CATEGORIES

MERCEDES, STELLANTIS TO WORK WITH US FIRM ON NEW BATTERIES

Automakers Mercedes-Benz and Stellantis announced agreements with U.S. company Factorial Energy this week to help develop solid-state battery technology that they hope could make electric cars more attractive to a mass market.

FROM SQUARE TO BLOCK: ANOTHER TECH COMPANY CHANGES ITS NAME

There’s a new Silicon Valley corporate name change on the block.

GM CITES IMPROVED CHIP SUPPLY IN RAISING FINANCIAL GUIDANCE

Citing an improved supply of automotive computer chips, General Motors raised its financial guidance on Wednesday and said it expects to return to a normal production rate by the end of next year.

DATA HACKED FOR 400,000 PLANNED PARENTHOOD LA PATIENTS

The Los Angeles branch of Planned Parenthood was hit by a data breach involving about 400,000 patients, but there is no indication that the information was used “for fraudulent purposes,” the group said.

Under Pressure, Apple Allows Self-repairs to Iphones, Macs

Apple is letting some iPhone users fix their own phones, a sharp turnaround for a company that has long prohibited anyone but company-approved technicians from fiddling with its proprietary parts and software.

African Internet Riches Threatened by Lawsuit and Corruption

Outsiders have long profited from Africa’s riches of gold, diamonds, and even people. Digital resources have proven no different.

LAUNCH OF NEW NASA SPACE TELESCOPE DELAYED AFTER INCIDENT

The European Space Agency says the launch of a new NASA telescope to replace the famed Hubble observatory is being postponed to allow experts to check the device for possible damage following an incident at its spaceport in French Guiana.

IS TRAVEL SAFE DURING THE PANDEMIC THIS HOLIDAY SEASON?

Is travel safe during the pandemic this holiday season?

NASA LAUNCHES SPACECRAFT TO TEST ASTEROID DEFENSE CONCEPT

NASA launched a spacecraft Tuesday night on a mission to smash into an asteroid and test whether it would be possible to knock a speeding space rock off course if one were to threaten Earth.

ITALIAN COMPETITION WATCHDOG FINES APPLE, AMAZON $225M

Italy’s antitrust watchdog has fined Apple and Amazon a total of more than 200 million euros ($225 million) for cooperating to restrict competition in the sale of Apple and Beats branded products in violation of European Union rules.

US FUND KKR INTERESTED IN ITALIAN TELECOMS GIANT TIM

The Italian telecommunications company TIM is assessing a non-binding “indication of interest” by the U.S. investment fund KKR to acquire the entire capital share, a potential 11 billion-euro deal.

JAPAN, VIETNAM LOOK TO CYBER DEFENSE AGAINST CHINA

Japan and Vietnam signed a cybersecurity agreement as the two Asian nations rapidly step up their military ties amid concerns over China’s growing assertiveness.

NASA SEEKS IDEAS FOR A NUCLEAR REACTOR ON THE MOON

If anyone has a good idea on how to put a nuclear fission power plant on the moon, the U.S. government wants to hear about it.

NEW MEXICO EES TV TECH AS ONE FIX TO K-12 INTERNET DIVIDE

Internet problems continue to slow down many students in the U.S. state of New Mexico, but a pilot project using TV signals to transmit computer files may help.

WHATSAPP PUSHES PRIVACY UPDATE TO COMPLY WITH IRISH RULING

WhatsApp is adding more details to its privacy policy and flagging that information for European users, after Irish regulators slapped the chat service with a record fine for breaching strict EU data privacy rules.

Bill Gates Venture Picks Wyoming City for Sodium Nuke Plant

A small city in the top U.S. coal-mining state of Wyoming will be home to a Bill Gates-backed experimental nuclear power project near a coalfired power plant that will soon close, officials announced Tuesday.

Biden Administration Launches Series on Arctic Energy

Members of the Biden administration launched a series of events aimed at exploring the Arctic’s potential to act as a “living laboratory of clean energy innovation.”

STAPLES CENTER IS CHANGING ITS NAME TO CRYPTO.COM ARENA

Staples Center is getting a new name. Starting Christmas Day, it will be Crypto.com Arena.

CHARITIES SEE MORE CRYPTO DONATIONS. WHO IS BENEFITING?

As the biggest cryptocurrencies flirt with record high values, they’re increasingly becoming bigger sources of revenue for charities.

SPACEX'S MUSK: 1ST STARSHIP TEST FLIGHT TO ORBIT IN JANUARY

SpaceX founder Elon Musk said that his company will attempt to launch its futuristic, bullet-shaped Starship to orbit in January, but he’s not betting on success for that first test flight.

EU OPENS DOOR TO GIVING AID FOR SEMICONDUCTOR PRODUCTION

The European Commission said Thursday that it could approve aid to fund production of semiconductors in the 27-nation bloc amid a global chip shortage and intense worldwide competition to fill the need.

RISING PRICES THREATEN PROFIT MARGINS AT FOOD COMPANIES

Albertsons, Mondelez and Kroger are among a wide range of companies whose profits could be squeezed from rising food prices if inflation keeps running hot.

ELECTRIC VEHICLES GET SPOTLIGHT AT LOS ANGELES AUTO SHOW

Battery-powered vehicles will get top billing at the Los Angeles Auto Show, which opens this week after a year’s hiatus due to the novel coronavirus.

AMID CRYPTO'S WILD WEST, BINANCE SAYS A SHERIFF IS NEEDED

The cryptocurrency market gets likened to the Wild West by critics, and now a key player is asking for sheriffs to come to town.

After Twitter Poll, CEO Musk Sells Off $5b in Tesla Shares

After making a promise on Twitter, Tesla CEO Elon Musk has sold about 4.5 million shares of the electric car maker’s stock, raising over $5 billion.

Get Ready for More Games: ‘Squid Game' Readies for Season 2

It’s official, the Netflix TV series “Squid Game” will be back for a season two, even though most TV shows in South Korea run for just one season. But due to the show’s global success, its creator and director said, “I almost feel like you leave us no choice.”

SEARCH FOR LIFE ON OTHER WORLDS TOPS ASTRONOMY TO-DO LIST

A U.S. survey of astronomers puts the search for extraterrestrial life at the top of their to-do list for the next 10 years.

ELECTRIC TRUCK MAKER RIVIAN ZOOMS TO $86B MARKET VALUE

Shares of Rivian Automotive jumped in their debut Wednesday, rising as much as 53% as investors look for the next big winner in the electric vehicle market.

US SUES UBER, SAYING WAIT FEES DISCRIMINATE AGAINST DISABLED

The federal government is suing Uber saying it discriminates against disabled people by charging fees when drivers have to wait for passengers to board their vehicles.

SPACEX CREW LAUNCH MARKS 600 SPACE TRAVELERS IN 60 YEARS

A SpaceX rocket carried four astronauts into orbit Wednesday night, including the 600th person to reach space in 60 years.