50m Facebook accounts attacked
Facebook says almost 50 million of its users were left exposed by a security flaw.
The company said attackers were able to exploit a vulnerability in a feature known as “View As” to gain control of people's accounts.
The breach was discovered on Tuesday, Facebook said, and it has informed police.
Users that had potentially been affected were prompted to re-log-in on Friday.
The flaw has been fixed, wrote the firm’s vice-president of product management, Guy Rosen, adding all affected accounts had been reset, as well as another 40 million "as a precautionary step".
Facebook - which saw its share price drop more than 3% on Friday - has more than two billion active monthly users.
The company has confirmed to reporters that the breach would allow hackers to log in to other accounts that use Facebook's system, of which there are many.
This means other major sites, such as AirBnB and Tinder, may also be affected.
The firm would not say where in the world the 50 million users are, but it has informed Irish data regulators, where Facebook's European subsidiary is based.
The company said the users prompted to log-in again did not have to change their passwords.
"Since we’ve only just started our investigation, we have yet to determine whether these accounts were misused or any information accessed. We also don’t know who’s behind these attacks or where they’re based. “
He added: "People’s privacy and security is incredibly important, and we’re sorry this happened."
The company has confirmed that Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and its chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg were among the 50 million accounts affected.
The breach comes at a time when the firm is struggling to convince lawmakers in the US and beyond, that it is capable of protecting user data.
Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg said on a conference call on Friday that the firm took security seriously, in the face of what he said were constant attacks by bad actors.
But Jeff Pollard, vice-president and principal analyst at Forrester, said the fact Facebook held so much data meant it should be prepared for such attacks.
"Attackers go where the data is, and that has made Facebook an obvious target," he said. "The main concern here is that one feature of the platform allowed attackers to harvest the data of tens of millions of users.
"This indicates that Facebook needs to make limiting access to data a priority for users, APIs, and features."
Source-BBC
Regulators accuse Tesla's Elon Musk of fraud
The Securities and Exchange Commission has filed a lawsuit accusing Tesla boss Elon Musk of securities fraud.
The US financial regulator says Mr Musk's claims that he had secured funding to take the electric carmaker private were "false and misleading".
It is seeking to bar Mr Musk from acting as an officer or director of a publicly traded company.
Mr Musk called the action "unjustified" saying he acted in the "best interests of truth, transparency and investors".
"Integrity is the most important value in my life and the facts will show I never compromised this in any way," he said in a statement.
Tesla's board of directors said in a statement that they were "fully confident in Elon, his integrity and his leadership of the company".
Mr Musk startled the business world last month when he took to Twitter to announce that he was considering a plan that would de-list the company from the stock exchange.
He wrote he had "funding secured" for the proposal, which would value Tesla at $420 per share.
The statements "created the misleading impression that taking Tesla private was subject only to Mr Musk choosing to do so and a shareholder vote", according to the SEC complaint, which was filed on Thursday in federal court in New York.
"In truth and in fact Musk had not even discussed, much less confirmed, key deal terms, including price, with any potential funding source," it said.
Mr Musk, who co-founded Tesla and has served as chief executive since 2008, is a divisive figure in the business world, who has inspired passionate fans and critics.
Supporters credit Mr Musk, also the head of the rocket company SpaceX, with pushing the car industry to produce electric cars.
Source-BBC
Petrobras hit with $853m corruption fine
Petrobras, Brazil's state oil company, has agreed to pay more than $853m (£650m) to the US and Brazil, ending a long-running corruption investigation.
The probe stemmed from a bribery scheme at the firm, which involved millions in payments that were concealed from investors and regulators.
The payments were facilitated by executives at the "highest levels", including the firm's board, the US Department of Justice said.
Brazil is to receive 80% of the money.
Authorities in the US - where Petrobras is listed on the stock exchange - agreed not to prosecute in exchange for the remainder of the funds.
"Those who choose to access our capital markets while failing to disclose the corrupt activities of company executives will be held accountable," said US Attorney Zachary Terwilliger.
The payments were uncovered as part of Brazilian money laundering investigation at a petrol station, before widening to uncover corruption involving some of the country's top politicians and biggest companies, including Petrobras and Odebrecht.
According to the Petrobras settlement's official account of the scandal, former executives funnelled payments from companies seeking business with the state to politicians, in some cases accepting part of the bribe themselves.
The payments were often concealed through fictitious costs or consultancy agreements, it says.
The full scale of the scheme, which took place between at least 2004 and 2012, is estimated at $2bn, of which more than $1bn went to politicians and political parties, the account says.
In a statement, Petrobras stressed that the agreement found that the company was also a victim of the scheme, which involved former executives, some of whom are now serving prison sentences in Brazil.
It said: "The agreements serve the best interests of Petrobras and its shareholders and put an end to the uncertainties, burdens and costs associated with potential litigation in the United States."
Under an order from the Securities and Exchange Commission, Petrobras has agreed to return $933m in gains stemming from the false financial statements.
That will be credited toward a $2.95bn settlement reached in a class-action suit brought by investors in New York.
Source-BBC
Ronaldo will miss one match after Champions League red card
Juventus forward Cristiano Ronaldo will be available to play former club Manchester United next month after Uefa ruled he must serve only a one-match ban for his Champions League red card.
The Portugal captain, 33, was sent off during Juve's 2-0 win over Valencia last week after appearing to pull defender Jeison Murillo's hair.
It was the first Champions League red card of Ronaldo's career.
Juventus play United in Group H at Old Trafford on 23 October.
A three-match suspension would have seen Ronaldo also miss the return fixture in Turin on 7 November.
He will definitely miss Juve's next Champions League game against Swiss club Young Boys on 2 October.
Five-time Champions League winner Ronaldo - who joined Juve from Real Madrid for £99.2m in the summer - tried to latch onto a cross when he was blocked off by a tumbling Murillo.
He gesticulated to Murillo to get up and appeared to pull the defender's hair before turning away in frustration.
Referee Felix Brych consulted his assistant behind the goal before producing a red card, reducing Ronaldo to tears as he left the pitch.
Unlike the Premier League's automatic three-game ban for violent conduct, Uefa's punishments are on a case-by-case basis.
A one-game ban is automatic - with no right of appeal - but Uefa regulation 50.01 for the competition says that "in case of serious offences, the Uefa control, ethics and disciplinary body is entitled to augment this punishment".
Source- BBC
Haiti leader seeks help against climate change
Haiti's president says increasingly violent hurricanes are exacerbating problems in extremely poor countries like his and is urging world leaders to do more to tackle climate change.
President Jovenel Moise told the UN General Assembly this morning that "small island nations ... emit little greenhouse gases but suffer the largest part of the damage caused by more frequent, more violent hurricanes."
For example, he said Hurricane Matthew in 2016 caused damage in Haiti equivalent to 32 per cent of gross domestic product. He said that aggravates deep poverty and social tensions even as he tries to pull Haiti out of its chronic troubles.
He urged countries and companies to follow through on promises made in Paris last year to help vulnerable countries to adapt to climate change.
Many world leaders at the UN General Assembly also called for more action by rich countries to help poor ones cope with flooding, drought and other extreme weather.
Source-AP
Liat cancels flights as TS Kirk approaches the region
The regional airline, LIAT, Wednesday announced the cancellation of several flights as a strengthening Tropical Storm Kirk moved closer towards the Lesser Antilles.
LIAT said that several of its flights would either be delayed or cancelled “in the interest of passenger and crew safety” and that it would continue to track this system and update passengers on changes to its schedule.
According to the airline, among the flights cancelled are LI 336 from Trinidad to Barbados, LI 368 from Barbados to St Lucia, LI 369 from St Lucia to Barbados, LI 769 from Barbados to St Vincent and LI 770 from St Vincent to Barbados.
It said that several other flights have been retimed including the LI 523 departs Barbados for Grenada, the LI 523 departs Grenada for Trinidad and LI 393 which departs Barbados for Ogle in Guyana.
Forecasters say Tropical Storm Kirk is on a path to dump heavy rains that could bring dangerous flooding to the eastern Caribbean.
At 8:00 am EST, the National Hurricane Center says the centre of Kirk was about 60 miles (95 kilometres) east of Barbados. It had maximum sustained winds of 50 mph (85 kph) and was moving ahead at 16 mph (26 kph).
Tropical storm-force winds are blowing as far as 140 miles (225 kilometres) from Kirk's centre. A tropical storm warning is in effect for the islands of Barbados, St Lucia, Dominica, Martinique and Guadeloupe.
Source-CMC
Florence death toll rises in North Carolina
The death toll from Hurricane Florence has increased again, nearly two weeks after the eye of the storm reached the Carolinas.
North Carolina Emergency Operations Centre spokeswoman Sonja Bennett-Bellamy said Thursday that an 85-year-old man from New Hanover County died Tuesday. The man contracted an infection in a wound he received while cleaning up storm debris on his property.
The death toll now stands at 48 deaths in three states, 37 of them in North Carolina.
Governor Roy Cooper said Thursday that motorists still need to be on alert for high water even as rivers recede and more roads open.
Cooper said 1,500 people still remain in shelters. More than 550 people have enrolled in a programme to stay in hotels while longer-term housing is arranged.
Source-AP
Gladys Knight to lead American Music Awards tribute to the Queen of Soul
Gladys Knight, Ledisi, Mary Mary, Donnie McClurkin and CeCe Winans will perform a tribute to the late Aretha Franklin on the 2018 American Music Awards.
Their performance will honor The Queen of Soul’s gospel roots and her 1972 Grammy-winning live album, Amazing Grace, which was recorded at the New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Los Angeles.
“It’s a blessing to be a part of this moving musical tribute to honor our late queen and sister, Aretha,” Knight says. “She was an icon and visionary, radiated light and love through all of her life’s work, and touched all of us through her incredible gift of music.”
“We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the American Music Awards, dick clark productions and American Music Awards’ producer, Larry Klein, for honoring Aretha Franklin with a musical tribute for this year’s broadcast,” says Sabrina Owens, Franklin’s niece and executor of the Aretha Franklin Estate.
“We still remember when Aretha won her first American Music Award in 1976 for Favorite Female Artist -- Soul/R&B,’ Owens adds. "Throughout the years, she went on to win five more awards and we will never forget when she hosted the show, as well as her memorable performances. Dick Clark helped to revolutionize American music and along the way, Aretha Franklin was part of that revolution.”
The 2018 American Music Awards will be broadcast live from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on Tuesday, October 9, 2018 at 8:00 p.m. ET on ABC. Drake and Cardi B lead all artists, with eight nominations.
Source-ABC
Nelly settles with rape accuser
Nelly has reportedly settled with a woman who claimed that he raped her last year.
TMZ reports that the rapper from St. Louis settled out of court with Monique Greene, and according to his attorney, no money was exchanged. Greene’s lawyer, Karen Koehler, also says that both parties agreed to dismiss their cases, but she disputes the statement that money wasn't exchanged.
Greene had accused Nelly of raping her on his tour bus in October 2017 after she met him at a club in Seattle where he was performing. Nelly was arrested for the incident but the case was dropped after Greene refused to cooperate with the prosecutor. She filed a civil suit, and Nelly responded with a defamation countersuit.
As previously reported, Nelly stated that he and Greene had consensual sex and that she became "aggressive and disruptive." In his countersuit, he claimed that Greene damaged his reputation and cost him money.
Source-ABC/TMZ
France wins the Fifa World Cup for a second time
France won the Fifa World Cup for the second time by overcoming Croatia's bold challenge in a thrilling final in Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium.
Didier Deschamps' side repeated the success on home soil at France '98 by a margin that hardly looked possible as Croatia stood toe-to-toe with the favourites for an hour.
France's victory meant Deschamps, who captained them 20 years ago, became just the third man to win the competition as a player and coach.
Croatia also felt their luck deserted them, but ultimately France ran out victorious to erase the memories of the loss to Portugal in the Euro 2016 final in Paris.
In one of the most exciting World Cup finals of the modern era, played out to a soundtrack of thunder, Croatia and France delivered an enthralling spectacle that brought the joint highest goal tally in a final since 1958, a pitch invasion, and a controversial intervention from the video assistant referee that had a huge influence on the outcome.
France took the lead after 18 minutes when Antoine Griezmann's free-kick deflected in off Mario Mandzukic's head - but Croatia were by far the better side in the first half and deservedly equalised courtesy of Ivan Perisic's left-foot finish.
Croatia were left nursing a burning sense of injustice when France restored their lead seven minutes before half-time through Griezmann's penalty, awarded by referee Nestor Pitana for handball against Perisic after a lengthy delay while VAR was consulted.
In a compelling second half, France looked to have wrapped it up with two strikes in six minutes from Paul Pogba and Kylian Mbappe either side of the hour mark.
Croatia, however, showed unbreakable spirit and even threatened a comeback when Mandzukic took advantage of France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris hesitating over a clearance to pull a goal back.
But France closed out the win to bring redemption for Deschamps after defeat at the Euros two years ago, sparking wild celebrations and ensuring Lloris lifted the World Cup.
France are the team for all seasons - possessing an all-round quality that has carried them to this World Cup triumph.
When that is added to an element of good fortune, it can prove a deadly combination.
Croatia will complain bitterly that Griezmann went down theatrically for the free-kick that led to Mandzukic's own goal, and they will also feel Perisic's handball was not clear-cut enough for VAR to make that decisive intervention just before half-time.
What is not in doubt, however, is the sheer quality this France side possesses, a potent attack the spearhead for a strong midfield and outstanding defence.
When Croatia threatened to come back once more early in the second half, Pogba and Mbappe's strikes from the edge of the area past the static Danijel Subasic - who still looked less than fully fit after injuring a hamstring in the quarter-final against Russia - proved the defining passage of this final.
France celebrated joyously at the final whistle after claiming the sport's greatest trophy once more, with Deschamps - the coach whose conservative methods have often brought criticism - tossed high into the air by his players.
Croatia return home as beaten World Cup finalists but their approach to this match will have won the hearts of neutrals and earned them a prolonged standing ovation from their fans at the final whistle.
Source-BBC