PRES OBAMA GIVES A SPEECH ON NATL SECURITY *
THE PRES DEFENDED HIS USE OF DRONES, SAYING THE PROGRAM IS LEGAL AND THAT STRIKES HAVE BEEN EFFECTIVE IN FIGHTING TERRORISTS WHO LAUNCHED THE 2001 9/11 ATTACKS *
HE SAYS THE END OF THE WAR IN AFGHANISTAN AND U.S. SUCCESS IN THE FIGHT AGAINST AL QAEDA ARE LIKELY TO REDUCE THE USE OF DRONES *
THE PRES ALSO RENEWED HIS CALL TO CLOSE THE DETENTION CENTER IN GUANTANAMO BAY *
OBAMA SAYS THERE'S "NO JUSTIFICATION BEYOND POLITICS FOR CONGRESS TO PREVENT US FROM CLOSING" GITMO *
SECY OF STATE JOHN KERRY VISITS PALESTINIAN CITY OF RAMALLAH IN A BID TO REVIVE ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN PEACE TALKS *
KERRY IS ON HIS FOURTH TRIP TO THE REGION SINCE BECOMING SECY OF STATE FOUR MONTHS AGO *
NEGOTIATIONS BROKE DOWN IN LATE 2010 *
ISLAMIST HOMICIDE BOMBERS STRIKE AN ARMY BARRACKS AND FRENCH-RUN URANIUM MINE IN NIGER, KILLING 20 AND WOUNDING DOZENS *
MILITANT GROUP KNOWN AS MUJWA CLAIMED RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE COORDINATED ASSAULTS AT AREVA'S MINE AT ARLIT AND THE MILITARY BASE IN AGADEZ *
MUJWA AND AL QAEDA'S NORTH AFRICAN WING PLEDGED TO STRIKE AT FRENCH INTERESTS ACROSS THE REGION AFTER PARIS LAUNCHED A GROUND AND AIR CAMPAIGN TO OUST TERRORISTS FROM PARTS OF MALI EARLIER THIS YR *
IRS REPLACES LOIS LERNER A DAY AFTER SHE PLEADED THE FIFTH AT A CONGRESSIONAL HEARING... *
LERNER WAS DIR OF THE AGENCY'S DIVISION THAT OVERSAW EMPLOYEES WHO TARGETED TEA PARTY AND OTHER CONSERVATIVE GROUPS *
SHE WILL BE REPLACED BY KEN CORBIN, CURRENTLY DEPUTY DIR OF SUBMISSION PROCESSING IN THE WAGE AND INVESTMENT DIVISION *
A CONGRESSIONAL AIDE SAID LERNER HAS BEEN PLACED ON ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE *
BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA'S NATL COUNCIL VOTES TO EASE LONG-STANDING BAN AND ALLOW OPENLY GAY BOYS TO BE ACCEPTED INTO THE ORG *
MORE THAN 60% OF SCOUT LEADERS VOTED IN FAVOR OF EASING THE BAN AT THEIR ANNUAL MEETING IN TX *
GAY ADULTS REMAIN BARRED FROM SERVING AS SCOUT LEADERS *
JURY STILL DEADLOCKED ON WHETHER CONVICTED MURDERER JODI ARIAS SHOULD GET THE DEATH PENALTY, PROMPTING A RETRIAL *
THE JUDGE SCHEDULED THE RETRIAL FOR JULY 18 IN THE SENTENCING PHASE OF THE 32-YR-OLD'S TRIAL *
ARIAS WAS FOUND GUILTY OF FIRST-DEGREE MURDER IN THE 2008 DEATH OF HER EX-BOYFRIEND *
REP JO BONNER (R-AL) IS RESIGNING FROM CONGRESS TO TAKE A JOB WITH THE UNIV OF ALABAMA *
BONNER IS SIX-TERM MEMBER OF THE HOUSE AND A MEMBER OF THE APPROPRIATIONS CMTE *
HE REPRESENTS A SOUTHWESTERN PORTION OF THE STATE THAT INCLUDES MOBILE *
5.7 MAGNITUDE EARTHQUAKE STRIKES NEAR CANYONDAM, CA *
THE AREA IS SURROUNDED BY VAST PARK SPACE, AND THE NEAREST MAJOR CITIES ARE RENO AND CARSON CITY, NV *
THERE ARE NO IMMEDIATE REPORTS OF INJURIES *
BRIDGE COLLAPSE IN NW WASHINGTON DUMPS VEHICLES AND PEOPLE INTO THE WATER *
THE FOUR LANE I-5 BRIDGE OVER THE SKAGIT RIVER AT MOUNT VERNON REPORTEDLY CRUMBLED AROUND 7 PM *
WA STATE AUTHORITIES SAY THERE ARE NO FATALITIES *
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