10 things in tech: Gates Fdn. turmoil - Leaked Oracle memo - Blizzard lawsuit
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1. Senior government officials of US allies were targets of Pegasus phone malware in 2019. WhatsApp's CEO made a statement after reports of an Israeli company selling access to military-grade spyware, which was used to hack the phones of journalists, activists, and government officials. Get the full rundown here.
2. Video shows Activision Blizzard execs joking about over-sexualized female characters. The video resurfaced amid news the company is being sued, in a lawsuit accusing it of having a "frat boy" culture where women were routinely harassed. Everything you need to know about the video and the lawsuit.
3. Turmoil at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has left some staffers polishing their resumes. Employees said the couple's divorce, Gates' relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, and allegations surrounding the vaccine have led to a sense of unease among staffers. Here's what else they told us.
4. Tesla will announce its Q2 earnings today. From how it made its profits to what's going on with its bitcoin holdings, investors are eager to hear how things are going inside the secretive company. Check out the eight things they'll be looking for in the report.
5. You probably won't go to space any time soon, no matter what the billionaires say. Space law experts say the steep prices aren't the only thing that will stop the average person from going on a space tour. Here's what else is standing between normal people and outer space.
6. You can rent a 3D-printed concrete tiny home on Airbnb. The house is Canada's first 3D-printed home - and Airbnb's first 3D-printed concrete tiny home. See what it's like to stay inside the $130 per-night Fibonacci House.
7. The 18-year-old on Jeff Bezos' space flight said he'd never bought anything from Amazon before. Bezos was reportedly taken aback by Oliver Daemen's confession. More on that here.
8. Tesla Energy has a team that hunts for complaints about the company and Elon Musk on social media. Plus, two former employees said they were tasked with getting customers to delete their posts. Read more about Tesla's damage-control teams.
9. Google billionaire Larry Page has sold his $45 million superyacht, sources say. Page, who has spent several months in Fiji throughout the pandemic, has sold his boat - which came complete with a helipad and private beach club. A look at what we know about this move.
10. Oracle's cloud unit told employees to ramp up for "24x7" work on projects that have fallen behind schedule. According to a leaked memo, Oracle's cloud will also be pausing all work that doesn't align with a new set of "updated priorities." Read up on the cloud unit's new top priorities.
Compiled by Jordan Erb. Tips/comments? Email jerb@insider.com or tweet @JordanParkerErb.
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