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☆ YouTube says it will block videos of Hong Kong protest anthem following court order
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-15 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Alphabet's YouTube on Tuesday said it would comply with a court decision and block access inside Hong Kong to 32 video links deemed prohibited content, in what critics say is a blow to freedoms in the financial hub amid a security clampdown. The action follows a government application granted by Hong Kong's Court of Appeal requesting the ban of a protest anthem called "Glory to Hong Kong." In comments criticizing the court order, YouTube said the ruling would raise skepticism around the Hong Kong government's work to foster the digital economy and reclaim its reputation as a predictable place for doing business. "If you start to send platforms 100 or 1,000 links for takedown every day, this will drive platforms crazy and also make global investors more worried about Hong Kong's free market environment. How predictable and how stable the policy environment is matters a lot to foreign investors, and Hong Kong is now at a crossroads to defend its reputation."

Persons: Hong Kongers, We'll, George Chen, Chen, Hong Organizations: YouTube, Hong, Appeal, U.S ., Asia Group, Washington DC, Meta Locations: Hong Kong, Hong Kong's, Washington, Greater China

☆ Baidu's PR boss, who threatened to destroy workers' careers, has reportedly left the company
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-09 | by ( Hasan Chowdhury | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Qu Jing, executive at the Chinese firm, posted several videos online encouraging extreme work. In one video, she claimed she could destroy the careers of employees who failed to comply. In one video, reported by the FT, the Baidu PR executive said she expected employees to be prepared to travel for 50 consecutive days of business with her. In a post on WeChat, Baidu PR lead Qu acknowledged the criticism leveled at her, writing: "I deeply reflect on and humbly accept them." The system expected workers to put in toil from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., six days a week.

Persons: Qu Jing, —, Qu, Jack Ma —, Elon Musk Organizations: Service, Baidu, FT, Weibo, Twitter, Economic, CNN Locations: Beijing, China

☆ The US crackdown on Russian trade is working as Putin struggles to fund his war
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-06 | by ( Filip De Mott | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Trade with Russia has slumped in the first quarter amid tightening US sanctions, the Financial Times said. After a December executive order bolstered its sanctioning power, the department has amplified warnings against foreign lenders that facilitate trade with Russia. At the same time, the US' crackdown has proliferated trade in the Russian ruble, as other currencies increasingly fall out of favor. That's as foreigners are still free to buy rubles on the Moscow Exchange when settling payments with Russian parties. AdvertisementStill, the ruble faces restricted convertibility, making it difficult to reach trade volumes once possible under the dollar.

Persons: —, Vladimir Potanin, That's Organizations: Financial Times, Companies, Service, US Treasury Department, United Arab Locations: Russia, China, Turkey, Ankara, United Arab Emirates, Austria, Russian, Iran, Tehran, Moscow, UAE, dirhams

☆ Palestinians Go on Strike in West Bank to Protest Deadly Raid
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-21 | by ( Vivek Shankar | Isabel Kershner | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

Image Palestinians in front of closed shops on Sunday during a strike in Hebron, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Sunday’s strike “paralyzed all aspects of life” in the West Bank, according to the official Palestinian news agency, Wafa, with shops, schools, universities and banks shuttered. And violence in the West Bank has sharply escalated in recent months. Deadly violence against Palestinians by Israeli settlers in the West Bank has also reached record levels since Oct. 7. Later on Sunday morning, an Israeli man was slightly injured in an explosion in the West Bank, according to the Israeli emergency services.

Persons: Mussa Qawasma, ”, Nur Shams, Fatah Organizations: West Bank . Credit, West Bank, Sunday, West Bank —, Palestinian Ministry of Health, Palestinian Health Ministry, Palestinian, Palestinian Ministry, Palestinian Authority, United Locations: Hebron, Israel, Gaza, Nur, United States

The United States is considering imposing sanctions on one or more Israeli battalions accused of human rights violations during operations in the occupied West Bank, according to a person familiar with the deliberations. Mr. Netanyahu said in a social media post that his government would “act by all means” against any such move. The news about the possible sanctions, reported earlier by Axios, came only a day after the House approved $26 billion for Israel and humanitarian aid for civilians in conflict zones, including Gaza. The sanctions, if imposed, would not hold up the military aid that was just approved in Congress. On Sunday, Palestinians in the West Bank went on a general strike to protest a deadly Israeli military raid at a refugee camp.

Persons: Benjamin Netanyahu, Mr, Netanyahu, Axios Organizations: West Bank, Biden, Sunday Locations: States, Gaza, Israel

☆ Netflix earnings are about to hit the Street. Here’s what traders need to know
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-18 | by ( Samantha Subin | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Wall Street anticipates a largely rosy setup for the stock, with many forecasting that the company beats, or reports in line with expectations. The anticipation contributed to some Wall Street firms lifting their price targets heading into the print. Under the paid sharing plan , Netflix account owners can buy an extra member slot and invite people outside their household to use the service. "After 1Q24, Netflix begins to lap the paid sharing benefits - most significantly in 2H24," wrote Morgan Stanley's Swinburne. Reason for caution Despite Netflix's strong run this year and the benefits reaped through paid sharing, some Wall Street analysts see reasons for caution.

Persons: —, Morgan Stanley, Benjamin Swinburne, Doug Anmuth, Morgan Stanley's Swinburne, Piper Sandler, Wall, Anmuth, Goldman Sachs, Eric Sheridan, Bryan Kraft, Kannan Venkateshwar, Deutsche Bank's Kraft, Piper Sandler's Matt Farrell, MoffettNathanson's Michael Nathanson, Street's, Farrell, Citi's Jason Bazinet Organizations: Netflix, LSEG, Deutsche Bank, Barclays, Street, Kraft, Deutsche, WWE, NBA, Netflix's WWE Locations: 2H24

☆ Blizzard, NetEase deal: ‘World of Warcraft’ and other hit games return to China as dispute ends
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-10 | by ( Diksha Madhok | Wayne Chang | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —China’s gaming giant NetEase will bring back the iconic “World of Warcraft” and other popular video games by Microsoft’s Blizzard Entertainment to the country, the companies said in a joint statement Wednesday. California-based Blizzard and Hangzhou-based NetEase had ceased their 15-year relationship in 2023 after an acrimonious fallout, leaving millions of fans in China heartbroken. “After a year of negotiations, Blizzard and NetEase are pleased to align on a path forward to once again serve players in mainland China,” the companies said in a post on NetEase Games’ official Weibo account. The new deal will see the return of “World of Warcraft” and “Hearthstone” games to China, as well as other titles in the Warcraft, Overwatch, Diablo and StarCraft universes, according to the statement. Foreign publishers must work with local partners to offer video games in China.

Persons: NetEase, “, ”, we’ve, William Ding, ’, Phil Spencer Organizations: CNN, Microsoft’s Blizzard Entertainment, Blizzard, Games, Weibo, Microsoft Gaming, Xbox, Microsoft, Activision, Big Locations: China, California, Hangzhou, Beijing, Big Tech

☆ Oklahoma Was a Legal Marijuana Utopia. Then Came the Mass Murder
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-29 | by ( Matt Stroud | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +32 min

Fourteen months after the murders, the garage of the abandoned marijuana farm on prairie tableland northwest of Oklahoma City sits frozen and dark. Broadway Avenue in Kingfisher, Oklahoma, about 30 miles south of where Wu Chen, 47, executed four people at a marijuana farm. When Oklahoma legalized medical marijuana, the only real requirement was that Oklahoma residents had to be involved in marijuana growing and selling. But Oklahoma required 75% of any marijuana business to be owned by an Oklahoma resident. Deputies from the Kingfisher County Sheriff's Office were the first to arrive at the scene of a quadruple homicide at an abandoned marijuana farm.

Persons: Wu Chen, Mike Simons, Kevin Stitt, Sean Hannity's, Dan Newhouse, Liu, Chen, Yi Fei Lin, Mark Woodward, —, OBN, Adria Berry, BI Adria Berry, I'm, Barb Miuccio, Jeremy Grable, Jeremy, Barb, she's, Barbara Miuccio, Treez, Matt Stacy, Stacy, Stitt, Jeremy they'd, he'd, OMMA, didn't, Barb didn't, Barbara, Stacy —, she'd, Stacy hadn't, BI Jonathan Riedlinger, Riedlinger, Lin, Qirong Lin, Hechun Chen, Qiang Chen, Fang Lee —, Wenbo Lin, Wu Chen —, Wenbo Lin didn't, Reidlinger, Jed Green, Matthew Alan Stacy, Barb —, — he's, He'd, Woodward, Helen Carillo, He's, Kevin Pham, Pham, BI Pham, ProPublica, recriminations, Green, It's, they're, I'd, Ken Thompson, Thompson, Chen didn't, He'll, Jonathan Riedlinger, Kiki, I've Organizations: Oklahoma City, Broadway, BI, Marijuana, Oklahoma, Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority, Republican, Sean Hannity's Fox, Fox News, Chen Inc, Narcotics, BI Adria, Oklahoma's Army National Guard, OBN, Business, Oklahoma State Bureau of, Sheriff's, Prosecutors, CSI Accounting Services, Whitney Economics, NBC, Cannabis, Virginia Slim, Florida . Police Locations: Oklahoma, Kingfisher County , Oklahoma, Ames , Oklahoma, Kingfisher , Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, California, Arkansas, Republican Washington, China, Kingfisher County, Dallas, Moore , Oklahoma, Oklahoma City, Afghanistan, Iraq, Ukraine, He's, Moore, Kingfisher, Hennessey , Oklahoma, OMMA, Mexico, Edmond, Tulsa, Russia, Bulgaria, Armenia, Steakhouse, Virginia, Florida, Miami Beach, Miami

☆ Costco really wants nonmembers to stop eating at its food court
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-21 | by ( Alexandra Bacon | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Costco is stopping people without a membership from using its food courts. AdvertisementFamed for its $1.50 hot-dog and soda combo, the Costco food court has attracted the store's members and nonmembers alike. Now, Costco is stopping people without membership from using its food court. One Reddit user posted a photo of a sign outside a Costco in Orlando that said: "Effective April 8, 2024, an active Costco membership card will be required to purchase items from our food court." It's always been Costco's policy that only members can enter the warehouse, meaning those without a membership can't access the indoor food court for many locations.

Persons: it's, —, Costco didn't, It's Organizations: Costco, Service, Business Locations: Orlando, Chicago

☆ Teacher Li: A Chinese dissident in Europe is enraging Beijing. Now police are coming for his social media followers
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-18 | by ( Nectar Gan | Yong Xiong | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

And now, Chinese authorities appear to be going after his followers in China. Li Ying spends most of his days in front of the computer running his X account. Li’s warnings sent shock waves through the small but influential Chinese X sphere. On X, Li Ying’s account provided a window into the outpouring of grief and disaffection. “The Chinese authorities are fearful of young people like Teacher Li, seeing him as a threat to its rule,” Wang said.

Persons: Lee, Xi Jinping, –, Li, ”, ” Lee, Li Ying, Li reposts, Elon Musk, Covid lockdowns, ” Li, “, Yaqiu Wang, ‘, ’ ”, Li Keqiang, Shen Xiang, ramped, Li Keqiang’s, Xi, it’s, it’ll, ” Wang, Wang Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Twitter, US, Facebook, Elon, Ministry of Public Security, CNN, YouTube, Future Publishing, Getty, Freedom Locations: China, Hong Kong, Beijing, Italy, Washington, Anhui province, “

The overhaul rolling out Thursday only in the Europe represents the biggest changes to the iPhone's App Store since Apple introduced the concept in 2008. Among other things, people in Europe can download iPhone apps from stores that aren't operated by Apple and are getting alternative ways to pay for in-app transactions. That came during testimony in a May 2021 trial resulting in a U.S. judge ruling that the App Store isn't a monopoly. In that decision, the judge required Apple to begin allowing links to outside payment options inside iPhone apps in the U.S. Apple still doesn't permit alternative iPhone app stores in the U.S. or more than 100 other countries outside the EU.

Persons: Apple, Tim Sweeney, Steve Jobs, Epic's Sweeney, ” Apple Organizations: Apple, Union, Digital Markets, Spotify, Epic, European Commission, U.S, Regulators, Google, Facebook, Apple Watch, Supreme, EU Locations: Europe, Apple’s, Sweden, U.S, It's

☆ Bank Runs Spooked Regulators. Now a Clampdown Is Coming.
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-05 | by ( Jeanna Smialek | Rob Copeland | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

One year after a series of bank runs threatened the financial system, government officials are preparing to unveil a regulatory response aimed at preventing future meltdowns. After months of floating fixes at conferences and in quiet conversations with bank executives, the Federal Reserve and other regulators could unveil new rules this spring. The interagency clampdown would come on top of another set of proposed and potentially costly regulations that have caused tension between big banks and their regulators. Taken together, the proposed rules could further rankle the industry. The goal of the new policies would be to prevent the kind of crushing problems and bank runs that toppled Silicon Valley Bank and a series of other regional lenders last spring.

Organizations: Federal Reserve, Bank Locations: Silicon

The news of Mr. Navalny’s death shocked many at the conference and could add new urgency to the discussion. Ms. Harris said at the start of her address to the conference — which had already been expected to focus on Russia — that the United States was still trying to confirm the reports of Mr. Navalny’s death, but that it held Russia’s government responsible. “I made it clear to him that I believe the consequences of that would be devastating for Russia,” Mr. Biden told reporters after meeting with Mr. Putin in Geneva in 2021. “What do you think happens when he’s saying it’s not about hurting Navalny, all the stuff he says to rationalize the treatment of Navalny, and then he dies in prison?” Mr. Biden continued. “I saw Yulia Navalnaya and Leonid Volkov last night here in Munich,” said Michael McFaul, a former American ambassador to Moscow.

Persons: Aleksei A, Yulia Navalnaya, clampdown, Navalnaya, Leonid Volkov, Kamala Harris, Antony J, Blinken, Vladimir V, Putin, Navalny’s, Harris, ”, Mr, Biden, Navalny, “, ” Mr, it’s, Ms, Michael McFaul, Aleksei, ” Edward Wong Organizations: Munich Security Conference, ” Locations: Munich, Europe, Ukraine, Moscow, Russia, United States, Geneva, American

☆ China’s VC playbook is undergoing a sea change as U.S. IPO exits get tougher
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-08 | by ( Evelyn Cheng | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

That's far less than in the previous years — the share of U.S. dollars in total VC funds raised was around 15% for the years 2018 to 2021, the data showed. China investments, China exitsWashington and Beijing in 2022 resolved a long-standing audit dispute that reduced the risk of Chinese companies having to delist from U.S. stock exchanges. "With U.S. IPOs no longer being a viable exit strategy for China assets, investors should target local exits in their respective capital markets—in other words, China exits for China assets, and U.S. exits for overseas assets," Liao said. The 20 largest VC deals for China-headquartered companies in 2013 were predominantly in e-commerce and software services, according to PitchBook data. ... the venture capital scene has become even more state-concentrated and focused on government priorities.

Persons: China’s renminbi, Athit Perawongmetha, Kyle Stanford, China —, Liao Ming, Stocks, Liao, Didi, Beijing's, Camille Boullenois Organizations: Reuters, Reuters BEIJING — Venture, Liao Ming, U.S, Sequoia, Prospect, Capital, New York Stock Exchange Locations: U.S, Bangkok, Thailand, Reuters BEIJING, China, Sequoia, Washington, India, Japan, Greater China, Beijing, New York, Hong Kong, U.S . Washington

☆ Moody’s warns it may downgrade China
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-05 | by ( Laura He | Diksha Madhok | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

The lowering of its outlook does not automatically mean the ratings agency will downgrade China’s creditworthiness, but it increases the chances. Analysts say the property downturn is likely to drag on, hobbling China’s growth prospects for years. Slower growth, weaker demographicsMoody’s expects China’s annual economic growth rate to slow to 4% in both 2024 and 2025, and average 3.8% a year from 2026 to 2030. “The affirmation of the A1 rating reflects China’s financial and institutional resources to manage the transition in an orderly fashion,” the agency said. “Its economy’s vast size and robust, albeit slowing, potential growth rate, support its high shock-absorption capacity.”China’s Finance Ministry said Tuesday it was “disappointed” with Moody’s decision to downgrade the country’s credit outlook.

Persons: Hong Kong / New Delhi CNN — Moody’s, China’s, Moody’s, “, Hong, Seng, Anna Cooban Organizations: Hong Kong / New Delhi CNN, China’s Finance, CSI Locations: China, Hong Kong / New Delhi, China’s, “, Shanghai, Shenzhen

☆ Gay activists in Russia fear arrest as top court weighs "extremist" listing
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Russia's justice ministry asked the Supreme Court this month to recognise what it called "the international LGBT social movement" as extremist and to ban its activities. The ministry said that "various signs and manifestations of extremist orientation, including the incitement of social and religious discord" had been identified in the activities of Russia's LGBT movement, without giving examples. 'EXTREMIST' LISTING CAN FORESHADOW ARRESTSThe justice ministry publishes a list of more than 100 "extremist" groups banned in Russia. "This will all be so underground that, unfortunately, I'm sure there are many people who won't be able to get help," he said. Reporting by Reuters, writing by Mark Trevelyan; Editing by Kevin LiffeyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Putin, Alexei Sergeyev, Vladimir Putin, Alexei Navalny, Sergei Troshin, Sergeev, Mark Trevelyan, Kevin Liffey Organizations: PETERSBURG, LGBT, Reuters, Orthodox Church, Thomson Locations: Russia, St Petersburg

☆ Italy's parties unanimously back clampdown on violence against women
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-22 | by ( Angelo Amante | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/5] The Campidoglio, Rome's city hall, is lit up in red to honour women who have been killed by men to mark International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, in Rome, Italy, November 25, 2021. The new law expands protections for women at risk to prevent more serious violence and stem a wave of femicides which have sparked outrage across the country. The government also pledged to campaign in schools to promote respect for women and raise awareness on the issue of violence among pupils. As of Nov. 19, 106 women have been killed this year in Italy, including 55 by their partner or former partner, interior ministry figures show. This compares with 109 women killed in the year-ago period, including 53 by a partner or ex-partner.

Persons: Remo Casilli, Giorgia Meloni, Eugenia Roccella, Giulia Cecchettin, Filippo Turetta, Antonio Tajani, Giuseppe Valditara, Angelo Amante, Richard Chang Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Thomson Locations: Rome's, Rome, Italy, Venice, Germany

☆ Alibaba extends losses to $26 billion in market value after the company announces big reversal of spin-off plans
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-17 | by ( Phil Rosen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Alibaba has lost $26 billion in market cap since Thursday, after it shelved plans to spin off its cloud business. Executives said they needed to "reset" strategy, and pointed to US restrictions on chip sales to China. AdvertisementAlibaba walked back plans to spin off its $11 billion cloud business this week, sending shares of the Chinese tech giant lower for a second day on Friday. AdvertisementThe spin-off for its Cloud Intelligence Group had been planned as part of a widespread overhaul of the Alibaba empire. "We believe that a full spin-off of Cloud Intelligence Group may not achieve the intended effect of shareholder value enhancement," the company said.

Persons: Alibaba, —, Joseph Tsai, Eddie Wu, Wu, Tsai, Biden, it's, Jack Ma Organizations: Service, Bloomberg, Biden Administration, Tencent Holdings, JD, Nvidia, Cloud Intelligence Group, Cloud Intelligence Locations: China

☆ More Executives Vanish in China, Casting Chill Over Business Climate
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( Chun Han Wong | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Chen Shaojie, chief executive of DouYu, in the blue suit, has been unreachable since October, a person familiar with the matter said. Photo: Richard B. Levine/Levine Roberts/ZUMA PRESSSINGAPORE—The list of business executives and political figures who have gone missing in China keeps growing. Top executives at a video-streaming platform and a pharmaceutical company were the latest to disappear, as an intensifying clampdown by Beijing on alleged corruption and malfeasance shakes business confidence in China, among local and foreign firms alike.

Persons: Chen Shaojie, Richard B, Levine, Levine Roberts, ZUMA Organizations: SINGAPORE Locations: China, Beijing

☆ Senate Republicans Demand U.S. Border Clampdown as Condition for Ukraine Aid
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-06 | by ( Michelle Hackman | Lindsay Wise | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Illegal border crossings have reached records over the past two years. The one-page proposal, put forward by a group of Republican senators including Sens. James Lankford (R., Okla.), Lindsey Graham (R., S.C.) and Tom Cotton (R., Ark. ), represents the opening bid in negotiations with Senate Democrats and the White House, which has signaled some openness to immigration-policy changes. Biden’s request included money for border operations, but didn’t include any policy changes.

Persons: Gregory Bull, Biden’s, James Lankford, Lindsey Graham, Tom Cotton Organizations: Associated Press WASHINGTON, Senate Republicans, Senate Democrats, White Locations: Israel, Ukraine, Sens

☆ China suffers its first foreign investment deficit as US tensions and anti-spying laws spark a western exodus
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-06 | by ( George Glover | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

China just posted a quarterly foreign investment deficit for the first time. Officials have released foreign direct investment figures each quarter for the past 25 years – and it's the first time the gauge has turned negative, Reuters reported. The deficit suggests that western countries and companies are shunning China with Sino-US tensions steadily rising and new anti-spying laws spooking international investors. Analysts flagged that clampdown as one factor driving the decline in foreign direct investment. The foreign direct investment deficit is far from the only economic headache that Beijing faces.

Persons: China's, —, Joe Biden, Duncan Wrigley, Mark Mobius, he'd Organizations: Service, State Administration of Foreign, Reuters, Analysts, Macroeconomics, Bloomberg, " International, Micron, Bain, Co Locations: China, Beijing, Shanghai

☆ ICBC ex-VP being probed by China’s anti-graft body
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-06 | by ( Manav Tanneeru | Michelle Toh | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Hong Kong CNN —Zhang Hongli, a former senior executive at Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC), is being probed by China’s top anti-corruption watchdog, in a sign of a continuing crackdown in the country’s financial sector. State-owned ICBC is one of China’s “Big Four” banks and the world’s largest lender by assets, according to S&P Global. Prior to joining ICBC, Zhang worked at Deutsche Bank and Goldman Sachs, where he held senior management roles. They include three top executives at the highest ranks of China’s financial world, who have either been probed or charged, according to the commission. In October, Li was expelled from the Communist Party and arrested for allegedly taking bribes, according to Xinhua.

Persons: Hong Kong CNN — Zhang Hongli, Zhang, Goldman Sachs, Bao Fan, Bao, Xi, Li Xiaopeng, —, Li, Liu Liange, Liu, “, Wang Bin, Wang Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Industrial, Commercial Bank of China, Central Commission, P, Deutsche Bank, ICBC’s Communist Party, Xinhua, CNN, China, Communist Party, of China, China Life Insurance Locations: China, Hong Kong, ICBC, Xinhua

☆ EU clamps down on Meta’s use of personal data for targeted ads
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-01 | by ( Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Meta will soon be forced to seek European users’ consent before using their personal information to deliver those users targeted advertisements on Facebook and Instagram. A European Union-wide ban announced Wednesday dealing with Meta’s handling of user data proposes blanket restrictions which could be finalized as soon as late next week. The restrictions were announced by the European Data Protection Board (EDPB), a group of EU data regulators representing numerous countries in the bloc. Under EU rules known as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), Meta must cite one of several specific legal justifications in order to collect and use people’s personal data for advertising. It directs the Irish Data Protection Commission, Meta’s primary privacy regulator in Europe, to issue a final rule on the matter by Nov. 10.

Persons: Meta, It’s, “ Meta, “, ”, Anu Organizations: CNN, Facebook, European Data Protection, EU, General Data Protection, Meta, Irish Data Protection Locations: Europe

☆ Messaging app Telegram blocks access to Hamas-run channels
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( Clare Duffy | Brian Fung | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

New York CNN —The messaging app Telegram has restricted access to several channels closely associated with or operated by Hamas, as the militant group’s war with Israel rages on. The restrictions mark a significant clampdown on a major source of pro-Hamas propaganda since the Israel-Hamas war began, one that Telegram’s error messages suggest may be driven by the app store operators’ policies. Other popular Telegram channels that have expressed support for Hamas have also been restricted, according to CNN’s analysis. That account is among those no longer accessible via Telegram apps downloaded from the Google Play or Apple App stores, CNN confirmed. An Apple spokesperson didn’t immediately respond to CNN’s questions about the Telegram channels now blocked for iOS users.

Persons: Israel, —, ”, United States —, ” Google’s, didn’t, Brian Fishman, –, O’Sullivan, Paul Murphy Organizations: New, New York CNN, Hamas, Google, CNN, ” CNN, CNBC, Meta, Brigades, Apple, Capitol, Facebook, Twitter Locations: New York, Israel, Russian, United States, Dubai, Europe

There is a new poster child of China’s protracted real estate crisis — Country Garden. Country Garden has not responded to requests for comment by phone or email. Here’s what to know about the rise and fall of Country Garden, and the future of China’s once red-hot property sector. Until last year, Country Garden was China’s biggest real estate developer, specializing in residential property. While confidence in China’s real estate sector has been shaky since the collapse of Evergrande, Country Garden reignited fears in August when its liquidity crisis burst into public view.

Persons: Evergrande, Yang Huiyan, Krishna Srinivasan, ” Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, Bloomberg News, Financial Times, Citigroup, Hong Kong, Country Garden, Seng, International Monetary Fund, National Bureau of Statistics, Pacific Department Locations: Hong Kong, Foshan, Guangdong province, China, United States, Evergrande, Beijing, Asia

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