UPI - Yemen faces famine, aid agencies say
UPI.com reports: "The agencies -- CARE, International Medical Corps, Islamic Relief, Merlin, Mercy Corps, Oxfam and Save the Children -- warned at an aid conference in Yemen 44 percent of Yemen's population is at risk of famine with a third of children in some parts of the country severely malnourished."

My Way News - Euro structure is 'unsustainable,' ECB chief warns
My Way News reports: "The head of the European Central Bank warned Thursday that the euro currency union is 'unsustainable' without stronger political and financial ties, and called for a new course to save it from a crippling debt crisis [...] in just over two weeks Greece returns to the polls with the real possibility that it might elect a government that rejects the terms of its multibillion-dollar bailout. This could force the country out of the euro, irreparably fracturing the eurozone and further roiling markets."

My Way News - Warming gas levels hit 'troubling milestone'
My Way News reports: "Monitoring stations across the Arctic this spring are measuring more than 400 parts per million of the heat-trapping gas in the atmosphere. The number isn't quite a surprise, because it's been rising at an accelerating pace. Years ago, it passed the 350 ppm mark that many scientists say is the highest safe level for carbon dioxide. It now stands globally at 395. So far, only the Arctic has reached that 400 level, but the rest of the world will follow soon."

My Way News - 13 corpses found in Syria amid massacre fallout
My Way News reports: "Thirteen bound corpses, many apparently shot execution-style, have been discovered in eastern Syria, U.N. observers said Wednesday, days after the massacre of more than 100 people provoked international outrage and the coordinated expulsion of Syrian diplomats from world capitals."

My Way News - Western nations expel Syrian envoys over massacre
My Way News reports: "Cranking up the pressure on Assad, the Obama administration gave Syria's most senior envoy in Washington, the charge d'affaires at the Syrian Embassy, 72 hours to leave the United States. Britain, Canada, Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Bulgaria also expelled Syrian diplomats."

My Way News - Iran, other Mideast states hit by computer virus
My Way News reports: "Iran and other Middle East countries have been hit with a cunning computer virus that can eavesdrop on computer users and their co-workers and filch information from nearby cellphones, cybersecurity experts said Tuesday. And suspicion immediately fell on Israel as the culprit."

My Way News - Israeli premier: World powers too soft on Iran
My Way News reports: "World powers are being too soft over Iran's nuclear program by only asking an end to low grade enrichment, Israel's prime minister said Tuesday, charging that Tehran is proceeding to develop atomic weapons."

VOA - Powerful Earthquake in Italy Kills 15
The Voice of America reports:  "A powerful earthquake in northern Italy has left at least 16 people dead, striking after another deadly quake in the same region earlier this month. Officials say 350 other were injured in the 5.8-magnitude quake Tuesday with the epicenter in the Emilia-Romagna region between the cities of Modena and Ferrara.The tremblor was felt across much of central and northern Italy, including the major city of Milan. Several strong aftershocks later hit the region."

My Way News - Egypt results point to deeply divisive runoff race
My Way News reports: "The Muslim Brotherhood's candidate and a veteran of ousted leader Hosni Mubarak's autocratic regime will face each other in a runoff election for Egypt's president, according to first-round results Friday. The divisive showdown dismayed many Egyptians who fear either one means an end to any democratic gains produced by last year's uprising."

My Way News - Israeli archaeologists find rare ancient jewelry
My Way News reports: "Israeli archaeologists have discovered a rare trove of 3,000-year-old jewelry, including a ring and earrings, hidden in a ceramic jug near the ancient city of Megiddo, where the New Testament predicts the final battle of Armageddon [...] Megiddo was an important trade center in ancient times. According to the New Testament, Megiddo will be the site of the final apocalyptic battle between good and evil. "

My Way News - Israel steps up security ties with China
My Way News reports: "With Israel offering much-needed technical expertise and China representing a huge new market and influential voice in the international debate over Iran's nuclear program, the two nations have stepped up military cooperation as they patch up a rift caused by a pair of failed arms deals scuttled by the U.S."

Comment: China has many ties to the Middle East, some are trade ties, some are military ties, and as this report suggests, those ties are getting stronger.

CNN - Russia test-fires missile amid tensions over NATO defense shield announcement
CNN reports: "Russia test-fired a ballistic missile Wednesday, a move that comes amid tensions about a recent NATO announcement that it placed an interim missile defense shield in Europe."

My Way News - Europe's leaders to tackle growth at summit
My Way News reports: "The leaders of the 27 countries that make up the European Union are to meet in Brussels Wednesday to try and find a way to keep the debt crisis in Europe from spiraling out of control and promote jobs and growth [...] The electoral turmoil in Greece threatens to pull apart the eurozone."

Comment: This could well be a pivotal time for the European Union, it could either break up into smaller units composed of states more economically similar or it could find a path out of the debt crisis and actually start to grow and expand again. Many Bible prophecy students see the EU as a potential fulfillment of Daniel's final world empire and the launching pad for the final world leader depicted in the Book of Revelation.

My Way News - Eager Egyptians hold landmark presidential vote
My Way News reports: "Many of the candidates have called for amendments to Egypt's 1979 peace treaty with Israel, which remains deeply unpopular. None is likely to dump it, but a victory by any of the Islamist or leftist candidates in the race could mean strained ties with Israel and a stronger stance in support of the Palestinians in the peace process."

Reuters - Iran's Ahmadinejad to visit as China slams new sanctions
Reuters reports: "Ahmadinejad will be attending the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting hosted by Beijing in June, China's Vice Foreign Minister Cheng Guoping told reporters at a briefing. The SCO is a regional security forum that groups China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan and which Iran is attending as an observer."

My Way News - UN nuclear chief seeks pact on wider Iran probes:
My Way News reports: "The head of the U.N. nuclear agency pushed Monday for a breakthrough pact with Iran to resume inspections into suspected secret atomic weapons work and possibly set in motion further dealmaking when envoys from Tehran and world powers gather later this week in Baghdad."

My Way News - G-8 leaders hope Greece remains in eurozone
My Way News reports: "President Barack Obama and other leaders of the Group of Eight industrial nations expressed hope Saturday that Greece will remain in the Eurozone, anxious to keep its economic troubles from spreading around the world [...] The Camp David gathering opened with a Friday evening discussion focused on global trouble spots Iran and Syria. Obama said the session also touched on North Korea's aggression and hopeful signs of democratic change in Myanmar."

My Way News - Iran, Syria among top for G-8 and NATO
My Way News reports: "President Barack Obama and leaders of other major industrial powers grappled Friday with options to solidify world resolve against development of an Iranian nuclear bomb and encourage a more forceful response to worsening violence in Syria [...] The G-8 is made up of the leaders of the United States, Japan, Britain, Germany, France, Italy, Canada and Russia [...] The European Union is represented but is not granted the power to act as host of the annual sessions or to serve as the rotating leader."

Comment: I'm posting this under the "Ten Kings" label and I should probably point out that even though this informal alliance is called the G8, it is now actually the G10. Why? Well, the EU is allowed to send two representatives, the president of the European Commission and the president of the European Council. So, together with the other eight, that's makes it an alliance of ten leaders (see the group photo from the AP posted here and also posted above without the caption). Bible prophecy says that in the future such an alliance will be very important in empowering a new world leader in the period of time called the Tribulation. I'm not suggesting the G8 is that group (as it appears to be declining in influence) but merely noting that there is already a group of ten world leaders who could fulfill the prophetic role.

My Way News - Beijing rejects US report on Chinese military
My Way News reports: "China on Saturday rejected an annual Pentagon report that said Beijing is aggressively modernizing its military forces. [...] This year's report, which was released Friday, describes an ambitious, fast-growing Chinese military program aimed at transforming the People's Liberation Army into a modern force. It says its main goals include preserving Communist Party rule and preparing for possible hostilities with Taiwan."

My Way News - US envoy to Israel: US ready to strike Iran
My Way News reports: "The U.S. has plans in place to attack Iran if necessary to prevent it from developing nuclear weapons, Washington's envoy to Israel said, days ahead of a crucial round of nuclear talks with Tehran."

My Way News - 'Ring of Fire' eclipse visible from China to Texas
My Way News reports: "Sunrises and sunsets often dazzle, but they'll have a special ring to them in a few days for people in the western United States and eastern Asia: The moon will slide across the sun, blocking everything but a blazing halo of light [...] The solar spectacle is first seen in eastern Asia at dawn Monday, local time. Weather permitting, millions of early risers in southern China, northern Taiwan and southeast Japan will be able to catch the ring eclipse. Then it creeps across the Pacific with the western U.S. viewing the tail end."

My Way News - Turkey shows renewed interest in EU bid
My Way New reports: "On Thursday, Turkey and the EU are to open talks aimed at bringing Turkey's membership bid back on track, and the Turkish government announced this week that its Parliament will soon vote on a series of draft laws designed to help advance its bid."

Comment: This could be significant. There are many Bible prophecy teachers who believe that Turkey will become alienated from the EU and join an alliance of anti-Western states that eventually invade Israel.

My Way News - Iran's tough nuclear stance masks struggles at top
My Way News reports: "Iran's Islamic leadership - which crushed an opposition groundswell nearly three years ago and later swatted back a power grab by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad - has now staked its political credibility on its ability to resist Western sanctions and hold firm to its rights under U.N. treaties to enrich uranium. Any concessions - either too great or too fast - could risk internal rifts within Iran's power structure."

My Way News - Military hopes for 'great leader' from Egypt vote
My Way News reports: "The Muslim Brotherhood, the country's most influential political Islamic group which won close to half the seats in parliament, meanwhile warned Tuesday of 'reinventing the old regime' and urged voters not to support Mubarak-era candidates [...] The performance of the Islamists in the parliamentary elections and their strong organization has also stirred fear among many Egyptians they would monopolize power in the country if they succeed in their bid for president."

My Way News - April 2012 heats up as 5th warmest month globally:
My Way News reports: "Meteorologists say unseasonable weather pushed last month to the fifth warmest April on record worldwide. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Climatic Data Center calculated that April's average temperature of 57.9 degrees (14.4 degrees Celsius) was nearly 1.2 degrees (0.7 degrees Celsius) above the 20th Century normal. Two years ago was the hottest April since record keeping started in 1880."

Magnitude 6.2 earthquake downs walls, cuts power in northern Chile - The Washington Post
The Washington Post reports: "A magnitude-6.2 magnitude earthquake damaged walls, shattered windows and knocked out electricity in parts of far-northern Chile and the Peruvian city of Tacna but no injuries or major damage were reported."

Magnitude 6.0 earthquake strikes Papua New Guinea | Fox News
Fox News reports: "A magnitude 6.0 earthquake shook Papua New Guinea on Wednesday morning, the US Geological survey reported. The quake struck 29 miles west of Kimbe town on the island of New Britain. The impact on the surrounding area was not clear, although were no immediate reports of injuries and no tsunami warning was issued."

5.3 magnitude earthquake shakes Israel, ... JPost
The Jerusalem Post reports: "A 5.3 magnitude earthquake shook the eastern Mediterranean on Friday night, with locals in countries throughout the Levant reporting the quake. The United States Geological Survey’s website said the quake at a depth of 19.8 km. occurred in the sea between Cyprus and Lebanon at 9:48 p.m. local time."

My Way News - EU slams Israel over settlements, evictions
My Way News reports: "The European Union harshly condemned Israeli settlement policies on Monday, saying that continued construction in occupied territories threatens to make a peace agreement with the Palestinians impossible."

NASA - Solar Eclipse this Weekend
NASA reports: "Something strange is about to happen to the shadows beneath your feet. On Sunday, May 20th, the Moon will pass in front of the sun, transforming sunbeams across the Pacific side of Earth into fat crescents and thin rings of light.1 It's an annular solar eclipse, in which the Moon will cover as much as 94% of the sun. Hundreds of millions of people will be able to witness the event. The eclipse zone stretches from southeast Asia across the Pacific Ocean to western parts of North America."

My Way News - Syrian unrest spills into Lebanon for 3rd day:
My Way News reports: "On one side are Sunni Muslims who support the rebels trying to oust Syrian President Bashar Assad. On the other are members of the tiny Alawite sect, followers of an offshoot of Shiite Islam who are Assad's most loyal supporters."

My Way News - EU adopts new sanctions against Syria's regime
My Way News reports: "The European Union imposed visa bans and asset freezes Monday on three new people associated with Syrian President Bashar Assad's regime - bringing to 128 the number of Assad supporters targeted by the bloc."

My Way News - Hezbollah leader says group can hit all of Israel
My Way News reports: "The leader of Lebanon's Hezbollah says his militant group has weapons that can accurately hit targets throughout Israel. Sheik Hassan Nasrallah told supporters via video link Friday that if a new war breaks out, the group will destroy targets in Israel for every building destroyed in Beirut."

My Way News - Israel envoy meets with Palestinian president
My Way News reports: "An Israeli envoy met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Saturday and delivered a letter from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanayahu detailing his government's stance on stalled peace negotiations [...] Israeli media reported that Israel had called for renewed peace talks without preconditions. Palestinians are demanding that Israel cease settlement construction in the West Bank and east Jerusalem, areas they claim as part of their future state, before talks can begin."

My Way News - EU predicts 0.3 pct eurozone contraction in 2012:
My Way News reports: "The European Union estimates that the economy of the 17 countries that use the euro is in recession in the wake of a debt crisis that has prompted savage spending cuts and a jump in unemployment to record highs [...] A recession is commonly defined as two consecutive quarters of negative growth and figures next week are expected to show that the eurozone contracted by a quarterly rate of 0.2 percent for the second quarter running."

My Way News - Greek euro exit no longer unthinkable:
My Way News reports: "There have been two and a half years of bailouts, on top of broken promises by Greece to reform. The result: a fifth year of recession and, this week, political chaos. Voters on Sunday favored parties that either oppose the terms of the country's international bailout or want to renegotiate them. If it cannot get more rescue loans, Greece will go bankrupt and likely have to leave the eurozone, the currency union of 17 countries."

Comment: The EU is either on the verge of splintering or of forging a new consensus. Which will it be? Stay tuned. 

My Way News - Israel not invited to NATO's Chicago summit
My Way News reports: "Israel will not be invited to NATO's May 20-21 summit in Chicago, the alliance's top official said Friday. But he denied that alliance member Turkey had blocked Israel's participation [...] Representatives of about 60 nations and international organizations will attend the Chicago conference. Partner nations include include Sweden, Switzerland, Qatar, Georgia, Australia and New Zealand."

My Way News - Twin car bombs in Syrian capital kill dozens
My Way News reports: "Twin suicide car bombs exploded outside a military intelligence building and killed 55 people Thursday, tossing mangled bodies in the street in the deadliest attack against a regime target since the Syrian uprising began 14 months ago. The bombings fueled fears of a rising Islamic militant element among the forces seeking to oust President Bashar Assad and dealt a further blow to international efforts to end the bloodshed."

Juniper: NFC to reach $74 billion in transactions by 2015 — Tech News and Analysis:
GIGAOM.com reports: "Payments using near field communication or NFC have barely gotten off the ground in the U.S. but it is headed toward a bright future, according to research firm Juniper, which forecast that NFC transactions will triple to $74 billion by 2015."

Comment: This article provides a good overview of recent developments in mobile commerce technology.  

Space.com - Monster Sunspot May Erupt with Powerful Flares
Space.com reports: "An enormous sunspot group has taken shape on the surface of the sun, hinting that our star may soon start spouting off some powerful storms [...] Most experts expect such outbursts to continue over the next year or so. Solar activity waxes and wanes on an 11-year cycle, and scientists think the current one — known as Solar Cycle 24 — will peak in 2013."

PopSci.com - Canada Launches Its Own Virtual Cash, Called MintChip
Popular Science reports: "Next time you visit Canada, you might use digital currency to purchase your poutine, using something called MintChip backed by the Canadian government. The Royal Canadian Mint announced it’s getting rid of the penny and starting a new e-currency instead, and it wants the software community to help develop it [...] MintChip would enable the same type of low-cost transactions for which you’d normally use cash."

My Way News - Egypt's extremist Islamists flex their muscles
My Way News reports: "Militants who have vowed allegiance to al-Qaida attack security forces in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula close to Israel and enjoy unchallenged control of two border towns. Radical Islamists in Cairo chant anti-US slogans and dream of turning the most populous Arab country into a religious state."

My Way News - Crisis threatens Europe's storied way of life
My Way News reports: "Elections in France and Greece reflect the anger and disillusionment coming to the surface across Europe as an entire way of life is challenged. The European landscape is undergoing profound change - from its sophisticated lifestyle to its cherished welfare benefits like guaranteed health care and a secure retirement, to a sense among many Europeans of being the world's elite."

My Way News - CIA thwarts 'undetectable' al-Qaida bomb plot
My Way News reports: "The CIA thwarted an ambitious plot by al-Qaida's affiliate in Yemen to destroy a U.S.-bound airliner using a bomb with a sophisticated new design around the one-year anniversary of the killing of Osama bin Laden, U.S. officials said Monday."

My Way News - Putin sworn in as Russia's president for 6 years
My Way News reports: "Vladimir Putin took the oath of office in a brief but regal Kremlin ceremony on Monday, while on the streets outside thousands of helmeted riot police prevented hundreds of demonstrators from protesting his return to the presidency. Putin, 59, has ruled Russia since 2000, first as president and then during the past four years as prime minister. The new, now six-year term will keep him in power until 2018, with the option of running for a fourth term."

My Way News - Syrian forces kill teen in Aleppo protests
My Way News reports: "Syrian forces fired on thousands of protesters Friday in Aleppo, killing a teenager, after a raid on dormitories at the city's main university killed four students and enflamed tensions in a key bastion of support for the regime."

My Way News - Look! Up in the sky! It's Supermoon! Due Saturday
My Way News reports: "Saturday's event is a 'supermoon,' the closest and therefore the biggest and brightest full moon of the year. At 11:34 p.m., the moon will be about 221,802 miles from Earth. That's about 15,300 miles closer than average."

Comment: Supernatural? No, but super cool. 

Huffington Post - Mayan Calendar, According To Poll One In 10 People Believe That The End Of The Mayan Calendar Points To Doomsday
The Huffington Post reports: "The Mayan calendar will cycle back to zero on Dec. 21, 2012 for the first time since 3114 B.C. and people around the world--from Argentina to Asia and the Middle East--believe that fact to be an indicator of doomsday."

My Way News - 4 students killed as Syrian forces raid university
My Way News reports: "The U.N. estimates 9,000 people have been killed since the revolt began, and a peace plan brokered by international envoy Kofi Annan nearly a month ago has done little to stem the bloodshed."

My Way News - Moderate quake jolts western Iran, injures 8
My Way News reports: "A moderate earthquake jolted a small town in western Iran near the Iraqi border on Thursday, injuring eight people and damaging buildings, Iranian media reported [...] Iran is located on seismic fault lines and is prone to earthquakes, experiencing at least one slight quake a day on average."

io9 - Nature goes ahead and publishes study explaining how to create deadly mutant bird flu
io9 reports: "After months of controversy, the journal Nature has published the details of an experiment describing how the avian flu can be modified into a human-contagious form [...] scientists worry that bioterrorists could use the information to weaponize the disease."

My Way News - Israeli defense minister talks tough on Iran
My Way News reports: "Israel's defense minister warned Monday that as long as Iran poses a threat to Israel with its nuclear program, all options are on the table, a reference to a possible Israeli attack [...] Israel considers Iran a threat to its existence because of its nuclear and missile development programs, frequent reference to Israel's destruction by Iranian leaders and Iran's support of violent anti-Israeli groups in Lebanon and Gaza."