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TikTok Videos Exploit Trade War To Sell Fake Luxury Goods

The European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) says counterfeiting costs European industry 16 billion euros a year.

Analysts say social media in countries like Ethiopia can be particularly lawless since their systems often fail to filter out hate speech in local languages.

The Nigerian delegation included innovative companies such as 10N8E, AfricaComicade, Deluxe Creation Studios, Game Evolution Partners, Gamr, Kon10dr, Kucheza Gaming, Maliyo Games, Xane Studios, alongside a professional esports player.

Enthusiastic onlookers cheered the robots on from the sidelines.

The government filed the antitrust suit against Google, accusing it of acting illegally to dominate three sectors of digital advertising.

The feature being tested in the US, where the short-form video-sharing app has some 170m users, appears similar to Community Notes on X.

On the video front, Meta has a lot of catching up to do, Zuckerberg told the court.

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Monday's mission is the first all-woman space crew since Valentina Tereshkova's historic solo flight in 1963.

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He explained that prolonged screen time especially on phones and laptops increases strain on the eyes and can lead to long-term discomfort if not managed properly.

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The Meta lawsuit represents just one of five major tech antitrust actions recently initiated by the US government.

North Korea-linked threat actors behind the Contagious Interview have set up front companies as a way to distribute malware during the fake hiring process. "In this new campaign, the threat actor group is using three front companies in the cryptocurrency consulting industry—BlockNovas LLC (blocknovas[.] com), Angeloper Agency (angeloper[.]com), and SoftGlide LLC (softglide[.]co)—to spread

Threat actors are likely exploiting a new vulnerability in SAP NetWeaver to upload JSP web shells with the goal of facilitating unauthorized file uploads and code execution. "The exploitation is likely tied to either a previously disclosed vulnerability like CVE-2017-9844 or an unreported remote file inclusion (RFI) issue," ReliaQuest said in a report published this week. The cybersecurity

When we talk about identity in cybersecurity, most people think of usernames, passwords, and the occasional MFA prompt. But lurking beneath the surface is a growing threat that does not involve human credentials at all, as we witness the exponential growth of Non-Human Identities (NHIs). At the top of mind when NHIs are mentioned, most security teams immediately think of Service Accounts.

Cybersecurity researchers have disclosed three security flaws in the Rack Ruby web server interface that, if successfully exploited, could enable attackers to gain unauthorized access to files, inject malicious data, and tamper with logs under certain conditions. The vulnerabilities, flagged by cybersecurity vendor OPSWAT, are listed below - CVE-2025-27610 (CVSS score: 7.5) - A path traversal

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Cybersecurity researchers are warning about a new malware called DslogdRAT that's installed following the exploitation of a now-patched security flaw in Ivanti Connect Secure (ICS). The malware, along with a web shell, were "installed by exploiting a zero-day vulnerability at that time, CVE-2025-0282, during attacks against organizations in Japan around December 2024," JPCERT/CC researcher Yuma

At least six organizations in South Korea have been targeted by the prolific North Korea-linked Lazarus Group as part of a campaign dubbed Operation SyncHole. The activity targeted South Korea's software, IT, financial, semiconductor manufacturing, and telecommunications industries, according to a report from Kaspersky published today. The earliest evidence of compromise was first detected in

Cybersecurity researchers have demonstrated a proof-of-concept (PoC) rootkit dubbed Curing that leverages a Linux asynchronous I/O mechanism called io_uring to bypass traditional system call monitoring. This causes a "major blind spot in Linux runtime security tools," ARMO said. "This mechanism allows a user application to perform various actions without using system calls," the company said in

The Evolving Healthcare Cybersecurity Landscape Healthcare organizations face unprecedented cybersecurity challenges in 2025. With operational technology (OT) environments increasingly targeted and the convergence of IT and medical systems creating an expanded attack surface, traditional security approaches are proving inadequate. According to recent statistics, the healthcare sector

As many as 159 CVE identifiers have been flagged as exploited in the wild in the first quarter of 2025, up from 151 in Q4 2024. "We continue to see vulnerabilities being exploited at a fast pace with 28.3% of vulnerabilities being exploited within 1-day of their CVE disclosure," VulnCheck said in a report shared with The Hacker News. This translates to 45 security flaws that have been weaponized

The threat actors behind the Darcula phishing-as-a-service (PhaaS) platform have released new updates to their cybercrime suite with generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) capabilities. "This addition lowers the technical barrier for creating phishing pages, enabling less tech-savvy criminals to deploy customized scams in minutes," Netcraft said in a fresh report shared with The Hacker News.

A critical security flaw has been disclosed in the Commvault Command Center that could allow arbitrary code execution on affected installations. The vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2025-34028, carries a CVSS score of 9.0 out of a maximum of 10.0. "A critical security vulnerability has been identified in the Command Center installation, allowing remote attackers to execute arbitrary code without

WhatsApp has introduced an extra layer of privacy called Advanced Chat Privacy that allows users to block participants from sharing the contents of a conversation in traditional chats and groups. "This new setting available in both chats and groups helps prevent others from taking content outside of WhatsApp for when you may want extra privacy," WhatsApp said in a statement. The optional feature

Multiple threat activity clusters with ties to North Korea (aka Democratic People's Republic of Korea or DPRK) have been linked to attacks targeting organizations and individuals in the Web3 and cryptocurrency space. "The focus on Web3 and cryptocurrency appears to be primarily financially motivated due to the heavy sanctions that have been placed on North Korea," Google-owned Mandiant said in

The Iran-nexus threat actor known as UNC2428 has been observed delivering a backdoor known as MURKYTOUR as part of a job-themed social engineering campaign aimed at Israel in October 2024. Google-owned Mandiant described UNC2428 as a threat actor aligned with Iran that engages in cyber espionage-related operations. The intrusion set is said to have distributed the malware through a "complex

Cybersecurity researchers have revealed that Russian military personnel are the target of a new malicious campaign that distributes Android spyware under the guise of the Alpine Quest mapping software. "The attackers hide this trojan inside modified Alpine Quest mapping software and distribute it in various ways, including through one of the Russian Android app catalogs," Doctor Web said in an

Phishing attacks remain a huge challenge for organizations in 2025. In fact, with attackers increasingly leveraging identity-based techniques over software exploits, phishing arguably poses a bigger threat than ever before. Attackers are increasingly leveraging identity-based techniques over software exploits, with phishing and stolen credentials (a byproduct of phishing) now the primary

Multiple suspected Russia-linked threat actors are "aggressively" targeting individuals and organizations with ties to Ukraine and human rights with an aim to gain unauthorized access to Microsoft 365 accounts since early March 2025. The highly targeted social engineering operations, per Volexity, are a shift from previously documented attacks that leveraged a technique known as device code

The Ripple cryptocurrency npm JavaScript library named xrpl.js has been compromised by unknown threat actors as part of a software supply chain attack designed to harvest and exfiltrate users' private keys. The malicious activity has been found to affect five different versions of the package: 4.2.1, 4.2.2, 4.2.3, 4.2.4, and 2.14.2. The issue has been addressed in versions 4.2.5 and 2.14.3.

Google on Tuesday revealed that it will no longer offer a standalone prompt for third-party cookies in its Chrome browser as part of its Privacy Sandbox initiative. "We've made the decision to maintain our current approach to offering users third-party cookie choice in Chrome, and will not be rolling out a new standalone prompt for third-party cookies," Anthony Chavez, vice president of Privacy

Cybersecurity researchers have detailed a malware campaign that's targeting Docker environments with a previously undocumented technique to mine cryptocurrency. The activity cluster, per Darktrace and Cado Security, represents a shift from other cryptojacking campaigns that directly deploy miners like XMRig to illicitly profit off the compute resources. This involves deploying a malware strain

Cybersecurity researchers have detailed a now-patched vulnerability in Google Cloud Platform (GCP) that could have enabled an attacker to elevate their privileges in the Cloud Composer workflow orchestration service that's based on Apache Airflow. "This vulnerability lets attackers with edit permissions in Cloud Composer to escalate their access to the default Cloud Build service account, which

As SaaS and cloud-native work reshape the enterprise, the web browser has emerged as the new endpoint. However, unlike endpoints, browsers remain mostly unmonitored, despite being responsible for more than 70% of modern malware attacks. Keep Aware’s recent State of Browser Security report highlights major concerns security leaders face with employees using the web browser for most of their work.

In what has been described as an "extremely sophisticated phishing attack," threat actors have leveraged an uncommon approach that allowed bogus emails to be sent via Google's infrastructure and redirect message recipients to fraudulent sites that harvest their credentials. "The first thing to note is that this is a valid, signed email – it really was sent from no-reply@google.com," Nick Johnson

Microsoft on Monday announced that it has moved the Microsoft Account (MSA) signing service to Azure confidential virtual machines (VMs) and that it's also in the process of migrating the Entra ID signing service as well. The disclosure comes about seven months after the tech giant said it completed updates to Microsoft Entra ID and MS for both public and United States government clouds to

The China-linked cyber espionage group tracked as Lotus Panda has been attributed to a campaign that compromised multiple organizations in an unnamed Southeast Asian country between August 2024 and February 2025. "Targets included a government ministry, an air traffic control organization, a telecoms operator, and a construction company," the Symantec Threat Hunter Team said in a new report

Cybersecurity researchers have flagged a new malicious campaign related to the North Korean state-sponsored threat actor known as Kimsuky that exploits a now-patched vulnerability impacting Microsoft Remote Desktop Services to gain initial access. The activity has been named Larva-24005 by the AhnLab Security Intelligence Center (ASEC). "In some systems, initial access was gained through

A new Android malware-as-a-service (MaaS) platform named SuperCard X can facilitate near-field communication (NFC) relay attacks, enabling cybercriminals to conduct fraudulent cashouts. The active campaign is targeting customers of banking institutions and card issuers in Italy with an aim to compromise payment card data, fraud prevention firm Cleafy said in an analysis. There is evidence to

The problem is simple: all breaches start with initial access, and initial access comes down to two primary attack vectors – credentials and devices. This is not news; every report you can find on the threat landscape depicts the same picture. The solution is more complex. For this article, we’ll focus on the device threat vector. The risk they pose is significant, which is why device

Can a harmless click really lead to a full-blown cyberattack? Surprisingly, yes — and that’s exactly what we saw in last week’s activity. Hackers are getting better at hiding inside everyday actions: opening a file, running a project, or logging in like normal. No loud alerts. No obvious red flags. Just quiet entry through small gaps — like a misconfigured pipeline, a trusted browser feature,

Cybersecurity researchers have disclosed a surge in "mass scanning, credential brute-forcing, and exploitation attempts" originating from IP addresses associated with a Russian bulletproof hosting service provider named Proton66. The activity, detected since January 8, 2025, targeted organizations worldwide, according to a two-part analysis published by Trustwave SpiderLabs last week. "Net

The Russian state-sponsored threat actor known as APT29 has been linked to an advanced phishing campaign that's targeting diplomatic entities across Europe with a new variant of WINELOADER and a previously unreported malware loader codenamed GRAPELOADER. "While the improved WINELOADER variant is still a modular backdoor used in later stages, GRAPELOADER is a newly observed initial-stage tool

Cybersecurity researchers have uncovered three malicious packages in the npm registry that masquerade as a popular Telegram bot library but harbor SSH backdoors and data exfiltration capabilities. The packages in question are listed below - node-telegram-utils (132 downloads) node-telegram-bots-api (82 downloads) node-telegram-util (73 downloads) According to supply chain

ASUS has disclosed a critical security flaw impacting routers with AiCloud enabled that could permit remote attackers to perform unauthorized execution of functions on susceptible devices. The vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2025-2492, has a CVSS score of 9.2 out of a maximum of 10.0. "An improper authentication control vulnerability exists in certain ASUS router firmware series,"

Cybersecurity researchers are warning of a "widespread and ongoing" SMS phishing campaign that's been targeting toll road users in the United States for financial theft since mid-October 2024. "The toll road smishing attacks are being carried out by multiple financially motivated threat actors using the smishing kit developed by 'Wang Duo Yu,'" Cisco Talos researchers Azim Khodjibaev, Chetan

A new multi-stage attack has been observed delivering malware families like Agent Tesla variants, Remcos RAT, and XLoader. "Attackers increasingly rely on such complex delivery mechanisms to evade detection, bypass traditional sandboxes, and ensure successful payload delivery and execution," Palo Alto Networks Unit 42 researcher Saqib Khanzada said in a technical write-up of the campaign. The

Your employees didn’t mean to expose sensitive data. They just wanted to move faster. So they used ChatGPT to summarize a deal. Uploaded a spreadsheet to an AI-enhanced tool. Integrated a chatbot into Salesforce. No big deal—until it is. If this sounds familiar, you're not alone. Most security teams are already behind in detecting how AI tools are quietly reshaping their SaaS environments. And

Cybersecurity researchers are warning of continued risks posed by a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) malware known as XorDDoS, with 71.3 percent of the attacks between November 2023 and February 2025 targeting the United States. "From 2020 to 2023, the XorDDoS trojan has increased significantly in prevalence," Cisco Talos researcher Joey Chen said in a Thursday analysis.

The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) on Thursday added a medium-severity security flaw impacting Microsoft Windows to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, following reports of active exploitation in the wild. The vulnerability, assigned the CVE identifier CVE-2025-24054 (CVSS score: 6.5), is a Windows New Technology LAN Manager (NTLM) hash disclosure

The China-linked threat actor known as Mustang Panda has been attributed to a cyber attack targeting an unspecified organization in Myanmar with previously unreported tooling, highlighting continued effort by the threat actors to increase the sophistication and effectiveness of their malware. This includes updated versions of a known backdoor called TONESHELL, as well as a new lateral movement

Multiple state-sponsored hacking groups from Iran, North Korea, and Russia have been found leveraging the increasingly popular ClickFix social engineering tactic to deploy malware over a three-month period from late 2024 through the beginning of 2025. The phishing campaigns adopting the strategy have been attributed to clusters tracked as TA427 (aka Kimsuky), TA450 (aka MuddyWater),

Talking about AI: Definitions Artificial Intelligence (AI) — AI refers to the simulation of human intelligence in machines, enabling them to perform tasks that typically require human intelligence, such as decision-making and problem-solving. AI is the broadest concept in this field, encompassing various technologies and methodologies, including Machine Learning (ML) and Deep Learning. Machine

A critical security vulnerability has been disclosed in the Erlang/Open Telecom Platform (OTP) SSH implementation that could permit an attacker to execute arbitrary code sans any authentication under certain conditions. The vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2025-32433, has been given the maximum CVSS score of 10.0. "The vulnerability allows an attacker with network access to an Erlang/OTP SSH server

Blockchain is best known for its use in cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, but it also holds significant applications for online authentication. As businesses in varying sectors increasingly embrace blockchain-based security tools, could the technology one day replace passwords? How blockchain works Blockchain is a secure way to maintain, encrypt, and exchange digital records of transactions.

Microsoft is calling attention to an ongoing malvertising campaign that makes use of Node.js to deliver malicious payloads capable of information theft and data exfiltration. The activity, first detected in October 2024, uses lures related to cryptocurrency trading to trick users into installing a rogue installer from fraudulent websites that masquerade as legitimate software like Binance or

The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) on Wednesday added a security flaw impacting SonicWall Secure Mobile Access (SMA) 100 Series gateways to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, based on evidence of active exploitation. The high-severity vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2021-20035 (CVSS score: 7.2), relates to a case of operating system command injection

Apple on Wednesday released security updates for iOS, iPadOS, macOS Sequoia, tvOS, and visionOS to address two security flaws that it said have come under active exploitation in the wild. The vulnerabilities in question are listed below - CVE-2025-31200 (CVSS score: 7.5) - A memory corruption vulnerability in the Core Audio framework that could allow code execution when processing an audio

Cybersecurity researchers have detailed four different vulnerabilities in a core component of the Windows task scheduling service that could be exploited by local attackers to achieve privilege escalation and erase logs to cover up evidence of malicious activities. The issues have been uncovered in a binary named "schtasks.exe," which enables an administrator to create, delete, query, change,

Google on Wednesday revealed that it suspended over 39.2 million advertiser accounts in 2024, with a majority of them identified and blocked by its systems before it could serve harmful ads to users. In all, the tech giant said it stopped 5.1 billion bad ads, restricted 9.1 billion ads, and blocked or restricted ads on 1.3 billion pages last year. It also suspended over 5 million accounts for

Threat actors are leveraging an artificial intelligence (AI) powered presentation platform named Gamma in phishing attacks to direct unsuspecting users to spoofed Microsoft login pages. "Attackers weaponize Gamma, a relatively new AI-based presentation tool, to deliver a link to a fraudulent Microsoft SharePoint login portal," Abnormal Security researchers Callie Hinman Baron and Piotr Wojtyla

Introduction Cyber threats targeting supply chains have become a growing concern for businesses across industries. As companies continue to expand their reliance on third-party vendors, cloud-based services, and global logistics networks, cybercriminals are exploiting vulnerabilities within these interconnected systems to launch attacks. By first infiltrating a third-party vendor with undetected

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U.S. President Donald Trump is mounting pressure on the European Union to back down from its upcoming artificial intelligence (AI) code of practice, which seeks to tighten the rules around transparency, risk management, and copyright compliance for advanced AI systems.

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Nigeria’s Competition and Consumer Protection Tribunal on Friday ordered WhatsApp and Meta Platforms Incorporated to pay a $220 million penalty and $35,000 to the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) within 60 days over data discrimination practices in Nigeria. The tribunal upheld the $220 million penalty imposed by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection […]

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Africa’s largest mobile operator, MTN Group, said it has suffered a cybersecurity breach that led to unauthorized access to personal information belonging to customers in certain markets.

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Meta, the parent company of Facebook, said it has removed more than 100 million fake Pages that were found to be engaging in scripted abuse to artificially inflate reach.

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Nigeria’s top banks ramped up their investments in technology infrastructure in 2024, collectively spending N518.5 billion to modernize their operations.

Nigeria’s data protection ecosystem is on track to generate N13.8 billion in revenue in 2025, a 15% increase from the N12 billion recorded in 2024.

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) will host its Startup Consultative Forum on April 28 in Abuja, bringing together startups, venture capitalists, and ecosystem enablers to nominate members for Nigeria’s Startup Council.

Elon Musk’s Neuralink to raise $500 million at $8.5 billion valuation—Report

A trademark battle between Zap Africa, a rising crypto exchange, and fintech giant Paystack has opened a new front in Nigeria’s increasingly litigious tech space—one that has as much to do with branding as it does with the growing pains of an evolving ecosystem.

The European Union has handed out its first major fines under the new Digital Markets Act (DMA), slamming Apple with a €500 million penalty and Meta with €200 million.

Chipmaker, Intel Corp. is set to cut more than 20% of its staff this week, representing over 21,000 employees this week, according to a report by Bloomberg citing a person with knowledge of the matter.

Africa’s leading payment company, Flutterwave, and crypto exchange, Yellow Card, have joined 25 other payment platforms across the globe under a new group called Circle Payments Network (CPN) to facilitate cross-border payments across the globe leveraging stablecoins. The network established by Circle Internet Group, Inc., a global financial technology company and stablecoin market leader, connects […]

OpenAI has expressed interest in acquiring Google’s Chrome browser if U.S. antitrust regulators compel Alphabet Inc. to sell it.

Meta has officially launched Edits, a new video creation app designed to rival ByteDance’s TikTok.

The Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria (IXPN) has announced it crossed 1 Terabit per second (1Tbps) in peak domestic internet traffic for the first time, a landmark achievement that cements the country's growing digital prowess.

The United States Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has filed a lawsuit against Uber Technologies Inc., alleging that the ride-hailing and delivery company engaged in deceptive billing practices and made it excessively difficult for users to cancel its Uber One subscription service.

The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) has called for tough restrictions on Alphabet’s Google to prevent it from using artificial intelligence tools to further entrench its dominance in online search.

The International Telecommunications Union (ITU) has revealed that Africa has the world’s lowest rate of Internet usage, with just 38% of the population online in 2024, compared to a global average of 68 per cent.

Enrolments for the National Identification Number (NIN) rose to 118.4 million in March 2025, according to the latest data released by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC).

MTN Nigeria has changed the name of its fibre broadband service, internet connection that uses fibre-optic cables from MTN Fibre Broadband to FibreX.

A Friday report by the United Nations says Iran is using advanced technology, including drones, facial recognition and a citizen-reporting app to crack down on violations of its mandatory hijab laws. A key element of the effort is the government-backed Nazer app, which enables the police and "vetted" members of the public to report alleged violations by women in vehicles, including those in ambulances, mass transit and taxis. The report describes the app as allowing users to upload the vehicle license plate, location and time of an alleged violation. It then, according to the report, alerts police. Then, according to the report, the app "triggers a text message (in real-time) to the registered owner of the vehicle, warning them that they had been found in violation of the mandatory hijab laws, and that their vehicles would be impounded for ignoring these warnings." According to the report, authorities are using drones in Tehran and the southern part of the country to monitor hijab compliance in public areas, as well as new facial recognition software said to have been installed last year at the entrance of Tehran’s Amirkabir University. The report is to go to the U.N. Human Rights Council on Tuesday.

BRUSSELS — Belgian federal prosecutors announced Thursday the arrests of several people as part of a corruption probe linked to the European Parliament amid reports in local media that Chinese company Huawei bribed EU lawmakers. The arrests came as an investigation by Le Soir newspaper and other media said lobbyists working for the Chinese telecoms giant are suspected of bribing current or former European Parliament members to promote the company’s commercial policy in Europe. About 100 federal police officers carried out 21 searches in Brussels, the Flanders and Wallonia regions, and Portugal, the federal prosecutor’s office said. The suspects would be questioned over “alleged involvement in active corruption within the European Parliament, as well as for forgery and use of forgeries,” prosecutors said. “The offenses were allegedly committed by a criminal organization.” Huawei public relations representatives in London did not respond to an emailed request for comment and could not be reached by phone. The European Parliament said only that the assembly “takes note of the information" and "always cooperates fully with the judicial authorities.” Huawei, which makes cellphones and is the biggest maker of networking gear for phone and internet carriers, has been caught in tensions between the United States and China over technology and trade. Some European nations have followed Washington’s lead and banned Huawei’s equipment from next-generation mobile networks over allegations that it poses a security risk that could help facilitate Chinese spying. The company has repeatedly denied this. European Commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier said the EU’s executive branch had no comment regarding the investigation, but underlined security concerns the commission has about Huawei and Europe’s fifth-generation mobile phone networks. “The security of our 5G networks is obviously crucial for our economy,” Regnier told reporters. “Huawei represents materially higher risks than other 5G suppliers.” EU member states should swiftly "adopt decisions to restrict or to exclude Huawei from their 5G networks,” Regnier said. “A lack of swift action would expose the EU as a whole to a clear risk.” The federal prosecutor's office, which did not name Huawei, said it believes there was corruption “from 2021 to the present day" in various forms, "such as remuneration for taking political positions or excessive gifts such as food and travel expenses or regular invitations to football matches." Prosecutors say payments might have been disguised as business expenses and in some cases may have been directed to third parties. They would also look to "detect any evidence of money laundering.” Police seized several documents and objects during the searches. Staff at Huawei’s offices in Brussels declined to comment and turned the lights off inside to avoid photographs taken through the window. According to Follow The Money, an investigative journalism platform, one of the main suspects in the probe is 41-year-old Valerio Ottati, a Belgian Italian lobbyist who joined Huawei in 2019. Before becoming Huawei’s EU public affairs director, Ottati was an assistant to two Italian MEPs who were both members of a European Parliament group dealing with China policy, Follow the Money reported. This is the second corruption case targeting the EU Parliament in less than three years. In December 2022, the legislature was shaken by a corruption scandal in which Qatari officials were accused of bribing EU officials to play down labor rights concerns ahead of the soccer World Cup.

SAN FRANCISCO — Social media giant Meta on Thursday announced it would begin testing its new "Community Notes" feature across its platforms on March 18, as it shifts away from third-party fact-checking toward a crowd-sourced approach to content moderation. Meta's chief executive Mark Zuckerberg announced the new system in January as he appeared to align himself with the incoming Trump administration, including naming a Republican as the company's head of public policy. The change of system came after years of criticism from supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump, among others, that conservative voices were being censored or stifled under the guise of fighting misinformation, a claim professional fact-checkers vehemently reject. Meta has also scaled back its diversity initiatives and relaxed content moderation rules on Facebook and Instagram, particularly regarding certain forms of hostile speech. The initiative, similar to the system already implemented by X (formerly Twitter), will allow users of Facebook, Instagram and Threads to write and rate contextual notes on various content. Meta said approximately 200,000 potential contributors in the United States have already signed up across the three platforms. The new approach requires contributors to be over 18 with accounts more than six months old that are in good standing. During the testing period, notes will not immediately appear on content and the company will gradually admit people from the waitlist and thoroughly test the system before public implementation. Meta emphasized that the notes will only be published when contributors with differing viewpoints agree on their helpfulness. "This isn't majority rules," the company said. Moreover, unlike fact-checked posts that often had reduced distribution, flagged content with Community Notes will not face distribution penalties. Notes will be limited to 500 characters, must include supporting links and will initially support six languages commonly used in the United States: English, Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, French and Portuguese. "Our intention is ultimately to roll out this new approach to our users all over the world, but we won't be doing that immediately," the company said. "Until Community Notes are launched in other countries, the third party fact checking program will remain in place for them," it added. Meta said that it would not be "reinventing the wheel" and will use X's open-source algorithm as the basis of its system. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres last month warned that the rollbacks to fact-checking and moderation safeguards were "reopening the floodgates" of hate and violence online.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida — A launch pad problem prompted SpaceX to delay a flight to the International Space Station on Wednesday to replace NASA's two stuck astronauts. The new crew needs to get to the station so that Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams can head home after nine months in orbit. Concerns about a critical hydraulic system arose less than four hours before the Falcon rocket's planned evening liftoff from NASA's Kennedy Space Center. As the countdown clocks ticked down, engineers evaluated the hydraulics used to release one of the two arms clamping the rocket to its support structure. This structure needs to tilt back just before liftoff. Already strapped into their capsule, the four astronauts awaited a final decision, which came down with less than an hour remaining in the countdown. SpaceX canceled for the day. The company did not immediately announce a new launch date but noted the next try could come as early as Thursday night. Once at the space station, the U.S., Japanese and Russian crew will replace Wilmore and Williams. The two test pilots had to move into the space station for an extended stay after Boeing's new Starliner capsule encountered major breakdowns in transit. Starliner's debut crew flight was supposed to last just a week, but NASA ordered the capsule to return empty and transferred Wilmore and Williams to SpaceX for the return leg.

An innovative solution to remotely power devices using natural biological processes could help farmers get the most from their fields. VOA’s Kane Farabaugh has more.

NEW DELHI — Encouraged by the enthusiastic reception to its DeepSeek artificial intelligence platform in January, China's leaders are going all out to encourage AI companies to harness the power of this technology to compete with the United States and other countries in business and military spheres. China considers AI an important tool to handle U.S. restrictions on Chinese business, particularly after DeepSeek shook up Wall Street, resulting in a loss of $589 billion for Nvidia stockholders in late January. "The government in China works directly with the private sector and universities in the advancement and deployment of AI technology and are reducing their dependence on imports of high-technology products," said Lourdes Casanova, director of Cornell University's Emerging Markets Institute. The past few weeks have seen China rolling out several new AI models, including Manus, which experts say can rival the latest model of ChatGPT. Industry experts were more than surprised to find that DeepSeek was equally efficient as ChatGPT, though it used older generation Nvidia chips. The U.S. has banned the supply of advanced chips. "China and the U.S. have pulled way out front in the AI race. China used to be one to two years behind the U.S. Now, it is likely two to three months," Jeffrey Towson, owner of Beijing-based TechMoat Consulting, told VOA. "Alibaba's Qwen is now a clear leader internationally in LLMs [large language models]. Chinese Kling AI and Minimax are arguably the global leaders in video generation," Towson said. Government involvement In 2017, China released an AI development program to make the country a world leader by 2030. The government's Next Generation Artificial Intelligence Development Plan said that AI would be adopted across different sectors and drive economic transformation. "China has the most elaborate AI strategy compared to any other country," Rogier Creemers, assistant professor in Modern Chinese Studies at Leiden University in the Netherlands, told VOA. China has established a National Computing Power Grid — somewhat like electricity grids — making it possible for Chinese AI companies to invest less in their own computing power. In the U.S., each company must fend for itself, Creemers said. Competition ChatGPT's updated GPT4 large language model has gotten the attention of several top-ranking CEOs of Chinese tech companies. Baidu chief Robin Li recently said his firm was under "huge pressure and a sense of crisis" after seeing the updated ChatGPT. Baidu, which has launched Ernie Bot, said "the gap [between China] and leading international levels [in the field] has widened." "AI plus robotics is likely where China will take a commanding lead over the U.S., just like in EVs,” Towson said. “Chinese companies like Unitree are already pulling ahead. Watch for China to surprise everyone in personalized robots, industrial robots and speciality robots,” he said. Communist Party control Chinese President Xi Jinping recently convened a meeting with heads of private companies, including tech firms, calling on them to "show your talent" in overcoming challenges such as an economic slowdown and U.S. restrictions on Chinese business. "There are discussions that the growth of large language models — the technology behind chatbots like DeepSeek and ChatGPT — may be hindered by media censorship, because the models will have less diverse data to work with," said Creemers. On the other hand, the government's control ensures industrial policy coordination, which is helpful in the growth of AI in China. China is focusing more on specialized software for health and other industries, which can largely tolerate political censorship. Chinese AI models are improving diagnostic accuracy in diverse areas from detecting rib fractures to cancer. US ban on advanced chips "It will take some time, but it would not be a surprise if China is also soon capable of building advanced chips for AI," Cornell’s Casanova said. Companies such as Huawei have shown that they can design and manufacture advanced chips successfully, thereby overcoming restrictions imposed by the U.S., she said. Towson said China is 100% dedicated to building an independent semiconductor supply chain. "It is advancing faster than anyone thought possible. But the frontier is always advancing, and it's unclear how this will play out over time," he said. "But you can do a lot with software,” Creemers said. “China can work with more chips with less computing power or with fewer sophisticated chips." The risk for China is not limited to chips, because the Trump administration could impose restrictions on the Chinese AI model. It could also react to China’s restriction on the use of ChatGPT, because it can violate its censorship rules. AI and the military China's air force is using AI-powered biometric tests to screen potential pilots as part of a rigorous hiring process, according to state broadcaster CCTV. "AI now plays a crucial role in interpreting candidates' biological signals, revealing underlying health risks that might not be immediately apparent to human evaluators," CCTV said. "This data-driven approach allows the air force to predict long-term risks, ultimately ensuring that only the most suitable candidates are chosen." Chinese researchers have also revealed that the Chinese army has been using Meta's publicly available Llama model to develop an AI tool for potential military applications.

The U.S. Department of Justice dropped a proposal Friday to force Alphabet's Google to sell its investments in artificial intelligence companies, including OpenAI competitor Anthropic, to boost competition in online search. The DOJ and a coalition of 38 state attorneys general still seek a court order requiring Google to sell its Chrome browser and take other measures aimed at addressing what a judge said was Google's illegal search monopoly, according to court papers filed in Washington. "The American dream is about higher values than just cheap goods and 'free' online services. These values include freedom of speech, freedom of association, freedom to innovate, and freedom to compete in a market undistorted by the controlling hand of a monopolist," prosecutors wrote. A spokesperson for Google said the "sweeping proposals continue to go miles beyond the court's decision, and would harm America's consumers, economy and national security." A spokesperson for Anthropic did not immediately respond to a request for comment. U.S. President Donald Trump has said he would continue a crackdown on Big Tech, which began during his first term and continued into former U.S. President Joe Biden's administration. Trump has tapped veteran antitrust attorney Gail Slater to lead the DOJ's efforts. Google holds a minority stake worth billions of dollars in Anthropic. Losing the investment would give a competitive advantage to OpenAI and its partner Microsoft, Anthropic wrote to the court in February. Evidence prosecutors obtained since making their draft recommendation in November showed a risk that banning Google from AI investments "could cause unintended consequences in the evolving AI space," they said in the final proposal Friday. They asked that Google be required to give prior notice to the government about future investments in generative AI. Google, which has said it will appeal, has made its own proposal that would loosen agreements with Apple and others to set Google as the default search engine on new devices. U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta has scheduled a trial on the proposals for April. The blockbuster case is one of several U.S. antitrust cases against Big Tech companies. Apple, Meta Platforms and Amazon.com also face allegations of maintaining illegal monopolies in their respective markets. Since Trump's reelection, Google has sought to make the case that the DOJ's approach in the case would hobble the company's ability to compete in AI and "jeopardize America's global economic and technological leadership." Many of the measures prosecutors proposed in November remain intact with a few tweaks. For example, a requirement that Google share search query data with competitors now says that Google can charge a marginal fee for access and that the competitors must not pose a national security risk. The proposal drew statements of support from Democratic and Republican attorneys general as well as the Alphabet Workers Union-CWA.

Just as discoveries of fossil fuel reserves helped to shape the 20th century, the race for critical minerals is shaping the 21st. These minerals are seen as strategically crucial for modern economies, including those used in construction, energy and manufacturing — particularly for semiconductors and other technology applications. Where mineral resources are located and extracted has often played a major role in geopolitical and economic relations. Today, the world’s attention is turning to two places believed to be rich in untapped reserves — but accessing each of them comes with unique challenges. Afghanistan Sitting at the intersection of multiple tectonic plates, Afghanistan’s geology has resulted in extensive and diverse mineral deposits. Historically, its territory was a primary source of copper and gold as well as gems and semiprecious stones, particularly lapis lazuli, a stone prized for its intense blue color. Today, Afghanistan is estimated to hold nearly $1 trillion worth of mineral reserves. This includes 60 million tons of copper, 183 million tons of aluminum and 2.2 billion tons of iron ore. Gold is mined on an artisanal scale in the northern and eastern provinces, while the mountainous north contains valuable marble and limestone deposits used in construction. The China National Petroleum Corporation also pumps oil in the north, though Afghanistan has no domestic refining capability and is reliant on neighbors such as Turkmenistan, Iran and Kyrgyzstan for fuel. Most of the international focus, however, is on Afghanistan’s other metal deposits, many of which are crucial to emerging technologies. These include cobalt, lithium and niobium, used in batteries and other electronics. The country's unexplored lithium reserves may even exceed those of Bolivia, currently the world’s largest. Afghanistan also holds major deposits of rare earth metals like lanthanum, cerium and neodymium, which are used for magnets and semiconductors as well as other specialized manufacturing applications. One obstacle to extracting Afghanistan’s minerals is its terrain, considered the eighth most mountainous in the world. But security has been a much bigger impediment. Amid the political instability that followed the first fall of the Taliban in 2001, many gemstone and copper mines operated illegally under the command of local militants. With workers paid very little and the product smuggled out to be sold in neighboring Pakistan, the Afghan people saw little benefit from these extraction operations. Since retaking power in 2021, the Taliban, who have been eager to make use of the country’s mineral wealth and increase exports, are hampered by a lack of diplomatic recognition and their designation as a terrorist group by multiple nations. This is, however, beginning to change, as some countries establish de facto diplomatic ties. In 2024, the Taliban government’s resource ministry announced that it had secured investments from China, Qatar, Turkey, Iran and the United Kingdom. China, which was the first nation to accredit a Taliban-appointed ambassador, is expected to be a major player in Afghanistan’s extractive industries as part of its Belt and Road Initiative. However, as newly discovered deposits require an average of 16 years to develop into operational mines, harnessing Afghanistan’s mineral potential will take a great deal of investment and time — if the political and security issues can somehow be worked out. Greenland For millions of years, Greenland has been mostly covered by an ice sheet, habitable only along coastal areas. Despite some offshore petroleum and gas exploration, fishing and whaling have remained the primary nongovernment industries. Now, as ice recedes amid climate change, the large island’s frozen interior offers new opportunities in untapped mineral resources. These include more common metals such as copper and gold, as well as titanium and graphite. But as elsewhere, there is even greater interest in Greenland’s deposits of technology-critical minerals. The autonomous Danish territory is estimated to contain deposits of 43 of the 50 minerals designated by the United States as crucial to national security. Among these are the sought-after rare earth metals, in addition to other metals with technological applications such as vanadium and chromium. Currently, a majority of the world’s rare earth metals are mined in China, making Greenland’s deposits vital for countries seeking to reduce their dependence on Chinese imports. This strategic importance is one of the factors that led U.S. President Donald Trump to propose buying Greenland from Denmark. Greenland’s government has issued nearly 100 mining licenses to companies like KoBold Metals and Rio Tinto. But these have mostly involved exploration, with only two mines currently operating in the country. Getting a mine to production can take as long as a decade, because it involves several unique challenges. One such hurdle is Greenland’s strong environmentalist movement, which has successfully shut down mining projects for safety concerns. Rare earths pose a particular issue, because they must be extracted from other ores — a process that can cause waste and pollution. At the Kvanefjeld site in the south, metals were to be extracted from uranium ore until the fear of radioactive pollution led to a ban. The receding ice and warming climate have made extraction easier not only by revealing more territory but also by extending possible working hours and easing ship navigation. However, the environment remains harsh and inhospitable, and the island suffers from a lack of infrastructure, with few roads or energy facilities outside major settlements. Nevertheless, Greenland’s government considers the mining industry to be an important means of developing the economy. Conclusion Shaped by both politics and geography, Greenland and Afghanistan have become two major frontiers in the global scramble for critical minerals. Which parties will have the opportunity to benefit from their resources will depend on the interplay of military power, economics and diplomacy.

WASHINGTON — U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday hosts top cryptocurrency players at the White House, a political boost for an industry that has struggled to gain legitimacy -- and where the Republican president faces conflict of interest concerns. The president's "crypto czar," Silicon Valley investor David Sacks, has invited prominent founders, CEOs and investors along with members of a Trump working group, to craft policies aimed at accelerating crypto growth, and providing legitimacy that the industry has long sought. On Thursday night, Trump signed an executive order establishing a "Strategic Bitcoin Reserve," a move that Sacks said made good on a campaign promise to an increasingly important component of his coalition. Summit guests include twins Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss, founders of crypto platform Gemini, as well as Brian Armstrong of Coinbase and Michael Saylor, the boss of major bitcoin investor MicroStrategy. In a post on X, Sacks said the event would take place as a roundtable, and despite industry interest, the White House would have to "keep it small." For believers, cryptocurrencies represent a financial revolution that reduces dependence on centralized authorities while offering individuals an alternative to traditional banking systems. Bitcoin, the world's most traded cryptocurrency, is heralded by advocates as a substitute for gold or a hedge against currency devaluation and political instability. Memecoins Critics, meanwhile, maintain that these assets function primarily as speculative investments with questionable real-world utility that could leave taxpayers on the hook for cleaning up if the market crashes. The proliferation of "memecoins" -- cryptocurrencies based on celebrities, internet memes, or pop culture items rather than technical utility -- presents another challenge. Much of the crypto industry frowns upon these tokens, fearing they tarnish the sector's credibility, amid reports of quick pump-and-dump schemes that leave unwitting buyers paying for assets that end up worthless. Trump also faces conflict of interest concerns. U.S. crypto investors were major supporters of Trump's presidential campaign, contributing millions of dollars toward his victory in hopes of ending the Biden administration's deep skepticism toward digital currencies. Trump also has significant financial ties to the sector, partnering with exchange platform World Liberty Financial and launching the "Trump" memecoin in January, as did his wife, Melania. Once hostile to the crypto industry, Trump has already taken significant steps to clear regulatory hurdles. Under Thursday's executive order, the bitcoin stockpile will be composed of digital currency seized in U.S. criminal proceedings. The use of these assets "means it will not cost taxpayers a dime," Sacks said in a post Thursday night on X. Sacks has said that if previous administrations had held onto their digital holdings over the past decade, they would be worth $17 billion today. Trump also appointed crypto advocate Paul Atkins to head the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Under Atkins, the SEC has dropped legal proceedings against major platforms like Coinbase and Kraken that were initiated during Biden's term. The previous administration had implemented restrictions on banks holding cryptocurrencies -- which have since been lifted -- and allowed former SEC chairman Gary Gensler to pursue aggressive enforcement. However, meaningful change will likely require congressional action, where crypto legislation has remained stalled despite intense lobbying efforts led by investors, including Trump ally Marc Andreessen, an influential venture capitalist.

President Donald Trump is signaling a major change in how the U.S. will support growth in key domestic industries such as semiconductors. Michelle Quinn reports.

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA — A U.S. judge on Tuesday denied Elon Musk's request to prevent OpenAI from becoming a for-profit business in a loss for the Tesla tycoon amid his feud with Sam Altman. U.S. District Court Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers ruled that Musk and his xAI startup failed to prove an injunction against OpenAI was necessary as the case heads to trial. Musk sued in California federal court to stop OpenAI from transitioning from a nonprofit to a for-profit business, arguing the startup violated antitrust law and betrayed his trust in their mission as a co-founder of OpenAI. The judge wrote that, while Musk did not prove the need for an injunction, she is prepared to expedite a trial on that claim later this year. The ruling leaves OpenAI free to continue its transition from nonprofit to for-profit enterprise. Musk's injunction bid argued that OpenAI's co-founders, including chief executive Altman, "took advantage of Musk's altruism in order to lure him into funding the venture," according to court documents. Musk contended in filings that it was clear his backing of OpenAI was contingent on it remaining a nonprofit, offering a few email exchanges to support the claim. "Whether Musk's emails and social media posts constitute a writing sufficient to constitute an actual contract or charitable trust between the parties is debatable," the judge said in her ruling. OpenAI's board chairman in February rejected a Musk-led offer to buy the valuable artificial intelligence company for $97.4 billion. "OpenAI is not for sale, and the board has unanimously rejected Mr. Musk's latest attempt to disrupt his competition," OpenAI Board Chair Bret Taylor said in a statement posted by the company on Musk-owned X, formerly Twitter. OpenAI currently operates in a hybrid structure, as a nonprofit with a money-making subsidiary. The change to a for-profit model, one that Altman says is crucial for the company's development, has exacerbated ongoing tensions with Musk. Musk and Altman were among the 11-person team that founded OpenAI in 2015, with the former providing initial funding of $45 million. Three years later, Musk left the company, with OpenAI citing "a potential future conflict for Elon ... as Tesla continues to become more focused on AI." Musk established his own artificial intelligence company, dubbed xAI, in early 2023 after OpenAI ignited global fervor over the technology. The massive cost of designing, training, and deploying AI models has compelled OpenAI to seek a new corporate structure that would give investors equity and provide more stable governance.

Chinese tech firms and state media have spotlighted humanoid robots, which have grown in popularity since the Unitree G1 appeared to run, jump, dance and perform martial arts-like movements in a recent demonstration. Both the United States and China are leaders in humanoid robot technology. But industry analysts believe that the United States is superior in AI technology, which is responsible for the robot's "brain," while Chinese technology companies have flourished in the hardware manufacturing capabilities of the robot's "body." Click here for the full story in Mandarin.

The United States may become the second country after Australia to ban China’s DeepSeek artificial intelligence on government devices. U.S. Representatives Josh Gottheimer and Darin LaHood introduced a bipartisan bill proposing the ban. In their letter to 47 U.S. governors and the mayor of Washington, the congressmen warned that DeepSeek could pose security risks to sensitive government data and cybersecurity and Americans’ privacy, NBC News reported on March 3. China denies the allegations. However, concerns highlighted by the U.S. lawmakers and state officials are not without merit, experts say. The Chinese government has reportedly also used AI models for mass surveillance, including the collection of biometric data and social media listening operations that report to China's security services and the military, as well as for information attacks on U.S. and Chinese dissidents abroad. At least three leading Chinese surveillance and security companies — TopSec, QAX and NetEase — announced the integration of DeepSeek to enhance their services. TopSec and QAX provide services directly to the Chinese government, and NetEase made it clear that DeepSeek will improve their cyber censorship and surveillance capabilities. Over the past decade, the Chinese government has been investing heavily in AI-driven biometric data capturing, face recognition and surveillance technologies such as "smart cities," the Skynet project, and the Sharpe Eyes program, which can monitor all aspects of an individual's public life, Wenhao Ma of VOA’s China Division reported. In January, Canadian cybersecurity firm Feroot Security uncovered a code imbedded in DeepSeek’s login processes that shares user information with Chinese state-owned communication company China Mobile, AP reported. The Associated Press described the code as a “heavily obfuscated computer script that when deciphered shows connections to computer infrastructure owned by China Mobile.” The U.S. banned China Mobile in 2019 following intelligence reports that it serves as the Chinese military’s spy arm. China-based actors have been using ChatGPT along with DeepSeek models to generate phishing email and disinformation attacks on the U.S. “on behalf of unspecified clients in China,” OpenAI said in its February report. OpenAI identified and blocked a cluster of China-originated accounts involved in malicious activities, such as Qianyue Overseas Public Opinion AI Assistant, reportedly designed to ingest and analyze posts and comments related to Chinese politics and human rights from platforms such as X, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Telegram and Reddit. The purpose of the operation was reportedly "to feed the resulting insights to the Chinese authorities" such as "Chinese embassies abroad, and to intelligence agents monitoring protests in countries including the United States, Germany and the United Kingdom,” OpenAI said. A set of ChatGPT accounts that OpenAI banned in February had been involved in Chinese influence operations focused on generating short comments in English and long-form Spanish-language articles critical of the United States published in local and national media outlets across Latin America and Spain. One of the Chinese companies planting the articles in the Spanish-language outlets was Jilin Yousen Culture Communication Co., a subsidiary of the government-tied Beijing United Publishing House. VOA reviewed nine of the Chinese AI-generated articles published in Spanish-language media between October and November 2024 as identified by OpenAI. Two — in Mexico’s El Universal and Peru’s El Popular — criticized the United States' use of sanctions targeting foreign governments and individuals. The El Universal op-ed described the U.S. sanctions on Iran’s oil industry for Tehran’s backing of terrorist groups Hamas and Hezbollah as exposing the U.S.' “impotence” in dealing with global politics and the “rapid decline” of its “moral standing.” Similarly, El Popular painted U.S. sanctions on a Hamas affiliate as “insane” and an “attack on the rights of Palestinian people.” An article in Peru’s La Republica presented the U.S. as the biggest beneficiary of the Russian war in Ukraine, replicating the Kremlin’s key narrative. It criticized the U.S. for providing military aid to Kyiv, framing the American support as an escalation of the war. China, however, has been a key provider of military technologies and weapons to Russia, which Moscow uses in daily attacks on Ukrainian civilians. Another China-planted piece in La Republica described U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff policy as “undermining U.S. global leadership position.” Three pieces in Peru’s Wapa, El Popular and El Plural exploited the issues of homelessness, child nutrition and crime in the U.S. — all presented as extremely acute and dangerous. For example, the child nutrition piece claimed that most children in the U.S. “go hungry on weekends and holidays” due to the government’s neglect of children’s food security. While the topics of these articles vary from human rights and social issues in the U.S. to foreign and domestic politics, they all paint a picture of a dysfunctional state with failing moral values and declining international influence, matching Beijing’s standard narrative.

WASHINGTON — Chip giant Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. announced on Monday plans to make an additional $100 billion investment in the United States and build five additional chips factories in the coming years. TSMC CEO C.C. Wei announced the plan in a meeting at the White House with President Donald Trump. "We must be able to build the chips and semiconductors that we need right here," Trump said. "It's a matter of national security for us." TSMC, the world's largest contract chipmaker, is a leading supplier to major U.S. hardware manufacturers. The $100 billion outlay, which would boost domestic production and make the United States less reliant on semiconductors made in Asia, is in addition to a major prior investment announcement. TSMC agreed in April to expand its planned U.S. investment by $25 billion to $65 billion and to add a third Arizona factory by 2030. With his Nov. 5 election victory largely driven by voters' economic concerns, Trump has stepped up efforts to bolster investments in domestic industries to create jobs. The TSMC announcement is the latest in a string of such developments. In February, Apple said it would invest $500 billion in the next four years. Emirati billionaire Hussain Sajwani and SoftBank also have promised multibillion-dollar investments in the U.S. TSMC said on Monday it looks "forward to discussing our shared vision for innovation and growth in the semiconductor industry, as well as exploring ways to bolster the technology sector along with our customers." The U.S. Commerce Department under then President Joe Biden finalized a $6.6 billion government subsidy in November for TSMC's U.S. unit for semiconductor production in Phoenix, Arizona. Biden signed the CHIPS and Science Act legislation in 2022 to provide $52.7 billion in subsidies for American semiconductor production and research. Taiwan's dominant position as a maker of chips used in technology from cellphones and cars to fighter jets has sparked concerns of over-reliance on the island, especially as China ramps up pressure to assert its sovereignty claims. China claims Taiwan as its territory, but the democratically elected government in Taipei rejects Beijing's sovereignty claims. Under Biden, the Commerce Department convinced all five leading-edge semiconductor firms to locate factories in the U.S. as part of the program to address national security risks from imported chips. Trump's Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told lawmakers last month that the program was "an excellent down payment" to rebuild the sector, but he has declined to commit grants that have already been approved by the department, saying he wanted to "read them and analyze them and understand them." A TSMC spokesperson said last month the company had received $1.5 billion in CHIPS Act money before the new administration came in as per the milestone terms of its agreement. TSMC last year agreed to produce the world's most advanced 2-nanometer technology at its second Arizona factory expected to begin production in 2028. TSMC also agreed to use its most advanced chip manufacturing technology called "A16" in Arizona. TSMC has already begun producing advanced 4-nanometer chips for U.S. customers in Arizona. The TSMC award included up to $5 billion in low-cost government loans.

WASHINGTON — More than 50 years passed between the last Apollo mission and the United States' return to the lunar surface, when the first private lander touched down last February 2024. Now, starting Sunday, two more missions are set to follow within a single week, marking a bold push by NASA and its industry partners to make moon landings a routine part of space exploration. First up is Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost Mission 1, nicknamed "Ghost Riders in the Sky." After launching in January on a 45-day journey, it is targeting touchdown near Mons Latreille, a volcanic feature in Mare Crisium on the moon's northeastern near side, at 3:34 a.m. U.S. Eastern time. Along the way, it captured stunning footage of the moon, coming as close as 100 kilometers above the surface. The golden lander, about the size of a hippopotamus, carries 10 instruments, including one to analyze lunar soil, another to test radiation-tolerant computing and a GPS-based navigation system. Designed to operate for a full lunar day (14 Earth days), Blue Ghost is expected to capture high-definition imagery of a total eclipse on March 14, when Earth blocks the Sun from the Moon's horizon. On March 16, it will record a lunar sunset, offering insights into how dust levitates above the surface under solar influence — creating the mysterious lunar horizon glow first documented by Apollo astronaut Eugene Cernan. Hopping drone Blue Ghost's arrival will be followed on March 6 by Intuitive Machines' IM-2 mission, featuring its lander, Athena. Last year, Intuitive Machines made history as the first private company to achieve a soft landing on the moon, although the moment was tempered by a mishap. Coming down too fast, one of the lander's feet caught on the lunar surface, tipping it over and causing it to rest sideways — limiting its ability to generate solar power and cutting the mission short. This time, the company says it has made key improvements to the hexagonal-shaped lander, which has a taller, slimmer profile than Blue Ghost and is around the height of an adult giraffe. Athena launched Wednesday aboard a SpaceX rocket, taking a more direct route toward Mons Mouton — the southernmost lunar landing site ever attempted. It carries an ambitious set of payloads, including a unique hopping drone designed to explore the moon's underground passages carved by ancient lava flows, a drill capable of digging 3 feet beneath the surface in search of ice and three rovers. The largest, about the size of a beagle, will connect to the lander and hopper using a Nokia cellular network in a first-of-its-kind demonstration. But "Grace," the hopping drone — named after computing pioneer Grace Hopper — could well steal the show if it succeeds in showing it can navigate the moon's treacherous terrain in ways no rover can. NASA's private moon fleet Landing on the moon presents unique challenges due to the absence of an atmosphere, making parachutes ineffective. Instead, spacecraft must rely on precisely controlled thruster burns to slow their descent while navigating hazardous terrain. Until Intuitive Machines' first successful mission, only five national space agencies had accomplished this feat: the Soviet Union, the United States, China, India and Japan, in that order. Now, the United States is working to make private lunar missions routine through NASA's $2.6 billion Commercial Lunar Payload Services program, a public-private initiative designed to deliver hardware to the surface at a fraction of traditional mission costs. These missions come at a pivotal moment for NASA amid speculation that it may scale back or even cancel its Artemis lunar program in favor of prioritizing Mars exploration — a key goal of President Donald Trump and his close advisor, SpaceX founder Elon Musk.

Apple announced this week it would spend $500 billion in the U.S. over the next four years and create 20,000 jobs, signaling its pro-U.S. jobs and investment policy. U.S. President Donald Trump also announced he would double tariffs on China, where most Apple products are made. Michelle Quinn reports.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida — A private company launched another lunar lander Wednesday, aiming to get closer to the moon's south pole this time with a drone that will hop into a black crater where the sun never shines. Intuitive Machines' lander, named Athena, caught a lift with SpaceX from NASA's Kennedy Space Center. It's taking a fast track to the moon, with a landing on March 6. The company hopes to avoid the fate of Athena's predecessor, which tipped over at touchdown. Never before have so many spacecraft angled for the moon's surface all at once. Last month, U.S. and Japanese companies shared a rocket and separately launched landers toward the moon. The lander from the U.S. company, Firefly Aerospace of Texas, should get there first this weekend. The two U.S. landers are carrying tens of millions of dollars' worth of experiments for NASA as it prepares to return astronauts to the moon. "It's an amazing time. There's so much energy," NASA science mission chief Nicky Fox told The Associated Press a few hours ahead of the launch. Last year, Texas-based Intuitive Machines made the first U.S. touchdown on the moon in more than 50 years. But an instrument that gauges distance did not work, and the lander came down too hard and broke a leg, tipping onto its side. Intuitive Machines said it has fixed that issue and dozens of others. A sideways landing like last time would prevent a drone and a pair of rovers from moving out. A NASA drill that's aboard also needs an upright landing to be able to pierce the lunar surface and gather soil samples for analysis. "Certainly, we will be better this time than we were last time. But you never know what could happen," said Trent Martin, senior vice president of space systems. It's an extraordinarily elite club. Only five countries have pulled off a lunar landing over the decades: Russia, the U.S., China, India and Japan. The moon is littered with wreckage from many past failures. The 4.7-meter (15-foot) Athena will target a landing 160 kilometers (100 miles) from the lunar south pole. Just 400 meters (a quarter mile) away is a permanently shadowed crater — the ultimate destination for the drone named Grace. Named after the late computer programming pioneer Grace Hopper, the 1-meter (3-foot) drone will make three increasingly higher and longer test hops across the lunar surface using hydrazine-fueled thrusters for flight and cameras and lasers for navigation. If those excursions go well, it will hop into the nearby pitch-black crater, an estimated 20 meters (65 feet) deep. Science instruments from Hungary and Germany will take measurements at the bottom while hunting for frozen water. It will be the first up-close peek inside one of the many shadowed craters dotting both the north and south poles. Scientists suspect these craters are packed with tons of ice. If so, this ice could be transformed by future explorers into water to drink, air to breathe and even rocket fuel. NASA is paying $62 million to Intuitive Machines to get its drill and other experiments to the moon. The company, in turn, sold space on the lander to others. It also opened up the Falcon rocket to ride-sharing. Tagalongs included NASA's Lunar Trailblazer satellite, which will fly separately to the moon over the next several months before entering lunar orbit to map the distribution of water below. Also catching a ride was a private spacecraft that will chase after an asteroid for a flyby, a precursor to asteroid mining.

LONDON — More than 1,000 musicians including Kate Bush and Cat Stevens on Tuesday released a silent album to protest proposed changes to Britain's copyright laws which could allow tech firms to train artificial intelligence models using their work. Creative industries globally are grappling with the legal and ethical implications of AI models that can produce their own output after being trained on popular works without necessarily paying the creators of the original content. Britain, which Prime Minister Keir Starmer wants to become an AI superpower, has proposed relaxing laws that currently give creators of literary, dramatic, musical and artistic works the right to control the ways their material may be used. The proposed changes would allow AI developers to train their models on any material to which they have lawful access, and would require creators to proactively opt out to stop their work being used. The changes have been heavily criticized by many artists, who say it would reverse the principle of copyright law, which grants exclusive control to creators for their work. "In the music of the future, will our voices go unheard?" said Bush, whose 1985 hit "Running Up That Hill" enjoyed a resurgence in 2022 thanks to Netflix show "Stranger Things." The co-written album titled "Is This What We Want?" features recordings of empty studios and performance spaces to represent what organizers say is the potential impact on artists' livelihoods should the changes go ahead. A public consultation on the legal changes closes later on Tuesday. Responding to the album, a government spokesperson said the current copyright and AI regime was holding back the creative industries, media and AI sector from "realizing their full potential." "We have engaged extensively with these sectors throughout and will continue to do so. No decisions have been taken," the spokesperson said, adding that the government's proposals will be set out in due course. Annie Lennox, Billy Ocean, Hans Zimmer, Tori Amos and The Clash are among the musicians urging the government to review its plans. "The government's proposal would hand the life's work of the country's musicians to AI companies, for free, letting those companies exploit musicians’ work to outcompete them," said organizer Ed Newton-Rex, the founder of Fairly Trained, a non-profit that certifies generative AI companies for fairer training data practices. "The UK can be leaders in AI without throwing our world-leading creative industries under the bus."

U.S. tech giant Apple has announced plans to create some 20,000 jobs and invest $500 billion over the next four years in the United States. Apple says it will expand teams and facilities in nine states across the country and that it aims to open a 23,200-square-meter server manufacturing facility in Texas in 2026. The announcement comes just days after Apple CEO Tim Cook met with U.S. President Donald Trump. “We are bullish on the future of American innovation, and we’re proud to build on our long-standing U.S. investments with this $500 billion commitment to our country’s future,” Cook said on the investment. “From doubling our Advanced Manufacturing Fund, to building advanced technology in Texas, we’re thrilled to expand our support for American manufacturing. And we’ll keep working with people and companies across this country to help write an extraordinary new chapter in the history of American innovation,” he added in a company statement. Trump thanked Cook and Apple for the investment on Monday morning on the social media platform Truth Social. “Apple has just announced a record $500 billion investment in the United States of America. The reason, faith in what we are doing, without which, they wouldn’t be investing 10 cents,” Trump said. Most of Apple’s consumer goods are currently assembled and produced overseas. Many of them, assembled in China, are liable to 10% tariffs imposed by Trump earlier in February. To reduce its reliance on international supply chains, Apple announced in January that it had begun mass producing its own chips at an Arizona factory owned by TSMC, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company. The TSMC Arizona factory, along with legislation aimed at increasing U.S. semiconductor production, were two of Trump’s largest industrial policy moves during his first term. In a release on its website, Apple said the $500 billion commitment includes the company’s work with thousands of suppliers across all 50 states, direct employment, Apple Intelligence infrastructure and data centers, corporate facilities, and Apple TV+ production in 20 states. Apple said it is also set to open a manufacturing academy in Michigan, offering training led by engineers and local university staff to support mid-sized manufacturing firms in areas like project management and manufacturing processes.

Sydney — Australia's online safety regulator fined messaging platform Telegram about $640,000 on Monday for its delay in answering questions about measures the app took to prevent the spread of child abuse and violent extremist material. The eSafety Commission in March 2024 sought responses from social media platforms YouTube, X and Facebook to Telegram and Reddit, and blamed them for not doing enough to stop extremists from using live-streaming features, algorithms and recommendation systems to recruit users. Telegram and Reddit were asked about the steps they were taking to combat child sexual abuse material on their services. They had to respond by May, but Telegram submitted its response in October. "Timely transparency is not a voluntary requirement in Australia and this action reinforces the importance of all companies complying with Australian law," eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said in a statement. Telegram's delay in providing information obstructed eSafety from implementing its online safety measures, Grant said. Telegram said it had fully responded to all eSafety's questions last year, with no outstanding issues. "The unfair and disproportionate penalty concerns only the response time frame, and we intend to appeal," the company said in an email. Australia's spy agency in December said one in five priority counterterrorism cases investigated involved youths. The messaging platform has been under growing scrutiny around the world since its founder Pavel Durov was placed under formal investigation in France in August in connection with alleged use of the app for illegal activities. Durov, who is out on bail, has denied the allegations. Grant said Big Tech must be transparent and put in place measures to prevent their services from being misused as the threat posed by online extremist materials poses a growing risk. "If we want accountability from the tech industry we need much greater transparency. These powers give us a look under the hood at just how these platforms are dealing, or not dealing, with a range of serious and egregious online harms which affect Australians," Grant said. If Telegram chooses to ignore the penalty notice, eSafety would seek a civil penalty in court, Grant said.

A Nigerian digital empowerment advocate, Lois Ugbe, is making significant strides in Africa’s tech ecosystem, having trained and mentored over 3,000 individuals across ten countries including Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, Cameroon, The Gambia, the United Kingdom, South Africa, the UAE, and

Djas Digital Hub is bridging Africa’s digital divide by offering flexible, accessible training programmes in tech and admin skills to youth, mothers, and the unemployed.

The telecoms sector has undoubtedly become a special vehicle for social and economic empowerment, social integration, and community development.

Nigeria has achieved one terabit per second Internet traffic (1Tbps), ranking it first in West Africa and second in Africa after South Africa, which boasts 4Tbps online traffic.

MTN Nigeria has changed the name of its fibre broadband service, an internet connection that uses fibre-optic cables, from MTN Fibre Broadband to FibreX.

Samsung Electronics has enhanced user experience and inclusivity with the introduction of Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba as official language options on selected Samsung Galaxy devices.

STEM-A-School, an initiative of Product Hub Africa, has trained over 3,000 students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) to enable them to compete in today’s global village.

For the first quarter of 2025, Netflix has seen a 12.5 per cent rise in its revenue, which amounted to $10.5 billion.

Market analyst firm, TrendForce, has said that the introduction of US tariffs has resulted in the stockpiling of computing memory products and devices.

To boost rural connectivity, Niger State has waived right-of-way (RoW) fees for fibre optic infrastructure for telecom operators interested in deploying services in the state.

43d

Cybersecurity threats continue to grow, with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) being the most vulnerable targets. In response to this critical issue, Moyosore Kukoyi, a renowned cybersecurity expert and CEO of Forward Edge Consulting Ltd., has launched a free 5-day cybersecurity training program designed specifically for 30 Nigerian SMEs. Starting on May 6th, 2025 and […]

51d

Wondershare’s Filmora has consistently positioned itself as a user-friendly yet powerful tool for creators of all levels. With the release of Filmora 14, the software takes a significant leap forward by integrating AI features, notably the AI Portrait Cutout tool. This innovative feature allows users to remove and replace video backgrounds effortlessly, eliminating the traditional […]

65d

Global tech leader, Microsoft has unveiled a $1 million (approximately ₦1.6 billion) investment aimed at enhancing artificial intelligence (AI) skills among Nigerians over the next three years. Naija News reports that the announcement was made during the ongoing Microsoft AI Tour in Lagos, Nigeria, by the Country Manager for Microsoft Nigeria & Ghana, Ola Williams, […]

66d

Facebook has been around for over two decades, evolving from a college networking site to a global social media giant. Despite the rise of TikTok, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter), billions of people still log into Facebook daily. With so many newer and more dynamic platforms available, why do people continue to use Facebook in […]

91d

Introduction to Mobile Entertainment Economics The mobile entertainment industry has experienced remarkable growth and transformation, particularly with the integration of cryptocurrency technologies and Ethereum price movements influencing digital asset adoption. This convergence has created innovative opportunities for content creators, consumers, and platforms to engage in novel forms of digital entertainment and value exchange. Transformation of […]

162d

In today’s digital age, video content has taken centre stage on social media platforms, allowing creators and brands to engage audiences worldwide. From viral TikTok trends to insightful YouTube tutorials, videos have become a staple of online interaction. But what if you want to save these videos for offline viewing? This is where VdoSaver.com comes […]

211d

In 2024, as the digital landscape continues to evolve, the importance of cybersecurity apps cannot be overstated. With the rise in cyber threats, having robust security measures on your devices is crucial. This article delves into the top 10 cybersecurity apps for 2024, providing insights into the best tools to protect your devices against various […]

240d

Step into the spotlight with Filmora’s AI Image! Picture this: you, crafting stunning visuals like a pro, thanks to some intelligent AI wizardry. Mix that with a dash of AI Voice Enhancer for crisp audio and a sprinkle of AI Portrait for flawless frames, and you’ve got a recipe for success! Whether on your phone […]

276d

It won’t be an exaggeration to say that the market is already overflown with AI-powered tools, and the education industry isn’t an exception. ChatGPT is the most popular example — students can just type in the target essay’s topic and get it done in a moment. Is this efficiency universal, though? The popularity of essay […]

294d

Enugu State Government has commenced its Digital Skill Nigeria (DSN) programme aimed at training 10,000 civil servants before the end of 2024. The Digital Skill Training commenced with 2000 civil servants in its first batch. Enugu State said the aim is to modernize the state’s public service and boost economic growth of the state. According […]

322d

Leading global technology company, Zoho Corporation has announced the early access to Zoho CRM for Everyone, a new set of industry-first capabilities aimed at democratising CRM to all teams involved in customer operations activities. Naija News reports that the company also unveiled significant enhancements to its offerings for professional developers and app development teams. These […]

387d

Google Cloud on Wednesday announced the appointment of Noor Al-Sulaiti as Head of Security Business Development and Government Relations for the Middle East, Turkey, and Africa region (META). Naija News reports that Noor, an industry veteran known for her innovative leadership, brings a wealth of experience in the telecommunications and technology sectors to her new […]

389d

Google has agreed to a significant settlement involving the deletion of extensive search data, addressing allegations that it tracked millions of U.S. users who believed they were browsing privately. Naija News reports that this agreement, pending approval by a San Francisco federal court judge, mandates Google to “delete and/or remediate billions of data records” associated […]

394d

Google on Wednesday released its Ads Safety Report, an annual lookback at how the brand is investing in ensuring that the ads on its platforms are safe and trustworthy. Naija News reports that online advertising plays a critical role in enabling a free and open internet that provides diverse, quality content for everyone, while also […]

420d

It might seem a ridiculous suggestion that a website that has over 2 billion users is on the decline. Some analysts believe that social media has witnessed a golden age, and the next decade will see the number of people who use these types of websites and apps slowly decline. It must be pointed out […]

422d

It is important to provide digital content that is accessible to all. This inclusion principle also covers PDF forms, which are an indispensable part of various aspects of online collaboration, from administrative workflow to fill out PDF online with personal data. Making PDF forms inclusive extends their applicability to different groups of users, in which […]

434d

As we kick-start the New Year, it’s the perfect time to invest in smart accessories that can truly transform our productivity and enhance our social connections. With technology advancing at a rapid pace, there are now a plethora of innovative gadgets and accessories available that can seamlessly integrate into our daily lives. From smartwatches to […]

464d

For more than two decades, we’ve continuously redefined what a search engine can do — always guided by our mission to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful. This has gone hand in hand with our ongoing advancements in AI, which help us better understand information in its many forms — […]

501d

Software testing is a critical aspect of software development, ensuring the quality, reliability, and functionality of software applications. Software testers play a crucial role in identifying and resolving any issues or defects in software, contributing to the overall success and user satisfaction of the final product. To be recognised as a successful software tester, individuals […]

505d

Demis Hassabis – CEO Google DeepMind (on behalf of the Gemini Team). Foreword – Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google and Alphabet. A note from Google and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai: “Every technology shift is an opportunity to advance scientific discovery, accelerate human progress, and improve lives. I believe the transition we are seeing right now […]

518d

In the bustling markets of Lagos, a remarkable transformation is underway. A local logistics company, once struggling with efficiency, has now streamlined its entire operation using AI-driven solutions. This is a glimpse into the broader canvas of Africa where Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly becoming a cornerstone for business innovation. Across the continent, from the […]

520d

In a surprising turn of events, Sam Altman, co-founder of OpenAI, has been reinstated as the company’s CEO just days after his unexpected dismissal. This reinstatement is part of an agreement that also includes appointing new board members. Altman’s initial firing last Friday led to significant unrest within the company, including a staff-written open letter […]

533d

Starting today, Google is rolling out its Search Generative Experience (“SGE”) in the SSA region as an opt-in experiment in Search Labs. This AI-powered experience is available in English. With new breakthroughs in generative AI, Google is reimagining what a search engine can do and is bringing these powerful new capabilities to Search in a […]

542d

The Nigerian government is reportedly making plans to regulate the usage of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the country. The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, disclosed this on Monday while speaking at the 7th Convocation Ceremony organised by the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies in collaboration with the University of Benin, […]

556d

Every day across Africa, people turn to Google products like Search, YouTube and Fitbit for insights about their health and wellbeing. But many may not know that we have also been researching how AI can help improve healthcare outcomes for people, and how AI can empower our partners to deliver better health services — from […]

568d

Google on Thursday unveiled the first cohort for its ‘Google for Startups Accelerator: AI First’ program. The 11 startups, picked from a vast pool of innovative talent, are using cutting-edge Artificial Intelligence to address both Africa’s challenges and broader global issues. Naija News reports that the transformative power of AI in Africa is highlighted by […]

575d

Google today announced the opening of applications for the Hustle Academy SMB Fund, a ₦75 Million equity-free fund dedicated to amplifying the ambitions of Nigerian Small and Medium-sized Businesses (SMBs). This initiative, offering ₦5 Million to 15 Nigerian small business owners, cements Google’s unwavering commitment to cultivating entrepreneurial growth in Nigeria. Small businesses form the […]

575d

The Google for Startups Growth Academy: AI for Health has unveiled its 2023 cohort, spotlighting 30 transformative startups from across Europe, Middle East, and Africa. After an intensive selection process that started in May, the lineup includes five innovative African startups, all set to reshape healthcare with AI-empowered solutions. Startups worldwide are harnessing AI as […]

585d

New search trends released by Google show that search interest in AI has reached an all time high in Nigeria. The trends show that people have searched for AI more than ever in 2023 so far, with interest rising 310% since last year, and by 1,660% in the last five years. Google’s research also revealed […]

587d

Feeling left out because you can’t access WhatsApp’s new ‘Create Channel’ feature? You’re not alone. The absence of this feature can be particularly frustrating, especially when others seem to be using it with ease. Why Isn’t the ‘Create Channel’ Option Available for Me? The short answer is that you might be missing out on the […]

589d

Here’s how we’ve made Search more helpful over 25 years — and had a little fun along the way, too. When Google first launched 25 years ago, it was far from the first search engine. But quickly, Google Search became known for our ability to help connect people to the exact information they were looking […]

590d

WhatsApp, the messaging app used by billions, is gradually rolling out a game-changing feature—WhatsApp Channels. Aimed at offering a dedicated space for sharing updates and connecting with followers, this feature is currently available to a limited audience but will be broadly accessible soon. Below, we outline how you can set up your own WhatsApp Channel […]

598d

Technology giants, Google has announced the appointment of Alex Okosi, who is the currently Managing Director for YouTube in EMEA Emerging Markets, as the new Managing Director for Google in Africa. In a statement to Naija News on Tuesday, Okosi, in his new role, will be responsible for Google’s operations in Africa including programs to help […]

612d

Google today unveiled the “Google for Startups Accelerator: AI First”, an initiative aimed at supporting African startups looking to use artificial intelligence to solve local challenges. This program recognises the transformative role that AI is playing across the world, innovating industries and reimagining the realms of possibilities. It also highlights the significant contributions of African […]

619d

In a significant move towards promoting tech inclusivity, the Kaduna State Government, in collaboration with Google, has announced a pioneering initiative to train 5,000 women and girls in data science, artificial intelligence, and entrepreneurial application of digital technologies. This initiative, part of a broader skills development program supported by Google.org, aims to empower 20,000 more […]

630d

Last year, we launched the Results about you tool to make it easy for you to request the removal of search results that contain your personal phone number, home address or email, right from the Google app or however you access Search. Now, we’ve significantly updated and improved the tool, helping you keep track of your […]

639d

Google has partnered with Verve, the largest domestic card scheme in Africa, to make digital transactions on Google Play Store easier and more accessible for Nigerians. As of today, Nigerians can use their Verve cards to make purchases on the Google Play Store, strengthening the digital ecosystem in Nigeria. Under this new arrangement, Google will […]

647d

The sights and sounds of a bustling local market in Lagos on a busy Saturday are something to behold. Traders energetically marketing their goods, buyers engaging in spirited negotiations over prices, money exchanging hands in quick succession – it’s a vibrant tapestry of entrepreneurship. Yet, within this lively picture lies an untapped transformative opportunity: electronic […]

648d

An information security expert, David Dada has warned internet users who connect to free wifi to stop the act or risk losing vital information to hackers. According to him, gadget users who connect to the internet through free wifi services unknowingly expose their passwords and other vital information like bank details to hackers. Dada, as gathered […]

649d

The owner of the micro-blogging platform Twitter, Elon Musk, has revealed how the social media platform has been running on negative cash flow. According to Musk’s Twitter, the negative cash flow of the platform was due to the loss of about half of the advertising revenue since he purchased the platform last October. Naija News […]

652d

Google today announced the expansion of Bard, its conversational AI service, to 40 new languages including Swahili- the first African language to be included and 59 new countries and territories. The expansion includes new features that allow users to better customise their experience, boost their creativity, and get more done. With the expansion, Bard is […]

655d

Imagine a bustling Tuesday morning in the city of Lagos and Mrs. Hadiza, a vibrant entrepreneur, is preparing her well-loved Jollof rice for the lunch crowd. As she expertly stirs the simmering pot, her mind wanders to a challenging period earlier this year when Nigeria experienced a cash crunch which followed the introduction of the […]

655d

The newly launched social media application by Meta, owners of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, Threads, has broken records with over 100 million sign-ups in four days. Naija News reported last Friday that less than 24 hours after its launch, over 55 million users reportedly joined, Threads, as it was gathered that millions of users, including […]

Tribune Online How the AImReply extension for Chrome is Revolutionizing the Process of Writing Emails on the Go

658d

Meta’s new social media platform, Threads app went viral with over 55 million users signing up to the new platform in less than 48 hours. Despite launching in about 100 countries on Thursday, Threads is yet to launch in 27 European Union nations due to policies bothering around the privacy of data. Naija News earlier […]

659d

Over 10 million users have reportedly joined the new social media platform, Threads within hours of its launch. Naija News earlier reported that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu made a grand entrance to the trending social media platform, Threads. It was gathered that Threads – owned by Meta which is founded by Mark Zuckerberg – has […]

Tribune Online Google opens applications for 2025 Startups Accelerator Africa programme

663d

Several users of the microblogging site, Twitter, have threatened to leave the platform for an alternative one. Naija News reports that many Twitter users are threatening to dump the site for an alternative one called Truth Social, owned by former U.S. President, Donald. It was gathered that “Goodbye Twitter” has been trending on the site […]

Tribune Online FULL LIST: WhatsApp won’t work on these phones from May 2025

675d

Google for Startups (GfS) today announced the 25 African-based startups selected for this year’s $4million Black Founders Fund. The Black Founders Fund, now in its third year, aims to help tackle systemic racial inequality in venture capital (VC) funding by providing equity-free grants and mentoring to early stage Black-led high-growth businesses across Europe and Africa. […]

690d

Apple introduced its newest product, Vision Pro, at its WWDC developer conference. The $3,499 mixed-reality headset, marking the company’s first significant innovation since the Apple Watch in 2014, aims to revolutionize how users interact with apps by blurring the line between the digital and physical worlds. The Vision Pro offers a unique blend of cutting-edge […]

Tribune Online AI Image Generation 101: How It Works and Why It Matters

17d

Tribune Online A New Era Of Smartphone Luxury: The Premium Look & Feel Of The New Infinix Note 50 Series

690d

Nigeria is the country in Africa with the highest mobile population, and earlier steady rises in the number of mobile subscriptions were attributed to increased productivity and efficiency in other sectors. However, this steady growth is being threatened, by several variables, such as inflation, cash shortages, and global macroeconomic conditions, according to MTN Nigeria’s Chief […]

18d

Tribune Online Technology, neutral tool for socio-economic development — NITDA Boss

23d

Tribune Online This Comprehensive TikTok Guide Will Lead You to Real Followers

704d

Google today announced the expansion of its Flood Hub platform to cover 80 countries worldwide, including the addition of 8 new countries in Africa. To date, 23 African countries are on the Flood Hub. This expansion comes as part of AI-enabled efforts to address the devastating impacts of floods and provide critical support to vulnerable […]

23d

Tribune Online Mobile phone technicians want phones registered at point of purchase

23d

Tribune Online We need more than CNII order to secure telecoms investments —Experts

23d

Tribune Online MTN, Lynk Global make Africa’s first Satellite-to-Mobile call

106d

With eye-catching announcements being made all the time, what can we expect in 2025 from the world of technology? Here are seven developments to look out for.

141d

One powerful strategy in forex trading is leveraging the interest rate differential between two currencies. When one currency offers a higher interest rate than another, traders can potentially profit by buying the higher-yielding currency and selling the lower-yielding one. Interest rates play a major role in forex trading. Understanding how interest rate changes impact currency […]

211d

The Nasdaq-100 Index, commonly known as the USA100, consists of 103 stocks from 100 major non-financial corporations listed on the Nasdaq stock exchange. It includes some of the largest US and international companies such as Apple, Amazon, Alphabet (Google), Meta (Facebook), Microsoft, Netflix, Nvidia, PayPal, and Tesla. Trading the USA100 index provides exposure to the […]

242d

The oil and gas sector is very critical to the Nigerian economy. It should not be politicised. While constructive criticism is necessary to strengthen the sector in the interest of our nation, deploying propaganda and blackmail to score cheap political points is unhelpful, and worse, unpatriotic. My attention has been drawn to a press release […]

338d

The shift towards mobile trading is undeniable. With the increasing penetration of smartphones and improved internet connectivity, more Nigerian traders are opting for mobile trading solutions. Forex trading apps are continually improving, offering a seamless trading experience with powerful features that rival desktop platforms. The world of forex trading is rapidly evolving, with new technologies […]

982d

Reports say iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro models will be available in a purple shade that has a unique finish that shifts tone based on lighting conditions

1051d

Technical innovation could make the textile sector more competitive – not only by improving cotton production but also by improving textile quality.

1053d

"By autumn 2024, USB Type-C will become the common charging port for all mobile phones, tablets and cameras in the EU," the European Parliament said in a statement.

1281d

Surveillance laws are failing to protect privacy rights: what we found in six African countries

1416d

This outage saw seemingly unrelated sites go dark, including the BBC, Pinterest, the Financial Times, Reddit and even The Conversation.

1729d

The US has led an increasingly successful campaign to eliminate Huawei from the global market over alleged security fears, and is threatening to ban TikTok too.

3145d

Some users have complained about sharing their data with Facebook especially the latter's commercialisation of such data.

3297d

Facebook: “We believe that local entrepreneurs and developers will be the ones to meet the needs of their immediate community."

3312d

The move is not surprising given how parent company Facebook has been placing more emphasis on video.

3921d

The hardware giant had to sell off asset to stem the tide of losses last year

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Technology News

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Infinix Nigeria Champions Local Gaming Talent at Gamers Assembly 2025 in France

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Humanoid Robots Stride Into The Future With World’s First Half-Marathon

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Google Has Illegal Monopoly In Ad Tech, US Judge Rules

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TikTok Tests Letting Users Add Informative ‘Footnotes’

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Facebook Added ‘Value’ To Instagram, Zuckerberg Tells Antitrust Trial

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Gayle King, Katy Perry, Aisha Bowe, Among All-Woman Flight Crew Set To Roar Into Space

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Manage Screen Time To Protect Your Eyes, Technologist Advises Phone, Laptop Users

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Meta Faces Landmark US Antitrust Trial

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North Korean Hackers Spread Malware via Fake Crypto Firms and Job Interview Lures

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New Critical SAP NetWeaver Flaw Exploited to Drop Web Shell, Brute Ratel Framework

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Why NHIs Are Security's Most Dangerous Blind Spot

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Researchers Identify Rack::Static Vulnerability Enabling Data Breaches in Ruby Servers

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DslogdRAT Malware Deployed via Ivanti ICS Zero-Day CVE-2025-0282 in Japan Attacks

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Lazarus Hits 6 South Korean Firms via Cross EX, Innorix Flaws and ThreatNeedle Malware

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Linux io_uring PoC Rootkit Bypasses System Call-Based Threat Detection Tools

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Automating Zero Trust in Healthcare: From Risk Scoring to Dynamic Policy Enforcement Without Network Redesign

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159 CVEs Exploited in Q1 2025 — 28.3% Within 24 Hours of Disclosure

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Darcula Adds GenAI to Phishing Toolkit, Lowering the Barrier for Cybercriminals

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Critical Commvault Command Center Flaw Enables Attackers to Execute Code Remotely

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WhatsApp Adds Advanced Chat Privacy to Blocks Chat Exports and Auto-Downloads

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DPRK Hackers Steal $137M from TRON Users in Single-Day Phishing Attack

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Iran-Linked Hackers Target Israel with MURKYTOUR Malware via Fake Job Campaign

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Android Spyware Disguised as Alpine Quest App Targets Russian Military Devices

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Three Reasons Why the Browser is Best for Stopping Phishing Attacks

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Russian Hackers Exploit Microsoft OAuth to Target Ukraine Allies via Signal and WhatsApp

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Ripple's xrpl.js npm Package Backdoored to Steal Private Keys in Major Supply Chain Attack

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Google Drops Cookie Prompt in Chrome, Adds IP Protection to Incognito

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Docker Malware Exploits Teneo Web3 Node to Earn Crypto via Fake Heartbeat Signals

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GCP Cloud Composer Bug Let Attackers Elevate Access via Malicious PyPI Packages

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5 Major Concerns With Employees Using The Browser

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Phishers Exploit Google Sites and DKIM Replay to Send Signed Emails, Steal Credentials

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Microsoft Secures MSA Signing with Azure Confidential VMs Following Storm-0558 Breach

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Lotus Panda Hacks SE Asian Governments With Browser Stealers and Sideloaded Malware

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Kimsuky Exploits BlueKeep RDP Vulnerability to Breach Systems in South Korea and Japan

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SuperCard X Android Malware Enables Contactless ATM and PoS Fraud via NFC Relay Attacks

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5 Reasons Device Management Isn't Device Trust​

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⚡ THN Weekly Recap: iOS Zero-Days, 4Chan Breach, NTLM Exploits, WhatsApp Spyware & More

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5 Reasons Device Management Isn't Device Trust