Mobile phones changing lives in Kenya

“They don’t believe music is something you can make money with so they can put food on your table. Or that music is something that can make you achieve anything.”

But first, we hear how mobile phones are changing lives in Kenya -- and not always for the better…

Food or Phone?
Mobile phones were once something only rich people used. But with prices falling, both rich and poor people now depend on them for both personal and professional needs.

The World Bank asked two groups -- iHub Research and Research Solutions Africa -- to study mobile phone use in Kenya. They examined mobile phone use among Kenyans earning less than...

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Two interesting items about life in Africa. The first one tells us about how mobile phones are impacting peoples lives in Kenya. The second one introduces a band from Nigeria that is hoping to teach people about local customs and traditions.

You can learn more about the Nigerian music group, Heroes Band International, here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skPLxDKFksc

To increase local food production, crowded Singapore grows up

A new super-efficient vertical farming system in Singapore is producing greens for the 5 million residents of the crowded city-state.

The system is helping increase Singapore’s food security, while also helping cut down on the climate impact of food production.

Every night around midnight hundreds of trucks enter Singapore from Malaysia and beyond to unload their cargoes of imported fruit and vegetables at the sprawling Pasir Panjang wholesale center. Buyers pick through bins of bok choy, chives and eggplant, then load their goods onto smaller trucks, and fan out before sunrise across this crowded city-state of more than five million people.

It’s a window into the complex daily supply chain of fresh food in a country that grows only seven percent of its produce. It’s also a window into the future. A recent report by the Potsdam Institute projects that over half of the world’s population could rely on food imports by 2050, a trend driven by more and...

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Similar to Japan, Singapore imports most of its food. An innovative individual has designed vertical gardens in order to grow more plants in a limited space.

Miss World axes bikinis

Contestants at this year's Miss World beauty pageant will not wear bikinis in the parade in a bid to avoid causing offence in Muslim-majority Indonesia, organisers confirmed Wednesday.

The 137 women taking part in the September contest will swap bikinis for more conservative attire, such as traditional sarongs, for the beach fashion section.

The contest is being held on the resort island of Bali, where foreign tourists flock in their millions and the beaches are packed with women sunbathing in skimpy swimwear.

But Miss World Organisation chairwoman Julia Morley insisted that none of the...

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An international beauty context shows one way to handle cultural differences in a globalizing world.

Japan to give US$1b in aid to Sahel

Japan said on Sunday it would give $1 billion in aid to help stabilise the Islamist-infested Sahel region of Africa, months after the deaths of 10 Japanese in a hostage crisis there.

The money is part of a $14 billion aid package to be given to Africa over five years, which Abe announced on Saturday at the start of the Tokyo International Conference on African Development.

"Japan will provide 100 billion yen ($1 billion) in assistance over five years for the development and stability of the Sahel," Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told a gathering of African leaders in Tokyo.

The cash comes in addition to a $120 million aid pledge Tokyo announced in January, days after...

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Japan is making efforts to help Africa. A large donation will go towards making the region more stable.

Proverbs tell how to succeed in life

Today we explain more popular proverbs. A proverb is a short, well known saying that expresses a common truth or belief. Proverbs are popular around the world.

Many listeners have sent us their favorite proverbs. They give advice about how to live.

We begin with two popular proverbs about staying healthy by eating good food: One is an apple a day keeps the doctor away. Another is you are what you eat.

Several proverbs about birds also give advice. You may have heard this one: The early bird catches the worm. This means a person who...

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More proverbs and what they teach us. Common themes seem to be time, nature, and health.

Uncle Wes changing lives in western Sydney

To 17-year-old Blake Ellis, Aboriginal elder Uncle Wes is the "the biggest role model in Mount Druitt".

Blake Ellis' childhood was hard and as a boy he sought refuge with Uncle Wes and his family.

"I was only young when I was staying with him and spent more time with him than my own family," he said.

As Uncle Wes puts it: "They've got to have someone they can talk to, someone they can depend on."

Wes Marne is 91 and for the past 30 years, he has been an Aboriginal elder in western Sydney.

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Uncle Wes is an Aboriginal elder who shares his wisdom with his community. Hearing about his work made me think about all that I have learned from those who came before me....

World Health Organization urges countries to vaccinate children

The World Health Organization says vaccinations against disease save the lives of two to three million children every year. The WHO says almost 80 percent of babies are vaccinated against diseases like diphtheria, measles and whooping cough. But 20 percent -- or about 22 million children -– are not protected. That is why many efforts to end polio and measles have not succeeded, says WHO Director of Immunization Jean-Marie Okwo-Bele. But Dr. Okwo-BEle also says the cost of newer vaccines is too high for children in poor countries.

“The newer vaccines that are available against the two top killers of children – pneumonia and diarrhea – these vaccines are not accessible to the majority of children in the world. And, we know that child deaths will be reduced by an additional one to one and one half million deaths with increased access to all vaccines.”

The WHO says most of the UN-vaccinated children live in countries in Africa and southeast Asia. Eighty percent of those who are not vaccinated against...

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The WHO is working to help the 20% of the world's children that do not receive vaccinations. Concerned citizens are cooperating internationally to try and make vaccinations more accessible to everyone.

Govt will ensure all communities continue to be partners in nation building: Najib

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak on Saturday said the Barisan Nasional (BN) government would not waiver from its purpose to ensure that all communities could stand on their own feet and be counted as equal partners in nation building.

In his message to the Indian community in conjunction with their New Year (Putthandu, celebrated by the Tamils, Vishu by Malayalees, Ugadhi by Telugus and Vaisakhi by Sikhs) celebration, which falls on Sunday, the prime minister said the government would double its efforts and continue to be a real partner of the Indian community.

He said the government had constantly engaged directly with the Indian community and implemented various special programmes to transform the community.

"The government is also committed to...

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Malaysian Prime Minister Najib shares a message of good will and unity for the New Year celebration. The New Year is called  Putthandu by the Tamils, Vishu by Malayalees, Ugadhi by Telugus and Vaisakhi by Sikhs.

Older populations are a fact of life for many countries

The number of young people in Africa is growing. So is the number of older people in Asia. In fact, the United Nations says that, very soon, every fifth person in the world will be over the age of sixty.

This week, we tell how some areas are dealing with changing populations.

How should countries prepare for the world’s aging population? A United Nations report is urging countries to answer that question.

Japan has the world’s oldest population. Thirty percent of Japanese are older adults. The UN report says by the middle of this century, sixty-four countries will have that level of...

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People around the world are living longer. Aging populations present various challenges. Governments and industry are trying to adapt to the changing dynamic.

Florida celebrates 500th anniversary

Spanish explorer Ponce de Leon was only 4-foot, 11-inches (1.5 meters) tall, a trolley tour operator told his passengers as they rolled down a picturesque street in St. Augustine lined with moss-draped live oak trees.

But the Timucuan Indians he encountered when he set foot in Florida towered over him, standing 7 feet (2.1 meters) tall, the tour guide said.

Turning into the Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park, he noted: No wonder the explorer thought these tall, robust natives were drinking enchanted water.

Statue of Spanish explorer Ponce de Leon located at the foot of the Bridge of Lions in St. Augustine’s Plaza de La Constitucion, Florida. (Image provided by the St. Augustine, Ponte Vedra & The Beaches Visitors and Convention Bureau) This week Florida celebrated the 500th anniversary of the day when Ponce de Leon stepped onto the...

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There is an saying, "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder." It means that each person has their idea of what it beautiful. It seems that the same can be said of history - the story of what happened in the past may change depending on who is telling it.

China's first lady steals the spotlight

China's glamorous first lady has become a media and Internet sensation as she accompanies husband President Xi Jinping on his first state visit to Russia.

Photographs of Ms Peng and Mr Xi have been plastered across the front pages of state media, which usually do not focus on the country's first ladies.

Ms Peng was even shown briefly arm-in-arm with Mr Xi in a public display of affection rare among the communist leadership.

"Since yesterday this has become the main topic of discussion for people," said Li Jun, a commentator with a...

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The wife of the new Chinese president, Xi Jinping, is getting a lot of media attention  and has many fans. Some believe she may change the image people have of the country.

The Pope who loved soccer

Pope Francis roots for the Saints, not the Devils.

The Saints of San Lorenzo de Almagro, that is — one of Argentina’s top five soccer teams.

The first Latin American pontiff grew up near the team’s stadium in Flores, a middle class neighborhood in Buenos Aires.

This screen shot image released by the San Lorenzo de Almagro soccer team shows a copy of the club's identification card belonging to Argentina's Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio. ​​The new pope is a card-carrying member of the team’s  club and has his own Saints jersey, presented to him in 2011 after he said Mass at the team’s own chapel.

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It appears that the new Pope, Pope Francis I, is a soccer fan. He is a member of the Saints of San Lorenzo de Almagro fan club, a team he grew up watching and cheering.

Rich find spirit of generous giving

China's rich showed increasing enthusiasm about making big donations to the nonprofit sector and most of their donations, including pledges, went to universities in 2012, according to a new report.

Last year saw charitable gifts of 4.9 billion yuan (S$978 million, US$787 million) and pledges of 60 billion yuan from the country's top 100 individual donors, according to the China Philanthropy Research Institute of Beijing Normal University.

The total value was five times that of the previous year, it said.

Huang Nubo, chairman of Beijing Zhongkun Investment Group, a private company, topped the list as the most...

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Wealthy Chinese people are helping to support universities through donations. What kind of organization would you support if you were to make a donation?

Gillard flags workplace reform for working parents

Prime Minister Julia Gillard has flagged workplace relations changes to extend the rights of parents returning from maternity leave.

Speaking before leaving New Zealand this morning, Ms Gillard said there will be announcements this week stemming from the review of the Fair Work Act.

Ms Gillard said one of the key aspects will be helping new parents return to flexible work environments.

"They will be able to request flexible and part-time work and their employer will have to respond to that request," she said.

"We already have, as part of our 10 national employment standards, a right to request.

"This is an extension to that right that Labor introduced."

Ms Gillard conceded the law will not force employers to...

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The Australian government is working on a plan to improve working conditions. One of the goals is to help parents balance work and family life.

The journey home begins for millions

Every year, at this time, millions of Chinese embark on the world's biggest travel rush - the trek home.

With joy, or possibly frustration after toiling for the past year, a huge proportion of the population will set out on a journey of reunion for the country's most important holiday - Spring Festival.

Possibly as many as a billion people will shuttle between the cities where they live and work and their hometowns for the holiday.

To ensure the smooth running of the world's largest annual migration, extra travel services are being organised from Jan 26 until...

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Between January and March, about 3 billion people are expected to return home for the a very important Chinese holiday, Spring Festival. The stories of five travelers helps us understand how people celebrate.

Building a better future

This discussion paper says the antidote to fears about resources is what's known as material efficiency; that's making the things we want, but with less material.

The researchers say we could use half as much cement in buildings, for instance, if we designed and built them with more time and care. We don't do it now because labour's dear and materials are cheap. We could drastically reduce steel in cars, if governments deterred the trend towards bigger, more powerful vehicles.

The researchers say material efficiency is vital for tackling climate change, too. For the UK, for instance, to generate clean energy so materials are produced in current quantities, would need the equivalent of a four-fold increase in nuclear power or a...

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A recent research report suggests that we should be more efficient and economical in how we use materials for building. We could do more with less if we took the time to think projects through and to consider the environmental consequences....a good lesson for many things in life.

What politicians can learn from high school debaters

Some young people in an American high school are learning how to communicate more effectively through debate. They use facts and evidence to support their arguments and listen to the opposite side in order to understand issues more deeply.

Should employers play the role of matchmakers?

A recent study on marriage and parenthood showed that one of the ways singles are most comfortable meeting members of the opposite sex is through their colleagues.

With Singaporeans clocking long hours at work, some experts said it makes sense for employers to play a more active role in pairing up single employees.

But just how far should the boss play matchmaker?

Public Relations agency Asia PR Werkz counts the Social and Family Development Ministry as one of its clients so it is naturally attuned to creating social opportunities for its single employees.

About 70 per cent of their employees are not married.

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An interesting trend is occurring in Singapore. Some companies are helping employees find people to date. Why do you think this trend is arising? What advantages and disadvantages do you see?

First subway to cross Yangtze opens

The nation's first subway to cross the Yangtze River started running in Wuhan, the capital of Central China's Hubei province, at 10 am on Friday.

Trains take only three minutes to run under the country's longest waterway. They have an average speed of 36 km per hour, with 26 trains scheduled to run every six minutes.

Wuhan subway's Line 2, which links the city's two major downtown areas - Wuchang and Hankou - spans 27.73 km and has 21 stations. It takes about 50 minutes for trains to travel the line.

The line is expected to move 500,000 passengers a day, half of the city's cross-Yangtze traffic flow, and...

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Another engineering wonder...

Students win $100,000 for traffic management system

Driving routes may soon become more efficient. A new traffic management system idea, developed by a student team from Germany, was recognized as the best one at the 3rd Annual Social Innovation Summit. The team received a large sum of money to make their plan a reality.