Digital World
Move over, Messi! Robot footballers thrill crowds in South Korea
AFP - 12h ago
Thirty seconds before kick-off, humanoid robot footballers in red and blue jerseys await the referee's signal in the …
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AI romance scam impersonating Dubai prince ensnares victims
AFP - 19h ago
Maria believed she was romancing a prince from Dubai, captivated by his flirtatious smile and declarations of affection …
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Germany's Infineon opens major chip plant as EU seeks tech autonomy
Jul 02 2026
German semiconductor giant Infineon opened a five-billion-euro ($5.7 billion) microchip plant Thursday, as Europe seeks …
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Thailand denies viral claim Macron knelt before king
Jul 02 2026
Thailand's foreign ministry denied Thursday that French President Emmanuel Macron knelt before the country's king during …
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India asks Meta to hold WhatsApp username rollout over fraud fears
Jul 02 2026
India has asked Meta to hold off launching its username feature on WhatsApp in the world's most populous country, citing …
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EU top court to rule on record 4.1 bn euro Google fine
Jul 02 2026
The EU's top court will decide Thursday whether to uphold a record 4.1 billion euro ($4.7 billion) fine the bloc slapped …
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Sony to stop releasing PlayStation games on discs
Jul 01 2026
Sony said Wednesday that it would stop releasing new video games for the PlayStation on disc in January 2028 following a …
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Planned 1.7 million satellites 'devastating' for astronomy: study
Jul 01 2026
The 1.7 million satellites that companies are aiming to launch into Earth's orbit in the coming years will have …
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Sony says to stop releasing PlayStation games on discs
Jul 01 2026
Sony said Wednesday that it would stop releasing new video games for the PlayStation on disc in January 2028 following a …
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Chinese firm sells hyper-real, 'always loyal' humanoid robots
Jul 01 2026
Their metallic frames covered in supple, lifelike skin, a posse of new Chinese robots meant for companionship can offer …
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US govt lifts restrictions on powerful AI models, Anthropic says
Jul 01 2026
Anthropic will soon begin restoring access globally to its most powerful AI models, Fable 5 and Mythos 5, after the US …
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Fear and anger brew inside Meta amid AI frenzy
Jul 01 2026
A frenzied push for artificial intelligence dominance comes with a different kind of cost for Meta, where massive …
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CIA boss compares cutting-edge AI to nuclear weapons
Jun 30 2026
CIA Director John Ratcliffe on Tuesday compared the capabilities of the most advanced artificial intelligence models to …
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Data centres emitting more CO2 than thought: study
Jun 30 2026
Data centres, whose expansion is being fuelled dramatically by the artificial intelligence boom, have a far bigger …
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Ride-share group BlaBlaCar taps AI for 20-country expansion
Jun 30 2026
French ride-sharing and travel site BlaBlaCar said Tuesday that it would push into 20 new countries -- double the …
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Taiwan raids tech firms in China AI chip smuggling probe
Jun 30 2026
Taiwanese investigators have raided the Taiwan offices of US company Super Micro Computer and two other tech firms, a …
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Online same-sex romance series embrace AI 'freedom'
Jun 30 2026
Fed up with the dearth of same-sex love stories on Philippine screens, Vee Camallere created her own show using …
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More than 1,000 drones detected since start of World Cup: FBI
Jun 29 2026
As the World Cup hits the halfway mark, more than 1,000 drones have been detected near stadiums and over 300 of them …
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US Supreme Court rules on dragnet searches of cellphone location data
Jun 29 2026
The US Supreme Court on Monday ruled partially in favor of a man challenging the use of sweeping "geofence" searches of …
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'One-time opportunity': South Korea bets big on AI boom
Jun 29 2026
Huge demand for the components that power artificial intelligence presents South Korea with an opportunity to bolster …
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Bondi Beach attack survivor tells of 'trauma' of online AI images
Jun 29 2026
A Jewish lawyer wounded in a mass shooting at Australia's Bondi Beach discovered that AI-generated images depicting him …
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For sale on Facebook: monkeys, rhino horn and dead pangolins
Jun 29 2026
The ghostly white creature curled up on a weighing scale is almost unrecognisable in the Facebook post offering it for …
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Cycling industry bets on smart bikes to boost sales
Jun 28 2026
At the Eurobike trade fair, hopes are high that smart and AI-enabled bicycles can revive an industry that has been …
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Movie theaters are allies for streamers like us, Apple exec says
Jun 26 2026
Tech giant Apple views movie theaters as allies in its fight to carve out a space for its platform in the competitive …
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Should we fear an AI bubble bust?
Jun 26 2026
Recent swings in tech stocks are reviving fears of an AI bubble -- and some experts warn that if it pops, the fallout …
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OpenAI restricts limited release of new model to US only
Jun 26 2026
OpenAI on Friday launched a US-only preview of its latest powerful AI model series to a limited group of partners at the …
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Sony discontinues Japan sales of robot puppy 'aibo'
Jun 26 2026
Sony is halting sales of its robotic puppy "aibo" in Japan, the company said, eight years after the latest model of its …
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Viral bullying videos test Bhutan's digital transition
Jun 26 2026
In the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan, which has long limited outside influence, viral videos of school bullying have …
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Apple raises prices for MacBooks and iPads, as costs soar over AI
Jun 25 2026
Apple said Thursday it was raising prices for its MacBook computers, iPad tablets and other products, citing spiraling …
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Binance to suspend crypto services in several EU countries
Jun 25 2026
Cryptocurrency exchange Binance said Thursday it will suspend services in several European countries from next week as …
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Amazon pledges additional $13 bn in India AI investment
Jun 25 2026
E-commerce giant Amazon announced on Thursday an additional $13-billion investment by 2030 to expand its artificial …
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Secret cameras, mics and AI reveal rare Cambodia wildlife
Jun 25 2026
Above the patter of rain cascading through the jungle canopy comes the haunting call of a pileated gibbon singing to …
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'Master key' vaccine technique may 'prevent next pandemic': researchers
Jun 25 2026
Known by acronyms that need no explanation, viruses like Covid, Sars and Ebola conjure up images of medics in protective …
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No price shock for 'GTA VI' as gamers gear up for preorders
Jun 25 2026
Gamers were relieved to learn there was only a minimal price increase for "Grand Theft Auto VI" when preorders launched …
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Australia teen social media ban has little impact: research
Jun 24 2026
Australia's social media ban for under 16s has had little impact on teenagers' scrolling habits, researchers said …
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'GTA VI' preorders mark first test for biggest game of 2026
Jun 24 2026
"Grand Theft Auto VI" could start breaking records months ahead of the game's November 19 release, as preorders open at …
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London police to extend use of live facial recognition, drones
Jun 24 2026
London's Metropolitan Police force said Wednesday it will expand the use of drones, artificial intelligence and live …
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Meta offers lower cost glasses as wearables competition heats up
Jun 23 2026
Meta on Tuesday launched a new line of smart glasses priced slightly lower than its Ray-Ban-branded glasses, as …
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Hollywood powerhouses bring AI fight to Europe
Jun 23 2026
Cate Blanchett brought Hollywood starpower to Brussels on Tuesday as she launched a free tool to give people the right …
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India startup head Kunal Shah appointed as new WhatsApp boss
Jun 23 2026
Meta has tapped Indian fintech founder Kunal Shah to be the new head of WhatsApp, as the US tech giant seeks ways to …
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Indian startup head appointed as new WhatsApp boss
Jun 23 2026
Meta has tapped Indian fintech founder Kunal Shah as the new head of WhatsApp, as the US tech giant seeks ways to …
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Wikipedia won't let AI edit articles, cofounder says
Jun 23 2026
Wikipedia does not trust artificial intelligence enough to let it play a direct role in editing articles on its …
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EU to criminalise AI producing child sex abuse content
Jun 22 2026
Designers of AI systems that create child sexual abuse images could face jail time under a toughening of EU rules that …
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'There's no soul': Tony Leung weighs in on AI in filmmaking
Jun 19 2026
One of the things Hong Kong superstar Tony Leung Chiu-wai likes about acting is the novelty -- "you will never repeat …
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Online threats, insults fuel S.Africa's anti-foreigner hate
Jun 19 2026
Inflammatory social media posts -- including of men brandishing a machete or calling foreigners "leeches" -- are stoking …
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'Alter-Ego': An Italian hospital's little robot carer
Jun 19 2026
A robot with expressive eyebrows that is designed to perform basic tasks to free up healthcare workers is being given a …
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AI museum brings sights, sounds and smells of the rainforest
Jun 19 2026
The squawks of macaws, the smell of wet earth after rain and a swirl of colors will transport visitors from a Los …
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AI-generated videos use Down syndrome to make sales
Jun 19 2026
Videos appearing to show people with Down syndrome and urging users to buy from their struggling businesses pull in …
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Europe risks 'total irrelevance' without sovereign tech: Cohere chief
Jun 18 2026
Europe risks "total technological irrelevance" if it fails to develop sovereign capabilities, the head of Canadian AI …
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AI-generated videos wield Down syndrome to make sales
Jun 18 2026
Videos appearing to show people with Down syndrome and urging users to buy from their struggling businesses pull in …
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Five things to know about the blockbuster GTA games
Jun 18 2026
Pre-orders for "Grand Theft Auto VI," one of the most anticipated entertainment releases in years, will open on June 25, …
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Grand Theft Auto VI presales to begin next week
Jun 18 2026
Pre-sales of Grand Theft Auto VI, the feverishly anticipated video game release, will begin on June 25, Rockstar Games …
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Palantir wants to 'defend the West,' but the West is wary
Jun 18 2026
France's move Tuesday to drop Palantir from its intelligence services is the latest sign of European unease with the …
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Robots pour cocktails and run marathons, but still can't multitask
Jun 18 2026
They can mix cocktails, run marathons and fold laundry. But humanoid robots are still a long way from doing lots of …
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W marks the X-spot: European social network takes on Musk
Jun 18 2026
As Europe pushes for more tech sovereignty, social network W believes it has the X-factor to win users away from other …
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BBC eyes compulsory redundancies in cost-cutting drive
Jun 17 2026
The BBC will axe some programming and may impose compulsory redundancies to deliver hundreds of millions of pounds of …
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Macron winds up G7 with AI, Trump dinner
Jun 17 2026
G7 leaders will discuss on Wednesday the security risks posed by AI and social media on the last day of a summit …
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After three sessions, SpaceX already among world's most valuable companies
Jun 16 2026
SpaceX shares surged again Tuesday, lifting Elon Musk's rocket company into the world's top five in market value for …
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Surging SpaceX overtakes Amazon to become 5th biggest company
Jun 16 2026
SpaceX shares surged again Tuesday, lifting Elon Musk's rocket company above Amazon into fifth place in market value as …
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Paris store to part ways with Shein after ownership change
Jun 16 2026
French department store BHV Marais will end its partnership with Shein after its operating company said Tuesday it was …
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EU admits it can't save discontinued video games
Jun 16 2026
It's game over for fans of discontinued video games after the EU admitted defeat on Tuesday and said it cannot stop …
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Campaigners urge G7 chiefs to protect children from AI risks
Jun 16 2026
Many governments have begun cracking down on young people's access to social media, but campaigners have appealed to G7 …
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India blocks Telegram before retest exam to curb cheating
Jun 16 2026
India blocked access to Telegram messenger on Tuesday ahead of a retest of a nationwide medical college entrance …
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Nigeria clamps down on misinformation after school kidnapping
Jun 16 2026
Nigerian authorities have arrested at least eight people in recent weeks for spreading false information on social …
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French spies drop AI giant Palantir over US overreliance fears
Jun 16 2026
France's domestic intelligence agency will stop working with American AI giant Palantir, Prime Minister Sebastien …
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Social networks, online video outweigh traditional media in 2026
Jun 16 2026
News consumers around the world are now turning more to social media and video platforms than traditional outlets for …
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Murdochs' Fox to acquire US streaming giant Roku
Jun 15 2026
Fox Corporation will acquire streaming platform provider Roku in a cash and stock deal worth $22 billion, the companies …
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UK PM announces ban on social media for under-16s
Jun 15 2026
Children under 16 will be banned from using social media in the UK, Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced on Monday, …
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Courts cracking down on error-strewn AI-assisted legal briefs
Jun 15 2026
When a US judge found fabricated quotes in a lawyer's brief earlier this year, the attorney admitted he had used Claude, …
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UK PM promises 'bold action' on failing social media status quo
Jun 15 2026
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Monday pledged to "call time" on a social media system failing children amid …
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US order cutting access to Anthropic's AI models sparks criticism
Jun 15 2026
The US government's order for Anthropic to withdraw its most powerful artificial intelligence models has sparked a wave …
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Anthropic cuts access to AI models over US 'national security' order
Jun 13 2026
Anthropic said Friday it has suspended access to two powerful AI models, Fable 5 and Mythos 5, to comply with a US …
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US betting firm sponsorships spark election integrity fears
Jun 13 2026
A US mayoral race triggered a flood of misinformation from online influencers sponsored by betting companies -- exposing …
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Newly minted trillionaire Musk under fire over Belfast riots
Jun 12 2026
Elon Musk, newly crowned the world's first trillionaire, faced renewed criticism Friday over anti-immigrant riots in …
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World's first gig economy treaty adopted at the ILO
Jun 12 2026
The first-ever international agreement on safeguarding digital platform workers in the gig economy was adopted on Friday …
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US appellate court upholds Sam Bankman-Fried criminal sentence
Jun 12 2026
A US appeals court on Friday upheld the conviction of disgraced cryptocurrency tycoon Sam Bankman-Fried as part of a …
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SpaceX to make historic IPO that could make Musk a trillionaire
Jun 11 2026
Elon Musk's SpaceX on Thursday confirmed it will begin trading on the Nasdaq exchange Friday in the biggest initial …
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SpaceX IPO: rockets, AI losses and Musk in control
Jun 11 2026
SpaceX is inviting investors to bet on Elon Musk's vision of AI data centers in space and humans on Mars.
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Musk's empire as SpaceX heads to Wall Street liftoff
Jun 11 2026
Elon Musk defines himself as an engineer trying to save humanity, while his critics call him a far-right showman who …
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SpaceX on cusp of record IPO that could make Musk a trillionaire
Jun 11 2026
SpaceX entered the final stretch Thursday before its expected trading on Wall Street as part of the biggest initial …
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Russia unblocks Roblox after widespread child anger
Jun 11 2026
Russia has lifted its ban on the popular gaming platform Roblox, after tens of thousands of children and parents sent …
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Rising costs and competition threaten GoPro
Jun 11 2026
For nearly 25 years, GoPro cameras have gone underwater, glided with parachutes and slipped down ski slopes, allowing …
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The Indian workers training AI robots to take their jobs
Jun 11 2026
With a smartphone strapped to her head, Indian housewife Nagireddy Sriramyachandra films herself slicing mangoes to …
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AI robot cleaners leave the lab for China's living rooms
Jun 11 2026
Beijing cleaner Lin Meiqiong found her work a little easier the day she was paired with an unlikely new colleague -- a …
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In ageing South Korea, AI dolls care for the elderly
Jun 11 2026
In her tiny apartment in South Korea, where she lives alone, 78-year-old Bang Chun-ja spends her days with a childlike …
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Canada moves to ban under-16s from social media, regulate AI
Jun 10 2026
Canada's culture minister on Wednesday introduced legislation that would ban children under 16 from having social media …
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Threats to US lawmakers spiked after Meta eased moderation: watchdog
Jun 10 2026
From explicit calls for murder to sexual harassment, violent threats targeting US lawmakers on Facebook rocketed after …
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Art, maths and killing: Ukraine drone chief's formula to stop Russia
Jun 10 2026
Robert "Madyar" Brovdi's underground command post features walls of blinking screens playing footage of Ukrainian drones …
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'The Donald of Dubai': property tycoon seeks to become data king
Jun 10 2026
A UAE real estate magnate close to Donald Trump is pumping billions of dollars into data centres, hoping to cash in on …
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Anthropic opens most powerful AI model to public with safeguards
Jun 09 2026
Anthropic, maker of the Claude artificial intelligence (AI) models, made the most powerful version of its technology …
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EU orders Meta to open WhatsApp to rival AI chatbots for free
Jun 09 2026
The EU ordered Meta on Tuesday to give rival AI chatbots access to its WhatsApp platform for free within five working …
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Killing the mood: smartphones reduce birth rate, studies say
Jun 09 2026
As governments around the world struggle with ways to reverse plunging birth rates, new US studies suggest they have …
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OpenAI makes move to go public one week after rival Anthropic
Jun 08 2026
ChatGPT-maker OpenAI on Monday took the first step toward going public, one week after arch-rival Anthropic announced …
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Apple tries again on AI, turns to Google for help
Jun 08 2026
Apple unveiled an artificial intelligence overhaul for the iPhone on Monday, turning to Google for help two years after …
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Uber and Wayve set to launch first UK robotaxis in summer
Jun 08 2026
Wayve, a British startup specialised in artificial intelligence for self-driving vehicles, said Monday it was ready to …
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Nintendo agrees to 35 mn euro French fine over faulty Switch controllers
Jun 08 2026
Nintendo said Monday that it would pay a fine of 35 million euros ($40 million) to settle a French claim over faulty …
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UK govt warns big tech over nude images sent by children
Jun 08 2026
Tech giants must stop children in Britain from being able to send and receive nude images on their devices, or be forced …
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'Strategic distraction?' Trump ramps up AI memes ahead of midterms
Jun 08 2026
From handcuffed extra-terrestrials to an orbital missile command center -- US President Donald Trump is unleashing a …
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Europe opening up to self-driving taxis
Jun 08 2026
Self-driving taxis, already booming in the United States and China, are emerging in Europe, with major companies …
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US gamers getting older as industry reports growth
Jun 07 2026
Video games are having a moment in the United States -- but the players are getting older.
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SpaceX signs pre-IPO deal to provide AI computing to Google
Jun 05 2026
SpaceX on Friday signed a blockbuster cloud computing agreement under which Google will pay the Elon Musk-founded rocket …
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Nvidia's Huang arrives in South Korea with 'surprises', bets on robotics
Jun 05 2026
Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang arrived in Seoul Friday for a packed schedule of meetings with tech leaders, …
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