Technologies

Tesla sued by California agency alleging racial discrimination

The state’s Department of Fair Employment and Housing says the carmaker’s Fremont factory is a racially segregated workplace and Black workers are subjected to racial slurs.

A California agency tasked with enforcing the state’s civil rights laws has reportedly filed a lawsuit against Tesla, alleging racial discrimination and harassment occurred at the electric carmaker.

The California Department of Fair Employment and Housing said it filed the complaint Wednesday in Alameda County Superior Court.

«After receiving hundreds of complaints from workers, DFEH found evidence that Tesla’s Fremont factory is a racially segregated workplace where Black workers are subjected to racial slurs and discriminated against in job assignments, discipline, pay, and promotion creating a hostile work environment,» Kevin Kish, the agency’s director, said in a statement to The Wall Street Journal.

Tesla didn’t respond to a request for comment but criticized the agency’s investigation in a blog post Wednesday.

«Tesla strongly opposes all forms of discrimination and harassment and has a dedicated Employee Relations team that responds to and investigates all complaints,» Tesla said in the post.

Tesla called the legal action «unfair and counterproductive» and pointed out that it’s the «last remaining automobile manufacturer in California» and that the workforce at its Fremont factory is predominantly minority.

The ageny’s lawsuit comes a day after a Black gay woman who formerly worked at another Tesla factory in California filed a lawsuit against the company ignored the racial and homophobic slurs and physical harm she endure. Kaylen Barker, who worked at Tesla’s Lathrop plant, alleged that she was struck with a grinding tool by a white co-worker who was calling her the n-word, according to the lawsuit, filed Tuesday in Alameda County.

The white employee was fired but then rehired two weeks later «without any forewarning or explanation,» she said in her complaint.Tesla didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment on that case either.

Tesla founder and CEO Elon Musk announced plans in October to relocate the company’s corporate headquarters from California to Texas, but also said it would continue to expand its activities in California.

That same month, Tesla was ordered to pay nearly $137 million in damages in a lawsuit that alleged a Black former employee was subjected to racist abuse, discrimination and harassment at the company’s Fremont facility.

Silicon Valley has been a frequent target of the DFEH’s scrutiny in recent years. In a lawsuit last July, the agency accused gaming giant Activision Blizzard of discriminating against women and fomenting a toxic work culture. Microsoft, which announced in January it would purchase the game-maker for nearly $69 billion in cash, has pledged to change Activision’s culture.

A month earlier, games developer Riot Games agreed to pay more than $100 million to settle a 2018 gender discrimination and sexual harassment lawsuit filed by the agency.

The Department of Fair Employment and Housing didn’t respond to a request for comment.

Technologies

iPhone 17 Preorders Spike and Overall Phone Sales Aren’t Slowing Down Despite Tariffs

Global smartphone shipments saw a notable increase in the third quarter of 2025. Plus, preorders for Apple’s new iPhone 17 beat out the iPhone 16.

Despite tariffs and market uncertainty, global smartphone shipments increased 2.6% in the third quarter of 2025, compared to the same time last year, according to the International Data Corporation. Additionally, preorders for the iPhone 17, which launched last month, outpaced last year’s iPhone 16.

These increased sales include premium phones like the latest iPhones and Samsung foldables, suggesting yet again that pricier phones still sell in periods of economic strain. It’s a remarkable achievement, says IDC senior research director Nabila Popal, citing shrewd financing options as the reason people keep buying these high-end phones, which cost anywhere from $800 to nearly $2,000.

«[Phone makers] have mastered the art of innovation not only in hardware and software to entice upgrades but also in removing purchase friction. They have flawlessly combined cutting-edge devices with innovative financing models and aggressive trade-in programs that make the upgrading decision a ‘no-brainer’ for consumers,» Popal said in an IDC press release.

Apple sold 58.6 million iPhones this quarter, an increase of 2.9% over the same period in 2024, with more preorders for the iPhone 17 series than its predecessor. But Samsung wasn’t far behind, with its Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7 selling better than all of the company’s prior foldables. The company still reigns atop the phone market with 61.4 million phones sold, representing 19% of the market in the third quarter of this year — an increase of 6.3% from the same period last year. Meanwhile, Apple lands slightly behind Samsung with 18.2% market share this quarter.

The other phone makers trailing Apple and Samsung are, in order: Xiaomi, with 13.5% of the market; Transsion, with 9%; and Vivo with 8.9%. The remaining companies in the phones industry, from Chinese stalwarts like Oppo and Honor to Motorola and Google, make up the remaining 31.4% of the market for the quarter. All told, 322.7 million phones were sold, up from 314.6 million in the third quarter of 2024, according to IDC.

IDC’s findings for the third quarter continue the small but steady growth of phone sales over the year, including a modest 1% increase in the preceding three months — which includes the April deadline when President Donald Trump unveiled sweeping tariffs. In the second quarter, IDC cited midrange devices like Samsung’s Galaxy A36 and other phones that started incorporating AI. But even persistent tariffs haven’t slowed down people’s appetites for pricier phones in the third quarter.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Tuesday, Oct. 14

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Oct. 14.

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Today’s Mini Crossword has an odd vertical shape, with an extra Across clue, and only four Down clues. The clues are not terribly difficult, but one or two could be tricky. Read on if you need the answers. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.