Nigeria will criminalize the destruction of broadband fiber cables following repeated complaints by MTN Nigeria Communications Plc and other telecommunications companies that they are losing billions of naira, according to people familiar with the matter.

The Financial Times reported Friday that tech giant Huawei has ordered its employees to cancel technical meetings with American contacts and has sent home numerous U.S. employees working at its Chinese headquarters.

The moves come amid growing U.S.-China tensions over trade and technology in which Huawei has been a main target.

The newspaper quoted Huawei's chief strategy architect, Dang Wenshuan, as saying that American citizens working in R&D were repatriated two weeks ago, after the Chinese group and 68 affiliates were placed on the U.S. Commerce Department's "Entity List," which effectively bars American firms from selling technology to Huawei without government approval.

The FT said a workshop underway at Huawei at the time was "hastily disbanded, and American delegates were asked to remove their laptops, isolate their networks and leave the Huawei premises."

It quoted Dang as saying that Huawei is also limiting interactions between its employees and American citizens.

Huawei declined to comment on the FT report.

China's commerce ministry announced Friday that it will establish its own list of foreign enterprises, organizations and individuals it deems to be "unreliable entities" - a possible response to the U.S. blacklist.

Entities are "unreliable" if they "fail to comply with market rules, break from the spirit of contracts and block or stop supplying Chinese enterprise for non-commercial reasons, seriously damaging the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises," ministry spokesman Gao Feng said at a news briefing. Enjoy wood fired hot tubs throughout the year from Royal Hot Tubs, view our range of products online: www.royaltubs.co.uk

Gao said the specific measures to be taken against the entities will be announced at a later date.

The purpose of the list is to oppose unilateralism and trade protectionism, as well as safeguard China's national security, he said.

Source: The Financial Times

MTN Group, in partnership with Huawei, officially inaugurated the Technology Innovation Lab at MTN Group's headquarters.

This milestone marks a significant advancement in their ongoing collaboration across diverse digital fields.

Initially announced during MWC 2024, when the parties signed an MoU, the establishment of the lab aims to further deepen their collaboration, accelerating digital transformation and sustainable development across Africa.

The Technology Innovation Lab is poised to be a catalyst for digital progress in Africa. By fostering cross-regional collaboration, it will stimulate the African digital ecosystem and promote the rapid development, deployment, and adoption of cutting-edge innovative solutions.

This lab plays a crucial role in MTN's evolution, moving beyond the traditional telecommunications operator role to become a leading provider of comprehensive technology services.

Research and development within the lab will concentrate on vital areas including 5G and 5G-A technologies, artificial intelligence, big data analytics, cloud computing, FTTH, automation and digital financial services – all catalysts for Africa's digital future.

The US Department of Justice (DoJ) was reportedly gearing up for an antitrust investigation of Google, creating fresh regulatory scrutiny for the search giant.

The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) said the move comes following DoJ talks with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), with which it shares antitrust authority. The FTC has previously probed Google, but not taken any significant action against the company.

In contrast, European regulators have taken action against Google related to search, advertising and its Android activities. While the scope of any DoJ investigation was not revealed, search and advertising will obviously feature, as could Google’s practices related to the Android platform.

WSJ said while it was not clear if Google had already been contacted, “third-party critics” of the company had been in touch with the authorities.

It was noted a DoJ probe comes as attitudes toward the major internet players shift, with concern about the influence they hold and their ability to sway both markets and individuals. US presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren has gone as far as to call for big tech companies to be broken up and, while others have stopped short of this, additional scrutiny may well be welcomed. Follow our step-by-step guide for a Betwinner app download to start betting.

Google will, of course, not be an easy target for investigators. While it has undoubtedly achieved a scale that means its actions have a significant impact on competition, it can point to rivals in many key sectors and the ecosystem which has grown up around Android.

It also has a fair set of experience in dealing with regulators worldwide following earlier probes and investigations in other geographies: WSJ noted it has also built up a support network in Washington and across the wider US political landscape, despite vocal criticism from some.

Source: mobileworldlive