Nervous "nuns" nabbed when bad habits reveal coke cache

Nigerian Islamist raid in northeast town kills 55: military

Suspected members of the Nigerian Islamist sect Boko Haram armed with machineguns laid siege on the northeastern town of Bama on Tuesday, freeing over 100 prison inmates and leaving 55 people dead, the military said.

Around 200 heavily armed members of Boko Haram arrived in buses and pick-up trucks and carried out a coordinated strike, first hitting the army barracks and the police station before breaking into the town's prison, military spokesman Sagir Musa told Reuters.

Musa said 22 police officers, 14 prison officials, two soldiers and four civilians were killed, while 13 of the group's own members died, in what was one of the rebel's most deadly single strikes since a 2009 uprising.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/05/08/us-nigeria-violence-idUSBRE94613K20130508

China calls U.S. the "real hacking empire" after Pentagon report

China on Wednesday accused the United States of sowing discord between China and its neighbors after the Pentagon said Beijing is using espionage to fuel its military modernization, branding Washington the "real hacking empire".

The latest salvo came a day after China's foreign ministry dismissed as groundless a Pentagon report which accused China for the first time of trying to break into U.S. defense computer networks.

The Pentagon also cited progress in Beijing's effort to develop advanced-technology stealth aircraft and build an aircraft carrier fleet to project power further offshore.

The People's Liberation Army Daily called the report a "gross interference in China's internal affairs".

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/05/08/net-us-china-us-defence-idUSBRE94702L20130508

Guangdong's First H7N9 Virus from Live Chicken

The first H7N9 virus-positive sample from Guangdong province was confirmed to be a live-chicken sample from a poultry wholesale bazaar in the province's Dongguan city over the weekend.

But no H7N9 bird flu cases have been detected in the 198 people who have been working close to the poultry wholesale bazaar in Dongguan's Dongcheng district since 27 April.

He Jianfeng, director of Guangdong Provincial Center for Disease Prevention and Control, said 27 April was when a suspected H7N9 virus case was reported from a chicken sample there.

"The chicken is just a virus carrier, and the chicken itself did not become ill," Mr Jianfeng told local media on Sunday (5 May).

http://www.thepoultrysite.com/poultrynews/28867/guangdongs-first-h7n9-virus-from-live-chicken

Avian Influenza Spreads Across Mexico

The highly pathogenic H7N3 Avian Influenza virus is spreading quickly across central Mexico, much to the frustration of the Mexican poultry industry. Chris Wright, writing for the ThePoultrySite, reports on the ANECA meeting held last week in Mexico.

The Mexican poultry industry is in a state of panic over the Avian Influenza virus which is rapidly spreading across the country. Poultry producers are using phrases like: “disastrous,” “the end of industry,” “event of historic proportions” and “the devil is among us.”

Last week at the annual ANECA convention, the Mexican Association of Poultry Science Specialists, while many important issues were covered, the hot topic was the Avian Influenza problem.

One of the main issues is that officially, as reported by Mexican authorities and the OIE, Avian Influenza seems to be contained within one area of the country, while the industry believes it has spread far and wide.

http://www.thepoultrysite.com/poultrynews/28882/avian-influenza-spreads-across-mexico

Explosive Eruption at Mexico's Popocatépetl

it seems that an explosive eruption has started at Popocatépetl outside of Mexico City. The restless Mexican volcano has been producing steam-and-ash plumes intermittently over the past year, but tonight there is a significant ash plume accompanied by large incadescent blocks being thrown down the slopes of the volcano.

http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2013/05/explosive-eruption-at-mexicos-popocatepetl/

Bat found in Detroit's Palmer Park tests positive for rabies

A bat that was found in Detroit's Palmer Park area has tested positive for rabies.

According to the Institute for Population Health, the bat was found April 27.

It was unable to fly and therefore euthanized and sent to the Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH) for testing.

Last week, the MDCH notified the IPH that the bat had tested positive for rabies.

According to MDCH, this is the second bat that has tested positive for rabies in Michigan this year and the first rabid animal that has been found in Detroit since 2011.

While bats are a common source of rabies in Michigan, other medium to large wildlife (e.g., skunks, foxes, woodchucks) have also been known to be infected with rabies.

http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/bat-found-in-detroits-palmer-park-tests-positive-for-rabies/-/1719418/20046144/-/njov84z/-/index.html

James Holmes To Enter Insanity Plea

Lawyers for the suspect in the Colorado cinema shootings have said James Holmes will plead not guilty by reason of insanity.

Defence lawyers said in a court filing on Tuesday they plan to formally ask for the change of plea at a May 13 hearing.

The judge presiding over the case previously entered a standard not guilty plea on Holmes' behalf, but had left room for the accused to change the plea at a later date.

http://news.sky.com/story/1088028/cinema-shootings-holmes-to-enter-insanity-plea

Genoa: At Least Three Dead In Port Ship Tragedy

At least three people have died and several are missing after a container ship smashed into a control tower in the port of Genoa.

Part of the tower in which about 14 people were present at the time of the accident crashed into the water.

One of the victims was thought to be a woman in her 30s, while the other two were male.

http://news.sky.com/story/1088080/genoa-at-least-three-dead-in-port-ship-tragedy

4.9 Magnitude Earthquake VANUATU REGION - 8th May 2013

Magnitude
4.9
Date-Time
Wednesday, May 08, 2013 at 00:27:53 UTC
Wednesday, May 08, 2013 at 12:27:53 PM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location
19.651°S, 174.865°E
Depth
35 km (21.7 miles)
Region
VANUATU REGION
Distances
410 km (255 miles) WSW (245°) from SUVA, Fiji

4.4 Magnitude Earthquake SOUTH OF THE FIJI ISLANDS - 8th May 2013

Magnitude
4.4
Date-Time
Wednesday, May 08, 2013 at 00:10:41 UTC
Wednesday, May 08, 2013 at 12:10:41 PM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location
24.504°S, 179.823°E
Depth
552 km (343.0 miles)
Region
SOUTH OF THE FIJI ISLANDS
Distances
452 km (280 miles) SSW of Ndoi Island, Fiji

18,000 Schoolkids in Seoul Addicted to Smartphones: South Korea

Seven out of 100 school kids in Seoul are addicted to smartphones, a survey suggests. The affliction manifests itself by anxiety if the gadgets are not to hand, and by anger and resistance if their use is banned.

The Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education on Monday said it surveyed 268,183 school kids in Seoul in March and found that 17,448 or 7 percent had trouble leading a normal life due to excessive use of smartphones.

The problem is most severe among high-schoolers.

http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2013/05/07/2013050701329.html

Syria Traffic Goes "Dark" As Country Disappears From Internet

While there have been no new military attacks on Syria since Sunday morning, something more peculiar happened in the past few hours, when according to Akamai and various other Internet traffic trackers, Syria has literally gone "dark", or, as Umbrella Security Labs describes it, as if "Syria has largely disappeared from the Internet."

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-05-07/syria-traffic-goes-dark-country-disappears-internet

North Korea has gained nothing from recent threats, Obama says

The United States and South Korea vowed on Tuesday to keep up their guard and not reward bad behavior by North Korea, which President Barack Obama said had won no benefits or prestige from recent war threats.

"If Pyongyang thought its recent threats would drive a wedge between South Korea and the United States or somehow garner the North international respect, today is further evidence that North Korea has failed again," Obama said at a joint news conference with South Korean President Park Geun-hye.

"President Park and myself very much share the view that we are going to maintain a strong deterrent, we're not going to reward provocative behavior, but we remain open to the prospect of North Korea taking a peaceful path," he said.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/05/07/us-korea-north-us-obama-idUSBRE9460TK20130507

4.9 Magnitude Earthquake MID-INDIAN RIDGE - 7th May 2013

Magnitude
4.9
Date-Time
Tuesday, May 07, 2013 at 20:33:26 UTC
Wednesday, May 08, 2013 at 01:33:26 AM at epicenter
Location
25.249°S, 70.022°E
Depth
11.9 km (7.4 miles)
Region
MID-INDIAN RIDGE
Distances
1402 km (871 miles) ESE (116°) from PORT LOUIS, Mauritius

4.2 Magnitude Earthquake CENTRAL IRAN - 7th May 2013

Magnitude
4.2
Date-Time
Tuesday, May 07, 2013 at 20:22:54 UTC
Tuesday, May 07, 2013 at 11:52:54 PM at epicenter
Location
33.255°N, 54.930°E
Depth
35.2 km (21.9 miles)
Region
CENTRAL IRAN
Distances
160 km (99 miles) NNE (17°) from Yazd, Iran

4.8 Magnitude Earthquake SOUTH SANDWICH ISLANDS REGION - 7th May 2013

Magnitude
4.8
Date-Time
Tuesday, May 07, 2013 at 19:25:43 UTC
Tuesday, May 07, 2013 at 05:25:43 PM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location
56.743°S, 26.910°W
Depth
138.5 km (86.1 miles)
Region
SOUTH SANDWICH ISLANDS REGION
Distances
18 km (11 miles) ESE of Visokoi Island,

4.1 Magnitude Earthquake TAJIKISTAN - 7th May 2013

Magnitude
4.1
Date-Time
Tuesday, May 07, 2013 at 17:25:50 UTC
Tuesday, May 07, 2013 at 10:25:50 PM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location
38.687°N, 71.391°E
Depth
39.6 km (24.6 miles)
Region
TAJIKISTAN
Distances
35 km (21 miles) N of Vanj, Tajikistan

David Cameron Promises 'Proper Choice' On EU.....if he is re-elected

Prime Minister David Cameron has pledged to give voters a "proper choice" between staying in a reformed European Union and leaving, in an in/out referendum during the next parliament if a Conservative government is re-elected.

It comes after Lord Lawson became the most senior Tory figure to call for the UK to quit the European Union - pledging to vote "No" in any referendum on membership.

In a move that piles further pressure on Mr Cameron over the issue, the former chancellor warned his proposed renegotiation would only secure "inconsequential" concessions from Brussels.

Writing in The Times, he said there was now a "clear" case for withdrawal, insisting the economic benefits would "substantially outweigh the costs", in contrast to the Prime Minister's position.

http://news.sky.com/story/1087676/david-cameron-promises-proper-choice-on-eu

Madrid's health workers strike over hospital privatization

Thousands of doctors and nurses went on strike across Spain's Madrid region on Tuesday to protest against plans to spend less public money on health care, the most unpopular part of the government's drive to cut costs.

Medical workers plan five one-day strikes every week through to early June over the regional government's plan to tender the management of six public hospitals to private companies.

The protest shut down all but urgent care in 34 hospitals and dozens of health centers in the autonomous community of Madrid, a region of 6.5 million people which includes the capital.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/05/07/us-spain-austerity-health-idUSBRE9460PW20130507

France struggles to fight radical Islam in its jails

In France, the path to radical Islam often begins with a minor offence that throws a young man into an overcrowded, violent jail and produces a hardened convert ready for jihad.

With the country on heightened security alert since January when French troops began fighting al Qaeda-linked Islamists in Mali, authorities are increasingly worried about home-grown militants emerging from France's own jails.

But despite government efforts to tackle the problem, conditions behind bars are still turning young Muslims into easy prey for jhadist recruiters, according to guards, prison directors, ex-inmates, chaplains and crime experts interviewed over the last few months by Reuters.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/05/07/us-france-radicalisation-insight-idUSBRE9460OQ20130507

Police visited home in 2004 where Ohio women found

The three Cleveland women found alive after vanishing in their own neighborhood for about a decade were rescued from a house that authorities tried to visit several years ago, police said on Tuesday.

Three brothers, one of them a school bus driver who owns the Cleveland house where the three women and a child were rescued on Monday, are under arrest, police said at a news conference.

A relative of one of the women, teenagers when they disappeared, described their survival as "a miracle" as Cleveland authorities and residents grappled with how they went unnoticed for so long.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/05/07/us-usa-missing-ohio-idUSBRE94600620130507

At least 19 dead, 36 injured in gas tanker explosion near Mexico City

A gas tanker truck exploded on a highway in the Mexico City suburb of Ecatepec early Tuesday, killing at least 19 people and injuring three dozen, according to the Citizen Safety Department of Mexico State, which surrounds Mexico City.

Officials did not rule out the possibility the death toll could rise as emergency workers continued sifting through the charred remains of vehicles and homes built near the highway on the northern edge of the metropolis.

Residents pitched in to rescue people from the wreckage of crushed and burned cars and shattered homes. Television footage showed plumes of flame shooting out of homes in the pre-dawn darkness.

Authorities did not immediately report a cause for the explosion.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/at-least-19-dead-36-injured-in-gas-tanker-explosion-near-mexico-city/article11749732/

4.6 Magnitude Earthquake NEW BRITAIN REGION, PAPUA NEW GUINEA - 7th May 2013

Magnitude
4.6
Date-Time
Tuesday, May 07, 2013 at 14:13:52 UTC
Wednesday, May 08, 2013 at 12:13:52 AM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location
5.488°S, 148.381°E
Depth
255.3 km (158.6 miles)
Region
NEW BRITAIN REGION, PAPUA NEW GUINEA
Distances
135 km (83 miles) NNE of Finschhafen, Papua New Guinea

Europe launches new satellites into space......

Nuclear Leaks: Radioactive materials 'lost' in UK spark terror fear

Continent discovered? Scientists find possible land mass in Atlantic Ocean

'Incredible Hulk' Hunted by North Yorkshire Police

Police in north Yorkshire are appealing for witnesses following a suspected assault by a woman dressed as the Incredible Hulk.

"Police hunt Incredible Hulk," a statement issued by the force said.

A 17-year-old girl suffered a black eye and other facial bruising in an attack outside McDonalds restaurant in Blake Street, York at around 3am on Friday, the statement added.

"At the time of the incident, the woman suspected of the assault was covered in green body paint with dyed red hair.

http://news.sky.com/story/1087895/york-assault-police-hunt-incredible-hulk

Prisoner X 'Unwittingly Sabotaged Israeli Op'

A man who died in an Israeli jail was arrested after unwittingly interfering in a secret intelligence operation to recover the bodies of three soldiers, according to an Australian news report.

Ben Zygier, who had Australian and Israeli citizenship, was arrested in January 2010 and held in secret under the name of Prisoner X on unspecified security charges.

A judicial inquiry in Israel found Mr Zygier, 34, who allegedly worked for the Israeli secret service Mossad, hanged himself in a high-security jail cell the same year.

http://news.sky.com/story/1087893/prisoner-x-unwittingly-sabotaged-israeli-op

Iran warns of regional chaos in post-Assad era

Iran's foreign minister warned on Tuesday of unforeseeable consequences if Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was toppled and said only a political settlement to Syria's civil war would avoid a regional conflagration.

Shi'ite Muslim Iran is Assad's closest ally and has provided money, weapons, intelligence and training for his forces against a mainly Sunni Muslim uprising in which more than 70,000 people have been killed in two years, by a U.N. estimate.

"God forbid, if there is any vacuum in Syria, these negative consequences will affect all countries ... No one knows what will happen," Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi told reporters during a rare visit to Jordan.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/05/07/us-syria-crisis-iran-idUSBRE9460LJ20130507

Bank of China shuts account of North Korean bank

Bank of China Ltd (3988.HK) (601988.SS) has shut the account of North Korea's main foreign exchange bank, which was hit with U.S. sanctions in March after Washington accused it of helping finance Pyongyang's nuclear weapons program.

The state-run Foreign Trade Bank had been told its transactions had been halted and its account closed, Bank of China, the country's biggest foreign exchange bank, said in a brief statement on Tuesday. It gave no reason for the closure and the bank declined to comment further.

The closure is the first significant, publicly announced step taken by a Chinese entity to curb its dealings with North Korea in the wake of international pressure to punish Pyongyang over its banned nuclear and ballistic missile programs.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/05/07/us-korea-north-china-bank-idUSBRE9460CX20130507

3.0 Magnitude Earthquake YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, WYOMING - 7th May 2013

Magnitude
3.0
Date-Time
Tuesday, May 07, 2013 at 13:22:33 UTC
Tuesday, May 07, 2013 at 07:22:33 AM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location
44.587°N, 110.965°W
Depth
8.6 km (5.3 miles)
Region
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, WYOMING
Distances
14 km (9 miles) SE (127°) from West Yellowstone, MT

4.4 Magnitude Earthquake SOUTHWEST OF SUMATRA, INDONESIA - 7th May 2013

Magnitude
4.4
Date-Time
Tuesday, May 07, 2013 at 12:43:05 UTC
Tuesday, May 07, 2013 at 07:43:05 PM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location
5.196°S, 101.969°E
Depth
38.3 km (23.8 miles)
Region
SOUTHWEST OF SUMATRA, INDONESIA
Distances
158 km (98 miles) SSW of Bengkulu, Indonesia

3 EXPLOSIONS HEARD IN TEHRAN NEAR MISSILE FACILITY: INFORMATION INCOMING

Fateh-110 missiles [file]. Photo: Reuters/Stringer

Three explosions were heard in western Tehran on Tuesday, in an area where Iran carries out missile research and storage, BBC Persian reported.

It was not immediately clear if there were injuries or damage in the incident.

In January, both Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency denied reports that a blast had hit the Fordow underground uranium enrichment center near Qom.

A mysterious and massive explosion rocked a military arms depot near Tehran in November 2011, killing 17 Revolutionary Guards Corps officers and wounding 17 others.

Iranian officials said the blast was caused by an accident as soldiers moved munitions at the base in Bidganeh, near Shahriar, 45 km. west of the Iranian capital. The base is also believed to be the storage center for some of Iran’s most-advanced long-range ballistic missiles, such as the Shahab 3.

http://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/3-explosions-heard-in-Tehran-near-missile-facility-312369

Paedophile Brit Geoffrey Portway 'Had Dungeon' Under US Home

A British man living in the US has pleaded guilty to an international plot involving child kidnapping and pornography.

Forty-year-old Geoffrey Portway, a UK citizen living in Worcester, Massachusetts, admitted the charges in federal court.

Portway was arrested in July 2012 after US investigators allegedly found child pornography and photos of children who appeared to be dead on his computer.

http://news.sky.com/story/1087816/paedophile-brit-had-dungeon-under-us-home

France urges quick progress on EU banking union

The European Union must aim to have made "decisive progress" by the end of June on its plans to create a banking union, French Finance Minister Pierre Moscovici said on Tuesday.

Moscovici was speaking at a joint news conference with his German counterpart Wolfgang Schaeuble, who earlier signalled a softening of his stance towards the project by saying the euro zone could press ahead on the basis of current law without waiting for an overhaul of the EU's Lisbon treaty.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/05/07/us-france-eu-banking-idUSBRE9460G020130507

H7N9 toll grows to 130 cases, 31 deaths

Health officials in China reported two new H7N9 infections, both from Fujian province, and four more deaths, boosting the outbreak's total to 130 cases, 31 of them (24%) fatal.

One of the patients is a 9-year-old boy whose infection was detected during routine flu surveillance, according to official and media reports today. He has been discharged from the hospital, according to a statement Hong Kong's Centre for Health Protection (CHP).

The other patient is a 69-year-old man who is hospitalized, according to a separate statement yesterday from the CHP. So far none of the man's nine close contacts have shown any symptoms.

China's National Health and Family Commission today put the number of deaths at 31, an increase of four since the group's last update, Xinhua, China's state news agency, reported today. The report did not include any other details about the deaths. The report also said 42 patients have recovered from their H7N9 infections.

http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/cidrap/content/influenza/avianflu/news/may0613china.html

4.3 Magnitude Earthquake SUMBAWA REGION, INDONESIA - 7th May 2013

Magnitude
4.3
Date-Time
Tuesday, May 07, 2013 at 11:12:51 UTC
Tuesday, May 07, 2013 at 07:12:51 PM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location
8.755°S, 118.405°E
Depth
125.2 km (77.8 miles)
Region
SUMBAWA REGION, INDONESIA
Distances
24 km (14 miles) W of Tolotangga, Indonesia

Turkey condemns Israeli air strikes in Syria

Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan condemned on Tuesday Israeli air strikes on targets near Damascus, saying they were an opportunity for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's government to cover up its own killings.

"The air strike Israel carried out on Damascus is completely unacceptable. There is no rationale, no pretext that can excuse this operation," Erdogan told a parliamentary meeting of his ruling party.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/05/07/us-syria-crisis-turkey-idUSBRE9460C720130507

Egypt's Mursi brings more Islamists into cabinet

Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi increased the influence of his Muslim Brotherhood over government in a reshuffle that replaced two ministers involved in crucial talks with the International Monetary Fund over a $4.8 billion loan.

The changes fell well short of the opposition's demand for a complete overhaul of Prime Minister Hisham Kandil's administration and the installation of a neutral cabinet to oversee parliamentary elections later this year.

It looked unlikely to help build the political consensus the IMF is seeking for reforms needed to secure a loan seen as vital to easing Egypt's deep economic crisis. The government is struggling to seal a deal that will bring austerity measures.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/05/07/us-egypt-reshuffle-idUSBRE9460AL20130507

Moscow: Man Burrows Out Of Jail 'With A Spoon'

A man charged with double murder has escaped from a maximum security jail in Moscow - apparently by digging a hole in the ceiling of his cell with a spoon.

Oleg Topalov, 33, became only the fourth man in two decades to escape from the notorious Matrosskaya Tishina prison after pulling himself through the hole onto the roof and climbing over a perimeter fence.

The only object he could have used to dig the hole was a spoon, a law enforcement source told the Interfax news agency.

http://news.sky.com/story/1087797/moscow-man-burrows-out-of-jail-with-a-spoon

SOLAR ECLIPSE TO TURN SUN INTO 'RING OF FIRE'

"Solar eclipses can be inspirational to students and others, so it is interesting to have everyone view the eclipse, but only safe methods of viewing should be used," Jay Pasachoff, an astronomer at Williams College and chair of the International Astronomical Union's working group on eclipses, said in a statement.

While nearly 95 percent of the sun will be covered by the moon at the eclipse's peak, the sky will not be noticeably darker to the naked eye at any point, explained Williams College officials in Williamstown, Mass.

For this reason, special protective lenses, camera and telescope filters and other methods of protection should be used in order to safely watch the eclipse even during full annularity, when the sun is silhouetting the moon.

http://au.news.yahoo.com/world/a/-/world/17057470/australia-set-for-sola-eclipse/

Libya defense minister quits over siege of ministries by gunmen

Libya's defense minister resigned on Tuesday in protest at a siege by gunmen of two government ministries that he denounced as an assault on democracy.

He was the first cabinet minister to quit in a crisis over the siege, which armed groups refused to lift even after parliament bowed on Sunday to their main demand by banning any senior official who served under the late dictator Muammar Gaddafi from holding government posts.

"I will never be able to accept that politics (can) be practiced by the power of weapons ... This is an assault against the democracy I have sworn to protect," Defense Minister Mohammed al-Bargathi said.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/05/07/us-libya-politics-idUSBRE9460BW20130507

5.8 Magnitude Earthquake SOUTH OF THE FIJI ISLANDS - 7th May 2013

Magnitude
5.8
Date-Time
Tuesday, May 07, 2013 at 10:10:55 UTC
Tuesday, May 07, 2013 at 10:10:55 PM at epicenter
Location
19.638°S, 175.064°E
Depth
70.1 km (43.6 miles)
Region
SOUTH OF THE FIJI ISLANDS
Distances
390 km (243 miles) WSW (244°) from SUVA, Fiji

4.5 Magnitude Earthquake NORTHERN SUMATRA, INDONESIA - 7th May 2013

Magnitude
4.5
Date-Time
Tuesday, May 07, 2013 at 10:09:50 UTC
Tuesday, May 07, 2013 at 05:09:50 PM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location
4.283°N, 96.196°E
Depth
42.9 km (26.7 miles)
Region
NORTHERN SUMATRA, INDONESIA
Distances
17 km (10 miles) NNE of Meulaboh, Indonesia

4.6 Magnitude Earthquake JAVA, INDONESIA - 7th May 2013

Magnitude
4.6
Date-Time
Tuesday, May 07, 2013 at 09:48:36 UTC
Tuesday, May 07, 2013 at 04:48:36 PM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location
7.972°S, 111.269°E
Depth
150.7 km (93.6 miles)
Region
JAVA, INDONESIA
Distances
13 km (8 miles) WNW of Krajan Tengah, Indonesia

North Korea 'Has Removed Missile Threat'

North Korea has moved two missiles that last month sparked worldwide fears over a possible test firing, according to the US.

An anonymous US Defence official told the AFP news agency that the Musudan missiles are no longer considered an imminent threat.

South Korea has not confirmed they have been moved from their launch site but says it is closely "tracking" all activity in the area.

http://news.sky.com/story/1087754/north-korea-has-removed-missile-threat

German finance minister softens stance on EU banking union

German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble signaled a softening of his stance on a European banking union on Tuesday, saying the euro zone should press ahead on the basis of current law without waiting for a controversial overhaul of the EU's Lisbon treaty.

The banking union is a crucial part of Europe's drive to overcome its financial and sovereign debt crisis. In a first step, it involves the creation of a Europe-wide banking supervisor under the hood of the European Central Bank. This is to be followed by a so-called resolution scheme to close or salvage struggling banks.

Just last month, Schaeuble appeared to slam on the brakes by saying the European Union needed to consider treaty change before proceeding, due to the "doubtful legal basis" on which the project rested. Those comments sparked a backlash from EU officials and German partners like France.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/05/07/us-eurozone-germany-france-idUSBRE94608K20130507

4.7 Magnitude Earthquake KEPULAUAN TANIMBAR REGION, INDONESIA - 7th May 2013

Magnitude
4.7
Date-Time
Tuesday, May 07, 2013 at 09:39:49 UTC
Tuesday, May 07, 2013 at 06:39:49 PM at epicenter
Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location
7.626°S, 130.607°E
Depth
25.6 km (15.9 miles)
Region
KEPULAUAN TANIMBAR REGION, INDONESIA
Distances
85 km (52 miles) WNW of Saumlaki, Indonesia

2 Nigerian Air Force pilots die in fighter jet crash

A Nigerian warplane crashed in Niger on Monday, from where it was conducting military operations in neighbouring Mali, and the two pilots were killed, an army source in Niamey said.

The fighter jet was part of Nigeria’s air fleet engaged with an African force battling hardline Islamists in Mali. The Niger military source said it had suffered a “mechanical” problem.

“A Nigerian fighter plane crashed this morning (Monday) in the Dargol zone (west), killing the two pilots,” the officer said.

http://pmnewsnigeria.com/2013/05/06/2-nigerian-air-force-pilots-die-in-fighter-jet-crash/

Eurozone recession set to deepen as private sector shrinks for 15th month

The eurozone's private sector shrank for the 15th consecutive month in April – suggesting the single currency area will fall deeper into recession.

Germany, the powerhouse of the eurozone, also suffered a contraction in business activity during the month, which could send a worrying signal for the rest of the bloc.

An official indication of eurozone GDP is due next week and on Monday the president of the European Central Bank, Mario Draghi, stressed that the policymakers would be ready to cut rates again after taking a quarter of a percentage point off the benchmark rate to a record low of 0.5% last week.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2013/may/06/eurozone-recession-private-sector-shrinks

Death toll from Bangladesh collapse tops 700 as survivors protest

Hundreds of survivors of last month’s collapse of a building housing garment factories in Bangladesh protested for compensation Tuesday, as the death toll from the country’s worst-ever industrial disaster passed 700.

The police control room overseeing the recovery operation said the death toll stood at 705 on Tuesday afternoon as workers pulled more bodies out of the wreckage of the eight-storey building that was packed with workers at five garment factories when it collapsed April 24. The factories were making clothing bound for major retailers around the world.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/death-toll-from-bangladesh-collapse-tops-700-as-survivors-protest/article11744110/

Germany sees surge in immigration from crisis-hit Europe

An influx of people from crisis-hit southern European countries like Spain, Italy and Greece has led to the biggest surge in German immigration in nearly 20 years.

The Federal Statistics Office said 1.081 million immigrants flocked to Germany last year, up 13 percent from 2011 and the highest number since 1995.

Leading the way were arrivals from countries in eastern Europe and from southern euro zone countries struggling with recession and high unemployment as a result of the currency bloc's three-year old debt crisis.

The number of immigrants coming from Spain, Greece, Portugal and Italy rose by 40 percent or more compared to the prior year.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/05/07/us-germany-immigration-idUSBRE94609320130507

Police Probe Into Rio Chopper Shoot-Out

An investigation has been opened into a shoot-out last year in which Brazilian police fired from a helicopter at an accused drug trafficker.

They were chasing him through a favela - a shanty town or slum - in Rio de Janeiro.

Inquiries into the shooting began after video of the shooting, which took place in May last year, appeared on national television on Sunday.

http://news.sky.com/story/1087742/rio-police-probe-favela-helicopter-shoot-out

Colombia: Defrocked 'Nuns' Found With Drugs

Three 'nuns' on a flight from Colombia to the Caribbean island of San Andres were stopped by police on a hunch because of their suspicious habits.

The young women were asked to step to one side when they arrived at their destination because, police captain Oscar Davila said, they seemed nervous and the fabric did not look right.

The hunch was correct and police found more than four pounds of cocaine (two kilos) strapped to the legs of each woman.

Each of the women - none of whom was a nun - apparently burst into tears on being caught.

http://news.sky.com/story/1087715/colombia-defrocked-nuns-found-with-drugs

Lt Col Jeffrey Krusinksi Arrested after complaint of Sexual Assault

The head of the US Air Force's sex assault unit has been charged with groping a woman in a northern Virginia car park.

Lieutenant Colonel Jeffrey Krusinski is facing one count of sexual battery following the alleged assault at about 12.30am on Sunday in Crystal City, a few miles south of Washington DC.

Arlington County Police said the 41-year-old was drunk and grabbed a woman's breast and buttocks.

http://news.sky.com/story/1087718/us-air-force-sex-assault-chief-arrested

Meteor Explodes Over Japan 5/6/13

3.7 Magnitude Earthquake SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA - 7th May 2013

Magnitude
3.7
Date-Time
Tuesday, May 07, 2013 at 09:06:09 UTC
Tuesday, May 07, 2013 at 02:06:09 AM at epicenter
Location
34.489°N, 119.304°W
Depth
11.5 km (7.1 miles)
Region
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Distances
5 km (3 miles) NNW (329°) from Meiners Oaks, CA

3.5 Magnitude Earthquake GREATER LOS ANGELES AREA, CALIFORNIA - 7th May 2013

Magnitude
3.5
Date-Time
Tuesday, May 07, 2013 at 09:05:56 UTC
Tuesday, May 07, 2013 at 02:05:56 AM at epicenter
Location
34.334°N, 119.200°W
Depth
22.6 km (14.0 miles)
Region
GREATER LOS ANGELES AREA, CALIFORNIA
Distances
7 km (4 miles) NNE (22°) from San Buenaventura (Ventura), CA

4.7 Magnitude Earthquake SOLOMON ISLANDS - 7th May 2013

Magnitude
4.7
Date-Time
Tuesday, May 07, 2013 at 08:59:03 UTC
Tuesday, May 07, 2013 at 07:59:03 PM at epicenter
Location
10.900°S, 163.715°E
Depth
18 km (11.2 miles)
Region
SOLOMON ISLANDS
Distances
201 km (125 miles) ESE (105°) from Kira Kira, Solomon Islands

Ariel Castro Arrested along with his two brothers for the Kidnapping of 3 young girls over ten years ago

The prime suspect in the astonishing kidnapping case of three women held captive for ten years has been taken into custody - as well as two of his own brothers.

Ariel Castro, 52, of Cleveland, Ohio was arrested on Monday after one of the alleged victims escaped his home and called police.

He was a school bus driver in the Cleveland area, according to reports.

Only Ariel Castro lived at the home. The brothers lived elsewhere, police told reporters.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2320564/Ariel-Castro-pictured-Suspect-Amanda-Berry-Gina-DeJesus-Michelle-Knight-kidnap-arrested--BROTHERS.html

Syria: More than just a civil war?

China rebukes Israel on Syria

The Chinese government had stern words for Israel at the start of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's five-day visit to the country.

"We oppose the use of weapons. We believe the sovereignty of any country should be respected," said Hua Chunying, China's foreign ministry spokeswoman on Monday, responding to reports that Israel carried out airstrikes against its neighbor Syria last weekend.

"China calls upon relevant parties to bear in mind peace and stability of the region, to exercise restraint and refrain from any actions that may escalate the tension," she added.

http://edition.cnn.com/2013/05/07/world/asia/china-israel-talks/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

New Zealand: One person dead, flights delayed in storm

One person has died in a road crash and more than a dozen flights cancelled as torrential rain and gale force winds have ripped through Wellington.

Following blustery weather in Auckland on Sunday night and Monday morning, the capital was hit by the wintry blast later in the day. A sharp 3.7-magnitude earthquake in the Wairarapa added to the drama just after 4pm.

One person was killed and another seriously injured in a two-car smash near the Grenada North exit on State Highway 1 earlier in the afternoon, prompting warnings from police to drive to the wet weather conditions.

There were reports of about 30 landslides on roads in and around Wellington and floods swept through parts of the city's CBD on Monday, sparking more 400 calls to the council by midday.

http://nz.news.yahoo.com/a/-/top-stories/17026225/one-person-dead-flights-delayed-in-storm/

Dozens of dead fish found in Catrons Creek

The appearance of dozens of dead fish in the Catrons Creek branch of the Cumberland River over the weekend has some residents worried.

According to Elcomb resident James Lively, the dead fish appeared in the water beneath the bridge on KY 72 at Elcomb.

“I saw them there under the bridge laying in the water dead,” said Lively.

Lively said he observed an official from the Department of Fish and Wildlife investigating the situation on Sunday.

http://www.harlandaily.com/view/full_story/22486570/article-Dozens-of-dead-fish-found-in-Catrons-Creek

Hunan, China: Suspected food poisoning hospitalizes 73 students

Affected students receive medical treatment as they are hospitalized in Lianyuan, central China's Hunan Province, May 6, 2013. Seventy-three students from Xingzhi Middle School were hospitalized on Monday afternoon over possible food poisoning in Lianyuan, according to local authorities. Initial investigation showed that spoiled rice noodles provided by the school cafeteria were to blame for the incident. (Xinhua)

Seventy-three high school students were hospitalized on Monday afternoon over possible food poisoning in central China's Hunan Province, according to local authorities.

All the 73 affected students from Xingzhi Middle School in the city of Lianyuan had been sent to a local hospital by 4 p.m. after they had showed symptoms of vomiting and diarrhea. As of Monday evening, one of them was still being treated and four were under medical observation in a local hospital.

http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/779770.shtml

Britain should quit European Union: former finance minister

Prime Minister David Cameron's plan to claw back powers from the European Union is doomed and Britain would be better off leaving the 27-member bloc, former finance minister Nigel Lawson said on Monday.

Lawson, who served as Margaret Thatcher's finance minister from 1983 to 1989, is the most senior member of Cameron's Conservative Party to call for Britain to withdraw from the EU.

Cameron promised in January to renegotiate the terms of Britain's 40-year-old membership of the bloc and to hold an "in-out" referendum if he is re-elected in 2015.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/05/07/us-britain-europe-idUSBRE94607S20130507

Dozens killed in attack on political rally in Pakistan

Amanda Berry 911 audio released

China rejects U.S. charges of military espionage

China is using espionage to acquire technology to fuel its military modernization, the Pentagon said on Monday, for the first time accusing the Chinese of trying to break into U.S. defense computer networks and prompting a firm denial from Beijing.

In its 83-page annual report to Congress on Chinese military developments, the Pentagon also cited progress in Beijing's effort to develop advanced-technology stealth aircraft and build an aircraft carrier fleet to project power further offshore.

The report said China's cyber snooping was a "serious concern" that pointed to an even greater threat because the "skills required for these intrusions are similar to those necessary to conduct computer network attacks."

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/05/07/us-usa-defense-china-idUSBRE94511720130507

Self-Harm Poisoning Up By 50%, Says Charity

The number of people In Britain deliberately poisoning themselves has increased by 50% in the last 10 years, a charity has warned.

It resulted in 110,000 A&E admissions in 2012, according to the British Red Cross, which has launched a Facebook campaign to highlight the issue of self-harm among young people.

It wants friends and family of young people who harm themselves to learn how to give first aid and how to speak to them about the issue.

http://news.sky.com/story/1087673/self-harm-poisoning-up-by-50-percent-says-charity

Bomb gets through airport in massive TSA failure!!!

The 500,000 Eastern European migrants that officials didn't know were here: So many entered UK that authorities lost track

So many migrants flooded into Britain from Eastern Europe that authorities were unable to count them, Whitehall admitted yesterday.

Official migration figures missed out nearly half a million people who came to the UK after their countries joined the EU in 2004, according to a newly-published document.

The scale of the problem was only revealed in the 2011 census, which showed the population was even bigger than estimated.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2320499/The-500-000-Eastern-European-migrants-officials-didnt-know-So-entered-UK-authorities-lost-track.html

Child rapists taken off Sex Offenders' Register in secret... and police say it's to protect their human rights

Police have secretly removed dozens of convicted sex offenders, including paedophiles and rapists, from the Sex Offenders’ Register, the Mail can reveal.

Following a human rights ruling, the law was changed last year to allow sex attackers to claim they no longer posed a threat and apply to be taken off the register.

Since then, 43 applications have been approved behind closed doors, at the rate of one every five days.

About half of those who apply have been successful – including eight rapists and 27 child sex attackers.

Each case was signed off by a mid-ranking police officer following a paper review of the case. With the stroke of a pen, each convict was removed from the list, and is now free to walk the streets with no monitoring of any kind.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2320483/Child-rapists-taken-Sex-Offenders-Register-secret--police-say-protect-human-rights.html

Tanzania church attack: Saudis held for 'act of terror'

Eight people - four Saudi nationals and four Tanzanians - have been arrested in connection with the bombing of a new Roman Catholic church in the northern Tanzanian city of Arusha on Sunday.

The Saudis were detained as they tried to cross into Kenya, police said.

At least two people were killed by the blast, which President Jakaya Kikwete condemned as "act of terrorism".

The Vatican's ambassador to Tanzania and the archbishop of Arusha were in the church at the time of the attack.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-22425364

4 foreigners, 1 tour guide killed in Mayon volcano eruption

Lord Lawson calls for UK to exit EU

The former chancellor of the exchequer, Lord Lawson, has called for the UK to leave the European Union.

Writing in the Times, he said British economic gains from an exit "would substantially outweigh the costs".

He describes the EU as "a bureaucratic monstrosity" and added that after an association with Brussels of 40 years "the case for exit is clear".

Prime Minister David Cameron is facing calls to bring forward a promised referendum on the UK's EU membership.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-22429790

Israeli head of military intel discussed Syria, Iran in secret Beijing visit

The head of Military Intelligence, Maj. Gen. Aviv Kochavi, met his Chinese counterpart recently during a secret visit to Beijing where the two discussed developments in Iran and Syria.

The visit came about 10 days before Benjamin Netanyahu’s scheduled departure for China Sunday night, with the prime minister expected to raise concerns about Iran’s nuclear program and about Syrian arms falling into the hands of Hezbollah.

Kochavi’s host was his Chinese counterpart Major General Chen Youyi, 59, an expert on Russian, East Europe and South East Asia affairs. He and other senior Chinese officials met Kochavi in the State Security Ministry, the equivalent of the Israeli Mossad.

http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/israeli-head-of-military-intel-discussed-syria-iran-in-secret-beijing-visit.premium-1.519204?localLinksEnabled=false

Mystery surrounds deadly limo fire

It could take weeks to figure out why a white stretch limousine caught fire over the weekend, turning a celebratory bachelorette party deadly, authorities said Monday.

Nine passengers were traveling in the Lincoln as it headed across the San Francisco Bay along the San Mateo-Hayward Bridge on Saturday night. Only four came out alive.

The bride-to-be, 31-year-old Neriza Fojas, was among the dead.

http://edition.cnn.com/2013/05/06/us/california-limo-fire/index.html?hpt=hp_t3

Video of Bagram plane crash legitimate, U.S. official says

American authorities have concluded that a widely seen video does show the U.S. civilian-operated cargo jet that crashed in Afghanistan last week, a U.S. government official said Monday.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation is being handled by Afghan authorities, did not give details on how U.S. authorities came to that conclusion.

The National Airlines jet crashed shortly after takeoff from Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan, killing all seven people aboard, officials said. National Airlines specializes in moving freight for the military and businesses.

http://edition.cnn.com/2013/05/06/world/asia/afghanistan-bagram-crash/index.html?hpt=hp_t3

Libyan protesters try to oust PM

Despite the passage of a law banning Gadhafi-era officials from Libya's government, armed groups continued their blockade of two ministry buildings in Tripoli on Monday, this time demanding the dismissal of Prime Minister Ali Zeidan.

The adoption of the political isolation law by Libya's parliament on Sunday had been a main demand of militiamen who surrounded the foreign and justice ministries last week.

But on Monday some of the armed protesters said they want Zeidan out.

http://edition.cnn.com/2013/05/06/world/africa/libya-government-protests/index.html?hpt=hp_t3

N. Korea issues threat over naval drills

North Korea issued a new threat of military action Tuesday if "even a single shell" from U.S. and South Korean naval exercises fell within its territorial waters.

"The prevailing situation goes to prove that they are persisting in their premeditated military provocations in a bid to push the present state of war to an actual war," a statement carried by the North Korean state-run news agency KCNA.

The statement follows a lull in the heated rhetoric emanating from Pyongyang, which tested a nuclear bomb in February and sent a satellite into orbit atop a long-range rocket in December. The North said its forces "will take immediate counteractions in case even a single shell drops over the territorial waters of our side due to the enemies' provocative shelling in the southwestern waters."

http://edition.cnn.com/2013/05/06/world/asia/north-korea-threats/index.html?hpt=hp_t3

Mideast fears grow after 'Israeli strike' on Syria

Concern about the possibility of broader war in the Middle East grew Monday after reported airstrikes on Syrian military installations.

The reported strikes killed 42 Syrian soldiers, the opposition Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said Monday, citing medical sources. It said 100 people remained missing.

The Syrian government warned Sunday's apparent strikes -- which followed one last week that Syria also blames on Israel -- "opens the door wide for all the possibilities."

http://edition.cnn.com/2013/05/06/world/meast/syria-civil-war/index.html?hpt=hp_t1

White House "highly skeptical" Syrian rebels used chemical weapons despite UN accounts

Dozens killed in attack on political rally in Pakistan

Spying fuels China's military buildup: Pentagon

China is using espionage to acquire technologies to fuel its fast-paced military modernization program, the Pentagon said on Monday in an annual report that for the first time accused Beijing of trying to break into U.S. defense computer networks.

In its 83-page annual report to Congress on Chinese military developments, the Pentagon also cited progress in Beijing's effort to develop advanced-technology stealth aircraft and build an aircraft carrier fleet to project power further offshore.

The report said China's cyber snooping was a "serious concern" that pointed to an even greater threat because the "skills required for these intrusions are similar to those necessary to conduct computer network attacks."

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/05/06/us-usa-defense-china-idUSBRE94511720130506

H7N9: China reports four more bird flu deaths, toll rises to 31

Four more people in China have died from a new strain of bird flu, bringing to 31 the number of deaths from the mysterious H7N9 virus, with the number of infections rising by two to 129, according to Chinese health authorities.

Among the deaths, two occurred in the eastern province of Jiangsu; one was from eastern Zhejiang; while another was from central Anhui, based on a Reuters analysis of the data provided by Chinese health authorities on Monday.

The government did not provide more details of the victims.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/05/07/us-birdflu-china-idUSBRE94602320130507

North Korea missiles moved away from launch site: U.S. officials

North Korea has taken two Musudan missiles off launch-ready status and moved them from their position on the country's east coast, U.S. officials told Reuters on Monday, after weeks of concern that Pyongyang had been poised for a test-launch.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry warned North Korea last month that it would be a "huge mistake" to launch the medium-range missiles, but the prospects of a test had put Seoul, Washington and Toyko on edge.

One U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, cautioned that the missiles were still mobile and the fact that they had been moved was no guarantee they would not be set up elsewhere and fired at some point

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/05/06/us-korea-north-usa-missiles-idUSBRE9450WW20130506

Missing radioactive device sought in Berkeley County, Pennsylvania

A nuclear gauge containing radioactive materials went missing from a job site near Martinsburg last week, and the public's help in requested in finding it.

According to a news release from Valley Quarries Inc. of Chambersburg, Pa., a Troxler Model 3430 moisture-density gauge went missing from a job site after an employee used it to take a reading at about 10:40 a.m. Friday.

The worker then placed the gauge in the back of his pickup truck and traveled to another work site.

http://www.journal-news.net/page/content.detail/id/594200/Missing-radioactive-device-sought-in-Berkeley-County.html?nav=5006

Food poisoning sickens 28 in E China

A total of 28 people were hospitalized Monday after appearing to have been poisoned by food from a noodle restaurant in the city of Ningbo, east China's Zhejiang Province, local authority said Tuesday.

Two of the 28 poisoned are under intensive care. Initial investigation showed the poisoning is caused by Nitrite.

The owner of the noodle restaurant, surnamed Wang, is under police custody, pending further investigation from local police and health authorities.

http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90882/8234657.html

Rabid cat found in Washington County

An adult and minor are undergoing treatment after being exposed to a rabid cat near the Washington/Yuma county line.

The Northeast Colorado Health Department received word last week of the positive rabies test results for the outdoor cat, which had been ill. The two exposed had been bitten or scratched, and have been started on post-exposure rabies prophylaxis.

Although this is the first confirmed rabid animal in Washington County since 2007, it is the second cat to test positive for rabies in northeast Colorado since January and it brings the total rabid animal count, year-to-date, to 23.

http://www.journal-advocate.com/sterling-local_news/ci_23181229/rabid-cat-found-washington-county