NEWSWORTHY
Over the event horizon. After an attempted coup and multiple assassinations of top government officials, Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed cut most of the country off from the Internet. On Tuesday, the country was allowed back online. But in Myanmar, a continuing Internet black out ordered by the government may be hiding ethnic cleansing or other war crimes, human rights advocates warned.
Not ready for prime time. The House Financial Services Committee sent a letter to Facebook asking the company to halt development of its digital currency, Libra. Lawmakers said they were concerned that Libra "raises serious privacy, trading, national security, and monetary policy concerns for not only Facebook's over two billion users, but also for investors, consumers, and the broader global economy."
Arc of the moral universe. More than 200 companies including every major tech firm, from Apple to Google to Microsoft, signed a "friend of the court" brief to the Supreme Court seeking to have anti-discrimination laws applied to their LGBTQ employees. The high court is hearing multiple cases that raise the issue in its next term.
Feeling upgradable. The next Galaxy Note smartphone from Samsung will likely be announced at the company's Unpacked event, set for August 7 in New York City. The stylus-enabled phone is also expected to offer an option for 5G compatibility.
Virtual bloodhounds. A couple of major privacy controversies to ponder over your holiday weekend. A fancy email app getting a lot of buzz called Superhuman adds a tracking pixel to sent emails to allow reporting of whether recipients read the message (this newsletter–and almost all newsletters–does the same). And China has been secretly installing surveillance apps on the phones of people who visit the Xinjiang province from next-door Kyrgyzstan.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
It's been almost three years since Walmart shelled out $3.3 billion for e-commerce startup Jet.com in a bid to catch up to Amazon. Recode's Jason Del Rey reviews how much has gone well and what challenges remain. While its e-commerce sales grew faster than Amazon's last year, Walmart's online unit is projected to lose $1 billion this year. Now Jet founder and online chief Marc Lore may have to sell off some of his prized acquisitions.
Lore has overseen the acquisitions of menswear brand Bonobos for $310 million, vintage-style clothing brand ModCloth for less than $50 million, and, most recently, the women's plus-sized fashion brand Eloquii for $100 million. Part of the thinking was that those deals would give Walmart and its online stores exclusive merchandise that shoppers can't find on Amazon, which could help the Middle America retail giant appeal to a new generation of consumers who typically wouldn't shop at Walmart.
But all three businesses are still unprofitable, sources say. And in recent months, Walmart has discussed the potential sale of both Bonobos and ModCloth to separate outside buyers, according to multiple sources familiar with the discussions. ModCloth will likely be sold this year, these people said, and almost certainly for less than what Walmart paid for it. On the other hand, Walmart plans to hang onto Bonobos, after contemplating a sale but deciding against it.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Tesla Beats Production, Delivery Targets, Stock Surges 7% By Kevin Kelleher
Facebook Cracks Down on Miracle Cures and Scammy Diet Pills By Danielle Abril
Shiseido Launches Internet of Things Skincare System By Kate Dwyer
Honeywell CEO's Best Leadership Advice: "Don't Always Follow the Crowd" By Susan Gharib
Adidas Blames Twitter After Personalized Arsenal Jersey Campaign Goes Predictably Awry By David Meyer
Renewable Energy Is Booming. Here's How to Keep It Going By Gregory Wetstone
BEFORE YOU GO
There has been a storm of content produced to mark the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing. The New York Times has helpfully compiled a list of the best movies, podcasts, and documentaries. Enjoy and we will see you back here for Data Sheet on Monday.
This edition of Data Sheet was curated by Aaron Pressman. Find past issues, and sign up for other Fortune newsletters.
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