A freelancer for Vice filed a lawsuit on Friday, claiming that the company "blamed her" for being sexually assaulted while in the field, "and pushed her out of her job," NBC News reports.
Why it matters, per Axios' Sara Fischer: The company was anticipating going public, but had been plagued with issues surrounding sexual harassment. Its founder, Shane Smith, exited the company last month amid sexual harassment allegations. The company has also struggled to hit its revenue numbers amid a volatile media landscape.
The U.S. Department of Commerce may have issued a corporate death sentence to Chinese telecom equipment maker by banning American firms from selling to it for 7 years. The company condemned the ban today, but the U.S. is unlikely to reverse its decision.
The big picture: While the company may end up crippled, the episode has strategic and propaganda value for Beijing. The timing of the announcement — right before the 2nd anniversary of an important speech on cybersecurity and technology made by Chinese President Xi Jinping — only serves to strengthen the point he's been making about the need to reduce reliance on foreign, and especially American, technologies.
