Kim, a 31-year-old office worker in Seoul, said she recently moved into a goshiwon near her workplace because she could not keep up with rising studio flat rents. Goshiwon are dormitory-style accommodation often used by students or low-wage workers who need minimal living space at low cost. They often have shared kitchen and bathroom facilities,…
AI chatbots haven’t come close to replacing teens’ social media habits, but they are playing a significant role in their online habits. Nearly one-third of US teens report using AI chatbots daily or more, according to a new report from Pew Research. The report is the first from Pew to specifically examine how often teens…
A 66-year-old Chinese restaurant owner in Japan has been arrested for stealing 30kg of fish bone waste worth 210 yen (US$1.4). On November 28, Japanese police charged the woman on suspicion of theft and trespass, while publishing the arrest footage showing her mask-wearing face and name. The woman, surnamed Wu, has been accused of breaking…
More than 230 groups including Food & Water Watch, Physicians for Social Responsibility, and Greenpeace are demanding a pause on the construction of any new data centers in the US until stronger regulations are in place to prevent soaring electricity rates, water use, and pollution. “The rapid, largely unregulated rise of data centers to fuel…
President Donald Trump’s ban on issuing new wind energy permits has been ruled “unlawful” by a US court. In January the president signed an executive order freezing federal approval of pending offshore and onshore wind permits, scrambling plans for many projects in the US that were already under way. Some 17 states and a New…
Liv McMahonTechnology reporter Google Google plans to launch smart glasses powered by artificial intelligence (AI) in 2026, after its previous high-profile attempt to enter the market ended in failure. The tech giant set expectations high in 2013 when it unveiled Google Glass, billed by some as the future of technology despite its odd appearance with…
A just-signed agreement aimed at ending the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo looked to be unravelling on Monday with the Congolese leader and Burundi slamming neighbouring Rwanda after the Rwanda-backed M23 armed group attacked border areas. DR Congo President Felix Tshisekedi accused Rwanda of “violating” the accord – signed only last Thursday in…
Starbucks workers and union members in England, Scotland and eight other countries are set to protest on Wednesday in support of striking US employees, the company’s US union told the BBC. Starbucks Workers United last month launched a strike, which the union said has expanded to 3,000 baristas in more than 100 US cities. Workers…
Chinese naval vessels have intensified pass-through operations as tensions between Beijing and Tokyo continue to rise. Japan’s defence ministry said on Tuesday that a PLA Navy Type 054 destroyer had sailed southeastwards between Okinawa Island and Miyako Island, heading towards the Pacific Ocean, while another travelled eastwards through the Osumi Strait. The operations on Monday…
