• Civil Asset Forfeiture Laws: American Police Seize Millions of Dollars without Pressing Criminal Charges

  Imagine if a police officer anywhere in the United States conducted a routine traffic stop on you. While the officer decides to let you off with a warning (which does happen sometimes), he makes the decision to seize a large amount of cash you were carrying to the bank for deposit because he determines you were going to use it in a crime, even though he has no direct evidence to back up his claim.

  

• China (Sort of) Beats U.S. as World’s Largest Economy

  The United States will lose its place this year as the world's largest economy to China, at least in terms of an important economic measure tied to the cost of living, according to International Monetary Fund.

  

• Super Typhoon Vongfong Expected to Hit Japan This Weekend

  A powerful super typhoon that is projected to hit Japan this weekend has been called the most powerful storm recorded in the world this year, packing a punch equivalent to a Category 5 hurricane with sustained winds of up to 166 mph (270 kph).

  

• Wal-Mart Cuts Health Insurance Benefits for Part-Time Workers

  In a move to comply with federal regulations, Wal-Mart, one of the largest private sector companies in the United States, has decided to eliminate health insurance for 30,000 part-time workers and raise premiums throughout its U.S. workforce.

  

• Turkey Protests on Gov't Inaction Against ISIS Turn Deadly; 21 People dead

  The Kurdish minority, protesting the refusal of Turkey's government to help besieged Kurds and take out Islamic State fighters in the Syrian border town of Kobani, turned to riots across the country, resulting in the deaths of 21 people.