Jun 19, 2017

Amazon could replace Whole Foods cashiers

AP

Bloomberg reports that Amazon might bring its automated checkout technology to Whole Foods as a way to replace cashiers and cut costs. The technology, being developed at an AmazonGo store in Seattle, lets people pay without seeing a cashier at checkout. Bloomberg cites an unidentified person familiar with the matter in saying the changes are being considered. An Amazon spokesman said there are "no plans to use no-checkout technology to automate the jobs of cashiers at Whole Foods and no job reductions are planned."

Why this matters: Around 3.5 million Americans are employed as cashiers and labor is a big expense for brick-and-mortar retailers, which is why Amazon has been trying to find a way to eliminate the hassle — and expense — of buying something from a person.

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Sara Fischer, author of Media Trends
2 mins ago - Politics & Policy

Election influence operations target journalists

Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios

Foreign and domestic actors looking to influence the 2020 election are trying to trick real reporters into amplifying fake storylines. This tactic differs from 2016, when bad actors used fake accounts and bots to amplify disinformation to the population directly.

Why it matters: The new strategy, reminiscent of spy operations during the Cold War, is much harder for big tech platforms to police and prevent.

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Axios
Updated 2 hours ago - Politics & Policy

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

  1. Global: Total confirmed cases as of 3 a.m. ET: 33,081,725 — Total deaths: 997,777 — Total recoveries: 22,926,896 — Map.
  2. U.S.: Total confirmed cases as of 3 a.m. ET: 7,115,338 — Total deaths: 204,758 — Total recoveries: 2,766,280 — Total tests: 101,298,794 — Map.
  3. States: 3 states set single-day coronavirus case records last week
  4. Health: The long-term pain of the mental health pandemic
  5. World: India the second country after U.S. to hit 6 million cases
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Rebecca Falconer
5 hours ago - Politics & Policy

Democrats demand Trump release his tax returns after NYT report

Compilation images of House Nancy Pelosi and President Trump. Photo: Joshua Roberts/Getty Images/Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Democrats called on President Trump to disclose his tax returns following a New York Times report alleging he paid $750 in federal income taxes in 2016 and 2017 and nothing in 10 of the past 15 years.

Details: Trump said the report was "total fake news," that he's unable to release the returns as they're "under audit" by the IRS, "which does not treat me well." House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said in a statement the report "provides further evidence of the clear need" for a House lawsuit to access the tax returns and "ensure the presidential audit program is functioning effectively, without improper influence."

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