Jan 22, 2020
FBI 'persuaded Apple to halt iCloud encryption'
VCG Apple reportedly abandoned plans to let customers fully encrypt back-ups of their iPhones on the company's iCloud following pressure from the FBI. Full encryption involves converting data into code so it is impossible to access without a password. Reuters spoke to six sources, including former employees at Apple and the FBI. "Encrypting data is essential and companies usually offer help and support when protecting data, so this news comes as a shock to me," said Jake Moore, a...
Jan 22, 2020
Jeff Bezos hack: UN experts demand probe of Saudi crown prince
UN human rights experts have demanded an immediate investigation into allegations Saudi Arabia's crown prince hacked Amazon boss Jeff Bezos' phone. The independent UN experts - Agnes Callamard, special rapporteur on summary executions and extrajudicial killings, and David Kaye, special rapporteur on freedom of expression - said the crown prince's "Possible involvement" had to be investigated. Relations between Saudi Arabia and Mr Bezos - who also owns the Washington Post - worsened after...
Jan 20, 2020
Studio Ghibli: Netflix buys rights to iconic animated films
Next month 21 films from the legendary Studio Ghibli are coming to Netflix. It means new people will be introduced to "The ultimate escapism" of Studio Ghibli's films - up until now they've only been available on DVD or illegally. If you aren't familiar, Studio Ghibli is a Japanese animation film studio founded in 1985 by animators Miyazaki Hayao and Takahata Isao. Jake Cunningham is co-host of the Gibliotheque podcast - despite only watching his first Studio Ghibli film only 18 months ago....
Jan 20, 2020
Hundreds of US-bound migrants cross river to reach Mexico
AFP Hundreds of migrants have waded into a river on the southern Mexico border as they try to reach the United States. Those crossing the river are part of a 2,000 to 3,500-strong group dubbed "2020 Caravan", evoking previous attempts to cross Mexico en masse to reach the US border. Many of the migrants on the Mexico border say they are fleeing violence, poverty and high murder rates. Mexico has said they can stay and work in Mexico and apply for asylum but will not be allowed free passage to...
Jan 19, 2020
National Archives sorry for censoring 2017 Women's March signs
The US National Archives has apologised for altering a photo of the 2017 Women's March, including blurring signs critical of President Donald Trump. The National Archives said it had removed the altered image. The photo, taken by Getty Images photographer Mario Tama, shows a huge crowd of people gathering in Washington for the 2017 Women's March, which took place the day after Mr Trump's inauguration. While using the image as a "Promotional graphic" for an exhibit on the 19th Amendment, The...
Jan 19, 2020
Facebook blames 'technical issue' for offensive Xi Jinping translation
AFP Facebook has apologised for translating Chinese President Xi Jinping's name from Burmese to English into an obscenity on its platform. In Burmese Facebook posts about their meeting, Mr Xi's name in English was translated erroneously. His name appeared as "Mr Shithole" in Facebook posts shared on the official accounts of Ms Suu Kyi and her office. "We fixed a technical issue that caused incorrect translations from Burmese to English on Facebook," said Andy Stone, a spokesman for Facebook....
Jan 18, 2020
Delta Air Lines sued by California teachers over fuel dump
Four teacher are suing Delta Air Lines after one of its aircraft dumped fuel over schools as it made an emergency landing. Delta confirmed the plane had dumped the fuel to reduce its landing weight. "The plaintiffs could feel the fuel on their clothes, their flesh, their eyes and their skin," a lawyer for the teachers said, adding that the fuel "Penetrated their mouths and noses as well, producing a lasting and severe irritation". The agency characterised the fuel dump as a public nuisance....
Jan 17, 2020
Facebook blocks the Spinner's 'brainwashing' tech
The tech giant has barred the firm and its chief from using Facebook or Instagram for any reason. In response, the Spinner's co-founder and chief operating officer Elliot Shefler told the BBC that it would continue to sell targeted online campaigns and refused to rule out using Facebook in the future. "It appears that the Spinner uses fake accounts and fake Facebook Pages to 'strategically bombard' Facebook users with advertisements," it reads. "These activities violate Facebook's terms and...
Jan 16, 2020
'OK Boomer': From TikTok meme to the US Supreme Court
AFP You might have seen it as a meme on Twitter or TikTok but now it has made its way to the US Supreme Court. The catchphrase "OK Boomer" went viral last year as a tongue-in-cheek dig by young people at older generations. Chief Justice John Roberts asked the hypothetical question whether said phrase in a hiring process would indicate discrimination. The Supreme Court case is about whether an older employee of a government department has been discriminated against because of her age. In...
Jan 15, 2020
Trump launches fresh attack on Apple over privacy
US President Donald Trump has launched a fresh attack on Apple. On Monday US Attorney General William Barr accused Apple of not being helpful in an inquiry into a shooting that is being treated as a terrorist act. Mr Trump accused Apple of refusing to co-operate with investigators despite his administration helping the company on trade and other issues. The president's comments came a day after Mr Barr said Apple had failed to provide "Substantive assistance" to unlock two iPhones in an...
Jan 15, 2020
Windows 10: NSA reveals major flaw in Microsoft's code
The US National Security Agency has revealed a major flaw in Windows 10 that could have been used by hackers to create malicious software that looked legitimate. Microsoft is expected to issue a patch later and to say that the bug has not been exploited by hackers. The problem exists in a core component of Windows known as crypt32. Microsoft is ending support for Windows 7 for consumers. Prof Alan Woodward, a security expert based at Surrey University, said of the flaw: "It's big because it...
Jan 15, 2020
Amazon in India: Jeff Bezos announces $1bn Indian investment
Amazon boss Jeff Bezos has announced a major investment in India, saying the country is a key growth market. They allege Amazon is driving them out of business by offering sharply discounted products and favouring a few big sellers on its platform. He also said the online retail giant expects to export $10bn worth of India-made goods by 2025, and that Amazon has already committed to $5.5bn of investment in the country. India's e-commerce market is currently dominated by Amazon and Flipkart,...
Jan 14, 2020
Facebook: Star Wars' Mark Hamill deletes account over political ads
EPA Star Wars actor Mark Hamill has deleted his Facebook account, lambasting the company's political ads policy. The firm has said that it does not believe decisions about which political ads run should be left to private companies. "In the absence of regulation, Facebook and other companies are left to design their own policies," wrote Facebook's director of product management, Rob Leathern. Facebook has faced greater scrutiny ever since the Cambridge Analytica scandal, during which it...
Jan 14, 2020
CAA: Microsoft boss calls India's new citizenship law 'sad'
Microsoft boss Satya Nadella has spoken out about India's controversial new citizenship law. "I would love to see a Bangladeshi immigrant who comes to India and creates the next unicorn in India or becomes the next CEO of Infosys," he said. Soon afterwards Microsoft India issued a statement quoting Mr Nadella where he reiterates his hope for "An India where an immigrant can aspire to found a prosperous start-up". The CAA, which was implemented on 10 January, fast-tracks citizenship...
Jan 14, 2020
US urges Apple to unlock air base shooter's phones
US Attorney General William Barr has asked Apple to unlock two phones of a Saudi man who carried out a mass shooting at a US base. He accused the company of not having "Given us any substantive assistance", a claim that Apple denies. Apple had given the FBI iCloud data from the attacker's online account, the New York Times reported, but refused to unlock the phone, saying it would undermine their own encryption software. A similar clash in 2016 was resolved when the FBI found a way to unlock...
Jan 14, 2020
Australia fires: Murdoch's son criticises News Corp coverage
Rupert Murdoch's son James has said he is "Disappointed" with the ongoing "Denial" in his father's news outlets as Australia's wildfires burn. James and his wife Kathryn Murdoch told The Daily Beast of their frustration with News Corp and Fox coverage of the climate issue. Last week a News Corp employee in Australia lashed out at the company's "Irresponsible" coverage of the bushfire crisis. James Murdoch remains on the board of News Corp but is not otherwise employed by his father's...
Jan 13, 2020
Hevrin Khalaf: Death of a peacemaker
A BBC Arabic investigation has evidence that the Syrian-Kurdish political leader, Hevrin Khalaf, was executed by a faction of the Syrian National Army, which denies the allegation.
Jan 10, 2020
Brazil: Netflix 'gay Jesus' parody film ban overturned
AFP Brazil's Supreme Court has overturned a ruling that TV streaming service Netflix must remove a film depicting Jesus as gay. A judge temporarily banned the film on Wednesday to appease its critics. The parody film, which was run as a Christmas special, was created by Brazilian YouTube comedy group Porta dos Fundos. A judge in Rio de Janeiro ordered Netflix to take the film down on Wednesday. His son, Eduardo Bolsonaro, called the Netflix show "Garbage" on Twitter, adding that Porta dos...
Jan 10, 2020
Australia fires: Employee brands News Corp coverage 'irresponsible'
An employee of Australian media organisation News Corp has lashed out at the company for "Irresponsible" coverage of the current bushfires engulfing parts of the country. The Australian has been criticised for its coverage of the fires. On the New South Wales and Victoria border, fires have merged to create a mega-blaze, covering more than 640,000 hectares of land. More than 174 fires are still burning across NSW with 65 said to be uncontained. David Bowman, a professor of pyrogeography from...
Jan 9, 2020
Brazil: Netflix told to remove film depicting Jesus as gay
AFP A judge in Brazil has ruled that a film depicting Jesus as gay must be removed from the TV streaming service Netflix. In the ruling against Netflix, the judge said: "The right to freedom of expression... is not absolute". A judge in Rio de Janeiro ordered Netflix to take the film down, the BBC's Daniel Gallas reports from Sao Paulo. Neither Netflix nor Porta dos Fundos has yet commented. His son, Eduardo Bolsonaro, called the Netflix show "Garbage" on Twitter, adding that Porta dos Fundos...
Jan 9, 2020
Twitter to test 'block all replies' function
Twitter has said it will test new features that allow users to control who can reply to their posts - or block replies entirely. "We want to help people feel safe participating in the conversation on Twitter," the company said. The firm has already launched a feature which allows its users to hide replies to their tweets. Group - allow replies from people the user follows, or mentioned. Late last year, the firm launched a feature which allows users to hide certain replies to their tweets, as...
Jan 9, 2020
Burglar cooks snack in Taco Bell then falls asleep
A Georgia man who broke into a Taco Bell overnight paused to make himself some food and take a nap.
Jan 8, 2020
Carlos Ghosn: Nissan inquiry a 'gross perversion'
Lawyers for ex-Nissan boss Carlos Ghosn have attacked the company, accusing it of conducting a biased investigation of his leadership. Nissan did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the claims, which are similar to ones that Mr Ghosn has made previously. Mr Ghosn ran carmaker Nissan until he was arrested in Japan on charges of financial misconduct, including improperly reporting his compensation, in November 2018. In Tuesday's statement, his defence team said that "Nissan's...
Jan 8, 2020
'Child stowaway' found dead in plane's undercarriage in Paris
AFP The body of child aged around 10 has been found in the undercarriage of plane that had arrived in Paris from Abidjan, sources close to the investigation have told French media. Air France confirmed that "The lifeless body of a stowaway" was discovered at Charles de Gaulle Airport early in the morning. "The airline expresses their condolences and deplores this human tragedy," Air France said in a tweet, without specifying the age of person found. The Air France Boeing 777 had taken off...
Jan 8, 2020
Carlos Ghosn holds news conference
The former Nissan boss is making his first appearance since skipping bail in Japan and fleeing to Lebanon.
Jan 8, 2020
Former Nissan and Renault chief executive Carlos Ghosn explains why he left...
Former Nissan and Renault chief executive Carlos Ghosn explains why he escaped Japan while awaiting trial, after his arrest in November 2018.
Jan 7, 2020
Facebook to ban 'deepfakes'
Facebook has announced it will remove videos modified by artificial intelligence, known as deepfakes, from its platform. AI software creates deepfakes of people - often politicians or celebrities - by merging, replacing, or superimposing content on to a video in a way that makes it look real. Facebook said it would remove videos if it realised they had been edited in ways that weren't obvious to an average person, or if they misled a viewer into thinking that a person in a video said words...
Jan 7, 2020
Venezuela rival Speakers set for National Assembly showdown
Two Venezuelan lawmakers claiming the role of National Assembly Speaker are set to face off as the legislature starts a new session later on Tuesday. Opposition leader Juan Guaidó, who was seeking re-election as Speaker, was prevented by police from entering the National Assembly building on Sunday. National Assembly members backing Mr Guaidó held a rival vote outside the chamber, re-electing him as Speaker. On Sunday he and other lawmakers were prevented from entering the National Assembly...
Jan 7, 2020
Venezuela crisis: Juan Guaidó forces his way into National Assembly
Venezuela's opposition leader breaks through a cordon of troops to enter the National Assembly.
Jan 6, 2020
Venezuela crisis: Juan Guaidó tries to climb over fence to enter parliament
In chaotic scenes, Venezuela's opposition leader is blocked from entering the National Assembly.