Andrew Blake

Netanyahu, Putin to talk Russia’s role in Syria civil war next week

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Russian President Vladimir Putin are expected to meet in Moscow next week to discuss the Kremlin's expanding role in Syria's civil war.

September 16, 2015

Russia faults Google with antitrust violation over Android app-bundling

Russian officials say Google has violated an antitrust law that prohibits companies from "abusing market dominance" by favoring its own applications on Android devices.

September 15, 2015

Houston Zoo lifts ban on concealed handguns amid legal spat

The Houston Zoo has taken down its "no guns allowed" signage after a Second Amendment attorney said the rule ran afoul of a new Texas-wide law.

September 15, 2015

Russia says Kremlin websites targeted by U.S. hackers during weekend election

Russian officials said hackers were behind a "very powerful" cyberattack that targeted the websites of both the Kremlin and the Central Election Commission over the weekend.

September 15, 2015

Justin Payne, ex-V.A. employee, pleads guilty to attack on police website

Justin Payne, a former Veteran Affairs employee, has pleaded guilty to a federal computer hacking charge concerning an attack last year on a St. Louis police union's website.

September 14, 2015

iPhone 6s, 6s Plus sales exceed expectations: Apple

Apple says pre-order sales of its soon-to-be-available iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus have put the company on course to shatter records set by last year's model.

September 14, 2015

Feds drop charges against Xi Xiaoxing, professor accused of passing secrets to China

Xi Xiaoxing, a Temple University professor who had been accused of spying for China, will no longer face federal charges.

September 14, 2015

Joseph Battaglia, ex-Chicago cop, accused of threatening coroner’s office

Joseph A. Battaglia, a former officer with the Chicago Police Department, has been charged with threatening investigators reviewing the recent death of a lieutenant in nearby Fox Lake, Illinois.

September 14, 2015

TSA master keys replicated with 3-D printer after detailed image ends up online

TSA agents use X-ray machines and other technology to look through the bags of air travelers, but a security lapse has allowed anyone with a 3-D printer to do exactly the same.

September 10, 2015

Energy Dept. computers breached 159 times since 2010: Report

Department of Energy computers have been breached more than 150 times during a recent four-year span, a new investigation reveals, once again raising questions about the vulnerability of critical government networks amid a wave of attacks.

September 10, 2015

Cyberattacks increasing in scale and severity, intel chief warns

The nation's top intelligence officials told congressmen Thursday that passing new cybersecurity legislation is necessary because hackers on behalf of nation-states and groups such as the Islamic State are hitting the U.S. through persistent campaigns, despite recent well-publicized arrests and other would-be deterrents.

September 10, 2015

Excellus BlueCross BlueShield hacked; 10.5M patients affected

Excellus BlueCross BlueShield, a health insurance provider in upstate New York, said a recently discovered data breach allowed hackers to potentially compromise the personal information of 10.5 million people.

September 10, 2015

Ashley Nicole Richards, 24-year-old Texas woman, admits to killing small animals on video for money

A 24-year-old Texas woman has pleaded guilty to charges related to the production and distribution of so-called "crush videos," or homemade movies in which she killed and tortured small animals.

September 9, 2015

Apple unveils new line of iPhones, iPad, Watch at San Fran product launch

Apple announced Wednesday a new line of models for its most popular mobile platforms, unveiling an updated version of its iPhone 6 only a year after introducing its best-selling smartphone yet.

September 9, 2015

John Gibson, pastor, commits suicide after discovery as Ashley Madison user in cheating site hack

John Gibson, a 56-year-old pastor from New Orleans, committed suicide after a data breach identified him as an account holder on infidelity site Ashley Madison, his widow says.

September 9, 2015

Apple expected to announce new iPhone, Apple TV at high-profile product unveil

Apple is hosting one of its invite-only unveilings in San Francisco on Wednesday, and onlookers say CEO Tim Cook will likely announce updates to the iPhone and Apple TV that are poised to again push the envelope on what consumers expect from commercial tech.

September 9, 2015

Google Express expands next-day delivery service to 25 million in Midwest

Google Express, the Internet giant's online delivery service, is officially expanding its Express platform, bringing overnight service to millions of customers in the Midwest while it eyes same-day grocery delivery in select markets.

September 8, 2015

Background checks for prospective gun buyers set records for third straight month

Gun sellers licensed by the federal government called in more than 1.7 million background checks in August, shattering monthly records for the third time in a row amid renewed calls for firearm control.

September 8, 2015

Freddie Gray family reaches $6.4M settlement in wrongful-death suit against Baltimore

The city of Baltimore has reached a $6.4 million settlement with the family of Freddie Gray, the 25-year-old black man who died in April after sustaining injuries while in police custody.

September 8, 2015

Fake porn app ‘Adult Player’ takes Android user’s picture and demands money

Android users are being told to avoid "Adult Player," a purported pornography app for Google's on-the-go operating system that combines X-rated videos with attempted extortion.

September 8, 2015