(Brands & Consumers)
Apple has taken down several mobile apps that allowed users to report sightings of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers, citing safety concerns flagged by law enforcement. Among the apps removed from the App Store is ICEBlock, which had been downloaded over a million times in the US. Similar apps, including ICE Immigration Alerts…
Taylor Swift’s influence stretches far beyond the music charts – she has built an economic powerhouse that now spans film, tourism, merchandising, and streaming. What began as a career in country-pop has evolved into a billion-dollar ecosystem touching nearly every corner of entertainment and business. Now worth an estimated $2.1 billion, according to Bloomberg’s Billionaires…
Fast-fashion giant Shein has announced plans to open its first permanent physical outlets, selecting France as the launchpad for the move. The retailer, best known for its low-cost, trend-driven clothing, will begin with concessions inside Paris department stores before expanding to five other cities – Dijon, Reims, Grenoble, Angers and Limoges. The outlets are being…
A new investigation has alleged that TikTok’s algorithm promotes pornographic material to underage users, even when parental safety features are switched on. Global Witness, a human rights campaign group, said its researchers created fake accounts posing as 13-year-olds in late July and early August. Despite enabling TikTok’s “restricted mode,” the accounts were served sexualised search…
Japan’s best-known brewer, Asahi, is battling supply shortages after a cyber-attack crippled its domestic operations, forcing production at most of its factories to grind to a halt. The company confirmed that the incident, which struck its ordering and delivery systems on Monday, has left shipments suspended with no clear timeline for resumption. Major retailers, including…
For millions around the world, the familiar chime of “EA Sports – it’s in the game” is more than just a slogan – it’s the soundtrack of youth, friendship, and countless hours spent in front of a console. Now, that gaming giant has become the centre of one of the biggest deals in entertainment history….
Elon Musk has set a new benchmark in global wealth, becoming the first individual to surpass a net worth of $500 billion (£370.9bn), according to Forbes’ billionaire index. The Tesla chief executive’s fortune briefly climbed to $500.1 billion on Wednesday afternoon in New York before easing slightly to just over $499 billion by the close…
Meta will soon begin offering Facebook and Instagram users in the UK the option to pay for an ad-free experience, marking a significant shift in how the social media giant operates in the country. The company confirmed on Friday that UK users will be notified in the coming weeks of the new subscription option, which…
Nike has reported an unexpected rise in first-quarter revenue and stronger-than-anticipated profits, signalling early progress in its turnaround strategy even as tariffs and sluggish demand in China weigh on the business. Shares of the sportswear giant rose more than 3% on Wednesday after the company disclosed that bloated inventories had been trimmed and wholesale revenues…
Snapchat will begin charging users who exceed a storage limit for saving old photos and videos on its Memories feature, a move that has drawn criticism from long-time users. The company announced that those with more than 5GB of saved content will need to pay to keep their archives. While Snapchat has offered free storage…
Swiss chocolates and wines are set to cost less in India following the implementation of a new trade pact between New Delhi and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), which took effect on Wednesday. The agreement, formally signed in March 2024, covers Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. Under its terms, India will gradually eliminate tariffs…
Japanese drinks giant Asahi has disclosed that a cyber-attack has forced a systems shutdown, halting parts of its order processing, shipping, and customer service operations in its home market. The company confirmed on Tuesday that no personal customer data has been compromised and stressed that its European operations, including the UK, remain unaffected. However, it…
YouTube has agreed to pay former U.S. president Donald Trump $24.5 million to resolve a lawsuit he filed after the platform suspended his account in the aftermath of the January 6 Capitol riot. The settlement, confirmed on Monday, follows similar agreements reached earlier this year with Facebook and X (formerly Twitter). Trump had accused major…
Like many things in the shadowy world of cyber-crime, an insider threat is something very few people have experience of. Even fewer people want to talk about it. But I was given a unique and worrying experience of how hackers can leverage insiders when I myself was recently propositioned by a criminal gang. “If you…
Nike is expanding its skateboarding lineup with a fresh release of the Nike SB Nyjah 4, introducing a sleek black-and-white colorway designed with performance and style in mind. The model, created in collaboration with professional skateboarder Nyjah Huston, builds on the success of his previous signature sneakers. Known for pushing the boundaries of skate footwear,…
The UK government has announced a £1.5 billion loan guarantee for Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) as the carmaker grapples with a cyber-attack that has brought its UK production to a standstill. Business Secretary Peter Kyle confirmed that the support package, facilitated through the Export Development Guarantee (EDG) scheme, is aimed at safeguarding thousands of jobs…
German engineering giant Bosch has announced plans to cut 13,000 jobs in its mobility division as part of a sweeping cost-saving initiative aimed at reducing expenses by €2.5 billion (£2.06 billion). The company said the decision was driven by a stagnating global vehicle market, intensifying competition from electric vehicle manufacturers such as Tesla and China’s…
The UK government has announced plans to introduce a mandatory digital ID system for anyone seeking to work in the country, as part of its strategy to tackle illegal migration and improve border security. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer unveiled the proposal during a speech at the Global Progressive Action Conference in London, attended by…
Luxury retailer Harrods has warned customers that their personal information may have been compromised following a breach involving one of its third-party service providers. In an email sent to affected customers on Friday evening, the London-based department store said that names and contact details of some online shoppers were accessed. The company assured customers that…
China has launched a sweeping two-month campaign to curb online expressions of pessimism, targeting social media content that authorities say “excessively exaggerates negative and gloomy sentiments.” The initiative, announced this week by the Cyberspace Administration of China, seeks to “rectify negative emotions” and foster a “civilized and rational online environment.” Officials say the move is…
Amazon has agreed to pay $2.5 billion to settle a lawsuit brought by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which accused the tech giant of tricking millions of customers into enrolling in its Prime membership program and making cancellations unnecessarily difficult. Under the proposed agreement, $1.5 billion will be set aside for refunds to customers…
Starbucks has announced plans to eliminate around 900 jobs in the United States and shut down a number of its worst-performing stores, including some in the UK, as part of a major cost-cutting and restructuring initiative aimed at boosting sales and improving customer experience. The Seattle-based coffee giant said most closures will take place in…
YouTube has announced plans to reinstate certain accounts previously banned for repeatedly sharing false information about Covid-19 and the 2020 US presidential election. The decision was revealed in a letter sent by Alphabet, YouTube’s parent company, to House Judiciary Committee Chairman Rep. Jim Jordan. The correspondence came in response to an ongoing Republican-led investigation into…
The White House has confirmed that Oracle will oversee TikTok’s algorithm in the United States as part of a landmark deal that will transfer the popular social media app’s US operations to a majority American-owned company. A senior White House official revealed on Monday that under the agreement, TikTok’s content recommendation algorithm – a key…
The UK government is considering emergency measures to support Jaguar Land Rover’s (JLR) suppliers after a major cyber-attack forced the carmaker to suspend production at its factories. The attack, which occurred at the end of August and was first reported on September 1, disrupted JLR’s IT systems, bringing operations at its three UK plants in…
YouTube content creators generated £2.2 billion for the UK economy last year and supported 45,000 jobs, according to a new report by Oxford Economics. The findings were released alongside the launch of an all-party parliamentary group (APPG) aimed at representing UK creators and influencers, who campaigners say have long been overlooked by policymakers. Feryal Clark,…
TikTok has been accused of failing to effectively prevent children under 13 from using its platform and of collecting sensitive personal data from young users, according to a new investigation by Canadian privacy authorities. The report, released on Thursday by Canada’s privacy commissioner Philippe Dufresne and regional privacy protection officials, found that hundreds of thousands…
Michelob Ultra has claimed the title of the best-selling beer in the United States, dethroning Modelo Especial after two years at the top. Parent company Anheuser-Busch announced the milestone on Monday, citing data from Circana showing that Michelob Ultra led US retail beer sales by volume in the 12 months ending September 14. The shift…
Nvidia has announced plans to invest up to $100 billion in OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, in what both firms describe as a strategic partnership aimed at building the next wave of artificial intelligence infrastructure. The deal will see Nvidia provide high-performance chips essential for training and operating large-scale AI models, alongside funding for data…
Google is turning its popular Chrome browser into an AI-powered tool, introducing its Gemini AI assistant directly into the platform as part of a major update. The move comes as the tech giant ramps up competition with Microsoft’s Copilot and OpenAI’s ChatGPT in the rapidly growing AI space. The rollout, which began this week for…
Samsung is under fire after beginning a pilot program that places advertisements on the screens of its Family Hub smart refrigerators in the United States. The move, which turns the company’s high-end appliances into digital ad platforms, has sparked frustration among customers who say it undermines the premium experience they paid for. The program quietly…
Valve has announced it will end support for 32-bit operating systems on its Steam platform starting January 1, 2026. After this date, Steam will only run on 64-bit versions of Windows 10 and Windows 11, marking a significant shift as the company phases out older technology. According to Valve’s statement on the Steam website, the…
Microsoft has announced another round of price increases for its Xbox consoles in the United States, marking the second hike in just four months. The company attributed the move to “changes in the macroeconomic environment,” though the decision comes on the heels of a strong earnings report showing significant revenue growth. The new pricing will…
Apple has pushed the price of its flagship smartphone to new heights with the launch of the iPhone 17 Pro Max, which now comes with an unprecedented 2 terabytes (TB) of storage, making it one of the most expensive mainstream phones ever released. The premium version of the Pro Max, unveiled at Apple’s Cupertino campus…
Tesla is exploring a redesign of its car door mechanisms following multiple incidents where passengers were reportedly trapped inside vehicles during emergencies, including fires, due to rescuers being unable to open the doors. The move comes after a Bloomberg investigation uncovered 140 reported cases of people being trapped inside Teslas because of door handle malfunctions,…
US chip giant Nvidia has announced plans to acquire a $5 billion stake in Intel, a move aimed at boosting the struggling semiconductor company while strengthening collaboration on next-generation chip development. The deal, unveiled on Thursday, will see Nvidia take roughly a 4% stake in Intel, making it one of Intel’s largest shareholders. The partnership…
US regulators have filed a lawsuit against Ticketmaster and its parent company Live Nation, accusing them of working with ticket brokers to inflate prices and reap billions of dollars in illegal profits from concertgoers. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), joined by seven states, alleges that the entertainment giant conspired with brokers to acquire tickets for…
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has expressed disappointment over reports that China has ordered its leading tech companies to stop purchasing the firm’s artificial intelligence (AI) chips, escalating tensions in the global tech industry. Speaking to BBC News, Huang urged the US to ensure open access to technology worldwide, including China.“The advance of human society is…
The families of four victims of the Air India Flight 171 crash have filed a lawsuit in the United States against aerospace giants Boeing and Honeywell, alleging that faulty aircraft components led to the deadly accident. The case, filed on Tuesday and obtained by the BBC, claims that defective fuel switches caused the crash and…
Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, has unveiled a new line of AI-driven smart glasses, strengthening its push to make wearable technology a key part of everyday life. At its annual Meta Connect conference held in Silicon Valley, CEO Mark Zuckerberg introduced a series of products developed in partnership with Ray-Ban and…
Sky has announced plans to cut 600 jobs across the UK as part of a major shift toward strengthening its streaming and digital services. The broadcaster confirmed on Tuesday that a consultation process has been launched affecting 900 positions, with around two-thirds of the cuts expected to hit its Leeds, London, and Livingston, West Lothian…
U.S. safety regulators have launched an investigation into Tesla’s 2021 Model Y after receiving reports that malfunctioning electric door handles left children trapped inside the vehicles. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced on Tuesday that it had received nine complaints about the issue, with four incidents escalating to the point where parents had…
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has purchased approximately $1 billion (£735 million) worth of Tesla shares, marking his first open-market stock purchase since 2020. The move, disclosed in a regulatory filing on Monday, sent Tesla’s stock soaring over 6% in early trading, signaling renewed investor confidence in the electric carmaker. The buy involves roughly 2.5 million…
Alphabet, the parent company of Google, has unveiled a £5 billion ($6.8 billion) investment in the United Kingdom’s artificial intelligence sector, marking one of the largest technology commitments by a U.S. company in recent years. The announcement comes just days before U.S. President Donald Trump’s state visit to the UK. The funding will be spread…
Former U.S. President Donald Trump has announced plans to sue The New York Times for $15 billion over what he describes as defamation and libel, escalating his long-running feud with the publication. Trump made the declaration on Monday in a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, accusing the newspaper of spreading falsehoods and…
US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order imposing a $100,000 annual fee on companies sponsoring foreign workers under the H-1B visa program, a move that could significantly impact the US tech industry and global talent recruitment. The order, which takes effect on September 21, will apply only to new visa applications. Under the…
Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence company, xAI, has carried out a sweeping overnight restructuring of its data annotation division, resulting in the layoff of about 500 employees. The affected team had been instrumental in training Grok, xAI’s chatbot competitor to OpenAI’s ChatGPT. According to an internal email obtained by Business Insider, xAI announced plans to shift…
Activision has announced changes to the pre-order bonus operator skins for Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 following widespread community feedback. The move comes after the initial reveal of the Vault Edition operators last month sparked criticism from fans who felt the designs lacked authenticity. In a statement, Activision said the adjustments reflect its commitment…
Penske Media, the parent company of Rolling Stone, Billboard, and Variety, has filed a landmark lawsuit against Google, accusing the tech giant of using its journalism without permission through AI-generated summaries that appear at the top of search results. The suit, filed Friday in federal court in Washington, D.C., is the first by a major…
The long-rumored sale of Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) is gaining momentum after a Wall Street Journal report revealed that Paramount’s new leadership is preparing a bid to acquire the media giant. The news sent shockwaves through the entertainment industry, with analysts warning that the move could spark a fierce bidding war involving multiple tech and…
