CONGRESS
Senators object to expansion of facial recognition technology at airports
A bipartisan group of senators is pushing to halt the expansion of facial recognition technology at airports in the United States and restrict its use as part of the Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bill that is making its way through Congress. Citing privacy concerns, Senators Jeff Merkley, an Oregon Democrat, and John Kennedy, a Louisiana Republican, are proposing to block the expansion of the technology until 2027 and require the transportation security administrator to make clear that passengers can opt out at airports where it is in use. With a Friday deadline for renewing the aviation law, the proposal is among the amendments likely to get a vote before the bill can pass. It has pit privacy advocates in both parties against consumer and industry groups that argue that the technology has the potential to vastly cut down on wait times at airports and increase convenience and safety. The FAA is planning to expand facial recognition technology to more than 430 airports, from 25, as part of an effort to speed up the check-in process. Using kiosks with iPads affixed to them, passengers have their photographs taken and matched to an image from a government database instead of presenting a physical identification card. — NEW YORK TIMES
SOFTWARE
Microsoft faces complaint in Spain
Microsoft has been accused of anti-competitive behavior in a new complaint filed to the Spanish antitrust regulator amid growing scrutiny of the technology giant’s power in the cloud computing market. Asociación Española de Startups, which represents 700 companies and counts as partners Google and Amazon WebServices, the cloud unit of Amazon, filed a formal complaint with competition regulator CNMC on Monday, alleging that Microsoft is leveraging its dominance in the software market to force the use of its cloud services. — BLOOMBERG NEWS
INTERNATIONAL
Aramco maintains dividend payment to Saudi government
Aramco kept its $31 billion dividend payout to the Saudi government and other investors despite lower profit, a boon for the kingdom’s economy as it struggles with a budget deficit. The generous payouts from the world’s biggest oil exporter are becoming increasingly important for the Gulf state as crude prices remain below the levels it needs to balance its budget. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is pursuing expensive ventures such as the futuristic project of Neom, making a big bet on tourism and seeking stakes in sporting leagues as he tries to transform the economy. — BLOOMBERG NEWS
ENTERTAINMENT
Sony stock drops on news of plan to buy Paramount
Sony’s shares slid after its proposal to buy Paramount Global raised financing concerns. The stock dropped 3.74 percent Tuesday in Tokyo. The Japanese electronics company and Apollo Global Management Inc. made a $26 billion proposal to buy Paramount, which is weighing the offer, people with knowledge of the matter have said. — BLOOMBERG NEWS
CLOUD COMPUTING
Amazon to spend billions in Singapore
Amazon plans to spend $9 billion expanding its cloud computing infrastructure in Singapore, the latest global tech company to boost investment in Southeast Asia. The outlay, to be done over the next four years, doubles Amazon Web Services’ investment in Singapore and helps it meet growing customer demand for cloud services and accelerate the adoption of artificial intelligence, the company said Tuesday. AWS, which sells software and data storage for rent from massive server farms, has been expanding its footprint outside the United States in recent years, with much of that investment targeting Asian markets. — BLOOMBERG NEWS
GAS PRICES
Expect to pay about the same for this summer’s road trip
American drivers may pay about the same prices at the pump this summer, providing a boon for the Biden administration’s efforts to tame inflation. Motorists are expected to pay an average $3.68 per gallon from April to September in the United States compared with $3.67 last year, the Energy Information Administration said in its Summer Fuels Outlook report. The 0.3 percent increase comes even as benchmark WestTexas Intermediate oil is expected to rise about 9.7 percent from last year’s levels. — BLOOMBERG NEWS
WORKPLACE
NYC and SF lose workers while Austin and Phoenix gain
Places like New York City and San Francisco still have fewer workers now than they did before the pandemic, which continues to impact their labor market recovery, according to an analysis by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York out Tuesday found. Meantime, the Austin labor force has expanded 17 percent since February 2020, and in Phoenix it’s up nearly 10 percent. The rise of remote work, as well as fewer office workers and tourists in downtown areas, has directly impacted the job growth in major metro areas, researchers found. The Villages, a retirement community in central Florida, saw the highest growth in employment, at 23.8 percent. — BLOOMBERG NEWS
ENTERTAINMENT
Disney stock plunges on worries over theme park revenue
Disney reported strong earnings Tuesday, driven in part by a surprise profit at its flagship streaming service — a first. But investors responded nervously to a coming slowdown at Disney theme parks, which have recently been the company’s primary growth engine. Disney shares fell nearly 9 percent, to about $106 in early trading. Revenue at Disney Experiences, a division that includes theme parks and cruise ships, totaled $8.4 billion, a 10 percent year-on-year increase. Operating income totaled $2.3 billion, up 12 percent. — NEW YORK TIMES
TECHNOLOGY
Apple introduces new iPad Pros and Airs
Apple on Tuesday unveiled its next generation of iPad Pros and Airs — models that will boast faster processors, new sizes, and a new display system as part of the company’s first update to its tablet lineup in more than a year. The showcase at Apple’s headquarters in Cupertino, Calif., comes after the company disclosed its steepest quarterly decline in iPhone sales since the pandemic’s outset, deepening a slump that’s increasing the pressure on the trendsetting company to spruce up its products. Apple is expected to make a much bigger splash next month during an annual conference devoted to the latest version of its operating systems for iPhones, iPads, and Mac computers — software that analysts expect to be packed with more artificial intelligence technology. — ASSOCIATED PRESS
FAST FOOD
Panera to stop selling some caffeinated drinks after lawsuits
Panera Bread will stop selling its highly caffeinated fruit-flavored drinks, which were the subject of lawsuits by people who said the drinks had caused health problems, including two deaths. The drinks, known as Charged Lemonade and Charged Sips, will be removed from the menu, a source familiar with the decision said Tuesday. A regular size of the Charged drinks, which come in three flavors, has at least 155 milligrams of caffeine, while the large sizes have at least 233 milligrams, according to Panera’s website. According to the Food and Drug Administration, most “healthy adults” can safely consume up to 400 milligrams of caffeine per day, or about four or five cups of regular coffee, depending on the brand and roast. — NEW YORK TIMES
