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
Prison Staff in Washington State to Receive 'Expired' COVID-19 Face Masks
The masks are for "general use" and will not be mandatory, which has echoed broad guidance from by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Mega Millions Results for 4/3/2020: Did Anyone Win the Jackpot Prize?
The Mega Millions lottery results have now been drawn—but did anyone win the jackpot this week, and when is your next chance to walk away with the grand prize?
Twitter Purges Bot Account Network that Used Coronavirus in its Propaganda
The social network took action yesterday after multiple researchers flagged over 9,000 profiles that appeared to be spreading content promoting the political interests of the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
Elon Musk Defends Sending 'Non-Invasive' Ventilators to U.S. Hospitals
"Weird that so many troll/bot accounts were activated to attack on this fake issue. Wonder who's behind it," the Tesla boss tweeted.
Twitch Usage Surges During Coronavirus Lockdowns As Citizens Self-Isolate
The Amazon-owned website has enjoyed a surge of attention as citizens around the world have been forced to isolate, with new Q1 2020 statistics released by Streamlabs indicating significant view growth.
Coyote Mauls 5-Year-Old Girl Walking With Her Family in California Park
East Bay Regional Park District Police said the incident occurred at Dublin Hills Regional Park in Alameda County. The girl is believed to be in a stable condition.
Is Zoom Safe and is Your Privacy at Risk? Video Calling App Explained
The California-based video-calling company enjoyed an influx of new users as the coronavirus outbreak pushed countries into lockdown, but its security and privacy policies have come under fire.
Florida Man Breaks Quarantine Order to Travel Around Hawaii, Gets Arrested
Under rules designed to limit the spread of COVID-19, there is a 14-day mandatory self-quarantine order in place for all incoming visitors to Hawaii that asks them to stay indoors. But one man from Tampa didn't listen.
Quantum Internet May One Day Be Possible Through Optical Cavities: Caltech
New research from experts at the California Institute of Technology suggests atoms in small boxes of light — optical cavities — could soon "form the backbone technology" of a futuristic internet.
WiFi Signals Could Be Turned Into Usable Power to Charge Phones and Laptops
"If we can convert that energy into an energy source we can use for daily life, that would help to address the energy challenges we are facing right now," said MIT scientist Hiroki Isobe.
New York Business Fined for Allegedly Price Gouging Out of Date Face Masks
"This is especially egregious now when there is financial insecurity, economic insecurity, people are not getting paychecks, people are losing their jobs," said Nassau County Executive Laura Curran.
Online Stimulus Fund Scams Are On the Rise—Here's How to Stay Protected
"Fake stimulus check scams could be very successful considering the financial chaos coronavirus has unleashed on families worldwide," one top malware researcher told Newsweek.
Man Charged After Allegedly Coughing on Packets of Noodles
The suspect, a 34-year-old man from the suburb of Kooringal, tried to ignore the restrictions put in place as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak by purchasing four packets of noodles, police said.
Is Houseparty Safe? Video App Denies Hack, Suggests Paid 'Smear Campaign'
"All Houseparty accounts are safe—the service is secure, has never been compromised, and doesn't collect passwords for other sites," the official Twitter account said today after hack rumors.
Moose Euthanized After Attacking Colorado Woman Outside Her Home, CPW Says
Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) has confirmed the victim, who has not been named, attempted to move the animal from the street in front of her home so a car could pass just before the incident.
Ventilator Prototype Created in Illinois as State's Coronavirus Cases Surge
The Illinois RapidVent prototype is designed to plug into the oxygen source available in most hospital rooms or to a standard tank of oxygen and help COVID-19 patients with breathing issues.
Florida Man Arrested for Making Threat of Coronavirus Contamination: Police
David Randolph White, 50, was detained on March 29 by deputies from the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office after allegedly approaching a business while holding a container that was labeled "COVID-19."
Mercedes F1 Engineers Create Ventilator Alternative for COVID-19 Patients
"These devices will help to save lives by ensuring that ventilators, a limited resource, are used only for the most severely ill," said critical care consultant Professor Mervyn Singer.
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."
