27 h. ago Microsoft launches inquiry into claims Israel used its tech for mass surveillance of Palestinians

Company says use of its cloud technology to store millions of intercepted calls would breach terms of serviceMicrosoft has launched an “urgent” external inquiry into allegations Israel’s military surveillance agency has used the company’s technology to facilitate the mass surveillance of Palestinians.The company said on Friday the formal review was in response to a Guardian investigation that revealed how the Unit 8200 spy agency has relied on Microsoft’s Azure cloud platform to store a vast collection of everyday Palestinian mobile phone calls. Continue reading...

Politics

50 h. ago Bargain hunt: the best value signings in the Premier League this summer

Chelsea, Sunderland, Nottingham Forest and Brentford have spent some smart money in the transfer windowBy WhoScoredThe young English striker began his career at Derby before moving to Manchester City as a 16-year-old in 2019. After loan spells at Stoke, Preston and Hull, Liam Delap made a £20m move to Ipswich last summer and proceeded to make a name for himself in the Premier League. Continue reading...

Politics

8 d. ago Myanmar military junta using European technology for drone attacks, report says

Junta obtained ‘anti-jamming’ product made in Europe through a Chinese company, research finds, triggering calls for tighter sanctionsMyanmar’s military is using advanced European technology to protect its drone fleet as it carries out brutal aerial campaigns, research suggests, prompting calls for sanctions against the junta to be tightened.Myanmar’s military, which has been widely condemned for its indiscriminate attacks against civilians, obtained “anti-jamming” technology made in Europe through a Chinese company, according to a report by Conflict Armament Research (Car). Continue reading...

Events

1 week ago OpenAI in talks for share sale valuing ChatGPT maker at $500bn

Secondary deal would make the company world’s most valuable private technology group

Economics

1 week ago Alex Ovechkin partners with a Russian technology company to make a movie about his career

Alex Ovechkin has partnered with a Russian technology company to produce a movie, series or documentary about his NHL career

Politics

1 week ago Canada wildfires prompt severe air quality alerts across country and US

More than 700 active wildfires burning across Canada and about two-thirds are currently out-of-controlBillowing smoke from hundreds of out-of-control wildfires – most of which are in the Canadian Prairies – have caused severe air quality alerts across Canada and the United States.Detroit, Michigan, and the Canadian cities of Montreal and Toronto, recorded some of the worst air quality in the world on Monday, according to a ranking by IQAir, a Swiss air quality technology company. Continue reading...

Events

1 week ago Ninety laptops, millions of dollars: US woman jailed over North Korea remote

Christine Chapman apologizes for role in identity fraud that amassed millions to allegedly aid nuclear weapons programIn March 2020, about the time the Covid pandemic started, Christina Chapman, a woman who lived in Arizona and Minnesota, received a message on LinkedIn asking her to “be the US face” of a company and help overseas IT workers gain remote employment.As working from home became the norm for many people, Chapman was able to find jobs for the foreign workers at hundreds of US companies, including some in the Fortune 500, such as Nike; “a premier Silicon Valley technology company”; and one of the “most recognizable media and entertainment companies in the world”. Continue reading...

Events

last month Meta argues its AI needs personal information from social media posts to learn ‘Australian concepts’

Tech giant said posts from Australian Facebook and Instagram users were ‘vital learning’ about ‘concepts, realities, and figures’Meta has urged the Australian government not to make privacy law changes that would prevent the company using personal information taken from Facebook and Instagram posts to train its AI, arguing the AI needs to learn “how individuals discuss Australian concepts”.In a submission to the Productivity Commission’s review on harnessing data and digital technology, published this week, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp argued for a “global policy alignment” in the Albanese government’s pursuit of privacy reform in the AI age. Continue reading...

Politics