May 12 'Cynja' battles botnets and other cyber-scourges By Larisa Epatko Fictional character Grant Wiley, 11, is a wiz on computers. One day, his favorite teacher disappears, leaving nothing at his desk but a smoldering USB stick. Suspecting his help might be needed, Grant grabs the stick and plugs it into… Continue reading
May 12 How the Social Security system rips off poor people By Laurence Kotlikoff Social Security benefits are calculated in a highly progressive manner, but the system is plagued with catch-22s that disadvantage poor recipients. Larry Kotlikoff explains which benefit strategy will help a financially strapped retiree maximize her income. Continue reading
May 12 Second U.S. case of deadly MERS virus identified in Florida By Jaywon Choe U.S. health officials have confirmed that a second case of the deadly MERS virus has reached American shores – this time in Florida. Continue reading
May 12 U.S. skipped environmental inspections on high-risk oil wells By Hope Yen, Associated Press WASHINGTON — The government has failed to inspect thousands of oil and gas wells it considers potentially high risks for water contamination and other environmental damage, congressional investigators say. The report, obtained by The Associated Press before its public release,… Continue reading
May 12 Video reportedly shows girls abducted by Boko Haram By News Desk The AFP obtained a video on Monday reportedly showing the Nigerian girls being held by Boko Haram. In the video, Abubakar Shekau, the leader of Boko Haram demands the release of imprisoned islamic militants in exchange for the release of… Continue reading
May 12 High price tag puts Hepatitis-C cure out of reach for boomers on Medicare By Richard Knox, NPR A growing number of people who got infected in the 1960s through the 1990s have now "used up" the infection's latency period, notes Dr. Camilla Graham of Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital in Boston, "which is why we're now seeing this… Continue reading
May 11 Hagel: Military should review policy on transgender individuals By Associated Press Hagel did not indicate whether he believes the policy should be overturned. However, he said "every qualified American who wants to serve our country should have an opportunity if they fit the qualifications and can do it."… Continue reading
May 11 New mothers are older, more educated than their predecessors By Victoria Pasquantonio According to Pew Research Center, in 2008, less than 10 percent of births were to teen mothers, while 14 percent of births were to women 35 and older. That same year, about 8,000 babies were born to women 45 or… Continue reading
May 11 Thousands of oil and gas wells left unchecked by government inspectors By Associated Press The government has failed to inspect thousands of oil and gas wells it considers potentially high risks for water contamination and other environmental damage, congressional investigators say. Continue reading
May 11 Watch Crude oil brings boom times and safety concerns to North Dakota By PBS News Hour In North Dakota an oil boom has transformed the state's economy. Nearly a million barrels of crude come out of the ground each day in the state, and instead of traveling by pipeline, most North Dakota oil goes by rail. Continue watching