Twitter struggles to cope with moderation of rapid shifts in online conversation, it’s likely to worsen with Musk
Twitter’s discovery algorithm (which surfaces heavily discussed or shared messages on people’s timelines) “prioritises a very particular type of content”, says Renée DiResta, who studies social networks and misinformation at the Stanford Internet Observatory in California. “People who maybe don’t necessarily have an institutional credential, but are adept at commenting...
How Twitter new owner’s tyranny touched off migration from the platform, in turn hit science hard
In November, Vince Knight decided he’d had enough of Twitter. After more than a decade on the social-media platform, Knight – a mathematician at Cardiff University, UK – was concerned about the site’s direction under its new owner, entrepreneur Elon Musk, who began laying off vast numbers of staff shortly...
Senegalese shot-stopper cold on Chelsea’s six-year contract extension citing lack of ‘enough respect’
Edouard Mendy has snubbed a six-year contract offer – because Chelsea are not showing him enough “respect” over wages. The Senegalese keeper is back training with his club since last week after reaching the World Cup last 16 – but there is still no sign of an agreement. Mendy, 30,...
Brazilian soccer legend to spend Christmas in hospital after he seemed to lose battle with cancer
Brazilian soccer icon Pele’s health has worsened and he will spend Christmas in hospital as he continues to battle colon cancer. Pele, 82, has been battling colon cancer since September 2021 and was hospitalised on November 29 for doctors to re-evaluate his treatment. The Sao Paulo’s Albert Einstein Hospital released...
Bullish Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta confident he’ll get cover for injured striker Gabriel Jesus
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta says he has “other alternatives” to consider as he looks to deal with the “huge blow” of losing Gabriel Jesus to injury. The Gunners are in a brilliant position at the summit of the Premier League table, five points ahead of second-placed Manchester City. They will...
Relief and fright greet restoration of telephone services in war-ravaged Tigray region of Ethiopia
For a year and a half, phone calls to people trying to survive one of the world’s worst wars didn’t go through. Now, as phone lines start to be restored to parts of Ethiopia’s Tigray region after a fragile peace deal, some Tigrayans are relieved while others grieve. “I have...
London High Court gives British PM okay to deport immigrants to Rwanda, rights bodies oppose
Britain’s plan to send migrants to Rwanda is lawful, London’s High Court ruled on Monday, in a victory for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak who has made a high-stakes political promise to tackle the record number of migrants arriving in small boats. The policy, which was denounced by rights groups and...
Argentina airlifts Messi & Co by helicopter as four million adoring fans deemed risky to safety of World Cup winning team
Argentina’s World Cup heroes had to cut short their open-top bus victory parade and greet jubilant fans from the sky in helicopters after fans threw projectiles and tried to jump on the team’s bus. Lionel Messi and his fellow World Cup-winning players were transferred to helicopters after four million supporters...
Fifa plans World Cup every three years on the back of improved revenue after the Qatar fiesta
Fifa president Gianni Infantino wants to hold the World Cup every three years as part of a long-term plan to revolutionise international football. The commercial and sporting success of the tournament in Qatar has emboldened Infantino, who gave an indication of his grand ambitions last week by announcing that an...
New Covid infections on the sprint again China, it’s estimated it’ll kill over a million by next April
Up to one million people in China could die from Covid-19 over the next few months, according to some of the first projections since the government lifted many of its strict ‘zero-Covids-19’ measures. “There’s no doubt that China is in for a bad couple of months,” says James Wood, an...
