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Ex-IMF Chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn charged with pimping

"Former IMF head Dominique Strauss-Kahn will be tried on charges of pimping, prosecutors said on Friday, capping an inquiry into sex parties attended by a man whose French presidential hopes were dashed by a separate 2011 U.S. sex scandal. The decision came as a surprise after a public prosecutor had recommended in June that the inquiry be dropped without trial. The so-called Carlton affair, named after a hotel in Lille, involves sex parties that Strauss-Kahn has acknowledged attending. He says he was unaware that the women who participated were prostitutes." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingEx-IMF Chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn charged with pimping

Senate Democrats to Obama: ‘It Would Be Great To Have A Woman’ As Fed Chief

"In another boost for Ms. Yellen, House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.) said in an interview with Bloomberg television, due to air this weekend, that while both Mr. Summers and Ms. Yellen were well qualified, 'it would be great to have a woman'' nominated to the post. If nominated and confirmed, Ms. Yellen would be the first female Fed chief. Republicans in the Senate have expressed increasing opposition to the Fed's $85 billion-a-month bond-buying program. Ms. Yellen has been instrumental in the continuation of the bond-buying program, and is known to be a strong proponent of the Fed's easy-money policies." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingSenate Democrats to Obama: ‘It Would Be Great To Have A Woman’ As Fed Chief

Swiss researchers make microchips that imitate the brain

"Scientists at the University of Zurich and ETH Zurich, together with colleagues in Germany and the United States, created electronic systems comparable to a human brain both in size, speed and energy consumption, the university said in a statement late Monday. Just like the brain, their so-called neuromorphic chips are capable of processing and reacting to information in real-time, it said. Using neuromorphic chips as artificial neurons, the researchers built networks that can perform tasks requiring short-term memory and decision-making and analytical abilities, Indiveri said." Continue reading →

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Holder promises not to pursue death penalty against Snowden

"Former U.S. security contractor Edward Snowden would not face the death penalty or be tortured and would have all the protections of the U.S. civilian court system if he were sent home, the chief U.S. prosecutor wrote in a letter to his Russian counterpart this week. In the letter dated July 23 and released on Friday, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder wrote that he sought to dispel claims about what would happen to Snowden if Russia handed him over to face charges of illegally disclosing government secrets about surveillance programs." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingHolder promises not to pursue death penalty against Snowden

Egypt’s wheat problem: how Morsi jeopardized the bread supply

"Lack of money and a quixotic attempt at making Egypt self-sufficient spurred the decline, say officials familiar with the matter. Mursi dreamt of making Egypt grow all its own wheat and allowed imported stocks to fall to precariously low levels. It hurt both the country’s wheat stocks and Mursi’s government. With a quarter of Egypt’s 84 million people living below the poverty line of $1.65 a day, millions depend on subsidized bread that sells for less than 1 U.S. cent per loaf. That supply relies on foreign wheat. The country is the world’s largest wheat importer, bringing in about 10 million tonnes a year, around half its annual consumption." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingEgypt’s wheat problem: how Morsi jeopardized the bread supply

Neuroscientists discover how to implant false memories in the brain

"Scientists have implanted a false memory in the brains of mice in an experiment that they hope will shed light on the well-documented phenomenon whereby people 'remember' events or experiences that have never happened. Susumu Tonagawa, a neuroscientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and his team encoded memories in the brains of mice by manipulating individual neurons. As the technology develops, said Chris French, 'whatever means are used to implant false memories, we need to be very aware of the ethical issues raised by such procedures – the potential for abuse of such techniques cannot be overstated.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingNeuroscientists discover how to implant false memories in the brain

U.S. condemns ‘outrageous’ Tunisia assassination

"The United States on Thursday condemned the assassination of a leading critic of Tunisia’s ruling Islamists, saying violence had no place in the country’s transition to democracy. Tunisian MP Mohamed Brahmi was shot dead outside his home Thursday in the second such slaying this year, with fingers again pointed at the authorities. 'We offer our sincere condolences to Mr. Brahmi’s family, friends and colleagues and to the people of Tunisia,' State Department deputy spokeswoman Marie Harf said, adding US officials 'strongly condemn' the killing." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingU.S. condemns ‘outrageous’ Tunisia assassination

America has history when it comes to forcing down planes in defiance of international law

"International law (and the Chicago Convention regulating air traffic) emphatically asserts freedom to traverse international airspace, but America tends to treat international law as binding on everyone except America (and Israel). Thus when Egypt did a deal with the Achille Lauro hijackers and sent them on a commercial flight to Tunis, US F-14 jets intercepted the plane in international airspace and forced it to land in Italy, where the hijackers were tried and jailed. In 1986 Israel forced down a Libyan commercial plane in the mistaken belief that PLO leaders were among its passengers, and the US vetoed UN security council condemnation." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingAmerica has history when it comes to forcing down planes in defiance of international law

Women in combat no later than 2016, Pentagon says

"Women could be officially moving into combat roles by 2016, according to top US military officials. But some lawmakers continue to express concern about whether the Pentagon will be able to make this move without lowering physical standards. Others express concern that the integration of women into fighting units could increase incidents of sexual assault." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingWomen in combat no later than 2016, Pentagon says

Army plans switch to ‘green’ bullets containing copper

"The Army has been looking to 'green' small caliber ammo for some time now. In 2010, the Army switched to the greener 5.56 mm M855A1 Enhanced Performance Round. 'The EPR replaces the lead slug with a copper slug,' said Lt. Col. Phil Clark, product manager for small caliber ammunition in the Program Executive Officer Ammunition. 'This makes the projectile environmentally-friendly, while still giving soldiers the performance capabilities they need on the battlefield. So far we have eliminated 1,994 metric tons of lead from 5.56 ammunition production.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingArmy plans switch to ‘green’ bullets containing copper