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Rwandan President Paul Kagame attends the lighting ceremony of the Rwandan genocide flame of hope, known as the "Kwibuka" (Remembering), to commemorate the 1994 Genocide at the Kigali Genocide Memorial Center in Kigali, Rwanda April 7, 2023
Hard Numbers: Rwanda’s Kagame will run again, the EU takes on Uber, water contamination threat in Libya, US Fed keeps cool
4: Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame, who has been in power since 2000, announced that he’ll run for a fourth term in next year’s election.
Kagame, who has been accused of cracking down on the opposition, tweaked the constitution back in 2015 to extend presidential term limits. Asked about what “the West” might think of his move, Kagame, didn’t mince words: “What these countries think is not our problem.”
40: A top Uber executive has warned that an EU proposal to classify gig workers as employees could boost ride prices by as much as 40%. Brussels says Uber should provide more job security and benefits for its employees. Uber, which has come up against similar battles in Spain, the UK and elsewhere, says the measure will hurt consumers and lead to “devastating” job losses.
4,000: Over a week after a catastrophic flood tore through two dams in eastern Libya, killing 4,000 people (while 9,000 remain missing) the UN has warned that sewage is contaminating water supplies, raising the specter of waterborne diseases like cholera, diarrhea, and hepatitis.
5.25-5.55: The US Federal Reserve held interest rates steady at 5.25-5.55, still the highest level in more than two decades after 11 rate hikes beginning in March 2022. The decision gives policy makers some breathing room to plot their next moves amid subsiding inflation. Still, with price growth well above the Fed’s 2% target, rates could stay above 5% well into 2024, analysts warn.Correction:Yesterday, we incorrectly stated that the Fed's pause was the first in 18 months. The Federal reserve also paused rate hikes in June, 2023. We regret the error.
Hard Numbers: Ukrainian grain stuck, Kagame to run again, Uber lobbied Macron, Iran enriches uranium
22 million: Russia's blockade of Ukraine’s Black Sea ports has trapped some 22 million metric tons of grain stocks inside the country, worsening a global food crisis that'll hurt scores of developing countries. Turkey is trying to negotiate safe passage for the grain shipments, but the Kremlin wants Western sanctions lifted first.
4: Paul Kagame will seek a fourth term as Rwanda's president in 2024. For his supporters, he's a benevolent tough guy who brought economic growth and stability following the 1994 genocide; for his enemies, Kagame is a ruthless dictator who'll go after anyone who crosses him.
124,000: Uber secretly lobbied European politicians to help it disrupt the taxi industry across the continent from 2013-2017, according to a leak of more than 124,000 internal documents. Travis Kalanick, the former CEO of the US ride-hailing company, was chummy at the time with now-French President Emmanuel Macron, who as economy minister allegedly protected Uber while it was operating illegally in France.
20: Iran has begun enriching uranium up to 20% using sophisticated new centrifuges at an underground atomic facility. Meanwhile, reviving the 2015 nuclear deal with the US remains a long shot, with Qatar now hosting indirect talks as the Iranians inch closer to having enough enriched yellowcake to build a bomb.
Uber, Lyft, Epic & Apple: what's at stake in Big Tech lawsuits
Watch as Nicholas Thompson, editor-in-chief of WIRED, explains what's at stake in Big Tech lawsuits in 2020:
What's going on between Uber & Lyft and the state of California?
California would like Uber and Lyft to classify all of their drivers as employees, not as contractors. And Lyft would like to save money and classify them as contractors, not employees. There is a lawsuit, there's been an injunction most likely issue will be settled at the ballot box. I should add that Uber and Lyft have threatened to leave California if they lose.
What is going on between Epic and Apple?
This fight is also pretty interesting. So, Apple charges all developers who sell products in their apps on iPhones a 30% tax. Epic, the maker a Fortnite, a hugely popular game you may have heard of, decided they did not want to pay 30%. They said they wanted to control sales themselves and not pay that giant tax. So, Apple kicked them out. Now there is a lawsuit. There are spicy e-mails going back and forth. There is a lot, a lot at stake in this fight.
Why did Uber's IPO flop?
Is WhatsApp safe?
WhatsApp had a crazy hack! Hackers were able to get on your phone just by calling it. That's been patched but it's a reminder nothing is ever completely safe in 2019.
Why didn't Uber's IPO perform as promised?
Because they're losing tons of money. Because Lyft didn't do that well. Because their expansion into international markets, where they planned to go, has been harder than expected. Tough times at Uber.
Will cutting Huawei off from American technology hurt?
Trick question! Will it hurt Huawei? Yes, definitely. Will it hurt the American companiesthat supply Huawei? Yes definitely. Will it hurt consumers everywhere? Probably. Unless it changes the dynamics of the U.S. - China trade relationship in such a way that helps everybody, which is possible.
Should more cities ban facial recognition technology?
There's a tradeoff between privacy and safety. San Francisco just blocked facial recognition technology to help privacy but I think most cities are going to care more about their police departments being maximally effective and will choose safety.
Should Facebook be broken up?
Should Facebook be broken up?
I think Facebook is too big. I think it's too powerful. I wish there was more competition in tech. But I lean towards thinking our current Department of Justice wouldn't do a great job breaking it up.
What was the coolest thing Google announced at its keynote?
I think probably the high-end phone for $400. To have a competitive high-end smartphone and for half the price - pretty neat!
Was the strike against Uber and Lyft successful?
Probably not. I mean by their very nature, because anybody can join or almost anybody can become an Uber and Lyft driver, it is very hard to organize a strike. I think that's what we saw over the last few days.
What should we all learn from Theranos?
Well, don't trust magical unicorns. But also if you're a journalist, there are amazing stories out there. Go find them.
Australian taxi drivers sue Uber over 'illegal operations'
SYDNEY (REUTERS, AFP) - A law firm has filed a class action against Uber Technologies Inc on behalf of thousands of taxi and chartered drivers in Australia, accusing the world's largest ride-hailing company of operating illegally and harming them financially.
Tech in 60 Seconds: Apple's Revenue, China Space Race, and Uber for Kids
China lands on the far side of the moon, and just might be leading the space race.
It's Tech in 60 Seconds with Nicholas Thompson!
And go deeper on issues like cybersecurity and artificial intelligence at Microsoft Today in Technology.
