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Apple issues new challenge against UK order for access to private user data

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Apple logo lit up on a sign on the glass windows of a storefront in China.

Advanced Data Protection is an opt-in feature that allows users to turn on a higher level of protection for data stored in iCloud, such as back-ups, Drive storage, photos and voice memos.

It is secured using end-to-end encryption – meaning not even Apple would be able to see its contents.

The government’s requests for Apple to permit it access to data held under this system were issued under the Investigatory Powers Act (IPA).

It includes powers allowing the government to issue secret notices – called technical capability notices – which can secretly force companies to provide UK security services with ways to access customer data.

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The government had fought unsuccessfully to keep legal challenges to its first notice to Apple secret.

Its notice was later withdrawn after angering US politicians, who were concerned it would affect their own citizen’s data.

But the government issued a new request in October which did not apply to US users.

Privacy groups which previously campaigned against its secret orders welcomed Apple’s new legal complaint.

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“We are happy to learn that Apple is once again challenging the UK’s regime of secret orders,” said Privacy International.

“While we don’t know the substance of Apple’s claim, if it relates to the previously reported orders aimed at undermining the security of Apple’s iCloud storage, then Apple’s claim, alongside side ours and Liberty’s, is crucially important to preserving all of our privacy and security.”

Ruth Ehrlich, director of external relations at Liberty, said the case was “hugely important” and has “far-reaching implications for the public’s privacy rights well into the future”.

“End-to-end encryption is an essential security tool that protects our personal data, including our bank details, health information, private conversations and images,” she said.

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“Opening a backdoor to all of that information carries a wide range of risks to our personal data. It is critical that the Government listens to the many concerns and commits to protecting our privacy rights.”

But Sir Brian Leveson, the Investigatory Powers Commissioner, who provides independent oversight of the use of surveillance powers, has previously criticised media use of the term “backdoor”, external.

He said notices such as those concerned in this case would only be issued “if the Secretary of State deems it necessary and proportionate, and this decision is independently reviewed and approved by a Judicial Commissioner”.

He added requests for data would also require separate authorisation under the IPA and these would be subject to independent oversight.

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Devwest wins four weeks to deal with tax office liquidation push

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Devwest wins four weeks to deal with tax office liquidation push

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Hercules Capital: Net Asset Value And Dividend Coverage Expands (NYSE:HTGC)

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Hercules Capital: Net Asset Value And Dividend Coverage Expands (NYSE:HTGC)

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The equity market is a powerful mechanism as daily fluctuations in price get aggregated to incredible wealth creation or destruction over the long term. Pacifica Yield aims to pursue long-term wealth creation with a focus on undervalued yet high-growth companies, high-dividend tickers, REITs, and green energy firms.

Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have a beneficial long position in the shares of HTGC either through stock ownership, options, or other derivatives. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

Seeking Alpha’s Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.

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How the dry weather affects your supermarket shop

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Tomos Morgan stood in a dry wheat field

Tomos Morgan visits farm in Vale of Glamorgan to explain how the hot and dry spell affects crops.

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LinkedIn ranks top colleges for career success with Princeton No. 1

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LinkedIn ranks top colleges for career success with Princeton No. 1

A new report by LinkedIn ranked the top 50 colleges in the U.S. based on how they prepare students for long-term success in their careers, using a range of factors that leverage the career networking platform’s data.

The report uses LinkedIn data to rank colleges based on five categories: job placement, internships and recruiter demand, career success, network strength and knowledge breadth.

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The job placement data tracks cohorts of recent graduates from 2020 to 2025 who start a full-time position or graduate school program within a year of their graduation, while network strength tracks how connected recent alumni cohorts are to each other as well as to all past alumni and current students.

“We’re seeing students think about career success differently than previous generations. They want to build skills, grow their networks and position themselves for a labor market that’s rapidly changing,” said Andrew Seaman, editor-at-large for jobs and careers development at LinkedIn.

SOUTHERN CITIES DOMINATE RANKINGS OF BEST JOB MARKETS FOR NEW COLLEGE GRADUATES

Students on the campus of Stanford University

Stanford University made LinkedIn’s list this year. (David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

“In today’s slower hiring market, professional relationships can make a meaningful difference. Skills and experience remain critical, but a strong alumni network can help open doors throughout a career, whether that’s through internships, mentorship, professional guidance, or new job opportunities,” Seaman added.

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Compared with last year’s report, 43 of the top 50 schools, or 86%, returned to the rankings this year, which LinkedIn explained shows the continued strength of institutions that consistently prepare graduates for long-term career success.

US WORKERS INCREASINGLY TRAPPED IN THE ‘GREAT DETACHMENT’ AS HIRING SLOWS, REPORT SHOWS

Harvard Campus

Harvard ranked third on this year’s list. (Getty Images)

Seven new schools debuted in the rankings, including Middlebury College (No. 37), Claremont McKenna College (No. 40), Washington University in St. Louis (No. 42), University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (No. 45), Davidson College (No. 47), Williams College (No. 48) and Bowdoin College (No. 49).

There was modest movement in the top 10 compared with last year’s edition of the report, with Princeton and Duke holding firm in the top two spots. Harvard rose to third and Dartmouth to fifth, while Yale returned to the top 10 with a ninth-place ranking.

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WHY 529 PLANS REMAIN A POWERFUL TOOL FOR COLLEGE, TRADE SCHOOL SAVINGS

Princeton University's Blair Hall

Princeton remained in the top spot of LinkedIn’s top colleges list. (Loop Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

LinkedIn’s Top 50 Colleges

  1. Princeton University
  2. Duke University
  3. Harvard University
  4. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
  5. Dartmouth College
  6. University of Pennsylvania
  7. University of Notre Dame
  8. Cornell University
  9. Yale University
  10. Stanford University
  11. Vanderbilt University
  12. Brown University
  13. Babson College
  14. Northwestern University
  15. University of Virginia
  16. Bucknell University
  17. Wake Forest University
  18. Tufts University
  19. Washington and Lee University
  20. Carnegie Mellon University
  21. Boston College
  22. University of Chicago
  23. Lehigh University
  24. Columbia University
  25. Villanova University
  26. Rice University
  27. Fairfield University
  28. Bentley University
  29. University of California-Berkeley
  30. Colgate University
  31. California Institute of Technology
  32. Georgetown University
  33. University of Southern California
  34. University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
  35. University of Richmond
  36. Trinity College
  37. Middlebury College
  38. University of Michigan-Ann Arbor
  39. Southern Methodist University
  40. Claremont McKenna College
  41. Bryant University
  42. Washington University in St Louis
  43. Providence College
  44. Miami University
  45. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
  46. Lafayette College
  47. Davidson College
  48. Williams College
  49. Bowdoin College
  50. Purdue University

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Do & Co TUPE dispute: Unite pursues tribunal claims

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Do & Co TUPE dispute: Unite pursues tribunal claims

Unite is pursuing collective employment tribunal claims against airline catering firm Do & Co over its refusal to transfer 117 employees at London Heathrow, the union said on Tuesday, and says a further 44 workers due to move to the company by 1 September are in the same position.

The first set of claims follows Dnata’s loss of its American Airlines catering contract at Heathrow, which was taken over by Do & Co. Unite said Do & Co refused to transfer the 117 employees, more than 100 of whom were Unite members, and that those workers subsequently lost their jobs. The union said proceedings are in progress and tribunal claims are pending.

In early June, Unite said, it learned that Do & Co had won the catering contract for Air India flights operating out of Heathrow, again taking over from Dnata. Forty-four employees should transfer to Do & Co by 1 September, the majority of them Unite members, according to the union.

Unite said Do & Co has refused to engage with it on that transfer. The only correspondence received had been marked “without prejudice”, the union said, together with the position that TUPE may not apply because Do & Co considers the services provided under the contract to be different from those previously delivered by Dnata.

Under the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006, a service provision change occurs when a contract ends and is given to a new contractor, and only employees who can be clearly identified as providing the service being transferred are protected, according to government guidance on business transfers. The guidance states that the size of the business does not matter. Employers involved in a transfer are also required to inform and consult representatives of affected employees.

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Unite said it has been the case for decades that when an airline moves to another catering firm under a service provider change, the affected employees move to the new contract holder.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “The behaviour of Do & Co has been nothing short of disgraceful. While Unite is taking legal action, it has decided to put the jobs of more of our members at risk.

“TUPE agreements must be honoured. The situation is completely unacceptable and Unite will never allow our members to be left high and dry. All workers who have been refused transfers have our full support in their fight to protect their jobs.”

Unite regional officer Shereen Higginson said: “Time is running out for our members who worked for Dnata on the Air India work who are impacted. Unless consultation begins immediately, there is a high chance they will be left without jobs.

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“Do & Co has form for this behaviour, which goes completely against any agreements. It must honour TUPE and Unite will look into all avenues to ensure this is met. It must stop burying its head in the sand and negotiate with Unite.”

The claims enter a tribunal system in which the backlog of active claims passed half a million by the end of September 2025, according to quarterly tribunal statistics, with open employment tribunal cases up 33 per cent on the same period a year earlier.

Unite has previously taken employment status cases to the employment appeal tribunal, including a 2018 ruling on agency workers paid through payroll companies which found that such a worker could be a worker of the agency, the payroll company or both.

Do & Co has been approached for comment.

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Jamie Young

Jamie Young

Jamie Young is Senior Reporter at Business Matters, covering SME finance, employment law and Westminster policy since 2016. He has reported on every Budget and Autumn Statement since 2018, helped make sense of the ‘covid era’ and the bounce-back loan scheme from launch through the fraud investigations, and broke the magazine’s coverage of the 2024 late-payment reforms. He joined Business Matters straight from completing his BA in Administration from Exeter University and is NCTJ-qualified. Reach him at jyoung@cbmeg.co.uk

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Krispy Kreme elevates two to new roles

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Krispy Kreme elevates two to new roles

Nicholas and Suess take on new positions.

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Building that played key role in Swansea’s copper industry being transformed

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Work transforming the historic Laboratory Building at the Hafod-Morfa Copperworks site is due to be completed this year

Looking from the top of the Laboratory Building towards the Swansea.com Stadium and Penderyn Whisky(Image: Swansea Council )

The transformation of a building where copper ore was probably tested during Swansea’s industrial heyday is due to be completed this year.

Council contractors have been working on the Laboratory Building at the Hafod-Morfa Copperworks site since late 2024 and are starting to install new floors. A Welsh slate roof will also be added.

It’s one of a number buildings at the site that have been or are being restored, including a Penderyn whisky distillery, and it’ll be ready for internal fit-out once finished.

The council said future uses could include it becoming a restaurant for more than 100 diners.

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The grade-two listed Laboratory Building with its ornate windows and stone doorcase is next to the Morfa Gates, once a key copperworks entrance.

The council said it was probably used to test the quality of copper ore coming into the site.

How the grade two-listed Laboratory Building could look.(Image: GWP Architecture)

A council spokesman said the rebuild was part of its ongoing programme to regenerate the Lower Swansea Valley, with support via the UK Government’s local regeneration fund.

Council leader Rob Stewart said: “We’re bringing the historic Laboratory Building back into use so and it’s great to see the floors going in and the building coming back to life.

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“The copperworks site has the potential to become a major leisure destination, building on its status as a key part of Swansea’s heritage.”

He added: “We’re pushing forward with the restoration of the Tawe river corridor and the Lower Swansea valley project. Penderyn are there, the two historic engine houses are being restored, and we have plans for more boating pontoons on the river.“A new river walkway is planned, new facilities will be created along the river, and a new major tourism destination is set to open nearby.”

John Weaver Contractors have been overhauling the Laboratory Building. GWP Architecture and Coreus Group are also involved. The council said a search for a tenant would get under way shortly.The nearby Vivian and Musgrave engine houses will also be restored.

The council’s planning committee heard last month that remains of wheel pits, rolling mill trenches and furnace bases – some potentially up to 200 years old – were found at the engine houses during excavation work.

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The project includes a new link building between the grade two-listed engine houses. The new-look site will be suitable for restaurant, cafe, retail, and exhibition uses when completed.

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Micron Shares Jump More Than 6% as AI Memory Demand Sparks Rebound After Recent Selloff

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Earnings News: Micron Technology Inc (NASDAQ: MU)

Micron Technology shares rose more than 6% in early trading Tuesday, climbing back toward recent levels as investors returned to memory chip stocks amid ongoing strength in artificial intelligence-related demand.

The stock traded at $881.50, up $51.99 or 6.27%, as of mid-morning Eastern time. The advance came after a period of volatility in which the shares had pulled back from highs reached earlier in the summer, pressured in part by reports of planned capacity expansions by Chinese competitors and broader profit-taking across the semiconductor sector.

Micron has been one of the clearest beneficiaries of the AI infrastructure buildout. In its fiscal third quarter ended in late May, the company reported revenue of $41.46 billion, a more than fourfold increase from the year-earlier period and well above Wall Street expectations. Adjusted earnings reached $25.11 per share. Gross margins expanded sharply to about 84.6%, reflecting higher pricing power in a market where demand for advanced memory has outstripped available supply.

Management guided for fiscal fourth-quarter revenue of approximately $50 billion, plus or minus $1 billion, with gross margins near 86% and adjusted earnings of about $31 per share. Those figures pointed to continued sequential growth and reinforced the view that the current upcycle in memory pricing remains intact.

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Chief Executive Sanjay Mehrotra said the results and outlook “reflect the strategic value of memory in the AI era.” He added that the company expects “tight conditions to persist beyond calendar 2027 as a result of AI-driven demand across all segments coupled with structural supply constraints.”

High-bandwidth memory, or HBM, used alongside advanced processors in AI accelerators, has been a key driver. Micron has reported that its HBM supply for the year is largely committed under multi-year contracts, and it has secured strategic customer agreements totaling billions of dollars, including cash deposits and pricing protections designed to stabilize volumes and margins. Data-center related revenue has grown to represent a substantial portion of overall sales.

The company has also outlined elevated capital spending to expand production capacity, including investments aimed at meeting customer needs for HBM and other high-performance DRAM. Analysts have noted that these long-term supply agreements help reduce the traditional cyclicality of the memory business by locking in a portion of future demand.

Despite the strong fundamentals, the stock experienced a correction in recent weeks. Shares had risen hundreds of percent over the prior year, pushing valuations higher and leaving the name vulnerable to shifts in sentiment. Reports that China’s ChangXin Memory Technologies was considering additional DRAM production capacity contributed to caution among some investors concerned about eventual supply increases. Broader market rotation away from high-flying AI names also played a role.

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Tuesday’s rebound appeared tied to a broader recovery in semiconductor and AI-related shares. Positive signals from other technology companies about enterprise AI adoption helped restore confidence that demand for the memory chips required by large-scale data centers remains robust. Several analysts have maintained or raised price targets, citing the combination of near-term pricing strength, multi-year contracts and the structural shift toward higher-value AI memory products.

Wall Street consensus remains constructive, with a majority of analysts rating the shares a buy and average price targets implying further upside from current levels. Some research notes have highlighted free-cash-flow generation potential that could support share repurchases or other capital returns over time, even as the company invests heavily in new capacity.

Micron operates in a concentrated industry alongside Samsung and SK Hynix. The three dominate global production of DRAM and related products. Supply discipline and the specialized nature of HBM manufacturing have so far limited rapid capacity responses, helping sustain elevated prices. Industry commentary from peers has similarly pointed to multi-year tightness in certain memory segments.

Risks remain. Memory markets have historically been volatile, and any slowdown in AI capital spending by hyperscale cloud providers could eventually pressure pricing. Competitive responses from Chinese manufacturers, execution risks on new technology ramps such as next-generation HBM, and the high capital intensity of the business are ongoing considerations. Valuation after the large run-up also leaves less margin for error if growth expectations are revised lower.

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For now, the early-session gains reflected renewed focus on the company’s position at the center of AI hardware demand. Micron’s ability to convert record revenue and margins into sustained free cash flow, while expanding capacity under long-term customer commitments, continues to shape investor views of the stock.

Trading remained active as the session progressed, with the shares recovering a portion of the ground lost during the recent pullback. The performance underscored the sensitivity of memory-chip equities to shifts in AI spending expectations and supply-demand balances in the broader semiconductor market.

Micron is scheduled to report its next quarterly results later in September. Until then, investors are likely to watch for updates on customer demand, pricing trends and any further developments on competitive capacity plans. The company’s recent results and guidance have positioned it as a primary proxy for the health of the AI-driven memory cycle.

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Dutch technologist praises Newport role in compound semiconductor cluster

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Joost Helms has played a key role in turning the Dutch city of Eindhoven into a tech powerhouse

Joost Helms speaking in Newport.

A key figure in the transformation of the Dutch city of Eindhoven into a technology powerhouse has praised the impact that the emerging compound semiconductor of South Wales is having on the city of Newport.

Joost Helms has been in South Wales as part of an initiative to strengthen international ties around the city’s semiconductor industry. He was invited by leader of Newport Council Dimitri Batrouni and councillor James Clarke because of his knowledge and experience delivering Eindhoven’s Brainport development, which transformed the city into Europe’s premier technology hubs, generating thousands of jobs and significant economic growth.

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Newport is home to some of biggest players in the compound semiconductor cluster such as Vishay, KLA and IQE. The cluster, from early stage and academic research to commercial firms, is targeting employing more than 6,000 by 2030 and generating combined revenues of £1bn.

An independent report, from the Welsh Economy Research Unit (WERU) at Cardiff University, shows that the cluster – known as CSconnected – last year directly employed 1,914 people, with a further 1,226 jobs supported across Wales through its wider economic indirect and induced impacts. Total Welsh employment linked to the cluster increased from 2,748 in 2024 to 3,140 last year, a 14% year-on-year rise.

It also generated £267m in direct GVA, with an additional £169m supported elsewhere in Wales, bringing total Welsh GVA impact to £436m, up 19% on 2024.

Mr Batrouni said: “It was absolute pleasure to welcome Joost Helms to Newport. We invited him to the city and the region because of his knowledge and experience of the technological regeneration of Eindhoven, Through the city’s Brainport project, it has become the premier tech capital of Europe, generating a huge number of jobs and economic wealth. I believe Newport is on the same trajectory and we must grab this opportunity, so once again Newport leads the next Industrial Revolution. For us, for our children and grandchildren.”

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Mr Helms, said: “What I found in Newport genuinely surprised me. South Wales is a well-kept secret in the global semiconductor value chain: South Wales is already recognised as one of the UK’s leading semiconductor clusters. Yet internationally, its capabilities remain far less visible than those of many better-known semiconductor regions. The initiative taken by Dimitri Batrouni and James Clarke to reach out to learn from international partners is timely and can help Newport translate these strengths into greater recognition, investment and opportunity.”

Mr Clarke, said: “Learning from internationally recognised success stories such as Eindhoven’s Brainport will help us better understand how we can unlock further investment, create skilled jobs and strengthen our position as a leading technology hub. We are ambitious for Newport and determined to ensure the city is at the forefront of future economic growth.”

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Chubb announces leadership changes at Westchester division

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Chubb announces leadership changes at Westchester division

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