Outrage at the Islamic State (ISIS) grew again this week with the brutal killing of a second American journalist, Steven Sotloff.

In statement following the killing, President Obama vowed to degrade and destroy the Islamic State. However, the United States still has no clear plan for how to do so.

The beheadings of American journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff by the radical group the Islamic State, and continued tensions in Gaza reignite long-standing questions about why there’s so much tumult in the region.

The Ukrainian Government announced Friday it signed a preliminary protocol to start a ceasefire with pro-Russian rebels.

Brokered by Russian President Vladimir Putin in Minsk, Belarus, the ceasefire went into effect at 6 p.m. local time (10 a.m. Central). Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko confirmed the agreement on Twitter:

Віддаю наказ начальнику Генерального штабу Збройних Сил України припинити вогонь починаючи з 18.00 5 вересня. pic.twitter.com/zb58uuEbVg

Politicians, agency leaders and energy industry executives gathered in Oklahoma City Thursday for the Governor’s Energy Conference.

The annual event is largely promotional, but it also serves as a preview of the biggest energy policy topics for the coming year.

There were presentations on new technology that generates energy from trash, optimistic presentations on jobs and Oklahoma’s oil and gas boom, and discussions about wind turbines and crude exports.

The Oklahoma chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations wants state Rep. John Bennett (R-Sallisaw) to apologize for saying people should be wary of those who are “Muslim American” in a Facebook post.

Last week, the city council in Duncan discussed moving to Stage 4 water rationing, which would limit outdoor watering to just one day per week. Now, officials in Lawton are instituting tougher city-wide water restrictions.

Rose State College recently established both men’s and women’s soccer teams, hoping to kick off new interest in their college.

Called the “Raiders,” named for daring, barn-storming World War II bomber pilots; the teams compete in Division I, Region II of the National Junior College Athletic Association. But they also hope to garner interest in the college in the hearts and minds of would-be students and their parents.

Gov. Mary Fallin has announced the creation of a Coordinating Council on Seismic Activity to link researchers with policy makers and energy industry experts as Oklahoma experiences a dramatic uptick in earthquake activity.

Fallin's announcement on Thursday came during the fourth annual Governor's Energy Conference in Oklahoma City.

The council will be headed by Oklahoma Secretary of Energy and Environment Michael Teague. Fallin says Oklahoma is seeing more earthquakes today than it did several decades ago, and that it's important to study the issue.

Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin says no death row inmates will be executed in the state until recommendations for improving the execution process are implemented.

Fallin made the comments Thursday after the Department of Public Safety released a report on the troubled April 29 execution of Clayton Lockett, who writhed and moaned before he was declared dead 43 minutes after his execution began. The 11 recommendations include more training for medical personnel and having additional supplies of lethal drugs and equipment on hand.