Tag: lifestyle

Sharp drop in Facebook use among US teens, survey shows

  WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Facebook is rapidly losing ground against rival internet platforms in attracting and keeping US teenagers, a survey showed Thursday. The Pew Research Center report confirms a trend seen in other surveys, showing a sharp drop in Facebook’s share of what had long been a core age segment for the huge social network. The survey found 51 percent of US teens ages 13 to 17 use Facebook, compared with 85 […]

In Moroccan desert, meteorite hunters seek to strike it rich

https://youtu.be/axUOKaHzOLM   by Hamza Mekouar Agence France Presse ZAGORA, Morocco (AFP) — They roam Morocco’s southern desert, braving the searing heat to scour the undulating sands for bounty fallen from the sky. These celestial treasure hunters are searching for meteorites to sell on a burgeoning international market. Equipped with a “very strong” magnet and magnifying glass, retired physical education teacher Mohamed Bouzgarine says that discoveries “can be more valuable than gold”. The price “depends on […]

Facebook, Twitter tighten rules for political ads

  by Rob Lever Agence France Presse WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Twitter on Thursday announced new guidelines to clearly mark political ads on its platform as Facebook said it began implementing a policy requiring labeling and verification of identities of those paying for political messages. The moves by the two social media firms come in response to criticism over their role in allowing disinformation to spread during the 2016 US election, in many cases […]

Twitter tweak steps up fight against trolls

SAN FRANCISCO, United States (AFP) — Twitter said Tuesday it was stepping up its long-running battle against online trolls, trying to find offenders by looking at “behavioral signals.” The new approach looks at behavioral patterns of users in addition to the content of the tweets, allowing Twitter to find and mute online bullies and trolls. Even if the offending tweets are not a violation of Twitter policy, they may be hidden from users if they […]

Pedal power: the rise of cargo bikes in Germany

by Coralie Febvre Agence France Presse BERLIN, Berlin (AFP) — Whether they’re hauling parcels or children, cargo bikes are becoming a familiar sight in German cities as the nippy, clean alternative to cars and delivery vans — and shaking up urban transport in the process. A desire to go green has been key to the rise of cargo bikes in a country where dozens of smog-choked cities are considering diesel driving bans to combat air […]

Profits up at Facebook, no impact from privacy scandal

  by Glenn Chapman Agence France Presse SAN FRANCISCO, United States (AFP) — Facebook on Wednesday reported a sharp jump in profits in the past quarter, with gains in its user base and strong ad growth as the social network appeared to see no impact from a controversy over privacy. Profit in the first quarter of 2018 leapt 63 percent from a year ago to $5 billion, and total revenues increased 49 percent to $11.97 […]

Americans waste 150,000 tons of food per day: study

  TAMPA, United States (AFP) — Americans waste nearly 150,000 tons of food per day, amounting to about one pound (422 grams) per person, and fruits and vegetables are mostly what gets tossed, said a study Wednesday. The amount of land used annually to grow food that ends up in the garbage in the United States is 30 million acres, or seven percent of total US cropland. Some 4.2 trillion gallons of irrigation water gets […]

Night owls risk dying younger, should sleep in: study

PARIS, France (AFP) — People who stay up late and have to drag themselves out of bed are likelier to die younger than those who rise and set with the Sun, researchers said Thursday. A survey of more than 430,000 people in Britain found that the night owl had a 10-percent higher risk of dying in the 6.5-year study period than “larks.” “This is a public health issue that can no longer be ignored,” said […]

Bots, good or bad, dominate Twitter conversation: study

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Automated accounts or “bots” play a big role in disseminating information on Twitter, accounting for two-thirds of tweets linking to popular websites, a study showed Monday. The Pew Research Center report found bots were a major source for diffusing information on news, sports, entertainment and other topics. The researchers found that of all tweeted links to popular websites, 66 percent were shared by accounts that appeared to be automated rather […]

Americans world’s biggest TV addicts watching four hours a day

by Taimaz Szirniks and Fiachra Gibbons CANNES, France (AFP) — The average person around the world spent nearly three hours a day in front their television last year, according to a report released Monday. Eurodata TV Worldwide said that television viewing was holding up despite more and more people watching online platforms like Netflix and Amazon. Americans and Canadians are the biggest TV addicts, said the report, watching four hours and three minutes on average […]

Google boosts efforts to help news organizations, with $300 mn

NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — Google on Tuesday launched a new initiative, committing $300 million to help news publishers get more paid subscribers while stemming the flow of misinformation. The internet giant described the Google News Initiative as part of an “effort to help journalism thrive in the digital age.” The announcement in New York followed a series of commitments to help the troubled sector by Google, which has been accused by some in […]

Toys ‘R’ Us to shut or sell all US stores: reports

NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — Toys ‘R’ US plans to sell or close all of its US stores, potentially hitting 33,000 jobs, US media reported Wednesday. The debt-plagued retailer, which filed for bankruptcy protection in September, told employees that the retailer planned to file liquidation papers ahead of a Thursday court hearing, The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post reported. “We’re putting a for sale sign on everything,” CEO David Brandon said on a […]