News Technology

British MPs unhappy with the way Facebook addresses fake news

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From the latest developments, it remains clear that the British parliamentarians are not happy with the way the world’s most popular social media platform, Facebook, addresses the sensitive issue of fake news.

A parliament committee, which has conducted an inquiry into the subject of the proliferation of fake news through the social media platforms such as Facebook, has observed that the Facebook founder, Mark Zuckerberg, has failed to address the issue of fake news. It has found out that the social media platform has been several times used to destruct the democratic framework of the country by its rivals, primarily its external rivals.

The committee has demanded that the government should impose stricter regulation over the social media platforms such as Facebook. Anyway, the committee has not specifically prescribed how the social media platforms should be regulated.

The Facebook administration has asserted that the company would welcome all kinds of meaningful discussions and deliberations.

In the recent history, many countries have come forward against the proliferation of fake news through the social media platforms, such as Facebook.

Earlier, it was alleged that the social media platform was extensively misused by Russians to help the Republics gain a edge over the democrats during the US presidential race, in which the Republicans crushed the Democrats, paving way for the induction of Donald Trump as the President of the US –in other words, the, so called, Accidental President of the US.

Vignesh. S. G
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News Politics

Spain to witness snap election in two months

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The Spanish government has decided to conduct a snap election, as its budget has been failed in the parliament due to the withdrawal of Catalan separatists’ support to the socialist government, which came to power nearly eight months ago with the support of an anti-austerity party and the Catalan separatists.

In the 350 member parliament, the PSOE (the ruling socialist party) has less than 85 members. And, its main ally Podemos (the anti-austerity party) has little more than 65 seats. Meanwhile, the main opposition Popular Party has as many as 134 seats.

It was the Catalan separatists who were preventing the minority government from being washed away by the heavy tides of the opposition.

The absence of that protective layer formed by the Catalans means the government is no longer indestructible.

In the statement released during the announcement of the government’s decision to conduct the snap election, the ruling government has criticised the opposition heavily. It has alleged that the opposition has purposefully defeated many important bills in the parliament to destabilise the government.

A poll survey predicts that no party will cross the magic number in the proposed snap election. Meanwhile, the same survey suggests that the conservatives will defiantly make little progress in their number of seats in the parliament in the election.

Spain is new to political destabilisation. Never in its recent history has it suffered such a situation. The last time that it suffered some thing similar to this is when the country found itself liberated from its decades-old dictatorship post the unexpected demise of Francisco Franco.

Vignesh. S. G
Photo Courtesy: Google/ images are subject to copyright

europe times european news trendy US to deliver 200 tons of aid to Venezuela border
News

US to deliver 200 tons of aid to Venezuela border

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The US military aircraft is set to deliver 200 tons of aid to Venezuela border in Colombia as it increases pressure on embattled President Nicolas Maduro to give up power, according to a State Department email sent to Congress.

The aid will be delivered to Cucuta, Colombia, where other food and medical supplies are being held. The aid comes with the request of Juan Guaido, the Venezuelan opposition leader, to solve the shortage of food and other essentials in economically troubled Venezuela.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has said the aid is part of Washington’s political maneuvering to get him out of office, and he has blocked off a bridge needed to bring the supplies into Venezuela.

Lester Toledo, coordinator for international help for Venezuela said, “We came to ask for the solidarity of the governments of the world. We appreciate the diplomatic gestures. We appreciate the letters and the recognition of President Guaidó. But we ask for help, to make the humanitarian aid a reality. That all donations can let us purchase medical supplies that we really need.”

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europe times european news trendy daily world Bank Of Valletta Has Suspended All Of Its Services After Hacking Attempt
News

Bank Of Valletta Has Suspended All Of Its Services After Hacking Attempt

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The Bank of Valletta (Malta) has suspended all of its services in light of a hacking attempt. The bank has officially said in a brief statement that all their banking systems including ATM services and online banking had been shut down temporarily, and all BOV (Bank of Valetta) branches had closed early. The bank’s mobile app was back online on Thursday morning.

The bank added that it local and international police are investigating the attempted hack. The bank said that the client’s funds are safe. The fraudulent transactions had been traced and were “being reversed”, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat told parliament later on Wednesday. The attack was detected shortly after the start of business on Wednesday morning, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat told parliament, when it noted reconciliation problems regarding international transfers.

“Bank of Valletta apologises to its clients for any inconvenience caused and will be keeping its customers and the general public informed of developments,” the bank said in a statement reported by the Times of Malta. It added that customers’ funds “are in no way impacted or compromised” by the breach.

Sunaya Paison
Photo Courtesy: Google/ images are subject to copyright

europe times european news trendy world daily Aurora mass shooting - Five dead in Illinois workplace attack
Crime News

Aurora mass shooting – Five dead in Illinois workplace attack

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Five people killed and several got injured in the Aurora mass shooting, that happened when a gunman opened fire at an industrial park in Illinois, USA, police say. The authorities confirmed that the shooter, Gary Martin(45), an employee at the company was killed in a shootout with police. Five police officers were shot and wounded. Of the five officers wounded, two were airlifted to nearby trauma centres. Police said that he was reportedly sacked prior to the attack.

Aurora Police Chief Kristen Ziman said that Martin was acting alone. The incident is said to have taken place at Henry Pratt Company, a firm that makes valves for large water pipes. Ziman said that the first two officers were shot shortly after arriving.

Officers declined to speculate on a motive for the attack, but the Chicago Sun-Times newspaper is reporting that his family say he was made redundant two weeks ago and had been “stressed out”. The names of the people killed has not yet been sent out by the authorities.

Sunaya Paison
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europe times european news trendy Cheryl Grimmer case Trial of the accused stopped
Crime News

Cheryl Grimmer case: Trial of the accused stopped as evidence not accepted as valid

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No further proceedings take place in case of UK-born kid, Cheryl Grimmer who disappeared in New South Wales nearly 50 years ago. The trial of the man accused of murdering the toddler stopped as the evidence submitted were not accepted as valid by the court.

Cheryl Grimmer disappeared from Fairy Meadow Beach on January 12, 1970 and her body was never recovered. A 65-year-old man was arrested in March 2017 and had been charged with the murder of the toddler. His name was not revealed since he was underage at the time the kid was found missing.


The man accused of the murder (left) at Sydney airport in March

The man pleaded he was innocent and a murder trial was due to commence in the NSW Supreme Court on May 27 this year, but Justice Robert Allan Hulme on Friday ruled that an interview the man made on April 29, 1971 – when he was 17 – could not be used in the trial. “The Crown accepts that its case cannot succeed without [the interview],” said Justice Hulme.

Sunaya Paison
Photo Courtesy: Google/ images are subject to copyright

Crime Food Lifestyle News

A Slovenian Sandwich Theft: Social experiment gone wrong; lawmaker lost his post

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A Slovenian lawmaker has made history by becoming the first lawmaker who has been dismissed from his job for stealing a sandwich.

Darij Krajcic has claimed that he committed the harmless crime (in his words, the social experiment) to test the efficiency of the staffs working in the shop from where he stole the sandwich.

Slovenian lawmaker Darij Krajcic -the alleged sandwich thief

When he first explained his experiment to his colleagues in the parliament, they laughed at his story. Then, no one considered the act as a serious crime.

Later, to his surprise, his party itself came out strongly against his act, forcing him to consider the option of resignation.

In his resignation statement, he has asserted that the resignation has been made in line with the high ethical standard maintained by his party.

Meanwhile, many have come openly to support the lawmaker. The supporters have opined that the social experiment should be viewed through that prism.

Mr Krajcic has not yet responded publically about the comments made by his supporters to justify his, so called, social experiment.

The developments indicate that the popularity of the lawmaker has not suffered any serious injuries due to the sandwich theft row.

Most of his supports are of the view that he has been targeted purposefully by his political opponents to reduce his acceptability in the Slovenian electorate.

Vignesh. S. G
Photo Courtesy: Google/ images are subject to copyright

europe times european news trendy As MPs reject plans, Theresa May suffers fresh Brexit defeat
News Politics

As MPs reject plans, Theresa May suffers Commons defeat

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The British Prime Minister Theresa May has suffered yet another embarrassing defeat after MPs voted down her approach to Brexit talks. On Thursday the MPs voted by 303 to 258 – a majority of 45 – against a motion endorsing the government’s negotiating strategy, the BBC reported. The lawmakers remain resistant to May’s EU divorce plan. The reason for this situation is that Teresa May has lost the support of many of the long standing leave campaigners in her own party.

The defeat has no legal force. Downing Street said that it would not change the PM’s approach to talks with the EU. “On a point of order, tonight’s vote shows there is no majority for the Prime Minister’s cause of action in dealing with Brexit. Yet again her government has been defeated. The government keep on ignoring parliament or plaving on towards the 29th of March without a co-hearing plan.” said Jeremy Corbyn.

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Health News

EU’s newly introduced system to detect fake medicine packs proved irrelevant

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A giant medicine verification system, European Medicine Verification System, developed by the European Union clubbing together the date bases of at least 150, 000 organisations situated across nearly 28 European Union countries, has been proved irrelevant, as it has been created to address a problem that literally does not exist in the country.

As per a study conducted in the year 2011, only one in 20,000 medicine packs was found to be fake. Neither this figure nor any figures released in connection with that later is that worrisome enough to invest this much time, money and effort to create a verification system of this kind.

The introduction of the system has unnecessary increased the workload of hospitals, pharmacies, medicine distributors and medicine manufactures.

The system imposes additional burden to small distributers, manufactures and also those medical-related organisations in the public sector.

There is an allegation that the system has been introduced to help giant drug manufactures and medicine distributers.

The UK’s proposed exit from the EU means that country many not be able to enjoy the benefit of this data base for long.

It is the EU that needs to answer why this much money has been unnecessarily wasted to address an issue that does not exist.

Vignesh. S. G
Photo Courtesy: Google/ images are subject to copyright

europe times european news trendy daily Airbus to scrap the A380 superjumbo production in 2021
News

Airbus to scrap the A380 superjumbo production in 2021

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Airbus of Europe has announced on Thursday that they plan to scrap the production of A380 superjumbo, with the last of the jets to be delivered in 2021. This world’s largest airliner, with two decks of spacious cabins and room for 544 people in standard layout, was designed to challenge Boeing’s legendary 747 but failed to take hold as airlines backed a new generation of smaller, more agile jets.

This giant aircraft, having large factories in Bristol and North Wales, is giving up its dream of dominating the skies with the massive cruiseliner after years of lackluster sales.

In a statement, Airbus said that the last A380 would be delivered in 2021. The high-priced aircraft was struggling to compete with more efficient, smaller models. The European company said it would enter talks with unions in coming weeks over the 3,000-3,500 jobs potentially affected. The airbus plans to produce 17 more of the planes including 14 for Emirates and 3 for Japanese airline ANA.

“As a result of this decision we have no substantial A380 backlog and hence no basis to sustain production, despite all our sales efforts with other airlines in recent years. This leads to the end of A380 deliveries in 2021,” said Airbus chief executive Tom Enders.

Sunaya Paison
Photo Courtesy: Google/ images are subject to copyright