The Daily Populous

Child spies used only when very necessary, says Downing Street

The Guardian view on police and child spies: ends don’t always justify the means | Editorial Read more.

Diane Abbott, the shadow home secretary, said ministers must end the practice immediately and explain why it had been allowed to continue for so long.

“Our children should be protected, not intentionally put in precarious situations involving serious and violent crime,” she said.

The government has advanced secondary legislation to extend the period that agencies could use child spies from one month to four months before needing reauthorisation.

“I’ve spoken to the clerk [of the committee] and that seems what we are going to do,” he said.

Despite the outcry, Downing Street defended the use of children in spying operations.

She expressed concern that children may be recruited as spies on the basis of the controversial Scotland Yard database known as the ”gangs matrix”. »

Three-week diary study: sex today increases sense of meaning in life tomorrow

Authored by digest.bps.org.uk

In terms of the nature of the sexual experience, greater sexual pleasure, but not greater intimacy, was associated with better mood the next day.

—Sexuality leads to boosts in mood and meaning in life with no evidence for the reverse direction: A daily diary investigation. »

Disney-Fox: Post-Merger Executive Speculation Heats Up With Focus On Peter Rice & Dana Walden As Comcast Exits

Authored by deadline.com

Because of overlap on the domestic side — combining two major film and TV studios — the process won’t be painless.

The merger is expected to lead to layoffs, with sources pegging their size to approximately 5,000 people, 2,300 on the Fox side and 1,700 on the Disney side.

But that will likely get on his agenda following the Fox shareholder meeting next Friday that will rubber stamp the acquisition by Disney. »

Feb. 6, 1971: Alan Shepard plays golf on the moon

Authored by pga.com

On Feb. 6, 1971 -- 47 years ago today -- Alan Shepard pulled out a makeshift six-iron he smuggled on board Apollo 14 and hit two golf balls on the lunar surface, becoming the first -- and only -- person to play golf anywhere other than Earth.

The first American astronaut in space was named commander of Apollo 14 and wanted to do something special while on the moon.

With little atmosphere and much lower gravity, golf balls on the moon should travel much farther than on the earth. »

Scientists find drug that restores mice's ability to walk - Xinhua

Authored by xinhuanet.com

WASHINGTON, July 19 (Xinhua) -- Researchers at Boston Children's Hospital showed that a small-molecule compound could revive neural circuits in paralyzed mice, restoring their ability to walk, according to a study published on Thursday in the journal Cell.

Inspired by the success of epidural electrical stimulation-based strategies, He and colleagues applied an electric current to the lower portion of the spinal cord.

One compound called CLP290 showed the most potent effect, enabling paralyzed mice to regain stepping ability after four to five weeks of treatment. »