According to parliamentarians in Victoria, British Columbia, knowledge of a security threat to Canada had existed since earlier this week. Victoria parliamentarians were contacted days ago and alerted to a possible problem. Parliamentary House Clerk Craig James said that “steps were taken” with regard to security this week. “We are aware and have been aware of a … Read more
RCMP and Ottawa police briefed the nation Wednesday on the shooting that took place at and around Ottawa’s Parliament building. The situation, which the RCMP referred to as “ongoing,” “dynamic and unfolding,” was now focused mainly on the area immediately around Ottawa’s Parliament Hill, and Canadians were told to stay vigilant and report suspicious activities … Read more
A bubble gum company in Japan–a nation conscious of the relationship between chewing and cognitive function–has invented a chewing-sensor. The sensor, invented by a Tokyo-based gum manufacturer, counts chewing rate and intensity. “Chewing, unless you make a conscious effort, can be seen as a bit of a pain,” said Katsumi Kawai, chief marketing officer at … Read more
China executed more people than the rest of the world combined, according to a nonprofit US-based rights group. China executed 2,400 people in 2013, three times the number executed by the 195 other countries, which executed a total of 778 people. “China currently executes more people every year than the rest of the world combined, … Read more
Russian human rights ombundswoman Ella Panfilova has warned that a new, large-scale attack may be conducted by Russia against Ukraine in the near future. Panfilova made comments in an interview Monday in which the ombunswoman stated that Russia should prepare for a second wave of migration from Ukraine, despite a current ceasefire agreement that has … Read more
In a world first, movement and sensation have been returned to a man who was paralyzed four years ago. After a pioneering cell transplant using special cells that naturally regenerate, 40-year-old Darek Fidyka is walking again. “When you can’t feel almost half your body, you are helpless, but when it starts coming back it’s like you are … Read more
All people travelling from Ebola-affected nations in West Africa to the United States will be restricted to landing in five major airports, the Department of Homeland Security announced Tuesday. Health screening will also be increased. The security measures take effect Wednesday. Currently, the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Customs and Border Protection inspects travellers arriving … Read more
Since 1970, the glaciers of Peru have decreased by over 40 percent, according to the National Water Authority of Peru (ANA), causing concern regarding the hydroelectric plants, agricultural basins and cities that lie below–particularly in the dry coastal region where most Peruvians live. Peru used satellite images to inventory their glaciers ahead of the upcoming … Read more
Malaysian Airlines Flight MH17 was shot down by pro-Russian separatists on July 17, according to the conclusions of the German Foreign Intelligence Service, which completed its detailed analysis of the evidence this month. The conclusions of the agency were unambiguous, it reported, and Russian claims that Ukrainian soldiers had fired the missile were false. “It was … Read more
The world’s regions view the threats currently faced by the world differently, according to Pew’s 2014 Global Attitudes survey. The survey looked at five major areas of concern and found that some regions worry much more about certain problems than other regions. The Pew poll included almost 50,000 respondents in 44 countries, and was taken between … Read more
Russia will open Europe’s largest prison in 2016. The detention center, known as Kresty-2, will replace one of Russia’s most notorious jails–the 120-year-old Kresty prison, in which Soviet-era dissidents such as Leon Trotsky were held. The first five facilities of the new facility were commissioned Friday. “It will be the most modern prison in Russia … Read more
The presidents of Ukraine and Russia met in Milan, Italy Friday to work towards a resolution in the ongoing dispute over gas supplies to Ukraine. A gas deal was reached, according to the leaders, but European leaders felt that Russia still had much work to do regarding the ceasefire in Eastern Ukraine. “We agreed on … Read more