Amazon's Ring has ended its partnership with Flock Safety, a surveillance firm, following public backlash over privacy concerns, while the US military boarded a second Venezuela-linked oil tanker in the Indian Ocean. In other news, a man died after being pulled from a flooded brook in Derbyshire, UK, following a police chase. These events occurred amidst a backdrop of financial news, with Rivian being buoyed by its technology joint venture with Volkswagen Group, and revelations from the Epstein files shedding light on connections between Silicon Valley and EV startups.
According to BBC Business, Ring, the smart doorbell company owned by Amazon, decided to drop its deal with Flock Safety, a firm that operates a network of cameras and license plate readers. The agreement, announced in October, would have allowed agencies working with Flock to access Ring video footage for investigations. The decision came after a Ring advertisement aired during the Super Bowl sparked widespread criticism.
Meanwhile, the US military continued its efforts to target illicit oil connected to Venezuela. The Pentagon announced that US forces boarded a second sanctioned tanker in the Indian Ocean, tracking the vessel from the Caribbean Sea. This action follows the seizure of the Aquila II a week prior, as reported by The Guardian. Venezuela has faced US sanctions on its oil for several years, relying on a shadow fleet of tankers to smuggle crude.
In Derbyshire, UK, a man died after being pulled from a flooded brook following a police chase. Sky News reported that police had been pursuing a stolen caravan when the occupants rammed police cars and fled on foot. One man was arrested, while the other entered the flooded Egginton Brook. Derbyshire Police have referred themselves to the IOPCC following the incident.
In the realm of business and technology, Rivian's fourth-quarter and full-year earnings revealed that its technology joint venture with Volkswagen Group was the company's "savior" in 2025, according to TechCrunch. The company expects another $2 billion from VW Group in 2026. TechCrunch also reported on the Epstein files, which revealed connections between the infamous sex offender and several electric vehicle startups in Silicon Valley. Journalist Sean O'Kane examined how a businessman named David Stern pitched Epstein investments in companies like Faraday Future, Lucid Motors, and Canoo.
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