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
PSN Down? PlayStation Outage Hits Games, Applications and Online Features
"You may have some difficulty launching games, applications or online features. Our engineers are working to resolve the issue as soon as possible," the Sony company said in a status update.
Facebook Fights Coronavirus Misinformation and Charges It Caved to Pressure
"Unless government prohibits the event during this time, we allow it to be organized on Facebook," a spokesperson for the social network said, as anti-lockdown protests continue across the country.
Scientists Create Device That Works Just like the Human Brain
For the first time, the component has been proven to carry signals between neurons using very low power—which has been a major challenge in previous studies, the research team said.
University Students Sued by 3M for Allegedly Selling Overpriced N95 Masks
The defendants allegedly sold the respirators for $17 each, which the manufacturer said is more than five times the retail price, and claimed the masks had been sourced from 3M certified suppliers.
Elon Musk Says the Tesla Cybertruck Will Be Able to Float 'For a While'
The headline-grabbing electric pickup, first revealed to the public last November, is not expected to enter production until at least 2021.
Pro-Gun Activists Spearheading Coronavirus Quarantine Protests on Facebook
"Politicians are on a power trip, controlling our lives, destroying our businesses, passing laws behind the cover of darkness," reads a bio on one of the popular Facebook groups calling for protests.
Colorado Man 'Coughed on Groceries' After Being Asked to Social Distance
Eagle County Sheriff's Office investigators alleged that the 51-year-old suspect "got between a customer and an employee and purposely coughed on the products that the other customer was purchasing."
Facebook Says its New COVID-19 Symptom Maps Could Predict Disease Spread
Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said today that such analysis could prove critical for governments and healthcare experts in the U.S. to allocate their resources and conduct economic planning.
Is Twitter Down? Social Network Appears to Suffer Connectivity Issues
A warning briefly encountered by Newsweek today stated: "Something went wrong. Twitter is currently over capacity. Please wait a few moments then try again." It reloaded without further issue.
Hydroxychloroquine Trial to Include Hundreds of U.S. Coronavirus Patients
"We recognize the importance of answering the scientific question of whether hydroxychloroquine will be beneficial for patients with COVID-19 disease," said John Tsai, Novartis chief medical officer.
Washington Girl, 5, Rescued From House Fire After Hiding in Toy Trunk
"Due to the quick thinking of the police officers by closing the bedroom door, firefighters were able to contain the fire to the bedroom and extinguish the flames," said Snohomish County Fire District 7.
U.S. Space Force Is Building Weapons to Block Russian, Chinese Satellites
The newest branch of the American military is reportedly developing a suite of ground weapons that can jam satellite signals during orbital conflict.
Facebook Groups Spreading 5G Coronavirus Conspiracies Call for Mast Attacks
"We're proactively taking action on Pages, Groups and posts to remove content that promotes this behavior," a Facebook spokesperson said in a statement.
Elon Musk Publishes List of Hospitals That Were Sent 'Ventilators' by Tesla
"I literally have the receipts!! This is so dumb," the Tesla boss wrote on Twitter after rejecting California officials' claim that no ventilators were received.
Florida Man Uses 'Infected with Covid-19' Sign in Attempt to Evade Arrest
Joshua Price, in his 20s, was detained by officers from the Putnam County Sheriff's Office, who said they wore protective gear to make the arrest. He did not show symptoms of the infections disease.
Facebook Has Created a Shadow Bot Universe to Uncover Trolls and Scammers
Researchers at the social networking website said bots are trained to behave like bad actors and set loose on hundreds of millions of lines of code to analyse the results and highlight security gaps.
Police Warn of Coronavirus Text Scam Containing Fake Alert About Infection
"It is a gateway for bad actors to find their way into your world. The virus is not the only invisible enemy. Be vigilant against all threats!" a Maine police department warned this week.
Apple iPhone SE 2020 Price, Specs, Release Date and First Impressions
According to Apple, the new iPhone SE will be available in three colors: black, white and red. Starting at $399, it comes in three storage sizes, with models offered at 64GB, 128GB and 256GB.
Tourist Fined after TikTok Video Shows Him Slapping Monk Seal in Hawaii
North Carolina attorney Black Long said the man responsible has now paid state and federal fines for violating the Endangered Species Act during the incident, which surfaced on video app TikTok.
Ohio Senate Republican Candidate Charged for Using False Campaign Postcards
David Uible, 59, of Ohio Township, was charged on April 14 with one count of falsification, a first degree misdemeanor, and obstructing official business, a second degree misdemeanor, police said.
Woman Allegedly Coughed on Family With Four Children While Saying 'Corona'
Investigators from the Atlanta Police Department said in a notice that it is believed the female suspect was "likely" participating in a "coronavirus social media challenge."
Artificial Intelligence That Can Evolve on Its Own Is Now Being Tested
"It's extremely exciting to see if it can turn up any algorithms that we haven't even thought of yet, the impact of which to our daily lives may be enormous," one computer expert told Newsweek.
How Supercomputers Are Being Used to Win the Fight Against Coronavirus
Powerful computers capable of ingesting and analyzing vast amounts of raw data are helping to map, track and analyze COVID-19 as the novel coronavirus continues to spread globally.
Tesla Reportedly Seeking Rent Reductions After Staff Pay Cuts, Furloughs
"We would like to inform you that we will be reducing our monthly rent obligations effective immediately," Tesla executives reportedly wrote in a letter to some of its landlords.
Connecticut Teen Arrested for 'Zoom Bombing' Virtual School Classes: Police
The boy, who is not being named due to his age, is facing multiple criminal charges after being accused of repeatedly hijacking virtual classroom sessions and using "obscene language and gestures."
California Woman Arrested After Allegedly Licking, Contaminating Shop Items
Jennifer Gloria Walker, a resident of South Lake Tahoe, was detained after allegedly filling her cart with items that she had no means of paying for, police said.
Texas Man Shares Facebook Post Claiming He Paid Someone to Spread Virus
Christopher Charles Perez, of San Antonio, was detained by the FBI this week and charged with one count of false information and hoaxes related to weapons of mass destruction.
U.S. Senate Warns Members Against Zoom Use Over Privacy Concerns: Report
Senators have reportedly been advised to use alternative video conferencing platforms or apps for remote working during the lockdown.
Amazon Tried to Work With Virus Test-Makers to Screen Employees: Report
The move, which comes as the shopping giant is scrambling to ensure its U.S. warehouses can remain operational, does not appear to be moving forward as the firms were already at capacity.
Corona Beer Factories in Mexico Suspend Production Due to COVID-19 Outbreak
Grupo Modelo, of brewing group Anheuser-Busch InBev, said in a statement posted to Twitter it will halt beer making from April 5 and is currently in the process of reducing production in its plants.
