Lesotho Ends Duopoly in Telecoms Market, UK to Beam 5G Signals from Stratosphere, and China Suspends Ant Group’s IPO

Africa

Ghana government purchases AirtelTigo

The Ghana government has purchased 100% of Bharti Airtel’s shares in AirtelTigo in a deal worth some $25 million. The deal was ratified on the condition that the government will hold a stake in the new company that would eventually pick up the telecom company.

Uber Ghana launches in Takoradi and Cape Coast

Uber Ghana has officially launched in Takoradi and Cape Coast, increasing the number of cities in which it operates to four. The ride-hailing company further outlined its fare structure to encourage participation among riders and drivers.

Lesotho ends duopoly in telecoms market

The Lesotho Communications Authority has opened up the telecom market with new rules that allow companies to apply for licenses. This puts an end to the previous regime where companies needed to be invited to present their applications.

Europe

UK firms to beam 5G signals using drones

Stratospheric Platforms and Cambridge Consultants have announced plans to beam 5G signals from the stratosphere using drones that remain airborne for up to nine days. The two firms say they could cover the whole of UK with only 60 hydrogen-powered drones.

UK’s cyber-threat agency fights record covid-related threats

UK’s National Cyber Security Centre said more than a quarter of the cyber-threats it confronted over the past 12 months were related to the coronavirus. Many of the attacks were by hackers trying to steal research on coronavirus vaccine.

The Americas

Social media clamps down early victory claims in US elections

Twitter and Facebook are clamping down on early victory claims by the Trump and Biden campaign teams. Unverified claims from both candidates have been flagged while some accounts reporting false narratives have been suspended.

Walmart removes robots from stores

Walmart has dropped plans to use robots to keep track of inventory in its stores, cancelling its contract with Bossa Nova Robotics, makers of the inventory robots. The robots had been in use since 2017.

$1bn Silk Road Bitcoin transferred

About $1 billion in Bitcoin linked to the online black market called the Silk Road has been transferred. Shut down by the US government in 2013 due to its trade in drugs, credit card info, and murderer-for-hire services, it is unclear whether the transfer is being done by black market dealers or government.

Asia

Samsung sees boost in sales from India

Samsung consumer electronics is enjoying a boost in sales thanks to India’s festive season. The surge was buoyed by a shift towards pricey, high-end home electronics including TV sets.

China suspends Ant Group’s IPO launch

China has suspended Ant Group’s $37 billion initial public offering merely two days ahead of its proposed launch. In a meeting with regulators, Ant Group was told its lending business would face tighter scrutiny.

Hong Kong to regulate cryptocurrency platforms

Hong Kong has announced that it will regulate all platforms trading cryptocurrency in the financial hub. The previous regime had allowed token traders to opt-in while crypto-backed securities were strictly regulated.