War on Drugs Driving HIV Transmission

     While preparing for today's entry I conducted preliminary research regarding the correlation between the war against drugs and the rise of HIV transmission. While I initially believed that the topic may provide enough information to fill half of a regular post, thus allowing a discussion detailing the conference to a greater degree than I have been able to thus far, I now realize that I need to devote the entirety of today's story to the topic. I'm doing this because the amount of information has exploded in the last week and I'd be doing a disservice to the topic by cutting it short. 

Drug-resistant AIDS Virus 'On the Rise'

      A study published in The Lancet medical journal reveals that the new drug-resistant mutations of the AIDS virus is increasing in parts of Africa; a development which should be a clear warning to health watchdogs across the world. This rise in documented cases has researchers, doctors and patients urging the world's governments not to cut funding against the epidemic, reports Aljazeera. The study couldn't be coming at a more appropriate time as the 19th International AIDS Conference is being held in Washington D.C. this week and brings together the international community to discuss what's been accomplished in the fight against the virus and what still needs to be done to create an AIDS-free generation.

US Military Allows Uniforms in Gay Pride Parade

     Active duty members in all branches of the military were allowed to don their uniforms while marching in the San Diego Pride Parade yesterday. This is the first time that the military has granted such permissions since the September repeal of the 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' (DADT) policy, under which gay individuals could only serve in the military if they did not divulge their sexual orientation. The move came after San Diego Pride Parade organizers announced this year's parade theme, America's Pride: Equality is an American Value. According to an article posted on Aljazeera more than 400 military members signed up to march in the parade prior to the military's announcement. While an official report is not yet available, organizers believed that this number would increase after the allowance was made public.

News in Photos: July 21, 2012

     Today is the final entry in this week's "News in Photos" template. While I enjoy covering a variety of topics, it isn't the reason that I started Under the Fold. By talking about the news of the day I'm missing the stories that were under reported. It's also difficult to really research and explain the details behind a story when I'm covering three in one post. The "News in Photos" design may be something I tweak for future posts but for right now I'm going to shelf it. Today's post will conclude this template by listing the top news headlines and provide an accompanying image and link. My reason for the short post is so that I can begin research into tomorrow's story.

News in Photos: July 19, 2012

     Reports have confirmed that Mehdi Ghezali, an ex-Guantanamo Bay detainee, was responsible for the bus blast in Bulgaria yesterday. Video surveillance in front of the airport showed that the suspect could not be identified amoung other traveling Israeli tourists because he looked like everyone else. Authorities have also confirmed that the bomber was carrying a fake drivers license from the state of Michigan. The airport has been closed all day so that police could conduct their investigation, a situation that has around 100 travelers waiting for their planes. They have been told that they would need to wait until midnight before they could use the airport again. Officials have set up tents and portable toilets for the stranded travelers and Bulgaria's parliament opened today with a moment of silence for those who lost their lives. (Huffington Post)

News in Photos: July 18, 2012

     Events in Damascus have escalated since yesterday's post due to an attack at the national security headquarters in Rawda district in the city. Three people in President Bashar Al Assad's inner circle were killed when a bomb was detonated in the building. President Bashar Assad's >deputy Gen. Assef Shawkat, who was also his brother-in-law, was one of the men killed in the explosion. Syria's rebel commander takes responsibility for the attack, which he denies was a suicide bombing and says that those who carried out the operation are "unharmed". This is easily the top reported story of the day. (Huffington Post)

News in Photos: July 17, 2012

     This week I'm going to do things a little differently by presenting a number of news stories from around the world through the use of images. I'll briefly describe the details of the story and provide a link to the original article for further information. The reason I'm changing my format is twofold; first, I need a breather after the amount of research and writing that went into the youth unemployment series, and second, I feel that by providing a brief summary of some of the events happening around the world you may be more enticed to research the events on your own. Independent research is a vital step to developing your awareness of the world around you and understanding the importance of the news. 

Youth Unemployment Crisis and Germany

     To what degree did the recession create the youth unemployment crisis? Clearly, the recession has a negative impact on the number of jobs that are available due to layoffs and closures. Also the individuals applying to those jobs are both new graduates with limited experience and established professionals reentering the workforce, further limiting availability. Another correlation between the recession and the unemployment crisis is the longer period of time that potential retirees are staying at their positions. Yet, these are issues that countries around the world are dealing with but not every country is failing as completely as Greece or Spain. Even the U.S. and Canada, while doing considerably better than the aforementioned countries, have nothing to brag about. Germany, however, has managed to outperform every other country in youth employment. So what is the variable that allows for some countries to successfully employ their youth while others can not?

Youth Unemployment Crisis Ramifications

     Yesterday was the start of a five-part series discussing the youth unemployment crisis. I spent a great deal of time explaining the background of the crisis and offered readers number of important links and statistics to better understand the situation. This discussion tied into a warning given by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The OECD is cautioning policy-makers that youth are at risk of becoming a "lost generation" if the current crisis is not dealt with appropriately. If you missed part one click here to be redirected. Today's installment will examine the ramifications of the youth unemployment crisis on the individual as well as society.

Youth Unemployment Creating A Lost Generation

     Today is the first in a five-part series looking at the youth unemployment crisis that's impacting young adults around the world. I'm not an economist or an expert in job trends and will not be discussing the cause of the crisis itself. Instead I'll spend the next five days talking about the climate which has been created because of the high levels of unemployment and underemployment as a result of the crisis. I'll begin this discussion by looking at the impact of the crisis on young adults and the creation of a "Lost Generation", an argument which was presented by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

Bomber Command Finally Receives Recognition

     Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, unveiled the Bomber Command Memorial on Thursday in a ceremony remembering 55,573 airmen who lost their lives during the Second World War. Over 6,000 people attended the dedication in order to honour the men who sacrificed everything to serve their country. Veterans and families of the deceased gathered together at the ceremony to see Bomber Command finally receive the recognition it deserves after the decades of controversy the unit has dealt with.

Over 250,000 Computers Infected with DNS Malware

     This Monday will find Internet users across the globe left without a connection. The computers impacted will be those that are still infected with the now five-year-old DNS malware. According to Samantha Murphy from Mashable.com, the FBI is planning to shut down the DNS servers it used last November to keep infected computers connected to the internet. The use of these friendly servers was originally planned to last only four months but it was extended until this Monday because estimates of infected computers around the world is over still 250,000. Luckily there are a number of warnings for those who have the DNS malware on their computers, as well as easy ways to check to see if your system is infected.

Introducing the Nexus 7

     The Nexus 7 was announced by Google at their I/O conference back in June and is the company's first Nexus-branded Android tablet. Reviews from technology sites such as CNET, TechSpot, Wired, and TechRadar have been positive. Those who have tested the tablet praise Jelly Bean, which is the latest Android software and currently only available on the Nexus 7, as well as the value of the tablet when compared to other 7-inch models in the $199 price range. While the Nexus 7 may not be an iPad killer, it does offer a lot of features and power for its cost. Read on to discover what Google and ACER have included in the Nexus 7 to discover if the tablet is right for you.

Ultrabooks Gain Ground Against the MacBook Air

     Brooke Crothers, editor at CNET News, has reported that sales of the expensive ultrabooks are on the rise at retailers. This is a sign that Apple's popular MacBook line may finally be facing competition as the company has held a monopoly in the high-end laptop market since they launched the MacBook back in May 2006. Intel took steps to enter the market when they announced a fund to support the development of new technologies in line with the company's concept for next generation notebooks. It's been a year since Intel committed $300 million to the fund; which was projected to last for three to four years in related ultrabook developments. Let's take a look at what Intel has accomplished with the introduction of the ultrabook and discuss what's next for the high-end laptops.

Windows 8 Upgrades Will Cost $39.99

     According to Microsoft, consumers looking to upgrade to Windows 8 (working title) will have the opportunity to do so at the reduced rate of $39.99 from Windows.com once it launches to the public. The discounted price is for PC users who have a computer running Windows XP, Windows Vista, or Windows 7 and will be available until January 31 2012. Those looking to purchase a computer between June 2, 2012 and January 31, 2013 will be able to upgrade for $14.99, a cost that Microsoft has traditionally waived in the past for consumers purchasing a PC so close to the release of a new OS. The price of upgrading has been reduced drastically from previous updates such as Windows 7 which cost $119 for the Home Premium version or $199 for Windows 7 Professional. But is Microsoft's new pricing strategy enough to bring their PC users over to the radically different interface?

This Holiday Season: Nintendo's Wii U

     Due to the Ultimate Blog Challenge that I'm involved in, I decided to do things a little differently this week. Starting yesterday, I began a tech week here at Under the Fold. This means that for the next six days I'll be looking at the latest news stories and developments around the tech world. Depending how this theme approach goes I may start incorporating it more often into my posts. Today I'm going to talk about the first next-gen console to hit consumers this holiday season, the Wii U.

Android 4.1 Jelly Bean

     Google I/O, the company's annual developer-focused conference, was held late last week and introduced a number of innovations for Google's various projects. Some of those that were on display include; the Nexus 7, the Nexus Q, Project Glass, Google Chrome updates, and most significantly, Android 4.1. While early reviews have been positive; the question remains whether the new software is enough to bring consumers to Google's Galaxy Nexus smartphone. Google will also need to contend with Apple's recent injunction, which blocks the sale of the popular handset in the U.S. (for more details on that story click here). Litigation aside, let's take a closer look at Android update 4.1, more popularly referred to as Jelly Bean.

Blackberry 10 Could Save RIM

     Rapid advancements in mobile and tablet technologies has left Research In Motion (RIM) scrambling to stay afloat in a market dominated mercilessly by Apple and Google. RIM has taken notice of what it's competitors are offering consumers and integrated that into it's newest operating system (OS). The result is software that manages to remain familiar to dedicated blackberry users while still offering something fresh for those looking for a secure OS that is both accessible and attractive. But will it be enough to bring those who have been burned by RIM before back to it's platform and draw in new consumers?

The Spread of 'Baby Boxes' in Europe Concerns the UN

     The United Nations is growing increasingly concerned over the use of baby boxes in Europe, a system which lets parents anonymously abandon their infant to health-care professionals and adoption agencies. The UN has taken offense to the practice because they believe that it contradicts the child's right to be known and cared for by his or her parents. Leaving a child in a safe place to be cared for by others is a controversial topic which draws debate from a number of different organizations such as political groups, religious organizations and pro-life lobbyists. The arguments are valid and raise a number of questions regarding state provision of family planning and counselling practices for women.

Slavery in Mauritania

     Chattel slavery, in which one person is owned as another's property, has existed in the West African country of Mauritania for 800 years. The ruling class is known as the bidanes (translated as white-skinned people) who are descendants of the Sanhaja Berbers and Beni Hassan Arab tribes who emigrated to Western Africa during the Middle Ages. They are the masters of the haratines, the black slave caste that makes up roughly 20% of the population (up to 600,000 men, women and children). The form of slavery that exists in Mauritania is called hereditary slavery, which means that a child who is born to a mother who is a slave inherits her status and serves the same family she does. It's because of this practice that the bidanes no longer need to hunt for slaves as many haratines serve the same family for generations.