Amazing Sports
Barty sets up Adelaide final against teenager Yastremska
(Reuters) – World number one Ash Barty fought back from a set down to beat unseeded Danielle Collins 3-6 6-1 7-6(5) on Friday to reach the Adelaide International final where she will face Ukraine’s Dayana Yastremska. Collins came out all guns blazing in the opening set to go up 3-0 and held firm to take…
Entertainment
Judge in Weinstein rape trial says case is not a ‘referendum’ on #MeToo movement
NEW YORK (Reuters) – Four men and three women were chosen on Thursday as jurors in the rape trial of Harvey Weinstein, as the judge cautioned against using the case to make a broader statement about the #MeToo movement. Weinstein, 67, has pleaded not guilty to charges in New York of assaulting two women, and…
French prosecutors charge filmmaker Ruggia with sexual assault of minor
PARIS (Reuters) – French film director Christophe Ruggia has been charged with sexual assault of a minor, Paris prosecutors said on Thursday, in a case involving a girl cast in one of his films nearly two decades ago. Prosecutors also said Ruggia was placed under judicial supervision. Jean-Pierre Versini-Campinchi, a lawyer for Ruggia, said the…
Lawyers in Weinstein rape case begin questioning potential jurors
NEW YORK (Reuters) – More than 100 potential jurors in the rape trial of Harvey Weinstein were expected in Manhattan criminal court on Thursday as lawyers strive to choose 12 impartial New Yorkers to decide the former film mogul’s fate. The potential jurors, who have passed an initial round of pre-screening, include supermodel Gigi Hadid,…
300 X 250 Advertisement
Health
Health warning: How Fitbits can help predict flu outbreaks
LONDON, Jan 16 (Reuters) – The Fitbit on your wrist not only counts your steps and minutes of sleep, it can also help tell if you’re coming down with the flu – and warn health authorities to get ready to help. A study in the United States has found that heart rate and sleep data…
Locust plague devastates crops in Horn of Africa
JIGJIGA, Ethiopia (Reuters) – Ethiopian farmer Ahmed Ibrahim batted empty water bottles at a swarm of desert locusts the size of his palms that were devouring his field of khat – the mildly narcotic leaf that is his family’s main source of income. “We have nothing else to sell at the market. How will I…
Thailand finds second case of new Chinese virus, says no outbreak
BANGKOK (Reuters) – Thailand has found a second case of a new Chinese coronavirus, authorities said on Friday, as they ramped up checks on Chinese visitors, nearly a million of whom are expected for Lunar New Year holidays next week. The latest patient is from China’s central city of Wuhan, which has reported 41 cases…
New Technology
UK’s BT, Vodafone may seek PM Johnson’s support for Huawei: sources
LONDON (Reuters) – Britain’s BT and Vodafone are considering urging Prime Minister Boris Johnson not to risk the rollout of next generation mobile networks by banning China’s Huawei [HWT.UL], sources said, confirming a Sky News report on Friday. Britain is set to take a final decision on Huawei’s role in building new 5G networks this…
TomTom closes deal with Huawei for use of maps and services: spokesman
AMSTERDAM (Reuters) – Dutch navigation and digital mapping company TomTom on Friday said it has closed a deal with China’s Huawei Technologies for the use of its maps and services in smartphone apps. Huawei was forced to develop its own operating system for smartphones, after it was effectively blacklisted by U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration…
Netflix opens new Paris office, plans 20 French-language series
PARIS (Reuters) – U.S. television streaming company Netflix has opened a new Paris office and plans to develop more than 20 original French-language productions in 2020, it said on Friday. Launched in 2014 in France – where it employs 40 people, and has existing operations in Paris – Netflix has developed 24 French titles, including…
Facebook sued in U.S. federal court for alleged anticompetitive conduct
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – Four companies sued Facebook Inc (FB.O) in U.S. federal court on Thursday for alleged anticompetitive conduct, saying the social network inappropriately revoked developer access to its platform in order to harm prospective competitors. The plaintiffs sought class-action status and unspecified damages, according to a filing at the U.S. District Court for…
U.S. will look at sudden acceleration complaints involving 500,000 Tesla vehicles
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said Friday it will review a petition asking the agency to formally investigate 500,000 Tesla Inc vehicles over sudden unintended acceleration reports. The petition covers 2012 through 2019 model year Tesla Model S, 2016 through 2019 Tesla Model X, and 2018 through 2019 Tesla Model…
Science
Deep-sea microbe sheds light on primordial evolutionary milestone
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A microorganism scooped up in deep-sea mud off Japan’s coast has helped scientists unlock the mystery of one of the watershed evolutionary events for life on Earth: the transition from the simple cells that first colonized the planet to complex cellular life – fungi, plants and animals including people. Researchers said on…
U.S. flood risk model to be publicly available in boon for homebuyers
NEW YORK (Reuters) – A climate research organization will offer access to a risk model that predicts the probability of flooding for homes across the United States, giving the public a look at the data institutional investors use to gauge risk. First Street Foundation on Tuesday launched Flood Lab firststreet.org/flood-lab, a research partnership which provides…
