Why it matters: Dozens of far-right groupsuse their Facebook, YouTube and Instagram platforms to spread their ideology, draw in recruits and generate millions in sales through events and merchandise.
Two Canadians imprisoned by the Chinese government for over 1,000 days have been released and are expected to arrive in Canada on Saturday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Friday.
Why it matters: Their release comes hours after Huawei Technologies CFO Meng Wanzhou reached a deal with the U.S. Department of Justice that resolves the criminal charges against her and could pave the way for her to return to China.
Regulators in China are tightening their grip on industries at a dizzying pace — ratcheting up pressure that’s spared few sectors.
Driving the news: The country’s most powerful regulators banded together for the first time to outlaw all cryptocurrency activity on Friday, Reuters reports — intensifying its years-long war.
The European Union warned Russia in a statement on Friday not to allow hackers to attack databases or spread disinformation as Germany holds its parliamentary elections this weekend.
The U.S. Treasury said Friday that it has issued licenses allowing the U.S. government, NGOs and international organizations like the United Nations to engage in transactions with the Taliban or Haqqani Network to provide humanitarian assistance despite U.S. sanctions on the two militant groups.
Why it matters: There's growing concern that the punitive measures could exacerbate the crisis in Afghanistan, Reuters reports.
Volcanic explosions on the Spanish island of La Palma intensified on Friday after a new vent opened, forcing firefighters to retreat and three more towns to evacuate, Reuters reports.
Why it matters: Mount Cumbre Vieja erupted earlier this week, destroying hundreds of homes and forcing thousands to evacuate, Reuters reports. Firefighters had been scheduled for clean-up work on Friday before the latest explosion.
Huawei Technologies executive Meng Wanzhou reached a deal with the Justice Department that resolves the criminal charges against her and could pave the way for her to return to China, AP reports.
Why it matters: The deal settles a yearslong dispute involving the U.S., China and Canada, where Meng, Huawei's chief financial officer, has remained since her arrest there in December 2018, per AP.
China's central bank declared on Friday that all cryptocurrencies are illegal, banning crypto-related transactions and cryptocurrency mining, according to Reuters.
Why it matters: China's government is now following through with its goal of cracking down on unofficial virtual currencies, which it has said are a financial, social and national security risk and a contributor to global warming.
