USA - A menacing cloud of dust swirling above a parched field in Oklahoma is a disturbing reminder of the power of drought. All too often here, when the land is baked dry, the winds can strip away an inch of precious topsoil in as little as 24 hours, soil that has taken centuries to form. In the course of the most arid years, each acre of farmland can lose up to 70 tons of soil and then, wherever the dust is dumped, it can smother the crops it lands on. In the Oklahoma Panhandle, the most remote area of the state, recent rainfall has been so meagre that fears have been kindled of a return to the apocalyptic "Dust Bowl" scenes of the 1930s. Back then, agriculture collapsed and thousands of people left. Across many parts of the state, the drought is acknowledged to have started three-and-a-half years ago with between 30-50 inches less rainfall than on average over that time. "This has had a big economic impact on our economy - if you look at agriculture in 2011-12 alone there were $2 billion losses from crops and cattle."

USA - Throughout California's desperately dry Central Valley, those with water to spare are cashing in. As a third parched summer forces farmers to fallow fields and lay off workers, two water districts and a pair of landowners in the heart of the state's farmland are making millions of dollars by auctioning off their private caches. Nearly 40 others also are seeking to sell their surplus water this year, according to state and federal records. Economists say it's been decades since the water market has been this hot. In the last five years alone, the price has grown tenfold to as much as $2,200 an acre-foot — enough to cover a football field with a foot of water. Unlike the previous drought in 2009, the state has been hands-off, letting the market set the price even though severe shortages prompted a statewide drought emergency declaration this year.

USA - A recent article in the Daily Beast, “Pennsylvania. Oregon. Is Gay Marriage Unstoppable?” began with the observation that “The cascade of same-sex marriage rulings is now a torrent, each more quotable and image-ready than the last.” The piece ended with this conclusion:

“It’s no coincidence that the Oregon and Pennsylvania opinions both began with the stirring stories of the plaintiffs, long term gay couples denied the right to marry. On the surface, those stories are extraneous detail. But on close inspection, they are why the marriage tide won’t be turned.”

The author points out that it is images and stories that have driven recent pro-same-sex marriage rulings by state judiciaries — not the Supreme Court’s 2013 Windsor decision. The real story is this: it’s all about marketing and the cultivation of perceptions, coupled with intimidating tactics.

EUROPE - With Jean-Claude Juncker, Germany will have a politician as President of the EU Commission, who has always been a close ally. Juncker says that "since his earliest youth," he has "always felt particularly close" to Germany, an affinity that "grew even stronger" in later years. The former prime minister of Luxemburg is seen as former German Chancellor Helmut Kohl's protégé and as the "mediator" in Germany's interests, wherein he had also won France over to accept Germany's standpoint on an economic and monetary union.

UK - In today’s Telegraph, David Cameron says that he opposed Jean-Claude Juncker as European Commission President because the appointment involved an effective transfer of power: national governments collectively surrendered their veto over who runs the European Commission to the European Parliament (in a process known as Spitzenkandidaten). This, Cameron argues, changes the constitutional and political balance in the EU in a way that the EU treaties didn't envision.

EUROPE - Italy has assumed the EU presidency, taking the reins from Greece, whose presidency ended June 30. The revolving presidency will belong to Italy for the next sixth months. Italian prime minister Matteo Renzi has promised to use his term to push for a "United States of Europe," which will be particularly challenging with the recent rise of Euro-skeptic parties in European elections. Renzi recently launched an appeal to convince European leaders that a unified continent is in all European countries' best interest. "A stronger and more cohesive Europe is the only solution to solve the problems of our time," Renzi said during a speech in Florence. "For my children's future, I dream, think, and work for the United States of Europe."

EUROPE - Nigel Farage has led his fellow UKIP MEPs in a protest against the European Parliament at the opening of its new session in Strasbourg. The UKIP MEPs turned their backs as an orchestra played Beethoven's Ode to Joy, the EU's unofficial anthem. Most of the party's 24 MEPs - the biggest delegation to the Parliament from the UK - are believed to have taken part in the protest. "Don't recognise flag nor anthem," tweeted one newly-elected UKIP member. UKIP deputy leader Paul Nuttall MEP said: "We don't recognise or respect the EU flag or anthem. They are both symbols of our servitude inside a political union which the British people reject. Conservative MEP Daniel Hannan said members of the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR), which includes David Cameron's party, "sat quietly" during the anthem, while most MEPs stood. "When the UK leaves the EU, I'll happily stand for Ode to Joy as a mark of respect to the anthem of a friendly neighbouring state," he tweeted.

USA - The United States could soon become a large-scale Spain or Greece, teetering on the edge of financial ruin. That’s according to Donald Trump, who painted a very ugly picture of where this country is headed. Trump made the comments during a recent appearance on Fox News’ “On the Record with Greta Van Susteren.” According to Trump, the United States is no longer a rich country. “When you’re not rich, you have to go out and borrow money. We’re borrowing from the Chinese and others. We’re up to $16 trillion in debt.” He goes on to point out that the downgrade of US debt is inevitable.

USA - The US Supreme Court has ruled a Christian-owned company can claim a religious exemption to a law requiring employers to pay for their workers' contraception. The owners of craft chain Hobby Lobby and others argued the mandate in President Barack Obama's healthcare law violated their religious beliefs. This is arguably the biggest victory for opponents of the Affordable Care act since it was signed into law four years ago, and could open the door to challenges on other aspects of the legislation. Hobby Lobby's backers see it as a straightforward case of the oppressive hand of government forcing religious-minded people to do something to which they morally object.

JAPAN - Japan’s conservative government is making the most significant change in interpretation to its pacifist Constitution since the US-written charter went into effect 67 years ago. That is generating a mixed reaction at home and abroad, especially in the countries that suffered from brutal Japanese colonialism in the first half of the 20th century. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is defending his controversial push to reinterpret the war-renouncing Article 9 of the Constitution. Under the new rules approved by the Cabinet Tuesday, Japan's military would be allowed to exercise the right to "collective self-defense."

USA - In the meadow, four white-haired Shorthorn heifers peel off from the others, raising their heads at the same time in the same direction. Unsettling, when you know they are clones. From their ears dangle yellow tags marked with the same number: 434P. Only the numbers that follow are different: 2, 3, 4 and 6. The tag also bears the name of the company that bred them and is holding them temporarily in a field at its headquarters in Sioux Center, Iowa: Trans Ova Genetics, the only large US Company selling cloned cows.

USA - As negotiations continue for a new contract agreement covering 13,600 dockworkers at 30 ports stretching from San Diego, California, to Bellingham, Washington, a new study shows the US economy could lose as much as $2.5 billion a day if a prolonged West Coast port shutdown occurs. The study, conducted for the National Association of Manufacturers and the National Retail Federation by economists at the Inter-industry Forecasting Project at the University of Maryland, found that the economic repercussions of a port closure would grow with time. “A protracted dispute between the negotiating parties could lead to reduced or shuttered terminal operations for an extended period,” the joint study warned. “If such disruptions occur, the economic impact would be significant and widespread.”

ISRAEL - Israel has vowed retribution against Hamas, the militant Palestinian group it accuses of the kidnap and murder of three teenagers. The bodies of Naftali Frenkel, Gilad Shaar and Eyal Yifrach were found on Monday evening, after they had been missing for more than a fortnight. Israel PM Benyamin Netanyahu said: "Hamas is responsible and Hamas will pay." Hamas denies any involvement.

ISRAEL - The tragic end to the kidnapping of the three Israeli teenagers should also spell the end for Hamas, Deputy Defense Minister Danny Danon (Likud Beytenu) said Monday evening. “The nation is strong and ready to absorb in order to allow an operation that will deal a fatal blow to Hamas,” he added. “We must stop terror and we should destroy the homes of Hamas activists, destroy their ammunition depots and stop any money that is used directly and indirectly to maintaining the flame of terrorism. We must discourage any organization that will even think about kidnapping an Israeli citizen or about threatening Israel.”

ISRAEL - The Palestinian Authority (PA) in Ramallah is reportedly anticipating a large scale Israeli military assault in the wake of the murder of three yeshiva boys, with PA head Mahmoud Abbas attempting to forestall such a move. According to Sky News in Arabic, Abbas has been conducting “feverish” communications with the United States and other countries, to pressure Israel not to launch a large scale operation. He has reportedly transmitted a message of this nature to Israel through the Americans. Abbas spoke to several world leaders Monday night, hours after the bodies of the three kidnapped Israeli teenagers were found, and asked them for help in reining in an Israeli response. A campaign against Hamas would in any case be a continuation of Operation Brother's Keeper, which has been targeting Hamas infrastructures in Judea and Samaria over the last fortnight.