Free Republic

Archaeologists have found evidence that appears to support the theory that a catastrophic flood struck the Black Sea region more than 7,000 years ago, turning the sea saline, submerging surrounding plains and possibly inspiring the flood legends of Mesopotamia and the Bible. In their first scientific report, the expedition leaders said that a sonar survey conducted in the summer of 2000 in the sea off Sinop, a city on the northern coast of Turkey, revealed the first distinct traces of the preflood shoreline, now about 500 feet under water. At one site, the sonar detected more than 30 stone blocks ...

Revealed: US plans for Bosnian constitution · Crunch date looms over democracy ambitions · Lure of EU entry is driving reconciliation process The Americans have written a new constitution transforming Bosnia into a centrally governed parliamentary democracy for the first time, and are pushing strongly - with European backing - to have the blueprint agreed by Bosnia's rival nationalist leaders within the next fortnight. The blueprint, obtained by the Guardian, has been developed during seven months of secret negotiations between US experts and officials and Bosnian politicians. The bold new draft is said to enjoy the full backing of the...