US Charges Chinese For Hacking

The US has charged five Chinese army officers with hacking into private-sector American companies to gain advantage. This is the first cyber-espionage case of this kind. These breaches, according to Attorney General Eric Holder, are "significant" and need some sort of "an aggressive response". The prosecutors say the officers stole trade secrets and internal documents from five companies, and a trade union. The US and China have sparred over these cyber attacks before. The men that were charged are the first known "actors for infiltrating U.S. commercial targets by cyber means". The targeted companies were Westinghouse Electric, US Steel, Alcoa Inc, Allegheny Technologies, Solar World and the US Steelworkers Union. There seems to be no known motive for this hacking other than to advantage over the state-owned companies.
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-27475324

Robot Arm Approved

A robot arm that can pick up fragile objects has been approved by US medical authorities. Known as the Deka Arm, it has fingers that can move like real ones which makes it easier for amputees to eat, zip up clothes, and even unlock doors. Current devices are based on metal hooks and other designs which are over 100 years old. The Arm was developed with $40 million of research from the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) along with another $100 million to help the research project and improve the range of robot limbs. Most of the improvements on prosthetic limbs has been focused on the legs rather than arms or hands. This new prosthetic arm has been designed to look more realistic than the split metal hooks designed in 1912.
http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-27373329

Boko Haram to Sell Abducted Girls

A Nigerian Islamist militant group has threatened to sell hundreds of schoolgirls they abducted three weeks ago. The militant leader, Abubakar Shekau sent a video obtained by AFP news, in which was the first time they admitted for taking the girls. 230 are believed to be missing, prompting widespread criticism of the Nigerian government. The Boko Haram have left thousands dead since 2009. The girls were taken from their school in Chibok in the northern state of Borno on April 14th. "Boko Haram", which measn "Western education is forbidden" has staged numerous attacks on educational institutions in northern Nigeria. In the released video, Shekau said that the girls shoud have been married instead of given an education. He also said, "God instructed me to sell them, they are his properties and I will carry out his instructions."
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-27283383

Botched Execution

In Oklahoma, Clayton Lockett was sentenced to death, but instead survived. After 20 minutes, the execution was stopped Tuesday evening. According to an official, one of his veins ruptured, which prevented the drugs from taking a full effect. The man later died from a heart attack less than an hour later. Lockett was sentenced to death for shooting a 19 year old, and watched her buried alive in 1999. According to witnesses present at the execution it was a "horrible thing to witness." Lockett was given a sedative, then 10 minutes later became unconscious. Three minutes after the lethal drugs were injected, the man started to writhe and breathe heavily. A local journalist that was present reported that his arms and legs were moving, his head was straining, and was mumbling "as if trying to talk."
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-27225994

Obama Clears Nation for Hunting Hodags

President Obama recently passed a bill which allows citizens to legally hunt the well known Hodag. The Hodag currently resides in the forests of Peninsula State Park, Rock Island, Straight Lakes, Lake Wissota, Northern Highland, Appalachian, Red Wood, Ottawa, Grand Mesa, Chippewa, Superior, Lewis and Clark, Forbidden, and Chequamegon-Nicolet. The permits will allow hunters to tag up to three Hodags a season. There will be special centers in each state (excluding Alabama and New Mexico respectively) strictly to process each Hodag. Hunting hours will for the Hodag season are unlimited, making all hours open. The hunting season will run between January 2 to January 9. All legal calibers of weapons will be open, but the preferable weapon of choice is a 50 pound bow. Obama said in a statement that, "This country needs to hunt Hodags, cause 'merica needs its meat. 'merica!"

Violence Erupts in Ukraine

Violence between Ukrainian police and protesters kills seven people, including one police officer. On Tuesday, protesters attempted to march on the Kiev parlimentary, only to be met with riot control and police armed with stun grenades, rubber bullets, and full riot gear. The protesters want the current president, Viktor Yanukovych, to resign out of office and for a constitutional reform. What caused the violence was unclear, but had ended with damage to property all over the city. The protesters took up bricks and used them as a weapon against the police, and the offices under President Yanukovych's control. Of the seven people killed, one was allegedly an office employee at one of these buildings. In total, 3 bodies were found inside the building and three more on the streets. Considering the previous weeks of protesting, this was the most violence seen.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-26236860

Algerian Plane Crash Kills Scores

An Algerian military transport plane crashed in the north eastern part of the country, killing 99 passengers,  made up of family and military personnel, and four crew members. The plane, a Hercules C-130, crashed in the mountains of the Oum al-Bouaghi province. It was heading to Constantine when the plane had hit bad weather. According to a security scource, there were no survivors from the crash, and that the probable cause was due to gusty winds and bad weather. The last plane crash in Algeria that was this severe was in 2003 with a Boeing 737. There was only one survivor.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-26138101