refugees
Latest
Google and other tech titans pledge to help refugees
Google, Facebook, Microsoft, Twitter and other big tech corporations have joined hands with the White House to help refugees across the globe. They were among the members of the private sector that answered the president's Call to Action back in June. Now, the administration has published the complete list of participants, along with a short description of what they're doing for the cause. Google has promised to fund and lend its technical expertise to non-government orgs providing free education to 10,000 out-of-school Lebanese kids. If you'll recall, the big G also donated $5.3 million worth of Chromebooks to European refugees earlier this year.
Recommended Reading: President Obama, Commander in Nerdiness
Obama to leave the White House a nerdier place than he found it Gardiner Harris, The New York Times President Obama has accomplished a lot of things during his eight years in office. One of the causes he's championed is science and STEM education. The New York Times takes a look at how the commander-in-chief is leaving the Oval Office a much nerdier place than he found it with science fairs, advisory committees and more.
New app lets anyone spot and help migrant boats in distress (Update)
If you've ever wished you could do more to help migrants, but don't have the wherewithal to join a humanitarian group, a new app could do the trick. The Migrant Offshore Aid Station (MOAS)'s I Sea iOS app lets you scour satellite images to spot refugee boats in trouble and alert rescue teams to their location.
Ads force German xenophobes to hear the plights of refugees
People searching for anti-immigrant YouTube videos in Germany are going to have an awkward time doing so thanks to a novel advertising campaign by Refugees Welcome. The organization has put together a series of 30-second spots featuring real refugees who discuss their situations using a potent mixture of perspective, fact and humor to counter the country's rising xenophobic tide.
Google built tech to support the Syrian uprising, Clinton email says
Google built a tool in 2012 designed to help organize Syrian dissidents opposed to President Bashar Assad, according to a new batch of emails released from former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's private server. Jared Cohen, once the head of the Google Ideas division, sent a message to top Clinton officials in July 2012 outlining a tool that would publicly track and map defections in Syria.
6 high-tech refugee shelters that can be deployed in an instant
By Cat DiStasio Each year, tens of thousands of people around the world are displaced from their homes by natural disasters, war and, increasingly, the effects of climate change. When this happens, emergency-response teams are tasked with the challenge of housing these refugees in a short period of time. Designers and architects are responding to this need with shelters that are quick to ship, easily assembled by a small number of people without specialized tools and durable enough to last several years. Some of them even float, make clean drinking water and harness the power of the sun.
Aiding Syrian refugees, one iris scan at a time
Over six million people are thought to have been displaced by the Syrian civil war, leading to a human crisis on a scale not seen in decades. While countries around the world have offered aid and asylum -- some more than others -- to refugees, it's Syria's neighbors that house the vast majority. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has registered almost 4.6 million Syrians fleeing conflict, of which 4.45 million (97 percent) are in Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq. And these numbers don't take into account those that have been unable to return due to conflict -- Jordan claims to have 1.27 million Syrians within its borders, for example, while the UNHCR has only registered 635,000.
Google donates $5.3 million in Chromebooks for refugees
To give some of the millions of refugees in Europe access to education and asylum application information, Google is equipping nonprofits in Germany with Chromebooks. The company announced a $5.3 million grant and the launch of Project Reconnect, an initiative with NetHope that will distribute the computers to organizations working with refugees. Google says the Chromebook has a proven track record when it comes to education, and in this case, it can be used to run learning and language apps or provide access to government info for those seeking asylum.
Facebook, Google and Twitter agree to delete some hate speech
Germany has long complained that major internet services don't do enough to fight hate speech, and it now looks like those companies are going to do something about it. Facebook, Google and Twitter have all promised Germany that, "as a rule," they'll delete criminal forms of hate speech (such as inciting people to violence) within 24 hours. The push for action comes primarily in response to increased racism following Europe's refugee crisis, but it's not unexpected in light of the country's decades-old battle with hate.
Google made an info hub to help the migrant and refugee crisis
A number of tech companies, such as Apple, Google and Facebook, have joined the global efforts to aid Europe's ongoing refugee crisis. With that in mind, Google today introduced a new initiative designed to assist the migrant relief overseas, adding to the matched donations it announced last month. The search giant has now built a mobile site for people in need, called Crisis Info Hub, which offers quick and simple access to vital information about lodging, medical facilities and transportation. Google's also looking for volunteers to help improve Translate, a service that's useful to the migrants and refugees who are in a new country. If you speak German or Arabic and you'd like to lend a hand, head over to Google's Translate Community page to get started.
Facebook will help the UN bring internet access to refugee camps
Refugees already have a hard life, but that's made worse by the typical lack of internet access at refugee camps -- unless you resettle, you may never get online. Facebook isn't content with this state of affairs, however, and is promising to help the United Nations bring internet access to those camps. Company chief Mark Zuckerberg (who revealed the plans at a luncheon) didn't explain how and where this would take place, but it won't be shocking if Facebook relies on its upcoming internet drones to connect these sometimes remote places.
Google will match your donations to migrant and refugee relief
As you're no doubt aware, Europe is facing a crisis: it's struggling to accommodate scores of migrants and refugees coming to the continent in search of a better life. If you're wondering how you can help, you'll be glad to hear that Google is making things easier. It just launched a campaign that will see it match donations until it raises a total of €10 million ($11.3 million) toward migrant and refugee relief. Any money you send will be distributed to four nonprofits (Doctors Without Borders, International Rescue Committee, Save the Children and the UN) providing food, security and shelter to those in need. Google's effort won't solve everything, but it's worth checking out if you previously felt powerless to help. Update: (9/19): Google announced that it has reached the €10 million goal, and its website has links for those still interested in donating to contact the programs directly. [Image credit: AP Photo/Selcuk Bulent]
