The company discussed this in a post on its Europe Policy blog, and in this video uploaded to the Google Africa YouTube channel:

Google Africa sponsored a study from Dalberg Global Development Advisors exploring the Internet’s impact on Africa’s economy, which among other things, found that small and medium enterprises are “surprisingly optimistic” about the Internet’s potential. Over 80% of SME owners expect that it will help them grow their business, Google says.

“It reveals how Internet-enabled services are affecting the public and private sectors in agriculture, health, finance, education, governance, energy & transport, and SME growth,” writes Google Africa Policy and Government Relations Manager Ory Okolloh. “The report also analyses the pre-conditions for impact, looking at both business and ICT infrastructure as well as factors that influence how and why users get online. The findings are based on a survey of 1,300 organizations in Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, and Senegal.”

“In addition, the report identifies big opportunities for cost savings as businesses shift to enterprise systems powered by the Internet,” Okolloh says. “For example, in Kenya the National Health Insurance Fund reduced its administrative costs from 60% to 32% by automating its claims processing, accessing real-time data and tracking payment processes. In agriculture, access to online information is creating price transparency, improving supply chain management and providing climate and growth data which ultimately reduces costs and increases farmer incomes.”

You can access the report here.

Google Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt recently predicted that the entire world will be on the Internet by 2020.

“We would be able to detect infection even in those cases where previous methods, such as the saliva test, were rendering a ‘false negative’ because the viral load was too low to be detected,” researcher Molly Stevens said.

The test itself works much like a standard home pregnancy test, with solution in a bottle turning red in the absence of the virus and blue when the virus is detected. It can also be adapted to test for other diseases, such as Tuberculosis and malaria.

As of 2010, Africa was home to more than 23 million of those suffering with AIDS out of a worldwide total of 34 million, a number which is tragic and daunting to the researchers who are trying to find a way to treat those patients where resources are scarce. It’s possible that this new testing system will change all that.

Stevens and her team plan to take the idea to several health agencies and non-profit organizations to help them distribute the tests throughout the world.

Researchers may have found the answer in two species of African spiny mice. These particular mice have been found to grow back lost skin and flesh. It isn’t a case of wounds healing with scar tissue either. The mice literally grow back everything that was lost including hair follicles, skin, sweat glands, fur and cartilage.

The mice evolved their regenerative powers because they were already weak. Nature describes the species’ skin as being “brittle and easily torn.” It turns out the weakness works in their favor as they’re able to easily escape predators. Any skin that is torn off is grown back with everything in tact.

It’s already impressive that these little guys can regrow skin, but what does it mean for humans? The head researcher, Ashley Seifert, believes that the African spiny mouse has been able to tap into a regeneration switch. What if humans could tap into the same genes that allow these mice to grow back skin? Could humans become far more resistant to damage?

According to the researchers, it’s entirely possible. They point to work that’s already being done in regenerative medicine. One process even involves the growth of organs through 3D printers. It’s all really impressive stuff, but it hasn’t come close to what these mice can do. Here’s hoping for a future where humans can start growing back lost limbs and skin without having to deal with rehab or invasive surgical procedures.

You can read a preview of the research right here.

It’s no secret that malaria is the number one killer in Africa. Due to lack of cheap vaccines and territorial conflicts, the people who need help the most never get it. Scientists have now found a way that attacks malaria at its source – the mosquito’s stomach.

Malaria begins its life in the stomach of a mosquito. After biting a human, the parasite can work its way into the bloodstream of a person and begin to wreak havoc on their body. The genius solution is to introduce bacteria into the mosquito that specifically targets malaria. Technology Review explains how it works:

The malaria parasite, called Plasmodium falciparum, must complete a crucial part of its life cycle within a mosquito’s midgut before it can be transmitted to people. So bacteria in that compartment are well positioned to deliver antimalarial compounds. When the mosquito takes a blood meal—that is, when it bites someone—bacteria in the mosquito’s midgut also proliferate, thanks to the blood nutrients.

It’s during this stage in the parasite’s life that the bacteria triggered by the proliferation of blood can target the parasite and kill it. In studies performed by the scientists, they found that only 14 to 18 percent of the mosquitoes that were fed the malaria-killing bacteria became infected by the parasite.

The big question facing the scientists now is how to introduce this new bacteria into the wild. As they point out, people become touchy whenever the subject turns to genetically modified organisms. It has the potential to save a lot of lives, but it can also have adverse side effects. They must do more thorough testing before they can convince local governments that this is a good idea.

The new law, which came into effect on May 24th, makes the use of VoIP services punishable by hefty fines and up to 15 years in prison. When asked about the new law, the government said that it “is intended to protect national security and protect the national, state-owned telecoms carrier from losing revenue to Skype and similar services.”

The problem with this is that only about 850,000 of the countries 85 million people have access to the internet. The 1% line penetration rate that Ethiopia has is the second worse in Africa behind Sierra Leone.

The other part of the law is that it also authorizes the government to inspect any imports of voice communication equipment and accessories, while also banning inbound shipments without prior permission.

This law is part of a recent crackdown in the last couple of years. The measures the government has gone through include shutting down some internet cafes that offered VoIP, and starting in 2006 they made it mandatory for internet cafes to keep records of the names and addresses of their customers in an effort to clamp down on bloggers and other users critical of the regime.

I feel bad for these people because they now have even less communication with the outside world. Like their country isn’t bad enough as it is.

The African News Innovation Challenge, according its official website, “is the continent’s largest fund for supporting new media experimentation and digital news startups in everything from data driven journalism and investigative reporting, to newsroom management, audience engagement, digital convergence, and media business models.” The ANIC is a branch of the African Media Initiative’s broader project to assist African countries to utilize digital media tools in a way that hopefully improves the quality and impact of African journalism.

The competition launched today, May 10, and the deadline to submit ideas for the first round is July 10. Entry is limited to residents in Africa (thankfully) or someone who works with a partner in Africa, which AMI has set up a network to help people link up with a partner based in Africa.

A post on Google’s official blog, the company is funding $1 million for the challenge.

The News Innovation Challenge will provide grants ranging from $12,500 to $100,000 for project proposals falling into four categories: news gathering, storytelling, audience engagement and the business of news. Proposals can include ideas that improve everything from data-based investigative journalism and crowd-sourced citizen reporting, to new ways of distributing news on mobile platforms, or new revenue models that help wean media off a reliance on advertising.

The point of the ANIC is to improve the way news is gathered and reported using digital ideas that utilize the internet, mobile platforms, data crunching, and so on. However, Africa isn’t exactly the most technologically developed continent when it comes to the digital age. As you can see below in the map compiled from Akamai’s “State of the Internet” report for the last quarter, most of the continent only has access to narrowband internet, which basically amounts to the speed of a dial-up connection (also known as as insufferably slow in high broadband-enabled parts or the world), and much of that is a new implementation.

Africa also has the slowest average internet connection speed of any continent (excluded Antarctica, of course). Given these technological obstacles, it will undoubtedly require an inventive mind to be able to conceive “disruptive digital ideas” that eventually land entrants in the winner’s circle.

The brothers, Donald Jr. and Eric, are at the center of a controversy after photos were released of a hunting trip they took in Africa last year which showed them standing beside the carcasses of various animals they’d killed. Though they insist that none of the animals were endangered and that all the meat was given to nearby villages, many people–including the animal rights group PETA–are outraged at what they consider to be animal cruelty, and that reportedly includes at least one sponsor of “Celebrity Apprentice”.

Camping World and Good Sam CEO Marcus Lemonis reportedly told TMZ yesterday that he was “shocked” by the photos and that even though his company Camping World had already run ads on the show this season, he wouldn’t be spending any more money to support them.

But Donald Trump Sr. says that just isn’t true. In a phone interview with TMZ today, he claimed that not one sponsor has pulled their funding from his show, including Good Sam. In fact, he said, the company is “thrilled to be on board” and is looking forward to the episode in which their ads run. The episode airs next month.

Trump also said he doesn’t personally believe in hunting but that he believes his sons didn’t do anything wrong on their safari.

Reps for Camping World and Good Sam could not be reached for comment.

The animal rights group PETA has already spoken out about the photos, which were posted on a website called HuntingLegends.com, telling The Daily News “If the young Trumps are looking for a thrill, perhaps they should consider skydiving, bungee jumping, or even following in their anti-hunting father’s footsteps and taking down competing businesses—not wild animals.” The images have since been removed from the website.

Donald Jr. and Eric, who both appear on their father’s reality show “Celebrity Apprentice”, issued a joint statement to E! News, defending their actions by saying they grew up hunting with their grandfather and were taught that nothing should go to waste, which is why they gave the meat to nearby villages.

Trump Jr. has also taken to Twitter to defend himself and his brother, saying the media has spun their own view on what happened.

Some supporters are rallying around the younger Trumps, however, and are making their support known through tweets.

It’s a sensitive topic, for sure, and there will always be opposing sides, but for now the family stands by their actions despite all the criticism, in true Trump style. Donald Sr. addresses his sons’ actions in this video with Access Hollywood:

If you’re sitting there reading this wondering why Botswana, a country that claims only nine people per square mile, is getting Street Viewed you may be forgiven for that reaction. For one, Street View might be a slight misnomer in this particular case when you consider that most of Botswana’s cultural and natural richness likely exists beyond the pavement.

Jeff Ramsay, a spokesman for Botswana government, told the Botswana Gazette, “The initiative has come at a very crucial stage for Botswana because it will heighten our campaign to promote the country as a diamond centre and destination of choice for tourists.”

A Google spokeswoman, Julie Taylor, also emphasized Botswana’s wildlife treasures as a reason to Street View the country, saying that requests from companies that specialize in safari tours are already coming in.

The Street View might be considerably different than what some of you are used to seeing when you flip the switch on for the map option. Several cities in Botswana like Gaborone and Francistown will be Street Viewed, many natural attractions will be included as well. Insofar the tourist industry might be concerned, instead of seeing lavish palaces or even barrier reefs, Google Maps explorers will get a glimpse of the Kalahari Desert or some of Botswana’s wildlife-rich national parks.

In other words, the point-of-view users will find in Botswana’s Street View will probably be unlike anything you’ll find in any other country’s Street View.

Here’s a couple candid comments from her post about an attack from a sea lion:

“I thought to myself how cute they were so I decided to get a bit closer than all of the other tourists and went down to a rock trying to pet them doing a baby talk while taking pictures… Suddenly, one of them jumped out of the water so fast and impetuously that it got about one foot away from me, looked me in the eye, roared in fury and tried to bite me.”

“I just kept eye contact with it while my brother “Super Tony” jumped over me and literally saved my life, taking me away from the beast.”

“I believe what happened is that it confused the shiny reflection of the blackberry I was taking these pics with, with some sort of fish.”

Take a look at some Twitter reactions:

Shakira has just been attacked by a sea lion in sth Africa. It’s a bad day when even aquatic mammals hate your music!

— Merrick Watts (@MerrickWatts) February 14, 2012

A Sea Lion tried to kill @shakira !!!! Why are all my faves life in danger . Had that sea lion done something to my shak, I’d nuke the ocean

— John Polanco (@johnpolanco00) February 12, 2012

#shakira been attacked by a Sea lion that explains the hideous noise she makes then!!!!!

— Andy Hegarty (@hegstar) February 14, 2012

In retaliation for that dreadful WC song. RT @Sentletse: Shakira was attacked by a sea lion on Sunday here in South Africa where she…

— Johnny Sober (@JohnnySober) February 14, 2012

pretty sure my day can’t get better: “@NMEmagazine: Shakira reveals she was attacked by a sea lion bit.ly/zw8lzT”

— Bron (@essentiallybron) February 14, 2012

It was a close call for Shakira, but it would have been nice if one of the other tourists had explained to her that going down into a wild creatures habitat is same thing as a member of the press climbing to her second story window to snap photos as she leaves the bath; it will piss you off! You were not mistaken for a fish, just viewed as an intruder. Funny story though, thanks for sharing Shakira.