J&K Internet Shutdown: Apex Court rules that freedom of expression & freedom to practice a profession over the internet as 'fundamental', 'constitutional' rights. The government will have to review the internet shut down within 7 days. WION's Palki Sharma explains with the key takeaways. #Gravitas #SupremeCourt #India #WION

Gravitas: Internet shutdown in J&K: Key takeaways from apex court verdict

Supreme Court Judges said curbs on the internet are subject to scrutiny and it should be reviewed. The court was delivering its verdict on numerous Pleas including that of congress leader Gulam Nabi Azad. #SupremeCourtVerdict #KashmirCrisis #WionNews

SC verdict on J&K Plea, orders review on restriction in a week

Curbs on the internet are subject to scrutiny, says SC

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-slams-us-sanctions-on-european-gas-project-269464">Russia carried out tests</a> Monday to ensure the "security" of its internet infrastructure in case of a foreign cyberattack, measures that rights activists worry could also tighten censorship and lead to online isolation.

A controversial law that allows the country to cut internet traffic from international servers came into force in November, but the communications ministry has denied that the government is gearing up to isolate the Russian segment of the internet and said ordinary users would not notice the tests.

The ministry has said that the drills are aimed at ensuring the "integrity" of the internet.

The law, which President Vladimir Putin signed in May, requires Russian internet providers to install equipment provided by the authorities to enable centralised control of traffic.&nbsp;

They will also filter content to prevent access to banned websites.&nbsp;

At his annual news conference last week, Putin defended Russia's internet policies, promising that the country was not "moving towards closing off the internet."

"A free internet and a sovereign internet are two concepts that aren't mutually exclusive," he said.

The internet is the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/je-indra-2019-a-symbol-of-warm-indo-russo-ties-269205">country's main forum</a> for political debate and opposing voices as well as coordinating opposition demonstrations.

The new system is set to go online in 2021.&nbsp;

Internet providers need to ensure before that time that their networks have the technical means for "centralised traffic control" to counter potential threats.

The main providers have already begun installing the required equipment including Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) which would allow Russia's Roskomnadzor internet watchdog to analyse and filter traffic.

Supporters of the legislation say the aim is to ensure Russian sites keep working if they are unable to connect to international servers or in the case of a threat from abroad such as cyberattacks.

But rights activists say it is another censorship bid following previous <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russia-ukraine-outline-terms-for-five-year-gas-transit-deal-to-end-row-269490">efforts in Russia</a> to block services such as the LinkedIn professional networking site and the Telegram messenger service.

While Beijing has created what has become known as the Great Firewall of China to filter content and limit access to foreign websites, activists and analysts are divided if Russia has the resources to implement such a system.

Russia carried out tests Monday to ensure the "security" of its internet infrastructure in case of a foreign cyberattack, measures that rights activists worry could also tighten censorship and lead to online isolation.

Russia carried out tests Monday to ensure the "security" of its internet infrastructure in case of a foreign cyberattack, measures that rights activists worry could also tighten censorship and lead to online isolation. A controversial law that allows the country to cut internet traffic from international servers came into force in November, but the communications ministry has denied that the government is gearing up to isolate the Russian segment of the internet and said ordinary users would not notice the tests. The ministry has said that the drills are aimed at ensuring the "integrity" of the internet. The law, which President Vladimir Putin signed in May, requires Russian internet providers to install equipment provided by the authorities to enable centralised control of traffic. They will also filter content to prevent access to banned websites. At his annual news conference last week, Putin defended Russia's internet policies, promising that the country was not "moving towards closing off the internet." "A free internet and a sovereign internet are two concepts that aren't mutually exclusive," he said. The internet is the country's main forum for political debate and opposing voices as well as coordinating opposition demonstrations. The new system is set to go online in 2021. Internet providers need to ensure before that time that their networks have the technical means for "centralised traffic control" to counter potential threats. The main providers have already begun installing the required equipment including Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) which would allow Russia's Roskomnadzor internet watchdog to analyse and filter traffic. Supporters of the legislation say the aim is to ensure Russian sites keep working if they are unable to connect to international servers or in the case of a threat from abroad such as cyberattacks. But rights activists say it is another censorship bid following previous efforts in Russia to block services such as the LinkedIn professional networking site and the Telegram messenger service. While Beijing has created what has become known as the Great Firewall of China to filter content and limit access to foreign websites, activists and analysts are divided if Russia has the resources to implement such a system.

Russia: 'Sovereign' internet tested amid fears of online isolation

Internet services have been suspended temporarily as a precautionary measure in some districts of West Bengal, sources said.

The internet was suspended in some parts of the districts of Uttar Dinajpur, Malda, Murshidabad, Howrah, North 24 Parganas ( Basirhat and Barasat subdivisions) and South 24 Parganas ( Baruipur and Canning subdivisions).

This came amid protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 in several parts of West Bengal.

The Act seeks to grant Indian citizenship to refugees from Hindu, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist and Parsi communities fleeing religious persecution from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh and who entered India on or before December 31, 2014.&nbsp;

Internet services have been suspended temporarily as a precautionary measure in some districts of West Bengal, sources said. The internet was suspended in some parts of the districts of Uttar Dinajpur, Malda, Murshidabad, Howrah, North 24 Parganas ( Basirhat and Barasat subdivisions) and South 24 Parganas ( Baruipur and Canning subdivisions).

Internet services have been suspended temporarily as a precautionary measure in some districts of West Bengal, sources said. The internet was suspended in some parts of the districts of Uttar Dinajpur, Malda, Murshidabad, Howrah, North 24 Parganas ( Basirhat and Barasat subdivisions) and South 24 Parganas ( Baruipur and Canning subdivisions). This came amid protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 in several parts of West Bengal. The Act seeks to grant Indian citizenship to refugees from Hindu, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist and Parsi communities fleeing religious persecution from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh and who entered India on or before December 31, 2014.

Internet services suspended temporarily in some parts of West Bengal

Cybersecurity. A term almost all have heard about but can’t exactly grasp the holistic meaning of. Cybersecurity refers to the technologies and processes made to protect networks and devices from attack, damage and/or unauthorised access. A simple analogy; no cybersecurity is like having all of your valuables in a house that has no doors or windows. Why is cybersecurity of utmost importance to India? According to a 2019 report, India was ranked among one of the most cyber-attacked countries in the world. Approximately 15 per cent of India’s economy is the digital economy and that percentage is on the rise. The nation is also home to over 100 data clouds and centres. Consequently, India’s cybersecurity policy needs an upgrade and resilience to cyberthreat needs to be implemented at the earliest.&nbsp;

With the average Indian consuming up to 20 gigabits of data annually, exponential increase in smartphone usage and the upcoming introduction of 5G, individual data protection becomes an essential part of every citizen’s fundamental right. Furthermore, Indian firms, especially startups, are incorporating more of machine learning, artificial intelligence, data analytics and cloud computing in their everyday functions. As the recent WhatsApp hack on prominent journalists and the cyber attack on the Kudankulam nuclear plant illustrates, all sectors face persistent and serious threats to India’s security. Incidents can include data leaks, malware, terrorist-driven activity, the spread of extremism, illicit trafficking and radicalisation. Action needs to be taken. This can be done in several ways.&nbsp;

First, a governmental governing body needs to make a comprehensive assessment needs of India’s current cybersecurity across sectors from the individual level to an MNC level. The good news is that India already has existing cybersecurity projects like the National Cyber Coordination Centre and the National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre. Such agencies can be strengthened and should take the lead on conducting and completing this assessment. It is only upon the completion of the assessment, effective policy can be crafted that solves for loopholes and threats currently faced.&nbsp;

Second, India should create a cybersecurity strategy with the vision of cyber-resilience for the public sector, the private sector, the government and the individual. Rather than just outlining strategy, this document should include approaches to managing threats and directions for safeguarding against cyber attacks. It is crucial that this strategy educates on types of cyber threats/attacks and includes action steps to prevent and solve cyberattacks.&nbsp;

Another important thing to look at is global regulation. External affairs minister S Jaishankar regularly speaks on the importance of cybersecurity for India. At a recent conference in Paris, Jaishankar stressed that multilateralism is needed to come to a global understanding and regulation of cyberspace. Think about it. Cyberspace and digital technology today drives growth in every way; economically, socially and politically. Moreover, though cyber and digital function through national boundaries, they are borderless by design. And in India, digital and cyber technology drives large-scale development programs (ie. Digital India). Such programs are key to effective governance, the economy and Indian innovation. Therefore, India needs to lead in the forefront of the international effort to coordinate the prevention from digital terrorism.&nbsp;

India needs to go into active mission mode on cybersecurity. Otherwise, it’s not just the data privacy of the individual citizen or a business firm that will be compromised. Weak resilience against cybersecurity will significantly impede economic, and infrastructural growth. For example, positive schemes that have shown massive success like Aadhar (unique biometric ID), Jan Dhan bank accounts and internet connectivity will be stunted without resilience to cyberthreats. The impact? Stunted national development. The recent attack on our nuclear plant proves that strong resilience is also needed to protect national interests. Cyberwar is well on its way to becoming a real thing in the international arena with many actors throwing their weight. If India does not become proactive now, consider our influence in the global arena gone for good.&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)&nbsp;

Cybersecurity. A term almost all have heard about but can’t exactly grasp the holistic meaning of. Cybersecurity refers to the technologies and processes made to protect networks and devices from attack, damage and/or unauthorised access.

Cybersecurity. A term almost all have heard about but can’t exactly grasp the holistic meaning of. Cybersecurity refers to the technologies and processes made to protect networks and devices from attack, damage and/or unauthorised access. A simple analogy; no cybersecurity is like having all of your valuables in a house that has no doors or windows. Why is cybersecurity of utmost importance to India? According to a 2019 report, India was ranked among one of the most cyber-attacked countries in the world. Approximately 15 per cent of India’s economy is the digital economy and that percentage is on the rise. The nation is also home to over 100 data clouds and centres. Consequently, India’s cybersecurity policy needs an upgrade and resilience to cyberthreat needs to be implemented at the earliest. With the average Indian consuming up to 20 gigabits of data annually, exponential increase in smartphone usage and the upcoming introduction of 5G, individual data protection becomes an essential part of every citizen’s fundamental right. Furthermore, Indian firms, especially startups, are incorporating more of machine learning, artificial intelligence, data analytics and cloud computing in their everyday functions. As the recent WhatsApp hack on prominent journalists and the cyber attack on the Kudankulam nuclear plant illustrates, all sectors face persistent and serious threats to India’s security. Incidents can include data leaks, malware, terrorist-driven activity, the spread of extremism, illicit trafficking and radicalisation. Action needs to be taken. This can be done in several ways. First, a governmental governing body needs to make a comprehensive assessment needs of India’s current cybersecurity across sectors from the individual level to an MNC level. The good news is that India already has existing cybersecurity projects like the National Cyber Coordination Centre and the National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre. Such agencies can be strengthened and should take the lead on conducting and completing this assessment. It is only upon the completion of the assessment, effective policy can be crafted that solves for loopholes and threats currently faced. Second, India should create a cybersecurity strategy with the vision of cyber-resilience for the public sector, the private sector, the government and the individual. Rather than just outlining strategy, this document should include approaches to managing threats and directions for safeguarding against cyber attacks. It is crucial that this strategy educates on types of cyber threats/attacks and includes action steps to prevent and solve cyberattacks. Another important thing to look at is global regulation. External affairs minister S Jaishankar regularly speaks on the importance of cybersecurity for India. At a recent conference in Paris, Jaishankar stressed that multilateralism is needed to come to a global understanding and regulation of cyberspace. Think about it. Cyberspace and digital technology today drives growth in every way; economically, socially and politically. Moreover, though cyber and digital function through national boundaries, they are borderless by design. And in India, digital and cyber technology drives large-scale development programs (ie. Digital India). Such programs are key to effective governance, the economy and Indian innovation. Therefore, India needs to lead in the forefront of the international effort to coordinate the prevention from digital terrorism. India needs to go into active mission mode on cybersecurity. Otherwise, it’s not just the data privacy of the individual citizen or a business firm that will be compromised. Weak resilience against cybersecurity will significantly impede economic, and infrastructural growth. For example, positive schemes that have shown massive success like Aadhar (unique biometric ID), Jan Dhan bank accounts and internet connectivity will be stunted without resilience to cyberthreats. The impact? Stunted national development. The recent attack on our nuclear plant proves that strong resilience is also needed to protect national interests. Cyberwar is well on its way to becoming a real thing in the international arena with many actors throwing their weight. If India does not become proactive now, consider our influence in the global arena gone for good. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Cyberwar is a thing. It's about time India prepare itself

What Does The U.S. Want From Iran? Does U.S. Want A Regime Change In Iran?

Gravitas: What US wants from Iran?

Government Shuts down Internet in Iran. To know more watch the video

WION Dispatch: Meir Javedanfar, Middle east analyst on Government Shuts down Internet in Iran

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-claims-peace-has-been-reinstated-after-three-security-personnel-were-killed-by-rioters-263134">The Iranian government</a> said Tuesday it will unblock the internet only when authorities are sure it will not be abused during violent demonstrations against a petrol price hike.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/revisiting-2013-pakistan-elections-when-the-islamic-republic-witnessed-its-first-democratic-transfer-of-power-137455">The Islamic republic</a> has been largely offline since the internet restrictions were imposed the day after the nationwide demonstrations broke out on Friday.

"Many professions and banks... have faced problems, and we have been trying to solve this," government spokesman Ali Rabiei said, quoted by semi-official news agency ISNA.

"The internet will come back gradually in some provinces where there are assurances the internet will not be abused," he said.

"We understand that people have faced difficulties... but the bigger concern under the current circumstances is maintaining the country's peace and stability."

Demonstrations broke out in Iran on Friday after it was announced the price of petrol would be raised by as much as 200 per cent in the sanctions-hit country.

At least five deaths have been confirmed in the violence that has seen masked young men set alight petrol stations, banks and other public property.

The full extent of the protests remains unclear, however, largely as a result of the internet restrictions.

The outage has stemmed the flow of videos shared on social media of demonstrations or associated acts of violence.

Netblocks, a website that monitors global net shutdowns, said internet connectivity in Iran was at four per cent on Tuesday compared with normal levels.

"Sixty-five hours after #Iran implemented a near-total internet shutdown, some of the last remaining networks are now being cut," it said on Twitter.

Iran's economy has been battered since May last year when<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/democrats-respond-sceptically-to-trumps-willingness-to-testify-during-impeachment-hearings-263050"> President Donald Trump</a> unilaterally withdrew the US from a 2015 nuclear agreement and reimposed crippling sanctions.

The Iranian government said Tuesday it will unblock the internet only when authorities are sure it will not be abused during violent demonstrations against a petrol price hike.

The Iranian government said Tuesday it will unblock the internet only when authorities are sure it will not be abused during violent demonstrations against a petrol price hike. The Islamic republic has been largely offline since the internet restrictions were imposed the day after the nationwide demonstrations broke out on Friday. "Many professions and banks... have faced problems, and we have been trying to solve this," government spokesman Ali Rabiei said, quoted by semi-official news agency ISNA. "The internet will come back gradually in some provinces where there are assurances the internet will not be abused," he said. "We understand that people have faced difficulties... but the bigger concern under the current circumstances is maintaining the country's peace and stability." Demonstrations broke out in Iran on Friday after it was announced the price of petrol would be raised by as much as 200 per cent in the sanctions-hit country. At least five deaths have been confirmed in the violence that has seen masked young men set alight petrol stations, banks and other public property. The full extent of the protests remains unclear, however, largely as a result of the internet restrictions. The outage has stemmed the flow of videos shared on social media of demonstrations or associated acts of violence. Netblocks, a website that monitors global net shutdowns, said internet connectivity in Iran was at four per cent on Tuesday compared with normal levels. "Sixty-five hours after #Iran implemented a near-total internet shutdown, some of the last remaining networks are now being cut," it said on Twitter. Iran's economy has been battered since May last year when President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew the US from a 2015 nuclear agreement and reimposed crippling sanctions.

Iran to unblock internet once 'abuse' stops: Government

Thailand unveiled an "anti-fake news" centre on Friday, the Southeast Asian country's latest effort to exert government control over a sweeping range of online content.

The move came as Thailand is counting on the digital economy to drive growth amid domestic political tensions, following a March election that installed its junta leader since 2014 as a civilian prime minister.

Thailand has recently pressed more cybercrime charges for what it says is misinformation affecting national security. Such content is mostly opinion critical of the government, the military or the royal family.

Minister of Digital Economy and Society Puttipong Punnakanta broadly defined "fake news" as any viral online content that misleads people or damages the country's image. He made no distinction between non-malicious false information and deliberate disinformation.

"The centre is not intended to be a tool to support the government or any individual," Puttipong said on Friday before giving reporters a tour.

The centre is set up like a war room, with monitors in the middle of the room showing charts tracking the latest "fake news" and trending Twitter&nbsp;hashtags.

It is staffed by around 30 officers at a time, who will review online content, gathered through "social listening" tools,&nbsp;on a sweeping range of topics from natural disasters, the economy, health products and illicit goods.

The officers will also target news about government policies and content that broadly affects "peace and order, good morals, and national security," according to Puttipong.

If they suspect something is false, they will flag it to relevant authorities to issue corrections through the centre's social media platforms and website and through the press.

Rights groups and media freedom advocates were concerned the government could use the centre as a tool for censorship and propaganda.

"In the Thai context, the term 'fake news' is being weaponised to censor dissidents and restrict our online freedom," said Emilie Pradichit, director of the Thailand-based Manushya Foundation, which advocates for online rights.

Pradichit said the move could be used to codify censorship, adding the centre would allow the government to be the "sole arbiter of truth".

Transparency reports from internet companies such as Facebook&nbsp;and Google&nbsp;show Thai government requests to take down content or turn over information have ramped up since the military seized power in 2014.

A law prohibiting criticism of the monarchy has often been the basis for such requests for Facebook. In Google's cases, government criticism was the main reason cited for removal of content.

Thailand unveiled an "anti-fake news" centre on Friday, the Southeast Asian country's latest effort to exert government control over a sweeping range of online content.

Thailand unveiled an "anti-fake news" centre on Friday, the Southeast Asian country's latest effort to exert government control over a sweeping range of online content. The move came as Thailand is counting on the digital economy to drive growth amid domestic political tensions, following a March election that installed its junta leader since 2014 as a civilian prime minister. Thailand has recently pressed more cybercrime charges for what it says is misinformation affecting national security. Such content is mostly opinion critical of the government, the military or the royal family. Minister of Digital Economy and Society Puttipong Punnakanta broadly defined "fake news" as any viral online content that misleads people or damages the country's image. He made no distinction between non-malicious false information and deliberate disinformation. "The centre is not intended to be a tool to support the government or any individual," Puttipong said on Friday before giving reporters a tour. The centre is set up like a war room, with monitors in the middle of the room showing charts tracking the latest "fake news" and trending Twitter hashtags. It is staffed by around 30 officers at a time, who will review online content, gathered through "social listening" tools, on a sweeping range of topics from natural disasters, the economy, health products and illicit goods. The officers will also target news about government policies and content that broadly affects "peace and order, good morals, and national security," according to Puttipong. If they suspect something is false, they will flag it to relevant authorities to issue corrections through the centre's social media platforms and website and through the press. Rights groups and media freedom advocates were concerned the government could use the centre as a tool for censorship and propaganda. "In the Thai context, the term 'fake news' is being weaponised to censor dissidents and restrict our online freedom," said Emilie Pradichit, director of the Thailand-based Manushya Foundation, which advocates for online rights. Pradichit said the move could be used to codify censorship, adding the centre would allow the government to be the "sole arbiter of truth". Transparency reports from internet companies such as Facebook and Google show Thai government requests to take down content or turn over information have ramped up since the military seized power in 2014. A law prohibiting criticism of the monarchy has often been the basis for such requests for Facebook. In Google's cases, government criticism was the main reason cited for removal of content.

Thailand unveils 'anti-fake news' centre to police the internet

A controversial law that would allow Russia to cut internet traffic from international servers came into force Friday, prompting fears from rights activists of online isolation.

The law, which President Vladimir Putin signed in May, requires Russian internet providers to install technical devices provided by the authorities to enable centralised control of traffic.&nbsp;

They will also filter content to prevent access to banned websites.&nbsp;

Supporters of the legislation say the aim is to ensure Russian sites keep working if they are unable to connect to international servers or in the case of a threat from abroad such as cyber-attacks.

But rights activists say it is another censorship bid following previous efforts in Russia to block services such as the LinkedIn social media site and the Telegram messenger service.

Human Rights Watch warned that the law means the "Russian&nbsp;government will gain even greater control over freedom of speech and information online".

'Directly censor content'

The internet is the country's main forum for political debate and opposing voices as well as coordinating opposition demonstrations.

"Now the government can directly censor content or even turn Russia's internet into a closed system without telling the public what they are doing or why," said HRW's deputy Europe and Central Asian editor Rachel Denber.

The bill prompted thousands of people to join street protests in Moscow and other cities in March, with some comparing it to China's Great Firewall, which heavily restricts internet access.

The Kremlin has insisted it has no desire to isolate Russian internet users.

"No one is suggesting cutting the internet," spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said, accusing protesters of suffering from "delusions."

The bill's authors say the aim is to protect the country's websites from external threats and ensure the functioning of the internet is "safe and stable."

In the event of "threats to the stability, security and integrity" of the internet in Russia, the authorities can establish centralised control by the state telecommunications watchdog.

Internet providers have to take part in annual drills to test the technical devices needed for this.

These devices have not yet been installed by internet providers, however, and are currently being tested, the RBK business daily reported.

One of the law's authors, nationalist lawmaker Andrei Lugovoi, is a key suspect in the 2006 murder of Kremlin critic Alexander Litvinenko in Britain.&nbsp;

A controversial law that would allow Russia to cut internet traffic from international servers came into force Friday, prompting fears from rights activists of online isolation.

A controversial law that would allow Russia to cut internet traffic from international servers came into force Friday, prompting fears from rights activists of online isolation. The law, which President Vladimir Putin signed in May, requires Russian internet providers to install technical devices provided by the authorities to enable centralised control of traffic. They will also filter content to prevent access to banned websites. Supporters of the legislation say the aim is to ensure Russian sites keep working if they are unable to connect to international servers or in the case of a threat from abroad such as cyber-attacks. But rights activists say it is another censorship bid following previous efforts in Russia to block services such as the LinkedIn social media site and the Telegram messenger service. Human Rights Watch warned that the law means the "Russian government will gain even greater control over freedom of speech and information online". 'Directly censor content' The internet is the country's main forum for political debate and opposing voices as well as coordinating opposition demonstrations. "Now the government can directly censor content or even turn Russia's internet into a closed system without telling the public what they are doing or why," said HRW's deputy Europe and Central Asian editor Rachel Denber. The bill prompted thousands of people to join street protests in Moscow and other cities in March, with some comparing it to China's Great Firewall, which heavily restricts internet access. The Kremlin has insisted it has no desire to isolate Russian internet users. "No one is suggesting cutting the internet," spokesman Dmitry Peskov has said, accusing protesters of suffering from "delusions." The bill's authors say the aim is to protect the country's websites from external threats and ensure the functioning of the internet is "safe and stable." In the event of "threats to the stability, security and integrity" of the internet in Russia, the authorities can establish centralised control by the state telecommunications watchdog. Internet providers have to take part in annual drills to test the technical devices needed for this. These devices have not yet been installed by internet providers, however, and are currently being tested, the RBK business daily reported. One of the law's authors, nationalist lawmaker Andrei Lugovoi, is a key suspect in the 2006 murder of Kremlin critic Alexander Litvinenko in Britain.

Controversial Russian law to control internet now enforced

China&nbsp;officially started the commercialisation of&nbsp;5G&nbsp;services on Thursday, with the country's three major telecom operators rolling out their&nbsp;5G&nbsp;data plans, according to information released at PT Expo&nbsp;China&nbsp;2019.

Consumers can pay to access the superfast speed of&nbsp;5G&nbsp;starting from Friday.

The three telecom operators,&nbsp;China&nbsp;Mobile,&nbsp;China&nbsp;Unicom and&nbsp;China&nbsp;Telecom, have already pushed&nbsp;5G&nbsp;preregistration with plentiful discounts and free&nbsp;5G&nbsp;data allowance and managed to attract interest from more than 10 million subscribers after they were granted commercial-use licenses for the superfast wireless technology in early June.

Asia's leading information and communications technology (ICT) event, PT Expo&nbsp;China&nbsp;2019, scheduled from Thursday to Sunday, is expected to highlight&nbsp;5G&nbsp;applications in various industries.

China officially started the commercialisation of 5G services on Thursday, with the country's three major telecom operators rolling out their 5G data plans, according to information released at PT Expo China 2019.

China officially started the commercialisation of 5G services on Thursday, with the country's three major telecom operators rolling out their 5G data plans, according to information released at PT Expo China 2019. Consumers can pay to access the superfast speed of 5G starting from Friday. The three telecom operators, China Mobile, China Unicom and China Telecom, have already pushed 5G preregistration with plentiful discounts and free 5G data allowance and managed to attract interest from more than 10 million subscribers after they were granted commercial-use licenses for the superfast wireless technology in early June. Asia's leading information and communications technology (ICT) event, PT Expo China 2019, scheduled from Thursday to Sunday, is expected to highlight 5G applications in various industries.

China's three major telecom operators kick off 5G commercialisation

No technology is foolproof. Some promise better privacy than others. Signal, Telegram, WhatsApp - &nbsp;they're secure till they're not.

And when they stop being secure, when there's a breach of privacy - who should take the blame?

Is it the Messaging Apps? Is it the companies that sell spyware like NSO? Or the governments of the world which are utterly incompetent and thoroughly uninformed on issues such as these?

Or is it 'we the people' who have failed to understand the seriousness of privacy issues. This a classic whodunit question, but I am afraid that the answers are not straight forward.

On WION Edit, we will try to understand this rather complex issue. Now, commercial spyware abuse is a global problem and there will never be a complete solution.

This is because Spywares can be placed using multiple vectors.&nbsp;It can be a missed call, a video call. And you don't even have to pick the call to be hacked!

So we're all vulnerable. So who will stop this? Many governments across the world are inept to deal with this. But here's the bigger worry - many governments could be active participants in this surveillance game.

Companies like NSO have been exposed. There could be others doing the same. Who do they serve?

These hackers are employed by governments across the world. Let's talk about India, cybersecurity is a serious issue.

We have the laws. Section 43 of the Information Technology Act says that hackers are liable for 3 years in jail and a fine of upto Rs 5 lakh rupees.

Great law, at least on paper. Last we checked, the government is struggling with encryption. The Supreme Court asked them to explain why they needed the help of companies like Facebook to break the codes. This is because the government is asking for the support of platforms to decrypt messages, or to access messages.

The problem is, these platforms themselves have no solutions to privacy threats. It's quite a mess. Regulation on the internet is a tricky issue. It's always privacy vs security.

But it's safe to say that India's position on both is 'primitive' and 'unevolved' which brings us to you and me - the users.

There are too many pitfalls on your smartphone. All the apps on your phone communicate with each other and share data. So even if one of them is compromised, the others are breached.&nbsp;

What about search engines? Google and Chrome have alternatives like &nbsp;- DuckDuckGo or Tor? What you do on the internet leaves a trail, in ways you may not have imagined.

This is the information era, you leave a digital footprint. As with every revolution - the tech revolution - will truly benefit us when we take an active part - both in usage and vigilance.

Look at it, the most popular apps are the most vulnerable and yet we use them because they have the first-mover advantage or more features or speed.

At some point, we have to understand that privacy is a bigger issue than all these attractive 'baits'. So, it is time to think about the open source where one company or app doesn't set the rules.&nbsp; 
 
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL) &nbsp; 
 
&nbsp;

No technology is foolproof. Some promise better privacy than others. Signal, Telegram, WhatsApp - they're secure till they're not. And when they stop being secure, when there's a breach of privacy - who should take the blame?

No technology is foolproof. Some promise better privacy than others. Signal, Telegram, WhatsApp - they're secure till they're not. And when they stop being secure, when there's a breach of privacy - who should take the blame? Is it the Messaging Apps? Is it the companies that sell spyware like NSO? Or the governments of the world which are utterly incompetent and thoroughly uninformed on issues such as these? Or is it 'we the people' who have failed to understand the seriousness of privacy issues. This a classic whodunit question, but I am afraid that the answers are not straight forward. On WION Edit, we will try to understand this rather complex issue. Now, commercial spyware abuse is a global problem and there will never be a complete solution. This is because Spywares can be placed using multiple vectors. It can be a missed call, a video call. And you don't even have to pick the call to be hacked! So we're all vulnerable. So who will stop this? Many governments across the world are inept to deal with this. But here's the bigger worry - many governments could be active participants in this surveillance game. Companies like NSO have been exposed. There could be others doing the same. Who do they serve? These hackers are employed by governments across the world. Let's talk about India, cybersecurity is a serious issue. We have the laws. Section 43 of the Information Technology Act says that hackers are liable for 3 years in jail and a fine of upto Rs 5 lakh rupees. Great law, at least on paper. Last we checked, the government is struggling with encryption. The Supreme Court asked them to explain why they needed the help of companies like Facebook to break the codes. This is because the government is asking for the support of platforms to decrypt messages, or to access messages. The problem is, these platforms themselves have no solutions to privacy threats. It's quite a mess. Regulation on the internet is a tricky issue. It's always privacy vs security. But it's safe to say that India's position on both is 'primitive' and 'unevolved' which brings us to you and me - the users. There are too many pitfalls on your smartphone. All the apps on your phone communicate with each other and share data. So even if one of them is compromised, the others are breached. What about search engines? Google and Chrome have alternatives like - DuckDuckGo or Tor? What you do on the internet leaves a trail, in ways you may not have imagined. This is the information era, you leave a digital footprint. As with every revolution - the tech revolution - will truly benefit us when we take an active part - both in usage and vigilance. Look at it, the most popular apps are the most vulnerable and yet we use them because they have the first-mover advantage or more features or speed. At some point, we have to understand that privacy is a bigger issue than all these attractive 'baits'. So, it is time to think about the open source where one company or app doesn't set the rules. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

WION Edit: Data theft and hacking - what are the solutions

China's "Great Firewall" system of online censorship blocks domestic access to nearly a quarter of the foreign news organisations accredited to report in the country, a press watchdog said Tuesday.

Beijing bars its citizens from accessing the publicly available websites of 23 per cent of 215 international news organisations that have journalists based in China, the Foreign Correspondents' Club of China (FCCC) said in a statement.

Thirty-one per cent of news organisations that publish primarily in English, the most widely spoken foreign language in China, are blocked, the FCCC said in a statement.

The numbers were determined via an analysis by the press club and GreatFire.org, which tracks Chinese online censorship.

The statement was released on the final day of the China-organised sixth annual World Internet Conference in the eastern city of Wuzhen, which the ruling Communist Party uses to further its argument that governments should be able to police their own online turf.

"China's internet controls have been used to block a growing list of global news sources," the FCCC said.

"Those digital blocks run counter to the ethos of internet openness, and prevent Chinese access to valuable sources of independent reporting on international matters, as well as China's own domestic affairs."

The blocked sites include the BBC, Bloomberg, The Guardian, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Yomiuri Shimbun and many others, it said.

The FCCC said according to the government 536 foreign journalists have accreditation to report in China.

The so-called "Great Firewall" is considered the world's biggest and most sophisticated censorship apparatus.

It blocks a slew of foreign sites including Facebook and Twitter, and Google shut down its search engine in China in 2010, refusing Beijing's requirement to censor search results.

China's "Great Firewall" system of online censorship blocks domestic access to nearly a quarter of the foreign news organisations accredited to report in the country, a press watchdog said Tuesday.

China's "Great Firewall" system of online censorship blocks domestic access to nearly a quarter of the foreign news organisations accredited to report in the country, a press watchdog said Tuesday. Beijing bars its citizens from accessing the publicly available websites of 23 per cent of 215 international news organisations that have journalists based in China, the Foreign Correspondents' Club of China (FCCC) said in a statement. Thirty-one per cent of news organisations that publish primarily in English, the most widely spoken foreign language in China, are blocked, the FCCC said in a statement. The numbers were determined via an analysis by the press club and GreatFire.org, which tracks Chinese online censorship. The statement was released on the final day of the China-organised sixth annual World Internet Conference in the eastern city of Wuzhen, which the ruling Communist Party uses to further its argument that governments should be able to police their own online turf. "China's internet controls have been used to block a growing list of global news sources," the FCCC said. "Those digital blocks run counter to the ethos of internet openness, and prevent Chinese access to valuable sources of independent reporting on international matters, as well as China's own domestic affairs." The blocked sites include the BBC, Bloomberg, The Guardian, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Yomiuri Shimbun and many others, it said. The FCCC said according to the government 536 foreign journalists have accreditation to report in China. The so-called "Great Firewall" is considered the world's biggest and most sophisticated censorship apparatus. It blocks a slew of foreign sites including Facebook and Twitter, and Google shut down its search engine in China in 2010, refusing Beijing's requirement to censor search results.

China blocks almost a quarter of accredited foreign news sites: Watchdog

Facebook Inc&nbsp;Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg on Thursday <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/european-governments-move-to-veto-facebooks-digital-money-256813">defended the social media company's light regulation of speech</a> and lack of fact-checking on political advertising while citing China's censorship as a roadblock to operating in the country.

Facebook has been under fire in recent years for its lax approach to fake news reports, state-backed disinformation campaigns and violent content spread on its services, prompting calls for new regulations around the world.

In a speech at Georgetown University filled with references to the First Amendment and the fight for democracy, Zuckerberg stood his ground, saying social media had introduced transformative avenues for speech that should not be shut down.

"People having the power to express themselves at scale is a new kind of force in the world. It is a Fifth Estate alongside the other power structures of society," he said.

Zuckerberg framed the company's decisions around that concept, including its recent retreat from years of the aggressive courtship of China, an obstacle to his vision of connecting the world's population.

He attacked the rapidly growing Chinese-owned app TikTok, saying the short video platform censored political protest, including in the United States, a charge the company denies.

In leaked audio of an address to Facebook employees weeks earlier, Zuckerberg spoke about TikTok as a formidable competitor, calling it the first consumer internet product built by a Chinese tech giant to find global success, but did not mention its approach to speech.

Over the course of Facebook's charm offensive, Zuckerberg met with Chinese President Xi Jinping, learned Mandarin and posted a photo of himself running through Tiananmen Square.

Facebook briefly won a license to open an "innovation hub" in Hangzhou last year, but it was later revoked.

Zuckerberg effectively closed the door to China in March, when he announced his plan to pivot Facebook towards more private forms of communication and pledged not to build data centres in countries with "a track record of violating human rights like privacy or freedom of expression."

He repeated his concern about data centres on Thursday, this time specifically naming China.

"I wanted our services in China because I believe in connecting the whole world and I thought we might help create a more open society," Zuckerberg said. "I worked hard to make this happen. But we could never come to an agreement on what it would take for us to operate there, and they never let us in."

He received a question from the audience about what conditions or assurances he would need to enter the Chinese market, but did not address them in his response. 
 
''Feigned concern for free expression''

Zuckerberg also <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/mark-zuckerberg-defends-facebooks-hands-off-policy-for-politicians-256608">defended the company's political advertising policies</a> on similar grounds, saying Facebook had at one time considered banning all political ads but decided against it, erring on the side of greater expression.

That assertion was immediately panned by critics, among them candidates seeking the Democratic presidential nomination who have asserted the company should do more to address disinformation and abuse ahead of the November 2020 election.

Former Vice President Joe Biden's campaign quickly accused Zuckerberg of using "the Constitution as a shield" for Facebook's bottom line.

"His choice to cloak Facebook's policy in a feigned concern for free expression demonstrates how unprepared his company is for this unique moment in our history and how little it has learned over the past few years," said spokesman Bill Russo.

US&nbsp;Senator Elizabeth Warren, another leading contender for the Democratic nomination, has been especially vocal about her critiques of Facebook, bashing its advertising policy and calling for the company to be broken up on antitrust grounds.

She recently challenged Facebook's policy that exempts politicians' ads from fact-checking, running ads on the social media platform containing the false claim that Zuckerberg endorsed Trump's re-election bid.

But the focus on free speech is likely to win Zuckerberg some friends on the right, whom he has been courting aggressively in a recent visit to Washington and dinners at his home in California.

Republican lawmakers routinely accuse the company of showing "anti-conservative bias" in its content moderation, without offering evidence. The company denies any favouritism.

Facebook has been under scrutiny after finding Russian propaganda on its platform which many believe affected the outcome of the 2016 US&nbsp;presidential election, won by Donald Trump.

Trump has disputed claims that Russia has attempted to interfere in US&nbsp;elections. Russian President Vladimir Putin has denied it.

Facebook Inc Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg on Thursday defended the social media company's light regulation of speech and lack of fact-checking on political advertising while citing China's censorship as a roadblock to operating in the country.

Facebook Inc Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg on Thursday defended the social media company's light regulation of speech and lack of fact-checking on political advertising while citing China's censorship as a roadblock to operating in the country. Facebook has been under fire in recent years for its lax approach to fake news reports, state-backed disinformation campaigns and violent content spread on its services, prompting calls for new regulations around the world. In a speech at Georgetown University filled with references to the First Amendment and the fight for democracy, Zuckerberg stood his ground, saying social media had introduced transformative avenues for speech that should not be shut down. "People having the power to express themselves at scale is a new kind of force in the world. It is a Fifth Estate alongside the other power structures of society," he said. Zuckerberg framed the company's decisions around that concept, including its recent retreat from years of the aggressive courtship of China, an obstacle to his vision of connecting the world's population. He attacked the rapidly growing Chinese-owned app TikTok, saying the short video platform censored political protest, including in the United States, a charge the company denies. In leaked audio of an address to Facebook employees weeks earlier, Zuckerberg spoke about TikTok as a formidable competitor, calling it the first consumer internet product built by a Chinese tech giant to find global success, but did not mention its approach to speech. Over the course of Facebook's charm offensive, Zuckerberg met with Chinese President Xi Jinping, learned Mandarin and posted a photo of himself running through Tiananmen Square. Facebook briefly won a license to open an "innovation hub" in Hangzhou last year, but it was later revoked. Zuckerberg effectively closed the door to China in March, when he announced his plan to pivot Facebook towards more private forms of communication and pledged not to build data centres in countries with "a track record of violating human rights like privacy or freedom of expression." He repeated his concern about data centres on Thursday, this time specifically naming China. "I wanted our services in China because I believe in connecting the whole world and I thought we might help create a more open society," Zuckerberg said. "I worked hard to make this happen. But we could never come to an agreement on what it would take for us to operate there, and they never let us in." He received a question from the audience about what conditions or assurances he would need to enter the Chinese market, but did not address them in his response. ''Feigned concern for free expression'' Zuckerberg also defended the company's political advertising policies on similar grounds, saying Facebook had at one time considered banning all political ads but decided against it, erring on the side of greater expression. That assertion was immediately panned by critics, among them candidates seeking the Democratic presidential nomination who have asserted the company should do more to address disinformation and abuse ahead of the November 2020 election. Former Vice President Joe Biden's campaign quickly accused Zuckerberg of using "the Constitution as a shield" for Facebook's bottom line. "His choice to cloak Facebook's policy in a feigned concern for free expression demonstrates how unprepared his company is for this unique moment in our history and how little it has learned over the past few years," said spokesman Bill Russo. US Senator Elizabeth Warren, another leading contender for the Democratic nomination, has been especially vocal about her critiques of Facebook, bashing its advertising policy and calling for the company to be broken up on antitrust grounds. She recently challenged Facebook's policy that exempts politicians' ads from fact-checking, running ads on the social media platform containing the false claim that Zuckerberg endorsed Trump's re-election bid. But the focus on free speech is likely to win Zuckerberg some friends on the right, whom he has been courting aggressively in a recent visit to Washington and dinners at his home in California. Republican lawmakers routinely accuse the company of showing "anti-conservative bias" in its content moderation, without offering evidence. The company denies any favouritism. Facebook has been under scrutiny after finding Russian propaganda on its platform which many believe affected the outcome of the 2016 US presidential election, won by Donald Trump. Trump has disputed claims that Russia has attempted to interfere in US elections. Russian President Vladimir Putin has denied it.

Zuckerberg defends Facebook's approach to free speech, draws line on China

Blacklisted Chinese telecoms equipment giant Huawei is in early-stage talks with some United States&nbsp;telecoms companies about licensing its 5G network technology to them, a Huawei executive told Reuters on Friday.

Vincent Pang, senior vice president and board director at the company said some firms had expressed interest in both a long-term deal or a one-off transfer, declining to name or quantify the companies.

"There are some companies talking to us, but it would take a long journey to really finalise everything," Pang explained on a visit to Washington this week. "They have shown interest," he added, saying conversations are only a couple of weeks old and not at a detailed level yet.

The US government, fearing Huawei equipment could be used to spy on customers, has led a campaign to convince allies to bar it from their 5G networks. Huawei has repeatedly denied the claim.

Currently, there are no US&nbsp;5G providers and European rivals Ericsson&nbsp;and Nokia&nbsp;are generally more expensive.

In May, Huawei, the world's largest telecoms equipment provider, was placed on a US blacklist over national security concerns, banning it from buying American-made parts without a special license.

Washington also has brought criminal charges against the company, alleging bank fraud, violations of US&nbsp;sanctions against Iran, and theft of trade secrets, which Huawei denies.

Rules that were due out from the Commerce Department earlier this month are expected to effectively ban the company from the US&nbsp;telecoms supply chain.

The idea of a one-off fee in exchange for access to Huawei's 5G patents, licenses, code and know-how was first floated by CEO and founder Ren Zhengfei in interviews with the New York Times and the Economist last month. But it was not previously clear whether there was any interest from US&nbsp;companies.

In an interview with Reuters last month, a State Department official expressed scepticism of Ren's offer.

"It's just not realistic that carriers would take on this equipment and then manage all of the software and hardware themselves," the person said. "If there are software bugs that are built into the initial software, there would be no way to necessarily tell that those are there and they could be activated at any point, even if the software code is turned over to the mobile operators," the official added.

For his part, Pang declined to predict whether any deal might be signed. However, he warned that the research and development investment required by continuously improving the platform after a single-transfer from Huawei would be very costly for the companies.

Huawei has spent billions to develop its 5G technology since 2009.

Blacklisted Chinese telecoms equipment giant Huawei is in early-stage talks with some United States telecoms companies about licensing its 5G network technology to them, a Huawei executive told Reuters on Friday.

Blacklisted Chinese telecoms equipment giant Huawei is in early-stage talks with some United States telecoms companies about licensing its 5G network technology to them, a Huawei executive told Reuters on Friday. Vincent Pang, senior vice president and board director at the company said some firms had expressed interest in both a long-term deal or a one-off transfer, declining to name or quantify the companies. "There are some companies talking to us, but it would take a long journey to really finalise everything," Pang explained on a visit to Washington this week. "They have shown interest," he added, saying conversations are only a couple of weeks old and not at a detailed level yet. The US government, fearing Huawei equipment could be used to spy on customers, has led a campaign to convince allies to bar it from their 5G networks. Huawei has repeatedly denied the claim. Currently, there are no US 5G providers and European rivals Ericsson and Nokia are generally more expensive. In May, Huawei, the world's largest telecoms equipment provider, was placed on a US blacklist over national security concerns, banning it from buying American-made parts without a special license. Washington also has brought criminal charges against the company, alleging bank fraud, violations of US sanctions against Iran, and theft of trade secrets, which Huawei denies. Rules that were due out from the Commerce Department earlier this month are expected to effectively ban the company from the US telecoms supply chain. The idea of a one-off fee in exchange for access to Huawei's 5G patents, licenses, code and know-how was first floated by CEO and founder Ren Zhengfei in interviews with the New York Times and the Economist last month. But it was not previously clear whether there was any interest from US companies. In an interview with Reuters last month, a State Department official expressed scepticism of Ren's offer. "It's just not realistic that carriers would take on this equipment and then manage all of the software and hardware themselves," the person said. "If there are software bugs that are built into the initial software, there would be no way to necessarily tell that those are there and they could be activated at any point, even if the software code is turned over to the mobile operators," the official added. For his part, Pang declined to predict whether any deal might be signed. However, he warned that the research and development investment required by continuously improving the platform after a single-transfer from Huawei would be very costly for the companies. Huawei has spent billions to develop its 5G technology since 2009.

Huawei in early talks with United States firms to licence 5G platform

Bangladesh mobile operators have on government orders stopped selling new SIM cards to Rohingya refugees, officials said Monday, in a further sign of Dhaka's impatience following the latest failed repatriation move.

Bangladesh has been hosting around a million Rohingya refugees in vast camps in the south-east since a military crackdown in neighbouring Myanmar prompted a huge exodus in August 2017.

In late August a repatriation initiative fell flat with the long-oppressed minority refugees refusing to return to Myanmar without guarantees for their safety and citizenship.

Adding to frustration in Dhaka, this was followed by a protest by some 200,000 Rohingya to mark two years since their arrival.

There has also been a spike in violence and a rise in tensions with locals, and authorities fear the internet and telephone access could contribute to further unrest.

Bangladeshi security forces have shot dead at least 34 Rohingya over the past two years, mostly for alleged methamphetamines trafficking. Rights groups accuse police of carrying out extrajudicial killings.

'Seven days'

Bangladesh's telecommunications regulator on September 3 ordered phone companies to cut off mobile access in the three dozen refugee camps, citing security grounds.

The four mobile phone operators were given seven days to submit reports on actions they have taken to shut down data connectivity and were ordered to stop selling SIM (subscriber identity module) cards in the camp areas.

"Already, SIM card sale has been stopped in the camp areas," S.M. Farhad, secretary-general of the Association of Mobile Telecom Operators of Bangladesh (AMTOB), which represents all mobile phone operators, told AFP on Monday.

He said high speed third- and fourth-generation (3G and 4G) mobile internet connections in the region have also been suspended between 5:00 pm and 6:00 am every day.

The operators also restricted coverage to within Bangladesh following allegations that Rohingya over the border in Myanmar were using the networks, he said.

Mohammad Abul Monsur, police chief at Ukhia town where the world's largest refugee camp, Kutupalong, is located, confirmed the development, saying mobile phone retailers have been told not to sell any new SIM cards in the region.

"No new SIM cards are being sold in Ukhia," he told AFP, adding police have monitored the town the last two days.

Bangladesh has in the past tried to restrict mobile access but it was not enforced seriously, spawning booming markets of mobile phones and SIM cards in the camps.

The latest ban has stunned the refugees, with leaders saying it would hugely affect their life and security, disrupting communications between different camps and with Rohingya still in Myanmar.

Rights group Human Rights Watch on Saturday urged the government to end the communications clampdown, saying it "made matters worse."

"The authorities should take a level-headed approach instead of overreacting to tensions and protests by isolating Rohingya refugees in camps," HRW said.

Bangladesh mobile operators have on government orders stopped selling new SIM cards to Rohingya refugees, officials said Monday, in a further sign of Dhaka's impatience following the latest failed repatriation move.

Bangladesh mobile operators have on government orders stopped selling new SIM cards to Rohingya refugees, officials said Monday, in a further sign of Dhaka's impatience following the latest failed repatriation move. Bangladesh has been hosting around a million Rohingya refugees in vast camps in the south-east since a military crackdown in neighbouring Myanmar prompted a huge exodus in August 2017. In late August a repatriation initiative fell flat with the long-oppressed minority refugees refusing to return to Myanmar without guarantees for their safety and citizenship. Adding to frustration in Dhaka, this was followed by a protest by some 200,000 Rohingya to mark two years since their arrival. There has also been a spike in violence and a rise in tensions with locals, and authorities fear the internet and telephone access could contribute to further unrest. Bangladeshi security forces have shot dead at least 34 Rohingya over the past two years, mostly for alleged methamphetamines trafficking. Rights groups accuse police of carrying out extrajudicial killings. 'Seven days' Bangladesh's telecommunications regulator on September 3 ordered phone companies to cut off mobile access in the three dozen refugee camps, citing security grounds. The four mobile phone operators were given seven days to submit reports on actions they have taken to shut down data connectivity and were ordered to stop selling SIM (subscriber identity module) cards in the camp areas. "Already, SIM card sale has been stopped in the camp areas," S.M. Farhad, secretary-general of the Association of Mobile Telecom Operators of Bangladesh (AMTOB), which represents all mobile phone operators, told AFP on Monday. He said high speed third- and fourth-generation (3G and 4G) mobile internet connections in the region have also been suspended between 5:00 pm and 6:00 am every day. The operators also restricted coverage to within Bangladesh following allegations that Rohingya over the border in Myanmar were using the networks, he said. Mohammad Abul Monsur, police chief at Ukhia town where the world's largest refugee camp, Kutupalong, is located, confirmed the development, saying mobile phone retailers have been told not to sell any new SIM cards in the region. "No new SIM cards are being sold in Ukhia," he told AFP, adding police have monitored the town the last two days. Bangladesh has in the past tried to restrict mobile access but it was not enforced seriously, spawning booming markets of mobile phones and SIM cards in the camps. The latest ban has stunned the refugees, with leaders saying it would hugely affect their life and security, disrupting communications between different camps and with Rohingya still in Myanmar. Rights group Human Rights Watch on Saturday urged the government to end the communications clampdown, saying it "made matters worse." "The authorities should take a level-headed approach instead of overreacting to tensions and protests by isolating Rohingya refugees in camps," HRW said.

Bangladesh halts new SIM card sale in Rohingya camps

China's burgeoning internet data sector will increase its power consumption by two-thirds by 2023, putting further pressure on the country's plans to<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/joe-biden-unveils-17-trillion-climate-plan-to-end-us-carbon-emissions-by-2050-224374"> curb smog and carbon emissions</a>, according to a study published on Monday.

China, the world's biggest energy consumer and producer of climate-warming greenhouse gas, is in the middle of a programme aimed at upgrading its economy, easing its dependence on old polluting sectors like steel, and cleaning up its mostly coal-fired energy system.

Big data is set to play an increasing role in supplying cleaner electricity, especially in the creation of decentralised "smart grid" systems, but it is also becoming one of the biggest consumers of power in China and elsewhere.

According to the study by environmental group Greenpeace and the North China Electric Power University, soaring power consumption from internet data centres is expected to result in higher carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from the country's coal-fired power plants.

The sector was responsible for around 99 million tonnes of CO2 last year, and extra efforts need to be made to encourage firms to source power from renewable sources to prevent that figure from spiralling higher, the study said.

"Power market reforms and rapid growth in wind and solar power have created unprecedented opportunities for China's internet giants to procure clean energy," said Greenpeace East Asia climate and energy campaigner Ye Ruiqi.

Power consumption from data centres reached 161 terawatt-hours (TWh) last year, 2.35 per cent of China's total, and it is set to rise to 267 TWh in the next five years, more than Australia's total consumption from all sources in 2018, the study forecast.

The study said China was home to 2.7 million server racks, with the sector expanding at a rate of around 30 per cent a year. The sector's CO2 emissions could reach 163 million tonnes by the end of 2023, but that could be cut by 16 million tonnes if its renewable intake is increased from 23 per cent to 30 per cent.

"Twenty years from now, it is possible that data centres and big data will account for a third of power consumption, three times as much as electric vehicles," said Emmanuel Lagarrigue, Chief Innovation Officer of Schneider Electric, which works with big internet and technology companies in the United States and China.

"It is going to consume a lot of electricity but that doesn't mean it will be less sustainable - many of the players are thinking about how to innovate," he said.

China's burgeoning internet data sector will increase its power consumption by two-thirds by 2023, putting further pressure on the country's plans to curb smog and carbon emissions, according to a study published on Monday.

China's burgeoning internet data sector will increase its power consumption by two-thirds by 2023, putting further pressure on the country's plans to curb smog and carbon emissions, according to a study published on Monday. China, the world's biggest energy consumer and producer of climate-warming greenhouse gas, is in the middle of a programme aimed at upgrading its economy, easing its dependence on old polluting sectors like steel, and cleaning up its mostly coal-fired energy system. Big data is set to play an increasing role in supplying cleaner electricity, especially in the creation of decentralised "smart grid" systems, but it is also becoming one of the biggest consumers of power in China and elsewhere. According to the study by environmental group Greenpeace and the North China Electric Power University, soaring power consumption from internet data centres is expected to result in higher carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from the country's coal-fired power plants. The sector was responsible for around 99 million tonnes of CO2 last year, and extra efforts need to be made to encourage firms to source power from renewable sources to prevent that figure from spiralling higher, the study said. "Power market reforms and rapid growth in wind and solar power have created unprecedented opportunities for China's internet giants to procure clean energy," said Greenpeace East Asia climate and energy campaigner Ye Ruiqi. Power consumption from data centres reached 161 terawatt-hours (TWh) last year, 2.35 per cent of China's total, and it is set to rise to 267 TWh in the next five years, more than Australia's total consumption from all sources in 2018, the study forecast. The study said China was home to 2.7 million server racks, with the sector expanding at a rate of around 30 per cent a year. The sector's CO2 emissions could reach 163 million tonnes by the end of 2023, but that could be cut by 16 million tonnes if its renewable intake is increased from 23 per cent to 30 per cent. "Twenty years from now, it is possible that data centres and big data will account for a third of power consumption, three times as much as electric vehicles," said Emmanuel Lagarrigue, Chief Innovation Officer of Schneider Electric, which works with big internet and technology companies in the United States and China. "It is going to consume a lot of electricity but that doesn't mean it will be less sustainable - many of the players are thinking about how to innovate," he said.

China's power consumption from internet data may result in higher carbon emissions: Study

Australia will block access to internet domains hosting terrorist material during crisis events and will consider legislation to force digital platforms to improve the safety of their services, officials said on Sunday.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/australia-wont-host-us-missiles-prime-minister-says-244144">Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison</a>, who is in France to take part in the G7 leader's forum, said the government intended to prevent extremists from exploiting digital platforms to post extremely violent content.

"We are doing everything we can to deny terrorists the opportunity to glorify their crimes," he said in a statement.

Australia and New Zealand have increased scrutiny of websites and social media companies in the wake of the Christchurch massacre in March when 51 worshippers were killed in attacks on two New Zealand mosques.

The attack was live-streamed by alleged gunman Brenton Tarrant over Facebook.

The government said it would establish a framework to block domains hosting such material.&nbsp;

Australia's eSafety Commissioner would determine on a case-by-case basis what should be censored and was working with industry on arrangements to quickly block access during an attack.

A 24/7 Crisis Coordination Centre would be established to monitor the online world for extreme violence or terrorist material.

The government did not elaborate on what legislative options would be used if digital platforms failed to improve safety.

Tech giants including Facebook, YouTube, Amazon, Microsoft, and Twitter, along with Telstra, Vodafone, TPG, and Optus are expected to provide details to the government by the end of next month on how they will carry out the recommendations.

The firms are all members of the Taskforce to Combat Terrorist and Extreme Violent Material Online, which had recommended a clear framework to be established.

It was not immediately clear how the move would affect media reporting of terror attacks or civil unrest.

Sky News New Zealand was fined NZ$4,000 ($2,560) by New Zealand's Broadcasting Standards Authority earlier this month for showing several edited clips taken from the alleged Christchurch attacker's 17-minute live stream video during its news broadcast.

The regulator said in its judgment that, while the broadcast was newsworthy, the clips contained disturbing violent content which could cause distress, or glorify the alleged attacker and promote his messages.

Australia will block access to internet domains hosting terrorist material during crisis events and will consider legislation to force digital platforms to improve the safety of their services, officials said on Sunday.

Australia will block access to internet domains hosting terrorist material during crisis events and will consider legislation to force digital platforms to improve the safety of their services, officials said on Sunday. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who is in France to take part in the G7 leader's forum, said the government intended to prevent extremists from exploiting digital platforms to post extremely violent content. "We are doing everything we can to deny terrorists the opportunity to glorify their crimes," he said in a statement. Australia and New Zealand have increased scrutiny of websites and social media companies in the wake of the Christchurch massacre in March when 51 worshippers were killed in attacks on two New Zealand mosques. The attack was live-streamed by alleged gunman Brenton Tarrant over Facebook. The government said it would establish a framework to block domains hosting such material. Australia's eSafety Commissioner would determine on a case-by-case basis what should be censored and was working with industry on arrangements to quickly block access during an attack. A 24/7 Crisis Coordination Centre would be established to monitor the online world for extreme violence or terrorist material. The government did not elaborate on what legislative options would be used if digital platforms failed to improve safety. Tech giants including Facebook, YouTube, Amazon, Microsoft, and Twitter, along with Telstra, Vodafone, TPG, and Optus are expected to provide details to the government by the end of next month on how they will carry out the recommendations. The firms are all members of the Taskforce to Combat Terrorist and Extreme Violent Material Online, which had recommended a clear framework to be established. It was not immediately clear how the move would affect media reporting of terror attacks or civil unrest. Sky News New Zealand was fined NZ$4,000 ($2,560) by New Zealand's Broadcasting Standards Authority earlier this month for showing several edited clips taken from the alleged Christchurch attacker's 17-minute live stream video during its news broadcast. The regulator said in its judgment that, while the broadcast was newsworthy, the clips contained disturbing violent content which could cause distress, or glorify the alleged attacker and promote his messages.

Australia to block internet domains hosting extremist content during terror attacks

Jammu and Kashmir is on the path to normalcy as the administration has eased communication restrictions and is making sure that all government offices and schools are functional by next week.

The communication is back on the grid. The back lanes of Srinagar city are seeing movement.

Nearly 12 days after curbs were imposed in Jammu and Kashmir following the scrapping of article 370.

The valley is gradually returning to normalcy.

Broadband services have been restored in some areas of uptown Srinagar.

After 13 days, more than fifty thousand landline phones have been made operational in Jammu and Kashmir.

17 of the 100 telephone exchanges in the valley are now working.

Principal secretary to Jammu and Kashmir — Rohit Kansal has been sharing details about the restoration of telecommunication services.

Kansal informed that no untoward incident had been reported.

While schools and colleges in the Kashmir valley will be re-opening on Monday, public transport services are also being restored.

(With inputs from agencies)

Jammu and Kashmir is on the path to normalcy as the administration has eased communication restrictions and is making sure that all government offices and schools are functional by next week.

Jammu and Kashmir is on the path to normalcy as the administration has eased communication restrictions and is making sure that all government offices and schools are functional by next week. The communication is back on the grid. The back lanes of Srinagar city are seeing movement. Nearly 12 days after curbs were imposed in Jammu and Kashmir following the scrapping of article 370. The valley is gradually returning to normalcy. Broadband services have been restored in some areas of uptown Srinagar. After 13 days, more than fifty thousand landline phones have been made operational in Jammu and Kashmir. 17 of the 100 telephone exchanges in the valley are now working. Principal secretary to Jammu and Kashmir — Rohit Kansal has been sharing details about the restoration of telecommunication services. Kansal informed that no untoward incident had been reported. While schools and colleges in the Kashmir valley will be re-opening on Monday, public transport services are also being restored. (With inputs from agencies)

Jammu and Kashmir limps back to normalcy: Internet, telephone services restored, schools to reopen tomorrow

How people stay informed in the Hermit State of North Korea is always a question, and US President Donald Trump may have answered it Thursday&nbsp;&nbsp;by Twitter alerts.

Trump said it only took Kim Jong Un 10 minutes to respond to his tweeted proposal for a landmark meeting in June at the border of North and South Korea.

That suggested that someone in Pyongyang -- perhaps Kim himself -- keeps a minute-by-minute watch on what the US tweet master-in-chief is saying on social media.

"When I was flying to South Korea I had the idea, you know what, I am going to South Korea, right next to North Korea, right with the border, right near there," Trump told the New Hampshire Today radio program.

"There was no way that anybody knows how to get Kim Jong Un. How do you get him?" Trump said.

"I put out a tweet: 'Hey, I am going to South Korea. If you want to meet for a couple of minutes, let's meet.'"

"And I put it out and he was calling within 10 minutes."

Trump appeared to reject speculation that the meeting had already been discussed quietly before he tweeted on June 29 from the G20 summit in Osaka: "If Chairman Kim of North Korea sees this, I would meet him at the Border/DMZ just to shake his hand and say Hello(?)!"

A little more than a day later, Trump became the first serving US president to step foot in North Korea, where he held<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/the-us-north-korea-in-regular-communication-for-the-resumption-of-denuclearisation-talks-official-240377"> brief talks</a> with Kim.

"I mean it's the craziest thing," Trump, an early and now prolific Twitter user, told the radio program.

Twitter, he said, is "an incredible way of communicating for me ... It's a way of getting the word out."

Kim himself has not taken up tweets to communicate his edicts and invitations.

But he appears to be watching.

How people stay informed in the Hermit State of North Korea is always a question, and US President Donald Trump may have answered it Thursday by Twitter alerts. Trump said it only took Kim Jong Un 10 minutes to respond to his tweeted proposal for a landmark meeting in June at the border of North and South Korea.

How people stay informed in the Hermit State of North Korea is always a question, and US President Donald Trump may have answered it Thursday by Twitter alerts. Trump said it only took Kim Jong Un 10 minutes to respond to his tweeted proposal for a landmark meeting in June at the border of North and South Korea. That suggested that someone in Pyongyang -- perhaps Kim himself -- keeps a minute-by-minute watch on what the US tweet master-in-chief is saying on social media. "When I was flying to South Korea I had the idea, you know what, I am going to South Korea, right next to North Korea, right with the border, right near there," Trump told the New Hampshire Today radio program. "There was no way that anybody knows how to get Kim Jong Un. How do you get him?" Trump said. "I put out a tweet: 'Hey, I am going to South Korea. If you want to meet for a couple of minutes, let's meet.'" "And I put it out and he was calling within 10 minutes." Trump appeared to reject speculation that the meeting had already been discussed quietly before he tweeted on June 29 from the G20 summit in Osaka: "If Chairman Kim of North Korea sees this, I would meet him at the Border/DMZ just to shake his hand and say Hello(?)!" A little more than a day later, Trump became the first serving US president to step foot in North Korea, where he held brief talks with Kim. "I mean it's the craziest thing," Trump, an early and now prolific Twitter user, told the radio program. Twitter, he said, is "an incredible way of communicating for me ... It's a way of getting the word out." Kim himself has not taken up tweets to communicate his edicts and invitations. But he appears to be watching.

Does North Korea's Kim get US President Donald Trump's tweet alerts?

Sudan court orders Telcos to restore internet

Internet restored in Sudan

Mobile internet services were restored across Sudan Tuesday following a court order, weeks after the ruling generals imposed a blockade in the wake of a brutal crackdown on protesters.

Demonstrators were violently dispersed on June 3 by men in military fatigues, who stormed a weeks-long protest camp outside army headquarters in Khartoum where Sudanese had camped to demand that the generals step down.

Armed men, shooting and beating protesters in a pre-dawn raid, killed dozens of demonstrators and wounded hundreds.

Days later internet on mobile phones and fixed land connections were cut across Sudan, with users saying it was done to prevent further mobilisation of protesters.

Khartoum-based lawyer Abdelazim al-Hassan filed a case against the blockade, urging a court in the capital to order telecom company Zain to restore the internet services on his own mobile phone.

Days later the internet on fixed land connections was restored, but the mobile 3G and 4G services remained cut.

"I returned to court and said that numerous clients of Zain and other telecom companies were impacted due to the cut," Hasan told a news conference on Tuesday.

"Today, the court issued an order to Zain and to MTN and Sudani to restore their mobile internet services," referring to three telecom companies.

Later on Tuesday, the internet services on MTN and Sudani networks were restored, but not on Zain, users said.

Several subscribers of MTN and Sudani contacted by AFP confirmed they were able to make voice and video calls through social media networks like the WhatsApp messaging platform.

Protesters and rights group say the internet blockade was an attempt to quell protests against the generals, who had seized power after the army ousted long-time ruler Omar al-Bashir in April following nationwide protests against his rule.

For the generals, the internet and social media had become a threat as protesters used online social media apps to mobilise tens of thousands of demonstrators.

The generals and protesters last week reached a deal to form a joint civilian-military ruling body, which would install a new government and parliament for a transitional period of little over three years.

The agreement between the two sides is expected to be formally signed in the next few days.

Mobile internet services were restored across Sudan Tuesday following a court order, weeks after the ruling generals imposed a blockade in the wake of a brutal crackdown on protesters.

Mobile internet services were restored across Sudan Tuesday following a court order, weeks after the ruling generals imposed a blockade in the wake of a brutal crackdown on protesters. Demonstrators were violently dispersed on June 3 by men in military fatigues, who stormed a weeks-long protest camp outside army headquarters in Khartoum where Sudanese had camped to demand that the generals step down. Armed men, shooting and beating protesters in a pre-dawn raid, killed dozens of demonstrators and wounded hundreds. Days later internet on mobile phones and fixed land connections were cut across Sudan, with users saying it was done to prevent further mobilisation of protesters. Khartoum-based lawyer Abdelazim al-Hassan filed a case against the blockade, urging a court in the capital to order telecom company Zain to restore the internet services on his own mobile phone. Days later the internet on fixed land connections was restored, but the mobile 3G and 4G services remained cut. "I returned to court and said that numerous clients of Zain and other telecom companies were impacted due to the cut," Hasan told a news conference on Tuesday. "Today, the court issued an order to Zain and to MTN and Sudani to restore their mobile internet services," referring to three telecom companies. Later on Tuesday, the internet services on MTN and Sudani networks were restored, but not on Zain, users said. Several subscribers of MTN and Sudani contacted by AFP confirmed they were able to make voice and video calls through social media networks like the WhatsApp messaging platform. Protesters and rights group say the internet blockade was an attempt to quell protests against the generals, who had seized power after the army ousted long-time ruler Omar al-Bashir in April following nationwide protests against his rule. For the generals, the internet and social media had become a threat as protesters used online social media apps to mobilise tens of thousands of demonstrators. The generals and protesters last week reached a deal to form a joint civilian-military ruling body, which would install a new government and parliament for a transitional period of little over three years. The agreement between the two sides is expected to be formally signed in the next few days.

Internet on mobile services restored in Sudan

China's track record with privacy violations, control of the internet and control of its citizens is well known. But now anyone who has ever visited the country has cause for concern.

China's spy app retrieves personal info

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/amnesty-accuses-myanmar-military-of-fresh-war-crimes-in-rakhine-222432">Myanmar authorities </a>ordered telecoms companies to shut down internet services in conflict-torn western <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/myanmars-president-praises-rakhine-state-for-auspicious-year-on-44th-anniversary-184243">Myanmar,</a> a leading operator said on Saturday, amid heightening tensions in the region, where government troops are fighting ethnic rebels.

Telenor Group said the Ministry of Transport and Communications directed all telecoms companies to "temporarily" suspend internet services in eight townships in Rakhine and neighbouring Chin states, citing "disturbances of peace and use of internet activities to coordinate illegal activities".

The shutdown went into effect late on Friday, the statement said.

"Telenor Myanmar has been asking for further clarification on the rationale for the shutdown and emphasized that freedom of expression through access to telecom services should be maintained for humanitarian purposes," the group said.

A spokesman for the transport and communications ministry declined to comment, referring questions to another spokesman who did not answer phone calls.

Rakhine state came to global attention after about 730,000 Rohingya Muslims crossed into Bangladesh fleeing a military crackdown in response to militant attacks in 2017.

UN investigators have called for senior military officers to be prosecuted over allegations of mass killings, gang rapes and arson. The military denies widespread wrongdoing.

More recently, civilians have been caught up in clashes between the military and the Arakan Army, an insurgent group that recruits from the mainly Buddhist ethnic Rakhine population and is fighting for greater autonomy for the state.

Since November, the fighting has displaced tens of thousands of people across a large part of central and northern Rakhine and part of neighbouring Chin, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

Much of the region is off-limits to journalists and most humanitarian agencies.

Tun Ther Sein, a regional lawmaker from Mrauk-U township, in central Rakhine, told Reuters by phone the internet connection had been slow for two days before disappearing on Friday.

"People can inform us about what is happening on the ground and also send photos with the help of the internet," he said. "Now that has been shut down."

Myanmar authorities ordered telecoms companies to shut down internet services in conflict-torn western Myanmar, a leading operator said on Saturday, amid heightening tensions in the region, where government troops are fighting ethnic rebels.

Myanmar authorities ordered telecoms companies to shut down internet services in conflict-torn western Myanmar, a leading operator said on Saturday, amid heightening tensions in the region, where government troops are fighting ethnic rebels. Telenor Group said the Ministry of Transport and Communications directed all telecoms companies to "temporarily" suspend internet services in eight townships in Rakhine and neighbouring Chin states, citing "disturbances of peace and use of internet activities to coordinate illegal activities". The shutdown went into effect late on Friday, the statement said. "Telenor Myanmar has been asking for further clarification on the rationale for the shutdown and emphasized that freedom of expression through access to telecom services should be maintained for humanitarian purposes," the group said. A spokesman for the transport and communications ministry declined to comment, referring questions to another spokesman who did not answer phone calls. Rakhine state came to global attention after about 730,000 Rohingya Muslims crossed into Bangladesh fleeing a military crackdown in response to militant attacks in 2017. UN investigators have called for senior military officers to be prosecuted over allegations of mass killings, gang rapes and arson. The military denies widespread wrongdoing. More recently, civilians have been caught up in clashes between the military and the Arakan Army, an insurgent group that recruits from the mainly Buddhist ethnic Rakhine population and is fighting for greater autonomy for the state. Since November, the fighting has displaced tens of thousands of people across a large part of central and northern Rakhine and part of neighbouring Chin, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Much of the region is off-limits to journalists and most humanitarian agencies. Tun Ther Sein, a regional lawmaker from Mrauk-U township, in central Rakhine, told Reuters by phone the internet connection had been slow for two days before disappearing on Friday. "People can inform us about what is happening on the ground and also send photos with the help of the internet," he said. "Now that has been shut down."

Myanmar orders internet shutdown in conflict-torn Rakhine state: Report

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that Russian has no plans to restrict usage of internet inside the country.

Speaking at annual televised question and answer session Putin said, that the recent law regarding building national Domain Name System aimed at ensuring stability of Russian internet functioning in case of emergency.

The legislation aims to route Russian web traffic and data through points controlled by state authorities and to build a national Domain Name System to allow the Internet to continue working even if Russia is cut off from foreign infrastructure.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that Russian has no plans to restrict usage of internet inside the country. Speaking at annual televised question and answer session Putin said, that the recent law regarding building national Domain Name System aimed at ensuring stability of Russian internet functioning in case of emergency.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that Russian has no plans to restrict usage of internet inside the country. Speaking at annual televised question and answer session Putin said, that the recent law regarding building national Domain Name System aimed at ensuring stability of Russian internet functioning in case of emergency. The legislation aims to route Russian web traffic and data through points controlled by state authorities and to build a national Domain Name System to allow the Internet to continue working even if Russia is cut off from foreign infrastructure.

Russia has no plans of internal internet restrictions: Putin

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/crew-capsule-destroyed-during-april-test-accident-confirms-spacex-215535">SpaceX</a> on Thursday launched a rocket containing the first 60 satellites of its "Starlink" constellation, which is intended to provide internet from space and could one-day number 12,000 satellites.

One of the company's Falcon 9 rockets took off without incident from Cape Canaveral in Florida around 10:30 pm.

The second stage of the rocket will begin to release them one hour after launch, at an altitude of&nbsp; &nbsp;440 kilometres, and then the satellites will use their thrusters to take up their places in a relatively low orbit of 550 kilometres.

That's slightly higher than the International Space Station, but well below the majority of terrestrial satellites, the highest of which sits in a geostationary orbit of 36,000 kilometres.

The launch was originally scheduled for last week but was postponed, first due to high winds and then due to the need for a software update.

Billionaire Elon Musk's firm, which is leading the private space race when it comes to rocket launches, is now looking to seize a chunk of the future space internet market.

The launch will make it an early forerunner, along with rival OneWeb, a startup, but well ahead of Amazon's Project Kuiper, the brainchild of Musk's space rival Jeff Bezos.

Each of the satellites weighs just 227 kilograms (500 pounds) and was built in-house in Redmond, near Seattle.

Starlink will become operational once 800 satellites have been activated, which will require a dozen more launches.

SpaceX on Thursday launched a rocket containing the first 60 satellites of its "Starlink" constellation, which is intended to provide internet from space and could one-day number 12,000 satellites.

SpaceX on Thursday launched a rocket containing the first 60 satellites of its "Starlink" constellation, which is intended to provide internet from space and could one-day number 12,000 satellites. One of the company's Falcon 9 rockets took off without incident from Cape Canaveral in Florida around 10:30 pm. The second stage of the rocket will begin to release them one hour after launch, at an altitude of 440 kilometres, and then the satellites will use their thrusters to take up their places in a relatively low orbit of 550 kilometres. That's slightly higher than the International Space Station, but well below the majority of terrestrial satellites, the highest of which sits in a geostationary orbit of 36,000 kilometres. The launch was originally scheduled for last week but was postponed, first due to high winds and then due to the need for a software update. Billionaire Elon Musk's firm, which is leading the private space race when it comes to rocket launches, is now looking to seize a chunk of the future space internet market. The launch will make it an early forerunner, along with rival OneWeb, a startup, but well ahead of Amazon's Project Kuiper, the brainchild of Musk's space rival Jeff Bezos. Each of the satellites weighs just 227 kilograms (500 pounds) and was built in-house in Redmond, near Seattle. Starlink will become operational once 800 satellites have been activated, which will require a dozen more launches.

SpaceX launches first satellites of its internet network

Around 25 flights have been delayed at Kolkata airport as its Internet server has gone down since 5.30 pm on Monday, a senior official of the Airports Authority of India (AAI) said.&nbsp;

The airlines, therefore, have been issuing boarding passes manually since 5.30 pm, the official added.&nbsp;

The AAI owns and manages more than 100 airports - including the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata - across the country.

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"The Internet server has been down since 5.30 pm and it is likely to start working from 10.30 pm today. Around 25 flights have been delayed in between 5.30 pm and 9 pm by an average time of 20-25 minutes," said the AAI official.

The official added that the IT team of the AAI is working diligently to resolve the issue.

Around 25 flights have been delayed at Kolkata airport as its Internet server has gone down since 5.30 pm on Monday, a senior official of the Airports Authority of India (AAI) said.

Around 25 flights have been delayed at Kolkata airport as its Internet server has gone down since 5.30 pm on Monday, a senior official of the Airports Authority of India (AAI) said. The airlines, therefore, have been issuing boarding passes manually since 5.30 pm, the official added. The AAI owns and manages more than 100 airports - including the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata - across the country. West Bengal: Over 20 flights delayed at Kolkata airport after a fault in Local Area Network inside the airport. Issue started around 5:15 pm after which all airlines started issuing boarding pass manually. Airport authorities say IT Team working on the issue. https://t.co/ouDpHOeNIk — ANI (@ANI) May 13, 2019 × "The Internet server has been down since 5.30 pm and it is likely to start working from 10.30 pm today. Around 25 flights have been delayed in between 5.30 pm and 9 pm by an average time of 20-25 minutes," said the AAI official. The official added that the IT team of the AAI is working diligently to resolve the issue.

Around 25 flights delayed at Kolkata airport as Internet server goes down

President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday signed into law a "sovereign internet" bill which will allow <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/russian-president-vladimir-putin-says-russia-cracking-down-on-foreign-spies-201617">Russian authorities to isolate</a> the country's internet, a move decried by rights groups.

Russian lawmakers insist the new law is necessary to ensure the security of<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/after-putins-warning-russian-tv-lists-nuclear-targets-including-pentagon-in-us-199658"> Russia's online networks</a> but critics say the vaguely worded bill gives new censorship powers to government monitors.

The text of the law was published on Wednesday but it will not come into effect until November.

The measures include creating technology to monitor internet routing and to steer Russian internet traffic away from foreign servers, ostensibly to prevent a foreign country from shutting it down.

The authors of the initiative say Russia must ensure the security of its networks after US President Donald Trump unveiled a new American cybersecurity strategy last year that said Russia had carried out cyber attacks with impunity.

Thousands of people recently rallied in Russia against this and other bills that critics say aim to restrict information and communication online.

Separately, Putin in March signed controversial laws that allow courts to fine and briefly jail people for showing disrespect towards authorities, and block media for publishing "fake news".

Last week 10 international rights organisations called on Russia to scrap the internet bill.

"The bill created a system that gives the authorities the capacity to block access to parts of the Internet in Russia," said a statement backed by Human Rights Watch, Reporters Without Borders and others.

The blocking would be "extrajudicial and non-transparent," the statement said. Under the new law Russian Internet access providers will also need to ensure that their networks have the technical means for "centralised traffic control" to counter potential threats.

This control will pass notably to the Russian FSB security service and the telecoms and media monitoring agency Roskomnadzor, which is often accused of arbitrarily blocking content on the web.

In recent years Russian authorities have blocked online sites and content linked to the opposition, as well as internet services which fail to cooperate with them, including the Dailymotion video platform, the Linkedin online social networking site and the encrypted messaging app Telegram.

President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday signed into law a "sovereign internet" bill which will allow Russian authorities to isolate the country's internet, a move decried by rights groups.

President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday signed into law a "sovereign internet" bill which will allow Russian authorities to isolate the country's internet, a move decried by rights groups. Russian lawmakers insist the new law is necessary to ensure the security of Russia's online networks but critics say the vaguely worded bill gives new censorship powers to government monitors. The text of the law was published on Wednesday but it will not come into effect until November. The measures include creating technology to monitor internet routing and to steer Russian internet traffic away from foreign servers, ostensibly to prevent a foreign country from shutting it down. The authors of the initiative say Russia must ensure the security of its networks after US President Donald Trump unveiled a new American cybersecurity strategy last year that said Russia had carried out cyber attacks with impunity. Thousands of people recently rallied in Russia against this and other bills that critics say aim to restrict information and communication online. Separately, Putin in March signed controversial laws that allow courts to fine and briefly jail people for showing disrespect towards authorities, and block media for publishing "fake news". Last week 10 international rights organisations called on Russia to scrap the internet bill. "The bill created a system that gives the authorities the capacity to block access to parts of the Internet in Russia," said a statement backed by Human Rights Watch, Reporters Without Borders and others. The blocking would be "extrajudicial and non-transparent," the statement said. Under the new law Russian Internet access providers will also need to ensure that their networks have the technical means for "centralised traffic control" to counter potential threats. This control will pass notably to the Russian FSB security service and the telecoms and media monitoring agency Roskomnadzor, which is often accused of arbitrarily blocking content on the web. In recent years Russian authorities have blocked online sites and content linked to the opposition, as well as internet services which fail to cooperate with them, including the Dailymotion video platform, the Linkedin online social networking site and the encrypted messaging app Telegram.

Putin signs bill to steer Russian net traffic away from foreign servers

World Wide Web turns 30: Travel all the way back to 1989 when it was invented

Thousands of people rallied against Russia's increasingly restrictive internet policies Sunday which some say will eventually lead to "total censorship" and isolate the country from the world.

The mass rally in Moscow and smaller events in other cities across the country was called after the Russian lower house of parliament backed a bill to stop Russian internet traffic from being routed on foreign servers, in a bid to boost cybersecurity.

The move was labelled by critics as the latest attempt to control online content under President Vladimir Putin, with some fearing the country is on track to completely isolate its network like in North Korea.

Activists counting people said more than 15,000 people have turned up to listen to internet and media rights activists as well as music performers who have complained of government pressure in recent months.

"The government is battling freedom, including freedom on the internet, I can tell you this as somebody who spent a month in jail for a tweet," one of the rally speakers Sergei Boiko, an internet freedom activist from Siberia, said.

Police detained several people without explanation. An AFP correspondent saw a man being dragged away by arms and legs near the entrance to the rally.

The popular Telegram messaging app, which Russian authorities have been unsuccessfully trying to block for many months, called on its users to attend the rally last week.&nbsp;

A message in Russian on its official account said that the bill on internet centralisation aims to "cut off Russia from the rest of the world, after which they can block foreign social networks and messengers."

The goal of the bill is "total censorship," it said.

The bill has not yet been voted on in key second reading.

A petition against the bill launched by the Roskomsvoboda internet freedoms group calls on Russians to appeal to lawmakers to strike the bill down, "otherwise soon we will be living in anti-utopias of Orwell," it says.

Thousands of people rallied against Russia's increasingly restrictive internet policies Sunday which some say will eventually lead to "total censorship" and isolate the country from the world.

Thousands of people rallied against Russia's increasingly restrictive internet policies Sunday which some say will eventually lead to "total censorship" and isolate the country from the world. The mass rally in Moscow and smaller events in other cities across the country was called after the Russian lower house of parliament backed a bill to stop Russian internet traffic from being routed on foreign servers, in a bid to boost cybersecurity. The move was labelled by critics as the latest attempt to control online content under President Vladimir Putin, with some fearing the country is on track to completely isolate its network like in North Korea. Activists counting people said more than 15,000 people have turned up to listen to internet and media rights activists as well as music performers who have complained of government pressure in recent months. "The government is battling freedom, including freedom on the internet, I can tell you this as somebody who spent a month in jail for a tweet," one of the rally speakers Sergei Boiko, an internet freedom activist from Siberia, said. Police detained several people without explanation. An AFP correspondent saw a man being dragged away by arms and legs near the entrance to the rally. The popular Telegram messaging app, which Russian authorities have been unsuccessfully trying to block for many months, called on its users to attend the rally last week. A message in Russian on its official account said that the bill on internet centralisation aims to "cut off Russia from the rest of the world, after which they can block foreign social networks and messengers." The goal of the bill is "total censorship," it said. The bill has not yet been voted on in key second reading. A petition against the bill launched by the Roskomsvoboda internet freedoms group calls on Russians to appeal to lawmakers to strike the bill down, "otherwise soon we will be living in anti-utopias of Orwell," it says.

Thousands protest Russia's 'internet isolation'

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