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BAGHDAD (AP) — Sunni militants from the Islamic State group on Thursday seized Iraq's largest dam, placing them in control of enormous power and water resources and access to the river that runs through the heart of Baghdad.

After a week of attempts, the radical Islamist gunmen successfully stormed the Mosul Dam and forced Kurdish forces to withdraw from the area, residents living near the dam told The Associated Press. They spoke anonymously for safety concerns.

The Islamic State group posted a statement online Thursday, confirming that they had taken control of the dam and vowed to continue "the march in all directions," adding that it will not "give up the great Caliphate project." The group added that it has seized a total of 17 cities, towns and targets — including the dam — over the past five days. The statement could not be verified but it was posted on a site frequently used by the group.

Halgurd Hekmat, a spokesman for the Peshmerga, told The Associated Press that clashes around the dam are ongoing and he does not know who is in control at this point in time.

The al-Qaida-breakaway group has established its idea of an Islamic state in the territory it controls in Iraq and Syria, imposing its harsh interpretation of Islamic law. Iraqi government forces, Kurds and allied Sunni tribal militiamen have been struggling to dislodge the Islamic State militants and its Sunni allies with little apparent success.

The Mosul Dam — or Saddam Dam as it was once known — is located north of Iraq's second-largest city Mosul, which fell to the militants on June 10. Fighting intensified in the region Sunday after the nearby towns of Zumar and Sinjar fell to the militants. It's not the only dam they are targeting.

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Iraqi civilians gather the morning after a string of car bombs tore through busy shopping streets in …

Iraq's second largest dam, the Haditha Dam in the western Anbar province, has also been at risk of takeover but remains in the hands of the Iraqi military.

The Kurdish fighters, known as the peshmerga, had initially managed to stall the militant advances, but their defense has waned in recent weeks.

The seizing of dams and reservoirs gives the militants control over water and electricity that they could use to help build support in the territory they now rule by providing the scarce resources to residents. Or they could sell the resources as a lucrative source of revenue.

There are also fears the militants could release the waters of the dam and devastate the country all the way down to the capital Baghdad, though maintaining the dam's power and water supplies will be key to their attempts to build a state.

Late Wednesday, militants overran a cluster of predominantly Christian villages alongside the country's semi-autonomous Kurdish region, sending tens of thousands of civilians and Kurdish fighters fleeing from the area, several priests in northern Iraq said Thursday. The capture of Qaraqoush, Iraq's biggest Christian village, and at least four other nearby hamlets, brings the Islamic State to the very edge of the Iraqi Kurdish territory and its regional capital, Irbil.

On Monday, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki ordered the Iraqi air force to provide aerial support to the Kurds, in a rare show of cooperation between Baghdad and the Kurdish regional government that underscored the serious nature of this crisis.

The French government on Thursday called for an emergency meeting by the United Nations Security Council to address the advances of the Islamic State militants and "the intolerable abuses committed," and asked that the international community mobilizes itself against the threat.

Even as Sunni militants have been taking control of territory in the north and west of the country, Baghdad has been increasingly targeted by car bombs, with a string of explosions killing at least 66 people in the last two days.

Iraqi officials said a suicide car bomber rammed his explosives-laden car into a police checkpoint Thursday, killing at least 15 people. A security official said nine civilians were among the dead in Thursday's attack that took place in the predominantly Shiite northern neighborhood of Kazimiyah. He added that 26 other people were wounded.

A medical official confirmed the causality figure. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity as they were not authorized to release information.

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Associated Press writer Sinan Salaheddin in Baghdad contributed to this report.

Iraqi militants seize country's largest dam

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — They were leaders of Cambodia's infamous Khmer Rouge, the fanatical communist movement behind a 1970s reign of terror that transformed this entire Southeast Asian nation into a ruthless slave state — a place where cities were emptied of their inhabitants, religion and schools were banned, and anyone deemed a threat was executed.

When the nightmare ended, in 1979, close to 2 million people were dead — a quarter of Cambodia's population at the time.

On Thursday, a U.N.-backed tribunal convicted two of the once all-powerful men who ruled during that era of crimes against humanity in the first and possibly the last verdicts to be issued against the group's aging, top members.

Although survivors welcomed the decision to impose life sentences against Khieu Samphan, an 83-year-old former head of state, and Nuon Chea, the movement's 88-year-old chief ideologue, they also say justice has come far too late and is simply not adequate.

"Nothing can compare to the immense suffering they imposed, no sentence can be enough. They belong in hell, not an air-conditioned jail cell," said Youk Chhang, who heads The Documentation Center of Cambodia, which has collected more than a million documents related to the Khmer Rouge terror.

"But this gives us hope that we can learn from the past ... that we can try to prevent this from ever happening again."

Cambodia awaits verdict on ex-Khmer Rouge leadersPlay Video

There was no visible reaction from either of the accused when the decisions were announced. Nuon Chea, wearing dark sunglasses, was too weak even to stand from his wheelchair. Defense lawyers insisted the case was not over and vowed to appeal within 30 days.

Summarizing the verdict, chief judge Nil Nonn said the defendants were part of "a joint criminal enterprise" that launched "a widespread and systematic attack against the civilian population" after Khmer Rouge guerrillas seized Phnom Penh on April 17, 1975.

The attack took many forms, Nil Nonn said, including "murder, extermination, enforced disappearances, attacks against human dignity and political persecution."

The case, which lasted about two years, focused on just one of many mass killing sites and the forced exodus of millions of people from Cambodia's cities and towns, where even hospitals were emptied of patients.

Top Khmer Rouge leader Pol Pot had reset the clock to "Year Zero." Society was to be "purified." Money was abolished. Communal kitchens were introduced nationwide. The failed aim: to create an agrarian "utopia."

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Cambodian former Khmer Rouge survivors, Soum Rithy, left, and Chum Mey, right, embrace each other af …

Most of those who died succumbed to starvation, medical neglect and overwork. Marked for death were the educated, religious or ethnic minorities, Buddhist monks, and anyone suspected of ties with the former government or who questioned the new rulers.

Khieu Samphan acknowledged mass killings took place. But during the trial he claimed he was just a figurehead with no real authority. He called allegations that he ordered executions a "fairy tale."

Nuon Chea, known as Brother No. 2 because he was Pol Pot's trusted deputy, also denied responsibility, saying that Vietnamese forces — not the Khmer Rouge — had killed Cambodians en masse.

The hybrid tribunal, comprised of Cambodian and international jurists, began operations in 2006. It has been heavily criticized for spending too much — more than $200 million so far — and doing too little.

The court has convicted only one other defendant — prison director Kaing Guek Eav, who was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2011.

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Cambodian former Khmer Rouge servitor Bou Meng, left, collects the court documents after the verdict …

The current trial began in 2011 with four senior Khmer Rouge leaders; only two remain. Former Foreign Minister Ieng Sary died in 2013, while his wife, Social Affairs Minister Ieng Thirith, was deemed unfit to stand trial due to dementia in 2012.

The group's leader, Pol Pot, died in 1998 at the age of 73, evading a trial altogether.

Chea Leang, a co-prosecutor, said Thursday's judgment "will not turn back time, it won't give back life to those who were executed, or those who died of heat and exhaustion or lack of food or water or medical assistance.

"Yet I believe it will give some justice .... denied to them for so long," she said.

Survivors of the regime traveled from across the country to witness the historic day, filling several hundred seats available to the public at the tribunal. After the verdict was read, several former prisoners wept and hugged. Many said they felt mixed reactions.

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Cambodians line up at a court entrance before a U.N.-backed war crimes tribunal delivers its verdict …

"The crimes are huge, and just sentencing them to life in jail is not fair," said 54-year-old Chea Sophon, who spent years in hard labor camps building dams and working in rice fields. His brother was killed during the Khmer Rouge era.

"But what can I do?" he said. "Even if they die many times over, it would not be enough."

Another survivor, 58-year-old Khuth Vouern, said she felt a sense of relief that justice was finally served, even if it came generations late.

"I have been waiting for this day for many years," said the woman, whose husband and several other family members were killed during the Khmer Rouge's rule. "Now, for the first time, my mind feels at least some degree of peace."

Both Khieu Samphan and Nuon Chea will be tried by the same tribunal later this year again on separate charges of genocide. Because of the advanced age and poor health of the defendants, the case against them was divided into separate trials in an effort to render justice before they die.

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Court officer Neth Pheaktra, left, gives a court pass to participants as they line up in front of an …

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said the verdict was a "milestone for the Cambodian people who have suffered some of the worst horrors of the 20th century" and said the U.S. would continue to support the tribunal.

Amnesty International called Thursday's verdict "a crucial step." But it also noted several "troubling" obstacles the tribunal has faced along the way — including the refusal of senior Cambodian government officials to give evidence and allegations of political interference.

It called for the remaining cases to be completed "in a timely and fair manner without political interference."

Investigators are looking into issuing indictments against mid-level Khmer Rouge officials — something the government has opposed.

Authoritarian Prime Minister Hun Sen's government is full of former Khmer Rouge higher-ups — himself included — and has little to gain from the trials.

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Associated Press writers Jocelyn Gecker and Grant Peck in Bangkok, Thailand, contributed to this report.

Iselle to give Hawaii first hurricane in 22 years

HONOLULU (AP) — Hawaii residents preparing for the first of two hurricanes swirling toward the islands got whacked by another natural hazard on Thursday when a 4.5 magnitude earthquake struck, shaking people on the Big Island as they boarded up their homes.

Though the earthquake didn't cause major damage, it hit as residents were waking up to make last-minute trips to grocery stores and preparing ahead of the first hurricane set to hit the Hawaiian islands in more than two decades.

Kelsey Walker said the quake felt like a "little jolt" but didn't knock things off shelves at the Waimea grocery store where he works. He was trying to keep a sense of humor about it.

"We have a hurricane. Now we have this on top of it. What else?" said Walker, second assistant manager at Foodland Waimea.

Iselle was supposed to weaken as it slowly trudged west across the Pacific. It didn't — and now Hawaii is poised to take its first direct hurricane hit in 22 years. Tracking close behind it was Hurricane Julio, which strengthened early Thursday into a Category 2 storm.

As the two hurricanes churned toward the islands, the quake hit at 6:30 a.m. local time, the U.S. Geological Survey reported. The temblor struck on the island's north tip, about 7 miles from Waimea. There were no immediate reports of damage.

Meanwhile, state officials were assuring the islands were ready for the storms and people should prepare but not panic.

Travelers got their first word of disrupted flights Thursday, when commuter airline Island Air said it was canceling some afternoon flights between the islands and shutting down all operations Friday.

Hurricane Iselle was expected to arrive on the Big Island on Thursday evening, bringing heavy rains, winds gusting up to 85 mph and flooding in some areas. Weather officials changed their outlook on the system Wednesday after seeing it get a little stronger, giving it enough oomph to stay a hurricane as it reaches landfall.

"What ended up happening is the storm has resurged just enough to keep its hurricane strength," said Mike Cantin, a National Weather Service meteorologist.

Cantin said that means stronger winds of 60 to 70 mph, though rainfall estimates of 5 inches to 8 inches in a short time frame remained unchanged.

Hurricane Iselle and Hurricane Julio Barreling Tow …Play Video

"Not a major hurricane, but definitely enough to blow things around," he said.

Iselle loomed about 400 miles east of Hilo early Thursday, with sustained winds of 85 mph and traveling about 18 mph.

Cantin said the Big Island's size and terrain would help break up the hurricane, weakening it into a tropical storm as it passes Maui and Oahu late Thursday and early Friday.

Hurricane Julio, meanwhile, swirled closely behind with maximum winds whipping at 105 mph. The National Hurricane Center said it expected the storm to strengthen even more Thursday before gradually weakening by Thursday night. That weakening is expected to continue into the weekend.

Hawaii has been directly hit by hurricanes only three times since 1950, though the region has had 147 tropical cyclones over that time. The last time Hawaii was hit with a tropical storm or hurricane was in 1992, when Hurricane Iniki killed six people and destroyed more than 1,400 homes in Kauai, said meteorologist Eric Lau.

The two hurricanes have disrupted tourism, prompted flash flood warnings and led to school closures. Gov. Neil Abercrombie, meanwhile, signed an emergency proclamation allowing officials to tap into a disaster fund set aside by the state Legislature.

Hawaiian Airlines waived reservation change fees and fare differences for passengers who needed to alter travel plans Thursday and Friday because of the storms. Hawaiian Airlines spokeswoman Ann Botticelli said hundreds of inquires poured in from customers seeking to change their flights.

Some travelers remained hopeful.

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"We're all optimists, so we'll make the best of it," Yorke said.

Washington state couple Tracy Black and Chris Kreifels made plans to get married in an outdoor ceremony on the Big Island Saturday. They spent Wednesday getting a marriage license, adjusting plans and communicating with worried guests on the mainland.

"We see the rain as a blessing," Black said. "It will work out as it's supposed to."

It wasn't immediately clear what financial impact the storms would have on the state's tourism industry, a key economic driver.

Hawaii residents also have had to adjust. Stores have seen long lines this week as people brace themselves.

Some are voting early in primary elections that close Saturday. The elections include several marquee races, including congressional and gubernatorial races. Abercrombie — who is running for re-election in a tight Democratic primary — said the election is expected to move forward as planned as of Wednesday afternoon.

Also, education officials said public schools on the Big Island, Maui, Molokai and Lanai will be closed Thursday.

The storms are rare but not unexpected in years with a developing El Nino, a change in ocean temperature that affects weather around the world.

Ahead of this year's hurricane season, weather officials warned that the wide swath of the Pacific Ocean that includes Hawaii could see four to seven tropical cyclones this year.

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Associated Press writers Doug Esser in Seattle, Oskar Garcia in Honolulu, Karin Stanton in Kailua-Kona, and Dan Joling in Anchorage, Alaska, contributed to this report.

Sanctions Returned: Russia Bans Agricultural Products from EU, USA, Australia, Norway, Canada

Russia’s Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev.(AFP Photo / Dmitry Astakhov)

From RT.com - August 7, 2014 – http://tinyurl.com/nzydorw

Russian PM Dmitry Medvedev has signed a decree on the full ban for imports of beef, pork, poultry meat, fish, cheese, milk, vegetables and fruit from Australia, Canada, the EU, the US and Norway. The ban will last a year, starting August 7.

Medvedev also said that the country was considering a ban of transit flights for European and US Airlines to the Asia-Pacific region.

Western sanctions were a “dead-end track”, but Russia has been forced to respond to the measures taken by the western countries, Medvedev added.

Alcohol imports from both the EU and the US will not be restricted.

“We are actually speaking of an embargo on imports of whole categories of products from countries which have introduced sanctions against Russian organizations and individuals,” Medvedev said.

Medvedev believes the year-long embargo Russia is imposing will boost domestic agriculture. He acknowledged that Russian farmers would have to come a long way, but said it was a unique opportunity to develop facilities to substitute for imports.

“We are only lagging behind in production of certain varieties of meat and milk. We have to catch up and our farmers are ready to do so, especially if we help them.”

The Russian PM added that Moscow still had a lot of trading partners abroad, which it had not placed on the retaliatory sanctions list.

Dmitry Medvedev instructed the Federal Customs Service (FCS) to see that the banned imports could not cross the Russian border.

The Russian PM has also warned against possible attempts to use the situation to drive up prices.

“I would like to warn that attempts to gain from price speculation in this situation will be roughly stopped,” Medvedev said.

The Governor of the Krasnodar Region, Aleksandr Tkachev has been quick to react to the news by saying farmers in the region will use the chance to replace imported goods with their own produce.

“I have spoken to the heads of agricultural enterprises, concerning the presidential decree on the ban of imports of Western agricultural goods,” Tkachev said, as cited by ITAR-TASS. “The mood is on the whole optimistic. Krasnodar farmers have received a strong stimulus to use all of their potential.”

Krasnodar is already a big agricultural player in Russia. The region is the third biggest producer of meat and eggs in the country and the fourth biggest producer of milk.

The Astrakhan Region in Russia’s south also said it was ready to increase agricultural production by 20–25 percent next year.

Medvedev said he sincerely hoped “our partners’ economic pragmatism will prevail over bad political decisions, and they will think before trying to frighten Russia and impose restrictions on it. And mutual trade and economic partnership will be restored in the volumes which existed before. We would have liked that to happen.”

Fukushima Meltdown 18 Times Worse than First Thought

Stephen: This isn’t the first time we’ve heard that the damage at Fukushima is ‘worse than first thought’ . It may be either part of a bigger scare campaign – or the result of a cover-up all along. Either way, stay in balance and know that this situation is being dealt with (cleaned up) at the highest levels – above and below.

By David Twomey, econews, August 7, 2014 – http://tinyurl.com/ncsapkk

In Japan, Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) has revealed the meltdown at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant’s third reactor building was even worse than initially believed.

The power company’s new appraisal of the Fukushima Number Three reactor building shows that all, or nearly all, of the fuel rods contained inside were melted, dropping onto the floor of the containment vessel.

Media reports say the news means the power plant could be even tougher to decommission.

According to the Japan Times newspaper, TEPCO first estimated back in November 2011 that roughly 63 per cent of the reactor’s fuel rods had melted.

However, TEPCO now believes that after studying conditions surrounding the fuel core, the reactor’s cooling system stopped functioning more than five hours earlier than previously estimated.

As a result, the meltdown would have started around that same time period.

Japan_fukushima-damageAs reported by the Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper, it is possible that with more nuclear fuel resting in the containment vessel than originally estimated, removing it will require even more careful planning.

“As the core meltdown is now believed to have started earlier than was previously thought, the amount of melted nuclear fuel that passed into the containment vessel through the pressure vessel is considered to have been greater, making it technically more difficult to extract the melted fuel and dispose of it,” the newspaper stated.

Fukushima-workers-protective-suitsDespite the new findings, however, TEPCO spokesman Shinichi Kawamura said the company is still hoping to find some fuel that had not melted down.

“We think some fuel still remains at the core part based on the actual plant data,” he was quoted by the Japan Times as saying.

The news comes as the effects of the nuclear meltdown continue to be felt throughout the region.

In late July, a new report discovered that Japan’s famous macaque monkeys were testing positive for blood abnormalities that could potentially make them more susceptible to infectious diseases.

Fukushima-protest-JapanThe tests were conducted on wild monkeys living in the Fukushima region, and the results of the blood exams were linked to the radioactive fallout at the power plant.

Meanwhile, another report by Japan’s agriculture ministry found that fourteen different rice paddies, all outside of the power plant’s evacuation zone, were contaminated with radioactive material.

As reported then, five others inside the evacuation zone were also contaminated, pushing the ministry to order TEPCO to implement better protective measures for future work at the plant.