Tech & Telecom

WTO Members Debate Five-Year Extension of E-Commerce Tariff Ban

World Trade Organization members are weighing a five-year extension of a global ban on e-commerce tariffs, according to a draft statement circulating Sunday.

By Brendan Murray

Lilly, Insilico Ink Deal on AI Drugs Worth Up to $2.75 Billion

Eli Lilly & Co. has signed an AI-powered drug development deal with Insilico Medicine that could be worth up to $2.75 billion.

Actors Union Pushes for Tax On AI Film Characters to Curb Use

As adoption of artificial intelligence in the US outpaces efforts to regulate it, organized labor is providing an important check on how the technology gets used, according to the head of the Hollywood actors’ union.

AI Schism Grips Washington as Tech, Labor Vie for Upper Hand

Washington is now ground zero for an advocacy battle over how to write the rules of the road for a nascent technology that promises to reshape everything from education and health care to war-fighting.

Nexstar-Tegna Merger Paused by Court Over DirecTV Suit

Nexstar Media Group Inc. must pause its integration with rival TV station owner Tegna Inc., a federal judge ruled, while DirecTV and a group of state attorneys general challenge the merger on antitrust grounds.

Harvard, MIT Again Win Right to CRISPR Tech Over Nobel Laureates

The lab notebook of Nobel Prize-winning scientists wasn’t enough for them to prove they invented a breakthrough gene-editing technology potentially worth millions of dollars before researchers at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University, according to a recent order.

Why China Is Investigating US Green Tariffs Ahead of Trump Visit

Beijing launched a sweeping investigation into US efforts to block imports of Chinese clean technology on Friday. China’s Ministry of Commerce announced the probe into “trade barriers on green products” alongside a separate trade investigation in the lead-up to an expected visit to Beijing by President Donald Trump in May.

New York City Sues to Ban ‘Unlawful’ Empower Ridehail App

New York City sued ridehail app Empower and founder Joshua Sear, claiming the company has been operating unlawfully without a license the past few years even as the service gained popularity by offering cheap fares to customers.

Musk Takes a Swipe at Bowtied Judge in Twitter Investor Case

Elon Musk took to his social media network to attack the judge in the trial he lost last week when a jury found the billionaire defrauded Twitter Inc. shareholders before acquiring the platform in 2022.

Patel Photos, Emails Among Details Leaked by Pro-Iran Group

A pro-Iran hacking group claimed to breach FBI Director Kash Patel’s personal email inbox and posted some of the contents online.

Is Social Media Big Tobacco 2.0? Suits Over the Impact on Teens

Is social media to blame for the decline in teen mental health? Hundreds of lawsuits argue that they are. But can the claims get past Section 230, big tech's legal shield? In this video, we look at the fight over social media's impact on teens.