North Korea says it's entered a 'state of war' with South Korea

North Korea says it has entered 'a state of war' with South Korea in the latest of a string of threats that have raised tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

A statement Saturday by Pyongyang said all matters between the sides will be dealt with in a manner befitting war.

Earlier this week, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un ordered his troops to be on a high alert in response to annual U.S-South Korean drills. He warned his forces were ready "to settle accounts with the U.S." after two American B-2 bombers flew a training mission in South Korea.

South Korea says the latest threat is a follow-up to Kim's order.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2013/03/29/north-korea-south-us-threats.html

NORTH KOREA PREPARING TO "DECLARE WAR" ON SOUTH KOREA; VARIOUS SOURCES: STAY TUNED!

America: Gone, Never Returning

Tanzanians dig for survivors after building collapse

Heavy fighting as rebels claim to take control of Syrian town

Black cash collectors' detained at Moscow's airport

Big depositors in Cyprus to lose far more than feared....But no huge surprise!

Big depositors in Cyprus's largest bank stand to lose far more than initially feared under a European Union rescue package to save the island from bankruptcy, a source with direct knowledge of the terms said on Friday.

Under conditions expected to be announced on Saturday, depositors in Bank of Cyprus will get shares in the bank worth 37.5 percent of their deposits over 100,000 euros, the source told Reuters, while the rest of their deposits may never be paid back.

The toughening of the terms will send a clear signal that the bailout means the end of Cyprus as a hub for offshore finance and could accelerate economic decline on the island and bring steeper job losses.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/03/29/us-cyprus-parliament-idUSBRE92G03I20130329

4.0 Magnitude Earthquake OFF COAST OF O'HIGGINS, CHILE - 29th March 2013

Magnitude ML 4.0
Region OFF COAST OF O'HIGGINS, CHILE
Date time 2013-03-29 21:09:45.0 UTC
Location 34.81 S ; 73.39 W
Depth 61 km
106 km NW of Constitución, Chile / pop: 37,917 / local time: 17:09:45.0 2013-03-29

5.0 Magnitude Earthquake NEW BRITAIN REGION, PAPUA NEW GUINEA - 29th March 2013

Magnitude
5.0
Date-Time
Friday, March 29, 2013 at 20:38:01 UTC
Saturday, March 30, 2013 at 06:38:01 AM at epicenter
Location
5.430°S, 151.733°E
Depth
68.4 km (42.5 miles)
Region
NEW BRITAIN REGION, PAPUA NEW GUINEA
Distances
144 km (89 miles) SSW (200°) from Rabaul, New Britain, PNG

4.2 Magnitude Earthquake SALTA, ARGENTINA - 29th March 2013

Magnitude
4.2
Date-Time
Friday, March 29, 2013 at 20:36:36 UTC
Friday, March 29, 2013 at 05:36:36 PM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location
24.289°S, 67.369°W
Depth
178 km (110.6 miles)
Region
SALTA, ARGENTINA
Distances
107 km (66 miles) W of San Antonio de los Cobres, Argentina

4.0 Magnitude Earthquake CANARY ISLANDS, SPAIN REGION - 29th March 2013

Magnitude ML 4.0
Region CANARY ISLANDS, SPAIN REGION
Date time 2013-03-29 19:56:00.2 UTC
Location 27.71 N ; 18.31 W
Depth 21 km
Distances
97 km SW of Fuencaliente de la Palma, Spain / pop: 1,894 / local time: 19:56:00.2 2013-03-29

NORTH KOREAN GOVERNMENT SENDS BRITISH TOUR COMPANY MESSAGE: "WAR JUST HOURS AWAY"

BRITISH TOUR GROUPS IN CONSTANT CONTACT WITH BRITISH FOREIGN OFFICE OVER "DANGEROUS" NORTH KOREAN SITUATION, MAY CLOSE TOURS

Game Not Over: Iraq bomb attacks kill candidates ahead of elections

US govt silent on future of Gitmo detainees

4.1 Magnitude Earthquake CANARY ISLANDS, SPAIN REGION - 29th March 2013

Magnitude ML 4.1
Region CANARY ISLANDS, SPAIN REGION
Date time 2013-03-29 19:52:18.6 UTC
Location 27.71 N ; 18.30 W
Depth 21 km
Distances
97 km SW of Fuencaliente de la Palma, Spain / pop: 1,894 / local time: 19:52:18.6 2013-03-29

JT McNamara Paralysed After Cheltenham Horror Fall

Irish jockey JT McNamara has been paralysed after suffering a neck injury in a fall at the Cheltenham Festival earlier this month.

The 37-year-old rider is said to be in a "very positive frame of mind" after having surgery at a Bristol hospital where he has been treated since the fall on March 15.

According to a McNamara family statement, he was also "greatly appreciative" of the "many messages" of support.

http://news.sky.com/story/1071592/jt-mcnamara-paralysed-after-cheltenham-fall

Ice Floe Rescue: 220 Saved In Latvia

Emergency services launched a massive rescue operation to save more than 220 people who became stranded after large sections of ice broke away from the shore in the Gulf of Riga.

The Latvian State Fire and Rescue Service launched boats, ships and helicopters in a three-hour operation to bring people safely back to land.

The ice had drifted in strong winds about two and a half miles from the shore by the end of the operation.

http://news.sky.com/story/1071582/ice-floe-rescue-220-saved-in-latvia

4.3 Magnitude Earthquake CANARY ISLANDS, SPAIN REGION - 29th March 2013

Magnitude ML 4.3
Region CANARY ISLANDS, SPAIN REGION
Date time 2013-03-29 19:30:22.3 UTC
Location 27.72 N ; 18.33 W
Depth 21 km
Distances
97 km SW of Fuencaliente de la Palma, Spain / pop: 1,894 / local time: 19:30:22.3 2013-03-29

4.6 Magnitude Earthquake SOUTHERN EAST PACIFIC RISE - 29th March 2013

Magnitude mb 4.6
Region SOUTHERN EAST PACIFIC RISE
Date time 2013-03-29 18:37:15.1 UTC
Location 23.95 S ; 115.00 W
Depth 10 km
Distances
4729 km SW of Quito, Ecuador / pop: 1,399,814 / local time: 13:37:15.1 2013-03-29

4.2 Magnitude Earthquake TARAPACA, CHILE - 29th March 2013

Magnitude ML 4.2
Region TARAPACA, CHILE
Date time 2013-03-29 17:48:46.0 UTC
Location 20.35 S ; 68.77 W
Depth 129 km
Distances
144 km E of Iquique, Chile / pop: 227,499 / local time: 13:48:46.0 2013-03-29

4.6 Magnitude Earthquake EASTER ISLAND REGION - 29th March 2013

Magnitude
4.6
Date-Time
Friday, March 29, 2013 at 18:37:15 UTC
Friday, March 29, 2013 at 10:37:15 AM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location
23.946°S, 114.997°W
Depth
10.1 km (6.3 miles)
Region
EASTER ISLAND REGION
Distances
662 km (411 miles) WNW of Hanga Roa, Chile

4.4 Magnitude Earthquake ICELAND REGION - 29th March 2013

Magnitude
4.4
Date-Time
Friday, March 29, 2013 at 17:32:54 UTC
Friday, March 29, 2013 at 04:32:54 PM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location
68.103°N, 19.021°W
Depth
9.6 km (6.0 miles)
Region
ICELAND REGION
Distances
217 km (134 miles) N of Siglufjordur, Iceland

Teacher says she had no idea two students were poisoning her

A Newport News teacher whose students have been charged with trying to poison her says she had no idea they were putting hand sanitizer in her tea.

Jane Miller, a teacher at Hines Middle School in Newport News, says she began to feel sick at the beginning of the school year.

"What it was, was my stomach would bother me. I was running a low-grade temperature. I was just exhausted by the time I got home. And putting it all together, the Germ X I was using was 60% alcohol, which equates to 130 proof, and I don't drink that much," said Miller.

http://www.wvec.com/my-city/nnews/Teacher-had-no-idea-her-students-were-poisoning-her-200488161.html

Wit's End, a neighbour blog, relocates office behind tiny door located in tree in Golden Gate park

View more videos at: http://nbcbayarea.com.

Pam Madigan walked deliberately among the Golden Gate Park Concourse’s grove of knotted old trees as if searching for a pot of gold -- ignoring the attractions of the nearby DeYoung Museum and Academy of Sciences.

With her infant son cradled in her arms, her eyes darted to the base of a particular elm where a tiny wooden door covered a large knot hole. She summoned her group of friends and children, pointing to the tiny door which was not more than a foot tall.

“It was sort of an idea to have a scavenger hunt and go out and look for it,” Madigan said. “It’s not on a map.”

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/The-Mystery-of-the-Tiny-Door-in-a-Tree-200540021.html

Visit Wit's End for all the latest tree news.

Insanity: Planned Parenthood pro-abortionists argue for right to execute babies after they have been born

Florida legislators considering a bill to require abortionists to provide medical care to an infant who survives an abortion were shocked during a committee hearing this week when a Planned Parenthood official endorsed a right to post-birth abortion.

Alisa LaPolt Snow, the lobbyist representing the Florida Alliance of Planned Parenthood Affiliates, testified that her organization believes the decision to kill an infant who survives a failed abortion should be left up to the woman seeking an abortion and her abortion doctor.

"So, um, it is just really hard for me to even ask you this question because I’m almost in disbelief," said Rep. Jim Boyd. "If a baby is born on a table as a result of a botched abortion, what would Planned Parenthood want to have happen to that child that is struggling for life?”

http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/video-planned-parenthood-official-argues-right-post-birth-abortion_712198.html

Most important comment left on youtube page:
"If it's OK to kill a newborn baby 1 second after it is born, then it would be OK to kill a newborn 2 second after birth. And if its OK to kill a baby 2 seconds after birth, then what's wrong with 1 minute? 2 Minutes? An hour? A day? A year? 20 years? See where this goes?"

Matt's thoughts:
*Silence due to utter bewilderment*

4.5 Magnitude Earthquake CANARY ISLANDS, SPAIN REGION - 29th March 2013

Magnitude M 4.5
Region CANARY ISLANDS, SPAIN REGION
Date time 2013-03-29 17:01:20.0 UTC
Location 27.62 N ; 18.35 W
Depth 5 km
Distances
108 km SW of Fuencaliente de la Palma, Spain / pop: 1,894 / local time: 17:01:20.0 2013-03-29

Landslide traps 83 mine workers in Tibet: report

Rescuers worked on Saturday to reach 83 workers trapped by a landslide in a mining area of Tibet, China's state-run news agency Xinhua reported.

The landslide, over an area of about 3 km, struck in Maizhokunggar County on Friday, Xinhua said.

It buried the camp of the workers, who were employed by Tibet Huatailong Mining Development Co Ltd, according to the report.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/03/29/us-china-landslide-tibet-idUSBRE92S0C320130329

Russian FM criticises US bomber flights near North Korea

Russian FM criticises US bomber flights near North Korea

Clashes erupt between Israeli soldiers and demonstrators marking Land Day

Musharraf bail extended amid protests

Myanmar: Muslims vanish as Buddhist mobs spread

The Muslims of Sit Kwin were always a small group who numbered no more than 100 of the village's 2,000 people. But as sectarian violence led by Buddhist mobs spreads across central Myanmar, they and many other Muslims are disappearing.

Their homes, shops and mosques destroyed, some end up in refugee camps or hide in the homes of friends or relatives. Dozens have been killed.

"We don't know where they are," says Aung Ko Myint, 24, a taxi-driver in Sit Kwin, where on Friday, Buddhists ransacked a store owned by one of the town's last remaining Muslims. "He escaped this morning just before the mob got here."

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/03/29/us-myanmar-unrest-idUSBRE92S08H20130329

The EU Experiment: Cyprus capital controls – why they won’t work

Tanzania Building Collapse Buries Dozens

School children are among at least 45 people missing in the rubble of a building that has collapsed in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

At least three people have died but many others are under the rubble, with some desperate survivors calling for help using their mobiles.

Among those trapped are believed to be a number of children from a school in the area.

http://news.sky.com/story/1071495/tanzania-building-collapse-buries-dozens

'British Women In Aid Convoy Raped In Libya'

At least two British women travelling in an aid convoy have been raped after being kidnapped in Benghazi, according to reports.

Libyan authorities said two women, who are originally from Pakistan, were travelling with two men on their way to the airport when they were snatched, reportedly by pro-government militiamen. Other reports said three women had been attacked.

The Deputy Prime Minister, Awad al Barassi, has visited the women in hospital and said that they were in "very bad shape" following the ordeal on Tuesday.

http://news.sky.com/story/1071511/british-women-in-aid-convoy-raped-in-libya

Why Texas wants its gold back from the feds: More security 'in the event of a national or international financial crisis'

“The eyes of Texas are upon you” goes the song, but right now those eyes seem to be squarely focused on the financial crisis in Cyprus.

Texas Gov. Rick Perry is supporting a bill that would return the state’s $1 billion in gold reserves currently stored by the Federal Reserve at a vault in New York to the state.

The sponsor of the bill, State Rep. Giovanni Capriglione, R-Southlake, told the Texas Tribune, “For us to have our own gold, a lot of the runs on the bank and those types of things, they happen because people are worried that there’s nothing there to back it up.”

Bank runs were the great fear in the Mediterranean-island country of Cyprus today, as banks reopened for the first time since March 16, while the European Union imposed unprecedented austerity measures on the nation, including confiscating money in bank accounts. WND reported on March 18 the concerns that the crisis could spread to the U.S. financial system.

http://www.wnd.com/2013/03/why-texas-wants-its-gold-back-from-the-feds

As weather clears illegal migrants arrive in Italy

ECB's Knot backs Dijsselbloem comments on bank rescues... Yes, about Cyprus being a Model for Future Bailouts

European Central Bank Governing Council member Klaas Knot said on Friday there was "little wrong" with Eurogroup chair Jeroen Dijsselbloem's recipe for dealing with future euro zone banking crises, a newspaper reported.

Dijsselbloem, the head of the euro zone's finance ministers and like Knot a Dutchman, said on Monday the rescue program agreed for Cyprus - the first to impose a levy on bank deposits - would serve as a model for future crises.

Those comments - which Dijsselbloem later rowed back on -prompted a market selloff and led two other ECB policymakers, including executive board member Benoit Coeure, to say on Tuesday that Cyprus was a unique case.

But Knot, who sits on the bank's main decision-making body, said: "There is little wrong with Dijsselbloem's remarks.

"The content of his remarks comes down to an approach which has been on the table for a longer time in Europe. This approach will be part of the European liquidation policy."

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/03/29/us-eurozone-cyprus-ecb-knot-idUSBRE92S05P20130329

The Theft of Cyprus: Begins with US, Ends with YOU

European Human Rights French Style: 100 Roma evicted as France bulldozes camp

Warlord 'Batko' Jailed For Sarajevo Killings

A warlord has been jailed for 45 years for the murder, rape and torture of non-Serb civilians in Sarajevo in the Bosnian war.

Veselin Vlahovic, a Montenegrin nicknamed Batko, receiving the longest sentence handed down so far by the Bosnian war crimes court.

He was found guilty of the murders of 31 people, rapes of at least 13 women and torture and robbery of dozens of civilians in Grbavica and Vraca, Serb-occupied areas of Sarajevo, in 1992, said presiding judge Zoran Bozic.

http://news.sky.com/story/1071497/warlord-batko-jailed-for-sarajevo-killings

North Korea steps up threats

Italy's Berlusconi says only coalition can end deadlock

Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi insisted on Friday the only way out of Italy's political deadlock was for his center-left rivals to accept a coalition deal that would give him a share in power.

Berlusconi met President Giorgio Napolitano on Friday after center-left leader Pier Luigi Bersani failed to end a month-old stalemate since an election last month that has fuelled worries about the stability of the euro zone's third largest economy.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/03/29/us-italy-vote-idUSBRE92R0G820130329

Cyprus Bailout: Cash Restrictions

:: Customers can withdraw up to 300 euros (£254) a day from cash machines or at bank branches.

:: Those travelling abroad can take up to 1,000 euros (£845), or the equivalent in foreign currency, with them in cash.

:: The cashing of cheques is banned.

:: Money transfers to other financial institutions within and outside Cyprus are allowed.

:: Payments on credit and debit cards is capped at 5,000 euros (£4213) a month.

:: Businesses can make transactions up to the value of 5,000 euros if backed up by the relevant documents. Higher payments have to be approved by a committee established by the central banks.

:: Students living outside Cyprus can receive up to 5,000 euros every three months from close family, if backed up by the relevant documents.

http://news.sky.com/story/1071480/cyprus-banks-president-makes-rallying-call

Northern Ireland: Farm Sheep Buried In Snow

Farmers in Northern Ireland are still unable to assess their losses a week after the big freeze hit.

Thousands of sheep are thought to have died after being buried in the snow in Counties Antrim and Down.

Snow drifts of up to 12 feet were reported in some areas with roads, hedges and gates completely submerged.

http://news.sky.com/story/1071452/northern-ireland-farm-sheep-buried-in-snow

4.1 Magnitude Earthquake CANARY ISLANDS, SPAIN REGION - 29th March 2013

Magnitude ML 4.1
Region CANARY ISLANDS, SPAIN REGION
Date time 2013-03-29 12:56:48.1 UTC
Location 27.76 N ; 18.27 W
Depth 18 km
Distances
91 km SW of Fuencaliente de la Palma, Spain / pop: 1,894 / local time: 12:56:48.1 2013-03-29

4.1 Magnitude Earthquake NORTHERN QINGHAI, CHINA - 29th March 2013

Magnitude
4.1
Date-Time
Friday, March 29, 2013 at 12:53:01 UTC
Friday, March 29, 2013 at 08:53:01 PM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location
37.319°N, 97.026°E
Depth
13.8 km (8.6 miles)
Region
NORTHERN QINGHAI, CHINA
Distances
9 km (5 miles) W of Keluke, China

Zero Privacy? FBI to spy in real-time on web chats

4.2 Magnitude Earthquake CANARY ISLANDS, SPAIN REGION - 29th March 2013

Magnitude ML 4.2
Region CANARY ISLANDS, SPAIN REGION
Date time 2013-03-29 12:42:58.6 UTC
Location 27.70 N ; 18.29 W
Depth 21 km
Distances
98 km SW of Fuencaliente de la Palma, Spain / pop: 1,894 / local time: 12:42:58.6 2013-03-29

North Korea tensions: Russia's Lavrov fears 'spiral'

Russia has warned of tensions in North Korea slipping out of control, after Pyongyang said it was placing its missile units on stand-by.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned the situation could slip "toward the spiral of a vicious circle".

Kim Jong-un made the missile order after talks responding to US stealth bomber flights over the Korean peninsula, state news agency KCNA said.

The time had come to "settle accounts" with the US, KCNA quoted him as saying.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-21974381

Quarter of U.S. firms in China face data theft: business lobby

A quarter of firms that are members of a leading U.S. business lobby in China have been victims of data theft, a report by the group said on Friday, amid growing vitriol between Beijing and Washington over the threat of cyber attacks.

Twenty-six percent of members who responded to an annual survey said their proprietary data or trade secrets had been compromised or stolen from their China operations, the American Chamber of Commerce in China report said.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/03/29/us-china-us-hacking-idUSBRE92S02P20130329

Michael Steinberg arrested in NY: FBI

Michael Steinberg, a portfolio manager at Steve Cohen's $15 billion SAC Capital Advisors, was arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation at his home in New York City early Friday morning in connection with a long-running insider trading investigation of the hedge fund, a FBI spokesman said.

Federal prosecutors had been considering indicting Steinberg on charges that he traded on inside information on Dell Inc (DELL.O) stock, sources close to the matter said on Thursday.

Steinberg's lawyer Barry Berke issued a statement to Reuters saying Steinberg had done "absolutely nothing wrong."

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/03/29/us-sac-steinberg-insidertrading-idUSBRE92S06O20130329

4.3 Magnitude Earthquake SOUTH OF PANAMA - 29th March 2013

Magnitude
4.3
Date-Time
Friday, March 29, 2013 at 12:16:19 UTC
Friday, March 29, 2013 at 06:16:19 AM at epicenter
Location
6.673°N, 82.633°W
Depth
21.2 km (13.2 miles)
Region
SOUTH OF PANAMA
Distances
197 km (122 miles) S (186°) from David, Panama

Pakistan blast kills 10 near consulate

The Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility for a blast that killed 10 people near the U.S. Consulate in Peshawar on Friday.

A suicide bomber rode a motorbike up to a security checkpoint a third of a mile from the consulate and detonated 22 pounds of explosives attached to his body, police spokesman Mohammad Faisal said. Along with those killed, the strike also injured 31 others, Pakistani military officials said.

Violent attacks occur frequently around Peshawar, which is in Pakistan's northwest near the border with Afghanistan and adjacent to Pakistan's tribal region.

http://edition.cnn.com/2013/03/29/world/asia/pakistan-bomb-attack/index.html?hpt=hp_t4

How far can N. Korean missiles go?

Blogger traces arms trafficking to Syria

He's also showed a trail of Croatian weapons supplied to Syria's rebels by Saudi Arabia with the consent of Western allies -- an investigative expose published in the New York Times.

Jihad Bait? UK soldiers in Syria may turn terrorist when back home

France’s President Hollande finds loophole to impose 75% tax on the rich

The 75% super-tax on the mega-rich, which was rejected by France's constitutional court might be imposed anyway. French President Francois Hollande suggests laying the burden on businesses rather than on individuals.

In the interview with France 2 television President Hollande said he has revised his original plan to lay the massive tax on individuals earning above €1 million, which has been ruled “unfair” and rejected by the Constitutional Court and later the State Councils, leaving the President embarrassed.

France’s top administrative court ruled that any tax rate above 66% was likely to be rejected again by the Constitutional Council, the Finance Ministry said last week.

With this in mind, Hollande will now propose to tax employers paying their workers more than €1 million. The president said in the interview that the measure, if approved, will last for two years.

http://rt.com/business/75-rich-tax-hollande-france-042/

4.0 Magnitude Earthquake CANARY ISLANDS, SPAIN REGION - 29th March 2013

Magnitude ML 4.0
Region CANARY ISLANDS, SPAIN REGION
Date time 2013-03-29 12:15:55.8 UTC
Location 27.72 N ; 18.27 W
Depth 20 km
Distances
95 km SW of Fuencaliente de la Palma, Spain / pop: 1,894 / local time: 12:15:55.8 2013-03-29

Robot Jellyfish 'Could Roam Oceans For Months'

A robot jellyfish more than 5ft wide has been shown off by researchers in America.

The lifelike invention could one day conduct military surveillance, clean oil spills and monitor the environment.

It is part of a multi-university project for the US Navy that is being led by Virginia Tech professor Shashank Priya.

http://news.sky.com/story/1071441/robot-jellyfish-could-roam-oceans-for-months

Kim Jong Un's war room shows North Korea is targeting Hawaii with his 'sledgehammers of revenge'

North Korea today released photographs of Kim Jong Un inside his military command centre signing the order to put rockets on standby to attack the U.S. mainland.

The pictures, which appeared in the state-run Rodong newspaper, show Kim surrounded by his generals, large-scale maps and diagrams at an 'emergency meeting' at an undisclosed location.

A chart marked 'U.S. mainland strike plan' appears to show missile trajectories that the NK News web site estimates targets Hawaii, Washington DC, Los Angeles and Austin, Texas, it was reported in the Daily Telegraph.

The order from leader Kim Jong Un came after the U.S. flew two stealth bombers over the Korean peninsula.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2300964/North-Korea-vows-use-sledgehammers-revenge-U-S-Tens-thousands-carrying-Do-die-placards-march-MASSIVE-strength-Pyongyang.html

Was 'the biggest cyberattack in history' all just a PR stunt?

The headlines have been apocalyptic: "Global internet slows after biggest attack in history"; "Biggest ever cyberattack slows internet for millions"; "The attack that nearly broke the internet"; "Cyber attack jams crucial infrastructure around the world".

So how was it for you?

According to a company called CloudFlare, which specialises in helping websites minimise the impact of online junk data attacks by effectively creating more targets and thus spreading the burden between them, this particular assault – by a Dutch hosting company, Cyberbunker, on a not-for-profit anti-spam organisation called Spamhaus – eventually escalated to cause "congestion across several major [top-level, backbone internet networks], primarily in Europe, that would have affected hundreds of millions of people ... "

Hence, presumably, the armageddon headlines. Except, as the tech website Gizmodo points out, not many people seem to have noticed

Gizmodo concludes the whole story was essentially a cynical bid by CloudFlare to drum up more business.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/shortcuts/2013/mar/28/spamhaus-internet-attack-pr-stunt

Euro edges down on Cyprus worries, Italy political deadlock

The euro hovered near a four-month lows on worries that losses suffered by Cypriot depositors may unnerve investors in other euro zone debt and on Italian political woes, but market participants also said the single currency seems to have found a bottom for now.

Trade was, however, subdued with many markets closed for Easter holidays, and there was limited reaction to North Korea putting its missile units on standby to attack U.S. military bases in South Korea and the Pacific.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/03/29/us-markets-forex-idUSBRE92E11120130329

Obama urges Congress to pass his gun-control agenda

North Korea says missiles ready

Cyprus says threat contained, no plan to leave euro

The president of Cyprus said on Friday the risk of bankruptcy had been contained and the country had no intention of leaving the euro, in a speech laden with criticism of Europe's currency union for "experimenting" with the island's fate.

Conservative leader Nicos Anastasiades spoke a day after banks reopened following an almost two-week shutdown to avert a run on deposits by worried Cypriots and wealthy foreign depositors as the country raced to clinch a rescue package from the European Union.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/03/29/us-cyprus-parliament-idUSBRE92G03I20130329

Eric Harroun is accused of supporting a terrorist group but his father says they are the same fighters the US government supports.

An American army veteran has been charged in the US for fighting alongside a Syrian rebel group linked to al Qaeda.

Eric Harroun boasted on Facebook and posted videos of his military adventures with Jabhat al Nusrah, which is designated as a terrorist group by the US.

But he is now facing charges of conspiring to use a weapon of mass destruction outside the US, specifically firing rocket-propelled grenades as part of an attack against the government of President Bashar al Assad.

http://news.sky.com/story/1071405/veteran-who-fought-for-syrian-rebels-charged

Girl Abandoned In Pram: Mother Located and Arrested

Police say they have traced the mother of the little girl who was abandoned in a pram in Carlisle late on Thursday night.

A 42-year-old woman from the town has been arrested on suspicion of child neglect and is helping police with their enquiries.

The young child, who is thought to be aged two or three, is now safe and well in temporary care.

http://news.sky.com/story/1071329/girl-abandoned-in-pram-mother-located

4.2 Magnitude Earthquake CANARY ISLANDS, SPAIN REGION - 29th March 2013

Magnitude ML 4.2
Region CANARY ISLANDS, SPAIN REGION
Date time 2013-03-29 10:11:06.9 UTC
Location 27.73 N ; 18.28 W
Depth 19 km
Distances
94 km SW of Fuencaliente de la Palma, Spain / pop: 1,894 / local time: 10:11:06.9 2013-03-29

4.4 Magnitude Earthquake CANARY ISLANDS, SPAIN REGION - 29th March 2013

Magnitude ML 4.4
Region CANARY ISLANDS, SPAIN REGION
Date time 2013-03-29 09:41:48.0 UTC
Location 28.03 N ; 18.01 W
Depth 12 km
Distances
53 km S of Fuencaliente de la Palma, Spain / pop: 1,894 / local time: 09:41:48.0 2013-03-29

Bloodshed in Syria ramps up as Damascus University is shelled by Rebels, Killing 15 Students

Soyuz spacecraft blasts off to ISS on fastest-ever flight

Botched burglary CCTV: Man in black stocking attempts clumsy robbery

Keep cash in banks? 'Be worried as Euro thieves can steal it any time'

Don't the Media understand!, these people are not ALLOWED to take their cash out of the banks!

Syria: Chinese member of Jabhat Al Nusra

Nusra Extremists Brainwashing Syrian Children

Wall collapse in Melbourne, Australia kills two people

Greek parliament passes education reforms bill

Andi Shae Akhavan 'punched by police officer' AFTER he was arrested, Vancouver, Canada

UK: Measles Cases Spreading With 'Alarming' Speed

Measles cases in Wales are spreading with "alarming" speed despite urgent calls to ensure children have vital MMR protection.

Health chiefs have again warned that the epidemic could leave unprotected children brain-damaged or dead.

Public Health Wales (PHW) says 432 cases have been reported so far, mainly in the Swansea area, with 51 people - many of them babies - in hospital.

http://news.sky.com/story/1071376/measles-warning-as-south-wales-cases-spread

Haringey, London: Two Dead In Car Crash After Police Pursuit

Two men have died in a car crash during a police pursuit in Haringey, London.

The men died early this morning after the Audi car they were in collided with a bridge on Seven Sisters Road near to the junction with St Ann's Road.

The 30-year-old driver of the Audi tried to make off from the scene on foot, police said.

But he was arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and driving whilst disqualified.

http://news.sky.com/story/1071366/two-dead-in-car-crash-after-police-pursuit

4.6 Magnitude Earthquake CANARY ISLANDS, SPAIN REGION - 29th March 2013

Magnitude ML 4.6
Region CANARY ISLANDS, SPAIN REGION
Date time 2013-03-29 08:14:44.0 UTC
Location 27.71 N ; 18.24 W
Depth 18 km
Distances
94 km SW of Fuencaliente de la Palma, Spain / pop: 1,894 / local time: 08:14:44.0 2013-03-29

Mark Miscavish kills his estranged wife, 49, in supermarket before turning the gun on himself, a week after she filed for divorce

Mark Miscavish opened fire on his estranged wife, Traci Miscavish, around 10am Thursday at the Country Market in Phillipsburg, Pennsylvania before killing himself in the grocery store, police said. The woman, Traci A. Miscavish, 49, had only days ago filed for divorce against her husband, a 15-year veteran of the state police force.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2300790/Horror-retired-state-trooper-guns-estranged-wife-supermarket-turning-gun-week-filed-divorce.html

Obama's health care overhaul to raise claims cost by 32 per cent

A new study finds that insurance companies will have to pay out an average of 32 per cent more for medical claims on individual health policies under President Barack Obama's health care overhaul.

This change could increase premiums for at least some Americans.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2300489/New-study-shows-Obamas-health-care-overhaul-raise-claims-cost-32-cent.html

Dr. Hector Castro charged with running $10m oxycodone-trafficking ring after cops raid his two homes and find $20k in cash and firearms

A New York City doctor has been charged with running an interstate smuggling ring that trafficked $10 million worth of oxycodone across several states, including the New York metropolitan area and Pennsylvania.

Authorities said 49 people were arrested on Tuesday, including the leaders of two major drug trafficking networks in Pennsylvania, after an undercover 15-month investigation conducted by the city's special narcotics unit.

Dr. Hector Castro, who ran the Itzamna Medical Center in Manhattan, has pleaded not guilty to 39 counts of criminal sale of a prescription for a controlled substance in Manhattan's state Supreme Court.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2300785/Manhattan-doctor-charged-running-10m-interstate-oxycodone-trafficking-ring-cops-raid-homes-20k-cash-stash-firearms.html

Obama BANS U.S. government from buying Chinese-made computer technology over cyber-attack fears

President Obama has hit back at Beijing's alleged hacking campaign against U.S. businesses by banning government from buying Chinese computer technology.

The new rule, which was buried in a spending bill signed this week, comes after a string of hacks traced back to China hit some of America's most important companies.

It will only be in effect until the end of the fiscal year on September 30, but could yet pave the way for broader, more permanent changes in how the U.S. government buys technology.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2300518/Obama-BANS-U-S-government-buying-Chinese-technology-cyber-attack-fears.html

Astonishing speed China censors information on the internet: 30% is deleted within half an hour, and 5% is deleted within FIVE minutes of appearing online

Thirty per cent of online posts which are deemed inappropriate on China's equivalent of Twitter are deleted within half an hour, according to new research.

Computer scientists Jed Crandall and Dan Wallach conducted the study on how quickly censorship on Sina Weibo can work.

They found that some posts are deleted as quickly as five minutes after being put online.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2300674/Astonishing-speed-China-censors-information-internet-30-deleted-half-hour-5-deleted-FIVE-minutes-appearing-online.html

German family who fled to U.S. to home school their children face DEPORTATION

The Obama administration is arguing in federal court that a homeschooling family from Germany should be deported back to their homeland, despite what they say is religious persecution. The German government prevented Uwe and Hannelore Romeike from teaching their five children at home instead of sending them to government-run schools, fining them and threatening to prosecute them if they don't obey.

When they took their three oldest children out of school in 2006, police showed up at their house within 24 hours, only leaving after a group of supporters showed up and organized a quick protest.

But their legal troubles were just beginning. Germany began fining the family, ultimately racking up a bill of more than 7,000 Euros ($9,000).

After they fled to the United States in 2010, the Romeike family initially were granted political asylum and found a home in Tennessee. They had a sixth child. But then U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) appealed the asylum decision in 2012.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2300568/Obama-administration-wants-DEPORT-home-schooling-family-Germany-fined-threatened-prosecution-teaching-children.html

4.0 Magnitude Earthquake CANARY ISLANDS, SPAIN REGION - 29th March 2013

Magnitude ML 4.0
Region CANARY ISLANDS, SPAIN REGION
Date time 2013-03-29 08:13:52.7 UTC
Location 27.70 N ; 18.23 W
Depth 17 km
Distances
95 km SW of Fuencaliente de la Palma, Spain / pop: 1,894 / local time: 08:13:52.7 2013-03-29

5.5 Magnitude Earthquake OFFSHORE MAULE, CHILE - 29th March 2013

Magnitude
5.5
Date-Time
Friday, March 29, 2013 at 07:30:58 UTC
Friday, March 29, 2013 at 03:30:58 AM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location
35.372°S, 72.748°W
Depth
14.4 km (8.9 miles)
Region
OFFSHORE MAULE, CHILE
Distances
33 km (20 miles) W of Constitucion, Chile

4.4 Magnitude Earthquake BOUGAINVILLE REGION, PAPUA NEW GUINEA - 29th March 2013

Magnitude
4.4
Date-Time
Friday, March 29, 2013 at 06:48:58 UTC
Friday, March 29, 2013 at 04:48:58 PM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location
4.838°S, 154.194°E
Depth
408.4 km (253.8 miles)
Region
BOUGAINVILLE REGION, PAPUA NEW GUINEA
Distances
134 km (83 miles) ESE of Taron, PNG