Category: Business
China’s military and state media criticize the United States following a report on SpaceX’s spy satellites.
Chinese military and state-run media criticized the United States on Sunday, alleging that it posed a threat to global security. This comes in the wake of a Reuters report revealing that Elon Musk's SpaceX is constructing hundreds of spy satellites for a U.S. intelligence agency. According to Reuters, SpaceX's Starshield unit is developing the satellite network under a classified $1.8 billion contract with the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), as stated by five sources familiar with the program.[more...]
Once more, Microsoft is prompting Chrome users to explore Bing via pop-ups that cannot be blocked.
Reports from Windows Latest and The Verge on Friday revealed that Microsoft has been displaying Bing pop-up ads in Chrome on both Windows 10 and 11. The ad encourages Chrome users to switch to Bing for search, with bold lettering urging the change. It reads, “Chat with GPT-4 for free on Chrome! Get hundreds of daily chat turns with Bing AI.” Clicking "Yes" installs the "Bing Search" Chrome extension and sets Microsoft's search engine as the default.[more...]
Employment growth slows but wages set to rise in 2024, say HR professionals
Employment intentions have reached their lowest levels in at least a year, but businesses are currently not contemplating mass lay-offs. Instead, they are anticipating raising wages to retain their existing staff. These insights stem from a survey conducted by the Australian HR Institute (AHRI), which involved more than 600 human resources professionals representing a diverse range of small, medium, and large employers across both the private and public sectors. The report, in its inaugural year, gathered data[more...]
ACMA imposes a $1.5 million fine on Optus for public safety breaches, putting customers at risk.
Optus was slapped with a $1.5 million fine by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) for endangering customers. ACMA discovered "widespread breaches of public safety regulations" when Optus failed to input the details of nearly 200,000 customers into the Integrated Public Number Database (IPND) between January 2021 and September 2023. The IPND serves as a critical resource for emergency services, supplying location data and alerts to law enforcement, paramedics, and firefighters. Optus neglected to upload this[more...]
A Facebook News Update
In early April 2024, Facebook will discontinue Facebook News, a dedicated tab spotlighting news in the bookmarks section on Facebook, in the US and Australia. This follows the deprecation of Facebook News in the UK, France, and Germany announced in September 2023. This decision is part of an ongoing effort to realign investments with products and services that users value most. Facebook aims to focus resources on features such as short-form video, based on user feedback. The[more...]
Warning: Bitcoin Has Permanently Departed from Traditional Norms
Finally, the long-awaited day arrived, bringing sheer joy to crypto enthusiasts and disapproval from skeptics. Following Wednesday's market close, the US Securities and Exchange Commission granted approval for the first time to exchange-traded funds directly investing in Bitcoin. Major industry players such as BlackRock Inc., Invesco Ltd., and Fidelity Investments, along with smaller competitors like Valkyrie, have received the green light and will commence trading on Thursday. The participation of these significant companies ensures a substantial effort[more...]
The decision by McDonald’s to go cashless has triggered a wave of outrage among disgruntled customers, who express their anger over safety concerns cited by the chain as the reason for the move.
Upset customers are considering boycotting McDonald's after certain stores began transitioning to cashless payments. A photo shared by a customer displayed signs at the entrance of Clayton South McDonald's in Melbourne, stating that only card payments would be accepted between midnight and 6 am for the safety of staff and customers. Expressing frustration, the customer urged others to boycott the branch, stating, "Boycott this Maccas. I don't come here that regularly, but I have been for years[more...]
The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) is anticipated to commence rate cuts starting in September.
Australians stand to gain from decreasing interest rates in the upcoming year, with some economists forecasting the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) to initiate rate cuts around September. Consequently, households may contend with rates hovering around 4.35 percent for a significant portion of the year. Prominent economists anticipate that Governor Michele Bullock will commence the easing of rates by mid-2024. This economic landscape unfolds against the backdrop of recent data from CoreLogic, revealing an 8.1% increase in[more...]
CEOs place cyber threats at the forefront of their concerns for the year 2024.
Corporate leaders are losing sleep over cybersecurity concerns, marking it as their top worry, especially in the wake of escalating hacker activities, exemplified by recent attacks on St Vincent’s Health and Victoria’s court system. According to a report titled "Keeping us up at night" by KPMG, which surveyed over 300 Australian CEOs in October of the previous year, dealing with cyber risks is identified as the primary focus for 2024 and the next three to five years.[more...]
In 2023, electric car sales experienced an impressive surge, nearly tripling in numbers. Concurrently, the ASX witnessed a decline in value amidst escalating tension in the Middle East, capturing the unfolding events of the year.
On Thursday, Australia's stock market retraced its steps, influenced by declines in major US indices and heightened Middle East tensions due to bomb blasts in Iran. The latest data on new car sales for 2023 revealed a noteworthy upswing, particularly in the sales of electric cars. Today, both the All Ords and the ASX 200 experienced a 0.3% decline, mirroring losses in major US indices overnight. Tensions escalated in the Middle East following bomb blasts in Iran.[more...]
