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Yale’s Shiller: World in a 'Late Great Depression'
The Federal Reserve, the European Central Bank, the Bank of Japan and the Bank of England have propped up their respective economies via liquidity injections known as quantitative easing, tools designed to spur recovery but dubbed by critics as printing money out of thin air. He says the world is in a “new age of austerity.”

At least 16 Nigerian Christians at prayer butchered after Islamists make good on threats
Nigeria— (TCSM) An early morning attack on a Christian church service in northern Nigeria left at least 16 people dead. The attack follows a string of violent incidents against Christians in the predominantly Muslim north.

WashPost Writes The Public Be ****ed: They're Biased If They Think We're Biased
Saturday’s Washington Post included a story dismissing the public for believing the media has a bias, complete with the headline “Public has its own biases about media.” It sounded like a twist on "I Know You Are, But What Am I?"

******* BELOVED Pope's spokesman: Unite to fight 'gay' marriage
Archbishop Antonio Mennini, the Apostolic Nuncio, called for closer co-operation with other faiths as well as Christian denominations to put pressure on the Government over its plans to allow same-sex couples to marry.

Muslim Brotherhood endorses Obama faith adviser
The official Twitter account for the English website of the Muslim Brotherhood today endorsed a Twitter post by Dalia Mogahed, a member of Barack Obama’s Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships.

Maybe no housing rebound for a generation: Shiller
The Housing market is likely to remain weak and may take a generation or more to rebound, Yale economics professor Robert Shiller told Reuters Insider on Tuesday. Shiller, the co-creator of the Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller home price index, said a weak labor market, high gas prices and a general sense of unease among consumers was outweighing low mortgage rates and would likely keep a lid on prices for the foreseeable future.

Does the Bible still matter in 2012?
The research, commissioned by American Bible Society and conducted by Barna Research, found that the majority of Americans (69%) believe the Bible provides answers on how to live a meaningful life. But while 79% believe they are knowledgeable about the Bible, 54% were unable to correctly identify the first five books of the Bible. And approximately half of Americans surveyed didn’t know the fundamental differences between the teachings of the Bible, Koran and Book of Mormon

The TSA's mission creep is making the US a police state
The out-of-control Transportation Security Administration is past patdowns at airports – now it's checkpoints and roadblocks

U.S. signals major shift on Iran nuclear program
U.S. officials said they might agree to let Iran continue enriching uranium up to 5% purity, which is the upper end of the range for most civilian uses, if its government agrees to the unrestricted inspections, strict oversight and numerous safeguards that the United Nations has long demanded.

Israel joins UN list of states limiting human rights organizations
A senior UN official in Geneva last week listed Israel among the countries that she says are restricting the activities of human rights groups. The statement, issued on Wednesday by UN Human Rights Commissioner Navi Pillay, lists Israel along with countries such as Belarus, Zimbabwe, Egypt, Ethiopia and Venezuela.

Sudan 'declares emergency' on border with South Sudan
Sudan has declared a state of emergency along its border with South Sudan after weeks of clashes. The decree will apply in the border districts of the South Kordofan, White Nile and Sennar states, according to the state-run Suna news agency. Meanwhile, South Sudan has said it is willing to pull its police forces out of the disputed Abyei border region.

London 2012: Five missile sites identified
Surface-to-air missiles could be deployed at five sites across London, as preparations begin for a major Olympics security exercise. The Lexington Building in Tower Hamlets and the Fred Wigg Tower in Waltham Forest, both in east London, are sites. Also named are Blackheath Common and Oxleas Wood, both in south-east London; William Girling Reservoir in Enfield; and Barn Hill in Epping Forest.

Peru examines deaths of more than 500 pelicans
The government of Peru is investigating the deaths of more than 500 pelicans along a 70km (40-mile) stretch of the country's northern coast. Officials say most appeared to have died on shore over the past few days. Scientists have also found the carcasses of 54 boobies, several sea lions and a turtle.

Google staff 'knew of wi-fi snooping', report says
The Google engineer who wrote a program that collected personal data from wi-fi networks told at least two other colleagues, a report has revealed. Google released the full investigation conducted by the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC). It said senior staff on the Street View team were unaware of the plans.

Japan's PM Yoshihiko Noda visiting the US to boost ties
Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda is meeting United States President Barack Obama in Washington to boost the alliance between the two countries. His visit comes amid tension over North Korea's recent rocket launch and just days after both nations announced a new deal over US troops in Okinawa - a controversial issue between the allies.

Greece opens first migrant detention centre
Greece on Sunday (29 April) set up its first detention centre for undocumented migrants, composed of box homes, surrounded by high wire, and meant to house some 1,200 people Citizens’ Protection Minister Michalis Chrysochoidis said the centre - situated in Amygdaleza, northwest of Athens - will help the country to deal with immigration.

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Mysterious Marine and Coastal Bird Deaths in Peru Stump Scientists
Since January, an estimated 900 dead dolphins have washed up onshore. Scientists have also located the carcasses of 54 boobies (a seabird), several sea lions and a turtle as well. The latest find has been that of 538 dead pelicans, along with other birds, according to the Peruvian Ministry of Production. Every age group and gender was represented in the grisly findings, and each species has been found in various stages of decomposition.

US, Russia plan hotline to prevent cyber war from turning into a nuclear conflict
A hotline between the United States and Russia designed to defuse misunderstandings that could trigger a nuclear conflict will likely expand to cover the potential risk of a cyber war, The Washington Post reported Friday. Under a proposal being negotiated with Moscow, the digital sphere would be added to topics covered by the Washington-Moscow hotline, the Post wrote, citing U.S. officials.

Colombia’s Nevado del Ruiz emits 2000 meter high steam cloud
According to the latest bulletin issued by Ingeominas, Nevado de Ruiz unleashed a thick column of white steam white which reached 2000 meters high; there is a high concentration of sulfur smell and a slight decrease in the seismicity following the release.

Canadians make a racket about mysterious 'hum' coming from US side of border
The so-called Windsor hum, described as a low-frequency rumbling sound, has rattled windows and knocked objects off shelves in this border community just across the Detroit River from the Motor City. Locals have said it sounds like a large diesel truck idling, a loud boom box or the bass vocals of Barry White.

Democrat comic scorches Obama again
“Saturday Night Live” comedic legend Jon Lovitz is doubling down on his harsh criticism of Barack Obama’s alleged wealth confiscation and redistribution policies, claiming the president is lying to Americans. “The President is lying to get votes … it’s obvious and transparent,” Lovitz, a self-proclaimed Democrat who voted for Obama in 2008, said on his Twitter feed Saturday night.

World Gold Council unveils latest draft of Conflict-Free Gold Standard
The World Gold Council received input from a wide range of stakeholders including: NGOs, Governments, investors, media and academics, following the publication of a first draft in June 2011. The “Exposure Draft”, issued today, allows for further comment from interested parties before the final version is published. Consequently, we are requesting further input from interested parties by 30th June 2012. Implementation of the standard must be capable of being audited by external assurance providers and the World Gold Council and its Members will continue to work to ensure that it complements and integrates with other industry frameworks.

Global Investors Resume Exit From Euro Debt
The surveys of 55 leading investment houses in the United States, continental Europe, Britain and Japan showed holdings of euro zone bonds in balanced portfolios fell to 24.5 percent, compared with 26 percent in March and substantially lower than the 26.9 recorded at height of the crisis in November last year.

Yellowstone: New Picture Emerges Of A More Active, Less ‘Super’ Volcano
A joint research team from Washington State University and the Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre said the biggest Yellowstone eruption on record was actually two different eruptions at least 6,000 years apart.

New Obama slogan has long ties to Marxism, socialism
The Obama campaign apparently didn't look backwards into history when selecting its new campaign slogan, "Forward" — a word with a long and rich association with European Marxism. Many Communist and radical publications and entities throughout the 19th and 20th centuries had the name "Forward!" or its foreign cognates. Wikipedia has an entire section called "Forward (generic name of socialist publications)."

US sees sharp rise in newborns with opiate withdrawal
The number of babies born in the US showing symptoms of opiate withdrawal increased threefold in the 10 years up to 2009, a medical study has found. The research, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, said one in every 1,000 newborns was affected in 2009. The number of pregnant women testing positive for illegal or legal opiates increased fivefold in the same period.

Turkey to write first fully civilian constitution
A parliamentary committee in Turkey is due to start work on the country's first fully civilian constitution. The aim is to draft a simpler and more democratic charter to replace the existing constitution, which was drawn up under military rule 30 years ago. It gave great powers to the military, curbed individual rights and largely ignored the country's minorities, including the Kurds.

Europe focus of global May Day labour protests
May Day events are under way worldwide, with the focus on Europe, against a backdrop of unpopular austerity measures and rising social unrest. France, one of the eurozone's strongest states, and Greece, its weakest, both hold crucial elections this Sunday. Marches are expected across crisis-hit Spain and Portugal while Russian leaders joined marchers in Moscow.

Barack Obama silent on China activist Chen Guangcheng
US President Barack Obama has refused to comment on Chen Guangcheng, the Chinese dissident said to be at the US embassy after fleeing house arrest. Mr Obama told a news conference he was "aware of press reports" on the issue, but would not make a statement on it. Hillary Clinton, due in Beijing later this week, also declined comment but said rights issues would be discussed.

White House in first detailed comments on drone strikes
President Obama's counter-terrorism adviser has given the most detailed explanation so far of America's use of drones to kill members of al-Qaeda. In a speech to a Washington think tank, John Brennan said the strikes were helping to win the war on the militant network. President Barack Obama wanted to be more open about the practice, Mr Brennan added.

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Does 'Freedom Tower' height fulfill prophecy?
News this week that the new World Trade Center Freedom Tower surpassed the height of the Empire State Building to become New York’s tallest building is stirring even more interest in America’s bestselling Christian book and video documentary – both of which contend the country is missing the spiritual warning of 9/11 by simply building higher, bigger and stronger structures after the worst attack on the homeland in history.

Taliban Launch Deadly Attack On Kabul Hours After Obama Visit
The Taliban struck back less than two hours after President Barack Obama left Afghanistan on Wednesday, targeting a foreigners' housing compound with a suicide car bomb and militants disguised as women in an assault that killed at least seven people.

Tornado Season below average so far in the Plains, forecast on track
Now don't get me wrong, tornadoes will still form in some of the storms, but the frequency of them will be far in-between.

Supermoon set for Saturday, largest and brightest Moon of 2012
TheWeatherSpace.com Senior Meteorologist Kevin Martin says this Moon will be 16 percent brighter than average and this is due to the Moon's orbit being irregular.

‘The time is finished’: Religious sect erects billboards in Toronto ahead of the ‘transformation’
Doris Rosado watches her teenage daughters, Ninette and Kiara Mongrut, get the numbers “666” tattooed on their wrists, beaming with pride. The number typically conjures up biblical symbolism tied to the Antichrist, but this St. Catharines, Ont., family belongs to a obscure Christian sect for which “666” is a positive symbol of their group’s messianic leader.

Magnitude 6.3 quake hits off southwest Mexico
A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck off the coast of southwest Mexico near the Guatemalan border on Tuesday, the U.S. Geological Service said. The quake hit 51 miles west-southwest of Suchiate, Chiapas, at a depth of 27.3 miles, the USGS said. The quake's magnitude was originally listed as 6.0.

IRS seeks loan taxes from family of dead Marine
A Tennessee lawmaker is trying to protect a Marine’s parents from having to pay taxes on student loans that were waived after the Marine’s death. Lance Cpl. Andrew Carpenter died in 2011 in Germany from injuries suffered when he was shot by a sniper in Afghanistan. The 27-year-old, who had attended college before enlisting in the Marine Corps, died with outstanding student loans from a private lender. The lender waived the debt, but family was notified by the Department of Education that the waived debt was considered as income for tax purposes. While the survivors never expected it, IRS policy holds that forgiven debt on credit cards, personal loans and student loans is treated as income, just like wages — and taxable, just like wages.

Obama makes surprise visit to Afghanistan to sign security agreement
U.S. President Barack Obama arrivedin Afghanistan on Tuesday to sign an agreement charting futurerelations with the country, making the secret trip on the firstanniversary of the killing of Al Qaida leader Osama bin Laden. ...The U.S.-Afghan Strategic Partnership Agreement will setconditions for a U.S. presence there after a 2014 deadline forthe withdrawal of most NATO combat forces.

Andrea Mitchell Slips Up, Says "We" Instead Of "White House" Politicizing OBL
Mitchell asks former Senator Tom Daschle (D-SD) what he thinks of Republican criticism that "we" are politicizing the bin Laden killing. Mitchell quickly corrected herself and said it is the White House that is being accused of politicizing the event.

Pentagon is planning ‘contingency’ for Iran and North Korea
The U.S. military is discussing significant changes in its war plans to adhere to President Obama’s new strategic guidance that downplays preparing for conflicts such as Iraq and Afghanistan, and counts on allies to provide additional troops.

Meshal loses control of Hamas military wing as authority moves to Gaza leadership
Hamas political bureau head Khaled Meshal, who now resides in Qatar, is expected to keep his post after an internal vote by the organization's leadership later this month. But sources have told Haaretz that Hamas leaders have decided to transfer some of Meshal's critical areas of authority to the leadership in the Gaza Strip, including control of the organization's budget and of its military wing.

Seattle mayor issues emergency order after May Day mayhem
Police said officers made at least three arrests after hundreds of people marched through downtown Tuesday afternoon. A 23-year-old man was arrested for vandalism and a 19-year-old man with a knife was also arrested.

Eurozone jobless rate hits record high
Unemployment in the eurozone reached a record high again in March as spending cuts continued to hit the working population. For all 17 nations in the eurozone, the jobless rate rose again to 10.9%, the highest since the euro was formed in 1999, Eurostat said. For the eurozone, 17.4 million are now looking for work and more than 3 million of those are under 25.

'North Korea jamming' hits South Korea flights
Jamming signals thought to be from North Korea have affected GPS navigation on at least 250 flights, South Korean officials say. Nine South Korean and nine foreign airlines have been affected since Saturday, the Transport Ministry said. The flights had to rely on alternative navigation systems but were in no danger, the ministry added.

Unknown attackers kill eight at Cairo protest
Unknown assailants have killed at least eight people protesting against Egypt's ruling generals near the defence ministry in Cairo, officials say. Witnesses described how the attackers set on them at dawn using rocks, clubs, firebombs and firing shotguns. Up to 100 people were also reportedly injured and are being treated at a field clinic in the Abbasiya district.

Occupy Wall Street stages day of US protests
Occupy Wall Street protesters have staged rallies across the US as they called for a nationwide general strike to mark International Workers' Day. Thousands gathered to protest peacefully in Union Square in New York City. That rally came hours after arrests and a confrontation with police on the city's Fifth Avenue.

Coalition, opposition parties agree to dissolve Knesset
A bill to dissolve the Knesset, which will bring early elections in the next three to five months, will be put to a vote on Monday. Following agreements by most parties in the coalition and opposition, Labor and Meretz will bring their bills to dissolve the Knesset to a preliminary vote next week, and are expected to get coalition support.

01 May 12

Mysterious Marine and Coastal Bird Deaths in Peru Stump Scientists
Since January, an estimated 900 dead dolphins have washed up onshore. Scientists have also located the carcasses of 54 boobies (a seabird), several sea lions and a turtle as well. The latest find has been that of 538 dead pelicans, along with other birds, according to the Peruvian Ministry of Production. Every age group and gender was represented in the grisly findings, and each species has been found in various stages of decomposition.

US, Russia plan hotline to prevent cyber war from turning into a nuclear conflict
A hotline between the United States and Russia designed to defuse misunderstandings that could trigger a nuclear conflict will likely expand to cover the potential risk of a cyber war, The Washington Post reported Friday. Under a proposal being negotiated with Moscow, the digital sphere would be added to topics covered by the Washington-Moscow hotline, the Post wrote, citing U.S. officials.

Colombia’s Nevado del Ruiz emits 2000 meter high steam cloud
According to the latest bulletin issued by Ingeominas, Nevado de Ruiz unleashed a thick column of white steam white which reached 2000 meters high; there is a high concentration of sulfur smell and a slight decrease in the seismicity following the release.

Canadians make a racket about mysterious 'hum' coming from US side of border
The so-called Windsor hum, described as a low-frequency rumbling sound, has rattled windows and knocked objects off shelves in this border community just across the Detroit River from the Motor City. Locals have said it sounds like a large diesel truck idling, a loud boom box or the bass vocals of Barry White.

Democrat comic scorches Obama again
“Saturday Night Live” comedic legend Jon Lovitz is doubling down on his harsh criticism of Barack Obama’s alleged wealth confiscation and redistribution policies, claiming the president is lying to Americans. “The President is lying to get votes … it’s obvious and transparent,” Lovitz, a self-proclaimed Democrat who voted for Obama in 2008, said on his Twitter feed Saturday night.

World Gold Council unveils latest draft of Conflict-Free Gold Standard
The World Gold Council received input from a wide range of stakeholders including: NGOs, Governments, investors, media and academics, following the publication of a first draft in June 2011. The “Exposure Draft”, issued today, allows for further comment from interested parties before the final version is published. Consequently, we are requesting further input from interested parties by 30th June 2012. Implementation of the standard must be capable of being audited by external assurance providers and the World Gold Council and its Members will continue to work to ensure that it complements and integrates with other industry frameworks.

Global Investors Resume Exit From Euro Debt
The surveys of 55 leading investment houses in the United States, continental Europe, Britain and Japan showed holdings of euro zone bonds in balanced portfolios fell to 24.5 percent, compared with 26 percent in March and substantially lower than the 26.9 recorded at height of the crisis in November last year.

Yellowstone: New Picture Emerges Of A More Active, Less ‘Super’ Volcano
A joint research team from Washington State University and the Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre said the biggest Yellowstone eruption on record was actually two different eruptions at least 6,000 years apart.

New Obama slogan has long ties to Marxism, socialism
The Obama campaign apparently didn't look backwards into history when selecting its new campaign slogan, "Forward" — a word with a long and rich association with European Marxism. Many Communist and radical publications and entities throughout the 19th and 20th centuries had the name "Forward!" or its foreign cognates. Wikipedia has an entire section called "Forward (generic name of socialist publications)."

US sees sharp rise in newborns with opiate withdrawal
The number of babies born in the US showing symptoms of opiate withdrawal increased threefold in the 10 years up to 2009, a medical study has found. The research, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, said one in every 1,000 newborns was affected in 2009. The number of pregnant women testing positive for illegal or legal opiates increased fivefold in the same period.

Turkey to write first fully civilian constitution
A parliamentary committee in Turkey is due to start work on the country's first fully civilian constitution. The aim is to draft a simpler and more democratic charter to replace the existing constitution, which was drawn up under military rule 30 years ago. It gave great powers to the military, curbed individual rights and largely ignored the country's minorities, including the Kurds.

Europe focus of global May Day labour protests
May Day events are under way worldwide, with the focus on Europe, against a backdrop of unpopular austerity measures and rising social unrest. France, one of the eurozone's strongest states, and Greece, its weakest, both hold crucial elections this Sunday. Marches are expected across crisis-hit Spain and Portugal while Russian leaders joined marchers in Moscow.

Barack Obama silent on China activist Chen Guangcheng
US President Barack Obama has refused to comment on Chen Guangcheng, the Chinese dissident said to be at the US embassy after fleeing house arrest. Mr Obama told a news conference he was "aware of press reports" on the issue, but would not make a statement on it. Hillary Clinton, due in Beijing later this week, also declined comment but said rights issues would be discussed.

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US Air Force to Launch Advanced Military Satellite Thursday
The second Advanced Extremely High Frequency satellite, AEHF 2, is scheduled for blastoff on Thursday, May 3, two days earlier than expected because the Eastern Range suddenly became available.

Global Warming Melts Away
In the following analysis I use publicly available data as provided by government scientists at places like NASA, the U.K. Met office, and NOAA. This is the data we're told to use and trust. I'm using it and trusting it.

'I'm ready for a comeback': Blair's made millions since quitting... now he wants to 're-engage with UK politics'
The former prime minister ‘has things to say’ and believes the time is right for him to make an impact on the home front after years in political exile.

Haaretz poll: Netanyahu the clear favorite heading into Israel's upcoming elections
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu can rest easy after reading the results of the latest Haaretz-Dialog poll: Not only does he trounce all his rivals on the question of who is most fit to lead the country, but an absolute majority of Israelis reject the aspersions cast on him last week by former Shin Bet security service chief Yuval Diskin.

5 Volcanoes You Should Keep Your Eye On
Here are five volcanoes that don't always get a lot of fanfare, but have been quietly (or maybe not so quietly) rumbling and spitting up volcanic material continuously for years — even decades — in order of the number of years they've been erupting.

Earthquake swarm strikes off West Coast again
Pacific Geoscience Centre Seismologist Gary Rogers said the activity is focused along a 20-kilometre stretch along an area called the Raveer Delwood Fault, located about 200 kilometres offshore. "In the very thin crust that we have out there off our west coast of Vancouver Island, it often fractures in a series of small earthquakes, usually about this size being the maximum."

Flu study that sparked censorship row is published at last
Scientists who created a mutant virus to explore a key aspect of influenza published their research Wednesday after a four-month storm that brewed fears of bioterrorism and accusations of censorship. The controversy began in December when teams in the United States and the Netherlands separately said they had engineered a hybrid virus in high-security labs.

Leeb - We Will See Unbelievable Chaos Going Forward
“The risk in Europe of something really going astray is extremely high. You have the likelihood of a socialist winning the election in France, who will oppose austerity. He will not be friendly with Germany. To me this means the end of the euro, and that will mean a tremendous amount of chaos in Europe.

Six army battalions called up under emergency orders to meet growing threat on Egypt, Syria borders
The IDF has issued emergency call up orders to six reserve battalions in light of new dangers on the Egyptian and Syrian borders. And the Knesset has given the IDF permission to summon a further 16 reserve battalions if necessary, Israeli media reported on Wednesday.

Saudi Arabia warns Iran over Gulf islands, Bahrain
Saudi Arabia repeated on Wednesday that it would not tolerate threats to the Gulf Arab states' sovereignty, the latest warning to Iran after President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's visit to an island claimed by both Tehran and the United Arab Emirates. The warning, the third in as many weeks by a member of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), comes amid increased nervousness in the region over Iran.

Eurozone Crisis: Joblessness Hits Record High
Unemployment in the 17 countries that use the euro has reached a record high,reflecting the strength of the eurozone's spreading recession. Official figures show joblessness across the single currency bloc rose by 169,000 in March, taking the rate up to 10.9 % - its highest level since the euro was launched in 1999. The number of unemployed workers across the region rose by 169,000 to a total of 17.4 million, the agency Eurostat said. The rate was up from 10.8% in February and 9.9% a year ago and comes as nearly half of the eurozone's countries, including Spain and the Netherlands, are officially in recession.

Fierce Clashes Erupt in Egypt Ahead of Presidential Vote
As least 11 people were killed after assailants attacked protesters staging a sit-in near Egypt’s Ministry of Defense early on Wednesday, setting off hours of clashes that threw the coming presidential election into disarray as at least five candidates announced the suspension of their campaigns to protest the deaths.

Al Qaeda Magazine Calls for Firebomb Campaign in US
The men who launched al Qaeda's English-language magazine may have died in a U.S. missile strike last fall, but "Inspire" magazine lives on without them -- and continues to promote jihadi attacks on Western targets, offering detailed advice on how to start huge forest fires in America with timed explosives and how to build remote-controlled bombs.

One in seven thinks end of world is coming: poll
Nearly 15 percent of people worldwide believe the world will end during their lifetime and 10 percent think the Mayan calendar could signify it will happen in 2012, according to a new poll. The end of the Mayan calendar, which spans about 5,125 years, on December 21, 2012 has sparked interpretations and suggestions that it marks the end of the world.

Flights disrupted as North Korea jams GPS signals
South Korea says about 250 flights operated by South Korean and foreign airlines had been affected by the GPS jamming from North Korea since last weekend.

Chinese activist wants to go to U.S.
The Chinese activist who walked out of the U.S. Embassy in Beijing on Wednesday after what officials said was a decision he had made on his own said Thursday that he regrets the move and now wants U.S. officials to help get him and his family to the United States. "I want them to protect human rights through concrete actions," Chen Guangcheng told CNN from his hospital room in Beijing.

India ready for war with China: Nehru
Indian Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru said in the Lower House of Parliament yesterday that India was now relatively stronger than before to face any contingency of war with China.

Syrian students 'killed at Aleppo protest'
At least four people have been killed as security forces and militiamen raided student accommodation in Syria's second city, Aleppo, activists say. Live ammunition was reportedly used to disperse an anti-government protest outside dormitories adjacent to Aleppo University's campus late on Wednesday. As many as 200 students are thought to have been arrested during the raid.

Sarkozy: France election too close to call
French President Nicolas Sarkozy believes Sunday's presidential election run-off against Francois Hollande will be decided by the tightest margin. The two rivals took part in a heated debate on Wednesday night, watched by an estimated 17.9 million people. Mr Sarkozy said on Thursday that no election had ever been so "undecided".

Brazil launches Amazon anti-crime operation
The Brazilian armed forces have begun an operation in a vast area of the Amazon to tackle drug trafficking, logging and illegal mining. More than 8,500 troops are taking part in Operation Agata 4. They will be patrolling an area that stretches some 5,000km (3,100 miles) along Brazil's northern border.

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One In Seven Believe World Will End Soon
“Whether they think it will come to an end through the hands of God, or a natural disaster or a political event, whatever the reason, one in seven thinks the end of the world is coming,” said Keren Gottfried, research manager at Ipsos Global Public Affairs.

Cold War rhetoric takes dangerous turn: Russia threatens to destroy NATO missile shield if talks continue to stall
Russia’s most senior military commander, warned NATO that if it proceeded with a controversial American missile defence system, force would be used against it. “A decision to use destructive force pre-emptively will be taken if the situation worsens,” he said.

Swarm of earthquakes rippling through Western Turkey
A massive swarm of earthquakes continue to rattle Western Turkey and today’s 5.1 is merely one stress-break in a mounting series of tension quakes erupting in the western region of the country

Early North Americans Lived With Extinct Giant Beasts, Study Shows
The study published online May 3 in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology addresses the century-long debate among scientists about whether human and mammal remains found at Vero Beach in the early 1900s date to the same time period. Using rare earth element analysis to measure the concentration of naturally occurring metals absorbed during fossilization, researchers show modern humans in North America co-existed with large extinct mammals about 13,000 years ago, including mammoths, mastodons and giant ground sloths. "Scientists who disputed the age of the human remains in the early 20th century just did not want to believe that people were in the Western Hemisphere that early.

'Supermoon,' Meteor Shower and Solar Eclipse to Grace May Skies
But the moon is just one of several tantalizing sky events this month, which include a meteor shower from Halley's comet and the first solar eclipse of the year.

The surprising threat from Mexico's awakened volcano
Geologist Mike Sheridan, a professor emeritus at the University at Buffalo, said that Popo and, in fact, many other volcanoes around the world harbor a means of destruction that many people may not associate with volcanoes: mudflows.

“We are Preparing for Massive Civil War,” Says DHS Informant
“We have problems . . . The federal government is preparing for civil uprising,” he added, “so every time you hear about troop movements, every time you hear about movements of military equipment, the militarization of the police, the buying of the ammunition, all of this is . . . they (DHS) are preparing for a massive uprising.” Uprisings in Greece is, indeed, a problem, but an uprising of armed Americans becomes a matter of serious national security, a point addressed in a recent report by the Pentagon and highlighted as a vulnerability and threat to the U.S. during war-game exercises at the Department of Defense last year,

Russia threatens to strike NATO missile defense sites
Russia’s top military officer warned Thursday that Moscow would strike NATO missile-defense sites in Eastern Europe before they are ready for action, if the U.S. pushes ahead with deployment. “A decision to use destructive force pre-emptively will be taken if the situation worsens,” Russian Chief of General Staff Nikolai Makarov said at an international missile-defense conference in Moscow attended by senior U.S. and NATO officials.

New 'Unknowns' Hacking Group Hits NASA, Air Force, European Space Agency
A new hacking group calling itself "The Unknowns" has published a list of passwords and documents reportedly belonging to NASA, the European Space Agency and the U.S. Air Force, among other high-profile government targets. The group's Pastebin post, released yesterday (May 1), includes names and passwords reportedly belonging to NASA's Glenn Research Center as well as the U.S. Military's Joint Pathology Center, the Thai Royal Navy, Harvard University, Renault, the Jordanian Yellow Pages and the Ministries of Defense of France and Bahrain.

Billionaire Hugo Salinas Price - Elites Plan to Control the World
Hugo Salinas Price told King World News in stunning detail what he believes to be the frightening plan to “control the world” going forward. He described this as a “very disturbing fact that is facing humanity.” Here is how he described the situation: “Eric, the problems we are seeing in the West are not going to be resolved in any positive way. What we have had in the West, in recent decades, has been the welfare state. The welfare state is, in my view, what I would call, ‘socialism light.’ We’ve had ‘socialism light’ and now we’re going to transition to full-blown socialism.”

Obama administration urges freer access to cellphone records
The U.S. Congress should pass a law to give investigators freer access to certain cellphone records, an Obama administration official said on Thursday, in remarks that raised concern among advocates of civil liberties and privacy. Jason Weinstein, a deputy assistant attorney general in the Justice Department's criminal division, argued that requirements for warrants at early stages of investigations would "cripple" prosecutors and law enforcement.

Israel gets 4th nuke-capable German submarine
Israel on Thursday received its fourth German-made submarine capable of launching nuclear warheads, expanding a fleet that experts say could be used in an attack on Iran. Defense Minister Ehud Barak said that the submarine would increase Israel's capabilities and strength "in the face of the growing regional challenges."

EU PLOT TO SCRAP BRITAIN
A covert group of EU foreign ministers has drawn up plans for merging the jobs currently done by Herman Van Rompuy, president of the European Council, and Jose Manuel Barroso, president of the European Commission. The new bureaucrat, who would not be directly elected by voters, is set to get sweeping control over the entire EU and force member countries into ever-greater political and economic union.

It's out there: Science journal publishes details of deadly lab-made bird flu that 'could cause global pandemic'
The science journal Nature has published the first of two controversial papers about laboratory-enhanced versions of the deadly bird flu virus - described by some as a 'recipe' for a bioterror attack. The virus sparked fears among U.S. biosecurity experts that it could be used as a recipe for a bioterrorist attack.

Iran holds parliamentary election run-offs
Iranians are voting in a second round of parliamentary elections which are expected to see opponents of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad make further gains. State TV said 130 candidates were competing in run-off votes for 65 seats in the 290-seat Majlis, including 25 of the 30 seats in the capital, Tehran. Conservative opponents of the president won a majority in March's first round.

China's Chen Guangcheng phones US Congress for help
Chinese dissident Chen Guangcheng has telephoned a US Congressional hearing to plead for help in his attempts to leave China with his family. Mr Chen said he feared for the safety of his family and wanted to meet visiting US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton face-to-face. The activist is in a Beijing hospital sealed off by Chinese police.

Draghi: euro countries to lose even more sovereignty
European Central Bank (ECB) chief Mario Draghi has urged eurozone leaders to come up with a 10-year target for the common currency, saying they should accept more transfer of powers if they truly want a fiscal union. ...He went on to explain that governments have to stick to tighter budgets, while reforming labour markets, increasing competition, re-balancing employment towards young people.

Greek elections to usher in anti-bail-out parties
Greece's two main parties are set for heavy losses in Sunday's (6 May) elections, with anti-bail-out groups on the extreme left and right to enter parliament for the first time, raising again the prospect of an exit from the eurozone. Public anger at the austerity measures linked to the second, €130 billion strong bail-out package could translate into a new Parliament unable to form a ruling coalition and a new round of elections being called in the next months.

Annan Spokesman: Plan for Syria 'on track'
A peace plan for Syria brokered by international mediator Kofi Annan is on track despite reports of violations of the ceasefire, Annan's spokesman Ahmad Fawzi said on Friday. "I would say that the Annan plan is on track and a crisis that has been going on for over a year is not going to be resolved in a day or a week," Fawzi said.

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Paul Ryan: Obama's 'Julia' website 'creepy' and 'demeaning'
House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) said Friday that the Obama campaign's new website — which uses a fictionalized woman named Julia to illustrate how the president's policies help female voters — is "creepy" and "demeaning."

The Real Problem With the French Elections
The current French election can be summed up by the phrase: “Plus ça change, plus c’est la meme chose” – the more things change, the more they stay the same.

Troop Movement Renews Sinai Reoccupation Buzz
The reported call-up by the Israeli Defense Forces of six battalions of reservists to be assigned mostly along the 150-mile border with Egypt facing the Sinai Peninsula has renewed buzz that Israel is planning to reoccupy the region

Ahmadinejad rivals cement hold on Iran parliament
ranian president's political standing takes another blow as parliamentary allies' key posts can no longer be guaranteed. New House make up further threatens Ahmadinejad's chances for re-election

Overnight curfew imposed after Egypt clashes
Egypt's ruling military council imposed an overnight curfew in the area around the defence ministry in Cairo after one soldier was reported killed and hundreds wounded in clashes there. Soldiers used water cannons and tear gas against protesters on Friday. Dozens of people were arrested. Protesters later dispersed and some joined a protest in Tahrir Square.

Greek socialist leader Venizelos warns of 'mass poverty'
The leader of Greece's Pasok party Evangelos Venizelos has said Greece faces a choice between austerity and "mass poverty" in elections on Sunday. "On Sunday, our people's fate is at stake," Mr Venizelos told the closing rally of his campaign in Athens. The leader of the centre-right New Democracy party, Antonis Samaras, said the Left was "playing games with the country's European future".

Tomari shutdown leaves Japan without nuclear power
Japan is switching off its last working nuclear reactor, as part of the safety drive since the March 2011 tsunami triggered a meltdown at the ********* plant. The third reactor at the Tomari plant, in Hokkaido prefecture, is shutting down for routine maintenance. It leaves Japan without energy from atomic power for the first time for more than 40 years.

UN official calls for US return of native land
A UN special rapporteur has called for the US to restore tribal lands, including the Black Hills of South Dakota, site of Mount Rushmore. James Anaya announced the recommendation at the end of a 12-day tour, during which he met tribal leaders and government officials. "The sense of loss, alienation and indignity is pervasive throughout Indian Country," Mr Anaya said.

US adds 115,000 jobs in April, fewer than expected
The US economy created 115,000 jobs during April, down on the previous month and fewer than analysts had expected, official figures have shown. However, the unemployment rate fell slightly to 8.1% from 8.2% in March, the Labor Department said. Employment has been rising for the past eight months, but the jobless rate has been stuck above 8% since early 2009.

Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and other '9/11 plotters' back in court
Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four other men accused of plotting the 9/11 attacks are to be charged by a military tribunal at Guantanamo Bay. An earlier attempt to try the men was halted in 2009 when President Barack Obama tried to shut Guantanamo down. New rules for Guantanamo trials have been since introduced, including a ban on evidence obtained under torture.

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aul Ryan: Obama's 'Julia' website 'creepy' and 'demeaning'
House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) said Friday that the Obama campaign's new website — which uses a fictionalized woman named Julia to illustrate how the president's policies help female voters — is "creepy" and "demeaning."

The Real Problem With the French Elections
The current French election can be summed up by the phrase: “Plus ça change, plus c’est la meme chose” – the more things change, the more they stay the same.

Troop Movement Renews Sinai Reoccupation Buzz
The reported call-up by the Israeli Defense Forces of six battalions of reservists to be assigned mostly along the 150-mile border with Egypt facing the Sinai Peninsula has renewed buzz that Israel is planning to reoccupy the region

Ahmadinejad rivals cement hold on Iran parliament
ranian president's political standing takes another blow as parliamentary allies' key posts can no longer be guaranteed. New House make up further threatens Ahmadinejad's chances for re-election

Overnight curfew imposed after Egypt clashes
Egypt's ruling military council imposed an overnight curfew in the area around the defence ministry in Cairo after one soldier was reported killed and hundreds wounded in clashes there. Soldiers used water cannons and tear gas against protesters on Friday. Dozens of people were arrested. Protesters later dispersed and some joined a protest in Tahrir Square.

Greek socialist leader Venizelos warns of 'mass poverty'
The leader of Greece's Pasok party Evangelos Venizelos has said Greece faces a choice between austerity and "mass poverty" in elections on Sunday. "On Sunday, our people's fate is at stake," Mr Venizelos told the closing rally of his campaign in Athens. The leader of the centre-right New Democracy party, Antonis Samaras, said the Left was "playing games with the country's European future".

Tomari shutdown leaves Japan without nuclear power
Japan is switching off its last working nuclear reactor, as part of the safety drive since the March 2011 tsunami triggered a meltdown at the ********* plant. The third reactor at the Tomari plant, in Hokkaido prefecture, is shutting down for routine maintenance. It leaves Japan without energy from atomic power for the first time for more than 40 years.

UN official calls for US return of native land
A UN special rapporteur has called for the US to restore tribal lands, including the Black Hills of South Dakota, site of Mount Rushmore. James Anaya announced the recommendation at the end of a 12-day tour, during which he met tribal leaders and government officials. "The sense of loss, alienation and indignity is pervasive throughout Indian Country," Mr Anaya said.

US adds 115,000 jobs in April, fewer than expected
The US economy created 115,000 jobs during April, down on the previous month and fewer than analysts had expected, official figures have shown. However, the unemployment rate fell slightly to 8.1% from 8.2% in March, the Labor Department said. Employment has been rising for the past eight months, but the jobless rate has been stuck above 8% since early 2009.

Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and other '9/11 plotters' back in court
Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and four other men accused of plotting the 9/11 attacks are to be charged by a military tribunal at Guantanamo Bay. An earlier attempt to try the men was halted in 2009 when President Barack Obama tried to shut Guantanamo down. New rules for Guantanamo trials have been since introduced, including a ban on evidence obtained under torture.

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Synesthesia May Explain Healers Claims of Seeing People's 'Aura'
Researchers in Spain have found that at least some of the individuals claiming to see the so-called aura of people actually have the neuropsychological phenomenon known as "synesthesia" (specifically, "emotional synesthesia"). This might be a scientific explanation of their alleged ability.

Biden on Gay Marriage: 'Absolutely Comfortable With Men Marrying Men, Women Marrying Women'
Joe Biden is not convinced the economic recovery has flatlined, doesn't think Mitt Romney has a jobs plan and is "absolutely comfortable" with gay marriage. During a wide-ranging interview with David Gregory on NBC's "Meet The Press" on Sunday, Biden weighed in on a wide range of topics--the economy, foreign policy, gay marriage, blind Chinese dissident Chen Guangjang, Mitt Romney and Osama bin Laden--six months ahead of the general election.

Palestinians launch campaign against Israeli ‘incitement’
The Palestinian Authority is set to launch this week a new series of reports highlighting statements made by Israelis that purportedly promote hatred of Palestinians. On Monday morning, the Palestinian Government Media Center sent out the first such report to international journalists and representatives of foreign governments.

NATO road closings: 'It won't be business as usual'
City officials are describing a lengthy list of roadway closings, parking bans and mass transit reroutes during the upcoming NATO summit weekend as "minor inconveniences," but independent transportation experts cautioned that the scope of the security-related changes could be disruptive. The best advice from transportation experts to drivers planning to head downtown on May 19-21 is: Don't.

Peru coast littered with dead birds, dolphins
The government of Peru has warned people away from beaches along the country's northern coast due to the hundreds of dead birds and dolphins that have washed up on shore. More than 1,000 dead birds, a majority of them pelicans, and hundreds of dead dolphins have washed up in recent weeks.

Space weather expert has ominous forecast
Massive solar storms have happened before — and another one is likely to occur soon, according to Mike Hapgood, a space weather scientist at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory near Oxford, England.

Mexico city distributes volcano masks
Mexico City's government has started distributing 483,000 masks to residents who might need protection from the ash being spewed by the Popocatepetl volcano.

Voter backlash revives Europe debt fears
Here we go again. Expected it may have been, but the splintering political situation in Europe has raised fresh concerns about the viability of the single currency and the continent's resolve to extract itself from the economic mire.

Syria Moving Scuds to Israel, Turkey Borders – Report
The site says hundreds of high-caliber launchers are being moved, and that these could only be long range Scud missile launchers. Syria has threatened in the past that in the event of foreign military intervention on its soil, it will not hesitate to fire missiles at Israel and Turkey in order to ignite a large scale regional war.

Euro falls to three and a half year low amid market jitters at French and Greek elections
The Paris stock exchange CAC 40 index dropped 1.52pc in early trading with investors nervous about the growing pressure for a eurozone economic policy switch from austerity to growth, reflected in the French and Greek election results and President Hollande’s priorities. The euro fell heavily across the board on Monday.

Netanyahu holding elections so he is free to deal with Iran in September-October
Netanyahu is set on Sunday to announce that he is dissolving parliament and calling elections for September 4 — a year ahead of schedule. In the weeks immediately after that vote, said well-connected commentator Amnon Abramovich on the top-rated Channel 2 news, Netanyahu will head a transition government at home and have no need to worry about voter sentiment, and he knows that President Barack Obama will be paralyzed by the US presidential campaign. Netanyahu has shocked the nation in the past few days by indicating that he will be calling elections a year ahead of their scheduled date in October 2013, leaving analysts baffled as to his reasoning.

DNA links prove Jews are a ‘race,' says genetics expert
In his new book, “Legacy: A Genetic History of the Jewish People,” Harry Ostrer, a medical geneticist and professor at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York, claims that Jews are different, and the differences are not just skin deep. Jews exhibit, he writes, a distinctive genetic signature. Considering that the Nazis tried to exterminate Jews based on their supposed racial distinctiveness, such a conclusion might be a cause for concern. But Ostrer sees it as central to Jewish identity.

Syria's Muslim Brotherhood rise from the ashes
At a meeting of Syria's opposition, Muslim Brotherhood officials gather round Marxists colleagues, nudging them to produce policy statements for the Syrian National Council, the main political group challenging President Bashar al-Assad. With many living in the West, and some ditching their trademark beards, it is hard to differentiate Brotherhood from leftists. But there is little dispute about who calls the shots.

Israeli PM Netanyahu calls for early general election
Israel's Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has said he wants the country's general election to be held on 4 September, more than a year early. Mr Netanyahu told the cabinet that his Likud party would propose the date to parliament, adding: "If God's willing, the voters will give us a mandate." Some parties want to delay a decision.

Vladimir Putin inaugurated as Russian president
Vladimir Putin has been inaugurated as president of Russia in a lavish ceremony in the capital, Moscow. Mr Putin is returning to the presidency after an absence of four years in which he served as prime minister. The outgoing President, Dmitry Medvedev, was widely seen as an ally of Mr Putin. He won a third term as president in controversial elections in March.

Clinton urges India to buy less oil from Iran
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has urged India to buy less oil from sanctions-hit Iran. In Calcutta, she commended India for "working to lower purchases of Iranian oil" and hoped it would do more. India has been facing pressure buy less Iranian oil amid sanctions against Iran over its nuclear programme, which Tehran says is for civilian purposes.

Radical left and neo-Nazis score well in Greek elections
Greek voters on Sunday (6 May) punished the two ruling parties responsible for the last EU bail-out and its austerity measures by giving the radical left the second highest number of votes and allowing a neo-Nazi party into the legislature for the first time.

Syria holds parliamentary vote as violence rages
Syrians voted in a parliamentary election on Monday touted by authorities as a milestone of political reform but dismissed by the opposition as a facade while people are killed every day in an anti-government uprising. Violence persisted across the country between forces loyal to President Bashar Assad and rebels fighting to end four decades of dynastic rule by his family.

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Viewing child pornography online not a crime: New York court ruling
In a controversial decision that is already sparking debate around the country, the New York Court of Appeals ruled on Tuesday that viewing child pornography online is not a crime. "The purposeful viewing of child pornography on the internet is now legal in New York," Senior Judge Carmen Beauchamp Ciparick wrote in a majority decision for the court.

Keith Judd, Texas Inmate, Gets 40 Percent Of Votes Against Obama In West Virginia Democratic Primary
Just how unpopular is President Barack Obama in some parts of the country? Enough that a man in prison in Texas is getting 4 out of 10 votes in West Virginia's Democratic presidential primary. The inmate, Keith Judd, is serving time at the Beaumont Federal Correctional Institution in Texas for making threats at the University of New Mexico in 1999. With 83 percent of precincts reporting, Obama was receiving 60 percent of the vote to Judd's 40 percent.

A Terrible, No Good, Awful Night for Barack Obama
The most fascinating bit of it all is that time and time again gay marriage polls quite well in the United States. Time and time again, gay marriage proponents go down to defeat at the actual polls. Said one gay marriage proponent on Twitter last night to me, “It will be a happy day when all hate filled Xians are dead.” Xians is “Christians” in Twitter speak.

Obama Is Undermining U.S. Troops in Afghanistan to Put the Taliban in Power
President Obama has spent the last three years trying to figure out how to turn over Afghanistan to the Taliban without taking the political heat for it. In the process, the Obama Administration has committed a betrayal of our troops so stunning that anything done to them in or after Vietnam pales in comparison. While the Taliban kills our troops and innocent bystanders in Afghanistan, the Obama Administration is fighting to give them the one thing they can't seem to win on the battle field: control over the whole country.

Russia Develops Revolutionary Ammonia Rocket Engine
The new rocket, which will be around 30 percent more efficient than exising designs, works on a completely novel fuel mixture of acetylene and ammonia (atsetam).

Putin Attends Religious Ceremony Amid Protests
Vladimir Putin took part in a ceremony to hand over an ancient icon to the Russian Orthodox Church....The icon was brought to Russia from Mount Athos in Greece in 1648. “Let it [the icon] serve and help people,” Putin said praising the role of the Orthodox Church in the Russian society and culture.

Putin Asserts Russia’s ‘Moral Right’ on Global Stage
Vladimir Putin on Wednesday told a Red Square military parade to mark the 67th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany that the colossal sacrifices made by the Soviet Union in World War Two gave Russia the unquestionable right to advance its position on global security. “Russia is implementing a policy of strengthening security in the world,” Putin said at a VE Day parade that was his first major speech since his controversial return to the Kremlin earlier this week. “We have a great moral right to persist in our stance...

Now heading into a Little Ice Age, says astrophysicist
“The sun is entering a ‘muddled’ magnetic state. This strange behavior was pointed out by Japanese researchers from the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan and the Riken research foundation* who say this was the sort of behavior which probably took place during low periods of solar activity in the past** and which drove the world into a cold state of longer winters, cold Spring months and lousy summers.

Kofi Annan warns of 'full civil war' in Syria
Speaking in Geneva, Kofi Annan said that there was a "profound concern that the country could otherwise descend into full civil war, and the implications of that are quite frightening. "We cannot allow that to happen," the UN-Arab League mediator said. He added that the level of violence in Syria remained unacceptable.

Egypt Islamist vows global caliphate in Jerusalem
Egypt’s Islamists aim to install a global Islamic caliphate with its capital in Jerusalem, a radical Muslim preacher told thousands of Muslim Brotherhood supporters in a clip released Monday.

Rivals back Netanyahu in deal that could mandate strike on Iran
Speaking at a joint press conference with Mr Mofaz, he said: "I was ready to go to elections. But when I learned that a very broad government can be established... I realised stability can be restored. That is why I have decided to form a broad national unity government." Mr Mofaz approached the premier a few days ago with the proposal during a condolence visit after the death of Mr Netanyahu's father. Apart from insiders within Likud and Kadima, details of the unity talks were kept secret until the deal was struck early yesterday, taking politicians by surprise.

Texas one step closer to Real I.D. Act
More identification is now required in order to apply for a Texas driver license or identification card, and this new change has brought the state closer to complying with the controversial Real I.D. Act. Under the new law, applicants must prove they are Texas residents and that they have lived at their residence for at least 30 days. Among the forms of identification and proof of residency are current deeds and mortgages, concealed handgun licenses, medical cards, military documents and school transcripts.

NATO summit security chiefs dispel rumors at meeting with business leaders
One person asked about rumors that the city’s banks will be “attacked” starting Sunday. Robert Grant, special agent in charge of the FBI Chicago office, said he believed no such scheme is in the works and that police are ready if anybody tries it. Is it true “anarchists” are going to hit “soft targets” in the neighborhoods? Grant said he had no inkling of any plan.

There Will Be an Attempt to Install a Dictatorship
Farage told KWN he believes there will be an attempt, within months, to install a dictatorship in Europe. Here is what Farage had to say about the deteriorating situation: “Frankly, the whole thing is falling apart. And in the middle of all of this, Mrs Merkel came out and said, ‘The fiscal treaty cannot be renegotiated, and it must hold.’ So, I suppose, for once, we’ve got the Germans providing the humor, because this thing isn’t going to hold.”

Al-Qaeda underwear bomber working for the CIA, Saudis
But the man the terrorists were counting on to carry out the attack was actually working for the CIA and Saudi intelligence, US and Yemeni officials told The Associated Press on Tuesday.

Putin warning at Moscow parade to mark victory in WWII
Vladimir Putin, reinstalled as Russian president, has told the annual World War II Victory parade in Red Square that Russia will stand up for itself. Flanked by Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, he addressed a military parade that included nuclear-tipped missiles and 14,000 service personnel. Having borne the brunt of the Nazi onslaught, he said, Russia had a "moral right" to uphold its positions.

North Carolina approves constitutional ban on gay union
Initial results show North Carolina has approved a constitutional amendment effectively banning same-sex marriage or civil unions. The issue raised voter turnout on an otherwise uncontested primary day. With 74% of precincts reporting, more than 60% had voted to strengthen the gay marriage ban, with just under 40% opposing it.

Al-Qaeda underwear bomber 'was double agent'
Reports from the US say the would-be suicide attacker in a foiled "underwear bomb" plot was in fact a double agent. US officials are quoted as saying that the person dispatched by Yemen-based al-Qaeda to attack a US-bound plane had infiltrated the group. In an apparent intelligence coup, the agent left Yemen with the device and delivered it to the CIA.

IMF tells Germany to do more for eurozone
Germany's economy is doing well in its recovery, but the country should be more "active" in helping the rest of the eurozone cope with the crisis, the International Monetary Fund has said. "As the euro area’s largest economy, Germany can play a pivotal role in addressing the challenges posed by the crisis.

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Franklin Graham: Obama Has ‘Shaken His Fist’ at God
Evangelist Franklin Graham said President Barack Obama has “shaken his fist at God” by voicing support for gay marriage. ...Obama has, in my view, shaken his fist at the same God who created and defined marriage. It grieves me that our president would now affirm same-sex marriage, though I believe it grieves God even more,” Graham said in a statement.

Moscow deploys advanced SA-21 Growler missiles in rebuff to Obama
In a sign of the Kremlin’s increasing hostility toward NATO’s missile defense system, Moscow has begun deploying its most advanced surface-to-air missiles, the SA-21 Growler or S-400 Triumph, at its Baltic Fleet base in Kaliningrad, near Poland and Lithuania.

Report: Israel-Egypt peace agreement is dead
Egypt and Israel have ended any pretense at normalization, a report said. The Institute of National Security Studies asserted that the Egyptian cancellation of a natural gas contract marked the last element in normalization with Israel. The Israeli institute said the Egyptian cancellation of was the result of Islamic pressure on the military regime.

Israel weighs cyberwar ops to stop attacks from Sinai
Israel has raised the prospect of conducting cyber warfare to stop attacks from neighboring Egypt. Officials said the Israeli intelligence community and military have been drafting options to counter Palestinian and Al Qaida-aligned attacks from Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula.

Volcanic debris from Popocatepetl volcano closes Mexico airport
Ashes from Mexico’s Popocatepetl volcano forced officials to close the airport in nearby Puebla for some 14 hours, to allow for cleanup after it spewed out heaps of ash and rock. The Puebla International Airport was able to reopen Wednesday after dozens of workers cleared its runways of volcanic ash that posed a risk to departing and arriving aircraft, said officials.

Georgia Student Fighting Flesh-Eating Disease After Zip Line Injury
Aimee Copeland, a 24-year old master's student at the University of West Georgia, hopped on the homemade zip line May 1 during a kayaking trip in Carrollton, Ga. But the line broke, cutting a gash in Copeland's left calf and introducing a life-threatening infection that on Friday claimed her left leg and part of her abdomen.

Enormous Sunspot Could Lead to Solar Flares
“We are going toward the peak of the solar cycle right now,” said Lead Scientist for NASA’s Living With a Star Program, Madhulika Guhathakurta. “It typically goes through an 11-year cycle in which the magnetic field in the sun goes from minimum to maximum. Right now, we’re rising toward the maximum and during that time, the number of sunspots increases.” The placement of the sunspot cluster could mean solar flares directed toward Earth, but NASA says not to worry.

'Netanyahu forming war government'
"Netanyahu is forming a war government," al-Quds al-Arabi's headline cried. "No one knows what goes on through the mind of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on many regional issues these days. One can predict that this man is scheming and planning wars after murdering the peace process with the settlement policy in the occupied Arab territories," the London-based paper said.

"The EU Titanic Has Now Hit The Iceberg"
UKIP's Nigel Farage, on the May 9th celebration of the Euro, tells his European Parliament colleagues of his grave concern at the recent elections - which are very reminiscent of the elections in Germany in 1932. He warns that Europe faces the very real prospect of mass civil unrest and even revolution as the Euro project itself could even be the cause of (in it perfect irony as the initial solution to) a rebirth of national socialism in Europe. (NAZI's)

Newly-elected Vladimir Putin cancels meeting Barack Obama in US
Putin had been expected at the summit at Camp David and to hold talks with the US leader in a first test of whether the "reset" policy between the Kremlin and the White House will survive his return to the presidency. Officials said here after a call between the two leaders, that Putin would send ex-president, and current Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, with whom Obama had a close relationship over the last three years, to the United States.

Euro Will Have to Be Devalued to Save EU
Despite aggressive efforts to shore up problems in Greece, Spain, Portugal and elsewhere, the ECB has yet to find the formula that will assuage market concerns that not only could the countries default on their debts, but contagion also will spread to other nations. One obvious solution to helping the troubled nations is a devaluation of the euro, something the ECB has resisted due primarily to pressure from Germany and nations that don't have the same debt issues.

Iran threatens to expel Afghan refugees if Kabul ratifies US strategic partnership
Fazel Hadi Muslimyar, speaker of the Afghan senate, said the Iranian ambassador had made the threat last week as he demanded senators reject the deal between Barack Obama and Hamid Karzai. His intervention triggered a diplomatic row as senators denounced his meddling in Afghan affairs and called for his removal.

Obama becomes first U.S. president to support gay marriage
Barack Obama became the first U.S. President to publicly express support for same-sex marriage on Wednesday, and U.S. Jewish groups came out in support of his statements. The U.S. president’s comments in an interview to ABC News were made following days of debate over his position on same-sex marriage, sparked by remarks of two of his cabinet members - Vice President Joe Biden and Secretary of Education Arne Duncan - who are apparently in favor of it.

Hundreds of Arrests Set Grim Backdrop for Victory Day Celebrations
As Moscow gears up to celebrate its victory in World War II, 67 years ago Wednesday, the shadow of political conflict shrouds the capital as hundreds of arrests cloud Victory Day festivities. 

 Police said over 200 arrests were made Tuesday and overnight Wednesday on the eve of the anniversary, including repeat detentions for Left-Front leader Sergei Udaltsov and anti-corruption blogger Alexei Navalny, who was arrested twice in a single evening...

Fed clears China's first US bank takeover
The United States on Wednesday opened its banking market to ICBC, China's biggest bank, for the first time clearing a takeover of a US bank by a Chinese state-controlled company. Just days after high-level US-China economic talks in Beijing, the Federal Reserve approved an application from Industrial and Commercial Bank of China to buy a majority stake in the US subsidiary of Bank of East Asia.

Spanish lender Bankia is partly nationalised
Troubled Spanish lender Bankia is to be partly nationalised, the central bank has confirmed. Bankia, which holds 32bn euros (£25.7bn) in distressed property assets and whose boss has resigned, will have a 4.47bn-euro loan by the Spanish bailout fund converted into shares. The state fund will emerge with a stake in the bank of 45%.

Thousands of public sector workers strike over pensions
Hundreds of thousands of public sector workers are taking part in a 24-hour UK-wide strike in a dispute with the government over pension changes. The government says current pension schemes are unfair - and unaffordable because people are living longer. But the unions say members are being "robbed" and will have to pay more and work longer for lower pensions.

German bank breaks anti-inflation taboo
In a marked shift from its age-old taboo of accepting higher inflation, the German Bundesbank on Wednesday (10 May) said it may tolerate a devaluation of the common currency to help out crisis-hit countries suffering under a strong euro. ...German finance minister Wolfgang Schauble last week also suggested a shift in the low-wage-to-keep-strong-exports policy, saying German workers should have wage increases. "

US House votes to raise security ties with Israel
The US House of Representatives on Wednesday overwhelmingly passed bipartisan legislation that reaffirms and enhances US policy commitments to Israel’s security. The United States-Israel Enhanced Security Cooperation Act of 2012, which was sponsored by House Majority Leader Rep. Eric Cantor (R-Va.) and House Minority Whip Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), passed by a vote of 411-2.

Forty killed, scores wounded in two Damascus bombings
Two large explosions killed 40 people in Damascus on Thursday, state media said, destroying dozens of cars on a highway and damaging an intelligence complex involved in Syrian President Bashar Assad's crackdown on a 14-month-old uprising. Syrian television blamed "terrorists" for the morning rush-hour blasts, which were the deadliest to hit the capital since the revolt began.

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Franklin Graham: Obama Has ‘Shaken His Fist’ at God
Obama has, in my view, shaken his fist at the same God who created and defined marriage. It grieves me that our president would now affirm same-sex marriage, though I believe it grieves God even more,” Graham said in a statement. “This is a sad day for America. May God help us,” he said.

Christian Leaders Not Surprised by Obama's Support of Same-Sex Marriage
Tony Perkins, president of Family Research Council, said in a statement that the president's remarks were not surprising and that they create a clear distinction between him and likely GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney, who is against same-sex marriage. "The President's announcement today that he supports legalizing same-sex marriage finally brings his words in sync with his actions. From opposing state marriage amendments to refusing to defend the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) to giving taxpayer funded marriage benefits to same-sex couples, the President has undermined the spirit if not the letter of the law," Perkins said Wednesday.

End of Atlanticism and the rise of Germany: The West looks East and yields to unelected bureaucracies
Europe is at a pivotal point. Or, rather, it is at a point where its structural transformation can no longer be ignored. Events in Europe have finally led us to the dénouement of the 20th Century. It may presage a new Europe tied more firmly into the Eurasian heartland than old Europe. It is the end — though not without economic, social, and political pain — of the 20th Century form of Atlanticism. Arguably, now, more than ever, the European Union is Germany.

Tornado and hail move through Oxfordshire, UK
Britain could be braced for more thunder and lightning following a storm which brought a tornado to Oxfordshire. The thunderstorm started in Wiltshire, and moved across Oxfordshire, where a tornado was reported in several places including Bicester, Eynsham and Witney, and then moved to Buckinghamshire.

Destabilization: Scientists discover new unstable region the size of New Jersey under Antarctica Ice Sheet
The location, shape and texture of the mile-deep basin suggest that this region of the ice sheet is at a greater risk of collapse than previously thought. Team members at The University of Texas at Austin compared data about the newly discovered basin to data they previously collected from other parts of the WAIS that also appear highly vulnerable, including Pine Island Glacier and Thwaites Glacier.

Epidemic - Pacific ocean - west - Philippines
The City Health Office revealed that dengue cases in the city reached a total of 774 by the end of April, prompting Mayor Celso Lobregat to declare an outbreak late Wednesday during an emergency press conference.

The Mayans reveal their darkest mysteries: New excavation reveals secrets of their calendar - including black-clad figures and symbols never seen befo
A vast city built by the ancient Mayan civilisation and discovered nearly a century ago in modern day Guatemala is finally starting to yield its secrets - including a hint that apocalyptic predictions around the 'end' of the Mayan Calendar may be wrong.

Why the Recent Sumatra Quake Was So Strange
The magnitude 8.6 earthquake that struck in the Indian Oceanoff the western coast of Sumatra on April 11was one of the 10 largest earthquakesever recorded, and was felt as far away as Bangladesh and India. However, no quake-related fatalities were reported. Seismologists have done preliminary studies on the earthquake and found that it had some unusual aspects...

SEC investigator on leave after threat allegations
The new lead investigator at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's watchdog office has been placed on administrative leave after he talked openly about wanting to carry a concealed firearm at work and some employees complained he was a physical threat, according to people familiar with the matter.

Hamas says it will not go to war for Iran
The Islamist movement Hamas will not let itself be dragged into a war against Israel if it attacks the nuclear facilities of Hamas ally Iran, Gaza leader Ismail Haniyeh said on Thursday. "Hamas is a Palestinian movement that acts within the Palestinian arena and it carries out its political and field actions in a way that suits the interests of the Palestinian people," he said at his headquarters in the enclave.

Francois Hollande threatens to block eurozone's new financial treaty
"We want to renegotiate. Angela Merkel is defending her position but she cannot bypass the will of the French people," Mr Hamon said. "If nothing moves, the treaty will not be submitted for ratification."

Egypt debate: Israel enemy or adversary?
Egyptian presidential hopefuls Amr Moussa and Abdel Moneim Abol Fotouh traded barbs about their past in a debate that captured the historic moment facing a nation preparing for its first real election for head of state. Viewers tuned in across the Arab world for a spectacle unthinkable before Hosni Mubarak was swept from power by a mass uprising 15 months ago. The election gets under way in two weeks, the climax of an army-led transition to civilian rule.

Damascus blasts push Syria ever closer to war:
"The country is in a civil war vortex, and all this is happening while the international community is not living up to its responsibilities," said Khattar Abu Diab, professor of international relations at Paris Sud University.

US officials said to be fearful of looming Israeli strike on Iran
According to the report, officials are holding marathon talks in Washington out of concern that an Israeli attack on Iran’s nuclear program may take place before the US presidential elections in November.

Washington state health officials declare whooping cough epidemic, seek CDC help as cases soar
Washington state’s worst outbreak of whooping cough in decades has prompted health officials to declare an epidemic, seek help from federal experts and urge residents to get vaccinated amid worry that cases of the highly contagious disease could spike much higher. It’s the first state to declare a whooping cough, or pertussis, epidemic since 2010, when California had more than 9,000 cases, including 10 deaths.

US downs missile with new interceptor
U.S. forces said they had destroyed a target in the first successful test of the Navy's newest anti-missile interceptor, designed to protect allies from attacks by countries like North Korea and Iran. A target ballistic missile was downed near Hawaii late on Wednesday by the latest Raytheon Co-built Standard Missile-3 interceptor, the Pentagon's Missile Defense Agency (MDA) said.

Spain to announce bank reform plans
The Spanish government is expected to announce plans to clean up its banking system on Friday. It is likely to force the banks to set aside extra money, in the region of 30bn euros ($39bn; £24bn), to cover the cost of loans going bad. The weekly cabinet meeting is also expected to approve a plan to force banks to put bad property loans into separate companies.

Protest in Philippines over South China Sea stand-off
Several hundred protesters waved flags and placards at the Chinese embassy in Manila, calling for China to withdraw its ships from a South China Sea shoal. The Philippines deployed more than 100 police near the Chinese Consular Office, said local media, amid rising tension over the month-long row.

JPMorgan reveals shock $2bn trading loss on investments
JPMorgan Chase, the biggest US bank, has revealed a surprise trading loss of at least $2bn (£1.2bn) on complex investments made by its traders. Chief executive Jamie Dimon blamed "errors, sloppiness and bad judgement" for the losses and warned "it could get worse". The risky hedging strategy could cost the bank an additional $1bn, he added.

Germany: eurozone would survive Greek exit
German finance minister Wolfgang Schauble has said the eurozone would survive if Greece left it, with the single currency structures more robust than two years ago. "We want Greece to remain in the eurozone. But it also has to want this and to fulfil its obligations. We cannot force anyone. Europe will not sink that easily," he said in an interview with Friday's edition of the Rheinische Post.

IDF ups security overseas on Iran attack intel
The IDF has significantly boosted security for senior officers and official military delegations traveling overseas in recent months, amid intelligence that Iran and Hezbollah are plotting attacks against such targets, a senior IDF officer revealed on Thursday. News of the increase in security comes following a recent wave of attempted bombing attacks that Iran and Hezbollah are believed to have tried to carry out in Thailand, Georgia, India and Azerbaijan.

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Russia to Test New Naval Air Defense System by Year End
Russian air defense systems manufacturer Almaz Antei hopes to complete testing of its new Poliment-Redut ship-based air defense missile system by the end of this year, the company’s General Director Vladislav Menshikov said on Saturday.

Nasrallah: Hezbollah able to strike anywhere in Israel
Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah said Friday that his militant group was capable of striking any target in neighboring Israel, saying "the days when we fled and they did not are over."

Iranian opposition: Tehran accelerating its nuclear program
Iran is accelerating its nuclear weapons program, according to a report compiled by the Mujahedin-e Khalq (MEK) Iranian opposition group and obtained by The Jerusalem Post on Friday. Publication of the report comes just days before Western powers are scheduled to begin a second round of talks with Iran in Baghdad.

North Carolina a political headache for Democrats
Once a bright spot for President Barack Obama, North Carolina is now more like a political migraine less than four months before Democrats open the party's national convention in Charlotte. The causes are plenty. Labor unions, a core Democratic constituency, are up in arms. Democratic Gov. Bev Perdue isn't running for re-election; Democrats say she was likely to lose. The state Democratic Party is in disarray over an explosive sexual harassment scandal. Voters recently approved amending the state constitution to ban gay

Final push for Greece government falls to president
Greek President Karolos Papoulias is preparing to hold talks with party leaders in an attempt to create an emergency government. The move comes after the country's socialists became the third party to fail to form a coalition.

Critics: Biggest UN summit heading toward failure
The largest-ever United Nations conference, a summit billed as a historic opportunity to build a greener future, appears to be going up in smoke. U.S. President Barack Obama likely won't be there, and the leaders of Britain and Germany have bowed out. The entire European Parliament delegation has canceled.

Kansas lawmakers pass anti-Islamic law measure
The Kansas Legislature has passed a bill that would make it illegal for state courts or government agencies to rely on Islamic or other foreign legal codes in making decisions. The Senate approved the bill on a 33-3 vote Friday. The House approved it earlier in the week. Republican Gov. Sam Brownback hasn't said whether he'll sign or veto the measure.

Magnitude-5.3 quake rocks Israel
Shaken residents note tremors in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa, and Beersheba, among other cities; no injuries or damage were immediately reported

Colorado appeals court declares Day of Prayer unconstitutional
Colorado court has ruled the state’s proclamation for a Day of Prayer is unconstitutional. The state appeals court made the ruling Thursday on the proclamations by former Govs. Bill Ritter, a Democrat, and Bill Owens, a Republican, saying they violate the Constitution's provisions for religious liberty.

China denies war preparations for South China Sea
China has denied it is increasing combat readiness in response to a tense territorial row with the Philippines in the South China Sea which has dragged on for more than a month.

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13 May 12

Georgian capital Tbilisi hit by floods - five dead
At least five people have been killed and dozens hurt after a river burst its banks in the Georgian capital Tbilisi, flooding parts of the city centre. Floodwaters from the Mtkvari river submerged roads and bridges, cutting power supplies and depositing huge quantities of mud.

Court rules NSA can keep mum on ties with Google
A federal appeals court has turned down a Freedom of Information Act request to disclose National Security Agency records about the 2010 cyberattack on Google users in China.

Gunman kills top member of the Afghan peace council
An assassin armed with a silenced pistol shot dead a top member of the Afghan peace council Sunday at a traffic intersection in the nation's capital, police said. The killing strikes another blow to efforts to negotiate a political resolution to the decade-long war.

Stop-and-Frisk: NYPD stands its ground while facing sharp criticism
Baltimore native Chris Bilal was walking through his adopted Brooklyn neighborhood when he was stopped by a police officer. The NYPD officer peppered the 24-year-old with questions about where he lived, requested Bilal’s ID and rummaged through his bag. “I was coming home from the Laundromat and I was stopped by the police officer. Asking me, ‘Let me see your ID. ‘Where are you from?’ ‘Do you live around here?’ ”

Spanish PM defends cuts day after massive protests
Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy on Sunday defended his government's harsh austerity measures aimed at correcting Spain's grim economic forecast, one day after tens of thousands of Spaniards took to the streets to protest his handling of the country's worst crisis in decades.

California facing higher $16 billion shortfall
California's budget deficit has swelled to a projected $16 billion — much larger than had been predicted just months ago — and will force severe cuts to schools and public safety if voters fail to approve tax increases in November, Gov. Jerry Brown said Saturday.

Greece mired in crisis cabinet talks
Emergency Greek cabinet talks yielded no clear progress on Sunday, raising the prospect of new elections that could scupper reforms and drive the country out of the eurozone. President Carolos Papoulias held a day of last-ditch meetings with political leaders amid mounting threats of a loan freeze should Greece falter on promised structural reforms.

Suicide bomber, car bombs hit Iraq security forces
A suicide bomber targeting a police checkpoint in Baghdad killed at least three people while car bombs hit army and police patrols in two other cities, killing three others, police and hospital sources said on Sunday. The attacks were the first serious violence since mid-April when a wave of bombings killed 36 people across the country, including an attack involving three car bombs and a suicide bomber in which 15 people died in Baghdad.

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Syria Crisis: Syrian Army, Opposition Fighters Clash In Rastan
Rebels killed 23 Syrian soldiers on Monday, according to a rights group opposed to President Bashar al-Assad, in battles around the town of Rastan that further undermined a sagging U.N.-backed ceasefire. The fighting on the outskirts of Rastan followed heavy army shelling of the town in which opposition sources said at least nine people were killed, including a local rebel commander.

War on the Catholic Church
The symbolism of the president's implicit attack has not been lost on those who hate Christianity and God. In a chilling move, the Freedom from Religion Foundation has placed an ad in the Washington Post that encourages Catholics to leave the Church. It includes the following:

Iran to execute ‘Mossad spy’ on Tuesday
Majid Jamali Fashi, who was accused by Iran of being an Israeli spy and convicted of the 2010 killing of nuclear scientist Massoud ali-Mohammadi, is to be executed in Tehran on Tuesday, according to media reports.

Red, White and Moo: Red heifers and white buffalo
In the Jewish tradition, the "red heifer" also has a special status. JTA readers learned about this in 1997, when the Melody the cow was born in Israel: While most Israelis regard Melody as no more than a curiosity, some in the Orthodox community believe that the birth of a red heifer -- after two millennia -- signals the coming of messianic times. The biblical red heifer was used in purification rites through the Second Temple period.

Putin flexes muscle in shunning U.S.-hosted G8 talks
Of all the signals and symbols that shape Russian foreign policy, this one seemed particularly blunt: Vladimir Putin, in one of the first decisions of his new presidency, will shun a Group of Eight summit hosted by U.S. President Barack Obama. The May 18-19 visit was to have been Putin's first foreign trip since he returned to the Kremlin on Monday, a chance to begin putting U.S. ties back on track after a growth in tension over missile defense, Syria and Russia's presidential campaign. Instead, Putin is sending his junior partner, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev - and a message that as long as he is in charge, Russia will not bend to Washington's will when its interests are at stake.

Forty-nine headless corpses found in northern Mexico
Suspected drug cartel killers in Mexico dumped 49 headless bodies on a highway near the northern city of Monterrey, a sickening atrocity that prompted the government to condemn the "inhuman" violence plaguing the country. The corpses of 43 men and six women, whose hands and feet had also been cut off, were found in a pile on a highway in the municipality of Cadereyta Jimenez early on Sunday, officials from the state of Nuevo Leon said.

Mexico's Popocatépetl Volcano Continues High Level of Activity
Local authorities said Popocatepetl volcano has maintained its high level of activity over the past 24 hours as it had 15 exhalations and two episodes of harmonic tremor. The National Center for Disaster Prevention issued its report at 11:00 a.m. and it noted that the 15 recorded exhalations were of low and medium intensity.

Two killed in sectarian clashes in Tripoli, Lebanon
At least two people have been killed in the Lebanese city of Tripoli as clashes erupted between Sunni Muslims and members of the Alawite minority. The violence began overnight as armed groups from an Alawite enclave clashed with Sunni fighters, after security forces arrested a Sunni cleric who was reportedly helping Syrian refugees.

China, Japan, S. Korea warn N. Korea off atom test
China, Japan and South Korea warned North Korea Sunday they will not tolerate further nuclear tests, the South Korean president said, amid fears that Pyongyang is preparing a third atomic blast. Lee Myung-Bak made the remark after talks in Beijing with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda that also saw the trio decide to start free-trade area negotiations before the end of this year

Here's How The Whole Eurozone Could Unravel In Just A Matter Of Months
Greece leaves the euro "very possibly next month." That would lead to a massive run on Italian and Spanish banks. There would be massive borrowing from the ECB to prevent a banking collapse. At which point Germany has to decide: Shoulder a major burden for the debts of Spain/Italy, etc., or let it all go. He concludes: "And we’re talking about months, not years, for this to play out."

Eurozone in 'very political' meeting on Greece and Spain
Eurozone finance ministers are to hold a "very political" meeting on Monday (14 May) amid intensified speculation of a Greek exit from the single currency and worries over the deficit implications of the Spanish bank rescue. While no decisions are expected from the meeting, which starts at 3pm Brussels time, ministers are likely to make statements on the necessity for Greece to form a government.

Mass Bird Deaths: Mystery Linked To El Nino
More than 2,000 dead fowl were discovered washed up this week on beaches between Cartagena and Playa de Santo Domingo in Chile after apparently being caught up in fishermen's nets. This time of year, as Chilean weather usually gets colder, migrating birds would normally travel north for warmth. But instead they are said to have stayed to feast on an influx of anchovies and sardines that fled the coast of Peru in search of cooler waters further south.

Iran nuke talks kick off, IAEA demands broad access
A senior UN nuclear watchdog official said Iran needed to give his inspectors access to information, people and sites as he began a two-day meeting with Iranian officials on the Islamic state's disputed atomic activities on Monday. Herman Nackaerts, deputy director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, told reporters as he arrived at an Iranian diplomatic mission in Vienna that Iran should now engage on issues of substance with the IAEA.

The Mysterious Case of the Disappearing Bees
Honey bees are of vital importance, and their declining populations are an incredibly critical issue. As pollinators, they are responsible for over 130 different fruit and vegetable crops that we eat. As an economic commodity, the cost of some of these crops has already increased because the numbers of honey bees has gone down. This basic supply and demand tilt has already impacted the over $15 billion dollar industry.

Obama named ‘The First Gay President’ on Newsweek magazine cover
Newsweek fired back at Time magazine’s now-infamous breastfeeding mom image by putting President Barack Obama under a rainbow halo with the tagline "The First Gay President." "Obama's earned every stripe in this haloed rainbow,” Newsweek’s editor-in-chief Tina Brown wrote on Twitter.

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Oregon mother, daughter reportedly sued for writing bad reviews of church online
An Oregon pastor is reportedly suing a mother and her daughter for $500,000 after the two blogged about the church and described it as "cult-like."

A Censored Race War - Liberal media ignore racially motivated black-on-white crime
When two white newspaper reporters for the Virginian-Pilot were driving through Norfolk, and were set upon and beaten by a mob of young blacks — beaten so badly that they had to take a week off from work — that might sound like news that should have been reported, at least by their own newspaper. But it wasn’t.

Palestinians mark 'Nakba Day'
Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, as well as pro-Palestinian supporters in other Arab nations, will mark "Nakba Day" Tuesday, marking the "catastrophe" of the inception of the State of Israel. The PA has declared a general strike, as did the Higher Arab Monitoring Committee, which declared a strike in Israel's Arab sector.Mass rallies and marches are planned across the Palestinian Authority and in Arab cities in Israel. IDF on High-Alert.

Obama, touting gay marriage stance, calls for repeal of Defense of Marriage Act
Obama openly spoke of repealing the Defense of Marriage Act at a fundraiser Monday, as he defended his personal view that gay couples should have the right to marry.

40 killed in violent hailstorm in China: hailstorms relentless since May 8
Forty people were killed when a brief but violent hailstorm and torrential rain swept through a mountainous region of northwest China. Eighteen others remained missing in Min County, a disaster-prone area of Gansu province, while 87 had been sent to hospital, the local government said.

First Gene Therapy Successful Against Aging-Associated Decline: Mouse Lifespan Extended Up to 24% With a Single Treatment
Researchers at the Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), led by its director Mariìa Blasco, have demonstrated that the mouse lifespan can be extended by the application in adult life of a single treatment acting directly on the animal's genes. And they have done so using gene therapy, a strategy never before employed to combat aging. The therapy has been found to be safe and effective in mice.

Gold falls to four-and-a-half-month low on Greece risks
Gold dropped on Tuesday to its lowest price since late December as the euro sank against the dollar on worries that a worsening debt crisis in Greece could spill over into its neighbours and threaten the existence of the single currency.

Severe Drought Causes Brazilians to Fight Over Scarce Water
Severe drought is taking its toll on more than 1100 towns, even triggering fighting in rural areas in Brazil. Report said that an average of one person a day is being killed in "water wars", while scores of animals are wasting away before perishing. Short water supplies have devastated farm output, endangering the lives of local people and their livestock.

Mark this date for potential disaster
If the world makes it through the end of the Mayan calendar this year, a pattern of recent economic disasters based on the Hebrew calendar portends what some suspect we will be the biggest U.S. financial calamity yet Sept. 13, 2015.

GREEK MINISTER: An Exit From The Eurozone Could Trigger Civil War
Here's how he sees it going down: “What will prevail are armed gangs with Kalashnikovs and which one has the greatest number of Kalashnikovs will count … we will end up in civil war.”

There are more foreign spies in U.S. now than during Cold War
"If you look at the threat that is imposed upon our nation every day, some of the major nation states — China in particular — [have] very sophisticated intelligence operations, very aggressive operations against the U.S.," Crumpton told correspondent Lara Logan.

Russian Troops to ‘Seize’ CIA Facility in Elaborate War Game… on U.S. Soil
According to reports, the U.S. and Russian military will be engaging in an anti-terrorism exercise that will involve Russian paratroopers using U.S. weapons to “take and hold” the main facilities of the CIA and Denver International Airport in Colorado and the National Security Agency in Utah.

Euro zone finance ministers dismiss Greek exit "propaganda"
Euro zone finance ministers dismissed talk of Greece leaving the euro zone as "propaganda and nonsense" on Monday, but said the country had to respect the terms of the bailout program agreed with the EU and the International Monetary Fund.

Henry Kissinger Gets a Pat-Down at New York Airport
What does one have to do to escape a TSA pat-down? No one is immune to a so-called secondary screening, not even a former Secretary of State. Henry Kissinger is the latest in what seems to be a never-ending series of high-profile pat-downs, The Washington Post reported.

Iran hangs 'Israel spy' over nuclear scientist killing
man convicted of killing an Iranian nuclear scientist in Tehran two years ago has been hanged, Iran's state media report. Majid Jamali Fashi, 24, was convicted of killing Professor Massoud Ali Mohammadi by detonating a bomb outside his home in January 2010.

Somali piracy: EU forces in first mainland raid
EU naval forces have conducted their first raid on pirate bases on the Somali mainland, saying they have destroyed several boats. The EU forces were transported by helicopter to the pirate bases near the port of Haradheere.

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If investors think 2012 isn't going their way, they need to brace for a bumpy ride, international investor Jim Rogers says.
If investors think 2012 isn't going their way, they need to brace for a bumpy ride, international investor Jim Rogers says. The global economy and markets are set to dive in 2013 and get worse in 2014 before getting better, says Rogers. Election-year politics and loose monetary policies will keep the economy afloat this year, but get ready for a sell-off. "2013 will be very bad. God knows what will happen in 2014," Rogers told Fox Business Network.

Magnitude 6.0 earthquake strikes Papua New Guinea
A magnitude 6.0 earthquake shook Papua New Guinea on Wednesday morning, the US Geological survey reported. The quake struck 29 miles west of Kimbe town on the island of New Britain.

Goodbye La Nina: Will drought, hurricanes also go?
The La Nina weather phenomenon is over. Forecasters say that's good news for the drought in the South and hurricane areas along the coasts. The National Weather Service pronounced the two-year La Nina finished on Thursday. La Nina is the flip side of El Nino and is caused by the cooling of the central Pacific Ocean.

Tropical Storm Aletta forms in the Pacific
Tropical Storm Aletta has formed in the Pacific, becoming the first named storm of the year in the eastern north Pacific. The storm has maximum sustained winds early Tuesday near 40 mph (65 kph) with additional strengthening forecast during the next day or so followed by gradual weakening.

The submarine eruption of El Hierro Island (Canary Islands) in 2011-12: updates
A slight increase of seismic activity has been noted recently. On 12 May, 5 small quakes occurred in the western part of the island at depths of 2-17 km.

US Leads Major War Drill in Jordan – Israel Not Invited
The United States is leading what it described as the "largest military exercises in the Middle East in 10 years" in Jordan on Tuesday. Eager Lion 2012 “is the largest exercise held in the region in the past ten years,” Major General Ken Tovo, head of the US Special Operations Forces, told reporters in Amman.

Global economic woes growing: India warns of burgeoning economic crisis as deficits soar
Planning Commission member Bhalchandra Mungekar on Tuesday warned that if government does not take “urgent” steps, the country could face a bigger crisis. “If we do not adopt some of the urgent economic measures, I apprehend that a bigger crisis may be awaiting the country,”

Greece to hold new election on 17 June
Greece will hold fresh elections on 17 June and a judge has been appointed to head an interim government. Council of State president Panagiotis Pikramenos will head the caretaker government until the election. The election date was announced after party leaders met Greek President Karolos Papoulias on Wednesday.

Ayrault takes over as prime minister in France
Jean-Marc Ayrault has taken over as France's new Socialist prime minister, a day after Francois Hollande was inaugurated as president. Mr Ayrault, an old Hollande ally, said farewell to his predecessor, Francois Fillon, at the Matignon Palace before starting work on forming a cabinet. The new president has vowed women will make up half of the cabinet.

Pakistan 'likely to attend' Nato talks on Afghanistan
Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari is set to be at this weekend's Nato summit on Afghanistan. The Pakistani embassy in Washington told the BBC he was "likely to attend" the meeting in Chicago. Nato said Pakistan had an important role to play in its neighbour's future.

Ancient language discovered on clay tablets found amid ruins of 2800 year old Middle Eastern palace
Evidence of the long-lost language - probably spoken by a hitherto unknown people from the Zagros Mountains of western Iran – was found by a Cambridge University archaeologist as he deciphered an ancient clay writing tablet unearthed by an international archaeological team excavating an Assyrian imperial governors’ palace in the ancient city of Tushan, south-east Turkey.

Bank of England warns of 'storm from Europe' as growth forecast is cut
Sir Mervyn's warning came as the Bank said the UK economy will not return to pre-financial crisis levels before 2014 after it cut its growth forecasts for the next two years. The Bank now expects growth of around 0.8 per cent this year. And the squeeze on consumer spending is set to maintain its grip as the rate of inflation falls more slowly than previously expected, remaining above the Government's 2 per cent target for the next year or so.

Ex-Spain PM: Putin told me 'Israel will take care of Iran'
Don’t worry about Iran, Israel will take care of it, former Spanish prime minister Jose Maria Aznar quoted Russian President Vladimir Putin as telling him years ago. Aznar, speaking Wednesday at the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs on a meeting he had with the Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in 2002, said Putin’s comments came after he entreated him not to sell S300 anti-aircraft missiles to Iran.

Soros, Leftist Honchos Meet in Miami to Plot 2012
the Biltmore Hotel in Miami hosted a gathering of left-wing muckety-mucks plotting their strategy for the 2012 election cycle. The group hosting the meet-up was the Democracy Alliance, a 2005-created organization of high-powered liberal billionaires. As the Washington Free Beacon reports: Attendees roamed the grounds at the 150-acre tropical resort on their way to cocktail gatherings, salsa dance lessons, and workshops such as “Occupy the Voting Booth” and “The 1 Percent Rule.” Local police guarded entrances as members attended a “partners only” meeting in the hotel’s Country Club Courtyard.

Turk - Expect Tremendous Chaos, Europe Deteriorating Rapidly
Turk told KWN the situation in Europe is deteriorating and the banking system is being severely tested. Turk also discussed gold and silver, but first, here is what Turk had to say about the crisis in Europe: “The situation here in Europe is rapidly deteriorating, Eric. Moody's downgrade of 26 Italian banks was just the latest nail in the coffin. It seems likely that more bank downgrades are coming in other countries because Europe is in a downward spiral.”

Greece on brink of collapse
Europe’s financial crisis lurched into a perilous new phase as dire predictions emerged of a collapse in Greece’s economy, with a run on its banks bringing an inevitable end to its membership of the euro.

Al-Qaeda releases English-language jihad manual, encourages attacks in the West
Al-Qaeda’s English media affiliate, Al-Malahem Media, published a 16-page online English-language jihad manual on Wednesday entitled “Expectations Full,” which contains advice and instruction for Muslims who wish to wage holy war in the name of Islam. Much of the focus is on the day-to-day practicalities of waging jihad in countries such as Yemen, Pakistan and Afghanistan, but the author also devotes attention to encouraging Western-based Muslims to carry out attacks in the countries where they are living.

Israel to send fighter jets for joint exercises in the US
The exercises, to be held in the coming months, will strengthen the relationship between the IAF and the US Air Force as they practice carrying out joint operations, according to the report.

Top U.S. think tank warns against Israeli, American strike on Iran
The RAND Corporation, a think tank which advises the Pentagon, warned on Tuesday against an Israeli or American attack on Iran's nuclear reactors, and recommended the Obama administration try to "quietly influence the internal Israeli discussion over the use of military force."

Supporter of Oregon medical pot law wins attorney general race
In a primary election race for Oregon's top law enforcement post, the candidate who pledged to protect medical marijuana patients scored a decisive victory Tuesday night over a rival who led a cannabis crackdown last year.

Deputies: Fla. mom killed 4 kids, then herself
In the middle of the night, Tonya Thomas' neighbors awoke to the sound of a gunshot and moments later heard a knock on their door. Three of Thomas' four children were outside, including one who appeared to have been shot. Before the neighbors could offer help, Thomas came out of her house and called the children back home. They complied. The neighbors dialed 911 after hearing more gunshots.

Iran nuclear concession would test big power unity
Facing an imminent toughening of sanctions, Iran is hinting at a readiness to give some ground in its long nuclear stand-off with world powers, but any flexibility could split their ranks and lead to protracted uncertainty about how to respond.

Greek president set to appoint caretaker governmen
Greek President Karolos Papoulias is due to meet party leaders to set up a caretaker government ahead of fresh elections expected next month. Final talks to form a coalition failed on Tuesday, raising new concerns over Greece's eurozone future.

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Huge numbers think Islam in conflict with West
Specifically, Rasmussen Reports polls found that 63 percent of likely U.S. voters believe a battle is brewing, while only 18 percent deny the divide. Furthermore, when asked about many Western nations’ support of the populist uprisings known as “the Arab Spring,” only 26 percent of voters think the United States should do more to encourage the growth of democracy in the Islamic world, while 58 percent say the United States should leave things alone.

Iran flouts UN sanctions, sends arms to Syria
Iran, like Russia, is one of Syria's few allies as it presses ahead with a 14-month old assault on opposition forces determined to oust Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Syria's Assad 'doomed,' says Israel's Barak
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is "doomed," Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said Wednesday, urging the international community to increase pressure on his embattled regime.

Chinese boats seized by North Koreans in rare public spat
The North Koreans holding the boats and sailors demanded payment of 1.2 million yuan ($189,800) for releasing them, then cut their price to 900,000 yuan and set a deadline of Thursday, Zhang Dechang, owner of one of the captured boats told the newspaper, which called the demand a "ransom".

Yankee, come here: Mexicans want US to clean up War on Drugs mess
More than half of Mexican voters want America take a bigger role in fighting against Mexican drug cartels, a pre-election poll shows. They want the US to take more responsibility for the violence, which they partially blame on the northern neighbor. ­As many as 28 per cent are even willing to see American troops or anti-drug agents deployed in Mexican territory – a surprising result in a strongly nationalistic country with a record of grudges against the US.

Military Detention Law Blocked by New York Judge
The complaint was filed Jan. 13 by a group including former New York Times reporter Christopher Hedges. The plaintiffs contend a section of the law allows for detention of citizens and permanent residents taken into custody in the U.S. on “suspicion of providing substantial support” to people engaged in hostilities against the U.S., such as al-Qaeda.

Arizona official to Hawaii: Show birth verification
Secretary of State Ken Bennett had promised to ask Hawaii officials for verification of Obama’s documentation, vowing that if answers are not forthcoming, Obama’s name will not be on the ballot.

Iran to Hezbollah: Don't strike Israel
However, the reports apparently angered senior Iranian officials, and several hours later the Revolutionary Guards denied the story, claiming it was a "big lie published on behalf of the Zionists." According to the announcement, the West has been trying for some time to portray Hezbollah as a 'two-faced organization."

IIF's Charles Dallara says Greek exit 'somewhere between catastrophic and armageddon'
Policymakers have begun to speak openly of the risk that Greece, now in its fifth year of recession, might leave the euro. Mr Dallara said the costs of a Greek exit would be so severe that Europe has to find a palatable way of solving their woes.

ECB halts operations with some Greek banks:
The European Central Bank has stopped providing liquidity to some Greek banks as they have not been successfully recapitalised, euro zone central bank sources said on Wednesday. The ECB declined to comment on the news, which sent the euro lower against the dollar. Concern is growing in Greece and among investors that the country may have to leave the euro zone.

Judge Napolitano: Shoot down a drone, become an American hero
Speaking out against the future of aerial eavesdropping in America, Judge Napolitano said on Fox on Tuesday, “The first American patriot that shoots down one of these drones that comes too close to his children in his backyard will be an American hero.”

China Flies New Stealth Fighter as Problems Plague U.S. Jets
The second copy of China’s stealth fighter prototype has just flown at a research facility in the city of Chengdu. The first flight of the J-20 Mighty Dragon with the nose number 2002 doubles Beijing’s stealth test fleet at a time when America’s latest jet fighters are hobbled by cost overruns, labor disputes and lethal design flaws. But it’s far from certain how much, and how fast, the new Chinese jet will alter the military balance.

Scientists turn to Alaska over fears active fault-line could cause Japan-style tsunami that could devastate California and Hawaii
Scientists say a fault-line running across Alaska could cause tsunamis of the same magnitude as the Japanese disaster of March last year. Attention has turned to the Alaskan-Aleutian subduction zone, a region where one of the earth's tectonic plate, carrying the Pacific Ocean, drops beneath the North American plate.

Kuwait’s ruler blocks parliament’s proposal to make all laws comply with Sharia
Kuwait’s ruler has blocked a proposal by 31 of the 50 elected members of parliament to amend the constitution to make all legislation in the Gulf Arab state comply with Islamic law, an MP said on Thursday. The approval of Kuwait’s emir, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Saba, is needed for any constitutional change.

Turkey shows interest in reviving EU bid
Turkey began its EU accession negotiations in 2005 but made little progress in its candidacy, thanks to a dispute with EU-member Cyprus and opposition from French President Nicolas Sarkozy to Turkey's membership. Sarkozy argued that the predominantly Muslim country is not a part of Europe and wanted Turkey to accept some kind of a special partnership with the EU instead of full membership – an offer Turkey rejected.

ISIS: Iran's foreign minister established clandestine nuclear program in the 90s
Communications from the 1990s suggest Iran's current foreign minister, Ali Akbar Salehi, had knowledge of a program to procure goods for an alleged clandestine nuclear program when he was head of a university, a U.S. nuclear expert said on Tuesday. David Albright, founder of the Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS), said among 1,600 telexes and other material he has obtained and is studying was a letter signed by Salehi as head of Sharif University in 1991.

Iranian Calls for 'Islamic Awakening' to Destroy Israel
An Iranian official called this week for an ‘Islamic Awakening’ movement to help Palestinian Authority Arabs “demolish the Zionist regime”, the IRNA news agency reported. The comments were made at a conference in Tehran in honor of Nakba Day – the day of catastrophe – which is what the Arabs call the English date of May 15, when the State of Israel was re-established with a declaration of independence in 1948.

Bahrain and Iran in diplomatic row over union proposal
Bahrain's foreign ministry has summoned Iran's charge d'affaires in Manama to protest at what it described a "gross violation of its sovereignty". It follows official Iranian calls for demonstrations against a proposed union between Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. A summit of the Gulf states discussed the proposal on Monday but did not reach any decision on the matter.

Syria crisis: Damascus losing information war, says Assad
Syria is losing the information war against the West, President Bashar al-Assad has admitted, as violence continued across the country. "They outplayed us... at the very beginning of the crisis - invented stories," he told a Russian TV channel. Mr Assad also said the results of last week's elections proved Syrians supported his cabinet's reforms.

North Korea 'resumes work' on light water reactor
North Korea has resumed work on a light water reactor that could be used to support its nuclear programme after ''months of inactivity'', a United States institute says. The analysis was based on satellite photographs taken on 30 April showing new construction at the Yongbyon site. Pyongyang is ''now close to completion'' of the reactor containment building, the institute said.

North Koreans 'holding 29 Chinese fishermen'
Unidentified North Koreans have detained 29 Chinese fishermen from three boats and are demanding payment for their release, Chinese media says. They were seized on 8 May in the Yellow Sea between China and North Korea by a gunboat, said the Beijing News. The captors have asked for payment by Thursday for the release of the men and boats, the newspaper reported.

European Commission should be EU government, says Germany
The European Union needs to become more integrated with a common finance policy and a central government, German finance minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said Wednesday (16 May). "I would be for the further development of the European Commission into a government. I am for the election of a European president, he said at an event in Aachen, reports Reuters.

Euro fears rise as Greeks withdraw money from banks
Greeks have withdrawn billions of euros from their banks in recent days, with the country's president warning of "panic" at the prospect of the country leaving the eurozone. "My family already sent some €20,000 of our savings to my sister, who lives in Switzerland," says M.S., a Greek citizen who lives in Brussels and works in the financial sector.

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U.S. Congress expected to vote on legislation authorizing war with Iran
This week, Congress is considering two pieces of legislation relating to Iran. The first undermines a diplomatic solution with Iran and lowers the bar for war. The second authorizes a war of choice against Iran and begins military preparations for it. H.Res.568: Eliminating the Most Viable Alternative to War – The House is expected to vote on H.Res. 568. Read the resolution. Section (6) rejects any United States policy that would rely on efforts to contain a nuclear weapons-capable Iran. Section (7) urges the President to reaffirm the unacceptability of an Iran with nuclear-weapons capability and opposition to any policy that would rely on containment as an option in response to Iranian enrichment.

Lightning Kills 47 in Cambodia in 5 Months
For 5 months, lightning strikes have killed 47 Cambodians and injured 40 others this year. In addition to human casualties, 27 cows and buffalos also were killed along with 3 houses damaged. Last year, lightning strikes killed 165 Cambodians and injured 139 others.

Monster Sunspot's Solar Flare Strong Enough to Confuse Satellites
An enormous sunspot unleashed a powerful solar flare late Wednesday (May 16), triggering a radiation storm intense enough to interfere with some satellites orbiting Earth, space weather experts said. The flare erupted from monster sunspot complex AR 1476, which stretches about 60,000 miles (100,000 kilometers) from end to end, at 9:47 p.m. EDT Wednesday (0147 GMT Thursday). The flare spawned a class S2 solar radiation storm around our planet, according to the Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC), a branch of the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Adminstration.

Mystery earthquake near McCall puzzles scientists, technicians
"It was four in the morning, and the house shook," Hart said. "It woke up my husband and scared the crap out of my dog."

6.2-magnitude quake strikes far off Chile's coast
The U.S. Geological Survey says the quake's epicenter was 336 miles (542 kilometers) west-southwest of Castro, Los Lagos. It struck Thursday evening local time off the coast of the Aysen region and at depth of 6.2 miles (10 kilometers).

Ex-ECB head unveils bold plan to save the euro
Europe could strengthen its monetary union by giving European politicians the power to declare a sovereign state bankrupt and take over its fiscal policy, the former head of the European Central Bank said on Thursday in unveiling a bold proposal to salvage the euro.

TIME crowns Netanyahu as the 'king of Israel'
In the article, Managing Editor Rick Stengel outlines Netanyahu's recent achievements and explains why he is worthy of the title of 'King of Israel.' "Netanyahu is poised to become the longest-serving Israeli Prime Minister since David Ben-Gurion, the founding father of Israel. He has no national rival," Stengel writes. "His approval rating, roughly 50%, is at an all-time high.

'Ring of Fire' eclipse visible from China to Texas
Sunrises and sunsets often dazzle, but they'll have a special ring to them in a few days for people in the western United States and eastern Asia: The moon will slide across the sun, blocking everything but a blazing halo of light. It's been almost two decades since a "ring of fire" eclipse was visible in the continental United States. To celebrate the end of that drought, nearly three dozen national parks in the path of the eclipse will host viewing parties.

US Envoy to Israel: US Ready to Strike Iran
The U.S. has plans in place to attack Iran if necessary to prevent it from developing nuclear weapons, Washington's envoy to Israel said, days ahead of a crucial round of nuclear talks with Tehran.

Israel becomes a target in Egypt's presidential vote
Israel has become a punchbag for politicians vying for votes in Egypt's presidential race, playing on popular antipathy in Egypt towards its neighbor, but the realities of office are likely to ensure a 33-year-old peace treaty is not jeopardized. An ex-air force commander in the race boasts of bringing down Israeli aircraft in 1973, the last of Egypt's four wars with Israel.

1991 Obama was stamped 'Born in Kenya'
A literary agent’s promotional brochure from two decades ago declares Barack Obama was “born in Kenya and raised in Indonesia and Hawaii,” according to Breitbart News. The brochure was created by Acton & Dystel, which was promoting Obama as the author of the never-produced “Journeys in Black and White.” The report says the biography was dispatched to “business colleagues” in the publishing industry.

Fighter Jets In Skies Over Chicago On Friday Morning Before NATO Summit
U.S. fighter jets will be actively flying over Chicago on Friday as part of a security drill in the days before the NATO Summit. The U.S. North American Aerospace Defense (NORAD) Command Region fighters–including Air Force KC-135 tankers, Air Force F-16s, and a Coast Guard HH-65 Dolphin helicopters–will be visible on Friday morning, beginning around 9 a.m..

U.S. Approves $70 Million in Iron Dome Aid
The United States will immediately give Israel $70 million for additional Iron Dome batteries, U.S. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta told Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak in a meeting between the two Thursday. Washington has already given Israel $205 million for the Iron Dome systems. Panetta said: "Our goal is to ensure that Israel has the necessary financing every year in order to produce these batteries that protect its citizens."

Japan urges citizens to cut down on electricity use
Japan has urged businesses and households in parts of the country to cut electricity use by up to 15% to avoid possible blackouts. The country is facing power shortages this summer because its 50 nuclear reactors have been taken offline. Public confidence in nuclear safety was shaken by the meltdowns at the ********* power plant, triggered by last year's earthquake and tsunami.

Spain hit by downgrades amid Greek contagion fears
Spain's economic woes deepened on Thursday (17 May) as 16 of its banks and four regions were downgraded by Moody's ratings agency, while statistics confirmed the country is still in recession. ...The European Commission warned last week that the high debts of the 17 regions, which account for about half of overall public spending, would prevent Spain meeting its goal of cutting the budget deficit to 5.3 percent of gross domestic product this year.

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Obama's $3 billion boost for Africa
President Barack Obama will announce private sector pledges worth $3 billion (£1.9 billion) aimed at alleviating hunger in Africa. The US president will also urge the world's biggest economies to make good on their own financial promises. Mr Obama is due to unveil the food security initiative in a speech today in Washington that begins four days of international summitry.

Pentagon Study Says China Military Getting Stronger
China is pressing a long-range modernization of its military, part of a strategy aimed at maximizing its leverage over Taiwan, extending its influence farther abroad, but avoiding conflict around its borders or with the United States, the Pentagon said on Friday in an annual report to Congress.

UK Police Adopt New System to Extract Data from Phones
The Metropolitan Police in the United Kingdom has started the roll out of a new system that's capable of extracting data from mobile phones extremely quickly. The technology comes from Radio Tactics and is called ACESO. The data extraction solution will be used across 16 boroughs in the capital. ACESO allows police to quickly extra data from the mobile phones (even SIM locked phones) of suspects while they're in custody.

Blind Chinese activist leaves for U.S.
A blind Chinese activist was hurriedly taken from a hospital Saturday and boarded a plane that took off for the United States, closing a nearly monthlong diplomatic tussle that had tested U.S.-China relations.

Europe's debt crisis joins governments and banks at the hip
In Greece, Spain and elsewhere, much of the national debt is owed to the countries' banks, and disaster for one would almost certainly spell doom for the other.

Upcoming solar eclipse to project 'ring of fire'
Thousands of people are planning viewing parties for the upcoming annular solar eclipse, a rare event in which the sun will appear as a thin ring behind the moon. The eclipse will begin over Asia on Monday morning, when it will be visible in southern Japan and southern China.

France’s Hollande confirms Afghan pullout
French President Francois Hollande stood by his campaign commitment to pull his country’s troops out of Afghanistan by the end of the year in his first meeting with President Obama Friday, but pledged to provide assistance to Afghan security in a “different way.”

40 Fed Agencies Man Secret Command Center Outside Chicago
Chicago cops, the FBI, Homeland Security, Secret Service and a large number of unnamed others have established a high-tech secret command center to surveil people exercising their First Amendment right in Chicago as the NATO war council unfolds this weekend.

PM: No evidence Iran will end nuke program
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Friday dismissed a new surge of optimism in the international community that Iran might be prepared to halt its nuclear program. "I have seen no evidence whatsoever that Iran is serous about stopping its nuclear weapons program," Netanyahu said at the tail end of his meeting in Prague with the president of the Czech Republic, Vaclav Klaus.

Glenn Beck after Fox: More powerful than ever?
For many people, the incendiary talk show host seems to have fallen off the planet. On the contrary: he's reaching his fans — and raking in a lot of money "The conventional wisdom: Fiery cable news host goes off the rails, loses his highly influential platform, and is forever forgotten to history," says Dylan Byers at Politico. But that doesn't appear to be the case for Glenn Beck, who left Fox News in 2011 amid declining ratings and fleeing advertisers.

Greek poll-front runner backs staying in euro
Greek poll front-runner Alexis Tsipras, buoyed by a groundswell of opposition to EU-IMF imposed austerity measures, says forcing his country out of the eurozone would sink the region as a whole.

Iraq anti-terror officer, family shot dead
An Iraqi anti-terror officer, his wife and three children have been shot dead by gunmen in north Baghdad, security and medical officials said on Saturday. The family was murdered on Friday evening, the officials said, taking to 10 the overall death toll from violence in the Iraqi capital a day ago, and 15 in the past two days, a notable increase from what had been a relative calm

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Convicted Lockerbie bomber dies in Libya
Abdel Baset al-Megrahi, a Libyan intelligence officer who was the only person ever convicted in the 1988 Lockerbie bombing, died Sunday nearly three years after he was released from a Scottish prison to the outrage of the relatives of the attack's 270 victims. He was 60. Scotland released al-Megrahi on Aug. 20, 2009, on compassionate grounds to let him return home to die after he was diagnosed with terminal cancer. At the time, doctors predicted he had only three months to live.

NAACP announces support of same-sex marriage, shoring up Obama's base
he NAACP announced Saturday the 103-year-old black civil rights group is supporting same-sex marriage. The group's board of directors made the decision at a meeting this weekend, saying it was a "continuation of its historic commitment to equal protection under the law."

Israel Celebrates Jerusalem Day
On Saturday night and Sunday Israelis will celebrate Jerusalem Day, which marks the reunification of Jerusalem in the 1967 Six Day War after 19 years of Jordanian occupation of the eastern part of the city. - On 28 Iyar 1967, Mota Gur, the legendary commander of the forces that entered the Old City, announced on Israel radio: "The Temple Mount is in our hands"

Israel's southern border fence progressing
As public debate on the issue of refugees and infiltrators from Africa heats up, the Defense Ministry is expediting work on the border fence in the Eilat Mountains. Since the completion of the western part of the fence, on the Egyptian border, African infiltrators have been forced to detour south to find an ingress – sometimes through dangerous mountain terrain that stretches for 14 kilometers and is marked by canyons and cliffs up to 170 meters high.

Medvedev Warns of "Full Blown Wars"
Military intervention in the sovereign affairs of other states may lead to outright war, including nuclear war, Russian PM Dmitry Medvedev said on Thursday. “At some point such actions, which undermine state sovereignty, may well end in a full-blown regional war and even - I’m not trying to spook anyone - the use of nuclear weapons,” he said. The right of nations to choose their own path of development is a universal value, he said referring to the situation in Syria and the Middle East as a whole '

Shin Bet uncovers Palestinian squad bent on kidnapping Israelis in West Bank
Security forces intercepted a Palestinian squad that attempted to kidnap Israeli citizens in the West Bank, the Shin Bet indicated on Sunday, adding that the squad's purpose was to negotiate the release of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jail. The squad was arrested in an operation two months ago, according to the Shin Bet, and included nine members, all residents of the West Bank city of Ramallah and its whereabouts.

Euro austerity example Ireland 'may need second bailout'
As households struggle to pay their mortgages, the country’s rescued banks may need €4bn (£3.2bn) more to cover losses on loans than was assumed in stress tests last year, said analysts at Deutsche Bank. That would hit the finances of the Irish government, which has already pumped about €63bn into its banking sector in the last three years.

G8 summit: French €57bn financial tax plan rejected by UK
...In talks at the White House, only hours before the Camp David summit, Obama met the new French president, François Hollande, for a one-to-one conversation in which he explored the possibility of a new approach to the eurozone crisis based on a pro-growth, stimulus strategy. Obama has been pressing for such a strategy for the past three years and has a potential ally in Hollande.

UK special forces 'to stay in Afghanistan after 2014'
A small number of British soldiers could remain in Afghanistan after forces withdraw in 2014, a senior government official has said. The official made the disclosure ahead of a Nato summit in Chicago, which is expected to focus on Afghanistan. David Cameron has set a deadline of the end of December 2014 for Britain to stop all of its combat operations.

Ed Balls warns of cuts 'catastrophe'
Labour's Ed Balls has warned the world economy faces a "catastrophe" unless Germany abandons pressure on eurozone countries to cut public spending. Speaking on Sky News, the shadow chancellor said David Cameron must urge leader Angela Merkel to change course. Labour's former chancellor, Alistair Darling, has also warned that austerity could damage living standards.

China dissident Chen Guangcheng arrives in the US
Chinese activist Chen Guangcheng has arrived in New York to begin a new life in the United States. The blind human rights lawyer caused a diplomatic crisis when he escaped house arrest to arrive at the US embassy in Beijing last month. Speaking outside New York University, where he has been offered a fellowship, Mr Chen said China had dealt with the situation with "restraint and calm".

Tropical storm Alberto churns off Southeast coast
Tropical Storm Alberto churned off South Carolina's coastline Sunday, the first storm of its kind to form in a hurricane season that doesn't officially begin until June 1, forecasters said.

Israel blasts foreign proposal on settlement goods
The Palestinian campaign to boycott goods produced in Jewish settlements in the West Bank has received a boost from abroad with an unprecedented South African proposal to have the name of Israel dropped from labels on merchandise made in the settlements.

Germany's Schaeuble says Greek euro zone exit preventable
German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble said Greece's exit from the euro zone could definitely be prevented but that it was up to Greece to abide by its agreements. "European solidarity isn't a one-way street," Schaeuble told Bild am Sonntag newspaper. "You can't have one without the other. If anyone in Greece thinks that's the case, then they're massively fooling themselves and the voters."

Report: Syria rebels kill Assad's Defense Minister, brother-in-law near Damascus
Syrian opposition forces have killed several top officials in President Bashar Assad's regime, rebel leaders reported on Sunday. Among the dead, according to the rebels, were Assad's brother-in-law Assef Shawkat and Defense Minister Dawoud Rajiha. According to an al-Jazeera report, Free Syrian Army special forces also killed former Defense Minister Hasan Turkmani in an overnight operation near Damascus.

Obama: Eurozone 'must focus on jobs and growth'
US President Barack Obama has said there is an "emerging consensus" that European countries must now focus on jobs and growth. Speaking after the G8 summit of some of the world's leading economies, he said the US was confident that Europe can meet its challenges. President Obama said leaders had made good progress on a range of issues.

Yemen clashes kill 34 militants, soldiers: officials
At least 22 al Qaeda-linked militants and 12 Yemeni soldiers were killed in clashes and air strikes overnight during a U.S.-backed offensive against insurgents in the south of the country, officials said on Saturday.

Strong quake hits North Italy,at least four dead
A strong earthquake rocked a large swathe of northern Italy early on Sunday, killing at least four people, injuring dozens and seriously damaging historic buildings such as churches, bell towers and a mediaeval castle.

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NATO activates missile shield, reaches out to Russia
Obama and his allies declared an "interim capability" at a Chicago summit, putting a US warship carrying interceptors in the Mediterranean and a Turkey-based radar system under NATO command in a German base.

Costa Rica’s Turrialba volcano alert status raised to yellow: authorities say an eruption could be imminent
Costa Rica’s National Seismological Network has upgraded the color threat level to yellow of Turrialba Volcano, in the province of Cartago east of the capital. A statement issued by Raúl Mora-Amador, coordinator of Seismology, Volcanology and Geophysical Exploration at the University of Costa Rica, indicates a threat level of yellow means that the National Seismological Network believes an eruption is “probable” in a matter of days, weeks or a few months.

Obama: Slaughter of Christians a misunderstanding
The violence in northern Nigeria is mistakenly viewed as a religious conflict rather than simply a tribal dispute over land, according to the Obama administration. Ads by GoogleThe Coming Of Jesus You Think You Know The Bible Well? Test Yourself With Our Trivia Game www.BibleTriviaTime.comConflict Resolution Workplace Conflict is Inevitable. Learn to Manage It Effectively! www.conflictdynamics.orgDespite the ongoing Muslim destruction of churches and the slaughter of Christians – including many murdered during worship services – the U.S. Agency for International Development claims that the misunderstandings make it difficult to administer aid programs.

6.2-magnitude Quake Jolts Northeast Japan
A 6.2-magnitude earthquake hit seas off northeastern Japan on Sunday afternoon, said the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA). The focus of the quake, which occurred at 16:20 p.m. local time (0720 GMT) , was located some 10 km under the sea off the northeastern Sanriku region on the Honshu Island, according to the agency.

N.C. Teacher Tells Student He Could Be Arrested for Talking Badly About Obama
...a high school student in North Carolina engaged his social studies teacher in a heated debate about politics and the two leading presidential candidates. During the exchange, the teacher (an obvious Obama supporter) got very angry with the student and accused him of disrespecting the president. She even went so far as to tell the boy that he could be jailed for speaking ill of Obama.

Greece Crisis Threatens To 'Open Door To Hell'
Interestingly, he admits there are elements of the bailout deal that he would seek to renegotiate but he says if Greece were to do what Syriza's leader, Alexis Tsipras, is proposing and fail to honour the promises the country has made in return for emergency funding then the results would be disastrous.

Huge asteroid to fly close to earth, may destroy satellites
The asteroid, DA14, discovered by astronomers at LaSagra Observatory in Spain, could come so near to Earth on February 15, 2013, that it would disrupt geosynchronous satellites. While NASA has said the chance of the asteroid hitting Earth is 0.031 per cent, if it did, it would hit with the force of a 2.4 megaton explosion, similar to the mysterious Tunguska event of 1908 which levelled hundreds of square miles of Siberian forest...

********* Reactor 4 poses massive global risk
More than a year after a devastating earthquake and tsunami triggered a massive nuclear disaster, experts are warning that Japan isn't out of the woods yet and the worst nuclear storm the world has ever seen could be just one earthquake away from reality.

Kuwait follows other Gulf states, urges citizens to leave Lebanon
Kuwait called on its citizens Monday to leave Lebanon and avoid traveling to the country due to the growing unrest, reported state-run news agency KUNA, citing a Foreign Ministry source. The source, KUNA reported, said the Foreign Ministry called on its citizen in Lebanon to return to Kuwait and contact the embassy in Beirut in case of any emergency.

Islamist Leads Egypt Vote; Investors on Edge
A preliminary count of votes for Egyptians living abroad has put Islamist candidate Abdul-Moneim Aboul-Fotouh in the lead, followed by left-leaning Hamdeen Sabahi . The online statement by the State Information Service (SIS) on Saturday added that the figures "confirmed a sharp competition" for third between Amr Moussa and Mohamed Mursi.

Two die in first Beirut clashes over Syria conflict
At least two people have been killed and 18 injured in clashes overnight in the Lebanese capital Beirut. The clashes, between Sunni pro- and anti-Syrian groups, followed the shooting dead on Sunday of two anti-Syrian sheikhs. The violence is the first in Beirut since the conflict began in neighbouring Syria in March last year.

Italy quake homeless in emergency shelters
Thousands of people left homeless by a powerful earthquake in northern Italy have spent the night in shelters as aftershocks continue to hit the region. At least seven people died and more than 50 were injured when the quake struck in the early hours of Sunday. The magnitude six tremor, centred north of Bologna, destroyed or badly damaged many historic buildings.

Pakistan supply routes row hits Nato summit
A row between the US and Pakistan over supply routes to Afghanistan is threatening to overshadow the summit of Nato leaders in Chicago. The two sides have been unable to reach agreement on Pakistan's conditions for reopening the routes, closed after a US air strike killed several troops. The summit goes into a second day with troop withdrawals from Afghanistan dominating the agenda.

IAEA chief kicks off talks with Iran over its nuke program
United Nations nuclear chief Yukiya Amano started talks with senior Iranian officials on Monday, Iranian media reported, on his one-day visit to Tehran that diplomats say could lead to an agreement for further inspections of Iranian nuclear sites. Hours after his pre-dawn arrival in Tehran, Amano met the head of Iran's nuclear energy organization, Fereydoun Abbasi-Davani, ISNA news agency reported.

Pakistan restores Twitter after block
Pakistani authorities have restored access to the social media website Twitter, hours after blocking it for messages deemed "offensive to Islam". No clear reason was given for the ban, which came into force shortly after Interior Minister Rehman Malik said there were no plans to block Twitter.

Americans in Afghanistan to fight through 2014, top commander says
The commander of NATO-led forces in Afghanistan bluntly warned Sunday that American soldiers will face combat in that war-torn country right up to the time they leave, December 31, 2014. General John Allen told reporters not to buy into a "narrative" that the handover of security responsibilities to Afghan forces next year means US troops will be out of harm's way.

US warns NKorea against another nuke test
The top U.S. envoy for North Korea is warning Pyongyang that any nuclear test will be met with "swift and sure" international punishment. Glyn Davies said Monday after meeting his South Korean and Japanese counterparts that such a provocation would be a "serious miscalculation."

Wheat Climbs To Highest Level Since September On Dry Weather
Wheat rallied for a sixth straight session, advancing to the highest level in more than eight months, as dry weather threatens harvests in the U.S. and Russia, two of the world’s three biggest shippers this year. The July-delivery contract jumped as much as 3.9 percent to $7.22 a bushel on the Chicago Board of Trade, the highest price for the most active contract since Sept. 13. Futures traded at $7.10 at 2:48 p.m. Singapore time, after surging last week by 16.5 percent, the most since the five days ended June 15, 2007.

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IAEA chief says he’s reached deal with Iran on nuclear probes
Despite some remaining differences, a deal has been reached with Iran that will allow the UN nuclear agency to restart a long-stalled probe into suspicions that Tehran has secretly worked on developing nuclear arms, the UN nuclear chief said Tuesday.

Winds from civil war strife in Syria blow into Lebanon: gun battles erupt in Beirut
Don’t look now, but the Syrian conflict might not be confined to Syria anymore. Gun battles broke out in Beirut today between factions supporting and opposed to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad...

Mystery boom rattles buildings and residents in Channel Islands
An investigation has been launched into the cause of a mysterious boom which shook buildings across the Island on Saturday afternoon. Hundreds of Islanders reported hearing a loud bang – similar to a sonic boom – at 1.04 pm. The boom was so loud it rattled doors and windows from Gorey to St Ouen and even measured on the Island’s seismograph in St Aubin.

Earthquake in Bulgaria felt in North Greece, too
A strong earthquake measuring 5.8 on the Richter scale rocked Bulgaria at 3 a.m. on Tuesday, and was also felt in parts of Northern Greece, and especially Serres, eKathimerini informed. The tremor, whose epicentre was Pernik, a town on the outskirts of the capital, sent people out of their homes, though no serious injuries were reported by Greek or Bulgarian authorities.

UN nuclear watchdog: Deal reached with Iran to inspect atomic work
The United Nations nuclear watchdog chief said Tuesday that he had reached an agreement with Iran on probing suspected work on atomic weapons, adding that he hoped the agreement would "be signed quite soon." Yukiya Amano, head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), spoke a day after holding rare talks in Tehran and a day before Iran and six world powers will hold broader negotiations on the extent of Tehran's nuclear program.

PM: Yielding Temple Mount would be a fatal mistake
Whoever proposes that giving up the heart of Jerusalem - the Temple Mount - will bring peace, is fatally mistaken, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu declared on Monday evening. Addressing the Knesset plenum at a special session held to honor Jerusalem Day, Netanyahu said that taking the Temple Mount out of Israeli hands, would bring decline, and the rise of radical Islam in the region and in the world.

Customer Shocked “Allocated” Gold Not in Swiss Bank
So the dominos are continuing to fall and this is still only the beginning. We are not far, in Europe, from fear and much bigger bank runs than we’re seeing today. And the countries they think are okay are not okay. You take Germany, either way Germany will have problems.

France weather: Violent rainstorm wreaks havoc
A violent rainstorm has caused flooding and power cuts in north-eastern France, with one person found dead in their home, French media report. The equivalent of up to six weeks' rain fell in three hours on Nancy and the surrounding area on Monday night.

Eurozone biggest threat to global outlook, OECD says
The eurozone crisis is the single biggest threat to the global economy, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. The 17 nations that use the euro will see their economies shrink 0.1% this year, before rebounding to 0.9% growth next year, the OECD predicts. By contrast, the US economy will expand by 2.4% this year and 2.6% in 2013.

Israel’s Undersea Gas Bonanza May Spur Mideastern Strife
Egypt’s decision last month to stop selling natural gas to Israel could be a harbinger of increasingly confrontational Egyptian-Israeli relations, an indication of a worsening Egyptian economy, or both. In any case, the end of the arrangement, which provided 40 percent of Israel’s supply, suggests the need for more Israeli creative thinking and assertive diplomacy -- not with Egypt but, counterintuitively, with Turkey and Lebanon.

Records Show China’s Private Link to Treasury Markets
The relationship means the People’s Bank of China can buy United States debt using a different method from any other central bank. Other central banks, including the Bank of Japan, which has a large appetite for Treasuries, place orders with Wall Street banks designated by the government as primary dealers. Those dealers then bid on their behalf at Treasury auctions. China, which holds $1.17 trillion in Treasuries, still buys some through primary dealers, but since June 2011 it has been able to bypass them.

China fake parts 'used in US military equipment'
Vast numbers of counterfeit Chinese electronic parts are being used in US military equipment, a key Senate committee has reported. A year-long probe found 1,800 cases of fake parts in US military aircraft, the Senate Armed Services Committee found. More than 70% of an estimated one million suspect parts were traced back to China, the report said.

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Russia Turns on New Missile Warning Radar
"At 10:15 a.m. (5:15 a.m. Moscow time) on May 23, it was put on duty," said Lt. Gen. Oleg Ostapenko, the commander of Russia's Aerospace Defense Forces at the site. "This unique station has massive capabilities and is a key link in carring out our strategic tasks given to us by the high command. It plays a key role in the missile early warning chain," he said at the opening ceremony for the Voronezh-M radar station.

Banker says Nazi-era guilt has turned Germany into hostage of euro zone
In the book, "Europe doesn't need the euro," being published today, Sarrazin argues that the euro zone is blackmailing Germany into agreeing to euro bonds or mutualized debt.

Israeli archaeologists find earliest evidence of Bethlehem's existence in Jerusalem dig
A piece of clay was found during archaeological excavations at the City of David, in Jerusalem, bearing the name of the city of Bethlehem in ancient Hebrew script.

Japan Quake Aftershock Tally Exceeds 5,000
An earthquake that ruptured this week off the coast of Japan was one of the largest recent aftershocks to affect an area that, more than a year after one of the most powerful earthquakes on record, is still experiencing a steady stream of seismic jolts. So far, 5,229 aftershocks have rattled the tectonic boundary that ruptured off the coast of Japan's Tohoku region in March 2011. The magnitude-9.0 earthquake was the fifth largest earthquake ever recorded.

US election 2012: Barack Obama 'birther' conspiracy theory revived by Republicans
The latest resurrection of "birtherism" came a week after a short biography published by Mr Obama's book publishers in the 1990s, stating that he was "born in Kenya", emerged on a news website.

US Senate mulls unprecedented aid to Israel
The US Senate is currently reviewing the US-Israel Enhanced Security Cooperation Act of 2012 which passed the House of Representatives earlier this month. The bill proposes shared satellite intelligence, aerial refueling tankers, specialized munitions and surplus drawdown gear from Iraq.

A nation-by-nation look at Arab Spring's progress
On Wednesday, Egypt began its first free presidential election since it came under dictatorship 60 years ago. The winner will succeed Hosni Mubarak, one of four rulers toppled in the uprisings that began 18 months ago across the Middle East and became known as the Arab Spring. But replacing dictatorships with democracy is proving much harder.

Emanuela Orlandi 'was kidnapped for sex parties for Vatican police'
Father Gabriele Amorth, who was appointed by the late John Paul II as the Vatican's chief exorcist and claims to have performed thousands of exorcisms, said Emanuela Orlandi was later murdered and her body disposed of. In the latest twist in one of the Holy See's most enduring mysteries, he said the 15-year-old schoolgirl was snatched from the streets of central Rome in the summer of 1983 and forced to take part in sex parties. "This was a crime with a sexual motive. Parties were organised, with a Vatican gendarme acting as the 'recruiter' of the girls.

One million counterfeit Chinese electronic parts used in US military, report finds
The Senate Committee on Armed Services report, released Monday, revealed that it had uncovered 1,800 cases of fake parts -- including Special Operations helicopters -- used by the military.

Surge in Japanese tsunami debris washing up on Alaska
Floating material including buoys and styrofoam has washed up on Montague Island, some 120 miles southeast of Anchorage, in volumes that clearly suggest a wave of debris from the March 11, 2011 killer tidal wave. ...In the past we would find a few dozen large black buoys, used in Japanese aquaculture, on an outside beach cleanup. Now we see hundreds," he said, before the start of a planned 12-day cleanup operation, set to start Thursday.

Al Queda video calling for cyberattacks on Western tagets raises alarm in Congress
“This tape is really alarming,” Collins, R-Maine, told Fox News. “It's essentially instructing anybody who's sympathetic with Al Qaeda's ideology to engage in cyberattacks, and the tape is telling them how easy it is to do so.”

Kidnap of pilgrims in Syria raises tension in Lebanon
The kidnapping of 13 Lebanese Shia pilgrims in Syria has sparked angry protests in Beirut, adding to fears that Lebanon is being dragged into the unrest afflicting its neighbour. Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, head of the Shia militant group Hezbollah in Lebanon, appealed for calm after tyres were burned and roads blocked.

Philippines: China 'increasing ships at disputed shoal'
The Philippines says more Chinese ships are at the disputed Scarborough Shoal area, despite ongoing talks on the row. A statement from the Foreign Ministry said the vessels included five government ships as well as dozens of fishing and utility boats. The Philippines currently has two vessels there.

North Korea rocket launch site in 'major upgrade'
Satellite images show that a ''major upgrade'' is underway at North Korea's rocket launch site, says a United States institute. Work at the Musudan-ri site showed "rapid progress" since mid-2011, the analysis said. The report came as Pyongyang accused Washington of trying to ''incite confrontation'' over speculation it may carry out a third nuclear test.

UK ministers discuss war in Middle East amid Iran/Israel tensions
Senior ministers are discussing how Britain would respond in the event of a military confrontation between Israel and Iran later this year. With new international talks about Tehran's nuclear programme due to start in Baghdad later, ministers remain hopeful that diplomacy can prevent Iran developing a nuclear weapon and persuade Israel not to carry out its threat to bomb Iranian nuclear facilities.

US 'risks recession' if tax rises and spending cuts hit
The US could fall off a "fiscal cliff" if tax rises and spending cuts due to take effect at the end of 2012 are not avoided, auditors have said. The US economy could go in to recession, shrinking at a rate of 1.3% in the first half of 2013, the Congressional Budget Office said. Expiring Bush-era tax cuts are due to be amplified by $1.2tn (£760bn) of spending cuts due on 1 January.

Voting begins in first open Egypt presidential race
Egyptians began voting on Wednesday in the nation's first genuine presidential election that will pick the man to replace Hosni Mubarak who was ousted in a popular uprising last year. Polling stations opened at 8 a.m., television reported. They will close at 8 p.m. With none of the 12 candidates bidding for Egypt's top job expected to win the first round outright, a second round is planned for mid-June.

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Iran rejects West’s proposal to curb nuclear program
Iranian negotiators on Thursday rejected proposals by six world powers to limit Tehran’s nuclear program, and demanded answers to their own counteroffer meant to alleviate concerns about Iran’s ability to build atomic weapons. The stance underscored the difficulties facing the nuclear talks as both sides stake out their terms and agendas for a second day in the Iraqi capital. Still, the negotiations did not appear in danger of collapse as envoys convened again in Baghdad. The talks were expected to wrap up later Thursday.

Pakistan Gives Bin Laden Hero 33 Years, Obama Does Nothing
Dr. Shakil Afridi was convicted of treason in Pakistan on Wednesday for helping the United States find Osama Bin Laden. In the kind of double game that has been characteristic of the Obama era, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called for his release. But where was the administration during Afridi’s arrest and trial?

Breaking Poll: Walker Up 8 in WI, 50-42
Breitbart News has received an exclusive first-look at a poll to be released tomorrow morning by Reason. The Reason-Rupe Poll, conducted May 14-18, shows Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker moving into a commanding lead in his recall race. Walker now leads his opponent, Democrat Tom Barrett, by 8 points, 50%-42% among likely voters.

Bud Grows to 85 MPH Hurricane as Mexico Issues Warning
Bud grew to a Category 1 hurricane with 85 miles per hour (140 kilometers per hour) winds today in the Pacific off southwest Mexico and is forecast to approach the coast tomorrow. Storm warnings were issued by Mexico.

Chinese official: it's us or America
AUSTRALIA cannot juggle its relationships with the United States and China indefinitely and must choose a ''godfather'' to protect it, according to a prominent Chinese defence strategist. The warning by Song Xiaojun, a former senior officer of the People's Liberation Army, comes after Foreign Minister Bob Carr was told by his Chinese counterpart that Australia's close military alliance with the US was a throwback to the Cold War era.

Upstart Dem presidential candidate Wolfe vows to take Obama challenge to Texas
The long-shot Democratic presidential candidate who took 42 percent of the vote in Arkansas' primary Tuesday says he could have done better had the state party not stifled voter interest by saying he was ineligible to win convention delegates. “The Arkansas (Democratic) Party pulled out all of the stops,” John Wolfe Jr. told Fox News. “They tried to tamp down enthusiasm by saying I wouldn’t win delegates.”

John Embry - Banks Are Loaning Out “Allocated” Gold
Today John Embry told King World News that customers holding “allocated” gold inside certain banking institutions have had their gold “loaned out.” Embry, who is Chief Investment Strategist of the $10 billion strong Sprott Asset Management, also told KWN, “Many of these customers will wake up one day and realize they entrusted their gold to the wrong people.”

Fears of euro zone break-up heighten as EU leaders meet
The crisis in the euro zone has lurched into its most dangerous phase yet, putting intense heat on leaders to stabilize Greece quickly, or ensure its exodus does not trigger an economic catastrophe. Heightened fears of a break-up of the euro zone, potentially wrecking the European banking system and plunging the continent into deep recession, pummelled the currency and sent stocks tanking.

eU/IMF may pay Greece 50 billion euro for exit:
As well as confirmation from three euro zone officials, Reuters has seen a memo drawn up by one member state detailing some of the elements that euro zone countries should consider.

Palestinian terrorists said to be intensifying efforts to abduct Israelis
Several Palestinian terrorist cells were apprehended near Hebron recently, and one of them had been planning to abduct an Israeli in Kiryat Arba, on the outskirts of Hebron, Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) officials said on Wednesday. The disclosure followed the lifting of a gag order in the case. It also followed a report earlier in the week that the agency had exposed another group that had tried to abduct an Israeli in the Binyamin region of Judea and Samaria.

Volcano-Triggered ‘Mega Tsunamis’ Won’t Obliterate U.S. East Coast
An active volcano called Cumbre Vieja dominates La Palma’s southern flank, and someday a gargantuan chunk of it may slough into the Atlantic Ocean. Resulting waves could demolish Canary Island coasts, parts of Europe and Africa’s west coast. Then, in a cinematic twist redolent of disaster flicks like 2012, giant waves would crush the U.S. East Coast.

Obama Admin Tells High Schools to Push Obamacare
The Departments of Health and Human Services and Education are now acting as outlets for the Obama re-election campaign. In a press announcement released yesterday, HHS stated that HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Secretary of Education Arne Duncan “are reaching out to campus leaders to remind graduating high school, college and university seniors about their new health insurance options under the Affordable Care Act – the health care law.”

6.1 earthquake strikes northeastern Japan
An earthquake with a 6.1 magnitude rating on the Richter scale occurred in northeastern Japan on late Wednesday. Officials have said that the quake took place deep under the surrounding seas, but thankfully there is no expectation of a tsunami.

US threatens to cut Pakistan aid following jailing of Osama bin Laden doctor
Shakeel Afridi was found guilty of treason, sentenced to 33 years in prison and fined 320,000 rupees (£2,200) under an archaic tribal justice system that has governed Pakistan's semi-autonomous tribal belt since British rule. Afridi was not entitled to a lawyer but was given a chance to defend himself and has a right to appeal the verdict, officials said.

Israeli researchers score success in lung cancer treatment
Israeli researchers have identified a material that could help remedy lung cancer. In tests conducted by researchers at Hadassah University Hospital, Ein Kerem on cell samples and laboratory mice, the material shrank tumors by about 50 percent, and when it was used in conjunction with radiation therapy and chemotherapy, the pace of cancerous cell growth was reduced by about 90 percent.

Groups Concerned Over Arming Of Domestic Drones
With the use of domestic drones increasing, concern has not just come up over privacy issues, but also over the potential use of lethal force by the unmanned aircraft. ...Chief Deputy Randy McDaniel of the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office in Texas told The Daily that his department is considering using rubber bullets and tear gas on its drone.

Russia tests new missile, in warning over U.S. shield
Russia tested a new long-range missile on Wednesday that should improve its ability to penetrate missile defense systems, the military said, in Moscow's latest warning to Washington over deployment of a missile shield in Europe. ...The new missile is expected to improve Russia's offensive arsenal, "including by increasing the capability to overcome missile defense systems that are being created", the ministry said in a statement.

European business activity falls to near three-year low
Activity at European businesses hit a near three-year low in May, according to a survey by Markit. Its index, based on a survey of purchasing managers in the manufacturing and service sector, fell to 45.9 in May, a 35-month low. In response, the euro fell to $1.2515 against the dollar, a 22-month low.

Van Rompuy to draft plan for deeper economic union
EU leaders have tasked council chief Herman Van Rompuy with drafting a plan on deepening the eurozone's economic union, potentially via an inter-governmental treaty. After more than five hours of talks on the need to strengthen growth policies while sticking to the already strengthened deficit rules, EU leaders on Wednesday night (23 May) agreed to come back to these issues at a formal summit on 28 June.

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New Bill Would Make It Legal To Target Propaganda And “Psychological Operations” Directly At U.S. Citizens
An amendment that has been added to a new defense bill in Congress would make it legal to target propaganda and “psychological operations” directly at U.S. citizens. The latest version of the National Defense Authorization Act would overturn the Smith-Mundt Act of 1948 and the Foreign Relations Authorization Act of 1987. Those two laws essentially make it illegal for propaganda that is used to influence public opinion overseas to be targeted at U.S. citizens back here at home.

Maine churches raising money to fight gay marriage
Scores of Maine churches will pass the collection plate a second time at Sunday services on Father's Day to kick off a fundraising campaign for the lead opposition group to November's ballot question asking voters to legalize same-sex marriages. Between 150 and 200 churches are expected to raise money for the Protect Marriage Maine political action committee, said Carroll Conley Jr., executive director of the Christian Civic League of Maine evangelical organization and a member of the PAC. Conley is also trying to drum up support for the Maine campaign from religious leaders from around the country.

Vatican tracks down document holder
Vatican documents leaked to the press in recent months have pointed to power struggles and accusations of corruption touching senior Vatican cardinals. In one case, a cleric who complained was reportedly sent to Washington as papal envoy to get him out of the Vatican.

Quake reveals day of Jesus' crucifixion, researchers believe
Geologists say Jesus, as described in the New Testament, was most likely crucified on Friday, April 3, in the year 33. The latest investigation, reported in International Geology Review, focused on earthquake activity at the Dead Sea, located 13 miles from Jerusalem. The Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 27, mentions that an earthquake coincided with the crucifixion:

Caesar Bryan - Global Investors Are Frightened At This Point
King World News interviewed 25 year veteran Caesar Bryan. Gabelli & Company has over $31 billion under management and Caesar Bryan has managed the gold fund since its inception in 1994. Caesar told KWN that yesterday the “german bund yield fell below 2% for the first time ever.” Caesar also said this “reveals just how frightened people are at this point in time.” But first, here is what Caesar had to say about the battle taking place in key markets: “I think there’s a little bit of a battle going on. There’s clearly a lot of fear in capital markets around the world and that’s usually represented by a rush to short-term government bonds, in particular US dollar government bonds. With this type of fear and the need for liquidity, just about all assets get sold and gold is one of those assets.”

Greece to Exit Euro, New Currency to Fall 60%
Greece will leave the euro zone next year and the country's new currency will "immediately fall by 60 percent," according to Citi chief economist Willem Buiter.

Bill Clinton photographed with porn stars in Monte Carlo
The former US president posed with Brooklyn Lee, her colleague Tasha Reign, and their friend Jennifer Taule, who is not involved in pornography, on Wednesday night.

The Real Obama Budget Deficit For 2011: 5 Trillion Dollars
If the U.S. government used the same accounting methods that most U.S. businesses use, the real federal budget deficit for last year would have been 5 trillion dollars instead of 1.3 trillion dollars. So where does the huge difference come from? I think a simple illustration would be helpful here.

Head of Vatican Bank resigns
Head of the Vatican bank Ettore Gotti Tedeschi, pictured in 2010, was forced to resign from his post on Thursday "for failing to carry out duties of primary importance," the Holy See said in a statement.

Israel steps up security ties with China
With Israel offering much-needed technical expertise and China representing a huge new market and influential voice in the international debate over Iran's nuclear program, the two nations have stepped up military cooperation as they patch up a rift caused by a pair of failed arms deals scuttled by the U.S.

IDF working to upgrade range of Iron Dome system
The IDF is working to increase the range of the Iron Dome counter rocket defense system, with the aim of enabling it to intercept longer-range rockets, The Jerusalem Post has learned. To achieve the improved performance, the IDF is focusing on two tracks – technological upgrades to the system as well as modifications to the Israel Air Force’s operational doctrine.

McCain sides with Netanyahu against top US general
When Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu charged US General Martin Dempsey as a puppet of Iran this week, two top-ranking US lawmakers were also visiting abroad. Neither Senators John McCain nor Lindsey Graham came to refute those claims, however.

Israel takes back promise to Obama not to attack Iran before the election
Sources from inside Washington, DC are telling the international media that Israeli leadership is upset with US President Barack Obama’s handling of Iran’s alleged nuclear threat and may take military action before the November election.

New Zealand's Christchurch shaken by 5.2 quake
New Zealand's second largest city Christchurch was shaken by a magnitude 5.2 earthquake on Friday, but there were no immediate reports of damage or casualties. The government seismology agency said the quake was centered 10 kilometers east of the city at a depth of 11 kilometers.

Egypt to pick Islamist or military man as president
The Muslim Brotherhood said on Friday its candidate in Egypt's first free presidential vote had won through to a run-off next month against ex-air force chief Ahmed Shafiq, who was deposed leader Hosni Mubarak's last prime minister.

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Faith leaders vow to fight threats to religious liberties in public sphere
Leaders from a variety of faith backgrounds, politicians and educators met Thursday in Washington, D.C., for the National Religious Freedom Conference: Rising Threats to Religious Freedom, an event that organizers say is part of a battle against the trampling of religious liberties in the public sphere.

Russian arms shipment en route to Syria: report
A Russian cargo ship loaded with weapons is en route to Syria and due to arrive at a Syrian port this weekend, Al Arabiya television said in a report that Western diplomats in New York described on Friday as credible. Syria is one of Russia's top weapons customers.

Syria crisis: Houla 'massacre leaves 90 dead'
At least 90 people, including many children, have been killed in Syria's restive Homs province, opposition activists say, calling it a "massacre". They said scores were wounded in the violence in Houla, as government forces shelled and attacked the town. Shocking footage has emerged of the bodies of children killed as part of one the bloodiest attacks in one area since a nominal truce began in April.

Egypt Muslim Brotherhood seeks presidential poll allies
Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood has called for talks to "save" the uprising ahead of a presidential election run-off. The group says its candidate, Mohammed Mursi, won most votes in this week's first round, with some 25% of the vote. Partial figures suggest he will face Ahmed Shafiq, ex-President Mubarak's last PM in a second round next month.

Hezbollah chief Nasrallah: No fence will protect Israel
Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah spoke Friday during a ceremony marking 12 years since the Israeli disengagement from southern Lebanon, and warned that no fence that Israel erects will protect it.

Theresa May: we'll stop migrants if euro collapses
In an interview in The Daily Telegraph, Theresa May says “work is ongoing” to restrict European immigration in the event of a financial collapse. People from throughout the EU, with the exception of new member countries such as Romania and Bulgaria, are able to work anywhere in the single market.

Afghan parliament approves U.S.-Afghan security pact
Afghanistan's parliament approved on Saturday a strategic pact between Kabul and Washington, clearing the way for a U.S. presence in the country for at least a decade after most foreign combat troops leave in 2014. "This was done for the interest of Afghanistan," said Daoud Kalakani, an MP from Kabul. Around 180 MPs were present and only four voted against, Kalakani said.

US Postal Service Offers Buyouts to 45,000 Workers
The cash-strapped U.S. Postal Service will offer buyouts this summer to nearly all of its 45,000 mail handlers, part of a plan to consolidate operations at 140 mail-processing facilities in the next year.

U.S. sailor is 3,000th Afghanistan war death
A U.S. sailor who died last week of medical complications was the 3,000th death among coalition forces in the Afghanistan war, according to CNN's count based on information provided by the U.S. Defense Department and the International Security Assistance Force.

Egypt to pick Islamist or military man as president
Muslim Brotherhood said on Friday its candidate in Egypt's first free presidential vote would fight a run-off next month with ex-air force chief Ahmed Shafiq, the last prime minister of deposed leader Hosni Mubarak.

Hurricane warning issued for Mexico ahead of Bud
Hurricane Bud weakened to a Category 2 storm as it headed early Friday toward an area of beach resorts and small mountain villages on Mexico's Pacific coast stretching south from Puerto Vallarta. Authorities canceled school in 11 communities expected to be hit by heavy rains in Jalisco state, and emergency workers were preparing emergency shelters.

'Iran has enough uranium for 5 bombs'
Iran has significantly stepped up its output of low-enriched uranium and total production in the last five years, which would be enough for at least five nuclear weapons if refined much further, a US security institute said. The Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS), a think-tank which closely tracks Iran's nuclear program, made the analysis on the basis of data in the latest quarterly UN watchdog report which was issued on Friday.

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Russia's Putin to visit Israel in June
Russian President Vladimir Putin is scheduled to visit Israel at the end of June, this following talks between high-level officials in Moscow and Jerusalem. The Yedioth Ahronoth daily reported Friday that the exact date of Putin's 24-hour visit has not been set, but it will likely take place during the last week of June.

Are The Europeans About To Start The Second Half Of Our Great Depression?
"Just when we think the worst is over - and let's face it we have been in this crisis for five years - we get the second half; are the Europeans about to start the second half our Great Depression with massive bank runs" are the Jaws-music-inspired words that recent media-favorite (yes, us too) Niall Ferguson uses in an interview with CBC.

Polls on gay marriage not yet reflected in votes
Poll after poll shows public support for same-sex marriage steadily increasing, to the point where it's now a majority viewpoint. Yet in all 32 states where gay marriage has been on the ballot, voters have rejected it.

Beryl threatens rain, winds on southeast US coast
Subtropical storm Beryl began moving faster toward an expected landfall Sunday night on the Southeast U.S. coast, threatening Memorial Day beachgoers with forecast conditions of dangerous surf and drenching rains from northeast Florida up through a swath of the Carolinas.

Iran official says unconvinced of need for IAEA to inspect Parchin nuclear site
...Speaking on Tuesday, IAEA chief Yukiya Amano, who had been looking for a deal giving his inspectors a freer hand to investigate suspected atomic bomb research in Iran, described the outcome of his meetings in Iran as an "important development." ...However, Iran's state-run TV and semi-official Fars news agency both cited Abbasi as saying Saturday that Iran had not been convinced of the need to inspect the Parchin site, adding that "no documents or reason has been presented to us" to persuade Tehran otherwise.

Iran: 2nd reactor in Bushehr by early 2014
The head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization said the country is to build a new nuclear power plant, alongside its sole existing one in the southern city of Bushehr, by early 2014. "Iran will build a 1,000-megawatt nuclear power plant in Bushehr next year," state television quoted Fereydoon Abbasi Davani as saying on Sunday. He was referring to the Iranian calendar year running from March 2013 to March 2014.

Clinton condemns Syria massacre: Assad's 'rule by murder' must end
The perpetrators of a massacre that left more than 92 dead – including 32 young children – in Houla, Syria “must be identified and held to account," Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Sunday. The United Nations said the victims died in what activists described as an artillery barrage by government forces in the worst violence since the start of a peace plan to slow the flow of blood in Syria's uprising.

Iran not ready for visit to suspect nuclear site
The U.N. nuclear watchdog has not yet given good enough reasons to visit an Iranian site where it suspects there may have been experiments for developing nuclear weapons, Iranian media said.

Marc Faber: 100% Chance of Global Recession
...Faber’s bearish market calls have been followed closely since 1987 when he warned his clients to cash out before Black Monday. And in a live interview on CNBC’s Fast Money Halftime Report, Faber again warned that economies of the world may be on the brink of a serious slowdown.

House to examine plan for United Nations to regulate the Internet
House lawmakers will consider an international proposal next week to give the United Nations more control over the Internet. The proposal is backed by China, Russia, Brazil, India and other UN members, and would give the UN’s International Telecommunication Union (ITU) more control over the governance of the Internet.

Spent Fuel Rods Drive Growing Fear Over Plant in Japan
...The public’s fears about the pool have grown in recent months as some scientists have warned that it has the most potential for setting off a new catastrophe, now that the three nuclear reactors that suffered meltdowns are in a more stable state, and as frequent quakes continue to rattle the region. The worries picked up new traction in recent days after the operator of the plant, Tokyo Electric Power Company, or Tepco, said it had found a slight bulge in one of the walls of the reactor building, stoking fears over the building’s safety.

Egypt election: Hamdin Sabbahi seeks recount
The candidate who is said to have come third - missing out on a run-off - in Egypt's historic election has demanded a recount, citing many "violations". Hamdin Sabbahi, from the leftist al-Karamah party, said conscripts had voted illegally. Mr Sabbahi missed out on the second round by 700,000 votes, according to unofficial results from state media.

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Unusual Quantum Effect Discovered in Earliest Stages of Photosynthesis
After a photon hits the cell, it excites one of the electrons inside the chromophore. As they observed the initial step of the process, Argonne scientists saw something no one had observed before: a single photon appeared to excite different chromophores simultaneously. "The behavior we were able to see at these very fast time scales implies a much more sophisticated mixing of electronic states," Tiede said. "It shows us that high-level biological systems could be tapped into very fundamental physics in a way that didn't seem likely or even possible."

Syria Houla massacre: Russia told to intervene before it is too late
William Hague issued an ultimatum to Russia last night to intervene in the Syrian crisis before it was too late, warning that the massacre of at least 108 people, including 32 young children in Houla, had taken the country to the brink of civil war.

World scrambles to prepare for collapse of the eurozone
"We must be prepared just in case the currency union collapses, although I don't expect that to happen," said Swiss National Bank boss Thomas Jordan. He added that his objective would be to prevent funds flooding into the safe haven of the Swiss franc, which could damage his country's export sector.

MEPs demand right to summon and sanction
MEPs want to give the European Parliament's committees of inquiry sweeping new powers following a vote in Strasbourg (24 May). Under the proposals made by David Martin, the British centre-left MEP leading parliament's negotiations on the regulation, committees would be given new powers including the right to conduct on-the-spot investigations at EU and national level, demand access to documents and summon witnesses to give evidence.

Powerful 'Flame' cyber weapon found in Mideast
Security experts have discovered a new data-stealing virus dubbed Flame they say has lurked inside thousands of computers across the Middle East for as long as five years as part of a sophisticated cyber warfare campaign. ...Flame can gather data files, remotely change settings on computers, turn on PC microphones to record conversations, take screen shots and log instant messaging chats.

Spain bond yield spread at record high as Bankia shares drop
The difference between the price investors will pay for Spanish and German bonds has hit a record high. Bond markets continue to reflect the tensions in the eurozone with Spain's 10-year bond yields 5.05 percentage points higher than German bonds, which are considered low risk.

Lloyd's of London preparing for euro collapse
The chief executive of the multi-billion pound Lloyd's of London has publicly admitted that the world's leading insurance market is prepared for a collapse in the single currency and has reduced its exposure "as much as possible" to the crisis-ridden continent.

New Mexico fire grows, forces evacuation
Crews fighting a wildfire in the Gila National Forest in New Mexico planned to take advantage of lighter winds Sunday by building protection lines on key flanks of the blaze and preparing to send water-dropping helicopters into the air for the first time in several days.

No reports of damage after magnitude 6.4 earthquake strikes northern Argentina
A 6.4-magnitude earthquake struck northern Argentina in the early hours of Monday morning, the US Geological Survey said. The tremor hit at 2:07am local time 21 miles east-southeast of Suncho Corral in Santiago del Estero province.

Special envoy Kofi Annan arrives in Syria
A U.N. spokesman says special envoy Kofi Annan has arrived in Damascus for talks with Syrian President Bashar Assad and other senior officials. Annan's spokesman, Ahmad Fawzi, says Annan arrived in the Syrian capital Monday. The visit comes just days after a gruesome weekend massacre that killed more than 100 people.

Attempts to revive language spoken in Jesus' time
Two villages in the Holy Land's tiny Christian community are teaching Aramaic in an ambitious effort to revive the language that Jesus spoke, centuries after it all but disappeared from the Middle East.

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The 'Flame' Computer Virus Strikes Iran, 'Worse Than Stuxnet'
Dubbed the “Flame,” the virus is one that has struck not only Iran, however, but a number of other enemies of Israel as well. The Kaspersky Internet security firm is calling the “Flame” data-stealing virus the “most sophisticated cyber-weapon yet unleashed” and hinted it may have been created by the makers of the Stuxnet worm.

Archaeology: Ancient tomb unearthed in Upper Egypt
The tomb dates from ancient Egypt's First Intermediate period (2181-2055 BC) and is an unusual find, as very little archaeological evidence survives from this period.

UK Plans Border Controls For Euro Meltdown
The Government is making contingency plans to cope with a potential increase in immigration should the euro currency collapse, the Home Secretary has revealed. There is rising concern that Greece will be forced to abandon the euro after five years of recession, two bailouts and rising anger among voters over draconian austerity measures.

Miami witness says naked attacker was chewing man's face
Vega flagged down a Miami police officer, who he said repeatedly ordered the attacker to get off the victim. The attacker just picked his head up and growled at the officer, Vega said. As the attack continued, Vega said the officer shot the attacker, who continued chewing the victim's face. The officer fired again, killing the attacker.

Biblical prophecy descends on state Capitol
On May 16, every member of the Oklahoma State Legislature, the governor and the lieutenant governor received a copy of an explosive new book on God’s judgment of America and an urgent message: “Consider ‘The Harbinger’ and the dire warnings it contains before it is too late.” The message came from Joe Esposito of Owasso, Okla., who only a few weeks before had read his own copy of Jonathan Cahn’s book “The Harbinger” and was so stunned by the parallels between the fall of ancient Israel and America’s current struggles that he knew his state’s leaders needed a wake-up call.

Reports: 9 dead in Italy's latest 5.8 earthquake
Premier Mario Monti pledged in a hastily called news conference two hours after the quake that the government will do `'all that it must and all that is possible in the briefest period to guarantee the resumption of normal life in this area so special, so important and so productive for Italy."

Strong earthquake hits deep underneath northern Argentina
The 6.4-magnitude earthquake at 2:07 a.m. local time (0507 GMT) was centered about 22 kilometers (13.7 miles) southeast of Suncho Corral, a small village about 100 kilometers (62 miles) southeast of Santiago del Estero. It struck about 662 kilometers (411 miles) deep, making it a deep earthquake, according to the country's National Institute of Seismic Prevention (INPRES).

Shin Bet exposes terror cell planning to kidnap Israelis
The Shin Bet has recently thwarted a terror group's attempt to abduct Israeli citizens. According to information released Tuesday, the Israel Security Agency (IAS) foiled an attempt by a terror group calling itself the "Holy Warriors Brigades," whose members planned to kidnap Israelis and use them as a bargaining chip to secure the release of Palestinian prisoners.

New rules for Chinese microbloggers
A five-strikes-and-out rule will see anyone posting five tweets on "sensitive" subjects have their account on Sina's Weibo suspended for 48 hours. Anyone whose posts continue to irk the censors could then have their accounts closed permanently. The code of conduct, which bans the spread of "state secrets", "false information", and anything that harms "national unity" went into force on Monday.

New earthquake shakes northern Italy - 'nine dead'
A new earthquake has struck the Emilia region in northern Italy, killing at least nine people and burying several others under rubble, local media say. All the deaths were in the Modena area. Three were killed when an industrial shed collapsed in Medolla, three died in San Felice, two in Mirandola and one in Cavezzo.

Egypt presidential candidate Ahmed Shafiq's HQ attacked
The Cairo campaign headquarters of Egyptian presidential candidate Ahmed Shafiq has been attacked. Egyptian TV broadcast footage of a fire at the building, in the Dokki district. The fire was put out with no signs of serious damage, and no injuries. The attack came hours after it was announced that Mr Shafiq - The last PM of ex-President Hosni Mubarak - would compete in a run-off next month.

Bluefin tuna record ********* radioactivity
Pacific Bluefin tuna caught off the coast of California have been found to have radioactive contamination from last year's ********* nuclear accident. The fish would have picked up the pollution while swimming in Japanese waters, before then moving to the far side of the ocean. Scientists stress that the fish are still perfectly safe to eat.

Spanish and Italian borrowing costs soar
The cost of insurance against a Spanish default reached another record on Monday, with Italy's borrowing costs also rising sharply amid continued market fears about the fate of the eurozone. ..."We need a clear, forceful and energetic defence of the euro," Rajoy said. Last week he noted that ECB money is a more pressing issue than the theoretical discussion about further political integration of the eurozone.

Bank runs spreading across Europe! What next?
This is not the first time we’ve warned you about an imminent financial megashock. In our Money and Markets of December 3, 2007, we specifically named Lehman Brothers as the next major firm to collapse on Wall Street. (See “Dangerously Close to a Money Panic.”) In our Money and Markets of March 17, 2008, precisely 182 days before its failure, we again named Lehman, making it abundantly clear that it could be the trigger of a financial meltdown. (See “Closer to a Financial Meltdown.”)

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Iran, Turkey discuss expansion of trade ties
Iran's Ambassador to Ankara, Bahman Hosseinpoor, expressed hope that the preferential trade pact between Iran and Turkey would be finalized to make way for free trade between the two countries, Iran's Islamic Republic News Agency reported.

Turkey Plans Giant Istanbul Mosque For All To See, Erdogan Says
Turkey commissioned a “giant mosque” to sit atop an Istanbul peak that will be visible from everywhere in the city of 15 million, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said. The Islamic house of worship is one of six new mosques planned for the eastern half of the city that straddles Europe and Asia, Erdogan told supporters at a traditional handworks art center in Istanbul yesterday, according to state-run Anatolia news agency.

France Calls For UN Human Rights Council Meeting On Syria
France Wednesday called for the United Nations Human Rights Council to hold a meeting to discuss the situation in Syria while reiterating the need for humanitarian corridors so that aid can reach those people suffering from the continued violence.

IAEA sees new "activities" at Iran site - diplomats
The U.N. nuclear watchdog showed new satellite imagery on Wednesday indicating that Iran may be cleaning a site where inspectors suspect it has carried out tests relevant to developing atomic bombs, participants at a closed-door briefing said.

Earth Experiences Back-to-Back Asteroid Close Encounters
The first asteroid, designated 2012 KP24, was first detected last week and passed within 32,000 miles of Earth on May 28. It is less than 70 feet across, approximately the size of a blue whale. The second asteroid, named 2012 KT42, zipped by at midnight PDT on May 29, coming within 8,950 miles of Earth. That’s closer than the orbit of geosynchronous satellites, making the KT42 encounter one of the top 20 closest approaches ever recorded.

Summary of world-wide volcanic activity 16-22 May 2012
The past week was dominated by the paroxysm at Fuego volcano on 20 May and ongoing strong explosive activity at Shiveluch in Kamchatka. The new Smithsonian / USGS Weekly Volcanic Activity Report was published today and is summarized as follows:

Will Bilderberg meeting be 'occupied'?
Some say it’s just an event for the rich and powerful to let their hair down, hear from top policy wonks and schmooze with each other. Others claim it’s the place where big decisions are made in secret – decisions with world-shaking consequences. What ever it truly is, the meeting is taking place this week here in the quiet suburbs near Dulles International Airport at the Westfields Marriott Convention Center – the same place it was held four years ago when rumors circulated it was determined there that Barack Obama would be the Democratic presidential nominee, not Hillary Clinton.

The new special relationship: Why HAS Cameron held EIGHT conversations with Tony Blair (of all people) on how to run the country?
Well-placed sources admit their discussions stray far beyond foreign affairs and into how the Government should reform public services and the civil service. They have also discussed the euro crisis and the economy. Mr Blair has also been advising Mr Cameron on how to cope with the rigours of the job as he undergoes the most testing time of his premiership.

Flame virus had massive impact on Iran, says Israeli security firm
The Flame computer virus not only stole large quantities of information from various Iranian government agencies, but apparently even disrupted its oil exports by shutting down oil terminals, information security firm Symantec Israel said yesterday.

Ehud Barak: If negotiations fail, Israel must consider unilateral withdrawal from West Bank
"We are a coalition of 94 MKs, this is the time to lead a diplomatic process," Barak said Wednesday morning in a speech at Tel Aviv University's Institute for National Security Studies. "But if it isn't possible to reach a permanent agreement with the Palestinians, we must consider an interim arrangement or even a unilateral move." "We are on borrowed time. We will reach a wall, and we'll pay the price. People who are now in a coma will then ask how we didn't see [this coming]," he added.

Greenland's Loss of Ice Mass During the Last 10 Years Is Unusually High Compared to Last 50 Years
For the first time and for each region, the researchers could determine with unprecedented precision which percentage melting, iceberg calving and fluctuations in rainfall have on the current mass loss. "Such an increase in mass loss in the northwest after 2005 is partly due to heavy snowfall in the years before", says GFZ scientist Ingo Sasgen, head of the study. "The previous mass gain was reduced in subsequent years. Similarly in eastern Greenland: In the years 2008 and 2009 there was even a mass increase".

Airports closed as volcano alert rises
A LIGHT spewing of ash amid renewed rumblings in the Nevado del Ruiz volcano has prompted Colombian authorities to close four airports and evacuate 500 people.

Earthquake could trigger San Onofre shutdown, officials say
Officials at the San Onofre nuclear plant said it's possible that vibration sensors in the plant's backup diesel generators could be tripped by an earthquake, leading to shutdown of the generators. Plant operator Southern California Edison reported the potential issue to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and said it has disabled the sensors while it looks into the issue. The diesel generators provide power to the plant and keep safety systems running in the event of a power outage.

Greyerz - $100 Trillion+ to be Printed, Expect Capital Controls
Egon von Greyerz told King World News, “The tens of trillions of dollars that needs to be printed is without derivatives. With derivatives we are talking about hundred of trillions of dollars that may need to be printed.” Egon von Greyerz is founder and managing partner at Matterhorn Asset Management out of Switzerland. Von Greyerz also said, “We will have exchange controls in virtually every country. I can see this coming to the US in the next year or two.”

Holder to brief black pastors on campaign 2012
Attorney General Eric Holder, the IRS, and the liberal lawyers at the ACLU will brief several hundred pastors in the African American community on how to participate in the presidential election -- which the Congressional Black Caucus chair expects will help President Obama's campaign.

Europe’s debtors must pawn their gold for Eurobond Redemption
The German scheme -- known as the European Redemption Pact -- offers a form of "Eurobonds Lite" that can be squared with the German constitution and breaks the political logjam. It is a highly creative way out of the debt crisis, but is not a soft option for Italy, Spain, Portugal, and other states in trouble.

Iraq's PM warns Arab states may face 'water war'
Arab states could be headed towards a future war over water if they do not act quickly to tackle shortages, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki has warned. At a conference in Baghdad, he urged countries to work together in order to prevent conflict in the arid region. ...Arab countries are seeking to address the water crisis with a unified plan.

Italy quake: Aftershocks strike Emilia Romagna
Dozens of aftershocks have shuddered through Italy's northern Emilia Romagna region overnight. Seventeen people are now known to have died and another 350 were hurt in Tuesday's 5.8 magnitude quake, the second in just over a week. The latest victim has been pulled from the rubble in the town of Medolla, some 27 miles (45km) north-west of Bologna, Italian media report.

Mitt Romney clinches nomination in Texas primary
Mitt Romney has secured his place as the Republican challenger to Barack Obama in November's US presidential election, following a primary in Texas. Near-complete results show he easily cleared the benchmark of 1,144 delegates to secure the nomination. Mr Romney said he was "humbled". He is the first Mormon from a major party to contest the presidential election.

France says Syria air strikes a possibility
French leader Francois Hollande has said military action in Syria is possible if the UN agrees, as EU countries expelled ambassadors. He spoke on national TV on Tuesday (29 May) following UN confirmation that Syrian artillery and militia killed 108 people, including 49 children, in the village of Houla, in western Syria, on Friday.

France, Italy and Spain at centre of EU budgetary surveillance
The EU commission will on Wednesday (30 May) publish reports and binding recommendations on each member state's economy, as part of its increased budgetary surveillance powers. Spain, Italy and France - the eurozone's biggest economies after Germany - will grab the most attention.

Judges sentence Charles Taylor to 50 years
Judges at an international war crimes court sentenced former Liberian President Charles Taylor to 50 years in prison Wednesday, saying he was responsible for "some of the most heinous and brutal crimes recorded in human history."

Tropical Depression Beryl headed back to Atlantic
Tropical Depression Beryl was heading back toward the ocean early Wednesday as it brought rains to South Carolina. The depression's maximum sustained winds had increased to near 35 mph (55 kph). Additional strengthening was expected and the U.S. National Hurricane Center said Beryl could regain tropical storm strength later in the day.

Hague: New Syrian sanctions to be pressed
The nine nations that expelled Syrian envoys plan to push for tougher sanctions, Britain said as the U.N. Security Council was to meet on the Syrian crisis. The European Union was separately considering "a further tightening of sanctions on Syria," British Foreign Secretary William Hague said.

Woman, shot and burned, gives birth
A Detroit woman gave birth to a boy Tuesday, three days after she had been shot in the back and set on fire, authorities said. The condition of Latonya Bowman, 22, and her son were unavailable, the Detroit Free Press reported.

Snake-handling pastor dies from bite
A West Virginia minister has died from a timber rattlesnake bite he sustained during a snake-handling service, a hospital says. Mark "Mack" Wolford, 44, pastor of Full Gospel Apostolic House of the Lord Jesus in Matoaka, died Monday at Bluefield Regional Medical Center, The Register-Herald of Beckley reported. He was brought to the hospital late Sunday night.

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