Month: November 2022
Huawei, ZTE tech banned in US amid security fears
The restrictions in the US are the latest levied against Chinese tech firms following spying concerns, which US officials have become increasingly wary of in recent years. The US has banned the sale and import of new communications equipment from five Chinese companies, including Huawei and ZTE, amid concerns over national security. Huawei and others
Twitter to offer ‘amnesty’ to suspended accounts
Mr Musk completed his $44bn purchase of Twitter on 28 October after months of wrangling. He has since laid off half of the firm’s 7,500-strong workforce, and hundreds more staff are believed to have left, following an email saying that long hours and “hardcore” work would be required of those who remained. Elon Musk says
jitters spread across Iran
The death toll across the country is rising sharply. Iran Human Rights, a watchdog based in Norway, reckons its tally of 342 dead in the first two months has jumped to at least 416 in the past week. The true figure could be much higher, it says, because internet blockages have interrupted the flow of
Western countries to use banks to keep money flowing into Russia
Recently Western officials have emphasised they want to see money flowing into parts of Russia’s economy, and financial firms to enable this. On November 14th America, Britain and the eu issued a statement making clear that sanctions target Russia’s war machine, not its food or fertiliser industries. Diplomats have reiterated the message in the days
Crypto “going to Zero”
At crypto’s base are blockchains, like Bitcoin and Ethereum, which record transactions verified by computers, a process incentivised by the issuance of new tokens. The Ethereum blockchain validates lines of code, which has made it possible for people to issue their own tokens or build applications. These include stablecoins, which are pegged to real-world currencies,
Qatar World Cup Carbon Neutrality
For the very first time, Fifa and the host country Qatar have pledged to deliver a fully carbon neutral World Cup. A comprehensive set of initiatives have been implemented to mitigate the tournament-related emissions, including energy-efficient stadiums and green-building certification of their design, construction and operations, low-emission transportation, and sustainable waste management practices. However, Fifa
Cop27: fossil fuel progress
A historic deal has been struck at the UN’s COP27 summit that will see rich nations pay poorer countries for the damage and economic losses caused by climate change. Nations, including the G20 group, are anxious for the world to urgently cut fossil fuel use. But developing nations like India – or those reliant on
Foxconn apologises after huge protests at China plant
The Zhengzhou plant employs more than 200,000 people, making Apple devices including the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has called on China to recalibrate its zero-Covid strategy as its economic growth shrinks. The world’s second largest economy has seen its gross domestic product (GDP) fall by 2.6% in the
Chinese youth gaming addiction Issue
Following the gaming restrictions, Douyin, China’s version of TikTok, banned under-14s from using the platform for more than 40 minutes a day. But with winter coming and another surge in Covid cases in the country, children are spending more time at home – and some parents have allowed them access to their accounts, to keep
protests at giant iPhone factory in Zhengzhou
Last month, rising Covid cases saw the site locked down, prompting some workers to break out and go home. The company then recruited new workers with the promise of generous bonuses. Protests have erupted at the world’s biggest iPhone factory in the Chinese city of Zhengzhou, Videos show hundreds of workers marching, with some confronted