June 1, 2012 Edition

Ernest John Fiestan

This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.

  1. NASA warns of collision with Andromeda



    In 4 billion years, our galaxy could crash head-on with Andromeda, our nearest neighbor. US space agency NASA said that “extraordinary precise observations” from NASA’s Hubble Space telescope that tracks Andromeda galaxy “remove any doubt that it is destined to collide and merge with the Milky Way.” It will take another 2 billion years for them “to completely merge under the tug of gravity and reshape into a single elliptical galaxy similar to the kind commonly seen in the local universe,” NASA added. Andromeda or M31, in a worst case scenario simulation, “slams into the Milky Way head-on and the stars are all scattered into different orbits,” Gurtina Besla of Columbia University in New York said.

    Read the full story on Rappler.

     

  2. New therapy motivates paralyzed rats to walk



    If this therapy can help paralyzed rats to walk, can humans be far behind? A combination of spinal cord stimulation and robotic-aided therapy motivated paralyzed rats to learn to walk again, European researchers said Thursday, May 31. The therapy combines an electrical-chemical stimulation of the spinal cord, mimicking the signals the brain would normally send to initiate movement in the limbs. It also involves the use of a rehabilitation device that helps the rats stay upright. “What we observed in rats – the plasticity and the extent of the recovery is very surprising – so now we need to optimize all these systems for humans and do our best to at least improve functional recover,” said Gregoire Courtine, chair of the International Paraplegic Foundation in Spinal Cord Repair at the Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne in Switzerland.

    Read the full story on Rappler.

  3. Madonna calls for peace in Tel Aviv



    “You can’t be a fan of mine and not want peace in the world. So start today – every single one of you, if there is peace here in the Middle East, there can be peace in the whole world,” Queen of Pop Madonna told fans from a Tel Aviv stage Thursday, May 31. The pop icon kicked off her 2012 world tour in Israel, saying on stage that she chose Israel for a very specific and important reason. “As you know, the Middle East and all the conflict that occurs here and have been occurring for thousands of years, they have to stop,” she said. From Israel, Madonna travels to Abu Dhabi and then to Europe and the Americas before ending in early 2013 in Australia.

    Read the full story on Rappler.

  4. CNN hits 20-year primetime rating low



    CNN’s month of May was dismal as numbers showed it was the network’s worst month for total viewers during primetime in over two decades. Fox News drew over 1.6 million viewers, while MSNBC drew an average of 674,000 viewers. In comparison, CNN recorded just 389,000 primetime viewers from April 30 to May 27. In April, the network also recorded its lowest month in over a decade. CNN’s 7 pm and 9 pm slots were problematic as the 9 pm slot had the lowest viewers in two decades, with 417,000 total viewers. The 7 pm slot recorded an even lower 89,000 viewers.

    Read the full story on The Huffington Post.

  5. State of emergency lifted in Egypt



    After more than three decades, the state of emergency declared in Egypt following the 1981 assassination of President Anwar Sadat, has been lifted. Activists had been pushing for it since the uprising against then President Hosni Mubarak who was ousted in February 2011. The former air force commander stepped down after an 18-day revolt led by a youth democracy movement. He had repeatedly broken promises to lift the emergency law. Military rulers who took over after Mubarak stepped down indicated they would not renew the law. In a statement, the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces said it will “continue to carry its national responsibility in protecting the country until the transfer of power is over.” Egypt is preparing for a run-off vote in presidential elections this coming June 16-17.

    Read the full story on BBC News.

    Read about Mubarak’s 2011 ouster in The New York Times.

  6. World cancer cases to rise 75% by 2030



    An alarming increase in cancer cases can be expected in 2030. This is according to a study published on Friday, June 1, in the journal, The Lancet Oncology. Cases are likely to rise by 75% – from 12.7 million new cases in 2008 to 22.2 million in 2030 – because  of demographic and lifestyle factors. Recent data show that 90% of the new cases are expected in poorest countries. Cases of cervical cancer, more than breast and liver cancer, are numerous in these countries.

    Read the full story on Rappler.

     

  7. US: Russian inaction aiding Syrian unrest



    US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Thursday, May 31, that Russia’s refusal to take decisive action against Syrian President Bashar-al-Assad could lead to a civil war in Syria. Despite numerous conversations with the Russians, they have shown little willingness to abandon Assad in an orderly settlement, Clinton said. They are, in effect, “propping up the regime at a time when we should be working on a political transition,” Clinton said in a press conference in Copenhagen. Both Russia and China have opposed tougher UN Security Council action against Syria. A “catastrophic civil war” in Syria could erupt following the Houla massacre of May 29 which left over a hundred people dead, United Nations secretary general Ban Ki-moon had warned. A Syrian general  claimed the Houla massacre was carried out by “terrorist armed groups” to persuade the outside world Syria was sliding into civil war and was meant to invite intervention by other countries.

    Read the complete story in The New York Times.

    Additional details are available on BBC News.

    Details about the Houla massacre are available also from BBC News.

  8. Election spending will sustain growth in 2012



    After recording a strong 6.4% growth in the 1st quarter of this year, the Philippine economy will sustain its gains because of election-related expenses at the end of 2012. Officials of the National Economic and Development Authority said they expect early election spending to boost full-year growth. “Elections in this country have a way of increasing GDP (gross domestic product) growth rates during the election year, as well as the previous semester before that, Neda assistant director-general Ruperto Majuca said in a press briefing on Thursday, May 31. Traditionally, advertising, transportation and giveaways constitute expense accounts for candidates.

    Read the full story on Rappler.

  9. Make the choice of chief justice right



    In the aftermath of the conviction of Renato Corona, President Benigno Aquino III must not squander the opportunity to push for transparency and reshape the Supreme Court and the rest of the judiciary. Journalist Marites Vitug, author of the best-selling book on the judiciary, Shadow of Doubt, wrote on Rappler, “Choosing a chief justice based on politics and not on the principles and ideals the President holds dear will negate this momentous victory.” The ouster of Corona, after all, is a “big win,” Vitug said, for Aquino’s “anti-corruption program and call for transparency.” She also wrote that the impeachment trial that divided the nation for over 4 months did us a big favor. It has made it easy to identify the qualities the next chief justice should possesss. “It’s everything Renato Corona isn’t.”


    Read the full piece on Rappler.

  10. Is an outsider chief justice likely?



    Will the next chief justice be an outsider? Bets are on the table after President Benigno Aquino III indicated he was open to violating tradition and appointing an “outsider” as the country’s chief magistrate. Given 90 days to appoint a new chief justice, following the removal from office of Renato Corona, the President said, “There are no limits…There is a distinct possibility the chief justice can come from the outside or can come from within.” Among insiders, Antonio Carpio is the most senior of justices. He has assumed the post of chief justice in an acting capacity but will have to give it up if Aquino appoints someone else. Among the names being floated are those of Sen Franklin Drilon, who declared he was not interested, and Bureau of Internal Revenue chief Kim Henares.

    Read the full story on Rappler.

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