Norway: Christian Convert Tortured with Boiling Water: ‘Return to Islam or We Kill You’

“At Hå asylmum centre, ‘Ali’ had boiling water poured over him after converting to Christianity and not fasting during Ramadan. Now he and other converts fear for their lives.

‘If you do not return to Islam, we kill you,’ was the message ‘Ali’ got from other Muslims at the Hå asylum centre. He does not wish to have his face or real name published, out of fear of the Muslims at the centre. If Afghan authorities come to know about his conversion, he risks the death penalty by stoning if he is sent back to his home country.” Source.

Philadelphia: American Teen from Pakistan in Custody After Helping to Recruit Terrorists in ‘Jihad Jane’ Plot

“PHILADELPHIA – A U.S. teen from Pakistan is in secret custody, accused of helping recruit terrorists for the woman known as ‘Jihad Jane,’ a person close to the boy’s family said Friday.

Charges filed last month accuse the 17-year-old of helping Colleen LaRose in her alleged efforts to incite an Islamic holy war. Prosecutors have said LaRose was a convert to Islam who wrote of being driven by an urge to help suffering Muslims.

The high school graduate had accepted a full scholarship to Johns Hopkins University, according to the person. He is instead in custody at a youth facility. He could be moved to an adult prison — and have his case moved to adult court — when he turns 18 next month.

A law-enforcement source confirmed the details to The Associated Press. Both people spoke on condition of anonymity because they aren’t authorized to speak publicly about the sealed case. The AP is not publicizing the teen’s name because he is charged as a juvenile.

The Philadelphia Inquirer first reported on his arrest in Friday editions.

The teen came to the U.S. four years ago and has lived with his strict, education-minded family in suburban Baltimore. He is the rare juvenile to be charged or detained in federal custody.” Read more.

Super-Massive Black Hole Devours a Star and Scientists Watch It For The First Fime

By Gareth Finighan and Claire Bates – “A stunning cosmic jet from a super-massive black hole which shredded then swallowed a star has been observed by astronomers for the first time.

The extremely rare phenomenon caused by stellar debris being consumed by the hole has never been observed before.

Known as ‘relativistic jets’, they can reach hundreds of thousands of light years in length.

Most galaxies have super-massive black holes – regions of space that suck in everything nearby with their strong gravitation pull – at their core, with masses of millions or even billions of suns.

Scientists were first alerted to the phenomenon in March after Nasa’s Swift telescope detected several bursts of X-rays from a quiet patch of sky.” Read more.

Australia: After Marine Animal Deaths Explained, ‘We Still Know Nothing At All’

By David Sparkes – “NEW statistics reveal the severity of this year’s horrendous run of marine animal deaths.

The dead bodies of 119 turtles have been found in Gladstone Harbour this year.

The figures will do nothing to ease the sense of frustration gripping the region’s coast-loving public.

The Observer has received a range of statistics on Gladstone’s marine animal deaths from the office of Environment Minister Vicky Darling.

Eight dugongs and five dolphins have also been found dead.

There is still no sign of a list containing specific information, such as locations and dates.

This is despite calls from Gladstone Region Mayor Gail Sellers for every autopsy result to be made public.

Perhaps what is most clear from reading the data, is the fact we still know nothing at all.

That is because, of the 119 turtles found dead, the cause of death was determined for only 24 of them.” Read more.

Oklahoma: Nearly 1000 Fish Go Belly-Up in Enid Lake at Meadowlake Park

By Ed Doney – “ENID, Okla. — A dead fish floating in a lake is not uncommon, but Enid officials were notified Tuesday of a sight rarely seen. Nearly 1,000 dead crappie were floating at Meadowlake Park.

‘Some had been decaying for three or four days,’ Rob Camp said, Deputy Director of Enid Public Works. ‘We found some, just regular skeletons.’

Camp said they found no evidence of contamination and other lake wildlife seem to be fine.

But their pH tests revealed the lake water’s acid level was too low.

Why? This summer’s record heat.

Water this hot throws off a balanced ecosystem and affects more sensitive fish, like crappie.

‘They’re not as strong or as versatile a fish that can survive in those types of environments,’ Camp said. ‘So they’re usually the first ones to die off.’

Micah Holmes, with the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, said their biologists tested the lake water Tuesday and blame low oxygen levels.” Read more.

Signs of the Times? Astronomers Scramble as the Brightest Supernova in 40 Years Appears in the Heavens

It’s been an interesting week for America.  The strongest earthquake in 40 years shakes the midwest, the strongest earthquake in over 100 years — and perhaps in central Virginia’s history — strikes the eastern seaboard, and hurricane Irene is poised to become the strongest hurricanes to hit the northeast in decades with 2011 itself becoming the worst year for tornadoes in America in over 60 years.   And as for the world itself, this year is already being dubbed ‘The Year of Catastrophes‘ …

By Emma Woollacott – “Berkeley scientists this week discovered a new supernova, closer to Earth than any seen in the last 40 years, and believe they’ve spotted it within hours of its explosion.

Astronomers are now scrambling to observe it with as many telescopes as possible, including the Hubble Space Telescope, and it’s likely to remain a major target for research for the next decade or more.

Dubbed PTF 11kly, the supernova is about 21 million light-years away in the Pinwheel Galaxy, in the Ursa Major constellation. It was discovered by the Palomar Transient Factory (PTF) survey, which uses a robotic telescope mounted on the 48-inch Samuel Oschin Telescope to scan the sky nightly.

‘We caught this supernova very soon after explosion. PTF 11kly is getting brighter by the minute. It’s already 20 times brighter than it was yesterday,’ says Peter Nugent, the senior scientist at Berkeley Lab who first spotted it.

‘Observing PTF 11kly unfold should be a wild ride. It is an instant cosmic classic.’

Within 12 hours of its discovery, PTF 11kly had been observed by other telescopes around the globe, and it was found tobelong to the Type Ia category. Indeed, this is the earliest spectrum ever taken of a Type Ia supernova.

‘Type Ia supernova are the kind we use to measure the expansion of the Universe. Seeing one explode so close by allows us to study these events in unprecedented detail,’ says Mark Sullivan of Oxford University, one of the first to follow up on the discovery.

The Hubble Space Telescope will begin studying the supernova’s chemistry and physics this weekend.” Read more.

UCSB Scientists, Telescopes Help Discover ‘Once in a Generation’ Supernova – “A supernova discovered Wednesday is closer to Earth ––approximately 21 million light years away –– than any other of its kind in a generation. Astronomers believe they caught the supernova within hours of its explosion –– a rare feat for events of this type. The discovery of a supernova so early in its life, and so close to Earth has energized the astronomical community. Scientists around the world are scrambling to observe it with as many telescopes as possible, including the Hubble Space Telescope, and telescopes from the UC Santa Barbara-affiliated Las Cumbres Observatory Global Telescope Network (LCOGT).” Read more.

Suspected Meteorite Caught on Tape in Peru

Seems to be moving awfully slow to be a meteorite.  Looks more like a chemtrail to me.  But I could be wrong …

“(CBS News) A suspected meteorite streaked across the Peruvian sky over the ancient city of Cusco on Thursday. Residents were surprised to see the object shooting across the horizon around 2 p.m. local time. A meteorite is a natural object from space that survives impact with the Earth’s surface. Local officials were trying to determine where the suspected meteorite may have landed.” Read more.