Amazon's Ring has ended its partnership with surveillance firm Flock Safety following public backlash, while inflation in the US eased in January, according to reports. The decision to cancel the deal, which would have allowed agencies working with Flock to access Ring device video, came after a Ring advertisement aired during the Super Bowl sparked widespread criticism, according to multiple sources. Meanwhile, US inflation cooled last month, with the consumer price index rising by 2.4% over the 12 months to January, the slowest pace since May, as reported by the Department of Labor.
The agreement between Ring and Flock Safety, announced in October, would have enabled law enforcement agencies to retrieve video captured on Ring devices for investigations, provided customer consent was obtained. The partnership faced scrutiny over privacy practices, leading to its termination. According to BBC Technology, the backlash stemmed from concerns about the potential for surveillance and data sharing.
In other news, former Prince Andrew is facing renewed scrutiny over allegations of sharing a Treasury document with a business contact. Emails published in The Telegraph suggest that in 2010, Prince Andrew requested information from Treasury officials on banking problems in Iceland, which he then shared with Jonathan Rowland, a business connection. This has raised questions about the misuse of his public role, according to BBC Business.
Additionally, Heathrow Airport's boss has stated that the airport's Terminal 5 is not crowded, but rather, people are walking in the "wrong place," contributing to the perception of congestion. Thomas Woldbye told an industry event that the terminal feels crowded because of differing walking patterns, with British people keeping to the left and Europeans to the right, causing people to "crash into each other." Heathrow is the UK's busiest airport, and its plans for a third runway have faced opposition.
The easing of inflation in the US, with a rise of 2.4% over the 12 months to January, has fueled arguments that the central bank could cut interest rates without triggering a new surge in prices. However, some analysts have cautioned that further progress toward the Federal Reserve's 2% target could be hindered if companies pass on tariff costs to consumers or if labor shortages drive up prices, as reported by BBC Business.
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