Business

NBC News reports: Amazon says President Donald Trump launched “behind-the-scenes attacks” against the company, which led to it losing out on a major contract for cloud services. In a heavily redacted, 103-page document made public Monday, Amazon Web Services lays out why it’s protesting the Department of Defense’s decision to award Microsoft the JEDI (Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure) contract. AWS …

CBS News reports: Amazon is coming to New York City after all. The company is planning to open up an office space in the new Hudson Yards neighborhood on the west side of Manhattan. The office will reportedly be a base for 1,500 employees in the consumer and advertising departments. The announcement comes after a tumultuous fight earlier in the …

NPR reports: Utility giant Pacific Gas and Electric announced a $13.5 billion settlement agreement to resolve all claims associated with several Northern California wildfires that killed dozens of people and destroyed thousands of businesses and homes. The wildfires have been tied to the company’s equipment. “We want to help our customers, our neighbors and our friends in those impacted areas …

The BBC reports: A UK diver wants $190 million in damages from Elon Musk for a tweet calling him “pedo guy”, a US court has heard. Vernon Unsworth, who helped rescue 12 boys trapped in a Thai cave last year, is suing Mr Musk for defamation. He asked a jury in a Los Angeles federal court to award him $150 …

Axios reports: New data from the National Youth Tobacco Survey show that 6.2 million middle school and high school students use tobacco, the highest level since 2000. Why it matters: Tobacco use among middle schoolers and high schoolers remains high thanks to the popularity of e-cigarettes. Health advocates and some states are blaming misleading advertising, media and inconspicuous vape devices …

Bloomberg News reports: Potato processors are rushing to buy supplies and ship them across North America in order to keep French fries on the menu after cold, wet weather damaged crops in key producers in the U.S. and Canada. Cool conditions started to hit growing regions in October, lashing potatoes with frost. Farmers in Alberta and Idaho were able to …

The Associated Press reports: This year’s Black Friday was the biggest ever for online sales, and Adobe Analytics says carts filled on phones, computers and tablets rang up $7.4 billion in transactions. That ranks just behind the $7.9 billion haul of last year’s Cyber Monday, which holds the one-day record for online sales. Adobe measures sales at 80 of the …

The New York Times reports: In the world of e-commerce, the online review is king, the internet’s answer to walking into a store and trying out a product for yourself. An increase of just one star in a rating on Amazon correlates with a 26 percent increase in sales, according to a recent analysis by the e-commerce consulting firm Pattern. …

Law & Crime reports: Thomas Bowers, identified as a former Deutsche Bank executive who signed off on controversial loans to President Donald Trump, died last week after apparently taking his own life at 55. According to Forensic News‘ Scott Stedman, “One source who has direct knowledge of the FBI’s investigation into Deutsche Bank said that federal investigators have asked about …

Bloomberg reports: Dollar Tree Inc. shares fell the most intraday since 2012 after the budget retailer trimmed its outlook on 2019 profit, saying tariffs on Chinese imports are driving up costs. Dollar Tree’s decline has erased much of its year-to-date gain. Dollar Tree’s downward revision shows the risk that the ongoing U.S.-China trade war poses for retailers — especially value-based …

Business Insider reports: Papa John’s former CEO slammed the pizza chain he founded in an interview with local news. “I’ve had over 40 pizzas in the last 30 days,” John Schnatter told WDRB News. “And it’s not the same pizza. It’s not the same product. It just doesn’t tastes as good.” Schnatter resigned as Papa John’s chairman in 2018, after …

Reuters reports: Tesla Inc’s chief executive, Elon Musk, will testify in his own defense against a defamation lawsuit brought by a British cave explorer, Musk’s lawyer said on Monday in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles. Vernon Unsworth is suing Musk for calling him a “pedo guy.” Musk posted the tweet after Unsworth accused Musk in a CNN interview of …

The Guardian reports: Uber has lost its licence to operate private hire vehicles in London after authorities found that more than 14,000 trips were taken with more than 40 drivers who had faked their identity on the Uber app. Transport for London announced the decision not to renew the ride-hailing firm’s licence at the end of a two-month probationary extension …

The Washington Post reports: Tesla has received 146,000 preorders for its all-electric Cybertruck, chief executive Elon Musk said Saturday, two days after the futuristic vehicle’s grand reveal went viral when its supposedly unbreakable windows shattered onstage. With an angular design, a stainless steel “exoskeleton” and an overall look that some fans have called “post apocalyptic,” the Cybertruck stands out from …

CNBC reports: Tesla unveiled its futuristic pickup truck at a promotional event in Los Angeles, but when it came to showing off the vehicle’s durability, things didn’t quite go as planned. CEO Elon Musk claimed the car was “bulletproof” against a 9mm handgun. But when he got Tesla’s chief designer to throw a metal ball at one of its armored …

“Has Chick-fil-A caved? Some are saying they’ve rolled over, that they’ve conceded to the LGBTQ protests because they released a statement about their charitable giving. They announced that in 2020 they’re giving to fight hunger and homelessness and support education. What’s wrong with that? “I picked up the phone and called Dan Cathy. Dan was very clear that they have …

NBC News reports: President Donald Trump hosted a previously undisclosed dinner with Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook board member Peter Thiel at the White House in October, the company told NBC News on Wednesday. The meeting took place during Zuckerberg’s most recent visit to Washington, where he testified before Congress about Facebook’s new cryptocurrency Libra. Zuckerberg also gave a …

CNBC reports: Tesla CEO Elon Musk is headed to court to answer a defamation lawsuit filed by a British rescue diver he called a “pedo guy.” U.S. District Judge Stephen Wilson in Los Angeles denied Musk’s request to throw out the case, according to court documents made public Tuesday. Wilson ordered the jury trial to begin Dec. 3. Musk lawyers …

Fox News reports: The Salvation Army has responded to Chick-fil-A’s announcement Monday that the fast-food chain’s charitable arm will not be donating to the faith-based organization in 2020, despite providing donations to the organization for several years. “We’re saddened to learn that a corporate partner has felt it necessary to divert funding to other hunger, education and homelessness organizations — …

Just in via press release: If Chick-Fil-A is serious about their pledge to stop holding hands with divisive anti-LGBTQ activists, then further transparency is needed regarding their deep ties to organizations like Focus on the Family, which exist purely to harm LGBTQ people and families. Chick-Fil-A investors, employees, and customers can greet today’s announcement with cautious optimism, but should remember …