Flooding
The Global Risk data platform is a multiple agencies (partners include UNEP) effort to share spatial data information on global risk from natural hazards this includes floods, cyclones, earthquakes, graphs chart economic and mortality risk. See also UNISDR disaster risk reduction. International Flood network for newsletters and alerts worldwide. Sites on the recent UK floods: […]
16 days of action to eliminate violence against women
From the 25th November to 10th December activists across the world are taking part in the 16 days of action against gender violence as part of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. This UN day has its own website with campaign materials. It also marks the beginning of the 16 Days of […]
The power of twitter as a communication tool
http://fordschool.umich.edu/video/newest/1975704207001/ Useful video of a lecture by CEO Dick Costollo at the Ford School on November 2012. The 1 hour 16 minute broadcast covers such topics as ‘why 140 characters?’ and Twitter’s future developments. Other good sources of video lectures on similar topics relating to technology and modern society include the TED talks. Choose the technology […]
Learning Curve- how do education systems rank?
http://thelearningcurve.pearson.com/ New resource from Pearson and the Economist Intelligence Unit. See country profiles on expenditure and outcomes and Case studies on improvements. UNESCO education section has news about education systems worldwide. This includes: education monitoring statistics Global education digest 2012 Education for all monitoring reports. The latter monitors progress against a number of agreed targets. There is […]
Leveson inquiry
LSE Media Policy Project is analysing reaction. Look at their blog for academic discussion: http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/mediapolicyproject/2012/11/27/how-will-the-press-cover-leveson/ They also have a special live Polis Leveson Blog: http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/polislevesonblog/
Jeanette Winterson, tax, libraries and Starbucks, Google and Amazon!
The author Jeanette Winterson delivered the inaugural Reading Agency lecture at the British Library on 19th November. In it she argued that the government should charge Starbucks tax to save libraries. Read more about it on the Reading Agency website http://readingagency.org.uk/news/media/jeanette-winterson-delivers-the-inaugural-the-reading-agency-lecture.html and in the Guardian http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2012/nov/19/amazon-starbucks-google-libraries-jeanette-winterson
Internet privacy and freedom of expression
http://www.unesco.org/new/en/communication-and-information/resources/publications-and-communication-materials/publications/full-list/global-survey-on-internet-privacy-and-freedom-of-expression/ The above UNESCO survey looks at threats to privacy that have developed through the Internet, and examines international legal standards on privacy. On a related theme the latest Google transparency report shows requests by governments for the removal of internet information rising. Also worryingly, the Berkeley university Web Privacy Census (which aims to measure online privacy […]
World e-Parliament Report 2012
http://www.ictparliament.org/WePReport2012 Prepared by the Global Centre for ICT, the report covers the following topics: Developments in ICT and parliaments since 2010; Communication and engagement with citizens; Achieving openness, transparency, and accountability through websites; Technology services for members; Management of parliamentary documentation; Libraries and research services; Human resources and technical infrastructure; ICT strategic planning and implementation […]
Euro debt crisis
Recently Pew Global Attitudes report stated that it has rocked European unity The Guardian datablog has produced some excellent charts with facts and figures on financial data. BBC news also has some recent graphics. For academic discussion try: Brookings Institution research (from a USA perspective). VOX http://www.voxeu.org/article/understanding-eurozone-crisis EU comment from leading economists in Europe. The ILO […]
Mapping Digital Media
The Center for International Media Assistance in partnership with the Open Society Foundations, announced the publication of an interactive map The project examines the global opportunities and risks created by the transition from traditional to digital media. Covering 60 countries you can map social media use, broadband connections and digital TV. The Open Society Foundation has […]
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