Apple refusing to pay back taxes owed to EU; Bernie Sanders call for ban on police use of facial recognition; a new report says cattle farming could go extinct
First up, we have another story regarding Apple and its questionable international dealings. The European Union recently ordered Apple to pay over 14 billion dollars in back taxes that it says is owed to Ireland. This all stems from the European headquarters that Apple established in Ireland because of the tax situation at the time; which the EU is now trying to tie to any profits that were made in Europe. Apple has said that this defies all logic and reality and has so far refused to pay.
Next up, we have a story from the US presidential election campaigns that are currently underway. While a few US cities have already banned the use of facial recognition by its law enforcement departments, now Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders is calling for a national ban on police us of the technology. While his comments were made in August, they have found themselves back in the news as the topic of facial recognition software, as well as algorithmic prediction methods for judging re-offending odds, which Sanders also opposes, are hot topics again.
And lastly, we have a story that may frighten cattle farmers across the continent. A new study shows that by 2030, not only could the cattle population in the US be reduced by 50 percent, but the cattle farming industry as a whole could be bankrupt. The reason for these findings is the ever-growing presence and demand for manufactured proteins to replace traditional protein sources. In fact, the study also theorizes that by 2035, demand for cattle-related products could drop by 80 to 90 percent.