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43 injured in China quake
A 6.1-magnitude earthquake jolted a county in China's Yunnan province Friday, injuring 43 people and forcing the evacuation of 35,000 people.

Magnitude 6.2 tremor near Mexico
An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.2 has been reported off the coast of Jalisco, Mexico. The U.S. Geological Survey said the tremor was at 1154 GMT (5:54 a.m. EDT) Saturday. The epicenter was 303 kilometers (187 miles) southwest of Puerto Vallarta.

Oklahoma Earthquake Today 2014 Strikes Near Oklahoma City
Officials tell news that a 3.9 magnitude Oklahoma earthquake today 2014 started just after 5:18 am local time. The quake was shallow. Reps tell news that the quake started three miles below ground level. As a result the quake could be felt across the region.

Magnitude-3.8 quake felt south of Los Angeles Read more here: http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/05/30/3953134/magnitude-38-quake-felt-south.html#storylin
The U.S. Geological Survey says in a preliminary report that the magnitude-3.8 earthquake struck Friday night at about 8 p.m. about 10 miles south of the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach and about 30 miles south of downtown LA.

Philippines Earthquake Today 2014 Strikes Cortes
Officials tell news that a 5.1 magnitude Philippines earthquake today has hit just after 2:59 am local time. The quake was shallow.

M-5.2 earthquake off Surigao coast
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported a magnitude 5.2 earthquake approximately 51km east-northeast off the shore of Cortes, Surigao del Sur, early Saturday morning, May 31. The report said that the earthquake hit around 1:41am at a depth of 49km.

3.2-magnitude earthquake rattles the surrounding Fairbanks area
A small earthquake gave residents in Fairbanks something to talk about over their morning coffee Thursday morning. The 3.2-magnitude quake occurred at 8:06 a.m. and was felt in Fairbanks, North Pole and Salcha, reports the Alaska Earthquake Information Center in Fairbanks. The quake was centered 17 miles northeast of North Pole.

North Korea's Next Nuclear Test Could Serve as a Regional Tipping Point
South Korean President Park Geun-hye warned this week that if North Korea conducts another nuclear test, it could prompt the volatile country's neighbors to seek their own nuclear defense. "North Korea would effectively be crossing the Rubicon," she told the Wall Street Journal.

Alien Life Out There
Extraterrestrials: Do they exist? The head of the Vatican Observatory thinks there’s a good chance they do, and that their existence would be in keeping with the faith. In a May 14 interview with the Vatican newspaper L’Osservatore Romano May 14, headlined “The Extraterrestrial Is My Brother,” astronomer Jesuit Father José Gabriel Funes said that according to his “scientific judgment,” the existence of extraterrestrials is a “possibility.”

Iranian commander says collapse of US empire is near
The deputy commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, Brig.-Gen. Hossein Salami said that the US’s status in the world has deteriorated and that its collapse is near.

Chile Earthquake Today 2014 Strikes Tocopilla Area
Officials tell news that a 5.0 magnitude Chile earthquake today May 30, 2014 started just after 7:41 am local time. The quake unlike recent temblors in the region was centered on land. And it posted a moderate depth. USGS indicates to news that the temblor was thirty-six miles below ground eleven. As a result the quake could be felt across the region.

Obama’s Military Begins Implanting Cybernetic Microchips In Soldier’s Brains To Treat PTSD
Have you been noticing that, over that past few years, military diagnosis of PTSD has skyrocketed? Do you know why that is? So they can justify using the US soldier as the guinea pig for launching microchip implants in humans. Under the guise of treating the all-covering diagnosis of PTSD, the Obama administration has instructed the Pentagon to begin the process of microchipping the brains of soldiers. Watch for diagnosis of PTSD to increase 1000% past the current all-time high to justify mass microchipping.

Annual warning goes out: 'Gay Day' coming to Disney World
Many people planning visits to the Magic Kingdom in Orlando this summer may wish to avoid one particular weekend if they want to avoid exposing their children to the homosexual lifestyle. Florida Family Association has been monitoring the annual "Gay Day" and takes an active role each year in warning the public. FFA spokesman David Caton advises the day to avoid this year is Saturday, June 7. As many as 12,000 homosexuals, lesbians, bisexuals and transvestites will descend on Disney World, he says.

U.S. Military's 'Iron Man' Suit Prototype Debuts This Month
A prototype of the Tactical Assault Light Operator Suit, or TALOS, will be available later this month, and a more complete version should be ready between 2016 and 2018, according to Battelle, a science and technology research institute headquartered in Columbus, Ohio.

Fears For Antibiotic 'Apocalypse' Grow
The situation, which has been described as ‘apocalyptic’, is so desperate that a global response, similar to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, is urgently needed, said experts gathered at the Royal Society in London. The World Health Organisation is considering a global action plan to fight the problem.

Date Set for Pope, Peres, Abbas 'Prayer for Peace'
Pope Francis on Thursday announced June 8 as the date for President Shimon Peres and Palestinian Authority (PA) Chairman Mahmoud Abbas to "pray for peace" at the Vatican.

PA Says US Recognized Hamas Unity Government
An official source in the Palestinian Authority (PA) reportedly said the United States has invited unity government Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah, who was appointed by PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas on Thursday, for an official visit to Washington DC. According to the official, the invitation constitutes an official recognition by the American administration of the unity government between Abbas's Fatah faction and the terrorist group Hamas, reports Yedioth Aharonoth.

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Suspect in Jewish museum killings went to Syria
A suspected French jihadist who spent time in Syria has been arrested over the shooting deaths of three people at a Belgian Jewish museum, prosecutors said Sunday, crystalizing fears that European radicals will parlay their experiences in Syria into terrorism back home.

Afghans say Taliban prisoners freed by U.S. will rejoin battle
The release of five Taliban prisoners in exchange for a U.S. soldier has drawn criticism from some Afghans, who say the detainees are dangerous and will rekindle ties with terrorist networks to resume fighting, just as most foreign troops leave.

Colorado Now Seeing The Downside Of A Legal High
Less than six months after Colorado became the first state to announce that it was legalizing the use of recreational marijuana, the battle between good and evil with the state’s decision still rages on. The New York Times reported that law enforcement officers in Colorado and neighboring states, emergency room doctors, and legalization opponents have shed light on a series of recent problems as cautionary lessons for other states flirting with loosening marijuana laws.

Judge Rules That The Government Must Respond In Regard To Obama’s Fake SSN
Judge Hollander in Maryland gives Attorney Orly Taitz 21 days to file a second amended complaint and add allegations in regards to an improper withholding by the Social Security Administration of records of Harry Bounel, whose Social Security Number is being illegally used by Barack Obama. When Taitz filed the complaint, SSA did not respond at all. After the law suit was filed, SSA responded by fraudulently claiming that the records were not found.

NBC Claims All Americans Will Be Implanted With Microchips For Obamacare
Recently, NBC predicted that in 2017, we will all be tagged with microchip, implanted to help identify individuals immediately. According to the report, the technology is used to answer one question, “Am I who I say I am?”

Aftershocks continue to hit Surigao del Sur
MANILA, Philippines—Another round of aftershocks was recorded in the waters near Surigao del Sur, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported Sunday.

Overnight Earthquake Reported In Okfuskee County
The United States Geological Survey reported a 3.0 magnitude earthquake in Okfuskee County overnight. At 12:50 a.m. Sunday, a quake was recorded four miles southwest of Boley, 24 miles northeast of Shawnee, at a depth of over three miles.

Strong quake strikes off Mexico—USGS
A strong 6.2-magnitude undersea earthquake struck off the coast of Mexico Saturday, US seismologists said.

Bergdahl release arrangement could threaten the safety of Americans, Republicans say
...“Trading five senior Taliban leaders from detention in Guantanamo Bay for Bergdahl’s release may have consequences for the rest of our forces and all Americans. Our terrorist adversaries now have a strong incentive to capture Americans. That incentive will put our forces in Afghanistan and around the world at even greater risk,” ...Howard P. McKeon (R-Calif.) and ...James M. Inhofe (Okla.), said in a joint statement.

Cameron warned UK might quit EU over president - Spiegel
German magazine Der Spiegel says British PM David Cameron warned that the UK could leave the EU if Luxembourg ex-PM Jean-Claude Juncker became president of the European Commission. It reported Mr Cameron as saying that the appointment could destabilise his government, which might bring forward referendum plans on EU membership. Downing Street has not yet commented.

Bowe Bergdahl: Chuck Hagel praises release special forces
US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel has praised US forces in Afghanistan over the release of a US soldier held for nearly five years by the Taliban. Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl, 28, was handed to US special forces in south-eastern Afghanistan as part of a prisoner swap. Mr Hagel met some of those involved at Bagram airbase north of Kabul during a previously unannounced visit.

Iran: Islamic Republic has air defense system more advanced than Russian s-300
The deputy commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard (IRGC), Brig.-Gen. Hossein Salami announced on Saturday that his country has built a top secret air-defense system, which is more advanced than the Russian s-300. "An air defense system more advanced than what they didn’t supply to us due to their strategic interests went on display in the IRGC's recent exhibition," Salami said in Tehran...

Abbas: Palestinian unity government to be announced Monday, despite Israeli threats
The Palestinian unity government with Hamas will be announced on Monday “despite Israeli threats,” Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said on Saturday. In the Gaza Strip, Hamas spokesman Taher a-Nunu said the “reconciliation train was about to arrive at its final station,” and will mark the beginning of the restoration of Palestinian unity.

Analysis: Libya closer to full civil war
The situation in the country has deteriorated so much that the US suspended training by US special forces after a local militia stole a cache of American-provided weapons.

Cruz wins straw poll of group that once was wild about Perry
In an audition of their nascent presidential themes, the two titans of Texas politics performed as top acts of the Republican Leadership Conference on Saturday.

Australian airlines resume flights as ash cloud dissipates
Australian airlines forced to cancel flights due to a volcanic ash cloud from Indonesia’s Sangeang Api volcano resumed flying on Sunday as the plume cleared. With the threat to Australian airspace now abating, the continuing low-level eruption of the volcano in the Sunda Islands in southern Indonesia may pose a threat to the airspace around Bali in the coming days, the agency tasked with monitoring ash in that airspace told Reuters.

Syrian rebels kill at least 20 with tunnel bomb in Aleppo - where 2,000 have died since January
At least 20 government fighters and militia have been killed in an attack by Syrian rebels, after they tunnelled under an army position and detonated an underground bomb. The explosion took place in the historic old city of Aleppo, an area which has seen horrific violence ever since a major rebel offensive in July 2012. A powerful rebel alliance called the Islamic Front claimed responsibility for the tunnel blast on Saturday and tweeted a video of the explosion.

Hundreds of thousands of evangelicals march in Rio
Hundreds of thousands of evangelical Christians held a "March for Jesus" Saturday in Rio de Janeiro, a show of their churches' growing heft in the world's largest Roman Catholic country. Dancing to Christian rock, gospel and hip-hop blasted from eight enormous sound trucks, participants flooded one of central Rio's main avenues in a march that took its theme from the World Cup, which Brazil is hosting from June 12 to July 13.

U.S. and China square off at Asia security forum
The United States and China squared off at an Asian security forum on Saturday, with the U.S. defense secretary accusing Beijing of destabilizing the region and a top Chinese general retorting that his comments were "threat and intimidation".

US soldier freed from captivity in Afghanistan
The only American soldier held prisoner in Afghanistan has been freed by the Taliban in exchange for the release of five Afghan detainees from the U.S. prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Obama administration officials said Saturday.

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Rebuilding God's Temple from the inside out
For more than two years women from the community have been working to assemble the materials and learn the techniques needed to weave the veil that will hang between, and separate, the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies.

The Great Deception in the American Church
There has never been a society in the history of mankind whose moral values have deteriorated so dramatically, in such a short period of time, as those of Americans in the last 50 years.

Michelle Obama’s Latest Insult To Christians Everywhere
On that day, the White House held a Hindu Diwali festival, where Michelle claimed that her family wished to celebrate everything “that make us who we are as Americans.” It should be noted that she did not include Christianity or Judaism in her statement, although hey are the primary religions in our country.

US set to unveil rules to cut carbon pollution from power plants by 30%
The Obama administration will propose sweeping new environmental rules on Monday, cutting carbon pollution from existing power plants by 30% over 2005 levels by 2030, according to people briefed on the plan. The regulations could lead to a sweeping transformation of America's energy economy, if they survive an onslaught from business and conservative groups, and Republicans in Congress. The rules could also break open negotiations for a global climate change deal, the United Nations climate chief, Christiana Figueres, said.

Spain's King Juan Carlos to abdicate, Crown Prince Felipe to succeed
Juan Carlos, the king of Spain, plans to abdicate, according to the country’s prime minister. A new constitutional amendment will reportedly be proposed to allow for the abdication. Crown Prince Felipe is to become the new monarch.

Google Invests in Satellites to Spread Internet Access
Google Inc plans to spend more than $1 billion on a fleet of satellites to extend Internet access to unwired regions of the globe, people familiar with the project said, hoping to overcome financial and technical problems that thwarted previous efforts. Details remain in flux, the people said, but the project will start with 180 small, high-capacity satellites orbiting the earth at lower altitudes than traditional satellites, and then could expand.

QUIET WITH A SLIGHT CHANCE OF FLARES
Solar activity is low. New sunspot 2077 has developed an unstable 'beta-gamma' magnetic field, prompting NOAA forecasters to boost the odds of an M-flare today to 5%. However, that's still a 95% chance of nothing happening.

Pope leads pep rally at packed Rome soccer stadium for Catholic charismatic movement
Francis told the faithful the devil wants to destroy the family, which he described as the "domestic church." Bishops from worldwide will meet in Rome in October to discuss problems afflicting families.

The man who says he's worked out how to PREDICT earthquakes and says the next one to hit U.S. will be on July 12
Cracking the code: Author David Nabhan believes he has found the key to accurately predicting when an earthquake will strike and has suggested there is a pattern between them.

City of Belgrade celebrates the Ascension Day
At the head of the procession were Mayor of Belgrade Sinisa Mali, host Slave Bratislav Petkovic, Deputy Mayor Andreja Mladenovic, City Manager Goran Vesic, head of the city administration Sandra Pantelic and other representatives of the city government.

Rickards: Afraid of USD devaluation China is buying gold for 3 trillion dollars
The collapse of the monetary system awaits the world in the near future, says financial expert James Rickards. Russia and China’s desire to rid the US dollar of its global reserve currency status is an early sign of the “increasingly inevitable” crisis.

US to unveil sharp curbs on coal power plants
The US government is to unveil new rules for coal-burning power plants aimed at dramatically cutting emissions that contribute to global warming. The proposals reportedly seek to cut carbon pollution from nearly 1,600 power plants by 30% by 2030. China and India are among the nations that have made similar commitments to stem global warming.

New study shows world is on the brink of sixth great extinction
The study looks at past and present rates of extinction and finds a lower rate in the past than scientists had thought. Species are now disappearing from Earth about 10 times faster than biologists had believed, said the study’s lead author, biologist Stuart Pimm of Duke University. “We are on the verge of the sixth extinction,” Pimm said from research at the Dry Tortugas. “Whether we avoid it or not will depend on our actions.”

The U.S. Geological Survey says the magnitude 4.2 quake struck at 7:36 p.m. PDT Sunday and was centered in the Santa Monica Mountains about 4 miles no
A 5.1 magnitude earthquake struck Davao Occidental early Monday, June 2. The quake’s epicenter was 269 southeast of Sarangani with a depth of 16 kilometers, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said.

Netanyahu calls emergency cabinet meeting ahead of formal PA-Hamas announcement
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu called an emergency cabinet meeting Sunday night ahead of the Palestinian Authority-Hamas formal unity government declaration... During the cabinet meeting, the ministers agreed to completely halt negotiations with the Palestinian Authority as long as it remains united with terror organization Hamas and to lower the amount of money transferred to the PA.

IDF strikes targets in Gaza; fires into Syria following shelling from northern border
The Israel Air Force struck two terror targets in the Gaza Strip overnight Monday in response to Palestinian rockets fired at Israel hours earlier. The IDF said it bombed two targets, in north and south Gaza, and identified accurate strikes. It was the first instance of Palestinian projectile fire and Israeli retaliation in a month.

Abbas swears in Palestinian unity gov't despite last minute difficulties
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas swore in a unity government on Monday after overcoming a last-minute dispute with Hamas. Ministers in the new administration, whom Abbas has said would be politically unaffiliated, took the oath of office in a televised ceremony in Ramallah.

Here Comes The Saudi Dynasty Succession Crisis
Saudi royal guards stand on duty during the Janadriya culture festival at Der'iya in Riyadh The Saudi dynasty is facing its biggest dynastic challenge in 50 years, and Game of Thrones-style cracks are showing in the imminent transition from King Abdullah’s rule.

Suspect in Jewish museum killings went to Syria
A suspected French jihadist who spent time in Syria has been arrested over the shooting deaths of three people at a Belgian Jewish museum, prosecutors said Sunday, crystalizing fears that European radicals will parlay their experiences in Syria into terrorism back home.

Afghans say Taliban prisoners freed by U.S. will rejoin battle
The release of five Taliban prisoners in exchange for a U.S. soldier has drawn criticism from some Afghans, who say the detainees are dangerous and will rekindle ties with terrorist networks to resume fighting, just as most foreign troops leave.

Colorado Now Seeing The Downside Of A Legal High
Less than six months after Colorado became the first state to announce that it was legalizing the use of recreational marijuana, the battle between good and evil with the state’s decision still rages on. The New York Times reported that law enforcement officers in Colorado and neighboring states, emergency room doctors, and legalization opponents have shed light on a series of recent problems as cautionary lessons for other states flirting with loosening marijuana laws.

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Swarm of earthquakes in Yellowstone Park
Seismographs recorded 31 quakes in the same area south of Gardiner on Saturday, while another 23 were reported last Wednesday and Thursday in an area between 18 and 19 miles east-southeast of West Yellowstone.

Irish Pastor Under ‘Hate Crime’ Investigation for Sunday Sermon Against Islam
BELFAST, Northern Ireland – A 75-year-old Irish preacher was subjected to a police probe after he condemned Islam in a sermon and was accused of ‘hate mongering.’ James McConnell, pastor of the Whitewell Metropolitan Church in North Belfast, Ireland, discussed the religion of Islam during an evening sermon on Sunday, May 18th. During the sermon, McConnell denounced Islam and said the contrast between it and Christianity is stark. “The God we worship and serve this evening is not Allah,” he proclaimed, according to a video of his sermon. “The Muslim god—Allah—is a heathen deity. Allah is a cruel deity. Allah is a demon deity.”

Severe Weather Forecast: Tornadoes, Derecho Possible Tuesday and Wednesday
A significant outbreak of severe weather is expected Tuesday and Wednesday across a broad swath of the Midwest. Over 35 million Americans are in the risk zone. While only a tiny fraction of those 35 million people will experience a tornado, a much larger number of people may experience the effects of damaging winds.

AVO/USGS Volcanic Activity Notice
The low-level eruption of Pavlof has escalated. Seismic tremor increased starting about 2300 UTC today and pilots have recently reported ash clouds to 22,000 ft. ASL. Recent satellite images show a plume extending over 80 km east of the volcano.

Apocalyptic dust storms provide a rare glimpse into life in secretive Iran
It was a storm which swallowed a city, left four people dead and more than 50,000 without power. Pictures that emerged from a dust storm in Iran’s largest city Tehran have also provided a rare glimpse into the lives of people living in the secretive state. Social media was swamped with images and tweets of the massive dust clouds covering the capital, giving the city an almost apocalyptic-type feel as it plunged into darkness.

States Move to Blunt Obama Carbon-Emissions Plan
The push against Obama's new carbon emission standards has been strongest in some states that have large coal-mining industries or rely heavily on coal to fuel their electricity. State officials say the new federal regulations could jeopardize the jobs of thousands of workers and drive up the monthly electric bills of residents and businesses.

Temple Mount is Jewish for a Day
The Temple Mount became Jewish again, at least for one day, on Tuesday. Temple organizations reported that about 400 Jews had ascended to the Mount in the morning hours, and that police allowed them in without undue delays. Most of the gates to the Mount were closed, and Muslim worshipers, who often harass Jews on the Mount, are not being allowed in. This is happening because police and the Israel Security Agency (ISA, or Shin Bet) have received intelligence about “malicious intentions” and Islamist incitement calling on Arabs to riot and prevent the Jews from entering.

Central Bank Gold Agreements
the European Central Bank and 20 other European central banks announced the signing of the fourth Central Bank Gold Agreement. This agreement, which applies as of 27 September 2014, will last for five years and the signatories have stated that they currently do not have any plans to sell significant amounts of gold.

New state religion of West replaces God with nature which humanity should now worship, not control
Nothing comes close to environmentalism in generating left-wing enthusiasm. It is the religion of our time. For the left, the earth has supplanted patriotism. This was largely inevitable in Europe, given its contempt for nationalism since the end of World War I and even more so since World War II. But it is now true for the elites (almost all of whose members are on the left) in America as well.

Israel quadruples Air Force capability to ‘strike thousands of terror targets’ per day
“In a single day, Israeli planes can strike thousands of terror targets and exceed the IDF’s [Israel Defense Forces] achievements during extended operations,” the military said.

Christians in Syria side with Assad, form militias against Al Qaida rebels
The regime of President Bashar Assad has helped Christians form militias in Syria. Opposition sources said the regime has helped the minority Christian community organize militias to protect their communities against attack by Sunni rebels.

Bilderberg Summit Virtually Ignored by Media Propagandists
The deafening lack of press coverage surrounding what many analysts say is perhaps one of the most important meetings of the year was not due to a lack of information about Bilderberg. This magazine and numerous reporters for alternative media outlets in the United States and Europe were there covering the summit. The Danish press was there, too, as were a handful of reporters for major European newspapers.

Barack Obama calls for $1bn fund to boost US troops in 'sacrosanct' Europe
President Barack Obama has called on Congress to back a $1 billion (£600m) effort to boost the U.S. military presence across Europe, as he sought to ease anxiety among Nato allies who are wary of Russia's threatening moves in Ukraine. ...The White House said the funding would be used to increase military exercises and training missions, as well as rotations of air and ground forces, on the continent.

Grasshoppers Invade Albuquerque, New Mexico
The worst grasshopper infestation in 20 years has become so thick around Albuquerque, N.M., that the airborne bugs are showing up on weather radar, officials said today. The National Weather Service said the air is so dense with the bugs that they appear on its radar like rain.

Unity and discord
A fuming Israeli cabinet reacts to US recognition of the new Palestinian government, but it tempers its displeasure with moderation.

Israeli ambassador rebukes US for backing PA unity
In tough language rare for an Israeli diplomat in Washington, Israeli ambassador to the US Ron Dermer said Tuesday that Israel was “deeply disappointed” in the State Department’s decision to continue dealing with the Palestinian Authority now that it has Hamas support.

DOJ accused of targeting gun industry with 'Choke Point' program
The Obama administration, after failing to get gun control passed on Capitol Hill, has resorted to using its executive power to try to put some in the firearms industry out of business, House Republican investigators say.

UK employees leave Sierra Leone over Ebola threat
A number of "non-essential" staff at a British firm in Sierra Leone have left the country following an outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus. London Mining has restricted some travel to the area but said production at its Marampa mine was unaffected. It said it was working with local and international agencies to monitor the situation.

Earthquake jolts south-eastern Iran
An earthquake measuring five on the Richter scale has hit the Faryab District in the south-eastern Iranian province of Kerman on June 3. The tremor occurred at 3:21 local time, according to a report from the seismography center affiliated with Tehran University Geophysics Institute, Iran's official IRNA news agency said.

Quakes are increasing, but scientists aren't sure what it means
No, it's not your imagination: The Los Angeles area is feeling more earthquakes this year. After a relatively quiet period of seismic activity in the Los Angeles area, the last five months have been marked by five earthquakes larger than 4.0. That hasn't occurred since 1994, the year of the destructive Northridge earthquake that produced 53 such temblors.

EU commission scales up rhetoric against Russian gas pipeline
The European Commission has indicated it will obstruct the building of a new Russia-EU gas pipeline to bypass Ukraine. Its energy chief, German Gunther Oettinger, told the Frankfurt Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung over the weekend that its objections to the South Stream project are both political and legal.

3.1 Magnitude Earthquake Reported Near Edmond
The United States Geological Survey reported a 3.1 magnitude earthquake in Oklahoma County Monday afternoon. At 5:35 p.m. Monday, a quake was recorded 5 miles northeast of Edmond, 10 miles south of Guthrie , at a depth of over three mile.

‘Hamas arms program speeding ahead’
Hamas’s weapons production program in Gaza is moving ahead at full speed, with local rocket production centers churning out thousands of projectiles, according to Israeli security evaluations. As Hamas in Gaza prepares to attempt a reunification with Fatah in the West Bank, the Islamist regime today forms one of the largest armed forces in the region...

Magnitude-4.2 quake felt in Inglewood, Malibu
The quake -- which hit at 7:36 p.m. and was felt from Ventura County to Inglewood and from Malibu to Santa Clarita -- was centered three miles west- northwest of Westwood at a depth of zero miles, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

NOT-SO-QUIET SUN
Breaking a days-long spell of quiet, sunspot AR2077 unleashed an M1-class solar flare this morning. The impulsive flare, which peaked at 04:09 UT on June 3rd, probably did not hurl a CME toward Earth.

Joel Osteen Doesn’t Want Anti-Gay Stance To Define His Ministry
Pastor Joel Osteen is open about his disapproval of gay marriage, but he does not want his opinion to define his whole ministry. During a talk with Osteen and his wife Victoria, HuffPost Live’s Marc Lamont Hill asked him if gay marriage goes against the rules of Christianity. Osteen told Hill, “It would be, but I don’t really focus on a lot of those things, I try to stay in my lane of what I feel called to do. [Gay marriage] does come up in interviews and things, but that’s not my core message.”

Questions persist about Yellowstone eruption: Is US evacuation plan in place?
The earth around the Yellowstone supervolcano is increasingly becoming seismically active. Some scientists say it is not a matter of “if” the Yellowstone supervolcano will erupt, but rather “when” it will erupt.

Syrians vote in president election
Syria is holding a presidential election in government-held areas, amid heightened security. President Bashar al-Assad is widely expected to win a third seven-year term in office. However, critics of the Syrian government have denounced the election as a sham.

U.S. Says It Will Work With, Fund Palestinian Government; Israel Upset
The United States said on Monday it plans to work with and fund the new Palestinian unity government formed after an agreement by the Fatah and Hamas factions, and Israel immediately voiced its disappointment with the U.S. decision.

North Koreans Rescued by S. Korean Navy Seek Asylum
Two North Koreans have expressed their intention to seek asylum in South Korea after being rescued at sea by a southern naval patrol ship.

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Unusual seismic activity continues near Noatak
Strong earthquake activity continues near Noatak, with a strong aftershock recorded last week that has become the third powerful temblor in what is now a series of strong quakes and potent aftershocks in just the last two months. Natasha Ruppert, a seismologist with the Alaska Earthquake Center in Fairbanks, said Thursday’s 4.6 magnitude aftershock struck just before 10:30 p.m. about 18 miles northeast of Noatak.

Quake shakes people awake in southeast Alaska
The U. S. Geological Survey reports a magnitude 5.7 quake occurred just before 4 a.m. and was centered about 94 miles west-northwest of Juneau. It was 45 miles west-southwest of Haines.

Temple Mount faithful lay claim to lost ark
If you ask the Temple Mount faithful, the answer is fairly straightforward: The ark is intact and well, securely protected within the Temple Mount itself.

Cholera In Sudan, Ebola Threat In Sierra Leone, MERS Invades Algeria
The Ministry of Health of South Sudan declared a cholera outbreak in Juba on May 15, 2014 after four cases were laboratory confirmed following tests conducted by the African Medical Research Foundation in Nairobi, Kenya. The first case identified with onset of illness was on April 23.

UK science panel backs three-parent IVF babies
The Human Fertilization and Embryology Authority (HFEA) said Tuesday that after examining a large amount of data, it has concluded that nothing suggests at the moment that the techniques used were “unsafe” and added it could be “potentially useful for a specific and defined group of patients.”

How to erase a memory –- and restore it: Researchers reactivate memories in rats
The study, published in the June 1 advanced online issue of the journal Nature, is the first to show the ability to selectively remove a memory and predictably reactivate it by stimulating nerves in the brain at frequencies that are known to weaken and strengthen the connections between nerve cells, called synapses.

Researchers confirm 60-year-old prediction of atomic behavior
Researchers at Washington State University have used a super-cold cloud of atoms that behaves like a single atom to see a phenomenon predicted 60 years ago and witnessed only once since. The phenomenon takes place in the seemingly otherworldly realm of quantum physics and opens a new experimental path to potentially powerful quantum computing.

What's going on with the sun? Scientists puzzled by oddities in sunspot cycle.
The sun has been acting strangely of late, prompting some solar physicists to suggest that once current sunspot activity peaked, which appeared to happen last fall, it could tank and remain that way for several decades.

Book warns people to 'be prepared'
...Courson of Bedford, Ind., and formerly of Danville, expands on that warning in his first book, “The Terminal Generation.” Its basic message is: The world as we know it is about to change forever; be prepared. ...“We’re the generation that needs to be prepared to meet Jesus Christ,” he said in a telephone interview from his home. Jesus Christ is coming soon — suddenly and silently — to “rapture” his church...

Earthquake swarm detected at Yellowstone National Park
Seismographs have picked up a swarm of earthquakes in the northwestern corner of Yellowstone National Park, including dozens early Tuesday.

Alaska volcano erupts with new intensity, prompting 'red' alert
An Alaska volcano that has been spewing ash and lava for years began erupting with new intensity this week, pushing a plume of smoke and ash as high as 24,000 feet (7,315 meters) and prompting scientists to issue their highest volcanic alert in five years... ...the intense action at the Pavlof Volcano, located in an uninhabited region nearly 600 miles (966 km) southwest of Anchorage, has so far not disrupted any regional air traffic...

Will global pressure sway Sudan to free 'apostate' mom?
Daniel Wani of New Hampshire says Islamic court ruling condemning his wife, who says she is Christian, to lashes and death is 'not legal.'

Half of Americans can’t afford their house
As the housing market slowly recovers, a majority of homeowners and renters are finding it hard to meet rising rents and mortgage payments... Over half of Americans (52%) have had to make at least one major sacrifice in order to cover their rent or mortgage...These sacrifices include getting a second job, deferring saving for retirement, cutting back on health care, running up credit card debt...

Exclusive: Sharyl Attkisson on Journalism’s Very Dangerous Trend
Sharyl Attkisson, an award-winning investigative reporter who resigned from CBS News earlier this year, says the news media are heading down a dangerous path with attempts to “censor or block stories” that don’t align with their preferred agenda.

PM ‘deeply troubled’ by US acceptance of PA leaders
Netanyahu says Washington must take stand against Hamas, tells French PM Europe should not recognize new government.

Obama condemns Russian 'aggression' in Ukraine
US President Barack Obama has condemned Russian "aggression" in Ukraine. Speaking in Warsaw to mark 25 years since the fall of communism in Poland, he hailed Polish democracy as a beacon for neighbouring Ukraine. "How can we allow the dark tactics of the 20th Century to define the 21st?" he said.

Jordan pans limited Muslim access to Temple Mount
Entrance to the Temple Mount was restricted after police received alerts of plans by Palestinians to sow unrest in the compound, according to the radio report.

Nigerian villagers 'killed in Boko Haram church attack'
Suspected Boko Haram militants have killed dozens of villagers in fresh attacks in Borno state in north-eastern Nigeria, the BBC has learnt. In one attack, gunmen disguised as soldiers fired on a crowd in a church compound, local MP Peter Biye said. He said he had warned the army that the area was at risk after troops stationed nearby were withdrawn three months ago.

Marine watchdog: VA deaths actually 'in thousands'
Evidence of dozens of U.S. veterans dying as they waited months for appointments and treatment are just the tip of the iceberg – and the real number of deaths could be in the thousands – according to a U.S. Marine Corps veteran who closely follows the issue.

US seeks fresh China solar tariffs
The US has proposed higher and more extensive tariffs on Chinese solar panels. The Department of Commerce said it plans to impose duties of between 18.56% to 35.21%. That is much higher than the tariffs announced in 2012. The duties will be levied on solar panels and the cells used to make them. Previously they covered just the cells.

Uncertainty on date of EU-Ukraine treaty signature
Ukraine has asked to sign a landmark EU treaty this weekend, but EU countries expect to do it at the end of the month. The “deep and comprehensive free trade agreement” - a 5kg box of technical documents - is at the heart of the Ukraine crisis. Its signature means Ukraine can have free trade with Russia but is legally bound to stay out of its Eurasian Union.

International community welcomes Palestinian unity government
The European Union and the United Nations will work with the new Palestinian unity government, on condition it sticks to the principle of peace with Israel based on a two-state solution...joining in the ranks of the US and China. ..."We welcome ... the declaration by President Abbas that this new government is committed to the principle of the two state solution based on the 1967 borders...

Tiananmen tense on rally anniversary
Chinese security personnel swamp Tiananmen Square on the 25th anniversary of the Beijing massacre, as memorials are held in Hong Kong.

Iranian oil exports on course to blow past limits
Iranian oil exports are on course to run well above the levels the Obama administration said they would when the U.S. agreed to allow some crude shipments in exchange for limits on Iran's domestic nuclear program.

U.S. official: 'Dangerous' Russian jet fly-by was 'straight out of a movie'
A Russian fighter jet buzzed dangerously close to a U.S. military plane in April, a U.S. official said Tuesday, describing the fly-by as "straight out of a movie." The Russian jet flew within 100 feet of the nose of a U.S. Air Force reconnaissance plane over the Sea of Okhotsk between Russia and Japan, a Defense Department official said.

NASA Reveals Unprecedented Image of Deep Space
NASA revealed today one of the most colorful and comprehensive composite shots of deep space, a work that draws on nine year's worth of shots taken by the Hubble Telescope. According to researcher Rogier Windhorst, " It's the deepest panchromatic image of the sky ever made. It reaches the faintness of one firefly as seen from the distance of the moon."

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Obama State Department Following Shariah Law Over U.S. Law in Denying Meriam’s Kids’ Citizenship?
The Obama Administration’s State Department has been dragging its heels, refusing to acknowledge that the children of the woman on death row in Sudan for her Christian faith are U.S. citizens. It is a basic principle of American law that the child of a U.S. citizen is a U.S. citizen. As long as at least one parent is a citizen (and meets basic residency requirements which don’t appear to be at issue here) when that child is born, under U.S. law, the child is also a citizen.

Water Wars Fulfilling Bible Prophecy
The Turkish government has in an apparent act of aggression, recently cut off the flow of the Euphrates River, threatening primarily Syria but also Iraq with a major water crisis that has dropped the water level in Lake Assad by about six meters. This development has left millions of Syrians without drinking water or electricity, and threatens Iraq with similar consequences.

Obama told donors he might be in 'strong position' to amend Constitution
The president made the comments at a closed-door, high-dollar 2012 fundraiser in Seattle, where supporters included the likes of billionaire Microsoft founder Bill Gates.

Putin calls Hillary Clinton ‘weak’, ungraceful with her words
According to the English translation of the interview, posted by the Kremlin, Mr. Putin responded, “It’s better not to argue with women. But Ms. Clinton has never been too graceful in her statements.”

Unanimous Senate Tells Sudan: Immediately Release Meriam and Her Children
In an act of unmitigated bipartisanship, all Republicans and all Democrats in the U.S. Senate joined together on Tuesday evening to unanimously approve a resolution demanding the “immediate and unconditional release” of Meriam Ibrahim and her two children from the Sudanese prison where they are being held because Meriam refuses to renounce her Christian faith.

Poverty Up 30.5% for Americans 18 to 64 Since LBJ Declared War on Poverty
The percentage of 18- to 64-year olds who live below the poverty level has increased 30.5% since 1966, two years after Lyndon Johnson declared the War on Poverty, according to the latest data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Duck Dynasty’s Phil Robertson: ‘There is a Satan Out There, an Evil One’
Duck Dynasty patriarch Phil Robertson, who was briefly suspended from his own program in December because he criticized homosexual behavior and cited the Bible to support his views, recently said there is “a Satan out there, an evil one,” as evidenced by the culture, and if we would teach children the Ten Commandments, the society would be better.

Fox News Poll: Voters say Obama has made America weaker
By a decisive 20 percentage-point margin, Americans think the country is weaker under the leadership of President Obama, whose White House is seen as less competent than the previous two administrations.

Florida facing threat from two mosquito-borne diseases
Two mosquito-borne diseases - dengue fever and chikungunya - are posing a serious threat to Florida and residents should take steps to control mosquito populations to try to limit the danger... The Florida Department of Health...said that through last week dengue fever had been confirmed in 24 people in Florida and chikungunya confirmed in 18 people. Both are viral diseases spread by mosquito bites.

Iran’s Khamenei: US has taken military action off table
Likely reacting to Obama foreign policy address, Iranian leader says strike against nuclear program is not an American priority

PA promises ‘unprecedented’ response to settlement expansion
Announcement of 1,500 housing units in West Bank and East Jerusalem draws storm of condemnation from Palestinians, coalition members

General: Deserter should never draw a free breath
Retired U.S. Army Lt. Gen. William “Jerry” Boykin says Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl is clearly a deserter who should never draw a free breath, and President Obama is guilty of high crimes and misdemeanors for once again ignoring federal law in pursuit of an administration goal.

The American Dream is out of reach
The American Dream is impossible to achieve in this country. So say nearly 6 in 10 people who responded to CNNMoney's American Dream Poll, conducted by ORC International. They feel the dream -- however they define it -- is out of reach.

Italy Earthquake Today 2014: Terremoto Strikes Italia, North of Calabria
The quake was a 4.1 magnitude. But it hit with virtually no depth. USGS indicates to news that the quake began only eight miles below ground level.

3.8 magnitude earthquake recorded at Fairfield Bay
The U.S. Geological Survey reports a 3.8 magnitude earthquake has been recorded near Fairfield Bay. Police say there are no reports of damage or injuries -- although several residents called police to ask about the temblor.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad wins third term
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has won a third term in office after securing 88.7% of votes in Tuesday's presidential election, the parliamentary speaker has announced. Earlier, Syria's Supreme Constitutional Court put the turnout at 73.47%. Voting took place in government-controlled areas, but not in parts of the north and east held by rebels.

G7 leaders warn Russia of fresh sanctions over Ukraine
Leaders of the G7 industrial nations meeting in Brussels say they are prepared to impose further sanctions on Russia over its actions in Ukraine. A joint statement condemned Moscow for its "continuing violation" of Ukraine's sovereignty. The G7 summit is the first since Russia was expelled from the group following its annexation of Crimea in March.

Ebola death toll hits 208 in Guinea
Some 208 people have now died from the Ebola virus in Guinea after a deadly spike in recent days, world health officials say. At least 21 people died and 37 new cases of suspected Ebola were found between 29 May and 1 June, bringing the total number of cases in the West African country to 328. Of these, 193 have been confirmed by laboratory tests.

Germany backs France on Russia warship contract
Germany has defended France’s plan to deliver a warship to Russia in October despite US criticism of the move. Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Wednesday (4 June) in Brussels that interruption of delivery might only come if the EU adopts “stage three” sanctions - economic sanctions - against Russia.



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Jerusalem is the '2016 Islamic Tourism Capital'
A Palestinian Authority (PA) official said Thursday that the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) chose Jerusalem as the "capital of Islamic tourism" for 2016.

Russian flyby of US spy plane: Is its military spoiling for a fight?
It seemed like a “Top Gun” encounter from a bygone cold-war era, when the Pentagon revealed this week that a US reconnaissance aircraft had been the target of a “reckless intercept” by a Russian fighter jet.

Sen. Mike Lee, Dirk Kempthorne, Joel Osteen meet with Pope Francis at Vatican
Part of a multiday, unofficial visit to Italy to promote ecumenical prayer and interfaith understanding, Lee was joined in the private audience by former U.S. Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne; Lakewood Church pastor and televangelist Joel Osteen; Tim Timmons, a pastor and author based in Newport Beach, California; and Gayle D. Beebe, president of Westmont College, an evangelical school in Santa Barbara, California.

Under Damascus, rebels and army battle in maze of tunnels
Guided more by what they can hear than see, Syrian troops and rebels are battling in the bowels of Damascus, digging tunnels in a campaign to control the eastern entrance to the capital.

Temple Mount project yields treasure, but unearths conflict
Sifting through earth removed from holy site gleans rare artifacts, but Prof. Gabriel Barkay’s methods stir controversy.

European Central Bank Institutes Negative Interest Rate
The European Central Bank has just reduced interest rates and installed a negative rate on bank deposits for the first time in its history. The bank cut its main lending rate to 0.15%, a new low, from the 0.25% rate held since November, and lowered its rate on emergency overnight loans by 35 basis points to 0.40%. This is an extremely dangerous move...

Oklahoma, South Carolina Governors Repeal Common Core Standards
Oklahoma and South Carolina have officially joined the ranks of states that have ditched the Common Core State Standards.

Vodafone reveals existence of secret wires that allow state surveillance
Vodafone, one of the world's largest mobile phone groups, has revealed the existence of secret wires that allow government agencies to listen to all conversations on its networks, saying they are widely used in some of the 29 countries in which it operates in Europe and beyond.

Human stem cells successfully transplanted into pigs
Scientists have successfully transplanted human stem cells into pigs that were especially genetically modified for the purpose. Once implanted, the cells thrived, leading the researchers to believe they are one step closer to finding treatments for a number of incapacitating human diseases.

‘Bon appétit,’ Putin tells G7 leaders dishing the dirt on Russia in Brussels
President Putin wished “bon appétit” to G7 leaders who patronized Russia – excluded from the club over Ukraine – and set conditions it has to meet to restore ties with the West. Otherwise, Obama and his allies threatened, more sanctions would follow.

ECB imposes negative interest rate
The European Central Bank has introduced a raft of measures aimed at stimulating the eurozone economy, including negative interest rates and cheap long-term loans to banks. It cut its deposit rate for banks from zero to -0.1%, to encourage banks to lend to businesses rather than hold on to money. The ECB also cut its benchmark interest rate to 0.15% from 0.25%.

'Obama and his aides have lost their minds'
Former Republican Rep. Allen West two days ago called for President Obama’s impeachment over his decision to swap five known terror leaders for a soldier whose behavior is under investigation, arguing Obama apparently violated U.S. law forbidding material aid to terror groups.

Egypt brings in new sexual harassment laws
Egypt has introduced new punishments for sexual harassment in an effort to crack down on the worsening problem. In a decree issued by outgoing interim president Adly Mansour, sexual harassment is now a crime punishable by up to five years in jail. Until now, Egypt has not had a law defining sexual harassment.

China under-reports defence spending, says US
China has under-reported its 2014 defence spending by about 20%, according to an annual report put out by the US defence department. China's stated budget for this year was $120bn (£70bn), but the US report said the actual figure was closer to $145bn. The US called on China to be more open about its plans, amid high tension with other regional powers over disputed islands in the South China Sea.

Quake hits near Ohakune
A magnitude 5.1 earthquake has hit near Ohakune this afternoon. Geonet reports the quake, which was felt in the much of the central North Island, hit at 3:46pm at a depth of 117km and around 20km south-west of Ohakune.

Nigeria's Boko Haram crisis: Maiduguri 'preachers kill dozens'
Suspected Boko Haram militants have launched an attack on a village near the north-eastern Nigerian city of Maiduguri, killing about 45 people. The attackers told villagers they had come to preach before firing on a crowd that gathered, survivors told the BBC. Separately, officials say up to 200 may have been killed in a wave of attacks in villages in the region this week.

Haiti police fire tear gas at anti-government protest
Thousands have marched in the streets of Haiti's capital demanding President Michel Martelly step down. Police fired tear gas and broke up the crowd in Port-au-Prince. There were no reports of serious injuries. Haiti has seen several anti-government protests in recent months amid growing anger over the cost of living and claims of high levels of corruption.

28 Percent Of Americans Believe The Bible Is The Literal Word Of God
According to a Gallup poll conducted in May, a solid twenty-eight percent of Americans believe that the Bible is the literal word of God and should be interpreted accordingly. That's a 3% decrease since 2007, when about 1/3 of the United States answered that they believed the Bible was the actual word of God. However, in the late 1970s, 38% to 40% of Americans told Gallup that they believed in the Bible as God's word.

Japan PM Abe says wants dialogue with Putin despite G7 threats
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, hours after joining fellow industrial powers in threatening further sanctions against Russia, said on Thursday that he wants to maintain good relations with Moscow.

Iraq, Iran Top World's Unhappiest Countries List
A new study released this week by Gallup cited Iran as the country with the highest negative emotions - a close second behind Iraq. Just last month, six Iranians were arrested in the country for dancing to Pharrell's "Happy" in the country's capitol, Tehran. They have since been released.

El Niño Likely: 70 Percent Chance by Summer
NOAA's Climate Prediction Center (CPC) puts the odds of an El Niño at 70 percent this month and 80 percent during the fall and winter. But it's too soon to officially declare an El Niño, because the ocean and atmosphere are sending mixed signals, the CPC said in its monthly El Niño outlook, released today.

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Huge Russia-China gas deal still leaves door open to Japan
For once, China looks to have done Japan a favour. In clinching a $400 billion deal last month to buy Russian gas, China may end up helping out its old political and economic rival in a way that matters hugely for Japan - energy security.

The Questionable Staying Power of the U.S. Shale Boom Read more: http://oilprice.com/Energy/Energy-General/The-Questionable-Staying-Power-Of-The-U.S.
Between 2008 and 2013, U.S. oil production surged by 64 percent. U.S. natural gas production increased by 42 percent between 2005 and 2013. Both increases were driven by the boom in shale oil and gas production. The boom has led BP (NYSE:BP) and Exxon Mobil (NYSE:XOM) executives to claim that the U.S. will be self-sufficient in energy within two decades. However, there are three major red flags that should curb this unconstrained enthusiasm: shale depletion rates, decreased oil and gas prices due to the glut, and the extent to which upstream oil and gas companies in the shale space are overleveraged.

Google Buried A Clever Jab At The NSA Inside Its New Encryption Tool
he big tech companies are fighting back against government spying — with legal challenges, advanced encryption, and software updates — and in the case of Google, that also includes a message buried within its source code aimed directly at the National Security Agency, according to PCWorld. Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/google-nsa-ssl-smiley-2014-6#ixzz340rTq5YH

Google Buried A Clever Jab At The NSA Inside Its New Encryption Tool
The big tech companies are fighting back against government spying — with legal challenges, advanced encryption, and software updates — and in the case of Google, that also includes a message buried within its source code aimed directly at the National Security Agency, according to PCWorld.

The US Is Sending Its #2 Diplomat To Break The Iran Nuclear Talk Logjam
The United States said on Saturday it will send its No. 2 diplomat to Geneva to meet senior Iranian officials on Monday and Tuesday in what appeared an effort to break a logjam in wider negotiations over Tehran's nuclear program.

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‘Beast’ Asteroid That Will Buzz By Earth Big Enough To Wipe Out A City
“The Beast” is coming! That’s the nickname astronomers have given to an asteroid that will nearly sideswipe Earth this Sunday, reports Space.com. Near-Earth asteroid 2014 HQ124 will be a mere 777,000 miles at its closest approach to our planet, that’s just over 3 times the distance from the Earth to the moon; a close shave by cosmic standards.

Iraq violence: Dozens killed by Baghdad bombings
A series of bombings across the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, has left more than 50 people dead and scores injured. At least eight separate attacks took place across the city within one hour on Saturday evening, targeting mainly Shia neighbourhoods. Earlier in the day, militants stormed a university campus in the western city of Anbar, briefly taking dozens of students hostage.

Netanyahu warns of Hamas' West Bank re-emergence in wake of Palestinian unity deal
..."Over the weekend Hamas leaders again declared their intention to destroy the State of Israel," Netanyahu said. "Those who thought that the Palestinian unity between Hamas and Fatah would moderate Hamas were mistaken. Instead of the Palestinian Authority taking control of Gaza, there are increasing signs that the exact opposite is taking place - that Hamas is increasing its control inside the PA in Judea and Samaria."

Death toll climbs to 81 in Afghan flooding
A provincial official says 81 bodies have been found two days after a devastating flash flood in Afghanistan's mountainous and remote north. Lt. Fazel Rahman, the police chief in the Guzirga i-Nur district of Baghlan province, said Sunday that the death toll had climbed from 54 to 81 and that police and villagers were still searching for missing people after flooding hit several villages on Friday.

11 sailors held by Somali pirates freed after 4 years
Eleven sailors mostly from Asia held hostage for almost four years by Somali pirates have been freed and are safe on their way to Kenya, mediators who helped secure their release said Saturday. The sailors, who had been held in dire conditions and suffered beatings and torture, included seven men from Bangladesh, one Indian, one Iranian, and two from Sri Lanka.

Militants seize hostages on Iraq campus, sparking battle
Militants took hundreds of students and staff hostage at a university in the Iraqi city of Ramadi on Saturday, sparking an assault led by special forces in which they were freed, officials said. And in northern Iraq, heavy fighting between security forces and militants entered a second day, killing 59 people, while a wave of bombings in Baghdad left at least 25 more dead.

Huge Russia-China gas deal still leaves door open to Japan
For once, China looks to have done Japan a favour. In clinching a $400 billion deal last month to buy Russian gas, China may end up helping out its old political and economic rival in a way that matters hugely for Japan - energy security.

The Questionable Staying Power of the U.S. Shale Boom
Between 2008 and 2013, U.S. oil production surged by 64 percent. U.S. natural gas production increased by 42 percent between 2005 and 2013. Both increases were driven by the boom in shale oil and gas production. The boom has led BP (NYSE:BP) and Exxon Mobil (NYSE:XOM) executives to claim that the U.S. will be self-sufficient in energy within two decades. However, there are three major red flags that should curb this unconstrained enthusiasm: shale depletion rates, decreased oil and gas prices due to the glut, and the extent to which upstream oil and gas companies in the shale space are overleveraged.

Google Buried A Clever Jab At The NSA Inside Its New Encryption Tool
The big tech companies are fighting back against government spying — with legal challenges, advanced encryption, and software updates — and in the case of Google, that also includes a message buried within its source code aimed directly at the National Security Agency, according to PCWorld.

The US Is Sending Its #2 Diplomat To Break The Iran Nuclear Talk Logjam
The United States said on Saturday it will send its No. 2 diplomat to Geneva to meet senior Iranian officials on Monday and Tuesday in what appeared an effort to break a logjam in wider negotiations over Tehran's nuclear program

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David's Tomb Status Quo Breached by Catholic Mass Services
Footage shows David's Tomb Compound has been handed over to fixed Catholic worship, endangering Jewish prayer rights.

Volcano-like eruption’ in Himachal Pradesh
A “volcano-like eruption” in Kangra district in Himachal Pradesh triggered panic among the people of the area. Reports said that flames and a hot liquid stream were seen spewing out volcanoof a hill 100 m from Gadiyada village.

Pope Francis On Frantic Quest To Unite All Religions Under Rome
Pope Francis is a man on a mission to fulfill bible prophecy, and he is getting more done than any other Pope in the last 100 years. Pope Francis is here to make some serious and drastic changes not only in the Catholic Vatican system, in the professing Christianity as well. He is creating the One World Religion.

Magnitude 5.2 earthquake hits Japan’s island of Honsu, no tsunami threat
An earthquake of magnitude 5.2 occurred in the North East of the main Japanese island of Honshu on Sunday afternoon; there is no tsunami threat, a report of the National Meteorological Agency of the country says. Aftershocks were registered at 14:24 local time (05:24 GMT) in the southern part of the Iwate Prefecture.

Mitochondrial DNA of first Near Eastern farmers is sequenced for the first time
The mitochondrial DNA of the first Near Eastern farmers has been sequenced for the first time. Experts analyzed samples from three sites located in the birthplace of Neolithic agricultural practices: the Middle Euphrates basin and the oasis of Damascus, located in today’s Syria and date at about 8,000 BC.

Gun and ammunition shortage hits farmers, security contractors and sporting shooters after US rush
A shortage of guns and ammunition in the US has spread to Australian shores, causing problems for farmers, security contractors and sporting shooters across the country. Domestic importers say the shortage is being driven by the current gun debate in America.

Richard Mourdock Warns America Heading Way of Nazi Germany in Dramatic Farewell Speech
Indiana treasurer Richard Mourdock warned that the possibility of U.S. bankruptcy will push the country the way of Nazi Germany during a speech on Saturday. "The people of Germany in a free election selected the Nazi party because they made great promises that appealed to them because they were desperate and destitute. And why is that? Because Germany was bankrupt," Mourdock said to a crowd gathered at the Indiana Republican Convention on Saturday.

Now thought crime is terror in U.S.?
...In his statement announcing the return of the committee, Holder said he remains concerned about the specter of attacks prompted by Islamic extremists, but he said this committee will be tasked with identifying other threats. “We must also concern ourselves with the continued danger we face from individuals within our own borders who may be motivated by a variety of other causes from anti-government animus to racial prejudice,” Holder said.

Illegal immigration: how 'humanitarian crisis' on border could hurt Obama
Two weeks ago, the Obama administration was poised again to take executive action in an election year to ease deportations of undocumented immigrants. Today, that plan may be increasingly fraught with complications. In recent weeks, a tide of young, unaccompanied minors crossing the Texas border illegally has pushed the US immigration system to its breaking point.

Taliban behind brazen attack on Pakistan airport
The Taliban claimed responsibility for a brazen siege on Karachi's Jinnah International Airport overnight Monday that left dozens dead, saying the attack was in retaliation for drone strikes on villages in Pakistan's troubled northwest border region. The militant group vowed to continue their campaign.

Iran's President Rouhani visits Turkey for trade talks
Hassan Rouhani is holding trade talks with senior Turkish officials in Ankara, on the first visit to Turkey by an Iranian president since 1996. Mr Rouhani is expected to sign agreements aimed at doubling annual commerce to $30bn (£18bn) by 2015. The neighbours are looking to lift the trade restrictions imposed by the UN over Iran's nuclear programme.

China ships 'rammed 1,400 times by Vietnamese vessels'
Chinese officials have accused vessels from Vietnam of launching more than 1,400 ramming raids on its ships near a drilling rig in the South China Sea. The foreign ministry said in a statement the actions were illegal and called on Hanoi to stop "provocations". China moved the drilling rig on 2 May, helping to spark anti-Chinese riots in Vietnam in which four people died.

Libya court annuls Prime Minister Ahmed Maiteg's election
The Libyan Supreme Court has ruled that the election of Ahmed Maiteg as prime minister by parliament last month was unconstitutional. A government spokesman said this was a "final ruling" and all parties must comply with it. Since the vote in May, Libya has had two prime ministers as Abdullah al-Thani has not ceded power, says the BBC's Rana Jawad says in Tripoli.

'Trojan Horse': Schools trust hits out at special measures decision
A trust has denounced the decision to put three schools in special measures, as Ofsted prepares to publish reports on the alleged "Trojan Horse" plot. The watchdog was called in after allegations of a hardline Muslim takeover of schools in Birmingham and has now inspected 21 schools. The Park View Educational Trust said it "wholeheartedly disputes" the verdict on three of its schools.

IDF chief Gantz: Only a handful of states have more firepower than Hezbollah
IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Benny Gantz said Monday that only a handful of states have more firepower than Hezbollah. Speaking at the Herzliya Conference at the Interdisciplinary Center, Gantz said, "Show me four or five states with more firepower than Hezbollah: the US, China, Russia, Israel, France, the UK."

2 police officers ambushed, killed at Vegas restaurant
Two Las Vegas police officers were killed in a lunchtime ambush Sunday by an armed pair that later killed a third person before turning weapons on themselves in a Walmart.

Israel, once a cause that united American Jews, is now dividing them along ideological lines
Jewish organizations are withdrawing invitations to Jewish speakers or performers considered too critical of Israel, in what opponents have denounced as an ideological litmus test meant to squelch debate. Some Jewish activists have formed watchdog groups, such as Citizens Opposed to Propaganda Masquerading as Art, or COPMA, and JCC Watch, to monitor programming for perceived anti-Israel bias. They argue Jewish groups that take donations for strengthening the community shouldn't be giving a platform to Israel's critics.

Iraqi officials: Double bombing at Kurdish party office kills 13 northeast of Baghdad
Authorities in Iraq say a double bombing at a Kurdish party office has killed 13 people in a town northeast of Baghdad. Police officials say the attack took place Sunday morning when a suicide bomber set off his explosive vest at the gate of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan office in Jalula, 125 kilometers (80 miles) northeast of Baghdad.

Pope Francis hosts Israeli-Palestinian peace prayer
Pope Francis on Sunday hosts an unprecedented joint peace prayer in the Vatican with Israeli President Shimon Peres and Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas in a symbolic gesture aimed at fostering dialogue.

08 Jun 14

‘Beast’ Asteroid That Will Buzz By Earth Big Enough To Wipe Out A City
“The Beast” is coming! That’s the nickname astronomers have given to an asteroid that will nearly sideswipe Earth this Sunday, reports Space.com. Near-Earth asteroid 2014 HQ124 will be a mere 777,000 miles at its closest approach to our planet, that’s just over 3 times the distance from the Earth to the moon; a close shave by cosmic standards.

Iraq violence: Dozens killed by Baghdad bombings
A series of bombings across the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, has left more than 50 people dead and scores injured. At least eight separate attacks took place across the city within one hour on Saturday evening, targeting mainly Shia neighbourhoods. Earlier in the day, militants stormed a university campus in the western city of Anbar, briefly taking dozens of students hostage.

Netanyahu warns of Hamas' West Bank re-emergence in wake of Palestinian unity deal
..."Over the weekend Hamas leaders again declared their intention to destroy the State of Israel," Netanyahu said. "Those who thought that the Palestinian unity between Hamas and Fatah would moderate Hamas were mistaken. Instead of the Palestinian Authority taking control of Gaza, there are increasing signs that the exact opposite is taking place - that Hamas is increasing its control inside the PA in Judea and Samaria."

Death toll climbs to 81 in Afghan flooding
A provincial official says 81 bodies have been found two days after a devastating flash flood in Afghanistan's mountainous and remote north. Lt. Fazel Rahman, the police chief in the Guzirga i-Nur district of Baghlan province, said Sunday that the death toll had climbed from 54 to 81 and that police and villagers were still searching for missing people after flooding hit several villages on Friday.

11 sailors held by Somali pirates freed after 4 years
Eleven sailors mostly from Asia held hostage for almost four years by Somali pirates have been freed and are safe on their way to Kenya, mediators who helped secure their release said Saturday. The sailors, who had been held in dire conditions and suffered beatings and torture, included seven men from Bangladesh, one Indian, one Iranian, and two from Sri Lanka.

Militants seize hostages on Iraq campus, sparking battle
Militants took hundreds of students and staff hostage at a university in the Iraqi city of Ramadi on Saturday, sparking an assault led by special forces in which they were freed, officials said. And in northern Iraq, heavy fighting between security forces and militants entered a second day, killing 59 people, while a wave of bombings in Baghdad left at least 25 more dead.

Huge Russia-China gas deal still leaves door open to Japan
For once, China looks to have done Japan a favour. In clinching a $400 billion deal last month to buy Russian gas, China may end up helping out its old political and economic rival in a way that matters hugely for Japan - energy security.

The Questionable Staying Power of the U.S. Shale Boom
Between 2008 and 2013, U.S. oil production surged by 64 percent. U.S. natural gas production increased by 42 percent between 2005 and 2013. Both increases were driven by the boom in shale oil and gas production. The boom has led BP (NYSE:BP) and Exxon Mobil (NYSE:XOM) executives to claim that the U.S. will be self-sufficient in energy within two decades. However, there are three major red flags that should curb this unconstrained enthusiasm: shale depletion rates, decreased oil and gas prices due to the glut, and the extent to which upstream oil and gas companies in the shale space are overleveraged.

Google Buried A Clever Jab At The NSA Inside Its New Encryption Tool
The big tech companies are fighting back against government spying — with legal challenges, advanced encryption, and software updates — and in the case of Google, that also includes a message buried within its source code aimed directly at the National Security Agency, according to PCWorld.

The US Is Sending Its #2 Diplomat To Break The Iran Nuclear Talk Logjam
The United States said on Saturday it will send its No. 2 diplomat to Geneva to meet senior Iranian officials on Monday and Tuesday in what appeared an effort to break a logjam in wider negotiations over Tehran's nuclear program.

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Eric Cantor Loses Primary to Unheralded, Under-funded Tea Party Challenger
One recent poll showed a potential tightening of the race, but with Cantor still ahead by double digits. And yet...the sitting House Majority Leader got blown out in a race everyone expected him to win comfortably. Incidentally, it's not as if he totally ignored his primary race either:

Different Faiths, Same Witness: When Popes Pray for Peace
When leaders of different religions come together and pray for a common cause, they are not only appealing to God, they also are showing the world they believe that followers of different religions are still brothers and sisters before the one who created them.

Expert Says European Intifada is Coming
Director of Institute for Counter-Terrorism says Europe is about to feel what Israel did in the late 1980s.

Reuven Rivlin is Israel's Tenth President
Former Knesset speaker wins second round of votes, making him Israel's new president.

WAITING FOR AN X-FLARE
Sunspot AR2080 s now squarely-facing Earth, an arrengement which could lead to a geoeffective X-flare. The sunspot has a 'beta-gamma-delta' magnetic field that harbors energy for strong eruptions, and it has been growing rapidly alongside several companion spots.

Rampant Islamic Jew-Hatred in Europe and the Brussels Jewish Museum Carnage
Jew [is] of that most contemptible of religions, the most vile of faiths…They, both the ancient and modern [Jews], are altogether the worst liars…They are the filthiest and vilest of peoples, their unbelief horrid, their ignorance abominable.

New Medical Law Mandates “Private” Conversation With Child Before Every Doctor Visit
When Michigan mother Christine Duffy brought her 17-year-old daughter into her physician’s office for a minor foot injury, she was told that a new medical access law required a nurse to have a “private” conversation with her child, another example of how parental authority is being eviscerated by the state.

Delhi temperature touches 47.8 C, (118F) highest in 62 years
Temperature in the Capital touched 45.1 degree Celsius on Sunday while it was 47.8 degree C in and around Palam airport making it the hottest day in 62 years giving no respite to people reeling under a blistering heat wave.

Death toll from Ebola in Sierra Leone more than doubles to 12
The death toll from Ebola in Sierra Leone has doubled to at least 12 in a week, local health authorities said on Monday, deepening the spread of a disease that has killed over 200 people in Guinea and Liberia. The mounting deaths in Sierra Leone, which had been spared cases for months after Ebola was confirmed in the region in March, underscore the challenges weak health systems face tackling one of the deadliest diseases on the planet.

Economist: U.S. Banks Preparing to Charge Customers For Deposits
In the week that the European Central Bank cut its deposit rate for banks from zero to -0.1%, economist Martin Armstrong warns that negative interest rates are coming to the United States, meaning that Americans will be forced to pay just to keep their money in the bank.

Magnitude 4.5 quake jolts Surigao del Norte
A magnitude 4.5 earthquake jolted Surigao del Norte on Tuesday afternoon, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said. Phivolcs said in a bulletin that the quake struck 14 kilometers north of Claver town at 5:16 p.m. It had a depth of 13 kilometers.

Exclusive: Google Will Soon Introduce 'Nearby' To Let Other 'People, Places, And Things' Know When You're Around
...When Nearby is turned on for your account, Google can periodically turn on the mic, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and similar features on all your current and future devices. Google+ and other Google services need this access to help you connect, share, and more. When you turn on Nearby, you're also turning on Location History for your account and Location Reporting for this device.

Transgendered priest to give sermon at Washington National Cathedral
...The Rev. Cameron Partridge is set to give the June 22 sermon at the Washington National Cathedral in Northwest. Dean of the cathedral, the Rev. Gary Hall, said...“We...are striving to send a message of love and affirmation...“We want to proclaim to them as proudly and unequivocally as we can: Your gender identity is good and your sexual orientation is good because that’s the way that God made you.”

Tony Abbott seeks alliance to thwart President Obama on climate change policy
Tony Abbott is seeking a conservative alliance among "like-minded" countries, aiming to dismantle global moves to introduce carbon pricing, and undermine a push by US President Barack Obama... Visiting Ottawa for a full day of talks with the conservative Canadian Prime Minister and close friend Stephen Harper, Mr Abbott flagged intentions to build a new centre-right alliance led by Canada, Britain and Australia along with India and New Zealand.

Iraq militants 'control second city of Mosul'
Islamist militants have seized key buildings of Mosul, effectively taking control of Iraq's second largest city. Overnight, hundreds of men armed with rocket-propelled grenades, sniper rifles and machine-guns seized the provincial government's offices. They also destroyed several police stations before overrunning the airport and army's operations headquarters.

Germany storms: Six dead in North Rhine-Westphalia
Six people have been killed in violent storms which battered cities in western Germany overnight. ...Winds of up to 150km/h (93mph) were recorded at Duesseldorf airport on Tuesday night and the storm was continuing to move north-east, towards areas north and west of Berlin, forecasters said.

Ukraine to create humanitarian corridors
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has ordered the creation of humanitarian corridors for civilians to flee areas of the east hit by conflict. In a statement, the presidency said ministers had been ordered to set up "all necessary conditions for civilians who want to leave". Violence between pro-Russia militants and Ukrainian forces has left more than 200 people dead, officials say.

Fresh militant attack near Karachi airport
Security forces at Pakistan's busiest airport in the city of Karachi have come under attack, a day after militants stormed one of its terminals. Officials say gunmen on motorbikes shot at a security training camp just outside the airport and fled. Subsequent firing which lasted for up to an hour was shots fired by the army and police at the scene, officials say.

Kenya cleric Sheikh Mohammed Idris shot dead in Mombasa
A moderate Muslim cleric has been shot dead in Mombasa, the latest killing of a preacher in the Kenyan city. Sheikh Mohammed Idris, chairman of the Council of Imams and Preachers of Kenya, was killed close to a mosque near his home by a group of gunmen. Reports say he had previously been threatened by radical Muslim youths and had said he feared for his life.

Bulgaria freezes work on South Stream pipeline
Bulgaria has frozen construction on Russia’s strategic South Stream gas pipeline due to EU and US pressure. Bulgarian PM Plamen Oresharski...“We discussed South Stream and the EC’s [European Commission] request regarding EU legal procedures. I pointed out the project will go forward only after we resolve all the issues which Brussels has”, he said.

Rouhani: Iran will make tackling extremism, terrorism a chief objective
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, whose country's relations with Turkey have been strained by the Syrian civil war, said in Ankara on Monday Iran would make tackling extremism, sectarian conflicts and terrorism its chief objective. Pragmatist Rouhani... arrived in Turkey on Monday for a two-day visit, a first by an Iranian president since 2008.

Meeting privately with US, Iran suggests more time for nuclear talks
Senior American and Iranian officials spent over five hours together in private meetings in Geneva on Monday, jointly seeking a path forward in negotiations over Iran's nuclear program only six weeks before a self-imposed deadline... At the bilateral meeting...Islamic Republic officials suggested world powers may have "no choice" but to extend the negotiations past the July 20 deadline.

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Hamas calls on armed wing to kill soldiers and settlers
Hamas has called on members of its armed wing in the West Bank to target Israeli soldiers and civilians in a bid to ease the plight of its prisoners in Israeli jails, a party spokesman said on Monday.

Obama praises Australia's gun control, brings country into US gun debate
“Couple of decades ago, Australia had a mass shooting, similar to Columbine or Newtown. And Australia just said, well, that’s it, we’re not doing, we’re not seeing that again, and basically imposed very severe, tough gun laws, and they haven’t had a mass shooting since,” said the president in a pre-arranged session held to discuss his plans to help cut student debt.

'Unique' Religious Freedom Restrictions in Saudi Arabia: Not a Single Church Exists, Entire Country Is 'Sacred Mosque,' Watchdog Revea
"Not a single church or other non-Muslim house of worship exists in the country," says Bandar al-Aiban, the director of the Saudi National Human Rights commission. Churches are not allowed to exist "because the entire country is a 'sacred mosque' for Islam's holiest shrines in Mecca and Medina."

Is the US ready to trigger war in Asia?
The dream of unopposed rule over the world is beginning to disappear into thin air. Is the West going to risk the destruction of our planet simply because it cannot own it?

Official: Police, not wife, killed Jerad Miller
Metro police initially thought Amanda Miller, 22, killed her husband in the Wal-Mart. That was based on security video footage that showed her pointing the gun at him, the official said. But an autopsy revealed that Jerad Miller died from a .223 rifle shot, the official said. It was his fatal wound, the official said, and he didn’t die at the hands of his wife as police officials said Monday.

Subglacial volcanoes melting West Antarctic Ice sheet, say scientists
a new study finds that these subglacial volcanoes and other geothermal "hotspots" are contributing to the melting of Thwaites Glacier, a major river of ice that flows into Antarctica's Pine Island Bay. Areas of the glacier that sit near geologic features thought to be volcanic are melting faster than regions farther away from hotspots, said Dustin Schroeder, the study's lead author and a geophysicist at the University of Texas at Austin.

Magnitude-4.0 Earthquake Near Barstow
The earthquake was centered 9 miles northeast of Barstow and occurred at 2:38 a.m. "We felt it, it rolled pretty good," Barstow resident Kelly Carlson said. "It was rolling, it was for a few seconds." Carlson added that the early morning quake “pretty much” woke her up.

INCOMING CME
Yesterday's double X-flare may have produced a geoeffective CME after all. At first it appeared that Earth was outside the line of fire, but a closer look at the CME reveals an Earth-directed component. Meanwhile, more X-flares are in the offing. At least two sunspots (AR2080 and AR2087) have unstable 'delta-class' magnetic fields that could erupt at any moment.

Solar Mini-Max
Years ago, in 2008 and 2009 an eerie quiet descended on the sun. Sunspot counts dropped to historically-low levels and solar flares ceased altogether. As the longest and deepest solar minimum in a century unfolded, bored solar physicists wondered when "Solar Max" would ever return. They can stop wondering. "It's back," says Dean Pesnell of the Goddard Space Flight Center. "Solar Max has arrived."

Why Eric Cantor Lost
The death of the tea party has been greatly exaggerated. House Majority Leader Eric Cantor lost his primary tonight to David Brat, a man who was significantly outspent. Cantor spent $5 million to Brat’s $122,000.00.

3-magnitude quake reported near The Geysers
THE GEYSERS, Calif. – A moderately sized earthquake was reported late Tuesday afternoon near The Geysers geothermal steamfield. The 3.0-magnitude quake was reported at 4:59 p.m. three miles northwest of The Geysers and 13 miles southwest of Clearlake, according to a preliminary report from the US Geological Survey.

More than half of Palestinians oppose new talks with Israel, poll finds
More than half of Palestinians are against renewing negotiations with Israel, while less than one third think they should be restarted, according to a new poll... Nine months of US-brokered talks between Israel and the Palestinians ended in April...An unnamed high-ranking US official told Ynet that the the settlements were major factor in the collapse of the talks.

Putin on notice: Two U.S. stealth bombers head to Europe for first time amid tension
wo U.S. B-2 Spirit stealth bombers are being deployed to Europe for the first time. The deployment of the advanced aircraft will be used for “short term deployment” at Fairford, a Royal Air Force base in England — just three hours from Russia. “This deployment of strategic bombers provides an invaluable opportunity to strengthen and improve interoperability with our allies and partners,” said Adm. Cecil Haney, commander of U.S. Strategic Command...

Gas row: Ukraine 'won't fall into Russian gas trap'
Ukraine has rejected a deal to decrease the price it will pay on a disputed Russian gas debt during long-running price negotiations. Ukraine said that an offer from Russia of a discount of $100 for every 1,000 cubic metres of gas was part of a "trap". Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk said Ukraine would not agree to any discounts within its current gas deal.

Iraq crisis: Islamists force 500,000 to flee Mosul
As many as 500,000 people have been forced to flee the Iraqi city of Mosul after Islamist militants effectively took control of it, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) says. Troops were among those fleeing as hundreds of jihadists from the ISIS group overran the city and much of the surrounding province of Nineveh. PM Nouri Maliki has asked parliament to declare a state of emergency.

Obama: Soul-searching needed on high gun violence
President Barack Obama has said no other developed nation would tolerate the "off the charts" level of gun violence plaguing the United States. At the White House, Mr Obama said the US' firm resistance to "basic" new gun controls was his "biggest frustration". "The country has to do some soul-searching about this," Mr Obama said.

Turkey at 'crossroads' to authoritarian rule, Amnesty says
British rights group Amnesty International has painted a disturbing picture of EU-aspirant Turkey as a country on the way to authoritarian rule. Its report...one year after mass protests which broke out in Gezi Park, Istanbul - warns that thousands of people are at risk of prison for exercising their right to freedom of assembly, while police officers are getting away with acts of severe brutality.

Iron Dome meets the Wind Shield: Missile defense gets moving
The IDF received the Wind Shield on Wednesday, a mobile version of the Iron Dome Missile Defense System. According to Israel Aerospace Industries, the Wind Shield is a "counter rocket, artillery and mortar radar system" that has the capability to be mounted on a moving vehicle such as an armored car, truck, or all-terrain vehicle.

Israel chooses hard-liner Reuven Rivlin as president
Israel’s parliament on Tuesday chose Reuven Rivlin, a veteran nationalist politician and supporter of the Jewish settlement movement, as the country’s next president, putting a man opposed to the creation of a Palestinian state into the ceremonial but influential post.

Iraq crisis: Islamists force 500,000 to flee Mosul
As many as 500,000 people have been forced to flee the Iraqi city of Mosul after Islamist militants effectively took control of it, the International Organization for Migration says. Troops were among those fleeing as hundreds of jihadists from the ISIS group overran the city and much of the surrounding province of Nineveh.

Australia says seeking military technology cooperation with Japan
Australia wants greater military technology cooperation with Japan, and in talks between the two on Wednesday, wants to take a step paving the way for a possible agreement for Japan to supply it with stealth submarine designs, Australia's Defence Minister said.

Defying Russian warnings, Moldova and Georgia head for EU pact
Undeterred by the conflict triggered by Ukraine's swing towards Europe, the former Soviet republics of Moldova and Georgia will sign a trade and political pact with the European Union this month with Russia warning both countries against the move.

5 US troops killed by friendly fire in Afghanistan
Five American troops with a special operations unit were killed by a U.S. airstrike called in to help them after they were ambushed by the Taliban in southern Afghanistan, in one of the deadliest friendly fire incidents in nearly 14 years of war, officials said Tuesday.

Al Qaeda Militants Capture US Black Hawk Helicopters In Iraq
Just when one thought US foreign policy couldn't sink any deeper into the hole of its embarrassment, it takes out a shovel and starts digging. Overnight, in what AP describes as a stunning assault that exposed Iraq's eroding central authority, Al Qaida-inspired militants from ISIS, or the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham, overran much of Mosul on Tuesday, seizing government buildings, pushing out security forces and capturing military vehicles as thousands of residents fled the second-largest city.

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North Carolina Earthquake Today 2014 Strikes Blowing Rock
A rare North Carolina earthquake struck today at 1:28 pm local time. The quake was shallow. USGS indicates to news that the quake was 2.5 magnitude and started four miles below ground level.

2 consecutive quakes hit Vietnam’s hydropower plant
Two earthquakes struck the site of a hydropower plant located in central Vietnam’s Quang Nam Province two minutes apart on Thursday, the Earthquake Information and Tsunami Warning Center (EITWC) reported.

Orion Project: NASA Spacecraft That Could Provide Path to Mars Readying for Launch
NASA’s Orion project is getting closer to the testing phase, as engineers work on moving the spacecraft into the correct configuration for launch. The spacecraft is slated to launch 3,600 miles into space in December. The module will be unmanned but the four-hour flight will help engineers to ready the craft and similar models for future trips further into space, including to Mars.

Education earthquake: California judge strikes down teacher tenure
In a ruling that sent shock waves through education circles nationwide, a California judge ruled Tuesday in favor of nine students who sought to overturn that state's teacher tenure laws, arguing that the laws robbed them of their right to a quality education under the California constitution.

The Pope and the EU Earthquake: Standing vs. Succumbing
Standing or succumbing to Islamist pressures? The Vatican said the Pope's visit was non-political, but his embrace of Islam is in sharp contrast to the growing strength of Euroskeptics.

Taqiyya, Vatican-Style
A Muslim imam invited to participate in last weekend’s “prayer for peace” event at the Vatican went off-script and asked Allah to help him gain victory over the unbelievers. To Counterjihad activists this news is no big surprise. Anyone who has delved into Islamic theology and liturgical practice knows that Muslims always insert a call for Allah to defeat the infidel into their prayers. It’s as much a part of praying as “Amen” is to a Christian.

INCOMING CME
Yesterday's double X-flare may have produced a geoeffective CME after all. At first it appeared that Earth was outside the line of fire, but a closer look at the CME reveals an Earth-directed component.

ANOTHER X-FLARE
Solar activity remains high. Active sunspot AR2087 unleashed another X-flare on June 11th (X1.0), following two X-flares (X2.1 and X1.5) on June 10th.

Could Friday the 13th wreak havoc with mobile phone signals? Impact of massive solar flare is expected to hit Earth tomorrow - and it could disrupt sa
Three large solar flares over the last two days have released a huge cloud of particles from the sun which could knock out satellites and communication systems on Earth. A 'coronal mass ejection' (CME), a huge cloud of irradiated particles and a magnetic shockwave, could strike the planet on Friday, damaging satellites and knocking out communications. The three solar flares already caused brief disruptions to high frequency communications, such as radio broadcasts and aircraft communications, when they struck yesterday and twice on Tuesday.

Philippines Earthquake Today 2014 Strikes Placer
Officials tell news that a 5.0 magnitude Philippines earthquake today has hit just after 5:08 pm local time. The quake was shallow. Reps tell news that the quake started only twenty-eight miles below sea level. As a result the quake could be felt across the vicinity.

3.3 magnitude quake startles Utahns along Wasatch Front
The University of Utah Seismograph Stations reported the quake happened at 10:34 p.m. hit about 10 miles east of Bountiful, at a hypocentral depth of about 6 miles. The Davis County Sheriff's Office said dispatchers hadn't received any calls about earthquake damage as of 11 p.m., and the Centerville Police Department reported officers were conducting a "rapid damage assessment" as a precaution.

China's Christians fend off church demolition crew amid latest Communist Party crackdown on faith
Demolition workers were forced to abandon attempts to strip a cross from a church in a city known as 'China’s Jerusalem’ after angry Christians forced their way through a blockade of armed guards. The scuffles broke out as security guards carrying black batons and riot shields tried to stop members of Wenzhou’s Guantou church from entering their place of worship to stop the cross’s removal...

American scientists controversially recreate deadly Spanish Flu virus
The extinct influenza virus that caused the worst flu pandemic in history has been recreated from fragments of avian flu found in wild ducks...to show how easy it would be for the deadly flu strain to reemerge today. Scientists said the study involved infecting laboratory ferrets with close copies of the 1918 virus – which was responsible for the Spanish Flu pandemic that killed an estimated 50 million people...

Solar Flares Disrupt Communications on Earth, Could Send Shockwave on Friday the 13th
The sun has had three major solar flares on its surface in the past two days that have affected communications on Earth and could send a shockwave through Earth this Friday... The “solar events” caused brief blackouts in high frequency communications...twice on Tuesday morning and once this morning... between the hours of 7 a.m. and 9 a.m. EDT.

Google’s New All-Seeing Satellites Have Huge Potential—For Good and Evil
The reach of Google’s online empire is hard to overstate. ...Now, with the $500 million purchase of Skybox, a startup that shoots high-res photos and video with low-cost satellites, Google can extend its reach far across the offline world. ...Skybox can take photos from 500 miles up with a sub-one-meter resolution of the ground below. That isn’t likely to sit well with privacy activists who already don’t trust Google.

Ex-border agents: Immigrant flood 'orchestrated'
An organization of former Border Patrol agents...charged that the federal government, under the administration of President Obama, is deliberately arranging for a flood of immigrant children to arrive in America... “This is not a humanitarian crisis. It is a predictable, orchestrated and contrived assault...by her political leaders that...puts minor illegal alien children at risk for purely political purposes...

Recession 'led to 10,000 suicides'
The economic crisis in Europe and North America led to more than 10,000 extra suicides, according to figures from UK researchers. A study, published in the British Journal of Psychiatry, showed "suicides have risen markedly". The research group said some deaths may have been avoidable as some countries showed no increase in suicide rate.

US drones 'hit militants in Pakistan's North Waziristan'
The US has resumed its drones programme in Pakistan, with two strikes on militant strongholds in the North Waziristan tribal region overnight. Reports say at least 16 suspected militants were killed in the strikes. They come days after a militant attack on Karachi airport - 39 people were killed, including the 10 attackers.

West Africa should decriminalise drugs - Obasanjo commission
Low-level drug offences should be decriminalised in West Africa, according to a high-level report. The West Africa Commission on Drugs says drug cartels are undermining the region by using it to transit cocaine. The commission, headed by former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, says the cartels should be tackled but that punishing the personal use of drugs does not work.

Sunni Islamist rebels surge towards Baghdad as Iraqi army loses control of north
Iraqi Kurds seized control of the northern oil city of Kirkuk on Thursday, while surging Sunni Islamist rebels advanced towards Baghdad, as the central government's army abandoned its posts in a rapid collapse that has lost it control of the north. Peshmerga fighters, the security forces of Iraq's autonomous Kurdish north, swept into Kirkuk after the army abandoned its posts there, a peshmerga spokesman said.

Iran to cut plutonium creation capability in attempt to reach deal with West
Iran is "busy redesigning" a planned research reactor to sharply cut its potential output of plutonium - a potential nuclear bomb fuel, a senior Iranian official said... The future of the Arak plant is among several issues that negotiators...need to resolve if they are to reach a deal by late July on curbing the country's nuclear program in exchange for an end to sanctions.

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Iraq conflict: Sistani issues Shia call to arms
Iraq's most senior Shia cleric has issued a call to arms after Sunni-led insurgents seized more towns. The call by a representative of Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani came as the militants widened their grip in the north and east, and threatened to march south, towards Baghdad.

Earthquake jolts northern Iran
An earthquake measuring 4.4 on the Richter scale has hit the Ramian District in the northern Iranian province of Golestan on June 13.

Guatemala Earthquake Today 2014: 5.0 Terremoto Strikes Near the Coast
A Guatemala earthquake today 2014 has just hit. A massive terremoto en Guatemala hoy, a temblor registering a 5.0 magnitude, just hit today June 13, 2014. Damage assessment is pending.

Pope Condemns Religious Fundamentalism, Middle East Violence
Following his first visit to the Middle East as pope last month, the pontiff criticised fundamentalism in Christianity, Islam and Judaism as a form of violence. "A fundamentalist group, even if it kills no one, even it strikes no one, is violent. The mental structure of fundamentalism is violence in the name of God."

Real time imaging of DNA repair a step toward prevention and treatment of cancer
Until now people have generated all sorts of models on mostly very indirect information. Now for the first time we can actually see what happens, in real time and at the molecular level. We can learn about the dynamics of biological processes such as DNA repair."

Popular Florida eatery tells vet ‘his kind’ not welcome; backlash follows
Robert Thompson, a 20-year Navy vet who served in Iraq, visited the Old Key Lime House in Lantana, Fla., on Saturday and was told to remove a leather vest because they do not allow “gangs or colors” at the restaurant, WPTV reported. The vest was covered with patches associated with his military service, such as a large patch depicting his affiliation with American Legion Post 180, according to the local NBC affiliate.

POSSIBLE GEOMAGNETIC STORM TODAY
A coronal mass ejection hurled into space by the double X-flare of June 10th could sideswipe Earth's magnetic field today.

The United Kingdom's Muslim Trojan Horse
The story takes place in Birmingham, a city with a large concentration of Muslim immigrants. A majority of Muslim pupils exists in nearly twenty of the city's schools, and recently it was discovered that a group of teachers, on their own initiative, decided to add extremist Muslim study units to the curriculum.

Muslim Rioters Stone Police on Temple Mount
Twenty masked Muslim rioters on Friday pelted police forces with stones on the Temple Mount. The attack occurred at the Rambam (Mughrabi) Gate, the only point of access for Jewish visitors to the holiest site in Judaism.

Clinton defends change in gay marriage stance in tense interview
In a tense interview with NPR’s Terry Gross Thursday, Clinton accused the radio host of “playing with her words” after Gross repeatedly pressed Clinton about her change in stance on gay marriage.

Americans being evacuated from Iraqi air base as militants advance
Americans were being evacuated Thursday from a major Iraqi air base as Al Qaeda-aligned militants toppled cities in the country's north and threatened to advance toward Baghdad.

Greece Earthquake Today 2014 Strikes East of Athens
A Greece earthquake today 2014 has just struck east of Athens. The Greece earthquake today June 13, 2014 locally began moments ago. Damage assessment is pending. Officials tell news that a 5.0 magnitude Greece earthquake today started just after 2:34 am local time.

Iraq conflict: Sistani 'issues' Shia call to arms against militants
Iraq's most senior Shia cleric has issued a call to arms as Sunni-led insurgents sweep across towns. The call by a representative of Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani came during Friday prayers, as the militants widened their grip in the north and east and threatened to march south. The UN says hundreds have been killed - with militants carrying out summary executions of civilians in Mosul.

Ukraine crisis: Fighting erupts in city of Mariupol
Government troops in eastern Ukraine have launched a dawn attack on separatist rebels in the port of Mariupol, with heavy fighting reported. Interior Minister Arseny Avakov said the security forces were successfully bringing separatist strongholds in the city "under control". Five pro-Russian rebels were reported killed and at least four government soldiers injured in the city.

Somalia's al-Shabab militants impose dress code
Somalia's al-Shabab militants have rounded up around 100 women and ordered them to comply with a strict Islamic dress code or risk being whipped. The women were arrested in Buale, about 300km (185 miles) south-west of the capital, Mogadishu. BBC Somali analyst Mohamed Mohamed says it is rare for al-Shabab to carry out such mass arrests.

Iraq conflict: All options open to fight insurgents - Obama
US President Barack Obama says his government is looking at "all options", including military action, to help Iraq fight Islamist militants. But the White House also insisted it had no intention of sending ground troops. The remarks came after the cities of Mosul and Tikrit fell to Sunni Islamist insurgents during a lightning advance.

Tel Aviv celebrates 16th-annual Gay Pride Parade
Tel Aviv's 16th-annual Gay Pride Parade set out on Friday morning with tens of thousands of people participating in the march. Celebrations this year are being held under the banner, "Tel Aviv marches for equality." Staring from 10 a.m. community “happening” festivities began in Gan Meir park before the parade's official take off.

Israel advances plans for 1,083 settler homes in Judea and Samaria
Israel this week advanced plans for 1,083 settler homes in the West Bank as part of its response to the newly formed Palestinian government that is jointly sponsored by Fatah and Hamas. The move is the second approval of settlement activity in the last eight days, and follows the Construction and Housing Ministry’s publication last week of tenders for 1,500 homes over the pre- 1967 lines in West Bank settlements and east Jerusalem.

Palestinian envoy: Australia trade at risk with Islamic nations over east Jerusalem policy
Arab and Islamic nations have warned of trade sanctions on Australia for its decision last week to desist from referring to east Jerusalem as "occupied," the Palestinian envoy to Canberra told AFP on Friday. Izzat Abdulhadi criticized Australia's decision and called its new position on east Jerusalem a "substantial policiy shift."

Iraq conflict: ISIS militants seize new towns
Islamist militants in Iraq have seized two new towns, widening their control after threatening to move on Baghdad. The Sunni-led Islamists advanced into Saadiya and Jalawla in Diyala province and surrounding areas as security forces abandoned their posts. The US says it is looking at "all options", including military action, to help Iraq fight the insurgency.

Ukrainian minister: 3 tanks cross from Russia
Ukraine's interior minister says that three tanks have crossed into Ukrainian territory from Russia and were attacked by his country's forces.

Russian Bombers Buzz California
Two long-range Russian bombers flew within 50 miles of the northern California coast Monday. The incident began much further north when four Russian Tu-95 Bear bomber planes and a refueling tanker enter the outer Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) near Alaska.

Iraq Gets International Help... From Iran
Iran, of all places, has reportedly dispatched two units of its elite Revolutionary Guards to Iraq to help stem the tide of terrorist gains and defend Baghdad from assault. The two nations were bitter rivals for decades when Saddam Hussein's Sunni dominated regime was at war with Tehran's Shiite-led government. After the U.S. invasion, the Iraqi government came to be dominated by Shiite leaders, who now finds themselves under assault from the Sunni militants of ISIS. Now Iran sees Baghdad as a strategic partner, and the ISIS militias as unacceptable neighbors.

Found! Hidden Ocean Locked Up Deep in Earth's Mantle
Deep within the Earth's rocky mantle lies oceans' worth of water locked up in a type of mineral called ringwoodite, new research shows.

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Moderate 5.6 quake hits Japan's north
A 5.6-magnitude earthquake struck northern Japan in the early hours of Sunday , the US Geological Survey said, predicting low chances of any major damage being caused. The epicentre was located in mountains along the north astern side of Honshu, Japan's largest island, at a depth of 90 kilometres (56 miles).

Pope Francis Warns The Global Economy Is Near Collapse
An economy built on money-worship and war and scarred by yawning inequality and youth unemployment cannot survive, the 77-year-old Roman Catholic leader suggested in a newly published interview.

13 planes vanish from radars over Europe
An air-safety investigation has been launched after 13 planes flying over Europe disappeared from radar screens in two "unprecedented" blackouts, leading to reports stating air traffic control systems had been hacked. The aircraft went missing from screens across the region in early June, leaving air traffic controllers with no information about their position, direction and height – instead relying on voice communication alone.

Warlords flex as Afghans go to polls again
The frontrunner in Afghanistan’s election is relying on northern warlords to secure victory, according to security sources and diplomats, fuelling fears that the tight contest to replace Hamid Karzai could unleash a round of ethnic bloodletting. Afghans go to the polls on Saturday after a string of warnings to both candidates to avoid negative campaigning.

Iraq conflict: Iran's Rouhani 'ready to help'
Iran is ready to assist the Iraqi government in its battle against extremist Sunni insurgents, President Hassan Rouhani has said. But he denied Iran had sent troops into Iraq to help bolster Iraqi government forces' defences. The insurgents - from the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) - have seized the cities of Mosul and Tikrit and are moving closer to Baghdad.

Ukraine crisis: Military plane shot down in Luhansk
Pro-Russian rebels have shot down a military transport plane in eastern Ukraine, killing all 49 Ukrainian service personnel on board. Ukraine's defence ministry said the Il-76 transport plane crashed after coming under anti-aircraft fire over Luhansk. In a statement it said "terrorists" had "cynically and treacherously" fired on the aircraft.

US seeing signs Iran engaged in Iraq strife, official says
A senior U.S. defense official said Friday U.S. officials were seeing signs that Iranian fighters were engaged in Iraq, a development the source described as "concerning." But it was not immediately clear how many troops were involved. The defense official told Fox News the United States had been watching the swift gains made by the Sunni group known as Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) for months, adding "this didn't just happen."

80,000 party at Israel gay parade, area's biggest
Shirtless Israeli men, colorfully dressed drag queens and others partied Friday through central Tel Aviv as tens of thousands of people took part in the city's annual gay pride parade, the largest event of its kind in the Middle East.

America's Allies Are Funding ISIS
The extremist group that is threatening the existence of the Iraqi state was built and grown for years with the help of elite donors from American supposed allies in the Persian Gulf region. There, the threat of Iran, Assad, and the Sunni-Shiite sectarian war trumps the U.S. goal of stability and moderation in the region.

Methodist pension board divests from company supplying Israel
The United Methodist Church’s pension board is selling its shares in a British company that supplies security equipment to Israel for use in prisons and in the West Bank.

Former Defense Officials Blast Obama As Having A 'Complete Lack Of Strategy' For Iraq
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry (L) listens as U.S. President Barack Obama hosts a Cabinet meeting in the Cabinet Room of the White House in Washington, September 30, 2013. With radical militants seizing vast swaths of territory in Iraq less than three years after American soldiers left the country, two former senior defense officials tell Business Insider much of the blame for an increase in sectarian violence stems from a lack of leadership in the White House.

IRS claims it has LOST two years' worth of emails from embattled former official Lois Lerner as tea party targeting scandal heats up again
The Internal Revenue Service has lost two years worth of emails to and from embattled former tax official Lois Lerner, the agency told congressional investigators on Friday. The IRS promised on May 8 to turn over all her emails but now blames a computer crash for huge tranches of missing documents.

It Looks Like Chelsea Clinton Made $26,724 For Each Minute She Appeared On NBC
On Friday morning, Politico published on the previously unknown and "closely held" details of former First Daughter Chelsea Clinton's contract with NBC News. According to the story, Clinton was given an annual salary of $600,000 when she joined NBC News as a "special correspondent" in November 2011. Based on these figures, Clinton has earned about $26,724 for each minute she subsequently appeared on air.

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Ukraine crisis: Kiev faces halt to gas supply
Gazprom has reaffirmed its Monday deadline for Ukraine to pay its debts after talks between Moscow and Kiev ended without agreement. The Russian gas giant said it will cut Ukraine's supply if Kiev fails to pay $1.95bn (£1.15bn) by 06:00 GMT. "We reached no agreement. The chances that we meet again are slim," Gazprom spokesman Sergei Kuprianov said.

Why Is the U.S. Government Working Frantically to Get Rid of GPS?
One of the primary vulnerabilities in today's hi-tech, ultra-accurate weapons systems, you see, is their dependence upon GPS signals to guide them to their destinations. American "smart bombs" and guided missiles all depend greatly on GPS to know where they are, and to get where they're going. American dominance in drone technology, similarly, depends on GPS. Problem is, while we know this is a problem, the "bad guys" know it, too -- and can sometimes hack GPS signals so as to confuse, and even hijack, American weapons systems.

Japanese central bank chief sticks his neck out, pressures PM Abe for action
Bank of Japan (BOJ) Governor Haruhiko Kuroda has a simple message for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe: It's time to fire the 'third arrow' of reform or risk squandering the efforts of the past 18 months to revive the Japanese economy.

Here's Why The Iraq Crisis 'Plays Right Into Iran's Hand'
Iraq is falling apart, and Iran is eager to help America save face (again). Extremist militants from the al-Qaeda offshoot Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) have captured Iraq's second-largest city and have advanced within 60 miles of the capital.


Two 3.0 Magnitude Earthquakes Reported Near Medford
MEDFORD, Oklahoma - The United States Geological Survey reported two 3.0 magnitude earthquakes in Grant County Sunday.

‘Exhausted’ Obama to drive golf balls as ISIS drives on Baghdad, Twitter erupts
CBS News White House Correspondent Mark Knoller was simply doing his job when he tweeted President Barack Obama‘s weekend plans. Little did he know that his effort would unleash a wave of criticism directed at the president.

Public Universities Around The Country Allow Special Cords To Gay Graduates For Being Gay
College graduation is a special time in America, and it’s even more special this year if you are gay. A number of public colleges and universities gave special recognition this year to graduating seniors who amazingly managed to complete their degrees while suffering the grueling hardship of being lesbians and homosexuals, reports Campus Reform.

Supreme Court has 17 cases to decide by June's end
It's crunch time at the Supreme Court. The justices are racing to issue opinions in 17 cases over the next two weeks. Among the big questions: the religious rights of corporations, the speech rights of abortion protesters and the privacy rights of people under arrest.

Pentagon studying protesters to prep for ‘mass civil breakdown’
The Department of Defense has disbursed some funds to universities so that scientists might study the dynamics of civil unrest — and how the U.S. military might best respond. It’s called the “Minerva Research Initiative,” and it’s a program...to “improve DoD’s basic understanding of the social, cultural, behavioral and political forces that shape regions of the world of strategic importance to the U.S.,” The Guardian reported.

ISIS Leader: ‘See You in New York’
The Islamist extremist some are now calling the most dangerous man in the world had a few parting words to his captors as he was released from the biggest U.S. detention camp in Iraq in 2009. “He said, ‘I’ll see you guys in New York,’” recalls Army Col. Kenneth King, then the commanding officer of Camp Bucca.

China to build school in contested Paracel Islands
China says it will build a school in the disputed Paracel Islands, boosting its presence in waters also claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam. China calls the island Yongxing and has been building up a settlement there for the last two years. The school is expected to serve just 40 children, whose parents all work on the tiny island.

IDF calls up reserves, deploys Iron Dome in South
The IDF has called up a limited number of reserves as the military operation to rescue three kidnapped Israelis in the West Bank continues to grow. The call up is small in scope at this stage. Also on Sunday, the air force deployed a number of Iron Dome anti-rocket batteries in southern Israel.

Border agent laments gang members entering U.S.: ‘Why are we letting him in here?’
Border Patrol officials are swamped by the number of minors crossing illegally into the United States and frustrated that they can’t turn away known Mexican gang members.

U.S. Aircraft Carrier Ordered to Persian Gulf in Wake of Iraq Unrest
U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel ordered the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush to the Persian Gulf on Saturday to “protect” American lives and interests during terror flare-ups in several Iraqi towns.

IAF strikes Gaza following rocket attack
The Israel Air Force carried out an air strike on three terror sites in the Gaza Strip and two weapons manufacturing sites, along with an additional terror site in central Gaza, according to the IDF Spokesperson's Office.

Ukraine crisis: Russia condemns attack on Kiev embassy
Russia has reacted angrily to a violent protest outside its embassy in Ukraine, which saw windows smashed, the Russian flag torn down and cars overturned. Russia accused Ukrainian police of doing nothing to stop the attack, and called it a "grave violation of Ukraine's international obligations".

Iraq conflict: Sunni militant push on Baghdad 'halted'
Iraqi government forces, backed by Shia Muslim and Kurdish militias, are reportedly holding back an advance by Sunni militants north of Baghdad. A number of towns have been retaken from the rebels, but they still control the key cities of Tikrit and Mosul.

Manning says US public lied to about Iraq from the start
The detained US soldier convicted of leaking a trove of secret documents to WikiLeaks made a rare foray into public life Saturday to warn Americans they were being lied to about Iraq once more. Chelsea Manning is serving a 35-year prison sentence on espionage charges and other offenses for passing along 700,000 secret documents, including diplomatic cables and military intelligence files, to anti-secrecy website WikiLeaks in the largest-scale leak in US history.

Airstrikes kill about 100 militants in Pakistan
Pakistani intelligence officials say that airstrikes overnight in the northwestern tribal regions bordering Afghanistan have killed as many as 100 militants. Two intelligence officials said Sunday that the airstrikes by the Pakistani military targeted eight militant hideouts in the North Waziristan tribal area.

Iran Is the Biggest Loser in Iraq
After all of its efforts to undermine the U.S. mission, Tehran now has a violent, semi-failed state right on its border. And it will have to deal with the financial fallout on its own. Sen. John McCain has called for the heads of President Obama’s entire national-security staff for the debacle in Iraq. Papers and websites are filled with opinion pieces running some variation of the title “Who lost Iraq?”

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Obama to Sign Order Barring Federal Discrimination Against Gays
Obama will sign an executive order barring federal contractors from discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity, a White House official said on Monday, handing another victory to gay rights activists.

A 5.6 Earthquake Rocks Limon, Heredia, and Cartago
The National Volcanological and Seismological Observatory (Ovsicori) noted that a 5.6 magnitude earthquake occurred 250 kilometers northeast of Limon, near the islands of San Andrés, shaking several areas.

IMF lowers estimate of US economic growth in 2014
The U.S. economy is poised to accelerate after a dismal start to the year even though the job market won't return to full employment until 2017. That was the forecast offered Monday in a report by the International Monetary Fund.

Oklahoma meteorologist deals with earthquake live on the air
Shake, rattle and keep rolling, because we are live on the air, folks. An Oklahoma City meteorologist showed grace under fire when her television studio was struck by a fairly significant earthquake in the middle of her forecast.

Kerry: US open to talks with Iran over Iraq
John Kerry says the Obama administration is willing to talk with Iran over deteriorating security conditions in Iraq and is not ruling out potential U.S.-Iranian military cooperation in stemming the advance of Sunni extremists. Kerry also says U.S. drone strikes "may well" be an option.

Guatemala Earthquake Today 2014: Terremoto Also Hits Chile, Ecuador
Three big earthquakes today 2014 have struck the western hemisphere. A terremoto en Guatemala hoy, a 5.2 magnitude temblor, has hit. Then a strong terremoto en Ecuador erupted, a temblor registering a 5.7. And finally a 4.8 temblor has hit Chile.

Alaska Earthquake Today 2014: 5.7 Strikes Near Noatak
A strong Alaska earthquake today 2014 has hit this morning. An Alaska earthquake today June 16, 2014 began in the predawn morning hours. Damage assessment is pending.

Putin on notice: Two U.S. stealth bombers head to Europe for first time amid tension
Two U.S. B-2 Spirit stealth bombers are being deployed to Europe for the first time. The deployment of the advanced aircraft will be used for “short term deployment” at Fairford, a Royal Air Force base in England — just three hours from Russia.

Blair: Iraq invasion not to blame for rising extremism – Syrian war is
In fact, the former prime minister describes at length how it’s necessary to rid oneself of any feeling of responsibility that the crumbling country and region have been pushed over the edge by well-meaning Western interventionism.

ISIS 'execute' 1,700 Iraqi soldiers, post gruesome pictures (GRAPHIC)
Radical Sunni militants who have been capturing cities in northwest Iraq claimed on Twitter that they executed 1,700 Iraqi soldiers. The radicals posted graphic photos as evidence.

SOLAR ACTIVITY
These sunspots are leaving behind at least one region still capable of major flares: AR2087 is almost directly facing Earth and it has a 'beta-gamma' magnetic field that harbors energy for M-class eruptions. Any flares from AR2087 today would hit Earth head on.

GEOMAGNETIC UNREST
NOAA forecasters estimate a 20% to 30% chance of minor geomagnetic storms on June 16-17 in response to a high-speed solar wind stream.

Coin Operated Conservatism
Its advocates call it the “Marketplace Fairness Act.” They call it that because what it actually is, is the internet sales tax, which is not all that popular. These “conservatives” not only support an internet sales tax. They also support forcing businesses in states with no sales tax to, by federal fiat, start collecting sales taxes.

VOLCANO WATCH: Mauna Loa Showing Signs of Stirring
After a 30-year repose, Mauna Loa may be slowly stirring to life. While there are no signs of impending eruption, the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory has recorded an increased level of seismic activity on the flanks and summit of Mauna Loa over the past 13 months.

Ukraine fighting threatens water supply to four million: OSCE
Fighting in eastern Ukraine threatens water supplies to the city of Donetsk and could have serious consequences for 4 million people, monitors for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe said on Monday. The OSCE...quoted local officials as saying a water pumping station and a section of pipeline near the town of Semyonovka...had been damaged in fighting between government forces and separatists.

Kenya attack: Islamist threat growing more sophisticated
When Kenya sent thousands of its soldiers over its border into Somalia in 2011 to help crush al-Shabaab, the Islamists immediately promised to respond by bringing their jihad inside their neighbour's territory. At first, attacks in Kenya were on a small scale: single grenades hurled into bars serving alcohol in predominantly Muslim areas, minor explosions at bus queues or attempted IEDs targeting police patrols in remote areas.

Pakistan jets renew strikes on tribal North Waziristan
Pakistani fighter jets are reported to have carried out fresh air strikes against militants based in the north-west tribal area of North Waziristan. They came hours after the government announced an offensive in the mountainous area bordering Afghanistan. Many civilians fled in anticipation of the offensive, which the army hopes will disrupt militant strongholds.

No UK military intervention in Iraq conflict says Hague
The UK will not intervene militarily to help Iraq fight Islamist insurgents, William Hague has insisted. Asked whether the UK could participate in air strikes, the foreign secretary told the BBC that he "could not be clearer" that this would not happen. It was up to the Iraqi authorities to stabilise the situation and then try to reconcile different factions.

ISIS direct threat to Jordan, US senator says
Top Republican lawmaker Sen. Lindsey Graham (South Carolina) suggested on Sunday that a deal with Iran might be necessary in the short term to stop the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) from marching on Baghdad – not dissimilar to America’s alliance with Joseph Stalin’s Soviet Union at the height of the Second World War. “We’re going to have to have some dialogue with the Iranians,” Graham said.

IAF strikes targets in Gaza in retaliation for rocket fire
The Israel Air Force struck five targets in the Gaza Strip in retaliation to rocket fire by Palestinian terrorist groups, Israel Radio reported. There is no word regarding casualties. The IDF released a statement confirming the airstrikes, which targeted arms-manufacturing facilities and weapons caches.

West Bank Hamas leadership in Israeli custody
As the intensive search for the kidnapped Israeli boys continues, Israeli security forces arrested nearly all Hamas leaders in the West Bank. There have been reports that some of the Hamas members arrested will be deported as well. Hamas' parliamentary speaker in the West Bank Abdel Aziz Dweck was among 50 people arrested by security forces Sunday night and Monday morning.

Drug Use Linked with Brain Differences in Teens
Teens who have used drugs even just once in their lives have brain characteristics that are different from those who have never used drugs, a new study finds.

Ukraine crisis: Kiev faces halt to gas supply
Gazprom has reaffirmed its Monday deadline for Ukraine to pay its debts after talks between Moscow and Kiev ended without agreement. The Russian gas giant said it will cut Ukraine's supply if Kiev fails to pay $1.95bn (£1.15bn) by 06:00 GMT. "We reached no agreement. The chances that we meet again are slim," Gazprom spokesman Sergei Kuprianov said.

Why Is the U.S. Government Working Frantically to Get Rid of GPS?
One of the primary vulnerabilities in today's hi-tech, ultra-accurate weapons systems, you see, is their dependence upon GPS signals to guide them to their destinations. American "smart bombs" and guided missiles all depend greatly on GPS to know where they are, and to get where they're going. American dominance in drone technology, similarly, depends on GPS. Problem is, while we know this is a problem, the "bad guys" know it, too -- and can sometimes hack GPS signals so as to confuse, and even hijack, American weapons systems.

Japanese central bank chief sticks his neck out, pressures PM Abe for action
Bank of Japan (BOJ) Governor Haruhiko Kuroda has a simple message for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe: It's time to fire the 'third arrow' of reform or risk squandering the efforts of the past 18 months to revive the Japanese economy.

Here's Why The Iraq Crisis 'Plays Right Into Iran's Hand'
Iraq is falling apart, and Iran is eager to help America save face (again). Extremist militants from the al-Qaeda offshoot Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS) have captured Iraq's second-largest city and have advanced within 60 miles of the capital.

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Read These Tweets About the ‘Inevitable’ Return of the ‘Caliphate’ — the Bigger Story Could Be Who Actually Wrote Them
“As I’ve said b4 inevitable that ‘Caliphate’ returns,” Mohamed Elibiary tweeted. “Choice only whether we support [European Union] like Muslim Union vision or not.” Elibiary, a member of the Homeland Security Advisory Council, was apparently responding to a question about the radical terror group Islamic State of Iraq and Syria that is sweeping through Iraq, the Washington Free Beacon reports.

For The Third Time, Judge Orders NSA To Stop Destroying Evidence
U.S. District Court Judge Jeffrey White’s ruling came at the request of the Electronic Frontier Foundation, which is in the midst of a case challenging NSA’s ability to surveil foreign citizen’s U.S.-based email and social media accounts. According to the EFF, the signals intelligence agency and the Department of Justice were knowingly destroying key evidence in the case by purposefully misinterpreting earlier preservation orders by multiple courts, multiple times.

GOVERNMENT ARRESTING PEOPLE FOR ANTI-OBAMA FACEBOOK POSTS
The US Government is actively seeking those who criticize government, specifically Barack Obama, and arresting them without charging them. They are remanded to mental health institutions where they are given "training" on how to view the world. Most of the victims of the government's kidnapping scheme are veterans.

'Wave of humanity': Border Patrol overwhelmed by flow of illegal immigrants
Thousands upon thousands of people from Central America exploiting the porous border of the Rio Grande Valley to enter the United States. “If we don't send the message that they can’t just come in and stay here, it's gonna continue, this wave of humanity,” said Texas Rep. Henry Cuellar.

Tennessee National Guard holds earthquake response exercise
The Tennessee National Guard, in conjunction with the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency (TEMA) and the Tennessee State Guard, is working at locations throughout the state exercising plans laid out in the Tennessee National Guard Emergency Response Plan, which fully integrates with the statewide Tennessee Emergency Management Plan.

Iraq conflict: Clashes on approaches to Baghdad
Iraqi government forces are engaged in heavy clashes with Sunni insurgents who have made major advances in the past week. Parts of the city of Baquba - just 60km (37 miles) from Baghdad - were briefly taken over by the rebels. Reports say 44 prisoners were killed during fighting at a police station in the city.

BP to sign £11.8bn gas deal with China's CNOOC
BP is to sign a deal with China National Offshore Oil Corporation worth about $20bn (£11.8bn). The oil giant will supply its Chinese peer with liquefied natural gas (LNG), BP chief executive Bob Dudley said at a conference in Moscow. Mr Dudley said the deal would be signed in London.

Deadly US tornadoes strike Nebraska
At least one person is dead and at least 19 are hurt after two massive tornadoes hit the US state of Nebraska. The town of Pilger, about 100 miles (160km) north-west of Omaha, with a population of 350 people, was devastated by the twisters. Jerry Weatherholt, county commissioner, said half the town is damaged.

US deploys small force to Iraq, opens dialogue with Iran
The United States has deployed approximately 275 troops "equipped for combat" to Iraq, US President Barack Obama informed Congress on Monday night, to counter the growing threat of ISIS, a terrorist militia threatening the sovereignty of Iraq and Syria. 170 troops were deployed to protect the expansive US embassy Baghdad, with 100 more for airfield management, security, and logistics support, the Pentagon said.

Nigeria: At Least 20 Killed in Suspected Nigeria Boko Haram Attack
Officials in Nigeria say more than 20 people were killed when gunmen believed to be Boko Haram militants attacked a village in the country's northeast. Residents in the town of Daku say gunmen surrounded the village market on Sunday and fired indiscriminately at people.

UK to re-open Iran embassy says Hague
Foreign Secretary William Hague has said he intends to re-open Britain's Embassy in the Iranian capital Tehran. Mr Hague said the "circumstances were right" following an improvement in bilateral relations in recent months. Full diplomatic relations with Iran were suspended after attacks on the British embassy in Iran in 2011.

N. Korea cruise missile fuels proliferation concerns
A state propaganda film disseminated on social media sites, including YouTube, provides a very brief glimpse of the missile being launched from a naval vessel. Writing on the closely watched 38 North website of the US-Korea Institute at Johns Hopkins University, arms control expert Jeffrey Lewis said the missile would mark "a new and potentially destabilising addition" to North Korea's military arsenal.

Why ISIS gains in Iraq are reshaping Syrian regime's war strategy
With Islamic militants at the vanguard of what appears to be a general Sunni uprising against Baghdad’s Shiite-dominated government, the conflicts in Syria and Iraq are beginning to merge under the strains of sectarian and ethnic competition.

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Is Prophecy Being Fulfilled Now In Iraq And Iran?
If you are a student of Bible prophecy, then I want you to get your Bible out and open it to Daniel chapter 8. Now, if you consult nearly any commentary on the Book of Daniel, you’ll find they nearly all interpret this prophecy as fulfilled in history. The prophecy begins with a ram butting to the west, to the north and to the south.

New Poll Is A Disaster For Obama
President Barack Obama has seen an erosion in support for his foreign policy plummet to an all-time low, according to a new Wall Street Journal/NBC poll released Wednesday. According to the poll, just 37% of respondents said they approved of Obama's handling of foreign-policy issues, an all-time low. Meanwhile, 57% said they disapproved, an all-time high.

House budget punishes IRS with 15% cut, halts Obamacare enforcement
The Internal Revenue Service is about to get slapped with a harsh payback for messing around with conservative groups, blowing wads of tax dollars on employee conferences and helping implement Obamacare. The House Appropriations Committee is set to OK an IRS budget of $10.9 billion, $1.5 billion under President Obama's request for fiscal year 2015, reducing the agency's budget to 2008 levels.

DARPA Brain Chips to Implant False Memories
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is developing brain chips that will implant or remove specific memories from a subject, a prospect some may deem chilling given DARPA’s previous advocacy of authentication microchips. Neuroscientists foresee a brave new world where minds can be programmed using lasers, drugs and microchips in order to create false memories, a technology that has already been used on mice.

Military Blimps Will Float In Aberdeen, Tracking Potential Threats
Soon, Maryland will be the home to a couple of new landmarks. Actually, sky-marks. As Mike Schuh reports, two large blimps will soon rise over Harford County and stay put. ...What will they be looking for? Anti-ship cruise missiles, unmanned aircraft and swarming boats.

Seven die in Monrovia Ebola outbreak
The deadly Ebola virus has killed seven people in Liberia's capital, Monrovia, health officials have said. These are the first deaths reported in the city since the outbreak of the contagious virus in several West African states. Among the dead are a nurse and four people from the same household, including a baby, officials said.

Expansion of US marine protected zone could double world reserves
The US plans to create the world's biggest marine protected area (MPA) in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. The White House will extend an existing protected area, known as the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument. Fishing and drilling would be banned from an area that could eventually cover two million sq km.

Muslim candidate wants to shake up EU parliament
The 43-year old of Pakistani descent was the first British Muslim to be elected as MEP, in 2004. He started politics at the age of seven handing out leaflets for a local MP candidate, and spent 18 years...a Liberal, before rejoining the Tories in 2007. Karim...put his name forward for the presidency of the European Parliament, the first official candidate for the top post which will have to be filled in the first week of July.

US Treasury Secretary Lew: Iran's nuclear program will remain peaceful
While the US will not allow Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon, US Treasury Secretary Jack Lew said Wednesday that sanctions will lead to an agreement that will "ensure that Iran's nuclear program is entirely peaceful," a step short of the complete dismantling Israel has urged. "We have always been clear that we will take the time to do this right, and we will not rush into a bad deal. No deal is better than a bad deal," ...

This Is Not Going As Planned: Iraq Prime Minister Defies US, Accuses Saudi Arabia Of "Genocide"
Shortly after the US revealed that, in addition to aircraft carriers and amphibious assault ships it was also sending a few hundred "special forces" on the ground in Iraq, contrary to what Obama had stated previously, Washington made quite clear it wants Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki to embrace Sunni politicians as a condition of U.S. support to fight a lightning advance by forces from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. Then something unexpected happened: Iraq's Shi'ite rulers defied Western calls on Tuesday to reach out to Sunnis to defuse the uprising in the north of the country, declaring a boycott of Iraq's main Sunni political bloc and accusing Sunni power Saudi Arabia of promoting "genocide."

Widespread incursions by armed Mexican officers put border agents in regular standoffs
Armed Mexican troops and police regularly stray across the U.S. border, according to statistics the Department of Homeland Security provided to Congress on Tuesday that indicate more than 500 of them have jumped the border in the past decade.

Putin’s nuclear navy gets an upgrade: Russia christens new top-secret submarine
Russian President Vladimir Putin has a new weapon at his disposal: a top-secret nuclear submarine named Severodvinsk. The fourth-generation vessel, the first Yasen K-560 nuclear submarine, was christened Tuesday, the Russian news agency ITAR-TASS reported.

Sunni militants invade Iraq's biggest oil refinery
Islamist-led militants have invaded Iraq's biggest oil refinery, after pounding it with mortars and machine guns from two directions. An official quoted by Reuters said the militants now controlled 75% of the Baiji refinery, 210km (130 miles) north of Baghdad.

Nabbed Libyan militant lived openly in Benghazi
The Libyan militant suspected in the deadly Sept. 11, 2012 attack on Americans in Benghazi was not a difficult man to find. Ahmed Abu Khattala lived openly and freely in the restive eastern Libyan city — seen at cafes and in public places — even after the U.S. administration named him and another militant as suspects in the attack two years ago that killed the U.S. ambassador to Libya.

Israel leader seeks world pressure on Palestinians
Israel's prime minister on Tuesday urged the international community to demand the Western-backed Palestinian president break off ties with the militant Hamas group over the abduction of three Israeli teens, the latest sign that Israel's massive five-day-old search in the West Bank has broader objectives than finding the missing.

Iran says will not hesitate to defend Iraq holy sites
Iran will not hesitate to defend Shi'ite Muslim holy sites in neighbouring Iraq against "killers and terrorists", Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Wednesday, following rapid advances by Sunni militants there over the past week.

Putin, Poroshenko discuss Ukraine ceasefire as two TV crew killed
Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Ukrainian counterpart Petro Poroshenko held talks on Tuesday over a possible ceasefire in Ukraine, as two members of a Russian television crew were killed in the ex-Soviet state's separatist east.

Is the fracking revolution overhyped?
The nation's booming natural gas industry has transformed the U.S. energy landscape. Yet Dan Dicker, author of Oil's Endless Bid and a long-time oil trader, argues the U.S. shale revolution has been "overhyped." He tells The Daily Ticker that hydraulic fracturing (or fracking) of shale rock has increased U.S. energy production by 3.5 million barrels a day -- a significant increase from previous years but not nearly enough to keep up with global demand.

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75 CDC staff possibly exposed to anthrax, agency says
About 75 Atlanta-based workers for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention may have been unintentionally exposed to anthrax, the agency said Thursday. They are being monitored or provided antibiotics.

Ukraine rebels speak of heavy losses in battle against government troops
Ukrainian troops and pro-Russian separatists were locked in fierce fighting in the east of Ukraine on Thursday and a rebel commander acknowledged big losses among separatists heavily outgunned by government forces.

Gun battle flares as Israeli soldiers seek missing teens
Israeli forces traded gunfire with Palestinians on Thursday, the military said, in the fiercest street battles in the occupied West Bank since a search began for three Israeli teenagers missing for a week.

Iraq crisis: US to send 'military advisers'
President Barack Obama says the US will send 300 military advisers to Iraq to help fight Islamist-led insurgents. Mr Obama said the US was prepared for "targeted and precise military action, if and when... the situation on the ground requires it", but added that US troops would not fight in Iraq.

Iraq: al-Maliki's rivals jockey to replace him
With the country in turmoil, rivals of Iraq's Shiite prime minister are mounting a campaign to force him out of office, with some angling for support from Western backers and regional heavyweights.

Bulgaria floods: At least 10 killed in port city of Varna
At least 10 people have died and several are missing after torrential rain and heavy floods hit eastern Bulgaria, officials say. Floodwaters in the Black Sea port city of Varna surged up to 1m (3.2ft). Many residents had to be rescued as cars were swept away. Hundreds have been left without electricity or food.

French Jews leave for Israel at pace unseen in decades
Increasing numbers of French Jews are leaving for Israel, citing dim economic prospects and a sense of being caught between an increasingly influential far right and militant Islam. More than 5,000 are on track to leave this year, the most since after the Six-Day War in 1967.

Strong M6.4 earthquake registered off the coast of Vanuatu
Earthquake registered as M6.4 on the Richter scale struck off the coast of Vanuatu on June 19, 2014 at 10:17 UTC. USGS reports depth of 59.9 km (37.2 miles), EMSC is reporting same magnitude at depth of 60 km. Epicenter was located 85 km (53 miles) WNW of Sola, and 219 km (136 miles) N of Luganville, Vanuatu. There are about 6 295 people living within 100 km radius.

Number of Syrian refugees in Turkey exceeds 1 million: minister
The number of Syrians who are housed in refugee camps and cities in neighboring Turkey has reached 1.05 million, Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Besir Atalay told a news conference on Thursday. Ankara has maintained an "open border" policy to refugees fleeing the conflict between President Bashar al-Assad's forces and rebels in Syria.

China says moving 2nd oil rig closer to Vietnam
China said Thursday it is moving a second oil rig closer to Vietnam's coast, showing its determination to press its territorial claims and continue searching for resources in disputed waters despite a tense confrontation with Vietnam over another oil rig to the south. The...long rig is being towed southeast of its current position south of Hainan Island and will be in its new location closer to Vietnam by Friday...

Militants fly their black flags over Iraq refinery
Sunni militants hung their black banners on watch towers at Iraq's largest oil refinery...suggesting the vital facility had fallen to the insurgents who have seized vast territories across the country's north... The fighting at Beiji, some 250 kilometers (155 miles) north of Baghdad, comes as Iraq has asked the U.S. for airstrikes targeting the militants from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.

Putin Advisor Proposes "Anti-Dollar Alliance" To Halt US Aggression Abroad
Putin advisor Sergey Glazyev...believes that the only way of making the US give up its plans on starting a new cold war is to crash the dollar system. ...Glazyev's set of countermeasures specifically targets the core strength of the US war machine, i.e. the Fed's printing press. Putin's advisor proposes the creation of a "broad anti-dollar alliance" of countries willing and able to drop the dollar from their international trade.

RAF Typhoons intercept Russian bomber and fighters
RAF Typhoon fighter jets were scrambled into action to head off four separate groups of Russian aircraft which were spotted flying near the Baltic on Tuesday. Two jets from 3 (Fighter) Squadron were dispatched to ensure the planes did not encroach on the airspace of Estonia, Lithuania or Latvia as part of their Nato mission to police the area.

Ebola deaths pass 300 in West Africa - WHO
The number of people killed by the deadly Ebola virus in West Africa has risen to 337, the World Health Organization (WHO) has said. Fourteen deaths and 47 new cases were reported across the region over the last week, it added. Guinea is worst-affected with 264 Ebola-related deaths. In Sierra Leone, there have been 49 deaths and in Liberia 24, the WHO said.

Earth's largest volcano, Mauna Loa on Hawaii's Big Island, awakens from slumber
After a peaceful nap three decades long, Mauna Loa seems to be stirring. "While there are no signs of impending eruption, the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory has recorded an increased level of seismic activity on the flanks and summit of Mauna Loa over the past 13 months," reports Big Island Now. "Four distinct earthquake swarms — clusters of earthquakes occurring closely in time and location — have occurred since March 2013."

China to start direct yuan trade with British pound
China will start direct trade between its yuan currency and Britain's pound on Thursday, the country's foreign exchange trade platform said, in another step in its push to internationalise the unit.

Where Christian churches, other religions stand on gay marriage
The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) plans to hold a historic vote on same-sex marriage this week that could reverberate beyond the church’s nearly 2 million members. Church leaders gathering in Detroit are expected to decide as early as today whether to allow gay marriage or to continue to prohibit it, a move some Christian leaders believe could influence other centrist and liberal mainline Protestant churches as they also grapple with the issue.

US central bank cuts growth forecast for 2014
The US Federal Reserve has cut its growth forecast for 2014 because of the harsh winter weather. The central bank is now predicting growth of between 2.1% and 2.3% for this year, down from its March forecast of 2.8% to 3%. However in its accompanying statement, the bank said that economic activity had "rebounded in recent months".

Obama to Congress: I don't need new permission on Iraq
I'll let you know what's going on, but I don't need new congressional authority to act, President Barack Obama told congressional leaders Wednesday about his upcoming decision on possible military intervention in Iraq.

Anti-paedophile police fight child porn 'epidemic'
The internet trade in images that show child sex abuse is now "an epidemic", according to the head of the global initiative to combat the problem. Police officers from around the world serve on the Virtual Global Taskforce. Its chairman, Ian Quinn, tells the BBC there has been an "explosion" in cases handled by US authorities.

As IDF sweeps West Bank, Gaza residents prepare for war
Coastal enclave widely accepts that Hamas was involved in the kidnapping and braces for a harsh Israeli response; Shin Bet said to threaten Gaza man allegedly linked to abduction with a missile strike

Supreme Court Maintains Ban on Megachurch Graduations
The U.S. Supreme Court has allowed a court ban on churches renting their facilities for public school graduations to remain standing, despite the implications of the high court's recent divided ruling in favor of Jesus prayers at government meetings.

Iran army chief accuses Israel of creating ISIS
Iranian Army Chief of Staff Gen. Hassan Firouzabadi claimed Wednesday that Israel created and supports the terrorist Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. “ISIS is Israel’s cover up for distancing the revolutionary forces from Israeli borders and creating a margin of security for the Zionists, and the Zionist media have also admitted this fact,” he said, Fars News Agency reported.

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Almost 11 million Syrians need humanitarian aid
The humanitarian situation in Syria is worsening and the number of people needing urgent help has reached 10.8 million - almost half of Syria's population of 22 million, UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon said today.

Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko declares ceasefire
Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko has declared a week-long unilateral ceasefire in fighting with pro-Russian militants in the east of the country. Heavy fighting had been continuing between Ukrainian government forces and pro-Russia rebels, with new reports of military hardware entering Ukraine. The ceasefire had been expected ahead of the implementation of a peace plan.

Iran sent 'small numbers' of operatives into Iraq: US
Iran has sent "small numbers" of operatives into Iraq to bolster the Shiite-led government in Baghdad, but there is no sign of a large deployment of army units, the Pentagon said Friday.

11,004,507: Disability Beneficiaries Top 11 Million for First Time
The total number of disability beneficiaries in the United States topped 11 million for the first time last month, increasing from 10,996,447 in April to a record 11,004,507 in May, according to new data released by the Social Security Administration.

Presbyterian assembly: Gay marriage is Christian
The top legislative body of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has voted by large margins to recognize same-sex marriage as Christian in the church constitution, adding language that marriage can be the union of "two people," not just "a man and a woman."

Murder charge still pending against woman at 102
Nearly five years after a woman was charged with killing her 100-year-old roommate in a Massachusetts nursing home, a second-degree murder charge is still pending against her at the age of 102.

12 Shocking Proofs That Disaster Strikes America When It Mistreats Israel
For the day of the LORD is near upon all the heathen: as thou hast done, it shall be done unto thee: thy reward shall return upon thine own head. Obadiah 1:15

Iran says Obama lacks will to combat terrorism in Iraq
US President Barack Obama lacks "serious will" to combat terrorism, a top Iranian official said Friday after an Iraqi appeal for American airstrikes went unanswered.

India nuke enrichment plant expansion operational in 2015: IHS
India is expanding a covert uranium enrichment plant that could potentially support the development of thermonuclear weapons...raising the stakes in an arms race with China and Pakistan. The revelation highlights a lack of nuclear safeguards on India under new Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while sanctions-bound Iran faces minute scrutiny in talks with world powers over its own nuclear programme.

Iraq crisis: head of Saddam Hussein's tribe denounces ex-Ba'athists
The head of Saddam Hussein's tribe has denounced ex-Ba'athists for joining Iraq's jihadist-led uprising, saying the country's late dictator would not have approved. ..."The people taking part in this fight are not true to the beliefs of Saddam or his Ba'ath party, which was a movement with principles and ideology," he said. "We have nothing to do with al-Qaeda."

Health experts: Diseases at border becoming 'crisis'
Health professionals are warning of a “humanitarian crisis” festering in Texas and Arizona... Cramped conditions and the spread of difficult-to-treat diseases has doctors worried in the wake of a massive influx of children coming across the Mexican-U.S. border...Outbreaks of scabies, lice, dengue fever, tuberculosis and other diseases...are already being documented among the children and in some border agents...

Mysterious Lights In The Sky Spotted Above OC, Camp Pendleton
...KCAL9 Street Team mobilized Wednesday night after receiving several reports of orange lights appearing various parts of southern Orange County. Viewer “Marilyn” sent KCAL9 video footage that apparently showed two round and apparently parallel objects pulsing and hovering near Trabuco Canyon around 10:15 p.m. Several viewers reported spotting similar objects over Camp Pendleton.

Ukraine crisis: Details of Poroshenko's peace plan emerge
Details have emerged of a 14-point peace plan to be unveiled by Ukraine's President Poroshenko later. The document, which is aimed at ending fighting in eastern Ukraine, appeared in Ukrainian media overnight. It comes after Mr Poroshenko held his second phone conversation this week with Russia's President Vladimir Putin.

Support ballooning in Congress for harsher financial sanctions on Hezbollah
Support is widening in the US Congress for a bipartisan bill to block Hezbollah’s financing and to limit the group’s access to logistical support. ...US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, introduced the Hezbollah International Financing Prevention Act of 2014...The bill has quickly attained 280 co-sponsors...in the House of Representatives and 36 in the Senate.

Israel Air Force strikes Gaza overnight in retaliation for rockets
The Israel Air Force struck five terror sites in Gaza overnight between Thursday and Friday for the second time in 24-hours in retaliation for rockets fired earlier in the evening by Palestinian terrorists in the Strip. ...The IDF Spokesperson's Office confirmed direct hits on the Gaza terror sites.

75 CDC staff possibly exposed to anthrax, agency says
About 75 Atlanta-based workers for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention may have been unintentionally exposed to anthrax, the agency said Thursday. They are being monitored or provided antibiotics.

Ukraine rebels speak of heavy losses in battle against government troops
Ukrainian troops and pro-Russian separatists were locked in fierce fighting in the east of Ukraine on Thursday and a rebel commander acknowledged big losses among separatists heavily outgunned by government forces.

Gun battle flares as Israeli soldiers seek missing teens
Israeli forces traded gunfire with Palestinians on Thursday, the military said, in the fiercest street battles in the occupied West Bank since a search began for three Israeli teenagers missing for a week.

Iraq crisis: US to send 'military advisers'
President Barack Obama says the US will send 300 military advisers to Iraq to help fight Islamist-led insurgents. Mr Obama said the US was prepared for "targeted and precise military action, if and when... the situation on the ground requires it", but added that US troops would not fight in Iraq.

Iraq: al-Maliki's rivals jockey to replace him
With the country in turmoil, rivals of Iraq's Shiite prime minister are mounting a campaign to force him out of office, with some angling for support from Western backers and regional heavyweights.

Bulgaria floods: At least 10 killed in port city of Varna
At least 10 people have died and several are missing after torrential rain and heavy floods hit eastern Bulgaria, officials say. Floodwaters in the Black Sea port city of Varna surged up to 1m (3.2ft). Many residents had to be rescued as cars were swept away. Hundreds have been left without electricity or food.

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BRUCE: America’s expanding police state
With so much happening internationally and the number of scandals, crises and general screw-ups of the Obama administration here at home, it’s worth noting a disturbing development here on the domestic front: a rapidly expanding police state.

UK Bans Creationism In Schools
Schools in the United Kingdom are banned from teaching creationism following a clarification of regulations released by the UK government last week. The new documents make plain that any school receiving public funds, which includes many church-run schools, will violate the Funding Agreement with the government if it teaches creationism as a scientifically valid alternative to the theory of evolution. In addition, schools are required to teach evolution as the current scientific consensus regarding the origin of Earth’s many species.

CDC scientists may have been exposed to live anthrax
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says approximately 75 staff working in government laboratories in Atlanta may have been exposed to live anthrax and are being monitored and evaluated for infection. The exposure is suspected to have occurred when CDC researchers failed to follow appropriate protocol while transferring the bacteria from a high-security laboratory in Atlanta to a lower security CDC lab, which wasn’t equipped to handle live anthrax.

Scientists Discover Evidence of Water Deep Beneath Earth's Surface
According to Northernwestern University geophysicist Steve Jacobsen and University of New Mexico seismologist Brandon Schmandt, there are deep pockets of magma about 400 miles below the surface of North America, which signify the presence of water.

THE FIRST MAGNETIC STORM OF SUMMER?
NOAA forecasters have finished analyzing the CME described below in the news item "Corkscrew Eruption."

Gasps Greet IRS Head's Revelation Lerner's Computer Was Destroyed
Loud gasps could be heard when IRS Commissioner John Koskinen told the House Ways and Means Committee Friday that former supervisor Lois Lerner's computer was destroyed after computer experts could not retrieve its contents.

Putin orders forces in the Urals on combat alert
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday ordered military forces in central Russia on combat alert as well as a drill of airborne troops, a day after Ukraine ordered a cease-fire with pro-Russian rebels.

Doctors Without Borders: Ebola 'out of control'
The Ebola outbreak ravaging West Africa is "totally out of control," according to a senior official for Doctors Without Borders, who says the medical group is stretched to the limit in responding. The outbreak has caused more deaths than any other of the disease, said another official with the medical charity. Ebola has been linked to more than 330 deaths in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia...

A ‘new anti-Semitism’ rising in France
...Dieudonné, a longtime comedian and erstwhile politician whose attacks on Jews have grown progressively worse, is a sign of the times. ...Jewish leaders...are talking of the rise of a “new anti-Semitism” based on the convergence of...classic scapegoating amid hard economic times, the growing strength of far-right nationalists, a deteriorating relationship between black Europeans and Jews, and...increasing tensions with Europe’s surging Muslim population.

Infectious Tuberculosis Moving Across U.S. Border, Ice Whistleblower Confirms
An Immigration and Customs Enforcement whistleblower, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to Infowars, asserted the recent surge of illegal immigrants is also bringing with it tuberculosis and other communicable diseases, confirming reports deadly, infectious illness is penetrating the US-Mexico border.

Court confirms Egypt Muslim Brotherhood death sentences
An Egyptian court has confirmed death sentences for 183 Muslim Brotherhood supporters accused of a 2013 attack on a police station, lawyers say. A judge had recommended the death penalty for the 683 defendants, in a widely-criticised mass trial in April. Mohammed Badie, leader of the banned group, was among those whose sentences were upheld. Appeals are now likely.

Iraq crisis: Shia militia show of force raises tensions
Thousands of Shia militia loyal to the powerful cleric Moqtada al-Sadr have paraded through the streets of Baghdad, raising sectarian tensions amid continued fighting in areas of Iraq. The cleric, whose Mehdi Army fought the US in Iraq for years, had called for a military parade across the country. Correspondents say the show of force will be seen as a very disturbing development by the Baghdad government.

Ukraine crisis: Fighting rages on despite declared truce
Pro-Russian separatists have carried out several attacks on Ukrainian troops despite a unilateral ceasefire declared by Kiev, Ukrainian officials say. They say at least six border guards were injured in shelling by the insurgents in the east overnight. The rebels earlier dismissed the truce called by President Petro Poroshenko, the first step of his peace plan.

ADL condemns US Presbyterian Church vote to join Israel divestment movement
The US Presbyterian Church narrowly voted on Friday to divest from specific companies that do business with Israel in the West Bank. At the church's general convention...the vote came 310 to 303 to join the divestment campaign against Israel. The Presbyterian Church made the decision with the vote to divest from Caterpillar, Hewlett Packard and Motorola Solutions due to...business dealings with settlements in the West Bank.

Inflation? Only If You Look At Food, Water, Gas, Electricity And Everything Else
Have you noticed that prices are going up rapidly? If so, you are certainly not alone. But Federal Reserve chair Janet Yellen, the Obama administration and the mainstream media would have us believe that inflation is completely under control and exactly where it should be.

U.N. Reports Sharp Increase in Refugees as Civil Wars Cripple Nations
In Central African Republic, they ran from home and slept under the trees. In Colombia, they dared not return to their villages. From Syria, they fled by the hundreds of thousands, escaping barrel bombs and summary executions.

Almost 11 million Syrians need humanitarian aid
The humanitarian situation in Syria is worsening and the number of people needing urgent help has reached 10.8 million - almost half of Syria's population of 22 million, UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon said today.

Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko declares ceasefire
Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko has declared a week-long unilateral ceasefire in fighting with pro-Russian militants in the east of the country. Heavy fighting had been continuing between Ukrainian government forces and pro-Russia rebels, with new reports of military hardware entering Ukraine. The ceasefire had been expected ahead of the implementation of a peace plan.

Iran sent 'small numbers' of operatives into Iraq: US
Iran has sent "small numbers" of operatives into Iraq to bolster the Shiite-led government in Baghdad, but there is no sign of a large deployment of army units, the Pentagon said Friday.

11,004,507: Disability Beneficiaries Top 11 Million for First Time
The total number of disability beneficiaries in the United States topped 11 million for the first time last month, increasing from 10,996,447 in April to a record 11,004,507 in May, according to new data released by the Social Security Administration.

Presbyterian assembly: Gay marriage is Christian
The top legislative body of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has voted by large margins to recognize same-sex marriage as Christian in the church constitution, adding language that marriage can be the union of "two people," not just "a man and a woman."

Murder charge still pending against woman at 102
Nearly five years after a woman was charged with killing her 100-year-old roommate in a Massachusetts nursing home, a second-degree murder charge is still pending against her at the age of 102.

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Report: Polish minister says US ties worthless
A Polish magazine said Sunday it has obtained recordings of a conversation in which Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski says the country's strong alliance with the U.S. "isn't worth anything" and is "even harmful because it creates a false sense of security."

Israel attacks targets in Syria in retaliation for killing of teen in the Golan Heights
Israeli has been further drawn into the Syrian crisis after war planes and rockets struck nine targets across the border early on Monday in retaliation for a missile attack from Syria the day before. That attack killed an Israeli teenager and wounded his father along the border in the Golan Heights.

Israel’s Netanyahu Advises Obama On Iraq: ‘When Your Enemies Are Fighting Each Other, Weaken Both’
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed his opposition to widescale American intervention in the Iraq crisis, advising President Obama that “when your enemies are fighting one another, don’t strengthen either one of them. Weaken both.”

George W. Bush’s Weapons of Mass Destruction Found
For politicians who used “weapons of mass destruction” to make the case for invading Iraq,” it looks now like they may now have been spot on: Listen to how they stood up to a ruthless dictator, who had already used chemical weapons on thousands of Kurds and threatened the world:

Sunni militants 'seize Iraq's western border crossings'
The Iraqi government appears to have lost control of its western borders after Sunni militants reportedly captured crossings to Syria and Jordan. Officials said the rebels took two key crossings in Anbar on Sunday, a day after seizing one at Qaim, a town in the province that borders Syria.

Presbyterians to divest as protest against Israel
The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) on Friday became the most prominent religious group in the United States to endorse divestment as a protest against Israeli policies toward Palestinians, voting to sell church stock in three companies whose products Israel uses in the occupied territories.


Fears of EPA ‘land grab’ create groundswell against water rule
Lawmakers are up in arms over an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposal that they fear could give federal officials expansive new powers over private property and farmland. The EPA is seeking to redefine what bodies of water fall under the agency’s jurisdiction for controlling pollution. The scope of the final Clean Water Act (CWA) rule is of critical importance, as any area covered would require a federal permit for certain activities.

Nazi-themed Indonesian cafe reopens
A Nazi-themed cafe in Indonesia that closed shop after sparking international outrage reopened Saturday with its walls still bearing swastikas and a painting of Adolf Hitler. Henry Mulyana voluntarily shut down his SoldatenKaffee last year after media reports exposed his swastika-clad establishment, prompting death threats and accusation of inciting racial hatred.

Iraq's beleaguered Christians make final stand on the Mosul frontline
Captain Firaz Jacob knows he may well be mounting a last stand at the frontiers of the Christian settlement of Bartella on the outskirts of Mosul. Less than a mile down the road are the jihadists of Isis, the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham... “All these armed groups we have seen, but nevertheless we will remain. We love our Christian way of life, we love our churches and we love our community.”

Israeli teen 'killed by Syria firing' in Golan Heights
A 15-year-old boy has been killed in the occupied Golan Heights by firing from Syria, Israel says. Officials say he was with his father in a truck which took a "direct hit". ...Israeli military spokesman, Lt Col Peter Lerner, told AP news agency the firing from Syria was "clearly intentional" but it was unclear whether it was the result of mortar fire, a roadside bomb or shelling.

Kerry in key talks with Egypt's Sisi
US Secretary of State John Kerry has arrived in Egypt for key talks with new President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi. Mr Kerry is expected to urge Mr Sisi to embrace more inclusive politics, and say the crackdown on the banned Muslim Brotherhood is polarising the nation. Mr Kerry will raise the issue of the mass death sentencing of members of the organisation.

Iraq crisis: Rutba latest western town to fall to Isis
Sunni militants have seized another town in Iraq's western Anbar province - the fourth in two days. Fighters of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (Isis) captured Rutba, 90 miles (150km) east of Jordan's border, officials said. They earlier seized a border crossing to Syria and two towns in western Iraq as they advance towards Baghdad.

China and Greece sign deals worth $5bn during Li visit
China and Greece have signed business deals worth about $5bn (£2.9bn) during Chinese Premier Li Keqiang's visit. Deals signed covered areas including exports and shipbuilding. China also showed an interest in buying railways and building an airport in Crete. China is eager to take a majority stake in the Piraeus port. A Chinese company already runs two piers at the port.

Iran opposes US intervention in Iraq, says Khamenei
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei expressed strong opposition on Sunday to intervention in Iraq by the United States or anyone else, saying Iraqis themselves could bring an end to violence there, the official IRNA news agency reported. Khamenei, who has the last word on all matters of state, added in remarks to judiciary officials that Washington aimed to keep Iraq under its control and place its own stooges in power.

Iraq 'struggling' against Isis militants, say diplomats
Iraq's government is struggling in its battle against militants, diplomats and politicians have told the BBC. Fighters from the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (Isis) said they seized a border crossing to Syria and two towns in north-west Iraq on Saturday. Correspondents say Isis appears to be better trained, better equipped and more experienced than the army.

Jewish groups anticipate rupture after Presbyterians vote to divest in protest of Israel
Jewish groups predicted a rupture with Presbyterians in the wake of a close vote favoring divestment from three companies that deal with Israel’s security forces in the West Bank.

Francis denounces Mafia, says mobsters are excommunicated
Pope Francis journeyed Saturday to the heart of Italy's biggest crime syndicate, met the father of a 3-year-old boy slain in the region's drug war, and declared that all mobsters are automatically excommunicated from the Catholic Church.

Court confirms Egypt Muslim Brotherhood death sentences
An Egyptian court has confirmed death sentences for 183 Muslim Brotherhood supporters accused of a 2013 attack on a police station, lawyers say. A judge had recommended the death penalty for the 683 defendants, in a widely-criticised mass trial in April.

Sunni fighters expand offensive in western Iraq
Sunni insurgents led by an al-Qaida breakaway group expanded their offensive in a volatile western province on Saturday, capturing three strategic towns and the first border crossing with Syria to fall on the Iraqi side.

Mexico arrests alleged son of drug lord
Mexican federal police captured a 22 year-old man who identified himself as the son of Servando "La Tuta" Gomez Martinez, leader of the Knights Templar cartel, officials said.

California's Catastrophic Drought Just Got Worse—a Lot Worse
How bad is California’s devastating drought? Just in the past week, the percentage of the state identified as being in “exceptional drought”—the most severe category—jumped from a quarter to a third. The government-funded United States Drought Monitor classifies the entire state as in drought, and as of Tuesday, nearly 77 percent of California was in “extreme drought,” which is just one notch below exceptional drought.

Israel arrests more Palestinians in hunt for teens
Israeli security forces have arrested 10 more Palestinians in the West Bank as they press their search for three teenagers believed to have been kidnapped, the army said Saturday.

US military wants to make a portable, bullet-resistant wall that fits in a can
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, or DARPA, has envisioned some peculiar and diverse projects over the years, from molten metal-filled missiles, all the way to submarines that can fly. Then there's this new project that aims to create a portable cylinder that can blow up into a nearly impenetrable wall. Because sometimes you just need that.

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Iraq crisis: Key oil refinery 'seized by rebels'
Sunni rebels in Iraq say they have fully captured the country's main oil refinery at Baiji, north of Baghdad. The refinery had been under siege for 10 days with the militant offensive being repulsed several times. The complex supplies a third of Iraq's refined fuel and the battle has already led to petrol rationing.

Suicide car bomber wounds 19 in south Beirut
A suicide bomber blew up his car in southern Beirut on Monday night near an army checkpoint, killing himself and wounding several people watching the soccer World Cup in a nearby cafe.

IRS Chief Scorched As 'Liar'
Oversight Committee Chairman Darrell Issa, R-Calif., wasted no time in accusing the head of the IRS of lying to Congress, unloading a blistering barrage of accusations. “At a minimum, you did not tell the whole truth,” during previous testimony, Issa told IRS Commissioner John Koskinen, scornfully adding, “We are wondering what your word is worth.”

Glenn Greenwald: New NSA Leak From Snowden 'Very Imminent'
Glenn Greenwald told host Ronan Farrow that a new document release from Edward Snowden is "very imminent," and called it "one of the most important in the archive." Farrow asked if there were any more disclosures to come that are significant.

One in Four Americans Has No Emergency Savings
Twenty-six percent of Americans have no emergency savings, according to a report by Bankrate.com. Over the past four years, there has been little to no progress when it comes to Americans’ saving capacity.

Tsunami warning reduced to advisory after 7.9 quake in Western Aleutians
A tsunami warning was in effect for the coastal areas of Alaska from Nikolski to Attu, including the Pribilof Islands to the north after the quake hit at 12:53 p.m. The NTWC downgraded the tsunami warning to a tsunami advisory for the coastal areas of Alaska from Unimak Pass west to Attu Island at 2:44 p.m. Monday.

Global Aliyah Up 55 Percent, Due Largely to Increased Immigration from France, Ukraine
Speaking at the opening plenary of the Jewish Agency Board of Governors’ June meetings in Jerusalem, Sharansky announced that The Jewish Agency estimates French Aliyah will surpass 5,000 individuals by the end of 2014 – an all-time record and a full 1% of the 500,000-person French Jewish community. Never before has such a large proportion of a Western Jewish community made Aliyah in a single year.

Aleutian volcanoes are waking up
Sharply increased seismic activity and volcanic eruptions in the Aleutian Islands and the far western Brooks Range are being investigated by scientists. The Alaska Volcano Observatory says the activity over the past few months is the most seen by the station 26 years.

Magnitude 7.2 quake strikes off Kermadec Islands, no damage reported
The USGS gave the epicenter as 126 km (80 miles) southeast of Raoul Island, the largest in the island chain located about 800 km from New Zealand's North Island. The quake occurred at a depth of 30 km, revised from an initial depth of 5 km.

Current Ebola Outbreak Is Now The Worst In History And 'Totally Out Of Control'
Healthcare workers from the Doctors Without Borders prepare isolation and treatment areas for their Ebola, hemorrhagic fever operations, in Gueckedou, Guinea. An outbreak of the terrifying Ebola virus emerged in the West African nation of Guinea in February and has been spreading ever since, infecting people in Sierra Leonne and Liberia as well. It is now the biggest and deadliest outbreak of Ebola since the virus was identified in 1976.

Jesus, Republicans and NRA banned on school website
Andrew decided to set aside his debate preparation and started researching other conservative websites. He soon discovered that he had unfettered access to liberal websites, but conservative websites were blocked. Andrew found that even Pope Francis was blocked from the school’s web service. But although he could not access the Vatican website, the school allowed him to access an Islamic website. Public schools have become leftwing indoctrination centers.

Oklahoma Coming To Terms With Unprecedented Surge In Earthquakes
“in what’s considered a stable continental interior,” Holland said. “Whatever we’re looking at, it’s completely unprecedented.” But until recently, the most powerful quake of the modern era was a magnitude-5.5 temblor in 1952 that left a 15-meter crack in the state Capitol building.

North Korea army mobilized as rivers run dry in worst drought in years
North Korea's rivers, streams and reservoirs are running dry in a prolonged drought, state media said on Monday, prompting the isolated country to mobilize some of its million-strong army to try to protect precious crops.

Iraq militants 'turning back clock' in captured Mosul
In the two weeks since it was seized by Sunni militants, some residents of the northern Iraq city of Mosul feel the clock has been turned back hundreds of years. The militants, led by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) jihadist group, have begun imposing an extreme interpretation of Islamic law in the days since they took the city, residents reached by telephone told AFP.

The scandal of fiddled global warming data
...Goddard shows how, in recent years, NOAA’s US Historical Climatology Network (USHCN) has been “adjusting” its record by replacing real temperatures with data “fabricated” by computer models. The effect of this has been to downgrade earlier temperatures and to exaggerate those from recent decades, to give the impression that the Earth has been warming up much more than is justified by the actual data.

US unlocks military aid to Egypt, backing President Sisi
The US has revealed it has released $575m (£338m) in military aid to Egypt that had been frozen since the ousting of President Mohammed Morsi last year. The news came as Secretary of State John Kerry visited Cairo just two weeks after former army chief Abdul Fattah al-Sisi was sworn in as president. After talks with the new leader, Mr Kerry stressed the importance of upholding the rights of all Egyptians.

Pakistan: Islamabad police clash with Qadri supporters
Police in Pakistan have fired tear gas to disperse hundreds of supporters of a prominent anti-government cleric in the capital, Islamabad. Crowds had gathered at the city's airport to welcome Tahirul Qadri from Canada where he lives, but his flight was diverted to Lahore. He says he plans to lead a peaceful revolt against PM Nawaz Sharif.

Jordanians call for Abbas to be stripped of citizenship
Jordanian activists have called on their government to revoke the Jordanian citizenship of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on charges he "betrayed the Palestinian cause." A statement issued in Amman by a group calling itself Tayyar 36 [Trend 36] called on the government to also ban Abbas from entering the kingdom, the daily Rai Al Youm online newspaper reported Monday.

Syrian rights group: Israeli air raids killed at least 10 Syrian soldiers
A Syrian rights group claimed Monday that Israel's overnight strikes on targets in the country killed "at least ten" Syrian soldiers. The UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights was quoted as saying that nine missiles were fired by Israeli aircraft and at least two tanks and two batteries of artillery were destroyed.

Report: Polish minister says US ties worthless
A Polish magazine said Sunday it has obtained recordings of a conversation in which Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski says the country's strong alliance with the U.S. "isn't worth anything" and is "even harmful because it creates a false sense of security."

Israel attacks targets in Syria in retaliation for killing of teen in the Golan Heights
Israeli has been further drawn into the Syrian crisis after war planes and rockets struck nine targets across the border early on Monday in retaliation for a missile attack from Syria the day before. That attack killed an Israeli teenager and wounded his father along the border in the Golan Heights.

Israel’s Netanyahu Advises Obama On Iraq: ‘When Your Enemies Are Fighting Each Other, Weaken Both’
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed his opposition to widescale American intervention in the Iraq crisis, advising President Obama that “when your enemies are fighting one another, don’t strengthen either one of them. Weaken both.”

George W. Bush’s Weapons of Mass Destruction Found
For politicians who used “weapons of mass destruction” to make the case for invading Iraq,” it looks now like they may now have been spot on: Listen to how they stood up to a ruthless dictator, who had already used chemical weapons on thousands of Kurds and threatened the world:

Sunni militants 'seize Iraq's western border crossings'
The Iraqi government appears to have lost control of its western borders after Sunni militants reportedly captured crossings to Syria and Jordan. Officials said the rebels took two key crossings in Anbar on Sunday, a day after seizing one at Qaim, a town in the province that borders Syria.

Presbyterians to divest as protest against Israel
The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) on Friday became the most prominent religious group in the United States to endorse divestment as a protest against Israeli policies toward Palestinians, voting to sell church stock in three companies whose products Israel uses in the occupied territories.

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Ukraine foes cast doubt on ceasefire
Both sides in the Ukraine conflict have cast doubt on a newly called ceasefire, following the downing of a military helicopter on Tuesday. Pro-Russia separatist leader Alexander Borodai said that in his view "there has been no ceasefire".

US Republican Thad Cochran beats Mississippi Tea Party rival
US Republican Senator Thad Cochran, who is seeking re-election, has narrowly beaten a Tea Party candidate in a high-profile primary in Mississippi. Mr Cochran, a six-term senator, had the backing of establishment Republicans but was forced into a run-off by Tea Party challenger Chris McDaniel.

US special forces face complex challenge in Iraq
U.S. teams of special forces going into Iraq after a three-year gap will face an aggressive insurgency, a splintering military and a precarious political situation as they help Iraqi security forces improve their ability to battle Sunni militants.

Air raids kill 38 as Iraq forces hold off assaults
Iraqi air strikes killed at least 38 people on Tuesday as security forces held off attacks on a strategic town and an oil refinery, officials and witnesses said.

Could 2014 Become the Warmest Year on Record?
Even though the year is only halfway over, a series of warm months — including the warmest May on record, announced Monday — paired with a brewing El Niño,have set one question circulating: Could 2014 take over the title of the warmest year on record?

How a US decision to allow oil exports could change the world’s energy balance
The Obama Administration has taken a bold step toward loosening the grip of tense geopolitics on oil prices, reports the Wall Street Journal (paywall), giving the first permission in four decades for the export of unrefined American oil. The decision—not made public but announced in the form of private letters from the US Commerce Department to two oil companies, according to the paper–seems certain to cause a stir in global oil markets and perhaps send prices lower.

Putin says US trying to derail gas pipeline plan
The U.S. is trying to derail a project to build a gas pipeline that bypasses Ukraine to supply Europe, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday after Russian and Austrian energy firms agreed to build the pipeline's western end.


Archivist: IRS Didn't Follow Law with Lost Emails
The Internal Revenue Service did not follow the law when it failed to report the loss of records belonging to a senior IRS executive, the nation's top archivist told Congress Tuesday. "Any agency is required to notify us when they realize they have a problem," David Ferriero, archivist of the U.S. during a House Oversight and Government Reform committee hearing.

UK's Largest Aircraft Carrier to Be Unveiled Next Month
A new aircraft carrier — the largest warship ever constructed for the United Kingdom's Royal Navy — will be officially named in a special ceremony on July 4.

Noah's Search: Probing Satellite Imagery for Lost Ark
Moviegoers were recently treated to "Noah," an epic story of bravery and sacrifice from the Old Testament, a saga in which the titular character takes on the divine mission to build an ark to save creation from an apocalyptic deluge.

IDF building suppressive fire posts along the Syria border
After numerous instances of fire spillover from Syria, the most recent of which ended with the death of a 13-year-old boy, the IDF is building "assault stations" in the Golan Heights - suppressive fire posts along the border with Syria that would offer quick response to any an attack against Israel.

Three American friends hospitalised after becoming 'possessed' following Ouija board game in Mexican village
Three American friends have been taken to hospital after reportedly becoming 'possessed' by evil spirits while playing with a Ouija board. Alexandra Huerta, 22, was playing the game with her brother Sergio, 23, and 18-year-old cousin Fernando Cuevas at a house in the village of San Juan Tlacotenco in south-west Mexico.

7.9 earthquake triggers tsunami warning, small wave in western Aleutians
A magnitude-7.9 earthquake off the western Aleutian Islands shortly before 1 p.m. Monday triggered a tsunami warning over a wide area but generated only a small wave in one community, according to the National Tsunami Warning Center. No reports of damage or injury related to the quake had been received by the Alaska Department of Homeland Security by 5 p.m. Monday, said department spokesperson Jeremy Zidek.

Russian President Putin 'scraps Ukraine military move'
Russia's president has asked parliament to revoke the right of military intervention in Ukraine, where rebels have been fighting government troops. Vladimir Putin's move was aimed at "normalising the situation" in the conflict-torn eastern regions of Ukraine, his press-secretary said. The upper house of parliament authorised Mr Putin to use force in Ukraine on 1 March.

Sudan death sentence woman 'freed'
A Sudanese woman sentenced to death for abandoning her Islamic faith has been freed from jail, her lawyer has told the BBC. Meriam Ibrahim's death penalty was overturned by an appeal court, the official Suna news agency reported. She is married to a Christian man and was sentenced under Sharia law to hang for apostasy in May after refusing to renounce Christianity.

'Allah chose you': ISIS & other jihadist groups recruit children in Syria for suicide missions
Syrian rebel groups, including ISIS fighters, have been recruiting 10-17-year-old children for military operations sometimes under the guise of offering education, says HRW. The teens were taught how to use weapons and were even sent on suicide missions.

Was Iraq War worth the cost? 75% of Americans say no - poll
The CBS/New York Times poll asked if the costs of the Iraq invasion, including monetary and loss of American lives, were worth it. A record 75 percent of those surveyed said that it wasn’t worth the costs, up from 67 percent in November 2011 (just before the final withdrawal of US troops) and 45 percent in August 2003, five months after the invasion began.

Last of Syria's chemical weapons shipped out
The last of Syria's declared chemical weapons have been shipped out of the country for destruction, the international watchdog OPCW says. "The ship has just left the port," the head of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, Ahmet Uzumcu, said in The Hague.

Iraq crisis: Key oil refinery 'seized by rebels'
Sunni rebels in Iraq say they have fully captured the country's main oil refinery at Baiji, north of Baghdad. The refinery had been under siege for 10 days with the militant offensive being repulsed several times. The complex supplies a third of Iraq's refined fuel and the battle has already led to petrol rationing.

Suicide car bomber wounds 19 in south Beirut
A suicide bomber blew up his car in southern Beirut on Monday night near an army checkpoint, killing himself and wounding several people watching the soccer World Cup in a nearby cafe.

IRS Chief Scorched As 'Liar'
Oversight Committee Chairman Darrell Issa, R-Calif., wasted no time in accusing the head of the IRS of lying to Congress, unloading a blistering barrage of accusations. “At a minimum, you did not tell the whole truth,” during previous testimony, Issa told IRS Commissioner John Koskinen, scornfully adding, “We are wondering what your word is worth.”

Glenn Greenwald: New NSA Leak From Snowden 'Very Imminent'
Glenn Greenwald told host Ronan Farrow that a new document release from Edward Snowden is "very imminent," and called it "one of the most important in the archive." Farrow asked if there were any more disclosures to come that are significant.

One in Four Americans Has No Emergency Savings
Twenty-six percent of Americans have no emergency savings, according to a report by Bankrate.com. Over the past four years, there has been little to no progress when it comes to Americans’ saving capacity.

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Baghdad May Lose Its Drinking Water As ISIS Approaches Second Largest Dam
Against a background of having lost control of all western border crossings, Iraqi officials are concerned that ISIS fighters are advancing on the Haditha Dam, the second-largest in Iraq.

Supreme Court bans warrantless cell phone searches, updates privacy laws
The Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that police cannot go snooping through people’s cell phones without a warrant, in a unanimous decision that amounts to a major statement in favor of privacy rights.

Microsoft: Future ‘Bleak’ If Government Continues Unlawful Data Collection
Microsoft’s top lawyer is keeping up the pressure on the federal government to end its secret data collection, reports CNet. Brad Smith called on Congress and the White House to stop “the unfettered collection of bulk data.”

West warns Russia of sanctions amid Ukraine fighting
The West has warned Russia of new sanctions after fighting flared up in eastern Ukraine despite a truce between the government and pro-Russian rebels. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said in Berlin that new sanctions could be applied if efforts to stabilise the situation were not speeded up. UK Foreign Secretary William Hague said inaction by Russia would mean a stronger case for sanctions.

Sudan death row woman 'forged papers'
The Sudanese woman freed from death row has been accused of forging official documents to leave the country, her lawyer has told the BBC. Meriam Ibrahim was detained on Tuesday, a day after a court released her, annulling the death sentence imposed on her for renouncing the Islamic faith. Mrs Ibrahim had emergency travel documents issued by South Sudan when she was detained at Khartoum's airport.

Judge rules 'no-fly' appeals process unconstitutional
A federal judge has ruled the US no-fly list has deprived 13 people of their constitutional right to travel without giving them a way to clear their names. In Oregon, US District Judge Anna Brown ordered the justice department to devise a mechanism for people on the list to appeal against their inclusion. The plaintiffs who sued in 2010 include four veterans and the leader of Portland's largest mosque.

US forces arrive in Baghdad to advise Iraqi troops
The first US troops deployed to assist the Iraqi army in combating a growing Sunni militant insurgency have arrived and begun work, the Pentagon has said. Nearly half the 300 special operations soldiers promised by US President Barack Obama are in Baghdad or on the front lines of the fight. The rest are expected within days.

Experts downplay threat that Israel’s neighbor could soon be engulfed in jihadist mayhem
The Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) takeover of the only Iraqi border crossing to Jordan has set off alarm bells that Israel’s neighbor could be the next to find itself engulfed in jihadist mayhem. However, Jordanian officials and experts are downplaying the chances of the Iraqi scenario repeating itself in their country. The more likely threat, they say, comes from an internal terrorist insurgency, rather than ISIS overrunning its border.

Ukraine foes cast doubt on ceasefire
Both sides in the Ukraine conflict have cast doubt on a newly called ceasefire, following the downing of a military helicopter on Tuesday. Pro-Russia separatist leader Alexander Borodai said that in his view "there has been no ceasefire".

US Republican Thad Cochran beats Mississippi Tea Party rival
US Republican Senator Thad Cochran, who is seeking re-election, has narrowly beaten a Tea Party candidate in a high-profile primary in Mississippi. Mr Cochran, a six-term senator, had the backing of establishment Republicans but was forced into a run-off by Tea Party challenger Chris McDaniel.

US special forces face complex challenge in Iraq
U.S. teams of special forces going into Iraq after a three-year gap will face an aggressive insurgency, a splintering military and a precarious political situation as they help Iraqi security forces improve their ability to battle Sunni militants.

Air raids kill 38 as Iraq forces hold off assaults
Iraqi air strikes killed at least 38 people on Tuesday as security forces held off attacks on a strategic town and an oil refinery, officials and witnesses said.

Could 2014 Become the Warmest Year on Record?
Even though the year is only halfway over, a series of warm months — including the warmest May on record, announced Monday — paired with a brewing El Niño,have set one question circulating: Could 2014 take over the title of the warmest year on record?

How a US decision to allow oil exports could change the world’s energy balance
The Obama Administration has taken a bold step toward loosening the grip of tense geopolitics on oil prices, reports the Wall Street Journal (paywall), giving the first permission in four decades for the export of unrefined American oil. The decision—not made public but announced in the form of private letters from the US Commerce Department to two oil companies, according to the paper–seems certain to cause a stir in global oil markets and perhaps send prices lower.

Putin says US trying to derail gas pipeline plan
The U.S. is trying to derail a project to build a gas pipeline that bypasses Ukraine to supply Europe, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday after Russian and Austrian energy firms agreed to build the pipeline's western end.

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Japan Prices Rise Most Since ’82 on Tax, Utility Fees: Economy
Japan’s consumer prices climbed at the fastest pace in 32 years, boosted by a sales-tax increase and higher utility charges that are squeezing household budgets as wage gains remain limited.


GIGANTIC SPRITES OVER THE USA:
Lesser known is what comes out of the top: sprites. "Lately there has been a bumper crop of sprites," reports Thomas Ashcraft, a longtime observer of the phenomenon. "Here is one of the largest' 'jellyfish' sprites I have captured in the last four years." The cluster shot up from western Oklahoma on June 23, so large that it was visible from Ashcraft's observatory in New Mexico 289 miles away.

ISIL hell-bent on creating Islamic state to be launchpad for attacks on U.S.
The al Qaeda-linked army now conquering territory in Syria and Iraq ultimately wants its emerging Islamic state to be a launching pad for attacking the U.S. homeland, says a new congressional report.

Federal Judge: Forced Removal of Christian Materials from Classroom Was Legal
A New York federal district judge ruled on Tuesday that a public school was justified in forcing a Christian science teacher to remove personal Bible-themed materials from her classroom.

Convicted Heavy Metal ‘Christian’ Singer Admits Being Atheist, Duped Fans to Sell Music
A so-called Christian heavy metal band whose frontman was convicted of attempting to hire a hitman to murder his estranged wife has admitted that it duped fans into believing that they were Christian in order to sell their music. “Truthfully, I was an atheist,” Tim Lambesis, the lead singer and founder of As I Lay Dying told the Alternative Press in a recent interview.

Bad News for the Big Bang: Secular Scientists Claim Universe Shouldn’t Exist
Nearly two years after the highly-publicized discovery of the elusive ‘God Particle,’ scientists have determined that the current Big Bang model cannot account for the existence of the universe.

Apostate Presbyterians Vote to Allow Homosexual ‘Marriages’ by 3-1 Ratio
By a 76-24 percent vote, the General Assembly of the PCUSA voted to allow their pastors to perform homosexual “marriages” in states where they are considered legal. Delegates, meeting in Detroit this week, also approved new language about marriage in the PCUSA Book of Order, or constitution, altering references to “a man and woman” to “two persons.”

Pluralism Is the Enemy: 'Jesus Is the Only Way' Will Be Deemed Hate Speech, Says Pastor
Bryan Chapell warned that increasingly "it will be difficult to say in this culture that 'Jesus is the only way.'" "That will be interpreted as hate speech," Chapell, senior pastor at Grace Presbyterian Church in Peoria, Illinois, said Wednesday at the 42nd PCA General Assembly in Houston.

Moderate quakes shake lower North Island
A 4.8-magnitude quake struck about 4pm and was located about 40km south-west of Whanganui at a depth of 40km. It was felt as far south as Kaikorua, well into Taranaki, and as far north as Taumarunui. GeoNet project director Ken Gledhill says the tremor was off the coast and at a reasonable depth, meaning shaking was felt widely.

US House Speaker draws up plans to sue Barack Obama for breach of power
Republican House Speaker John Boehner said Wednesday that his chamber planned to "file suit in the coming weeks" against President Barack Obama for abuse of executive power. Mr Obama's Republican foes have long accused him of exceeding the regulatory boundaries laid out under the US Constitution, following a series of executive actions taken by the president.

A Troubling New Report Regarding Christians in an Iraqi City
Christians in a northern Iraqi city are reportedly being ordered to pay a tax in return for protection by the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. A Middle Eastern Christian website and a Lebanese daily reported that Christians have been required to pay $250 per individual who works and $500 per couple. If accurate, the tax would fall in line with past Islamist efforts to impose fines on Christians in the region...

Iraqi PM welcomes Syria air strike on border crossing
Prime Minister Nouri Maliki of Iraq has told the BBC he supports an air strike on Islamist militants at a border crossing between Iraq and Syria. He said that Syrian fighter jets had bombed militant positions on the Syrian side of Qaim, which straddles the two countries' border. While Iraq did not ask for the raid, he added, it "welcomed" any such strike against the Islamist group Isis.

Ukraine crisis: Kerry demands Russia action 'in hours'
US Secretary of State John Kerry has called on Russia to show "within hours" it is working to disarm separatist militants in eastern Ukraine. He was speaking to reporters in Paris a day before a shaky ceasefire was due to end in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Russia denies it has let pro-Moscow separatists and heavy weaponry cross its border into eastern Ukraine.

Liberman to Kerry: Forget Israeli-Palestinian accord, focus instead on regional agreement
Give up trying to broker an Israeli-Palestinian accord, and focus instead on a comprehensive regional agreement, Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman told US Secretary of State John Kerry during a meeting Thursday in Paris. Liberman...said Israel’s ongoing conflict is not only with the Palestinians, but the entire Arab world -- of which the Palestinians are a part.

Emails: IRS official sought audit of GOP senator
Congressional investigators say they uncovered emails Wednesday showing that a former Internal Revenue Service official at the heart of the tea party investigation sought an audit involving a Republican senator in 2012.

Obama to Peres: US will protect Israel’s security in Iran talks
The United States will not allow Iran to develop a nuclear weapon, and will continue to remain steadfast on topics central to Israel’s security in the nuclear negotiations, US President Barack Obama assured Israeli President Shimon Peres during a Wednesday afternoon meeting at the White House.

Pope has most influence on Twitter, study finds
Pope Francis has by far the most clout of any world leader on Twitter because he is so widely retweeted, a study of political use of the social network shows.

Libyan elections: Low turnout marks bid to end political crisis
Voting has ended in a Libyan general election marred by low turnout and deadly violence. The election is seen as a last chance to end the anarchy that has gripped the country since the 2011 overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi. Officials said about 630,000 people voted, fewer than half of those eligible.

Iraq PM Maliki rejects emergency 'salvation' government
Iraq's Prime Minister Nouri Maliki has rejected calls for a national salvation government to help counter the offensive by jihadist-led Sunni rebels. Such calls represented a "coup against the constitution and an attempt to end the democratic experience", he warned.

3 Iranian troops killed in attack near Iraq border
An attack near Iran's western border with Iraq has killed three Iranian border guards, the semi-official Fars news agency reported on Wednesday.

Kerry issues warning after Syria bombs Iraq
Syrian warplanes bombed Sunni militants' positions inside Iraq, military officials confirmed Wednesday, deepening the concerns that the extremist insurgency that spans the two neighboring countries could morph into an even wider regional conflict. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry warned against the threat and said other nations should stay out.

U.S. says has fresh Russia sanctions 'ready to go'
The United States said on Wednesday it has fresh sanctions ready to impose on Russia if Moscow does not take steps to de-escalate tensions with Ukraine, including halting the flow of fighters and arms to Ukrainian separatists.

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Iraq crisis: Armed US drones in use to protect advisers
Armed US drones are flying over Iraq to protect American military advisers on the ground, say officials. Their role is "force protection" of US assessment teams helping Iraqi security forces repel militants now running large parts of the country. They are supporting other manned and unmanned aircraft making 30-40 surveillance missions each day.

Syrian rebels buckling in face of jihadis
The Syrian rebels that the U.S. now wants to support are in poor shape, on the retreat from the radical al-Qaida breakaway group that has swept over large parts of Iraq and Syria, with some rebels giving up the fight. It is not clear whether the new U.S. promise to arm them will make a difference.

Last Time Lenders Did This, They Triggered The Financial Crisis
During the first quarter, 3.7 million credit cards were issued to subprime borrowers, up a head-scratching 39% from a year earlier, and the most since 2008. A third of all cards issued were subprime, also the most since 2008, according to Equifax. That was the glorious year when “subprime” transitioned from industry jargon to common word. It had become an essential component of the Financial Crisis.

Mexico arrests vigilante leader in state torn by violence
Mexican authorities detained one of the most well-known leaders of vigilante groups that have been battling drug gangs in the western Mexican state of Michoacan, a federal official said on Friday.

China's New Map Roils Diplomatic Waters in Region
China has roiled the diplomatic waters in the region by publishing a new map that lays claim to swaths of the South China Sea that encompass almost all of Southeast Asia.

Russia warns Europe over re-selling gas to Ukraine
Russia's state-controlled gas company, Gazprom, warned its European customers Friday that it could limit supplies to countries that intend to re-sell the natural gas on to Ukraine.


Colorado halts fracking wastewater injections after earthquakes hit the state
According to Reuters, the announcement was made by the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC), which directed High Sierra Water Services to observe a 20-day stoppage as a result of the situation. A 2.6 magnitude earthquake was recorded on Monday, and geologists believe it was linked to the ongoing fracking operation nearby.

IRS Chief Koskinen a Major Democratic Donor for 4 Decades
IRS Commissioner John Koskinen, appointed by President Barack Obama to steer the agency through the numerous investigations into the IRS targeting scandal, has donated close to $100,000 to Democrats and the party's organizations for more than four decades.

Pat Boone’s Bombshell About Barack Obama
Boone made the bold prediction that the President Barack Obama’s birth certificate, that was put out by the White House, will be proven to be a forgery by September 2014.

‘Duck Dynasty’ Star: Time To ‘Vote This Ungodly Bunch Out Of Washington’
During his appearance at the “Rock the South” music festival in Cullman, the reality television star stated it’s time to vote those “ungodly” politicians out of Congress.

Supreme Court Rebukes Obama on Right of Appointment
The Supreme Court issued a unanimous rebuke to President Obama on Thursday, saying he had overreached in issuing recess appointments during brief breaks in the Senate’s work. Mr. Obama violated the Constitution in 2012, the justices said, by appointing officials to the National Labor Relations Board during a break in the Senate’s work when the chamber was convening every three days in short pro forma sessions in which no business was conducted.

Ukraine Signs Historic Trade Pact With EU
Ukraine's new president signed a trade and economic pact with the European Union on Friday, pushing his troubled country closer into a European orbit and angering Russia, which warned of unspecified consequences.

US says it will no longer produce or acquire anti-personnel land mines, plans to join treaty
The National Security Council says the U.S. is "diligently pursuing solutions" to join the Ottawa Convention that bans the use, stockpiling, production and transfer of the mines.

New superconductor world record set
Researchers managed to 'trap' a magnetic field with a strength of 17.6 Tesla -- roughly 100 times stronger than the field generated by a typical fridge magnet -- in a high temperature gadolinium barium copper oxide (GdBCO) superconductor, beating the previous record by 0.4 Tesla.

Ebola getting ‘out of control’
The Ebola outbreak ravaging West Africa is ‘‘totally out of control,’’ said a senior official for Doctors Without Borders, who says the medical group is stretched to the limit in its capacity to respond. The current outbreak has caused more deaths than any other on record, another official with the medical charity said. Ebola has been linked to more than 330 deaths in Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia, according to the latest numbers from the World Health Organization.

Saudi King orders steps against disturbances in Iraq
Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saudi ordered on Thursday all measures to protect his country from disturbance in Iraq, according to Saudi Press Agency. The National Security Council, chaired by the king, discussed current situations in the region, especially the course and consequences of events in Iraq.

Hamas Calls on Iran to Join the 'Struggle' Against Israel
Hamas's political bureau leader Khaled Mashaal, currently living in Qatar, sent a letter to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Thursday, calling on him to joint the "struggle" against Israel in light of Operation Brother's Keeper.

Armageddon on the doorstep: the ISIS conquest of Iraq leads to Jerusalem – are you ready for the next world war?
As we witness the brutalization of Iraq by the ISIS terror organization consider this: this Islamic march of death leads to Jerusalem. The leading result of the call of the people in the Arab world for the overthrow of unsatisfactory leaders has been their cause being hijacked by insurgent jihadist terrorists.

World Vision Under Internal Reformation After Support of Homosexuality?
In the past, World Vision has requested that it be known as a Christian humanitarian organization, not necessarily an evangelical one, because many on staff are not from an evangelical background. But now, in the wake of the controversy, the board of the $1 billion relief group appears to be showing signs of wanting to reform.

3.8 Magnitude Earthquake Reported Near Langston
At 6:28 p.m. Thursday, a quake was recorded three miles south of Langston, eight miles east of Guthrie, at a depth of over two miles.

Japan set for landmark easing of constitutional limits on military
Japan is poised for a historic shift in its defense policy by ending a ban that has kept the military from fighting abroad since World War Two, a major step away from post-war pacifism and a big political victory for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. The change will significantly widen Japan's military options by ending the ban on exercising "collective self-defense", or aiding a friendly country under attack.

Man Gets 6 Years in Egyptian Prison for Liking Christian Facebook Post
An Egyptian man was convicted and sentenced Tuesday to six years in prison along with a fine of $840 dollars for violating Egypt’s blasphemy laws, which make illegal any criticism of the Islamic religion. The International Christian Concern (ICC) reported that Kerolos Shawky, a Christian man living in southern Egypt, was initially accused of violating the Islamic blasphemy laws...

High court rebukes Obama on recess appointments
The Supreme Court on Thursday limited the president's power to fill high-level vacancies with temporary appointments, ruling in favor of Senate Republicans... The high court's first-ever case involving the Constitution's recess appointments clause ended in a unanimous decision holding that Obama's appointments to the National Labor Relations Board in 2012 without Senate confirmation were illegal.

EU signs pacts with Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova
Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova have signed partnership agreements with the European Union, in a move strongly opposed by Russia. The pact - which would bind the three countries more closely to the West both economically and politically - is at the heart of the crisis in Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin said making Ukraine choose between Russia and the EU would split it in two.

Arab states at United Nations deplore ‘Israeli aggression’
Several representatives of Arab and Muslim states announced Thursday at the UN they would be asking the Security Council to condemn Israel’s actions in the West Bank, which they called an overreaction. Palestinian ambassador Riyad Mansour was flanked by the ambassador from Saudi Arabia, Iran, Qatar, Senegal and the League of Arab States as he called on the Security Council to act against Israel...

Israel identifies suspects in alleged kidnapping
Israel on Thursday identified two well-known Hamas operatives in the West Bank as the central suspects in the recent disappearance of three Israeli teenagers, in the first sign of progress in a frantic two-week search for the missing youths.

Obama seeks funds for Syrian rebels
President Barack Obama has asked Congress for 500 million dollars (£294 million) to strengthen more moderate Syrian rebels. He made the request with the conflicts in Syria and Iraq becoming increasingly intertwined against the same Sunni extremist group.

Israel steps up campaign over ‘bad’ nuclear Iran deal
Israeli National Security Adviser Yossi Cohen and Intelligence Minister Yuval Steinitz will travel to Washington over the weekend to press Israel’s concern about a “bad” nuclear deal with Iran, as the Islamic Republic and the western powers are set to resume nuclear talks on Wednesday.

Kim Oversees North Korea Tests of ‘Ultra-Precision’ Missiles
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw the test firing of new “ultra-precision” guided missiles, according to the official Korean Central News Agency. Kim gave the order to launch the missiles after acquainting himself with information about them at the monitoring post, KCNA said today. It didn’t say when Kim visited the missile base and where the post was located.

Supreme Court strikes down protest buffer zones around abortion clinics
The Supreme Court on Thursday unanimously rejected a Massachusetts law that created 35-foot buffer zones around entrances to abortion clinic

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SLIGHT CHANCE OF MAGNETIC STORMS
NOAA forecasters estimate a 20% chance of polar geomagnetic storms this weekend in response to a minor solar wind stream blowing past Earth's magnetic field.

Texas Earthquake Today 2014 Strikes Pecos
A Texas earthquake today 2014 has struck Pecos. The Texas earthquake today June 28, 2014 began in the morning hours. Damage assessment is pending.

Japan set for landmark easing of constitutional limits on military
Japan is poised for a historic shift in its defense policy by ending a ban that has kept the military from fighting abroad since World War Two, a major step away from post-war pacifism and a big political victory for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe

Report: Mexican Military Chopper Crosses Into US, Shoots At Border Agents
Border Patrol agents in Arizona were reportedly fired upon by a Mexican military helicopter that traveled across the border. Mexican authorities were conducting a drug interdiction operation when the incident happened early Thursday morning on the Tohono O’odham Indian Nation. The Mexican chopper fired at the agents and then flew back into Mexico.

Sierra Leone: Sheltering Ebola-infected people 'is a crime'
Sierra Leone has warned it is a serious crime to shelter patients infected with the Ebola virus who are in hiding. The Health Ministry said several patients had discharged themselves from hospital in Kenema district, the heart of the country's outbreak. The World Health Organization (WHO) has called for "drastic action" to contain the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, which has killed almost 400 people.

Report: Israel, US prepared to help Jordan fight ISIS
Israel and the US may be prepared to aid Jordan as the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) eyes the Jewish State's eastern neighbor, according to US officials quoted in a report by The Daily Beast on Saturday. US officials speaking under anonymity have speculated that if ISIS were to pursue a full-on assault on Jordan, the kingdom might not be able to repel the Islamists.

Iraq crisis: Armed US drones in use to protect advisers
Armed US drones are flying over Iraq to protect American military advisers on the ground, say officials. Their role is "force protection" of US assessment teams helping Iraqi security forces repel militants now running large parts of the country. They are supporting other manned and unmanned aircraft making 30-40 surveillance missions each day.

Syrian rebels buckling in face of jihadis
The Syrian rebels that the U.S. now wants to support are in poor shape, on the retreat from the radical al-Qaida breakaway group that has swept over large parts of Iraq and Syria, with some rebels giving up the fight. It is not clear whether the new U.S. promise to arm them will make a difference.

Last Time Lenders Did This, They Triggered The Financial Crisis
During the first quarter, 3.7 million credit cards were issued to subprime borrowers, up a head-scratching 39% from a year earlier, and the most since 2008. A third of all cards issued were subprime, also the most since 2008, according to Equifax. That was the glorious year when “subprime” transitioned from industry jargon to common word. It had become an essential component of the Financial Crisis.

Mexico arrests vigilante leader in state torn by violence
Mexican authorities detained one of the most well-known leaders of vigilante groups that have been battling drug gangs in the western Mexican state of Michoacan, a federal official said on Friday.

China's New Map Roils Diplomatic Waters in Region
China has roiled the diplomatic waters in the region by publishing a new map that lays claim to swaths of the South China Sea that encompass almost all of Southeast Asia.

Russia warns Europe over re-selling gas to Ukraine
Russia's state-controlled gas company, Gazprom, warned its European customers Friday that it could limit supplies to countries that intend to re-sell the natural gas on to Ukraine.

Colorado halts fracking wastewater injections after earthquakes hit the state
According to Reuters, the announcement was made by the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC), which directed High Sierra Water Services to observe a 20-day stoppage as a result of the situation. A 2.6 magnitude earthquake was recorded on Monday, and geologists believe it was linked to the ongoing fracking operation nearby.

IRS Chief Koskinen a Major Democratic Donor for 4 Decades
IRS Commissioner John Koskinen, appointed by President Barack Obama to steer the agency through the numerous investigations into the IRS targeting scandal, has donated close to $100,000 to Democrats and the party's organizations for more than four decades.

Pat Boone’s Bombshell About Barack Obama
Boone made the bold prediction that the President Barack Obama’s birth certificate, that was put out by the White House, will be proven to be a forgery by September 2014.

‘Duck Dynasty’ Star: Time To ‘Vote This Ungodly Bunch Out Of Washington’
During his appearance at the “Rock the South” music festival in Cullman, the reality television star stated it’s time to vote those “ungodly” politicians out of Congress.

Supreme Court Rebukes Obama on Right of Appointment
The Supreme Court issued a unanimous rebuke to President Obama on Thursday, saying he had overreached in issuing recess appointments during brief breaks in the Senate’s work. Mr. Obama violated the Constitution in 2012, the justices said, by appointing officials to the National Labor Relations Board during a break in the Senate’s work when the chamber was convening every three days in short pro forma sessions in which no business was conducted.

Ukraine Signs Historic Trade Pact With EU
Ukraine's new president signed a trade and economic pact with the European Union on Friday, pushing his troubled country closer into a European orbit and angering Russia, which warned of unspecified consequences.

US says it will no longer produce or acquire anti-personnel land mines, plans to join treaty
The National Security Council says the U.S. is "diligently pursuing solutions" to join the Ottawa Convention that bans the use, stockpiling, production and transfer of the mines.

New superconductor world record set
Researchers managed to 'trap' a magnetic field with a strength of 17.6 Tesla -- roughly 100 times stronger than the field generated by a typical fridge magnet -- in a high temperature gadolinium barium copper oxide (GdBCO) superconductor, beating the previous record by 0.4 Tesla.

Ebola getting ‘out of control’
The Ebola outbreak ravaging West Africa is ‘‘totally out of control,’’ said a senior official for Doctors Without Borders, who says the medical group is stretched to the limit in its capacity to respond. The current outbreak has caused more deaths than any other on record, another official with the medical charity said. Ebola has been linked to more than 330 deaths in Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia, according to the latest numbers from the World Health Organization.

Saudi King orders steps against disturbances in Iraq
Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saudi ordered on Thursday all measures to protect his country from disturbance in Iraq, according to Saudi Press Agency. The National Security Council, chaired by the king, discussed current situations in the region, especially the course and consequences of events in Iraq.

Hamas Calls on Iran to Join the 'Struggle' Against Israel
Hamas's political bureau leader Khaled Mashaal, currently living in Qatar, sent a letter to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Thursday, calling on him to joint the "struggle" against Israel in light of Operation Brother's Keeper.

Armageddon on the doorstep: the ISIS conquest of Iraq leads to Jerusalem – are you ready for the next world war?
As we witness the brutalization of Iraq by the ISIS terror organization consider this: this Islamic march of death leads to Jerusalem. The leading result of the call of the people in the Arab world for the overthrow of unsatisfactory leaders has been their cause being hijacked by insurgent jihadist terrorists.

World Vision Under Internal Reformation After Support of Homosexuality?
In the past, World Vision has requested that it be known as a Christian humanitarian organization, not necessarily an evangelical one, because many on staff are not from an evangelical background. But now, in the wake of the controversy, the board of the $1 billion relief group appears to be showing signs of wanting to reform.

3.8 Magnitude Earthquake Reported Near Langston
At 6:28 p.m. Thursday, a quake was recorded three miles south of Langston, eight miles east of Guthrie, at a depth of over two miles.

Japan set for landmark easing of constitutional limits on military
Japan is poised for a historic shift in its defense policy by ending a ban that has kept the military from fighting abroad since World War Two, a major step away from post-war pacifism and a big political victory for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. The change will significantly widen Japan's military options by ending the ban on exercising "collective self-defense", or aiding a friendly country under attack.

Man Gets 6 Years in Egyptian Prison for Liking Christian Facebook Post
An Egyptian man was convicted and sentenced Tuesday to six years in prison along with a fine of $840 dollars for violating Egypt’s blasphemy laws, which make illegal any criticism of the Islamic religion. The International Christian Concern (ICC) reported that Kerolos Shawky, a Christian man living in southern Egypt, was initially accused of violating the Islamic blasphemy laws...

High court rebukes Obama on recess appointments
The Supreme Court on Thursday limited the president's power to fill high-level vacancies with temporary appointments, ruling in favor of Senate Republicans... The high court's first-ever case involving the Constitution's recess appointments clause ended in a unanimous decision holding that Obama's appointments to the National Labor Relations Board in 2012 without Senate confirmation were illegal.

EU signs pacts with Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova
Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova have signed partnership agreements with the European Union, in a move strongly opposed by Russia. The pact - which would bind the three countries more closely to the West both economically and politically - is at the heart of the crisis in Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin said making Ukraine choose between Russia and the EU would split it in two.

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"Fair Use for Information & Discussion Purposes"

Last Time Lenders Did This, They Triggered The Financial Crisis
During the first quarter, 3.7 million credit cards were issued to subprime borrowers, up a head-scratching 39% from a year earlier, and the most since 2008. A third of all cards issued were subprime, also the most since 2008, according to Equifax. That was the glorious year when “subprime” transitioned from industry jargon to common word. It had become an essential component of the Financial Crisis.

Mexico arrests vigilante leader in state torn by violence
Mexican authorities detained one of the most well-known leaders of vigilante groups that have been battling drug gangs in the western Mexican state of Michoacan, a federal official said on Friday.

China's New Map Roils Diplomatic Waters in Region
China has roiled the diplomatic waters in the region by publishing a new map that lays claim to swaths of the South China Sea that encompass almost all of Southeast Asia.

Russia warns Europe over re-selling gas to Ukraine
Russia's state-controlled gas company, Gazprom, warned its European customers Friday that it could limit supplies to countries that intend to re-sell the natural gas on to Ukraine.

Colorado halts fracking wastewater injections after earthquakes hit the state
According to Reuters, the announcement was made by the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC), which directed High Sierra Water Services to observe a 20-day stoppage as a result of the situation. A 2.6 magnitude earthquake was recorded on Monday, and geologists believe it was linked to the ongoing fracking operation nearby.

IRS Chief Koskinen a Major Democratic Donor for 4 Decades
IRS Commissioner John Koskinen, appointed by President Barack Obama to steer the agency through the numerous investigations into the IRS targeting scandal, has donated close to $100,000 to Democrats and the party's organizations for more than four decades.

Pat Boone’s Bombshell About Barack Obama
Boone made the bold prediction that the President Barack Obama’s birth certificate, that was put out by the White House, will be proven to be a forgery by September 2014.

‘Duck Dynasty’ Star: Time To ‘Vote This Ungodly Bunch Out Of Washington’
During his appearance at the “Rock the South” music festival in Cullman, the reality television star stated it’s time to vote those “ungodly” politicians out of Congress.

Supreme Court Rebukes Obama on Right of Appointment
The Supreme Court issued a unanimous rebuke to President Obama on Thursday, saying he had overreached in issuing recess appointments during brief breaks in the Senate’s work. Mr. Obama violated the Constitution in 2012, the justices said, by appointing officials to the National Labor Relations Board during a break in the Senate’s work when the chamber was convening every three days in short pro forma sessions in which no business was conducted.

Ukraine Signs Historic Trade Pact With EU
Ukraine's new president signed a trade and economic pact with the European Union on Friday, pushing his troubled country closer into a European orbit and angering Russia, which warned of unspecified consequences.

US says it will no longer produce or acquire anti-personnel land mines, plans to join treaty
The National Security Council says the U.S. is "diligently pursuing solutions" to join the Ottawa Convention that bans the use, stockpiling, production and transfer of the mines.

New superconductor world record set
Researchers managed to 'trap' a magnetic field with a strength of 17.6 Tesla -- roughly 100 times stronger than the field generated by a typical fridge magnet -- in a high temperature gadolinium barium copper oxide (GdBCO) superconductor, beating the previous record by 0.4 Tesla.

Ebola getting ‘out of control’
The Ebola outbreak ravaging West Africa is ‘‘totally out of control,’’ said a senior official for Doctors Without Borders, who says the medical group is stretched to the limit in its capacity to respond. The current outbreak has caused more deaths than any other on record, another official with the medical charity said. Ebola has been linked to more than 330 deaths in Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia, according to the latest numbers from the World Health Organization.

Saudi King orders steps against disturbances in Iraq
Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saudi ordered on Thursday all measures to protect his country from disturbance in Iraq, according to Saudi Press Agency. The National Security Council, chaired by the king, discussed current situations in the region, especially the course and consequences of events in Iraq.

Hamas Calls on Iran to Join the 'Struggle' Against Israel
Hamas's political bureau leader Khaled Mashaal, currently living in Qatar, sent a letter to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Thursday, calling on him to joint the "struggle" against Israel in light of Operation Brother's Keeper.

Armageddon on the doorstep: the ISIS conquest of Iraq leads to Jerusalem – are you ready for the next world war?
As we witness the brutalization of Iraq by the ISIS terror organization consider this: this Islamic march of death leads to Jerusalem. The leading result of the call of the people in the Arab world for the overthrow of unsatisfactory leaders has been their cause being hijacked by insurgent jihadist terrorists.

World Vision Under Internal Reformation After Support of Homosexuality?
In the past, World Vision has requested that it be known as a Christian humanitarian organization, not necessarily an evangelical one, because many on staff are not from an evangelical background. But now, in the wake of the controversy, the board of the $1 billion relief group appears to be showing signs of wanting to reform.

3.8 Magnitude Earthquake Reported Near Langston
At 6:28 p.m. Thursday, a quake was recorded three miles south of Langston, eight miles east of Guthrie, at a depth of over two miles.

Japan set for landmark easing of constitutional limits on military
Japan is poised for a historic shift in its defense policy by ending a ban that has kept the military from fighting abroad since World War Two, a major step away from post-war pacifism and a big political victory for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. The change will significantly widen Japan's military options by ending the ban on exercising "collective self-defense", or aiding a friendly country under attack.

Man Gets 6 Years in Egyptian Prison for Liking Christian Facebook Post
An Egyptian man was convicted and sentenced Tuesday to six years in prison along with a fine of $840 dollars for violating Egypt’s blasphemy laws, which make illegal any criticism of the Islamic religion. The International Christian Concern (ICC) reported that Kerolos Shawky, a Christian man living in southern Egypt, was initially accused of violating the Islamic blasphemy laws...

High court rebukes Obama on recess appointments
The Supreme Court on Thursday limited the president's power to fill high-level vacancies with temporary appointments, ruling in favor of Senate Republicans... The high court's first-ever case involving the Constitution's recess appointments clause ended in a unanimous decision holding that Obama's appointments to the National Labor Relations Board in 2012 without Senate confirmation were illegal.

EU signs pacts with Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova
Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova have signed partnership agreements with the European Union, in a move strongly opposed by Russia. The pact - which would bind the three countries more closely to the West both economically and politically - is at the heart of the crisis in Ukraine. Russian President Vladimir Putin said making Ukraine choose between Russia and the EU would split it in two.

Arab states at United Nations deplore ‘Israeli aggression’
Several representatives of Arab and Muslim states announced Thursday at the UN they would be asking the Security Council to condemn Israel’s actions in the West Bank, which they called an overreaction. Palestinian ambassador Riyad Mansour was flanked by the ambassador from Saudi Arabia, Iran, Qatar, Senegal and the League of Arab States as he called on the Security Council to act against Israel...

Israel identifies suspects in alleged kidnapping
Israel on Thursday identified two well-known Hamas operatives in the West Bank as the central suspects in the recent disappearance of three Israeli teenagers, in the first sign of progress in a frantic two-week search for the missing youths.

Obama seeks funds for Syrian rebels
President Barack Obama has asked Congress for 500 million dollars (£294 million) to strengthen more moderate Syrian rebels. He made the request with the conflicts in Syria and Iraq becoming increasingly intertwined against the same Sunni extremist group.

Israel steps up campaign over ‘bad’ nuclear Iran deal
Israeli National Security Adviser Yossi Cohen and Intelligence Minister Yuval Steinitz will travel to Washington over the weekend to press Israel’s concern about a “bad” nuclear deal with Iran, as the Islamic Republic and the western powers are set to resume nuclear talks on Wednesday.

Kim Oversees North Korea Tests of ‘Ultra-Precision’ Missiles
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw the test firing of new “ultra-precision” guided missiles, according to the official Korean Central News Agency. Kim gave the order to launch the missiles after acquainting himself with information about them at the monitoring post, KCNA said today. It didn’t say when Kim visited the missile base and where the post was located.

Supreme Court strikes down protest buffer zones around abortion clinics
The Supreme Court on Thursday unanimously rejected a Massachusetts law that created 35-foot buffer zones around entrances to abortion clinics.

China pulling the plug on IBM, Oracle, others
E-commerce companies and banks in China are scrapping hardware and uninstalling software for mainframe servers made by American suppliers in favor of homegrown brands said to be safe, advanced and a lot less expensive.

Japan Prices Rise Most Since ’82 on Tax, Utility Fees: Economy
Japan’s consumer prices climbed at the fastest pace in 32 years, boosted by a sales-tax increase and higher utility charges that are squeezing household budgets as wage gains remain limited.

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Bodies of Israeli kidnapped teens found, government confirms

Israel's nearly three-week vigil for three teens kidnapped in the West Bank - including one with U.S. citizenship - ended grimly Monday, with the discovery of their bodies just north of Hebron. The search for Eyal Yifrach, 19; Gilad Shaar, 16 and Naftali Frenkel, 16, who were snatched while hitchhiking, ended even as Israeli forces were conducting raids in the West Bank, where Hamas operates. Frenkel holds duel U.S.-Israeli citizenship.

Shock As It’s Revealed Obama Orders Us Military To Submit To Sharia Law During Ramadan
Shock waves spreading across the Internet today as it has been revealed that US soldiers serving in the Middle East are now required to observe the demonic doctrine of Sharia Law during the month of Ramadan, while at the same time being denied access to use of their bibles and open display of their Christian faith.

The Real Reason Liberal Churches Are Losing Members
Almost every day conservative Christians are told that if we don't become more enlightened and progressive, we will become irrelevant to society as our numbers continue to decline. In reality, the opposite is true: We will only be relevant to the extent we honor God and hold fast to biblical truth, which is why the more "progressive" and "enlightened churches" are the ones losing members the most rapidly.

Israel rediscovers Shemitah in time for blood moons
Why are so many Christians in the U.S. and elsewhere standing up and taking notice of an Israeli government action to set aside $29 million to encourage local farmers to observe an ancient biblical commandment to let their fields lay fallow every seventh year? n Exodus 23:10-11, you will find this commandment of God to Israel: “And six years thou shalt sow thy land, and shalt gather in the fruits thereof: But the seventh year thou shalt let it rest and lie still; that the poor of thy people may eat: and what they leave the beasts of the field shall eat. In like manner thou shalt deal with thy vineyard, and with thy oliveyard.” Modern Israel hasn’t paid much attention to this ancient commandment – until recently.

Oklahoma Earthquakes
The quake struck around 8:30 p.m. and weighed in at a 3.1 on the Richter scale. Its epicenter was located five miles west, southwest of Medford, or about 92 miles north of the Oklahoma City metro area, at a depth of just over half a mile.

Brazilian Pastor Pours 110 lbs. of Salt on Church Floor; Sparks Witchcraft Speculation
Pastor Agenor Duke of Igreja Apostolica Plenitude Do Trono De Deu in Sao Paulo, Brazil prayers over 110 lbs. of salt during a church service. "This is a witchcraft practice, very different from what the Scripture reflects on the use of salt," commented Jonathan Martinez, a Facebook user on the church's account. "That method is only used for witchcraft and for calling upon negative things."

Israel should ensure West ‘keeps eyes open’ on Iran
Israel should ensure that the international community remains briefed on the full picture of Iran’s nuclear program, as talks between the P5+1 countries and Tehran continue, former Military Intelligence chief Maj.-Gen. (res.) Aharon Ze’evi Farkash told The Jerusalem Post. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has cleverly adapted his country’s nuclear policies to fit the Islamic Republic’s economic and social needs, Farkash stated.

Gunmen Fire on Nigerian Churchgoers
Gunmen fired at worshipers and burned four churches on Sunday in a village just miles from the town where more than 200 schoolgirls were kidnapped, witnesses said.

As China Flexes Muscle, Obama Frets Over Rival’s Weakness
China is tailgating Japanese warplanes, playing chicken with Vietnamese ships and questioning America’s toughness. Yet it isn’t Chinese strength that most worries President Barack Obama, it’s Chinese fragility.

Isis rebels declare 'caliphate' in Iraq and Syria
Islamist militant group Isis has said it is establishing a caliphate, or Islamic state, on the territories it controls in Iraq and Syria. It also proclaimed the group's leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, as caliph and "leader for Muslims everywhere".

Israel tightens grip on E.Jerusalem with $90m plan
The Israeli cabinet on Sunday approved a $90 million dollar socio-economic development plan for annexed east Jerusalem which focuses on increased security and police presence in the area, the municipality said.

Why The Next Four Days Could Be Huge For The Future Of America
Get ready: This week is going to be huge. This holiday-shortened week is going to be jam-packed with economic data, culminating with the grand finale at 8:30 a.m. ET on Thursday

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