18 Mar 11
Alert level at Indonesia volcano raised to highest
Indonesia has raised the alert level at one of its most active volcanos to the highest after it repeatedly sent hot clouds of gas down its slopes. Volcanology hazard mitigation chief Surono says authorities have been ordered to evacuate people living along Mount Karangetang's slopes. He says the 5,853-foot (1,784-meter) mountain on Siau, part of the Sulawesi island chain, spewed hot clouds of gas at least seven times Friday. There were no reports of injuries or damage.
Libya declares ceasefire after UN resolution
Libya declared a ceasefire in the country to protect civilians and comply with a United Nations resolution passed overnight, Libyan FM Moussa Koussa said on Friday. "We decided on an immediate ceasefire and on an immediate stop to all military operations," he told reporters. "Libya takes great interest in protecting civilians," --he said the country would also protect all foreigners and foreign assets in Libya.
More than 30 protesters killed by Yemeni forces
The Associated Press quotes Yemen doctors as saying at least 31 people have been killled by police shooting at anti-government protesters. Update at 8:35 a.m. ET: The New York Times, which intially put the death toll as at least 10, reports that government supporters in plain clothes fired down on the demonstration from rooftops and windows almost immediately after the protesters rose from their noon prayers.
Russia sets aside RUB 20 trillion for new arms
Russia will allocate an unprecedented almost 20 trillion roubles for its new State Armaments Programme, says Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. He was speaking during a full-scale meeting of the Defence Ministry Board in Moscow earlier today. Medvedev stressed that state-of-the-art weapons should account for no less than 70% of total armaments by 2020.
Russia warns against military intervention in Libya
The UN Security Council has authorized a no-fly zone over Libya to finally ground Muammar Gaddafi’s air force. Five of the 15 members, including Russia, abstained during the vote on a draft resolution. The approved document permits air strikes on ground targets, such as Libyan tanks, heavy artillery and infantry troops. Initial air raids on their positions may be carried out as early as Friday, March 18th. Moscow fears that this will prompt a large-scale military intervention
Calif. Pastor: End of the World Is Near, Really
"Yes, we have heard this message before but over the years, certain things have happened that have immense prophetic significance," he said. He listed the dramatic escalation of global wars and terrorism, the push for unity or globalism, the change in world economics toward a cashless society, the unprecedented increase of killer earthquakes, and false teaching permeating the church.
'Gunrunner' escapade to be reviewed by Congress
Issa made the statement in a live broadcast interview with talk-radio host Roger Hedgecock. The case centers on allegations of a flow of guns into Mexico orchestrated by the federal agency, including a weapon that later was used to kill a U.S. Border Patrol agent.
Wycliffe: Final Bible translations in process
When translations of God's Word began nearly 70 years ago, almost 500 languages in the Western hemisphere had no writing, grammar, or dictionary, let alone a Bible translation. Today, more than 450 of those language development and scripture-translation projects are complete or under way, leaving fewer than 50 scripture translations to launch.
Japan asks for US help in nuclear crisis
Japan reached out Friday to the US for help in reining in the crisis at its dangerously overheated nuclear complex, while the UN atomic energy chief called the disaster a race against the clock that demands global cooperation.
Repentance in the wake of tragedy
The founder of a Messianic Jewish ministry believes the earthquake and tsunami that devastated Japan last week is actually a "birth pang" for what the Bible says will grow more frequent and more intense in the very last days.
Scientists Build Tool to Spot Ancient Earthquakes
“We've expanded the window of observation beyond 100 years, to create, if you will, a 'fossil seismograph,'” Marco said, but added the tool is only relevant in earthquake zones that intersect with bodies of water such as lakes or the sea.
Egypt's New Rulers Friendly with Assad
Egypt's temporary military rulers sent a delegation to Syria on Thursday to meet with President Bashar al-Assad. Egyptian General Murad Mohammed Muafi and Assad agreed to boost cooperation between the two countries, according to Syria's SANA news agency.
Activists call on Syrians to attend Friday protests
Several dozen people were arrested in Syria during anti-government protests this week, but it appears that the civil unrest sweeping through the Arab world has yet to reach significant levels there. However, on Thursday activists used online social networks to declare Friday as a "day of honor" against President Bashar Assad's regime. "Let us all – men and women – hold non-violent demonstrations after (Friday) prayers and demand our human rights," read one of the messages posted online.
Report: U.S. considering strategic outreach to Hezbollah
The administration of U.S. President Barack Obama is considering reaching out to the political elements in Hezbollah, the Washington Post reported on Friday, stressing that the at this stage it was an intelligence effort, not a policymaking one. In an opinion piece appearing on the newspaper's online edition, columnist David Ignatius indicated that Washington was considering an effort similar to the one the U.K, implemented "during the 1990s with Sinn Fein, the legal political wing of the terrorist Irish Republican Army."
US Cost of Living Hits Record, Passing Pre-Crisis High
One would think that after the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression, Americans could at least catch a break for a while with deflationary forces keeping the cost of living relatively low. That’s not the case. A special index created by the Labor Department to measure the actual cost of living for Americans hit a record high in February, according to data released Thursday, surpassing the old high in July 2008.
Tokyo Passengers Trigger U.S. Airport Detectors, N.Y. Post Says
Radiation detectors at Dallas-Fort Worth and Chicago O’Hare airports were triggered when passengers from flights that started in Tokyo passed through customs, the New York Post reported. Tests at Dallas-Fort Worth indicated low radiation levels in travelers’ luggage and in the aircraft’s cabin filtration system; no passengers were quarantined, the newspaper said.
Gaddafi Warns Of 'No Mercy' In Rebel City
Colonel Muammar Gaddafi has warned Libyan rebels in their stronghold of Benghazi that his forces are coming and there will be no mercy for those who put up a fight. But the head of the rebel council, based in the country's second city, said the opposition would stand firm and would not be deterred by the dictator's threats.
G7 countries agree on intervention to control yen rise
Finance ministers from the G7 group of the world's richest nations have agreed to step into currency markets in a bid to control volatility in Japan's yen. It is first time since 2000 that G7 countries have jointly intervened in currency markets. Earlier this week, the yen hit its highest level since World War II against the US dollar, adding to fears over Japan's recovery.
Pakistan army chief Kayani in US drone outburst
Pakistan's army chief has condemned the latest raid by US unmanned drones as "intolerable and unjustified". In a strongly worded statement, Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani said the attack, which killed about 40 people, was "in complete violation of human rights". Most of the victims were believed to be civilians attending a tribal meeting near North Waziristan's regional capital, Miranshah.
US Senate passes three-week government budget bill
The US Senate has passed a fresh stop-gap bill that will fund the US government for three more weeks, and avoid a shut-down while lawmakers work out a deal on the main federal budget. The bill slashes $6bn (£3.71bn) from government spending in that period. The US government would have run out of money on Friday had it not passed.
UN clears France and UK to strike Gaddafi
The UN Security Council has given France and the UK a broad mandate for military strikes against Colonel Gaddafi despite German warnings of "great risks" and a "protracted conflict." UN ambassadors approved Resolution 1973 late on Thursday (17 March) in New York by 10 votes in favour and five abstentions, by Germany, Brazil, China, India and Russia.
'Democracy and political Islam can’t coexist'
President of US Islamic Forum for Democracy tells ‘Post’ American Islamic groups refuse to engage on "separation of mosque and state." Zuhdi Jasser is a respected Arizona-based doctor of internal medicine and nuclear cardiology, formerly a lieutenant-commander in the US Navy and attending physician to the US Congress. As founder and president of the American Islamic Forum for Democracy, he is also one of the most controversial Muslims in the United States.
Ahmadinejad: The US is pleased with Mideast unrest
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said that the United States is "pleased" with the crises faced by Middle Eastern states, in a meeting with Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem in Tehran on Thursday, PressTV reported. Ahmadinejad warned Middle Eastern states against schemes by "enemies of humanity," referring to the United States and "the colonial powers," according to the report.
IAEA: Japan raises incident level at nuclear site
Japan has raised the incident level at a disaster-hit nuclear power reactor, the UN nuclear watchdog reported on a monitoring website on Friday. The entry gave the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi site a level 5 rating, up from level 4 previously on a 1-7 scale. That would suggest a level of seriousness on par with the Three Mile Island accident in the United States in 1979.
