SYDNEY — Australia’s center-left government said on Thursday it planned new rules that would charge big tech firms millions of dollars if they did not pay Australian media companies for news…
more ...UN digital program seeks to empower Africa’s public workers
NAIROBI, KENYA — The United Nations, Microsoft and Kenya’s Ministry of Information last week launched a digital and artificial intelligence center in Nairobi to train African public servants and accelerate the…
more ...Sub-Saharan officials say reducing fish imports creates local jobs
Yaounde, Cameroon — Officials in Sub-Saharan Africa countries have agreed it is important to reduce over-dependence on imported fish and seafood from North Africa and the European Union and instead they…
more ...US sanctions Chinese cybersecurity firm for ‘malicious’ activities
WASHINGTON — The United States slapped sanctions on a Chinese cybersecurity company and one of its employees Tuesday, accusing it of compromising more than 80,000 firewalls in a 2020 attack. The…
more ...From VOA Mandarin: Trump 2.0 and the future of the CHIPS Act
The Biden administration is shoring up its CHIPS Act funding agreements before President-elect Donald Trump takes office on January 20. Trump has previously disparaged the CHIPS Act and called for…
more ...TikTok asks federal appeals court to bar enforcement of potential ban until Supreme Court review
TikTok asked a federal appeals court on Monday to bar the Biden administration from enforcing a law that could lead to a ban on the popular platform until the Supreme…
more ...China launches anti-monopoly probe into Nvidia
BEIJING — China on Monday said it has launched an investigation into U.S. chip maker Nvidia over suspected violations of the country’s anti-monopoly law, in a move that will likely be…
more ...India not pursuing shared BRICS currency, analysts say
NEW DELHI — India is not pursuing the creation of a shared BRICS currency, an idea that has met with a strong verbal pushback from incoming U.S. President Donald Trump, but…
more ...India not pursuing shared BRICS currency
India is not supporting the creation of a shared currency among the nine-nation BRICS grouping but it is trying to promote trade in its local currency, according to analysts in…
more ...As data centers proliferate, conflict with local communities follows
ALEXANDRIA, VIRGINIA — Richard Andre Newman thought he would live the rest of his life in his quiet, leafy neighborhood in suburban Virginia. He was born and raised in Bren Mar…
more ...US House to vote to provide $3 billion to remove Chinese telecoms equipment
WASHINGTON — The U.S. House of Representatives is set to vote next week on an annual defense bill that includes just over $3 billion for U.S. telecom companies to remove equipment…
more ...Appeals court upholds law that could ban TikTok in US
A federal appeals court in Washington on Friday upheld a law requiring the wildly popular social media app TikTok to be sold to a non-Chinese owner or face closure in…
more ...US rebounds, adds 227,000 jobs in November
WASHINGTON — America’s job market rebounded in November, adding 227,000 workers in a solid recovery from the previous month, when the effects of strikes and hurricanes sharply diminished employers’ payrolls. Last…
more ...Cargo sailboat cruises to cleaner future with blend of old, new technology
Using sailing ships to move cargo may be making a comeback. These days, eco-friendly watercraft are equipped with the latest technology. Elena Wolf has the story, narrated by Anna Rice.…
more ...US farmers, economists weigh in on impact of tariffs
Through social media posts, President-elect Donald Trump has threatened to imposed tariffs on Canada, China and Mexico – three of the top trading partners for the United States. VOA’s Kane…
more ...China fine tunes economic stimulus as it braces for new US administration
BANGKOK — China is fine-tuning policies to rev up its economy as it braces for uncertain relations with the United States under President-elect Donald Trump, giving manufacturers a 20% made-in-China price…
more ...Biden caps Angola visit with stop at train terminal at western port
LOBITO, ANGOLA — In the blistering midday heat at Angola’s largest port, U.S. President Joe Biden beamed Wednesday as he shook hands, one by one, with nine smiling hard-hatted workers. He…
more ...Chinese online retailer Temu suspended in Vietnam
HANOI, Vietnam — Vietnam has suspended the operations of Chinese online retailer Temu after it failed to meet a government deadline to register the company by the end of November. It…
more ...Analysts troubled by trend of internet, social media shutdowns in Africa
WASHINGTON — Amid widespread protests in Kenya this summer over a controversial finance bill, the country’s Communications Authority announced it did not intend to shut down internet access. The next day,…
more ...US senators vow action after briefing on Chinese Salt Typhoon telecom hacking
WASHINGTON — U.S. government agencies held a classified briefing for all senators on Wednesday on China’s alleged efforts known as Salt Typhoon to burrow deep into American telecommunications companies and steal…
more ...Many former X users migrate to Bluesky social media platform
Bluesky, a decentralized social media platform, recently experienced significant growth, surpassing 22 million users. The surge is attributed to users migrating from X due to their dissatisfaction with changes under…
more ...Australia urges greater internet user choice amid Google dominance, genAI
Australia’s competition watchdog said there was a need to revisit efforts to ensure greater choice for internet users, citing Google’s dominant search engine market share and its competitors’ failure to…
more ...Regional analysts suggest caution as Nigeria signs new deals with France
ABUJA, NIGERIA — Political analysts in Nigeria say the country needs to be careful after signing a series of agreements with France during President Bola Tinubu’s three-day visit to the European…
more ...US Embassy in Kenya unveils new tech hub for innovators
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 ...Trump says will ‘block’ Nippon Steel from taking over US Steel
Washington — U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on Monday said he would “block” a planned takeover of US Steel by Japanese company Nippon Steel, a deal worth $14.9 billion including debts. “I…
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