Author: Alan Lorenz

German Court Imposes Rules on Facebook Account Blocking
29Jul By Alan LorenzNo Comments
Technology, Germany, News

German Court Imposes Rules on Facebook Account Blocking

Facebook has the right to remove specific posts and block users, although it must adhere to certain rules. That is what a German court decided today.   For example, users should be warned in advance that their account will be deleted, and they should be allowed to explain their contributions. Furthermore, if a message is deleted, the users must be informed at least afterwards. The ruling concerns the terms of use on which Facebook relies to remove discriminatory or inappropriate content. However, not all contributions banned by Facebook are illegal under German law. In the two cases before the court, a man and a woman had made derogatory comments about Muslims and immigrants. According to the court, however, those statements fall under the freedom of expression. The court ruled t...
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Sydney Extends Lockdown by One Month, Until August 28
28Jul By Alan LorenzNo Comments
Australia, News

Sydney Extends Lockdown by One Month, Until August 28

Authorities in the Australian state of New South Wales extended the lockdown in the capital Sydney for another month on Wednesday.   The lockdown of the past five weeks turned out not to be enough to contain an outbreak of the contagious Delta variant of the coronavirus. The lockdown was initially supposed to end on Friday, but the restrictions are now in place until August 28, State Prime Minister Gladys Berejiklian told reporters in Sydney. Last Saturday, thousands of people in Sydney protested against the corona measures, and there were clashes with the police. However, the huge majority of protesters were not wearing face masks. A total of 177 new locally acquired infections were discovered in New South Wales on Tuesday, compared to 172 the day before.
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Tesla Boss Goes Slightly Loose on Apple During A Chat About Numbers
27Jul By Alan LorenzNo Comments
Technology, Business, News

Tesla Boss Goes Slightly Loose on Apple During A Chat About Numbers

During a so-called earnings call from Tesla, Elon Musk lashed out at Apple. The CEO denounced the closed system of the fruit brand, which he described as a 'walled garden', and criticized Apple's use of cobalt. According to news channel CNBC.   When discussion arose during the call about plans to allow Tesla competitors also to access Tesla's electric vehicle charging network, Musk noted that the company does not want to create a "walled garden" to thwart others, citing the strategy that Apple uses for its App Store: a mandatory commission for those who want to sell their software through the Store, knowing that this is the only (because official and safe) way to install apps on an iPhone or iPad. "We want to emphasize that our (Tesla, ed.) main concern is to support the emergence ...
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How Much Does Solicitors Professional Indemnity Insurance Cost?
27Jul By Alan LorenzNo Comments
Finance

How Much Does Solicitors Professional Indemnity Insurance Cost?

Professional indemnity insurance is a significant cost for solicitors and law firms. The cost of solicitors indemnity insurance is quite variable but can come in at £3,000 or more even for an individual solicitor. And the larger the firm, the higher the costs. Insurance providers will cost policies based on a host of factors to price the risk accurately. Insurance providers will want to learn all about the business before offering a quote. As a result, it can take a while to get quotes back from insurers. For this reason, it's very important to start shopping for solicitors professional indemnity insurance with a few weeks to go before you need the policy to start. How much is solicitors professional indemnity insurance? Solicitors professional indemnity insurance premiums typically r...
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French Healthcare Staff Must Be Vaccinated Before September 15, Otherwise Suspension Threatens
26Jul By Alan LorenzNo Comments
France, Europe, News

French Healthcare Staff Must Be Vaccinated Before September 15, Otherwise Suspension Threatens

French healthcare staff will have until September 15 to be vaccinated. After that, anyone who has not had an injection risks a suspension without continued payment of the salary. The French parliament this morning approved the bill providing for this.   Personnel with medical contraindication do not need to be vaccinated. France is also tightening the corona measures with a so-called 'health pass', which regulates access to catering and public transport. Since Wednesday, visitors to French museums, cinemas and event venues have already had to show proof that they have been vaccinated against the coronavirus or tested negative. From August, all adults will be obliged to show a vaccination certificate via a so-called 'corona pass' in the catering industry, some shopping centres, and...
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Wall Street Excited About Snap’s Quarterly Results
23Jul By Alan LorenzNo Comments
Business, News, US

Wall Street Excited About Snap’s Quarterly Results

Social media company Snap gained a lot of market value on Friday at the start of trading in New York. Investors reacted enthusiastically to the company's strong quarterly results. Twitter and chip group Intel has also looked at the books.   Twitter was also popular, but the world's largest semiconductor manufacturer was disappointed somewhat and was, therefore, one of the losers on Wall Street. The share of Twitter rose more than 1 percent, and Snap was even 24 percent higher in the first trading minutes. Twitter achieved almost three quarters more revenue in the second quarter than a year earlier. This was mainly because advertisers found the site with mini-blogs more attractive than before. In addition, more regular users were added to Twitter. Snap, the company behind the Snapch...
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Prime Minister Norway Calls for Resistance to Hate at the Commemoration
22Jul By Alan LorenzNo Comments
Norway, Europe, News

Prime Minister Norway Calls for Resistance to Hate at the Commemoration

Norway commemorates Thursday the attacks that right-wing extremist Anders Behring Breivik committed ten years ago. Prime Minister Erna Solberg called on during a ceremony in the capital Oslo not to leave hatred unanswered.   Solberg spoke at the government offices where Breivik detonated an improvised car bomb on July 22, 2011. As a result, eight people were killed. The extremist then left for the island of Utøya, where he started shooting at left-wing youths who were holding a summer camp there. As a result, another 69 people were killed. Breivik subsequently surrendered and was sentenced to 21 years in prison. However, he may also remain incarcerated for longer if it is determined that he is still a danger to society. Prime Minister Solberg spoke with survivors and relatives of ...
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German Insurers Count on Billions in Damage After the Flood
21Jul By Alan LorenzNo Comments
Germany, Europe, News

German Insurers Count on Billions in Damage After the Flood

German insurers expect to have to pay out at least four to five billion euros because of last week's floods in the states of North Rhine-Westphalia and Rhineland-Palatinate.   According to the industry association GDV of the insurance sector, which describes the severe weather in a statement as one of the most devastating storms in the recent past. This is a first estimate of the damage after the floods and rainfall that have wreaked havoc in populated areas. More than 170 people were killed in Germany. GDV emphasizes that the clean-up work in the disaster area is still in full swing. The damage caused by the storm in states such as Bavaria and Saxony has not yet been included in the initial estimate. Not all duped Germans can turn to the insurers. According to the Rheinische Pos...
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Journalists and Activists Hacked with Israeli Spy Software
19Jul By Alan LorenzNo Comments
Technology, News

Journalists and Activists Hacked with Israeli Spy Software

Israeli company NSO Group's Pegasus software has been used to hack into 37 cell phones belonging to journalists, activists and business leaders worldwide. Various international media, such as The Washington Post, Le Monde and The Guardian, report this based on their own research.   The phone numbers appeared on a list of more than 50,000 numbers that the researchers said may have been targeted for surveillance by governments using Pegasus. Sold to select governments and law enforcement agencies, Pegasus can hack into cell phones and secretly record emails, calls and text messages via a link. From a phone infected with the Pegasus spyware, files such as photos and emails can be downloaded remotely. The microphone can also be turned on remotely. According to the NSO Group, the softwa...
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Athletes Must Wear Their Medals at Games Themselves
16Jul By Alan LorenzNo Comments
Japan, News, Sports

Athletes Must Wear Their Medals at Games Themselves

Athletes who win a medal at the Olympics have to put that plaque around their neck. During the podium ceremony, the medals are presented to the winners on a tray. To avoid physical contact, the athletes must take the medal themselves.   Normally, dignitaries hang the medals around the neck of the athletes. However, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has decided to deviate from this in Tokyo due to the coronavirus. “The medals are not hung around but presented on a tray,” said IOC President Thomas Bach. “The athlete can then take the medal himself.” Bach emphasized that the people who put the medals on the trays do so with gloves on. Those who then offer the gold, silver and bronze plaque wear masks just like the athletes. Shaking hands and hugging are prohibited during the...
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