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Luis Miguel 1162 61587 Lima	RE: ARE WE NOW IN THE END TIMES? 6/30/2018 10:50:05 AM
	Petty Officer 3rd Class Tom Atkeson / U.S. Coast Guard / MCT via Getty Images CLIMATE DESK Deepwater Horizon disaster altered building blocks of ocean life By Oliver Milman on Jun 28, 2018 This story was originally published by the Guardian and is reproduced here as part of theClimate Desk collaboration. The 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster may have had a lasting impact upon even the smallest organisms in the Gulf of Mexico, scientists have found — amid warnings that the oceans around America are also under fresh assault as a result of environmental policies under Donald Trump. Lingering oil residues have altered the basic building blocks of life in the ocean by reducing biodiversity in sites closest to the spill, which occurred when a BP drilling rig exploded in April 2010, killing 11 workers and spewing about 4 million barrels of oil into the Gulf. Researchers took sediment samples in 2014 from shipwrecks scattered up to 150 km (93 miles) from the spill site to study how microbial communities on the wrecks have changed. On two shipwrecks close to the source of the outpouring of oil — a German U-Boat and a wooden 19th-century sailing vessel — scientists saw a visible oil residue. “At the sites closest to the spill, biodiversity was flattened,” said Leila Hamdan, a microbial ecologist at the University of Southern Mississippi and lead author of thestudy. “There were fewer types of microbes. This is a cold, dark environment and anything you put down there will be longer lasting than oil on a beach in Florida. It’s premature to imagine that all the effects of the spill are over and remediated.” The BP oil disaster fouled more than 1,300 miles of coastline, caking seabirds and killing sea creatures and other wildlife, leading to huge financial losses for the tourism and fishing industries. But Hamdan said the oil’s impact on microbes, each measuring just a fraction of a millimeter, could prove even more significant given their foundational role at the base of the ocean food chain. “We rely heavily on the ocean and we could be looking at potential effects to the food supply down the road,” she said. “Deep sea microbes regulate carbon in the atmosphere and recycle nutrients. I’m concerned there will be larger consequences from this sort of event.” The findings, published on Thursday, come as the Trump administration dismantles ocean conservation measures put in place by former President Obama in the wake of the Deepwater Horizon calamity. Last week, Trump issued an executive order that essentially revoked an Obamadirective that established the National Ocean Council to “ensure the protection, maintenance and restoration” of the oceans and the Great Lakes. Trump’s order, which does not mention the Deepwater Horizon spill, hands more responsibility to the states for drilling safety and frames environmental protections as a potential barrier to industries that “enhance America’s energy security.” The president said he was “rolling back excessive bureaucracy created by the previous administration” with his order. Congressional Republicans and industry groups cheered the move, which follows Trump’s sweeping expansion of offshore areas, including the Arctic, available for drilling. Jack Belcher, managing director of the pro-industry National Ocean Policy Coalition, said Trump’s order removes “a significant cloud of uncertainty” for businesses. But conservationists are appalled. Christy Goldfuss, a former environmental adviser to Obama, said Trump is waging an “all-out war on America’s oceans.” “Trump is trying to wash his hands of responsibility for the real and urgent threats facing America’s coastal communities — namely, the impacts of climate change,” said Goldfuss, who is now a senior vice-president at the Center for American Progress. “In the absence of a president who is willing to lead, it is now more important than ever that coastal governors, tribal leaders, state legislatures, and local communities take up the mantle of leadership and work together to defend and restore the health of America’s oceans.” (GRIST)
	"Choose a job you love and you will not have to work a day in your life" (Confucius)
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Luis Miguel 1162 61587 Lima	RE: ARE WE NOW IN THE END TIMES? 6/30/2018 4:23:27 PM
	Over 200 000 without power as severe thunderstorms hit parts of US Posted by TW on June 29, 2018 More than 200 000 homes and businesses were left without power after severe thunderstorms swept through parts of the United States on Thursday, June 28, 2018. One man was killed in a storm-related accident in Lineville, Alabama. Strong winds and heavy rain affected areas from mid-Mississippi Valley to the Gulf Coast on Thursday, downing trees and power lines and leaving over 200 000 people without power. As of 13:00 UTC on June 29, more than 56 000 customers were still without power in Alabama, 42 000 in Illinois, 24 000 in Missouri, 13 000 in Minnesota and 9 600 in Oregon, according to PowerOutage.us. Almost all of Thursday's outages were in Alabama where a 70-year-old woman from Huntsville was struck by lightning. State emergency officials confirm that they transported her to the Huntsville Hospital Trauma Unit. Witnesses say a seawall is being constructed in the neighborhood, adding that the victim was outside to inspect the project and standing under a tree. A construction worker said they saw lightning strike the house, bounce off and hit the tree, before striking the victim. Five people have been struck and killed by lightning by June 20 in the United States, with all five of the deaths occurring in the South. This is one more than this time last year, a year that ended up setting an all-time record low for lightning deaths in recorded history, AccuWeather meteorologists said. A 29-year-old man was killed in a storm-related accident in Lineville, Alabama on Thursday afternoon when the car he was driving collided with a fallen tree. A very brief yet strong EF-1 tornado with estimated peak winds of 177 km/h (110 mph) was reported in Hickman County, Tennessee. The tornado formed at the apex of the bowing segment that moved through much of western middle Tennessee midday on Thursday. This brief tornado began on buck branch road knocking down several trees and breaking several large limbs, NWS office in Nashville said. In addition, roof damage occurred to a home on this road with several outbuildings getting destroyed. As the tornado moved southeast, two homes were struck on Mobley Ridge Road. One house was completely destroyed as the foundation shifted 2.4 - 3 m (8 - 10 feet) southeast with the majority of the house falling into the basement. Unfortunately, the house was only metal strapped (and not nailed or bolted/screwed) in a few places to the outer wall. One house occupant survived without injury while trying to get in the shelter. The home next door sustained roof damage along with a garage and outbuilding getting destroyed. Eyewitness account stated he saw a skinny rope like tornado touch down in this area. Several more trees were uprooted or had the tops snapped off in this area as well. The tornado continued southeast and weakened before knocking more trees down on Dunlap Road. Bree Smith ✔@NC5_BreeSmith This house was destroyed as storms blew through Hickman County today- @NWSNashville is currently surveying the damage. #tnwx @nc5 5:05 PM - Jun 28, 2018 5 See Bree Smith's other Tweets Twitter Ads info and privacy View image on Twitter Josh Emerson@JoshEmersonWX View from the Mobile Bayway tonight as a line of thunderstorms approaches. #ALwx @spann @NWSMobile 8:46 PM - Jun 28, 2018 1 See Josh Emerson's other Tweets Twitter Ads info and privacy Michael Davis@3111davi @spann @NWSMobile #ALWX #oba #mesoscalelinearconvective @Susie_in2arts #Helicopter getting out of dodge 8:44 PM - Jun 28, 2018 1 See Michael Davis's other Tweets Twitter Ads info and privacy View image on Twitter Kaitlin Wright@wxkaitlin Incredible capture of a shelf cloud that rolled through #NWFL Thursday evening. This was taken on Pensacola Beach by Sean Rogan! #flwx #alwx @StormHour 5:27 AM - Jun 29, 2018 558 169 people are talking about this Twitter Ads info and privacy NWS Memphis ✔@NWSMemphis Here's a look at this evening's complex of storms from roughly 22,000 miles above the earth. This is the GOES 16 IR loop showing the cold cloud tops associated with the strong storm updrafts. 11:10 PM - Jun 28, 2018 142 76 people are talking about this Twitter Ads info and privacy View image on Twitter Craig Williams@CraigWilliamsPR Fallen tree at Avondale Park following yesterday’s storms. @spann #alwx 7:35 AM - Jun 29, 2018 7 See Craig Williams's other Tweets Twitter Ads info and privacy #WVTM13 ✔@WVTM13 "Every day when I come open my basement this is in my mind: He died right here in my yard." Victim's girlfriend, neighbors remember man killed in storm-related crash in Lineville, Alabama Thursday #alwx #WVTM13 @ErinWVTM13 http://bit.ly/2KtPb8J 3:03 AM - Jun 29, 2018 See #WVTM13's other Tweets Twitter Ads info and privacy NBC 15 ✔@mynbc15 A large & ominous looking shelf cloud arriving over Daphne at Jubilee Square around 8 PM #alwx http://mynbc15.com/weather 8:35 PM - Jun 28, 2018 4 See NBC 15's other Tweets Twitter Ads info and privacy Severe thunderstorms and flash flooding is possible from the Upper Mississippi Valley to the Central Plains Friday and Saturday, June 29 and 30, the National Weather Service warns. Showers and thunderstorms will continue to develop today near a surface low and along an attendant cold front as it pushes eastward through the north-central U.S. and into the upper Midwest by this weekend. Some of the storms may contain severe weather and heavy to excessive rainfall, given plenty of moisture and instability present along the cold front. The Storm Prediction Center has highlighted areas from the upper Mississippi Valley to the northern/central Plains on Friday within a slight risk for severe thunderstorms, with the slight risk area shifting eastward into parts of the upper Midwest/middle Mississippi Valley on Saturday. Most of these storms should be fairly progressive, but heavy rainfall within some storms may be enough to produce isolated flash flooding, particularly across portions of the upper Midwest on Saturday. Accordingly, WPC has placed this region within a slight risk for excessive rainfall/flash flooding. Featured image credit: NASA/GOES-East. Acquired 21:30 UTC, June 28, 2018. (THE WATCHER)
	"Choose a job you love and you will not have to work a day in your life" (Confucius)
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Luis Miguel 1162 61587 Lima	RE: ARE WE NOW IN THE END TIMES? 6/30/2018 4:39:01 PM
	‘We’re not colonialists & don’t cause chaos’: Xi tells Mattis China won’t concede an inch of land Published time: 28 Jun, 2018 00:11 Edited time: 28 Jun, 2018 12:33 Defense Secretary Mattis during a welcome ceremony in Beijing © Mark Schiefelbein / pool via Reuters Beijing has no colonial ambitions but will never shy away from defending every inch of its territory, President Xi Jinping told US Defense Secretary James Mattis, amid growing tensions over the South China Sea and Taiwan. “Regarding the issue of China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, our attitude is firm and clear. The territory left behind by our ancestors must not be lost. We do not want to share anything with others,” Xi told Mattis in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Washington’s “patrols” of the strategic chain of reefs and small islands in the South China Sea, under the “freedom of navigation” pretext, have repeatedly made Beijing wary of American intentions in the region. During the meeting, Mattis made clear that Washington is adamant in its policies. Read more ‘Serious violation’: China fumes as US opens new $256 million ‘de facto embassy’ in Taiwan “We have a disagreement and I think the secretary was effective in saying these are long-standing principles,” Randall Shriver, assistant defense secretary for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs and who took part in in the meeting, was quoted as saying by Washington Free Beacon. While the US seeks opportunities to increasingly project its power and ‘defend’ its allies in the region against what it views as China’s militarization of its periphery, Xi noted that Beijing has no history of causing chaos across the globe. “We will not take the path of expansionism and colonialism and will not cause chaos to the world,” Xi reassured Mattis. “The broad Pacific Ocean can accommodate China and the United States and other countries. China and the United States should promote the development of bilateral relations on the principle of mutual respect and win-win cooperation.” Symbolically renamed as the US Indo-Pacific Command last month to better reflect American focus in the region, it is the largest of five geographic combatant commands, has about 375,000 civilian and military personnel who are tasked with exerting US military might over roughly 52 percent of the Earth’s surface. In addition to the South China Sea, US presence in the region also undermines Beijing’s interests in Taiwan and East China Sea, which Washington aims to retain in its sphere of influence. The issue of maintaining the ‘One-China Policy’ is of key importance to Beijing. Yet Washington National Defense Authorization Act for 2019 promotes strengthening “defense and security cooperation with Taiwan,” including weapons sales for the island to maintain a sufficient self-defense capability. ‘I’ll do a lot of listening there’: Mattis becomes 1st Pentagon chief to visit China in 4 years Despite disagreements, Xi expressed hope that the Chinese and US militaries could maintain and build mutual trust. “Strengthening the exchanges and mechanisms at all levels of the two armed forces will help eliminate skepticism and prevent misunderstandings and miscalculations and accidents,” he said. ‘Here to stay’? US B-52 bombers fly near disputed South China Sea islands Meanwhile Chinese Defense minister General Wei Fenghe, who also had a meeting with Mattis, warned his American counterpart that in any case Chinese military would “firmly defend national sovereignty, security and developmental interest”. (RT)
	"Choose a job you love and you will not have to work a day in your life" (Confucius)
	+1

Luis Miguel 1162 61587 Lima	RE: ARE WE NOW IN THE END TIMES? 6/30/2018 4:50:08 PM
	Tusk warns EU leaders to 'prepare for the worst' in transatlantic relations Published time: 28 Jun, 2018 07:07 Edited time: 29 Jun, 2018 09:35 © EMMANUEL DUNAND / AFP EU leaders must be prepared for a "worst case scenario" in transatlantic relations, Donald Tusk has warned ahead of the European Council summit, blaming the US president for failing to maintain unity with Europe. "Despite our tireless efforts to keep the unity of the West, transatlantic relations are under immense pressure due to the policies of President Trump. Unfortunately, the divisions go beyond trade," the European Council president said in an invitation letter to 28 EU leaders who are due to arrive in Brussels on Thursday for a two-day summit. Read more 'With friends like that who needs enemies’: Tusk lashes out at Trump Noting the importance of the changing geopolitical context in the world in the wake of the G7 summit in Canada, from which Trump left early after refusing to endorse the summit's communique, Tusk voiced concern over the fate of EU-US relations. "It is my belief that, while hoping for the best, we must be ready to prepare our union for worst-case scenarios," he wrote. This was not the first time that Tusk questioned the transatlantic bond. In May, he asked "With friends like that, who needs enemies?" in reference to numerous disagreements the EU countries had with the US since Trump took office. Troubles between Washington and EU began when Trump demanded that all NATO states contribute at least 2 percent of their GDP to the alliance. In addition to Trump's decision to withdraw from the Paris agreement, American unilateral withdrawal from the Iranian nuclear agreement also disappointed the European signatories. White House's recognition of Jerusalem as the Israeli capital additionally sent shockwaves across Europe. The billionaire's ‘America First’ policy also forced the administration to impose stricter tariffs against the EU. (RT)
	"Choose a job you love and you will not have to work a day in your life" (Confucius)
	+1

Luis Miguel 1162 61587 Lima	RE: ARE WE NOW IN THE END TIMES? 6/30/2018 5:20:49 PM
	Denver Ties Heat All-Time Record While People Try To Stay Cool June 28, 2018 at 5:34 pm DENVER (CBS4)– Xcel Energy says that they anticipate Thursday to be the highest-usage day of 2018. Denver broke the heat record which was previously at 99 degrees by reaching 100 degrees at 11:31 a.m. Thursday. Denver would go on to tie the all-time heat record in the city, 105 degrees, at 2:20 p.m. That ties the all-time heat record set on June 26, 2012. (credit: CBS) PHOTO GALLERY: Water World 2018 Belly Flop Contest Water World hosted it’s annual Belly Flop Contest on Thursday morning, when it had already reached 100 degrees. (credit: CBS) The belly floppers said they have been training and thinking up unique moves for the competition. “Anyone out there who wants to belly flop you definitely have to get the technique down. The closer you get to hitting the water at once the more perfect your flop is going to be,” said Belly Flop contestant Nikko Bermea. (denver.cbslocal.com)
	"Choose a job you love and you will not have to work a day in your life" (Confucius)
	+1

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