On:

A Consumer Reports investigation of over 200 rice products revealed "significant" and "worrisome" amounts of inorganic arsenic in nearly every rice product they tested and urged consumers to scale back on their eating of rice products. They also asked the FDA to intervene, since inorganic arsenic is a known carcinogen. Arsenic is often found in vegetables, fruits and even water. Earlier this year, Consumer Reports found the chemical was common in many apple and grape juices. Rice, which is grown in liquid, easily absorbs the arsenic found naturally in soil and water.
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One of the world’s leading ice experts has predicted the final collapse of Arctic sea ice in summer months within four years. That’s earlier than the Earth’s predicted demise in December of 2012, but it could be a major cause of it.

In the September 17th edition of the Guardian, John Vidal quotes climatologist Peter Wadhams as calling it "a global disaster."
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This week, the existence of a papyrus fragment containing evidence that Jesus was married was announced in the New York Times. This explosive story has already been blocked by FaceBook, which won’t allow posting of the New York Times story. The papyrus promises to cause extraordinary controversy in coming weeks. Inevitably, its authenticity will be denied by the forces of entrenched belief.read more

On:
As rebels attempt to regroup in advance of a new strategy to overpower Assad, and Western powers try to start from scratch with a new rebel formation that is presumably devoid of Salafi Jihadists, the US is calling on third party, non-state actors to arm the rebels in order to avoid becoming embroiled in a geopolitically sensitive conflict just ahead of presidential elections. As attentions turn to the chaos breaking out across the Middle East and North Africa (and even further afield), what chance do the rebels have of pushing Assad to his limits?read more