US women beat Germany to advance to final in World Cup

The US women's soccer team beat the Germans in a World Cup semifinal 2-0 match to advance to the final against either England or Japan on Sunday.

President outlines plan to increase overtime pay for salaried workers

President Obama outlined a plan he and his staff have been working on in an article on the Huffington Post, to increase pay for salaried workers in the U.S. which he says will positively impact approximately five million salaried workers across the country. It will cover all salaried employees making up to $50,400 a year. He added that "a hard day's work deserves a fair day's pay."

Greece financial crisis having worldwide impact

Greece's inability to repay its debts on time is having a worldwide impact: Greek banks have closed and its stock market has been shut down, oil prices worldwide fell on the news and the Euro dropped sharply in value over night. Because of the continued uncertainty, economists are predicting more fallout, though there is little agreement on what that might entail.

Explosion at water park concert in Taiwan injures over 500 people

An explosion caused by the ignition of a "white powder" near the stage during an ongoing concert in Taipei, Taiwan has injured over 500 people with almost 200 of them suffering burns significant enough to need care at local hospitals. It is not known if the blast was intentional.

Historic week for United States

This past week has been by virtually any standard one of the most historic weeks ever for people in the US--the Supreme Court made gay marriage legal everywhere, Obamacare overcame perhaps its last hurdle and race relations took on a surprising new tone in the aftermath of a church shooting as the Confederate Flag--once a symbol of southern pride, is now being taken down and put away--a signal that people in the US are finally ready to face racism head-on, in a positive way.

President wins trade legislation

President Obama was handed a major victory yesterday as lawmakers passed legislation that will give him more flexibility in trade negotiations with other countries. The legislation was opposed by many in his own party but was overcome by strong Republican support.

NATO to triple size of response force in Europe

NATO officials announced yesterday that its force size in Europe will be tripled in size to 40,000 troops to meet the challenge of Russia's announcement of increases in its force size.

WikiLeaks claims NSA spied on French Presidents

WikiLeaks released a press announcement yesterday in which they claim that the NSA hacked into communications between French Presidents, Hollande, Sarkozy and Chirac over the years 2006 to 2012--they claim to have obtained top secret documents that prove US agents were listening in on phone conversations and perhaps other communication channels.

Tornados derecho strike midwest

Strong storms struck the Midwest yesterday spawning tornadoes and derechos in Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin and Michigan causing extensive damage to property and farmland.

White House showing signs of bypassing Congress on gun control

Despite President Obama's words after the Charleston shootings suggesting that gun control is not possible in this country, there are signs his administration is looking to use the powers he possesses to impose restrictions on the sale of guns across the country.

Russia offers to give Greece bailout

Russian President Vladimir Putin told Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras that he was ready to offer emergency aid to the country as part of an oil line package deal. The move could help Greece avoid bankruptcy and possible expulsion from the European Union.

Noted microbiologist claims human race will go extinct in a hundred years

Noted microbiologist Frank Fenner is publicly predicting that the human race will cease to exist over the next hundred years due to climate change, dwindling resources and overcrowding. Fenner was one of the principle leaders in the eradication of smallpox and has been issuing warnings before, but until none quite this dour. He believes the critical point of possible survival by making adjustments has been passed.

Woman to be put on $10 bill

The Treasury Department announced yesterday that a women will be put on the $10 bill starting in 2020. It has not been decided yet, which woman that will be.

Fed set to raise interest rate

Federal Reserve Chairman Janet Yellen hinted yesterday that the Fed is likely to raise interest rates for the first time in a decade, suggesting the U.S. economy is finally strong enough to withstand such a move.

House and Senate meet to discuss possible healthcare outcomes

Top House and Senate leaders have set up meetings with other lawmakers to discuss options should the Supreme Court decide that federal subsidies under Obamacare are illegal. Possibilities include drawing up legislative acts that would provide replacement funds in another form.

US industrial production down last month

Industrial production in the US was down 0.2 percent last month due mostly to a drop in mining and manufacturing, though that was an improvement over the 0.5 drop in April. Much of the drop has been blamed on a strong dollar.

Talks between Greece and EU leaders fail

A meeting between EU creditors and Greek officials ended with no agreement in sight leading to speculation that Greece will not be able to make its payment due this Friday, which could perhaps lead to its expulsion from the EU. If that occurs, it could hurt the reputation of the alliance and possibly cause others to question its resolve.

US to house heavy military equipment in Europe

An anonymous high ranking government official has told reporters that the U.S. military has plans to house a large amount of military equipment at various bases around Europe. Such equipment would include tanks, rocket launchers, etc. The move is expected to serve as a warning to Russia against further incursions into other countries in Western Europe.

Cyber security bill derailed by add-ons

Legislation meant to strengthen protections against cyber attacks was  thwarted yesterday as the Senate voted against the bill because of resolutions that had been added such as using a special war fund to allow the Department of Defense to avoid mandatory spending caps.

President sends more trroops to Iraq to fight IS

President Obama has ordered 450 more troops to Iraq to advise and assist Iraqi soldiers battling the Islamic State. Those troops will join the 3,100 are already there--the plan is to help the Iraqis take back territory lost to IS.

MERS cases in South Korea rise to 108

The number of people who have contracted the MERS virus in South Korea has climbed to 108 cases after 13 more infections were reported. The deadly disease has sparked widespread closings in the country and has led to President Park Geun-hye postponing  a visit to the U.S. to deal with the crises.

Computer, phone extortion attacks doubled last quarter

A type of virus that can attack both computers and smartphones/tablets has doubled in the number of users struck over just the past three months according to security software maker McAfee Labs. The virus prevents users from accessing their own data until the user pays some amount of money to the hackers who created it.

Passage of surveillance bill allows for ratification of nuclear treaties

The passage of the government surveillance bill last week has opened the door to ratification of two little known treaties meant to make it more difficult for terrorists to obtain nuclear weapons. Wording in the bill which was signed by President Obama permits the U.S. to formerly endorse two treaties: the International Convention for the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism and the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material.

American Pharoah wins Belmont and Triple Crown/ SerenaWilliams wins French Open

American Pharoah won the third leg of the Triple Crown yesterday a feat not achieved for 37 years. Also, Serena Williams won the title at the French Open, marking her 20th Grand Slam title.

OPEC members agree to keep oil pumping despite glut

Members of OPEC met yesterday and agreed to continue with unrestricted output for at least the next six months, despite an oil glut that is keeping prices down. Coming into the meeting some had called for restraint to push prices up. The move is expected to help hold down prices of gasoline at the pump.

FDA recommends approval of female Viagra

Experts with the US Food and Drug Agency yesterday gave a recommendation that the pill known as flibanserin be approved, barring any unforeseen health problems. The drug, which is supposed to increase the libido in women who take it, will still have to pass formal approval before it can be sold publicly.

Homeland Security says China hacked into federal computers

Officials with the Department of Homeland Security claimed yesterday that they believe hackers working for the Chinese government broke into computers used in a government personnel office, making off with private information about four million government workers.

EPA says fracking not impacting drinking water

The US Environmental Protection Agency announced the results of a four year study yesterday part of which was a proclamation that fracking does not have a broad impact on the quality of drinking water in this country. Though the agency noted that the potential exists for pollution problems in the future.

Study shows men outnumber women 2 to 1 in presenting the news

A new study commissioned by the Women's Media Center has found that men outnumber women in bringing news to the public by a margin of 2-to-1, which includes, broadcasting, printed stories and producer credit.

G-7 to meet this weekend

A G-7 summit meeting will take place this weekend in Germany-President Obama will be there along with other western leaders. The main focus is expected to be on Russia and the war in Ukraine.

LA to vote on increasing minimum wage to $15/hour

The Los Angeles City Council is set to vote today on whether to endorse a minimum pay hike to $15 per hour. If approved the hike would apply to all workers in the city and would take effect in 2020.

Boat in China with 458 aboard capsizes massive rescue effort underway

A passenger boat on a river in China carrying 458 people has capsized, turning completely upside down making it extremely difficult for rescue workers to save them. To date, five bodies have been recovered and only about a dozen people have been rescued. Most are believed to be alive still and those on site report they can hear people yelling for help.