Indonesia: tsunami warning now lifted

There was a tsunami warning prompted by the 8.6 earthquake and 6.5 aftershock in Indonesia earlier today. The good news is that the warning has now been lifted.

Digital Journal reported earlier that an earthquake which registered at 8.6 on the Richter scale, following by a 6.5 aftershock had prompted a tsunami warning in Indonesia.

The tsunami watch status has now been lifted in Indian Ocean countries.

The worst impact was likely to be on Simeulue Island, which is off southern Sumatra, according to Indonesia's disaster agency. A witness told Reuters that the island, which is near the epicenter of the Aceh earthquake had sea levels receding by about 10 metres.

The BBC reports that once the warning was lifted, many people were crying, while others screamed “God is great.” ... read full article.

Video: Why you should care about SOPA, ACTA etc.

RT has started a brand new series of videos to both entertain and also to inform the public about the dangers of the looming threat of Internet censorship bills and acts.

Why should you be concerned about bills and acts like SOPA, PIPA, CISPA, ACTA, etc. etc.?

In this new series, "Why should you care" the videos inform and advise in a fun way, telling you just why you should most certainly be concerned if one of these draconian measures goes through.

In this week's episode, the Internet is under attack, but Tim’s new robopal is too busy watching dog videos on Youtube to care.

Tim then proceeds to prove to him why SOPA and ACTA and the like are a definite threat to the free Internet, whether you are guilty of piracy, or not... read full article and watch video.

Video: Dr. Vandana Shiva talks on genetically modified food

A lot of controversy is floating around about Monsanto and its genetically modified seeds and crops and pesticides. For those who wish to learn more, Dr. Vandana Shiva is an expert on the subject.

With a bachelors degree in physics, Dr. Vandana Shiva started Navdanya International 20 years ago.

When she discovered that global corporations, such as Monsanto, wanted to patent seeds, crops and life forms, she started the organisation in an effort to protect biodiversity, to promote organic farming and also to defend the rights of farmers.

She has been involved in creating markets for farmers and in promoting healthy, high quality and tasty food for consumers, by connecting the seed to the kitchen, and biodiversity to gastronomy.... read more and view video.

Video: 8.6 quake off Indonesia prompts tsunami warning

Banda Aceh - A 6.5 aftershock has been registered following an earlier 8.6 earthquake in the Aceh region off the northern Sumatra coast in Indonesia today. In the wake of a tsunami warning, people are fleeing to higher ground.

It started with an earthquake which registered at 8.6 on the Richter scale. Now the Geophysical Agency in Indonesia has registered a 6.5 aftershock.

The U.S. Geological Survey reports that a tsunami warning has been issued across the Indian Ocean.

A rescue team is being sent to Aceh, following the loss of electricity in the province and Reuters advises that locals are fleeing to higher ground, as can be seen in the above video... read full article and view video.

Wikileaks: Kony video makers Invisible Children spied for Uganda

According to Wikileaks, the makers of the viral Kony 2012 video have apparently helped the Ugandan government to arrest a former child soldier. They also backed an operation that killed more civilians than militants.

RT reports that Wikileaks has obtained a memo which was written by a public affairs officer at the U.S. embassy in Uganda. This memo documents the collaboration of Invisible Children with Ugandan intelligence services. The memo can be viewed here.

In the memo, it states that the U.S.-based NGO had tipped the Ugandan government to the whereabouts of one Patrick Komakech. Komakech is a former child soldier who participated in the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) in Uganda. He was wanted by security officials for apparently extorting money from government officials, local tribal leaders and NGO's.... read full article.

Video: Gynecologist breaks down and completely smashes auto shop

Moscow - In a case of "off road rage" a Russian gynecologist had a nervous breakdown and drove his car into the auto shop, smashing vehicles as he went.

It appears that the doctor was in the throes of a nervous breakdown. He apparently had a 3-hour wait to get his car repaired and this was just the final straw. He then completely lost it and went on a rampage.

RT reports that the 35-year old doctor crashed into the packed storefront of the Pelican auto dealership in Northern Moscow and then used his Suzuki Grand Vitara as a battering ram to smash into the cars on show.

For 3 minutes, the doctor backed out and smashed into the auto shop repeatedly, destroying the vehicles and other fittings in the shop.... read full article and watch video.

Video: presidential election humor in Obama vs Obama

Poking fun at the current presidential elections, the video shows an interview with Obama's chief strategist, where the interviewer trips him up at every step with amusing results.

Huffington Post has reported that President Barack Obama, in his speech at the 2008 Democratic convention, stated clearly that there would be a big clean up in Washington should he be elected.

Barack Obama said: “You understand that in this election, the greatest risk we can take is to try the same old politics with the same old players and expect a different result.”

In an interview with David Lancer, who is the chief Director of Strategy in Obama's presidential re-election campaign the interviewer points out just how this didn't turn out... read full article.

Sen. Chuck Grassley calls Obama 'stupid' on Twitter

Washington - A senator from Iowa insulted President Barack Obama on Twitter. David Axelrod took revenge on this with his own responding tweet.

RT reports that the tweet came as a result of Sen. Chuck Grassley's criticism of Obama's stand on the health care law.

Obama, the former Constitutional Law Professor, had stated that he didn't believe that the Supreme Court would take the "unprecedented, extraordinary step" of actually overturning the health care law and Grassley took offence.

The President had recently addressed the health care law debacle, which had made its way to the Supreme Court. Obama himself critiqued "judicial activism" by way of "unelected" judges on the Supreme Court. Many of his conservative opponents were against this, but only Senator Grassley has resorted to actually taking the President up on this.... read full article.

Travel: Mijas Pueblo - traditional Spanish beauty on a hill with a view

Mijas Pueblo is a traditional white village (or pueblo blanco) located in Andalucia in Southern Spain. The town nestles on the hillside with beautiful mountain and sea views.

Mijas Pueblo is part of the Mijas Municipality, which includes Mijas Costa (the coastal beach town), Mijas Golf (golfers' paradise) and Mijas Las Lagunas, an inland town close to the coast and Fuengirola.

The pueblo is the original town of Mijas and is among the many beautiful white villages in the area. Perched high on the mountainside it offers spectacular views to the Mediterranean below and a scenic backdrop of mountains and endless pine forests. On entering the village, it is possible to see the ancient spring, which still provides natural mineral water... read full article.

Time 100 - Anonymous leading the pack ahead of reddit

Each year the public gets the chance to vote for the person they consider most influential. Anonymous, while not a "person" per se, is ahead of reddit in the popular annual Time 100 poll, with announcements of the winner to be made on April 17.

In 2011, Time Magazine announced its Person of the Year - The Protester, much to the delight of protesters worldwide from the Arab Spring to Occupy Wall Street to 15m in Spain.

Time 100 is where people vote in a poll for those they consider to be the most influential people in the world. The list can include artists, researchers, reformers, heads of state, activists and captains of industry. These are the people who spark dialogue in the world, sometimes dissent and also occasionally revolution.

When it comes to the internet, Anonymous is popular. And now in the polls for Time 100, Anonymous is leading ahead of reddit.... read full article.