The North Atlantic Treaty Organization(NATO)is modernizing the way they solve problems to keep up with 21st-century threats. The 28 nations met to discuss an agreement that would expand the U.S. defense missile base to cover all of Europe. The new agreement would also require NATO to deal with developing nuclear threats.
Chinese automaker SAIC seeks to purchase $500 million in General Motors Corp. stock next week. The purchase would equate to a roughly 1% stake in the company. The US government is looking to reduce its stake in the company from 61% to 35% at the IPO.
The U.S. economy is finally showing some improvement, with employers increasing their hiring significantly for October. Initial government reports show that private sector jobs contributed to an increase of 159,000 jobs for the month of October. The Dow Jones industrial average also increased by 9.24%, to 11,444.08.
The Chinese are poised to take to lead in supercomputing, with the Tianhe-A1 supercomputer set to be officially announced Thursday. The computer, which operates using a combination of nVidia graphics processing units and Intel CPU’s, has been clocked at 2.5 Petaflops, a 40% increase in processing power over the current leader, the Jaguar supercomputer at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
Apple’s iPad is finding new and unforeseen uses as an aid to people with speech disorders. The device enables the user, through specialized software or “apps,” to select words or phrases on the screen to communicate needs and desires. The pad allows more people access to a device that gives them the ability to communicate, as the only other option is highly specialized and expensive equipment.
In fear of causing more problems in the mortgage foreclosure market, Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae are calling for Bank of America to put a stop on all foreclosure proceedings and thoroughly review the entire foreclosure process. The move was taken because of Bank of America’s employment of “robo-signers,” employees whose only job is to sign thousands of foreclosure papers. The system allows for incorrect paperwork to be filed and possibly unjust foreclosures to take place. Bank of America has since stopped foreclosures.
2,200 feet of rock has not prevented 33 Chilean miners from enjoying comforts from home. The miners, who have been trapped below ground for eight weeks as of October 5, are using a cellphone-mounted projector to watch movies and can communicate with their rescuers via an ultra-flexible fiber-optic cable nearly half a mile long. Supplies and several electronic devices have been delivered to the miners with a five-foot-long hollow tube which can fit down the ventilation shaft.
The Republican party is asking many Hispanics to step up to take office this year, as an effort to draw more Hispanic voters in 2012. In the past, Hispanics have largely voted Democratic due primarily to immigration policies. However this paradigm is changing for 2010, with the Hispanics on the GOP ballot taking tough stances on immigration, supporting Arizona’s decision on illegal immigration.
A Venezuelan man and his wife have are being investigated for allegedly attempting to pass classified US nuclear secrets to an agent they believed to belong to the Venezuelan government. Leonardo Mascheroni, 75, a naturalized U.S. citizen, will face up to life in prison if convicted.
Little Italy in New York City is experiencing a taste of old-world Italian fun, featuring the Feast of San Gerrano street fair and its traditional favorite, the cannoli-eating contest. Rather than “athletes” competing for cash prizes, the Feast of San Gerrano gives free food to anyone who wants to eat, and the only prize is a full stomach.
The San Fransisco suburb of San Bruno, California burst into flames as a gas line exploded on Thursday, killing six people and injuring 50 more. Seven more are missing. Witnesses said that the explosion created a massive crater and shot flames 50 feet into the air. Pacific Gas & Electric Co. will take responsibility if it is found that they were at fault.