Civics and World

Dozens of Global Clothiers Sign Bangladesh Work Safety Accord

Fri, 24 May 2013 14:02:37 +0100

Dozens of international companies have made a legal commitment to improve safety in Bangladesh's garment factories, in the wake of last month's building collapse that killed more than 1,100 people. The decision by major retailers in Europe such as Inditex, Carrefour and H&M, to sign the fire-and-safety agreement ten days ago was in many ways unprecedented, said the spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Rupert Colville....

Jersey Shore Reopens 7 Months After Sandy

Fri, 24 May 2013 12:21:42 +0100

Seven months after being devastated by the worst storm in New Jersey history, most of the beaches and boardwalks of the Jersey Shore are back and open for business in time for the start of the summer season -- Memorial Day weekend. While much of the residential area of Seaside Heights is still in rebuilding mode, the famed mile-long boardwalk has been restored....

120 Banks Pledge to Lend More to Veterans

Wed, 22 May 2013 05:55:23 +0100

The Small Business Administration said today it has lined up pledges from more than 120 banks to increase lending for an additional 2,000 veterans with loans totaling $475 million. The new program, SBA Veteran Pledge Initiative, will increase lending to veteran-owned businesses by 5 percent per year for the next five years....

Marching to Their Own Beat: Brass Band Keeps Youngsters From Gang Life

Fri, 17 May 2013 12:59:45 +0100

Every Friday morning 17-year-old Sarel Ramphele puts on his gold-trimmed suit, grabs his trumpet and walks the 6 kilometers to the neighboring village. Under a makeshift iron roof in the yard of an unused house he meets with scores of other young people to rehearse for what has become an improbable musical success story in one of South Africa's poorest regions, according to The Good News, South Africa website. Based in Limpopo, Bezzi's Youth Brass Band is one local woman's answer to a distinct l...

Scotland Achieves Fair Trade Nation Status

Tue, 14 May 2013 13:22:18 +0100

Scotland has become a Fair Trade Nation after achieving its target of having all six cities and 18 of its 32 councils garnering fair trade status. It follows Wales in becoming one of the first nations to earn the accolade. Fair Trade products are about knowing where the products are produced and offering a better deal to workers who produce those goods in developing countries. - WATCH the video below - READ the story from the BBC (Feb. 25)...

Cincinnati is Largest US City to Use 100% Renewable Energy

Mon, 13 May 2013 13:10:50 +0100

Greater Cincinnati is on the leading edge of the green movement – maybe not in showy ways like curbside composting or light rail, but in all the green you don’t see. Cincinnati is the largest city in the country to get all of its electricity from alternative energy sources, and it has the third-most homes certified under the U.S. Green Business Council’s Leadership in Engineering and Design standards. The region is also a leader in LEED-certified schools....

American Ship Delivers Wheat to Feed One Million Syrians

Fri, 10 May 2013 14:39:59 +0100

A U.S. ship carrying enough wheat to feed more than one million people for four months was delivered for distribution to the Syrian people. The United Nations World Food Program received the contribution, worth more than $19 million, on April 21 in Beirut, Lebanon. The ship's cargo gave the WFP the ability to add flour to the monthly food basket of more than one million people. The 25,000 metric tons of wheat is being distributed in 50-lb bags (25 kg) of flour to people in areas where there are ...

UK Contribution Provides Syrians With Lifeline of Food

Fri, 10 May 2013 14:20:20 +0100

Amid mounting concern about the deepening suffering caused by conflict in Syria, the United Nations World Food Program last week welcomed a generous contribution from the Government of the United Kingdom of $43 million (£28.3 mil) to help provide much-needed food assistance to thousands of Syrians both inside and outside their country. The donation will supply food rations to displaced families in Syria itself, as well as to half a million refugees in neighboring countries....

Woman Rescued From Rubble of Bangladesh Factory After 16 Days

Fri, 10 May 2013 14:12:06 +0100

Cheers erupted among workers today when a woman was pulled alive from the ruins of an eight-story factory in Bangladesh -- more than 16 days after it collapsed. She said later that she "never dreamed I'd see the daylight again." Reshma Begum, a seamstress who is married with a young son, was found trapped in the basement mosque of the building after about 391 hours in the rubble....

Alleviating Poverty With A Washing Machine Powered By Your Feet

Tue, 07 May 2013 14:20:36 +0100

A new product designed for its social good uses the principles of a salad spinner to make less back-breaking and time-consuming the work of washing clothes for millions of people in poverty. The patent-pending GiraDora is a human-powered washer and spin dryer that increases the efficiency and improve the experience of hand-washing clothes....

Broadland: Welcome to the UK's Most Peaceful Place

Mon, 06 May 2013 13:43:20 +0100

The Norfolk area of Broadland has been named the most "peaceful" area of the UK. The tranquil district, which has a population of about 125,000, had only eight violent crimes reported in 2012 -- about a third of the national average. A largely rural area north-east of Norwich, Broadland includes some of the city's suburbs along with picturesque villages and handsome market towns....

First Hot-Rocks Plant in Australia Delivers Clean Geothermal Energy

Fri, 03 May 2013 13:11:19 +0100

A power station driven by hot-rocks technology has begun producing electricity in the far north-east of South Australia. The innovative plant from Geodynamics is the first in Australia to produce power using an enhanced geothermal system, which draws hot water from underground rocks to heat other water above ground in pipes that produce steam to power a turbine. In the U.S. a 2011 Google-funded study uncovered massive potential for accessible, renewable geothermal heat all across the country, i...

World's Wealthiest Men Join Bill Gates to Raise $4 Billion To End Polio

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 13:17:20 +0100

At the Global Vaccine Summit in Abu Dhabi late last week, the world’s two richest men made a bit of philanthropic history. Carlos Slim announced his foundation will donate $100 million to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, a new effort organized by the Gates Foundation to eliminate polio....

BC University Welcomes 100 Disadvantaged African Students on Full Scholarship

Sat, 27 Apr 2013 15:09:31 +0100

More than 110 underprivileged students from Africa will get to study at the University of British Columbia thanks to a $25 million donation from MasterCard Foundation. “This transformative grant will help support a new generation of African leaders and will enhance UBC and Canada’s connections with Africa for the future,” said UBC president Stephen Toope, in a statement. This extends to Canada the MasterCard Foundation's worldwide program aimed at educating talented students from economic...

Czechs Send $200K to Blast-hit Texas Town

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 14:35:27 +0100

The Czech Republic plans to donate $200,000 to help the Texas town of West recover from a devastating fertilizer plant explosion. The government decided to provide the aid in solidarity because a significant number of people in the town of 2,700 have Czech roots....

Violent Crime Falls Rapidly as UK Becomes More Peaceful Place

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 13:51:14 +0100

The UK is becoming a more peaceful place with rates of violent crime and murder falling more rapidly in the past decade any other Western European country, researchers say. Violent crime overall was down by a quarter in the decade ending in 2012, and murders were cut in half, according to the UK Peace Index, a report compiled by the Sydney-based Institute for Economics and Peace....

Brazil Furnishes $1.2 Billion of Funds for Clean-Energy Research

Sun, 21 Apr 2013 12:40:51 +0100

Brazil will provide 2.4 billion reais ($1.19 billion) of cheap loans and grants for renewable- energy research projects through 2016 as part of a government effort to spur investment in innovation. The Inova Energia program is intended to create a culture of innovation in Brazil’s energy industry encouraging projects like efficient power lines connecting remote hydroelectric dams in the Amazon or factories that make silicon for use in solar panels....

Agreement to Connect Again a River With the Ocean

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 20:35:14 +0100

Called "The Nile of North America, the Colorado River flowed freely across the Mexico border 50 years ago and fed the delta to the sea. Until the 1960's, when the dam in Glen Canyon was built along with a series of canals built to divert the water. After decades of dismay in Mexico over the state of the delta, there is reason for some optimism....

City Officials Kick off Happiness Initiative in Santa Fe

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 12:28:59 +0100

The Happiness Santa Fe Initiative kicked off its Sustainable Happiness Week on Saturday at the Santa Fe Farmers Market with a formal city proclamation, music, hugs and, of course, a message board where people could write down the things that bring them joy. One of the driving forces behind the project is Dr. Merle Lefkoff, who was invited last year by the Prime Minister of Bhutan to help promote that country’s “Gross National Happiness” index at the United Nations....

US Senators Reach Bipartisan Deal on Expanding Gun Background Checks

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 12:45:47 +0100

A bipartisan group of senators has struck a deal to expand gun background checks to all commercial sales — whether at gun shows, via the Internet or in any circumstance involving paid advertising, according to Senate aides familiar with the talks. The amendment to the guns legislation already proposed in the Senate would not cover private transactions between individuals, unless there was advertising or an online service involved. It is more stringent than the current law, which requires check...

Color-bombs Fill India's Beautiful Holi Festival of Spring (Top Videos)

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 06:35:32 +0100

The major Holi festival of India was celebrated last week -- a riot of color and and gaiety marking the coming of Spring, the season of hope and joy. Family and strangers rush with excitement down every street corner pouring colored powders on passers by.

Police Clown Units in Mexico Befriend Youth to Prevent Crime

Sat, 06 Apr 2013 19:37:45 +0100

In Tultitlán, Mexico, where the police officers are considered some of the most corrupt in Latin America, children who are victims of domestic violence, susceptible to drug sales and bullying, are being helped by cops with big smiles and red noses. Respect for law enforcement officers in recent years has plummeted in the wake of the rampant drug trade. So-called Police Clown Units, "Polipayasos" as they call themselves, have been trying to change that. Aiming to keep the next generation from be...

Fewer Youth Inmates in Canada and Australia Means Units Closing

Sat, 06 Apr 2013 17:57:03 +0100

The New South Wales Government has been forced to close a youth detention center because of a lack of inmates. The same positive trend is occurring with teens in Saskatchewan. The number of incarcerated youth in that province has fallen so much that units have been closed at three youth detention centers and one will be repurposed to house adult women. Changes to policing and court practices in both localities has cut child incarceration by nearly 50 percent....

Paris Employs Sheep to 'Mow' Lawn at City's Gardens

Sat, 06 Apr 2013 17:08:19 +0100

Officials in Paris this week looking for a greener way to keep its lawns mowed, replaced the fleet of noisy gas-guzzling lawnmowers with a small flock of sheep that are grazing the city's open spaces. The scheme also cuts down on the need for chemical herbicides. The four woolly ewes were shipped in from an island off the Brittany coast, says the AP story....

Locals Light up Remote Peruvian Airstrip for Emergency Night-flight

Fri, 05 Apr 2013 14:09:04 +0100

They came on their motor scooters by the hundreds.

The community of Contamana - a remote town in eastern Peru - came out in force on Wednesday when their local airstrip needed lighting for an emergency medical night-flight.

Cabinet Secretaries and Obama Give Back 5% of Salaries to Help Federal Workers

Fri, 05 Apr 2013 14:06:05 +0100

Along with President Obama, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, Secretary of State John Kerry, Treasury Secretary Jack Lew and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano have decided to forgo portions of their salaries in solidarity with federal workers. Like Obama, they volunteered to give their money to help reduce the deficit, or to foundations that benefit federal workers adversely affected by sequester legislation, which forced automatic government spending cuts....

Waist-deep in Mud, Britain's PM Cameron Rescues Distressed Mama Sheep

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 13:49:30 +0100

Bogged down by a stagnating economy and sinking poll ratings, British Prime Minister David Cameron ventured into a new swamp when he waded waist-deep into mud to rescue a drowning sheep. Cameron was on his way back from visiting a farmer near his weekend home in the Oxfordshire countryside last month when he heard bleating and spotted a ewe that had got stuck in the mud after following her two lambs....

Egyptian Superhero Comic Fights Sexual Harassment

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 13:13:46 +0100

It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s Super Makh! Reappearing this year in the popular Egyptian comic publication Tok-Tok is a superhero comic with a social mission -- to help women and girls stop their harassers. Super Makh, the Egyption version of Superman, tackles the pressing issue of sexual harassment by using popular culture to affect change....

Pakistani Woman Makes History in Daring Run for Parliament

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 14:42:19 +0100

A Pakistani homemaker from the conservative tribal area will become the first woman to run for a seat in Parliament from that region of the country.

Braving possible attack by Islamist militants, Badam Zari hopes to bring more government focus to the issues important to Pakistani women.

Milwaukee Giving Circle Funds Hmong Women in Death and Life

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 14:42:04 +0100

The Milwaukee Hmong women's giving circle boasts an inspiring story of how it began and impressive progress over the course of its two years. The circle grew out of an incident when a Hmong woman was killed by her estranged husband and there was no one to bury her. A group of Hmong women pooled their resources to pay for the woman's burial. From that experience and the realization that other women might face the same situation, the women decided to form a giving circle. It has so far raised $1...

Vital Medicine Rides Coke’s Distribution Network Into Remote African Villages

Sun, 31 Mar 2013 19:05:00 +0100

Simon Berry is piggybacking on Coca-Cola’s distribution system to bring life-saving medicine to the places that need it most. You can buy a Coke pretty much anywhere on Earth. Thanks to a vast network of local suppliers, Coca-Cola has almost completely solved distribution, getting its product into every nook and cranny where commerce reaches. There are places in the world where it’s easier to get a Coke than clean water. In the 1980s, Berry was an aid worker in Zambia, and when he looked a...

Saudi Arabia To Allow Women's Sports Clubs

Sat, 30 Mar 2013 14:03:54 +0100

Saudi Arabia is to license women's sports clubs for the first time, al-Watan daily reported, in a major step for an ultra-religious country where clerics have warned against female exercise. Last year the conservative Islamic kingdom, where women must have permission from a male relative to take many big decisions, sent women athletes to the Olympics for the first time after pressure from international rights groups....

No Longer In Disguise, Female Pakistani Can Train as Squash Champion

Sat, 30 Mar 2013 12:42:47 +0100

Pakistan's top female squash player used to have to pretend she was a boy. When Maria Toorpakai's secret was finally revealed she had to choose between the sport she loved and her family's safety. Former world champion Jonathon Power received a letter from the athlete and decided to visit to learn who this passionate girl was. He ended up rescuing her, calling her the "Rocky" of the squash world. With her father's blessing, he brought her to Canada to train, and make her a professional champion...

How Two Birmingham Gangs Became Allies

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 14:28:57 +0100

A social enterprise founded by former gang members has helped to end a 20-year turf war in Birmingham.

The One Mile Away organization is the outcome of a feature-length documentary of the same name, just released nationwide in England.

New York City Pay Phones Get 21st Century Makeover

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 16:51:46 +0100

You can still see more than 10,000 coin-operated phones around New York City today. What seems a relic of the past in this age of mobile technology, became a vital link in an emergency for those who had no power to charge their devices during Hurricane Sandy. Still, many of the phone booths scattered across the city are rotting in disrepair, so Mayor Michael Bloomberg launched a design contest in December to "re-own the phone". He invited designers to submit ideas that might include solar panels...

Cree Youth on Final Leg of Trek to Canadian Parliament Find Healing, Solidarity

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 13:32:00 +0100

A group of Cree youth are beginning the final leg of their walk from Northern Quebec to Parliament Hill. Six youths and a guide set out in January to snowshoe and walk to Ottawa in support of the Idle No More movement. But the walk now includes hundreds of people. "It's helping them deal with personal struggles, including depression and suicidal thoughts," said an 18 year old, one of the original seven walkers....

Israel Loves Iran: The Facebook Campaign That Launched a Love Avalanche

Sun, 24 Mar 2013 14:57:24 +0100

Barack Obama talked a lot about peace during his recent trip to Israel and Palestinian cities. Meanwhile, social networks in those countries are actually creating it, reaching into a million homes -- and hearts -- in the Middle East. As the drums of war between Israel and Iran grew louder and more menacing last year, Israeli graphic designer Ronny Edry decided to make a poster of himself and his daughter with a bold message: "Iranians ... we [heart] you." He shared it on Facebook and, overnight,...

Oxford University Study Suggests World Poverty is Rapidly Shrinking

Sun, 17 Mar 2013 22:21:53 +0100

World poverty is shrinking and developing countries are becoming less poor according to a new study by Oxford University. Nepal, Rwanda and Bangladesh were the 'star performers' of the 22 countries studied by the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative, followed by Ghana, Tanzania, Cambodia and Bolivia....

Investors Bet on Organic Farming in China

Sun, 17 Mar 2013 20:17:33 +0100

Affluent Chinese, alarmed by a slew of food-safety problems in recent years, are increasingly willing to spend a premium on what is served for dinner. This demand has fueled the growth of the organic-food market. Investors in the country betting big on the organic concept have poured money into food producers and distributors. Some are wrestling with a conflict between scale and quality, but this has not dampened their enthusiasm....

Clinton Brings Investors to Haiti, Donates $700,000 to Boost Farming

Wed, 13 Mar 2013 14:13:22 +0100

Former President Clinton praised Haiti's economic potential while touring new agricultural plants that produce coffee and Heineken beer. He also announced Monday that his Clinton Foundation is donating $700,000 that will go toward efforts to plant trees, build a coffee farm and train farmers. Mr. Clinton gave tours to other potential investors including restauranteur Mario Batali and representatives from a perfume company and a lingerie company....

Turkmenistan Begins Planting 3 Million Trees to Transform Desert Nation

Tue, 12 Mar 2013 23:16:14 +0100

A decree recently signed by the Turkmen President ordered government ministries to plant 3 million trees in 2013 with the aim of transforming the desert Central Asian nation into a "blooming garden". Media reports said 465,000 public-sector employees, including those working at schools and universities in the country, took shovels in hand on March 10 and spent the day planting 755,000 trees....

London Homeless Sign Up for College, Take Courses Teaching Life Skills

Mon, 11 Mar 2013 20:09:08 +0100

An innovative college for homeless people in London, the first of its kind in the country, is attracting hundreds of students. Recovery College, set up in Southwark by St Mungo's charity, is providing courses which improve practical skills and help to rebuild confidence. There are no charges, no entry requirements and students help to design and deliver the courses....

Contest Produces 5 Outside-The-Box Ideas To Change U.S. Cities

Mon, 04 Mar 2013 16:41:42 +0100

The Mayor’s Challenge is a contest run by Bloomberg Philanthropies to find the best ideas bubbling out of our cities--from data mining to turning foreclosed houses into urban farms. New York City mayor Mike Bloomberg is funding the best ideas of local governments using the competition that will result in the winner taking home $5 million and four runners-up getting $1 million each....

A New Museum Devoted To Math

Sun, 03 Mar 2013 16:12:12 +0100

Math. The very word conjures painful memories: long division . . . Square roots. Take that unpopular academic subject, a dedicated visionary, and $23 three million, and what have you got? Glen Whitney's Museum of Mathematics (MoMath for short) which opened December in New York City. He is trying to change the way we think about one of our least favorite subjects....

'Solar Suitcase' Saving Moms, Babies During Childbirth

Sat, 02 Mar 2013 14:23:34 +0100

In some African countries, a lack of reliable electricity is to blame for hundreds of deaths each year during childbirth. Dr. Laura Stachel witnessed this tragic truth during a trip to Nigeria five years ago and with the help of her husband, a solar energy educator, did something about it. They are now delivering a solution: solar energy in a suitcase....

Pakistani Doctor Jailed for Helping US Find bin Laden Named Congressional Hero

Fri, 01 Mar 2013 11:41:48 +0100

A Congressional resolution has been introduced in the US House of Representatives to recognize a Pakistani doctor, who helped CIA trace Osama bin Laden, as an American hero. Dr Shakil Afridi was arrested by Pakistan government three weeks after Laden was killed in the US raid for helping to access the al-Qaeda leader's compound in Abbottabad....

This Billboard Generates Clean Drinking Water Straight From The Air

Wed, 27 Feb 2013 16:53:19 +0100

The University of Engineering and Technology in Lima, Peru, decided to pull off a clever engineering stunt to attract a new class of techie do-gooder students: create a billboard on the Pan-American Highway that generates potable water out of thin air. It almost never rains and villagers nearby are challenged by the lack of fresh water. But atmospheric humidity, regularly as high as 98%, is thick with potential droplets....

Beautiful Wooden Pedestrian Bridge Was Crowdfunded When The City Couldn’t Pay

Mon, 25 Feb 2013 17:11:43 +0100

In Rotterdam, a new bridge connects two parts of the city that were previously cut off by roads with heavy traffic. The bridge is all wood--17,000 individual planks, each of which bears the name of the individual who donated money to help pay for it when the city’s coffers were empty. Reconnecting a part of the city cut off by traffic makes the area walkable again, and may attract shops, restaurants, and small businesses....

Man Brings Unique Program "Clothing for Dignity" to India

Sat, 23 Feb 2013 17:15:16 +0100

Anshu Gupta, a public relations professional, decided to give up his career 15 years ago to do something about the lack of basic clothing for the poor in India, who often die from exposure in winter. He and his wife began by donating 67 pieces of spare clothing from their own wardrobes. These days, 2.2 million pounds of clothing each year are processed annually by his organization. What makes their project different is that nothing is given away; Gupta's motto is "clothing for dignity," and he ...

New Program Gives Vets Jobs, Makes Schools Safer

Fri, 22 Feb 2013 12:23:50 +0100

Many returning soldiers are struggling to find employment but the program Troops to Teachers offers a chance for a rewarding career that utilities leadership skills and perseverance. The Department of Defense initiative is quickly becoming a win-win program for veterans and schools, as qualified service members get trained as teachers and create a safer environment for public schools....

Stock Markets Worldwide Hit Record Highs Amid Global Optimism

Wed, 20 Feb 2013 18:29:51 +0100

Although peaks in the trading markets are just moments in time, it is still a positive sign when we reach them, if only temporarily. This week we saw a congruence of high points from many corners of the world. Starting in Southeast Asia, the Philippines and Indonesian stock markets hit their record high on Wednesday, while Thailand ended atop a 19-year peak, amid the improving global economic outlook. Japan's Nikkei climbed to a 52-month high on Wednesday....

Village in India Dramatically Increases Crop Yield Without GMOs or Herbicide

Sun, 17 Feb 2013 16:07:52 +0100

In a village in India's poorest state, farmers are growing world record amounts of rice – with no GM, and no herbicide. The innovation in rural Darveshpura has divided scientists but excited governments and development experts. Tests on the soil show it is particularly rich in silicon but the reason for the "super yields" is entirely down to a method of growing crops called System of Root Intensification (SRI)....

Bhutan to Become World's First Wholly Organic Country with Pesticide Ban

Thu, 14 Feb 2013 16:53:57 +0100

Bhutan plans to become the first country in the world to turn its agriculture completely organic, banning the sales of pesticides and herbicides and relying on its own animals and farm waste for fertilizers. The reason for the pesticide ban within its borders is largely practical, according to Bhutan's minister of agriculture and forests. "Ours is a mountainous terrain. When we use chemicals they don't stay where we use them, they impact the water and plants."...

California Developer Building a Better Haiti

Mon, 11 Feb 2013 17:57:04 +0100

On Jan. 12, Haitians solemnly marked the three-year anniversary of the catastrophic magnitude 7.0 earthquake that decimated their homeland. Today, a few of the tent cities and shacks that housed refugees are gone, but many remain. For the respected San Francisco developer Sherman Balch, the work is just beginning. "We want to give the Haitians employable skills," Balch said. "It comes down to if you want to alleviate poverty, you've got to give them jobs. ... They need to learn a trade."...

Knights Of Malta Celebrates 900th Anniversary of Humility and Charity

Sun, 10 Feb 2013 15:28:34 +0100

Pilgrims and tourists visiting the Vatican received a special treat Saturday, when some 4,000 members of the Knights of Malta marched in procession celebrating the group's 900th anniversary. The order's mission is humility and charity and had its start in the 11th century, with the creation of an infirmary in Jerusalem that cared for people making pilgrimages to the Holy Land during the Crusades....

Eye-catching Rickshaws Promote Peace in Pakistan

Sat, 09 Feb 2013 13:37:36 +0100

Pakistani youth leader Syed Ali Abbas Zaidi has a plan to counter the relentless message of violence spewed forth by radical Islamic groups in his country. Zaidi is using a fleet of rickshaws emblazoned with peace slogans and decorated with colorful designs similar to those found on many trucks and buses in the country....

25 Years of Red Nose Day Raises Millions for Charity

Tue, 05 Feb 2013 15:27:21 +0100

Comic Relief stars, past and present, today will mark 25 years of Red Nose Day and celebrate the 50 million lives that have been changed by the money raised. Thanks to the generosity of the British public since 1988 over £600 million has been raised since 1988. That money has been helping to change lives across Africa, the UK and the world’s poorest countries....

Can Iraq's Geeks Save the Country?

Tue, 05 Feb 2013 15:09:36 +0100

Politicians, generals and clerics have all played their part in shaping the new Iraq, with varying results. Now the geeks are giving it a shot. In recent months, Baghdad residents from science, engineering and tech backgrounds have been meeting regularly to participate in Iraq's first "hackerspace."...

EU Set to Ban Animal Testing for Cosmetics Forever

Tue, 05 Feb 2013 15:08:40 +0100

After over 20 years of campaigning, ethical beauty retailer The Body Shop and non-profit organization Cruelty Free International are finally celebrating the end to animal testing for cosmetics in Europe with the anticipated announcement that the import and sale of animal tested cosmetic products and ingredients is to be banned in the EU on 11th March 2013....

How To Save A Public Library: Make It A Seed Bank

Sat, 02 Feb 2013 17:46:21 +0100

Some signs of spring are starting to break through in Colorado. The public library in the small town of Basalt is trying an experiment: In addition to borrowing books, residents can now check out seeds. After you borrow the packet of seeds, you grow the crop and harvest new seeds from your best produce. You return them so the library can lend your seeds out to others....

France to Turn Off Office and Shop Lights at Night

Fri, 01 Feb 2013 19:17:18 +0100

French shops and office buildings will have to turn off their lights at night to save energy and reduce light pollution, the French environment ministry said on Wednesday. From July 1, all non-residential buildings will have to switch off interior lights one hour after the last worker leaves the premises. All exterior and shop window lighting will have to be turned off by 1 am....

Cops Do Their Routine Paperwork at Schools, a Cheap Way to Add Security

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 15:02:04 +0100

Inspired to bolster school security by the December shooting inside Connecticut's Sandy Hook Elementary School, deputies in Douglas County are voluntarily doing their paperwork in parking lots outside their district's 40-plus elementary schools. The result, they say, is more security without additional resources....

First Black South African Billionaire Donates Fortune to Poor

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 14:32:46 +0100

South Africa's first black billionaire, Patrice Motsepe, on Wednesday said he has signed up for the Giving Pledge, becoming the first African to join some of the world's wealthiest people in donating vast sums of personal wealth to the poor. The Giving Pledge is a philanthropic initiative started by US billionaire Warren Buffet along with Bill and Melinda Gates that has recruited nearly 100 billionaires, mostly Americans, who have pledged to donate the majority of their wealth to charity....

French, Mali Troops Retake Timbuktu From Extremists as City Cheers

Tue, 29 Jan 2013 15:54:52 +0100

Residents of the ancient city of Timbuktu erupted in joy as French and Malian troops drove in on Monday after Islamist rebels fled to their last stronghold in the North. For centuries a cosmopolitan city and a center of Islamic learning, Timbuktu was seized in April 2012 by radical Islamists who outlawed secular music, forced women to wear veils, and stoned in public those who broke their laws. The militants had destroyed ancient Muslim shrines and also burned manuscripts before fleeing....

Mali Locals Saved Some Ancient Manuscripts from Islamists

Tue, 29 Jan 2013 14:40:53 +0100

The preservationists of Timbuktu’s centuries-old artifacts have been holding their breath for weeks. In interviews with TIME on Monday, preservationists said that in a large-scale rescue operation early last year, shortly before the militants seized control of Timbuktu, thousands of manuscripts were hauled out of the Ahmed Baba Institute to a safe house elsewhere....

New Program Brings Teaching Opportunities to Vets

Sun, 27 Jan 2013 17:38:06 +0100

Hoping to lower the unemployment rate for vets returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, which stands near 10.8 percent, a new initiative is aims to place veterans in the classroom. Tenth-grade history teacher Brian Thompson brings a little something extra to the classroom, especially when the subject matter turns to war....

California Group Helps Young Muslims, Jews Find Common Ground

Fri, 25 Jan 2013 14:56:57 +0100

Young Muslims and Jews are making friendships through an organization that builds one-on-one relationships within the two communities. The group is called NewGround, and it is building bridges, partly through the sharing of personal stories. A young Muslim neurosurgeon explains he was orphaned as a child and was raised by a Jewish family, who insisted he be reared in the Islamic faith. A Jewish woman spoke of her childhood memories of her grandparents, Holocaust survivors from Eastern Europe....

California Gov. Jerry Brown Congratulates Voters for Embracing Optimism

Fri, 25 Jan 2013 13:59:13 +0100

"California did the impossible," declared Gov. Jerry Brown in his State of the State address. California has "once again confounded" its critics, he said, basking in the glow of a new optimism from a recovering economy, budget surplus and fresh political victories. "We have wrought in just two years a solid and enduring budget," Brown said. "And, by God, we will persevere and keep it that way for years to come....

More Than 140 Nations, US and China, Adopt Treaty to Cut Mercury

Thu, 24 Jan 2013 15:09:28 +0100

Over the past 100 years, mercury concentrations have doubled in the top layer of the world's oceans. That's why more than 140 governments meeting at a United Nations forum in Geneva, including the U.S., China and India, have agreed to a global, legally-binding treaty to address mercury, a notorious heavy metal with significant health and environmental effects. The Minamata Convention on Mercury – named after a city in Japan where serious health damage occurred as a result of mercury pollution ...

One Million People Pack D.C. With Energy, Optimism

Tue, 22 Jan 2013 15:53:23 +0100

Enthusiastic spectators flocked to Washington for Monday’s inauguration, where they braved chilly temperatures and heavy security to witness the ceremonial start of President Obama’s second term. Spirits were high among the approximately one million revelers, as they took in a day of pageantry and patriotic music....

High School Graduation Rate at a Four-decade High for U.S.

Tue, 22 Jan 2013 14:48:55 +0100

The percentage of students at public high schools who graduate on time has reached its highest level in nearly 40 years, according to the most recent federal government estimates released Tuesday. Based on the National Center for Education Statistics, the class of 2010 had more students across the country earning a diploma within four years than at any time since 1974....

Company Harvests Tons of Crops, Saving it from Waste to Give it Away

Sun, 20 Jan 2013 17:18:07 +0100

After hearing the shocking figure that up to 40 percent of produce goes to waste in the fields, Christy Porter founded Hidden Harvest an organization that employs the working poor to rescue farmers' leftover produce to feed the hungry. The organization serves those who can’t afford fresh produce, especially seniors, by redistributing surplus fresh fruits and vegetables at free farmers markets....

World's First Biofuel Flight Powered by 100 Percent Plant Oil

Sat, 19 Jan 2013 18:51:12 +0100

A twin-engine, 10-seater airplane taking off from Ottawa International airport two months ago may have looked like any other plane but it was, in fact, making aviation history. After climbing to 30,000 ft (9,000m) over the capital city, the plane touched back down securing its title as the world’s first 100% biofuel flight. This historic flight symbolizes a significant step not only for the aerospace industry, but also towards advancing sustainable sources of renewable energy....

Historic Anti-Terror Victory: US Officially Recognizes Somalia

Fri, 18 Jan 2013 22:30:37 +0100

For the first time since 1991, the United States is officially recognizing the government of Somalia, a country in chaos since the 1990's and overrun by warlords. President Hassan Sheikh was welcomed at the State Department in Washington, DC yesterday for an official ceremony with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, before his afternoon meeting with President Obama at the White House. When the Obama administration first took office in January 2009, al-Shabaab, the al Qaeda-linked terrorist grou...

Dutch Boost Cycle Commutes in Winter With Heated Roads

Thu, 17 Jan 2013 15:35:13 +0100

A team of Dutch designers is pioneering technology to make winter journeys even safer for and more attractive to cyclists.

Reflective crystals make lines in the road visible without electric lights, while other roads are getting underground geothermal heating for de-icing.

Australia University Develops "World's First" Positive-Centered Dorms

Wed, 16 Jan 2013 15:47:07 +0100

About 550 University of Wollongong students will have their well-being - as well as their academic performance - catered to when they move into the world's first "positive residence" this year. The $40 million, five-story residence with 360 beds will be managed, organized and led using the principles of positive psychology. Through coaching and educational programs, along with community engagement, their psychological wellness will be addressed, likely using a focus on gratitude, resilience, an...

Mexican Billionaire to Finance Translation of Khan Academy’s Online Classes to Spanish

Wed, 16 Jan 2013 14:18:56 +0100

Mexican tycoon Carlos Slim says his foundation is funding the translation of thousands of Khan Academy online classes into Spanish. The telecommunications billionaire says the Carlos Slim Foundation shares the academy’s goal to make “a free world-class education available to everyone." Salman Khan is a math and science whiz kid, and a natural-born teacher, who is now devoting his life to tutoring people around the world using YouTube videos....

Travel Restrictions Lifted in Cuba Signaling Sea Change of Hope

Tue, 15 Jan 2013 16:11:13 +0100

Many of the 11 million Cubans have been eagerly awaiting this day since the government announced the change in October. Starting Monday, a new kind of migration commences as the communist government eliminates a long-standing restriction on Cubans' ability to leave the country. "People on the island are positioned like runners crouched into the starting blocks on a track."...

Feared Somali Pirate Retires as Hijackings Plummet

Sun, 13 Jan 2013 22:02:07 +0100

After eight years, one of the most notorious Somali pirates is calling it quits. In fact, the "king-pin pirate" called a press conference to announce his resignation. Apparently, the pirate business is not as lucrative these days and security on boats is so heightened that it has become too difficult to seize most vessels....

Tears of Joy: The Moment an Afghan Teen Learned of Oscar Nomination

Sun, 13 Jan 2013 15:20:39 +0100

It is a long way from the grimy, poverty-stricken streets of Afghanistan to the red carpets of Hollywood -- but 14-year-old Fawad Mohammadi is on his way. The teenager, who sells chewing gum and maps from the curbside in Kabul, was an actor in "Buzkashi Boys," a film nominated Thursday for an Oscar....

Rare WWI Images Found on Antique Camera

Sun, 13 Jan 2013 13:40:50 +0100

A collector of vintage photography equipment got an extra bonus when he picked up a French camera at an antique store: never-before-seen images circa World War I France. Anton Orlov details the story of the lucky find on his blog the Photo Palace, where all of the eight photos from the Jumelle Belllieni stereoscopic camera can be seen....

Saudi King Grants Women Seats on Advisory Council for 1st Time

Fri, 11 Jan 2013 13:12:18 +0100

The Saudi king has granted women seats on the country’s top advisory council for the first time.

Saudi Arabia’s official news agency said Friday that King Abdullah issued a royal decree granting women seats on the 150-member Shura Council.

High-tech Shack Brings Solar Power to Slums

Tue, 08 Jan 2013 16:28:03 +0100
An innovative approach to housing is being tested in the windswept slum of Enkanini, just outside Stellenbosch, South Africa. The iShack -- with rooftop solar panel, outdoor security light and slanted roof for rainwater harvesting -- was developed nearby, at the University of Stellenbosch as an initiative of the HOPE Project. It is intended to raise the living standards of slum residents while improving their access to electricity and protecting them from extreme temperatures in an environmenta...

Do Good AND Make Money With 'Social Impact Bonds'

Tue, 08 Jan 2013 15:26:19 +0100
A new type of financial instrument is challenging the idea that giving and investing are separate and distinct. The social impact bond (SIB) is an experimental hybrid that applies a profit motive to some of the most intractable social problems. The government of Canada added itself to a short list of agencies around the world considering SIB programs, which can be seen as an alternative to charitable donations -- great for investors looking to place capital in a way that will generate economic a...

After Fighting To Go To School, Young Pakistani Woman Builds Her Own

Sun, 06 Jan 2013 17:57:14 +0100
For three years, while she attended middle school in another part of Karachi, Humaira Bachal's father had no idea what his daughter was doing. Beyond grade five, her mother hid her daughter's schooling and endured beatings when the truth was discovered. Since finishing high school, Humaira, 25, has become a crusader for education going door-to-door asking other fathers to send their daughters to school....

Keeping Hands Busy Working on Cars Helps Disabled Soldiers to Heal

Thu, 03 Jan 2013 21:01:22 +0100
It's more than just a hobby. Working on cars and motorcycles, Read said, fills the aching void in his life left when his war wounds stripped him of the ability to be a combat Marine. "My hands are meant to be dirty," he said. Next month, he'll travel to Peru to be a ride-along mechanic for a team of wounded U.S. and British military personnel during the 6,000-mile Dakar Rally. The team is sponsored by an organization called Race2Recovery, supported by the royal family....

2012 Named Safest Year Ever for Air Travel

Tue, 01 Jan 2013 20:19:16 +0100
2012 will go into the record books as the safest year ever for airline travelers worldwide. 3 billion passengers flew in 2012 on more than 93,000 commercial flights each day, and yet not a single fatality was recorded in the United States in more than four years. Globally, just one accident was recorded this year for every 5.4 million flights -- an improvement of over 50% from last year....

World Gives Enthusiastic Welcome to 2013

Tue, 01 Jan 2013 18:15:23 +0100
Lavish fireworks displays ushered in 2013 across the world. Huge fireworks lit up skylines in Sydney, Hong Kong and Shanghai, and even the once-isolated country of Myanmar joined the countdown party for the first time in decades. "We believe that we can change the life around us and become better ourselves," President Vladimir Putin told the nation in a New Year's Eve address. "We can become more heedful, compassionate, gracious."...

150-Year Celebration of Emancipation Proclamation Jan 1

Sun, 30 Dec 2012 21:41:48 +0100
New Year's Day: Ring the Bells. At 2:00 p.m. churches, colleges/universities, and other organizations will ring their bells to mark the moment 150 years ago when Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation. President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, as the nation approached its third year of bloody civil war. The proclamation declared "that all persons held as slaves" within the rebellious states "are, and henceforward shall be free."...

Wisconsin Man's Little Free Library Copied Worldwide

Wed, 26 Dec 2012 14:00:39 +0100
It started as a simple tribute to his mother, a teacher and bibliophile. Todd Bol put up a miniature version of a one-room schoolhouse on a post outside his home in Hudson, Wisconsin, filled it with books and invited his neighbors to borrow them. They loved it, and began dropping by so often that his lawn became a gathering spot. Then a friend in Madison put out some similar boxes and got the same reaction....

Twenty University Students Surprised at Banquet With Scholarships

Mon, 24 Dec 2012 19:01:37 +0100
Twenty sophomores from Temple University thought they were competing against each other during a scholarship award ceremony on Wednesday but instead they got a huge surprise. At a dinner at which he received the Musser Award from Temple’s Fox School of Business, Steven Korman told the students he had raised the scholarship amount to $12,000, and that each of the students would be receiving one....

Pakistani Fish Seller Makes Good in UK, Gets Recording Deal After Fish Song Goes Viral

Mon, 24 Dec 2012 18:22:26 +0100
Former East London fish seller Muhammad Shahid Nazir shot to fame this month after a video of his fish song went viral attracting more than 6.3 million views: "Come on ladies/Come on ladies/One pound fish." Shahid came to Britain on a visa to make a better life for his family are still back in Pakistan. He quit market trading after the video became so popular he was offered a recording deal, according to the BBC in early December....

British Bus Drivers Learning About Dementia to Better Help Passengers

Thu, 20 Dec 2012 15:05:54 +0100
Thousands of bus drivers around Britain are being given special training so they can help passengers with dementia. It's part of an initiative by the Prime Minister which is trying to encourage everyone to be more aware of the needs of older people who have dementia, to help them in their daily lives. The briefing includes details about how different forms of dementia affect the brain. This leads into a discussion about how drivers can help confused passengers....

2012 New York City Murder Rate at Historic Low, Is Even Lower Than It Looks

Wed, 19 Dec 2012 16:22:48 +0100
The number of New York City homicide deaths this year, already plummeting to historic lows, is actually lower than police statistics show. That's because of the way older killings are counted. Removing four of those older cases further reduces the homicide count to 388 through Wednesday; compared with 493 during the same period in 2011....

Philippines Declares Unilateral Christmas Truce with Maoists

Sun, 16 Dec 2012 12:21:15 +0100
The Philippines declared on Saturday an 18-day unilateral Christmas truce with Maoist guerrillas, in part to let forces focus on relief efforts on a southern island devastated by a typhoon, an army spokesman said. Both the army and rebels are involved in relief operations in the area and they declared informal truces on 10 December. The truce would also allow soldiers and their families to celebrate Christmas peacefully....

EU Ending 2012 in Best Shape in Years

Sat, 15 Dec 2012 22:03:16 +0100
The European Union has scored a series of mini-victories in recent months and is ending 2012 in perhaps the best shape of the past four years, Finland's Europe minister said on Thursday. The European Central Bank's promise to backstop euro-zone bonds, an agreement on forming a banking union, a deal to keep Greece afloat, and the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize have all helped buoy spirits....

Peace Corps Volunteers Use Chocolate To Lift Africans from Poverty

Tue, 11 Dec 2012 15:50:02 +0100
Africa produces 70% of the world’s chocolate and 60% of the world’s vanilla crop, yet the continent makes just 1% of finished chocolate bars, which leaves very little profit for the essential farming communities. Now, an innovative company started by former Peace Corps volunteers is disrupting that market spiral to make the world's best chocolate bars -- and make a difference -- in Madagascar....

MADD Celebrates Drunk Driving Fatalities Falling to Lowest Level on Record

Tue, 11 Dec 2012 14:35:14 +0100
An historic milestone in the nation's fight against drunk driving was announced this week by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration: the first time annual drunk driving fatalities have fallen below 10,000. Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) is hailing the news as an important moment in their ongoing quest to lower the death rate....

"LandFillHarmonic" Orchestra Plays With Instruments Made of Trash

Sun, 09 Dec 2012 16:20:56 +0100
In Paraguay there is a town essentially built atop a landfill where adults pick through the latest heaps of trash for sellable goods and children are at risk of getting involved with drugs and gangs. Things changed for the people of Cateura when an orchestra director and music teacher came to town with the notion of teaching the youth how to play violins and flutes. But they had a problem. Too many students for the number of instruments they brought. Then, someone from the town brought somethin...

German Village Produces 321% More Energy Than It Needs

Fri, 07 Dec 2012 15:19:00 +0100
Not only are Germany solar power plants producing a world record amount of electricity – equal to 20 nuclear power stations at full capacity - now, the village of Wildpoldsried is producing 321% more energy than it needs. As of August, 2011, the small farming village in Bavaria was actually earning $5.7 million in annual revenue from its investments in renewable energy -- 7 windmills, 190 buildings with solar panels, 4 biodigestors -- and they did it all without going into debt....