New York — U.S. stocks rose Monday, with those benefiting the most from lower interest rates and a stronger economy leading the way. The S&P 500 climbed 0.3% to pull closer…
more ...World braces for impact as Trump revisits trade wars
Countries around the world are bracing for economic upheaval as incoming U.S. President Donald Trump threatens massive tariffs, especially on China. The uncertainty has left governments and businesses struggling with…
more ...Chinese hackers preparing for conflict with US, cyber official says
Chinese hackers are positioning themselves in U.S. critical infrastructure IT networks for a potential clash with the United States, a top American cybersecurity official said Friday. Morgan Adamski, executive director…
more ...Russia’s full-scale invasion pushes Ukraine’s digitalization drive
From digital passports to apps that announce air alerts or enable conscripts to update their information in the draft register, Ukraine is now a world leader in the drive to…
more ...US agency votes to launch review, update undersea telecommunications cable rules
WASHINGTON — The Federal Communications Commission voted on Thursday to propose new rules governing undersea internet cables in the face of growing security concerns, as part of a review of regulations…
more ...X’s former policy chief takes job with Elon Musk rival Sam Altman
NEW YORK — Nick Pickles, the former head of global affairs at Elon Musk’s social media platform X, is joining forces with one of Musk’s rivals, his fellow OpenAI co-founder Sam…
more ...AI app helps Kenyan farmers optimize crop yields
Farmers in Kenya are using artificial intelligence to help them get better crop yields. An AI-powered tool – called Virtual Agronomist – engages directly with farmers to help them create…
more ...US regulators seek to break up Google, forcing Chrome sale
U.S. regulators want a federal judge to break up Google to prevent the company from continuing to squash competition through its dominant search engine after a court found it had…
more ...Lower turkey costs set table for cheaper US Thanksgiving feast this year
Inflation-weary consumers should see the cost of their classic Thanksgiving dinner gobble less of their paychecks this year, largely because Americans are buying less of the meal’s centerpiece dish, turkey. …
more ...Islamic Council’s VPN decree raises concerns about privacy in Pakistan
WASHINGTON — Pakistan’s top cleric has declared that virtual private networks, or VPNs, are unlawful, igniting a debate on privacy rights and access to information amid a government crackdown on the…
more ...Pakistan’s Islamic Council calls for ban on use of VPNs
WASHINGTON — Pakistan’s top cleric has declared that virtual private networks, or VPNs, are unlawful, igniting a debate on privacy rights and access to information amid a government crackdown on the…
more ...Zambia, Zimbabwe seek move to wind, solar to avert power shortages
VICTORIA FALLS, ZIMBABWE — Zimbabwe and Zambia are holding a summit this week in Victoria Falls to identify ways to attract investors for energy projects and development. The talks come as…
more ...AI in action at Africa Tech Festival
Artificial intelligence was much discussed and demonstrated at the Africa Tech Festival in Cape Town, South Africa earlier this month. The conference highlighted how technology is changing industries on the…
more ...Greece to repay chunk of bailout debt early
Athens, Greece — Greece will make an early repayment of 5 billion euros ($5.3 billion) in bailout-era debt in 2025, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis told a banking conference in Athens on…
more ...South African universities embrace AI, seeing it as equalizing tool
The rise of AI tools like ChatGPT has sparked debate in higher education, raising questions about ethics and integrity in teaching, learning and knowledge creation. In South Africa, some academic…
more ...‘Morphing’ wheel from South Korea may transform lives – and robots
DAEJEON, South Korea — Imagine a wheelchair equipped with wheels flexible enough to navigate all manner of obstacles from curbs to humps and even staircases. Or perhaps an unmanned delivery…
more ...Chinese social media reels over woman’s illegal surrogacy case
BEIJING/HONG KONG — A 22-year-old Chinese woman’s account of how she was lured into the country’s illegal surrogacy industry before suffering a miscarriage went viral on Chinese social media this week…
more ...Debt-saddled Laos struggles to tame rampant inflation
Vientiane, Laos — Suffocating under a mountain of debt to China, communist Laos is struggling to tame rampant inflation, with food prices rising so sharply that a growing number of households…
more ...Australia’s plan to ban children from social media proves popular, problematic
MELBOURNE, Australia — How do you remove children from the harms of social media? Politically the answer appears simple in Australia, but practically the solution could be far more difficult. The…
more ...EU fines Meta $840 million over abusive practices benefiting Facebook Marketplace
Brussels — The European Commission on Thursday fined Meta Platforms $840.24 million over abusive practices benefiting Facebook Marketplace, it said in a statement, confirming an earlier report by Reuters. “The European…
more ...Foreign acquisition of US Steel faces cooler temperatures after presidential election
Before the U.S. presidential election, President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump opposed a Japanese company’s planned $14 billion purchase of U.S. Steel, a once-iconic pillar of America’s industrial…
more ...Analysts skeptical about African impact of China’s zero-tariff offer
NEW DELHI — Analysts interviewed by VOA expressed skepticism over China’s recent decision to eliminate tariffs for goods from least developed countries with diplomatic relations with Bejing, including 33 in Africa,…
more ...Bain: Global luxury sales to fall 2% in 2024, among weakest years on record
Sales of personal luxury goods are set to fall 2% this year, making it one of the weakest on record, with price hikes and economic uncertainty shrinking the industry’s customer…
more ...China’s largest air show takes off with fighter jets, attack drones
Zhuhai, China — Stealth fighter jets and attack drones took center stage as China’s largest air show officially opened on Tuesday, an opportunity for Beijing to showcase its growing military might…
more ...Web Summit kicks off in Lisbon as tech leaders weigh Trump’s return
LISBON, PORTUGAL — Lisbon will this week play host to Europe’s biggest annual tech conference, Web Summit, where industry leaders and lawmakers will weigh the pros and cons of Donald Trump’s…
more ...As data center industry booms, English village becomes battleground
ABBOTS LANGLEY, England — Originally built to store crops from peasant farmers, the Tithe Barn on the edge of the English village of Abbots Langley was converted into homes that preserve…
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