NFC/RFID implant project is ongoing

 

The project was founded on the insight that NFC/RFID implants have an increasing potential to serve as a practical user interface between humans and machines as a consequence of the quick spread of cheap and distributed sensors. The technology itself is not new, it has been in use industrially since the 1990s in animals and there are examples of human implantees in the late 1990s. But with the development of NFC compatible smartphones and the ‘internet of things’ there are today a number of concrete user cases where this technology can make everyday activities easier and simpler.
The goal of the project is to create a user community of at least 100 persons with NFC implants who experiment with and help develop possible uses. The implantations are entirely volunteer based and people normally pay for their own implants. As we want participants to feel as part of a community we prefer to do the chip insertions as group events which we call Implant parties. A typical implant party involves between 8-15 implantees and a bit of socialising around the experience. The fast growing implantee community is diverse, involving people of all different ages and professions but many come from hacker- and maker communities and see experimenting with technology as a natural way of life.
The objectives of the project are
– To discover and develop relevant user cases for NFC implants
– To forward the idea that subdermal implants are not only harmless but in fact useful in everyday life
– To change the public perception of smart implants, to make it as normal to have an implant as it is to have other near-body technology such as for example earrings.
– To learn and document how this technology works to help develop new generations of implants with much greater capabilities
– To give external service providers the opportunity to interact with a knowledgeable, highly skilled and visionary group of early adopters
If you are a company or organisation who would want to engage with us in order to arrange workshops or user testing of new products and services we welcome all initiatives that help develop this exciting new ecosystem. Please contact the project coordinator Hannes 
nfcimplant@bionyfiken.se

Trump's White House: Five takeaways from Friday

With the first two weeks of his presidency behind him, Donald Trump arrived at his luxury Mar-a-Lago Florida estate, dubbed the "Winter White House," where he will spend the weekend.

The president's long day included slapping new sanctions on Iran and announcing plans to take an ax to a landmark financial reform bill. A few hours before midnight, the White House issued a pledge to fight a judge's order temporarily halting Trump's controversial traveler ban.

Here are five takeaways from Friday's events in Washington:

- Travel ban halted -

The White House vowed to fight back late Friday after a federal judge in Seattle ordered a temporary nationwide halt to Trump's controversial ban on travelers from seven Muslim-majority nations.

Press secretary Sean Spicer called Trump's executive action "lawful and appropriate" and said the Department of Justice would request an emergency stay of the federal court order filed earlier in the day.

"The president's order is intended to protect the homeland and he has the constitutional authority and responsibility to protect the American people," Spicer said.

- Iran sanctions -

The US president slapped fresh sanctions on Iran's weapons procurement network, provoking an angry response from Tehran in what is an increasingly tense stand-off.

"Iran is playing with fire -- they don't appreciate how 'kind' President Obama was to them. Not me!" Trump tweeted.

The fresh US measures were in response to Iran's latest ballistic missile test and its support for Shiite Huthi rebels in Yemen who in the past week targeted a Saudi warship, US officials said.

- Dodd-Frank goes under knife -

The landmark Dodd-Frank financial reforms adopted in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis were aimed at curbing risky excesses by Wall Street investors that led to the "Great Recession."

On Friday, Trump -- who frequently vowed on the campaign trail that he would get rid of Dodd-Frank -- ordered a review of the law, telling business leaders: "We expect to cut a lot out of Dodd-Frank."

"I have friends who can't start businesses because the banks wouldn't let them borrow because of rules and regulations and Dodd-Frank."

Critics claim the legislation created red tape that stifles the finance industry.

- Visa numbers out -

The United States has revoked up to 60,000 travel visas since Trump ordered a ban on visitors from seven mainly Muslim countries, the State Department said.

"We recognize that those individuals are temporarily inconvenienced while we conduct our review under the Executive Order," Will Cocks, spokesman for the department's bureau of consular affairs said.

A Justice Department attorney, however, told a court hearing in Virginia that about 100,000 visas had been revoked.

A week ago, Trump issued an executive order halting arrivals for at least 90 days for the citizens of Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.

All refugee arrivals from around the world were also halted, in this case for 120 days.

- Bannon brigade -

Fifty Democratic members of Congress wrote a letter to Trump demanding he explain his placement of controversial chief strategist Steve Bannon on the National Security Council despite lacking formal foreign policy experience.

Trump caused an uproar last weekend when he issued a memorandum that reorganized the NSC to elevate Bannon onto the Principals Committee and to relegate the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Director of National Intelligence to roles where they only attend when "issues pertaining to their responsibilities and expertise" are discussed.

Becca MILFELD

AFP4 February 2017

Community leaders meet again today

President Mustafa Akinci and President Nicos Anastasiades are meeting today in what UN envoy Espen Barth Eide described as a crucial meeting to decide the way forward.

The two community leaders agreed during their last meeting on 26^th January that they will meet again on 1^st February to decide the how the negotiations process should continue. Following which, all topics, will be on the table.

Cyprus Mail

Adidas CEO very concerned about Europe's political failure - Welt

BERLIN (Reuters) - Adidas Chief Executive Kasper Rorsted is very worried about the effects of Europe's failure to solve its problems, German newspaper Die Welt reported.

European Union leaders are grappling with the challenges of migration, a lingering euro crisis, the rise of right-wing populist parties and the wider ramifications of Britain's vote to the leave the bloc.

"From the viewpoint of business I have no fear, but politically-speaking, I am very concerned that Europe is not capable of solving its problems," Rorsted said in an interview with the daily newspaper published on Saturday.

"Europe's inability to solve problems will punish us even more strongly this year," the CEO said, without being more specific. Germany, France and the Netherlands are all set to hold elections this year.

Rorsted also warned that Europe and Britain will suffer if the country's exit from the EU results in trade restrictions.

However, the Adidas CEO was relaxed about the political prospects of the United States under President Donald Trump.

"At the end of the day, I believe Trump is a business man. A couple of things may occur that displease us, but this will not be catastrophic," the newspaper quoted Rorsted as saying.

(Reporting by Andreas Cremer; Editing by Alexander Smith)

Reuters28 January 2017

Britain's May eyes stronger Turkey ties after Trump summit

Fresh from talks with US President Donald Trump, British Prime Minister Theresa May will meet Turkish leaders in Ankara Saturday, hoping to expand ties and seal a new trading relationship before Britain leaves the EU.

On a one-day visit to the Turkish capital, her first since becoming premier, May will hold talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Prime Minister Binali Yildirim.

While some EU states have been wary of sending top officials to Turkey following the July 15 failed coup and ensuing crackdown, May will follow several senior British ministers who have visited Ankara in recent weeks.

And symbolically, her visit to Turkey is the last leg of a trip which took her to the White House as the first foreign leader to be hosted by Trump.

Turkey, which has sought to join the European Union since the 1960s, has long seen Britain as one of the most enthusiastic supporters of its troubled bid.

But following Britain's June vote to leave the bloc, both sides are now looking to bring a new dynamic to relations, with London seeking to firm up post-Brexit trade deals with non-EU states.

- 'Engagement with Turkey' -

May's spokeswoman said increased security cooperation, especially on aviation, and a new trade relationship post-Brexit would top the agenda at the talks.

Following the failed coup, Turkey's relations with the EU have become strained, with Brussels sharply criticising the extent of the ensuing crackdown, and Ankara deploring Europe's failure to show solidarity.

The spokeswoman emphasised that there were no issues May would steer away from, including human rights and freedom of the press.

"The Prime Minister's approach is quite clear - she thinks it's important, and in the UK's national interest - to engage with Turkey on a range of issues - from defence and security cooperation to capitalising on trade opportunities," she said.

She added: "I don't think there are any issues that the prime minister is afraid to bring up."

- 'Unsavoury rulers' -

Ahead of May's visit, Britain's Trade and Investment Minister Mark Price held a series of meetings with Turkish ministers in Ankara.

Bilateral trade between the two countries amounted to more than $16 billion (14.9 billion euros) in 2015, Turkish figures show, with Britain the second most important country for exports and 11th in terms of imports.

Three months after the Brexit vote, Foreign Minister Boris Johnson made a colourful visit to Turkey during which he said Britain was seeking a "jumbo free trade deal" with Ankara.

Noting that trade ties were already significant, Johnson said he was the "proud" owner of a Turkish washing machine and acknowledged that Britain's iconic Jaffa Cake biscuits were owned by a Turkish confectionary giant.

He also ebulliently brushed off the embarrassment of penning the winning entry in an offensive poetry competition about Erdogan which was published by The Spectator magazine earlier in the year.

Back in the UK, MPs have urged May not to let her eagerness to promote trade overshadow human rights concerns over Turkey's post-coup crackdown.

"The Conservative Brexit government is so desperate for trade deals with anyone but the mature democracies of the European Union that even the most unsavoury rulers are to be subjected to the prime ministerial charm," opposition Liberal Democrat MP Sarah Olney wrote in the Guardian newspaper.

Raziye Akkoc with Stuart Williams in Istanbul and Alice Ritchie in Washington

AFP28 January 2017

Melania Trump just 'an object' to her husband, body language expert says

Melania Trump is “an object” to her husband, according to a body language expert who analysed the behaviour of the First Family on inauguration day.

Followed by TV cameras, the US President and his wife were scrutinised constantly on the day Donald Trump was sworn in.

Many observers remarked on the apparently cold nature of the relationship between the couple, particularly in comparison to the Obamas.

"Melania is an object to [Mr Trump]," said Susan Constantine, a body language expert who has trained US government departments and top lawyers.

"I don't see any warmth or true love and compassion in that relationship whatsoever," she told Mic.

Despite the close dancing of the President and his wife and the inauguration ball, another body language expert, Patti Wood, told the publication the way in which they danced was indicative of an unbalanced relationship.

The President was “pulling her in sexually,” making contact with the pelvis area, Ms Wood said, while Ms Trump was actually pulling away slightly from him as they danced – indicating she didn’t want to “merge with him as a partner”.

Another example which received more attention occurred near the beginning of inauguration day.

“It's interesting that Trump got out of the car and came up the stairs and shook hands instead of helping his wife out of the car, waiting for her, or even looking back for her,” Ms Wood told the Mail Online.

This view was echoed fully by Ms Constantine, who said: “If you didn't know that they were married, you wouldn't know that they are married.”

Later, at the swearing in ceremony, television cameras caught Mr Trump apparently giving his wife only the most cursory of greetings as she joined him shortly before what was likely the biggest moment of his life.

I'm so glad this GIF exists. pic.twitter.com/a4BNmzfa5C

— summer. (@SummerNazif) January 21, 2017

An immediate comparison could be drawn to the Obamas, with Barack warmly greeting Michelle as she joined him on stage.

Throughout his campaign, Mr Trump’s conduct with women was widely regarded as sexist and has been recorded using numerous misogynistic expressions.

And in addition to making lewd comments about sexual harassment, a number of women also alleged he had harassed them in the past.

On Monday, he reintroduced the Mexico City Policy, which blocks US funding supporting family planning and reproductive rights – a move decried as an "assault on women's health" by campaigners.

Many commentators are concerned that if Mr Trump has little regard for his wife, there will be little to impede him in implementing policies harmful to women.

Will Worley

The Independent24 January 2017

Gambia's Yahya Jammeh 'agrees to step down'

Gambia's new president has said that Yahya Jammeh, who ruled the country for 22 years and refused to step down after losing the recent election, has finally "agreed to leave".

Writing on Twitter on Friday, Adama Barrow said Jammeh would also leave the country.

Barrow was sworn-in at Gambia's embassy in Dakar in neighbouring Senegal on Thursday.

Red carpets were on Friday reportedly laid out at the airport in Gambia's capital in what appeared to be preparations for a speech by Jammeh and a departure.

Also on Friday, Gambia's chief of defence forces Ousmane Badjie pledged his allegiance to the country's new president, a major shift as mediation continued to persuade defeated Jammeh to cede power.

Jammeh had rejected Barrow's December 1 election win, despite significant pressure from regional powers and the UN, sparking a major crisis.