Wednesday, March 30, 2016

Global Development and the Internet of Things | Wait... What?

Global Development and the Internet of Things | Wait... What?: "Why does IoT matter for Global Development?

Price points for sensors are going down very quickly and wireless networks are steadily expanding — not just wifi but macro cellular technologies. According to one lead discussant, 95% of the world is covered by 2G and two-thirds by 3G networks. Alongside that is a plethora of technology that is wide range and low tech. This means that all kinds of data, all over the world, are going to be available in massive quantities through the IoT. Some are excited about this because of how data can be used to track global development indicators, for example, the type of data being sought to measure the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Others are concerned about the impact of data collected via the IoT on privacy."



'via Blog this'

Tuesday, March 29, 2016

California raises minimum wage to $15 an hour

California raises minimum wage to $15 an hour: "The increase will boost the wages of about 6.5 million California residents, or 43% of the state’s workforce, who earn less than $15, according to worker group Fight for $15. The proposal had been headed to a statewide referendum. It's now expected to be approved by the state assembly."



'via Blog this'

Friday, March 25, 2016

What listening to 119 startup pitches over two days taught me about Silicon Valley’s ‘frivolous’ apps stereotype - Business Insider

What listening to 119 startup pitches over two days taught me about Silicon Valley’s ‘frivolous’ apps stereotype - Business Insider: "The tech industry is sometimes lambasted for making frivolous apps — do we really need a dating app for bacon lovers?  But that’s not all the next crop of entrepreneurs are working on. 

In fact, during a marathon, two-day session of startup pitches in Silicon Valley, I got a first-hand look at how ambitious,  potentially-impactful and “serious” the next batch of tech startups are.

“Food, housing, healthcare, transportation. Life essentials made better and more affordable,” said Y Combinator partner Paul Buchheit to kick off the second day of presentations at the firm’s semi-annual event showcasing its latest batch of startups."



'via Blog this'

As Silicon Valley chills, Europe’s tech gets hotter | TechCrunch

As Silicon Valley chills, Europe’s tech gets hotter | TechCrunch: "We are accustomed to hearing that European tech is perpetually in Silicon Valley’s shadow. Now there have been suggestions that the local tech scene is starting to feel Silicon Valley’s valuation woes.

If true, this should raise alarm bells, because if European technology startups struggle to raise money from wary investors, it could hit the brakes on Europe’s budding digital economy just as the EU begins ramping up its tech industry, preparing for a digital single market."



'via Blog this'

Karadzic convicted of genocide, gets 40-year sentence | Nation | stltoday.com

Karadzic convicted of genocide, gets 40-year sentence | Nation | stltoday.com: "THE HAGUE, Netherlands • A U.N. court convicted former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic of genocide and nine other charges Thursday and sentenced him to 40 years in prison for orchestrating Serb atrocities throughout Bosnia’s 1992-95 war that left 100,000 people dead.

As he sat down after hearing his sentence, Karadzic slumped slightly in his chair, but showed little emotion. He plans to appeal the convictions.

The U.N. court found Karadzic guilty of genocide in the 1995 Srebrenica massacre in which 8,000 Muslim men and boys were slaughtered in Europe’s worst mass murder since the Holocaust."



'via Blog this'

Wednesday, March 23, 2016

New Mapping Project Uses Volunteers With Smartphones To Map The Unmapped Streets Of Dar Es Salaam : Goats and Soda : NPR

New Mapping Project Uses Volunteers With Smartphones To Map The Unmapped Streets Of Dar Es Salaam : Goats and Soda : NPR: "A joint effort between the World Bank and Swedish startup Mapillary — aims to change that.

"Dar es Salaam has really poor map data," says Jan Erik Solem, CEO of Mapillary. "The reason is that the mapping companies need people on the ground or in the local area to create the actual map."

These missing maps make it next to impossible to track traffic congestion, to effectively deploy resources to poverty-stricken communities and to build public transportation systems.

And without detailed maps, it's harder for cities to prevent, and recover, from natural disasters."



'via Blog this'

3 books on complexity & development | From Poverty to Power

3 books on complexity & development | From Poverty to Power: "In the last few years, complexity thinking has found its way into general development discourse. Anyone reading this blog or others has likely encountered some of the terminology, even if the technical pieces remain elusive to you. Ready to go deeper than the blogs? Time to read a book.

Fortunately, the last few years have also given the development sector three relevant books: Ben Ramalingam’s Aid on the Edge of Chaos; Jean Boulton, Peter Allen, and Cliff Bowman’s Embracing Complexity; and Danny Burns and Stuart Worsley’s Navigating Complexity in International Development."



'via Blog this'

To end poverty, put science at the heart of development | Sue Desmond-Hellmann and Nick Hurd | Global development | The Guardian

To end poverty, put science at the heart of development | Sue Desmond-Hellmann and Nick Hurd | Global development | The Guardian: "We want to end extreme poverty.

If you’re reading this, we’re pretty sure that you do as well. You will probably already know about the enormous progress being made – that between 1990 and 2015, the global under-five death rate, the malaria death rate, and the number of people living in extreme poverty all halved.

If we are going to end extreme poverty, it’s going to take more than additional funds or deeper commitment, however. We are going to have to put science at the heart of international development.

That’s why the Department for International Development (DfID) and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation have signed a partnership aimed at using research, technological innovation and knowledge-sharing to transform the lives of the poorest people."



'via Blog this'

Syrian Refugee Children Reveal Their Emotions In Drawings They Made At A Train Station In Italy : Goats and Soda : NPR

Syrian Refugee Children Reveal Their Emotions In Drawings They Made At A Train Station In Italy : Goats and Soda : NPR: "Syrian kids who passed through Milan's Central Station last year did something very Italian: create artwork. While they waited for trains to take them to northern Europe, Save the Children offered them a chance to draw. They could depict whatever they wanted, says psychologist Vittoria Ardino, president of the Italian Society for the Study of Traumatic Stress, who analyzed 500 of these images.

There's a lot that can be learned from children's art. "It's one of the most effective tools to help them be understood by adults," Ardino says. Even if children are not yet able to express their emotions in words, they can put those feelings into figures and shapes. Their pictures reveal how they see themselves and their connections with others, Ardino adds."



'via Blog this'

It’s Not Just Poverty | Inter Press Service

It’s Not Just Poverty | Inter Press Service: "Mar 20 2016 (The Daily Star, Bangladesh) - You give dowry and I receive it, why are you bringing government into this?”said a woman in a village in Rangpur district during a discussion on women’s status. I had the opportunity to facilitate the session, and have thought of this many times since hearing several years ago. The comment reminds me that it is extremely challenging to get rid of a harmful practice if it is socially accepted, even when it is prohibited legally. Law is important, but not enough to bring social change.

Recently there have been several discussions about child marriage, since there were reports that the government might lower the minimum age of marriage for girls. Like many others, I strongly believe that the minimum age of marriage for girls must remain 18 years, and any move to change this is a serious violation of child rights. But today’s article is not about this. I would like to reflect on why the rate of child marriage (64 percent) is so high in Bangladesh, even when we have the Child Marriage Restraint Act of 1929."



'via Blog this'

It’s a #SuperSunday in Africa, with elections being held in Benin, Cape Verde, Congo, Niger, Senegal and Zanzibar - The Washington Post

It’s a #SuperSunday in Africa, with elections being held in Benin, Cape Verde, Congo, Niger, Senegal and Zanzibar - The Washington Post: "Election watchers have deemed today a #SuperSunday in Africa, where people are voting in elections in Benin, Cape Verde, Congo-Brazzaville, Niger, Senegal and Zanzibar. To be more exact: Benin and Niger are holding run-off presidential elections; the poll in the Republic of Congo (Congo-Brazzaville) is a first-round (and probably only-round) presidential election; Cape Verde’s poll is a parliamentary election; Zanzibar’s election is due to an annulment of an earlier poll; and Senegalese are voting on a referendum. "



'via Blog this'

Three Female Judges Just Made History By Convicting a Commander for Rapes Committed by His Troops | UN Dispatch

Three Female Judges Just Made History By Convicting a Commander for Rapes Committed by His Troops | UN Dispatch: "Today the International Criminal Court reached an historic decision, finding former Congolese vice president Jean-Pierre Bemba guilty of murder, rape and pillaging during the 2002 – 2003 conflict in the Central African Republic. This decision is historic for two big reasons. First, it marks the the first time the ICC has found a commander guilty for actions committed by his troops. They did so under the theory of “command responsibility,” making a leader criminally liable for the crimes committed by his troops. Perhaps even more significantly, this verdict marks the first ICC conviction for rape and gender based violence.  In other words, a commander was just held criminally liable for the rapes committed by his troops. 

The unanimous decision by the Trial Chamber marks a significant step forward for the ICC in breaking new ground in international law. But it also highlights how important the diversity of jurists is in holding leaders responsible for their crimes. Three justices, all women, presided over the trial and rendered the precedent-setting verdict. That may have made a difference. "



'via Blog this'

'Living in hell': mentally ill people in Indonesia chained and confined | Global development | The Guardian

'Living in hell': mentally ill people in Indonesia chained and confined | Global development | The Guardian: "Almost 40 years after Indonesia banned the practice of shackling people with mental health conditions, nearly 19,000 are still living in chains, or are locked up in institutions where they are vulnerable to abuse, according to a new report from Human Rights Watch (HRW).

The study says that although pasung – shackling or confining people with psychosocial disabilities – was banned in 1977, enduring stigma and a chronic lack of mental health care and community support services mean its use remains widespread.

People subjected to pasung can have their ankles bound with chains or wooden stocks for hours, days, months or even years. They are often kept outside, naked and unable to wash."



'via Blog this'

Israel-Syria Border Quiets as Humanitarian Aid Increases

Israel-Syria Border Quiets as Humanitarian Aid Increases: "Medical aid across the border

The medical treatment given them and more than 2,100 other Syrians in recent years is one of the reasons why Israel's border with Syria became so quiet.

" For months there has been no cross-border fire," the Israel Defense Forces Deputy Chief of General Staff Major General Yair Golan told VOA."



'via Blog this'

Benin Prime Minister Zinsou concedes defeat in presidential elections | Top News | Reuters

Benin Prime Minister Zinsou concedes defeat in presidential elections | Top News | Reuters: "COTONOU (Reuters) - Benin Prime Minister Lionel Zinsou on Monday conceded defeat to businessman Patrice Talon in presidential elections.

"I called Patrice Talon tonight to congratulate him on his victory and wish him luck," Zinsou said in a statement on his Facebook page."



'via Blog this'

Cape Verde opposition wins back parliament | Top News | Reuters

Cape Verde opposition wins back parliament | Top News | Reuters: "PRAIA (Reuters) - Cape Verde' main opposition Movement for Democracy (MpD) party won parliamentary elections, results showed overnight, taking back power after 15 years.

With almost all votes counted from Sunday's poll, MpD had 53.7 percent, versus 37 percent for the former ruling African Party for the Independence of Cape Verde (PAICV).

The West African archipelago, 570 km (350 miles) off Senegal, has avoided the coups and civil wars plaguing its neighbours on the mainland.

But PAICV has come under attack for running up the public debt on expensive infrastructure projects and failing to tackle rampant youth unemployment.

PAICV has controlled parliament for the past decade and a half, but struggled in municipal elections in 2012.

A presidential election is due to be held later this year though the date has not been fixed."



'via Blog this'

Congo ex-vice president guilty in landmark ICC war rape ruling | Reuters

Congo ex-vice president guilty in landmark ICC war rape ruling | Reuters: "Democratic Republic of Congo's Jean-Pierre Bemba became the highest-ranking politician convicted by the international war crimes court on Monday, when it judged him responsible for a campaign of rape and murder in Central African Republic.

Bemba, who served as vice president from 2003 to 2006, failed to discipline or restrain his Movement for the Liberation of Congo (MLC) soldiers as they rampaged through the neighboring country in 2002 and 2003, the International Criminal Court's presiding judge, Sylvia Steiner, said.

The case is the first in which the ICC has found a high official directly responsible for the crimes of his subordinates, as well as the first to focus primarily on crimes of sexual violence committed in war."



'via Blog this'

Gunmen attack EU military mission HQ in Mali; one attacker killed | Reuters

Gunmen attack EU military mission HQ in Mali; one attacker killed | Reuters: "Gunmen on Monday attacked a hotel in Mali's capital, Bamako, that had been converted into the headquarters of a European Union military training operation, but there no casualties among the mission's personnel.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack, which began at around 6:30 p.m. local time (1830 GMT), but Mali and neighboring West African countries have increasingly been the target of Islamist militants, some of them affiliated with al Qaeda.

One of the assailants was killed and two suspects were arrested and were being interrogated, the country's internal security minister said.

A witness said the attack targeted Bamako's Nord-Sud Hotel, headquarters for the mission of nearly 600 EU personnel deployed to Mali to train its security forces."



'via Blog this'

We can't pay: Zimbabwe farmers resist compensating evicted white landowners | Top News | Reuters

We can't pay: Zimbabwe farmers resist compensating evicted white landowners | Top News | Reuters: "HARARE (Reuters) - Zimbabwe's plan to win back international funding by paying compensation to white farmers forced off their land faces a major snag: the black farmers expected to stump up the cash say they don't have it.

The new occupants working the land, many of who had few farming skills when they were resettled, say they can barely make ends meet, let alone pay an extra levy.

Their agricultural output is a fraction of the level seen before 2000, when President Robert Mugabe - saying he sought to correct colonial injustices - introduced land reforms which led to thousands of experienced white farmers being evicted.

They are also being hammered by Zimbabwe's worst drought in a quarter of a century and toiling under a stagnating economy that has seen banks reluctant to lend and cheaper food imports from the likes of South Africa undermining their businesses.

"Are farmers able to pay? I will say no. Is the land being productive? I will say no again," said Victor Matemadanda, secretary general of a group representing war veterans who led the land seizure drive in 2000 and are now farmers."



'via Blog this'

Liberia closes border with Ebola-hit Guinea | Top News | Reuters

Liberia closes border with Ebola-hit Guinea | Top News | Reuters: "MONROVIA (Reuters) - Liberia closed its border with Guinea on Tuesday as a precaution against Ebola following at least four deaths from the virus in Guinea, Information Minister Lenn Eugene Nangbe told Reuters"



'via Blog this'

Monday, March 14, 2016

16 Killed in Terrorist Attack on Resort Hotels in Ivory Coast - The New York Times

16 Killed in Terrorist Attack on Resort Hotels in Ivory Coast - The New York Times: "ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast — Gunmen opened fire on picnickers and swimmers enjoying a perfect day at three beach resort hotels near the Ivory Coast’s capital on Sunday, killing 16 people and leaving bodies strewn across the bloodstained sand. It was the third major attack in West Africa since November, and verified fears that the spread of terrorism across the region was far from over.

The attack, on the first sunny Sunday in weeks, took place in Grand-Bassam, a popular palm tree-lined getaway for Ivorians and foreigners. Fourteen civilians and two members of the country’s special forces were killed, as well as six gunmen, according to a spokeswoman for the president."



'via Blog this'

Friday, March 11, 2016

Toms Shoes Is A Hit At The Oscars But Does Its Shoe Giveaway To Poor Countries Hit The Mark? : Goats and Soda : NPR

Toms Shoes Is A Hit At The Oscars But Does Its Shoe Giveaway To Poor Countries Hit The Mark? : Goats and Soda : NPR: "More than anything, I wanted to know whether giving away free shoes was indeed good aid. Mycoskie contended that there were millions of children around the world who had no shoes. If that were true, then I was pretty sure those kids had other needs more pressing than shoes. At the time, the company was doling out canvas slip-ons made in factories in China, Argentina and Ethiopia, which may have helped the economies in those countries but did nothing for local industries where most of the shoes were distributed. In short, I wanted to know whether Toms was really "doing good."

My conclusion: not really."



'via Blog this'

Africanews | Senegal: Harnessing the potential of Africa’s halal businesses

Africanews | Senegal: Harnessing the potential of Africa’s halal businesses: "Senegal’s Prime Minister Mohammed Abdullah Dione said “the halal market offers new opportunities.”

The halal market he noted, has become a global market with growth potential that must meet the needs of about 1.6 billion Muslims in the world.

According to Morocco’s Foreign Trade Minister, Mohammed Abbou, “the Halal sector has become a market, first for Africa, and then the Asia pacific countries. As you know, the North African countries are predominantly Muslim. And in the ECOWAS region, two-thirds of the population of 300 million is made up of Muslims. So this is a very important potential market for Africa.”"



'via Blog this'

Rise in use of contraception offers hope for containing global population | Global development | The Guardian

Rise in use of contraception offers hope for containing global population | Global development | The Guardian: "The latest figures by the UN show more women than ever now use family planning, with some poorer regions recording the fastest pace of growth since 2000.



 In 2015, an estimated 64% of married women, or women living with a partner, aged between 15 and 49, were using modern or traditional forms of family planning. In 1970, the rate was 36%.


Contraception and family planning around the world – interactive
Read more



The population division of the UN’s Department of Economic and Social Affairs (Undesa) predicts high rates of contraceptive use in Africa over the next 15 years; a region with the largest demand but least access to modern contraceptives.



 Undesa’s projections for global population range between 8 billion and 9 billion by 2030.



 “The UN projections of population growth already give us an idea of the impact that increased access to family planning could have. If by 2030 the average family size is just one child fewer, then by 2030 the world population is estimated to be approximately 8 billion rather than 9 billion,” said Jagdish Upadhyay, head of reproductive health commodity security and family planning at the UN population fund (UNFPA)."



'via Blog this'

Europe finds no delight in Turkish deal – POLITICO

Europe finds no delight in Turkish deal – POLITICO: "Under the proposed framework hashed out between the EU and Turkey at a special summit Monday, Europe would double financial assistance to help Turkey cope with the refugee crisis to €6 billion. More controversial: Brussels would accelerate Turkey’s EU membership negotiations and drop visa restrictions for all Turks traveling to the EU.

In return, Turkey would agree to take back all refugees who arrive in Greece illegally. For every Syrian sent back to Turkey, the EU would accept one Syrian from Turkey.

The aim of the strategy would be to dissuade Syrians from trying to reach Greece in the first place. Any Syrian who traveled to Greece illegally and was sent back to Turkey would end up at the back of the queue for legal entry."



'via Blog this'

California To Permit Medically Assisted Suicide As Of June 9 : Shots - Health News : NPR

California To Permit Medically Assisted Suicide As Of June 9 : Shots - Health News : NPR: "California Gov. Jerry Brown signed landmark legislation last October that would allow terminally ill people to request life-ending medication from their physicians.

But no one knew when the law would take effect, because of the unusual way in which the law was passed — in a legislative "extraordinary session" called by Brown. The bill could not go into effect until 90 days after that session adjourned.

The session closed Thursday, which means the End of Life Option Act will go into effect June 9."



'via Blog this'

Why Canada embraces Syrian refugees, while US is still wary - CSMonitor.com

Why Canada embraces Syrian refugees, while US is still wary - CSMonitor.com: "But behind that campaign pledge was something deeper, a national ethic and tradition of welcoming the victims of the world's conflicts that contrasted sharply with the much more modest goals and contradictory – and even vociferously negative – responses to Syrian refugees in the United States."



'via Blog this'

With U.S. Aid, Senegal Readies to Repel Terrorists - WSJ

With U.S. Aid, Senegal Readies to Repel Terrorists - WSJ: "The ambush, supervised by U.S. trainers, was an exercise, part of last month’s Flintlock antiterrorism war games that U.S. Special Operations Command and its Western and regional partners conduct in Africa every year. But the scenario was down to the bone realistic: In recent months, Islamist militants have stormed international hotels in the capitals of nearby Mali and Burkina Faso, killing dozens of people in each attack.

This means that African countries untouched by international terrorism are increasingly worried that they, too, will be targeted soon."



'via Blog this'

California votes to raise smoking age to 21: Has it worked in other places? - CSMonitor.com

California votes to raise smoking age to 21: Has it worked in other places? - CSMonitor.com: "The California Senate’s vote to make it illegal to sell tobacco to anyone under age 21 could mark the beginning of a visible shift in US policy on tobacco use, public health researchers say.

The vote – part of a broader package of antismoking measures placed before the Senate on Thursday – puts California a step away from becoming the second state after Hawaii to implement the policy. It heads next for Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown's desk, who does not comment on pending legislation."



'via Blog this'

Thursday, March 3, 2016

Mitt Romney and John McCain Denounce Donald Trump as a Danger to Democracy - First Draft. Political News, Now. - The New York Times

Mitt Romney and John McCain Denounce Donald Trump as a Danger to Democracy - First Draft. Political News, Now. - The New York Times: "In an extraordinary public rebuke of Donald J. Trump’s campaign, Mitt Romney and John McCain, the last two Republican presidential nominees, denounced Mr. Trump in forceful terms on Thursday and warned that his election could put the United States and even its democratic political system in peril.



 Offering himself as a bulwark against Mr. Trump’s march to the nomination, Mr. Romney laid out a precise and lengthy case against Mr. Trump, lacerating his business dealings, his erratic pronouncements on national security and demeaning treatment of women, minorities and the disabled.



 Mr. Romney warned that Mr. Trump’s nomination would be calamitous for the Republican Party and, quoting John Adams, even suggested it could be suicidal for the country."



'via Blog this'

Wednesday, March 2, 2016

The Problem With Evidence-Based Policies by Ricardo Hausmann - Project Syndicate

The Problem With Evidence-Based Policies by Ricardo Hausmann - Project Syndicate: "In economics, RCTs have been all the rage, especially in the field of international development, despite critiques by the Nobel laureate Angus Deaton, Lant Pritchett, and Dani Rodrik, who have attacked the inflated claims of RCT’s proponents. One serious shortcoming is external validity. Lessons travel poorly: If an RCT finds out that giving micronutrients to children in Guatemala improves their learning, should you give micronutrients to Norwegian children?



My main problem with RCTs is that they make us think about interventions, policies, and organizations in the wrong way. As opposed to the two or three designs that get tested slowly by RCTs (like putting tablets or flipcharts in schools), most social interventions have millions of design possibilities and outcomes depend on complex combinations between them. This leads to what the complexity scientist Stuart Kauffman calls a “rugged fitness landscape.”



Getting the right combination of parameters is critical. This requires that organizations implement evolutionary strategies that are based on trying things out and learning quickly about performance through rapid feedback loops, as suggested by Matt Andrews, Lant Pritchett and Michael Woolcock at Harvard’s Center for International Development."



'via Blog this'

Tuesday, March 1, 2016

Indonesia Grapples With Renewed Anti-LGBT Campaign

Indonesia Grapples With Renewed Anti-LGBT Campaign: "Being gay or lesbian has never been outlawed in Indonesia, except in the province of Aceh, where sharia, or Islamic law, has been implemented.

But recent controversies about gays and lesbians in Indonesia have been surfacing in the public and on social media. It was started by outrage over a counseling brochure distributed by a gay support group. 

Support Group and Resource Center of Sexualities Studies (SGRC), established at the University of Indonesia in 2014, says it aims to promote, educate and develop programs related to sexuality, reproduction and sexual orientation. SGRC has been criticized and accused by public officials as being pro gay rights. "



'via Blog this'

Rouhani allies win all 30 Tehran parliament seats: final result - Yahoo News

Rouhani allies win all 30 Tehran parliament seats: final result - Yahoo News: "DUBAI (Reuters) - Allies of President Hassan Rouhani have won all 30 seats for the capital Tehran in Iran's parliamentary elections, final results announced on Monday showed."



'via Blog this'

Asia's tuk-tuks providing a wheel boost to Africa - Yahoo News

Asia's tuk-tuks providing a wheel boost to Africa - Yahoo News: "Monrovia (AFP) - Omnipresent on the chaotic streets of Mumbai, Jakarta and Bangkok, Asia's three-wheeled "tuk-tuk" has now come to Africa -- and with a two-fold bonus: providing much-needed jobs and slashing accidents.

Cheap to run and safer than the traditional motorcycle taxi, the auto-rickshaw is an increasingly common sight trundling along the traffic-choked streets of the continent's sprawling capitals."



'via Blog this'

At least 12 killed in eastern Congo by suspected Ugandan rebels | Top News | Reuters

At least 12 killed in eastern Congo by suspected Ugandan rebels | Top News | Reuters: "KINSHASA (Reuters) - Suspected Ugandan rebels used machetes to kill at least 12 civilians on Monday in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, authorities and a local human rights group said, the latest in a series of targeted attacks over the last 18 months.

Rebels from the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), an Islamist group originally from Uganda that has operated in the border region since the 1990s, carried out the killings in the village of Mamabio, 50 km (30 miles) north of the commercial centre of Beni, said territorial administrator Amisi Kalonda.

"The bodies were found lying in different places. (The rebels) also ransacked the health centre," said Kalonda, who said 13 people were killed."



'via Blog this'

Google's Self-Driving Car Caused Its First Accident - BuzzFeed News

Google's Self-Driving Car Caused Its First Accident - BuzzFeed News: "According to the account the crash was minor — the car was traveling at 2 mph when it sideswiped the public bus. However, with Google pushing to have its self-driving cars consumer-ready in the next few years, this is the first accident that finds fault with the autonomous vehicle. While Google’s cars have been in accidents before, this is the first one where another driver was not at fault.
In the report, Google blamed sand bags in the road as the underlying cause for the accident. They were placed around a storm drain, and when the car detected them, it moved one lane over, hitting the bus in the process."



'via Blog this'

Calais 'Jungle' camp: clashes as authorities demolish homes | World news | The Guardian

Calais 'Jungle' camp: clashes as authorities demolish homes | World news | The Guardian: "The homes of up to 200 people of the approximately 3,500 people living in the camp had been demolished by the middle of the day, according to a British refugee aid group, as smoke went up from blazes engulfing makeshift shelters.



 Some homes appeared to have been set alight by the heat of teargas canisters fired at crowds by riot police, said a spokeswoman for the British volunteer group Help Refugees, while some residents seem to have set others on fire in protest.



 Video footage from a volunteer inside the camp showed residents running away from clouds of teargas. Reuters said police fired teargas at about 150 people and activists who threw stones, and at least three shelters were on fire.



'via Blog this'
 
Think local. Act global. Learn more about the Peace Corps