Rwanda Launches First Made-In-Africa Smartphones, Ghana Sets Up Another Medical Drone Delivery Base, and Apple Removes App That Helped Protesters in Hong Kong

Africa

Rwanda launch first smartphones made in Africa

Rwanda’s Mara Group has launched the first-ever smartphones to be made in Africa according to Reuters reports. Mara Group released two smartphones dubbed Mara X and Mara Z which will be sold at $190 and $130 respectively. CEO Ashish Thakkar said, “This is the first smartphone manufacturer in Africa.” While many smartphones are produced in Africa in countries like Egypt, Ethiopia, and South Africa, the components are imported from outside the continent before the phones are assembled. Mara represents the first smartphone that is completely manufactured in Africa. Mara’s $24 million manufacturing plant will produce 1,200 phones every day. Rwandan President, Paul Kagame, wants to see more Rwandans using smartphones. He said, “Rwandans are already using smartphones but we want to enable many more. The introduction of Mara phones will put smartphone ownership within the reach of more Rwandans.”

Ghana sets up another medical drone delivery base

Ghana has set up yet another medical drone delivery base at Mampong in the Ashanti Region, it has been reported. This marks the second such facility to be commissioned since President Akufo-Addo took office in 2017. The base in Mampong is expected to reach up to 500 healthcare centres within the Ashanti region. The medical drone delivery bases are being constructed and manned by Zipline after enjoying similar successes in Rwanda. As part of the country’s goal to make medical care accessible to all, the government intends to use drone to deliver medical supplies like medicines and blood units to areas they are needed most. Drones will reach such destinations faster and will be useful in health facilities where storage systems are still being constructed to reach the desired standards. Four medical drone bases are expected to become operational by the middle of 2020.

The Americas

US targets more Chinese AI startups in new blacklist

Washington has widened its blacklist to include top Chinese AI startups ahead of trade talks, it has been revealed. The decision is said to punish Beijing for its treatment of minority Muslims and affects companies like SenseTime Group Ltd and Megvii Technology Ltd. The blacklist means the businesses cannot purchase components from US firms without approval from Washington. The US Commerce Secretary, Wilbur Ross, said, “The U.S. Government and Department of Commerce cannot and will not tolerate the brutal suppression of ethnic minorities within China.” China has urged the US to stop interfering in its internal affairs.

NASA, SpaceX aims to send man to space by 2020 Q1

SpaceX’s first man crew will be ready for orbit by the end of first quarter of 2020, it has been reported. This is confirmation that earlier struggles, like the capsule explosion during a ground test, have been resolved. “If everything goes according to plan, it would be the first quarter of next year,” NASA chief Jim Bridenstine said. NASA’s long term ambition is to be able to launch American astronauts from American soil into orbit using American rockets. The initial plan to put astronauts into orbit by end of 2019 was scrapped as SpaceX pursued further tests on its rockets in the hope of a smooth launch. SpaceX is still perfecting the Crew Dragon capsule which will carry astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Benkoe into orbit.

Europe

Russia to ban users who share illegal content

Russia is looking to pass legislation that would ban e-mail users who circulate illegal content on the internet, Reuters has reported. Lawmakers claim the intention is to fight a wave of hoax bomb threats that have sprung up across the country. The new legislation would require ISPs to block users within 24 hours if the relevant government authorities demand it; failure to comply could attract up to $15,350 in fines. “In practice, it is efficient to completely block a user, not the individual messages sent by them,” one of the lawmakers said of the intention of the bill. While Kremlin claims it is protecting the Russian-language segment of the internet, critics fear it is only another step to increase online surveillance.

Passport facial recognition fails to detect light and dark faces

A new passport facial recognition software being tested by the UK Home Office failed to detect persons with dark skin, the BBC has revealed. The Home Office said it was aware the system failed at mapping facial features of certain ethnic minorities and still went ahead to deploy it. “User research was carried out with a wide range of ethnic groups and did identify that people with very light or very dark skin found it difficult to provide an acceptable passport photograph,” the office said as part of a Freedom Of Information request. The government said users could override the automated check and use manual settings instead.

Asia

Apple removes app used to track Hong Kong police

Apple has removed an app that was used to track law enforcement in Hong Kong after a Chinese outlet criticized its use to ambush local police, Reuters has learnt. The HKmap.live app relies on users to supply information about police deployment in order to keep protesters ahead. The Communist party’s official newspaper called the app poisonous. Speaking about its removal from the Apple store, however, the US company said it was investigating the app after customers in Hong Kong complained about how it endangered law enforcement. “The app displays police locations and we have verified with the Hong Kong Cybersecurity and Technology Crime Bureau that the app has been used to target and ambush police, threaten public safety, and criminals have used it to victimize residents in areas where they know there is no law enforcement,” Apple said. Critics say Apple is simply bending to the will of Beijing.

Tencent to offer refunds to NBA fans in China for cancelling streaming service

Fans of the National Basket Ball Association (NBA) in China have demanded refunds of their subscriptions after Tencent stopped streaming games, Reuters has reported. When Houston Rockets general manager, Daryl Morey, voiced his support for Hong Kong protesters, Tencent caved into public pressure and stopped streaming their games in China. It later stopped streaming the entire NBA preseason after Adam Silver, the NBA commissioner, voiced his support for Morey’s words. As local sponsors pulled out of the game in China, fans have demanded refunds from the streaming company. Some fans have received refunds based on their subscriptions. Houston Rockets merchandise was pulled from Nike stores in China following the furor.