Obsolete: Mastercard to phase out magnetic strips on cards by 2033 August 18, 2021 Mastercard is phasing out the magnetic strip that has been the vital element of all credit and debit cards since the 1960s. The financial services giant has said that the strip is on the verge of becoming obsolete with merchants and consumers increasingly relying on chip technology to conduct transactions securely. Modern chip cards have [...]
Pingdemic: Hancock was urged to ‘tweak’ Covid-19 Test and Trace app August 17, 2021 Former Health Secretary Matt Hancock was reportedly asked whether the NHS Covid-19 app should be amended to alert contacts of positive cases from two days back rather than five days, but no change was made. The app was tweaked earlier this month amid the so-called “pingdemic”, which had seen hundreds of thousands of alerts sent [...]
London cab driver stuck in Kabul with pregnant wife fears for their lives August 17, 2021 A British man stranded in Kabul with his pregnant wife has said he fears they will not escape Afghanistan. Mohammad, whose name has been changed to protect his safety, said he hopes UK authorities might be able to help his family by escorting them across the Afghan capital to the airport – which he says [...]
Watch: China tightens control of tech sector August 17, 2021 China moved on Tuesday to tighten control of its technology sector, publishing detailed rules aimed at tackling unfair competition and companies’ handling of critical data. Watch the full report.
French Riviera on fire: Thousands evacuated as crews battle wildfires near Saint-Tropez August 17, 2021 Thousands of people were evacuated from homes and vacation spots near the French Riviera as firefighters battled a fire racing through surrounding forests, the latest of several wildfires that have swept the Mediterranean region. At least 22 people have suffered smoke inhalation or minor fire-related injuries in the blaze that started on Monday evening about [...]
Chelsea woman used Alexa to scold ex-partner’s new girlfriend August 17, 2021 A woman told her ex-boyfriend’s new partner to get out of his house from more than 100 miles away after accessing his Alexa device and CCTV cameras. Philippa Copleston-Warren, 46, logged into an app linked to smart devices in the victim’s Lincolnshire home. She could see her ex-partner’s new girlfriend via cameras installed in the [...]
Godfather of Sudoku: Maki Kaji dies aged 69 after battle with cancer August 17, 2021 Sudoku creator Maki Kaji, whose life’s work was spreading the joy of puzzles, has died aged 69. He had bile duct cancer. Known as the Godfather of Sudoku, Kaji created the puzzle to be easy for children and others who did not want to think too hard. Its name is made up of the Japanese [...]
Post-Brexit trade: Irish exports to Britain jump by 70 per cent August 17, 2021 Irish goods exports to Great Britain increased by nearly 70 per cent in the last year, according to new figures published in Ireland today. The figures, released by the Irish Central Statistics Office, also show that goods imports from Great Britain to Ireland dropped by 32 per cent in the first half of 2021 – [...]
Canada’s snap election: Who are the key players? August 17, 2021 Here are the profiles of the Canadian political party leaders contesting the 20 September federal election. Watch the full report.
Woman claims Bob Dylan sexually abused her in 1965 August 17, 2021 An unnamed woman has sued folk singer-songwriter Bob Dylan, alleging he sexually abused her after giving her drugs and alcohol in 1965 when she was 12 years old. Watch the full report.