Violence in Central African Republic displaces nearly 1 million – U.N.
Reuters January 3, 2014 – 18:08 By Paul-Marin Ngoupana BANGUI (Reuters) – Violence in Central African Republic has uprooted nearly a million people, a fifth of the population, and is hampering aid efforts, particularly in the capital Bangui, the…
Read More →Autonomous cars to become the norm by 2050
According to a new forecast from IHS Automotive, the world’s roads will be driven almost exclusively by entirely self-driving vehicles — including both privately owned cars and professional fleets — by the year 2050. IHS predicts that annual sales of autonomous vehicles will reach 230,000 by 2025 and increase exponentially over the following years, hitting 12 million a decade later. The North American market is slated to lead the autonomous vehicle market in 2035, accounting for 29% of worldwide sales, followed by China (24%) and Western Europe (20%). According to Egil Juliussen, one of the analysts behind the report, one of the most notable effects of the spread of autonomous cars will be an improvement in road safety, as “accident rates will plunge to near zero for self-driving cars.” Juliussen also predicts a decrease in traffic congestion and pollution per car, as autonomous cars “can be programmed to be more efficient in their driving patterns.”
Hong Kong arrests 64 for smuggling baby formula
Hong Kong customs officials said Friday they had arrested 64 people for unlicensed baby milk powder exports, in a move aimed to stifle the smuggling of formula before Chinese New Year. The ongoing operation, which started Thursday, has already netted 64 people who attempted to bring a total of over 400 kilogrammes (882 pounds) of infant formula into mainland China. Hong Kong barred people from taking more than than 1.8 kilos of formula out of the city in March after a rush on milk powder by Chinese parents. “We have arrested 29 males and 35 females aged between 19 to 81 years old, and have seized 450 kilogrammes of baby formula,” head of rail and ferry command for Hong Kong customs Louise Ho told reporters Friday.
Donnie Yen finds ‘Monkey King’ a test of endurance
HONG KONG (AP) — Donnie Yen found playing the Monkey King in the upcoming fantasy epic “The Monkey King” to be a test of endurance.
Two decades on, wave of Russian immigration to Israel is an outstanding success
Russian immigrant success stands in marked contrast to the ongoing challenges faced by Ethiopian immigrants, who arrived in Israel in large numbers at around the same time. Growing up in the Urals, Pavel Polev was a precocious ice skater and a member of the Soviet Union’s national youth figure-skating team. But in 1992, at age […]
Read More →Israel needs an indefinite security presence in the Jordan Valley
Without help in creating a solid security infrastructure, a future Palestinian state in the West Bank could become a giant terrorist hub for Hamas. By Gadi Shamni The Americans are currently in the process of presenting their impression of the security arrangement necessary for the reality of two states west of the Jordan River. In general, […]
Read More →Emotional reunion for Brazil-Taiwan custody row orphan
A Brazilian-Taiwanese orphan who was at the centre of a bitter international custody battle a decade ago returned to Taiwan Friday for the first reunion with his relatives. Iruan Ergui Wu, known as Wu Yi-hua in Taiwan, arrived at Taipei’s international airport to be greeted by a dozen Taiwanese relatives, who gave him bouquets of flowers and displayed banners reading “welcome”. Taiwanese news channels broadcast live footage of the emotional reunion as the 18-year-old hugged his uncle Wu Huo-yen and other relatives who had tears in their eyes. I have waited ten years and finally (he) came,” Wu Huo-yen told reporters.
Asian shares slip after Wall Street retreat
Asian markets slipped Friday after Wall Street’s three main indexes began the new year in the red on profit-taking following a solid 2013, while Hong Kong and Shanghai were hit by weak Chinese services sector data.
Burst giant yellow duck back on show in Taiwan
A giant yellow inflatable duck which exploded on New Year’s Eve returned to a Taiwan port on Friday after it was repaired and cleaned, organisers said. Hundreds turned out in Keelung on the north of the island to welcome back the 18-metre-tall (59-feet) duck following two days of maintenance after it burst and deflated into a floating yellow disc Tuesday. It was the second time that a replica of the bath toy had burst while on show in Taiwan. “The warmest welcome for the little yellow duck to come back to Keelung port.
Guantanamo and Force-Feeding: From Rape to Sodomy?
Article by WN.com Correspondent Dallas Darling In the early 1900’s, when it was clear that the British Parliament had no intentions of passing legislation protecting a woman’s right to vote, members of the WSPU started to engage in acts of civil d…
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