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We Might Have Neanderthals To Thank For Our Modern Day Allergies

Scientists suspect that modern day allergies in humans might be the result of interbreeding between Homo sapiens and Neanderthals thousands of years ago. To this day, virtually everyone maintains a very small amount of Neanderthal DNA.

It is suspected that three allergy-related genes cross into modern humans following some sexual encounters between Neanderthals and modern day humans which took place more than 40,000 years ago.

These genes are believed to strengthen the immune system against serious pathogens, but they also make the immune system overly-sensitive. This results in the non-serious allergic reactions that many humans experience to this day. It has also been shown that carriers of these three genes are more likely to have asthma, hay fever and other allergies.

Neanderthals likely developed the genes in order to adapt to the cold European and Asian climate in which they resided. Modern day humans who arrived from Africa eventually encountered and mated with the Neanderthals.

Lead researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig Janet Kelso stated, “A small group of modern humans leaving Africa would not carry much genetic variation. You can adapt through mutations, but if you interbreed with the local population who are already there, you can get some of these adaptations for free.”

Kelso and her team scanned the genomes of modern day humans in order to search for evidence of Neanderthal genes. In the end, there were three genes that particularly stood out. The findings suggest that modern humans inherited the genes upon encountering the Neanderthals. The genes were so beneficial to humans back then that they remain in our genomes to this very day.

Kelso stated, “Interbreeding with archaic humans does indeed have functional implications for modern humans. The most obvious consequences have been in shaping our adaptation to our environment and improving how we resist pathogens and metabolize novel foods.”

This theory is supported by a study that took place at the Pasteur Institute in Paris. During the Paris study, Geneticist Lluis Quintana-Murci located the same three genes as Kelso and her team.

Deaths Caused By Cancer Has Dropped 23% Since 1991

Reports have indicated that cancer rates in the United States are continuing to decline. Since 1991, deaths caused by cancer have declined by 23%. However, the disease is still the second leading cause of death in America, only behind heart disease.

Health experts believe that the decline in cancer deaths is the result of improved screenings and the decline in smoking rates. It is estimated that 1.6 million new cases of cancer will be diagnosed in 2016. Nearly 600,000 Americans are expected to die from cancer this year.

Currently, the most common cancer diagnosis is thyroid cancer. This is because highly advanced imaging technologies have allowed doctors to locate small thyroid cancers that pose no real medical threats. Some doctors have said that about 10% to 15% of the population has some form of thyroid cancer.

Attending physician at Memorial Sloan Kettering Dr. Michael Tuttle said, “There is no question, the data is the data, we’re making more diagnoses. But most of those diagnoses are very small thyroid cancer and many of us are questioning the clinical significance of that thyroid cancer.”

While the overall picture suggests a steady decline of cancer, there still exist major disparities regarding who is able to access cancer screenings and treatments. It has been shown that black males have the highest overall rates of cancer, and they are two and a half times more likely to pass away from prostate or stomach cancer than white males.

CEO and president of the Ralph Lauren Center for Cancer Care and Prevention Dr. Gina Villani said, “We do know that minorities in general have access to lower-quality cancer care to begin with and lower volume of specialists, so that has an impact on your survival.”

Additionally, while black women and white women are diagnosed with breast cancer at the same rate, black women are more likely to die from the disease.

Epidemiologist and CEO of Black Women’s Health Imperative Linda Goler said, “The gap between black women and white women has gotten wider over time and that reflects who gets access to quality treatment.”

Recently, experts have called into question the validity of cancer screenings.

American Workforce Experiences A Surge, But Pay Remains Roughly The Same

The American job market has been performing tremendously lately, as the United States added about 292,000 new jobs in December and 252,000 new jobs in November. These figures greatly exceeded expectations offered by the Department of Labor. Overall, 2015 was the second strongest year for American workers since 1999.

That being said, the news wasn’t all good, as wages in 2015 did not increase as much as expected. Also, unemployment has continued to hover around 5%. But still, the influx in the job market does support the Fed’s recent decision to increase interest rates. The Fed has stated that interest rates will continue to be gradually increased.

However, these figures do not reflect recent global market downturns stemming from the stock market crashes in China. Nevertheless, it appears that the American economy is moving forward.

Former Federal Reserve economist and current executive at JPMorgan Chase Michael Feroli stated, “Job creation was solid in December. This should calm some fears about the US economy losing growth momentum. It’s reassuring in the backdrop of some recent economic reports that were weak.”

Analysts believe that the job gains in December were supported by mild winter weather across the United States. The leading industries for job gains were temporary assistance services, healthcare, transportation and construction.

Although employers have been rapidly adding workers, rates of pay haven’t shown much of an increase. Average hourly earnings have not had any major increases in the past couple of months. Over the past year, average hourly earnings have increased by 2.5%, which is ahead of the current inflation rate.

The Federal Reserve has spoken positively of the labor market in recent months. In December, Fed officials stated that the improvement in labor market conditions was “substantial”.

A release from the Fed stated, “Members agreed that a range of recent labor market indicators, including ongoing job gains and declining unemployment, showed further improvement and confirmed that underutilization of labor resources had diminished appreciably since early this year.”

L.A. Community Goes Into State Of Emergency As Gas Leak Cannot Be Contained

The underground methane gas leak in Los Angeles has reached critical levels, prompting a state of emergency to be declared. The leak has reportedly released an amount of pollution that is equivalent to 4.5 million vehicles on a daily basis since it originally started in October of last year.

When humans are exposed to certain added chemicals within the methane gas, they experience temporary health ailments. So far, the leak has forced more than 2,000 families to relocate from their homes. The effects from the leak were first reported in the affluent Porter Ranch neighborhood on the outskirts of Los Angeles on October 23. Many of these families were forced to spend their holidays in a hotel.

People working on the situation have stated that measures of repairing the damaged pipeline and stopping the leak have been underway for quite some time. So far, methods of stopping the leak have proven to be unsuccessful. According to officials from Southern California Gas, the company should fix the leak sometime in February or March.

Residents located within a few miles of the leak have been largely complaining of headaches, nausea, and respiratory issues. The symptoms are not caused by the methane gas itself, but rather mercaptans which have been added to the gas. Mercaptans are what give the methane gas its distinct smell so that officials can detect when a leak has occurred. Health officials have stated that there are no known long-term health effects from exposure to mercaptans.

But while the gas leak isn’t causing any permanent damage to humans, the same cannot be said for the environment. Current estimates show that the methane from the leak now represents roughly a quarter of the entire state’s total emissions of methane. So far, the climate equivalent has been compared to burning 700 million gallons of gasoline.

Residents who have been forced to relocate have been compensated for their inconvenience. Officials from South California Gas have stated that the company has taken total responsibility for the incident and that they intend on fully cooperating with state and local officials, as well as regulatory agencies.

Cancer Screenings Might Prove More Harmful Than Beneficial

Although cancer screening tests have been praised for saving lives, some experts believe that the benefit is non-existent. Experts in America and Germany have stepped forward, saying that cancer screenings do not save lives and that there is no benefit to the practice.

According to the experts, cancer screening causes psychological and medical harm to the patients. They say that cancer screening tests lead to over-diagnoses, which results in patients going through extremely debilitating treatments that aren’t necessary.

An analysis from cancer expert at the Oregon Health and Science University Vinay Prasad shows that cancer screening tests could be providing “false positive” results. This means that patients are told they have cancerous abnormalities that aren’t even present. In other cases, the cancer that is located is of a harmless variety that would have been better left untreated.

Prasad has stated that healthcare providers should be open and honest about the limitations of cancer screening. While the harms of cancer screening are largely certain, the benefits in overall mortality have not fully been proven. In the end, many people might ultimately be better off by opting out of cancer screenings.

Cancer expert from the Max Planck Institute for Human Development in Berlin Gerd Gigerenzer said, “Rather than pouring resources into ‘mega-trials’ with a small chance of detecting a minimal overall mortality reduction, at the additional cost of harming large numbers of patients, we should invest in transparent information in the first place. It is time to change communication about cancer screening from dodgy persuasion into something straightforward.”

Screening for prostate cancer has been found to be particularly unreliable. Men who are diagnosed with prostate cancer have a greater likelihood of having a heart attack, committing suicide, or dying from the cancer treatment itself than becoming a victim to the actual disease.

Many doctors believe that cancer screening is only beneficial for certain types of cancers. Last summer, a group of epidemiologists in the United Kingdom stated that the benefits of checks for breast cancer have been largely exaggerated. However, the group would not make the same claim about checking for bowel and cervical cancers.

Of course, a large number of doctors still support the practice. One such doctor is Dr. Anne Mackie, who serves as the the director of screening at Public Health in England.

Dr. Mackie said, “Cancer screening and follow-up treatment does prevent or can at least delay some people dying from cancer. There is clear and robust evidence of the benefits of bowel cancer screening and falls in deaths from cervical cancer. The independent Marmot review into breast screening in 2012 concluded that screening reduces breast cancer mortality by 20%.”

She added, “There needs to be some potential benefit for the individual being offered screening and that the benefits for the population outweigh the harms and should be cost-effective.”

Meanwhile, the head of health and patient information for Cancer Research UK Julie Sharp spoke of the benefits of checking for breast, bowel and cervical cancers.

Sharp stated, “In the UK, there’s no screening program for prostate or lung cancer because there isn’t good evidence that, overall, the benefits are likely to outweigh the harms. It’s vital that everyone is given clear, unbiased information on how the harms and benefits of screening stack up so they can make an informed choice about whether to accept their screening invitation.”

Saudis Consider IPO For World’s Biggest Oil Producer

Saudi Arabia is considering taking its state-owned oil behemoth public. According to deputy crown prince Mohammed bin Salman, the IPO for Saudi Aramco could take place in the coming months. By selling shares, Saudi Arabia and Aramco would be able to better raise funds, promote transparency and fight against corruption.

The oil production of Saudi Aramco is roughly twice the amount of its closest competitor, representing more than 10% of the world’s output of oil. A slump in crude oil prices has brought oil to a 12 year low. This has had a serious impact on the revenue of Saudi Arabia, as the country has been forced to take steps to reduce public spending. Salman has stated that he hopes to reduce the country’s dependence on oil.

The massive size of the company would result in any public offering being a major event. Some market analysts have said that about 5% of the company could be offered initially, while more shares could be sold at a later date. Either way, it appears that Saudi Arabia will maintain the overwhelming majority control of the oil company. But giving up any portion of the company would cause Saudi Arabia to lose some control over the lucrative global oil market.

Even with falling oil prices, Salman has stated that the Saudi economy is in decent shape. The country has reportedly increased its non-oil revenues by 29%.

On Wednesday, the price of crude oil sold by members of OPEC fell below $30 a barrel. This represents the lowest price in nearly 12 years. Because of the slump, OPEC members lost around $500 billion in revenue last year.

Aramco produced 10.25 million barrels per day in December. The company is responsible for the entirety of crude oil production in Saudi Arabia. By comparison, OAO Rosneft of Russia produces about 5 million barrels per day, while Exxon Mobil produces 4 million barrels per day.

Armed Man Killed In Paris On Charlie Hebdo Anniversary

On Thursday, police in Paris shot and killed a knife-wielding man who tried to enter a police station. The man was shouting “Allahu Akbar”, which translates into “God is great”, at the time of the incident. He was also wearing a phony suicide belt. The attacker has not yet been identified.

The incident occurred on the one year anniversary of the Charlie Hebdo attacks in Paris. Just minutes prior to the most recent attack, French President Francois Hollande had given a speech in a separate part of Paris to mark the anniversary. In the attacks last January, shootings at the Charlie Hebdo office and a Jewish supermarket led to the deaths of 17 people.

France has been on high alert since last November, when 130 people were killed in a series of terrorist attacks in Paris. Coordinated shootings and suicide bombings targeted several areas in the capital, including a music hall, a soccer stadium and several bars and restaurants. The Islamic State has claimed responsibility for the attacks.

During the most recent incident, the man tried to force his way into a police station located in the 18th district of northern Paris. ISIS reportedly planned to attack this area as part of the attacks in November.

An official of the Alternative Police Union in Paris stated, “According to our colleagues, he wanted to blow himself up. He shouted Allahu Akbar and had wires protruding from his clothes. That’s why the police officer opened fire.”

Bomb experts were immediately deployed to the scene to handle the situation. Witnesses have reported seeing a bomb-disposal robot working next to the deceased man’s body. During the incident, the man reportedly charged at the police before he was shot.

During his speech, President Hollande stated that he would work to better equip police officers in order to prevent future militant attacks. Additionally, the French President also spoke positively of the intense security measures that have been implemented since November. Many people have attacked these security measures, comparing them to the Patriot Act that followed the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the United States.

Since the November attacks, France has stepped up its efforts in Syria and Iraq. French forces have been launching a series of airstrikes against jihadist groups in the Middle East. The country is now the second largest contributor to the American-led coalition against ISIS.

China Stock Market Closes Down After Only 15 Minutes Of Trade

In a desperate attempt to put a stop to rapidly falling stock prices, China once again prematurely closed its shares trading market via a “circuit breaker” closure. This was the second time this week that the Chinese market has had to take such a drastic action. As a result of the frequent market shutdowns, China has suspended its new circuit breaker policy until further notice.

When the Chinese market opened on Thursday, shares quickly plummeted by 5%. This prompted a circuit breaker closure that lasted for 15 minutes.

But things got even worse when the markets reopened, as the benchmark CSI300 fell past 7%. This resulted in an automatic trading shutdown for the remainder of the day. In total, trading in China on Thursday only lasted about 15 minutes.

Under the recently suspended rules, Chinese markets have been automatically shut down using “circuit-breakers” whenever stock prices started drastically falling. This was to prevent people from panicking and rapidly selling their holdings. It is unknown when or if this policy will resume.

Many experts believe that the new circuit breaker rules have been ineffective and that they will need to be adjusted before they are put in place. Before the suspension, it seemed that any loss could have triggered a circuit-breaker incident. When stock prices fall, people tend to panic and sell. Despite the share-buying efforts from state-owned financial institutions, China could not prevent such crashes when stock prices started to tumble.

Chief markets strategist at IG Markets in Melbourne Chris Weston stated, “The distance between the initial 5% circuit break and the full halt of the market at 7% is just way too narrow. When the market hits 3.5% to 4% we see everyone panic and put in their sell orders. When the 15 minute window ceases the market shoots through to 7% straight off the bat.”

Weston believes that widening the 15 minute window could help solve the problem.

He continued, “The distance between the two needs to be wider otherwise we are going to see this happen time and time again. I would look at a full halt at 9-10% and sufficient breathing room that the national team can convince people to buy after 5%. Failing that they can remove the breakers and allow the market to fall to a level that many feel reflects economic reality.”

With the awful market in China, expect markets throughout the world to have a poor showing on Thursday. These new circuit-breaker policies have only highlighted China’s terrible start to 2016.

Judge Rules That Animals Cannot Own Their Own Photos In Famous Monkey Selfie Case

The United States Copyright Act was written in order to cover many situations, but a federal judge has now ruled that it was not drafted to protect the rights of animals who happen to take famous photographs. More specifically, a federal judge in California has ruled that a macaque monkey, who took an adorable, now-famous selfie, cannot legally be considered the copyright owner of such photo.

While United States District Judge William Orrick noted that the president and Congress can legally extend the protections of certain laws to animals, there is no language in or legislative history of the Copyright Act that indicates any intention to do so. The court determined that there was no apparent attempt to extend the Copyright Act to animals.

The lawsuit was initiated last year by the group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA.) In the suit, PETA requested a court order allowing the animal rights group to use all proceeds generated from the photos for the benefit of the 6-year old monkey, named Naruto.

A number of photographs, including the famous selfie, were taken in 2011 when British nature photographer David Slater took a trip to Sulawesi, Indonesia. Slater intervened in the lawsuit and asked the court to dismiss PETA’s case. He argued that the British copyright for the photos were obtained by his company, Wildlife Personalities Ltd., and those copyrights should be honored worldwide.

However, the photos have since been distributed just about everywhere, including on Wikipedia’s website. Wikipedia contends that no one owns the copyright to the photographs because they were taken not by a person – but by an animal.

In response to this particular situation, the United States Copyright Office issued an update to some of its policies last year. This included adding a section stating that the office would only register copyrights for works produced by humans. It specifically stated that the works produced by any animals, including photographs taken by a monkey, would not qualify for copyright protection.

Time Warner Cable Issues Warning That Up To 320,00 Users’ Data Has Been Compromised

The most recent victim of yet another major cyber attack is United States company, Time Warner Cable. The cable television giant has advised that 320,000 of its customers to access their accounts and change their email passwords as the company believes that the cyber hackers may gained access..

In a statement, Time Warner said it was notified by the FBI that, “some of our customers’ email addresses, including account passwords, may have been compromised.”

The company also stated in an email to its customers that, “Our understanding is that the compromise had nothing to do with [Time Warner’s] systems or processes. [The company] has found no evidence of a breach in its systems that operate and secure email accounts for our customers.”

A spokesperson for Time Warner, Nathalie Burgos, said only the customers with Roadrunner email addresses are possibly affected. Roadrunner email addresses are those that include the letters “rr” in the domain name.

Burgos said that Time Warner has not yet determined just how its customers’ email addresses and passwords were obtained. However, she did note that the information may have been stolen by malware that was downloaded during phishing attacks. It may have also been stolen indirectly via data breaches of other entities and companies that stored the information of Time Warner Cable customers – including email addresses and passwords.

Phishing attacks happen when ill-willed people send emails to other people directing them to click on a link so that they can “update” their personal information such as credit card accounts and email passwords. The embedded links then direct the unsuspecting users to bogus websites that resemble the sites of legitimate companies. And when people access such a website, two things can happen: either the victims “update” their information, thereby giving the thieves direct access to their personal data; or simply clicking on the link triggers the download of malware directly onto their personal computers, which can then collect all sorts of personal information.

Time Warner’s customers across the country were notified this week and were strongly advised to change their passwords by going to the website http://twc.com/emailpassword and following the directions.

Customers with any questions may call the company at 1-844-899-8913. Additionally, Time Warner Cable Business Class customers may call 1-866-892-4249.T

Oculus Rift To Hit Shelves In March, But Analysts Aren’t Expecting A Boom

After much anticipation, buyers are finally able to pre-order the long-awaited Oculus Rift virtual reality headset from Facebook. The device is expected to be shipped to stores on March 28. However, it’s unlikely that the innovative new headsets will fly off of store shelves when it is available for sale in April.

While some people are predicting that the headset will bring about a new era of virtual reality computing, investors on Wall Street don’t expect magic to happen overnight. In fact, most market analysts believe that the transition to virtual reality headsets will happen very slowly.

Few experts believe that sales for the Oculus Rift will exceed one million in 2016. Many have said that Facebook would be lucky to reach half that amount this year. With sale figures that low, Facebook will likely experience losses in profit from the long-awaited project. Instead, the company is probably going to be left waiting for virtual reality technology to fully catch on. Many analysts have even stated that the device is not a very big deal for Facebook at this time.

However, this is not very concerning to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg. The billionaire has made many comparisons between virtual reality technology and smartphones. When smartphones were originally introduced, sales were extremely lackluster. But over time, they caught on and became massively popular. Zuckerberg believes a similar situation will take place with virtual reality devices.

A major problem with the device is that the vast majority of current computers do not have the graphic capabilities to support the headset. Many customers will be forced to upgrade their computers before using the device. This can cost hundreds of dollars. Thus, it might be a few more years before virtual reality technology really becomes the norm.

The Oculus Rift will sell at a retail price of $599. Facebook has stated that it will send out its initial shipment on March 28. The device will include two complementary virtual reality games, and it should be available for purchase by general consumers sometime in April.

Netflix Closes The Global Borders As It Spreads To 130 New Countries

Netflix has announced a major expansion, as the video streaming service is now available in 130 new countries. With the move, virtually every single country in the world is now able to access Netflix. The company maintains the goal of becoming the world’s first fully global online streaming service.

As part of the expansion, Netflix is now available in India, Russia, Poland, Singapore, Nigeria, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Vietnam, Azerbaijan and hundreds of other countries. However, the streaming service will still be unavailable in China. Since the announcement of the expansion, Netflix stock has soared.

Netflix CEO Reed Hastings said that the expansion was the “birth of a global TV network.” Hastings made the bold comment while speaking at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

Netflix already operated in 60 world countries, mostly in the Americas and in Europe. The expansion includes virtually all of Asia, with China as the most notable exception. Netflix made its initial debut in Asia in September of 2015.

The company says that it is continuing to explore options for providing service in China. Still, this will be easier said than done. Media content in China is heavily censored, with popular websites such as Google and Facebook remaining blocked in the country. China has largely compensated for its absence of Netflix by offering its own streaming services that are sponsored by the state.

While China still remains the single largest gap for the surging streaming company, the country will not be alone in not offering Netflix. Other regions joining China include Crimea, North Korea and Syria.

Additionally, Netflix is planning to produce original series in languages other than English. Next year, the company will start featuring original program in the languages of French, Italian and Portuguese. Netflix currently supports 16 world languages, and it is planning on adding Arabic, Korean and both simplified and traditional Chinese in the near future.

Faraday Future’s ‘Tesla Killer’ Boasts 1,000-Horsepower Electric Car

With its unveiling of the FFZero1 fully-electric high-performance sports car, Faraday Future is hoping to put a serious dent into Tesla’s dominance of the luxury electric car market. The FFZero1 is a sleek ride that some have dubbed a cross between a Corvette and the Batmobile. The car was unveiled at the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, and many are nicknaming it the “Tesla Killer”.

The FFZero1 features 1,000 horsepower under the hood, and can go from zero to 60mph in under three seconds. The top speed of the FFZero1 exceeds 200mph. For a vehicle that is battery-powered, these are amazing figures. The car also includes a helmet, which provides the driver with oxygen and water. According to senior vice president of research and development for Faraday Future Nick Sampson, a variation of the car is expected to enter into production in just two years.

Faraday Future, which is located just outside of Los Angeles in Gardena, CA, has been recruiting experts from rival luxury car companies Tesla and BMW. The 18 month old company currently boasts a force of more than 550 employees. Additionally, the auto manufacturer is soon planning to construct a $1 billion production plant near Las Vegas. However, it hasn’t all been a smooth ride, as the company lost its chief battery architect after he had only been working for 15 months.

While the idea of electric vehicles is exciting to many, most Americans are still driving traditional gasoline-powered cars. In fact, electric vehicles still only represent about 1% of the car market in the United States. Representatives from Faraday Future have said that they will target luxury car buyers in hopes of expanding the electric vehicle market.

As for funding, Faraday Future has been heavily supported by Chinese billionaire investor Jia Yueting, who takes major influence from the deceased Steve Jobs. Yueting is the founder and CEO of Faraday Future’s holding company LeTV, and he has a net worth of about $7 billion.

Yueting said, “We plan to revolutionize the automobile industry by creating an integrated, intelligent mobility system that protects the earth and improves the living environment of mankind.”

Still, Faraday Future has a large amount of work ahead. It is starting behind Tesla, and traditional car manufacturers have also started to get into the electric vehicle scene. Needless to say, Faraday Future has a large amount of catching up to do. Additionally, traditional cars are currently receiving a boost thanks to low oil prices. The time for a major electric vehicle boom has not happened quite yet. But with electric cars and clean energy being the way of the future, Faraday Future is doing the right thing by getting started as early as possible.

Police Shot And Killed 986 People In 2015

Data from the FBI has revealed that police officers in the United States killed a total of 984 people in 2015. The final killing occurred during the afternoon of New Year’s Eve, when Las Vegas police officers shot and killed 23 year old African American Keith Childress. Police thought that Childress had a firearm in his hand, but it was actually only a mobile phone.

Throughout the nation, people have been enraged over the unjust killings of unarmed African American males. Although black males only represent about 6% of the American population, this group accounted for more than 40% of the individuals who were shot and killed by the police while they were unarmed. When adjusted for population differences, black people were three times more likely to be killed by the police in 2015.

Interestingly, the state of Rhode Island had no fatal police shootings whatsoever.

To be fair, many situations put officers in extremely difficult spots. The police officers are often dealing with people who have a history that suggests a capacity for violence. A large portion of those who are killed by the police have demonstrated a history of mental illness. When suspects like that refuse to obey the commands of officers, the police often feel they have no choice but to pull the trigger, even if it turns out that the suspect was unarmed.

That being said, police officers are typically trained and warned to only use a lethal weapon as method of last resort. To have nearly three fatal shootings per day is beyond excessive.

Perhaps even more concerning is the fact that this trend is very likely to continue into 2016. Already, nine people have been fatally shot by the police in this early stage of the year.

Luckily, technology is allowing for such instances to be better reviewed thanks to the introduction of body cameras which are being worn by police officers. Many police departments across the country have adopted this useful technology, and officers have said it makes them think twice before shooting. Now, police departments must strongly enforce their policies of requiring officers to turn the cameras on when they are on duty.

Lumosity To Shell Out $2M For Bogus Brain Claims

It turns out that the promise from brain training website Lumosity that one could become smarter simply by playing “brain games” was a complete hoax. Now the website is on the hook for $2 million that will be paid to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for deceptive trade practices.

The brain training website promised its users that they could delay and reverse the mental effects of aging, while keeping their minds sharp just by playing some online games. Users were also promised that they could perform better in school and at work by playing the games. But without the scientific evidence to support these claims, Lumosity is now going to pay dearly.

FTC Bureau of Consumer Protection Director Jessica Rich said in a statement, “Lumosity preyed on consumers’ fears about age-related cognitive decline, suggesting their games could stave off memory loss, dementia, and even Alzheimer’s disease. But Lumosity simply did not have the science to back up its ads.”

All users who joined the auto-renewal program of Lumosity between 2009 and 2014 are being notified about the action from the FTC. Each user will be provided with a simple way to exit the program in order to avoid future billing.

The Lumosity program consists of 40 different online games that are supposedly designed to target and improve certain areas of the brain. Lumosity stated that playing these games for just 10 to 15 minutes per day only three or four times a week would allow users to “achieve their full potential in every aspect of life.” Users are able to purchase monthly subscriptions for $14.95 or a lifetime subscription for $299.95.

Lumosity has been heavily promoted both on television and satellite radio. The website also made use of Google AdWords in order to drive traffic. Lumosity has been known for purchasing hundreds of keywords associated with memory, cognition, dementia, and Alzheimer’s disease.

The complaint from the FTC also mentioned that many of the consumer testimonials that were featured on the Lumosity website were not accurate, but rather they were solicited through contests that promised prizes such as a free iPad, a trip to San Francisco and a lifetime Lumosity subscription.

Germany To Open Super Bike Highway That Would Take 50,000 Cars Off The Road

Cities around the world that constantly struggle with traffic congestion and air pollution are always looking for ways to reduce both. In some cities, there are rules in place that keep cars and trucks off certain roads. Moreover, people are strongly encouraged to walk or bike to school or work.

And, biking to work should be a great idea. Except many bicyclists find themselves in multiple near misses with buses, cars and trucks driving ever so close. In addition to trying to arrive to work in one piece, arriving as a sweaty mess is also not very appealing.

Germany now plans to take stronger measures to keep the country’s bicyclists safe and to make long-distance commutes easier to navigate. In 2016, Germany opened a three-mile stretch of the Radschnellweg, a new bike expressway.

Builders and pavers constructed the Radschnellweg as a “dedicated multi-lane highway for two-wheeled transport” to provide bicyclists with an alternative to dodging fierce traffic on main roads. The bike lanes are approximately 13 feet wide and are lit in the evening and at night. In the winter, plows will clear the bike highway just like any motor vehicle roadway.

A representative of the regional development firm RVR, Martin Toennes, said that almost two million people live within one mile of the Radschnellweg. And, one of RVR’s studies found that the bike expressway has the potential to result in 50,000 fewer cars daily on the region’s roads.

Given the large amount of carbon dioxide that is pumped into the atmosphere by just one passenger vehicle’s exhaust pipe, a significant reduction of car usage in Germany could noticeably reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Currently, the Radschnellweg primarily runs alongside out-of-use train tracks. It will eventually expand to about 62 miles long and will connect four universities and 10 cities throughout the Ruhr district in northern Germany.

The planned expansion does have some hiccups, however. Since local governments typically build and maintain their own bike routes, there is the hotly contested question of who will pay for the expansion’s $200 million price tag. Yikes!

For the first segment of the bike expressway, the European Union paid for half of the cost and RVR and the German government split the other half. Toennes noted that, “Without [state] support, the project would have no chance.”

As a result, some politicians suggest that the roadway could be funded by selling advertising space in the form of billboards. If America came up with a cyclist highway plan would try it out?

Author: Brian Speed.

North Korea Claims Successful Hydrogen Bomb Test Is ‘Self-Defense Against US’

According to North Korea’s state media, the isolated nation successfully conducted its fourth nuclear test Wednesday morning. If the claims are true, North Korea is likely on its way to developing nuclear weapons capable of fitting onto missiles and reaching the mainland of the United States.

It also appears that an artificial earthquake occurred near a known nuclear test site in North Korea which was consistent with the explosion of a nuclear bomb.

North Korean television announced shortly thereafter that the nation successfully tested a “miniaturized hydrogen bomb,” describing the test as an “act of self-defense” against the United States.

As of yet, North Korea’s claims are not independently verified. John Carlson, the former head of the Australian Safeguards and Non-Proliferation Office, pointed out that, “If it’s true, it means they’ve made something smaller scale, capable of being put onto a missile. I think we can assume the previous tests they’ve carried out have been devices too large to fit onto a missile.”

Some experts, including South Korea’s spy agency, suspect that the preliminary evidence pointed towards a test of a plutonium or uranium explosive and not the more powerful hydrogen bomb, as claimed by Pyongyang.

Yang Uk, a researcher at the Korea Defense and Security Forum, stated that, “Given the [earthquake’s] scale, it is hard to believe this is a real hydrogen bomb. They could have tested some middle stage kind (of device) between an A-bomb and H-bomb, but unless they come up with any clear evidence, it is difficult to trust their claim.”

Despite the skepticism, the North Korean state TV broadcast reported and reiterated that the test – overseen by Kim Jong-un – was a “complete success,” thereby placing the country among the “rank[s] of advanced nuclear states.”

The broadcast further reported that, “[North Korea’s] fate must not be protected by any forces, only by [North Korea] itself. The U.S. has gathered forces hostile to DPRK [Democratic People’s Republic of Korea] and raised a slanderous human rights issue to hinder DPRK’s improvement. It is just to have H-bomb as self-defense against the U.S. having numerous and humongous nuclear weapons. The DPRK’s fate must not be protected by any forces but DPRK itself.”

The Obama administration reported that it could not confirm or refute North Korea’s claims, but did state that the United States will respond as necessary in order to defend its allies. The European Union further added that North Korea’s nuclear weapon test was a “grave violation” of many United Nations (UN) resolutions.

The President of South Korea, Park Geun-hye, emphatically announced that his country would take decisive actions against any further provocations by its northern neighbor and that it would cooperate with the international community to ensure North Korea pays the price for its actions.

Yahoo Investors Call For Sell Off, Despite The Big Tax Hit

Many of the unfortunate investors who are stuck with shares of Yahoo want the company to sell its core internet business as quickly as possible, even if it means taking a major tax hit. As the company’s core internet division is rapidly declining in value, investors are screaming that a quick sale is the best option. The Yahoo internet division includes Yahoo Sports, several news sites and Yahoo email.

The current plan for Yahoo is to conduct a tax-free corporate spin-off that would likely take several months to complete. During this time, the company would undoubtedly continue to fall in value. Now investors are thinking that simply taking a major tax hit by selling the internet division might be a better idea. Major shareholders have already sent messages to the Yahoo board of directors expressing their concerns. The shareholders are demanding that Yahoo sell off its core internet business as fast as the company can. Estimates show that a corporate spin-off would take about a year to complete.

Over the past year, Yahoo stock has fallen by 36%. Even with this major decline, investors are still worried that the stock will continue to experience heavy losses in the near future. Additionally, some analysts are questioning whether or not the Internal Revenue Service would allow a tax-free corporate spin-off to be conducted in the first place. Even with the spin-off, Yahoo might still be stuck with a heavy tax bill. Yahoo was previously planning to sell its prized stake in Chinese e-commerce company Alibaba until the IRS refused to confirm that the sale could be conducted without taxes.  

Major Yahoo shareholders urging the company to complete an immediate sale include Starboard Value LP, Canyon Capital Advisors and Mission Capital. Meanwhile, other shareholders have expressed concerns regarding Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer, saying that she has no real plan to revive the struggling company. Mayer has been heavily criticized for ineffective acquisitions, most notably Tumblr, which it purchased for $1.1 billion.

Estimates show that Yahoo’s core internet services could be sold for around $5 billion. The associated taxes could be as high as $1 billion.

NASA Improving Aircraft Fuel Consumption With This Unexpected Technique

It’s easy to  imagine how things like wind and weight affect aircraft fuel consumption, but it’s harder to comprehend how insect residue on aircraft wings and fuselage could be a contributing factor to fuel efficiency. However, the experts at NASA can, and have begun testing non-stick wing coatings designed to minimize insect residue to help reduce aircraft fuel consumption.

Over the next two weeks in Shreveport, Louisiana, NASA will be testing the coating using its Boeing ecoDemonstrator 757.

During planned ecoDemonstrator flights, NASA’s Environmentally Responsible Aviation Project will evaluate how five different coatings prevent insect remains from sticking to the 757’s wings.

A spokesperson for NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, says bug residue is “a nuisance on cars, but on some aircraft designs it is also a drag – literally.”

Research shows that keeping the flow smooth, or laminar, over a wing can save up to six percent of fuel consumption, adding even something as small as a bug on an aircraft’s leading edge can cause turbulent wedges that “interrupt laminar flow, resulting in an increase in drag and fuel use.”

With the help of Boeing, the University of California’s Davis team, and the U.S. Department of Transportation (Volpe), the Research Center developed and tested several non-stick coatings on an jet wing  in a small wind tunnel and from these selected the best candidates to test during actual flights.

The team needed an area with a large bug population for the tests and from a list of 90 bug heavy airports, they chose Shreveport, based on runway length, temperature, humidity, weather, the ability to handle a 757 aircraft, and thunderstorm frequency.

The researchers from Langley will work with pilots and engineers from Boeing to test the coatings during the Louisiana flights. The team will establish a “bug baseline by using uncoated surfaces to capture insect accumulation rates.” The aircraft’s other untreated wing will be the control sample.

NASA’s goals are not only to determine which coating is best in decreasing the amount of bug residue collected, but also to provide data that will “allow engineers to measure how reducing the size and specific locations of bug strikes affect laminar flow and help improve fuel efficiency.”

According to Boeing, the ecoDemonstrator Program plays a major role in the “company’s environmental strategy by testing and accelerating new technologies that can reduce fuel use, carbon emissions and noise.”

In 2014, the company tested 25 different technologies on the aircraft.

Officials Forecasting La Nina Weather Effects As El Nino Dies Out

Weather forecasters are saying that the El Nino cycle of 2015 and 2016 has reached its peak, and now they are warning of La Nina. The effects of La Nina could be felt as early as the latter half of 2016. Meanwhile, the effects of El Nino should be declining in the coming months.

La Nina occurs when the equatorial Pacific Ocean cools down. It is generally considered to be the opposite of El Nino. Both are major phases of a naturally occurring cycle that affects the global climate.

Since the year 1900, about 26 different El Nino events have occurred. They are typically followed by a neutral period or a La Nina event. Weather forecasters have stated that there is an equal chance of a neutral period or a La Nina in the second half of this year. A repeat of El Nino is said to be extremely unlikely, with only about a 10% chance of occurring.  

The current El Nino cycle has been said to be one of the three strongest since the year 1950. The El Nino cycle has warmed the equatorial Pacific Ocean, causing drought in parts of Asia and bringing more rain to the southern United States. Under El Nino, both palm oil and sugar have been flourishing.

During La Nina, parts of the United States tend to be drier, while portions of Australia and Indonesia typically receive more rain. Agricultural economists predict that a strong La Nina could produce substantial upside potential in terms of grains price volatility.

The last time that a La Nina event initiated was in 2010, and it lasted until 2012. Usually, La Nina events only last somewhere between 9 months and 12 months, but they can persist as long as two years. The Northern Hemisphere winter is typically when El Nino and La Nina events tend to reach their peak.

Obama Expands Gun Checks, Draws Swift Criticism

President Barack Obama has announced a series of executive orders that will place stronger restrictions on the sale of firearms. The mandates will require that background checks must be performed on all gun sales, including sales from one’s personal collection and those who only sell firearms on a limited basis. Gun sales over the internet will also be affected.

While only a small percentage of gun sales will be affected by the new policy, the move expected to receive heavy criticism from pro-gun groups and individuals. Any sellers who try to work around the law will be prosecuted under federal law.

As part of the process, the Obama administration is planning to hire hundreds of new workers who will modernize the system of background checks and to handle the greater number of requests for background checks that are expected to come in. Additionally, President Obama is seeking $500 million that will be used for new mental health research. Also, the Department of Health and Human Services is working to remove some obstacles of having to report one’s mental health status to the background check system.

For gun sellers, the most concerning aspect of the mandates is the widened definition of a gun dealer. The plan focuses on small-time firearm sellers, many of whom conduct business from homes, gun shows or over the internet. At the present time, these small-time sellers are not required to maintain a license or submit names for federal background checks.

However, it is unlikely that the new policy will prevent many criminals from obtaining guns. Most of the weapons used in recent mass shootings were legally obtained, as the shooters went through and successfully passed background checks. Also, studies have shown that very few criminals obtain weapons through gun shows or pawn shops, as the vast majority of weapons used in crimes are obtained from friends or family, through a street sale or through legal means.

Nevertheless, the President is moving full steam ahead with the initiative saying, “Although we have to be very clear that this is not going to solve every violent crime in this country, it’s not going to prevent every mass shooting, it’s not going to keep every gun out of the hands of a criminal, it will potentially save lives and spare families the pain and the extraordinary loss that they suffer as a consequence.”

In 2015, more than 23.1 million firearm background checks were processed, representing a 2.2 million increase over 2014.

As expected, the move has already received heavy backlash from groups like the National Rifle Association and gun manufacturers. However, brick and mortar gun shops will actually be pleased with the new requirements, as they often face competition from small-time gun sellers who aren’t required to perform background checks.

Gene-Editing Drug Files For IPO With Google And Gates Backing

The drug maker Editas Medicine Inc. uses a gene-editing technique called Crispr, a technology that has the potential to cure genetic diseases but has also been referred to by some as a drug with the potential to create “designer babies.”

This hasn’t stopped big named supporters and financial backers such as Bill Gates and Google Ventures. The company has now filed with the United States Security Exchange Commission (SEC) to become the first publicly traded company specializing in a new type of technology that edits flaws in genes. It filed for the initial public offering (IPO) with a beginning size of $100 million.

According to Boston Consulting Group, gene-editing startup companies have accrued over $1 billion in private venture-capital funding since 2013. Investors are hopeful that newly developed, honed DNA-editing capabilities will lead to treatments for conditions such as cancers, inherited eye disorders, autoimmune disorders and blood diseases.

According to its filing with the SEC, Editas, based out of Cambridge, Massachusetts, has raised $163.3 million by selling preferred stock. Venture capital firms Polaris Partners and Flagship Ventures each currently hold more than 15% of the company.

The chief executive officer of Switzerland-based Crispr Therapeutics Ltd., Rodger Novak, said he would consider a possible IPO later this year. Both Editas and Crispr Therapeutics have indicated that their first human trials will not begin until 2017.

According to the filing, Editas plans to use about $15 – $20 million of the proceeds for preclinical and clinical studies of an inherited form of progressive blindness. Up to $22 million of the net proceeds will go towards preclinical trials and studies in the company’s partnership with developers of cancer therapies.

Editas has not generated revenue from sales and said it does not expect to “for the foreseeable future.”

While there were not many biotech IPOs during the second half of 2015, a new wave may come in 2016. In addition to Editas, four other biotech companies also filed with the SEC to go public on Monday.

Washington DC Is Banning This Common Container

Washington DC has taken a major environmental initiative by banning all Styrofoam containers and cups from public eating establishments in the city. The ban went into effect at the start of 2016, forcing all restaurants in the nation’s capital to find alternative materials for takeout meals.

The ban affects all non-biodegradable foam containers that are designed for one-time use in restaurants. The requirement does not apply to products that are pre-sealed or packing materials that are used for meats. The law primarily impacts restaurants that use foam containers and cups for to-go meals.

Washington DC isn’t the first city in the United States to place a ban on foam materials in restaurants. Similar actions have also been taken by Portland, OR and Amherst, MA, as well as other cities.

The Washington DC Department of Energy and Environment has stated that foam materials represent some of the most common type of waste found in the Anacostia River. The ban should help to revitalize cleanup efforts of the river.

Officials have stated that the ban on foam materials will be enforced using various spot checks to identify offenders. There will be an initial warning and a grace period before increasingly severe fines are handed out.

Containers that are designed for one-time usage, but that are not made of foam, will still be allowed in restaurants. Additionally, city officials have started encouraging eating establishments to make use of recyclable and compostable materials instead. Citizens have also been advised to report any businesses that do not comply with the new mandate.

Styrofoam materials are mostly non-recyclable, causing them to rapidly clutter landfills. They have also been known to release harmful chemicals into the world’s oceans. By taking this action, Washington DC is making a major leap towards a cleaner environment. Expect more cities to follow suit by also banning such containers in the near future.

Trump Releases His First Ad Campaign For 2016

After months of refusing to put out any ads for his campaign, Republican presidential candidate frontrunner Donald Trump released on Monday his first television ad of the primary season. And, in true Donald Trump fashion, it addresses some of his most controversial ideas and campaign promises.

The advertisement’s narrator says in the 30-second commercial that, “He’s calling for a temporary shutdown of Muslims entering the United States, until we can figure out what’s going on. He’ll quickly cut the head off ISIS and take their oil. And he’ll stop illegal immigration by building a wall on our southern border that Mexico will pay for.”

The ad concludes with a clip of Trump at an event excitedly exclaiming that, “We will make America great again!”

The advertisement was posted on Trump’s website Monday morning and, according to a campaign statement, will air in both New Hampshire and Iowa beginning on Tuesday. Trump’s campaign has reported that he plans to spend at least $2 million per week on the ad campaign.

Also in the statement, Trump reiterated that, “I am leading in every poll by wide, double digit margins. We have tremendous crowds, incredible support from all over the country and I am $35 million dollars under budget.”

He further added that, “We have spent the least amount of money and have the best results and this is the kind of thinking the country needs. I am very proud of this ad, I don’t know if I need it, but I don’t want to take any chances because if I win we are going to Make America Great Again.”

The ad campaigns should bolster Trump’s visibility in the campaign – if that is even possible. Trump has spent the past several weeks traveling the country, speaking at rallies and drawing thousands of spectators. He also frequents the major news networks, giving interviews and reiterating his controversial proposals for the country.

Brazil Is Heading For Their Worse Recession Since 1901

The economic situation in Brazil is progressively becoming worse, as economists are expecting the Brazilian economy to shrink even more than had been previously forecasted. The country is bracing for its heaviest recession since the year 1901, as consumer confidence is virtually non-existent and political crises are running amok.

The economy of Brazil, which is the largest in Latin America, is expected to contract by 2.95% this year based on a central bank poll of roughly 100 economists. The previous poll only estimated a 2.81% contraction. This represents the 13th straight week in which the 2016 forecast for Brazil has been lowered. It is estimated that the Brazilian economy shrunk by 3.71% in 2015.

Policy makers in Brazil have been totally unable to control inflation, which is increasing at its fastest rate in 12 years. Newly enacted Finance Minister Nelson Barbosa has experienced heavy pressure to moderate austerity proposals that are designed to support public accounts and prevent additional credit downgrades. Meanwhile, the Brazilian government has been plagued by impeachment proceedings and a growing corruption scandal.

Senior Brazilian economist Flavio Serrano stated, “We’re now taking into account a very depressed scenario.”

On December 23, Brazilian Central Bank Director Altamir Lopes stated that the hope is that inflation will be able to be brought down to 4.5% by 2017. Even still, 4.5% is a very high inflation rate, as most countries aim for somewhere between 2% and 3% inflation.

However, the head of President Dilma Rousseff’s Workers’ Party Rui Falcao has stated that Brazil should avoid cutting investments and consider increasing its inflation target in order to avoid greater borrowing costs.

In December, consumer confidence in Brazil reached a record low. Business confidence in the country also saw a record low in October before slightly rebounding.

Brazil has not recorded consecutive years of recession since 1930 and 1931. Barring a freakish miracle, that will change in 2015 and 2016.  

Portland Found This Way Of Harnessing Renewable Energy….From Toilets

As the world attempts to develop and increase the number of clean, environmentally friendly energy sources, Portland, Oregon is now using a very unique source of renewable energy: toilet turbines. What sounds crazy is actually a very innovative and overall great idea.

The theory behind the toilet turbine concept is actually quite simple. The turbines are placed in water pipes where water runs downhill. By using gravity and water pressure, the turbines turn when water flows past. Therefore, whenever there is a water discharge, such as when Portland citizens flush their toilets, the turbines produce electricity.

The CEO of Lucid Energy, Gregg Semier, invented and developed the toilet turbine and convinced Portland’s government to give it a chance. In the pilot program, the electricity generated by the toilet turbines was enough to pay for the project. Semier says that his creation is allowing him to follow his dream of “helping water become more sustainable” by using a “smart piping system.”

In addition to generating energy whenever someone runs a faucet or flushes a toilet, the toilet turbines also have first-of-their-kind sensors to detect any water pressure changes. This helps Portland’s water workers to prevent pipes from bursting. The sensors also have the ability to detect potentially contaminated drinking water.

Typically, large hydroelectric dams need to be constructed in order to tap into the renewable resource of water. However, these dams can kill fish and other marine life as well as damage entire ecosystems. Not to mention that they must be aesthetically pleasing so as not to anger neighbors and drive down property values. When wind energy is used, huge windmills are erected over thousands of acres, so they’re not optimal for flourishing communities.

The toilet turbine, however, avoids all of those pitfalls. They are relatively inexpensive to build and install and they are out of the public’s sight. Many of Portland’s residents likely have no idea that their toilet flushing is helping to generate power for their city.

Not surprisingly, Semier is thrilled with how his project is progressing. “It’s pretty rare to find a new source of energy where there’s no environmental impact. But this is inside a pipe, so no fish or endangered species are impacted. That’s what’s exciting.”

And, according to Semier, more municipalities are getting in on the action. “We have a project in Riverside, California, where they’re using it to power streetlights at night. During the day, when electricity prices are high, they can use it to offset some of their operating costs.”

Ashley Madison User Base Is Higher Now Than Before Data Hack

The infamous data hack that exposed the personal information of Ashley Madison users hasn’t stopped the infidelity website from obtaining 4 million new members since last August. Ashley Madison is best known as a matchmaking website for people who want to date outside of a previously committed relationship or marriage.

At the time of the data hack, Ashley Madison had roughly 39 million users. Now, the member count is in excess of 43 million. This makes it very clear that people seeking to have an affair are not the least bit worried about having their personal information exposed.

Reports have indicated that only one in every three accounts on Ashley Madison is legitimate. A spokesperson representing Avid Life, the parent company of Ashley Madison, declined to comment on the growth of the website.

The hacking incident exposed some interesting factoids about the Ashley Madison website. More than 95% of Ashley Madison users are reportedly male. Many people believed that the hacking scandal would ruin the website, although Avid Life said that the rumors were “greatly exaggerated”.

With the current member count, representatives are claiming that the website is used more than ever. Ashley Madison also claimed in a statement that the ratio of active men to active women is only 1.2 to 1, which is much more balanced than the reports of being 95% male.

But while Ashley Madison might be trying to play it cool, the website is facing several class-action lawsuits from customers who had their personal information exposed in the hack. Some of the lawsuits are reportedly seeking more than $500 million in damages. Some former users even committed suicide after their information was revealed.

Although Ashley Madison is trying to make it seem like everything is okay, the website clearly doesn’t have the best reputation right now. It’s anyone’s guess as to how long this infidelity website will be able to stay afloat.  

Periodic Table’s Seventh Row Finally Completed As New Elements Are Discovered

The seventh row of the periodic table of elements has finally been completed, as four new elements have been added. This represents the first time that new elements have been added to the table since 2011.

The new elements were discovered by scientists in the United States, Japan and Russia. The four elements were formally verified on December 30 by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC). The union is responsible for chemical nomenclature, terminology and measurement.

A team of American and Russian scientists from the Joint Institute for Nuclear Research in Dubna and the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California had shown enough evidence to claim the discovery of the elements numbered 115, 117 and 118.

Meanwhile, the discovery of element 113 was awarded to scientists from the Riken Institute in Japan. Leading researcher at the Riken Institute Kosuke Morita says that his team will now focus on the uncharted territory of elements 119 and higher.

President of the Inorganic Chemistry Division of IUPAC Professor Jan Reedijk said, “The chemistry community is eager to see its most cherished table finally being completed down to the seventh row. IUPAC has now initiated the process of formalizing names and symbols for these elements temporarily named as ununtrium, (Uut or element 113), ununpentium (Uup, element 115), ununseptium (Uus, element 117), and ununoctium (Uuo, element 118).”

Former Riken president and Nobel laureate in chemistry Ryojj Noyori stated, “To scientists, this is of greater value than an Olympic gold medal.”

The elements will currently maintain placeholder names until they are officially named by the discoverers in the coming months. The naming of element 113 will be the first time that an element has been named in Asia.

Most elements are traditionally named after a mythological concept, country, property or a prominent scientist. The last elements to be added to the periodic table were elements 114 and 116 in 2011. Virtually all of the elements at the end of the periodic table are man-made and only exist for fractions of a second before decaying.

Oregon Militia Occupying Wildlife Refuge, Wants To Overthrow Government

In an apparent tactical shift, the Bundy militia – on its second day of armed occupation of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon – transitioned from a lockdown state to one of invitation. It allowed a few reporters onto the land in order to tell its story. The local sheriff had his doubts about the invitation, however.

Sheriff David Ward released a statement that, “These men came to Harney County claiming to be part of militia groups supporting local ranchers when in reality these men had alternative motives, to attempt to overthrow the county and federal government in hopes to spark a movement across the United States.”

Over the weekend, the members of the Bundy militia occupied the wildlife refuge and threatened a showdown with federal authorities. They undertook this “mission” in order to support two fellow cattle ranchers who were tried and convicted of setting fires on federal property.

Father and son, Steven and Dwight Hammond, said they set the fires while attempting to clear their own, private land so their cattle could graze and feed. But, the authorities did not buy the story and the ranchers served time in prison and are set to serve additional time beginning on Monday.  

The man leading the militia occupying the federal buildings, Ammon Bundy, insisted his men were there in peace. He did say, however, that if the federal government tried to retake the refuge, “they would be putting lives at risk.”

When the journalists arrived, Bundy, told them that, “Your role is very important. We do believe that  . . . the American people have a right to know what’s going on.”

For Bundy, the re-sentencing/re-imprisonment of his fellow ranchers is just a civil rights issue, and he believes his armed militia members are only civil rights protectors. He believes the Hammonds were wrongly persecuted by the feds because they would not “sell their ranch so it can be added to the Malheur wildlife refuge.”

Bundy stated that the Hammonds were the target of “vindictive behaviors.”

During the brief meeting with reporters, the visible presence of law enforcement was nowhere to be found on or near the refuge.

Bundy proclaimed that, “Harney County at one time was the wealthiest county in the state. Because the federal government came in and blocked access to resources, it fell into economic depression. We intend to reverse that.”

He further added that, “The federal government’s job is to protect the states from the outside world. The states’ job is to protect the counties from the federal government. The counties’ job is to protect the people from the states. And the people’s job is to be free.”

Saudi Clash With Iran Worsens After Protests

Tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia have reached a boiling point after Iranian protesters set fire to the Saudi embassy. The protesters attacked the embassy following Saudi Arabia’s execution of prominent Shiite cleric Nimr al-Nimr. The tension is now having a major effect on worldwide oil prices.

The Saudi government has given Iranian ambassadors two days to leave the country. With Sunni-Shiite proxy wars taking place throughout the Middle East, this represents the largest meltdown of relationships between the two countries since the 1980s.

The Sunni-dominated Saudi Arabia and Shiite Iran have been fighting proxy wars in Yemen and Syria. The two sects of Muslims have seen escalating conflicts since last year’s deal regarding the Iranian nuclear program.

With the escalating conflict, these proxy wars are expected to increase in scope. And now that Saudi Arabia has cut ties with the country, Iran is essentially on its own in the Middle East.

Founder of consulting firm Cornerstone Global Associates Ghanem Nuseibeh explained, “Iran is now basically isolated regionally. It will be the main party to suffer from this isolation. They were hoping to reintegrate themselves into the wider world with the nuclear deal and now they’ve actually done quite the opposite.”

The conflict has also had a major effect on the price of oil worldwide, as China, Japan and Europe all experienced rising commodity prices during 2016’s first full day of trading. The prospect of more conflict in the Middle East has put a damper on the global economy.

Former Lebanese finance Minister Jihad Azour said, “From an investment perspective, it’s bad news. People were betting on reactivating the dialog between the Saudis and the Iranians and to appease tensions. It’s clear it’s not going to be the case for some time.”

Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia Adel al-Jubeir says that the people of Saudi Arabia will no longer have to deal with a nation that “supports terrorism and sectarianism”. Meanwhile, Bahrain is also banning Iranian ambassadors, as the country has similarly accused Iran of funding and arming extremist groups and inciting violence in the Middle East. The United Arab Emirates and Kuwait have also publicly spoken out against Iran.

Supreme leader of Iran Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had assured severe repercussions against Saudi Arabia following the execution of the Shiite cleric.

Khamenei promised, “The divine hand of revenge will take the Saudi politicians by the throat.”

Iran and Saudi Arabia had a major run-in during the late 1980s when Iranians attacked the Saudi Arabian embassy. After the incident, Saudi Arabia suspended its ties with Iran. The two countries were also on opposing sides during the first Gulf War.

Currently, the two countries are on differing sides in Syria, where Iran is in support of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, and Saudi Arabia is supporting Syrian rebel forces.