Tuesday, October 20, 2020

Six In The Morning Tuesday 20 October 2020

 

Google sued by US government over search dominance

The US government has filed charges against Google, accusing it of abusing its dominance to preserve a monopoly over internet searches and online advertising.

The lawsuit marks the biggest challenge brought by US regulators against a big tech company in years.

It follows more than a year of investigation and comes as the biggest tech firms face intense scrutiny of their practices at home and abroad.

Google called the case "deeply flawed".


Police to close Paris mosque in clampdown on extremism

Mosque allegedly posted Facebook video violently criticising teacher days before he was beheaded


French authorities have said they will close a well-known mosque in a northern Paris suburb as part of their clampdown on Islamist groups and suspected extremists after a history teacher was beheaded last week outside his school.

As a police investigation continued into networks suspected of promoting extreme religious beliefs, spreading hate and encouraging violence, the interior minister, Gérald Darmanin, said the mosque in Pantin would be closed on Wednesday for six months.

A source close to the investigation said the mosque, which has about 1,500 worshippers, had posted a Facebook video about Samuel Paty days before the 47-year-old history and geography teacher was decapitated last Friday.

‘Spitting, kicking and hair-pulling’: Female domestic workers in Qatar face widespread abuse

The claims of mistreatment are the latest against the Gulf state which will host the 2022 football World Cup

Maya Oppenheim

Women’s Correspondent

@mayaoppenheim



Female domestic workers in Qatar are being subjected to extreme levels of abuse as they are forced to work more than 18 hours a day, a new report has found.

Workers described how abusive employers belittled them by pulling their hair and spitting on them, as well as instances of being beaten, kicked and punched, Amnesty International claims, which added they get little or no protection from authorities in the football World Cup 2022 host country.


US election: Early voting shines light on fight over voter suppression

One person, one vote: It's the law of the land in the United States. But voting advocacy groups argue that isn't the case for minorities — and say Georgia is a case in point this election cycle.

The images have beamed around the world: As a record number of Americans vote early in this year's presidential election, tens of thousands of people in states like Virginia, Texas and Georgia have been braving long lines and waiting several hours to cast their ballots. The images have sparked bewilderment and hand-wringing from Europe to Asia.

For many voters, however, the waits were to be expected. In a deeply polarized nation, the significance of casting a ballot in this year's election appears to be one of the few things Americans can agree upon.

Lagos imposes 24-hour curfew as Nigeria anti-police protests worsen

Authorities declared a 24-hour curfew in Nigeria's economic hub Lagos Tuesday as violence flared in widespread protests that have rocked cities across the country.

Lagos state governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu announced only "essential service providers and first responders" would be allowed on the street from 4pm (1500GMT).

"I have watched with shock how what began as a peaceful #EndSARS protest has degenerated into a monster that is threatening the well-being of our society," he wrote on Twitter.

"Lives and limbs have been lost as criminals and miscreants are now hiding under the umbrella of these protests to unleash mayhem on our state."

Australia Covid-19 quarantine blood-testing blunder prompts calls for hundreds to take HIV test



Updated 1050 GMT (1850 HKT) October 20, 2020



More than 200 former residents of coronavirus quarantine facilities in Australia are being urged to test for blood-transmitted diseases, including HIV, after authorities admitted they used the same blood-testing devices for multiple guests.

It's the latest in a series of Covid-19 setbacks to hit the country and the state of Victoria in particular. Earlier breaches at Victoria quarantine hotels led to a Covid-19 outbreak in Melbourne, prompting the country's second biggest city to spend months under a strict lockdown.
In a statement Monday, Victorian health agency, Safer Care Victoria, said it was contacting 243 people who had a blood glucose level test before August 20 as there was a risk of cross-contamination and blood-borne viruses, including HIV.



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