Expert: North Korea accelerating production, transfer of arms to Russia
UNITED NATIONS — An independent weapons expert told the U.N. Security Council on Wednesday that North Korea is procuring parts for missiles from third countries and producing and transferring them to Russia faster than previously thought, for use in its…
Bluesky could become target of foreign disinformation, experts warn
washington — Experts on cybersecurity and online foreign influence campaigns are urging social media company Bluesky, whose app has exploded in popularity in recent weeks, to step up moderation to counter potential state-sponsored influence efforts. Over the past month, Bluesky,…
NATO chief aims to put Ukraine in position of strength for peace talks with Russia
BRUSSELS — NATO’s secretary-general said he wants to discuss ways to put Ukraine in a position of strength for any future peace talks with Russia during a meeting Wednesday with Ukraine’s president and a small number of European leaders. But…
Thailand joins other Asia nations in battle against cheap Chinese imports
Bangkok — For many countries in Southeast Asia, Chinese investment and tourism are key to their economies. However, cheap low-quality Chinese products that are flooding markets across the region are also raising concerns about how they are undercutting local businesses,…
Winter brings new challenges to residents of Ukraine’s Donetsk region
In the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine, the front line constantly shifts, and nearby cities increasingly suffer from Russia’s shelling. Some 7 kilometers from the contact line, Kostyantynivka residents face regular disruptions in heating fuel, and active fighting puts residents…
US Federal Reserve cuts interest rate but adjusts expectations for future
The U.S. Federal Reserve on Wednesday lowered its target interest rate but signaled it might take longer than previously expected to bring inflation down to the central bank’s target rate of 2% per year. That means there will likely be…
US cyber watchdog seeks switch to encrypted apps following ‘Salt Typhoon’ hacks
WASHINGTON — The U.S. cybersecurity watchdog CISA is telling senior American government officials and politicians to immediately switch to end-to-end encrypted messaging following intrusions at major American telecoms blamed on Chinese hackers. In written guidance released on Wednesday, the Cybersecurity…
Bird flu spillover to other species poses global health threat, experts warn
GENEVA — International human and animal health experts warn the H5N1 avian influenza is evolving quickly and posing a global health threat as the virus is increasingly crossing species barriers and infecting a wide range of domestic and wild mammals….
US Supreme Court to consider TikTok bid to halt ban
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court decided on Wednesday to hear a bid by TikTok and its China-based parent company, ByteDance, to block a law intended to force the sale of the short-video app by January 19 or face a…
Kenyan president strongly defends animal vaccination program
NAIROBI, KENYA — Kenya’s president said Tuesday that a mass livestock vaccination campaign will continue despite fears of some herders and farmers that the inoculations will somehow hurt their animals. Kenyan President William Ruto lashed out at those objecting to…