Lifestyle

Australian outback station turned into national park

SYDNEY, Australia (AFP) — A slice of the Australian outback almost the size of greater London will be turned into a national park to help protect threatened species, authorities said Saturday, in a move welcomed by green groups. Narriearra Station, a 1,534-square kilometre (592-square-mile) property in northwest New South Wales, is the biggest purchase of private land for national parks ever made by the state government, Environment Minister Matt Kean said. It stretches across floodplains, […]

YouTube hit with discrimination suit by black video artists

  SAN FRANCISCO, United States (AFP) — A lawsuit filed this week in federal court accuses YouTube of discriminating against African American video makers and viewers by factoring in race when it comes to filtering or monetizing content. The suit filed in a courthouse in the Silicon Valley city of San Jose on Tuesday seeks class action status and names as defendants the leading video sharing platform and its parent companies Google and Alphabet. “Under […]

Robots: allies during virus crisis, enemies later?

by Pierrick YVON Agence France-Presse PARIS, France (AFP) — When human contact needs to be kept to a minimum, robots can save lives and factories. But when the coronavirus crisis is over, will they amplify job losses? It may be a mechanised arm pulling beers in a Seville bar, a dog-like dispenser of hand sanitiser in a Bangkok mall, a cooler on wheels that delivers groceries in Washington, or a vaguely humanoid greeter at a […]

US approves first ‘digital therapeutic’ game for ADHD

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — US health officials have approved the first game-based treatment for children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, part of a trend toward “digital therapeutics” or software to address certain conditions. The Food and Drug Administration said Monday it approved the sale by prescription of the game EndeavorRX from health tech startup Akili Interactive for children aged 8-12 who have been diagnosed with ADHD. The FDA said this was the first digital […]

Over 100 arrested after violent disorder at far-right linked UK protest

LONDON, United Kingdom (AFP) — Police in London said they arrested more than 100 people on Saturday after far-right protesters holding a counter-demonstration against anti-racism activists clashed with officers. Thousands of people defied the coronavirus restrictions to assemble in and around Parliament Square, in the centre of the capital. That required “major” policing operation the Metropolitan Police Service said, adding that they had encountered “pockets of violence directed towards our officers”. Television footage showed some […]

Germany eyes ‘world number one’ spot in green hydrogen

by Tom BARFIELD Agence France-Presse FRANKFURT AM MAIN, Germany (AFP) — Germany on Wednesday said it aimed to become the world’s “number one” in green hydrogen technology, betting the fuel produced by renewable energy sources can both reduce carbon emissions and stimulate Europe’s top economy. “For reasons related to our competitiveness but above all to reach our ambitious climate goals”, ministers have agreed to pump nine billion euros ($10.2 billion) of government cash into the technology, Economy […]

Pygmies return to forest to isolate against coronavirus

by Camille LAFFONT PICTURES BY FLORENT VERGNES Agence France-Presse BAYANGA, Central African Republic (AFP) — Dzanga-Sangha, a wildlife sanctuary in southwest Central African Republic, is a remote place, linked to the rest of the world by a narrow trail that becomes impassable in heavy rain. But for the region’s Pygmies—outcasts in a country already ranked among the poorest in the world—Dzanga-Sangha’s isolation could be a blessing. As coronavirus spreads in the CAR, with more than 1,000 […]

Zoom earnings soar as video meets become pandemic norm

SAN FRANCISCO, United States (AFP ) — Zoom on Tuesday reported that its earnings soared as its video-meeting service became a popular way to work or socialize while hunkered down due to the pandemic. Zoom said it made a profit of $27 million on revenue that leapt 169 percent to slightly more than $328 million in the first three months of this year. In the first quarter last year, Zoom reported zero dollars per share […]

Bushfire-hit Australians still in tents as virus slows recovery

by Andrew LEESON Agence France-Presse COBARGO, Australia (AFP) — Victims of Australia’s catastrophic bushfires are still living in tents, garages and makeshift shelters months after the blazes ended, with efforts to rebuild their lives hampered by the coronavirus pandemic. Inside a small tin shed on Australia’s southeast coast, a family of six takes refuge from the cold as the southern hemisphere winter begins to bite. The structure — chock-full of toys and beds — has […]

ICRC warns of dire humanitarian crisis in northeast Syria

BEIRUT, Lebanon (AFP) — The International Committee of the Red Cross warned Thursday of a worsening crisis in northeast Syria, where water cuts, food shortages and depleted health services are proving as dangerous as coronavirus. Home to sprawling displacement camps hosting tens of thousands of people, including families of Islamic State group members, the Kurdish-held northeast has been hard hit by nine years of war. A COVID-19 outbreak, which the United Nations says has infected […]

David Pomeranz to give special performance at EBC’s “Enjoy Music Beyond the Crisis” online concert on May 17

  (Eagle News) – Noted American singer-composer David Pomeranz will be singing on Sunday’s (May 17) episode of Eagle Broadcasting Corporation’s online concert series that will benefit COVID-19 health workers and other frontliners. Pomeranz, known for numerous international hit songs as “Born For You,” “The Old Songs” and “Got To Believe in Magic,” has recordings and songwriting projects that have earned him 22 platinum and 18 gold albums. Watch his special performance on Sunday, May […]

Canada says immigrants welcome after pandemic

Eagle News — Canadian Immigration Minister Marco Mendicino, spoke to  a group of immigration lawyers stating that once the pandemic is over, Canada will remain open to immigrants.  “Immigration is an economic driver that we rely on” says Mendicino. He also says that immgration is the key to economic recovery in Canada. Mendicino further explains that the need for people to migrate to Canada helps with population. “Canada’s birth rate is too low. There just […]