Tag Archives: Europe

French Anti-Uber Protest: Cabbies Burn Cars, Attack Uber Drivers

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“According to the police, 2,800 taxi drivers are protesting today against UberPOP, the European equivalent of UberX (as UberX in France is Uber in the U.S.). With UberPOP, everybody can become an Uber driver — taxi drivers see the service as unfair competition as they have to get a special license. Yet, this doesn’t really explain why cabbies are now attacking Uber drivers, burning and breaking their cars.  Many countries are trying to ban the service. It was banned in Brussels, the Netherlands and, yes, France.   Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve already issued a statement, saying that he asked Paris police chief to issue a decree making UberPOP illegal (once again).”

http://techcrunch.com/2015/06/25/french-anti-uber-protest-turns-to-guerrilla-warfare-as-cabbies-burn-cars-attack-uber-drivers/

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London Tube strike: Sack the drivers, and roll out the robots

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“Paris got its first driverless line (Metro 14) in 1998. A second (Metro 15) opened in 2012, and Metro 1 will go fully driverless soon.  The Parisian system seems to work very well: trains on Metro 1 will arrive and depart, on full autopilot, every 85 seconds, massively increasing capacity by reducing human error.  In an emergency, a human in the central control room can take charge of the train by remote – there’s no need for an overpaid, over-unionised button-pusher on board.  And while some Luddites may be afraid of driverless trains, the truth is that machines are far less likely to make mistakes than people.”

http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/technology/willardfoxton2/100013391/tube-strike-sack-the-drivers-and-roll-out-the-robots/

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NHS hospital spends £1.3million on fleet of Swiss robot workers

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“The NHS droids will move medical supplies, linen, food and waste around the £824m South Glasgow University Hospital when it opens on April 27.  The robots – known as automated guided vehicles (AGVs) – will use a network of underground tunnels and a dedicated lift to navigate the 14-storey hospital. Jim Magee, who is in control of the 26 Swiss-built porter-bots, said they will be a ‘massive asset to the campus’.  Facility Supervisor Billy MacDonald, who boasts 25 years’ experience with the NHS, said: “The AGVs will help make things run efficiently and smoothly.  ‘Watching them go about their work is hugely impressive and they don’t ask for holidays of course.'”

http://www.express.co.uk/life-style/science-technology/571593/NHS-South-Glasgow-University-Hospital-Robots-Porters-Droids-Cost

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Paypal Shuts Down in Greece; Bitcoin Still Operates

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“Capital controls imposed by the Greek government mean that Greek citizens can only withdraw 60 euros (effectively 50 euros after ATMs have run out of 20 euro notes) and online payment service, PayPal, has been left crippled, as a result. PayPal relies on the traditional banking sector and credit card industry for all its transactions to flow.   Fact is, there is an old-style bank that underpins nearly every finance tech start-up that purports to threaten and disrupt the old guard.  Examples are peer-to-peer lending platforms such as Prosper and Lending Club.  Neither company holds the loans they award on their own balance sheets, but, instead, acquire the funds from WebBank, Salt Lake City, Utah.”

https://www.cryptocoinsnews.com/paypal-shuts-greece-bitcoin-still-operates/

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Brazil Builds Internet Cable To Portugal To Avoid NSA Surveillance [2014]

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“Brazil is building a cable across the Atlantic to escape the reach of the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA). The move is one of many ways the Brazilian government is breaking ties with American technology companies — but it won’t come cheap.  The 3,500-mile fiber-optic cable will stretch from Fortaleza to Portugal, with an estimated cost of $185 million, Bloomberg reported.  Of course, none of this will go to American vendors.  Last year, Edward Snowden leaked documents that showed the NSA was accessing personal information of Brazilian citizens, including listening to phone calls of President Dilma Rousseff, its embassies and the state-owned oil company Petrobras.”

http://www.ibtimes.com/brazil-builds-internet-cable-portugal-avoid-nsa-surveillance-1717417

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UK home secretary warns Yahoo over its move to Dublin [2014]

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“The move to make Dublin the centre of its headquarters for Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) was announced last month.  The firm has been horrified by some of the surveillance programmes revealed by Snowden and is understood to be relieved that it will be beyond the immediate reach of UK surveillance laws.  Following the Guardian’s disclosures about snooping on Yahoo webcams, the company said it was ‘committed to preserving our users trust and security and continue our efforts to expand encryption across all of our services.’ It said GCHQ’s activity was ‘completely unacceptable..we strongly call on the world’s governments to reform surveillance law.'”

http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/mar/20/theresa-may-yahoo-dublin-security-worry

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David Cameron’s proposed encryption ban would ‘destroy the internet’

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“The Prime Minister first indicated that he would try and clamp down on secure communications that could not be decrypted by law enforcement even with a warrant back in January, in the aftermath of the Charlie Hebdo shootings in Paris. His comments sparked an immediate flurry of condemnation from privacy and security activists, but his recent statements show he’s not backing down. (Number 10 has not responded to requests for clarification about Cameron’s comments.)  Business Insider reached out to Bruce Schneier to discuss the feasibility of Cameron’ proposed ban on ‘safe spaces’ online. Schneier didn’t hold back.”

http://www.businessinsider.com.au/bruce-schneier-david-cameron-proposed-encryption-ban-destroy-the-internet-2015-7

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Portugal’s Experiment in Drug Decriminalization Has Been a Success

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“This month, Portugal celebrates fourteen years of drug decriminalization. The grand experiment is now considered a happy success considering it was adopted out of desperation and in the face of dire warnings from proponents of the global drug war.  One picture that sums up the Portuguese success story shows that Portugal has the second lowest death rate from illegal drugs in all of Europe after experiencing one of the worst rates with prohibition. It is a happy anniversary for the Portuguese, but a scary one for all the drug warriors around the world whose incomes and power depend on continued ignorance about the effects of prohibition.”

http://www.thedailybell.com/editorials/36406/Mark-Thornton-Portugals-Experiment-in-Drug-Decriminalization-Has-Been-a-Success/

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Amid the Greek Crisis, Bitcoin Reminds Everyone It’s Not Perfect

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“The economic crisis in Greece has turned some attention to Bitcoin again. The price of the digital currency has rallied over the past few days, partly because some Greeks have been snapping up the currency amid bank closures and cash withdrawal limits.  But over the weekend, Bitcoin’s software provided a well-timed reminder of why it’s not the perfect financial system, either. Bitcoin transactions have been taking five times longer than usual to complete, according to Gil Luria, an analyst at Wedbush Securities. The problems stem from a new version of the Bitcoin software that runs on PCs and servers underpinning the currency’s decentralized system.”

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-07-06/amid-the-greek-crisis-bitcoin-reminds-everyone-it-s-not-perfect

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Bitcoin: Greece’s new euro workaround?

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“Joaquin Fenoy was wandering the streets of Athens Friday, doing his bit to ease Greece’s currency restrictions. He wasn’t handing out cash, but rather installing an ATM with a withdrawal limit of €1,000 (about $1,100). That’s €940 above the €60 daily ATM withdrawal limit the Greek government put in place to stop a bank run as its creditors decide the country’s financial fate. There is one catch, though: You need to have the virtual currency bitcoin to use it.  In Greece’s case, worried relatives in London could buy bitcoins and transfer them to the digital wallet of a family member in Athens, who could then withdraw the bitcoins as euros from Bitchain’s ATM.”

http://fortune.com/2015/07/10/greece-bitcoin-bitchain/

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