Month: June 2023
India to “shut down” Twitter
At the height of the farmers’ protests against a series of agriculture reform laws, the government had asked Twitter to remove tweets it believed that had used an incendiary hashtag, and accounts it alleged were used by Pakistan-backed Sikh separatist groups. Twitter had first blocked some 250 accounts, including those of a news magazine and
Microsoft’s Activision takeover deal blocked in the United States
Microsoft’s proposed takeover of Activision has split global regulators, and in order for the deal to go through the parties need approval from regulatory bodies in the United Kingdom, the European Union and the United States. Regulators in the US have asked a judge to block Microsoft from completing its $69bn (£56bn) purchase of Call
China skips US Meeting on Sri Lankan debt restructuring
The event was intended to inject new momentum into Sri Lanka’s debt talks, which are caught in a standoff between China and other lenders. China’s absence from the Sri Lankan debt restructuring meeting in Washington in April indicates growing frustration over Beijing’s approach to the debt problems faced by developing countries, the invitation extended to
NATO begins unprecedented air drill
Up to 10,000 people will participate in the drills intended to boost interoperability and preparedness to protect against drones and cruise missiles in the case of an attack on cities, airports or sea ports within NATO territory. NATO will begin the largest air force deployment exercise in Europe in the alliance’s history on Monday in
Ofcom confidential data downloaded in MOVEit hack
Confidential data about some companies regulated by Ofcom, and personal information from 412 employees was downloaded during the mass hack. MOVEit is software designed to move sensitive files securely and is popular around the world. A security flaw in the programme was exploited by hackers to gain access to a number of companies. Some organisations
Microsoft Xbox showcase in 2023
After Sony’s summer offering was widely seen as a disappointment, the expectations for Microsoft’s own showcase were cautious. It would be unreasonable to expect any showcase to be filled with back-to-back big reveals, and quite a few expansions to existing games were announced. Xbox fans have finally got a long-awaited look at the console’s upcoming
Protest on Reddit changes
Reddit is introducing controversial charges to developers of third-party apps, which are used to browse the social media platform. Reddit relies heavily on community moderation but on Monday more than 7,000 subreddits shut down but moderators of some of the biggest subreddits have hit back by making their communities private for 48 hours. Thousands of
End of Marburg Virus Disease
The national health authorities, with support from Africa CDC and other partners, have established an epidemic response mechanism to effectively control any spread of the virus in Guinea and other affected countries. The mandatory 42-day countdown was triggered after the last case tested negative. Today, Equatorial Guinea announced the end of the outbreak of Marburg
Russian Patriarch Kirill banned from entering Estonia
The patriarch, who is considered a sympathiser of Russian President Vladimir Putin, joins a new list of 58 people who are no longer allowed to enter the country. The head of the church is internationally regarded as an avid supporter of the war in Ukraine ordered by Putin, and has repeatedly defended it in the
Turkey first female central bank governor
Elected president Erdogan has appointed former Wall Street executive Hafize Gaye Erkan as the central bank governor as part of his attempts to overhaul his economic team. Erkan was the first woman under the age of 40 to hold the title of president or CEO at one of America’s 100 largest banks. Economists believe that