Amazon Contracts Rival SpaceX to Launch Internet Satellites
Amazon.com Inc. has signed an agreement with rival SpaceX for three launches of Elon Musk’s Falcon 9 rocket,
2023-12-02 03:55
Powell Pushes Back on Rate-Cut Bets, But Markets Push Back Harder
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell attempted to push back against investors’ growing expectations of interest-rate cuts in the
2023-12-02 03:24
TikTok asks EU court to suspend EU gatekeeper label until its ruling
By Foo Yun Chee BRUSSELS Chinese conglomerate ByteDance's TikTok has asked Europe's second highest court to suspend its
2023-12-02 02:52
TikTok ban struck down in Montana
A federal judge in Montana has blocked a bid to ban TikToK in the state. The state-wide ban would have come into effect on 1 January 2024 and would have seen Montana become the first US state to ban TikTok, which is owned by the China-based tech giant ByteDance. Judge Donald Molloy said he blocked the ban because it “oversteps state power” and Montana failed to show how the original SB 419 bill would be “constitutionally permissible,” among other reasons, according to a legal filing released on Thursday. “Despite the State’s attempt to defend SB 419 as a consumer protection bill, the current record leaves little doubt that Montana’s legislature and Attorney General were more interested in targeting China’s ostensible role in TikTok than with protecting Montana consumers,” Judge Molloy wrote in the filing. Judge Molloy’s ruling was a preliminary injunction, so it is possible the ban can still be reinstated. The bill was signed into law by state governor Greg Gianforte in May with the aim of “protecting Montanans from Chinese Communist Party surveillance,” he claimed. Under the law, Montana’s 200,000 TikTok users did not face any repercussions for using the app, however TikTok and other companies faced a $10,000 daily fine for each time someone accessed the app or was “offered the ability” to download it. Opponents of the bill have argued that it violates users’ First Amendment rights. A TikTok spokesperson said in a statement the company is “pleased the judge rejected this unconstitutional law and hundreds of thousands of Montanans can continue to express themselves, earn a living, and find community on TikTok.” ByteDance sued Montana in May to “prevent the state of Montana from unlawfully banning TikTok,” the company said at the time, after state officials alleged the Chinese government “could access data about TikTok users, and that TikTok exposes minors to harmful online content.” TikTok has previously insisted that it does not share data with the Chinese government. Montana attorney general said in a statement that the judge’s decision is merely “a preliminary matter at this point,” adding that the state will continue to defend the ban. In January 2020, the United States Army and Navy banned TikTok on government devices after the Defense Department labeled it a security risk. US lawmakers have expressed concern over the ability of the Chinese Communist Party to access the data of US citizens using the app, and have considered implementing a nationwide ban on TikTok. Read More Apple users told to make urgent update to stay safe Three has gone down Advertisers ‘won’t take risk’ of returning to X after Musk’s expletive-filled rant Apple users told to make urgent update to stay safe Three has gone down Advertisers ‘won’t take risk’ of returning to X after Musk’s expletive-filled rant
2023-12-02 02:51
DJ Uiagalelei transfer portal rumors: 5 best destinations for Oregon State QB
For the second offseason in a row, former five-star quarterback DJ Uiagalelei is entering the transfer portal. Here are five potential landing spots for the former Clemson and Oregon State starting quarterback.
2023-12-02 01:51
Walmart says it is not advertising on social platform X
By Siddharth Cavale Walmart said on Friday it is not advertising on social media platform X, the latest
2023-12-02 01:22
Battery Startup Opens Chicago Plant as US Seeks to Curb Reliance on China
A startup specializing in high-performance batteries is close to starting operations at a facility near Chicago’s central business
2023-12-02 01:21
A huge solar storm is hitting Earth and could cause internet blackouts
A solar storm predicted to hit Earth on Friday (December 1) may cause internet blackouts, according to forecasters. Radio and GPS could also be affected due to the solar storm, also known as a coronal mass ejection (CME), which is caused by interference with Earth’s magnetic field. "A Direct Hit! The impressive #solarstorm launched in the Earth-strike zone has been modeledmodelled by NASA," space weather physicist Dr Skov posted on Twitter/X. "The storm is predicted to hit Earth by midday December 1. Along with two earlier storms already en route means we have a 1,2,3-punch. If the magnetic field is oriented correctly, expect #aurora to reach deep into mid-latitudes." She added: "Amateur #radio & #GPS reception issues are likely, especially on Earth's nightside. G3+ conditions are possible with this storm series." A solar storm can have substantial effects on the Earth, taking place when the sun emits powerful bursts of energy which come from solar flares and CME that contain charged plasma. During which, a stream of an electromagnetic field is directed towards Earth and this causes the aurora borealis. Three solar storms were predicted to advance towards Earth – and some may merge, resulting in increased disruptions to Earth’s magnetic field, according to The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). “Along with two earlier storms already en route [this] means we have a 1,2,3-punch,” Dr Skov said. Consequently, she added there are “excellent chances” of strong G3-level magnetic storms and auroras on Earth. The way the strength of a solar storm is measured is with the letter G and then a number system from 1-5 (1 being the weakest, to 5 being the strongest). So a G3 level storm means radio, internet and GPS could be affected due to the strength of these events. Solar storms are also known to cause electrical grids and knock out satellites, depending on their strength. Meanwhile, experts have warned the solar storm thought to occur today may impact communication systems in high latitudes. “With 3 CMEs already inbound, the addition of a 4th, full halo CME has prompted SWPC forecasters to upgrade the G2 Watch on 01 Dec to a G3 Watch. This faster-moving halo CME is progged to merge with 2 of the 3 upstream CMEs, all arriving at Earth on 01 Dec,” the NOAA said. “G3 (strong) conditions are now likely on 01 Dec,” it added. How to join the indy100's free WhatsApp channel Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.
2023-12-01 23:18
Amazon-Backed E-Plane Startup, Beta, Expanding in Upstate NY
Beta Technologies, an electric aerospace company, will expand its footprint in upstate New York, Governor Kathy Hochul plans
2023-12-01 22:27
Apple users told to make urgent update to keep iPhone, Mac and other devices safe
Apple has issued an urgent update for most of its devices. Users of iPhones, Macs and iPads have been urged to install the new update – or to risk their devices being attacked by hackers. The update patches an security bug that could let cyber attackers break into Apple devices through their web browser. Exploiting it would allow for “arbitrary code execution”, the technical term for when attackers have full access to run any code they like on a device. The new updates are numbered iOS and iPadOS 17.1.2, and MacOS 14.1.2. There is also an update for the Safari browser that fixes the issue. All of Apple’s platforms that allow for web browsing appear to have been affected by the issue. As such, devices such as the Apple TV and Watch do not have the emergency update. Apple said that it was “aware of a report that this issue may have been exploited” with devices running early versions of iOS. It usually gives little detail about security issues to ensure they cannot be used by other hackers. The company does not “disclose, discuss, or confirm” issues at all until they are fixed. The latest problem was found by Clément Lecigne, from Google’s Threat Analysis Group, or TAG. TAG works to identify threats against Google and its users, and has in the past identified security issues that have been exploited by government hacking groups and other large-scale cyber attackers. Apple has been forced to push out a significant number of security updates this year. The two new bugs are the 19th and 20th such issues to be found this year, according to security website Bleeping Computer. Many of those issues fixed small security bugs that could nonetheless be exploited by spyware such as Pegasus and Predator, which have been known to be used by governments against journalists and activists. The company recently revealed some of the security work that goes into securing its devices against such hackers, and warned that the danger was becoming ever more present. Apple has also introduced new tools, such as “Lockdown Mode”, aimed specifically at users who are most at risk from such attacks. Read More Apple names its App Store apps of the year Police spread panic with warning over new iPhone feature Why Apple is working hard to break into its own iPhones
2023-12-01 22:15
TikTok Seeks to Avoid EU Clutches Amid Fight Over Digital Law
TikTok owner ByteDance Ltd. urged European Union judges to suspend a decision by regulators to force the video-sharing
2023-12-01 21:53
BYD Has Tesla in Its Sights as EV and Hybrid Sales Hit Record
BYD Co.’s sales of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles hit a record in November, helped by price cuts
2023-12-01 21:24