The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) closed its investigation into the bankrupt electric vehicle startup Fisker last September, according to a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request response obtained by TechCrunch. The agency revealed the existence of the probe in an October 2024 filing in Fisker's bankruptcy case, but the closure of the investigation was not previously known.
The SEC's FOIA department indicated it had identified approximately 21.7 gigabytes of electronically maintained records related to the investigation, TechCrunch reported. The agency typically does not make records available if investigations are still open. The closure was confirmed in a follow-up email, stating the investigation concluded in September 2025. The extent of the investigation's progress remains unclear.
In other news, xAI, the artificial intelligence company, has experienced a wave of departures. Former employees cited tensions over safety concerns and the feeling of being stuck in a "catch-up phase" as reasons for the restructuring, according to The Verge. Cofounder Yuhuai (Tony) Wu announced his departure recently.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) condemned a US-funded vaccine trial as "unethical." The trial, which would withhold an established, safe, and potentially lifesaving vaccine against hepatitis B from some newborns in Guinea-Bissau, Africa, was deemed inconsistent with ethical and scientific principles, Ars Technica reported. The WHO provided a list of reasons the trial was harmful and of low quality. The trial has drawn widespread criticism from health experts since the US funding was announced in December.
In Southern California, the city of Santa Monica will become the first in the country to use an AI system to detect bike lane violations. Beginning in April, the city will deploy Hayden AI's scanning technology in seven parking enforcement vehicles, expanding on similar cameras already in use on city buses, according to Ars Technica. "The more we can reduce the amount of illegal parking, the safer we can make it for bike riders," said Charley Territo, chief growth officer at Hayden AI.
Finally, Verizon has implemented a new policy that creates a waiting period for customers who want to unlock their phones after paying off their device installment plans early, Ars Technica reported. A 35-day waiting period is now imposed when a customer pays off their device plan online, in the Verizon app, over the phone, or at Verizon Authorized Retailers. The only way to get an immediate unlock is to pay off the device plan at a Verizon corporate store. Unlocking a phone allows it to be used on another network, enabling customers to switch carriers.
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