Top News Stories for Today – Mar 19, 2019
Top News Stories for Today – Mar 19, 2019
Russia bans fake news
Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed into law a set of bills that will make it illegal to spread “fake news.” The legislation seeks to punish the distribution of information that “exhibits blatant disrespect for the society, government, official government symbols, constitution or governmental bodies of Russia.” Prosecutors can direct their complaints about online media to the state, which can block access to websites if the offending material isn’t taken down.
This, experts say, is new. “The Prosecutor’s office may now block such fake news sources prior to the judicial decision. It gives the Prosecutor’s office an extremely high authority and almost completely eliminates the Russian (albeit completely non-free) courts from the game,” Maria Snegovaya, an adjunct fellow at the Center for European Policy Analysis, wrote in an email. “In other words, it significantly expands the repressive power of Russia’s repressive apparatus. The Washington Post
Japan 2020 Olympics chief quits
The head of Japan’s Olympic Committee (JOC) is stepping down over corruption allegations relating to the awarding of the 2020 Games to Tokyo. Tsunekazu Takeda is being investigated by French prosecutors who are looking into claims a 2m Euro bribe was paid to secure Tokyo’s winning bid. Tokyo was awarded the Games in 2013, beating Madrid and Istanbul.
“I don’t believe I’ve done anything illegal,” Takeda said as he announced he would not seek re-election. “It pains me to have created such a fuss, but I believe it is my responsibility to serve out the rest of my term,” he added. Takeda’s tenure ends in June. BBC
New vote on Brexit not ruled out
The government says it will try to get Theresa May’s Brexit deal through the Commons, despite Speaker John Bercow throwing the process into doubt. Brexit Secretary Stephen Barclay suggested a vote could take place next week – after May has sought a delay to Brexit from the EU.
Bercow has ruled that the PM can not bring her deal back for a third vote without “substantial” changes. The UK is due to leave the EU in 10 days with or without a deal. The prime minister had hoped to have another try at getting MPs to back the withdrawal deal she has agreed with the EU this week – but Speaker Bercow effectively torpedoed that with his surprise intervention on Monday. BBC
Deutsche Bank kept giving Trump loans
President Trump has a long history with Deutsche Bank, and the bank didn’t want it scrutinized after he was elected in 2016, The New York Times reports. More than 20 current and former executives and board members told the Times that Trump really has been a top priority for Deutsche Bank. Beginning in the late 1990s, Deutsche Bank gave Trump loans despite knowing he overinflated his net worth and had defaulted on earlier loans.
In early 2016, one managing director, Rosemary Vrablic, tried to get Trump a loan for his golf course in Turnberry, Scotland, the Times reports, but one executive opposed the deal because of Trump’s divisive rhetoric. Vrablic appealed, and top executives scotched the deal, aghast that the bank was considering lending him money during the campaign. The New York Times via The Weeks
GOP Nunes sues Twitter
California GOP Rep. Devin Nunes filed a major lawsuit seeking $250 million in compensatory damages and $350,000 in punitive damages against Twitter and a handful of its users on Monday, accusing the social media site of “shadow-banning conservatives” to secretly hide their posts, systematically censoring opposing viewpoints, and totally “ignoring” lawful complaints of repeated abusive behavior.
In a complaint filed in Virginia state court on Monday, obtained by Fox News, Nunes claimed Twitter wanted to derail his work on the House Intelligence Committee, which he chaired until 2019, as he looked into alleged and apparent surveillance abuses by the government. Nunes said Twitter was guilty of “knowingly hosting and monetizing content that is clearly abusive, hateful and defamatory – providing both a voice and financial incentive to the defamers – thereby facilitating defamation on its platform.” FOX News
Apple unveils new iPad Air and iPad mini
Apple on Monday quietly announced new versions of the iPad Air and iPad mini, the company’s first refresh for those products in years. Typically Apple (AAPL) creates fanfare around the arrival of new hardware. But this year it wants the focus of its upcoming spring press event to be on its rumored streaming service. That’s why the company let the world know about its new iPads in a press release.
The iPad Air comes with a bigger 10.5-inch display (starting at $499), and the iPad mini has the same 7.9-inch screen (starting at $399). The devices support the Apple Pencil for the first time and a processor that’s three times faster than the previous models. CNN