Gen-Z Contestants Chase Wordy Highs, 'Spellebrity' Status at the Scripps National Spelling Bee

Today's elite spellers bring a distinctive approach to competition, self-presentation, and what it means to win.

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North Korea Executed Envoy Over Trump-Kim Summit, Chosun Reports

Kim Hyok Chol, who led working-level negotiations for the February summit in Hanoi, was executed by firing squad after being charged with espionage after allegedly being co-opted by the U.S., the newspaper said Friday, citing an unidentified source. Speculation has swirled for months about the fate of Kim Hyok Chol, who hasn’t received any recent mentions in state media dispatches. Previous South Korean media reports about senior North Korean officials being executed following the talks have proven false.

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Google quietly ruined Chrome, and we almost missed it

Google's Chrome is the most popular way to browse the web on desktop and mobile, thanks to a combination of features that make it a reliable, albeit sometimes resource-intensive, app. However, Google's recent moves are going to ruin the Chrome experience for many users, and we nearly missed them.Google a few months ago announced a proposal to change the way Chrome extensions work, which would prevent current ad blockers from working. Google received plenty of negative feedback from users, but this hasn't deterred the company from going forward with these plans.Google a few days ago responded to some of the criticism (via 9to5Google) regarding its Manifest V3 changes, explaining what will change going forward. The company confirmed that the ad blocking capabilities of Chrome would no longer be available to regular Chrome users. Chrome will still block content if you're a paid, enterprise user of Chrome.A Google's spokesperson told 9to5Google that "Chrome supports the use and development of ad blockers," adding that Google is "actively working with the developer community to get feedback and iterate on the design of a privacy-preserving content filtering system that limits the amount of sensitive browser data shared with third parties."However, as the blog points out, the Chrome changes will make it impossible for most Chrome ad blockers to work in the near future. Google's moves aren't surprising, considering that it makes money from advertising. Alphabet noted in a recent SEC Form 10-K filing that ad blocking extensions are a "risk factor" to revenue:> New and existing technologies could affect our ability to customize ads and/or could block ads online, which would harm our business.> > Technologies have been developed to make customizable ads more difficult or to block the display of ads altogether, and some providers of online services have integrated technologies that could potentially impair the core functionality of third-party digital advertising. Most of our Google revenues are derived from fees paid to us in connection with the display of ads online. As a result, such technologies and tools could adversely affect our operating results.What's also interesting is that Google made it clear during I/O 2019 that it wants to offer better privacy and security to users, something that seemed to go against its bottom line. Google tried to redefine privacy to suit it needs around that time. The fact that it's trying to protect the customizable ads that it sells to businesses is also an indication that Google won't give up collecting user data anytime soon.In Google's defense, we'll remind you the company is looking to improve the advertising experience on the web, and prevent the kind of annoying ads that you'd use ad blockers to stop from appearing in the first place.Also, in the same response, Google said that future versions of Chrome will make it easier for end-users to deal with permissions that extensions require and force developers to inform end-users of what data their extensions will access. The move is meant to protect privacy and prevent abuse, which is certainly laudable. However, that doesn't minimize the fact that Google plans to temporarily or permanently disable third-party ad blockers.

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Cardi B due in court in New York City after rejecting plea in strip club melee

Cardi B is accused of throwing bottles and chairs at two bartenders at a New York City strip club after accusing them of having sex with her husband.

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Louisiana abortion law: Fury as Democratic governor says he will sign bill banning terminations into law

Louisiana lawmakers have passed a strict new abortion ban which will stop some women from having the procedure before they even know they are pregnant.In a 79-23 vote on Wednesday, the Louisiana House gave final passage to a bill barring abortion once there is a detectable fetal heartbeat, as early as the sixth week of pregnancy.The state joins Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi and Ohio, which have all passed similar “heartbeat” bills this year.Missouri politicians also approved an eight-week ban on abortion and Alabama has gone even further, outlawing virtually all abortions, even in cases of rape or incest. None of the bans have taken effect, and all are expected to face legal challenges.Louisiana Democratic governor John Bel Edwards supports the ban and intends to sign it into law despite opposition from national party leaders who say such laws are attacks on women.He said in a statement after the ban’s passage: “I know there are many who feel just as strongly as I do on abortion and disagree with me – and I respect their opinions.“As I prepare to sign this bill, I call on the overwhelming bipartisan majority of legislators who voted for it to join me in continuing to build a better Louisiana that cares for the least among us and provides more opportunity for everyone.”Abortion opponents are pushing new restrictions on the procedure in the hope a case will make its way to the high court, and two new conservative justices appointed by US president Donald Trump could help overturn the US Supreme Court’s 1973 Roe V Wade decision that legalised abortion nationally.Louisiana’s prohibition would only take hold if neighbouring Mississippi’s law is upheld by a federal appeals court. A federal judge temporarily blocked that Mississippi law on Friday.Abortion rights activists said Louisiana’s bill would effectively eliminate abortion as an option before many women realise they are pregnant, calling the proposal unconstitutional.The legislation includes an exception from the abortion ban to prevent a pregnant woman’s death or “a serious risk of the substantial and irreversible impairment of a major bodily function” – or if the pregnancy is deemed “medically futile”.However it does not include an exception for a pregnancy caused by rape or incest.A doctor who violates the prohibition under the bill could face a prison sentence of up to two years, as well as having their medical licence revoked.Although similar abortion bans have drawn sharp criticism from Democrats nationwide, Louisiana’s proposal won wide bipartisan support and was sponsored by a Democrat from the north-west corner of the state, Senator John Milkovich.Support from Mr Edwards, who is running for re-election this autumn against two Republicans, is expected to help shore up his position with some voters in his conservative home state, even if it puts him at odds with national Democratic Party leaders and donors.The ban is one of several bills that Louisiana politicians are advancing to add new restrictions on abortion.Another bill nearing the governor’s desk would limit where medication-induced abortions can be performed to the state’s three licensed abortion clinics.Reacting to the news Mr Edwards was poised to sign the bill, Allison Galbraith, second vice chair of Maryland Democratic Party, said: “We keep a big tent, but I’ve no room for being so incompetent or spineless that you don’t get or don’t care what these bills do.”Adam Best, an activist and co-host of The Left podcast, tweeted: “Democrats are the party of civil rights and social justice. Being pro-choice is non-negotiable. “You can’t have DINOs like John Bel Edwards making draconian abortion laws. Should be zero tolerance for Dems like that.”Krishan Patel, who described himself as a progressive Democrat from Irvine on his Twitter profile, said: “If John Bel Edwards wants to make the government force a girl violently raped by her own father to carry that pregnancy out to term and give birth, then he does not deserve any Democratic support.”Leana Wen, president of the Planned Parenthood Action Fund, added that the law would “devastate the health and well-being of women and families”.While Jacob Taber tweeted: “The Democratic Party has no room for misogynists who want to police women’s bodies.”The chief executive of Walt Disney said it would be “very difficult” for the media company to keep filming in Georgia if a new abortion law takes effect.Bob Iger said the law would mean many people would not want to work in the US state.Georgia’s Republican governor Brian Kemp signed the legislation earlier this month. The law bans abortion once cardiac activity can be detected, which can be as early as six weeks.If it survives court challenges, the law is due to take effect on 1 January.Disney has shot blockbuster films such as Black Panther and Avengers: Endgame in the state.Netflix has also warned it would “rethink” its film and television production investment in Georgia if the law goes into effect.Agencies contributed to this report.

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Pork Producers, Corn Growers Urge Trump to Drop Mexico Tariffs

The president said Thursday that 5% duties could be placed on all imports from Mexico on June 10, rising in increments to 25% in October unless Mexico halts the flow of immigrants heading to the U.S. border. “We appeal to President Trump to reconsider plans to open a new trade dispute with Mexico,” David Herring, president of the National Pork Producers Council and a hog farmer from Lillington, North Carolina, said Friday in an emailed statement.

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Trump Tariffs on Mexico Irk Key Republican Allies in Congress

The president’s announcement Thursday surprised many Republicans who hoped to focus on passing a new trade deal with Mexico and Canada known as the USMCA. Trump said he will impose a 5% tariff on all imports from Mexico -- ramping up 5 percentage points every month until hitting 25% in October -- unless Mexico takes "decisive measures" to stem migrants entering the U.S.

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Trump would be 'in handcuffs' if not president, says Democrat Warren

Democratic White House hopeful Elizabeth Warren said Thursday that if Donald Trump were not protected by his presidential status, he would be "in handcuffs and indicted" for obstructing the investigation into Russia's 2016 election interference. The progressive US senator from Massachusetts, one of the leading Democrats for the party's 2020 nomination, was the first presidential candidate to speak out in favor of launching impeachment proceedings against Trump. Warren had called for an impeachment inquiry the day after the April 18 publication of special counsel Robert Mueller's 448-page report on Moscow's election interference.

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New Mexico town gets death threats after halting crowd-funded border wall

A New Mexico mayor on Thursday said he and his staff received multiple death threats after they briefly halted construction of a crowd-funded, private border wall by a group that then urged supporters to tell the city to "stop playing games," and alleged it was tied to drug cartels. The Florida-based group has raised $23 million via crowd-funding site GoFundMe.com to build private border walls to halt smuggling and a surge in undocumented migrants, after funding for President Donald Trump's promised wall was blocked. Perea described the tactics of We Build the Wall as a "cheap blow," and the American Civil Liberties Union accused it of pursuing a "white Nationalist" agenda.

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Man charged after Nassau County police find woman, 2 boys with autism, 1 teen in car with 'CALL 911' sign

A man was charged after police say a woman holding a "CALL 911" sign and her three children were found inside his car on Long Island.

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Disney says it won't make any more films in Georgia if draconian abortion laws come into force in the US state

Disney's chief executive has warned Georgia that the company's film and TV productions are likely to abandon the state if its controversial abortion bill becomes law. Bob Iger said it would be "very difficult" for the entertainment giant to continue working in the state if the so-called "heartbeat bill", which outlaws terminations from as early as six weeks, comes into force. The Walt Disney Company has shot some of its biggest films in the US state, including Black Panther and Avengers: Endgame. Speaking to Reuters, Iger said: "If it becomes law, it'll be very difficult. "I think many people who work for us will not want to work there, and we will have to heed their wishes in that regard. "Right now we are watching it very carefully." Sen John Milkovich speaks outside the State Capitol in Louisiana where the House passed Milkovich's 'fetal heartbeat' bill Georgia has been dubbed the "Hollywood of the South" after it lured production companies with favourable tax laws. The state offers a tax credit that has lured many film and TV productions. The industry is responsible for more than 92,000 jobs in Georgia, according to the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA), and some 455 productions were shot in Georgia in 2018, according to the state. However, its proposed abortion laws have caused fury across the industry, with leading stars lining up to condemn the bill. Netflix has also warned it could pull out of the state. Georgia's bill bans abortions in cases where a fetal heartbeat can be detected, which can be as early as six weeks. It is due to come into effect on January 1 2020, although campaigners have already said they will fight it in the courts. It came as last night Louisiana on Wednesday also passed a bill banning abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected, becoming the seventh state to do so. The bans are expected to be blocked in lower courts, but supporters plan to appeal such decisions until they reach the Supreme Court.

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Florida Gov. DeSantis meets with Netanyahu in Israel

JERUSALEM (AP) — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis met with Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday, calling the embattled Israeli prime minister a "strong leader" on the governor's final day of a trade mission to Israel.

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US national spelling bee crowns eight co-champions after running out of challenging words

A superhuman group of adolescents broke the Scripps National Spelling Bee on Thursday, with eight contestants crowned co-champions after the competition said it was running out of challenging words.It was a stunning result, coming just after midnight, for the 92nd annual event, which has had six two-way ties but had never experienced such a logjam at the top.After the 17th round, Jacques Bailly, the event’s pronouncer, announced that any of the eight remaining contestants who made it through three more words would share in the prize.“We do have plenty of words remaining in our list, but we’ll soon run out of words that will challenge you,” Mr Bailly told the contestants at Gaylord National Resort & Convention Centre in National Harbour, Maryland.He added: “We’re throwing the dictionary at you. And so far, you are showing this dictionary who is boss.”None of the contestants faltered. They each got their own moment of triumph as they correctly spelled their words in the 20th round, then patiently sat back in their seats as the following contestants had their moments. They supported each other with high-fives and hugs, and each placed a hand on a single trophy.The champions were, along with the final words they spelled:Rishik Gandhasri, 13, of San Jose, California: auslaut.Erin Howard, 14, of Huntsville, Alabama: erysipelas.Saketh Sundar, 13, of Clarksville, Maryland: bougainvillea.Shruthika Padhy, 13, of Cherry Hill, New Jersey: aiguillette.Sohum Sukhatankar, 13, of Dallas: pendeloque.Abhijay Kodali, 12, of Flower Mound, Texas: palama.Christopher Serrao, 13, of Whitehouse Station, New Jersey: cernuous.Rohan Raja, 13, of Irving, Texas: odylic.The competition normally offers a $50,000 (£39,610) prize to the champion. Instead of splitting it eight ways, all eight contestants will receive $50,000 and their own trophies.There have been marathon spelling bees before — the 2017 event went 36 rounds, with two spellers battling it out after the 17th round — but the competition has never hosted such a large group of spellers who could not be defeated.The field is typically winnowed down to fewer than four by the 16th round.This year, the ninth-place finisher, 13-year-old Simone Kaplan of Davie, Florida, was thwarted in the 15th round.From that point on, the contestants correctly spelled 47 straight words.Already nervous, they started showing signs of fatigue as the competition stretched on past its expected window.At the beginning of the 17th round, Rishik had a question for Mr Bailly.“Out of curiosity, would you happen to know what time it is?” he asked. It was 11:18 pm.It was one of several moments of levity from a group of students who appeared largely unfazed by the pressure, with their parents in the audience often looking more unsettled.Rohan prompted laughter in the 17th round as he recoiled at his errant pronunciation of “Gaeltacht.”“Oh God,” he said, “I sound like I vomited.”The New York Times

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How the 2016 Debates Are Still Haunting Democrats

Democrats are trying to avoid the missteps of the 2016 primary debates — a goal that has proven elusive as more candidates have announced.

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Stone Was Like ‘Uncle Roger,’ Miller Testifies to Grand Jury

Prosecutors focused their examination on Miller’s relationship with Stone and Stone’s connection to WikiLeaks founder Assange, Miller’s attorney Paul Kamenar told reporters after the proceeding. Stone was indicted by the grand jury in January on charges of lying to Congress about communications with Assange, obstruction and witness tampering.

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Auto industry dented by latest Trump tariffs

President Donald Trump's plan to impose tariffs on Mexico will affect myriad industries, but few are as exposed as automakers. Shares of several major automakers and auto suppliers dived five percent or more following Trump's announcement Thursday night that the United States would impose a five percent tariff on all Mexican imports on June 10, explicitly linking the trade action to a demand that Mexico crack down on illegal immigration. The White House intends to gradually raise the tariff level until it hits 25 percent on October 1, a levy that "could cripple the industry and cause major uncertainty," said a note from Deutsche Bank.

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Judge considering Missouri abortion clinic license case

ST. LOUIS (AP) — A judge is deciding whether to ensure Missouri's only abortion clinic can keep its license past Friday, the latest development in a decades-long push by abortion opponents to get states to enact strict rules on the procedure.

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Barr: Counter-intelligence Probe of Trump Campaign Crossed ‘Serious Red Line’

Attorney General William Barr said Friday that the FBI's counterintelligence investigation of the Trump campaign "crossed" a "serious red line" and should be "carefully looked at.""The use of foreign intelligence capabilities and counterintelligence capabilities against an American political campaign to me is unprecedented and it's a serious red line that's been crossed," Barr said in an interview with CBS.The attorney general is currently investigating the origins of the probe to determine whether the U.S. intelligence community's surveillance of the Trump campaign was warranted. He has expressed skepticism about the explanations for some of the investigative actions taken.During testimony to the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee last month, Barr stated that "spying did occur" on the Trump campaign, angering Democratic lawmakers."I guess it's become a dirty word somehow," Barr told CBS. "I think there is nothing wrong with spying. The question is always whether it is authorized by law.""There were counterintelligence activities undertaken against the Trump campaign, And I'm not saying there was not a basis for it, that it was legitimate, but I want to see what that basis was and make sure it was legitimate," he added.The New York Times reported that the FBI sent an undercover agent posing as a research assistant to ask former Trump campaign adviser George Papadopoulos whether the campaign was working with Russia. Papadopoulos was told by a Maltese professor in early 2016 that Russia had damaging information on Trump's opponent, Hillary Clinton, but said he told the undercover agent he had “nothing to do with Russia.”"Republics have fallen because of Praetorian Guard mentality where government officials get very arrogant, they identify the national interest with their own political preferences, and they feel that anyone who has a different opinion, you know, is somehow an enemy of the state," Barr remarked. "That can easily translate into essentially supervening the will of the majority and getting your own way as a government official."FBI director Chris Wray said earlier this month that he had seen no evidence that the FBI illegally spied on the Trump campaign.

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Riyadh rallies allies against Tehran at Mecca summits

Gulf and Arab allies rallied around Saudi Arabia Friday as it ratcheted up tensions with regional rival Iran after a series of attacks, drawing accusations from Tehran of "sowing division". Tehran, which has strongly denied involvement in any of the attacks, expressed disappointment that Riyadh plans to level the same "baseless accusations" at a summit of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) early on Saturday.

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9 Cool Things We Learned Driving the Spectre Land Rover Defender

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Trump: I was 'not informed' about order to move John McCain warship during Japan trip

Trump's comments come after the White House reportedly requested that the USS John S. McCain be "out of sight" during Trump's visit to Japan.

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Showdown over Missouri abortion clinic postponed as governor weighs in

Gov. Mike Parson said court intervention in the fight over whether to renew the license of Missouri's lone abortion provider would be "reckless."

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Amit Shah: Modi's enforcer emerges from behind India's throne

As the battle-hardened drill sergeant for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Amit Shah has long been considered India's second most-powerful person, and his appointment Friday as home minister elevates his position to leader-in-waiting. While Modi is the right-wing Bharatiya Janata Party's people person, firing up rallies and mastering Twitter, Shah has for years made sure that Modi's orders are carried out to the letter while turning the world's biggest political party into the undisputed force across the nation of 1.3 billion people. Shah's piercing stare and strongarm tactics have made him a feared and respected figure in the Hindu nationalist party -- opposition parties and critics call him "ruthless" -- a status only increased by his role masterminding the BJP's second straight landslide election victory this month as the party president.

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Combination of three gene mutations results in deadly human heart disease

Scientists believe that more common forms of disease may be the result of a combination of more subtle genetic mutations that act together. Now researchers have used technological advances to prove that three subtle genetic variants inherited within a family worked together to cause heart disease in multiple siblings at a very young age.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily http://bit.ly/2QwRecP

New way to protect against high-dose radiation damage discovered

Intensive radiotherapy can be toxic in 60 percent of patients with tumors located in the gastrointestinal cavity. Increases in levels of the protein URI protect mice against high-dose ionizing radiation-induced gastrointestinal syndrome and enhance mouse intestinal regeneration and survival in 100 percent of the cases. This finding could be useful to mitigate side effects of other sources of intensive radiation, such as nuclear accidents, nuclear warfare or the exposure to cosmic radiation during space explorations.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily http://bit.ly/30VHeyr

Unknown mini-proteins in the heart

Scientists have observed the human heart cells' 'protein factories' in action, examining the entire tissue for the very first time. The group reveals their surprising discoveries and the possibilities they contain for the future treatment of heart disease.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily http://bit.ly/2XefG4Z

Transgenic fungus rapidly killed malaria mosquitoes in West African study

Researchers describe the first trial outside the laboratory of a transgenic approach to combating malaria. The study shows that a naturally occurring fungus engineered to deliver a toxin to mosquitoes safely reduced mosquito populations by more than 99% in a screen-enclosed, simulated village setting in Burkina Faso, West Africa.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily http://bit.ly/2wqffZR

Circadian clocks: Body parts respond to day and night independently from brain, studies show

Researchers have suspected that the body's various circadian clocks can operate independently from the central clock in the hypothalamus of the brain. Now, they have found a way to test that theory.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily http://bit.ly/2Z0uTXR

Scientists identify a novel strategy to fight viral infections and cancer in animal model

Researchers report on a potential therapeutic strategy to treat viral infection and boost immunity against cancer.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily http://bit.ly/2wtoCYH

Fishing among worst jobs for health

People working in the fishing industry have among the poorest health of all workers in England and Wales, new research suggests.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily http://bit.ly/2KjdB4t

A new mechanism for accessing damaged DNA

UV light damages the DNA of skin cells, which can lead to cancer. This process is counteracted by the DNA repair machinery. It has been unclear, however, how repair proteins work on DNA tightly packed in chromatin, where access to DNA damage is restricted by protein packaging. Using cryo electron microscopy, researchers from the Thomä group at the FMI have identified a new mechanism whereby repair proteins detect and bind to damaged densely packed DNA.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily http://bit.ly/2KcP0y5

Cannabis use among older adults rising rapidly

Cannabis use among older adults is growing faster than any other age group but many report barriers to getting medical marijuana, a lack of communication with their doctors and a lingering stigma attached to the drug, according to researchers.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily http://bit.ly/2EJVAbG

Intranasal stem cell therapy restores smell in mice

A stem cell therapy delivered into the nose can restore the sense of smell in a mouse model of olfactory loss. The findings provide proof of principle for an approach that has the potential to be of broad utility for a range of clinical conditions causing loss of olfaction.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily http://bit.ly/2MeE59E

Sunshine may decrease risk of inflammatory bowel disease

Children who spend half an hour a day outside in the sun reduce their risk of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily http://bit.ly/30YdFwr

Eating blueberries every day improves heart health

Eating a cup of blueberries a day reduces risk factors for cardiovascular disease -- according to a new study. Eating 150g of blueberries daily reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease by up to 15 per cent. The research team say that blueberries and other berries should be included in dietary strategies to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease -- particularly among at risk groups.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily http://bit.ly/2HMfi8P

Five-year outcomes for face transplant recipients

Scientists present the longer-term outcomes for six face transplant recipients who had been followed for up to 5 years after surgery, representing the largest cohort of patients in the US.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily http://bit.ly/2YY4OZw

'Ecstasy' shows promise for post-traumatic stress treatment

An international study has shown that MDMA, also known as ecstasy, may be a valuable tool for treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The study demonstrated substantial improvements in individuals who had not responded to prior treatments. This is also, he adds, the most comprehensive evaluation of the safety and effectiveness of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily http://bit.ly/2VYQbU8

Being teased about weight linked to more weight gain among children

Youth who said they were teased or ridiculed about their weight increased their body mass by 33 percent more each year, compared to a similar group who had not been teased, according to researchers. The findings appear to contradict the belief that such teasing might motivate youth to change their behavior and attempt to lose weight.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily http://bit.ly/2I8RPO5

Concussions in elite soccer not assessed according to expert recommendations

An average of at least one potential concussive event occurred per game during the 2016 UEFA European Championship and nearly three quarters of the head collision incidents did not result in a medical assessment by sideline health-care personnel.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily http://bit.ly/2WfyS6b

DNA tests for patients move closer with genome analysis advance

Diseases caused by genetic changes could be detected more readily thanks to an advance in DNA analysis software.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily http://bit.ly/2I4MWpa

International travelers experience the harmful effects of air pollution

Even a short stay for travelers in cities with high levels of air pollution leads to breathing problems that can take at least a week from which to recover, a new study shows.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily http://bit.ly/2WeRVgT

Scientists discover 'switch' that helps breast cancer spread around the body

Researchers have unveiled clues into how breast cancer cells spread around the body.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily http://bit.ly/2IdRDx8

New imaging tool for diagnosing heart disease

Scientists have shown that Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) can be used to measure how the heart uses oxygen for both healthy patients and those with heart disease.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily http://bit.ly/2Wf3BQV

Concussion symptoms reversed by magnetic therapy

Concussion symptoms -- such as loss of balance and ability to walk straight -- can be reversed by a new type of magnetic stimulation.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily http://bit.ly/2I6FXMo

Combing through someone's phone could lead to end of relationship -- or not

For some people, the thought of their partner, friend or colleague snooping through their phone, reading their texts and emails, is an automatic deal breaker. However, some relationships can survive the snooping, a new study examining the motivations behind phone snooping has found.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily http://bit.ly/2wvaKNu

Everest deaths blamed on budget firms and influx of inexperienced climbers

An American mountaineer has become the 11th person in two weeks to die on Mount Everest as Sherpas and tour operators alike blame an influx of inexperienced climbers and budget tour operators for the spike in fatalities. Christopher John Kulish, 61, from Colorado, did not show any sign of distress when summiting the world’s highest mountain on Monday morning but died suddenly after descending. With a record number of climbers permitted to climb Everest this year, bottle necks have also contributed to greater exhaustion and in some instances, death. The death toll this season is the highest since 2015. The Nepalese government granted permission for 381 mountaineers to scale Everest from the southern side this spring season. Roughly 130 others will attempt to summit from the northern side in Tibet. Only around 5,000 people have climbed Everest since Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay first scaled the 8,848m peak in 1953.  With a permit costing $11,000 (£8,675) to scale the mountain the increase in numbers has been attributed to the Nepalese government making money to support its economy which has been hampered by political unrest and the devastating 2015 earthquake. Is it time to ban Western travellers - and their egos - from Mount Everest? Adventure tourism also plays a vital part in financially supporting the inhabitants of remote communities in north-east Nepal. However, in permitting more summits the government has allowed dozens of local budget climbing companies to emerge who charge cheaper prices but cut corners on safety. Climbing Everest with a premium, international firm can cost up to $100,000 (£78,900) while some cut-price local mountaineers charge only a quarter of this fee. The Nepalese government has for the first time said it may reduce the number of permits given to climbers next year. A government spokesperson told the Telegraph: "There are no such plans for now but there is possibility of doing so."   “The biggest factor is that many inexperienced climbers are booking with low budget, local operators, who are not providing adequate support such as guide services, oxygen, medicines and leadership to ensure the climbers can ascend and descend safely,” said Garrett Madison, an American mountaineer specialising in Everest summits. Mr Madison led 29 people to a busy summit on May 23 where climbers say a bottleneck at the top caused people to wait for around 45 minutes in the perilous "death zone". A major clean-up operation ended with the recovery of 10,000 kilograms of rubbish and four dead bodies Credit:  NARENDRA SHRESTHA/EPA-EFE/REX While the government says it implements background checks on prospective climbers, such as only allowing those to climb with experience of a summit over 6,000m, it has been accused of turning a blind eye to those who don’t meet criteria. “I wouldn’t say that people who sign up for Everest aren’t fully prepared as they practice for years but all who are currently attempting the summit are not professional mountaineers,” said Krishma Poudel, the Manager at Peak Promotions, a company that has organised expeditions for over 25 years. Her comments were echoed by Temba Tsheri Sherpa, who leads summits at Asia Voyage. “The largest number of climbers dying this season is because they have run out of oxygen… there are too many commercial expeditions where you pay less but get less of a service and less experienced guides,” he said. “A lot of climbers don’t have enough experience and they think the climbing is easy.”  "If you want to maintain safety, the first thing is to minimise [the numbers] of climbers," Mr Tsheri Sherpa added. The Nepalese government told the Telegraph that it didn’t want to speculate on the cause of the recent spike in deaths. However, it said there was a possibility that they would reduce the number of permits given to climbers next year.  Want the best of The Telegraph direct to your email and WhatsApp? Sign up to our free twice-daily Front Page newsletter and new audio briefings. Are you an avid mountaineer? What motivates you to climb the world's tallest peaks? We want to hear from you in the comments section below.

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Chicago native climbs Mount Everest, witnesses traffic jam aftermath

For a brief time, Alex Pancoe stood on top of the world over 29,000 feet high at the summit of Mt. Everest.

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‘I Felt Invisible’: Rescued Maui Hiker Recalls Fight for Survival While Lost for 17 Days in Jungle

SARAH HAYNES - FINDAMANDAAmanda Eller, the 35-year-old Maui hiker who survived in the jungle for 17 days before her miraculous rescue last week, said she started to lose hope after seeing 20 helicopters pass by without seeing her.“Standing on that rock, I felt invisible,” she told reporters at a Tuesday press conference, adding that she wrote S.O.S. on rocks and spread out her clothing to help rescuers find her.“You lose hope,” Eller added. “As the sun starts to go down you’re like, ‘Another night alone. How am I gonna stay warm? How am I gonna stay alive?’”Ultimately, she said it was willpower, meditation, and her “intuition” that sustained her throughout the harrowing ordeal.“I never felt alone, and I never felt fearful. It was an opportunity to overcome fear of everything,” she said. “At some point halfway into the days I was there, I came to a place of acceptance. There’s a reason I have to stay alive.”Amanda Eller, Missing Maui Yoga Instructor, Ate Berries and Drank From Waterfalls to SurviveEller’s family reported her missing when she didn’t answer her phone after going on a hike on May 8. Her white SUV was found in the Makawao Forest Reserve parking lot with her cellphone and wallet inside.She told reporters that she just meant to go on a “little jog,” and left her GPS-equipped phone behind because she thought it wasn’t necessary. “I should have had a cellphone with me,” Ellis, who described herself as usually being an “over-preparer,” said. “There’s a reason we carry them all the time.”“Maui is a huge jungle. It’s like a needle in a haystack out there,” she added.In addition to eating plants and drinking from waterfalls, Eller said she would sometimes find a “nice-looking boar den” to stay in and keep her warm. She said the boars were “everywhere” she wandered, and she followed their paths to find other dens.Eller also said that a key part of her survival was maintaining her mental strength. She said she told herself that being lost was a “part of [her] path” and her “journey” that she needed to embrace. To mentally sustain herself, she said she sat under a tree and meditated.After hiking through the brush, Eller said she eventually reached a spot between two waterfalls and felt stuck—but said she knew she should stay there to be rescued. One day later, a helicopter pilot that had been hired by her family spotted her, and a group of volunteers picked her up from the deep ravine.The Maui Fire Department had suspended its search for Eller after several days, and she told reporters that she ultimately felt “more heart” from the volunteers that tirelessly searched and eventually found her. “What I ask is that this be taken more seriously, that missing people be taken more seriously,” she said. “On a state level, we are able to expand those policies so that we know that our tribe is taken care of.”Eller also said she knows the family of another missing hiker, Noah Mina, who hasn’t been heard from since he set off to hike the Kapilau Ridge Trail in the West Maui Forest Reserve in Wailuku on May 20. The same rescue team that found Eller has also been searching for Mina.“Maui is small, I know they’re amazing people. My heart reaches out to his family and him,” she said, before sending out a prayer for Mina. “I hope this is taken more seriously than my search… Let’s show up for Noah.”Now safe with her family, Eller said she was looking forward to helping her physical-therapy patients heal and “get back to [her] life.”“I’m so grateful to be alive,” she said. “Grateful for every breath, grateful for everything.”Read more at The Daily Beast.Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast hereGet our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.

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Pope says he would confront Trump directly on border wall

In a wide-ranging television interview with Mexico's Televisa aired on Tuesday, the pope also shrugged off criticism from ultra-conservative Roman Catholics who call him a heretic. Francis, who has clashed with Trump before on migration issues, discussed the situation at the U.S.-Mexican border with veteran Vatican reporter Valentina Alazraki, who is Mexican. "I don't know what's happening with this new culture of defending territories by building walls.

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The Latest: Tornadoes reported in northeastern Texas

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Latest on the powerful storms battering parts of the U.S. (all times local):

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Huawei reviewing ties with FedEx after two packers were 'diverted to America'

Huawei is reviewing its relationship with FedEx after it claimed two of its packages were "diverted to America", amid rising tensions between the Chinese technology company and the US government.  Donald Trump's administration has repeatedly warned that Huawei's equipment could be used for spying by China, and earlier this month the US president signed an executive order which effectively banned the company from America's 5G network. Huawei has maintained it is independent of the Chinese state and has now accused American courier FedEx of diverting its packages to the US, despite the fact they were travelling between Asian addresses. The company said that FedEx diverted two parcels sent from Japan and addressed to its offices in China, instead sending them to the US, and attempted to divert two more packages sent from Vietnam to offices elsewhere in Asia.   Huawei provided images of FedEx tracking records to Reuters, but the news agency said it has not yet verified their authenticity. Huawei said one package originating in Vietnam was received by Friday, and the other was on its way. FedEx said the packages were “misrouted in error” Credit: AP The four packages did not contain any technology, but important commercial documents, according to Huawei. Joe Kelly, a spokesman for the technology giant, said: “The recent experiences where important commercial documents sent via FedEx were not delivered to their destination, and instead were either diverted to, or were requested to be diverted to, FedEx in the United States, undermines our confidence”. “We will now have to review our logistics and document delivery support requirements as a direct result of these incidents,” he added.   Maury Donahue, a spokeswoman for FedEx, said that the packages were “misrouted in error” and insisted that it was not at the request of any other party. “This is an isolated issue limited to a very small number of packages,” said FedEx. “We are aware of all shipments at issue and are working directly with our customers to return the packages to their possession.” FedEx's China office on Tuesday issued an apology on its Chinese social media account for the “mishandling” of Huawei's packages and insisted there was no “external pressure” to divert them.

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Iran 'almost certainly' behind ship attacks off UAE: Bolton

US National Security Advisor John Bolton said Wednesday that Iran was almost certainly behind oil tanker attacks that sent Gulf tensions soaring -- an accusation Tehran dismissed as "laughable". The new war of words came on the eve of emergency Arab and Gulf summits called by Iran's regional rival Saudi Arabia to discuss the standoff and ways to isolate Tehran. Speaker during a visit to the UAE capital Abu Dhabi, Bolton said that additional US forces were sent to the Middle East as a "deterrent" and that Washington's response will be prudent.

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China's Latest Trade Threat Could Actually Turn Out To Be A Huge Opportunity For the US

Reports of Chinese threats to escalate its trade dispute with the Trump administration to include rare earth minerals has, once again, shined a spotlight on U.S. dependency for elements used in hundreds of hi-tech products and military equipment.“China is letting the U.S. know that it has leverage,” said Dan McGroarty, head of the American Resources Policy Network (ARPN), which advocates for mineral exploration.McGroarty said reported Chinese threats to play the “rare earths card” could galvanize support for legislation or further executive actions to ameliorate U.S. mineral dependence. “The irony, and that is an understatement, is that the U.S. has rare earth deposits capable of meeting national security needs, and ending the reliance on China,” McGroarty said. “With China saber-rattling on the rare earths, this could be the time for a strong U.S. response.”America’s rare earth mineral dependence is a long-standing issue. Starting in the 1990s, China began ramping up its rare earth production, dumping tons of low-priced minerals on the global market and driving U.S. miners out of business.Now, U.S. rare earth mineral production is virtually non-existent and China controls roughly 90 percent of global trade. The U.S. gets about 80% of its rare earth minerals from China.

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‘Large and Extremely Dangerous’: Kansas Tornado Leaves a Dozen Injured

Kyle Rivas/GettyA swift-moving tornado that tore through eastern Kansas late Tuesday has left at least a dozen people injured and more than 13,000 without power.Large amounts of debris, including toppled trees, live wires and leveled homes have left some parts of the city of Lawrence completely impassable, police said. Photos circulating on Twitter Tuesday night showed wrecked cars, soiled furniture, tattered clothes and wooden beams scattered across lawns and city streets.  As of midnight on Tuesday, there were no reported fatalities, though videos of close-calls with one twister believed to be a mile-wide flooded social media. For residents in many areas of eastern Kansas and western Missouri, the night was one of wailing sirens and debris “falling from the sky,” as the National Weather Service repeatedly warned. On Twitter, the agency frantically sought to keep up with multiple reports of tornadoes and ominously listed all the areas in the path of a “large and extremely dangerous tornado” that at one point was heading straight for Kansas City. In many areas, residents were told exactly how many minutes they’d have to take shelter. “If you live in LINWOOD, KS TAKE SHELTER NOW! The tornado will be there within the next 5 minutes!” the NWS tweeted. Linwood Mayor Brian Christenson later told CNN dozens of homes outside of Lawrence were “all gone.” Authorities were still working to survey the damage on Tuesday night, and Christenson said he’d seen entire roofs torn off homes in certain areas. The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the reported injuries in Lawrence were caused by the twister. “We know some have gone to Lawrence Memorial Hospital and we do know that some have been taken to other area hospitals,” Sgt. Kristen Channel told The Kansas City Star, noting that they could not say the exact number or how severe they were. Lawrence Memorial Hospital spokeswoman Janice Early also told The Star that the medical center had received 12 patients with tornado-related injuries. The number of tornado warnings rocketed in the last 24 hours, including in the Dayton, Ohio area where a deadly twister killed one man. The Lawrence storm is also one of more than a dozen reports of tornadoes Tuesday evening in what could be a record-breaking streak. More than 500 reports of tornadoes were received by the National Weather Service in the last 30 days, according to The Weather Channel, making it the longest, most active period for tornadoes in the U.S. in eight years. The service also reportedly ordered local TV stations in Kansas City to use “the strongest language you can” to warn residents of the incoming tornado late Tuesday.The East Coast was also pummeled by storms late Tuesday, with the NWS confirming a twister in eastern Pennsylvania and issuing a tornado warning for northern New Jersey and parts of New York City. Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.

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Michael Wolff’s ‘Draft Indictment’ of Trump Doesn’t Exist, Says Mueller’s Office

Reuters / Brendan McDermidA spokesman for Robert Mueller has emphatically denied a claim from Fire and Fury author Michael Wolff that the special counsel drew up a three-count obstruction-of-justice indictment against Donald Trump before deciding to ditch it.The unverified allegation is made in Wolff’s new book, Siege: Trump Under Fire, which is due to be published next week. It’s the sequel to Fire and Fury, which infuriated the president for its claims about the dysfunctional inner workings of his White House.The Guardian obtained a copy of the new book and reports that Wolff states his findings about Mueller’s supposed draft indictment are “based on internal documents given to me by sources close to the Office of the Special Counsel.” The newspaper writes that it’s seen the documents.However, Peter Carr, a spokesman for Mueller, told The Guardian: “The documents that you’ve described do not exist.”Wolff claims the draft listing the president’s alleged abuses was written under the title “United States of America against Donald J. Trump, Defendant,” and it sat on Mueller’s desk for a year before being discarded.The Guardian reports the first of the three counts charged the president with corruptly influencing, obstructing, or impeding a pending proceeding before a department or agency. The second count is said to have charged the president with tampering with a witness, victim, or informant, while the third allegedly charged Trump with retaliating against a witness.According to Wolff, Mueller’s team drew up both the three-count indictment of Trump as well as a supporting draft memorandum of law opposing any motion from Congress or the White House that sought to dismiss it.The memo quoted by Wolff says: “The Impeachment Judgment Clause, which applies equally to all civil officers including the president… takes for granted… that an officer may be subject to indictment and prosecution before impeachment. If it did not, the clause would be creating, for civil officers, precisely the immunity the Framers rejected.”Wolff writes that Mueller agonized for a long time over whether to charge the president before ultimately deciding he could not move to prosecute a sitting president.Wolff's conclusion reads: “Bob Mueller threw up his hands. Surprisingly, he found himself in agreement with the greater White House: Donald Trump was the president, and, for better or for worse, what you saw was what you got—and what the country voted for.”Read more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.

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Top court rejects challenge to rules accommodating Pennsylvania transgender students

The justices left in place a 2018 lower court ruling that upheld the Boyertown Area School District policy, which was challenged by six former or current high school students, though the action does not set a national legal precedent. The Supreme Court scrapped plans to hear a major transgender rights case involving bathroom access in public schools in 2017 and has never issued a decisive ruling on the matter. The students challenging the policy argued that it violated their right to privacy under the U.S. Constitution's 14th Amendment and a federal law that prohibits sex discrimination in education, known as Title IX.

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With homes flooded and dams and levees stressed, Oklahoma hopes to survive Arkansas River's wrath

Work crews struggled on Wednesday to maintain aging levees and dams during what meteorologists predict will be Oklahoma's worst-ever flooding.

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Bird attack at Disney World leaves woman with traumatic brain injury

A woman suffered severe brain injuries after she was attacked by a bird at Disney World, according to a lawsuit.Lisa Dixon was allegedly left with a traumatic brain injury and herniated discs in her neck after the animal struck her in the head at Walt Disney World Resort in Florida in May 2017.Her lawyer likened the force at which the bird struck her to being hit in the head by a baseball.It is not clear what breed the bird was.The woman, who is in her 30s and from nearby Celebration, Orlando, has filed a lawsuit at Orange Circuit Court, where she is seeking unspecified damages in excess of $15,000 (almost £12,000), according to The Associated Press.It accuses Disney of failing to properly warn visitors of the dangers seasonal nesting birds pose, among other allegations.The incident reportedly happened as Ms Dixon walked along a dock at Polynesian Village Resort where visitors can take a boat across the Seven Seas Lagoon to the Magic Kingdom or another resort, the lawsuit said.In June 2016, Lane Graves died after he was snatched by an alligator at the shore of the Seven Seas Lagoon at Disney World’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa.The two-year-old was on holiday with his parents Matt and Melissa Graves from Elkhorn, Nebraska, at the time.Disney was not immediately available for comment when approached by The Independent.

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Tornadoes tear across US in record numbers, leaving trail of devastation

A vicious storm tore through the Kansas City area, spawning tornadoes that left a trail of devastation, as the US reeled from a record run of twisters.  The tornadoes downed trees and power lines, damaged homes and injured at least a dozen people in the latest barrage of severe weather that saw warnings as far east as New York City. Parts of Pennsylvania and New Jersey were also under tornado warnings hours after a swarm of tightly packed twisters swept through Indiana and Ohio overnight, smashing homes, blowing out windows and ending the school year early for some students because of damage to buildings. One person was killed and at least 130 were injured. The storms in Kansas City on Tuesday were the 12th straight day that at least eight tornadoes were reported to the National Weather Service. After several quiet years, the past couple of weeks have seen an explosion of tornado activity with no end to the pattern in sight. The previous 11-day stretch of at least eight tornadoes per day ended on June 7, 1980. .@kmbc in Kansas City showing the tornado moving through Lawrence, KS on its way to Linwood. That is a massive tornado. Chopper pilot estimated it was a mile wide. KSwxpic.twitter.com/921tewWl9N— Drew Tuma (@DrewTumaABC7) May 28, 2019 "We're getting big counts on a lot of these days and that is certainly unusual," Patrick Marsh, warning coordination meteorologist for the federal Storm Prediction Centre, said. The National Weather Service had already received at least 27 more reports of tornadoes on Tuesday, suggesting that the record for consecutive days would be broken once the official totals are in. A large and dangerous tornado touched down on the western edge of Kansas City, Kansas, late on Tuesday, the National Weather Service office reported. At least a dozen people were admitted to the hospital in Lawrence, 40 miles west of downtown Kansas City, Missouri, and home to the University of Kansas, hospital spokesman Janice Early said. Damage also was reported in the towns of Bonner Springs, Linwood and Pleasant Grove in Kansas. But the Kansas City metropolitan area of about 2.1 million people appeared to have been spared the direct hit that was feared earlier in the evening when the weather service announced a tornado emergency. Assisting with search and rescue near linwood Kansas pic.twitter.com/mdSTiowT1O— Jesse Risley ������️‍�� (@Jesse_Risley) May 29, 2019 Mark Duffin, 48, learned from his wife and a television report that the large tornado was headed toward his home in Linwood, about 30 miles west of Kansas City. The next thing he knew, the walls of his house were coming down. Mr Duffin told the Kansas City Star that he grabbed a mattress, followed his 13-year-old to the basement and protected the two of them with the mattress as the home crashed down around them. "I’m just glad I found my two dogs alive," he said. "Wife’s alive, family’s alive, I’m alive. So, that’s it." The severe weather wasn’t limited to the Midwest. Tornadoes were confirmed in eastern Pennsylvania and the National Weather Service issued a tornado warning for parts of New York City and northern New Jersey. The winds peeled away roofs - leaving homes looking like giant dollhouses - knocked houses off their foundations, toppled trees, brought down power lines and churned up so much debris that it was visible on radar. Highway crews had to use snowplows to clear an Ohio interstate. People look on as they examine the damaged remains of school in Dayton, Ohio Credit: AFP Some of the heaviest damage was reported just outside Dayton, Ohio. "I just got down on all fours and covered my head with my hands," said Francis Dutmers, who with his wife headed for the basement of their home in Vandalia, about 10 miles outside Dayton, when the storm hit with a "very loud roar" on Monday night. The winds blew out windows around his house, filled rooms with debris and took down most of his trees. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine declared a state of emergency in three hard-hit counties, allowing the state to suspend normal purchasing procedures and quickly provide supplies like water and generators. Outbreaks of 50 or more tornadoes are not uncommon, having happened 63 times in US history, with three instances of more than 100 twisters, Mr Marsh said. But Monday’s swarm was unusual because it happened over a particularly wide geographic area and came amid an especially active stretch, he said. An aerial photo shows damaged homes and debris marking the path of a tornado in Celina Credit: AP As for why it’s happening, Mr Marsh said high pressure over the Southeast and an unusually cold trough over the Rockies are forcing warm, moist air into the central US, triggering repeated severe thunderstorms and tornadoes. And neither system is showing signs of moving, he said. Scientists say climate change is responsible for more intense and more frequent extreme weather such as storms, droughts, floods and fires, but without extensive study they cannot directly link a single weather event to the changing climate. Want the best of The Telegraph direct to your email and WhatsApp? Sign up to our free twice-daily Front Page newsletter and new audio briefings.

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Karl Rove: We should not get overconfident about 2020

Fox News contributor Karl Rove weighs in on the correlation between the booming U.S. economy and Trump's chances at winning the 2020 presidential election.

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Planned Parenthood: Missouri's last abortion clinic may shut

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Missouri's only abortion clinic could be closed by the end of the week because the state is threatening to not renew its license, Planned Parenthood officials said Tuesday.

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No-deal Brexit is 'political suicide': Hunt

Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said Tuesday that Britain's governing Conservative Party would be committing "political suicide" if it tried to force through a no-deal Brexit. Hunt, who is among the 10 declared candidates vying to replace the outgoing Theresa May as Britain's prime minister, said trying to take the UK out of the EU without a deal would trigger a general election in which the Conservatives risked "extinction". The newly-formed Brexit Party led by Nigel Farage topped last week's European Parliament elections in Britain.

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Study could lead to 'cognitive therapy in your pocket'

People living with anxiety, depression, and other mental health conditions may soon be able to use a smartphone app to deliver on-demand cognitive bias modification for interpretation (CBM-I), a way to change mental habits without visiting a therapist.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily http://bit.ly/2KbKC2b

Among older women, 10,000 steps per day not needed for lower mortality

A new study found that older women, taking as few as 4,400 steps per day was significantly associated with lower risk of death compared to taking 2,700 steps per day. Risk of death continued to decrease with more steps taken but leveled off at around 7,500 steps per day -- less than the 10,000 steps default goal in many wearables.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily http://bit.ly/2HHUH5f

Tempted to cheat on a written exam? Artificial intelligence is 90% certain to nab you

Combining big data with artificial intelligence has allowed researchers to determine whether you wrote your assignment or whether a ghostwriter penned it for you -- with nearly 90 percent accuracy.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily http://bit.ly/2wrGEdN

Genetic analysis of cannabis is here

Research could provide government regulators with powerful new tools for addressing a bevy of commercial claims and other concerns as non-medical marijuana, hemp and CBD products become more commonplace. The new analysis of the genetic and chemical characteristics of cannabis is believed to be the first thorough examination of its kind.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily http://bit.ly/2QwQfJp

From viruses to social bots, researchers unearth the structure of attacked networks

Researchers have developed a machine learning model of the invisible networks around us including, how viruses interact with proteins and genes in the body. Their work, they believe, can help across the disciplines from the design of future medicines or gene therapies against viruses and diseases like cancer or help understand how to address cyber attacks.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily http://bit.ly/2wrGymr

How to quell a cytokine storm: New ways to dampen an overactive immune system

BRCA DNA-repair proteins interact with a molecular complex that is also responsible for regulating the immune system. When certain players in this pathway go awry, autoimmune disorders arise. An international team has deciphered the structure of the complex and have found new molecular targets for fighting autoimmunity.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily http://bit.ly/2I2WHUQ

New regulator of immune responses discovered

Scientists have identified a new internal regulator which helps control the body's response to fight infection. The discovery could be a target for new drugs to tackle autoimmune diseases.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily http://bit.ly/2JKVG7e

Key link discovered between tissue cell type and different forms of arthritis

Different types of fibroblasts -- the most common cells of connective tissue in animals -- are organized in different layers in the joint and are responsible for two very different forms of arthritis: osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, new research shows.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily http://bit.ly/2JNTsDR

New blood test uses DNA 'packaging' patterns to detect multiple cancer types

Researchers have developed a simple new blood test that can detect the presence of seven different types of cancer by spotting unique patterns in the fragmentation of DNA shed from cancer cells and circulating in the bloodstream.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily http://bit.ly/2WAynTo

How microbiome is disrupted during IBD: Human Microbiome Project

A new study is the first to have observed the complex set of chemical and molecular events that disrupt the microbiome and trigger immune responses during flare-ups of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily http://bit.ly/2X9EHhQ

Unveiling how the genome has condensed itself inside the virus

Scientists have deciphered how a virus genome is condensed inside the capsid of a virus.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily http://bit.ly/2MfUtGV

Patterns of chronic lymphocytic leukemia growth identified

In patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia, the rate of disease growth is apt to follow one of three trajectories: relentlessly upward, steadily level, or something in between, scientists report in a new study.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily http://bit.ly/2HKHZmx

Intelligent algorithms for genome research

In order to find out which genes are responsible for diseases such as cancer or diabetes, scientists nowadays frequently resort to using machine-learning models.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily http://bit.ly/2Qwsm4H

Sugar taxes and labelling are effective

Taxes on sugary products and labels on the front of packages can help reduce sugar consumption, according to a new study. The study, which included more than 3,500 people aged 13 and over on their purchasing behavior last spring, also found that taxes could have the greatest impact if 100 per cent fruit juice was included in reduction efforts.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily http://bit.ly/2X9zreg

Manuka honey to kill drug-resistant bacteria found in cystic fibrosis infections

Manuka honey could provide the key to a breakthrough treatment for cystic fibrosis patients following preliminary work.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily http://bit.ly/2WvsfvI

Hands that see, eyes that feel? Brain study reveals the mathematics of identifying objects

Researchers demonstrate that our brain need only perform a few lightning-fast statistical calculations to detect key properties of unknown objects.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily http://bit.ly/2HJ1V9d

Seeing disfigured faces prompts negative brain and behavior responses

A new study finds that people have implicit negative biases against people with disfigured faces, without knowingly harboring such biases.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily http://bit.ly/2W1Pyc9

When drug treatment for social anxiety is insufficient

A study group clarified that cognitive therapy maintained its effects more than a year after the end of therapy for patients with a social anxiety disorder even for those who did not respond to antidepressant drugs.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily http://bit.ly/2YWrzNo

Nanoscale bioabsorbable wound dressing

Scientists are harnessing the combined power of organic nanomaterials-based chemistry and a natural product found in crustacean exoskeletons to help bring emergency medicine one step closer to a viable solution for mitigating blood loss, from the hospital to the battlefield.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily http://bit.ly/2EGG2FR

Researchers standardize test for predicting transplant rejection

Researchers have developed a standardized method of measuring the immune response in islet transplant recipients, helping predict patient outcomes.

from Top Health News -- ScienceDaily http://bit.ly/2WcOrLJ

An Experimental Ebola Cure May Also Protect Against Nipah Virus

By DONALD G. McNEIL Jr. from NYT Health https://nyti.ms/2XdRorT

Russia, Serbia blame NATO for Kosovo tensions

BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — Russia and its traditional ally Serbia on Wednesday blamed NATO and the European Union for the recent increase in tensions in Kosovo, where local police launched a raid in the Serb-dominated north of the country.

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Missouri's last abortion clinic could close, making the state the only one without a facility

Missouri's threat to decline a license renewal may force the state's only abortion clinic to close by the end of the week, Planned Parenthood officials said.

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Man sues after his face is mauled by emotional support dog on Delta Airlines flight

A man who was allegedly attacked by an emotional support dog on a Delta Airlines flight has filed a lawsuit against the airline and the owner of the animal.Marlin Jackson has accused both Delta and Ronald Kevin Mundy Jr, a US veteran, of negligence after he was attacked while the flight was boarding in June 2017. Mr Jackson was seated in a window seat while the dog was next to him on the veteran’s lap, according to the lawsuit. The dog then attacked Mr Jackson, leaving his face permanently scarred. According to the complaint, Mr Jackson “bled so profusely that the entire row of seats had to be removed from the airplane.”“The attack was briefly interrupted when the animal was pulled away from Mr. Jackson. However, the animal broke free and again mauled Mr Jackson's face,” the lawsuit continued. The lawsuit also said Delta didn't verify the dog was trained or met the requirements of a service animal. A police report stated the Marine Corps veteran's dog was a chocolate lab pointer mix. Airlines later made changes to policies for emotional support animals following the attack, which drew national headlines in 2017.Mr Jackson has continued to endure “severe physical pain and suffering” according to the lawsuit, amid substantial medical bills and an apparent loss of income or earning potential. The lawsuit goes on to note Mr Jackson’s “entire lifestyle has been severely impaired by this attack.”Mr Jackson was reportedly travelling from Atlanta to San Diego when the attack occurred.Additional reporting by AP

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At Least 8 Tornadoes Have Been Reported Every Day for the Last 12 Days

After several quiet years, the past couple of weeks have seen an explosion of tornado activity with no end to the pattern in sight.

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Satellite images show fields in northwest Syria on fire

New satellite images show fields, orchards and olive groves burning in northwest Syria, where the army has waged an assault against rebels in their last major stronghold. Government air strikes, backed by Russia, have focused on the south of Idlib province and nearby parts of Hama, uprooting nearly 250,000 people. The bombing has killed 229 civilians and injured 727 others, according to the Union of Medical Care and Relief Organizations (UOSSM) charity.

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NASA just released a hype video for a Moon mission that probably won’t happen

NASA has planned on returning to the Moon for some time now, hashing out plans for its Lunar Gateway which will eventually serve as a jumping-off point for travelers headed to the Moon's surface. Then, back in March, the current presidential administration decided it wanted NASA to complete a return to the Moon as soon as possible, offering a mere five years to complete the task.The request was, to put it bluntly, absurd. NASA doesn't have the funding to pull it off, and even if it did it would require a truly monumental effort to meet the arbitrary deadline. Despite this, Trump-appointed NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine eagerly accepted the "challenge," and while everyone waits to see whether lawmakers will provide enough cash for a Moon 2024 mission to be possible, NASA just launched a hype video of sorts to assure everyone that a 2024 Moon mission is definitely, totally happening.The video emphasizes the collaborative efforts of NASA and its international partners, which is a good thing since there's no way the United States would be able to pull off the Gateway without help from just about everyone.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9KQfnquknoWhat's so interesting about this whole thing -- aside from the fact that a million hurdles stand between NASA and a Moon mission in 2024 -- is that when Trump sent Pence to deliver the new directive to NASA back in March, he did so while dismissing the efforts of many of NASA's key allies and emphasizing the need for the U.S. to be the superior space power.Now, NASA's hype video plays up collaboration and, presumably, was made to drum up some support for the mission among those who have influence in approving the funding NASA needs to make it a reality.Could NASA pull off the Moon 2024 mission? Absolutely, but the most important factors in whether it will even have the chance (like funding) are almost entirely out of its control. If the mission falls through it likely won't be because of a shortcoming on NASA's part, but because the demand was never realistic in the first place.The Lunar Gateway will be built, that much is certain. Whether it's built in time for the Moon 2024 mission, and whether that mission ever even comes close to happening at all, remains to be seen.

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Vatican corrects omission in pope's quote about McCarrick

VATICAN CITY (AP) — The Vatican communications office on Wednesday corrected the Italian transcript of Pope Francis' comments about disgraced ex-Cardinal Theodore McCarrick. Earlier, it had omitted Francis' claim that he didn't remember if he had been told in 2013 of McCarrick's penchant for sleeping with seminarians.

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Hong Kong Rejects U.S. Warning on Ship Breaching Iran Sanctions

The city’s government has “strictly” implemented United Nations Security Council sanctions, which don’t impose “any restrictions on the export of petroleum from Iran,” a spokesperson for Hong Kong’s Commerce and Economic Development Bureau said on Wednesday in response to a question about the U.S. warning. “Certain countries may impose unilateral sanctions against certain places on the basis of their own considerations,” they said.

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MSNBC analyst Jason Johnson: Mnuchin 'basically' said 'I hate black people' with Harriet Tubman decision

MSNBC analyst Jason Johnson took shots at both Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, essentially calling Carson sexist and Mnuchin racist, after both came under fire by Rep. Ayanna Presley last week. Johnson took a shot at Mnuchin for postponing the release of a $20 bill design featuring Underground Railroad and anti-slavery icon Harriet Tubman.

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