Posts - Americans

Feds Bust World’s Largest Male Prostitution Website Despite Obvious Benefits To World’s Oldest Profession

News

Manhattan authorities raided the offices of Rentboy.com, one of the world’s largest male escort services, on allegations that the site was offering illegal prostitution services in the guise of companionship. The site that allows its users to post pictures and physical descriptions of themselves in search of ‘companionship’ has been brought down since with the chief executive and six other workers booked in court.

Rentboy.com Chief executive Jeffrey Hurant, together with six workers were arrested during the raid on Rentboy.com’s Manhattan offices on Tuesday afternoon. They were charged with “conspiring to violate the Travel Act by promoting prostitution” according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney’s office in Eastern New York.

U.S. Attorney Kelly T. Currie said, “As alleged, Rentboy.com attempted to present a veneer of legality, when in fact this Internet brothel made millions of dollars from the promotion of illegal prostitution.”

Rentboy.com was founded in 1996 and prides itself of being “the original and world’s largest male escort site.” The site has almost 10,500 members spread out in 2,100 cities across the world, according to the company’s website. The company also has an active Twitter account where it enjoys some 11,000 followers.

Subscribers to the site pay a “minimum monthly fee of $59.95 and up to several hundred dollars more to advertise their service” according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Acting Special agent in charge of Homeland Security Glenn Sorge said of the arrest, “The facilitation and promotion of prostitution offenses across state lines and international borders is a federal crime made even more egregious when it’s blatantly advertised by a global criminal enterprise.”

After being arraigned in a Brooklyn court, Hurant, 50, told journalists at the scene he did not believe they were conducting illegal activities. He said, “I don’t think that we do anything to promote prostitution. I think we do good things for good people, and we bring good people together.”

The company allegedly raked in some $10 million between 2010 and 2015.

During the crackdown, authorities seized $1.4 million of alleged criminal money from six bank accounts, while also restricting the domain name Rentboy.com.

Should Hurant and the six others be convicted, they could face up to five years jail time together with fines of up to $250,000.

The war on prostitution has been frustrated with the morphing of the vice in various forms over the last couple of years. Veneers such as ‘companionship’ and ‘escort services’ have made it difficult for authorities to see beyond these veils and expose the rotting underbelly beneath. Backpage.com, a service which accepts U.S. credit card payments and offers very similar services, remains unaffected.

The logic behind the raids is questionable to say the least. Online prostitution services have been shown by both the United Nations and numerous academics to reduce the incidence of violence against providers and have been shown to improve health outcomes for all involved.

Trump, The Man And The Machine, Shows Iowa He Is Deadly Serious About Being In Office

News

Thousands of residents turned up in an events center near the Mississippi on Tuesday evening to hear a speech from Donald Trump. Trump’s bombastic larger than life appeal has been taunted to be the reason he is able to attract thousands of people to his events. However, can he convince gawkers into loyal supporters enough to register as Republicans and vote for him in the oncoming caucuses next year?

Judging by tonight’s presentation, the answer could well be a resounding ‘yes.’

Trump’s surging presidential campaign is rooted more on his star power and name recognizability than his conservative ideologies, a factor that has served his presidential ambitions well in terms of the numbers he is pulling.

Trump’s top Iowa organizer, Chuck Laudner, said “I’ve never seen anything like it. He’s drawing crowds that most candidates only get in the weeks before the general election.”

Trump’s star power has overwhelmingly wowed traditional Iowan voters, completely upending the retail politics the state is known for. When Trump landed in a helicopter at the beginning of the month at the Iowa State Fair, he was immediately mobbed by thousands of fans. Last week when he was in Mobile, Alabama, he almost filled a sports gymnasium.

Laudner said, “His reach is just so far beyond what the rest of these guys can do combined. It’s all new territory.”

When these residents come to the Grand River Center on Tuesday to listen to the Donald, they will be recruited by Trump’s staff into precinct captains, staff, organizers and volunteers. All of whom will help in building the Trump brand ahead of the caucuses next year.

Recent winners in Iowa were either candidates with superior resources and very strong organizations such as George W. Bush in 2000 and 2004 or conservatives who appeal to the state’s many evangelicals like Mike Huckabee in 2012.

Trump could easily use his vast resources to create momentum in the state. His next well funded Republican competition Jeb Bush is not very popular in the state.

Trump is also set to use the same resources to build a formidable ground organization in the state, to reach the grass roots, starting with Laudner and his recruits at the events places.

An Iowan Republican consultant said of Laudner, “Chuck Laudner is a deity among conservative activists. Chuck is somebody who values grassroots mobilization. This is a guy who eats and breathes organizational structure.”

Trump has structured his team under ten full time paid workers who will run state affairs and he looks poised to add more. A more recent tactic he is using is to send a large tour bus with his Trump logo embossed on it around the state from county to county, drawing crowds even though only one or two staff are present inside, not Trump himself. The bus even has a Facebook page.

John Hulzier, Trump’s coordinator for the northern part of Iowa state said, “We want to make sure we hit every county in the state of Iowa.”

A majority of voters in the state are union workers aggrieved by the loss of jobs to foreigners. Trump’s staff is largely convinced that Trump could be the candidate to convince the so called Reagan Democrats to vote for him during the elections. Laudner added that in Trump, the aggrieved will find an empathetic friend.

So far, it seems to be working very well.

Trump continued to draw large crowds this evening in Dubuque, Iowa and looked every bit the GOP, and presidential, front-runner. After briefly having his security remove Univision journalist Jorge Ramos for heckling, Trump allowed him back and engaged him at length on the issue of immigration, putting on a masterful performance of controlling the dialog and looking like a born leader.

Trump was then introduced to a crowd of several thousand by right wing commentator Ann Coulter, in a ceremony that may as well have been his GOP coronation.

But beyond the flash, Trump looked savvy, with his team running a traditional Iowan campaign; handing out hats, buttons and t-shirts as they registered voters and assigned staunch supporters key roles.

When Donald Trump told the crowd “I wish the election was tomorrow!” he wasn’t kidding. He’s ready and his political machine appears to be too.

Favorable Environment And Generous Tax Credits Are Leading Texas To Dominate The Solar Energy Industry

Finance

Texas may soon be just as well known for solar energy as it is for oil wells, with multiple solar firms having recently invested around $1 billion in the state. Contractors from OCI Solar Power LLC, First Solar Inc., Recurrent Energy, and SunEdison Inc. are all pursuing projects there, where projections for installed solar power by the year 2029 are estimated at between 10,000 and 12,500 megawatts.

For perspective, this is equivalent to the total installed solar capacity in the U.S. today.

The recent move to Texas by solar firms is partly due to the falling price of the technology. According to Warren Lasher of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), “Solar is going to become one of the most cost-effective sources of electricity on the grid.”

The abundance of cheap and flat real estate in West Texas, coupled with good sun exposure is making the decision a natural one.

Texas has also recently completed construction of $6.9 billion of new electric transmission lines, which connect West Texas to large metropolitan areas. The lines have allowed Texas to become the nation’s largest wind producer. Solar energy should make a nice complement to the state’s wind farms, as wind power generation typically lulls during the middle of the day, which is the time best suited for solar production.

A major player in the solar market is Recurrent Energy, which currently has 2 gigawatts of installed solar capacity in North America. Their contract with Austin Energy to build a 150 megawatt solar facility in Pecos County will make it one of the largest in the nation. Amazingly, the price at which the facility will be selling its power will be $0.05/kilowatt hour, very close to the current rate for West Texas of $0.04/kilowatt hour.

Much of the investment in solar energy is due to the passage of the solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC) in 2005. Following passage of the ITC, installed solar capacity grew by a factor of 40, from 500 megawatts in 2004, to 20,000 megawatts in 2014. These solar firms are trying to complete the various projects they have underway before the commercial solar ITC drops in 2016 from 30% to 10%.

Analysts project that after the expiration, yearly addition of solar capacity will drop from a peak of 10,000 megawatts in 2016, to around 1,500 megawatts in 2017, dropping off in subsequent years. It remains to be seen whether industry lobbyists will succeed in getting an extension for the credit but in any case it appears that what Texas was to oil is very like what the state will mean to the solar industry.

Trump Declines Fox News Chairman Ailes’ Demands For Apology Over Twitter Comments

News

Donald Trump may have gone too far with Fox News, far enough for powerful Chairman Roger Ailes to demand an apology from the Republican frontrunner for his endless attack on Fox reporter Megyn Kelly.

Trump, sticking to his guns, maintains he does not think Kelly is a ‘quality’ journalist deserving of a station such as Fox News.

Ailes said in a statement that Trump should apologize for his attacking tweets, issued late Monday night, aimed at Kelly.

Ailes said, “Donald Trump’s surprise and unprovoked attack on Megyn Kelly during her show last night is as unacceptable as it is disturbing. Megyn Kelly represents the very best of American journalism and all of us at Fox News Channel reject the crude and irresponsible attempts to suggest otherwise.”

Trump immediately responded saying he did not think Kelly was a ‘quality journalist’ based on her tough questioning of his record during the first Republican Presidential debate.

Trump said, “I totally disagree with the FOX statement. I do not think Megyn Kelly is a quality journalist. I think her questioning of me, despite all of the polls saying I won the debate, was very unfair.”

Ailes proceeded to shower Kelly with praise for her professional handling of the situation despite Trump’s unwarranted remarks. He reiterated his stand that Trump should apologize to the news anchor.

Trump flared Twitter on Monday night with several tweets aimed at Kelly, who had just returned from a vacation. One of his tweets said he “liked The Kelly File much better without @megynkelly. Perhaps she could take another eleven day unscheduled vacation!”

Another tweet described Kelly as being “really off her game” while another even called her a “bimbo.”

Fox presenters came on to Kelly’s defense soon afterwards. Host Bret Baier, who hosted the GOP debate alongside Kelly tweeted, “It’s been 19 days since the debate – @realDonaldTrump has made his feelings clear. But THIS needs to stop #letitgo.”

Sean Hannity, who had one of the very first interviews with the Republican frontrunner after the debate tweeted, “My friend @realdonaldtrump has captured the imagination of many. Focus on Hillary, Putin, border, jobs, Iran China & leave @megynkelly alone.”

Trump’s beef with Kelly began after the presidential debate when Kelly questioned Trump on his previous remarks against women. Later, Trump blasted Kelly on an interview with CNN’s Don Lennon saying, “You could see there was blood coming out of her eyes, blood coming out of her — wherever.”

Trump rarely apologizes and it appears unlikely in this case he well, despite Ailes being a highly influential GOP member. He remains the GOP frontrunner, continuing to dominate polls despite his loose tongue.

Desperate Libyan Government Calls For Airstrikes And Arms To Prevent ISIS Takeover

Entertainment News

The arms embargo placed on Libya has been allowing Islamic militants to increase their hold within the country says Mohamed al-Dayri, Libya’s foreign minister who has called for international air strikes against the terrorists.

“The situation is extremely serious.” he said in Paris, where he is trying to get more support for his Tobruk based, internationally-recognised government’s fight against Islamic State forces.

“People are dying, are crucified, are disinterred from their graves, are burned alive. Libyans don’t understand why the international community doesn’t wake up to these dangers.” he said.

Ever since the international community helped oust Libyan leader Moamer Kadhafi in 2011, the country has been in a state of civil war with two rival governments, one of which Dayri is a minister, and which controls most of the country’s eastern regions. The other, which controls the rest of the country and the former capital Tripoli, is made up of a coalition of Islamists and militants.

According to Dayri, Islamic State (IS) groups are controlling the towns of Benghazi, Sabratha and Derna Sirte.

“They have not yet seized oil fields, but we fear they might come to control several wells,” he said. “On Saturday, there was a call from their leaders in Iraq and Syria to reinforce their ranks in Libya. They want to make Libya a rear base.”

He said currently ISIS has limited support within Libya and was opposed by Al-Qaeda and other splinter Islamic extremist groups, but that if there was no international help for his Government, the situation would change quickly. Calling on the United Nations to lift its 2011 imposed arms embargo, he said once Gaddafi and his Government had been eliminated “Libya was abandoned to its fate”.

“We are not talking about sophisticated military equipment, but we need the minimum to fight terrorism in an adequate manner,” he said. “We also hope for an international intervention as soon as possible because the danger is growing. But not troops on the ground. We are hoping for aerial support for the Libyan armed forces on the ground. The international community waited for Mosul to fall before intervening in Iraq. We don’t want to see Tripoli or Misrata fall.”

China Announces Mass Prison Pardons To Those Who Fought In World War Two

Entertainment News

Chinese inmates who fought during the Second World War will be released from prison as the country prepares to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of the war.

Through the amnesty, China seeks to grant solace to those who sacrificed their lives for the service of the nation during the conflict. However, analysts have seen the move as mere political rhetoric with no legislative goal in mind.

China’s legislature announced that four categories of prisoners who were sentenced before January 1 would be released. These include those who fought against both the Japanese and the Kuomintang, those who fought in wars after 1949 to “protect the country’s sovereignty, security and territorial integrity”, those who are older than 75 and are physically disabled and those who were under 18 when they committed their crimes.

However, a statement from Li Shishi, head of the National People’s Congress Standing Committees legislative affairs, said that the amnesty would not be granted for inmates who were accused of serious crimes that include murder, bribery, rape, corruption, terror offences and organized crime.

According to Shishi, the exceptions to the amnesty were because of the ongoing crackdown by the nation on corruption, and also to maintain public security and safety.

This is China’s seventh amnesty since 1949. The last one occurred in 1975.

The Standing Committee will make their final decision regarding the proposal by Saturday. Afterwards, it will be up to the country’s high profile courts and intermediate people’s courts to determine who will qualify for the amnesty.

Analysts, however, have termed the move as mere “rhetoric” that is based solely on politics and not legal issues. Patrick Poon, Amnesty International Chinese researcher said, “We can’t see any rationale for maintaining the Chinese government’s call for promoting the rule of law.[The amnesty] is more political than legal.”
The move toward leniency has led many to ask whether high profile inmates such as Liu Xiaobo, a Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, would be released.

Zhang Lifan, a Beijing based political analyst said, “That’s very unlikely, or impossible. There’s leniency on the surface, but only a small number of prisoners will benefit.”

As China marks 70 years since the end of World War II on September 3, the amnesty shown to prisoners will set it apart as a country increasingly becoming humane. It will move closer toward shedding its image as an elitist government with tough laws for small fish and more toward an equal society before the law guided by law and moral obligation. Or at least that’s the plan, which can often differ from the hard realities of the sprawling country.

Planting Just 10 Trees Per City Block Improves Health As Much As Making An Extra $10,000

Culture

A study conducted on the city of Toronto reveals that planting just 10 trees on a city block makes the population healthier — to the same extent as increasing their household income by an incredible $10,000 per year.

The University of Chicago researchers who conducted the study established long ago that wealthy people enjoy better health than those in poorer neighborhoods.

But their keen look at Toronto revealed that greening up a neighborhood can be just as effective as giving them more money.

Marc Berman, who led the study, is an American psychologist who did postdoctoral studies in Toronto, and returned there because it has a number of data sets for the same areas, on which he was able to conduct his research.

Toronto has satellite photos and comprehensive maps of the “urban forest.” It also has maps indicating household revenue by area and crucially there is an ongoing Ontario Health Study about population health within these mapped areas.

That study contains the replies from 31,000 residents in at least 3,000 neighborhoods, which they could superimpose on the tree maps. The study included data on diabetes, stroke, cancer, obesity, heart disease, addiction and depression. It also asked the participants to evaluate their own general state of health.

All these health measures got better in communities with full-grown trees.

Adding 10 trees on a city block “has equivalent health benefits to increasing the income of every household in that city block by more than $10,200 and having all of those households be moved to a neighbourhood that was $10,000 wealthier,” says Omid Kardan, Berman’s lead student on the project.

The result was two times as strong — like increasing household income by $20,000— for cardio-metabolic anomalies (including diabetes and heart disease.)

People in underprivileged neighborhoods with many trees reported health that closely matched the wealthy residents, they established. Likewise, rich people who lived in neighborhoods without mature trees had health reports similar to those of people in underprivileged communities.

And there’s another peculiarity: Trees planted along the street are more useful than trees in gardens.

While the results speak for themselves, the research panel only has well-informed guesses on why exactly this occurs.

Some of these are that trees cool the summer air, lessen air contamination and have a hard-to-measure stress-relieving capacity.

There’s also a clue in the research that evergreen trees may be more helpful than deciduous plants, but the panel isn’t totally sure.

For the city of Toronto, planting 10 more trees per block in tree-deprived neighborhoods would boost Toronto’s total number of trees by approximately four percent.

That, according to the researchers, is a totally attainable target.

The complete findings are available in the journal Scientific Reports.

Hidden Trove Of Ancient Bones Shows Neanderthals Hunting Extinct Cave Lions

Culture

Ancient artifacts found in an Immanai cave in Russia have revealed what could be the largest ever find of supersize cave lions in history. The find has caused plenty of excitement among archaeologists worldwide as they can now delve into more research on the rare creature that went extinct some 30,000 years ago.

In the Russian republic of Bashkiria, deep in the Immanai caves, archaeologists have found a trove of 500 cave lion bones. They also found the remains of a cave bear with a spear made from ancient material rooted deep into its skull. However, they found no sign of prehistoric people living in the cave.

Senior Researcher Pavel Kosintsev, from the Institute of Plant and Animal Ecology said, “We found about 500 bones and fragments of bones of the giant cave lion. But there could be more, after we finish with sorting the collection.

‘Such a large quantity of giant cave lion bones at one site is really unique, the only one in the world so far discovered.”

The experts reported finding and sorting the remains of up to six cave lions. They also added that the remains were found peculiarly deep in the caves, which was unlike cave lion tendencies.

Kosintsev said, ”Surprisingly, the bones were found in the depths of the cave, about 100 metres from the entrance. Usually lions did not go so deep into the cave, it is not typical for them.”
Cave lions, unlike their names, did not live inside caves. They would hunt cave bears and steal their cubs from inside the caves.

The giant cave lions lived in about the same period as Neanderthals, and were up to 25 per cent bigger than the African lions. The mammoth beasts were wiped out by a Quarternary extinction event.

Finding no signs of human life in the caves, scientists believe the caves were ancient religious places for sacrificing to ancient gods.

Kosintsev said the cave was “an ancient sanctuary – and those lions could have been brought to the cave by ancient people. ‘There are other findings that can indicate it was a sanctuary. We also found the skull of a cave bear pierced with the spear, yet there were no evidence that ancient people hunted cave bears, at least not in the Urals.”

The materials have not been dated but finds collected in the upper layers were said to have been from as far back as 30,000 years ago. According to Kosintsev, “The recent findings, from the lower layers, can be older, up to 60,000 years ago. If we will get older data, it could be the world’s most ancient sanctuary of this type. But of course we must wait for the exact data.”

The new findings are one of the greatest discoveries of the giant animals in history. As archaeologists dig deeper, only time will tell what other historical mysteries they will uncover.

Migrants Swarm Italian City Of Milan Protesting Poor Living Conditions, Lack Of Work Permits

Entertainment News

Hundreds of migrants collided with law enforcement officers in the Italian city of Milan on Tuesday after paralyzing a major highway in protest of pitiable living conditions at a Red Cross immigrant center.

The migrants were also upset over their lack of ability to get work permits.

About 300 protesting immigrants made their way along a street connecting Sesto San Giovanni to Milan and temporarily obstructed traffic, while holding up placards of cardboard stating “We’re tired, we want our documents” and chanting “documents, documents.”

The refugees, mostly from Africa, are compelled to live in tents sheltering up to eight people at an immigrant center that remains swamped after last week’s intense rain, local paper Corriere della Sera reported.

Riot police arrived at the scene to deal with the spontaneous demonstration.

According to data from Italy’s Interior Ministry, this year alone, at least 100,000 immigrants and refugees have found themselves in Italy by sea.

The unparalleled arrival of migrants has caused amplified tensions between the main political parties in the country, with some maintaining it’s time to assume a harsher stance on the matter.

“Protests? Go home immediately!” Matteo Salvini , the head of the rightist Northern League party, posted on his Facebook page.

According to the Italian version of the Local, Paolo Gentiloni, the country’s Foreign Minister, said on Sunday that the growing migrant disaster is threatening to tear the “soul” out of the European Union.

“On immigration, Europe is in danger of displaying the worst of itself: selfishness, haphazard decision-making and rows between member states,” Gentiloni explained.

It is time for the whole European Union to stop sitting on its hands and take tough procedures, in Gentiloni’s view.

According to Corriere della Sera most of the immigrants are desperate refugees from the poverty-stricken states of northwest Africa.

As we covered yesterday, more immigration is needed within Europe to steam a wave of low birth rates, particularly in the south. As populations decline Europe is facing a crisis of not too many, but too few workers to care for an ageing population.

Apple Drops $99 Tech Classes, Will Start Teaching All Users For Free

Finance

Apple is supposedly planning to end its “One to One” teaching plan for iOS and Mac users.

According to Mac Rumors, quoting an unspecified source, the organization plans on dropping the $99 plan in favor of open and free workshops, which the organization already offers.

While this sounds like a win for consumers, who pay nothing instead of $100, there are fears it would put deeper stress on the open workshops already offered as Apple pushes toward reorganizing its retail stores.

Rumor has it that, once the change is implemented, Apple will endeavor to focus on free workshops around such themes as “Discover,” and “Create” and feature them more significantly on its official site.

Offering many free of charge in-store programs will not only offer new users the chances to familiarize themselves with the organization’s wares, but bring considerable foot traffic through the company’s retail stores.

The company’s One to One plan, which offers about 90 minutes of deep training, is unparalleled in the tech industry.

You can go into a Verizon or Best Buy to ask workers about a mobile phone, but they may not know the pros and cons of a product.

Apple personnel characteristically have the facts to get customers, particularly those who aren’t very familiar with the tech space, acquainted with the little ins and outs of an Apple product.

If you do are a One to One member, Apple will supposedly honor your membership until it ends, but no new members will be registered in the future.

While some will miss the comprehensive one to one guidance, the free tutoring might still be adequate for that family member who cannot quite understand how to work their Christmas day iPad.

Florida Research Team Discovers Biological ‘Off Switch’ For Cancer Cells

Health & Wellness

A team of scientific researchers from the Mayo Clinic in Florida have successfully reversed the development of cancer by “reprogramming” its cells, in a stunning breakthrough that thwarts further tumor growth.

The new method effectively “turns off” the lethal disease by reinstating the function which stops cells from multiplying and growing wildly. The research findings were published in Nature Cell Biology.

According to Panos Anastasiadis, Ph.D., and chair of the Department of Cancer Biology at Mayo Clinic’s Florida campus, “We have found a new mechanism by which normal cells undergo transition to become tumorigenic.”

In their ordinary state, cells are prevented from an unrestrained growth by a unique “glue” which binds them. This glue is managed by biological microprocessors known as microRNAs.

MicroRNA utilizes a unique protein PLEKHA7 as a mechanism of regulation.

The researchers discovered that the elimination of that mechanism triggers cancer development and the mechanism can be reinstated by exposing cancer cells to MicroRNA molecules, reversing the disease’s spread.

“These [cancer] cells are already missing PLEKHA7. Restoring either PLEKHA7 levels or the levels of miRNAs in these cells turns them back to a benign state,” Anastasiadis said.

The scientists also explained that the special glue, which mainly consists of a couple of proteins – p120 catenin and E-cadherin –, actually encourages cancer when it is deprived of PLEKHA7.

That implies that some particles have “two faces” – a “good one” when they have a constructive role under regular circumstances and a “bad one” when they become dangerous because of deviations.

“I think for therapy it is very important because it shows the way we can turn cancerous cells back to a more normal state,” Anastasiadis explained.

Specialists highlight the significance of the research, but have reservations about the possible efficiency of such treatment.

Henry Scowcroft, Cancer Research UK’s senior science information manager, said, “This important study solves a long-standing biological mystery, but we mustn’t get ahead of ourselves.”

He added, “There’s a long way to go before we know whether these findings, in cells grown in a laboratory, will help treat people with cancer. But it’s a significant step forward in understanding how certain cells in our body know when to grow, and when to stop.”

Dr. Chris Bakal from the Institute for Cancer Research in London concluded, “I think in reality it is unlikely that you could reverse tumors by reversing just one mechanism, but it’s a very interesting finding.”

100 Hamas Militants Pledge Allegiance To ISIS In What Could Provoke All Out War In Gaza

Entertainment News

In a move that could have severe consequence for the whole Middle East, a fresh report states that 100 Hamas militants have dedicated themselves to the Islamic State (ISIS) in Gaza after pledging loyalty to its head, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.

According to a reliable Salafist source inside Gaza, the “covenants” were done privately by the new supporters and the decision is a “serious step” towards launching the Caliphate in Gaza.

Recently, there has been increasing tensions between Hamas and ISIS.

In July, ISIS sent a video message, in which, it openly threatened to wipe out Hamas in Gaza as its principles were becoming “too weak”.

Wielding AK-47 rifles, three ISIS members from Palestine addressed the “tyrants of Hamas”. “You are nothing in our reckoning. You, Fatah and all the secularists, we count you as nothing. Allah willing, we shall uproot the State of the Jews. You are nothing but froth that will be gone as we move in. Allah willing, Gaza will be governed by Shariah despite you,” a Gazan, Abu Azzam Al-Ghazzawim, stated in the video.

Another major ISIS associate, Abu Qatadah Al-Filistini, urged authentic Muslims in Gaza to “join the convoy of the Mujahideen and to join the State of the Caliphate”.

In June, the terrorists assassinated a chief Hamas commander by bombing his vehicle. Afterward, Hamas executed an ISIS leader, and in revenge, the Islamic State members fired two rockets into the southern part of Israel from the Gaza Strip.

The false flag attack prompted instant retaliatory bombing by Israel, who looks for any opportunity to wage all-out war on what it perceives as a terrorist group.

Recently, ISIS seized four Hamas fighters in Egypt while traveling to Iran for special training.

After Over 100 Years The BBC Won’t Get Its Weather Forecasts From Britain And The Country Is Freaking Out

Entertainment News

The Met Office, the iconic British weather forecaster, has lost the deal it has held for about a century to supply public broadcaster the BBC with weather forecasts, marking the end one of the longest partnerships in British media.

The BBC said it was lawfully required to open up the deal to external competition in order to secure the greatest value for those paying license fees.

The meteorological department said it was dissatisfied by the BBC’s choice to put out to tender the deal, which has been in existence since the organization’s first radio weather conditions report on 14 November 1922. Operations and customer services director at the Met Office, Steve Noyes, said: “Nobody knows Britain’s weather better and, during our long relationship with the BBC, we’ve revolutionized weather communication to make it an integral part of British daily life. Met Office and BBC belong together.”

He added, “This is disappointing news, but we will be working to make sure that vital Met Office advice continues to be a part of BBC output. Ranked number one in the world for forecast accuracy, people trust our forecasts and warnings.”

New Zealand and Dutch organizations are said to be in the contest for the contract, which is said to make up a significant share of the £32.5m the Met Office earns yearly from commercial companies.

Regarding the plan, Conservative MP Andrew Bridgen said, “Everybody understands the BBC has to cut costs. But the public will need to be convinced the new forecaster can accurately predict the fickleness of the British weather, especially if it’s a foreign provider.”

Ben Bradshaw, a former BBC journalist and a retired culture secretary, called for government intercession in a number of tweets.

Last year, the Met Office publicized plans to spend £97m on a new-fangled supercomputer. The service has been significantly criticized, most particularly the “barbecue summer’’ projection in 2009 that preceded a failure and led to the company ending its long-standing outlooks.

BBC weather broadcasters have long been targeted by critics. Tomasz Schafernaker stuck his middle finger up at BBC journalist Simon McCoy live on air in 2010. Speaking in the BBC newsroom, McCoy stated: “Now we will have the weather forecast in a minute and of course it will be 100% accurate and provide all the detail you can possibly want. I’ve just seen Tom Schafernaker preparing for it.” The camera then cut to the presenter who, actually uninformed that he was on air, made the finger sign. Realizing his fault, he raised his finger to his face in an effort to conceal it, before the camera went back to McCoy, who stated: “There’s always one mistake. That was it.”

A BBC spokesperson said: “Our viewers get the highest standard of weather service, and that won’t change. We are legally required to go through an open-tender process and take forward the strongest bids to make sure we secure both the best possible service and value for money for the license fee payer.”

Russia Just Unveiled Its Plans For A New Reusable Space Plane

Entertainment News

The Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center, a spacecraft and rocket maker based in Moscow, intends to restore the former Soviet Union’s winged space shuttle program, referred to as Buran.

Established in 1974, Buran was a government reusable spacecraft initiative undertaken as a reaction to NASA’s Space Shuttle program.

According to a statement released via state sponsored Sputnik News, the rejuvenated edition of the project, known as the Reusable Space Rocket System, will be funded from 2021 through 2025. It will be expanded under the Russian Federal Space Program and will cost more than $185 million.

The news comes at a time when the United States is once again running a reusable space program, via the Air Force’s X-37B ‘Orbital Test Vehicle’. While still under a test designation the plane has flown at least four times and boasts the ability to dramatically change orbits, making it well suited to capturing or destroying enemy satellites.

The Russian MRKS, as the program is called, is scheduled to be established from the Vostochny Cosmodrome Russia’s Far East and will see a partly reusable launch vehicle (MRKS-1) outfitted with a winged booster stage.

The reusable booster, after ferrying the second, dispensable stage of the MRKS vehicle into the stratosphere, would disconnect and come back to Earth to be equipped for its next mission.

The vehicle has an airplane design and is able to return to the launch location for a flat landing. It also includes detachable second stages and higher stages. The winged lower stage is fueld with liquid-propellant in tanks that are re-usable.

The MRKS-1 will have the capacity to send a variety of payloads into space, up to 35 metric tons in total. This could considerably lessen the cost of setting up satellites and other spaceships into orbit.

The Buran program was a Soviet and afterward Russian reusable spacecraft scheme that began in 1974 at the Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute and was officially stopped in 1993. It was the biggest and the priciest project in the history of Soviet space study and very similar to the U.S. Space Shuttle program.

A Buran-class orbiter, known as Orbiter OK-1K1, went to space just once, in 1988 and is still the only Soviet reusable spaceship to be launched into space. The launch was done on Nov. 15, 1988 from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.

The spacecraft orbited the Earth two times in 206 minutes of air travel. On its arrival, it performed a computerized landing on the runway at Baikonur.

Because there were exceptional visual resemblances between NASA’s Space Shuttle and Buran, it was contemplated that spying may have played a principal role in the creation of the Soviet spaceship.

But despite exterior similarities, much dissimilarity existed, like the lack of the major rocket engines on the Buran craft. It implies that, if intelligence had played a part in Buran’s development, it would possibly have been in the form of outside photography or initial airframe designs.

The termination of the Buran mission left Russia without any reusable spaceship. The end of NASA’s Space Shuttle program in 2011 left the United States without any space transport system which can send astronauts into orbit, a problem NASA is seeking to address with the upcoming Space Launch System.

Google Just Launched An All Out Assault On Yelp With Auto-Tagging Of Restaurant Photos

Finance

A new feature by Google will give its users a bigger role in the reviewing of restaurants and simultaneously attack Yelp’s dominance of the restaurant search segment.

With restaurant eating becoming more and more convenient in North America thanks to prevailing economic conditions that leave consumers with little time to prepare a meal, Google has resorted to innovative features to ensure it is at the helm of the restaurant review business.

The new feature allows Google to recognize when a user snaps a photo of their food at a restaurant. Immediately this is recognized and the user will get a request from Google for permission to share the picture taken on Google maps. Once permission is granted, the app will allow anyone to check out the pictures on Google maps.

At the moment, the feature is only available to Google Maps Local Guides on level three and upwards.

Becoming a Local Guide is open to anyone. However, one will have to write reviews for restaurants, shops and a host of other locations so as to go up the levels ladder. Level three Local guides are required to write up to 50 reviews.

The move by Google is seen as an attempt to maintain dominance of local listings where it has been receiving hefty competition from rival search engines.

Last year, Microsoft acquired Foursquare and integrated its check-in service with its search engine Bing. Closely following the Microsoft acquisition, Yahoo partnered with Yelp to have the latter’s restaurant reviews featured on Yahoo’s search results.

Google is leading the pack in the search market with a market share of 67.3 percent. Bing is second with 18.8 percent while Yahoo trails the pack with 10 percent.

Google has had it out for Yelp for awhile. The search engine pushes its own data on restaurants and even got into trouble for allegedly stealing content from other smaller listing rivals including Amazon. The new feature will offer Google an opportunity to compete aggressively in the restaurant review business while offering its users the best possible search experience.

For One Day In September, Paris Will Return The City To Pedestrians And Ban All Cars

Entertainment News

Picture any big city anywhere on earth without traffic, just for one day. Now, if that city were Paris, visualize further the picturesque possibilities, not to mention the auditory, olfactory and visual potential.

Visualize no more because on September 27th, that’s just what is going to happen in Paris: “Une Journée Sans Voiture” – A Day without Car, in what will be a very exceptional day in history of the city.

City Hall refers to it as “a crazy gamble, but achievable.” No power-driven vehicle, with a few exceptions such as ambulances, will be permitted to drive in the streets.

In March, Mayor Anne Hidalgo announced that: “Paris will be completely transformed for a day. This is an opportunity for Parisians and tourists to enjoy the city without noise, pollution and therefore without stress.”

According to the city’s plan for September 27th, “All the most popular tourist spots, usually crowded, will be fully dedicated to pedestrians who will be able to discover a new Paris.”

The places without traffic are the 1st, 2nd, 3th, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 10th and 11th neighborhoods, the Place de la Bastille, Place de la Republique, the area around the Eiffel Tower, the Left Bank, the Champs Élysées, Place Stalingrad and the Bois de Vincennes and Boulogne.

The Day without Car is a component of the city’s crusade against contamination and is along the lines of the European Mobility Week that will come to pass in Paris from September 16 to 22 as well as the key United Nations meeting on the climate (COP 21) also in Paris towards November.

Court Rules FTC Can Take Action Against Companies For Shoddy Cybersecurity Practices

News

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission has the authority to bring down the hammer on companies that do not protect customer information, a court of appeal ruled on Monday.

The United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit defended the FTC’s 2012 court case against Wyndham Worldwide, a restaurant and timeshare operator.

The FTC recorded a grievance against Wyndham for three information breaches in 2008 and 2009 that saw at least US $10.6 million in deceptive charges accrued on customer credit cards lost in the breach.

The court of appeal ruling, supporting a 2014 district court judgment, says the FTC can hold organizations responsible for failing to apply sensible security practices.

Wyndham was one of two organizations that had opposed the FTC’s power to implement cybersecurity standards under the FTC Act’s deceptive and unfair practices provisions.

Opponents have said the agency has no noticeably defined cybersecurity principles for companies to adhere to.

Wyndham said it was upset by the judgment, but noted that the resolution was founded on its motion to do away with the case, requiring the court of appeal to take the FTC’s claims at “face value.”

Wyndham’s confrontation of the FTC will go on in court, the corporation said.

In a formal statement, the company said, “We continue to contend the FTC lacks the authority to pursue this type of case against American businesses, and has failed to publish any regulations that would give such businesses fair notice of any proposed standards for data security.” It went further to explain, “With the dramatic increase in the number and severity of cyber attacks on both public and private institutions, we believe consumers will be best served by the government and businesses working together collaboratively rather than as adversaries.”

The FTC said it was comfortable with the ruling of the court.

Edith Ramirez, agency Chairwoman, said that the court judgment “reaffirms the FTC’s authority to hold companies accountable for failing to safeguard consumer data.” She added, “It is not only appropriate, but critical, that the FTC has the ability to take action on behalf of consumers when companies fail to take reasonable steps to secure sensitive consumer information.”

The FTC blamed the hotel operator of sticking to cybersecurity practices that “unreasonably and unnecessarily exposed consumers’ personal data to unauthorized access and theft.”

The organization’s hotels kept payment card data in plain, legible text, and it used effortlessly guessed passwords to reach its property supervision systems, the FTC said. The organization also failed to apply “readily available security measures” like firewalls to restrict access between the organization’s property management systems, the Internet and its corporate network the FTC alleged.

Wyndham’s confidentiality policy said the corporation protects customer data “using industry-standard practices,” the FTC claimed.

On appeal, Wyndham argued that its demeanor was not in line with the congressional description in the FTC Act of “unfair.” The corporation argued that its deeds were not unjust because it was the prey of criminals.

After Worst Day For Stocks In 8 Years, China Cuts Rates Again In Desperate Bid To Jolt Economy

Finance

China has resorted to cutting its interest rates for the fifth time since November in order to spur economic growth. The Chinese market experienced its worst day in eight years yesterday and has had a stiff couple of months.

A clear financial crisis is taking shape, eroding its stock market and mopping up liquidity. The Chinese authorities are now resorting to extreme measures to contain the damage and revive the ailing economy.

Already facing the biggest market glut since 1996, China’s one year lending rates will effectively drop by 25 basis points to 4.6 per cent beginning Wednesday. A statement from the People’s Bank Of China (PBOC) confirmed the drop in interest rates while also announcing the lowering of required reserve ratios by 50 basis points. One year deposit rates will fall by a quarter to 1.75 per cent.

Through lowering the bank interest rates, the PBOC seeks to effectively grant citizens easier terms to borrow from banks. This borrowing, they hope, will result in more spending in the economy thus stimulating growth. The lowering of reserve ratios will compound this as banks lend more capital to businesses and individuals in a bid to stir the economy.

The acceleration of monetary easing evidences premier Li Keqiang’s goal for growth by about 7 per cent this year. However, analysts have predicted that the goal may not materialize with the prevailing economic conditions in Asia’s largest economy.

China devalued its currency on Aug. 11, risking huge capital outflows and tighter liquidity.

Economic readings are weaker than forecasted while the stock market has in the past four days plunged by 22 percentage points. Monetary easing may be the only hope for China at this moment and the latest round of interest rate lowering may not be its last.

Lu Ting, Chief economist at Huatai Securities Company said, “The government has stopped using unconventional intervention in the stock market and decided to use more traditional and more market-based methods to boost market momentum and help the real economy,”

Mark Williams, Chief Asia economist at Capital Economics Limited said, “The move may halt the market slide but we suspect the primary motivation is to shore up confidence in the state of the wider economy.”

The interest rate cuts caused a domino effect on other international markets. In London, the FTSE 100 jumped 3.3 percent while in Germany, the DAX went up 4.4 per cent and in Paris, the CAC rose by 4.6 per cent. Other European markets in Lisbon, Milan and Madrid also went up sharply.

China’s lowering of interest rates follows closely the rebasing of their currency to allow for a harsher fall. Through these policies that are largely market oriented, the conservative nationalist government seeks to halt the bleeding economy and allow for a more flexible recovery.

Researchers Create Crystal Clear Smartphone Display Millions Of Times More Vivid Than Apple’s Amazing Retina

Finance

A scientific breakthrough in rare earth metal display technology could increase the resolution of smartphones by a factor of a million. Screen resolution is a major deal with consumers when purchasing smartphones and computers. An increase in resolution capacity will mean better gaming experience, better videos, pinpoint accurate selfies and 3D displays that change the way we interact with our devices.

Chinese scientists led the research by putting six rare earth elements into a nanocapsule and beaming powerful lasers onto it. Through the experiment, the scientists were able to uncover. for the first ever, the full spectrum of light.

The research was published in the journal Angewandte Chemie. It detailed that through the exploitation of the rare earth metals, displays could reach over 850 million Pixels Per Inch (PPI). Currently, the retina displays used on iPads, iPhones and Macbooks only use about 300 PPI, a huge contrast.

The groundbreaking new research has ushered in a new age of device displays.

However, according to Zhang Zhongping, a science professor at the Chinese Academy of Sciences and author of the study, it may take long before the breakthrough is materialized on smartphone displays worldwide.

Zhongping said, “Pixels are only one part of display technology. When pixels go down in size, it requires laser beams to become extremely fine as well. To generate and control laser beams at a nanoscale [level] is a problem that has not been solved.”

Current display technologies including light-emitting diode technology (LED) and plasma technology produce different colors by mixing three primary colors: red, blue and yellow.

The rare earth elements are different in that they have round structures that contain six layers of elements such as Erbium and Thulium. Through varying the laser beam wavelengths, they are able to produce different colors.

The team has spent a remarkable three years on the project. After many attempts and failures, they finally came up with a formula that could be mass produced in chemical plants.

According to Zhongping, “The biggest challenge is to find the right rare earth elements and control their precise composition.

“A wrong element or slight disproportion will make it impossible to obtain pure white light, which is the benchmark from which to evaluate the performance of a display technology.”

Though the technology will cause a seismic shift in how consumers view display capabilities on their devices, the added capabilities do come at additional costs, especially since they use rare earth metals.

However, with the technology rapidly evolving, it is safe to say that in the coming future, conventional LED displays will be a thing of the past.

Another Death In IndyCar Raises Tough Questions About The Business Of Dangerous Motorsports

Finance

IndyCar driver Justin Wilson died yesterday from severe injuries sustained after a crash on Sunday. The crash left Wilson unconscious and ultimately led to his untimely death.

The IndyCar champion’s passing is the second since 2011 and leaves behind the controversial topic of whether the open cockpits in IndyCars should be closed for the safety of the drivers. It also raises pressing questions about whether the series is doing enough to ensure driver safety.

Wilson was hit by the nose cone from driver Sage Karam’s car. Karam crashed on lap 21 of the ABC Supply 500, leaving debris all over the track. One piece, the nose cone, bounced off the track and hit Wilson on the head.

The impact from the hit left Wilson unconscious, causing his vehicle to veer off track and crash into the adjacent inside wall.

Wilson was airlifted to the Lehigh Valley Hospital, where he fell into a coma.

The news of Wilson’s death was made at exactly 9PM ET on Monday. In a statement by IndyCar Chief Executive Mark Miles, “This is a monumentally sad day for IndyCar and the motorsports community as a whole. Justin’s elite ability to drive a race car was matched by his unwavering kindness, character and humility – which is what made him one of the most respected members of the paddock.”

A statement from Andretti Autosport, Wilson’s race team read, “it only took a second for him to forever become part of the Andretti family. His life and racing career is a story of class and passion surpassed by none.”

Wilson died by his family. He leaves behind his wife Julia, two daughters, his parents and brother Stephan. A statement from the family read in part, “Justin was a loving father and devoted husband, as well as a highly competitive racing driver who was respected by his peers.”

Wilson was a Sheffield, England native with seven major U.S. open wheel championships, including three IndyCar series. Earlier in the year, he was part of the winning team at the 24 Hours of Daytona.

Wilson is the first driver to die from injuries sustained on the track since Dan Wheldon in 2011. Wheldon died after suffering a severe head injury in a wild car crash at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Wilson’s crash has been attributed to his open cockpit, a long standing tradition in IndyCar racing. In contrast, Nascar racing cockpits are closed, leaving drivers less exposed.

The topic on open cockpits will definitely follow IndyCar racing management in the days following Wilson’s demise. Wilson’s death is a harsh reminder of the risks involved when the safety of race car drivers is not put first.

Its also a reminder that in the IndyCar series profits seems to be taking a back seat to meaningful safety reforms.

Uber Up In Arms After Rivals Ban It From China’s Most Popular Social Network

Finance

Uber is up in arms against Chinese tech giant Tencent over what it terms anticompetitive business practices by the social network. Uber executives have come out strongly to protest the repeated anticompetitive tactics being used against the popular ride sharing app to make sure it does not penetrate the Chinese market, a market analysts have said will be the largest ride sharing market in the world.

Uber executive Emil Michael recently complained in an interview about Chinese company Tencent’s anti-competitive strong arm tactics. He was referring to the banning of Uber from WeChat, China’s most popular messaging app, wholly owned by Tencent.

Uber’s problems stem from the fact that the company is jumping head first into the Chinese market, in direct competition with Didi Kuaidi, a homegrown car sharing service. Didi Kuaidi is backed by three of mainland Asia’s strongest corporates Tencent, Alibaba and Softbank.

Softbank is already sponsoring Uber’s rivals in Singapore and India while in mainland U.S., Alibaba is funding rival cab sharing service Lyft.

The move by Tencent to ban Uber from WeChat, which enjoys a registered market of over 350 million Chinese citizens, has been seen by analysts as the first draw of blood from dominant nationalist Chinese companies. More artillery could be fired through Alibaba, which owns Uber’s preferred payment vehicle, Alipay.

Though the tactics do bear the persistent coating of intolerance to competition, the underdog image does not suit Uber in any way, especially since the company itself used some of the tactics against competition in the U.S.

An investigation by The Verge one year ago revealed that Uber had initiated an operation codenamed ‘SLOG’ to completely frustrate rival Lyft.

The operation involved leveraging investors to block attempts by Lyft to raise capital in the U.S. The operation also involved hiring secret agents to take Lyft taxis and use any means possible to convince the drivers into ditching the startup for Uber. Could Uber be suffering from a bad case of a dose-of-your-own-medicine?

Michael, however, was quick to point out that the company would not be backing down from the Chinese market and expected to see rival companies slow down on their hostility.

He said, “I think as we continue to succeed, and it’s clear we’re in this for the long haul—we’ve got Chinese investors behind us; we’ve got partnerships with cities; we’re spending money in the local economy; local investors have an interest in our success—then we’ll get into more of a détente mode.”

Valued at $50 billion, Uber is planning to go public in 18 months. The Chinese market presents a potent entrance into populous Asia, which the company will need to both thrive in future and raise capital in their IPO.

With Uber being an American company and presenting a threat to the local establishment, hostility from Chinese companies will not be going down anytime soon.

Europe Is Seeing A Technology Boom Just Like Silicon Valley And Investors Are Making Millions

Finance

German Venture capitalist Klaus Hommels, who is known for having the midas touch when it comes to investing in startups, is putting his dollars and capital gathering talent to work in the European tech sector.

Hommels successes to date include Spotify, the music streaming service, Swedish online payments company Klarna, Facebook, Airbnb, Algomi – the London based social network for bond trading, and American on-line shaving company Harry’s.
,
This week Hommel announced through his venture capital firm, Lakestar, that he will be setting up a new fund worth $398 million, aimed at European tech startups, but also a few “American fledgling companies looking to expand globally.”

“Technology has become integral to how we live,”he said. “We won’t be afraid to back startups with high valuations if we can accelerate their growth.”

The only “failure Hommels has had was his investing into Candy Crush maker King Digital. Although not losing money on the deal, he missed out on $1 billion as he sold his shares before the company went public.

Experts say that Hommels switch to Europe was perhaps the strongest indicator to date that investors who have taken a renewed interest in European venture capital, with private equity firms, venture capitalists,and other investors, have made the right move.

In the second quarter of 2015, European venture capital firms have raised $2.44 billion, 63 percent more than for the corresponding time last year.

Some experts are saying the interest in Europe could result in a “European tech bubble” but Hommel said he was not worried. He said unlike the dotcom era, where technology was confined to a small group of “web entrepreneurs” , the use of cloud computing, and smartphones, and “other trends” was spread into general public use.

“Good entrepreneurs can always distinguish between smart and easy money,” said Hommel. “Even if the bubble bursts, that’s not necessarily a bad thing.”

ISIS Posts Video Of Historic Palmyra Temple Being Destroyed

Entertainment News

The Islamic State (ISIS) terror network has published photos, taken from a video, which appear to show the destruction of the Syrian city of Palmyra’s ancient Temple of Baalshamin. The temple had been deemed a UNESCO world heritage site and was protected under UN law.

Images from the video show militants placing explosives inside the temple and then depict a massive explosion. The pictures were circulated by the Islamist group’s supporters.

Syrian officials and local activist groups confirmed on Monday that it had been destroyed although there was debate over when precisely the destruction took place.

The UN’s cultural organization said called the deliberate destruction a “war crime.”

Biden Receives Obama’s Blessing For Presidential Bid, Leaning Towards Running

News

Current Vice President and prospective 2016 presidential candidate Joe Biden has allegedly received President Obama’s “blessing” to formally make a 2016 bid.

The news came from a senior democrat who wished to remain anonymous.

While the decision is solely Biden’s, the President’s blessing will help smooth the process from the Vice President, especially by giving him use of the President’s election team.

The two discussed Biden’s potential presidential candidacy among other topics over lunch on Monday at the White House. The senior Democrat said the President was clear he would not stand in his way or advise him not to run, underscoring the thin ice Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton is on.

The Vice President will confer Monday night with Bob Bauer and Anita Dunn, the husband-and-wife duo who have handled Obama’s campaigns and administration during the last 10 years. The Vice President’s chief of staff, Steve Ricchetti, was expected to attend as well.

Reports emerged earlier on Monday that Biden is in fact leaning toward running, but has yet to make up his mind completely.

Biden has now met with President Obama, Senator Elizabeth Warren and Obama’s two most trusted advisers in the last 72 hours, highlighting just how seriously he is taking a potential bid.

Trump Uses Market Meltdown To Illustrate American Reliance On China

News

Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump took today’s global stock market correction as an opportunity to confront America about its complicated relationship with China.

“As I have long stated, we are so tied in with China and Asia that their markets are now taking the U.S. market down. Get smart U.S.A.,” Trump tweeted.

He continued with “Markets are crashing — all caused by poor planning and allowing China and Asia to dictate the agenda. This could get very messy! Vote Trump”.

Turning to Instagram he posted a short video in which he said “I’ve been telling everybody for a long time: China is taking our jobs, they’re taking our money, be careful, they’ll bring us down. You have to know what you’re doing. We have nobody that has a clue.”

Trump, who has yet to release specific policy proposals other than his controversial immigration plan, didn’t reveal any hints on how he would deal with the economy, but he did engage in some tweeting with some of his followers on the subject.

“@john_franco: When people start losing their savings & home value, they will be begging Trump to fix the economy #MakeAmericaGreatAgain.” and “Perhaps so!” when another Tweeter asked if he was the only person who could save the country from economic “turmoil”.

The Chinese stock market posted its worst day in eight years on what Xinhua, China’s official state news agency, called “Black Monday.”

Stock markets around the globe reacted by driving stock prices down. The Dow Jones Industrial Average immediately dropped more than 1,000 points when the New York Stock Exchange opened this morning, before recovering after a day of drama, to end down just 150 points.

Trump wasn’t the only presidential candidate to jump on the Wall Street wagon.

Democratic candidate Bernie Sanders tweeted “For the past 40 years, Wall Street and the billionaire class have rigged the rules to redistribute wealth to the richest among us“, followed by “We need banks that invest in the job-creating economy. We don’t need more speculation with the American economy hanging in the balance.”

Nuclear Deal’s Secret Selling Point Is That It Will Make Bombing Iran Easier

News

The Obama administration is taking a tact that some experts are calling reverse psychology in trying to drum up support for the Iran nuclear deal, telling people that if they think the U.S should go to war with Iran, then supporting the deal would be the best thing to do.

In Capitol Hill meetings and in those with influential policy analysts, Obama administration officials are reportedly saying that inspections of Iran’s nuclear facilities, which are part of the deal, would provide the U.S. with information that would be useful for bombing raids should war with Iran break out.

The ranking Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, Rep. Adam Schiff, said “It’s certainly an argument I’ve heard made. We’ll be better off with the agreement were we to need to use force,” he said.

Experts say the argument could be useful on hawkish view centrist Democrats.

Congress is expected to vote next month on the deal which would release sanctions on Iran in return for allowing inspections of its nuclear program.

President Obama has kept quiet on the deal which experts say is out of concern over tensions between the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Iran’s clerical regime. Under the deal, the Agency would carry out inspections and monitor Iran’s nuclear program.

Schiff, who has stated he supports the deal said “I can certainly understand why the Iranians wouldn’t like that (the bombing information gathering) argument. But then the Iranians have made a lot of arguments that we don’t like.”

Analysts said having a clearer view and understanding of Iran’s program would undeniably have military benefits.

Professor at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs Austin Long, who studies U.S. military options said “If you want to bomb the program, you should be super excited about this deal. The more you know about Iran’s nuclear program and the industrial infrastructure behind that program, the better you will be able to target it.”

Russia Caught Exporting Jihadi Fighters To Syria To Avoid Casualties At Home

Entertainment News

Russia has been caught playing a paradoxical game with Islamic terror. Against a widespread belief that they are indeed fighting the growth of terror, Russian authorities have been caught funding the exit from Russia and entry into Syria of dozens of jihadi militants.

Russia’s president Vladimir Putin has long been associated with the war on terror. Through mutually beneficial cooperation between his government and the U.S. government, the two countries have ensured the threat of mass casualty terror is subsiding.

However, new evidence has emerged that has many analysts wondering whether Putin is truly about curbing terror.

Novaya Gazeta, an independent Russian newspaper, reported an investigative piece by reporter Elena Milashina on the terror stricken village in North Caucasus, which revealed that “Russian special services have controlled” the gradual flow of Russian jihadists into Syria.

Milashina’s case study was taken to the northern village of Novasasitili where, since 2011, almost one per cent of the population has gone to fight in Syria alongside ISIS.

Milashina reported that the Federal Security Service (FSB), Russia’s chief intelligence agency, was able to establish a “green corridor” to allow the jihadi fighters to move from Russia into Turkey and finally to Syria.

Through the double dealing jihadi emigration program, Putin has contributed to the growing number of ISIS insurgents battling to create an Islamic caliphate against the ruling regime of Putin’s supposed ally, Bashar al-Assad.

Akhyad Abdullaev, head of the village told Milashina, “I know someone who has been at war for 15 years. He fought in Chechnya, Afghanistan, Iraq, and now in Syria. He surely cannot live peacefully. If such people go off to war, it’s no loss. In our village there is a person, a negotiator. He, together with the FSB, brought several leaders out of the underground and sent them off abroad on jihad. The underground resistance has been weakened, we’re well off. They want to fight—let them fight, just not here.”

The controversial tactic aimed at stemming rising jihadi activities in northern Russia has resulted in decreased insurgency activities in the north. Tanya Lokshina, program director at Human Rights Watch, said that though she could neither confirm nor deny the practice, “It is also evident that [Russian] law enforcement and security agencies are proud of the fact that the number of casualties in armed clashes between insurgent forces and security has declined very significantly by some 50 percent.”

Through offering insurgents the option of fighting in Syria, Putin has ensured ISIS has a steady supply of recruits while stemming the rising insurgency in his home turf. The move may be beneficial to Russia, but it provide the Syrian terror group with plenty of troops to unleash on innocent civilians.

Hibernation Sleep Therapy May Soon Be Headed To A Spa Near You

Health & Wellness

Long duration cryogenic slumber or hibernation may be helpful for space trips, but as NASA has lost interest in the project, earthbound applications may be a more viable path to market.

NASA intends to make space trips to Mars more efficient by ferrying astronauts while they slumber during the six-month hike. This reduces the need for food, water and other consumable supplies.

Leading efforts to develop the technology is SpaceWorks, a company that maintains it has solved the mystery of cryogenic slumber. They are borrowing techniques used by doctors and altering them for space trips.

According to medical publication MedScape, restorative hypothermia is already used to revitalize patients having heart failure, which has been associated with preserving the brain’s function by decreasing the body’s metabolism.

Doctors reduce the temperature of the body with intravenous solutions, ice cubes and cooling blankets until they manage to get the heart and blood moving again.

SpaceWorks intends to extend this technique to space travel and put scientists in a state of hibernation. The merits would be that astronauts would not need much food. Astronauts would also avoid the challenge of space travel, which would appear to go by in the wink of an eye.

The planned cooling method is not theatrical — adjusting the body heat to 93 degrees Fahrenheit — but has a thespian slowing impact on the body.

According to a study sponsored by NASA, astronauts would be put in a slumber-like condition using a drug, cooling systems, or brain manipulation. The scientists would still need some nourishment, which would be supplied by a feeding tube, which is presently used for patients who cannot eat.

There is a broad gap between what is doable today and what would be required in space.

As of today, a couple of weeks are the longest time a human being has survived in stasis. To land on Mars, the journey would take between six and nine months.

SpaceWorks maintains that two-week hibernation would be sufficient to preserve reserves on a Mars assignment. Researchers would take turns in shifts of sleep and alertness.

According to sleep science blog Van Winkle’s, in spite of buzz from last year’s exploration project, NASA appears to have developed “cold feet” about the whole research effort. NASA refused to finance the second stage of the exploration.

SpaceWorks head John Bradford still believes in the worth of the technology, but maybe here on Earth.

He recently said that “Maybe it’s something you go into on the weekend for 48-hour torpor sleep.” He added, “The reason they do it for traumatic injuries is that it lowers the metabolism and blood pressure and such and gives the body time to respond and heal from these injuries, so maybe there is some therapeutic benefit.”

Though the thought seems strange, a cryogenic spa might motivate some people. Whether the technique will become harmless for people who are not experiencing a severe medical emergency is another unanswered question but the future thus far appears bright, if cold.

For more on this and other sleep related reading head on over the Van Winkle’s Here.

Europe’s Quickly Shrinking Population Could Turn Migrants From Problem To Opportunity

Entertainment News

Europe’s population is shrinking with experts predicting grave economic and social implications if the trend is not reversed.

In some regions of Spain, deaths outnumbered births 2 -1 and experts say this could rise to 3-1 in the coming years. The country’s falling population growth is not helped by its economic situation, which has brought a mass exodus of young people migrating for better career prospects, something also being experienced in other southern European countries.

As we’ve covered previously, entire villages are for sale as populations continue to shrink.

Experts say that if the exodus of young people continues there could be shortages of skilled workers, especially in health services, which would affect the providing of care for rapidly growing numbers of elderly.

Portugal, similar to Spain, has a population that’s been shrinking since 2010. Projections suggesting it could drop from to 6.3 million from the current 10.5 million by 2060. Portugese Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho acknowledged the crisis, saying “we’ve got really serious problems.”

Coelho said the next 10 to 15 years will be a crucial time and if no action is taken to reverse the trend “these issues will only be solved by a miracle.”

Eurostat agency predictions show that by 2050, Portugal will have the smallest proportion of children of any country in Europe – 11.5% of the population will be under the age of 15. Hundreds of schools, toy shops and other stores which in the past have catered for children are already shutting their doors and motels are being converted into nursing homes.

Coelho has asked the the European Union to make falling birthrates a priority.

“This question has a dimension that is not strictly national — the manner in which urban life is organised,” he said

Last year Coelho formed a commission to look into methods of reversing the dwindling birthrate. Commision head Professor Joaquim Azevedo said research shows that if the trend is not reversed it could leave the country “unsustainable in terms of economic growth, social security and the welfare state.”

“We are losing our population, as we know. These matters are crystal clear. It is a reality. Facts are facts and that is what is happening, ” said Azevedo.

In Italy the Government is encouraging Italians to have children. Last year Prime minister Matteo Renzi announced plans to give low-income couples a monthly “baby bonus” of $94.

Germany last week received a rare bit of good news population wise – the country’s birth rate was found to be at its highest for 13 years – but experts say this effort will have to be maintained because, according to government predictions, the population is on course to dwindle from 81 million to 67 million, with the workforce dropping by 7 percent to just 54 percent, by 2030.

Only Scandinavia appears to be bucking the downward population trend and experts attribute this to stable economies, generous parental leave systems, and high net immigration, especially in Sweden and Norway.

Immigration has also propped up the population in France and Britain but their growth figures are also dropping.

Ironically record numbers of refugees are risking their lives to enter Europe illegally from Africa and the middle east. Perhaps Europe may revise their thinking on migrants and embrace instead of discourage them.

Apple CEO Tim Cook May Have Violated SEC Rules In This Morning’s Market Panic

Finance

As smartphone maker Apple Corp.’s stock was plummeting this morning, losing a staggering $75 billion in market cap, and dipping to $92 pershare, CNBC’s Jim Cramer stunned the TV audience by pulling a private email out of his inbox.

That email was from Apple CEO Tim Cook, which stated the following:

Jim,
As you know, we don’t give mid-quarter updates and we rarely comment on moves in Apple stock. But I know your question is on the minds of many investors.
I get updates on our performance in China every day, including this morning, and I can tell you that we have continued to experience strong growth for our business in China through July and August. Growth in iPhone activations has actually accelerated over the past few weeks, and we have had the best performance of the year for the App Store in China during the last 2 weeks.
Obviously I can’t predict the future, but our performance so far this quarter is reassuring. Additionally, I continue to believe that China represents an unprecedented opportunity over the long term as LTE penetration is very low and most importantly the growth of the middle class over the next several years will be huge.
Tim

Yet the email, while helpful to some viewers of the program, was not accompanied by the required public filing. This makes the disclosure a private business update with an outside party. Which means Cramer and any / all of his staffers could have had access to this email prior to its public disclosure and could have potentially traded on the information.

This almost certainly makes the gaffe a violation of the SEC’s Regulation Fair Disclosure, which mandates that all publicly traded companies must disclose material information to all investors at the same time.

The SEC has yet to respond to the numerous calls for it to investigate but we suspect it won’t be long before they take a look. Other tech companies, notably Netflix, have fallen afoul of this rule under similar circumstances in the past.