A landowners' challenge to a Virginia easements law is gaining attention as other states consider similar laws to make it easier for power companies to add broadband lines to land where they have electric facilities. Virginia’s 2020 law allows utilities to proceed without permission or additional compensation to landowners. The U.S. District Court in Charlottesville dismissed constitutional claims against Virginia in Grano v. Rappahannock Electric Cooperative (REC) last month, but the landowners haven’t given up and are considering appeal, said their lawyer Joshua Baker of Waldo and Lyle, in an interview.

Energous’ 10W WattUp PowerHub received FCC Part 18 equipment authorization for 10W of conducted wireless power transfer, said the wireless charging company Wednesday. The approval nearly doubles the amount of power that can be transmitted wirelessly in the U.S. and “opens potential new opportunities for the wireless charging of billions of IoT devices across emerging consumer, retail and industrial markets,” said acting CEO Cesar Johnston.

Energous’ 10W WattUp PowerHub received FCC Part 18 equipment authorization for 10W of conducted wireless power transfer, said the wireless charging company Wednesday. The approval nearly doubles the amount of power that can be transmitted wirelessly in the U.S. and “opens potential new opportunities for the wireless charging of billions of IoT devices across emerging consumer, retail and industrial markets,” said acting CEO Cesar Johnston.

Airbnb has available more than a dozen homes for rent in China’s Xinjiang province on land owned by a Chinese entity that is subject to U.S. sanctions, Axios reported Nov. 30. The entity, Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, was sanctioned by the Treasury Department in 2020 for human rights abuses, including for helping to create a surveillance and detention program for Muslim minority groups (see 2007310028). Information connecting “numerous Airbnb listings” with XPCC-owned land is publicly available, including on Airbnb’s website, the report said.

Paramount+ nabbed the Users’ Choice designation from Google’s Best of 2021 awards, said the Alphabet company Monday. In other categories, Best App went to Balance and Best Game to Pokémon Unite. Among Google TV apps, Disney+ took the top spot, followed by ESPN and Tubi.

The Near Field Communication Forum added Huawei as a sponsor member and gave the Chinese telecom maker a seat on its board, said the standards body Tuesday. Others joining the NFC Forum: (1) EM Microelectronic, as principal member; (2) Tokai Rika, associate member; (3) CEC Huada Electronic Design and Metaboards and Sichuan Kiloway Technologies, as implementer members; and (4) Chinese University of Hong Kong, as nonprofit member. NFC is a standard feature on the world's nearly 3 billion smartphones, said the organization.

The Near Field Communication Forum added Huawei as a sponsor member and gave the Chinese telecom maker a seat on its board, said the standards body Tuesday. Others joining the NFC Forum: (1) EM Microelectronic, as principal member; (2) Tokai Rika, associate member; (3) CEC Huada Electronic Design and Metaboards and Sichuan Kiloway Technologies, as implementer members; and (4) Chinese University of Hong Kong, as nonprofit member. NFC is a standard feature on the world's nearly 3 billion smartphones, said the organization.

One temporary solution that could allow Verizon and AT&T to turn on their C-band base stations in January, as now planned, would be to provide protection near airports, industry and government officials told us. But it’s unclear whether that would be enough to address FAA and aviation industry concerns.

The European Commission this week proposed new rules that would restrict imports to “deforestation-free” goods in a bid to combat global deforestation, global warming and biodiversity loss. The rules would set “mandatory” due diligence requirements and add to the compliance responsibilities for importers of goods associated with deforestation, such as soy, beef, palm oil, wood, cocoa, coffee and leather.

Tribal libraries may soon get the clarity they sought on E-rate eligibility rules, as industry and tribal groups widely approved, in comments posted Tuesday in docket 02-6, FCC-proposed updates to the definition of an eligible library (see 2110010070). Some said more is needed to encourage participation.