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Uganda imposes levy on foreign digital companies’ income

Uganda imposes levy on foreign digital companies’ income

UGANDA'S parliament late passed a new tax law that imposes a 5% levy on income earned in the country by foreign providers of digital communications services such as Twitter and Meta's Facebook. Authorities in the East African country have been exploring ways of tapping into the fast-expanding digital economy to help boost revenue needed to pay off mounting public debt. The Ugandan parliament said in a Twitter post that lawmakers had passed a new tax law called "The Income Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2023" containing the new levy. The new law "will also tax non-resident providers of digital services in Uganda such…
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Meta takes aim at Twitter with Threads app, millions join

Meta takes aim at Twitter with Threads app, millions join

META Platforms launched a direct challenge to Twitter with Threads, garnering millions of users in hours as it sought to take advantage of its rival's much-weakened state after a series of chaotic decisions from owner Elon Musk. Those quick to join the new platform included celebrities such as Kim Kardashian and Jennifer Lopez as well as prominent politicians such as Democratic U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. "Let's do this. Welcome to Threads," Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg wrote in his first post on the app, along with a fire emoji. He said the app logged 10 million sign-ups in seven hours. He…
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Elon Musk greeted with flattery and feasts during China trip

Elon Musk greeted with flattery and feasts during China trip

BILLIONAIRE Elon Musk was showered with praise during a trip to China this week, with people on social media calling him "a pioneer", "Brother Ma" and "a global idol" while the CEO of Tesla, Twitter, SpaceX and other companies also met in person with three government ministers. Since landing in Beijing on Tuesday, Musk has met with China's foreign, commerce and industry ministers and has dined with Zeng Yuqun, chairman of top battery supplier CATL. Little is known of those conversations. The industry ministry only said Musk and its head exchanged views about the development of electric vehicles and connected…
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Twitter suspends several journalists, Musk cites ‘doxxing’ of his jet

Twitter suspends several journalists, Musk cites ‘doxxing’ of his jet

TWITTER suspended the accounts of several prominent journalists who recently wrote about its new owner Elon Musk, with the billionaire tweeting that rules banning the publishing of personal information applied to all, including journalists. Responding to a Tweet on the account suspensions, Musk, who has described himself as a free speech absolutist, tweeted: "Same doxxing rules apply to 'journalists' as to everyone else," a reference to Twitter rules banning the sharing of personal information, called doxxing. Musk's tweet referred to Twitter's Wednesday suspension of @elonjet, an account tracking his private jet in real time using data available in the public domain.…
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Biden says Twitter spews lies across the world

Biden says Twitter spews lies across the world

U.S. President Joe Biden said that Elon Musk had purchased a social media platform in Twitter that spews lies across the world. Twitter laid off half its workforce on Friday but said cuts were smaller in the team responsible for preventing the spread of misinformation, as advertisers pulled spending amid concerns about content moderation. Biden said at a fundraiser: "And now what are we all worried about: Elon Musk goes out and buys an outfit that sends - that spews lies all across the world... There’s no editors anymore in America. There’s no editors. How do we expect kids to be…
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The role of media in a Kenyan election: what you should know

The role of media in a Kenyan election: what you should know

TRADITIONALLY, political debates have been shaped by mainstream media. Kenya’s mainstream media, however, remain strongly wedded to factional ethnic and class interests. This has undermined their capacity to facilitate fair and open debate, most evidently during elections. Social media platforms have exploited this trust deficit, acting as important alternative sites for political deliberation. But they have also become powerful tools for disinformation and misinformation. Platforms like Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp are reframing democracy and the way citizens engage and organise in digital space. Through these platforms, politicians can engage directly with voters, which is especially important for independent candidates, who…
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Twitter gets fast-tracked Elon Musk trial over $44 billion deal

Twitter gets fast-tracked Elon Musk trial over $44 billion deal

TOM HALS and SHEILA DANG TWITTER Inc will get an October trial in its legal fight to hold Elon Musk to his $44 billion takeover after a Delaware judge said on Tuesday the social media company deserved a quick resolution of the deal's uncertainty. The ruling is a blow to Musk, who pushed for a trial in February to allow for an extensive investigation into his claims that Twitter has misrepresented the number of fake or spam accounts. The question of whether Twitter's user numbers are inflated is core to his contention that he can walk away from the deal. The…
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As COVID hit Kenya and South Africa, race and class fears were amplified on Twitter

As COVID hit Kenya and South Africa, race and class fears were amplified on Twitter

IT'S common in both Kenya and South Africa for there to be everyday conversations about inequalities in power relations and between “races”, classes and ethnic groups. Kenya, in East Africa, and South Africa, in southern Africa, share a history of British colonial divisions. In both countries, social movements and protests have sought to address these social injustices – like #FeesMustFall, #MenAreTrash, #SabaSabaMarchForOurLives, #OccupyParliamentKE. Authors JOB MWAURA, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, University of Cape TownUFUOMA AKPOJIVI, Associate Professor in Media Studies, University of the Witwatersrand Socio-economic and political divides were further exacerbated by the global COVID-19 pandemic and the responses of the…
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Musk makes $43 billion offer for Twitter to build ‘arena for free speech’

Musk makes $43 billion offer for Twitter to build ‘arena for free speech’

UDAY SAMPATH KUMAR and CHAVI MEHTA BILLIONAIRE entrepreneur Elon Musk took aim at Twitter Inc with a $43 billion cash takeover offer, with the Tesla CEO saying the social media company needs to be taken private to grow and become a platform for free speech. "I think it's very important for there to be an inclusive arena for free speech," Musk said at a TED Talk in Vancouver when asked about why he made the bid. Musk, already the San Francisco-based company's second-largest shareholder, made the bid in a letter to Twitter's board on Wednesday. The offer was made public…
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We want more Young, Famous and African

We want more Young, Famous and African

LERATO MOGOATLHE A reality show formula has turned Young, Famous and African into a viral hit, trending on Twitter and covered widely by media outlets, as much for the bad wigs and lovers’ tiffs as for the competitive relationship dynamics or the cast’s net worth. While the general sentiment is that the show is a breath of fresh air, despite being another over-hyped celebrity show, some poor dialogue and seemingly staged friendships have resulted in criticism of the show. There's also been plenty of discussion over the colourful back-stories of the talent. The Refinery had this to say: “These new…
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