Ed Miliband: a googly for tax avoiders | Editorial

Labour – a party that pussyfooted around with avoidance for 13 years – needs to convince the country it will do better next timeIn his own mind, Ed Miliband is pretty clear about how he would like to distinguish the Labour party he leads from the Labour party that went before. He aims to be readier than Blair and Brown to challenge the powerful in general, and the economically mighty in parti

Twitter introduces 'two-factor authentication' to stop password hacking

Company introduces mobile phone-based system to stop hackers from capturing control of Twitter accountsTwitter is introducing "two-factor authentication" using mobile phone verification on the social network, after a number of high-profile cases in which passwords were stolen by hackers.The worst case occurred in April when the Associated Press's feed was hacked by a group calling itself t

Letters: Engineering can be as inspiring as space

The new British space race (To boldly go, G2, 21 May) has the potential to inspire young people and boost our economy. Space travel captures the imagination of budding young inventors and engineers – it is the stuff of childhood dreams. But there are other British industries at the forefront of technology that can inspire and propel young people towards careers in engineering and science. Withou

Letters: Paying tax is absolutely a moral issue

CBI president Sir Roger Carr's claim that there can be no moral basis to concerns about tax avoidance is a grave misjudgment (Never mind morals, tax is all about the rules, 21 May). A great many ordinary people see payment – or rather non-payment – of tax as fundamentally a moral question. Perhaps it might be talked about as justice or fairness, but it boils down to the same thing. Christian Aid

Google's Eric Schmidt believes one company is an island

A slip of the tongue by Google's executive chairman speaks volumes about his perception of the company's tax obligationsA week or so ago, Google's chief executive, Larry Page, caused ripples when he suggested at a public event that laws older than 50 years or so shouldn't apply to internet companies, and that it might be fun to have an island where Google could dabble in new ideas without all

Google boss calls for a 'rational and predictable international tax system'

Eric Schmidt rejects Ed Miliband's criticisms of tax affairs, saying firm fears being 'double or quadruple taxed' under any changesThe Google chairman, Eric Schmidt, has told political leaders to sort out a rational and predictable international tax system, as he faced a wave of criticism over the firm's failure to pay more tax.Ed Miliband attempted to deliver his rebuke direct to Schmidt

Who dares to dodge Google's information tax? | McKenzie Wark

In exchange for giving up our personal data, we get to watch each other's cat videos, while Google becomes the new stateOf course Google doesn't want to pay its taxes to the British crown, like a loyal corporate subject. In Google's mind it secretly thinks that it is now something like a state, and we are all its subjects. It is we who should pay tribute to it – and we do.We pay it a sort

Peering at bright screens after dark could harm health, doctor claims

Light from TVs, computers, tablets and smartphones may disrupt sleep and raise risk of obesity, heart disease and depressionWatching TV or using computers, tablets or smartphones after dark may cause sleep loss and resultant health problems, a leading doctor has warned.Peering at brightly lit screens at night disrupts the body's natural rhythms and raises the risk of medical conditions lin

George Soros invests in 'hyperfast' internet firm

Soros investment vehicle Quantum Strategic Parters injects £50m in fibre-optic company HyperopticFinancier George Soros has led a £50m investment in fibre-optic company Hyperoptic, which lays high-speed lines direct to UK homes.The funding, from the Soros investment vehicle Quantum Strategic Parters, will help Hyperoptic reach its target of 500,000 homes within the next five years.Its "

Xbox One: we need time to figure this out

The Xbox One event has had a tough reaction from critics – the same fate befell PlayStation 4. But are we placing too much importance on these strange presentations?In his fascinating book, You Are Not A Robot, the tech veteran and virtual reality pioneer Jaron Lanier spells out a major concern he has with modern life. His fear is that social media, especially Twitter, is manipulating us into

Anthony Weiner ad: Ready to be NYC mayor and keep privates off Twitter | Paul Harris

In his new ad, Weiner stresses his work championing middle class causes and has plenty of scenes with his wifeWHOIs it really comeback season in America? After thestunning political rebirth of disgraced South Carolina ex-governor Mark Sanford, Anthony Weiner is certainly hopeful of his chances. The one-time liberal favourite New York congressman – whose last name combined with a Twitter hab

German IT firm seeks autistic workers

SAP says it aims to train 650 workers with autism to become IT specialists by 2020Declaring its eagerness to find workers that "think differently", a German software giant has announced it plans to recruit hundreds of people with autism within the next few years.SAP said it aimed to train 650 workers with autism to become IT specialists by 2020. The figure amounts to 1% of the corporation'

The Xbox One launch and technology's summer of ... meh | Michael Moran

Judging by the lukewarm reception for Xbox One, the techlust that keeps capitalism's wheels turning could be grinding to a haltThere's a certain sort of person that gets excited about the announcements of new high-tech products. I'm one of them. You may well be one too. We do seem to be quite a substantial demographic. Or at least noisy enough to seem substantial. We are the vocal claque of h

Construction of the Blackwall Tunnel - picture of the day

A photographic highlight selected by the picture desk. On this day in 1897, the Blackwall Tunnel was officially opened and, at 6,200 feet, it was the longest underwater tunnel in the world. Engineered by Alexander Binnie, it was built to provide a road link under the Thames between Greenwich and PoplarJim Powell

Google chief rejects 'responsible capitalism'

Eric Schmidt says search giant follows international rules after Labour leader criticised company over tax practicesGoogle executive chairman Eric Schmidt rejected the idea put forward by Labour leader Ed Miliband that the search giant should practise "responsible capitalism", arguing the company simply follows international tax laws – which he described as "irrational".Speaking at Google'

Google Big Tent: Ed Miliband, Eric Schmidt and more

Labour leader makes a speech in which he says the internet company needs to 'do the right thing' on tax. By Charles ArthurCharles Arthur

Xbox One: does the Microsoft console have anything new to offer?

Microsoft claims it can do everything, from the traditional playing of games and films to reading your heartbeat and making conference calls. But is that what customers want?It does everything. But is everything what we want? When Microsoft unveiled its new games console, the Xbox One, yesterday, tech fans struggled to keep up with an information overload. It will, we learned: read your heart

Call of Duty: Ghosts - video preview

Activision unveils the next-generation debut of its multi-million selling Call of Duty series. The game is targeted at the upcoming Xbox One and PlayStation 4 consoles

The making of Call of Duty: Ghosts - video

A look behind the scenes of the making of Call of Duty: Ghosts

Ed Miliband criticises Google over tax avoidance – video

Labour's leader, Ed Miliband, says Google's Eric Schmidt was wrong to argue that the company's controversial tax system was 'just capitalism'

Driver who tweeted about knocking cyclist over is under investigation

Trainee solicitor's Twitter boast and 95mph speedometer shot provoke online outrageA motorist is being investigated by police after she boasted on Twitter that she had knocked a cyclist off his bike.Emma Way tweeted on Sunday: "Definitely knocked a cyclist off his bike earlier - I have right of way he doesn't even pay road tax #bloodycyclists." Her post prompted outrage among users of the

Xbox One: five key points you need to know

Microsoft has unveiled its new generation of games console – but what else can it do, and when can you buy one?1. What exactly is the Xbox One?It's the latest games console from Microsoft, announced at an elaborate event co-hosted in Seattle and London this week. It's the first new Xbox console to be launched by Microsoft since the Xbox 360 launched in 2005.2. Why is this new Xbox One so

Gif, also known as Jif

However you pronounce these animated clips they still make us giggle. Or should that be jiggle?Name: Gif.Age: 26.Appearance: A cat falling into a toilet, for ever.Why are we talking about Gifs? Is one trending on Twitter? Is it a girl bouncing on a trampoline without a bra again? Nope, it's the inventor of the Gif, Steven Wilhite.Steven Wilhite has been bouncing on a trampoline wi

Children's publisher turns back on Amazon

Refusing further business, Barefoot Books says retail giant has undermined its commitment to 'grassroots values'An award-winning children's publisher has cut its ties with Amazon, saying that the online retail giant has turned its books into commodities and undermined its way of doing business.Citing her commitment "to diversity and to grassroots values; to 'small is beautiful'", Barefoot

Google tax avoidance is 'wrong', insists Ed Miliband

Labour leader cites Google founders' 2004 promise in which they said they would forgo short-term gains to do good thingsLabour Leader Ed Miliband has said Google is "wrong" to avoid paying taxes on UK revenues, citing its founders' 2004 promise to forgo short-term gains in order to do good things.At an event hosted by the search giant near London, Miliband also pledged that a future Labour

What responsible capitalism is all about | Ed Miliband

When Google does great things for the world, I applaud. When it goes to extraordinary lengths to avoid paying its taxes, it's wrong_This is the prepared text of a speech delivered at Google's Big Tent event on the morning of Wednesday 22 May, 2013._It is great to be here inside the Google Big Tent.My sons Daniel and Sam think I do a very boring job, so they will be excited when I tell t

Google tackled by Nick Clegg on tax avoidance at No10 meeting

Ed Miliband also warns Eric Schmidt at Google conference that it's wrong for multinationals not to pay fair shareNick Clegg raised the controversy over Google's tax affairs directly with the internet giant's chairman, Eric Schmidt, at a meeting in Downing Street this week, the deputy prime minister has revealed.News of his intervention came as the Labour leader, Ed Miliband, told Schmidt a

The secret life of internet trolls: part one - video

Climate Desk are invited to dinner by their most pernicious, climate-denying troll, Hoyt Connell

Urturn raises $13.4m for social 'self-expression' service and launches its official iPhone app

London-based startup secures funding from Balderton Capital and sets sights on younger users fleeing FacebookIf the thought of an iPhone app for people to slap virtual stickers and slogans onto photos – often of One Direction – share them with the world and then remix one another's creations makes you angry, you'd best click away now.Urturn's app does exactly that. It launches today, along

Alec Baldwin and James Toback discuss Cannes documentary Seduced and Abandoned - video interview

James Toback and Alec Baldwin discuss their documentary on the film industry, partly filmed at the 2012 Cannes film festivalElliot SmithHenry BarnesCatherine ShoardPeter Bradshaw