Microsoft has pledged to bring Call of Duty to Nintendo platforms as part of a 10-year commitment, should its $69 billion deal to acquire CoD publisher Activision Blizzard win regulatory approval.
Why it matters: It’s part of an unprecedented sequence of actions by Microsoft this week to press the benefits of the deal, as rumors of regulatory skepticism swirl.
"Sustainable" aviation fuels (SAFs), which are made from household solid waste, algae and other inputs, could dramatically cut emissions from air travel while also creating thousands of jobs, a new report finds.
Why it matters: Aviation is one of the hardest sectors to decarbonize because planes are typically in service for decades at a time and cannot be significantly reengineered to run on different fuels.
The Washington Post will no longer operate its ad tech division, Zeus, as a standalone business, according to a note sent to employees Tuesday obtained by Axios. Most Zeus employees will be redirected to roles within The Post's ad sales department.
Why it matters: Folding Zeus into The Post's existing ad sales team ends its efforts to make money by licensing its ad tech software to other premium publishers.
Some odd-looking aircraft are flying circles above strawberry and lettuce fields in rural California, as the next era in aviation draws closer.
Why it matters: Powered by electric batteries and designed to take off like a helicopter but fly like a plane, these newfangled aircraft — now undergoing testing — could soon be certified to whisk you to the airport or elsewhere.
The federal government plans to invest $1.5 billion to help spur a standards-based alternative for the gear at the heart of modern cellular networks.
Why it matters: Experts say — and the government agrees — that there are economic and national security risks in having such equipment made only by a handful of companies overseas, with the most affordable products coming from China's Huawei.
A competition bill aimed at funneling funds from online platforms to the news industry was removed from a must-pass defense bill Tuesday at the last minute by congressional leaders.
Why it matters: The bill, known as the Journalism Competition and Preservation Act (JCPA), would have forced Big Tech firms like Google and Meta to pay hundreds of local news outlets for their content.
A growing number of GOP-led states are barring state employees and contractors from using TikTok on government-issued devices as the FBI warns of possible threats to national security posed by the Chinese-owned social media platform.
Driving the news: Texas became the latest to do so on Wednesday, joining South Dakota, South Carolina and Maryland, all of which banned the app on government devices in the past week. Wisconsin Republicans are urging their Democratic governor to do the same.
