randomErr writes: A new patent has been filed for a innovative brewing technique that incorporates a live strain of good bacteria into the brewing process. Researchers at NUS (National University of Singapore) have created a probiotic sour beer that may boost immunity and improve gut health. The bacteria Lactobacillus paracasei L26 is capable of neutralizing toxins and viruses and regulating the immune system. Chan Mei Zhi Alcine, of the Food Science and Technology Program at NUS said, “While good bacteria are often present in food that have been fermented, there are currently no beers in the market that contain probiotics. Developing sufficient counts of live probiotics in beer is a challenging feat as beers contain hop acids that prevent the growth and survival of probiotics. As a believer of achieving a healthy diet through consuming probiotics, this is a natural choice for me when I picked a topic for my final-year project.”

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Source: Slashdot – Researchers Create New Probiotic Beer That Boosts Immunity

dovf writes: Just got an email from O’Reilly Media that as of today, they are no longer selling individual books or videos online — rather, they are encouraging people to sign up for Safari. They are continuing to publish books and videos, “and you’ll still be able to buy them at Amazon and other retailers.” They also make it clear that we will not lose access to already-purchased content, updates to such content, etc. More details can be found in the FAQ. No mention, though, of whether the content sold at these other retailers will remain DRM-free… From the FAQ: “You can buy all of the books (ebooks and print) at shop.oreilly.com from Amazon and other digital and bricks-and-mortar retailers. We’re no longer selling individual books and videos via shop.oreilly.com — but we are definitely continuing to publish books and videos on the topics you need to know. And of course, every O’Reilly book and video (including O’Reilly conference sessions) is available instantly on Safari.” The only mention of “DRM” in the FAQ is in regard to what happens to the digital content you have in your account at members.oreilly.com. According to O’Reilly, “Your DRM-free ebooks and videos are safe and sound, and you’ll continue to have free lifetime access to download them anytime, anywhere.”

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Source: Slashdot – O’Reilly No Longer Selling Individual Books, Videos Online

An anonymous reader quotes a report from The Verge: The United States will require foreign airports to implement stricter security practices and screenings for any passengers headed to the U.S. John Kelly, the U.S. secretary of Homeland Security, announced today that the new measures were being put in place. Though he didn’t go into specifics, Kelly said the new requirements would include further screenings of electronics, more thorough vetting of passengers, and measures meant to stop “insider attacks.” The U.S. is also encouraging the use of more bomb-detecting dogs, “advanced checkpoint screening technology,” and the addition of “preclearance” locations, which station U.S. customs officers overseas, allowing them to screen passengers before boarding instead of after they land. One thing Kelly didn’t announce was an expansion of the tablet and laptop ban, which is currently in effect on flights from 10 airports in the Middle East and North Africa. If airports don’t comply with the new screening rules, Kelly said, they may be subject to additional electronics bans. But for the time being, it sounds like the ban will be kept to those 10 locations. According to Reuters, airlines have 21 days to comply with the new rules for explosives screenings and four months to comply with everything else.

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Source: Slashdot – US Imposes Stricter Security Screenings At Foreign Airports, But Won’t Expand Laptop Ban Yet

The Equal Rights Center is suing Uber, alleging that the company has chosen not to include wheelchair-accessible cars as an option in its standard UberX fleet of vehicles, and excludes people who use wheelchairs in Washington, D.C. According to the lawsuit, Uber is in violation of Title 3 of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the D.C. Human Rights Act. TechCrunch reports: After conducting its own investigation of Uber’s services for people in wheelchairs, the ERC found that passengers had to wait an average of eight times longer for an accessible car to arrive. They also had to pay twice as much in fares, according to the ERC’s study. Ultimately, the ERC wants Uber to integrate wheelchair accessible cars into its UberX fleet so that people who use wheelchairs don’t have to wait longer and pay more to use the car service. Uber said in a statement provided to TechCrunch: “We take this issue seriously and are committed to continued work with the District, our partners, and stakeholders toward expanding transportation options and freedom of movement for all residents throughout the region.”

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Source: Slashdot – Equal Rights Center Sues Uber For Denying Equal Access To People Who Use Wheelchairs

Samsung Electronics has agreed to open a $380 million home appliance manufacturing plant in Newberry County, South Carolina. The new plant is expected to generate 954 local jobs by 2020. CNBC reports: The South Korean firm said this year it was in talks to build a home appliances plant in the United States amid worries about protectionist policies under U.S. President Donald Trump put pressure on global companies to generate jobs in the country. “With this investment, Samsung is reaffirming its commitment to expanding its U.S. operations and deepening our connection to the American consumers, engineers and innovators,” Samsung Electronics America President and CEO Tim Baxter said.

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Source: Slashdot – Samsung Plans To Open 0 Million Home Appliance Plant In US, Creating Almost 1,000 Jobs