Looking for His glorious appearing! Titus 2:13

U.S. Worried About Security of Files Snowden is Thought to Have
Jun 25th, 2013
Daily NewsWashington Post
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

The ability of contractor-turned-fugitive Edward Snowden to evade arrest is raising new concerns among U.S. officials about the security of top-secret documents he is believed to have in his possession — and about the possibility that he could willingly share them with  those who assist his escape.

It’s unclear whether officials in Hong Kong or in Russia, where Snowden fled over the weekend, obtained any of the classified material. A spokesman for the anti-secrecy group WikiLeaks, which has been assisting the former National Security Agency contractor, strenuously denied reports that foreign governments had made copies of the documents.

“This rumor that is being spread is a fabrication and just plays into the propaganda by the administration here that somehow Mr. Snowden is cooperating with Russian or Chinese authorities,” spokesman Kristinn Hrafnsson said in a phone interview Monday.

Nonetheless, in 2010 and 2011, WikiLeaks published hundreds of thousands of sensitive U.S. documents it obtained from Army Pfc. Bradley Manning, and co-founder Julian Assange suggested in a teleconference call with reporters Monday that the group was interested in gaining access to the documents Snowden had obtained.

“In relation to publishing such material, of course WikiLeaks is in the business of publishing documents that are supposed to be suppressed,” Assange said. He declined to say whether Snowden had shared any of the material.

The Collapse of the Honeybee Industry Could Cost Hundreds of Billions of Dollars
Jun 25th, 2013
Daily NewsBusiness Insider
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

Honeybees don’t just produce honey: the hard-working insect is also fundamental to the world’s food supply.

One-third of the food we eat depends on insect pollination,  mostly by honeybees that are raised and managed by beekeepers.

The value of insect pollinators on world agricultural production,  which accounts for their role in producing better quality and quantity of  harvests, was estimated at $208 billion in 2005.

That figure does not even include the retail value  of what honeybees pollinate — everything from apples and cherries to broccoli  and pumpkins — or the honey that bees produce. In the United Kingdom alone,  where honeybees contribute an added crop value of about $413  million, the  estimated retail value is north of $1  billion.

But the downward spiral of  honeybee populations — both wild and  captive — has put  all of all of that at risk.

The number of managed colonies is declining nationwide because of new  pressures including disease, parasites, and the phenomenon known as colony collapse disorder, when bees inexplicably disappear  from their hives. The stresses of being trucked around the country  thousands of mile each year to pollinate different orchards has also taken its  toll.

Putin Says Russia will not Extradite Snowden to the U.S.
Jun 25th, 2013
Daily Newsdebkafile
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday that Russia will not extradite Edward Snowdon. He confirmed that the wanted American was “still in the transit area of Moscow airport,” and free to pick his next destination – the sooner the better, said Putin.  Snowden, charged by the US with espionage for stealing and leaking classified intelligence, is seen in America variously as a whistleblower or a traitor. Russian services have never worked with the US fugitive, said Putin.
The Snowden issue has developed into a full-blown crisis between Washington and Moscow as well as Beijing, which earlier Tuesday sharply dismissed the US accusation that China facilitated the departure of Edward Snowden as “groundless and unacceptable.”
From his African tour, President Barack Obama brushed off questions about the case by referring it to the Justice Department.

News Update U.S. Cairo Embassy Closes June 30 in Case Mass Rallies Turn Violent
Jun 25th, 2013
Daily Newsdebkafile
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

Americans in Egypt were advised to abstain from venturing outdoors as of June 28 in anticipation of the mass opposition anti-Morsi demonstrations called for June 30 turning violent. They should stockpile on necessities for a long period and avoid sites of protests and gatherings. The US embassy will shut down pending developments. British citizens were advised not to travel to Egypt in the coming week. Opposition groups are calling Egyptian President Mohamed Mors's ouster and a presidential council headed by a supreme court judge established in his stead.

Netanyahu Stands By Two - State Solution
Jun 25th, 2013
Daily Newsdebkafile
Categories: Today's Headlines;The Nation Of Israel

Ahead of US Secretary of State John Kerry’s arrival in Jerusalem and Ramallah this week, Palestinian Authority negotiator Saab Erekat suddenly declared that the Palestinians had never opposed direct negotiations or posed pre-conditions. Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu restated his position in favor of a two-state solution of the dispute, while his coalition cabinet remained divided on the issue.

Let the Headlines Speak
Jun 25th, 2013
Daily NewsFrom the Internet
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

Netanyahu urges Palestinians to negotiate until conflict is resolved
The prime minister says Israel's goal is not just to restart peace talks, but to keep them going until significant progress is made, while Economy Minister Naftali Bennett says the Israeli public does not expect its elected leaders to deal with peace talks.  

Six MERS-Coronavirus Cases Confirmed Over The Weekend
Two releases by the World Health Organization (WHO) detail six new confirmed cases of MERS-Coronavirus over the weekend. The laboratory-confirmed cases were reported to the WHO by Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Health.  

Obama to unveil climate change plan with sweeping emissions cuts
Obama is expected to announce Tuesday a comprehensive new plan to combat climate change that includes cutting greenhouse-gas emissions from existing coal-fired power plants – a move that could lead to a wave of plant closings.  

‘Destruction all around’: Hundreds dead, tens of thousands missing in India monsoon
Early monsoon rains have swept northern India, causing floods and landslides, killing at least 1,000 and leaving tens of thousands missing, officials report. About 100 towns and villages remain cut off since Sunday, and the death toll is expected to rise.  

Taliban attacks Kabul's presidential palace, CIA, ISAF HQ, Ministry of Defense
A Reuters reporter who was at the palace to cover a presser by president Karzai along with some 20 other journalists said heavy gunfire was heard, and smoke from an explosion had blanketed the area.  

M-CLASS SOLAR FLARE
Sunspot AR1778 produced an impulsive M2-class solar flare on June 23rd at 20:56 UT. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory recorded the extreme ultraviolet flash. The eruption flung material away from the blast site, but the debris does not appear to be heading toward Earth.  

Warning of new financial crisis as bond yields spike
The Bank for International Settlements (BIS) has warned spiking bond yields across the world threaten trillion of dollars in losses for investors and a fresh crisis for banks unless they are braced for the shock. Swiss-based BIS said losses on US treasuries will reach $1trn if average yields rise by 300 basis points, reports the Telegraph. It warned losses could range from 15% to 35% of GDP in the UK, France, Italy and Japan and even greater damage in a number of other countries.  

How mass protests around the globe have become the 'new social network'
Paul Mason, economics editor of BBC2's Newsnight and author of Why It's Kicking Off Everywhere: The New Global Revolutions, has argued that a key factor, largely driven by new communication technologies, is that people have not only a better understanding of power but are more aware of its abuse, both economically and politically.  

Michael Pento - The World Is Now Headed Into A Depression
Once the economic news shows an increasingly negative trend, and it will, my guess is by the end of the year or by early 2014, they will once again admit the economy’s addiction to QE and manipulation of interest rates, and risk assets will once again be in vogue.”  

Regulatory Burdens of Obamacare: The Poor Will Pay More
It is becoming increasingly apparent that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is going to make health care unaffordable to a shockingly large number of poor people—many of them single and childless...Obamacare, sadly, is merely the latest and most painful hit from the regulatory onslaught of Washington, diverting resources that could be better used to address larger and more immediate risks.  

6.4 Mid-Atlantic Ridge Earthquake, No Tsunami Threat to Hawaiʻi
The quake was centered 772 mikes ENE of Remire-Montjoly, French Guiana; 775 miles ENE of Cayenne, French Guiana; 778 miles ENE of Matoury, French Guiana; 786 miles ENE of Kourou, French Guiana; and 844 miles NNE of Salinopolis, Brazil, according to information compiled by the USGS.  

Sunday storms add to danger, misery; 99,000 lack power
Sunday morning storms added to what already was a record number of power outages in Minnesota history and brought new flooding and road closures to some communities.  

Kerry seeks Netanyahu-Abbas meeting
US Secretary of State John Kerry will return to the Middle East for a new round of meetings on Thursday in an effort to press Israel and the Palestinians to return to the negotiating table. Palestinian sources estimate that Kerry will try to coordinate a meeting between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.  

Prince Charles warns of rising antisemitism
Prince Charles has warned that Britain was suffering from an "apparent rise in antisemitism, along with other poisonous and debilitating forms of intolerance", according to . He made the comments in a speech that praised the work of Lord Sacks, the outgoing chief rabbi, in promoting tolerance. Charles said: "Running throughout your time as chief rabbi has been that all-important principle...the principle of tolerance.  

Pediatricians have a new mission: Fight ‘homophobia’
In its first sexual-orientation policy update in nearly a decade, the nation’s largest pediatricians group said its members should do more to fight “heterosexism” and “homophobia,” as well as step up their care of teens with same-sex attractions. “Sexual-minority youth should not be considered abnormal,” the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) said...  

Deadly piglet virus spreads to nearly 200 U.S. farm sites
A swine virus deadly to young pigs, and never before seen in North America, has spiked to 199 sites in 13 states - nearly double the number of farms and other locations from earlier this month. Iowa, the largest U.S. hog producer, has the most sites testing positive for Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus: 102 sites, as of June 10. The state raises on average 30 million hogs each year, according to the Iowa Pork Producers Association.  

Qatari emir Sheikh Hamad hands power to son Tamim
The Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, has handed over power to his son, the Heir Apparent Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. In a speech broadcast on Qatari television, he said it was time for a new generation to take over. Rumours had been circulating for days that Sheikh Tamim, 33, was preparing to succeed his 61-year-old father.  

India floods: Bad weather delays rescue and mass cremations
Bad weather has halted rescue operations in flood-hit northern India and forced authorities to delay mass funerals for those killed. Air force officials said they were unable to fly helicopters to the temple town of Badrinath to bring down the 5,000 pilgrims still stuck there. And police say the planned mass cremations in Kedarnath town have been postponed following heavy rains.  

China stocks hit by credit crunch fears
Chinese stocks touched a four-and-a-half-year low on Tuesday amid persistent concerns over the government's credit-tightening policy. The Shanghai Composite SSE index fell as much as 5.8% at one point, before a late rally meant it ended down 0.3%. The rebound came after China's central bank said that it would guide market rates down to "reasonable" levels.  

Afghan Taliban assault in Kabul secure zone
Afghan security forces have put down a militant gun and bomb attack near the presidential palace, in one of the most secure areas of Kabul. Officials say four insurgents and three security guards died. The Taliban say they carried out the attack. President Hamid Karzai was in the palace, but the target appears to have been the nearby Ariana hotel, which houses a CIA station.  

Rise in border funds moves US immigration plan forward
A bill to overhaul the US immigration system has passed a key hurdle after the Senate approved a $38bn (£24bn) increase in border security. After Monday night's 67-27 vote the bill, the centrepiece of which is a path to citizenship for undocumented migrants, is seen as likely to pass. The tough border security measures and increased spending were needed to win Republican votes, analysts say.  

Egypt crisis worsens as gov't blamed for lynchings
Tensions are high in Egypt ahead of a planned opposition protest scheduled for next Sunday. Egypt’s government promised “exemplary punishment” on Monday after a mob killed four Shi’ites near Cairo, raising fears of wider sectarian bloodshed at a time of grave national crisis. But Shi’ite minority leaders and the liberal opposition accused the government itself...of whipping up sectarian anger over the war in Syria...  

IRS Chief: Inappropriate Screening Was Broad
Jun 25th, 2013
Daily NewsFox News
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

The Internal Revenue Service’s screening of groups seeking tax-exempt status  was broader and lasted longer than has been previously disclosed, the new head  of the agency said Monday.

In a conference call with reporters, Danny Werfel said that after becoming  acting IRS chief last month, he discovered wide-ranging and improper terms on  lists screeners were still using to choose groups for careful examinations. He  did not specify what terms were on the lists, but said he suspended the use of  all such lists immediately.

“There was a wide-ranging set of categories and cases that spanned a broad  spectrum” on the lists, Werfel said. He added that his aides found those lists  contained “inappropriate criteria that was in use.”

Werfel’s comments suggest the IRS may have been targeting groups other than  tea party and other conservative organizations for tough examinations to see if  they qualify. The agency has been under fire since last month for targeting  those groups.

Iran Secretly Building in Port Sudan Military Supply Base for Syria, Hizballah
Jun 25th, 2013
Daily Newsdebkafile
Categories: Today's Headlines;Contemporary Issues

A logistics base for handling tanks, missile systems, self-propelled artillery and other heavy weaponry bound for Syria and Hizballah is secretly under construction in a section of Port Sudan which Omar al Bashir has leased to Tehran, debkafile reports exclusively from its military sources.

Iranian Revolutionary Guards engineers in civilian dress are overseeing the hundreds of Sudanese workmen laboring flat out to build Iran’s second Red Sea base after Assab in southern Eritrea.
As a safeguard against an Israeli strike, the new Iranian facility abuts directly on Port Sudan's oil exporting installations, through which South Sudan, Israel’s ally, exports its oil, the new republic’s only source of revenue which also pays for its purchases of Israeli arms.

To give the military port a civilian aspect and suggest that Iranian warships no longer visit the port, Tehran has switched to commercial cargo vessels and oil tankers for delivering weapons for its Syrian and Hizballah allies through Port Sudan.

Still, Western intelligence sources watching the work are certain that the new Iranian facility is a military port in every sense of the word. It is similar to the Russian naval base built at the Syrian port of Tartus, except for being twice as large and capable of accommodating Iran’s largest war ships as well as submarines. Tehran is taking advantage of the strong military and intelligence ties it has developed with Sudan’s ruler Bashir for streamlining the weapons supply route to its embattled allies.
The Iranian section of the port has a fence with watchtowers and will soon acquire air defense systems. It is guarded by Revolutionary Guards sentries wearing civilian clothes and Sudanese soldiers.
The new facility will enable Iran to transfer larger shipments of heavier weapons than the air corridor used until now to drop military equipment for the Syrian and Hizballah armies. The light and medium hardware will continue to be delivered by air, but the sea route for the heavy stuff will be cut in half by the large weapons depot the Iranians are building at the Sudanese Red Sea port.
This will make it possible to ship items to their destination from the Red Sea through Suez and on to the Mediterranean to meet needs arising urgently from war crises in Syria or potential conflicts with Israel.
Neither the US, Egypt or Israel has so far interfered with Iranian arms freighters navigating the Suez Canal on their way to Syria and the Lebanese Hizballah.

The Israeli Air Force has in the past struck four weapons convoys or targets in the Port Sudan area – two each in 2009 and in 2012.