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 *
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 *
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