July 4, 2015

Fears Grow of Assad Waging Last-Stand Deadly Chemical Attack
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has produced new chemical weapons that U.S. intelligence officials he might use in a last-ditch effort to save his own neck, The Wall Street Journal reported. The Islamic State (ISIS), Al Qaeda and rebel forces have taken over most of Syria.  

Connecticut mom balks when son's kindergarten application gets personal
The application, sought information such as whether Cara Paiuk's delivery was by C-section or not, whether there were other complications and even if her newborn son had gone home with his parents without delay.  

Putin tells Obama he wants dialogue based on equality and respect
Vladimir Putin called for dialogue based on equal treatment and mutual respect with the United States on Saturday in a congratulatory message to President Barack Obama marking U.S. Independence Day. Putin said U.S.-Russian relations remained important for solving global crises. The two countries have disagreements over the conflict in Ukraine, defense matters and democracy.  

3RD OF JULY FIREWORKS
Sunspot AR2378 in the sun's southern hemisphere is increasingly active. On July 3rd at 12:51 UT it unleashed an impulsive M1.5-class solar flare. UV radiation from the flare ionized the top of Earth's atmosphere, causing a mild radio blackout over the Atlantic Ocean. Mariners and ham radio operators might have noticed the disturbance at frequencies below ~10 MHz. The explosion did not produce an Earth-directed CME. 
'It sounded like dynamite': 16 earthquakes in Greene County since November

The string of tremblors has made Greene County one of the newest epicenters of a national debate among scientists, government officials and other observers over what is behind the massive increase in seismological events across the U.S. in recent years.  

4.5 Magnitude Earthquake Rattles Nicaragua's Pacific Coast
Managua: A 4.5 magnitude earthquake rattled cities along Nicaragua's Pacific coast late Friday, seismologists said, with no reports of injuries or damage.  

 Two rockets fired from Egypt's Sinai hit Israel: army
Two rockets fired from Egypt's violence-plagued Sinai Peninsula exploded inside Israeli territory on Friday without causing casualties, a military spokesman said.  

Man arrested in connection with San Francisco killing had been deported several times, officials say
The man arrested in connection with the seemingly random killing of a woman who was out for a stroll with her father along the San Francisco waterfront is an illegal immigrant who previously had been deported five times, federal immigration officials say.  

Boko Haram kills nearly 200 in 48 hours of Nigeria slaughter
Boko Haram carried out a fresh wave of massacres in northeastern Nigeria on Friday, locals said, killing nearly 200 people in 48 hours of violence President Muhammadu Buhari blasted as "inhuman and barbaric". 

Greek banks prepare plan to raid deposits to avert collapse
Greek banks are preparing contingency plans for a possible “bail-in” of depositors amid fears the country is heading for financial collapse, bankers and businesspeople with knowledge of the measures said on Friday.  

Obama to host head of Vietnam communist party
Vietnam s Communist Party will make a first-ever visit to the White House next week, meeting President Barack Obama...  

Astronomers Predict Fireworks from Rare Stellar Encounter in 2018
Astronomers are expecting high-energy explosions when pulsar J2032 swings around its massive companion star in early 2018. The pulsar will plunge through a disk of gas and dust surrounding the star, triggering cosmic fireworks. Scientists are planning a global campaign to watch the event across the spectrum, from radio waves to gamma rays.  

6.1 magnitude earthquake in China's Xinjiang: USGS
An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.1 struck China s far western region of Xinjiang on Friday, the US Geological Survey said. The epicentre was 164 kilometres (102 miles) northwest of the city of Hotan and 131 kilometres southeast of Shache, known as Yarkand in Uighur, the language of the local mainly Muslim minority.  

July 3, 2015

Oregon imposes gag order on Christian bakers in gay wedding case
I don’t know if you’ve followed the case of Sweet Cakes by Melissa. This is the now-closed bakery in Oregon that has become a target of state officials because its Christian owners declined to bake a cake for a lesbian wedding. Not only has the business been forced to close, the state has fined the Kleins $135,000. But it gets worse. Much worse. Now that state has responded to a radio interview the Kleins gave by ordering them to no longer talk publicly about why their faith compels them to decline such business.   
North Korean farmers face dry fields, drought
North Korean farmers work to pump underground water into parched fields. Instead of rice seedlings standing in flooded paddies, the baked earth is cracked. A big lake that used to supply surrounding farmland with water is almost completely dry. ...While the situation in this area visited by the AP looks grim, it is unclear how severe the drought is in the rest of the country.  

Schools Implant IUDs in Girls as Young as 6th Grade Without Their Parents Knowing
Earlier this month, LifeNews.com reported on a high school in Seattle, Washington that is now implanting intrauterine devices (IUD), as well as other forms of birth control...without parental knowledge or permission. ...So, a young teen in Seattle can’t get a coke at her high school, but she can have a device implanted into her uterus, which can unknowingly kill her unborn child immediately after conception.  

CDC Official Calls Obama Worst President, Amateur, Marxist After Influx of Illegal Alien Minors
Following the influx of illegal immigrant minors from Central America, an official at the federal agency charged with protecting public health describes Barack Obama as “the worst pres we have ever had,” an “amateur” and “Marxist,”... Tens of thousands of Central Americans came into the United States...and contagious diseases—many considered to be eradicated in the U.S.—became a tremendous concern.  

MOD to release UK's top secret UFO 'X-Files' that 'could prove aliens exist'
...UFO researchers, backed by House of Lords peer, have been fighting for the release of 18 top secret Ministry of Defence (MoD) files about UFO sightings from more than 30 years ago. ...Lord Black of Brentwood, who asked the Government for an update through a Parliamentary question, was assured yesterday - the day before World UFO day - the files would be released by the MoD to the National Archives by March next year.  

CO2 emissions threaten ocean crisis
Scientists have warned that marine life will be irreversibly changed unless CO2 emissions are drastically cut. Writing in Science, experts say the oceans are heating, losing oxygen and becoming more acidic because of CO2. They warn that the 2C maximum temperature rise for climate change agreed by governments will not prevent dramatic impacts on ocean systems.  

Israel to temporarily close southern Highway 12 amid Sinai tensions
During a security assessment Thursday night, Israel's defense establishment decided to temporarily close Highway 12 in the South...amid tensions in the nearby Sinai Peninsula. The IDF has increased vigilance in light of fighters linked to Islamic State having taken control of an Egyptian military armored vehicle and tank, creating concern that the Islamists in the volatile region might attempt to break into Israeli territory.  

Police boost security in Old City and at checkpoints
Against a backdrop of lonewolf terrorist attacks...police said extra units will be on hand for Friday prayers in the capital. Prayers will proceed as planned as thousands of Palestinians are expected to convene at al-Aksa Mosque on the Temple Mount for the third week of Ramadan, though with a greater police presence,” Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said on Thursday.  

Nathan Collier: Montana man inspired by same-sex marriage ruling requests right to wed two wives
Nathan Collier said he was inspired by the recent Supreme Court decision that made marriage equal. He said he was particularly struck by the words of dissenting Chief Justice John Roberts who claimed giving gay couples the right to marry, might inspire polygamy.  

China’s stocks hit critical low despite government lifelines
A series of lifelines from Beijing failed to stop the slide in the mainland's stock market on Thursday, with the key Shanghai Composite Index closing below the critical 4,000 mark for the first time in almost three months. Analysts warned that the nation's leadership would pay dearly if it failed to stabilise the market and prevent millions of small investors from losing their life savings.  

Syria conflict: 'Massive rebel assault' to take Aleppo
Syrian rebels led by Islamist groups have begun a massive assault that aims to take full control of the northern city of Aleppo, monitors report. Rebels fired hundreds of rockets and missiles into government-held areas in a multi-district attack, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.  

No breakthrough at Iran nuclear talks, ministers push for deal soon
Tehran and world powers were still shy of a breakthrough at nuclear talks on Thursday as foreign ministers flew in to help push for a swift deal and resolve disputes over how sanctions could be lifted and how Iran's compliance would be monitored.  

Greece 'No' voters in lead ahead of bailout referendum
Almost half of Greeks intend to vote 'No' in a weekend referendum on the terms of its bailout, but capital controls are boosting the 'Yes' camp, a poll showed Wednesday.  

Cash-strapped UN food agency reduces help to Syrian refugees
The United Nations' food agency is cutting back on assistance to thousands of Syrian refugees after an appeal for a ceasefire to enable Syrians feed themselves went unheeded, World Food Program Executive Director Ertharin Cousin said on Friday.  

Boko Haram guns down 97 people praying in mosques in Nigeria
Boko Haram extremists gunned down nearly 100 Muslims praying in mosques in a northeast Nigerian town during the holy month of Ramadan, a government official and a self-defense fighter said Thursday.  

July 2, 2015

Ebola Returns to Liberia
Less than two months after Liberia was declared Ebola-free by the World Health Organization, the virus is back in the country. Over the weekend, a 17-year-old boy died in a small town outside the Liberian capital of Monrovia, The New York Times reports. His family had the burial team swab his body to test for the virus. The tests came back positive, as did a blood test taken by an Ebola response team on Tuesday. According to The Times, a clinic initially diagnosed the boy with malaria, which has similar symptoms to the early stages of Ebola.  

Crater expands, ejection of more smoke and ashes reported Panic continues to grip Wahong village
On July 5, a team of Manipur University’s Earth Sciences Department led by Dr S Manichandra will visit the site. They will bring necessary equipment to study the matter.  

Turkey 'planning to invade Syria'
Turkey has sent shock waves through the Middle East by preparing plans to send troops into Syria for the first time, turning the civil war into an international conflict on Europe’s borders.  

All-Out War South of Israeli-Sinai Border
The northern Sinai Peninsula south of the border with Israel is engulfed in an all-out war. Egyptian F-16 warplanes attacked Islamic State (ISIS) and other jihadists’ positions for several hours Wednesday afternoon and killed more than 90 jihadists following massive ISIS attacks. Most of the 70 Egyptian casualties were soldiers and policemen, and the death toll is not final.  

Congress Demands Obama Step Back From Iran Nuclear Deal
Leading members of Congress are pressing US President Barack Obama to abandon his attempts to force through a nuclear deal with Iran, after the deadline for talks was extended on Tuesday to July 7 in a last gasp week-long reprieve.  

Analysis: Egypt is losing its war against ISIS in Sinai
Wednesday's terror attack was the largest ever carried out by the Sinai Province, Islamic State's Egyptian affiliate, since it began its fight against the government in Cairo some four years ago.  

Eruption Update: Quake Swarms Hit Iceland, Japan Rumbles
Steam rises from a slope near the hot springs resort of Hakone, Kanagawa prefecture on June 30, 2015. Meanwhile, after a few months of volcanic quiet in the island nation, a new earthquake swarm has started off Iceland’s southwestern coast.  

5.8-magnitude earthquake strikes off Solomon Islands
A 5.8-magnitude earthquake struck off the Solomon Islands early Thursday, US geologists said, but there were no initial reports of damage and no tsunami warnings were issued. The quake hit at a depth of 8.9 kilometres (5.6 miles), 92 kilometres from Kirakira and 334 kilometres from the capital Honiara.  
Unprecedented wave of shark attacks causes terror in North Carolina
A seventh person in North Carolina has been bitten by sharks in what is becoming an unprecedented wave of attacks on tourist beaches. The 68-year-old man was flown to hospital after being bitten on his hands and leg as he swam off the shore of Ocracoke Island.  

US blocks attempts by Arab allies to fly heavy weapons directly to Kurds to fight Islamic State
The United States has blocked attempts by its Middle East allies to fly heavy weapons directly to the Kurds fighting Islamic State jihadists in Iraq, The Telegraph has learnt. Some of America’s closest allies say President Barack Obama and other Western leaders, including David Cameron, are failing to show strategic leadership over the world’s gravest security crisis for decades.  

World’s Jewish Population Approaching Pre-Holocaust Numbers
The world’s Jewish population has almost rebounded to pre-Holocaust numbers, according to a new report. The Jewish People Policy Institute (JPPI) estimates there are currently 14.2 million Jewish people in the world today. That estimate approaches 16.2 million, the number of Jewish people in the world before World War II, when Nazis and their collaborators killed 6.1 million Jews.  

Ebola crisis: Liberia's new outbreak spreads
Two more cases of Ebola have been confirmed in Liberia following the death of a teenager from the virus on Sunday, officials say. The country had been declared Ebola-free more than seven weeks ago. Both of the new cases were in Nedowein, the same village where the boy died, the ministry of information says.  

Egypt: Sinai operations will last 'until IS removed'
Egypt has vowed to rid its Sinai Peninsula of militants after major clashes with Islamic State fighters there killed more than 100 people. Operations will not stop until the area is cleared of all "terrorist concentrations", the army said. Air strikes continued into the early hours of Thursday.  

The Latest: Muslim Brotherhood calls for Egypt 'rebellion'
The Muslim Brotherhood says its leaders killed in a Cairo apartment were murdered in "in cold blood," calling for a rebellion against President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, who it calls a "butcher."  

Oppose Gay Marriage, But Avoid Two Big Mistakes
And just like the U.S. legalization of abortion in 1973, this newest decision has occurred in a Sabbath rest year, a year of spiritual significance that was designed by God for restoration and renewal – for setting things right – not a year to invent new forms of social rebellion against the Almighty. For me, the timing of Friday’s decision seems eerily like a divine setup for some kind of God-ordained response this Fall.  

US warns of Russia, China military threat amid growing chaos
America's new military strategy singles out states like China and Russia as aggressive and threatening to US security interests, while warning of growing technological challenges and worsening global stability.  

Iranian officials said Monday that the Islamic Republic’s Central Bank has successfully repatriated 13 tons of gold as part of a package of sanctions
Egypt's army said on Wednesday more than 100 militants and 17 soldiers were killed after simultaneous assaults on military checkpoints in North Sinai, in the deadliest fighting in years in the restive province.  

Iran Repatriates 13 Tons of Gold Under Sanctions Relief
Iranian officials said Monday that the Islamic Republic’s Central Bank has successfully repatriated 13 tons of gold as part of a package of sanctions relief provided to Iran by U.S. and Western powers.  

ECB will not increase liquidity lifeline to Greek banks: source
The European Central Bank's governing council on Wednesday decided not to increase the liquidity lifeline to cash-strapped Greek banks, a Greek banking

July 1, 2015

Op-Ed: The Vatican Wants the Temple Mount Taken From the Jews
The Vatican-PLO agreements have been signed to enable the eviction of the Jews from Jerusalem. This follows a memorandum signed by Palestinian and Vatican officials in 2000 which repeated the Vatican call for an international mandate to preserve “the proper identity and sacred character” of Jerusalem. It means a return to a time when half of Israel’s capital was under Islamic control, the Old City was closed to Jews, the synagogues were desecrated, and walls, barbed wire, and snipers divided the city by force.  

Tsipras offers conditional okay to bailout, creditors skeptical
In the letter, seen by Reuters, Tsipras asked to keep a discount on value added tax for Greek islands, stretch out defense spending cuts and delay the phasing out of an income supplement to poorer pensioners.  

Jewish, Arab, Iranian Believers Prove Peace is Possible
Although working mainly among Jews since its founding in 1809 by slave trade abolitionist William Wilberforce and others, CMJ has also consistently reached out to Arabs over the years and, in 2012, held their first At the Crossroads conference at their Jerusalem headquarters to enable Jew and Gentile to express their oneness in Christ and work together to spread the gospel on the basis of a prophecy from Isaiah (chapter 19) of a “highway” of peace and reconciliation from Egypt to Assyria (which includes much of the modern-day Arab world) via Israel.  

Obama Promises That Events In Greece And Puerto Rico Will Not Cause A Global Financial Crisis
Obama says that we shouldn’t be alarmed by what is happening over in Greece. On Tuesday, he told reporters that this “is an issue primarily of concern to Europe” and that “I think the markets have properly factored in the risks involved“. And apparently Obama is not too concerned about the debt crisis in Puerto Rico either. In fact, the Obama administration has already completely ruled out any sort of federal bailout for the island.  

ISIS Vows to Conquer Gaza, Israel & Palestinian Authority
ISIS not satisfied with the way Hamas terrorists have governed the Gaza region – has decided to seize control of the enclave itself. And the terrorist organization says it does not plan to stop there, either — the group apparently issued a video statement Tuesday warning of its intent to conquer the State of Israel and the Palestinian Authority as well, according to the Reuters news agency.  

ISIS Attacks Kill 64 Egyptian Soldiers in Sinai, 42 in El Arish
Approximately 64 Egyptian soldiers and police officers have been killed in a multi-prong attack at five checkpoints in the Sinai Peninsula, according to international media sources.  

Helium is leaking from San Francisco’s fault lines, and it could cause a huge earthquake
It sounds like something straight from a big-budget disaster movie, but a huge fault in the Earth’s crust is leaking helium – and it could cause a devastating Earthquake.  

Iran nuclear talks: Deadline extended to 7 July
Iran and six world powers have extended into next week their talks on finding a comprehensive agreement of Tehran's nuclear programme. The deadline for reaching an agreement was 30 June, but all parties agreed to extend it by another week, to 7 July. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Tuesday that a deal was now "within reach".  

US-Cuba ties: Washington and Havana to announce embassies
The US and Cuba will on Wednesday announce the opening of embassies in each other's capitals, a major step in re-establishing diplomatic ties severed in 1961, a senior US official has said. Relations had been frozen since the early 1960s when the US broke links and imposed a trade embargo with the Communist island. But the US and Cuba agreed to normalise relations at the end of 2014.  

China security law tightens control of cyber security
China's legislature has passed a wide-ranging and controversial national security law which tightens government control over many areas of life. The law broadly defines national security as covering everything from finance and cyber security to religion. State media said it would "protect people's fundamental interests".  

Mozambique decriminalises gay and lesbian relationships
Mozambique has decriminalised homosexuality in its new penal code, making it one of a few African countries where same-sex relationships are legal. The revised code, in force from Wednesday, drops a colonial-era clause outlawing "vices against nature". There were no prosecutions under that clause but rights activists have said this change is a symbolic victory.  

Foreign Ministry: United Church of Christ's decision to divest from Israel 'immoral'
The Foreign Ministry called the United Church of Christ's (UCC) decision to divest from companies operating beyond the Green Line "immoral" in a statement released Wednesday. "People of faith and religion should work to facilitate peace and not try to hurt the side [Israel] aspiring for peace," the Foreign Ministry stated.  

Israel closes crossings with Egypt, Gaza, following ISIS Sinai terror attacks
Israel closed the Nizzana and Kerem Shalom border crossings Wednesday following militant attacks in Egypt's North Sinai that killed at least 30 in one of the biggest coordinated assaults yet in the insurgency-hit province. Islamic State's Egypt affiliate, Sinai Province, claimed responsibility for the attacks against security forces in North Sinai, according to a statement on Twitter.  

When gold is declared illegal...
As regular readers know, we recommend having some cash on hand in case of a monetary emergency. But a reader asks: In the same vein as your reader’s question as to what good cash is when it’s declared illegal, what good is gold when gold is declared illegal? First, precious metals aren’t illegal, so far. Second, making something illegal doesn’t necessarily make it unpopular.  

Suicide truck bomb kills two, wounds 40 in Afghanistan: officials
A suicide truck bomb in southern Afghanistan on Tuesday killed two civilians and wounded more than 40, officials said, in the latest attack since the Taliban began their annual offensive.  

Ukraine suspends Russian gas purchases
Russian gas purchases have been suspended by Ukraine after a breakdown in talks aimed at keeping supplies running for three to six months. The Ukrainian state energy company, Naftogaz, said it would continue transporting Russian gas supplies to other European customers.  

Around 1,200 escape from Yemen prison, including al Qaeda suspects
Around 1,200 prisoners, including al Qaeda suspects, escaped during clashes at a jail in central Yemen on Tuesday, officials said.  

What Netanyahu Really Thinks About Military Action Against Iran
Israel's former ambassador to Washington, Michael Oren, is on a crusade to discredit President Obama and derail a possible nuclear deal with Iran -- and his new memoir contains interesting information about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's real thoughts on how to stop the Iranians getting a nuclear weapon.  

Small earthquake recorded in west Alabama
The U.S. Geological Survey says a magnitude 3.8 tremor was recorded Tuesday morning near Eutaw -- roughly 35 miles southwest of Tuscaloosa.  

Second Earthquake Since May Rattles Lower Michigan
A shallow earthquake jolted lower Michigan Tuesday morning, marking the second time in two months the region -- which is fairly a stranger to earthquakes -- has felt a tremblor.  

Greece Defaults on IMF Debt
Greece made last-minute overtures to its international creditors for financial aid on Tuesday, but it was not enough to save the country from becoming the first developed economy to default on a loan with the International Monetary Fund.

June 30, 2015

Here’s Every 2016 GOP Candidate’s Response To The Same-Sex Marriage Ruling — And There’s A Divide
After the Supreme Court ruled bans on same-sex marriage are unconstitutional, Jeb Bush and Marco Rubio focused on religious freedom — while Mike Huckabee, Bobby Jindal, and, most interestingly, Scott Walker focused more on keeping the fight alive.  

Walmart refuses order for Confederate cake but bakes ISIS cake instead
Walmart has apologized after one of its stores baked a cake bearing the Islamic State flag for a Louisiana customer, whose request for a Confederate flag cake had been rejected. "Wal-Mart,'' Netzhammer says in the video, "you got some explaining to do.'  

Pentagon urged to boot chaplains who oppose ‘gay’ marriage
In the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s decision to redefine marriage in all 50 states, the Pentagon is now being urged to “cleanse itself” of chaplains who refuse to support same-sex marriage.  

ISIS Threatens Mass Slaughter of Christians in Israel Before End of Ramadan
Islamic militants claiming to be representatives of terror group ISIS in Jerusalem have threatened to "cleanse" Israel of all Christians and "non-believers" unless they leave the country. The extremists are accusing Christians of encouraging Muslims to abandon their religion.  

Convergence of Jupiter and Venus on 6.30.15: The Return of the Bethlehem Star!
There is a rare and special celestial occurrence that will be happening just after sunset on June 30, 2015. On June 30th, 2015, the same conjunction that happened when Yeshua was born, known as the “star of Bethlehem” will happen AGAIN in the night sky. The two planets, Venus and Jupiter will spend eight evenings within 2° of each other from June 27th through July 4th. This rare conjunction/pairing of Jupiter and Venus coming this close to each other so that they appear to be on top of one another has not happened like this since the birth of Yeshua.  

Terrorists Assassinate Egypt’s Attorney General
Egypt’s Attorney General Hisham Barakat, 64, was assassinated Monday in a deadly car bombing in Cairo, the most senior official to die in a terrorist attack since the election of President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. No one has taken responsibility for the attack thus far.  

Huckabee: Maybe We Should Ask Chinese Hackers For Lois Lerner’s Emails
Republican presidential hopeful Gov. Mike Huckabee gave an interesting response to a question about cyber security. “We’ve seen just last week what happens when supposedly the Chinese have now hacked into the personell records of upwards of 20 million government employees. The one positive out of all that is that the only hope we have of maybe recovering Lois Lerner’s emails from the IRS is to get them from the Chinese,” Huckabee joked to a laughing crowd of sheriffs.  

Islamic State beheads female civilians for first time in Syria: monitor
One of the women was beheaded along with her husband in Deir al-Zor city. In al-Mayadeen city to the south east, the group beheaded another woman and her husband. All of them were accused of sorcery, the monitor said.  

Scientists propose an enhanced new model of the source of a mysterious barrier to fusion known as the 'density limit'
At issue is a problem known as the "density limit" that keeps donut-shaped fusion facilities called tokamaks from operating at peak efficiency. This limit occurs when the superhot, charged plasma gas that fuels fusion reactions reaches a certain density and spirals apart in a flash of light, shutting down the reaction. Overcoming the limit could facilitate the development of fusion as a safe, clean and abundant source of energy for generating electricity.  

Hawaiian Natives and Astronomers Clash on 'Holy Mountain'
There is trouble in the tropical paradise of Hawaii, as a culture clash pits natives defending a mountain on whose summit their ancestors believed "gods" dwelled against astronomers hoping to build the world's best telescope. Mauna Kea stands a full 14,000 feet above the ocean and more than six miles above the sea floor, making it the tallest mountain in the world from base to peak.  

EU approves Greek capital controls
the capital controls must be applied for the shortest possible period. "While the imposed restrictive measures appear necessary and proportionate at this time, the free movement of capital will, however, need to be reinstated as soon as possible in the interest of the Greek economy, the eurozone, and the European Union's single market as a whole."  

Ramadan has become month of worldwide terror
President Reuven Rivlin together with Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni on Tuesday condemned the spate of terror attacks against Israelis during the month of Ramadan.  

June 29, 2015

Voting-Rights Advocates Get Win at Supreme Court
Monday’s big election law news came from the Supreme Court’s penultimate decision of the term upholding Arizona’s congressional districts. But before handing down its last three decisions, the court made voting-rights advocates happy by deciding not to review a different election case. “Arizona citizens can continue to participate in voter registration drives without worrying about not having proof of citizenship documents,” Shirley Sandelands, of the League of Women Voters of Arizona, said in a statement Monday.  

Epicenter of latest earthquake also near Nissan Plant
(Mississippi News Now) - USGS has confirmed a 3.2 magnitude earthquake hit about 4.3 miles southwest of Canton at 8:23 am. The epicenter of today's earthquake is just east of I-55, near the Nissan Plant, within less than a mile of one that happened in May.  

Deadline likely missed in nuclear deal - Hayden says Iran has 'upper hand'
Former CIA Director Michael Hayden said Sunday that the United States has lost its edge going into the final days of a nuclear negotiation with Iran. “I would actually fear that the Iranians have the upper hand right now,” Hayden said on “Fox News Sunday.” “I actually fear we have painted ourselves into a corner where we believe that any deal is better than no deal at the present time.”  

Russia's Putin reaffirms supposrt for Syrian Leadership
Vladimir Putin said at the start of talks with Syria's foreign minister on Monday that there was no change in Russia's support for the Syrian leadership. Putin said he hoped for an end to Syria's 4-1/2 year-old conflict, adding: "We are convinced that in the end the Syrian people will win."  

Greece in shock as banks shut after snap referendum call
Greeks struggled to adjust to shuttered banks, closed cash machines and a climate of rumours and conspiracy theories on Monday as a breakdown in talks between Athens and its creditors plunged the country deep into crisis.  

US Officials Warn of ISIS Attacks on July 4
American police forces from coast to coast are on alert from federal officials that the Islamic State (ISIS) is planning to terrorize the country during the July 4 Independence Day holiday.  

Earthquake of 5 magnitude rocks Nepal
A 5-magnitude earthquake on Monday rocked Nepal, triggering panic among the people already battered by the two devastating earthquakes two months ago and over 330 aftershocks.  

Earthquake of 5.8 magnitude strikes off Peru: USGS
An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.8 struck off the coast of Peru on Monday, the United States Geological Survey reported. The USGS said the quake's epicentre was 145 kilometres (90 miles) south of Puquio and 34 kilometres deep.  

Puerto Rico governor says island can't pay its public debt
The governor is warning that Puerto Rico can't pay its $72 billion public debt, delivering another jolt to the recession-gripped U.S. island as well as a world financial system already worrying over Greece's collapsing finances.  

Greece imposes capital controls, banks to remain shut
Greece's five-year financial crisis took its most dramatic turn yet, with the cabinet deciding after an 8-hour session that Greek banks would remain shut for six business days and restrictions would be imposed on cash withdrawals.  

Earthquake Hits Sinai Coast, Felt From Eilat to Tel Aviv
An earthquake measuring 5.5 on the Richter scale occurred off the coast of Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula shortly after 6:30 p.m. Saturday and was felt all the way from Eilat at the southernmost tip of Israel to the greater Tel Aviv area in central Israel.  

The green mirage—and con job
Elon Musk and his fellow barons of Climate Crisis, Inc. recently got a huge boost from Pope Francis. Musk et al. say fossil fuels are causing unprecedented warming and weather disasters. The Pope agrees and says Catholics must “ask God for a positive outcome” to negotiations over another UN climate treaty.  

President who opposed gay marriage three years ago turns White House into rainbow extravaganza
It’s not Barack Obama’s style to win a victory with any sort of humility, you understand. That’s not in his makeup. And there’s really little point in mentioning that he was “opposed” to gay marriage as recently as 2012 when he announced his big evolution on the issue, because everyone knows he wasn’t really opposed at all. He pretended to be until he sensed correctly that the politics of the country were changing and it was OK to admit he was for it - which he had been all along.  

The Supreme Court Has Ruled: Principled People Will Not Obey!
Following the Supreme Court’s illegal, immoral, and incredible “gay” rights decision, the White House (owned by the American people, not the President) was flooded with rainbow-color lights in celebration of that disgusting, dangerous, and decadent decision. Such impudence and defiance was an insult to America and a goading of God. However, be assured that God sees the evil and the good and He is involved in our world. Sometime His judgment seems slow, but it is always sure and severe. Judgment is on the way!  

June 28, 2015

‘Gay Marriage’ Ruling: Evil with a Silver Lining
...five judicial imperialists perched high atop the U.S. Supreme Court bench called the Supreme Being a liar. They presumed to invent, out of thin air and through judicial fiat, a “constitutional right” to sin-based “gay marriage.” (Father God, as you exact Your perfect justice on America, please have mercy upon Your faithful.)  

Jindal SCOTUS Is 'Out of Control, Let's Just Get Rid of the Court'
“The Supreme Court is completely out of control, making laws on their own, and has become a public opinion poll instead of a judicial body,” the 2016 presidential candidate said in a statement.  

No tsunami threat, shaking felt from 5.0 Big Island quake
A magnitude 5.0 earthquake struck the south eastern portion of the Big Island near Pahoa Saturday evening, shaking nearby communities.  

Earthquake felt throughout southern Israel
An earthquake reported to be between 5.1 and 5.5 magnitude was felt in southern Israel. No damage or injuries were reported in the earthquake that struck on Saturday afternoon. The epicenter of the earthquake reportedly was in the Sinai Peninsula. The temblor was felt in Eilat, Beersheba and Ashdod in the south and also in Tel Aviv, Hod Hasharon, Holon, Netanya, and Jerusalem, according to reports.  

Rocket alert sirens sound twice in 30 minutes in northern Golan Heights
Rocket alert sirens sounded twice in a span of 30 minutes in several communities throughout the northern Golan Heights on Sunday afternoon. Following the first round of rocket sirens that went off at approximately 2:40 p.m. on Sunday, the IDF said the sirens were triggered by internal Syrian battles between rebel groups and Assad government forces.  

Mild earthquake jolts country
According to the US Geological Survey (USGS) an earthquake of magnitude 5.6 on richter scale struck Assam in India on Sunday morning at around 6.40am. Tremors were felt in Bhutan, Bangladesh, Nepal and eastern part of India.  

Sandstorm, 5.2 magnitude earthquake hits Eqypt
n what could be called unstable weather conditions Egypt faced a sandstorm in the northern part of the country followed by 5.2 magnitude earthquake. The earthquake was centered in the Sinai peninsula. The impact of it shook buildings more than 200 miles away in Cairo.  

Overthrow the Judicial Dictatorship
Commentators have missed the real significance of Justice Antonin Scalia’s dissent in the gay marriage case. He calls the decision a judicial “Putsch,” an attempt to overthrow a form of government—ours. His dissent, joined by Justice Clarence Thomas, was written “to call attention to this Court’s threat to American democracy.”  

For many black Americans, Confederate flag debate a distraction
As calls grow to remove the Confederate flag from public spaces across America's South, Vanessa White says she questions whether that would mark real progress for black Americans like her. The 57-year-old Compton, California construction worker has seen and endured too much, she says, to be excited. Over the years, five members of her family have been killed by guns: her two brothers, at the ages of 28 and 38; her nephew, at 19; her niece, at 16; and her niece's mother, at 28. All of them had dropped out of school in their teens.  

DJ Gary Ganja Hopes To Hit New High With ‘Music For Stoners’
It claims to be the first radio station of its kind in the United States and its getting a lot of different listeners. “We’re like 420 friendly, we play music for stoners, we have marijuana comedy, this summer we’re giving away trips to Amsterdam and Jamaica,” Gary Ganja said as he started a show in mid-June.  

Suicide bombers kill at least three in northeast Nigeria
Two suicide bombers killed at least three people and injured 16 in the capital of the northeastern Nigerian state of Borno on Saturday, the latest in a string of deadly attacks by suspected Islamist militants.  

Activists: IS fighters kill 200 civilians in Syrian town
Islamic State fighters who launched a surprise attack on a Syrian border town massacred more than 200 civilians, including women and children, before they were killed or driven out by Kurdish forces, activists said on Saturday.  

A North Dakota Oil Boom Goes Bust
In a field of brittle yellow grass and clotted mud about five miles north of Dickinson, North Dakota, stands a cemetery of sorts. Drilling rigs stretch into the sky like tall skeletons. The occasional lone truck rattles along a dirt road. Otherwise, the location is deserted.  

Eurozone Rejects Greek Bailout Extension: All Bailout Programs Expire On June 30, Referendum Moot
In effect, and very symbolically, Greece is already out of the Eurogroup. Worse: the referendum is now moot as the programs will expire on Tuesday night and Greece won't have anything actionable to vote on next Sunday.  

French terror suspect took selfie with beheaded victim
The top suspect in the beheading of a businessman that French authorities are calling a terrorist attack took a "selfie" photo with the slain victim and sent the image via WhatsApp to a Canadian mobile phone number, officials said Saturday.  

Tunisia weighs new security approach as tourists flee
Thousands of tourists fled from Tunisia on Saturday after the country's worst terrorist attack killed 38 people — including 15 Britons — as the government struggles to prevent future jihadi attacks against the all-important tourism sector.