Beyond the Bricks

Egyptian Police Teargas Student Protesters

Egyptian police subdued approximately 100 supporters of former president Mohammed Morsi on October 20, according to Voice of America News. Following an altercation, bird shot and teargas were fired at students of the Al-Azhar University in Cairo, and about 44 students were arrested. On Monday, October 21 there was another protest at the campus involving 4,000 students, according to security sources. The campus has historically been known for being anti-government and a supporter of the Muslim Brotherhood. Because of this, riot police had been monitoring events carefully, and were waiting at the University gates when protesters began a march in Rabaa Square, a site that government security forces had previously termed illegal for gathering. In the future, police brutality could become much more drastic, if the proposed Anti-Protest Law is passed. “The proposed law would give security forces a free rein to use excessive and lethal force against demonstrators – including supporters of deposed President Mohamed Mursi," said Hassiba Hadj Sahraoui, Amnesty International's deputy director for the Middle East and North Africa, to Reuters.

Same-Sex Marriage Legal in NJ

As of 12:01 a.m. on October 21, same-sex marriage became legal in the state of New Jersey, making it the fourteenth state to do so, according to  NBC News. On the previous Friday, the state Supreme Court determined that a lower court order to begin recognizing same-sex marriage should not be delayed, as requested by Governor Chris Christie’s office. However, New Jersey requires couples to wait three days after obtaining a license before being allowed to marry.

Governor Chris Christie, a Republican thinking of running for the 2016 Presidential Elections, originally filed an appeal for the law, but withdrew the appeal on Monday, as reported by Politico. "Although the governor strongly disagrees with the court substituting its judgment for the constitutional process of the elected branches or a vote of the people, the court has now spoken clearly as to their view of the New Jersey Constitution and, therefore, same-sex marriage is the law," the governor's statement said, according to USA Today.

The Brain Flushes Toxins When Sleeping

A new study, published in Science Magazine by scientists from the University of Rochester has found that the brain flushes out harmful proteins during sleep, according to NPR. The study, conducted on rats and mice, could provide answers to diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, as well as to begin to explain the need for sleep. The process, which the researchers termed “glymphatic clearance,” causes brain cells to shrink, allowing cerebrospinal fluid to wash away toxins. These toxins may be associated with the symptoms of sleep deprivation such as mental fogginess, crankiness and an increased risk of migraines and seizures, according to the Washington Post. These toxins are generated as waste by brain cells during the day, and if not washed  away  properly,  can  lead  to  diseases  like  Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s .