NUMBER OF AMERICANS APPLYING FOR UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS DROPPED BY 23,000 LAST WEEK *

APPLICATIONS FOR UNEMPLOYMENT AID DECLINED TO A SEASONALLY ADJUSTED 340,000 IN THE WEEK ENDING MAY 18 *

THAT'S DOWN FROM 363,000 THE PREVIOUS WEEK AND A LEVEL CONSISTENT WITH SOLID JOB GAINS *

FRIENDS AND FAMILY GATHER FOR THE FIRST OF FUNERAL SERVICES FOR VICTIMS OF THE STORM THAT KILLED 24 PEOPLE *

TODAY'S SERVICE IS FOR 9-YR-OLD ANTONIA CANDELARIA, ONE OF SEVEN CHILDREN WHO PERISHED WHEN THE TORNADO FLATTENED AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN THE CITY OF MOORE *

TEN OF THE VICTIMS WERE CHILDREN *

SECOND JEWELRY THEFT REPORTED AT THE CANNES FILM FEST *

POLICE SAYS A "HIGH VALUE" NECKLACE WAS NABBED OVERNIGHT FROM THE RESORT TOWN OF CAP D'ANTIBES *

NO OTHER INFO WAS RELEASED *

LAST WK, THIEVES STOLE ABOUT $1 MIL WORTH OF JEWELS FROM A HOTEL SAFE IN CANNES *

CAP D'ANTIBES IS JUST DOWN THE ROAD FROM CANNES AND CONSIDERED EVEN MORE EXCLUSIVE *

GUNMEN KILL AT LEAST SEVEN SOLDIERS IN CENTRAL IRAQ *

MILITANTS ATTACKED AN ARMY CHECKPOINT IN THE TOWN OF TAJI, KILLING FOUR SOLDIERS AND WOUNDING FOUR OTHERS *

ANOTHER GROUP OF MILITANTS EXCHANGED GUNFIRE WITH MILITARY FORCES IN THE WESTERN VILLAGE OF KARMA, NEAR THE CITY OF FALLUJAH *

THREE SOLDIERS WERE KILLED AND 18 WOUNDED IN THAT ASSAULT *

STATE INVESTIGATORS SAY AT LEAST ONE BAR IN NJ MIXED FOOD DYE WITH RUBBING ALCOHOL AND SOLD IT AS SCOTCH *

OFFICIALS DID NOT IDENTIFY THE BAR, BUT SAY NO HEALTH ISSUES WERE REPORTED *

MEANWHILE, 29 BARS AND RESTAURANTS IN THE STATE ARE ACCUSED OF PUTTING CHEAP BOOZE IN PREMIUM BRAND LIQUOR BOTTLES AND SELLING IT *

TWO MEN ACCUSED OF BEHEADING A BRITISH SOLDIER HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN INVESTIGATED BY SECURITY SERVICES, BRITISH OFFICIAL SAYS *

IT'S UNCLEAR HOW RECENT THE PROBES WERE OR WHETHER THE MEN WERE TIED TO OTHER SUSPECTS UNDER INVESTIGATION *

MEANWHILE, AUTHORITIES HAVE INCREASED SECURITY AT MILITARY BARRACKS AND INSTALLATIONS IN LONDON, WHILE POLICE ADDED PATROLS AT PLACES OF WORSHIP, TRANSPORT HUBS AND CONGESTED AREAS *

THE SOLDIER KILLED HAS BEEN ID'D AS 25-YR-OLD LEE RIGBY *

BRITISH POLICE ARREST A MAN AND A WOMAN IN CONNECTION WITH YESTERDAY'S BEHEADING OF A SOLDIER IN SE LONDON *

THE SUSPECTS ARRESTED TODAY ARE NOT BELIEVED TO BE RELATED TO TWO MEN IN CUSTODY WHO WERE ARRESTED YESTERDAY *

TWO NIGERIAN MEN, SHOT BY POLICE AT THE SCENE, ARE BEING TREATED FOR NON-LIFE-THREATENING INJURIES AT SEPARATE HOSPITALS IN LONDON *

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 *

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