Category Archives: Technology

USA: Destined to collide: The intersection of solar, DR and smart grid

from; pwbmspac
to; jaluo@jaluo.com

The Solar Electric Power Association (SEPA) and Association for Demand Response and Smart Grid (ADS) are joining forces, becoming one organization under the SEPA banner.

The announcement follows SEPA’s recent move to expand its mission from a focus on utility integration of only large-scale and distributed solar to a broader view, including a suite of distributed energy resources — from demand response and storage to microgrids, electric vehicles and other smart-grid technologies.

“It became apparent to the boards of both organizations earlier this year that by working more closely, as a single organization, we could better serve the needs of all our members,” said Steve Malnight, senior vice president for Regulatory Affairs at Pacific Gas and Electric, and SEPA board chair. “By leveraging the considerable strengths of both groups, we will be able to participate in the evolution of the electricity business in even more meaningful ways.”

[to read article, visit]
http://www.smartgridnews.com/story/destined-collide-intersection-solar-dr-and-smart-grid/2015-11-11

President of Mauritius appointed Vice Chairman and Trustee of the Planet Earth Institute

From: News Release – APO (African Press Organization)
PRESS RELEASEPEI will also launch office in Mauritius to run expand science, technology and innovation programmes

LONDON, United Kingdom, October 22, 2015/ —

-The President of the Republic of Mauritius HE Dr. Ameenah Gurib-Fakim appointed Vice Chairman and Trustee of the Planet Earth Institute (PEI)

-PEI will also launch office in Mauritius to run expand science, technology and innovation programmes

-HE the President will host the official launch of the PEI at the State House in Mauritius on November 23rd 2015

The President of Mauritius, HE Dr. Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, has been appointed Vice Chairman and Trustee of the Planet Earth Institute (PEI), an international NGO and charity working for the ‘scientific independence of Africa’. Her Excellency will host the official launch of the PEI on an event at the State House on November 23rd 2015 along with Dr Álvaro Sobrinho, the PEI’s founding Chairman, and the full Board of Trustees.

As Vice Chairman and Trustee of the PEI, Dr. Gurib-Fakim will work alongside fellow Board Members, Dr Álvaro Sobrinho, the prominent Angolan philanthropist and businessman, Rt Hon Lord Boateng, a member of the UK House of Lords, Prof. Sir Christopher Edwards, the distinguished academic, and Prof. Sir Magdi Yacoub, the pioneering cardiothoracic surgeon.

The PEI’s expansion to Mauritius will build upon its international work to support African science, technology and innovation, as well develop a number of locally focused initiatives to be announced in early 2016.

HE Dr. Gurib-Fakim was appointed as President of the Republic of Mauritius in June 2015, following a highly distinguished career as a scientist and businesswoman, including a role as Pro Vice Chancellor of the University of Mauritius. In recognition of her significant contributions to scientific research, she was awarded L’Oréal-UNESCO Award for Women in Science in 2007.

The PEI’s launch on 23rd November will be an exclusive, high-level meeting for a range of key stakeholders including African government ministries, international institutions, private businesses, local and pan-African universities, and civil society.

The private launch will be followed by an expert policy roundtable focusing on ‘Mauritius and Africa’s scientific independence: the role of business’, hosted by HE President Gurib-Fakim and the Board of the PEI.

HE Dr Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, President of the Republic of Mauritius:

“Mauritius has a proud track record of investing in scientific excellence and developing research. In the future, science, technology and innovation will be vital in creating jobs and prosperity for our citizens in Mauritius and across the mainland African continent.

I look forward to helping lead the PEI’s work as Vice Chairman and Trustee, and in turn to contributing to our continent’s increasing scientific and technological excellence, as the underlying foundations of our sustainable development”.

Dr. Álvaro Sobrinho, Chairman of the Planet Earth Institute:

“Although Africa has experienced sustained economic growth over the past decade, scientific and technological output has not kept pace. Yet, if we want to ensure that sustainable development is a reality for all, we must make greater investments in science and technology, and equip our next generations with the skills they need to compete in a globalised, 21st Century workplace.

Along with my distinguished fellow Board Members, I am absolutely delighted that HE President Gurib-Fakim is joining the PEI as our Vice Chairman and Trustee. With her distinguished research career and strong commitment to a science-led development agenda for Africa, the PEI is now well positioned to continue to grow and develop as an organisation, and, crucially, to keep increasing our impact on Africa’s scientific agenda”.

Distributed by APO (African Press Organization) on behalf of Planet Earth Institute.

Notes to Editors:

The Planet Earth Institute (PEI) is an international NGO and charity working for the scientific independence of Africa
All of our work is built around the three pathways we believe will help lead Africa to scientific independence: Higher Education, Technological Innovation and Policy and Advocacy
The PEI is headquartered in London, UK, with offices in Port Louis, Mauritius and Luanda, Angola

Interviews or further information:

For further information on the PEI’s launch in Mauritius or for interview requests with those involved, please contact:

James Knight on james@planetearthinstitute.org.uk or +447725 209 507.

Sarah Hambly on sarah@planetearthinstitute.org.uk or +447879 739 405

SOURCE
Planet Earth Institute

APO content is copyright free and can be republished at will.

Kenya: IBM Research – Africa and RTI International forge partnership for data-driven development

From: News Release – APO (African Press Organization)
PRESS RELEASE

Launch project in Mombasa County, Kenya using technology to improve understanding of educational challenges in schools

NAIROBI, Kenya, July 15, 2015/ — RTI International (http://www.rti.org) – a leading nonprofit research institute – and IBM’s (NYSE: IBM) Africa research lab (http://www.research.ibm.com/labs/africa) have announced a partnership to deploy big data analytics and cognitive technologies to help transform development approaches in Africa and around the world. In one of the first projects, IBM and RTI are developing and testing intelligent systems to capture data about schools in Mombasa County, Kenya.

Capture.PNGLogo: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/plog-content/images/apo/logos/ibm.jpg

Photo: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/plog-content/images/apo/photos/150715ibm.jpg (IBM Research Scientist, Dr Kommy Weldemariam with pupils from Riara School, Nairobi exploring how technology can help improve educational outcomes)

Through the partnership, RTI and IBM Research – Africa will explore ways of using advanced technologies to capture accurate data about challenges in areas such as healthcare, agriculture, water and education. Drawing on the power of big data analytics, researchers will provide insight to governments, aid agencies and other organizations who are looking to make more informed decisions about investment and development while having greater visibility of results.

“A dearth of data on Africa in the past has led to misunderstandings or misrepresentations of the continent’s history, economic performance and potential. Over the past few decades, even simple facts have been misrepresented – the size of a country, its economic performance, the amount of poor people, the volume of exploitable resources,” said Dr. Kamal Bhattacharya (http://www.apo.af/H4zBuh), Vice President IBM Research – Africa. “The latest advances in mobile, big data and Internet of Things technologies have the potential to change that so that we have an accurate and dynamic understanding of Africa’s challenges, rising opportunities and incredible potential.”

The partnership comes as a rapid rise in mobile and Internet of Things technologies are producing unprecedented amounts of data. In developing countries, mobile phones, digital devices and low-cost sensors connected to improving cellular networks are reaching previously disconnected communities with the potential to produce new insight about how people live and the challenges they face.

“Rapid advancements in technology and open data initiatives mean more data is available now than ever before, offering significantly greater insights to improve lives through smarter development programs,” said Aaron Williams (http://www.apo.af/k4Eob4), executive vice president at RTI. “By combining our expertise in data science and development, RTI and IBM will apply the information newly at our fingertips to accelerate improvements in literacy, respond rapidly to the spread of infectious diseases, and discover and apply new innovations for improving the human condition in the developing world.”

Big Data for Education in Mombasa County

In one of the first joint projects, RTI and IBM are developing and testing intelligent systems for data capture and decision support to improve accountability and transparency in more than 100 schools in Mombasa County, Kenya. The project is designed to support the Kenyan Ministry of Education Science and Technology data collection initiative.

Teachers, head teachers, school principals and administrators will be equipped with tablet devices to capture data about students, classrooms, and school resources. IBM and RTI scientists will use big data analytics and cognitive technologies to analyze the data and provide indicators that establish school profiles and progress and provide actionable recommendations about the county’s education system at a granular level. The activity is part of the United States Agency for International Development’s Education Data for Decision Making (EdData II) project.

“In the past, head teachers, government officials and aid agencies across Sub-Saharan Africa have struggled to make informed decisions about how to invest in and improve education,” said Dr. Kommy Weldemariam (http://www.apo.af/9QGTiv), Research Scientist, IBM Research – Africa. “Often education data is incomplete, inaccurate and sometimes even deliberately misreported. Using analytics and cognitive technologies, we are creating a school census hub which will minimize the effort, expense and error in collecting valuable data about attendance, performance and resources at schools. It has the potential to completely change our understanding of the situation on the ground and what needs to be done to improve it and improve the outcomes for children.”

Achieving Sustainable Development Goals

Applying insights and actionable evidence from data will be key to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, ambitious universal targets that will be confirmed by a United Nations Summit in September 2015. They include ending poverty and hunger, ensuring healthy lives and ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education.

“By adding analytical value and insight to data production, curation and integration, RTI and IBM will help lay the paving stones for the ‘data revolution for development’ to lead the way in achieving the sustainable development goals,” said Dr. Luis Crouch (http://www.apo.af/BHpam6), vice president and chief technical officer in RTI’s International Development Group, who has worked with various UN processes on the formation of these goals.

The sustainable development goals raise numerous global challenges for which innovative data science solutions, such as predictive analytics, sifting of massive amounts of evidence, and more agile use of citizen-sourced information and citizen feedback could help provide solutions. For instance, in the education sector, initiatives can provide insight on building early childhood development programs that predicate success in later education and life; design early grade reading and math programs using the best instructional approaches and curricula; and inform policymakers on policies needed to support sustainable improvements in education and the data systems needed to track progress in systemic reform. In the health sector, initiatives can help track the spread of infectious diseases faster and more efficiently; provide a better understanding of the underlying causes of non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer; and improve the knowledge management, oversight and accountability needed to strengthen health systems.

Distributed by APO (African Press Organization) on behalf of IBM.

Contacts
Jonathan Batty
IBM Research – Africa
jonathanb@uk.ibm.com
+44-7880-086571

Brad Goehner
RTI International
bgoehner@rti.org
+1-919-541-6963

About RTI
RTI International (http://www.rti.org), a leading nonprofit research institute with expertise ranging from laboratory sciences to international development, has more than 50 years of development experience worldwide. Specialties include global health, international education, governance and economic development. The Institute’s work on more than 70 current development projects is supported by regional offices in Kenya, Indonesia and El Salvador.

About IBM Research – Africa
IBM (http://www.ibm.com) Research – Africa (http://www.research.ibm.com/labs/africa) is IBM’s 12th global research lab and the first industrial research facility on the continent of Africa. With facilities in Kenya and South Africa, IBM Research – Africa is driving innovation and socio-economic development by developing commercially-viable solutions to transform lives and enable new business opportunities in key areas such as water, agriculture, transportation, healthcare, financial inclusion, education, energy, security and e-government.

SOURCE
IBM

Kenya: Philips rehabilitates the Intensive Care Unit department at Machakos Hospital by undertaking a complete refurbishment and installing lifesaving innovations

From: News Release – African Press Organization (APO)
PRESS RELEASE

Philips rehabilitates the Intensive Care Unit department at Machakos Hospital (Kenya) by undertaking a complete refurbishment and installing lifesaving innovations
Capture.PNG
• Collaboration with Machakos Hospital (the “Hospital”) is part of a tender contract awarded to Philips by the Central Government of Kenya, which will entail the transformation of eleven ICU departments in level 5 hospitals across the country;

• The project is testament to Philips commitment to advancing the delivery of primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare in Africa;

• Inauguration of the refurbished ICU department at the Hospital coincides with Philips’ week-long visit to Kenya as part of its sixth consecutive Cape Town to Cairo roadshow (http://www.philips.com/C2CAfrica).

NAIROBI, Kenya, May 29, 2015/ — Philips (AEX: PHI, NYSE: PHG) (http://www.philips.com) today unveiled an entirely refurbished Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in the Hospital (Machakos County) Kenya. This is the first of eleven ICU departments in hospitals across the country that Philips is transforming as part of a tender contract awarded to Philips by the Central Government of Kenya to support healthcare revitalization across the country.

Photo 1: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/index.php?level=picture&id=2042 (President Kenyatta tours ICU at Machakos with Roelof Assies, General Manager, Philips East Africa Limited)

Photo 2: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/index.php?level=picture&id=2044 (Philips unveils refurbished ICU at Machakos Hospital)

Logo Royal Philips: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/plog-content/images/apo/logos/philips-1.jpg

Logo “Philips’ Cape Town to Cairo roadshow”: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/index.php?level=picture&id=1927

The radical transformation of the ICU department at the Hospital has consisted of a complete overhaul of all facilities in the ICU department. Prior to this development the ICU department at the Hospital had an existing three bed ICU ward, which was very basic and not adequately equipped to care for patients. Philips has adopted an approach to the project with the Hospital known as Managed Equipment Services (MES). This approach means that Philips has taken full responsibility for the entire renovation, and has sourced and provided all required facilities, not just the technology and equipment. By adopting this ‘MES approach’, Philips has worked with external third parties to deliver all necessary solutions for a world-class ICU.

To ensure that the renovated ICU department at the Hospital meets international standards, a complete redesign was necessary. This has resulted in various civil works being initiated to create an isolation room, a sluice room, a nurse’s central desk, installation of piped medical gases from a new central oxygen plant, as well as access control to the department etc.

Philips also installed brand new high quality LED lighting in the ICU department; LED lighting enables rest and recovery, as it’s not as harsh as conventional fluorescent lighting, it requires minimal maintenance and also helps to reduce energy consumption.

Expanding the view at the bedside and beyond

Philips has installed a clinical network via the Philips IntelliVue MX series (http://www.healthcare.philips.com/main/products/patient_monitoring/products/intellivue_mx600_mx700) of bedside patient monitors, configured to simplify clinical workflow and allow easy access to relevant patient information from various hospital applications and systems. Patient monitors play a critical role in an ICU, by providing accurate, real-time physiological information that is needed to determine a patient’s status. The Philips IntelliVue MX series of monitors feature a best-in class ECG algorithm to reduce the number of false alarms, providing immediate, seamless access to clinically relevant patient information at the bedside and also at the central nurse’s station.

In addition to the monitoring solutions, Philips also provided the Hospital with Philips acute (V680) ventilators to enable therapeutic care, as well as Philips (DFM100) defibrillators to allow resuscitation of the heart. Also non Philips equipment like ICU beds, syringe pumps, pulse oximeters, infusion pumps, neonatal ventilators etc have been installed to ensure a fully functional ICU environment for various patient categories. Philips has also installed a piped medical gas plant in the unit which will support patient management by provision of oxygen eliminating the need for external supply of bottled oxygen.

To ensure that clinical staff fully utilise these state-of-the-art technologies in their new environment and that patient’s get maximum benefit from the latest therapies available, Philips will undertake application training on a regular basis as part of a continuous medical education (CME). Similarly, to support product uptime and service availability in the ICU department at the Hospital, biomedical engineers from the Hospital will also be trained on troubleshooting techniques.

Commenting on today’s announcement, Roelof Assies, General Manager, Philips East Africa Limited, said, “I’m delighted to announce the extensive development that is already well underway at the Hospital. We have worked with the Hospital to understand their needs, and to ensure that once the project is completed, the facility is fully equipped to adequately and sustainably care for patients admitted to the ICU department. The Hospital serves a wide ranging area, but prior to this refurbishment, it was unable to care for trauma patients, and so they had to be transferred to Nairobi which is at least an hour and a half away by car. This obviously could have devastating consequences for many patients, not to mention the increasing burden on the tertiary facilities in Nairobi, like Kenyatta National Hospital”.

“This initiative is part of a wider contract which will see Philips provide eleven hospitals across the country with lifesaving facilities. We will not only deliver our medical technologies and solutions to the hospitals, but we will also provide clinical training. Over the past decade, Philips has developed a model for turnkey healthcare projects in Africa; what makes this work successfully is a comprehensive project design and implementation that takes the bigger picture into consideration.”

Mr Assies concluded, “It’s not enough to simply supply and install equipment. Comprehensive project management is essential – from evaluating the infrastructure to training and maintenance. We must build capacity that enables the local clinical teams to continue their work. Our commitment to Kenya is unwavering, and we are very proud to have been selected by the Government of Kenya for this project; we will continue to strive to advance healthcare infrastructure across the country.”

Cape Town to Cairo Roadshow 2015

The announcement of the collaboration with the Hospital coincided with Philips’ weeklong stopover in Kenya, as part of its sixth consecutive pan-African Cape Town to Cairo roadshow. The annual roadshow kicked off on 11 May 2015, in Cape Town, and Nairobi is the third stop on a journey covering 12,000 km across 11 cities and 8 countries over a period of 4.5 months. The roadshow has gained significant momentum over the past five years, allowing Philips to get to the heart of some of the key issues facing Africa – including Mother and Child Care, the rise of non-communicable diseases, energy efficient LED and solar lighting solutions, as well as shining a spotlight on the need for clinical education and training.

Follow the Cape Town to Cairo journey via Twitter @PhilipsKenya (https://twitter.com/philipskenya) or visit www.philips.com/C2CAfrica.

Distributed by APO (African Press Organization) on behalf of Royal Philips.

For further information, please contact:

Radhika Choksey
Philips Group Communications – Africa
Tel: +31 62525 9000
E-mail: radhika.choksey@philips.com

About Royal Philips:
Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA) (http://www.philips.com) is a diversified health and well-being company, focused on improving people’s lives through meaningful innovation in the areas of Healthcare, Consumer Lifestyle and Lighting. Headquartered in the Netherlands, Philips posted 2014 sales of EUR 21.4 billion and employs approximately 108,000 employees with sales and services in more than 100 countries. The company is a leader in cardiac care, acute care and home healthcare, energy efficient lighting solutions and new lighting applications, as well as male shaving and grooming and oral healthcare. News from Philips is located at www.philips.com/newscenter.

SOURCE
Royal Philips

Kenya: Alex Mwaura Muriu of Kenya won Second Prize of Innovation Prize for Africa (IPA) 2015

From: News Release – African Press Organization (APO)
PRESS RELEASE

This year’s winners embody the Pan African essence of the prestigious Innovation Prize for Africa award, representing North, East & Southern Africa

SKHIRAT, Morocco, May 14, 2015/ — In a glittering ceremony hosted by the African Innovation Foundation (AIF) (http://www.africaninnovation.org) in collaboration with the Ministry of Industry, Trade, Investment and Digital Economy in Skhirat, Morocco, researcher Adnane Remmal was announced winner of the Innovation Prize for Africa (IPA) 2015 Grand Prize (http://www.innovationprizeforafrica.org), scooping the US$100 000 cash prize. This was a fitting tribute to an extensive research process, providing African farmers with a solution to improve livestock production whilst taking into account consumer health needs.

Capture.PNGLogo: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/plog-content/images/apo/logos/african-innovation-foundation-aif.jpg

Photo: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/index.php?level=picture&id=1990 (Adnane Remmal (right) IPA 2015 winner, with the Ministry of Industry, Trade, Investment and Digital Economy officials and AIF Founder, Jean-Claude Bastos de Morais (centre)

Alex Mwaura Muriu of Kenya won Second Prize, and South African, Lesley Erica Scott was awarded the Special Prize for Social Impact, receiving US$25 000 respectively.

A jubilant Remmal impressed the expert panel of judges, competing with 10 excellent African innovations spanning the health, environment, technology and agricultural sectors. His innovation, a patented alternative to livestock anti-biotics is set to transform the broader medical and agricultural sector in Africa. The natural innovative anti-microbial formula reduces health hazards in livestock, preventing the transmission of multi-resistant germs and carcinogens to human beings through consumption of milk, eggs and meat. Says Remmal: “My innovation provides farmers with solutions to improve their production; it is cost effective and can be easily adopted, giving farmers increased benefits without the side effects of anti-biotics.”

Murui, a Kenyan entrepreneur, developed a system to meet the perennial challenge faced by African farmers in accessing capital to finance planting and harvesting by providing an alternative from the burden of financial loans through his Farm Capital Africa project.

Today, TB is second only to HIV and AIDS as a leading cause of death in the continent. Using the Smartspot TBCheck, Scott, a South African scientist, has developed an effective World Health Organization (WHO) approved calibration method for TB diagnostic machines.

Innovation is a national priority in Morocco, one of the countries leading the innovation frontier in Africa – a strategic location for IPA 2015, and well known for hosting other successful events such as the Global Entrepreneurship Summit. In his welcome remarks, Moroccan Minister of Trade, Industry, Investment and the Digital Economy, Mr Moulay Hafid Elalamy emphasized: “Innovation and development, as well as technological innovations must be leveraged for the continent, given that these are major value creations and key ingredients for competitiveness”.

Since its inaugural launch in 2011, IPA has attracted some 3000 applications from 49 African countries. Jean Claude Bastos de Morais, AIF Founder and the brainchild of the Prize, now in its fourth edition, is pleased with the level of innovations this year – a total of 925 applications from 41 countries. Commenting on the role of IPA in fostering innovation in Africa, Jean-Claude Bastos de Morais said:

“I am truly impressed with this year’s winning innovations, which have once again surpassed expectations. At the same time, I am aware that the buck cannot stop here. Let us put it this way; no matter how high a bird flies, it always needs a nest, a base to come back to. African innovators are taking flight, their innovative ideas are increasingly proving to be transformative – not only for Africa – but for the world. Through the IPA, the AIF is fostering the development of robust innovation ecosystems, which are essentially nests for African entrepreneurs and innovators to develop solutions for African challenges”.

African innovators continue to provide more innovative African solutions to address African problems. This year’s winners have a common theme: their innovations highlight the vital and crucial need to respond directly to demanding community needs – the heart of the AIF mandate. The innovations further demonstrate great potential to change the course of history in Africans’ responses to health, technology, enterprise and the agricultural sector, prioritizing needs-based responses through cost effective means – a critical tool for sustainable development.

The IPA 2015 Awards ceremony was attended by more than 400 people that included high level African dignitaries, ministers, ambassadors, AIF partners, past IPA winners, venture capitalists, innovators, entrepreneurs, local and international media, and young people. The AIF believes that young people (below age 35) are the epi-center of the African innovation ecosystem as they represent 65% of Africa’s 1.1 billion population.

For the first time this year, all nominees received recognition through a US$5 000 voucher as a support fund to boost their different innovations in their home countries.

The IPA 2015 Awards ceremony was compered by Lerato Mbele of BBC Africa Business Report fame. Youssour N’Dour, the Senegalese musical legend provided first class entertainment, backed by Bob Maghrib, a Moroccan ensemble, with popular Bob Marley renditions.

IPA associated events prior to the Awards ceremony included a Press Conference, an Innovation Marketplace showcasing Moroccan home-grown talents, and an Ideas Machine workshop focusing on unleashing innovation talent in young Africans.

Distributed by APO (African Press Organization) on behalf of the African Innovation Foundation (AIF).

For more information on IPA 2015:

For the African Innovation Foundation
Aulora Stally
Communications Manager
Strehlgasse 4
8001 Zurich, Switzerland
aulora.stally@africaninnovation.org
Phone: +41 79 834 9163

For the Ministry of Industry
Trade, Investment and Digital Economy
Taoufiq Moucharraf
Communications Director
moucharraf@mcinet.gov.ma
Phone: +212 661 522 801

Find us on:
The Internet: www.africaninnovation.org ; Innovation Prize for Africa (http://www.innovationprizeforafrica.org)
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/InnovationPrizeforAfrica
https://www.facebook.com/AfricanInnovationFoundation
Twitter: @AfrinnovFdn; @IPAPrize

Africa Innovation Foundation (AIF) (http://www.africaninnovation.org) works to increase the prosperity of Africans by catalyzing the innovation spirit in Africa.

Innovation Prize for Africa (IPA) (http://www.innovationprizeforafrica.org) is a landmark initiative of the AIF and mobilizes African innovators to invest in African-led solutions to ensure a sustainable, prosperous Africa. Details on IPA 2015 events can be found on http://event.innovationprizeforafrica.org/

SOURCE
African Innovation Foundation (AIF)

Privacy issues of online marketing techniques in the information society

From: Yona Maro

In the digital economy, information plays a key role, as currency that makes the knowledge society further develop. In such world, ensuring privacy of personal data without restricting data flows and the economic and social benefits generated can prove in practice to be quite challenging. In the context of the increasing interest in social responsibility in business approaches, companies should take into account also the responsibility for collecting, processing and usage of consumers’ personal data, while carrying out their core functions. Thus, we analyze and debate on aspects related to direct marketing techniques and privacy issues, in a consumer-oriented approach, focusing on behavior of the Romanian consumer, with taking into consideration the fast development and use of ICT in business and the increasing regulations for ensuring consumer privacy. We raise into discussion aspects related to consumer behavior in function of means used in marketing, focusing more on the online than on the traditional means, from the perspective of ensuring privacy of consumers’ personal data. The analysis is based on data from a survey conducted in Romania in 2011 with regard to the Romanian consumer and direct marketing and also from techniques used in developing websites for gathering and processing user / consumer information, while taking into consideration the existing legal framework. We consider that companies should pay more attention to issues related to consumer privacy online, with ensuring appropriate information and obtaining consumer consent in collecting and using personal data for business development.

<a href=”http://www.csrconferences.org/RePEc/aes/icsrog/2012/2012_1_050.pdf”>http://www.csrconferences.org/RePEc/aes/icsrog/2012/2012_1_050.pdf</a>

USA, GA: STEM: High School Event @ Georgia Tech Nov 8th; Limited Seats Register today.

From: akpa for all

Great Deals – Daily Savings

High School Outreach Event
The Society of Women Engineers at Georgia Tech is pleased to be hosting an outreach program for high school girls who are interested in science, technology, engineering, and math.

The program will be:
Saturday, November 8 from 9 AM – 2 PM
in the Georgia Tech Van Leer building

Space is limited to 100 girls on a first-come, first-serve basis, so register early!

There will be a parent’s information program offered free of charge for parents with girls attending the event. Only girls attending the event need to buy a ticket; parents do not need a ticket.

Additional details will be provided the week of the event.

Through the program, high school girls will be:
Encouraged to pursue an interest in science, technology, engineering, and math through fun, hands-on activities
Have the opportunity to meet one-on-one with current female engineering students.

If you have any questions, please email us at swehsoutreach@gmail.com.

Click here to register…
<a href=”http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001NIn-lyZaaUmQiL_jhPK7Ll3FC9powHKk2Lw-TZEk6rJa-dXPQPFjoB5oMWDcZVdEen8dpP3tJrCGvYGbaW_9E7YqwTdt8dP16K18mbWA1EfI6Rk3k7XBcLPMCpGJswc15eM62b3Wlv9TLW6ya58Evy8Lkrrq4xr2EMCQ1_cvhqHXq5WsfttnQ35KUuEW83Ia4YgGVxiXahirE2fM9A6gHx0acnFqDR1B0MDabddxKsjCOekFMF-sQZtSM5FEqZCURvL4t3FHO9AVQLHc4imrT1sQMOY-LGVJUs50FF494WDORQn11BwyKtVPHYWOKJaM&c=gxF5ONUPArZ64lBz3l6nmMhkm-5lNXSdGO9EHt60m5VcGNz8i0WJmw==&ch=z691cQx8hFeosDqwNLEo7jVRhmqo1F8ueZo1BNOlpY0p9_vSY47WdA==”>http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001NIn-lyZaaUmQiL_jhPK7Ll3FC9powHKk2Lw-TZEk6rJa-dXPQPFjoB5oMWDcZVdEen8dpP3tJrCGvYGbaW_9E7YqwTdt8dP16K18mbWA1EfI6Rk3k7XBcLPMCpGJswc15eM62b3Wlv9TLW6ya58Evy8Lkrrq4xr2EMCQ1_cvhqHXq5WsfttnQ35KUuEW83Ia4YgGVxiXahirE2fM9A6gHx0acnFqDR1B0MDabddxKsjCOekFMF-sQZtSM5FEqZCURvL4t3FHO9AVQLHc4imrT1sQMOY-LGVJUs50FF494WDORQn11BwyKtVPHYWOKJaM&c=gxF5ONUPArZ64lBz3l6nmMhkm-5lNXSdGO9EHt60m5VcGNz8i0WJmw==&ch=z691cQx8hFeosDqwNLEo7jVRhmqo1F8ueZo1BNOlpY0p9_vSY47WdA==</a>

» AKPA Website
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Expanding Africa’s Digital Frontier:

From: NAI Forum
by Aparajita Goyal

Summary:

Agricultural transformation is a priority for Africa. Harnessing the rapid growth of digital technologies holds hope for transformative agricultural development.

We are now witnessing steady growth in rigorous and quantitative evidence from around the globe on the impact of ICT innovations on people’s lives.

This evidence is still limited to certain countries and contexts. Whether these effects are going to be a general trend or translate forward into larger aggregate gains still remains to be seen.

ICT is no panacea; it needs to be backed by complementary investments in rural roads, electricity, literacy etc. IT policy and the broader regulatory environment have to be discussed jointly.

You may read the full text version of this article at:
<a href=”http://naiforum.org/2014/10/expanding-africas-digital-frontier/”>http://naiforum.org/2014/10/expanding-africas-digital-frontier/</a>

vil Men, Evil Agendas!

From: ‘frank patrick materu’

GEOENGINEERING (Global Weather Modification) is threatening all life on earth.

Geoengineers deny having deployed aerosol programs for years, yet they are currently proposing to spray 10-20 million tons of aluminum oxide other toxic chemicals into our sky annually as stated in numerous geoengineering documents. Lab tests have disclosed extremely high levels of these metals in ground, water, rain and atmospheric tests worldwide. Blood and urine tests reveal alarming levels of aluminum, barium, strontium, cadmium, and other chemicals known to cause high blood pressure, cancer, asthma, Alzheimers, heart, kidney and liver damage, osteoporosis, chronic inflammation, headaches, skin disorders, severe lung, spleen and intestinal diseases, immune system decline, blurred vision, intense ringing in ears, muscle weakness, hear loss, etc. NO purpose justifies these consequences.

Chemtrials are we the experiment? What do you think about this?

Frank Materu

Geoengineering Affects You and Your Loved Ones

image

Geoengineering Affects You and Your Loved Ones
documenting the chemtrail-geoengineering coverup
View on www.geoengineerin…
Preview by Yahoo
http://www.geoengineeringwatch.org/

CESA: Combining solar with energy storage is the future of clean energy

From: FierceSmartGrid
August 13, 2014

Green Mountain Power (GMP) has begun construction on a “solar + storage microgrid” project in Rutland, Vt., — a project managed by Clean Energy States Alliance and Sandia National Laboratories. Microgrids like these can keep critical facilities, such as emergency shelters, firehouses and fueling stations, operating during power outages. Article

http://links.mkt1985.com/ctt?kn=59&ms=MTA2OTg1MTAS1&r=ODI3OTk2MzM0NTUS1&b=0&j=MzIzNjY0MTA0S0&mt=1&rt=0

sbj; CESA: Combining solar with energy storage is the future of clean energy
From: FierceSmartGrid

http://www.fierceenergy.com/story/cesa-combining-solar-energy-storage-future-clean-energy/2014-08-13

Topics: Electricity Generation
CESA: Combining solar with energy storage the future of clean energy
August 13, 2014 | By Barbara Vergetis Lundin

Green Mountain Power (GMP) has begun construction on a “solar + storage microgrid” project in Rutland, Vt., which is being partially funded a federal-state-NGO partnership involving the State of Vermont; the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Office of Electricity; and the Energy Storage Technology Advancement Partnership (ESTAP) — a project managed by Clean Energy States Alliance and Sandia National Laboratories. Microgrids like these can keep critical facilities, such as emergency shelters, firehouses and fueling stations, operating during power outages.

http://assets.fiercemarkets.com/public/sites/energy/greenmountainpower1.jpg
The site of Stafford Hills Solar Farm. Credit: Green Mountain Power

According to the DOE, the Stafford Hill Solar Farm is the first project to establish a micro-grid powered solely by solar and battery back-up, with no other fuel source. Further, Stafford Hill is the first to provide full back-up to an emergency shelter on the distribution network, as well as the first “solar + storage microgrid” to be developed on a brownfield site, contributing to brownfield redevelopment efforts in Vermont. The solar farm is sited at the closed Rutland City landfill, and is the first known solar storage project in the country to repurpose brownfield land once used to bury waste for the siting of renewable energy.

The 2.5 MW project incorporates 7,722 solar panels, helping GMP to reach its goal of making Rutland the Solar Capital of New England and Vermont to reach its renewable energy goals. It also incorporates 4 MW of battery storage, both lithium ion and lead acid, to integrate the solar generation into the local grid, and to provide resilient power in case of an outage.

The microgrid will provide resilient power to a Rutland school that serves as a public emergency shelter, as well as providing clean, distributed generation and resilient power to an urban community that is targeted for revitalization and suffers frequent storm-related power outages. Additional critical facilities may be supported in the future.

Stafford Hills is part of GMP’s larger vision of transforming Rutland into “The Energy City of the Future.”

“This project is a national model for the future of clean energy — combining solar with energy storage,” said Lewis Milford, president of Clean Energy Group, which manages the Clean Energy States Alliance. “Solar power and battery storage will provide clean reliable power to a school that serves as an emergency shelter, helping a community cope with loss of power in a future disaster. This new form of resilient power is what all communities need to protect themselves from power outages in severe weather events.”

The $10 million project is anticipated to be complete in mid-December.

For more:
– see this article

Related Articles:
Imperial Irrigation District, GMP among first to partner with solar developer
Solar Champions seize opportunities, stand up to challenges
SEPA names utilities of the year

Child deaths in Africa: Local ideas shaping national health agendas to reduce child deaths in developing countries

From: News Release – African Press Organization (APO)
PRESS RELEASE

Local ideas shaping national health agendas to reduce child deaths in developing countries

GSK and Save the Children $1 million Healthcare Innovation Award continues to call for life-saving ideas for newborns and under-fives

LONDON, United-Kingdom, August 12, 2014/ — GSK (http://www.gsk.com) and Save the Children continue to call for applications for their 2014 $1 million Healthcare Innovation Award, as previous winners attract interest and support from national governments to help improve survival rates of newborns and children under five in developing countries.

Logo GSK: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/plog-content/images/apo/logos/glaxosmithkline.jpg

Download the flyer: http://www.apo-mail.org/hiaen.pdf

Six months after receiving a share of the 2013 Healthcare Innovation Award, five organisations based in developing countries are helping shape national health agendas and influencing approaches to healthcare for children and newborns.

One of the winners, MicroClinic Technologies Ltd., was awarded $100,000 for ‘ZiDi™, a mobile health management system, which has now been adopted by the Kenya Ministry of Health. The system is being used as part of the national e-health platform due to its ability to improve medicine supply, service quality and resource accountability for child healthcare. It will be rolled out across 5,000 public health facilities starting next year.

Muso, a community-led organisation in Mali that helps tackle the issue of poverty-related child mortality, also received $100,000 to support its programme which aims to quickly identify women and children in need of healthcare. The award money is being used to help reach 77,000 people across the region and has inspired the Mali Ministry of Health to invite Muso to help draft its five-year strategic plan for scaling up national community-based healthcare delivery.

Previous innovations recognised by the Healthcare Innovation Award are also being implemented across borders through collaboration, ensuring that ideas that may help save children’s lives are being shared. The top-prize winner from 2013 was a low cost Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) kit, developed by Friends of Sick Children (FOSC) in Malawi. This device helps premature and newborn babies suffering from distress breathe more easily. With funding from the Award, and backing from the Ministry of Health in Malawi, FOSC is now sharing this technology with teaching hospitals in Tanzania, Zambia and South Africa. This technology has the potential to save the lives of 178,000 African children each year if implemented continent-wide.

Organisations from across the developing world can now apply for this year’s Healthcare Innovation Award. Applications must be for innovative healthcare approaches that have resulted in tangible improvements to under-5 child survival rates, which are sustainable and have the potential to be scaled-up and replicated. This year, special interest and attention will be given to work that aims to increase the quality of, or access to, healthcare for newborns.

Ramil Burden, Vice President, Africa and Developing Countries, GSK, said: “The success stories we’re hearing from last year’s winners, just six months since receiving their funding, are truly inspiring and we want to help replicate this success. When it comes to improving access to quality healthcare, no single organisation has all the answers and we need to continuously look for new and different ideas, wherever they might be. Our award recognises that often the best solutions to development challenges come from people living with them and through partnerships we can help scale up local solutions to create global impacts.

Dr Sam Agbo, Head of Health, Save the Children said: “This year we’re particularly searching for innovations that are helping to improve the health of newborns in the developing world. Every year, almost three million babies die during their first month of life. But many of these deaths are preventable with the right resources and care in place. We must find different approaches, informed by first-hand experience, to address this issue. This Award provides a platform for working in collaboration, which will ultimately help to save the lives of some of the world’s most vulnerable children.”

More information on the award and application criteria can be found at http://myg.sk/HealthcareInnovationAward. Entries close on 25th August at 11:59pm (GMT). Winners will be announced in December 2014.

Distributed by APO (African Press Organization) on behalf of GlaxoSmithKline (GSK).

Notes to Editors:

2013 Healthcare Award Innovation Winners – 6 month update

Friends of Sick Children, Malawi: Awarded top prize of $400,000 for their life-saving technology for newborns

– Friends of Sick Children, Malawi is a partnership between the Paediatric Department at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital in Blantyre, Malawi, Rice University’s Rice 360°: Institute for Global Health Technologies in the United States, and University of Malawi College of Medicine

– Their ‘bubble’ Continuous Positive Airway Pressure ‘bCPAP’ device is a low-cost device that helps newborn babies in respiratory distress to keep their lungs inflated so they can breathe more easily

– This low-cost adaptation of traditional CPAP devices can be produced for around $400 – a 15-fold reduction from the average cost of devices currently used in developed countries ($6000)

– Respiratory distress claims the lives of about 1 million African babies each year. It is estimated that this technology could save the lives of 178,000 African children if implemented across the continent

– The Award is helping FOSC to share their bCPAP technology and provide training in teaching hospital neonatal units across Malawi, in partnership with the Ministry of Health, Tanzania, Zambia and South Africa

– To date, FOSC have partnered with the additional three countries, outside of Malawi, to undertake needs assessments regarding patient load, training needs and staff development

– Community healthcare worker training will take place in the Autumn of 2014 in select district and central hospitals and a training website has been launched to support clinical partners with accurate technical and practical applications of the technology following in-person training

– By the end of 2014, all countries in the expansion plan will have undergone training and 10 sites will have 4 bCPAP machines plus associated equipment

– Chokonojesta is just one of the baby boys to have benefited from bCPAP. He was born prematurely at 7 months, weighing just over 2lbs. Although he was able to breathe on his own, his lungs were so immature it took nearly all his energy to do so. With the support of bCPAP, Chokonjesta was able to grow and gain weight and after two weeks he graduated to Kangaroo Mother Care, where skin-to-skin contact with his mother provided warmth and helped him to regulate his own heart beat and breathing. Now 6 months old, he is thriving at home with his family.

BRAC, Bangladesh: Awarded $300,000 for South-South collaboration, helping to improve women and children’s health from Bangladesh to the slums of Sierra Leone

– BRAC’s ‘Manoshi’ is an urban maternal, neonatal and child health programme that that equips healthcare workers with mobile phone-based data collection software, allowing them to more efficiently record and report vital patient information in a simple and standardised format. It offers a comprehensive package of health services to mothers, babies and children to meet their health needs and challenges in three key ways:

? Simple, clean delivery rooms for new mothers with a trained birth attendant

? Quick access to emergency health services for those who cannot afford it

? Patient digital data collection for more efficient health service delivery

– The Award money enabled BRAC to bring the Manoshi programme to the Portee slum of Freetown, Sierra Leone, where under-five and maternal mortality rates are among the highest in the world. The total population in the slum is 6,049 people, including 2,593 women and children under five years of age

– Mobile phones will be used to notify staff about pregnancies, births and for sharing information efficiently about complicated deliveries and emergency referrals

– In July 2014, all community healthcare workers in the Portee slum received training on maternal, newborn and child health (MNCH) issues , from the District Health Management Team (DHMT) at the Sierra Leone Ministry of Health and Sanitation

– As part of the programme, 15 community healthcare workers have been selected from the community to implement the programme

MUSO, Mali: Awarded $100,000 for delivering care to the doorsteps of some of the world’s most impoverished communities

– MUSO is a community-led organization in Mali that helps tackle the issue of poverty-related child mortality

– Their Award money is being used to deliver healthcare to 77,000 people across the region. The programme supports the early identification of women and children in need of healthcare, before their symptoms escalate to a more serious condition.

– The increased attention and resources made possible through the award will enable MUSO to expand their reach, both in the urban areas, where they currently operate, and into rural areas.

– MUSO will replicate their rapid health system in 157 new communities, reaching a population of 120,000. This expansion will triple the number of people currently served by MUSO and help save millions of lives.

– The momentum generated by the Award has led to increased attention and action at a decision making level. The Malian Ministry of Health invited MUSO to help draft its 5-year strategic plan for scaling up national community-based healthcare delivery to provide quality care for more than three million children under the age of five

– MUSO’s leadership has also been invited to present its model and research to those working to accelerate global child survival efforts at the World Bank, USAID, and the United Nations

– MUSO have begun laying the groundwork to expand its CHW service delivery package beyond the traditional focus on malaria and diarrheal diseases to other challenges, such as pneumonia, maternal and neonatal health, and malnutrition, that impact child and maternal survival

– A MUSO-Medic mobile partnership will be launched to test and deploy a cutting-edge performance dashboard to enable CHWs to directly record and transmit data from home visits on their mobile phones

– A comprehensive site selection process will be undertaken to identify eight health centres that will participate in a rural replication next year.

MicroClinic Technologies, Kenya: Awarded $100,000 to help Kenyan public sector healthcare go digital

– ‘ZiDi™’ is a mobile health management system designed to improve the quality of maternal and child care by providing access to real-time data optimized for health planning decisions.

– With their Award money, MicroClinic Technologies Ltd, was able to develop an enhanced version of ZiDi™ called ZiDi™ Pro, which offers a full range of outpatient, inpatient and specialty care modules enabling it to be accessible at all levels of care and health facilities in Africa.

– Since winning the Award, ZiDi™ Pro has now been deployed in larger health facilities, including the Gatundu District Hospital, which serves more than 3,000 patients monthly. Furthermore, ZiDi™ has been adopted by The Kenya Ministry of Health as part of the national e-health platform, helping the Kenyan health sector to become the first in Africa to launch into the digital era.

– Implementation of ZiDi™ at national scale should achieve the target of automating over 5,000 health facilities within the next three to five years.

– The Kenya Ministry of Health through a public private partnership agreement with MicroClinic Technologies is working to secure buy-in from national and international stakeholders to ensure a successful implementation of ZiDi™ Pro in Kenya, with the hope of sharing lessons learned with other East Africa countries.

– In June 2014, ZiDi™-Pro was launched as a total end-to-end solution offered as a pay-as-you-go service to clinics. Private rural clinics can now afford to automate their services, benefit from improved efficiency in service delivery, remote management of their clinics and better forecast supplies on a weekly basis.

Kangaroo Foundation (Fundacion Canguro), Colombia: Awarded $100,000 in special recognition of its work spreading the Kangaroo Mother Care Method (KMC), to improve the premature and low birth weight babies’ care, for a better quality of life

– Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) is a simple technique which promotes early skin-to-skin contact between mothers and their premature and newborn babies. Mothers act as human incubators, keeping their babies warm, regulating their heartbeats and bond with them.

– This practice has a dramatic impact on reducing morbidity and mortality rates for premature and low birth weight babies.

– By winning this award and along with the support of the Health Ministry of Colombia, the Foundation has been able to widen the KMC health network by training 22 hospitals across country.

– The Kangaroo Foundation is also involved in building an e-learning platform which allows the dissemination of KMC knowledge across borders. In 2015, two countries in Africa, with the highest infant mortality rates, will benefit

– Along with their efforts on the ground, the Kangaroo Foundation is advocating for Colombia to be the first country to have KMC established as an official public health policy and for each district to have a KMC centre of excellence.

Criteria for entry – nominations must:

1) Be from a country classified as ‘low’, ‘lower-middle’, or ‘upper-middle’ income by the World Bank (http://data.worldbank.org/country), and not be from the European Union (http://europa.eu/about-eu/countries/index_en.htm). Countries classified as ‘high income’ by the World Bank or that are in the European Union are not eligible

2) Come from an organisation based in an eligible country, with an innovation used for the benefit of the people in an eligible country

GSK (http://www.gsk.com) – one of the world’s leading research-based pharmaceutical and healthcare companies – is committed to improving the quality of human life by enabling people to do more, feel better and live longer. For further information please visit http://www.gsk.com.

Save the Children – Save the Children works in more than 120 countries. We save children’s lives. We fight for their rights. We help them fulfil their potential. http://www.savethechildren.org.uk

General media enquiries:
Brian Sibanda + 27 72 020 1852 (South Africa)

GSK enquiries:

UK Media enquiries:
David Mawdsley +44 (0) 20 8047 5502 (London)
Simon Steel +44 (0) 20 8047 5502 (London)
David Daley +44 (0) 20 8047 5502 (London)
Catherine Hartley +44 (0) 20 8047 5502 (London)
Sarah Hornby +44 (0) 20 8047 5502 (London)

US Media enquiries:
Stephen Rea +1 215 751 4394 (Philadelphia)
Melinda Stubbee +1 919 483 2510 (North Carolina)
Mary Anne Rhyne +1 919 483 0492 (North Carolina)

Save the Children Enquiries:
Media enquiries:

Jo Campbell +44 (0) 20 7012 6841 (London)

j.campbell@savethechildren.org.uk

Cautionary statement regarding forward-looking statements

GSK cautions investors that any forward-looking statements or projections made by GSK, including those made in this announcement, are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. Such factors include, but are not limited to, those described under Item 3.D ‘Risk factors’ in the company’s Annual Report on Form 20-F for 2013.

Registered in England & Wales:
No. 3888792

Registered Office:
980 Great West Road
Brentford, Middlesex
TW8 9GS

SOURCE
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK)

20 July 2014, 45th yearly Moon Day

From: pwbmspac

Greetings:

Happy Moon Day. It is once again time to take note of the annual memorial for Apollo 11 lunar landing. Now it has been all of 45 years since that Sunday. I, my brother, parents, and many million others around watched that “creaky old stile black & white movie” type of scratchy video as Neal Armstrong, then Buzz Aldrin descended ladder of their lunar lander on to the lunar surface, while Michael Collins tended the command & service Apollo modules in lunar orbit.

That is 45 years past, but still significant. (Interestingly, numerically, 1969 and 2014 share the same dates / days of week calender layout.)

In mid 1970-s about 7 years afterward, a Princeton Physicist, Gerard K. O’Neil brought to public attention an interesting vision – – Space Development. That is mining, industrial manufacturing, settlements of standard terrestrial human kind beginning to establish ourselves in that valuable real estate out across the solar system That view is still worthy of grasping so as to once again set course toward helping most people to thrive economically, and look forward with hope again, not just exist in great fear that they are just a short period from being rendered destitute, while the rulers have never had it better.

In the mean time, you may still hear a few interesting bits of news. One of the coastal Emirate neighbors of Saudi Arabia have committed to sending a space probe of their own to Mars. The CEO of the Tesla electric car company and of Space X has had a successfully cargo delivery flight by his Falcon launch vehicle and Dragon reusable space craft reach the international space station. Its price tag was lower than its prior competitors. The Mars Society solicited for volunteers willing to become Mars Settlers in a few years. Many people filed applications seeking to be selected. A researcher has been publishing tech papers asserting that his theoretical studies might in a few decades culminate in Star Trek style Warp Drives becoming possible. He is on staff at a NASA center, and is hoping that the small effort may endure for a bit.

These are a few small positive notes. But surely, many folks will agree that affordable, wide open to all, access to space, for regular folk to do there what they now routinely do hear for gaining livelihoods, is taking far too long.

Sincerely,
Power Beam Spacer
North America
Sol III A (Terra)

Mobile health in Africa: Gemalto joins GSMA pan-African mHealth Initiative

From: News Release – African Press Organization (APO)
PRESS RELEASE

A mobile ecosystem that aims to improve maternal and child health and nutrition in sub-Saharan Africa

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands, July 15, 2014/ — Gemalto (Euronext NL0000400653 GTO) (http://www.gemalto.com), the world leader in digital security, provides its support to the GSMA(1) pan-African mHealth Initiative (PAMI), a mobile ecosystem that aims to improve maternal and child health and nutrition in sub-Saharan Africa. Acting as one of the first leading partners in this ambitious undertaking, Gemalto is contributing its digital security expertise to two key mHealth programs: the United Nations Every Women Every Child Global Strategy and the Global Nutrition for Growth Compact.

Capture.PNGLogo: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/plog-content/images/apo/logos/gemalto.jpg

Photo: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/plog-content/images/apo/photos/140715.jpg

GSMA’s PAMI brings together stakeholders from the mobile and health industries, as well as from the public sector. The project will leverage a wide range of communications products, solutions and infrastructures to deliver sustainable and effective mHealth support that meets the needs of over 15 million pregnant women and mothers with children under five years old.

The first phase of the initiative will be launched across seven countries (Ivory Coast, Ghana, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Uganda and Zambia) in September 2014, extending to a further four (Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique and Tanzania) in early 2015.

Gemalto will help bring mHealth and nutrition services to the masses dynamically through its advanced SmartMessage interactive messaging solution, leveraging its existing relationships with mobile operators across the region. The aim is to simplify the relationships between patients and health stakeholders to deliver targeted nutritional and health advice via mobile phones.

“As the world is becoming ever more digital and wireless, we are thrilled to see our solutions being used to support a noble social cause with this initiative”, commented Philippe Vallée, Chief Operating Officer at Gemalto. “There can surely be no clearer illustration of the potential of mobile solutions to fundamentally change the expectations and outcomes of millions of people in sub-Saharan Africa.”

Distributed by APO (African Press Organization) on behalf of Gemalto.

(1) The GSMA represents the interests of mobile operators worldwide. Spanning more than 220 countries, the GSMA unites nearly 800 of the world’s mobile operators with more than 250 companies in the broader mobile ecosystem, including handset makers, software companies, equipment providers and Internet companies, as well as organisations in industry sectors such as financial services, healthcare, media, transport and utilities. The GSMA also produces industry-leading events such as the Mobile World Congress and Mobile Asia Expo.

Gemalto Media Contacts:

Kristel Teyras
Middle East & Africa
+33 1 55 01 57 89
kristel.teyras@gemalto.com

Contact Gemalto’s media relations in your region: http://www.gemalto.com/press/index.html

About Gemalto
Gemalto (Euronext NL0000400653 GTO) is the world leader in digital security (http://www.gemalto.com/companyinfo/digital_security.html) with 2013 annual revenues of €2.4 billion and more than 12,000 employees operating out of 85 offices and 25 research and software development centers, located in 44 countries.

We are at the heart of the rapidly evolving digital society. Billions of people worldwide increasingly want the freedom to communicate, travel, shop, bank, entertain and work – anytime, everywhere – in ways that are enjoyable and safe. Gemalto delivers on their expanding needs for personal mobile services, payment security, authenticated cloud access, identity and privacy protection, eHealthcare and eGovernment efficiency, convenient ticketing and dependable machine-to-machine (M2M) applications. We develop secure embedded software and secure products which we design and personalize. Our platforms and services manage these products, the confidential data they contain and the trusted end-user services made possible.

Our innovations enable our clients to offer trusted and convenient digital services to billions of individuals. Gemalto thrives with the growing number of people using its solutions to interact with the digital and wireless world.

For more information visit http://www.gemalto.com, http://www.justaskgemalto.com, http://blog.gemalto.com, or follow @gemalto on Twitter (http://twitter.com/gemalto).

SOURCE
Gemalto

Philips introduces innovative ultra-mobile ultrasound system ‘VISIQ’ in Kenya

From: News Release – African Press Organization (APO)
PRESS RELEASE

Philips introduces innovative ultra-mobile ultrasound system ‘VISIQ’ in Kenya to bring high quality, affordable healthcare to a wide range of clinicians

• Tablet-sized miniaturized ultrasound system enables incredible portability; VISIQ is a clinical innovation that addresses local needs

• The fifth consecutive Cairo to Cape Town roadshow continues focus on mother and child care

NAIROBI, Kenya, June 18, 2014/ — Royal Philips (AEX: PHIA, NYSE: PHG) (http://www.philips.com) today unveiled its new ultra-mobile ultrasound system VISIQ (http://www.healthcare.philips.com/main/products/ultrasound/systems/visiq) to the Kenyan market during the Nairobi leg of its annual pan-African Cairo to Cape Town Roadshow (http://www.philipsafricaroadshow.com). Currently in its fifth consecutive year, the roadshow enables Philips to engage in dialogue with customers, governments, NGOs and media to ascertain a better understanding of each country’s unique requirements and to develop relevant technology to support their needs on maternal and infant care.

Logo Philips: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/plog-content/images/apo/logos/philips-1.jpg

Photo: http://www.photos.apo-opa.com/index.php?level=picture&id=1175

Infographic: http://www.philipsafricaroadshow.com/2014-roadshow/infographic/

The size of a tablet, the VISIQ is the first ultra-mobile system from Philips. It provides high quality images for expectant mothers wherever care is taking place. VISIQ (http://www.healthcare.philips.com/main/products/ultrasound/systems/visiq) exemplifies Philips commitment to more cost effective, simplified, patient-focused health care innovations with high clinical performance.

By launching this new system in Kenya, Philips continues to demonstrate its dedicated support to the Kenyan Ministry of Health in its mission to reduce child mortality rates, improve maternal health, meet the UN Millennium Development Goals 4 & 5 and revitalize Kenya’s health infrastructure as part of Kenya’s Vision2030 (http://www.vision2030.go.ke/index.php/vision).

Maternal screening allows for early detection of complications

According to the Philips Fabric of Africa trends report (http://philips.to/T6KhQp), women in Africa are at significant risk of premature death, with particular high mortality rates recorded in pregnancy. Women in semi-urban and rural areas across Kenya (in fact all of Africa) often die due to preventable complications during child birth as they have no access to ultrasound screenings to detect critical conditions. Many of these deaths can be diagnosed with basic imaging technology.

One of the benefits of VISIQ is that it is portable and easy to use so it’s available for expectant mothers in remote areas who wouldn’t otherwise have access to this type of innovative technology. “It makes me proud to see how Philips’ cost-effective, easy to operate ultrasound systems can make a real difference in Africa. It shows that meaningful innovations can contribute to saving people’s lives,” says Peter van de Ven, Vice President & General Manager, Philips Healthcare Africa. “Improving access to healthcare is high on the Philips agenda in Africa and we are very eager to contribute to the Vision2030 goals of the Kenyan government to improve access to quality care for all Kenyans. VISIQ allows clinicians to provide ultrasound in a variety of clinical environments, offering soon-to-be parents the comfort of having regular pre-natal check-ups.”

Designed for the needs of the Kenyan market

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), diagnostic imaging is crucial in healthcare. Many countries in the developing world cannot afford to purchase expensive high technology imaging equipment despite the urgent need to use imaging resources in these countries.(1) “There is a growing global focus on cost effective systems, smaller footprints and imaging equipment which is both easier to operate but has improved clinical functionality. The Philips VISIQ has been specifically designed with this in mind and embodies Philips’ image quality legacy, driving innovation and efficiency in ultrasound imaging. VISIQ provides high quality images for quick and reliable diagnostic decision making,” summarizes, Peter van de Ven.

VISIQ’s unique combination of mobility, ease of use and image quality, will enable clinicians to perform ultrasound examinations across a variety of clinical settings. Small outpatient clinics or community centers can carry out comprehensive obstetric and abdominal scans themselves rather than referring patients to regional ultrasound centers. This enables fast diagnosis and treatment. Approximately ten times smaller than a traditional ultrasound machine and with reduced energy consumption, VISIQ can also be used in community care programs in remote rural areas for screening, triage and fetal well-being scans, all of which helps to address the critical issue of maternal and infant care in Kenya.

Maternity screening camp to enable early detection of complications

As per previous years, Philips is organizing a maternity screening camp during the Cairo to Cape Town roadshow jointly with African Medical and Research Foundation (AMREF) (http://www.amref.org) in Kibera; the largest informal settlement in Nairobi. For a majority of the expectant mothers in this community, this screening camp will be their first ever opportunity to have a scan. This will ensure that any complications are detected in advance of labour. Philips will be providing ultrasound equipment, including the VISIQ system and clinical specialists for the camp, whereas AMREF, through its referral programme with the local public hospitals, will take care of any complications detected during the screening.

Philips is also organizing a roundtable discussion as part of its ‘Fabric of Africa’ campaign (http://www.philips.com/FabricofAfrica), on the topic of “Innovations in Rural Healthcare” and will organize clinical training workshops on topics including fetal monitoring, infant warming, jaundice management and clinical ultrasound. Over the course of three days, Philips will train close to 120 local healthcare professionals, increasing the quality of healthcare workforce in Kenya.

The fifth pan-African Cairo to Cape Town roadshow

Nairobi is the fourth stop on Philips’ annual flagship Cairo to Cape Town Roadshow (http://www.philips.com/africaroadshow) (from 14th April to 3rd September 2014) which focuses on two key challenges facing Africa today – the need for energy-efficient lighting and the revitalization of African healthcare infrastructure. Philips remains consistently committed to reducing child mortality and improving maternal health, linked to the current UN Millennium Development Goals 4 and 5 (MDGs) (http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals). In contribution to the Post-2015 Development Agenda (http://www.post2015hlp.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/UN-Report.pdf), Philips calls for improving universal access to healthcare and reducing the double-disease burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases (NCDs) as additions to the current MDGs. The Roadshow will make its way across seven countries and ten cities in Africa. The next stop will be in Lagos, Nigeria on the 8th of July.

Distributed by APO (African Press Organization) on behalf of Royal Philips.

For more information please follow the Cairo to Cape Town roadshow on:

http://www.philips.com/africaroadshow

Infographic: http://www.philipsafricaroadshow.com/2014-roadshow/infographic/

For further information, please contact:

Radhika Choksey

Philips Group Communications – Africa

Tel: +31 62525 9000

E-mail: radhika.choksey@philips.com

About Royal Philips

Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA) (http://www.philips.com) is a diversified health and well-being company, focused on improving people’s lives through meaningful innovation in the areas of Healthcare, Consumer Lifestyle and Lighting. Headquartered in the Netherlands, Philips posted 2013 sales of EUR 23.3 billion and employs approximately 112,000 employees with sales and services in more than 100 countries. The company is a leader in cardiac care, acute care and home healthcare, energy efficient lighting solutions and new lighting applications, as well as male shaving and grooming and oral healthcare. News from Philips is located at http://www.philips.com/newscenter.

SOURCE

Royal Philips

Governments have direct access to eavesdrop in some countries – Vodafone Disclosure Report

From: Abdalah Hamis

World’s second-biggest mobile phone company, Vodafone, said government agencies in a small number of countries in which it operates have direct access to its network, enabling them to listen in to calls.

Vodafone on Friday published a “Disclosure Report” which said that while in many of the 29 countries in which it operates, government agencies need legal notices to tap into customers’ communications, there are some countries where this is not the case.

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xbM3U6tKB7Q/U5GRLftLOLI/AAAAAAAAWwM/NI6vfFeCwLU/s1600/Screenshot_1.png

In this report we provide an overview of some of the legal powers under the law of Tanzania that government agencies have to order Vodafone’s assistance with conducting real-time interception and the disclosure of data about Vodafone’s customers.

PROVISION OF REAL-TIME LAWFUL INTERCEPTION ASSISTANCE

The Electronic and Postal Communication Act The Electronic and Postal Communication Act, 2010 (the “EPOCA”) does not specifically make provision for interception of customer communications. However, the existence of intercept powers can be implied from section 120 of the EPOCA which provides that
no person, without lawful authority under the EPOCA or any other written law can intercept, attempt to intercept, or procure any other person to intercept or attempt to intercept any communications. An application must be made under ‘any other law’ to the director of public prosecution (the “DPP”) for authorisation to intercept or listen to any customer communication transmitted or received.

Only public officers or an officer appointed by the Tanzania Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (the “TCRA”) and authorised by the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Ministry of Home Affairs may be permitted to intercept such communications.

Section 120 of the EPOCA provides that any person who, without lawful authority under the EPOCA or any other written law:

a. intercepts, attempts to intercept, or procures any other person to intercept or attempt to intercept any communications; or

b. discloses, or attempts to disclose to any otther person the contents of any communications, knowingly or having reason to believe that the information was obtained through the interception of any communications in contravention of this section; or
c. uses or attempts to use the contents of any communications, knowingly having reason to believe that the information was obtained through the interception of any communications in contravention of this section, commits an offence. This section therefore implies that any person with lawful authority may intercept customer communications.

Tanzania Intelligence and Security Service Act The Tanzania Intelligence and Security Service Act [Cap 406 R.E. 2002] (the “TISSA”) provides that the Tanzania Intelligence and Security Service (the “Service”) has a duty to collect by investigation or otherwise, to the extent that it is strictly necessary, and analyse and retain, information and intelligence in respect of activities that may on reasonable grounds be suspected of constituting a threat to the security of Tanzania or any part of it. Section 15 of TISSA further provides that the Service has the power to investigate any person or body or persons whom or which it has reasonable cause to consider a risk, or source of risk, of a threat to state security and that the Service may conduct any investigations which are required for the purposes of providing security assessments. Section 10 of TISSA provides that the Director-General of the Service shall have the command, control, direction, superintendence and management of the Service and all matters connected with it and that all orders and instructions to the Service shall be issued by the Director-General subject to any orders issued by the President of the United Republic of Tanzania, unless the Minister responsible for intelligence and security directs otherwise in writing.

Tanzania Intelligence and Security Service Act The Tanzania Intelligence and Security Service Act [Cap 406 R.E. 2002] (the “TISSA”) provides that the Tanzania Intelligence and Security Service (the “Service”) has a duty to collect by investigation or otherwise, to the extent that it is strictly necessary, and analyse and retain, information and intelligence in respect of activities that may on reasonable grounds be suspected of constituting a threat to the security of Tanzania or any part of it. Section 15 of TISSA further provides that the Service has the power to investigate any person or body or persons whom or which it has reasonable cause to consider a risk, or source of risk, of a threat to state security and that the Service may conduct any investigations which are required for the purposes of providing security assessments. Section 10 of TISSA provides that the Director-General of the Service shall have the command, control, direction, superintendence and management of the Service and all matters connected with it and that all orders and instructions to the Service shall be issued by the Director-General subject to any orders issued by the President of the United Republic of Tanzania, unless the Minister responsible for intelligence and security directs otherwise in writing.

Criminal Procedure Act

Section 10 of the Criminal Procedure Act [Cap 20 R.E. 2002] (the “CPA”) provides/grants the powers to police officer(s) to investigate the facts and circumstances of a case where a police officer has reason to suspect the commission of an offence. Further, section 10(2) of the CPA specifically provides for the police officers’ powers, by order in writing, to require the attendance of any person (natural or legal) who from information given or in any other way appears to be acquainted with the circumstances of a case, or who is in possession of a document or any other thing relevant to the investigation of a case to attend or to produce such document or any other thing.

DISCLOSURE OF COMMUNICATIONS DATA

The Electronic and Postal Communication Act

Section 91 of the EPOCA provides that there shall be a database kept with the TCRA in which all subscriber information will be stored. Every application services licensee must submit to the TCRA a monthly list containing its subscribers information.

Further, Regulation 4(2)(b) of the the Electronic and Postal Communication (Telecommunications Traffic Monitoring System) Regulations 2013 (the “TTMS Regulations”) provide that the TCRA shall acquire, install, operate and maintain
traffic monitoring and measurement devices at the operator’s premises. Moreover, regulation 8 of the TTMS Regulations provides, inter alia, that the Traffic Monitoring System shall collect call detail records without any interception of contents of communications such as voice or SMS. Call detail records have been defined as information generated by telephone exchanges which contain details of calls originating from, terminating at or passing through the exchange. In addition,
regulation 13(4) of the TTMS Regulations provides that the TCRA must ensure that call detail records data are collected for the exclusive purpose of monitoring compliance with the TTMS Regulations; they are encrypted and stored with the
last three digits of the calling numbers hashed in order to protect confidentiality; and call detail records collected are not transmitted or given to third parties, public or private, except as permitted by law.

The EPOCA provides that information may only be disclosed by an authorised person where it is required by any law enforcement agency, court of law or other lawfully constituted tribunal authority with respect to subscriber information.
However, pursuant to the Electronic and Postal Communications (Licensing) Regulations, 2011 (the “Licensing Regulations”) a licensee may collect and maintain
information on individual consumers where it is reasonably required for its business purposes. It further provides that the collection and maintenance of information on individual consumers must be: (a) fairly and lawfully collected and
processed; (b) processed for identified purposes; (c) accurate; (d) processed in accordance with the consumer’s other rights; (e) protected against improper or accidental disclosure; and (f) not transferred to any party except as permitted by any terms and conditions agreed with the consumer, as permitted by any permission or approval of the Authority, or as otherwise permitted or required by other applicable laws or Regulations.

Under section 99 of the EPOCA a person shall not disclose any information received or obtained in exercising his powers or performing his duties in terms of the EPOCA except:

(a) where the information is required by any law enforcement agency, court of law or other lawfully constituted tribunal;

(b) notwithstanding the provision of this section, any authorized person who executes a directive or assists with execution thereof and obtains knowledge or information of any communication may;

(i) disclose such information to another law officer to the extent that such disclosure is necessary for the proper performance of the official duties of the
authorised person making or the law enforcement officer receiving the disclosure; or
(ii) use such information to the extent that such use is necessary for the proper performance of official duties.

NATIONAL SECURITY AND EMERGENCY POWERS

The National Security Act

The National Security Act [Cap 47 R.E. 2002] (the “NSA”), which makes provisions relating to state security, states in section 15 that where the DPP is satisfied that there is reasonable ground for suspecting that an offence under the NSA has been or is about to be committed, and that some person may be able to furnish information with regard thereto, he may, by writing under his hand, authorise a named officer to require that person to give a police officer any information in his power relating to such suspected or anticipated offence.

Tanzania Intelligence and Security Service Act Section 5 of TISSA gives authority to the Service to obtain, correlate, and evaluate intelligence relevant to security, and
to communicate any such intelligence to the Minister and to persons whom, and in the manner which, the Director-General considers it to be in the interests of security. In doing so the Service shall cooperate as far as practicable and necessary with such other organs of state and public authorities within or outside Tanzania as are capable of assisting the Service in the performance of its functions.

Constitution of United Republic of Tanzania The Constitution of United Republic of Tanzania 1977 as amended from time to time (the “Constitution”) provides
the Parliament with the power to enact and enable measures to be taken during a state of emergency or in normal times in relation to persons who are believed to engage in activities which endanger or prejudice the security of the nation.
Article 31 of the Constitution provides that any law enacted by Parliament shall not be void for the reason only that it enables measures to be taken during a state of emergency or in normal times in relation to persons who are believed to engage in
activities which endanger or prejudice the security of the nation, which measures derogate from the right to life.

OVERSIGHT OF THE USE OF POWERS

Other than as outlined above there is no judicial oversight over these powers. However, section 114 of the EPOCA provides that the TCRA may take enforcement measures against any person who contravenes licence conditions, regulations and
provisions of the EPOCA.

Don’t let internet companies hoard the wealth of big data

From: Yona Maro

WHAT is a tweet worth? Not a lot, but it stacks up. Twitter, which has yet to turn a profit, was valued at an eye-watering $18.1 billion when it made its stock market debut last week – far more than many tried and tested companies.

What underpins this value? As Twitter users were quick to point out, it is their contributions. An online gizmo allowing tweeters to estimate how much they had personally generated went viral: New Scientist staff reported credits from a measly $1 to a handy $847.
That was mostly a joke. But it highlights the gulf between the value people place on their own information – and the value that others do. Most individual bits of data are worthless; it’s only in the aggregate that they become valuable. And we get valuable online services in exchange for handing over our data.

But this transaction is starting to feel more myopic than pragmatic. Twitter’s investors may be betting on advertising revenue, but the company’s trove of data can be used to analyse everything from the stock market (including, perhaps, its own share price) to food safety. That may, in the long run, prove more lucrative.

So far, much of this data has been relatively accessible. But it may not stay that way. Internet companies have started giving users greater control over their personal data. But they may start to restrict access as it grows more valuable: after all, they have their sky-high valuations to defend.
Link:
http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg22029431.400-dont-let-internet-companies-hoard-the-wealth-of-big-data.html#.UpRZe7RJiJQ

Yona Fares Maro

Institut d’études de sécurité – SA

Save the Internet!

From: Josh Levy

Dear Readers,

I’m Josh Levy of the organization Free Press, and I started a petition to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), which says:

The D.C. Circuit’s decision in the Verizon vs. FCC case dealt a huge blow to the open Internet.
Right now there is no one protecting Internet users from ISPs that block or discriminate against websites, applications, or services. Companies like Verizon will now be able to block or slow down any website, application, or service they like. And they’ll be able to create tiered pricing structures with fast lanes for those who can afford the tolls and slow lanes for everyone else.

It’s time for the new FCC leadership to correct the agency’s past mistakes and to reassert the agency’s clear authority over our nation’s communications infrastructure. To preserve the open Internet, the FCC must reclassify broadband Internet access as a telecommunications service.

Use your authority to establish a solid legal footing for the vital policies and protections this court decision threatens.

Sign Josh’s petition

The D.C. Circuit court dealt the latest blow to the open Internet by striking down the Federal Communications Commission’s Open Internet Order, because of the questionable legal framework the agency used when it adopted its net neutrality rules in 2010.

This ruling means there is no one who can protect us from Internet service providers that could block, speed up or slow down web content based on its source—or charge you more depending on what website you are looking at.

But there’s hope: FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler can correct the agency’s past mistakes and truly protect our nation’s communications infrastructure.

We only have until the May 15 FCC meeting to pressure Wheeler to ensure the FCC maintains an open Internet

Tell the FCC to restore net neutrality rules.
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=296192&id=95291-21095459-IqkPVmx&t=2

The agency must take the necessary steps to make broadband networks open, accessible, reliable, and affordable for everyone.

The FCC is currently hearing from lobbyists, interest groups and trade associations.1 We need to tell the FCC to start treating broadband like a communications service and to restore its net neutrality rules.

Add your name to this petition, and then pass it along to your friends.
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=296192&id=95291-21095459-IqkPVmx&t=3

Thanks!

–Josh Levy

Source:

1. “Lobbying Efforts Intensify After F.C.C. Tries 3rd Time on Net Neutrality,” The New York Times, April 24, 2014
http://www.moveon.org/r/?r=298033&id=95291-21095459-IqkPVmx&t=4

This petition was created on MoveOn’s online petition site, where anyone can start their own online petitions. Free Press didn’t pay us to send this email—we never rent or sell the MoveOn.org list.

Shifting global power

From: Emmanuel Dennis

https://ci6.googleusercontent.com/proxy/rqrfn4jlj8QKBSETasL1ytRHyAL1RYtOU6ek2-mlnzx93nYRL7bCbyJUUqB-Fk1I53VMHg7IqOsXmRavmtSUdFJty8B4FptNuwWN3LZmE9o=s0-d-e1-ft#https://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.350.org/images/gps_info_en.jpg
http://act.350.org/go/5070?t=1&akid=4472.850573.Gj_Tjd

Global Power Shift is scaling up the climate movement in an unprecedented way — it is sparking climate action all over the world.

After our massive gathering in Istanbul last year to train young leaders in grassroots and climate activism, thousands of youth have joined regional events, organised mobilisations and launched campaigns to fight the climate crisis in country after country — Australia, Ukraine, Canada, Vietnam, France, Kenya, Philippines, Brazil, Egypt, China and India are just some of them. And we’re not done yet — more Power Shifts are planned for the coming months! Check this awesome timeline to see what the teams are up to.
http://act.350.org/go/3713?t=5&akid=4472.850573.Gj_Tjd

From national summits to months of action, these teams are building innovative, bold climate activism in their regions. They are exposing fossil fuel corporations and pressuring their leaders to take serious action. They are promoting and implementing clean, renewable energy, reaching and engaging frontline communities, and highlighting climate impacts. They’re working with well established partners and articulating effective, coordinated campaigns to tackle climate change. But most of all — they’re taking climate leadership and shifting the power!

There’s still a lot to do and we’re certainly going to see many powerful, inspiring campaigns sparking across the planet. But we are so excited about how Global Power Shift is moving so far that we wanted to share the news with you. Can you share the infographic with your friends too?
http://act.350.org/go/5069?t=6&akid=4472.850573.Gj_Tjd

Onwards,

350.org is building a global movement to solve the climate crisis. Connect with us on Facebook and Twitter, and sign up for email alerts. You can help power our work by making a donation To change your email address or update your contact info, click here.



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An Exploration of Best Practice in the Use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) for Development

From: Yona Maro

This discussion paper captures best practice in the use of mobile phones and other low-cost communications technologies through a series of interviews with experts and practitioners. Interviewees include:

• The head of the mobile solutions team at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) who describes the agency’s efforts to use mobile phones to pay teachers in Afghanistan, reducing money lost to graft;

• The founder of FrontlineSMS, one of the most widely scaled mobile text messaging-based information sharing program, who provides his top 10 tips for effective use of technology for social good;

• The chair of the Health Board of The United Methodist Church in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, who describes how using FrontlineSMS is changing the way information is shared in the context of acute health emergencies, such as cholera outbreaks; and

• The program manager of the Thomas Food Project in Thomas, Haiti, who describes how low cost solar power is being used to power a new computer center and generate income that supports a school feeding program.

Link:
http://www.umcom.org/site/c.mrLZJ9PFKmG/b.9031619/k.4677/Using_Technology_for_Social_Good.htm

Yona Fares Maro
Institut d’études de sécurité – SA

Digital Life in 2025

From: Yona Maro

The Web became a major layer of the Internet. Indeed, for many, it became synonymous with the Internet, even though that is not technically the case. Its birthday offers an occasion to revisit the ways it has made the Internet a part of Americans’ social lives.

Our first report tied to the anniversary looked at the present and the past of the Internet, marking its strikingly fast adoption and assessing its impact on American users’ lives. This report is part of an effort by the Pew Research Center’s Internet Project in association with Elon University’s Imagining the Internet Center to look at the future of the Internet, the Web, and other digital activities.

This is the first of eight reports based on a canvassing of hundreds of experts about the future of such things as privacy, cybersecurity, the “Internet of things,” and net neutrality. In this case we asked experts to make their own predictions about the state of digital life by the year 2025. We will also explore some of the economic change driven by the spectacular progress that made digital tools faster and cheaper. And we will report on whether Americans feel the explosion of digital information coursing through their lives has helped them be better informed and make better decisions.

Link:
http://www.pewinternet.org/files/2014/03/PIP_Report_Future_of_the_Internet_Predictions_031114.pdf

Yona Fares Maro
Institut d’études de sécurité – SA