Mars One

Mars One has a goal, sending humans to live on Mars, by 2023.

The Dutch company plans to hold a world wide lottery, of those interested, to select forty people for a training team.

A mock colony will be set up, in a US desert, where the team will train, until the best ten have been selected.

Those ten will be the first crew sent to Mars, with the rest to begin joining them every two years.

They will be preceded, by a habitat, as well as various supplies, starting in 2016.

Funding for the project will come from a reality TV series, to be centered on the selection process for the crew.

For all that go on the trip, there will be no planned return, this will only be a one way trip.

NASA researchers warn that the team will have to be carefully screened by psychiatrists, and given psychological training to be able to deal with the long term separation from the masses of humanity.

The project still faces many issues, such as how the colonists will grow food, and how they'll cross the thirty-four million miles between the two planets.

Costs for the missions will easily exceed five billion dollars.

Syrian Forces Launch All Out Attack on Aleppo

A Syrian armored column left their fortified positions in the Jabal al-Zawiya highlands, and headed to Aleppo, Wednesday morning.



Opposition forces reacted to the move, of national troops, by attacking the rear of the column.

Thousands of Syrian troops were part of the column, which is joining Syrian air power in attacking the largest city in the country.

All throughout Tuesday helicopters, artillery, and mortars were fired into the city.

Reports, that couldn't be confirmed, said that jets were also used in the attack.


Major attacks were also launched in the capital of Damascus, as the government tries to squelch the rebellion against their rule.

Obama Picks Up Major Endorsement

Sunday saw President Obama pick up a major endorsement on his campaign trail.

President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela, on his own campaign trail, called Obama a "good guy" and went on to say that Obama was who he wanted in as US President.

He compared his opponent, Henrique Capriles, to Mitt Romney, saying both were from the extreme right wing, which promotes fascism.

Romney has repeatedly called Chavez a danger to the US, whilst Obama has said he is not a security threat.

Chavez constantly calls the US an empire, and attempts to set himself up as the leader of South America, mostly by countering US policies.

The Venezuelan President has instituted many socialist policies in his country, and nationalized many industries.

Peg Perego Stroller Recall

The US Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued a recall of around 223,000 Peg Perego strollers.


In certain models there is a risk of entrapment and strangulation, which has caused at least one death.


Venezia and Pliko-P3 strollers, manufactured between January 2004 and September 2007, are the models being recalled.


On the CPSC's site there is a complete listing of the models being recalled, and pictures of each.

John Atta Mills; Dead at 68

John Atta Mills, the President of Ghana, died Tuesday at the age of sixty-eight.

President Mills died suddenly of a short illness, according to the President's office.

Vice President John Dramani Mahama took the oath of office Tuesday evening, in Ghana.

Mills, a former economics professor, was only in his first term in office, starting in 2009, after serving as Vice President from 1997-2001.

He brought the country into the ranks of the world's top oil producers.

Gun Sales Soar After Shooting

Colorado gun sales and background checks have climbed dramatically since the shooting in Aurora, on Friday.

According to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, they approved 2,887 background checks over the weekend.


That number is an increase of forty-three percent over the previous weekend, and thirty-nine percent over the same weekend last year.

Interest in concealed carry licenses have also seen a huge increase.

Classes which were half empty, are now over flowing and booked through most of August.


It is common for numbers to jump immediately after a mass shooting, such as the one Friday.


Dramatic increases have occurred after every major shooting in the US, since records were kept.

Typhoon Vicente Injures 118 in Hong Kong

At least 118 people were injured in Hong Kong, when Typhoon Vicente struck the city.

Hundreds of trees were uprooted, and buildings were damaged.

A level ten, the highest level there is, advisory was set whilst the storm struck.

It has since been downgraded to a level eight, which keeps public buildings closed.

Most internationally notably due to that was the closure of the stock market.

Flights out of the airport were also cancelled or delayed due to the storm.

Philippines and Vietnam Decry China's Sansha City

On Sunday China declared several disputed islands to be one city of theirs, naming it Sansha.

Laying in the South China Sea, the islands are disputed by China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan.

China also announced that they will be sending a military garrison to defend the islands.
 
Philippine President Benigno Aquino compared the moves to that of a squatter saying, "If someone entered your yard and told you he owned it, would you agree? Would it be right to give away that which is rightfully ours?"

Vietnam called the act a "serious violation" of their rights to their territory.

Already this year there have been several verbal battles over the islands.

During one of those times, Philippine and Chinese naval forces nearly clashed.

Clashes in India Kill 19

The death toll in north east India has reached nineteen.

Clashes have been occurring between the Bodo tribes and Muslim settlers.

Armed villagers also attacked a train, that was transporting prisoners who had been arrested in attempts by police to stop the violence.

More than 25,000 people have fled have fled the Kokrajhar and Chirang regions in the state of Assam.

District authorities have authorized a issued a curfew from 6pm to 6am, until order is restored.

Part of the curfew allows for police and other security forces to shoot on sight, anyone who breaks the curfew.

Missouri Declares State of Emergency

Missouri declared a state of emergency, Monday afternoon.

Governor Jay Nixon made the call due to the record heat and severe drought facing the state.

At least twenty-five have been killed so far in the state, by the heat, and nearly a thousand emergency room visits have been reported.

The declaration allows for state agencies to put money into helping local areas with emergency situations.

Last week the US Department of Agriculture declared every one of the 114 Missouri counties to be primary national disaster areas.

That move allows for federal funding to aid farmers in receiving low interest loans.