September 19, 2015

Turkish jets hit Kurdish militant camps in Iraq, at least 55 killed
At least 55 militants were killed when Turkish warplanes hit Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) camps in northern Iraq overnight, security sources said on Saturday, as Ankara shows no sign of easing up strikes on insurgents ahead of a Nov. 1 election. The jets took off from a base in Diyarbakir, in Turkey's southeast, and later returned without damage, the sources said.  

US government says it will now use the term 'sexual rights'
The U.S. government says it will begin using the term "sexual rights" in discussions of human rights and global development. The statement at a U.N. meeting this week comes after years of lobbying from groups who have argued that the U.S. should show global leadership on the rights of people of all gender identities and sexual orientations.  

Obama to nominate first openly gay service secretary to lead the Army
President Obama, in a historic first for the Pentagon, has chosen to nominate Eric Fanning to lead the Army, a move that would make him the first openly gay civilian secretary of one of the military services. Fanning, 47, has been a specialist on national security issues for more than two decades and has played a key role overseeing some of the Pentagon’s biggest shipbuilding and fighter jet programs.  

Israel steps up Jerusalem security after Palestinian clashes
Israel has deployed hundreds of extra police to Jerusalem after days of clashes between Palestinian protesters and security forces. Much of the tension has focused on the al-Aqsa mosque compound, a hugely important site in Islam and Judaism. The militant Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas had called for a "day of rage" over al-Aqsa.  

Migrant crisis: New routes sought amid impasse in Balkans
Migrants stranded in Croatia have been making renewed efforts to head north despite moves by Slovenia and Hungary to hold them back. Slovenian police used pepper spray on Friday night to disperse a group trying to cross from Croatia. Hungary, meanwhile, accused Croatia of violating international law after asylum seekers were sent over the border without first being registered.  

China warns Japan over expanding military role abroad
China has said Japan is endangering peace in the region after it passed controversial laws expanding the role of its military abroad. Japan should learn "profound lessons from history", China's defence ministry said after Japan's parliamentary vote. The vote allows Japanese troops to fight overseas for the first time since the end of World War Two 70 years ago.  

Syrian army reversals spook Russia into hasty military build-up
For President Vladimir Putin, Russia's military build-up in Syria is a potential diplomatic trump card and a handy way of diverting attention from Ukraine's frozen conflict. But it was a panicky realization that the Syrian government was being turned over on the battlefield that tipped the Kremlin's hand.  

Boycott? 'There are no Israeli products in Iceland'
Israelis living in Iceland are unfazed by the recent boycott of Israeli goods: 'I have lived here for 3 years and never seen an Israeli product.'  

Syrian jets pound Islamic State-held areas for second day
Syrian army jets carried out at least 25 air strikes on the Islamic State-held city of Palmyra on Friday, a group monitoring the war said, the second intense bombardment in two days of territory held by the militants. 

Police arrest suspect in string of Phoenix freeway shootings
Police arrested a man Friday for a string of seemingly random freeway shootings in Phoenix, adding that they had linked the man's gun to four of the 11 cars hit. Leslie Allen Merritt Jr., 21, was arrested at a Wal-Mart in Glendale, a suburb west of Phoenix at about 7 p.m., said Daniel Scarpinato, a spokesman for Gov. Doug Ducey.  

Japan enhances military’s role as security bills pass
Japan’s parliament early Saturday approved contentious legislation that enhances the role of the country’s military by loosening post-World War II constraints, after the ruling bloc defeated opposition parties’ last-ditch effort to block a vote.  

Brazen Taliban attack on Pakistani military base kills 29
Suspected Taliban militants launched a brazen attack on a Pakistani military base on Friday, killing 29 people including 16 who were gunned down inside a mosque during prayers. The Pakistani army quickly blamed militants from neighboring Afghanistan, which Islamabad routinely accuses of harboring terrorists who launch attacks across their porous border.  

Europeans shut borders, block bridges, to halt migrant surge
Thousands of migrants were trapped Friday in a vicious tug-of-war as bickering European governments shut border crossings, blocked bridges and erected new barbed-wire fences in a bid to stem the wave of humanity fleeing conflict and poverty in the Middle East and Africa.  

Israeli aircraft strike Gaza after rocket fire
Israel carried out air strikes in the Gaza Strip on Saturday after Palestinian militants there fired rockets into southern Israel.  

Saudi-led warplanes pound Yemen's interior ministry in Sanaa
Aircraft from a Saudi-led coalition attacked Yemen's interior ministry in the capital, Sanaa, late on Friday and launched several other raids on sites in the heart of the city, residents and other sources there said.  

Egyptian army pumps water to destroy smuggling tunnels into Gaza Strip
Egyptian forces on Friday pumped sea water into underground tunnels used to smuggle goods into the Gaza Strip. Egypt's aim was to destroy the tunnels, which are believed to be used to smuggle food, medicine and construction materials into the besieged Gaza Strip.  

September 18, 2015

Arabs Attack Police in Jerusalem's Old City
The anticipated Arab attacks near the Temple Mount at the end of Friday prayers did not disappoint, as Arab rioters hurled rocks at police forces at the Damascus Gate of Jerusalem's Old City.  

GIANT PROMINENCE
The biggest thing on the sun today is not a sunspot. While most sunspots are about the size of Earth, this enormous prominence measures dwarfs our planet. A "hedgerow prominence" is a massive cloud of plasma held aloft by solar magnetic fields.  

INCREDIBLE NEW PHOTOS OF PLUTO
NASA is still downloading images from the Pluto flyby two months ago. Some of the new arrivals, like this one received on Sept. 13th, are causing researchers to question what they thought they knew about the distant dwarf planet. Pluto's rugged, icy mountains tower over a vast frozen plain extending to the horizon. The backlighting highlights more than a dozen layers of haze in Pluto's tenuous but distended atmosphere.  

Developed, emerging markets diverge as Fed keeps rates steady
European stocks fell on Friday and bonds rose, pushing yields sharply lower, after the U.S. Federal Reserve cited weakening global growth and the recent upsurge in financial market volatility as its reasons for not raising interest rates. Stocks and currencies in emerging markets, however, which are more vulnerable to higher U.S. interest rates, welcomed the Fed's decision on Thursday to postpone "lift off" for at least another month, and rose across the board.  

French startup claims development of in-vitro human sperm
A French startup working with a top government lab said it has developed in-vitro human sperm, claiming a breakthrough in infertility treatment sought for more than a decade. Researchers with Kallistem had announced the discovery previously, but they and French government lab CNRS described how it works for the first time Thursday after taking out a patent on the process.  

China, U.S. Reach Agreement on High-Speed Rail Before Xi Visit
A China Railway Group-led consortium and XpressWest Enterprises LLC will form a joint venture to build a high-speed railway linking Las Vegas and Los Angeles, the first Chinese-made bullet-train project in the U.S. Construction of the 370-kilometer (230-mile) Southwest Rail Network will begin as soon as next September, according to a statement from Shu Guozeng, an official with the Communist Party’s leading group on financial and economic affairs.  

'Super-gonorrhoea' outbreak in Leeds
Highly drug-resistant gonorrhoea is spreading in the north of England with an outbreak centred in Leeds, sexual health doctors have told the BBC. One of the main treatments has become useless against the new strain of the sexually transmitted infection. Twelve cases have been confirmed in Leeds and a further four have been reported in Macclesfield, Oldham and Scunthorpe.  

Finland strike 'shuts down ports'
A widespread anti-austerity strike in Finland has shut down ports and disrupted flights in the country, news agencies have reported. Finnair, the national carrier, has cancelled 16 domestic flights and delays are expected. Trains and city buses have stopped running, but ferries, including those to Sweden and Estonia, are operational.  

Key Syria advisor wants West to work with Assad regime
A senior advisor to Syrian president Bashar al-Assad has urged Australia and the West to work with the regime to bring down the so-called Islamic State (IS). In an Australian interview, Bouthaina Shaaban said the West should not oppose the president or interfere with Syrian politics. Ms Shaaban said a US-led coalition had achieved little against IS.  

Gunmen attack Pakistan air force base in Peshawar
Militants have killed at least 17 people after attacking an air force base in the northern city of Peshawar. The gunmen, dressed in police uniforms, stormed the Badaber air base on Friday morning, Major General Asim Bajwa said. Sixteen of the victims were killed during morning prayers at a mosque inside the compound, Gen Bajwa added. The other victim was an army officer.  

Prosor : Abbas fuels Temple Mount fire, UN fans the flames
Israel’s Ambassador to the UN Ron Prosor reacted Friday morning to the UN Security Council’s statement...on... Jerusalem saying that “When the Palestinians set the Temple Mount ablaze, Mahmoud Abbas fuels the fire, and the Security Council fans the flames, it is a recipe for a regional explosion.” The United Nations Security Council had called for “restraint, refraining from provocative actions and rhetoric and upholding the historic status quo” on the Temple Mount on Thursday evening.  

800 extra cops deployed in Jerusalem amid Palestinian calls for ‘day of rage’
Amid Palestinian calls for a “day of rage” in Jerusalem following Friday prayers, police have preemptively deployed some 800 extra officers to patrol the Old City and Arab neighborhoods throughout the capital, and will bar Muslim men under the age of 40 from ascending the Temple Mount.  

Al Aqsa Mosque: Can Israel, Jordan prevent Jerusalem from catching fire?
The images on social media this week made Jerusalem’s Old City look like a conflict zone, with black smoke rising above the Al Aqsa Mosque and the flash of firecrackers exploding inside. Several days of violence between Israeli police and Palestinian activists on a plaza holy to Muslims and Jews have triggered a new political and diplomatic crisis for Israel, the Palestinian Authority, and neighboring Jordan.  

Migrant crisis: Croatia closes border crossings with Serbia
Croatia has closed seven of its eight road border crossings with Serbia following a huge influx of migrants. Officials in Zagreb said they had no choice after more than 10,000 people entered the country a day after Hungary fenced off its border with Serbia.  

Japan ruling bloc makes final push on security bills despite protests
The Japanese government began a final push on Friday to enact contentious defense legislation that could let its troops fight overseas for the first time since World War Two, despite public protests and delaying tactics by the opposition.  

Mexico arrests cartel figure in disappearance of 43 students
Federal authorities captured a suspected high-ranking drug cartel member who has been implicated in last year's disappearance of 43 college students in the southern state of Guerrero, officials said Thursday.  

Soldiers crush protests as military seizes power in Burkina Faso
Heavily armed troops crushed protests in Burkina Faso's capital Ouagadougou after a former spy chief seized power in a military coup on Thursday, derailing a democratic transition that had inspired many in Africa.  

Nigeria Central Bank Urges "Don't Panic" As Banks Halt Lending To Each Other
When the head of the central bank utters the two words "don't panic" you know the economy, currency, and financial system is in trouble...and that's just what Nigerian central bank Governor Godwin Emefiele just did. Following government intervention to sweep cash from local to central accounts, banks have panicced. As Reuters reports, overnight interbank lending rates spiked to 200%, which Emefiele opined was "a momentary action... just sentiment," but the interbank naira market was paralyzed for a third day on Thursday, with banks unwilling to lend to each other, even when rates fell back to 20-30%.  

Syrian army starts using new weapons from Russia - military source
The Syrian military has recently started using new types of air and ground weapons supplied by Russia, a Syrian military source told Reuters on Thursday, underlining growing Russian support for Damascus that is alarming the United States.  

September 17, 2015

Ann Coulter Slams GOP Support of "F---ing Jews" During Debate
Conservative commentator Ann Coulter went off on a Twitter rant Wednesday evening during the Republican presidential debate. "How many f—ing Jews do these people think there are in the United States?" — Ann Coulter (@AnnCoulter) September 17, 2015  

“It Felt Like the Apocalypse”: Extreme Flash Flooding, Hail Strike Israel on Jewish New Year
“It felt like the apocalypse, the rain has been torrential, there were about 10 lightning strikes in seconds, and even with your windshield wipers on high, it was impossible to see anything,”. Since the beginning of September, Israel has experienced a series of extreme weather changes, beginning last week with a sudden sandstorm that blanketed the country in thick yellow dust.  

Spy on Your Customers… or Else
Do you distrust the banking system? Prefer to do business in cash? Complain about the encroachment of Big Brother into every facet of your life?  

Obama spends $500 million to train 5 anti-ISIS fighters
President Obama just found out how many good anti-ISIS fighters $500 million buys: five, at most. Gen. Lloyd Austin, who leads the U.S. military’s Central Command, told the Senate Armed Services Committee on Wednesday there are only four or five Syrian fighters left out of 54 who were trained as part of a U.S. program. 
Turkey’s President Erdogan Vows to ‘Wipe Out’ PKK Terrorists
Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has vowed to wipe out all members of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party, also known as the PKK terrorist organization, “until not one terrorist remains.”  

Likud Youth Organization Members Ignore PM, Ascend Temple Mount
20 members of the Likud Youth Organization, together with recently elected leader David Shayan, ignored a request from the prime minister’s office to cancel their plans, and instead ascended the Temple Mount. The group believes it was “strengthening [Israel’s] sovereignty at our holiest site,”  

Saudi Arabia Warns of ‘Religious War’ Over Temple Mount Clashes
Saudi Arabian King Salman has turned to the United Nations seeking “urgent measures” to stop what he called Israel’s “violations” on the Temple Mount, warning of a possible “religious war” if the violence at the site is not stopped. Of course, the violence and provocations are started and perpetuated by Palestinian Arab Muslims, each and every time — but somehow that salient fact is disregarded by every single foreign party to the discussion.  

Ex-Nobel committee exec regrets Obama Peace Prize
Former Secretary of the Nobel Peace Prize Committee Geir Lundestad reportedly notes in his new book that the body “didn't achieve what it had hoped for” when it gave Barack Obama the benefit of the doubt and conferred the prestigious award on him in 2009.  

INCREASING CHANCE OF FLARES
Sunspot AR2415 is increasingly active on Sept.17th and appears poised to produce a moderately strong M-class solar flare. Any eruptions today would be geoeffective because the sunspot is facing Earth.  

Military source: Syrian army starts using new weapons from Russia
The source described the weapons as highly accurate and effective. The army had started using them in recent weeks having been trained in their use in Syria in recent months, the source said.  

Tsunami Advisories Have Hawaii on Alert
Hawaii and part of California's coast are under tsunami advisories after an 8.3-magnitude earthquake off the coast of north Chile.  

I am a Christian, but I don’t follow Christ
After you watch the video, it’s obvious that this is a propaganda piece for a version of Christianity that is Christian in name only–a progressivist vision of the faith that has more to do with maintaining street-cred with Christianity’s cultured despisers than with the faith once for all delivered to the saints (Jude 3). It is what the apostle Paul called a “form of godliness” while “denying its power” (2 Timothy 3:5). It is gutless–literally, a hollowing out of everything essential to the faith.  

Iraqi refugees to be deported, ICE says
Twelve of the 27 Iraqi Christians being detained at the Otay Mesa Detention Facility are set to be deported in coming weeks, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said Monday. An immigration judge ordered their removal in the last two weeks, ICE spokeswoman Lauren Mack said. She declined to provide specific information about why the immigrants are being deported and where they will be taken, citing privacy issues. 
Census: Income, poverty numbers stay just about the same

The wallets of America's middle class and poorest aren't seeing any extra money, the U.S. Census reported Wednesday, a financial stagnation experts say may be fueling political dissent this campaign season. The Census Bureau, in its annual look at poverty and income in the United States, said both the country's median income and poverty rate were statistically unchanged in 2014 from the previous year.  

Agencies Say They Need Access to Americans’ Emails Without a Warrant
...In its cur­rent form, ECPA pro­tects emails from gov­ern­ment snoop­ing for 180 days...The ECPA Amend­ments Act would re­quire...a war­rant to ac­cess serv­er-hos­ted in­form­a­tion, no mat­ter how old, and would re­quire the gov­ern­ment to no­ti­fy an in­di­vidu­al that his or her in­form­a­tion was ac­cessed with­in 10 days... But law en­force­ment of­fi­cials ex­pressed op­pos­i­tion...crim­in­al war­rants could leave civil lit­ig­at­ors without ac­cess to im­port­ant elec­tron­ic in­form­a­tion.  

White House Invites Several Opponents of Catholic Teaching to Greet Pope Francis
...In a stunning show of political indecorum, Obama has invited a series of individuals who publicly flout Catholic teaching, including a pro-abortion religious sister, a transgender woman and the first openly gay Episcopal bishop, along with at least two Catholic gay activists. The White House was illuminated in gay pride colors on June 26, 2015, after the Supreme Court legalized gay same-sex marriage.  

Chile quake triggers mass evacuation and tsunami alert
One million people have been evacuated in Chile after a powerful earthquake hit the country's central region. At least five people died when the 8.3-magnitude quake hit. Residents of Illapel, near the quake's epicentre, fled into the streets in terror as their homes began to sway.  

Migrant crisis: UN 'shocked' over clashes in Hungary
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has said he is "shocked" after Hungarian police fired tear gas and water cannon to force migrants back from its border. Mr Ban said such treatment of asylum seekers was "unacceptable". Hundreds were involved in clashes at the Hungary-Serbia border on Wednesday, trying to breach a razor-wire fence.  

Israel deploys Iron Dome in South in run-up to Palestinian 'day of rage'
The Israeli military has deployed the Iron Dome rocket interceptor on the outskirts of the southern city of Ashdod in anticipation of more rioting in Jerusalem, Channel 10 reported on Thursday morning. Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip, has declared Friday "a day of rage" in response to recent developments on Temple Mount.  

Ukraine campaigns to strip Russia of UN veto power
Ukraine on Wednesday redoubled its long-shot bid to see Russia stripped of its veto power on the UN Security Council when the global body's General Assembly meets in the coming weeks.  

Syria conflict: Assad 'won't quit under pressure'
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has said in an interview for Russian TV he will not quit under foreign pressure, saying the Syrian people must decide. Western powers and much of the Syrian opposition say it is not conceivable for Mr Assad to lead a post-war Syria.  

Kerry says Russia proposes military talks on Syria
The Obama administration said Wednesday is was considering how to respond to a Russian proposal for military talks over Syria, where Moscow is expanding its forces even as U.S. warplanes conduct daily air strikes against Islamist militants.  

Iran leader warns Guards against US infiltration
Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned commanders of the elite Revolutionary Guards Wednesday to be on alert for "political and cultural" infiltration by the United States.  

US general: Only handful of Syrian fighters remain in battle
No more than five U.S.-trained Syrian rebels are fighting the Islamic State, astoundingly short of the envisioned 5,000, the top U.S. commander in the Middle East told angry lawmakers on Wednesday. They branded the training program "a total failure."  

8.3M earthquake rocks Chile, creates Tsunami threats; Washington monitoring
SANTIAGO, Chile A powerful magnitude-8.3 earthquake hit off Chile's northern coast Wednesday night, causing buildings to sway in Santiago and other cities and sending people running into the streets. Authorities reported one death in a town north of the capital. Tsunami of 15 feet reported on Chilean coast at 4:39 p.m. PST. One dead. U.S. officials posted a tsunami alert for Hawaii. Tsunami waves are possibly up to more than three meters along Chile's coast.  

September 16. 2015

Obama and Allies Seek to Nationalize Local Police
On December 18, 2014, President Obama signed an executive order creating the President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing. In May 2015, the task force came out with its Final Report, which is commonly given the title “21st Century Policing.”  

Possible Tornado Damages Homes in Northampton, England
"Tornadoes are not as rare as one would think in the U.K.," Senior Meteorologist Jason Nicholls said. "In fact, the U.K. experiences more tornadoes than any other country in the world proportional to its land area according to The Guardian, averaging 33 tornadoes each year."  

Africa braced for snakebite crisis
Rural Africa is facing a resurgence of a persistent plague that rarely makes headlines: snakebite. By June next year, stockpiles of the anti-venom that is most effective against Africa’s vipers, mambas and cobras are expected to run out because the only company that makes the medicine has stopped production.  

Vatican Releases Official Papal Statement Supporting Obama’s Iranian Nuclear Deal
The Vatican released a statement Tuesday officially welcoming the nuclear agreement between the P5+1 world powers (U.S., UK, China, France, Russia, Germany) and Iran, stating that the Holy See believes Tehran will reduce its nuclear capabilities in exchange for sanctions relief. In calling for a Middle East free of nuclear weapons, the Vatican also appeared to target Israel, given that it is the lone nuclear power in the region.  

Russia's Aid to Syria 'Enhances Moscow's Influence' in the Middle East
Russia's assistance to Syria could well help Moscow play a more prominent role across the Middle East as Washington's allies in the region feel increasingly disappointed with the US.  

Syrian president says top priority to defeat terrorism
Syria's president Bashar Assad urged Syrian political and armed factions to unite in the fight against terrorist groups and said in comments aired Tuesday that there can be no political solution for the country's brutal civil war before terrorism is defeated. Speaking in an interview with Russian media, he also blamed Europe for the refugee crisis currently hitting the continent, saying it is a direct result of the West's support of extremists in Syria over the past four years.  

China reportedly using hacked info to make 'Facebook' of US gov't workers
According to CrowdStrike founder Dmitri Alperovitch, Chinese hackers are using information gained from the breaches of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, as well as intrusions into the Anthem and CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield health insurance networks, to build a complete profile of federal employees in what the company calls a "Facebook of Everything."  

Is It Just A Coincidence That Two Amazing Signs Just Appeared On The 14th Anniversary Of 9/11?
On the eve of the 14th anniversary of 9/11, a double rainbow appeared over the site where the World Trade Center towers once stood. We’ll discuss possible meanings of that sign in a moment. On Friday, a massive bolt of lightning caused a crane to collapse at the Grand Mosque in Mecca in Saudi Arabia. At least 107 people were killed and at least 238 others were injured. It turns out that this crane was owned by “the Saudi Binladin Group”. If that is a coincidence, it is an awfully bizarre one.  

What the Third Lebanon War will look like
The UN Security Council established after the Second Lebanon War that Hassan Nasrallah's people are forbidden to openly move along the border fence, armed, and provoke Israeli soldiers. They are careful to abide by the rules, but they are here, utilizing all the new technology Iran has provided to ensure that the IDF is not entering Lebanese territory. Meanwhile, they prepare "surprises" to hurt Israel during the next conflict....  

Netanyahu Adds Russia to Regional Discussions on Syria
Israel’s Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is including Russia in the circle of nations involved in talks over how to deal with the regional issues created by the Syrian crisis.“The prime minister will present the threats to Israel emanating from the increased flow of advanced weaponry to the Syrian arena and from the transfer of lethal weaponry to Hezbollah and other terrorist groups,” an Israeli official told Reuters on Wednesday.  

Update: Arabs, Islamic Waqf Staff Clash w/ Israel Police, Jewish Visitors on Temple Mount
For the fourth day in a row, a mob of dozens of Arabs attacked Jews Wednesday morning who came on pilgrimage to the Temple Mount compound.  

Blame Assad: The world according to State Department
In the mind of State Department spokesman John Kirby, Russia should not back Syria against the terrorists, president Assad is to blame for ISIS, Iraq is much better off because of the US invasion, and it’s ‘absolutely astounding’ anyone would dare to disagree.  

Europe’s Immigration “Crisis” Is Not America’s Problem
While several European Nanny States, including France and England, succumbed to the tugs at the heartstrings resulting from photos of plaintive children, and precipitously announced they would accept thousands of immigrants, Ground Zero quickly became Germany -- perceived by many as having a virtually unlimited need for workers.  

INCREASING CHANCE OF FLARES
For the second day in a row, sunspot AR2415 is crackling with minor C-class solar flares. This could foreshadow stronger eruptions. The sunspot has an unstable 'beta-gamma' magnetic field that harbors energy for M-flares. Any such eruption on Sept. 16th would be geoeffective because the sunspot is facing Earth.  

Go ahead, raise my rates
Some U.S. chief executives think it is time to pick interest rates off the floor, even as many of their peers campaign to maintain the status quo.The Federal Reserve meets this week and the first rate rise in nearly a decade — albeit a small one — is on the table.  

Canada: The Spanish Inquisition Makes a Comeback
We had hoped that the country had learned that for most of the civilized world, blasphemy laws are meant to be a thing of the past. But after the latest events in Quebec, we will no longer be fooled. The whole world will be able to see that in Canada blasphemy laws are a thing of the future.   
Increased marijuana, heroin use contribute to highest reported illicit drug use in more than a decade
Findings from the 2014 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), released today, reveal the percentage of Americans aged 12 or older who used an illicit drug in 2014 was higher than in every year between 2002 and 2013, driven primarily by increases in marijuana use, sustained rates of nonmedical pain reliever use, and increases in heroin use.  

Obama Issues Executive Order for Government Use of Behavioral Data
The order instructs government agencies to use “behavioral science”— a tactic used by Obama’s political campaigns to harness data from their supporters to target them effectively. The program has already existed in an experimental form, but now Obama has formally established the federal “Social and Behavioral Sciences Team,” ordering them to to use psychology and experimental behavior data to make government more user-friendly.  

Delhi battles dengue fever surge
The Indian capital, Delhi, is in the grip of the worst outbreak of dengue fever in five years, officials say. More than 1,800 cases have been recorded in recent weeks, compared to 1,695 cases for all of 2010. Five deaths have been reported so far. The mosquito that carries the dengue virus breeds in containers with clear, stagnant water.  

Syria conflict: US presses Russia on military build-up
US Secretary of State John Kerry has called his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in a bid to clarify the intent of Moscow's military build-up in Syria. Mr Kerry warned that continued support for President Bashar al-Assad "risks exacerbating and extending the conflict," a statement said. The US accuses Russia of boosting its military presence in Syria.  

Ecuador forest fires envelope Quito in smoke
Quito was enveloped in smoke as forest fires raged around the Ecuadorean capital on Tuesday. President Rafael Correa said he had contacted the Venezuelan authorities for help extinguishing 17 major fires across the country and that they had promised to send helicopters. He said he would also ask Brazil, Colombia and Peru for support.  

Australia launches first air strikes inside Syria
The Australian government has confirmed it has launched its first air strikes inside Syria against targets of the so-called Islamic State (IS). Australia is part of an international military coalition targeting IS strongholds in Syria and Iraq. Three air strikes were made on Monday, destroying an IS armoured personnel carrier and a crude oil collection point, the US said in a statement.  

Palestinians invite hundreds of leaders to flag raising ceremony at UN in New York
The Palestinian Authority invited hundreds of world leaders to celebrate the raising of its flag for the first time at the United Nations headquarter in New York on September 30th. “It will be a glorious day, a proud day for us. We expect hundreds of leaders to be with [PA] President [Mahmoud] Abbas to celebrate that moment,” PLO Ambassador to the UN Riyad Mansour told reporters in New York on Tuesday.  

'It's a matter of time until ISIS in Sinai attempts terror attack against Israel'
It is only a matter of time before Islamic State's affiliate in Egypt's Sinai Peninsula attempts to carry out a terror attack against Israel, Col. Yehuda Hacohen, the commander of the IDF's Sagi Battalion which operates on the border said in an interview with Army Radio on Wednesday. The organization formerly known as Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis pledged allegiance to Islamic State last year, changing its name to the Sinai Province.  

Israeli PM Netanyahu vows stone-thrower crackdown
The Israeli prime minister has vowed to "use all necessary means" to stop stone throwers after an Israeli man died in a car crash linked to such an attack. Benjamin Netanyahu's statement came after an emergency meeting of his cabinet and security chiefs.  

Migrants face hunt for new routes as Hungary border sealed
Hundreds of migrants have spent the night at the closed Hungary-Serbia border, with many facing the choice of finding a new route to northern Europe. Serbian media said buses were now being redirected to Croatia, with migrants then planning to move on to Slovenia, Austria - and finally Germany.  

Turkey's flirtation with terrorists is falling apart
A key Hamas official who operated out of Turkey for years was sanctioned by last week by the US Treasury Department for his role in organizing and inciting terrorism in the West Bank and Israel. And given Ankara's history for working with US-designated terrorists — and some of the disastrous implications by those connections — the most recent designation shows how Turkey's quiet dance with terrorism finance is falling apart.  

Senate Democrats block vote to disapprove of Iran deal
For the second time, Senate Democrats on Tuesday blocked a vote to move forward on a resolution rejecting the Iran nuclear deal, protecting President Barack Obama's key foreign policy initiative.  

Wildfires, flooding, earthquake hit California
As firefighters began to make significant progress on two of the 12 deadly wildfires raging in drought-stricken areas of California, emergency crews on Tuesday had to also contend with a small earthquake near one of the wildfires and flooding in Los Angeles.  

September 15, 2015

Become a Woman For Free!!
Well, now the Obama Administration is coming after insurance companies. Cover sex reassignment surgeries or get sued is what is going to happen.  

Another earthquake strikes area of destructive Valley Fire
Another earthquake rattled the North Bay Tuesday morning in the area where the deadly Valley Fire is still burning. A magnitude 3.2 earthquake struck northwest of Geyserville at about 5:46 a.m. Tuesday morning.  

ISIL demands allegiance from Libya’s Sirte residents
The ISIL militant group on Monday called on residents of Libya’s coastal city of Sirte – which it captured in January – to pledge their allegiance to the group and “repent for their sins” before the end of this month.  

Iranian troops join Russians in Syria fighting
Israeli security sources claim Quds Force sending hundreds of elite troops in unprecedented cooperation with Russia to save embattled Syrian regime.  

Temple Mount clashes continue for third day
Third day of rioting sees Palestinians barricading themselves inside al-Aqsa Mosque, throwing stones, concrete blocks, fireworks at security forces. Clashes between security forces and Palestinians at the Temple Mount continued for the third consecutive day on Tuesday, the second day of Rosh Hashanah.  

Russia shipping tanks into Syria, in ‘first clear sign of offensive weapons’
Russia's military build-up in Syria has grown to include the shipment of a half-dozen highly sophisticated battle tanks -- and more troops -- a defense official told Fox News, in what the source called the "first clear sign of offensive weapons arriving in Syria."  

Credibility, 'gradual' approach at stake as Fed weighs rate rise
The U.S. Federal Reserve, facing this week its biggest policy decision yet under Chair Janet Yellen, puts its credibility on the line regardless of whether it waits or raises interest rates for the first time in nearly a decade. In a way it is a "damned if you do, damned if you don't" situation for the Fed....  

Jordan king warns Israel over Jerusalem holy site violence
"We have gotten reassurances from the Israelis government that this would not happen. Unfortunately, these are reassurances we have heard in the past," the king said. "Any more provocations in Jerusalem, will affect the relationship between Jordan and Israel; and Jordan will have no choice, but to take action, unfortunately."   
Putin defends Russia's military assistance to Syrian regime

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday strongly defended Moscow’s military assistance to the Syrian government, saying it’s impossible to defeat the Islamic State group without cooperating with Damascus.  

For Those Who Remain in Syria, Daily Life Is a Nightmare
As crowds of Syrians transfix the world with their flight to Europe, this kind of life is one of the many nightmares they are fleeing. They leave behind increasingly empty neighborhoods — from the Damascus suburbs to the northern city of Aleppo — that testify to the scale of their exodus.  

8 dead, 5 missing as Utah flood sweeps away cars
Several vehicles were reportedly swept into waterways after heavy rains hit at approximately 5 p.m. MT, including two vehicles that had been carrying 16 people in Maxwell Canyon north of the city, said Kevin Barlow, assistant fire chief. The victims included women and small children,  

Teen Arrested for Planning Alleged ISIS-Inspired Attack on Pope
The FBI quietly arrested a 15-year-old boy outside of Philadelphia last month for allegedly threatening to launch an ISIS-inspired assault on Pope Francis while the world leader tours the United States next week, ABC News has learned.  

Earthquake Rattles Fried Nerves Near Valley Fire
The earthquake rumbled through the North Bay hours after tens of thousands of residents evacuated following the rapid spread of the unrelenting Valley Fire.  

China falls drag stocks back into red
Concerns over China kept financial markets on edge on Tuesday, with an underwhelming reaction to recent data and Beijing's efforts at corporate reform helping push European and Asian stocks lower. Europe's main markets had inched higher in early trade, with investors avoiding firmer bets ahead of the first meeting of the U.S. Federal Reserve in years at which a possible rise in interest rates has been a live issue.  

China appears to be working on third airstrip on disputed South China Sea islets
China appears to be carrying out preparatory work for a third airstrip in contested territory in the South China Sea, a U.S. expert said on Monday, citing satellite photographs taken last week. The photographs taken for Washington's Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) think tank on Sept. 8 show construction on Mischief Reef, one of seven artificial islands China has created in the Spratly archipelago.  

Robots are going to steal the jobs...
Scientists have created a huge, in-depth analysis of what jobs are under threat from robots — with salesmen, chefs and even models all in the firing line. Researchers have assembled a full list of all the things that robots are good and bad at, and so what jobs they are likely to take. In all, about 35 per cent of jobs are likely to have been taken on by robots in the next 20 years, researchers have said.  

Russia positioning tanks at Syria airfield: U.S. officials
Russia has positioned about a half dozen tanks at an airfield at the center of a military buildup in Syria, two U.S. officials said on Monday, adding that the intentions of Moscow's...heavy military equipment were unclear. Moscow has come under increased international pressure in recent days to explain its moves in Syria, where the Kremlin has been supporting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad...  

Migrant crisis: Hungary declares emergency at Serbia border
Hungary has declared a state of emergency in two southern counties as tough new laws to stop migrants entering illegally came into force. Police can now detain anyone trying to breach a razor-wire fence built on the border with Serbia. The EU is facing a huge influx of migrants, many fleeing conflict and poverty in countries including Syria.  

California wildfires: 23,000 people displaced from homes
The governor of California has declared a state of emergency after wildfires forced about 23,000 people to flee their homes in the north of the state. Governor Jerry Brown said the fires, which have left one person dead, destroyed and threatened buildings in the Napa and Lake counties. More than 1,300 people fled Middletown, north of San Francisco, as their homes were consumed by the flames.  

North Korea Yongbyon nuclear site 'in operation'
North Korea says its main nuclear facility, the Yongbyon complex, has resumed normal operations. The country was improving its nuclear weapons "in quality and quantity", state-run news agency KCNA reported. Yongbyon's reactor was shut down in 2007 but Pyongyang vowed to restart it in 2013, following its third nuclear test and amid high regional tensions.  

Top Iranian space scientist among those killed in Mecca crane collapse
Top Iranian space scientist and university professor Ahmad Hatami was killed in the crane collapse in Mecca's Grand Mosque on Friday which killed 107, Iran's Fars News Agency reported on Monday. An Iranian minister confirmed that Doctor Ahmad Hatami, who was a renowned member of the Iran Space Research Center, was killed along with 8 other Iranians who made the deadly pilgrimage to Mecca.  

Riots breaks out on Jerusalem's Temple Mount for third straight day
As police came to secure the area for Jewish visitors to Jerusalem's Temple Mount on the second day of Rosh Hashana on Tuesday, rioting broke out for the third straight day. When Israeli security forces entered the plaza of the site dozens of face-covered Palestinian youth met them with a barrage of stones, blocks, and firecrackers, police said.  

OPEC: The US shale boom is over
n its latest monthly oil-market report, published Monday, the 12-member oil cartel OPEC said US oil producers were finally beginning to feel the squeeze of lower oil prices. OPEC writes: "In North America, there are signs that US production has started to respond to reduced investment and activity. Indeed, all eyes are on how quickly US production falls."  

Anglican Church in Kenya Expels Priests Accused of Practicing Homosexuality
In an unprecedented move, the Anglican Church in Kenya on Sept. 10 expelled five priests for allegedly engaging in homosexual activity. The priests, from the diocese of Mt. Kenya West in Central Kenya, were under investigation since mid-August. They were serving in the towns of Othaya, Karatina, Murang’a and Nyeri towns.  

Judge Orders Ten Commandments Monument Taken Down Within 30 Days
A judge has ruled that a Ten Commandments monument must be removed from the grounds of the Oklahoma state capitol within 30 days. The monument was erected in 2009 with personal funds from Oklahoma Rep. Mike Ritze, according to Christian Today, and has been controversial since 2013 when the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Oklahoma, led by Mainstream Oklahoma Baptists Director Bruce Prescott, told the court that the monument was unconstitutional.  

No snow: Californian water source at 500-year low
Snow cover in the Sierra Nevada mountain range, a water lifeline for California's cities and agriculture, has hit its lowest level in 500 years, a study said Monday. Measured on April 1, the natural, frozen reservoir was barely five percent of the 1950-2000 average, threatening tens of millions of Californians and the state's $50-billion (44-billion-euro) agriculture sector with chronic water shortages, its authors warned.  

Inmate who raped Arizona prison teacher gets life in prison
An Arizona inmate who pleaded guilty to raping a prison teacher apologized to the woman in court Monday before being sentenced to spend the rest of his life behind bars.  

3 earthquakes shake central, northern Oklahoma in 1 hour
Three earthquakes have shaken parts of central and northern Oklahoma in less than one hour. The U.S. Geological Survey said all three quakes were recorded Monday between 12:10 p.m. and 1:08 p.m.  

September 14, 2015

95,000 Russian Troops Join Massive CSTO Military Exercise
"Today the strategic command-and-staff exercise Center–2015 has been started. This is a final stage of the operational and combat training of the Russian Armed Forces in 2015 and joint combat training activities of the CSTO [Collective Security Treaty Organization]," the ministry said on its website.  

Netanyahu to convene emergency meeting after holiday on stone-throwers in Jerusalem
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will convene an emergency meeting after the end of the Rosh Hashana holiday on Tuesday evening to discuss the challenge of ending the acts of rioters who throw stones and firebombs in Jerusalem and area.  

Thousands flee California wildfire as homes go up in flames
The so-called Valley Fire, now ranked as the most destructive among scores of blazes that have ravaged the drought-stricken Western United States this summer, came amid what California fire officials described as "unheard of fire behavior".......  

Japan’s largest volcano Mt. Aso erupts, forces evacuation of tourists
Mount Aso, Japan’s largest active volcano, erupted on Monday, sending plumes of smoke 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) into the air and prompting tourist evacuations, Japan’s Meteorological Agency said.  

'Israel to Take All Means to Protect Temple Mount'
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu defended Israel's right to defend itself on Sunday, after the Arab world condemned the Jewish state for protecting itself during an Arab mob attack on the Temple Mount. "Israel will act by any means to maintain the status quo and the law and order on the Temple Mount," the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said in a statement.  

California Lawmakers Pass Physician-Assisted Suicide Measure
In a nation that has sanctioned the murder of innocent babies and turned a blind eye to the nation’s largest abortion provider selling their body parts, it’s no wonder that a greater call for 'the right to die' at the other end of the life spectrum has come.  

Russia Says it Will Continue to Support Assad
The Syrian army could be a crucial force in fight against the Islamic State (ISIS) group, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Sunday, reiterating that Russia will support the Syrian government in the fight against the extremist group.  

Arab League Threatens Action Against Israel Over Al-Aqsa
The Arab League on Sunday warned against the "Judaization of the Al-Aqsa Mosque by Israel" and called for action against the Jewish state, Channel 2 News reported.  

Germany re-imposes border controls to slow migrant flow
Germany re-imposed border controls on Sunday after Europe's most powerful nation acknowledged it could scarcely cope with thousands of asylum seekers arriving every day.  

DOUBLE ECLIPSE OF THE SUN
On Sept. 13th, the sun was eclipsed--twice! No one on Earth has ever seen anything like it. Indeed, it was only visible from Earth orbit. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) recorded the event: A movie from the SDO science team explains the crazy-perfect alignment required for such a view.  

KHAMENEI Threatens AMERICA in NEW YouTube Video – Bombs on US Navy
The video contains images of Iranian bombs raining down on a US battleship.  

GM embryos 'essential', says report
It is "essential" that the genetic modification of human embryos is allowed, says a group of scientists, ethicists and policy experts. A Hinxton Group report says editing the genetic code of early stage embryos is of "tremendous value" to research. It adds although GM babies should not be allowed to be born at the moment, it may be "morally acceptable" under some circumstances in the future.  

California wildfires: Governor declares state of emergency
The governor of California has declared a state of emergency after wildfires forced thousands of people to flee their homes in the north of the state. Governor Jerry Brown said the fires had destroyed buildings in the Napa and Lake counties and threatened hundreds of others. More than 1,300 people fled Middletown, north of San Francisco, as their homes were consumed by the flames.  

Venezuelan military jets 'entered Colombian airspace'
Colombia has said that two Venezuelan military jets entered its airspace without warning or authorisation. The planes encroached into Colombian airspace twice on Saturday morning, according to the defence ministry. They reportedly flew over a border military base in the Alta Guajira region before returning to Venezuela.  

Migrant crisis: Austria to deploy troops
Austria has said it is deploying troops to help deal with a migrant influx, and will tighten controls on its border with Hungary. The move came after Germany imposed controls on its border with Austria. EU states are struggling to cope with a steady stream of arrivals, many aiming for Germany where one million people are expected to arrive this year.  

Japanese volcano Mount Aso erupts unexpectedly
A volcano on Japan's main southern island of Kyushu has erupted, sending clouds of black smoke and ash into the air. Mount Aso, which is a popular tourist spot, is one of the most active volcanoes in the country.  

Saudis should no longer handle Mecca Haj, Iranian MP says after crane disaster
Hedayatollah Mir-Moradzehi, a member of the Iranian parliament who is Sunni, believes that following the deadly crane accident at the Grand Mosque in Mecca, Saudi Arabia should no longer be in cahrge of the Haj ceremony at the Muslim holy site. ...The lawmaker emphasized that Kaaba, the building at the center of the mosque, doesn’t merely belong to Saudi Arabia...  

Temple Mount opens to Jewish visitors for Rosh Hashana after police quell riot at holy site
An Israeli police officer on Jerusalem's Temple Mount on Monday was injured by two stone-throwing youth as police prepared the site for Jewish visitors for the Jewish New Year. The officer received medical treatment at the scene. ...Jerusalem District Police Chief Moshe Edri and his forces were present at the Temple Mount compound on Monday to ensure the public's safety.  

Pretend Messiah to greet Pope at Andrew’s Air Force Base
What will you be doing when the pope’s plane touches down at Andrews Air Force Base on September 22? That’s the day the White House says that Barack and Michelle Obama will make the “rare” trip to Andrews Air Force Base to formally welcome Francis on his arrival of his first-ever visit to the U.S.  

Cargo of Refugees, a Planned Invasion
Cargo after cargo of “refugees,” defiant young Muslims seeking a better life in non-Muslim countries with generous welfare programs, are arriving on the Mediterranean shores and at the border of small and much poorer countries than the rich Arab states bordering Syria. Even though they speak the same language, they are taking in zero “refugees” with the excuse that they are trying to minimize the threat of terrorism.  

Refugee influx is Muslim colonization
Blind, deaf and woefully not dumb, Western nations have announced how their humanitarian consciences are driving them to welcome hundreds of thousands of “migrants” pouring out of Syria in ISIS’ wake.  

In Jerusalem clashes mar eve of Rosh Hashanah
Israeli police stormed the Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem Sunday morning to clear Muslim stone throwers who had taken refuge in the compound amid allegations they planned to disrupt Jewish worshipers on the eve of the Jewish new year.  

Savage: ‘There’s a retrovirus in the White House’
Savage told his listeners: "It wasn't the hippies who ruined America. It was the Communists who ruined the hippies who ruined America. You see, a free spirit is more easily manipulated or penetrated than a rigid spirit. The '60s allowed millions of us to become freer spirits. The Communists entered our spirits just as retroviruses infect humans, causing the common cold and AIDs for example. And today we have a retrovirus in the White House named Barack Obama.  

Anti-Islamic Gun Shop Owner Offers 9/11 ‘Muslim’ Discount
A Florida gun shop owner marked the anniversary of September 11 Friday by offering customers $25 off their purchase with the coupon code "muslim." The same man had previously declared his business a "Muslim-free zone."  

Convicted Fraudster Helped Obama Sell Iran Deal
Convicted fraudster Robert Creamer played a key role in selling the Iran deal to Democrats, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal.  

September 13, 2015

Moderate 5.4-magnitude earthquake rocks Tokyo
The number of injuries in connection with the jolt in Tokyo and its vicinity came to 15, including an 83-year-old woman who broke her leg when she fell from a bed, the Yomiuri Shimbun said.  

Small earthquake hits Seattle area; no reports of damage
The U.S. Geological Survey says a 4.0-magnitude earthquake hit the eastern part of the Seattle area Saturday afternoon. But there are no reports of damage.  

6.6-magnitude earthquake hits Gulf of California
An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.6 struck the Gulf of California early Sunday morning, the U.S. Geological Survey said. The temblor struck at 1:14 a.m. and had a depth of 6 miles. The epicenter was 37 miles south-southwest of Topolobampo, Mexico, and it was preceded by two other earthquakes of magnitude 4.9 and 5.3.  

Judge Rules House Can Sue Obama Administration on Health Care Spending
WASHINGTON — A federal judge ruled Wednesday that the House had the right to sue the Obama administration over billions of dollars in health care spending, a decision that poses a new legal threat to the health care law and gave congressional Republicans a victory in their claims of executive overreach by the White House.  

HAARP Is Back
Why did university higher-ups swing the door back open for the conspiracy theorists? Why not let HAARP go quietly back to boreal forest? “Even though it’s esoteric and hard to understand, it’s the best,” said Bob McCoy, head of UAF’s Geophysical Institute, which now has the keys to the complex, located off mile 11.3 of the Tok Cutoff Road.

Al Qaeda chief urges lone wolf attacks, militant unity
Al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahri called on young Muslim men in the United States and other Western countries to carry out attacks inside there and urged greater unity between militants. "I call on all Muslims who can harm the countries of the crusader coalition not to hesitate. We must now focus on moving the war to the heart of the homes and cities of the crusader West and specifically America," he said...  

Poor nations want U.S. to pay reparations for extreme weather
Poorer nations suffering from extreme weather disasters...want rich nations like the United States to pay for reparations and to relocate populations. ...United Nations Conference on Climate Change...in December has representatives...asking for more than ...$100 billion per year for climate change mitigation measures.  

US and Russian Forces in Syria Aren’t Talking to Each Other
In Syria, where the U.S. is leading an air campaign against Islamic State targets and Russian military advisors are arriving to help the Assad regime, the two militaries aren’t talking to each other. “Coalition forces are focused on conducting counter-ISIL operations, and so to my knowledge there is no military-to-military contact at this point,” Air Force Col. Pat Ryder, spokesman for U.S. Central Command, told reporters...  

China economy: New signs of economic slowdown
Growth in China's investment and factory output in August has come in below forecasts, in a further indication that the world's second-largest economy is losing steam. Factory output grew by 6.1% from the year before - below forecasts of 6.4%. Growth in fixed-asset investment - largely property - slowed to 10.9% for the year-to-date, a 15-year low.  

Egypt government resigns amid corruption inquiry
Egypt's government has resigned and the country's oil minister has been asked to form a new cabinet within a week, the office of President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi has said. No official reason was given for the government's resignation. However, a senior source was quoted as saying the aim was to reshuffle the cabinet following a corruption scandal.  

Clashes erupt on the Temple Mount ahead of Jewish New Year
Israeli police raided the plaza outside Jerusalem's al-Aqsa mosque on Sunday in what they said was a bid to head off Palestinian attempts to disrupt visits by Jews and foreign tourists on the eve of the Jewish New Year. The Palestinian youths, Israeli police said in a statement, had intended "to disrupt the routine of visits to the Temple Mount on the eve of Rosh Hashana", the Jewish New Year, which begins at sunset on Sunday.  

Conservatives are rightly angry with the political establishment
Free market and limited government advocates were particularly annoyed with Republican President George W. Bush, who expanded government into health care and education in an unprecedented fashion.  

Immigrant Welfare Addiction
Non-citizens in the U.S.—and especially recent Middle Eastern refugees—are addicted to welfare programs, two newly released studies suggest. Although open-borders propaganda typically claims that illegal aliens are hardworking and industrious, one of the reports unveiled yesterday showed that among illegal alien households with children, a shocking 87 percent accept benefits from one or more welfare programs, compared to just 52 percent of native households.  

Cargo of Refugees, a Planned Invasion
Cargo after cargo of “refugees,” defiant young Muslims seeking a better life in non-Muslim countries with generous welfare programs, are arriving on the Mediterranean shores and at the border of small and much poorer countries than the rich Arab states bordering Syria. Even though they speak the same language, they are taking in zero “refugees” with the excuse that they are trying to minimize the threat of terrorism.  

Thousands flock to anti-migrant demos in E.Europe
BRATISLAVA: Thousands of people joined anti-migrant protests in three eastern European capitals on Saturday after leaders from the Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia opposed an EU scheme to fix refugee quotas. In the Polish capital Warsaw, nearly 5,000 people, many chanting anti-Islamic slogans, marched through the city, an AFP correspondent said. “Islam will be the death of Europe”, one of the banners said.  

Poll finds almost a third of Americans would support a military coup
Almost a third of Americans could imagine supporting a military coup against their own government, according to a new poll. The YouGov survey showed 29% of Americans could imagine supporting a coup. Yet, 41% said they could not imagine supporting such an event.  

Fatwa Issued Against India’s Double Oscar-Winner A.R.
A Muslim group in India has issued a fatwa against musician A.R. Rahman and Iranian director Majid Majidi. A Sunni group called the Raza Academy issued the fatwa on Friday in protest at Majidi’s film “Muhammad: Messenger of God,” for which Rahman scored the music.  

The wealthiest mafia in the world is undergoing a schism and it could get ugly
group, Japan's Yamaguchi-gumi yakuza, is undergoing a schism that could spark violent gang wars and have significantly affected businesses in and outside of Japan.  

Sierra wildfire destroys homes, threatens 6,400 California residences
A fast-moving wildfire in California's Sierra Nevada mountains destroyed homes and threatened about 6,400 residences on Saturday even as another blaze injured four firefighters in the state, fire officials said.  

Germany's Merkel sees need to cooperate with Russia on Syria
Germany and other western European powers need to work with Russia as well as the United States to solve the crisis in Syria, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Saturday.