A new study by CNA Corporation has discovered that the biggest consumers of water on the planet are not measured for water use. Neither the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) nor the Department of Energy (DOE), which regulate the power sector, measure water use. Water use is therefore left out of policy decisions. CNA found this information … Read more
Scientists at Aalto University School of Science in Finland have conducted a study in which they found that some lies may be more destructive to society than others, and that some types of lies may be essential to the growth of cohesive social networks. “There is no society without lies,” stated lead researcher Rafael Barrio, a … Read more
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay stated Monday that foreign fighters and others currently active in East Ukraine would be brought to justice for any war crimes committed in East Ukraine. Pillay made the statement while issuing a new report by the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine, and calling for … Read more
According to surveys conducted in Siberia, 25-30 percent of Siberians want immediate, complete separation from Russia and 60-70 percent want equal autonomy, while only 10 percent are satisfied with the current status of Siberia within the Russian Federation. The polls, taken regularly by social and political organizations such as Regionalist Alternative for Siberia (CCA), New Roads … Read more
In light of the security situation in Tripoli, Libya, where local militias are engaging in violence in the immediate vicinity of the US Embassy, the US State Department has issued a travel warning for Libya. The warning superceded the May 27 warning, and is based on “clear and present danger” of kidnapping, violent attacks and … Read more
After the killing of al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in Pakistan in May 2011, the US government announced that they had obtained a “treasure trove” of documents that would fill a “small college library”–estimated to be in the hundreds of thousands to one million documents. The importance of these documents was displayed by initial … Read more
Researchers at University of California have demonstrated the ability to create memories, erase them and create them again. The researchers used light-sensitive proteins and optical fibers to enact long-term potentiation between neurons, creating new associations. “We could do it over and over, once we knew how to do it,” University of California lead researcher Roberto Malinow told The Speaker. … Read more
The largest non-polar desert, the Sahara, which continues to expand south under the influence of global warming, will be halted by a 20-nation project to build the world’s largest horticultural feature, the Great Green Wall of Africa. The project will be supported by the World Bank, the African Union, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization … Read more
A French lawyer filed a complaint Friday against Israel for what the lawyer said were “war crimes committed by the Israeli army in June and July 2014 in Palestine,” referring primarily to Israel’s Protective Edge military campaign in the Gaza Strip, which began July 8. Over 1000 people have already been killed and over 6,000 injured in … Read more
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, stated Saturday that pro-Russian separatists in Ukraine were obliged to abide by international law and protect civilians. If separatists break international law, Pillay said, the international community can bring them to justice. “These groups are obliged to respect international law, and they need to protect civilians. If they do … Read more
Tel-Aviv University researchers have found that agreeing with people on controversial issues causes them to reconsider their opinions, becoming more accepting of differing points of view. The study, “Paradoxical thinking as a new avenue of intervention to promote peace,” was completed by Boaz Hameiria, Roni Poratc, Daniel Bar-Tald, Atara Bielerb, and Eran Halperinb, and was … Read more
A recent study by Pennsylvania State and the University of Texas has looked at the varying levels of generosity exhibited by people around the world, and has found that, although some countries are much more generous than others, the issue is more complex than some might think. The report, “Accepting Inequality Deters Responsibility: How Power … Read more