Auburn's Flinton quietly impactful for Dartmouth hockey team

Athabasca Oil Announces 2025 Budget Focused on Cash Flow Per Share Growth and Directing 100% of Free Cash Flow to Shareholder ReturnsThe federal government's proposed social media ban for under-16s has been unveiled in the parliament, with $50m in fines for big tech companies which don't comply – and an admission from Labor the new rules may require all Australians to hand over more of their personal data. But while the government has promised "robust" privacy protections for that extra information, and bans on social media giants using that data for other purposes, we still don't know exactly what kind of data people will have to hand over. The government instead is kicking that can to the big tech firms themselves, essentially asking Facebook, Snapchat and X to come up with their own systems instead. Here's what we know so far – and what questions still need to be answered. Which platforms will be targeted? The communications minister, Michelle Rowland, introduced the legislation on Thursday. She said the laws aren't meant to apply to messaging services, such as Facebook Messenger or WhatsApp, or online services like Kids Helpline. The laws will also give some exemptions to products used for educational purposes, such as YouTube or Google Classroom. The bill is introducing a new term – "age-restricted social media platforms" – into the Online Safety Act. This will apply to platforms such as TikTok, Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram and X, Rowland said – as well as message board Reddit. Specifically, the bill seeks to stop under-16s being "logged in" or having accounts on those services. Young people would still be able to view YouTube videos while being logged out of the platform, or view some Facebook pages used for a business in a logged-out state. For instance, the explanatory memorandum concedes some Facebook pages "such as the landing page of a business or service that uses social media as their business host platform" would be able to be viewed. Why is it needed? The government has raised major concerns about the mental health effects of social media on young people, including issues... Josh Butler

BRUSSELS (AP) — European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen arrived in Uruguay Thursday for the final stages in to clinch a trade deal between the 27-nation EU and the South American Mercosur trade bloc that would create a trans-Atlantic market of some 700 million people. “The finish line of the EU-Mercosur agreement is in sight. Let’s work, let’s cross it,” von der Leyen said Thursday, sidestepping objections from some EU member states like France and protests by farmers across the bloc. French President Emmanuel Macron, mindful of his country’s vocal and politically powerful farming community, has described what was on the table as “unacceptable.” If the deal with the South American bloc — comprising of Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and Bolivia — goes ahead, EU producers would have to compete with South American agricultural exports such as beef, poultry and sugar. “We will continue to steadfastly defend our agricultural independence,” Macron said Thursday. Because the EU Commission negotiates trade agreements for all 27 member states, von der Leyen could go ahead with a provisional deal this weekend at the Mercosur summit in Uruguay, only to see it flounder because one or more members states refuse to sign up to it. A draft deal was , but disagreements over environmental, economic and political issues have delaying its final approval until now. If the final differences are bridged, the EU-Mercosur deal would encompass an economic area covering almost a quarter of global GDP. It would center on reducing tariffs and trade barriers and make it easier for businesses on both sides to export goods. Germany, with its huge car industry, is a big proponent of the deal since it would make it much easier and cheaper for Volkswagens, Audis and BMWs to be sold in Latin America. Von der Leyen’s trip suggested that technical issues between the EU and the South American bloc were settled and the road was open for “the top political level to make the final compromises to try to get a deal over the line,” said Commission spokesman Olof Gill. protest movement last year sent warning shots to negotiators and on Thursday, protests from Belgian farmers added their voice by blocking border crossings. They say Mercosur producers would be allowed to flood the market with produce than do not have to meet the strict EU environmental and animal protection standards they have to abide by, thus unfairly undercutting the market. On top of that, they say South American producers benefit from lower labor costs and larger farms. If von der Leyen clinches a deal, the Commission would still have to pour it into legal text and only at that stage would it become clear if certain or all parts need to be approved by unanimity or whether a special majority among EU nations would suffice to make the deal final. ___ Tom Nouvian contributed from Paris Raf Casert, The Associated Press

Inovio Pharmaceuticals Inc. stock underperforms Thursday when compared to competitors

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