Business

ABC News reports: Over 60 U.S. stadiums and other venues are deploying an app from Clear to verify people’s COVID-19 status, placing the New York company known for its airport security fast lanes at the forefront of a national debate over “vaccine passports.” As a business based on replacing physical IDs, tickets and credit cards with facial or fingerprint recognition, …

The Wall Street Journal reports: Consumers are splurging on cars and furniture—and facing extended waits for delivery. Restaurants and gyms are reopening—and struggling to find workers. Factories and home builders are trying to ramp up—but are short on semiconductors or raw materials. The Covid-19 outbreak paralyzed both supply and demand last spring. This spring, vaccinations and government stimulus have created …

Reuters reports: U.S. space agency NASA has told Elon Musk’s SpaceX to halt work under a contract it won to develop a lunar spacecraft, pending the outcome of challenges by rival bidders at the U.S. Government Accountability Office, the agency said on Friday. NASA’s decision means SpaceX has to stop any work specifically related to the moon program contract until …

Gothamist reports: Governor Andrew Cuomo announced on Friday that indoor dining would be expanded to 75% capacity in New York City, bringing the city in line with the rest of the state, starting May 7th. In addition, hair salons, barber shops and other personal care services will also expand to 75% capacity beginning May 7th. And NYC gyms and fitness …

Just in from the “Christian consumer” outfit 2nd Vote: Never before in recent history have we seen our freedom more vulnerable to being ripped from our hands, as we have now. That brings us to our ultimate goal here at 2ndVote, to defend our Constitution and the American principles and freedoms it was founded upon. We give you the tools …

The New York Daily News reports: Raise a glass and get ready to grab a seat at a bar near you. Gov. Cuomo announced Wednesday that pandemic era curfew placed on restaurants will be lifted in mid-May and drinkers can saddle up to the bar in the Big Apple beginning next week. The current midnight closing time for outdoor dining …

The Verge reports: Apple has begun rolling out iOS and iPadOS 14.5. The latest software update includes the new App Tracking Transparency feature, which lets users decide whether to allow apps to track their activity “across other companies’ apps and websites” for advertising purposes. A pop-up will now appear whenever apps are designed to share your activity in this way. …

NPR reports: NBC announced over the weekend that Elon Musk would host Saturday Night Live on May 8. The iconic sketch-comedy show is in its 46th season. Saturday Night Live doesn’t usually have business executives host its show, but as pointed out in a story by The Associated Press, Musk is far from a stuffy corporate type. While it is …

Gothamist reports: New York City wants everyone else in the country and world to know that it’s (re)open for business—today, Mayor Bill de Blasio and the city’s marketing arm, NYC & Company, announced a new $30 million tourism campaign. “Tourism accounts for hundreds of thousands of jobs in this city, and building a recovery for all of us means welcoming …

The Wall Street Journal reports: Pfizer Inc. says it has identified in Mexico and Poland the first confirmed instances of counterfeit versions of the Covid-19 vaccine it developed with BioNTech SE , the latest attempt by criminals trying to exploit the world-wide vaccination campaign. Vials seized by authorities in separate investigations were tested by the company and confirmed to contain …

The Associated Press reports: Amazon is rolling out pay-by-palm technology at some Whole Foods grocery stores near its headquarters to make paying quicker and more convenient. The technology, called Amazon One, lets shoppers scan the palm of their hand and connect it to a credit card or Amazon account. After the initial set up, which Amazon says takes less than …

Variety reports: Netflix wants people to pay their fair share to access its streaming service. But Reed Hastings promises that any crackdown on illicit password-sharing that the company decides to launch across its global footprint won’t be done in an aggressive manner. “We’ll test many things, but we would never roll out something that feels like ‘turning the screws’” on …

CNBC reports: On Monday, Tesla CEO Elon Musk tweeted a denial that his company’s automated driving systems were involved in a fatal crash in Spring, Texas. Two federal agencies, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board, are investigating the crash now. Local police said in multiple press interviews that, apparently, nobody was behind the wheel …

The Associate Press reports: British authorities are exploring the possibility of creating a new digital currency that Treasury chief Rishi Sunak [photo] touted as “Britcoin.” The Bank of England and the Treasury said Monday that they will work together to assess the benefits of a central bank digital currency, at a time when cash payments are generally on the decline, …

Fox News reports: Sen. Josh Hawley on Monday will introduce a bill to “bust up” Big Tech, which will target massive companies like Google and Amazon, including by banning them from simultaneously running an online marketplace and selling goods on that marketplace. The bill, titled the Bust Up Big Tech Act, follows a bill Hawley introduced last week that would …

The Washington Post reports: In the latest complication to the ill-fated voyage, Egypt has seized the Ever Given over its owners’ “failure to pay an amount of $900 million,” the state-run news outlet Ahram Gate reported. That amount represents the total compensation that Egypt says it is owed for the six-day blockage of the Suez Canal, including lost revenue from …

From the Disney Parks corporate blog: Our new approach provides greater flexibility with respect to forms of personal expression surrounding gender-inclusive hairstyles, jewelry, nail styles, and costume choices; and allowing appropriate visible tattoos. We’re updating them to not only remain relevant in today’s workplace, but also enable our cast members to better express their cultures and individuality at work. Moving …

The Associated Press reports: Hollywood’s theatrical business may be slowly rebounding but for some exhibitors the last year has been catastrophic. Pacific Theaters, which operates some 300 screens in California, including the beloved ArcLight theaters and the historic Cinerama Dome in Hollywood, said Monday that it will not be reopening. “This was not the outcome anyone wanted, but despite a …

Bloomberg News reports: The company is working on a product that would combine an Apple TV set-top box with a HomePod speaker and include a camera for video conferencing through a connected TV and other smart-home functions, according to people familiar with the matter, who asked not to be identified discussing internal matters. The device’s other capabilities would include standard …

Tampa’s Fox News affiliate reports: Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is optimistic that cruises can resume by mid-summer, as operators struggle to stay afloat one year after sailing was shut down due to coronavirus concerns. “Well, the bottom line is safety… I can’t wait for us all to be on the move …