Pope Reverses Benedict, Reimposes Restrictions on Latin Mass
Pope Francis cracked down Friday on the spread of the old Latin Mass, reversing one of Pope Benedict XVI’s signature decisions in a major challenge to traditionalist Catholics who immediately decried it as an attack on them and the ancient liturgy. Francis reimposed restrictions on…
Federal Judge Orders End to DACA; Current Enrollees Safe for Now
A federal judge in Texas on Friday ordered an end to an Obama-era program that prevented the deportations of some immigrants brought into the United States as children. U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen ruled in favor of Texas and eight other conservative states that had…
Chaos in the Caribbean: Roots of Haitian and Cuban Crises
Professor William LeoGrande, Associate Vice Provost for Academic Affairs in the Department of Government at the American University, and Professor of Politics and International Relations at Florida International University, Eduardo Gamarra, analyze with host Carol Castiel the roots and ramifications of twin crises in the…
Pentagon Identifies 7 Suspects in Moise Killing Who Received US Military Training
At least seven Colombian nationals who were arrested by Haitian authorities in connection with the assassination of President Jovenel Moise received U.S. military or police training. A U.S. official, speaking on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the investigation, told VOA Friday…
Pakistan: Why Would Taliban Listen to Us When They’re ‘Sensing Victory’?
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan defended Friday his government’s efforts to promote a negotiated settlement to the conflict in Afghanistan, rebutting allegations that Islamabad was backing the Taliban’s violent insurgency to fuel hostilities in the neighboring country. Khan spoke at an international regional connectivity conference…
Official: Aristide to Return to Haiti ‘Fully Recovered’
Former Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide was scheduled to arrive Friday in Haiti after spending nearly a month in Cuba for medical treatment, an associate of his told The Associated Press. Joel Edouard "Pacha" Vorbe, an executive committee member of Aristide's Fanmi Lavalas party, said Aristide…
Extreme Weather Becoming the Norm, Not the Exception
The World Meteorological Organization is calling for action to halt climate change as extreme weather becomes the norm rather than the exception. Heavy rainfall this week has triggered devastating floods across western Europe, killing and injuring scores of people, destroying homes and livelihoods. At the…
Australia Called ‘Easy’ Target for Hackers
Australian cybersecurity experts are calling for more aggressive government action to protect businesses from ransomware attacks. Experts have warned a "tsunami of cybercrime" has cost the global economy about $743 billion. Big companies can be attractive targets for cybercriminals who can extort millions of dollars…
Iranian Hackers Target US Military, Defense Companies
Iran appears to be intensifying its effort to exploit U.S. and Western targets in cyberspace, running a campaign aimed at manipulating American military personnel and defense companies on social media. Tehran's latest campaign, orchestrated on Facebook by a group known as Tortoiseshell, used a series…
Experts Say Genetic Data Collection by Chinese Company Presents Global Policy Challenge
A Chinese gene company is collecting genetic data through prenatal tests from women in more than 50 countries for research on the traits of populations, raising concern that such a large DNA database could give China a technological advantage and the strategic edge to dominate…
US Offering up to $10 Million for Information to Combat Overseas Ransomware Attacks
The U.S. government said Thursday it will begin offering up to $10 million for information to identify or locate malicious cyber actors working on behalf of a foreign government that are trying to cripple the internet operations of American businesses and infrastructure.The new reward was…
$10 Million Rewards Bolster White House Anti-Ransomware Bid
The State Department will offer rewards up to $10 million for information leading to the identification of anyone engaged in foreign state-sanctioned malicious cyber activity against critical U.S. infrastructure — including ransomware attacks — and the White House has launched a task force to coordinate…
India Internet Law Adds to Fears Over Online Speech, Privacy
It began in February with a tweet by pop star Rihanna that sparked widespread condemnation of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s handling of massive farmer protests near the capital, souring an already troubled relationship between the government and Twitter.Moving to contain the backlash, officials hit…
Boris Johnson Promises Measures to Protect Soccer Players from Online Abuse
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson vowed Wednesday to enact measures to protect British professional soccer players from online abuse. Punishment for someone found guilty of such abuse could include banishment from games. The move comes after online abuse, some of it racist, was directed at three Black…
Internet Restrictions Hold Back Africa’s Economic Growth, Study Finds
A report by a non-profit group says Africa needs to increase internet access to boost its economies, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The advocacy group found that while Africa's locally routed online traffic has increased, only one in five Africans has internet…
Mind Reader Wristband Uses Your Thoughts to Make Devices Work
In the future, keyboards and remote controls may be replaced with a more direct way for humans to interact with machines — hand gestures. VOA’s Elizabeth Lee has more. Camera: Elizabeth Lee Produced by: Elizabeth Lee ...
Tech Giants to Donate COVID Vaccines to Taiwan in China Workaround
Taiwanese tech giants Foxconn and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company announced Monday they will each donate five million coronavirus vaccine doses to the government in a deal with a China-based distributor. Taipei has been struggling to secure enough vaccines for its population, and its precarious political status…
China Announces New Cybersecurity Industry Strategy
China’s technology ministry Monday announced a three-year action plan to develop the country’s cyber-security industry, which it estimates will be worth more than $38 billion by 2023, according to Reuters. The new strategy by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology is being unveiled as Beijing…
Hackers Disrupt Iran’s Rail Service with Fake Delay Messages
Iran's railroad system came under cyberattack Friday, a semi-official news agency reported, with hackers posting fake messages about train delays or cancellations on display boards at stations across the country. The hackers posted messages such as "long delayed because of cyberattack" or "canceled" on the…
Biden, Putin Discuss Ransomware Attacks From Russia
U.S. President Joe Biden discussed recent ransomware attacks on the U.S. from Russia in a phone call Friday with Russian President Vladimir Putin, according to the White House.“President Biden underscored the need for Russia to take action to disrupt ransomware groups operating in Russia and emphasized that he…
Buddhist Digital Amulets Mark Thai Entry Into Crypto Art Craze
Karmic fortune has arrived to the digital art market, with a kaleidoscopic splash of colors and the face of a revered Thai monk offering portable Buddhist good luck charms to tech-savvy buyers.Sales of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) -- virtual images of anything from popular internet memes…
Chinese Social Media Giant WeChat Shuts LGBT Accounts
China's most popular social media service has deleted accounts on LGBT topics run by university students and nongovernment groups, prompting concern the ruling Communist Party is tightening control over gay and lesbian content.WeChat sent account holders a notice they violated rules but gave no details,…
Breakthrough Invention Aims to Eliminate Drunk Driving
A breakthrough safety feature being developed for vehicles is designed to potentially save the 10,000 lives lost to drunk driving in the U.S. each year. VOA’s Julie Taboh has more. Camera: Mike Burke Footage: DADSS Program, WMUR ...
Up to 1,500 Businesses Affected by Ransomware Attack, US Firm’s CEO Says
Between 800 and 1,500 businesses around the world have been affected by a ransomware attack centered on U.S. information technology firm Kaseya, its chief executive said Monday. Fred Voccola, the Florida-based company's CEO, said in an interview that it was hard to estimate the precise impact…