News

Mobile fingerprinting a core tool in US deportations

A mobile fingerprinting app U.S. immigration agents use to run remote ID checks in the field has become a core tool in President Donald Trump’s deportation crackdown, a pair of immigration rights groups say in a new report based on a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit. The 2,500 pages of documents obtained through the 2017 […]

Alibaba chairman says China's antitrust rules 'necessary'

The chairman and CEO of e-commerce giant Alibaba Group praised Chinese regulators Monday in a possible attempt to repair ties after the stock market debut of its former financial services arm was suspended following criticism of them by billionaire Alibaba founder Jack Ma. Beijing’s announcement of proposed guidelines to enforce anti-competition law against internet companies […]

AstraZeneca: COVID-19 vaccine 'highly effective' prevention

AstraZeneca said Monday that late stage trials of its COVID-19 vaccine developed with Oxford University were “highly effective” in preventing disease. The results are based on interim analysis of trials in the U.K. and Brazil of the vaccine developed by Oxford University and manufactured by AstraZeneca. No hospitalizations or severe cases of COVID-19 were reported […]

US-European ocean monitoring satellite launches into orbit

A U.S.-European satellite designed to extend a decades-long measurement of global sea surface heights was launched into Earth orbit from California on Saturday. A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket carrying the satellite blasted off from Vandenberg Air Force Base at 9:17 a.m. and arced southward over the Pacific Ocean. The Falcon’s first stage flew back to […]

US safety agency seeks input on autonomous vehicle rules

The U.S. government’s road safety agency is asking for public comment on how it should regulate safe deployment of self-driving vehicles. Seeking public comment is an early step in drawing up possible regulations, but that process takes years and could be changed by the incoming administration of President-elect Joe Biden. About 60 companies are already […]

BuzzFeed buying HuffPost from Verizon for undisclosed price

BuzzFeed is buying HuffPost from Verizon as part of a bigger deal that has the wireless giant investing in the digital-media company. BuzzFeed and Verizon did not disclose terms of the deal. Verizon will be a minority shareholder in BuzzFeed and the two companies will partner on content and ads. A downturn in advertising due […]

Apple to cut app store fees as legal scrutiny intensifies

Apple will cut its app store commissions in half for most developers beginning next year amid an intensifying debate about whether the iPhone maker has been using the fees to unfairly fatten its profits and stifle rivals competing against its own music, video, and other subscription services. The concession announced Wednesday will lower Apple’s commissions […]

Twitter, Facebook CEOs vow election action; GOP touts curbs

As the CEOs of Twitter and Facebook gave assurances of vigorous action against election disinformation, Republicans at a Senate hearing Tuesday pounded the social media companies over political bias, business practices and market dominance, laying the ground for curbs on their long-held legal protections. Twitter’s Jack Dorsey and Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg defended at the Senate […]

Huawei selling Honor phone brand in face of US sanctions

Chinese tech giant Huawei is selling its budget-price Honor smartphone brand in an effort to rescue the struggling business from damaging U.S. sanctions imposed on its parent company. The sale announced Tuesday is aimed at reviving Honor by separating it from Huawei’s network equipment business, which Washington says is a security threat, an accusation Huawei […]

Lyft's Zimmer talks future of workplace, electric vehicles

Lyft scored a major victory when California voters passed Proposition 22, allowing app-based companies to treat drivers as contractors instead of employees and saving the company from what many anticipated would be crippling expenses. The outcome was viewed as a defeat by labor leaders who hoped to cement a California law which would have given […]