By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
Why the U.S. and Saudi Arabia need each other, despite growing differences
ca9bdafb970b168336dd7fac97ae849bf23d11bd4b37a1a7bb8e6c12b5a5344b
Saudi Arabia may be the greatest holder of U.S. debt, and with a Senate bill that implicates the kingdom in the 9/11 attacks, the Saudis are threatening economic repercussions. - photo by Sam Turner
When President Obama landed Wednesday in Saudi Arabia, he wasn't greeted by King Salman as were other global leaders who arrived earlier that day. He was met instead by the governor of Riyadh.

According to CNN, while Obama did not consider this reception a snub, many social media users dubbed it thus.

The truth is, U.S.-Saudi relationships have been on the rocks for some time, especially following the impending U.S. legislation that would implicate Saudi Arabia in the 9/11 terror attacks.

The bill, if passed, would allow 9/11 families and survivors to sue Saudi Arabia, bypassing its sovereign immunity.

But the legislation may also reap unintended consequences for the U.S. and global economies.

The Saudis have threatened economic retaliation if the bill passes. According to the New York Times, Saudi foreign minister Adel al-Jubeir said the kingdom would sell off $750 billion in U.S. Treasury debt and other assets.

Economic experts are divided on whether the sell-off would severely cripple the U.S. economy and whether the Saudis would even make good on their threat. Doing so may hurt Saudi Arabia, which is already struggling with low global oil prices.

According to CNN Money, Saudi Arabia is widely believed to be one of the biggest owners of U.S. debt, but exactly how much is not disclosed by either country.

The Saudi Central Bank holds $584 billion in foreign currency reserves, but it's unclear how much of it is from the U.S. Treasury.

Likewise, the U.S. Treasury doesn't disclose exactly how much debt Saudi Arabia holds, lumping its holdings together with other oil exporters at $281 billion.

"Dumping a huge amount of U.S. debt at one time would likely cause Treasuries to tank, potentially destabilizing financial markets," CNN reported.

But Fortune reports that there is little cause for concern. Far from being a favor to the U.S., significant debt holdings are sound and stable investments for Saudi Arabia, allowing the Saudi riyal to be pegged to the U.S. dollar.

And even if the Saudis did follow through with the sell-off, the U.S. Treasury could easily shake it off, according to Fortune.

Still, the Obama administration is taking Saudi threats seriously.

The administration has lobbied hard against the bill, even suggesting a presidential veto if it passes.

It could put the United States and our taxpayers and our service members and our diplomats at significant risk if other countries were to adopt a similar law, said White House spokesman Josh Earnest, Fortune reported.

Despite their growing ideological differences, the Saudi-American alliance remains important for both countries.

For example, even though the U.S. has increased domestic oil production and reduced foreign imports, Saudi Arabia remains the greatest importer of U.S. weaponry by far and currently has at least $100 billion worth of equipment on order.

The Saudis "just don't have alternatives to the U.S.," Hussein Ibish, senior resident scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute, told CNN. "They can talk about Europe and China and Russia all they like, but in the end, its military is structured around the United States, and only the United States can provide the leadership they're looking for."
Its toxic: New study says blue light from tech devices can speed up blindness
93cbd7a5475cccd1cee701424125d3abaa9b4beaa58d3663208f656cbbbd7661
A new study from the University of Toledo found that blue light from digital devices can transform molecules in your eyes retina into cell killers. - photo by Herb Scribner
It turns out checking Twitter or Facebook before bed is bad for your health.

A new study from the University of Toledo found that blue light from digital devices can transform molecules in your eyes retina into cell killers.

That process can lead to age-related macular degeneration, which is a leading cause of blindness in the United States, according to the researchs extract.

Blue light is a common issue for many modern Americans. Blue light is emitted from screens, most notably at night, causing sleep loss, eye strain and a number of other issues.

Dr. Ajith Karunarathne, assistant professor in the UT Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, said our constant exposure to blue light cant be blocked by the lens or cornea.

"It's no secret that blue light harms our vision by damaging the eye's retina. Our experiments explain how this happens, and we hope this leads to therapies that slow macular degeneration, such as a new kind of eye drop, he said.

Macular degeneration is an incurable eye disease that often affects those in their 50s or 60s. It occurs after the death of photoreceptor cells in the retina. Those cells need retinal to sense light and help signal the brain.

The research team found blue light exposure created poisonous chemical molecules that killed photoreceptor cells

"It's toxic. If you shine blue light on retinal, the retinal kills photoreceptor cells as the signaling molecule on the membrane dissolves," said Kasun Ratnayake, a Ph.D. student researcher working in Karunarathne's cellular photo chemistry group. "Photoreceptor cells do not regenerate in the eye. When they're dead, they're dead for good."

However, the researchers found a molecule called alpha-tocopherol, which comes from Vitamin E, can help prevent cell death, according to Futurism.

The researchers plan to review how light from TVs, cellphones and tablet screens affect the eyes as well.

"If you look at the amount of light coming out of your cellphone, it's not great but it seems tolerable," said Dr. John Payton, visiting assistant professor in the UT Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. "Some cellphone companies are adding blue-light filters to the screens, and I think that is a good idea."

Indeed, Apple released a Night Shift mode two years ago to help quell blue lights strain on the eyes, according to The Verge. The screen will dim into a warmer, orange light that will cause less stress on the eyes.