International

International


For McCarthy and Taiwan’s leader, visit marks historic first

WASHINGTON (AP) — The moment was historic — a U.S. House speaker meeting Wednesday with the president of Taiwan for a rare visit on American soil, a high-profile encounter designed to boost support for the island government but already drawing blowback from an enraged China. For Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen the meeting with House Speaker […]

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Arkansas House OKs social media age verification requirement

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Arkansas children would need their parents’ OK to access social media sites under a bill Arkansas lawmakers advanced Wednesday, moving the state closer toward becoming the second to enact restrictions that critics say raise privacy and enforcement concerns. The majority-Republican House approved by an 82-10 vote the restrictions, which have […]

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Connecticut woman shot by officer gets $1.1M settlement

HAMDEN, Conn. (AP) — A Connecticut woman who was seriously injured when a police officer opened fire on her and her boyfriend as they sat in a car unarmed has settled a lawsuit over the shooting for about $1.1 million. Stephanie Washington was struck four times when Hamden officer Devin Eaton fired 13 bullets at […]

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Australia bans TikTok from federal government devices

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — Australia has become the last of the “Five Eyes” security partners to ban the Chinese-owned video-sharing app TikTok from its federal government’s devices. Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus said in a statement Tuesday that based on intelligence and security agencies’ advice, that ban would come into effect “as soon as practicable.” The so-called […]

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Undercover Los Angeles police file claims in photo backlash

LOS ANGELES (AP) — More than 300 undercover Los Angeles police officers filed legal claims against the city and police department Tuesday after their names and photographs were released to a technology watchdog group that posted them online. The watchdog group Stop LAPD Spying Coalition posted more than 9,300 officers’ information and photographs last month […]

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Missouri Planned Parenthood sues over transgender inquiry

Associated Press (AP) — Missouri’s state attorney general is investigating gender-affirming care provided by Planned Parenthood, according to a lawsuit filed Friday by the St. Louis health provider. Republican Attorney General Andrew Bailey demanded documents from Planned Parenthood after finding out that the clinic provides “life-altering gender transition drugs to children without any therapy assessment,” […]

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TikTok fined $15.9M by UK watchdog over misuse of kids’ data

LONDON (AP) — Britain’s privacy watchdog hit TikTok with a multimillion-dollar penalty Tuesday for misusing children’s data and violating other protections for young users’ personal information. The Information Commissioner‘s Office said it issued a fine of 12.7 million pounds ($15.9 million) to the short-video sharing app, which is wildly popular with young people. It’s the […]

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8 involved in Amsterdam heist sentenced to up to 15 years

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Eight robbers who stole millions of euros’ worth of precious metals from an armored transport vehicle then opened fire on police in a wild car chase through Amsterdam were convicted Monday and handed prison sentences ranging from two to 15 years. The Amsterdam District Court said the May 19, 2021, […]

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Explosion in Russian cafe kills prominent military blogger

ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (AP) — An explosion tore through a cafe in Russia’s second-largest city Sunday, killing a well-known military blogger and strident supporter of the war in Ukraine. Some reports said a bomb was embedded in a bust of the blogger that was given to him as a gift. Russian officials said Vladlen Tatarsky […]

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Italy temporarily blocks ChatGPT over privacy concerns

ROME (AP) — Italy is temporarily blocking the artificial intelligence software ChatGPT in the wake of a data breach as it investigates a possible violation of stringent European Union data protection rules, the government’s privacy watchdog said Friday. The Italian Data Protection Authority said it was taking provisional action “until ChatGPT respects privacy,” including temporarily […]

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Missouri Planned Parenthood sues over transgender inquiry

Associated Press (AP) — Missouri’s state attorney general is investigating gender-affirming care provided by Planned Parenthood, according to a lawsuit filed by the St. Louis health provider. Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region and Southwest Missouri sued Attorney General Andrew Bailey Friday in St. Louis Circuit Court, according to court documents. Bailey’s office demanded […]

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How a little known agency holds power over TikTok’s future

WASHINGTON (AP) — Under pressure from the U.S. government, TikTok is now facing the music with the possibility of a nationwide ban if it defies a government order to sell to an American company — unless the popular social media app can convince a high-powered panel that its data security restructuring plan sufficiently guards against […]

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