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Thousands gather to honor fallen Texas firefighters

Thousands of firefighters from around the country marched to a memorial service in honor of four Houston firefighters who were killed during a massive five-alarm blaze at a Houston motel on Friday. Dozens of fire trucks and emergency services vehicles joined the firefighters in …

Bathtime for baby: Orphaned elephants bathe in the dust

Two-month-old orphaned baby elephant Ajabu, above, is given a dust-bath in the red earth at an event to mark World Environment Day at the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Elephant Orphanage in Nairobi, Kenya, on June 5. Trust founder Daphne Sheldrick said at the event, which was at …

Thousands more displaced as deadly flooding spreads in Europe

From Reuters: NASSAU, Germany/PRAGUE - Chancellor Angela Merkel promised 100 million euros to victims of Germany's worst flood in a decade on Tuesday as she toured areas devastated by the deluge which has claimed 12 lives across central Europe. Swathes of suburban P …

Brazil tries to defuse mounting conflicts over Amazon dams

Brazil's government sought on Tuesday to defuse mounting conflicts with indigenous groups over its plans to build more hydroelectric dams in the Amazon. The Brazilian air force flew 144 Munduruku Indians to the capital for talks to end a week-long occupation of the controversial …

Egypt concerned over Ethiopia's plan to divert the Nile

By Hamza Hendawi, The Associated Press CAIRO — Politicians meeting with Egypt's president on Monday proposed hostile acts against Ethiopia, including backing rebels and carrying out sabotage, to stop it from building a massive dam on the Nile River upstream. Some o …

Nelson Cruz goes over the wall as Red Sox rout Rangers, 17-5

By Drew Silva, HardballTalk on NBCSports.com The Red Sox racked up 17 runs while scoring in each of the first seven innings against the Rangers at Fenway on Tuesday and only had to add one more against position player David Murphy in the eighth to become the 14th team …

After slaughterhouse fire, victims' families demand answers

A man eats at a hospital after being injured in a fire at a poultry slaughterhouse in Dehui, Jilin province, China, on June 4. Reuters reported at least 120 people died, and more than 70 were injured when fire engulfed a chicken processing plant in rural northeast China on Mon …

Cute or spooky? Seal wins approval in underwater photo contest

How could you resist a cute harbor seal looking at you from a kelp forest off the California coast? The judges for the 2013 Underwater Photography Contest clearly couldn't: They chose Kyle McBurnie's picture of a soulful seal as the competition's top image. McBurnie, the 22-year- …

Remembering Tiananmen Square 24 years later

Following in father's footsteps, Kim Jong Un takes mountain walk to inspire troops

Kim Jong Un has a tough act to follow. Everywhere he goes he is reminded of his father and grandfather, the two men who preceded him as leader of North Korea. As he led a cadre of military officers up Mount Osung on Sunday, Kim was confronted again with the legend of his father' …

Hijacker takes a high jump during China anti-terror drill

A paramilitary policeman knocks down a man role-playing as a plane hijacker during an anti-terrorism drill at Nanjing Lukou International Airport in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, China, on June 3, 2013.

Cat detained on clandestine mission at Russia prison

Guards patrolling a prison colony in Russia's north saw a cat scaling the fence and noticed something a little fishy, The Associated Press reports. On closer inspection, they found several cellphones and chargers taped to the animal's belly. The feline's clandestine mission took …

Outcry against development snowballs into widespread protest against the Turkish government

NBC News reports

Tears flow on Filipino kids' first day at school

Do you remember your first day of school? The feeling of excitement — or dread? The new school year in the Philippines officially opened on Monday with over 20 million students trooping to public elementary and high schools and kindergartens, Agence France-Press …

European countries swamped by worst flooding in decades

Germany, Austria, Poland, Switzerland and the Czech Republic have been affected by floodwaters from heavy rains with officials in the Czech capital, Prague, closing the subway system, evacuating thousands of homes and warning other people not to come into the city. "We can alrea …

'Moss men' join Corpus Christi procession in Spain

Men in camouflage suits made of moss took part in a Corpus Christi procession in the Spanish town of Bejar on Sunday. The tradition, which dates back to 1397, originates from a legend involving Christians reconquering the town by entering under cover of darkness covered in moss …

Discovery of wedding veil in tornado debris inspires plans for second 'wedding shower'

Photographer Mike Fuentes writes:

Watch the northern lights dance in these surprising time-lapse videos

A surprisingly strong geomagnetic storm swept over our planet this weekend, resulting in a surprisingly strong set of videos showing the northern lights (and the southern lights, too). A couple of the videos pack in some extra goodies. For example, Oregon photographer Brad Goldpa …

California wildfire grows, destroys homes, injures 3 firefighters

By Jason Kandel, Reggie Kumar and Brandon Lowrey, NBC Los Angeles The Powerhouse Fire grew to 19,500 acres in northern Los Angeles County after a hot and windy Saturday, burning structures and prompting evacuations in rugged areas between the Santa …

California wildfire grows, destroys homes, injures firefighters