Free Republic

Austria has said it is planning to construct a fence at the main border crossing used by migrants entering the country from Slovenia. Austrian Chancellor Werner Faymann said the move would not shut the border, but would allow better control of arrivals. It came as Germany said it expected the number of deportations of failed asylum seekers to rise. Meanwhile, at least three migrants drowned and 242 were saved when a boat sank off the Greek island of Lesbos. "We do not have a picture of how many people may be missing yet," a Greek coastguard spokeswoman said. Earlier, three...

The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation announced Friday it will continue to monitor rain and snowfall, but at this point, there’s not enough water in the Central Valley Project to give water to farmers, the Associated Press reported. After receiving 20 percent of their normal allowance last year, Central Valley farmers will receive zero percent after Friday’s announcement... “I don’t think we’ve ever had a mandatory rationing of water throughout the entire state,” said Brown. “We’re just looking into the practicality and the legality of that.” The drought was also the focus of a weather science webcast Friday at the Aquarium...

<p>NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) -- Pirates and U.S. warships are racing to the spot in the Indian Ocean where an American sea captain is being held hostage by a handful of pirates.</p> <p>A Nairobi-based diplomat says the pirates holding Capt. Richard Phillips have summoned assistance. He says skiffs and motherships are heading toward the area from the coast.</p>