African schools gear up for the AI revolution
The emergence of cheap or free AI tools is being eagerly embraced by those with smartphones and the ability to get online. As governments and legislators struggle to get their heads around the implications of this powerful technology and work…
Hospitals overwhelmed in DR Congo, food running out: Goma faces ‘devastation’
The World Food Programme (WFP) warned on Thursday that food supplies are running dangerously low, as water and electricity outages exacerbate the crisis. The seizure and closure of Goma’s airport by Rwanda-backed M23 rebels has further interfered with aid delivery,…
Russian drone attack kills 4 in Sumy, Ukraine says
Ukrainian officials said Thursday a Russian drone attack killed at least four people in the northeastern city of Sumy. The regional state administration in Sumy said a drone hit a high-rise residential building, and that the attack also injured nine…
Microsoft, Meta CEOs defend hefty AI spending after DeepSeek stuns tech world
Days after Chinese upstart DeepSeek revealed a breakthrough in cheap AI computing that shook the U.S. technology industry, the chief executives of Microsoft and Meta defended massive spending that they said was key to staying competitive in the new field….
Chinese app shakes up AI race
A small Chinese company sent shockwaves around the tech world this week with news that it has created a high-performing artificial intelligence system with less computing power and at a lower cost than ones made by U.S. tech giants. Michelle…
Trump Health and Human Services nominee defends past statements about vaccines, COVID, health care
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Donald Trump’s nominee to serve as the nation’s top health official, faced tough questions from senators Wednesday about his views on vaccinations, COVID-19 and the nation’s health care system. A member of one of America’s…
Generative AI makes Chinese, Iranian hackers more efficient, report says
A report issued Wednesday by Google found that hackers from numerous countries, particularly China, Iran and North Korea, have been using the company’s artificial intelligence-enabled Gemini chatbot to supercharge cyberattacks against targets in the United States. The company found —…
Kennedy struggles to answer questions at confirmation hearing for top health post
WASHINGTON — In a contentious confirmation hearing on his nomination to become the nation’s top health official, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. struggled to answer questions about how he would reform Medicaid or Medicare, the government health care programs used by…
WHO warns polio progress in Afghanistan, Pakistan at risk due to US funding cut
ISLAMABAD — A senior World Health Organization official cautioned Wednesday that the eradication of polio in Afghanistan and Pakistan, the only countries where the paralytic virus persists, is threatened by the suspension of funding from the United States. In an…
Aid efforts in Gaza escalate, as risk from deadly unexploded ordnance grows
“Hope returns to Gaza, but it’s fragile,” said Corinne Fleischer, World Food Programme (WFP) Regional Director for the Middle East and North Africa. “With open crossings and sustained efforts, Gaza’s recovery can take root,” she emphasised. The WFP has doubled…