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Deep 7.1 quake rattles Colombia
A powerful 7.1-magnitude earthquake centered nearly 100 miles underground rattled southwestern Colombia on Sunday but no damage or injuries were reported. The quake struck at 11:31 a.m. local time 30 miles (48 kilometers) from the regional capital of Popayan and was felt in Bogota as well as 10 of Colombia's 32 states. The U.S. Geological Survey said its epicenter was 94 miles (150 kilometers) beneath the earth's surface.

Deadly Kenya grenade attack hits children in church
One child has been killed and three seriously hurt, police say, in a grenade attack on a church's Sunday school in the Kenya capital, Nairobi. The attacker targeted St Polycarp's church on Juja Road. A police spokesman blamed sympathisers of Somalia's al-Shabab Islamist militant group, angry over Kenya's role in the UN-backed intervention force.

US military death toll in Afghanistan reaches 2,000
A checkpoint shooting in eastern Afghanistan has taken the US military's death toll in the war past 2,000. A US soldier and contractor were killed while three Afghan soldiers died and several were injured. The new deaths occurred on Saturday in Wardak province.

Documents Show Russia Ordered Syria to Shoot Down Turkish Jet
Saudi-owned news agency, and their first leak alleges to show Russia was the one who ordered Syria take down the Turkish fighter jet in June, and for Syria to kill and dispose of the pilots.

Israel finance minister says Iran economy "on verge of collapse"
Iran's economy is edging towards collapse due to international sanctions over its controversial nuclear program, Israeli Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz said on Sunday. Israel regards the prospect of its arch enemy developing nuclear weapons as a threat to its existence, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that, although sanctions are taking their toll, they are not yet forcing Iran to abandon work that could soon lead to a nuclear warhead.

Two Earthquakes Rattle North Texas
Two earthquakes rattled North Texas within 10 minutes late Saturday night. The U.S. Geological Survey confirms a magnitude 3.4 earthquake occurred at 11:05:01 p.m. The USGS listed the epicenter at 32.847°N, 96.956°W. That's just southwest of Las Colinas Country Club near North McArthur Blvd. and West Rochelle Road. It was southeast of DFW International Airport.

Investors Brace for the Fiscal Cliff as Obama Gains in the Polls
As President Barack Obama widened his lead over Mitt Romney in polls this month, traders at hedge funds and investment firms began shooting emails to clients with a similar theme: It’s time to start preparing for an Obama victory. What many in the market worry about isn’t that high earners may pay more in taxes if Obama is reelected.

Will New ‘Democratic’ Egyptian Constitution Allow 9-Year-Old Girls to Marry?
An ultraconservative Egyptian cleric– who is part of the committee drafting Egypt’s new constitution– is suggesting the country drastically lower the age limit at which girls can marry, Egyptian media is reporting. According to BikyaMasr, cleric Yassir Barhami cited the Koran in stating that once a girl begins menstruating, usually around 14-years-old, she should begin having children.

‘Stand With Us’: Thousands Gather in Prayer at Philadelphia ‘America for Jesus’ Rally
Thousands of Christians gathered Saturday on Independence Mall in Philadelphia to pray for the future of the United States in the weeks before the upcoming presidential election. Religious broadcaster Pat Robertson and Family Research Council president Tony Perkins topped a full day of speakers at “The America for Jesus 2012” prayer rally.

‘Obama and the Threat to Israel’
A roughly 20-minute YouTube video analyzing President Obama’s relationship with Israel, narrated by a 23-year-old former Obama supporter, has gone viral. In just three days, the little-reported on video “Absolutely Uncertain” has logged roughly 650,000 hits. Irina...explains that she has always seen American-Israeli relations as a cornerstone of American politics, reaching into both parties.

Dollar Falls Most Since 2011 as Central Banks Bump Up Stimulus
The Dollar Index fell by the most since the first quarter of 2011 after the European Central Bank pledged to protect the euro from unraveling and the Federal Reserve committed to reduce unemployment via open-ended debt buying, which may debase the U.S. currency. ...Amid the Fed’s expansion of monetary stimulus, the Dollar Index lost 2.1 percent in the third quarter.

Libyans hand over hundreds of weapons to army
Hundreds of Libyans have handed in weapons in Benghazi and Tripoli as part of a disarmament drive organised by the army to target militia groups. Assault rifles, anti-aircraft guns, rocket launchers and even tanks were among military hardware handed in. The call to transfer weapons to Libya's army was promoted through a private television station.

Deadly Kenya grenade attack hits children in church
One child has been killed and six critically hurt, the Red Cross says, in a grenade attack on a church's Sunday school in the Kenya capital, Nairobi. The attacker targeted St Polycarp's church on Juja Road. A police spokesman said they suspected sympathisers of Somalia's al-Shabab Islamist militants were to blame.

Labour conference: Miliband threat to break up banks
Labour leader Ed Miliband has said that if banks do not separate their retail and investment arms, a future Labour government will "break them up". There needs to be a return to the "best traditions of British banking", Mr Miliband said, where "banks serve the customer" not international markets.

Barak: If Abbas falls, Hamas will rise in W. Bank
Defense Minister Ehud Barak over the weekend denounced Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman's call for the ouster from office of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, claiming that if the PA regime were to lose influence, then the West Bank would come under Hamas control.

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Alarm sounded over Google 'stranglehold'
“Google definitely ‘sandboxes’ websites,” asserts Jeff Ramos, a branding, social media, and public relations expert based in New York City. To be “sandboxed” is to be excluded from organic search results because one uses Search Engine Optimization tactics of which Google disapproves.

600,000 manufacturing jobs go unfilled due to applicants lack of 'soft skills'
One of the representatives looked sheepishly around the room and responded: "To be perfectly honest . . . we have a hard time finding people who can pass the drug test." Several other reps gave a knowing nod. Applicants were often so underqualified, they said, that simply finding someone who could properly answer the telephone was sometimes a challenge.

Iran on the brink of economic collapse
Iran is teetering on the brink of collapse as biting sanctions strangle the country's economy, while talk of an imminent attack on its nuclear facilities is causing people to fear Iran will become another Iraq. Iran's currency, the rial, has plunged nearly 60% in the past few months, six percent of that in the last two days as Iranians and foreign investors cash out in a classic flight to safety situation.

Ahmadinejad’s cameraman defects, seeks asylum in US
A lawyer for a cameraman who was accompanying Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to the US for the United Nations General Assembly in New York says his client has defected. Paul O’Dwyer, a New York City-based lawyer who is representing Hassan Gol Khanban, confirmed Sunday that his client is seeking asylum in the US He provided no other details.

New wave of anti-Semitism in Berlin
After an attack on a Berlin rabbi on month ago, the German capital has been rocked by two new antisemitic incidents...On Wednesday (26.09.2012), the Secretary General of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, Stephan Kramer, was threatened with an attack. On the same day, a taxi driver in Berlin refused to drive a family to a synagogue. Both cases have been picked up by the police for investigation.

Deadly New Virus Uncovered In Africa
The outbreak, in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), killed two people and left one person seriously ill. The researchers have given the deadly pathogen the name Bas-Congo virus (BASV), after the province where the three people lived.

Turkey, Egypt to boost alliance
Dozens of ministers from Turkey and Egypt will gather in Cairo in November in a bid to boost their alliance, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Sunday. "Accompanied by 13 ministers, I will be in Cairo in early November," for the meeting of a high-level strategic council established between the two countries to bolster ties, Erdogan told a news conference with Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi in Ankara.

Powerful 7.3 earthquake strikes along the coast of Colombia: the fifth 7.0 magnitude quake to strike in 45 days
A strong 7.3 magnitude earthquake struck along the coast of Colombia at a depth of 162.1 km (100.7 miles). The epicenter of the earthquake was 62 km (39 miles) S (176°) from Popayan, Colombia and 345 km (214 miles) from QUITO, Ecuador. According to USGS statistics, about fifteen 7.0 magnitude earthquakes occur each year but there have been five such high intensity earthquakes reported across the planet in the last 45 days, provided the USGS does not downgrade today’s quake further.

Kissinger: No More Israel in 10 Years
“Reported to me, Henry Kissinger has stated — and I quote the statement word for word: ‘In 10 years, there will be no more Israel.’ “I repeat: ‘In 10 years, there will be no more Israel.’”

Thousands march in Paris against austerity in show of support for beleaguered EU partners
Thousands of demonstrators are marching peacefully in Paris to denounce austerity measures in Europe that have sparked violent protests in other EU countries struggling to avert fiscal crises. The march organized largely by the "Left Front" party and the Communists comes ahead of the French parliament's debate this week on a European fiscal treaty.

Real Unemployment Reaches 20% In 7 Colorado Counties
The slowest economic recovery since World War II is going especially slow for sections of Colorado, according to a letter from the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE) obtained by The Colorado Observer. In seven counties in Colorado unemployed individuals are close to or exceeding 20% of the population, a letter from the Chief Economist of CDLE to the U.S. Department of Agriculture says.

Three Earthquakes Shake North Texas
Sunday night's earthquake was less than 24 hours after two other quakes. The U.S. Geological Survey confirms a magnitude 3.4 earthquake occured Saturday at 11:05:01 p.m. southwest of Las Colinas Country Club near North McArthur Blvd. and West Rochelle Road. That was followed by a magnitude 3.1 earthquake at 11:09:03 p.m at Loop 12 Walton Walker Blvd., just north of I-30 in far West Dallas.

Canada, U.S. launch project to strengthen border security
Under the pilot project, the two government agencies say they will "exchange data currently collected on third-country nationals -- those who are neither citizens of Canada nor of the U.S., permanent residents of Canada and lawful permanent residents of the United States" at the Pacific Highway in Surrey, B.C. and Blaine, Washington; Douglas (Peace Arch), Surrey, B.C. and in Blaine; the Queenston-Lewiston Bridge in Niagara-on-the Lake, Ont. and the Lewiston-Queenston Bridge in Lewiston, NY, and the Niagara Falls Rainbow Bridge in Niagara Falls and the Rainbow Bridge in Niagara Falls, NY.

HIV 'made' new deadly Salmonella - study
An epidemic of a deadly strain of Salmonella has swept across the whole of Africa by "taking advantage" of the spread of HIV, according to an international team of researchers. Their study, published in Nature Genetics, is the first to identify the separate cases as a single epidemic. One in four people in Africa infected with the strain died.

US Osprey military aircraft begin Okinawa base move
The US has begun the controversial deployment of Osprey military aircraft to the southern Japanese island of Okinawa, amid protests over the move. The Ospreys arrived at a US base in western Japan in July, ahead of their deployment to Okinawa's Futenma airbase. Six of the aircraft have now landed in Futenma, reports say.

Russia said evacuating its personnel from base in Syria
Al-Naimi said the Syrian opposition considers the Tartus base as part of Syria that is occupied by Russia and that it will be liberated once the Russian military leaves. He claimed that Russia was evacuating because it recognized the Syrian opposition’s military upper hand. He added that the Syrian opposition would not continue Damascus’s level of strategic partnership with Moscow, Tehran, and Beijing, and that the Russian military “was not welcome” in Syria.

White House Hack Attack
Hackers linked to China’s government broke into one of the U.S. government’s most sensitive computer networks, breaching a system used by the White House Military Office for nuclear commands, according to defense and intelligence officials familiar with the incident. One official said the cyber breach was one of Beijing’s most brazen cyber attacks against the United States and highlights a failure of the Obama administration to press China on its persistent cyber attacks.

Australian Government Now Spies on Its Citizens More than the US Government Does
The Australian Government has now been labelled as the most intrusive government in the Western world. It has been revealed that on a per-capita basis, the Australian government spies on its citizens more than any other Western government.

Romney: Obama purposely distancing US from Israel
US Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney on Sunday accused US President Barack Obama of deliberately creating a rift between Jerusalem and Washington, in an opinion piece he penned in the Wall Street Journal.

Iraq car bomb attacks target security forces and Shias
At least 32 people have been killed in Iraq as car bomb attacks targeted security forces and Shia pilgrims around the country, police say.

Venezuela poll: Big Caracas rally for Henrique Capriles
More than 100,000 people have gathered in Venezuela's capital Caracas in support of opposition presidential candidate Henrique Capriles. Mr Capriles criticised President Hugo Chavez for what he called a long list of unfulfilled promises.

Bangladeshi Muslims torch Buddhist temples, homes
Thousands of Bangladeshi Muslims set fire to at least 10 Buddhist temples and 40 homes in anger over a Facebook photo of a burned Quran before authorities restored order.

Iran: World is laughing at Israel over PM's bomb cartoon
Senior Iranian official says Netanyahu's speech at the UN General Assembly set off "an explosion of jokes and mockery" among diplomats; adds: PM intimidated by Iran's dignity into formulating such silly reactions.

Germany told to 'come clean’ over Greece
German Chancellor Angela Merkel must “come clean at long last” and admit that Greece will need help for another seven or eight years, the German opposition leader said over the weekend.

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Megachuch pastor Joel Osteen dodges CNN questions on homosexuality
Osteen’s performance earned him the ire of Albert Mohler Jr., president of Southern Baptist Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, who wrote that while O’Brien had “established the perfect platform for Osteen to respond with the gospel of Jesus Christ,” Osteen “did not.”

Christian support for Israel – a just cause
Now some are quick to dismiss Christian support for Israel as being driven by ulterior motives. We are accused of wanting to hasten the Apocalypse or to convert Jews.--Each of these spurious charges can be easily answered, but perhaps it is best to simply spell out what truly motivates us into caring so deeply about Israel.

Daystar, TBN ready for Messiah in Jerusalem
If the Messiah descends from the Mount of Olives as foretold in the Bible, America's two biggest Christian broadcasters are well-positioned to cover it live thanks to recent acquisitions of adjacent Jerusalem studios on a hill overlooking the Old City. Texas-based Daystar Television Network already beams a 24-hour-a-day live webcam from its terrace. Not to be outdone, Costa Mesa-based Trinity Broadcasting Network last month bought the building next door. The dueling studios are part of an aggressive push by U.S. evangelical broadcasters seeking to gain a stronger foothold in the holy city.

Hizbullah Threatens to 'Conquer the Galilee'
A new Hizbullah video highlights the terrorist organization's latest campaign - “liberating the Galilee.” On the agenda is Hizbullah's conquering of key sites and cities like tourist centers, refineries, and the Haifa port.

US Pressures EU To Oppose PA Statehood Ploy at UN
A private memo secured by the London Guardian, advises that recognition by the General Assembly "would be extremely counterproductive," and it openly hinted that such a move could result in financial sanctions. PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas has a guaranteed majority in the General Assembly, but American pressure and possible financial repercussions could sway a number of pro-Arab countries to abstain or even vote against upgrading the Palestinian Authority’s current non-member status.

Feds Have Met With Mexican Gov‘t 151 Times to Promote Fed ’Assistance Programs
Members of the Obama administration have met with Mexican government officials approximately 30 times to discuss the promotion of government nutrition assistance programs (such as food stamps) “among Mexican Americans, Mexican nationals and migrant communities in America,” according to a new report from The Daily Caller’s Caroline May.

Police Ignore Arab Death Threats at Jews on Temple Mount
Police ignored threats by Arabs to butcher Jews ascending the Temple Mount but arrested an Arab for trying to stab a police officer. The police also arrested Likud nationalist Moshe Feiglin for attempting to pray there.

Barak, Lieberman clash over Palestinian peace prospects
In a blisterning attack, Defense Minister Ehud Barak released a statement on Sunday repudiating Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman's harsh comments against Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas at the U.N. General Assembly. "Lieberman's comments regarding the Palestinian Authority and its leader do not represent the state of Israel and furthermore harm Israeli interests.

Mobile missile complexes: Russia's nuclear shield future
Russia's Strategic Missile Troops are among a few remaining parts of the military machine that ensure Russia's security as the government realizes the significance of keeping the rocket forces in order. However, the recent rearmament and upgrade of the missile troops was also greatly contributed by the Moscow-based Institute of Thermal Technology and Votkinsk Machine Building Plant which designed and manufactured Topol, Topol-M and Yars intercontinental ballistic missiles.

Saudi 'take steps to thwart epidemic' at hajj
Saudi Arabia has taken measures to deal with any epidemic that may break out during the annual hajj pilgrimage, a minister said in remarks published Monday, stressing that the spread of a mystery illness from the same family as the deadly SARS virus was "limited." ...The Geneva-based World Health Organisation (WHO) has identified a virus which caused the death of a Saudi national as being of the coronavirus family.

Heard volcano (Australia, Southern Indian Ocean) activity update: hotspots detected in late September 2012
MODIS satellite data showed hotspots at Heard Island volcano on 21 and 24 September 2012. This suggests that there was or perhaps still is some new activity at the volcano.

New Comet Discovered—May Become "One of Brightest in History"
If astronomers' early predictions hold true, the holidays next year may hold a glowing gift for stargazers—a superbright comet, just discovered streaking near Saturn. Even with powerful telescopes, comet 2012 S1 (ISON) is now just a faint glow in the constellation Cancer. But the ball of ice and rocks might become visible to the naked eye for a few months in late 2013 and early 2014—perhaps outshining the moon, astronomers say.

6.2 magnitude earthquake occurs off Japan’s eastern coast
The U.S. Geological Survey reports that early Tuesday morning local time, a magnitude 6.2 earthquake hit off of Japan’s eastern coast. Originating from a depth of 9.7 kilometers (6 miles), it was centered about 96 kilometers (60 miles) off the coast of Miyako, Iwate Prefecture, in the northeast region of the country that was struck by the devastating earthquake and tsunami on March 11th, 2011. There have been no reports of damages or signs of approaching tsunami.

Earth is undergoing true polar wander, scientists say
Scientists based in Germany and Norway today published new results about a geophysical theory known as true polar wander. That is a drifting of Earth’s solid exterior – an actual change in latitude for some land masses – relative to our planet’s rotation axis. If the volcanoes, land and other masses that exist within the spinning Earth ever became sufficiently imbalanced, the planet would tilt and rotate itself until this extra weight was relocated to a point along the equator.

N. Korea accuses US of attempting to spark war
­Speaking at the final session of the UN 193-member General Assembly, North Korean Deputy Foreign Minister Pak Kil-yon announced that, “Due to the continued US hostile policy towards the DPRK [Democratic People's Republic of Korea], the vicious cycle of confrontation and aggravation of tension is an ongoing phenomenon on the Korean Peninsula, which has become the world's most dangerous hotspot where a spark of fire could set off a thermonuclear war."

California bans teenage gay conversion therapy
California Governor Jerry Brown has signed into law a ban on therapy aimed at making gay teenagers straight. When the law comes into effect on 1 January, the Golden State will become the first to outlaw the practice for people under the age of 18.

Huge tax increase looms at year-end 'fiscal cliff'
A typical middle-income family making $40,000 to $64,000 a year could see its taxes go up by $2,000 next year if lawmakers fail to renew a lengthy roster of tax cuts set to expire at the end of the year, according to a new report Monday. Taxpayers across the income spectrum will get slammed with increases totaling more than $500 billion - a more than 20 percent increase...

Iran's rial falls to a new low, reports say
Iran's beleaguered currency, the rial, has fallen to fresh record lows against the US dollar, according to media reports coming out of the country. The rial fell a further 9% on Tuesday, following Monday's 18% decline, news agencies have reported. The currency has reportedly lost more than 80% of its value since 2011 because of US-led trade sanctions.

Trial of Pope's butler hears of massive document haul
The documents, which were leaked to an Italian journalist and revealed in a book he published in May, revealed skulduggery and intrigue at the highest levels of the Catholic Church, including a smear campaign against a Catholic newspaper editor based on false allegations of a homosexual affair...Mr Gabriele has told investigators that he stole and leaked the documents because he was appalled by the "evil and corruption" within the Vatican...

Dutch abortion boat heads to Morocco
A Dutch "abortion boat" is en route to Morocco in its first trip to a Muslim country. The procedure is illegal in Morocco, unless the mother's life is at risk. The organisation, Women on Waves (WoW), provides abortions and contraception information outside territorial waters in countries where abortion is illegal.

Leaked EU nuclear stress tests reveal hundreds of defects
Hundreds of defects have been found throughout Europe’s nuclear reactors and mostly in France, according to a EU stress test report leaked to the German and French media.The stress tests assess whether any of Europe’s 143 licensed nuclear power plants can withstand extreme events such as earthquakes and terrorists attacks.

'US calls on EU governments to oppose PA bid at UN'
The United States called on European governments to oppose the Palestinian Authority's bid to upgrade its status to "non-member state" at the UN, according to Britain's Guardian newspaper, citing a US memorandum. The Guardian reported that the US communique described Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas's UN move as "extremely counterproductive," and warned of "significant negative consequences" for the PA, including financial sanctions.

JPMorgan sued over Bear Stearns mortgage securities
The New York Attorney General has sued JP Morgan Chase for allegedly defrauding investors who lost more than $20bn (£12bn) on mortgage-backed securities sold by Bear Stearns. JP Morgan bought the investment bank Bear Stearns in March 2008.

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Dozens of Syrians approach Golan border; tourists evacuated
The IDF evacuated tourists from the top of Mount Hermon Wednesday afternoon, after sighting dozens of possibly armed Syrians approaching the border in the Golan Heights. The IDF said the suspects did not infiltrate the border into Israel. It was not clear whether they were armed. Last week, mortar shells fired by the Syrian army strayed into Israel, striking northern Israeli farmlands.

Signs Of The Gold Standard Emerging In China?
While it was perceived as a move to appease the party’s extreme right wing, economists like Mundell think the world needs a limited return to the gold standard.”

Russian Leader Putin Scheduled to Visit Turkey
Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to visit Turkey in two weeks, with an economy-focused agenda. A Russian mission will come to Turkey within the scope of a High Level Cooperation Council meeting which starts on Oct. 14 and Putin may participate in the meeting on Oct. 15, Anatolia news agency reported yesterday.

Former Obama Adviser: 'We Need Death Panels'
Steven Rattner, a former adviser to President Barack Obama, called for “death panels” in a recent opinion piece in the New York Times, proving that liberals and the mainstream media were apoplectic when former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin threatened Obamacare would lead to health care rationing because they knew Palin was telling an inconvenient truth.

2 US border agents shot, 1 killed, near major drug corridor in Arizona
In Terry's shooting, two guns found at the scene were bought by a member of a gun-smuggling ring that was being monitored in the Fast and Furious investigation.

US Gathers Information About Possible Targets in Libya
The top-secret Joint Special Operations Command is compiling “target packages” of detailed information about the suspects, the officials said.

Pope butler denies theft, admits betrayal
Paolo Gabriele, a 46-year-old father of three, testified in a Vatican courtroom behind St. Peter's Basilica he stood by his June 5 police confession of leaking copies of the sensitive papers to Italian journalist Gianluigi Nuzzi because he wanted to show the pope the church's "evil and corruption."

Christian group files suit to stop gay therapy ban
The California-based Pacific Justice Institute challenged the law signed Saturday by Gov. Jerry Brown. The lawsuit was filed late Monday in U.S. District Court in Sacramento.

Army Says ‘Social Network’ Use Is a Sign of Radicalism
These are some warning signs that that you have turned into a terrorist who will soon kill your co-workers, according to the U.S. military. ...changed your “choices in entertainment.”...“complain about bias,”...“socially withdrawn” ...frustrated with “mainstream ideologies.” Your “Risk Factors for Radicalization” include “Social Networks” and “Youth.”...“shows a sudden shift from radical to ‘normal’ behavior to conceal radical behavior.” He “inquires about weapons of mass effects.”...stores or collects mass weapons or hazardous materials.”

Joe Biden delivers soundbite gift to Romney campaign, says U.S. middle class ‘buried the last four years’
Biden asked how Republicans “can justify raising taxes on a middle class that has been buried the last four years?

GOP says White House ignored Libya warnings
Despite two explosions and dozens of other security threats, U.S. officials in Washington turned down repeated pleas from American diplomats in Libya to increase security at the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi where the U.S. ambassador was killed...

Syria conflict: Deadly blasts rip through Aleppo square
At least 31 people have been killed and dozens wounded by five bomb explosions in the centre of Syria's second city, Aleppo, officials have said. Four of the blasts happened in the city's Saadallah al-Jabari Square, near a military officers' club and a hotel. Pro-government al-Ikhbariya TV broadcast pictures of bodies being pulled out of buildings damaged by the blasts and a large crater in a road.

Russian General: “The USSR Collapsed and the Same Fate Has Been Prepared for the USA”
While here in the United States we remain enclosed in a propaganda bubble controlled by western multi-billion dollar media conglomerates, business interests and political alliances, there can be no doubt that other schools of thought exist throughout the world. What may seem like reality to our populace is perhaps nothing more than illusion.

Russia warns NATO to stay away from Syria
"In our contacts with partners in NATO and in the region, we are calling on them not to seek pretexts for carrying out a military scenario or to introduce initiatives such as humanitarian corridors or buffer zones," Gatilov said, according to the Interfax news agency.

Libya killings: Obama faces new questions on Benghazi
US President Barack Obama's administration is facing new questions over the attack on its Libya consulate, amid reports of military preparations to target those behind it. A Congressional committee asked whether repeated requests for more security at the Benghazi consulate were rejected. The US ambassador was among four Americans killed on 11 September.

Judge blocks Pennsylvania voter ID law before election
A judge in the US state of Pennsylvania has stopped new ID requirements for voters from taking effect before November's presidential election. The ruling, which says voters do not need valid photo ID to cast a ballot, is likely to be cheered by Democrats. Pennsylvania, a key swing state, has been leaning towards President Barack Obama in opinion polls.

China firm sues Obama over blocked US wind farm deal
A Chinese-owned firm in the US is suing President Barack Obama after he blocked a wind farm deal on national security grounds. Ralls Corp, a private firm, acquired four wind farm projects near a US naval facility in Oregon earlier this year. Mr Obama signed the order blocking the deal last week. The lawsuit alleges the US government overstepped its authority.

'Fiscal cliff' may threaten US Iron Dome assistance
A former Congressional staffer warned Tuesday that US assistance for Iron Dome and other Israeli military expenditures would likely be reduced should expected draconian cuts to the US budget go into effect. “Iron Dome will be cut,” Randy Jennings, a former Congressional aide on defense issues and now a defense industry consultant, said at an event on Israel’s short-range rocket defense system held at The Heritage Foundation.

Navy prepares to intercept Gaza activist ship
The Navy is preparing to intercept the latest Gaza-bound ship carrying European pro-Palestinian activists seeking to break the security naval blockade around the Strip. An IDF source confirmed that the Navy has carried out general preparations for future ships filled with activists.

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DC Comics Brings Muslims Into Superhero Universe
Reaching out to minority groups is a trend in the comic world, and fitting for an industry that celebrates the uniqueness of the people and creatures (imaginary or real, up to you) within its universe. The move by DC comes on the heels of the introduction of a gay Green Lantern earlier this year, and a half-Hispanic half-black Spiderman by Marvel the previous year.

Arabs Riot for Third Day on Temple Mount
For the third morning in a row, Arabs rioted on the Temple Mount, attempting to attack groups of Jews who sought to visit the holiest site in Judaism during the Sukkot holiday. Police again Thursday deployed large numbers of officers to keep the Arabs from attacking the Jews.

Analysis: China's currency foray augurs geopolitical strains
Displacing the dollar, Beijing says, will reduce volatility in oil and commodity prices and belatedly erode the ‘exorbitant privilege' the United States enjoys as the issuer of the reserve currency at the heart of a post-war international financial architecture it now sees as hopelessly outmoded.

National 'virtual ID card' scheme set for launch (Is there anything that could possibly go wrong?)
The Government will announce details this month of a controversial national identity scheme which will allow people to use their mobile phones and social media profiles as official identification documents for accessing public services. People wishing to apply for services ranging from tax credits to...passports will be asked to choose from a list of familiar online log-ins...to prove their identity.

First Witnesses Called for House Hearings on Benghazi
The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee has written to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to call two witnesses for its October 10 hearings on what went wrong at the diplomatic post in Benghazi, Libya.

Russia to Intervene on Grain Market
Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said on Thursday. “I’ve made a decision to start grain interventions to settle the general balance of grain crops in the market. I’m instructing the agriculture minister to prepare proposals on the volume of interventions and the target regions,” Medvedev told a government meeting.

Study finds Southern Hemisphere becoming drier
Previous research into what has been driving the decline in autumn rainfall across regions like southern Australia has pointed the finger at a southward shift in the storm tracks and weather systems during the late 20th century. However, the extent to which these regional rainfall reductions are attributable to the poleward expansion of the subtropical dry-zone has not been clarified before now.

Mitt Romney Absolutely Destroyed Obama In Last Night's Presidential Debate
Republican nominee Mitt Romney has clearly been practicing for tonight's presidential debate. He really hit his stride in the second 15-minute segment of the debate, when the questions turned to the issue of the debt and the federal deficit.

Riot Police Tackle Iranian Currency Collapse
The collapse of Iran's currency has sparked clashes with riot police in the country's capital amid signs of growing public anger. The rial, which has lost a third of its value against the US dollar in just a week, has crumbled with President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad blaming sanctions against Iran over its controversial nuclear programme. As a result, people and businesses are said to have been hoarding foreign currency and gold, exacerbating the economic turmoil as inflation rockets.

World food prices rose 1.4% in September, FAO says
World food prices rose 1.4% in September, pushed up by higher meat, dairy and cereals prices, according to the UN's Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO). The rise followed two months where prices held steady, the FAO said. There has been concern this year about possible food shortages as drought has hit grain crops in the US Midwest, Europe and central Asia.

A Rare Occurrence In The Saudi Currency Market Tells You That Trouble Is Brewing In The Middle East
as pointed out by BNP's Bartosz Pawlowski, traders are expecting the riyal to depreciate against the dollar. Or to think about it another way, people are betting that in a year, people expect that the dollar will be able to buy more riyals than that dollar is able to buy right now. And that is something that almost never happens – unless markets are getting really worried about Saudi Arabia, one of the most stable countries in the region.

Student Who Got 'Gay Cure' Sues California Over New Law
A college student who claims he once had same-sex attractions but became heterosexual after conversion therapy has filed a lawsuit against California, which has enacted a law that bans so-called "gay cures" for minors. The lawsuit, also joined as plaintiffs by two therapists who have used the treatments with patients, alleges that the law banning the therapy intrudes on First Amendment protections of free speech, privacy and freedom of religion.

Saudi Arabia religious police chief announces new curbs
The head of Saudi Arabia's notorious religious police has told the media he will curb his force's powers in a bid to clamp down on excesses. Some functions, such as arrests and interrogations, will be handed over to other state bodies, Abdul Latif Abdul Aziz al-Sheikh told al-Hayat daily. The force is supposed to police dress codes and religious observance.

1,500 ministers to preach on politics
In 2008, 35 pastors defied the IRS, which holds the position that church “organizations are absolutely prohibited from directly or indirectly participating in, or intervening in, any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for elective public office.” The number of pastors boldly opposing the IRS rule grew to 539 in 2011 and is expected to be more than 1,500 on Oct. 7, during what organizers are calling “Pulpit Freedom Sunday.”

Spain's Tax Take Tumbles as Companies Go Abroad
Spain's corporate tax take has tumbled by almost two thirds from pre-crisis levels as small businesses fail and a growing number of big corporations seek profits abroad to compensate for the prolonged downturn at home. Attractive tax benefits can accrue to companies expanding overseas, but for Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy's government, which now seems resigned to accepting a European financial rescue, the income flow is reversed.

China landslide buries school in Yunnan province
At least five children have died after a landslide buried a school building in south-west China, officials say. Rescue teams searching for survivors from the class recovered the bodies from the collapsed building. Nineteen people, 18 of them children, were buried when the landslide hit the school and two other houses in remote Yunnan province, officials say.

Eight held in US over 'Russian hi-tech smuggling plot'
Eight people have been arrested in Houston, Texas, on charges of illegally exporting hi-tech components to Russian security bodies. Alexander Fishenko, who owns companies in Texas and Moscow, was charged with operating in the US as an unregistered agent of the Russian government. The indictment names 11 suspects, all of whom are due in court in Houston except for three who are in Russia.

Turkey hits targets inside Syria after border deaths
Turkey has renewed firing at targets inside Syria after two women and three children were killed by shelling from across the border on Wednesday. Several Syrian troops were killed by Turkish fire, a UK-based Syrian activist group said. Syria says it is investigating the shelling in the town of Akcakale.

US election: Polls show Romney won TV debate with Obama
US Republican candidate Mitt Romney won the first of three televised debates with President Barack Obama, polls and analysts say. After the 90-minute duel centring on taxes, the deficit and healthcare, polls gave Mr Romney a 46-67% margin with Mr Obama trailing with 22-25%. Commentators said Mr Romney appeared in command while Mr Obama was hesitant.

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'Silent Earthquakes' Ripple Under Cascadi
Parts of Washington and Oregon are in the midst of silent earthquakes this week. You can't feel this so-called "slow slip" quake and it doesn't cause damage. Still, scientists want to learn more about the recently discovered phenomenon. Little is certain so far, but there's a possibility these deep tremors could trigger a damaging earthquake or serve as a warning bell for the Big One.

Israel returns 200 grounded F-16s to full service
The Israel Defense Forces said the air force’s more than 200 F-16s have resumed normal operations after an investigation of technical flaws. The military said the probe focused on the malfunction of the engines of two F-16s in June.

Europe Weighs More Sanctions as Iran’s Currency Plummets
The U.K., France and Germany are pressing for new sanctions to bring Iran’s economy to its knees and curb its nuclear ambitions, according to several European diplomats, as rioting over the country’s tumbling currency suggests the existing sanctions are taking a toll.

Napolitano Misled Congress
This accusation against Napolitano appears, shockingly enough, in a bipartisan report from the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations.

These Are Obama's Gas Prices, This Is Obama's Fuel Shortage
Since taking office in 2009, Barack Obama has denied us the oil necessary to make enough gasoline to meet driver demand. As a result, today's gas prices are up more than 100% over the $1.84 per-gallon-average we were all paying when Obama took office and gasoline suppliers in some states -- California -- are literally running out of fuel.

Thousands of Christians march in Jerusalem in support of Israel
Waving blue and white Israeli flags, thousands of evangelical Christians from around the world filled streets of downtown Jerusalem on Thursday in a show of support for the Jewish state. The annual march during the week-long Jewish Sukkot holiday brings together Christians from dozens of countries.

Reality of 'Fast and Furious' revealed
Univision, a Spanish-language television network in the U.S., has obtained a Mexican Army document revealing that three of the high-caliber guns used in the January 2010 bloody massacre in Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, Mexico were linked to the gun-walking operation conducted by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. 14 young people were killed, and another 12 were wounded by assassins tied to the Mexican cartel La Linea.

First major U.S. snowstorm, cold snap may harm some crops
The first major snowfall of the year and a cold snap set to sweep into the northern Midwest could harm some late-maturing corn and soybeans crops and delay the harvest, an agricultural meteorologist and the National Weather Service said on Thursday. The storm is centered in a small area across northeastern North Dakota and northwestern Minnesota...

Kincaid: A Viral Video on Religious Freedom
A video on religious freedom and traditional values released a few months ago as part of an effort to highlight anti-Christian initiatives by the Obama Administration has now gone viral, generating over 2.1 million views on YouTube. The filmmaker, Jeremy Wiles, tells Accuracy in Media that the idea for the video came from a dream and that he now sees “God’s fingerprints” all over the project.

F.B.I. Says Russians Smuggled Out U.S. Microchips
Russian officials had a muted response on Thursday to a potentially embarrassing revelation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation that it had uncovered a ring of Russian agents that was smuggling microchips out of the United States.

California Gas Stations Shut as Oil Refiners Ration Supplies
Gasoline station owners in the Los Angeles area including Costco Wholesale Corp. (COST) are beginning to shut pumps as the state’s oil refiners started rationing supplies and spot prices surged to a record. Valero Energy Corp. (VLO) stopped selling gasoline on the spot, or wholesale, market in Southern California and is allocating deliveries to customers.

World food prices near crisis levels
The United Nations food agency reported on Thursday that the worst drought in more than 50 years in the United States had sent corn and soybean prices to record highs over the summer, and, coupled with drought in Russia and other Black Sea exporting countries, raised fears of a renewed crisis.

Turkish parliament approves military intervention in Syria
In an emergency meeting of parliament convened on Thursday morning, the Grand National Assembly voted 320-129 in favor of a bill calling for “a one-year-long permission to make the necessary arrangements for sending the Turkish Armed Forces” into Syria in light of the “negative impact of the ongoing crisis in Syria on our national security, as well as on regional stability and security.”

Egypt releases Coptic children held in blasphemy case
A court in Egypt has ordered the release pending investigation of two Coptic Christian children detained on Tuesday for blasphemy against Islam. A Muslim cleric in Izbat Marco, a village in Beni Suef province, said he saw the boys, aged nine and 10, take pages of the Koran and urinate on them. A Coptic priest said local Islamists attended demonstrations calling for revenge for the desecration of a Koran.

Was Obama rattled by developing donor scandal story?
the Obama campaign let donors use "largely untraceable prepaid credit cards that could potentially be used to evade limits on how much an individual is legally allowed to give or to mask a contributor's identity."

'Netanyahu's mind made up on calling early election'
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has already made a final decision to seek a February 12 election rather than try to pass the 2013 state budget, politicians who spoke to Netanyahu said on Thursday. Netanyahu has said that he will make a final decision when the Knesset returns from its extended summer recess on October 15. But the politicians who spoke to him said he left no doubt that his mind was already made up.

'Iran will overcome currency conspiracy'
Iran will defeat an enemy "conspiracy" against its foreign currency and gold markets, an adviser to Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Friday, following violent protests that forced the closure of Tehran's grand bazaar. ...Protesters called President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad a traitor because of what many say is his serious mismanagement of the economy...

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Israel shoots down drone
The Israeli air force shot down an unmanned drone Saturday over the northern Negev desert, the nation's military said. The Israeli Defense Forces spotted the drone, which did not carry any weapons or explosives, hovering over the Gaza Strip before it entered Israeli airspace, military spokeswoman Avital Leibovi said.

Here Is No Hyperinflation In Iran – The Real Story Is Much More Interesting
Contrary to reports, there is no hyperinflation in Iran right now at all. In fact, the Western sanctions imposed on Iran's oil trade are failing miserably to meet their objectives.

Ahmadinejad's Cameraman 'Defects' to US and 'Spills' Nuclear Secrets
A cameraman who accompanied Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad during a recent visit to the US is reported to have defected and leaked important secrets about Iran's nuclear programme. Hassan Golkhanban was working as a cameraman for the Iranian News Network and was part of a 140-member crew that travelled to the US for the recent UN session.

Jordan protests after king calls early elections
Thousands of Jordanians have attended a protest demanding political reforms in Amman, hours after King Abdullah called early parliamentary elections. The Muslim Brotherhood's political wing, the Islamic Action Front, called for broader political representation and a more democratic parliament. People at the protest chanted: "The people want to reform the regime."

Email Shows State Department Rejecting Request of Security Team at US Embassy in Libya
ABC News has obtained an internal State Department email from May 3, 2012, indicating that the State Department denied a request from the security team at the Embassy of Libya to retain a DC-3 airplane in the country to better conduct their duties. Copied on the email was U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens, who was killed in a terrorist attack on the diplomatic post in Benghazi, Libya, Sept. 11, 2012, along with three other Americans.

WSJ: Unrest in Tehran is altering Israel's stance on strike
The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday that the protests in Iran linked to the country's weakening currency is causing Israeli officials to reconsider the likelihood of a strike against Iranian nuclear targets in the coming months. According to the Journal, the protests have raised hopes in Israel that international sanctions are working to undermine Tehran.

China Banks Pull Out of Meetings in Japan
Japan's territorial dispute with China appears to be spilling onto the stage of global finance meetings. Several big Chinese banks say they've canceled participation in the high-profile annual meeting of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund to be held in Tokyo next week as well as in the constellation of events taking place alongside.

Syrian Forces Attack Rebel Stronghold Near Palace
A large armored contingent of Syria’s elite Republican Guard stormed a western Damascus suburb near the presidential palace on Friday, residents and anti-government activists said, bringing intense combat with insurgents unusually close to the doorstep of the embattled Syrian leadership.

French police kill man in Strasbourg anti-terror raid
Police have shot and fatally wounded a man in an anti-terror operation in the French city of Strasbourg, reports say. The operation was linked to an investigation into an incident in which a small explosive device was thrown into a kosher grocery in Paris last month, according to AFP news agency.

Turkey 'responds to fresh Syrian mortar fire'
Turkey has fired into Syria for a fourth day after a Syrian mortar landed near a Turkish village, reports say. Turkish troops responded immediately after the mortar landed near the village of Guvecci in Hatay province, according to Turkey's Anadolu Agency.

S Foodstamp Usage Rises To New Record High
While the 0.4% perfectly unmanipulated and totally coincidental swing in the unemployment rate in an Obama favorable direction one month before the election came at a prime time moment for the market, one hour ahead of the open,there was one other, far more important data point released by the government's department of agriculture, sufficiently late after the market close to impact no risk assets. That data point of course was foodstamps (or the government's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, aka SNAP), and we are confident that no readers will be surprised to learn that foodstamp usage for both persons and households, has jumped to a new all time record.

Britain extradites Islamist cleric to U.S.
Britain extradited Islamist cleric Abu Hamza al-Masri to the United States on Friday to face terrorism charges after the one-eyed radical preacher finally failed in his eight-year battle to avoid deportation.

Voter fraud complaint filed against Fla. Democrats
Florida officials are reviewing allegations of voter registration fraud against the state Democratic Party. The Florida Department of State on Friday confirmed that it has forwarded complaints about alleged voter registration fraud against the Democrats and two other groups to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. The groups are the Florida New Majority Education Fund and the National Council of La Raza/Democracia USA.

NKorean soldier defects to SKorea across heavily armed border after killing 2 of his officers
North Korean soldier killed two of his officers Saturday and defected to South Korea across the countries' heavily armed border in a rare crossing that prompted South Korean troops to immediately beef up their border patrol, officials said.

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Kuwait Emir al-Sabah dissolves parliament
Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah has dissolved the country's parliament, paving the way for snap elections, according to state media. The dissolution and new elections have been a major demand of the Islamist-led opposition. In June the Constitutional Court annulled February's poll, which saw major gains for the opposition, and dissolved the new parliament.

France boosts security at Jewish sites
The French president has promised the Jewish community a major increase in security after police shot dead a man suspected of targeting a kosher shop. Francois Hollande said there would be "total mobilisation of the state to fight all terrorist threats". A suspected radical Islamist, believed to have thrown a grenade at a kosher grocery in Paris last month, died in a raid in Strasbourg on Saturday.

David Cameron 'would veto' EU budget
Prime Minister David Cameron has said he would veto a new European Union budget "if necessary". The EU is beginning negotiations on its next budget for 2014 to 2020. Mr Cameron also told the BBC that in the longer term the EU should have two different budgets - one for countries in the eurozone and one for those outside the single currency.

Abu Hamza extradition: US court hears terror suspects
Islamist cleric Abu Hamza and four other terror suspects have appeared in court in the US, having been extradited from the UK after a long legal battle. Abu Hamza appeared briefly in a New York court on Saturday before being taken into custody, ahead of a plea hearing scheduled for Tuesday. In the same court, Adel Abdul Bary and Khaled al-Fawwaz pleaded not guilty.

Enter At Your Own Risk: Police Union Says ‘War-Like’ Detroit Is Unsafe For Visitors
The men and women of the Detroit Police Department believe the city is too dangerous to enter, and they want citizens to know it.

Qatar urges Syrian rebels not to kill Iranian prisoners
DUBAI (Reuters) - Qatar, a major supporter of Syrian rebels, urged them on Sunday not to kill Iranians seized two months ago near Damascus, after the captors threatened to start killing their 48 prisoners.

Israel Says Drone Origin Being Probed Amid Hezbollah-Link Report
Israel’s army is looking into the origin and purpose of an unmanned aerial vehicle that was shot down yesterday over Israeli territory, the country’s military said after a report that the drone was Hezbollah’s. Israel Radio today cited unidentified Israeli army officials as saying the Lebanese Shiite Muslim group was responsible for the aircraft. Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran, is considered a terrorist group by the U.S. and Israel. Israel’s forces shot down the drone after it entered Israeli airspace from the Mediterranean Sea.

Thousands of Pakistanis rally against US drone strikes
Thousands of Pakistanis, joined by US anti-war activists, have headed toward Pakistan's volatile tribal region to protest against American drone strikes despite threats from the Taliban. The demonstrators, headed by former cricketer turned politician Imran Khan, say the strikes violate Pakistani sovereignty and kill civilians.

'Iran withdraws elite Qods Force brigade from Syria'
'The Sunday Times' reports Iran has withdrawn 275 members of elite brigade from Syria in face of domestic economic crisis and bitter criticism about the cost of Iranian support for Assad.

US will allow South Korea to have longer-range missiles that could strike North
South Korea says the U.S. has agreed to allow it to develop longer-range missiles that could strike all of North Korea. Under a 2001 accord with Washington, Seoul has been barred from developing and deploying ballistic missiles with a range of more than 186 miles due to concerns of a regional arms race.

Turkey reportedly responds to Syrian shelling for fourth day
Turkish and Syria traded artillery fire for the fourth day in a row Saturday as rebels clashed with President Bashar Assad's forces near the border, heightening fears that the crisis could erupt into a regional conflict. Also Saturday, Syrian Defense Minister Gen. Fahd Jassem al-Freij vowed to crush the rebellion and bring the violence that has engulfed the country to an end.

Chavez's socialist rule at risk as Venezuelans vote
Venezuelans voted on Sunday with President Hugo Chavez facing the biggest electoral challenge yet to his socialist rule from a young rival tapping into discontent over crime and cronyism. Henrique Capriles, a centrist state governor, edged toward the still-popular Chavez in final polls thanks to a vigorous campaign that united the opposition and made him its best chance of ending Chavez's 14-year rule.

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Eurozone Big 4 meet ahead of summit
The eurozone crisis fire-fighting continued on Tuesday as the finance ministers of the region’s four biggest economies – Germany, France, Italy and Spain – were due to hold unscheduled talks. The finance chiefs, meeting in Paris, were to discuss coping with the crisis in the short term, and closer long-term fiscal and banking integration.

Indonesia Earthquake: Maluku Hit By 6.3-Magnitude Quake In Eastern Indonesia
A strong earthquake shook parts of eastern Indonesia on Monday, sending residents and hotel guests running out of their rooms, but there were no immediate reports of damage or injuries. Indonesia's meteorology and geophysics agency said there was no danger of a tsunami. The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake measured magnitude 6.3 and was centered 139 kilometers (86 miles) southeast of Ambon, the provincial capital of Maluku, at a depth of 34 kilometers (21 miles).

6.0 earthquake strikes off northwest Mexico – USGS
“We felt it hard, and it shook the building like we’ve never felt before,” said Rafael Ines, an editor at Los Mochis paper El Debate. “It was a pretty hardcore shake.”

Call to Separate Jews, Arabs on Temple Mount
The call came less than an hour after a rabbi and two Jews were arrested on suspicion of “praying” on the site, just hours before the start of the Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah. One of the two Jews had three of his children with him at the time. In addition, an Arab was arrested in connection with violent riots on the site that had taken place two days earlier in which worshipers hurled rocks at police as they left the mosque after prayers.

Turkey responds to Syrian mortar fire in Akcakale
Turkish artillery has returned fire on Syria for a fifth day after a mortar landed in a border village. Five people were killed in a similar incident, reportedly in the same street in the village, Akcakale, last week. Turkey has been firing daily into Syria since Wednesday's deaths, as apparently stray munitions fall on its territory.

Afghanistan's government 'could collapse' after 2014 - report
A new report on Afghanistan warns that the departure of Nato forces in 2014 could be followed by the government's collapse and even civil war, unless steps are taken now. The International Crisis Group (ICG) says the Afghan police and army are unprepared for security responsibility. It added that polls in two years' time would be "plagued" by fraud unless the state acted to ensure a clean vote.

Huawei and ZTE pose security threat, warns US panel
Chinese telecom firms Huawei and ZTE pose a security threat to the US, a congressional panel has warned after an investigation into the two companies. The two firms should be barred from any mergers and acquisitions in the US, the panel has recommended in its report set to be released later on Monday. It said the firms had failed to allay fears about their association with the Chinese government and military.

Children Called 'Nazis' and 'Bigots' for Opposing Same-Sex Marriage
At issue are claims that children as young as 12 who do not endorse homosexuality or same-sex marriage are being labeled as "Nazis" and "bigots," according to a senior Roman Catholic official. John Deighan, the Roman Catholic Church's parliamentary officer in Scotland, revealed that he has become aware of the disturbing trend which sees some young children being harassed by their peers over their views and beliefs related to a few specific issues.

Southern district hit with Palestinian rockets, shells
The IDF struck targets in Gaza Monday in response to a barrage of more than 30 rockets and mortar shells fired into farming districts in southern Israel by Hamas and Islamic Jihad. ...An army source said that a tank directed fire at a Hamas position hidden inside a mosque located in southern Gaza. The source added that Hamas often uses "religious sites as cover for its terrorist activities against Israelis."

Temple Mount Faithful: From the fringes to the mainstream
Once consigned to messianic extremist fringes, movements fighting the ban on Jewish prayers on Temple Mount are now endorsed by moderate rabbis. Even the Education Ministry has taken sides by encouraging pupils to visit the site.

‘We win, you lose’: Taliban jeers at US, NATO as Afghan war enters 12th year
Driven by its pledge to eliminate Al-Qaeda leader, Osama bin Laden, the US has been sending hundreds of troops to Afghanistan first to topple the Taliban government, which had been harboring bin Laden, and then to contain the Taliban-lead insurgency. "And now after eleven years of unceasing terror, tyranny, crimes and savagery, they are fleeing Afghanistan with such humiliation and disgrace that they are struggling to provide an explanation," says the Taliban.

'Enter Detroit at your own risk,' police tell Tigers fans
As they poured into Comerica Park, fans were given the fliers reading: “Attention: Enter Detroit at Your Own Risk.” It warned that Detroit is America’s most violent city and that the city’s police force is grossly understaffed. "We're not discouraging people from coming, I love the city, I want them to realize we don't have enough man hours," police union president Joe Duncan told the station. "I don't think the city is going to get same officer 8 hours a day as you do for 12 hours a day."

'Silent Earthquakes' Ripple Under Cascadia
Parts of Washington and Oregon are in the midst of silent earthquakes this week. You can't feel this so-called "slow slip" quake and it doesn't cause damage. Still, scientists want to learn more about the recently discovered phenomenon. Little is certain so far, but there's a possibility these deep tremors could trigger a damaging earthquake or serve as a warning bell for the Big One.

Maar Volcanoes: Odd Explosions Beneath Earth Explained
The eruption of a so-called maar-diatreme volcano is short-lived but violent. Magma creeps up through a crack in the Earth's crust and mixes with water, setting off a series of explosions — as many as a few each hour for several weeks. When the action stops, a crater-topped, rock-filled fracture called a diatreme is left behind.

Army Instructor Ousted Over Muslim Groups‘ Complaints About ’Bigoted’ Teachings on Radical Islam Fights Back
Attorneys at the Thomas More Law Center believe a letter sent to the White House, Department of Homeland Security and other federal agencies about a year ago and signed by 57 Islamic organizations caused the federal government to clamp down on Dooley, his course and ultimately all the government’s training material on radical Islam. Among the organizations who signed the letter are the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and the Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), both named unindicted co-conspirators in the Holy Land Foundation trial, the largest terrorism financing case in U.S. history.

Merkel to face protests on first crisis visit to Greece
German Chancellor Angela Merkel will tell Greeks she wants to keep their country in the euro when she visits Athens this week, but she faces a hostile reception from a people worn down by years of austerity and recession. About 6,000 policemen will be deployed in the capital for her 6-hour visit, turning the city center into a no-go zone for protest marches planned by labor unions and opposition parties.

Hugo Chavez celebrates re-election in Venezuela
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has hailed a "perfect victory", after defeating Henrique Capriles to secure a fourth term in office. Mr Chavez won 54% of the vote, the electoral council announced, with turnout at about 81%.

IAF jets fly mock raids over south Lebanon after mysterious aircraft shot down over Israel
Israeli warplanes swooped low over Lebanese villages Sunday in a menacing show of force apparently aimed at the Hezbollah guerrilla group after a mysterious raid by an unmanned aircraft that was shot out of Israeli skies over the weekend.

Romney to deliver foreign policy speech
Mitt Romney will seek to bolster his foreign policy credentials in a major speech Monday, two weeks before the GOP presidential nominee takes part in a presidential debate focused on security. In his remarks, set to take place at the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, Romney will argue that last month's consulate attack in Benghazi, Libya, "should not be seen as random acts."

Syria opposition may accept role for Assad's party
The leader of Syria's main opposition group says members of President Bashar Assad's ruling Baath party can play a role in Syria's political future as long as they did not participate in killings during the country's uprising and civil war.

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Jack Welch Terminates Contract With Reuters, Fortune In Aftermath Of Infamous Tweet
The fallout in the aftermath of last week's infamous tweet by Jack Welch in which he dares to accuse the BLS of manipulating labor data (the same BLS which has already been purposefully caught leaking data,

Study: One-Third Of Adults Under 30 Have No Religious Affiliation
One-fifth of American adults have no religious affiliation, and this number is increasing rapidly. The number of Americans who do not identify with any religion continues to grow at a fast pace. One-fifth of the U.S. public – and a third of adults under 30 – are religiously unaffiliated today, the highest percentages ever in Pew Research Center polling.

Single euro-zone budget gains momentum ahead of summit
Debate about the idea of creating a separate budget for euro zone countries is intensifying in the run up to an EU summit later this month, with less opposition to the proposal than many officials first expected, diplomats say. At a private dinner held last week among the EU ambassadors of several northern European countries...

Official: Syria debating full military mobilization
President Bashar al-Assad of Syria held a meeting today with his regime’s army leadership to discuss the possibility of a full general military mobilization to face the prospect of war with Turkey, according to a senior Syrian official speaking to WND. The official said no decision has been taken about whether to mobilize all branches or to call up the reserves, citing an argument at the meeting that Syria doesn’t want to be seen as taking the first major step toward war.

Merkel lands in Greece for first visit since start of euro crisis
She was met by the Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras, whose government is looking to pass another round of cuts worth some 13 billion euros in order to secure the latest installment of bailout aid. There is much anger in the country after years of recession, and hostility at austerity measures for which many people blame international creditors, and in particular the German government.

GEOMAGNETIC STORMS CONTINUE:
A geomagnetic storm is in progress as Earth passes through the wake of a CME that arrived on Oct. 8th. Reports of auroras are coming in from across Canada and all the northern-tier US states.

Al-Maliki eyes $5 billion defense deal with Russia
Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki set off for Moscow yesterday to sign a $5 billion contract for the sale of weapons including fighter jets, helicopters, anti-aircraft missile systems and armored vehicles to Baghdad, according to a Russian newspaper. If the deal takes place, Iraq will be among five largest importers of Russian arms, according to Pravda.

North Korea warns US on missiles after South deal
North Korea says it has missiles that can hit the US mainland, in a statement two days after South Korea unveiled a missile deal with the US. The statement said US bases in "Japan, Guam and the US mainland" were within its "scope of strike". It follows Seoul's announcement on Sunday that it would almost triple the range of its own missile system.

Swiss Army is preparing for unrest in Europe
Switzerland is expected because of the euro crisis with violent unrest in Europe and will therefore strengthen the defense at the borders.

Nigeria army 'opens fire on civilians' in Maiduguri
Nigerian troops have opened fire and burned buildings in the north-eastern city of Maiduguri, reportedly killing 30 civilians. The shootings came after a bomb blast targeting the army had injured two soldiers. But army spokesman Lt Col Sagir Musa told the BBC that soldiers had not shot any civilians.

Egypt's President Mursi pardons 'revolutionaries'
Egypt's President, Mohammed Mursi, has pardoned all those arrested since the beginning of last year's popular uprising that ousted Hosni Mubarak. A post on the president's official Facebook page announced an amnesty for crimes and misdemeanours committed "in support of the revolution". The decree could lead to the release of several thousand people.

IMF sees 'alarmingly high' risk of fresh global slump
“Risks for recession in the advanced economies are alarmingly high,” said the Fund’s latest World Economic Outlook. “The intensity of the euro area crisis has not abated as assumed in previous projections.”

Mitt Romney: US foreign policy 'must change course'
Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has called for a "change of course" in the Middle East, criticising US President Obama on foreign policy. Speaking in Virginia, he lambasted the White House over an attack in Libya that killed the US ambassador. He said he would put Iran "on notice" over its nuclear plans, and called for arms to go to Syrian rebels.

Earth's outer layers may be spinning over molten core
At various times in Earth's history, the planet's solid exterior — its crust and mantle layers — has apparently drifted over the planet's spinning core. To picture this, imagine that a peach's flesh somehow became detached from a peach's pit and was free to move about over it.

Eurozone gives Greece 10-day ultimatum
Eurozone finance ministers have given Greece 10 days to implement budget cuts in return for a delayed bailout tranche. "We stressed that before the next disbursement Greece clearly and credibly should demonstrate its commitment to fully implement the programme ... by the 18 October at the latest," said Jean-Claude Juncker, chair of the eurozone finance ministers, on Monday (8 October).

UAE: Gulf must tackle Muslim Brotherhood threat
Gulf Arab countries should work together to stop Islamist group the Muslim Brotherhood plotting to undermine governments in the region, the United Arab Emirates' foreign minister said on Monday.

Obama announces César Chávez monument
Obama traveled to Southern California on Monday to announce the establishment of a national monument to the Mexican-American union organizer César Chávez, while offering Hispanic voters a subtle nudge less than a month before Election Day.

Obama camp soliciting donations from China, Vietnam, other countries
According to a 109-page report released Monday by the Government Accountability Institute (GAI), the Obama campaign has solicited donations from a number of foreign nations, including China, Vietnam and Azerbaijan. "Using a collection of online research tools, the Government Accountability Institute analyzed a portion of the foreign links that lead to the Obama campaign website, my.barackobama.com," the report said. "The Institute found a wide variety of instances in which apparent foreign nationals either received solicitation emails or posted links to my.barackobama.com."

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Magnitude-5.3 earthquake shakes Costa Rica
The U.S. Geological Survey says the quake occurred at 6:19 a.m. (8:19 EST; 12:19 GMT) and was centered eight miles (14 kilometers) north-northeast of the town of Nicoya. The epicenter was about 22 miles (35 kilometers) below the surface.

Putin seeks to expand energy and military ties with Iraq, reviving Soviet-era relationship
Russia's President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday pushed for closer energy and military co-operation with Iraq, seeking to rebuild ties that withered after Saddam Hussein's downfall and the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq.

Panetta: US sends forces to Jordan
The United States has sent military troops to the Jordan-Syria border to bolster that country's military capabilities in the event that violence escalates along its border with Syria, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said Wednesday. Speaking at a NATO conference of defense ministers in Brussels, Panetta said the U.S. has been working with Jordan to monitor chemical and biological weapons sites in Syria'

Ignoring threats, Jordanian sworn in as Israel envoy
The new Jordanian ambassador to Israel, Walid Obeidat, was sworn in Monday before King Abdullah after rejecting threats from his powerful clan not to accept the job. The ceremony was attended by Jordanian Foreign Minister Naser Judeh. Obeidat chose to ignore his family’s threats that they would “disown” him if he agreed to serve as ambassador to Israel.

Pope Benedict XVI prays in Arabic for the first time
The Arabic blessing – the first time the language has been used at such an event – was part of a Vatican attempt to reach out more to Christians and Muslims in the Middle East.

Anti-Semitism on the Temple Mount
A young British Jewish student was reportedly accosted by Wakf officials, who demanded that he remove his yarmulke, which they said they found to be “offensive.” Rather than get into an altercation, the student chose to leave, later telling reporters that, “I have experienced anti-Semitism in England, but I never thought that in Judaism’s holiest site I would be subjugated to such discrimination.”

MP: Turkish army can reach Damascus for three hours
In the event of a war with Syria, the Turkish army will need only three hours to reach the country's capital Damascus, Turkish TV channel Beyaz TV quotes MP from the ruling Justice and Development Party Samil Tayar as saying on Wednesday. MP emphasized that Ankara is fully ready for military actions.

Russia warns against use of force against Iran
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned on Wednesday, Oct 10, that the use of force against Tehran would spell the end of the negotiating process on Iran’s nuclear program, RIA Novosti reported. “Time and again we hear threats that if there is no progress on Iran’s nuclear program only one option will remain - the use of force. We hope that will never happen,” he said.

Why Europe will always dance to Germany’s tune
Much of the crisis within the eurozone derives from the failure of its members to cooperate for the past two years or more, ever since the Greek collapse. Yet the 11, still in their deepening crisis, propose even more ambitious goals including single EU representation in foreign affairs with EU embassies, a single EU seat on the security council, eliminating Britain and France’s separate places.

Alert briefly halts flights in Israel
An unidentified flying object thought to be a foreign aircraft triggered a halt in air traffic early Wednesday at Israel's Ben-Gurion International Airport.

NATO to defend Turkey over Syria shelling
It comes as deadly fighting between Syrian rebels and government forces rages on. Around 90 people are believed to have been killed on Tuesday, according to the British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

Supreme Court Terminates Warrantless Electronic Spying Case
...as to widespread internet and phone dragnet surveillance of Americans, both administrations have declared the issue a state secret — one that would undermine national security if exposed.

Texas schools punish students who refuse to be tracked with microchips
A school district in Texas came under fire earlier this year when it announced that it would require students to wear microchip-embedded ID cards at all times. Now, students who refuse to be monitored say they are feeling the repercussions. ...Hernandez said in an interview with Salon that subjecting herself to constant monitoring through an RFID chip is like being branded with the “mark of the beast” – a reference to the Bible's apocalyptic Book of Revelations.

Almost 40 Earthquakes Hit Near Reykjavík
The epicenter of the earthquake swarm lies to the southeast of Bláfjöll. On Friday, the area was hit by a stronger earthquake of a magnitude of 3.8, ruv.is reports.

Are Businesses Quietly Preparing for a Financial Apocalypse?
As investors, we can infer quite a bit from corporations' inability (or unwillingness) to deploy their cash. For one, it indicates that business have assumed a very defensive stance. Cash, of course, is a buffer against uncertainty - the uncertainty that business slows for any reason. Management wants a healthy cash reserve with which to pay the bills and remain liquid should anything unexpected happen.

Moody's targets nearly 30 Calif. cities for downgrades
One of the nation's top credit rating agencies will review dozens of California cities for possible credit downgrades amid mounting concern over municipal bankruptcies and bond defaults.

Turkey warns Syria of stronger response over shelling
Turkey's top military commander has warned Syria that it will respond with greater force if it continues its cross-border shelling. Five Turkish civilians were killed by Syrian mortar fire last week, prompting Turkey to fire into Syria for the first time since the uprising began.

No Currencies Will Survive What Lies Ahead, But That’s OK
The Portola Group, warned about a chaotic future where, “Along the way, various currencies will become the safe haven of the day, but none will survive what lies ahead.” He also cautioned, “No amount of printing or economic growth can prevent our destiny of currency destruction and entitlement collapse.”

Mental health: Global effort sought
Experts around the globe are calling for a joint effort to tackle the world's leading cause of suffering and disability - mental health disorders. Nearly 450 million people have mental health disorders and more than three-quarters live in developing countries. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), eight in every 10 of those living in developing nations receive no treatment at all.

Europe edges closer to banking union
Brussels proposed earlier this month that the ECB take charge of supervising all banks in the euro currency zone in stages from January, as a first step towards creating a banking union under which chiefly eurozone countries would eventually jointly back their lenders.

October surprise: An oil price spike?
In effect, McNally says, past experience — the Gulf War and more recent Iraq War — has convinced oil traders and other market players whose activities move prices that the US military would quickly restore the flow of oil through the Strait of Hormuz should Iran take steps to interrupt that narrow channel, through which 17 million barrels of oil move per day, or 17 percent of all “sea-traded” oil.

Massive US-Israel air drill set for this month
The exercise, named Austere Challenge 12, was originally scheduled for last spring but was postponed due to regional tensions with Iran.

Red Cross to feed hungry Spanish people
The Spanish Red Cross has turned its focus away from war-ravaged conflict zones to help destitute people in Spain hit by EU-imposed austerity measures. "More people than you could imagine need help in our country. Support the Red Cross," its new slogan says. The charity on Wednesday (10 October) launched a food drive it hopes will ease problems among the most vulnerable Spanish residents.

Obama's ring: 'There is no god but Allah'
...the ring Obama has been wearing for more than 30 years is adorned with the first part of the Islamic declaration of faith, the Shahada: “There is no God except Allah.”

No tsunami threat from southwestern Pacific quake
A preliminary 6.4-magnitude earthquake struck 452 miles northwest of the Balleny Islands region early this morning at 2:32 a.m., but presented no tsunami threat to Hawaii, according to the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center.

Magnitude 4.5 earthquake rattles Montreal area, no reports of damage
An earthquake rattled the Montreal region early Wednesday, waking up some people but causing no injuries or serious damage. The magnitude 4.5 earthquake struck shortly after midnight and was centered about 23 miles (37 kilometers) southeast of Montreal, said Natural Resources Canada seismologist Allison Bent in Ottawa.

Officials: US Drone Kills 5 in Northwest Pakistan
Pakistani intelligence officials say a suspected U.S. missile strike has killed five people in a northwestern militant haven near the Afghan border. The officials say four missiles struck a house early Wednesday near Mir Ali town in North Waziristan. The area is home to several al-Qaida-linked and other militant groups. The three officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to talk to the media.

Turkey to use "greater force" if further Syria shelling
Turkey's military will respond with greater force if shelling from Syria continues to hit its territory, its chief of staff said on Wednesday, as clashes between the Syrian army and rebels intensified along the border. Several mortar bombs landed outside the Syrian border town of Azmarin early on Wednesday and heavy machinegun fire could be heard from the Turkish side. Plumes of smoke rose into the sky and cries of "God is greatest" rang out between the bursts of gunfire, a Reuters witness said.

Russia Walks Out of Nunn-Lugar Agreement – Paper
Moscow is to abandon participation in a decades-old program with the United States aimed at dismantling weapons of mass destruction, Russian daily Kommersant reported Wednesday. The paper reported sources in the US State Department as saying Russia is no longer interested in the Nunn-Lugar program – also known as the Cooperative Threat Reduction Program (CTR) – which dates back to the early 1990's and helped decommission scores of nuclear, biological and chemical weapons after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Malala Yousafzai: Pakistan bullet surgery 'successful'
Surgeons in Pakistan say they have removed a bullet from a 14-year-old girl who was shot in the head by Taliban gunmen in the Swat Valley. Malala Yousafzai, a campaigner for girls' rights, is reported to be in a stable condition after the operation.

China's central bank governor to skip key meeting in Japan
The governor of China's central bank has pulled out of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank meetings being held in Japan. The move comes amid an ongoing territorial dispute between the two countries.

US-Israel reportedly discussing joint ‘surgical strike’ on Iran
Israel and the US are reportedly working on a limited joint attack on Iran aimed at setting the country’s nuclear program back several years without inflaming the region, a source close to talks between the nations said.

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Romney wins in a landslide -- Las Vegas oddsmaker doubles down on prediction
Yes, you read that headline correctly. I am a Las Vegas oddsmaker (and former Libertarian vice presidential candidate) and here's why I am so boldly predicting a Romney landslide.

Pro-‘gay marriage’ ads labeled ‘con job’
The ads feature heterosexuals promoting homosexual marriage. According to an Associated Press report, one ad features a husband and wife talking "fondly" of a lesbian couple in their neighborhood; another a pastor talking "supportively" of same-sex unions; and still another a married couple wanting "fair treatment" for their lesbian daughter. But missing from the ads are ... homosexuals.

Iran a factor in early Israeli elections, says Rubin
A U.S.-born Israeli author and former politician says it was a "wise" political move by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to call for early elections in Israel.

French 'No Russian weapons' on board Syrian plane detained in Turkey
Russia is demanding an explanation from Turkey after a Syrian civilian plane en route from Moscow to Damascus with Russian citizens on board was detained by Ankara. The ministry said that Turkish authorities refused to grant Russian diplomatic staff access to 17 Russian citizens on board during the eight hours that the flight was held up because of suspicions the aircraft was carrying military equipment.

Congress sets hearing as conflicting reports cloud Benghazi terror attack
Congress, angered by reports that the State Department failed to take seriously threats by Al Qaida, plans to investigate the storming of the American consulate in Libya in which four diplomats were killed.

Turkey threatens force as ‘worst-case scenario’ to change Syrian regime
Turkey has suggested that it would invade Syria to end the regime of President Bashar Assad. For the first time, Turkey has warned of what its president termed a “worst-case scenario” in Syria. Turkish President Abdullah Gul said Ankara would continue to attack Syria to protect against shelling and other operations against Turkey.

Gunmen kill U.S. embassy employee in Yemen
Masked gunmen shot dead a Yemeni man on his way to work at the U.S. embassy in Sanaa on Thursday, a security source said, the latest in a wave of assassinations in the Arab state where Washington is battling al Qaeda militants. The attackers on a motorcycle opened fire on a car carrying Qassem Aqlan - who headed an embassy security team - in the center of Yemen's capital, the source told Reuters.

Syrian rebels capture Hizbullah fighters ‘in full combat gear’
“The 13 Hizbullah fighters, in full combat gear, were manning security and military checkpoints in the Homs countryside,” FSA spokesman Fahd Al Masri said. “They were not on a religious, tourist or family visit to the region.” Over the last two months, FSA has captured scores of Hizbullah operatives in Syria. FSA said many of the detainees had been assigned to quell Sunni rebel operations around Aleppo, Damascus and Homs.

Earthquakes in North Texas in late September were just flukes
The three earthquakes that shook North Texas late last month left many mildly rattled residents scratching their heads. North Texas is not on any major fault lines, and area residents are likely more familiar with tornadoes than other violent natural disruptions, but the two earthquakes that struck West Dallas and Irving on September 29 registered a 3.4 and 3.1 on the Richter scale, respectively. A third quake in Irving the next day registered at 2.1

American seismologist predicts an increase in seismic activity in Baku and on the Absheron peninsula
At the International Seismology Conference taking place in Baku American scientist and seismologist Robert King has informed that in Baku and Absheron peninsula it is expected an increase in seismic activity as a result of compression fracture between the Minor and the Greater Caucasus.

Fears over risk of air transmission of superbugs
The extent to which hospital superbugs are being transmitted via the air needs to be investigated, experts say. It comes after a Leeds University study has added to a growing body of evidence about the ability of bacteria to float on air currents. Researchers carried out lab tests on a bacteria associated with MRSA and found it could travel up to 3.5m (11ft).

'Brain-eating' amoeba kills 10 in Pakistan: officials
Authorities in Pakistan's largest city have launched an urgent investigation after a rare water-borne "brain-eating" amoeba killed 10 people in four months, officials said Tuesday. The water company and health officials monitoring water in Karachi, home to 18 million people, have been ordered to trace the source of the Naegleria fowleri outbreak.

Spain credit rating cut by S&P to BBB-
Ratings agency Standard & Poor's has downgraded Spain's credit rating, highlighting a deepening recession and mounting pressure on Madrid's finances. S&P cut Spanish debt from BBB+ to BBB-, one level above junk status, and warned of possible further downgrades. Spain is struggling with high debt levels and the highest rate of unemployment in the eurozone.

Amnesty: China forced evictions in 'significant rise'
Forced evictions in China have risen significantly in recent years as local officials sell off land to property developers, Amnesty International says. Many cases involve violence and harassment, in what the group called "a gross violation of human rights"....All land in China is effectively controlled by the state, and laws allow local governments to claim land for urban development projects.

Mali Islamists 'buying child soldiers, imposing Sharia'
Islamists who seized control of part of Mali are amassing money from ransoms and drug trafficking while imposing Sharia law, says a senior UN official. They are also buying child soldiers, paying families $600 (£375) per child, Ivan Simonovic said after a fact-finding visit to the country. Islamic extremists seized two-thirds of Mali in March when a military coup plunged the country into chaos.

Russia Won’t Renew Pact on Weapons With U.S.
The Russian government said Wednesday that it would not renew a hugely successful 20-year partnership with the United States to safeguard and dismantle nuclear and chemical weapons in the former Soviet Union when the program expires next spring, a potentially grave setback in the already fraying relationship between the former cold war enemies.

Islam appears to spread in Haiti, a country where Christianity and Voodoo hold sway
What's helped pull her through all the grief, she said, has been her faith, but not of the Catholic, Protestant or even Voodoo variety that have predominated in this island country. Instead, she's converted to a new religion here, Islam, and built a small neighborhood mosque out of cinderblocks and plywood, where some 60 Muslims pray daily.

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‘Holy Jihad’ is the only way to deal with Israel, says Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood chief
“The time has come for the Islamic nation to unite around one man for the sake of Jerusalem and Palestine,” Badie said. “The Jews have dominated the land, spread corruption on earth, spilled the blood of believers and in their actions profaned holy places, including their own.”

10 Day Forecast of Cutoff Low: Southern California Rocked By Thunderstorms on Thursday
Southern California is getting widespread thunderstorms as a storm system finally comes into the area that was in the forecast for 10 days. Are weather forecasts improving or what? Senior Meteorologist Kevin Martin announced on the Southern California Weather Authority Facebook Page that a cutoff low would enter Southern California between the 10th and the 11th. It has, and the viewers are stunned.

Nobel Peace Prize Goes to European Union
“Over a 70-year period, Germany and France had fought three wars. Today war between Germany and France is unthinkable,” Jagland said. “This shows how, through well-aimed efforts and by building up mutual confidence, historical enemies can become close partners.”

White House Serial Lies About Libya Extend to VP Debate
Biden made the patently false and outrageous claim that no one in the Obama administration knew that requests for extra security had been made by our Libyan ambassador, Christopher Stevens, and other members of our consulate in Benghazi. To emphasize his lie, Biden actually said it twice. The claim is absolutely false. So false in fact, that his pals at MSNBC called him out on it:

Hezbollah admits launching drone over Israel
The leader of Lebanese Shia militant movement Hezbollah has said that his group was behind the launch of a drone shot down over Israel last week. Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah told the movement's al-Manar television network that the drone was made in Iran and had flown over "sensitive sites" in Israel. Israeli fighter planes shot down the drone north of the Negev desert after it entered from the Mediterranean.

Biden Loses It
Biden’s demeanor was the story of the evening: smirking, laughing, snorting, shaking his head. The strategy seems to have been to laugh off America’s problems, since the Obama administration has done nothing to solve them.

Jordan: US forces plan shield against Syria
From the edge of a steep mountain overlooking a desert compound built into an old rock quarry, machine gunfire echoes just outside hangars where U.S. special operations forces are training Jordanian commandos. The Americans, who arrived in the kingdom a few weeks ago at the request of the Jordanians, are helping them develop techniques to protect civilians in case of a chemical attack from neighboring Syria, according to Jordanian officials.

Syria and Turkey are on the brink of all-out war
If anyone believed that Syria’s bloodshed would stay inside the country’s borders, the events of the last week should have put them right. I’m in southern Turkey, near the frontier with Syria, and this area feels like the new front line of the battle against Bashar al-Assad’s regime. Convoys of Turkish army vehicles ply the roads down to the border and, quietly, civilians are trickling away to safer areas.

Earthquake Shakes Chilean Capital
The U.S. Geological Survey says Thursday's magnitude-5.5 quake took place at 2:22 p.m. (1:22 p.m. EST; 1722 GMT) and was centered 11 miles (18 kilometers) from the city of Los Andes. As the quake hit, people in the capital fled into the streets, but there were no reports of damage.

Strong quake rocks eastern Indonesia
The magnitude 6.7 quake was centred near the south coast of Papua, 108km north of Dobo on Aru Island, the USGS said. It struck at 11.31am (AEDT). The epicentre was about 500km north of Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory and more than 1000km east of Bali, where Australians are today marking the 10th anniversary of the Bali Bombing.

US Nears Fiscal Disaster: ‘Washington Doing Nothing’
"People are never going to understand how critical this particular time in history is," said Erskine Bowles, the North Carolina businessman and co-chairman of President Barack Obama's National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform. "We have $7.7 trillion worth of economic events that are going to hit America in the gut in December, and in Washington they're doing nothing about it."

Global powers launch new push to end Iran nuclear crisis
Six global powers will launch a diplomatic drive after the US elections aimed at defusing the Iranian nuclear crisis in the next few months and avoiding the eruption of a new Middle East conflict next year.

Rev. Billy Graham Offers Prayer, Help to Mitt Romney
Evangelist Billy Graham told Mitt Romney today that he would do anything he could to help his candidacy. The two met at Graham’s North Carolina home.

Porn Industry Gets Behind Obama
The adult entertainment industry has overwhelmingly favored re-electing President Barack Obama to a second term, according to the results of a new poll by the X-rated social networking site XBIZ.net.

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‘Holy Jihad’ is the only way to deal with Israel, says Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood chief
“The time has come for the Islamic nation to unite around one man for the sake of Jerusalem and Palestine,” Badie said. “The Jews have dominated the land, spread corruption on earth, spilled the blood of believers and in their actions profaned holy places, including their own.”

10 Day Forecast of Cutoff Low: Southern California Rocked By Thunderstorms on Thursday
Southern California is getting widespread thunderstorms as a storm system finally comes into the area that was in the forecast for 10 days. Are weather forecasts improving or what? Senior Meteorologist Kevin Martin announced on the Southern California Weather Authority Facebook Page that a cutoff low would enter Southern California between the 10th and the 11th. It has, and the viewers are stunned.

Nobel Peace Prize Goes to European Union
“Over a 70-year period, Germany and France had fought three wars. Today war between Germany and France is unthinkable,” Jagland said. “This shows how, through well-aimed efforts and by building up mutual confidence, historical enemies can become close partners.”

White House Serial Lies About Libya Extend to VP Debate
Biden made the patently false and outrageous claim that no one in the Obama administration knew that requests for extra security had been made by our Libyan ambassador, Christopher Stevens, and other members of our consulate in Benghazi. To emphasize his lie, Biden actually said it twice. The claim is absolutely false. So false in fact, that his pals at MSNBC called him out on it:

Hezbollah admits launching drone over Israel
The leader of Lebanese Shia militant movement Hezbollah has said that his group was behind the launch of a drone shot down over Israel last week. Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah told the movement's al-Manar television network that the drone was made in Iran and had flown over "sensitive sites" in Israel. Israeli fighter planes shot down the drone north of the Negev desert after it entered from the Mediterranean.

Biden Loses It
Biden’s demeanor was the story of the evening: smirking, laughing, snorting, shaking his head. The strategy seems to have been to laugh off America’s problems, since the Obama administration has done nothing to solve them.

Jordan: US forces plan shield against Syria
From the edge of a steep mountain overlooking a desert compound built into an old rock quarry, machine gunfire echoes just outside hangars where U.S. special operations forces are training Jordanian commandos. The Americans, who arrived in the kingdom a few weeks ago at the request of the Jordanians, are helping them develop techniques to protect civilians in case of a chemical attack from neighboring Syria, according to Jordanian officials.

Syria and Turkey are on the brink of all-out war
If anyone believed that Syria’s bloodshed would stay inside the country’s borders, the events of the last week should have put them right. I’m in southern Turkey, near the frontier with Syria, and this area feels like the new front line of the battle against Bashar al-Assad’s regime. Convoys of Turkish army vehicles ply the roads down to the border and, quietly, civilians are trickling away to safer areas.

Earthquake Shakes Chilean Capital
The U.S. Geological Survey says Thursday's magnitude-5.5 quake took place at 2:22 p.m. (1:22 p.m. EST; 1722 GMT) and was centered 11 miles (18 kilometers) from the city of Los Andes. As the quake hit, people in the capital fled into the streets, but there were no reports of damage.

Strong quake rocks eastern Indonesia
The magnitude 6.7 quake was centred near the south coast of Papua, 108km north of Dobo on Aru Island, the USGS said. It struck at 11.31am (AEDT). The epicentre was about 500km north of Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory and more than 1000km east of Bali, where Australians are today marking the 10th anniversary of the Bali Bombing.

US Nears Fiscal Disaster: ‘Washington Doing Nothing’
"People are never going to understand how critical this particular time in history is," said Erskine Bowles, the North Carolina businessman and co-chairman of President Barack Obama's National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform. "We have $7.7 trillion worth of economic events that are going to hit America in the gut in December, and in Washington they're doing nothing about it."

Global powers launch new push to end Iran nuclear crisis
Six global powers will launch a diplomatic drive after the US elections aimed at defusing the Iranian nuclear crisis in the next few months and avoiding the eruption of a new Middle East conflict next year.

Rev. Billy Graham Offers Prayer, Help to Mitt Romney
Evangelist Billy Graham told Mitt Romney today that he would do anything he could to help his candidacy. The two met at Graham’s North Carolina home.

Porn Industry Gets Behind Obama
The adult entertainment industry has overwhelmingly favored re-electing President Barack Obama to a second term, according to the results of a new poll by the X-rated social networking site XBIZ.net.

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China's yuan hits record high amid US pressure
China's currency hit a record high against the US dollar on Friday, in what analysts said could be a response to US political pressure over claims the yuan is vastly undervalued. The upcoming US presidential election and expectations the US government will soon release its semiannual report on exchange rate policies could have prompted Beijing to guide the yuan higher, analysts said.

UN's Syria envoy Brahimi to hold talks in Turkey
The UN-Arab League envoy for Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi, is due to hold talks in Turkey, amid rising tensions between Ankara and Damascus. Mr Brahimi will hear Turkey's perspective on the raging crisis from Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu. Several days of cross-border firing followed the killing of five Turkish civilians by Syrian shelling last week.

UN adopts resolution on northern Mali
The UN Security Council has adopted a resolution paving the way for military intervention in Mali to retake the north from Islamist extremists. The resolution requests a detailed plan for such an operation from African organisations within 45 days. The UN has so far refused to endorse requests for military intervention without details of a plan.

US prepares first-strike cyber-forces
Cyber-attacks could inflict as much damage on the US as the physical attacks on 11 September 2001, the US defence secretary has warned. Leon Panetta said the country was preparing to take pre-emptive action if a serious cyber-attack was imminent. He said US intelligence showed "foreign actors" were targeting control systems for utilities, industry and transport.

'US must ignore violence to boost ME democracies'
The United States must look past the violence and extremism that has erupted after the "Arab Spring" ...and boost support for the region's young democracies..., Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Friday. Clinton, seeking to reinforce the Obama administration's Middle East policy following...last month's deadly attack on the US mission in Benghazi, Libya, said Washington cannot be deterred by "the violent acts of a small number of extremists."

Hezbollah admits launching drone over Israel
The leader of Lebanese Shia militant movement Hezbollah has said that his group was behind the launch of a drone shot down over Israel last week. Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah told the movement's al-Manar television network that the drone was made in Iran and had flown over "sensitive sites" in Israel. Israeli fighter planes shot down the drone north of the Negev desert after it entered from the Mediterranean.

War intensifies across Syria, refugee crisis deepens
Rebels battled to hold onto Syria's main north-south highway on Friday as government forces fought insurgents on several fronts across the country. The rebels captured an air defense base east of Syria's biggest city, Aleppo, and government forces unleashed air strikes and artillery bombardments on the western city of Homs, activists said.

Pakistani police make arrests in shooting of girl
Pakistani police have arrested a number of suspects in the case of a 14-year-old girl shot and wounded by the Taliban for promoting education for girls and criticizing the fundamentalist Islamic movement, officials said Friday.

Egypt's liberals, Islamists clash, 110 reported injured
Opponents and supporters of Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi clashed in Cairo on Friday in the first street violence between rival factions since the Islamist leader took office.

Pakistan suicide bomb 'kills 10'
At least 10 people have been killed in a suicide bombing attack on a market in north-west Pakistan, local security officials say. The attack took place at the central market in the town of Darra Adam Khel near the Khyber tribal area.

Romney: ‘We need to win Ohio’
Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney emphasized the importance of the battleground state of Ohio at a Friday evening rally here, telling the crowd that the state is vital for him to secure the presidency. "We need your help. We need to win Ohio," Romney said in his closing remarks. "You've got to get your friends to help us win Ohio. If we win Ohio, we take back America, we keep this country the hope of the Earth."

Drought holds steady, clouding winter crop outlook
The U.S. Drought Monitor's weekly update, showing that nearly two-thirds of the lower 48 states remained mired in some form of drought, was released the same day the federal government lowered for the fourth month in a row its projection for the size of this year's corn crop.

Al-Qaida leader urges Muslims to wage holy war against U.S., Israel
Al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahiri said a film made in the United States mocking the Prophet Mohammed showed Washington was waging a "crusader Zionist war" against Muslims and he called for more protests outside American embassies. Like in other messages released by al-Qaida's Yemeni and North African branches last month, Zawahiri praised last month's assault on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi that killed four diplomats but stopped short of claiming responsibility.

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UN peace envoy draws up plan for 3,000 strong peacekeeping force in Syria
The new peace envoy to Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi, is drawing up plans for a 3,000-strong peacekeeping force that could involve European troops in policing a future truce. Lakhdar Brahimi, the veteran Algerian diplomat who took over as joint United Nations and Arab League peace envoy last month, has spent recent weeks quietly sounding out which countries would be willing to contribute soldiers.

Netanyahu: Israel subject to increasing number of cyber attacks
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu admitted this morning that Israel is recently the target of increasing cyber attacks. Speaking at the beginning of the weekly cabinet meeting, Netanyahu said that "there is an escalation in the attempts to carry out a cyber attack on Israel's' computer infrastructures. There are daily attempts to break into Israeli systems."

Iran's defense minister touts UAV as sign of strength
Iran's defense minister, Ahmad Vahidi, said on Sunday that Hezbollah had a "natural right" to fly drones over Israel, referring to a Hezbollah drone the Israel Air Force shot down as it flew over southern Israel last Saturday. ...Hezbollah's activities had "shown the weakness of the Zionist Regime's Iron Dome," Vahidi added.

Rupert Murdoch Predicts ‘Nightmare For Israel If Obama Wins,‘ Accuses White House Of ’Still Lying About Benghazi’
News Corp. CEO Rupert Murdoch went on a bit of a Twitter tear Saturday morning, predicting a “nightmare for Israel if Obama wins” re-election and accusing the White House of “still lying about Benghazi.”

How Can A Single Christian Stay At Home On Election Day?'
Vote, and take a friend with you, for the sake of our children. That’s the plea from Dr. James Dobson of FamilyTalk radio broadcasts. In today’s Family Talk newsletter, he follows up on the request from martial arts champion, television and movie actor Chuck Norris, who with his wife, Gena, recently released a public service announcement asking Christians to vote.

Russian rights activist has fighting words over Peace Prize choice
In Russia many perceived the decision as strange and curious to say the least. Veteran human rights activist Svetlana Gannushkina, who was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for the fourth time, called the Nobel committee’s selection Friday of the European Union “absurd.”

Rebels claim downing of Syrian jet
Fighting spread through Syria on Saturday as rebels claimed to down a government jet and state media reported the killings of "terrorists." Activists said rebels shot down the plane in Aleppo province. A video distributed by activists shows men shouting "God is great" as they rush to the scene amid celebratory gunfire.

Two international troops killed in Afghanistan attacks
A suicide bomber struck an Afghan intelligence office in the country’s south Saturday, killing six people, including a member of the NATO force in the country, Afghan and international security officials said. The attacker approached the intelligence office either on foot or on a motorcycle, according to contradictory accounts by local officials. A civilian employee of the U.S.-led international force was among the dead.

Syria bans Turkey civilian flights over its territory
Turkish civilian planes are no longer allowed to fly over Syria, Damascus has said, amid growing tensions between the two neighbouring countries. The ban took effect at midnight (2100GMT) on Saturday. This comes just days after Turkey intercepted a Syrian-bound plane, claiming it carried Russian-made munitions for the Syrian army.

Israel kills Qaeda-tied leader of Gaza militant group
An Israeli air strike killed the Palestinian leader of an al Qaeda-affiliated group in the Gaza Strip on Saturday, Hamas and medical sources said. Gaza Medics said a second militant was also killed in the strike. The after-dark attack targeted the two men who were riding a motorcycle in the northern town of Jabaliya.

Tropical Storm Rafael dumps rain in east Caribbean
Tropical Storm Rafael lashed the eastern Caribbean with heavy rains, raising the threat of floods on islands around the region. The storm was centered about 95 miles (150 kilometers) east-northeast of St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands at 11 p.m. EDT Saturday. It had top sustained winds of 50 mph (85 kph) and was moving north at 14 mph (22 kph).

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Iran builds new bomber drone capable of carrying explosives
Commander of Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya Air Defense Base Brigadier General Farzad Esmaili said the country's experts have built a new unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) with bombing abilities, Press TV reported. Esmaili said the new drone, named "Hazem", is a long range aircraft which can be used in air defense operations.

‘Iran’s Gestapo' Rounds Up Christians
Iranian police, termed “Iran’s Gestapo” by a Christian news site, has arrested between 100 and 400 Christians and thrown them into prisons. Firouz Khandjani, a council member of the 'Church of Iran' house church movement, told the Christian BosNewsLife website, "We have learned that at least 100, but perhaps as many as 400 people, have been detained over the last 10 days.”

More than 100 small earthquakes shake Spanish Springs
"These things are totally unpredictable," Smith said. "It could stop today, or it could keep going at a level of very small events that no one would feel." Or they could get stronger. so far they're small - with the biggest two quakes shaking at magnitude one - but there's potential for one that really rocks Reno.

Mysterious noise surfaces in New Zealand: low hum noise baffles Wellington residents
News of the ‘Wellington hum’ has reverberated across the country with the local council inundated with calls on theories about the phenomenon. The Wellington City Council says calls have flooded in since the noise was first reported in parts of the city three days ago. The cause of the noise is still unknown but council spokesperson Clayton Anderson says there are several theories floating around.

Austrian skydiver breaks sound barrier
An Austrian daredevil leapt into the stratosphere from a balloon and safely landed, setting a record for the highest skydive and breaking the sound barrier in the process. Cheers broke out as Felix Baumgartner, 43, jumped from a fibreglass and acrylic capsule that was carried higher than 39,000 metres, or 128,000 feet, by an enormous balloon.

Next eruption could be a mega-event: scientist warns of Fuji eruption chaos
Professor To****sugu Fujii, the head of Japan's volcanic eruption prediction panel, says an eruption could cause chaos and carnage all the way to Tokyo. "Mount Fuji has been resting for 300 years now, and this is abnormal," he told Saturday AM. "It usually erupts in some form every 30 years. "So the next eruption could be a big-scale explosive eruption."

Massive uplift observed in Andean Mountains due to enlarging magma chamber
Geophysicists at University of California, San Diego (UCSD) have identified a unique phenomenon in Altiplano-Puna plateau, located in the central Andes near the borders of Bolivia, Chile and Argentina. Magma underneath the Earth’s crust is forcing the ground up in one spot, and at the same time sinking the ground around it. The result is something the researchers have described as the “sombrero uplift,” after the popular Mexican hat.

IDF ups security measures along Israel-Egypt border
The IDF is gearing to deploy a new detection and alert system along the new Israel-Egypt border fence, Ynet learned Monday. The new measures aim to boost security along 40km of the fence, especially those stretching along the volatile Dune sector, which is considered one for the most dangerous parts of the border.

Britain has alien-war weapons, says former government adviser
In an interview with MSN, Nick Pope, who worked for the Ministry of Defence for 21 years, said that while Britain doesn't have a war plan, it certainly had sophisticated enough weaponry to defend itself. Mr Pope, whose job it was to advise on the threat posed by other life forms, said that in the event of an attack he expected that we would "quickly adapt our plans for other more current war scenarios."

Food scarcity: the timebomb setting nation against nation
As the UN and Oxfam warn of the dangers ahead, expert analyst Lester Brown says time to solve the problem is running out.

UN warns of looming worldwide food crisis in 2013
World grain reserves are so dangerously low that severe weather in the United States or other food-exporting countries could trigger a major hunger crisis next year, the United Nations has warned. Failing harvests in the US, Ukraine and other countries this year have eroded reserves to their lowest level since 1974. The US, which has experienced record heatwaves and droughts in 2012, now holds in reserve a historically low 6.5% of the maize that it expects to consume in the next year, says the UN.

Tony Blair charity receives US funding
A grant to Mr Blair’s Africa Governance Initiative (AGI) was made by the US Agency for International Development (USAID), a body ultimately overseen by Hillary Clinton. One former Labour minister questioned why Mr Blair – said to have an income of around £20 million a year – needed to turn to American taxpayers to secure funding for his charity.

Another Obama Executive Order Allows Seizure of Americans’ Bank Accounts
Titled an “Executive Order from the President regarding Authorizing the Implementation of Certain Sanctions…” the order says that if an individual is declared by the president, the secretary of state, or the secretary of the treasury to be a “sanctioned person,” he (or she) will be unable to obtain access to his accounts, will be unable to process any loans (or make them), or move them to any other financial institution inside or outside the United States.

EU to impose new sanctions on Iran
EU member states are set to announce a new package of sanctions against Iran over its nuclear programme. Ahead of a meeting of foreign ministers in Luxembourg, diplomats said the measures would focus on dealings with Iran's banks, trade and gas imports. UK Foreign Secretary William Hague said they would be "a sign of our resolve... that will step up the pressure".

Philippines and Muslim rebels sign key peace plan
The Philippines has signed a framework peace plan with the country's largest Muslim rebel group, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). The deal follows lengthy negotiations aimed at ending a 40-year conflict that has cost an estimated 120,000 lives. The agreement was reached in early October after talks in Malaysia.

Monetary easing policy causes rift at IMF meeting
Christine Lagarde, IMF managing director, expressed concern about the impact of the measures on developing countries, but was quickly taken to task by Ben Bernanke, head of the US Federal Reserve. She told the closing session of the IMF and World Bank annual meetings that accommodating monetary policies could strain the capacity of emerging nations to absorb potentially large flows of capital and could lead to overheating and asset bubbles.

Ali Zidan elected Libya's new prime minister
Libya's national congress has elected a new prime minister, Ali Zidan. Mr Zidan, an independent, won 93 votes - a majority among those present. He beat a candidate favoured by the Justice and Construction party - which is linked to the Muslim Brotherhood. The president of the national assembly, announcing his victory, asked Mr Zidan to propose a cabinet within two weeks.

I.M.F. Urges Leaders to Act Decisively on Debt
In a communiqué at the end of a three-day meeting here in Tokyo, the members of the International Monetary Fund warned that global growth was slowing as the persistent debt crises in developed countries dragged down growth in emerging markets.

Egyptian forces on high alert for revenge attacks in Sinai
Egyptian security forces in the Sinai were put on high alert Monday after hard-line Islamist groups threatened to launch revenge attacks on Israel. The Palestinian Ma’an news agency reported that the attack warnings came in response to the killing of Salafi leader Hisham Al-Sa’adani in an Israeli airstrike on Gaza on Saturday.

Al-Qaeda leader calls for jihad against the US and Israel over anti-Islam film
The leader of al-Qaeda has urged Muslims to wage holy war against the United States and Israel over a film that insulted Islam’s Prophet Muhammad.

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Iran builds new bomber drone capable of carrying explosives
Commander of Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya Air Defense Base Brigadier General Farzad Esmaili said the country's experts have built a new unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) with bombing abilities, Press TV reported. Esmaili said the new drone, named "Hazem", is a long range aircraft which can be used in air defense operations.

‘Iran’s Gestapo' Rounds Up Christians
Iranian police, termed “Iran’s Gestapo” by a Christian news site, has arrested between 100 and 400 Christians and thrown them into prisons. Firouz Khandjani, a council member of the 'Church of Iran' house church movement, told the Christian BosNewsLife website, "We have learned that at least 100, but perhaps as many as 400 people, have been detained over the last 10 days.”

More than 100 small earthquakes shake Spanish Springs
"These things are totally unpredictable," Smith said. "It could stop today, or it could keep going at a level of very small events that no one would feel." Or they could get stronger. so far they're small - with the biggest two quakes shaking at magnitude one - but there's potential for one that really rocks Reno.

Mysterious noise surfaces in New Zealand: low hum noise baffles Wellington residents
News of the ‘Wellington hum’ has reverberated across the country with the local council inundated with calls on theories about the phenomenon. The Wellington City Council says calls have flooded in since the noise was first reported in parts of the city three days ago. The cause of the noise is still unknown but council spokesperson Clayton Anderson says there are several theories floating around.

Austrian skydiver breaks sound barrier
An Austrian daredevil leapt into the stratosphere from a balloon and safely landed, setting a record for the highest skydive and breaking the sound barrier in the process. Cheers broke out as Felix Baumgartner, 43, jumped from a fibreglass and acrylic capsule that was carried higher than 39,000 metres, or 128,000 feet, by an enormous balloon.

Next eruption could be a mega-event: scientist warns of Fuji eruption chaos
Professor To****sugu Fujii, the head of Japan's volcanic eruption prediction panel, says an eruption could cause chaos and carnage all the way to Tokyo. "Mount Fuji has been resting for 300 years now, and this is abnormal," he told Saturday AM. "It usually erupts in some form every 30 years. "So the next eruption could be a big-scale explosive eruption."

Massive uplift observed in Andean Mountains due to enlarging magma chamber
Geophysicists at University of California, San Diego (UCSD) have identified a unique phenomenon in Altiplano-Puna plateau, located in the central Andes near the borders of Bolivia, Chile and Argentina. Magma underneath the Earth’s crust is forcing the ground up in one spot, and at the same time sinking the ground around it. The result is something the researchers have described as the “sombrero uplift,” after the popular Mexican hat.

IDF ups security measures along Israel-Egypt border
The IDF is gearing to deploy a new detection and alert system along the new Israel-Egypt border fence, Ynet learned Monday. The new measures aim to boost security along 40km of the fence, especially those stretching along the volatile Dune sector, which is considered one for the most dangerous parts of the border.

Britain has alien-war weapons, says former government adviser
In an interview with MSN, Nick Pope, who worked for the Ministry of Defence for 21 years, said that while Britain doesn't have a war plan, it certainly had sophisticated enough weaponry to defend itself. Mr Pope, whose job it was to advise on the threat posed by other life forms, said that in the event of an attack he expected that we would "quickly adapt our plans for other more current war scenarios."

Food scarcity: the timebomb setting nation against nation
As the UN and Oxfam warn of the dangers ahead, expert analyst Lester Brown says time to solve the problem is running out.

UN warns of looming worldwide food crisis in 2013
World grain reserves are so dangerously low that severe weather in the United States or other food-exporting countries could trigger a major hunger crisis next year, the United Nations has warned. Failing harvests in the US, Ukraine and other countries this year have eroded reserves to their lowest level since 1974. The US, which has experienced record heatwaves and droughts in 2012, now holds in reserve a historically low 6.5% of the maize that it expects to consume in the next year, says the UN.

Tony Blair charity receives US funding
A grant to Mr Blair’s Africa Governance Initiative (AGI) was made by the US Agency for International Development (USAID), a body ultimately overseen by Hillary Clinton. One former Labour minister questioned why Mr Blair – said to have an income of around £20 million a year – needed to turn to American taxpayers to secure funding for his charity.

Another Obama Executive Order Allows Seizure of Americans’ Bank Accounts
Titled an “Executive Order from the President regarding Authorizing the Implementation of Certain Sanctions…” the order says that if an individual is declared by the president, the secretary of state, or the secretary of the treasury to be a “sanctioned person,” he (or she) will be unable to obtain access to his accounts, will be unable to process any loans (or make them), or move them to any other financial institution inside or outside the United States.

EU to impose new sanctions on Iran
EU member states are set to announce a new package of sanctions against Iran over its nuclear programme. Ahead of a meeting of foreign ministers in Luxembourg, diplomats said the measures would focus on dealings with Iran's banks, trade and gas imports. UK Foreign Secretary William Hague said they would be "a sign of our resolve... that will step up the pressure".

Philippines and Muslim rebels sign key peace plan
The Philippines has signed a framework peace plan with the country's largest Muslim rebel group, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). The deal follows lengthy negotiations aimed at ending a 40-year conflict that has cost an estimated 120,000 lives. The agreement was reached in early October after talks in Malaysia.

Monetary easing policy causes rift at IMF meeting
Christine Lagarde, IMF managing director, expressed concern about the impact of the measures on developing countries, but was quickly taken to task by Ben Bernanke, head of the US Federal Reserve. She told the closing session of the IMF and World Bank annual meetings that accommodating monetary policies could strain the capacity of emerging nations to absorb potentially large flows of capital and could lead to overheating and asset bubbles.

Ali Zidan elected Libya's new prime minister
Libya's national congress has elected a new prime minister, Ali Zidan. Mr Zidan, an independent, won 93 votes - a majority among those present. He beat a candidate favoured by the Justice and Construction party - which is linked to the Muslim Brotherhood. The president of the national assembly, announcing his victory, asked Mr Zidan to propose a cabinet within two weeks.

I.M.F. Urges Leaders to Act Decisively on Debt
In a communiqué at the end of a three-day meeting here in Tokyo, the members of the International Monetary Fund warned that global growth was slowing as the persistent debt crises in developed countries dragged down growth in emerging markets.

Egyptian forces on high alert for revenge attacks in Sinai
Egyptian security forces in the Sinai were put on high alert Monday after hard-line Islamist groups threatened to launch revenge attacks on Israel. The Palestinian Ma’an news agency reported that the attack warnings came in response to the killing of Salafi leader Hisham Al-Sa’adani in an Israeli airstrike on Gaza on Saturday.

Al-Qaeda leader calls for jihad against the US and Israel over anti-Islam film
The leader of al-Qaeda has urged Muslims to wage holy war against the United States and Israel over a film that insulted Islam’s Prophet Muhammad.

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Obama only 'talks the talk'
Have you heard the saying "talks the talk, but doesn't walk the walk?" Simply put it means someone talks about things, but their words do not translate into action. This exemplifies President Obama when it comes to Israel. For example, throughout his administration he has promoted the so-called two state solution. Time after time he eloquently lauds the dreams and aspirations of the Palestinian people living in their own state side by side a secure Jewish state of Israel.

Decision by Netanyahu, Barak to strike Iran is almost final — Israel TV
Channel 2 News, the country’s leading news program, devoted much of its Friday night broadcast to the issue, detailing the pros and cons that, it said, have taken Netanyahu and Barak to the brink of approving an Israeli military attack despite opposition from the Obama administration and from many Israeli security chiefs. Critically, the station’s diplomatic correspondent Udi Segal said, Israel does not believe that the US will take military action as Iran closes in on the bomb.

Meningitis outbreak expands to 15 states with Pennsylvania case
A fungal meningitis outbreak linked to contaminated steroid injections expanded to 15 states on Monday as Pennsylvania reported its first case of the disease that has killed 15 people nationwide.

Town insists cross will stay
A Michigan town is standing its ground and will not remove a bicentennial cross on city property. The cross is representative of the town's history.

Catholic bishops: Biden’s debate remark on contraception mandate not true
America’s Catholic bishops have a problem with Vice President Joe Biden’s claim that religious institutions won’t be required to pay for insurance coverage that includes contraception, sterilization and drugs that may cause abortion. The U.S. Conference of Bishops disagreed, and issued a letter on Friday taking issue with Biden’s position.

Klyuchevskoy volcano erupts in Kamchatka
The Level of Concern Colour Code has been raised to Yellow, which is a potential danger warning for aircraft. The giant volcano last erupted from September 2009 to December 2010, and it began to again wake up in June this year.

Rare Tropical Cyclone in Indian Ocean
Tropical Cyclone Anais is estimated to have a maximum wind of 115 mph as of early this morning, which is equivalent to a category 3 hurricane in the Atlantic Ocean. The southwestern Indian Ocean is prone to tropical cyclones but what makes Anais so rare is that it is occurring in October, which is early springtime in the southern Hemisphere. The peak period for tropical events in this part of the world is normally during our winter months of January-March.

Israeli parliament dissolves ahead of early election
Israel's parliament has voted to dissolve itself and to hold an early general election on 22 January. The unanimous vote followed a debate lasting more than eight hours. Last week PM Benjamin Netanyahu said he was bringing forward elections due in a year's time because parliament could not agree on a new budget.

UN Tackles Looming Global Food Crisis
On the eve of the United Nations designated World Food Day, the UN on Monday kicked off a series of meetings in Rome to try and get ahead of could be the third global food crisis in four years. "Food prices are too volatile and are dangerously high," said Olivier De Schutter, who reports to the UN on the right to food. Summer droughts in the United States and Russia caused the prices of staples like corn, wheat, and soybeans to rise sharply.

Tripoli prison suffers mass breakout
More than 100 inmates have escaped from the al-Judaida prison in the Libyan capital, Tripoli. The prisoners are said to be of various nationalities and officials say about 60 have so far been recaptured. It is not clear how the breakout happened. Al-Judaida is one of Tripoli's largest jails. Human rights groups accuse officials of abusing inmates.

Bill Maher: ‘The Planet Is Too Crowded and We Need to Promote Death’
HBO “Real Time” host Bill Maher says he’s “consistently pro-death” – and “not one of those people who thinks all life is precious.”

French business erupts in fury against "disastrous" François Hollande
“The pace of bankruptcies has accelerated over the summer. We are seeing a general loss of confidence by investors. Large foreign investors are shunning France altogether. It’s becoming really dramatic.” MEDEF, France’s equivalent of the CBI, said the threat has risen from “a storm warning to a hurricane warning”, adding that the Socialist government of François Hollande has yet to understand the “extreme gravity” of the crisis.

EU’s ‘nightmare’ crisis pushing continent into ‘lasting depression’: Soros
There is a real danger that the “nightmare” euro crisis could destroy the European Union and Germany should either step up to fix it or step out of the currency union altogether, fund manager George Soros said on Monday. The crisis “is having tremendous impact in the state of affairs, it is pushing the EU into a lasting depression, and it is entirely self-created,” said Soros, Chairman of Soros Fund Management.

U.S. to Help Create an Elite Libyan Force to Combat Islamic Extremists
The Pentagon and State Department are speeding up efforts to help the Libyan government create a commando force to combat Islamic extremists like the ones who killed the American ambassador in Libya last month and to help counter the country’s fractious militias, according to internal government documents.

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Threats to Assassinate Romney Explode After Debate
Despite numerous media outlets attempting to downplay the issue, Twitter exploded last night following the debate with new threats from Obama supporters to assassinate Mitt Romney if he defeats Obama in the presidential race. As we reported yesterday, in addition to threats by Obama supporters to riot if Romney wins, innumerable Twitter users are also making direct death threats against Romney. The primary reason given for Obama supporters wanting to see Romney dead is the fear that he will take away food stamps.

Watching the Watchers: The Launch of BBC Watch
Fans of CiF Watch – a blog which monitors the Guardian and its blog ‘Comment is Free’ for antisemitism and the assault on Israel’s legitimacy – often asked why British media institutions other than the Guardian aren’t also similarly monitored – a query to which we have not had an answer. Until now. Recognizing the importance of the BBC in shaping world-wide opinion, a new site, BBC Watch, has been launched which will monitor BBC coverage of Israel and the Middle East.

Jewish Groups Call for Summit with Christian Organizations
National Jewish organizations are calling for a senior leadership meeting with Christian organizations to confront differences engendered by a Christian letter to the U.S. Congress regarding Israel that has prompted a new crisis in interreligious relations.-Members of the Jewish organizations were profoundly disturbed by divestment and other anti-Israel actions. Members of the Christian organizations were frustrated by a lack of progress toward a two-state solution.

New Type of Cosmic Ray Discovered After 100 Years
Using the European X-ray astronomy satellite XMM-Newton(1), researchers from CNRS(2) and CEA (3) have discovered a new source of cosmic rays. In the vicinity of the remarkable Arches cluster, near the center of the Milky Way, these particles are accelerated in the shock wave generated by tens of thousands of young stars moving at a speed of around 700,000 km/h. These cosmic rays produce a characteristic X-ray emission by interacting with the atoms in the surrounding gas. Their origin differs from that of the cosmic rays discovered exactly a hundred years ago by Victor Hess, which originate in the explosions of supernovae.

Chinese view US less positively - Pew survey
Chinese views on US-China relations have declined sharply in the last two years, a new study has found. Only 39% of people said they would call the relationship co-operative, down from 68% in 2010, a Pew report said. The number of people who described US-China ties as hostile was up to 26% from 8% two years earlier.

Global cyber war: New Flame-linked malware detected
A new cyber espionage program linked to the notorious Flame and Gauss malware has been detected by Russia's Kaspersky Lab. The anti-virus giant’s chief warns that global cyber warfare is in “full swing” and will probably escalate in 2013.

5.5 earthquake hits near Taupo
The quake struck at 12:42pm, and was centred 10 km north-east of Taupo at a depth of 108km. GNS Science data centre manager Kevin Fenaughty said the quake was unlikely to be damaging, but was widely felt on the East Coast. "Generally the East Coast feels them stronger than directly above where it occurred because the shaking energy is transferred more effectively up the plate boundary to the east." The East Coast of the North Island is situated where the Pacific and Australian tectonic plates intersect.

6.0-magnitude quake hits eastern Indonesia
Jakarta: An earthquake measuring 6.0 on the Richter scale jolted off North Sulawesi province in eastern Indonesia on Wednesday but neither tsunami alert was triggered nor casualties or damages were reported.

An extremely brief reversal of the geomagnetic field, climate variability and a super volcano
Besides giving evidence for a geomagnetic field reversal 41,000 years ago, the geoscientists from Potsdam discovered numerous abrupt climate changes during the last ice age in the analysed cores from the Black Sea, as it was already known from the Greenland ice cores. This ultimately allowed a high precision synchronisation of the two data records from the Black Sea and Greenland. The largest volcanic eruption on the Northern hemisphere in the past 100 000 years, namely the eruption of the super volcano 39400 years ago in the area of today's Phlegraean Fields near Naples, Italy, is also documented within the studied sediments from the Black Sea.

CDC says another 19 people diagnosed with meningitis in U.S. outbreak
The CDC said there were two additional cases of infection in joints after a steroid injection but these were not confirmed as meningitis, bringing the total of infections nationwide to 233. The death toll from the unprecedented outbreak was unchanged at 15, the CDC said. The new cases were in Tennessee (6), Florida (2), Indiana (2), Maryland (1), Michigan (1), New Hampshire (2), New Jersey (2), Ohio (2), and Virginia (1).

Secret Service director suspected of lying to Congress about prostitution scandal
An investigation for the agency that oversees the U.S. Secret Service suggests Director Mark Sullivan lied during his congressional testimony in the Colombia prostitution scandal that ensnared 13 of his agents, multiple law enforcement officials and congressional sources tell FoxNews.com.

The American and British Governments Knew – Down to the Day – of the Coming Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor … And Let It Happen to Justify American En
The White House apparently had – a year before Pearl Harbor – launched an 8-point plan to provoke Japan into war against the U.S. (including, for example, an oil embargo). The rationale for this provocation is that the U.S. wanted to aid its allies in fighting the Nazis and other axis powers, and decided that an attack by Japan would be the most advantageous justification for the U.S. to enter WWII.

Germany shocks EU with fiscal overlord demand
There must be an EU “currency commissioner” with sweeping powers to strike down national budgets; a “large step towards fiscal union”; and yet another EU treaty. Finance minister Wolfgang Schaeuble dropped his bombshell in talks with German journalists on a flight from Asia, and apparently had the blessing of Angela Merkel, the chancellor.

Afghan troops hurt in car bomb at Nato-Afghan Paktia base
At least 45 Afghan troops have been injured by a suicide car bomb attack at an Afghan-Nato military outpost in eastern Paktia province, say officials. The attacker reportedly detonated a vehicle packed with explosives close to gates at the Zurmat base.

Israel might intervene to prevent Syria’s chemical weapons from falling into wrong hands, PM says
Israel would consider a military option against Syria to ensure that the country’s chemical weapons do not reach the hands of extremists, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday. “Israel will do everything it takes to ensure Syria’s chemical weapons do not fall into the hands of terrorist organizations — and if such a situation arises, then Israel will weigh a military option,” Netanyahu told a group of European ambassadors in Jerusalem.

Billy Graham site removes Mormon 'cult' reference after Romney meeting
Shortly after Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney enjoyed cookies and soft drinks with the Rev. Billy Graham and his son Franklin Graham on Thursday at the elder Graham's mountaintop retreat, a reference to Mormonism as a cult was scrubbed from the website of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. In a section of the website called Billy Graham's My Answer there had been the question "What is a cult?"

Israel's Netanyahu banks on tough guy image to win early elections
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has come charging out of the gate with his reelection campaign, fashioning himself as a tough leader who is unrivaled in his ability to keep Israel safe and prosperous at a crucial time.

Earthquake in Maine rattles New England states
The earthquake that hit southern Maine Tuesday night and was felt in New England states as far away as Connecticut caused no apparent damage or injuries, but it rattled residents throughout the region. The U.S. Geological Survey said the 4.0 magnitude quake hit around 7:12 p.m. and its epicenter, about 3 miles west of Hollis Center, Maine, was about 3 miles deep. That location is about 20 miles west of Portland. The quake was first estimated to be 4.6 magnitude but was later downgraded.

Bin Laden driver's conviction reversed by U.S. court
A U.S. appeals court on Tuesday overturned the conviction of Osama bin Laden's former driver and bodyguard, Salim Hamdan, on charges of supporting terrorism, in a long-running case emerging from the American military trials at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

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Police arrest Women of the Wall leader for singing
Anat Hoffman, chairwoman of the Women of the Wall activist group, was arrested Tuesday night for disturbing the peace by singing out loud at the Western Wall. Hoffman, along with 250 women from the movement and from the Hadassah organization went to the site for a prayer service for the new Jewish month of Heshvan.

Issa threatens subpoena this week over ObamaCare documents
Issa, the chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, made his demands in a letter late Wednesday to Health Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. His office effectively is accusing the department of stringing them along in their months-old request for documents about an $8 billion program that pays bonuses to Medicare Advantage plans. "Your staff has run out of excuses and the long delay in providing these documents is inexcusable," Issa wrote, in the letter obtained by FoxNews.com.

Kilauea Volcano lava lake reaches highest level
Kilauea Volcano has been putting on quite a show lately… as the lava lake within the Halemaumau Crater has reached its highest level since the summit eruption began in 2008. The lava lake at Kīlauea’s summit was only about 150 feet below the floor of Halemaʻumaʻu crater on Sunday — the highest it has reached, according to the scientists of the USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory.

A third quake rattles Dominican Republic’s south region
4.7 magnitude quake rattled the Central Mountain towns of Padre las Casas and Constanza Tuesday night, panicking residents. It’s the third moderate tremor in as many days in the country’s south-central region, felt in several towns in the area.

An extremely brief reversal of the geomagnetic field, climate variability and a super volcano
What is remarkable is the speed of the reversal: "The field geometry of reversed polarity, with field lines pointing into the opposite direction when compared to today's configuration, lasted for only about 440 years, and it was associated with a field strength that was only one quarter of today's field," explains Norbert Nowaczyk. "The actual polarity changes lasted only 250 years. In terms of geological time scales, that is very fast." During this period, the field was even weaker, with only 5% of today's field strength. As a consequence, the Earth nearly completely lost its protection shield against hard cosmic rays, leading to a significantly increased radiation exposure.

Tropical cyclones are occurring more frequently than before
"I found that there were monitoring stations along the Eastern Seaboard of the United States where they had recorded the daily tide levels all the way back to 1923. "I have looked at every time there was a rapid change in sea level and I could see that there was a close correlation between sudden changes in sea level and historical accounts of tropical storms," explains Aslak Grinsted.

Hollande: Europe is close to ending crisis
Francois Hollande said that leaders at the June summit had made the “right decisions”, including planning a banking union, but he said it was now their “duty to apply them rapidly”. He added: “The worst – in the sense of the fear the eurozone would break up – is over. But the best is not here yet. It’s up to us to build it.”

Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad calls for ceasefire in Syria
However, he rejects a Turkish proposal to replace President Bashar al-Assad, Kuwait's press reported on Thursday. "The continuity of the fighting and the killing of innocent and unarmed Syrian citizens ... is unacceptable. A ceasefire must be achieved and then a dialogue started," said Ahmadinejad, cited by the daily Al-Anbaa newspaper.

Fear of Impending Economic Collapse Or Just Manipulation?
Much like the CEOs of the BRT, these analysts didn’t see the financial crisis coming. And when jobs evaporated to the tune of 400,000 to 800,000 a month, the hiring index at best tracked those job losses, and often lagged them. And the “hiring plans index” lagged those job losses by six months. It’s as if these analysts had been reading old papers to figure out what would happen next.

Revolutionary Guard commander: Israel will be destroyed if Iran is attacked
Israel will "definitely" face fierce retaliation if it attacks Iranian nuclear sites, the acting commander of Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guard warned Thursday. The remarks by Gen. Hossein Salami appear to be part of Iranian efforts to portray any strike against it as the trigger for a regional conflict that could draw in Iranian proxies, such as Lebanon's militant Hezbollah group, on Israel's borders.

Alleged plot to blow up federal reserve foiled by FBI in New York
The Federal Bureau of Investigation on Wednesday arrested a person suspected of plotting to explode a bomb in New York, a source familiar with the situation said. The person was arrested in lower Manhattan on Wednesday morning on terrorism charges, a person familiar with the matter said. The person asked not to be identified because the case was not public. The public was never in danger, the source said.

Global Food Reserves Have Reached Their Lowest Level In Almost 40 Years
For six of the last eleven years the world has consumed more food than it has produced. This year, drought in the United States and elsewhere has put even more pressure on global food supplies than usual. As a result, global food reserves have reached their lowest level in almost 40 years.

Ice Age Magnetic Reversal Was Global Event And Linked With Super Volcano Eruption And Rapid Climate Variability, Says New Research
There was already localized evidence of polarity reversals during this time, but with the new research, the theory that it was a global event is now strongly supported. And very interestingly, it is one that nearly coincided with the very fast, short-term climate variability of the last ice age and the largest volcanic eruption in the northern hemisphere during the last 100,000 years.

Syria crisis: 28,000 disappeared, say rights groups
Human rights groups working in Syria say at least 28,000 people have disappeared after being abducted by soldiers or militia. They say they have the names of 18,000 people missing since anti-government protests began 18 months ago and know of another 10,000 cases. Online activist group Avaaz says "nobody is safe" from a deliberate government campaign of terror.

3 spots seem to have most potential for volcanic activity in Yellowstone
The faults are near the western rim of the caldera south of West Yellowstone, one in the central region extending south from Norris to about Grant Village, and the third near the northeastern edge of the ancient volcano’s rim extending from about Canyon Village south past Lake.

China's economy slows but data hints at rebound
China's economy has slowed for a seventh quarter as problems in Europe and the US hurt demand for its goods. The annual rate of growth was 7.4% in the third quarter, down from 7.6% in the previous three months. However, there were signs that the world's second-biggest economy was now stabilising and rebounding.

Largest US-Israel missile defense drill to kick off
US military forces have begun arriving in Israel to take part in the largest joint missile defense exercise of its kind, which will begin next week. One thousand American soldiers will arrive on Israeli territory and a further 2,000 US troops in Europe and the United States will take part via remote defense computing systems.

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Putin’s New ‘Fortress Russia’
Moscow is cozying up to China, supporting the Assad regime in Syria and ignoring the Iranian nuclear race. The Kremlin is hard at work to create a sphere of influence along its periphery and a “pole” in the multipolar world that would stand up to Washington.-Putin is implementing a “Fortress Russia” policy, which is based on repression at home and confrontation abroad. It is used to justify a $700 billion military buildup.

A place for Jews on the Temple Mount
The state of affairs on the Temple Mount is intolerable and untenable.-A way must be found to enable Jews to exercise their right to commune with their Maker, without further stoking hatred and intolerance. In fact, there is a simple and very practical solution to this predicament: build a synagogue on the Temple Mount where Jews would be free to pray as they wish.

"#UnBonJuif": Twitter deluged with French antisemitism
Jewish and anti-racist organisations in France have threatened to sue dozens of Twitter users for posting antisemitic jokes and statements on the site using the hashtag #UnBonJuif (“a good Jew”). Many tweets mocked the Holocaust, said “a good Jew is a dead Jew” or contained other racist statements which are illegal under French law.-Antisemitic violence has grown in France by 45 per cent in the first eight months of 2012.

Car bomb causes massive blast in Beirut
Lebanon's state-run news agency says a massive blast in east Beirut was caused by a car bomb and that there are casualties. An Associated Press reporter at the scene saw bloodied people being helped into ambulances and heavy damage to what appeared to be residential buildings in the mostly Christian Achrafieh neighborhood.

Small earthquake rattles western Nebraska
The U.S. Geological Survey says a magnitude 3.6 earthquake happened at 11:21 p.m. Wednesday. It was centered about 18 miles northwest of Hyannis (heye-AN'-us). Grant County Sheriff Shawn Hebbert told The Omaha-World Herald (http://bit.ly/Rbu3zF ) that some people felt the quake, saying it woke them up. The sheriff says he didn't feel a thing.

East China Sea tension: China conducts naval exercises
China is conducting naval exercises in the East China Sea, state media report, amid heightened tensions with Japan over islands both claim. The exercises are aimed at "sharpening response to emergencies in missions to safeguard territorial sovereignty", state-run Xinhua news agency said. They involve 11 ships and eight aircraft, including vessels from marine surveillance and fisheries agencies.

EU leaders agree to one banking overseer
EU leaders agreed to create a single banking overseer for the eurozone that could aid ailing banks, but Germany and Britain balked at some details. The 27 EU heads of state and government agreed "on a political framework for the end of 2012 and a gradual implementation in 2013" of a new EU single supervisory mechanism, European Commission spokesman Olivier Bailly said after the first day of a two-day EU leaders' summit on resolving the eurozone debt crisis. The commission is the EU's executive body.

Moderate earthquake rattles Egypt, felt in Israel
5.0-magnitude quake comes two days ahead of Israel’s large-scale preparedness drill..

Assad launches new wave of air raids, pounding key Syrian town
Syrian regime warplanes launched a new wave of strikes Thursday on the northwestern town of Maaret al-Numan, seized by rebels last week, an AFP correspondent reported. Fighter jets began overflying and bombarding Maaret al-Numan, located on the main Damascus-Aleppo highway, in the early hours of the morning, targeting the strategic town and its periphery.

Spain banks’ worst-case scenario turning real
Bad loans as a proportion of total lending jumped to a record 10.5% in August from a restated 10.1% in July as 9.3-billion euros (US$12.2-billion) of loans were newly classified as being in default, according to data published by the Bank of Spain on its website Thursday. The ratio has climbed for 17 straight months from 0.72% in December 2006, before Spain’s property boom turned to bust.

Despite Manipulation, Swiss Gold To Become Money
There is an incredible amount of intervention and manipulation (in the gold and silver markets). I know you’ve had these superb interviews with the ‘London Trader,’ but just looking at the screen, at every important level, the gold and silver prices are being attacked and there is selling taking place.”

More Believe In Space Aliens Than In God According To U.K. Survey
More than 33 million U.K. citizens believe in extraterrestrial life, compared to just over 27 million -- less than half the country -- who believe in God. That's the result of an online survey of 1,359 adults who were asked a variety of questions ranging from belief in alien visits to Earth, suspicions of UFO cover-ups, belief in extraterrestrials vs. belief in God, and whether or not men actually landed on the moon.

Gallup study: Only 3.4 percent of US adults are LGBT
A new Gallup survey, touted as the largest of its kind, estimates that 3.4 percent of American adults identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender. The findings, released Thursday, were based on interviews with more than 121,000 people. Gallup said it is the largest study ever aimed at calculating the nation's LGBT population.

Romney leads by seven in latest Gallup tracking
Mitt Romney leads President Obama by seven points with a majority of the vote, according to Gallup’s latest tracking poll. The poll puts Romney at 52 percent, ahead of Obama who is at 45 percent.

Tornadoes, severe storms swat Southeast; 7 hurt
At least four tornadoes were part of the storm system that raked northern and central Mississippi on Wednesday night and Thursday morning, injuring at least seven people, the National Weather Service said. The biggest of the four storms was a twister that traveled 16 miles through several counties east of Jackson. With a half-mile-wide damage path, it was rated EF-3 on the Fujita scale, with peak winds estimated at 140 mph, the weather service said. That storm blew down trees as well as three electrical transmission towers.

Clashes erupt at Greek anti-austerity protests
Greek police clashed with anti-austerity protesters hurling stones and petrol bombs on the day of a general strike that brought much of the near-bankrupt country to a standstill. In the second major walkout in three weeks on Thursday, almost 40,000 protesters marched in Athens in a bid to show EU leaders meeting in Brussels that new wage and pension cuts will only worsen their plight after five years of recession.

Afghan roadside bomb kills 18 wedding guests
A massive roadside bomb has killed at least 18 people on their way to a wedding in northern Afghanistan. At least 15 others have been wounded in what a BBC correspondent called one of the worst such attacks in the country for some time.

EU summit: Compromise deal on eurozone bank supervisor
EU leaders have agreed to set up a single eurozone banking supervisor - a major step towards a banking union. A legislative framework is to be in place by 1 January next year, with the body starting work later in 2013.

Yemen soldiers killed in attack on south military base
At least nine soldiers have been killed in an attack by suspected al-Qaeda militants on a military base in southern Yemen, military officials say. The attackers drove a vehicle into the base in Shuqra, Abyan province, before blowing it up. One official said they travelled in a military vehicle and passed through several checkpoints to reach the camp.


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Egyptians turning toward Iran, want nuclear weapons
A poll of Egyptians conducted last month shows that they have increasingly positive views of Iran, believe that both Iran and Egypt should obtain nuclear weapons, and still trust their own military more than any other institution in Egypt. The poll of 812 Egyptians, half of them women, was conducted in a series of in-person interviews by the firm Greenberg Quinlan Rosner and sponsored by the Israel Project...

Is Obama Buying the Election With His Welfare Explosion?
With the unprecedented budget explosion of means-tested, welfare-related entitlements, does Team Obama think it can buy the election. It’s a cynical question. But I wouldn't put it past that cynical bunch. Remember Harry Hopkins, Franklin Roosevelt’s close aid? It was Hopkins who argued tax and tax, spend and spend, elect and elect. Sound familiar? And if I’m not mistaken, the high-tax, anti-rich, big-spending, redistributionist FDR is one of President Barack Obama’s idols.

Pakistani girl shot by Taliban "doing well"
A Pakistani girl shot in the head by Taliban gunmen is "not out of the woods" but is doing well and has been able to stand for the first time, doctors at the British hospital treating her said on Friday. Malala Yousufzai, who was shot for vocally opposing the Taliban, was flown from Pakistan to Birmingham to receive treatment after the attack earlier this month, which drew widespread international condemnation.

Defense wants 9/11 trial televised globally from Guantanamo
The death penalty trial of five Guantanamo prisoners accused of plotting the September 11 attacks is so important that it should be televised to the public, defense lawyers argued on Friday. The issue was discussed on the final day of a week-long pretrial hearing for the alleged mastermind of the hijacked plane attacks, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, and four co-defendants accused of providing money, training and travel assistance to the hijackers.

Palestinians vote in West Bank local elections
Local elections are being held in the West Bank, the first Palestinian polls in more than six years. The elections have repeatedly been delayed, and Hamas, the Islamist group that holds power in the Gaza Strip, is boycotting them.

Syria blamed for Lebanon car bomb
Anti-Syrian politicians in Lebanon have accused Damascus of being behind a powerful car bomb that killed the head of Lebanon's internal intelligence. Opposition leader Saad Hariri and Druze leader Walid Jumblatt both said Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was behind the bombing in Beirut. A Syrian minister condemned the blast. Mr Hariri's coalition called on the government to resign. Friday's blast left eight people dead and wounded dozens.

Romney slams Obama’s ‘incredible shrinking campaign’
Mitt Romney accused President Barack Obama of running a campaign based on "petty attacks" and "silly word games" and accused his rival of having "no agenda" for the future.

NKorea threatens to attack SKorea over leaflets
North Korea's military has threatened to strike a South Korean border area where anti-Pyongyang activists plan to launch leaflets from balloons next week. South Korea immediately vowed to retaliate if attacked. North Korea has made similar threats without following through. Its vow on Friday came a day after South Korean President Lee Myung-bak warned against provocation as he made a surprise visit to a front-line island shelled by North Korea in 2010.

3 bank failures bring US 2012 total to 46
Regulators on Friday closed two small banks in Florida and one in Missouri, bringing to 46 the number of U.S. bank failures this year. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. seized GulfSouth Private Bank and First East Side Savings Bank, both in Florida. Regulators also shuttered Excel Bank in Missouri.

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Protesters try to storm Lebanese government HQ
Lebanese soldiers have fired machine guns and rifles into the air and lobbed volleys of tear gas at hundreds of angry protests who are trying to storm the Lebanese government headquarters in Beirut. The chaotic scene in Lebanon's capital on Sunday comes in the midst of a funeral for a top intelligence official who was killed in a massive car bombing that many blame on the regime in neighboring Syria.

Putin flexes muscle in big test of Russia's nuclear arsenal
President Vladimir Putin took a leading role in the latest tests of Russia's strategic nuclear arsenal, the most comprehensive since the 1991 Soviet collapse, the Kremlin said on Saturday. The exercises, held mostly on Friday, featured prominently in news reports on state television which seemed aimed to show Russians and the world that Putin is the hands-on chief of a resurgent power.

Taliban deny their bombs cause most Afghan deaths
The Taliban dismissed on Sunday a U.N. report that roadside bombs are causing most civilian casualties in Afghanistan as "Western propaganda." Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid claimed that the insurgents only use the weapons to target foreign troops and the Afghan security forces.

Estelle intercepted: Israel navy stops Gaza-bound boat
The Israeli navy has intercepted a boat of pro-Palestinian activists trying to break the blockade of the Gaza Strip. The Finnish-flagged Estelle left Naples on 7 October with some 30 people of eight different nationalities aboard. The boat was boarded 30 nautical miles off the coast of Gaza, activists said, before being taken to the Israeli port of Ashdod.

Attacks Tied to Islamist Sect Kill at Least 30 in Nigeria
Gunmen killed seven people in the northeastern city of Potiskum on Saturday, raising the death toll to at least 30 during three days of violence, the police and residents said.

UK: Anti-austerity marches take place
Tens of thousands of people have marched in protest at the government's austerity measures. Labour leader Ed Miliband, among dozens of speakers who addressed crowds at the biggest march in London, received a mixed reaction. Other rallies took place in Glasgow and Belfast.

U.S. stance on marijuana unchanged by legalization votes: official
A top Justice Department official has told "60 Minutes" the federal government is ready to combat any "dangers" of state-sanctioned recreational pot, amid criticism of the Obama administration for its relative silence on legalization drives in three states. Voters in Colorado, Washington state and Oregon are set to vote on November 6 on whether to legalize and tax marijuana sales, raising the possibility of a showdown with the federal government, which views pot as an illegal narcotic.

Confusion in Libya over fate of former Gaddafi spokesman
Libyan militias captured Muammar Gaddafi's chief spokesman on Saturday, the government said, but an audio clip posted on Facebook purporting to be the voice of Moussa Ibrahim denied his capture. There was no independent verification of the authenticity or timing of the Facebook post, dated October 20, a year to the day after the dictator's death.

FM on Israel's red line: We won't negotiate over Jerusalem
Liberman slams EU for its condemnation of construction plan in Gilo, says neighborhood is "integral part of city with a homogeneously Jewish population", attacks Yacimovich for pushing "Cuban, N. Korean agenda."

Iran oil tankers sail under Zanzibar flag to bypass sanctions
Iranian oil tankers are sailing under the Tanzania-Zanzibar flag in order to bypass the international economic sanctions, Bloomberg reported on Friday. According to data compiled by a unit of Englewood, Colorado-based HIS, a company that maintains a global shipping database for the United Nations’ maritime agency, the 14 ships operated by Tehran-based NITC, previously registered in the Pacific island of Tuvalu, transmitted data from Sept. 24 to Oct. 13 to show they changed their names and were flying the Tanzania-Zanzibar flag.

White House denies US, Iran agreed to 1-on-1 talks
The White House on Saturday denied a report in the New York Times that said the Obama administration had agreed to one-on-one talks with Iran on its nuclear program. National Security Council spokesman Tommy Vietor said in a statement the United States would continue to work with fellow permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany to resolve the issue.

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The Armageddon virus: Why experts fear a disease that leaps from animals to humans could devastate mankind in the next five years.
The symptoms appear suddenly with a headache, high fever, joint pain, stomach pain and vomiting. As the illness progresses, patients can develop large areas of bruising and uncontrolled bleeding. In at least 30  per cent of cases, Crimean-Congo Viral Hemorrhagic Fever is fatal. And so it proved this month when a 38-year-old garage owner from Glasgow, who had been to his brother’s wedding in Afghanistan, became the UK’s first confirmed victim of the tick-borne viral illness when he died at the high-security infectious disease unit at London’s Royal Free Hospital.

Israel PM vows to continue building in Jerusalem
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday pledged to continue unhindered construction in Jerusalem, including in its annexed eastern sector, despite criticism from the European Union. "We are not putting any limitations on building in Jerusalem, it is our capital," he said at the start of the weekly cabinet meeting. "The same way that (states) build in every capital -- London, Paris, Washington, Moscow -- Israel builds in Jerusalem," Netanyahu said. "Our bond to our capital is no less ancient and powerful."

Qatar emir to be first head of state to visit Gaza
The emir of pro-Western Qatar will become the first head of state to enter the blockaded Gaza Strip on Tuesday, in a high-profile visit breaking the isolation of the Iranian-backed Islamist movement Hamas that seized power in 2007.-Gaza and West Bank analysts say reconciliation is not on the cards. Hamas is shifting its ties away from Shi'ite Muslim Iran and wooing Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood, its true spiritual mentor, which now runs the country.

Iran will have bomb next year - France
Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius told Europe-1 radio Sunday that unspecified experts "have established in an absolutely indisputable way" that Iran has compiled a full array of centrifuges that "apparently will allow the ability to go toward possession of the nuclear weapon by the first half of next year, the end of the first half".

Putin to get 2012 Global Energy Prize
Russian President Vladimir Putin is to be awarded a 2012 Global Energy Prize for his contribution to global energy policy. The Global Energy Prize is one of the world's most respected energy awards given for contribution to energy sector, environmental protection and sustaining a steady rate of economic growth.

5.3-Magnitude Quake, Aftershocks Rattle Calif.
Nearly 6,700 people reported feeling the magnitude 5.3-quake when it struck late Saturday outside of King City, the U.S. Geological Survey said on its website. USGS geophysicist Don Blakeman said the temblor struck in a "seismically active area" near the San Andreas Fault, about 90 miles southeast of San Jose. It was followed by at least four aftershocks that were greater than magnitude 2.5.

Egyptian President Seemingly Mouths ‘Amen’ after Preacher Calls for Destruction of the Jews
The translators at MEMRI – the Middle East Media Research Institute – have posted a new video showing Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi attending Friday prayers at a mosque in the Matrouh governorate in northern Egypt. During the religious service, the Muslim cleric Futouh Abd Al-Nabi Mansour gave a sermon that included a prayer to destroy or deal harshly with the Jews, and to grant victory over the “infidels.” In the clip, it appears that Morsi is mouthing the word “Amen” after each of the cleric’s pronouncements.

Jordan 'foils major al-Qaeda plot'
Ending a four-month surveillance operation, the Jordanian intelligence service arrested 11 suspected militants with links to al-Qaeda. Government officials in Amman said that the conspirators had aimed to eclipse the bombing of three hotels in the city in 2005, an attack that claimed more than 60 lives.

IMF's epic plan to conjure away debt and dethrone bankers
So there is a magic wand after all. A revolutionary paper by the International Monetary Fund claims that one could eliminate the net public debt of the US at a stroke, and by implication do the same for Britain, Germany, Italy, or Japan.

Weird weather ahead as 'blood rain' forecast for Halloween
The weirdest weather on record continues this week - a 20C Indian summer is set to be followed by snow with 'blood rain' thrown in for good measure, the Met office says. Temperatures are set to soar this week to an unseasonably warm 20C - but the Indian summer is not set to last as snow as predicted for the end of the week.

Swarm of quakes hit Tolaga Bay
According to GeoNet, a magnitude 4.2 earthquake occurred at 1.13am. It was located around 50km east of Tolaga Bay, and had a depth of 19km. Around six minutes later, a second quake, with a magnitude of 3.8, hit 40 km east of Tolaga Bay A little later, at 1.49am GeoNet reported a 3.4 magnitude shake in the same area. And at 1.55am, a magnitude 4 quake, with a depth of 20km was reported.

Iranian regime said to be rooting for Obama
The Iranian regime seems to have a rooting interest in the upcoming U.S. presidential election, according to a review of online writers and bloggers in Iran.

Israel Disaster Drills Prepare Nation For War
A conflict with Iran looms largest in the Israeli mind at the moment. It may be triggered by a unilateral strike against Tehran's alleged nuclear weapons programme. It would be certain to provoke a counter-attack from Iran directly using long-range ballistic missiles and through its Lebanese surrogate, Hizbollah.

Iran, U.S. deny reported plan for secret one-on-one nuclear talks
The New York Times, quoting unnamed U.S. administration officials, had said on Saturday that secret exchanges between U.S. and Iranian officials had yielded an agreement “in principle” to hold one-on-one talks.

Obama campaign accepted foreign Web donation -- and may be hiding more
Chris Walker, a British citizen who lives outside London, told The Post he was able to make two $5 donations to President Obama’s campaign this month through its Web site while a similar attempt to give Mitt Romney cash was rejected. It is illegal to knowingly solicit or accept money from foreign citizens.

South Korean police ban propaganda leaflet launch to North
South Korean police banned activists from sending propaganda leaflets across the heavily militarized border into North Korea on Monday, following last week's threat of attack by Pyongyang if they went ahead.

Lebanon army calls for political 'caution' amid clashes
Lebanon's army has urged the country's political leaders to show caution when expressing their opinions, in a bid to calm "unprecedented" tensions. It comes after clashes broke out in several areas, following the killing of a senior security official on Friday. The worst clashes were in Tripoli in the north, where at least three people died as gunmen exchanged fire.

Turkey 'cracking down' on press freedom
An international media watchdog group has accused Turkey of waging "one of the world's biggest anti-press campaigns in recent history". The Committee to Protect Journalists says it has identified 61 journalists imprisoned because of their work - more than in any other country in the world. Those detained face charges including terrorism and denigrating Turkishness.

Europe's Lost Generation Costs $200 Billion A Year: Study
A lost generation of 14 million out-of-work and disengaged young Europeans is costing member states a total of €153bn (£124bn) a year – 1.2% of the EU's gross domestic product – the largest study of the young unemployed has concluded.

Israeli Air Force strikes in Gaza; 2 killed
Israeli aircraft attacked Palestinians who launched mortars toward IDF soldiers near Beit Lahiya in the northern Gaza Strip Monday morning. The soldiers were operating near the security fence separating Israel from the Hamas-ruled enclave when mortar shells were fired in their direction. The soldiers set off smoke bombs, and an Israeli pilot fired a missile at the terrorists. The pilot identified a hit.

US election debate: Candidates to spar on foreign policy
Barack Obama and Mitt Romney are set to meet in their third and final debate ahead of 6 November's presidential election - focusing on foreign policy. Libya and Iran will likely feature, as well as terrorism, a rising China and the wars in Afghanistan and Syria.

Jordan Foils 'Major Terrorist Plot'
Eleven men have been arrested by Jordanian intelligence services which accuses them of planning a "major terrorist plot," attacking shopping centers, residential buildings and foreigners, including diplomats. Jordan's state-run news agency, Petra, reported today that the plan was uncovered months ago during its early stages as the accused terrorists carried out surveillance on potential targets and armed themselves with explosives, guns and mortars.

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he 'other' presidential debate: Third-party candidates make their cases
Excluded from the mainstream presidential debates, four candidates representing third parties face off Oct. 23 in a debate, moderated by former CNN talk-show host Larry King. The forum, described by sponsors as the Free and Equal Debate, will be broadcast live by C-SPAN and livestreamed over the Internet, starting at 9 p.m. EDT.

Obama Has Massive Lead in Global Poll
It is not even close: In a world poll of the U.S. presidential race, President Barack Obama is the clear favorite over Governor Mitt Romney. By a margin of 50-9 percent, Obama is favored in the poll of 21,797 respondents in 21 countries around the world. "France was the most strongly pro-Obama (72%)," according to the BBC. The only country that would select Romney over Obama is Pakistan, though neither candidate gets more than 20 percent of the support in that country. And the country where Romney polls the highest? Kenya. But even there, Romney's support does not even eclipse the 20 percent mark.


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Sudan: Israel behind arms factory blast
An arms factory in Khartoum where there were blasts and a huge fire overnight was attacked by four military planes, a Sudanese minister said on Wednesday, blaming the air strike on Israel. Sudan, analysts say is used as an arms smuggling route to the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip via neighbouring Egypt-"Four military planes attacked the Yarmouk plant ..We believe that Israel is behind it," Information Min. Ahmed Belal Osman told reporters, "Sudan reserves the right to strike back at Israel"

BBC’s Growing Sexual Abuse Scandal Shakes Britain
Jimmy Savile was the host of a popular children’s TV show on the BBC for years. He died last year at the age of 84. The BBC program “Newsnight” was to have aired an investigation into charges that Savile sexually abused children.Members of British Parliament want to know why it was cancelled. Britain’s Culture Secretary, Maria Miller, said “very real concerns” about the public trust in the BBC have been raised.

Iraq's oil reserves have potential to reshape global energy landscape
In a major new study published last week, the International Energy Agency reconfirmed what Washington has long suspected: Iraq has the potential to reshape the global energy landscape in the years ahead, thanks to its huge untapped oil reserves. But whether Baghdad can capitalize on this opportunity is far from clear. The stakes are high—both for the global economy and the country’s future.

Turkey looks to Iran, Russia to tackle Syria crisis
Turkey is turning to regional powers Iran and Russia, backers of the Damascus regime, to help it deal with Syria's bloody civil war that has spilled across its border with deadly shelling and a flood of refugees, analysts say. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan gave the first signs last week that Ankara may be shifting the way it approaches the 19-month conflict after holding what local media called a "surprise meeting" with Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad in Baku.

State Department emails from day of Libya attack show Al Qaeda-tied group on radar
Fox News was told that an estimated 300 to 400 national security figures received these emails in real time almost as the raid was playing out and concluding. People who received these emails work directly under the nation’s top national security, military and diplomatic officials, Fox News was told.

Heading toward an irreparable rift between U.S. Jews and Protestants
As relations between Jews and mainline Protestants in the U.S. hit a 45-year low after 15 Protestant leaders sent a letter to Congress urging that aid to Israel be reconsidered.

White House told of militant claim two hours after Libya attack: emails
Officials at the White House and State Department were advised two hours after attackers assaulted the U.S. diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya, on September 11 that an Islamic militant group had claimed credit for the attack, official emails show. The emails, obtained...from government sources not connected with U.S. spy agencies or the State Department..., specifically mention that the Libyan group called Ansar al-Sharia had asserted responsibility for the attacks.

Thousands in Madrid protest 2013 budget cuts
­Cordoned off by police riot vans, the crowd outside the government headquarters in Madrid yelled slogans lambasting further austerity measures and political corruption, demanding the resignations of the deputies of both the ruling conservative Popular Party and the opposition Socialists.

Sunspot Groups Pose Threat For Earth-Directed Flares Over Next Ten Days
Solar cameras have spotted two groups that pose a developing risk of Earth-directed flares, which will have a threat to communications and the sensitive should one go off. Nothing Earth-directed has struck yet, but it is being monitored through this week for them. Both groups have developing magnetic fields that will harbor the energy from X-class solar flares.

Strongest-ever earthquake hits Quang Nam
Thousands of locals rushed out of their houses in panic after they heard loud blasts and felt the ground shaking, houses’ walls cracking, and things inside the houses falling,

Sun unleashes X-class flare from volatile sunspot
Sunspot AR1598 erupted on Oct. 23rd at 0322 UT, producing a strong X1-class solar flare.

Syrian government 'agrees to Eid al-Adha ceasefire'
The UN's envoy to Syria says President Bashar al-Assad's government has agreed to abide by a ceasefire during the Islamic holiday of Eid al-Adha. Lakhdar Brahimi told reporters in Cairo that most opposition factions had also said they would observe any ceasefire. The government said it would make its final decision on Thursday.

Mali crisis: 'Foreign fighters come to help Islamists'
Foreign fighters have arrived in a town in northern Mali, Gao's exiled mayor has told the BBC, confirming reports of an influx of jihadists to the north. Sadou Diallo said between 60 and 100 Algerians and Sahrawis had come into the town about four or five days ago. A resident in Timbuktu told the AFP news agency on Monday that Sudanese Islamists had arrived over the weekend.

Eurozone business activity hits fresh low
Business activity in the eurozone contracted at its fastest pace in almost three-and-a-half years in October, a survey suggests. The Markit Flash Eurozone Purchasing Managers' (PMI) Composite Output Index fell to 45.8, from 46.1 in September. A figure below 50 indicates contraction.

Donald Trump to reveal 'Michelle and Barack Obama's divorce papers', claims respected financial pundit
Trump set the hare running on Monday by claiming that he was set to make an announcement on Wednesday that would be ‘bordering on gigantic' and that it would ‘possibly’ change the Presidential race.

Schäuble Warns Worst Is Yet to Come
Europe's debt crisis seems to have entered a calm phase, but that's only an illusion, German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble said on Tuesday. The worst is probably still to come, he warned.

U.N. calls for 'anti-terror' Internet surveillance
A 148-page report (PDF) released today titled "The Use of the Internet for Terrorist Purposes" warns that terrorists are using social networks and other sharing sites including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Dropbox, to spread "propaganda."

Gazans fire 60 rockets, mortar shells into Israel; 5 hurt
Palestinian terrorists fired 60 rockets and mortar shells into southern Israel Wednesday morning, injuring five and sending local residents fleeing for cover. IAF strikes targeting Palestinian rocket-launching squads killed four Hamas operatives but did little to stem the flow of rockets.

Powerful quake strikes Costa Rica, no initial reports of damage
A powerful earthquake struck western Costa Rica on Tuesday, shaking buildings in the capital and sending residents running onto the streets, but there were no initial reports of damage or injuries. Inhabitants of San Jose ran out of buildings after the 6.6 magnitude quake hit, following another big quake last month. Many went back indoors soon afterward, a Reuters witness said.

The 'other' presidential debate: Third-party candidates make their cases
Excluded from the mainstream presidential debates, four candidates representing third parties face off Oct. 23 in a debate, moderated by former CNN talk-show host Larry King. The forum, described by sponsors as the Free and Equal Debate, will be broadcast live by C-SPAN and livestreamed over the Internet, starting at 9 p.m. EDT.

Obama Has Massive Lead in Global Poll
It is not even close: In a world poll of the U.S. presidential race, President Barack Obama is the clear favorite over Governor Mitt Romney. By a margin of 50-9 percent, Obama is favored in the poll of 21,797 respondents in 21 countries around the world. "France was the most strongly pro-Obama (72%)," according to the BBC. The only country that would select Romney over Obama is Pakistan, though neither candidate gets more than 20 percent of the support in that country. And the country where Romney polls the highest? Kenya. But even there, Romney's support does not even eclipse the 20 percent mark.

Hillary 'talking to famous dead American'
Did U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton communicate with the dead spirit of former first lady Eleanor Roosevelt just this week? If you believe her husband, Bill Clinton, the answer would be yes. On Wednesday, Mr. Clinton appeared in New York City at a dedication ceremony for the Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park. In his remarks, the former president said his wife “was known to commune” with Eleanor Roosevelt, who died in November 1962, and that Roosevelt gave Hillary a message for him this week. Democrats are far more in touch with the dead than Republicans, and they also visit fortunetellers more often.

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Sudan: Israel behind arms factory blast
An arms factory in Khartoum where there were blasts and a huge fire overnight was attacked by four military planes, a Sudanese minister said on Wednesday, blaming the air strike on Israel. Sudan, analysts say is used as an arms smuggling route to the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip via neighbouring Egypt-"Four military planes attacked the Yarmouk plant ..We believe that Israel is behind it," Information Min. Ahmed Belal Osman told reporters, "Sudan reserves the right to strike back at Israel"

BBC’s Growing Sexual Abuse Scandal Shakes Britain
Jimmy Savile was the host of a popular children’s TV show on the BBC for years. He died last year at the age of 84. The BBC program “Newsnight” was to have aired an investigation into charges that Savile sexually abused children.Members of British Parliament want to know why it was cancelled. Britain’s Culture Secretary, Maria Miller, said “very real concerns” about the public trust in the BBC have been raised.

Iraq's oil reserves have potential to reshape global energy landscape
In a major new study published last week, the International Energy Agency reconfirmed what Washington has long suspected: Iraq has the potential to reshape the global energy landscape in the years ahead, thanks to its huge untapped oil reserves. But whether Baghdad can capitalize on this opportunity is far from clear. The stakes are high—both for the global economy and the country’s future.

Turkey looks to Iran, Russia to tackle Syria crisis
Turkey is turning to regional powers Iran and Russia, backers of the Damascus regime, to help it deal with Syria's bloody civil war that has spilled across its border with deadly shelling and a flood of refugees, analysts say. Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan gave the first signs last week that Ankara may be shifting the way it approaches the 19-month conflict after holding what local media called a "surprise meeting" with Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad in Baku.

State Department emails from day of Libya attack show Al Qaeda-tied group on radar
Fox News was told that an estimated 300 to 400 national security figures received these emails in real time almost as the raid was playing out and concluding. People who received these emails work directly under the nation’s top national security, military and diplomatic officials, Fox News was told.

Heading toward an irreparable rift between U.S. Jews and Protestants
As relations between Jews and mainline Protestants in the U.S. hit a 45-year low after 15 Protestant leaders sent a letter to Congress urging that aid to Israel be reconsidered.

White House told of militant claim two hours after Libya attack: emails
Officials at the White House and State Department were advised two hours after attackers assaulted the U.S. diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya, on September 11 that an Islamic militant group had claimed credit for the attack, official emails show. The emails, obtained...from government sources not connected with U.S. spy agencies or the State Department..., specifically mention that the Libyan group called Ansar al-Sharia had asserted responsibility for the attacks.

Thousands in Madrid protest 2013 budget cuts
­Cordoned off by police riot vans, the crowd outside the government headquarters in Madrid yelled slogans lambasting further austerity measures and political corruption, demanding the resignations of the deputies of both the ruling conservative Popular Party and the opposition Socialists.

Sunspot Groups Pose Threat For Earth-Directed Flares Over Next Ten Days
Solar cameras have spotted two groups that pose a developing risk of Earth-directed flares, which will have a threat to communications and the sensitive should one go off. Nothing Earth-directed has struck yet, but it is being monitored through this week for them. Both groups have developing magnetic fields that will harbor the energy from X-class solar flares.

Strongest-ever earthquake hits Quang Nam
Thousands of locals rushed out of their houses in panic after they heard loud blasts and felt the ground shaking, houses’ walls cracking, and things inside the houses falling,

Sun unleashes X-class flare from volatile sunspot
Sunspot AR1598 erupted on Oct. 23rd at 0322 UT, producing a strong X1-class solar flare.

Syrian government 'agrees to Eid al-Adha ceasefire'
The UN's envoy to Syria says President Bashar al-Assad's government has agreed to abide by a ceasefire during the Islamic holiday of Eid al-Adha. Lakhdar Brahimi told reporters in Cairo that most opposition factions had also said they would observe any ceasefire. The government said it would make its final decision on Thursday.

Mali crisis: 'Foreign fighters come to help Islamists'
Foreign fighters have arrived in a town in northern Mali, Gao's exiled mayor has told the BBC, confirming reports of an influx of jihadists to the north. Sadou Diallo said between 60 and 100 Algerians and Sahrawis had come into the town about four or five days ago. A resident in Timbuktu told the AFP news agency on Monday that Sudanese Islamists had arrived over the weekend.

Eurozone business activity hits fresh low
Business activity in the eurozone contracted at its fastest pace in almost three-and-a-half years in October, a survey suggests. The Markit Flash Eurozone Purchasing Managers' (PMI) Composite Output Index fell to 45.8, from 46.1 in September. A figure below 50 indicates contraction.

Donald Trump to reveal 'Michelle and Barack Obama's divorce papers', claims respected financial pundit
Trump set the hare running on Monday by claiming that he was set to make an announcement on Wednesday that would be ‘bordering on gigantic' and that it would ‘possibly’ change the Presidential race.

Schäuble Warns Worst Is Yet to Come
Europe's debt crisis seems to have entered a calm phase, but that's only an illusion, German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schäuble said on Tuesday. The worst is probably still to come, he warned.

U.N. calls for 'anti-terror' Internet surveillance
A 148-page report (PDF) released today titled "The Use of the Internet for Terrorist Purposes" warns that terrorists are using social networks and other sharing sites including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Dropbox, to spread "propaganda."

Gazans fire 60 rockets, mortar shells into Israel; 5 hurt
Palestinian terrorists fired 60 rockets and mortar shells into southern Israel Wednesday morning, injuring five and sending local residents fleeing for cover. IAF strikes targeting Palestinian rocket-launching squads killed four Hamas operatives but did little to stem the flow of rockets.

Powerful quake strikes Costa Rica, no initial reports of damage
A powerful earthquake struck western Costa Rica on Tuesday, shaking buildings in the capital and sending residents running onto the streets, but there were no initial reports of damage or injuries. Inhabitants of San Jose ran out of buildings after the 6.6 magnitude quake hit, following another big quake last month. Many went back indoors soon afterward, a Reuters witness said.

The 'other' presidential debate: Third-party candidates make their cases
Excluded from the mainstream presidential debates, four candidates representing third parties face off Oct. 23 in a debate, moderated by former CNN talk-show host Larry King. The forum, described by sponsors as the Free and Equal Debate, will be broadcast live by C-SPAN and livestreamed over the Internet, starting at 9 p.m. EDT.

Obama Has Massive Lead in Global Poll
It is not even close: In a world poll of the U.S. presidential race, President Barack Obama is the clear favorite over Governor Mitt Romney. By a margin of 50-9 percent, Obama is favored in the poll of 21,797 respondents in 21 countries around the world. "France was the most strongly pro-Obama (72%)," according to the BBC. The only country that would select Romney over Obama is Pakistan, though neither candidate gets more than 20 percent of the support in that country. And the country where Romney polls the highest? Kenya. But even there, Romney's support does not even eclipse the 20 percent mark.

Hillary 'talking to famous dead American'
Did U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton communicate with the dead spirit of former first lady Eleanor Roosevelt just this week? If you believe her husband, Bill Clinton, the answer would be yes. On Wednesday, Mr. Clinton appeared in New York City at a dedication ceremony for the Franklin D. Roosevelt Four Freedoms Park. In his remarks, the former president said his wife “was known to commune” with Eleanor Roosevelt, who died in November 1962, and that Roosevelt gave Hillary a message for him this week. Democrats are far more in touch with the dead than Republicans, and they also visit fortunetellers more often.

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Russia tests rocket that could carry nuclear weapon
Russia successfully tested a prototype of a long-range rocket that could be armed with a nuclear weapon, the country's military announced late Wednesday, DPA reported. The test went off according to plan at a testing ground in neighbouring Kazakhstan, the military told the Interfax news agency. The prototype apparently is a the latest version of a Topol M rocket (NATO reporting name: SS-27 Sickle B).

Diplomats: Iran one step closer to nuclear bomb
Iran appears to have nearly finished installing centrifuges at its underground nuclear plant, Western diplomats say, potentially boosting its capacity to make weapons-grade uranium if it chose to do so. Iran only disclosed the existence of the Fordow plant, built inside a mountain to shield it from air strikes, in 2009 after learning that Western spy services had detected it.

Iran to conduct large-scale military exercises
The three-day large-scale military exercises involving ground forces and combat aircraft will begin in Iran on Oct. 29. The exercises will take place in Gilangerb area to the west of Kirmanshah province, Iranian news agency MEHR said today. The agency calls these exercises as "unprecedented" in scale.

UN expert: Boycott companies dealing with Israeli settlements until they meet rights standards
The U.N. special investigator on human rights in the Palestinian territories is calling for a boycott of all companies that have dealings with Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem until they adhere to international human rights standards and practices. -Falk called on Israel to begin dismantling settlements and inform businesses with links to settlements of the legal ramifications of their operations.

Conflict fears as Gaza clashes intensify
There are ominous signs that worsening clashes between Israel and the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip could touch off a new conflict as the Middle East is wracked with upheaval, a civil war in Syria and the threat of a U.S.-Iranian shootout in the Persian Gulf. This eruption of violence appears to be isolated but it's not. It's part of a very intricate gavotte between Israel and its Palestinian foes.

Chinese ships enter disputed Senkaku waters
Japan's Coast Guard said the four Chinese surveillance ships were spotted within a 12-nautical mile zone that Tokyo considers its territorial waters near one of the disputed islands in the East China Sea early Thursday morning. The ships refused to leave, saying the area was Chinese territory, according to Atsushi Takahashi, a spokesman for the Coast Guard's headquarters in Okinawa, which has jurisdiction over the islands.

Arizona to vote on taking control of Grand Canyon
Arizonans will vote next month on a ballot proposal to give the state control over the Grand Canyon – the latest move in the so-called “sagebrush revolt” in which western states are trying to reclaim federal land. The issue was put on the ballot after the proposal passed the Republican-controlled legislature. It would amend the state constitution to give Arizona sovereignty and jurisdiction over not just the Grand Canyon but all the "air, water, public lands, minerals, wildlife and other natural resources” within its boundaries.

U.S. extends $4 billion loan guarantees to Israel
The United States extended its $4 billion loan guarantees to Israel by another four years on Wednesday. U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Timothy Geithner and Doron Cohen, the director general of Israel's Finance Ministry, signed an agreement extending the loan program until 2016.

Three-person IVF trial 'success'
US scientists say a human and animal trial of a controversial new IVF treatment has yielded promising results. The findings in Nature magazine show healthy-looking embryos can be created from a mix of three adult donors. Human embryos were grown in the lab and some appeared normal, while monkeys born using the same technique remained fit and well, now aged three.

Gold now top conflict mineral in Congo: Report
"Gold is very portable, you can put it in your pocket and it is easily smuggled across the border. You don't need a large quantity to make a lot of money," said an anti-fraud agent of the border custom in Goma, who requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the subject.

Texas AG Tells Int’l Election Monitors to Butt Out, Prompting Complaint
The head of an international body that will monitor the U.S. elections next month protested to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Wednesday after Texas’ attorney-general warned that any international observer who approaches a polling station in the state risks criminal prosecution.

Gazans fire mortar shell despite informal truce
Despite a Gazan mortar shell exploding in an open field near the Eshkol Regional Council Area on Thursday morning, a tense quiet prevailed in the South as an informal cease-fire brokered by Egypt appeared to be holding. The cease-fire followed two days of intense violence which saw some eighty rockets and mortar shells fired from the Gaza Strip into the western Negev.

MAGNETIC FROTH:
Sunspot AR1598 has quieted down since unleashing an X1-class solar flare on Oct. 23rd. It might be the calm before the storm. The sunspot is still large and apparently potent.

U.N.: Truce pact reached amid questions
A tentative cease-fire pact between Syria and rebel fighters was announced Wednesday by envoy Lakhdar Brahimi amid questions about how it would be enforced. Brahimi wants the temporary truce to be in place during the Islamic Id al-Adha feast that begins Friday, The New York Times reported. The envoy, who represents both the United Nations and Arab League, said in Cairo Syria was preparing to announce the cease-fire and most rebel factions he had contacted said they would respect it as well.

Air strike on Sudan arms plant heightens Israel-Iran tensions
Warplanes bombed a Sudanese munitions factory Wednesday in Khartoum, setting off massive explosions and sending plumes of smoke roiling into the night sky. Sudan immediately blamed Israel, which was coy about whether it had launched the attack. “There is nothing,” Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak said, “I can say about this subject.”

Hybrid of Sandy, Winter Storm Threatens East Coast!
Much of the U.S. East Coast has a good chance of getting blasted by gale-force winds, flooding, heavy rain and maybe even snow early next week by an unusual hybrid of hurricane and winter storm, federal and private forecasters say. Though still projecting several days ahead of Halloween week, the computer models are spooking meteorologists. Government scientists said Wednesday the storm has a 70 percent chance of smacking the Northeast and mid-Atlantic.

Sandy's Potential U.S. Impacts and Timeline
Sandy has the potential to bring significant impacts to the U.S. East Coast through the weekend and into early next week. Let's break down the timeline for Sandy, starting with its Caribbean and Southeast U.S. impacts, then going into the potential serious threat the system poses to the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast.

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Battle mars Syria holiday cease-fire
Fighting raged near a military base in Syria's north as a cease-fire in the bloody civil war was supposed to go into effect Friday at dawn, activists said, illustrating the difficulty of enforcing even a limited truce coinciding with a Muslim holiday.

Report: UK says won't aid US strike on Iran
Britain does not consider Iran as a "clear and present threat" and will not aid the United States should it mount a preemptive strike on Tehran's nuclear facilities, The Guardian reported Friday. According to the report, the London has so fat denied a request by US diplomats to use British bases – such as in the Ascension Island in the Atlantic and Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean – to support the build-up of western forces in the Persian Gulf.

Greece turning to desperate measures as citizens face starvation due to economic collapse
The European nation of Greece appears to be sliding ever so progressively into the abyss of total collapse, as illustrated by a recent government measure aimed at feeding the growing hordes of hungry, unemployed Greeks across the nation. A report translated into English from Voz Populi explains that, under the new law, Greek merchants will now be permitted to sell expired foods at a reduced rate to the nation's poorest citizens, who are becoming increasingly unable to afford basic necessities.

God's Coming Judgment
Something that really struck me this time through the book was the emphasis throughout of God’s creatures who rejoice and acknowledge the righteousness of God’s judgment throughout the tribulation and at the second coming. There is a sense throughout Revelation that God’s judgmental intervention into history is long overdue when it finally arrives.

Saturn Storm Creates Largest and Hottest Vortex Ever Seen in Solar System
The oval-shaped maelstrom was created when two warm spots in Saturn’s roiling cloud deck merged. The subsequent storm was invisible to human eyes but shone brightly in infrared wavelengths. It was accompanied by an unprecedented temperature spike that released tons of energy, equivalent to an enormous planetary belch.

CNN Founder, Jane Fonda Ex-Husband, Cheers Military Suicides
As if anyone really needed a reminder, the man who helped found cable news is every bit as hostile to America as his traitorous ex-wife. And no the left does not support the troops. As one anti-war rally banner read, “We support the troops when they shoot their officers.” Now Ted Turner has added an addendum of his own. “We support the troops when they shoot themselves.”

Dem Caught Red-Handed Promoting Election Fraud
A high-ranking official with Congressman Jim Moran’s re-election campaign was recently caught on video encouraging an undercover reporter to forge documents in order to cast phony ballots in the upcoming Virginia election. The incident is particularly compromising for Congressman Moran, as he has been a vocal opponent of the state’s voter ID law, which is designed to protect against voter fraud.

Budget cuts push Spain jobless to 25 percent
At exactly 25 percent, Friday's official number was the highest since the Franco dictatorship ended in the mid-1970s, and gives fresh impetus to calls by labor unions for a general strike next month.

Sudan arms factory blast: Khartoum to report Israel to UN
Sudan has said it intends to complain to the UN over an explosion at an arms factory that it claims was caused by an Israeli air strike. Sudan's UN envoy Daffa-Alla Elhag Ali Osman said Israel had violated Sudanese air space three times in recent years. The Sudanese have not revealed any evidence to support their claim, and Israel has not commented.

Magnitude 5 earthquake hits s. Italy, hospital evacuated
The quake hit at 1:05 a.m. (2305 GMT on Thursday) about 6.3 km (3.9 miles) underground, north of Cosenza in the Pollino mountains area on the border of the southern regions of Calabria and Basilicata, according to data from the Italian Geophysics Institute (INGV). It said on its website that at least 14 other tremors followed the initial earthquake.

Kuril's Alaid volcano wakes up
The Alaid Volcano is the tallest and northernmost volcano in the islands, with a crater which is approximately 1.5-km-wide. The first signs of activity were recorded on October 7th when thermal anomalies were observed a cloud of steam appeared. Volcanologists are issuing warnings regarding the likelihood of an eruption of ash emissions which may reach a height of 10-15 kilometers above sea level.

The Entire German Gold Hoard Is Gone
“Half of the gold they (the Germans) leased themselves. The other half of Germany’s gold hoard was eventually leased into the market as well through complicated swaps with the US. But the reality is that as of 2001, all of that German gold was gone. Meaning all German gold worldwide, which was supposed to be stored in vaults, the vaults were emptied of German gold and the gold was leased into the market.”

Iceland warns of threat of big earthquake
Icelandic authorities warned people in the north of the island on Thursday to prepare for a possible big earthquake after the biggest tremors in the area for 20 years. The north Atlantic island, where almost 320,000 people live, is a hotspot of volcanic and seismic activity as it straddles a fault in the earth's surface.

Evangelical support grows for Romney
Farah hasn't endorsed a candidate, nor does he need to. It doesn't take a theologian or seer to figure out which presidential candidate is closer in line with biblical principles as he describes them — principles that translate into opposition to abortion and same-sex marriage and support for school choice and limited government.

Obama backs gay marriage measures in 3 states
Obama on Thursday threw his support behind ballot measures in Maine, Maryland and Washington state that would legalize same-sex marriage.

Beware the ‘Frankenstorm’
An unusual nasty mix of a hurricane and a winter storm that forecasters are now calling “Frankenstorm” is likely to blast most of the U.S. East Coast next week, focusing the worst of its weather mayhem around New York City and New Jersey.

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Cairo demands Israel to halt settlement construction
The Egyptian government demands Israel to stop construction of the Jewish settlements in Jerusalem and the West Bank of Jordan River, "Al-Jazeera" reports on Saturday. The Egyptian government explains it with the fact that the continued construction of the Jewish settlements in Jerusalem and the West Bank negative affects the peace negotiations between the parties.

Calls to 'Free Al Aqsa' Sounded in Egypt
Egyptian jurists and politicians have issued calls to "liberate" the Al Aqsa mosque on the Temple Mount, and to restore Egypt's leading role in the Arab world. Participants in a news conference in Cairo on October 25 said that the "liberation" of Jerusalem by Muslims will be accomplished "without a doubt by the present generation

Super storm could impact 60 million people in U.S.
Hurricane Sandy headed north from the Caribbean -- where it left nearly 60 dead -- to threaten the eastern U.S. with sheets of rain, high winds and heavy snow as officials warned millions in coastal areas to get out of the way of the behemoth storm. Experts said it didn't matter how strong the storm was when it hit land: The rare hybrid that follows will cause havoc over 800 miles (1,300 kilometres) from the East Coast to the Great Lakes.

7.7 magnitude earthquake rocks coast of British Columbia
A powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake has shaken the north-central coast of British Columbia in the Haida Gwaii area. The quake was felt across a wide area that includes Prince Rupert, Quesnel, and Houston. The Geological Survey of Canada says a tsunami warning has been issued from the north tip of Vancouver Island to Alaska, but so far there have been no reports of damage.

'A steep fall' for BBC as child sex abuse scandal rocks the UK
The child sex abuse scandal engulfing Britain’s public broadcaster, the BBC, has been producing disturbing headlines in the UK for almost a month, and the signs are this is just the beginning. Since the scandal broke, 300 victims have told police that they were abused by BBC TV host Jimmy Savile, suggesting this number may yet rise.

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More Jews praying on site also sacred to Muslims
A simple, ancient ritual is threatening the delicate security balance atop Jerusalem's most sacred plaza: Jews are praying. -Jewish prayer at the Jerusalem holy site is certainly not new, but it has been rarely seen during the last 2,000 years. After the Roman destruction of the Second Temple in AD 70, a Jewish presence on the plaza was mostly banned or severely limited during Christian and Islamic rule.

Report: Israel tracking Iran Navy’s expanded operations near Syria, Gaza Strip
Israel has become concerned over the expansion of the Iranian Navy, a report said. The Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies said that Israel has been closely following the growth of the Iranian Navy and the extension of its operations.

Kaduna church hit in Nigeria bomb attack
Several people have been killed or injured in an explosion during mass at a Catholic church in northern Nigeria, officials say. The attack happened in Kaduna, scene of many sectarian attacks.

Palestinians fire 3 Grads, 2 Kassams into southern Israel
Palestinians fired three Grad rockets and two Kassam rockets into southern Israel overnight Saturday, threatening a tenuous ceasefire implemented after a serious escalation earlier this week. The Grad rockets landed near Beersheba, while the Kassams fell in an open field in the Eshkol region, according to Israel Radio. There were no damages or injuries reported as a result of the attack.

Seven Tibetans burn themselves in anti-Beijing protests -group
A total of 7 Tibetans have set fire to themselves in the past week in protest against what they claim is heavyhanded Chinese rule in the Himalayan region. Last week saw the highest number of self-immolations since the latest wave of anti-China demonstrations began in 2011. Nearly 60 people have set themselves on fire in protest against Beijing,since March last year.

UN says 22,000 displaced after Myanmar’s latest ethnic unrest
The top U.N. official in Myanmar says 22,000 people have been displaced in the country’s strife-torn west after a week of violence between Bhuddists and Muslims. Ashok Nigam says those who fled homes over the last week included members of both groups. Ashok says getting aid to the new wave of displaced will be a challenge as some fled on boat and others have sought refuge on isolated hilltops.

Israeli Knesset speaker to declare Oslo accord dead
The Israeli Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin will declare the Oslo peace process that will lead to the two-state solution is dead, a report said Friday. The rightist Hebrew daily Makor Rishon said that Rivlin will tell the Knesset Sunday that the Oslo concept is fundamentally flawed and cannot be implemented between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea.

Sudan vows no retreat from supporting Hamas in aftermath of Israeli “aggression”
The speaker of the Sudanese parliament, Ahmad Ibrahim Al-Tahir, declared on Thursday that the Israeli attack on Al-Yarmook arms factory will not deter his country from continuing its support to the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas.-“If Israel is targeting Sudan because of its stand on the side of the Palestinian resistance, then Sudan will continue down that road as dictated by the religion, history and fate it shares with the Palestinian people” he added.

Cairo demands Israel to halt settlement construction
The Egyptian government demands Israel to stop construction of the Jewish settlements in Jerusalem and the West Bank of Jordan River, "Al-Jazeera" reports on Saturday. The Egyptian government explains it with the fact that the continued construction of the Jewish settlements in Jerusalem and the West Bank negative affects the peace negotiations between the parties.

Calls to 'Free Al Aqsa' Sounded in Egypt
Egyptian jurists and politicians have issued calls to "liberate" the Al Aqsa mosque on the Temple Mount, and to restore Egypt's leading role in the Arab world. Participants in a news conference in Cairo on October 25 said that the "liberation" of Jerusalem by Muslims will be accomplished "without a doubt by the present generation

Super storm could impact 60 million people in U.S.
Hurricane Sandy headed north from the Caribbean -- where it left nearly 60 dead -- to threaten the eastern U.S. with sheets of rain, high winds and heavy snow as officials warned millions in coastal areas to get out of the way of the behemoth storm. Experts said it didn't matter how strong the storm was when it hit land: The rare hybrid that follows will cause havoc over 800 miles (1,300 kilometres) from the East Coast to the Great Lakes.

7.7 magnitude earthquake rocks coast of British Columbia
A powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake has shaken the north-central coast of British Columbia in the Haida Gwaii area. The quake was felt across a wide area that includes Prince Rupert, Quesnel, and Houston. The Geological Survey of Canada says a tsunami warning has been issued from the north tip of Vancouver Island to Alaska, but so far there have been no reports of damage.

'A steep fall' for BBC as child sex abuse scandal rocks the UK
The child sex abuse scandal engulfing Britain’s public broadcaster, the BBC, has been producing disturbing headlines in the UK for almost a month, and the signs are this is just the beginning. Since the scandal broke, 300 victims have told police that they were abused by BBC TV host Jimmy Savile, suggesting this number may yet rise.

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29 Oct 12

Could 'Frankenstorm' be a sign from God?
America’s eastern seaboard is in a state of emergency, stocking up on food and battening down the hatches as it anticipates a ferocious weather event some insurance companies would refer to as “an act of God.” But could the “Frankenstorm” – the feared combined forces of a wintery land storm with Hurricane Sandy – actually be a message from the Almighty?

4.2 earthquake hits Central California wilderness
The U.S. Geological Survey reported that the temblor occurred at 9:25 p.m. The epicenter was five miles northwest of Pinnacles and 13 miles northeast of Soledad. The Pinnacles National Monument is a vast wilderness area containing a rock formation left by an extinct volcano. The San Andreas fault runs through the region and seismic activity is frequent. There were no immediate reports of injury or damage.

Daily Humiliation Continues: 18 Rockets since Midnight
"At least 18 rockets were fired at Israeli territory, without causing injuries or damage," police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld told AFP, saying the count was from midnight.

Iraq stops Syria-bound jet
In a second time this month, Baghdad stops an Iranian cargo plane heading to Syria, allowing it to leave after ensuring that it is not carrying weapons

Christianity struggling to return to eastern Turkey
Turkey is home to one of the oldest Christian populations in the world, the Suriyani, who fled during recent conflict. In the last few years they’ve been returning, but problems with their resettlement are apparent.

Daily Humiliation Continues: 18 Rockets since Midnight
"At least 18 rockets were fired at Israeli territory, without causing injuries or damage," police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld told AFP, saying the count was from midnight.

Millions across East Coast brace for 'Superstorm' Sandy, while transit systems close and supplies fly off shelves
As of 5 a.m. Monday, the storm was centered about 385 miles southeast of New York City, moving to the north at 14 mph, with hurricane-force winds extending an incredible 175 miles from its center. The National Hurricane Center said early Monday the storm has intensified, with top sustained winds of 85 mph and higher gusts.

Euro zone ponders best path to "GEMU"
It stands for Genuine Economic and Monetary Union, a term used in the conclusions of the last two European Union summits in a tacit acknowledgement that the single currency created by the 1992 Maastricht Treaty was flawed and woefully incomplete. It also signals that Europe's leaders are starting to shift their focus from fingers-in-the-dike crisis management to save the euro to a longer-term process of building a more robust, storm-resistant architecture for the currency area. "We are not looking at a 'big bang' moment for the euro zone, a sudden mutation that would transform it into a completely different beast,"

8 minor quakes jolt Surigao del Norte town in a day
Eight earthquakes, many of which occurred within an hour of each other, were recorded east of Burgos town in Surigao del Norte on Sunday, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said.

Has General Ham Been Fired?
Has General Carter F. Ham, commander of U.S. Africa Command, been fired for defying Leon Panetta on Benghazi? Glenn Reynolds, the Instapundit, ran a piece Saturday afternoon titled "Interesting Rumor Concerning General Carter Ham and Stand Down Order." This piece is presented as a rumor. It suggests that General Ham was told to stand down from sending aid to Benghazi, that General Ham on his own decided to proceed, and that he was then relieved of his command.

Bill Clinton told Hillary To Resign, US Arming ‘Syrian Rebels’ With Ties To Al Queda
Hillary Clinton, as Secretary of State, came forward to “take responsibility overall” for the attacks at Benghazi, but per Ed Klein we now know behind the scenes Bill Clinton advised his wife to resign over the possible criminal fallout of the Benghazi massacre.

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Europe wants Obama- Why?
The British, the only European power on which Americans can rely through thick and thin, have been left with the impression that he sees them as the yesterday land, the dreadful old colonialists of his father's Kenya. Sending back the bust of Winston Churchill to the British Embassy in his first week was a symbol so petty it should have been beneath him.

B.C. earthquake causing concern in Washington
At the Seismology Lab at the University of Washington, there is concern that the 7.7 magnitude earthquake that occurred on the British Columbia coast over the weekend could affect Washington. “Earthquakes trigger more earthquakes," said Washington State seismologist John Vidale, who has long studied how different fault zones in Southern California affect each other, and is looking at the potential for the same effects here.

Earthquake rattles McDowell County
Western North Carolina recorded its fourth earthquake of the year Monday, the latest one near Marion in McDowell County. The U.S. Geological Survey confirmed a 2.9-magnitude earthquake happened at 7:49 a.m., centered in a rural area six miles south of Marion. McDowell County emergency dispatchers said they had received no reports of structure damage or injuries, though callers reported hearing and feeling the quake.

Millions of terrified Americans wake to life after Sandy: Homes all along the East Coast are under 'six feet' of water, torn apart by winds or
America is waking this morning to scenes of death and absolute devastation after its East Coast was hit with the full force of the biggest storm in U.S. history, leaving 16 people dead and almost 6.2million without power. As Sandy swept away and west, millions of people will be counting the cost of this natural disaster that has wrecked homes, infrastructure and the lives of those unlucky enough to be in its relentless and violent path.

Shallow 6.3 quake off west Canada coast
The quake, at a depth of about 10 km (6 miles), was centred about 245 km (150 miles) southwest of Prince Rupert, British Columbia, and struck at about 10.29 p.m. on Monday (0249 GMT Tuesday), the USGS said. The quake was not expected to generate a tsunami, the USGS's Alaska Tsunami Warning Center said in a statement.

Bank of England director: Occupy was right
Occupy's voice has been both loud and persuasive and that policymakers have listened and are acting in ways which will close those fault lines," said Haldane, the bank's executive director of financial stability. "In fact, I want to argue that we are in the early stages of a reformation of finance, a reformation which Occupy has helped stir," he said.

Italian crowds mark anniversary of Mussolini’s rise to power
Hundreds converged on the Italian town of Benito Mussolini’s birth to mark the 90th anniversary of the “march on Rome” that brought the fascist dictator to power.

Border war: Syria and Turkey have exchanged fire every day this month
Turkish sources said the government of Prime Minister Recep Erdogan has overseen a new policy of retaliation against Syrian shelling. They said Erdogan has ordered the military to respond to each Syrian mortar or artillery shell that fell into Turkey.

Gallup: Massive swing to GOP since 2008
In the four years since Barack Obama has been president, American voters have been fleeing the Democratic Party in large numbers to become Republicans, according to brand-new figures released by the Gallup polling agency.

Poás Volcano rumbles, spits ashes
At about 1 a.m., the volcano’s crater ejected mud and ash more than 500 meters into the air. Ashes traveled hundreds of meters around the national park, rangers reported. Although the volcano is frequently active, this kind of strong explosion has not been recorded since 2006. Experts said the activity was normal, but they will continue monitoring the volcano.

Tremors shake up 5 districts
Panic spread across several villages in five districts in the state due to mild tremors on Monday. People ran out of their houses when the earth shook for a few seconds. Though no casualties were reported from any of the districts, there was panic in many places in Krishna, Guntur, Prakasam, Nalgonda, and Khammam. There were reports of tremors even at Hayathnagar in Rangareddy district around the same time.

Storm Barrels Through Region, Leaving Destructive Path
The mammoth and merciless storm made landfall near Atlantic City around 8 p.m., with maximum sustained winds of about 80 miles per hour, the National Hurricane Center said. That was shortly after the center had reclassified the storm as a post-tropical cyclone, a scientific renaming that had no bearing on the powerful winds, driving rains and life-threatening storm surge expected to accompany its push onto land.

Sandy Hits NY Subway System Hard
Superstorm Sandy flooded parts of the New York City subway system, rail yards and bus depots, creating what officials are calling the biggest disaster of its 108 years in existence. "The New York City subway system…has never faced a disaster as devastating as what we experienced last night," MTA Chairman Joe Lhota said in a statement. "Hurricane Sandy wreaked havoc on our entire transportation system, in every borough and county of the region."

Iran bans export of 50 goods as sanctions bite: report
Iran banned the export of around 50 basic goods, its media said on Tuesday, as the country takes steps to preserve supplies of essential items in the face of tightening Western sanctions. The Islamic Republic is under intense financial pressure from U.S. and European trade restrictions imposed over its disputed nuclear programme.

Police: Texas pastor killed, suspect dies after being subdued by stun gun
A pastor was beaten to death inside a Texas church on Monday and the man suspected in the attack died after officers subdued him with a Taser, police said.

UBS cuts 10,000 jobs as it slims down investment bank arm
Swiss bank UBS has announced it is cutting 10,000 jobs worldwide as it slims down its investment banking activities. The jobs will go over the next three years, and amount to 16% of its current workforce of 64,000.

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Former British PM Tony Blair Calls for New Momentum in Europe
His speech to the Berggruen Institue on Governance's "Council on the Future of Europe" is Now Available Online-Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair called on European states to make a "grand bargain" to take European unification to a higher level. "In the long run, and in principle, Europe is the right decision," Blair said in his speech before the Berggruen Institute's Council on the Future of Europe on Monday.

Iran begins 2-day military exercises near Iraq border
Iran's regular army has begun a two-day ground and air military exercise aimed at upgrading its combat readiness and increasing its deterrence against possible attacks. State TV says the drills involve forces in a wide region in western Iran near the Iraqi border.

Iranian ships dock in Sudan after strike
Iranians conveying message to Israel? Two Iranian navy vessels docked at a Sudan port on Monday, just five days after the explosion at an arms factory in Khartoum. According to Iranian official news agency IRNA, the 'Shahid Naqdi' corvette and a freighter left from a port in southern Iran last month, passed through the Red Sea and docked at a port in the east African country.

Damascus Rocked by Twin Blasts
Twin blasts rocked Damascus on Monday, with activists saying at least 80 people were killed on that day alone—, bringing an official end to an attempted four-day ceasefire where at least 500 people were reportedly killed.-Activists also said there were at least 60 government air strikes on Monday, making it the most intense air raids since the crackdown began 19 months ago.

Tony Blair: the EU needs a president
In a move interpreted by some as a job application, the former prime minister said the EU could do with a strong leader approved by the people. "An election for a big post held by one person - this people can understand," he said. "The problem with the European Parliament is that though clearly democratically elected, my experience is people don't feel close to their MEPs."

Armed Services Chair Demands of Obama: Whom Did You Order to Do What on 9/11/12?
On Sept. 11, 2012--the 11th anniversary of 9/11--terrorists launched attacked the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, killing four Americans, including U.S. Amb. Christopher Stevens. During an interview Friday with Denver TV station KUSA, reporter Kyle Clark asked Obama, “Were they denied requests for help during the attack?” Obama did not answer that question directly but said he instantly issued “directives” when he first learned of the attack.

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