Business Briefs – February 24, 2019

EU Says It’s Ready to Hit Back If U.S. Imposes Car Tariffs

BUCHAREST, Romania (AP) – A European Union official says “there is full support” from member states to hit back if President Donald Trump imposes tariffs on cars and car parts. EU Trade Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom said EU trade ministers had discussed the bloc’s trading relationship with Washington during an informal meeting Friday in Bucharest.

Report: Apps Send Sensitive User Data to Facebook

NEW YORK (AP) — The Wall Street Journal is reporting that several phone apps are sending sensitive user data to Facebook, including health information, without users’ consent. The report says an analytics tool called “App Events” allows app developers to record user activity and report it back to Facebook, even if the user isn’t on Facebook.

As Prices Soar, Turkey’s Erdogan Woos Voters With Vegetables

ISTANBUL (AP) – The government of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has set up dozens of temporary stalls offering vegetables at almost half the regular market price. The move comes ahead of local elections next month and targets poorer families who have typically voted for Erdogan and are now struggling with inflation. The cost of food has jumped by about a third after turmoil in financial markets last year over Erdogan’s policies caused the national currency to slump.

Ireland Publishes No-Deal Brexit Bill It Hopes It Won’t Need

LONDON (AP) – The Irish government has published legislation designed to ease the damage if Britain leaves the European Union without a deal — but says it hopes the law will never be needed. The government plans to fast-track the bill through Ireland’s parliament before the U.K.’s scheduled departure on March 29. As a major trading partner of Britain, and the only EU country that shares a land border with the U.K., Ireland faces a huge economic hit if a “no-deal” Brexit introduces tariffs and customs checks.

Smile: Some Airliners Have Cameras on Seat-Back Screens

NEW YORK (AP) – Now there’s one more place where cameras could start watching you — from 30,000 feet. Newer seat-back entertainment systems on some airplanes operated by American Airlines and Singapore Airlines have cameras, and it’s likely they are also on planes used by other carriers. Both airlines say they have never activated the cameras. Still, the news raises privacy issues for travelers. It came to light after a passenger posted a close-up photo of the camera this week, and the tweet was widely shared.

China’s Huawei Unveils 5G Phone With Folding Screen

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) – China’s Huawei unveiled a new folding-screen phone on Sunday, joining the latest trend for bendable devices as it challenges the global smartphone market’s dominant players, Apple and Samsung.

Huawei revealed its Mate X phone on the eve of MWC Barcelona, a four-day showcase of mobile devices, as the company battles U.S. allegations it is a cybersecurity risk.

The device can be used on superfast next-generation mobile networks that are due to come online in the coming years.