BBC News--Today's Headlines August 27, 2014

Having difficulty reading this email? View it online Today’s Headlines August 27

Top News Stories IS accused of Syria mass atrocities The UN accuses IS militants of war crimes, and the Syrian government of using chemical agents in eight separate incidents in a new report. IMF's Lagarde 'under investigation' IMF head Christine Lagarde says she has been placed under formal investigation for negligence in a French fraud case but has not been charged. US girl, nine, kills gun instructor A nine-year-old girl kills her shooting instructor by accident while being shown how to use an Uzi submachine gun at a firing range in Arizona. Nigeria closes schools over Ebola Nigerian schools are ordered to remain shut, delaying the new academic year until 13 October as part of measures to prevent the spread of Ebola.   Afghan candidate 'may boycott' audit Afghan presidential candidate Abdullah Abdullah withdraws observers from an audit of votes, threatening to boycott it because of fraud concerns. Top Videos VIDEO: India's iconic Ambassador car VIDEO: Kate Bush fans: 'Worth the wait' VIDEO: Cole and Cowell back to take on Strictly VIDEO: One-minute World News

Magazine The rehab centres that lock up addicts The people who hunt and lock up drug addicts Business IMF's Lagarde 'under investigation' IMF head Christine Lagarde says she has been placed under formal investigation for negligence in a French fraud case but has not been charged. Lockheed Martin in space junk deal US defence giant Lockheed Martin is teaming up with an Australian technology firm to track space debris that can damage multi-billion dollar satellites.   Technology Snapchat valued at $10bn by backers The mobile messaging app Snapchat has been valued at $10bn, according to reports, putting it in the same league as start-ups such as Dropbox and AirBnB. Robotic brain 'learns' from internet A super-intelligent robotic "brain" that can learn new skills by browsing millions of web pages has been developed by US researchers.

Autos The bicycle, abridged This Kickstarter standout deftly splits the difference between scooter and rolling elliptical machine.   Ferrari of the skies The hallowed Italian design house gazes skyward for its next act. Capital From sportsman to crusader Joe Baolin Zhou lost use of his legs in a sporting accident — but what he gained would improve the lives of countless others.   Inspiration from a shark attack A shark bite, career-ending injury, a troubling childhood and more: how adversity led to big business ideas for these five people. Culture Should kids run wild in museums? New research suggests that children learn best when allowed to zoom about – but what about everyone else? Michelle Warwicker weighs the arguments.   Who inspired George RR Martin? The Game of Thrones creator’s greatest influence might surprise you – it’s not Tolkien. He discusses his writing in this interview recorded by the BBC.

Future Is fast food making us depressed? Do burgers, sugary snacks and other unhealthy foods exacerbate the effects of mental illness? David Robson investigates the evidence.   Why your toilet needs reinvention Will the toilet as we know it ever be replaced? To find out, Lesley Evans Ogden explores the intriguing history and psychology of the modern loo. Travel No ropes, no shoes and 300m drops Getting to the frescoed, 1,000-year-old cave churches of Ethiopia’s Gheralta Mountains requires climbing sheer rock walls and skirting cliff edges – all without so much as a rope.   Cycling a city once ruled by cars Yes, cars created Detroit. But today, the city’s wide roads are sometimes as empty and as quiet as the Arctic. In other words, it is an open frontier for cyclists.

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