The allegations of spying by former Twitter employees for Saudi Arabia underscore the risks for Silicon Valley firms holding sensitive data which make the platforms ripe for espionage.

The two Saudis and one US citizen allegedly worked together to unmask the ownership details behind dissident Twitter accounts on behalf of the Riyadh government and royal family, according to a federal indictment.

Analysts say the incident shows how massive databases held by Silicon Valley giants can be juicy targets for intelligence agencies, which can often apply pressure to company insiders.

"The Twitter case shows how data is not only an asset but a liability for companies," said Adrian Shahbaz, research director for technology and democracy at the human rights group Freedom House.

"For companies collecting massive amounts of data, the challenge is how to keep it secure not only from hackers, but from rogue employees."

Shahbaz said platforms such as Twitter and Facebook remain important tools for human rights activists, but that users should be aware of potential for data leaks, both in their countries, and from insiders.

"It's been alarming to see how governments using tactics to exploit the inherent weaknesses of the internet... go after people expressing dissent," he said.

"It's a constant cat-and-mouse game between users and very well-resourced governments."

Bruce Schneier, a security researcher and fellow at Harvard University's Berkman Klein Center for Internet &amp; Society, said it is not surprising to see governments targeting databases of tech platforms.

"We all assume it happens a lot. But this (prosecution) rarely comes up," Schneier said.

No match for Russia

Schneier said there have long been fears about Chinese or Russian insiders pressured to introduce vulnerabilities in major software platforms, and that companies may be ill-equipped to thwart those efforts.

"The government of Russia versus Twitter is not a fair fight," he said. "It's hard to blame tech companies."

Because major tech firms have engineers from all over the world, Schneier said it enables intelligence services to seek out and pressure their ex-pats for espionage purposes.

The case highlights the potential for insider threats, said James Lewis of the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington.

"Insider threats go back to biblical times," he said, noting that the suspects were probably caught because they "did a terrible job of covering their tracks."

Background checks enough?

According to an indictment unsealed Wednesday, US citizen Ahmad Abouammo and Saudi national Ali Alzabarah were recruited in 2014-2015 to use their positions in Twitter to gain access to private information related to accounts of critics of Riyadh.

Ahmed Almutairi, a marketing official with ties to the royal family, was a critical go-between who arranged contacts, prosecutors said.

Twitter said in a statement it restricts access to sensitive account information "to a limited group of trained and vetted employees."

But John Dickson, a former US air force information warfare officer who is now with the security consultancy Denim Group, said private companies, even in Silicon Valley, are not equipped to for background checks needed to find potential spies.

"Most employers do cursory background checks for the most obvious stuff such as criminal records or bankruptcy," he said.

"None of them does any semblance of a background check on nation-state threats."

Dickson said it remains unclear if the tech platforms are cognizant of the sensitivity of the data they hold, and the draw of that information for intelligence services.

"They are still acting as social media companies," he said.

"Their default is to get as many connections as possible, and the network effect enhances the platform."

Shahbaz said the latest case illustrates a need for regulations to require tech platforms to limit how much data they collect and maintain.

"There might be a role for government to play in terms of data privacy legislation," he said.

"There's a case for collecting the bare minimum of data from users and allowing users to opt out" of certain kinds of data collection.

He said companies should also be required to inform victims if their data has been compromised "so they can take measures to protect themselves."

The allegations of spying by former Twitter employees for Saudi Arabia underscore the risks for Silicon Valley firms holding sensitive data which make the platforms ripe for espionage.

The allegations of spying by former Twitter employees for Saudi Arabia underscore the risks for Silicon Valley firms holding sensitive data which make the platforms ripe for espionage. The two Saudis and one US citizen allegedly worked together to unmask the ownership details behind dissident Twitter accounts on behalf of the Riyadh government and royal family, according to a federal indictment. Analysts say the incident shows how massive databases held by Silicon Valley giants can be juicy targets for intelligence agencies, which can often apply pressure to company insiders. "The Twitter case shows how data is not only an asset but a liability for companies," said Adrian Shahbaz, research director for technology and democracy at the human rights group Freedom House. "For companies collecting massive amounts of data, the challenge is how to keep it secure not only from hackers, but from rogue employees." Shahbaz said platforms such as Twitter and Facebook remain important tools for human rights activists, but that users should be aware of potential for data leaks, both in their countries, and from insiders. "It's been alarming to see how governments using tactics to exploit the inherent weaknesses of the internet... go after people expressing dissent," he said. "It's a constant cat-and-mouse game between users and very well-resourced governments." Bruce Schneier, a security researcher and fellow at Harvard University's Berkman Klein Center for Internet & Society, said it is not surprising to see governments targeting databases of tech platforms. "We all assume it happens a lot. But this (prosecution) rarely comes up," Schneier said. No match for Russia Schneier said there have long been fears about Chinese or Russian insiders pressured to introduce vulnerabilities in major software platforms, and that companies may be ill-equipped to thwart those efforts. "The government of Russia versus Twitter is not a fair fight," he said. "It's hard to blame tech companies." Because major tech firms have engineers from all over the world, Schneier said it enables intelligence services to seek out and pressure their ex-pats for espionage purposes. The case highlights the potential for insider threats, said James Lewis of the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. "Insider threats go back to biblical times," he said, noting that the suspects were probably caught because they "did a terrible job of covering their tracks." Background checks enough? According to an indictment unsealed Wednesday, US citizen Ahmad Abouammo and Saudi national Ali Alzabarah were recruited in 2014-2015 to use their positions in Twitter to gain access to private information related to accounts of critics of Riyadh. Ahmed Almutairi, a marketing official with ties to the royal family, was a critical go-between who arranged contacts, prosecutors said. Twitter said in a statement it restricts access to sensitive account information "to a limited group of trained and vetted employees." But John Dickson, a former US air force information warfare officer who is now with the security consultancy Denim Group, said private companies, even in Silicon Valley, are not equipped to for background checks needed to find potential spies. "Most employers do cursory background checks for the most obvious stuff such as criminal records or bankruptcy," he said. "None of them does any semblance of a background check on nation-state threats." Dickson said it remains unclear if the tech platforms are cognizant of the sensitivity of the data they hold, and the draw of that information for intelligence services. "They are still acting as social media companies," he said. "Their default is to get as many connections as possible, and the network effect enhances the platform." Shahbaz said the latest case illustrates a need for regulations to require tech platforms to limit how much data they collect and maintain. "There might be a role for government to play in terms of data privacy legislation," he said. "There's a case for collecting the bare minimum of data from users and allowing users to opt out" of certain kinds of data collection. He said companies should also be required to inform victims if their data has been compromised "so they can take measures to protect themselves."

Twitter spy case highlights risks for big tech platforms

Instagram chief Adam Mosseri on Friday said that a test of hiding "likes" at the image and photo-sharing social network will spread to the US.

"Heads up! We've been testing making likes private on Instagram in a number of countries this year," Mosseri said in a tweet.

"We're expanding those tests to include a small portion of people in the US next week."

Facebook in September confirmed it is dabbling with no longer making a public display of how many "likes" are racked up by posts.

Such a change could ease the pressure to win approval with images, videos or comments and, instead, get people to simply focus on what is in the posts.

Facebook-owned Instagram earlier this year announced it was testing hiding like counts and video view tallies in more than a half-dozen countries, with account holders still able to see the numbers but masking amounts from others.

Twitter has also experimented with hiding numbers of times tweets were "liked" or "retweeted," according to product lead Kayvon Beykpour.

Twitter found that people engaged less with tweets when they couldn't see the counts.

"When you remove engagement indicators, people engage less," Beykpour said while briefing journalists at Twitter headquarters in San Francisco earlier this year.

Instagram chief Adam Mosseri on Friday said that a test of hiding "likes" at the image and photo-sharing social network will spread to the US. "Heads up! We've been testing making likes private on Instagram in a number of countries this year," Mosseri said in a tweet.

Instagram chief Adam Mosseri on Friday said that a test of hiding "likes" at the image and photo-sharing social network will spread to the US. "Heads up! We've been testing making likes private on Instagram in a number of countries this year," Mosseri said in a tweet. "We're expanding those tests to include a small portion of people in the US next week." Facebook in September confirmed it is dabbling with no longer making a public display of how many "likes" are racked up by posts. Such a change could ease the pressure to win approval with images, videos or comments and, instead, get people to simply focus on what is in the posts. Facebook-owned Instagram earlier this year announced it was testing hiding like counts and video view tallies in more than a half-dozen countries, with account holders still able to see the numbers but masking amounts from others. Twitter has also experimented with hiding numbers of times tweets were "liked" or "retweeted," according to product lead Kayvon Beykpour. Twitter found that people engaged less with tweets when they couldn't see the counts. "When you remove engagement indicators, people engage less," Beykpour said while briefing journalists at Twitter headquarters in San Francisco earlier this year.

Instagram test of hiding 'likes' on app to start rolling out in United States

Europe "must stand up for democracy and freedom, for human rights and tolerance", Chancellor Angela Merkel said Saturday as Germany commemorated the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989.

Such values "must always be lived out and defended anew," Merkel told political leaders and European guests at a ceremony, warning that these freedoms cannot be taken for granted.

Speaking in the Reconciliation Chapel on the former "death strip" that ran alongside the wall, the chancellor said that the barrier that divided communist East from democratic West was "history".

Merkel herself grew up in East Germany and was a scientist working in Berlin on November 9, 1989.

The&nbsp;communist authorities finally opened border crossings that day "teaches us that no wall that shuts people out and limits freedom is so tall or broad that it cannot be broken through," Merkel said.

The chancellor and guests including the presidents of Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia had earlier been invited to stick roses through holes in a section of wall still standing at the Bernauer Strasse memorial, just north of central Berlin.

Groups of schoolchildren from around Europe, including war-torn Ukraine, also spoke in their native languages to the leaders about the emotions the anniversary wakens for them.

Europe "must stand up for democracy and freedom, for human rights and tolerance", Chancellor Angela Merkel said Saturday as Germany commemorated the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989.

Europe "must stand up for democracy and freedom, for human rights and tolerance", Chancellor Angela Merkel said Saturday as Germany commemorated the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. Such values "must always be lived out and defended anew," Merkel told political leaders and European guests at a ceremony, warning that these freedoms cannot be taken for granted. Speaking in the Reconciliation Chapel on the former "death strip" that ran alongside the wall, the chancellor said that the barrier that divided communist East from democratic West was "history". Merkel herself grew up in East Germany and was a scientist working in Berlin on November 9, 1989. The communist authorities finally opened border crossings that day "teaches us that no wall that shuts people out and limits freedom is so tall or broad that it cannot be broken through," Merkel said. The chancellor and guests including the presidents of Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia had earlier been invited to stick roses through holes in a section of wall still standing at the Bernauer Strasse memorial, just north of central Berlin. Groups of schoolchildren from around Europe, including war-torn Ukraine, also spoke in their native languages to the leaders about the emotions the anniversary wakens for them.

On Berlin Wall anniversary, Merkel urges Europe to defend 'democracy, freedom'

The Ukrainian army and Moscow-backed separatists on Saturday launched the last phase of a troop pullback ahead of a high-stakes summit with Russia, the warring sides said.

The long-awaited withdrawal of troops in the conflict-riven Donetsk and Lugansk regions is a precondition for the first face-to-face talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky.

The Paris summit, whose date has yet to be confirmed, will be mediated by the leaders of France and Germany.

"The disengagement of troops and weaponry has begun" between the villages of Petrivske in the separatist-controlled zone and Bogdanivka in Kiev-controlled territory in the Donetsk region, said a senior Ukrainian army representative, Bogdan Bondar.

Donetsk separatists also confirmed the start of the withdrawal of forces.

The warring sides signalled their intention to withdraw by firing flares, an AFP correspondent said from the scene.&nbsp;

OSCE monitors were observing the disengagement which could be spread over several days.

The warring sides held a similar pullback in the Lugansk region in October.&nbsp;

Since coming to power in May, comedian-turned-president Zelensky has sought to establish dialogue with Russian leader Putin and revive a peace process to end a five-year-old separatist conflict.

The war in eastern Ukraine broke out a month after Moscow annexed the Crimean peninsula from Ukraine in 2014 and has claimed some 13,000 lives.

Ukraine and its Western allies accuse Moscow of giving financial and military backing to separatists, which Russia denies.

"The Normandy format aims to renew dialogue, which can bring us closer to the complete end of the war," Zelensky said this week, referring to the four-way talks.

The summit has been repeatedly postponed for a number of reasons including the failure of earlier attempts to disengage forces.

The withdrawal of forces would be the "final precondition" for organising the four-way summit, Ukraine's Foreign Minister Vadym Prystaiko said this week.

He has expressed hope that the meeting, the first at such a high level since 2016, could take place in Paris in November.

Russia has said it backs a new summit but refused to commit to a timetable.

"We want to hold the summit as soon as possible, but at the same time we consider this summit has to be well organised to ensure it gets the necessary results," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

He added it was "too early to say" whether the meeting could take place this year because "many questions" remained unresolved.

Zelensky's peace plan including the troop pullback has been strongly criticised by many in Kiev, especially war veterans and nationalists.

In the run-up to the planned summit, Ukrainian, Russian and separatist negotiators also agreed on a roadmap that envisages a special status for the separatist territories if they conduct free and fair elections under the Ukrainian constitution.

The Ukrainian army and Moscow-backed separatists on Saturday launched the last phase of a troop pullback ahead of a high-stakes summit with Russia, the warring sides said.

The Ukrainian army and Moscow-backed separatists on Saturday launched the last phase of a troop pullback ahead of a high-stakes summit with Russia, the warring sides said. The long-awaited withdrawal of troops in the conflict-riven Donetsk and Lugansk regions is a precondition for the first face-to-face talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky. The Paris summit, whose date has yet to be confirmed, will be mediated by the leaders of France and Germany. "The disengagement of troops and weaponry has begun" between the villages of Petrivske in the separatist-controlled zone and Bogdanivka in Kiev-controlled territory in the Donetsk region, said a senior Ukrainian army representative, Bogdan Bondar. Donetsk separatists also confirmed the start of the withdrawal of forces. The warring sides signalled their intention to withdraw by firing flares, an AFP correspondent said from the scene. OSCE monitors were observing the disengagement which could be spread over several days. The warring sides held a similar pullback in the Lugansk region in October. Since coming to power in May, comedian-turned-president Zelensky has sought to establish dialogue with Russian leader Putin and revive a peace process to end a five-year-old separatist conflict. The war in eastern Ukraine broke out a month after Moscow annexed the Crimean peninsula from Ukraine in 2014 and has claimed some 13,000 lives. Ukraine and its Western allies accuse Moscow of giving financial and military backing to separatists, which Russia denies. "The Normandy format aims to renew dialogue, which can bring us closer to the complete end of the war," Zelensky said this week, referring to the four-way talks. The summit has been repeatedly postponed for a number of reasons including the failure of earlier attempts to disengage forces. The withdrawal of forces would be the "final precondition" for organising the four-way summit, Ukraine's Foreign Minister Vadym Prystaiko said this week. He has expressed hope that the meeting, the first at such a high level since 2016, could take place in Paris in November. Russia has said it backs a new summit but refused to commit to a timetable. "We want to hold the summit as soon as possible, but at the same time we consider this summit has to be well organised to ensure it gets the necessary results," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. He added it was "too early to say" whether the meeting could take place this year because "many questions" remained unresolved. Zelensky's peace plan including the troop pullback has been strongly criticised by many in Kiev, especially war veterans and nationalists. In the run-up to the planned summit, Ukrainian, Russian and separatist negotiators also agreed on a roadmap that envisages a special status for the separatist territories if they conduct free and fair elections under the Ukrainian constitution.

Ukraine foes begin key troop pullback in war-torn east before summit with Russia

Tesla Inc Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk and noted short-seller David Einhorn mocked each other in open letters published on Twitter on Friday, trading barbs clothed in polite language.

Einhorn on Oct. 30 had told his investors at Greenlight Capital that his fund had lost money on Tesla. Greenlight bet against the electric carmaker, and shares rose in the second quarter.

Still, he told investors that Tesla "appears to continue to spin positive PR ahead of the safety and fair treatment of its customers."

Musk, who has a history of being playful on Twitter, began an exchange by posting an open letter&nbsp;on Twitter addressing Einhorn as "Dear Mr&nbsp;Unicorn (fabulous name btw)". Einhorn means unicorn in German.

Musk further added that Einhorn made numerous "false allegations" against Tesla and offered "sympathies" for a drop in assets under management.

"It is understandable that you wish to save face with your investors, given the losses you suffered from Tesla's successful third quarter, especially since you've had several down years in performance and a sharp drop in assets under management from $15 billion to $5 billion," Musk wrote.

Einhorn responded with an open letter&nbsp;on Twitter, asking the billionaire entrepreneur to be specific about false statements so that Greenlight could correct them.

"By continually changing the narrative and narrowly averting crisis after crisis, you certainly have kept it interesting," Einhorn said.

Einhorn said his hedge fund and Tesla had "some similarities and some differences".

"We both struggled last year. However, a key difference is that Greenlight's&nbsp;business&nbsp;has generated real profits for our investors since we began in 1996," Einhorn said.

Greenlight Capital first rose to prominence for making a prescient call on Lehman Brothers' accounting troubles before the firm's collapse.

Last year, it compared Tesla to Lehman and earlier this year said the company appeared to be "on the brink" of failure.

Investors in the past have shown impatience with Tesla's failures to meet financial and production targets. The carmaker, however, put some concerns to rest after delivering a surprise profit in its third quarter.

Musk invited Einhorn to meet him and tour Tesla's facilities to learn about the company's progress.

"Finally, please allow us to send you a small gift of short shorts to help you through this difficult time," Musk said, signing off as "Treelon Musk."

Einhorn welcomed the offer to learn more about Tesla.

"I think facility visits would be fun (can we start in Buffalo?). I might learn the difference between your alien dreadnought factory and cars made by hand in a tent."

Tesla Inc Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk and noted short-seller David Einhorn mocked each other in open letters published on Twitter on Friday, trading barbs clothed in polite language.

Tesla Inc Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk and noted short-seller David Einhorn mocked each other in open letters published on Twitter on Friday, trading barbs clothed in polite language. Einhorn on Oct. 30 had told his investors at Greenlight Capital that his fund had lost money on Tesla. Greenlight bet against the electric carmaker, and shares rose in the second quarter. Still, he told investors that Tesla "appears to continue to spin positive PR ahead of the safety and fair treatment of its customers." Musk, who has a history of being playful on Twitter, began an exchange by posting an open letter on Twitter addressing Einhorn as "Dear Mr Unicorn (fabulous name btw)". Einhorn means unicorn in German. Musk further added that Einhorn made numerous "false allegations" against Tesla and offered "sympathies" for a drop in assets under management. "It is understandable that you wish to save face with your investors, given the losses you suffered from Tesla's successful third quarter, especially since you've had several down years in performance and a sharp drop in assets under management from $15 billion to $5 billion," Musk wrote. Einhorn responded with an open letter on Twitter, asking the billionaire entrepreneur to be specific about false statements so that Greenlight could correct them. "By continually changing the narrative and narrowly averting crisis after crisis, you certainly have kept it interesting," Einhorn said. Einhorn said his hedge fund and Tesla had "some similarities and some differences". "We both struggled last year. However, a key difference is that Greenlight's business has generated real profits for our investors since we began in 1996," Einhorn said. Greenlight Capital first rose to prominence for making a prescient call on Lehman Brothers' accounting troubles before the firm's collapse. Last year, it compared Tesla to Lehman and earlier this year said the company appeared to be "on the brink" of failure. Investors in the past have shown impatience with Tesla's failures to meet financial and production targets. The carmaker, however, put some concerns to rest after delivering a surprise profit in its third quarter. Musk invited Einhorn to meet him and tour Tesla's facilities to learn about the company's progress. "Finally, please allow us to send you a small gift of short shorts to help you through this difficult time," Musk said, signing off as "Treelon Musk." Einhorn welcomed the offer to learn more about Tesla. "I think facility visits would be fun (can we start in Buffalo?). I might learn the difference between your alien dreadnought factory and cars made by hand in a tent."

Tesla's Musk, Greenlight's Einhorn taunt each other on Twitter

WeWork owner The We Company disclosed data on Friday that showed expansion of its office-sharing&nbsp;business&nbsp;was almost doubling in size from a large pipeline of leases even as the money-losing company plans to slash costs and reduce its headcount.

WeWork divulged a presentation it gave prospective creditors in October about two weeks before SoftBank agreed to a $9.5 billion&nbsp;bailout to keep the company afloat before cash on hand was expected to run out sometime in November.

The data showed that as of the third quarter WeWork planned to add 450,000 desks through leased locations that have not yet opened, which would represent almost a doubling in size from the 520,000 desks already up and running.

The October&nbsp;11 presentation said that "despite the noise," an allusion to the intense media focus after We withdrew its plans to go public in September, "we have continued to perform."

The 49-page presentation highlighted changes underfoot to emphasize a renewed focus on WeWork as its core&nbsp;business. The presentation also showed the company distancing itself from the much-criticised leadership of co-founder Adam Neumann, who relinquished control under the deal with SoftBank.

Going forward WeWork plans a "disciplined focus on profitable market-share expansion" instead of growing the&nbsp;business&nbsp;"prior to funding commitments," which the presentation said occurred from 2017 to September 2019 under Neumann.

A 90-day game plan included reducing headcount in administrative operations, WeWork's venture capital arm and in growth-related functions, a likely reference to the teams dedicated to designing and constructing new office sites.

No numbers were provided for layoffs. Marcelo Claure, the SoftBank executive who was named the chairman of WeWork last month, has said layoffs are expected but has not said how many.

The presentation said WeWork plans to divest seven non-core&nbsp;businesses, Conductor, the Wing, Managed by Q, Meetup, SpaceIQ, Teem and Wave Garden. The units organize meetings, provide facilities and workplace management, and marketing.

The presentation also said plans divulged to investors in October to close RISE, the company's wellness centres, are now under reevaluation.

Just over half of WeWork's Naked Hub locations in China were what the company calls mature, or sites that have been open for more than 24 months, yet China's occupancy rate was only 76 per cent.

WeWork shelved its plans to go public on September&nbsp;30 after investors grew wary of its losses,&nbsp;business&nbsp;model and corporate governance. Neumann had resigned the previous week.

WeWork owner The We Company disclosed data on Friday that showed expansion of its office-sharing business was almost doubling in size from a large pipeline of leases even as the money-losing company plans to slash costs and reduce its headcount.

WeWork owner The We Company disclosed data on Friday that showed expansion of its office-sharing business was almost doubling in size from a large pipeline of leases even as the money-losing company plans to slash costs and reduce its headcount. WeWork divulged a presentation it gave prospective creditors in October about two weeks before SoftBank agreed to a $9.5 billion bailout to keep the company afloat before cash on hand was expected to run out sometime in November. The data showed that as of the third quarter WeWork planned to add 450,000 desks through leased locations that have not yet opened, which would represent almost a doubling in size from the 520,000 desks already up and running. The October 11 presentation said that "despite the noise," an allusion to the intense media focus after We withdrew its plans to go public in September, "we have continued to perform." The 49-page presentation highlighted changes underfoot to emphasize a renewed focus on WeWork as its core business. The presentation also showed the company distancing itself from the much-criticised leadership of co-founder Adam Neumann, who relinquished control under the deal with SoftBank. Going forward WeWork plans a "disciplined focus on profitable market-share expansion" instead of growing the business "prior to funding commitments," which the presentation said occurred from 2017 to September 2019 under Neumann. A 90-day game plan included reducing headcount in administrative operations, WeWork's venture capital arm and in growth-related functions, a likely reference to the teams dedicated to designing and constructing new office sites. No numbers were provided for layoffs. Marcelo Claure, the SoftBank executive who was named the chairman of WeWork last month, has said layoffs are expected but has not said how many. The presentation said WeWork plans to divest seven non-core businesses, Conductor, the Wing, Managed by Q, Meetup, SpaceIQ, Teem and Wave Garden. The units organize meetings, provide facilities and workplace management, and marketing. The presentation also said plans divulged to investors in October to close RISE, the company's wellness centres, are now under reevaluation. Just over half of WeWork's Naked Hub locations in China were what the company calls mature, or sites that have been open for more than 24 months, yet China's occupancy rate was only 76 per cent. WeWork shelved its plans to go public on September 30 after investors grew wary of its losses, business model and corporate governance. Neumann had resigned the previous week.

WeWork data shows growth still doubling

Swiss flavour and fragrance maker Givaudan&nbsp;said it was buying US&nbsp;Ungerer &amp; Company for an undisclosed sum as part of its long-term growth strategy.

Givaudan said Ungerer, which employs 650 people, would have added roughly $250 million in extra sales on the basis of last year's results. Givaudan posted sales of 5.53 billion Swiss francs&nbsp;in 2018.

The Geneva-based company did not disclose the terms of the deal, which it said it would fund through issuing new debt. The transaction is expected to close during the first quarter of 2020.

Ungerer, based in New Jersey, was founded more than 125 years ago and has a presence in more than 60 countries. It has eight factories and six R&amp;D centres, Givaudan said.

The deal is Givaudan's sixth acquisition this year as it targets the average sales growth of 4-5 per cent.

"The acquisition of Ungerer fits very well with our long-term strategy for our core business in flavours and fragrances," Givaudan CEO Gilles Andrier said in a statement.

"They have an excellent reputation in the market, thanks to the quality of their speciality ingredients as well as their strong position in the fast-growing local and regional customer segment."

Swiss flavour and fragrance maker Givaudan said it was buying US Ungerer & Company for an undisclosed sum as part of its long-term growth strategy. Givaudan said Ungerer, which employs 650 people, would have added roughly $250 million in extra sales on the basis of last year's results.

Swiss flavour and fragrance maker Givaudan said it was buying US Ungerer & Company for an undisclosed sum as part of its long-term growth strategy. Givaudan said Ungerer, which employs 650 people, would have added roughly $250 million in extra sales on the basis of last year's results. Givaudan posted sales of 5.53 billion Swiss francs in 2018. The Geneva-based company did not disclose the terms of the deal, which it said it would fund through issuing new debt. The transaction is expected to close during the first quarter of 2020. Ungerer, based in New Jersey, was founded more than 125 years ago and has a presence in more than 60 countries. It has eight factories and six R&D centres, Givaudan said. The deal is Givaudan's sixth acquisition this year as it targets the average sales growth of 4-5 per cent. "The acquisition of Ungerer fits very well with our long-term strategy for our core business in flavours and fragrances," Givaudan CEO Gilles Andrier said in a statement. "They have an excellent reputation in the market, thanks to the quality of their speciality ingredients as well as their strong position in the fast-growing local and regional customer segment."

Givaudan buys United States flavour and fragrance maker Ungerer

Tens of thousands of people gathered on Saturday at a national festival to celebrate the enthronement of Japan's Emperor Naruhito with dancers and pop stars offering jubilant performances.

Some 10,000 citizens who won hard-to-get tickets and 20,000 invited guests attended&nbsp;the evening festival at Tokyo's Imperial Palace Plaza, which was broadcast live across the nation.

The festival came after Naruhito completed his ascension to the Chrysanthemum throne on October 22 in a ceremony steeped in the traditions and grandeur of a monarchy that claims 2,000 years of history.

"I am grateful to you gathering here today for your congratulations," Naruhito told a flag-waving crowd, standing on a stone bridge at the palace with Empress Masako following congratulatory speeches by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and other notable figures.

J-pop group Arashi performed a song composed for the event.

Earlier in the day, another 30,000 people enjoyed local dancing performances at the venue.

On Sunday, the royal couple will parade in a convertible car along a 4.6-kilometre&nbsp;route from the palace to their residence in central Tokyo to mark the enthronement.

The parade was originally scheduled for October 22 but postponed after more than 80 people were killed when Typhoon Hagibis slammed into Japan and caused widespread damage.

In his brief speech, the emperor offered his condolences to the victims and voiced his "sincere hope" for an early recovery from the disaster.

Tens of thousands of people gathered on Saturday at a national festival to celebrate the enthronement of Japan's Emperor Naruhito with dancers and pop stars offering jubilant performances.

Tens of thousands of people gathered on Saturday at a national festival to celebrate the enthronement of Japan's Emperor Naruhito with dancers and pop stars offering jubilant performances. Some 10,000 citizens who won hard-to-get tickets and 20,000 invited guests attended the evening festival at Tokyo's Imperial Palace Plaza, which was broadcast live across the nation. The festival came after Naruhito completed his ascension to the Chrysanthemum throne on October 22 in a ceremony steeped in the traditions and grandeur of a monarchy that claims 2,000 years of history. "I am grateful to you gathering here today for your congratulations," Naruhito told a flag-waving crowd, standing on a stone bridge at the palace with Empress Masako following congratulatory speeches by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and other notable figures. J-pop group Arashi performed a song composed for the event. Earlier in the day, another 30,000 people enjoyed local dancing performances at the venue. On Sunday, the royal couple will parade in a convertible car along a 4.6-kilometre route from the palace to their residence in central Tokyo to mark the enthronement. The parade was originally scheduled for October 22 but postponed after more than 80 people were killed when Typhoon Hagibis slammed into Japan and caused widespread damage. In his brief speech, the emperor offered his condolences to the victims and voiced his "sincere hope" for an early recovery from the disaster.

Tens of thousands celebrate Japan emperor's enthronement

Flight operations will remain suspended at the Kolkata Airport, east-India's busiest, in view of the fast approaching Bulbul Cyclone from 6 pm today to 6 am tomorrow.

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West Bengal: Flight operations to remain suspended at Kolkata Airport from 1800 hours today till 0600 hours tomorrow. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BulBulCyclone?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BulBulCyclone</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1193111135425191936?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 9, 2019</a></blockquote>
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The Meteorological Department has asked local authorities&nbsp;their highest alert, as the cyclone is expected to unleash a storm surge as high as seven feet&nbsp;in coastal districts.

Gale wind warnings for gusts ranging from 35kmph to 90kmph have been issued for the coasts of Odisha, West Bengal. Fishermen have been asked to suspend operations from November 8 at the coasts of Odisha-West Bengal. Those fishing far out in the sea have been advised to return to the coast.&nbsp;

Bulbul, packing a maximum wind speed of 120 kilometres per hour, is on course to make landfall near the Sundarbans, the world's largest mangrove forest, which straddles Bangladesh and part of eastern India and is home to the endangered Bengal tigers.

The Chief Minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee tweeted ''Cyclone Bulbul is about to pass through Bengal. Our state administration is closely monitoring the situation 24x7''.

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Cyclone Bulbul is about to pass through Bengal. Our State Administration is closely monitoring the situation 24x7. We are taking all measures to tackle any contingency. Special Control Rooms have been set up and NDRF-SDRF teams are deployed. (1/3)
— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) <a href="https://twitter.com/MamataOfficial/status/1193114655675146241?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 9, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Recently, Bangladesh authorities evacuated around 100,000 people from the country's low-lying coastal villages and islands with Cyclone Bulbul set to slam into the country later on Saturday, officials said.

The cyclone is expected to hit the Bangladesh coast at around 8 pm, disaster management secretary Shah Kamal told AFP, adding there are plans to evacuate some 1.5 million people before that.

Some 55,000 volunteers have been mobilised to go door to door and alert people about the storm.

Bangladesh's low-lying coast, home to 30 million people, is regularly battered by powerful cyclones that leave a trail of devastation in their wake.

Hundreds of thousands of people have been killed over the last few decades in cyclones, whose frequency and intensity have increased.

(With inputs from AFP, ANI)

Flight operations will remain suspended at the Kolkata Airport, east-India's busiest, in view of the fast approaching Bulbul Cyclone from 6 pm today to 6 am tomorrow.

Flight operations will remain suspended at the Kolkata Airport, east-India's busiest, in view of the fast approaching Bulbul Cyclone from 6 pm today to 6 am tomorrow. West Bengal: Flight operations to remain suspended at Kolkata Airport from 1800 hours today till 0600 hours tomorrow. #BulBulCyclone — ANI (@ANI) November 9, 2019 × The Meteorological Department has asked local authorities their highest alert, as the cyclone is expected to unleash a storm surge as high as seven feet in coastal districts. Gale wind warnings for gusts ranging from 35kmph to 90kmph have been issued for the coasts of Odisha, West Bengal. Fishermen have been asked to suspend operations from November 8 at the coasts of Odisha-West Bengal. Those fishing far out in the sea have been advised to return to the coast. Bulbul, packing a maximum wind speed of 120 kilometres per hour, is on course to make landfall near the Sundarbans, the world's largest mangrove forest, which straddles Bangladesh and part of eastern India and is home to the endangered Bengal tigers. The Chief Minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee tweeted ''Cyclone Bulbul is about to pass through Bengal. Our state administration is closely monitoring the situation 24x7''. Cyclone Bulbul is about to pass through Bengal. Our State Administration is closely monitoring the situation 24x7. We are taking all measures to tackle any contingency. Special Control Rooms have been set up and NDRF-SDRF teams are deployed. (1/3) — Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) November 9, 2019 × Recently, Bangladesh authorities evacuated around 100,000 people from the country's low-lying coastal villages and islands with Cyclone Bulbul set to slam into the country later on Saturday, officials said. The cyclone is expected to hit the Bangladesh coast at around 8 pm, disaster management secretary Shah Kamal told AFP, adding there are plans to evacuate some 1.5 million people before that. Some 55,000 volunteers have been mobilised to go door to door and alert people about the storm. Bangladesh's low-lying coast, home to 30 million people, is regularly battered by powerful cyclones that leave a trail of devastation in their wake. Hundreds of thousands of people have been killed over the last few decades in cyclones, whose frequency and intensity have increased. (With inputs from AFP, ANI)

Flight operations temporarily suspended in Kolkata as Cyclone Bulbul gains traction

Former President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko considered opening an investigation into a political rival of US President Donald Trump in exchange for a meeting in Washington, The Wall Street Journal reported citing unnamed sources close to the matter. 
 
Trump associates Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman, arrested last month in the US on charges of campaign finance violations, reportedly met with Poroshenko in February 2019 and offered a meeting with the US president in exchange for an investigation into former US Vice President Joe Biden and his son, Hunter. 
 
The prospective investigation was an attempt to dig up dirt on Biden, a Democratic frontrunner for the White House, whose son was a board member at Ukrainian oil company Burisma. A probe into alleged Ukrainian interference into the 2016 US presidential election was also part of the request. 
 
Trump’s attempts to solicit Poroshenko’s successor, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, to launch an investigation into the Bidens are now at the centre of an impeachment enquiry into the US president. 
 
As one of Wall Street Journal’s sources noted, Poroshenko was ready to consider the proposal because, at the time, he was running for reelection and saw a photo op with the US president as an opportunity to boost domestic ratings. The source said that Poroshenko had asked the Ukrainian embassy to make necessary preparations for an official visit between the first and second rounds of the election. 
 
The meeting never came to fruition as there was no official invitation from the White House, according to the publication, since Poroshenko was unlikely to win the election. 
 
House Democrats last September launched an impeachment enquiry into Trump’s activity after a whistleblower report highlighted a telephone conversation with Zelenskyy. The enquiry is held on grounds of abusing presidential powers, withholding military aid from Ukraine in exchange for the investigation thereby inviting a foreign power to interfere in US elections. Trump denies the charges, saying his phone call with Zelenksyy was "perfect."

Former President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko considered opening an investigation into a political rival of US President Donald Trump in exchange for a meeting in Washington, The Wall Street Journal reported citing unnamed sources close to the matter.

Former President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko considered opening an investigation into a political rival of US President Donald Trump in exchange for a meeting in Washington, The Wall Street Journal reported citing unnamed sources close to the matter. Trump associates Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman, arrested last month in the US on charges of campaign finance violations, reportedly met with Poroshenko in February 2019 and offered a meeting with the US president in exchange for an investigation into former US Vice President Joe Biden and his son, Hunter. The prospective investigation was an attempt to dig up dirt on Biden, a Democratic frontrunner for the White House, whose son was a board member at Ukrainian oil company Burisma. A probe into alleged Ukrainian interference into the 2016 US presidential election was also part of the request. Trump’s attempts to solicit Poroshenko’s successor, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, to launch an investigation into the Bidens are now at the centre of an impeachment enquiry into the US president. As one of Wall Street Journal’s sources noted, Poroshenko was ready to consider the proposal because, at the time, he was running for reelection and saw a photo op with the US president as an opportunity to boost domestic ratings. The source said that Poroshenko had asked the Ukrainian embassy to make necessary preparations for an official visit between the first and second rounds of the election. The meeting never came to fruition as there was no official invitation from the White House, according to the publication, since Poroshenko was unlikely to win the election. House Democrats last September launched an impeachment enquiry into Trump’s activity after a whistleblower report highlighted a telephone conversation with Zelenskyy. The enquiry is held on grounds of abusing presidential powers, withholding military aid from Ukraine in exchange for the investigation thereby inviting a foreign power to interfere in US elections. Trump denies the charges, saying his phone call with Zelenksyy was "perfect."

Trump associates offered US visit to Ukraine's ex-president for investigation: Report

An Indonesian palm oil executive has been arrested for allegedly ordering the killing two activist journalists who were mediating a land dispute between his company and local residents, police said Saturday.

Maraden Sianipar's body was found last week in a ditch near a palm plantation in Labuhan Batu in North Sumatra province.

Police found the remains of his colleague, Maratua Siregar, in the same area a day later. Both had been stabbed multiple times.

On Saturday, North Sumatra authorities said they had arrested businessman Wibharry Padmoasmolo for allegedly masterminding the plot by paying nearing $3,000 to four men to commit the killings.

Padmoasmolo owns a firm that produces palm oil,&nbsp;a widely used vegetable oil found in everything from soap to chocolate,&nbsp;which was in a dispute with locals that the two victims were advocating for, police said.

The killings were aimed at stopping the pair's involvement, according to authorities, who added that Padmoasmolo has denied owning the firm under questioning.

In all, five people have been arrested in connection with the murder plot and police said they're still searching for several more suspects still at large.

"We are looking for the three, while the five other suspects have been detained for further questioning," said North Sumatra police chief Agus Andrianto.

Victims Sianipar and Maratua worked together for a local online news portal before going freelance in 2017.

A friend of Siregar said they had recently become known for their activism in land disputes,&nbsp;a common source of conflict across the resource-rich Southeast Asian archipelago.

The friend said Siregar was active in an organisation that advocated for residents in the dispute.

Many cases of violence against journalists in Indonesia go unsolved, according to the Independent Journalists Alliance, which has reported at least two dozen cases this year alone.

Indonesia is ranked 124th out of 180 countries on the 2019 World Press Freedom Index published by Reporters Without Borders.

An Indonesian palm oil executive has been arrested for allegedly ordering the killing two activist journalists who were mediating a land dispute between his company and local residents, police said Saturday.

An Indonesian palm oil executive has been arrested for allegedly ordering the killing two activist journalists who were mediating a land dispute between his company and local residents, police said Saturday. Maraden Sianipar's body was found last week in a ditch near a palm plantation in Labuhan Batu in North Sumatra province. Police found the remains of his colleague, Maratua Siregar, in the same area a day later. Both had been stabbed multiple times. On Saturday, North Sumatra authorities said they had arrested businessman Wibharry Padmoasmolo for allegedly masterminding the plot by paying nearing $3,000 to four men to commit the killings. Padmoasmolo owns a firm that produces palm oil, a widely used vegetable oil found in everything from soap to chocolate, which was in a dispute with locals that the two victims were advocating for, police said. The killings were aimed at stopping the pair's involvement, according to authorities, who added that Padmoasmolo has denied owning the firm under questioning. In all, five people have been arrested in connection with the murder plot and police said they're still searching for several more suspects still at large. "We are looking for the three, while the five other suspects have been detained for further questioning," said North Sumatra police chief Agus Andrianto. Victims Sianipar and Maratua worked together for a local online news portal before going freelance in 2017. A friend of Siregar said they had recently become known for their activism in land disputes, a common source of conflict across the resource-rich Southeast Asian archipelago. The friend said Siregar was active in an organisation that advocated for residents in the dispute. Many cases of violence against journalists in Indonesia go unsolved, according to the Independent Journalists Alliance, which has reported at least two dozen cases this year alone. Indonesia is ranked 124th out of 180 countries on the 2019 World Press Freedom Index published by Reporters Without Borders.

Indonesian palm oil executive arrested over journalist killings

The European Union's largest states are pushing for the establishment of a new supervisory authority that would take over from states the oversight of money laundering at financial firms, after a series of scandals at the bloc's banks.

In a joint statement, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands and Latvia said the 28-country EU needed a "central supervisor" to tackle the flow of dirty money within the bloc's financial system.

The move comes after European lenders were shut down over money laundering in Latvia, Malta and Cyprus, while top banks from the Baltic and Northern Europe were involved in dodgy transactions worth billions of euros of Russian dirty money through the Estonian branch of Danske Bank, in what is seen as the worst money-laundering scandal on the continent.

The need for an EU supervisor emerged after repeated failures by national watchdogs at spotting and countering money laundering, the statement said.

"Where large financial interests are at stake, there is a risk of national supervisors being influenced directly or indirectly by supervised institutions or interest groups," the statement said.

The six countries said the new supervisor could be a new body or an existing watchdog, the European Banking Authority (EBA), which would need to be beefed up.

The call for change comes just few months after the bloc has agreed to overhaul EBA's mandate to give the watchdog new powers to tackle money laundering.

That reform, proposed by EU finance commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis, a former prime minister of Latvia, quickly appeared as insufficient to many observers.

The move marks a major shift in Germany's position. While France, Italy and Spain have been calling for months for stronger rules against money laundering, Berlin had opposed more ambitious changes in recent overhauls.

The six states also call for new anti-money laundering rules, in what would be the sixth review of those provisions, just one year after their latest overhaul was agreed in a reform now judged as "not decisive" by the six countries.

Existing rules should be merged into a single piece of legislation directly applicable in EU states, the statement said, reversing the existing system that allows countries to adapt EU money-laundering rules to national prerogatives.

That has caused lenient application of the rules in several states that, the statement says, could offer "arbitrage opportunities" to lure financial firms.

The move comes after EU finance ministers discussed a reform of money-laundering rules at a meeting last month and before another gathering in December when a common EU stance is expected to be adopted on the matter.

The Finnish presidency of the bloc prepared in October a draft of the paper that should be adopted in December, which called for changes similar to those contained in the six-country statement.

The European Union's largest states are pushing for the establishment of a new supervisory authority that would take over from states the oversight of money laundering at financial firms, after a series of scandals at the bloc's banks.

The European Union's largest states are pushing for the establishment of a new supervisory authority that would take over from states the oversight of money laundering at financial firms, after a series of scandals at the bloc's banks. In a joint statement, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands and Latvia said the 28-country EU needed a "central supervisor" to tackle the flow of dirty money within the bloc's financial system. The move comes after European lenders were shut down over money laundering in Latvia, Malta and Cyprus, while top banks from the Baltic and Northern Europe were involved in dodgy transactions worth billions of euros of Russian dirty money through the Estonian branch of Danske Bank, in what is seen as the worst money-laundering scandal on the continent. The need for an EU supervisor emerged after repeated failures by national watchdogs at spotting and countering money laundering, the statement said. "Where large financial interests are at stake, there is a risk of national supervisors being influenced directly or indirectly by supervised institutions or interest groups," the statement said. The six countries said the new supervisor could be a new body or an existing watchdog, the European Banking Authority (EBA), which would need to be beefed up. The call for change comes just few months after the bloc has agreed to overhaul EBA's mandate to give the watchdog new powers to tackle money laundering. That reform, proposed by EU finance commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis, a former prime minister of Latvia, quickly appeared as insufficient to many observers. The move marks a major shift in Germany's position. While France, Italy and Spain have been calling for months for stronger rules against money laundering, Berlin had opposed more ambitious changes in recent overhauls. The six states also call for new anti-money laundering rules, in what would be the sixth review of those provisions, just one year after their latest overhaul was agreed in a reform now judged as "not decisive" by the six countries. Existing rules should be merged into a single piece of legislation directly applicable in EU states, the statement said, reversing the existing system that allows countries to adapt EU money-laundering rules to national prerogatives. That has caused lenient application of the rules in several states that, the statement says, could offer "arbitrage opportunities" to lure financial firms. The move comes after EU finance ministers discussed a reform of money-laundering rules at a meeting last month and before another gathering in December when a common EU stance is expected to be adopted on the matter. The Finnish presidency of the bloc prepared in October a draft of the paper that should be adopted in December, which called for changes similar to those contained in the six-country statement.

European Union heavyweight states push for joint supervisor against money laundering

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