August 22, 2015

Hamas leader: Long-term ceasefire negotiations are 'positive'
Israeli-Hamas negotiations for a long-term ceasefire deal look "positive," the group's political chief Khaled Mashal told London-based publication Al-Araby Al-Jadeed on Friday.  

WTI crude drops below $40 first time since 2009
American benchmark WTI crude briefly slipped below $40 per barrel for the first time since 2009, showing an eighth straight weekly decline , the longest streak in almost 30 years.  

14 countries, 7 months, on bitcoin: Programmer travels the world using digital money
A programmer from Luxembourg has set a challenging goal – to travel across the world for a whole year using just bitcoins. He has already completed seven months of his journey and visited 14 countries.  

Venezuela declares state of emergency along Colombia border
Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro on Friday declared a state of emergency along parts of the border with Colombia to restore order after a clash between smugglers and troops left three soldiers wounded.  

Report: ISIS's Second-in-Command Killed in Airstrike
The official has been named as "Mutazz," a top deputy to ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Bagdadi believed to be the financial leader for the group as well. ISIS is believed to be the richest terror group worldwide.  

IDF Attacks Syrian Positions
The IDF Spokesperson announced that the IDF attacked 14 Syrian positions in the central Golan Heights region late Thursday night using tanks, artillery and the Air Force. The IDF strikes were in response to the Syrian attacks that hit Israel earlier Thursday afternoon.  

CHANCE OF WEEKEND STORMS
NOAA forecasters estimate a 40% chance of polar geomagnetic storms today, increasing to 70% by Aug. 23rd. These storms, if they occur, would be caused by a pair of solar wind streams now heading for Earth.  

4.7 Earthquake Struck El Salvador
A magnitude 4.7 on the Richter scale earthquake shook off central El Salvador. According to authorities, no casualties or damage are reported.  

Spotify defends itself after outcry over data collection
Online music streamer Spotify defended itself Friday after angry users accused it of abusive personal data collection by asking for access to their contacts and photos. ...Users of the streaming service's application for smartphones and mobile devices will over the next few weeks receive a prompt asking them to agree to the new terms, which include being asked for access to their address books, photos and GPS location.  

Court Removes Injunction on Planned Parenthood Video, New Video Immediately Released
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Joanne O'Donnell ruled on Friday afternoon the Center for Medical Progress has First Amendment rights to release videos it covertly took of StemExpress executives talking about buying aborted baby tissue from Planed Parenthood. Almost immediately afterwards, CMP released a new video that among other thing showed the StemExpress CEO Joking about receiving entire dead babies from Planned Parenthood (over lunch).  

Dow Plunges 531 Points in Global Selloff
Stocks plummeted on global-growth fears for a second straight day Friday in a plunge that dragged the Dow industrials into correction territory. The global market rout pummeled stocks and commodities as fresh evidence emerged that China’s economy is slowing, spooking investors. ...The Dow’s more than 1,000-point drop this week was the largest weekly drop since the week ended Oct. 10, 2008.  

Venezuela state under martial law against smugglers
The Venezuelan president has declared a state of emergency in a border region near Colombia following an attack by smugglers in which three soldiers and a civilian were injured. Nicolas Maduro said there would be 60 days of martial law in five municipalities of the state of Tachira. He also said the closure of the border, announced on Thursday, will be extended until further notice.  

Israel blames Iran for Syrian rocket attack in letter to P5+ 1
Israel submitted a formal diplomatic complaint to world powers about a recent rocket attack from Syria — blaming a specific Iranian general and warning of increased regional aggression by the Islamic Republic in the wake of the nuclear deal. The demarche was sent Friday to the P5+1 — the six world powers, including the United States...a day after a barrage of four rockets hit Israel from Syria.  

Iran unveils new missile with 500 km range, says seeks peace through strength
Iran on Saturday unveiled a new surface-to-surface missile it said could strike targets with pin-point accuracy within a range of 500 km (310 miles) and it said military might was a precondition for peace and effective diplomacy. The defense ministry's unveiling of the solid-fuel missile, named Fateh 313, came little more than a month after...a deal that requires Tehran to abide by new limits on its nuclear program...  

Report: Obama unveils compensation package for Israel after Iran deal
The New York Times on Friday revealed the details of a compensation package Israel is set to receive from the United States after world powers and Iran agreed to a historic nuclear agreement in early July. Laid out in a letter dated August 19 to US Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), the president promised to increase American military aid for Israel in developing new anti-missile systems and tunnel detection technologies.  

Trump making biased experts look foolish
When Donald Trump first burst on the political scene two months ago as a presidential candidate, many of the analysts, commentators and pollsters who populate cable news programs, the so called “experts,” claimed it was all a publicity stunt. Then, they said he would never release his financial statements. Then, they said his controversial comments about Mexican illegal immigration, Senator John McCain and Fox News Host Megyn Kelly would doom his campaign. Now, they are saying his lead cannot continue for his support has a “ceiling” and his campaign is a flash in the pan. Unfortunately for the “experts,” they are completely wrong on every one of these issues.  

Black Skin Privilege: The Media’s Love of Black Racism & Violence
It is a sad commentary on our nation that the mainstream media refuses to take a critical look at the increasingly violent, racist Black Lives Matter movement, and often promotes those activists’ depraved view of America, the least racist nation on the face of the earth.  

France: 2 Americans subdue gunman on high-speed train
A gunman opened fire on a high-speed train traveling from Amsterdam to Paris on Friday, wounding two people before two American passengers subdued him, officials said.  

South Koreans calm despite North Korean threat
Most South Koreans are calm ahead of a Saturday afternoon deadline set by the rival North Korea, which is threatening with war unless Seoul dismantles loudspeakers broadcasting anti-North Korean propaganda along their border.  

US air strike kills 'IS number two': White House
The second-in-command of the Islamic State jihadist group has been killed in a US air strike in northern Iraq, the White House said. The National Security Council identified the slain militant as Fadhil Ahmad al-Hayali, also known as Haji Mutaz, and said he was IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi's senior deputy.

6 killed in Syria after Israel retaliates for rocket attack
Israeli airstrikes in southern Syria killed six people and wounded seven, Syrian state TV reported Friday, in retaliation for a rocket attack on Israel the previous day that Israeli officials blamed on militants backed by Iran.  

The Iran Nuclear Deal Means War Between Israel and Hezbollah
The debate over President Obama's Iran nuclear deal has grown increasingly bitter inside the Beltway. The acrimony is unavoidable, and not just because of the hyper-partisanship that is ripping Washington apart from within. Rather, it's because the deal is being painted as the only thing standing in the way of war. But this characterization is not only unfair, because it is binary and fails to account for creative scenarios. Lost in this debate is whether the deal could itself cause a war.  

Two dead in shooting at New York federal building
A gunman shot and killed a private security guard at a US federal building in downtown New York by the metal detector on Friday before killing himself, police said. The motive for the attack was not immediately clear, but police said preliminary evidence ruled out a link to terrorism.  

Why are white evangelicals supporting Trump?
Donald Trump’s first major rally of the 2016 campaign takes place Friday night in the heart of the Bible Belt. It’s not a natural fit for the often-crude, always-immodest New Yorker. But Trumpmania has even found its way to Mobile, Ala.  

August 21, 2015

The Big List Of 33 Things That Are Going To Happen In September 2015Is September 2015 going to be a month that changes history? For months, there has been an unprecedented amount of buzz all over the Internet about what is going to happen in September. 
Saudi MERS infections soar ahead of hajj pilgrimage

MERS coronavirus infections have soared in Saudi Arabia ahead of the hajj pilgrimage, killing three people and forcing a Riyadh hospital to close its emergency ward, officials and newspapers said Thursday. The Saudi Gazette said authorities shut the emergency ward at one of the capital’s largest hospitals... "after at least 46 people, including hospital staff" contracted the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome. 
China factory data fuels slowdown fears

Factory activity in China shrank at its fastest pace in more than six years in August, data suggests. The private Caixin/Markit manufacturing purchasing managers' index (PMI) dropped to 47.1 from 47.8 in July. A figure below 50 indicates contraction. The data triggered another sell off in Chinese shares, which ended the day down more than 4%.  

North Korea orders troops on war footing after exchanging fire with South
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has ordered his frontline troops to be on a war footing, state media says, after an exchange of fire with the South across their heavily fortified border. The KCNA report said Mr Kim declared a "semi-state of war" at an emergency meeting late Thursday. It threatened action unless Seoul ends its anti-Pyongyang border broadcasts.  

US troubled by Israeli escalation of Palestinian home demolitions
The United States said Thursday it was concerned by the number of illegal Palestinian residential structures Israel demolished this month in the West Bank and east Jerusalem. “We are also very troubled by the...demolitions and evictions, which include...dozens of structures and the displacement of over 150 people in the West Bank and east Jerusalem...” US State Department Spokesperson John Kirby said on Thursday.  

IDF: Islamic Jihadists responsible for rocket attack killed in second airstrike in Syria
Less than a day after an exchange of fire on the Syrian border, the IDF struck Syria for a second time on Friday morning... "We orchestrated an airstrike on a car carrying four or five men identified as members of the cell responsible for the rocket shooting on Thursday in the North. We know at least four of them were killed," said an IDF official.  

Jared Fogle Will Be ‘Marked’ Man in Prison, Expert Says
Former Subway pitchman Jared Fogle’s life is about to take a radical turn, and according to one prison expert, that turn will be very unpleasant. Fogle appeared in federal court in Indianapolis, Indiana, on Wednesday and agreed to plead guilty to distribution and receipt of child pornography and unlawful sex acts with minors. Hollywood jail consultant Larry Levine says Fogle’s guilty plea will make him a “marked” man behind bars.  

Greece crisis: PM Alexis Tsipras quits and calls early polls
Greece's Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras has announced he is resigning and has called an early election. Mr Tsipras, who was only elected in January, said he had a moral duty to go to the polls now a third bailout had been secured with European creditors.  

Obama promises to keep pressure on Iran
President Barack Obama is promising Democratic lawmakers that the U.S. will continue to keep economic pressure on Iran — and keep military options open — if his administration's nuclear deal with Tehran goes through.  

N Korea orders troops on war footing
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has ordered his frontline troops to be on a war footing, state media says, after an exchange of fire with the South across their heavily fortified border.  

A strange editorial in China's state-run newspaper is spelling trouble for Xi Jinping
President Xi Jinping's wide-ranging reform push, covering everything from politics to the military, has come up against "unimaginably" fierce resistance, according to a tersely worded commentary carried by state media on Thursday.  

Stock market endures worst day in 18 months
The U.S. stock market endured its worst performance in 18 months on Thursday, driven lower by another slump in Chinese shares and heavy selling by technical traders. The global rout started in China, where sharp declines in energy and property stocks pushed the Shanghai Composite down more than 3 percent. That selling soon spread to European and U.S. markets, where the Standard & Poor's 500 index moved further below a closely watched trading level.  

August 20, 2015

Islamic Jihad shot rockets at Israel’s north on Iran’s behalf, IDF saysFour rockets landed in northern Israel Thursday afternoon after being shot from Syria, sparking fires but causing no injuries. The rockets landed in the northern Galilee and Golan Heights, the Israeli military said in a statement.    
Tony Blair mediates secret Israel-Hamas talks, negotiating end to Gaza siege

Former Prime Minister Tony Blair is acting as a mediator in hush-hush talks between Hamas and Israel in an attempt to halt the Israeli siege of Gaza, reports suggest. 
Spanish public broadcaster accuses Jews of promoting Satanism

“Through black magic, the Israelites called on the powers of darkness with demonic rational,” the announcer continues. The synopsis on RTVE’s website for the 30-minute program states: “The Jewish founders of the occult and masonry society introduced the cult of Lucifer” to some organizations.  

INCREASING CHANCE OF FLARES
Solar activity is still low. However, it could be set to increase with the emergence of a new sunspot, AR2403. The active region in the sun's southern hemisphere has doubled in size since yesterday and is starting to crackle with C-class solar flares.  

Looking Ahead at Middle East "Peace"
The Obama Administration has made it clear that it will not pursue Israeli-Palestinian "peace talks" while the Iran deal remains fluid. But as the President heads into his last year in office, the "two state solution" apparently remains an important political aspiration.  

Magnitude 3.6 quake hits west-central Nebraska
A small earthquake struck early Wednesday in west-central Nebraska. It apparently didn’t leave its mark, at least above ground.  

United States Drops In Overall Freedom Ranking
A new report on the freedom of countries around the world ranks the United States 20th, putting countries like Chile and the United Kingdom ahead of the U.S. Last year, the U.S. was ranked 17th, but a steady decline of economic freedom and “rule of law” has dropped the level of freedom, according to the Cato Institute, Fraser Institute and the Swiss Liberales Institut, which created the study together.  

Antibiotic-resistant 'superbug' found at California hospital
A Los Angeles-area hospital said Wednesday that some of its patients contracted an antibiotic-resistant "superbug" that has been linked to a type of medical scope and infected dozens of people around the country. Huntington Memorial Hospital said...that it notified public health authorities after several patients who had procedures using Olympus Corp. duodenoscopes were found to have the resistant pseudomonas bacteria.  

Egyptian security building in Cairo rocked by bomb blast
A powerful car bomb has exploded outside a state security building in northern Cairo, Egyptian security officials say. The blast, which was felt across large parts of the Egyptian capital, injured 29 people, six of them police. The explosion happened in the early hours of Thursday morning. There were no reports of any deaths.  

Yemen crisis: Famine threatens war-torn country, warns UN
Yemen's conflict has left it on the brink of famine, the UN's World Food Programme (WFP) has warned. Food shortages, lack of fresh water, and low fuel stocks have created a "perfect storm" for the Yemeni people, the WFP's Ertharin Cousin said. The organisation estimates nearly 13 million people urgently require help.  

South Korea evacuation after shelling on western border
South Korea has ordered the evacuation of residents from an area of its western border after an exchange of fire with North Korea, reports say. North Korea fired a shell at a South Korean military unit on Thursday, prompting the south to retaliate with several artillery rounds, the South's defence ministry said. South Korea's National Security Council is due to hold an emergency session.  

IAEA says access to Iran's Parchin military site meets demands of nuclear deal
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said access it will receive to Iran's Parchin military site, suspected by some states to have in the past hosted atomic bomb-related experiments, will satisfy its requirements. Without IAEA confirmation that Iran is keeping its promises enshrined in a landmark nuclear deal Tehran reached with world powers on July 14, the country will not be granted much-needed sanctions relief. 
IDF deploys Iron Dome to Ashdod area amid fears of renewed rocket fire

The IDF has deployed an Iron Dome battery in the Ashdod area amid fears of renewed rocket fire into southern Israel from the Gaza Strip. A security source confirmed that the deployment of the Iron Dome battery comes as part of preparations for a possible escalation in tensions in connection with the Palestinian prisoner who is in serious condition due to a 65-day hunger strike.  

Tropical Storm Danny Is Moving Westward
Tropical Storm Danny is moving slowly westward, far out over the Atlantic, and could still become a hurricane.  

Yemen conflict: Country on brink of famine, says UN official
Months of conflict in Yemen has pushed the country to the brink of famine, according to a top United Nations official. Ertharin Cousin, head of the UN's World Food Programme (WFP), said markets in the country do not have enough food to feed the population.  

Hackers expose millions on cheating site; some in US govt
Hackers say they have exposed unfaithful partners across the world, posting what they said were the personal details of millions of people registered with cheating website Ashley Madison. A message posted by the hackers alongside their massive trove accused Ashley Madison's owners of deceit and incompetence and said the company had refused to bow to their demands to close the site.  

Massive car bomb explodes in Cairo, wounding 6 police
A massive car bomb exploded early Thursday near a national security building in a popular residential neighborhood in Cairo, wounding at least six police officers and blowing the facades off nearby buildings, Egyptian security officials said.  

UN warns of risk of Israeli-Palestinian escalation
The U.N. political chief warned Wednesday that the risk of escalation in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict "is palpable." Jeffrey Feltman told the U.N. Security Council the past month has seen "unconscionable crimes of hatred by extremist elements, reprehensible retaliatory violence, provocations at Jerusalem's holy sites, and a worrying increase in rockets launched from Gaza towards Israel."  

3 firefighters killed in Washington state wildfire
Three firefighters were killed and three to four others were injured, at least one critically, as raging wildfires advanced on towns in north-central Washington on Wednesday, authorities said.  

August 19, 2015

Recent Dead Sea Earthquake Ushering In End of Days Prophecy
Scientists have noted that the Dead Sea Rift has affected human civilization through time as well as the flora and fauna of the region, causing migrations and creating water sources. However, it should be noted that the location of Thursday’s earthquake is the precise region of Jericho, known for its city walls that came tumbling down, and also the area of Sodom and Gomorra. A biblical perspective certainly seems in order when considering occurrences of geological proportions.  

Rabbi Kanievsky Again Hints at Looming Arrival of the Messiah
Rabbi Kanievsky stated, “By the holidays, the Messiah will come and there will be no need for you to install these emergency systems.” It should be noted that in Hebrew, the phrase the rabbi used, could have several meanings based on the grammar, changing his message to “May it be that by the holidays, the Messiah will come and there will be no need for you to install these emergency systems.” Rabbi Kanievsky, who has devoted his life to studying the Bible and serving God, has been speaking of the Messiah more often and in more immediate terms.  

Temple Mount’s Glick: “Obligation of All God fearing People” to Take Up Cause of World’s Holiest Site
How and why has the Temple Mount become such a contentious modern day issue?  

Note to Former Pres. Jimmy Carter: PLEASE Boycott Israeli Products & Technology
This peanut-grower sold his rotten soul to the enemies of the United States and Israel, Carter is an avowed anti-Semite who has no love for me or my people. By my own admission, I’m a fair man who hates no one (although I may dislike some people) but I will take this opportunity to remind the cancer-stricken Carter to follow through with the boycott of Israeli products. He should refuse to be treated with any of the lifesaving medication that was discovered by Jews, or medical technology that was researched and developed by Jews – in Israel or any other place.  

Blood sacrifice
Abortion-promoting pastors offer blessings to Planned Parenthood.  

Get ready for a SUPERWINTER (at least if you believe Old Farmer's Almanac): Publication predicts record setting cold spells
Just when you thought you had gotten over last winter, be warned: The Old Farmer's Almanac predicts it will be super cold with a slew of snow for much of the country, even in places that don't usually see too much of it, like the Pacific Northwest. It says there will be above-normal snow and below-normal temperatures for much of New England; icy conditions in parts of the South; and frigid weather in the Midwest.  

Syria’s top antiquities scholar beheaded by IS in ancient Palmyra
Islamic State militants beheaded one of Syria’s most prominent antiquities scholars in the ancient town of Palmyra, then strapped his body from one of the town’s Roman columns, Syrian state media and an activist group said Wednesday.  

Twin Storms: Goni a Threat to the Northern Philippines, Taiwan, Ryukyu Islands; Atsani Becomes Super Typhoon
Typhoon Goni, located about 600 miles east-southeast of Taipei, Taiwan, had maximum estimated sustained winds of 115 mph as of 5 a.m. EDT Wednesday, making it equivalent to a Category 3 hurricane on the Saffir Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Meanwhile, Super Typhoon Atsani, which has been steadily strengthening, is churning several hundred miles to the east of Goni.  

Danny Strengthens in the Atlantic
Tropical Storm Danny is slowly strengthening about 1,445 miles east of the Lesser Antilles. Maximum sustained winds remain at 50 mph and the central pressure is at 1000 mb. Danny will remain in an environment conducive for further development over the next several days and will likely become a hurricane by Thursday.  

Kiev Gathers Huge 65,000-Strong Army on Frontline Near Donetsk
With the Minsk ceasefire agreements formally still in force, the situation in eastern Ukraine's Donbass region remains extremely tense amid reports about Kiev's mass troop deployments in the area.  

Typhoid breaks out in Syria's Yarmouk camp, situation desperate
Typhoid has broken out among residents of the Yarmouk Palestinian refugee camp in Syria, the United Nations said on Wednesday, warning of further disease outbreaks because of the appalling conditions there unless aid reaches the camp.  

Did You Know That The U.S. No Longer Has Any Strategic Grain Reserves At All?
Recently, I discovered that the U.S. does not have any strategic grain reserves left at all. Zero. Nada. Zilch. As you will see below, the USDA liquidated the remaining reserves back in 2008. So if a major food crisis hit this country, our government would have nothing to give us.  

‘Israel Must Be Obliterated’: New Iranian Video Imagines Muslim Invasion of Jerusalem
A new video out of Iran presents the imagined scenario of Jerusalem being conquered by a military alliance of the country’s Revolutionary Guard forces and Hezbollah and Hamas terrorists, a Jewish news site reported Tuesday. Quoting the Middle East terrorism research organization the Investigative Project, the Algemeiner reported that the video was released two weeks after the Iran nuclear deal was announced.  

U.S. Navy on alert: China, Russia to launch largest-ever joint navy exercise
The Chinese and Russian navies are gearing up for their largest-ever joint exercises, slated to begin Thursday in the Pacific with more than 20 ships and featuring anti-submarine operations as well as a joint-beach landing. The “Joint Sea 2015 II” exercises will run through Aug. 28 in the Sea of Japan and off the coast of Vladivostok. 
White House hires first transgender member of staff

The White House has hired its first openly transgender full-time member of staff, officials have confirmed. Raffi Freedman-Gurspan started working as an outreach and recruitment director for presidential staff on Tuesday. Her commitment to transgender rights reflects "the values of this administration," a senior White House official said.  

Lake Cajititlan: Fish die off in large numbers
Fishermen have been removing thousands of dead fish from a lake near the western Mexican city of Guadalajara. Local media reported at least 40 tonnes of popoche chub freshwater fish had washed up on the shores of Lake Cajititlan, in Jalisco state. One local official described their deaths as a "natural, cyclical phenomenon" that occurred every year.  

Greece bailout: German MPs urged to back deal
German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble has warned his country's MPs that it would be "irresponsible" to oppose a third bailout deal for Greece. He told a debate in parliament before a vote by MPs that they should "seize the chance" for a new beginning for Greece. Voting is under way. Chancellor Angela Merkel is expected to win approval but is bracing for a rebellion in her centre-right alliance.  

Boko Haram crisis: 'Dozens drown' fleeing Nigeria attack
Reports in Nigeria say as many as 60 people may have been killed after a raid on a village in the north-east by suspected Boko Haram militants. The attack on Kukuwa in Yobe state happened last Thursday but details have only just emerged from survivors. Some of the villagers are said to have drowned while fleeing gunmen.  

Possible Home of Mary Magdalene Unearthed in Israel
Archeologists have uncovered what was likely a synagogue in the center of Magdala, the hometown of Mary Magdalene, the witness of Jesus Christ's crucifixion and resurrection.  

Israeli opposition leader fears new Palestinian uprising
Israel's opposition leader on Tuesday warned that a new Palestinian uprising could be looming after a recent spate of violence and called on both sides to reduce tensions and restart peace talks. The appeal came during a meeting in the West Bank with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, a rare face-to-face encounter after a more than yearlong diplomatic standstill.  

Man in yellow shirt is focus of Bangkok bombing probe
In the grainy security video, a man in a yellow shirt sits on a bench at the crowded Erawan Shrine, removes a backpack he is wearing, and leaves it behind when he walks away. For police hunting who was responsible for Monday's deadly bombing in central Bangkok, there was no doubt about the man with youthful shaggy dark hair and glasses.  

Syrian archaeologist 'killed in Palmyra' by IS militants
The man who looked after the Roman ruins in the ancient Syrian city of Palmyra is reported to have been killed by Islamic State (IS) militants. Khaled Asaad was taken hostage by the group after it seized the Unesco World Heritage site earlier this year. The family of the 82-year-old scholar said he had been beheaded by IS fighters, according to Syria's director of antiquities, Maamoun Abdulkarim.  

Europe struggles to respond as migrants numbers rise threefold
More than three times as many migrants were tracked entering the European Union by irregular means last month than a year ago, official data showed on Tuesday, many of them landing on Greek islands after fleeing conflict in Syria.  

TV report: Ex-Subway pitchman to admit to child-porn charges
Longtime Subway pitchman Jared Fogle is expected to plead guilty to child-pornography charges, an Indiana television station reported Tuesday. The report on Fox59 comes six weeks after authorities seized electronics and other items from Fogle's home in Zionsville, an affluent Indianapolis suburb.  

August 18, 2015

A New Kind of Eternal Life: The Growing Christian Transhumanism Movement
In a recent article for Motherboard, Redding, who is the executive director of the Christian Transhumanist Organization, claims that religion and transhumanism are much more compatible than most people believe, and that the Christian transhumanism movement is growing rapidly. He cited pastor Christopher Benek, who recently claimed that AI can potentially be saved by Jesus Christ:  

Tropical Storm Danny Forms in Atlantic, Expected to Become Hurricane
A tropical depression in the Atlantic Ocean east of the Caribbean strengthened Tuesday to become the season's fourth tropical storm, and it is expected to become a hurricane in two days, forecasters said.  

Twin typhoons Goni and Atsani threaten Southeast Asia
Two typhoons churning in the Pacific Ocean are intensifying, with one likely to meander for days in the vicinity of Taiwan and the northern Philippines later this week, potentially bringing disastrous amounts of rainfall. Typhoons Goni and Atsani are currently spinning in the Northwest Pacific Basin, well away from any landmass — for now.  

Report: Hillary's Server With 'Mom and Pop' Shop That Lacked Security
The Denver-based company that maintained Hillary Clinton’s "home-brew" private email account during her tenure as secretary was a "mom and pop shop" that until earlier this year operated its business from a converted loft apartment that housed its servers in a bathroom closet, according to The Daily Mail, which interviewed former employees of the company, Platte River Networks.  

Iranian official: Tehran to sign deal with Russia for advanced S-300 missile system next week
Dehghan said that as part of the new deal, Iran would be receiving an upgraded version of the S-300 system. "We will go to Russia next week to sign the deal and there is no barrier hindering the agreement,” ISNA quoted him as saying.  

ISIS calls Erdogan infidel, urges followers to conquer Istanbul
A fighter proclaiming allegiance to Islamic State has appeared in a video urging fellow Turks to rebel against "infidel" President Tayyip Erdogan and help conquer Istanbul, highlighting the threat the NATO member faces as it battles the radical insurgents. Turkey has been in a heightened state of alert since launching a "synchronized war on terror" last month, which included air strikes against Islamic State fighters in Syria and the opening of its air bases to US-led coalition forces.  

Short, Sharp Earthquake Jolts San Francisco Bay Area
A short, sharp earthquake rattled the San Francisco Bay Area early Monday, breaking picture frames and cracking plaster without prompting reports of injuries or major damage.  

Venezuela's currency is now so worthless that people are using it as napkins
According to Venezuela's official bolivar-dollar exchange rate, the man using his money as a napkin is wasting about $0.31 (£0.20). But on the black market, the reality is completely different. You can get 676.88 bolivars to the dollar, according to dolartoday.com. That means holding food with a 2 bolivar note costs the holder less than a third of one US cent.  

Senate leader admits little chance Iran deal will be blocked
President Barack Obama has “a great likelihood of success” in his showdown with congressional Republicans on the Iran nuclear deal, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell grudgingly acknowledged on Monday.  

German lawmakers debate Greek bailout, Merkel faces rebellion
Up to a quarter of Merkel's conservatives could vote against the 86-billion-euro ($95 billion) package, sending the government a clear warning not to return to parliament again to ask for more aid.  

Messianic Secret Closely Guarded for Hundreds of Years Revealed
shortly before his death, the Vilna Gaon explained, “When you hear that the Russians have captured the city of Crimea, you should know that the times of the Messiah have started, that his steps are being heard. And when you hear that the Russians have reached the city of Constantinople [today’s Istanbul], you should put on your Shabbat clothes and don’t take them off, because it means that the Messiah is about to come any minute.”  

Ecuador's Cotopaxi volcano may threaten 325,000 people
Hundreds of thousands of people living south of the Ecuadorean capital, Quito, could be at risk from an eruption of the Cotopaxi volcano, officials say. The volcano, located about 50km (30 miles) from the city, last erupted on Saturday, prompting President Rafael Correa to declare a state of emergency.  

IDF Prepares for Possible Operation in Syria as Threats Gather on Border
The Israeli military has begun preparations for a possible ground operation in the Syrian Golan Heights to deal with mounting threats from the north, Israel’s Channel 2 reported. The move would be made in the event of sustained rocket fire or coordinated terror attacks against Israel from the war-torn Arab state.  

Iranian official: Tehran to sign deal with Russia for advanced S-300 missile system next week
Iran and Russia will sign a deal that will see Moscow send Tehran the S-300 air-defense missile system by next week, Iranian Defense Minister Hossein Dehghan said Tuesday. Russian President Vladimir Putin had been ready to deliver the S-300 to Iran already in 2010, but had previously agreed to ban the sale under pressure from the US. Israel has also pushed Moscow not to send the S-300 to Iran.  

200-Year-Old “Messiah Clock” Sets Last Possible Date for Final Redemption - and the Timing Will Surprise You!
Well versed in mathematics and astronomy, the Vilna Gaon used his secular and religious scholarly background to come up with a unique method of tracking time based on the Hebrew calendar and a combination of Jewish sources found in the Talmud (Sanhedrin 97a). Based on his specific calculations, the Messiah clock was created and has been slowly ticking down towards his ultimate arrival.  

Quake hits on Hayward Fault, which is due for major temblor
PIEDMONT, Calif. (KGO) -- The 4.0 magnitude earthquake that rattled the Bay Area on Monday was a rude awakening for both people and pets and is yet another reminder that the Hayward Fault is long overdue for a major quake. There were several aftershocks following the temblor...  

Fourth Madison County earthquake confirmed
GLUCKSTADT, MS (Mississippi News Now) - It's official, there were more rumblings of the earth Monday in Madison County. The U.S. Geological Survey confirms another earthquake there heard and felt by many residents in the Gluckstadt area.  

Reluctant Kentucky clerk gets time for gay marriage appeal
A federal judge on Monday gave a Kentucky county clerk room to continue denying marriage licenses to gays and lesbians while she takes her religious objections case to a higher court.  

A look at Egypt's sweeping new anti-terrorism law
Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi has approved a new draconian law that offers a sweeping definition of terrorism and sets harsh punishments, including heavy fines for journalists who don't toe the government line.  

9 dead as shelling increases in eastern Ukraine
A night-long artillery exchange in eastern Ukraine between government troops and Russia-backed rebels claimed nine lives on Monday, casting doubt on the already shaky cease-fire.  

Thailand says can't rule out any group for Bangkok bomb, death toll at 22
Thai authorities have not ruled out any group, including elements opposed to the military government, for a bomb blast in Bangkok that killed 22 people, but officials said the bombing did not match tactics used by insurgents in the south.  

Assad's ouster 'unacceptable' as Syria peace precondition: Russia
Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Monday insisted Moscow did not accept the departure of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad as a prerequisite for launching any peace process in the war-torn country.  

The Dow Has Set a New Record… for Futility
Each Monday, MoneyBeat publishes a short column in the WSJ print edition highlighting a statistic getting traction in the markets. This week’s “big number“ is 6.7%, the range between the Dow Jones Industrial Average’s 2015 closing high and low, the narrowest range at this point of any year in the index’s history.  

August 17, 2015

Syria bombs Damascus suburb a day after deadly air strikes on marketplace
Syrian jets have again bombed the opposition-held Damascus suburb of Douma hours after the United Nations condemned air strikes carried out on Sunday that killed more than 100 people. Warplanes attacked the district for the second day running on Monday amid claims from survivors that the global focus on Islamic State meant other atrocities were increasingly being ignored.  

Alveda King: Planned Parenthood worse than grave robbers
King contends. “The abortion/body harvesting machine is now admitting that they also procure adult stem cells from the mothers they have sometimes butchered and even killed.”  

Astronomers discover the biggest thing in the Universe
In this case, the observed GRB's indicate that the nine galaxies are positioned in a ring shaped like a shell. They also show that the galaxies are all of a very similar distance from Earth – according to Prof Balazs, there's only a 1 in 20,000 chance that the ring's arrangement is accidental.  

“No Nukes for the Mullahs”: American Christians Uniting with Israel against Iran
A massive lobbying campaign is building a groundswell of support across the United States to urge Congress to kill the nuclear deal recently signed with Iran. The campaign warns that the Islamic Republic, which is the largest funder of global terrorism, cannot be trusted, and that it will attempt to make good on its promise to bring death and destruction to both Israel and the United States.  

Unflattering name unearthed for 'hip and cool' Dem candidates
“We’re told the Democratic Party’s the party of youth and hip and cool and all of this, and yet the best thing they can come up with is a couple of dinosaurs,” he said. “Who both happen to be white. “Who both happen to be Marxists to one degree or another. “Where is the youth? Where is the hip? Where is the cool?”  

Hamas, Israel reportedly negotiating long-term accord
Based on Arabic-language news sources, Israeli papers are reporting that negotiations on the agreement are in their final stages, and that the agreement has been approved by the Shura Council, Hamas’ legislative body. Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair is meditating the accord, and Hamas is negotiating it in partnership with Turkey and Qatar.  

Kentucky denies gay couple right to marry – despite US Supreme Court legalizing same-sex weddings
the employee they speak to interrupts them all the time, saying, “I’m sorry, but we’re no longer issuing licenses.”  

Space age Tower of Babel: Canadian company patents 20km lift to heavens
Last month Thoth Technology was granted a United States patent for a “space elevator,” which would be more than 20 times taller than the 829-metre-high Burj Khalifa in Dubai, the tallest building in the world. “The space elevator tower has a segmented elevator core structure, each segment being formed of at least one pneumatically pressurized cell. The pressure cells may be filled with air or another gas,” the patent states. 

Temperatures rise as Israel experiences 3rd heat wave of the year
The intense heat wave that has engulfed Israel over the past few weeks refused to relent on Sunday, as 44 degrees Celsius were noted in Sde Eliyahu, a religious kibbutz in northern Israel, while in Kibbutz Gilgal in the Jordan Valley, meteorologist measured 43 degrees Celsius in the shade.  

Jeb poised for big endorsement
Twelve Medal of Honor recipients are coming forward to give their public stamp-of-approval to Jeb Bush for president – a significant endorsement, given the dozen represent 15 percent of all those still living who share that highest of military recognition.  

Executions come swiftly and often in Iran’s ‘justice’ system
Currently, the Iranian regime leads the world in per capita executions and it continues to escalate the rate of executions and mass repression. Since the election of President Hassan Rouhani in 2013, all talk of the opposition movement and human rights has been swept under the rug while human rights reports from inside the country confirm the true nature of this regime.  

Civilians, soldiers die in east Ukraine fighting, Putin in Crimea
Fighting flared between Ukrainian forces and Russian-backed rebels in separate parts of eastern Ukraine overnight, killing at least two Ukrainian soldiers and several civilians, Kiev's military and separatist sources said on Monday.  

Apollo 14 astronaut claims peace-loving aliens prevented 'nuclear war' on Earth
...Apollo 14 veteran Edgar Mitchell... The sixth man to walk the surface of the moon told Mirror online that he believes peace-keeping aliens visited our planet to prevent a nuclear war between Russia and the United States. ...Mitchell claims that military insiders viewed strange flying crafts cruising over U.S. missile bases and the White Sands facility in New Mexico, the site of the first-ever nuclear bomb detonation in 1945.  

ISIS 'Mein Kampf' Blames Israel for Global Terrorism
Intelligence officials are comparing a newly discovered secret Islamic State document to Hitler’s “Mein Kampf,” as it blames Israel for the rise of the Islamic State... ...the 32-page Urdu language document promotes an “end of the world” battle as a final solution. It argues that the Islamic leader should be recognized as the sole ruler of the world’s 1 billion Muslims, under a religious empire called a “caliphate.”  

Obama Administration Warns Beijing About Covert Agents Operating in U.S.
The Obama administration has delivered a warning to Beijing about the presence of Chinese government agents operating secretly in the United States to pressure prominent expatriates — some wanted in China on charges of corruption — to return home immediately, according to American officials.  

Sexual orientation in the UK: Half of young people say they are not 100% heterosexual
According to a new YouGov survey, 49% of 18-24 year-olds in Britain define themselves as something other than completely heterosexual. ...One of the most striking findings of the new study is that with each generation, people see their sexuality as less fixed and more fluid...only 46% say they are completely heterosexual and 6% as completely homosexual.  

Doomsday clock for global market crash strikes one minute to midnight as central banks lose control
When the banking crisis crippled global markets seven years ago, central bankers stepped in as lenders of last resort. Profligate private-sector loans were moved on to the public-sector balance sheet and vast money-printing gave the global economy room to heal. Time is now rapidly running out. From China to Brazil, the central banks have lost control and at the same time the global economy is grinding to a halt.  

Diabetes cases soar by 60% in past decade
The number of people living with diabetes has soared by nearly 60% in the past decade, Diabetes UK warns. The charity said more than 3.3 million people have some form of the condition, up from 2.1 million in 2005. The inability to control the level of sugar in the blood can lead to blindness and amputations and is a massive drain on NHS resources.  

Syria conflict: Marketplace air strikes 'kill 80'
Syrian activists say at least 80 people have died in government air strikes on a marketplace in the rebel-held town of Douma, near Damascus. Around 200 people were reportedly injured in the attack. Government forces have been regularly attacking Douma and its surrounding areas in recent months with air strikes and helicopter barrel bombs.  

Egypt's al-Sisi imposes strict anti-terrorism laws
Egyptian President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi has approved stringent new counter-terrorism laws to fight a growing jihadist insurgency. The laws establish special courts and offer additional protection from legal consequences for military and police officers who have used force. They also impose the death penalty for anyone found guilty of setting up or leading a terrorist group.  

Ecuador declares state of emergency over volcano
Ecuador President Rafael Correa has declared a state of emergency over increasing activity at the Cotopaxi volcano near the capital, Quito. The declaration gives authorities more flexibility in using government funds to address the situation. Officials evacuated several hundred people from nearby villages after the volcano began to erupt on Friday.  

Gay marriage bill introduced to Australian parliament
A controversial bill to legalise same-sex marriage has been introduced to the Australian parliament. The private member's bill comes amid heated debate among government MPs about whether to change the law or put the matter to a plebiscite. The government's official position is that marriage should only be between a man and a woman.  

China DF-5B liquid-fuel ICBM 'can hit any target on Earth'
China is believed to be developing a new DF-5B liquid-fuel missile that will be able to strike any target on the planet. The People's Liberation Army's current or in-development arsenal of long-range strategic intercontinental missiles (ICBMs) are led by the DF-31A, the DF-41 and the JL-2, all of which feature solid-fuel rockets.  

Maryland’s GOP Governor Larry Hogan: Conservative Getting Things Done
The conservative Republican Governor of Maryland has become the face of the growing conservative upswing sweeping the country, a nation fed up with government serving itself instead of taxpayers. Defeating the political machine in one-party Democratic stronghold Maryland, Maryland Governor Larry Hogan went from nobody to overnight (and still going) sensation among conservatives across the country, especially for Republicans in a state where, aside from a Congressman here and there plus a celebrity governor, Republicans never fared well.  

The Ghetto Jew and Israel
Zionism was never limited to physically living in Israel. Jews have always lived in Israel. Nor is it limited to Jewish self-government. The ghetto was also a form of Jewish self-government in which Jews oppressed other Jews in order to avoid upsetting the powers outside the ghetto. An Israeli ghetto whose court Jew leaders are always pleading for mercy from the world while beating their own people to appease the masters outside the borders of the ghetto is worthless.  

Revising the National Security Concept: The Need for a Strategy of Multidisciplinary Impact
Israel’s national security concept shapes the course toward realization of the national vision defined in the Declaration of Independence: Israel is to constitute a national home for the Jewish people, and ensure its existence and prosperity. The broader aspects of national security include: (a) internal and external security; (b) Israel’s foreign relations and international status; (c) economic growth and resources; (d) effective governance – the ability to make decisions and implement them; and (e) unity and resilience in civil society.  

Vice President Joe Biden’s ‘Perverted’ thinking
Bending himself into proverbial pretzels, Vice President Joe Biden, who won’t call a jihadist a jihadist or a terrorist a terrorist, on Saturday called the slaying of four Marines and a sailor at a Chattanooga reserve center the act of a “perverted jihadist.” “Perverted” should be attached as an adjective to the title of President Barack Obama. It is perverted to get yourself elected as president of a country when your only perverted mission  

Please Tell Black Lives Matter to Shut Up and Go Away!
Born in 1856, Booker T. Washington was an amazing black educator, orator, author and adviser to US presidents. Isn’t it interesting that black men and women in America way back then were achieving extraordinary success? Meanwhile, liberals and Democrats claim America is such a hellhole of racism that blacks need cradle-to-grave welfare, affirmative action, lowered standards and numerous other special concessions to survive. Why am I seemingly the only black person on the planet highly offended by the Left’s bigotry of lowered expectations?  

Matisyahu concert canceled due to pressure from anti-Israel group
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is now causing a rift in reggae. A music festival in Spain has canceled the performance of American Jewish rapper Matisyahu due to pressure from the anti-Israel Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement and because the artist wouldn’t sign a pledge supporting the Palestinian state, according to Spanish media citing a statement from the event organizers.  

August 16, 2015

5.6-magnitude earthquake shakes Guatemala
A 5.6-magnitude earthquake shook several villages in southern and central Guatemala, including the capital, according to the national seismological institute Insivumeh.  

4 earthquakes jolt Nepal
Four earthquakes of moderate intensity have jolted Nepal but no damage was reported. A 4.8 magnitude earthquake struck Dolakha district, 110 kilometres east of capital Kathmandu, early today while another tremor of 3.8 magnitude rocked Kathmandu at 3.40 pm, according to the National Seismological Centre. Two more quakes were recorded on Saturday.  

Return of the Giants: Biblical Story of Goliath Proven True
The return of giants is mentioned in various Jewish teachings as part of the process of redemption. A recent archaeological discovery indicates that Biblical stories of these famed beings are no longer mere myths. Archaeologists in Israel have uncovered what they believe to be the enormous gates of Gath, the city of Goliath.  

Too Many Women Among Those Who Despise America and Hate Israel
These individuals are not merely foolish youth sewing wild oats and who may soon repent as they mature. These are highly indoctrinated youth who will probably never toss their prejudices aside; they stand to risk losing their communities, access to jobs and funding, and to an entire social world if they do.  

Arkansas governor cuts state contracts with Planned Parenthood
Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson on Friday canceled the state's contracts with Planned Parenthood, making his the third Southern state to do so since anti-abortion activists released a series of videos that they say suggests the organization sells fetal tissue. "It is apparent...that this organization does not represent the values of the people of our state..." Hutchinson, a Republican, said in a statement.  

Air strikes near Damascus kill at least 58 people
Syrian warplanes struck a rebel-held area to the northeast of Damascus on Sunday, killing at least 58 people and wounding more than 200 more, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said. The Observatory said the attack had hit a marketplace in Douma, some 15 km (10 miles) northeast of Damascus. Another activist group in the area said on social media that the death toll was 67, quoting emergency workers.  

Libya government calls for Arab airstrikes against IS
Libya's internationally recognized government has appealed to Arab countries to carry out airstrikes against the local Islamic State... The statement late Saturday came after the IS affiliate seized control of a new neighborhood in Sirte. The affiliate shelled the area, killed a senior cleric and hung the bodies of prisoners they killed over bridges. The government also called for an end to the arms embargo imposed since 2011.  

Obama can do Iran nuclear deal even if Congress disapproves
The September vote on the Iran nuclear deal is billed as a titanic standoff between President Barack Obama and Congress... A congressional vote of disapproval would not prevent Obama from acting on his own to start putting the accord in place. While he probably would take some heavy criticism, this course would let him add the foreign policy breakthrough to his second-term list of accomplishments.  

Yosemite campground shut because of plague-infected squirrels
A second Yosemite National Park campground will be shut down for five days after a pair of dead squirrels were found to be infected with the plague, park and California public health officials said on Friday. The closure of Tuolumne Meadows Campground comes a week after a child who camped elsewhere in Yosemite, one of America's top tourist destinations, was taken to hospital with the disease.  

Want ‘sustained happiness’? Get religion, study suggests
A new study suggests that joining a religious group could do more for someone’s “sustained happiness” than other forms of social participation... “The church appears to play a very important social role in keeping depression at bay and also as a coping mechanism during periods of illness in later life,” Mauricio Avendano, an epidemiologist at LSE and an author of the study, said in a statement.  

AT&T Helped U.S. Spy on Internet on a Vast Scale
The National Security Agency’s ability to spy on vast quantities of Internet traffic passing through the United States has relied on its extraordinary, decades-long partnership with a single company: the telecom giant AT&T. ...documents show that the relationship with AT&T has been considered unique and especially productive. One document described it as “highly collaborative,” while another lauded the company’s “extreme willingness to help.”  

Can the US trust Europe to punish Iran if it violates the nuclear deal?
...US Sen. Charles Schumer said that he did not trust the three European Union partners to punish Iran should it violate the terms of the accord... The New York Democrat’s assertion served as a reminder that...the agreement is an international one. Its implementation, therefore, will be determined in part by the foreign policies and interests of Britain, France, Germany, China and Russia.  

Biden calls Chattanooga shooter a 'perverted jihadist'
Vice President Joe Biden on Saturday called the slaying of four Marines and a sailor at a Chattanooga reserve center the act of a "perverted jihadist." Biden's comments came at a memorial to the five servicemen killed in a shooting rampage by Kuwait-born Muhammad Youssef Abdulazeez.  

Japan raises warning level on volcano not far from nuclear plant
Japan warned on Saturday that a volcano 50 km (31 miles) from a just-restarted nuclear reactor is showing signs of increased activity, and said nearby residents should prepare to evacuate.  

China blast zone blocked over contamination fear; 112 dead
Authorities pulled more bodies from a massive blast site in the Chinese port of Tianjin, pushing the death toll to 112 on Sunday as teams scrambled to clear dangerous chemical contamination.  

Iranian hard-liner says Supreme Leader opposes nuclear deal
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is opposed to a landmark nuclear deal reached with world powers, a prominent hard-liner claimed Saturday. Hossein Shariatmadari, editor of the daily newspaper Kayhan and a representative of Khamenei, made the comments in an editorial Saturday. It was the first time someone publicly claimed where Khamenei, who has final say on all state matters, stands on the deal.  

Palestinian stabs Israeli trooper, shot dead: police
A Palestinian was shot dead on Saturday after stabbing an Israeli paramilitary policeman patrolling a road in the occupied West Bank, police said.  

Ecuador Declares National State of Emergency as Volcano Erupts
Ecuador’s government declared a nationwide state of emergency Saturday to prepare for a possible major eruption of a snow-capped volcano south of the nation’s capital, Quito.