Russia fines US tech giants Facebook, Twitter & WhatsApp nearly half million dollars over refusal to stop sending user data abroad

Three of the world’s largest internet companies have been hit with hefty financial penalties after a Russian court ruled they had fallen foul of rules requiring them to process users’ private data exclusively within the country. … Read More >Russia fines US tech giants Facebook, Twitter & WhatsApp nearly half million dollars over refusal to stop sending user data abroad

New Delhi opens first ‘smog tower’ to combat air pollution, which regularly exceeds safe levels in the capital

New Delhi’s chief minister celebrated a “big day” in the “fight for clean air” on Monday, as India’s capital city opened its first ‘smog tower’, seeking to cut harmful particles in the air around the installation. … Read More >New Delhi opens first ‘smog tower’ to combat air pollution, which regularly exceeds safe levels in the capital

Child soldiers are OK if they’re anti-Taliban? AFP takes flak over photos of ‘armed’ Afghan kids waving flag of local resistance

Paris-based news agency AFP has been accused of romanticizing child soldiers after photographing an Afghan children’s ‘militia’ in Panjshir province, where locals have taken up arms against the Taliban. … Read More >Child soldiers are OK if they’re anti-Taliban? AFP takes flak over photos of ‘armed’ Afghan kids waving flag of local resistance

Israel to open schools on September 1 despite Covid-19 surge, students to get vaccinated between classes

The school year in Israel will begin as scheduled on September 1, the government has decided after much heated debate. Students will be vaccinated on campus and ‘green passes’ will be mandatory for teachers and staff. … Read More >Israel to open schools on September 1 despite Covid-19 surge, students to get vaccinated between classes

Canadian women face sexual abuse & violence from ‘trans’ biological males in prison, former inmate tells RT

Female inmates in Canadian prisons are at risk of violence from biologically male convicts who identify as women, but no one is willing to discuss the issue out of fear of being labeled transphobic, an activist has told RT. … Read More >Canadian women face sexual abuse & violence from ‘trans’ biological males in prison, former inmate tells RT

Vietnam deploys armed forces to enforce total shutdown of Ho Chi Minh City & deliver food to many of its 13mn locked-down citizens

Vietnamese authorities have dispatched the armed forces to enforce the strict lockdown in Ho Chi Minh City, the nation’s largest, with the military in place to deliver food to people and monitor movement. … Read More >Vietnam deploys armed forces to enforce total shutdown of Ho Chi Minh City & deliver food to many of its 13mn locked-down citizens

Iran prepared to send more fuel to Lebanon as Tehran can’t watch Lebanese people ‘suffer’

The Iranian government has spoken of its willingness to send more fuel to economically crippled Lebanon, saying Tehran cannot bear to see the Lebanese people suffer amid power outages and ongoing political deadlock. … Read More >Iran prepared to send more fuel to Lebanon as Tehran can’t watch Lebanese people ‘suffer’

North Korea claims it’s developed its own PCR equipment to test for Covid as it continues to report zero-case tally

North Korea has developed its own polymerase chain reaction (PCR) equipment to test its population for coronavirus, according to state media, as the country continues to report no Covid-19 infections. … Read More >North Korea claims it’s developed its own PCR equipment to test for Covid as it continues to report zero-case tally