Category Archives: SCI-TECH

Hong Kong police have arrested 39 people suspected of staging 33 traffic accidents to falsely claim around HK$2 million (US$257,4167) in government funds granted to victims of injury. The force on Friday said it had arrested 24 men and 15 women involved in making false claims from the Traffic Accident Victims Assistance Scheme under the Social Welfare Department (SWD). In the largest case, one suspect falsely claimed over HK$100,000 in financial assistance. The suspects, aged between 19 to 48 and including salespeople, logistic workers and administrative staff, were arrested between December 16 and 19 under suspicion of fraud and conspiracy to defraud. “Earlier this year, an internal audit by the SWD found fraudsters using doctored documents, including fake medical certificates, to apply for the scheme,” Senior Inspector Lam Tsz-lim of

Independent Black-owned digital platform UrbanGeekz has been ranked among the Top 10 Best Tech Blogs on Ranker’s list of the most impactful technology news sites on the Internet. The multimedia brand, which previously ranked 14th in 2018 , has ascended to 6th in the latest rankings. TechCrunch takes the No. 1 spot. Wired comes in second, followed by The Verge. Other reputable media outlets in the top 20 include Mashable, Gizmodo, and Engadget. UrbanGeekz: A Pioneering Multicultural News Platform Ranker’s crowd-ranked list “is based on traffic as well as influence over the subject online and has been voted on by the Ranker community and tech nerds alike,” states the Ranker website. “Tech bloggers have been discussing technology news in detail online for years, and these blogs and websites are where

An ex-OpenAI engineer has started a new robotics venture with offices reportedly in China and Singapore, joining the race to produce intelligent machines as China moves to boost the industry. Roger Jiang, who left ChatGPT creator OpenAI in June 2023, founded Light Robotics in Singapore in August this year with the goal of building general purpose robots, according to his LinkedIn profile. Jiang contributed to building OpenAI’s GPT-4 in areas including foundational reinforcement learning from human feedback, data and contamination investigations, OpenAI’s website shows. Light Robotics, named Liangyuan Xinchuang in Chinese, will focus on consumer-facing companion robots. It has set up offices in both Shenzhen and Singapore, according to a report by Chinese news outlet 36Kr on Friday. 02:02 Robot in China persuades others to ‘go home’ Robot in China

At only 15 years, young but weighed down by family poverty, Winfred Vaati, now a final year university student, eloped with a man to Taita Taveta County, after he promised to educate her. She had stayed at home for two years after sitting her Kenya Certificate of Primary Examination at Kanyungu primary school in Kibwezi in 2011. She topped in her class by scoring 329 marks out of 500. She was admitted to St Mary’s Girls’ Kinyambu but her mother was unable to pay fees. Vaati’s world came crushing down. Then a man who worked in the village promised to marry her and take her back to school. She jumped onto the offer without a second thought. “I thought it was a good idea to secure my future, especially after

British-Nigerian scientists have participated in inventing the world’s first carbon-14 diamond battery capable of power for thousands of years. A team of scientists and engineers from the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) and the University of Bristol completed the revolutionary project. UK-Nigerians scientist Eseosa Ekanem and engineer Fatimah M. Sanni significantly contributed to the innovation.  “I want to be a part of something that brings about a change,” Ekanem said in an interview. “Whether it’s change now or change towards the future.” Diamond battery technology is a groundbreaking invention that could redefine energy storage by powering devices.  This new type of battery has the potential to power devices for about five thousand years, making it an incredibly long-lasting energy source. Related Post: Artist Becomes First Woman to Marry AI-Generated Hologram

The incident is not isolated, with similar reports emerging annually, particularly concerning access to matric results. Dozens of frustrated parents were turned away from Bosmont Primary School on Wednesday when they attempted to collect their children’s school reports, citing outstanding school fees as the primary reason for withholding academic records. The incident has sparked a heated debate about the rights of parents and students in accessing educational documents. Bosmont Primary School’s fee collection controversy A parent with kids at the school said the principal demanded parents either pay outstanding fees or sign an acknowledgement of debt documents, creating a mile-long queue of parents and grandparents desperate to obtain their children’s academic reports. Parents claimed they were in the process of applying for fee exemptions but were never officially notified about

Google has kicked off its fifth annual Black-Owned Friday campaign in partnership with the U.S. Black Chambers, Inc. The initiative redefines Black Friday, urging shoppers to Search, Shop, and Support Black-owned businesses. It’s more than a shopping day, it’s a celebration of community, creativity, and resilience. Related Post: Google Pixel Watch 3 Review: The Biggest Google Watch Yet! What Is Black-Owned Friday? Google launched Black-Owned Friday five years ago to promote and support Black-owned businesses during the busiest shopping season of the year. The campaign encourages consumers to make intentional choices by spotlighting Black entrepreneurs who uplift their communities through innovation and craftsmanship. Moreover, tools like the ByBlack platform and Google’s Black-owned business attribute make it easier to discover and support these businesses year-round. A Star-Studded Campaign This year’s campaign film

Robin AI, a UK-based legal platform for businesses, has raised an additional $25M to expand its operations. The new capital reflects growing confidence in Robin’s AI-driven solutions, with clients like Cambridge University joining existing backers to support the company. Other investors who participated in the round include PayPal Ventures and AFG Partners. This latest cash injection follows Robin AI’s $26 million Series B round earlier this year alongside the launch of Robin Reports, a product designed to streamline complex legal processes. Robin AI is Turning Clients To Investors  Robin AI has quietly taken the global Fortune 500 by storm with its legal AI assistant. It has racked up 13 of the world’s largest companies and asset management firms as customers.  Speaking on the raise, Richard Robinson, Robin AI co-founder and

In January, Jon Bach got laid off as a director at eBay, where he had worked for 13 years. He loved his job, so he was disappointed. But he didn’t panic. The unemployment rate was near a five-decade low, and he had 30 years of experience in the tech industry. How hard could it be to find another job? Pretty hard, it turned out. After applying for 135 openings, Bach has received 91 nonresponses, 42 rejections, two callbacks — and zero offers. “I don’t know what’s going on,” he says. “I’ve been doing this for a minute, and I’ve proven my value. And then you apply to one place, two places, 10 places, 50 places, 135 places. And you go, ‘Am I the guy I think I am?'” By all

The move by the United States to open a Space Force office in Tokyo is seen by experts as a significant step in its security cooperation with Japan amid escalating concerns over China ’s space ambition. Japanese Defence Minister Gen Nakatani confirmed the plan for the launch in December of the Space Force headquarters at the US military’s Yokota Air Base, on the outskirts of Tokyo, when he met with US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin in Australia on Sunday, Jiji Press reported. Discussions on the new headquarters began in February with the office expected to have 10 Space Force personnel initially to handle communication and coordination with Japan’s Self-Defence Forces. The creation of the Space Force outpost in Japan follows the establishment of a similar unit at Osan Air Force

Thousands of attendees from across the globe descended on Cape Town, South Africa, for the annual Africa Tech Festival. Now in its 27th year, this year marked a record-breaking turnout, with over 15,000 attendees, 5,500 exhibitors, and 450 speakers from more than 100 countries. This three-day tech celebration at Cape Town International Convention Center was buzzing with innovation, energy, excitement, and action. Global leaders, entrepreneurs, policymakers, and tech enthusiasts came together from November 12th to the 14th to discuss the future of tech and innovation on the continent. Speakers at Africa Tech Festival held at Cape Town International Convention Center, 12-14 November 2024(photo credit: Greg Lumley) Africa Tech Fest: Africa’s Largest & Most Influential Tech Event The festival hosted five key events, including AfricaCom, AfricaTech, and the inaugural AI Summit

US president-elect Donald Trump has chosen Linda McMahon as education secretary, putting the former pro-wrestling mogul at the helm of a department Trump has proposed abolishing. “For the past four years, as the Chair of the Board at the America First Policy Institute (AFPI), Linda has been a fierce advocate for Parents’ Rights, working hard at both AFPI and America First Works (AFW) to achieve Universal School Choice in 12 States, giving children the opportunity to receive an excellent Education, regardless of zip code or income,” Trump said in a statement. Trump said she will fight “tirelessly” to expand universal school choice across the US. McMahon, who had been in the running for commerce secretary, headed the Small Business Administration in Trump’s first administration and was a major donor and

Eniola Shokunbi, a 12-year-old middle school student from Connecticut, has launched an ambitious project to improve the air quality in U.S. schools. The Connecticut State Bond Commission approved $11.5 million in funding for the initiative to create low-cost classroom air filters. From School Assignment To Witty Invention The project was conceived when Shokunbi, then a fifth grader at Commodore MacDonough STEM Academy in Middletown, was tasked with creating a solution to enhance school safety during potential future pandemics. She was motivated by better air quality to combat airborne viruses like COVID-19 and developed a simple yet effective air filter system. The air filter’s design combines creativity with affordability. It is made from a straightforward mix of materials: a box fan, four furnace filters, duct tape, and cardboard. Related Post: Teen

Environmental Experts Urge Stronger Enforcement of Plastic Waste Laws Environmentalists in Zambia have raised alarm over the ongoing lack of enforcement of key legislation aimed at reducing plastic waste in the country. The Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Statutory Instrument 65 of 2018, which bans plastics below 30 microns, has yet to see robust implementation, leaving the country at a significant environmental disadvantage. Experts argue that while the legislation was a step in the right direction, the failure to enforce it has led to the persistence of plastic pollution, which continues to threaten Zambia’s environment and public health. Eugene Kabilika, an environmental advocate and prominent figure in Zambia’s green movement, has been outspoken about the government’s failure to enforce the law. Kabilika has pointed out that despite the clear intentions behind