Associated Press

News Agency

News Corp strikes Facebook pay deal for Australian news

News Corp and Facebook have reached pay deals for news in Australia three weeks after the government passed laws that would make digital giants help cover the costs of journalism. The New York-based news business that operates mainly in the United States, Britain and Australia said Tuesday it had reached a multi-year agreement with Facebook […]

'It's exhausting.' A year of distance learning wears thin

At first, many schools announced it would last only a couple weeks. A year later, the unplanned experiment with distance learning continues for thousands of students who have yet to set foot back in classrooms. Comfortable homes and private tutors have made it easier for those with access. Expectations are higher at some schools than […]

Black Lives Matter backs Amazon union push in Alabama

Organizers trying to form the first union at an Amazon warehouse are getting support from another big name: Black Lives Matter. The group plans to hold an event Saturday near the warehouse in Bessemer, Alabama, making it the latest high-profile supporter of the union push, which is the biggest in Amazon’s nearly 30-year history. Most […]

Automakers embrace electric vehicles. But what about buyers?

The world’s major automakers have made something abundantly clear: They believe electric vehicles will dominate their industry in the years ahead. Yet for that to happen, they’ll need to sell the idea to people like Steve Bock. When Bock recently replaced his family’s 2013 Honda Pilot SUV, he considered — and then dismissed — the […]

Oman blocks Clubhouse, app used for free debates in Mideast

Oman has cut off access to the buzzy new audio chat app Clubhouse, the country’s telecommunications regulator confirmed Monday, setting off fears that authorities across the Persian Gulf may censor a rare forum for discussion of sensitive topics in the region. The Omani government has “forbidden the app because it was operating without the proper […]

Despite hacks, US not seeking widened domestic surveillance

The Biden administration is not planning to step up government surveillance of the U.S. internet even as state-backed foreign hackers and cybercriminals increasingly use it to evade detection, a senior administration official said Friday. The official said the administration, mindful of the privacy and civil liberties implications that could arise, is not currently seeking additional […]

Japan Post, Rakuten tie-up in digital delivery, cashless pay

Japan’s postal system is investing 150 billion yen ($1.4 billion) in an 8% stake in the e-commerce venture Rakuten to strengthen a partnership in deliveries, fintech and other areas. Rakuten’s shares shot up 8.6% in Tokyo trading Friday on news of the tie-up with Japan Post. Japan Post’s gained 4.9%. Japan Post Holdings President Hiroya […]

'Big burden' for schools trying to give kids internet access

When the coronavirus pandemic shut down schools, educators had to figure out how to get kids online. Fast. In a patchwork approach born of desperation, they scrounged wireless hot spots, struck deals with cable companies and even created networks of their own. With federal relief money and assistance from state governments and philanthropists, they have […]

Netflix tests out a possible password-sharing crackdown

Netflix is testing a way to crack down on password sharing. The popular streaming service has been using popups to ask some users to verify their account via email or text, or to “verify later.” “If you don’t live with the owner of this account, you need your own account to keep watching,” the screen […]

As climate fight shifts to oil, Biden faces a formidable foe

President Joe Biden’s bid to tackle climate change is running straight through the heart of the U.S. oil and gas industry — a much bigger, more influential foe than Democrats faced when they took on the coal industry during the Obama years. Coal dominated U.S. power generation for decades, with the bulk of that fuel […]