Passing the Carbon Threshold Gives the Planet a Grim Future That’s Almost Impossible to Reverse

HAWAII – Mauna Loa Observatory measured the carbon dioxide (CO2) in Earth’s atmosphere crossed 400 parts per million (PPM). The CO2 level in the atmosphere’s effects would be an almost impossible task to reverse for centuries to come. It is a ghastly milestone that everyone should fear.

This would be the first time that the CO2 levels in September crossed the 400 ppm. September normally is the month that reflects global CO2 levels in their lowest during a year.

Scripps Institute for Oceanography head of the CO2 monitoring program, Ralph Keeling wrote that it would be “almost impossible” to drop below the 400 ppm till the end of the year. Keeling said, “Brief excursions toward lower values are still possible. But it already seems safe to conclude that we won’t be seeing a monthly value below 400 ppm this year – or ever again for the indefinite future.”

From the time of the industrial revolution, the CO2 in the atmosphere has been increasing at a constant pace. It is however the first time after millions of years that the CO2 level has crossed the 400 ppm.

David Block from the School of Marine and Atmospheric Science at the Stony Brook University said that the Earth had crossed the 400 ppm mark about 3.5 million years ago. At that time, the climate of the planet was different from what we currently have. During those time, the Arctic was warmer and the global sea level was about 15–90 feet higher.

Black pointed out that the CO2 levels even dip to 280 ppm before the industrial revolution began. He said, “One of the things that really concerns climate scientists is we as humans have taken only a few centuries to do what nature took millions of years. Most of that change was just in the last 50-60 years”

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Samsung: Will The Brand Still Be Viable?

Galaxy Note 7s are back on the shelves. Samsung will resume selling Galaxy Note 7 smartphones to consumers in South Korea after the product recall. The company is bound to sell Note 7 in Europe come October 28.

Samsung asked their customers to return the Note 7 after reports of batteries igniting during or after charging. The company said it was due to faulty batteries.

Overall, Samsung sold about 2.5 million Galaxy Note 7 handsets worldwide before recalling the product. A total of 80% handsets sold in Korea had been replaced or returned.

Similarly, in Europe and North America, the figure is lower but still not less than 50%, according to Samsung.

A company source said 95% of the customers returning their handsets still choses to continue with Samsung. One big factor to it is customer loyalty.

Incalculable losses

But the cost must be huge. So massive that to quantify it in monetary terms simply cannot be done. Partly because Samsung’s efforts and carefully planned sales pitch was now futile against its rival. The “disaster” granted the iPhone 7 a month’s head start.

On top of that, Samsung promises its customers quality products. It pitches itself on producing most of its components, hence the company does less outsourcing than their competitors. With the product recall, even the branding of their own as quality products might sound dodgy to customers.

Furthermore, the company replaced most of the affected units but a vast number of handsets are still out.

Finally, Samsung Note 7 and airlines do not go hand-in-hand these days. Airlines recently released a warning for passengers with Note 7. The handsets cannot be checked in. They should remain “off” for the flights entirety.

 

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South Korea President to North Koreans: Come to ‘Bosom of Freedom’

South Korea’s President Park Geun-Hye made an extraordinary call to the people of North Korea. She directly exhorted their northern neighbors to defect.

Her speech included the mention of the “gruesome realities” the North Koreans endured every day.

The president said, “We will keep the road open for you to find hope and live a new life. Please come to the bosom of freedom in the South.”

Her remarks follow the recent defection of a North Korean soldier who traversed the heavily secured Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) to get to the South.

In the speech performed t commemorate the South’s armed forces day, she further added:”The universal values of freedom, democracy, human rights and welfare are the precious rights you should also enjoy.”

Ms. Park also used the occasion to deliver a warning to Pyongyang concerning its nuclear and missile tests. She swore that South Korea would fight to defend itself.

It remains unclear whether the target audience would receive her invitation due to the tight control of the northern state over its media.

Heavily fortified strip of land

The DMZ has been in place since the cessation of the Korean war in 1953. It bisects the peninsula from east to west and its depth stretches 4km (2.5 miles). Barbed wire, landmines, gun positions, assorted cameras & sensors manned by thousands of troops from both sides, cover the zone.

This level of security at the DMZ makes for extremely rare defections across it. The incident such as Thursday’s was the first in more than a year.

The last one involved a teen-aged military trainee who approached South Korean sentries at the border.

The last one before that caused a major security revamp in 2012. A North Korean soldier bypassed all the electronic security measures without detection before presenting himself to his Southern counterparts.

Most of the almost 30,000 defectors since the 1950’s went through China. The South Korean government assists them in terms of integration. However, a number of them complain about discrimination and financial issues.

The persistent nuclear tests by the north despite international sanctions keep tensions high between the two Koreas.

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Russia Sends More Jets, Pounds Rebel Held Territories in Aleppo

Air strikes by Russian war planes intensified in rebel held areas East of Aleppo on Saturday. The air strikes are in support of the Syrian Army’s major offensive which includes shelling eastern Aleppo with artillery. The Syrian governments offensive is on its 10^th day in an effort to recapture the last remaining rebel stronghold.

The Russian planes targeted major supply lines in the Castello Road and Malah District. Ground battles on the other hand, raged in the Suleiman al Halabi neighborhood.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov informed U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry that Moscow was ready to consider more ways to “normalize the situation in Aleppo”.

However, Lavrov said that the U.S. failed to separate the moderate rebel groups from the Islamist faction which the Russians call terrorist. This failure allowed the terrorist group formerly known as the Nusra front to violate the US-Russian truce agreed on September 9.

Russia and Assad disregarded the ceasefire to initiate a new intensified offensive. The renewed offensive is possibly the biggest operation they have implemented in the Syrian civil war.

No Ground Re-taken

Amid intensified efforts by the Russian air strikes and the Syrian army offensive, rebels have stood their ground and repelled the assault.

Rebels say that Syrian troops supported by Iranian-backed militias were having a difficult time to retake any ground in the frontline of the city. Abu Hamam, one of the rebels defending the city said. “They are shelling the old city heavily after another failed attempt to gain ground. Moreover, they have lost several fighters and we are steadfast.”

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a British-based group is monitoring the war. They have reported “back and forth” fighting in the Suleiman al-Halabi neighborhood. They also reported at least 20 casualties in the Russian and Syrian strikes on Friday through the early morning of Saturday.

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Singapore Defense Chief Warns of Threats From Extremist Groups

Singapore Defense Minister Ng Eng Hen said on Friday that violent extremist groups represents a grave threat to Southeast Asia. Moreover, he believed that these groups are growing each year, becoming more organized and focusing on their objectives.

Ng gave his statement during the meeting of Southeast Asian defense ministers in Hawaii. US Defense Secretary Ash Carter was also present in the meeting. Ministers dedicated a lot of time discussing threats from Islamic State and similar groups.

According to Ng, over 1,000 Southeast Asians assembled to join the Islamic State’s self-declared “caliphate” in Iraq and Syria. He also said, “Every year we meet, the situation and threat from extremist terrorism rises. Ng added, “Compared to, say, a year or even two years ago, they’re more organized…they’re more networked, they’re more clear in their articulation of what they want to achieve.”

A statement from security officials in June said Southeast Asian militants claimed to fight for Islamic State. These militants have chosen an individual from within the region to lead the group. The Philippines considers this regional faction head as one of their most wanted terrorists.

Jakarta bombing

Since the bombing last January in the Indonesian capital Jakarta, regional authorities reinforced heightened security. The Islamic State claimed the attack which killed eight people including for attackers.

Ng mentioned of a foiled plan concocted by an Indonesian faction to strike at hotels in Singapore’s Marina Bay area. The Indonesian militants maintained coordination with an Islamic State member in Syria. However, It was averted with the help of Indonesian authorities. Ng said, “They have gone beyond networks to push the flow of funds, weapons. They are already plotting”.

Dreaded homecoming

Hundreds of citizens from Southeast Asia joined the Islamic State in their battles in Iraq and Syria. US Defense officials believed they have returned home, raising concerns to launch a rash of attacks.

The US is currently conducting an air campaign to displace the Islamic State from Iraq and Syria. Ng believed destroying its base would lead to a short term increase of regional attacks. Subsequently, seasoned Islamic State fighters would likely return home.

Ng said, “They would decide to come back, some re-energized, some trained and the networks would still be existing”.

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California; Police Release Video of Police Officers Shooting Unarmed Black Man

California Police authorities finally released the video of two police officers shooting an unarmed black man on Friday. The video quality, grainy and mostly without audio, did not help in calming the rage of the community.

On Tuesday, two officers fatally shot an Uganda born citizen, Alfredo Olango aged 31. Authorities however, made no decision that concerns filing a criminal case against the two officers involved.

El Cajon Police Chief Jeff Davis said in a news conference. “This is as difficult a situation as any law enforcement officer will ever encounter and its one we never seek”. He then added “That being the case, a tragic event took place that took a life and had a major impact on our community.”

El Cajon officer Richard Gonsalves and Josh McDaniel both have 21 years in service. The two officers responded to an emergency call about a “mentally unstable” man walking in traffic.

The police officials said Olango ignored commands to take his hand out of his pocket. He then pulled out an object and assumed a “shooting stance”, and pointed the device. The object Olango carried turns out to be a vaping device, a 3-inch-long (8-cm) cylinder used to inhale nicotine. The police found no gun in the scene.

Series of events

Before police authorities released their video, two other videos surfaced showing the incident. The Los Ponchos Taco stand in El Cajon captured the incident on their drive thru window camera. The other video came from a bystander’s cellphone.

Both of the videos show two police officers confronting Olango, one with a gun the other with a taser before opening fire in the restaurant’s parking lot.

The video from the cellphone only last 17 seconds but a distinct voice of a woman can be heard in the background. It appears she shouted “Officer don’t shoot him!” before at least four shots resonated in the background with the woman screams.

An officer obscured the camera hence making it hard for authorities to see Olango’s action moments before he got shot.

Family members and activists appealed for several days for the police to release the video. Believing it will shed light on how police officers acted improperly during the confrontation.
During a press conference on Thursday, Olangos’ emotionally distressed mother said her son is having mental breakdown; instead of shooting her son, the police should have helped him.

On Friday, Dan Gilleon, the lawyer representing the family said that the newly released footage supported their position that the officers had “provoked a mentally disturbed person.”

 

Activists and family members also scrutinize police for releasing a still photograph of Olango. The photograph shows Olango pointing an object to an officer, giving misinterpretations and unfair judgments for the former Ugandan refugee

Anger from Africa

Olango’s death sparked controversy reaching several countries including Africa. International officials criticized not only Olango’s death but also the series of events in police killings of black men in the US.

The shooting led to a protest in El Cajon, a suburb of San Diego on Thursday. Police used pepper spray to disperse the crowd and arrested two men for unlawful assembly.

Police authorities put Gonsalves and MacDaniel on administrative leave while investigations continue.

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Comic Book Hero Wonder Woman is Bisexual

Ferraris, Bentleys, Lamborghinis, Porsches Among 3,700 Luxury Vehicles Confiscated in UK

New research shows that police held more than 3,700 luxury vehicles in England and Wales to date. The confiscated cars include Ferraris, Lamborghinis, Porsches and Bentleys among others.

Information gathered by Churchill Insurance found a total of 22,500 assorted vehicles seized by authorities until the middle of July. The reasons for seizure are varying and usually due to uninsured drivers and those lacking a valid license.

The sale of the vehicles through an auction raised in excess of 1.4 million pounds ($1,800,000). That’s with the highest price tag pegged by the Metropolitan Police at 22,100 pounds ($28,600)

Not all have been disposed through the auction however, with 6,500 cars crushed into scrap metal. The scrap value acquired an additional 280,000 pounds ($360,000).

These figures originated from replies to Freedom of Information queries presented on June 16.

Steve Barrett, Churchill’s car insurance chief remarked, “Everyday, law-abiding motorists are paying out for their car insurance but the harsh truth is that they also have to pay for the million drivers on our roads who choose to drive without insurance.”

“To know that a contingent of these uninsured motorists are driving around in luxury cars worth hundreds of thousands of pounds, believing that their bank balance elevates them above the law, is maddeningly unjust and selfish beyond measure,” he also said.

The need to increase penalties

Barrett explained that authorities must initiate a critical assessment of the penalties for driving sans insurance. Stern warnings must be included to discourage irresponsible motorists from taking to the road.

He added that, “The penalties should be far higher and money generated from increased fines should be pumped back in to enabling the police to catch more uninsured drivers.”

The quality of the luxury cars confiscated by police in England and Wales demonstrates the arrogance of their owners. Furthermore, the numbers are quite staggering: BMW (2,117), Audi (1,546), Porsche (52), Ferrari (11), Bentley (6), Lamborghini (6), Maserati (4), Rolls-Royce (2), TVR (1), Aston martin (1).

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