North Korea’s Supreme Command earlier announced that it had elevated its artillery and stategic missile forces to “combat-ready posture”, adding that it was prepared to strike South Korea, Japan and US territory.
In the announcement, North Korea said it would “show off our army and people’s stern reaction to safeguard our sovereignty and the highest dignity through military actions.”
The comments were condemned by the Pentagon in the US as “bellicose rhetoric”.
“We are concerned by any threat raised by the North Koreans,” said George Little, a Pentagon spokesman. “We take everything they say and everything they do very seriously. They need to stop threatening peace - that doesn’t help anyone.”
Read more here
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
The Great Recession Has Been Followed by the Grand Illusion: The unemployment situation in the U.S. is still dire
The Great Recession is an apt name for America's current stagnation, but the present phase might also be called the Grand Illusion—because the happy talk and statistics that go with it, especially regarding jobs, give a rosier picture than the facts justify.
The country isn't really advancing. By comparison with earlier recessions, it is going backward. Despite the most stimulative fiscal policy in American history and a trillion-dollar expansion to the money supply, the economy over the last three years has been declining. After 2.4% annual growth rates in gross domestic product in 2010 and 2011, the economy slowed to 1.5% growth in 2012. Cumulative growth for the past 12 quarters was just 6.3%, the slowest of all 11 recessions since World War II.
And last year's anemic growth looks likely to continue. Sequestration will take $600 billion of government expenditures out of the economy over the next 10 years, including $85 billion this year alone. The 2% increase in payroll taxes will hit about 160 million workers and drain $110 billion from their disposable incomes. The Obama health-care tax will be a drag of more than $30 billion. The recent 50-cent surge in gasoline prices represents another $65 billion drag on consumer cash flow.
February's headline unemployment rate was portrayed as 7.7%, down from 7.9% in January. The dip was accompanied by huzzahs in the news media claiming the improvement to be "outstanding" and "amazing." But if you account for the people who are excluded from that number—such as "discouraged workers" no longer looking for a job, involuntary part-time workers and others who are "marginally attached" to the labor force—then the real unemployment rate is somewhere between 14% and 15%.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323393304578364670697613576.html?mod=WSJ_hp_mostpop_read
The country isn't really advancing. By comparison with earlier recessions, it is going backward. Despite the most stimulative fiscal policy in American history and a trillion-dollar expansion to the money supply, the economy over the last three years has been declining. After 2.4% annual growth rates in gross domestic product in 2010 and 2011, the economy slowed to 1.5% growth in 2012. Cumulative growth for the past 12 quarters was just 6.3%, the slowest of all 11 recessions since World War II.
And last year's anemic growth looks likely to continue. Sequestration will take $600 billion of government expenditures out of the economy over the next 10 years, including $85 billion this year alone. The 2% increase in payroll taxes will hit about 160 million workers and drain $110 billion from their disposable incomes. The Obama health-care tax will be a drag of more than $30 billion. The recent 50-cent surge in gasoline prices represents another $65 billion drag on consumer cash flow.
February's headline unemployment rate was portrayed as 7.7%, down from 7.9% in January. The dip was accompanied by huzzahs in the news media claiming the improvement to be "outstanding" and "amazing." But if you account for the people who are excluded from that number—such as "discouraged workers" no longer looking for a job, involuntary part-time workers and others who are "marginally attached" to the labor force—then the real unemployment rate is somewhere between 14% and 15%.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323393304578364670697613576.html?mod=WSJ_hp_mostpop_read
5.7 Magnitude Earthquake SOUTH OF KERMADEC ISLANDS - 26th March 2013
Region SOUTH OF KERMADEC ISLANDS
Date time 2013-03-26 17:36:22.9 UTC
Location 33.26 S ; 179.26 W
Depth 10 km
Distances
622 km NE of Whakatane, New Zealand / pop: 18,602 / local time: 06:36:22.9 2013-03-27
Student loan write-offs hit $3 billion in first two months of year
Banks wrote off $3 billion of student loan debt in the first two months of 2013, up more than 36 percent from the year-ago period, as many graduates remain jobless, underemployed or cash-strapped in a slow U.S. economic recovery, an Equifax study showed.
The credit reporting agency also said Monday that student lending has grown from last year because more people are going back to school and the cost of higher education has risen.
"Continued weakness in labor markets is limiting work options once people graduate or quit their programs, leading to a steady rise in delinquencies and loan write-offs," Equifax Chief Economist Amy Crews Cutts said in a statement.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/sns-rt-us-usa-studentloans-delinquencybre92o11k-20130325,0,6746534.story
Jade Lomas-Anderson Dies In House With 'Out Of Control' Dogs
The body of the girl, named locally as Jade Lomas-Anderson, was found at the property in the Atherton area of the city.
Superintendent Mark Kenny, of Greater Manchester Police, said the 14-year-old suffered injuries "consistent with her having been attacked by dogs".
The youngster is believed to have been visiting the house and nobody else was present.
http://news.sky.com/story/1070066/girl-dies-in-house-with-out-of-control-dogs
5.5 Magnitude Earthquake SUMBA REGION, INDONESIA - 26th March 2013
5.5
Date-Time
Tuesday, March 26, 2013 at 17:23:57 UTC
Wednesday, March 27, 2013 at 01:23:57 AM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location
9.416°S, 120.250°E
Depth
65 km (40.4 miles)
Region
SUMBA REGION, INDONESIA
Distances
11 km (6 miles) NNE of Tambulatana, Indonesia
Cyprus students protest as banks stay shut for 2nd week
The banks were ordered to remain closed until Thursday, and even then will impose capital controls to prevent depositors from stripping out all their funds.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/03/26/us-cyprus-parliament-idUSBRE92G03I20130326
Looters, gunmen roam Central African Republic capital after coup
The ousting of President Francois Bozize and the political turmoil around it has raised fears of a humanitarian crisis in the former French colony - and embarrassed regional power South Africa which had sent troops to defend the government.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/03/26/us-centralafrica-rebels-idUSBRE92P0L220130326
Magnitude 5.8 earthquake hits in Oaxaca, Mexico: USGS
A 5.8 magnitude earthquake struck near the southwestern coast of Mexico on Tuesday, shaking buildings in Mexico City, but there were no reports of major damage or injuries.
The quake was centered six miles west of Pinotepa Nacional in Oaxaca, the U.S. Geological Survey reported. The state's governor said on his Twitter account there were no immediate reports of damage.
The quake, which struck at 13:04 GMT (9.04 a.m. EDT), was 20.5 miles deep, the USGS said.
Some buildings in Mexico City were evacuated, but the mayor said on Twitter that there were no reports of damage.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/03/26/us-mexic0-quake-idUSBRE92P0KZ20130326
The quake was centered six miles west of Pinotepa Nacional in Oaxaca, the U.S. Geological Survey reported. The state's governor said on his Twitter account there were no immediate reports of damage.
The quake, which struck at 13:04 GMT (9.04 a.m. EDT), was 20.5 miles deep, the USGS said.
Some buildings in Mexico City were evacuated, but the mayor said on Twitter that there were no reports of damage.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/03/26/us-mexic0-quake-idUSBRE92P0KZ20130326
4.6 Magnitude Earthquake OAXACA, MEXICO - 26th March 2013
Region OAXACA, MEXICO
Date time 2013-03-26 13:36:16.9 UTC
Location 16.53 N ; 98.08 W
Depth 14 km
Distances 339 km S of Mexico City, Mexico / pop: 12,294,193 / local time: 07:36:16.9 2013-03-26
156 km W of Oaxaca de Juárez, Mexico / pop: 262,566 / local time: 07:36:16.9 2013-03-26
12 km SE of San Juan Cacahuatepec, Mexico / pop: 3,636 / local time: 07:36:16.9 2013-03-26
4.6 Magnitude Earthquake OFFSHORE OAXACA, MEXICO - 26th March 2013
Region OFFSHORE OAXACA, MEXICO
Date time 2013-03-26 13:25:58.2 UTC
Location 15.99 N ; 98.22 W
Depth 13 km
Distances
42 km SW of Santiago Pinotepa Nacional, Mexico / pop: 25,669 / local time: 07:25:58.2 2013-03-26
5.1 Magnitude Earthquake OAXACA, MEXICO - 26th March 2013
5.1
Date-Time
Tuesday, March 26, 2013 at 13:12:19 UTC
Tuesday, March 26, 2013 at 07:12:19 AM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location
16.391°N, 98.143°W
Depth
12.9 km (8.0 miles)
Region
OAXACA, MEXICO
Distances
15 km (9 miles) WNW of Santiago Pinotepa Nacional, Mexico
5.5 Magnitude Earthquake OAXACA, MEXICO - 26th March 2013
5.5
Date-Time
Tuesday, March 26, 2013 at 13:04:48 UTC
Tuesday, March 26, 2013 at 07:04:48 AM at epicenter
Location
16.254°N, 98.162°W
Depth
7.6 km (4.7 miles)
Region
OAXACA, MEXICO
Distances
17 km (10 miles) WSW (244°) from Pinotepa Nacional, Oaxaca, Mexico
4.4 Magnitude Earthquake OFFSHORE CHIAPAS, MEXICO - 26th March 2013
Region OFFSHORE CHIAPAS, MEXICO
Date time 2013-03-26 12:54:22.0 UTC
Location 15.83 N ; 93.91 W
Depth 71 km
Distances
22 km S of Paredón, Mexico / pop: 6,337 / local time: 06:54:22.0 2013-03-26
4.6 Magnitude Earthquake NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN - 26th March 2013
4.6
Date-Time
Tuesday, March 26, 2013 at 11:55:15 UTC
Tuesday, March 26, 2013 at 08:55:15 PM at epicenter
Location
35.754°N, 140.848°E
Depth
10 km (6.2 miles)
Region
NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN
Distances
2 km (1 miles) NE of Hasaki, Japan
Bradley and Christy Turner Arrested: Road Rage Video Shows Fight Ending In Gunfire
Carteret County Sheriff's Department said 40-year-old Bradley Turner and 30-year-old Christy Turner were taken into custody by deputies near their home in Lenoir County.
The incident which was captured on a mobile phone happened at around 1pm on Sunday just off US 70 in Newport.
http://news.sky.com/story/1069901/road-rage-video-shows-fight-ending-in-gunfire
4.7 Magnitude Earthquake NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN - 26th March 2013
4.7
Date-Time
Tuesday, March 26, 2013 at 11:48:24 UTC
Tuesday, March 26, 2013 at 08:48:24 PM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location
35.773°N, 140.798°E
Depth
17.4 km (10.8 miles)
Region
NEAR THE EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN
Distances
5 km (3 miles) NW of Hasaki, Japan
Cyprus to bring in capital controls
Cyprus finance ministers are planning to impose a weekly limit on cash withdrawals, the BBC has learned.The country's draft capital controls include export limits on euros and a ban on cashing cheques, says Newsnight economics editor Paul Mason.
In addition, fixed-term deposits will have to be held until maturity.
Cyprus's finance minister earlier confirmed that depositors with more than 100,000 euros could see 40% of their funds converted into bank shares.
"The exact percentage is not... yet decided but it is going to be significant," he told the BBC.
Bank of Cyprus chairman Andreas Artemis later handed in his resignation.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-21936554
Jean-Claude Toviave 'trafficked four African children and forced them to work as slaves in his Michigan home or face savage beatings and starvation'
Jean-Claude Toviave, who didn't apologize when provided the opportunity to speak at his sentencing hearing in Detroit, also was ordered to pay two of the children $60,000 each.
Prosecutors asked U.S. District Judge Arthur Tarnow to sentence Toviave to the maximum sentence within the guidelines, and he did, handing down a 135-month sentence, with credit for about two years of time served.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2299038/Jean-Claude-Toviave-Former-tennis-pro-trafficked-children-Togo-U-S-forced-work-slaves-Michigan-home.html
Cypriot finance minister Michalis Sarris warns the country faces hard times and said large depositors could lose up to 40pc of their savings as banks stay shuttered until Thursday
• Bank of Cyprus chairman Andreas Artemis resigns
• 'We are facing an emergency': Cyprus finance minister
• Banks in Cyprus to stay closed until Thursday
• Cyprus president announces criminal probe into crisis
• Eurogroup head hails Cyprus bail-out as a template
• Russia's Putin orders restructuring of €2.5bn Cyprus loan
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/debt-crisis-live/9953844/Cyprus-bailout-live.html
Vietnam accuses China of attack on fishermen in South China Sea
Vietnam has accused China of opening fire on a fishing boat in the disputed South China Sea and burning down its cabin, charges denied by Beijing on Tuesday as tensions resurface over sovereignty in the energy-rich waters.
Claims by an increasingly powerful China over most of the South China Sea have set it directly against U.S. allies Vietnam and the Philippines. Brunei, Taiwan and Malaysia also claim parts of the waters and China has a separate dispute with Japan in the East China Sea.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/03/26/us-vietnam-china-idUSBRE92P0A420130326
Claims by an increasingly powerful China over most of the South China Sea have set it directly against U.S. allies Vietnam and the Philippines. Brunei, Taiwan and Malaysia also claim parts of the waters and China has a separate dispute with Japan in the East China Sea.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/03/26/us-vietnam-china-idUSBRE92P0A420130326
Syrian opposition leader asks U.S. to counter Assad's airpower
A Syrian opposition leader, taking Syria's seat at an Arab summit for the first time on Tuesday, said the United States should use Patriot missiles to protect rebel-held areas from President Bashar al-Assad's airpower.
Moaz Alkhatib said he had asked U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry for U.S. forces to help defend rebel-controlled northern parts of Syria with Patriot surface-to-air missiles.
The insurgents have few weapons to counter Assad's helicopter gunships and warplanes.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/03/26/us-syria-crisis-summit-idUSBRE92P08G20130326
Moaz Alkhatib said he had asked U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry for U.S. forces to help defend rebel-controlled northern parts of Syria with Patriot surface-to-air missiles.
The insurgents have few weapons to counter Assad's helicopter gunships and warplanes.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/03/26/us-syria-crisis-summit-idUSBRE92P08G20130326
Survivor Contestant Gerard Babin Dies During Filming
Filming of the latest series of the show - called Koh Lanta: The Revenge Of The Heroes in English - has now been cancelled, French broadcaster TF1 revealed.
Gerald Babin, 25, fell ill on Friday during the first day's filming on Koh Rong, off Cambodia's southwestern coast.
http://news.sky.com/story/1069855/survivor-contestant-dies-during-filming
Amanda Knox Faces Retrial Over Kercher Death
Knox and Italian Raffaele Sollecito, who were originally sentenced to 26 and 25 years in prison for killing and sexually assaulting Miss Kercher in 2007, were acquitted on appeal in 2011 after four years in prison.
Reacting to the Supreme Court's decision, Miss Knox said it was "painful" to have the acquittal overturned "when the prosecution's theory of my involvement in Meredith's murder has been repeatedly revealed to be completely unfounded and unfair".
http://news.sky.com/story/1069850/amanda-knox-faces-retrial-over-kercher-death
North Korea Rocket Strike Threat Targets US (NEW POSTS BELOW)
"The Korea People's Army top command declares that all artillery troops including strategic rocket units and long-range artillery units are to be placed under class-A combat readiness," the Korean Central News Agency said.
The announcement came as images were released showing a new round of military exercises by the isolated state.
The still photographs show what appears to be a sea-borne assault using hovercraft and an artillery drill using multiple rocket launchers.
http://news.sky.com/story/1069789/north-korea-rocket-strike-threat-targets-us
North Korea Orders artillery to be combat ready, targeting U.S. bases
North Korea said on Tuesday its strategic rocket and long-range artillery units have been ordered to be combat ready, targeting U.S. military bases on Guam, Hawaii and mainland America after U.S. bombers flew sorties threatening the North.
The order, issued in a statement from the North's military "supreme command", marks the latest fiery rhetoric from Pyongyang since the start of joint military drills by U.S. and South Korean forces early this month.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/03/26/us-korea-north-combat-idUSBRE92P06520130326
De'Marquise Elkins and A 15-year-old charged with murder
Two teenage boys accused of shooting a baby in Brunswick, Georgia, made their first appearance in court on Monday, but they offered nothing in the way of explaining the strange and tragic case.
A 15-year-old, who is not being identified because of his age, and 17-year-old De'Marquise Elkins were charged with murder last week.
Wearing an orange jumpsuit, his hands and feet shackled, the 15-year-old listened as Glynn County Judge Timothy Barton read his Miranda rights. Previously, the boy's age was reported as 14.
http://edition.cnn.com/2013/03/25/us/georgia-baby-killed/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
40 dead in Myanmar sectarian violence
The death toll from sectarian violence between Buddhists and Muslims in central Myanmar has risen to 40, state media reported Tuesday, as the government struggles to deal with rising ethnic tensions in the nascent democracy.
Authorities clearing up the wreckage from the riots last week in the city of Meiktila have found eight bodies among the debris, increasing the number of dead from the previous total of 32, the New Light of Myanmar, a state-run newspaper, reported in its Tuesday edition.
During the clashes in Meiktila, which were reportedly set off by a dispute between a Muslim gold shop owner and two Buddhist sellers, rioters set fire to houses schools and mosques, prompting thousands of residents to flee their homes.
http://edition.cnn.com/2013/03/26/world/asia/myanmar-unrest/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
Authorities clearing up the wreckage from the riots last week in the city of Meiktila have found eight bodies among the debris, increasing the number of dead from the previous total of 32, the New Light of Myanmar, a state-run newspaper, reported in its Tuesday edition.
During the clashes in Meiktila, which were reportedly set off by a dispute between a Muslim gold shop owner and two Buddhist sellers, rioters set fire to houses schools and mosques, prompting thousands of residents to flee their homes.
http://edition.cnn.com/2013/03/26/world/asia/myanmar-unrest/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
China calls for restraint after North Korea threats to U.S.
China said on Tuesday it hopes all sides on the Korean peninsula can exercise restraint, after North Korea ordered its strategic rocket and long-range artillery units to be combat ready to target U.S. military bases on Guam, Hawaii and mainland America.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei made the comments to reporters at a daily briefing.
http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/thomson-reuters/130326/china-calls-restraint-after-north-korea-threats-us
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei made the comments to reporters at a daily briefing.
http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/thomson-reuters/130326/china-calls-restraint-after-north-korea-threats-us
UN withdraws staffers as violence rages in Syria
The United Nations is withdrawing international staffers from Syria for the time being after shelling near their living quarters, a spokesman said Monday.
"Yesterday and today, a number of mortar shells fell in close proximity to, and on the grounds of, the hotel in Damascus housing U.N. staff," U.N. spokesman Martin Nesirky said.
"The mortar fire caused some damage to the building and some cars, including one U.N. vehicle. The United Nations Security Management Team has assessed the situation and decided to temporarily reduce the presence of international staff in Damascus due to security conditions."
http://edition.cnn.com/2013/03/25/world/meast/syria-civil-war/?hpt=hp_t1
"Yesterday and today, a number of mortar shells fell in close proximity to, and on the grounds of, the hotel in Damascus housing U.N. staff," U.N. spokesman Martin Nesirky said.
"The mortar fire caused some damage to the building and some cars, including one U.N. vehicle. The United Nations Security Management Team has assessed the situation and decided to temporarily reduce the presence of international staff in Damascus due to security conditions."
http://edition.cnn.com/2013/03/25/world/meast/syria-civil-war/?hpt=hp_t1
Amanda Knox retrial Ruling expected within hours
Italian Supreme Court judges have heard the arguments, now they must decide whether to order American Amanda Knox to stand trial for a second time in the death of her former roommate.
The judges concluded a hearing into the question early Monday afternoon, and were expected to announce their decision soon.
Knox spent four years in jail before an appellate court overturned her murder conviction in the 2007 death of Meredith Kercher. She returned to the United States in 2011. Prosecutors say that despite the appellate decision, they still believe Knox and her former boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, are responsible for the death.
http://edition.cnn.com/2013/03/25/world/europe/italy-amanda-knox-case/?hpt=hp_t1
The judges concluded a hearing into the question early Monday afternoon, and were expected to announce their decision soon.
Knox spent four years in jail before an appellate court overturned her murder conviction in the 2007 death of Meredith Kercher. She returned to the United States in 2011. Prosecutors say that despite the appellate decision, they still believe Knox and her former boyfriend, Raffaele Sollecito, are responsible for the death.
http://edition.cnn.com/2013/03/25/world/europe/italy-amanda-knox-case/?hpt=hp_t1
Taliban suicide bombers kill five Afghan police as Kerry visits Kabul
Taliban suicide bombers killed at least five policemen in Afghanistan's restive east on Tuesday, officials said, in a three-hour attack that coincided with a visit to the country by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry.
The pre-dawn attack on a police compound in Jalalabad, eastern Afghanistan's largest city, came as the country braces for the beginning of the spring fighting season in the 11th year of the war.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/03/26/us-afghanistan-attack-idUSBRE92P05220130326
The pre-dawn attack on a police compound in Jalalabad, eastern Afghanistan's largest city, came as the country braces for the beginning of the spring fighting season in the 11th year of the war.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/03/26/us-afghanistan-attack-idUSBRE92P05220130326
Asian shares, euro spooked by Cyprus bailout details
Asian shares edged lower and the euro wobbled on Tuesday as investors worried about potential future fallout from the Cyprus bailout scheme, after initial rallies on the last-minute rescue opened the way to book some profit.
European markets were seen rebounding, with financial spreadbetters predicting London's FTSE 100 .FTSE, Paris's CAC-40 .FCHI and Frankfurt's DAX .GDAXI likely to open as much as 0.3 percent higher.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/03/26/us-markets-global-idUSBRE88901C20130326
European markets were seen rebounding, with financial spreadbetters predicting London's FTSE 100 .FTSE, Paris's CAC-40 .FCHI and Frankfurt's DAX .GDAXI likely to open as much as 0.3 percent higher.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/03/26/us-markets-global-idUSBRE88901C20130326
Syrian army recaptures symbolic Baba Amr district in Homs
Syrian forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad recaptured the shattered Baba Amr district in central Homs on Tuesday, an opposition monitoring group said.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said pro-government forces regained the district, left largely uninhabitable by fierce campaigns of rocket fire and air raids, after more than two weeks of fighting off a surprise push by rebels to retake their former bastion.
Homs, and particularly Baba Amr, was the epicenter of the armed rebellion against four decades of Assad rule. The two-year uprising, which began as peaceful protests, has since spiraled into a full scale civil war across the country.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/03/26/us-syria-crisis-homs-idUSBRE92P07U20130326
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said pro-government forces regained the district, left largely uninhabitable by fierce campaigns of rocket fire and air raids, after more than two weeks of fighting off a surprise push by rebels to retake their former bastion.
Homs, and particularly Baba Amr, was the epicenter of the armed rebellion against four decades of Assad rule. The two-year uprising, which began as peaceful protests, has since spiraled into a full scale civil war across the country.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/03/26/us-syria-crisis-homs-idUSBRE92P07U20130326
Queensland: TWO-METRE SINK HOLE STOPS TRAFFIC IN IPSWICH
A drain has collapsed in Roderick Street, causing a crater about two metres wide and two metres deep.
The hole was small at first but began collapsing as authorities were inspecting the problem.
Ipswich Mayor Paul Pisasale says traffic is being diverted around the scene.
"We've had a few of these over the years, it was notified quickly, and I'd like to say to residents if you see something that doesn't look right, report it," he said.
http://au.news.yahoo.com/queensland/a/-/newshome/16448763/two-metre-sink-hole-stops-traffic-in-ipswich/
4.6 Magnitude Earthquake SOUTH OF THE FIJI ISLANDS - 26th March 2013
4.6
Date-Time
Tuesday, March 26, 2013 at 07:31:18 UTC
Tuesday, March 26, 2013 at 07:31:18 PM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location
25.529°S, 179.962°E
Depth
487.1 km (302.7 miles)
Region
SOUTH OF THE FIJI ISLANDS
Distances
465 km (288 miles) NNW of Raoul Island, New Zealand
5.4 Magnitude Earthquake OFF EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN - 26th March 2013
Region OFF EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN
Date time 2013-03-26 06:23:05.3 UTC
Location 38.11 N ; 143.66 E
Depth 10 km
Distances
200 km SE of Ōfunato, Japan / pop: 35,418 / local time: 15:23:05.3 2013-03-26
4.5 Magnitude Earthquake FIJI REGION - 26th March 2013
4.5
Date-Time
Tuesday, March 26, 2013 at 06:16:46 UTC
Tuesday, March 26, 2013 at 06:16:46 PM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location
17.666°S, 178.818°W
Depth
544.2 km (338.2 miles)
Region
FIJI REGION
Distances
236 km (146 miles) SE of Lambasa, Fiji
New York: Warning new, deadly meningitis strain
The New York City health department has issued new recommendations for vaccinations against a new and lethal strain of bacterial meningitis.
It says the symptoms come on quickly and the disease can be deadly if not treated immediately.
It's only been seen in men. The patients often contract it through anonymous sexual encounters with other men. That makes it hard to trace the infection's path.
http://www.myfoxny.com/story/21768585/warning-new-deadly-meningitis-strain
It says the symptoms come on quickly and the disease can be deadly if not treated immediately.
It's only been seen in men. The patients often contract it through anonymous sexual encounters with other men. That makes it hard to trace the infection's path.
http://www.myfoxny.com/story/21768585/warning-new-deadly-meningitis-strain
Japan, Australia to sanction North Korean bank as part of U.S.-led crackdown
Japan and Australia plan to sanction North Korea's Foreign Trade Bank as part of U.S.-led efforts targeting Pyongyang's main foreign exchange bank for the role Washington says it has in funding the country's nuclear program.
A Japanese government source said Tokyo could act within the next two to three weeks. Australian Foreign Ministry sources said Canberra might also unveil sanctions soon.
A senior U.S. official said the Obama administration was trying to convince other governments to crack down on the bank after Washington announced its own measures this month.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/03/26/us-korea-north-bank-idUSBRE92P04T20130326
A Japanese government source said Tokyo could act within the next two to three weeks. Australian Foreign Ministry sources said Canberra might also unveil sanctions soon.
A senior U.S. official said the Obama administration was trying to convince other governments to crack down on the bank after Washington announced its own measures this month.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/03/26/us-korea-north-bank-idUSBRE92P04T20130326
'Call 911 Hazmat': Woman leaves mysterious suicide note before killing herself in her car
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2299011/Call-911-Hazmat-Woman-commits-suicide-car-leaves-mysterious-warning-her.html
France has lost ONE MILLION jobs because of repressive tax regime as 60,000 of the country's rich now live abroad, report claims
France's repressive tax regime has sent entrepreneurs fleeing abroad and lost the country up to a million jobs, a damning new report has revealed.
Tax hikes and employment regulations imposed by left and right wing governments over 20 years meant there were now 60,000 French businessmen abroad employing around 16 people each.
The figures were released amid a flood of wealthy French quitting France this year to avoid a looming socialist tax of 75 per cent on all earnings over one million euros - about £850,000.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2298936/France-lost-million-jobs-repressive-tax-regime-report-claims.html
Tax hikes and employment regulations imposed by left and right wing governments over 20 years meant there were now 60,000 French businessmen abroad employing around 16 people each.
The figures were released amid a flood of wealthy French quitting France this year to avoid a looming socialist tax of 75 per cent on all earnings over one million euros - about £850,000.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2298936/France-lost-million-jobs-repressive-tax-regime-report-claims.html
This billion-pound heist from private savers' bank accounts is one of the nastiest and most immoral political acts in modern times....So why would our governments Back this?
People who rob old ladies in the street, or hold up security vans, are branded as thieves. Yet when Germany presides over a heist of billions of pounds from private savers’ Cyprus bank accounts, to ‘save the euro’ for the hundredth time, this is claimed as high statesmanship.It is nothing of the sort. The deal to secure a €10 billion German bailout of the bankrupt Mediterranean island is one of the nastiest and most immoral political acts of modern times.
It has struck fear into the hearts of hundreds of millions of European citizens, because it establishes a dire precedent.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2299078/One-nastiest-immoral-political-acts-modern-times.html
Now savings could be raided across Eurozone: Finance chief warns more EU taxpayers could be targeted as Cyprus rescue set to become first of many
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2298973/Now-savings-raided-Eurozone-Finance-chief-warns-EU-taxpayers-targeted-Cyprus-rescue-set-many.html
Arrest of Anti-Islamist Figures Is Ordered in Egypt
Egyptians are already on guard against the possibility that their first freely elected president may seek to become a new autocrat, and some said they feared that the arrest warrants might be the first clear example that Mr. Morsi’s government was using law enforcement as a political tool to punish his critics.
A search of the online comments by several defendants found no messages urging others to violence. Some, in fact, argued strongly against it.
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/26/world/middleeast/in-egypt-arrest-of-5-anti-islamist-figures-sought.html?_r=0
Cyprus banks remain closed to avert run on deposits
Returned from fraught negotiations in Brussels, President Nicos Anastasiades said late on Monday the 10-billion euro ($13 billion) rescue plan agreed there in the early hours of the morning was "painful" but essential to avoid economic meltdown.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/03/26/us-cyprus-parliament-idUSBRE92G03I20130326
4.5 Magnitude Earthquake ANDAMAN ISLANDS, INDIA REGION - 26th March 2013
4.5
Date-Time
Tuesday, March 26, 2013 at 04:26:20 UTC
Tuesday, March 26, 2013 at 09:56:20 AM at epicenter
Location
11.110°N, 93.514°E
Depth
136.3 km (84.7 miles)
Region
ANDAMAN ISLANDS, INDIA REGION
Distances
105 km (66 miles) SE (126°) from Port Blair, Andaman Islands, India
SARS: Germany, Saudi Arabia report new novel coronavirus cases
The German media and Saudi Arabia's health ministry have reported two new novel coronavirus (NCoV) cases, one in a patient hospitalized in Munich and the other a mild illness in a Saudi Arabian resident.
According to an early report today in German from Abendzeitung, a news source based in Munich, the German patient arrived in Germany from the Middle East by medical transport. It says the patient is in isolation in the intensive care unit (ICU) at Munich Municipal Hospital.
The patient is a 73-year-old man from the United Arab Emirates who was first treated in an Abu Dhabi hospital on Mar 19, another German news source, TZ Online, reported today. It said medical authorities are monitoring about 50 people who had contact with the patient.
http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/cidrap/content/other/sars/news/mar2513corona.html
According to an early report today in German from Abendzeitung, a news source based in Munich, the German patient arrived in Germany from the Middle East by medical transport. It says the patient is in isolation in the intensive care unit (ICU) at Munich Municipal Hospital.
The patient is a 73-year-old man from the United Arab Emirates who was first treated in an Abu Dhabi hospital on Mar 19, another German news source, TZ Online, reported today. It said medical authorities are monitoring about 50 people who had contact with the patient.
http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/cidrap/content/other/sars/news/mar2513corona.html
Canada: Thousands of dead fish float down Niagara River
Rick Schaubel couldn’t help but notice what looked like a large build up of ice along the shore of the Welland River during one of his morning walks.
When he got closer Monday morning, he realized it wasn’t ice. Hundreds of dead fish floating belly up lined the shore near the Weightman Bridge in Chippawa.
“I didn’t know what to think,” said the 69-year-old Chippawa resident. “I thought something had been spilled or there was some kind of disease going around.”
The problem isn’t only in Chippawa. People have been reporting dead or dying fish along the shoreline in Fort Erie and as far south as Pennsylvania for weeks.
http://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/2013/03/25/thousands-of-dead-fish-float-down-niagara-river
When he got closer Monday morning, he realized it wasn’t ice. Hundreds of dead fish floating belly up lined the shore near the Weightman Bridge in Chippawa.
“I didn’t know what to think,” said the 69-year-old Chippawa resident. “I thought something had been spilled or there was some kind of disease going around.”
The problem isn’t only in Chippawa. People have been reporting dead or dying fish along the shoreline in Fort Erie and as far south as Pennsylvania for weeks.
http://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/2013/03/25/thousands-of-dead-fish-float-down-niagara-river
Peru declares oil contamination emergency in Amazon jungle region
Peru's government declared an environmental state of emergency on Monday in a remote Amazon jungle region it says has been affected by years of contamination at the country's most productive oil fields, which are currently operated by Argentina-based Pluspetrol.
Indigenous groups in the Pastaza River basin near the Ecuador border have been complaining for years about the pollution and the failure of successive governments to address it. Authorities say one reason the pollution was never addressed is that until now Peru lacked the requisite environmental quality standards.
In declaring the emergency, Peru's Environment Ministry said the contamination included high levels of lead, barium and chromium as well as petroleum-related compounds. The region is inhabited mostly by the Quichua and Ashuar, who are primarily hunter-gatherers.
http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/Peru+declares+contamination+emergency+Amazon+jungle+region/8150005/story.html
Indigenous groups in the Pastaza River basin near the Ecuador border have been complaining for years about the pollution and the failure of successive governments to address it. Authorities say one reason the pollution was never addressed is that until now Peru lacked the requisite environmental quality standards.
In declaring the emergency, Peru's Environment Ministry said the contamination included high levels of lead, barium and chromium as well as petroleum-related compounds. The region is inhabited mostly by the Quichua and Ashuar, who are primarily hunter-gatherers.
http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/Peru+declares+contamination+emergency+Amazon+jungle+region/8150005/story.html
Bee attack: Students hospitalised, India
More than 50 students of the government primary school in Kudugarahalli Layout in the town were hospitalised following an attack by honey bees on Monday.
Bees attacked the students around 9.30 am, when they were playing at the school grounds.
Students were rushed to Crawford government hospital with the help of local people’s representatives and residents from neighbouring areas.
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/321658/bee-attack-students-hospitalised.html
Bees attacked the students around 9.30 am, when they were playing at the school grounds.
Students were rushed to Crawford government hospital with the help of local people’s representatives and residents from neighbouring areas.
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/321658/bee-attack-students-hospitalised.html
Berezovsky: Death 'Consistent With Hanging'
A post-mortem into the death of Russian oligarch Boris Berezovsky has found nothing to indicate a violent struggle, police said.
The examination by a Home Office pathologist found the cause of death to be "consistent with hanging".
Further tests are now due to be carried out on the body of Mr Berezovsky, 67, who was found dead at his country home in Ascot, Berkshire, on Saturday.
http://news.sky.com/story/1069708/berezovsky-death-consistent-with-hanging
The examination by a Home Office pathologist found the cause of death to be "consistent with hanging".
Further tests are now due to be carried out on the body of Mr Berezovsky, 67, who was found dead at his country home in Ascot, Berkshire, on Saturday.
http://news.sky.com/story/1069708/berezovsky-death-consistent-with-hanging
Clive Mantle Has Ear Bitten Off In Attack
Clive Mantle, 55, who also featured in hit TV series Game Of Thrones, underwent surgery to save his ear after the early-morning attack on Sunday.
He had been staying at a Travelodge in Forster Street on Newcastle's Quayside after appearing in a touring production of The Ladykillers at the city's Theatre Royal.
http://news.sky.com/story/1069656/casualty-star-has-ear-bitten-off-in-attack
Colombia: Two Killed And 17 Hurt In Bullfight
Two men have been killed and at least 15 people injured during a bullfight in northern Colombia.
The tragedy happened on the second day of a popular festival on the South American country's Caribbean coast on Sunday.
Doctors said one of the victims, 46-year-old Daniel Cardona, was killed when the bull's horn gored through to his heart.
http://news.sky.com/story/1069725/colombia-two-killed-and-17-hurt-in-bullfight
The tragedy happened on the second day of a popular festival on the South American country's Caribbean coast on Sunday.
Doctors said one of the victims, 46-year-old Daniel Cardona, was killed when the bull's horn gored through to his heart.
http://news.sky.com/story/1069725/colombia-two-killed-and-17-hurt-in-bullfight
Cyprus Facing 30% Unemployment Amid Crisis
Cyprus is facing a recession so deep that 30% of people may find themselves unemployed.
The EU bailout means massive restructuring of the financial system, the inevitable loss of many investors and thousands of people seeing their jobs disappear.
Professor Hari Tsoukas, a business analyst, told Sky News: "Unemployment is likely to at least double from 14% to at least 25% and possibly up to 30%. Not so long ago it was just 5%.
http://news.sky.com/story/1069736/cyprus-facing-30-percent-unemployment-amid-crisis
The EU bailout means massive restructuring of the financial system, the inevitable loss of many investors and thousands of people seeing their jobs disappear.
Professor Hari Tsoukas, a business analyst, told Sky News: "Unemployment is likely to at least double from 14% to at least 25% and possibly up to 30%. Not so long ago it was just 5%.
http://news.sky.com/story/1069736/cyprus-facing-30-percent-unemployment-amid-crisis
4.0 Magnitude Earthquake TARAPACA, CHILE - 26th March 2013
Region TARAPACA, CHILE
Date time 2013-03-26 03:39:21.0 UTC
Location 19.59 S ; 69.33 W
Depth 91 km
Distances
110 km NE of Iquique, Chile / pop: 227,499 / local time: 23:39:21.0 2013-03-25
4.3 Magnitude Earthquake OFFSHORE EL SALVADOR - 25th March 2013
4.3
Date-Time
Monday, March 25, 2013 at 23:42:02 UTC
Monday, March 25, 2013 at 05:42:02 PM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location
13.464°N, 89.973°W
Depth
90.1 km (56.0 miles)
Region
OFFSHORE EL SALVADOR
Distances
21 km (13 miles) SW of Acajutla, El Salvador
4.1 Magnitude Earthquake TUNISIA - 25th March 2013
4.1
Date-Time
Monday, March 25, 2013 at 22:08:13 UTC
Monday, March 25, 2013 at 11:08:13 PM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location
35.966°N, 11.552°E
Depth
15.7 km (9.8 miles)
Region
TUNISIA
Distances
63 km (39 miles) NE of Al Baqalitah, Tunisia
4.5 Magnitude Earthquake CRETE, GREECE - 25th March 2013
4.5
Date-Time
Monday, March 25, 2013 at 20:55:18 UTC
Monday, March 25, 2013 at 10:55:18 PM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location
35.595°N, 24.724°E
Depth
81.5 km (50.6 miles)
Region
CRETE, GREECE
Distances
19 km (11 miles) N of Panormos, Greece
