Top Stories
TOP STORY
TOP STORY
Islamist terrorism main Olympics concern
Islamist terrorism is the leading security concern of the upcoming Olympic Games, Paris Chief of Police Laurent Nunez said today.
France is on its highest security alert as the country prepares for the opening ceremony on July 26, with additional preparations for snap legislative elections at the end of June.
Nunez said, ”There is no clear-cut threat … but I'd like to remind you that at the end of May, two individuals were arrested in Saint-Etienne plotting a project aimed directly at the Olympic Games.”
Nunez said, ”The terrorist threat remains just as important as the protest threat posed by radical environmental groups, the ultra-left left and the pro-Palestinian movement.”
Running Stories
French election
Le Pen's National Rally seen leading vote in French snap elections.Russian defense pact
South Korea summons Russian ambassador as tensions rise with North Korea.British general election
Britain’s embattled ruling party roiled by election-related gambling scandal.LAW
LAW
New York bans ‘addictive feeds’ for teens
Two New York laws aim to protect kids and teens from social media harm.
The Stop Addictive Feeds Exploitation for Kids Act requires parental consent for social media companies to use “addictive feeds” powered by recommendation algorithms on under-18s.
The New York Child Data Protection Act limits data collection on minors without consent and restricts the sale of such information but does not require age verification. This takes effect next year.
States have taken the lead in enacting legislation to protect kids on the internet. It’s one area Republicans and Democrats agree on. Federal proposals, however, still await votes.
Bubbling Under
NATO secretary general
Outgoing Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte wins race to head NATOIndia’s heatwaves
Over 100 deaths and 40,000 cases of suspected heatstrokes.French protests
Hundreds protest in Paris against antisemitism after rape of 12-year-old Jewish girl.Subscribe to our newsletter
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HEALTH
HEALTH
Microplastics found in human penises
Seven kinds of microplastics have been found in four of five samples of penis tissue, a research paper reported.
The samples were from five patients diagnosed with erectile dysfunction (ED) and were in the University of Miami's hospital for penile implant surgery between August and September 2023.
Lead author Ranjith Ramasamy said further research is needed “to identify whether microplastics are linked to ED and which microplastics cause harm.
A professor not connected with the research said plastics can be “physically disruptive to the many processes our bodies undertake … including erection and sperm production.”
Ramasamy cautioned, “We need to be mindful about consuming water and food from plastic bottles and containers and try to limit the use until more research is done.”
SOCIETY
SOCIETY
15 shot at Juneteenth celebration
At least 15 people were shot at a Juneteenth celebration in Oakland, California, the Oakland police department said.
The police said the shooting resulted from fights during an “illegal sideshow involving vehicles and motorbikes” that took place near Juneteenth celebrations.
Sixteen people aged 20–30 were transported to local hospitals, including 15 gunshot victims and one who was injured in the assault. Over 50 shell casings found indicate multiple shooters.
The police said the injuries included minor gunshot wounds and loss of fingers and that some people were still in critical condition as of Thursday afternoon.
Running Stories
Canary Islands
Cruise ship rescues 68 migrants adrift in Atlantic.EU sanctions
Russian gas targeted for the first time, diplomats say.Border patrol
Arrests down 25% since Biden announced asylum restrictions.US POLITICS
US POLITICS
Congress weighs adding women to the draft
Fewer Americans are joining the armed forces, so Congress is weighing options, including making women eligible for the draft.
The House of Representatives passed an annual defense policy bill to increase the maximum age of the draft from 25 to 26. The same day, the Senate approved a bill to include women.
Over the past decade, the US military has taken steps to improve equality in the armed forces. As of 2016, women have been able to hold every military position.
The House and Senate proposals have little chance of becoming law, partly because some Republicans aren't on board, a report said.
In 2023, the US military fell short of its recruiting goals by roughly 41,000 recruits. Currently, most US men aged 18–25 are required to register with the Selective Service.
SCIENCE
SCIENCE
Pain may take different pathways in sexes
Research finds differences in male and female nerve cells are partly why men and women have contrasting experiences with pain.
Pain-sensing nerve cells from male and female animal tissues responded differently to the same sensitizers. This suggests pain is produced differently between the sexes at the cellular level.
A report says its findings may enable the creation of drugs specifically for female or male patients. Some types of chronic and acute pain appear more often in one sex, but it’s unclear why.
About 50 million adults in the US suffer from chronic pain conditions, many of which are more common in women. Similar disparities exist for acute conditions.
OFFBEAT
OFFBEAT
‘Big’ cockroach crashes press briefing
A “big” cockroach interrupted State Department spokesman Mathew Miller’s press briefing, causing a temporary diversion.
“I hate to interrupt,” Miller said. “There’s a big cockroach on the wall over your head there,” Miller said with a grin to an Associated Press reporter known for tough lines of questioning.
Not long after Miller alerted the room to the pest, a department sound engineer did some quick debugging, according to a Washington Post reporter.
“Solves that problem,” Miller said after some banging noises were heard on the news conference feed. Washington, D.C., is a notorious hotspot for roaches, especially during warmer weather.
Otherweb Editorial Staff
Alex FinkTechie in Chief
David WilliamsEditor in Chief
Angela PalmerContent Manager
Dan KriegerTechnical Director