
Assad's Forces  Fire Scud Missiles at Rebels
The move represents a significant  escalation in the fighting, which has already killed more than 40,000 civilians  in a nearly two-year-old conflict and suggests increased desperation on the part  of the Assad government, the report said.
State  Dept Hiding Benghazi Survivors
Congressman Jason Chaffetz (R-  UT) told Breitbart News on Wednesday that he has been “thwarted” by the State  Department from seeing any Americans who survived the deadly attack on the U.S.  diplomatic mission in Benghazi. Many people forget that there were Americans who  survived the Benghazi attack, some of whom were badly injured and are still  recovering.
Victim  of US rendition wins Europe court ruling
The European Court of  Human Rights ruled Thursday in favor of a German man who says the CIA illegally  kidnapped him and took him to a secret prison in Afghanistan in 2003. The  decision was hailed by critics of the so-called extraordinary renditions  programs in the U.S. war on terrorism. It's Khaled El-Masri's first major  judicial victory after trying in the U.S. and Europe to get authorities to  recognize him as a victim. He says he was kidnapped from Macedonia in 2003,  mistaken for a terrorism suspect, then held and brutally interrogated at a  prison run by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency for four months.
Russia  acknowledges Assad losing control
Syria's most powerful ally,  Russia, said for the first time Thursday that President Bashar Assad is losing  control of his country and the rebels might win the civil war, dramatically  shifting the diplomatic landscape at a time of enormous momentum for the  opposition.
Fifteen  Hundred Earthquakes in November
A total of 1,500 earthquakes hit  in Iceland last month. According to data from the Icelandic Met Office, the most  seismic activity—or a total of 750 earthquakes—occurred in Eyjafjörður, which  was also the location of the strongest earthquake, of a magnitude 3.8, mbl.is  reports.
Anxieties  rise as surge of tremors makes Chilean town a shaky place in world’s shakiest  nation
One jolt hit in the middle of the night. Another caught  fishermen at a nearby beach. Then the ground shook at supper. And then again,  and again: More than 170 tremors were felt in Navidad in just five weeks. The  strongest struck during a funeral, and sent panicked mourners fleeing into the  street.
‘Germany  will not stand in the way’: EU closer to reaching banking union  deal
Germany signaled on Wednesday it was ready to back plans  for the European Central Bank to be made the chief supervisor of banks, raising  the prospect of a breakthrough on the European Union’s most ambitious financial  reform. Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble told the German cabinet he was  “optimistic” about a deal ahead of a meeting of EU finance ministers in Brussels  on Wednesday, a German official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Scientists warn of unrest  along New Zealand's North Island volcano belt
On Wednesday,  scientists at the government's Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences (GNS  Science) announced they had noticed a "spiny lava dome" that had grown in a  crater on White Island, a volcanic island off the east of the North Island,  after an eruption on August 5. GNS Science raised the volcanic alert level to  level two, indicating minor eruptive activity, and the aviation color code to  orange, warning pilots that an eruption was underway with little or no ash  emissions.
Asteroid  that came nearer to Earth than the moon (... but was only spotted two days  before the close encounter)
A recently discovered asteroid gave  Earth a close shave yesterday as it came within the moon's orbit. The near-Earth  asteroid 2012 XE54, which was only spotted for the first time on Sunday, came  within 140,000 miles of our planet. The moon orbits at an average distance of  240,000 miles or so from the Earth. Astronomers estimate that 2012 XE54 is about  120ft wide - big enough to cause substantial damage if it ever hits us.
Rare  'rainbow UFO' clouds spotted floating over Aberdeenshire  skies
The incredible technicoloured light show was created by  nacreous cloud formations, sometimes known as mother-of-pearl clouds. The rare  phenomenon, viewed by hundreds in the north-east skies on Sunday, provided a  vibrant and colourful light show which left many staring up to the sky in awe.
Mystery orb crash:  'It was like Armageddon'
Frightened residents in western Sweden  reported seeing a bright, blue light racing across the night sky on Tuesday  before an orange-coloured orb smashed into the ground in a mysterious phenomenon  that has yet to be explained.
'Syria's  chemical weapons are ready for use'
Syria's chemical weapons  could be used at "a moment's notice" and the international community should not  accept any assurances from Syrian officials that they will not be used, US House  Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Rogers said on Wednesday.
U.S.  military to boost Philippines presence; China tells army to be  prepared
U.S. and Philippine officials are expected to agree on  an increase in the number of U.S. military ships, aircraft and troops rotating  through the Philippines, Filipino officials said, as tensions simmer with China  over its maritime claims.
Egyptian  Courts Sentence Christian Blogger to 3 Years in Prison for Sharing Infamous  Anti-Islam YouTube Vid
A Cairo court on Wednesday convicted a  Coptic Christian blogger who shared an anti-Islam film on social networking  sites, sentencing him to three years in prison for blasphemy and contempt of  religion. The case of Alber Saber is one of several seen...as a campaign led by  Egypt’s ultraconservative Islamists to curb free expression. Many of those  targeted in the campaign are Christians...
Islam  Is the Fastest Growing Religion in England; Christianity on the Decline, Census  Data Shows
Islam is the fastest growing religion in England and  Wales, according to new census data. The number of people identifying with no  religion nearly doubled over the last decade while the percentage of people who  call themselves Christians has dropped to 59 percent, down from 72 percent 10  years ago, CNSNews.com reports.
Riots in Hebron  continue after teen's death
The clashes between Palestinian  protesters and Israeli troops continued in Hebron on Thursday as tension in the  region continued to mount over the death of a local teenager. The 17-year-old  Palestinian was shot dead on Wednesday by a Border Guard sergeant when he  brandished a gun that later turned out to be fake. The incident occurred at a  checkpoint near the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron.
South Korea:  NKorea's satellite orbiting normally
A satellite North Korea  launched aboard a long-range rocket is orbiting normally, South Korea said  Thursday, following a defiant liftoff that drew a wave of international  condemnation. Washington and its allies are pushing for punishment over the  launch they say is nothing but a test of banned ballistic missile technology.
Syria:  Bashar al-Assad 'losing control', Russia admits
Bashar al-Assad  is losing control over Syria and his opponents may win, Russia' deputy foreign  minister has warned, in the first acknowledgement that he faces defeat. While  Mikhail Bogdanov did not issue any...signal that Russia could ...support  international sanctions against Mr Assad's regime, his remarks...appear to  indicate that Moscow has begun positioning itself for a regime change in Syria.
Japan accuses China of  airspace intrusion over islands
Japan has accused China of  violating its airspace for the first time after a Chinese government plane flew  near disputed East China Sea islands. Fighter jets were scrambled after the  plane was seen around 11:00 local time (02:00 GMT) near one of the islands,  spokesman Osamu Fujimura said. Japan lodged an immediate protest with Beijing,  he said.
Federal Reserve sets new  targets for interest rates
The US Federal Reserve has said it  plans to keep interest rates at close to zero at least until the US unemployment  rate falls below 6.5%. The Fed previously had a date-driven target, rather than  a data-driven one. The Fed also said it will continue to buy $85bn (£53bn) a  month of government bonds and mortgage-backed securities to try to boost the  economy.
Ministers  agree deal on EU banking union
EU finance ministers have agreed  a landmark deal establishing the European Central Bank (ECB) as the single  supervisor of the European banking sector, beginning in 2014. The agreement  reached in the early hours of Thursday morning (13 December) is a significant  breakthrough as the EU bids to break the link between indebted banks and  sovereign bonds nearly five years after the start of the financial crisis.