News

China cuts taxes to spur semiconductor development

China announced tax breaks Monday to spur growth of its semiconductor industry following U.S. sanctions that alarmed the ruling Communist Party by cutting off access to American processor chips for tech giant Huawei and some other companies. Leaders declared accelerating efforts to transform China into a self-reliant “technology power” to be this year’s top economic […]

Chinese Girl Group “The9” hold first XR concert

Popular Chinese girl group THE9 held its debut “X-City” XR concert on March 26 and March 27, on via streaming platform, according to China-based iQIYI Inc. an innovative, market-leading online entertainer said. An immediate hit with viewers immediate success and has already sparked heated discussions amongst fans. “XR performance is so exciting” and “Now I […]

Chrissy Teigen deletes Twitter account, citing negativity

Chrissy Teigen has deleted her popular Twitter account, saying the site no longer plays a positive role in her life. “For over 10 years you guys have been my world,” Teigen wrote to her 13.7 million followers Wednesday night. “But it’s time to say goodbye. This no longer serves me as positively as it serves […]

CEO says Harry hire is a natural fit, not a publicity stunt

The CEO of BetterUp Inc. said Wednesday that he hired Prince Harry as an executive because of his tenacious advocacy for the kind of mental health services that his firm provides, and the publicity brought by the move is merely a perk. Chief Executive Alexi Robichaux spoke to The Associated Press a day after the […]

Report: DOJ investigating Visa over debit card business

Visa is under investigation by the Department of Justice’s antitrust division over whether the company pushes merchants into more expensive forms of debit card payments, The Wall Street Journal reported Friday. The investigation is focused on how merchants route debit card transactions when a consumer makes an online transaction, according to the Journal, which cited […]

Senate confirms Katherine Tai as Biden's top trade envoy

The Senate confirmed Katherine Tai as the top U.S. trade envoy in an overwhelming bipartisan vote on Wednesday . She will be the first Asian American and first woman of color to hold the position. Tai is considered a problem-solving pragmatist, and her nomination by President Joe Biden to be U.S. trade representative drew support […]

Russia threatens to block Twitter in a month

Russian authorities said Tuesday they would block Twitter in a month if it doesn’t take steps to remove banned content, a move that escalates the Russian government’s drawn-out standoff with social media platforms that have played a major role in amplifying dissent in Russia. Russia’s state communications watchdog, Roskomnadzor, last week announced it was slowing […]

Encrypted messaging app Signal blocked in China

Encrypted messaging app Signal appears to have been blocked in mainland China, the latest foreign social media service to cease working in a country where the government tightly controls the flow of information. As of Tuesday, users of the app within China had to connect to a virtual private network (VPN) that allows them to […]

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 […]

Twitter sues Texas AG, claiming retaliation for Trump ban

Twitter has filed a lawsuit against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, claiming the Republican used his office to retaliate against it for banning the account of former President Donald Trump following the riot at the U.S. Capitol. Days after the deadly January insurrection, Paxton announced an investigation into Twitter and four other major technology companies […]