World powers have placed economic and financial sanctions on North Korea in an effort to denuclearise. But in an open act of defiance against UN sanctions banning luxury goods, Kim Jong-un frequently shows off his $500,000 Mercedes limousine. So how do these top-of-the-line cars enter a banned territory? A New York Times report has tracked the routes used to import illicit goods, as Sally Ayhan reports.

#KimJong-un #Mercedes #UNsanctions

E-commerce giant Amazon is pulling back its business operations in China, as competition in the world's second- biggest economy heats-up. The world's largest retailer has shut its domestic marketplace there, underscoring how home-grown rivals have made it tough for the company to keep-up. Samantha Vadas reports. We spoke to Kurt Jetta in Plano, Texas. He's the founder and executive chairman of the tech-enabled consumer research firm, TABS Analytics.

#Amazon #Ecommerce #Alibaba

If you're on social media, you've probably come across images of your friends and family suddenly looking decades older or younger - or even as another gender. It's all thanks to FaceApp, which is currently one of the most downloaded programs among smarthphone users worldwide. But there are now calls to delete the app over privacy concerns, especially in the US, where officials are pointing to its Russian developers. But just how different is FaceApp from Instagram or Facebook? We got more on the FaceApp phenomenon with technology and cybersecurity expert David Papp in Edmonton, Canada.

#FaceApp #SmartphoneApps #CyberSucurity

Netflix shares have plunged after the company missed its global subscriber target by millions in the last quarter and lost customers in the US for the first time in eight years. The streaming giant is blaming its own price hikes for keeping viewers at bay. But as Mobin Nasir reports, Netflix is also under pressure from an increasingly crowded field of competitors. Bob O'Donnell joined us from Foster City, California. He's President and Chief Analyst at the California- based tech research firm, TECHnalysis Research.

#Netflix #StreamingService #OnlineSubscribers

HBO broke production budget records for the final season of its most popular show, Game of Thrones, and it's paid off. The company leads this year's Emmy nominations, taking back the crown it lost to Netflix last year.

#GameOfThrones #Netflix #EmmyAwards

This week marks the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission - when humans first set foot on the Moon. China is now planning to send its own astronauts to the lunar surface - to study how they can eventually stay there. Samantha Vadas has more on China's ambitions in space.

#China #SpaceRace #Apollo11

This week marks the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission - when humans first set foot on the Moon. China is now planning to send its own astronauts to the lunar surface - to study how they can eventually stay there. Samantha Vadas has more on China's ambitions in space.

#Robotics #Coding #Unemployment

For the first time in its 61-year history, the European Union's top job will be held by a woman. EU lawmakers have narrowly endorsed the long-serving German minister, Ursula von der Leyen, as the European Commission's new president. She's promised ambitious social, environmental and immigration reforms.. But as Sarah Morice reports, the new president isn't without controversy. For more, we spoke to Daniel Gros in Brussels. He's the director of the think-tank, the Centre for European Policy Studies.

#EuropeanUnion #VonderDerLeyer #ImmigrationReforms

EU regulators have launched an anti-trust investigation into Amazon - the latest installment of competition chief Margrethe Vestager's five-year crackdown on US tech giants. It follows allegations the online retail giant abuses sensitive data from independent businesses that sell on Amazon. The probe comes a day after Big Tech was grilled by US lawmakers over their market dominance and possible anti-competitive behaviour. And for more on this Rachel Silverman joined us from San Francisco.

#Amazon #EUregulators #AntiTrustInvestigation

Turkey's continuing its search for oil and gas reserves in the Mediterranean Sea, despite the European Union's decision to hit Ankara with sanctions. The EU has suspended high-level talks with the Turkish government, and has frozen pre-approved funding to the country. But with another ship heading out to sea, Ankara is preparing for a showdown. Mobin Nasir reports. For more on this we spoke to Taha Arvas. He's a financial columnist at the Daily Sabah.