Biden’s moves on Alaska drilling, TikTok test young voters
March 25, 2023 GMTTEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Recent moves by President Joe Biden to pressure TikTok over its Chinese ownership and approve oil drilling in an untapped area of Alaska are testing the loyalty of young voters, a group that’s largely been in his corner.
Why does US see Chinese-owned TikTok as a security threat?
March 24, 2023 GMTBEIJING (AP) — U.S. lawmakers have grilled TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew about data security and harmful content, with some pushing to ban the popular short-video app nationwide.
France bans TikTok, Twitter from government staff phones
March 24, 2023 GMTPARIS (AP) — France announced Friday it is banning the “recreational” use of TikTok, Twitter, Instagram and other apps on government employees' phones because of concern about insufficient data security measures.
Intel co-founder, philanthropist Gordon Moore dies at 94
March 25, 2023 GMTSAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Gordon Moore, the Intel Corp. co-founder who set the breakneck pace of progress in the digital age with a simple 1965 prediction of how quickly engineers would boost the capacity of computer chips, has died.
UK watchdog softens position on Microsoft Activision deal
March 24, 2023 GMTLONDON (AP) — British antitrust regulators scrutinizing Microsoft's blockbuster purchase of videogame maker Activision Blizzard on Friday dropped concerns that the deal would hurt the console gaming market, narrowing the scope of their investigation.
Utah social media law is ambitious, but is it enforceable?
March 24, 2023 GMTUtah's sweeping social media legislation passed this week is an ambitious attempt to shield children and teens from the ill effects of social media and empower parents to decide whether their kids should be using apps like TikTok or Instagram.
Ford’s Tenn. plant could make 500K electric pickups a year
March 24, 2023 GMTSTANTON, Tenn. (AP) — Ford said Friday that its assembly plant under construction in western Tennessee will be able to build up to 500,000 electric pickup trucks a year at full output, part of the automaker's drive to produce 2 million electric vehicles worldwide annually by late 2026.
Utah social media law means kids need approval from parents
March 24, 2023 GMTSALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Children and teens in Utah would lose access to social media apps such as TikTok if they don’t have parental consent and face other restrictions under a first-in-the-nation law designed to shield young people from the addictive platforms.
TikTok CEO grilled by skeptical lawmakers on safety, content
March 23, 2023 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — A nearly six-hour grilling of TikTok’s CEO by lawmakers brought the platform’s 150 million U.S. users no closer to an answer as to whether the app will be wiped from their devices.
TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew: 3 things to know
March 23, 2023 GMTTikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew testified Thursday at a congressional hearing over concerns about user data collected by the popular video-sharing app and potential Chinese spying.
Under his helm, TikTok reached 150 million users in the U.S., the majority of them teens and young adults who are attracted to the app’s simple interface and addictive algorithm that serves up short videos on just about any imaginable topic.
Book thief in plot that duped famous authors avoids prison
March 24, 2023 GMTNEW YORK (AP) — It was the stuff of novels: For years, a con artist plagued the publishing industry, impersonating editors and agents to pull off hundreds of literary heists.
LGBTQ+ dating app Grindr issues warning to users in Egypt
March 24, 2023 GMTCAIRO (AP) — A popular gay social networking application said Friday that it is issuing a warning to its users in Egypt, as police impersonate community members to target LGBTQ+ individuals.
Users in Egypt will see the following warning appear in Arabic and English when they open the app:
Scandal-plagued Japan tech giant Toshiba gets tender offer
March 24, 2023 GMTTOKYO (AP) — Scandal-embattled Japanese electronics and technology manufacturer Toshiba has accepted a 2 trillion yen ($15 billion) tender offer from Japan Industrial Partners, a buyout fund made up of major banks and companies.
Do Kwon, wanted in $40B crypto crash, arrested in Montenegro
March 24, 2023 GMTPODGORICA, Montenegro (AP) — Police in Montenegro have arrested Terraform Labs founder Do Kwon, who is wanted in South Korea in connection with a $40 billion crash of the firm’s cryptocurrency that devastated retail investors around the world, the European country’s interior minister said Thursday.
Ford says EV unit losing billions, should be seen as startup
March 23, 2023 GMTDETROIT (AP) — Ford Motor Co.'s electric vehicle business has lost $3 billion before taxes during the past two years and will lose a similar amount this year as the company invests heavily in the new technology.
Trump arrested? Putin jailed? Fake AI images spread online
March 23, 2023 GMTNEW YORK (AP) — Former President Donald Trump getting gang-tackled by riot-gear-clad New York City police officers. Russian President Vladimir Putin in prison grays behind the bars of a dimly lit concrete cell.
Names, photos of Los Angeles undercover police posted online
March 23, 2023 GMTThe Los Angeles police chief and the department's constitutional policing director are under investigation after the names and photographs of undercover officers were released to a technology watchdog group that posted them online, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Why TikTok’s security risks keep raising fears
March 23, 2023 GMTThe battle between the U.S. and China over TikTok came into full view on Thursday when the social media platform's CEO testified before Congressional lawmakers.
Shou Zi Chew's hearing in front of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce is happening at what he's called a “pivotal moment” for the hugely popular short video sharing app.
Here are the countries that have bans on TikTok
March 23, 2023 GMTLONDON (AP) — A growing number of countries in North America, Europe and Asia-Pacific have banned the popular video-sharing app TikTok from government devices as privacy and cybersecurity concerns increase. A handful have prohibited the app altogether.
Coinbase tumbles after SEC warns of securities violations
March 23, 2023 GMTShares of Coinbase tumbled 15% Thursday after the cryptocurrency trading platform received a warning from the Securities and Exchange Commission that it could face securities charges.
The cryptocurrency trading platform said in an SEC filing late Wednesday that it had received a Wells Notice from the agency, which indicates that regulators believe laws protecting investors were violated.
US jobless claims inch down as labor market remains tight
March 23, 2023 GMTThe labor market continues to defy Federal Reserve attempts to cool hiring, with U.S.
Holocaust survivor shares on TikTok to educate young people
March 23, 2023 GMTMORRISTOWN, N.J. (AP) — Holocaust survivor Tova Friedman is a TikTok star at age 85, thanks to her 17-year-old grandson.
In the family living room in Morristown, New Jersey, he records short videos of his grandmother reminiscing about life in 1944 and 1945 when she was a 6-year-old child at the Auschwitz death camp in Nazi-occupied Poland.
China criticizes possible US plan to force TikTok sale
March 23, 2023 GMTBEIJING (AP) — China’s government said Thursday it would oppose possible U.S. plans to force TikTok’s Chinese owner to sell the short-video service as a security risk and warned such a move would hurt investor confidence in the United States.
Launch debut of 3D-printed rocket ends in failure, no orbit
March 23, 2023 GMTCAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — A rocket made almost entirely of 3D-printed parts made its launch debut Wednesday night, lifting off amid fanfare but failing three minutes into flight — far short of orbit.
March Madness: Athletes balance privacy, online profile
March 23, 2023 GMTAliyah Boston recalls her parents prodding her to be more active on social media, to extend her brand as her basketball prowess began to draw national attention.
She said she would be more active — and then post just one photo in two months, which is no way for an athlete influencer to earn big money in the era of name, image and likeness compensation.
Thai police bust call scammers who preyed on older Americans
March 23, 2023 GMTBANGKOK (AP) — Thai police said Wednesday they busted an international gang that operated call centers to deceive older Americans into wiring them money, netting more than 3 billion baht ($87 million).
TikTok sends influencers to Washington as its troubles grow
March 22, 2023 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — TikTok is ramping up a public relations campaign to fend off the possibility of a nationwide ban by the Biden administration, and it’s bringing some unconventional advocates to help: online influencers.
Lindsay Lohan, other celebs settle with SEC over crypto case
March 22, 2023 GMTLOS ANGELES (AP) — Actress Lindsay Lohan, rapper Akon and several other celebrities have agreed to pay tens of thousands of dollars to settle claims they promoted crypto investments to their millions of social media followers without disclosing they were being paid to do so.
Ship dislodges, tips over in Scotland dry dock; 25 injured
March 22, 2023 GMTLONDON (AP) — A large ship tipped over while dry-docked in Scotland, injuring 25 people Wednesday, emergency workers said.
Police and emergency services were called to the Imperial Dock in Edinburgh after receiving reports that a ship had become dislodged from its holding.
German group sues Facebook owner Meta over death threats
March 22, 2023 GMTBERLIN (AP) — A prominent German environmental group said Wednesday that it's suing Facebook's parent company Meta over persistent death threats posted on the social network against its staff.
Environmental Action Germany, known by its German acronym DUH, says Meta has failed to take steps to stop the threats of violence regularly directed at DUH director Juergen Resch and others in a Facebook group with more than 50,000 members.
Google suspends Chinese shopping app amid security concerns
March 21, 2023 GMTHONG KONG (AP) — Google has suspended the Chinese shopping app Pinduoduo on its app store after malware was discovered in versions of the app from other sources.
Google said in a statement Tuesday that it suspended the Pinduoduo app on the Google Play app store out of “security concerns” and that it was investigating the matter.
Apple-Books-Top-10
March 21, 2023 GMTUS Bestseller List - Paid Books 1. I Will Find You by Harlan Coben (Grand Central Publishing) 2. Hello Beautiful (Oprah’s Book Club) by Ann Napolitano (Random House Publishing Group) 3. Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus (Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group) 4.
Apple-Apps-Top-10
March 21, 2023 GMTTop Free iPhone Apps: 1. Temu: Shop Like a Billionaire, Temu 2. YouTube: Watch, Listen, Stream, Google LLC 3. Instagram, Instagram, Inc. 4. TikTok, TikTok Ltd. 5. CapCut - Video Editor, Bytedance Pte.
Apple-Movies-Top-10
March 21, 2023 GMTMovies US charts: 1. The Whale 2. Cocaine Bear 3. A Man Called Otto 4. Everything Everywhere All At Once 5. The Ritual Killer 6. The Fabelmans 7. Women Talking 8. Only the Brave 9. Missing (2023) 10.
TikTok updates rules; CEO on charm offensive for US hearing
March 21, 2023 GMTLONDON (AP) — TikTok went on a counteroffensive Tuesday amid increasing Western pressure over cybersecurity and misinformation concerns, rolling out updated rules and standards for content as its CEO warned against a possible U.S.
Dutch gov’t staff discouraged from apps such as TikTok
March 21, 2023 GMTTHE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — The Netherlands is moving to stop central government employees having apps including popular video sharing service TikTok installed on their work phones, amid concerns over data security.
Google’s artificially intelligent ‘Bard’ set for next stage
March 21, 2023 GMTGoogle announced Tuesday it's allowing more people to interact with “ Bard,” the artificially intelligent chatbot the company is building to counter Microsoft's early lead in a pivotal battleground of technology.
Cruise wants to test self-driving cars all over California
March 21, 2023 GMTDETROIT (AP) — General Motors' Cruise autonomous vehicle unit on Monday asked California for permission to test the cars across the entire state.
The GM subsidiary already is running an autonomous ride-hailing service in its hometown of San Francisco after testing for more than two years.
Amazon cuts 9,000 more jobs, bringing 2023 total to 27,000
March 20, 2023 GMTNEW YORK (AP) — Amazon plans to eliminate 9,000 more jobs in the next few weeks, CEO Andy Jassy said in a memo to staff on Monday.
The job cuts would mark the second largest round of layoffs in the company's history, adding to the 18,000 employees the tech giant said it would lay off in January.
Insider Q&A: From oil to offshore wind, Ørsted transformed
March 20, 2023 GMTNEW YORK (AP) — One of Europe's most fossil fuel-intensive energy companies transformed completely in little more than a decade by doubling down on offshore wind.
Ørsted, formerly DONG Energy, for Danish Oil and Natural Gas, started aggressively building wind farms off the coast of Denmark, the U.K.
Digital literacy: Can the republic ‘survive an algorithm’?
March 20, 2023 GMTSEATTLE (AP) — Shawn Lee, a high school social studies teacher in Seattle, wants to see lessons on the internet akin to a kind of 21st century driver's education, an essential for modern life.
Lee has tried to bring that kind of education into his classroom, with lessons about the need to double-check online sources, to diversify newsfeeds and to bring critical thinking to the web.
Taylor Swift kicks off US Eras Tour at Super Bowl stadium
March 19, 2023 GMTGLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Taylor Swift opened her U.S. concert series with a three-hour tour of her career.
Swift kicked off the first concert of the 52-date Eras Tour with a six-song set from her album “Lover” on Friday night at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, where the Super Bowl was played a month ago.
Tourists hoping to see Arizona falls forced out by flooding
March 19, 2023 GMTPHOENIX (AP) — Shannon Castellano and Travis Methvin should have spent this weekend seeing world-famous waterfalls on the Havasupai Tribe Reservation in northern Arizona.
Instead, the two friends from San Diego spent Friday night along with 40 other hikers camped out on a helipad.
Pro-Moscow voices tried to steer Ohio train disaster debate
March 18, 2023 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — Soon after a train derailed and spilled toxic chemicals in Ohio last month, anonymous pro-Russian accounts started spreading misleading claims and anti-American propaganda about it on Twitter, using Elon Musk's new verification system to expand their reach while creating the illusion of credibility.
Regulators: Nuclear plant leak didn’t require public notice
March 18, 2023 GMTMinnesota regulators knew four months ago that radioactive waste had leaked from a nuclear power plant in Monticello — but they didn’t announce anything about the leak until this week.
‘I’M BACK!’: Trump returns to Facebook after reinstatement
March 17, 2023 GMTNEW YORK (AP) — Former President Donald Trump has returned to Facebook after a more than two-year ban.
“I’M BACK!” Trump posted on the site weeks after his personal account was reactivated.
Washington turns to Wall Street to help rescue dying bank
March 17, 2023 GMTThe scene was reminiscent of the last financial crisis, nearly 15 years ago: Faced with a blossoming emergency in the banking sector, worried regulators and policymakers in Washington turned to Wall Street for help.
Elizabeth Holmes returns to court in bid to avoid prison
March 17, 2023 GMTSAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Disgraced Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes on Friday made what might be her final court appearance before beginning a 11-year prison sentence, unless a judge grants her request to remain free while her lawyers appeal her conviction for masterminding a blood-testing hoax.
The bitcoin bounce: what comes next?
March 17, 2023 GMTMarkets this year are roiling, uncertainty abounds and the U.S. government has had to step in to rescue two large American banks in recent days. So why is bitcoin, considered among the riskiest bets of them all, rising so fast?
Feds spend $2.4 million on cloud seeding for Colorado River
March 17, 2023 GMTDENVER (AP) — The Southern Nevada Water Authority on Thursday voted to accept a $2.4 million grant from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation to fund cloud seeding in other Western states whose rivers feed the parched desert region.
North Carolina student in good condition after hit by Tesla
March 17, 2023 GMTRALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — A North Carolina teenager who was struck by a car this week while departing a school bus in Halifax County is now in good condition, a hospital spokesperson said Friday.
Tillman Mitchell, a 17-year-old student at the Haliwa-Saponi Tribal School in Hollister, had just exited the school bus and was walking across the street to his house when he was hit by a 2022 Tesla Model Y, according to the State Highway Patrol.
German Cabinet minister to visit Taiwan, 1st in 26 years
March 17, 2023 GMTBERLIN (AP) — Germany's education and research minister is making an official trip to Taiwan next week, officials said Friday. It will be the highest-level visit by a German official since 1997 to the island that China claims as part of its territory.
China appeals for fair treatment after latest TikTok bans
March 17, 2023 GMTBEIJING (AP) — China appealed Friday to other governments to treat its companies fairly after Britain and New Zealand joined the United States in restricting use of TikTok due to fears the Chinese-owned short video service might be a security risk.
New Zealand lawmakers banned from TikTok amid data use fears
March 17, 2023 GMTWELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — New Zealand lawmakers and other workers inside the nation's Parliament will be banned from having the TikTok app on their government phones, officials said Friday.
The ban, which takes effect at the end of the month, follows similar moves in many other countries.
Why TikTok’s security risks keep raising fears
March 17, 2023 GMTTikTok is once again fending off claims that its Chinese parent company, ByteDance, would share user data from its popular video-sharing app with the Chinese government, or push propaganda and misinformation on its behalf.
Microsoft adds AI tools to office apps like Outlook, Word
March 17, 2023 GMTNEW YORK (AP) — Microsoft is infusing artificial intelligence tools into its suite of office software, including Word, Excel and Outlook emails.
The company said Thursday the new feature, named Copilot, is a processing engine that will allow users to do things like summarize long emails, draft stories in Word and animate slides in PowerPoint.
Ex-Theranos exec finds way to delay start of prison sentence
March 16, 2023 GMTFormer Theranos executive Ramesh "Sunny" Balwani found an escape hatch Thursday from the scheduled start of his nearly 13-year prison sentence for a blood-testing hoax he engineered with his former boss and lover, Elizabeth Holmes.
Ivey signs spending plan for $1B in pandemic funds
March 16, 2023 GMTMONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Alabama lawmakers gave final approval Thursday to a spending plan to use $1 billion in federal coronavirus funds largely on a mix of water and sewer infrastructure, broadband expansion and reimbursements to health care providers hit financially by the pandemic.
FACT FOCUS: Claims blame ‘woke’ policies on bank’s demise
March 16, 2023 GMTAs Wall Street reels from the swift demise of Silicon Valley Bank — the biggest American bank failure since the 2008 financial meltdown — some social media users are honing in on a single culprit: its socially aware, or “woke,” agenda.
EU moves on clean technology: Subsidies up, free market down
March 16, 2023 GMTBRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union presented plans Thursday to fundamentally revamp its policies on promoting green technologies and dealing with critical raw materials, imposing limits on imports from countries like China while unleashing subsidies and other financial incentives to ramp up home production.
Virgin Orbit pausing all work, reportedly furloughs staff
March 16, 2023 GMTLONDON (AP) — Virgin Orbit said Thursday it is pausing all operations amid reports that the company is furloughing almost all its staff as part of a bid to seek a funding lifeline.
The California-based satellite launch company confirmed it's putting all work on hold, but didn't say how long for.
UK bans TikTok on government phones on security grounds
March 16, 2023 GMTLONDON (AP) — British authorities said Thursday that they are banning the Chinese-owned video-sharing app TikTok from government mobile phones on security grounds, following similar moves by the U.S.
Don’t leave Global South out of green tech growth, UN warns
March 16, 2023 GMTThe majority of developing nations are set to miss out on the economic benefits of booming green technologies, slowing progress toward their climate goals and widening the inequality gap between rich and poor countries, a United Nations report warned Thursday.
Taiwan chip pioneer warns US plans will boost costs
March 16, 2023 GMTTAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — U.S. government efforts to shift production of processor chips from Asia to the United States will double their cost and slow the spread of their use in phones, cars and other products, the billionaire founder of the global industry’s biggest manufacturer warned Thursday.
Baidu unveils ChatGPT-rival Ernie Bot; 650 companies sign up
March 16, 2023 GMTHONG KONG (AP) — Chinese search giant Baidu unveiled its artificial intelligence chatbot Ernie Bot, presenting its rival to the Microsoft-backed ChatGPT in a pre-recorded video presentation Thursday that appeared to disappoint investors.
Musk brought internet to Brazil’s Amazon. Criminals love it.
March 16, 2023 GMTATALAIA DO NORTE, Brazil (AP) — Brazilian federal agents aboard three helicopters descended on an illegal mining site on Tuesday in the Amazon rainforest. They were met with gunfire, and the shooters escaped, leaving behind an increasingly familiar find for authorities: Starlink internet units.
TikTok dismisses calls for Chinese owners to sell stakes
March 16, 2023 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — TikTok was dismissive Wednesday of reports that the Biden administration was calling for its Chinese owners to sell their stakes in the popular video-sharing app, saying such a move wouldn't help protect national security.
NY bank’s demise: Contagion or a problem with the business?
March 16, 2023 GMTSignature Bank's collapse came stunningly fast, leaving behind the question of whether there was a fundamental flaw in the way it did business — or if it was just a victim of the panic that spread after the failure of Silicon Valley Bank.
Bank runs used to be slow. The digital era sped them up
March 15, 2023 GMTNEW YORK (AP) — A bank run conjures images of “It’s a Wonderful Life,” with anxious customers crammed shoulder to shoulder, desperately pleading with a harried George Bailey to hand over their money.
Here’s how an AI tool may flag parents with disabilities
March 15, 2023 GMTPITTSBURGH (AP) — For the two weeks that the Hackneys’ baby girl lay in a Pittsburgh hospital bed weak from dehydration, her parents rarely left her side, sometimes sleeping on the fold-out sofa in the room.
What can ChatGPT maker’s new AI model GPT-4 do?
March 15, 2023 GMTLONDON (AP) — The company behind the ChatGPT chatbot has rolled out its latest artificial intelligence model, GPT-4, in the next step for a technology that’s caught the world's attention.
Wizardry, warfare, Wii on ballot for World Video Game HOF
March 15, 2023 GMTROCHESTER, N.Y. (AP) — Wizardry, warfare and Wii are on the ballot as the World Video Game Hall of Fame narrows down its contenders for the class of 2023.
The Hall of Fame on Wednesday announced 12 finalists that are being considered for induction in May.
Samsung to invest $230 billion to build “mega” chip cluster
March 15, 2023 GMTSEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Samsung Electronics said Wednesday it expects to invest 300 trillion won ($230 billion) over the next 20 years as part of an ambitious South Korean national project to build the world’s largest semiconductor manufacturing base near the capital, Seoul.
Mongolia looks to copper to transform stagnant economy
March 15, 2023 GMTBEIJING (AP) — Mongolia plans to channel revenue from rising copper exports into an economic development fund as part of changes to reap more benefit from its mineral riches and root out corruption, the North Asian nation’s prime minister said in an interview Tuesday following the opening of a major expansion of its biggest mine.
Electric car stores will be restricted in Mississippi
March 15, 2023 GMTJACKSON, Miss (AP) — Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves signed a bill Tuesday restricting electric car manufacturers from selling vehicles in person unless they open franchised dealerships.
Defying calls from some fellow Republicans in the Legislature to veto the measure, Reeves enacted into law House Bill 401, introduced by Republican Rep.
Fed criticized for missing red flags before bank collapse
March 14, 2023 GMTWASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve is facing stinging criticism for missing what observers say were clear signs that Silicon Valley Bank was at high risk of collapsing into the second-largest bank failure in U.S.
SentinelOne: Fiscal Q4 Earnings Snapshot
March 14, 2023 GMTMOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. (AP) — MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. (AP) — SentinelOne Inc. (S) on Tuesday reported a loss of $93.7 million in its fiscal fourth quarter.
The Mountain View, California-based company said it had a loss of 33 cents per share.
Silicon Valley Bank’s demise disrupts the disruptors in tech
March 14, 2023 GMTSilicon Valley Bank’s collapse rattled the technology industry that had been the bank's backbone, leaving shell-shocked entrepreneurs thankful for the government reprieve that saved their money while they mourned the loss of a place that served as a chummy club of innovation.