Alan Lorenz, Author at Zoom News

Timer for TikTok Teens: Need Code for App After an Hour

1Mar

By Alan LorenzNo Comments

News, Technology

Timer for TikTok Teens: Need Code for App After an Hour

Teenagers on TikTok receive a warning if they spend more than an hour on social media daily. A special timer locks the app after 60 minutes. In addition, users under 18 can only continue browsing after entering a PIN code. The adjustment will take effect in the coming weeks. The minimum age for TikTok is 13 years old. With the adjustment, the social medium wants to respond to criticism that it is too addictive for young people. The young users must actively choose whether to continue watching by entering a pin code. TikTok will also send weekly overviews to teenagers, showing their total screen time. The app also advises teenagers to set a timer of 100 minutes if they find 60 minutes too little. Parents or guardians with a linked profile can also set their children's screen ti...

Heavy Snowfall Causes Traffic Chaos in Croatia

27Feb

By Alan LorenzNo Comments

Croatia, News

Heavy Snowfall Causes Traffic Chaos in Croatia

In Croatia, a winter prick caused major traffic chaos on Sunday evening. Due to persistent snowfall, the coastal region of Dalmatia is cut off from the interior. This is reported by the news portal index.hr. Wind gusts of up to 150 kilometres per hour have been recorded. Rescue teams had to go out repeatedly to free trapped motorists. As a result, many travellers were stuck on the stretch between the capital Zagreb and the Dalmatian coast. They sought shelter in overcrowded gas stations and/or spent the night in their vehicles.

Record Number of UK Businesses Started by Women by 2022

22Feb

By Alan LorenzNo Comments

Business, News, UK

Record Number of UK Businesses Started by Women by 2022

A record number of UK businesses were started by women last year. Research by the Scottish bank and insurance company NatWest Group shows that 151,600 companies were added last year with an all-female board. This is one in five newly established companies in the UK. The number of UK businesses founded by women in a year has more than doubled since 2018. That year, over 56,000 businesses were started by women. By 2021, some 145,000 new businesses in the UK will be founded by women. The largest increase was seen among girls and women aged 16 to 25. NatWest CEO Alison Rose told the Financial Times that female entrepreneurs want to capitalize on the tough economic times and go their own way.

Mauritius and Madagascar are Preparing for Tropical Cyclone Freddy

20Feb

By Alan LorenzNo Comments

Africa, Madagascar, Mauritius, News

Mauritius and Madagascar are Preparing for Tropical Cyclone Freddy

The island of Mauritius, located in the Indian Ocean, is preparing for the arrival of Tropical Cyclone Freddy. As a result, the Mauritius Meteorological Service (MMS) has issued a class 3 cyclone warning, which indicates wind gusts of up to 300 kilometres per hour are expected. As a precaution, the international airport is closed. After that, the cyclone is also expected in Madagascar. The government of the island of Mauritius warns the population of the arrival of tropical cyclone Freddy. "Freddy is a powerful cyclone," said Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth. That is why the Mauritius Meteorological Service (MMS) has issued a class 3 cyclone warning. Wind gusts of up to 300 kilometres per hour are expected. Flooding is also possible. Mauritius is taking the necessary precaution...

Scottish Prime Minister Nicola Sturgeon Resigns

15Feb

By Alan LorenzNo Comments

News, Scotland

Scottish Prime Minister Nicola Sturgeon Resigns

Nicola Sturgeon (52) is stepping down as Prime Minister of Scotland, reports the British broadcaster BBC. She will most likely announce the news at a press conference in the Scottish capital Edinburgh. It is still unclear when Sturgeon will step down and why. Moreover, it is not yet known who will succeed her. At 11 a.m. local time, she will address the press from her official residence in Edinburgh. Sturgeon has been Prime Minister for the Scottish National Party (SNP), a left-wing nationalist independence party, since November 2014. In that position, she succeeded Alex Salmond, who resigned after a majority of Scots voted against independence in a referendum. Sturgeon has made a new referendum her top priority since Brexit. She is now Scotland's longest-serving Prime Ministe...

13Feb

By Alan LorenzNo Comments

Business, News, Technology

Fired from GitHub and GitLab

Both GitHub and competitor GitLab are putting people on the street. GitHub even wants to do without offices in the future. GitLab wants to cut 7 percent of its workforce. The company does not give an exact figure, but according to CNBC, it concerns about 130 people. Techcrunch puts it at 114 people, based on stock exchange documents that speak of 1,630 employees in total. At the same time, GitHub, now a Microsoft subsidiary, also comes with plans for dismissal. Here ten percent of the people have to leave in the course of this year. Again, no exact number is mentioned, but Microsoft blogger Paul Thurrott speaks of a total workforce of three thousand people, which translates to 300 redundancies. GitHub currently has offices in San Francisco and Amsterdam, which will close in du...

Hundreds of Angry Farmers are Driving Through Paris in Tractors

8Feb

By Alan LorenzNo Comments

Europe, France, News

Hundreds of Angry Farmers are Driving Through Paris in Tractors

On Wednesday, hundreds of farmers travelled through the French capital Paris with their tractors. They argue against “restrictions” imposed on them, for example, in the use of pesticides. Following a ruling by the European Court of Justice, a government decision last month to ban the use of certain pesticides in beet cultivation led to the action. French farmers have also been complaining for months that they are faced with higher costs or that they want to be able to store water to irrigate their crops. The peasant protest went right through Paris, accompanied by the police. Agriculture Minister Marc Fesneau has received a delegation of protesting farmers. He wants to discuss support with the beet sector on Thursday. It had been November 2019 since another demonstration of...

Ukraine Proposes to Send Large Number of Rescue Workers to Turkey

6Feb

By Alan LorenzNo Comments

News, Turkey, Ukraine

Ukraine Proposes to Send Large Number of Rescue Workers to Turkey

Ukraine is ready to send "a large number of rescue workers" to Turkey to help search for victims of the deadly earthquake. That's what it said on Monday. "Ukraine is ready to send many rescue workers to Turkey to deal with the crisis. We are working carefully with the Turkish side to synchronize their efforts," Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kouleba said on Twitter. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zekensky also expressed his condolences to Turkey this morning via Twitter. He also said he is ready "to provide the necessary assistance". That statement of support has now been made concrete by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Palestinian Militants and Israeli Army Fire Rockets From and to Gaza Strip Again

2Feb

By Alan LorenzNo Comments

Gaza Strip, Israel, News, Palestine

Palestinian Militants and Israeli Army Fire Rockets From and to Gaza Strip Again

The Israeli army carried out several airstrikes on the Gaza Strip last night. They were in response to a rocket that Palestinian militants fired into Israel from Gaza last night. No injuries were reported in the new outbreak of violence, the umpteenth in recent weeks. According to the Israeli army, several buildings in the Gaza Strip where rockets were produced were attacked last night. Those production lines would be in the hands of Hamas, the Palestinian Islamist militant movement that controls the Gaza Strip. News agencies reported several powerful explosions, and the impacts lighted up the night sky. However, there would have been no injuries. Last night's Israeli airstrikes were in response to a rocket fired at Israel from Gaza. The Israeli anti-aircraft system was able t...

New Postponement Threatens Corruption Trial Against Former South African President Jacob Zuma

30Jan

By Alan LorenzNo Comments

News, South Africa

New Postponement Threatens Corruption Trial Against Former South African President Jacob Zuma

The corruption trial against South African ex-president Jacob Zuma risks being delayed again. Judge Piet Koen announced on Monday that he is withdrawing, which means the trial may have to start again. The now 80-year-old Zuma has been on trial since May 2021 for the bribe he allegedly accepted from the French defence company Thales over 20 years ago. "Good justice, the constitution and my conscience dictate that I withdraw," Koen said during a session from Pietermaritzburg, broadcast live on TV. Zuma did not attend the hearing. Zuma must answer for fraud, corruption and extortion, among other things. However, in recent years, the former president has done everything he can to delay the process, and once the process has started, various delaying manoeuvres have been launched. ...