EU versus Facebook: Will Weber take a hammer to Facebook’s social media monopoly? – by Samuel Stolton

 Dumb fucks.” That’s how Mark Zuckerberg described users of Facebook for trusting him with their personal data back in 2004. If the last week is anything to go by, he was right.

Manfred Weber, the head of the EPP group in the European Parliament and lead candidate for Jean-Claude Juncker’s job as the next European Commission president, threw down the gauntlet on Friday (28 September), suggesting that he may support a breakup of Facebook and Whatsapp.

“I consider it necessary to ask the monopoly question,” Weber told the German newspaper Spiegel. Weber announced his candidacy for the top EU job in early September and has also received backing from German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

“The European Commission should consider whether, for example, after the acquisition of Whatsapp and Instagram, Facebook has a dominant position. In extreme cases, a breakup should also be conceivable,” he said.

Weber also noted that Facebook will continue to be under close scrutiny from the European Parliament, and called on the internet giant to be more transparent in its advertising activities.

The EU’s Justice Commissioner Věra Jourová has put pressure on Facebook to disclose further details of the massive security breach that impacted around fifty million users last week.

In a statement on Sunday (30 September), Jourová urged Facebook to comply fully with the body in charge of investigating the breach, Ireland’s Data Protection Commission, and disclose whether EU users were affected by the breach and how their personal data was impacted.

At least 50mln #Facebook users were compromised in the huge security breach. I urge Facebook to fully cooperate with @DPCIreland. We need to know if EU users were affected and what had happened to their data. Here a reminder about the obligations of biz https://t.co/1bZ6IJdJ4B

Ireland’s Data Protection Commission struck a similar tone on Sunday when they announced that they are still waiting for “further urgent details” of the security breach…[to]…properly assess the nature of the breach and risk to users.”

Facebook said on Friday (28 September) that hackers had discovered a security flaw allowing them to capture data belonging to up to 50 million Facebook users.

According to the New York Times, Facebook’s VP for product management, Guy Rosen, has refused to rule out the possibility that the attack may have been coordinated by a nation-state.

Rosen has stated that the hackers were targeting people’s private information, including name, gender and location.

Due to the lack of disclosure given on the specifics of the hack thus far by Facebook, it currently remains unclear as to whether more sensitive information has been accessed.

Read more: Will Weber take a hammer to Facebook’s social media monopoly? – EURACTIV.com

The Netherlands - Terrorism: Dutch police arrest seven suspects over plot to attack large public event

Dutch police arrest seven over plot to attack large event

Read more at: 

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/sep/27/dutch-police-arrest-seven-over-plot-to-attack-large-event?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Blogger

Denmark: Gay penguin couple snatch chick from other Penguin cpuple at Denmark zoo

Gay penguin couple snatch chick from parents at Denmark zoo (VIDEO)

For report and to watch video go to :
https://www.rt.com/news/439549-penguins-gay-birdnap-baby/

Iceland has made it illegal to pay women less than men

 A new law in Iceland has made it illegal to pay women less than men.

Read more: The European Banking News Network - Iceland has made it illegal to pay women less than men

EU: Green Energy: One third of EU electricity from renewable sources

Electricity generated from renewable sources contributed more than 30 percent to the total electricity consumption in the EU in 2016, Eurostat figures show. Hydro power is the most important source, followed closely by wind power and then solar power. In five countries, more than half of electricity consumed was from renewable sources: Austria (73 percent), Sweden (65 percent), Portugal and Denmark (both 54 percent) and Latvia (51 percent).

Read more: One third of EU electricity from renewable sources

Austria: May humiliated by Salzburg ambush as she fights to save Chequers Brexit Plan in Austria: by Dan Sabbagh, Daniel Boffey and Pippa Crerar

Theresa May was left fighting to save her Chequers Brexit plan and with it her authority as prime minister after she was ambushed at the end of the Salzburg summit when EU leaders unexpectedly declared that her proposals would not work.

The prime minister was thrown on to the defensive – just over a week before the Conservative party conference – when EU leaders led by Donald Tusk and Emmanuel Macron rejected her Chequers plan as it stood, prompting hard Brexit Conservatives to demand it be abandoned.

May was also set an October deadline for a solution on the Irish border issue just hours after informing Leo Varadkar, the Irish taoiseach, in a private breakfast meeting that she felt it would be impossible to come to a compromise within such a timescale.

A clearly nervous and angry May told reporters that EU leaders were engaged in “negotiating tactics” designed to throw her off course. “I have always said these negotiations were going to be tough,” she said. “And at various stages of these negotiations, tactics would be used as part of those negotiations”.

The assault on May’s plan came shortly after a lunchtime meeting of EU leaders in the Austrian city, where they discussed the Brexit talks in May’s absence. EU council president Tusk declared that Chequers “would not work” while French president Macron said it was “not acceptable”.

A combative Macron accused British Brexiters of lying about how easy it would be to negotiate an exit from the EU on terms favourable to the UK.

“Those who explain that we can easily live without Europe, that everything is going to be alright, and that it’s going to bring a lot of money home are liars,” said Macron. “It’s even more true since they left the day after so as not to have to deal with it.”

Read more: May humiliated by Salzburg ambush as she fights to save Chequers plan | Politics | The Guardian

The Netherlands - Traditional Food : Top 5 Dutch restaurants in Amsterdam

The traditional food of the Netherlands has faced a lot of flak for being plain, simple, and perhaps a touch too bland for the international palate – but there are a number of restaurants in Amsterdam that prove those assumptions wrong.

Whether you’re looking for traditional stamppot, a hearty stew to warm the cockles after a cold day, or bitterballen, a deep-fried meat snack that is oh-so addictive when paired with a beer, we’ve found the top five Dutch restaurants in Amsterdam where you can experience Dutch haute cuisine first hand.

For the complete report go to: Top 5 Dutch restaurants in Amsterdam | Out