News

Bitcoin crosses $40K mark, doubling in less than a month

First it went through $20,000. Then 10 days later, it broke through $25,000, and then, with barely taking a breath, it crossed $30,000. Now only a few days into 2021, the price of bitcoin has crossed $40,000. Nothing’s new with the digital currency in the month since it crossed $20,000 — there’s been no major […]

UnitedHealth to pay nearly $8B for technology company Change

UnitedHealth Group will spend nearly $8 billion in cash to add a health care technology company to its growing Optum business. UnitedHealth said Wednesday that it will add Change Healthcare to its OptumInsight segment and boost its ability to provide data analytics and revenue cycle management support, among other offerings. Minnetonka, Minnesota-based UnitedHealth brings in […]

Justice Department, federal court system hit by Russian hack

The Justice Department and the federal court system disclosed on Wednesday that they were among the dozens of U.S. government agencies and private businesses compromised by a massive, months-long cyberespionage campaign that U.S. officials have linked to elite Russia hackers. The extent of the damage was unclear. The department said that 3% of its Microsoft […]

China criticizes US order against dealing with Chinese apps

China’s government on Wednesday accused Washington of misusing national security as an excuse to hurt commercial competitors after President Donald Trump signed an order banning transactions with payment services Alipay and WeChat Pay and six other apps. Tuesday’s order escalated a conflict with Beijing over technology, security and spying accusations that has plunged U.S.-Chinese relations […]

US: Hack of federal agencies 'likely Russian in origin'

Top national security agencies confirmed Tuesday that Russia was likely responsible for a massive hack of U.S. government departments and corporations, rejecting President Donald Trump’s claim that China might be to blame. The rare joint statement represented the U.S. government’s first formal attempt to assign responsibility for the breaches at multiple agencies and to assign […]

Trump widens US ban on Chinese apps as his term nears end

President Donald Trump has signed an executive order banning transactions with eight Chinese apps including Alipay and WeChat Pay in an escalation of a trade war that has been unfolding through most of his term. The order, however, goes into effect in 45 days, nearly a month after Joe Biden will be inaugurated as the […]

Where is Jack Ma, China's e-commerce pioneer?

China’s best-known entrepreneur, e-commerce billionaire Jack Ma, made his fortune by taking big risks. The former English teacher founded Alibaba Group in 1999, when China had few internet users. Online payments service Alipay launched five years later, before regulators said such businesses would be allowed. Both long shots grew to dominate their industries. Ma’s latest […]

NYSE withdraws plans to delist 3 Chinese phone carriers

The New York Stock Exchange has withdrawn plans to remove shares of three Chinese state-owned phone carriers under an order by President Donald Trump that Beijing warned might lead to retaliation. The exchange cited “further consultation” with regulators but its announcement late Monday gave no other details. The NYSE said Thursday it would remove China […]

India OKs AstraZeneca and locally made COVID-19 vaccines

India authorized two COVID-19 vaccines on Sunday, paving the way for a huge inoculation program to stem the coronavirus pandemic in the world’s second-most populous country. The country’s drugs regulator gave emergency authorization for the vaccine developed by Oxford University and U.K.-based drugmaker AstraZeneca, and another developed by the Indian company Bharat Biotech. Drugs Controller […]

The Latest: Ariz. gov. rejects call for online learning

PHOENIX — Arizona’s Gov. Doug Ducey has rejected the state’s top education official’s call for Ducey to order public schools to use only online instruction for the next two weeks unless they have waivers from health officials. Amid a coronavirus surge in the state, Superintendent of Public Instruction Kathy Hoffman said Saturday that schools need […]