India's Competition Commission (CCI) has fined Meta Platforms $25.4 million and restricted the company from sharing data between WhatsApp and its other apps for advertising purposes, according to a recent report by Reuters. The five-year ban and penalty come after an investigation into WhatsApp's controversial 2021 privacy policy.  

The CCI's order, issued on Monday, states that WhatsApp users in India cannot be forced to share their data with other Meta-owned platforms, such as Facebook or Instagram, as a condition for using the service.  

The investigation into WhatsApp's policy began in March 2021, focusing on its potential to violate India's antitrust laws. Meta, in response, argued that the update did not compromise the privacy of personal messages and assured users that no accounts would be deleted or lose functionality because of the policy change.

This ruling is part of India's wider push to regulate tech giants like Meta, Apple, and Google more closely, says Reuters. India is also considering new laws to strengthen its antitrust rules, which could further impact global tech companies. 

Meta plans to appeal the decision, continuing its challenge to India's regulatory actions in one of its biggest markets, adds the report.

India will not travel to Pakistan for the eight-team Champions Trophy starting in February, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said on Sunday.

Deteriorating political relations, tense at the best of times, have meant the bitter rivals have not played a bilateral series for over a decade -- with India last touring Pakistan for the Asia Cup in 2008.

"The Pakistan Cricket Board has received an email from the ICC (International Cricket Council), stating that the Indian board has informed them that their team will not travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy 2025," PCB spokesman Sami Ul Hasan told AFP.

"The PCB has forwarded that email to the government of Pakistan for their advice and guidance," Hasan added.

Pakistan is due to host the eight-nation event in three cities -- Lahore, Rawalpindi and Karachi -- from February 19 to March 9 next year but the final schedule was hanging in the balance with India yet to confirm its participation.

PCB chairman Moshin Naqvi had previously ruled out the possibility of a hybrid event that would have seen India play all its matches on neutral venues in the United Arab Emirates.

"Pakistan has shown great gestures to India in the past, and we'd like to say clearly India shouldn't expect such friendly gestures from us every time," Naqvi said in Lahore on Saturday.

"The government will decide if Pakistan travel for any future event in India if they don't come to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy.

"The PCB will not decide that."

The ICC was set to release the Champions Trophy schedule this week, but the latest stand-off will likely delay that announcement.

- Bitter rivalry -

The Champions Trophy is the premier ODI competition after the World Cup, with the upcoming event featuring Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan and South Africa.

Monday marks the 100-day countdown to the event.

Nuclear-armed India and Pakistan have fought three wars since being carved out of the subcontinent's partition in 1947 and that rivalry is often reflected on the cricket field.

Any cricket match between the two is among the most watched events on the global sporting calendar.

Pakistan visited India for last year's ODI World Cup and the PCB expected the gesture to be reciprocated for the Champion's trophy.

Pakistan was forced to stage last year's Asia Cup using a hybrid model with India playing their matches in addition to the final in Sri Lanka.

India and Pakistan have only faced off in ICC multi-nation events since their last bilateral series in the 2012-13 season.

More than 8 million people in Britain tuned in to watch England win the Cricket World Cup on Sunday following the decision by Sky decision to allow the final to be shown on a free-to-air channel.

After criticism that England's earlier matches had only been watched by under a million viewers on Sky's subscription-based channels, the broadcaster made Sunday's finale against New Zealand available on Channel 4.

"I’m thrilled that a total peak audience of 8.3m watched England win the Cricket World Cup. It's wonderful that the whole nation can come together to share these momentous British sporting events," said Alex Mahon, chief executive at Channel 4.

More than 50 percent of those who watched the dramatic match, which England won on boundary count after a tied Super Over, did so on Channel 4.

However, despite being available to more people, the cricket failed to top numbers who watched the BBC's coverage of the thrilling Wimbledon tennis Men' Singles Final between Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer, which took place at the same time and peaked at 9.6 million viewers.

The lack of free-to-air coverage of England's progress through the competition was blamed for the failure to generate the excitement of other major sporting competitions.

More than 11 million viewers in Britain tuned watched the England women's soccer team in the semi-final of the World Cup in France for free on the BBC, making it the country's most widely viewed broadcast of 2019.

The 2005 Ashes series against Australia attracted an audience of some 8.4 million, but the number of viewers dwindled after the decision was made to screen all England games on subscription channels.

Prime Minister Theresa May's spokesman said the World Cup victory would live forever in British sporting history and cricket chiefs are hopeful the game will inspire more young people to play the game.

"It's also exciting to think just how many children will be inspired by this victory to pick up a bat for the first time and hopefully become the great cricketers and World Cup winners of tomorrow," May's spokesman said 

Former Australia opener David Warner has backed Nathan McSweeney to score the most runs in the test series against India despite the uncapped batsman's lack of experience as an opener.

South Australia captain McSweeney will march out to the middle with Usman Khawaja in the first test at Perth Stadium starting on Friday, having claimed the opening spot vacated by Steve Smith, who is returning to his favoured number four slot.

McSweeney had not opened the batting in a first class match until playing India A this month in Melbourne where he scored 14 and 25.

Warner said McSweeney would be able to adapt to the opening role and looked a good fit for Khawaja, who also started his career lower down the order.

"I think he's got the technique, he's got the patience to partner up with Uzzy (Khawaja) to allow himself to score big," Warner, who retired from tests after the Pakistan series in the last home summer, told reporters in Melbourne.

"I've pencilled him in to be the highest run scorer this year, so I'm looking forward to that.

"I think they've both got the same sort of patience, which is going to be good for them and hold the middle order in good stead."

At 25, McSweeney will be an outlier in a team of thirty-somethings and pundits worry about the impact a wave of retirements will have on the side in the coming years.

Warner noted Australia needed to think about succession planning, particularly with players like 37-year-old Khawaja approaching the end of their careers.

However, he also called for selectors to be patient with the new generation and give McSweeney time to prove himself at the highest level.

"It's not just these five test matches, it's the signs that you see (McSweeney) as a talented batsman for the future," he said.

"You've got to give guys a crack.

"I know there are other guys that have been there - Marcus Harris, Cameron Bancroft - but it'd be exciting just to see him score some runs first to establish himself.

"But if he doesn't, just give him some time, give him maybe two summers."