Apr 7, 2020 - Technology

Intel pledges $50 million to coronavirus relief

Photo: Intel

Intel announced Tuesday a $50 million coronavirus relief program designed to support more research, technology for patient care, and help for lower income students' distance-learning needs.

Why it matters: Intel's donation comes on top of an earlier $10 million pledge and amid other large donations from Apple, Microsoft, Cisco, Google, Facebook and others.

$10 million of Intel's pledge will be set aside to help fund employee-led and community efforts.

Details: Among the projects that will be funded is one that taps Intel and Cisco technology to turn hospital beds into "virtual ICU" rooms, Intel senior VP and PC unit head Gregory Bryant told Axios.

Bryant declined to comment on the business impact to Intel's PC unit from COVID-19, citing the company's quiet period before quarterly earnings, but he noted that technology is more important than ever.
"People are physically interacting less. They are connecting more than ever. That’s all based on technology. The technology we deliver is essential to helping people get through this as safely as possible," Bryant said.

Go deeper

Erica Pandey

5 mins ago - Economy & Business

What we expect from our bosses

Illustration: Eniola Odetunde/Axios

Workers — especially millennials and Gen Zers — are paying close attention to the words and actions of their employers during national crises, such as the protests following the killing of George Floyd in police custody.

Why it matters: American companies have an enormous amount of wealth and influence that they can put toward effecting change, and CEOs have the potential to fill the leadership vacuum left by government inaction. More and more rank-and-file employees expect their bosses to do something with that money and power.

Go deeper (1 min. read)

Alayna Treene

1 hour ago - Politics & Policy

Trump backs off push to federalize forces against riots

Photo: Brendan Smialowski /AFP via Getty Images

A day after threatening to federalize forces to snuff out riots across the country, the president appears to be backing off the idea of invoking the Insurrection Act, sources familiar with his plans tell Axios.

What we're hearing: Aides say he hasn’t ruled out its use at some point, but that he's “pleased” with the way protests were handled last night (apart from in New York City, as he indicated on Twitter today) — and that for now he's satisfied with leaving the crackdown to states through local law enforcement and the National Guard.

Go deeper (1 min. read)

Rebecca Falconer

Updated 2 hours ago - Politics & Policy

Updates: George Floyd protests continue for 8th day

Police officers wearing riot gear push back demonstrators outside of the White House on Monday. Photo: Jose Luis Magana/AFP via Getty Images

Protests over the death of George Floyd and other police-related killings of black people continued Tuesday across the U.S. for the eighth consecutive day, prompting a federal response from the National Guard, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection.

The latest: The National Park Service said in a statement Tuesday that while it "is committed to the peaceful expression of First Amendment rights," it "cannot tolerate violence to citizens or officers or damage to our nation’s resources that we are entrusted to protect."

Go deeper (3 min. read)