Day: January 7, 2021

  • Trump bans Chinese payment apps

    US president has signed an executive order banning the use of eight Chinese payment apps, including Alipay and WeChat Pay.

    As Donald Trump is dragged kicking and screaming from the White House, he signed his latest order – set to become law in 45 days – which cites the Chinese apps as a threat to US national security.

    The executive order said: “The US must take aggressive action against those who develop or control Chinese-connected software applications to protect our national security.”

    It said that by accessing personal devices such as smartphones, “Chinese-connected software applications can access and capture vast

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  • WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to remain in prison despite winning extradition battle

    WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange was denied release on bail today following a court ruling that he should not be extradited to the US to face hacking and espionage charges.

    Judge Vanessa Baraitser cited Assange’s support in helping National Security Agency (NSA) whistleblower Edward Snowden evade arrest as one of the reasons for keeping him in prison until the US can appeal her decision.

    The judge said that as far as Assange was concerned, the case had not yet been won and he still had an incentive to abscond.

    “Mr Assange still has a huge support network available to him should

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  • Labour urges government to adopt new plan for at-home education

    Labour has urged the government to take action to ensure all students, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds, have access to education during the UK’s pandemic lockdown.

    Labour MPs Chi Onwurah and Wes Streeting wrote to education secretary Gavin Williamson and digital secretary Oliver Dowden to outline some of the ways the government could help young people access “excellent online education” while saying at home to reduce the spread of Covid-19, including ensuring children who are unable to access the internet are provided with connectivity, and making people available to help with technical support if needed.

    The call comes as the

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