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12:03 PM
gtventic
The Jew or Not Jew app lists some 3,500 people US computer firm Apple has withdrawn a mobile phone application called Jewish or Not Jewish from its online store in France. The application allowed users to find out whether celebrities and public figures were Jewish or not.
Anti-racism group SOS Racisme said it was illegal because French law did not allow the compilation of personal data without the individual's consent.
Developer Johann Levy, who is Jewish, said the app was "recreational".
Mr Levy said there was nothing sinister about his application, which is still available outside France.
"I'm not a spokesman for all Jews, but as a Jew myself, I know that in our community we often ask whether such and such celebrity is Jewish or not," the 35-year-old Franco-British engineer told Le Parisien newspaper on Wednesday.
"For me, there's nothing pejorative about saying that someone is Jewish or not," he said. "On the contrary, it's about being proud."
He said he compiled information about some 3,500 people listed in his app by using various online sources.
French laws enacted after World War II ban the compilation of information about religious affiliation without permission. Doing so is punishable by up to five years in prison and a fine of 300,000 euros (£260,000).
In June, Apple had to remove an Arabic-language application from its App Store called ThirdIntifada, after Israel said it incited violence.
ABS-CBN Corporation, posted lower first-half profits at P1.7 billion, down 26% on weak sales and lower advertising revenues.The profit drop was limited due to a P674-million one-time gain on the sale of Sky Cable Philippine Depositary Receipts (PDRs) to Singapore's STT Communications.However, it was not enough to make up for the absence of political advertising which totaled P1.3 billion in the midst of national and local elections last year.Consolidated revenues hit P13.9 billion, a decline of 18% on year. Advertising revenues likewise dipped 24% at P8.8 billion.Stripping out the sale of Sky Cable's PDRs and political advertising last year, total revenues rose 1% and advertising revenues at 4%.Consumer sales for the first half was also down 4% at P5.1 billion, mainly from ABS-CBN Global, while revenues dropped 14% on year, on lower subscriber growth and stronger peso versus the dollar.ABS-CBN Global's overall viewer count dropped 1% on year, led by declines in the Middle East, Europe and Japan, but it's the contrary in markets like Canada, Asia-Pacific and Australia.The company set a P3 billion profit target for 2011, which the firm acknowledged may be tough to achieve."It will be a challenging year," ABS-CBN chief financial officer Ron Valdueza said.ABS-CBN Corp. is the parent firm of ABS-CBNNews.com.- by Liza Reyes of ABS-CBN News
