Author: Akin Naphtal

British space experts will join forces with organisations around the world to develop cutting-edge technologies that will advance global space capabilities. The UK Space Agency announced the recipients to receive the first phase of its £20 million International Bilateral Fund investments, which will help UK organisations link up with the US, Canada, Australia, Japan, India, Singapore, South Africa and more to form collaborations that will progress space research and catalyse investment in new technologies. The International Bilateral Fund is the Agency’s first fund dedicated to building and strengthening international relationships to help advance the UK’s goals in space. While some…

Airtel Kenya has revealed a positive development that will benefit its customer base, as it moves forward with plans to lower excise duty rates on its telecommunication services. The company issued a statement on Tuesday, sharing its intention to revise the rates, which will take effect from August 1, 2023. As part of this initiative, Airtel Kenya will reduce the existing excise duty from 20 percent to 15 percent for voice calls, data usage, and SMS services. While this reduction in excise duty will be applicable to voice, data, and SMS services, Airtel money services will not be impacted, and…

For the second time in two consecutive sessions, India’s NDS-OM, the online bond trading platform, is grappling with technical glitches, leading to a complete halt in its operations. Traders reported experiencing intermittent connectivity errors, resulting in the platform shutting down at the same time as it did yesterday. Due to the technical issues, several traders have faced disruptions while attempting to use the system. One trader, representing a state-run bank, spoke about the recurring problem but wished to remain anonymous as they are not authorized to speak to the media. READ ALSO: A truly connected and digital Africa is within…

Apple’s latest earnings report surpassed expectations, despite a dip in iPhone sales globally. However, the strong performance of iPhones in China and robust sales in the services segment, including Apple TV+ subscriptions, offset the decline. The company’s research and development spending reached $22.61 billion, largely driven by investments in generative artificial intelligence technology. Apple CEO Tim Cook highlighted that AI innovations would be incorporated into future product features, such as real-time voice mail transcription on iPhones. While facing competition in the smartphone market, Apple’s upcoming Vision Pro mixed-reality headset remains highly anticipated. Apple’s sales in the greater China region rose…

Uber and Safaricom have joined forces to introduce a new payment option for Uber riders in Kenya. As part of their collaboration, customers can now pay for their trips through Safaricom’s widely used mobile money transfer platform, M-PESA. This move comes after a successful arrangement between Safaricom and UberEats, enabling consumers to pay for deliveries using M-PESA, and delivery personnel to receive their earnings through the platform. The latest venture is especially beneficial for Uber drivers who do not have bank accounts, as Uber’s data indicates that approximately 20% of their drivers in the region fall into this category. By…

India has announced the immediate imposition of a licensing requirement for laptop, tablet, and personal computer imports. This move could impact companies like Apple, Dell, and Samsung, urging them to boost local manufacturing. The government aims to promote domestic production under the “Make in India” plan. The new regime may lead to longer wait times for launching new models and coincides with the festive sales season. READ ALSO: South African telco to unveil locally manufactured smartphones in September 2023 Laptops, tablets, and personal computers account for about 1.5% of India’s total annual imports, with a significant portion from China. The…

Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Riyadh has introduced an Electronic Visa Waiver (EVW) system for citizens of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland who plan to visit Saudi Arabia. This new measure allows British nationals to enter the Kingdom without obtaining a visit visa beforehand and stay for up to six months on a single entry. The EVW is applicable for various purposes such as business, tourism, study, and medical treatment. It offers advanced facilitation for entry procedures, presenting one of the channels UK citizens can use to visit Saudi Arabia. READ ALSO: Google broadens…

Kenya’s interior ministry has said to the public that it had suspended the local activities of cryptocurrency project Worldcoin while government agencies assess potential risks to public safety. According to the announcement, the project was founded by OpenAI Chief Executive Officer, Sam Altman which was launched last week. It requires users to give their iris scans in exchange for a digital ID, and in some countries, users also get free cryptocurrency as part of plans to create a new “identity and financial network”. Speaking according to the Interior minister Kithure Kindiki in his statement; “Relevant security, financial services and data-protection…

With the cybersecurity landscape continually evolving, it is more important than ever for local businesses to keep pace with the changes. The increasing prevalence of threats like phishing, business email compromise (BEC), and ransomware, underscores the need for innovative solutions that span both virtual and physical realms. Furthermore, physical security technology is no longer confined to conventional devices. The advent of smart security is transforming the way we protect assets. Cameras, beams, motion detectors, and sensors are now imbued with artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning capabilities. These technologies analyse real-time threats, offering predictive insights and playing a proactive role…

YouTube Shorts, short-version video sharing platform of YouTube has announced it has crossed 2 billion views by logged-in users monthly, this was quoted according to its blogpost recently. According to platform, seeing the rise in short-format portrait videos, the Google-owned online video sharing platform has launched new features to lure more creators on its platform. The company is testing a mobile-first vertical live experience for creators to get discovered on the Shorts feed. YouTube Shorts has also launched six new tools such as collab for remixing videos in side-by-side format, suggestions for remixing videos and replying to comments with a…