SpaceX Dragon berths with International Space Station

#dragonspacecraft #SpaceX #NASA #ISS #soyuzspacecraft With the berthing of the Dragon spacecraft, operated by California-based Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX), humans take yet another step into its venturing out into Space to conquer new barriers.
The Dragon is the first private spacecraft to berth with the International Space Station as reported in space.com dated 30 January 2015 – its duty and responsibility is to transport cargo to and from the ISS and it has commercial agreements with NASA.
SpaceX made its first demonstration flight to the station in May 2012, and then began commercial fights and is currently contracted with NASA to carry out 12 robotic supply flights to the station for a minimum of $1.6 billion.
Ferrying cargo to and from the station is one aspect of SpaceX because it is simultaneously working on a plan to put astronauts on the Dragon spacecraft. For this, the company has received in 2014 an amount of $2.6 billion from NASA for the latest phase of the Commercial Crew Program. The aim is to fly astronauts on American spacecraft by 2017.
For the Commercial Crew Program, Dragon would be modified to accommodate up to seven astronauts – this is three in the Soyuz spacecraft that is being used. SpaceX and NASA are hoping that this capability to carry more astronauts could allow International Space Station crews to expand from the current normal level of six people.

The Two Eagles set a record by flying 6600 miles in a balloon across the Pacific Ocean

#twoeagles #balloonist #pacificocean American Troy Bradley and Russia's Leonid Tiukhtyaev, also known as Two Eagles, have set a record as reported in news.sky.com dated 31 January 2015 - they have flown more than 6,600 miles across the Pacific Ocean in a balloon after they started their venture from Japan on Sunday.
They have landed safely off the coast of Baja California near La Poza Grande in Mexico after being six days in the air. And – they have overtaken the existing world distance and duration records for human flight in a helium-filled balloon. Even after landing, the balloon was stable and still inflated and the pilots were fine. They had been in the balloon for six days, 16 hours and 37 minutes.
The records is yet to be officially confirmed but, the team have confidence that they have travelled further than other teams whose records were confirmed. Water landing is acceptable under the international rules governing the establishment of world records.
The earlier two around-the-world attempts made by using a different type of balloon had landed in the water and were approved as records.
The previous distance record of 5,209 miles was set in 1981 by Double Eagle V – it was the first balloon to successfully cross the Pacific. And - the duration milestone was set in 1978 in the first trans-Atlantic balloon flight.

Pakistan cricket player complains of ghosts in his hotel room in Christchurch

#HarisSohail #christchurch #ghost # CricketWorldCup 26-year-old Pakistani cricket player and an upcoming player has seen ghosts in his hotel room in Christchurch. He has, reportedly, been "traumatized" and unable to train after complaining of a supernatural presence at his Christchurch hotel room.
The Pakistan team is in New Zealand on a tour to play some warm-up matches ahead of the Cricket World Cup and have been staying at Rydges Latimer Christchurch. The city had been devastated in the earthquake and the hotel was built on the site.
On seeing the ghost, Haris Sohail "freaked out". He believed that a ghost had pushed him while he was asleep. He phoned the team management and by the time they came he had developed a high fever. As a result, the team bosses convinced hotel management to change his room. It seems he has not been able to practice and take part in warmup matches with the team.
The hotel had been built after the February 22, 2011 earthquake – the disaster claimed 115 lives when the multi-storey Canterbury Television building collapsed. That was situated just 100m away.
Incidentally, last year, Stuart Broad, the English cricket bowler, claimed to have experienced similar supernatural interactions and got his room changed at The Langham hotel in London after the authorities were convinced there were ghosts his room.

Oil facilities in Khabbaz seized by Islamic State, 15 workers missing

#khabbaz #oilfield #kirkuk #baghdad As reported in timesofindia.indiatimes.com dated 31 January 2015, oil facilities of a crude oil separation unit in Khabbaz, near Kirkuk in Iraq have been seized by Islamic State insurgents and the 15 workers who were working there are missing. This has been confirmed by officials from the state-run North Oil Co.
Khabbaz is an oilfield located approximately 20-Km southwest of Kirkuk and it has a maximum production capacity of 15,000 barrels per day. It was, of course, producing nearly 10,000bpd before the attack. As narrated by the officials, dozens of Daesh fighters had surrounded the facility and had asked workers to leave the premises. There are fears that the messing workers could have been taken away as hostages. The IS jihadist movement had earlier seized at least four small oilfields and began to sell the crude oil and gasoline and the income from these sales financed their operations.

At least six killed in shell strike in Donetsk, Ukraine – peace talks abandoned

#ukraine #donetsk #luhansk #trolleybus #minsk At least six people who had queued up for aid outside the building in the center of the city have been killed when two artillery shells hit a cultural center and a trolleybus in Donetsk, Ukraine.
As per witnesses, five bodies were seen at this location - two of them were middle-aged women and two men were lying on the ground. Another man was killed in a car a very short distance away. He was trying to maneuver the car away as the shell came in, but did not succeed – he died in his driver's seat.
The shells damaged vehicles in the legion and, all the victims appeared to be dressed in civilian clothing. There is no clarity on whether the shells were fired by government troops or by pro-Russian separatists.
Reports also indicate about a battle in Debaltseve – this is believed to be a key government-held town of 25,000 people and it that straddles a railway that connect the two rebel centers of Luhansk and Donetsk.
President Barack Obama has, once again, expressed deep concern about renewed fighting between Russian-backed separatist and government forces in eastern Ukraine and has indicated that the US is exploring options short of military action to isolate Russia. US Secretary of State John Kerry has plans to visit Kiev for talks with President Petro Poroshenko and other Ukrainian officials.
The rebels have, reportedly, said that the peace talks due to take place in the Belarussian capital, Minsk, had been called off because Kiev did not send any representatives.

Large number of great white sharks spotted in a single site in Kaipara Harbour

#greatwhiteshark #kaipara #shellybeach As many as eleven great white sharks have been spotted at a single site in the Kaipara Harbour – this is believed to be the largest concentration of the species yet seen in the upper North Island as reported in nzherald.co.nz dated 31 January 2015.
According to data collected by a team of researchers, the largest of these great whites measure 3m and 3.5m. That was a couple of days earlier in this month. Subsequently, a 3.4m female among the group has been tracked to Port Waikato, and a second one has travelled to Ninety Mile Beach.
Most of these juvenile sharks were spotted about 5km off Shelly Beach in the southern harbor and, the encounter has been described as "really unexpected" by the Department of Conservation marine scientist Clinton Duffy. He was with the crew when it came across the group.
Incidentally, the team regularly head out on the harbour as part of a joint satellite tagging program and had observed eight in one spot on January 17.

India is out of Carlton Mid tri-series – what will happen in the 2015 World Cup

#carltonmidtriseries #dhoni #2015worldcup The do-or-die match against England in the WACA stadium, Perth has showed up the shortcomings of the Indian cricket team that is defending the World Cup and, the continuous failures of Indian players with both the bat and the ball is a matter if grave concern for captain M S Dhoni. With hardly a fortnight left for start of 2015 World Cup and the Indian team in disarray, one wonders just how India will defend the title.
The performances of our players are like flashes in the pan – our batting stalwarts love to throw caution to the winds and, when they fail to live up to expectations, the same is justified by saying that he will come out of the bad patch. Unfortunately, the bad patch keeps tagging along.
As to our bowlers, they love to be inconsistent. They bowl wide balls, they do not want to bowl to a set field and pay the price. And, when it comes to bowling in the death overs, they are just clueless and, at times, gift the match away. Then there are the injuries – most of our players have bandages that they love to show off. It is strange as to why they keep getting injured and sit out matches. Is it that they want to be in the team and earn the benefits without playing?
It is a sad state of affairs that India are not able to bat out the 50 overs – the match at Perth finished in 44 overs.

Child obesity rates for British children under 10 leveling off

#BMI #obesity #type2diabetes #heartdisease A study carried out by researchers of the King's College London has concluded that, while obesity in children under-10s is gradually stabilizing, the same connote said of children in the age group of 11 to 15 as reported in bbc.com dated 30 January 2015.
The rise in childhood obesity was a matter of concern – it had left one in three children overweight. That is showing signs of leveling off for the children under 10s. During the period 1994 to 2003, there was a steady rise in the proportion of overweight children in England but, in the last decade, it has remained at about 30%.
The Public Health England has said that there was no room for complacency because, in the opinion of experts, overweight is responsible for a wide range of health problems like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, some cancers and, even, infertility. And - the number of obese people in the UK has increased three times in the past 25 years.
The study was conducted by considering weight, height and body mass index (BMI) measurements for more than 370,000 children from 1994 to 2013 and, this data was analyzed. Children who are obese have to face problems like bullying. Such children also suffer from low self-esteem, anxiety, depression and have a greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes and heart disease as they grow up.

Race for Mars hots up – test flight on ESA mini shuttle set for 11 February 2015

#spacetaxi #ESA #ISS #IXV #vegarocket The European ‘space taxi’ IXV (or Intermediate eXperimental Vehicle) is getting readied for launch on 11 February 2015 as indicated in dailymail.co.uk of dated 29 January 2015 – it would be a test flight. This vehicle would make available to Europe with its own shuttle-like, reusable space vehicle.
One of the objectives of this mission is to gather vital flight data that that could assist Europe to develop technology for a sample return mission to Mars, or to return astronauts from the space station.
It has been planned to launch the ‘space taxi’ on February 11 by using a Vega rocket from Kourou, French Guiana – the flight would be of 100-minute duration. It may be recalled that the launch had, initially, been scheduled for November 18, but in October, Arianespace had announced a postponement in order 'to carry out additional flight trajectory analyses'.
The weight of the taxi is two tonnes, its size is that of a car and it is fitted with 300 sensors. The prototype IXV is expected to collect data on the craft's handling and thermodynamics. The two-piece shell will open to release the space plane at an altitude of 200 miles (320 km).
It has been developed over five years at a cost of $225 million and this IXV would be the test-bed for a reusable vehicle. It would be useful to bring astronauts back from the International Space Station (ISS). At present, this is done by Russia and its Soyuz.

North Carolina 'Bear Lady' who cared for bears probably killed by bears

#northcarolina #bearlady 67-year-old Kay Grayson of North Carolina loved bears and was popularly known as ‘Bear Lady’ – she loved to feed black bears that visited her remote Tyrrell County property. She had been reported missing and, when reported by one of her neighbors, the Sheriff’s men discovered what appeared to be, portions of her body as reported in foxnews.com dated 30 January 2015 – it was in woods about 100 yards off a dirt road leading to her home.
Authorities feel she might have been killed by the very animals she cared for. The remains discovered consisted of bones and hair and an autopsy was underway to determine the cause of death. As per initial reports, she had been dead for up to two weeks.
The remains were located with the help of bloodhounds along a known bear path. It seems torn clothing had led the authorities to suspect that Kay Grayson was dragged into the woods by bears.
The woman lived alone inside her secluded mobile home along U.S. 64, east of Columbia – the property was named "Bearsong" and, for over two decades, she would feed bears peanuts or dog food.

London Mayor Boris Johnson triggers controversy by his remarks on jihadists

#borisjohnson #jihadist #islamicstate London Mayor Boris Johnson has, in an interview with a major publication house, triggered a controversy by his interpretation of the mindset of jihadists as reported in news.sky.com of dated 30 January 2015 – in his opinion, they are tortured, are badly adjusted in their relations with women which, they feel, is an indication of failure and that the whole world is against them.
In short, in the opinion of the Mayor, jihadists are rejected by women, are not making it with girls, and they turn to other forms of spiritual comfort.
It may be recalled that earlier, in August, he had said that Britain must take on Islamic State (IS) and "try to close it down now" and had warned that doing nothing would mean a "tide of terror will eventually lap at our own front door".
As he has put it, the type of people who are likely to get involved in ISIS or get radicalized are similar to those who are vulnerable to becoming drug addicts or other types of criminal activity. These people are just young men in desperate need of self-esteem and they do not have a particular mission in life. They perceive themselves as losers and resort to actions that make them feel like winners.

Chinese have purchased two Auckland islands to set up a six-star luxury resort

#auckland #luxuryresort #manukauharbour The Chinese business is always on the lookout to extend their opportunities and it has been reported in nzherald.co.nz dated 30 January 2015 that they have bought two Auckland islands linked to the mainland in a $41.5 million deal.
The resort being planned would be a $130.6 million six-star luxury resort and native reserve.
The islands are Pararekau Island and Kopuahingahinga or Lee Island with a total area of 27ha – both are alongside each other and connected and are standing in the Manukau Harbour across from Wattle Downs.
It is understood from the report that Lee Island Investments (NZ) would set up a six star luxury resort on the land. The resort would include suites, restaurants, entertainment and business facilities on Pararekau Island. On the other hand, Kopuahingahinga Island will become a native reserve.
It may be noted that other countries are also buying up land in the region to set up businesses. Some of these are –
Sweden's Southern Pastures Limited Partnership
Thailand's TCC Assets, International Beverage Holdings and Interbev Investment
French owned Cloudy Bay Vineyards
Canadian Government's Cumberland Dairy Farm
Japan's Pan Pac Forest Products

Some food items that can stop bad breath

#badbreath #dentalhygiene Makers of toothpaste, mouthwash and the likes promote the concept of using their products to avoid bad breath that can sour relationships. They will certainly not be happy to know that not just their products but there are some food items that can also play a leading role to prevent bad breath.
On top of the list of foods that can avoid bad breath is plain and simple water. The more you drink water, the less chance is there of bad breath spoiling your show. Drinking enough water at regular intervals can actually blow the bad breath away. Moreover, regular drinking of water at an interval of an hour throughout the day will help to keep the mouth hydrated, and the bacteria at bay.
Next on the list is the common cheese or yoghurt. A tiny piece of cheese in the mouth can be effective to neutralize the dietary acids that remain stuck in the mouth after every meal. These are usually the culprits responsible for bad breath. Therefore, at the end of the meal, pop a small piece of cheese into the mouth or a small serving of unsweetened yogurt.
Another food item that helps to avoid bad breath is raw vegetables like carrots, celery and apples. Usually, crunchy fruits and vegetables are beneficial to wage a war against bad breath. Eating such raw items help to scrape out the plaque which are believed to be the reason for frequent bad breath.
Of course, salt water gargle is another option to combat bad breath because, such gargling helps to tackle the problem of sore throat simultaneously eliminating bacteria from the throat and tonsils.
Most importantly, any food item that can increase the flow of saliva will help in reducing the odor in your mouth. Items in this category are sugarless candies, gums or even mints apart from spices like cinnamon, clove or cardamom. It’s all about good dental hygiene.

It is officially declared that the loss of MH370 was due to an accident

#MH370 #flightdatarecorder The Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 with 329 people on board that had vanished soon after takeoff from Kuala Lumpur is being treated as an accident and everybody on board is presumed to be dead. This is after 327 days from the incident.
This announcement has now cleared the way for the company to pay compensation to families. Of course, some relatives of victims believe there is still a chance their loved ones may be alive and several relatives could not accept the decision.
Civil aviation chief, Azharuddin Abdul Rahman, has indicated that the search effort had followed up every credible lead and reviewed all available data, but was unable to locate the plane and has assured that the hunt for the wreckage would continue.
Azharuddin has added that the absence of any physical evidence, especially the flight recorders, would mean that there was nothing to speculate on the cause of the disappearance. He has indicated that an interim statement on the investigation would be made public on or around the first anniversary of the accident.
It may be recalled that the Boeing lost contact with air traffic control shortly after take-off from Kuala Lumpur en-route to Beijing on 8 March last year and this remains one of aviation’s biggest mysteries till date.

Rumors doing the rounds that North Korea plans to restart its nuclear reactor

#yongbyon #nuclearreactor #northkorea Based on satellite images that reveal steam coming out from the Yongbyon plant and an increase in melted snow, observers feel that North Korea may be on its way to revive its interest in nuclear activities. It could be making efforts to restart a nuclear reactor which has the capability to produce fuel for a nuclear bomb. This is the opinion of The US-Korea Institute which is an American think tank.
This institute is based at Johns Hopkins University in Washington and as per its report, the satellite images were of the period between 24 December and 11 January and showed new activity at Yongbyon. These could indicate that the North Koreans were making efforts to restart the plutonium production reactor that had been lying dormant for almost five months. The Yongbyon reactor had been shut down in 2007 and restarted in 2013.
Of course, the satellite images were not necessarily conclusive proof of the intentions of Pyongyang. The last time any activity was seen at the site was in November when North Korea had threatened to launch a fourth nuclear test in response to a United Nations move to probe the country's human rights violations.
South Korea's defense ministry has reported that there was "no circumstantial report that North Korea is making final preparations for a test". North Korea has already conducted nuclear tests in 2006, 2009 and 2013.

End of the road for a diplodocus dinosaur – it goes into retirement after 110-years

#diplodocus #NaturalHistoryMuseum #bluewhale #dinosaur It must come as a surprise to know that a diplodocus dinosaur is slated to go into retirement after having served a noble cause for 110 years - this 21st century dinosaur was actually a model in the British Natural History Museum and has been a source of inspiration for visitors for over a century.
It is known to schoolchildren as Dippy and the bosses at the London institution have taken a decision to remove the 83ft long exhibit since it is no longer relevant enough to enjoy pride of place in their great entrance hall.
The model of the diplodocus dinosaur would be replaced by that of the skeleton of a giant blue whale – it would be a more appropriate reminder of ‘our responsibility to the planet’ and, tis change is believed to be a ‘decade of transformation’ that has been planned at the museum by its director, Sir Michael Dixon.
The diplodocus exhibit was first unveiled in 1905 and is, basically, a model made up of 356 plaster cast bones. However, from the summer of 2017, it will make way for the 83ft long real skeleton of a blue whale. It would be suspended in a diving motion from the ceiling of the central Hintze Hall.
The whale would not be a new entrant to the Museum – it used to earlier be the centerpiece of the Mammal Hall, and was a resident of the museum since 1891. It is a symbol of environmental destruction and hope, as indicated by Sir Michael.

Colorado unwilling to part with water for drought stricken California

#droughtstricken #colorado #california Colorado has an abundance of water while California is faced with a drought situation. In spite of that, Colorado wants to exercise a tighter control over its own water supply and, in doing so, it is learning a valuable lesson in interstate diplomacy.
James Eklund, director of the Colorado Water Conservation Board, had initially made some tough remarks about the intentions of his state. Eklund is the all-in-all of the state's water policy and planning and, as senior deputy legal counsel to Gov. John Hickenlooper, his word carries a lot of weight.
Eklund’s remarks came as a surprise to many. One among them was Bill Hasencamp, Colorado River Program manager at the Metropolitan Water District in Los Angeles, which serves 19 million people. However, Colorado is contemplating its new water plan.
The Colorado River provides water to 40 million people in the states of Arizona, Wyoming, New Mexico, Utah, Nevada, California and Colorado – all of these seven states constitute the driest regions in the United States and depend on a water flow that is miniscule when compared to other rivers in the US.
The sharing of water is done based on guidelines of the 1922 Colorado River Pact and the 93-year-old agreement was reached at a time when the region was going through an unusually wet period. States get their allowance regardless of whether they need more or less. Obviously, in the present scenario, the Pact should be rewritten.

US National Weather Service admits to misleading weather forecast on blizzard

#blizzardnyc #BilldeBlasio #winterstorm To err is human and the US National Weather Service (NWS) cannot be faulted for having given a misleading weather forecast on blizzard in New York City. The NWS had predicted that "potentially historic blizzard" would strike New York City and has, now, graciously admitted that its forecasts were wrong.
Yes, there was snow but NYC was largely spared the miseries as the storm piled deep snow on Connecticut and Massachusetts.
City mayor Bill de Blasio was quick to deny that he had overreacted to warnings – he explained it away by saying that he could take decisions only on the information that is available. In view of the forecast, an emergency had been declared in a swathe of north-eastern states. The meteorologists had predicted up to 90cm (36in) of snow but, officials later downgraded the numbers.
Moreover, the New York City authorities had imposed a driving ban, which has since been lifted, and had also taken the unprecedented step of shutting the subway.
Of course, blizzard warnings continue to be there for Maine and eastern New Hampshire.
The NWS has sought to explain the forecast as one where rapidly deepening winter storms are very challenging to predict and has added that the storm has moved further east and will be departing faster than the forecasts of the past two days.

Squirrels love the taste of eco-friendly Toyota cars – owner left horrified

#ecofriendlycar #toyotaaygo #squirrel #toyotayaris Tony Steeles of Croydon is a worried man because squirrels have eaten into the panels of his newly acquired Toyota Aygo – the panels are made of eco-friendly plastic material and the rodents loved the taste and had a feast!!
The firm had begun to use eco-friendly plastics to boost its green credentials and, as revealed by the owner Tony Steeles, his car became a target of the squirrels who repeatedly attacked it soon after it was delivered.
As Tony explained - the aerial has been chewed off twice, the oxygen sensor’s been damaged and various rubber-like trim parts have been chewed and damaged. The car has been sent for repairs several times and has finally been replaced by a new Toyota Yaris.
It seems Toyota had made use of plant-based plastics that might be attracting the hungry squirrels. The door trims, seat cushions, spare tire covers and boot liners are some of the parts of the car that the Japanese firm is now making from materials derived from natural sources like the castor oil plants.
The idea to go in for eco-friendly items to make car parts deserves to be appreciated but, the designers need to ensure that it does not end up being fodder for hungry animals.

Message of latest ISIS video is – they would get at Obama in the White House

#ISISthreats #japanesehostage #ISIS #jordanianpilot ISIS has released its latest beheading video and is a sort of direct threat against President Obama – it also pledges to kill Jordanian and Japanese hostages if a hostage held by Jordan is not freed. In the video that has come to surface through the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), one of the fighters is heard saying ‘…we will cut off your head in the White House, and transform America into a Muslim Province….’
The fighter is reportedly clad in black and is shown wearing a balaclava. He issues threats to other European nations like France and Belgium. The threat is that the ISIS would attack with car bombs and explosive charges, and behead them. In another video, the Islamic State has warned that the lives of a Japanese hostage and Jordanian pilot hangs in the balance – they have less than "24 hours left to live." Once Sajida al-Rishawi, a woman who has been held by Jordan for nine years, is released, the men would be set free.
The woman, incidentally, had admitted to her role in deadly attacks at Amman hotels that killed at least 57 people. The Islamic State looks upon her as a “sister of the Caliphate.” She was sentenced to death in 2006, but, in that year, Jordan imposed a moratorium on the death penalty.
The Japanese hostage held by ISIS is , Kenji Goto Jogo, a freelance journalist – there is a demand of a ransom of $200 million from Japan in exchange of his release. The Jordanian pilot is Mu'adh Safi Yusuf al-Kasasibah – he was captured by ISIS in Syria in December and has been held by them since then.

Protests of anti-fracking lobby gather steam in Lancashire

#cuadrilla #fracking #lancashire #blackpool #preesehall The anti-fracking lobby is gaining in strength as demonstrators from all over UK would be assembling in Lancashire to raise their voices ahead of a controversial decision on the future of fracking in the county.
Cuadrilla, an exploration company, has apparently applied to get permission to develop new fracking sites after 2011 when it had been blamed for creating earth tremors in Blackpool three years ago. As a result, the firm had to suspend test drilling and abandon the Preese Hall site near the seaside resort. It was the only place in the UK where modern fracking techniques have been used so far.
Incidentally, the new areas proposed to be explored by Cuadrilla apparently sit on the same massive reserve of shale gas which, once exploited, could help revolutionize Britain's energy market. However, the opposition is coming from groups opposed to fracking who feel fracking would not be good for the countryside – it would, in fact, pollute the environment. Cuadrilla has, reportedly, applied to Lancashire County Council for permission to frack two sites in a rural area between Preston and Blackpool.
Fracking, or hydraulic fracturing, is the name given to the process of drilling a mile or more into the earth and then injecting water, chemicals and sand under high pressure into rock so that the shale gas trapped between the layers of stone gets released.
Incidentally, supporters of fracking in the US argue that it has considerably reduced America's dependence on imported energy supplies and has helped to bolster the economy.

A few simple ways to keep fit

#coconutoil #healthbenefit #lifestyle #VitaminD #ghrelin #leptin In today’s world, all of us want to keep fighting fit and towards this end, we go in for diet restrictions, exercises apart from changes in lifestyles. Health occupies a large portion of our activities, whether we admit it or not. And – all of us want to live our lives free from health complications – as far as possible. The medical profession is a noble one, no doubt, but the general tendency is to avoid doctors as far as possible unless the situation is a complicated one.
Go out minus sunglasses – this is one way to keep fit. In the opinion of Dr Kathleen Wills, a holistic practitioner with an American doctorate degree in Integrative Medicine, just 10 to 15 minutes in the sun with your sunglasses off every day can give you tremendous health benefits. Exposure to the rays of the sun means better absorption. This, in turn, increases intake of Vitamin D and helps to boost the mood and immunity apart from maintaining strong bones, and reducing the risk of cancer and other inflammatory diseases.
Break monotony and take a walk – continuous work is not good for health and, hence, forcible breaks are important. The break, even for five minutes, helps you to come out of the sedentary position, simultaneously increasing blood flow so that more nutrients and oxygen can enter your body and improve lymphatic and venous return of used blood. Moreover, the movement helps to keep the joints lubricated which maintains the health of the joints and improves mobility.
Enjoy a good night’s sleep – it is believed that less than 7-and-a-half hours sleep can lead to weight gain over a period of time because of its reaction on two important hormones namely ghrelin and leptin.
Ghrelin is known as the 'start eating' hormone – this tells you when it is time to eat. And, once one is starved of sleep, it means more ghrelin which can increase appetite by up to 25 per cent. Leptin, on the other hand, is called the 'stop eating' hormone – it causes you to feel full and, once one is not getting adequate sleep, this reduces. And - more of ghrelin coupled with less leptin translates into weight gain.
Go in for coconuts – change cooking medium to coconut oil since it boosts energy without causing spikes in blood sugar levels and also has strong antiviral, bacterial and anti-fungal properties. A study carried out by Garvan Insitute in Australia has revealed that a diet rich in coconut oil protects against 'insulin resistance' and accumulation of body fat caused by other high fat diets.

Bomb threats on Delta and Southwest flights from Portland turn out to be hoax

#bombscare #atlanta #southwestairlines #deltaairlines As reported by Atlanta airport spokesman, threats were received against Delta and Southwest flights that were coming from Portland and Milwaukee respectively. The threats had been made online - reportedly on Twitter.
Accordingly, the flights were escorted by two US fighter jets into the Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. Subsequently, the police searched both the planes at Atlanta's airport and could not find any bombs. The planes had landed safely and had been evacuated.
It seems a bomb squad and sniffer dogs were used to carry out the police search after the planes landed. There were 86 passengers on board the Southwest flight, and that they were being re-screened.
Incidentally, the busy Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport is home to Delta and is serving nearly 100 million passengers.
Already, in this week, there was a bomb scare in the JFK airport of New York – here also, no bomb was found. In view of the terrorist activities taking place all over the world, no place is safe and any mention of a possible threat cannot be taken lightly and ignored and, it sets off the panic button and starts a chain reaction.

Cold War espionage ring – FBI arrests a Russian, two have slipped away

#coldwar #FBI #RussianSpy #SpyRing It was a Cold War espionage ring in NYC – in this respect, three Russians have been were charged with trying to recruit New York City residents as intelligence sources. However, only of them could be taken in because the other two have managed to slip away.
It seems the three named Evgeny Buryakov, Igor Sporyshev and Victor Podobnyy had hatched a conspiracy to gather economic intelligence on behalf of Russia. The information they were after included alleged information about U.S. sanctions against the country.
This has been revealed by U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder.
As per the criminal complaint, the charges are linked to Buryakov's alleged covert work on behalf of Russia's foreign intelligence service, known as the SVR. It was not possible to arrest the other two, Sporyshev and Podobnyy because they do not live in the United States any longer and enjoyed diplomatic immunity during their stay.
The alleged conspiracy began in 2012 just after the expulsion of a number of Russian spies from the United States in 2010.
40-year-old Sporyshev worked as a Russian trade representative from November 2010 to November 2014, while 27-year-old Podobnyy was an attaché to Russia's mission to the United Nations from December 2012 to September 2013.
39-year-old Buryakov concealed his real intentions by posing as a banker for Russia's Vnesheconombank. He was arrested in the Bronx while the other two are at large.
The case against Buryakov has been built based on physical and electronic surveillance of dozens of meetings. Some of these meetings were with an FBI agent where the Russian posed as a wealthy investor who wanted to develop casinos in Russia.
It may be recalled that a Russian spy ring had been identified in 2010 and the concerned individuals had been expelled from the US and sent back to Russia. They had plans to infiltrate upper levels of U.S. business and government. In spite of such actions, Russian spies continue to seek to operate in the United States.

Quadcopter drone lands unannounced in the grounds of the White House

#quadcopter #drone #WhiteHouse #UAV The appearance of a quadcopter drone in the grounds of the White House has put a huge question mark on the security system in the White House and has highlighted the growing security threat posed by small Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). It is believed to be a harmless drone but the fact remains that it had breached security belt.
The incident in the White House has come less than two weeks after a drone flew over the French presidential palace in Paris.
Drones can fly at low altitudes and, hence, detecting these devices poses a challenge to those involved in providing security cover to people who matter.
As the Secret Service has clarified - the drone was a 2-foot-long commercially available "quadcopter." An officer posted on the south grounds of the White House complex had, reportedly, "heard and observed" the device "flying at a very low altitude" shortly after 3 a.m. ET. It was a commercially available device and did not pose any threat.
However, the possible dangers of drones cannot be ruled out. As Caroline Baylon, a cybersecurity researcher at the Royal Institute of International Affairs, Chatham House, in London, has indicated – due to their small size and ability to hover low over the ground, the drones can pose a huge security headache.
Drones have opened up an area that has not been defended before – most of the available radars cannot detect drones that have the ability to fly really low.

NATO F-16 crashes into parked planes in Spanish military airbase – 10 killed, 13 injured

#F16crash #Spain #Greece #LosLlanos #NATO The F-16 belonged to Greece and was on a NATO training exercise when it crashed into planes parked on the runway of Los Llanos base near Albacete, 160 miles south-east of Madrid, a military base in Spain.
At least 10 people have been killed in the crash and thirteen more have been injured with reports of seven of them being in a very serious condition. As per reports, the F-16 had just taken off when it lost power and smashed into an area where aircraft also involved in the exercise were parked on the tarmac.
The dead included both the pilots of the aircraft. The area has been cordoned off. It is understood that most of the victims were not Spanish, nor British.
As confirmed by a defense ministry statement, the plane was a part of the tactical leadership program (TLP) of NATO and was carrying out a (training) exercise when during the take-off the plane lost power. It crashed "into the parking area for planes, crashing into various planes that were parked there".
Incidentally, this is the second accident at the air base within the last six months. In July, the pilot of a Spanish fighter-bomber died when the aircraft exploded after taking off during Spanish-US military exercises.

Monkey menace in domestic lounge of Chennai airport

#chennaiairport #monkeymenace A pair of monkeys took the authorities for a ride as the primates invaded the Chennai airport and sent the passengers scurrying for cover in the domestic lounge.
A three-member team from the forest department have managed to capture one of the monkeys and have kept a cage with fruits as bait for the second one which is believed to be hiding inside a false ceiling at the old domestic terminal.
In the opinion of Forest ranger S Davidraj, this was the first instance of monkeys entering the premises of the airport and, they must have come from the neighboring Tirusulam hills. The location where the second monkey was seen last happens to be the same place where a cat chased and caught a pigeon last year. Of course, the airport authorities have blocked many openings on the roof of the building following passenger complaints of pigeons.
Of course, monkey menace is rampant in the capital Delhi and, the NDMC has imparted training to 40 youths who take on the role of langurs and screech. They are armed with two guns at the cost of Rs.50,000 for firing rubber bullets. But, the authorities have realized that the monkeys are not fooled easily and are not frightened by imposters or bullets.
The obvious reason for monkeys to enter into cities is the loss of their general habitats and denuding of forests in the name of development.

NASA eyes humans on Mars by 2024 – Boeing and SpaceX to ferry astronauts to ISS

#NASA #boeing #SpaceX #CST100 #ISS NASA plans to tie up with commercial companies like Boeing and SpaceX to ferry astronauts to and from the International Space Station ISS by 2017 and, subsequently, to send humans to Mars by 2024. It may be recalled that the announcement of US$4.2 billion for Boeing and US$2.6 billion for SpaceX was made in September 2014. However, things are gradually hotting up.
Following the end of its 30-year space shuttle program in 2011, NASA has to rely on Russia and its Soyuz capsules but the cost charged is $US70-million per seat but, with the entry of private contractors like Boeing and SpaceX, the cost would reduce to approximately $US58-million.
As indicated by Commercial crew program manager Kathy Lueders, the cost per seat in the new US commercial industry would be approximately $US58 million – this would be an average cost teased out over the course of a five-year mission plan. The goal is to have two robust providers.
The tentative plans are to send a NASA astronaut and a Boeing test pilot in the first crewed test flight on the spacecraft called Crew Space Transportation-100, or CST-100 for short, in July 2017. This has been informed by John Elbon, Boeing's vice president and general manager of space exploration.
NASA administrator Charles Bolden has clarified that the rise of private industry in reaching low-Earth orbit would translate into greater benefits because the US space agency will then be in a position to focus on sending humans to Mars by 2024.
Of course, another major benefit for the US would be to end its costly dependency on the Russian space agency.

Japanese humanoid robot ‘Pepper’ has emotions – specially made for dementia patients

#humanoidrobot #PepperRobot #emotionalrobot #dementia With the increase in the life expectancy of people and, consequent increase in the number of aged persons all around us, it is but natural that problems related to those suffering from dementia gradually take center stage.
Japan has, therefore, created a humanoid robot to take care of dementia patients – these robots have that emotional touch and can become invaluable in taking care of such persons. The robots called Pepper can help take care of people with dementia by recognizing their emotions.
One of the robots is at present in the Nishi-Koigakubo Ninjin Home – this is a special elderly nursing home in western Tokyo. The elderly dementia patients can spend time with Pepper.
This humanoid robot with artificial intelligence is being developed by SoftBank Mobile. It claims to be the world's first robot that has been designed to serve people by recognizing their emotions. It is expected that Pepper would take over responsibilities of a conversation partner for those suffering from dementia.
During its visit to the Nishi-Koigakubo Ninjin Home, the robot Pepper played a game and showed off its dancing skills also. There are plans for the robot to provide better support for dementia patients by encouraging the elderly to talk about their memories.
Pepper is set to retail for 198,000 yen on the consumer market in February.

Do not ignore heartburn – it could be esophageal cancer

#esophagealcancer #stomachcancer #heartburn #obesity #health Public Health England has, through a health campaign, urged people not to ignore heartburn because, such signs could be associated to the onset of stomach or esophageal cancer. PHE has advised people to visit the doctors in case they experience persistent heartburn or have difficulty in swallowing food for three weeks or more - the symptoms could be of esophageal cancer.
Incidentally, stomach and esophageal cancers are the fifth most common cancers in England and the figures released by PHE reveal that nearly 12,900 people in England are diagnosed with these cancers every year and approximately 10,000 of them die from the diseases.
Right now, UK has the highest rate of esophageal cancer in both men and women in the EU – probable reasons for this could be smoking, rising obesity levels, a lack of fruit and vegetables in our diet apart from regular consumption of alcohol. In the opinion of PHE, the earlier these cancers are diagnosed, the better are the chances of recovery.
With this objective, the "Be Clear on Cancer" campaign of PHE is focusing on how to spot the signs of esophageal or stomach cancer and encourage everyone who have worrying symptoms to seek help of the doctor as early as possible.>br> Once the individual approaches the doctor, he would either get an assurance that it is not cancer, or if it really is, then the individual would have a better chance of successful treatment and, possible, survival.

Man seen on Mars - NASA picture shows a man working on Curiosity rover

#curiosityrover #NASA #manonmars #methaneonmars Here is an opportunity to let our imagination run wild conjuring up visions of life on Mars – it is a fact that scientists have long wondered as to whether life really does exist on Mars and a latest set of pictures released by NASA appears to confirm claims of conspiracy theorists that we are not alone in the universe.
The images have, reportedly, been taken by a NASA navigation camera and it appears to show a human-like figure working on the Mars Curiosity Rover – this rover is right now on the Red Planet.
The interesting part is that the pictures depict a human-shaped shadow looming over the probe as if they are repairing it. From initial looks, the shadow resembles a male figure without any helmet – this is presumed because short spiky hair is visible. The man (?) wears an air tank on his back and most of the body is covered.
The pictures have been reported to the monitoring website UFO sightings daily, and some people are claiming this to be a proof that there is life on Mars.
Incidentally, Gary McKinnon, an alleged computer hacker, who had reportedly laid his hands on classified documents from the U.S. government, has revealed that he had come across files that showed the existence of 'extra-terrestrial officers'.
The sudden appearance of this ‘man on Mars’ has come on the back of news that in December last that an instrument on the Curiosity Rover had identified spikes of methane which, in the opinion of scientists, might have come from bacteria-like organisms on the surface of Mars.

More than 30 police commandos killed in encounter in Philippines

#philipines #commando #ampatuan A group of more than 30 police commandos were killed in an encounter with Muslim insurgents in the southern Philippines – it has been described as the biggest single-day combat loss for the Philippine forces.
As per information, the commandos had entered the far-flung village of Tukanalipao in search of a top terror suspect, but fell into a trap laid by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and other insurgents. This has been explained by the Mayor Tahirudin Benzar Ampatuan of Mamasapano town.
When other insurgent groups in the area joined in fighting the police force was outnumbered and fell victims. It seems the Moro group had signed a peace deal with the government last year but, as is understood, the police commandos had not taken any one into confidence before attacking and, neither did they coordinate their plan to enter the Muslim rebel village. This, apparently, led to the fierce fighting.
The scene of the fighting was in the marshy village of corn and coconut plantations and stopped only after members of a cease-fire committee and foreign truce monitors intervened. A team of village leaders and guards saw more than 30 of the slain commandos scattered all around in the battle scene.

Cold wave grips Britain – travel warnings issued, snowfall up to 10cm expected

#coldwave #arcticblast #snowinengland #globalwarming #climatechange The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for parts of Britain and have also cautioned against possible disruption in travels. The predictions of forecasters are heavy snow to fall across parts of Britain in the coming days. These would be accompanied by wintry showers in the north of England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Expectations are of up to 5cm of snow in low-lying areas and, in higher grounds, it could be in excess of 10cm.. Obviously, such Arctic blasts will continue to pile up miseries on the people and are best examples of the effects of disturbing the ecological balance of our planet Earth by global warming.
The Met Office has also indicated strong gusty winds with poor visibility. The wintry showers would fall as hail, sleet and snow. Obviously, those who would venture out should be prepared for such eventualities.
A cold wave is sweeping through Britain and, only last week, some portions of northern England, the Midlands, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland had experienced snow and freezing conditions. As per records, the coldest temperature of the winter so far was -11.2C at Loch Glascarnoch on January 18. This was greater than the previous record low of -9C. This was on December 27 in Cromdale, Moray. Both are in Scotland.

Tiger poachers caught in Pilibhit with tiger body parts

#pilibhit #tiger #poacher Tiger poachers are active in Pilibhit. Based on reports, a team of Wildlife Crime Control Bureau (WCCB) New Delhi, Pilibhit forest department and special task force has arrested eight poachers. They were in possession of tiger body parts like tiger meat, bones, and teeth.
Four of their accomplices still on the run and police are trying to nab them. These arrests have come after two poachers from Uttar Pradesh had been arrested in Nepal – they had with them 37-Kg of tiger bones and skin and, on interrogation, had confessed to have poached tigers in Pilibhit. As per Kailesh Prakash, divisional forest officer, Pilibhit tiger reserve (PTR), the police in Nepal had informed that the poachers had killed two adult tigers in November and December 2013 in Barahi range of PTR. They had made use of poisoned buffalo meat as bait to trap the big cats.
The team has also seized other material from these two – they had with them 5-Kg of tiger bones, teeth apart from antlers of swamp deer.
Pilibhit is on the border with Nepal and, hence, the reserve is not safe for the big cats - in the 2014 tiger census report, the Pilibhit tiger reserve has shown "improvement". As per the count of 2011, there were 35 to 40 tigers. However, encroachment of humans and proximity to Nepal has made it dangerous for the tigers.
In May 2012, two tigers were poisoned there within 24 hours and, in February 2009, a young tigress was shot down by forest department in Faizabad because it had strayed out of the forests and turned into a man-eater.

New York braces for snowstorm – Mayor says – it could be the worst ever

#newyorksnowstorm #billdeblasio #climatechange #globalwarming The weatherman has warned that a massive snowstorm is headed for the US Northwest and New York and Boston can expect dumping of 2 to 3 feet of snow from New Jersey to Connecticut.
As the National Weather Service has indicated, it was a "potentially historic" and a blizzard warning was issued for New York and Boston. The National Weather Service has added that the storm would bring heavy snow and powerful winds starting Monday and into Tuesday.
Bill de Blasio, the Mayor of New York City has added that it could be a storm the likes of which has never been seen earlier. It seems this snowstorm could go on top of a list that dates back to 1872 – the list is that of the city’s top 10 snowstorms.
Preparations have already begun to take care to face the snowstorm. There is an increase in the number of snow shovels, snow brooms and ice-melting pellets sold and transit officials are trying to keep the subways running smoothly by using modified subway cars loaded with de-icing fluid to spray the third rail that powers trains.
In Boston, wind gusts of 60 mph or more are possible on Cape Cod as informed by the weather forecasters.
Without doubt, such natural disasters in the form of snowstorms are results of climate change and global warning – we have to face the facts or perish.

At least 30 dead and 90 injured as rebels shell Mariupol in Ukraine

#mariupol #donetsk #Ukraine #crimea #minskagreement Pro-Russian rebels attacked the city of Mariupol in Ukraine with grad rockets – the attacks were in residential areas and left at least 30 dead with another more than 90 injured.
The attack happened on the day when the leader of the pro-Russian group had announced an assault on the city – this was in spite of previous denials about involvement of the rebels. It seems both the rebels and Russian television has claimed that the Ukrainians had shelled their own territory by mistake. But, observers who had visited the scene, were of the opinion that the missiles had been launched from rebel territory.
Incidentally, both the warring factions own and use Grad missiles – these can fire a salvo of up to 40 rockets across a wide area and are notoriously imprecise. As per information of the UN, the number of casualties in the conflict till now is more than 5,000 people dead, more than 10,000 have been injured and about a million have been displaced from their homes since the violence began in east Ukraine began last spring following the annexation of Crimea by Russia.
A ceasefire had been agreed upon in Minsk last September but it has had no effect – in fact, from incidents that have taken place over the past fortnight the situation has threatened to return to full-scale war.
Mariupol is under control of Ukraine forces and, seizing it would provide the rebels in Donetsk with an easy access to the sea and, also, pave the way for a potential land route between Russia and annexed Crimea.

Many theme parks have closed down in England

#themepark #amusementpark #disneyland Theme Parks are usually set up with a huge investments and the main objective is to provide a new means of entertainment and attract tourists and allow them to enjoy a bit of life out in the open and away from routine. However, in England, as many as four theme parks have closed down due to a variety of reasons.
American Adventure Theme Park, Derbyshire – this park was opened as Britannia Park in June 1985 by boxer Henry Cooper, but was later renamed The American Adventure in June 1987. It closed down in 2007, due to financial problems and dwindling attendance. Most of the equipment has, since, been removed but the lake remains, surrounded by grassland.
Dreamland Theme Park, Kent – this was one of the country's oldest amusement parks. It is believed that, at one time, the 16-acre site boasted of a zoo, miniature railway, cinema, cafes, restaurants, bars, shops and a 2,000-capacity ballroom. The park closed in 2003, but Thanet District Council and The Dreamland trust has plans to reopen it as a heritage theme park.
Cornwall Coliseum– this had started in the 1980s and closed down during the early 2000s. In 2011 a firm was granted permission to redevelop Carlyon Bay at the site of the Cornwall Coliseum and work has yet to be started.
Belle Vue Zoological Gardens, Manchester – this was started in 1836 by a local gardener John Jenison. He started with a small aviary and gardens on the site. It gradually expanded to include a zoo, circus, funfair, boating lake, speedway, boxing, wrestling and beauty pageants. T was touted as the Manchester version of Disneyland. In its heyday, it attracted two million visitors a year and a record 180,000 on one bank holiday. It closed down in 1977.

Egyptian police gun down a woman in Cairo on Arab Spring anniversary

#arabspring #TahrirSquare #egypt #cairo #abdelfattahalsisi A woman demonstrator was gunned down in clashes with Egyptian police during a protest in central Cairo on the eve of the anniversary of the 2011 Arab Spring uprising against Hosni Mubarak. As informed by a spokesman of the health ministry, the woman Shaima al-Sabbagh died of birdshot wounds. Fellow protesters said those were fired by police to disperse the march.
The woman, an activist of the Socialist Popular Alliance Party is believed to be 34-years-old with a five-year-old son and the police shot her in the head as she was marching peacefully marched towards the Tahrir Square to lay a commemorative wreath of roses.
She was taken to the hospital but was declared dead on arrival.
Prime Minister Ibrahim Mahlab has said that the death was being investigated and vowed that 'whoever committed a mistake will be punished. A suggestion is that the Islamist 'infiltrators' were to blame.
The clash had taken place hours before state television aired a pre-recorded speech by President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to mark the fourth anniversary of the uprising in which he has said that - 'I salute all our martyrs, from the beginning of January 25 (2011) until now.'
It may be recalled that Arab Spring had overthrown Hosni Mubarak and brought to power Islamist president Mohamed Morsi who was, in turn, toppled by the then army chief Sisi in July 2013.

Hong Kong girl walked off with a diamond necklace worth £2.8m

#diamondnecklace #hongkong Her age is believed to be between 12 and 14 and she walked off with a diamond necklace worth £2.8m from a jewelry shop in Hong Kong. It seems she was in a gang of three – the others were in their 30s and 40s. The gang consisted of this girl and two women and a man.
The adults "pretended to be customers choosing items from the shop" and the girl stole the necklace and all four left the shop before a staff member realized that the necklace was missing.
The girl apparently stole a key from a drawer to open a cabinet while the shop staff were distracted. The three adults had posed as big spenders and kept demanding that the employees keep showing them more and more jewelry. The intention was to keep the attention diverted.
The diamond necklace was of 100-carat gold embedded with more than 30 diamonds and priced at around £2.8m. CCTV has captured the photo of the girl – she was slim, dressed in black trousers, a blue shirt and a grey hooded top as she left the shop.
The gang had spent nearly half an hour in the shop and the staff did not notice the loss of the necklace till late in the day. This is as reported in South China Morning Post.

Brazil facing unprecedented drought conditions with water and power cuts

#saopaulodrought #brazil #peddleboat Brazil is in the grip of an unprecedented drought situation with water taps running dry and power is being rationed as the coffee crops have been hit, businesses have been forced to close and peddle-boat operators have had to suspend operations because lakes have dried up.
It is believed to be the worst drought in history spreading from São Paulo to Rio de Janeiro and beyond with over four million people affected by rationing and rolling power cuts.
Brazil is realizing the hard way that its very survival is threatened and it can no longer rely on once abundant water supplies in a period of rising temperatures and diminishing rainfall.
As a result of this the political and economic fallout for the world’s seventh biggest economy is increasingly apparent as protesters in dry neighborhoods take to the streets.
São Paulo – the most populous city in South America has been worst hit by the drought. The shortage over the year has resulted in shortages and the water in the city has been reduced to a quarter since last January. And, they have been warned that the situation could deteriorate.
As many as six cities have been hit by blackouts due to weak hydroelectricity generation and high demand for air conditioning with temperatures soaring to over 35C.
To counter that, utilities are going in for more of fossil fuels, adding to the cost of energy and greenhouse gas emissions. The government has acknowledged that Brazil is also now importing power from Argentina to tide over the crisis and cover the shortfall.
The water shortage in Brazil and associated problems highlights the effects of global warming that will be felt on ground and these should be taken as warning signs of what could finally happen not only in Brazil but anywhere else in the world. Once the ecological balance is disturbed due to global warming, water bodies keep drying up and availability of water diminishes. When rainfall becomes erratic, the problem aggravates further and, we have to face such problems.

Nearly 1215 rhinos poached in South Africa during 2014

#rhinohorn #poaching #krugernationalpark #southafrica It is an unimaginable situation but it has been revealed that nearly 1215 rhinos were poached in South Africa, most of these in the Kruger National Park in South Africa during 2014 – this is believed to be an increase of 21% over the figures of the previous year.
The increase in poaching is believed to be due to demands of the rhino horns from countries like China and Vietnam – these people believe that the horns have medicinal properties. Therefore, this lucrative market has brought in criminal gangs who go in for use of sophisticated technology like such as night-vision goggles and long-range rifles to kill their quarry.
As South Africa's environment minister Edna Molewa has admitted – over 100 rhinos had been moved to "more secure locations". Some of these safe locations were in neighboring countries. These actions have been taken in a bid to protect the animals. The intention is to create rhino strongholds where the animals can breed and be produced cost-effectively.
In the opinion of Dr Carlos Drews, WWF's director of global species programme, the klling on this scale shows how rhino poaching is being increasingly undertaken by organized criminal syndicates.
The situation can be controlled by South Africa intensifying its anti-poaching efforts while Viet Nam should take urgent measures to reduce the consumer demand.

Decline in heart deaths attributed to improved lifestyle and not due to statins

#heartdisease #statins #smokinghabit #transfat #dietarychanges Those who suffer from heart diseases can now celebrate because England has seen a drop in the number of deaths related to heart diseases. A study has revealed that more than 20,000 lives have been saved in the last seven years – this is attributed to changes in diet and lifestyle and not drugs.
It has been possible because of reductions in blood pressure and cholesterol and only a minority were tied to the use of drugs such as statins. It has been revealed that more than two-thirds were the result of reduction in smoking rates and dietary changes like going in for consuming of less trans fats.
In order to carry out the study, researchers had made use of a mathematical model to assess the role of medication in the huge decline in deaths from 2000 to 2007. The study brought forth the facts that deaths from coronary heart disease fell by 38,000 in that time. Of course, many lives would have been saved by advances in emergency treatment, or by other factors that have not yet been fully explained.
But - 20,400 deaths were prevented as a direct result of reductions in blood pressure and cholesterol. Moreover, just 5,300 of those were linked to the use of statins, the study found.
The study was carried out by Dr Martin O’Flaherty and colleagues at Liverpool University and they made use of trial data, national surveys, and official statistics to calculate how many deaths were prevented and why. A Dr O’Flaherty has said - statins were not as effective as they were claimed to be . . . rather, curbs on salt and trans fats in processed and takeaway foods, as well as changing smoking habit gave better results compared to pills.

The marathon man of California - 7 marathons on 7 continents in 7 days

#marathon #worldmarathon The marathon man of San Francisco is 31-year-old Tim Durbin – he is obsessed with marathons and is now just one race away from completing seven marathons in seven days on seven continents.
Till date, he has run six marathons, each 26.2 miles, through snow, rain and jetlag in Antarctica, Chile, Miami, Madrid, Morocco and Dubai. He is the only American who will be competing in the World Marathon Challenge that started last Saturday and ends in Sydney on Friday.
As he has revealed – in the last 48 hours he had slept less than 9 hours and has run three marathons. Most of his sleep was on board airplanes between cities with a few hours spent in hotels following the races. Of course, he did manage to have one full night of rest after running in Chile and before heading to Miami.
To him, the biggest challenge has been the quick turn-around times. In two instances, he did two marathons in 24 hours and lack of sleep is a major factor to keep going.
In his opinion, the Morocco marathon was the toughest because he had taken off from Marrakech less than 7 hours after he completed the race in Spain. Moreover, it took him longer to complete the Morocco marathon – normally, he takes an average of 5½ hours for each 26.2-mile marathon but, the one in Morocco took nearly six hours.

Trolleybus shelled in Donetsk – at least 13 persons killed

#ukraine #donetsk #trolleybus #minskagreement Shelling, reportedly by pro-Russian activists, have killed at least 13 persons who were waiting at the bus stop in Donetsk for their trolleybus. The defense ministry of Ukraine has put the blame on the pro-Russian rebels.
The incident happened in the residential area of the city which is controlled by the illegal militias. It was an artillery attack in the rebel stronghold and it happened even as talks on the country's crisis has led to a sort of agreement to pull back heavy weaponry from a demarcation line defined in last year's Minsk agreement.
The deal had been brokered by German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier with his counterparts from France, Russia and Ukraine when the talks were held in Berlin.
However, Moscow has denied the charges and has, instead, blamed the attack on Ukrainian troops branding it as a "crime against humanity", aimed at undermining efforts to resolve the bloody conflict, which has claimed the lives of more than 5,000 people.
Subsequent to the deadly strike, the separatists paraded around 20 captured Ukrainian soldiers through the streets of Donetsk - angry residents apparently hurled pieces of glass and abuse at them.

Another UFO myth busted - USAF confirms after 60 years that Auckland UFO was just a cloud

#ProjectBlueBook #UFO #flyingsaucer #auckland Yes, another UFO myth is busted. The USAF has recently released a document ‘Project Blue Book files’ which is all about investigations into UFO observations during the period 1947 to 1969. This book is available online.
In it, the USAF have confirmed that a suspected UFO photographed in the skies above Auckland more than 60 years ago was actually just a cloud.
The reported image reveals a circular disc shape in the sky seen in the sky above Auckland in mid-1951 – this is as per a UFO website. The title of the image was “Winter 1951'. The photographer thought it to be a flying saucer but the USAF has concluded that it was in fact a lenticular cloud.
The lens-shaped formations, that gave it the similarity to a flying saucer, were, in fact, the result of moist air that has condensed at a high altitude.
The book ‘Project Blue Book’ also mentions a UFO sighting in Texas in 1951 – it was the famous image of was of the Lubbock Lights. These were probably plover birds. These birds had white breasts that reflected light from cities below. The book is the result of over 12,000 suspected UFO encounters and, interestingly, more than 700 cases remain unsolved – or 5.5 per cent of the files.

Clean Ganga mission – 700 tanneries of Kanpur pollute the River Ganges

#tanneries #kanpur #cleanganga #pollution The Clean Ganga mission is a mission that Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants to pursue with vigor and he has named Uma Bharati as the minister who should follow up and ensure implementation. But, the extent of pollution due to the tanneries in Kanpur, situated on the banks of the Ganges, poses a major challenge.
In this context, the warning of the National Green Tribunal has come not a day too soon – it has warned of complete closure of 700 tanneries in Kanpur located on the banks of the Rive Ganges because these are one of the "highest sources of pollution". These pollutants were injurious to human health and bio-diversity apart from ecology of the river.
Moreover, the tribunal has also observed that unless effective steps are taken to curb the pollution level then the tanneries would be closed because the lives of millions who reside in the region would be in anger and that should not happen.
The NGT is serious about the matter and a bench, headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar, has issued directions for inspection of the entire tannery industrial cluster. This should be undertaken by a team consisting of reps of Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board (UPPCB), Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) and National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA).
The bench was quite clear on what was needed - life of millions cannot be put at stake for carrying out a commercial activity of a group of individuals and a proper balance must be maintained between development and environment.

Jamaica to go the US way and relax cannabis laws

#jamaica #marijuana #cannabis #ganja Jamaica plans to go the US way and relax laws relating to cannabis or ‘ganja’ as it is known locally. The Jamaican cabinet has approved a bill that would decriminalize possession of small quantities of cannabis and gradually pave the way for a legal medical marijuana industry.
The bill would create a cannabis licensing authority that would handle the regulations necessary to cultivate, sell and distribute the herb for medical, scientific and therapeutic purposes. Jamaica wants to position itself suitable to take advantage of the significant economic opportunities that is offered by this emerging industry.
Under the terms of the proposed bill, the possession of 2 ounces or less would be treated as an offence but, it would not result in a criminal record. Permission would be given to cultivate maximum of five plants on any premises.
Rastafarians, who use marijuana as a sacrament, could also legally use it for religious purposes for the first time in Jamaica - the spiritual movement was founded in the 1930s.
Incidentally, the debate has raged on the Caribbean island for a long time over laws that govern use of marijuana and, with several countries and US states relaxing their laws on the herb, Jamaica plans to follow suit.

Leaders of 22 countries meet in London to discuss ISIS

#europol #ISIS #foreignfighter #airstrikes With every passing day the audacity of the ISIS keeps growing and it is targeting any country that it wants to – it has the appearance of the atrocities perpetrated by Adolf Hitler on the Jews. Therefore, it is but natural that the countries join hands to tackle this 21st century evil as had been done in the WWII against Hitler.
Accordingly, foreign ministers from 22 countries are meeting in London to discuss ways to co-ordinate their efforts in order to combat the jihadist group Islamic State (IS) which controls large swathes of Syria and Iraq.
The US-led coalition has been carrying out air strikes since August against these militants and, UK Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond feels that much more needed to be done. Some of the proposals on the anvil are to find ways to halt the flow of recruits to IS, cut off its funding. Moreover, they would also explore possibilities of extending more military assistance to those who are fighting the IS on the ground, apart from more humanitarian aid to its victims.
In view of the recent attacks by Islamist militants in France, there is more political pressure on governments to come out with decisive results.
One of the most important areas to be tackled is that of foreign fighters and how to stop them travelling. As per information of Europol, the European police agency, up to 5,000 EU citizens have travelled to Syria and Iraq to fight. Thousands of others have travelled from Arab and Muslim states.
The countries that are participating in the London conference along with the US and UK are Australia, Bahrain, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Egypt, France, Germany, Iraq, Italy, Jordan, Kuwait, the Netherlands, Norway, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates.

ESA outlines ambitious plans to colonize the other side of the Moon

#darksideofmoon #ESA #destinationmoon #InternationalSpaceStation The European Space Agency has ambitious plans to colonize the dark side of the Moon because, in its opinion, such a step would be a crucial step for humans to penetrate deep into space exploration.
In a video, titled 'Destination: Moon', the ESA has outlined its plans of cresting a human settlement on the hostile terrain that covers the far side of the lunar surface. Of course, given the amount of interest that has been generated on human settlement on Mars, this concept to settle on the Moon could deserve some attention.
The moon is tidally locked to Earth, which means its near side always points towards our planet and, its far side, has remained unknown and unexplored. It is believed that the dark side has one of the largest impact crater in the solar system – it is said to be four billion years old. Its diameter is roughly 1,550 miles (2,500 km) and it stretches across nearly a quarter of the moon.
Portions of the crater are shrouded in perpetual darkness, its rim features huge mountainous peaks that are bathed in near-constant sunlight and the plan of ESA is to send robots to these peaks, and, finally, humans. The rim of the crater would be an ideal landing spot for humans. This is because these locations have 'the potential for near continuous solar power and a spectacular view over the rugged and cratered landscape below.'
In order to install a facility on the Moon similar to that in the Antarctica, the experience gained on the International Space Station would come in useful. Moreover, in 2009, NASAs Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite had analyzed the chemical composition of the material below the moon's South Pole and discovered that there were traces of frozen water.
This could also be exploited to generate water and, for future colonies to use the hydrogen and oxygen atoms to create rocket fuel.

A-10 Warthog proves its worth - sends ISIS fighters fleeing for cover

#A10Warthog #Pentagon #closeairsupport #ISIS #strela The A-10 Thunderbolt, nicknamed ‘Warthog’ has a roaring engine, 30-mm. cannon and its nose is painted like a toothsome, snarling beast. It is sending the ISIS fighters fleeing for cover. It seems the fighters are scattering like cockroaches on the Iraqi desert plains.
In fact, the Warthog has sparked panic in the ranks of ISIS after bombing its elements and flying in spaces close to the ground. A sortie took out several terrorists in ISIS-controlled territory near Mosul and even though the fighters tried to bring it down with 4 Strela missiles, the aircraft remained intact – it has covering shell made of titanium.
The result was that the ISIS fighters literally ran away leaving the bodies of their dead behind and carrying the wounded with them to escape.
In the opinion of some, the A-10 Thunderbird or Warthog is ideal to counter the ISIS – the plane is not as fast as fighter aircraft and also lacks the graceful lines of other fighter jets. But it requires extremely low maintenance, flies low, can practically hover over a battlefield, land almost anywhere. It also packs a 20-foot-long, 2.5-ton, seven-barrel Gatling gun that can fire more than 1,100 rounds of 30-mm. bullets. Moreover, the titanium shell that wraps around the bottom of its cockpit invincible - and difficult to shoot down. In short, ideal in the role of close air support.
Unfortunately, the Warthog is fighting for survival because the Pentagon believes it can save $4.2 billion in operation and maintenance costs over five years by retiring all 283 of the Air Force’s A-10s – the last of these aircraft had rolled off Fairchild Republic’s assembly line in 1984.
In view of its show of strength in its tackling of the ISIS fighters in Iraq, it is possible that the A-10 would get a new lease of life and be spared retirement in fiscal 2015.

Ukraine says there are 9000 Russian troops on its soil – Russia denies

#petroporoshenko #sergeilavrov #johnkerry #ukraine #davos In the course of a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, the Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has claimed that over 9,000 Russian soldiers, backed by a whole range of heavy weapons including more than 500 tanks, armed personnel carriers and artillery systems, are at present on the soil of Ukraine.
These actions amount to aggression and these pro-Moscow fighters are supporting the separatist east of the country. This has been challenged by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov who has demanded that Kiev present necessary proof to prove the charges. US Secretary of State John Kerry has termed the actions of Russia as "a blatant land grab".
President Petro Poroshenko is a pro-western leader and he has called upon Moscow to comply with a September peace plan and also extend cooperation to seal the long joint border with Ukraine and simultaneously, withdrawing the Russian troops.
The nine-month conflict that began in March has already taken more than 4,800 lives and has heaped miseries on the economy of Ukraine. Moocow continues to deny that it is extending support to the insurgents. Moscow also disputes NATO satellite imagery that reportedly shows the presence of Russian forces in Ukraine.
Germany is trying to mediate in the ongoing conflict and it hosting representatives of France, Russia and Ukraine in Berlin to discuss the crisis. As revealed by Chancellor Angela Merkel, the objective of the talks was to try to reschedule a summit of the four countries in the Kazakh capital Astana. This had been called off last week due to renewed fighting.

Asylum seekers in Manus Island swallow razor blades for self-destruction

#manusisland #asylumseeker #hungerstrike #razorblade Manus Island detention center in Papua New Guinea is where asylum seekers headed for Australia are kept while their cases are processed. Right now there are nearly 700 of them in the Australian immigration center and, unable to gain entry into Australia, the have resorted to hunger strike and other self-destruction methods like swallowing razor blades, sewing their lips together, or even trying to hang themselves.
Many of these asylum seekers arrive in the Manus Island detention center in Papua New Guinea, at times in unsafe boats after paying people-smugglers in Indonesia.
However, this attempts to commit suicide appears to contradict the claims of the government that protests had ended after security guards had stormed the compound and allegedly took some detainees into solitary confinement.
The hunger strikes had begun last week has entered its 9th day. It started after the detainees who were granted refugee status were told that they would be shifted out of the detention center and moved into an unguarded facility in the capital of Lorengau. The seekers felt that such a move would lead to attacks by locals.
The fears are genuine because Manus Island is one of the poorest regions of Papua New Guinea and the locals have repeatedly expressed anger at the prospect of refugees being resettled in a community that is already starved of employment opportunities.
Incidentally, journalists are not allowed to go to Manus Island, hence, it is difficult to verify information about the protests.

French Prime Minister Manuel Valls announces a slew of measures to tackle terrorism

#CharlieHebdo #ManuelValls #paristerrorattack The terror attack in the offices of Charlie Hebdo and the death of 20 persons (including three Islamist gunmen) had taken France by surprise and Prime Minister Manuel Valls has announced a €425m (£326m) program to combat terrorism.
Some of the measures announced include greater surveillance to root out terrorist suspects, augmenting the numbers of intelligence officers, gendarmes and police, apart from better and more sophisticated equipment for security services. It may be recalled that three police officers had lost their lives in the recent attacks in Paris, which started when gunmen stormed the offices of satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo.
The improved surveillance programs include measures to prevent youngsters from becoming radicalized, the separation of religious fundamentalists in prisons and the prosecution of those who spread or support terrorism on the internet. In addition to these measures, constitutional experts are examining possibilities of whether convicted terrorists who hold dual nationality can be stripped of their French citizenship.
Already, over 122,000 police and military personnel – including 10,500 troops – have been deployed all over France to protect public places. Moreover, French security services have at present nearly 3,000 people under surveillance. Out of them, about 1,300 were French – or foreigners living in France – and they are suspected of having links with terrorists networks in Syria and Iraq in the past year.

Volcanic eruption creates a new island in Tonga

#volcaniceruption #tonga #volcanologist A new island has been created as a result of a volcanic eruption in Tonga - the volcano has been erupting for a month in the ocean about 40 miles northwest of the capital, Nuku'alofa.
The eruption started on December 20 for the first time in five years and is reported to have affected international air travel to the Pacific archipelago for several days last week. This is as per information of the Lands and Natural Resources Ministry.
New Zealand volcanologist Nico Fournier has apparently traveled by boat to within about a mile of the new island to take a closer look and he has described the new island as made up mainly of loose scoria. The dimensions of the new island are about 1.1 miles by 0.9 miles, and it rises to approximately 109 yards above the sea.
Fournier is employed by the New Zealand agency GNS Science, and in his opinion, once the volcano stops erupting, it will be lost due to erosion by the ocean within a few months. If it had been made up of lava, its chances of survival would have been better.
Fournier has also indicated that the depth of the ocean around the island is fairly shallow, perhaps only about 328-656 feet deep, and no name has yet been assigned for this new entity. That responsibility rests with the King of Tonga since the naming rights are held by him.
Incidentally, Tonga lies on the so-called Pacific “Ring of Fire” which is a place where continental plates keep colliding and causing frequent volcanic and seismic activity.

Good news for Indian Alphonso mangoes – EU to lift ban on imports from India

#alphonsomango #mangoban #fruitflies The EU had imposed a ban on import of Indian mangoes last May because some shipments of the fruit were found to have fruit flies in them. Since there had been "significant improvements" in India's mango export system, the European Commission has decided to lift the ban on import of mangoes from India after the unanimous vote.
The ban had led to a drastic fall in revenue from export of the mangoes. As revealed by the Mr M Rafeeque Ahmed, president of the Federation of Indian Export Organisations, the exports were in the region of $307.4m between April and November in 2013 but had dropped to $291.4m in the same period last year.
Once the ban on Indian mango imports into the European Union is lifted, it would pave the way for them to return to the UK and other member states.
The decision has come as a big relief to mango farmers of Ratnagiri district located some 325-Km south of Mumbai and close to the border with Goa. The district is famous for its Alphonso mangoes, also known as the 'king of fruits'. Europe is a significant market for the industry.
However, some other foodstuffs such as Indian aubergines, two types of squash, and a type of leaf used in cooking will remain restricted. Other food items in the banned list are bitter gourds, snake gourds and patra leaves – these would remain in banned category subject to sustained improvements in plant pest control.

Prehistoric shark with 300 teeth caught near Lakes Entrance in Victoria's east

#prehistoricshark #lakesentrance #frilledshark A prehistoric shark, aged nearly 80-million years old was caught by a group of fishermen in Australia. The catch was from the water near Lakes Entrance in Victoria's east. It has been described as a dark brown, eel-like looking creature and is also known as the 'living fossil'. That name is due to its six pairs of frill-like gills along with its dorsal fins.
The shark's origin is believed to date back 80 million years and is only one of two species still alive from this period. The South East Trawl Fishing Association (SETFA) chief executive Simon Boag has reportedly informed that the men who landed the catch were puzzled because it had 300 teeth over 25 rows – obviously, once it caught its prey, it just could not escape. It was two meters long and was caught at a depth of 700 meters.
He has also said that it does look to be 80 million years old and belonging to another time. As per the website of SEFTA, the species is found deeper at 1,500 meters.
Mr Boag has also indicated that this was the first ever sighting of the species alive by humans. It seems the creature was offered to CSIRO but it did not want it and it was later sold off.
Who knows whether it has any link to Nessie, the Loch Ness monster!!

Are earthquakes in Kansas linked to fracking?

#kansasearthquake #fracking Officials have revealed, for the first time, that a sharp increase in earthquakes in Kansas could be attributed to an increase of fracking – fracking is a process devised to extract oil from the rocks by boring underground tunnels to reach the source of oil.
The process is a controversial one and in view of the increase in the number of tremors reported, especially in the state's south-central region, scientists are connecting them to the disposal of wastewater that is a byproduct of the oil-and-gas extraction process.
In the opinion of Rick Miller, geophysicist and senior scientist for the Kansas Geological Survey, there is a strong correlation between the disposal of saltwater and the earthquakes. It seems during the hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking,” the operators make use of a mixture of saltwater and chemicals. The purpose is to break the underground rock formations so as to release oil and gas. Subsequently, to get rid of the water, the operators inject it deep into disposal wells.
Incidentally, fracking is at present a highly charged issue at the state government level and New York has recently linked up with Vermont to ban the process.
Fracking is not a new practice. However, the sudden spike in seismic activity in Kansas has become a matter of concern. As per reports of the Kansas Geological Survey, the state has recorded over 120 quakes in 2014, as against none in 2012.
Availability of fracking oil has reduced the price of oil globally - but, the danger of quakes need also to be addressed and tackled.

India lose in Brisbane – beaten hollow by England in Carlton Mid tri-series ODI

#INDvsENG #carltonmidtriseries #gabba #2015CricketWorldCup It was yet another collapse of India at the Gabba in Brisbane when England beat them hollow by 9 wickets to earn a bonus point in the Carlton Mid tri-series. It was England’s biggest win against India. One wonders why the captain opted to go in for batting after winning the toss when it is a fact that Indians are good at chasing targets instead of setting targets.
The poor form at the top order continued with Shikhar Dhawan raising doubts of whether he would find a place in the playing eleven of the 2015 Cricket World Cup. Virat Kohli, India’s test captain failed yet again and this was strange.
As to Suresh Raina, he wanted to blast off from the word go to prove a point that he had arrived but was stumped – he had gone way outside his crease and committed suicide.
Captain M S Dhoni with Stuart Binny tried to mend the innings but could not and India crumbled to end at 153 runs – it was at least 100 runs short – and could not even complete the quota of 50 overs and finished in 39.3 overs. This score of 153 was their lowest ever ODI score against England – the previous low was 158 at Headingley in 1996.
Such display of attitude and irresponsible play is not what India would have wanted as the World Cup draws near and it would require complete attention of the captain, the team manager as well as the director to work out better strategies.

‘Save the Tiger’ campaign pays dividends – tiger population increases 30% in 4 years

#savethetiger #forestcorridors #bigcats Thanks to ‘Save the Tiger’ campaign, the numbers of the Big Cats have increased by 30% within the last 4 years. In the opinion of experts, over 5,000 tigers can be accommodated across Indian forests through effective protection. However, they feel that a manageable number would be between 3,000 and 3,500.
Of course, in order to sustain such a target it would require an economic agenda that would be sensitive to conservation. As Yadvendra Jhala, wildlife biologist at Dehradun's Wildlife Institute of India and one of the men behind the tiger census has indicated, the infrastructure development should be smart and green so that more numbers of tigers can be sustained.
He has pointed out that the biggest conservation challenge was to strengthen forest corridors in order to make it easy for the movement of tigers across forests. This is important because such movement allows for genetic diversity to local tiger populations and are believed to be key to their long-term survival.
However, most forest corridors are degraded and, in spite of that, the tigers continue to use those and migrate from one protected forest to another. Any further degradation would act like barriers.
Wildlife activists apprehend that forests would become a casualty and human-animal conflicts would rise and that is not wanted because the tiger is a symbol of our entire forests. There has to be smart infrastructure development that would be sensitive to the needs of both forests and wildlife. An example is the construction of roads through a green area - it should have overpasses and underpasses to allow free movement of animals.

‘Ghost particle’ in Space points to existence of alien life out there

#ghostparticle #aliens #outerspace Researchers at the University of Sheffield and the University of Buckingham Centre for Astrobiology have reportedly come across a particle that they have labeled as 'living balloon'. In their opinion these balloons once used to carry microscopic alien organisms and the researches claim that it is the latest proof that aliens do exist.
Discovery of this strange spectral-like 'ghost particle' in debris collected from outer space would point to the possibility of alien life out there in outer Space.
Researcher Milton Wainwright has revealed that the particle resembles a chiffon scarf with the width of a human hair and a ghostly appearance. The particle is biological in nature, and is made of carbon and oxygen and was found in dust and particulate matter 27-Km above in the Earth’s stratosphere.
From the looks of it, the ‘ghost particle’ appears to be an interesting and exciting find and, let us hope that more such articles would gradually turn up and open up worlds of possibilities. Outer space is a vast unknown entity and we allow our imagination to run wild imagining alien with green colored bodies and antennas sticking out from their skulls.
When will we stop dreaming of such creatures?