Apple to pay $95M to settle lawsuit accusing Siri of eavesdropping

Apple has agreed to pay $95 million to settle a lawsuit accusing the privacy-minded company of deploying its virtual assistant Siri to eavesdrop on people using its iPhone and other …

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US announces $306 million in new bird flu funding

WASHINGTON — U.S. President Joe Biden’s outgoing administration announced Friday that it will allocate $306 million to bolster the nation’s bird flu response before President-elect Donald Trump takes office. The new …

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Seasonal illnesses in full force in most US states, CDC says

The holidays came with a side of flu for many Americans, with 40 states reporting high or very high levels of illness last week, according to the latest government health …

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US surgeon general urges cancer warnings for alcoholic drinks

WASHINGTON/LONDON — Alcoholic drinks should carry a warning about cancer risks on their label, the U.S. surgeon general said Friday in a move that could signal a shift toward more aggressive …

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South Sudan begins mass inoculation campaign with cholera vaccines 

Juba, South Sudan   — More than 1.1 million doses of an oral cholera vaccine have arrived in South Sudan, as the government launched a program to inoculate more than 80 percent …

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US appeals court blocks Biden administration effort to restore net neutrality rules

Washington — A U.S. appeals court ruled on Thursday the Federal Communications Commission did not have legal authority to reinstate landmark net neutrality rules. The decision is a blow to the …

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‘Dinosaur highway’ tracks dating back 166 million years discovered in England

LONDON — A worker digging up clay in a southern England limestone quarry noticed unusual bumps that led to the discovery of a “dinosaur highway” and nearly 200 tracks that date …

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VOA Mandarin: What cards does China hold in US-China tech, trade battles?  

Beijing has launched a series of retaliatory actions against U.S. technological sanctions, including cutting off supplies of rare earth elements and punishing American companies operating in China. U.S. President-elect Donald …

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VOA Mandarin: Quantum technology a key battleground in US-China competition 

Quantum computing is emerging as a revolutionary technology capable of solving complex problems that traditional computers cannot address. The U.S. leads in quantum innovation, driven by companies like Google and …

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Celebrated South African contemporary dancer Dada Masilo dies at 39

JOHANNESBURG — The dance world mourned Tuesday the internationally acclaimed South African dancer and choreographer Dada Masilo, who died in the hospital over the weekend at age 39. Masilo died unexpectedly …

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How to catch the Quadrantids, first meteor shower of 2025

WASHINGTON — When the Quadrantid meteor shower peaks Friday, it will be the year’s first chance to see fireballs in the sky.  A waning crescent moon means good visibility under clear …

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Influential people who died in 2024

It was a life that took him from peanut farming to the presidency. While former President Jimmy Carter ‘s time in the White House lasted only one term, the decades …

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Four UK Post Office scandal victims recognized in honors list

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM — King Charles III announced awards for actors Stephen Fry and Carey Mulligan, as well as victims of Britain’s Post Office scandal in the country’s traditional New Year …

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Losing your kids to doom scrolling? Greece is building government app for that

ATHENS, GREECE — Greece announced plans on Monday to enhance parental oversight of mobile devices in 2025 through a government-operated app that will help get digital age verification and browsing controls.  …

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US Treasury: Chinese hackers remotely accessed workstations, documents

WASHINGTON — Chinese hackers remotely accessed several U.S. Treasury Department workstations and unclassified documents after compromising a third-party software service provider, the agency said Monday.  The department did not provide details …

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Five years on, WHO urges China to share COVID origins data

Geneva — The World Health Organization on Monday implored China to share data and access to help understand how COVID-19 began, five years on from the start of the pandemic that …

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India rocket launches space docking mission

NEW DELHI — India launched a rocket Monday carrying two small spacecraft to test docking in space, a critical step for the country’s dreams of a space station and a manned …

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Argentine judge charges 5 people over death of former One Direction star Liam Payne

BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA — An Argentine judge confirmed charges against five people in connection with the death of Liam Payne, a former member of musical group One Direction, and ordered preventive …

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Record-breaking heat likely to continue in 2025, accelerating climate change

The World Meteorological Organization warns this year’s record-breaking heat is likely to continue in 2025, further accelerating climate change and leading to catastrophic consequences if urgent action is not taken …

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Linda Lavin, Tony-winning Broadway actress who starred in sitcom ‘Alice,’ dies at 87

NEW YORK — Linda Lavin, a Tony Award-winning stage actress who became a working class icon as a paper-hat wearing waitress on the TV sitcom “Alice,” has died. She was 87.  …

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Netanyahu ‘in good condition’ after prostate surgery, says hospital

JERUSALEM — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu successfully underwent prostate removal surgery on Sunday and is in good condition, according to the hospital treating him.   The surgery took place while …

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‘Sonic 3’ and ‘Mufasa’ battle for No. 1 at holiday box office

Two family films dominated the holiday box office this week, with “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” winning the three-day weekend over “Mufasa” by a blue hair. Paramount’s Sonic movie earned $38 …

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