politics

Elections are one of the oldest sociopolitical activities of humanity and, given its rather sensitive nature, has been slow to change over the centuries. Attempts to modernize elections and the systems around them have always been met with suspicion and scrutiny due to fears of data and security breaches. In Israel, those fears materialized in what may be the worst case the country has faced, and it isn't even due to the election system itself and only a third-party app for managing voters.

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This week artist Banksy revealed a new piece of art that is both tiny in scale and large in concept. In the past, Banksy became well-known due to his large-scale artworks in the streets - graffiti works of many sorts. If you only know Banksy from his early years in street art, it's a good time to take a look at his accomplishments of late. Most recent of these is a nativity scene called Scar of Bethlehem.

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Mobile apps have helped changed our modern lives, often for the better but sometimes also for the worse. That's especially true for those apps that, in exchange for entertainment or free services, gather unknowing users' data for less conscientious purposes. The US government has taken a particular interest in that phenomenon, especially when it's the data of US citizens that is in question. Lawmakers are now asking if Apple and Google, the two largest mobile platform makers, require app developers to disclose their ties to foreign countries, in particular to China.

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It seems that Huawei may be able to breathe a bit easier even if it keeps on showing an unaffected and nonchalant public face. The company was recently granted another 90-day reprieve and the US Department of Commerce has started to grant or deny applications for temporary licenses to export American products to the embattled Chinese company. While the fate of its mobile business still isn't in the clear despite these developments, Huawei will at least now have access again to Microsoft software, at least until the temporary licenses are revoked again.

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It has been half a year since the US government practically declared it illegal for US companies to do business with Huawei but the Chinese giant's fate still remains uncertain. That would have been sealed by Monday but it seems that the US still wants to hold power over Huawei and is likely to give it yet another extension of its license to do business in the US. This time, however, it will only be for 14 days, probably to give time for the US and China to finally sign a "Phase 1" trade agreement.

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Huawei might receive an early Christmas gift in the next few weeks, presuming the US government makes good on President Trump's promise to grant a number of exceptions to US companies wanting to do business with Huawei. As many as 260 requests have been filed, asking a license to do trade with the Chinese manufacturer, one of which is believed to be Google. If granted, this could mean that Huawei phones will be able to ship Google Play apps and services again, at least for a short period of time.

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China was watching as Blizzard Entertainment president J. Allen Brack walked onstage today at BlizzCon. Knowing full well that this event might be overshadowed by the biggest Blizzard-related news of the latter half of the year, Brack began the first major presentation of the event with what might've appeared to be an apology. He did use the word "sorry", but he did not use the words "China" or "Hong Kong" whatsoever.

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Chuck Schumer wants to make every vehicle on US roads "clean" by 2040, and he's proposing big discounts on EVs when you trade in a gas-powered car to do it. The New York Senator revealed the "Clean Cars for America" proposal today, insisting that while the plan would be expensive, it would pay dividends in boosting American-made vehicles, EV infrastructure, and fighting climate change.

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Politicians are always looking to ways to appeal younger generations, and that's led some of them to turn to video game streaming platform Twitch. We can now add US President Donald Trump to that list, as he used the platform to stream a campaign rally from Minneapolis last night. That was likely the first of many Twitch livestreams for the President, who already has a verified account.

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The US government's blacklists and tariffs were meant to send a strong statement to China and pressure the latter in its ongoing trade and political spat. Unfortunately, it won't just be the Chinese economy that will get affected as even the US tech market will soon feel the aftermath. The Mac Pros, already one of the more expensive computers in the market, might become even pricier now that Apple will have to pay 25% more for certain parts coming from China.

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The news around the Huawei controversy may have wound down a bit after the company was granted a small reprieve and hope of an eventual exception but things are about to kick up again tomorrow when that initial grant of mercy ends. Huawei was initially granted a 90-day exception to purchase some, but not all, American products it needs to maintain its business, including Google's Android software, but that time will end August 19. Sources, however, claim that Huawei will be granted another temporary general license for yet another 90 days.

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If Huawei was hoping it is close to getting back into the US' good side, a new expose might put it back in trouble. The Chinese company has always been suspected of being a threat to the US' national security but, so far, it has been associated with China. This new report, however, claims that Huawei provided North Korea with equipment and technology, some of which have been sourced from the US, despite the US export ban on North Korea.

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