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Independent candidates in UK election campaigning on Gaza

Around The Globe - Mon, 07/01/2024 - 13:46
Meet the candidates running in the UK election who have made their stance on Gaza central to their campaign.

What to expect as Taliban joins third UN-held talks on Afghanistan in Qatar

Around The Globe - Mon, 07/01/2024 - 13:12
It is the first time the Taliban is attending the talks but female representatives from Afghanistan have been excluded.

Angered by Georgia’s ‘foreign agent’ law, Gen X protesters try new tactic

Around The Globe - Mon, 07/01/2024 - 13:08
Young demonstrators fight on ahead of October elections in a bid to exhaust the administration behind the measure.

Israel frees hospital chief with prisons ‘full’ of Gaza captives

Around The Globe - Mon, 07/01/2024 - 12:53
The detainees endured 'almost daily torture', claims al-Shifa Hospital Director Muhammad Abu Salmiya.

Bulgaria’s GERB tasked with forming minority government

Around The Globe - Mon, 07/01/2024 - 12:22
June 8 vote, which handed centre-right party most seats but not a majority, was sixth snap poll in three years.

Meta risks fines over 'pay for privacy' model breaking EU rules

Technology - Mon, 07/01/2024 - 11:48
Brussels, Belgium — The EU accused Facebook owner Meta on Monday of breaching the bloc's digital rules, paving the way for potential fines worth billions of euros. The charges against the US tech titan follow a finding last week against Apple that marked the first time Brussels had levelled formal accusations under the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA). The latest case focuses on Meta's new ad-free subscription model for Facebook and Instagram, which has sparked multiple complaints over privacy concerns. Meta's "pay or consent" system means users have to pay to avoid data collection, or agree to share their data with Facebook and Instagram to keep using the platforms for free. The European Commission said it informed Meta of its "preliminary view" that the model the company launched last year "fails to comply" with the DMA. "This binary choice forces users to consent to the combination of their personal data and fails to provide them a less personalized but equivalent version of Meta's social networks," the EU's powerful antitrust regulator said in a statement. The findings come after the commission kickstarted a probe into Meta in March under the DMA, which forces the world's biggest tech companies to comply with EU rules designed to give European users more choice online. Meta insisted its model "complies with the DMA." "We look forward to further constructive dialogue with the European Commission to bring this investigation to a close," a Meta spokesperson said. Meta can now reply to the findings and avoid a fine if it changes the model to address the EU's concerns. If the commission's view is confirmed however, it can slap fines of up to 10 percent of Meta's total global turnover under the DMA. This can rise to up to 20 percent for repeat offenders. Meta's total revenue last year stood at around $135 billion (125 billion euros).   The EU also has the right to break up firms, but only as a last resort.  In EU's crosshairs Under the DMA, the EU labels Meta and other companies, including Apple, as "gatekeepers" and prevents them forcing users in the bloc to consent to have access to a service or certain functionalities. The commission said Meta's model did not allow users to "freely consent" to their data being shared between Facebook and Instagram with Meta's ads services. "The DMA is there to give back to the users the power to decide how their data is used and ensure innovative companies can compete on equal footing with tech giants on data access," the EU's top tech enforcer, commissioner Thierry Breton, said. The commission will adopt a decision on whether Meta's model is DMA compliant or not by late March 2025. The EU has shown it is serious about making big online companies change their ways. The commission told Apple last week its App Store rules were hindering developers from freely pointing consumers to alternative channels for offers. The EU is also probing Google over similar concerns on its Google Play marketplace. Apple and Meta are not the only companies coming under the scope of the DMA. Google parent Alphabet, Amazon, Microsoft and TikTok owner ByteDance must also comply. Online travel giant Booking.com will need to adhere to the rules later this year. Privacy complaints Meta has made billions from harvesting users' data to serve up highly targeted ads. But it has faced an avalanche of complaints over its data processing in recent years. The European data regulator in April has also said the 'pay or consent' model is at odds with the bloc's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which upholds the privacy of users' information. Ireland -- a major hub for online tech giants operating in the 27-nation bloc -- has slapped Meta with massive fines for violating the GDPR. The latest complaint by privacy groups forced Meta last month to pause its plans to use personal data to train its artificial intelligence technology in Europe. 

Greek firefighters battle ‘dangerous’ wildfires over weekend

Around The Globe - Mon, 07/01/2024 - 11:34
A combination of hot, dry conditions and strong winds are fuelling the spread of the blazes in Greece.

UK election 2024 explained in maps and charts

Around The Globe - Mon, 07/01/2024 - 10:19
Britons will head to the polls on July 4. Here’s what you need to know about the parties, leaders, and key issues.

Will Iran’s foreign policy change under a new president?

Around The Globe - Mon, 07/01/2024 - 09:48
The two candidates offer different approches, but whoever wins won't be the sole decision-maker in Iran's system.

South Africa’s Ramaphosa names new cabinet as deadlock broken

Around The Globe - Mon, 07/01/2024 - 09:22
National unity government formed following weeks of deadlock.

Ultra-Orthodox Jews clash with Israeli police over military conscription

Around The Globe - Mon, 07/01/2024 - 09:16
Israeli police have cracked down on thousands of ultra-Orthodox men protesting against compulsory military service.

Myanmar detains 11 accused of rice price gouging

Around The Globe - Mon, 07/01/2024 - 08:23
Amid armed conflict following the 2021 coup, Myanmar's fast-depreciating currency is destabilising the economy.

Online safety warning as school holidays begin in Scotland

Education - Mon, 07/01/2024 - 06:49
Police Scotland say reports of online child sexual abuse and exploitation have increased by 21% in a year.

Why is July the hottest month of the year?

Around The Globe - Mon, 07/01/2024 - 06:06
The world has faced its 12th straight month of historic heat, with this summer on track to be among the hottest yet.

North Korea fires two ballistic missiles, one may have fallen on land

Around The Globe - Mon, 07/01/2024 - 05:51
The latest launches come as US, Japan and South Korea wrap up three days of military exercises dubbed 'Freedom Edge'.

Biden’s family tells him to stay in US presidential race

Around The Globe - Mon, 07/01/2024 - 05:04
First lady Jill Biden and son Hunter are among most ardent supporters despite last week's debate disaster.

US wants Boeing to plead guilty to fraud over fatal crashes, lawyers say

Around The Globe - Mon, 07/01/2024 - 04:07
Boeing said to have until end of the coming week to accept or reject prosecutors' offer.

Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 857

Around The Globe - Mon, 07/01/2024 - 03:54
As the war enters its 857th day, these are the main developments.

Canada’s WestJet cancels most flights as mechanics strike

Around The Globe - Mon, 07/01/2024 - 02:49
Plans of some 110,000 travellers upended after some 680 workers walk off the job.

Indonesian band takes stand for Taiwan’s migrant workers

Around The Globe - Mon, 07/01/2024 - 02:01
Southern Riot mix poetry and punk to create songs that rail against the exploitation and abuse of migrant workers.

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