An Australia-based media technology company has fired an employee accused of leaking a video of two television presenters privately criticizing tennis player Novak Djokovic, whose Australian visa was canceled on Friday.
Ai-Media Technologies, which provides captioning and transcription services, did not identify the employee.
The expletive-laden video, leaked this week, showed anchors at Seven West Media’s 7NEWS discussing Djokovic’s COVID-19 status and visa application in an off-air conversation, condemning him as being deceptive.
The video appears to have been recorded without the news presenters’ knowledge and was widely viewed on social media, with many people voicing support for the anchors. Seven also defended the presenters, saying the act of recording the video broke state laws.
“Ai-Media has identified that an employee working remotely due to the COVID-19 outbreak was responsible for the unauthorized distribution of the content,” the company said in a statement.
“The person is no longer employed by Ai-Media,” the company confirmed in an email.
There was no immediate comment from the employee.
Cancelling Djokovic’s visa on Friday, the Australian government said the world number one — who has not been vaccinated for COVID- 19 — may pose a health risk. Djokovic arrived in Australia last week, chasing his 21st Grand Slam title at next week’s Australian Open. He was held in immigration detention until a judge on Monday quashed a decision by the federal government to revoke his visa, but the Australian government revoked it for a second time on Friday.
Australian firm fires employee for leak of TV anchors’ Djokovic rant
https://arab.news/cjr94
Australian firm fires employee for leak of TV anchors’ Djokovic rant
- The video appears to have been recorded without the news presenters’ knowledge and was widely viewed on social media
Italian PM pledges to deepen cooperation with African states
- The plan, launched in 2024, aims to promote investment-led cooperation rather than traditional aid
ADDIS ABABA: Italy pledged to deepen cooperation with African countries at its second Italy-Africa summit, the first held on African soil, to review projects launched in critical sectors such as energy and infrastructure during Italy’s first phase of the Mattei Plan for Africa.
The plan, launched in 2024, aims to promote investment-led cooperation rather than traditional aid.
Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni addressed dozens of African heads of state and governments in Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa, and reiterated that a successful partnership would depend on Italy’s “ability to draw from African wisdom” and ensure lessons are learned.
“We want to build things together,” she told African heads of state. “We want to be more consistent with the needs of the countries involved.”
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said Italy had provided Africa with a gateway to Europe through these partnerships.
“This is a moment to move from dialogue to action,” he said.
“By combining Africa’s energetic and creative population with Europe’s experience, technology, and capital, we can build solutions that deliver prosperity to our continents and beyond.”
After the Italy-Africa summit concluded, African leaders remained in Addis Ababa for the annual African Union Summit.
Kenyan writer and political analyst Nanjala Nyabola said tangible results from such summits depend on preparations made by countries.
African governments often focus on “optics instead of actually making summits a meaningful engagement,” she said.
Instead of waiting for a list of demands, countries should “present the conclusions of an extended period of mapping the national needs” and engage in dialogue to determine how those needs can be met.
Since it was launched two years ago, the Mattei Plan has directly involved 14 African nations and has launched or advanced around 100 projects in crucial sectors, including energy and climate transition, agriculture and food security, physical and digital infrastructure, healthcare, water, culture and education, training, and the development of artificial intelligence, according to the Italian government.
