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According to the German defence ministry, Germany has sent its first shipment of Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine. After receiving training to operate them, 18 state-of-the-art main battle tanks were sent to Ukraine.

Boris Pistorius, the defence minister, expressed his confidence that the tanks might “make a major contribution” on the front lines of the conflict. According to reports from Ukraine, Challenger 2 tanks have also arrived.

For months, Ukraine has demanded more advanced vehicles and weaponry to aid in defending against the Russian invasion.

Although they have acknowledged the delivery of the first Challenger 2 tanks produced in the UK, the Ukrainian government has not yet commented on the arrival of the Leopard 2s.

Europe now employs about 2,000 Leopard 2 main combat tanks, which are regarded as some of the best manufactured by NATO nations. Germany initially baulked at supplying the tanks—or even allowing other nations to send their own—to Ukraine, but in January it finally agreed to do so.

According to German law, Berlin must provide its consent before any nation may sell Leopard 2s again.

The tanks “have put it into the hands of our Ukrainian comrades as promised and on time,” according to German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius.

During the past few weeks, the German army has taught Ukrainian tank operators to operate the cutting-edge Leopard 2 A6 model.

They are thought to be more fuel-efficient and easier to maintain than most other Western tanks because they were created expressly to compete with the Russian T-90 main battle tank.

Germany has also provided 40 Marder infantry fighting vehicles to Ukraine along with two specialised tank recovery vehicles in addition to the Leopard 2s.

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A legal document revealed that some of Twitter Inc.’s source code has been leaked, and the social media site, which is owned by billionaire Elon Musk, is looking for information on the perpetrator.
The filing claims that a user going by the name of “FreeSpeechEnthusiast” shared “multiple snippets” of the source code used to power Twitter’s online operations on Github, a platform controlled by Microsoft.
According to Github, the code was removed on Friday at Twitter’s request.

According to the March 24 complaint, Twitter has requested the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California to require Github to turn over “Any identifiable information” connected to the user name “FreeSpeechEnthusiast.”

Github did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on whether it has supplied such information. It also did not comment on how long Twitter’s source code had been publicly available.A request for comment from Twitter also received no quick response. The New York Times was the first to break the news.

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The public transport system in Germany has come to a halt today, as a result of a nationwide strike by transport workers. The strike was called by the German Trade Union Confederation (DGB), which represents over six million workers across the country.

The strike has affected trains, buses, and trams in cities across Germany, with many services cancelled or severely disrupted. Commuters were left stranded, with long queues forming at bus and tram stops across the country.

The DGB called the strike in response to the breakdown of negotiations with employers over pay and working conditions. The union is demanding a 4.8% pay increase for workers in the transport sector, as well as improved working conditions and job security.

Speaking to reporters, DGB spokesperson Sabine Zimmermann said: “We have been negotiating with the employers for months, but they have refused to listen to our demands. We have no choice but to take action to show them that we are serious about our demands.”

The strike has been met with frustration by many commuters, who have criticized the timing of the action. The strike comes at a time when Germany is in the midst of a third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, and many people rely on public transport to get to work and access essential services.

In response to the strike, the German government has called on the unions and employers to return to the negotiating table and reach a resolution. In a statement, German Transport Minister Andreas Scheuer said: “The strike is causing significant disruption and inconvenience for millions of people across Germany. We urge both sides to come back to the table and find a solution that works for everyone.”

The strike is set to continue for the next 24 hours, with the DGB warning that further action may be taken if their demands are not met. The disruption caused by the strike is expected to have a significant impact on the German economy, with many businesses and industries relying on the country’s public transport system to operate effectively.

As the strike continues, commuters and businesses across Germany will be hoping for a speedy resolution to the dispute, and a return to normality for the country’s transport system.

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The recent ban on popular social media app TikTok has sent shockwaves throughout the creator community, leaving many uncertain about the future of their careers.

On March 24th, 2023, the United States government officially banned the app, citing concerns over data privacy and national security. This decision comes after months of debate and controversy surrounding TikTok’s ownership by Chinese company ByteDance and its potential ties to the Chinese government.

While the ban is certainly a blow to TikTok’s massive user base, it may be even more devastating for the app’s content creators. TikTok has become a major platform for aspiring influencers and creators, with many building large followings and even launching lucrative careers through the app.

Without TikTok, these creators will be forced to find new platforms and audiences to share their content with. Some may turn to other social media apps like Instagram or YouTube, while others may look for emerging platforms to try and replicate the success they found on TikTok.

However, this transition may not be easy for all creators. TikTok’s unique algorithm and user base have helped many creators achieve viral fame in ways that may be difficult to replicate on other platforms. Additionally, the ban may lead to a loss of revenue for creators who were earning money through sponsorships and partnerships with brands.

Many TikTok creators have taken to social media to express their disappointment and frustration with the ban, with some even calling on the government to reconsider their decision. However, it remains unclear whether the ban will be lifted or if creators will have to adapt to a TikTok-less world.

For now, creators will have to navigate the uncertain landscape of social media and find new ways to connect with their audiences. While the TikTok ban may be a setback, it may also present new opportunities for creators to explore and grow their careers in new directions.

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On March 24th, 2023, a migrant boat carrying dozens of people, mostly from sub-Saharan Africa, went missing off the Tunisian coast. The boat is believed to have been headed towards Italy, where many migrants attempt to seek asylum and a better life.

According to local reports, the boat had set off from the Tunisian city of Sfax, carrying around 50 to 60 people. However, it ran into trouble and is suspected to have sunk in the Mediterranean Sea. The Tunisian navy has launched a search and rescue operation, but so far, no survivors have been found.

The incident is just the latest in a series of tragic events involving migrants attempting to cross the Mediterranean Sea in search of a better life in Europe. Many of these migrants come from countries in sub-Saharan Africa, where they face poverty, conflict, and persecution. They risk their lives by taking dangerous journeys across the sea, often in overcrowded and unseaworthy boats.

The European Union has faced criticism for its response to the migrant crisis, with many arguing that it has not done enough to provide safe and legal routes for migrants to enter Europe. Instead, many are forced to take perilous journeys, risking their lives in the process.

The issue of migration has become a highly politicized one in Europe, with many countries taking a hardline stance against allowing migrants in. This has led to tensions between EU member states and has complicated efforts to address the issue.

As the search for survivors continues, the latest tragedy serves as a stark reminder of the dangers faced by those attempting to cross the Mediterranean in search of a better life. It also highlights the urgent need for the EU and its member states to find a humane and effective way to address the issue of migration.

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On March 24th, French President Emmanuel Macron’s office announced the postponement of King Charles III’s state visit to France. The decision was made due to the ongoing mass strikes and protests in the country. Macron cited “common sense and friendship” as the reason for the delay and stated that the visit would likely be rescheduled for the beginning of summer.

The planned celebrations of cross-Channel relations were at risk of disruption from the strikes and protests against pension reforms. The main concern was that protesters would use the occasion to further their cause against Macron’s plans to increase the retirement age. The visit was due to start on Sunday, and officials from both sides were closely monitoring the situation, with potential last-minute changes to the three-day program being considered.

The decision to postpone the visit was made with the agreement of both the French and British governments, after Macron asked the British government to postpone the visit. The visit will be rearranged as soon as possible, and Buckingham Palace confirmed that the King and Queen Consort Camilla are looking forward to the opportunity to visit France when new dates can be found. The striking trade unionists threatened to withhold red carpets for the visit, but the body responsible insisted they would still be rolled out as planned

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According to Civil Service Minister Stanislas Guerini’s tweets, TikTok will no longer be allowed on government employees’ work phones in France.

“In order to guarantee the cybersecurity of our administrations and civil servants, the government has decided to ban recreational applications such as TikTok on the professional phones of civil servants,” he said in a statement.

He continued by saying that for some weeks, a number of France’s European and international allies had implemented policies to limit or forbid their governments’ employees from downloading and installing the TikTok programme.

Guerini stated that recreational applications lack the cybersecurity and data protection standards necessary to be installed on government equipment. He also added that the prohibition is applicable right now and that government agencies will monitor compliance.

According to him, exemptions can occasionally be granted for business purposes, such as institutional communication from an administration.

In recent weeks, a number of Western governments and institutions, including the UK parliament, the Dutch and Belgian administrations, and the New Zealand parliament, have all outlawed TikTok.

The Commission and the Council, the two largest policy-making bodies in the European Union, banned TikTok on employee phones late last month because to security concerns.

Global worries have grown about the possibility that ByteDance, TikTok’s Chinese parent company, could provide the Chinese government access to users’ contact information and location information.

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Claude Lorius, a renowned glaciologist known for his contributions to proving human-caused global warming, passed away at the age of 91. Over the course of his lifetime, Lorius led 22 expeditions to Greenland and Antarctica.

During one of his trips to Antarctica in 1965, he made a significant discovery after dropping ice samples into a glass of whiskey. Lorius realized the scientific potential of studying ice cores, which led to his groundbreaking research on air bubbles trapped in ice, providing evidence of global warming caused by human-made pollution.

His research gained international recognition and helped scientists study 160,000 years’ worth of glacial records. In addition to his scientific work, Lorius was an advocate for the environment and served as the inaugural expert of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in 1988.

He was awarded the CNRS gold medal in 2002, along with his colleague Jean Jouzel, and was the first Frenchman to receive the prestigious Blue Planet Prize.

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Large numbers of people are taking to the streets in France, on a ninth day of nationwide demonstrations and strikes over pensions reform. The CGT union estimates there are up to 800,000 people protesting on the streets of Paris where clashes with police are being reported

Police have used tear gas in Nantes and water cannon in Rennes at protests over legislation to raise the retirement age from 62 to 64.

Strikes are disrupting schools and public transport, and some demonstrators are also blockading railway tracks and stations.

Ongoing industrial action at oil refineries is affecting petrol supplies, and also of aircraft fuel.

President Emmanuel Macron’s government forced the legislation through without a vote in the lower house of parliament last week.

Yesterday he defended the changes as “a necessity” in his first public comments on the escalating row.

The vast majority of protests have passed off without violence but some demonstrators dressed in black and known locally as “Black Bloc” radicals have been out on the streets, throwing stones and bottles at police and setting fire to bins.

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Accenture Plc, the latest indication that the worsening global economic picture was sapping corporate expenditure on IT services, slashed its annual revenue and profit expectations and announced on Thursday that it will reduce approximately 2.5% of its workforce.

Accenture announced that more than half of the 19,000 employees to be lost will be in its corporate activities that are not billable, which caused its shares to increase by more than 4% before the bell.

Due to a decline in demand brought on by high inflation and rising interest rates, the tech sector has been forced to lay off hundreds of thousands of workers since late last year.

Competitor Cognizant Technology Solutions forecasted quarterly revenue below forecasts and referred last month to “muted” increase in bookings, or the agreements IT services businesses have in the works.

A slowdown in Europe, where the Ukraine war has hurt client spending, has also been noted by IBM Corp. and Tata Consultancy Services, India’s biggest IT services provider.

In contrast to its prior prediction of an increase of 8% to 11%, Accenture now anticipates yearly revenue growth to be between 8% and 10%. As opposed to the previous range of $11.20 to $11.52, the estimated earnings per share are in the range of $10.84 to $11.06.

According to a US-based Enterprise Technology Research poll of more than 1,000 IT decision makers, they intend to slow the growth of their budgets by 2023. Now, 3.4% growth is expected, down from a 5.6% gain recorded in October 2022.

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