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BLACK FRIDAY SEES RECORD ONLINE AS US SHOPPERS STAY HOME

Black Friday online sales hit a new record this year as pandemic-wary Americans filled virtual carts instead of real ones.

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 last Saturday.

GLOBAL TECH GIANTS THREATEN TO LEAVE PAKISTAN OVER NEW RULES

Internet and technology companies have threatened to leave Pakistan after the government granted blanket powers to authorities to censor digital content, a move critics say was aimed at curtailing freedom of expression in the conservative Islamic nation.

DETROIT RESIDENTS CONCERNED ABOUT TRAFFIC CAMERA EXPANSION

Detroit officials’ plan to install 200 more traffic light-mounted cameras at city intersections is facing community resistance amid privacy and racial discrimination concerns.

BEST BUY REPORTS 3Q RESULTS THAT EXCEED WALL STREET VIEWS

Best Buy Co. reported fiscal third-quarter results that blew through analysts’ expectations as the nation’s largest consumer electronics retailer enjoyed surging demand for items like home theater and appliances that help people learn, cook, work and connect in their homes during the pandemic.

UNCHANGED FROM EARLY ESTIMATE, US ECONOMY GREW 33.1% IN Q3

The second of three estimates on U.S. growth for the July-September quarter was unchanged at a record pace of 33.1%. But a resurgence in the coronavirus is expected to slow growth sharply in the current quarter with some economists even raising the specter of a double-dip recession.

LIGHTS, CAMERA, SELL: RETAILERS WANT YOU TO WATCH AND SHOP

When Jenna Powell gets in front of a camera, she can sell $10,000 worth of sparkly dresses and tie-dye hoodies in 40 minutes.

LEFT FOR DEAD, TWICE, RADIOSHACK GETS ANOTHER SHOT ONLINE

RadioShack, a fixture at the mall for decades, has been pulled from brink of death, again.

BUSINESS: APPLE POSITIONS iPHONE 12 AS A CORPORATE MUST-HAVE

Critics labeled the iPhone 12 Apple’s biggest leap forward in years, with analysts suggesting that the Cupertino company will shift close to 70 million units before the end of 2020. As if the iPhone 12 range wasn’t popular enough, Apple has announced a partnership with carrier Verizon to make iPhone the most compelling business smartphone, offering 5G on the go.

CHINA LAUNCHES MISSION TO BRING BACK MATERIAL FROM MOON

China launched an ambitious mission on Tuesday to bring back rocks and debris from the moon’s surface for the first time in more than 40 years — an undertaking that could boost human understanding of the moon and of the solar system more generally.

ALIBABA CEO SAYS REGULATIONS FOR INTERNET FIRMS 'NECESSARY'

The chairman and CEO of e-commerce giant Alibaba Group praised Chinese regulators 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.

EU Files Antitrust Charges Against Amazon Over Use of Data

European Union regulators filed antitrust charges this week against Amazon, accusing the e-commerce giant of using its access to data from companies that sell products on its platform to gain an unfair advantage over them.

Japan's Softbank Back in The Black As Investments Improve

Japanese technology company SoftBank Group Corp. said it bounced back to profitability in the last quarter as its investments improved in value.

SPACEX CAPSULE WITH 4 ASTRONAUTS REACHES SPACE STATION

SpaceX’s newly launched capsule with four astronauts arrived Monday at the International Space Station, their new home until spring.

TWITTER LAUNCHES DISAPPEARING TWEETS THAT VANISH IN A DAY

Twitter is launching tweets that disappear in 24 hours called “Fleets” globally, echoing social media sites like Snapchat, Facebook and Instagram that already have disappearing posts.

NON-ENGLISH SPEAKERS FACE CHALLENGES IN VIRTUAL LEARNING

Aporine Shabani escaped violence in Congo to find a better life for her children in Scranton.

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.

PLANNING TRAVEL BECOMES MORE COMPLICATED DURING PANDEMIC

Planning travel for college basketball teams can be complicated. Flights and hotels have to be booked, buses rented, meals planned. Schedules have to be worked around practices and games.

DELIVERY GIANT DOORDASH PLANS IPO

Delivery giant DoorDash Inc. is planning to sell its stock to the public, capitalizing on the growing trend of consumers embracing app-based deliveries as much of the world stays home during the pandemic.

FAA CLEARS BOEING 737 MAX TO FLY AGAIN

After nearly two years and a pair of deadly crashes, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has cleared Boeing’s 737 Max for flight.

CONSOLE BATTLE: PS5 AND XBOX SERIES X FIGHTING TO BE CHRISTMAS #1

With the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 launching this month, it’s never been a more exciting time to be a gamer.

AMAZON OPENS ONLINE PHARMACY, SHAKING UP ANOTHER INDUSTRY

Now at Amazon.com: insulin and inhalers.

AIRBNB DETAILS YEARS OF LOSSES AHEAD OF PLANNED IPO

Airbnb was losing money even before the pandemic struck and cut its revenue by almost a third, the home-sharing company revealed in documents filed this week ahead of a planned initial public offering of its stock.

MacBooks: M1 Processor Takes Mac Family Into a New Era

This year, our computers have been more important than ever before. Whether we’re working from home or catching up with friends over FaceTime, our Macs have become a part of who we are.

UBER'S FOOD DELIVERY BUSINESS OUTSHINES CORE RIDES SERVICE

Uber’s food delivery business brought in more money during the third quarter than its signature rides business, showing just how much consumer behavior has changed — and how far the company has adapted — since the pandemic struck.

ROLES AREN'T FOR KEEPS ON ‘CROWN,' EVEN NEWCOMER PRINCESS DI

For viewers, “The Crown” offers a peek into a modern royal family’s life and times, or at least an engaging dramatization. For the cast, it’s meant the lofty equivalent of gig work as the Netflix series ticks through the decades.

TAIWAN PROCESSOR CHIP MAKER TO SET UP $3.5 BILLION U.S. ARM

A Taiwanese maker of processor chips for Apple Inc. and other customers plans to invest $3.5 billion to set up its second U.S. manufacturing site amid American concern about relying too heavily on sources in Asia for high-tech components.

RIGHTS ACTIVISTS SLAM EU PLAN FOR ACCESS TO ENCRYPTED CHATS

Digital rights campaigners this week criticized a proposal by European Union governments that calls for communications companies to provide authorities with access to encrypted messages.

MISSISSIPPI PROGRAM TO USE DOOR CAMERAS TO FIGHT CRIME

Mississippi’s capital city could begin using residents’ door security cameras in its effort to fight rising crime.

LYFT'S RESULTS SHOW PAIN BUT ALSO HOPE AS SOME RIDERS RETURN

Lyft is still feeling the pandemic’s severe impact on the ride-hailing industry but its third-quarter results show signs of a recovery from the previous three months when passengers stayed locked down.