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L’inflation a poursuivi son mouvement de yo-yo dans la zone euro en juillet, en légère hausse après un faible recul en juin, maintenant l’incertitude sur une baisse des taux de la Banque centrale européenne (BCE) en septembre.

La Commission européenne a lancé le 30 juillet un appel à manifestation d’intérêt pour participer à la rédaction d’un code de bonnes pratiques pour l’intelligence artificielle à usage général, un élément clé de la conformité au règlement sur l’IA (AI Act) pour les développeurs.

Time is ripe to tap on this youthful Gen Z generation and ensure that they are supported financially and with the knowledge they need to lead the much-needed African agriculture revolution. Credit: Busani Bafana/IPS

By Esther Ngumbi
URBANA, Illinois, US, Jul 31 2024 (IPS)

Kenyan Gen Z recently led a series of historic protests that resulted in Kenya’s President rejecting the Finance Bill 2023 and dissolving his cabinet.  These protests are inspiring a wave of change, revolutions, and optimism in Kenya and the African Continent.

Importantly, these protests present Kenyans with a chance to reflect on governance and other fundamental issues including food insecurity and hunger, youth unemployment and an agricultural sector that is yet to deliver for Kenyans and the African continent.

The agricultural sector, that is a source of livelihood for over 70% of African citizens if tapped upon by Gen Zs can offer a crucial part of the solution to this dilemma.

For one, as a sector, agriculture provides multiple avenues for Gen Zs and youth to tap in- from the production all the way to marketing agricultural products to the consumers.

Further, according to the African Development Bank, and The World Bank this sector is projected to be worth around one trillion dollars by 2030, with opportunities at every stage of the agricultural value chain.

Gen Zs possess the energy and creativity needed to revolutionize African agricultural sector. They have college degrees, are tech-savvy, purpose-driven and entrepreneurial

At the same time, according to the world bank’s “Unlocking Africa’s Agricultural Potential” report, there are enormous opportunities stemming from the several areas where the sector is currently lagging.

These include the gap between regional demand and supply, the low adoption of irrigation technologies and climate-smart farming practices, limited use of inputs and new technologies including precision technologies, ranging from remote sensing platforms, use of sensors and drones, automated mechanical weeders drones, satellite powered weather stations, soil health determination and monitoring tools and artificial intelligence.

Gen Z and the youth can view these as opportunities that can be tapped on and leveraged to bring upon this agricultural revolution.

But to tap onto these opportunities presented by the agricultural sector value chain and to transform the sector into a high-technology powerhouse of innovation and a global food powerhouse, Gen Z will need to access financial capital and other investments.

Governments in African countries, including Kenya and other credible development funding agencies such as USAID, The Rockefeller foundation, and the African Development Bank, must finance entrepreneurial efforts and agriculture-focused startups launched by Gen Zs.

Indeed, Kenya’s and Africa’s Gen Zs have the potential to lead the much-needed Africa’s agricultural revolution that will see Kenya and other African countries produce abundant, safe and healthy food that will not only meet the continent’s food needs, but also be of such taste, class and distinction that the whole world will want it.

Gen Zs possess the energy and creativity needed to revolutionize African agricultural sector. They have college degrees, are tech-savvy, purpose-driven and entrepreneurial.

Time is ripe to tap on this youthful Gen Z generation and ensure that they are supported financially and with the knowledge they need to lead the much-needed African agriculture revolution. It will do more than produce food. It will create jobs, wealth and bring the much-needed makeover of the agricultural sector in Kenya and Africa.

Esther Ngumbi, PhD is Assistant Professor, Department of Entomology, African American Studies Department, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Infrastructure très sollicitée pour les évènements sportifs et culturels, le plus grand stade de Kinshasa n’est pas que connu pour accueillir les grands événements. Ces dernières années, il s’illustre aussi par le nombre de morts lors des événements qu’il accueille.

Infrastructure très sollicitée pour les évènements sportifs et culturels, le plus grand stade de Kinshasa n’est pas que connu pour accueillir les grands événements. Ces dernières années, il s’illustre aussi par le nombre de morts lors des événements qu’il accueille.

Infrastructure très sollicitée pour les évènements sportifs et culturels, le plus grand stade de Kinshasa n’est pas que connu pour accueillir les grands événements. Ces dernières années, il s’illustre aussi par le nombre de morts lors des événements qu’il accueille.

L’entreprise française Gourmey cherche à obtenir l’autorisation de vendre du foie gras cellulaire, produit à partir de cellules de canard cultivées en laboratoire. Une initiative dénoncée par le secteur européen de l’élevage comme « une porte ouverte » à toutes sortes d’autres produits cultivés en laboratoire.

Les producteurs français demandent un déblocage de la réserve agricole européenne et un relèvement des aides « de minimis » pour faire face aux mauvaises récoltes, mais le gouvernement préfère attendre la fin des moissons pour s’engager.

Le chef de la diplomatie de l’Union européenne, Josep Borrell, a réclamé mercredi 31 juillet la publication des résultats détaillés de la présidentielle au Venezuela, faute de quoi la réélection de Nicolas Maduro « ne peut être reconnue ».

Le taux de chômage est resté stable à 6,0 % en Allemagne en juillet, après une augmentation le mois précédent, dans un contexte de morosité économique persistante, selon une estimation publiée le 31 juillet.

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday (30 July) that Morocco’s Western Sahara ‘autonomy’ proposal was the only plan able to end a 30-year-long territorial sovereignty dispute, challenging the EU’s historic stance and making it harder for the Union to keep stable relationships with both Rabat and Algiers.

Facing high living costs activists call for protests but the government says they should hold back.

The European Union is expected to welcome 758 million tourists this year, a number equivalent to about 70% of the entire European population, according to the European Travel Commission.

You probably encounter artificial intelligence (AI) in your daily life, whether you are unlocking your phone using facial recognition or using ChatGPT to find some information quickly. While AI technologies can benefit society, create jobs and increase productivity, their application could also compromise fundamental rights and jeopardise users’ safety. The European Parliament has worked to define rules for AI systems that strike the right balance between fostering investment in this new technology and protecting fundamental rights.

Since 2020, Parliament has adopted several resolutions outlining how the EU should regulate AI to support innovation, ethical standards and trust in AI technology. It launched a Special Committee on AI in a Digital Age. In May 2022, Parliament adopted its roadmap to AI. Parliament advocated a horizontal, innovation-friendly regulation framework, proportionate to the specific types of risk particular AI systems incur.

The European Commission’s 2021 proposed AI Act was the first of its kind in the world. Parliament formally adopted the law in March 2024, and it is expected to enter into force soon. The rules laid down in the act apply to all AI systems sold or used in the EU, to ensure that only safe products are placed on the market. As Parliament advocated, the proposal introduced a risk-based approach: certain AI practices with unacceptable, harmful risks will be prohibited, high-risk AI systems regulated, and transparency obligations will apply for systems with minimal risk.

Parliament secured important changes to the initial proposal. The definition of AI systems is now aligned with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) text. Moreover, the list of prohibited AI systems has been extended, and systems that influence voter behaviour are labelled high-risk. Parliament also ensured high-risk systems have to undergo a fundamental rights impact assessment before they are brought to market. Thanks to Parliament, citizens will be able to file complaints about AI systems, and receive explanations about decisions that affect their rights made using high-risk systems.

Parliament also succeeded in shaping the response to the rapid development of general-purpose AI (GPAI) models powering AI tools like ChatGPT. Characterised by their large size, opacity and the fact that they can be used and adapted beyond the purpose for which they were designed, these models present ethical and social risks: discrimination, misinformation and privacy violations. The AI Act introduces obligations on transparency and copyright law, and ensures content used for training for all GPAI models is disclosed. More stringent obligations will apply for more powerful, high-impact GPAI models. The newly named European AI Office, established within the European Commission, will have investigatory and enforcement powers over GPAI models, and a link to the scientific community to support its work.

Parliament acted swiftly in the face of the opportunities and challenges of this new technology. Parliament has set the agenda and shaped the new laws to ensure we can reap the benefits of new AI technologies while protecting our fundamental rights. Parliament’s powers fall broadly into six, often overlapping, domains: law-making, the budget, scrutiny of the executive, external relations, and, to a lesser extent, constitutional affairs and agenda-setting.

This graphic shows more examples of areas where Parliament used one or more of its different powers to influence legislation:

Mapping the European Parliament’s powers in different areas

For a fuller picture of the European Parliament’s activity over the past five years, take a look at our publication Examples of Parliament’s impact: 2019 to 2024: Illustrating the powers of the European Parliament, from which this case is drawn.

Február 25-én Mátraverebélyben egy 22 éves férfi egy buszról leszálló férfitól cigarettát és pénzt követelt. A sértett elutasította a kérést, mire a támadó egy játék pisztolyt vett elő, és azzal fenyegetőzve megismételte a követelését. Egy járókelő közbelépésére a rabló elmenekült a helyszínről.

A Bátonyterenyei Rendőrkapitányság munkatársai rövid időn belül elfogták a tettest, akit a Nógrád Megyei Rendőr-főkapitányság fegyveresen elkövetett rablás bűntett kísérlete miatt gyanúsítottként hallgatott ki. A férfit őrizetbe vették, majd letartóztatták.

A nyomozás befejeződött, az ügyet vádemelési javaslattal az ügyészségnek küldték meg.

The post Játék pisztollyal próbált kirabolni egy férfit Mátraverebélyben appeared first on Biztonságpiac.

Des hackers de Macédoine du Nord ont-ils tenté de manipuler les résultats de l'élection présidentielle contestée au Venezuela, au détriment du président sortant et réélu, Nicolas Maduro ? C'est ce qu'affirment les autorités de Caracas. Skopje dément.

- Le fil de l'Info / Courrier des Balkans, Macédoine du Nord, Relations internationales

Jay Mulucha speaks at the 25th International AIDS Conference in Munich. Credit: Steve Forrest/IAS

By Ed Holt
MUNICH, Jul 31 2024 (IPS)

Jay Mulucha, Executive Director of FEM Alliance Uganda, gave an impassioned plea to governments around the world to push lawmakers in his home country to reverse punitive new legislation criminalizing the LGBT+ community.

He became the first trans man to speak at the opening ceremony when he addressed the 25th International AIDS Conference in Munich last week (July 22)—the world’s largest conference on HIV and AIDS, attended by an estimated 10,000 people.

Mulucha spoke about how he and other members of the LGBT+ community in Uganda live in constant fear, and the impact of Uganda’s 2023 Anti-Homosexuality Act, which outlaws sexual relations among members of the same sex and imposes the death penalty for “serious homosexual acts.”

IPS spoke to Mulucha at the conference about how he and other activists refuse to give up their fight for acceptance and their determination to help others despite the dangers and challenges they face on a daily basis.

Jay Mulucha, Executive Director of FEM Alliance Uganda. Courtesy: Jay Mulucha

IPS: Were you surprised at the reception you got today when you spoke?

Jay Mulucha (JM): I was very surprised because this is a really big conference that brings together a lot of people. But at the same time, I am very pleased that I am here.

IPS: Today, we heard you talk about the repression that you and other members of the LGBT community face in Uganda. But of course, Uganda is not the only place where there are such laws. Do you think that your activities and what you are doing can be an inspiration for other LGBT+ people facing repression in other countries?

JM: Yes, it can. What I have achieved today by telling the world about what we are going through is going to make a change. That’s because I have made sure that we are getting opportunities (to speak out). This is the first time that a trans person has been part of the opening ceremony at [the annual IAS AIDS Conference] and it is very important that these opportunities be given to us so that they can hear our voices. You see, it’s not only in Uganda—people in other countries are suffering. Our voices are being trodden on, so if we are given the chance to speak, it gives us a greater opportunity to let the world know that things are not going well for people like us.

We work with different people in different countries to get out the message of what we are doing to counter the anti-gender movements that are rising up. This movement is really hurting us and we are doing what we can to try and stop them from spreading their hate.

IPS: Do you see any hope that the situation in Uganda for LGBT+ people will change any time soon?

JM: I joined the LGBTQI activist movement in Uganda more than ten years ago. When I joined, the situation was worse than it is today. Today, we are doing a lot of advocacy work, helping different people, and I can say that though the situation is not good, I am happy to say that there are some people who used to be homophobic and transphobic, and their minds and narratives have been changed through the advocacy work that we have done. Compared to ten years ago, at least now people know about the LGBT community. Back then, no one would even say it because people thought it was a sin to even mention the LGBT+ community. Right now, they are talking about us, the health service providers, and the government knows about LGBT—they are saying it. Even if it’s negative, at least they are saying it; they know that we exist and that we need services. So, I have a feeling that if we keep on doing our work, our advocacy, and we keep on talking about all these issues in different forums, at some point things will change. I can give an example of countries that have better laws, but those laws didn’t come about suddenly; it’s not like everyone woke up one morning and they were suddenly in place. People had to fight [for these laws] and go through a lot until things were better. I have a feeling that one day things in Uganda are going to change. We’re not going to give up; we’re going to continue the fight until we get what we want. We call upon different missions, different countries, in Europe, and the whole world to stand with us in this fight until we get what we want.

IPS: What impact are these laws going to have, or are already having, on the HIV situation in Uganda?

JM: These laws are making things worse. Different government officials are on record castigating and telling health service providers not to attend to any LGBT people, meaning that access to services is a challenge. The LGBT community is kept from accessing health services. This is because they know that once they try to access these services, they are going to be arrested, that they are not going to get these services, that they are going to be tortured, that they are going to be discriminated against, and (that they will be) told lots of homophobic things. These laws have really impacted health service provision for LGBT+ people. It’s so bad that some people are resorting to self-medication, which, of course, is bad and very dangerous.

IPS: How does someone in Uganda from the LGBT+ community who has HIV access the HIV care they need?

JM: There are drop-in centres that are being funded by international organizations. We also educate some health service providers. Some healthcare providers are welcoming; they welcome us and give us the services we need. The pop-up centres have supported the community. The community feels safe accessing services in places where they feel comfortable. Finding a doctor is done by word of mouth. There are some physicians that are welcoming [of LGBT+ people] but those doctors also have challenges; they have to give us services sometimes secretly because they don’t want to be seen supporting us.

IPS: Do you think that homophobia and transphobia are very prevalent in Uganda, or is it really the case that there is just a very visible and very vocal minority that thinks like that and is spreading anti-LGBT+ hate, and most other people are just silent on the issue?

JM: Homophobia and transphobia were very prevalent in Uganda even before LGBT+ people were as open as they are now. But with the anti-rights movement, it has just increased. There was already hate, but this movement that has come up has increased the hate, transphobia and homophobia. The anti-gender and anti-gay movements have just increased and fueled everything. The rise of those movements among the politicians and the ‘evangelicos’—like the religious leaders and the cultural leaders—has fired up everything. Nowadays, they are so vocal because they are being funded. They have these huge donors and people are bribed to support them. This is just increasing the hate.

Another thing—the reason these people are silent is because these anti-gay and anti-gender movements are being funded and they are bribing people to stand with them and for people to be silent about the whole situation. People are not standing with us because some of them have been bribed to do so. That is why the LGBT community in Uganda asked different governments in different countries to speak up about these repressive laws in Uganda and other places. But instead, some countries, especially European countries, have been silent on it, including Germany. They are welcoming parliamentarians from Uganda, like the vice speaker of parliament, who was welcomed with open arms by the German government recently. And Germany is still funding our government. Why is that happening?  They are hiding behind the US, which put sanctions on the government figures who were involved in the passing of the [anti-homosexuality] laws. Germany just put out statements on this. We don’t want statements; we want Germany to put sanctions on these people. And they should stop funding them. Instead, Germany should fund the LGBT+ organizations that are struggling. And they’re doing all this thinking that we won’t, or don’t, know about it. We call on the German government to stop this.

IPS: You spoke about waking up every day and wondering whether you were going to be safe. How do you and other activists function and do your jobs when you have to worry all the time about your safety?

JM: We are trying to do our work in hiding because we need to continue the struggle; we need to continue to stand with the LGBT community here. We find ways to operate safely. We try our best to make sure we aren’t discovered because the moment the government finds out about our work, they will close the organization, arrest us, or cancel our permission to work. So we do our work in hiding. The second thing we do is look out for each other and each other’s security and try to find new ways to keep ourselves safe. Safety is a major concern for us. The situation is not good, but we are not giving up. We tried to also make sure that we advocate and that we also help educate people in institutions, like the police for example. We speak to people and we try to make them understand who we are and why they should not be violent towards us. We are going through a lot of challenges at the moment, but we go on because we know that at some point this is going to change and everything is going to be okay with us.

IPS: What message would you like to give to people from this conference?

JM: I would like to say thank you to the conference organizers for allowing me to be a speaker here and hope people like me continue to get opportunities like this to speak, because whenever we do, it takes things to another level. Every time we get the chance to speak out, it allows our voices to be heard, and it is through our voices being heard that we get support.

IPS UN Bureau Report

 

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