5.8 Magnitude Earthquake FOX ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA - 25th Oct 2011

A magnitude 5.8 earthquake has struck the Fox Islands, Aleutian Islands, Alaska at a depth of 59.2 km ( 36.8 miles), the quake hit at 03:24:52 UTC Tuesday 25th October 2011.
The epicenter was 53 km ( 32 miles) Southwest of Amukta Island, Alaska
No Tsunami Warning Issued - No Reports of Injuries or Damage at this time

5.0 Magnitude Earthquake JAN MAYEN ISLAND REGION - 25th Oct 2011

A magnitude 5.0 earthquake has struck the Jan Mayen Island Region at a depth of 16.6 km ( 10.3 miles), the quake hit at 02:32:22 UTC Tuesday 25th October 2011.
The epicenter was 613 km ( 380 miles) East of Ittoqqortoormiit (Scoresbysund), Greenland
No Tsunami Warning Issued - No Reports of Injuries or Damage at this time

4.8 Magnitude Earthquake KERMADEC ISLANDS REGION - 25th Oct 2011

A magnitude 4.8 earthquake has struck the Kermadec Islands Region at a depth of 39.4 km ( 24.5 miles), the quake hit at 02:23:29 UTC Tuesday 25th October 2011.
The epicenter was 189 km ( 117 miles) East of Raoul Island, Kermadec Islands
No Tsunami Warning Issued - No Reports of Injuries or Damage at this time

4.3 Magnitude Earthquake EASTERN TURKEY - 25th Oct 2011

A magnitude 4.3 earthquake has struck Eastern Turkey at a depth of 10 km ( 6.2 miles), the quake hit at 00:32:17 UTC Tueday 25th October 2011.
The epicenter was 26 km ( 16 miles) SSW of Van, Turkey

At least 300 Confirmed dead, as many as 1300 remain missing.

Following few hours of Magnitude 4.0 or higher earthquakes in Eastern Turkey will be listed below

4.2 Magnitude - Depth 7 km - 02:33:55 UTC
4.0 Magnitude - Depth 7 km - 02:49:10 UTC
4.0 Magnitude - Depth 15 km - 03:16:50 UTC
4.2 Magnitude - Depth 2 km - 06:36:18 UTC
4.1 Magnitude - Depth 7 km - 06:41:28 UTC

4.7 Magnitude Earthquake EASTERN TURKEY - 24th Oct 2011

A magnitude 4.7 earthquake has struck Eastern Turkey at a depth of 7.6 km ( 4.7 miles), the quake hit at 23:55:15 UTC Monday 24th October 2011.
The epicenter was 21 km ( 13 miles) East of Van, Turkey

At least 300 Confirmed dead, as many as 1300 remain missing.

4.6 Magnitude Earthquake SALTA, ARGENTINA - 24th Oct 2011

A magnitude 4.6 earthquake has struck Salta, Argentina at a depth of 96.4 km ( 59.9 miles), the quake hit at 22:41:52 UTC Monday 24th October 2011.
The epicenter was 140 km ( 86 miles) Northwest of Antofagasta de la Sierra, Catmrca, Argentina
No Reports of Injuries Damage

4.5 Magnitude Earthquake EASTERN TURKEY - 24th Oct 2011

A magnitude 4.5 earthquake has struck Eastern Turkey at a depth of 10 km ( 6.2 miles), the quake hit at 22:13:32 UTC Monday 24th October 2011.
The epicenter was 23 km ( 14 miles) Northwest of Van, Turkey

At least 300 Confirmed dead, as many as 1300 remain missing.

4.8 Magnitude Earthquake NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN - 24th Oct 2011

A magnitude 4.8 earthquake has struck near the East Coast of Honshu at a depth of just 72.7 km ( 45.2 miles), the quake hit at 21:37:31 UTC Monday 24th October 2011.
The epicenter was 53 km ( 32 miles) ENE of Sendai, Honshu, Japan
No Tsunami Warning Issued - No Reports of Injuries Damage

20-Year-Old Tibetan Nun Who Set Herself On Fire in Protest of China's Religious Persecution Dies

A 20-year-old Tibetan nun who set herself on fire in protest against China's religious policies has died, according to Tibet independent groups.

The death comes after the self-immolation of at least seven young Tibetan monks since March this year.

Five are believed to have died and the whereabouts of several of the others is unknown. The youngest were just 17-years-old.

With one exception, all of the suicides have taken place in Aba in western Sichuan, a mountainous area close to the Tibet Plateau.

The town is home to the Kirti Monastery, a centre of Buddhist learning, and is populated mainly by Tibetan nomads and farmers.

Several of the monks are reported to have called out slogans including "long live the Dalai Lama" and "there are no religious rights and freedoms in Tibet" as they set themselves on fire. more

Gadhafi "on display at meat market": Is this the behavior with which the Libyan "rebels" plan to guide their nation?

Anonymous hacktivists target child abuse websites: Hear, hear

Hackers linked to the Anonymous movement have claimed credit for shutting down an underground website that offered paedophiles a large database of child abuse images.

The website, “Lolita City”, was accessed via Tor, a global network of computers that allows internet users to obscure their identity.

Anonymous members disrupted and hacked into systems at the company accused of hosting Lolita City and obtained the login details of more than 1,500 users, which they then published online.

The website was "enabling paedophiles to view innocent children, fuelling their issues and putting children at risk of abduction, molestation, rape, and death” according to a statement attributed to Anonymous.

“We are eliminating 40+ child pornography websites, among these is Lolita City, one of the largest child pornography websites to date containing more than 100GB of child pornography,” it added.

The statement said Anonymous had discovered Lolita City via the Hidden Wiki, another underground website accessed via the Tor network, which offers links to a host of other illegal services. Tor itself was created by the US government, however, and is often used by dissidents in countries such as Iran and China to circumvent government censorship and surveillance. more

Teen shot at Fayetteville high school, North Carolina - 24th Oct 2011

A 15-year-old girl was shot in the neck and suffered a "very serious wound" at Cape Fear High School in Fayetteville Monday afternoon, according to the school system and the Cumberland County Sheriff's Office.

The girl's name and condition have not been released. However, authorities said the girl's family has been notified.

Witnesses said they heard a "pop" as the girl walked outside the school cafeteria, and they saw her collapse in the breezeway, according to Cumberland County Sheriff Earl "Moose" Butler.

No arrests have been made, and the gun has not been recovered.

"It was such a chaotic moment that everyone was trying to figure out what happened," said sheriff's spokeswoman Debbie Tanna.

WRAL reporter Bryan Mims got to the school and found a group of parents standing outside, desperate for information. Some mothers asked him, "Can you please tell me if my kids are all right?"

Cape Fear High is on code red lock down, meaning no one can enter or leave the school. Students at neighboring Mac Williams Middle School were escorted off campus after temporarily being on lock down. Source

Police Arrest At Least 100 in Occupy Chicago Protests

Anti-Wall Street demonstrators of the Occupy Chicago movement stood their ground in a downtown park in noisy but peaceful defiance of police orders to clear out, prompting at least 100 arrests early Sunday, authorities said.

Occupy Chicago spokesman Joshua Kaunert vowed after the arrests that protests would continue in the Midwest city.

"We're not going anywhere. There are still plenty of us," Kaunert told The Associated Press after the arrests, which took police more than an hour to complete.

Elsewhere in the nation, police reported 11 arrests overnight in the Occupy Cincinnati protests. Police said those arrested had stayed in that city's Fountain Square after Sunday's 3 a.m. closing time and each was charged with criminal trespass.

In Chicago, police began taking people into custody just before 1 a.m. Sunday. Those arrested were led in groups to vans and two large white buses as others clamored to be arrested.

"Take me next! Take me next!" some shouted as police began the arrests. Others chanted as they were led away: "We'll be back!" more

EU 'discussing changes to treaty', UK PM says: Danger ahead?

UK Prime Minister David Cameron has discussed changes to the European Union's treaty as part of a package to resolve the eurozone debt crisis.

Speaking after European leaders held emergency talks, Mr Cameron said that any change would not be against UK interests.

He gave no details of any changes being considered at the Brussels summit, attended by all 27 heads of EU states.

Another meeting of all the EU countries will be held on Wednesday.

Initially only the 17 countries that use the euro were to meet on Wednesday.

The EU leaders held a summit on Sunday morning amid fears that problems in Greece threaten to spread throughout Europe.

This was followed in the afternoon by a meeting of the 17 eurozone countries.

Mr Cameron told a news conference he believed talks on how to strengthen Europe's banks and to promote economic growth were making progress.

He said that proposals on possible treaty changes could be put forward in December, but that he has "secured a commitment that would protect the interests of the UK". more

Children join Occupy Wall Street Protests

More dust storms expected as Texas drought lingers: "Same type of dust storm from during the 30s"

The towering wall of billowing red dust roaring across the blue West Texas sky took Monroe Debusk back more than eight decades to the Dust Bowl years when he was growing up on his family's cotton farm.

The 90-year-old farmer looked out his window Monday and saw the sky darken as a rare 1.5-mile-tall, 250-mile-long dust cloud stretched across the rain-starved land and blotted out the sun.

"I didn't do anything — just thought back to the way it used to be," Debusk said, recalling the massive dust storms that overwhelmed the region in the 1930s. "That's the way they were."

Meteorologists say people living on Texas' parched plains could see more dust storms as a record drought tightens its grip across the Southwest. At least six sandstorms hit Phoenix this summer, with the most powerful striking on July 5 and measuring a mile high. But experts say another Dust Bowl is unlikely thanks to modern irrigation and farming techniques aimed at holding soil in place.

Dust storms form when wind whips up loose soil. They aren't unusual in West Texas, although the size and speed of Monday's cloud was rare. Typically, the wall of dirt climbs to only about 1,000 feet in that area, not the 8,000 feet seen with the latest storm, experts said.

The wind picked up with a drop in pressure along the edge of a fast-moving cold front, a pattern that typically happens in the fall and winter, meteorologists said. When the cloud hit Lubbock, winds speeds reached 74 mph in some places and visibility was far less than a quarter of a mile.

The wind knocked down tree limbs, which fell on utility lines, knocking out power in parts of the city of about 210,000 people. Dust lingered in the air afterward, filling people's ears and nostrils and leaving grit in their teeth. A layer of dirt covered the pavement, cars and anything else left outside.

"The thing that is scary is this exact type of dust storm is the same type of dust storm from during the 30s," said Tom Gill, a geology professor at the University of Texas-El Paso who has studied dust storms for years. more

NTC fighter Executes Gaddafi before looting his body whilst the Nation Council Accuse Gaddafi Loyalist for the Execution - WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT

WAR OF PROPAGANDA CONTINUES EVEN AFTER THE DEATH OF GADDAFI

A Libyan revolutionary fighter has bragged in a leaked video that he was the man who killed Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, that country's despotic former ruler.

The young man, who is pictured but has not yet been identified, said he killed the fallen dictator because he could not bear the thought of taking him alive.

'We grabbed him,' the fighter says in the video. 'I hit him in the face. Some fighters wanted to take him away and that's when I shot him, twice: in the face and in the chest.'

To prove the video's authenticity, the fighter then flaunts what appears to be Gaddafi's bloodstained shirt, before brandishing a gold ring he says he took from the despot's lifeless finger.

The sensational claims come as the clearest and most graphic video yet of Gaddafi being savagely beaten in the wake of his capture has emerged online. Read More

Note: that video was uploaded 2 days ago this article emerged today.

Libya leader orders investigation in Gaddafi's death after growing International Pressure - 24th Oct 2011

"All Libyans were keen to try Gaddafi for his crimes. ... Free Libyans wanted him to be imprisoned and humiliated," he told a press conference in the eastern city of Benghazi.

Abdul Jalil said that Gaddafi's loyalists were the ones who had an interest in killing him. Read More

In addition the National Council have this afternoon stopped the showing of the executed war prisoners to children, woman and men. If the Libyan people were ever scared of Western Occupation, they should be... because the way they are going they will have that very soon.

5.0 Magnitude Earthquake KERMADEC ISLANDS REGION - 24th Oct 2011

A magnitude 5.0 earthquake has struck the Kermadec Islands Region at a depth of just 99.3 km ( 61.7 miles), the quake hit at 17:34:58 UTC Monday 24th October 2011.
The epicenter was 307 km ( 191 miles) SSW of Raoul Island, Kermadec Islands
No Tsunami Warning Issued - No Reports of Injuries Damage

Occupy Los Angeles turned into "anti-jew movement" by media: Nice try, but no cigar

U.S. pulls its envoy from Syria because of threats

The United States said on Monday it had pulled its ambassador out of Damascus because of threats to his safety in Syria, where protesters are trying to end 41 years of authoritarian rule by the Assad family.

Ambassador Robert Ford had angered the Syrian government by cultivating contacts with the 7-month-old grass-roots movement against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, leading to attacks on his embassy and residence, diplomats said.

The Western diplomats told Reuters Ford left Syria over the weekend following a series of incidents that caused physical damage to U.S. property but no casualties.

"Ambassador Robert Ford was brought back to Washington as a result of credible threats against his personal safety in Syria," said U.S. State Department spokesman Mark Toner.

"At this point, we can't say when he will return to Syria. It will depend on our assessment of Syrian regime-led incitement and the security situation on the ground."

U.S. officials said they want Ford to return to Damascus and made clear they had no current intention of expelling the Syrian ambassador to the United States, Imad Moustapha, a step that would almost certainly preclude the U.S. envoy's return.

One U.S. official said that the Assad government appeared to be trying to deflect attention from its effort to crush anti-government attention by incitement against Ford, who has been unusually forward in challenging the authorities.

"They are trying to get their street to turn against him rather than focusing on the fact that their street has turned against them," said one U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity. more

Mount Etna Erupts for the 17th Time this year, Sicily - 24th Oct 2011

Reader Contribution;

Sicily's Mount Etna has erupted spewing great plumes of bright orange lava into the air.

Eruptions as high as 100 metres (300 feet) were visible.

The nearby airport of Catania was closed for a short while, with eight flights cancelled due to the smoke and ash.

According to Italy's Institute for Geophysics and Vulcanology, Etna is Europe's most active volcano.

This was its 17th eruption since the start of the year. Source

WikiLeaks' Assange says site might close this year due to lack of financial support

WikiLeaks — whose spectacular publication of classified data shook world capitals and exposed the inner workings of international diplomacy — may be weeks away from collapse, the organization's leader warned Monday.

Although its attention-grabbing leaks spread outrage and embarrassment across military and diplomatic circles, WikiLeaks' inability to shake the restrictions imposed by American financial companies may prove its undoing.

"If WikiLeaks does not find a way to remove this blockade we will simply not be able to continue by the turn of the new year," founder Julian Assange told journalists at London's Frontline Club. "If we don't knock down the blockade we simply will not be able to continue."

As an emergency measure, Assange said his group would cease what he called "publication operations" to focus its energy on fundraising. He added that WikiLeaks — which he said had about 20 employees — needs an additional $3.5 million to keep it going into 2013.

WikiLeaks, launched as an online repository for confidential information, shot to notoriety with the April 2010 disclosure of footage of two Reuters journalists killed by a U.S. military strike in Baghdad. more

This is a very important story, because it demonstrates what happens when people do not financially support the websites that struggle to get the truth out. In this case, Wikileaks in particular is being choked off, but that still doesn't account for people not sending their checks by mail or taking other measures. Where's the effort on our parts?

Keep in mind that no one is asking to become wealthy from such work (at least not those who truly care about the truth movement), but it's simply not possible to do the labour needed to expose the truth without the support backing it.

If you want websites such as Wikileaks, The Coming Crisis, Alex Jones, and so on to stay alive and online, you need to do more than just read and respond. Even just a dollar here and there helps out!

Rest assured that the mainstream media outlets are all well funded, and that's why they dominate the airwaves. Imagine if we pooled our collective resources like the corporations do? We'd challenge their dominance for certain. Just something for everyone to think about; don't let Wikileaks disappear.

Ukraine accused of dog slaughter

One sunny summer morning, a stray mongrel the neighbors called Naida swallowed a piece of sausage she found on the ground. Soon after, she collapsed.

For the next two hours the dog convulsed in agony, barking and howling in a high-pitched voice, saliva and blood dripping from her mouth.

"What did they punish you for, my good girl?" an elderly woman said as she wept and doused the dog with water, hoping to relieve some of the pain. Then Naida died.

Animal welfare groups accuse Ukrainian authorities of using illegal and inhumane methods of killing stray dogs that cause long, agonizing deaths. They say dogs are often poisoned or injected with banned substances as officials rush to clear streets ahead of the Euro 2012 soccer championship next summer.

Euro 2012 organizers deny any involvement in a stray eradication campaign.

Full official statistics are hard to come by, but figures and estimates provided to The Associated Press by authorities in the Euro 2012 host cities of Kiev, Donetsk, Kharkiv and Lviv show more than 9,000 dogs have been put to death over the past year. Animal protection groups believe the number is far higher.

"It's a slaughterhouse," said Asya Serpinska, head of the Ukrainian Association of Animal Protection Organizations. "We are convinced that there is an unofficial order to purge Euro cities of stray animals so that, God forbid, some stray dog doesn't bite some foreigner." more

TSA Agent Jokes About Finding Sex Toy During Luggage Inspection

Not satisfied with fumbling through Americans’ private possessions, one TSA screener saw fit to make a humiliating joke about the contents, writing a personal message on a TSA inspection note after finding a sex toy in writer Jill Filipovic’s luggage.

After arriving at her hotel, Filipovic was unpacking when she discovered her bag had been individually searched by a TSA screener who, having seen the “personal item,” saw fit to comment, writing “GET YOUR FREAK ON GIRL” on the reverse side of an inspection notice.

“Total violation of privacy, wildly inappropriate and clearly not ok, but I also just died laughing in my hotel room,” wrote Filipovic.

While proving themselves adept at identifying women’s vibrators, TSA screeners are notoriously less skilled at actually doing what they’re paid to do – find dangerous items.

TSA screeners missed a loaded gun inside a checked bag at Los Angeles International Airport yesterday.

“The .38-caliber handgun fell out of a duffel bag as a luggage ramp crew was loading it onto an Alaska Airlines flight to Portland, Ore,” reports USA Today.

Perhaps Filipovic should be relieved that the TSA goon didn’t just steal the item, but they only tend to do that when it’s something really valuable like a laptop, jewelry, precious metals, or cash. more

NATO 'not entirely done' in Libya

NATO says a formal decision will be taken "in the next few days" about ending the military alliance's air campaign that helped to oust Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi.

A preliminary decision was announced last Friday to end Operation Unified Protector on Oct. 31.

On Monday, NATO spokesperson Oana Lungescu, speaking in Brussels, said, "We are not entirely done but almost there." She added the alliance will "monitor the situation and retain a capacity to respond." more

Vatican calls for global authority on economy, raps “idolatry of the market”

The Vatican called on Monday for the establishment of a “global public authority” and a “central world bank” to rule over financial institutions that have become outdated and often ineffective in dealing fairly with crises. The document from the Vatican’s Justice and Peace department should please the “Occupy Wall Street” demonstrators and similar movements around the world who have protested against the economic downturn.

“Towards Reforming the International Financial and Monetary Systems in the Context of a Global Public Authority,” was at times very specific, calling, for example, for taxation measures on financial transactions. “The economic and financial crisis which the world is going through calls everyone, individuals and peoples, to examine in depth the principles and the cultural and moral values at the basis of social coexistence,” it said.

It condemned what it called “the idolatry of the market” as well as a “neo-liberal thinking” that it said looked exclusively at technical solutions to economic problems. “In fact, the crisis has revealed behaviours like selfishness, collective greed and hoarding of goods on a great scale,” it said, adding that world economics needed an “ethic of solidarity” among rich and poor nations.

“If no solutions are found to the various forms of injustice, the negative effects that will follow on the social, political and economic level will be destined to create a climate of growing hostility and even violence, and ultimately undermine the very foundations of democratic institutions, even the ones considered most solid,” it said. more

4.5 Magnitude Earthquake EASTERN NEW GUINEA REGION, PAPUA NEW GUINEA - 24th Oct 2011

A magnitude 4.5 earthquake has struck Eastern New Guinea Region, Papua New Guinea at a depth of just 187.8 km ( 116.7 miles), the quake hit at 16:26:37 UTC Monday 24th October 2011.
The epicenter was 120 km ( 74 miles) East of Madang, New Guinea, Papua New Guinea
No Tsunami Warning Issued - No Reports of Injuries Damage

NYC artist Marni Kotak plans birth as performance art: Has society reached the point of absurdity?

The bedroom is brightly decorated with ocean blue walls, family pictures and photo-imprinted pillows and blankets of the mother-to-be. An inflatable birthing pool and air mattress for the midwife and doula lie near the bed. A soundtrack of the ocean plays nonstop.

Marni Kotak has created a cozy environment for the birth of her first child. But the bedroom is not in her home. It is in a Brooklyn art gallery.

The 36-year-old Kotak is a performance artist who has created a home-birth center at the Microscope Gallery where she plans to deliver her baby as a work of art sometime in the next few weeks.

The gallery has extended the days it is open to all seven days a week so Kotak - as part of the project - can develop a rapport with members of the public who come to see "The Birth of Baby X."

She and her painter-husband, Jason Robert Bell, don't know the baby's gender and have not picked out a name.

About 20 people a day stop by to talk to Kotak or see the free exhibit, which opened Oct. 8. Visitors can leave contact information if they want to return for the birth.

Kotak said her audience "won't be total strangers." She said those who spend time talking to her about motherhood, birth and art and learning about the project will be notified when she goes into labor. If she's home at the time, she will go to the gallery.

"I'm developing an authentic relationship with these people," she said. "For me, it's like building a community of people who are really interested in this."

About 15 people, mostly those on the list plus the birthing team, are expected to witness the birth - the most the room can comfortably hold.

She doesn't plan to talk to her audience. "However, I never know how a performance will progress and sometimes unexpected things happen," she said.

Kotak's husband will document everything. No other cameras or video will be allowed. Should there be an emergency, a hospital is less than half a mile away. more

McCain raises prospect of military option in Syria

US Senator John McCain raised the prospect Sunday of possible armed intervention to protect civilians in Syria where a crackdown on pro-democracy protests has killed more than 3,000 people.

"Now that military operations in Libya are ending, there will be renewed focus on what practical military operations might be considered to protect civilian lives in Syria," McCain told a World Economic Forum meeting in Jordan.

McCain, the top Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's "regime should not consider that it can get away with mass murder.

Libya's ousted leader Moamer Kadhafi, who was captured and killed on Thursday, "made that mistake and it cost him everything," he said.

"There are even growing calls among the opposition for some foreign military intervention. We hear these pleas for assistance. We are listening to and engaging with the (opposition) National Council," he added.

The United Nations has said more than 3,000 people, including 187 children, have been killed in a fierce crackdown on dissent since mid-March.

"The Syrian revolution may now be entering a new phase. The opposition has formed the Syrian National Council seeking to better organise itself. There are increasing reports of defections from the army," said McCain.

"More Syrians appear to be taking up arms against the regime."

McCain charged that "dark forces in this region, especially in Iran, are working harder than ever to hijack the promise of what many are calling the Arab Spring.

"These concerns are real and legitimate and merit our vigilance." morew

Merrill Lynch Warns of Another U.S. Debt Downgrade... By Year's End

The United States is in for another credit downgrade by year’s end if Congress fails to agree on a long-term plan to tame the nation’s $14.8 trillion debt, Merrill Lynch warned.

In a research note, the Bank of America unit predicts that either Moody’s or Fitch will move to downgrade the U.S. AAA rating. Standard & Poor’s cut the nation’s bond rating in August, causing the stock and bond markets to swoon, after months of bickering by Congress on how to best reduce spending and cut the deficit. The United States spends about 40 percent more annually than it collects in taxes.

“The credit rating agencies have strongly suggested that further rating cuts are likely if Congress does not come up with a credible long-run plan” to cut the deficit, Merrill’s North American economist, Ethan Harris, wrote in the Friday report. ”Hence, we expect at least one credit downgrade in late November or early December when the super committee crashes.”

Instead of agreeing on spending cuts or new taxes, Congress and the president appointed a bipartisan ”super committee” to reach a deal to reduce the U.S. deficit by at least $1.2 trillion by Nov. 23. If there’s no deal, automatic across-the-board cuts mostly in discretionary spending would occur. Congress would be free to stop any or all of those reductions, if it chooses and the president agrees.

Moody’s Investors Service hasn’t said what it will do if there’s no deal, but it has placed U.S. credit under review for a possible downgrade. more

EU bank failures will crash Wall Street — again

Worst-case scenario’s closing fast: Occupy Wall Street growing. But no political power or allies yet. Feared yes, attacked by GOP proxy tea party. Soon the Occupation will explode into a new American Revolution.

When? A string of European bank collapses is dead ahead. And like the Arab Spring, they will trigger an economic disaster for American banks.

Yes, coming soon says Martin Weiss in his “7 Major Advance Warnings,” which is “bound to have a life-changing impact on nearly all investors in the U.S. and around the globe.” His new Weiss Ratings warnings are the “most important” in a 40-year career. The stress on Wall Street banks will force them back to Congress for more bailouts.

Warning eight: No new bailouts. That will push the economy into a deep recession.

Then what? New Glass-Steagall? Not enough. Tax the rich? Not enough. Perp walks? Not enough. Presidential commission? Useless promises. Occupy Wall Street will fail without a fundamental constitutional change. No compromise. Or Wall Street wins, again. We go back to the same free market, deregulated, too-greedy to-fail, conservative Reaganomics policies that have been destroying democracy for a generation. more

New York shootings increase 154% in two weeks

Bullets are flying over Broadway -- and everywhere else in the city.

The number of people shot surged 154 percent two weeks ago -- to 56 from 22 over the same week last year -- and spiked 28 percent in the last month.

Last week tallied another increase in victims -- 22 people had been hit through Friday, including the three victims gunned down outside a Brooklyn school Friday.

Last year, only 17 shooting victims were logged for the entire week.

The recent gunplay has now pushed the number of shooting victims this year slightly above last year’s tragic tally -- to 1,484 from 1,451 -- through Oct. 16.

Four high-ranking cops point the finger at Occupy Wall Street protesters, saying their rallies pull special crime-fighting units away from the hot zones where they’re needed.

Since Occupy Wall Street took over Zuccotti Park on Sept. 17, the NYPD has relied heavily on its borough task forces, the department’s go-to teams for rowdy crowds.

But such protest duty takes the special units away from their regular jobs -- patrolling public housing and problem spots and staking out nightclubs plagued by violence, supervisors said.

“Normally, the task force is used in high-crime neighborhoods where you have a lot of shootings and robberies,” said one source.

“They are always used when there are spikes in crime as a quick fix. But instead of being sent to Jamaica, Brownsville and the South Bronx, they are in Wall Street.”

Another NYPD boss is troubled by the resulting slowdown in stop-and-frisks.

When OWS marches, as many as 3,000 cops a day could be called on to keep the peace. That’s about 10 percent of the total force.

“The city is going crazy with demonstrations and protests, and I’m lucky if I can get four cars out there,” said Deputy Inspector Ted Berntsen, commander of the 13th precinct in Chelsea. more

Maybe if they stopped Big Brothering the Occupy Wall Street protestors and other citizens they'd have enough police to handle actual criminals?

Mandatory New York Sex Education includes Porn Stars and Beastiality

Details about the new sex education curriculum in New York City public schools are out -- and some are concerned the lessons are too racy.

The New York Post obtained workbooks that will be used for the new recommended curriculum, which begins in middle schools and high schools around the city next spring. Parents, they say, may be shocked by details of the work.

Middle school students will be assigned "risk cards" that rate the safety of different activities, the paper says, from French kissing to oral sex.

The workbooks for older students direct them to a website run by Columbia University, which explores topics such as sexual positions, porn stars, and bestiality. The lessons explain risky sexual behavior and suggest students go to stores to jot condom brands and prices.

The Department of Education says the curriculum "stresses that abstinence is the best way to avoid pregnancy and STD/HIV" and reminded the Post that parents have the option to exclude their kids from lessons on "methods of prevention." more

Twelve killed in heavy fighting in Yemeni capital Sanaa

At least 12 people have been killed in clashes between government troops and a renegade army unit in the Yemeni capital Sanaa.

Dozens of people were also injured in Saturday's violence.

The fighting broke out between renegade soldiers and government forces in the Hasaba district.

On Friday, the UN Security Council urged President Ali Abdullah Saleh to step down immediately in return for immunity from prosecution.

The Hasaba district has been the scene of a tense standoff for months between forces loyal to President Saleh and troops who have sided with protesters demanding that the president, who has ruled for 33 years, should step down.

The renegade soldiers are led by Ali Mohsen al-Ahmar, a general who broke ranks with Mr Saleh after protesters began almost daily demonstrations in February.

Rocket-propelled grenades, mortars and automatic weapons were used in the Hasaba, Soufan and Nahda districts in the north of the city.

Gunmen loyal to tribal leader Sadeq al-Ahmar were also involved in the fighting on the side of the renegade unit.

Witnesses said they heard explosions across the city, and saw fire and plumes of smoke rising from several neighbourhoods where opposition forces are stationed. more

Tropical Storm Rina expected to strenghten in western Caribbean

Tropical Storm Rina churned over the western Caribbean Sea Monday morning, leaving heavy rain in northeastern Honduras.

As of 5 a.m. ET, Rina was about 130 miles (210 kilometers) northeast of the eastern tip of the Honduran/Nicaraguan border, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami. It was also about 195 miles (310 kilometers) south-southwest of Grand Cayman island.

Rina packed maximum sustained winds of 40 mph (65 kph) and was moving north-northwest at 6 mph (9 kph).

"A gradual turn toward the west is expected over the next 48 hours," the Hurricane Center said Monday morning. Rina is also expected to strengthen over the next two days.

Rina is expected to drop a total of 1 to 3 inches of rain along the northeastern coast of Honduras, with maximum amounts of 5 inches possible in some spots, according to the Hurricane Center. The rainfall could cause "flash flooding and mudslides over mountainous terrain."

In addition, 1 to 3 inches of rain could fall on the Cayman Islands.

A projection map indicates Rina will head toward the Yucatan Peninsula by the end of this week. However, such long-range forecasts are subject to change. source

Unborn children sold to highest bidder

Argentina's lessons for Greece

In December 2001, Argentina defaulted on $100 billion in debt -- the largest default in history. The move ushered in an era of utter chaos: five presidents in two weeks, cash and food shortages, deadly riots and dire poverty.

According to analysts, the crash occurred because of Argentina's enormous debt load, high public spending and overvalued currency. Greece now carries similar burdens, which has led some observers to suggest that Greece should follow Argentina's example and default and devalue.

With protests still under way in Athens, Greece's future remains murky, but in Buenos Aires, the decade since Argentina's economic collapse has been nothing short of remarkable.

South America's second-largest economy has bounced back from the brink and shaped a most unlikely recovery, driven by high commodities demand from China and a series of unorthodox economic policies that worked to help shelter Argentina from much of the economic malaise that is gripping the rest of the planet right now.

Argentina has enjoyed eight straight years of near 8 percent economic growth, and looks poised for more gains in 2012, factors that should help guide President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner to a landslide re-election victory on October 23. more

'Catch or kill' order for killer shark in Western Australia

A hunt is under way off the coast of Western Australia for a Great White shark which killed a US diver.

George Thomas Wainwright, 32, from Texas, was diving off Rottnest Island near Perth when he was killed.

Fisheries officials have issued a kill order and laid baited hooks in the hope of capturing what is believed to be a 3m (10ft) Great White.

Mr Wainwright is the third person to be killed by a shark along Australia's west coast in recent weeks. watch video here

Immune system defect may cause Chronic Fatigue System (When will they admit that it's a stealth virus?)

Researchers in Norway believe Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), also known as ME, may be caused by a wayward immune system attacking the body.

The illness, the cause of which is uncertain and has no known cure, has attracted significant controversy.

A small study, reported in PLoS One, showed a cancer drug, which inhibited the immune system, relieved symptoms in some patients.

The ME Association said the findings were "very encouraging news".

Doctors in Norway stumbled across their first clue in 2004 when treating a patient with both Hodgkin's lymphoma, a cancer of the white blood cells, and CFS.

When she received cancer treatment, her fatigue symptoms improved for five months. more

12 hurt in grenade attack in Nairobi night club: Kenya

Twelve people were injured when someone either placed or threw a grenade into a Nairobi night club early Monday morning, Kenyan police said.

Police have not linked the attack to any particular group, but it comes a day after the U.S. Embassy in Kenya warned it had credible information of an imminent terror attack.

"We have not yet linked attacks to anybody as we are still investigating," said police spokesman Charles Owino. "We will give you an answer when we're satisfied with what we have. It could be Al-Shabaab or an individual. We are still investigating."

In its warning over the weekend, the U.S.Embassy did not offer details on who might carry out such an attack, but said it has taken measures to limit official U.S. government visits. It urged its citizens to consider deferring travel to Kenya.

The attack is likely to target places that foreigners congregate in Kenya, including malls and night clubs, the embassy said.

The warning comes after Kenya sent troops across the border into Somalia to pursue Islamist Al-Shabaab militants. The terror group has threatened Kenya with retaliatory attacks, saying it considers the forces' incursion an affront to Somalia's sovereignty. more

Floods reach Bangkok airport, force evacuations

Floodwaters in Bangkok have reached Don Muang Airport, one of the Thai capital's two main airports and home to the flood relief operation command, which may have to move to another location, according to the governor.

In addition to Don Muang, residents in five other areas should prepare for floods, move their belongings to upper floors and take shelter at evacuation centers, Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra said in a news conference on Monday.

Thammasat University's gymnasium, which has been used as an evacuation center, is also flooded and without electricity and is itself being evacuated, the governor added.

As a remedy, about 4,000 people will be bused to Rajamangala Stadium in central Bangkok with the help of 300-400 volunteers, according to the governor.

In the east, the industrial estates of Lat Krabang and Bang Chan remained under threat, and volunteers were sought for help with sandbagging.

The governor urged the public not to panic and to follow his reports closely.

In an interview with CNN on Sunday Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said authorities were trying to control the water levels by using all the dams and dikes to cope with an unusually heavy rainy season.

Protecting Bangkok was a priority because it comprises the economic heart of Thailand, she said. "But it doesn't mean we have no concern for the people who are suffering from the flooding," she added. more

5.0 Magnitude Earthquake EASTERN TURKEY - 24th Oct 2011

A magnitude 5.0 earthquake has struck Eastern Turkey at a depth of 12.4 km ( 7.7 miles), the quake hit at 15:28:06 UTC Monday 24th October 2011.
The epicenter was 23 km ( 14 miles) Northwest of Van, Turkey

264 Confirmed dead and as many as 1300 more missing.

WikiLeaks halts publication to raise money

WikiLeaks announced that it was temporarily stopping publication Monday to "aggressively fundraise" in order to stay afloat.

A financial blockade by Bank of America, VISA, MasterCard, PayPal and Western Union has destroyed 95% of WikiLeaks' revenue, organization founder Julian Assange said.

"Our scarce resources now must focus entirely on fighting this unlawful banking blockade," Assange said. "If this financial attack stands unchallenged, a dangerous, oppressive and undemocratic precedent will have been set, the implications of which go far beyond WikiLeaks and its work."

Speaking in front of a backdrop that showed upside-down logos of VISA, MasterCard, Bank of America and PayPal, Assange said his organization, which facilitates the anonymous leaking of secret information, had been running off cash reserves for 11 months.

Many financial institutions stopped doing business with the site after it published a trove of confidential U.S. diplomatic cables late last year, and donations have been stymied.

U.S. authorities have said disclosing the classified information was illegal and caused risks to individuals and national security. more

Failed asylum seeker who has dodged deportation for a decade told he can stay... because he goes to the GYM...Yep Human Rights strikes again

Note: Just to make it clear to anyone outside of the UK , we the taxpayer paid for all these failed court attempts to get this asylum seeker out. We continue to pay his medical his rent and his living costs. Because he has remained in the UK funded by us the taxpayer he has made a nice group of friends and goes to the Gym so it would of course be VIOLATING his HUMAN RIGHTS to deport him according to a Judge.

HE DOESN'T EVEN HAVE A CAT!!

Well just have one thing to say 'Theresa May get your act together or I will remove you from our Heroes section". The only reason I put you in there was because you vowed to do something about this stupid law or is it all talk like the rest of your party?

And the French president has a nerve to tell Cameron not to interfere?

A failed asylum seeker who has dodged deportation from Britain for nearly a decade has been told he can stay – because he goes to the gym.

Amir Beheshti, 40, has been trying to get refugee status for seven years, but was repeatedly turned down by the courts, who ruled he would not suffer if he returned to his home country Iran.

But he has now told judges he has a private life that involves going for work-outs with his friends – which means his human rights would be violated if he was deported.

The controversial legal ruling by Scotland’s Court of Session means he will be allowed to continue living rent-free in his publicly funded flat and claiming a weekly allowance.

Earlier this month, a top Scottish judge issued a written decision in which he agreed the case should be referred back to Home Secretary Theresa May for fresh consideration.

This effectively means the threat of deportation has been removed and Beheshti is free to remain in Scotland indefinitely. Read More

Libya leader orders investigation in Gaddafi's death after growing International Pressure - 24th Oct 2011

Libya's transitional leader Mustafa Abdul Jalil on Monday said an investigation will begin into the death of slain leader Moamer Gaddafi, whose body has remained unburied since he was killed on Thursday.

Abdul Jalil said the National Transitional Council formed a committee to investigate the killing, in response to international calls amid conflicting reports of how the deposed leader died, DPA reported.

"All Libyans were keen to try Gaddafi for his crimes. ... Free Libyans wanted him to be imprisoned and humiliated," he told a press conference in the eastern city of Benghazi.

Abdul Jalil said that Gaddafi's loyalists were the ones who had an interest in killing him. Source

Note: Of course the rebels would never execute a prisoner of war, was it also the Gaddafi Loyalists that Executed the 53 hand bound loyalist prisoners in the hotel? or what about the hundreds of loyalists executed in the Hospital?

I am all for a country taking down a dictator, however does it make us any better when our armies or the Libyan people start acting the same way and carrying out the same cold blooded executions that Gaddafi was accused of?

4.9 Magnitude Earthquake KERMADEC ISLANDS REGION - 24th Oct 2011

A magnitude 4.9 earthquake has struck the Kermadec Islands Region at a depth of 36.2 km ( 22.5 miles), the quake hit at 11:49:58 UTC Monday 24th October 2011.
The epicenter was 166 km ( 103 miles) ESE of Raoul Island, Kermadec Islands
No Tsunami Warning Issued - No Reports of Injuries or Damage at this time.

Turkey fears volcano eruption, Nemrut Dağı Volcano, Lake Van, Eastern Turkey - 24th Oct 2011

TURKISH seismologists fear that the earthquakes that hit the province of Van on Sunday can cause eruption of Nemrut volcano located northwards of Lake Van, PanArmenian reported.

Mt Nemrut is near Tatvan, a small town in the eastern Anatolian province of Bitlis. The mountain rises from the southwestern shore of Lake Van, and enters the district of Ahlat to the north. Source

Nemrut Dağı

Mt Nemrut Dağı is a dormant volcano close to lake Van, near Tatvan a small town in Eastern Anatolian Province of Bitlis, Eastern Turkey. The Mountain rises from the Southwestern Shore of Lake Van at a height of 3.050 m (10.007 ft)

The caldera has a Diameter of 7 by 8 km (4 by 5 Miles) and contains a large cold-water crater lake of about 155 m (509 ft) deep.

There is also a smaller lake where waters reach temperatures of 60 C (140 F) providing Evidence of volcanic activity.

Last known eruption 1597

Turkey Earthquake 2011: More than 230 dead, 1,300 more hurt - 24th Oct 2011

Using shovels, heavy machinery and their bare hands, rescue workers scrambled through piles of rubble to find survivors Monday after a deadly 7.2-magnitude earthquake devastated parts of eastern Turkey.

There were conflicting reports about the number dead. As many as 264 people are dead and 1,300 are injured after Sunday's quake, Interior Minister Idris Naim Sahin told reporters Monday. However, Deputy Prime Minister Besir Atalay put the death toll at 239 in a news conference.

It was difficult to tally the number of injured, Health Minister Recep Akdag said, because many were being treated and released.

The military was assisting with search and rescue efforts, Atalay said.

Numerous aftershocks -- the largest a magnitude 6.0 -- rattled eastern Turkey, one of the nation's poorest areas. Read More

Note: This destruction was caused by a 6.6 Magnitude, the world and it's cat are calling this earthquake a 7.2.. except for the Turkish Kandilli Observatory and Earthquake Research Institute who have also listed this as a 6.6 Magnitude. and I am sure they would know.

In Addition the stations also point to this being a much lower magnitude with 10 stations measuring this earthquake at a 7.0 and 1 station measuring this earthquake at a 7.3 Magnitude, that leaves the data from a further 53 stations, which measured this earthquake from 5.6 Magnitude to a 6.9 Magnitude

4.2 Magnitude Earthquake DODECANESE ISLANDS, GREECE - 24th Oct 2011

A magnitude 4.2 earthquake has struck the Dodecanese Islands, Greece at a depth of 12 km ( 7.4 miles), the quake hit at 10:14:41 UTC Monday 24th October 2011.
The epicenter was 35 km ( 21.7 miles) South of Dalaman, Dodecanese Islands, Greece
No Tsunami Warning Issued - No Reports of Injuries or Damage at this time.

4.1 Magnitude Earthquake OFFSHORE GUERRERO, MEXICO - 24th Oct 2011

A magnitude 4.1 earthquake has struck offshore Guerrero, Mexico at a depth of just 14.1 km ( 8.8 miles), the quake hit at 10:17:01 UTC Monday 24th October 2011.
The epicenter was 96 km ( 59 miles) Southeast of Acapulco, Mexico
No Tsunami Warning Issued - No Reports of Injuries Damage

$10,000 reward for sadist who shot hawk through head with a nail gun, Northern California wildlife centre - 24th Oct 2011

A red-tailed hawk that rescuers said was shot in the head with a nail gun was recovering Sunday at a Northern California wildlife centre.

The hawk, captured in a San Francisco park by rescuers yesterday, was doing 'very well' while being cared for at the Wildlife Center of Silicon Valley in San Jose, said Rebecca Dmytryk, executive director of the Monterey-based group WildRescue.

'The nail dislodged and dropped out during transport with no sign of additional trauma and no bleeding,' Ms Dmytryk said.

The juvenile bird was trapped on Saturday evening at the San Francisco Botanical Gardens. It was immediately transported to the wildlife centre where specialists stayed late to receive it, Ms Dmytryk said.

WildRescue had been notified of the injured bird nearly a week ago and had tried to trap it several times last week without success.

But observers got close enough to the bird to see the nail extending from its cheek through the front of its head. They said the hawk appeared to be in pain.

Ms Dmytryk's group had been using a trap called a bal-chatri, a trap made of wire mesh, to try to catch the injured hawk.

Rescuers believe someone intentionally hurt the hawk earlier this month. A reward of $10,000 has been offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of whomever harmed the bird. Read More

French president tries to bar Cameron from single currency meeting - When Europe Collapses they may finally stop acting like spoiled brats!

French President Nicolas Sarkozy told David Cameron he was ‘sick’ of his advice over the eurozone crisis last night as the EU summit ended in acrimony and indecision.

The pair clashed because Britain was pushing for a full meeting of all 27 EU leaders next week, rather than allowing the 17 countries in the euro to stitch up a deal on their own.

‘We’re sick of you criticising us and telling us what to do,’ the French leader is said to have told the Prime Minister in Brussels. ‘You say you hate the euro, you didn’t want to join and now you want to interfere in our meetings.’

Mr Cameron’s gift of a pink woollen blanket for Mr Sarkozy’s new baby daughter Giulia apparently did little to lighten the mood. Read More

Note: Now we are told by the French that we are not in the EURO and shouldn't interfere, if that is the case why are we paying for it and why are they constantly interfering with our legal systems, they were weak enough without Brussels now they are just a joke for any Tom, Dick and Harry who breaks the law.

Swim centre evacuated due to chlorine leak, Australia - 24th Oct 2011

Dozens of people have been evacuated from the State Aquatic Centre at Marion in Adelaide's southern suburbs.

Chlorine from a tank leaked into the ventilation system.

Paramedics have checked people affected by the fumes and three staff have been taken to Flinders Medical Centre.

Chief executive at the complex John Summers says the incident will be fully investigated.

"We had two staff who were attending to the chlorine gas, which is the major water treatment system here and unfortunately there was a problem in the changeover of those cylinders," he said.

"We contacted the fire brigade immediately."

He says all evacuation procedures went smoothly. Read More

4.7 Magnitude Earthquake EASTERN TURKEY - 24th Oct 2011

A magnitude 4.7 earthquake has struck Eastern Turkey at a depth of 6.3 km ( 3.9 miles), the quake hit at 08:28:27 UTC Monday 24th October 2011.
The epicenter was 18 km ( 11 miles) Northeast of Van, Turkey

217 Confirmed dead, fear is growing as the search for survivors continues, officials estimate the death toll could reach 1000.

Note: Every few hours I will start a new article for the Eastern Turkey earthquakes, with hundreds of aftershocks it would take me days to start a post for each one. You will see the details for the aftershocks measuring 4.0 Magnitude or higher within these posts listed by time and date.

4.8 Magnitude - Depth 6.7 km - Time: 08:49:20 UTC
4.6 Magnitude - Depth 2 km - Time: 10:30:19 UTC

34 dead in India bridge collapse - 24th Oct 2011

A bridge collapse in India's tea-producing region of Darjeeling has left at least 34 people dead, officials said.

Another 102 people were injured, said Debabrata Pal of West Bengal state disaster management.

The collapse took place Saturday, when people had assembled on a bridge for a public meeting, Pal said. One end of the bridge caved in, plunging into the river below. Source

Floods reach Bangkok airport, force evacuations - 24th Oct 2011

Floodwaters in Bangkok have reached Don Muang Airport, one of the Thai capital's two main airports and home to the flood relief operation command, which may have to move to another location, according to the governor.

In addition to Don Muang, residents in five other areas should prepare for floods, move their belongings to upper floors and take shelter at evacuation centers, Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra said in a news conference on Monday.

Thammasat University's gymnasium, which has been used as an evacuation center, is also flooded and without electricity and is itself being evacuated, the governor added.

As a remedy, about 4,000 people will be bused to Rajamangala Stadium in central Bangkok with the help of 300-400 volunteers, according to the governor.

In the east, the industrial estates of Lat Krabang and Bang Chan remained under threat, and volunteers were sought for help with sandbagging. Read More

53 apparent Gadhafi loyalists found Executed with their hand tied behind their back found in Libyan hotel

The bodies of 53 people, believed to be supporters of ousted Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi, has been found in a hotel that was under the control of anti-Gadhafi fighters, Human Rights Watch said Monday.

The rights group said it found the bodies clustered together at Hotel Mahari in Sirte on Sunday. About 20 residents were putting the bodies in body bags to prepare them for burial when Human Rights Watch found them.

"We found 53 decomposing bodies, apparently (Gadhafi) supporters, at an abandoned hotel in Sirte, and some had their hands bound behind their backs when they were shot," said Peter Bouckaert, emergencies director of Human Rights Watch.

"This requires the immediate attention of the Libyan authorities to investigate what happened and hold accountable those responsible."

Officials with the National Transitional Council, Libya's new leadership, were not immediately available for comment.

The residents told Human Rights Watch investigators they found the bodies last week after the fighting in Sirte stopped and they returned home.

They identified some of the deceased as Sirte residents and Gadhafi supporters. Read More