ZTE had a pretty rough 2018 thanks to the US Commerce Department’s decision to enforce a suspended export ban against the company. That cut ZTE off from its US-based suppliers, resulting in an almost total shutdown. ZTE agreed to additional corporate changes and paid a new fine to get back in business, but it hasn’t […]
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Huawei indicted, China responds. Should consumers worry?
The U.S. socked Huawei right in the mouth with the power of a heavyweight boxer. The Department of Justice this week filed indictments against the company, alleging it stole trade secrets, violated trade sanctions against Iran, and committed fraud. Everyone knew the hit was coming, but that doesn’t stop it from smarting. The indictments are […]
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Multiple US gov domains hit in serious DNS hijacking wave, DHS warns
reader comments 10 with 10 posters participating Share this story The Department of Homeland Security has issued an emergency directive ordering administrators of most federal agencies to protect their Internet domains against a rash of attacks that have hit executive branch websites and email servers in recent weeks. The DHS’ Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency […]
Read MoreShutdown: Dot-gov websites vulnerable to cyberattacks, certificates expiring amid funding pause
“With around 400,000 federal employees currently furloughed, more than 80 TLS certificates used by .gov websites have so far expired without being renewed.” Federal workers went without their paychecks Friday, as Trump’s shutdown of the U.S. government continues for 21 days and counting. With no end in sight, concerns are rising that dozens of U.S. […]
Read MoreThe government shutdown is now forcing rocket launches to be delayed
The U.S. government has now been in a partial shutdown for nearly two weeks, forcing many federal employees to take unplanned time off, or, in some cases, to work without the promise of a regular paycheck. Now, with the world having shaken its holiday hangover, the government’s woes are putting kinks in the plans of […]
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The Shutdown Could End Tomorrow But Dealing With Trump Is Like Negotiating With a Criminal
Photo: Zach Gibson (Getty Images) Before taking office President Donald Trump shouted from the rafters about his ability to get deals done. He truly sold white America on his business acumen and ability to seal the deal. Now we all realize that his business methods are equivalent to a goon […]
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What local politicians are saying about the government shutdown
WASHINGTON — The partial federal shutdown has ripple effects nationally as the Senate adjourned on Saturday with no resolution and no full session until Thursday. But what are local politicians saying about the shutdown and what it means on a local level? Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam sent a letter to President Donald Trump, pushing for the chief […]
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House Has a New Plan to Pass Self-driving Bill in 2019
Frustrated with House Democrats’ inability to push through legislation on autonomous vehicle development and testing, Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-MI) believes the new Congress needs to reassess the situation and rally together behind a tweaked proposal Senate Republicans are still willing to back. Dingell claimed Rep. Frank Pallone (D-NJ), who will chair […]
Read MoreJapan reportedly planning to boycott Huawei and ZTE equipment for government use
Chinese technology companies have faced numerous difficulties overseas this year owing to a lack of trust, particularly in the US where Huawei’s proposed carrier deals with AT&T and Verizon fell through due to political pressure and ZTE was forced to pay huge fines and sack board members to resume trading. US government agencies were then […]
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The Government’s Coming for Your Classic Car, but They Can’t Take It All: Aston Martin CEO
Aston Martin CEO Andy Palmer isn’t very trusting of his government’s plan to ban all internal combustion vehicles by 2040. The 55-year-old Brit had a few things to say about the UK’s intentions last year, none of them very kind to policy makers. Since then, it seems he’s grown even […]
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White House Wants to End EV Subsidies ASAP
White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow announced Monday that the Trump administration is seeking an end to federal subsidies on electric cars. Interestingly, the move appears to be related to General Motors’ plant closings and layoffs. The company’s restructuring plan hasn’t gone over well with policy makers or the American public, […]
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French Motorists Spark ‘Yellow Vest’ Protests and Riots Over Fuel Taxes and Regulations (UPDATE: New Green Taxes to Be Suspended)
Despite everything you’ve heard about road rage, motorists tend to be pretty meek — at least when it comes to government regulations, and particularly in Europe. They passively accept, and pay for, mandated safety and emissions regulations as well as for taxes on the fuel for their vehicles. Perhaps, though, […]
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Trade War Watch: Were the Auto Tariffs Ever Supposed to Be More Than a Threat?
The U.S. Commerce Department has submitted draft recommendations to the White House on its investigation into whether it’s prudent to impose tariffs of up to 25 percent on imported automobiles and parts, based on the premise that they’re a threat to national security. The possibility has the industry in a […]
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Can Government Learn to Fail Fast?
Code for America’s Jennifer Pahlka(Paul Sakuma) Jennifer Pahlka fully acknowledges all the difficulties that come with bringing tech to government, yet she is still determined to deploy technology for civic good. In fact, we have little choice, the founder of Code for America said at Techonomy 2018. “We have to […]
Read MoreHACKED: U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS); 75K individuals affected
The United States Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) said Friday it was responding to a data breach that exposed the files of about 75,000 people. Reuters: The agency said it detected anomalous activity in the Federally Facilitated Exchange’s (FFE) Direct Enrollment pathway for agents and brokers. The number of files accessed in the […]
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Lady Gaga’s essay about mental health is a powerful wakeup call to our political leaders
Lady Gaga Wrote “Guardian” Essay For World Mental Health Day – HelloGiggles Lady Gaga’s essay about mental health is a powerful wakeup call to our political leaders
Read MoreGovernment seizes fraudulent military recruitment sites
Individuals willing to lay down their lives—or at least risk them for the promise of steady employment—shouldn’t have to put up with phony websites designed to snag and sell their personal information. It’s an opinion that’s apparently shared by the FTC. From Gizmodo: The FTC filed a complaint in federal court today charging that two […]
Read MoreThree’s Company, Too? Canada Returning to NAFTA Dance As U.S. and Mexico Approach Auto Deal
Canada says it could rejoin the NAFTA discussion, just as the United States and Mexico approach an agreement on automobiles. The two nations engaged in bilateral negotiations a little less than a month ago, seemingly making positive headway on a trade deal. With President-elect Andrés Manuel López Obrador assuming office in December, it’s in the United States’ […]
Read MoreJapan’s Minor Scandal: Mazda, Suzuki, Yamaha Apologize for Improper Vehicle Testing
Japan’s automotive industry finds itself in the midst of a minor scandal. Last year, the Japanese government ordered manufacturers to investigate their operations after it was revealed that Subaru and Nissan conducting improper testing for decades. Initially, the issue seemed to revolve around a widespread laziness that allowed uncertified employees to conduct final inspection procedures. […]
Read MoreUS Thule Air Base wasn’t hit by a meteor, but it was close
Exaggerated reports appeared earlier this week claiming a US Air Base in Greenland had been struck by a meteor. That’s not true, the Air Force has said, but it did confirm that a meteor hit miles away with considerable force. The event happened in late July, but went mostly unnoticed until Australian media picked up […]
Read MoreDNC advisory warns Democrats to avoid Huawei and ZTE phones
The Democratic National Committee has advised Democrats and their staff to avoid purchasing and/or using smartphones made by ZTE and Huawei, both Chinese companies, citing potential security concerns. Both companies have been in the US government’s crosshairs for years, with officials and politicians worrying that these devices may be used by the Chinese government to […]
Read MoreJUUL Labs responds to FDA concerns about flavored e-liquids
In a statement released today, Juul Labs has responded to FDA moves to increase regulation on flavored tobacco products in order to curb underage use. This comes at a time when Juul Labs is under increasing scrutiny. Here’s the statement from Juul Labs CEO Kevin Burns: We fully support FDA’s efforts to curb underage use […]
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