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Ticketmaster to pay $10 million fine over hacking charges

Ticketmaster agreed on Wednesday to pay a $10 million fine to escape prosecution over criminal charges accusing the company of hacking into the computer system of a startup rival. A judge in federal court in New York City signed off on the deal in what’s been a long-running legal battle that challenged Ticketmaster’s dominance over […]

Microsoft says hackers viewed source code, didn't change it

Microsoft said Thursday in a blog pos t that hackers tied to a massive intrusion of dozens of U.S. government agencies and private companies sneaked further into its systems than previously thought, although the intrusion doesn’t appear to have caused any additional harm. The company said the hackers were able to view some of the […]

China fines 3 online vendors for misreported prices, sales

China’s market regulator on Thursday fined JD.com Inc., a unit of Alibaba Group and a third e-commerce outlet on charges of misreporting prices and other offenses amid a campaign to tighten official control over the booming industry. The ruling Communist Party encourages e-commerce and other online industries but worries about the dominance of major competitors. […]

FAA outlines new rules for drones and their operators

Federal officials say they will allow operators to fly small drones over people and at night, potentially giving a boost to commercial use of the machines. Most drones will need to be equipped so they can be identified remotely by law enforcement officials. The final rules announced Monday by the Federal Aviation Administration “get us […]

From Zoom to Quibi, the tech winners and losers of 2020

We streamed, we Zoomed, we ordered groceries and houseplants online, we created virtual villages while navigating laptop shortages to work and learn from home. In many ways, 2020’s pandemic-induced isolation threw our dependence on technology into overdrive, snipping away at our real-life connections while bringing digital relationships to the fore. But for every life-changing Zoom, […]

Chinese regulators order Ant Group to rectify its businesses

Chinese regulators have ordered Ant Group, the world’s largest financial technology company, to rectify its businesses and comply with regulatory requirements amid increased scrutiny of anti-monopoly practices in the country’s internet sector. The People’s Bank of China, the country’s central bank, summoned Ant executives on Saturday and ordered them to formulate a rectification plan and […]

Holiday sales tick up as shoppers invest in their homes

Retail sales increased a modest 3% during a longer holiday season this year, as homebound shoppers spent more on furnishing and food but less on clothing and jewelry, according to figures released Saturday by a firm that tracks all forms of payments. The increase fell short of predictions from the National Retail Federation, the nation’s […]

Japan adopts green growth plan to go carbon free by 2050

Japan aims to eliminate gasoline-powered vehicles in about 15 years, the government said Friday in a plan to achieve Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga’s ambitious pledge to go carbon free by 2050 and generate nearly $2 trillion growth in green business and investment. The “green growth strategy” urges utilities to bolster renewables and hydrogen while calling […]

The Latest: Spain receives 1st batch of coronavirus vaccine

MADRID — Spanish authorities say the first batch of the coronavirus vaccine to reach the country has arrived. The government said Saturday morning that a truck transporting the vaccine produced by Pfizer arrived at a company warehouse in the central city of Guadalajara after making the trip from Belgium. It is the first part of […]

Retailers brace for flood of returns from online shopping

A huge surge in online shopping during the pandemic has been a savior for retailers, but it comes at a price. Shoppers are expected to return twice as many items as they did during last year’s holiday period, costing companies roughly $1.1 billion, according to Narvar Inc., a software and technology company that manages online […]