News

San Jose looks to tap into residents’ private surveillance cameras for police use
http://rt.com/usa/san-jose-surveillance-camera-police-381/

For Already Vulnerable Penguins, Study Finds Climate Change Is Another Danger
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/30/science/earth/climate-change-taking-toll-on-penguins-study-finds.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Obesity Is Found to Gain Its Hold in Earliest Years
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/30/science/obesity-takes-hold-early-in-life-study-finds.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

EU has secret plan for police to 'remote stop' cars
http://telegraph.feedsportal.com/c/32726/f/564430/s/368186f0/sc/21/l/0L0Stelegraph0O0Cnews0Cworldnews0Ceurope0Ceu0C10A60A53280CEU0Ehas0Esecret0Eplan0Efor0Epolice0Eto0Eremote0Estop0Ecars0Bhtml/story01.htm

Icelandic Drilling Project Opens Door to Volcano-Powered Electricity
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/icelandic-drilling-project-opens-door-to-volcano-powered-electricity/

West Virginia official says residents are breathing cancer-causing agent after chemical spill
http://rt.com/usa/west-virginia-chemical-cancer-373/

Mesmerizing Animation Shows How Much Healthier The World Has Become
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheMoneyGame/~3/MmE9t6corL4/life-expectancy-and-child-mortality-over-history-2014-1

If We Want to Save the Environment, Images Like These Must Go Viral
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n3/477836-whale-shark-slaughterhouse-uncovered-in-southeastern-china-photos-video/

Adolescente condenada por liderar rede de prostituição
http://feeds.dn.pt/~r/DN-Globo/~3/y86KgXH5AHI/story01.htm

In Ukraine, fascists, oligarchs and western expansion are at the heart of the crisis | Seumas Milne
http://feeds.theguardian.com/c/34708/f/663879/s/36812b27/sc/40/l/0L0Stheguardian0N0Ccommentisfree0C20A140Cjan0C290Cukraine0Efascists0Eoligarchs0Eeu0Enato0Eexpansion/story01.htm

Swedish researchers: "Antioxidant pills might make cancer worse"
http://sverigesradio.se/sida/gruppsida.aspx?programid=2054&grupp=3582&artikel=5770636

Monsanto protesters arrested outside shareholder meeting
http://rt.com/usa/monsanto-shareholders-meeting-arrests-371/

Deutsche Bank cuts bankers’ pay
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/69ef3d78-890a-11e3-9f48-00144feab7de.html?ftcamp=published_links%2Frss%2Fcompanies_us%2Ffeed%2F%2Fproduct

Bring back beavers to control flooding, environment secretary told
http://feeds.theguardian.com/c/34708/f/663879/s/367ee87a/sc/11/l/0L0Stheguardian0N0Cenvironment0C20A140Cjan0C290Cbeavers0Edam0Eflooding0Eowen0Epaterson/story01.htm

Splash! Japan admits losing $5mn underwater drone
http://rt.com/news/japan-unmanned-submarine-lost-357/

Men charged with stealing discarded food from supermarket bin
http://telegraph.feedsportal.com/c/32726/f/564430/s/367d994f/sc/6/l/0L0Stelegraph0O0Cnews0Cuknews0Claw0Eand0Eorder0C10A60A40A730CMen0Echarged0Ewith0Estealing0Ediscarded0Efood0Efrom0Esupermarket0Ebin0Bhtml/story01.htm

S. Korea approves $7bn nuclear reactor plan
http://rt.com/news/south-korea-nuclear-reactor-328/

$600K in taxpayer dollars buys medieval Afghan clinic
http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2014/01/28/22484825-600k-in-us-taxpayer-dollars-buys-medieval-hospital-in-afghanistan?lite

Farmageddon: The True Cost of Cheap Meat by Philip Lymbery – review
http://feeds.theguardian.com/c/34708/f/663879/s/367bf776/sc/38/l/0L0Stheguardian0N0Cbooks0C20A140Cjan0C290Cfarmageddon0Ecost0Echeap0Emeat0Elymbery0Ereview/story01.htm

Mexico's 'water monster' the axolotl may have vanished from natural habitat
http://feeds.theguardian.com/c/34708/f/663879/s/367b16c9/sc/10/l/0L0Stheguardian0N0Cenvironment0C20A140Cjan0C290Cmexico0Ewater0Emonster0Eaxolotl0Evanished/story01.htm

Fertilizer nutrient imbalance to limit food production in Africa
http://www.seeddaily.com/reports/Fertilizer_nutrient_imbalance_to_limit_food_production_in_Africa_999.html

Caen 4 agentes de Naucalpan por robo
http://www.reforma.com/justicia/articulo/729/1456732/

World Briefing: Bolivia: Flood Emergency Declared
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/29/world/americas/bolivia-flood-emergency-declared.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Most food stamp payments issued to working Americans for first time - report
http://rt.com/usa/food-stamp-payments-americans-report-321/

16.01.14

Toxic Mercury Pollution May Rise with Arctic Meltdown
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=toxic-mercury-pollution-may-rise-with-arctic-meltdown

Israel endurece exigências de assentamentos nas negociações de paz
http://oglobo.globo.com/mundo/israel-endurece-exigencias-de-assentamentos-nas-negociacoes-de-paz-11317030

Google loses ruling on privacy case
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/fb473900-7ea7-11e3-8642-00144feabdc0.html?ftcamp=published_links%2Frss%2Fcompanies_us%2Ffeed%2F%2Fproduct

The Mafia's Deadly Garbage: Italy's Growing Toxic Waste Scandal
http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/anger-rises-in-italy-over-toxic-waste-dumps-from-the-mafia-a-943630.html#ref=rss

Painel da ONU ouve Vaticano sobre abuso sexual de crianças pelo clero
http://oglobo.globo.com/mundo/painel-da-onu-ouve-vaticano-sobre-abuso-sexual-de-criancas-pelo-clero-11313430

America's GM backlash should give Britain food for thought | Peter Melchett
http://feeds.theguardian.com/c/34708/f/663879/s/35f80095/sc/46/l/0L0Stheguardian0N0Ccommentisfree0C20A140Cjan0C160Camerica0Egm0Ebacklash0Econsumers0Efarmers0Ebritain/story01.htm

Australian Dollar Gets Obliterated
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheMoneyGame/~3/3N_n1FSNvOA/aussie-dollar-falls-2014-1

Moody's alerta que la independència de Catalunya seria negativa per l'economia espanyola
http://www.elpuntavui.cat/noticia/article/4-economia/18-economia/709152-moodys-alerta-que-la-independencia-de-catalunya-seria-negativa-per-leconomia-espanyola.html?piwik_campaign=rss&piwik_kwd=nacional&utm_source=rss&utm_medium=nacional&utm_campaign=rss&f=El+Punt+Avui

Teaching the first world war: what Europe's pupils learn about the conflict
http://feeds.theguardian.com/c/34708/f/663879/s/35f7a29a/sc/38/l/0L0Stheguardian0N0Cworld0C20A140Cjan0C160Cteaching0Efirst0Eworld0Ewar/story01.htm

VIDEO: 'Work with nature' say flood experts
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-25755579#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa

Nouvelle-Zélande: Des baleines échouées vont être euthanasiées
http://www.20min.ch/ro/news/monde/story/25635427

North Korea warns South and U.S. over "provocative" drills
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/01/16/us-korea-north-idUSBREA0F01120140116?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews

Israel shoots down Gaza rockets, responds with air strikes
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/01/16/us-israel-palestinians-gaza-idUSBREA0F09D20140116?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews

Canadian Farmers Lose Out as Plants Keep Closing
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n3/452474-canadian-farmers-lose-out-as-plants-keep-closing/

Dementia patient, 84, died in handcuffs
http://telegraph.feedsportal.com/c/32726/f/564430/s/35f6bf33/sc/3/l/0L0Stelegraph0O0Cnews0Cuknews0Cimmigration0C10A5740A350CDementia0Epatient0E840Edied0Ein0Ehandcuffs0Bhtml/story01.htm

New discovery could stimulate plant growth and increase crop yields
http://www.seeddaily.com/reports/New_discovery_could_stimulate_plant_growth_and_increase_crop_yields_999.html

Microbes buy low and sell high
http://www.terradaily.com/reports/Microbes_buy_low_and_sell_high_999.html

KIT Researchers Develop Artificial Bone Marrow
http://www.interndaily.com/reports/KIT_Researchers_Develop_Artificial_Bone_Marrow_999.html

High levels of molecular chlorine found in arctic atmosphere
http://www.terradaily.com/reports/High_levels_of_molecular_chlorine_found_in_arctic_atmosphere_999.html

Harvard scientists control cells following transplantation, from the inside out
http://www.interndaily.com/reports/Harvard_scientists_control_cells_following_transplantation_from_the_inside_out_999.html

Antarctic glacier's retreat unstoppable
http://www.dw.de/antarctic-glacier-s-retreat-unstoppable/a-17363380?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf

MIT study of Ghouta chemical attack challenges US intelligence
http://rt.com/news/study-challenges-syria-chemical-attack-681/

Alaska mine threatens salmon, native cultures -U.S. agency
http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/environment/~3/atL6fVC_EFc/story01.htm

15.01.14

Anti-NSA Blackphone: Encrypted smartphone designed to liberate users from total surveillance
http://rt.com/news/security-encrypted-smartphone-nsa-667/

The truth about Israel's secret nuclear arsenal
http://feeds.theguardian.com/c/34708/f/663879/s/35f2349d/sc/1/l/0L0Stheguardian0N0Cworld0C20A140Cjan0C150Ctruth0Eisraels0Esecret0Enuclear0Earsenal/story01.htm

Mysterious rock appears near Mars rover Opportunity
http://rt.com/news/mars-rover-rock-appear-650/

Something doesn’t smell right
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/HarvardGazetteOnline/~3/xzfEbwBT4us/

Chinese villagers build 'money wall'
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-25744260#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa

Osisko calls Goldcorp’s bid ‘very low’
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/e1927ade-7df7-11e3-95dd-00144feabdc0.html?ftcamp=published_links%2Frss%2Fcompanies_us%2Ffeed%2F%2Fproduct

Where have all Florida's sea cows gone?
http://feeds.theguardian.com/c/34708/f/663879/s/35f138f8/sc/13/l/0L0Stheguardian0N0Cenvironment0C20A140Cjan0C150Cwhere0Eflorida0Esea0Ecows0Egone0Emanatees/story01.htm

EU curb on food speculation gets qualified welcome from activists
http://feeds.theguardian.com/c/34708/f/663879/s/35f1a425/sc/25/l/0L0Stheguardian0N0Cglobal0Edevelopment0C20A140Cjan0C150Ceu0Ecurb0Efood0Especulation0Eactivists/story01.htm

Chrome feature cuts mobile data used by up to half, Google says
http://www.infoworld.com/d/mobile-technology/chrome-feature-cuts-mobile-data-used-half-google-says-234272

Does God work for the CIA?
http://rt.com/op-edge/north-korea-usa-cia-639/

The problem with older thermostats - Mercury
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/EnvironmentalNewsNetwork/~3/JYE39zZgr50/46901

Long a Mystery, How 500-Meter-High Undersea Waves Form Is Revealed
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=long-a-mystery-how-500-me

Google Earth enables remote tracking of fish catches
http://www.scidev.net/global/fisheries/news/google-earth-enables-remote-tracking-of-fish-catches.html

Primary school angers parents by banning fruit juice
http://telegraph.feedsportal.com/c/32726/f/564430/s/35edcc2e/sc/26/l/0L0Stelegraph0O0Ceducation0C10A57370A40CPrimary0Eschool0Eangers0Eparents0Eby0Ebanning0Efruit0Ejuice0Bhtml/story01.htm

Huawei sees operating profits jump
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-25740201#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa

Boffins: Antarctic glacier in irreversible decline, will raise sea levels by 1cm
http://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.co.uk/2014/01/15/scientists_warn_of_sea_level_rise_after_antarctic_glacier_in_irreversible_decline/

Facebook to share data with Yandex
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-25740293#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa

Danish pension funds invest in climate fund
http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/environment/~3/K38C3Wc6oVs/story01.htm

Heat-hit Australian Open suffers record number of pullouts in first round
http://feeds.theguardian.com/c/34708/f/663879/s/35ea79eb/sc/13/l/0L0Stheguardian0N0Csport0C20A140Cjan0C150Caustralian0Eopen0E20A140Eheat0Ewithdrawals/story01.htm

NSA able to target offline computers using radio-waves for surveillance, cyber-attacks
http://rt.com/usa/nsa-radio-wave-cyberattack-607/

‘Arctic territorial zones well defined, but some scramble for resources inevitable’
http://rt.com/op-edge/arctic-energy-race-future-608/

No Asylum Seekers Reach Australian Shores in Weeks
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n3/450165-no-asylum-seekers-reach-australian-shores-in-weeks/

Modern spying 101: How NSA bugs Chinese PCs with tiny USB radios - NYT
http://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.co.uk/2014/01/15/nsa_quantum_radio_compromize/

Differences in Sepsis Treatment and Outcomes between Public and Private Hospitals in Brazil: A Multicenter Observational Study

by Katia Aparecida Pessoa Conde, Eliezer Silva, Carla Oliveira Silva, Elaine Ferreira, Flavio Geraldo Rezende Freitas, Isac Castro, Alvaro Rea-Neto, Cintia Magalhaes Carvalho Grion, Anselmo Dornas Moura, Suzana Margareth Lobo, Luciano Cesar Pontes Azevedo, Flavia Ribeiro Machado
Background
Previous studies showed higher sepsis mortality rates in Brazil compared to other developed or developing countries. Moreover, another trial demonstrated an increased mortality rate in public hospitals compared to private hospitals in Brazil. The reasons for these findings may include delayed recognition and inadequate treatment of sepsis in public facilities. We designed this study to evaluate the factors associated with mortality in septic patients admitted to intensive care units in a network of public and private institutions.
Materials and Methods
This study is a retrospective analysis of a prospective cohort of sepsis patients in 19 private and public institutions in Brazil. We analyzed data from the original database and collected additional data to assess compliance to the treatment guidelines and to determine the time from the onset of organ dysfunction and the sepsis diagnosis by the healthcare team.
Results
A total of 396 patients were analyzed. Patients in public hospitals were younger, had a greater number of dysfunctional organs at baseline and a lower chance to have sepsis diagnosed within two hours of the onset of organ dysfunction. Private hospitals had a better compliance to lactate and blood culture sampling and maintenance of glycemic control. The multivariate analysis showed that age, disease severity at baseline and being treated at a public hospital were independent risk factors for mortality. A delay in the sepsis diagnosis of longer than two hours was associated with mortality only in the public setting.
Conclusions
We confirmed a lower sepsis mortality rate in the private hospitals of this network. Being treated in a public hospital was an independent factor for mortality. Delayed recognition of sepsis was more frequent in public institutions and this might have been associated with a higher mortality. Improving sepsis recognition and early diagnosis may be important targets in public institutions.

Israel’s Ultra-Orthodox Fight to Fit In

Israel has been consumed in recent months with the challenge of integrating the insular, swelling ultra-Orthodox minority, known as Haredim, into society.

EU closes shark finning loophole

Brussels (AFP) June 06, 2013



The European Union on Thursday closed a last loophole in its ban on shark finning, the long-contested practice of fisherman slicing the fins off and then throwing the still live sharks back overboard to die.

The EU banned shark finning in 2003 but special permits still allowed some fisherman to "process" the sharks they caught on board, with the fins and body then being landed together at on

US intelligence chief admits spying on foreigners through Google

James Clapper said the leak of details of the country's domestic phone monitoring programme could cause "long-lasting and irreversible harm" to counter-terrorism efforts and admitted the US had targeted foreigners overseas through Facebook and Google.

Pollution in Northern Hemisphere helped cause 1980s African drought

Seattle WA (SPX) Jun 07, 2013



Decades of drought in central Africa reached their worst point in the 1980s, causing Lake Chad, a shallow lake used to water crops in neighboring countries, to almost dry out completely. The shrinking lake and prolonged drought were initially blamed on overgrazing and bad agricultural practices. More recently, Lake Chad became an example of global warming.

New University of Washington rese

France has too many immigrants, says Francois Fillon

There are too many immigrants in France, former prime minister Francois Fillon has said, insisting that the country cannot cope with everyone who wants to come in.

Alpine lakes reflect climate change

Heidelberg, Germany (SPX) Jun 07, 2013



Increases in temperature as a result of climate change are mirrored in lake waters where temperatures are also on the rise. A new study, by Dr. Martin Dokulil, retired researcher from the Institute for Limnology at the University of Innsbruck in Austria, forecasts surface water temperatures in large Austrian lakes for 2050 and discusses the impact on the lakes' structure, function and water qual

More than 9m in China with dementia

Paris (AFP) June 06, 2013



Around 9.19 million people in China had dementia in 2010, compared with 3.68 million 20 years earlier, according to a study on Friday that throws a spotlight on an emerging health crisis.

In what its authors say is the most detailed study into age-related mental health in China, the paper says prevalence of dementia there is rising far faster than thought and the country is ill-equipped to d

U.S. farmer lawsuit filed against Monsanto over GMO wheat

(Reuters) - American wheat farmers and a food safety advocacy group filed a lawsuit Thursday against biotech seed developer Monsanto Co, accusing the company of failing to protect the U.S. wheat market from contamination by its unauthorized wheat

Small island states told to build wider ocean expertise

With rising concern about ocean degradation and the sustainable use of ocean resources, small island states must build scientific expertise that goes beyond their national needs and that benefits the oceans generally, a meeting of UN scientific experts has heard. Small island developing states (SIDS) are the "custodians" of vast ocean spaces that are important for global food security, biodiversity, natural resources and carbon sequestration, and broader sustainable ocean policies will in turn enhance their own economic development, say experts.

Nearly 60 Percent of Greek Youth Unemployed

ATHENS, Greece—Unemployment in recession-mired Greece continued its record-setting rise in March, reaching 26.8 percent of the workforce compared to a revised 26.7 percent a month earlier.
Youth unemployment remained extremely high, despite indications that the figures are beginning to stabilize. Some 58.3 percent of the 15-24 age group were jobless in March, compared to 63.8 in February.
Figures provided by the country’s national statistical authority Thursday set the total number of unemployed in March at 1.3 million.
In March 2008, just before Greece’s finances imploded, forcing the country to accept international bailouts in return for harsh austerity measures, just 390,000 people were jobless.
The monthly statistical data are adjusted to remove seasonal factors, such as the spike in employment during the summer tourist season that would otherwise obscure underlying trends.
The post Nearly 60 Percent of Greek Youth Unemployed appeared first on The Epoch Times.

Organ Harvesting: Has the Tide Turned?

Whenever I see a documentary on the holocaust, I ask how such a thing could happen over a six-year period between 1939 and 1945, apparently with very few people knowing about it. Then I wrongly assume that something like that could never happen in today’s world of instant global media.
This June 4th marked the 24th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, an event that showed us the Chinese Communist Party’s true nature. It is an event that the CCP still tries to cover up on the Internet. Ten years after that event, the CCP found a new group to victimise, the peaceful spiritual practice of Falun Gong. While it may be hard to believe, the persecution and forced organ harvesting of Falun Gong practitioners has lasted twice as long as the Second World War.
Last month in Dublin, at the invitation of the Oireachtas, Mr David Kilgour, Former Canadian Secretary of State for Asia-Pacific and a Nobel Prize nominee for his comprehensive research on the subject spoke on the issue of forced organ harvesting of Falun Gong practitioners in China. Kilgour is co-author of the book Bloody Harvest: The Killing of Falun Gong for their Organs.
Kilgour and Ethan Gutmann, himself an independent China-researcher, have been speaking to governments across Europe recently, and both said they were encouraged with the recent progress.
“We had a very good hearing in the Scottish parliament, they seemed to be interested in bringing in a bill that would ban using trafficked organs. Australia has just passed a bill that deals with human trafficking, and there is a section on organ trafficking. It’s certainly not perfect, but it shows that there is now a willingness, a tipping point for parliaments to move on this issue,” said Kilgour.
“It’s about time of course: I’m only sorry I’m not able to tell you that Canada has done something significant. I’m delighted because I feel that we are pushing on an open door here. We spoke to a group of high school students before we went to see the Irish committee, they were appalled at what we told them. I’m sure that’s fairly representative of the opinion of the Irish people on the whole. So I think that this might be a perfect place to show leadership on this issue,” said Kilgour.
The last time Kilgour spoke on this issue in Dublin was seven years ago. Commenting on the time-frame involved in this issue, Kilgour said: “In athletic terms this is not a sport for the short-winded. You have to be very patient as all of us who work on this issue are, but I do get a sense that things are getting better, there is real movement, the UN via the Special Rapporteur on torture has moved on it, the US congress has made some steps. I think we may have reached a tipping point, and parliaments and legislators agree that they have to act.”
On whether organ harvesting can be stopped in China while the CCP are in power, Kilgour said that if it can’t be stopped, then at least countries outside China, such as Ireland or Canada, can make it a crime for their citizens to go to China for organs. “It’s going to be hard to stop it inside of China because it’s so profitable for the people involved; the CCP, the surgeons, etc. But we can certainly make it a crime to go there for organs.”
I asked Kilgour about his journey to date publicising this human rights issue. He said: “It’s an honour to help the voiceless on this matter…There are certain issues that you just don’t say, ‘It didn’t happen this week, I’m going to quit’. It’s important to continue doing it, and continue doing it until they stop. I think the tide has turned.”
The post Organ Harvesting: Has the Tide Turned? appeared first on The Epoch Times.

`Mystery' birds from Brazil

While in Rio recently (for the International Symposium on Pterosaurs: see write-up here ), I saw an enormous number of birds, virtually all of which were new to me. I photographed many of them (some were too elusive, or too fleetingly seen, to be captured on film, alas) and, when time allows, I've been going through them with the aim of sharing what I saw here on Tet Zoo. A few of the passerines are giving me problems though and I'm interested in second opinions. On the advice of fellow birder Simon Woolley, I've decided to share a few of those images here. I think I know the species concerned, but have fun trying to identify them yourself. I want to say one more thing before we get on with it: I didn't (and, indeed, couldn't) go on any special birding trips while in Brazil - the many, many species I saw were all hanging around in town, especially in the parks and on the beaches. For most places in the world, animals are (still) everywhere if only you go and look for them. Anyway... [More]

Honeybees and Monoculture: Nothing to Dance About

With all the talk of honey bee decline in the news , you may already know that honey bees don't just make honey. They also give us almonds, cherries, avocados, raspberries, apples...pretty much everything delicious. Of course, there are plenty of native pollinators that can also do that job . But domestic honey bees (first brought to the American continent in the 1600s) are great for large-scale agriculture for a couple of reasons. First, they live in huge colonies of tens of thousands of bees: one colony can visit 50,000 blossoms in a single day. Second, those colonies can easily be picked up and moved around to wherever they're most needed. So the same bees that are used in February to pollinate almonds in California can be moved in April to pollinate cherries and apples in Washington state. Over a million honey bee colonies are moved around the US, going from crop to crop as they come into bloom. [More]

Are We Biologically Safe with Snow Precipitation? A Case Study in Beijing

by Fangxia Shen, Maosheng Yao

In this study, the bacterial and fungal abundances, diversities, conductance levels as well as total organic carbon (TOC) were investigated in the snow samples collected from five different snow occurrences in Beijing between January and March, 2010. The collected snow samples were melted and cultured at three different temperatures (4, 26 and 37°C). The culturable bacterial concentrations were manually counted and the resulting colony forming units (CFUs) at 26°C were further studied using V3 region of 16 S rRNA gene-targeted polymerase chain reaction -denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE). The clone library was constructed after the liquid culturing of snow samples at 26°C. And microscopic method was employed to investigate the fungal diversity in the samples. In addition, outdoor air samples were also collected using mixed cellulose ester (MCE) filters and compared with snow samples with respect to described characteristics. The results revealed that snow samples had bacterial concentrations as much as 16000 CFU/ml for those cultured at 26°C, and the conductance levels ranged from 5.6×10⁻⁶ to 2.4×10⁻⁵ S. PCR-DGGE, sequencing and microscopic analysis revealed remarkable bacterial and fungal diversity differences between the snow samples and the outdoor air samples. In addition, DGGE banding profiles for the snow samples collected were also shown distinctly different from one another. Absent from the outdoor air, certain human, plant, and insect fungal pathogens were found in the snow samples. By calculation, culturable bacteria accounted for an average of 3.38% (±1.96%) of TOC for the snow samples, and 0.01% for that of outdoor air samples. The results here suggest that snow precipitations are important sources of fungal pathogens and ice nucleators, thus could affect local climate, human health and agriculture security.

See missile destroy ship Hollywood style

See the Norwegian navy blow up one of its own ships to test out their latest long-range missile capabilities.

1494: Portugal e Espanha dividem o mundo

No dia 7 de junho de 1494, as potências da época, Portugal e Espanha, assinaram o Tratado de Tordesilhas, dividindo o mundo em duas metades.

Air-Conditioning Options

Dear EarthTalk : Now that hot weather is coming, I want to upgrade my home’s A-C. Which are the most energy-saving models and should I go central air or window units? --Jackie Smith, Cary, N.C.
[More]

Widespread rape by staff indicates 'fundamental failure' of juvenile detention

The Justice Department survey, which polled group homes and jails for troubled youths, found that the teens were most often victimized by staff and counselors. A full 20 per cent of the respondents said they were assaulted more than 10 times. Over 8,500 boys and girls under 18 years old were questioned, with 1,720 reporting they had been assaulted. 

Allen Beck, who authored the report, told Pro Publica the number of staff-on-inmate attacks was “about three times higher than what we find in the adult arena.” Psychologists and researchers working with sexual assault have long asserted that the number of victims who admit being abused is traditionally much lower than the true amount.

“Today’s report illustrates the fundamental failure of many juvenile detention facilities to keep their youth safe,” said Louisa Stannow, executive director of Just Detention International, a California-based health and human rights organization. 

She added that the survey results “show clearly that it is possible to protect young detainees from the devastation of sexual abuse,” but also unfortunately “make painfully clear that many youth facilities have a very, very long way to go.” 

The report indicates that sexual assault happens most frequently in Ohio, South Carolina, Georgia and Illinois. No instances of abuse were reported in New York, Massachusetts or Delaware. The survey polled approximately one-third of all juvenile facilities in the United States. 

Harvard University criminologists Dr. James Gilligan described the American prison system as a “sexual jungle” during an interview with ABC News earlier this year. Rape is a domination tactic that often lasts for years behind bars, with corrections officers groomed to look the other way. 

“While the predators – the more violent, powerful inmates – are in effect being given a bribe or a reward to cooperate with the prison authorities,” Gilligan said. “As long as they cooperate, the prison authorities will permit them to have their victims.”

Brazil rejects S&P criticism of policy

Economic policy secretary says ‘investors’ confidence . . . can be measured by events in market’ and points out growth has exceeded global average

One-quarter of Gitmo prisoners now being force-fed

The latest press release from the facility reported the rise in the number of inmates receiving enteral feeds, up from the previous 39. The report also claims that the four prisoners currently undergoing treatment in a detainee hospital are not in critical condition.
The practice of force-feeding the prisoners as a way of avoiding the political ramifications of their death has been condemned as “cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment,” which is illegal under international law.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) brought the issue to the attention of the US government back in May in a joint letter to Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel. The rights group detailed the demeaning process by which a detainee is “strapped into a chair with restraints on his legs, arms, body, and sometimes head, immobilizing him.”
 “I can’t describe how painful it is to be force-fed this way. As it was thrust in, it made me feel like throwing up. I wanted to vomit, but I couldn’t. There was agony in my chest, throat and stomach. I had never experienced such pain before,” hunger-striker Samir Naji al Hasan Moqbel told HRW, relating the horrors of Gitmo’s force-feeding room.
President Barack Obama’s pledge last month to work to close the facility has apparently fallen by the wayside, with no steps taken thus far. He also promised to end the ban on sending prisoners who had been cleared for transfer back to Yemen, one of the main obstacles impeding the closure of the camp. 
On Monday, a Republican representative proposed legislation that would effectively force Obama to keep the facility open. The wording in the 2014 defense authorization bill also prohibits the transfer of Guantanamo inmates to the US or countries like Yemen, and would channel $247.4 million of state funds to constructions costs.
The legislation was slammed by Democrats as “a ridiculous waste of money” when the US Military is making cuts to its budget. 

Pleas falling on deaf ears

The prisoners at Guantanamo published a plea at the end of May for the physicians overseeing their detention at the camp to be changed. They argued that the current personnel are not impartial to the wishes of the US government. 
The letter was signed by nine of the Gitmo prisoners, as well as the lawyers of several others.
Prisoners at Guantanamo began their hunger strike four months ago as a desperate attempt to attract international attention to their plight. Some of the inmates have been held without a trial for over a decade, and many have expressed fears they will spend the rest of their lives in their cells in Guantanamo.

Argentina builds first-ever solar neighborhood to fight energy poverty

A solar power project in Buenos Aires is providing electricity for some of the city's poorest households. Volunteers are hoping to create Argentina's first green community - one rooftop at a time.

Elbe water levels peak in Magdeburg as floods head north

The Elbe's high waters are flowing downstream into the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt, with water levels topping 2002 highs in Magdeburg. Waters are receding to the south around Dresden, albeit slowly.

Russia introduces drug tests for schoolchildren

The tests would be voluntary and comprise two stages. The first is a written psychological test, followed by medical checks to find traces of illegal drugs in their bodies.
If experts find schoolchildren are using illegal drugs, they would be sent to a rehab centre. 
Children younger than 15 will need the consent of their parents before the tests can be carried out.
Many Russian regions have already introduced tests at a local level. Everywhere the tests for illegal drugs are voluntary. The federal law was drafted in November last year and passed by parliament in late May this year.
The anti-drug program has already caused controversy – in some places parents were asked to sign their consent but were not told the details of the test. In others, critics pointed at the insufficient protection of the highly sensitive information and potential damage if the results of the tests (or even the names of those who refused to take them) become public.
Some also pointed at the apparently lax approach by the experts – one of the questions was reportedly a direct “have you ever inhaled gasoline or acetone for the sake of unusual experience’ – something that young children might see as an instruction, rather than a warning.
According to a recent poll among Russians aged 11 to 24, about a quarter had tried illegal drugs usually between the ages of 15 and 16.
The overall number of drug addicts is difficult to estimate – while the number of officially registered patients in rehabs and clinics is about 500,000, experts estimate that the real number of people who regularly use illegal drugs is between between two and two-and-a-half million.
Russia  has a fairly strict drug policy and President Vladimir Putin again spoke against the so called “soft drugs” in a recent speech saying that their legalization in certain countries was “a dangerous path”.

NSA surveillance scandal: Barack Obama's credibility under scrutiny like never before

Commentary: In the wake of the NSA surveillance scandal, Barack Obama's credibility is under scrutiny like never before, writes Peter Foster.

In Borneo, Stalagmites Tell Modern Story of Rainfall and Climate Change

On the tropical island of Borneo, some of the most spectacular caves in the world also hold a piece of an ongoing climate puzzle.
[More]

No nos servimos de Pemex.- Deschamps

El líder del gremio de Pemex, Carlos Romero Deschamps, dijo que los trabajadores no se sirven de la paraestatal, sino que sirven a ésta.

IBM explores making Java Virtual Machine big part of future cloud platforms

IBM is conducting research that involves making use of the open JVM (Java Virtual Machine) in a cloud-based setting as a way to provide dynamic services, especially to mobile devices.

Putin orders crackdown on Islamists, police detain 300 people

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian police rounded up 300 people at a Muslim prayer room in Moscow on Friday after President Vladimir Putin ordered a crackdown on radical Islamists ahead of next year's Winter Olympics in Sochi

Espace Schengen: Berne pour le retour des contrôles aux frontières

La Suisse a pris part vendredi à un comité mixte sur l'espace Schengen, tenu en marge d'une réunion des ministres européens de l'Intérieur à Luxembourg.

Privacy worries called 'modest'

Sweeping up U.S. phone records and monitoring Internet activity from overseas can help disrupt terrorists, President Obama says. FULL STORY

French gendarmes to patrol Mont Blanc

French gendarmes will be posted on the upper slopes of Mont Blanc for the first time this weekend to stop the place turning into an open-air sewer and danger zone.