Monday, August 13, 2012
REF: 5.1 Magnitude Earthquake California
This earthquake and it details have been removed from USGS, Please if anyone in the area can confirm they felt this quake, please let us know
5.1 Magnitude Earthquake NORTHERN CALIFORNIA - 14th August 2012
A magnitude 5.1 earthquake has struck NORTHERN CALIFORNIA at a depth of 66.6 km (41.4 miles), the quake hit at 03:09:11 UTC Tuesday 14th August 2012The epicenter was 5 km (3.1 miles) Southwest from San Martin, California
No Reports of Damage or Injuries at this time
More to Follow..
7.7 Magnitude Earthquake SEA OF OKHOTSK - 14th August 2012
A magnitude 7.7 earthquake has struck the SEA OF OKHOTSK at a depth of 625.7 km (388.8 miles), the quake hit at 02:59:42 UTC Tuesday 14th August 2012The epicenter was 160 km (100 miles) ENE from Poronaysk, Russia
No Tsunami Warning Issued - No Reports of Damage or Injuries at this time
4.5 Magnitude Earthquake HINDU KUSH REGION, AFGHANISTAN - 14th August 2012
A magnitude 4.5 earthquake has struck the HINDU KUSH REGION, AFGHANISTAN at a depth of 197.5 km (122.7 miles), the quake hit at 02:39:30 UTC Tuesday 14th August 2012The epicenter was 36 km (22 miles) SSE of Jarm, Afghanistan
No Reports of Damage or Injuries at this time
5.2 Magnitude Earthquake SOUTH SANDWICH ISLANDS REGION - 14th August 2012
A magnitude 5.2 earthquake has struck the SOUTH SANDWICH ISLANDS REGION at a depth of 88 km (54.7 miles), the quake hit at 02:13:59 UTC Tuesday 14th August 2012The epicenter was 24 km (14 miles) Southeast of Bristol Island, Antarctica
No Tsunami Warning Issued - No Reports of Damage or Injuries at this time
4.8 Magnitude Earthquake TAIWAN REGION - 14th August 2012
A magnitude 4.8 earthquake has struck the TAIWAN REGION at a depth of 25.4 km (15.8 miles), the quake hit at 02:06:48 UTC Tuesday 14th August 2012The epicenter was 76 km (47 miles) SSW of Yonakuni, Japan
No Tsunami Warning Issued - No Reports of Damage or Injuries at this time
4.1 Magnitude Earthquake HINDU KUSH REGION, AFGHANISTAN - 14th August 2012
A magnitude 4.1 earthquake has struck the HINDU KUSH REGION, AFGHANISTAN at a depth of 211.4 km (131.4 miles), the quake hit at 00:45:51 UTC Tuesday 14th August 2012The epicenter was 21 km (13 miles) East of Farkhar, Afghanistan
No Reports of Damage or Injuries at this time
4.7 Magnitude Earthquake OFF THE WEST COAST OF NORTHERN SUMATRA - 13th August 2012
A magnitude 4.7 earthquake has struck OFF THE WEST COAST OF NORTHERN SUMATRA at a depth of 10.2 km (6.3 miles), the quake hit at 21:12:29 UTC Monday 13th August 2012The epicenter was 467 km (290 miles) Southwest of Banda Aceh, Indonesia
No Tsunami Warning Issued - No Reports of Damage or Injuries at this time
5.4 Magnitude Earthquake PAKISTAN - 13th August 2012
A magnitude 5.4 earthquake has struck PAKISTAN at a depth of 35 km (21.7 miles), the quake hit at 20:33:00 UTC Monday 13th August 2012The epicenter was 38 km (23 miles) NNW of Athmuqam, Pakistan
No Reports of Damage or Injuries at this time
4.1 Magnitude Earthquake NORTHERN XINJIANG, CHINA - 13th August 2012
A magnitude 4.1 earthquake has struck NORTHERN XINJIANG, CHINA at a depth of 1 km (0.6 miles), the quake hit at 16:32:23 UTC Monday 13th August 2012The epicenter was 105 km (65.1 miles) Northwest from Kuche, Xinjiang, China
No Reports of Damage or Injuries at this time
4.2 Magnitude Earthquake OFFSHORE MAULE, CHILE - 13th August 2012
A magnitude 4.2 earthquake has struck OFFSHORE MAULE, CHILE at a depth of 74 km (45.8 miles), the quake hit at 15:59:38 UTC Monday 13th August 2012The epicenter was 72 km (44.6 miles) Southwest of Constitución, Maule, Chile
No Tsunami Warning Issued - No Reports of Damage or Injuries at this time
The Facebook camera that can recognise you every time you walk into a shop
Called Facedeals, the camera uses photos uploaded to Facebook to recognise people as they walk in.
Shoppers who agree to use the system, which has not been developed with Facebook, will be offered special deals.
A promotional video created to promote the concept shows drinkers entering a bar, and then being offerend cheap drinks as they are recognised.
'Facebook check-ins are a powerful mechanism for businesses to deliver discounts to loyal customers, yet few businesses—and fewer customers—have realized it,' said Nashville-based advertising agency Redpepper.
They are already trialling the scheme in firms close to their office.
'A search for businesses with active deals in our area turned up a measly six offers.
'The odds we’ll ever be at one of those six spots are low (a strip club and photography studio among them), and the incentives for a check-in are not nearly enticing enough for us to take the time.
'So we set out to evolve the check-in and sweeten the deal, making both irresistible.
'We call it Facedeals.' more
Analysis: Are Israelis tough enough for a long war with Iran?
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says that scenario would be "dwarfed" by the prospect of an Iranian bomb, which he describes as tantamount to a second Holocaust - language that seems to herald a Jewish call to arms.
But the popular, conservative leader has not proven very persuasive. While surveys show a growing minority - now 32-35 percent - of Israelis favor taking Iran on alone, more are opposed. Around a quarter are undecided.
Some commentators ask whether a Jewish state shaped through decades of war has become more fearful of the consequences in the face of Iran, a formidable and distant foe capable, along with Islamist guerrilla allies in Lebanon and Gaza, of raining down thousands of missiles and rockets in retaliation.
Defense Minister Ehud Barak estimates 500 Israelis would die should a strike on Iran, which denies seeking to develop nuclear weaponry, turn into a regional exchange of fire. more
Man swims to JFK airport, past $100 million security system
Daniel Casillo, 31, was able to swim up to and enter the airport grounds on Friday night, past an intricate system of motion sensors and closed-circuit cameras designed to to safeguard against terrorists, authorities said.
"I think he should be given dinner and a bottle of champagne for showing us our faults," said Nicholas Casale, an NYPD veteran and former MTA deputy security director for counterterrorism.
Instead, Casillo was arrested after the incredible adventure that has stunned security officials.
Casillo's night began innocently enough, as he and some friends were racing on jet skis in Jamaica Bay near JFK airport when his watercraft stalled. After calling for and receiving no help, he managed to swim towards the only thing he could see, the runway lights at JFK.
Once he made it to land, Casillo climbed an eight-foot barbed-wire perimeter fence and walked undetected through the airport's Perimeter Intrusion Detection System and across two runways into Delta's terminal 3.
Unnoticed until then, Casillo walked into the airport dripping wet and wearing his bright yellow life jacket.
When he was eventually spotted by a Delta employee, police charged Casillo with criminal trespassing.
"It's outrageous," Casale said. "Why in 2012 do we not have a security system throughout our airports?"
This is not the first time an airport's security systems failed. more
Two policemen 'hacked to death' at South African mine clash
JOHANNESBURG — South African workers Monday hacked to death two police officers who came to quell deadly clashes between rival unions that claimed eight lives at a platinum mine run by leading producer Lonmin, police said."Our police officers were responding to a protest at the mine. They came under attack from the workers and two of them were hacked to death," said police spokesman Lindela Mashego.
A third officer is in critical condition in hospital following the unrest at Lonmin's Western Platinum mine about 100 kilometres (60 miles) from Johannesburg.
The firearms belonging to the officers were stolen.
Violent clashes broke out Sunday at the mine run by Lonmin, the world's third largest platinum producer, in a battle for dominance between the leading National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) and the smaller Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU).
Eric Gcilitshana, NUM secretary for health and safety based at the mine, told AFP that one of the workers was founded hacked to death inside his house Sunday.
A second who tried to report for duty Sunday night was found dead with bullet wounds early Monday. Read More
US says reviewing all options on Syria...Maybe they didn't see the Syrian Rebels throw people to their deaths from a Building
ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE — The United States said Monday it has not ruled out any option to bring about the departure of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, following renewed speculation about a possible no-fly zone.
White House spokesman Jay Carney was asked about comments by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Turkey that sparked a new round of questions about a stepped-up Western role in the violence-wracked country.
"The President and his team have ruled out no option as we try to bring about, with all of our partners and with the Syrian people, the diplomatic transition that is so desperately needed in Syria," he said.
But Carney did not explicitly refer to a no-fly zone and insisted the current US approach -- of aiding rebels with non-military supplies as well as imposing sanctions on the regime -- was putting pressure on Assad.
"We review all options as you would expect and will continue to do so," he said, in comments which did not seem to mark a new departure for US policy.
On Sunday, Clinton was asked after talks with Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu whether operational planning being conducted by Washington and its allies included a possible no-fly zone to protect Syrian civilians. Read More
Texas A&M University Shooting: Police Shot In US College Gun Attacks
Police are among a number of people who have been shot on a United States college campus, prompting the arrest of one man.Texas A&M University says the man suspected of carrying out the attacks has been taken into custody near its campus in College Station.
The university issued a warning on its website just before 12.30pm local time on Monday, warning of an active shooter near the campus football stadium, Kyle Field. Residents and students were advised to avoid the area.
College Station lies about 90 miles northwest of Houston.
More follows...
Chinese Businessman Develops Doomsday Escape Pod (Pretty funny, interesting)
Although it lacks the sleek design of the original ark, this orange ball is claimed to be shock-proof, water-proof, fire-proof, and radiation-proof.
This ball, sometimes referred to as a shelter, was unveiled in a demonstration conducted on August 6. A series of abusive tests were performed, with the inventor Yangzong Fu inside, to show us just how tough this thing is.
First it was rolled down a 50 meter high cliff where it seemed to have suffered some denting, but the man inside was unharmed. It was then lit on fire.
The ball is 4 meters in diameter and weighs 6 tons, but is said to be able to float on water. It’s equipped with a safety seat, monitoring system, ventilation, and toilet functionality making it completely habitable, all for the low low price of 1,500,000 yuan (US$236,000).
Before you go considering this investment, there are some odd things going on with this demonstration you may want to think about. While the ball is 4 meters across the ball in the photo is clearly about 1m in diameter. Of course they probably just used a scale model to save, uh, fire.
And although the guy inside was okay, he’s also wearing riot gear and looking inside the hatch he appears to be surrounded by weird springs. It kind of looks like he’s rooming with H.R. Giger’s Alien in there. more
Roswell UFO Crash: There Were 2 Crashes, Not 1, Says Ex-Air Force Official
The legend, rehashed by conspiracy theorists in countless documentaries, revolves around allegations that an unusual object fell from the sky -- an object so bizarre that the U.S. Air Force issued a press release that a flying saucer had crashed.
That story was quickly recanted, creating what would become one of the greatest urban legends in American history.
Until now, most debunkers doubted that there was even one crash. Now, in an exclusive interview, retired Air Force Lt. Col. Richard French told The Huffington Post that there were actually two crashes.
This revelation is especially remarkable considering that French was known in the past to debunk UFO stories. more
Dead Fish Wash Ashore at Pago Bay, Cause Unclear, Guam
Guam - Last week dead fish were found mysteriously washing up along the shores of Pago bay. Today PNC went to Pago Bay to investigate the possible cause of this unusual phenomenon.
On Thursday of last week a student at the University of Guam's marine lab noticed a lot of dead fish along the short in Pago bay. He took pictures of the fish and forwarded them to UOG marine lab professor Dr. Jason Biggs. "Well one of the things that set up a red flag for me is that this is the first time that it's ever been noticed for Pago bay to have a fish kill like this,” said Dr. Biggs. Read More
Pine Plains scout leader attacked by rabid beaver
A local Boy Scout leader is recovering this week after wrestling with a rabid beaver in the Delaware River. Health officials describe the attack as rare, but say human encounters with wild animals are more common in the summer months.On Aug. 2, Normand Brousseau, 51, of Pine Plains, an assistant scoutmaster with Boy Scout Troop 32 out of Elizaville, Columbia County, was swimming in the Delaware River. Brousseau, another leader and four Scouts were on a field trip at the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area in Pennsylvania.
Brousseau, who was in the water hanging onto a noodle float, noticed a dark shape nearby. “It came through my legs and attached itself to my chest,” he said. “I thought it was a giant carp fish.”
It wasn’t. He was being attacked by a rabid beaver. Once he was bitten, he grabbed the animal and threw it away from his body. “Then it came at me again,” he said.
The beaver bit him in the leg and then again in his buttocks, arm, hand and waist. At that point, Brousseau said, “the adrenaline kicked in.” Read More
Tornado touches down, power lines strewn across Ramona Expressway, California
Update @ 9:36 p.m.: According to California Highway Patrol officials, motorists can expect continued delays with the closure of Ramona Expressway as crews works to clear the debris and ensure the safety of the roadways.Closure of the expressway and surrounding roads could last into Monday.
The following photos show the funnel cloud as it moved towards touchdown near Nuevo, courtesy of Michael Mojarro, a local independent meteorologist and owner of SoCalweather.net:
Original: A menacing thunderstorm spawned a tornado that touched down near Nuevo this afternoon.
The tornado downed up to twelve power-lines prompting authorities to shut down both directions of the Ramona Expressway while So Cal Edison removed and repaired the damage. Read More
Anthrax Outbreaks Announced in Two Chinese Provinces
Several dozen people in two different Chinese provinces are being treated for anthrax, an often fatal disease contracted from infected animals. A village in eastern China is under quarantine.Around 10 people have been diagnosed with anthrax and were isolated according to residents of Ganmazhen village near the coastal city of Lianyungang in China’s eastern Jiangsu Province.
A villager with the surname Wang told The Epoch Times that the majority of those infected are women. He said that sick cows were believed to have been the source of the outbreak and described the symptoms as “red pimples all over their bodies,” which turn into blisters and then turn black. Read More
Paralytic shellfish poison biotoxin found King County and other beaches, Washington
Shellfish collected from a large area of central and south Puget Sound contain enough Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP) biotoxin to make people sick. So, the Washington State Department of Health has closed recreational shellfish harvest in Jefferson, Island, Snohomish, Kitsap, King and Pierce Counties.Commercially harvested shellfish have been thoroughly tested and should be safe to eat.
Warning signs are posted at beaches used by recreational shellfish harvesters to warn people not to collect shellfish from the closed areas. The closures include clams, oysters, mussels, scallops, geoduck, and other species of molluscan shellfish. Crab is not included in the closure, but “crab butter” should not be eaten. The PSP toxin is produced by algae that are often more common during the warmest months of the year.
People can get very sick from eating shellfish contaminated with the toxin. Read More
Warning signs are posted at beaches used by recreational shellfish harvesters to warn people not to collect shellfish from the closed areas. The closures include clams, oysters, mussels, scallops, geoduck, and other species of molluscan shellfish. Crab is not included in the closure, but “crab butter” should not be eaten. The PSP toxin is produced by algae that are often more common during the warmest months of the year.
People can get very sick from eating shellfish contaminated with the toxin. Read More
Thousands of dead fish litter Galveston beaches along the Texas Shoreline
JAMAICA BEACH, (KYTX) – Thousands of dead fish are washing ashore along the Texas coast, from the Colorado River to Galveston Island, and Parks and Wildlife biologists suspect low oxygen levels offshore may be to blame.Visitors to Jamaica Beach were surprised – and a little disturbed – by what the tide brought in.
"I hope it's nothing major," said Mark Gannon, who took his family to the beach Sunday. "I hope the water is safe."
Once the tide went out, thousands of dead shad littered the sand.
"Any idea what it is?" asked Gannon's wife, Alexia.
Her children tried to explain the problem.
"At night time, the waves pull up really far so the fish can't handle that, so they get up on the shore," said Abby Gannon.
Authorities said the answer is not so simple. Biologists with the Parks and Wildlife Department began testing pH, saline and oxygen levels in water samples taken along the coast. Read More
LYTTELTON FLASH FLOOD, Chistchurch, New Zealand
A band of heavy rain moving across the South Island may cause more flooding and slips in Canterbury, MetService says.Flooding trapped residents of the Banks Peninsula township of Little River in their homes and rising waters also threatened homes in Christchurch and Lyttelton.
MetService said a band of rain was expected to move onto the east of Otago overnight and onto Canterbury south of the Waimakariri River tomorrow morning. The rain was forecast to ease Wednesday morning.
The rain was likely to cause more flooding and slips because the ground was already saturated from today's downpours.
Dave Watson, owner of Koa Cottage in Little River, said this afternoon that water had "surrounded" his house.
"It's not just pooling around the property, it's flowing as the river has burst its banks. The fire brigade came around and told us not to leave unless we had a four-wheel drive. We're just stuck inside and trying to keep dry and warm." Read More
Cooling water leak found at Palisades nuclear plant, Michigan
Covert Township, Mich.— The Palisades nuclear plant in southwestern Michigan has been removed from service to repair what officials said is a "very small, very minor" cooling water leak.No radioactive materials were released, spokesman Mark Savage said Sunday.
The leak was being repaired inside a containment building at the plant in Covert Township, southwest of Grand Rapids.
"Palisades is taking this conservative measure at this time because of our unrelenting commitment and focus on nuclear safety," Savage said in Sunday morning in a release. "Palisades will be returned to service when repairs are completed."
Officials had been monitoring the leak for a month. Cooling water is used to cool off components of a nuclear reactor by picking up and carrying heat from the reactor.
The plant's reactor was shut down June 12 to repair a leak in a refueling water storage tank and was back online by July 11. Read More
Eight-year-old girl dies in hospital after contracting strain of E.coli, Scotland
A young girl has died at Glasgow's Royal Hospital for Sick Children after contracting a strain of E.coli.The death of the eight-year-old, whom NHS Ayrshire and Arran has identified as being from South Ayrshire, is not thought to be part of a larger outbreak.
The health board has also be unable to identify a particular source which might represent a risk to others.
Dr Jane Cooper, a consultant in public health medicine, said: "Sometimes it is possible to identify a particular source of E.coli O157 infection. An outbreak may occur if a number of people are exposed to the same source.
"NHS Ayrshire and Arran is satisfied that this case is not part of an outbreak, and has not identified a particular source which might represent a risk to others. Read More
4.3 Magnitude Earthquake NEAR THE COAST OF NICARAGUA - 13th August 2012
A magnitude 4.3 earthquake has struck NEAR THE COAST OF NICARAGUA at a depth of 44.4 km (27.6 miles), the quake hit at 15:19:51 UTC Monday 13th August 2012The epicenter was 138 km (86 miles) WSW from Chinandega, Nicaragua
No Tsunami Warning Issued - No Reports of Damage or Injuries at this time
Carole Waugh Murder: Two Men Arrested
Police said a 55-year-old man and a 39-year-old man were arrested in central London in connection with conspiracy to commit fraud.Ms Waugh, originally from Durham but living in London, had not been seen by her family since mid-April.
Her body was discovered with a single stab wound inside a car at a garage in Lime Court, New Malden, south-west London, on August 2.
Both remain in custody at a south London police station.
Ms Waugh, 50, was reported missing by her family on May 7. She was last seen at a family party in mid-April.
She had lived and worked in Libya for a number of years, but returned to London in 2008 and would regularly visit relatives in Durham and Cumbria.
Her former boss, Stuart Anderson, said she had fled Libya after being threatened by someone in Colonel Gaddafi's regime - but a Scotland Yard spokesman said inquiries are focused on London. Read More
US calls on Egypt military, government to work together
ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE — The United States on Monday urged Egypt's military and government to work together, the day after President Mohamed Morsi forced out the country's longtime defense minister."It is important for the Egyptian military and civilian (government) to work closely together to address the economic and security challenges facing Egypt," White House press secretary Jay Carney told reporters.
"We hope that President Morsi's announcement will serve the interests of the Egyptian people."
The US reaction came a day after Morsi forced Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi to retire and scrapped a recent constitutional document that gave the military legislative and other powers.
Tantawi was replaced by Abdel Fattah al-Sissi, whom Carney said was known to the United States from his previous position and whose appointment it welcomed.
"We had expected President Morsi to coordinate with the military to name a new defense team and we will continue to work with Egypt's civilian and military leaders to advance our many shared interests," he said. Read More
Daniel Castillo Breaches Security At JFK as their $100m (£64m) security system Fails
A stranded jet-skier has breached JFK's $100m (£64m) security system by swimming to the airport and walking into a terminal.Daniel Castillo, who was wearing a bright yellow life jacket, climbed an 8ft fence and walked across two runways without being noticed.
According to the New York Post, the airport’s CCTV and state-of-the-art motion sensor network, known as the Perimeter Intrusion Detection System (PIDS), failed to pick him up.
PIDS is supposed to protect against terrorists and other threats.
A Delta Airlines worker raised the alarm when a soaking wet Mr Castillo appeared inside Terminal 3.
The 31-year-old was reportedly out with friends at a bar on Saturday night when they decided to race their jet skis in Jamaica Bay, which stretches around part of JFK.
Mr Castillo became stranded when his jet ski broke down and his friends left him behind.
He decided to swim for three miles towards the lights of Runway 4-Left, which sticks out into the water.
New York’s Port Authority has launched an investigation, and the authority’s police union has demanded to know why the expensive security system apparently failed. Read More
Syria Rebels 'Capture Downed Pilot'
Syrian rebels say they have shot down a warplane in the east of the country - although Syrian state TV insisted that a pilot ejected from the jet after a technical failure.A video distributed online by a group calling itself the Revolutionary Youth of the Land of the Euphrates shows a man they identify as pilot Mohammed Suleiman, surrounded by three armed men.
In the video, which cannot be verified, the man says "my mission was to bomb the town of Muhasen [in Deir Ezzor]".
"The wounds on my face were caused by the strong wind that forced me on to stones after I ejected from my plane," he adds.
The plane, reportedly a Russian-made MiG, which are used by the Syrian air force, came down in rebel-controlled Deir Ezzor province.
"Yes, we can confirm that a MiG 21 has been downed," said Free Syrian Army spokesman Kassem Saadeddine. "It was hit with a 14.5 calibre anti-aircraft machinegun." Read More
4.1 Magnitude Earthquake NORTHERN XINJIANG, CHINA - 13th August 2012
A magnitude 4.1 earthquake has struck NORTHERN XINJIANG, CHINA at a depth of 1 km (0.6 miles), the quake hit at 16:32:23 UTC Monday 13th August 2012The epicenter was 105 km (65.1 miles) Northwest of Kuche, Xinjiang, China
No Reports of Damage or Injuries at this time
4.2 Magnitude Earthquake OFFSHORE MAULE, CHILE - 13th August 2012
A magnitude 4.2 earthquake has struck OFFSHORE MAULE, CHILE at a depth of 74 km (45.8 miles), the quake hit at 15:59:38 UTC Monday 13th August 2012The epicenter was 72 km (44.6 miles) Southwest of Constitución, Maule, Chile
No Tsunami Warning Issued - No Reports of Damage or Injuries at this time
Iranians slam government earthquake response
(Reuters) - Iran's government faced criticism on Monday over its response to two earthquakes that killed 306 people, with complaints of a lack of tents and about President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's decision to go ahead with an overseas trip.Although officials announced on Sunday, less than 24 hours after disaster struck, that search and rescue operations had finished and all survivors had been freed from the rubble, some locals expressed disbelief that authorities could have reached the most remote villages so soon.
"I know the area well. There are some regions where there are villages that you can't even reach by car," one doctor in the city of Tabriz told Reuters by telephone on Monday, declining to give his name because of the sensitivity of the issue. "It's not possible for them to have finished so soon."
The doctor said he had worked for 24 hours non-stop, treating patients from villages rushed to Tabriz.
"In the first hours after the quake, it was ordinary people and volunteers in their own cars going to the affected areas," the doctor said. "It was more ordinary people helping out than official crisis staff." Read More
Mimicking al Qaeda, militant threat grows in Sinai
(Reuters) - They came in Toyota pick-up trucks, dozens of heavily armed masked men, firing machineguns and waving the black flag of al Qaeda as terrified residents and police huddled indoors, and then disappeared again, melting away into the mountains and remote villages of Egypt's Sinai desert.The raid on the town of al-Arish in July 2011 was the first warning Egypt had of the strength of the jihadis in North Sinai. It was a warning largely unheeded until suspected Islamist militants killed 16 Egyptian border guards this month and drove a stolen armored car across the Israeli border before it was destroyed by Israeli forces.
Egypt is now pouring in troops to try to restore stability, and the sophistication of the border attack has finally set alarm bells ringing about the militant threat in the Sinai.
"Sinai is ideal and fertile ground for al Qaeda," said Khalil al-Anani, a Middle East specialist at Durham University in England. "It could become a new front for al Qaeda in the Arab world." Read More
'Let's buy all their milk!': Costco shoppers in Washington State demand a ban on cross-border raids by Canadian shoppers taking advantage of weak U.S.
Disgruntled shoppers have called for a Costco store to have opening times only for U.S. customers - after being bombarded by Canadians buying cheap milk.Residents in Bellingham, Washington, say they are annoyed with large numbers of visitors driving across the border to stock up on gas and food.
The nearest towns north of Bellingham are Abbotsford and Surrey in British Columbia - just 30 miles away over the border.
Canadian residents can take advantage of their strong dollar against the weak U.S. currency and buy food and fuel for less than they would at home. Read More
Samuel Dye caught by his father trying to rape his grandmother 'because he couldn't get a girlfriend'
A 20-year-old man attempted to rape his grandmother after complaining to her he could not get a girlfriend.Samuel Dye is alleged to have beaten his grandmother with a hammer before launching the sex attack.
He had complained about not being able to find a girlfriend and told her he was going to 'get some'.
Police said Dye's assault was stopped by his father after he heard the screams of his 61-year-old mother.
He found his son on top of his mother with his trousers pulled down and hitting her in the head with a hammer.
The father pulled his son away and detained him until police arrived. Read More
United Airlines passengers evacuated after jet burst into flames minutes before take-off
Passengers had to be evacuated from an airplane after it caught fire on the tarmac of a Seattle airport on Saturday night.Terrified travellers were told to evacuate after flames were discovered bursting from the airplane's tail mere minutes before the United Airlines flight was bound to take off for Washington, D.C.
Fortunately, all passengers were safely evacuated from the plane, a Seattle-Tacoma airport spokesman said.
Seattle firefighters responded to a distress call minutes before the flight was bound to take off at 10:30 pm.
They were able to contain the fire and evacuate all passengers before anyone came to harm. Read More
Jerry Sandusky and major Penn State donor 'abused two boys aboard a private plane', claims new witness
A man has come forward alleging he saw Jerry Sandusky and a prominent Penn State University donor sexually abusing two boys together aboard a private plane, it was claimed on Monday.The FBI is reportedly taking the accusations 'seriously,' and has opened an investigation into a pedophile sex ring that could spread well beyond the former Penn State football coach.
The newest allegations, if proven true, could indicate that the sexual abuse of young boys was even more widespread and more horrific than initially thought.
RadarOnline.com reports that the witness, who has business ties to the booster, told postal inspectors and the FBI that he was aboard the private plane when the alleged abuse occurred.
He said he remained silent about what he saw until now and does not know whether the boys are new victims or if they have already been identified as having been abused by the former defensive coordinator.
'If the Feds can prove what this witness is saying then a sickening situation just got worse,' an anonymous source told Radar. Read More
Michael P. Ward II relieved of duty after 'FAKING his own death to get rid of online mistress, 23, he'd got pregnant
A married Navy commander met a woman 20 years his junior on a dating website, got her pregnant and then pretended he had died to escape the relationship, the woman has claimed.In light of the claims, Navy Cmdr. Michael P. Ward II, 43, has been relieved of his duties as commanding officer of USS Pittsburgh - a role he began just ten days ago.
The unidentified woman from Chesapeake, Virginia said she met Ward on a dating website in October 2011 and he told her he was separated.
Ward, who is in fact married with children, told the woman he worked in 'special ops' and that his name was Tony Moore, she said.
'I want you, but I don't know how to make this all perfect,' he wrote in a text, which the woman showed to The Day. In another, he wrote: 'I love you and I always will.'
But on July 6, she received an email from a man named Bob, who claimed he worked with Ward.
'He asked me to contact you if this ever happened,' it said. 'I am extremely sorry to tell you that he is gone. We tried everything we could to save him. I cannot say more. I am sorry it has to be this way.'
The email concluded: 'He loved you very much', and said Bob had something to pass onto her from Ward.
On July 9, she drove to Ward's house in Burke, Virginia with relatives to pay her respects. But the home's new owner said Ward was alive and had moved to Connecticut to take over USS Pittsburgh. Read More
War enthusiasts cause outrage after parading through streets in Nazi uniforms and flying swastika flags from their cars
A row has broken out after war enthusiasts took to the streets in Nazi uniforms and flying swastikas from their cars.Jewish leaders and anti-fascism campaigners have berated festival-goers near Saddleworth, Greater Manchester, who went through the centre of the village of Uppermill proudly carrying the Nazi symbol.
Hundreds attended the Yanks festival last weekend, with many thrilled to dress up and re-create the 1940s for a few days.
But organisers say they cannot stop people wearing Nazi insignia on a public street and insist their own strict code of conduct bans them.
Although they said anyone spotted with anything Nazi-related trying to get into their event at Saddleworth School was asked to remove it.
But campaign group Unite Against Fascism called for the public to protest and said it was unnacceptable. Read More
Racist sex attacker, 12, admits carrying out 21 offences in only TWO months....And No Doubt will be Protected because of his age
A 12-year-old boy has admitted committing more than 20 crimes in only two months, ranging from sexual assaults to stealing a model car.The youth's crime spree also included a racially-aggravated beating, harassment, thefts and trying to break into a car.
The 21 offences were carried out in Portsmouth and neighbouring Southsea, in Hampshire, between May and July this year.
The schoolboy from Portsmouth, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is in care, a court was told.
He is due to be sentenced on August 31. Read More
June 7: Stole remote control car from model retailer Modelzone
June 8: Assaulted a woman in Southsea
June 9: Carries out racially-aggravated assault in Southsea
June 14: Assaulted a woman in Southsea before attempting to steal a Lexmoto Tommy scooter, causing damage costing £70
June 16: Commits two assaults, damaging food belonging to one of the victims. Tries to break into a parked car before carrying out a racially-aggravating beating and racially harassing a woman.
June 21: Stole a bicycle worth £200.
June 22 to 26: Carries out a course of racially-aggravating harassment, including climbing on to a shed roof and throwing stones.
June 26: Sexually assaults two women and carries out a common assault on another woman.
June 28: Beats a man at a train station in a racially-aggravated attack.
July 1: Assaults a man and tries to damage a Rover car belonging to the victim.
July 4: Assaults a man in Portsmouth.
Aggro Santos accused of raping two girls, one aged just 16
Former I'm A Celebrity contestant Aggro Santos raped two girls, one aged 16, in hotel rooms after performing at gigs, a court has heard.The Brazilian-born rapper is accused of forcing one of the alleged victims to have sex after he performed at Club Soho in Yeovil, Somerset, on September 25, 2010.
He is also accused of raping a 16-year-old girl last year after the University of Chichester summer ball, while friend and co-defendant Tyrelle Ritchie forced her to perform a sex act on him.
In the Yeovil incident, the alleged victim and a friend had gone to the club opening to see Santos perform, Chichester Crown Court was told. Read More
Damian Rzeszowski 'killed six people including his wife and two children because he could not face marriage break-up'
A father stabbed six people including his wife and two young children more than 40 times because he could not face the break-up of his marriage, a court heard today.Damian Rzeszowski stabbed two-year-old son Kacper a total of 13 times and his daughter, Kinga, five, 16 times, the court heard.
Before the children were attacked at the family home in St Helier, Jersey, Rzeszowski had set upon his father-in-law Marek Garstka, 56, stabbing him a total of nine times with such force that his spinal cord was severed and a knife lodged in his body.
Solicitor General Howard Sharp, for the prosecution said Kacper, who had probably been playing with a toy car at the time, was 'stabbed a on two separate occasions with two different kitchen knives'.
His older sister ended up on the floor of the lounge, not far from her brother.
Mr Sharp added that blood patterns around Mr Garstka's body suggested he had also been attacked on two separate occasions with two different knives.
Kinga's friend, Julia De La Haye, was also stabbed 16 times, suffering seven wounds to her chest and a further nine to her back in the course of two different attacks.
Mr Sharp said Rzeszowski then attacked his wife, Izabela in the two-bedroom flat's lounge or hallway, but she was able to move and run through the flat and out into a courtyard.
She then climbed in through the bathroom window and made a 'desperate attempt' to call the police using her father's mobile phone.
'The number she dialled was 997, which is the Polish emergency services' number,' Mr Sharp said. Read More
"Iran can build an N-bomb by Oct. 1, while Egypt now threatens Israel's western border"
Since 20 percent refined uranium is a short jump to weapons grade fuel, Iran will have the capability and materials for building an operational nuclear bomb by approximately October 1.
This knowledge is not news to US President Barack Obama, Saudi King Abdullah, Syrian ruler Bashar Assad, or Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu - and certainly not to Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Netanyahu’s comment at the opening of the weekly cabinet meeting Sunday: “All threats against the home front are dwarfed by one – Iran must not be allowed to have nuclear arms!” – was prompted by that deadline.
Ex-Prime Minister Ehud Olmert did not have that information when he “assured” Tel Aviv students Sunday, “Iran’s nuclear program has not reached the threshold necessitating Israeli action now or in the near future.” He further claimed that Israel’s “defense leaders” don’t subscribe to the view that “action now is unavoidable.” Olmert, who stepped down under a cloud of suspected corruption in 2009, has not since then had access to regular intelligence briefings on Iran. So either he spoke out of ignorance or willfully joined an opposition chorus of voices speaking out against Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak.
The fact is that when Olmert approved the Israeli strike for destroying a nuclear reactor under construction by Iran and North Korea in northern Syria in September 2007, Iran was years away from accumulating enough enriched uranium and the capability to build nuclear warheads.
Both are now within Tehran’s grasp in weeks. more
Israel tests SMS missile alerts as Iran chatter grows
As testing began, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel had chalked up "a significant improvement" in its home front defence capabilities, mentioning its highly-vaunted anti-missile systems such as Iron Dome and Arrow 2.
"There has been a significant improvement in our level of defence capacity on the home front: with Iron Dome, with the Arrow, in terms of protection and shelters, in advanced warning systems and in other areas," he said at the start of the weekly cabinet meeting.
"But all the threats which are directed towards the Israeli home front are dwarved by another threat -- different in both its scope and its essence. And so I repeat: Iran must never be allowed to get nuclear weapons."
With front page stories in two papers suggesting Tehran had made progress towards the manufacture and assembly of a nuclear warhead, Israel's Home Front Command began final tests of the SMS warning system which is expected to be operational by September. more
The end of the builder? The giant 3D printer than could create a HOUSE in 24 hours
Scaled up 3D printing technology could be used to build a house in under 24 hours, according to an engineer from the University of Southern California.Contour Crafting is a layered fabrication technology that uses a huge moveable gantry to build a house in the same way that a 3D printer deposits layers of plastic.
Professor Behrokh Khoshnevis claims that his Contour Crafting construction method can build entire houses with all the fixtures and fittings.
Strong walls are built up layer by layer using concrete with automatic reinforcement, while plumbing and electrics are also added by the system during the building process.
The nature of the technology means it will also be possible to create curved walls and architecture that is both 'exotic' and 'beautiful', according to Khoshnevis. Read More
3.5 Magnitude Earthquake CENTRAL CALIFORNIA - 13th August 2012
A magnitude 3.5 earthquake has struck CENTRAL CALIFORNIA at a depth of 1 km (0.6 miles), the quake hit at 14:03:47 UTC Monday 13th August 2012The epicenter was 27 km (17 miles) ESE from Coso Junction, California
No Reports of Damage or Injuries at this time
X-51A Waverider: U.S. military to test radical new aircraft that can reach Mach 6
It may look like a vehicle the Thunderbirds would travel in, but in fact this experimental aircraft could be the future of long haul flights.It uses a revolutionary 'scramjet' engine that allows it to travel at hypersonic speeds.
Tomorrow, it will be dropped from a B52 bomber in its latest test.
The craft, called the X-51A Waverider, is currently being prepared at Edwards Air Force Base in the Mojave Desert.
Tomorrow, it will take part in a key test.
Attached to a B-52 bomber's wing, it will be taken from Edwards to about 50,000 feet over the Pacific Ocean near Point Mugu.
there' it will be dropped and the engines fired. The entire mission will last just 300 seconds, but will be the longest the craft has ever flown for. Read More
HOW IT WORKS
Scramjets are 'airbreathing' aircraft because rather than carrying both fuel and the oxygen needed to provide acceleration, they carry only hydrogen fuel and 'pull' the oxygen needed to burn it from the atmosphere.
Air is forced into the front of the engine and as hydrogen is injected into the airstream, the gases are compressed causing the temperature to rise and ignition to occur.
This generates huge amounts of thrust and enables the jet to travel at speeds far in excess of the 1,350mph top speed of Concorde
U.S. government is secretly spying on EVERYONE using civilian security cameras, say Wikileaks
Anyone who takes a photograph at high-risk locations is logged as a suspected terrorist on a vast network of secret spy cameras linked to the U.S. Government, according to leaked emails.People pointing cameras in New York are regarded as suspicious and the facial recognition images of them from the civilian CCTV are fed into a data centre run by U.S. firm Abraxas.
The system then connects with hundreds of other cameras in a bid to pinpoint potential terrorist activity, it is claimed.
Details of the system emerged from emails released by whistle-blowing website Wikileaks. The issue has caused outrage among privacy campaigners amid fears that it could be abused.
It has disturbing echoes of the film, The Bourne Identity starring Matt Damon, in which CIA officials use a network of spy cameras to track around the world someone they though they had assassinated.
According to the email released by Wikileaks, pictures of people's faces are encrypted and sent to a fortified data centre at a secret location. Read More
Norway massacre could have been avoided: Report
(CNN) -- The bomb and gun rampage that left 77 people dead in Norway last summer could have been avoided, an independent report found Monday.Anders Behring Breivik is on trial in the bombing in central Oslo that left eight people dead, followed by a shooting spree at a youth camp on nearby Utoya Island, where 69 people died.
"The police and security services could and should have done more to avert the crisis," said Alexandra Bech Gjor, head of the July 22 Commission looking into the attacks.
According to authorities, Breivik set off a fertilizer bomb outside the prime minister's office on July 22, 2011, killing eight people. He then took a ferry to Utoya Island, the site of a Labour Party youth camp, where more than 700 young adults were meeting.
Authorities say he roamed the island shooting at campers, killing 69 people before members of an elite Norwegian police unit took him into custody. Read More
