In a country where many people are still unbanked, and queuing to pay bills is part of daily life, the impact of being able to pay anyone instantly can’t be understated.
North Korea hacked nearly $400M in cryptocurrency last year
North Korean hackers launched at least seven attacks on cryptocurrency platforms last year to steal almost $400 million worth of digital assets, according to a report by blockchain analysis firm Chainalysis. “From 2020 to 2021, the number of North Korean-linked hacks jumped from four to seven, and the value extracted from these hacks grew by […]
January 6 Committee Subpoenas Social Media Giants In Probe of Capitol Attack
The House select committee investigating the deadly Capitol riot has subpoenaed social media giants Twitter, Reddit and the parent companies of Facebook and Google, the panel’s chairman said Thursday. CNBC reports: The select committee had asked a trov…
文化審議会、「公用文作成の考え方」の改正案を文部大臣に提示。「？」などが使えるように
文化審議会は7日、国家公務員の文書作成の手引となる「公用文作成の考え方」に関する資料を作成し、文部科学大臣に提言を行ったそうだ（関連過去記事）。これまで基準となってきた「公用文作成の要領」は昭和27年（1952年）に通知が出されたもので、時代に合わなくなってきている部分もあることから改訂案が出されたという経緯であるようだ（文化庁、「公用文作成の考え方」について（建議）[PDF]、読売新聞）。
読売新聞の記事によれば、変更点としては、広報文や発言の記録などで「?」（疑問符）や「!」（感嘆符）などの…
GM finally agrees California can set vehicle emissions rules as it preps to scale EVs
In what appears to be a politically and economically savvy move by General Motors, the automaker said Sunday it recognized California’s authority under the Clean Air Act to set its own vehicle emissions standards. GM previously backed the Trump administration’s efforts to bar the state from enforcing its own rules for new vehicles, a position […]
Biden’s vaccine mandates come before the Supreme Court
Do existing regulations apply, or must Congress step in?
Scotland Will Pardon Thousands of Witches
Thousands of people — included hundreds of men — were accused of witchcraft in Scotland, the Guardian reports, “from allegations of cursing the king’s ships, to shape-shifting into animals and birds, or dancing with the devil.”
Many were …
Cheugiest tech moments of 2021
Technology has come a long way in 2021. There’s widespread mRNA vaccines! An asteroid-deflecting space mission! A very powerful laptop with a very controversial notch! But it’s unfortunately easier to think about the cringiest moments of the year than it is to remember times when we marveled at indoor farming robots. So hop aboard the choo-choo-cheugy […]
India antitrust watchdog orders investigation into Apple’s business practices
The Indian antitrust watchdog on Friday ordered an investigation into Apple’s business practices — in particular, the company mandating iPhone app developers to use a proprietary payments system — in India, where the American firm commands less than 2% of the smartphone market. The Competition Commission of India, which ordered the Director General to conduct […]
Securing the global digital economy beyond the China challenge
The TechCrunch Global Affairs Project examines the increasingly intertwined relationship between the tech sector and global politics.