Syrian rebels reported that a government mortar attack hit a school outside of Damascus today killing 28 students and their teacher.
Government forces have been intensifying attacks as rebels have gained ground in the eastern parts of the capital. A BBC correspondent reported that the city is essentially “under siege.” Continue reading
Officials in the Philippines have confirmed 325 people dead from Typhoon Bopha with the number expected to rise as emergency personnel reach more villages.
In addition to the dead, over 375 have been reported missing and officials estimate a number of those will be found dead. Continue reading
At least eight are dead and more than 20 injured after a 5.5 magnitude earthquake rocked eastern Iran. The epicenter of the quake was 15 miles outside the village of Zohan.
However, search and rescue teams are still en route to the damage locations and the death toll could significantly rise. Continue reading
A major earthquake rocked Japan Friday shaking buildings in Tokyo and causing a small tsunami to hit one of the areas devastated in the March 2011 tsunami that killed thousands.
The 7.3 quake struck approximately 287 miles off the coast at a depth of 22 miles. The quake caused a 3 foot high tsunami that was followed by waves of up to 2 feet. Minor injuries have been reported so far as a result of the quake. Continue reading
Typhoon Bopha’s death toll is rapidly climbing as Philipino officials start to reach areas of the country cut off by flooding and mudslides.
One small province in the eastern part of the country has reported at least 156 dead. Over 43 died in one village when a mudslide buried a school and village hall that served as a evacuation center.
The province along the coastline where the storm made landfall has reported 50 dead with many small villages still inaccessible to rescue personnel.
Governor Arturo Uy told the BBC that the storm has caused catastrophic damage to the region’s food supplies. In the areas they have been able to access, Uy estimated up to 80% of the crops were destroyed…most of them bananas marked for export. The exports bring the majority of income for the region.
The town of Cateel had more than 95% of their buildings completely destroyed by the storm.
The al-Qaeda linked Islamic terrorist group al-Shabab attacked a military base and set off a roadside bomb in the Puntland section of Somalia. At least 31 people are confirmed dead in the attack. Continue reading
An earthquake measuring 5.8 on the Richter scale shook Anchorage, Alaska and was felt for 175 miles from the epicenter according to the US Geological Survey.
The epicenter of the quake was approximately 30 miles northwest of downtown Anchorage. Despite the strength, the tsunami warning center reported no threat to the coastal areas. Continue reading
Typhoon Bopha slammed into the Philippines with wind gusts of 130 m.p.h. destroying homes, flooding towns and causing lethal mudslides.
At least 43 are dead and 25 reported injured in the village of Andap according to local news sources. A “torrent of water” rushed down a bordering mountain and swept through the town. The regional governor said some of the dead and wounded are villagers who sheltered in the village hall only to have the facility destroyed by the flood waters. Continue reading
Islamic terrorists attacked churches and Christian settlements last night in their latest assault on the people they determine are “infidels.” Continue reading
A new respiratory illness that is similar to SARS has claimed a fourth and fifth victim. The World Health Organization reported that two people have died in Jordan from the disease. The confirmed cases from Jordan make the eighth and ninth confirmed cases worldwide and the first ones outside of Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Continue reading