My Way News - Yemeni arrested, al-Qaida bomber eyed in mail plot
My Way News reports: "Yemeni police arrested a woman on suspicion of mailing a pair of bombs powerful enough to take down airplanes, officials said Saturday as details emerged about a terrorist plot aimed at the U.S. that exploited security gaps in the worldwide shipping system."

JPost - PM slams UNESCO calling Rachel's Tomb a mosque
The Jerusalem Post reports: "Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu bitterly attacked as 'absurd' a UN statement that the Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron and Rachel’s Tomb in Bethlehem are an integral part of the 'occupied' Palestinian territories. 'The attempt to disconnect the nation of Israel from its heritage is absurd,' he said in a statement his office issued on Friday, in response to an October 21 decision regarding both sites by the executive board of the United Nation’s Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, UNESCO."

My Way News - Nigeria: Shipper confirms weapons came from Iran
My Way News reports: "A weapons cache containing artillery rockets seized by Nigerian security agents at the West African nation's busiest port originally came from Iran, an international shipping company said Saturday [...] In 2006, the Islamic militant group Hezbollah fired nearly 4,000 Katyusha rockets across Israel's northern border, some of which fell as far as 55 miles (90 kilometers) inside Israel."

My Way News - Explosive packages reflect new Yemen terror threat
My Way News reports: "The discovery of two explosive-laden packages sent from Yemen and aimed at U.S. and Western interests represents a new escalation in the terror threat emanating from this violence-wracked, poverty-stricken Mideast country."

Reuters - U.S. tightens security, seeks source of parcel bombs
Reuters reports: "The United States searched on Saturday for the culprits behind a plot to bomb Jewish targets in Chicago uncovered by the interception in Britain and Dubai of parcels with explosives sent from Yemen."

Comment: I'm a bit puzzled at this attack, at how exactly printer parts that may have contained explosives and sent to a synagogues could have become a bomb? Did they expect the synagogue staff to assemble the printer, not notice the explosives and trigger the bomb? Still, we have to credit the security forces for intercepting this attack, though I have to wonder if they were meant to do so. I mean, this may have been designed to be an obvious attack so that the Western security process could be studied for weaknesses, all the better to plan future attacks.

My Way News - Iran says it is ready to restart nuclear talks
My Way News reports: "Iran offered on Friday to negotiate with six world powers about its disputed nuclear program in a new bid to end growing concern that it could be used to produce weapons [...] after eight years of Tehran refusing to halt uranium enrichment, despite U.N. Security Council sanctions, officials from the main countries trying to engage Iran expressed little hope of a breakthrough [...] China is Iran's closest ally among permanent U.N. Security Council members, and Turkey has stepped up trying to mediate the dispute."

My Way News - Russian poll: Medvedev almost as popular as Putin
My Way News reports: "Although technically now Russia's No. 2, Putin is still seen as the more powerful leader more than two years after handing over the presidency. The prime minister is eligible to return to the presidency in 2012, and he and Medvedev have said they will decide between themselves which one of them will run."

My Way News - Warning systems often don't help tsunami victims
My Way News reports: "Costly warning systems installed across Asia since the deadly 2004 tsunami did nothing to save villagers on these remote Indonesian islands who saw homes and loved ones swept away by a giant wave this week [...] There are questions about whether Indonesia's system was working properly, but even if it was, a tsunami generated by an earthquake so close to shore can reach land long before there's a chance to raise an effective warning, experts say."

My Way News - Terror plot thwarted as US-bound explosives seized
My Way News reports: "Authorities on three continents thwarted multiple terrorist attacks aimed at the United States from Yemen on Friday, seizing two explosive packages addressed to Chicago-area synagogues and packed aboard cargo jets. The plot triggered worldwide fears that al-Qaida was launching a major new terror campaign."

My Way News - Astronauts: Asteroid threat calls for teamwork
My Way News reports: "Countries around the world must team up to help prevent an asteroid, or giant speeding rock, from slamming into Earth, scientists and former astronauts said Friday. NASA has tracked nearly 7,000 near-Earth objects that are bigger than several feet across. Of those, 1,157 are considered 'potentially hazardous asteroids.'"

My Way News - Eliminating malaria impossible without vaccine
My Way News reports: "Eliminating malaria, the mosquito-borne scourge that kills more than 860,000 people a year, would be a dream come true for millions - but medical experts say right now that goal remains completely unrealistic."

The Jerusalem Post - Israel dismisses talk of a Bill Clinton return to diplomacy

The Jerusalem Post reports: "Laura Rozen, at Politico, quoted Steven Clemons from the left-leaning New America Foundation as being convinced that Clinton is the man who can help Obama bring peace to the Middle East. “Bill Clinton is the only guy I can think of who is trusted and liked by all sides,” Clemons was quoted as saying."

My Way News - Egypt's FM: No breakthrough in Mideast talks
My Way News reports: "U.S. efforts to restart peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians have not produced results so far, the Egyptian foreign minister said Thursday, less than two weeks before a key Arab decision on whether to halt the negotiations."

My Way News - Israel: Nigeria weapons heading for Gaza Strip
My Way News reports: "Israeli officials said Thursday that the military-grade armaments seized at a shipping terminal in Nigeria came from Iran and were bound for the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip."

My Way News - A Mexico massacre in unfamiliar place: the capital
My Way News reports: "More than 50 people have been killed in the past week in five apparently unrelated massacres, including four shot Thursday near the border city of Ciudad Juarez. But the Mexico City shooting has raised alarm among residents about a drug war that has long seemed distant."

My Way News - Russia's Kamchatka volcanoes spew giant ash clouds
My Way News reports: "Two volcanoes erupted Thursday on Russia's far-eastern Kamchatka Peninsula, tossing massive ash clouds miles (kilometers) into the air, forcing flights to divert and blanketing one town with thick, heavy ash."

INFORUM - Weather Talk: Low barometic pressure nears record set in 1920
INFORUM reports: "The Tuesday-Wednesday storm system was a record breaker – not for snow, rain, or even wind, but Tuesday’s barometric pressure readings set all-time lows for the states of Wisconsin and Minnesota."

My Way News - Bin Laden warns France over Afghan war, veil ban
My Way News reports: "Al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden threatens in a new audio tape to kill French citizens to avenge their country's support for the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan and a new law that will ban face-covering Muslim veils."

My Way News - Death toll in Indonesian tsunami, volcano tops 340
My Way News reports: "The death toll from a tsunami and a volcano rose to more than 340 Thursday as more victims of Indonesia's double disasters were found and an official said a warning system installed after a deadly ocean wave in 2004 had broken from a lack of maintenance."

My Way News - US missionary says NKorea jailers tortured him
My Way News reports: "A Korean-American missionary held captive in North Korea for six weeks after illegally crossing into the country late last year alleged Wednesday that his interrogators tortured him [...] The regime is believed to house some 154,000 inmates in six gulags where beatings, rape and other sexual abuses are common, according to South Korean officials and experts."

My Way News - 2 weeks of flooding in Thailand kills 57 people
My Way News reports: "Heavy downpours that caused rivers to burst around Thailand have killed 57 people in nearly two weeks of flooding that officials are calling the worst in decades, authorities said Wednesday. The flooding has affected more than 3 million people in 36 of Thailand's 76 provinces, government medical and disaster agencies said. The floods have eased in a third of those provinces."

My Way News - Nigeria: Weapons seizure included artillery
My Way News reports: "Artillery rockets like those often used by insurgents in Afghanistan were found to have filled an illegal arms shipment intercepted at Nigeria's busiest cargo port, raising security questions about the oil-rich nation before its upcoming presidential election [...] Fighters in Afghanistan and Iraq have used similar rockets against U.S. troops."

My Way News - Indonesia tsunami kills 113; scores more missing

My Way News reports: "Rescuers battled rough seas Tuesday to reach remote Indonesian islands pounded by a 10-foot (three-meter) tsunami that swept away homes, killing at least 113 people. Scores more were missing and information was only beginning to trickle in from the sparsely populated surfing destination, so casualties were expected to rise."

My Way News - Indonesian volcano erupts, up to 18 killed in ash
My Way News reports: "Indonesia's most volatile volcano erupted Tuesday after scientists warned that pressure building beneath its dome could trigger the most powerful explosion in years. At least 18 people were killed, including a two-month-old baby, according to doctors and media reports."

My Way News - Iran loads fuel rods into 1st nuclear power plant
My Way News reports: "Iran began the process of loading 163 fuel rods into the reactor core of its first nuclear power plant on Tuesday, celebrating the achievement as proof that Tehran can outmaneuver international sanctions [...] Iran has touted its startup as an act of defiance in the face of the penalties and has held up the plant as evidence that it only has peaceful nuclear intentions."

My Way News - Syrian leader says US sows chaos overseas
My Way News reports: "Syria's president has accused the United States of sowing chaos overseas, snubbing Washington's efforts to improve ties with Damascus. Bashar Assad told Al-Hayat newspaper in an interview published Tuesday that the U.S. 'created chaos in every place it entered.'"

My Way News - 7.7-magnitude quake hits off Indonesian island

My Way News reports: "A powerful earthquake hit off western Indonesia late Monday, briefly triggering a tsunami warning that sent thousands of panicked residents fleeing to high ground. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries. The 7.7-magnitude temblor struck at a depth of 13 miles (20 kilometers) off Sumatra island, said the U.S. Geological Survey."

My Way News - Palestinians renew threat to seek UN recognition
My Way News reports: "The Palestinian president said Monday that Israel has been taking unilateral steps for decades by building settlements, so the Palestinians might take one of their own - asking the United Nations to recognize their independent state [...] The threat of unilateral action indicates the depth of the crisis over peace talks restarted just last month by President Barack Obama."

My Way News - Serbia takes step toward EU membership
My Way News reports: "The European Union agreed Monday to review in detail Serbia's request to join the bloc, an application that is warmly endorsed by Washington but that divides EU members."

My Way News - EU to aid Greece with migrant crisis
My Way News reports: "Authorities in Greece say they expect the European Union to send 200 border guards to combat a surge in illegal immigration across the country's border with Turkey. EU Home Affairs Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom said Sunday the 27-nation EU would initiate an emergency response to the increase for the first time - granting a Greek request the day it was made."

My Way News - Pakistan border region becomes terror epicenter
My Way News reports: "The wilds of North Waziristan, on Pakistan's border with Afghanistan, have become a crossroads for terrorism. The United States is pushing Pakistan to mount an offensive there before the year is out, but Pakistan is saying it won't be rushed."

My Way News - Nigeria: Cholera deaths rise to more than 1,500
My Way News reports: "More than 1,500 people have died in Nigeria from a cholera outbreak this year, international health officials said Monday, more than double the last estimates provided by federal officials."

My Way News - Haiti official: Cholera outbreak is easing
My Way News reports: "A cholera outbreak showed signs of easing Monday after killing more than 250 people in a sweep through rural Haiti, but experts warned that the earthquake-devastated country's first bout with the disease in decades is far from over."

My Way News - American al-Qaida spokesman urges attacks in US
My Way News reports: "A U.S.-born spokesman for al-Qaida on Saturday urged Muslims living in the United States and Europe to carry out attacks there, calling it a duty and an obligation. In a 48-minute video posted on militant websites, Adam Gadahn directed his appeal to Muslim immigrants in what he called the 'miserable suburbs' of Paris, London and Detroit, as well as those traveling to the West to study or work."

My Way News - Iran restricts social sciences seen as 'Western'
My Way News reports: "Iran has imposed new restrictions on 12 university social sciences deemed to be based on Western schools of thought and therefore incompatible with Islamic teachings [...] The list includes law, philosophy, management, psychology, political science and the two subjects that appear to cause the most concern among Iran's conservative leadership - women's studies and human rights."

Comment: It's so odd to see an ideological purge happen in the 21st Century. I wonder if they will send the professors to work camps to get "re-educated" like they used to do in China and the U.S.S.R. back when purges were a primary tool of state terror. Anyone who thinks Iran is moderating or that regime-change-from-within is possible needs to think again.

BBC News - Israeli presence on Palestinian land 'irreversible'
BBC News reports: "A UN human rights rapporteur has said continued settlement construction will probably make Israel's occupation of Palestinian land irreversible [...] Israel's refusal to extend a partial 10-month freeze on settlement construction in the West Bank has derailed peace negotiations sponsored by the United States. Washington wants them resumed."

Comment: Leave it to the UN and the BBC to parrot the party line - "Palestinian land" reported as an established fact and not a claim. Ever wonder what the reporting would would sound like if they had a pro-Israeli bias? They would use phrases like "so-called occupation" and "controversial Palestinian claims to the land." Yeah, I'd like to see that.

My Way News - 5 al-Qaida suspects detained in Turkey
My Way News reports: "Police have detained five people, including three university students, suspected of providing financial and technical support to the al-Qaida network in Afghanistan, police and reports said Friday."

My Way News - 9 dead, 23 missing after typhoon hits Taiwan
My Way News reports: "Record rains from a powerful typhoon caused massive landslides in Taiwan that buried a Buddhist temple and trapped vehicles on a highway, where one bus carrying 19 Chinese tourists was missing Friday [...] Megi was expected to hit China's southern Guangdong and Fujian provinces between Friday night and Saturday, meteorologists said."

Comment: You know that I try not to go overboard on noting weather events. Sometimes, weather is just weather. But I do think that record-breaking weather events are significant, especially if they are are part of a pattern (or a suggested pattern) related to global warming.

My Way News - Horror disease hits Uganda
My Way News reports: "A disease whose progression and symptoms seem straight out of a horror movie but which can be treated has killed at least 20 Ugandans and sickened more than 20,000 in just two months. Jiggers, small insects which look like fleas, are the culprits in the epidemic which causes parts of the body to rot."

LA Times - Black gold rush threatens regional stability
The Los Angeles Times reports: "The race is on for oil in the eastern Mediterranean, with at least four major competitors gunning to win. But it's far from a friendly competition. Of those four, two are locked in an ongoing state of war and the third refuses to recognize the fourth. So will Israel, Lebanon, Turkey and Cyprus find a way to work things out?"

Reuters - Quake-hit Haiti battles cholera epidemic, 150 dead
Reuters reports: "Quake-hit Haiti and its aid partners fought on Friday to stem a cholera epidemic that has killed over 150 people and sickened hundreds, with experts saying more cases could be expected before it was contained."

Reuters - G20 statement to pledge commitment to market FX rates
Reuters reports: "Group of 20 finance leaders will pledge on Saturday to commit themselves to pursue market-determined exchange rates and refrain from 'competitive devaluation' of their currencies, a G20 source said."

Comment: I expect this meeting to be very contentious and would not be surprised to see some surprises from China on behalf of emerging economies.

My Way News - At least 135 dead from disease outbreak in Haiti
My Way News reports: "Doctors were testing for cholera, typhoid and other illnesses in the Caribbean nation's deadliest outbreak since a January earthquake that killed as many as 300,000 people [...] Cholera is a waterborne bacterial infection spread through contaminated water. It causes severe diarrhea and vomiting that can lead to dehydration and death within hours."

My Way News - Mideast sides mulling alternatives to peace talks
My Way News reports: "With peace talks stalled, Israelis and Palestinians are quietly - and separately - looking for alternatives. The scenarios range from the Palestinians going around Israel to seek world recognition for an independent state to Israel pushing for a scaled-down agreement that sidesteps the toughest issues, like sharing Jerusalem and the fate of Palestinian refugees."

My Way News - Nigeria: feared Muslim sect issues new threats
My Way News reports: "A Muslim sect suspected of a series of targeted killings and a massive prison break has issued new threats in northern Nigeria, this time invoking al-Qaida's north Africa branch [...] Nigeria, a nation of 150 million people, is divided between the Christian-dominated south and the Muslim north. A dozen states across Nigeria's north already have Shariah law in place, though the area remains under the control of secular state governments."

My Way News - Sea ice melting as Arctic temperature rises
My Way News reports: "The temperature is rising again in the Arctic, with the sea ice extent dropping to one of the lowest levels on record, climate scientists reported Thursday."

JPost - US working on ‘compromise' plan to renew freeze
The Jerusalem Post reports: "The US is busy working on a “compromise proposal” that will allow Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to “come down from the tree” and re-enter direct talks, senior diplomatic officials said Monday. Although the officials did not provide details of what was being discussed, one source said it entailed Israel renewing the settlement construction moratorium before the US midterm elections on November 2."

Reuters - French protests turn ugly as riots hit wealthy Lyon
Reuters reports: "Youths who pillaged stores, torched cars and fought street battles with police have transformed the genteel French city of Lyon into a flashpoint of violence over an unpopular pension reform."

Comment: In America, people protest because they need jobs and want to work. In France, people protest because they don't want to work. Which country will come out of recession first? Vive la différence!

WaPo - Pentagon plans $60 billion weapons sale to Saudi Arabia
The Washington Post reports: "The Defense Department has notified Congress that it wants to sell $60 billion worth of advanced aircraft and weapons to Saudi Arabia. The proposed sale, which includes helicopters, fighter jets, radar equipment and satellite-guided bombs, would be the largest arms deal to another country in U.S. history if the sale goes through and all purchases are made [...] Defense industry analysts said the weapons sale is key to U.S. efforts to boost support among Arab allies and counter any threats from Iran."

Comment: This is not about Israel, it's about Iran. I would worry, though, about what happens to all those weapons if the House of Soud falls from within?

AFP- N.Korea may be planning third nuclear test: report
AFP reports: "North Korea appears to be preparing for a third nuclear test, a South Korean newspaper reported, just days after Pyongyang declared it was ready to return to nuclear talks [...] According to South Korea's biggest-selling newspaper Chosun Ilbo, US satellites detected movements of personnel and vehicles at the site where the the North carried out its first two nuclear tests in 2006 and 2009."

My Way News - Iran, Venezuela leaders seek 'new world order'
My Way News reports: "The leaders of Iran and Venezuela hailed what they called their strong strategic relationship on Wednesday, saying they are united in efforts to establish a 'new world order' that will eliminate Western dominance over global affairs."

Comment: I hope the defenders of the Old World Order still have some fight left in them.

My Way News - Turkey fails to resolve dispute over head scarves
My Way News reports: "Turkey's governing party failed to win key opposition support on Wednesday for plans to lift a ban on the wearing of Islamic head scarves at universities, a deeply divisive issue in a country with secular laws and a Muslim population [...] Most of Turkey's 75 million people are Muslim, but staunch secularists see the head scarf as a symbol of political Islam and consider any attempt to allow it in schools as an attack on Turkey's secular laws. There also are fears that lifting the ban would create pressure on all female students to cover themselves."

My Way News - China paper blasts Western-style democracy
My Way News reports: "China's ruling Communist Party called Wednesday for its members to reject Western-style democratic notions amid a brewing debate on the direction of future political reform."

My Way News - Gunbattles stir panic in 2 Mexican border cities
My Way News reports: "Mexican soldiers battled gunmen in two cities across the border from Texas on Wednesday, prompting panicked parents to pull children from school and factories to warn workers to stay inside. Assailants in a third city threw a grenade at an army barracks."

NYTimes.com - Britain Announces Severe Military Cutbacks
The New York Times reports: "The prime minister also offered assurances about Britain’s commitment in Afghanistan, where it has 10,000 troops, second only to the 100,000 troops committed by the United States. In his Commons statement, Mr. Cameron said that there would be “no cut whatsoever” in financing for the Afghan effort, and that he had “heeded” Britain’s defense chiefs every time they had warned him that a proposed reduction might hinder the war effort."

My Way News - UN report: Internet users to surpass 2B in 2010
My Way News reports: "If the Internet were a country, it would be experiencing explosive population growth. According to a U.N. report released Tuesday, the number of people worldwide with access to the Internet has doubled within the past five years and is expected to surpass 2 billion by the end of 2010."

BBC News - EU proposes new Europe-wide VAT

BBC News reports: "The European Commission has put forward proposals for direct EU taxes on member states, including a possible EU-wide value-added tax (VAT). The proposals are part of a package of options for finding new sources of revenue for the European Union budget."

Comment: This is a very significant development. The EU is not a true federal state, like the United States, it's more of a confederation of independent states. That could change if this proposal for direct taxes is accepted. Just think what mischief the EU executive and legislative branches could get into if they could directly tax EU citizens without going through the member states. Let's watch this one closely.

My Way News - Google to bring Dead Sea Scrolls online
My Way News reports: "Israel's Antiquities Authority and Google announced Tuesday they are joining forces to bring the Dead Sea Scrolls online, allowing both scholars and the general public widespread access to the ancient manuscripts for the first time [...] The scrolls, which includes parts of the Hebrew Bible and treatises on communal living and apocalyptic war, have shed important light on Judaism and the origins of Christianity."

My Way News - Iran says key site has higher uranium ore reserves
My Way News reports: "Iran said Tuesday it has discovered higher uranium reserves than previously thought at a key southern mine and was stepping up exploration of the ore - which is the basis for the country's nuclear program - across the nation."

My Way News - Iran's top leader seeks to end rifts with clerics
My Way News reports: "Iran's top leader quickly set the tone Tuesday for his long visit among some of the country's most influential clerics - demanding loyalty to the Islamic state and an end to defiance that has blurred once-clear lines of power since last year's disputed elections."

My Way News - Islamic militants raid Chechen parliament, 6 dead
My Way News reports: "Islamic insurgents attacked Chechnya's parliament Tuesday in a brazen suicide raid that left six people dead and 17 wounded, defying Kremlin claims of stability in the volatile southern region [...] One militant blew himself up at the doors and another two ran into the building shouting 'Allahu akbar!' - 'God is great!' in Arabic - as they opened fire on the people inside, said Chechen police spokesman Ramzan Bekkhoyev."

My Way News - Nurse: 3 soldiers unafraid facing Fort Hood gunman
My Way News reports: "Several witnesses at the hearing have said the gunman in an Army combat uniform shouted 'Allahu Akbar!' - 'God is great!' in Arabic - then opened fired in the crowded building. Guerra said that the shooter reloaded three times before moving from the front area, 'in one motion, dropping a magazine and up came another one.'"

My Way News - Anti-Islam lawmaker asks for hate speech acquittal
My Way News reports: "Lawyers for a Dutch politician who has harshly criticized Islam argued at his trial Tuesday that he has the right to issue warnings about the religion's spread in Europe and should be acquitted of inciting hatred and discrimination."

Comment: Interesting parallels among these three reports.

My Way News - Sharp quake aftershock rattles New Zealand city
My Way News reports: "An aftershock of a powerful earthquake just weeks ago rattled raw nerves in the southern New Zealand city of Christchurch on Tuesday, cutting power and phone service and causing other light damage."

My Way News - US, Pakistan talks come at key time for Afghan war
My Way News reports: "The U.S. and Pakistan will try in high-level talks this week to smooth tensions over American military incursions across the border from Afghanistan and allegations that Islamabad is not doing enough to target Taliban militants."

My Way News - Israel says Hamas has anti-aircraft missiles
My Way News reports: "Gaza's Hamas rulers have obtained anti-aircraft missiles, Israel's prime minister said Monday, in a potentially game-changing development that could threaten the Israeli air force's ability to strike at the Islamic militant group."

My Way News - Russia seeks foreign policy voice in Europe
My Way News reports: "Russia sought to use a summit starting Monday to cement a greater role in Europe's security and foreign policy - a shift that France and Germany embrace but that's tougher to sell to the rest of the long-divided continent."

My Way News - Sharp quake rattles New Zealand city
My Way News reports: "An earthquake rattled the southern New Zealand city of Christchurch on Tuesday, cutting power and phone service and sending some residents running into the streets just weeks after a more powerful quake caused extensive damage."

My Way News - NATO claims it is choking off insurgents' supplies
My Way News reports: "The NATO coalition said Monday that Afghan and international forces have choked insurgent supply routes in some parts of Afghanistan, prompting militants to extort money from citizens to keep their operations sufficiently supplied."

My Way News - Super typhoon lashes Philippines amid flood alerts
My Way News reports: "Super Typhoon Megi became the strongest cyclone in years to buffet the Philippines on Monday, while flooding in Vietnam swept away a bus and left 20 people missing, including a girl pulled from her mother's grasp by the raging waters."

CNN.com - Iran nuclear talks may take place in mid-November
CNN reports: "Iran's foreign minister said nuclear talks with world powers could take place in mid-November, Iranian news agencies said Saturday [...] Meanwhile, Iran delayed the start-up of its Bushehr nuclear plant because of technical problems, the official Islamic Republic News Agency said."

msnbc.com - French students protest over retirement reform
MSNBC reports: "French students blockaded more high schools and universities Thursday, as the third straight day of nationwide strikes over the government's retirement reforms snarled train travel and sent a renewed challenge to President Nicolas Sarkozy."

Comment: This is just the first wave, we should expect this kind of unrest to spread to the rest of Europe as they react to the need to rein in their welfare state programs to cope with the global recession.

My Way News - Palestinians say 1 dead in Israeli strike in Gaza
My Way News reports: "Palestinian officials say an Israeli strike has killed one and wounded two in northern Gaza. Two large explosions were heard early Sunday morning. Hamas officials say an Israeli navy boat fired at a militant training ground north of Gaza City. Hospital official Adham Abu Salmia confirms one dead and two wounded, one critically."

My Way News - Thousands in China, Japan rally over island claims
My Way News reports: "Thousands of Chinese marched in the streets in sometimes violent protests Saturday against Japan and its claim to disputed islands, a show of anger far larger than past protests over the competing territorial claims [...] Japanese retailers Ito-Yokado and Isetan said protesters in Chengdu broke windows and showcases in their stores, Kyodo News agency reported."

CNET News - Google's Schmidt sees Web access for billions more
CNET News reports: "There are 4 billion phones in the world, and between 800 million and 1 billion smartphones already in use. And with Moore's Law-like speed of technology development, more people will have access to a smartphone with a Web browser, connecting them to the already 2 billion people online."

My Way News - Turkish nationalists accused of killing bishop
My Way News reports: "Turkey's top Roman Catholic bishop has publicly accused Turkish ultra-nationalists and religious fanatics of being behind the slaying of the country's senior bishop [...] It was the latest in a string of attacks in recent years on Christians in predominantly Muslim Turkey, where Christians make up less than 1 percent of the 70 million population."

My Way News - France backs European missile shield
My Way News reports: "France is ready to help develop and pay for a U.S.-led European anti-missile shield - but only as a backup, not a replacement, for this country's nuclear deterrent, President Nicolas Sarkozy's office said Friday."

My Way News - East Jerusalem housing approval irks Palestinians
My Way News reports: "Israel has ended its unofficial building freeze in east Jerusalem, giving the green light for hundreds of new homes in Jewish neighborhoods of the traditionally Arab sector of the city - and dealing another potential blow to U.S.-led efforts to salvage peace negotiations."

My Way News - Ahmadinejad taunts Israel from border with Lebanon
My Way News reports: "Iran's president taunted archenemy Israel on Thursday from just across the tense border in Lebanon, rallying tens of thousands of Hezbollah supporters as Israeli attack helicopters buzzed in the skies nearby."

BBC News - Iran to hold Opec presidency for first time in 36 years
BBC News reports: "Iran will assume the presidency of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) for the first time in 36 years."

My Way News - UAE says it opposed Canada's Security Council bid
My Way News reports: "The United Arab Emirates lobbied against Canada's bid for a U.N. Security Council seat in the latest blow to relations that soured after disputes over airline routes, a UAE official said Thursday [...] Ten of the Security Council's 15 seats are filled by regional groups for two-year stretches. The other five seats are occupied by the council's veto-wielding permanent members: Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States."

My Way News - NATO chief calls for anti-missile system
My Way News reports: "NATO allies are moving toward approving an anti-missile system that would protect Europe, the alliance's secretary general said Thursday, adding that he hoped Russia would join in creating such a shield."

My Way News - US counterterror official: Euro plot still active
My Way News reports: "A European terrorist plot is still enough of a threat for the United States to keep its current travel advisory, the U.S. State Department's counterterrorism coordinator said Thursday."

My Way News - China's Wen inspiring debate with calls for reform
My Way News reports: "Calls for reform of China's political system have come repeatedly in the past few months from an unexpected source - the country's premier - and his surprising remarks are stirring consternation and debate in the Communist Party as it prepares for a new generation of leaders."

My Way News - 1 in 22 blacks will get HIV, CDC report says
My Way News reports: "Health officials estimate that 1 in 22 black Americans will be diagnosed with the AIDS virus in their lifetime - more than twice the risk for Hispanics and eight times that of whites. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported the numbers Thursday. The report says the lifetime risk is 1 in 52 for Hispanics, and 1 in 170 for whites. Asian-Americans had the lowest lifetime risk, at about 1 in 222."

My Way News - Hugs seen around the world as rescue goes global

My Way News reports: "Communications technology - including live video from within the mine - turned the entire world into a global village hoping for the safe release of men they did not know and would probably never meet [...] It's a feature of the TV age that intimacy can be transmitted live to hundreds of millions of people simultaneously, creating a shared memory of great moments."

Comment: What an extraordinary example of the rise of the interactive global community. We can all witness an event, watch it happen in real time on TV and on the internet, and then we can react to the event in a personal way, sharing the news with others by e-mail, text message, instant message and cell phone. The global scope of this news story is illustrated by this MSNBC video:

My Way News - Ahmadinejad makes a show of strength in Lebanon
My Way News reports: "Iran's president made a bold show of strength in Lebanon on Wednesday, vowing before thousands of Hezbollah supporters that U.S. and Israeli power in the Middle East will soon be eclipsed [...] Ahmadinejad's dramatic arrival only exacerbated fears among many Lebanese - particularly Sunnis and Christians - that Iran and Hezbollah are seeking to impose their will on the country and possibly pull Lebanon into a conflict with Israel."

My Way News - SKorea kicks off naval maneuvers with US, Japan
My Way News reports: "South Korea kicked off naval drills Thursday with the U.S., Australia and Japan aimed at intercepting illicit weapon shipments in a U.S.-led program targeting nations such as North Korea and likely to draw its anger."

My Way News - Homeland Security and spy agency to work together
My Way News reports: "Computer experts at the secretive National Security Agency are teaming up with the Homeland Security Department in an effort to strengthen the nation's defenses against cyber attacks [...] U.S. government and private networks are increasingly under attack by hackers and other cyber criminals. The officials said the plan will include increased oversight by legal and privacy professionals to insure that individuals rights are protected."

My Way News - UK says it gets hit by 1,000 cyber attacks monthly
My Way News: "British government computer networks are targeted by some 1,000 attacks a month, one of the country's top spies said in comments published Wednesday, adding that officials may consider investing in using cyberwarfare techniques to deter their online enemies."

CNN - First of 33 miners rescued in Chile
CNN reports: "His return heralded by a siren's blare and the cries of a happy nation, the first of 33 Chilean miners emerged into a cool desert night early Wednesday after being trapped underground for 69 harrowing days."

Comment: What an amazing thing this is - the entire world is watching this happen! There is even a live video feed. A thought struck me as I watched this is probably the way it will be with the two witnesses, with the entire world watching on TV, on cell phone video, on computers, and every other media device imaginable. Look at how John says they send gifts to each other, I guess he didn't have any better word to describe text messages, e-mails, twitters, and instant messages. We are getting an example of how close Rev 11 is with the global coverage of the Chilean miners rescue.

My Way News - Ahmadinejad heads to Lebanon amid political crisis
My Way News reports: "Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is wading into Lebanon's tumultuous political divides this week with a visit that underlines the power of the Shiite militant group Hezbollah [...] which boasts the strongest arsenal in the country and in many Shiite areas runs nearly a state-within-a-state."

Comment: Iran's proxy war against Israel is taking a new turn as Ahmadinejad solidifies Iranian influence on Israel's northern border.

My Way News - China tries to calm nerves over Asia sea activity
My Way News reports: "China worked to calm nerves Tuesday among Asian neighbors jittery over its recent attempts to assert greater control over disputed waters, while its rival Washington stressed its national interest in keeping those seas free for commerce."

My Way News - Sheriff: Mexican police commander was beheaded
My Way News reports: "A Mexican police commander investigating the reported shooting of an American tourist on a border lake was decapitated and his head was found in a suitcase outside a Mexican Army base, a Texas sheriff said Tuesday."

My Way News - Clooney asks Obama for commitments on Sudan
My Way News reports: "President Barack Obama met with activist-actor George Clooney at the White House on Tuesday to discuss U.S. involvement in Sudan ahead of a critical election early next year in Africa's largest nation [...] The election is an independence referendum on south Sudan that is likely to split the country in two, and there are fears that the vote could lead to a new outbreak of north-south civil war."

Comment: I don't think much of celebrity activists, but I'm glad that someone is putting this situation on the public agenda. Many observers think that Sudan is on the verge of a bloodbath resulting from a civil war between the Arab majority north and the animist and Christian south.

My Way News - UN report: 22 nations face protracted food crises
My Way News reports: "Wars, natural disasters and poor government institutions have contributed to a continuous state of undernourishment in some 22 nations, including Afghanistan, Haiti, Iraq, Somalia and Sudan, the Food and Agriculture Operation and the World Food Program said in a new report."

BBC News - Palestinians reject Israeli offer on settlement freeze
BBC News reports: "Palestinian officials have rejected an offer by the Israeli government to halt settlement construction if they recognise Israel as a 'Jewish state'."

Comment: So, the Palestinians just won't put anything on the table, will they? Shame. Reports have said that the Palestinians don't want to recognize that Israel is a Jewish state because they are afraid it will undermine their desire for a "right of return" for Palestinian refugees to be included in the final status agreement. The "right of return" is the notion that Palestinians driven from their homes by the creation of Israel should have the right to return to their homes. Yes, it's ridiculous. The Palestinians should understand this idea is a non-starter. After all, why go through all the trouble of negotiating the creation of an independent Palestinian state if the Palestinians want to live in Israel? It's absurd. And, of course, they are willfully overlooking the fact that many Palestinians stayed in Israel over the years. Arab citizens of Israel enjoy a higher standard of living and more rights than Palestinians living in Lebanon but that is an inconvenient truth to acknowledge.

My Way News - Furious China blocks visit to Nobel winner's wife
My Way News reports: "China blocked European officials from meeting with the wife of the imprisoned Nobel Peace Prize winner, cut off her phone communication and kept her under house arrest - acting on its fury over the award."

My Way News - Top Chinese leader praises North Korea
My Way News reports: "Close ally China on Monday invited Kim Jong Il and North Korea's new leadership to visit the country, state media reported, in apparent approval for his reclusive regime's planned succession. The invitation was made in a meeting in Pyongyang between Zhou Yongkang, the ruling Communist Party's ninth-ranking leader, and the North's supreme leader Kim Jong Il, the official Xinhua news agency reported."

Comment: I wonder if young Prince Kim Jong Un will get to go? China would make a great field trip.

My Way News - Malaysia to use lab mosquitoes to fight dengue
My Way News reports: "Malaysia could be the first country in Asia to use genetically modified mosquitoes to battle a rise in dengue fever, government authorities said Monday [...] Dengue fever, spread by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, is common in Asia and Latin America. Symptoms include high fever, joint pains and nausea, but in severe cases, it can lead to internal bleeding, liver enlargement, circulatory shutdown and death. There is no known cure or vaccine."

BBC News - Likely N Korea heir Kim Jong-un appears with father
BBC News reports: "State television in North Korea has shown live pictures of the leader, Kim Jong-il, reviewing a military parade accompanied by his youngest son, Kim Jong-un. The younger Mr Kim is thought to be in line to succeed his father as leader of the highly secretive state."

Reclusive Hezbollah leader praises Ahmadinejad ahead of Lebanon visit - CNN.com
CNN reports: "Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah praised Saturday the upcoming visit of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to Lebanon, his first trip to the country since taking office in 2005 [...] The United States considers Hezbollah, which has close ties to Iran and Syria, to be a terrorist organization."

My Way News - Finance leaders fail to resolve currency dispute
My Way News reports: "Global finance leaders failed Saturday to resolve deep differences that threaten the outbreak of a full-blown currency war. Various nations are seeking to devalue their currencies as a way to boost exports and jobs during hard economic times. The concern is that such efforts could trigger a repeat of the trade wars that contributed to the Great Depression of the 1930s as country after country raises projectionist barriers to imported goods."

My Way News - US gets another month to revive Mideast talks
My Way News reports: "Arab ministers agreed Friday to give the United States another month to try to persuade Israel to renew curbs on West Bank settlement construction and keep Mideast peace talks from collapsing. The one-month grace period followed a frantic effort by the Obama administration to broker a compromise as the sides faced rising friction over the stalemate."

Comment: Hey, mainstream news media, did you know that the limited settlement extension was announced before the latest peace talks started? Think about this for a minute. Everyone knew at the start of the talks when the deadline would be, it was not a secret, and the Palestinians signed on to the peace talks anyway. Suddenly now it's an issue? And Arab minister are giving the U.S. time, really?

BBC News - Nato tankers torched in new attack in Pakistan
My Way News reports: "Gunmen in south-western Pakistan have attacked and set fire to nearly 30 tankers carrying oil to Nato troops in Afghanistan, officials say [...] The Pakistani Taliban have carried out a series of similar attacks since last week, when the authorities closed the main border crossing to Afghanistan."

My Way News - 9/11 link to militant in Europe terror alert
My Way News reports: "The Islamic militant whose disclosures under U.S. interrogation in Afghanistan triggered Europe's terror alert is an old friend of a man convicted in the 9/11 attacks and, as the strikes were being planned, frequented the same mosque where the Hamburg-based plotters often met, officials say."

My Way News - Official: North Koreans will follow Kim Jong Un
My Way News reports: "A top official told APTN on Friday that North Koreans will be honored to follow the youngest son of Kim Jong Il as the third-generation leader of the communist nation. The remarks were the first official comment about the future of Kim Jong Un, who just last week made his public debut."

My Way News - 5.9-magnitude earthquake shakes Costa Rica
My Way News reports: "Authorities say a 5.9-magnitude earthquake has shaken Costa Rica. There are no immediate reports of casualties or serious damage. The U.S. Geological Survey says the quake's epicenter was 26 miles (41 kilometers) north of the capital, San Jose. Its depth was 61 miles (98 kilometers)."

My Way News - Israelis, Palestinians signal deal on settlements
My Way News reports: "In the clearest sign that a deal may be emerging to keep the troubled U.S. Mideast peace push alive, a top Palestinian official said Thursday that his side would accept an American proposal for Israel to curtail settlement construction for two months."

My Way News - Russian military successfully tests new missile: "The Russian navy on Thursday successfully test-fired an advanced ballistic missile from a nuclear submarine, giving a boost to the nation's top weapons program that has been haunted by a string of failures [...] Russian officials billed Bulava as a new-generation weapon, capable of dodging any potential missile defenses, thanks to its quick start and an ability to perform unusual maneuvers in flight."

My Way News - Russia to return Iran's advance pay for missiles
My Way News reports: "The head of Russia's arms manufacturer reportedly says it will return Iran's advance payment for the air defense missiles whose delivery was canceled by the Kremlin. Sergei Chemezov, head of the state-controlled Russian Technologies holding company, was quoted by Russia's news agencies as saying Thursday that Russia will return $166.8 million it received as payment from Iran."

My Way News - Dozens of Taliban killed as war enters 10th year
My Way News reports: "Airstrikes and ground operations by NATO and Afghan troops killed dozens of insurgents, including a senior Taliban leader who spearheaded attacks against security forces, the alliance said Thursday as the war in Afghanistan entered its 10th year."

My Way News - Warrants issued for 5 Pakistanis in Mumbai attacks
My Way News reports: "Interpol notified its members on Thursday that India has issued arrest warrants for five Pakistani citizens, including two army officers, for alleged involvement in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, an official said."

My Way News - Marines in Marjah face full-blown insurgency
My Way News reports: "Eight months on, the Taliban are still here in force, waging a full-blown guerrilla insurgency that rages daily across a bomb-riddled landscape of agricultural fields and irrigation trenches. As U.S. involvement in the war enters its 10th year, the failure to pacify this town raises questions about the effectiveness of America's overall strategy. Similarly crucial operations are now under way in neighboring Kandahar province, the Taliban's birthplace."

My Way News - Israeli premier weighing new settlement curbs
My Way News reports: "Israel's prime minister has been sounding out key Cabinet members on extending a freeze on new construction in West Bank settlements in hopes of keeping peace talks with the Palestinians alive, but he is encountering stiff resistance, Israeli officials said Wednesday."

Comment: If Netanyahu extends the freeze on settlement construction without a quid pro quo from the Palestinians I will lose all respect for him. When will the Palestinians be asked to make a concession?

Reuters Special Report - The Pentagon's new cyber warriors
Reuters reports: "U.S. officials have shown increasing concern about alleged Chinese and Russian penetrations of the electricity grid, which depends on the Internet to function. Beijing, at odds with the United States over Taiwan arms sales and other thorny issues, has 'laced U.S. infrastructure with logic bombs,' former National Security Council official Richard Clarke writes in his 2010 book 'Cyber War,' a charge China denies."

Comment: This is a well written report, well worth your time to read.

My Way News - Uncertainty over US plans as war enters 10th year
My Way News reports: "It's make-or-break time in Afghanistan. The war enters its 10th year Thursday, and this is no ordinary anniversary. With extra American troops now in place, this is the critical juncture to determine if President Barack Obama's revised war strategy will work and reverse Taliban momentum."

My Way News - Taliban set preconditions for formal peace talks
My Way News reports: "The Washington Post reported Tuesday that secret talks aimed at ending the war in Afghanistan have begun between representatives of the Taliban and the government of Afghan President Hamid Karzai. The Post quoted Afghan and Arab sources as saying they believe for the first time that Taliban representatives are fully authorized to speak for the Quetta Shura, the Afghan Taliban command council based in Pakistan, and its leader, Mullah Mohammad Omar."

CNN.com - IMF chief warns on exchange rate wars
CNN reports: "Governments are risking a currency war if they try to use exchange rates to solve domestic problems, the head of the International Monetary Fund has warned."

Comment: The post-WWII international currency exchange system is under severe strain, this can lead to increased trade conflict, which can lead to military conflict, as well as calls to replace the current currency system with something entirely new.

My Way News - France warns of high terror risk in Britain
My Way News reports: "France's Foreign Ministry is warning French travelers of a high terrorism risk in Britain, asking them to be watchful in public transport and busy tourist areas across the English Channel."

My Way News - Bill Clinton: Mideast peace would undercut terror
My Way News reports: "Former U.S. President Bill Clinton said Tuesday that solving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict would take away much of the motivation for terrorism around the world [...] Clinton presided over the breakthrough Oslo Accords in 1993 that led to direct peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians over the principle of land for peace as well as a last ditch effort to negotiate a final agreement in 2000 before violence derailed negotiations."

BBC News - India to compile 'world's biggest' ID database
BBC News reports: "India has launched a huge national identity scheme aimed at cutting fraud and improving access to state benefits. Using biometric methods, including an iris scan, the system will log details of India's population of more than one billion people on a central database [...] The government expects to give a UID number to every Indian citizen within four years."

Comment: How long will it take to give a numbered ID to a billion people? This will be an interesting test-case to watch.

My Way News - Taliban steps up attacks in Kandahar with blasts
My Way News reports: "Two explosions rocked Kandahar on Tuesday, the second day of deadly blasts in the southern Afghan city where Taliban insurgents are fighting back against U.S. and Afghan forces pushing into areas long held by the insurgents."

My Way News - Police: NATO supplies hit again in Pakistan
My Way News reports: "Gunmen in southwest Pakistan torched eight NATO oil tankers and shot dead a driver Wednesday, police said, in the latest strike against supply convoys heading for Afghanistan since Pakistan shut a key border crossing to international forces last week."

My Way News - Times Sq. bomber sentenced, warns of more attacks
My Way News reports: "The Pakistani immigrant who tried to detonate a car bomb on a busy Saturday night in Times Square accepted a life sentence with a smirk Tuesday and warned that Americans can expect more bloodshed at the hands of Muslims."

My Way News - France: 12 arrested in counterterrorism cases
My Way News reports: "Police in southern France arrested 12 people in sweeps against suspected Islamic militant networks on Tuesday, including three men being checked for potential links to a network recruiting fighters for Afghanistan, officials said."

My Way News - UN official denies she has role representing Earth
My Way News reports: "Yes, she heads the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs. No, she has not been appointed to represent the Earth in future negotiations with aliens. That's the word from Mazlan Othman, who Tuesday debunked British press reports indicating she would be Earth's ambassador to beings from outer space if they land in 'Take me to your leader' mode."

Comment: Someone should tell the bureaucrats at the U.N. that the SETI folks have been the first-contact team for decades and have the protocols to prove it.

My Way News - Iran claims computer worm is Western plot
My Way News reports: "Iran claimed Tuesday that a computer worm found on the laptops of several employees at the country's nuclear power plant is part of a covert Western plot to derail its nuclear program."

My Way News - Nobel Prize honors super-strong, super-thin carbon
My Way News reports: "Two Russian-born researchers shared the physics Nobel for their groundbreaking experiments with graphene, which is a sheet of carbon atoms joined together in a pattern that resembles chicken wire."

My Way News - Opposition leader seeks referendum on Ahmadinejad
My Way News reports: "Mir Hossein Mousavi said the president's actions on the world stage, such as a speech at the U.N. last month in which he questioned 9/11, have helped deepen Iran's isolation and worsen its economy [...] Mousavi claims he was the rightful winner of the 2009 election but that he was robbed of victory through fraud. Hundreds of thousands of Iranians protested the official results."

CNN.com - Conditions 'not suitable' for new Mideast talks, Egypt says
CNN reports: "Israeli-Palestinian peace talks aren't likely to resume unless Israel reinstates its moratorium on building new settlements in the West Bank, Egypt's foreign minister said Sunday after meetings with U.S. mediator George Mitchell."

Comment: The temporary restriction on West Bank settlement construction was a concession by Israel and Israel made it clear they were expecting a reciprocal concession by the Palestinians. They even went so far as to suggest a possible concession - publicly accepting that Israel was a Jewish state - but the Palestinians refused to budge. I'm only pointing this out because the media (no surprise) is omitting this fact in their reporting and letting their audience believe that Israel is being the obstinate party. President Obama has not only called on the Palestinians but also on other Arab states to offer conciliatory gestures to promote peace, and they have refused.

Once again we see that the dominant narrative is that Israel must make all the concessions while the Palestinians sit back and act aggrieved that Israel refuses to negotiate. How can one negotiate when the other side refuses to put anything on the table? The Palestinian strategy is to demand that Israel give more and then when Israel gives a little, they claim it is not enough. This is why most observers believe the land-for-peace process is futile, because Israel already gave land - Gaza - and it did not promote peace. Anyway, just wanted to let you know that the construction restrictions were always temporary (everyone knew that) and given the lack of Palestinian reciprocity and the fragility of Israel's coalition government, it's not surprising that Israel allowed the restrictions to expire. I'm sure you've noticed that even now, the Palestinian's are not making any offers to persuade Israel to extend the restrictions, they are just making demands.

My Way News - Syria wants Turkey to mediate talks with Israel
My Way News reports: "Syria wants Turkey to mediate any new indirect peace talks with Israel, and other efforts would be subordinate to Ankara's role, the Syrian foreign minister said Sunday [...] Syria has demanded the full withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Golan Heights, which Israel captured in the 1967 Mideast war, as a condition for peace. Israel's current government rejects preconditions, and Syrian President Bashar Assad has repeatedly said that there is currently no Israeli partner willing to achieve peace."

My Way News - Blasts kill 4 NATO troops, up to 4 Afghan police
My Way News reports: "Three explosions just minutes apart rocked Kandahar on Monday night, killing up to four Afghan police officers in the nation's largest city in the south [...] Control of Kandahar, the Taliban movement's birthplace, is seen as key to the Afghan conflict. Afghan and NATO forces are engaged in a major operation to push out militants of strongholds there."

CNN.com - Hamburg cell at heart of terrorist plot against Europe
CNN reports: "A group of jihadists from the German city of Hamburg is alleged to be at the heart of the recent al Qaeda plot to launch coordinated terrorist attacks against European cities, European intelligence officials said."

CNN.com - Lacking specifics, U.S. issued general warning on European travel
CNN reports: "The United States issued a general travel alert about Europe in response to concerns about terror threats because the information was not specific enough to name countries of concern, a State Department spokesman said Monday."

My Way News - Japan issues travel alert for Europe
My Way News reports: "Japan has issued a travel alert for Japanese citizens living or traveling Europe, warning them of possible terrorist attack by al-Qaida or other groups."

My Way News - Flash floods in eastern Indonesia kill at least 26
My Way News reports: "Days of torrential rain triggered landslides and flash floods in eastern Indonesia, killing at least 26 people and destroying hundreds of homes, officials and witnesses said Tuesday."

My Way News - Floods kill 3, leave 3 others missing in Vietnam
My Way News reports: "Floods triggered by heavy rains have displaced thousands of villagers in central Vietnam, and left three people dead and three others missing, officials said Monday."

My Way News - Earthquake hits off Japanese coast
My Way News reports: "A 6.3-magnitude earthquake struck Monday in the Pacific Ocean off southern Japan, but there were no reports of damage or injury. The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake struck at 10:28 p.m. (1328 GMT), 200 miles (320 kilometers) southwest of Naha on Okinawa island at a depth of 22 miles (35.4 kilometers)."

USATODAY.com - United Nations still seeks global climate treaty
USA Today reports: "The U.N. climate chief urged countries Monday to search faster for common ground on battling climate change so that a year-end meeting in Mexico can produce results in that fight."

My Way News - Iran: Nuclear delay due to leak, not computer worm
My Way News reports: "Iranian officials say they have vigorously battled the Stuxnet computer worm, which they suspect is part of a covert plot by the West to damage Iran's nuclear work [...] The malicious computer code, designed to take over industrial sites like power plants, has also emerged in India, Indonesia and the U.S. But it has spread the most in Iran."

CNN.com - China accused of invading disputed islands
CNN reports: "Anti-China protesters gathered Saturday in Tokyo and six other major cities in Japan to rally against what it calls an invasion of disputed islands that both claim are part of their territories."

AFP - Druidry recognised as religion in Britain
AFP reports: "Britain has recognised druidry as an official religion for the first time, thousands of years after the Celtic pagan faith emerged in Europe, the country's charity commission said Saturday. The Druid Network, an organisation representing the religion in Britain, was granted charitable status in a decision that not only gives it tax breaks but also lets the religion take its place alongside more mainstream beliefs."

Comment: It's interesting that before archeologists decided that Stonehenge was built by ancient druids, there were no druids in Britain. This modern variant represents an entirely new faith, a trendy amalgam of various pagan and new age beliefs and practices that lack any historical ties to the ancient druids for the same reason that archeologists can't be 100% sure the druids built Stonehenge...there were no written records.

BBC News - US will issue travel warning for Americans in Europe
BBC News reports: "The US government is to issue a travel alert, warning its citizens to be vigilant while travelling in Europe because of the threat of an al-Qaeda commando-style attack."

BBC News - Palestinians mull talks walk-out over settlements
BBC News reports: "The Palestinian leadership has said it will not continue peace talks with Israel unless a freeze on Jewish settlements in the West Bank resumes."

My Way News - Syrian leader: Mideast talks only to help Obama
My Way News reports: "Syrian President Bashar Assad offered dim hopes Saturday for any success in Middle East peace talks, saying the White House is only using its mediation between Israelis and Palestinians to score political points in the United States. The comments by Assad - making a one-day visit to Tehran - followed talks with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who is one of Israel's arch-foes. Both leaders pledged to support 'resistance' in the region, an apparent reference to Palestinian militants and others opposing Israel [...] Iran and Syria are both key sponsors of the Shiite militant group Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Palestinian faction Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip and is not part of the peace talks."

Comment: I take from this that the Iranian proxy war against Israel will continue. Is the Psalm 83 war near?

My Way News - US, European envoys pressing to save Mideast talks
My Way News reports: "U.S. and European peace envoys pleaded with Israel on Friday to extend its moratorium on West Bank settlement construction, as the Palestinians stuck to their insistence that all building must stop for fledgling peace talks to continue."

CNET News - Sci-fi wars? Pilots say UFOs knocked out nukes
CNET News reports that, "seven former U.S. Air Force pilots [...] declared that they had either seen UFOs personally descend on nuclear establishments, or had received related reports from their colleagues. According to CNN, Robert Hastings, a UFO researcher, declared: 'I believe--these gentlemen believe--that this planet is being visited by beings from another world, who for whatever reason have taken an interest in the nuclear arms race which began at the end of World War II.'"

My Way News - NATO convoys attacked in Pakistan
My Way News reports: "Assailants launched two separate attacks on tankers carrying fuel for foreign troops in Afghanistan on Friday, showing the vulnerability of NATO supply lines a day after the Pakistani government itself shut one down."

My Way News - Amid games chaos, India is still a rising power
My Way News reports: "China and India are the world's two most populous countries, the two emerging economic giants and among Asia's dominant political powers. They are also intense rivals, with India anxious to match China's immense economic and political clout."

My Way News - Babylonian, dead for millennia, now online
My Way News reports: "Babylonia was among the world's first civilizations and produced some of its earliest pieces of literature. Its people also play a central role in the Bible. Babylon's soaring, pyramid-shaped Temple of Marduk is thought to have inspired the tale of the Tower of Babel, while their conquest of the Kingdom of Judah in the early sixth century B.C. led to the deportation and exile of the nation's Jewish population."

Comment: This is a bit random, but I think it's cool. The audio recordings in ancient Babylonian can be found here.