Travelstart Takes Over Jumia Travel, Amazon Blames Trump For Losing $10b Contract, And Australia Gives Ultimatum to Tech Giants

Africa

Travelstart takes over Jumia Travel

Travelstart is taking over Jumia’s flight and hotel services, Jumia Travel, effective immediately according to reports. The takeover by Travelstart is reportedly part of moves by Jumia to refocus on profitability rather than growth. It’s not clear if this is a partnership or acquisition. However, Konga Travel and Wakanow are expected to absorb staff from the now defunct Jumia Travel. “This partnership will ensure we remain hyper focused on our growth and path to profitability as we reinvest our resources in our key markets, services and technology to create the best customer experience in Africa and help Jumia thrive,” the company said in an interview to TechCabal. Travelstart is an online flight-booking operating in South Africa and Nigeria.

Cars45 expands to Ghana, Kenya

Nigeria’s leading automotive trading platform, Cars45, has entered the Ghanaian and Kenyan markets, it has been reported. The used car industry is worth some $45 billion in Africa alone, and cars45 aims to use technology to build trust and facilitate transactions. Traders on the platform can sell their used vehicles and get paid within 45 minutes. Cars45 will provide car insurance, background checks, vehicle financing, and after-sales support to help users on the automotive journey. Cars45 will also open more retail centres in Kumasi, Mombasa, and Tema. The company intends to boost transactions across its international markets as well. “We want to connect buyers and sellers across the continent in the most seamless way, taking the stress out of the trading experience,” CEO and founder Etop Ikpe said about the expansion.

The Americas

Amazon lawsuit blames Trump for Pentagon cloud contract loss

Amazon Inc. is blaming President Donald Trump for losing out on the $10 billion JEDI contract won by Microsoft, Reuters has reported. The complaint was filed at the US Court of Federal Claims and accuses the president of exerting undue pressure to ensure Amazon Web Services didn’t win the contract. Amazon claimed Trump’s interest was to “harm his perceived political enemy – Jeffrey P. Bezos, founder and CEO of AWS’s parent company, Amazon.com … and owner of the Washington Post.” Trump’s private and public attacks, therefore, made it impossible for Pentagon to be fair in its decision on the contract. Amazon has called for a review of the contract decision, saying, “The question is whether the President of the United States should be allowed to use the budget of DoD to pursue his own personal and political ends.”

US legislators threaten to regulate encryption process

US Senators have threatened both Facebook Inc. and Apple Inc. that it could pass laws to regulate their encryption practices unless they made encrypted data available to law enforcement, it has been revealed. Both sides of the house united to make a case against encrypted data necessary to prosecute child abusers and mass shooting cases. “You’re going to find a way to do this or we’re going to go do it for you. We’re not going to live in a world where a bunch of child abusers have a safe haven to practice their craft. Period. End of discussion,” Lindsey Graham said. when Facebook decided to introduce encryption on its Messenger platform, law enforcement chiefs across different countries requested backdoor access to aid their fight against crime. Facebook rejected the demand, fearing it would be a gift to repressive regimes. Meanwhile, Apple refused to decrypt the iPhone of an ISIS sympathiser who was killed in San Bernardino, California.

Europe

UK political ads missing from Facebook ads archive

Thousands of UK political ads have gone missing from Facebook’s ads archive, a report by Reuters has said. The archive is a tool that allows researchers to track ads made by institutions on the Facebook platform. It was part of a drive by Facebook to be more transparent ahead of major political elections in Europe and in the Americas. According to the report, ads made by the Brexit Party, the Conservative Party, and the Liberal Democrats went missing. “If you’re a researcher you expect to be able to go back and check the data. You don’t expect the library to suddenly lose half of its books,” Tristan Hotham, a consultant with advocacy group, WhoTargetsMe, said in a telephone interview. Facebook has since rectified the situation, Reuters reported.

Tesla to produce 500,000 cars per year in Germany

Tesla intends to build some 500,000 electric vehicles each year in a new car manufacturing plant outside Berlin according to a report cited by Reuters. Elon Musk announced plans to build the new ‘Gigfactory’ in November 2019. The plan is expected to build Model Y and Model 3 vehicles. Tesla is expected to invest more than $4 billion in the factory in Gruenhieide, Brandenburg, with construction set to commence in 2020.

Asia

India’s law enforcement wants exemption in privacy bill

Indian government officials want to grant law enforcement officials the right to skirt privacy rules to ensure that investigations are not hindered by the legislation, it has been reported by Reuters. The new Personal Data Protection Bill spells out how data of Indians can be stored and transferred especially by government officials and tech companies. The law also says government agencies are exempted from the restrictions “in the interest of sovereignty and integrity of India”. “This provides for a future where an agency can do authorized privacy violations with checks and balances,” an unnamed government official involved with the new bill said. Agencies exempted from the bill will be listed out in the new bill once it is finalised. However, rights advocates fear the worst. “The lack of an explanation on what is necessary and expedient is worrisome, there needs to be a body of multiple stakeholders that reviews these decisions,” said Kriti Trehan, partner at the Law Offices of Panag & Babu.

Australia threatens Facebook and Google with government control

Australia has told technology giants, Facebook and Google, to submit to competition rules or risk new government control, it has been reported. The Prime Minister has said the anti-competition watchdog, Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), will create the right code of conduct that would ensure tech giants don’t abuse their dominant market position. “The companies are on notice. The government is not messing around. We will not hesitate to act,” Australian Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said. The tech giants would have to submit to new rules by the end of November 2020. While the tech giants loathe tighter regulations, local media houses welcome them. “It’s great the government is making a serious attempt to address the deep-rooted dominance of the online tech and streaming giants,” Paul Anderson of Australia’s Network 10 told reporters.