Watching the World

▪ In the past six years, “nearly 100,000 people . . . have been murdered in the United States.”​—THE NEW YORK TIMES, U.S.A.

▪ An Internet social network has deleted the profiles of 29,000 convicted sex offenders who used its service. “The exploding epidemic of sex offender profiles on [the site] screams for action,” said Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal.​—REUTERS NEWS SERVICE, U.S.A.

▪ “China is gripped by a shortage of names. . . . A national survey in 2006 showed [that] about 85 percent . . . of China’s 1.4 billion people share only 100 surnames.”​—CHINA DAILY, CHINA.

▪ Per mile driven, “motorcyclists are 32 times more likely to die” in traffic accidents than occupants of cars.​—UC BERKELEY WELLNESS LETTER, U.S.A.

Jehovah’s Witnesses Registered in Turkey

On July 31, 2007, Jehovah’s Witnesses in Turkey received official notification that they had been registered as a religious legal entity. This status allows them to purchase and own property, rent meeting places, accept donations, and defend their legal interests in court when necessary.

Internet “Lowers Inhibitions”

In a press release, a German Web site designed to facilitate marital infidelity boasted 310,000 users and 1,000 new registrations each day. The agency prided itself on providing extramarital liaisons with “100 percent anonymity.” One of the directors said: “The anonymity of the Internet lowers inhibitions” and makes it “easier to establish frank and open contacts.” Another director expressed confidence that the Internet will make infidelity even more popular.

Problematic Fossils

Scientists often portray the final “stages” of “human evolution” as a progression from Homo habilis to Homo erectus to “modern man,” Homo sapiens. Two fossils found within walking distance of each other in Kenya, however, have now been interpreted as indicating that the two species Homo habilis and Homo erectus, thought to be human ancestors, lived at the same time. “Their co-existence makes it unlikely that Homo erectus evolved from Homo habilis,” states Meave Leakey, one of the authors of the report.

Worse Weather During Weekends?

Many Germans suspect that weekends have worse weather than workdays. An analysis of 15 years of weather data from different parts of Germany may prove their suspicions true, reports Der Spiegel. The warmest day is Wednesday, and the coolest, Saturday. On Saturdays, there is 15 percent more rain and it rains 10 percent more often than on Mondays, the driest days. Tuesdays have an average of 15 minutes more sun than Saturdays. Researchers assume that man-made emissions during the week accumulate toward the weekend, reflecting sunlight and helping to form clouds by providing nuclei for condensation.