DOWN WITH DARWIN

Tennessee bill protects teachers who challenge evolution

[Biology teacher via Shutterstock]

The state legislature of Tennessee has given legal cover to public school teachers to challenge the science of evolution and climate change, in a move that looks set to deepen a debate about politicisation of the classroom.

TRANSPARENCY IN ELECTIONS

Sen. Whitehouse introduces the DISCLOSE Act of 2012

[Image via Transportation for America, Creative Commons licensed]

Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) on Wednesday introduced the DISCLOSE Act of 2012, legislation that would prevent political donors from hiding their monetary contributions.

THE WALKING LIVING

‘Zombie’ disease afflicts thousands of Ugandan children

Screengrab of child with Nodding Disease via CDC video

Agnes Apio has to tie up her son Francis before she can leave the house. In his state, he is a danger to himself. Where once he walked and talked like a normal child, now he is only able to drag himself along in the dirt.

WITCHY WOMEN

Sperm-hunting women prowl Zimbabwe highways

Zimbabwean women leave court via AFP

Sensational reports of gangs of beautiful women picking up male travellers to have sex and harvest their sperm in condoms have gripped Zimbabwe.

ANOTHER JARED LOUGHNER?

Brother of suspect who firebombed Dem’s office: ‘His whole reality is different’

Firebombed door screenshot

The brother of Cedric Steele, who allegedly fire bombed the office of Democratic state senator Wendy Davis in Texas, said that Cedric had a history of mental health problems.

'NO ONE CARES ABOUT GOVERNING'

Former Sen. Arlen Specter: ‘Cannibals have taken over’ Congress

Former Senator Arlen Spector via CBS screenshot

Former Sen. Arlen Specter, a Republican who turned Democrat in 2009, said Wednesday that “cannibals” were devouring lawmakers who did not maintain ideological purity.

Science

Supreme Court rules biotech company cannot patent ‘laws of nature’

Biotechnology industry officials are warning that a US Supreme Court ruling on patent rights this…

SpaceX, NASA prepare for April 30 launch to space station

Preparations for the April 30 launch of the SpaceX’s Dragon commercial spacecraft to the International Space Station (ISS) are underway…

Climate change damage to oceans to cost $2 trillion

China firms knock U.S. duties on solar products

Tech News

Google: Charges against user-upload site threaten social Internet

Search giant Google filed an amicus brief this week in support of HotFile.com, a cyber…

NSA chief denies allegations of Big Brother machine in Utah

Allegations that the U.S. National Security Agency is building a type of Big Brother machine…

Media

Kony filmmaker recovering from ‘reactive psychosis’

LOS ANGELES — The co-founder of an online campaign to find Ugandan war criminal Joseph…

Muppets get their own Hollywood star

LOS ANGELES — The Muppets were honored with their own star on the storied Hollywood…

World

Chevron accused of ‘environmental crime’ in Brazil

RIO DE JANEIRO — Federal prosecutors in Rio de Janeiro on Wednesday accused US oil giant Chevron and 17 executives…

Clinton vows no Afghan peace without women’s rights

WASHINGTON — US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton vowed Wednesday never to accept a peace agreement in Afghanistan that rolls…

French police surround self-declared Al-Qaeda militant’s apartment

French police laid siege Wednesday to an apartment block where a self-declared Al-Qaeda militant who has claimed a series of…

Russian jet takes off with ‘hole in wing’

What looked like a large hole in the wing did not stop a Russian airline jet from taking off for…

U.S. News

U.S. Army reviews mental health diagnoses

WASHINGTON — The US Army’s inspector general is investigating whether psychiatrists threw out diagnoses of…

New Hampshire legislature kills same sex marriage repeal bill

The Republican-led House of Representatives in New Hampshire rejected legislation on Wednesday that would have…

Asians fastest-growing group in United States, census finds

WASHINGTON — Asians are the fastest growing race group in the United States, reflecting a…

Postal workers find 11 pounds of pot headed to N.Y. publishing house

A large shipment of marijuana was intercepted on its way to a publishing house in…

Minnesota House approves voter ID amendment

Minnesota’s House of Representatives has approved a controversial measure to put a referendum on voter…