Bern, Switzerland | AFP | Thousands of people protested in the Swiss capital Bern Saturday over the roll-out of a 5G wireless technology across the country, which they fear could damage people’s health. The protesters, many carrying placards, gathered in front of the Swiss parliament building, in a bid to …
Read More »Why African star tech start-up Andela has laid off hundreds of junior developers
Lagos, Nigeria | AFP | Major African tech start-up Andela sacked hundreds of its staff this week — the majority from Nigeria — in one of the largest layoffs in the continent’s budding tech industry. The start-up, backed by hundreds of millions of dollars from investors including Facebook and tennis …
Read More »In Ivory Coast, telemedicine revolution proves blessing for heart patients
Bouaké, Ivory Coast | AFP | Every time Catherine Coulibaly’s 19-year-old son had to make a routine appointment with the cardiologist for his heart condition, she gritted her teeth as she silently counted the financial cost. It wasn’t just the hospital fee — there was the transport, food and accommodation, too, …
Read More »Era of low skill jobs might be over, Ugandans cautioned
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Ugandans might have to acquire more skills especially in the technology sector if they are to sustain their jobs or find employment in high paying sectors, the CEO of the European Organisation for Sustainable Development (EOSD) Arshad Rab, has said. Arshad Rad said that …
Read More »Google, Facebook, Amazon decry French digital tax as ‘discriminatory’
Washington, United States | AFP | American tech giants Amazon, Facebook and Google joined forces on Monday to decry the French digital tax as retroactive and discriminatory. President Donald Trump is considering retaliating against the tax — approved July 11 — with punitive tariffs on French wine imports, prompting an …
Read More »Uganda slams report on ‘Huawei spying’
Uganda slams report Huawei helped spy on opposition leaders Kampala, Uganda | AFP | Uganda on Friday denied a report that employees of Chinese telecom giant Huawei had aided a domestic spying operation targeting pop star turned opposition icon Bobi Wine. The Wall Street Journal reported this week that Huawei …
Read More »US importers find ways to adapt to, skirt Trump’s tariffs
New York, United States | AFP | Big US companies are accelerating efforts to move more of their supply chains from China to neighboring countries in light of Trump administration tariffs. Companies in sectors such as technology, clothing and footwear are exporting more goods from emerging giants including Vietnam and Malaysia, …
Read More »Five things to know about the selfie economy
Paris, France | AFP | Long dismissed as a symptom of narcissistic youth culture, the not-so-humble selfie has become big business. As hotels vie to become the next viral hotspot and new technology is developed to cater to those searching for that perfect picture of themselves, here are five things to …
Read More »Pressure mounts on aviation industry over climate change.
Paris, France | AFP | Under pressure from frequent flyers alarmed over climate change, the airline industry says it is “hellbent” on reducing emissions — but the technology needed to drastically reduce its carbon footprint is still out of reach. In recent months climate activists have stepped up efforts to convince …
Read More »West Nile and Karamoja get e-government infrastructure
Koboko, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | President Yoweri Museveni has launched phase four of the National Backbone Infrastructure Connectivity project for West Nile. The ceremony took place today at St. Charles Lwanga Senior Secondary School grounds in Koboko District. The government of Uganda through the National Information Technology, Uganda (NITA-U), …
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