Fast forward 50 years and the U.K.s Chief Medical Officer, Dame Sally Davies, had quite a different take, saying that antibiotic resistance to disease poses nothing less than an apocalyptic threat, reported . The Centers for Disease Control added its voice, saying thatwere a nightmare, and called for action.

So what happened in those 50 intervening years?

Nothing that you couldn't see coming, which may make the current state of affairs even more tragic. The truth is, antibiotic resistance goes way back. In 2012, a group of scientists from the University of Akron, Ohio, and McMaster University, in Ontario, Canada, reported in on the discovery of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in an underground cave in New Mexico that has been isolated for about four million years. 

The Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite indexwas up 28.74 points, or 0.23 percent, at 12,492.85 shortly after the open.

(Reporting by John Tilak; Editing by James Dalgleish)

ARLINGTON, Va., April 25, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) issued the following statement in response to a vote in the United States Senate related to the Marketplace Fairness Act, legislation aimed at giving states the power if they so choose - to better enforce their sales tax laws and to level the playing field for Main Street merchants.

The Senate voted to invoke cloture on the managers' amendment to the bill, which is sponsored by Senators Mike Enzi (R-WY) Richard Durbin (D-IL), Lamar Alexander (R-TN) and Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND). The vote foreshadows final passage of the Marketplace Fairness Act.

"Today's vote in the Senate is proof that the special treatment of big online businesses at the expense of retailers on Main Street will soon be a thing of the past," said Bill Hughes, senior vice president for government affairs. "The overwhelmingly bipartisan support for leveling the playing field is rare in today's political environment and paves the way for a level playing field once and for all."

"For too long the Main Street retailers that are an integral part of their communities have faced tax rules that put them at a disadvantage to their out of state, online-only competitors. The Marketplace Fairness Act would simply provide states with the power, if they choose to use it, to ensure that the market, not government, determines winners and losers," said Hughes. "We applaud the Senate for its support, thank the sponsors for their steadfast commitment to fairness, and look forward to final passage and working with the House to level the playing field for all merchants this year."

The Marketplace Fairness Act was outlined in RILA's 2013 public policy agenda as one of the top priorities for the industry:

Identical legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives introduced by Representatives Steve Womack (R-AR) and Jackie Speier (D-CA) has generated strong bipartisan support.

RILA is the trade association of the world's largest and most innovative retail companies. RILA members include more than 200 retailers, product manufacturers, and service suppliers, which together account for more than $1.5 trillion in annual sales, millions of American jobs and more than 100,000 stores, manufacturing facilities and distribution centers domestically and abroad.

SOURCE Retail Industry Leaders Association

"I dont make decisions based on 'perceived,' and I cant organize international coalitions around 'perceived,'" Obama said during a joint press conference with South Korean President Park Geun-hye. "We tried that in the past, by the way, and it didnt work out well," he added, in a reference to Iraq.

Obama's comments came amid a chorus of questions and criticisms in response to the apparent use of chemical weapons by Assad's regime. The president last August labeled that kind of action a "red line" that could lead him to escalate America's role in the conflict, which the United Nations estimates has claimed the lives of at least 70,000 people. Republicans in Congress have pushed him to consider air strikes or the creation of a U.S.-enforced "no-fly zone" off limits to Syrian air power, and warned that the White House is sending a message of weakness to Assad.

"I would just point out that there have been several instances during the course of my presidency where I said I was going to do something, and it ended up getting done," Obama countered. "And there were times when there were folks on the sidelines wondering, 'Why hasnt it happened yet?' and 'Whats going on?' and 'Why didnt it go on tomorrow?'"

But in the end, Obama said, "whether its bin Laden or Gadhafi, if we say were taking a position, I would think at this point the international community has a pretty good sense that we typically follow through on our commitments." Elite U.S. commandos killed bin Laden in a May 2011 raid. And (after prodding from Congress) Obama made Gadhafi's removal a key part of the NATO-led campaign in Libya. Gadhafi was killed, apparently by Libyan rebels. Obama has provided rebels fighting to oust Assad with humanitarian aid. There have been news reports that American agents in Syria have been helping to train opposition forces and vet them to receive weapons from other countriesa sign of caution from Washington at a time when some of the best fighters against the regime have ties to al-Qaida. But administration officials say Obama also takes a pragmatic view of what America's core interests are and .

"We have both a moral obligation and a national security interest in a) ending the slaughter in Syria, but b) also ensuring that weve got a stable Syria that is representative of all the Syrian people, and is not creating chaos for its neighbors," Obama said Tuesday.

"Understandably, theres a desire for easy answers. Thats not the situation there," he said. "And my job is to constantly measure our very real and legitimate humanitarian and national security interests in Syria, but measuring those against my bottom line, which is whats in the best interests of Americas security and making sure that Im making decisions not based on a hope and a prayer but on hard-headed analysis in terms of what will actually make us safer and stabilize the region."

Obama declared that "there'd be severe costs in doing nothing. That's why we're not doing nothing."

His remarks came as the top Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Bob Corker of Tennessee, told CBS News on Tuesday that the United States , looking to boost moderate factions over al-Qaida-affiliated extremists whose rise would be a national security "nightmare."

"I do think well be arming the opposition shortly," Corker of Tennessee said in an interview. "Were doing a lot more there on the ground than really is known, but we do have to change the equation."

Don't blow this out of proportion, . Cases of false tweets and news reports wreaking havoc on the markets are rare. In 2011, for instance, Apple shares dipped just 1 percent (and quickly rebounded) after a false report said that Apple founder Steve Jobs had died. And when a Twitter account impersonating prominent short-seller David Einhorn tried to "induce fluctuations" in Herbalife's stock in February, the company's value underwent "no noticeable change." Still, the AP episode "highlights the potential pitfalls of relying on social networks for tradable information," especially on the heels of the Securities and Exchange Commission's announcement that companies can use social media sites, including Twitter and Facebook, "to share market-moving company announcements."

The solution is better security, . The First Amendment "prevents the government from controlling what users say on Twitter," but regulators can make social media firms beef up their protocols. False information "has the potential to be damaging to more than the financial world." Just imagine: "If the hacked AP tweet had been more believable and not as easy to discredit — say, 'U.S. Navy moving into strategic positions around North Korea' — a global emergency could have ensued." The technology sector may disdain regulation, but "other kinds of information, such as financial and health-care data, are already strictly regulated by law." It's up to the consumer to decide what to trust on Twitter, but messages shouldn't be so easy to fake.

"Other than self-restraint, which is in short supply these days, nothing much can be done to prevent any of this," . Social media sites will seek new means to "spread information, for better and worse, farther and faster than the Spanish flu." And unless regulators crack down on high-frequency traders, they "will go on using algorithms that turn milliseconds of information advantage into huge profits" — even if that information is wrong.

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The watering-hole attacks (a technique used in attacks directed at a specific population of Internet users) target American government employees and contractors who work in the nuclear research sector, and Europeans who work in the defense, security and aerospace industries and non-profit groups.

That's an indication that the attackers may be collectingon behalf of a nation-state.

The vulnerability affects machines running IE 8 on Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7. Other versions of Internet Explorer, including the older IE 6 and IE 7, are not affected, astates. The exploit is mitigated on Windows Server 2003 and 2008.

To mitigate their risk, users of IE 8 should upgrade to Internet Explorer 9 or 10 if they are running Windows Vista or a later version of Windows. Windows XP users should switch to a non-Microsoft browser until the security hole is patched.

American victims became infected last week after visiting a U.S. Department of Labor website that attackers had corrupted.

The Department of Labor site was rigged to redirect users to another site that infected computers with an iteration of the infamous , which was able to avoid detection by all but two major anti-virus products.

The infected Web pages dealt specifically with nuclear research-related illnesses that affect employees working to develop atomic weapons for the U.S. Department of Energy, asaid.

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Computer-security firmsaid its research indicated the campaign had started in March and had infected victims in 37 countries, although the bulk of victims were in the United States.

"Based on the other compromised sites, other targeted entities are likely to include those interested in labor, international health and political issues, as well as entities in the defense sector," CrowdStrike wrote on its blog.

In watering-hole attacks, malware is embedded in Web pages thought to be of interest for a specific group.

In late December, a watering-hole attack thought to be of Chinese origin targeted U.S. foreign-policy officials and academics by using the website of theas a lure. The same malware wason websites based in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Russia and California.

Later in January, aused online mobile-app-developer forums to infect Macintosh computers on the corporate networks of Apple, Evernote, Facebook, Microsoft, Twitter and, rumor had it, approximately a dozen other companies.

This story was provided by , a sister site to LiveScience. Follow us,onoron.Originally published on .

“Many adults put off treatment for varicose veins, so they miss the opportunity to manage this very common condition before it becomes more serious,” says Robert Feldman, MD, a surgeon at HVAS. “Unfortunately, people often wait to see a doctor until they are bulging, gnarled blue veins that cause throbbing, aching pain and discomfort, or more serious conditions such as skin ulcers, bleeding, and even blood clots.”

HVAS will host the event, beginning at 7:00p.m. at their Middletown location. The evening will consist of informal lectures by Dr. Feldman and HVAS surgeon Elliott Mayefsky, MD, about warning signs of varicose veins as well as simple outpatient procedures HVAS provides. These procedures, such as phlebectomies and ablations (RFA), require little to no recovery time.Facility tours and physicians will be available to answer individual questions.

“With all the available options, no one should needlessly suffer vein distress,” advises Dr. Mayefsky. “Treating varicose veins now means enjoying spring and the long, hazy, lazy days of summer just ahead.”

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Militiamen surrounded the ministry on Sunday with pick-up trucks loaded with anti-aircraft guns and armed groups also tried unsuccessfully to storm the interior ministry and the state news agency, posing a challenge to state control of key parts of the capital.

The General National Congress (GNC) said its lawmakers would not now meet as scheduled on Tuesday but would postpone their next sitting until Sunday.

A spokesman said this would give them time to study the legislation that the protesters are calling for - a law banning former regime officials from senior government posts.

"The resolution came from the presidency of the GNC. Tomorrow's session will be postponed until Sunday, so all the parties have time to prepare their proposals for the political isolation law," said GNC spokesman Omar Hmaidan.

The sitting was postponed "to avoid friction with the protesters who are calling for the law to be passed tomorrow," he said.

The political isolation law - which has already been proposed - would ban officials who worked for Muammar Gaddafi holding senior positions in the new administration.

Protesters said they had targeted the foreign ministry because some officials there had worked for the dictator who was deposed in 2011.

The law could force out several ministers as well as the congress leader, depending on the wording adopted.

Tensions between the government and armed militias have been rising in recent weeks since a campaign was launched to dislodge the groups from their strongholds in the capital.

(Reporting by Ghaith Shennib; Writing by Jessica Donati; Editing by Robin Pomeroy)

NEW YORK (AP) -- Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. is reportedly nearing a deal to buy Life Technologies Corp., a maker of genetic testing equipment, for almost $12 billion.

Thermo Fisher's bid for Life Technologies topped $70 a share, beating out bids from other suitors, including the Blackstone Group, the Carlyle Group and other private equity firms, according to published reports. Life Technologies' stock closed Friday at $68.

Life Technologies, based in Carlsbad, Calif., said in January that it had hired Deutsche Bank and the boutique bank Moelis & Co. to help with its strategic review. That's usually a sign a company is considering putting itself up for sale. Since that announcement, the company's stock has climbed 24 percent.

Calls to Life Technologies and Thermo Fisher, based in Waltham, Mass., were not immediately returned.