Apparently spurred by the way the COVID-19 pandemic absolutely upended social communications, Google unveiled Project Starline at its I/O 2021 event – a one-of-a-kind teleconferencing system that ditches the camera and screen for something much more advanced. Dubbed as a ‘magic window’, Project Starline creates a lifelike hologram of the person you’re chatting with. Rather than interacting with a 2-dimensional representation of them, Starline makes it feel like you’re in a chatting booth with a real person sitting behind a sheet of glass… and it’s all thanks to incredibly complex 3D scanning, imaging, and AI recognition technology. The video does…
Author: Akpan Akata
Another challenging citrus season has started with the southern hemisphere already filling up some of the retail channels with grapefruit, satsumas, clementine’s and even the first lemons. The northern hemisphere citrus season will come to an end in the next two months as Spanish Verna lemons and late oranges from Morocco, Spain and Egypt are harvested, creating some overlap in supply. As humanity enters the second year of the COVID pandemic, strongly affecting the world’s health and economy, the fresh produce production and logistics, remains again a difficult equation to manage. Consumption patterns and distribution channels have changed markedly; supermarkets…
For those who know better, it is not about building a greenhouse. They say it’s about running it successfully in a long term. But, that is somewhat more complicated. This is exactly what Dutch horticultural suppliers have experienced in the past years. That is why they want to make Dutch expertise work in other countries too. With that goal in mind, a webinar was organised under the ambitious title A One-stop Solution to Feed the World, in which several Dutch horticultural suppliers shared their experience. The webinar was opened by Lambert van Horen, Senior Specialist Fresh Produce at Rabobank, who refers to…
Lloyd G. Smith, the owner of Smith’s Garage back in 1981 and auctioned at Medium, has designed a Volkswagen Super Bugger Camper that is touted as perfect for laid-back trips to outskirts of the city for two weeks. The Volkswagen Super Bugger Camper is said to be a nice nostalgic camper in its original condition, up for grabs – complete with all the paperwork. Camper trailers come in all options, sizes, and shapes – but rarely does one come across a camper that is not only different from the conventional ones popular these days, it also has that retro classic…
In Europe, more than 50 per cent of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex students said they have been bullied at least once, based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. A survey by the United Nations Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organisation (UNESCO) says of more than 17,000 youngsters aged 13 to 24, more than half reported being bullied. “Everyone says you can be whoever you want, you can be free, you can express yourself at school…then if you try to be different, you get backlash”, said one 19-year-old student participating in the survey. The study highlighted widespread discriminatory attitudes,…
Citing low levels of prosecution and conviction as factors, independent UN experts said in a report that failure to address domestic violence in South Africa is a violation of women’s rights. The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) visited the country in September 2019 to conduct a confidential inquiry into allegations raised by civil society organizations. Available evidence indicated that the scale of domestic violence, including femicide, is alarmingly high, members said. Many women and girls in South Africa, particularly in rural areas, are victim of harmful practices such as child marriage, abduction for marriage (“ukuthwala”), and…
After over 20 years of working at the world’s most valuable tech company and being one of the core members of Jony Ive’s design team, Cristopher Stringer is unveiling the Cell Alpha, a high-end AirPlay 2 compatible speaker from his company Syng. The Cell Alpha is a rather absurdly beautiful-looking speaker that packs an absolute punch for its size. Think of it as a combination of cutting-edge technology and a culmination of years worth of effort at Apple to reinvent the music industry, from the iPod and iTunes to the demise of the 3.5mm jack and the birth of the…
When holiday makers in some climes usually think about Overlanding, camper trailer, or living on the go, it is about powerful all-wheel drives hooked onto a trailer with all the luxurious amenities possible for a comfortable life on the road. Until now, it seems nobody gave much thought to living an adventurous life with a small electric car as the accomplice. A small hatchback on an even smaller footprint doesn’t come with the luxury of a highly powerful drivetrain. And when the drivetrain is electric, it is even harder to imagine towing a trailer keeping the feasible aspect in mind. Thus pulling…
Those who know better say it’s been more than a decade since Dyson introduced its bladeless fan and never looked back ever since. For them, the influence of Dyson-inspired designs needs no introduction right from automotive inspirations like concept bikes to home appliances. This one by industrial designer Philipp Seißler is yet another example. Called the Dyson Urban Bike, the concept brings the signature Dyson design language to the compact electric-assisted bicycle. Dyson displayed their keenness in electric vehicles for which the owner James Dyson even blew $600 million, only to ditch the idea later. Still, the brand holds its position…
Hello our esteemed reader, we are bringing you another fascinating episode this glorious Tuesday. Can you imagine a world where every time you step indoors and take off your coat, instead of hanging it on a coat rack, you place it on the floor? Sounds absurd, right? It’s because your coat will obviously get dirty if you kept it on the floor, and for that exact reason, coat racks have existed for centuries. Now imagine stepping indoors and taking your backpack off and keeping on the floor. Sounds perfectly normal, right? It shouldn’t. Your backpack is as much a part…
Tunisian citrus production this year is seeing a 20% increase, to reach 440,000 tons, against 367,000 tons during the previous season. Development in exports of citrus fruit exceeded the expected estimates, reaching about 17,500 tons, against a target of about 15,000 tons. Citrus exports have generated an income of about 35 million dinars (MD), acting Director-General of the Interprofessional Group of Fruits (GIFruits) Helmi Kalai said. He emphasized the success of this season, despite the pandemic and the black spot disease. The most important export market is the Libyan market, with an increase in exports of 111%, for a quantity…
As many mango importers are transiting from one origin to another, the global mango market is showing a varied picture across the board,. While Germany is experiencing high prices, some markets such as the Netherlands and Belgium in contrast, are struggling with low market prices, Supply is limited to the North American markets, whilst the Asian markets suffer from oversupply, bringing down the prices here. India, unsurprisingly, faces tough challenges due to the increasing pressure caused by the ongoing pandemic. Netherlands: Tough mango market outside the supermarket programs This week the last mangoes left Ivory Coast. The rain that set…
Biomedical engineers and neurologists at the University of California, USA, have developed a new noninvasive method for measuring brain blood flow with light, Davis. It can also be used to detect brain activation. The new method, functional interferometric diffusing wave spectroscopy, or fiDWS, promises to be cheaper than existing technology and could be used for assessing brain injuries, or in neuroscience research. The work is published May 12 in Science Advances. “Now we can assess how well the brain regulates blood flow, and even detect brain activation noninvasively in adult humans, using principles similar to functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), but at a fraction…
Thirty-one-year-old Tatuli Paghava, told United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Georgia, ”we were all alone, all the time”, explaining how the COVID-19 pandemic has intensified hardships for mothers. “Everything got harder… especially for the mothers who are doing everything alone,” added Ani Mardaleishvili, 32, also in Georgia. She works in finance and also manages her 4-year-old daughter’s remote learning. “And I’m expecting a second child soon”, she said. Mothers already shouldered tremendous financial, physical, emotional, and intellectual burdens before the onset of the pandemic. But now ‒ under increasing economic pressures, attenuated access to health care, diminishing social support and…
Do you love pets and do you have any? Most likely, you know, that they are hungry almost all the time. Some say no matter how much you feed them, they’ will still come to you with little puppy eyes, literally in the case of dogs, pleading you for some treats! And most of the time…more like all the time, you will give in! As tricky as those situations can get, storing their food correctly is another matter altogether. When stored outside, it can often get stale, and that isn’t the best for your pet’s tummy . In some homes, their…
Budding designers Sarath Malyala, Raajnandini Jadhav, and Risha Garg to design a powered wheelchair for utmost comfort and ease of use in varied situations. Like the Chair Sitting Marathon from Brooklyn Nine-Nine, the designers imagined spending an entire day sitting in a chair. No getting up or relief from being in one position is easier than it sounds. The feeling is something anyone who uses a wheelchair can attest to; while the freedom is fantastic. That prompted the new product. Though the design of a wheelchair is old, they considered that it needs a fresh breath of air. The resulting blueprint is…
Visiting scholar at Carnegie Europe, Olivia Lazard, says the European Union (EU) seeks to emit no more greenhouse gas emissions than can be absorbed. But, EU has been claiming that it supports the race to net zero, the process aimed at reaching carbon neutrality by 2050. ”The net zero goal means that the EU, like the rest of the international community, seeks to emit no more greenhouse gas emissions than can be absorbed”, Lazard says. Her research however, focuses on the geopolitics of climate, the transition ushered by climate change, and the risks of conflict and fragility associated to climate change and…
A group of 39 researchers from 14 countries are currently urging a major regulation that needs to be in place to reduce disease transmission and prevent the next pandemic. They are arguing that humans in the 21st century spend most of their time indoors, ”but the air we breathe inside buildings is not regulated to the same degree as the food we eat and the water we drink”. In a Perspectives piece published in Science they are calling for a Paradigm Shift in combating airborne pathogens such as SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, demanding universal recognition that respiratory infections can be prevented by…
The United Nations Commission on Population and Development (CPD) approved a resolution likely to enrich and intensify discussions at the upcoming UN Food Systems Summit. This is a clear sign that food security and nutrition are increasingly seen as key vectors for sustainable development. The agreement, as well as the UN Secretary-General’s report to the Commission to which FAO made substantial contributions, span a vast array of themes – from the need to make healthy diets affordable to all and the importance of assuring income opportunities for all even as capital-intensive industry transformations may reduce the need for existing types of jobs and…
Moroccan tomato export to Russia dropped, but shot up in some other European countries. Last year, Morocco exported a total of 596.72 million kilos of tomatoes, 13.68% more than five years earlier, according to available data. In this period, the country has lost a large part of the Russian tomato market, but it has significantly increased its exports to France, the United Kingdom, Spain, and the Netherlands. France was the main destination for Moroccan tomatoes in 2020, with 359.35 million kilos, i.e. 6.15% more than the 338.51 million kilos it exported to this destination in 2016. It was followed by…
To cleverly tackle the rampaging COVID-19 menace in respect of physical distance, designers have named a bench, A-part bench (a play-on apart). It is a bench that allows you to regulate the distance you want to retain between yourself and the person sitting next to you. The bench is designed to literally help you bridge the space, meet up with a friend you have been dying to see while having them respect the distance you need so you can focus on the happiness of meeting up. Since the COVID-19 quarantine last year, ”social” distancing has been foisted on the citizenry by…
A mango planter from Sanya in Hainan is talking about current conditions in the Chinese mango market. The mango season in Hainan is almost over. The harvest was abundant this year and the production volume huge. But, the supply volume exceeded the market demand. So, the planter is talking about the market conditions when the Hainan mango season just began. In their first month on the market the conditions were quite good, but in the second month the weather cooled down, which slowed down production and delayed market supply. There was a temporary decline in supply volume, until the mangoes entered…
Amid continuing air strikes and rocket attacks, the United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process has warned that the situation is ”escalating towards a full-scale war”. The warning came as he added his voice to calls for calm in the Occupied Palestinian Territory. Head of UN Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA), Rosemary DiCario, in the dying days of April 2019, pointed out that though the UN has been addressing the humanitarian, economic and political crisis in the Territory ”efforts are continually undermined by the lack of any political progress towards a two-State solution”. She spoke while briefing the…
The World Bank says the drop in remittance flows to Sub-Saharan Africa in 2020 was solely driven by the reduced inflow into Nigeria. However, Diaspora remittance flows to Nigeria last year defied the prediction of the Bank. The flows nose-dived by 28%. In a new report, the World Bank said remittance flow to Sub-Saharan Africa fell 12.5% to $42 billion in 2020. Other countries in the region reported an uptick as the Bank reckoned that remittance flows remain strong during COVID-19 crisis despite the pandemic-induced economic lockdown. Low- and middle-income countries, according to the report, received $540 billion in 2020,…
The creation of a National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons by the Buhari administration has come under the hammer of a policy and legal advocacy group. A civic group, Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC) says the President Muhammadu Buhari administration erred in setting up a centre to fight the menace of small arms and light weapons in the country. The Centre created by the administration will be domiciled in the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA). In a statement issued on May 3, the NSA’s office announced that the Centre will replace the…
The United Nations Security Council has heard that only a trusted electoral process with “free and wide-ranging participation” can steer Iraq towards a “safe and prosperous future”. The country’s UN envoy told the UN Security Council so. Updating Ambassadors via video-teleconference from Baghdad, Special Representative and head of the UN Assistance Mission (UNAMI) for Iraq, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, said “the way to express one’s voice, to make one’s choice, is at the ballot box. This essential democratic exercise requires every voter, candidate, journalist and activist to play their part.”, She said that Iraqi’s have spoken “loudly and clearly” in demanding fresh elections, and a…
The United Nations and Islamic Development Bank are currently teaming up to help the most vulnerable countries. This is coming as the world continues to grapple with the health and economic crisis sparked by the rampaging COVID-19 pandemic. Coming at a time when millions have been pushed into extreme poverty, the International Dialogue on the Role of Islamic Social Financing in Achieving the SDGs has the potential to provide urgently needed support, including for economic recovery, pandemic response and sustainable development. “Standing in solidarity with those in need, means exploring how Islamic social financing can support the pandemic response through the ACT-Accelerator and…
Until early July, potato acreage in Canada will not be officially reported. Often, it is helpful to take an early look at industry projections across the country. It appears, the analysis is more difficult this year as demand for potato products returns to pre-COVID levels. This is further precipitated by delayed contract negotiations between processors and growers across the country for pricing, and now the determination of volume needed for 21-22. Demand for French fries, potato chips, and table potatoes has returned to almost normal or surpassed previous year consumption depending on the sector. The seed acreage will be all…
Earlier in January 2020, the United Nations in its 2020 World Economic Situation Report warned that the climate crisis, as well as persistently high inequalities, and rising levels of food insecurity and undernourishment, are affecting the quality of life in many societies and fueling discontent. The UN economic experts behind the report were unequivocal in their call for “massive adjustments” to the energy sector, which is currently responsible for around three-quarters of global greenhouse gas emissions. If the world continues to rely on fossil fuels over the next few years, and emissions in developing countries rise to the level of…
It seems the rampaging COVID-19 pandemic is still a long way from over despite many reasons given to be optimistic and the possibility of bringing the virus under control “within months”. Though January and February saw six consecutive weeks of plummeting COVID-19 cases, the World Health Organisation (WHO) chief said that had gone into reverse, with last week yielding “the fourth-highest number of cases in a single week so far”. “We have now seen seven consecutive weeks of increasing cases, and four weeks of increasing deaths”, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told journalists at a regular media briefing last April. More than…
