A Swedish information technology firm said on Tuesday a database containing patient data, including COVID-19 test results, had been breached but it was unclear if any contents had leaked. 
 
InfoSolutions said in a statement that it had identified a breach last week but it had since identified and solved what made the intrusion possible. 
 
"It cannot be ruled out that personal data has been read, but InfoSolutions considers the risk to be very low," it said, adding that no information had been lost or altered. 
 
The firm provides digital journals, including test results, for 15 of Sweden's 21 regions on behalf of the Public Health Agency, which has twice shut the database in recent months and reported suspected breaches to the police.

A Swedish information technology firm said on Tuesday a database containing patient data, including COVID-19 test results, had been breached but it was unclear if any contents had leaked.

A Swedish information technology firm said on Tuesday a database containing patient data, including COVID-19 test results, had been breached but it was unclear if any contents had leaked. InfoSolutions said in a statement that it had identified a breach last week but it had since identified and solved what made the intrusion possible. "It cannot be ruled out that personal data has been read, but InfoSolutions considers the risk to be very low," it said, adding that no information had been lost or altered. The firm provides digital journals, including test results, for 15 of Sweden's 21 regions on behalf of the Public Health Agency, which has twice shut the database in recent months and reported suspected breaches to the police.

Swedish IT provider says COVID-19 test database breached

US&nbsp;President Joe Biden believes steps are needed to safeguard privacy, bolster innovation and deal with other problems created by big technology platforms, the White House said on Tuesday, signaling his support for legislation concerning Big Tech. 
 
Biden is encouraged by bipartisan work underway in Congress to tackle these issues, the official said, a day before the US&nbsp;House Judiciary Committee votes on a package of antitrust bills, some of which target the market power of large tech firms. 
 
"These platforms have transformed our daily lives, and showcase our country's ingenuity and potential, but also create real problems for users, small businesses, and tech startups," said the White House official. 
 
"The president believes we need to address the problems these platforms create to protect privacy, generate more innovation, and make sure the great tech companies of the future can emerge and grow right here in the US," the official said. 
 
The House Judiciary Committee will vote on Wednesday on a package of six antitrust bills, including two that address the issue of giant companies, such as Amazon.com Inc and Alphabet Inc's Google, creating a platform for other businesses and then competing against those same businesses. 
 
The legislation drew fire on Tuesday from the US&nbsp;Chamber of Commerce, the largest US&nbsp;business group, which warned it would have 'dangerous consequences for America'. 
 
It said antitrust laws 'should not be rigged against a small number of companies'. 
 
The White House hoped the bipartisan proposals would move forward in the legislative process and looked forward to working with Congress on the issue, the official added. 
 
In a separate development, the Federal Trade Commission, whose new chairwoman has been critical of Amazon, has decided to review the company`s planned purchase of US&nbsp;movie studio MGM, a source familiar with the matter said. 
 
Lina Khan was sworn in as FTC chair on June 15 in what was broadly seen as a victory for progressives seeking tougher antitrust enforcement. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

US President Joe Biden believes steps are needed to safeguard privacy, bolster innovation and deal with other problems created by big technology platforms, the White House said on Tuesday, signaling his support for legislation concerning Big Tech.

US President Joe Biden believes steps are needed to safeguard privacy, bolster innovation and deal with other problems created by big technology platforms, the White House said on Tuesday, signaling his support for legislation concerning Big Tech. Biden is encouraged by bipartisan work underway in Congress to tackle these issues, the official said, a day before the US House Judiciary Committee votes on a package of antitrust bills, some of which target the market power of large tech firms. "These platforms have transformed our daily lives, and showcase our country's ingenuity and potential, but also create real problems for users, small businesses, and tech startups," said the White House official. "The president believes we need to address the problems these platforms create to protect privacy, generate more innovation, and make sure the great tech companies of the future can emerge and grow right here in the US," the official said. The House Judiciary Committee will vote on Wednesday on a package of six antitrust bills, including two that address the issue of giant companies, such as Amazon.com Inc and Alphabet Inc's Google, creating a platform for other businesses and then competing against those same businesses. The legislation drew fire on Tuesday from the US Chamber of Commerce, the largest US business group, which warned it would have 'dangerous consequences for America'. It said antitrust laws 'should not be rigged against a small number of companies'. The White House hoped the bipartisan proposals would move forward in the legislative process and looked forward to working with Congress on the issue, the official added. In a separate development, the Federal Trade Commission, whose new chairwoman has been critical of Amazon, has decided to review the company`s planned purchase of US movie studio MGM, a source familiar with the matter said. Lina Khan was sworn in as FTC chair on June 15 in what was broadly seen as a victory for progressives seeking tougher antitrust enforcement. (With inputs from agencies)

Biden sees work needed to address problems created by big tech firms: White House

The Biden administration is broadening the pool of migrants who will be allowed to enter the United States to make asylum claims, in the latest effort to chip away at the restrictive immigration policies put in place under former President Donald Trump.

The Department of Homeland Security said Tuesday that on Wednesday it would start considering migrants whose cases were terminated under a Trump-era program that gave border officials the authority to send asylum-seekers back to Mexico to wait for their cases to make it through the clogged American immigration system. The change could affect tens of thousands of people.

President Joe Biden had already ended the program, known officially as the Migrant Protection Protocols. His administration this month started bringing in migrants enrolled in the program who had pending asylum cases.

In a statement, the department said the latest move was “part of our continued effort to restore safe, orderly and humane processing at the southwest border.”

While many immigration and human rights advocates welcomed the development, it will do little to alleviate the pressure on the Biden administration to stop turning away hundreds of thousands of other migrants, many of whom are also seeking asylum, who have been banned from entering the United States because of a public health rule put in place during the coronavirus pandemic.

Democrats and human rights advocates have long assailed the Trump program, which began in 2019 as an effort to discourage immigrants from trying to cross the southwestern border despite having a legal right to apply for asylum in the United States. Many of the asylum-seekers enrolled in the program had their cases closed because they could not appear at their court hearings in the United States while they faced perilous situations in Mexico.

“By keeping migrants in dangerous conditions in Mexico, the Trump administration ensured many people would not be able to appear at their hearings and their claims would be rejected,” Reps. Bennie Thompson of Mississippi and Nanette Barragán of California, both Democrats, said in a joint statement Tuesday. Thompson is the chair of the House Homeland Security Committee, and Barragán is the chair of the subcommittee on border security. “Allowing these people to be eligible for processing is the right thing to do,” the statement said.

Rep. Michael Guest, R-Miss., a member of the House Homeland Security Committee, said the decision was made in haste and without transparency.

“The department’s seemingly impulsive announcement lacked explanation, justification or any other indicia that the decision had been made only after the careful deliberations and consultations that are both appropriate and lawfully required,” Guest wrote in a letter to Alejandro Mayorkas, the homeland security secretary.

The development could affect more than 34,000 migrants seeking asylum in the United States, according to the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse at Syracuse University, which collects immigration data.

Judy Rabinovitz, a lawyer with the American Civil Liberties Union, said the process would not be quick. Applicants would need to register, and someone would have to tell them what they needed to submit to reopen their cases. And there is no guarantee that an immigration judge would grant a motion to reopen, she said, let alone grant asylum.

In another significant break from the Trump administration, the Justice Department last week reversed a Trump-era immigration ruling that had made it all but impossible for people to seek asylum in the United States over credible fears of domestic abuse or gang violence. The decision could affect hundreds of thousands of Central Americans fleeing gang extortion and recruitment and women fleeing domestic abuse who arrived in the United States since 2013.

The Biden administration is broadening the pool of migrants who will be allowed to enter the United States to make asylum claims, in the latest effort to chip away at the restrictive immigration policies put in place under former President Donald Trump.

The Biden administration is broadening the pool of migrants who will be allowed to enter the United States to make asylum claims, in the latest effort to chip away at the restrictive immigration policies put in place under former President Donald Trump. The Department of Homeland Security said Tuesday that on Wednesday it would start considering migrants whose cases were terminated under a Trump-era program that gave border officials the authority to send asylum-seekers back to Mexico to wait for their cases to make it through the clogged American immigration system. The change could affect tens of thousands of people. President Joe Biden had already ended the program, known officially as the Migrant Protection Protocols. His administration this month started bringing in migrants enrolled in the program who had pending asylum cases. In a statement, the department said the latest move was “part of our continued effort to restore safe, orderly and humane processing at the southwest border.” While many immigration and human rights advocates welcomed the development, it will do little to alleviate the pressure on the Biden administration to stop turning away hundreds of thousands of other migrants, many of whom are also seeking asylum, who have been banned from entering the United States because of a public health rule put in place during the coronavirus pandemic. Democrats and human rights advocates have long assailed the Trump program, which began in 2019 as an effort to discourage immigrants from trying to cross the southwestern border despite having a legal right to apply for asylum in the United States. Many of the asylum-seekers enrolled in the program had their cases closed because they could not appear at their court hearings in the United States while they faced perilous situations in Mexico. “By keeping migrants in dangerous conditions in Mexico, the Trump administration ensured many people would not be able to appear at their hearings and their claims would be rejected,” Reps. Bennie Thompson of Mississippi and Nanette Barragán of California, both Democrats, said in a joint statement Tuesday. Thompson is the chair of the House Homeland Security Committee, and Barragán is the chair of the subcommittee on border security. “Allowing these people to be eligible for processing is the right thing to do,” the statement said. Rep. Michael Guest, R-Miss., a member of the House Homeland Security Committee, said the decision was made in haste and without transparency. “The department’s seemingly impulsive announcement lacked explanation, justification or any other indicia that the decision had been made only after the careful deliberations and consultations that are both appropriate and lawfully required,” Guest wrote in a letter to Alejandro Mayorkas, the homeland security secretary. The development could affect more than 34,000 migrants seeking asylum in the United States, according to the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse at Syracuse University, which collects immigration data. Judy Rabinovitz, a lawyer with the American Civil Liberties Union, said the process would not be quick. Applicants would need to register, and someone would have to tell them what they needed to submit to reopen their cases. And there is no guarantee that an immigration judge would grant a motion to reopen, she said, let alone grant asylum. In another significant break from the Trump administration, the Justice Department last week reversed a Trump-era immigration ruling that had made it all but impossible for people to seek asylum in the United States over credible fears of domestic abuse or gang violence. The decision could affect hundreds of thousands of Central Americans fleeing gang extortion and recruitment and women fleeing domestic abuse who arrived in the United States since 2013.

US to allow some asylum seekers rejected under Trump to reopen cases

China is insecure and defensive which means it perceives threats where there are none, Australia's most senior diplomat said on Wednesday. 
 
Frances Adamson, Secretary of Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, said China seeks to project strength, but the reality is somewhat different. 
 
"Few really grasp that this great power is still dogged by insecurity as much as driven by ambition. That it has a deeply defensive mindset - perceiving external threats even as it pushes its interests over those of others," Adamson said in a speech in Canberra before she leaves office this week. 
 
"It is too ready to suspect containment instead of judging issues on their individual merits." 
 
Relations with China, already rocky after Australia banned Huawei from its nascent 5G broadband networking in 2018, cooled further after Canberra in 2020 called for an independent investigation into the origins of the coronavirus pandemic, first reported in central China in 2019. 
 
China responded by imposing tariffs on Australian commodities, including wine and barley and limited imports of Australian beef, coal and grapes, moves described by the United States as 'economic coercion'. 
 
China is Australia’s largest trading partner. In the 12 months to March, Australia exported A$149 billion ($112.45 billion) worth of goods to China, down 0.6% from the previous year. Exports, however, have been supported by strong prices for iron ore, the largest single item in trade with China. 
 
Adamson's speech came just hours after a widely watched poll showed Australians' trust in China has plunged and for the first time more people view Beijing as a security threat than a economic partner. 
 
The Lowy Institute's annual poll shows more than 60% of Australians see China as a security threat, up significantly from 2018 when 18% of respondents had the same view. 
 
"Views of China are to some extent inseparable from the crackdown in Hong Kong, the detention of Uighurs, the disappearance of Australian citizens in China," said Natasha Kassam, Director, Public Opinion and Foreign Policy Program, at the Lowy Institute. 
 
The results indicate Australia's conservative government has public support for its assertive approach to China despite a series of trade implications.

(With inputs from agencies)

China is insecure and defensive which means it perceives threats where there are none, Australia's most senior diplomat said on Wednesday. Frances Adamson, Secretary of Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, said China seeks to project strength, but the reality is somewhat different.

China is insecure and defensive which means it perceives threats where there are none, Australia's most senior diplomat said on Wednesday. Frances Adamson, Secretary of Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, said China seeks to project strength, but the reality is somewhat different. "Few really grasp that this great power is still dogged by insecurity as much as driven by ambition. That it has a deeply defensive mindset - perceiving external threats even as it pushes its interests over those of others," Adamson said in a speech in Canberra before she leaves office this week. "It is too ready to suspect containment instead of judging issues on their individual merits." Relations with China, already rocky after Australia banned Huawei from its nascent 5G broadband networking in 2018, cooled further after Canberra in 2020 called for an independent investigation into the origins of the coronavirus pandemic, first reported in central China in 2019. China responded by imposing tariffs on Australian commodities, including wine and barley and limited imports of Australian beef, coal and grapes, moves described by the United States as 'economic coercion'. China is Australia’s largest trading partner. In the 12 months to March, Australia exported A$149 billion ($112.45 billion) worth of goods to China, down 0.6% from the previous year. Exports, however, have been supported by strong prices for iron ore, the largest single item in trade with China. Adamson's speech came just hours after a widely watched poll showed Australians' trust in China has plunged and for the first time more people view Beijing as a security threat than a economic partner. The Lowy Institute's annual poll shows more than 60% of Australians see China as a security threat, up significantly from 2018 when 18% of respondents had the same view. "Views of China are to some extent inseparable from the crackdown in Hong Kong, the detention of Uighurs, the disappearance of Australian citizens in China," said Natasha Kassam, Director, Public Opinion and Foreign Policy Program, at the Lowy Institute. The results indicate Australia's conservative government has public support for its assertive approach to China despite a series of trade implications. (With inputs from agencies)

China is gripped by insecurity, Australia's most senior diplomat says

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu told visiting junta leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaingid that Moscow is committed to strengthening military ties with Myanmar, Russia's RIA news agency reported. 
 
"We are determined to continue our efforts to strengthen bilateral ties based on the mutual understanding, respect and trust that have been established between our countries," RIA quoted Shoigu as saying at a meeting late on Tuesday. 
 
Min Aung Hlaing was in the Russian capital to attend a security conference this week. 
 
Rights activists have accused Moscow of legitimising Myanmar's military junta, which came to power in a February&nbsp;1 coup, by continuing bilateral visits and arms deals. 
 
Russia said in March it was deeply concerned by the rising number of civilian deaths in Myanmar. 
 
Defence ties between the two countries have grown in recent years with Moscow providing army training and university scholarships to thousands of soldiers, as well as selling arms to a military blacklisted by several Western countries. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu told visiting junta leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaingid that Moscow is committed to strengthening military ties with Myanmar, Russia's RIA news agency reported.

Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu told visiting junta leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaingid that Moscow is committed to strengthening military ties with Myanmar, Russia's RIA news agency reported. "We are determined to continue our efforts to strengthen bilateral ties based on the mutual understanding, respect and trust that have been established between our countries," RIA quoted Shoigu as saying at a meeting late on Tuesday. Min Aung Hlaing was in the Russian capital to attend a security conference this week. Rights activists have accused Moscow of legitimising Myanmar's military junta, which came to power in a February 1 coup, by continuing bilateral visits and arms deals. Russia said in March it was deeply concerned by the rising number of civilian deaths in Myanmar. Defence ties between the two countries have grown in recent years with Moscow providing army training and university scholarships to thousands of soldiers, as well as selling arms to a military blacklisted by several Western countries. (With inputs from agencies)

Russia says to boost military ties with Myanmar as junta leader visits

Eighty years ago on Thursday, British lawmakers driven from their debating chamber by World War Two Nazi bombs secretly set up a new home less than 100 yards away, from where Prime Minister Winston Churchill ran the country's wartime government. 
 
Unbeknown to the British public, on June 24, 1941, elected lawmakers from the green-benched House of Commons moved onto the red benches of the House of Lords chamber and remained there for nine years. 
 
From this lavishly-decorated but clandestine setting they debated and legislated the war effort, and later passed plans to rebuild and reshape post-war Britain. The move was not officially acknowledged until after the war. 
 
The emergency operation was set up after the bombing of the House of Commons debating chamber during a May 1941 air raid. 
 
"Churchill went into the Commons chamber and he looked at the destruction and the one thing he said was 'Parliament will sit`' - he didn't quite know where, but thanks to the Lords, it was here," said House of Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle, speaking from within the heavily gilded Lords chamber. 
 
Although only a short distance apart, the Commons and the Lords are usually separated by centuries of tradition in which the Commons proudly defends its independence from the British monarchy and its lawmaking supremacy over the unelected Lords. 
 
But, the current speakers from both houses, Hoyle and his Lords counterpart John McFall, celebrated the anniversary this week in a display of unity to show the strength of Britain's democratic system. 
 
"It demonstrates that in time of need, in time of crisis, that both houses work together," McFall said. 
 
The little-known chapter in British wartime history required permission from King George VI, whose robing room in Westminster Palace was used by the displaced Lords to perform their constitutional role of scrutinising the government's work. 
 
The move to the Lords was not without hitches. 
 
Stained glass windows designed by Augustus Pugin had to be covered to block out light visible to German bombers. Lawmakers complained it was too hot in summer, too cold in winter and hard to hear each other in the high-ceilinged chamber lined with statues of medieval knights. 
 
A rebuilt Commons debating chamber was reopened in 1950. 
 
According to Lords clerks, Churchill left a physical legacy in the chamber in the form of a small dent caused by the oratorical flourish of thumping his signet ring into the table to punctuate his most powerful speeches. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

Eighty years ago on Thursday, British lawmakers driven from their debating chamber by World War Two Nazi bombs secretly set up a new home less than 100 yards away, from where Prime Minister Winston Churchill ran the country's wartime government.

Eighty years ago on Thursday, British lawmakers driven from their debating chamber by World War Two Nazi bombs secretly set up a new home less than 100 yards away, from where Prime Minister Winston Churchill ran the country's wartime government. Unbeknown to the British public, on June 24, 1941, elected lawmakers from the green-benched House of Commons moved onto the red benches of the House of Lords chamber and remained there for nine years. From this lavishly-decorated but clandestine setting they debated and legislated the war effort, and later passed plans to rebuild and reshape post-war Britain. The move was not officially acknowledged until after the war. The emergency operation was set up after the bombing of the House of Commons debating chamber during a May 1941 air raid. "Churchill went into the Commons chamber and he looked at the destruction and the one thing he said was 'Parliament will sit`' - he didn't quite know where, but thanks to the Lords, it was here," said House of Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle, speaking from within the heavily gilded Lords chamber. Although only a short distance apart, the Commons and the Lords are usually separated by centuries of tradition in which the Commons proudly defends its independence from the British monarchy and its lawmaking supremacy over the unelected Lords. But, the current speakers from both houses, Hoyle and his Lords counterpart John McFall, celebrated the anniversary this week in a display of unity to show the strength of Britain's democratic system. "It demonstrates that in time of need, in time of crisis, that both houses work together," McFall said. The little-known chapter in British wartime history required permission from King George VI, whose robing room in Westminster Palace was used by the displaced Lords to perform their constitutional role of scrutinising the government's work. The move to the Lords was not without hitches. Stained glass windows designed by Augustus Pugin had to be covered to block out light visible to German bombers. Lawmakers complained it was too hot in summer, too cold in winter and hard to hear each other in the high-ceilinged chamber lined with statues of medieval knights. A rebuilt Commons debating chamber was reopened in 1950. According to Lords clerks, Churchill left a physical legacy in the chamber in the form of a small dent caused by the oratorical flourish of thumping his signet ring into the table to punctuate his most powerful speeches. (With inputs from agencies)

Britain's 'secret parliament' celebrates its 80th birthday

The US&nbsp;State Department said on Tuesday that Peru's recent presidential election was 'a model of democracy',&nbsp;despite efforts by conservative candidate Keiko Fujimori to get ballots thrown out while raising accusations of voter fraud. 
 
Peruvians went to the polls on June 6. Electoral authorities are still evaluating challenges to some ballots while preliminary results narrowly favour socialist Pedro Castillo over Fujimori, daughter of jailed ex-President Alberto Fujimori. 
 
"We congratulate the Peruvian authorities for safely administering another round of free, fair, accessible and peaceful elections, even amid the significant challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic," State Department spokesman Ned Price said in a statement released in Washington. 
 
"These recent elections are a model of democracy in the region. We support giving the electoral authorities time to process and publish the results in accordance with Peruvian law.

The US State Department said on Tuesday that Peru's recent presidential election was 'a model of democracy', despite efforts by conservative candidate Keiko Fujimori to get ballots thrown out while raising accusations of voter fraud.

The US State Department said on Tuesday that Peru's recent presidential election was 'a model of democracy', despite efforts by conservative candidate Keiko Fujimori to get ballots thrown out while raising accusations of voter fraud. Peruvians went to the polls on June 6. Electoral authorities are still evaluating challenges to some ballots while preliminary results narrowly favour socialist Pedro Castillo over Fujimori, daughter of jailed ex-President Alberto Fujimori. "We congratulate the Peruvian authorities for safely administering another round of free, fair, accessible and peaceful elections, even amid the significant challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic," State Department spokesman Ned Price said in a statement released in Washington. "These recent elections are a model of democracy in the region. We support giving the electoral authorities time to process and publish the results in accordance with Peruvian law.

US calls Peru election 'fair' despite Fujimori claims of voter fraud

Britain's streaming services and broadcasters should be on a level-playing field, as traditional broadcasters now compete with 'one hand tied behind their backs', Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said on Wednesday. 
 
Dowden is to unveil plans for a white paper on broadcasting that aims to make streaming services, such as Netflix, Amazon Prime and Disney+ follow the code of British regulator Ofcom, he said in the Times newspaper. 
 
"Every 'linear' broadcaster - BBC, Sky and so on - has to comply with stringent content and audience protection standards," Dowden said in an article published on Wednesday. 
 
"You might assume the same is true of video-on-demand services, such as Amazon Prime and Disney+. You'd be wrong." 
 
The government will consult this summer on whether it is time to set the same basic rules for video-on-demand services as is done for traditional broadcasters, he added. 
 
"The white paper will also set out proposals on how we ensure public service broadcasters are given sufficient visibility...online, and ensure viewers can continue to find and watch original and high-quality British programmes." 
 
Separately, Britain's Conservative government said it plans to sell Channel 4, launched 39 years ago as an alternative to the BBC and ITV, to help secure its future as a public service broadcaster. 
 
"In summer, I will consult on the sale of Channel 4," Dowden wrote, adding that he would proceed on the lines that an alternative ownership model retaining the broadcaster's public service remit would better serve both it and Britain. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

Britain's streaming services and broadcasters should be on a level-playing field, as traditional broadcasters now compete with 'one hand tied behind their backs', Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said on Wednesday.

Britain's streaming services and broadcasters should be on a level-playing field, as traditional broadcasters now compete with 'one hand tied behind their backs', Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said on Wednesday. Dowden is to unveil plans for a white paper on broadcasting that aims to make streaming services, such as Netflix, Amazon Prime and Disney+ follow the code of British regulator Ofcom, he said in the Times newspaper. "Every 'linear' broadcaster - BBC, Sky and so on - has to comply with stringent content and audience protection standards," Dowden said in an article published on Wednesday. "You might assume the same is true of video-on-demand services, such as Amazon Prime and Disney+. You'd be wrong." The government will consult this summer on whether it is time to set the same basic rules for video-on-demand services as is done for traditional broadcasters, he added. "The white paper will also set out proposals on how we ensure public service broadcasters are given sufficient visibility...online, and ensure viewers can continue to find and watch original and high-quality British programmes." Separately, Britain's Conservative government said it plans to sell Channel 4, launched 39 years ago as an alternative to the BBC and ITV, to help secure its future as a public service broadcaster. "In summer, I will consult on the sale of Channel 4," Dowden wrote, adding that he would proceed on the lines that an alternative ownership model retaining the broadcaster's public service remit would better serve both it and Britain. (With inputs from agencies)

British minister urges same rules for streaming services, broadcasters: Times

Hong Kong police arrested on Wednesday a columnist for pro-democracy tabloid Apple Daily on suspicion of conspiring to collude with a foreign country or foreign forces, in another hit to the besieged newspaper. 
 
The latest arrest came after police froze assets of companies linked to the newspaper and arrested five executives last week, moves that are likely to force the newspaper to shut down this week. 
 
Police have said dozens of Apple Daily pieces may have violated the security law, the first instance of authorities taking aim at media articles under the legislation. 
 
Rights groups, media organisations and Western governments have criticised the government's actions and expressed concern over freedom of the press and other rights in the Chinese-ruled city. 
 
Police, who typically do not disclose the names of those arrested, said they had arrested a 55-year-old man on the national security charges. A senior executive at Next Digital, which publishes Apple Daily, said a lead writer for editorials and a reporter were arrested, without identifying them. It was unclear why the reporter was arrested. 
 
A police representative said they had no immediate information on a second arrest. 
 
Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said on Tuesday that criticism of last week's raid and arrests at Apple Daily amounted to attempts to 'beautify' acts that endangered national security. 
 
Apple Daily has come under increasing pressure since its tycoon owner and staunch Beijing critic, Jimmy Lai, was arrested last year under the contentious legislation. Lai, whose assets have also been frozen under the security law, is already serving a prison sentence for taking part in unauthorised assemblies. 
 
According to an internal staff memo, the tabloid, which employs about 600 journalists, looks set to close for good by Saturday. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

Hong Kong police arrested on Wednesday a columnist for pro-democracy tabloid Apple Daily on suspicion of conspiring to collude with a foreign country or foreign forces, in another hit to the besieged newspaper.

Hong Kong police arrested on Wednesday a columnist for pro-democracy tabloid Apple Daily on suspicion of conspiring to collude with a foreign country or foreign forces, in another hit to the besieged newspaper. The latest arrest came after police froze assets of companies linked to the newspaper and arrested five executives last week, moves that are likely to force the newspaper to shut down this week. Police have said dozens of Apple Daily pieces may have violated the security law, the first instance of authorities taking aim at media articles under the legislation. Rights groups, media organisations and Western governments have criticised the government's actions and expressed concern over freedom of the press and other rights in the Chinese-ruled city. Police, who typically do not disclose the names of those arrested, said they had arrested a 55-year-old man on the national security charges. A senior executive at Next Digital, which publishes Apple Daily, said a lead writer for editorials and a reporter were arrested, without identifying them. It was unclear why the reporter was arrested. A police representative said they had no immediate information on a second arrest. Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said on Tuesday that criticism of last week's raid and arrests at Apple Daily amounted to attempts to 'beautify' acts that endangered national security. Apple Daily has come under increasing pressure since its tycoon owner and staunch Beijing critic, Jimmy Lai, was arrested last year under the contentious legislation. Lai, whose assets have also been frozen under the security law, is already serving a prison sentence for taking part in unauthorised assemblies. According to an internal staff memo, the tabloid, which employs about 600 journalists, looks set to close for good by Saturday. (With inputs from agencies)

Hong Kong police arrest Apple Daily columnist under security law

Gaza's Pepsi bottling company was forced to halt operations this week due to Israeli import restrictions that were tightened during an 11-day conflict between Israel and Palestinian militants last month, the company's owners say. 
 
With a truce between Israel and Gaza's Hamas largely holding, Israel on Monday allowed a limited resumption of exports from the enclave. 
 
But it has kept in place tightened measures on raw material imports, including carbon dioxide gas and syrup that the bottling company's factory needs to produce Pepsi, 7UP and Mirinda soda, said Pepsi Gaza's Hamam al-Yazeji. 
 
"Yesterday, we completely ran out of raw materials, and unfortunately, we had to shut down the factory, sending home 250 workers," Yazeji said. Before the May fighting, he said, Pepsi Gaza was generally allowed to import needed materials. 
 
Asked for comment, COGAT, a branch of Israel's defence ministry, said: "Due to the security situation, the import of industrial raw materials from the State of Israel into the Gaza Strip is not possible." 
 
COGAT said Israel was allowing other imports into Gaza, including fuel, food, medicine and medical equipment. 
 
Israel and neighbouring Egypt keep tight control over Gaza's borders, and say the restrictions are necessary to stop weapons reaching Hamas and prevent them from being produced locally. 
 
Egypt and the United Nations stepped up mediation last week after incendiary balloons launched from Gaza drew retaliatory Israeli air strikes on Hamas sites, challenging the fragile ceasefire. 
 
Shutdowns could also occur in other Gaza factories if Israeli restrictions are kept up, analysts say. Manufacturing makes up around 10 per cent of Gaza's service sector-dominated economy, according to UN&nbsp;data. 
 
Pepsi Gaza's factory has operated continuously since 1961, when the Gaza-based Yazeji Soft Drinks Company acquired rights to produce 7UP and other types of soda in the enclave. 
 
Worth about $15 million, the owners say, the factory's products are distributed locally. A separate branch operates in the occupied West Bank, worth about $30 million, which serves the territory as well as East Jerusalem. 
 
Company officials had made plans to celebrate 60 years of operations before the shutdown on Sunday. 
 
Yazeji had tears in his eyes as he walked through his empty factory on Monday. The shutdown was 'catastrophic', he said. 
 
"This year should have been exceptional, celebrating 60 years since we began production. 
 
"We are deprived of marking this anniversary." 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

Gaza's Pepsi bottling company was forced to halt operations this week due to Israeli import restrictions that were tightened during an 11-day conflict between Israel and Palestinian militants last month, the company's owners say.

Gaza's Pepsi bottling company was forced to halt operations this week due to Israeli import restrictions that were tightened during an 11-day conflict between Israel and Palestinian militants last month, the company's owners say. With a truce between Israel and Gaza's Hamas largely holding, Israel on Monday allowed a limited resumption of exports from the enclave. But it has kept in place tightened measures on raw material imports, including carbon dioxide gas and syrup that the bottling company's factory needs to produce Pepsi, 7UP and Mirinda soda, said Pepsi Gaza's Hamam al-Yazeji. "Yesterday, we completely ran out of raw materials, and unfortunately, we had to shut down the factory, sending home 250 workers," Yazeji said. Before the May fighting, he said, Pepsi Gaza was generally allowed to import needed materials. Asked for comment, COGAT, a branch of Israel's defence ministry, said: "Due to the security situation, the import of industrial raw materials from the State of Israel into the Gaza Strip is not possible." COGAT said Israel was allowing other imports into Gaza, including fuel, food, medicine and medical equipment. Israel and neighbouring Egypt keep tight control over Gaza's borders, and say the restrictions are necessary to stop weapons reaching Hamas and prevent them from being produced locally. Egypt and the United Nations stepped up mediation last week after incendiary balloons launched from Gaza drew retaliatory Israeli air strikes on Hamas sites, challenging the fragile ceasefire. Shutdowns could also occur in other Gaza factories if Israeli restrictions are kept up, analysts say. Manufacturing makes up around 10 per cent of Gaza's service sector-dominated economy, according to UN data. Pepsi Gaza's factory has operated continuously since 1961, when the Gaza-based Yazeji Soft Drinks Company acquired rights to produce 7UP and other types of soda in the enclave. Worth about $15 million, the owners say, the factory's products are distributed locally. A separate branch operates in the occupied West Bank, worth about $30 million, which serves the territory as well as East Jerusalem. Company officials had made plans to celebrate 60 years of operations before the shutdown on Sunday. Yazeji had tears in his eyes as he walked through his empty factory on Monday. The shutdown was 'catastrophic', he said. "This year should have been exceptional, celebrating 60 years since we began production. "We are deprived of marking this anniversary." (With inputs from agencies)

Gaza Pepsi factory shuts down, owners blame Israeli restrictions

Tesla Inc chief Elon Musk is considering holding an Artificial Intelligence Day in about a month, where the Silicon Valley billionaire will showcase the progress in AI software and hardware with an aim to recruit. 
 
"Looking at holding Tesla AI Day in about a month or so. Will go over progress with Tesla AI software &amp; hardware, both training &amp; inference. Purpose is recruiting," Musk tweeted on Monday. 
 
His latest plan to promote Tesla's technology comes amid the hiccups faced in the company's path to achieve full self-driving technology. 
 
Musk had during an earnings call in January said he was 'highly confident the car will be able to drive itself with reliability in excess of human this year'. 
 
But in May, Tesla informed the California Department of Motor Vehicles that it may not achieve full self-driving technology by 2021 end. 
 
The automaker is under review by the California regulator, which is probing if the company violated regulations by falsely promoting its advanced driver-assistance systems as being 'full self-driving'. 
 
Tesla's driver assistant features, which it describes as 'autopilot' or 'full self-driving", are designed to make hands-on driving easier. Those features do not make the vehicle autonomous. 
 
In Tesla's 'Battery Day' event in September last year, Musk said a $25,000 car that drives itself will be possible in three years. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

Tesla Inc chief Elon Musk is considering holding an Artificial Intelligence Day in about a month, where the Silicon Valley billionaire will showcase the progress in AI software and hardware with an aim to recruit.

Tesla Inc chief Elon Musk is considering holding an Artificial Intelligence Day in about a month, where the Silicon Valley billionaire will showcase the progress in AI software and hardware with an aim to recruit. "Looking at holding Tesla AI Day in about a month or so. Will go over progress with Tesla AI software & hardware, both training & inference. Purpose is recruiting," Musk tweeted on Monday. His latest plan to promote Tesla's technology comes amid the hiccups faced in the company's path to achieve full self-driving technology. Musk had during an earnings call in January said he was 'highly confident the car will be able to drive itself with reliability in excess of human this year'. But in May, Tesla informed the California Department of Motor Vehicles that it may not achieve full self-driving technology by 2021 end. The automaker is under review by the California regulator, which is probing if the company violated regulations by falsely promoting its advanced driver-assistance systems as being 'full self-driving'. Tesla's driver assistant features, which it describes as 'autopilot' or 'full self-driving", are designed to make hands-on driving easier. Those features do not make the vehicle autonomous. In Tesla's 'Battery Day' event in September last year, Musk said a $25,000 car that drives itself will be possible in three years. (With inputs from agencies)

Tesla to hold Artificial Intelligence Day in 'about a month' for hiring: Musk

The United States and South Korea have agreed to consider scrapping a working group established to coordinate North Korea policy, Seoul's foreign ministry said on Tuesday, after it became seen as a way for Washington to block inter-Korean projects. 
 
During talks between US&nbsp;special representative for North Korea Sung Kim and his South Korean counterpart Noh Kyu-duk on Monday, the two agreed to 'look into terminating the working group' while reinforcing coordination at other levels, the ministry said in a statement. 
 
On Monday, Kim said he was willing to meet with the North Koreans 'anywhere, anytime without preconditions' and that he looks forward to a 'positive response soon'. He was scheduled to meet with South Korean Unification Minister Lee In-young, who handles relations with the North, on Tuesday. 
 
The working group was set up in 2018 to help the two allies coordinate their approaches to issues, such as denuclearisation talks, humanitarian aid, sanctions enforcement and inter-Korean relations amid a flurry of diplomatic engagement with North Korea at the time. 
 
When asked last year about Seoul's proposals, such as reopening individual tourism to its northern neighbour, US&nbsp;ambassador to South Korea at the time, Harry Harris, said that 'in order to avoid a misunderstanding later that could trigger sanctions... it’s better to run this through the working group'. 
 
Though Harris added that it was not the United States’ place to approve South Korean decisions, the remarks caused controversy in Seoul and a former aide to South Korean President Moon Jae-in later told parliament the working group was increasingly seen as an obstacle to inter-Korean relations. 
 
The Moon administration would see ending the working group as a goodwill gesture from new US&nbsp;President Joe Biden, said Ramon Pacheco Pardo, a Korea expert at King's College London. 
 
"From a South Korean perspective, this was basically a mechanism for the US&nbsp;to block inter-Korean projects during the Trump years," he said. "It would be a clever political move for the Biden administration to end the group, since consultation between Washington and Seoul will take place anyway." 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

The United States and South Korea have agreed to consider scrapping a working group established to coordinate North Korea policy, Seoul's foreign ministry said on Tuesday, after it became seen as a way for Washington to block inter-Korean projects.

The United States and South Korea have agreed to consider scrapping a working group established to coordinate North Korea policy, Seoul's foreign ministry said on Tuesday, after it became seen as a way for Washington to block inter-Korean projects. During talks between US special representative for North Korea Sung Kim and his South Korean counterpart Noh Kyu-duk on Monday, the two agreed to 'look into terminating the working group' while reinforcing coordination at other levels, the ministry said in a statement. On Monday, Kim said he was willing to meet with the North Koreans 'anywhere, anytime without preconditions' and that he looks forward to a 'positive response soon'. He was scheduled to meet with South Korean Unification Minister Lee In-young, who handles relations with the North, on Tuesday. The working group was set up in 2018 to help the two allies coordinate their approaches to issues, such as denuclearisation talks, humanitarian aid, sanctions enforcement and inter-Korean relations amid a flurry of diplomatic engagement with North Korea at the time. When asked last year about Seoul's proposals, such as reopening individual tourism to its northern neighbour, US ambassador to South Korea at the time, Harry Harris, said that 'in order to avoid a misunderstanding later that could trigger sanctions... it’s better to run this through the working group'. Though Harris added that it was not the United States’ place to approve South Korean decisions, the remarks caused controversy in Seoul and a former aide to South Korean President Moon Jae-in later told parliament the working group was increasingly seen as an obstacle to inter-Korean relations. The Moon administration would see ending the working group as a goodwill gesture from new US President Joe Biden, said Ramon Pacheco Pardo, a Korea expert at King's College London. "From a South Korean perspective, this was basically a mechanism for the US to block inter-Korean projects during the Trump years," he said. "It would be a clever political move for the Biden administration to end the group, since consultation between Washington and Seoul will take place anyway." (With inputs from agencies)

US, South Korea consider ending controversial North Korea coordinating group

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