Author: Akin Naphtal

Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook, has announced a global ban on Russian state media outlets, including RT and Rossiya Segodnya, accusing them of using deceptive methods to conduct covert influence operations online. The decision represents an escalation in Meta’s actions against Russian media, after previous measures had focused on limiting the outlets’ reach and prohibiting them from running ads. “After careful consideration, we expanded our ongoing enforcement against Russian state media outlets. Rossiya Segodnya, RT, and other related entities are now banned from our apps globally for foreign interference activity,” Meta said in a statement. The move, which…

Vodafone and Three have issued a formal response to the UK Competition and Markets Authority’s (CMA) provisional findings on their proposed merger, which aims to reshape the UK’s mobile market. The telecom giants argue that the combination of their networks will enhance competition, drive investment, and significantly improve the country’s digital infrastructure, particularly in 5G availability and speed. Currently, the UK ranks 22nd out of 25 European nations for 5G performance, according to an Opensignal report. The companies disagree with certain elements of the CMA’s findings, especially concerning pricing and the potential impact on the wholesale market. Vodafone and Three…

Intel has revealed significant developments in its foundry business as part of its ongoing efforts to improve its performance. The chipmaker is transitioning its Intel Foundry division into an independent subsidiary while maintaining leadership and oversight under an operating board with independent directors, Intel CEO Patrick Gelsinger announced in a blog post. In a key move, Intel has paused its chip fabrication projects in Poland and Germany for two years due to anticipated market demand. The company is also reconsidering its chip packaging and testing operations in Malaysia. Previously, Intel committed over $36 billion for semiconductor factories in Germany, $4.6…

Amazon has announced a stricter return-to-office policy starting next year, requiring employees to work from company offices five days per week, a change from the company’s previous three-day hybrid model. The e-commerce giant’s CEO, Andy Jassy, shared the update in a letter to employees, posted on Amazon’s website, noting the necessity of in-person work for “invention, collaboration, and connection.” Jassy noted that the three-day requirement had strengthened Amazon’s belief in the benefits of in-office work, leading to the decision to fully bring employees back. This move places Amazon in a more stringent position compared to other tech companies, many of…

The UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has expressed concerns about the proposed merger between Vodafone and Three, stating that it could lead to higher prices and reduced services for millions of customers. The merger, which would create the UK’s largest mobile operator with a combined customer base of 27 million, could result in customers facing smaller data packages and potentially higher bills, according to the CMA’s investigation. The authority is particularly concerned about the impact on vulnerable customers who may be least able to afford increased costs. The CMA also highlighted the potential negative consequences for mobile virtual network…

Chinese social media app, TikTok, faces a critical legal battle that could determine its future in the United States (US), with the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia holding oral arguments in a case challenging a law that could ban the app in January 2025. The legal challenge, brought forth by TikTok and ByteDance, the app’s parent company, argues that the law is unconstitutional and violates the free speech rights of Americans’. The companies contend that the ban is “a radical departure from this country’s tradition of championing an open internet.” Driven by concerns among US lawmakers…

Ride-hailing giant, Uber Technologies, has announced plans to expand its partnership with Alphabet’s Waymo to bring autonomous ride-hailing services to Austin, Texas, and Atlanta, Georgia, early next year. The announcement comes at a crucial time for self-driving firms, which have faced increased scrutiny from safety regulators due to multiple incidents involving crashes and accidents. The partnership with Waymo allows Uber to leverage Waymo’s advanced autonomous driving technology while managing and dispatching a fleet of fully autonomous, all-electric Jaguar I-PACE vehicles. Uber and Waymo first announced their initial partnership last year, focusing on offering Waymo’s driverless cars to customers in Phoenix,…

Amazon Web Services (AWS) announced today that it is transitioning OpenSearch, its open-source fork of Elasticsearch, to the Linux Foundation with the launch of the OpenSearch Foundation. This move aims to enhance community involvement and foster open-source collaboration around the search and analytics engine. AWS initially introduced the OpenSearch project in 2021 after Elastic, the original developer of Elasticsearch and Kibana, shifted its licensing to a proprietary model. Elastic’s decision was part of a broader effort by open-source vendors to prevent large cloud providers, particularly AWS, from offering hosted services based on their software. Ironically, this transition comes just weeks…

Viasat, Inc., a global leader in satellite communications, has successfully supported the U.S. Air Force’s (USAF) Air Mobility Command (AMC) and Air Combat Command (ACC) during the recent Bamboo Eagle 24-3 (BE 24-3) exercise. This event, which took place from July 29 to August 10, 2024, followed Viasat’s involvement in the Mobility Guardian 2023 (MG23) exercise and was held at various locations across the United States and the eastern Pacific Ocean, with Nellis Air Force Base as its hub. BE 24-3, like its predecessor Bamboo Eagle 24-1, involved thousands of U.S. service members alongside international allies and partners, focusing on…

Circle Internet Financial, the issuer of the world’s second-largest stablecoin USD coin (USDC), has announced its relocation of global headquarters from Boston to New York City, after filing for a U.S. initial public offering (IPO) earlier in 2024. The company plans to establish its new base in One World Trade Center by early 2025. This shift signifies a growing trend within the cryptocurrency industry – a desire for closer integration with traditional finance. Circle’s decision to relocate to New York City shows the cryptocurrency industry’s increasing desire to be seen as a legitimate player alongside established financial institutions. Major players…