World

Colloquially known as the "City of Love," Paris removed a contemporary landmark of sorts that attracted thousands of star-crossed (and other) lovers. The New York Times reports that on June 1st, city workers removed thousands of padlocks attached to the wire mesh panels on the side of the Pont des Arts bridge across the Seine River. For about five years, couples from around the world expressed their affection for each other by attaching a padlock to the side of the Pont des Arts (typically with the couple's initials etched onto it) and then throwing the key down to the river below. Paris's deputy mayor in charge of culture, Bruno Julliard (a Parisian name if there ever was one), insisted that the city will still remain "the capital of love, the capital of romance." Despite the affectiona...

A new law in Ontario now prohibits the sale of e-cigarettes to anyone under 19, thereby making e-cig sales just as restricted as regular cigarettes. Additionally, it is now illegal to smoke e-cigarettes in public places where smoking has been prohibited under Canadian federal law. The official legislation is called the Making Healthier Choices Act, and it addressed several health issues, including the concern that more teens have taken up smoking as e-cigarettes have become more accessible. In the U.S., e-cigs have become popular alternatives to smoking regular tobacco -- between 2008 and 2012, sales of e-cigarettes increase from 50,000 to 3.5 million. The trend hasn't caught on quite so quickly in Canada, but Canadian officials have been much quicker to address concerns over whether e-...

Salmon are one of anglers' most sought-after catches. Not only are they delicious to eat, but they can also be quite a challenge to land. King salmon, the largest species in the Pacific salmon genus, have weighed in at up to 100 pounds in Alaska, for example. However, humans aren't the fish's biggest threat. Predatory seabirds have been having a devastating impact on salmon populations. Consequently, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Services is preparing a plan to hunt thousands of hungry double crested cormorants, to reduce the numbers of baby salmon being preyed upon. Biologists blame double crested cormorants, which are large black birds that have long necks, webbed feet, and hooked bills used to dive below water surfaces and catch small fish, for damaging salmon populati...

Teachers from China arrived in Pennsylvania in March to learn strategies for integrating special needs students into the classroom, and have begun observing classes in Pittsburgh public schools. The teachers are also in training at Duquesne University, learning about customizing elementary school programs for autistic students, in addition to classroom integration. A partnership between the Beijing Autism Association and South East Asia Prayer Center (SEAPC) in Oakmont will train families and teachers to address the needs of autistic children over the next 10 years. Each country will host trainers and set up online training resources to establish educational standards for children with autism, as well as to study potential causes. The partnership will also create a database of educational...

Technology is always advancing, but one of the hurdles that hybrid and electric car technology faces is creating a longer-lasting, quickly charging battery -- without sacrificing range. A new development from researchers at UCLA's California NanoSystems Institute might have the answer. According to Gizmag.com, scientists have created a battery that combines both the energy of a lead-acid battery (think of the traditional battery in a car) and the quick charge and discharge rates of a supercapacitor. Batteries in hybrid cars paved the way for electric cars, but the hybrid supercapacitor could mark a huge development in making them more accessible and better-performing. Professor Richard Kaner and Dr. Maher El-Kady of the Institute say that their new battery can quickly charge and dischar...

Solar power systems -- both commercial and residential -- have become so popular that by 2016, it's estimated a new solar power system will be installed every 20 seconds. However, although the popularity of solar power has exploded in recent years, Brazil is just now beginning to consider it a viable source of sustainable energy -- and not necessarily by choice. Despite being one of the sunniest countries on Earth due its close proximity to the equator, Brazil has only recently begun turning to solar power to meet its energy needs due to a devastating drought, which is the worst the country has experienced in 80 years. Prior to the drought, solar energy was called "a fantasy" by President Dilma Rousseff. In fact, a mere 400 homes in Brazil are equipped with photovoltaic (PV) panels due t...

Benjamin Franklin once said, "[Those] that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety," an aphorism that's more relevant now than ever before, as the complicated problem of online censorship seemingly worsens each week. Most recently, Pakistan and France have blocked online platforms that they suspect are used as terrorist platforms. The Pakistan Telecommunications authority has reportedly asked Internet service providers (ISPs) to block WordPress due to its usage by international terrorist organization Tehreek Taliban Pakistan. France has used its new anti-terrorism powers, which were approved by its parliament last year, to block five websites suspected of condoning terrorism and spreading hate speech without court orders. "...

Mexican authorities confirmed on March 12 that a gray whale slammed into a small, sightseeing boat, killing a 35-year-old Canadian tourist and seriously injuring two others. "Our thoughts are with the family and friends of a Canadian citizen who passed away in Mexico,” said Diana Khaddaj, a spokesperson for the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs. Marine Capt. Vicente Arturo Martinez Morale told CBC news that the victim was on vacation in Cabo with her husband and parents. The Attorney General's Office for Environmental Protection said that the victim was one of nine tourists aboard the sightseeing boat, "a fragile type with inflatable parts." The vessel was headed back to the Cabo San Lucas resort, and was nearly to port when the collision occurred. "The captain had to make a movem...

Biobanks are often an integral part of medical research, helping scientists store and access needed biological samples for study. As a result, research facilities around the world invest in biorepository management tools and software to ensure the integrity of their findings, which can hopefully be translated into new therapies and treatments for different medical conditions. For one international research group, this investment, combined with diligent work, seems to have paid off: recently, the team made what could be the biggest discovery about cerebral palsy in 20 years. Cerebral palsy is a condition that causes permanent physical disability, as well as epilepsy, communication problem,s and cognition problems in some cases. The disorder has long been thought to be due to a lack of ox...

Long regarded as a promised land of sorts for international business and manufacturers, China has always attracted hordes of eager expatriates ready to work alongside the country's billion-plus consumers. According to an international moving company, however, those days could soon be over. A recent study by UniGroup Relocation -- which moves more than 260,000 families worldwide each year for work -- indicates that expatriates to China are undergoing a bit of an exodus. In 2014, twice as people moved out of China than into the country, according to UniGroup's customer data. The increased outflow could be the result of a combination of factors, such as expiring work contracts which can keep expats in China for two to three years, according to UniGroup. Other reasons include the rising cos...