General Business

HONG KONG (AP) — Hackers claim to have obtained a trove of data on 1 billion Chinese from a Shanghai police database in a leak that, if confirmed, could be one of the largest data breaches in history.

In a post on the online hacking forum Breach Forums last week, someone using the handle “ChinaDan” offered to sell nearly 24 terabytes (24 TB) of data including what they claimed was information on 1 billion people and “several billion case records” for 10 Bitcoin, worth about $200,000.

The data purportedly includes information from the Shanghai National Police database including names, addresses, national identification numbers and mobile phone numbers as well as case details.

A sample of data seen by The Associated Press listed names, birthdates, ages and mobile numbers. One person was listed as having been born in “2020," with their age listed as “1,” suggesting that information on minors was included in the data obtained in the breach.

The Associated Press could not immediately verify the authenticity of the data samples. Shanghai police did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The data leak initially sparked discussion on Chinese social media platforms such as Weibo, but censors have since moved to block keyword searches for “Shanghai data leak.”

One person said they were skeptical until they managed to verify some of the personal data leaked online by attempting to search for people on Alipay using their personal information.

“Everyone, please be careful in case there are more phone scams in the future!” they said in a Weibo post.

Another person commented on Weibo that the leak means everyone is “running naked” — slang used to refer to a lack of privacy — and it’s “horrifying.”

Experts said the breach,...

WASHINGTON (AP) — Spirit Airlines will get valuable takeoff and landing times that Southwest Airlines is abandoning at busy Newark-Liberty International Airport near New York City.

The U.S. Transportation Department said Tuesday that Spirit “is most likely to provide the lowest fares to the most consumers” at the airport in Newark, New Jersey.

JetBlue Airways — which is locked in a bidding war with Frontier Airlines to buy Spirit — also tried to get the 16 available slots, and Alaska Airlines applied for four of them.

Southwest acquired the takeoff and landing rights at the congested airport in 2010, after the Justice Department required United Airlines to give them as a condition of buying Continental Airlines. United is still the dominant airline at Newark. Southwest dropped Newark in 2019 to consolidate its area service at New York's LaGuardia Airport.

Federal officials limit takeoff and landing rights at big airports in New York and Washington in an attempt to avoid gridlock.

The Transportation Department said that because of concern about canceled and delayed flights, it will require Spirit to report more than the usual amount of information about any disruptions at Newark.

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico’s president submitted a bill Tuesday to end daylight saving time, putting an end to the practice of changing clocks twice a year.

Health Secretary Jorge Alcocer said Mexico should return to “God’s clock,” or standard time, arguing that setting clocks back or forward damages people’s health.

That would mean darkness falling an hour earlier on summer afternoons.

“The recommendable thing is to return to standard time, which is when the solar clock coincides with the people's clock, the clock of God,” Alcocer argued.

Mexicans set their clocks ahead this year on April 3, and are scheduled to set them back on Oct. 30. The changes, if approved, would presumably apply to next year.

The change would mean central Mexican time, which covers most of the country, potentially could be permanently two hours behind the east coast of the United States; it is now one hour behind for most of the year. The U.S. Senate in March passed a bill to make daylight savings permanent, though the measure has not passed the House of Representatives.

Economists argue that, while the energy savings are minimal, going back to standard time might cause trouble for financial markets in Mexico by putting U.S. east coast markets so far ahead.

President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has said he is considering keeping daylight savings time for some northern border states.

And businesses like restaurants that have become accustomed to staying open later may have to close earlier as many crime-wary Mexicans often try to be off the streets after dark.

Nearly a dozen states across the U.S. have already standardized daylight saving time.

FRISCO, Texas (AP) — The Dallas Cowboys sparked criticism on social media Tuesday after announcing a marketing agreement with a gun-themed coffee company with blends that include “AK-47 Espresso,” “Silencer Smooth” and “Murdered Out.”

The partnership with the Black Rifle Coffee Co. was revealed on Twitter the day after more than a half-dozen people died in a shooting at a Fourth of July parade in suburban Chicago.

It also comes a little more than a month since the Cowboys announced their role in a $400,000 donation to support victims and survivors of the school shooting in Uvalde in South Texas, where 19 students and two teachers died.

The tweet announcing the agreement between “America's Team” and “America's Coffee” drew about 200 comments in the first few hours, most of them critical and suggesting the timing of the announcement was poor.

“Maybe read the room a bit, guys,” one person posted, while another wrote, “The Dallas Cowboys just lost one of their biggest fans. Integrity matters.”

The Cowboys declined comment.

The tweet links to a contest offering two tickets to a Cowboys home game and a one-year subscription to the coffee company. Most of the company's sales are direct to consumer.

Black Rifle was founded by U.S. Army veteran Evan Hafer, who has made support of veterans one of the tenets of his company.

“BRCC is proud to partner with the Dallas Cowboys, who are strongly committed to our mission of supporting veterans, first responders, and America’s men and women in uniform,” a Black Rifle spokesman said. “The long-planned announcement was timed to coincide with the Independence Day holiday — America’s Team. America’s Coffee. America’s Birthday.”

Reaction to the marketing agreement suggests a “split...

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The fight between Texas and New Mexico over the management of one of the longest rivers in North America could be nearing an end as a date to resume the trial has been put off pending negotiations aimed at settling the years-long case before the U.S. Supreme Court.

New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas announced Tuesday that a special master appointed by the court cleared the way for ongoing negotiations and set a date in July for a status update.

The Supreme Court would have to approve any agreement reached by the states. In the case of an impasse, the trial would continue later this year.

“We assembled the best legal and scientific team in the nation to disprove that our farmers and our communities owed billions in damages to Texas, and we are now on the cusp of an exciting historic settlement agreement that will protect New Mexico water for generations to come,” Balderas said in a statement.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office did not immediately respond to questions about the negotiations or a possible settlement.

The battle over the Rio Grande has become a multimillion-dollar case in a region where water supplies are dwindling due to increased demand along with drought and warmer temperatures brought on by climate change.

The river through stretches of New Mexico marked record low flows again this year, resulting in some farmers voluntarily fallowing fields to help the state meet downstream obligations mandated by water-sharing compacts that date back decades.

Texas has argued that groundwater pumping in southern New Mexico is reducing the river’s flow and cutting into how much water makes it across the border. New Mexico argues that it has been shorted on its share of the river.

The first phase of trial was completed last...

WASHINGTON (AP) — Seeking to boost his standing with frustrated blue-collar voters, President Joe Biden on Wednesday will use the backdrop of a union training center in Cleveland to tell workers his policies will shore up troubled pension funding for millions now on the job or retired.

Hurt politically by inflation at a 40-year high and damages wrought by the pandemic, the president is anchoring his message to workers in the former election bellwether of Ohio. The Buckeye State has been trending strongly Republican with Donald Trump easily carrying it twice, and this is Biden's fourth visit as president as he labors to personally reverse that electoral tide.

Biden's speech at the Iron Workers Local 17 Training Center is timed to the announcement of a final administrative rule that is tied to his $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package from last year. The rule allows troubled multi-company pensions to be made financially whole, ensuring full benefits for 2 million to 3 million workers and retirees.

Details about Biden’s remarks were shared by two administration officials who insisted on anonymity to preview his speech.

The roughly 200 pension plans receiving assistance faced possible insolvency without government aid. Without the full benefits, workers and retirees could struggle to pay for housing, food and other essentials. The financial support should help keep the pension funds solvent for roughly 30 years until 2051.

That's important, several retirees said.

Bill DeVito, 73, was an iron worker for almost 50 years before retiring a decade ago. When his pension was cut 40% in 2017, he said, “it was devastating."

"The thing of it is, we had a lot of politicians over the years saying, hey, we’ll try to help you, we’ll do everything we can, and nobody’s ever done...

LONDON (AP) — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was clinging to power Tuesday after two of his most senior Cabinet ministers quit, saying they had lost confidence in Johnson’s leadership amid shifting explanations about his handling of a sexual misconduct scandal.

Treasury chief Rishi Sunak and Health Secretary Sajid Javid resigned within minutes of each other, costing Johnson the support of the men responsible for tackling two of the biggest issues facing Britain — the cost-of-living crisis and surging COVID-19 infections.

Both cited Johnson’s credibility after a day in which the prime minister was forced to backtrack on earlier statements about the scandal that has rattled his government for the past six days.

The debacle is only the latest to hit Johnson, who last month narrowly survived a vote of no confidence triggered by similarly shifting stories about lockdown-breaking parties in government offices.

In his letter of resignation, Javid said the confidence vote showed a large number of Conservative Party lawmakers had lost trust in Johnson.

“It was a moment for humility, grip and a new direction,” Javid said. “I regret to say, however, that it is clear this situation will not change under your leadership — and you have therefore lost my confidence too.”

A few minutes later, Sunak echoed those sentiments.

“The public rightly expect government to be conducted properly, competently and seriously,” Sunak said. “I realize that this may be my last ministerial job, but I believe these standards are worth fighting for and that is why I am resigning.”

Both Sunak and Javid are seen as possible contenders to replace Johnson if he is forced out.

While the resignations heaped pressure on the prime minister, Johnson has in the past proven to be an adept politician,...

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Smithfield Foods will pay restaurants and caterers $42 million to settle a lawsuit that accused the giant meat producer of conspiring to inflate pork prices, which will likely only add to concerns about how the lack of competition in the industry affects meat prices.

Lawyers began notifying companies affected by this latest settlement Tuesday. Previously, Smithfield settled with a different group of pork buyers for $83 million, and JBS agreed to pay the restaurants and caterers $12.75 million in the pork lawsuit. Earlier this year, JBS also said it would pay $52.5 million to settle a similar beef price-fixing lawsuit. Neither Smithfield nor JBS admitted any wrongdoing as part of those settlements, and officials at Smithfield's headquarters in Virginia declined to comment on the details of the deal.

Additional price-fixing lawsuits have also been filed against chicken producers. Nearly $200 million of settlements have been approved in those chicken cases.

The restaurant companies that sued accused the meat processors that control more than 70% of pork production of coordinating efforts to limit the supply of hogs and inflate prices between 2009 and this year.

The lawsuit remains pending against other major pork producers, including Hormel, Tyson Foods, Seaboard Foods and Triumph Foods, and the Agri Stats database company they allegedly used to share confidential information about price, capacity and demand.

The lawsuit says that the private information in those reports allowed competitors to compare their profits and helped them control the supply and price of pork.

The meat industry argues that supply and demand factors drive prices, not anticompetitive behavior, but the industry's practices have been questioned by the White House, several...

PARIS (AP) — Birds tweeted -- not fashionistas -- the day Chanel brought its couture guests to the calm of the Bois de Boulogne forest.

On Tuesday morning, bleary-eyed VIPs walked across tons of white sand through the Etrier de Paris equestrian center on the leafy outskirts of Paris, past lines of spinning wheels and inflatable capsules as nature, fashion and art mingled.

The dreamscape had been specially made for fall-winter by artist Xavier Veilhan, who had adorned Chanel’s indoor ring venue with a gargantuan silver mobile. It had guests — including Marion Cotillard and Keira Knightley -- gawping.

Haute couture is the age-old Parisian tradition of producing exorbitantly priced, made-to-measure garments for the world’s richest women.

Here are some highlights of the day’s fall-winter 2022 collections:

CHANEL’S SOFTNESS

With a somewhat incongruous drum rendition via video recording, Chanel ambassador Pharrell Williams rousingly kicked off proceedings before the “real” show began -- to soft music and even softer form.

Gentle colors, lines and shapes, punctuated by moments of dazzling buttons, floaty plumes and large hats was the simple formula for Virginie Viard. The French designer was in a soft mood for couture this season, letting subtle twists do the talking.

A loose pastel green skirt suit opened, lined with minutely sparkling crystalline buttons made by the stalwart’s world-famous atelier. It led on to fastidious embroideries and jacquards on loose coats in speckled mint and sand with often-oversize or upturned collars, laded with an air of the 80s. A-line coats with a weighty swag, dropped waists and statement pockets, meanwhile, introduced subtle tensions — alongside hems and fringing in contrasting patterns.

Yet the best looks were those that kept it minimal....

Stock indexes on Wall Street ended with meager gains Tuesday, as a late-afternoon rally led by technology companies stemmed the market's losses after an early slump.

The S&P eked out a gain of 0.2% after having been down 2.2% earlier in the day. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 0.4%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq composite closed 1.7% higher.

The weak opening, which followed a long weekend for the Independence Day holiday, came about as the price of U.S. crude oil fell sharply, eventually settling below $100 a barrel for the first time since early May. Bond yields also fell, a sign traders were seeking less risky assets.

Energy, industrial, health care and most of the 11 sectors in the S&P 500 ended in the red, despite the late-day rally in technology stocks, communication firms and retailers and other companies that rely on direct consumer spending.

The volatility reflects growing worries among investors that the economy is slowing under the weight of surging inflation and sharply higher interest rates, pressures that could tip the economy into a recession.

“The market is really taking the growth slowdown as the primary driver today,” said Paul Kim, CEO of Simplified Asset Management. “So you’re seeing a modest sell-off in risk assets, but a significant sell-off in oil, energy, commodities tied to growth, as well as a a modest drop in yields.”

The S&P 500 rose 6.06 points to 3,831.39. The Nasdaq rose 194.39 points to 3,831.39. The Dow Jones Industrial Average remained in the red, losing 129.44 points to 30,967.82.

Small-company stocks also bounced back after a downbeat start. The Russell 2000 rose 13.57 points, or 0.8%, to 1,741.33.

European markets fell broadly.

Stocks remain in a slump that pulled the S&P 500 into a bear market last month,...

Major stock indexes shook off an early slump and ended with meager gains on Wall Street Tuesday as worries about the economy continue to weigh on markets.

Oil prices slumped, bringing the price of U.S. crude back below $100 a barrel for the first time since early May. Tech stocks staged a turnaround and ended higher.

On Tuesday:

The S&P 500 rose 6.06 points, or 0.2%, to 3,831.39.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 129.44 points, or 0.4%, to 30,967.82.

The Nasdaq rose 194.39 points, or 1.7%, to 11,322.24.

The Russell 2000 index of smaller companies rose 13.57 points, or 0.8%, to 1,741.33.

For the year:

The S&P 500 is down 934.79 points, or 19.6%.

The Dow is down 5,370.48 points, or 14.8%.

The Nasdaq is down 4,322.73 points, or 27.6%.

The Russell 2000 is down 503.98 points, or 22.4%.

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks that traded heavily or had substantial price changes Tuesday:

AstraZeneca Plc., down 44 cents to $65.51.

The pharmaceutical company is buying drug developer TeneoTwo.

Newmont Corp., down $1.46 to $59.71.

The gold producer's stock fell along with prices for the precious metal.

ConocoPhillips, down $6.34 to $84.64.

Energy stocks fell broadly as crude oil prices slumped.

JPMorgan Chase & Co., down 43 cents to $112.62.

Banks fell along with the yield on the 10-year Treasury note, which helps set mortgage rates.

Moderna Inc., up $5.59 to $155.54.

The company's COVID-19 vaccine competitors became involved in an intellectual property rights lawsuit filed by CureVac.

Cowen Inc., up $6.89 to $30.93.

Toronto-Dominion bank is reportedly considering buying the financial services company.

Apple Inc., up $2.63 to $141.56.

Technology stocks shook off an early slump and turned higher in afternoon trading.

1Life Healthcare Inc., up $2.06 to $10.34.

The medical clinic operator is reportedly considering its options after receiving potential buyout offers.

SKOPJE, North Macedonia (AP) — European Council President Charles Michel urged North Macedonia on Tuesday to back a French-proposed compromise on ending a dispute with neighboring Bulgaria that's blocking the country's long-delayed European Union accession bid.

Violent protests erupted in North Macedonia's capital, Skopje, where demonstrators tried to storm government buildings, after French President Emmanuel Macron announced the proposal — which many in the small Balkan country find controversial — last week. Macron said at a NATO summit in Madrid that “a compromise solution” to lift Bulgaria's opposition to its neighbor's EU aspirations had been achieved, without giving details.

A few hundred people took part in a new protest late Tuesday in Skopje against the French proposal. Held during a rainstorm, it ended peacefully, but afterwards a small number of protesters threw stones at police outside parliament before being dispersed.

North Macedonia’s president, Stevo Pendarovski, and the government have backed the proposed deal, which calls for the country to acknowledge in its constitution the existence of an ethnic Bulgarian minority. It would also provide for regular reviews on how the bilateral dispute is being addressed, which could potentially hamper North Macedonia's future accession course.

But the center-right main opposition VMRO-DPMNE party, many international law experts and civic organizations say the proposal favors Bulgarian demands which dispute their own country's views of regional history, language, identity and heritage.

As an EU member, Bulgaria has the power to block its neighbor's accession bid.

At a joint news conference Tuesday with North Macedonia’s prime minister, Dimitar Kovachevski, Michel stressed that the French proposal is too...

KRAMATORSK, Ukraine (AP) — The governor of the last remaining eastern province partly under Ukraine's control urged his more than 350,000 residents to flee as Russia escalated its offensive and air alerts were issued across nearly the entire country.

Gov. Pavlo Kyrylenko said that getting people out of Donetsk province is necessary to save lives and enable the Ukrainian army better to defend towns from the Russian advance.

“The destiny of the whole country will be decided by the Donetsk region,” Kyrylenko told reporters in Kramatrosk, the province's administrative center and home to the Ukrainian military's regional headquarters.

“Once there are less people, we will be able to concentrate more on our enemy and perform our main tasks,” Kyrylenko said.

The governor’s call for residents to leave appeared to represent one of the biggest suggested evacuations of the war, although it's unclear whether people will be willing and safely able to flee. According to the U.N. refugee agency, more than 7.1 million Ukrainians are estimated to be displaced within Ukraine, and more than 4.8 million refugees left the country since Russia's invasion started Feb. 24.

Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelenskyy said air alerts were issued Tuesday night in nearly all of the country, in many places after a long period of relative calm during which people searched for an explanation.

“You should not look for logic in the actions of terrorists,” Zelenskyy said in his nightly video address. “The Russian army does not take any breaks. It has one task — to take people’s lives, to intimidate people — so that even a few days without an air alarm already feel like part of the terror.”

Much of the military activity appeared concentrated in Ukraine's east. The Kramatorsk governor said that because they...

LONDON (AP) — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's government faced a new crisis Tuesday after two of his most senior Cabinet ministers resigned within minutes of each other.

Treasury chief Rishi Sunak and Health Secretary Sajid Javid quit, saying the government under Johnson's leadership was no longer competent or “acting in the national interest.”

The apparently coordinated exits came after Johnson was hit by allegations he lied about how he handled claims of sexual misconduct by a lawmaker who was appointed to a senior position.

Both Javid and Sunak are key members of the Cabinet and both are seen as potential successors to Johnson, leaving his position perilous.

A look at who Sunak and Javid are:

___

RISHI SUNAK, TREASURY CHIEF

In his resignation letter, Sunak told Johnson “it has become clear to me that our approaches are fundamentally too different.”

“The public rightly expect government to be conducted properly, competently and seriously. I recognise this may be my last ministerial job, but I believe these standards are worth fighting for and that is why I am resigning," he wrote.

Sunak was, until recently, widely regarded as the party’s brightest rising star, the best-known of potential leadership contenders — and the bookies’ favorite to succeed Johnson.

Sunak, 42, was thrust into the spotlight when he became treasury chief in 2020, tasked with the unenviable job of steering the economy through its worst economic slump on record because of the pandemic. He dished out billions of pounds in emergency spending to help businesses and workers, and his policies have generally been seen in a positive light.

But “partygate” changed those fortunes. Like Johnson, he was issued a police fine for attending a...

LUGANO, Switzerland (AP) — A top U.S. diplomat on Tuesday urged allies of Ukraine to help the war-battered country meet its “immediate and urgent” needs — not only longer-term rebuilding — as scores of countries wrapped up a two-day conference aimed at helping Ukraine recover from Russia's war, when it ends one day.

Scott Miller, the U.S. ambassador to Switzerland, added a dose of urgency to the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Lugano, at which the Ukrainian prime minister a day earlier presented a $750 billion plan to help his country both recover now — where possible — as well as in the immediate aftermath of the war and over the long term.

Many attendees pointed out that efforts were likely to take many years, and rebuilding would need to take place in several phases. Some called for support for Ukraine along the lines of the U.S. Marshall Plan for Europe after World War II — hinting of a big long-term project.

“While we recognize the importance of preparing for Ukraine’s future, all of us must also deliver on our commitments to provide Ukraine its immediate and urgent needs,” said Miller, one of many government envoys who decried Russia's war and detailed their support for Ukraine.

Some, however, cautioned that quick fixes were unlikely.

“I really understand that we want to be ready overnight — to start tomorrow," Swiss President Ignazio Cassis told reporters. "But we clearly declare: It is the first step of a long journey.”

Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, flanked by Cassis, cautioned that his government would carefully select immediate projects for rebuilding places like schools, hospitals and other infrastructure as the war rages on because Russian forces could simply "destroy it again.”

“It will be an unfinished process,” Shmyhal said, alluding to a...

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Tuesday he intends to “intensify” negotiations with Russia and Ukraine in the hope of reaching a deal on a U.N. plan to export Ukrainian grain to world markets.

Erdogan made the comments during a joint news conference with Italian Premier Mario Draghi. Turkey is working with the United Nations, Ukraine and Russia on a plan to that would allow millions of tons of Ukrainian grain sitting in silos to be shipped through safe corridors in the Black Sea.

“We will intensify our talks within a week or 10 days and try to reach a result,” he told reporters.

Ukraine is one of the world’s largest exporters of wheat, corn and sunflower oil, but Russia’s invasion halted most of that flow, endangering food supplies to many developing countries, especially in Africa.

The Ukrainian government has cited a Russian naval blockade of its ports, while Russia has claimed that Ukrainian sea mines prevent the safe movement of agricultural exports.

Draghi praised the possibility of an accord as important not just to getting grain and fertilizer to poor countries, but because it would represent the first agreement Ukraine and Russia had reached on anything during the war, which is now in its fifth month.

“This accord is very important also from the more general point of view within the efforts to arrive at a peace," he said.

Last week, Draghi said the U.N. plan to export Ukrainian grain via safe sea corridors could save weeks to a month of precious time to empty silos before the autumn harvest since it wouldn’t require demining the ports. He said the plan requires Russia’s final approval.

___

Follow AP's coverage of the...

The union representing more than 250 HarperCollins workers says those employees have overwhelmingly voted to strike if the publisher doesn't meet contract demands.

The United Auto Workers Local 2110 said that 99% of the workers, mostly women, voted to authorize a strike in a bid to secure better pay and benefits, additional diversity and stronger union protection. The union said it will announced a deadline for an agreement soon.

The employees work across editorial, sales, publicity, design, legal, and marketing departments.

Workers say their average salary of $55,000 is not enough to keep up with inflation nor meet the cost of living in the cities where they work. The union says annual salaries start at $45,000.

“Most of us earn low salaries that are unlivable in major cities like New York and Boston,” said Laura Harshberger, a senior production editor and the union chairperson. “Our compensation doesn’t reflect our education and skills, or our contributions to the financial success of the company.”

HarperCollins is based in New York City.

UAW Local 2110 wants HarperCollins to include in the bargaining unit employees from the Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Books and Media division, which it acquired just over a year ago. It also wants the company to recognize the seniority of New York staff brought over from HMH.

The union said the lack of racial and ethnic diversity at HarperCollins has contributed to “historically low wages.”

News Corp., which owns HarperCollins, said the publisher posted record profit in fiscal 2021. News Corp. reports full-year 2022 financial results early next month.

A spokesperson for HarperCollins said the publisher does not comment on negotiations, which began late last year when a one-year pandemic extension of the contract was about to expire.

..

LONDON (AP) — 2 UK Cabinet ministers resign from Boris Johnson's government, putting further pressure on the prime minister.

NEW DELHI (AP) — Twitter on Tuesday challenged the Indian government in court over its recent orders to take down some content on the social media platform, media outlets reported.

The lawsuit was filed in the Karnataka High Court in southern Bengaluru city and comes after the Indian government in February warned company executives of criminal action if they failed to comply with the takedown orders, the Press Trust of India and the Bar and Bench legal news site reported.

A Twitter spokesperson, Aditi Shorewal, declined to comment or specify what type of content the company was told to block. She did not confirm that Twitter had filed the lawsuit.

The lawsuit is part of a growing confrontation between Twitter and New Delhi after the Indian government last year passed a new set of sweeping regulations giving it more power to police online content.

The new rules require companies to erase or block content that authorities deem unlawful. Under the laws, employees of social media websites and technology companies can be held criminally liable for failing to comply with the government’s orders.

“It is everyone’s responsibility to abide by the laws passed by the country’s Parliament,” India’s IT minister, Ashwini Vaishnaw, told reporters Tuesday, when he was asked about the lawsuit.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government has sought for years to control social media and has often directed Twitter to take down tweets or accounts that appear critical of his party and administration.

Twitter complied with most of those orders in the past but also resisted others and has called the new rules a “potential threat to freedom of expression.” The company has removed content related to anti-government farmer protests and tweets criticising the Modi administration’s handling of the...

The post What to Do If You’re Accused of Copyright Infringement appeared first on SMALL BUSINESS CEO.

Being accused of copyright infringement can be incredibly upsetting, infuriating, and  terrifying. It can throw your intellectual property into question as well as your character.

Photo by Tingey Injury Law Firm on Unsplash

If someone believed that you have wrongfully used work without permission from the copyright owner, you may face legal action. This may include fines or, in particularly serious cases, a jail sentence.

But, don’t panic just yet. In the following article, we shall discuss the steps you should take if accused of copyright infringement in order to minimise the impact.

1.   Resist The Urge to Respond Immediately

After being accused of copyright infringement and potentially receiving a demand for a hefty fine, it’s natural to want to react as quickly as possible.…

The post 1031 Exchange Properties: Understanding the Rules and Benefits for Real Estate Investors appeared first on SMALL BUSINESS CEO.

The 1031 exchange is a section of the tax code that allows investors to defer capital gains taxes when selling investment or business property. The 1031 exchange rules are complex, and there are many things that investors need to consider before filing an exchange.

In order to understand 1031 exchange rules 2021, it is important to first know the basics of what this type of exchange entails. A 1031 exchange is a tax-deferred swap of investment properties. This means that investors can trade one qualifying property for another, without paying any immediate capital gains taxes. There are a few rules and benefits that investors should be aware of before taking advantage of this opportunity.…

The post Office Sublet: What are the Pros and Cons? appeared first on SMALL BUSINESS CEO.

In today’s competitive world, businesses need to do everything possible to reduce expenses. The recent trend shows that many companies are motivated to find an office sublet to save on their bottom line.  The idea is to be optimal with their office space needs.

On the other side, office buildings are also exploring sub-letting for the same reasons. Indeed, if you have a large office that is not being fully utilized, you can consider sub-letting it or sub-leasing it to another company to use. By doing so, you can earn additional money that will help you manage your finances better.

However, just like any other things in life, there are always the cons that comes with the pros.…

The post Top 8 Free CRM Software for 2022 appeared first on SMALL BUSINESS CEO.

CRM or Customer Relationship Management software is essential for all modern businesses. CRM software is very helpful for sales and marketing to manage their relationship with their customers in the most efficient way.

Did you know there are many free CRM software that can help you achieve your goal? We have a list of eight of the best free CRM software you can use in 2022. Read on for the list.

8 Best CRM Software

1. Freshsales

One of the most popular CRM software that you can get for free is Freshsales. It is a full-fledged CRM software that offers sales force automation.…

The post How to Avoid Paying High Interest on Personal Loans appeared first on SMALL BUSINESS CEO.

Interest rates on personal loans vary depending on the lender, the amount of the loan, and the borrower’s credit history. Generally, personal loans have higher interest rates than other types of loans, such as auto loans or home equity loans. Before you do anything, make sure to compare personal loan rates so you get the best deal.

The average interest rate on a personal loan is about 10%, but rates can range from around 6% to 36%. Borrowers with good credit can usually qualify for personal loans with lower interest rates. Those with bad credit may have to pay higher rates, sometimes as high as 30% or more.…

The post 3 Internal Aspects Of Your Company That Affect Your External Brand appeared first on SMALL BUSINESS CEO.

Branding is one of the core elements of a company’s life. It not only helps in creating your professional identity, but it also ensures that your company has a direction where it should consistently head towards. As studies show, consistent presentation of a brand increases revenue by 33%.

photo credit: Fauxels / Pexels

When we think of consistent branding, we often think of a company’s marketing efforts and everything that those might entail – its logo, its merchandise, and its ads. Another important aspect of branding is a solid digital marketing strategy. However, branding goes beyond marketing; here, we will look at other aspects of your company that are integral to your brand, too.…

The post Phone Etiquette: How to Answer Business Calls Like a Pro? appeared first on SMALL BUSINESS CEO.

Phone etiquette is an important thing to know for everyone who works with clients. In this guide on phone etiquette, you can read about how you can handle phone calls like a pro. Following these techniques can help you impress customers and get better results.

Phone etiquette tips for business calls

1. Answer within three rings

An important rule to follow for business calls is to pick up the call within three rings. If you don’t pick up the call in three rings, the person on the other side may disconnect the call. It could be a customer, and you could end up losing business.…

The post How to Get More Clients by Using Telephone Answering Service appeared first on SMALL BUSINESS CEO.

Do you want to increase your customers? If so, then you need to ensure you engage with them in a better way. Using a telephone answering service like https://www.rubyreceptionist.com.au can help you in this. A telephone answering service ensures you don’t miss out on any valuable calls from prospective customers.

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If you are interested to use a telephone answering service for your business, you need to know how it works. This guide explains all you want to know about telephone answering services.

How a Telephone Answering Service can help you

1. Helps you get leads 24/7

Your office may work only for a few hours each day.…

The post What is Audience Segmentation? How Can it Help Your Business? appeared first on SMALL BUSINESS CEO.

They say if you market to everyone, you market to no one. That’s why it’s important to determine your target audience, segment it and then market to them.

image credit: Jaemi Bremner / Medium

Understanding Audience Segmentation

Audience segmentation is the process of dividing your target market into groups based on shared characteristics. The goal is to take these groups and create unique marketing messages that appeal to each group’s needs and interests.

Why Segment Your Audience?

Audience segmentation provides many benefits, but here are a few key reasons why it’s important to segment your audience.

• Helps you better understand your target market
• Enables you to create more personalized marketing messages
• Allows you to focus your marketing efforts on specific groups
• Increases the effectiveness of your marketing campaigns
• Helps you allocate your marketing budget more efficiently.

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The post Why VPN Port Forwarding is used? appeared first on SMALL BUSINESS CEO.

Internet traffic destined for one port is forwarded to another port through port forwarding. The user is unaware of what is happening in the background because it is a backend process.

It is a method that allows internet traffic to reach a specific device more quickly and effectively. Port forwarding can help you have a better connection if you suffer latency while viewing content on Netflix.

photo credit: Stefan Coders / Pexels

Incoming connections are rerouted via VPN port forwarding to bypass the NAT firewall and boost connection speeds.

Many situations call for the use of VPN port forwarding.

What VPN Port Forwarding is used for?

…

Port of Kennewick celebrates launch of Vista Field redevelopment of former airport.

The post Vista Field is officially open for business appeared first on Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business.

Pam Lewison is of two minds when winter gives way to spring. She’s thrilled by the sweet smell of freshly plowed fields, the green fuzz in the orchards, the newborn livestock. She’s less thrilled by the daunting challenges facing Washington agriculture in 2022. The state’s 35,300 farms and ranches collectively raise more than 300 products.…

The post Politics, weather and inflation put the squeeze on Washington ag appeared first on Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business.

By Derek Sandison When it comes to growing food, it all starts with the weather. No doubt, the weather is having a substantial impact on agriculture of late. In 2021, the lack of spring rains and low soil moisture resulted in difficult growing conditions for dryland agriculture, leading to a reduction in wheat yields of…

The post From heat domes to supply chain woes, state agriculture weathers a challenging year appeared first on Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business.

By Mary Coffman Like all agricultural producers in the state, Washington’s wine grape growers have faced myriad challenges since the onset of the pandemic. Tasting room closures, hot temperatures, wildfires, inflation. “It won’t go back to what the market looked like prior to Covid,” said Vicky Scharlau, executive director of the Washington Wine Growers Association.…

The post Grape growers face a future altered by Covid, weather, smoke appeared first on Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business.

Washington state saw the value of agriculture exports increase by more than $1 billion in 2021. There’s a big asterisk tied to the impressive $7.7 billion figure for agricultural products originating in Washington. “Be clear that while values are up, volumes are predominantly down,” said Rianne Perry, manager for international marketing at the Washington State…

The post Value of ag exports is up, but there’s a hitch appeared first on Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business.

It’s hard to say how 2022 will play out for Washington’s cherry growers. “It’s always a weather-vulnerable crop, and there are many ways the cherry crop can be sabotaged by weather,” said Jon DeVaney, president of the Washington State Tree Fruit Association. “The joke is that cherry growers don’t have to travel to Las Vegas…

The post Growers report good volumes despite chilly spring appeared first on Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business.

So many variables can send farmers’ careful preparations sideways. It’s been a common refrain this spring among leaders at many of the state’s commodity groups. Shipping delays affecting the export market. Inflation gobbling up profitability. The war in Ukraine creating market instability. Unpredictable and unseasonable weather. Despite the challenges, potato growers are ready to produce…

The post ‘Perfect growing season’ is on potato farmers’ wish lists appeared first on Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business.

By Jared Balcom Despite all the changes the nation has experienced over the two-plus years of this pandemic, the U.S. potato industry remains as committed as ever to fighting for federal policies that protect our businesses, our families and the communities we support.  Years ago, when I first attended the potato industry’s leadership development course…

The post Pasco farmer says U.S. potato industry is focused on the future appeared first on Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business.

By Pam Lewison For some farmers, growing potatoes is about a passion for growing things and connecting with consumers. Reagan Grabner, of CSS Farms, is one of those farmers. His family is one of the more than 300 families who make up Washington state’s potato growers. “I was raised on a wheat farm and had…

The post Passion for spuds keeps grower in business appeared first on Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business.

As summertime approaches, consumers begin to look to local markets for the parade of fresh fruits, and apple orchards buzz with preparations for the late summer harvest. Last year, 122 million bushels were harvested in Washington, the nation’s leader in apple production. It was a moderate crop compared to past years that have seen totals…

The post Apple industry renews focus on domestic market appeared first on Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business.