Jason Murdock
Reporter
Jason Murdock is a staff reporter for Newsweek.
Based in London, Murdock previously covered cybersecurity for the International Business Times UK and B2B tech for V3.co.uk. Winner of The Drum's 'Digital Writer of the Year' award in 2017. Contact: j.murdock@newsweek.com
Teenage McDonald's Staff Member Arrested After Allegedly Faking Coronavirus
The Ontario teen allegedly created a fake physician's note that stated she had tested positive for the novel coronavirus and gave it to a restaurant supervisor on March 19, forcing a store closure.
Mobile Phone Data of Florida Beachgoers Shows Potential Coronavirus Spread
Tracking data from U.S. mobile technology and location data company X-Mode is being fed a mapping platform called Tectonix to analyze human movements during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Amazon Workers Still Fear Working Conditions as Coronavirus Infections Rise
"They care about money, not their people. But, we robots, or I mean associates, are what keeps that business running," one California associate said after a new COVID-19 case was confirmed.
Chinese AI Smart Glasses Check Temperature of Hundreds of People in Minutes
The devices, reportedly made by a Chinese technology start-up called Rokid, are worn by security staff at Hongyuan Park, a part of the Xixi Wetland preserve in Hangzhou city.
California Man Claims to Have Made Coronavirus Cure, Gets Arrested by FBI
Keith Lawrence Middlebrook, 53, is charged with one count of attempted wire fraud. He has more than 2.4 million followers on Instagram, where he described himself as a "genius entrepreneur."
Elon Musk Says New York Tesla Factory to Reopen for Ventilator Production
"Giga New York will reopen for ventilator production as soon as humanly possible," Musk tweeted this week. "We will do anything in our power to help the citizens of New York."
Missouri Man Accused of Licking Walmart Items During Coronavirus Stunt
Cody Lee Pfister, 26, of Warrenton, was charged with making a terrorist threat in the second degree. It comes after a so-called "coronavirus challenge" featured people licking toilet seats.
3D-Printed Valve Turns Snorkeling Mask Into Working Hospital Ventilator
A fully-working prototype was tested in the Chiari Hospital and proven to be effective, although the Italian start-up has stressed online that the design remains an "uncertified biomedical device."
California Woman Says She Was Coughed at After Asking for Social Distance
"The man called me names, spit on me, pushed me, purposely coughed on me and then hit me. I caught some of it on video," a San Jose woman wrote on NextDoor.
Group Video Calls on Zoom, Skype, Google Hangouts, Houseparty: How to Use
With self-isolation, lockdowns and quarantines now in place in many countries across the world, video-calling has become the main way for people to communicate and socialize. Which app should you use?
Elon Musk Delivers 1,255 Ventilators to California After Buying 'Oversupply
"They arrived in Los Angeles and Elon Musk is already working with the hospital association and others to get those ventilators out in real time. It's a heroic effort," Gov. Gavin Newsom said.
16-Foot Albino Burmese Python Snake Captured in Australia, Euthanized
"A huge albino Burmese python! How damn beautiful is this snake," the snake catcher who captured the massive reptile wrote on social media. "It's such a shame that they are illegal here in Australia."
Man Under France Coronavirus Lockdown Takes Plane Ride to 'Get Fresh Air'
The man, believed to be in his 40s, is a member of the Bains-sur-Oust flying club and reportedly took off in a single-engine two-seater plane before being spotted on radar and ordered to land.
U.S. Churches Hold Public Sunday Services Despite Coronavirus Outbreak
We did not order religious organizations to close, but my message to everyone is that this is serious," Ohio governor Mike DeWine wrote on Twitter yesterday after one major church opened its doors.
Elon Musk Says About 1,200 Ventilators Ready for Distribution This Week
The Tesla and SpaceX boss said he expects to have an estimated 1,200 ventilators ready to distribute from this week but noted that "getting them delivered, installed & operating is the harder part."
Police Warn of Coronavirus Scam Where Criminals Pose as CDC to Rob Homes
"They're attempting to rob the house. If you see someone approaching your house in a white lab coat or mask claiming to be a CDC worker, do not let them in," one Florida police department said.
YouTube Follows Netflix in Cutting Video Quality to Cope with Virus Demands
"While we have seen only a few usage peaks, we have measures in place to automatically adjust our system to use less network capacity," a YouTube spokesperson told Newsweek.
Elon Musk 'Working On' Ventilators But Predicts Drop in U.S. COVID-19 Cases
"We're working on ventilators, even though I think there will not be a shortage by the time we can make enough to matter," Musk wrote on Twitter after being urged to help make the medical equipment.
NASA's Mars Lander Just Hit Itself with a Shovel
"A bit of good news from Mars," the NASA InSight team tweeted about the ongoing rescue mission. "Our new approach of using the robotic arm to push the mole appears to be working!"
Man under Virus Lockdown in Spain Tries to Fool Police by Walking Toy Dog
"We are facing [too] serious a situation to have you walking on the street trying to fool police. You don't fool us and also you'll be fined," a police union wrote.
Elon Musk on COVID-19: 'We Will Make Ventilators If There Is a Shortage'
Ventilators are needed to treat hospital patients with severe symptoms of the respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus, but experts warn that they are in limited supply.
Gin Distillery Switches to Producing Hand Sanitizer for Local Community
Several craft booze businesses across Scotland are currently turning their attention to help fix an apparent shortage of alcohol-based sanitizer gels in the wake of the novel coronavirus outbreak.
How to Watch, Live Stream President Trump's COVID-19 Briefing
In a tweet this morning, President Trump wrote the briefing will contain "very important news" from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), without elaborating. Here's how to watch the briefing.
Thief Breaks into SUV, Steals Two Cases of 30-roll Toilet Paper
"Anytime vehicles are left unattended for extended periods of time, local thieves view it as a favorable opportunity. It is not enough to lock the vehicle before leaving," the local police said.
Trump Resort in New Jersey Partially Closes Due to Coronavirus Outbreak
Trump National Golf Club Bedminster told members on Tuesday that the clubhouse, fitness suite, and restaurants would be closed until further notice due to new "social distancing" measures.
Mobile App Could Help Stop Coronavirus Without Resorting to Surveillance
A team of University of Oxford-linked scientists have suggested a centralized smartphone app could feasibly be designed to alert people who had been in close proximity to a person who tested positive.
Nintendo Network Down: Switch Consoles Unable to Connect to Online Services
A statement shared to Nintendo's Twitter account did not contain an explanation, but said: "Network services such as Nintendo Switch have failed. Sorry, please wait for a while until recovery."
Person Under Coronavirus Lockdown Tries to Leave House Dressed as T. Rex
Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez recently imposed a 15-day state of alarm that restricted free movement in an attempt to limit the spread of COVID-19, which has spread rapidly in the country.
Coronavirus Update: Mexico Teases U.S. Border Clamp-Down, Death Tolls Rise
Infections of COVID-19 continue to spread around the world, with more than 147,800 confirmed cases and at least 5,500 deaths linked to the novel coronavirus outbreak. Here's the latest news.
Coronavirus U.S. Update: Death Toll Rises, Delta Cancels Europe Flights
Infections of COVID-19 continue to spread across the U.S., with more than 2,170 cases and the death toll believed to be at least 50. Here is a round-up of the latest news about the outbreak.