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Saturday, January 9, 2016

January 9, 2016

Damascus says ready for talks, wants list of 'terrorist groups'
Syria's government told a U.N. envoy on Saturday it was ready to take part in Geneva peace talks scheduled for Jan. 25 but said it wanted to know which opposition figures would participate. Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem, who met U.N. envoy Staffan de Mistura in Damascus, also demanded a list of groups that would be classified as terrorist, Syrian state media reported.  
Islam Set To Become The Second-Largest Religion In America By 2040
The American Muslim population stands a strong chance of doubling in size by 2050 and becoming the second largest religion by 2040, based on new estimates from the Pew Research Center. At the moment, Pew believes that there’s approximately 3.3 million Muslims living in the United States. Given the total U.S. population, this means that Muslims currently comprise 1 percent. But by 2050, Pew thinks that Muslims may surge to 8.1 million.  
Disclosure: Another 41 Foreign-Born Individuals Snagged On Terror Charges
Following the discovery of a terrorist cell in Texas allegedly operated by an Iraqi who entered the United States as a refugee, the Washington Free Beacon has learned of an additional 41 individuals who have been implicated in terrorist plots in the United States since 2014, bringing the total number of terrorists discovered since that time to 113, according to information provided by Congressional sources.  
Dow closes down triple digits as stocks end one of worst first weeks ever
U.S. stocks closed about 1 percent lower Friday, ending the year's first trading week with sharp losses as concerns about China and global economic slowdown persisted. ( Tweet This ) The Dow Jones industrial average and S&P 500 had their worst first five-day performance of a year in history, according to data from Howard Silverblatt, senior index analyst at S&P Dow Jones Indices.  
EPA, FDA stocking up on body armor during President Obama’s watch
As the U.S. engages in a national debate over the militarization of the police, federal data shows that government agencies...are spending tens of millions...to purchase SWAT and military-style equipment. Since FY 2006, 44 traditionally administrative agencies have spent over $71 million on items like body armor, riot helmets and shields, cannon launchers and police firearms and ammunition...  
Watchdog: Feds paid Amtrak worker to spy on passengers
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration inappropriately paid an Amtrak employee more than $850,000 over 20 years to provide information on passengers who may be smuggling drugs, according a report from the Justice Department's Office of Inspector General. ...OIG said it made no sense for the DEA to pay these people for information, as they are already required by law to offer it up for free.  
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott calls for Convention of States to take back states’ rights
Gov. Greg Abbott, aiming to spark a national conversation about states’ rights, said Friday that he wants Texas to lead the call for a convention to amend the U.S. Constitution and wrest power from a federal government “run amok.” “If we are going to fight for, protect and hand on to the next generation, the freedom that [President] Reagan spoke of … then we have to take the lead to restore the rule of law in America,”...  
Egypt attack: Three tourists stabbed at Hurghada hotel
Three foreign tourists have been stabbed by two suspected Islamic State militants stormed into a hotel in Egypt's Red Sea resort of Hurghada. The attackers, armed with knives, were shot by police at the Bella Vista hotel after they attacked two Austrian guests and a Swede, officials say. One assailant was killed and the other injured, officials say.  
Cologne attacks: Merkel considers tougher migrant laws
German Chancellor Angela Merkel says she will consider changes to make it easier to deport migrants who commit crimes, after the New Year's Eve sex attacks on women in Cologne, The attacks, which victims say were carried out by men of North African and Arab appearance, have called into question her open-door migrant policy.  
Mexican drug lord ‘El Chapo’ recaptured months after brazen escape
The world’s most wanted drug lord, Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, was recaptured by Mexican security forces Friday after a fierce pre-dawn gun battle in a western city that left five people dead, authorities said.  
3 reasons for concern about the Chinese economy
A scary sell-off in Chinese stocks is magnifying concerns about the health of the world's second-biggest economy.  
Cruz dismisses 'swamp theories' on citizenship
Ted Cruz distanced himself from his family's connections to Canada, saying Friday that his family never voted in Canada. "The Internet has all sorts of fevered swamp theories, but the facts are simple," Cruz told CNN's Jake Tapper in an interview set to air on Sunday on "State of the Union." "My mom was born in Wilmington, Delaware. She was an American citizen by birth. She's been an American citizen all 81 years of her life. She's never been a citizen of any other place."  
Philadelphia police: Man who tried to kill officer pledged allegiance to the Islamic State
A police officer in Philadelphia was shot multiple times late Thursday by an attacker who later said he had pledged loyalty to the Islamic State, officials said Friday.  
Powerball fever sweeps California as the jackpot climbs to $800 million
At the end of a nearly 30-person line at the Bluebird liquor store in Hawthorne, Mark Willis clutched his blue lottery ticket holder. The lettering on the thin plastic booklet, which he calls his “book of dreams,” was faded.  
Militia groups meet with leaders of Oregon occupation, pledge support
Members of self-styled militia groups met on Friday with armed protesters occupying a federal wildlife refuge in Oregon, pledging support for their cause, if not their methods, and offering to act as a peace-keeping force in the week-long standoff over land rights.  
Smoking Gun: Email Suggests Hillary Broke Law
The latest batch of Hillary Clinton emails released by the State Department early Friday contain what may be the smoking gun that forces the Justice Department to charge the former secretary of state with a crime, according to former federal prosecutor Joseph diGenova.  
North Korea warns of war over South's propaganda broadcasts
North Korea warned of war as South Korea on Saturday continued blasting anti-Pyongyang propaganda across the rivals' tense border in retaliation for the North's purported fourth nuclear test.  

Friday, January 8, 2016

January 8, 2016

Islamic State member executes his mother in Syria: monitor
An Islamic State militant executed his mother in public in the Syrian city of Raqqa because she had encouraged him to leave the group, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported on Friday. The woman in her 40s had warned her son that a U.S.-backed alliance would wipe out Islamic State and had encouraged him to leave the city with her.  
Gunman in Tel Aviv shooting spree killed by Israeli police
The man wanted for the murder of three people in a Tel Aviv shooting spree was shot and killed by Israeli police Friday in the northern part of the country, investigators revealed. The gunman had been identified as Nashat Milhem, an Arab from northern Israel who had been working at a grocery store in Tel Aviv before the attack.  
Germany publishes 'Mein Kampf' for 1st time since WWII
An annotated edition of "Mein Kampf," the first version of Adolf Hitler's notorious manifesto to be published in Germany since the end of World War II, went on sale Friday in an effort to demystify the book and debunk the Nazi leader's writing.  
Dow Tumbles Nearly 400 Points on China Worries
The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell nearly 400 points Thursday as steep falls in Chinese equities spilled over to global markets Thursday’s selloff came after the People’s Bank of China made its largest downward adjustment to the yuan since August.  
Barack Obama accuses NRA of misleading US over guns
US President Barack Obama has strongly criticised the most powerful US gun lobby during a televised public forum. He said the National Rifle Association (NRA) had deliberately misrepresented proposed legislation on gun control. The NRA declined to take part in the discussion, which it called a public relations spectacle.  
Honduras starts archaeological dig for ancient city
The President of Honduras, Juan Orlando Hernandez, says scientists plan to explore a jungle site where they believe a mysterious ancient city is hidden. Spanish colonisers searched for it believing "the City of the Monkey God" or "the White City" was filled with fabulous riches. Over the centuries there have been reports of more sightings.  
Turkish troops in Iraq repel IS attack
Turkey says it has repelled an attack by the so-called Islamic State on its troops in Bashiqa in northern Iraq, killing 17 militants. There were no reported injuries or deaths on the Turkish side. Turkey deployed at least 150 troops into northern Iraq last year, but it has been the subject of dispute between Turkey and the Iraqi government.  
Migrants struggle in sub-zero temperatures
Medics working at refugee aid camps in the Balkans say they are seeing a spike in the number of migrants falling ill as freezing temperatures arrive. It has fallen to as low as -11C in the region. The medical charities International Medical Corps and Medecins Sans Frontieres say most patients are suffering with respiratory problems such as bronchitis and flu.  
Australia Waroona fire threatens more towns after devastating Yarloop
A massive bushfire that devastated a small town is still burning out of control in Western Australia. About 95 houses in Yarloop, south of Perth, have been destroyed and three people are reported to be missing. Wind gusts of up to 60km/h (37mph) overnight fanned the blaze, dubbed the Waroona fire, to heights of 50m.  
Ethiopian forces 'kill 140 Oromo protesters'
Ethiopian security forces have killed at least 140 people taking part in mass anti-government demonstrations since November, activists say, according to US-based Human Rights Watch (HRW). The protests have been sparked by fears that a plan to expand the capital's administrative control into the Oromia region will displace Oromo farmers. HRW also called for the release of an Oromo politician arrested last month.  
'Hamas members planned to bomb stage during Netanyahu speech'
An indictment was filed Friday morning against two east Jerusalem residents accused of assisting the enemy in a time of war, contacting a foreign agent and purchasing chemical for the preparing of explosives. The Jerusalem District Attorney filed the indictment against alleged Hamas recruits Hazem Sanduqa, 22, and Fahdi Abu Qaian, 19, to the Jerusalem District Court.  
ISIS claims attack on Israeli tourists in Cairo
Islamic State has claimed responsibility for an armed attack on Israeli tourists in Cairo, according to Amaq, a news agency that supports the group. The attack on Thursday, which security sources said targeted a bus meant to transport Israeli Arabs, caused no casualties. Egypt's Interior Ministry said it was directed at security forces.  
China State Funds Said to Buy More Shares After $1 Trillion Rout
China intervened to shore up its slumping stock market for at least the second time this week as state-controlled funds bought equities, according to people familiar with the matter.  
Father Of Benghazi Victim Challenges Hillary To Lie Detector Test
The father of former Navy SEAL Tyrone Woods, one of the four Americans killed by terrorists in Benghazi on Sept. 11, 2012, is challenging Hillary Clinton to a lie detector test to prove that she did not blame an anti-Muslim video for the attacks during private conversations with the victims’ families.  
NRA slams CNN's 'Obama Gun Ban Media Circus'
The National Rifle Association slammed CNN's gun town hall featuring President Obama tonight as the "Obama Gun Ban Media Circus," but urged its members to watch to educate themselves on the president's anti-gun agenda.  
Israeli soldiers shoot dead four Palestinian attackers in West Bank: army
Israeli security forces on Thursday shot dead four Palestinians who launched two separate stabbing attacks in the occupied West Bank, the military said, as a surge in street violence entered its fourth month.  
World could face months of Chinese market aftershocks
The latest trigger was currency jitters, but Thursday's plunge in Chinese stocks was just one in a series of aftershocks from last year's boom and bust that could shake markets for months to come.  
North Korea’s nuclear test shows how deluded Democrats really are
North Korea’s arms test — whether thermonuclear or not — tells us something about the Democratic Party. It relies, pardon the expression, on continual suspension of disbelief when it comes to our adversaries.  
America Doesn’t Have a Gun Problem, It Has a Democrat Problem
Gun violence is at its worst in the cities that Obama won in 2012. Places like New Orleans, Memphis, Birmingham, St. Louis, Kansas City and Philly. The Democrats are blaming Republicans for the crimes of their own voters. Gun control efforts in Chicago or any other major city are doomed because gangs represent organized crime networks which stretch down to Mexico. And Democrats pander to those gangs because it helps them get elected.  

Thursday, January 7, 2016

January 7, 2016

Magnitude 4.7 and 4.8 Earthquakes Shake Oklahoma 30 Seconds Apart; 26 Quakes Reported in 17 Hours
This was one of 26 separate earthquakes of magnitude 2.5 or greater reported in Oklahoma within a 17-hour span from Wednesday evening through early Thursday afternoon. Twenty-four of those, including the two strongest quakes mentioned above, were clustered in southern Woods County. The other two were reported in the far northern Oklahoma City metropolitan area east-northeast of Edmond.  
Human-Animal Chimeras Are Gestating on U.S. Research Farms
The agency, in a statement, said it was worried about the chance that animals’ “cognitive state” could be altered if they ended up with human brain cells.  
El Niño likely past its peak
A number of El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) indicators suggest that the 2015-16 El Niño has peaked in recent weeks. Tropical Pacific Ocean temperatures suggest this event is one of the top three strongest El Niño events of the past 50 years. Climate models suggest the 2015-16 El Niño will decline during the coming months, with a return to ENSO neutral likely during the second quarter of 2016.  
Will Pope Francis Become a Holy Man for the World?
Pope Francis I is poised to be more than a very popular pontiff graced with humility and an approach of love and gentleness, two words he often uses. He could rise to become a symbol of holiness beyond the Catholic Church, as the Dalai Lama is a symbol of enlightenment beyond Tibetan Buddhism.  
Franklin Graham Starts Cross-Country Rallies: ‘America Needs the Christian Vote’
Evangelist Franklin Graham kicked off a “Decision America Tour” on Tuesday (Jan. 5) in Des Moines, Iowa, urging evangelical Christians to pray about the upcoming election and vote for candidates of any party who agree with their biblical values.  
US admits Bashar al-Assad will outlast Barack Obama
Leaked adminstration document says Syrian president will not step down before at least March 2017 - more than five years after Mr Obama called for him to leave  
Southern Baptist Churches Start To Ordain Homosexuals And Perform Same-Sex Marriage Rituals
In a highly-ironic twist, the First Baptist Church of Greenville, SC, the same church that produced the very first president of the Southern Baptist Convention, William Bullein Johnson, is now an LGBT-affirming, pro-same sex marriage, and pro-transgender church, and they don’t care what you think of them. Looks like Pastor Jim Dant is leading a revolution to convince his sheep that the Bible supports the LGBT lifestyle. He has created something he calls the LGBT Discernment Team, whatever that is.  
Riyadh's Nightmare: Saudi Shiites Could 'Secede' and Take All Oil to Iran
In Saudi Arabia, ruled by a Sunni monarchy, oil is mostly located in regions populated by Shiites. This fuels Riyadh's "deepest fear," which involves Saudi Shiites seceding and allying their oil-rich regions with Iran, a Shiite theocracy,  
No Gay Marriage in Alabama, Chief Justice Roy Moore Says
Alabama's chief justice of the state supreme court told state judges that they are required to maintain a ban on issuing same-sex marriage licenses, despite the U.S. Supreme Court ruling such bans unconstitutional last year.  
Expert: North Korea H-bomb is 'super-EMP weapon'
one top specialist says the monitor results and North Korea’s claims align fully with the scenario of a device designed for a low yield, yet emitting an enhanced amount of gamma rays. Peter Pry, an expert on electromagnetic pulse weapons, told WND the explosion indeed was such a device.  
Saudi warplanes attack Iranian embassy in Yemen – Iran
Iran has accused Saudi Arabia of using warplanes to attack the Iranian embassy in the Yemeni capital Sana'a. Some guards were reportedly wounded in the attack, according to state news channel IRIB.  
CHANCE OF STORMS
NOAA forecasters estimate a 40% chance of minor G1-class geomagnetic storms today as Earth passes through a stream of high-speed solar wind.  
4.3, 4.8 Magnitude Earthquakes Rock Northern Oklahoma
Many 3.0-or-larger earthquakes rocked northern Oklahoma Wednesday night and early Thursday morning. And dozens of residents called into News 9 after feeling the long lasting quakes.  
USGS geophysicist: Edmond fault could produce large earthquake
A USGS research geophysicist says the recently rediscovered fault under Edmond could produce a quake as large or larger than the Prague quake of 2011 that registered a 5.6 on the Richter scale. It's the state's largest on record.
Oil price tumbles to below $33
Oil prices tumbled to $32.62 a barrel on Thursday as a result of rising US energy stockpiles and China's weakening currency. Brent crude fell 4.7% while US West Texas Intermediate was down 3.9%. For US oil, that was its lowest point since touching $32.40 in December 2008 during the global financial crisis.  
N Korea nuclear: US, Japan, S Korea pledge united response
The US, South Korea and Japan have said they will be united in their response to North Korea's claim to have successfully tested a hydrogen bomb. North Korea said it carried out the test on Wednesday - if confirmed it would be its fourth nuclear test, and its first of the more powerful H-bomb. The UN Security Council has also agreed to start drawing up new measures against North Korea.  
Libya truck bomb targets police recruits in Zliten
At least 40 people have been killed after a truck bomb targeted a police training centre in the western Libyan city of Zliten, reports say. Media in Libya said the attack struck the al-Jahfal training camp. The training centre had been a military base during the rule of ousted Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.  
Report: Shots fired at bus carrying Israeli tourists in Egypt
Gunmen on a motorcycle opened fire on tourists, among them two Israelis, as they boarded a bus in Cairo on Thursday but there were no casualties, security sources said. The attack took place at a hotel in the Egyptian capital on a road leading to the pyramids. One gunmen was arrested at the scene and security forces surrounded the other attacker in another part of Cairo, said the sources.  
China Markets in Turmoil as Weak Yuan Fixing Sparks Stock Tumble
The worst start for Chinese markets in two decades showed no signs of letting up after a weaker-than-estimated yuan fixing sent mainland shares tumbling, forcing the world’s second-largest stock market to shut early for the second day this week. China’s CSI 300 Index plunged 7.2 percent before trading was halted by automatic circuit breakers.  
Conservatives Tell Paul Ryan, the Honeymoon’s Over!
On the first full day of the new session of Congress, a group of influential conservative lawmakers signaled to House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) that the heady days that closed out 2015 are over.  
Our Impotent President
We know the President never shed a tear over the innocent lives butchered in the Planned Parenthood videos, but he certainly played it up for the cameras yesterday. He fell all over himself to cry and be angry and blame Republicans and lie. His legacy will be erased by executive order in January of 2017 and Obama can then tour the world bad mouthing the country like Jimmy Carter...  
BREAKING: House Passes Senate's Obamacare Repeal Bill, 240-181
UPDATE: Congressional Republicans have passed legislation to repeal Obamacare for the first time.  
800-Year-Old Prophecy Declares When “King of Persia Will Provoke King of Arabia” Redemption is Around the Corner
The Yalkut Shimoni predicted that the year the Messiah would appear, the “King of Persia [Iran] will provoke the King of Arabia [Saudi Arabia].”  

Wednesday, January 6, 2016

January 6, 2016

ISIS On Retreat as US-Led Coalition Pushes Back
Spokesman Colonel Steve Warren told reporters that ISIS has lost 40 percent of its territory in Iraq and 20 percent in Syria and that the group is now in a “defensive crouch.”  
Shallow Magnitude-4.5 Earthquake Strikes Rain-Soaked Southern California; Landslides Reported
A shallow 4.5-magnitude earthquake shook inland sections of Southern California Wednesday morning. Landslides were reported near the epicenter after heavy rainfall soaked the region Tuesday.  
GOP will finally pass an Obamacare repeal. Do Republican voters care?
On Wednesday, House Republicans expect to pass a bill that guts Obamacare – their 62nd attempt to repeal or undermine the Affordable Care Act. The crucial difference is that this time it will get all the way to the president’s desk, instead of being blocked by Senate Democrats.  
Washington Wants Assad to Go but Expects Him to Stay Until March 2017
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his "inner circle" will remain in power until March 2017, Associated Press reported, citing an internal document distributed among US officials dealing with the Syrian conflict.  
5 Reasons a Televangelist Needs a Private Plane
Wealthy televangelists, or as some are referred to "Scamgelists," with outrageous claims are nothing new to Christian news. We've heard it all before—the mansions, the expensive cars, the private planes etc. But this is a new take on why famous pastors need private planes.  
Mass sexual assaults in Cologne test German openness to refugees
Police in Cologne said they had received 90 criminal complaints by Tuesday and quoted witnesses as saying that groups of 20-30 young men “who appeared to be of Arab or North African origin” had surrounded victims, assaulted them and in several cases robbed them.  
Adalah, Dismantling Zionism
Adalah is also known as the Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel. It is funded by a number of left-wing organizations including: the New Israel Fund (NIF); the Ford Foundation; the Open Society Foundation (George Soros); Oxfam; and the European Commission. The group seeks to replace Israel as a Jewish State with a bi-national, multi-cultural state.  
IDF officer to Saudi paper: Israel has 'common language' with moderate Arab states
Without specifying, the officer confirmed that Israel had secret relations and common interests with a number of Arab states besides Egypt and Jordan.  
Remains of 3,400-year-old Canaanite citadel unearthed in Nahariya
“It seems that the citadel which we uncovered was used as an administrative center that served the mariners who sailed along the Mediterranean coast 3,400 years ago,” the archaeologists said in a joint statement. “There was probably a dock alongside the citadel.”  
Vatican slams Charlie Hebdo cover commemorating anniversary of attacks
"You can't provoke, you can't insult the faith of others, you can't make fun of faith," he told reporters during an Asian tour. The Vatican later issued a statement that said the pope's comments were not intended as a justification for the attacks.  
Israeli Girl Who Fought ISIS Comes to Faith in Yeshua
The Israeli Messianic ministry Trumpet of Salvation is reporting that Gill Rosenberg, the Canadian-Israeli girl who gained renown for joining the Kurds in their fight against ISIS, has come to faith in Yeshua.  
Outrage, skepticism greet North Korea's claim of hydrogen bomb test
The world reacted with outrage and skepticism Wednesday after North Korea claimed that it had successfully tested a "miniaturized" hydrogen bomb.  
Israeli Navy is 'ready for any threat that comes its way'
Surpirse multilevel integrated training scenario illustrates high level of readiness in the navy and commando units.  
North Korea Claims It Has Successfully Tested Hydrogen Bomb
The United States and Japan have called for an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council after North Korea claimed to have successfully tested a hydrogen bomb, a senior U.N. official told ABC News.  
New Jersey School Skips Legal Battle, Will No Longer Recite “God Bless America”
...Staffers at Glenview Elementary School say it became a daily ritual for students to say “God bless America” after the morning recital of the Pledge of Allegiance. ...But Sassano says the ACLU sent the school board attorney a letter challenging the recital of “God Bless America” as unconstitutional.  
Researchers taking power of locust to new heights
A locust-like robot could prove to be an inspired leap into the future of autonomous surveillance and emergency response systems. Inspired by the locust's jumping mechanism and elastic energy storage, Tel Aviv University researchers designed a tiny robot made from carbon rods, steel springs and 3D printed plastic pieces. It weighs less than once ounce...and is approximately four inches...long.  
Saudi-Iran row: Kerry calls leaders to urge calm
US Secretary of State John Kerry has repeatedly called leaders in Saudi Arabia and Iran to try to defuse their diplomatic row, US officials say. State department spokesman John Kirby said the phone conversations involved foreign ministers of both countries and the Saudi deputy crown prince. Saudi Arabia cut diplomatic ties with Iran on Sunday after protesters ransacked the Saudi embassy in Tehran.  
Syria conflict: Thousands of refugees stranded at Jordan border
Jordan has acknowledged that thousands of Syrian refugees are stranded in a remote desert area on its northern border with Syria awaiting entry. Government spokesman Mohammed Momani told the Associated Press "the number is 12,000, but it is increasing". Last month, he said a similar estimate by the UN was "greatly exaggerated".  
North Korea says it tested a hydrogen nuclear bomb
North Korea said it successfully tested a miniaturized hydrogen nuclear device on Wednesday, claiming a significant advance in the isolated state's strike capability and setting off alarm bells in Japan and South Korea. The test, the fourth time North Korea has exploded a nuclear device, was ordered by young leader Kim Jong Un, state media said.  
Planned Parenthood Abortionist Deborah Nucatola Wins Inaugural Veritas Award
The first annual Veritas Award has been conferred by Operation Rescue on Planned Parenthood’s Senior Director of Medical Services Deborah Nucatola, who became nationally known for her cavalier comments caught on video about committing banned partial-birth late-term abortions in order to harvest aborted baby parts for illegal financial consideration.  
Man behind armed Oregon band says he's on mission from God
The man behind the armed occupation of a federal wildlife refuge comes from a Mormon family that has been challenging government authority for at least two decades. Ammon Bundy, like his father in previous confrontations, says he is following directions from God and invokes his family's faith when explaining the anti-government movement he is attempting to lead.  
Sexual assaults blamed on ‘Arab’ men in Germany inflame refugee debate
A series of New Year’s Eve attacks attributed to Arab and North African men threatens to fan the flames of Germany’s refugee debate.  
ISIS executes first female citizen journalist: Report
Terror outfit Islamic State has executed first female citizen journalist on charges of espionage after detaining her for few days. According to media reports, extremists beheaded Ruqia Hassan, also known as Nisan Ibrahim, for writing about life under ISIS's rule on Facebook page.  
US Criminalizing Free Speech?
Eighty-two leading Democrats have cosponsored a House Resolution (H.Res. 569) "Condemning violence, bigotry, and hateful rhetoric towards Muslims in the United States". The Resolution was introduced in the House of Representatives by Democrat Donald S. Beyer (Virginia) on December 17, 2015 -- a mere 15 days after Tashfeen Malik and Syed Farook gunned down 14 innocent Americans and wounded 23 in an ISIS-inspired terror attack at a Christmas party in San Bernardino, California.  
Rev. Graham: It’s ‘Open Season on Christians -- Sin Is Openly Celebrated By The Highest Office In Our Land’
“We are perilously close to the moral tipping point for the survival” of America and it is “open season on Christians” now, said Reverend Franklin Graham, who added that “sin is openly celebrated and flaunted by the highest office in our land,” the White House, and “men and women of deep and sincere faith are publicly scorned.”  
Israel May Have Found a ‘Solution’ to Palestinian Knife Attacks
Palestinians and Israeli Arabs have carried out at least 100 knife attacks against Israeli soldiers and civilians in recent months. Now, the Israeli military hopes it has found a way of keeping its troops safe: Neck protectors designed to prevent soldiers from being stabbed or slashed.  

Tuesday, January 5, 2016

January 5, 2016

In 2016, Francis may be a pope in search of a partner
ROME – When a strong pope with a clear social agenda intersects with a world leader who shares the same basic outlook, and one who’s willing to put elbow grease behind it, sometimes history can change. One option would be Vladimir Putin, recently crowned by Forbes as the most powerful person in the world....  
Iran-Saudi sectarian proxy wars set to explode, Israeli experts say
“The Shi'ite-Sunni conflict is boiling,” former senior Mossad official and PMO adviser tells Post. Gulf Sunni states, with the exception of independent- minded Oman, are expected to publicly back the Saudis, while Shi’ite-dominated Iraq and allied Syria back Iran.  
Trump vows to disassemble Obama's executive orders
Donald Trump told a national television audience he would disassemble many of President Obama’s executive orders, including his looming ones on gun control, in his first hours in the White House, if elected.  
Space cadet Hillary pledges Area 51 task force
Hillary Clinton has no interest in talking about the Benghazi terror-attack cover-up, but she vows to investigate UFOs. The Democrat front-runner told the Conway Daily Sun during a campaign stop in New Hampshire that she believes aliens may have already reached Earth.  
S.China Sea tensions surge as China lands plane on artificial island
China's increasing military presence in the disputed sea could effectively lead to a Beijing-controlled air defence zone, they said, ratcheting up tensions with other claimants and with the United States in one of the world's most volatile areas.  
New Saudi-Iran crisis threatens wider escalation
At the heart of the new crisis is Saudi Arabia's growing willingness to confront Iran and its allies militarily since King Salman took power a year ago, say diplomats, choosing with his son, Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, to abandon years of backroom politics.  
Canadian PM: We won't bomb ISIS even if attacked
Trudeau said that he sees no reason to change this new policy towards ISIS and the threat of Islamic terror, even if a terror attack similar to the one in Paris were carried out on Canadian soil.  
New dimension of crime’: Crowd of ‘Arab origin’ blamed for mass sexual assaults in Cologne on NYE
New Year celebrations in the German city of Cologne descended into chaos with a series of sexual assaults, including a rape. The attackers were described by witnesses to police as an crowd of intoxicated men of “Arab or North African” origin. The mass attack on women “in the middle of the city” around Cologne Central Station on New Year's Eve was “an intolerable situation,” Chief of Police Wolfgang Albers told reporters.  
BUT A STORM IS COMING ANYWAY
A broad hole has opened up in the sun's atmosphere, and it is spewing solar wind toward Earth. This is called a "coronal hole."  
Saudi Arabia May Fall Victim to Oil Price War It Started
Saudi Arabia has been flooding the market with cheap oil to drive competitors out of business, but now it is getting more and more difficult. "The next casualty in Saudi Arabia's oil price war might be its own economy," the article in WP read.  
Arab world takes sides as crisis between Saudi Arabia and Iran escalates
Gulf allies of Saudi Arabia severed ties with Iran on Monday in a show of solidarity with Riyadh, after Iranian protesters raided the Saudi Embassy in Tehran over the weekend. Each Gulf government characterized the decision as a reaction to aggressive Iranian foreign policy. But Iran accused Saudi Arabia of using the riot as an “excuse” to act on its sectarian inclinations.  
End of Europe: Merkel is Doing Good Job at 'Destroying Her Own Continent'
German Chancellor Angela Merkel is working to gradually destroy the EU and European civilization from within, French lawyer Gabriel Robin wrote for Boulevard Voltaire. As Merkel continues to push her migration policy, allowing the large number of North African and Middle Eastern refugees to enter the EU, dissatisfaction within Europe's largest countries and Germany itself is also rising.  
Report: Russia sees high probability of chemical weapons use by ISIS in Syria
Moscow sees a high probability that Islamic State is using chemical weapons in Syria, RIA news agency reported on Tuesday, citing Mikhail Ulyanov, the head of the Russian foreign ministry department for non-proliferation and arms control.  
The Delusional Self-Importance of the Liberal Media
They tend to view themselves as sacrosanct and above scrutiny. Perhaps this attitude sprang from the British and, later, American tradition that the press is the Fourth Estate.  
Doctors can report some mentally ill patients to FBI under new gun control rule
Delivering on its promise to deliver "common sense" gun control, the Obama administration on Monday finalized a rule that enables health care providers to report the names of mentally ill patients to an FBI firearms background check system. The action was one of a series of steps that President Barack Obama had called for in January 2013 in the wake of the Newtown, Conn., shootings to curb gun violence...  
Hezbollah bomb attack targets Israeli border patrol
A bomb attack on an Israeli army vehicle close to the Lebanon border has drawn a response from Israel, which shelled Lebanese territory. The militant Hezbollah movement said it had detonated a large explosive device beside armoured vehicles patrolling the disputed Shebaa Farms area. Lebanese media said the retaliatory shellfire hit the village of Wazzani.  
Iran-Saudi Arabia row: Kuwait recalls ambassador from Tehran
Kuwait has announced it is recalling its ambassador to Iran as a regional row over the execution of a Shia cleric in Saudi Arabia deepens. Saudi Arabia's embassy in Tehran was ransacked and set alight on Saturday, after it executed Shia Muslim cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr and 46 others. Saudi Arabia broke off diplomatic ties with Iran in response, followed on Monday by its allies Bahrain and Sudan.  
Chinese shares extend losses in volatile trading session
Mainland Chinese shares extended losses in a volatile session, following Monday's suspension of trading which led to a global equities sell-off. The Shanghai Composite fell 0.3% to close at 3,287.71 points...Hong Kong's Hang Seng index also fluctuated through the day, and ended 0.7% lower at 21,188.72. Trading in Shanghai was suspended early on Monday under a new rule designed to limit dramatic falls in markets.  
Allies follow Saudis in cutting ties with Iran amid tensions
Allies of Saudi Arabia followed the kingdom’s lead Monday and scaled back diplomatic ties to Iran after the ransacking of Saudi diplomatic missions in the Islamic Republic, violence sparked by the Saudi execution of a prominent Shiite cleric.  
Saudi Arabia-Iran row spreads to other nations
The fallout of Saudi Arabia's execution of a Shiite cleric is spreading beyond a spat between the Saudis and Iranians, as other Middle East nations chose sides Monday and world powers Russia and China weighed in.  
Obama Executive Order May Require Those Selling Even a Single Firearm to Become Licensed Dealers
The Obama administration announced during a conference call with reporters Monday evening that the president’s upcoming executive order may require somebody selling even a single firearm to obtain a Federal Firearms License.  
2015: The Year of the Gun
The FBI processed a record number of firearms-related background checks last year, indicating that more guns were sold in 2015 than in any previous year in American history.  
Khamenei says US faces 'punch in mouth' in Iran polls
Iran's supreme leader said Monday the United States was seeking to influence next month's elections in the Islamic republic but said such efforts would receive a "punch in the mouth".  

Monday, January 4, 2016

January 4, 2016

BREMMER: 'Saudi Arabia is in serious trouble, and they know it'
A Shi'ite Muslim in front of Saudi Arabia's embassy in New Delhi burned a picture of Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz on Monday during a protest against the execution of cleric Nimr al-Nimr, who was executed along with others in Saudi Arabia.  
Putin signs bill allowing reciprocal impounding of foreign nations’ property
President Vladimir Putin has signed amendments to a bill that restricts foreign states’ right not to observe certain Russian legal procedures if these states themselves introduce measures restricting Russia’s legal immunity.  
Plans For a New Ultra-Postmodern 'Colossus of Rhodes' Are Brewing
The Colossus of Rhodes, a thirty-metre high sculpture depicting the Greek Titan God Helios that once stood guard at the entrance to the city's harbour, may be realised once again.  
ISIS Receives a Blow in Sinai as Egypt Attacks Terror Stronghold with Airstrikes
The Egyptian air force launched a series of airstrikes on Saturday that killed up to 60 ISIS militants who had been operating from bases in northern Sinai, local media reported. Apache helicopters belonging to the Egyptian air force targeted structures belonging to an ISIS-affiliated terror group which has been attacking Egyptian soldiers and civilians for the past two years.  
Aliens may have visited: Shock Hillary Clinton claim as she vows to open 'UFO cover up'
US PRESIDENTIAL hopeful Hillary Clinton has vowed to disclose all the US Government knows about unidentified flying objects and aliens if she makes it into the White House. Clinton claimed she would “get to the bottom” once and for all of questions and controversy over what the US Government does or does not know about the mysterious subject.  
Islamic State battles to seize control of key Libyan oil depot
Islamic State militants in Libya have begun a battle to seize the country's largest oil depot, it was claimed on Monday. The terror group, which already controls Colonel Gaddafi's home city of Sirte on the Mediterranean, was said to be in engaged in fierce clashes with armed guards protecting the Sidra oil port, 130 miles further east.  
China fears regional conflict as Saudi Arabia cuts ties with Iran
China said on Monday it was concerned about the prospect of an intensification of conflict in the Middle East after Saudi Arabia severed diplomatic relations with rival regional power Iran.  
Bahrain severs ties with Iran after attacks on Saudi missions
Bahrain announced on Monday it was cutting diplomatic ties with Iran, state news agency BNA reported, a day after its ally and neighbour Saudi Arabia also severed relations with Tehran.  
Will Japan and Russia finally sign WW2 peace treaty?
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe courted Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday, holding out the prospect for a summit as he renewed his call for progress on an elusive World War II peace treaty. The two countries have never officially struck a peace accord more than after 70 years after the end of the conflict amid a territorial dispute over four Japanese islands seized by Soviet troops at the war's conclusion.  
Middle East tensions boil as Saudi Arabia cuts ties with Iran
Iran accused Saudi Arabia on Monday of using an attack on its embassy as a pretext to sever ties in a diplomatic crisis deepening their often violent struggle for influence across the Middle East. Saudi Arabia cut ties with Iran on Sunday and fellow-Sunni Bahrain followed suit on Monday, two days after Iranian demonstrators stormed the Saudi embassy in Tehran in protest at Riyadh's execution of a senior Shi'ite cleric.   
Uproar in Middle East after Saudi Arabia executes top Shiite cleric
Shiite Muslims across the Gulf region have reacted with disgust and condemnation after Saudi Arabia executed a leading Shiite cleric, Sheikh Al-Nimr, on terror charges Saturday. He was one of the 47 people who were put to death.  
Moscow offers to mediate between Saudi Arabia, Iran
Russia says that it is willing to serve as a mediator between Saudi Arabia and Iran, according to official Russian news.  
CHANCE OF STORMS, DELAYED
NOAA forecasters estimate a 40% chance of polar geomagnetic storms on Jan. 4th in response to the impact of a late-arriving CME. The storm cloud was originally expected to reach Earth on Jan. 3rd, but it is approaching us more slowly than previously thought.  
Migrant crisis: Sweden border checks come into force
Sweden has introduced identity checks for travellers from Denmark in an attempt to reduce the number of migrants arriving in the country. All travellers wanting to cross the Oresund bridge by train or bus, or use ferry services, will be refused entry without the necessary documents. Rail commuters heading to Sweden will now have to change trains at Copenhagen Airport and go through ID checkpoints.  
China share trading halted after 7% plunge
Trading on China's stock markets has been suspended after the market dramatically plunged and triggered a new system meant to limit volatility. The blue-chip CSI 300 Index dropped 7% while the benchmark Shanghai Composite index fell 6.9%. The technology-heavy Shenzhen Composite was the worst performer and fell by more than 8%.  
Islamic State fighters target Libyan oil port of Sidra
Islamic State (IS) fighters have clashed with guards near Libya's Sidra oil port east of its Sirte stronghold, Reuters news agency is quoting witnesses as saying. There was no confirmation of how close the fighting is to the port, but IS says it now controls Bin Jawad, on the road to Sidra from Sirte. In December, France said IS was aiming to control the country's oil wells.  
Japan PM Shinzo Abe urges talks for Russia peace treaty
Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has called for talks with Russia's President Vladimir Putin so that the two countries can negotiate a peace treaty. The two never signed a treaty after the end of World War Two because of a dispute over four islands. Mr Abe told reporters that both leaders recognised that the lack of such a document for 70 years was "abnormal".  
Migrant crisis: Sweden border checks come into force
Sweden has introduced identity checks for travellers from Denmark in an attempt to reduce the number of migrants arriving in the country. All travellers wanting to cross the Oresund bridge by train or bus, or use ferry services, will be refused entry without the necessary documents. Rail commuters heading to Sweden will now have to change trains at Copenhagen Airport and go through ID checkpoints.  
China share trading halted after 7% plunge
Trading on China's stock markets has been suspended after the market dramatically plunged and triggered a new system meant to limit volatility. The blue-chip CSI 300 Index dropped 7% while the benchmark Shanghai Composite index fell 6.9%. The technology-heavy Shenzhen Composite was the worst performer and fell by more than 8%.  
Islamic State fighters target Libyan oil port of Sidra
Islamic State (IS) fighters have clashed with guards near Libya's Sidra oil port east of its Sirte stronghold, Reuters news agency is quoting witnesses as saying. There was no confirmation of how close the fighting is to the port, but IS says it now controls Bin Jawad, on the road to Sidra from Sirte. In December, France said IS was aiming to control the country's oil wells.  
'After cutting Iran ties, Saudis don't care if they anger White House'
...Saudi Arabia's position toward Iran is that "enough is enough," a source...said on Sunday after protesters stormed the Saudi embassy in Tehran over the execution of a Shi'ite Muslim cleric and Riyadh cut diplomatic ties with Tehran. The source...suggested the Saudi government was upset...with the United States for a perceived failure to respond to what Riyadh sees as Tehran's interference throughout the region.  
ISIS video threatens Britain, 'mule of the Jews' David Cameron
Britain was on Monday examining an Islamic State video showing a young boy in military fatigues and an older masked militant who both spoke with British accents. The propaganda video...shows the killing of five men accused of spying for the West. The masked man threatens Prime Minister David Cameron and vows that Islamic State will one day occupy Britain before shooting one of the alleged spies in the head.  
Liberman receives death threats in Arabic - 'Your murder is imminent, son of a Jewish woman'
The Knesset’s top security officer filed a complaint Monday with the Israel Police on behalf of Yisrael Beytenu chief MK Avigdor Liberman after the former foreign minister received threats to his life on his Facebook page. “You are our target,” read one message in Arabic, which was emblazoned on a photograph with a masked man holding a knife. “You murder is imminent, you son of a Jewish woman.  
Japan's Abe: Talks with Putin needed; Russia must play constructive role in Iran, Syria crises
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Monday that summit talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin must take place in order for the countries to forge a peace treaty.  
3 held in slaying of Mexico mayor a day after taking office
Three people, including a minor, were being held Sunday in the slaying of a newly inaugurated mayor just hours into her term in a gang-troubled central Mexican city. Morelos Gov. Graco Ramirez ordered flags on state buildings flown at half-staff and called for three days of mourning following the killing of Temixco Mayor Gisela Mota.  
As Saudi Arabia severs ties with Iran, questions loom in volatile region
Saudi Arabia kicked out Iran's diplomats on Sunday, saying an attack on the Saudi embassy in Tehran was the last straw.  
The myth of the cop killing ‘epidemic’
o hear the media tell it, America is in the grip of an unprecedented crime wave, an orgy of wanton murder in which heavily armed thugs randomly gun down innocent unarmed people, some of them teens, just for sport. 
France gears itself for solemn tribute to Charlie Hebdo victims
France this week solemnly marks the anniversary of the Islamist assault on the Paris offices of the satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo, the first of two such deadly attacks which bookended a bloody 2015 of unprecedented violence in the French capital.  
Volcano in Nicaragua spews gas and lava
A volcano in Nicaragua that has been dormant for 110 years spewed gas and lava Sunday for the second time in a month. The volcano known as Momotombo in the west of the Central American country rumbled into activity before dawn, but then calmed down again, the Nicaraguan Institute for Territorial Studies said.  
Jeb Bush's super PAC is burning through money to destroy other candidates
One would be hard-pressed to find a better year-end encapsulation of how the Republican establishment has screwed up the presidential contest than news of a certain ad-buy Tuesday. Jeb Bush’s super PAC, Right to Rise—after burning through $40 million already—has made a $1.4 million buy in ... Iowa? To go after Sen. Marco Rubio?  
6.7-Magnitude Earthquake Recorded Near India-Myanmar Border
A strong earthquake with a magnitude of 6.7 was recorded before dawn Monday near the India-Myanmar border, the U.S. Geological Survey confirmed. There was no immediate information on casualties or damage.  

Sunday, January 3, 2016

January 3, 2015

Iran predicts 'divine vengeance' after Saudis execute Shi'ite cleric
A group of militiamen on Saturday occupied the headquarters of a national wildlife refuge in Oregon in support of two brothers who are slated to report to prison on Monday on arson charges, the Oregonian newspaper reported. Militia members at the refuge claimed to have as many as 150 supporters with them.  
Militiamen occupy U.S. national parks building in Oregon
A group of militiamen on Saturday occupied the headquarters of a national wildlife refuge in Oregon in support of two brothers who are slated to report to prison on Monday on arson charges, the Oregonian newspaper reported. Militia members at the refuge claimed to have as many as 150 supporters with them.  
Vatican accord with Palestine comes into effect
n agreement signed last year making the Vatican's de facto recognition of Palestine in 2012 official has come into effect, the Holy See said on Saturday.  
Prophecy Unfolding In Front of Our Eyes with Return of Bnei Anousim to Jewish Fold
It would be surprising if such a miracle was not mentioned in the Bible, but in fact, it is explicitly described. The last two verses of Obadiah detail this event, explicitly naming Spanish and French Jews who will return to the nation and land of Israel:  
Vatican accord with Palestine comes into effect
An agreement signed last year making the Vatican's de facto recognition of Palestine in 2012 official has come into effect, the Holy See said on Saturday. The Vatican signed its first treaty with the "State of Palestine" last June when it called for moves to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and backed a two-state solution.  
As U.S. abortion case looms, both sides seek personal touch
As the U.S. Supreme Court prepares to hear its first abortion case in nearly a decade, both sides have been quietly gathering vivid personal accounts from women to supplement the dry legal arguments... The case, which arises from a challenge to new Texas regulations covering clinics and physicians that perform abortions, could have broad political repercussions in a presidential election year.  
Oregon: Armed protest at US wildlife building
Armed protesters have occupied a US government building in Oregon to support father and son ranchers who have been ordered to return to jail. Dwight Hammond, 73, and his son Steven, 46, were convicted of arson in 2012 but a court ruled their original sentences were too short. They said they lit the fires to reduce the growth of invasive species and protect their land from wildfires.  
Deadly IS attack on Iraq ex-US Camp Speicher base
At least 12 members of the Iraqi security forces have been killed in a suicide bomb attack on the former US base of Camp Speicher, outside Tikrit. There were reports of about five bombers at the camp's western gates. So-called Islamic State (IS) said it carried out the attack. Most of the dead were police recruits.  
Death toll in Indian base attack rises to 6 troops, 4 gunmen
Officials say that the number of troops killed in an attack on an Indian air force base has risen to six after four soldiers succumbed to injuries sustained in the hourslong gunbattle near the border with Pakistan. Four suspected militants were also killed in the fighting.  
Iranian Protesters Damage Saudi Embassy in Tehran After Execution
Protesters in Iran, angered by the execution by Saudi Arabia of a prominent Shiite cleric, broke into the Saudi embassy in Tehran early Sunday, setting fires and throwing papers from the roof, Iranian media reported.  
China Lands Test Flight in Disputed Island Chain
China said it had landed a test flight on a newly completed airfield in the disputed Spratly Islands in the South China Sea, a sign of its growing military capabilities in the region.  
Police hunt for gunman after deadly Tel Aviv pub attack
Israeli security forces pressed a manhunt Saturday for the Arab Israeli suspected of killing two people and wounding seven others at a Tel Aviv pub, with the motive still unknown.  
Drought-stricken California braces for El Niño
Four El Niño-fueled storms are bearing down on California. But the impact of the climate phenomenon is already being felt around the world. The significant snow pack measured in California's Sierra Nevada this week is a welcome sign.  
China to 'Gamify' Obedience to the Government
China has created a tool called "Sesame Credit" to track how closely each citizen follows the party line. "If you post pictures of Tiananmen Square or share a link about the recent stock market collapse, your Sesame Credit goes down," the video explains. "Share a link from the state-sponsored news agency about how good the economy is doing and your score goes up."