Life

Instagram ramps up battle against bullying

SAN FRANCISCO, United States (AFP) — Instagram on Tuesday added more weapons to battle cyber bullying, using artificial intelligence to scan photos for abusive content at the Facebook-owned service. The move comes after Facebook also increased anti-harassment measures, following a survey which said young victims of online abuse feel social media firms aren’t doing enough to fight the problem. Instagram chief Adam Mosseri said artificial intelligence is being used to detect signs of bullying and […]

Google launches connected speaker with screen, but no camera

NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — Google on Tuesday launched a new version of its connected speaker with a touchscreen display designed to be a hub for smart home devices but without a camera for privacy reasons. The Google Home Hub, competing against Amazon’s Echo Show, was unveiled at a New York media event at which the tech giant also announced its upgraded Pixel 3 smartphone and a new tablet computer dubbed Pixel Slate. The […]

Japan space tourist says moon training ‘shouldn’t be too hard’

TOKYO, Japan (AFP) — Billionaire Japanese tycoon and future space tourist Yusaku Maezawa’s training to go the moon should not be too tricky, he joked Tuesday, adding that he planned to use free time from his six-hour work day to squeeze it in. The 42-year-old Maezawa paid an undisclosed sum for a ticket on fellow tycoon Elon Musk’s SpaceX rocket around the moon as early as 2023 and the passionate art collector also plans to […]

Foreigners snap up Istanbul’s iconic waterfront mansions

by Fulya OZERKAN Agence France Presse ISTANBUL, Turkey (AFP) — They are among Istanbul’s most iconic sights — magnificent waterside mansions strung out along the Bosphorus as the waters of the strait dividing Europe and Asia lap almost at their front doors. Once the preserve of the Ottoman elite and affluent foreigners working in what was Constantinople, the mansions, known as yalis, were made famous in novels and more recently through modern Turkey’s hugely successful […]

Gold Coast’s Light Rail System, changing the scene of Australia’s public transport

  By Patricia Madronio, Diego Madronio, Xelinne Ryan-Andrews and Mark Calaguas EBC Australia Bureau, Eagle News Service (Eagle News) — Gold Coast is one of the fastest growing cities in Australia and with population growth comes increased travel demands. In order to counter congestion, maintain the great lifestyle in the city, and turn Gold Coast into a mature and world-class destination, the Australian government launched a light rail master plan. Now almost a $2 billion investment, […]

Three museums to visit in Seoul

  By Emily Manuel Contributor Eagle News and Features    Seoul is known as the land of K-Drama and K-Pop. It’s also a favorite destination for shopping and food. For those who like immersing themselves in culture, there are several palaces where one can rent a hanbok, or a traditional Korean attire, to enter for free. With so many attractions to see, it’s not surprising that a visit to a museum is not always on […]

Trouble for Hubble: gyro fails on space telescope

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The Hubble space telescope, which has been in orbit since 1990, has temporarily suspended operations because of a gyroscope failure, the US space agency said Monday. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) said Hubble went into “safe mode” on Friday. “Hubble entered safe mode after one of the three gyroscopes actively being used to point and steady the telescope failed,” NASA said in a statement. “Safe mode puts the […]

Juventus shares drop amid Ronaldo rape claims as sponsors express deep “concerns”

  by Emmeline Moore Agence France Presse MILAN, Italy (AFP) — US sportswear giant Nike says it is “deeply concerned” by rape allegations against star client Cristiano Ronaldo while shares in his club Juventus fell almost 10 percent on the Italian stock exchange on Friday. Ronaldo’s coach at Juventus, Massimiliano Allegri, said the striker is “doing well” and is “ready to play” when the Turin giants travel to Udinese in Serie A on Saturday. But […]

Wrapping ‘Avengers 4,’ Chris Evans hangs up Cap’s shield

  NEW YORK (AP) — Chris Evans has wrapped his final performance as Captain America. Evans on Thursday tweeted that his last shooting day on “Avengers 4” was an “emotional day.” The 37-year-old actor thanked his colleagues and fans for his eight years as Captain America, saying it “has been an honor.” Evans first joined the Marvel cast in 2010. He has starred in three “Captain America” films, including 2016’s “Captain America: Civil War,” as […]

Hong Kong research warns of sunscreen health risks

HONG KONG, China (AFP) — New research in Hong Kong has found that UV filters commonly used in sunscreen are polluting surrounding waters and could endanger human health, one of the city’s leading universities said Thursday. An “extensive amount” of seven common UV filter chemicals was found in Hong Kong seawater as well as in fish, shrimps and mussels on aqua-farms, scientists from Hong Kong Baptist University told reporters. “The effect of these contaminants passing […]