Russia is clamping down on news and the internet. Overseas media organizations and activists are finding new ways in. …
Ransomware Attacks: Hackers Endanger Critical US Infrastructure
Even before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, U.S. officials warned about cyberattacks originating in Russia against critical American infrastructure. Now, U.S. security agencies are increasingly cracking down on the networks used by cybercriminals, including for ransomware attacks. Dino Jahic has the story, narrated by Anna Rice. …
Twitter Opts for ‘Poison Pill’ to Repel Elon Musk Takeover
Twitter’s board of directors on Friday voted unanimously to use a tactic called a “poison pill” to fend off Elon Musk’s attempt to take over the company. In such a defensive tactic, all Twitter shareholders except Musk could buy more shares at a discount. This would dilute the world’s richest …
Musk Spells Out How He Would Change Twitter
Hours after announcing his $43 billion hostile takeover bid for Twitter, business magnate Elon Musk laid out some of his goals for the social media giant, including an edit button that would let users amend ill-considered tweets. Musk made the comments on the concluding day of the annual TED Conference …
Elon Musk Offers to Buy Twitter
Businessman Elon Musk has offered to buy Twitter, saying the social media giant “needs to be transformed as a private company.” “I invested in Twitter as I believe in its potential to be the platform for free speech around the globe, and I believe free speech is a societal imperative …
Russian Netflix Users Sue Streaming Giant for Leaving Market – RIA
Russian users of Netflix NFLX.O have launched a class action lawsuit against the streaming giant for leaving the Russian market, demanding 60 million roubles ($726,000) in compensation, the RIA news agency reported on Wednesday. Netflix Inc said in March that it suspended its service in Russia and had temporarily stopped …
Former California Executive Gets Prison for $1 Billion Solar Fraud
A former energy executive in California who took part in $1 billion solar power fraud that bilked Warren Buffett’s company and many others was sentenced Tuesday to six years in federal prison and ordered to pay $624 million in restitution. Robert A. Karmann, 55, of Clayton was the chief financial …
Elon Musk Accused of Breaking Law While Buying Twitter Stock
Elon Musk’s huge Twitter investment took a new twist Tuesday with the filing of a lawsuit alleging that the colorful billionaire illegally delayed disclosing his stake in the social media company so he could buy more shares at lower prices. The complaint in New York federal court accuses Musk of …
Companies and Celebrities Jump into NFT Craze
The world of nonfungible tokens, or NFTs is getting a boost from companies and celebrities, who are making the digital products. But the nascent technology comes with risks. Tina Trinh reports. …
Twitter’s Top Shareholder Elon Musk Decides Not to Join Board
Twitter Inc’s biggest shareholder, Elon Musk, has decided not to join its board, Chief Executive Parag Agrawal said late on Sunday. Musk, who calls himself a free-speech absolutist and has been critical of Twitter, disclosed a 9.1% stake on April 4 and said he plans to bring about significant improvements …
JD.com Founder Richard Liu Leaves CEO Post
Chinese e-commerce company JD.com said Thursday that its founder Richard Liu has left his position as CEO, the latest Chinese billionaire founder to step aside amid increased government scrutiny of the country’s technology industry. Liu will hand over the reins to JD.com’s president Xu Lei, according to a company statement. …
Twitter to Start Testing Long-Awaited Edit Feature Soon
Twitter said on Tuesday it will begin testing a new edit feature in the coming months, surprising its users on the same day it said Tesla boss Elon Musk would join the social media company’s board. Jay Sullivan, Twitter’s head of consumer products, said in a tweet the company had …
Elon Musk Named to Twitter Board After Acquiring Massive Stock Share
A day after it was revealed he owned the largest stake in Twitter, slightly more than 9% of shares, Elon Musk has joined the company’s board of directors. The Tesla and SpaceX founder will be on the board until at least 2024, according to a regulatory filing. As a stipulation …
Drones Aim to Deliver Meals, Medicines to People’s Backyards
In the U.S., some restaurants and medical supply stores are turning to drones to deliver food, medicine, and other essential goods to people’s homes. VOA’s Julie Taboh has more. …
Bypassing Digital Iron Curtain, Activists Message Millions in Russia
The Kremlin’s clampdown on news of the war in Ukraine has hackers and volunteers from around the world are sending messages directly to Russian citizens’ phones to keep them informed. Matt Dibble has the story. …
Kenya Gets Huawei-Linked Chinese Communications Cable
China has connected a high-speed, multimillion-dollar, 15,000-kilometer undersea cable to Kenya, as Beijing advances what’s been dubbed its “digital silk road,” and Africa seeks the infrastructure it badly needs for better internet connectivity. Chinese giant Huawei is a shareholder in the $425-million PEACE cable, which stands for “Pakistan and …
Fighting Food Waste: Technology Tells Restaurants What They Are Throwing Away
Up to 40% of food in the U.S. is discarded. But as VOA’s Julie Taboh reports, a company in the Netherlands has come up with technology that can help reduce food waste in industrial kitchens. Camera: Tina Trinh, Orbisk; Produced by Julie Taboh, Adam Greenbaum …
Russian Agents Charged With Targeting US Nuclear Plant, Saudi Oil Refinery
U.S. and British officials on Thursday accused the Russian government of running a yearslong campaign to hack into critical infrastructure, including an American nuclear plant and a Saudi oil refinery. The announcement was paired with the unsealing of criminal charges against four Russian government officials, whom the U.S. Department of …
EU Negotiators Agree on Landmark Law to Curb Big Tech
Negotiators from the European Parliament and EU member states agreed Thursday on a landmark law to curb the market dominance of U.S. big tech giants such as Google, Meta, Amazon and Apple. Meeting in Brussels, the lawmakers nailed down a long list of do’s and don’ts that will single out …
Seattle-Based Teenager Designed Relocation Website for Ukrainian Refugees
Seattle-based teenager Avi Schiffmann is doing what he can to help Ukrainian refugees. He has launched a website that helps refugees find safe places to stay, matching refugees with people willing to share their homes. Anush Avetisyan has the story, narrated by Anna Rice. …
Hackers Hit Authentication Firm Okta; Customers ‘May Have Been Impacted’
Okta whose authentication services are used by companies including Fedex and Moody’s to provide access to their networks, said on Tuesday that it had been hit by hackers and that some customers may have been affected. The scope of the breach is still unclear, but it could have major consequences …
Microsoft Faces Anti-Competition Complaint in Europe
Three companies have lodged a complaint with the European Commission against Microsoft, accusing the U.S. technology giant of anti-competitive practices in its cloud services, sources told AFP on Saturday, confirming media reports. Microsoft is “undermining fair competition and limiting the choice of consumers” in the computing cloud services market, said …
Visual Explainer: Russian Disinformation
Before Russia invaded Ukraine, the groundwork had already begun — online. Russian disinformation is a key part of what many are calling a hybrid war. VOA’s Tina Trinh explains. …
Facebook Owner to Help Train Australian Politicians, Influencers in Run-up to Election
Facebook owner Meta Platforms FB.O will help train Australian political candidates on aspects of cyber security and coach influencers to stop the spread of misinformation in a bid to boost the integrity of an upcoming election, it said on Tuesday. Australia has not yet set a date for its next …