3 users sue Facebook over call, text history
SAN FRANCISCO • Three users of the Facebook Messenger app have sued Facebook, saying the social network violated their privacy by collecting logs of their phone calls and text messages, in the latest legal challenge facing the firm.
The United States suit filed on Tuesday in federal court in the Northern District of California seeks status as a class action on behalf of all affected users and asks for unspecified damages.
REUTERS
National mourning for Russia mall fire victims
KEMEROVO • Russia held a day of national mourning yesterday for scores of victims of a Siberia shopping centre fire, as calls multiply for the sacking of negligent officials and a thorough probe into blatant safety violations.
Russian President Vladimir Putin visited the industrial city of Kemerovo where the tragedy occurred, and faced emotional questions about how so many could have died "because of criminal negligence". The toll is at least 64 dead, mostly children.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
UK plans plastic bottle fee to fight pollution
LONDON • Britain yesterday announced plans for consumers to pay a deposit on plastic bottles as part of a broader push to tackle pollution.
The environment ministry pointed to similar schemes in Denmark, Sweden and Germany, where a charge of up to 22 pence (40 Singapore cents) is refunded once the empty bottle is deposited.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE