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Thursday, 22 October 2026
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Thursday, 22 October 2026
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Namibian press · Person

Elon Musk

Also known as: the South African-born tech billionaire · Mr Musk

Entrepreneur behind Starlink satellite internet and xAI, whose Namibian licence application was rejected over ownership and sovereignty concerns.

2018-02-092026-10-22

News reports

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What’s been said

Key points drawn from coverage. Tap a point to see the original sentence.

  1. October 2026
  2. The Namibian

    Elon Musk suggested US government may be behind restrictions on Ukraine drone speeds on Starlink

    Source

    “Elon Musk has suggested that the US government may be behind restrictions on the speed at which some of Ukraine's weapons can travel and stay connected to SpaceX's Starlink internet network.”

    Musk says US government may be behind slowdown of Ukraine drone speeds
  3. The Namibian

    Musk wrote that Starshield systems are owned by US government, speed limits decided by US military

    Source

    “"Starshield systems are owned and controlled by the US government. Any limits on speed or usage are decided by the US military and ultimately POTUS," he wrote.”

    Musk says US government may be behind slowdown of Ukraine drone speeds
  4. September 2026
  5. The Namibian

    Elon Musk proposed $5,000 payments from Doge spending cuts that never materialized

    Source

    “And the $5,000 payments that Elon Musk proposed would come from his Doge spending cuts have never materialised.”

    Is Trump’s $5,000 pledge a sign of panic?
  6. March 2026
  7. The Namibian

    Musk has been accused of using the platform during geopolitical conflicts like the Ukraine war

    Source

    “Musk, a divisive figure himself, has been accused of using the platform during geopolitical conflicts like the Ukraine war.”

    Editorial: Local Tech Companies Won. Now They Need to Deliver
  8. The Namibian

    Musk has peddled false claims about white genocide in South Africa

    Source

    “Musk has also not been shy about peddling false claims about white genocide in his country of birth, South Africa.”

    Editorial: Local Tech Companies Won. Now They Need to Deliver
  9. New Era

    Elon Musk has blamed "racist ownership laws" for his company's failure to launch in South Africa

    Source

    “Musk, who was born in South Africa in 1971 before moving to Canada in the late 1980s and then to the US where he became the world's richest man, has blamed "racist ownership laws" for his company's failure to launch in South Africa.”

    Starlink rejection: Legal, national security grounds  …no special treatment, says minister
  10. The Namibian

    Elon Musk owns Starlink

    Source

    “"Starlink is owned by Elon Musk, a man who has very problematic views on the current geopolitics around the world.”

    Cran rejects Starlink licence
  11. January 2026
  12. New Era

    Elon Musk founded xAI

    Source

    “Founded by Musk, xAI competes in an increasingly crowded generative AI market against OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic, among others.”

    Musk’s xAI raises US$20b in Nvidia-backed funding
  13. New Era

    Elon Musk has applied through Starlink for licence to operate in Namibia

    Source

    “the application by Elon Musk's Starlink to operate in Namibia”

    Starlink decision expected in March
  14. September 2025
  15. The Namibian

    Elon Musk attended a memorial service for Charlie Kirk in Arizona

    Source

    “Two planeloads of Trump administration bigwigs, sycophants and staffers, including Elon Musk and, of course, the president and vice-president, were there for the ceremony — and the crowd.”

    Utah may have generated Charlie Kirk’s killer, but it also helped shape Robert Redford
World & Region

Musk claims US government restricts Ukraine drone speeds on Starlink

The News

Elon Musk has suggested the US government may be behind speed restrictions on Ukraine's weapons connected to SpaceX's Starlink network, which disrupted Kyiv's battlefield missions on Tuesday. Starlink imposed a 100mph speed limit that caused weapons travelling faster to lose connectivity, though service was partially restored by Wednesday evening.

15 October 2026 · The Namibian →

Thursday 15 October

  1. Musk claims US government restricts Ukraine drone speeds on Starlink

    Elon Musk has suggested the US government may be behind speed restrictions on Ukraine's weapons connected to SpaceX's Starlink network, which disrupted Kyiv's battlefield missions on Tuesday. Starlink imposed a 100mph speed limit that caused weapons travelling faster to lose connectivity, though service was partially restored by Wednesday evening.

    15 October 2026 · The Namibian →

Tuesday 15 September

  1. Trump dismisses AI safety concerns as hoax, opposes new safeguards

    US President Donald Trump called fears about AI safety a "hoax" and rejected calls for greater guardrails on the technology, comparing warnings to what he termed the "Global Warming Scam" and past political hoaxes, while an Anthropic co-founder had recently proposed mandatory "kill switches" for dangerous AI systems.

    15 September 2026 · The Namibian →

Friday 11 September

  1. Trump pledges $5,000 to every American if Republicans win midterms

    Donald Trump promised to pay every American citizen $5,000 if Republicans win the midterm elections, with no details provided on funding or implementation. The announcement was met with enthusiasm from convention supporters but drew mixed reactions from fellow Republicans and scepticism over how the more-than-one-trillion-dollar pledge would be financed.

    11 September 2026 · The Namibian →

Tuesday 23 June

  1. Cran closes reconsideration on Starlink licence rejection

    Namibia's communications regulator has closed its reconsideration process on Starlink's rejected licence application, directing aggrieved parties to pursue review at the High Court. Cran chief executive Emilia Nghikembua said the authority has exhausted all avenues available to it, noting that Starlink's own reconsideration request was submitted late and did not meet legal requirements.

    23 June 2026 · The Namibian →

  2. CRAN upholds Starlink licence rejection under Namibian law

    The Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN) has upheld its rejection of Starlink Internet Services Namibia's licence applications, emphasizing that the rule of law applies equally to all, including foreign investors. While acknowledging Starlink's potential to improve connectivity in remote areas, the editorial argues that adherence to national legislation must supersede admiration for technological innovation.

    23 June 2026 · Windhoek Observer →

Wednesday 17 June

  1. FBI arrests five men in White House UFC attack plot

    The US Department of Justice said the FBI thwarted a plot targeting Sunday's UFC event at the White House and arrested five men across four states. The alleged plan involved striking nearby buildings with explosive-laden drones, firing on "high value targets" with snipers, and storming the White House gate in a coordinated attack.

    17 June 2026 · The Namibian →

Wednesday 22 April

  1. New podcast from Reggie and Frozen needs stronger direction

    A review of the first episode of 'The Black and Yellow Podcast', a new show on One Africa Television hosted by Namibian duo Reggie and Frozen with guest Michael Amushelelo, finds the conversation lacking structure and insight, circling predictably around dating and materialism rather than exploring deeper territory, though technical improvements and clearer direction could strengthen future episodes.

    22 April 2026 · The Namibian →

Saturday 28 March

  1. Local telecom firms must improve service after Starlink rejection

    The Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia rejected Starlink's application citing ownership, security, and sovereignty concerns. The editorial argues that local telecommunications companies must now deliver better connectivity and affordability, noting that Namibia ranks 143rd globally in internet speed and only 15% of households have fixed internet access.

    28 March 2026 · The Namibian →

Thursday 26 March

  1. Namibia rejects Starlink deal over foreign ownership rules

    Prime Minister Dr. Elijah Ngurare has defended Namibia's rejection of Elon Musk's Starlink proposal, saying Namibian laws must apply equally to all foreign investors regardless of geopolitical ties. The government turned down the 100% foreign-owned venture due to national security concerns, insisting that any company providing services in Namibia must allow local ownership and benefit to Namibians.

    26 March 2026 · Informanté →

Wednesday 25 March

  1. Starlink rejected over ownership rules, national security concerns

    Namibia's Information and Communication Technology Minister Emma Theofelus said the rejection of Starlink's application to provide satellite internet services was lawful and based on regulatory requirements, including the mandatory 51% local ownership rule and national security concerns. The minister noted that Starlink's proposed 100% foreign ownership model raised material regulatory considerations regarding jurisdiction and government oversight, and that the company had also operated unlawfully without a licence.

    25 March 2026 · New Era →

  2. Cran declines Starlink licence application in Namibia

    The Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (Cran) has rejected Starlink's applications for both a class comprehensive telecommunications service licence and a Spectrum licence for satellite internet services. The decision was published in the Government Gazette, with the authority citing that Starlink has 0% Namibian citizen ownership, and aggrieved parties may petition for reconsideration within 90 days.

    25 March 2026 · The Namibian →

Monday 16 March

  1. Zimbabwean white farmers pursue Trump lobby for land compensation

    Zimbabwean white farmers whose land was seized during Robert Mugabe's rule are seeking help from Donald Trump's administration to recover $3.5 billion in unpaid compensation promised by President Mnangagwa, leveraging the US interest in Zimbabwe's rare-earth mineral deposits and the Trump administration's previous support for white farmers in South Africa. Some farmer groups have hired a Washington lobby firm with Trump administration ties to promote the compensation through US government support for debt relief and international financing, though the farming community remains divided on the strategy and some fear worsening relations between Washington and Harare.

    16 March 2026 · The Namibian →

Friday 13 February

  1. Ramaphosa's 2026 Sona balances competing interests through strategic ambiguity

    South African President Cyril Ramaphosa's 2026 State of the Nation Address employed careful political calculations to address diverse constituencies—including populists demanding military intervention, ANC loyalists seeking preservation of state ownership, free-marketeers wanting private sector participation, and others—while deliberately omitting topics like the Expropriation Act and farm murders that might alienate coalition partners. The speech also downgraded previous priorities like the Fourth Industrial Revolution in favour of green economy rhetoric, and reduced the urgency around gender-based violence despite its earlier treatment as a national emergency.

    13 February 2026 · The Namibian →

Thursday 8 January

  1. German EV sales surge 43% while US market weakens

    Electric vehicle sales in Germany rebounded strongly in 2025, rising 43.2% to over 545,000 vehicles and representing 19.1% of new car sales, with Chinese manufacturer BYD more than tripling its market share. In contrast, US automakers including General Motors, Honda, and Nissan reported declining fourth-quarter sales, with EV transactions falling sharply after a federal tax credit expired in September.

    8 January 2026 · New Era →

  2. Elon Musk's xAI raises US$20 billion for AI development

    Elon Musk's artificial intelligence startup xAI announced it has raised US$20 billion in funding, surpassing its initial US$15 billion target, with backing from investors including Nvidia. The funding accelerates development of xAI's Grok AI models, which face international scrutiny over deepfake generation concerns.

    8 January 2026 · New Era →

Wednesday 7 January

  1. CRAN expects Starlink licensing decision by end of March

    The Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia expects to announce its decision on Starlink's application to operate in Namibia by the end of Q1 2026. The main issue holding up the application is Namibia's legal requirement that telecommunications licensees have 51% domestic ownership, which Starlink is seeking an exemption from, though public submissions on the application have been largely supportive (1,164 in favour versus 16 opposed).

    7 January 2026 · New Era →

Tuesday 6 January

  1. Amnesty: Uganda security forces repress opposition ahead of elections

    Amnesty International reported that Ugandan security forces have used torture and arbitrary arrests to intimidate opposition supporters ahead of 15 January elections, with documented cases of beating, pepper-spraying, and tasering; President Yoweri Museveni seeks to extend his 40-year rule amid fears the government may shut down the internet during voting.

    6 January 2026 · New Era →

Elon Musk — Namibian press coverage · Namibia Minute