he. If confirmed, O'Neil would report to Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who criticizes industry influence over health agencies, pointing to the "revolving door" of officials going on to work for companies they regulated. Kennedy promised "radical transparency" at the department.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
US senator calls for stronger ethics commitments from Trump deputy health secretary pick
By Ahmed Aboulenein WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Democratic U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren called on President Donald Trump's nominee for deputy U.S. health secretary to recuse himself from decisions related to former clients and employers in the healthcare industry for at least four years. Jim O'Neil, a health policy adviser with ties to several healthcare companies, is up for confirmation by the Senate as Deputy Secretary of Health and Human Services. In a Monday letter to O'Neil reviewed by Reuters, Warren asked that he pledge to not seek compensation for four years after leaving office from any companies he regulated while serving, and to not lobby the health department or any of its agencies for the same amount of time. O'Neil could not immediately be reached for comment. "Your relationships with biomedical companies regulated by HHS will raise concerns about your impartiality in this role," wrote Warren, who sits on the Senate Finance Committee that will vote on advancing O'Neil's nomination for the Senate to confirm. O'Neil is an ally of tech billionaire and erstwhile Trump-backer Peter Thiel and from 2012 to 2019 managed one of his venture capital firms, Mithril Capital Management. While at Mithril, he invested in biotechnology companies, some of which currently seek approvals for products from the Food and Drug Administration. He also served as chief executive of his philanthropic Thiel Foundation and as a managing director at Thiel Capital. O'Neil also advises and serves on the board of ADvantage Therapeutics which is developing an Alzheimer's drug that will require FDA approval. He has agreed to recuse from ADvantage's specific-party matters for one year or two years if he receives a bonus from the company, as required by law. Prior appointees have voluntarily made ethics commitments beyond those required by laws and government regulations, Warren wrote, and so should he. If confirmed, O'Neil would report to Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who criticizes industry influence over health agencies, pointing to the "revolving door" of officials going on to work for companies they regulated. Kennedy promised "radical transparency" at the department.
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First Post
22-04-2025
- Business
- First Post
The new Manhattan project: Will tech titans reignite America's nuclear industry?
Backed by Silicon Valley capital and national security insiders, companies like General Matter are reviving the nuclear sector as part of a broader push to restore America's industrial might read more In the changing world of American tech ambitions, a new group of venture capitalists is shifting focus. Instead of just investing in digital technologies (known as 'bits'), they are now turning to real, physical industries (called 'atoms'). One clear example of this shift is a company called General Matter. This startup is working in nuclear enrichment and is trying to change how America powers itself and protects its national security. According to an article in The Economist from April 20, 2025, General Matter is not only challenging old nuclear companies but is also becoming a key part of what could be America's next big industrial movement. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD A new age of private nuclear enterprise General Matter has a bold goal. It wants to be the first private company in the US to produce a special kind of nuclear fuel called Haleu (high-assay, low-enriched uranium). This fuel is very important for the next generation of nuclear reactors. Unlike older models, the new generation of nuclear reactors is compact, simpler to construct and designed to operate more efficiently. Instead of using fuel enriched to just 5 per cent like conventional reactors, these advanced systems require uranium enriched up to 20 per cent. According to The Economist, the US Department of Energy asked General Matter to join its Haleu consortium back in 2023 — even before the company was officially created. This shows how important the government thinks the company is and it also hints at the strong political connections it has. The company was started by Scott Nolan, who used to work at SpaceX and is now a venture capitalist, and Lee Robinson, who used to work in intelligence. Together, they represent a mix of Silicon Valley smarts and national security know-how. They're backed by the Founders Fund, led by Peter Thiel, which has supported big, bold tech ideas for years, and is a strong Trump-backer. But General Matter shows something new — it's a hands-on move into critical industries that affect both energy and defence in America. Political proximity and strategic intent The success of General Matter isn't happening in isolation. It's closely connected to the growing political and ideological support for nuclear energy during the Trump administration. In February 2025, The National Interest magazine reported that people like Preston Wells Griffith III, who worked on Trump's National Security Council, and Brandon Williams, a nuclear entrepreneur who now advises the Department of Energy, have played a big role in pushing policies that focus on American-made energy technologies. Under their leadership, the Department of Energy has shifted its funding and rules to speed up the development of the domestic Haleu supply chain. Thiel's group of investors and political supporters has seized this moment to position nuclear enrichment as not just an industrial chance, but as a national mission. Trae Stephens from Founders Fund told The Economist that the goal is to make sure America doesn't fall behind authoritarian countries in the nuclear race. A return to Cold War roots The support behind General Matter represents a return to a history that Silicon Valley has often tried to move away from. As historian Margaret O'Mara explained to The Economist the early tech companies in the Bay Area grew out of Cold War defence contracts, many of which were related to atomic weapons and missile systems. Over time, Silicon Valley moved away from military projects and adopted a more libertarian mindset. But now, with companies like General Matter and Anduril — another defence startup backed by Thiel — there's a new focus on working with the government, but this time to promote technological nationalism. O'Mara described this shift as 'a Space Age, brought to you by Ayn Rand,' which refers to the contradiction in Thiel's approach. The philosophy may be libertarian, but the work relies heavily on government support — like DOE grants, national security exemptions and faster rules for getting things done. Even so, The Economist noted that these new industrialists don't see a problem with this. They think the government isn't an obstacle but a vital partner in helping America reclaim its industrial power. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Is energy security venture capital's next frontier? General Matter's rise fits into a bigger plan that Thiel and his supporters are working on. As Stephens told The Economist, their investment strategy has evolved over time: Palantir changed intelligence operations, Anduril is changing defence and now General Matter aims to do the same for nuclear energy. E ach of these companies is about using private money and advanced technology to reshape important areas of the government. The push for this is driven by the belief that the US is too dependent on foreign suppliers for important infrastructure. Right now, Russia provides about 35 per cent of the enriched uranium used in American reactors. This has become a bigger problem since the war in Ukraine. General Matter makes it clear that every part of its business is designed and funded in the US. The company positions itself as a patriotic choice compared to the foreign-controlled uranium supply chain, as mentioned in The Economist article. Bureaucratic realities and technical hurdles However, turning this vision into reality won't be easy. General Matter has not yet applied for a Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) license, which is required before any uranium enrichment can begin. Getting this license takes time and the regulations are strict—especially for something as politically and environmentally sensitive as uranium enrichment. While General Matter talks about new centrifuge designs that promise more efficiency, it still has to compete with companies that already have the infrastructure in place. For example, Centrus Energy began producing small amounts of Haleu in 2023, the first in the US in seven decades, as The Economist pointed out. On top of that, General Matter faces another challenge: small modular reactors, which need Haleu, are still mostly in the development stage. There isn't much demand for enriched fuel until these reactors get broader commercial approval. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Tariffs and trade-offs Even though the Trump administration strongly supports nuclear energy, some of its other economic policies might hurt the industry's ability to compete. A February 2025 analysis in The National Interest warned that tariffs on materials like steel, aluminium and other industrial goods could make it more expensive to build nuclear reactors. These tariffs are meant to protect American manufacturing, but they might also make US nuclear projects too costly — both inside the country and overseas. This problem gets worse because of rising tensions with allied countries. Trade disputes with Canada and European partners could make it harder to work together on important projects and supply deals that the Haleu fuel chain depends on. The Council on Foreign Relations has warned that if the US doesn't create a clear international plan, it could end up isolated—just when it's trying to lead the world in nuclear energy again. Nuclear weapons versus Trump's pragmatism Interestingly, while the Trump administration sees nuclear energy as a key part of national strength, it has taken a more cautious approach to nuclear weapons. In February 2025, President Trump questioned the need to expand the US nuclear weapons arsenal. Trump said the current stockpile is already enough to protect the country. He also criticised the $1.7 trillion plan to modernise the arsenal that started under earlier presidents and said he was open to new arms control talks with Russia and China. This change in attitude was explained by Lucas Ruiz and Geoff Wilson in the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. They pointed out that there is a split between some Republicans who want to upgrade weapons and a president who sees more value in peaceful, nonmilitary nuclear technology. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD For Trump, building up the country's civilian nuclear power might be a stronger symbol of America's comeback than showing off military force. The atomic gamble General Matter's story represents a bigger change happening in US. It's a test to see if private companies — working with government support — can bring back an industry that many thought was outdated. It's also a test to see if the future of American technology will be built not just in app stores and cloud servers, but through nuclear tools like centrifuges, control rods and containment systems. General Matter is supported by investors with strong beliefs, backed by powerful political supporters and lifted by a growing sense of techno-patriotism—a belief that technology can help rebuild national pride. The company is betting everything on the idea that America's next big achievement will come from nuclear energy. But whether this gamble works won't just depend on technology or money — it will also depend on how well they deal with global politics, government rules and public opinion. If they succeed, what some are calling the 'Manhattan Beach Project' could become the most important industrial story of the 2020s.
The Independent
11-02-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Megyn Kelly says she nearly walked in on Taylor Swift in Super Bowl bathroom: ‘Really glad that didn't happen'
Former Fox News host and Trump-backer Megyn Kelly has recalled her near-awkward, close encounter with politically-opposite Taylor Swift at the 2025 Super Bowl. Kelly, 54, was seated in the suite next to the pop star at Sunday's game, which saw the Philadelphia Eagles destroy the Kansas City Chiefs 40-22. Speaking on the latest episode of her SiriusXM show, The Megyn Kelly Show, the controversial political commentator told listeners about how she almost walked in on Swift, 35, in the bathroom. Swift, famously endorsed former vice president Kamala Harris, while Kelly has been a Trump backer appearing at his rallies during the campaign and has been seen at conformation hearings for his nominees. 'I was trying to use the ladies' room and something very funny happened,' she began. 'I told you where I was in relation to Taylor Swift… well I walk out of the box — the suite — and there is the lady in the dress that signifies this is the women's room.' She said she noticed a woman standing outside the door, so she 'just assumed there was a line.' 'I'm like, 'Oh, are you in line?' And she's like, 'No,'' Kelly recalled. 'So I'm like, 'Oh, OK.' So I go to get past her, and she's like, 'Oh no, I think someone's in there.'' She said there was 'something unclear' about the woman's response, so she 'tried to go past her' again. 'And then I pressed down the doorknob and it started to open and I heard like, 'Ahhh,' and then she was like, 'Oh no, no!'' Kelly continued. 'And then I realized Taylor Swift was clearly in there and this was like a privacy guard for her,' she added, laughing. 'So I think I almost walked in on Taylor Swift in the bathroom.' '[I'm] really glad that didn't happen,' she said, sharing that she later figured out 'it was just one of those one-stall bathrooms' and eventually found the communal women's bathroom nearby. While she didn't meet Swift, Kelly did make several references to her in Instagram posts from the evening. 'Taylor Swift next to us at the Super Bowl - should I go strike up a chat on Trump, Tim Walz and Blake Lively v Baldoni?' she wrote in one post, alongside a selfie showing Swift in the background. In a subsequent post of a selfie with Donald Trump and Donald Trump Jr., Kelly added: 'Saw Taylor Swift in the next box … eh … and then I spent time with a true winner. Thank you Mr. President!' Kelly later called the 'Cruel Summer' hitmaker 'the biggest loser of the night' in a post on her personal website. 'Other than the Kansas City Chiefs, I think it is fair to say Taylor Swift was the biggest loser of the night,' she wrote. 'I am sure you have seen the videos at this point. There was such a juxtaposition in the crowd reaction to Taylor versus the crowd reaction to President Trump when they showed them on the Jumbotron.' Meanwhile, Trump was apparently met with cheers from the crowd when he was shown on the screen, although some boos were mixed in.
