CATEGORIES

US ECONOMY SURPASSES PRE-PANDEMIC SIZE WITH 6.5% Q2 GROWTH

Fueled by vaccinations and government aid, the U.S. economy grew at a solid 6.5% annual rate last quarter in another sign that the nation has achieved a sustained recovery from the pandemic recession. The total size of the economy has now surpassed its pre-pandemic level.

FORD OVERCOMES COMPUTER CHIP SHORTAGE, POSTS SURPRISE PROFIT

Sky-high sales prices for its pickup trucks and SUVs helped Ford Motor Co. turn a surprise second-quarter profit despite a global shortage of computer chips that cut factory output in half.

RUSSIAN LAB MODULE DOCKS WITH SPACE STATION AFTER 8-DAY TRIP

Russia’s long-delayed lab module successfully docked with the International Space Station on Thursday, eight days after it was launched from the Russian space launch facility in Baikonur, Kazakhstan.

RUSSIA FINES GOOGLE FOR VIOLATING DATA STORAGE LAW

A Moscow court ordered Google on Thursday to pay a fine of 3 million rubles (roughly $41,000) for refusing to store the personal data of Russian users on servers in Russia, a move that is part of the government’s longstanding effort to tighten its grip on online activity.

AMERICAN PLANS TO INVEST IN A BUDGET AIRLINE BASED IN CHILE

American Airlines plans to invest in a Chilean budget airline and sell seats on each other’s flights to help American extend its reach in South America.

ASTRAZENECA TO SEEK US APPROVAL OF COVID VACCINE IN 2ND HALF

AstraZeneca said Thursday that it intends to seek U.S. approval for its COVID-19 vaccine later this year, further delaying the application even as the company announced it had already delivered more than 1 billion doses to other countries.

3 TECH GIANTS REPORT COMBINED PROFITS OF MORE THAN $50B

Three tech companies — Apple, Microsoft and Google owner Alphabet — reported combined profits of more than $50 billion in the April-June quarter, underscoring their unparalleled influence and success at reshaping the way we live.

JEFF BEZOS BLASTS INTO SPACE ON OWN ROCKET: ‘BEST DAY EVER!'

Jeff Bezos blasted into space Tuesday on his rocket company’s first flight with people on board, becoming the second billionaire in just over a week to ride his own spacecraft.

SOUTHWEST, AMERICAN POST 2Q PROFITS AS AIR TRAVEL PICKS UP

American Airlines and Southwest Airlines both posted second-quarter profits on Thursday thanks to generous federal pandemic relief that covers most of their labor costs.

‘WE'RE BACK ON THE ROAD!' ROLLING STONES RELAUNCH U.S. TOUR

Time is finally on their side.

FRANCE WEIGHS CYBERSECURITY MOVES AFTER SPYWARE REPORTS

French President Emmanuel Macron held an emergency cybersecurity meeting Thursday to weigh possible government action after reports that his cellphone and those of government ministers may have been targeted by spyware.

HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE FIXED AFTER MONTH OF NO SCIENCE

The Hubble Space Telescope should be back in action soon, following a tricky, remote repair job by NASA.

DUTCH DATA PROTECTION AUTHORITY FINES TIKTOK OVER PRIVACY

The Netherlands’ Data Protection Authority said Thursday it has fined TikTok 750,000 euros ($885,000) for not offering a privacy statement in Dutch, saying many children who use the popular video sharing app would be unable to understand the information.

SMALL BUSINESSES LIFTED BY RETURN OF SUMMER TOURISTS

Small businesses in the U.S. that depend on tourism and vacationers say business is bouncing back, as Americans rebook postponed trips and spend freely on food, entertainment and souvenirs.

DISNEY MAY GET $570M IN TAX BREAKS FOR NEW CAMPUS

The Walt Disney Co. stands to benefit from more than a half billion dollars in tax breaks for building a new regional campus in Florida that promises to employ at least 2,000 professional employees who will be relocating from Southern California to work in digital technology, finance and product development.

PRIEST OUTED VIA GRINDR APP HIGHLIGHTS RAMPANT DATA TRACKING

When a religious publication used smartphone app data to deduce the sexual orientation of a high-ranking Roman Catholic official, it exposed a problem that goes far beyond a debate over church doctrine and priestly celibacy.

AMAZON'S MISSION: GETTING A ‘KEY' TO YOUR APARTMENT BUILDING

Amazon is tired of ringing doorbells.

TAIWAN CHIPMAKER TSMC SAYS PROFIT UP 11.2% AS DEMAND RISES

TSMC, the biggest contract manufacturer of processor chips for Apple Inc. and other global brands, said Thursday its latest quarterly profit rose 11.2% over a year earlier to $4.8 billion as demand for smartphones and consumer electronics increased.

‘FOREVER PURGE' GETS POLITICAL ON SOUTHERN BORDER

“The Forever Purge” is set along the U.S.-Mexican border and it’s perhaps the most overtly political of the series, portraying a ragtag group of Americans trying to flee the anarchy and white supremacy of Texas for the safety of Mexico as the annual U.S. bloodlust event turns into an everyday abomination.

THAT WAS FLEETING: TWITTER KILLS OFF EPHEMERAL MESSAGES

Twitter is disappearing its disappearing tweets, called fleets, after they didn’t catch on.

US UNEMPLOYMENT CLAIMS FALL TO 360,000, A NEW PANDEMIC LOW

The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits has reached its lowest level since the pandemic struck last year, further evidence that the U.S. economy and job market are quickly rebounding from the pandemic recession.

GM WARNS SOME BOLT OWNERS TO PARK OUTDOORS DUE TO FIRE RISK

General Motors is telling owners of some older Chevrolet Bolts to park them outdoors and not to charge them overnight because two of the electric cars caught fire after recall repairs were made.

U.S. FACTORY OUTPUT DIPS 0.1% IN JUNE ON AUTO CHIP SHORTAGE

U.S. factory output slid last month as a shortage of computer chips disrupted auto production.

REGULATOR SUES AMAZON TO FORCE RECALL OF HAZARDOUS PRODUCTS

Safety regulators are suing Amazon to force it to recall hazardous products sold on its site, including flammable children’s pajamas, faulty carbon monoxide detectors and hair dryers that don’t protect users from getting electrocuted.

TOYOTA REVS UP ITS DIGITAL MAPPING SUBSIDIARY WOVEN PLANET

Toyota plans to hire more people and invest heavily in its subsidiary Woven Planet to work on mobility technology so the Japanese automaker stays competitive amid the global shift to using artificial intelligence and robotics in everyday driving.

DEVICE TAPS BRAIN WAVES TO HELP PARALYZED MAN COMMUNICATE

In a medical first, researchers harnessed the brain waves of a paralyzed man unable to speak — and turned what he intended to say into sentences on a computer screen.

4 Smallbusiness Innovations That Will Outlast The Pandemic

Small businesses that survived the COVID-19 pandemic still face a long road to recovery, but some of the innovations business owners adopted last year may outlast the pandemic itself.

FOR JOHANSSON, FANS, ‘BLACK WIDOW' IS A DECADE IN THE MAKING

Scarlett Johansson has had quite a bit of time to think about a “ Black Widow ” movie. After all, she’s played the character in seven movies spanning 10 years.

US ENVOY WARNS CHINA ‘LOOKING AT' NEW NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGIES

A U.S. diplomat focusing on disarmament said Thursday that China is “looking at” developing naval and aerial autonomous nuclear weapons systems, warning any such development could disrupt strategic stability.

TRUMP ANNOUNCES SUITS AGAINST FACEBOOK, TWITTER AND GOOGLE

Former President Donald Trump announced he is filing suits against three of the country’s biggest tech companies: Facebook, Twitter and Google, as well as their CEOs.