2 Bodies Found in Ashes of The Black Forest Fire

Friday came with the news that two bodies had been found in the ashes of the Black Forest Fire, north of Colorado Springs.

Three hundred and eighty-nine homes have been lost to the blaze, which has scorched nearly sixteen thousand homes.

Eight hundred fire fighters as well as multiple air craft are battling the flames.

They are being led by a Type 1 Command Team, which took over operations on Thursday morning.

Authorities consider it to be five percent contained and are hoping for full containment on June 20.

Officials are investigating the cause of the fire, but say no lightning had struck near the area, when the fire started.

Thirty-four thousand homes have been ordered evacuated, including parts of Colorado Springs, and many more are on standby, forcing forty thousand people out of the area.

The mandatory evacuation area stretches from North Gate and Old North Gate Road, in the north; Voyager Parkway, on the west; Flying Horse Club Drive to include homes south of Flying Horse Club Drive on Barossa Valley Road and Veneto Wary/Vine Cliff Heights/Equinox Drive/Serenity Peak Drive, to the south; and Highway 83, at the east.

Various roads around that area have been closed, to ensure no one gets in the way of emergency personnel. That includes a partial closure of a stretch of  Interstate 25, from Interquest to Baptist.

Several other areas are on voluntary evacuation status. Members of the Colorado National Guard are assisting police in ensuring that no looting occurs in the evacuated areas.

Air quality advisories have spread all along the front range. Burn bans are going into effect in many areas, because of the fires.

The Black Forest Fire is the most destructive in Colorado's history, but it is only one of ten that are currently burning in the state.

10 Fires Burning in Colorado

Burnt remnants around the Royal Gorge Bridge

There are at least ten fires currently burning in Colorado.

The weather has been cooperating a bit with fire fighting efforts, with cooling temperatures and higher humidity, but winds are still sticking around.

Beaver Creek Fire is completely contained. It started Thursday, after a lightning strike. About seven acres were burned. No structures were threatened.

Bergen Rock Fire continues to smoulder, since being contained on Tuesday. No structures were ever in danger.

Big Meadows Fire is thirty percent contained. Nearly four hundred acres were lost to it. Three hundred fire fighters are working on it. No structures are in danger, due to the blaze.

Black Forest Fire is by far the biggest, and only at five percent containment. It has burned sixteen thousand acres, three hundred and eighty-nine homes. Two bodies have been found in it's wake.

Fern Creek Fire is at about ten acres. It's remote location and difficult terrain has led to only aircraft being able to fight it. No structures are in danger. Officials are hoping that it will not expand and eventually burn itself out.

Hacking Fire is one of two fires in the Dinosaur National Monument, combining at one hundred and fifty acres. It is in a remote area of the park and not threatening any structures. Officials are sending a helicopter to work on it.

Klikus Fire has burnt sixty acres. Located about five miles west of La Veta it is seventy-five percent contained. Thirty firefighters are battling it. No structures are in danger.

La Veta Fire has burnt forty-two acres. It is now considered one hundred percent contained.

Royal Gorge Fire destroyed twenty buildings around the Royal Gorge Bridge. Thirty-two hundred acres have been burnt by it. It is forty percent contained. One hundred and fifty fire fighters are busy with it. Twelve people were temporarily hospitalized due to smoke inhalation and other breathing problems related to the smoke. Some evacuations are still in place, because of the fire.

Wild Fire is currently burning on Wild Mountain in the Dinosaur National Monument. It's location has prompted warnings to stay away from the mountain and it's popular trails. Combined with the Hacking Fire, one hundred and fifty acres of the park are burning. No structures are in danger. A helicopter is being sent to deal with it.

Obama Announces US Will Send Weapons to Syrian Rebels

President Obama has announced that the US will begin sending weapons to the Syrian rebel.

This despite their ties to terrorist groups including Al Qaeda, with whom the US is in a war with ever since they attacked on September 11, 2001.

According to Obama, the decision was made because of evidence proving that the Syrian regime is using chemical weapons.

The United Nations says that they have seen no proof of the regime using such weapons, but they have previously stated evidence that the rebels have used them.

Obama also said that he is considering ordering a no fly zone, over Syria, to help protect the rebels from the regime's air power.

Enforcing a no fly zone would require the US to destroy Syria's anti air defenses, which have been kept updated by the Russian government.

Opponents of a no fly zone state the cost, and danger to American lives, of such an endeavor.

Hezbollah Promises to Stay in Syrian Civil War

Sheik Hassan Nasrallah, leader of Hezbollah, promised that the group will stay in the Syrian civil war.

He pledged that Hezbollah will fight "wherever needed", suggesting that they will not just stick to the area around Lebanon.

Nasrallah also said that they will continue to fight no matter what the consequences of doing so.

Hezbollah is fully committed to supporting the Syrian regime and winning the war.

This comes the day after the UN announced that the war's death toll was over one hundred thousand, and hours after President Obama said the US would begin sending weapons to rebel forces.

Iranians Hit Polls in Presidential Election

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei

Iranians hit the polls on Friday, in the presidential election.

Turn out has been so high that the government announced they would extend the time that polls would be open, by two hours.

The government and religious leaders are bragging about the free election that they are having.

However, they very carefully chose who would even be eligible for the election.

Over the past month they blocked women and people not politically aligned with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei from running.

The ruling council specifically eliminated those who sought any kind of dealings with the rest of the world.

This likely will lead to a new President who is even more hostile to the world, than current President Ahmadinejad.

Which could mean just tougher talk than his government gave, or it could mean actual hostile actions.

Ferry Capsizing Claims 2 Lives in Philippines

Two people are confirmed dead and fifteen are missing after a ferry capsized in the Philippines.

Forty-two people were rescued by fisherman, the Navy, and other boats in the area.

Aircraft are searching the area for more survivors.

According to witnesses, the weather was calm when the capsizing occurred.

Authorities are investigating the cause of the incident.

Black Forest Fire Over 15,000 Acres, 360 Homes Lost

Three hundred and sixty homes have been lost to the Black Forest Fire, north of Colorado Springs. One of several fires burning in Colorado, it has burnt more than fifteen thousand acres. Luckily, no injuries or fatalities have been reported due to the fire.

It is being called the most destructive fire in state history, due to it's having burnt the most homes.

Almost a thousand fire fighters are battling the blaze, including members of the Colorado National Guard and Air Force Academy. They are being aided by air tankers and helicopters. A federal Type 1 Command Team took command, Thursday morning, and more resources from other states are on the way.

Thursday saw a large increase in humidity, which aided firefighting efforts, but also saw an increase in winds. Winds also switched direction causing an increase in the evacuation areas.

Nearly forty thousand homes have been ordered evacuated, including parts of Colorado Springs, and many more are on standby.

The mandatory evacuation area stretches from North Gate and Old North Gate Road, in the north; Voyager Parkway, on the west; Flying Horse Club Drive to include homes south of Flying Horse Club Drive on Barossa Valley Road and Veneto Wary/Vine Cliff Heights/Equinox Drive/Serenity Peak Drive, to the south; and Highway 83, at the east.

Various roads around that area have been closed, to ensure no one gets in the way of emergency personnel. That includes a partial closure of a stretch of  Interstate 25, from Interquest to Baptist.

Several other areas are on voluntary evacuation status. Members of the Colorado National Guard are assisting police in ensuring that no looting occurs in the evacuated areas.

Air quality advisories have spread all along the front range. Burn bans are going into effect in many areas, because of the fires.

Homes Destroyed in Westminster Explosion

Two homes were destroyed when a natural gas explosion occurred in Westminster, Colorado.

Another two homes were severely damaged, while nine more received minor damage.

Two people were injured in the explosion, and three people are missing.

For a time the surrounding area was evacuated, but officials allowed people back into the undamaged homes once the danger was considered to be over.

Authorities are investigating the explosion, but all signs point to natural gas.

1 Killed, 73 Injured in Louisiana Plant Explosion

One person was killed and seventy-three people required medical treatment after a chemical plant explosion.

Four of the injured were evacuated by helicopter, due to the severity of their conditions.

The plant, located north of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, exploded Thursday morning.

Nearly six hundred people were inside it when the blast occurred.

Residents in a two mile radius, of the plant, were asked to evacuate or warned to keep everything in their homes closed up, as the smoke might be harmful.

Fire fighters were able to put out the blaze.

Investigators are trying to determine the cause of the explosion.

Supreme Court Rules Only Synthetic DNA Can be Patented

Thursday saw the Supreme Court rule that only synthetic DNA can be patented.

The case before them argued that no DNA could be patented.

They decided that DNA, which had been extracted from humans, could not be.

Allowing for the patenting of synthetic DNA will help biotech companies in the research abilities.

It also makes it more of a competitive field, as companies will rush to create their own DNA so that they can patent it and protect their creations.