Israel breaks silence on Australian spy mystery

Israel broke its official silence on Wednesday over the reported suicide in jail of an Australian immigrant recruited to its spy service Mossad, giving limited details on a closely guarded case.

After appeals by local media chafing at Israeli censorship of a story broken by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), a district court near Tel Aviv allowed publication of six paragraphs of sanctioned text - a de-facto preliminary account by the state.

The text said that an Israeli with an unspecified dual nationality had been secretly imprisoned "out of security considerations", only to be found dead in his cell two years ago in what was eventually ruled a suicide.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/02/13/us-israel-australia-spy-idUSBRE91C1HE20130213

South Korea unveils missile it says can hit North's leaders

South Korea unveiled a cruise missile on Thursday that it said can hit the office of North Korea's leaders, trying to address concerns that it is technologically behind its unpredictable rival which this week conducted its third nuclear test.

South Korean officials declined to say the exact range of the missile but said it could hit targets anywhere in North Korea.

The Defence Ministry released video footage of the missiles being launched from destroyers and submarines striking mock targets. The weapon was previewed in April last year and officials said deployment was now complete.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/02/14/us-korea-north-missile-idUSBRE91D07P20130214

Hundreds on Police Force Protest Egypt's Government

Hundreds of police officers shut down the headquarters of the Interior Ministry in at least seven provincial capitals on Tuesday in a series of protests against what they called political exploitation by the government of President Mohamed Morsi.

The demonstrations were a rare instance of open dissent by the country’s security forces.

Officials of a police union that called for a strike on Tuesday charged that Mr. Morsi and his Islamist allies had used the police as tools to beat back demonstrations by his political opponents. They said the government had wrongly scapegoated the officers for the resulting fatalities.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/13/world/middleeast/hundreds-on-police-force-protest-egypts-government.html?_r=0

US says America is losing cyber war to China; officials vow to find compromise on legislation

Declaring that America is losing an aggressive cyber-espionage campaign waged from China, administration officials and lawmakers on Wednesday agreed to push legislation that would make it easier for the government and industry to share information about who is getting hacked and what to do about it.

They say this new partnership, codified by law and buoyed by President Barack Obama’s new executive order, is critical to keeping countries like China, Russia and even Iran from rummaging in American computer networks and targeting proprietary data they can use to wreak havoc or compete against U.S. businesses.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/courts_law/white-house-plan-to-shore-up-key-us-networks-a-bureaucratic-feat-does-it-go-far-enough/2013/02/12/2171aeaa-7588-11e2-9889-60bfcbb02149_story.html

N-test makes North Korea a big stride towards nuclear power

North Korea’s latest underground test shows it is making big strides toward becoming a true nuclear power. But the test may also reveal key clues the secretive nation might have hoped to hide about how close, or how far away, it is from fielding a nuclear weapon capable of striking the United States or its allies.

North Korea hailed Tuesday’s test as a “perfect” success, saying it used a device that was stronger and more advanced than those in its past two attempts. Add that to its successful rocket launch in December and the threat of a North Korea ready to strike at the United States, which it sees as its arch-enemy, would appear to be more real than ever.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/ntest-makes-north-korea-a-big-stride-towards-nuclear-power/article4414139.ece

Labour Accuses Government Over Mali Conflict

The Labour Party will today accuse the government of failing to prevent conflict in Mali and not learning the lessons of Iraq and Afghanistan in the approach to defeating terrorism in North Africa.

In a speech later this morning, the Shadow Defence Secretary Jim Murphy will say Mali is a "failure in prevention and foresight" and "trainers should be sent to deter a crisis rather than in response to it".

The final details of the EU Training Force, to which the UK is expected to commit around 20 soldiers, is still being agreed on by European politicians.

http://news.sky.com/story/1051881/labour-accuses-government-over-mali-conflict

MPs say horsemeat discoveries "tip of the iceberg"

Discoveries so far of horsemeat in products sold as beef are likely to be the "tip of the iceberg", a parliamentary report into the scandal said on Thursday.

"The scale of contamination emerging in the meat supply chain is breathtaking," said Anne McIntosh, a legislator who chairs the cross-party Food and Rural Affairs Committee, which published the report. "More revelations will doubtless come to light in the UK and across the European Union."

Growing revelations about the use of horsemeat in products labelled beef have raised questions about the safety of the European food supply chain and prompted governments to send out a European Union (EU)-wide alert.

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2013/02/14/uk-horsemeat-britain-report-idUKBRE91D00420130214

Cambodia, China Report Cases Of Avian Influenza H5N1

“Cambodia reported on Wednesday that another four-year-old girl has contracted avian influenza H5N1, becoming the seventh person [in the country to contract] the virus in 2013,” Xinhua reports (2/13). “Cambodia saw eight cases of avian flu, ending in eight deaths in the whole of 2011, according to WHO figures, while 2012 saw three cases and three deaths,” GlobalPost notes, adding, “That figure has already been surmounted in a little over a month in 2013, with the death of a three-year-old girl on February 13th, bringing the year’s total to seven cases and six fatalities.” According to the news service, “Both the Cambodian Ministry of Health and the WHO advised Cambodians to take pains to keep children away from live chickens and ducks, and to wash their hands often.” Some public health experts are “concerned that H5N1 could mutate into a form potentially transmissible from person to person, leading to pandemic,” the news service notes (Greenwood, 2/13). Health officials in southwest China have reported two cases of H5N1, with one death, the Associated Press reports, adding, “Authorities said they found no evidence the patients had contact with poultry before falling ill” (2/12).

http://www.globalhealthhub.org/2013/02/13/cambodia-china-report-cases-of-avian-influenza-h5n1/

LA Manhunt: Dorner Shootout 'Like A Warzone'

Police officers who tracked Christopher Dorner to the remote cabin where he is believed to have staged his violent last stand faced a "warzone", US authorities have said.

Charred human remains discovered inside the property in California's Big Bear Lake area have not yet been "absolutely" identified but San Bernardino County's sheriff said he considered the six-day manhunt for the fugitive ex-cop to be over.

Sheriff John McMahon also confirmed that the fire that engulfed the mountain cabin had started after police used highly flammable tear gas canisters in an attempt to drive out the suspected murderer.

http://news.sky.com/story/1051910/la-manhunt-police-believe-body-is-dorner

4.5 Magnitude Earthquake OFFSHORE CHIAPAS, MEXICO - 14th February 2013

Magnitude
4.5
Date-Time
Thursday, February 14, 2013 at 04:00:27 UTC
Wednesday, February 13, 2013 at 10:00:27 PM at epicenter
Location
15.809°N, 93.713°W
Depth
103.6 km (64.4 miles)
Region
OFFSHORE CHIAPAS, MEXICO
Distances
31 km (19 miles) S (169°) from Tonalá, Chiapas, Mexico

4.7 Magnitude Earthquake PAKISTAN - 14th February 2013

Magnitude M 4.7
Region PAKISTAN
Date time 2013-02-14 03:43:20.0 UTC
Location 30.35 N ; 68.60 E
Depth 5 km
Distances 1 km S Loralai, Pakistan

4.6 Magnitude Earthquake KEPULAUAN BABAR, INDONESIA - 14th February 2013

Magnitude
4.6
Date-Time
Thursday, February 14, 2013 at 03:01:18 UTC
Thursday, February 14, 2013 at 12:01:18 PM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location
7.026°S, 129.758°E
Depth
120.9 km (75.1 miles)
Region
KEPULAUAN BABAR, INDONESIA
Distances
199 km (123 miles) WNW of Saumlaki, Indonesia

3.1 Magnitude Earthquake NEVADA - 14th February 2013

Magnitude
3.1
Date-Time
Thursday, February 14, 2013 at 02:41:51 UTC
Wednesday, February 13, 2013 at 06:41:51 PM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location
38.037°N, 118.056°W
Depth
6.2 km (3.9 miles) (poorly constrained)
Region
NEVADA
Distances
26 km (16 miles) S (172°) from Tonopah Junction, NV

4.8 Magnitude Earthquake SANTA CRUZ ISLANDS REGION - 14th February 2013

Magnitude
4.8
Date-Time
Thursday, February 14, 2013 at 00:16:22 UTC
Thursday, February 14, 2013 at 11:16:22 AM at epicenter
Location
11.107°S, 164.743°E
Depth
9.9 km (6.2 miles)
Region
SANTA CRUZ ISLANDS REGION
Distances
315 km (196 miles) ESE (104°) from Kira Kira, Solomon Islands

Cancer Becoming More Common in Younger People: Korea (and likely elsewhere)

The number of cancer patients in their 20s and 30s is on the rise. According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare on Wednesday, 18,050 people in that age group were diagnosed with cancer in 2010, marking a 1.8-fold increase compared to a decade ago.

Among celebrities, Ooh La La Session leader Lim Yoon-taek died from stomach cancer at the age of 33 on Monday, and actress Jan Jin-young succumbed to the same illness at the age of 37. Lim and Jang were diagnosed in the terminal stages of the disease, and the cancer progressed rapidly in both cases.

http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2013/02/14/2013021400922.html

Chernobyl roof collapses under snow

A section of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine has collapsed under the weight of snow, officials say, raising new concerns about the condition of the facility that was the site of the world's worst nuclear accident.

There were no injuries after the accident nor any increase in radiation from the reactor that exploded in 1986, the country's emergency agency said.

French construction firms Vinci and Bouygues said today they had evacuated as a precaution around 80 employees working on a new protective shelter from the site.

"The preliminary reason for the collapse was too much snow on the roof," the emergencies agency said, adding that radiation levels were "within the norm".

The roof was constructed after the 1986 disaster but is not part of the sarcophagus structure covering the exploded reactor, it said.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/world/news/article.cfm?c_id=2&objectid=10865344

South Korea deploys cruise missiles in response to North Korean nuclear test

South Korea’s Ministry of National Defense revealed on the 13th that it has deployed a cruise missile that can strike all regions of North Korea should any further provocations occur.

Spokesperson Kim Min Suk told a regular briefing, “We have independently developed and deployed a cruise missile with world-class accuracy and destructive power that can strike every region of North Korea when needed.”

The military also revealed that it plans to accelerate the development of a ballistic missile with an 800km range.

Kim also explained plans for an indigenous missile defense system, saying, “We simply cannot attack all North Korea’s missiles pre-emptively. Accordingly, we plan to develop a Korean-style missile defense system, KMAD, to intercept North Korean missiles before they reach the ground.”

http://www.dailynk.com/english/read.php?cataId=nk00100&num=10311

‘Constant Drumbeat’ Sped the Pope’s Exit: Money laundering, devious butlers, and a Church corrupt to its very core

Just days after Pope Benedict XVI returned from a 2010 trip to Britain where he met the queen and mended fences with the Anglicans, prosecutors in Rome impounded $30 million from the Vatican Bank in an investigation linked to money laundering.

In May, soon after the pope made an address on the priesthood, chastising those who sought to stretch the church’s rules and calling for “radical obedience,” Vatican gendarmes arrested Benedict’s butler on charges of theft after a tell-all book appeared, based on stolen confidential documents detailing profound mismanagement and corruption inside the Vatican.

Benedict had hoped that his papacy would rekindle the Catholic faith in Europe and compel Catholics to forge bonds between faith and reason, as he so loved to do.

But after a seemingly endless series of scandals, the 85-year-old who so ably enforced doctrine for his predecessor, Pope John Paul II, seemingly came to understand that only a new pope, one with far greater energies than he, could lead a global church and clean house inside the hierarchy at its helm. In the end, Vatican experts said, he decided he could best serve the church by resigning, a momentous decision with far-reaching implications that are still not fully understood.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/13/world/europe/constant-drumbeat-hastened-the-popes-exit.html?ref=europe&_r=1&

Comments from Americans on Christopher Dorner's death, and a good indicator of why the United States is finished

The following are comments made by (mostly) Americans on this Los Angeles Times article regarding Christopher Dorner's alleged death, and how the Big Bear / LAPD police handed the situation. These are their opinions about burning a man alive in a cabin and executing him, guilty or not guilty, without any trial or the slightest trace of evidence. This is how they perceive being a suspect in America without any physical corroboration regarding the mysterious murders of Monica Quan, Keith Lawrence, or any of the officers downed during LAPD actions:

(Take special note that these people work for / attend US (and a few foreign) colleges, and some are ex-military themselves. Think they'll come to your aid when the line is drawn?)

Christopher Brown · Top Commenter · San Francisco, California

He shot and killed two innocent people, I think that is an immediate threat to the public. How dare you glorify his actions, you slime. At least there is an end to this and he is dead, as he should be. 

Robert Lennep Forsman · Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College
The only problem I have with it is that it came about a week too late.

Jim Arnold · Top Commenter · University High School

The LAPD had GOOD reason to burn the SLA, and the SWAT team had GOOD reason to burn Dorner's cabin. Both were cold blooded murderers and will not be tolerated in the USA.

Brian Hughes · Top Commenter · Community College of the Air Force

Couch Guy - There is nothing allegedly about it. The guy murdered four innocent people, two of them were protecting the public, there is nothing alleged about it. Too bad we can't go back in time and put this murderers supporters in the cabin with him. As far as I am concerned they helped this murderer get as far as he did and have the blood of the four murdered on their hands as well.

Brian Hughes · Top Commenter · Community College of the Air Force

After murdering four people and injuring even more, he got what he deserved. At least the he saved the taxpayers of CA some money by eating the barrel of his own gun, what a coward. (Matt's note: This guy is ex-USAF, by the way.)

Brad Gates

Dorner was subhuman filth. So are the rectal-faced scumbags seeking to justify or equivocate his actions.

Robin Flores · Top Commenter

And the problem is where???

Idonwanna Tellya · Top Commenter · Grand Canyon University

Boohoo hoo. A murderer got treated badly. So f'ing what? What do YOU want? Do you want scumbags that going on a killing spree, with many witnesses, to be given hugs and a soda? Maybe give them a place to live, free of charge for a few years until they are finally put to death? This guy was scum. There is NO reason for him to go on a murder spree. Oh that poor fellow... not. He got what he deserved and the PD saved us the hassle of a circus trial, incarceration, feeding him, etc... He knew what was coming as soon as he killed someone. Thankfully, he won't be killing anyone else.

Norman Ravitch · Top Commenter · Queens college, princeton univ.

iF WE CAN USE DRONES VS. AMERICANS WHO HAVE JOINED THE TERRORISTS WE CAN CERTAINLY BURN OUT THE LIKES OF DORNER.

Andy Smith · Top Commenter · Pleasanton, California

I'm glad they ended this threat!! Burning it down was a great idea. Well done officers!! Thank you for getting this monster off our streets.

Clay L. Herbert · Top Commenter

Dorner had already killed four. What were authorities to do when he used them for target practice. It's best to get it done. Apparently they did. (Matt's note: By this point Dorner's guilt is automatically assumed, and fits nicely into the narrative.)

Christopher Budde · Top Commenter

I would have been OK with them tossing a dozen road flares in.

Ed Wrann · Northwest Florida State College

Should've used a drone!!

Gary Harris

The proportion of "Like" votes here says a great deal about LATimes readers, AKA hateful leftists. (Matt's note: Disagreeing automatically makes you a leftist/Marxist/communist, despite the fact most people don't actually understand Marxism and what it is.)

Bev Schewanick · Top Commenter · Anniston, Alabama

At least it is finally OVER !!

Mark Bailey · Top Commenter

BOOOOM BABE!!!!

Toby Belch · The Queen's College, Oxford

The night they burned Chris Dorner down
And the bells were ringing
The night they burned Chris Dorner down
And all the people were singing
They went, "F***ing burn this motherf****r."

David Allentown · Owner at Self Employed (Business)

Took care of the problem nicely

Jesher Spelling · Top Commenter

I'm A-Ok with it. Besides, if the liberal left are fine with drone strikes, they should shut their hypocritical mouths on Dorner too.

Michael McNeil · Top Commenter

I'm glad the racist pig ahole burned. I hope it was slow. (Matt's notes: It was actually Dorner's mission to fight against racism)

Dorner manhunt: Incendiary tear gas reportedly used on cabin

Faced with regular barrages of gunfire, officers confronting suspected killer Christopher Dorner lobbed incendiary tear gas into the cabin where Dorner allegedly was holed up, said law enforcement officials with knowledge of the situation.

The cabin caught on fire and authorities believe Dorner was burned inside. A body was discovered but authorities have not confirmed it was Dorner.

Law enforcement sources said the officers got into several gun battles with Dorner during a nearly four-hour siege at the cabin in the Big Bear area. The standoff began when Dorner allegedly fatally shot a San Bernardino County sheriff’s deputy and seriously injured another.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2013/02/dorner-manhunt-highly-incendiary-hot-gas-used-on-cabin.html

5.1 Magnitude Earthquake PAPUA, INDONESIA - 13th February 2013

Magnitude
5.1
Date-Time
Wednesday, February 13, 2013 at 21:30:35 UTC
Thursday, February 14, 2013 at 06:30:35 AM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location
2.071°S, 138.972°E
Depth
31.9 km (19.8 miles)
Region
PAPUA, INDONESIA
Distances
189 km (117 miles) WNW of Abepura, Indonesia

4.5 Magnitude Earthquake FLORES REGION, INDONESIA - 13th February 2013

Magnitude
4.5
Date-Time
Wednesday, February 13, 2013 at 20:49:59 UTC
Thursday, February 14, 2013 at 04:49:59 AM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location
8.190°S, 119.518°E
Depth
174.4 km (108.4 miles)
Region
FLORES REGION, INDONESIA
Distances
43 km (26 miles) N of Komodo, Indonesia

4.8 Magnitude Earthquake OFF THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN - 13th February 2013

Magnitude
4.8
Date-Time
Wednesday, February 13, 2013 at 19:52:43 UTC
Thursday, February 14, 2013 at 05:52:43 AM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location
37.593°N, 143.751°E
Depth
36.8 km (22.9 miles)
Region
OFF THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN
Distances
233 km (144 miles) ESE of Ishinomaki, Japan

'Burn that f****** house down': Dramatic moment police smashed their way into fugitive cop's California hideaway as new pictures reveal blazing cabin in which killer's charred body was found

Dramatic new details emerged today about the moment police smashed their way into the mountain cabin where Christopher Dorner made his last stand. Aerial photos show the small building burned to the ground after it caught fire following a raging gun battle in which the fugitive ex-LAPD cop shot dead one sheriff's deputy and gravely wounded another in the mountains of San Bernardino National Forest on Tuesday. According to one report, furious SWAT officers shouted 'burn that f****** house down' before the building went up in flames

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2278065/Christopher-Dorner-Carjacking-victim-Rick-Heltebrake-reveals-coming-face-face-ex-LAPD-cop.html

Chernobyl nuclear reactor Roof Section collapses under the weight of snow

The area of the collapse was about 600 square metres in the turbine hall of the disused power station, now in modern-day Ukraine, which triggered the worst nuclear disaster in history. Officials immediately denied any threat of radiation. But the collapse and the failure to remove heavy snow from the roof will not inspire confidence in safety measures at the plant, which continues to present a substantial threat of radioactive pollution to Europe.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2278063/Chernobyl-Huge-section-roof-covering-nuclear-reactor-exploded-1986-collapses-weight-snow.html

Ian Driscoll Raided: Armed cops swoop o Action Man looking for a mortar after owner posts picture of TOY weapon on Facebook

Police with submachine guns raced to the home of Ian Driscoll (pictured), in Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, after he posted a new Facebook profile picture which had a toy gun in the background. The mortar gun was next to a TV remote control clearly showing its small size but someone who saw it contacted police. Five officers, including two armed with submachine guns, then arrived at his home.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2278111/Armed-police-storm-house-fearing-owner-Ian-Driscoll-mortar-posted-picture-6in-tall-Action-Man-weapon-Facebook.html

The Papal Apocalypse! Doomsday fanatics claim next pontiff will be the last according to 12th century Prophecy of the Popes

Doomsday fanatics claim that a 12th century prophecy states the successor to Benedict XVI will be the last pope before the end of the world.

After the Mayan 2012 prophecies failed to materialise, apocalypse aficionados have turned their attention to the purported writings of St Malachy, an Irish saint and Archbishop of Armagh, who lived between 1094 and 1148.

St Malachy is said to have travelled to Rome in 1139, where he experienced a vision of future popes, writing down a series of 112 cryptic phrases that described each one in turn.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2278037/Doomsday-fanatics-point-12th-century-prophecy-pope-the-end-world.html#axzz2KmmBJRwB

Millions of British families will NEVER see their finances recover from the economic downturn, admits government

Britain faces a 'living standards crisis' as it was revealed that millions of families will never regain the losses they sustained during the financial crisis and recession.

Average earnings have sunk to the level they were at 10 years ago as workers are squeezed by a toxic combination of pay freezes and hikes in the cost of living.

Ed Miliband today accused David Cameron of presiding over 'falling living standards' and abandoning the less well-off in favour of the rich.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2278100/UK-facing-living-standards-crisis-millions-families-NEVER-finances-recover-economic-downturn.html#axzz2KmmBJRwB

Christopher Dorner's story as told by Citizen Journalists - Truthloader

U.S., EU push for world’s biggest free trade alliance

Airplane crash landing in Ukraine kills two: Interfax

At least two people were killed when an airplane carrying 45 passengers and crew crash-landed in thick fog in the eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk on Wednesday night, Interfax news agency said.

The emergencies ministry, quoted by the agency, said the plane overshot the runway at Donetsk airport as it attempted to execute an emergency landing and broke up.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/02/13/us-ukraine-plane-idUSBRE91C1A220130213

EU urges Iran to be flexible at nuclear talks with big powers

European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton urged Iran on Wednesday to show flexibility at this month's talks between Tehran and six world powers aimed at defusing tensions over the Iranian nuclear program.

The five permanent U.N. Security Council members - the United States, Britain, France, Russia and China - and Germany will meet with Iran in Kazakhstan on February 26 for the latest round of talks in a 7-year-old attempt by the six powers to end the decade-long nuclear standoff with Tehran.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/02/13/us-iran-nuclear-eu-idUSBRE91C14220130213

Divided Damascus confronted by war

MiG warplanes roar low overhead to strike rebels fighting to oust President Bashar al-Assad on the fringes of Damascus, while artillery batteries pound the insurgents from hills overlooking a city divided between all-out war and a deceptive calm.

Whole families can be obliterated by air raids that miss their targets. Wealthy Syrians or their children are kidnapped. Some are returned but people tell grim tales of how others are tortured and dumped even when the ransom is paid.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/02/13/us-syria-crisis-damascus-idUSBRE91C0UG20130213

Christopher Dorner's wallet and driver's license apparently found in cabin wreckage, along with "charred body"

Police scoured mountain peaks for days, using everything from bloodhounds to high-tech helicopters in their manhunt for a revenge-seeking ex-cop. They had no idea he was hiding among them, possibly holed up in a vacation cabin across the street from their command post.

It was there that Christopher Dorner may have taken refuge last Thursday, four days after beginning a deadly rampage that would claim four lives.

The search ended Tuesday when a man believed to be Dorner bolted from hiding, stole two cars, barricaded himself in another vacant cabin miles away and mounted a last stand in a furious shootout in which he killed one sheriff's deputy and wounded another before the building erupted in flames.

He never emerged from the ruins, and hours later a charred body was found in the basement of the burned cabin along with a wallet and personal items, including a California driver's license with the name Christopher Dorner, an official briefed on the investigation told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because of the ongoing investigation.

The coroner's office is studying the remains to positively determine the identity.

3.2 Magnitude Earthquake PORTUGAL - 13th February 2013

Magnitude ML 3.2
Region PORTUGAL
Date time 2013-02-13 17:22:12.0 UTC
Location 41.19 N ; 8.39 W
Depth 15 km
Distances 2 km NW Baltar, Portugal

3.5 Magnitude Earthquake NEVADA - 13th February 2013

Magnitude
3.5
Date-Time
Wednesday, February 13, 2013 at 17:05:15 UTC
Wednesday, February 13, 2013 at 09:05:15 AM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location
38.032°N, 118.052°W
Depth
8.8 km (5.5 miles)
Region
NEVADA
Distances
26 km (16 miles) S (172°) from Tonopah Junction, NV

Could Serious Smog Problems See China Moving Its Capital Away from Beijing?

Recent reports from Radio France Internationale (RFI)’s Chinese site suggest that China’s pollution problem is raising serious concerns within the country itself. In the push for economic growth, the China is also becoming increasingly aware of what could potentially develop into a serious problem if steps are not taken soon. In this connection, there has been heated debate on the Internet suggesting that Chinese authorities are proposing moving the capital away from Beijing.

The level of toxic gases from factories and car fumes have reached levels that can no longer be ignored; many are suggesting that just living in Beijing alone is equal to smoking 20 cigarettes a day. Of course, all this pollution doesn’t stop at the air one breathes; crops, water and the like have also been affected. At the same time, Beijing is a city to over 20 million people. Under these circumstances, leaving things as they are without a strategy of some sort would undoubtedly see the innocent citizens of Beijing fall victim to many a case of ill-health.

http://en.rocketnews24.com/2013/02/12/could-serious-smog-problems-see-china-moving-its-capital-away-from-beijing/

How Powerful Is North Korea's Nuclear Bomb?

North Korea's latest nuclear test was estimated to equal 6 or 7 kilotons of TNT, which makes it neither a failure nor a resounding success, according to experts.

"There is no such thing as a failed nuclear test," said Kim Tae-woo, former head of the Korea Institute for National Unification. "Even if there was no nuclear blast, scientists can gather data on what went wrong, and this is how the North has been able to continue developing nuclear weapons."

The force generated by the latest nuclear test was less than half the 15,000 tons of the bomb that was dropped on Hiroshima in 1945. But if such a weapon was dropped on Seoul, it would still be enough to level several square kilometers and lead to hundreds of thousands of casualties.

http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2013/02/13/2013021301074.html

5.0 Magnitude Earthquake SANTA CRUZ ISLANDS REGION - 13th February 2013

Magnitude
5.0
Date-Time
Wednesday, February 13, 2013 at 15:55:39 UTC
Thursday, February 14, 2013 at 02:55:39 AM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location
10.753°S, 164.268°E
Depth
10.1 km (6.3 miles)
Region
SANTA CRUZ ISLANDS REGION
Distances
171 km (106 miles) W of Lata, Solomon Islands

5.2 Magnitude Earthquake SANTA CRUZ ISLANDS REGION - 13th February 2013

Magnitude
5.2
Date-Time
Wednesday, February 13, 2013 at 12:50:30 UTC
Wednesday, February 13, 2013 at 11:50:30 PM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location
11.041°S, 164.747°E
Depth
9.8 km (6.1 miles)
Region
SANTA CRUZ ISLANDS REGION
Distances
123 km (76 miles) WSW of Lata, Solomon Islands

Republic becomes fourth chain to go into administration this year putting 1,000 jobs at risk

Fashion chain Republic is expected to become the latest high street store to call in administrators today - putting 1,000 jobs at risk.

The group, which has 120 stores across the UK is reported to have already lined up accounting firm Ernst & Young to handle the administration.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2277649/Republic-Fashion-retailer-fourth-chain-administration-year-putting-1-000-jobs-risk.html#axzz2KmmBJRwB

Tibetan set himself alight at Kathmandu tourist site in 101st self-immolation by a monk protesting against Chinese rule

His demonstration is the latest in a string of self-immolations protesting China's rule over Tibet. Witnesses in Nepal said the man entered a cafe in Katmandu's Boudhanath district - home to many Tibetan Buddhist temples and monasteries - and asked to use the bathroom. After spending some time there, he went onto the street and lit himself on fire outside Boudhanath stupa, one of the holiest Buddhist sites in Nepal.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2277907/Horrifying-image-Tibetan-monk-flames-street-101st-person-self-immolate-protest-China.html#axzz2KmmBJRwB

Israel gagged media over suicide in custody of secret 'Prisoner X'

Israel gagged media over suicide in custody of secret 'Prisoner X'

Egypt floods Gaza tunnels to cut Palestinian lifeline

Egyptian forces have flooded smuggling tunnels under the border with the Palestinian-ruled Gaza Strip in a campaign to shut them down, Egyptian and Palestinian officials said.

The network of tunnels is a vital lifeline for Gaza, bringing in an estimated 30 percent of all goods that reach the enclave and circumventing a blockade imposed by Israel for more than seven years.

Reuters reporters saw one tunnel being used to bring in cement and gravel suddenly fill with water on Sunday, sending workers rushing for safety. Locals said two other tunnels were likewise flooded, with Egyptians deliberately pumping in water.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/02/13/us-palestinians-egypt-tunnels-idUSBRE91C0RF20130213

Security camera captures Turkey border blast

Clashes in Bangladesh over war crimes trial

Diesel shortage pushes Egyptians to the brink

Fathy Ali is beyond anger as he queues for hours in a line of 64 trucks and buses to fill his tank with scarce subsidized diesel fuel, known in Egypt as "Solar."

"This has become part of my life. I come and wait for hours or days, depending on my luck," the chain-smoking bus driver said at a besieged gas station on Cairo's Suez High Road, wrapped in a scarf and thick coat for the long ordeal. "At the start it used to upset me a lot but now I've kind of given up."

Diesel supplies are drying up as a cash-strapped government struggles to cap a mounting bill for subsidies it has promised the IMF it will reform to secure an elusive $4.8 billion loan desperately needed to keep a sagging economy afloat.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/02/13/us-egypt-diesel-idUSBRE91C0RO20130213

North Korea Ambassador Warned Over Test

North Korea's ambassador has been summoned to the Foreign Office over Pyongyang's nuclear tests.

North Korea confirmed it had carried out a third nuclear test after monitoring agencies reported an "unusual seismic event".

Foreign Office minister Hugo Swire warned ambassador Hyon Hak Bong that the state faced "increasing isolation and further action" unless it engages with the international community.

http://news.sky.com/story/1051608/north-korea-ambassador-warned-over-test

Sars-Like Virus Spreads To Family Member in First Known Human to Human Spread

Doctors have confirmed the first case of known human-to-human spread of a deadly new respiratory virus in Britain.

The Health Protection Agency (HPA) said the man had been in close contact with a relative who had picked up the infection while travelling in the Middle East and Pakistan.

The so-called "novel" coronavirus causes severe breathing problems and has killed five of the 11 confirmed cases around the world.

http://news.sky.com/story/1051574/sars-like-virus-spreads-to-family-member

5.2 Magnitude Earthquake SANTA CRUZ ISLANDS REGION - 13th February 2013

Magnitude
5.2
Date-Time
Wednesday, February 13, 2013 at 11:08:53 UTC
Wednesday, February 13, 2013 at 10:08:53 PM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location
10.799°S, 164.611°E
Depth
10.2 km (6.3 miles)
Region
SANTA CRUZ ISLANDS REGION
Distances
134 km (83 miles) W of Lata, Solomon Islands

5.5 Magnitude Earthquake SOUTHERN SUMATRA, INDONESIA - 13th February 2013

Magnitude
5.5
Date-Time
Wednesday, February 13, 2013 at 11:00:22 UTC
Wednesday, February 13, 2013 at 06:00:22 PM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location
2.915°S, 101.322°E
Depth
30.4 km (18.9 miles)
Region
SOUTHERN SUMATRA, INDONESIA
Distances
92 km (57 miles) S of Sungaipenuh, Indonesia

State of Denial: Pockets not rockets dominate Obama's 2013 SOTU speech

5.2 Magnitude Earthquake SANTA CRUZ ISLANDS REGION - 13th February 2013

Magnitude
5.2
Date-Time
Wednesday, February 13, 2013 at 10:08:49 UTC
Wednesday, February 13, 2013 at 09:08:49 PM at epicenter
Location
10.733°S, 164.199°E
Depth
10.1 km (6.3 miles)
Region
SANTA CRUZ ISLANDS REGION
Distances
250 km (155 miles) E (97°) from Kira Kira, Solomon Islands

4.0 Magnitude Earthquake NEVADA - 13th February 2013

Magnitude
4.0
Date-Time
Wednesday, February 13, 2013 at 09:53:35 UTC
Wednesday, February 13, 2013 at 01:53:35 AM at epicenter
Location
38.033°N, 118.034°W
Depth
14.1 km (8.8 miles)
Region
NEVADA
Distances
26 km (16 miles) SSE (168°) from Tonopah Junction, NV

4.2 Magnitude Earthquake FIJI REGION - 13th February 2013

Magnitude
4.2
Date-Time
Wednesday, February 13, 2013 at 09:30:27 UTC
Wednesday, February 13, 2013 at 09:30:27 PM at epicenter
Location
19.877°S, 177.839°W
Depth
567.8 km (352.8 miles)
Region
FIJI REGION
Distances
306 km (190 miles) WNW (297°) from NUKU'ALOFA, Tonga

LA Manhunt: Charred Remains Found

A gun battle between Christopher Dorner and police has ended after fire ripped through the remote cabin where the murder suspect was thought to have been hiding.

TV footage showed flames rising from the property in California's Big Bear Lake area, which also had thick black smoke billowing from it.

The Sheriff's spokeswoman said charred human remains had been found in the rubble of the burned cabin.

http://news.sky.com/story/1051339/la-manhunt-dorner-shootout-ends-in-cabin-fire

Obama: 57 Vacation Days Since Vowing He 'Will Not Rest Until Anyone' Can Find A GOOD Job

It's time for the State of the Union address, which means the president is pivoting back to jobs once more. It's an annual game where President Obama pretends to be focused on employment and many in the media pretend to believe him.

Back in 2009, the president promised never to "rest" until the job situation was fixed. Nearly four years later, he's done a lot of resting.

According to The Weekly Standard, Pres. Obama has had 83 vacation days overall and Factcheck.org says he took 26 of those in 2009. That means the president has taken at least 57 vacation days since his vow not to "rest."

http://cnsnews.com/blog/dan-gainor/obama-57-vacation-days-vowing-he-will-not-rest-until-anyone-can-find-good-job

STATE OF UNION reporters watch video 'how to escape in case there is biological attack'...

Christoper Dorner BURNED ALIVE?

LAPD Cmdr. Andy Smith says that despite earlier reports, Christopher Dorner’s body has not been recovered from a burned out cabin where he was reportedly holed up during a deadly shootout with authorities earlier today.

Cindy Bachman of the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department says authorities have not yet been able to enter the cabin, but when they do, they believe they will find a body inside.

http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2013/02/12/authorities-responding-to-big-bear-home-on-report-of-hostage-situation-unknown-if-connected-to-dorner/

Joe Jones Manifesto: Second LAPD Sides With Christopher Dorner

"The 1st thing I would say to [Dorner] is, I feel your pains!," Joe Jones wrote in his manifesto, circulated Tuesday by hacker group Anonymous and posted to Jones' Facebook. "But you are going about this the wrong way. To take innocent lives could never be the answer to anything. I say this as a Man who experienced the same pain, betrayal, anger, suffering, litigation and agony that you did in many ways."

Jones said he himself has been a victim of the corruption denounced by Dorner. "I need you to first assume that I would not surface 16 years later with lies about a situation that has me with PTSD to this very day," he wrote. "The pain forces me to speak as I have yet to shake the Ill's of my experience as an LAPD Officer."

http://www.policymic.com/articles/26065/joe-jones-manifesto-second-lapd-sides-with-christopher-dorner

'Survival of N. Korea regime depends on nuclear weapons'

N.Korea a 'serious threat' to US: Panetta

Police arrest man for mass stabbing of Japanese tourists in Guam

A man accused of killing two Japanese visitors and injuring a dozen others after crashing his car and stabbing people in a major tourist district in Guam has been arrested and faces multiple charges, police said on Feb. 13.

Chad Ryan DeSoto, 21, of Tamuning is accused of driving a Toyota Yaris onto a sidewalk and striking seven tourists Feb. 12 night at an upscale shopping area fronting the Outrigger Guam Resort in Tumon Bay, Guam police spokesman A.J. Balajadia said. DeSoto continued driving on the sidewalk, crashing into the wall of a convenience store. He then left his car and started stabbing people, police said.

Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said 14 Japanese tourists were attacked, including two who died. Two of the injured have been released from the hospital after being treated, Suga said.

http://ajw.asahi.com/article/behind_news/social_affairs/AJ201302130029

Davyon Green Kills roommate and wounds second man before turning the gun on himself

A university student has shot dead a housemate and seriously wounded another before turning the gun on himself, police said today.

The murder-suicide happened at 1am on Tuesday at a house close to the University of Maryland campus in College Park.

Davyon Green, 23, started several fires in the basement of the small property and in the yard. The flames awoke his two housemates who fled outside, where he opened fire on them with a handgun.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2277594/University-Maryland-college-shooting-Student-Dayvon-Green-23-kills-roommate-wounds-second-man.html#axzz2Kli6u6ha

Ex-FBI agent claims U.S. officials 'witnessed' New CIA Boss John Brennan's 'conversion' while he was station chief in Saudi Arabia in 1990s

The incoming head of the CIA converted to Islam while working as a station chief in Saudi Arabia in the 1990s, a former FBI agent has claimed.

John Guandolo, who retired from the FBI in 2008, said in a radio interview that John Brennan - who has been nominated by Barack Obama as the new director of the CIA - visited the Islamic holy cities of Mecca and Medina accompanied by Saudi officials who may have persuaded him to convert.

Mr Guandolo's tale echoes elements of the plot of hit show Homeland, in which U.S. Marine Nick Brody converts to Islam while being held prisoner by al-Qaeda, only to begin working for the CIA after his release.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2277524/Obamas-choice-CIA-chief-converted-Islam-says-FBI-agent.html#axzz2Kli6u6ha

Missouri man is shot and killed by police during home raid after he fatally stabs 9-year-old police dog

Authorities shot and killed a Missouri man after he allegedly fatally stabbed a St. Paul, Minnesota police dog.

The dog, Kody, was nine years old and had worked with Officer Dave Longbehn for seven years. The stabbing suspect's name has not been released.

Police were looking for the suspect Tuesday on a first-degree criminal sexual conduct warrant. They had gone to a home in St. Paul to arrest him and sent the K-9 into the home first.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2277896/Missouri-man-shot-killed-police-home-raid-fatally-stabs-9-year-old-police-dog.html#axzz2Kli6u6ha

Kelsie Jean Schelling: Colorado issues statewide alert for missing 21-year-old last seen 100 miles from her home

Kelsie Jean Schelling went missing about two weeks before her 22nd birthday after being last seen in Pueblo Colorado, some 112 miles from her Denver home. Police do not suspect foul play in the disappearance and believe that if they find her car, a 2011 black Chevy Cruze, it will bring them closer to lthe girl. However, some friends on Facebook noted that Schelling and her boyfriend have been having relationship problems lately.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2277795/Kelsie-Schelling-Colorado-issues-statewide-alert-missing-21-year-old-girl-seen-100-miles-away-home.html

Troops deployed in India's Assam after deadly poll violence

India deployed hundreds of troops and imposed a curfew on Wednesday as the death toll from electoral violence in the northeastern state of Assam climbed to 20.

Most of the deaths have been the result of firing by police, who have been trying to halt attacks by machete-wielding tribesmen opposed to local elections.

"Eight people were killed in overnight clashes, taking the total number of people who have died so far to 20," Bhupen Bora, an Assam state home ministry official told AFP in the state's main city Guwahati.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hXTGN2CdclxUGqCewDOQqSUPBqeA?docId=CNG.cc3da0d0b32bad74b8429cc3bd650c8e.7d1

European Commission call for review of media laws sparks debate

Prime Minister Victor Ponta said the Romanian government will seek to ensure media freedom while preserving the independence of the judiciary and the rule of law.

Media freedom is a fundamental value, but it requires a balance "with the independence of the judiciary and the working of the rule of law," Ponta said in Brussels last week.

The prime minister's declaration came in response to concerns raised by Jose Manuel Barroso, the head of the European Commission, to correct what it called the influence the media is exerting on the justice sector.

http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/features/setimes/features/2013/02/12/feature-02

EU’s Sugar Exports to Syria Soar as War, Sanctions Slow Refining

Sugar exports from the European Union to Syria soared last year as war disrupted local refining.

About 220,660 metric tons of sugar were shipped to Syria from the EU in the 11 months through November, according to the most recent data from Brussels-based Eurostat. That’s up 63 percent from 135,369 tons exported in all of 2011. The European Union mostly produces white, or refined, sugar.'

Refiners in Syria are finding it difficult to import raw sugar because of sanctions, Tarif Akhras, chairman of the T. Akhras Group, which used to own a refinery near Homs, said in an interview in Dubai on Feb. 2. Akhras himself is listed under EU sanctions against Syria for “benefiting from and supporting the regime,” the Council of the European Union said in 2011.

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2013-02-13/eu-s-sugar-exports-to-syria-soar-as-war-sanctions-slow-refining

The battle for the EU's long-term budget

EU countries ignored Parliament's call for a growth-boosting long-term budget for 2014-2020 when they agreed on 8 February 2013 to cut the budget from its previous level for the first time in the EU's history. Parliament is concerned that the budget is not ambitious enough, which means that the deal achieved by the heads of government is just the beginning of the process. The EP will now analyse the figures in depth before deciding whether or not to back the European Council's spending plans.

Immediately after the news broke, the EP's four largest parties made a joint statement that the budget in its current form may not get the needed majority in parliament.

http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/headlines/content/20110429FCS18370/html/The-battle-for-the-EU's-long-term-budget

EU budget: Parliament warns European Council agreement is only start of the process

Parliament has reminded member states they still face negotiations over the EU's long-term budget before approval by MEPs. The European Council agreed spending plans for 2014-2020 on 8 February, but Parliament's four largest political groups have indicated that the deal as it is may not receive the necessary parliamentary majority. They feel it does too little to stimulate growth and job creation and are concerned it could lead to a structural deficit. "The real negotiations will start now."

http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/headlines/content/20130208STO05707/html/EU-budget-Parliament-warns-European-Council-agreement-is-only-start-of-process

While stupid Cameron is back Home, basking in the Glory of a fantasy Done deal

Syrian rebels seize air base

Fate of fugitive LA ex-cop unclear

North Korea nuclear-test drama rehashes old script

A North Korean nuclear test draws international condemnation, modest U.N. sanctions and expressions of hope in the United States that China will finally rein in its brazen ally.

Beijing chides North Korea, but nothing much happens.

The world has seen this movie before and it's likely to witness another rerun after North Korea's third nuclear test on Tuesday.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/02/13/us-korea-north-sanctions-idUSBRE91C0C920130213

Women And Children Killed In Nato Air Strike

A Nato air strike on a Taliban hideout in Afghanistan has killed nine women and children, local officials say.

"Five children, four women and a man were killed in the raid," said Kunar provincial governor, Sayed Fazulullah Wahidi.

A spokesman for Nato forces said they were investigating the allegations.

http://news.sky.com/story/1051476/women-and-children-killed-in-nato-air-strike

5.3 Magnitude Earthquake CERAM SEA, INDONESIA - 13th February 2013

Magnitude
5.3
Date-Time
Wednesday, February 13, 2013 at 05:21:17 UTC
Wednesday, February 13, 2013 at 02:21:17 PM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location
2.988°S, 130.189°E
Depth
24 km (14.9 miles)
Region
CERAM SEA, INDONESIA
Distances
146 km (90 miles) ENE of Amahai, Indonesia

Police scanner Dorner Shootout - Cops say Burn It Down

Christopher Dorner Shootout cops tell them to burn that motherf***** 2 - 12 -13

Joe Jones Manifesto: Former LAPD Cop Says He Had Similar Experiences As Alleged Cop Killer, Chris Dorner

A former LAPD officer has written a manifesto sympathizing with Christopher Dorner, the fugitive ex-LA cop who has declared "war" on the LAPD.

"The 1st thing I would say to [Dorner] is, I feel your pains!," Joe Jones wrote in his manifesto, circulated Tuesday by hacker group Anonymous and posted to Jones' Facebook. "But you are going about this the wrong way. To take innocent lives could never be the answer to anything. I say this as a Man who experienced the same pain, betrayal, anger, suffering, litigation and agony that you did in many ways."

Jones, 48, was a patrol officer for nine years, retired in 1998 and now has an event-planning company in LA, the LA Weekly reports. It appears that Jones' Facebook may have been disabled hours after posting his manifesto (see full manifesto below).

He expressed his condolences for Dorner's victims as well as victims of "the injustices of Police Corruption, Scandal, Lies, Deception and Brutality."

Jones said he himself has been a victim of such corruption. "I need you to first assume that I would not surface 16 years later with lies about a situation that has me with PTSD to this very day," he wrote. "The pain forces me to speak as I have yet to shake the Ill's of my experience as an LAPD Officer."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/12/joe-jones-manifesto-christopher-dorner_n_2670513.html#comments

Matt's thoughts:
What the [bleep] is going on?

VIOLENCE AT AUSTRALIAN RAILWAY STATIONS: Shocking moment gang of teenage girls batter a couple unconscious during attack at train station

Images taken from CCTV cameras in Sydney reveal the extent of violence in the city's railway stations, with three attacks recorded every day according to the Bureau of Crime. Opposition transport minister Penny Sharpe said cutbacks were having an effect due to a reduction in the number of guards manning stations.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2277716/Caught-camera-Shocking-moment-gang-teenage-girls-batter-couple-unconscious-attack-train-station.html#axzz2KkmMHO1T

Newly elected Tory crime commissioner Dr Rachel Frosh sparks outcry after Tweeting Hitler picture calling for Socialists to 'embrace their inner Nazism'

A public servant charged with helping run a UK police force has landed herself in trouble after she posted a quote from Adolf Hitler on Twitter just three months after starting her new job.

Deputy police and crime commissioner Dr Rachel Frosh, a Tory town councillor, provoked anger from fellow users by retweeting a post comparing Hitler's Nazis and modern-day socialists.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2277561/Crime-commissioner-Dr-Rachel-Frosh-tweets-Hitler-picture-calling-people-embrace-inner-Nazism.html#axzz2KkmMHO1T

Families will endure 15 more years of squeezed incomes until a return to better living standards

Families must endure 15 years of squeezed incomes until living standards recover to pre-crash levels, a leading think tank has warned.

It means that someone who earned £22,000 a year in 2008 will have to wait until 2023 to get back to a similar standard of living.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2277876/Families-endure-15-years-squeezed-incomes-return-better-living-standards.html#axzz2KkmMHO1T

Police message to fugitive ex-cop: "Enough is enough"

Syrian air base falls, Assad forces under pressure

Syrian opposition fighters captured a military airport near the northern city of Aleppo on Tuesday in another military setback for President Bashar al-Assad's forces which have come under intensifying attack across the country.

The airport is the latest military facility to fall under rebel control in a strategic region situated between Syria's industrial and commercial center and the country's oil- and wheat-producing heartland to the east.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/02/13/us-syria-crisis-idUSBRE91A0MU20130213

Sars-like virus inching towards India

A dangerous virus, belonging to the same family as the deadly Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (Sars) is inching towards India. United Kingdom's Health Protection Agency (HPA) has now confirmed a fresh case of the novel coronavirus infection in a British resident who had recently travelled to Pakistan and the Middle East.

The patient is now receiving intensive care treatment in a Manchester hospital. This latest case brings the total number of confirmed cases of infection with this new virus that can cause large scale outbreak globally to 10, of which two have been diagnosed in the UK.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/science/Sars-like-virus-inching-towards-India/articleshow/18476545.cms

US says to take lead to contain North Korea

U.S. President Barack Obama said North Korea's third nuclear test, in defiance of U.N. resolutions, was a threat and a provocation and that the United States would lead the world in responding.

North Korea has said Tuesday's test was an act of self-defence against "U.S. hostility" and threatened stronger steps if necessary.

"Provocations of the sort we saw last night will only isolate them further, as we stand by our allies, strengthen our own missile defence, and lead the world in taking firm action in response to these threats," Obama said in his State of the Union address, delivered 24 hours after the North's test.

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2013/02/13/uk-korea-north-idUKBRE91B03X20130213

Christopher Dorner: No body yet found in burning US cabin: LAPD

Nobody has yet been found in a burnt-out US mountain cabin where fugitive ex-cop Christopher Dorner was believed to have barricaded himself after a six-day manhunt, a police spokesman said.

Media reports that a body had been found in the cabin near Big Bear, east of Los Angeles, and identified as Dorner's were false, said Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) spokesman Andrew Smith.

"That cabin is still too hot to enter. There has been nobody located and it has not been searched, the fire is too hot. Any reports of a body being found are not true," he told reporters.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5ggvz0LYHnUn7ssUXawnQwHgZYpmA?docId=CNG.cc3da0d0b32bad74b8429cc3bd650c8e.251