Latest news with #FederalCommunicationsCommission
Bloomberg
a day ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
EchoStar Skips Bond Interests Over FCC Probe Uncertainty
EchoStar Corp., the wireless and pay-TV operator controlled by billionaire Charlie Ergen, skipped an interest payment due Friday because of uncertainty about a regulatory probe. The company said it won't make a $326 million cash interest payment on its 10.75% senior spectrum secured notes due 2029, citing impacts from a Federal Communications Commission review over its compliance with obligations to build a nationwide 5G network. It has a 30-day grace period to make the interest payment.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
FCC Commissioner Labels Trump Push to Chill Speech an ‘Administration-Wide Effort'
Although much of the recent focus regarding the press being under siege has been on President Trump's Federal Communications Commission, FCC commissioner Anna M. Gomez cited 'an administration-wide effort' involving multiple agencies intended 'to chill speech' and stifle dissenting voices. Gomez, who will soon be the only Democrat on the commission, made those remarks during a Free Speech forum at Cal State Los Angeles on Wednesday, presented as a 'First Amendment tour' by Gomez designed to shine a light on the issue and discuss means and methods to combat those policies. The event was sponsored by the advocacy group Free Press, whose co-CEO, Jessica J. González, described Trump's 'attacks' on free expression and the press as 'A clear effort to quash dissent.' She cited the event's goal as beginning to organize on behalf of protecting speech and 'raising our voices together.' With the FCC under Trump's handpicked chairman Brendan Carr, Gomez has few avenues to formally push back against the Republican majority. Because of that, she said, it's incumbent upon her to publicly push back against what she called a 'campaign of censorship and control' carried out in part through 'sham investigations against broadcasters because of their editorial decisions.' Noting that Trump had previously fired Democratic members of the Federal Trade Commission, Gomez conceded that she doesn't know why she's still in her position, before adding that any attempt to remove her before her term expires would be illegal. Explaining her goal, she said, 'If I get fired, it isn't because I didn't do my job, it's because I insisted on doing it.' Gomez referenced Trump's lawsuit against '60 Minutes,' and the pressure brought to bear against its corporate parent Paramount Global, as an example of the work being done against journalists to 'tone down their criticisms' of the administration. 'Freedom of the press requires journalists that are able to do their jobs without inference from their corporate parents,' she said. Carr has stated that the review process of the Paramount-Skydance merger is unrelated to Trump's lawsuit, but critics maintain that the commission is transparently acting on his behalf, creating leverage to prompt Paramount to seek to settle a case that experts have called frivolous. The panel also included Dr. Safiya U. Noble, MacArthur Fellow and UCLA professor, who pointed to more subtle effects of the FCC's attempts to punish companies for pursuing diversity, equity and inclusion policies 'directly suppressing' the work of women of color. 'I think the new threats are old threats,' Noble said, comparing current government actions to the Vietnam era, while calling the 'coordinated effort' to undermine public institutions 'a cornerstone of this administration.' 'Journalists must realize that this situation is not normal, and doing nothing is not an option,' said Gabriel Lerner, editor emeritus of La Opinión, who maintained that the 'bed of lies' upon which Trump operates is 'not compatible' with press freedom. In terms of practical impact, Alejandra Santamaria, president and CEO of Southern California Public Radio (a.k.a. LAst), also addressed the administration's assault on public broadcasting and the uncertainty that has created in terms of funding and planning going forward, saying her station has already been forced to make 'tough decisions' in terms of staffing. After a listening session with those who attended, which included journalists and an employee of Voice of America, Gomez closed by saying the administration is motivated in part by fear of criticism, which makes protecting the independent press even more vital. Congressman Raul Ruiz said the free press is currently engaged in a fight for its survival, and applauded Gomez for 'her courage in taking this First Amendment tour,' citing the frequency of threats made against public officials. The event marked Gomez's first outside of Washington. In addition to those who attended in person, the forum was also live streamed. The post FCC Commissioner Labels Trump Push to Chill Speech an 'Administration-Wide Effort' appeared first on TheWrap.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Yahoo
TSA issues warning about smartphones, devices at the airport. Here is what to avoid
In the wake banning portable chargers from checked luggage, TSA has a warning for travelers — and their devices. Anyone who uses USB chargers to power electronics should exercise extreme caution when inside an airport, the TSA says. Here's what you should know before your next flight. In a Facebook post, TSA warned that USB ports, commonly used to charge cellphones, laptops and other portable devices, can present serious risks, making your sensitive information more vulnerable to hackers and scammers. Passengers are urged to be aware of the risks involved when using the airport's public USB charging ports. TSA warns passengers not to plug phones or devices directly into a USB port when inside an airport because of a cyber-theft scam called 'juice/port jacking.' Using the free USB chargers can allow hackers to access your device, bank account information and more. Bad actors can load malware onto public USB charging stations that are commonly found in airports and hotel lobbies, according to the Federal Communications Commission. "Juice jacking" can happen when bad actors install malware into public USB ports, hoping to acquire sensitive data or hijack a device. "Malware installed through a corrupted USB port can lock a device or export personal data and passwords directly to the perpetrator," the FCC states. "Criminals can then use that information to access online accounts or sell it to other bad actors." Similarly, using the airport's free Wi-Fi can carry cybersecurity risks. TSA says to avoid using the airport's free public Wi-Fi, especially for any online purchases. "Do not ever enter any sensitive info while using unsecured Wi-Fi," TSA states. Instead of using a public USB charging port, TSA says passengers should use a TSA-compliant power brick or battery pack and plug in their devices through that. The FCC provided additional tips to help prevent falling victim to "juice jacking": Using AC power outlets can help you avoid any potential risks. Pack AC, car chargers, and your own USB cables with you when traveling. Carry an external battery. Consider carrying a charging-only cable, which prevents data from sending or receiving while charging, from a trusted supplier. If you plug your device into a USB port and a prompt appears asking you to select "share data," 'trust this computer' or 'charge only,' always select 'charge only.' If you believe you are a victim of a cybercrime or fraud, the FBI recommends filing a report with the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) or contacting the airport or local authorities. This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: TSA warning: How to protect phones, devices from hacking at airport
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
California Rep. has ‘Deep Concern' FCC Delaying Disaster Alerts in Multiple Languages
California Rep. Nanette Diaz Barragán is calling on the Federal Communications Commission to move ahead with a plan to implement multilingual alerts during natural disasters. The plan was put on hold by the Trump administration just five months after the deadly fires in Los Angeles, which threatened communities with a high proportion of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, some of whom have limited proficiency in English. Barragán (D-San Pedro) told FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, she had a "deep concern" that the FCC under the Trump administration has delayed enabling multilingual Wireless Emergency Alerts for severe natural disasters such as wildfires, hurricanes, earthquakes and tsunamis. "This is about saving lives," Barragán told the Los Angeles Times. "You've got about 68 million Americans that use a language other than English and everybody should have the ability to understand these emergency alerts. We shouldn't be looking at any politicization of alerts, certainly not because someone's an immigrant or they don't know English." "The language you speak shouldn't keep you from receiving the information you or your family need to stay safe," then-FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel said in January. "Alert originators can send out multilingual Wireless Emergency Alerts today," an FCC spokesperson said. "Any suggestion to the contrary is both false and risks misleading alert originators that may want to send them out."
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Elon Musk has tried to launch Starship 9 times – here's what happened each time
Elon Musk's SpaceX Starship flew out of control and exploded after a test launch in Texas on Tuesday evening – marking another high-profile setback for the mission which aims to supply reusable spacecraft for Moon and Mars missions. Fuel leaks meant that the craft began to spin out of control 30 minutes after launch, and it broke up on re-entry into Earth's atmosphere, with both the Super Heavy booster and rocket exploding before their planned splashdown into the Indian ocean. It's the third high-profile failure for the unmanned craft in a row, and part of a longer history of difficulties that stretch back to Starship's maiden flight in April 2023. Yahoo News outlines what the purpose of Starship is and how each of the previous launches have gone. SpaceX's Starship is a two-stage fully reusable spacecraft and launch system and, on launch in 2023, it became the heaviest vehicle to ever fly. Its purpose is to lower the costs of launching heavy payloads into space, and it is built to carry large cargoes into Earth orbit, to the Moon's surface and beyond. The two stages - the Super Heavy booster (the first stage, or booster, of the Starship launch system) and the Starship spacecraft - are both built to be 'caught' on re-entry and re-used. Over the longer term, SpaceX hopes that the vehicle can support ambitions such as landing astronauts on the Moon and building cities on Mars. Musk has been pictured in an 'Occupy Mars' T-shirt at Starship launches. The maiden flight of Starship saw the Super Heavy booster and Starship fly together for the first time. The vehicle was destroyed less than four minutes after lift off – quashing plans to complete an Earth orbit and controlled descent. SpaceX wrote: "The vehicle experienced multiple engines out during the flight test, lost altitude, and began to tumble. The flight termination system was commanded on both the booster and ship. As is standard procedure, the pad and surrounding area was cleared well in advance of the test, and we expect the road and beach near the pad to remain closed until tomorrow. "With a test like this, success comes from what we learn, and we learned a tremendous amount about the vehicle and ground systems today that will help us improve on future flights of Starship." The second flight test of Starship saw both the Super Heavy booster and the starship second stage destroyed. The booster experienced multiple engine failures and exploded, while Starship continued to accelerate, reaching 93 miles above the planet. But it vented liquid oxygen during an engine burn and exploded: the failure of the launch meant that the Federal Communications Commission rejected SpaceX's Starlink broadband service as being suitable for federal subsidies. Starship for the first time completed a full-duration second-stage burn, and reached orbital velocity, but the craft broke up during re-entry to the atmosphere. SpaceX said: "Starship's six second stage Raptor engines all started successfully and powered the vehicle to its expected orbit, becoming the first Starship to complete its full-duration ascent burn. "Starship went on to experience its first ever entry from space, providing valuable data on heating and vehicle control during hypersonic reentry." The lift-off from Starbase marked significant successes for both the Super Heavy booster and Starship. The Super Heavy booster did not return to a tower, but simulated the landing with a 'soft splashdown' in the gulf of Mexico. Meanwhile, Starship showed off the ability to make a "controlled re-entry" into Earth's atmosphere. SpaceX said: "Starship made a controlled reentry, successfully making it through the phases of peak heating and max aerodynamic pressure and demonstrating the ability to control the vehicle using its flaps while descending through the atmosphere at hypersonic speeds. "Flight 4 ended with Starship igniting its three centre Raptor engines and executing the first flip maneuver and landing burn since our suborbital campaign, followed by a soft splashdown of the ship in the Indian Ocean one hour and six minutes after launch." Flight 5 marked a major milestone for Musk's goal to make Starship a reusable rocket system. The 20-storey Super Heavy booster successfully returned to the arms of the launch tower just seven minutes after launch. SpaceX communications manager Dan Huot said on the live webcast: 'Are you kidding me?' What we just saw, that looked like magic.' SpaceX launched its sixth Starship test flight to space from Texas, eyeing an array of improvements on the rocket as US president-elect Donald Trump watched in person. The roughly 400 foot-tall (122m-tall) rocket system, designed to land astronauts on the Moon and ferry crews to Mars, lifted off successfully. Starship splashed down successfully but an attempt to dock the Super Heavy booster was called off after a loss off communications with the launch tower. Flight 7 experienced a propellant leak and fire, leading to an explosion over the ocean which rained debris below. Nonetheless, the upgraded 'Block 2' design of the upper stage was the heaviest flying object ever built by mankind. The Super Heavy booster successfully performed its 'catch' for the second time. The Starship capsule, however, exploded. SpaceX said: 'Following stage separation, the Starship upper stage successfully lit all six Raptor engines and performed its ascent burn to space. 'Prior to the burn's completion, telemetry was lost with the vehicle after approximately eight and a half minutes of flight. Initial data indicates a fire developed in the aft section of the ship, leading to a rapid unscheduled disassembly.' Flight 8 launched from the SpaceX Starbase test facility in Texas, but a mishap led to commercial flights being disrupted over fears of debris. While the Super Heavy boosters flew back to Starbase to be 'caught' by the Mechazilla arms, the Starship blew up during its ascent burn. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) halted flights to several Florida airports. After the incident, the FAA said in a statement that it 'activated a Debris Response Area and briefly slowed aircraft outside the area where space vehicle debris was falling or stopped aircraft at their departure location. Normal operations have resumed.' The back-to-back failure occurred in early test-flight phases that SpaceX had easily achieved before, in a setback for SpaceX. The 400-foot Starship rocket launched successfully, but sprang a fuel leak about 30 minutes into flight, and was unable to deploy its payload of eight mock Starlink satellites. Musk hailed the test flight as a 'big improvement' after previous failures, and promised that the pace of flight testing will accelerate. Space X said: "With a test like this, success comes from what we learn, and today's test will help us improve Starship's reliability."
