Flame virus doesn't pose a risk to the public... yet

Ever since word of the Flame virus first got out the superlatives have come in thick and fast.

Analysts have competed with themselves to describe it as the most complex, the deadliest, largest and most comprehensive virus ever uncovered. In many ways it is all these things and more. But does it pose a risk to the average internet user?

The short answer at the moment is no. Whoever created Flame did it with a very specific agenda – the targeted acquisition of intelligence on very specific networks primarily in the Middle East.

While it is frighteningly capable, it is not particularly infectious. When organised criminals create malware they often try to make their product as virulent as possible. The more computers you infect, the bigger pool you get to swim in looking for ways to make money and pilfer data.

Flame is a much stealthier beast. Most likely the product of a nation state, it has been created to surreptitiously infiltrate designated networks and harvest as much data as possible without being detected. Read More

Qatar mall fire - 5 Arrested

Arrest orders have been issued for the owner of a fire-ravaged mall and four others after the blaze killed 19 people, including 13 children, Qatar's attorney general said.

The official Qatar News Agency said attorney general Ali bin Feitais al-Marri had also ordered the arrest of the owner of the daycare centre where the children and four workers died in Monday's fire at the Gulf nation's biggest mall.

The others facing arrest are mall officials, including the director of security.

Sprinkler systems malfunctioned at the Villaggio complex, bringing calls for sweeping safety and licensing reviews. Read More

Italy: Search For Survivors After Powerful Quake Devastates North Of The Country

The search for survivors is continuing in Italy after a powerful earthquake struck the north of the country, killing at least 16 people and leaving an estimated 14,000 homeless.

A 65-year-old woman has been rescued from the rubble of her home in Cavezzo - but it is feared many more people could still be trapped.

Thousands of people huddled out of doors after the region's second earthquake in less than two weeks as officials warned of more aftershocks.

Tuesday's quake, which injured 200 people, came just nine days after an earlier tremor claimed six lives and left 7,000 without a home. Read More

Argentina Missing Climbers: One Found Dead

One of the 15 climbers who went missing during an attempt to scale a glacier-carved monument in the Andes died before rescue efforts got under way.

The rest of the group were found by rescuers after hitting trouble on a climb of the Pincheira Castles, a natural monument formed by glaciers in Argentina's Mendoza province.

It is a popular area for campers and hikers with an altitude of 2,000m (6,500ft).

The climber who died was a 28-year-old woman, said Daniel Gomez, Natural Resources secretary for Mendoza province. The circumstances of how the victim died were unclear.

The other 14 climbers were unharmed and had descended the mountain when they were found by rescuers in an area known as Cajon de la Mina, 750 miles west of Buenos Aires.

The group, which police said included a 15-year old, set off on Saturday to climb the monument in preparation for scaling Mount Aconcagua, the highest peak in the Americas at 6,900m (nearly 23,000ft).

Police officer Miguel Guajardo earlier said the 15 were all experienced climbers. Source

4.4 Magnitude Earthquake COLOMBIA - 30th May 2012

A magnitude 4.4 earthquake has struck Colombia at a depth of 157.2 km (97.7 miles), the quake hit at 00:57:50 UTC Wednesday 30th May 2012
The epicenter was 50 km (31 miles) WSW of Tunja, Colombia
No Reports of Damage or Injuries at this time

4.2 Magnitude Earthquake OAXACA, MEXICO - 29th May 2012

A magnitude 4.2 earthquake has struck Oaxaca, Mexico at a depth of 10 km (6.2 miles), the quake hit at 22:44:29 UTC Tuesday 29th May 2012
The epicenter was 135 km (83 miles) South of Huajuapan de Leon, Oaxaca, Mexico
No Tsunami Warning Issued - No Reports of Damage or Injuries at this time

Wayne Carter: Hackensack Man Stabbed Himself, Threw His Skin And Intestines At Officers (Seriously, what's going on with the world lately?)

A man who stabbed himself and threw pieces of his skin and intestines at police officers trying to subdue him was hospitalized in critical condition on Monday, authorities said.

Officers encountered 43-year-old Wayne Carter on Sunday morning when they responded to reports of a man barricaded in a room in Hackensack and threatening to harm himself, Lt. John Heinemann said.

Two officers kicked in the door and saw Carter in a corner, holding a knife in his hand, police said. Carter, ignoring the officers’ orders to drop the knife, stood up and stabbed himself in the abdomen, legs and neck, they said.

Carter yelled at the officers and took an aggressive stance, and the officers used pepper spray in a bid to subdue him, but it had no effect, Heinemann said.

Police said that Carter then cut off pieces of his skin and intestines and threw them at the officers.

The officers decided to retreat and call in the Bergen County SWAT team, Heinemann said. Carter finally was restrained and was taken to a hospital just before midnight. more

Syria: Military Action An Option Says France

UN and Arab League special envoy Kofi Annan has warned the violence in Syria had reached "tipping point", as France said military intervention should not be ruled out.

Mr Annanheld a press conference after holding "frank" talks with Syria's President Bashar al Assad, while governments across the globe expelled senior Syrian diplomats in response to the killing of at least 108 people in Houla on Friday, including 49 children and 34 women.

He urged Mr Assad to "act now" to bring an end to the bloodshed.

"We are at a tipping point. The Syrian people do not want the future to be one of bloodshed and division. Yet the killings continue and the abuses are still with us today," he said.

"Let me stress once again: the violence must stop and the six point plan must be implemented. I need the president to act now. I need other parties to do their part." Read More

Break up the euro and restore human dignity! - Nigel Farage

US drone strikes kill 31 in 72 hours

Iran launches super-heavy submarine

Italy earthquake: Video of house collapsing after killer quake shakes Modena

Slaughter in Syria's uprising is quickly turning into a PR battle

New Face of Terror: FBI creates bogeyman out of Occupy

'Syria must curb armed gangs with iron fist'

4.4 Magnitude Earthquake NORTHERN ITALY - 29th May 2012

A magnitude 4.4 earthquake has struck Northern Italy at a depth of 13.1 km (8.1 miles), the quake hit at 18:28:01 UTC Tuesday 29th May 2012
The epicenter was 55 km (34 miles) ENE from Parma, Italy

Indonesia's Mt. Soputan status raised to standby‎

The Vulcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation Center (PVMBG) has raised the alert status of Mt. Soputan in Minahasa and Southeast Minahasa regencies in North Sulawesi to level 3 -- meaning "standby" -- from the previous level 2 (alert), following increasing levels of volcanic activity.

"Based on our observations, as of 3 p.m. on Monday, Mt. Soputan's alert status was raised to level 3," center head Surono said on Monday evening.

According to Surono, increasing activity had been detected since May 25, when the volcano spew out white smoke to heights of between 50 meters and 75 meters above the mountain's peak.

The center has recorded dozens of different types of activity since then. The center's highest alert status for volcanoes is level 4 (on guard).

Surono has called on local residents to stay beyond a radius of six kilometers from the volcano's summit. Read More

Nevado del Ruiz volcano Covers Colombian Cities in Ash

Residents in western Colombia woke to find their cities and towns covered in volcanic ash Wednesday (May 29) after an area volcano with a deadly past began spewing an ash cloud as high as 1,000 meters (3,280 feet) into the atmosphere.

Local authorities raised the alert for Colombia's Nevado del Ruiz volcano from yellow to orange indicating an eruption was likely in the coming days or weeks, though not imminent. Source

Half-million pigs to be slaughtered in Chile health emergency

A half-million pigs on a Chilean farm will be destroyed after the facility was closed for several days during a dispute with local residents.

Jose Guzman, chief executive of Agrosuper, which owns the farm, said the animals would be killed rather than moved, according to a report from Agence-France Presse.

"They are going to be slaughtered. They are not going to another farm, nor to another plant," Guzman is quoted as saying.

The events that precipitated the slaughter began this month when villagers from Freirina blockaded the farm after months of protests about foul odors and disease-infested water they said emanated from the farm and its slaughterhouse. The 500,000 pigs went unattended for five days, prompting the Chilean government to declare a sanitary emergency, according to a report from MercoPress.

Agrosuper was given six months to move the pigs and remedy the sanitary problems with the plant, MercoPress reported. Read More

Iran diplomat plot an act of war?

Facebook Shares Continue to Fall

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -- Facebook shares fell below the $30 mark for the first time Tuesday amid speculation that it is preparing to buy Opera Software, a Norwegian mobile browser developer.

Shares of Facebook (FB) fell as low as $28.65, down 10.2%, in afternoon trading in New York before rebounding slightly. Shares of Facebook have now lost more than 24% of the initial offering price of $38 since its May 18 IPO, just over a week ago.

One analyst said Tuesday he doubted the talk about Facebook buying Opera would come to pass. Read More

Italy Earthquakes: Shaking nonstop for week

US hopes Syria massacre sparks change in Russia

WASHINGTON — The United States said Tuesday that it hopes the massacre in Syria sparks a "turning point" in Russia's reluctance to take tougher action against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Washington welcomes the fact "that the Russians are willing to have a full investigation (of the massacre) because we think it's undisputable what that investigation is going to show," State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said.

"It's going to show that these were regime-sponsored thugs who went into villages, went into homes and killed children at point blank-range and their parents. And the responsibility goes right back to the Assad regime," she said.

"From that perspective, is this going to be a turning point in Russian thinking? We hope so," she told reporters when asked if Washington saw signs that Moscow is moving toward tougher action on Syria.

With Russian and Chinese support, the UN Security Council on Sunday strongly condemned the Syrian government for using artillery in a massacre in which at least 108 people were killed and 300 others injured. Read More

Israeli Minister Defends Virus Aimed At Iran

The use of cyber weapons that target Iran - such as the recently discovered Flame virus - are "reasonable", a top Israeli minister has claimed.

The new malware, discovered by a Russian computer company, is thought to have unprecedented destructive potential.

Flame was aimed primarily at Iran, but also affected Israeli and Palestinian territories, Sudan, Syria and Lebanon, Kaspersky Lab said.

The company, one of the world's largest anti-virus software producers, detected the malware a month after Iran said it managed to stop a data-deleting virus targeting its oil sector.

Just hours after the discovery, Israel’s vice prime minister said: "For anyone who sees the Iranian threat as significant, it is reasonable that he would take different steps, including these, in order to hobble it.”

Minister Moshe Yaalon added: "Israel is blessed with being a country which is technologically rich, and these tools open up all sorts of possibilities for us." Read More

15 Missing Mountaineers In Argentina

Rescue teams have been searching for 15 mountaineers missing as they tried to climb a monument in the Andes foothills in western Argentina.

The group, which police said includes several women and a 15-year-old youth, left on Saturday to scale the Pincheira Castles, around 17 miles west of Malargue.

It is a natural monument carved by glaciers in the Mendoza province - an area popular with campers and hikers that has an altitude of 2,000 metres (6,500ft).

Rescue efforts have been hampered by bad weather, which prevented officials from sending helicopters to help with the search.

The group were climbing the monument in preparation for scaling the Andes' Mount Aconcagua.

This is the highest peak in the Americas at 6,900 metres (nearly 23,000ft.) Source

Facebook Share Price Falls By A Quarter To $30

Facebook's share price has dropped below $30 (£19) for the first time since its much-awaited stock flotation this month - a total fall of 23%.

The stock fell $2.40 (£1.53), or nearly 8%, to $29.40 (£18.75) in midday trading on Tuesday - and has plunged as low as $29.16 (£18.64) at stages in the day.

Facebook Inc began trading publicly on May 18 following one of the most anticipated stock offerings in history.

Its initial public offering saw stock priced at $38 (£24) and raised $16bn (£10bn) for Facebook and some of its early investors. It had valued the company at $104bn - a value that now stands at around £80bn. Read More

4.9 Magnitude Earthquake ANDREANOF ISLANDS, ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, ALASKA - 29th May 2012

A magnitude 4.9 earthquake has struck the Andreanof Islands, Aleutian Islands, Alaska at a depth of 18.3 km (11.4 miles), the quake hit at 16:37:24 UTC Tuesday 29th May 2012
The epicenter was 214 km (133 miles) WSW from Adak, Alaska
No Tsunami Warning Issued - No Reports of Damage or Injuries at this time

4.6 Magnitude Earthquake HOKKAIDO, JAPAN - 29th May 2012

A magnitude 4.6 earthquake has struck Hokkaido, Japan at a depth of 60 km (37.2 miles), the quake hit at 15:52:59 UTC Tuesday 29th May 2012
The epicenter was 59 km (36.6 miles) East of Shizunai, Hokkaido, Japan
No Reports of Damage or Injuries at this time

4.7 Magnitude Earthquake NORTHERN ITALY - 29th May 2012

A magnitude 4.7 earthquake has struck Northern Italy at a depth of 2 km (1.2 miles), the quake hit at 15:31:50 UTC Tuesday 29th May 2012
The epicenter was 3 km (1.8 miles) Southwest from San Benedetto Po, Italy

4.9 Magnitude Earthquake OFF EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN - 29th May 2012

A magnitude 4.9 earthquake has struck off the East Coast of Honshu, Japan at a depth of 20 km (12.4 miles), the quake hit at 15:17:42 UTC Tuesday 29th May 2012
The epicenter was 259 km (160.5 miles) East of Yamada, Honshu, Japan
No Tsunami Warning Issued - No Reports of Damage or Injuries at this time

4.0 Magnitude Earthquake NORTHERN ITALY - 29th May 2012

A magnitude 4.0 earthquake has struck Northern Italy at a depth of 20 km (12.4 miles), the quake hit at 14:39:43 UTC Tuesday 29th May 2012
The epicenter was 5 km (3.1 miles) Northwest of Mirandola, Italy

Iran 'finds fix' for sophisticated Flame malware

Iran says it has developed tools that can defend against the sophisticated cyber attack tool known as Flame.

The country is believed to have been hit hard by the malicious programme which infiltrates networks in order to steal sensitive data.

Security companies said Flame, named after one of its attack modules, is one of the most complex threats ever seen.

Iran says its home-grown defence could both spot when Flame is present and clean up infected PCs.

Hard work
Iran's National Computer Emergency Response Team (Maher) said in a statement that the detection and clean-up tool was finished in early May and is now ready for distribution to organisations at risk of infection.

Flame was discovered after the UN's International Telecommunications Union asked for help from security firms to find out what was wiping data from machines across the Middle East. Read More

The future of the euro is at stake: Spanish deputy PM

(Reuters) - Europe must move quickly with measures to pull Spain back from the brink of a debt crisis, with the future of the euro common currency at stake, Spanish Deputy Prime Minister Soraya Saenz de Santamaria said.

Saenz, a long-time politician in the centre-right People's Party, spoke with Reuters Editor-at-Large Harold Evans during a critical week for Spain as it seeks to fund a 19-billion-euro rescue of one of its biggest banks and the country's autonomous regions face a liquidity crunch.

Spain's borrowing cost hovered close to an unsustainable level on Tuesday - the yield on the benchmark 10-year government bond was 6.5 percent - as investors worry costly rescues of the regions and banks will push Spain's finances over the edge.

Spain has made enormous strides in containing its deficit and making its economy more competitive, Saenz said, but it needs European-wide measures to give confidence to the common currency and restore calm to markets. Read More

Assad to Annan: peace plan depends on 'end of terrorism'

BEIRUT — The success of Kofi Annan's six-point peace plan depends on "the end of terrorism," Syrian President Bashar al-Assad told the UN-Arab League envoy on Tuesday, state television reported.

"The success of the Annan plan depends on the end of terrorist acts and those who support them and the smuggling of weapons," Assad was quoted as saying.

States that "harbour and arm terrorist groups" should comply with the Annan plan, Assad added as he met with the envoy in Damascus, after 108 people were massacred at the weekend in what human rights groups accused the regime of carrying out.

Damascus has denied responsibility for the Houla massacre, blaming foreign-funded "terrorist groups" instead. Read More

Italy 5.8 Earthquake Death Toll Climbs to 15

Rescue teams are frantically searching for survivors after a powerful earthquake in northern Italy - the second in nine days.

The 5.8-magnitude quake struck just after 9am local time in an area that had already suffered substantial damage following a quake on May 20.

That seismic event left seven people dead and some 5,000 in temporary accommodation.

The latest tremor has claimed the lives of at least 15 people, and injured 200.

Factories, warehouses and churches collapsed, dealing another blow to a region where thousands are still homeless from a stronger tremor earlier this month.

There are fears other people could be dead beneath the rubble of buildings following the latest tragedy.

One of the victims was a parish priest at Rovereto di Novi, after part of the church he was in collapsed. He was named locally as Father Ivo Martini.

Dozens more people were reported injured, including a woman who jumped from the second floor of her apartment. Read More

Houla Massacre a fake? BBC illegally uses Marco Di Lauro's image of Iraqi victims as propaganda against the Syrian government (Must see!)

Italian photographer, Marco Di Lauro, has exposed the BBC which illegally used one of his photographs taken in Iraq as anti-Syrian Propaganda on their website's front page.

Di Lauro said: "Somebody is using illegally one of my images for anti Syrian propaganda on the BBC web site front page.

Today Sunday May 27 at 0700 am London time the attached image which I took in Al Mussayyib in Iraq on March 27, 2003 (see caption below) was front page on BBC web site illustrating the massacre that happen in Houla the Syrian town and the caption and the web site was stating that the images was showing the bodies of all the people that have been killed in the massacre and that the image was received by the BBC by an unknown activist. Somebody is using my images as a propaganda against the Syrian government to prove the massacre." more

Note: A must-see. This isn't the first time the BBC has used fake imagery to create a situation that never existed in the first place. This is also not the first time Western nations have used a false-flag event to beat the drums of war and formulate an excuse to drop their bombs. Shame on them.

5.1 Magnitude Earthquake NORTHERN ITALY - 29th May 2012

A magnitude 5.1 earthquake has struck Northern Italy at a depth of 10 km (6.2 miles), the quake hit at 11:00:25 UTC Tuesday 29th May 2012
The epicenter was 40 km (24.8 miles) NNW from Bologna, Italy

Italy Earthquake Death Toll reaches 10 as Strong After Shocks Continue to Plague the Areas

Rescue teams are frantically searching for survivors after a powerful earthquake in northern Italy - the second in nine days.

The 5.8-magnitude quake struck just after 9am local time in an area that had already suffered substantial damage following a quake on May 20.

That seismic event left seven people dead and some 5,000 in temporary accomodation.

Reports said the latest tremor has claimed the lives of at least 10 people, but there are fears more could be dead as several buildings had collapsed.

Authorities have not yet confirmed the death toll.

One of the victims was a parish priest at Rovereto di Novi, after part of the church he was in collapsed. He was named locally as Father Ivo Martini.

Dozens more people were reported injured, including a woman who jumped from the second floor of her apartment. Read More

Jacqueline Woodhouse Jailed for 21 weeks for her Racial Abuse on a Tube train

A woman whose racist abuse of fellow passengers on a packed Tube train became an internet hit has been jailed for 21 weeks.

Jacqueline Woodhouse, 42, from Romford in Essex was filmed ranting at passengers on a Central Line train in January.

The video, filmed by passenger Galbant Juttla, was uploaded onto YouTube and has now been viewed 200,000 times.

Mr Juttla was returning from a funeral when the incident happened.

Woodhouse is seen in the seven-minute video carrying out an expletive-laden rant at passengers.

She repeatedly asks them: "Where are you from? Where are you from?"

One passenger is heard to say: "I'm British." Read More

SKY SOURCES: BRITAIN HAS EXPELLED THE SYRIAN CHARGE D'AFFAIRES AND TWO OTHER DIPLOMATS

Mick Philpott wife Mairead Arrested on suspicion of murder of their SIX Children in Derby Fire

The parents of six children killed in an arson attack on their home have been
arrested on suspicion of murder.

Mick Philpott, 55, and his wife Mairead, 31, have been detained in connection with the attack on the house in Derby.

They are in custody and will be questioned later.

The fire broke out at the house, in Victory Road, Allenton, in the early hours of Friday, May 11.

Duwayne Philpott, 13, Jade Philpott, 10, and brothers John Philpott, nine, Jack Philpott, seven, Jessie Philpott, six, and Jayden Philpott, five, all died as a result of the fire.

Assistant Chief Constable Steve Cotterill said: "I suspect there may still be people with crucial information who have not yet come forward to speak to us.

"In view of the arrests, I would urge anyone who may have been holding back, not felt comfortable to voice their concerns or not had the confidence, to do so now. Read More

GERMANY ALSO ANNOUNCES EXPULSION OF SYRIAN AMBASSADOR.

5.6 Magnitude Earthquake NORTHERN ITALY - 29th May 2012

A magnitude 5.6 earthquake has struck Northern Italy at a depth of 9.9 km (6.2 miles), the quake hit at 10:55:57 UTC Tuesday 29th May 2012
The epicenter was 48 km (30 miles) Northwest from Bologna, Italy

Damage reported from the earlier 5.8 Magnitude earthquake with at least 10 dead and many more injured

Derby Fire Deaths: Man and Woman Arrested

Police investigating the deaths of six children in a fire in Derby have arrested two people on suspicion of murder.

A 55-year-old man and a 31-year-old woman, who are both from the city, were arrested this morning.

They are in custody and will be questioned later.

A fire broke out at the house, in Victory Road, Allenton, in the early hours of Friday, May 11.

Duwayne Philpott, 13, Jade Philpott, 10, and brothers John Philpott, nine, Jack Philpott, seven, Jessie Philpott, six, and Jayden Philpott, five, all died as a result of the fire.

Assistant Chief Constable Steve Cotterill said: "I suspect there may still be people with crucial information who have not yet come forward to speak to us.

"In view of the arrests, I would urge anyone who may have been holding back, not felt comfortable to voice their concerns or not had the confidence, to do so now.

"They have my personal reassurance that we will deal with their information sensitively. Read More

'Nine Dead' After Another Quake Hits Italy in 9 days

Rescue teams are frantically searching for survivors after a powerful earthquake in northern Italy - the second in nine days.

The 5.8-magnitude quake struck just after 9am local time in an area that had already suffered substantial damage following a quake on May 20.

That seismic event left seven people dead and some 5,000 in temporary accomodation.

Reports said the latest tremor has claimed the lives of at least nine people, but there are fears more could be dead as several buildings had collapsed.

The area affected was around 40km (25 miles) northwest of Bologna - the same region suffering a series of aftershocks following the earthquake in the early hours of May 20.

TV pictures showed crumpled buildings in nearby San Felice Panaro as rescuers clawed at rubble with their bare hands to reach survivors.

The town's mayor Alberto Silvestri said: "There have been victims, this is very serious." Read More

Emma Winnall has died After Vicious Beating

Great-grandmother Emma Winnall has died after suffering a severe beating in her home last month, police have said.

The 93-year-old was attacked in her bed in Moseley, Birmingham, between 9pm on April 30 and 9am the following morning.

She had been in intensive care since sustaining a fractured skull and a partially severed finger, as well as a broken arm and wrist.

More to follow...

US ENVOY UNDER FIRE IN RUSSIA AFTER ‘SHOCKING’ SPEECH

05/29/2012 Washington’s controversial ambassador to Moscow was forced to defend himself through Twitter on Tuesday after the Russian foreign ministry furiously condemned a speech he made as shocking.

Ambassador Michael McFaul — a top former foreign policy aide of President Barack Obama who arrived in Russia in January — became the talk of state television this weekend for reportedly accusing the Kremlin of once trying to bribe Kyrgyzstan to close down a US base that has irritated Russia.

State television reported that McFaul had told a group of students at the Higher School of Economics (HSE) in a May 25 speech that Russia offered the former Soviet republic a massive loan to shut the base, whose presence in Central Asia has irritated Moscow.

He also reportedly criticised RT, Russia’s state-run foreign-language television station, and accused Moscow of tying its backing of US foreign policy positions to less criticism of its human rights record.

The Russian foreign ministry on Monday issued a formal statement expressing “utmost puzzlement” at what McFaul said.

“This is not the first time that the words and deeds of Mr McFaul, who holds such a responsible position, prompt shock,” the statement said. Read More

US vehemently denies parachuting into North Korea

The US military has vehemently denied a media report that special forces have parachuted into North Korea on intelligence-gathering missions, saying a source had been misquoted.

Current affairs magazine The Diplomat quoted Brigadier General Neil Tolley, commander of special forces in South Korea, as saying soldiers from the US and South Korea had been dropped across the border for 'special reconnaissance' missions.

But Colonel Jonathan Withington, public affairs officer for US Forces Korea, said some reporting of the conference had taken Tolley 'completely out of context'.

'Quotes have been made up and attributed to him,' he said, denying that any US or South Korean forces had parachuted into the North.

'Though special reconnaissance is a core special operations force (SOF) mission, at no time have SOF forces been sent to the north to conduct special reconnaissance,' he said in a statement.

The Diplomat quoted Tolley as saying that the North had built thousands of tunnels since the 1950-53 Korean War. Read More

West seeks civil war in Syria: Analyst

'UK court ignores Blair's war crimes'

Greek Misery: Looted, suicidal, desperate

Earthquake Italy Death toll Climbs to 8

Milan - (Adnkronos / Ign) - A strong earthquake this morning at 09:00 measuring 5.8 Magnitude.

Among the missing , workers under the rubble. Collapsed buildings already heavily damaged by the quake of 20 May. The earthquake was felt in Florence, Ravenna, Bologna, Milan, Padua, Venice, Treviso, Turin...Source

Derby Fire Which Killed SIX Children: Two People Arrested on suspicion of murder

Police investigating the deaths of six children in a fire in Derby have arrested two people on suspicion of murder.

More follows ...

Sartell Paper Mill Explosion One person is dead and five others have been injured

SARTELL, Minn. -- One person is dead and five others have been injured after an explosion in the Verso Paper mill Monday morning.

The explosion could be felt or heard throughout parts of the city of Sartell.

"It almost felt like the whole house just moved," said Stephanie Neuman who lives right next to the plant with her husband, Justin and their two children. "We both looked at each other and said what just happened."

Officials say the explosion happened shortly before 11:30 a.m., which Neuman says felt like an earthquake. Their front porch window was blown out.

"It literally felt like something landed on our house because everything just shook and made a loud noise," said Justin Neuman. Read More

Floods spark state of emergency in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada

Thunder Bay and surrounding communities in northern Ontario have declared a state of emergency after heavy weekend rains caused extensive flooding.

More than 100 mm of rain showered the area over the weekend, knocking out power, washing out roads and flooding basements in the city's south end. The decision to declare an emergency came after a pump failed at the city's sewage plant.

Huge swaths of highways in and out of the region are closed and more than 50 homes have lost power.

Conmee Township and Oliver Paipoonge also declared states of emergency and asked residents to at stay home if possible.

Environment Canada is forecasting more rain on Monday and Tuesday. Source

Crews use light winds to fight New Mexico wildfires‎

Crews battling a massive wildfire in southwestern New Mexico's Gila National Forest began burnout operations Monday aimed at halting the blaze from creeping into two small towns.

After growing to more than 190 square miles and becoming one of the largest fires in New Mexico history, lighter winds helped firefighters start control measures along the mountainous forest lands. Last week, strong winds forced crews to the sidelines as the fire rapidly spread in an isolated region of southwestern New Mexico, destroying a dozen homes and several in the community of Willow Creek, which remains under evacuation. No other communities were threatened.

Denise Ottaviano, a spokeswoman for the crew fighting the blaze, said since the winds slowed, the fire hasn't made a significant push toward the small, privately owned ghost town of Mogollon. However, nearby residents were forced to evacuate.

On Sunday, New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez authorized the deployment of 15 National Guard soldiers to help secure areas around the fire.

The 156,593-acre Los Conchas fire last year was the state's largest in its history when it charred around 244 square miles. Read More

FBI joins investigation into Kenyan bomb blast‎

An official says FBI agents are assisting Kenyan officials in the investigation into a large explosion in downtown Nairobi.

An explosion ripped through a building full of small shops on Monday, injuring at least 33 people, including a woman who blamed the blast on a "bearded man" who left behind a bag shortly before the detonation.

A Kenyan official who said he could not be quoted confirmed the FBI's involvement on Tuesday.

The intelligence firm IntelCenter said that militants from the al-Qaida-linked Somali group al-Shabab bragged about conducting interviews of survivors after the blast. IntelCenter said the development poses significant challenges to security forces and legitimate members of the media covering attacks. Source

Air Canada Boeing 777 passenger jet 'Engine shutdown' forced jet to land‎

Jet bound for Japan forced to return to Toronto to make emergency landing.

An Air Canada Boeing 777 passenger jet suffered an “engine shutdown” after taking off in Toronto on Monday afternoon, which forced the plane to dump its fuel and make an emergency landing.

The Japan-bound Flight 001 took off from Toronto’s Pearson International Airport at 2:10 p.m. ET and returned to make its emergency landing at 3:53 p.m. ET.

Air Canada spokesman Peter Fitzpatrick told CBC News that the plane had an “engine shutdown” that occurred shortly after takeoff.

The crew then followed “standard procedures for dealing with the situation,” which saw them request an emergency landing.

Fitzpatrick said the plane had 318 passengers and 16 crew on board when it landed on Runway 23. Read More

Freak hailstorm hits Wellington, New Zealand

A freak hailstorm lashed the capital this morning - causing at least three minor crashes.

Two were on the motorway between Thorndon and Aotea Quay and one on Wallace St in Mt Cook.

Affected vehicles were not blocking traffic and there were no reports of injuries.

Weather Watch spokesman Philip Duncan said the hailstorm was unexpected and is part of a swift southerly change that has been "dropping temperatures everywhere".

"Wellington just got clipped by that southerly that's been coming up from the South Island," said Mr Duncan.

He said the front was moving up the Hutt Valley and into the Wairarapa.

Freak hailstorms are caused by volatility caused by the presence of "big fluffy cumulus clouds", a mixture of hot and cold air and the right amount of moisture in the air. Read More

Warnings Issued After Santa Ana Child Contracts Typhus‎

Warnings Issued After Santa Ana Child Contracts Typhus: MyFoxLA.com

The Orange County Vector Control District has begun to set traps to catch feral cats in Santa Ana and distribute safety information after a Santa Ana resident contracted flea-borne typhus.

Santa Ana officials said in an e-mail message they were notified by O.C. Vector Control that the agency had learned of a resident with a confirmed case of typhus. The resident lives in the area of Broadway and Washington Street.

O.C. Vector Control has begun distributing information in the area advising residents how they can protect themselves.

Flea-borne typhus, also known as endemic typhus and murine typhus, is transmitted by fleas. It is caused by the bacteria Rickettsia typhi and Rickettsia felis, found in infected fleas and their feces. Read More

Collingwood fire: Residents evacuated, Australia

Police are investigating a warehouse fire in Collingwood overnight, which led to the evacuation of more than 100 nearby residents.

The fire at an empty Stanley Street warehouse broke out just after midnight.

Firefighters initially feared there could be squatters trapped inside the building, but no one was found.

Firefighter Mark Carson says the blaze threatened nearby apartment buildings.

"The fire had broken through the windows and the roof and it was a concern that it was going to spread to adjoining buildings," he said.

"The firefighters, in a very, very quick attempt, made a fantastic effort to kind of cut the fire off and then to put it out."

The arson squad will be on the scene today investigating the cause of the fire. Source

Train Derails Spilling Thousands of Gallons of Diesel‎, Denver

DENVER- Two railroad locomotives, sideswiped each other in Denver, tearing open the fuel tank of one and spilling about 2,500 gallons of diesel onto the ground.

According to KCNC, Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway spokesman Andy Williams says no one was hurt in the incident.

Williams says the spill has been contained and crews are cleaning it up.

Mainline operations weren't affected.

It's not clear how the accident occurred. Read More

Bridge collapses in village close to Bulgarian capital Sofia‎

Sofia. A bridge in the village of Vladaya, which is located close to the Bulgarian capital Sofia, has partially collapsed, injuring no people, Bulgarian National Television reported.

Sofia Mayor Yordanka Fandakova visited the site. After last week’s 5.8-magnitude earthquake the bank of the local river fell and the recent heavy rain contributed to the collapse of the facility. By the end of the day the military will erect a temporary pontoon bridge. A landslide in the region has not been reinforced yet. Yordanka Fandakova said the municipality had a project to reconstruct the bridge.

The municipality of Sofia is working on two more bridges in the village which collapsed after a previous flood.

“We are ready with the project for a new bridge at this place, but the weather got ahead of us. Within 10 days the construction works will start and the bridge will be completed within two months at the longest,” said Yordanka Fandakova. Read More

Rain causes landslides in Nantou County: officials, Taiwan

TAIPEI -- Several landslides occurred yesterday in the central county of Nantou, on a provincial highway and the road around the Sun Moon Lake tourist area, but no casualties were reported.

The landslides were caused by heavy rains that started early in the morning in the mountain areas, officials of the Directorate General of Highways said.

As of noon Monday, the accumulated rainfall in Renai Township, Aowanda Mountain, and the Sun Moon Lake area in Yuchih Township had reached more than 120 millimeters, exceeding the level defined as torrential rain, according to the Central Weather Bureau.

The landslides occurred at the 67 km-mark on the Taiwan Provincial Highway No. 14, and at the 1.5 km-, 11 km- and 17 km-mark on the Sun Moon Lake circle road, partly blocking traffic, the officials said. Read More