French Liberating Gao

French forces on the way to Gao

French troops have begun retaking Gao from Al Qaeda hands.

Last reports have them controlling sections of the city, including the airport and the main bridge, into town.

Fighting for the town has caused twelve rebel deaths, but no casualties for the the French.

Malian troops are headed on their way to take Timbuktu.

Other African nations are beginning to engage in combat, with the Islamist rebels.

Chad and Niger are working their way into Mali, from the south, and fighting enemy forces that they find.

More nations are supposed to join the effort, but have yet to do so.

For the most part, the Islamists are continuing their strategy of leaving the towns and heading into the countryside.

Jets and helicopters of the French military continue to make organizing in numbers a dangerous thing for the rebels.

Rabbits Causing Thousands of Dollars of Damage in Denver

Elmer Fudd may be getting a call from the city of Denver.

Rabbits are becoming a serious issue, in many parts of town.

Not because of an over population or disease.

A favorite past time for rabbits is chewing on wires, under cars.

This has led to significant damages, for people, who's cars have been severely damaged, by the animals.

Denver International Airport is one of the biggest sites for the problem.

People leaving their cars for days, while on a trip, come back to find hundreds to thousands of dollars of damage, due to rabbits.

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services agents patrol the parking lot and remove rabbits when they spot them, but they clearly aren't catching them all.

A growing number of people are calling for the city to kill rabbits in the areas around parking lots, where it has been an issue.

Harvard Professor Looking For Surrogate Mother For Neanderthal

Dr. George Church, a renowned Harvard geneticist, is looking for an assistant for a project he wishes to complete.

His goal is to bring the Neanderthal's back to life.

To do this he plans on cloning their DNA and having a woman give birth to a Neanderthal baby.

Towards making this happen, he is looking for a woman to volunteer to be that surrogate mother.

Church believes that genetic diversity is getting dangerously low, among humans, and that by introducing Neanderthal genes the world's diversity levels would be at least maintained.

Obama's Appointments Ruled UnConstitutional

In January of 2012, President Obama made three appointments to the National Labor Relations Board.

He did so without Senate approval, in an attempt to avoid Republicans opposing them.

On Friday, a three judge panel of the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled that Obama's appointments violated the Constitution.

Their ruling makes his appointments invalid.

The White House responded by calling the ruling "novel and unprecedented", but did not say if they would challenge the decision.

Obama has made other appointments, in such a manner, and so those too will now likely be challenged.

It also puts into question anything that the NLRB or other groups have done, if they have members who were appointed by Obama, in such ways.

Mitch McConnell, a Republican Senator for Kentucky said, "The DC Circuit Court today reaffirmed that the Constitution is not an inconvenience but the law of the land."

Republicans are already using the ruling to point out various other areas where Obama has gone around the Constitution.

Gas Bombs Thrown at Police in Northern Ireland

Protests, against the Union Jack being limited, continued in Northern Ireland, on Friday.

Most of them remained peaceful.

However, in Newtownabbey, stones, fireworks, and gas bombs were thrown at police.

At least twelve gas bombs were thrown at officers, who found another nineteen, which hadn't been thrown.

Luckily, no one was injured in this incident.

Since the protests began, on December 3, one hundred and twenty-seven police officers have been injured, with an unknown number of civilians hurt as well.

One hundred and seventy-four protesters have been arrested.

Violence Erupts in Falluja

Throughout Iraq protests took place, on Friday.

The mostly Sunni opposition is complaining that they are discriminated against by the Shiite government.

As usual, rocks and other objects were thrown, by protesters, at police and security officials.

However, in Falluja, soldiers opened fire when rocks were thrown at them.

Seven civilians and two soldiers ended up killed, in the violence there, and at least forty-four were injured.

Video of the violence has surfaced, on Arabic news sites.

The shooting only spurred on protests, across the country, with some going on into the night.

Malian and French Forces Continue Advance

Malian troops

Malian and French forces retook several towns, on Thursday and Friday, as they move towards Gao.

The two armies are working their way up the Niger River, with Malians on side and French on the other.

At each village and town they are cheered by residents who welcome them as liberators.

Al Qaeda's forces, which had conquered the region, over a year ago, are mostly abandoning towns, as the militaries approach.

Anywhere that they are seen, the French air force is harrying them, making it difficult for them to take a stand in any numbers.

While Mali is celebrating the victories, France has warned that this is only the beginning and that Al Qaeda troops will likely go guerrilla.

The combined forces are slowly being joined by troops from other African nations, increasing the internationalization of the fight.

Egyptians Riot on Second Anniversary of Mubarak Being Overthrown

Across Egypt protests turned to riots as the Egyptian people protested the rule of Morsi, on the second anniversary of their overthrowing Mubarak.

Pretty much every city saw some sort of demonstration.

Five people, including a security officer, died in the violence, on Friday, in Suez.

Three hundred and thirty-five people were injured, there alone, on both sides of the line.

Egypt has decided to send the military into Suez, to try and restore order.

In Cairo, thousands once again packed Tahrir Square, and untold hundreds were injured in the clashes between protesters and police.

Protesters threw rocks, bottles, and gas bombs at police, who retaliated with tear gas, clubs, and in some cases captured and threw back the gas bombs.

Other towns saw government buildings broken into and, in at least one case, burned.

Syrian Military Renews Offensive

Syria's military is renewing it's offensive against rebel forces.

Rebel held towns are being shelled and ground troops are moving in, as well.

Casualty estimates for Friday alone were closing in on one hundred and fifty.

Those included eight, who were killed when two car bombs struck a Syrian intelligence building, in the Golan Heights.

Around sixty-two thousand Syrians have been killed during the twenty-two month long conflict.

While at least six hundred thousand Syrians have sought refuge in other countries.

JJ Abrams to Direct Star Wars Episode VII

It seems like one part of a rumor mill may be dying down.

JJ Abrams is apparently set to direct Star Wars Episode VII.

Disney announced the new trilogy, when they bought the empire from George Lucas.

Rumors of what the plot will be are and will continue to circulate for some time.

Right with them are rumors of non trilogy Star Wars films.

The only things known for sure is that Michael Arndt is writing Episode VII, with assistance from Lucas.

Episode VII, yet untitled, is due out in 2015.