WEATHER ALERT
Australian states back national plan to ban children younger than 16 from social media
Read full article: Australian states back national plan to ban children younger than 16 from social mediaAustralia’s states and territories have unanimously backed a world-first national plan to ban children younger than 16 from most forms of social media.
Who will buy Infowars? Both supporters and opponents of Alex Jones interested in bankruptcy auction
Read full article: Who will buy Infowars? Both supporters and opponents of Alex Jones interested in bankruptcy auctionThe assets of Alex Jones' Infowars are set to be auctioned off next week, and both supporters and detractors of the conspiracy theorist are expressing interest in bidding.
Racist text messages referencing slavery raise alarms in multiple states and prompt investigations
Read full article: Racist text messages referencing slavery raise alarms in multiple states and prompt investigationsRacist text messages invoking slavery raised alarm across the country this week after they were sent to Black men, women and students, including middle schoolers, prompting inquiries by the FBI and other agencies.
Australia plans a social media ban for children under 16
Read full article: Australia plans a social media ban for children under 16The Australian government announced on Thursday what it described as world-leading legislation that would set an age limit of 16 years for children to start using social media, and hold platforms responsible for ensuring compliance.
Canada orders TikTok's Canadian business to be dissolved but won't block app
Read full article: Canada orders TikTok's Canadian business to be dissolved but won't block appThe Canadian government is ordering the dissolution of TikTok’s Canadian business after a national security review of the Chinese company behind the social media app but said it won’t block access.
Corning faces EU antitrust scrutiny over Gorilla Glass deals with phone makers
Read full article: Corning faces EU antitrust scrutiny over Gorilla Glass deals with phone makersCorning is facing European Union antitrust scrutiny after the bloc’s watchdog said it’s investigating the speciality glass maker’s exclusive deals for its Gorilla Glass used in cellphones.
Trump Media gains post-election, even as Truth Social parent reports $19 million quarterly loss
Read full article: Trump Media gains post-election, even as Truth Social parent reports $19 million quarterly lossThe parent company of Donald Trump’s social networking site Truth Social lost $19.2 million in the last quarter, according to an earnings report released on the same day he won back the presidency.
Tesla shares soar more than 14% as Trump win is seen boosting Elon Musk's electric vehicle company
Read full article: Tesla shares soar more than 14% as Trump win is seen boosting Elon Musk's electric vehicle companyShares of Tesla soared Wednesday as investors bet that the electric vehicle maker and its CEO Elon Musk will benefit from Donald Trump’s return to the White House.
Lebanon files complaint against Israel at UN labor body over deadly pager explosions, minister says
Read full article: Lebanon files complaint against Israel at UN labor body over deadly pager explosions, minister saysA Lebanese government minister says his country is filing a complaint against Israel at the U.N.’s labor organization over the string of deadly attacks involving exploding pagers, saying workers were among those killed and injured.
Trump win ignites crypto frenzy that sends bitcoin to a record high
Read full article: Trump win ignites crypto frenzy that sends bitcoin to a record highThe price of bitcoin has hit a new high as investors bet that former President Donald Trump’s victory in the U.S. presidential election will be a boon for cryptocurrencies.
Nintendo Chief insists the Switch momentum will keep going, even after its successor
Read full article: Nintendo Chief insists the Switch momentum will keep going, even after its successorJapanese video game maker Nintendo’s chief says its Switch console sales are still going strong, while he promised that a successor is coming.
You may have blocked someone on X but now they can see your public posts anyway
Read full article: You may have blocked someone on X but now they can see your public posts anywayElon Musk’s X has been modified so that accounts you’ve blocked on the social media platform can still see your public posts.
In Cyprus, officials from Algeria to Iraq train to keep WMD from crossing their borders
Read full article: In Cyprus, officials from Algeria to Iraq train to keep WMD from crossing their bordersA small facility in Cyprus is hosting senior government officials from as far as Algeria, Iraq and Georgia for training by top U.S. experts to prevent the kinds of materials used to build weapons of mass destruction from crossing their borders.
Many retailers offer 'returnless refunds.' Just don't expect them to talk much about it
Read full article: Many retailers offer 'returnless refunds.' Just don't expect them to talk much about itIt’s one of the most under-publicized policies of some of the biggest U.S. retailers: sometimes they give customers full refunds and let them keep unwanted items too.
Nevada lithium mine will crush rare plant habitat US said is critical to its survival, lawsuit says
Read full article: Nevada lithium mine will crush rare plant habitat US said is critical to its survival, lawsuit saysConservationists and a Native American advocacy group are suing to block a Nevada lithium mine they say will drive an endangered wildflower to extinction, disrupt groundwater flows and threaten cultural resources.
Nvidia replaces Intel on the Dow index in AI-driven shift for semiconductor industry
Read full article: Nvidia replaces Intel on the Dow index in AI-driven shift for semiconductor industryNvidia is replacing Intel on the Dow Jones Industrial Average, ending a 25-year-run for a pioneering semiconductor company that has fallen behind as Nvidia cornered the market for chips that run artificial intelligence systems.
MrBeast probe ends with some employees fired but finds no proof of sexual misconduct allegations
Read full article: MrBeast probe ends with some employees fired but finds no proof of sexual misconduct allegationsOnline video production company MrBeast says it has fired somewhere between 5 to 10 employees following an investigation into the YouTube empire’s workplace culture.
Lyft pays $2.1 million to settle case alleging the ride-hailing service deceived drivers
Read full article: Lyft pays $2.1 million to settle case alleging the ride-hailing service deceived driversLyft is paying $2.1 million to settle a lawsuit accusing the ride-hailing service of exaggerating how much money drivers could make while the company was trying to recover from a steep downturn in demand during the pandemic.
What to stream: 'Yellowstone' starts its end, Eddie Redmayne as a sniper and Aubrey Plaza gets high
Read full article: What to stream: 'Yellowstone' starts its end, Eddie Redmayne as a sniper and Aubrey Plaza gets highEddie Redmayne's return to TV starring as a sniper for hire in the new limited series “The Day of the Jackal” and “Yellowstone” riding off into the sunset with the launch of its final episodes are some of this week’s new streaming entertainment releases.
ChatGPT will now work as a search engine as OpenAI partners with some news outlets
Read full article: ChatGPT will now work as a search engine as OpenAI partners with some news outletsOpenAI is launching a ChatGPT-powered search engine that could put the artificial intelligence company in direct competition with search giant Google and affect the flow of internet traffic seeking news and other timely information.
New York semiconductor site picked for $825 million in funding
Read full article: New York semiconductor site picked for $825 million in fundingU.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer says a semiconductor research facility in upstate New York will be getting $825 million in funding as one of three national technology centers.
Ping! Harris and Trump are blowing up your phones with political texts in campaign's last days
Read full article: Ping! Harris and Trump are blowing up your phones with political texts in campaign's last daysAcross the U.S., people's phones are pinging with text messages from Donald Trump, Kamala Harris and their allies.
Report says crowd-sourced fact checks on X fail to address flood of US election misinformation
Read full article: Report says crowd-sourced fact checks on X fail to address flood of US election misinformationX’s crowd-sourced fact-checking program, called Community Notes, isn’t addressing the flood of U.S. election misinformation on Elon Musk’s social media platform.
Autonomous truck company Aurora delays hauling freight without human drivers until April
Read full article: Autonomous truck company Aurora delays hauling freight without human drivers until AprilAutonomous truck company Aurora Innovation says it won’t start hauling freight without humans on board until April of next year.
Meta's third-quarter profit surges 35% reflecting strong ad revenue and its AI push
Read full article: Meta's third-quarter profit surges 35% reflecting strong ad revenue and its AI pushMeta Platforms Inc. has posted stronger-than-expected third-quarter results fueled by its advertising revenue growth and its push to incorporate artificial intelligence.
Microsoft reports quarterly sales up 16% to $65.6 billion as investors ask if AI spending worth it
Read full article: Microsoft reports quarterly sales up 16% to $65.6 billion as investors ask if AI spending worth itMicrosoft on Wednesday reported its quarterly sales grew 16% to $65.6 billion as the company sought to assure investors its huge spending on artificial intelligence is paying off.
Elon Musk wins court victory in a dispute over a 2018 post during a labor dispute
Read full article: Elon Musk wins court victory in a dispute over a 2018 post during a labor disputeA federal appeals court says the National Labor Relations Board was wrong to order that Tesla CEO Elon Musk delete a 2018 social media post that union leaders saw as a threat to employee stock options.
Google's moneymaking machine still pumping out massive profits despite multiple threats
Read full article: Google's moneymaking machine still pumping out massive profits despite multiple threatsGoogle is still thriving while the company navigates through a pivotal shift to artificial intelligence and battles regulators trying to topple its internet empire.
Robert Downey Jr. says he 'intends to sue' all future executives who use his AI replica
Read full article: Robert Downey Jr. says he 'intends to sue' all future executives who use his AI replicaRobert Downey Jr. doesn’t think Marvel executives would ever recreate his portrayal of Tony Stark using artificial intelligence.
Czech power company CEZ signs deal with Britain's Rolls-Royce SMR to build modular nuclear reactors
Read full article: Czech power company CEZ signs deal with Britain's Rolls-Royce SMR to build modular nuclear reactorsThe Czech power company CEZ has signed a deal with Britain’s Rolls-Royce SMR to form a strategic partnership to develop and deploy small modular nuclear reactors.
Apple launches the iPhone into the AI era with free software update
Read full article: Apple launches the iPhone into the AI era with free software updateApple has released a free software update that will inject its first dose of artificial intelligence into its iPhone 16 line-up as the trendsetting company tries to catch up with technology’s latest craze.
Biden calls out Musk over a published report that the Tesla CEO once worked in the US illegally
Read full article: Biden calls out Musk over a published report that the Tesla CEO once worked in the US illegallyPresident Joe Biden has slammed Elon Musk for hypocrisy on immigration after a published report that the Tesla CEO once worked illegally in the United States.
American Airlines tests boarding technology that audibly shames line cutters
Read full article: American Airlines tests boarding technology that audibly shames line cuttersAmerican Airlines is testing a new technology at three airports across the country during the boarding process that aims to cut down on passengers who try to jump the line.
AP sources: Chinese hackers targeted phones of Trump, Vance, people associated with Harris campaign
Read full article: AP sources: Chinese hackers targeted phones of Trump, Vance, people associated with Harris campaignChinese hackers targeted cellphones used by Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, his running mate, JD Vance, and people associated with the Democratic campaign of Kamala Harris.
The 'Black Insurrectionist' was actually white. The deception did not stop there
Read full article: The 'Black Insurrectionist' was actually white. The deception did not stop there“Black Insurrectionist,” the anonymous social media persona behind some of the most widely circulated conspiracy theories about Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate Tim Walz, can be traced to a white man from upstate New York.
What to stream: Tyler, the Creator, 'The Substance,' Olivia Rodrigo concert film and 'The Diplomat'
Read full article: What to stream: Tyler, the Creator, 'The Substance,' Olivia Rodrigo concert film and 'The Diplomat'“The Substance” and albums by Willie Nelson and Tyler, the Creator are some of this week’s new streaming entertainment releases.
AI-generated child sexual abuse images are spreading. Law enforcement is racing to stop them
Read full article: AI-generated child sexual abuse images are spreading. Law enforcement is racing to stop themLaw enforcement agencies across the U.S. are cracking down on the troubling spread of child sexual abuse imagery created through artificial intelligence technology.
Nigeria releases American crypto executive after dropping money laundering case
Read full article: Nigeria releases American crypto executive after dropping money laundering caseAn American cryptocurrency executive held in Nigeria for the past eight months has been released after authorities there announced that they were ending his money laundering trial on health and diplomatic grounds.
Google's partnership with AI startup Anthropic faces a UK competition investigation
Read full article: Google's partnership with AI startup Anthropic faces a UK competition investigationBritain’s competition watchdog is opening a formal investigation into Google’s partnership with artificial intelligence startup Anthropic.
Russia amplified hurricane disinformation to drive Americans apart, researchers find
Read full article: Russia amplified hurricane disinformation to drive Americans apart, researchers findNew research shows Russia has worked to amplify false and misleading claims about the U.S. government's response to Hurricanes Helene and Milton as part of the Kremlin's efforts to manipulate Americans before the Nov. 5 election.
New rules for US national security agencies balance AI's promise with need to protect against risks
Read full article: New rules for US national security agencies balance AI's promise with need to protect against risksNew rules from the White House on the use of artificial intelligence by U.S. national security and spy agencies aim to balance the technology’s promise with the need to protect against its risks.
Apple and Goldman Sachs must pay $89 million for mishandling Apple Card transactions, CFPB orders
Read full article: Apple and Goldman Sachs must pay $89 million for mishandling Apple Card transactions, CFPB ordersA federal regulator has ordered Apple and Goldman Sachs to pay a combined $89 million for deceiving consumers and mishandled Apple Card customers' transaction.
Efforts by Russia, Iran and China to sway US voters may escalate, new Microsoft report says
Read full article: Efforts by Russia, Iran and China to sway US voters may escalate, new Microsoft report saysA new threat intelligence report from Microsoft says foreign adversaries have showed continued determination to influence the U.S. election and there are signs their activity will intensify as Election Day nears.
Kuwait bans 'Call of Duty: Black Ops 6' video game, likely over it featuring Saddam Hussein in 1990s
Read full article: Kuwait bans 'Call of Duty: Black Ops 6' video game, likely over it featuring Saddam Hussein in 1990sThe tiny Mideast nation of Kuwait has banned the release of the video game “Call of Duty: Black Ops 6,” which features the late Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein and is set in part in the 1990s Gulf War.
ABBA, Radiohead and The Cure musicians sign AI protest letter against 'unlicensed use' of works
Read full article: ABBA, Radiohead and The Cure musicians sign AI protest letter against 'unlicensed use' of worksMusicians from ABBA, Radiohead and The Cure have joined actors and authors in signing a protest letter against the mining of their artistry to build artificial intelligence tools.
Big offshore wind project proposed for New York as other sites are evaluated in 3 states
Read full article: Big offshore wind project proposed for New York as other sites are evaluated in 3 statesOffshore wind energy projects in New York, New Jersey and Maryland are moving forward, as federal regulators examine the proposals and opponents increase their legal challenges to the work.
Russia is behind viral disinformation targeting Walz, intelligence official says
Read full article: Russia is behind viral disinformation targeting Walz, intelligence official saysA senior U.S. intelligence official says viral online content spreading baseless attacks on Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Walz was created by Russia.
'Blade Runner 2049' producers sue Elon Musk and Tesla over AI image at robotaxi event
Read full article: 'Blade Runner 2049' producers sue Elon Musk and Tesla over AI image at robotaxi eventA film production company that helped make “Blade Runner 2049” has sued Tesla and its CEO Elon Musk for using an AI-generated image resembling a scene from the science fiction movie to market Tesla’s new robotaxis.
Biden administration to provide $325 million for new Michigan semiconductor factory
Read full article: Biden administration to provide $325 million for new Michigan semiconductor factoryThe federal government plans to provide up to $325 million to Hemlock Semiconductor to produce a key material for computer chips, an announcement Tuesday with possible political significance as the new factory would be in the swing state of Michigan.
Slack researcher discusses the fear, loathing and excitement surrounding AI in the workplace
Read full article: Slack researcher discusses the fear, loathing and excitement surrounding AI in the workplaceArtificial intelligence’s recent rise to the forefront of business has left most office workers wondering how often they should be using the technology and worried about whether a computer will eventually replace them.
GoFundMe bets social media can unlock Gen Z giving. A Meta partnership and new tools will test that
Read full article: GoFundMe bets social media can unlock Gen Z giving. A Meta partnership and new tools will test thatNew GoFundMe tools will make it easier to circulate causes across online platforms in a push to cater toward younger generations.
Japan, UK and Italy to expedite next-generation fighter jet to replace F-2s and Eurofighter Typhoons
Read full article: Japan, UK and Italy to expedite next-generation fighter jet to replace F-2s and Eurofighter TyphoonsThe defense ministers of Japan, the U.K. and Italy have agreed to accelerate the joint development of a next-generation fighter jet.
A failed mic leaves Donald Trump pacing the stage in silence for nearly 20 minutes
Read full article: A failed mic leaves Donald Trump pacing the stage in silence for nearly 20 minutesDonald Trump paced his rally stage in silence for nearly 20 minutes Friday night in Detroit after his microphone cut out.
‘Kindness’ influencers on TikTok give money to strangers. Why is that controversial?
Read full article: ‘Kindness’ influencers on TikTok give money to strangers. Why is that controversial?A wave of influencers on TikTok and other social media platforms have started specializing in a trend they call “kindness content,” which usually entails recording a charitable act like giving money or goods to strangers in need.
US to probe Tesla's 'Full Self-Driving' system after pedestrian killed in low visibility conditions
Read full article: US to probe Tesla's 'Full Self-Driving' system after pedestrian killed in low visibility conditionsThe U.S. government’s road safety agency is investigating Tesla’s “Full Self-Driving” system after getting reports of crashes in low-visibility conditions, including one that killed a pedestrian.
Elon Musk holds his first solo event in support of Trump in the Philadelphia suburbs
Read full article: Elon Musk holds his first solo event in support of Trump in the Philadelphia suburbsElon Musk has brought his support for Republican Donald Trump to the Philadelphia suburbs for a town hall and encouraged Pennsylvania voters to register to cast their ballots and vote early.
One Direction was the internet's first boy band, and Liam Payne its grounding force
Read full article: One Direction was the internet's first boy band, and Liam Payne its grounding forceOne Direction member Liam Payne was found dead this week after falling from a hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina, at just 31.
Netflix's subscriber growth slows as gains from password-sharing crackdown subside
Read full article: Netflix's subscriber growth slows as gains from password-sharing crackdown subsideNetflix says its subscriber growth slowed dramatically during the summer, a sign that the huge gains from the video-streaming service’s crackdown on freeloading viewers is tapering off.
Alabama man arrested in SEC social media account hack that led the price of bitcoin to spike
Read full article: Alabama man arrested in SEC social media account hack that led the price of bitcoin to spikeAn Alabama man has been arrested for his alleged role in the January hack of a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission social media account that led the price of bitcoin to spike, the Justice Department said.
TikTok let through disinformation in political ads despite its own ban, Global Witness finds
Read full article: TikTok let through disinformation in political ads despite its own ban, Global Witness findsJust weeks before the U.S. presidential election, TikTok still approved advertisements that contained election disinformation even though it has a ban on political ads.
Meta lays off staff at WhatsApp and Instagram to align with 'strategic goals'
Read full article: Meta lays off staff at WhatsApp and Instagram to align with 'strategic goals'Meta says it has laid off some employees, including staff at WhatsApp And Instagram, to realign its resources with its “strategic goals.”.
Elon Musk commits $70 million to boost Donald Trump
Read full article: Elon Musk commits $70 million to boost Donald TrumpElon Musk, the tech mogul who is the world’s richest man, plunged more than $70 million of his personal fortune into helping Donald Trump and other Republicans win in November’s election, making him one of the biggest donors to GOP causes this campaign season, according to campaign finances disclosures released this week.
US agency adopts rule to make it easier for consumers to cancel unwanted subscriptions
Read full article: US agency adopts rule to make it easier for consumers to cancel unwanted subscriptionsThe Federal Trade Commission has adopted a rule that will require businesses to make it easy for consumers to cancel unwanted subscriptions and memberships.
Mexico says foreign firms have pledged $20 billion in investments, but many are old or uncertain
Read full article: Mexico says foreign firms have pledged $20 billion in investments, but many are old or uncertainMexican officials say companies have pledged $20 billion in new foreign direct investment in Mexico.
Microsoft settles video gamers' lawsuit over Activision takeover
Read full article: Microsoft settles video gamers' lawsuit over Activision takeoverMicrosoft Corp. has settled a lawsuit from a group of gamers who sued to try to stop the company from buying video game publisher Activision Blizzard for $69 billion last year.
Cyber criminals are increasingly helping Russia and China target the US and allies, Microsoft says
Read full article: Cyber criminals are increasingly helping Russia and China target the US and allies, Microsoft saysRussia, China and Iran are expanding their partnerships with cyber criminals to conduct cyberespionage and cyberattacks against the U.S. and other nations, according to a new report from Microsoft.
Biden admin to provide $750 million to North Carolina-based Wolfspeed for advanced computer chips
Read full article: Biden admin to provide $750 million to North Carolina-based Wolfspeed for advanced computer chipsThe Biden-Harris administration announced plans to provide up to $750 million in direct funding to Wolfspeed, with the money supporting its new silicon carbide factory in North Carolina that makes the wafers used in advanced computer chips and its factory in Marcy, New York.
Volunteers bring solar power to Hurricane Helene's disaster zone
Read full article: Volunteers bring solar power to Hurricane Helene's disaster zoneNearly two weeks after Hurricane Helene downed power lines and washed out roads all over North Carolina’s mountains, the roar of gas-powered generators is both unpleasant and essential.
Changing OpenAI's nonprofit structure would raise questions about its future
Read full article: Changing OpenAI's nonprofit structure would raise questions about its futureThe artificial intelligence maker OpenAI may face a costly and inconvenient reckoning with its nonprofit origins even as its valuation recently exploded to $157 billion.
Documents show OpenAI's long journey from nonprofit to $157B valued company
Read full article: Documents show OpenAI's long journey from nonprofit to $157B valued companyBack in 2016, the artificial intelligence maker OpenAI had just incorporated as a nonprofit and applied to the Internal Revenue Service for tax-exempt status.
TikTok was aware of risks kids and teens face on its platform, legal document alleges
Read full article: TikTok was aware of risks kids and teens face on its platform, legal document allegesTikTok has been aware that its design features are detrimental to its young users and that publicly touted tools aimed at limiting kids’ time on the site were largely ineffective.
What to stream: 'Warriors' album, 'The Dating Game' killer, 'NCIS: Origins' and Travis Kelce's games
Read full article: What to stream: 'Warriors' album, 'The Dating Game' killer, 'NCIS: Origins' and Travis Kelce's gamesTravis Kelce adding game show host to his growing resume with “Are You Smarter than a Celebrity?"
AI is having its Nobel moment. Do scientists need the tech industry to sustain it?
Read full article: AI is having its Nobel moment. Do scientists need the tech industry to sustain it?Hours after the artificial intelligence pioneer Geoffrey Hinton won a Nobel Prize in physics, he drove a rented car to Google’s California headquarters to celebrate.
North Carolina maker of high-purity quartz back operating post-Helene
Read full article: North Carolina maker of high-purity quartz back operating post-HeleneOne of the two companies that manufacture high-purity quartz used for making semiconductors from mines in a western North Carolina community harmed by Hurricane Helene is operating again.