"Your Digital News Flash"
News From Rapture Ready
16 Mar 11
54 House Republicans Defect on Spending Bill
Defections among rank-and-file House Republicans on the latest short-term U.S. spending bill exposed divisions that may complicate negotiations with Democrats on a broader budget plan. In Tuesday's House vote, 54 Republicans opposed a measure to fund the government until April 8, forcing their leaders to rely on support from Democrats to pass the bill, 271-158.
Bahrain's King Orders Three-Month State of Emergency
As the government's crackdown intensified, the Bahraini king declared a three-month state of emergency Tuesday that gave his military chief wide authority to battle protesters demanding political reforms and equal rights for Shiites. One demonstrator was shot in the head and killed, and a Saudi official said one of his country's soldiers was shot dead by a protester.
Poland slammed for halting restitution plans
Poland's government is coming under fire from Jewish and non-Jewish former property owners for suspending plans to offer them a measure of compensation for property seized from them during the Nazi and communist eras.
'Atrophied' Navy insufficient to enforce no-fly zone
"We literally don't have the forces because we have allowed our Navy to atrophy," says Lippold. "We don't have the ability to fly these forces all the way from Italy down to maintain a no-fly zone effectively over Libya without incredible amounts of tanker support over the Mediterranean
DOMA will be defended, despite administration
The Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) will be defended, House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) stated last week, regardless of the action taken by the Obama administration, which announced it would no longer defend the statute. ADF attorney Jim Campbell explains the legal steps expected.
Strong quake hits eastern Japan, Tokyo buildings shake
A 6.0 magnitude quake hit eastern Japan on Wednesday, NHK said, and buildings shook in the capital, Tokyo.
Uruguay Recognizes PA as Sovereign Nation, France Defers
Foreign Minister Luis Almagro said in a statement that Uruguay communicated its intent to the Palestinian Authority. However, there was no indication as to whether Uruguay would recognize specific borders for the entity.
Report: Turkey ordered landing of plane carrying Iran arms to Syria
Turkey ordered a cargo plane carrying arms from Iran to Syria to land at a Turkish airport on Wednesday, the Istanbul-based Dogan News Agency reported. The plane was allegedly carrying weapons connected to Iran's nuclear program, Dogan reported. The plane landed in the city of Diyarbakir on Wednesday.
Young Leaders of Egypt's Revolt Snub Clinton in Cairo
A coalition of six youth groups that emerged from Egypt’s revolution last month has refused to meet with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who arrived in Cairo earlier today, in protest of the United States’ strong support for former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak who was ousted by the uprising. “There was an invitation for members of the coalition to meet Secretary of State Hillary Clinton but based on her negative position from the beginning of the revolution and the position of the US administration in the Middle East, we reject this invitation,” the January 25 Revolution Youth Coalition said in a statement posted on its Facebook page.
Surgeon General: Buying Iodide a "Precaution"
The fear that a nuclear cloud could float from the shores of Japan to the shores of California has some people making a run on iodine tablets. Pharmacists across California report being flooded with requests. State and county officials spent much of Tuesday trying to keep people calm by saying that getting the pills wasn't necessary, but then the United States surgeon general supported the idea as a worthy "precaution."
Japan prepares to restart work at nuclear plant
Japan ordered emergency workers to withdraw from its stricken nuclear complex Wednesday amid a surge in radiation, temporarily suspending efforts to cool the overheating reactors. Hours later, officials said they were preparing to send the team back in. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano said the workers, who had been dousing the reactors with seawater in a frantic effort to stabilize their temperatures, had no choice but to pull back from the most dangerous areas.
Egypt dissolves notorious internal security agency
Egypt's Interior Minister Mansour al-Issawi has dissolved its internal security agency, which had been blamed for decades of human rights abuses. The State Security Investigation Service (SSIS) will be replaced with a new "National Security Force". The new agency would be tasked with "protecting the domestic front and combating terrorism", Mr Issawi said.
Mid-East unrest: Syrian protests in Damascus and Aleppo
Hundreds of Syrians have staged a rare protest in the capital, Damascus, calling for democratic reforms and the release of all political prisoners. Six protesters were reportedly detained by the security forces, a witness told the BBC Arabic Service. The AP news agency said government supporters later broke up the rally by punching and attacking the protesters.
Portugal hit by debt downgrade from ratings agency
Moody's has downgraded Portugal's sovereign debt rating, citing the country's need to cut debt and its poor growth prospects. The ratings agency cut Portugal by two notches from A1 to A3 and kept the rating on a negative outlook, suggesting more downgrades may follow.
Japanese emperor 'deeply worried'
Japan's Emperor Akihito has said he is "deeply worried" about the crisis his country is facing following last Friday's earthquake and tsunami. In an extremely rare appearance, Akihito went on live TV to make his first public comments on the disaster, and said he was praying for the people. The emperor spoke after technicians were forced to temporarily abandon a quake-crippled nuclear plant.
Haiti cholera 'far worse than expected', experts fear
The cholera epidemic affecting Haiti looks set to be far worse than officials had thought, experts fear. Rather than affecting a predicted 400,000 people, the diarrhoeal disease could strike nearly twice as many as this, latest estimates suggest. Aid efforts will need ramping up, US researchers told The Lancet journal.
EU climate chief hails Chinese five-year plan
Europe's top climate official has welcomed a series of environmental measures in China's latest five-year plan, a document that also charts rapid nuclear energy expansion in the earthquake-prone country. A greater emphasis on energy efficiency and clean energies, together with plans to gradually implement a carbon-market mechanism, were among the positive elements singled out by EU climate commissioner Connie Hedegaard on Tuesday (15 March).
EU to 'stress test' its nuclear energy plants
EU member states have agreed to a series of Europe-wide 'stress tests' on the region's nuclear power plants, EU energy commissioner Gunther Oettinger has said. The decision was taken at a meeting of member state, industry and national regulatory officials in Brussels on Tuesday (15 March), hastily convened by the German commissioner following events in Japan.
Analysis: Israel’s shadow war against Iran
Israel waged war against Iran on Tuesday. No Iranians were present and not a single shot was fired, but make no mistake – the seizure of the Victoria cargo ship is part of Israel’s battle against Iran, one that is fought in the shadows and sometimes in the most unlikely places. When the commandos from the navy’s Flotilla 13 approached the ship under cover of darkness late Monday night, they still did not know what to expect.
The Last Generation Network News Report
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