Life

India launches new bid to battle dirty air

NEW DELHI, India (AFP) — India has launched a new campaign to improve air quality in more than 100 of its pollution-stricken cities, although an environment group said it lacked detail and the legal backing to ensure it is enforced. Air quality in the country of more than 1.25 billion people has deteriorated to critical levels in recent years, with the capital New Delhi and 13 other Indian cities in the top 15 of a […]

Rise of renewables creating ‘new world’: report

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AFP) — The rapid growth of renewable energy sources and the demise of fossil fuels are causing major changes in global politics, a special commission said in a report Friday. The shift “will alter the global distribution of power, relations between states, the risk of conflict, and the social, economic and environmental drivers of geopolitical instability,” said a the commission set up by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). Solar, […]

Tech to the rescue: New products aim to improve disaster relief

by Julie CHARPENTRAT Agence France Presse LAS VEGAS, United States (AFP) — After catastrophic wildfires in southern California late last year, the Israeli startup Watergen sent in its devices which pull clean water out of the atmosphere for firefighters and relief workers. The machines, which have been deployed in other global disaster areas, were among the technologies on display at the 2019 Consumer Electronics Show to highlight innovations which can be used in various kinds […]

China’s probe sends panoramic image of moon’s far side

BEIJING, China (AFP) — China’s lunar probe has sent the first panoramic image of its landing site since its historic arrival on the far side of the moon, showing the cratered landscape it is exploring. The Chang’e-4 mission — named after a moon goddess — made the world’s first soft landing on the moon’s far side on January 3, a major step in China’s ambitions to become a space superpower. A rover dubbed Yutu-2 — […]

Poland denies cull aimed at wiping out wild boar

WARSAW, Poland (AFP) — Polish authorities on Thursday denied any plans to wipe out nearly all Poland’s wild boar to stem an outbreak of disease threatening its pork industry as petitions against a mass cull drew hundreds of thousands of signatures. Environmentalists and scientists have warned that a mass cull set for the last three weekends of January could upset the ecosystem and even inadvertently spread African swine fever (ASF), which is deadly to wild […]

Virtual reality makes splash, but not ready for prime time

by Glenn CHAPMAN Agence France LAS VEGAS, United States (AFP) — Virtual reality showed off its spectacular side at the Consumer Electronics Show this week, whisking people onto hockey arenas, baseball fields and even into the internet with animated film trouble-maker “Wreck-it Ralph.” But even with the impressive visuals, VR appeared to be in the slow lane toward mass adoption, according to analysts and industry attendees at the massive technology trade show. “VR is not […]

New app gives throat cancer patients their voice back

by Jan FLEMR Agence France Presse PRAGUE, Czech Republic (AFP) — Vlastimil Gular’s life took an unwelcome turn a year ago: minor surgery on his vocal cords revealed throat cancer, which led to the loss of his larynx and with it, his voice. But the 51-year-old father of four is still chatting away using his own voice rather than the tinny timbre of a robot, thanks to an innovative app developed by two Czech universities. […]

World’s oceans are heating up at a quickening pace: study

TAMPA, United States (AFP) — The world’s oceans are heating up at an accelerating pace as global warming threatens a diverse range of marine life and a major food supply for the planet, researchers said Thursday. The findings in the US journal Science, led by the Chinese Academy of Sciences, debunk previous reports that suggested a so-called pause in global warming in recent years. The latest technology shows no such hiatus ever existed, raising new […]

Historical drama, “Kapayapaan sa Gitna ng Digmaan” chosen as finalist in Singkuwento Int’l Film Festival

  (Eagle News) – “Kapayapaan Sa Gitna ng Digmaan” (Peace in the Midst of War), a historical drama celebrating the triumph of love and faith in God set in the tumultuous era of before, during and after World War II, is one of the five finalists in the 2019 Singkuwento International Film Festival Manila Philippines (SIFFMP) for the Full-Length Film Category. The entry from CEBSI Films is a true to life story of civilian Japanese […]

Facial recognition: Coming to a gadget near you

by Rob Lever Agence France Presse LAS VEGAS, United States (AFP) — Imagine walking into a store where a robot greets you by name, lets you know that your online order is ready, and then suggests other products you might want pick up. Facial recognition is making that possible as the technology gains traction in a range of consumer products, automobiles, and retail and hotel services, in addition to its longstanding but controversial use in […]

Deere puts spotlight on high-tech farming

LAS VEGAS, United States (AFP) — It has GPS, lasers, computer vision, and uses machine learning and sensors to be more efficient. This is the new high-tech farm equipment from John Deere, which made its first Consumer Electronics Show appearance this week to highlight the importance of tech in farming. Deere brought its massive agricultural combine and GPS-guided tractor to the Las Vegas technology event, making the point that farming is more than sticking a […]