In Kenya, tech entrepreneurs who had trouble accessing resources as simple as an internet connection are getting an assist from American libraries. The U.S. Embassy in Kenya is now operating…
more ...China bans exports to US of gallium, germanium, antimony in response to chip sanctions
Bangkok — China announced Tuesday it is banning exports to the United States of gallium, germanium, antimony and other key high-tech materials with potential military applications, as a general principle, lashing…
more ...Airlines not switching quickly enough to green jet fuel, study says
Most of the world’s airlines are not doing enough to switch to sustainable jet fuel, according to a study by Brussels-based advocacy group Transport and Environment, which also found too…
more ...EV industry hoping for continued growth under Trump
Electric vehicle manufacturers are hoping for continued growth under President-elect Donald Trump, especially as Tesla CEO Elon Musk now appears to be one of his top advisers. Genia Dulot has…
more ...US unveils fresh export curbs targeting China’s chip sector
Washington — The United States announced new export restrictions Monday taking aim at China’s ability to make advanced semiconductors — used in weapon systems and artificial intelligence as competition intensifies between…
more ...Interpol clamps down on cybercrime, arrests 1,006 suspects in Africa
DAKAR, SENEGAL — Interpol arrested 1,006 suspects in Africa during a massive two-month operation, clamping down on cybercrime that left tens of thousands of victims, including some who were trafficked, and…
more ...Foreign smartphone sales in China drop 44% in October, data show
New data released Wednesday from a Chinese government-affiliated research firm showed sales of foreign-branded smartphones, including Apple’s iPhone, fell 44.25% year-on-year in China in October, while overall phone sales in…
more ...Microsoft faces antitrust investigation in US
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission has opened a broad antitrust investigation into Microsoft, including of its software licensing and cloud computing businesses, a source familiar with the matter said on…
more ...Australia’s House of Representatives passes bill that would ban young children from social media
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA — Australia’s House of Representatives on Wednesday passed a bill that would ban children younger than 16 years old from social media, leaving it to the Senate to finalize…
more ...Google, Meta urge Australia to delay bill on social media ban for children
SYDNEY — Google and Facebook-owner Meta Platforms urged the Australian government on Tuesday to delay a bill that will ban most forms of social media for children under 16, saying more…
more ...Google to build subsea cable linking Australia’s Darwin to Christmas Island
sydney — Australia’s Indian Ocean territory of Christmas Island will be connected by subsea cable to the northern garrison city of Darwin, a project backed by Alphabet’s Google that Australia says…
more ...Google’s US antitrust trial over online ad empire winds down
ALEXANDRIA, Virginia — The U.S. Justice Department told a federal judge that Google illegally dominated online advertising technology in seeking a second antitrust win against the company. The closing arguments in…
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 ...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 ...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 ...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 ...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…
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