Vanuatu rocked by major earthquake
Witnesses reported seeing bodies among the destruction in Vanuatu’s capital, Port Vila. A tsunami warning was lifted two hours after the quake, while Red Cross teams are on standby to assist affected
EU top court rules against Apple, Google
The tech giants have been ordered to repay taxes and fines they had long fought against. The multibillion-euro cases against the iPhone maker and Google are part of Europe’s battle to rein
Apple unveils new AI-boosted iPhone 16
The new iPhone 16, unveiled on Monday, is the first Apple product to be built with artificial intelligence in mind. But the company faces challenges in the form of Huawei in China
South Korea: Telegram apologizes for deepfake porn
The messaging platform said there had been a “miscommunication” about the issue. Seoul has vowed to clamp down on a rising tide of online sex crimes. South Korean media reported on Wednesday
Netherlands: Nationwide ban on phones in schools underway
Cell phones, smart watches, and tablets are now banned for pupils at Dutch primary and secondary schools. The Dutch government called them a “distraction” that reduces academic performance and social interaction. As
E-car trailblazer, biologist win German environment prize
An electric car battery engineer who developed a system to slash charging times was announced as a winner of the German environmental prize. A moor and peatland researcher shares the 2024 accolade.
Malaysia charges ex-PM Muhyiddin over alleged royal insult
Muhyiddin Yassin, an opposition leader and former prime minister, has been accused of insulting Malaysia’s former king. The rotating monarchy in the country is held in deep respect. Malaysia has brought sedition charges
US court rules Google is monopoly in antitrust case
The historic ruling found that the giant search engine has been illegally exploiting its dominance to quell competition. The US has increasingly been working to reign in Big Tech companies over antitrust
Germany summons Chinese envoy over 2021 cyberattack
Germany’s Foreign Ministry stressed the dangers posed by Chinese espionage in a press briefing. It is the first time China’s ambassador to Berlin has been summoned since 1989. Germany’s Foreign Ministry has
Google scraps plan to remove third-party cookies from Chrome
After years of deliberation, Google’s “Privacy Sandbox” initiative announced it will not be phasing out third-party cookies from its Chrome browser. The cookies allow advertisers to collect user information. After years of
Bangladesh student group halts protests for 48 hours
Bangladesh protest organizers are giving authorities a two-day “ultimatum” to restore internet service and end curfew, after clashes between students, pro-government supporters and armed police killed dozens last week. A student group