California water infrastructure on verge of historic collapse

Writing for The Washington Post (WP), journalist Joby Warrick draws attention to what many scientists say is an unprecedented collapse of California’s vast water infrastructure, which is marked by an elaborate system of canals, reservoirs and wells that transfer water from the mountains and other areas to the Central Valley. Altogether, the state contains some 27 million acres of cropland. This system is now failing, say experts, and the consequences will more than likely be unparalleled in California’s history.

UK ‘Deplores’ Israel Declaring State Land in Judea

The British government on Monday said it “deplores” an announcement made by Israel on Sunday, in which the Jewish state declared 4,000 dunams (988 acres) of land in Judea as state land. “The UK deplores the Israeli government’s expropriation of 988 acres of land around the settlement of Etzion,” British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said in a statement. Hammond further threatened “this is a particularly ill-judged decision that comes at a time when the priority must be to build on the ceasefire in Gaza.

Here’s How Palestinian Children Celebrated Hamas’ Summer of Rocket Attacks on Israel

Children dressed as Hamas militants and armed with mock weapons were among the Palestinians celebrating what they described as Hamas’ “victory of the resistance” over Israel after seven weeks of violence and bloodshed. While the mainstream media neglected to publish photos of Hamas fighters as they launched more than 4,480 rockets at Israel in July and August, there are nevertheless news service photos of children in Gaza and the West Bank cities decked out in full Hamas regalia, celebrating the group classified by the U.S.

Ebola outbreak: West Africa food harvests ‘at risk’

The Ebola outbreak is putting food harvests in West Africa “at serious risk”, the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) warns. It has raised a special alert for Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea, the three countries worst affected. Rice and maize production will be particularly affected during the coming harvest season, says the FAO.

Saudis risk new Muslim division with proposal to move Mohammed’s tomb

One of Islam’s most revered holy sites – the tomb of the Prophet Mohammed – could be destroyed and his body removed to an anonymous grave under plans which threaten to spark discord across the Muslim world. The controversial proposals are part of a consultation document by a leading Saudi academic which has been circulated among the supervisors of al-Masjid al-Nabawi mosque in Medina, where the remains of the Prophet are housed under the Green Dome, visited by millions of pilgrims and venerated as Islam’s second-holiest site. The formal custodian of the mosque is Saudi Arabia’s aging monarch King Abdullah.

NATO Spokesperson Says ‘Unaware’ of NATO Officers in Ukraine’s Mariupol

NATO spokeswoman Oana Lungescu said Monday that she was unaware of possible presence of NATO officers in the southern Ukrainian city of Mariupol. “On this particular issue I can say that I’m not aware of any NATO officers in Mariupol,” she said. Earlier today, Donetsk People’s Republic representatives said that a group of six NATO officers has been blocked in the town of Mariupol in Donetsk region.

Scientists Claim That ‘Artificial Human Farms’ Could Replace Animal Testing In Three Years

Artificial humans are set to replace the controversial technique of animal testing, scientists have claimed. The micro-chipped human machines due to be available in three years time will remove the need for experiments that claim the lives of up to 90 million animals each year, according to the Sunday Times. Artificial organs such as lungs, liver, and kidneys are already being used to test cosmetics, chemicals and drugs.

Chaotic scene as an infected Ebola patient wanders into a Monrovia market to look for food

Video has emerged of Liberian ebola clinic workers dressed in contamination suits chasing an escaped patient through the streets after he left a treatment centre to visit a market. There were chaotic scenes as crowds followed infected man, who was wearing a wristband to show he had tested positive for the disease, and some stallholders argued with him as he approached. The patient escaped from Monrovia’s Elwa hospital, which last month was so crowded with cases of the deadly disease that it had to turn people away.

Are Your Dental Products Actually Destroying Your Teeth?

Today, it’s not difficult to take care of your teeth and maintain a gorgeous smile. You can find numerous dental-care products on the market that promise to control tartar, kill germs, control the formation of cavities, and promise sparkling white teeth for all. However, are you aware of the fact that there are a few ingredients included in your teeth whiteners, toothpastes and mouthwash that can be more harmful rather that advantageous to your teeth?

3 Indiana churches vandalized by jihadist graffiti

Columbus Police said they’ve never had anything like it – three churches vandalized in the same night. Someone spray painted them on the outside. It’s the words used, though, that have some people asking if this was more than a prank.

CDC Director: Ebola Outbreak ‘Is Spiraling Out Of Control’

The director for the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention says that the Ebola outbreak is going to get worse. Speaking to “CBS This Morning” following his trip to the West African countries dealing with the outbreak, Dr. Tom Frieden explained that they have to act now to try to get Ebola under control.

Islamic State vows to reach ‘Palestine’ and ‘Kill the Barbaric Jews’

The organization calling itself the Islamic State has risen from the fog of war in Syria and Iraq in recent months and drawn the attention of the world with major victories on both sides of the Euphrates River that have claimed swaths of territory for its declared caliphate, or Islamic State. Now in the organization’s new English language publication, Dabiq, aimed at young Muslims in western states, the extremist organization declared, “Islamic State will do everything within its means to continue striking down every apostate who stands as an obstacle on its path towards Palestine.” Denouncing the ineffectiveness of other Arab states and organizations in carrying out the “will of Allah,” the magazine vows that, “Its [Islamic State’s] actions speak louder than its words and it is only a matter of time and patience before it reaches Palestine to fight the barbaric Jews and kill those of them hiding behind the gharqad trees – the trees of the jews.

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