Feed aggregator

Bs Bouleiba - "La plus grande victoire, qu’un homme ou un pays puisse remporter sur lui même, c’est celle de vaincre ses propres...

November 11-én, hétfőn reggel 9:00 óra körül találtak rá Pozsonyban a Dunánál a Kikötői híd és Apollo híd között egy brutálisan összevert – s valószínűleg megerőszakolt – nőre (35). Rendkívül súlyos sérülései voltak, a mentők újraélesztették, de a kórházba szállítás közben életét vesztette.

In Genf verliert die CVP eine bekannte Persönlichkeit. Der ehemalige Staatsrat und Nationalrat Luc Barthassat hat seinen Austritt aus der Partei angekündigt, die aus seiner Sicht nach links gerückt ist.

Nach über 60 Jahren gibt es wieder Giraffen im Zürcher Zoo: Drei junge Weibchen durchlaufen derzeit die Quarantänephase. Später werden sie dann in die neue Anlage namens Lewa Savanne einziehen.

Etwa sieben Millionen Mädchen und Knaben werden nach einer Uno-Studie weltweit ihrer Freiheit beraubt. Demnach müssen sie in Gefängnissen, in Polizeigewahrsam, in Flüchtlingslagern, unter Zwang in Behindertenheimen oder in Fürsorgeinstitutionen leben.

Die Sorgenfalten auf den Stirnen der Finanzchefs von Schweizer Unternehmen sind noch tiefer geworden. Nur noch knapp die Hälfte der CFOs erwartet einen höheren Umsatz im kommenden Jahr.

Internationale Wahlbeobachter haben der Parlamentswahl in Weissrussland ein vernichtendes Zeugnis ausgestellt. Die Abstimmung habe einen "Mangel an Respekt für die demokratischen Verpflichtungen" gezeigt.

Der Kanton Wallis will die Elektromobilität fördern. Mit Prämien will die Regierung den Verkauf von neuen Elektro- oder wiederaufladbaren Hybridfahrzeugen in den nächsten Jahren ankurbeln. Auch die Zahl der Ladestationen soll deutlich erhöht werden.

Comoros hold visiting Egypt to a 0-0 draw as Ghana edge past hosts Sao Tome in 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying.

Aufgeschoben, ist nicht aufgehoben. Obwohl am Freitag nicht über die neue 12er-Liga abgestimmt wird, soll die Reform kommen.

Trois techniques seront largement exposées : ARDIA 600® pour les constructions neuves : Traitement des sols en place au liant routier permettant de stabiliser les sols initialement voués à la mise en dépôts. ARDIA 600® pour les travaux d’entretien : Recyclage des chaussées à froid au liant routier permettant de traiter pour réutiliser le corps […]

The post LafargeHolcim Algérie présente au SITP ses solutions performantes pour la construction et la rénovation des routes & infrastructures appeared first on .

Credit: MONIKA DEUPALA/SONIA AWALE

By Sonia Awale
KATHMANDU, Nov 18 2019 (IPS)

For those who think that Nepal is too underdeveloped to make full use of artificial intelligence (AI), think again. That is exactly what they used to say about computers and mobile phones in the 1990s.

It may come as a surprise to many that Nepal has been gaining ground in AI, developing not only software using machine learning algorithms but producing world-class engineers. One company at the forefront is Fusemachines Nepal, which has started using industry experts to train AI students with cutting-edge technology to deliver intelligent solutions.

“I wanted to see if I can contribute in bringing the best AI education to Nepal and make Nepal known around the world as one of the best sources of AI talent,” says the Nepali founder of Fusemachines, Sameer Maskey, a professor at Columbia University.

This is the age of surveillance capitalism, where algorithms determine election outcomes, Siri knows what you want before you do, wearables correctly deduce the state of the heart and Facebook recognises friends.

 

 

AI simply imitates human thinking by recognising patterns in data, so that repetitive everyday work can be done by machines that learn as they go along.

Coming to terms with AI

Artificial Intelligence: Ability of computer systems or machines to make a decision like humans, or the ability to perform tasks requiring human intelligence

Machine Learning: A subset of artificial intelligence that provides a system with the ability to automatically learn and improve from experience without being explicitly programmed, relying on patterns generated from data

Deep Learning: Machine learning that is applied on a large set of data, also known as deep neural learning that uses deep neural networks to model complicated data

Natural Language Processing: Interaction between computers and human languages, deals with programming computers to process and analyse natural (human) language, this field of AI processes, analyses, interprets and distills information from human languages

Computer Vision: Enables computers to see, identify and process images in the same way that human vision does

Image Processing: Part of computer vision that entails analysis and manipulation to find insights from a digitised image

Big Data: Extremely large data sets on which AI is applied to reveal patterns, trends and associations and make decisions
Nepal missed the bus on natural resource processing, manufacturing and information technology. But experts say that training a critical mass of engineers in AI can allow the country’s economy to leapfrog and become globally competitive.

Fusemachines Director of Academic Affairs Bülent Uyaniker, who was in Nepal recently, rejects the notion that Nepal is not ready for artificial intelligence applications. “It is happening already, it is inevitable. If there can be 8.5 million Facebook users in Nepal, then it has the special conditions for AI.”

Proof of this is the increasing number of software companies in Nepal using local engineering talent to work on software solutions for customers in North America or Europe. However, most of the engineers and recent graduates need training in AI to keep up with customer requirements. America alone will need 200,000 data scientists in the next five years, and most of these will come from the UK, Finland, Canada, Singapore, China and India.

Which is why Fusemachines Nepal is also emphasising education. Says the head of its global operations and strategy, Sumana Shrestha: “You cannot learn AI in a one-day bootcamp, it needs intelligent mathematics, but there is a huge demand versus supply gap for engineers proficient in machine learning or other AI components everywhere.”

Nepal established itself as a sought after destination in the past 20 years for outsourcing services such as software and app development, website design and big data management to overseas clients, mostly due to the country’s inexpensive English-speaking workforce.

This move from IT to AI will not just create jobs in Nepal, but also allow the country to increase efficiency and productivity in the workplace. General practitioners in rural hospitals will be able to make diagnoses faster so they can spend more time with patients, high-risk individuals can be identified with cancer screening, and targeted advertising and customised itineraries will lure potential tourists during Visit Nepal 2020.

Recently, a group of engineering students developed a model to help poultry entrepreneurs understand fowl behaviour and the state of their animals’ health, helping them to raise the farm’s business profile.

“With precision livestock farming we can generate patterns to help farmers recognise symptoms before an outbreak of a disease by implementing AI components such as image processing and deep learning,” explained engineering student Sajil Awale at Pulchok Engineering Campus. “This allows for timely intervention to prevent mass deaths and reduce losses.”

Computer vision (which enables computers to see and process images as humans would) can also help identify rotten fruit swiftly, and prevent misuse of pesticides by identifying areas on the farm that require chemicals, and the amounts needed. AI can also estimate future harvests, allowing farmers time to find markets for produce.

Engineers at Fusemachines Nepal are working on Nepal’s first optical character recognition (OCR) system so forms filled out with Nepali handwriting can be digitised and translated into English. This will have huge scope in Nepal’s banking, hospital and government sectors, where pen and paper continues to be the norm.

Sixit Bhatta, CEO of ride-sharing startup Tootle, says Nepal is ripe for AI applications: “Our efforts now should be on preparing for a world in which machines perform skills-oriented tasks and for humans to take on the roles that require creativity and empathy. But before that, the government should design policies that allow AI to grow, and not restrict it.”

Sumana Shrestha at Fusemachines Nepal says that as long as salaries for clerical staff are low, there is less potential for AI to flourish. But she adds: “The curse of cheap labour means companies will prefer to employ people to do repetitive work. But sooner or later, AI will be here. Nepal needs to develop despite government. And the private sector needs to prepare itself for disruption.”

This story was originally published by The Nepali Times

The post Bringing Silicon Valley to Kathmandu Valley appeared first on Inter Press Service.

Malentendu das l’affaire de l’activiste Mourad Amiri, une « précision » a été rapporté aujourd’hui. L’activiste a finalement été condamné à six mois de prison ferme et non pas avec sursis. Il s’agit d’une erreur du collectif d’avocat, en effet un des avocats chargé de récupérer l’acte d’appel a découvert que Mourad Amiri a finalement été condamné […]

The post « Malentendu » dans l’affaire Mourad Amiri: L’activiste est condamné à six mois de prison « ferme » et non pas avec « sursis » appeared first on .

Un rassemblement anti-élection organisé aujourd’hui a Béjaia a été réprimé par les forces de l’ordre ce lundi à Béjaia. Les éléments de la police ont visé les manifestants par des balles en caoutchouc.Un incident fortement dénoncé sur les réseaux sociaux, d’autant plus que les protestataires ont préservé le pacifisme de la marche durant tout le […]

The post Un rassemblement anti-élection réprimé à Béjaia appeared first on .

Ein Arzt aus La Rochelle soll immer wieder Patienten unter Narkose sexuell missbraucht haben. Über die Schändungen führte er detailliert Buch.

L’association  SIDRA a lancé dans le cadre du programme SHAREK une nouvelle plateforme citoyenne digitale www.sharek-algerie.com dédiée aux jeunes et aux associations de jeunesse en Algérie. La plateforme web est en ligne depuis le samedi 28 septembre 2019. Cette initiative innovante a pour objectif d’offrir à la jeunesse algérienne des outils numériques libres d’accès leur […]

The post Lancement officiel de la plateforme citoyenne digitale SHAREK appeared first on .

The Ocean at sunset seen from SPC headquarters in Noumea. Credit: Cameron Diver

By Cameron Diver
NOUMEA, New Caledonia, Nov 18 2019 (IPS)

In just under a month, countries around the world will gather for UNFCCC COP 25. The hashtag for this year’s “Blue COP” is yet another reminder to us all that it is “Time For Action”. We can no longer afford to wait as the effects of the climate crisis become ever more present. Vulnerable populations, whether from Small Island States, the rural heartland or the world’s megacities, are becoming ever more vulnerable, and the wellbeing of people and planet continues to face its most existential threat.

At the Pacific Community (SPC), we are confronted every day by the striking dichotomy between the extreme vulnerability of our small island/large ocean Member States and the remarkable resilience and climate ambition of their peoples. We are also challenged by a new reality: under the effects of climate change, the islands and peoples of the Blue Pacific continent are both sustained and threatened by the ocean.

Responding to this reality, in 2018 Pacific Leaders adopted an expanded definition of human security to include the implications of climate change and environmental degradation, and, in the 2019 Kainaki II Declaration, they called for “urgent, transformational global climate change action” to limit global warming to 1.5°C, transition out of fossil fuels, achieve net zero carbon by 2050, increase global climate finance and invest in science-based initiatives to improve our collective understanding of risk and vulnerability, while providing a robust evidence-base for informed policy making. The Kainaki II Declaration is also a milestone in its express recognition of the ocean-climate nexus and its appeal to “all parties attending COP 25 to welcome the focus on oceans, consider developing a work programme on oceans within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change process and convene a workshop on the climate-ocean nexus in 2020”.

Cameron Diver

But it is not only for the island Nations of the Pacific that the nexus between climate change and our ocean is critical. It is just as vital for other Small Island Developing States and, whether they realise it or not, for countries and peoples around the globe, from the coastline to the highest mountains and the farthest reaches of the planet’s great continental landmasses. The recent IPCC Special Report on the Ocean and Cryosphere in a Changing Climate (SROCC) highlighted that “It is virtually certain that the global ocean has warmed unabated since 1970 and has taken up more than 90% of the excess heat in the climate system” with observed negative impacts on ecosystems, people and ecosystem services. The SROCC underscored the risks this creates for, among others, biodiversity, water use and access, vulnerability to extreme weather events, changes in the distribution of natural resources and “intrinsic values important for human identity”.

In this context, where ocean change is driven by climate change and each, in turn, compounds the negative impact of the other, we cannot ignore the science and we should not ignore the crosscutting benefits of combined ocean/climate action. And SPC is already bringing its capacity and partnerships to bear to take action.

As a partner of the Because the Ocean Initiative and the Ocean Pathway Partnership, SPC supported the third regional workshop on the integration of the ocean into NDCs under the Paris Agreement, together with a special ocean-climate negotiators symposium in May 2019. Over past years, SPC’s teams have implemented significant programmes of work on the restoration of ecosystem services and adaptation to climate change, contributed to the Pacific Marine Climate Change Report Card, led and published research on the vulnerability of tropical Pacific fisheries and aquaculture to climate change and, with our partners, developed projections for the future geographic distribution of tuna stocks under the effects of a warming ocean. And through platforms such as the Pacific Community Centre for Ocean Science (PCCOS), we will convene partnerships, facilitate knowledge exchange and action to strengthen the collaborative contribution ocean science can bring to climate action, as one of our key initiatives under the upcoming United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development.

A view of Majuro, Marshall Islands. Credit: Cameron Diver

From 2 to 13 December in Madrid, under the incoming Chilean presidency, SPC fully intends to leverage the opportunity provided by the “Blue COP” and mobilise its partnerships to highlight the powerful synergies between ocean action and climate action. We will be convening several events presenting a Pacific perspective on the SROCC, highlighting the impact of climate change on maritime boundaries, emphasising the contribution of ocean science for climate action and outlining a 2030-2050 vision for resilient, green and clean ports in the Pacific islands region. At SPC, we are convinced that to deliver on the promise of the Paris Agreement, we need a healthy and sustainably managed ocean. As such, we are also working actively with our Member States and partners like the Green Climate Fund, the European Union, the Agence Française de Développement and others to integrate the ocean into projects that will strengthen action for climate change mitigation, adaptation and resilience in the Pacific.

The celebrated Pacific author Epeli Hau’ofa wrote “the sea is our pathway to each other and to everyone else, the sea is our endless saga, the sea is our most powerful metaphor, the ocean is in us”. That eloquent statement of a fundamental ocean identity comes from the heart of Oceania, from the strength of the cultures and traditions of the Blue Pacific. Imagine how powerful it would be if we collectively harnessed “the ocean in us” as a driving force for increased climate ambition and enhanced climate action. COP 25 is our chance to do just that! It is our chance to ensure the ocean is recognised as part of the climate solution. And it is our chance to embed the nexus between climate change and the ocean into our thinking, our cooperation and, above all, our action.

The post The Ocean in Us: Ocean Action for Climate Ambition appeared first on Inter Press Service.

Excerpt:

Cameron Diver is Deputy Director-General, the Pacific Community (SPC)

The post The Ocean in Us: Ocean Action for Climate Ambition appeared first on Inter Press Service.

Nadja S. (49) verlor im Wasser am Strand in Thailand das Bewusstsein – und fiel ins Koma. Ein Tourist rettete sie. Nun ist sie wieder erwacht.

SEDE MEPs meeting with EDA Chief Executive and EDA key interlocutors. Discussing EU defence capability planning and the impact of Artificial Intelligence on the future of defence at very productive meeting.
Further information
Press release: Subcommittee for Security and Defence visit to the European Defence Agency - 18 November 2019
Source : © European Union, 2019 - EP