Category: iNews

Category: iNews

A Look at Why Ghana Is Attracting IT Firms 
04/22/2021 iNews,iTechnology iMaster

Ghanaian social media users were in a state of ecstasy earlier this month when the U.S. social networking service, Twitter, announced it was setting up its first African office in Ghana.   President Nana Akufo-Addo described the move as “excellent news.” A statement by Twitter said Ghana’s democratic credentials and support for free speech and online freedoms

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Biden Plans to Boost Electric Bus Production
04/21/2021 iNews,iTechnology iMaster

This week the Biden administration is promoting a plan to boost electric bus production, proposing $45 billion spending to reduce American-made bus emissions to zero by 2030. White House correspondent Patsy Widakuswara has this report. …

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Cameroonian Startup Creates Soil Analysis Kit for Farming Efficiency
04/21/2021 iNews,iTechnology iMaster

Cameroon’s agricultural sector employs the majority of the country’s workers, but too many know too little about the soil, resulting in inefficient farming. To help Cameroon’s farmers, a computer engineer created an electronic analysis kit to test soil quality and suitability for crops. Moki Edwin Kindzeka has this report by Anne Nzouankeu in Edéa, Cameroon. Camera: Anne Nzouankeu

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European Union Moves to Regulate Artificial Intelligence
04/21/2021 iNews,iTechnology iMaster

The European Union’s executive branch on Wednesday announced proposals designed to regulate the use of artificial intelligence (AI), banning its use in practices such as surveillance and facial scanning that threaten personal rights.At a news briefing in Brussels, European Commission Executive Vice President and Tech Commissioner Margrethe Vestager noted the benefits of AI in the

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How Biden Plans to Boost Electric Bus Production
04/21/2021 iNews,iTechnology iMaster

This week the Biden administration is promoting a plan to boost electric bus production, proposing $45 billion spending to reduce American-made bus emissions to zero by 2030. White House correspondent Patsy Widakuswara has this report. …

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US Trying to Insulate Electrical Grid From Cyberattacks  
04/21/2021 iNews,iTechnology iMaster

With America’s electrical infrastructure getting zapped daily by an unprecedented number of cyberattacks, the federal government is taking action to prevent a potentially crippling hack of the grid.  A 100-day plan was announced Tuesday by the U.S. Energy Department to harden security systems for the country’s electrical infrastructure and increase the ability to detect and neutralize cyber threats.  “The United States faces a well-documented and increasing cyber threat from malicious actors seeking to disrupt

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New Technology Aims to Make Travel Safer During Pandemic
04/21/2021 iNews,iTechnology iMaster

San Francisco’s International Airport and United Airlines have become the first in the U.S. to test technology that enables domestic passengers to check in and board flights with minimal contact between travelers and agents. Those behind the trial say the technology could make traveling safer during the pandemic, as VOA Correspondent Mariama Diallo reports.  …

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A Recycling Machine Sells the Idea of Consumers Doing More for the Environment
04/20/2021 iNews,iTechnology iMaster

An innovative home recycling unit aims to revolutionize the world of recycling as we know it. VOA’s Julie Taboh has more.Camera: Adam Greenbaum  Producers: Julie Taboh/Adam Greenbaum   …

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Apple Restores Parler Social Media to App Store
04/19/2021 iNews,iTechnology iMaster

Apple will allow the self-proclaimed free speech social media app Parler back in the App Store.The news came from a letter from Apple to Colorado Republican Congressman Ken Buck and Utah Republican Senator Mike Lee, who had pressed the company about its removal of Parler.Apple said it removed Parler in January because it had been

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Final Ruling on Trump Facebook Ban Delayed
04/17/2021 iNews,iTechnology iMaster

A final ruling on whether to overturn Facebook’s ban on former U.S. president Donald Trump will take a bit longer than anticipated, an independent oversight board said Friday.Critics of the social media company and even strong advocates of unfettered political discourse called on Facebook’s oversight board to endorse the decision to boot Trump from the

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Zuckerberg Urged to Nix Kids’ Version of Instagram
04/16/2021 iNews,iTechnology iMaster

Advocates for children from around the world urged Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg on Thursday to ditch plans for a version of Instagram geared toward preteens.Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood and the Electronic Privacy Information Center were among nearly 100 groups and individuals from North America, Europe, Africa and Australia to make the plea in a

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South African Telecom App Helps Gender-Based Violence Survivors
04/14/2021 iNews,iTechnology iMaster

South African mobile communications company Vodacom South Africa, with British parent company Vodafone and charity Hestia, has launched a free mobile phone application to support targets of gender-based violence, which has soared during the coronavirus pandemic.  The application, “Bright Sky,” provides information for people to identify gender-based violence and get counseling and emergency help. Franco Puglisi reports from Johannesburg.Producer: Rod

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Computerized Map Predicts Next COVID-19 Outbreak
04/14/2021 iNews,iTechnology iMaster

Predicting whether an outbreak is likely to happen is now possible with the COVID-19 Outbreak Detection Tool, a map that shows the coming hotspots for the disease, if accurate data is available.  VOA’s Elizabeth Lee has the details.Producer: Elizabeth Lee …

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A Computerized Map Can Predict the Next COVID-19 Outbreak
04/13/2021 iNews,iTechnology iMaster

Predicting whether an outbreak is likely to happen is now possible with the COVID-19 Outbreak Detection Tool, a map that shows the coming hotspots for the disease, if accurate data is available.  VOA’s Elizabeth Lee has the details.Producer: Elizabeth Lee …

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Texas Teens Win Top Honors in International Competition    
04/13/2021 iNews,iTechnology iMaster

The international Future City Competition recently announced its 2021 winners in the first ever all-virtual event. VOA’s Julie Taboh has more. …

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Texas School’s Lunar City Wins Top Honors in International Competition    
04/13/2021 iNews,iTechnology iMaster

The international Future City Competition recently announced its 2021 winners in the first ever all-virtual event. VOA’s Julie Taboh has more. …

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New App Helps Disaster Responders Deal with Religious Communities
04/11/2021 iNews,iTechnology iMaster

Religious organizations in the U.S. are a key part of a community’s response to a disaster.  As Mike O’Sullivan reports, a new smartphone app is helping coordinate that response between relief workers and faith groups while making it more effective. …

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Expansion Plan by World’s Largest Contract Chipmaker Won’t Ease Global Shortage: Experts
04/09/2021 iNews,iTechnology iMaster

Plans by the world’s largest contract chipmaker for a record $100 billion capacity expansion will just mildly dent a growing worldwide shortage of semiconductors for gear such as high-speed notebook computers, 5G smartphones and newer vehicles, tech experts believe.Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. said in an April 1 legal notice to the Taipei stock exchange that

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High Court Sides with Google in Copyright Fight with Oracle
04/05/2021 iNews,iTechnology iMaster

The Supreme Court sided Monday with Google in an $8 billion copyright dispute with Oracle over the internet company’s creation of the Android operating system used on most smartphones worldwide.To create Android, which was released in 2007, Google wrote millions of lines of new computer code. But it also used 11,330 lines of code and

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Facing Pressure at Home, Chinese Tech Giants Expand in Singapore
04/05/2021 iNews,iTechnology iMaster

Chinese tech giants are expanding in Singapore as they face a crackdown at home and growing pressure in other key markets — but they may struggle to find talent in the city-state. Messaging-and-gaming behemoth Tencent is opening a hub and TikTok owner ByteDance is on a hiring spree after establishing a regional headquarters, while e-commerce giant Alibaba is investing in property and recruiting. The tech firms

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LinkedIn Gives Staff Week Off for Well-being
04/03/2021 iNews,iTechnology iMaster

Professional social network LinkedIn is giving nearly all of its 15,900 full-time workers next week off as it seeks to avoid burnout and allow its employees to recharge, the company told AFP Friday.The Microsoft-owned firm said that the “RestUp!” week starting Monday is meant to give employees time for their own well-being.”There is something magical

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US Supreme Court Rules in Facebook’s Favor in Case About Unwanted Texting
04/01/2021 iNews,iTechnology iMaster

The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday tossed out a lawsuit accusing Facebook Inc. of violating a federal anti-robocall law.The justices, in a 9-0 decision authored by Justice Sonia Sotomayor, sided with Facebook in its argument that text messages the social media company sent did not violate a 1991 federal law called the Telephone Consumer Protection

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