The Philippine defense chief has ordered all defense personnel and the 163,000-member military to refrain from using digital applications that harness artificial intelligence to generate personal portraits, saying they could…
more ...Middle East Crisis Could Disrupt Oil Supplies, Raise Prices
Fifty years after the 1973 Arab oil embargo, the current crisis in the Middle East has the potential to disrupt global oil supplies and push prices higher. But don’t expect…
more ...Chinese Netizens Post Hate-Filled Comments to Israeli Embassy’s Online Account
After the Hamas attack on Israel, the Israeli Embassy in Beijing began posting on China’s social media platform Weibo. The online effort to gain popular support appears to be backfiring…
more ...Kenyan Manufacturers Decry High Numbers of Chinese Imports
China remains the single leading source of imports to Kenya, accounting for over 20% of total imports, according to the country’s bureau of statistics. Many local manufacturers say the Chinese…
more ...EU Opens Disinformation Probes into Meta, TikTok
The EU announced probes Thursday into Facebook owner Meta and TikTok, seeking more details on the measures they have taken to stop the spread of “illegal content and disinformation” after…
more ...After 10 Years of China’s BRI Projects in Cambodia, Benefits Up for Debate
In Cambodia’s capital of Phnom Penh, 62-year-old produce seller Sok Ul is sanguine, despite the threat that a Belt and Road project could uproot him from his neighborhood. Construction will…
more ...Experts: Nigeria’s Inflation to Persist Without Stabilized Exchange Rate
Nigeria’s inflation rate has risen to its highest level in two decades, 26.72%, according to the national statistics bureau. The latest figure keeps millions of people in Africa’s largest country…
more ...To Find Out How Wildlife Is Doing, Scientists Try Listening
A reedy pipe and a high-pitched trill duet against the backdrop of a low-pitched insect drone. Their symphony is the sound of a forest and is monitored by scientists to…
more ...Gabon’s Government Threatens Arrests Over Money Collected for Work Not Performed
Military rulers in Gabon on Tuesday threatened to arrest the heads of businesses who have collected money for work that was not performed. While ordering the resumption of work at…
more ...US Imposes New Chip Export Controls on China
The U.S. Commerce Department on Tuesday tightened its export controls to keep China from acquiring advanced computer chips that it could use to help develop hypersonic missiles and artificial intelligence.…
more ...LogOn: Musician’s Voice Sings in Languages She Does Not Speak
Artificial Intelligence is being used to create musical “deepfakes” – songs that sound like one artist but were made by a computer. Deana Mitchell brings us the story of one…
more ...Ethiopia’s Inaugural ‘Innovation Summit’ Sparks Imaginations
A technology, innovation and entrepreneurship summit sparked imaginations in Ethiopia last week. The inaugural Enkopa summit — a collaboration between the Ethiopian Ministry of Labor and Skills and other partners…
more ...Mediation Fails Between Meta and Kenyan Moderators, Rights Group Says
Settlement talks have collapsed between Facebook’s parent company Meta and Kenyan content moderators over a lawsuit alleging unfair dismissal, a tech rights group working with the moderators said on Monday. …
more ...China’s Trade Grows in SE Asia Under BRI, as Do Concerns
Since China’s launch of the Belt and Road Initiative 10 years ago, trade with Southeast Asian nations has more than doubled. Beijing has poured billions into helping build rails, airports,…
more ...New PlayStation Controller Aims to Make Gaming Easier for People with Disabilities
Paul Lane uses his mouth, cheek and chin to push buttons and guide his virtual car around the Gran Turismo racetrack on the PlayStation 5. It’s how he’s been playing…
more ...Hackers Attack Guatemalan Government Webpages
In what Guatemalan authorities described as a national security incident, hackers affiliated with the activist group Anonymous disabled multiple government webpages Saturday. The attacks were in support of demonstrations led…
more ...US Universities Help Malawi Establish First AI Center
Malawi launched its first-ever Centre for Artificial Intelligence and STEAM — Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics — Friday at the Malawi University of Science and Technology. Established with support…
more ...Kenyan Court Dismisses GMO Lawsuit, Raises East Africa Trade Concerns
A Kenyan court has dismissed a case challenging the importation of genetically modified foods, letting stand an earlier court ruling allowing the entry of so-called GMOs. The Law Society of…
more ...NASA Launches Probe to Study Rocky Asteroid
The U.S. space agency, NASA, launched a rocket Friday from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The rocket carried a probe designed to study a metal-rich asteroid that scientists think…
more ...China’s Exports, Imports Fell 6.2% in September as Global Demand Faltered
China’s exports and imports both fell in September from a year earlier, though they contracted at a slower pace even as global demand remained muted. Customs data released Friday showed…
more ...US Seeks to ‘Diversify’ China-Dominated Africa Minerals Supply Chain
Africa is the site of a new battle for influence as Washington ramps up efforts to build an alternative critical minerals supply chain to avoid reliance on China. Beijing dominates…
more ...Central Asians Balance Benefits, Risks of China’s BRI
Although weary of Beijing’s political ambitions and concerned about over-reliance on China, some Central Asians tell VOA they also see the benefits of the Belt and Road Initiative, or BRI,…
more ...Reporters Covering Israel-Hamas Conflict Face Torrent of Disinformation
As Hamas militants and rockets entered Israel Saturday, so too did a barrage of disinformation. The conflict is being fought not only on the ground but also on the internet. VOA’s Robin…
more ...EU Urges Big Tech to Tackle Terrorist Content After Hamas Attack
The European Union has expanded its warnings that tech companies must remove illegal content from their platforms, or risk facing severe legal penalties. Following the militant Islamist group Hamas’ attack…
more ...China’s BRI Brings Roads, Rails and Debt to Africa
Some 150 countries, many of them in Africa, have signed on to China’s 10-year-old Belt and Road Initiative, also known as the BRI. And while the multibillion-dollar project has helped…
more ...Another US State Sues TikTok, Saying It Lures Children Into Destructive Habits
Utah on Tuesday became the latest U.S. state to sue TikTok, alleging the company is “baiting” children into addictive and unhealthy social media habits. TikTok lures children into hours of…
more ...
