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    An American cybersecurity firm says a Chinese hacking group that is likely state-sponsored and has been linked previously to attacks on U.S. state government computers is still “highly active” and is focusing on a broad range of targets that may be of strategic interest to China’s government and security services. Insikt Group, the threat research division of Massachusetts-based Recorded Future, says in a new report that it found evidence that the so-called RedGolf group has been targeting a wide range of countries and industries, including “aviation, automotive, education, government, media, information technology and religious organizations.”

      Finland's intelligence agency SUPO says Russia's spy operations in the Nordic nation have been substantially weakened over the past year. SUPO said in a statement Thursday that Russian intelligence has been “squeezed” in Finland because of the agency’s ability to compromise spy operations in 2022. SUPO said the falling number of intelligence officers and restrictions on travel across the Russian-Finland border amid Moscow’s war in Ukraine have significantly undermined operating conditions for Russian spies in Finland.

        Top executives of Chinese e-commerce and financial giant Alibaba say it plans to spin off some of its sprawling e-commerce and finance empire as independent businesses to make them more flexible and maximize their value. Alibaba CEO Daniel Zhang outlined details of a plan announced earlier this week to split Alibaba into six main groups as a prelude toward stock listings of some of its companies. In a conference call, Zhang said Alibaba will become more of a holding company and controlling shareholder of group companies. The restructuring plan marks a new stage in Alibaba's growth after a series of setbacks as regulators cracked down on it and other tech companies.

          Twitter says it has removed tweets showing a poster promoting a ‘Trans Day of Vengeance’ protest in support of transgender rights in Washington, D.C., on Saturday. Ella Irwin, Twitter’s head of Trust and Safety, said in a tweet Wednesday that the company automatically removed more than 5,000 tweets and retweets of a poster promoting the event. In removing the tweets, Twitter said it used automated processes to do it quickly at a large scale, without considering what context the tweets were shard in. Because of this, both tweets that were critical of and those that supported the protests were removed.

            Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley has tried to force a Senate vote on legislation that would ban TikTok from operating in the United States. He was blocked Wednesday by a fellow Republican as lawmakers in both chambers are still trying to figure out what action, if any, is appropriate against the social media app. Hawley called TikTok “digital fentanyl” and argued it could give the Chinese government access to data from 150 million American users. Republican Sen. Rand Paul objected to Hawley’s motion, arguing that trying to ban an app would violate the Constitution and anger the millions of voters who use it.

              Attorneys for a group of Tesla shareholders are asking Delaware's Supreme Court to overturn a judge’s decision in favor of CEO Elon Musk in a lawsuit challenging the electric car maker’s $2.4 billion acquisition of a solar panel company founded by two of his cousins. The plaintiffs argued Wednesday that a trial judge erred in finding that Tesla’s acquisition of SolarCity in 2016 was “entirely fair,” despite his concerns about the deal process and Musk's involvement. At the time, Musk owned about 22% of Tesla’s common stock. He was also the largest stockholder of SolarCity and its board chairman. The judge nevertheless determined that Tesla's board meaningfully vetted the deal, and that Musk did not stand in its way. He also said the evidence showed that Tesla paid a fair price.

                Are tech companies moving too fast in rolling out powerful artificial intelligence technology that could one day outsmart humans? That’s the conclusion of a group of prominent computer scientists and other tech industry notables such as Elon Musk and Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak who are calling for a 6-month pause to consider the risks. Their petition published Wednesday is a response to San Francisco startup OpenAI’s recent release of GPT-4, a more advanced successor to its widely-used AI chatbot ChatGPT that helped spark a race among tech giants Microsoft and Google to unveil similar applications.

                The enamel on teeth helps protect them from cavities, but it can also soak up the pigments from what you eat and drink. Here are some foods that you should consume in moderation if you want to keep your teeth white.

                Healthy eating is not a black and white issue. It’s shades of gray — and sweets are definitely in the gray area. It’s true, sugary-filled treats shouldn’t be a major part of your diet. However, there’s also no reason why they need to be banned entirely. In fact, for many, swearing off favorite treats may cause feelings of deprivation, which can lead to cravings and over-indulgence. That said, the key to enjoying treats is balance.

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                The Vatican says Pope Francis has spent his second night in a Rome hospital serenely as he receives antibiotics intravenously to treat bronchitis. A Vatican official indicated on Friday that there would be an update on the pope's hospitalization later in the day. The 86-year-old pontiff was taken to a Rome hospital on Wednesday after holding his customary weekly public audience in St. Peter's Square. A Vatican spokesman has reported that the antibiotic treatment had resulted in a “marked” improvement in Francis' health. The hospitalization came four days before Palm Sunday, the start of Holy Week, and it's unclear if the pope will be able to preside over the Vatican's many observances.

                A bill that seeks to criminalize helping minors get an abortion without parental consent has won final passage in Idaho's legislature and is bound for the governor’s desk. The measure, which passed on Thursday, would be the first of its kind in the U.S. It seeks to restrict travel by creating the crime of “abortion trafficking.” It also would bar adults from obtaining abortion pills for a minor or “recruiting, harboring or transporting the pregnant minor” without the consent of the minor’s parent or guardian. People convicted of breaking the law would face two to five years in prison, and could also be sued by the minor’s parent or guardian.

                Pet parents increasingly want to take their furry family members with them wherever they can. This has led to an uptick in pet travel, whether around town, on business, or across the country. In response to this demand, more hotels are taking steps to accommodate four-legged guests.

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