A cyberattack has affected computers at hospitals in multiple states, forcing some emergency rooms to close and ambulances to be diverted

Spanish league clubs that voluntarily give broadcasters more access to players and coaches will earn more in television rights this season

What should you do when the air outside contains dangerous levels of pollution? Stay indoors if you can.

There is no evidence to suggest using Facebook is detrimental to wellbeing, Oxford scientists have said, challenging the view that the social media platform is linked to psychological harm. Researchers from the University’s Oxford Internet Institute analysed data from nearly a million people across 72 countries over 12 years – in the largest study of its kind – to understand more about the impact of Facebook on wellbeing. Professor Andrew Przybylski, who co-led the research published in the journal Royal Society Open Science, said: “We examined the best available data carefully – and found they did not support the idea that Facebook membership is related to harm – quite the opposite. “In fact, our analysis indicates Facebook is possibly related to positive well-being.” The research looked at Facebook data from 2008 to 2019, going back to when the platform was in its early stages. “We examined 72 countries’ per capita active Facebook users in males and females in two age brackets, 13-34 years and 35+ years,” the researchers said. The results also showed the association between using Facebook and wellbeing was slightly more positive for males as well as for younger people. Writing in the research paper, the authors said: “Although reports of negative psychological outcomes associated with social media are common in academic and popular writing, evidence for harms is, on balance, more speculative than conclusive.” Professor Matti Vuorre, also of the Oxford Internet Institute, who co-led the study, said: “Our findings should help guide the debate surrounding social media towards more empirical research foundations. “We need more transparent collaborative research between independent scientists and the technology industry to better determine how, when and why modern online platforms might be affecting their users.” Commenting on the study, Peter Etchells, professor of psychology and science communication at Bath Spa University, said: “This is a fascinating study that attempts to link Facebook uptake with measures of mental wellbeing in a broad-strokes manner, using data from over 70 countries. “Contrary to popular sentiment, the researchers didn’t find a negative association between the two; instead, it was generally the case that there were positive associations between country-level Facebook uptake and mental wellbeing. “To my mind, the value in this study lies in proof of principle – it demonstrates that it’s possible to leverage industry data to address meaningful questions about how digital technology interacts with our mental health.” But Prof Etchells said there were some caveats associated with the findings – which the study authors have addressed. He said: “This is a descriptive study, and as such cannot tell us anything about causation – that is, we don’t know how, if, or to what extent, changes in Facebook adoption drive changes in mental wellbeing. “Wellbeing is a complex phenomenon, and even in the context of social media use, we need to be careful drawing any firm conclusions by looking at how people use a single platform such as Facebook.” Read More Move fast and beat Musk: The inside story of how Meta built Threads Japan's tech investor SoftBank trims losses and promises offensive turnaround Chatbots sometimes make things up. Not everyone thinks AI's hallucination problem is fixable Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live

Apple has been forced to halt sales of its iPhone 12 in France after a watchdog claimed the device emits too much radiation. The smartphone, which was first released in 2020, has a Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) that is above the legal limit, according to France’s National Frequency Agency (ANFR), which oversees radio-electric frequencies as well as public exposure to electromagnetic radiation. The agency tested 141 phones and found that the iPhone 12 was more than 40 per cent above the legal limit for SAR. The ANFR called on Apple in a statement on Tuesday to “implement all available means to rapidly fix this malfunction.” Corrective updates to the iPhone 12 will be monitored by the agency, according to the statement. If they don’t work, “Apple will have to recall” phones that were already sold, it said. The agency consistently tests devices for waves capable of being absorbed by the human body, measuring against the European Union standard of 4 watts per kilogram. The ANFR said the iPhone 12 met the required threshold when radiation levels were assessed for a phone kept in a jacket or in a bag. The Independent has reached out to Apple for comment. Jean-Noel Barrot, France’s junior minister for digital economy, told Le Parisien newspaper on Tuesday that the ANFR’s data would be shared with other EU member states, which he warned could have a “snowball effect” on Apple. “Apple is expected to respond within two weeks,” he said. “If they fail to do so, I am prepared to order a recall of all iPhones 12 in circulation. The rule is the same for everyone, including the digital giants.” The ANFR’s announcement came on the launch day of Apple’s latest iPhone 15, which saw the whole 12 series of iPhones discontinued. This means any ban is unlikely to have a significant impact on Apple’s phone sales, however a recall could prove damaging depending on the scale. Additional reporting by agencies Read More All the key announcements from Apple’s iPhone 15 event Why Apple getting rid of lightning cable iPhone charger is a big deal Here’s the brand new Apple Watch Apple to stop using leather in all new products

JACKSONVILLE, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jul 19, 2023--

Bad news for banana lovers – scientists have warned that the fruit could face extinction, after a fungal disease outbreak. Crops of the Cavendish banana have been hit by an infection called Panama disease, with those in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Australia and central America particularly badly affected. The disease, which is also known as banana wilt, starts in the roots of the banana tree and then spreads through its vascular system. Ultimately, it stops the plant from absorbing water or carrying out photosynthesis, eventually killing the tree. For Cavendish banana growers, it could spell disaster. While there are more than 1,000 varieties of bananas, about 47 per cent that humans eat are Cavendish. Cavendish has historically dominated the global banana market since the 1950s, partly because of its resistance to the main banana-killing diseases. It also has a long shelf life, making it more attractive for international import and export, and the plant also produces more bananas than other varieties on the same amount of land. Part of the reason scientists think it could be endangered is because of what happened to another popular banana variety called the Gros Michel. Gros Michel was the main export banana in the early 20th century, but was practically wiped out by a predecessor disease to the one hitting Cavendishes now. The first infections of Gros Michel farms began in the late 19th century and took several decades to affect production to the point where growers were looking for a new variety to sell. Cavendish, meanwhile, was first hit by the current strain of Panama disease in 1997, and it has now spread across several continents. However, scientists are working on a genetically modified version of the banana to fight to infection. James Dale, a professor and leader of the banana biotechnology program at Queensland University of Technology, is working on the project. He told Insider: “The disease moves slowly, so we have at least a decade before the impact is drastic.” “I would say with certainty that there will be a solution before the export market for Cavendish is severely affected.” Let’s hope he’s right. How to join the indy100's free WhatsApp channel Sign up to our free Indy100 weekly newsletter Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

The UK plans to announce its support for a new fund that helps vulnerable countries cope with the

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IShowSpeed called his father, Darren Watkins Sr, during a recent livestream and promoted his YouTube channel, 'DaddySpeed'

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DANBURY, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jul 10, 2023--