Trump Weighs Blocking Exxon Investment as Venezuela Deemed “Uninvestable” 
Trump Pushes Tech Giants to Absorb AI Data Center Power Costs, Citing Microsoft Changes 
Chevron Sees Path to Boost Venezuela Oil Output by 50% After Trump Administration Talks 
Walmart to Join Nasdaq-100 Index as It Replaces AstraZeneca Following Exchange Move 
Nvidia Denies Upfront Payment Requirement for H200 AI Chips Amid China Export Scrutiny 
Anthropic Launches HIPAA-Compliant Healthcare Tools for Claude AI Amid Growing Competition 
Trump Calls for 10% Credit Card Interest Rate Cap Starting 2026 
UBS Upgrades L’Oréal to Buy, Sees Strong Sales Momentum and 20% Upside 
Viking Therapeutics Sees Growing Strategic Interest in $150 Billion Weight-Loss Drug Market 
Boeing 737 MAX 10 Advances in FAA Testing as Certification Delays Continue 
SK Hynix to Invest $13 Billion in Advanced Chip Packaging Plant as AI Memory Demand Surges 
Allegiant to Acquire Sun Country Airlines in $1.5 Billion Deal to Expand U.S. Leisure Travel Network 
Starlink Internet Remains Active in Iran Despite Nationwide Blackout 
Lynas CEO Amanda Lacaze to Retire After 12 Years as Rare Earths Demand Grows 
AbbVie Commits $100 Billion to U.S. Investment in Drug Pricing Deal With Trump Administration 
FCC Approves Expansion of SpaceX Starlink Network With 7,500 New Satellites 
Trump Considers Starlink to Restore Internet Access in Iran Amid Protests 
Facebook announced that it would be blocking Australian news content from its platform. This decision comes after Australia expressed its determination to pass a new media law that will oblige the company to pay for news that appears on its site.
Facebook reveals restrictions and blasts the proposed law
Australia will now be barred from posting news links on Facebook. Its citizens will also not be able to share or view Australian and international news content on the platform. Globally, sharing or posting of news links from Australian publications is prohibited as well.
Mark Zuckerberg’s company revealed its decision through a blog post that was posted on Feb. 17. In its statement, Facebook also slammed Australia for proposing such an unfair law.
“The proposed law fundamentally misunderstands the relationship between our platform and publishers who use it to share news content,” William Easton, Facebook Australia & New Zealand Managing Director, said in a statement. “It has left us facing a stark choice: attempt to comply with a law that ignores the realities of this relationship, or stop allowing news content on our services in Australia and with a heavy heart, we are choosing the latter.”
Easton added that they were ready to launch Facebook News in Australia and boost their investments with the Australian publishers, but they can only carry this out “with the right rules in place.”
As this was how things have turned out, Facebook will now just as prioritize investments in other countries. The managing director said that this step is part of their plans to invest in new licensing news programs and experiences.
The new Australian media law
Australian officials have presented a proposal that aims to make Google and Facebook pay for news. The proposed policy is called the News Media Bargaining Code, and it is now being tackled in Congress and will likely be passed.
If approved and finally turned into a new bill, it is feared that other countries will also follow suit and ask tech companies to compensate publishers. This will definitely change the relationship between traditional media and tech companies worldwide.
