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There are some words that might be switching on your AI systems that you might not be aware of. A group of researchers&nbsp;have compiled a list of nearly 1,000 words that can "accidentally" activate Amazon's Alexa and Apple's Siri.

The researchers are from&nbsp;Ruhr-Universität Bochum and the Max Planck Institute for Cyber Security and Privacy in Germany.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/ceos-of-apple-amazon-facebook-and-google-to-testify-in-congress-over-antitrust-issues-310090">Also read|&nbsp;CEOs of Apple, Amazon, Facebook and Google to testify in Congress over antitrust issues</a>

The study was conducted on&nbsp;Amazon's Alexa, Apple's Siri, Google Assistant, Microsoft Cortana, as well as three virtual assistants exclusive to the Chinese market, from Xiaomi, Baidu, and Tencent, according to a report from the Ruhr-Universität Bochum news blog.

The researchers conducted the study by switching on the virtual assistants and leaving them alone in a room with a television playing episodes from several series and sitcoms such as&nbsp;Game of Thrones, Modern Family, and House of Cards, with English, German, and Chinese audio tracks for each.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/tik-tok-removed-from-apples-app-store-and-google-play-after-govts-ban-309558">Also read|&nbsp;Tik Tok removed from Apple's App store and Google Play after govt's ban</a>

On playing these episodes, some words activated the system, which the researchers observed by the&nbsp;switching on of&nbsp;an LED light display. The team cross referenced the dialogue being spoken every time they observed the LED display turning on.

Once the assistants get&nbsp;activated by these words, the devices&nbsp;use local speech analysis software to determine if the sound was used with the purpose of activation or not. If the device concludes that the sound was a trigger, it sends&nbsp;an audio recording of several seconds to cloud servers for additional analysis.

Privacy concerns

While the researchers said that the developers might have used an array of words for activation to make things easier for the users, it does raise serious privacy concerns about this.

"The devices are intentionally programmed in a somewhat forgiving manner, because they are supposed to be able to understand their humans. Therefore, they are more likely to start up once too often rather than not at all," researcher Dorothea Kolossa said.

"From a privacy point of view, this is of course alarming, because sometimes very private conversations can end up with strangers.&nbsp;From an engineering point of view, however, this approach is quite understandable, because the systems can only be improved using such data. The manufacturers have to strike a balance between data protection and technical optimization," said&nbsp;Thorsten Holz, Professor at&nbsp;Ruhr-Universität Bochum.

There are some words that might be switching on your AI systems that you might not be aware of. A group of researchers have compiled a list of nearly 1,000 words that can "accidentally" activate Amazon's Alexa and Apple's Siri.

There are some words that might be switching on your AI systems that you might not be aware of. A group of researchers have compiled a list of nearly 1,000 words that can "accidentally" activate Amazon's Alexa and Apple's Siri. The researchers are from Ruhr-Universität Bochum and the Max Planck Institute for Cyber Security and Privacy in Germany. Also read| CEOs of Apple, Amazon, Facebook and Google to testify in Congress over antitrust issues The study was conducted on Amazon's Alexa, Apple's Siri, Google Assistant, Microsoft Cortana, as well as three virtual assistants exclusive to the Chinese market, from Xiaomi, Baidu, and Tencent, according to a report from the Ruhr-Universität Bochum news blog. The researchers conducted the study by switching on the virtual assistants and leaving them alone in a room with a television playing episodes from several series and sitcoms such as Game of Thrones, Modern Family, and House of Cards, with English, German, and Chinese audio tracks for each. Also read| Tik Tok removed from Apple's App store and Google Play after govt's ban On playing these episodes, some words activated the system, which the researchers observed by the switching on of an LED light display. The team cross referenced the dialogue being spoken every time they observed the LED display turning on. Once the assistants get activated by these words, the devices use local speech analysis software to determine if the sound was used with the purpose of activation or not. If the device concludes that the sound was a trigger, it sends an audio recording of several seconds to cloud servers for additional analysis. Privacy concerns While the researchers said that the developers might have used an array of words for activation to make things easier for the users, it does raise serious privacy concerns about this. "The devices are intentionally programmed in a somewhat forgiving manner, because they are supposed to be able to understand their humans. Therefore, they are more likely to start up once too often rather than not at all," researcher Dorothea Kolossa said. "From a privacy point of view, this is of course alarming, because sometimes very private conversations can end up with strangers. From an engineering point of view, however, this approach is quite understandable, because the systems can only be improved using such data. The manufacturers have to strike a balance between data protection and technical optimization," said Thorsten Holz, Professor at Ruhr-Universität Bochum.

Researchers find 1,000 words that 'accidentally' activate Alexa, Siri and Google

British Police, on Thursday, claimed to have carried out their biggest operation ever in which they caught "iconic" figures.

The National Crime Agency (NCA) has claimed to smash thousands of conspiracies, including murder plots, as the agency was able to crack the encryption system of EnroChat, the communication system which was being used by several criminals.

"Together we’ve protected the public by arresting middle-tier criminals and the kingpins, the so-called iconic untouchables who have evaded law enforcement for years, and now we have the evidence to prosecute them," said NCA Director of Investigations Nikki Holland.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/australian-government-boosts-cyber-security-after-state-backed-attacks-309605">Also read|&nbsp;Australian government boosts cyber security after state-backed attacks</a>

NCA claimed to have been working on this project since 2016 with international partners, after which it has managed to arrest nearly 750 criminals.

The agency said it also meant a specialist team had been able to stop rival gangs carrying out kidnappings and executions, "successfully mitigating over 200 threats to life".

Two months ago, French and Dutch investigators were able to infiltrate the platform, which had 60,000 users worldwide and around 10,000 in the United Kingdom. This allowed the agencies to monitor the messages and keep a eye on the movements of the criminals.

Reports also suggested that EnroChat had realized that the platform had been infiltrated, and had then asked their users to throw away their devices. All this had happened after June 13.

However, British police have made 746 arrests, claimed 54 million pounds ($67 million) in criminal cash, seized 77 firearms, including an assault rifle and sub-machine guns, and more than two tonnes of drugs, the NCA said.

The operation has been helpful for other European agencies too, who have been able to get ahead of criminal activities using this&nbsp;information.

EnroChat has now been shut down.

(With inputs from Reuters)

British Police, on Thursday, claimed to have carried out their biggest operation ever in which they caught "iconic" figures. The National Crime Agency (NCA) has claimed to smash thousands of conspiracies, including murder plots, as the agency was able to crack the encryption system of EnroChat, the communication system which was being used by several criminals.

British Police, on Thursday, claimed to have carried out their biggest operation ever in which they caught "iconic" figures. The National Crime Agency (NCA) has claimed to smash thousands of conspiracies, including murder plots, as the agency was able to crack the encryption system of EnroChat, the communication system which was being used by several criminals. "Together we’ve protected the public by arresting middle-tier criminals and the kingpins, the so-called iconic untouchables who have evaded law enforcement for years, and now we have the evidence to prosecute them," said NCA Director of Investigations Nikki Holland. Also read| Australian government boosts cyber security after state-backed attacks NCA claimed to have been working on this project since 2016 with international partners, after which it has managed to arrest nearly 750 criminals. The agency said it also meant a specialist team had been able to stop rival gangs carrying out kidnappings and executions, "successfully mitigating over 200 threats to life". Two months ago, French and Dutch investigators were able to infiltrate the platform, which had 60,000 users worldwide and around 10,000 in the United Kingdom. This allowed the agencies to monitor the messages and keep a eye on the movements of the criminals. Reports also suggested that EnroChat had realized that the platform had been infiltrated, and had then asked their users to throw away their devices. All this had happened after June 13. However, British police have made 746 arrests, claimed 54 million pounds ($67 million) in criminal cash, seized 77 firearms, including an assault rifle and sub-machine guns, and more than two tonnes of drugs, the NCA said. The operation has been helpful for other European agencies too, who have been able to get ahead of criminal activities using this information. EnroChat has now been shut down. (With inputs from Reuters)

UK police catches nearly 750 criminals in biggest operation against EnroChat: NCA

Google on Thursday said it has temporarily blocked access to those apps that were still available on the Play Store in India even after the government banned on 59 apps this week.

"While we continue to review the interim orders from the Government of India, we have notified the affected developers and have temporarily blocked access to the apps that remained available on the Play Store in India," a Google spokesperson said.

On Tuesday, the Indian government directed all internet service providers to block the banned apps under the emergency clause of the IT Act. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/havent-adopted-discriminatory-measures-against-indian-products-says-china-on-apps-banned-by-india-310146">Also Read:&nbsp;Haven't adopted discriminatory measures against Indian products, says China</a>

The Indian government had on Monday banned 59 Chinese apps amid the India-China standoff at Galwan Valley.

Other than TikTok, the apps which were banned included UC Browser, SHAREit, Baidu map, Shein, clash of Kings, DU battery saver, Helo, Likee, YouCam makeup, Mi Community, CM Browsers, Virus Cleaner, Apus Browser and many more. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-modi-quits-chinese-social-network-weibo-all-posts-profile-picture-removed-309928">Also Read: PM Modi quits Chinese social network Weibo</a>

Meanwhile, China's commerce ministry said that China has not "adopted any restrictive and discriminatory measures against Indian products and services". The Commerce ministry said it hoped India corrects its "discriminatory actions against Chinese companies immediately."&nbsp;

In a similar move, China's foreign ministry had earlier said it was "strongly concerned" over India's ban on Chinese apps. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

Google on Thursday said it has temporarily blocked access to those apps that were still available on the Play Store in India even after the government banned on 59 apps this week.

Google on Thursday said it has temporarily blocked access to those apps that were still available on the Play Store in India even after the government banned on 59 apps this week. "While we continue to review the interim orders from the Government of India, we have notified the affected developers and have temporarily blocked access to the apps that remained available on the Play Store in India," a Google spokesperson said. On Tuesday, the Indian government directed all internet service providers to block the banned apps under the emergency clause of the IT Act. Also Read: Haven't adopted discriminatory measures against Indian products, says China The Indian government had on Monday banned 59 Chinese apps amid the India-China standoff at Galwan Valley. Other than TikTok, the apps which were banned included UC Browser, SHAREit, Baidu map, Shein, clash of Kings, DU battery saver, Helo, Likee, YouCam makeup, Mi Community, CM Browsers, Virus Cleaner, Apus Browser and many more. Also Read: PM Modi quits Chinese social network Weibo Meanwhile, China's commerce ministry said that China has not "adopted any restrictive and discriminatory measures against Indian products and services". The Commerce ministry said it hoped India corrects its "discriminatory actions against Chinese companies immediately." In a similar move, China's foreign ministry had earlier said it was "strongly concerned" over India's ban on Chinese apps. (With inputs from agencies)

Google temporarily blocks access to banned apps in India

WhatsApp on Wednesday announced many new features including adding contact through QR codes, animated stickers and dark mode for its web and desktop platforms.

The new features will start rolling over the next few weeks.&nbsp;

Animated stickers, which are one of the fastest-growing ways people communicate on WhatsApp, are even more fun and expressive.&nbsp;

Now, users will be able to scan QR codes to add others to their contacts. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/tech-news-whatsapp-news-brazils-central-bank-suspends-whatsapps-new-payments-system-308112">Also Read: Brazil's central bank suspends WhatsApp's new payments system</a> 
 
"While our focus remains on providing a simple, reliable and private way for people to chat with friends and family - we also continue to push forward our product design to make sure WhatsApp remains the most useful way for anyone, anywhere to connect," the company said in a blog post.

WhatsApp said users can easily start a group video call with just one tap on a video icon in group chats of 8 or less.

"With now up to 8 people on a video call, the new feature will make it easier to focus on whoever you want by letting you press and hold to maximize a participant's video to full screen," WhatsApp said.

Furthermore, the company also extended its Dark Mode feature for web and desktop.

(With inputs from ANI)

WhatsApp on Wednesday announced many new features including adding contact through QR codes, animated stickers and dark mode for its web and desktop platforms. The new features will start rolling over the next few weeks.

WhatsApp on Wednesday announced many new features including adding contact through QR codes, animated stickers and dark mode for its web and desktop platforms. The new features will start rolling over the next few weeks. Animated stickers, which are one of the fastest-growing ways people communicate on WhatsApp, are even more fun and expressive. Now, users will be able to scan QR codes to add others to their contacts. Also Read: Brazil's central bank suspends WhatsApp's new payments system "While our focus remains on providing a simple, reliable and private way for people to chat with friends and family - we also continue to push forward our product design to make sure WhatsApp remains the most useful way for anyone, anywhere to connect," the company said in a blog post. WhatsApp said users can easily start a group video call with just one tap on a video icon in group chats of 8 or less. "With now up to 8 people on a video call, the new feature will make it easier to focus on whoever you want by letting you press and hold to maximize a participant's video to full screen," WhatsApp said. Furthermore, the company also extended its Dark Mode feature for web and desktop. (With inputs from ANI)

WhatsApp announces new features including animated stickers

Social networking giant Facebook has launched its latest feature "Avatars"&nbsp;in India which allows users to make graphic images of themselves, the new tool has characteristics of Bitmoji stickers used in Snapchat.

Facebook said Avatars supports faces, hairstyles and outfits that are customized for users in India. The launch comes just a day after&nbsp;the Indian government banned 59 Chinese apps over national security concerns with Tik Tok facing the government's ire even as its followers swelled in India.

Alibaba, Bytedance, Baidu and Tencent who had launched apps in India have come under the government's spotlight.

The new Facebook feature allows uses to create a digital persona that’s uniquely representative enabling them&nbsp;to share a range of emotions and expressions. Facebook is looking to personalise the user experience as it looks to drive its user base in India and&nbsp;seeks to move away from simple GIFs and stickers.

Avatars posts can also be shared on WhatsApp chats including as Facebook's profile picture with users now allowed to set specific hair and facial features according to their preference. The users can in fact also create avatars from another user's cartoon-like representation.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
These Facebook avatars are so cute! 
Look at mine. 🤭 <a href="https://t.co/M8VP83MLcW">pic.twitter.com/M8VP83MLcW</a>
— Parul ⁷⟭⟬ (@parul__1997) <a href="https://twitter.com/parul__1997/status/1278184524510199808?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 1, 2020</a></blockquote>
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The users in India were quick to lap up the new feature as they posted their ‘Avatars’ to show off to their friends as Facebook hopes it becomes another addictive feature for its fanbase in India.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Facebook trend it is 😂 
I am this type of Avatar .. what is yours ?🤔<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Trending?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Trending</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Facebook?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Facebook</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/facebookapp?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@facebookapp</a> <a href="https://t.co/moQK73yfNF">pic.twitter.com/moQK73yfNF</a>
— Soumili Deb (@DebSoumili) <a href="https://twitter.com/DebSoumili/status/1278207112229695488?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 1, 2020</a></blockquote>
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The feature allows a user to change skin tone, put on new makeup and clothes with everything available on Android, iOS devices where users can use their Facebook account.

&nbsp;

Social networking giant Facebook has launched its latest feature "Avatars" in India which allows users to make graphic images of themselves, the new tool has characteristics of Bitmoji stickers used in Snapchat.

Social networking giant Facebook has launched its latest feature "Avatars" in India which allows users to make graphic images of themselves, the new tool has characteristics of Bitmoji stickers used in Snapchat. Facebook said Avatars supports faces, hairstyles and outfits that are customized for users in India. The launch comes just a day after the Indian government banned 59 Chinese apps over national security concerns with Tik Tok facing the government's ire even as its followers swelled in India. Alibaba, Bytedance, Baidu and Tencent who had launched apps in India have come under the government's spotlight. The new Facebook feature allows uses to create a digital persona that’s uniquely representative enabling them to share a range of emotions and expressions. Facebook is looking to personalise the user experience as it looks to drive its user base in India and seeks to move away from simple GIFs and stickers. Avatars posts can also be shared on WhatsApp chats including as Facebook's profile picture with users now allowed to set specific hair and facial features according to their preference. The users can in fact also create avatars from another user's cartoon-like representation. These Facebook avatars are so cute! Look at mine. 🤭 pic.twitter.com/M8VP83MLcW — Parul ⁷⟭⟬ (@parul__1997) July 1, 2020 × The users in India were quick to lap up the new feature as they posted their ‘Avatars’ to show off to their friends as Facebook hopes it becomes another addictive feature for its fanbase in India. Facebook trend it is 😂 I am this type of Avatar .. what is yours ?🤔#Trending @Facebook @facebookapp pic.twitter.com/moQK73yfNF — Soumili Deb (@DebSoumili) July 1, 2020 × The feature allows a user to change skin tone, put on new makeup and clothes with everything available on Android, iOS devices where users can use their Facebook account.

Facebook's Avatars allows users in India to create own digital profile

The US telecommunications regulator&nbsp;Federal Communications Commission(FCC) on Tuesday formally designated China's&nbsp;Huawei Technologies Co and ZTE Corp as posing threats to US&nbsp;national security.

The&nbsp;declaration bars US&nbsp;tech firms from tapping an $8.3 billion Universal Service Fund to purchase equipment from the companies, effective immediately.

This fund was established in 1997 and is a programme that provides subsidies to companies while purchasing equipment and services for the maximisation of access to the telecom industry in a country.

Also read| <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/xi-jinping-asked-for-personal-favours-from-trump-for-huawei-and-zte-john-bolton-309228">Xi Jinping asked for personal 'favours' from Trump for Huawei and ZTE: John Bolton</a>

The US&nbsp;telecommunications&nbsp;regulator had voted in November to issue the declaration and had proposed requiring rural carriers to remove and replace equipment from the two Chinese companies from existing US&nbsp;networks.

''Both companies have close ties to the Chinese Communist Party and China’s military apparatus, and both companies are broadly subject to Chinese law obligating them to cooperate with the country’s intelligence services,''&nbsp;FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said in a statement Tuesday.

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/pentagon-names-huawei-and-hikvision-among-20-chinese-military-backed-firms-308500">Pentagon names Huawei and Hikvision among 20 Chinese military-backed firms</a>

''We cannot and will not allow the Chinese Communist Party to exploit network vulnerabilities and compromise our critical communications infrastructure," he added.

Huawei and ZTE did not immediately respond to requests for comment but have previously sharply criticized the FCC's actions.

FCC Commissioner Geoffrey Starks said on Tuesday that "untrustworthy equipment" remains in place in US&nbsp;networks and said the US&nbsp;Congress must allocate funding for replacements.

In May 2019, US President Trump had signed an executive order declaring a national emergency and barring US&nbsp;companies from&nbsp;using telecommunications equipment made by companies posing a national security risk. The Trump administration had also added Huawei to its trade blacklist last year.

The FCC has taken an increasingly hard line against Chinese firms.&nbsp;In April, the FCC said it may shut down US&nbsp;operations of three state-controlled Chinese&nbsp;telecommunications&nbsp;companies

The FCC required China Telecom Americas, China Unicom Americas, Pacific Networks Corp and its wholly-owned subsidiary ComNet (USA) LLC to explain why it should not start the process of revoking authorizations enabling their U.S. operations.

The FCC granted its approvals to the firms more than a decade ago.

In May 2019, the FCC voted to deny another state-owned Chinese&nbsp;telecommunications&nbsp;company, China Mobile Ltd, the right to provide US&nbsp;services, citing risks that the Chinese government could&nbsp;use the company to conduct espionage against the US&nbsp;government.

The US telecommunications regulator Federal Communications Commission(FCC) on Tuesday formally designated China's Huawei Technologies Co and ZTE Corp as posing threats to US national security.

The US telecommunications regulator Federal Communications Commission(FCC) on Tuesday formally designated China's Huawei Technologies Co and ZTE Corp as posing threats to US national security. The declaration bars US tech firms from tapping an $8.3 billion Universal Service Fund to purchase equipment from the companies, effective immediately. This fund was established in 1997 and is a programme that provides subsidies to companies while purchasing equipment and services for the maximisation of access to the telecom industry in a country. Also read| Xi Jinping asked for personal 'favours' from Trump for Huawei and ZTE: John Bolton The US telecommunications regulator had voted in November to issue the declaration and had proposed requiring rural carriers to remove and replace equipment from the two Chinese companies from existing US networks. ''Both companies have close ties to the Chinese Communist Party and China’s military apparatus, and both companies are broadly subject to Chinese law obligating them to cooperate with the country’s intelligence services,'' FCC Chairman Ajit Pai said in a statement Tuesday. Also read| Pentagon names Huawei and Hikvision among 20 Chinese military-backed firms ''We cannot and will not allow the Chinese Communist Party to exploit network vulnerabilities and compromise our critical communications infrastructure," he added. Huawei and ZTE did not immediately respond to requests for comment but have previously sharply criticized the FCC's actions. FCC Commissioner Geoffrey Starks said on Tuesday that "untrustworthy equipment" remains in place in US networks and said the US Congress must allocate funding for replacements. In May 2019, US President Trump had signed an executive order declaring a national emergency and barring US companies from using telecommunications equipment made by companies posing a national security risk. The Trump administration had also added Huawei to its trade blacklist last year. The FCC has taken an increasingly hard line against Chinese firms. In April, the FCC said it may shut down US operations of three state-controlled Chinese telecommunications companies The FCC required China Telecom Americas, China Unicom Americas, Pacific Networks Corp and its wholly-owned subsidiary ComNet (USA) LLC to explain why it should not start the process of revoking authorizations enabling their U.S. operations. The FCC granted its approvals to the firms more than a decade ago. In May 2019, the FCC voted to deny another state-owned Chinese telecommunications company, China Mobile Ltd, the right to provide US services, citing risks that the Chinese government could use the company to conduct espionage against the US government.

US telecom regulator designates China's Huawei, ZTE as 'national security threats'

Facebook has removed hundreds of extremist accounts running a "violent US-based anti-government network" loosely connected to to the&nbsp;Boogaloo movement.

The tech giant it said that it has removed more than 300 accounts from Facebook and Instagram which were tied to 106 groups associated with the&nbsp;Boogaloo movement.

"Members of this network seek to recruit others within the broader boogaloo movement, sharing the same content online and adopting the same offline appearance as others in the movement to do so," the company said in an issued statement.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/facebook-removes-hundreds-more-accounts-as-right-wing-violence-spreads-306406">Facebook removes hundreds more accounts as right-wing violence spreads</a>

The company called the move&nbsp;"the latest step in our commitment to ban people who proclaim a violent mission from using our platform".

Before, an additional 400 groups and 100 pages were taken down for posting content broadly supporting the&nbsp;movement.

The term 'Boogaloo' is a slang word supporters use to refer to&nbsp;the second civil war.

Also see:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/top-american-brands-join-boycott-facebook-ads-campaign-309428">Top American brands join boycott Facebook ads campaign!</a>

Facebook has been facing boycott from several big companies including Starbucks, Coca-Cola, Adidas and&nbsp;Ford who have taken down their advertisements over hate speech on the platform.

According to the criminal complaint against the&nbsp;alleged killer of a federal security officer, who was shot in Oakland, California on May 30,&nbsp;had posted about&nbsp;the Boogaloo on Facebook and connected with his accomplice on the same social media platform.

Facebook has removed hundreds of extremist accounts running a "violent US-based anti-government network" loosely connected to to the Boogaloo movement. The tech giant it said that it has removed more than 300 accounts from Facebook and Instagram which were tied to 106 groups associated with the Boogaloo movement.

Facebook has removed hundreds of extremist accounts running a "violent US-based anti-government network" loosely connected to to the Boogaloo movement. The tech giant it said that it has removed more than 300 accounts from Facebook and Instagram which were tied to 106 groups associated with the Boogaloo movement. "Members of this network seek to recruit others within the broader boogaloo movement, sharing the same content online and adopting the same offline appearance as others in the movement to do so," the company said in an issued statement. Also read: Facebook removes hundreds more accounts as right-wing violence spreads The company called the move "the latest step in our commitment to ban people who proclaim a violent mission from using our platform". Before, an additional 400 groups and 100 pages were taken down for posting content broadly supporting the movement. The term 'Boogaloo' is a slang word supporters use to refer to the second civil war. Also see: Top American brands join boycott Facebook ads campaign! Facebook has been facing boycott from several big companies including Starbucks, Coca-Cola, Adidas and Ford who have taken down their advertisements over hate speech on the platform. According to the criminal complaint against the alleged killer of a federal security officer, who was shot in Oakland, California on May 30, had posted about the Boogaloo on Facebook and connected with his accomplice on the same social media platform.

Facebook bans hundreds of extremist Boogaloo group accounts for 'promoting violence'

A day after banning 59 Chinese apps, the Indian government on Tuesday&nbsp;directed all internet service providers to block the banned apps under the emergency clause of the IT Act.

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has issued the order in two sets -- the first set contains a list of 35 apps and the other 24 apps taking the total to 59.

"The Ministry of Electronics and &amp; Information Technology has issued directions for blocking 24 apps under the emergency clause 69A of the IT Act 2000, in addition to 35 apps for whose blocking instructions have been issued earlier today itself," a DoT order to internet companies said. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-bans-chinese-apps-what-does-the-decision-mean-for-beijing-309734">Also Read: India bans Chinese apps: What does the decision mean for Beijing?</a>

Government has also issued IP addresses which will make Internet service providers to easily block access to the banned Chinese apps.

The Indian government had on Monday banned 59 Chinese apps amid the India-China standoff at Galwan Valley.

Other than TikTok, the apps which were banned included UC Browser, SHAREit, Baidu map, Shein, clash of Kings, DU battery saver, Helo, Likee, YouCam makeup, Mi Community, CM Browsers, Virus Cleaner, Apus Browser and many more. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-bans-59-chinese-apps-including-tiktok-shareit-uc-browser-citing-national-security-309464">Also Read: India bans 59 Chinese apps citing national security</a>

Meanwhile, China's foreign ministry said it was "strongly concerned" over India's ban on Chinese apps.

"China is strongly concerned by the notice served by the Indian government," it said, adding, "the Chinese government always asks Chinese businessmen to abide by international law and regulations in their business cooperation." 
 
(With inputs from PTI)

A day after banning 59 Chinese apps, the Indian government on Tuesday directed all internet service providers to block the banned apps under the emergency clause of the IT Act.

A day after banning 59 Chinese apps, the Indian government on Tuesday directed all internet service providers to block the banned apps under the emergency clause of the IT Act. The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has issued the order in two sets -- the first set contains a list of 35 apps and the other 24 apps taking the total to 59. "The Ministry of Electronics and & Information Technology has issued directions for blocking 24 apps under the emergency clause 69A of the IT Act 2000, in addition to 35 apps for whose blocking instructions have been issued earlier today itself," a DoT order to internet companies said. Also Read: India bans Chinese apps: What does the decision mean for Beijing? Government has also issued IP addresses which will make Internet service providers to easily block access to the banned Chinese apps. The Indian government had on Monday banned 59 Chinese apps amid the India-China standoff at Galwan Valley. Other than TikTok, the apps which were banned included UC Browser, SHAREit, Baidu map, Shein, clash of Kings, DU battery saver, Helo, Likee, YouCam makeup, Mi Community, CM Browsers, Virus Cleaner, Apus Browser and many more. Also Read: India bans 59 Chinese apps citing national security Meanwhile, China's foreign ministry said it was "strongly concerned" over India's ban on Chinese apps. "China is strongly concerned by the notice served by the Indian government," it said, adding, "the Chinese government always asks Chinese businessmen to abide by international law and regulations in their business cooperation." (With inputs from PTI)

Government asks internet companies to block the banned Chinese apps

A day after the government banned several Chinese apps, popular short-form video app Mitron reported that its daily traffic jumped up by more than 11 times.

Just 5 days after crossing the 10 million (1 crore) downloads milestone, Mitron has now announced that the app has been downloaded by 17 million (1.7 crore) users in India. Mitron app has been one of the most downloaded apps in India during the last two months.

It is incredibly exciting to see the rapid adoption of Mitron by Indian users. 11-fold jump in traffic, immediately after the ban of Chinese apps, was beyond our expectations, said Shivank Agarwal, Founder and CEO, Mitron.

Anish Khandelwal, Founder &amp; CTO said, " We have built a solid backend infrastructure and our platform is now completely scalable and autonomous and that is helping us to cater to the sharp rise in traffic on Mitron App."

Mitron has been rapidly enhancing the product with several improvements for the users including an updated video upload process that is much easier, enhanced audio library with a wide choice of Indian content and a feature that enables users to flag any inappropriate content easily.

Users uploaded millions of videos in 10 different languages and the number of videos viewed on the platform increased sharply to cross 30 million video views per hour.

Shivank added, "We are a young company and we are hiring some of the best product &amp; engineering talent to scale up Mitron rapidly. We are confident that we can build Mitron into one of the best apps in the short-form video space. Our focus is on building features and content that uniquely resonates with Indian users, while being sensitive to community standards and local laws in India and we believe that will help us build Mitron into a very large business."

Mitron app is a short-form video app that allows users to create, upload and view entertaining short videos.

A day after the government banned several Chinese apps, popular short-form video app Mitron reported that its daily traffic jumped up by more than 11 times. Just 5 days after crossing the 10 million (1 crore) downloads milestone, Mitron has now announced that the app has been downloaded by 17 million (1.

A day after the government banned several Chinese apps, popular short-form video app Mitron reported that its daily traffic jumped up by more than 11 times. Just 5 days after crossing the 10 million (1 crore) downloads milestone, Mitron has now announced that the app has been downloaded by 17 million (1.7 crore) users in India. Mitron app has been one of the most downloaded apps in India during the last two months. It is incredibly exciting to see the rapid adoption of Mitron by Indian users. 11-fold jump in traffic, immediately after the ban of Chinese apps, was beyond our expectations, said Shivank Agarwal, Founder and CEO, Mitron. Anish Khandelwal, Founder & CTO said, " We have built a solid backend infrastructure and our platform is now completely scalable and autonomous and that is helping us to cater to the sharp rise in traffic on Mitron App." Mitron has been rapidly enhancing the product with several improvements for the users including an updated video upload process that is much easier, enhanced audio library with a wide choice of Indian content and a feature that enables users to flag any inappropriate content easily. Users uploaded millions of videos in 10 different languages and the number of videos viewed on the platform increased sharply to cross 30 million video views per hour. Shivank added, "We are a young company and we are hiring some of the best product & engineering talent to scale up Mitron rapidly. We are confident that we can build Mitron into one of the best apps in the short-form video space. Our focus is on building features and content that uniquely resonates with Indian users, while being sensitive to community standards and local laws in India and we believe that will help us build Mitron into a very large business." Mitron app is a short-form video app that allows users to create, upload and view entertaining short videos.

Video app Mitron traffic jumps up 11-fold as government bans TikTok

After the Indian government decided to ban 59 Chinese apps, TikTok CEO Kevin Mayer addressed the Indian employees, saying that the company is working with stakeholders to address their concerns.&nbsp;

"TikTok continues to comply with all data privacy and security requirements under Indian law and places the highest importance on user privacy and integrity," said Kevin Mayer.

"Our employees are our biggest strength, and their well-being is our topmost priority. We have also assured more than 2,000 strong workforce that we will do everything in our power to restore the positive experiences and opportunities that they can be proud of," the TikTok CEO said. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-bans-chinese-apps-what-does-the-decision-mean-for-beijing-309734">Also Read:&nbsp;India bans Chinese apps: What does the decision mean for Beijing?</a>

He further said that the company look forward to play an active role in the mainframe of Digital India.

Kevin Mayer took over as TikTok CEO in June, 2019 and the ban on the app by the Indian government is the first big challenge he faces.

Earlier on&nbsp;Tuesday, TikTok India responding&nbsp;to the ban said, "The government of India has issued an interim order for the blocking of 59 apps, including TikTok and we are in the process of complying with it. We have been invited to meet with concerned government stakeholders for an opportunity to respond and submit clarifications." 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/strongly-concerned-over-indias-ban-on-chinese-apps-china-309601">Also Read: Strongly concerned over India's ban on Chinese apps: China</a>

The Indian government had on Monday banned 59 Chinese apps amid the India-China standoff at Galwan Valley.

Other than TikTok, the apps which were banned included UC Browser, SHAREit, Baidu map, Shein, clash of Kings, DU battery saver, Helo, Likee, YouCam makeup, Mi Community, CM Browsers, Virus Cleaner, Apus Browser and many more. 
&nbsp;

After the Indian government decided to ban 59 Chinese apps, TikTok CEO Kevin Mayer addressed the Indian employees, saying that the company is working with stakeholders to address their concerns.

After the Indian government decided to ban 59 Chinese apps, TikTok CEO Kevin Mayer addressed the Indian employees, saying that the company is working with stakeholders to address their concerns. "TikTok continues to comply with all data privacy and security requirements under Indian law and places the highest importance on user privacy and integrity," said Kevin Mayer. "Our employees are our biggest strength, and their well-being is our topmost priority. We have also assured more than 2,000 strong workforce that we will do everything in our power to restore the positive experiences and opportunities that they can be proud of," the TikTok CEO said. Also Read: India bans Chinese apps: What does the decision mean for Beijing? He further said that the company look forward to play an active role in the mainframe of Digital India. Kevin Mayer took over as TikTok CEO in June, 2019 and the ban on the app by the Indian government is the first big challenge he faces. Earlier on Tuesday, TikTok India responding to the ban said, "The government of India has issued an interim order for the blocking of 59 apps, including TikTok and we are in the process of complying with it. We have been invited to meet with concerned government stakeholders for an opportunity to respond and submit clarifications." Also Read: Strongly concerned over India's ban on Chinese apps: China The Indian government had on Monday banned 59 Chinese apps amid the India-China standoff at Galwan Valley. Other than TikTok, the apps which were banned included UC Browser, SHAREit, Baidu map, Shein, clash of Kings, DU battery saver, Helo, Likee, YouCam makeup, Mi Community, CM Browsers, Virus Cleaner, Apus Browser and many more.

TikTok CEO addresses Indian employees, says your well-being is our topmost priority

Amazon's game streaming platform&nbsp;Twitch temporarily suspended President Donald Trump's channel and social media site Reddit&nbsp;on Monday shut down r/The_Donald, a forum which long served as a popular online home base for fans of President Donald Trump, saying it violated the site's hate speech rules.

Reddit&nbsp;Chief Executive Steve Huffman said in a post detailing changes to the company's content policies that communities and users promoting hate would be barred.&nbsp;Reddit&nbsp;was banning about 2,000 subreddits, the majority of which were inactive, he said.

"r/The_Donald" was among some 2,000 forums or "subreddits" banned as tightening of rules at the news-focused social website, Reddit said.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/twitter-disables-trump-campaign-tribute-to-floyd-for-copyright-foul-303548">Twitter disables Trump campaign tribute to Floyd for copyright foul</a>

"Hateful conduct is not allowed on Twitch," a spokesperson said.

"We do not make exceptions for political or newsworthy content, and will take action on content reported to us that violates our rules."

Twitch said the offending comments aired on the channel included Trump's remarks from 2015 saying that Mexicans coming into the United States were "bringing drugs," "bringing crime" and were "rapists."

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/facebook-takes-down-trump-ads-for-violating-its-policy-against-organised-hate-306951">Facebook takes down Trump ads for violating its policy against 'organised hate'</a>

Also cited were his statements from a recent Tulsa rally that "a very tough hombre is breaking into the window of a young woman whose husband is away."

In response to the actions by&nbsp;Reddit&nbsp;and Twitch, a Trump campaign spokesman directed people to Trump's campaign app "to hear directly from the president." He did not directly address the sites' actions.

The move comes with online platforms facing pressure to crack down on hateful content, including from the president, amid a broad movement to address racial equity in the wake of police killings of African-Americans.

Trump has complained that Silicon Valley platforms are biased against conservatives, despite his own large social media following.

Huffman said earlier this month that&nbsp;Reddit&nbsp;would strengthen its content policy, after&nbsp;Reddit&nbsp;co-founder Alexis Ohanian resigned from the firm's board and former CEO Ellen Pao criticized its handling of r/The_Donald.

Reddit last year "quarantined" the pro-Trump forum for promoting violence and on Monday removed it.

The new list of banned subreddits also included the left-wing r/ChapoTrapHouse, which Huffman said consistently hosted rule-breaking content. It had an average of 42,949 daily active users, according to&nbsp;Reddit.

Reddit's list showed r/The_Donald had an average of 7,780 daily active users, down from its heyday around the 2016 presidential election when it regularly drew hundreds of thousands of visitors each day.

Only about 200 of the banned forums listed by&nbsp;Reddit&nbsp;had more than 10 daily users.

Amazon's game streaming platform Twitch temporarily suspended President Donald Trump's channel and social media site Reddit on Monday shut down r/The_Donald, a forum which long served as a popular online home base for fans of President Donald Trump, saying it violated the site's hate speech rules.

Amazon's game streaming platform Twitch temporarily suspended President Donald Trump's channel and social media site Reddit on Monday shut down r/The_Donald, a forum which long served as a popular online home base for fans of President Donald Trump, saying it violated the site's hate speech rules. Reddit Chief Executive Steve Huffman said in a post detailing changes to the company's content policies that communities and users promoting hate would be barred. Reddit was banning about 2,000 subreddits, the majority of which were inactive, he said. "r/The_Donald" was among some 2,000 forums or "subreddits" banned as tightening of rules at the news-focused social website, Reddit said. Also read: Twitter disables Trump campaign tribute to Floyd for copyright foul "Hateful conduct is not allowed on Twitch," a spokesperson said. "We do not make exceptions for political or newsworthy content, and will take action on content reported to us that violates our rules." Twitch said the offending comments aired on the channel included Trump's remarks from 2015 saying that Mexicans coming into the United States were "bringing drugs," "bringing crime" and were "rapists." Also read: Facebook takes down Trump ads for violating its policy against 'organised hate' Also cited were his statements from a recent Tulsa rally that "a very tough hombre is breaking into the window of a young woman whose husband is away." In response to the actions by Reddit and Twitch, a Trump campaign spokesman directed people to Trump's campaign app "to hear directly from the president." He did not directly address the sites' actions. The move comes with online platforms facing pressure to crack down on hateful content, including from the president, amid a broad movement to address racial equity in the wake of police killings of African-Americans. Trump has complained that Silicon Valley platforms are biased against conservatives, despite his own large social media following. Huffman said earlier this month that Reddit would strengthen its content policy, after Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian resigned from the firm's board and former CEO Ellen Pao criticized its handling of r/The_Donald. Reddit last year "quarantined" the pro-Trump forum for promoting violence and on Monday removed it. The new list of banned subreddits also included the left-wing r/ChapoTrapHouse, which Huffman said consistently hosted rule-breaking content. It had an average of 42,949 daily active users, according to Reddit. Reddit's list showed r/The_Donald had an average of 7,780 daily active users, down from its heyday around the 2016 presidential election when it regularly drew hundreds of thousands of visitors each day. Only about 200 of the banned forums listed by Reddit had more than 10 daily users.

Twitch, Reddit ban pro-Trump content amid hate speech crackdown

In the midst of ongoing tension at Sino-Indian border after a standoff with Chinese forces along the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh, the government of India on Monday decided to ban at least 59 Chinese apps.

Since the government banned 59 Chinese apps over national security concerns, &nbsp;Indians have rushed to download social app Chingari, a desi alternative to Chinese TikTok. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/tiktoks-indian-alternative-chingari-app-crosses-over-3-million-downloads-309634">Also Read:&nbsp;TikTok's Indian alternative Chingari app crosses over 3 million downloads</a>

Here is all you need to know about Chingari app:&nbsp;

1. Chingari app was founded by Bengaluru-based programmers Biswatma Nayak and Siddharth Gautam in 2019

2. The app is available in multiple languages including English, Hindi, Bangla, Gujarati, Marathi, Kannada, Punjabi, Malayalam, Tamil and Telugu.

3. The app also rewards the users on the basis of how viral the video becomes.

4. The Chingari app is available for free download on both Google Play Store and Apple App Store.

5. Chingari allows users&nbsp;to download and upload videos, chat with friends, interact with new people, share content, and browse through the feed. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

In the midst of ongoing tension at Sino-Indian border after a standoff with Chinese forces along the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh, the government of India on Monday decided to ban at least 59 Chinese apps.

In the midst of ongoing tension at Sino-Indian border after a standoff with Chinese forces along the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh, the government of India on Monday decided to ban at least 59 Chinese apps. Since the government banned 59 Chinese apps over national security concerns, Indians have rushed to download social app Chingari, a desi alternative to Chinese TikTok. Also Read: TikTok's Indian alternative Chingari app crosses over 3 million downloads Here is all you need to know about Chingari app: 1. Chingari app was founded by Bengaluru-based programmers Biswatma Nayak and Siddharth Gautam in 2019 2. The app is available in multiple languages including English, Hindi, Bangla, Gujarati, Marathi, Kannada, Punjabi, Malayalam, Tamil and Telugu. 3. The app also rewards the users on the basis of how viral the video becomes. 4. The Chingari app is available for free download on both Google Play Store and Apple App Store. 5. Chingari allows users to download and upload videos, chat with friends, interact with new people, share content, and browse through the feed. (With inputs from agencies)

TikTok banned: All you need to know about its Indian rival Chingari app

The Indian alternative to TikTok, Chingari, has crossed over 3 million downloads.&nbsp;

The app, founded by Bengaluru-based programmers Biswatma Nayak and Siddharth Gautam last year, allows users to download and upload videos, chat with friends, interact with new people, share content and browse through the feed.&nbsp;

Biswatma Nayak&nbsp;said, "In the last few days, we have witnessed a 400 per cent growth in the subscribers of the app." 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-bans-59-chinese-apps-including-tiktok-shareit-uc-browser-citing-national-security-309464">Also Read: India bans 59 Chinese apps including TikTok, Shareit citing national security</a>

The app also rewards the users on the basis of how viral the video becomes. Chingari app can be downloaded through Google Play Store and Apple App Store.

The app is available in multiple languages including English, Hindi, Bangla, Gujarati, Marathi, Kannada, Punjabi, Malayalam, Tamil and Telugu. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions-blogs/why-tiktok-is-a-threat-to-national-security-if-left-unchecked-300976">Also Read: Why TikTok is a threat to national security</a>

In the midst of ongoing tension at Sino-Indian border after a standoff with Chinese forces along the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh, the government of India on Monday took an unprecedented step and decided to ban at least 59 Chinese apps. 
 
"This move will safeguard the interests of crores of Indian mobile and internet users. This decision is a targeted move to ensure safety and sovereignty of Indian cyberspace," announced Ministry of Electronics and IT. 
 
(With inputs from agencies)

The Indian alternative to TikTok, Chingari, has crossed over 3 million downloads. The app, founded by Bengaluru-based programmers Biswatma Nayak and Siddharth Gautam last year, allows users to download and upload videos, chat with friends, interact with new people, share content and browse through the feed.

The Indian alternative to TikTok, Chingari, has crossed over 3 million downloads. The app, founded by Bengaluru-based programmers Biswatma Nayak and Siddharth Gautam last year, allows users to download and upload videos, chat with friends, interact with new people, share content and browse through the feed. Biswatma Nayak said, "In the last few days, we have witnessed a 400 per cent growth in the subscribers of the app." Also Read: India bans 59 Chinese apps including TikTok, Shareit citing national security The app also rewards the users on the basis of how viral the video becomes. Chingari app can be downloaded through Google Play Store and Apple App Store. The app is available in multiple languages including English, Hindi, Bangla, Gujarati, Marathi, Kannada, Punjabi, Malayalam, Tamil and Telugu. Also Read: Why TikTok is a threat to national security In the midst of ongoing tension at Sino-Indian border after a standoff with Chinese forces along the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh, the government of India on Monday took an unprecedented step and decided to ban at least 59 Chinese apps. "This move will safeguard the interests of crores of Indian mobile and internet users. This decision is a targeted move to ensure safety and sovereignty of Indian cyberspace," announced Ministry of Electronics and IT. (With inputs from agencies)

TikTok's Indian alternative Chingari app crosses over 3 million downloads

Google said that it had removed search ads that charged users searching for voting information large fees for voter registration or harvested their personal data.

A Google spokeswoman told Reuters that the company’s misrepresentation policy barred such ads, which were found by the nonprofit watchdog Tech Transparency Project when searching for terms such as “register to vote,” “vote by mail,” and “where is my polling place.”

Tech Transparency Project said in a report on Monday that nearly a third of the more than 600 ads generated by its Google searches took users to sites that try to charge large fees for voter registration services, extract personal data for marketing purposes, install deceptive browser extensions, or serve other misleading ads.

The report said that the first ad in a Google search for “register to vote” directed users to a site from PrivacyWall.org that charged $129 for “same-day processing” of voter registration. US voters do not need to pay to register to vote.

PrivacyWall did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

A Google spokeswoman said the company did not yet know how the ads had got through its approval process, which uses a combination of automated and manual review.

“We have strict policies in place to protect users from false information about voting procedures, and when we find ads that violate our policies and present harm to users, we remove them and block advertisers from running similar ads in the future,” the spokeswoman said.

“Some people may find it difficult to distinguish Google ads from other kinds of content because as of January, search ads on Google feature the same type face and color scheme as organic search results,” the TTP report said.

Social media companies and online platforms, including Facebook Inc (FB.O) and Twitter (TWTR.N) are under pressure to curb misinformation on their sites in the run-up to the US presidential election in November.

Google said that it had removed search ads that charged users searching for voting information large fees for voter registration or harvested their personal data.

Google said that it had removed search ads that charged users searching for voting information large fees for voter registration or harvested their personal data. A Google spokeswoman told Reuters that the company’s misrepresentation policy barred such ads, which were found by the nonprofit watchdog Tech Transparency Project when searching for terms such as “register to vote,” “vote by mail,” and “where is my polling place.” Tech Transparency Project said in a report on Monday that nearly a third of the more than 600 ads generated by its Google searches took users to sites that try to charge large fees for voter registration services, extract personal data for marketing purposes, install deceptive browser extensions, or serve other misleading ads. The report said that the first ad in a Google search for “register to vote” directed users to a site from PrivacyWall.org that charged $129 for “same-day processing” of voter registration. US voters do not need to pay to register to vote. PrivacyWall did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. A Google spokeswoman said the company did not yet know how the ads had got through its approval process, which uses a combination of automated and manual review. “We have strict policies in place to protect users from false information about voting procedures, and when we find ads that violate our policies and present harm to users, we remove them and block advertisers from running similar ads in the future,” the spokeswoman said. “Some people may find it difficult to distinguish Google ads from other kinds of content because as of January, search ads on Google feature the same type face and color scheme as organic search results,” the TTP report said. Social media companies and online platforms, including Facebook Inc (FB.O) and Twitter (TWTR.N) are under pressure to curb misinformation on their sites in the run-up to the US presidential election in November.

Google removes misleading ads in voting-related searches

Livinguard face masks are protective and prevent bacteria and viruses from spreading, benefiting both self and others in close proximity.

Livinguard Tech launches face mask; claims to disable COVID-19 virus

Organizers of a Facebook Inc advertising boycott campaign that has drawn support from a list of major companies are now preparing to take the battle global to increase pressure on the social media company to remove hate speech, reported news agency Reuters.

Organizers of a Facebook Inc advertising boycott campaign that has drawn support from a list of major companies are now preparing to take the battle global to increase pressure on the social media company to remove hate speech, reported news agency Reuters. The "Stop Hate for Profit" campaign will begin calling on major companies in Europe to join the boycott, Jim Steyer, chief executive of Common Sense Media, said in an interview with Reuters on Saturday. Since the campaign launched earlier this month, more than 160 companies, including Verizon Communications and Unilever Plc, have signed on to stop buying ads on the world’s largest social media platform for the month of July, the report said. Free Press and Common Sense, along with US civil rights groups Colour of Change and the Anti-Defamation League, launched the campaign following the death of George Floyd, an unarmed Black man killed by Minneapolis police. "The next frontier is global pressure," Steyer said, adding the campaign hopes to embolden regulators in Europe to take a harder stance on Facebook. The outrage in the United States over the death of Floyd has led to an unprecedented reaction from corporations around the world. Its impact has been felt beyond US borders. Unilever, for example, changed the name of a skin-lightening product popular in India called Fair and Lovely. Steyer said they will urge global advertisers such as Unilever and Honda, which have only committed to pausing US ads, to pull their Facebook ads globally. Annually, Facebook generates $70 billion in advertising sales and about a quarter of it comes from big companies such as Unilever with the vast majority of its revenue derived from small businesses. But the publicity around its hate speech policies have hurt its perception and stock. On Friday, Facebook's 8.3% decline in stock price wiped out $56 billion in market capitalization. The boycott has accelerated to include other digital advertising platforms such as Twitter. Starbucks said Sunday it would pause advertising on all social media platforms while it works with civil rights organizations to "stop the spread of hate speech." PepsiCo Inc will stop advertising on Facebook Inc, FOX Business Network reported, citing sources. The halt on advertising will run through July and August, the report said. Sources described the move as a "global boycott" on placing Facebook ads, the report said. The food and beverage company joins a growing number of companies pulling ad dollars from Facebook. (With inputs from Reuters)

Facebook ad boycott campaign to go global, Pepsi to stop ads on social media platform

The Indian unit of Amazon.com Inc has eliminated all single-use plastic in its packaging across fulfillment centers in the country, in line with its target to weed out the packaging material by June, the e-commerce giant said on Monday.

The company said in addition to replacing packaging materials such as bubble wraps and air pillows with "paper cushions", it had also swapped out packaging tapes with other bio-degradable options.

"We have successfully eliminated single-use plastic in all our fulfillment centers a 100%," Akhil Saxena, vice-president of customer fulfillment for the APAC, LATAM and Middle East and North Africa regions, said in an interview.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/technology/amazon-to-use-ai-tech-in-its-warehouses-to-enforce-social-distancing-306310" hreflang="en">Amazon to use AI tech in its warehouses to enforce social distancing</a>

Amazon, often criticised for using too much plastic and thermocol to wrap its billions of packages of shipments, had said last September that its India unit would replace single-use plastic in its packaging by June 2020.

Saxena said on Monday the COVID-19 pandemic had slowed down some of their work, but Amazon India managed to meet its target as the unit had started on the elimination project even before the national lockdown was imposed.

Last October, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had called on citizens to help end the usage of single-use plastic - seen as a pollutant - by 2022.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/world/amazon-pledges-2-billion-venture-capital-fund-to-invest-in-clean-energy-308037" hreflang="en">Amazon pledges $2 billion venture capital fund to invest in clean energy</a>

The Asian country of 1.3 billion does not have an organized system for management of plastic waste, leading to extensive littering.

Many Indian cities rank among the world's most polluted, and waste generated from single-use plastic has been a growing problem.&nbsp;

Walmart Inc's India e-commerce unit Flipkart, a local rival to Amazon, said last month that it had cut down the usage of plastic packaging in its own supply chain to about 50%.

The Indian unit of Amazon.com Inc has eliminated all single-use plastic in its packaging across fulfillment centers in the country, in line with its target to weed out the packaging material by June, the e-commerce giant said on Monday.

The Indian unit of Amazon.com Inc has eliminated all single-use plastic in its packaging across fulfillment centers in the country, in line with its target to weed out the packaging material by June, the e-commerce giant said on Monday. The company said in addition to replacing packaging materials such as bubble wraps and air pillows with "paper cushions", it had also swapped out packaging tapes with other bio-degradable options. "We have successfully eliminated single-use plastic in all our fulfillment centers a 100%," Akhil Saxena, vice-president of customer fulfillment for the APAC, LATAM and Middle East and North Africa regions, said in an interview. Also read: Amazon to use AI tech in its warehouses to enforce social distancing Amazon, often criticised for using too much plastic and thermocol to wrap its billions of packages of shipments, had said last September that its India unit would replace single-use plastic in its packaging by June 2020. Saxena said on Monday the COVID-19 pandemic had slowed down some of their work, but Amazon India managed to meet its target as the unit had started on the elimination project even before the national lockdown was imposed. Last October, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had called on citizens to help end the usage of single-use plastic - seen as a pollutant - by 2022. Also read: Amazon pledges $2 billion venture capital fund to invest in clean energy The Asian country of 1.3 billion does not have an organized system for management of plastic waste, leading to extensive littering. Many Indian cities rank among the world's most polluted, and waste generated from single-use plastic has been a growing problem. Walmart Inc's India e-commerce unit Flipkart, a local rival to Amazon, said last month that it had cut down the usage of plastic packaging in its own supply chain to about 50%.

Amazon India scraps single-use plastic in packaging across centres

The government will launch a specialised e-marketplace for tribal artisans this Independence Day, connecting them to a larger national and international market.

Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED) staff, along with state government officials, will train the artisans and help them register on the website.

"We will launch the website – Tribes India e-Mart – on Independence Day on August 15. It will be similar to selling your products on e-commerce giants Amazon or Flipkart. The difference is just that it will be only for tribals,” Managing Director of TRIFED Praveer Krishna said.

TRIFED, which was set up in 1987, functions under the Union Tribal Affairs Ministry. The campaign is in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of an Aatma Nirbhar Bharat (Self-Reliant&nbsp;India). 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/government-makes-it-mandatory-for-sellers-to-mention-country-of-origin-on-products-for-gem-307921">Also Read: Government makes it mandatory for sellers to mention 'country of origin' on products for GeM</a>

The products of tribal sellers will undergo a strict quality check and a committee will fix prices for each item. There will be local collection centres from where the products will be supplied across the country.

Last week, the government procurement portal GeM has made it mandatory for sellers to mention ''country of origin'' on products they wish to sell through the platform, a move aimed at promoting Aatma Nirbhar Bharat (Self-reliant India)

Government e-Marketplace (GEM) has also enabled a provision for the indication of the percentage of local content in products with a view to promote Make in India. 
 
(With inputs from PTI)

The government will launch a specialised e-marketplace for tribal artisans this Independence Day, connecting them to a larger national and international market. Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED) staff, along with state government officials, will train the artisans and help them register on the website.

The government will launch a specialised e-marketplace for tribal artisans this Independence Day, connecting them to a larger national and international market. Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED) staff, along with state government officials, will train the artisans and help them register on the website. "We will launch the website – Tribes India e-Mart – on Independence Day on August 15. It will be similar to selling your products on e-commerce giants Amazon or Flipkart. The difference is just that it will be only for tribals,” Managing Director of TRIFED Praveer Krishna said. TRIFED, which was set up in 1987, functions under the Union Tribal Affairs Ministry. The campaign is in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of an Aatma Nirbhar Bharat (Self-Reliant India). Also Read: Government makes it mandatory for sellers to mention 'country of origin' on products for GeM The products of tribal sellers will undergo a strict quality check and a committee will fix prices for each item. There will be local collection centres from where the products will be supplied across the country. Last week, the government procurement portal GeM has made it mandatory for sellers to mention ''country of origin'' on products they wish to sell through the platform, a move aimed at promoting Aatma Nirbhar Bharat (Self-reliant India) Government e-Marketplace (GEM) has also enabled a provision for the indication of the percentage of local content in products with a view to promote Make in India. (With inputs from PTI)

Government to launch an e-marketplace exclusively for tribal sellers

The Indian unit of Amazon.com Inc has eliminated all single-use plastic in its packaging across fulfillment centers in the country, in line with its target to weed out the packaging material by June, the e-commerce giant said on Monday.

The company said in addition to replacing packaging materials such as bubble wraps and air pillows with “paper cushions”, it had also swapped out packaging tapes with other bio-degradable options.

“We have successfully eliminated single-use plastic in all our fulfillment centers a 100%,” Akhil Saxena, vice-president of customer fulfillment for the APAC, LATAM and Middle East and North Africa regions, said in an interview.

Amazon, often criticised for using too much plastic and thermocol to wrap its billions of packages of shipments, had said last September that its India unit would replace single-use plastic in its packaging by June 2020.

Saxena said on Monday the COVID-19 pandemic had slowed down some of their work, but Amazon India managed to meet its target as the unit had started on the elimination project even before the national lockdown was imposed.

Last October, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had called on citizens to help end the usage of single-use plastic - seen as a pollutant - by 2022.

The Asian country of 1.3 billion does not have an organized system for management of plastic waste, leading to extensive littering.

Many Indian cities rank among the world’s most polluted, and waste generated from single-use plastic has been a growing problem.

Walmart Inc’s (WMT.N) India e-commerce unit Flipkart, a local rival to Amazon, said last month that it had cut down the usage of plastic packaging in its own supply chain to about 50%.

The Indian unit of Amazon.com Inc has eliminated all single-use plastic in its packaging across fulfillment centers in the country, in line with its target to weed out the packaging material by June, the e-commerce giant said on Monday. The company said in addition to replacing packaging materials such as bubble wraps and air pillows with “paper cushions”, it had also swapped out packaging tapes with other bio-degradable options. “We have successfully eliminated single-use plastic in all our fulfillment centers a 100%,” Akhil Saxena, vice-president of customer fulfillment for the APAC, LATAM and Middle East and North Africa regions, said in an interview. Amazon, often criticised for using too much plastic and thermocol to wrap its billions of packages of shipments, had said last September that its India unit would replace single-use plastic in its packaging by June 2020. Saxena said on Monday the COVID-19 pandemic had slowed down some of their work, but Amazon India managed to meet its target as the unit had started on the elimination project even before the national lockdown was imposed. Last October, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had called on citizens to help end the usage of single-use plastic - seen as a pollutant - by 2022. The Asian country of 1.3 billion does not have an organized system for management of plastic waste, leading to extensive littering. Many Indian cities rank among the world’s most polluted, and waste generated from single-use plastic has been a growing problem. Walmart Inc’s (WMT.N) India e-commerce unit Flipkart, a local rival to Amazon, said last month that it had cut down the usage of plastic packaging in its own supply chain to about 50%.

Amazon India scraps single-use plastic in packaging across centers

Microsoft has made an announcement on Friday that it will be closing down all of its stores and moving its retail online. The tech giant will not shut the doors in four locations and will be transforming them into "experience centres."

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/covid-19-fortune-tencents-pony-ma-dethrones-alibabas-jack-ma-to-become-richest-in-china-308476" hreflang="en">COVID-19 fortune: Tencent's Pony Ma dethrones Alibaba's Jack Ma to become richest in China</a>

According to the statement released by Microsoft, over 80 stores will be closed due to the coronavirus pandemic and will not reopen as the tech giant enters "a new approach to retail."

"Microsoft will continue to invest in its digital storefronts on Microsoft.com, and stores in Xbox and Windows," the statement said.

The four locations, where these stores won't shutdown are London, New York, Sydney and at the company's Redmond, Washington headquarters.

Retail team members will "serve customers from Microsoft corporate facilities and remotely providing sales, training, and support," the company said.

The company will be setting $450 million to cover the costs of closing the locations. The total numbers of employees affected due to shutting down are not available.&nbsp;

"Our sales have grown online as our product portfolio has evolved to largely digital offerings, and our talented team has proven success serving customers beyond any physical location," said Microsoft corporate vice president David Porter.

Microsoft has made an announcement on Friday that it will be closing down all of its stores and moving its retail online. The tech giant will not shut the doors in four locations and will be transforming them into "experience centres.

Microsoft has made an announcement on Friday that it will be closing down all of its stores and moving its retail online. The tech giant will not shut the doors in four locations and will be transforming them into "experience centres." Also read: COVID-19 fortune: Tencent's Pony Ma dethrones Alibaba's Jack Ma to become richest in China According to the statement released by Microsoft, over 80 stores will be closed due to the coronavirus pandemic and will not reopen as the tech giant enters "a new approach to retail." "Microsoft will continue to invest in its digital storefronts on Microsoft.com, and stores in Xbox and Windows," the statement said. The four locations, where these stores won't shutdown are London, New York, Sydney and at the company's Redmond, Washington headquarters. Retail team members will "serve customers from Microsoft corporate facilities and remotely providing sales, training, and support," the company said. The company will be setting $450 million to cover the costs of closing the locations. The total numbers of employees affected due to shutting down are not available. "Our sales have grown online as our product portfolio has evolved to largely digital offerings, and our talented team has proven success serving customers beyond any physical location," said Microsoft corporate vice president David Porter.

Microsoft to shut down all 80 stores around the world; except four locations

Three men have been arrested in Iran on suspicion of trying to sell two babies on Instagram,&nbsp;semi-official ISNA news agency reported Thursday.

A 20-day-old baby and a two-month-old child were rescued from the online infant-selling ring, the news agency said.

Tehran Police Chief Hossein Rahimi said a third baby has been identified but is yet to be found, ISNA reported.

Also read| <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/instagram-in-trouble-as-nearly-50-million-users-data-gets-leaked-online-220423">Instagram in trouble as nearly 50 million users' data gets leaked online</a>

The babies had already been bought from "poor families" for up to $500&nbsp;and were being resold for between $2,000 and $2,500.

One of those arrested allegedly said he was "getting babies from poor families" and "handing them over to families who could provide a better future".

Brig-Gen Rahimi told local media that police officers had been alerted to "ads on Instagram for selling babies".

Also read|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/instagram-will-overtake-twitter-as-source-of-news-study-306223">Instagram will overtake Twitter as source of news: Study</a>

The officers uncovered "10 to 15 such pages" on the photo-sharing service and found the two babies with the three men who were arrested, he said. The babies were handed over to social services.

The suspects claimed that they had bought the babies from poor families for a "small fee", according to the general.

In a video published by the Young Journalists' Club news agency, one of the men said: "This would have helped these babies have a better future."

This is not the first such case uncovered by the authorities in Iran.

Earlier this year, police in the province of Gorgan said they had arrested four women and a man who had allegedly been finding poor pregnant women and paying their hospital expenses, then taking away their babies after they gave birth.

In 2016, then Vice-President for Family and Women's Affairs Shahindokht Molaverdi expressed concern over what she said was the "high number" of expectant mothers selling their babies.

She said women were being forced to do so by "a variety of factors", including poverty, drug addiction, child marriage and homelessness.

A spokesperson for Facebook, which owns Instagram said&nbsp;that the company was investigating. "We do not allow content or behaviour on Instagram that may lead to human exploitation, which includes the sale of children for illegal adoption. We're aware of reports of this activity, and we're continuing to investigate," the statement said.

Facebook has a human exploitation&nbsp;policy, which covers harmful activities related to human exploitation and trafficking, and Instagram users are encouraged to report any concerning content using in-app tools or its&nbsp;reporting form.

Iran is among 21 "Tier Three" countries in the US State Department's annual Trafficking in Persons Report, which<a href="https://cnn.com/2019/06/20/politics/2019-state-department-tip-report/index.html" target="_blank">&nbsp;</a>ranks nations that comprise the worst offenders on human trafficking.

The countries listed in this tier do "not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and (are) not making any efforts to do so," according to the report, which was published last year.

Three men have been arrested in Iran on suspicion of trying to sell two babies on Instagram, semi-official ISNA news agency reported Thursday. A 20-day-old baby and a two-month-old child were rescued from the online infant-selling ring, the news agency said.

Three men have been arrested in Iran on suspicion of trying to sell two babies on Instagram, semi-official ISNA news agency reported Thursday. A 20-day-old baby and a two-month-old child were rescued from the online infant-selling ring, the news agency said. Tehran Police Chief Hossein Rahimi said a third baby has been identified but is yet to be found, ISNA reported. Also read| Instagram in trouble as nearly 50 million users' data gets leaked online The babies had already been bought from "poor families" for up to $500 and were being resold for between $2,000 and $2,500. One of those arrested allegedly said he was "getting babies from poor families" and "handing them over to families who could provide a better future". Brig-Gen Rahimi told local media that police officers had been alerted to "ads on Instagram for selling babies". Also read| Instagram will overtake Twitter as source of news: Study The officers uncovered "10 to 15 such pages" on the photo-sharing service and found the two babies with the three men who were arrested, he said. The babies were handed over to social services. The suspects claimed that they had bought the babies from poor families for a "small fee", according to the general. In a video published by the Young Journalists' Club news agency, one of the men said: "This would have helped these babies have a better future." This is not the first such case uncovered by the authorities in Iran. Earlier this year, police in the province of Gorgan said they had arrested four women and a man who had allegedly been finding poor pregnant women and paying their hospital expenses, then taking away their babies after they gave birth. In 2016, then Vice-President for Family and Women's Affairs Shahindokht Molaverdi expressed concern over what she said was the "high number" of expectant mothers selling their babies. She said women were being forced to do so by "a variety of factors", including poverty, drug addiction, child marriage and homelessness. A spokesperson for Facebook, which owns Instagram said that the company was investigating. "We do not allow content or behaviour on Instagram that may lead to human exploitation, which includes the sale of children for illegal adoption. We're aware of reports of this activity, and we're continuing to investigate," the statement said. Facebook has a human exploitation policy, which covers harmful activities related to human exploitation and trafficking, and Instagram users are encouraged to report any concerning content using in-app tools or its reporting form. Iran is among 21 "Tier Three" countries in the US State Department's annual Trafficking in Persons Report, which ranks nations that comprise the worst offenders on human trafficking. The countries listed in this tier do "not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking and (are) not making any efforts to do so," according to the report, which was published last year.

Three men arrested in Iran for allegedly selling babies on Instagram

Japan’s COVID-19 contact-tracing app has been downloaded more than 4 million times since its launch a week ago as the government seeks to head off a second wave of infections now that businesses and schools have reopened.

Health ministry official Yasuyuki Sahara said while there was no target number for downloads, “we want to make as many people as possible to use this app”.

Apps such as this may be able to halt an epidemic if usage reaches 60 per cent&nbsp;of the population, according to an Oxford University study.

Yuki Furuse, a professor at Kyoto University, said there’s debate about whether usage has to be that high to be effective, but “the more people use the app, the more it would be effective for the outbreak response.”

Japan lifted a state of emergency in late May. It has weathered the epidemic better than most developed countries, with almost 18,000 infections and 969 deaths.

The app, named COCOA for Contact-Confirming Application, was designed by Microsoft Corp and is available for Apple Inc’s iPhone and devices using Google’s Android software.

It uses Bluetooth signals to detect contact with nearby users lasting 15 minutes or more. If a user later tests positive for the virus, their contacts can be traced and notified through the programme.

Numerous countries have rolled out contact-tracing apps, including Australia, Malaysia, Britain, India, Germany and Italy.

Singapore was among the first with its TraceTogether app launched in March, but privacy concerns hampered its uptake, prompting a switch to wearable devices.

The new coronavirus, which was first detected in China in late 2019, has infected more than 9.62 million people globally and 488,467​ have died, according to a Reuters tally.

Japan’s COVID-19 contact-tracing app has been downloaded more than 4 million times since its launch a week ago as the government seeks to head off a second wave of infections now that businesses and schools have reopened.

Japan’s COVID-19 contact-tracing app has been downloaded more than 4 million times since its launch a week ago as the government seeks to head off a second wave of infections now that businesses and schools have reopened. Health ministry official Yasuyuki Sahara said while there was no target number for downloads, “we want to make as many people as possible to use this app”. Apps such as this may be able to halt an epidemic if usage reaches 60 per cent of the population, according to an Oxford University study. Yuki Furuse, a professor at Kyoto University, said there’s debate about whether usage has to be that high to be effective, but “the more people use the app, the more it would be effective for the outbreak response.” Japan lifted a state of emergency in late May. It has weathered the epidemic better than most developed countries, with almost 18,000 infections and 969 deaths. The app, named COCOA for Contact-Confirming Application, was designed by Microsoft Corp and is available for Apple Inc’s iPhone and devices using Google’s Android software. It uses Bluetooth signals to detect contact with nearby users lasting 15 minutes or more. If a user later tests positive for the virus, their contacts can be traced and notified through the programme. Numerous countries have rolled out contact-tracing apps, including Australia, Malaysia, Britain, India, Germany and Italy. Singapore was among the first with its TraceTogether app launched in March, but privacy concerns hampered its uptake, prompting a switch to wearable devices. The new coronavirus, which was first detected in China in late 2019, has infected more than 9.62 million people globally and 488,467 have died, according to a Reuters tally.

Japan's COVID-19 app reaches 4 million downloads in the first week

A spat over the correct way to brew a cup of tea has boiled over, with both the UK and US ambassadors sticking their spoons in.

There have been more severe transatlantic bust-ups over a brew, such as the&nbsp;American Revolution, but few can have been quite so twee. Nearly 250 years after the Boston Tea Party, the British ambassador in Washington and her US counterpart in London are going at it over how to make a decent hot drink. And by Wednesday evening, the conflict was spilling over into mainland Europe.

Like many tense diplomatic standoffs, it began with a deliberate provocation. An American TikTok user going by the name of Michelle from North Carolina posted a video showing how to make what she describes as “hot tea”, which entails mixing milk with powdered lemonade, cinnamon, cloves, sugar and Tang, which turns out to be a soft drink.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote cite="https://www.tiktok.com/@jchelle36/video/6822286603415850246" class="tiktok-embed" data-video-id="6822286603415850246" style="max-width: 605px;min-width: 325px;">
<section><a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@jchelle36" target="_blank" title="@jchelle36">@jchelle36</a>

Hot tea “this American girl” likes 😊 <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/americanintheuk" target="_blank" title="americanintheuk">##americanintheuk</a> <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/tag/fyp" target="_blank" title="fyp">##fyp</a> @nichole.caroline
<a href="https://www.tiktok.com/music/original-sound-6822286594125335301" target="_blank" title="♬ original sound - jchelle36">♬ original sound - jchelle36</a></section>
</blockquote>
<script async src="https://www.tiktok.com/embed.js"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

As an afterthought she dunked a teabag, and then put the whole thing in the microwave. Her subsequent attempt at “British tea” involved&nbsp;cold water first. The British internet lost its marbles.

Michelle from North Carolina, who actually lives in Britain and has proven herself to be a supremely effective wind-up merchant with follow-ups including her recipe for “UK eggs”, quickly amassed 5m TikTok likes. Meanwhile, the UK’s powerful ability to get on its high horse about elevenses kicked into gear.

Also read| <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/tiktok-an-entertainment-platform-or-chinese-propaganda-company-299518">TikTok: An entertainment platform or Chinese propaganda company?</a>

It was all too much for British users, who take great pride in their homespun national drink, with its leaves imported primarily from Kenya, India and Malawi.

The twin themes in the furious outpouring of comments were “war crime” and “diabetes”.

Undeterred, Michelle followed up with a guide to “British tea”.

It was with her video this week on British eggs, using canned whipped cream, that Michelle, who lives in the UK, confirmed suspicions that she is indeed very much in on the joke.

She has amassed more than five million likes so far for her efforts.

But she has also incited righteous anger in a nation close to a boiling point, and with a lot of time on its hands.

Calling in the military

So Dame Karen Pierce, British Ambassador to the United States in Washington, called in the military.

In a video posted on Monday, she got the boys from the British Army, Navy, and Air Force to demonstrate how to prepare tea, in a manner both patriotic and pukka.

There was even a nod to how to conduct high tea at high altitude.

Pierce had the armed forces behind her but when Woody Johnson, the US Ambassador to the United Kingdom got involved on Wednesday, he made like Dirty Harry and went in solo.

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The perfect cup of coffee, Ambassador <a href="https://twitter.com/KarenPierceUK?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KarenPierceUK</a> <a href="https://t.co/oEbSJNE2qw">https://t.co/oEbSJNE2qw</a> <a href="https://t.co/LfGE5w5Dc0">pic.twitter.com/LfGE5w5Dc0</a>
— Ambassador Johnson (@USAmbUK) <a href="https://twitter.com/USAmbUK/status/1275764884433756160?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 24, 2020</a></blockquote>
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His strategy was a smart one. He went after Britain's weakness: coffee. However,&nbsp;he makes what appears to be an absolutely terrible cup of coffee.

He commits the cardinal sin of using instant coffee, raising the hackles of any connoisseur faster than hot water dissolves a freeze-dried granule.

As people around the world have been upping their gourmet antics during lockdown, with their sourdough starters and their AeroPress cold brews, there can be just one message for Johnson. Do better.

There have no been no video responses yet from Raffaele Trombetta, Ambassador of Italy to the UK since 2018, and Armando Varricchio, Ambassador of Italy to the US for the past four years.

Nor have there been comments on TikTok tea from Liu Xiaoming, China's Ambassador to the UK, or Josephat Karanja and Gaitri I. Kumar, respectively Kenya and India's High Commissioners to the UK.

A spat over the correct way to brew a cup of tea has boiled over, with both the UK and US ambassadors sticking their spoons in. There have been more severe transatlantic bust-ups over a brew, such as the American Revolution, but few can have been quite so twee.

A spat over the correct way to brew a cup of tea has boiled over, with both the UK and US ambassadors sticking their spoons in. There have been more severe transatlantic bust-ups over a brew, such as the American Revolution, but few can have been quite so twee. Nearly 250 years after the Boston Tea Party, the British ambassador in Washington and her US counterpart in London are going at it over how to make a decent hot drink. And by Wednesday evening, the conflict was spilling over into mainland Europe. Like many tense diplomatic standoffs, it began with a deliberate provocation. An American TikTok user going by the name of Michelle from North Carolina posted a video showing how to make what she describes as “hot tea”, which entails mixing milk with powdered lemonade, cinnamon, cloves, sugar and Tang, which turns out to be a soft drink. @jchelle36 Hot tea “this American girl” likes 😊 ##americanintheuk ##fyp @nichole.caroline ♬ original sound - jchelle36 × As an afterthought she dunked a teabag, and then put the whole thing in the microwave. Her subsequent attempt at “British tea” involved cold water first. The British internet lost its marbles. Michelle from North Carolina, who actually lives in Britain and has proven herself to be a supremely effective wind-up merchant with follow-ups including her recipe for “UK eggs”, quickly amassed 5m TikTok likes. Meanwhile, the UK’s powerful ability to get on its high horse about elevenses kicked into gear. Also read| TikTok: An entertainment platform or Chinese propaganda company? It was all too much for British users, who take great pride in their homespun national drink, with its leaves imported primarily from Kenya, India and Malawi. The twin themes in the furious outpouring of comments were “war crime” and “diabetes”. Undeterred, Michelle followed up with a guide to “British tea”. It was with her video this week on British eggs, using canned whipped cream, that Michelle, who lives in the UK, confirmed suspicions that she is indeed very much in on the joke. She has amassed more than five million likes so far for her efforts. But she has also incited righteous anger in a nation close to a boiling point, and with a lot of time on its hands. Calling in the military So Dame Karen Pierce, British Ambassador to the United States in Washington, called in the military. In a video posted on Monday, she got the boys from the British Army, Navy, and Air Force to demonstrate how to prepare tea, in a manner both patriotic and pukka. There was even a nod to how to conduct high tea at high altitude. Pierce had the armed forces behind her but when Woody Johnson, the US Ambassador to the United Kingdom got involved on Wednesday, he made like Dirty Harry and went in solo. The perfect cup of coffee, Ambassador @KarenPierceUK https://t.co/oEbSJNE2qw pic.twitter.com/LfGE5w5Dc0 — Ambassador Johnson (@USAmbUK) June 24, 2020 × His strategy was a smart one. He went after Britain's weakness: coffee. However, he makes what appears to be an absolutely terrible cup of coffee. He commits the cardinal sin of using instant coffee, raising the hackles of any connoisseur faster than hot water dissolves a freeze-dried granule. As people around the world have been upping their gourmet antics during lockdown, with their sourdough starters and their AeroPress cold brews, there can be just one message for Johnson. Do better. There have no been no video responses yet from Raffaele Trombetta, Ambassador of Italy to the UK since 2018, and Armando Varricchio, Ambassador of Italy to the US for the past four years. Nor have there been comments on TikTok tea from Liu Xiaoming, China's Ambassador to the UK, or Josephat Karanja and Gaitri I. Kumar, respectively Kenya and India's High Commissioners to the UK.

'Military called in' after TikTok 'tea tutorial' triggers war between US and UK

It’s been over three months since I got a new analog watch. A watch which has been garnering me a lot of compliments. It’s a watch that, as a reviewer, I’ve had to wear on and off because of a couple of smartwatches and fitness bands that I still had to evaluate.&nbsp;

During the pandemic-induced lockdown though, I’ve tried to wear the watch as much as I can. During the day, while taking a shower and even when sleeping, the watch is on me at all times. Why may you ask that I’m wearing a watch (and not a smartwatch with all its fitness and sleep tracking) all day all night long? Well, let me step back a bit and explain.&nbsp;

Teslar watches - a blend of “American technology and Swiss precision” - have finally made it to the Indian shores. It’s a regular wristwatch fitted with a chip that protects you from harmful EMF (extreme medium frequencies) exposure. The wellness watches are encouraging a consciousness towards greater well-being.&nbsp; 
 
<img alt="Teslar Watch" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="57da9db2-7d35-44dd-b839-472c1bfb2f16" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Watch1%20%281%29.jpg" />

The watch houses a US-made quantum technology chip on the bottom, working in sync with a Swiss-made quartz movement and battery of the watch to replicate Earth’s natural frequency. By mimicking Earth’s natural frequency, it can reduce the negative effects of stress and help the human body “restore, revitalize and heal itself more effectively from the adverse effects of artificial, man-made electromagnetic pollution”. In theory, the watch should help promote a calmer and more relaxed mind, leading to more positivity in one’s life and even a better sleep pattern.&nbsp;

There are a couple of studies on the long-term negative effects that EMF exposure can have on the human body. Electromagnetic hypersensitivity isn’t a recognised medical condition though.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Enough technical jargon. I don’t understand much of what the watch does, and boy I don’t even know what the two buttons flanking the rotating crown do. It’s a watch that is eye-catching and that’s foremost why I loved wearing it outside the house.&nbsp;

That begs the question; why am I wearing the watch more during lockdown than before this pandemic hit us? It’s a simple, one-word answer; psychological.&nbsp; 
 
<img alt="Teslar Watch" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="d636e3b4-4d9a-45ef-b812-83b090c310a5" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Watch1.jpg" />

I feel great wearing the Teslar Re-Balance T-1 Chrono watch that I have. It’s in black and it’s every bit premium that you can imagine. From random strangers on the street to people next to me at a cafe I &nbsp;used to - pre-pandemic induced lockdowns - frequent, the watch has got glowing reviews from just about everyone. The watch suits my profile. What more can one ask from a watch that has a starting price of Rs 41,495?&nbsp;

Well, in a world of smartwatches, a whole lot more!&nbsp;

I’m generally a positive, optimistic (closer to realistic) and happy human being. I also sleep soundly, getting up very rarely in the middle of the night to visit the washroom or to have a couple of sips of water. With the pandemic raining down upon us, the thinking was that this watch would help me keep my chin up and not fall down with news of deaths spiralling on my computer screen streaming any number of news channels.&nbsp;

I was very sceptical of the ‘wellness’ benefits from the watch but, for the first week or so, I gave it the benefit of doubt.&nbsp;

For the first few days, I slept on average, a half-hour longer than I normally would have. I didn’t get up in the middle of the night and neither did I have trouble falling asleep. With the number of coronavirus cases approaching 50,000, we were only getting started with the negative news all around us. I spent my days writing, cooking, but sleeping a lot more during the day. It seemed like I had a routine going when wearing the watch, but turns out that was far from it.&nbsp;

On the seventh or eighth day of the lockdown, I woke up around five in the morning, went to the washroom, and came back only to fall asleep an hour later.&nbsp;

It was only in the second week that I noticed that my productivity wasn’t dipping. I had gone three whole days without wearing the watch. At first, I felt kind of empty and was brooding about the lack of an eye-catching and classy Swiss-made watch on my wrist. The moment I realised that my day was going along fine and I was sleeping well - despite globally reported coronavirus cases being well over 1 million - was when I didn’t have to flick my wrist every so often just to look at the time and smile at just how gorgeous a watch I was wearing. 
 
It was purely in my head that a watch could alter the way I was feeling on a day-to-day basis. I was smiling more often not because of the reduction of electromagnetic exposure in my day-to-day life but because of how elegant the watch was to look at.&nbsp; 
 
<img alt="Teslar Watch" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="f5cd65a6-cfbb-4e9f-84e7-9b3057e3d1cb" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Watch3.jpg" />

I keep going back to how gorgeous the watch is. The attention to detail is brilliant. There’s the T that’s etched into the crown and then the triangular second’s hand inside the lower subdial. It’s just what you expect from a Swiss-made wristwatch.&nbsp;

In the last week or so, I’ve given the watch another chance. In India, we’re about to cross the 5 lakh mark for confirmed COVID-19 cases. Worldwide, it is soon going to touch 10 million. There is no escaping the grim reality staring at us. Wearing the watch has surely lightened up my days but has done little beyond that to help soothe the nerves inside me on a daily basis.&nbsp;

My takeaway is this. The Teslar Re-Balance T-1 Chrono is an absolute must-have timepiece if one has the money to spare, apart from the fact that some may truly believe in the “wellness” aspect. It’s priced fairly decently for a well-made Swiss timepiece. One cannot call the wristwatch overpriced.&nbsp;&nbsp;

I just can’t recommend it for it’s ‘wellness’ benefits. I didn’t feel any upliftment upon wearing the way daily barring the dozens of compliments I’ve gotten which had stopped since I’ve had to hunker down thanks to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The watch has designs for both men and women but it’ll cost you a pretty penny.&nbsp;

It’s been over three months since I got a new analog watch. A watch which has been garnering me a lot of compliments. It’s a watch that, as a reviewer, I’ve had to wear on and off because of a couple of smartwatches and fitness bands that I still had to evaluate.

It’s been over three months since I got a new analog watch. A watch which has been garnering me a lot of compliments. It’s a watch that, as a reviewer, I’ve had to wear on and off because of a couple of smartwatches and fitness bands that I still had to evaluate. During the pandemic-induced lockdown though, I’ve tried to wear the watch as much as I can. During the day, while taking a shower and even when sleeping, the watch is on me at all times. Why may you ask that I’m wearing a watch (and not a smartwatch with all its fitness and sleep tracking) all day all night long? Well, let me step back a bit and explain. Teslar watches - a blend of “American technology and Swiss precision” - have finally made it to the Indian shores. It’s a regular wristwatch fitted with a chip that protects you from harmful EMF (extreme medium frequencies) exposure. The wellness watches are encouraging a consciousness towards greater well-being. The watch houses a US-made quantum technology chip on the bottom, working in sync with a Swiss-made quartz movement and battery of the watch to replicate Earth’s natural frequency. By mimicking Earth’s natural frequency, it can reduce the negative effects of stress and help the human body “restore, revitalize and heal itself more effectively from the adverse effects of artificial, man-made electromagnetic pollution”. In theory, the watch should help promote a calmer and more relaxed mind, leading to more positivity in one’s life and even a better sleep pattern. There are a couple of studies on the long-term negative effects that EMF exposure can have on the human body. Electromagnetic hypersensitivity isn’t a recognised medical condition though. Enough technical jargon. I don’t understand much of what the watch does, and boy I don’t even know what the two buttons flanking the rotating crown do. It’s a watch that is eye-catching and that’s foremost why I loved wearing it outside the house. That begs the question; why am I wearing the watch more during lockdown than before this pandemic hit us? It’s a simple, one-word answer; psychological. I feel great wearing the Teslar Re-Balance T-1 Chrono watch that I have. It’s in black and it’s every bit premium that you can imagine. From random strangers on the street to people next to me at a cafe I used to - pre-pandemic induced lockdowns - frequent, the watch has got glowing reviews from just about everyone. The watch suits my profile. What more can one ask from a watch that has a starting price of Rs 41,495? Well, in a world of smartwatches, a whole lot more! I’m generally a positive, optimistic (closer to realistic) and happy human being. I also sleep soundly, getting up very rarely in the middle of the night to visit the washroom or to have a couple of sips of water. With the pandemic raining down upon us, the thinking was that this watch would help me keep my chin up and not fall down with news of deaths spiralling on my computer screen streaming any number of news channels. I was very sceptical of the ‘wellness’ benefits from the watch but, for the first week or so, I gave it the benefit of doubt. For the first few days, I slept on average, a half-hour longer than I normally would have. I didn’t get up in the middle of the night and neither did I have trouble falling asleep. With the number of coronavirus cases approaching 50,000, we were only getting started with the negative news all around us. I spent my days writing, cooking, but sleeping a lot more during the day. It seemed like I had a routine going when wearing the watch, but turns out that was far from it. On the seventh or eighth day of the lockdown, I woke up around five in the morning, went to the washroom, and came back only to fall asleep an hour later. It was only in the second week that I noticed that my productivity wasn’t dipping. I had gone three whole days without wearing the watch. At first, I felt kind of empty and was brooding about the lack of an eye-catching and classy Swiss-made watch on my wrist. The moment I realised that my day was going along fine and I was sleeping well - despite globally reported coronavirus cases being well over 1 million - was when I didn’t have to flick my wrist every so often just to look at the time and smile at just how gorgeous a watch I was wearing. It was purely in my head that a watch could alter the way I was feeling on a day-to-day basis. I was smiling more often not because of the reduction of electromagnetic exposure in my day-to-day life but because of how elegant the watch was to look at. I keep going back to how gorgeous the watch is. The attention to detail is brilliant. There’s the T that’s etched into the crown and then the triangular second’s hand inside the lower subdial. It’s just what you expect from a Swiss-made wristwatch. In the last week or so, I’ve given the watch another chance. In India, we’re about to cross the 5 lakh mark for confirmed COVID-19 cases. Worldwide, it is soon going to touch 10 million. There is no escaping the grim reality staring at us. Wearing the watch has surely lightened up my days but has done little beyond that to help soothe the nerves inside me on a daily basis. My takeaway is this. The Teslar Re-Balance T-1 Chrono is an absolute must-have timepiece if one has the money to spare, apart from the fact that some may truly believe in the “wellness” aspect. It’s priced fairly decently for a well-made Swiss timepiece. One cannot call the wristwatch overpriced. I just can’t recommend it for it’s ‘wellness’ benefits. I didn’t feel any upliftment upon wearing the way daily barring the dozens of compliments I’ve gotten which had stopped since I’ve had to hunker down thanks to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The watch has designs for both men and women but it’ll cost you a pretty penny.

Teslar watch review: An absolute must-have timepiece

Google has announced a new licensing programme to pay publishers for high-quality content.

To begin with, Google has signed partnerships with Spiegel Group in Germany, Schwartz media in Australia, and Diarios Associados in Brazil.

This programme will help participating publishers monetize their content through an enhanced storytelling experience. "Google will also offer to pay for free access for users to read paywalled articles on a publisher's site," the statement said. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/google-will-no-longer-store-user-data-indefinitely-will-auto-delete-after-18-months-308359">Also Read: Google will auto-delete after 18 months</a>

The programme comes amid growing calls for internet tech titans&nbsp;to pay for content.

“We have been actively working with our publisher partners on this new product which will launch first on Google News and Discover. We are currently engaged in discussions with many more partners and plan to sign more in the coming months,” Google said in its blog post. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/google-extends-fact-checking-to-image-search-307990">Also Read: Google extends fact-checking to image search</a>

The initiative would build on the 2018 Google News Initiative, a $300 million project that aimed to tackle disinformation online and help news sites grow financially. 
 
(With inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

Google has announced a new licensing programme to pay publishers for high-quality content. To begin with, Google has signed partnerships with Spiegel Group in Germany, Schwartz media in Australia, and Diarios Associados in Brazil.

Google has announced a new licensing programme to pay publishers for high-quality content. To begin with, Google has signed partnerships with Spiegel Group in Germany, Schwartz media in Australia, and Diarios Associados in Brazil. This programme will help participating publishers monetize their content through an enhanced storytelling experience. "Google will also offer to pay for free access for users to read paywalled articles on a publisher's site," the statement said. Also Read: Google will auto-delete after 18 months The programme comes amid growing calls for internet tech titans to pay for content. “We have been actively working with our publisher partners on this new product which will launch first on Google News and Discover. We are currently engaged in discussions with many more partners and plan to sign more in the coming months,” Google said in its blog post. Also Read: Google extends fact-checking to image search The initiative would build on the 2018 Google News Initiative, a $300 million project that aimed to tackle disinformation online and help news sites grow financially. (With inputs from agencies)

Google to pay select publishers for 'high quality' news content

The Pentagon put Huawei Technologies and Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology on a list of 20 companies it says are owned or controlled by China’s military, opening them up to potential additional US&nbsp;sanctions.

This list includes “entities owned by, controlled by, or affiliated with China’s government, military, or defense industry,” Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman said in a statement.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trumps-national-security-adviser-takes-aim-warns-china-308404">Trump's national security adviser takes aim warns China</a>

“As the People’s Republic of China attempts to blur the lines between civil and military sectors, ‘knowing your supplier’ is critical,” Hoffman said. “We envision this list will be a useful tool for the US&nbsp;government, companies, investors, academic institutions, and like-minded partners to conduct due diligence with regard to partnerships with these entities, particularly as the list grows.”

In letters to lawmakers dated June 24, the Pentagon said it was providing a list of ''Communist Chinese military companies operating in the United States.''&nbsp;The list was first requested in the fiscal 1999 defense policy law.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/how-huawei-became-a-liability-for-china-amid-covid-19-crisis-301187">How Huawei became a liability for China amid COVID-19 crisis</a>

The DOD document also includes China Mobile Communications Group and China Telecommunications Corp as well as aircraft manufacturer Aviation Industry Corp of China.&nbsp;

The designations were drawn up by the Defense Department, which was mandated by a 1999 law to compile a list of Chinese military companies operating in the United States, including those ''owned or controlled''&nbsp;by the People’s Liberation Army that provide commercial services, manufacture, produce or export.

The Pentagon’s designations do not trigger penalties, but the law says the president may impose sanctions that could include blocking all property of the listed parties.&nbsp;

The move’s implications were not immediately clear. But it came as relations between the two superpowers continue to deteriorate, and as China has become an issue in the US&nbsp;election campaign. China has for the past year threatened to produce its own “unreliable entities” list, but has so far not done so.

The list of companies said to be affiliated with the Peoples Liberation Army was mandated under the Defense Authorization Act of 1999, but no administration ever put out the required report. Trump has the authority under the International Emergency Economics Powers Act of 1977 to level financial sanctions against those companies.

China’s foreign and defense ministries, as well as the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission, which oversees China’s government-run companies, didn’t immediately reply to a fax during a public holiday in the country. Huawei also didn’t immediately reply to a request for comment.

Hikvision called the U.S. move “baseless,” saying its ownership details have always been publicly available as a listed company and “independently operated enterprise.” It said it would continue to work with the U.S. government “to answer questions and correct misunderstandings about the company.”

“Hikvision strongly opposes the decision by the US&nbsp;government to misapply a never-used provision of a 21-year-old law,” a company spokesperson said. “Not only is Hikvision not a ‘Chinese military company,’ Hikvision has never participated in any R&amp;D work for military applications.”

“The list put out today by the Pentagon is a start but woefully inadequate to warn the American people about the state-owned and -directed companies that support the Chinese government and Communist Party’s activities threatening U.S. economic and national security,” Republican Senator Marco Rubio said in a statement.

Washington had placed Huawei and Hikvision on a trade blacklist last year over national security concerns and has led an international campaign to convince allies to exclude Huawei from their 5G networks.

The Pentagon put Huawei Technologies and Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology on a list of 20 companies it says are owned or controlled by China’s military, opening them up to potential additional US sanctions.

The Pentagon put Huawei Technologies and Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology on a list of 20 companies it says are owned or controlled by China’s military, opening them up to potential additional US sanctions. This list includes “entities owned by, controlled by, or affiliated with China’s government, military, or defense industry,” Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman said in a statement. Also read: Trump's national security adviser takes aim warns China “As the People’s Republic of China attempts to blur the lines between civil and military sectors, ‘knowing your supplier’ is critical,” Hoffman said. “We envision this list will be a useful tool for the US government, companies, investors, academic institutions, and like-minded partners to conduct due diligence with regard to partnerships with these entities, particularly as the list grows.” In letters to lawmakers dated June 24, the Pentagon said it was providing a list of ''Communist Chinese military companies operating in the United States.'' The list was first requested in the fiscal 1999 defense policy law. Also read: How Huawei became a liability for China amid COVID-19 crisis The DOD document also includes China Mobile Communications Group and China Telecommunications Corp as well as aircraft manufacturer Aviation Industry Corp of China. The designations were drawn up by the Defense Department, which was mandated by a 1999 law to compile a list of Chinese military companies operating in the United States, including those ''owned or controlled'' by the People’s Liberation Army that provide commercial services, manufacture, produce or export. The Pentagon’s designations do not trigger penalties, but the law says the president may impose sanctions that could include blocking all property of the listed parties. The move’s implications were not immediately clear. But it came as relations between the two superpowers continue to deteriorate, and as China has become an issue in the US election campaign. China has for the past year threatened to produce its own “unreliable entities” list, but has so far not done so. The list of companies said to be affiliated with the Peoples Liberation Army was mandated under the Defense Authorization Act of 1999, but no administration ever put out the required report. Trump has the authority under the International Emergency Economics Powers Act of 1977 to level financial sanctions against those companies. China’s foreign and defense ministries, as well as the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission, which oversees China’s government-run companies, didn’t immediately reply to a fax during a public holiday in the country. Huawei also didn’t immediately reply to a request for comment. Hikvision called the U.S. move “baseless,” saying its ownership details have always been publicly available as a listed company and “independently operated enterprise.” It said it would continue to work with the U.S. government “to answer questions and correct misunderstandings about the company.” “Hikvision strongly opposes the decision by the US government to misapply a never-used provision of a 21-year-old law,” a company spokesperson said. “Not only is Hikvision not a ‘Chinese military company,’ Hikvision has never participated in any R&D work for military applications.” “The list put out today by the Pentagon is a start but woefully inadequate to warn the American people about the state-owned and -directed companies that support the Chinese government and Communist Party’s activities threatening U.S. economic and national security,” Republican Senator Marco Rubio said in a statement. Washington had placed Huawei and Hikvision on a trade blacklist last year over national security concerns and has led an international campaign to convince allies to exclude Huawei from their 5G networks.

Pentagon names Huawei and Hikvision among 20 Chinese military-backed firms

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