Ghana Passes Controversial E-Levy Bill, Uber Receives Operating License in London, and Facebook in Alleged Anti-TikTok Campaign

Africa

Ghana’s parliament passes e-levy bill

Ghana’s parliament has passed the controversial e-levy bill. When passed into law, the bill will enforce 1.5% fee on mobile money and digital bank transfers.

Moove and SWVL partner to rollout electric buses

Moove and SWVL have announced a partnership to rollout more electric buses, it has been reported. The partnership will also scale-up Moove’s vehicle financing model to include Middle East, North Africa, and Pakistan.

Tushop raises $3m in pre-seed round

Kenya’s Tushop has raised $3 million in a pre-seed round to scale its activities across the country. Tushop allows communities to buy groceries in a bulk while enjoying free delivery.

Europe

UK cyber-centre warns against use of Russian technology use

UK’s National Cyber Security Centre has urged organisations to reconsider their use of Russian-made software. However, it said individual use of software like Kaspersky was safe.

Uber receives license to operate in London

Ride-hailing app, Uber, has been granted a two-and-a-half-year license to operate within the city of London. The company had been denied operational license in 2019.

Ukraine’s main ISP suffers cyber-attack

Ukrtelekom, Ukraine’s national telecoms operator, is just recovering from a cyber-attack, the BBC has confirmed. The company said it limited access to individuals to reduce risk to critical infrastructure.

The Americas

US charges Russians over cyber-attack

The United States has charged four Russian employees over a hacking campaign against global energy firms. Their actions are said to have affected 135 countries between 2012 and 2018.

Facebook in alleged campaign against TikTok

Facebook’s parent company, Meta, allegedly paid a consultancy firm to publish reports undermining TikTok. The campaign was designed to show TikTok as a “danger to American children”.

Spotify paid $7bn to music rights holders

Spotify paid out $7 billion in revenue to music industry rights holders 2021, the streaming giant has confirmed. In addition, it also paid up to 130 artistes more than $5 million over the past year.

Asia

WeChat suspends accounts linked to NFTs

China’s WeChat has suspended some accounts linked to NFTs to curb speculation in digital assets. Though NFTs are not illegal in China, trading in crypto has been banned.

Israel’s Beewise raises $80m

Israeli robotic beehive maker, Beewise, has raised $80 million from private investors, Reuters has reported. Beewise uses technology to save bees from climate change, helping farmers harvest more from their yield.

China cracks down on tax evaders in streaming market

Chinese authorities are cracking down on tax evasion in the live-streaming industry, it has been reported. The tax regulator will require platforms to report streamers’ identity and earnings every six months.