Tag Archives: lifestyle

Sydney, Australia | AFP | Global terror attacks have cast a pall over 2016 but Australia was Saturday set to defy the threats and ring in the New Year with bumper crowds gathering to watch a firework extravaganza on Sydney’s glittering harbour. 2016 has seen repeated bloodshed, most recently a …

Washington, United States | AFP |  The past year was a big one for Donald Trump, but also for Pokemon Go. According to Google’s global trends report released Wednesday, the augmented reality game from Nintendo was the most-searched item online in 2016. Trump was number three among the most-searched topics …

  Washington, United States | AFP |  The Washington Post, purchased three years ago by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, will turn a profit in 2016 and expand its newsroom, defying the downward trend in the newspaper industry. A memo to staff this month from Post publisher Fred Ryan, obtained by …

Smartphone-obsessed Finns rank tops in screen time Helsinki, Finland | AFP | On the crowded morning metro in Helsinki, silence prevails. Everyone is hunched over their smartphone screens, reading the news, checking emails or watching videos. A loud “yeah!” breaks the quiet, along with delighted screech from a toddler whose …

Washington, United States | AFP |  A big rise in drone use is likely to lead to a new wave of “dronejackings” by cybercriminals, security experts warned Tuesday. A report by Intel’s McAfee Labs said hackers are expected to start targeting drones used for deliveries, law enforcement or camera crews, …

San Francisco, United States | AFP |  Facebook on Tuesday unveiled “Instant Games” allowing users of the world’s biggest social network to play from its Messenger application or directly on their news feeds. The new games effort could be a step toward eventually monetizing Messenger, which now has more than …

Bangalore, India | AFP | A controversial Indian mining tycoon has taken over a royal palace and flown in Brazilian dancers at a reported cost of $75 million to celebrate his daughter’s wedding on Wednesday, as the country reels from a cash crisis. Up to 50,000 people are expected at …

Washington, United States | AFP | Twitter on Tuesday began rolling out a new weapon in the fight against harassment by “trolls” whose often anonymous vitriol can make the messaging service an unwelcoming place. The move comes as online social networks struggle to balance free speech with intimidation and aggression …

San Francisco, United States | AFP | Uber on Wednesday began rolling out an overhauled smartphone application that uses artificial intelligence in a bid to speed up and improve the ride-sharing experience. The update is the first major overhaul for the popular application since 2012 and aims to simplify usage …

San Francisco, United States | AFP |  Instagram on Tuesday said it will start testing features that let smartphone or tablet users easily buy items they find on the popular photo and video sharing service. The test slated to begin next week in the US will be tailored for Instagram …