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Alibaba Hires Ex-Goldman Banker To Wage Global War On Amazon

Finance

Chinese ecommerce giant Alibaba has hired ex-Goldman Sachs vice-chairman Michael Evans as its new president, charging him with leading its global strategy. Evans is a board member of the company and has known Alibaba founder Jack Ma for over a decade. Looking to cater to Chinese consumers’ growing demand for imported goods, Evan’s will be in charge of building partnerships with brands and retailers from Europe, Asia, and the Americas.

Alibaba’s end goal is to become the world’s first truly global e-commerce company. Towards that end they will need to enable consumers to buy from foreign companies with less delay and cost than has been possible in the past. Currently, it can take two weeks for products to travel from a U.S. distributor to China.

Evan’s new role of luring the business of foreign brands to Alibaba’s online platform, may be difficult with the prevalence of counterfeit goods available through the e-commerce giant. French firm Kering is currently suing Alibaba in New York to that effect, stating that Alibaba’s practices constitute “racketeering.” Kering currently owns such brands as Gucci, Puma, and Yves Saint Laurent. cosmetics firm Sephora also recently snubbed Alibaba during the opening of its first online store in China by choosing to do business with its rival, JD.com.

Alibaba has come back saying that it has revamped the process for removing counterfeit goods from online marketplaces by reducing the time it takes to review complaints, in addition to using designated representatives for each brand that signs up for the program. Alibaba currently spends $16 million a year to combat counterfeit items on its online markets.

Following its record-breaking IPO in New York last year of $25 billion, the company’s stock has had a lackluster year. With an experienced Wall Street executive such as Evans, Alibaba may be able to woo back investors that may be reconsidering. Evans’s prior experience includes 20 years at Goldman where he served as Chairman of their Asian division and head of Global Growth Markets. He will continue to serve on Alibaba’s management board.

Scientific Breakthrough Allows Farming Of Rare Sea Creature Worth More Than Gold

Culture

Breakthrough Chinese research has produced a way to genetically modify white sea cucumbers, one of the most rare and expensive marine animals, which will allow the fuckle animals to be grown in marine ponds. The advancement will make the currently rare and expensive delicacy a common delight.

Sea cucumbers are tiny sea creatures found at the bottom of the sea that have a leathery exterior and a distinct cylindrical appearance. They get their name because they resemble common cucumbers.

White sea cucumbers are a special breed of the marine animals. The white creatures have been a delicacy in China for thousands of years but cannot be found on dinner tables across the country very often because they are rare. So much so that only one can be found for every 200,000 sea cucumbers. The creatures are not able to camouflage themselves and thus become an easy prey for predators. Making them even more rare is the fact their white gene is not passed on to their offspring.

This rarity makes the sea creatures worth more than gold thanks to hungry Chinese buyers. Just 200 grams of the creatures sell for more than $16000, twice the value of a 200 gram gold bar.

Some people believe the white sea cucumbers have medicinal value and can cure diseases such as cancer.

But the high price tag, medical values and dining demand were not the reasons for scientists’ genetic modification of the animal. According to Yang Hongsheng, lead scientist and deputy Director of the Chinese Academy of Sciences Institute of Oceanology, “They may hold the key to solving many mysteries of marine biology.”

The creatures exhibit quite a number of unusual, almost bizarre traits: they hibernate in the summer, they can eject and regenerate their intestines and when they die, they release a chemical that dissolves their bodies, leaving behind no trace. This form of death was not found in any other known species.

Scientists who were amazed by the creatures’ properties completed their first genetic map for the marine cucumbers, modified the ‘albinism’ gene in the white cucumbers and were able to make over 150 million little white sea cucumbers.

Scientists hope the research will give more insight into the sea cucumber’s unusual traits.

Genetic modification of organisms is a widespread practice in today’s world. Through the practice, scientists are able to create new organisms and study their habits and possibly apply their findings to making life on earth easier for humans.

Citigroup Being Investigated Over Shady Consumer Lending Practices

Finance

New reports have emerged that Citigroup Inc. is under investigation by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”) regarding its student loan servicing practices. Although Citigroup did not specifically name the agency conducting the investigation, it is likely that the CFPB is leading the charge as it recently investigated Discover for similar practices. If regulators find that Citigroup conducted unlawful student loan collection practices, it could be severely penalized.

Citigroup filed a report with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) stating that federal regulators have begun an investigation into the way it conducts its student loan servicing. Citigroup’s filing states that it is cooperating fully with regulators and points out that similar loan servicing practices have been the focus of an enforcement action against “at least one other” financial institution in the recent past. The filing further states that, “In light of that action and the current regulatory focus on student loans, regulators may order that Citibank, N.A. remediate customers and/or impose penalties or other relief.”

Citigroup sold off most of its student loan accounts in September 2010. It sold its majority holding in Student Loan Corp. to Discover in a deal that offloaded $4.2 billion in private loans and $3.4 billion in securitized loans. Student Loan Corp then agreed to sell $28 billion of federal student loan accounts and related assets to Sallie Mae. Despite Citigroup’s dumping of the majority of its student loan accounts, the company still kept about $8.7 billion of both private and federal loans and planned to gradually sell those over time.

The specific loan servicing practices under investigation, at least with respect to the Discover case, have to do with lenders overstating minimum payments that a borrower must repay, confusing borrowers with respect to collections, failure to notify borrowers of their rights and general communications between lenders and borrowers. Discover was also dinged for contacting borrowers early in the morning and late at night regarding collection matters. Discover was ordered to pay $18.5 million in refunds and other fines.

The federal government has recognized that federal student loan debt, which currently totals more than $1.36 trillion, is increasingly stressful and troublesome for young people. These young adults, generally fresh out of college, are particularly vulnerable to unscrupulous loan servicing practices. In response to ever increasing student debt and other forms of debt, the government established the CFPB four years ago in an effort to increase oversight of consumer financial products.

Chrysler Facing Class Action Lawsuit Over Vehicle Hacking

Finance

Chrysler is facing a lawsuit by vehicle owners that were affected by the 1.4 million vehicle recall last month, the largest recall in U.S. history. The recall was the result of a security flaw in the Uconnect dashboard computer that was exposed in WIRED magazine. Security researchers Chris Valasek and Charlie Miller were able to hack into the car’s computer and control the steering, braking, and transmission. The plaintiffs in the case, Brian Flynn and George and Kelly Brown, are accusing Chrysler of fraud, negligence, unjust enrichment, and breach of warranty, but the number of plaintiffs could top one million if the case is certified as a class action.

The plaintiffs’ case rests partly on the fact that Chrysler was alerted to the findings concerning the security flaw in early 2014. Although the most recent bug was remedied with the release of a software update by Chrysler, the fact remains that there is a physical connection between the internet-enabled Uconnect system, and the vehicle’s drivetrain functions. This vulnerability cannot be addressed by any number of software updates.

The plaintiff’s attorney, Michael Gras stated that the suit also seeks an injunction that would force Chrysler to address the architectural issue, “There is no good reason for the same vehicle system that runs Pandora to have the capability to talk to the brakes. This is the real defect with these vehicles.”

Chrysler is among other automakers who have been the target of cybersecurity-related class action suits, including GM, Ford, and Toyota. Hacking research by Valasek and Miller was also partly involved in those suits.

Harman International Industries Inc, which supplies software for Chyrysler’s Uconnect, as well as other manufacturers, stated that the hacking risk was isolated to that company. Chrysler collaborated with Harman in the release of its software patch for the recent security flaw.

Microsoft Makes Huge Push Into Competitive eSports

Finance

In a major play by Microsoft to keep up with and hopefully dominate the world of competitive video games and video game consoles, it has announced that it will give away a total of $1 million in prize money in its upcoming Halo competition. The competition will follow the October 27th release of Halo 5: Guardians, which is expected to be one of the videogame industry’s biggest sellers this holiday season. As the world of competitive video games, or e-sports as it known in the biz, continues to boom, Microsoft is finally focusing its attention in that direction.

When Halo was originally released, it was the choice videogame of players everywhere. However, when Halo 4 came out in 2012, many professional gamers did not like the new version of the game, claiming it was “poorly balanced” and very difficult to play. Major League Gaming, an e-sports company that brought a higher standard of organization and professionalism to game tournaments dropped Halo from its competitive tournaments following its 2012 season. Instead, it teamed up Activision to feature Call of Duty, a game attracting more buzz.

In response to competition by Call of Duty and Play Station 4, Microsoft hopes the release of Halo 5 will lead to increased sales of the console that plays the game, the XBox One.

The growing interest from companies in e-sports results from the sheer amount of money invested in the industry. There is an estimated 113 million e-sports fans worldwide. Many of these fans are considered the most loyal and committed gamers anywhere, watching the games online, playing the games, and paying large amounts of money for components that will enhance their gaming experience. To them, e-sports competitors are major celebrities. Moreover, competitions held in arenas across the globe attract hundreds of thousands of players and spectators. Hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue are generated from sales of the games, consoles and accessories. Additionally, revenue from ticket sales to e-sports competitions and corporate sponsorships is expected to grow by 30% to greater than $250 million this year, according to Newzoo, a research firm that analyzes the competitive video game market.

Frank O’Connor, the franchise development director for Halo stated that, “With Halo 5, [Microsoft] is getting back what the core of the game is.” With new technical and financial support for e-sports, including better prize money and clearer rules, professional Halo players say it will help increase Halo competition.

Leaked Price List Shows ISIS Running A Thriving Slave Market

Entertainment News

Senior UN official, Zainab Bangura, claims Islamic State in Iraq as well as the Levant (ISIS) has such a trade in slaves that it is printing a pamphlet price list for women and children in capture. This ‘for-sale’ pamphlet has been in circulation for weeks now, enhancing the group’s growing appeal to both Jihadi fighters and wealthy sex traffickers.

Bangura, while visiting Iraq in late spring, said she was handed a reprint of an Islamic State supported pamphlet which incorporated the price list of women and children. The pamphlet was printed proof of a robust slave trading system, including children as infantile as one years old warranting the highest price.

“One girl can be sold and bought by five or six different men,” she said last week in an interview in New York. “The girls get peddled like barrels of petrol.” What matters in terms of price for ISIS fighters is age and sex of persons being bought and sold. Bangura reported prices in Dinars, Iraq’s national currency, for boys as well as girls ranging from ages 1 to 9 equivalent to roughly $165, whereas prices for teen girls are $124 and range even less less for women over the age of 20.

Rich ‘outsiders’ feed the slave business financially after the militia’s top men get first pick at those for ‘sale’, Bangura said. Slaves who remain are then offered to the ISIS fighters in a human bartering system for the pamphlets listed prices.

ISIS range of influence spans roughly 80,000 square miles of Iraq and Syria. With a combination of a traditional military and a well-oiled organized state, former Sierra Leone foreign prime minister Bangura, warns of ISIS ‘uniqueness’ from other insurgent groups.

“It’s not an ordinary rebel group,” Bangura said. “When you dismiss them as such, then you are using the tools you are used to. This is different.”

The truth is, the Islamic State has broken all the known rules officials and scholars find to be true for insurgents. Professor at James Madison University, Kerry Crawford said that by making public the violations committed, the press is actually working to the group’s advantage.

Sexual abuse in conflict proves to have a long history, noted Crawford. From the ‘rape camps’ in 1990’s in previously known Yugoslavia, sexual violence is just another avenue for fear as well as a bond shared amongst insurgents.

With the driving force of the Islamic State’s conquest being ‘God’s work’, religious communities outside of Sunni Muslims are targeted and continuously enslaved. This global recruiting has shocked international communities and even the UN because of the distinct and unfathomable practices in comparison to smaller community militias from other nations.

Claiming the sale of women as ‘marriages’ in print, Bangura argues it’s much more than that. “They have a machinery, they have a program,” she said. “They have a manual on how you treat these women. They have a price list.”

Poll Finds Widespread Dissatisfaction With Obamacare

News

Satisfaction rates for Obamacare customers are not reaching the highs that were hoped when the signature legislation passed. Just 30 percent of customers are satisfied with the coverage they are receiving, according to research firm Deloitte. In addition, only one quarter were confident in their ability to receive care when they needed, dissatisfaction with costs was also a complaint.

Reasons for the dissatisfaction are not clear yet, but the Obamacare website has dealt with poor functionality in addition to its problematic rollout.

The recent poll contradicts findings from other polling that showed higher levels of satisfaction, such as the Kaiser Family Foundation poll that found 75 percent of people rating their coverage as “good.”

More than 3,800 adults were questioned in the recent poll, including 406 exchange enrollees. More than half rated their opinion as “somewhat satisfied,” with 14 percent stating they were dissatisfied. Comparison to Medicaid, Medicare, or employer provided insurance was unfavorable, with those respondents having dissatisfaction ratings in the single digits.

One positive outcome seems to be taking hold as Obamacare customers twice as likely to see primary care doctors as those who were uninsured, potentially leading to an overall increase in the health of Americans.

Officially named the Affordable Care Act, the legislation has provided an insurance marketplace for those too wealthy to qualify for Medicaid, as well as providing enrollees with tax credits in most cases.

Frequently challenged by the Republican party through mostly rhetoric, Supreme Court rulings regarding the law have bolstered its position, the most recent being a June ruling that tax credits can be paid nationwide.

As insurers calculate the true economics of the healthcare law, it remains to be seen whether rising healthcare spending will start to slow, one of the primary claims made by those advocating for the law’s passage. Currently, healthcare spending makes up one fifth of consumer spending.

Idaho Strikes Down Controversial ‘Ag-Gag’ Law

News

In a major victory for animal welfare activists and proponents of free speech alike, an Idaho federal judge ruled that Idaho’s “ag-gag” law is unconstitutional. Ag-gag laws prohibit the undercover filming of agricultural operations. In Idaho, the ag-gag law provides that people caught surreptitiously videotaping agricultural operations face up to one year in jail and a $5,000 fine. Conversely, an animal cruelty conviction, first offense, is punishable by up to only six months in jail with a $5,000 fine. As of now, Idaho attorneys have not yet decided if they are going to appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in San Francisco.

Activists consider the ruling the first step in hopefully successfully challenging the ag-gag laws which are on the books in seven other states. Attorney Justin Marceau, who represented the Animal Legal Defense Fund, stated that “Ag-gag laws violate the First Amendment and Equal Protection Clause. This means that these laws all over the country are in real danger.”

Idaho’s ag-gag law was instituted in 2014 after videos showing animal cruelty at the Bettencourt Dairy were aired to the public. The videos were taken by animal welfare group Mercy For Animals and were very disturbing and graphic, showing dairy workers punching, kicking and otherwise abusing cows. In response, the state’s $2.5 billion dairy industry complained that the videos unfairly hurt their business. Idaho Governor Butch Otter then signed an ag-gag law, which was heavily influenced by the dairy industry. The Idaho Dairymen’s Association lobbyists even helped to draft the bill and testified before the state legislature.

Supporters of the law, including the dairy industry, argued in court that the secret videos were highly edited and unfairly damaged their reputation. The court was unconvinced. It determined that food and worker safety are matters of public concern, not just private matters.

In his ruling, U.S. District Court Judge B. Lynn Winmill found the ag-gag law unconstitutional for criminalizing certain speech. He stated that, “Although the State may not agree with the message certain groups seek to convey about Idaho’s agricultural production facilities, such as releasing secretly recorded videos of animal abuse to the Internet and calling for boycotts, it cannot deny such groups equal protection of the laws in their exercise of their right to free speech.”

Winmill further stated that, “Audio and visual evidence is a uniquely persuasive means of conveying a message, and it can vindicate an undercover investigator or whistleblower who is otherwise disbelieved or ignored. Prohibiting undercover investigators or whistleblowers from recording an agricultural facility’s operations inevitably suppresses a key type of speech because it limits the information that might later published or broadcast.”

Maybe most importantly, Judge Winmill noted that, “The remedy for misleading speech, or speech we do not like, is more speech, not enforced silence.”

Healthy Nurse Being Euthanized Raises Fresh Questions About Right To Die

Health & Wellness

A perfectly healthy British nurse ended her life abruptly through medically assisted suicide because she was afraid of ageing and lacking the physical capacity to kill herself, sparking debate on the ethics and legality of assisted suicide. The retired nurse had cared for the elderly for the most part of her final years and simply decided she no longer wished to live.

Gill Pharoah, a 75-year-old healthy Briton who was still active and lacked any debilitative illnesses, died by lethal injection on July 21 in a Swiss clinic.

Pharoah was accompanied from her home in Britain to the clinic by her partner for many years, John Southall, 70. Pharoah said she wanted to do the procedure because she was terrified of suffering a stroke and becoming a liability as her friend had done.

Southall reported that the two went to Switzerland where they met a doctor in a hotel. The doctor proceeded to give them a doctor’s interview and when that was over, they went out for dinner together. The next morning, Pharoah reported to the clinic where she was given the fatal injection. Southall reported that even after the injection, Pharoah was sober enough to joke with the doctor.

In an interview with Sunday Times before her death, Pharoah had said, “I have looked after people who are old, on and off, all my life. I have always said, ‘I am not getting old. I do not think old age is fun.’ so many friends with partners who, plainly, are a liability. I know you shouldn’t say that but I have this mental picture in my head of all you need to do, at my age, is break a hip and you are likely to go very much downhill from that.”

The issue of self assisted suicide has raised international debate for a long time. In Switzerland, where euthanasia is legal, a study in 2014 by Zurich University revealed that between 2008 and 2012, 611 people had travelled to the country to take the injection.

In the U.S., the practice is gaining traction albeit amidst widespread opposition. Oregon just recently legalized physician-assisted suicide. In the state of Washington, Montana physician assisted suicide is perfectly legal. In May 20, 2013 in Vermont, doctor prescribed suicide was declared legal as a “medical treatment.”

Opposition for the treatment has been strong. The U.S. Supreme Court in Washington V. Glucksberg declared there was no federal constitutional right to assisted suicide. In the states of California, Maine and Michigan, where the right has gone to the ballot in a referendum, it was rejected overwhelmingly.

Pharoah’s death by assisted suicide is the latest reported incident of practiced euthanasia. Pharoah leaves behind her partner and two kids.

Euthanasia has been condemned because it is plain suicide. The U.S. constitution stands for the right to life thereby precluding anyone from taking life, including their own. However that seemingly simple stance is increasingly being questioned by a more clinical and pragmatic attitude surrounding ageing and death.

Sex Offender Laws Failing Teens In The Age Of Online Dating

News

At age 19, Indiana teen Zach Anderson has a rough future ahead of him. His plight is due to unknowingly sleeping with a 14 year old Michigan girl he met online. Anderson’s troubles began when he visited the popular dating website, “Hot or Not.” In December, he began flirting with a girl and asked how old she was. She told Anderson that she was 17. The age of consent in Michigan is 16. However, in reality, the girl was 14.

After meeting online, Anderson suggested that the girl take revealing pictures of herself to send to him. After two days, Anderson drove 20 miles, just across the Michigan-Indiana border, and picked the girl up near her home. They bought condoms and drove to a nearby church playground where they had sex. Meanwhile, the girl’s mother panicked because the girl was late and had not yet taken her evening epilepsy medicine. While the girl did not have a phone, she did tell her older sister that she was meeting Anderson for a tryst. The mother called 911; a sheriff’s deputy arrived; and the girl arrived soon thereafter.

While the ordeal almost ended right there and then, the deputy spotted the username, “Zach Guy,” on the girl’s computer. As the Berrien County Sheriff’s Office was looking into several cases where someone named Zach was inappropriately contacting underage girls, the deputy probed further. The investigation determined that Anderson was completely unrelated to the other cases, but the damage was done. He was charged with a misdemeanor charge of criminal sexual conduct.

The fact that the girl lied about her age is not a defense under current sex offender laws. Despite the pleas of the girl and her mother to be lenient of Anderson, Judge Dennis Wiley rejected their arguments and handed Anderson a 90-day jail sentence, five years probation and he was placed on the sex offenders registry lists in both Indiana and Michigan for the next 25 years. His probation imposed 61 restrictions upon Anderson, including but not limited to an 8:00 P.M. curfew, no Internet access for five years and he cannot go to restaurants that serve alcohol.

While Anderson’s lawyers claimed that Anderson was a victim of the current culture and that the dating websites made it hard to determine the true age of someone, the judge refuted the lawyer’s argument and stated that the same culture allows for unacceptable behavior. In his decision, he stated that “[Anderson] went online, to use a fisherman’s expression, trolling for women to meet and have sex with . . . That seems to be part of our culture now – meet, hook up, have sex, sayonara. Totally inappropriate behavior. There is excuse for this whatsoever.”

Despite Anderson’s actions, he has drawn support from people across the nation that do not feel his actions constitute his inclusion on a sex offender registry. They claim that the registry is supposed to focus on true sex offenders who must be watched vigilantly and not supposed to be used to label teenagers who have made the mistake of having sex with younger girls. They propose that the one-size-fits-all structure of the registry should be abolished. An online petition requesting that Anderson’s judge reconsider his order has received over 156,000 signatures and several newspapers have published editorials that support Anderson.

Despite the pleas of Anderson’s supporters, it is unlikely that sex offender registries will change anytime soon. Even though Former Michigan Judge William Buhl believes that “If we caught every teenager that violated our current law, we’d lock up 30 or 40 percent of the high school. We’re kidding ourselves,” he predicts that changes to state sex offender registries will not soon occur because few lawmakers would be willing to support a provision that lessens the seriousness and severity of sex crime laws.

Uber Offering Hong Kong Helicopter Service As It Battles With Didi Kuaidi For Control Of China

Finance

In its latest effort to promote and expand its business world wide, Uber is offering helicopter rides in Hong Kong from noon until 5:00 P.M. on August 8th for the “reasonable” fare of only $232. The 15-minute tour of Hong Kong Island is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Obviously, Uber cars will transport the travellers from their homes to the Peninsula Hotel, where the Helliservices Aviation helicopters will be waiting. Uber has partnered with both Helliserves and carmaker Infinity for the promotion.

The Hong Kong venture follows Uber’s helicopter promotion in mainland China, where customers could reserve a 30-minute flight for $490. With respect to the rest of the world, Uber offered its first helicopter service a year ago when it combined forces with Blade, an application providing helicopter transport from New York City to the Hamptons and Montauk. Uber also provides helicopter service in the South African city of Cape Town, the Australian city of Melbourne and Los Angeles.

In China, Uber is in a fierce battle with homegrown entrepreneur, Didi Kuaidi, to gain ride-hailing dominance. While Uber has a very strong presence in the country, Didi Kuaidi has expanded so much that Uber is currently in second place. China’s two top ride-hailing companies, Didi Dache and Kuaidi Dache, merged in February, completing a $6 billion deal. Didi Kuaidi is valued at about $15 billion while Uber’s present value is about $50 billion.

Despite Uber’s higher valuation, Didi Kuaidi chief executive Cheng Wei told shareholders that the company is processing three million ride requests every day, or 80% of the market. Uber officials claim that it is handling greater than one million rides per day in China, or 50% of the market. Although the numbers do not exactly jive, it is clear that Didi Kuaidi is pointing out to Uber that the ride-hailing industry is bigger than expected and that Didi Kuaidi has all of the market not occupied by Uber.

Study Finds Battery Level Can Be Used To Track Web Surfers

Entertainment News

A new study by conducted by European privacy and security experts has shown that a little known feature of the HTML5 specification, called the battery status API (application programming interface), can be used to track the web browsing habits of people. The battery status API is currently supported in the Chrome, Opera and Firefox web browsers and was originally developed to help websites conserve users’ energy. However, there are “side effects” of the API. The study is published in a paper entitled, “The Leaking Battery: A Privacy Analysis of The HTML5 Battery Status API,” and was reported by The Guardian earlier this week.

The highly technical study concludes “that websites can discover the capacity of users’ batteries by exploiting the high precision readouts provided by Firefox on Linux. The capacity of the battery, as well as its level, expose a fingerprintable surface that can be used to track web users in short time intervals. [Their] analysis shows that the risk is much higher for old or used batteries with reduced capacities, as the battery capacity may potentially serve as a tracking identifier.”

Basically, the API can determine the remaining capacity of a website user’s battery, in addition to its current charge level and the amount of time it will take to run out of juice. When these values are combined, a unique identifier is created which can be used to track a user’s browsing activity.

The researchers point out another worrying fact regarding battery status API. As it stands now, websites do not need to ask users’ permission to discover their battery life as “the information disclosed has minimal impact on privacy or fingerprinting, and therefore is exposed without permission grants.” The researchers state this “allows website and third-party scripts to access the battery information transparently – without users’ awareness.”

In addition to the findings reached in the study, the authors propose a solution to the problem. They suggest that the readings gathered by the battery status API be rounded rather than be exact values. This would apparently not interfere with the API’s functionality, but would eliminate the problem of website tracking. The authors additionally propose that permission to use the API should be sought from users, rather than making it automatic. This would increase transparency surrounding these developing technologies.

New CISA Legislation Is So Flawed Even Homeland Security Is Warning Of Privacy Invasion

News

The proposed Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act (“CISA”) has supporters and opponents on both sides of the political aisle. However, in a new wrinkle, the Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”), an agency not generally concerned with privacy protection, has come out against the proposed legislation as written. In a letter to Minnesota democrat Senator Al Franken, the DHS has outlined its perceived problems with the CISA, stating that the bill is riddled with flaws and “could sweep away important privacy protections.”

One of the main points of contention that the DHS has with the CISA is the proposed means of private companies communicating customers’ private data to several, various government agencies. While the DHS presumably does not have an issue with customers handing over such data, it does have a serious problem with companies handing it over to other agencies rather than delivering it directly to the DHS.

As it stands now, the DHS is responsible for obtaining, handling and then distributing this type of information. Alejandro N. Mayorkas, deputy secretary of the DHS, stated in his letter to Franken that distributing cyberthreat information to multiple agencies instead of initially providing it to the DHS will “limit the ability of DHS to connect the dots and proactively recognize emerging risks and help private and public organizations implement effective mitigations to reduce the likelihood of damaging incidents.” He further stated that information sharing directly to various agencies would mean that the “inefficiency of any information sharing program will markedly increase; developing a single, comprehensive picture of the range of cyber threats faced daily will become more difficult.”

Another issue that the DHS has with the proposed legislation involves restrictions in sharing the collected private information. Specifically, there is a provision in the bill that would permit companies to label information provided to the government as “proprietary.” This restrictive label could be read to limit the DHS’s ability to disseminate the information to other non-federal entities such as state and local law enforcement.

Privacy advocates and some technology firms believe CISA, as currently drafted, will make it easier for the federal government to obtain both corporate and personal information that has very little to do with cybersecurity. In response to these concerns, Republican Senator Richard Burr and Democrat Senator Dianne Feinstein proposed on Monday a bundle of changes that would put express limits on the bill, including the prevention of the government from using the information provided from companies to prosecute felonies among other things. Feinstein stated that, “It takes out any subsidiary use of the data- it means you can’t use it for violent crime or anything else. You can only use it strictly for cybersecurity purposes.” Burr pointed out that information sharing by companies is voluntary, a very important point for many companies hesitant to participate.

As many senators wish to debate the CISA, there is little time to do so as the summer recess begins later this week. Once Congress resumes their duties in September, several other, more immediate issues will be on its agenda, including government funding legislation and the Iran nuclear deal. It is likely that discussion and voting on the CISA will get pushed back.

Former UBS Trader Given 14 Year Sentence For Manipulating Interest Rates

Finance

Former UBS trader Tom Hayes has been found guilty of rigging global interest rates by a London court. The 35-year-old has been sentenced to jail in the first ever trial of an individual for Libor rate fraud.

After a trial that lasted nine weeks, a jury made up of seven men and five women held seven day negotiations before pronouncing Hayes guilty of eight counts of fraud. The former trader was sentenced to nine and a half years for fraud committed during his time in UBS and four and a half years for fraud during his time at City. The two sentences will run concurrently. Hayes will have to serve seven years before being eligible for parole.

Hayes is the first individual to be sentenced for the manipulation of the London Interbank Offered Rates (Libor). The rate is used by banks to set the prices for financial products worth over $450 trillion. Reports indicate a tiny manipulation of the rate can result in handsome profits for fraudsters.

The sentence marks a new era in investigations into Libor rates manipulation, which have led to 21 people being formally charged and up to $9 billion in regulatory settlements.

During the sentencing, presiding Justice Jeremy Cooke said a stern message had to be sent to the world on dishonest financial conduct. “Probity and honesty are essential as is trust … The Libor activities of which you took part puts all that in jeopardy.”

Cooke proceeded to call Hooke a “center and hub” of manipulation. He said, “You succumbed to temptation because you could… To gain status, seniority and remuneration.”

During the reading of the verdict, Hayes repeatedly shook his head and stole a few glances toward his wife, mother and relatives. When the sentence was being read, he had his face buried deep in his hands.

Britain’s Serious Fraud Office alleged that Hayes had set up a long network of traders and brokers from 10 leading financial institutions, helping him rig for profits.

Hayes initially pled guilty to the charges levelled against him in December 2012. However, in December 2013, he changed his legal team and leaded not guilty, saying he had only pleaded guilty to avoid being extradited to the U.S. where he faces different fraud charges.

Citigroup said it has no comment on the verdicts while UBS said it was not a party to them.

Hayes’ sentencing will mark an age of stricter controls over Libor rate manipulations which have been growing in recent years to unprecedented levels, destroying proper economic policy for the benefit of a greedy few.

Second American Wanted In Zimbabwe For Illegal Trophy Hunting

Culture

A second American doctor has been accused of illegally hunting and killing lions in Zimbabwe. The South African country is now seeking the extradition of the two U.S. citizens for illegal poaching, a vice that is threatening to endanger lions in Africa.

Jan Casimir Seski from Murrysville, Pennsylvania, shot a lion in Zimbabwe, near Hwange National Park. According to a statement from Zimbabwe’s National Park and Wildlife Management Authority, the land was not demarcated as a hunting ground, making the kill illegal.

Seski managed to leave the country before he was formally charged for the incident. Zimbabwe is now requesting the extradition of Seski by the, U.S. government, to stand trial for illegal hunting.

Seski is the director at the Center for Bloodless Medicine and Surgery at the Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh. The gynocological oncologist has been described as an avid game hunter by bow-hunting sites and safari outfitters. So much so that his pictures appear in several game hunting sites alongside his many kills that include hippos, elephants, antelopes, ostriches and impalas.

Another U.S. citizen is also being sought by Zimbabwean authorities for illegal hunting. Walter James Palmer, a Minnesota dentist, is accused of killing “Cecil”, a popular lion in the south African country. Palmer allegedly slayed the animal after luring it out of Hwange Park, according to infuriated conservationists.

Palmer too was not authorized to make the kill.

In Zimbabwe, before hunters go on hunting expeditions, they are legally required to first seek the mandate of the country’s wildlife authority.

Zimbabwe Parks spokeswoman Caroline Washaya Moyo said, “When hunters come into the country they fill a document stating their personal details, the amount they have paid for the hunt, the number of animals to be hunted, the species to be hunted and the area and period where that hunt is supposed to take place. The American conducted his hunt in an area where lion hunting is outlawed. The landowner who helped him with the hunt also did not have a have a quota for lion hunting.”

There were two other illegal hunts reported in Zimbabwe last year. Seski’s kill is the most recent unauthorised hunt.

On the Facebook page of Melorani Safaris, an image was posted of Seski posing next to a dead antelope he had hunted down in 2012. The image has since been removed.

Another image, in Alaska Bowhunting Supply, shows the doctor posing next to the body of a dead elephant. The image even shares horrific details of the elephant’s brutal killing.

“The arrow was shot quartering into the elephant, penetrated a rib and one lung, lacerated the heart and liver, and was recovered in the gut. The elephant went a short distance and died.”

The U.S. government has issued a statement saying that it is investigating the two incidents and will take swift action should the two be found culpable. It remains to be seen whether the U.S. government will extradite two of its citizens, even for horrendous crimes such as illegal killing of wildlife.

Indian Rainforest Glows Spectacular Shade Of Green Thanks To Tiny Mushrooms

Culture

India is home to a highly popular tourist destination boasting one of the world’s rarest natural phenomena: glowing rainforests. In the dark, the plush rainforest comes to life with fields of glowing green flora.

When the sun sets, deep in the forests of the Western Ghats, the trees and the ground emit a rare green glow that leaves tourists spellbound. The conspicuous green glowing trees and ground have been photographed by numerous tourists, wondering how the rare phenomenon occurs.

Scientists have attributed the fascinating spectacle to the forest’s growing bioluminescent fungus. During the monsoon season, which lasts from June through October, rainfall soaks the bioluminescent fungus growing on rotting stems, bark and twigs on the forest floor. This offers the fungus the right mix of humidity and moisture to thrive, resulting in the fields of glowing green.

Other parts of the world have been found to host handfuls of the bioluminescent fungus, though not widespread, making the phenomenon very tough to spot and the forests of Western Ghats truly unique.

While glowing marine organisms and bioluminescent waters are common, terrestrial bioluminescence is a far less reported phenomenon. There are only 70 known species of bioluminescent fungi, out of nearly 100,000 species of the fungus.

The glowing fungus in the Western Ghats belong to the Mycena genus, tiny mushrooms existing in groups that look like moss.

The earliest known report on bioluminescence was made by Pliny the Elder, a known Roman naturalist, early in the 1st century. Some Scandinavian tribes were reported to having used the fluorescent fungus to mark their routes and paths during long distance travel.

The Western Ghats has been declared a Unesco World Heritage Site and also one of only eight World biodiversity hotspots. Stretching close to 995 miles across India’s west coast, the Ghats, as they are popularly known, are home to the largest recorded population of Asian elephants, the rare black panther, tigers and leopards alike.

Three Chechen Girls Investigated For Scamming ISIS Online Recruiters

Entertainment News

Three Chechen women are currently under investigation for fraud after allegedly scamming ISIS members into giving them money. The women acted as “catfishers,” scammers who use fake Internet profiles to convince innocent people into relationships, generally for the purpose of stealing money. One of the Chechen women said it all began when an ISIS fighter in Syria contacted her on social media, requesting that she leave Chechnya and travel to Syria, where she would become a “jihadi bride.” The women said they would do it . . . for a price.

The women communicated and kept in touch with the ISIS member, even sending fake pictures, until the money they requested for travel was paid to them via a payment program very similar to PayPal. Once the money cleared, the women deleted their profiles, stopped all contact with the ISIS member and kept the money. They then repeated the scam and got away with about $3,300 before being discovered by the Chechen online crimes unit. Officer Valery Zolotaryov stated that, “[he] [didn’t] recall any precedent like this one in Chechnya, probably because nobody digs deep enough in that direction . . .Anyhow, [he] [doesn’t] advise anyone to communicate with dangerous criminals, especially for grabbing quick money.”

Although the penalty for fraud carries a maximum sentence of six years in jail, many polls indicate that these women are heroes and should not face charges “for ripping off terrorists.”

ISIS has targeted Chechnya as it is a largely Muslim Russian republic with a growing ISIS support base. Thousands of Chechens are currently fighting in Syria, and although they constitute a small percentage of ISIS fighters, analysts speculate that the Chechen-practiced guerrilla tactics have boosted the “caliphate” or Islamic government. The Chechen Muslims working with ISIS came to attention recently when ISIS commander, Abu Omar al-Shishani, known as “The Chechen,” put a bounty on the Chechen president’s head.

ISIS recently formed a Russian-speaking propaganda program called Furat Media, which translates recruitment videos and messages on various social media outlets in hopes of luring potential followers from Russia to Syria. In response, Chechnya has pushed back. During a counterterrorism training camp, Ramzan Kadyrov, head of the Chechen Republic, displayed his fury over the tactics of ISIS by stating that “there won’t even be a whiff” of ISIS in the region. He further stated that Chechnya will not allow any Chechens to return from Syria.

California Wildfires Continue To Rage Despite Favorable Weather

News

Those fighting the massive and unprecedented wildfires throughout California finally got a little help from Mother Nature early this morning. Lower temperatures and increased humidity have somewhat assisted firefighters in corralling the wildfires of Northern California. According to Captain Don Camp of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, containment of the fire in the Lower Lake region north of San Francisco was 12% this morning after holding at 5% for days.

The Lower Lake fire, known as the Rocky Fire, the largest of the 21 fires currently burning in California, tripled in size over the weekend and measured 93 miles by this morning. The sheer size of the Rocky Fire has caused officials to order 12,000 people to evacuate their homes. They have also closed several roads. California state fire spokesman, Jason Shanley, stated that, “It’s jaw-dropping to see some of the things it is doing.” Currently, the fire has destroyed 24 homes and 26 outbuildings and is threatening 6,300 homes.

Many of the California fires started when lightning struck brush and trees during the lengthy drought. Steady lightning and low humidity have continued to fuel the fires. And, although the lower temperatures and increased humidity are currently helping the 9,300 firefighters battling the blazes, gusty winds are expected throughout the day, which could intensify the fires.

On Friday, California Governor Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency, prompting the National Guard to mobilize and assist in the disaster response. Brown stated that the recent, record-setting drought has “turned much of the state into a tinderbox.” According to the United States Forest Service, one firefighter has died in his efforts to combat the spreading fires. David Ruhl, a father of two from Rapid City, South Dakota, was killed while fighting the Frog Fire in Northern California’s Modoc National Forest.

In addition to the Rocky and Frog Fires, many other fires continue to wreak havoc with varying degrees of containment. The Willow Fire, northeast of North Fork in the Sierra National Forest, was 60% contained as of Sunday night. The Cabin Fire, which burned over 2,600 acres since the middle of July, remains relatively stable and calm, but is only 2% contained. No structures have yet to be destroyed in the Willow or Cabin Fires, but six people have been injured in the Willow Fire.

This morning, the National Weather Service issued a Red Flag warning for Modoc County. Officials request that people exercise extreme caution during Red Flag warnings “because a simple spark can cause a major wildfire.”

Chinese Land Grabs Expected To Dominate This Week’s ASEAN Trade Summit

Entertainment News

China faces increased pressure this week over their island-building campaign in the South China Sea as the 10 member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will host three days of talks starting on Tuesday. While it will discuss a variety of issues concerning its members, China’s expansion activities are expected to take center stage.

Building artificial islands atop once shallow reefs, China has added military outposts to the contentious waters, raising concern with the U.S. as well as its neighbors.

Although many ASEAN members have historically claimed the area in dispute, including Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Brunei, China has made claim to the entire region. China’s response to criticism is an assertion of “indisputable sovereignty” over most of the region.

The U.S. has worries over the impact to international trade through the contested waterways, but Malaysia claims there has been some progress made towards a “Code of Conduct” (COC), which will help to dictate behavior during disputes at sea.

The Philippines contradicted this saying that China has been dragging its heels for years in order to delay the implementation of a COC deal. While bureaucratic meetings come to no effect, China continues to increase its presence in the area with more artificial islands.

Other issues to be covered during the meeting include human trafficking from Bangladesh and Myanmar. With Thailand and Malaysia also under scrutiny for their role in the practice, some southeast Asian countries blame Myamar for creating the incentive for trafficking through its persecution of the Rohingya minority.

China’s foreign minister Liu Zhenmin has already stated that China will object to any attempt to address the South China Sea issue. They made the counterclaim that the U.S. was in fact responsible for militarizing the area when it began sending patrols and conducting drills with allies such as the Philippines. China would of course prefer a quiet takeover of the region with no dispute, the coming week’s events will determine whether there is any hope for that outcome.

High Frequency Trading Firm Citadel Banned From Chinese Stock Exchanges

Finance

Citadel Securities, a Chinese branch of high frequency hedge fund Citadel LLC, has had its account frozen by the China Securities Regulatory Commission (“CSRC”) as officials investigate whether algorithmic, automated trading is causing China’s stock market to decline.

In the latest attempt to stabilize and “clean up” the country’s tumultuous stock market, it has banned Citadel Securities from trading on both the Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchanges, raising fresh questions about just how useful high frequency trading operations are for markets and retail investors.

The move to ban certain companies from trading on Chinese stock markets is just one element of the country’s unprecedented plan to shore up stock prices and grow investor confidence. China’s head authorities stepped in after the country suffered a $4 trillion plummet in the markets in July and August. The rout followed a 12-month period of stock growth which ended June 12th. The Chinese government took extraordinary efforts to halt the crash, including large-scale purchases of shares by state-owned banks and banning stock sales by major shareholders.

The latest ban on companies is directly related to the SCRC’s investigation into the practice known as “spoofing.” Spoofing occurs when a buyer purchases or sells stock, but then withdraws the order before the sale is completed. The investor then purchases or sells the stock at the new price to make a profit. This practice can mislead investors by creating a false impression that a certain stock is trading at a certain price. Some investors claim that is very common to withdraw buy/sell orders if market conditions change between the time an order is placed and when it is finalized. Despite these claims, the SCRC is having none of it.

In addition to researching spoofing practices, the SCRC is also aggressively investigating “malicious” short selling and other various forms of market manipulation, which authorities state are partly to blame for the market’s recent volatility.

Citadel has declined to specify details on its trading practices that led to its suspension, but it did confirm the ban and stated that it “continue[s] to otherwise operate normally from [their] offices, and [they] continue to comply with all local laws and regulations.”

China Restricts Exports Of Its World Leading Drones, Supercomputers

Finance

In a clear sign of China’s industry-leading drone and supercomputer technology, the Communist country has issued new regulations restricting their export to other countries. The new regulations require that Chinese manufacturers of powerful drones and some advanced computers must obtain an export license prior to shipping to other countries. China’s Ministry of Commerce and the General Administration of Customs announced that the regulations will take effect August 15th.

Specifically, drones will require export licenses if they are capable for flying longer than 1 hour. Computers will require a license if they exceed eight teraflops, meaning they can process more than eight trillion calculations per second (about the the processing power of 33 Xbox 360s).

The tightening of drone and supercomputer regulations comes as China hopes to draw the world’s attention to its technological strengths. In the first five months of 2015 alone, China exported more than 160,000 civilian drones, an increase of 70% from the same period in 2014. Those exported drones accounted for more than $120 million in sales. China also hopes to maintain its competitive edge in the supercomputer battle which has long been dominated by the U.S.-Japan rivalry.

The issuance of export regulations also follow some recent international incidents involving drones. In the past few months, unmanned aircraft manufactured and sold by the Chinese company, DJI Technology Co., were flown on the grounds of the White House and onto the roof of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. More recently, political tensions erupted between India and Pakistan after Pakistan’s military tracked and shot down and Indian “spy drone” in the disputed region of Kashmir. The drone appeared to be Chinese made.

In response to China’s technological superiority in drone and supercomputer technology, President Obama issued an executive order for a new initiative entitled, “Creating a national strategic computing initiative.” The project is aimed at creating the world’s fastest supercomputer by 2025.

As of now, it appears that China’s new regulations will have little effect on the economy of China’s bustling consumer drone industry. Currently, few commercial drones can fly for more than an hour and therefore do not require export licenses. Michael Perry, spokesman for DJI, stated that his company’s drones presently have a maximum 25-minute flight time. The new restrictions likely will have a greater effect in the near future as drone technology improves and flight times increase.

NASA Unveils Museum Memorial To Challenger And Columbia Astronauts

News

After being hidden for decades, the remnants of Space Shuttles Challenger and Columbia are now on display in a new exhibit at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The exhibit marks the first time that any remains from either crash have ever been displayed. A piece of the Challenger’s fuselage is on display alongside the flight deck windows of the Columbia. NASA has also chosen to show items representing the astronauts from those flights, as both a tribute and a reminder of them.

June Scobee Rodgers, the wife of late Challenger commander Francis “Dick” Scobee said that although it is sad to see the wreckage, it is a “wonderful memorial” to the shuttles. As tribute to commander Scobee, a leather helmet used during his flights on a Starduster biplane with his wife June is shown. There are display cases for each astronaut, although not all families contributed to the exhibit. Columbia commander Rick Husband’s display case is across the hall from Scobee’s, inside are a pair of scuffed cowboy boots and a well-used Bible.

The design of the memorial was a collaboration between NASA and the families of the crew members lost on missions STS-51L and STS-107, and is titled “Forever Remembered.” Part of a permanent exhibit focused on the retired shuttle Atlantis, with the entrance to the memorial located just beneath the nose of the Atlantis, which is suspended inside the Kennedy Space Center.

As a result of the Challenger accident, improvements in the rocket booster design were made, which prevented any booster failures for the remaining 110 missions of the shuttle program. The successor to the shuttle program, the Orion, made its first test launch in December of last year, and faces neither of the dangers that caused the two shuttle accidents. This was partially in reaction to the Columbia accident, and the current stacked design of the Orion places the crew module on top of the rocket assembly rather than beside it.

British Drugmaker GSK Facing Fresh Bribery Allegations

Finance

Fresh off paying a record $483 million fine in China, British drug maker GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) is facing corruption allegations yet again, this time in Romania. GSK announced they were investigating the latest claims of bribes which were detailed in a whistleblower’s email late last week.

The email alleges that Romanian doctors were paid up to thousands of euros from 2009 to 2012 for the prescription of prostate medicine Avodart and Duodart, in addition to the Parkinson’s disease medicine Requip. Doctors were also paid for speaking engagements that never occurred, or in some cases many payments received when only one speech was made.

Following a guilty plea in the U.S. case in 2012, the company paid a record $3 billion in fines in addition to pledging in 2013 that it would no longer pay doctors to promote its drugs or attend medical conferences, and that its sales staff would no longer have prescription targets. With the current list of alleged bribery incidences, it would seem they have not found a viable new business strategy outside of bribery.

GSK isn’t alone in its industry, with Pfizer having paid a $2.3 billion fine in 2009 for off-label marketing of its arthritis drug Bextra. Also a repeat offender, Pfizer at the time had settled with the U.S. Department of Justice three other times in the previous 10 years. With health care spending showing no signs of slowing, more bad behavior looks likely.

Poland, the United Arab Emirates, Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, and Iraq are all investigating the Glaxo for similar allegation in what appears to be a widely accepted corporate culture of win at all costs.

GSK refused to comment on the other ongoing investigations.

India Scores Another Win Against Companies Trying To Patent Natural Ingredients

Finance

India has notched a significant win against intellectual property trolls after it succeed this year in retaining rights to its so-called “traditional knowledge,” after the UK-based firm Pangaea Laboratories Limited (PLL) attempted to patent a simple mixture of turmeric, pine bark, and green tea in the treatment of hair loss.

This is India’s second recent win against big corporations seeking to patent nature, after having defeated Colgate-Palmolive when they attempted to patent a traditional mouthwash recipe using herbal extracts.

The group fighting the trolls is the Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL), and their counsel was able to prove to the European Patent Office (EPO) that the turmeric, pine bark, and green tea has been used in Indian systems of medicine since ancient times.

The issue is sometimes referred to as “biopiracy” and is demonstrated by the presenting of indigenous knowledge of medicinal plants as an original discovery, without credit to the community from which that knowledge originated. PLL filed their application in February of 2011, and was challenged by the TKDL in January of 2014 following publication of the patent application on the EPO website. The TKDL has won over 200 such cases with citations from ancient texts as proof for their claims, and all without any expense to the public.

Founded in 2001, the TKDL has agreements with the EPO, United Kingdom Trademark & Patent Office, and the United States Patent and Trademark Office, which gives each of those organizations access to TKDL’s database of traditional knowledge. Because patent examiners now have access to the online records, there is no longer a need for prolonged and expensive legal cases, as the claims can be proved in an online search.

The TKDL was established in collaboration with India’s Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), which itself tops the list of holders of U.S. patents. As an earlier example of its defense against biopiracy, the CSIR denied a U.S. patent application for the use of neem as an insecticide.

SuperPACs Have Already Spent A Stunning $400 Million On The 2016 Election

News

Fewer than four hundred families account for nearly half of the money being raised for the 2016 presidential election according to analysis of recent campaign contributions. Most of that money is being directed towards organizations known as SuperPACS, which have no spending limits due to the Citizens United v Federal Election Commission decision in 2010. Nearly $400 million in funding has been raised for presidential candidates so far, which is quite high considering that in the 2012 election just over $600 million was spent by SuperPACs in total. With over one year left before the 2016 election, campaign funds from SuperPACs will likely break the previous record.

For those who don’t belong to the wealthiest one percent, it may be easy to malign the influence of such a small group of well-funded elites on the political system. With the demographics of wealth in the U.S. showing a level of disparity not seen since the height of the roaring ‘20s, the fact that Republican candidates are getting most of their money via these SuperPACs may turn out to hurt them.

Even more troubling than the concentration of donations is instances of corporate entities funding SuperPACs that have no publicly known owner.

One such example is a $1 million donation to a pro-Bush SuperPAC by the corporation Jasper Reserves, an LLC out of West Virginia, which does not require public owner records to be disclosed. On the opposing side, Hillary Clinton’s “Priorities USA” PAC received $15 million from just nine donors who each gave $1 million, yet their name do not appear anywhere.

Jeb Bush is currently winning the SuperPAC race, having raised over $100 million from thousands of donors, with over 20 having donated at least $1 million each.

If you suspected that these campaign funds also led to insider access to the potential candidates, you would be right.

Gov. Scott Walker’s campaign has received funds from companies that previously benefitted from Wisconsin’s economic development agency. In Gov. Chris Christie’s case, the single largest donor to his “America Leads” PAC originated from a Boston investor seeking to build a $4 billion casino in New Jersey.

With 2008 and 2012 the most expensive elections in history, the trend will likely continue for 2016 and beyond, barring a change to the Citizens United ruling.

Zimbabwe Enacts Hunting Ban In Wake Of Cecil The Lion’s Killing

Culture

Shortly after the killing of one of Africa’s most beloved lions and the international public outrage that followed, Zimbabwe officials have created new hunting restrictions in areas surrounding wildlife game reserves. The lion, known as Cecil, was killed last week by an American dentist after his hunting guides lured the beautiful creature out of a national park using bait. She was shot by bow and arrow and took over 40 hours to die. Zimbabwe now seeks for the extradition of the American dentist, Walter Palmer, from the United States. The White House says it will review the request.

The new hunting restrictions are focused on areas near Zimbabwe’s largest game preserve. Edson Chidziya, head of Zimbabwe’s parks and wildlife authority stated that, “Hunting of lions, leopards and elephants in areas outside of Hwange National Park has been suspended with immediate effect.” Officials have also suspended hunting with bows and arrows, except with permission from the head of the agency. Chidziya commented that, “All such [bow and arrow] hunts will only be conducted if confirmed and authorised in writing by the director-general of the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority, and only if accompanied by parks staff.”

Chidziya stressed how serious the country was about curbing illegal hunting. The wildlife authority has joined forces with the police in a major crackdown “to weed out any undesirable elements . . .The Authority will not hesitate to arrest, prosecute and ban for life any persons including professional hunters, clients and landowners who are caught on the wrong side of the law.”

The outrage following Cecil’s death seems to be larger than life. Activists, conservationists and casual animal lovers everywhere have voiced their ire over social media, with some people calling for the dentist’s death. Others have inundated the dentist’s website with their scathing reviews, so much so that the site was taken offline. Palmer’s dental practice has been physically shut down for days, the front doors covered with signs of protest. Celebrities of all kinds have denounced Palmer’s actions and have called for greater protection of Africa’s wild animals. On his show, Jimmy Kimmel made a heartfelt plea to hunters everywhere to stop the act of killing defenseless animals.

There are those who believe hunting is important to Zimbabwe’s economy. Emmanuel Fundira, chairman of the Safari Operators Association of Zimbabwe, opined that his association could lose business as a result of the recent hunting ban, but added that such measures were necessary to protect Zimbabwe’s wildlife. He pointed out that “Hunting brings in no less than $40 million a year.”

One good thing has come from Cecil’s death, and that is the raising of people’s awareness about an important issue. Regardless of how one feels about hunting, the conversation and debate has been brought to the forefront.

Munich Planning A Highway Built Solely For Bicyclists

Entertainment News

Munich, Germany, is planning to beat its traffic problem through building a super highway system for cyclists that will connect employment centers, malls, universities and ultimately other cities.

City authorities have proposed building a network of 14 two-way bicycle paths for the city’s avid cyclists. The ambitious bicycle track would spread out to over 400 square miles and would not feature any crossroads, traffic lights or oncoming traffic.

Negotiating through Munich with a bicycle can be troublesome. The sidewalks are often narrow, uneven, and crammed, requiring cyclists to hop onto busy roads into oncoming traffic just to overtake. According Birgit Kastrop, an urban planner working on the track, “We need a new form of infrastructure.”

The track, popularly called the Radschnellverbindungen, will do for bikes what highways offer cars; the efficiency of broad lanes and the accessibility of distant cities.

The popularity of cycling as a means of transport is catching on across the world. The Netherlands has 28 long-distance paths for cyclists. Copenhagen has a “bike skyway.” London is planning to build a network of “direct, high capacity, joined-up cycle tracks.” Paris has unveiled a $160 million plan to build proposed “highways” for cyclists.

Here in the U.S., the number of trips made per bicycle from 2001 to 2009 more than doubled to 4 billion from just 1.7 billion, according to research from the League of American Bicyclists.
States such as Virginia, Pennsylvania, Louisiana, Kentucky and Tennessee recorded increases of over 100 per cent in number of cyclists, even spurring a national Bike to Work Day every September 3.

Despite these large numbers, cyclists are yet to get the infrastructural recognition their fellows in Europe are getting.

Munich’s bicycle highway proposal, however, is not as good as done. It has to pass through the city’s political representatives where analysts predict it will face stiff opposition.

Munich is blessed with a very dense population, meaning all space is currently used in some way. Finding 4oo miles of space will mean taking away space from other users, including roads and sidewalks. As in most cities, cars take up most of the space.

Kastrup said, “Perhaps this has to change a little. Perhaps they have to give a little space to other means of transport.”

Bicycles are fast becoming the modern means of efficient, healthy and environmentally friendly commuting. Through expanded tracks, these benefits will now be available to a much larger segment of the population.

Uber Raises $1 Billion From Microsoft As Valuation Approaches $51 Billion

Finance

Uber, now the world’s most valuable startup, has completed a new round of funding that has seen the company raise $1 billion and forge an unlikely alliance with another giant technology company.

Uber’s $1 billion cash call has caused a stir in global financial markets, especially after it was revealed that Microsoft had contributed much of the $ 1 billion sought.

It is still unclear how much Microsoft contributed. Initial reports refer to a “substantial amount” but neither of the two companies has disclosed the exact figure.

The new valuation easily makes Uber the most valuable startup in the world with a valuation of $51 billion. The record’s previous holder was China’s smartphone making startup Xiaomi, with a valuation of $45 billion.

Another investor identified in Uber’s cash call is Bennett Coleman and Company, parent company to the Times Group, the Indian media conglomerate that controls The Economic Times, The Times of India and several other regional newspapers.

Much of Uber’s deal with Microsoft was not made public, making the computer software’s motive unknown. The deal, however, is not the first time the two companies have worked together.

In June, Microsoft sold off a portion of its Bing Maps to the cab-hailing company for an undocumented sum. The sale also saw Uber absorb 100 staff from Redmond to run the newly acquired Bing maps unit.

The two giants have also worked together in integrating Uber into Redmond’s Cortana voice-controlled assistant. The integration enables users to hail an Uber ride as scheduled meetings on calendar approaches.

Microsoft’s new investment in Uber has been viewed by analysts as more than just a contribution but a partnership.

Through a statement, the taxi-hailing company has said it would use the additional capital to fund its expansion into new territories.

Uber, which started in 2009, has a presence in over 300 countries across the globe and is currently planning on increasing its presence in India, Southeast Asia and China.

Uber’s meteoric rise has seen it make several key partnerships, key among which has been its relationship with Microsoft. The two companies plan to remain strong partners in future, a future that will usher a new age of driverless driving.

Authorities Issue Charges Against CEO Of World’s Once Largest Bitcoin Exchange

Finance

Japanese police have arrested the CEO of Mt. Gox, once the largest bitcoin exchange in the world, for financial impropriety. The charges come in the wake of an unexplained loss of up to half a billion dollars of investor money and eventual closure of the exchange.

Mark Karpeles, 30, was arrested by police in Tokyo, Japan on Saturday. A statement from the company has confirmed the arrest and detention of the executive.

Karpeles is suspected of unduly accessing the popular exchange’s computer systems before falsifying data on the company’s outstanding balance. The accounts falsification resulted in the loss of over $387 million worth of bitcoins February last year.

Japanese law enforcement officials have traced $1 million drawn from the company’s operations to an account under the control of Karpeles.

Mt. Gox was the largest trader of the virtual currency until February when it stopped investors from accessing their bitcoins after attacks from online hackers. Later on, it declared the loss of 850000 bitcoins valued at $387 million at the time.

Initially, the company blamed the loss on a bug. Later on in February, the company filed for bankruptcy.

Customers and investors were left angered by the company’s accounting failures which had translated in millions in losses for them. In the coming days, the investors would find no rest. It was later revealed that the company had also lost $27 million in cash.

In March 2014, Mt. Gox revealed that it had found 200,000 lost bitcoins in a digital wallet that had not been in use. The virtual currency was valued at $116 million, bringing the number of lost coins down to 650,000, still a significant amount as that represented 7% of all bitcoins trading in the world.

A day before Karpeles was detained, the media had reported that he would be arrested “soon.” This prompted Karpeles to issue statement through the Wall Street Journal, terming the allegations as “false” and that he was going to “of course deny” them.

Japanese authorities are yet to charge the CEO. In Japan, authorities can detain individuals for weeks over before formally leveling charges on them.

It is through Karpeles’ financial impropriety that the world’s largest bitcoin exchange was brought to its knees. The company has yet to recover one year later and investors are yet to regain their losses.

Kansas City Fed Denies Marijuana Credit Union License To Operate

Finance

A credit union designed to service the needs of Colorado’s marijuana industry has hit another roadblock on its path to legitimacy. The Federal Reserve again moved to deny the Fourth Corner Credit Union (FCCU) a master account, effectively shutting it out of the financial system.

The move prevents the credit union from moving money electronically and using debit and credit cards, thereby forcing it to rely on an all cash business model. With nearly all banks refusing to open accounts with marijuana businesses in Colorado, and elsewhere, the industry has been forced to improvise with armored cars, safes, and alternatives to traditional banking.

South Carolina lawyer Mark Mason is leading the creation of the FCCU, and was unsurprised with the denial of their application for a master account. Having already received a Colorado state license last year, Mason’s credit union was awaiting approval from the Fed before it could open for business.

Mason has responded by filing a lawsuit against the Fed, which could force a resolution to the issue of conflicting state and federal marijuana regulations. President of the Kansas City Fed, Esther George stated that the Fed had “discretion” regarding master accounts. In a related move, the National Credit Union Administration (NCCA) stated that the FCCU was not eligible for its $250,000 deposit insurance defending its actions by stating that FCCU had not shown how it would, “mitigate the risk associated with serving a single industry that does not have an established track record of success and remains illegal at the federal level.”

A separate lawsuit was filed by Mr. Mason against the NCCA on Thursday night, claiming due process violations. Mason remains most troubled by the Fed decision, for it would still be possible to obtain private deposit insurance without the NCCA.

Citing the Fed’s own rules in his lawsuit, he alleges that the Fed has little discretion in deciding who should be given a master account. Until there is a change in federal policy, customers will have to continue carrying cash.