Green hydrogen is being touted around the world as a clean energy solution to take the carbon out of high-emitting sectors like transport and industrial manufacturing. The India-led International Solar Alliance launched the Green Hydrogen Innovation Centre earlier this year, and India itself approved $2.3 billion for the production, use …
Ukrainian Drone Operator Revolutionizes Use of Civilian Drones
Yuriy Fedorenko got his call sign Achilles for bravery and independence. Before the war, he was working full time as a Kyiv city council deputy; today, he is fighting against Russian forces in Donbas as commander of an attack drone squadron. Anna Kosstutschenko has his story. VOA footage by Pavel Suhodolskiy …
Seattle Startup in Race for Nuclear Fusion
Nuclear fusion has excited scientists for decades with its potential to produce abundant carbon-free energy. In the Pacific Northwest state of Washington, one startup is hoping to win the race to develop the technology that finally makes that power available to consumers. From Seattle, Phil Dierking has our story. (Camera …
Tesla, Chinese EV Brands Jostle for Limelight at German Fair
One of the world’s biggest auto shows opened in Munich on Monday, with Tesla ending a 10-year absence to jostle for the spotlight with Chinese rivals as the race for electric dominance heats up. Chancellor Olaf Scholz will officially inaugurate the IAA mobility show, held in Germany every two …
Accent Masking Software Aims to Smooth Call Center Interactions
A California tech startup is using artificial intelligence, or AI, to mask the accents of call center workers to reduce discrimination, but some say diversity is being erased. Matt Dibble has the story. …
Cambodian Ex-Leader Hun Sen Back on Facebook After Long-Running Row
Cambodia’s ex-leader Hun Sen returned to Facebook on Sunday, claiming the social media giant had “rendered justice” to him by refusing to suspend his account after he posted violent threats on the platform. In a post, Hun Sen said Facebook had rejected a recommendation from its Oversight Board to suspend …
Tesla Launches New Model 3 in China, Europe With Longer Driving Range
Tesla on Friday unveiled a restyled Model 3 with a longer driving range in China and other markets including Europe, the Middle East, Australia and Japan, putting pressure on rivals who are expected to announce new electric vehicles in the next few days. In China, the world’s largest auto market, …
‘Talk About Something Else’: Chinese AI Chatbot Toes Party Line
Chinese tech giant Baidu rolled out its ChatGPT-like ERNIE Bot to the public Thursday. But the app is highly censored, offering state-approved answers to taboo questions and sometimes refusing to process them altogether when AFP tested the service. Here are some of ERNIE’s answers to questions about sensitive topics in …
Russian Malware Targeting Ukrainian Mobile Devices
Ukrainian troops using Android mobile devices are coming under attack from Russian hackers, who are using a new kind of malware to try to steal information critical to the ongoing counteroffensive. Cyber officials from the United States, along with counterparts from Australia, Britain, Canada and New Zealand, issued a warning …
FBI-Led Operation Dismantles Notorious Qakbot Malware
A global operation led by the FBI has dismantled one of the most notorious cybercrime tools used to launch ransomware attacks and steal sensitive data. U.S. law enforcement officials announced on Tuesday that the FBI and its international partners had disrupted the Qakbot infrastructure and seized nearly $9 million in …
Meta Fights Sprawling Chinese ‘Spamouflage’ Operation
Meta on Tuesday said it purged thousands of Facebook accounts that were part of a widespread online Chinese spam operation trying to covertly boost China and criticize the West. The campaign, which became known as “Spamouflage,” was active across more than 50 platforms and forums including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube …
AI Hackathons Aim to Spur Innovation, Attract Investors
The tech industry is rushing to unlock the potential of artificial intelligence, and AI hackathons — daylong collaborations using the technology to tackle real-world problems — are increasing in popularity. From the state of Washington, Natasha Mozgovaya has more. …
Glitch Halts Toyota Factories in Japan
Toyota said Tuesday it has been hit by a technical glitch forcing it to suspend production at all 14 factories in Japan. The world’s biggest automaker gave no further details on the stoppage, which began Tuesday morning, but said it did not appear to be caused by a cyberattack. The …
ChatGPT Turns to Business as Popularity Wanes
OpenAI on Monday said it was launching a business version of ChatGPT as its artificial intelligence sensation grapples with declining usership nine months after its historic debut. ChatGPT Enterprise will offer business customers a premium version of the bot, with “enterprise grade” security and privacy enhancements from previous versions, OpenAI …
Cybercrime Set to Threaten Canada’s Security, Prosperity, Says Spy Agency
Organized cybercrime is set to pose a threat to Canada’s national security and economic prosperity over the next two years, a national intelligence agency said on Monday. In a report released Monday, the Communications Security Establishment (CSE) identified Russia and Iran as cybercrime safe havens where criminals can operate against …
New Study: Don’t Ask Alexa or Siri if You Need Info on Lifesaving CPR
Ask Alexa or Siri about the weather. But if you want to save someone’s life? Call 911 for that. Voice assistants often fall flat when asked how to perform CPR, according to a study published Monday. Researchers asked voice assistants eight questions that a bystander might pose in a cardiac …
Tesla Braces for Its First Trial Involving Autopilot Fatality
Tesla Inc TSLA.O is set to defend itself for the first time at trial against allegations that failure of its Autopilot driver assistant feature led to death, in what will likely be a major test of Chief Executive Elon Musk’s assertions about the technology. Self-driving capability is central to Tesla’s …
New Crew for Space Station Launches With Astronauts From 4 Countries
Four astronauts from four countries rocketed toward the International Space Station on Saturday. They should reach the orbiting lab in their SpaceX capsule Sunday, replacing four astronauts who have been living up there since March. A NASA astronaut was joined on the predawn liftoff from Kennedy Space Center by fliers …
Thailand Threatens Facebook Shutdown Over Scam Ads
Thailand said this week it is preparing to sue Facebook in a move that could see the platform shut down nationwide over scammers allegedly exploiting the social networking site to cheat local users out of tens of millions of dollars a year. The country’s minister of digital economy and society, …
Meta Faces Backlash Over Canada News Block as Wildfires Rage
Meta is being accused of endangering lives by blocking news links in Canada at a crucial moment, when thousands have fled their homes and are desperate for wildfire updates that once would have been shared widely on Facebook. The situation “is dangerous,” said Kelsey Worth, 35, one of nearly 20,000 …
Q&A: How Do Europe’s Sweeping Rules for Tech Giants Work?
Google, Facebook, TikTok and other Big Tech companies operating in Europe must comply with one of the most far-reaching efforts to clean up what people see online. The European Union’s groundbreaking new digital rules took effect Friday for the biggest platforms. The Digital Services Act is part of a suite …
Electric Vehicle ‘Fast Chargers’ Seen as Game Changer
With White House funding to help get more electric cars on the road, some states are creating local rules to get top technologies into their charging stations. Deana Mitchell has the story. …
US Sues SpaceX for Discriminating Against Refugees, Asylum-Seekers
The U.S. Justice Department is suing Elon Musk’s SpaceX for refusing to hire refugees and asylum-seekers at the rocket company. In a lawsuit filed on Thursday, the Justice Department said SpaceX routinely discriminated against these job applicants between 2018 and 2022, in violation of U.S. immigration laws. The lawsuit says …
US Seeks to Extend Science, Tech Agreement With China for 6 Months
The U.S. State Department, in coordination with other agencies from President Joe Biden’s administration, is seeking a six-month extension of the U.S.-China Science and Technology Agreement (STA) that is due to expire on August 27. The short-term extension comes as several Republican congressional members voiced concerns that China has previously …