KEEP YOUR DREAMS ALIVE.  UNDERSTAND THAT TO ACHIEVE ANYTHING REQUIRES FAITH AND BELIEF IN YOURSELF, VISION, HARD WORK, DETER-MINATION, AND DEDICATION.  REMEMBER THAT ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE FOR THOSE WHO BELIEVE.

UNIVERSE.  Europe's Herschel space telescope has spied a far-distant galaxy with the aid of a cosmic "zoom lens".  The observatory is already one of the most powerful astronomical tools ever built, but its abilities can be boosted thanks to a neat trick of gravity. By viewing a huge cluster of galaxies, Herschel has been able to study in detail an even more distant object. This is possible because the gravity of the foreground cluster magnifies the light of the background galaxy.

WORLD.  School feeding programs, which provide meals so that millions of children in poor countries can attend classes, can be broadened to reach even more pupils.  Some 66 million schoolchildren in dozens of countries currently receive meals through the programs. Nancy Walters, chief of school feeding policy at WFP, told a New York forum on hunger that the pro-grams have many benefits beyond the immediate goal of ensuring children do not go hungry.

BRAZIL.  Brazil’s famous Christ the Redeemer statue has been re-opened after a $4 million renovation.  The Rio de Janeiro monument has undergone a four-month restoration. As it was un-veiled, it was lit up in green and yellow to honor the Brazilian football team that is playing in the FIFA World Cup.  The 38-meter tall statue is visited by nearly two million tourists a year.

BELGIUM.  In June l3 parliamentary elections, the Socialist Party won in the French-speaking south, while separatist parties captured nearly half the vote in the Dutch-speaking north.  Politi-cians are struggling to form a coalition government in the chronically divided country. The im-passe comes at an inopportune time: Belgium will assume the rotating presidency of the EU.

EGYPT.   Border guards have shot dead a woman as she tried to cross the border illegally from Egypt into Israel. The woman, who was Eritrean, had ignored orders to stop and was shot in the stomach and leg. At least three other people, all Eritrean, were detained, including a child aged four.   Soldiers have killed dozens of African migrants at the border in the past two years.

INDIA.  Slowly but steadily, a decade-old business around the dead and universally despised dictator Adolf Hitler is emerging as a small-scale industry.  Books and memorabilia on the Ger-man leader's life have found a steady market in some sections of Indian society where he is idolized and admired, mostly by the young.  The numbers are small but seem to be growing.

PHILIPPINES.   The son of an assassinated opposition leader and a former president has been sworn in as the 15th president.  Benigno Aquino won a convincing victory in elections in May with pledges to stamp out corruption. The swearing-in was an emotional and colorful event, held in seaside Rizal Park. It was attended by more half a million people, many in yellow attire.

SUDAN.   Police briefly detained 20 models, make-up artists and designers after a rare mixed-sex fashion show in Khartoum. Amateur models taking part in the "Sudanese Next Top Model Fashion Show" were rounded up this week by public order police, a body known for its crackdowns on indecent dress and drinking in the Muslim north. All the detainees were released.

ARTS.  Oprah Winfrey has been named the most powerful celebrity in the world by Forbes magazine.  Winfrey knocked film star Angelina Jolie off the top spot of Forbes's annual Celebrity 100 list, which is based on earnings and media exposure.  Singer Beyonce came second, while film director James Cameron entered at number three following his success with Avatar.

BUSINESS.  Toyota has announced that it will recall 270,000 cars worldwide because of an engine fault.  Toyota said the recall included seven luxury Lexus models--some of them in the UK--and the popular Toyota Crown.  The latest quality problem follows the recall of more than eight million vehicles which had problems with sticking accelerator pedals earlier this year.

CRIME.  The football fan who walked into England's World Cup dressing room and the journa-list who told his story will appear in court in South Africa later.  Pavlos Joseph, 32, from London, is accused of trespassing, but says he was only looking for a toilet when he came across the players.  Sunday Mirror's Simon Wright  is accused of sheltering Mr Joseph from the police.

ENVIRONMENT.  Heavy rains that began to fall in southeastern France on June l5 caused a series of deadly flash floods that killed l9 people.  The region’s worst flooding since l827 forced over l,000 residents into shelters, left thousands of homes without electricity and resulted in the dispatch of helicopters to aid in rescue efforts. The waters reached 2 meters in some places.

HEALTH.  Women who exercise by doing the housework can reduce their risk of breast cancer, a Cancer Research UK-funded study suggests.   The research on more than 200,000 women from nine European countries found doing household chores was far more cancer protective than playing sport.  Dusting, mopping and vacuuming was also better than having a physical job.

LAW.  The EU's top court has ruled that pregnant workers who are temporarily transferred to another job or granted time off should not lose the extra payments they normally get. But while on maternity leave they are not guaranteed the full amount, or paid on-call duty allowance.  The ruling--binding across the EU--was prompted by two cases of  women in Austria and Finland.

LIFESTYLE.  China's military officers have recently added matchmaking to their duties, after the government banned troops from online dating over fears that lonely hearts might let sensitive information slip.  Commanders of the 2.3 million strong People's Liberation Army are studying how to help single service members find love.  Blogs are out, along with internet dating.

POLITICS.  Czech President Vaclav Klaus has appointed Petr Necas, leader of the center-right Civic Democrat party, as the country's new prime minister.  Following elections last month, the right-wing TOP 09 and the centrist Public Affairs parties have been holding talks with the Civic Democrats.  The Czech Republic has been in a political limbo for more than a year now.

RELIGION.  A team that prays together plays well together, or so it seems for Ghana's national soccer team, the Black Stars, who have advanced to the World Cup quarterfinals. Of six African nations that qualified for the World Cup, only Ghana is left. The Black Stars get their name from the country's flag, which features a black star in its center amid three horizontal stripes.

SPORTS.  Nigeria risk being expelled from Fifa if football's world governing body decides there has been unacceptable government interference. President Goodluck Jonathan has suspended the national team for two years following a poor World Cup.  The government announced this week that the Nigerian Football Federation will be dissolved and an interim board put in place.

TECHNOLOGY.   Nearly two million more Britons have come online during the last year, over half of which are over fifty years old.  The UK Online Measurement Company found that the net audience now stands at 38.8 million, up from 36.9 million at the same time last year. The majo-rity of internet newbies were made up of over-50s, with more men than women joining up.

TRAVEL.  Six people were killed and ten others were hurt in an accident on a theme park ride in China.  Survivors said there had been a burning smell and “a bang” on the space rocket-themed ride at the park in Shenzhen, just across  Hongkong. The ride, which has a capacity of 44, “stimu-lates conditions in a launching rocket.  There was a power cut when the accident happened.

QUOTES.  “I will vindicate on the glorious splendor of Your majesty, and on Your wondrous works.” Psalm 145.:5…  “Man’s main task in life is to give birth to himself, to become what he potentially is.  The most important product of his effort is his own personality.” Erich Fromm… A friend hears the song in my heart and sings it to me when my memory fails." Unknown

FLASHBACKS.  St Paul I ended his reign as Catholic Pope, on June 28, 0767…  Mahatma Gandhi's first arrest, campaigning for Indian rights in South Africa, on June 30, l9l4…  Imelda Romualdez-Marcos and Adnan Khashoggi found not guilty of racketeering, on July 2, l990… Jimmy Connors beat John McEnroe for his last Wimbeldon championship, on July 4, l982.

MILESTONES.   Allan Bunag, Marcos Camutin, Leonila  Moso, Gerly Rodriguez – June 28; Amelia Campos, Chatzy Dizon, Petrita Gorospe-Rentiquiano, Corazon Santos – June 29;  Gracia Diccion, Onofre Gorospe Jr. – June 30;   Rene Ayonayon, Josephine Geronimo,  Nely S. Sajor, Bokanay Tatay, Zeny dela Cuesta Urbina, Junamy Velarde – July l; Emelyn Magoncia, Estelita Visitacion  – July 2;  Alejandra Ceria, Alejandro Gamos – July 3;  Marlene Austria, Gloria Canaoay, Rheza Caoayan, Nicole M. Gorospe – July 4.

JOKES.  A girl walks into a supermarket and asks the clerk,” Can I have a turkey for my grandma?" the clerk responds,” Sorry. We don't do exchanges." A Joke A Day…  This police officer sees an old lady driving and knitting at the same time so after driving next to her for awhile he yells to her, "PULLOVER".  She replies,"No a pair of socks".  Good Clean Jokes.

FEEDBACKS.  “We are in the process of updating and moving to another directory. I'll send your access info later.” Constantino Rosario, USA…  “Please find herewith information about our first of three bank transfers.” Lukáš Marištiak, Slovak Republic…  More comments from:  Vic Andallo – Australia;  Hasan Mahmood – Bangladesh; Freddy Stewart – Belgium; Ivan Korcak – Czech Republic; Mario Ugalino – Hawaii; Harrry A. Ocampo – Italy; Abechit Jose – New Zealand; Khalid Yaseen - Qatar;  Jeus Alcantara – UAE;  Tom Schroeder – USA.

LIGHTER SIDE.  French President Nicolas Sarkozy has axed the traditional lavish Bastille Day garden party in the grounds of his Elysee Palace residence as a symbolic savings measure.  The decision comes as Paris is under pressure from the EU and credit ratings agencies to slash its budget deficit, set to reach eight  percent of national output this year. – fpg@rn.