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COVID-19 shots might be tweaked if variants get worse

The makers of COVID-19 vaccines are figuring out how to tweak their recipes against worrisome virus mutations — and regulators are looking to flu as a blueprint if and when the shots need an update. “It’s not really something you can sort of flip a switch, do overnight,” cautioned Richard Webby, who directs a World […]

Major Australian media company strikes Google news pay deal

Seven West Media has become the largest Australian news media business to strike a deal with Google to pay for journalism in a partnership announced Monday before the nation’s Parliament considers draft laws to force digital giants to pay for news. Google and the publicly listed broadcast television, print and online publishing company jointly announced […]

O2 UK slapped with £10.5m for overcharging customers

British telecoms regulator Ofcom has fined O2 UK £10.5m late last week for overcharging its customers over an eight-year span, as the regulatory authority identified issues within its billing processes dating back to 2011. According to the watchdog, its rules require telecoms companies to provide customers with accurate bills and charges. In 2019, Ofcom opened […]

In Nevada desert, a technology firm aims to be a government

In the Nevada desert, a cryptocurrency magnate hopes to turn dreams of a futuristic “smart city” into reality. To do that, he’s asking the state to let companies like his form local governments on land they own, which would grant them power over everything from schools to law enforcement. Jeffrey Berns, CEO of Nevada-based Blockchains […]

US distances itself from Trump attempts to ban WeChat

A day after it put a hold on a proposed ban of TikTok, the Biden administration is distancing itself from attempts by former President Donald Trump to ban the Chinese messaging app WeChat. The Commerce Department is reviewing recent actions, such as the rules undermining TikTok and WeChat, to ensure that efforts by the Trump […]

Autoworkers face uncertain future in an era of electric cars

When General Motors boldly announced its goal last month to make only battery-powered vehicles by 2035, it didn’t just break from more than a century of internal combustion engines. It also clouded the future for 50,000 GM workers whose jobs could become obsolete far sooner than they knew. The message was clear: As a greener […]

Australia report says make Google and Facebook pay for news

Australia’s Parliament will debate making Google and Facebook pay for news after a Senate committee on Friday recommended no changes to the world-first draft laws. The Senate Economics Legislation Committee has been scrutinizing the bill since it was introduced in Parliament in December. The senators rejected Facebook and Google’s arguments that the so-called media bargaining […]

Omantel launches 5G mobile services in the Sultanate

State-owned Omantel announced on Wednesday the launch of its 5G mobile services within the Sultanate, providing users further value and speed, as they place the full potential of the fifth generation of communications into their hands. The operator had previously setup its 5G rollout roadmap as early back as 2019, with Oman introducing 5G home […]

China blocks Clubhouse, app used for political discussion

Zeng Jiajun, a former tech worker, fell in love with social media app Clubhouse, a window through the ruling Communist Party’s pervasive censorship, after listening to a freewheeling discussion between members of China’s Uighur minority and Han majority that wound up lasting 12 hours. Thousands of Chinese flocked to the app, which allowed unfettered discussion […]

Huawei founder calls on Biden to ease anti-China policy

Founder and CEO of Chinese tech-titan Huawei, Ren Zhengfei, has called on the newly elected Biden administration to lessen the severity of the restrictions made on Chinese firms by his predecessor Donald Trump. While addressing a local media roundtable, Ren admitted that it is rather unlikely that U.S. President Joe Biden would overturn or drastically […]