6 h. ago Russia blocks Snapchat and restricts Apple’s FaceTime, state officials say

Latest effort to control communications comes as regulator claims apps being used to ‘conduct terrorist activities’Russian authorities blocked access to Snapchat and imposed restrictions on Apple’s video calling service, FaceTime, the latest step in an effort to tighten control over the internet and communications online, according to state-run news agencies and the country’s communications regulator.The state internet regulator Roskomnadzor alleged in a statement that both apps were being “used to organize and conduct terrorist activities on the territory of the country, to recruit perpetrators [and] commit fraud and other crimes against our citizens”. Apple did not respond to an emailed request for comment, nor did Snap Inc. Continue reading...

Politics

4 d. ago ‘Cool and quirky is part of our brand’: how New Zealand became a hothouse for indie games

Kiwi developers are punching well above their weight thanks to a unique government support program that offers more than just grantsThose not immersed in the world of gaming might not be familiar with Pax Australia: the enormous gaming conference and exhibition that takes over the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre every October. My favourite section is always Pax Rising, a showcase of indie video games and tabletop, the majority Australian – but there has been a recent shift that was particularly notable this year: many of the standout titles had crossed the Tasman, arriving from New Zealand.At the booth run by Code – New Zealand’s government-funded Centre for Digital Excellence – 18 Kiwi developers demoed their forthcoming games in a showcase of the vibrant local scene that was buzzing with crowds. In the comedic Headlice, I controlled a parasitic headcrab monster which could latch on to people’s brains and puppet them. How Was Your Day?, a cozy time-loop game set in New Z...

Events

8 d. ago After bringing back Rush Hour, which franchise might Trump resurrect next?

The president’s bizarre insistence that the dead Jackie Chan-Chris Tucker series should return resulted in a shock announcement this week. Maybe there’s more to come So far, Donald Trump’s control of the media has involved a lot more stick than carrot. Thanks to a combination of outbursts and indiscriminate legal threats, the powerful figures at the centre of a rapidly consolidating industry find themselves with little option but to bend to the president’s every demand. Unfortunately, what he’s demanding is Rush Hour 4.Just a few days ago, this seemed like a weird overreach, like when Trump used a keynote speech at a McDonald’s to demand more tartare sauce on Filet-O-Fish sandwiches. But in this case it really happened. Trump told majority Paramount Skydance shareholder Larry Ellison that he wished someone would make Rush Hour 4, and now Rush Hour 4 is being made. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago FAA announces plans to leave 6 percent flight cut until it can return to ‘normal’ staffing after shutdown

Sean Duffy has claimed that flights should return to ‘normal,’ by Thanksgiving if the current schedule remains in place

Events

3 w. ago FAA says flight cuts will stay at 6% because more air traffic controllers are coming to work

The Federal Aviation Administration says flight cuts will stay at 6% because more air traffic controllers are coming to work

Politics

3 w. ago ATP Finals live: Alcaraz completes stunning comeback to beat Fritz and seize control of No 1 race

Alcaraz beat Fritz in almost three hours, 6-7 (2-7), 7-5, 6-3, to win an all-time classic at the ATP Finals

Sport

4 w. ago Two packed passenger jets come within five seconds of crashing midair before furious air traffic control berate Italian plane's pilot who makes grovelling apology for ignoring their instructions

The incident unfolded on Friday afternoon at LAX when an Ita Airways flight was cleared for takeoff from runway 24 and was instructed to take a left by an air traffic controller.

Events