US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order to ban transactions with TikTok’s parent company ByteDance.
The executive order says the US “must take aggressive action against the owners of TikTok to protect our national security”.
Under the order, beginning in 45 days, any US transaction with ByteDance will be prohibited.
TikTok denies accusations it is controlled by or shares data with the Chinese government.
On Thursday night, he also took similar action to ban WeChat, an app owned by China-based tech giant Tencent.
In the TikTok executive order, he says he has found “additional steps must be taken to deal with the national emergency with respect to the information and communications technology and services supply chain”.
“Specifically,” he adds, “the spread in the United States of mobile applications developed and owned by companies in the People’s Republic of China (China) continues to threaten the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States.
“At this time, action must be taken to address the threat posed by one mobile application in particular, TikTok.”
Lifestyle guru Martha Stewart has been sharing snapshots of how she has been handling the coronavirus pandemic, and some social media users just aren’t happy about it.
The 79-year-old has finally responded to an Instagram critic who thought her recent lobster photo was out of touch with current events, according to a captured screenshot posted by Comments By Celebs – a popular account that boasts more than 1.5 million followers.
MARTHA STEWART DELIVERED EGGS IN HER ASTON MARTIN DURING CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK
The screenshot shows an opinionated, but now deleted comment that was left by one of Stewart’s followers, which said, “I’ve always followed you. Loved your show. But do you ever feel this is all a little tone deaf!”
“There are people lining up for hours for a bag of potatoes,” the Instagram user continued to write under Stewart’s picturesque lobster dish and table setting slideshow. “# let them eat cake”
“The lobsters were $4 each from a fisherman who was happy to be getting more than from his regular buyer. We had potatoes from our own garden. And corn from a local farm which we support,” Stewart wrote in response to the user. “We feed everyone who works for us. We do not waste. We compost. We work. We give generously to many organizations.”
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“We care about the pandemic and observe healthy living and social distancing etc and we wear masks we are good people,” the media mogul added, which notably comes days after she was criticized by multiple Instagram users who accused her of not following social distancing protocols in the age of the coronavirus.
From the Aug. 1 post, users came to their unconfirmed conclusion based on the closeness of each table setting and the fact that Stewart wrote she was having a “fun dinner with friends.”
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is urging Americans to “prioritize attending outdoor activities over indoor activities” in addition to wearing face masks when less than six feet apart from other people while indoors according to guidance it last updated on July 30.
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In terms of hunger, the national nonprofit Feeding America estimated that one in six Americans could go hungry as a result of financial hardship caused by the pandemic.
TikTok has said it plans to build a $500m (£375m) data centre in Ireland.
It will store videos, messages and other data generated by European users from the short-form video-sharing app.
Until now all of its users’ records were stored in the US, with a back-up copy held in Singapore.
The announcement comes at a time when President Trump has threatened to ban the app in the US on the grounds its Chinese ownership makes it a national security risk.
TikTok’s Beijing-based parent company Bytedance denies the charge. However, it is in talks to sell its US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand operations to Microsoft.
Like many social media apps, TikTok gathers a wide range of information about its users. Its privacy statement says this covers:
users’ ages, passwords, email addresses and phone numbers
phone numbers in their address books and social network contacts
geo-location logs including GPS coordinates and internet protocol (IP) addresses
details about their devices including the operating system used, handset model and other unique identifiers
comments, photos and videos they have posted or at least part-prepared
browsing and search histories within the app
web browsing data that takes place outside the app and is gathered via cookies and other technologies
payment information
data obtained from third-party services and publicly available sources
keystroke patterns and screen tap rhythms exhibited while using a computer and/or smartphone that are particular to each user
The data is collected to target advertisements, and help tailor its powerful algorithm. But critics say that the Chinese Communist Party could demand access under its National Intelligence Law.
While the Chinese version of the app, Douyin, holds its records within mainland China, TikTok says it keeps all its user data separate and does not give the Chinese government access.
Given the Trump administration’s recent actions, the existing company is unlikely to carry on storing the information within the US.
But the firm said that the decision to set up a European centre was something it had been thinking about “for a long time”.
“It’s a significant investment,” Theo Bertram, the app’s director of public policy for Europe, told the BBC.
“It’s a symbol of our long-term commitment to Europe, and I think that’s an important message for our users and our creators at this time.”
TikTok’s chief data protection officer for Europe is already based in Dublin, so Ireland’s Data Protection Commission already deals with related privacy issues on behalf of other EU nations.
As such, the centre’s creation should not impact European users in any meaningful way.
But the firm said it should create hundreds of new jobs when it goes into operation at an undisclosed location in between 18 to 24 months time.
The decision to base it in Ireland does not, however, mean London is out of the running to host the app’s global HQ.
Security review
There has been speculation as to why TikTok is in talks to sell parts of its business outside of the US.
On the one hand, it had seemed odd that the deal covered all members of the Five Eyes security alliance except the UK.
On the other, Australia’s Prime Minister has said a review by its security agencies found that TikTok did not pose serious national security concerns, and therefore no case for a local ban.
Mr Bertram explained that the reason the business was in talks to sell its operations in Australia, Canada and New Zealand was because they were currently managed along with the US as a single region under the same executive.
Mr Bertram also acknowledged there had been calls for the UK’s security services to review the app, and said TikTok would be willing to let its source code and algorithm be inspected if requested.
“We welcome scrutiny,” he said.
“If the way that we’re judged is for the security services to carry out a factual review of what we are doing, we’re happy with that. We don’t have anything to hide.”
Stéphane Ruffier during PSG-ASSE, August 14, 2018. – JEE / SIPA
AS Saint-Etienne (L1) coach Claude Puel dismissed the iconic Greens goalkeeper Stéphane Ruffier for the entire 2020-2021 season, we learned from the club on Wednesday, confirming information from Infosport +. Ruffier, who has one year of contract to ensure, is not in the trio of players who will keep the cage of ASSE during the next season, the same source adds.
Claude Puel announces that Stéphane Ruffier has been sidelined for the entire 2020-21 season. (@team)
The goalkeeper turned down the number 2 position at the club. pic.twitter.com/d8fqYZ7wv4
– BeFoot (@_BeFoot) August 5, 2020
“I warned the two players. Mon [Jessy Moulin] that he was going to start the season, the other [Stéphane Ruffier] that he would be second. And the second confirmed to me that he would never be the understudy of Jessy Moulin. That’s why we built our trio and Stéphane will not be part of it, ”said the Stéphanois coach in an interview broadcast on Wednesday by the sports channel of the Canal + group.
This interview was carried out on Monday, the management of AS Saint-Etienne told AFP. The latter also indicates that the trio of goalkeepers selected for this season is made up of Jessy Moulin, 34, with Stefan Bajic, 18, as a lining and Etienne Green, 20, as the third goalkeeper.
“One day a club” – Saint Etienne A new cycle for ASSE
All the sport news with INFOSPORT + https://t.co/u6BZuPnEdy pic.twitter.com/jQKVxmOyNZ
– INFOSPORT + (@infosportplus) August 5, 2020
Stéphane Ruffier, 33, returned to training last week, following a layoff sanctioned by a six-day payroll deduction. The club management accuses him of having refused to participate in part of the training on July 10 when he was summoned with the unsuccessful players to play against Nice the next day at the Geoffroy-Guichard stadium.
Free to sign in January wherever he wishes
Asked by AFP, Stéphane Ruffier’s agent did not wish to comment on this formalization of the sidelining of the player, nor wanted to indicate whether he was looking for a new club. Stéphane Ruffier, who has played 383 matches in the Stéphane jersey since his arrival in summer 2011 from Monaco, is the goalkeeper who has played the most with the Greens in the 1st division, ahead of the legendary Ivan Curkovic.
Image caption
The Galaxy Z Fold 2’s exterior screen now nearly fills the side of the device
Samsung has tackled one of the biggest criticisms of its original folding-screen smartphone by giving the new version a much bigger external display for use when it is closed.
The original Galaxy Fold’s “cover screen” was a relatively small 4.6in, leading to claims it was fiddly to use.
By contrast, the Galaxy Z Fold 2’s external screen is 6.2in – the same as the best-selling Galaxy S20.
Even so, one expert said its high price would mean sales remained limited.
But he noted it would at least serve as a better “halo device” to generate excitement for the firm’s wider line-up, which also includes updated versions of its stylus-enabled Note handset, as well as a new smartwatch, tablet and wireless earphones.
“Samsung has addressed the biggest shortcoming of the Fold. Its external display was extremely small, which made it difficult to use as a one-handed smartphone,” commented Ben Wood from the CCS Insight consultancy.
“With a larger external display you really do get the best of both worlds with regards to being able to use it closed as a traditional phone and then having the benefit of a mini-tablet when unfolded.
“That said it’ll probably be priced as a super-premium product, so will only have a niche market.”
Image copyright Getty Images
Image caption
The previous edition of the Fold had a smaller exterior screen
The South Korean company is in need of an attention boost.
The coronavirus pandemic caused the biggest decline in smartphone sales the sector has ever experienced in the second quarter of the year, but Samsung was even harder hit than its rivals.
Those that can afford the Galaxy Z Fold 2 will also benefit from it having a larger internal display than before, measuring 7.6in – up from 7.3in in the original version. The firm said it had also been given a “firmer snap” action when being shut thanks to an improved hinge.
It did not disclose a price but said more details would be announced on 1 September.
Faster frame rate
In terms of sales, Samsung’s focus will be on its new Note 20 and Note 20 Ultra phones.
Both deliver 5G connectivity, but otherwise represent a more modest revision to their predecessors than the change in the Fold.
Image copyright Samsung
Image caption
The Note 20 smartphones allow users to zoom up to 50 times into a subject
The Ultra offers the benefits of a larger screen – 6.9in versus 6.7in – which is also capable of showing up to 120 frames per second, double the rate of the basic model. Samsung suggests this should make it more attractive to gamers.
Other changes centre around the stylus and include:
faster response times when using the S Pen, to help make writing and drawing feel more natural
the addition of five S Pen off-screen gestures to control the device, including flicking to the left in the air to go back a page and a shake to take a screenshot
handwriting recognition that automatically straightens scribbled text
Image copyright Samsung
Image caption
The Note 20 phones straighten handwritten text
Additional new features include the ability to stream video to a compatible TV while continuing to let the handset be used for other tasks – similar to the AirPlay function on Apple’s iPhone.
And files can now be transferred wirelessly by pointing one of the phones at another “ultra-wideband-enabled” device, similar to the way Apple’s AirDrop and Huawei’s Share OneHop work.
The Note 20 will start at £849 and the Note 20 Ultra at £1,179 when they go on sale on 21 August.
Image copyright Samsung
Image caption
Samsung also unveiled the Galaxy Buds Live wireless earphones, the Galaxy Watch 3 smartwatch and two versions of the Galaxy Tab S7 tablet
Its smartphones saw a much steeper drop in demand than Huawei and other Android competitors over the past quarter, despite the Galaxy 20 family having only been released in March.
And one expert said she did not expect the Note to turn things round.
“There’s now talk of second and third pandemic lockdowns, which is causing people and their employers financial uncertainty,” commented Marta Pinto from the market research firm IDC.
“These are amazing devices, but at this price they are a hard pitch.”
Ms Pinto said that recent price cuts made to the Galaxy S20 range would only make the new Notes a harder sell.
Image copyright Samsung
Image caption
The Note 20 can wirelessly transmit video to a TV while the user gets on with other tasks
But she added that one factor in Samsung’s favour was that Apple had said it would release its next iPhones a few weeks later than normal, providing Samsung a slightly longer window of opportunity to promote its phones’ 5G advantages.
Mr Wood also had doubts about the new phones’ appeal, but said Samsung had little choice at this stage but to release them.
“You have to remember that Samsung’s product development cycle takes so long that it was committed to the Note 20 a long time before the pandemic arrived,” said Mr Wood.
“But a broader question is whether there is still enough differentiation to justify having two flagship ranges. The Galaxy S and Note phones now have similar screen sizes, and the only key difference is the S Pen.
“I wonder if it would make sense to converge the two, save money on a second launch, and then focus on other parts of the portfolio like Samsung’s [mid-range] A series.”
Image copyright Samsung
Image caption
Samsung launched its new gadgets via a video stream rather than in front of an audience because of the Covid-19 pandemic
Other new products included:
Galaxy Buds Live – wireless noise-cancelling earphones that are designed to double up as remote microphones for video recordings
Galaxy Watch 3 – a smartwatch that can take blood pressure and electrocardiogram (ECG) heart readings, but only if local regulators give approval
Galaxy Tab 7 and Tab S7+ – 11in and 12.4in tablets that can also act as second screens for Samsung PCs
Image caption
Comedy series The Good Place can be seen on Netflix, which saw an increase in new subscribers
Lockdown measures enforced due to the Covid-19 pandemic brought about a surge in TV watching and online streaming, according to media watchdog Ofcom.
Its annual study into UK media habits suggested adults – many stuck indoors – spent 40% of their waking hours in front of a screen, on average.
Time spent on subscription streaming services also doubled during April.
At the height of lockdown, adults spent an average of six hours and 25 minutes each day staring at screens.
Screen time overall was up almost a third (31%) on last year.
People watched streaming services, such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Disney+, for one hour 11 minutes per day, and 12 million people joined a service they hadn’t used previously. Three million of these viewers had never subscribed to any service before.
The majority signed up to Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, although Disney+ overtook Now TV as the third most popular paid-for streaming platform.
Older viewers, who typically watch more traditional broadcast TV, increased their use of streaming platforms, too.
One third of 55-64-year-olds, and 15% of people aged 65+ used subscription services in the early weeks of lockdown.
The study, entitled Media Nations 2020, suggested that as lockdown measures eased towards the end of June, the uplift in streaming services held firm – 71% up on the same time last year.
This figure also included people viewing more non-broadcast content on platforms like YouTube and gaming sites.
And more than half of UK adults (55%) with new streaming subscriptions said they will keep them and spend the same amount of time watching streamed content in future.
In contrast, Netflix saw 28 million new subscribers for the whole of 2019.
Media playback is unsupported on your device
Media captionCoronation Street filming has resumed following a break during the pandemic
“Growth is slowing as consumers get through the initial shock of coronavirus and social restrictions,” the company said.
As for the public service broadcasters – BBC, ITV, STV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 – they achieved their highest combined monthly share of broadcast TV viewing (59%) in more than six years in March, as people turned to trusted news services for updates on the virus.
The BBC was the most popular source of news and information about Covid-19 – used by 82% of adults during the first week of lockdown.
Analysis by Amol Rajan, BBC media editor
In the age of information overload, our attention is the most precious resource. These days we devote ever more of it to screens. And that was before lockdown.
The surge in screen viewing through the pandemic is genuinely extraordinary.
It’s important to remember that many of the companies or services that have turned us into screen addicts didn’t exist a decade ago.
Sadly for Britain’s commercial broadcasters, all these eyeballs haven’t turned into revenue, as advertising is in sharp retreat, for now at least.
Before lockdown, the creative industries were growing several times faster than the rest of the economy, albeit powered by US companies.
Never mind “Eat Out to Help Out”; might “Tune In to Help Out” be a slogan to boost Britain’s path out of recession?
Broadcasters’ video-on demand services also received a boost in lockdown. Dramas Normal People and Killing Eve helped BBC iPlayer attract a record 570m programme requests in May 2020 – 72% higher than in May 2019.
Channel 4’s on-demand service, All 4, generated 30% more views among 16-34s in the first two weeks of lockdown compared with the same period in 2019; and viewers spent 82% more time year-on-year watching ITV Hub.
However, the boost to PSBs’ linear audiences was short-lived as coronavirus interrupted production of soaps including EastEnders, Coronation Street and Emmerdale, as well as major sporting events like the Olympics and entertainment broadcasts such as the Glastonbury Festival.
By the end of June and with lockdown easing, the amount of time viewers spent watching traditional broadcast content fell 44 minutes to three hours and two minutes per day. Broadcast TV viewing is now comparably lower than it was in 2014-2017, although it remains 11% higher than this time last year.
Follow us on Facebook, or on Twitter @BBCNewsEnts. If you have a story suggestion email entertainment.news@bbc.co.uk.
For its last, the Coupe de la Ligue did not see big, but it saw far. Very far. Until the penalty shoot-out. And in the end, it is Paris Saint-Germain who wins (0-0, 6-5 in the tabs).
The Mustache Cup therefore ends as it began. Olympique Lyonnais now need the ultimate Champions League miracle to play Europe next year.
Thirty-five degrees at kick-off, barely less than 30 at the final whistle, two more-than-necessary cool breaks. Like the entire Paris basin, the Plaine Saint-Denis was transformed into an oven on Friday evening. The players, who did not necessarily need this to draw, necessarily suffered, with the lot of technical inaccuracies that implies. From the start of the second half, the Lyon midfielder showed signs of fatigue on the Parisian blocks, splitting the team block in two. And after the hour of play, Paris got into it too. The result: the two teams played a nice ping-pong match at regular intervals. We had come to see football, but why not.
Mbappé missed, OL (almost) took advantage
Thomas Tuchel is struggling to play his team without Kylian Mbappé. Uninspired, his team swung a lot ahead, hoping that Icardi or Di Maria discovered unsuspected talents of hares. Obviously in vain. Without the threat of the “Bondy TGV”, OL were able to apply their plan by playing fairly regularly high by spinning the ball until Depay, or Cornet played Kurzawa, not to his advantage tonight. ‘like his counterpart Mitchel Bakker, whom one wonders even if he has the level to play in National 2. It is often passed on the Parisian right lane, therefore, but less in the axis, where Memphis and Dembele, despite a few flashes of brilliance often collided with the Presko-Thiago hinge.
Marco Verratti above the fray
The Italian will have been one of the rare satisfactions of PSG, with Neymar. Thomas Tuchel, who had promised a Verratti “fit” yesterday at a press conference after having spared him against Saint-Etienne in the final of the Coupe de France had not therefore lied, the Italian appeared solid on the lawn of the Stade de France, Friday, as evidenced by his playing time tonight. Well-felt tackles, an interesting volume of play – in the 98th he even made a deep left side call – despite the weather conditions and above all, above all, this fascinating ability to get out of dangerous and / or desperate situations unscathed. The John McClane of Paris Saint-Germain.
Anthony Lopes above the clouds
If the Stade de France was able to fall asleep in front of a soporific extension, it is thanks to the OL goalkeeper. The Portuguese thwarted Neymar’s plans. Whether on free kick or head (89th), the Brazilian hit a wall. In his own style, Lopes has often pitched in the toes and flown above the clouds to keep his goals untouched. And, of course, he got tangled up with a PSG player. A full match, therefore, for Toto Lopes.
Rafael and Traoré below everything
There could have been no penalty shootout. At the very last minute of extra time, Rafael mows down Di Maria at the edge of the box, concedes an ultra-dangerous free kick and takes a red card. Unfortunately for Bertrand Traoré, Neymar did not put his free kick to shorten the meeting. On the other hand, he coldly transformed his penalty just before the Lyon striker failed in front of Navas. Like what, the plague status of the match is sometimes played for nothing.
OMF Oh my fake: What are these cognitive biases that trick our brains? – BalthazarKorab – OMF
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Rostec turned to President Vladimir Putin with a request to instruct the Cabinet of Ministers to stimulate the transition of domestic airlines to the Russian reservation system, which is being developed by the state corporation (the letter is at the disposal of Izvestia).
To operate the unified settlement system on the territory of the Russian Federation, Rostec created the RT-Transcom enterprise. The company is faced with the task of creating a modern and secure data center in the country, “as well as transferring data from leading Russian airlines, primarily Aeroflot and S7 PJSC, from imported to domestic software,” the appeal says.
Today Aeroflot works with the American Saber reservation system, and Ural Airlines – with the European Amadeus.
Sergey Chemezov suggests linking the provision of state support to airlines with the transition to the use of domestic software products.
In July 2019, the Russian government issued a decree according to which, by October 31, 2021, airlines will have the right to work only with those reservation system providers that store and process information about domestic Russian transportation – passengers, fares and fees – in the Russian Federation.
Read more in the exclusive material of Izvestia:
Software – we fly: airlines want to transfer to the domestic booking system
Tottenham Hotspur manager Jose Mourinho is interested in signing Colombia winger Luis Diaz, 23, from Porto.(Record – in Portuguese)
Inter Miami, the Major League Soccer side owned by former England captain David Beckham, want to make Barcelona and Uruguay forward Luis Suarez, 33, their first big-name signing. (Mundo Deportivo – in Spanish)
Manchester City and Paris St-Germain target David Alaba’s agent is asking Bayern Munich pay the 28-year-old Austria left-back 20m euros (£18m) a year to extend his contract. (Bild – in German)
Talks between Manchester United and 23-year-old English goalkeeper Dean Henderson – who spent the season on loan at Sheffield United – are at a vital stage after weeks of negotiations. (Sky Sports)
Chelsea are prioritising the signing of Leicester City’s England left-back Ben Chilwell, 23, over other options in that position, including Ajax’s Argentine defender Nicholas Tagliafico, 27, and Getafe’s Spain Under-21 international Marc Cucurella, 22. (Goal)
West Ham United are interested in Queens Park Rangers and former Republic of Ireland Under-21 full-back Ryan Manning, 24. (Telegraph – subscription required)
Atletico Madrid have rejected an improved offer of 25m euros (£22.6m), plus 21-year-old France midfielder Matteo Guendouzi, from Arsenal for Ghana defensive midfielder Thomas Partey, 27. (AS – in Spanish)
English former Burnley, West Ham and Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart, 33, is close to a move to Scottish champions Celtic.(Sun)
Brazil forward Hulk, 34, is considering a move to the Premier League when his contract at Shanghai SIPG expires in January. (Talksport)
Premier League newcomers Leeds United are targeting FC Utrecht’s 25-year-old Dutch right-back Sean Klaiber as they look to do early business in the transfer window. (Voetbal International – in Dutch)
However, Leeds’ hopes of signing Argentina Under-20 winger Thiago Almada are fading, with the 19-year-old telling his Velez Sarsfield team-mates he wants to stay in his homeland. (Leeds Live)
Watford are in talks with Vladimir Ivic over their vacant manager’s job after the 43-year-old Serb left his role as head coach at Maccabi Tel Aviv, where he won consecutive league titles. (Mail)
Barcelona are looking to offload February signing Martin Braithwaite, 29, with the Denmark forward not in manager Quique Setien’s plans for next season. (Mundo Deportivo – in Spanish)