03 World

Apple steps up war of words with European regulators– www.bbc.com

pgnewser September 22, 2025 0

Apple steps up war of words with European regulators– www.bbc.com
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“Bureaucrats in Brussels” are unfairly challenging Apple’s closed ecosystem and denying users the “magical, innovative experience” that makes the firm unique, Apple said.

“We have a serious threat to that in Europe,” executive Greg Joswiak said in advance of the recent launch of its newest products and features.

The so-called walled garden that combines Apple’s products and software ensures a safe and high quality experience for users, it says, but EU regulators counter that it unfairly shuts out rivals.

The two sides have had years of rows, culminating in a €500m (£430m; $586m) fine handed down in April by the EU, which accuses the tech giant of anti-competitive behaviour on its App Store.

As part of the Digital Markets Act (DMA), which came into force in 2022 and began to apply in 2024, the EU targets several major tech companies.

In Apple’s case, the DMA requires it in part to ensure that devices, such as headphones, made by other brands will work with iPhones.

Venezuelan president’s YouTube account offline as tensions with US escalate– abcnews.go.com

pgnewser September 22, 2025 0

Venezuelan president’s YouTube account offline as tensions with US escalate– abcnews.go.com
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BOGOTA, Colombia — The YouTube account of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro was offline Saturday, with Venezuelan state-run channel Telesur claiming in a message on X that it was “eliminated” late the previous night without justification.

YouTube’s parent company Google did not immediately respond to questions on the apparent termination of the Venezuelan president’s account. It comes amid rising tensions between Venezuela and the United States over the deployment of American warships and fighter jets in the southern Caribbean.

Maduro’s YouTube account had more than 200,000 followers before it became unavailable Friday and was used to publish the Venezuelan president’s speeches, as well as clips from his weekly show on Venezuelan state TV.

On its website, YouTube says it eliminates accounts that commit “repeated violations of community guidelines” that include publishing misinformation, hate speech and content that “interferes with democratic processes.”

Maduro has been widely accused of stealing last year’s presidential election in Venezuela, which he lost by a landslide according to tally sheets gathered by hundreds of Venezuelan opposition activists. Venezuela’s elections agency, which is controlled by the ruling socialist party, never published tally sheets to support its claim that Maduro won the vote.

‘President Trump had no idea’: Karoline Leavitt denies White House role in ABC shelving Jimmy Kimmel; blasts Barack Obama– timesofindia.indiatimes.com

pgnewser September 22, 2025 0

‘President Trump had no idea’: Karoline Leavitt denies White House role in ABC shelving Jimmy Kimmel; blasts Barack Obama– timesofindia.indiatimes.com
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White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt denied that the administration had any role in ABC’s indefinite shelving of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” following the host’s monologue on the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. She also criticized former President Barack Obama for alleging that the Donald Trump administration “threatens” news organisations critical of the US president.“I can assure you it did not come from the White House and there was no pressure given from the president of the United States. How do I know that? Because I was with the president when this news broke in the United Kingdom,” Leavitt told Fox News Digital.She added that Trump was “unaware” of the decision, which she said was made solely by ABC because Kimmel, a vocal Trump critic, “chose to knowingly lie to his audience” about Kirk’s death during a period of national mourning. Leavitt also echoed Trump’s remarks that the show was taken off air due to poor ratings, which she described as “gutter”.Turning to Obama, Leavitt said, “With all due respect, he has no idea what he is talking about. The decision to fire Jimmy Kimmel and to cancel his show came from executives at ABC. That has now been reported.” Obama had criticised the current administration on X, writing that it “has taken cancel culture to a new and dangerous level by routinely threatening regulatory action against media companies unless they muzzle or fire reporters and commentators it doesn’t like.”Kirk, a Trump ally, was shot and killed on September 10 at a university campus in Utah. Kimmel addressed the assassination five days later, criticising Trump supporters for “characterising that the killer (Tyler Robinson) is not one of their own.”Federal Communications Commission (FCC) chair Brendan Carr, appointed by Trump earlier this year, had warned of “consequences” for stations that continued to air Kimmel’s programme. ABC’s decision to shelve the show has sparked widespread discussion and controversy.

Almost Surrounded By Russian Forces, Residents Of Kostyantynivka Hold Out– www.rferl.org

pgnewser September 22, 2025 0

Almost Surrounded By Russian Forces, Residents Of Kostyantynivka Hold Out– www.rferl.org
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Russian forces are trying to advance on Kostyantynivka from several directions, probing for weak spots in Ukrainian defenses. The Kremlin wants to cut off Ukrainian forces’ access to supply routes, which make this city a prime target. Despite constant shelling and disruptions to the water and electricity supply, some locals are hanging on — but are clearly rattled.

Thousands evacuated in Hong Kong after 1,000-pound WWII bomb discovered– www.foxnews.com

pgnewser September 22, 2025 0

Thousands evacuated in Hong Kong after 1,000-pound WWII bomb discovered– www.foxnews.com
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Thousands of people were forced to evacuate a bustling neighborhood of Hong Kong overnight while experts sweated through the delicate work of defusing an undetonated nearly 5-foot, 1,000-pound bomb left over from World War II.

The U.S.-made bomb was found at a construction site in Quarry Bay on Hong Kong’s west side overnight Friday, and it isn’t the first bomb from the war to be found on the island.

“We have confirmed this object to be a bomb dating back to World War II,” Andy Chan Tin-Chu, a police official, told reporters. He said because of “the exceptionally high risks associated with its disposal,” approximately 1,900 households involving 6,000 individuals were “urged to evacuate swiftly.”

TikTok’s Algorithm Will Soon Be “Controlled By America” – Mother Jones– www.motherjones.com

pgnewser September 22, 2025 0

TikTok’s Algorithm Will Soon Be “Controlled By America” – Mother Jones– www.motherjones.com
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After years of bipartisan warnings about TikTok’s potential national security risks, users may soon confront a different kind of threat, perhaps even worse: an algorithm “controlled by America.”

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed the detail on Saturday, a key aspect of the emerging agreement announced by the Trump administration last week between the United States and China. The deal could finally settle TikTok’s fate in the US following months of uncertainty with a brief ban, reversal by the Trump administration, and shifting, self-imposed deadlines for an agreement.

“There will be seven seats on the board that controls the app in the US, and six of those seats will be Americans,” Leavitt told Fox News. “The data and privacy will be led by one of America’s greatest tech companies, Oracle, and the algorithm will also be controlled by America.”

It’s unclear what exactly a US-controlled algorithm will involve. Right-wing conspiracy theories? Charlie Kirk memorials? Coupons for MAGA swag? Nor did Leavitt specify which American individuals would be involved in determining an algorithm. We also have little details on how Oracle CEO Larry Ellison, a Trump loyalist, intends to approach the responsibility for managing TikTok’s data and security while the Trump administration weaponizes everything from voting data to confidential Social Security records.

Pentagon official denies report of Charlie Kirk military recruitment drive | Gun Violence News– www.aljazeera.com

pgnewser September 22, 2025 0

Pentagon official denies report of Charlie Kirk military recruitment drive | Gun Violence News– www.aljazeera.com
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An NBC news report said the military planned to invoke the activist’s memory to recruit a ‘generation of warriors’.

US network NBC first reported the news on Thursday, citing two officials familiar with the matter, but a Pentagon spokesperson quickly dispelled the report to Fox News.

NBC said the Pentagon was debating slogans such as “Charlie has awakened a generation of warriors” as part of its campaign drive, although Kirk himself was not a military veteran.

The military also hoped to work with Kirk’s political organisation, Turning Point USA, as part of its recruitment drive, the story said.

Turning Point was credited with helping US President Donald Trump win at the polls in 2024 through its work with young voters on high school and university campuses.

“This is not happening,” Pentagon Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson told Fox News later on Thursday.

Wilson blasted NBC for using anonymous sources to publish “false claims” that were “100 percent wrong”, according to the Fox News report.

The two unnamed Pentagon officials in the NBC report said the recruitment plan had been met with resistance from “some Pentagon leaders” who feared they would be seen as capitalising on Kirk’s murder.

Trump stopped Sadiq Khan from attending state banquet with King & slams London mayor as being one of the ‘world’s worst’– www.thesun.co.uk

pgnewser September 22, 2025 0

Trump stopped Sadiq Khan from attending state banquet with King & slams London mayor as being one of the ‘world’s worst’– www.thesun.co.uk
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DONALD Trump has claimed he stopped Sadiq Khan from coming to the royal banquet during his state visit this week.

Speaking to reporters on board Air Force One, the President said he had insisted that the London Mayor not attend.

Chaos on the streets of France as ‘900k’ refuse to go to work | World | News– www.express.co.uk

pgnewser September 22, 2025 0

Chaos on the streets of France as ‘900k’ refuse to go to work | World | News– www.express.co.uk
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France has been rocked by day of chaos and disruption, with hundreds of thousands of people joining a nationwide strike. Trade unions in the country called for a day of protests against budget cuts, as France continues to be plagued by political turmoil.

Between 600,000 and 900,000 people are thought to have attended the anti-government demonstrations, according to France’s Interior Ministry. Officials said they deployed 80,000 police officers across the country in response to the protests. Police used tear gas to disperse demonstrators in Lyon and Nantes, as tensions reached boiling point.

Roads and streets have reportedly been blocked by protesters in other major cities across France.

Major disruptions to public transport have been reported, with many metro lines in Paris said to be closed.

Students also gathered in front of their schools and universities in the capital and beyond, chanting slogans and blocking entrances. Around a third of teachers joined their students in taking strike action, boycotting classes.

Video. Thousands march in Paris for recognition of Palestinian state– www.euronews.com

pgnewser September 22, 2025 0

Video. Thousands march in Paris for recognition of Palestinian state– www.euronews.com
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Demonstrators waved Palestinian flags ahead of France’s expected formal recognition of Palestinian statehood at the United Nations General Assembly on Monday.

In Malakoff, a suburb of Paris, the Palestinian flag has flown from the town hall since Friday despite government orders to remove it. Mayor Jacqueline Belhomme, who joined the Paris demonstration, said the display was a symbolic gesture of solidarity similar to the Ukrainian flag raised during Russia’s invasion.

Other towns have also raised flags, though some have taken them down following legal challenges. Socialist leader Olivier Faure has encouraged more municipalities to join the initiative despite warnings from the Interior Ministry. French leaders are expected to place the Gaza war and the wider conflict high on the agenda at the UN General Assembly this week.

Trump ‘grateful beyond words’ for second state visit to UK but key differences remain– www.euronews.com

pgnewser September 22, 2025 0

Trump ‘grateful beyond words’ for second state visit to UK but key differences remain– www.euronews.com
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US President Donald Trump wrapped up his historic second state visit to the United Kingdom on Thursday saying he was “tremendously thankful” for the pomp and pageantry but some key differences between him and Prime Minister Keir Starmer remain.

When asked about the lack of progress in brokering a deal to end Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Trump said that Russian President Vladimir Putin has “let me down.”

Starmer said he and Trump had discussed how to “decisively increase the pressure on Putin” and that Trump had “led the way here.”

Trump has also not made good on threats to impose new sanctions on Russia and King Charles, in his state banquet speech Wednesday night, offered Trump a gentle nudge, noting “as tyranny once again threatens Europe, we and our allies stand together in support of Ukraine, to deter aggression and secure peace.”

While Starmer has played a major part in European efforts to shore up US support for Ukraine, Trump’s visit offered few major advancements,

The British government has also grown increasingly critical of Israel’s conduct in Gaza and the suffering of Palestinian civilians.

China’s Gap Between Rhetoric and Action Perpetuates Status Quo in Gaza– chinadigitaltimes.net

pgnewser September 22, 2025 0

China’s Gap Between Rhetoric and Action Perpetuates Status Quo in Gaza– chinadigitaltimes.net
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On Monday, Reuters reported on the story of a man who tried to flee Gaza by crossing the border into Egypt and then flying to China in order to seek asylum, only to be denied and sent back. As his case illustrates, China’s well-known rhetorical support for Gaza has in many ways not translated into concrete action. In fact, China has appeared to soften its stance towards Israel over the past year. Its criticism over what a U.N. Commission of Inquiry described this week as genocide is directed more at the U.S. and other Western states that undergird Israel’s campaign, rather than at Israel itself. This selectivity serves to undermine the U.S.’ standing relative to China in the eyes of some other countries, while preserving China’s interests in Israel. However, Israel’s increasingly aggressive actions—including recently bombing Qatar’s capital—risk finally pushing Beijing to adopt a more confrontational stance backed by material consequences.

UK, Canada and Australia formally recognise Palestine, backing two-state solution– www.arabianbusiness.com

pgnewser September 22, 2025 0

UK, Canada and Australia formally recognise Palestine, backing two-state solution– www.arabianbusiness.com
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The UK, Canada and Australia have formally recognised the State of Palestine, moves framed by all three governments as essential to preserving the prospect of a two-state solution and lasting peace in the Middle East.

UK recognition

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer confirmed that the UK has officially recognised Palestine, calling the decision a historic one grounded in the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination.

Trump says Putin has “really let me down,” as he wraps up historic second state visit to U.K.– www.cbsnews.com

pgnewser September 22, 2025 0

Trump says Putin has “really let me down,” as he wraps up historic second state visit to U.K.– www.cbsnews.com
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U.S. companies will be investing 150 billion pounds, the equivalent of over $200 billion, in the U.K. as part of a landmark package announced this week.

“I promised that my government would deliver jobs, growth and opportunity for working people. Today we have secured a historic £150bn of investment commitments from US companies into the UK. Creating 7,600 high quality jobs and driving growth across the country,” Starmer said in a social media post Thursday morning before he welcomed President Trump to his country house, Chequers.

The deal includes the equivalent of over $136 billion in investment in the U.K. from Blackstone over the next decade, according to the British government. It also includes investments from Prologis, Palantir, Amentum, Boeing and STAX.

Stefanik urges Bondi to investigate MSF over alleged Hamas propaganda ties– www.foxnews.com

pgnewser September 19, 2025 0

Stefanik urges Bondi to investigate MSF over alleged Hamas propaganda ties– www.foxnews.com
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FIRST ON FOX: Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., requested that Attorney General Pam Bondi undertake an investigation into Doctors Without Borders under the Anti-Terrorism Act.

In a copy of Stefanik’s letter reviewed by Fox News Digital, she accuses Doctors Without Borders, often known by its French acronym MSF, of having gone on a media offensive against U.S.-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, accusing the organization of “orchestrated killing.”

Stefanik claimed the attacks “mirror propaganda continuously pushed by Hamas and threaten to undermine the only large-scale humanitarian food operation currently working in Gaza.”

Together For Palestine: ‘How can we live with ourselves and stand by and do nothing?’– www.glamourmagazine.co.uk

pgnewser September 19, 2025 0

Together For Palestine: ‘How can we live with ourselves and stand by and do nothing?’– www.glamourmagazine.co.uk
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It was exactly 11 years ago that I first joined a protest in support of Palestine. In 2014, tens of thousands of ordinary people took to the streets of London to protest the Gaza War – a 50-day conflict during which 2,251 Palestinians, including 1,462 civilians and 551 children, as well as 66 Israeli soldiers and five civilians, including one child, were killed (per the UN).

Where many might not remember the 2014 conflict, few can escape the current horror in Gaza. Since the Hamas attack on Israel, on October 7th 2023, the Israeli military response has killed nearly 65,000 Palestinians (per the Palestinian Ministry of Health), although real figures could be much higher. Many human rights organisations, charities and genocide scholars have described the situation as a genocide.

But while there were politicians such as Diane Abbott speaking out at that first rally I attended back in 2014, many celebrities stayed silent. Those who did show support, such as Javier Bardem, Penelope Cruz, Selena Gomez and Rihanna, were lambasted or ordered to backtrack by industry peers. Speaking out against the injustices in Palestine has always come at a price, but finally, more and more artists are stepping away from silence.

US Treasury sanctions Sinaloa cartel faction Los Mayos in Mexico– abcnews.go.com

pgnewser September 19, 2025 0

US Treasury sanctions Sinaloa cartel faction Los Mayos in Mexico– abcnews.go.com
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MEXICO CITY — The U.S. Treasury Department on Thursday sanctioned members of a Sinaloa cartel faction known as Los Mayos, one of the groups that has tormented Sinaloa’s capital in an ongoing war for control.

The move came on the same day that U.S. Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence John K. Hurley is visiting Mexico, and after the Trump administration designated the Sinaloa cartel as a terrorist group earlier this year.

Hurley is meeting with Mexican authorities and business leaders to discuss strategies for combating drug trafficking, cartel operations and illicit financing. The U.S. Treasury Department said in a statement that the official’s main message will be that the department “will not allow Mexico-based drug cartels to access the U.S. financial system.”

It’s part of an ongoing effort by the Trump administration to crack down on cartels. In addition to pressuring Mexico’s government to more aggressively pursue the criminal groups, the administration has also doled out rounds of sanctions to cartel leaders, banks it alleged facilitated money transfers for cartels and a rapper accused of laundering money for the groups.

Maps: 7.8-Magnitude Earthquake Off Russia Prompts Brief Tsunami Advisory in Alaska– www.nytimes.com

pgnewser September 19, 2025 0

Maps: 7.8-Magnitude Earthquake Off Russia Prompts Brief Tsunami Advisory in Alaska– www.nytimes.com
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A major, 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck in the North Pacific Ocean on Friday, according to the United States Geological Survey. The earthquake prompted a brief tsunami advisory, the second-highest alert level, for some coastal portions of western Alaska, which was lifted about two hours later.

The temblor happened at 6:58 a.m. Kamchatka time about 80 miles east of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, Russia, data from the agency shows.

Tsunamis are a series of long waves caused by a large and sudden displacement of water in the ocean, usually from a large earthquake on or below the ocean floor. Tsunamis radiate in all directions from the epicenter and can cause dangerous coastal flooding and powerful currents that can last for hours or days.

The tsunami advisory had been in place for parts of the Alaskan coast that were closest to the earthquake. Farther away, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Honolulu said there was no threat to Hawaii. “Based on all available data, a destructive Pacific-wide tsunami is not expected,” it said.

In late July, the same region was hit by an 8.8-magnitude earthquake. That quake, one of the strongest ever recorded, set off tsunami waves that reached as far away as Hawaii and California.

Carney says Mexican gangs operating in Canada ‘and vice versa,’ vows action – National– globalnews.ca

pgnewser September 19, 2025 0

Carney says Mexican gangs operating in Canada ‘and vice versa,’ vows action – National– globalnews.ca
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Prime Minister Mark Carney on Thursday acknowledged the issue of Mexican drug cartels operating in Canada, but also that “there are Canadian gangs that operate in Mexico” and that more cooperation is needed to combat them.

Carney made the comments while speaking alongside Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum in Mexico City, where the two leaders signed a new comprehensive strategic partnership aimed at strengthening trade and security ties, including tackling transnational organized crime.

“The unfortunate fact is that yes, there are cartels or gangs from one country in another country, but also vice versa,” he told reporters. “I’m going to acknowledge that there are Canadian gangs that operate in Mexico. We cooperate with the Mexican authorities. We share information. We’re deepening that cooperation.

“Surveillance, heightened police cooperation is appropriate in order to ensure that these criminals are brought to justice, and not wavering in the efforts to bring them to justice, whether the activities are in Canada, Mexico or the United States.”