Uber Suspends Operations in Spain

Uber has called it quits in Spain, at least for now. Uber, the ride-booking company that has been plagued by vocal opposition from taxi associations and policy makers around the world, suspended its operations in Spain late Tuesday. The decision came in response to a judge’s ruling this month that the company’s low-cost service, called UberPop, did not comply with Spanish laws and potentially amounted to unfair competition for taxi drivers.

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The weed entrepreneurs who are creating a new brand of startup farming

Money to burn: The first generation of weed farmers is using Silicon Valley strategy to create today's agri-startup.

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Newly published NSA documents show agency could grab all Skype traffic

“Sustained Skype collection” of voice, video, and messages started in 2011.

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Shuttleworth Explains Why Open Source is More Secure than Closed Source [VIDEO] - Datamation

Mark Shuttleworth reflects on security issues of 2014 and the 10 years that Ubuntu Linux has existed.

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Mass murder in Canada claims 9 victims

Edmonton police chief: Apparent murder-suicide is worst mass killing in city's history; bodies of 7 adults, 2 kids found in 3 places

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LG shows off a gaming monitor with ultra-wide screen ~ Variety Report

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Snapzu: A year in review and what to expect in 2015!

In 2014, our first entire year of operations, we welcomed over 5,000 new members and even more casual readers and lurkers. Our members posted over 80,000 snaps, 100,000 comments, and countless amounts of other activity. We realize this may seem like peanuts when compared to other established services, but after all, every community (however large it may become) has to start somewhere. Our team is dedicated, hungry, and always looking to improve as we ever so diligently aim to raise the bar.

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New Level: Monsanto Tries Patenting Natural Tomatoes

Did you know that Monsanto tried to patent a tomato that had no biotech traits? Now, the European Patent Office has revoked Monsanto’s fraudulent patent.

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Woman at Walmart Is Accidentally Shot Dead by 2-Year-Old Son

The 29-year-old mother was shopping with her 2-year-old boy and young relatives in Hayden, Idaho, when the boy found a gun in her purse and it discharged once, officials said.

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First Ebola boy likely infected by playing in bat tree

The Ebola victim who is believed to have triggered the current outbreak - a two-year-old boy called Emile Ouamouno from Guinea - may have been infected by playing in a hollow tree housing a colony of bats, say scientists.

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Millions of Australians to Celebrate New Year's Eve as Authorities Call on Revellers to Party Safely

Millions of Australians prepare to see in the new year with spectacular fireworks displays planned across the country.

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Lizard Squad's Xbox Live, PSN attacks were a 'marketing scheme' for new DDoS service

The devastating Christmas Day attacks against the gaming networks of Sony and Microsoft were a marketing scheme for a commercial cyberattack service, according to the hackers claiming responsibility for the attacks.

Read more: http://snapzu.com/socialiguana/lizard-squads-xbox-live-psn-attacks-were-a-marketing-scheme-for-new-ddos-service

United Airlines sues 22-year-old who found method for buying cheaper plane tickets

A young computer whiz from New York City has launched a site to help people buy cheap plane tickets. But an airline company and its travel partner want to shut him down.

Read more: http://snapzu.com/socialiguana/united-airlines-sues-22-year-old-who-found-method-for-buying-cheaper-plane-tickets

1st grocery vending machines in Canada to be installed in B.C.

Jason Moyal is launching refrigerated grocery vending machines in high-rise buildings across Vancouver. It’s a new concept to Canada, but it’s already being used in places like England and Japan.

Read more: http://snapzu.com/zobo/1st-grocery-vending-machines-in-canada-to-be-installed-in-bc

Genome Sequencing in Babies to Begin as Part of Study

Genome sequencing of infants could provide doctors and parents data likely to reveal a wider range of potential medical risks than the traditional heel-prick test. Most of the human genome remains a mystery, and it isn’t certain doctors will know how to interpret the information sequencing provides.

Read more: http://snapzu.com/doodlegirl/genome-sequencing-in-babies-to-begin-as-part-of-study

Conviction of Putin foe sets off protest in Moscow

President Vladimir Putin’s chief political foe was convicted along with his brother on Tuesday in a fraud case widely seen as a vendetta by the Kremlin, triggering one of Russia’s boldest anti-government demonstrations in years.

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Grocery Delivery Startup Instacart Scores $220 Million Investment

Instacart, the grocery delivery startup, disclosed in a regulatory filing Tuesday that it had closed a monster $210 million investment that a source says will increase to $220 million when all is said and done.

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North Korean defector details 'human experiments'

A former officer in Pyongyang's armed forces says mentally and physically disabled children are used as subjects in chemical weapons experiments in North Korea, a claim denied by the supporters of the communist nation.

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United Airlines sues 22-year-old who found method for buying cheaper plane tickets

A young computer whiz from New York City has launched a site to help people buy cheap plane tickets. But an airline company and its travel partner want to shut him down. United Airlines and Orbitz filed a civil lawsuit last month against 22-year-old Aktarer Zaman, who founded the website Skiplagged.com last year. The site helps travelers find cheap flights by using a strategy called “hidden city” ticketing.

Read more: http://snapzu.com/doodlegirl/united-airlines-sues-22-year-old-who-found-method-for-buying-cheaper-plane-tickets

Netflix Cracks Down On DNS-Based VPNs In Its Android App

As much as many would love to subscribe to services like Netflix or Hulu so that they can watch their shows online legally, the sad fact of the...

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Wary NYPD cops letting minor crimes slide

With cops on edge following the assassination of two patrol officers on a Brooklyn street, many officers have started turning a blind eye to some minor crimes, sources told The Post, while a union mandate that two patrol cars respond to all police calls has led to slower response times to non-emergencies. “I’m not writing any summonses. Do you think I’m going to stand there so someone can shoot me or hit me in the head with an ax?”

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China Adds New Barrier to Gmail

The Chinese government appears to have blocked the ability of people in China to gain access to Google’s email service through third-party email services like Apple Mail or Microsoft Outlook, which many Chinese and foreigners had been relying on to use their Gmail accounts after an earlier blocking effort by officials, according to Internet analysts and users in China.

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A New Jersey bid to privatize water without public votes

A bill that would allow New Jersey municipalities to sell their public water utilities to private, for-profit corporations without putting the measure to voters is awaiting Gov. Chris Christie’s signature. Until now, any municipality in New Jersey that sought to sell off its water system to a private bidder had to hold a public vote. But a bill passed with bipartisan support by the state’s Senate last week would allow municipalities with aging and deteriorating...

Read more: http://snapzu.com/AriZona/a-new-jersey-bid-to-privatize-water-without-public-votes

French Government Quietly Enacts Controversial Surveillance Law On Christmas Eve

Techdirt has noted that the NSA chose to release embarrassing details of its illegal surveillance of Americans on Christmas Eve. By an interesting coincidence, the French government picked the same date to enact a hugely controversial new surveillance law, which had been passed back in 2013, and will now enter into operation almost immediately, at the start of 2015. One of its most troubling aspects is the vagueness of its terms...

Read more: http://snapzu.com/ppp/french-government-quietly-enacts-controversial-surveillance-law-on-christmas-eve

Mystery of ‘Metallic Frost’ in Venusian Mountains Deepens | Space Exploration | Sci-News.com

According to data from NASA’s Magellan spacecraft, mountainous regions in the Venus’ highlands are covered in an unidentified ferroelectric material.

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Mysterious Virus That Killed a Farmer in Kansas Is Identified

Researchers have identified a previously unknown virus, thought to be transmitted by ticks or mosquitoes, that led to the death of a farmer in Kansas last summer. The illness was fast-moving and severe, causing lung and kidney failure, and shock. The man, previously healthy, died after about only 10 days in the hospital, according to Dr. Dana Hawkinson, an infectious disease specialist who treated the patient at the...

Read more: http://snapzu.com/TNY/mysterious-virus-that-killed-a-farmer-in-kansas-is-identified

Cuban doctor cured of Ebola to return to West Africa

A Cuban doctor who was cured of Ebola after contracting it in Sierra Leone said Monday he will go back to West Africa to fight the deadly virus. Felix Baez, 43, will return to the region in January after ensuring he is fully recovered, he told state newspaper Granma. "I feel very well physically and emotionally," Baez said.

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The Sony hack was a ploy to keep Kim Jong Un safe from the UN — and it's working

North Korea's real aim was to distract from a looming effort to bring International Criminal Court indictments against its top leaders.

Read more: http://snapzu.com/Gozzin/the-sony-hack-was-a-ploy-to-keep-kim-jong-un-safe-from-the-un-and-its-working

Is Lizard Squad the digital equivalent of the Westboro Baptist Church?

After the recent hacks over the holidays, the Lizard Squad has been put under a microscope. See how Josh feels about this whole ordeal....

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'Six bodies' found in AirAsia search

At least six bodies have been found and at least three recovered in the search for missing AirAsia Flight QZ8501, Indonesian officials and media say. The bodies were spotted along with debris floating in the Java Sea off the Indonesian part of Borneo, in one of the search zones for the plane. One official said the debris was 95% likely to be from the missing aircraft.

Read more: http://snapzu.com/Caio/six-bodies-found-in-airasia-search

Twitter users reporting bug that dates every post as one year old

A bug hit Twitter on Sunday that reportedly makes Android unusable and sets the time stamp on Tweetdeck posts to over a year old.

Read more: http://snapzu.com/hyfi/twitter-users-reporting-bug-that-dates-every-post-as-one-year-old

Moscow: Minivans for Minigarchs

Instead of leaving the office early, elite Muscovites are taking their offices on the road.

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Swedish mosque set ablaze in second suspected arson attack in a week

Special security forces in Sweden are hunting suspected arsonists after fires at two mosques.The blazes follow a period of increased tension in the country, as politicians struggle to stem the rise of the anti-immigrant far right. The Säpo were called in after a blaze at a mosque in the southern town of Eslöv in the early hours of Monday morning. It followed a similar incident on Christmas Day in Eskilstuna, near Stockholm...

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Chris Rock Files For Divorce

Chris Rock's marriage is kaput -- he's filed to divorce his wife of nearly 20 years. Malaak Compton-Rock released a statement Sunday to People saying, "After much contemplation and 19 years of marriage, Chris and I have decided to go our separate ways." She adds, "While recognizing that this is a significant change, my children remain at the center of my life and their well-being is my top priority."

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Gmail blocked in China

Google Inc's Gmail was blocked in China after months of disruptions to the world's biggest email service, with an anti-censorship advocate suggesting the Great Firewall was to blame. Large numbers of

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Twitter error kicks Android app users out of their accounts

Normality is returning to mobile Twitter. After a period during which the official Android Twitter app was inaccessible, some users are now reporting that they can access their accounts on their...

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U.S. Formally Ends War In Afghanistan

The war in Afghanistan, fought for 13 bloody years and still raging, came to a formal end Sunday with a quiet flag-lowering ceremony in Kabul that marked the transition of the fighting from U.S.-led combat troops to the country's own security forces. In front of a small, hand-picked audience at the headquarters of the NATO mission, the green-and-white flag of the International Security Assistance Force was ceremonially rolled up and sheathed...

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22 Animals That Went Extinct in 2014

"It bears repeating that it is often impossible to know exactly when the last animal of a given species disappears in the wilderness. In some cases, I have included a species if it was declared extinct in 2014; this declaration may occur years after the species goes biologically extinct. I have also included animals that went extinct in a particular region or country, because this is also an important loss."

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Fernando Torres returns to Atlético Madrid

Fernando Torres returns to Atlético de Madrid after an agreement was reached with Milan as the international striker will play on loan for the remainder of this season and all of next season. In 2001, at the age of 17, he debuted with Atlético’s shirt, playing a total of 244 games in which he scored 91 goals.

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It's In the Culture

Woman drives through suburban Chattanooga neighborhood, clad in body armor, with hand out the driver's side window shooting at cars and people. After being cornered, Julia Shields, 45, pointed her firearm at police but was taken into custody without injury. Shields is being charged with 3 counts of attempted first degree murder, 7 counts of aggravated assault, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, felony evading arrest, and felony reckless endangerment.

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Greece headed for elections as lawmakers fail to approve president

Greek voters are set to go to the polls after lawmakers failed to elect a new president. This has triggered a snap election, raising fears that the country's financial bailout could be placed in jeopardy.

Read more: http://snapzu.com/Caio/greece-headed-for-elections-as-lawmakers-fail-to-approve-president

Google's Self-Driving Car Hits Roads Next Month—Without a Wheel or Pedals

The self-driving, goofy-looking car with no steering wheel or pedals that Google revealed in May is now "fully functional" and should start testing on public roads next month.

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Beware: Fake 'The Interview' App Affects Android Users

"The Interview", the controversial North Korean-baiting film which appeared to be the root cause of the cyber mishap occurred at Sony Pictures Entertainment that threatened terror attack at theaters showing the movie, now threatens to expose users of Android phones to a malware attack. Since its release, everyone is talking about "The Interview" — the Seth Rogen and James Franco-starring comedy centered around a TV host and his producer assassinating...

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6,000-Year-Old Temple Unearthed in Ukraine

A team of archaeologists led by Dr Mykhailo Videiko of the Kyiv Institute of Archaeology has discovered the remains of a 6,000-year-old temple at a Trypillian culture village near modern-day Nebelivka, Ukraine.

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Jazz star Buddy DeFranco dies at 91

Renowned jazz clarinettist Buddy DeFranco, known for working with Frank Sinatra and Billie Holiday and other well-known musicians, has died aged 91. DeFranco's family said the musician died on Wednesday evening at a Florida hospital. His wife, Joyce, said his health had been poor in recent years. DeFranco, a member of the American Jazz Hall of Fame, performed at venues around the world for 75 years and also recorded many albums.

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Napa's surprise fault line triggers earthquake study of the region

When a magnitude-6.0 earthquake hit California's wine country this summer, scientists rushed to California Highway Patrol helicopters to survey the scene. The results were surprising. The earthquake tore up to the surface, producing a 9-mile-long scar that sliced through vineyards, asphalt and even homes. A buried earthquake fault had awoken along a trail never before documented or mapped by scientists, stunning homeowners who found houses spun off their foundations and broken...

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'I Can't Breathe' T-shirts see high-school basketball team disinvited from event

A high school basketball tournament on the Northern California coast has become the latest flashpoint in nationwide protests over police killings of unarmed black men. The boys and girls varsity basketball teams from Mendocino High School were disinvited from a tournament that starts on Monday at nearby Fort Bragg High, because of concerns players would wear T-shirts with the words “I Can’t Breathe” printed on them while warming up.

Read more: http://snapzu.com/wondaROY/i-cant-breathe-t-shirts-see-high-school-basketball-team-disinvited-from-event

One Dead And 15,000 Stranded In French Alps

Around 15,000 vehicles are stuck in the French Alps as heavy snow blankets roads leading to the region's popular ski resorts. The snow and ice hit as holidaymakers travelled to and from ski resorts in the Savoie region in southeastern France. Authorities have set up shelters in 12 towns to cope with the number of travellers forced to leave their cars. The freezing conditions caused the death of a 27-year-old man whose car slid into a ravine in the...

Read more: http://snapzu.com/rawlings/one-dead-and-15000-stranded-in-french-alps

Kamloops hot dog stand explodes, injuring two

Two people are in hospital in Kamloops after a hotdog stand exploded outside a Canadian Tire on Saturday morning. Kamloops acting assistant fire chief Brian Lannon said the two injured, the cart owner and a passerby, are in stable condition. He said firefighters received a call shortly after 11 a.m. About a hot dog stand on fire. When they arrived the flames had already been extinguished by staff from the Canadian Tire.

Read more: http://snapzu.com/ilyas/kamloops-hot-dog-stand-explodes-injuring-two

Visa and MasterCard quit Crimea over US sanctions

Visa and MasterCard said they can no longer support their payment cards being used in Crimea. The move by the world’s biggest payment card companies follows the latest round of US sanctions imposed earlier this month over Russia’s annexation of the peninsula in March. The United States has prohibited US-registered companies from investing in Crimea...

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