Jiang Jiemin: China corruption probe into top official

Chinese authorities have announced a corruption investigation into Jiang Jiemin, the head of the commission that oversees state-owned companies. The supervision ministry said Mr Jiang was suspected of a "serious violation of discipline". via Pocket http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-23918880#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa

Germany Merkel faces poll rival Steinbrueck in TV debate

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and centre-left election rival Peer Steinbrueck are due to take part in their only televised election debate. The event is seen as the Social Democrat (SPD) leader's biggest chance to claw back Mrs Merkel's lead in the opinion polls before this month's vote. via Pocket http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-23918646#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa

Syria crisis: Obama asks Congress to back military action

US President Barack Obama has formally asked Congress to authorise military action against Syria over alleged chemical weapons attacks. He said any operation would be limited, ruling out a ground invasion. Congress is to reconvene on 9 September. via Pocket http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-23918157#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa

Egypt attack on Suez Canal ship 'foiled'

Egyptian officials say they have foiled an attack on a container ship which was aimed at disrupting shipping in the busy Suez Canal. Canal authority head Mohab Mamish said a "terrorist element" targeted a Panama-flagged vessel on Saturday, but it was undamaged. via Pocket http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-23918642#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa

Taiwan: Lucky escape as boulder narrowly misses car

The incident was captured by a dashboard camera on another vehicle travelling along the coastal road in the north of the country. No-one in the car was injured. via Pocket http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-23918707#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa

US Open 2013: Dan Evans knocked out by Tommy Robredo

The Briton, 23, had two set points on his own serve to force a decider but could not convert, and Robredo won the third-round match 7-6 (8-6) 6-1 4-6 7-5 in three hours and 13 minutes. via Pocket http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/tennis/23906759

Boko Haram 'kills 24 Nigeria vigilantes in ambush'

Suspected Boko Haram fighters have killed at least 24 members of a vigilante group in north-eastern Nigeria, security officials say. They say another 34 people are missing after the attack near the town of Monguno in Borno state. via Pocket http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-23918155#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa

Newcastle v Fulham

Newcastle boss Alan Pardew has hinted that the unsettled Yohan Cabaye may feature for the first time this season. Loic Remy (calf) looks set for a place on the bench, but Cheick Tiote (groin), Jonas Gutierrez (knee) and Steven Taylor (suspension) are out. via Pocket http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/23822533

Tunisia opposition stages protest as crisis deepens

Thousands of opposition supporters have marched in Tunisia's capital Tunis, demanding the immediate resignation of the Islamist-led government. The protesters formed a 3km-long (two miles) human chain from the parliament building to the seat of the government. via Pocket http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-23918035#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa

Peru snow state of emergency extended to more regions

The Peruvian government has extended to nine more regions a state of emergency called to cope with unusually cold weather and heavy snowfall. At least two people have died and 33,000 others have been affected by the cold spell, local officials say. via Pocket http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-23916217#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa

Prehistoric Europeans spiced their cooking

Europeans had a taste for spicy food at least 6,000 years ago, it seems. Researchers found evidence for garlic mustard in the residues left on ancient pottery shards discovered in what is now Denmark and Germany. via Pocket http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-23769911

Stick insect leads antibiotic hunt, Norwich researchers say

The Giant Lime Green stick insect, which feeds mainly on eucalyptus leaves, is being studied at the John Innes Centre (JIC) in Norwich. In the laboratory it has shown resistance to toxins and infections it could never have encountered before. via Pocket http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-23903861#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa

'Legal highs' must be banned faster claims new report

Government efforts to clamp down on the sale of dangerous substances - known as legal highs - are failing, a think-tank has warned. The Centre for Social Justice - set up by Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith - says the UK is a leading hub for selling the drugs online. via Pocket http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-23913818#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa

Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis to be installed as UK chief rabbi

Ephraim Mirvis is due to be installed as the new chief rabbi of the UK and Commonwealth at a ceremony in London. The former chief rabbi of Ireland will succeed Lord Jonathan Sacks, who has held the post since 1991. via Pocket http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-23915280#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa

Alex Hales inspires England to Twenty20 win over Australia

Alex Hales scored a blistering 94 as England beat Australia by 27 runs to draw their Twenty20 series 1-1. Hales and his Nottinghamshire team-mate Michael Lumb (43) put on 111 for the first wicket to help propel England to 195-5, with Fawad Ahmed taking 3-25. via Pocket http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cricket/23913838

Yemen violence: PM Basindwa unhurt in assassination bid

Yemeni Prime Minister Mohammed Salem Basindwa has survived an assassination attempt unharmed, officials in the capital Sanaa say. Gunmen in a vehicle opened fire on the PM's motorcade as he returned home from his office, one of his advisers said. via Pocket http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-23913612#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa

US Open 2013: Victoria Azarenka survives scare in third round

Women's second seed Victoria Azarenka fought back from a set down to overcome Alize Cornet and reach the fourth round of the US Open. Cornet, the French 26th seed, took the first set on a tie-break before Azarenka of Belarus rebounded to win 6-7 (2-7) 6-3 6-2. via Pocket http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/tennis/23917448

India Himalayas 1968 plane crash yields body

The body of an Indian soldier killed in an air crash in the Himalayas 45 years ago has been recovered, the army says. The remains of NCO Jagmail Singh were found on the Dhakka glacier in northern Himachal Pradesh state. via Pocket http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-23913611#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa

Syria crisis: PM supports Obama's stance

David Cameron has signalled his support to Barack Obama over Syria after the US president said he would ask Congress to vote on military strike action. Foreign Secretary William Hague called it a "fine speech" by President Obama as he outlined his position for action on the war-torn country. via Pocket http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-23917290#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa

Easily Copy Files from One Cloud Service to Another

You have been using Dropbox all this while to store your files but are now planning to make the switch to another service like Google Drive or Dropbox. How do you take all your files along? Mover. via Pocket http://www.labnol.org/internet/easily-copy-files-one-cloud-service-another/28209/

The Mobile Industry In the UK And Europe Is Highly Developed, But Badly Lags The U.S. In Making Money

Tech http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/typepad/alleyinsider/silicon_alley_insider/~3/j6HJEV2c0MU/the-mobile-market-in-europe-and-the-uk-2013-8

The Life And Awesomeness Of Bill Gates (MSFT)

Tech http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/typepad/alleyinsider/silicon_alley_insider/~3/-vxAEcfj7n0/the-life-and-awesomeness-of-bill-gates-2013-8

The Design Of Super Mario Bros. Was Heavily Influenced By Which Novel?

The classic video game Super Mario Bros. via Pocket http://www.howtogeek.com/trivia/the-design-of-super-mario-bros.-was-heavily-influenced-by-which-novel/

Obama to seek Congress vote on Syria military action

US President Barack Obama says he is to seek Congressional authorisation for military operations against Syria. Mr Obama said the US should take action in Syria, but it was important to have a debate and vote in Congress, which reconvenes on 9 September. via Pocket http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-23916752#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa

US swimmer Diana Nyad tries to cross Florida Straits

US endurance swimmer Diana Nyad is again trying to become the first person to swim from the Cuban capital, Havana, to Florida without a shark cage. Her last attempt, a year ago, was hampered by rough seas and jellyfish stings. via Pocket http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-23915203#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa

The Pitch Deck That Helped A Startup Land $6 Million From The Founders Of Dropbox, Yelp, Box, Yammer, And Gmail

Tech http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/typepad/alleyinsider/silicon_alley_insider/~3/zqK86xO1VqA/seed-round-pitch-deck-tempate-2013-8

Science Says These Are The Words To Use To Get On Reddit's Frontpage

Tech http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/typepad/alleyinsider/silicon_alley_insider/~3/JpyqfObA1xU/science-says-these-are-the-words-to-use-and-avoid-to-get-on-reddits-frontpage-2013-8

USS Enterprise vs. Millenium Falcon: Know Your Facts

Smuggler’s spacecraft versus the space voyager. Star Wars versus Star Trek. This is one fan war that will never cease. via Pocket http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/uss-enterprise-vs-millenium-falcon-know-your-facts/

Yes, Talking On A Hands-Free Cellphone While Driving Is As Bad As Driving Drunk

Tech http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/typepad/alleyinsider/silicon_alley_insider/~3/ZVtazSm9nxU/talking-on-a-hands-free-cellphone-is-as-bad-as-driving-drunk-2013-8

China's War On Online Gossip Is Starting To Get Scary

Tech http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/typepad/alleyinsider/silicon_alley_insider/~3/YjgtJqzWWQ0/china-is-waging-a-war-on-online-rumors-2013-8

Bodies exhumed at Florida Dozier boys' institution

Researchers in the US state of Florida have begun work to exhume the remains of dozens of boys from the site of a controversial reform institution. The researchers are hoping to identify those buried at the Dozier School for Boys - which closed in 2011. via Pocket http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-23911990#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa

Facebook Is Holding A Kaggle Contest For Job Applicants That Will Baffle Normal People (FB)

Tech http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/typepad/alleyinsider/silicon_alley_insider/~3/jbod6o8J-e8/facebooks-kaggle-competitions-2013-8

Woman in court for murder of girl, eight, in Chadwell Heath

A 34-year-old woman is to appear in court charged with the murder of an eight-year-old girl who died at a block of flats in east London. The woman, believed to be the child's mother, was arrested at a property in Broomfield Road, Chadwell Heath, at 11:38 BST on Thursday. via Pocket http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-23909796#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa

The NSA Wants To Ban Sales Of This T-Shirt On Zazzle

Tech http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/typepad/alleyinsider/silicon_alley_insider/~3/AAQ_2OmvR3Q/the-nsa-wants-to-ban-sales-of-this-t-shirt-on-zazzle-2013-8

'Sub-Spotifying': How To Use Spotify To Get Dates

Tech http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/typepad/alleyinsider/silicon_alley_insider/~3/OGYm4g7zXvc/sub-spotifying-to-get-dates-2013-8

Three HTC Employees Suspected Of Selling Design Secrets To China

Tech http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/typepad/alleyinsider/silicon_alley_insider/~3/1YlSTBomfdk/three-htc-employees-suspected-of-selling-design-secrets-to-china-2013-8

Lil Bub, Famed Internet Cat With Dwarfism, Gets A Backstory In A New Book

Tech http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/typepad/alleyinsider/silicon_alley_insider/~3/DJAiMwfZTW0/lil-bub-famed-internet-cat-with-dwarfism-gets-a-backstory-in-a-new-book-2013-8

Set an Expiration Date for your Tweets

You can set an expiration date for your tweets using hashtags and the message will be deleted from your Twitter timeline after the set time has passed. Some messages posted on Twitter are valid only for a short period of time. via Pocket http://www.labnol.org/internet/expire-tweets/28206/

Pope Francis names Pietro Parolin as secretary of state

Pope Francis has named a new secretary of state, in what is seen as his most significant appointment since he became leader of the Catholic Church in March. Archbishop Pietro Parolin, a 58-year-old Vatican diplomat, replaced Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, 79, who is retiring. via Pocket http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-23911986#TWEET874130

Why Memory Optimizers and RAM Boosters Are Worse Than Useless

Many companies want to sell you “memory optimizers,” often as part of “PC optimization” programs. These programs are worse than useless — not only will they not speed up your computer, they’ll slow it down. via Pocket http://www.howtogeek.com/171424/why-memory-optimizers-and-ram-boosters-are-worse-than-useless/

US claim on Syria chemical attack 'nonsense' - Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin has dismissed US claims that Syria's regime used chemical weapons, describing them as "utter nonsense". Mr Putin challenged Washington to present the evidence behind its claims to the United Nations Security Council. via Pocket http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-23911833

UN's Navi Pillay attacks Sri Lanka human rights record

UN Human Rights Commissioner Navi Pillay has sharply criticised the government of Sri Lanka, at the end of a week-long visit. In a statement, Ms Pillay said she feared the country was becoming increasingly authoritarian. via Pocket http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-23899082#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa

Oceanside Vacation Wallpaper Collection for Your iPhone

There is nothing quite like an oceanside vacation filled with sunny days, tropical breezes, waves lapping at the edge of the beach, and relaxing sunsets to watch. Turn your iPhone’s screen into a tropical paradise with the first in our series of Oceanside Vacation Wallpaper collections. via Pocket http://www.howtogeek.com/171493/oceanside-vacation-wallpaper-collection-for-your-iphone-series-1/

ImageEmbed Offers High-Quality Photos for your Blog Posts (mostly free for small blogs)

Stock photographs are expensive. Some professional photographers distribute their work under Creative Commons but if the license includes the Non-Commercial (NC) clause, you (the licensee) aren’t supposed to use their images on a for-profit website or one that has ads. via Pocket http://www.labnol.org/internet/find-photos-for-blog/28203/

Afghanistan bank attack kills five in Kandahar

The attacker detonated his explosives early on Saturday morning as people were passing through security checks to enter the branch of the Kabul Bank and collect their salaries. Police and civilians are reportedly among the dead and the some 20 injured. via Pocket http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-23910138#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa

China chemical leak in Shanghai 'kills 15'

The deaths were caused by liquid ammonia escaping from a refrigeration unit, Xinhua reports. Local media published pictures of firefighters at the scene of the accident. via Pocket http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-china-23910137#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa

Nelson Mandela returns home from hospital

Former South African President Nelson Mandela has returned to his home in Johannesburg after a long stay in hospital in Pretoria. The 95-year-old was admitted with a recurring lung infection on 8 June. via Pocket http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-23910179#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa

Syria crisis: Doctor criticises Miliband over MPs' vote

A doctor has criticised Ed Miliband for his role in Parliament rejecting the principle of Britain taking part in a military strike against Syria. The doctor, from the charity Hand in Hand for Syria, is known as Dr Rola. via Pocket http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-23909554

Bolivia boy's 'killers' found dead in Brazil prison

Two Brazilian men accused of murdering a young Bolivian boy in June have been found dead in prison in Sao Paulo, local officials have said. The men were believed poisoned by other inmates at the Santo Andre jail. via Pocket http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-23909529#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa

NSPCC reports 'sharp rise' in sexual abuse calls

The NSPCC said calls to its 24-hour advice line in June and July were nearly twice as high as in 2012. The organisation put it down to a heightened state of awareness of the problem of child abuse following the Jimmy Savile scandal. via Pocket http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-23909244#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa