What is the celebrity 'blockout' over the war in Gaza?

NEW YORK (AP) — Some social media users are calling out celebrities for what they say is inaction in the face of a humanitarian crisis in Gaza — and they've taken to a “blockout” to pressure the stars to take a stand. For the blockout, users put a block on seeing any and all...

A second scourge is battering Brazil's flooded south: Disinformation

SAO PAULO (AP) — While flooding that has devastated Brazil’s Rio Grande do Sul state has yet to subside, another scourge has spread across the region: disinformation on social media that has hampered desperate efforts to get aid to hundreds of thousands in need. Among fake...

Slovakian PM Robert Fico is in life-threatening condition after being shot multiple times, his Facebook profile says

An Afghan military helicopter crash in western Afghanistan kills at least 1 person, the Taliban say

ISLAMABAD (AP) — An Afghan military helicopter crashed on Wednesday in Ghor province in western Afghanistan, killing at least one person, the Taliban defense ministry said. The crash of the MI-17 was caused by a technical problem, according to a statement. The...

American sought after ‘So I raped you’ Facebook message detained in France on 2021 warrant

Australian judge says it is unreasonable to require X to hide video of church stabbing for all users

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — An Australian judge said it would be unreasonable for the country's internet safety watchdog to require social platform X to hide video of a bishop being stabbed in a Sydney church from all of its users globally, as he explained his decision to lift a court order that...

Roaring Kitty is back and so are meme stocks. GameStop and AMC surge like it's 2021

The man at the center of the pandemic meme stock craze appeared online for the first time in three years, sending the prices of the quirky and volatile shares sharply higher Monday. Keith Gill, better known as “Roaring Kitty,” posted an image Sunday on the social platform X of a...

Japan defense chief urges higher security after drone video of warship posted on China social media

TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s defense chief Friday called for the bolstering of its anti-drone capability after a drone footage posted on Chinese social media showed a Japanese aircraft carrier docked at a restricted navy port west of Tokyo. Defense Minister Minoru Kihara called it a serious security...

Australian judge extends ban on X sharing video of Sydney bishop's stabbing

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — An Australian judge on Friday extended a ban on X allowing videos of the stabbing of a Sydney bishop in his church last month after government lawyers condemned the social media company's free speech argument for keeping the graphic images circulating. ...

PR executive at Chinese tech firm Baidu apologizes for comments seen as glorifying overwork

HONG KONG (AP) — A top public relations executive from Chinese technology firm Baidu apologized Thursday after she made comments in a series of videos that critics said glorified a culture of overwork. Baidu's head of communications Qu Jing sparked a public outcry in China after...