Robert Way Australia's online safety watchdog directed Roblox ( RBLX ), Microsoft ( MSFT )-owned Minecraft, Epic Games' Fortnite and Valve's Steam to detail how they protect children from sexual predators, radicalization and cyberbullying on their gaming platforms. The eSafety Commissioner sent legally enforceable transparency notices to the companies, seeking details on how their systems, staffin...
Robert Way Australia's online safety watchdog directed Roblox ( RBLX ), Microsoft ( MSFT )-owned Minecraft, Epic Games' Fortnite and Valve's Steam to detail how they protect children from sexual predators, radicalization and cyberbullying on their gaming platforms. The eSafety Commissioner sent legally enforceable transparency notices to the companies, seeking details on how their systems, staffing and safety by design choices align with Australia's Basic Online Safety Expectations. Gaming platforms are widely used by Australian children, with eSafety research showing that 9 in 10 kids aged 8 to 17 had played online games. eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said online game and gaming-adjacent platforms like encrypted message services could serve as a point of first contact between children and offenders in cases of online harms such as grooming, sexual extortion and youth radicalization. "What we often see after these offenders make contact with children in online game environments, they then move children to private messaging services," she noted. Grant pointed to media reports of grooming as well as terrorist and violent extremist-themed gameplay on Roblox ( RBLX ), Minecraft, Fortnite and Steam. "This includes Islamic State-inspired games and recreations of mass shootings on Roblox, as well as far-right groups recreating fascist imagery in Minecraft," she said. She added that games in Fortnite reportedly gamify the events of the WWII Jasenovac concentration camp and the January 6th U.S. Capitol attack, while Steam is said to be a hub for extreme-right communities. To note, Roblox ( RBLX ) is facing over 140 lawsuits in the U.S. for allegedly exposing children to sexual predators, grooming and violent content in its games. The company on Tuesday reached settlements with Alabama and West Virginia , totaling $23.2M, under which it will implement changes to its chat and gaming functions to ensure child safety. It also reached a $10M settlement with Nevada last w...
Cargo ship attacked northwest of Iran after earlier reports that the IRGC had fired at a gunboat off the coast of Oman Trump announces ceasefire extension Why Trump’s erratic commentary is the real block to an Iran deal If you’re just joining us, here’s the main news of the day. It is 9.30am in Tehran, 9am in Jerusalem and Beirut, and 2am in Washington DC. Donald Trump unilaterally said he is exte...
Cargo ship attacked northwest of Iran after earlier reports that the IRGC had fired at a gunboat off the coast of Oman Trump announces ceasefire extension Why Trump’s erratic commentary is the real block to an Iran deal If you’re just joining us, here’s the main news of the day. It is 9.30am in Tehran, 9am in Jerusalem and Beirut, and 2am in Washington DC. Donald Trump unilaterally said he is extending the ceasefire with Iran at Pakistan’s request while awaiting a “unified proposal” from Tehran , even as the US military maintains its blockade of Iranian ports. Trump made the announcement as ceasefire talks looked increasingly uncertain with a two-week truce set to expire on Wednesday . Both countries had said they were prepared to resume fighting if no deal is reached. Trump said he would “extend the ceasefire until such time as [Iran’s] proposal is submitted, and discussions are concluded, one way or the other”. Trump later claimed in a Truth Social post that Iran is “collapsing financially” and was losing $500m every day that the strait of Hormuz is effectively closed . Iran has yet to decide whether to join the negotiations in Pakistan , a foreign ministry spokesman said earlier on Tuesday, and will only take part if Tehran believes the discussions would yield results. A container ship has reported being fired at by an IRGC gunboat, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations said. The incident occurred 15 nautical miles north-east of Oman. The vessel sustained “heavy damage” to its bridge , the master of the ship said. All crew members were reported as safe. Shares were mixed in Asia as markets waited to see if the US and Iran may resume talks. Brent crude edged higher to $98.51 a barrel , while US benchmark crude fell 0.4% to $89.29 a barrel. One person was killed and two others wounded in an Israeli drone strike overnight on the outskirts of al-Jbour in Lebanon’s western Bekaa Valley , Lebanese state media reported. Israel and Lebanon agreed to a 10-day cease...
When it comes to the history of oil and energy, nobody is more famous or well respected than Daniel Yergin. He is the Vice Chairman of S&P Global, and the Pulitzer Prize winning author of both The Prize: The Epic Quest for Oil, Money, and Power and The New Map: Energy, Climate, and the Clash of Nations. So we had to get his insights on the war in Iran, and its historical significance. Iran's abili...
When it comes to the history of oil and energy, nobody is more famous or well respected than Daniel Yergin. He is the Vice Chairman of S&P Global, and the Pulitzer Prize winning author of both The Prize: The Epic Quest for Oil, Money, and Power and The New Map: Energy, Climate, and the Clash of Nations. So we had to get his insights on the war in Iran, and its historical significance. Iran's ability to control the Straight against a much stronger military is a demonstration that the balance of global power is changing, with profound ramifications for countries around the world. We discuss how different regions are being affected, and how it will change their calculus when it comes to energy security. We also talk about the AI industry's seemingly insatiable demand for electricity, and how this is rippling across the entire energy landscape. (Source: Bloomberg)
A property developer is suing a former tenant for around £4.5 million ($6.1 million), arguing she reneged on the purchase of a seven-bedroom mansion just off one of London’s most sought after streets. Jun Zhang entered an agreement to purchase the north London home, previously rented out to England football captain Harry Kane , in December 2023 for £16.9 million, but failed to complete by the Apri...
A property developer is suing a former tenant for around £4.5 million ($6.1 million), arguing she reneged on the purchase of a seven-bedroom mansion just off one of London’s most sought after streets. Jun Zhang entered an agreement to purchase the north London home, previously rented out to England football captain Harry Kane , in December 2023 for £16.9 million, but failed to complete by the April 2024 deadline, according to High Court filings prepared for a trial this week in London. The failure to pay led developer Regal B A Ltd. to sell the house for a lower price five months later, leaving the firm on the hook for mortgage and transaction costs. Lawyers for Zhang argued that the fact High Trees, 16 White Lodge Close was sold at great haste for an undervalue was effectively Regal’s own fault. The house — which has a cinema room, indoor swimming pool , gym and treatment room — was sold for around £10.2 million on September 2024 to a newly formed company owned by a since-bankrupted businessman “Such a freefall drop in value is extraordinary,” Martin Dray, Zhang’s lawyer, said in written legal arguments. “She contends that the marketing was inadequate and the resale of the property to the newco was at a material undervalue.” The Bishops Avenue White Lodge Close sits just off The Bishops Avenue, a road so famous for its monied denizens it’s commonly referred to as “Billionaire’s Row.” Such properties are eye-wateringly expensive and can attract only a small number of affluent buyers, meaning they can take a long time to sell. Zhang’s lawyers argue that insufficient time and care was given to trying to sell the property. The Bishops Avenue has counted a coterie of business leaders and celebrities as residents. It also become emblematic of the slew of questionable capital that’s been attracted to the top end of London’s property market in recent decades, from Iran’s Supreme Leader to the former President of Kazakhstan . Recent sales on the road include a large house f...