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Saturday, February 6, 2016

February 6, 2016

Trumps call to ban the entry of Muslims to the U.S. seemed to indicate that it should be temporary, until the American leadership has figured out what in the complex reality of the Muslim world – religious, political, economic, cultural, and so on– contributes to turning a significant portion of Muslims into jihadi operatives at war with the United States.  
The parents of a Briton who travelled to Syria and has been dubbed 'Jihadi Jack' were arrested by police after sending their son money
The parents of a British man who travelled to Syria and has been dubbed “Jihadi Jack” were arrested by police on suspicion of sending money overseas which could have been used for terrorism purposes, Channel 4 News revealed.  
First case of Zika confirmed in Austin, disease continues to spread in U.S.
According to the department’s website, a man under the age of 50 contracted the virus while abroad in Columbia. Currently, there are 10 confirmed Zika cases in Texas including seven in Harris County, one in Bexar County and two in Dallas County.  
Baghdad to build a WALL and a MOAT around city to keep ISIS out
A GIGANTIC wall and moat is being built around Baghdad in a bid to protect it from bomb attacks by Islamic State. A 100km barrier, almost four metres high is being consructed that will surround the city and help to keep out suicide car bombers and terrorists.  
EUROPE’S CLOSED: 70,000 Syrians head for Turkish border as authorities shut off country
UP to 70,000 Syrians are flocking to the border with Turkey to flee the civil war which has seen Aleppo bombed to obliteration.  
Bombshell: Obama cutting border surveillance in half
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is planning to cut 50 percent of the budget for aerial surveillance along the U.S.-Mexico border, agents revealed at a congressional hearing Thursday. In an effort to understand why DHS is cutting funding, Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott and Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, wrote a bipartisan letter to DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson. “Any decrease in aerial observation is not only imprudent, but contradicts the very mission of border security enforcement,” the letter states.  
5.2 Magnitude Earthquake Hits Nepal, Tremors Felt In Bihar
The quake's epicenter was in the Sindhupalchowk district, 55 km north-east of Kathmandu, according to The National Seismological Centre, news agency Press Trust of India reported. People were injured as they ran from their houses in panic during the tremor, the Nepal home ministry spokesperson said.  
Earthquake shakes Tokyo, no tsunami risk
An earthquake has struck close to Tokyo, shaking much of the metropolitan region. There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage, and no tsunami risk. The Japan Meteorological Agency said the 7.41am Friday morning quake had a preliminary magnitude of 4.6.  
Iran's army chief vows to bolster ballistic missile program
Iran will continue to develop its missile program, and it should not be considered a threat to neighboring and friendly countries, Iran's...news agency quoted the head of the army as saying on Thursday. Under a deal reached between Iran and six major world powers in 2015, most international sanctions imposed on Iran due to its nuclear program were lifted last month. However, sanctions imposed on its missile program remain in place.  
Magnitude-6.4 earthquake hits Taiwan; 5 dead
At least five people were killed Saturday morning when a magnitude-6.4 earthquake hit Taiwan, the Taiwanese Disaster Response Center said.  
Brazil finds Zika in saliva, urine; expert warns against kissing
Scientists identified the Zika virus in the saliva and urine of two infected patients... prompting its president to urge pregnant women not to kiss strangers just as local carnival celebrations begin. The discovery added to the rising concern over Zika, which is spreading rapidly in the Americans and has been linked to thousands of severe birth defects in Brazil.  
Japanese volcano erupts, nearby nuclear plant unaffected
A Japanese volcano about 50 km (30 miles) from a nuclear plant erupted on Friday, shooting ash nearly 2 km into the night sky along with fountains of lava, but there were no immediate report of damage and operations at the power station were not affected.  
Highest EU Court Considers Criminalizing Website Hyperlinks
The highest court in the European Union this week heard arguments which could impact the ability to link to content on the Internet. ...Meanwhile in the US...news aggregator Matt Drudge...told Infowars ...copyright laws which prevent websites from linking to news stories were being debated. “I had a Supreme Court Justice tell me it’s over for me,” said Drudge.  
Immortality Quest Aims to Preserve Brain 100 Years
...Neuroscientists are pursuing new methods for preserving brains for future revival. They’re being spurred on by visions of post-humans and a cash prize that’s now well over $100,000. Someone always seems to be hot on the trail of human immortality, but this time the competitors are... neuroscientists vying for the Brain Preservation Foundation‘s Tech Prize have impressive credentials and come to the table with published research.  
North Korea advances 'satellite' launch
North Korea has brought forward the possible date of a controversial "satellite" launch to as early as Sunday, regional governments say. The secretive state will launch the satellite-bearing rocket between 7-14 February, the Japanese government has said, according to reports. Pyongyang previously said the launch would take place between 8-25 February.  
Iran's crude oil sales to Europe surpass 300,000 barrels post-sanctions
Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh said on Saturday that Iran's crude oil sales to Europe after the lifting of international sanctions on Tehran had already reached above 300,000 barrels, according to the ministry's news agency. ...After the rubber-stamping of the nuclear deal with world powers last year, however, Tehran has ordered a 500,000 bpd increase in oil output.  
Steinitz: 'Egypt floods Hamas tunnels, in part due to Israel's request'
Energy Minister Yuval Steinitz said Saturday that Egyptian president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi ordered the flooding of several Hamas tunnels linking Egypt to the Gaza Strip, to a certain extent, "due to Israel's request." The minister affirmed that security cooperation between Israel and Egypt is "better than ever," and asserted that "flooding is a good solution" for the challenge of tackling Hamas' intricate tunnel system...  
Defeat BDS the non-government way
Government should concentrate on international diplomacy and leave public diplomacy to non-government organizations and Zionist groups which it must help with funding. The Israeli government has 108 delegations abroad, and plans to close 6 of them. The 22 Arab League nations alone have 1799 delegations. Turkey has 233 delegations. That is more than double the number of Israeli missions abroad. With its limited manpower, the Israeli government cannot cope with the added responsibility of challenging the thousands of global non-government, anti-Israel, groups that are practicing BDS and delegitimization of Israel  
Palm Bay, FL Protects Religious Freedom, Rejects GLBT Ordinance
The proposed ordinance would have directly infringed on the religious freedom of churches, religious organizations, businesses, and individuals. Palm Bay, FL - At 1:30 AM this morning, the Mayor and City Council of Palm Bay voted 4-1 to reject a proposed ordinance that would have added “sexual orientation,” “gender identity” and “gender expression” to its non-discrimination policy that applies to employment and public accommodations, including churches, religious organizations and businesses. Liberty Counsel provided a letter analyzing and detailing the clear danger and far-reaching consequences this ordinance posed to the Palm Bay community.  
Obama’s faith: hidden in plain sight
Based upon context—the ongoing 7 year pattern of concrete deeds—one can only surmise an active and “secret” Muslim faith. No other reasonable conclusion can be drawn. As a so-called Christian Mr. Obama should easily recognize Romans 2:6 in which it is written: “God will repay each person according to what they have done.” Applying colloquial language to Scripture it means ‘evaluate every person by their behavior not their words’. With this sensible standard as a guide, Mr. Obama is so stalwart in his Christian faith that when giving a 2012 speech at Catholic-founded Georgetown University all religious signs and symbols were covered up including the small letters IHS, signifying the name of Jesus Christ.  
Hear Obama! Muslims Are Not The Victims, They Are The Perpetrators
Obama’s recent visit to the Islamic Society of Baltimore, a radical mosque with ties to the Muslim Brotherhood, is a slap in the face to all Americans whose lives have been altered due to Islamic warfare. While Obama continues to lecture us about the “victimized” Muslim community here in the United States, his comments fly in the face of reality. Who is really victimized here?  
Rome Enters the Presidential Election
Pope Francis and his global warming slogan-chanting, singing nuns have wandered far away from God who created our “Common Home” and closer to the growing pagan religion of Gaia. God Bless” on Planned Parenthood, Catholic nuns have jumped into the fray to elect his successor, abortion advocate Hillary Clinton. With songs and slogans, 13 congregations of Catholic Sisters of the Upper Mississippi River Valley hit the campaign trail in Iowa earlier this week.  
UN chief: 34 groups now allied to Islamic State extremists
UNITED NATIONS — Thirty-four militant groups from around the world had reportedly pledged allegiance to the Islamic State extremist group as of mid-December — and that number will only grow in 2016, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in a report Friday.  
Strong quake hits Taiwan, killing 3; 221 rescued from rubble
TAIPEI, Taiwan — Rescuers in the southern Taiwanese city of Tainan pulled out 221 people and three dead from a residential high-rise complex that collapsed when a shallow 6.4-magnitude earthquake struck before dawn Saturday, leaving still others trapped inside.  
Ted Cruz’s Campaign Spread False Report in Iowa That Ben Carson Was Quitting Race
As Iowa Republicans headed to the caucuses on Monday night, Senator Ted Cruz’s campaign left recorded messages for supporters with “breaking news” that Ben Carson would drop out of the race, and told them to “inform any Carson caucus-goers of this news and urge them to caucus for Ted instead.” The false report, echoed in an email and in a text message sent to campaign volunteers, was trumpeted by at least some Cruz precinct captains when they addressed their caucuses. When Mr. Carson’s wife, Candy Carson, arrived at two precincts to speak on his behalf, she was furious to learn that speakers for Mr. Cruz had suggested moments earlier that her husband was quitting the race.  

Friday, February 5, 2016

February 5, 2016

Email Scandal Spin: No, Hillary, Powell and Rice Didn't 'Do It Too'
Yesterday evening, Hillary said, "I never sent or received any classified material," without her (legally irrelevant) "marked" caveat. This is a flat falsehood. It is an established fact that she personally sent and received classified material. The State Department's review has discovered more than 1,600 classified emails on her server thus far, with another batch still outstanding -- to say nothing of the 32,000 messages she unilaterally deleted, some of which we now know did pertain to official business.  
Muslim Countries Refuse to Take A Single Syrian Refugee, Cite Risk of Exposure to Terrorism
Five of the wealthiest Muslim countries have taken no Syrian refugees in at all, arguing that doing so would open them up to the risk of terrorism.  
God Rains Down Divine Retribution Upon Detractors of Israel
This type of instant karma is the rule and not the exception when it comes to politicians that treat Israel badly. One of the clearest examples of divine slap-down came on January 21, 1998....  
By the Way, The National Debt Just Blew Past $19 Trillion
On Monday the U.S. national debt hit a new record: $19,012,827,698,418. This is the first time the national debt has ever exceeded $19 trillion. That’s more than $58,000 for each person who lives in the U.S. today (including children). The main culprit behind the rising deficits and debt is growing federal spending—especially among Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and Obamacare.  
Return Of The Mahdi Central To Apocalyptic Islam
The Islamic Mahdi is being eagerly awaited by millions of Muslims around the world. Ironically, this includes arch enemies ISIS (Sunni branch of Islam) and Iranian leaders (Shiite branch of Islam). While there are differences about the details of who he is and what he will do, both share the belief in the establishment of a global Islamic state under his rule and in the annihilation of non-Muslim nations.  
Issa: FBI Has No Choice But To Recommend Clinton Indictment
Yesterday on The Intelligence Report, former House Oversight Chairman Darrell Issa explained why FBI Direct James Comey has no choice but to refer Clinton for indictment.  
Could it soon be illegal for doctors to believe in male and female?
A current proposal by a federal agency has raised concerns that doctors may be punished for believing that there are only two genders, rooted in biological sex. The proposed rule, issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, says that it is aimed at banning discrimination against transgender individuals under the Obama administration’s Affordable Care Act.  
Britain on STORM ALERT: Fierce gales and torrential rain to hit SOUTH for WASHOUT WEEKEND
More than two inches of rain is forecast in parts of the country with up to 90mph winds threatening a washout weekend. Stormy weather will make a comeback on Friday with the south in the firing line for the worst of the battering at the weekend.  
Russia: Bad Turkey Planning Invasion of Syria, Good Israel Cooperating with Russians
The current activity at the Turkish-Syrian border suggest that Turkey prepares to invade Syria, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said Thursday, according to various reports in Russia’s state-sponsored media. “We have good reasons to believe that Turkey is actively preparing for a military invasion of a sovereign state – the Syrian Arab Republic,” Konashenkov told reporters.  
Sologamy Rises as the Latest Marriage Perversion Trend
God gave these women and others interested in self marriage over to their own "depraved minds." Their depravity is the result of their rejection of God and they "do what ought not to be done." Lifestyle choices reflect more than an individual's personal choice. They have eternal consequences.  
On Political Correctness, Truth Telling, and Christians, Muslims Worshiping the Same God
Surely, Christians and Muslims pray to the same God," we are told often. Muhammad taught that the Word did not become flesh, Jesus is not the incarnate Son of God, Jesus did not die on the cross (because such a good man could not die so horribly), Jesus did not die for our sins, Jesus did not rise again from the dead, Jesus is not the Lord, and there is no radical forgiveness in Jesus' name or in anyone else's name. Muhammad's Allah contradicts every key element of the Gospel.  
Hurricane Patricia's winds reached record 215 mph
That's 15 mph greater than Patricia's previously thought top speed. It's the strongest wind speed ever measured in a hurricane in the Western Hemisphere. The record was set while the storm was offshore. Before it hit land, the storm "weakened" to 150 mph. That still made Patricia the strongest hurricane to ever make landfall in Mexico, the hurricane center said.  
Syrian rebel commander says northern Aleppo countryside 'totally encircled'
The commander of a U.S.-supported Syrian rebel group said on Friday the northern countryside of Aleppo province was completely encircled by Syrian government forces and its allies and heavy Russian bombardment continued.  
Unprecedented: Pope Francis, Russian Patriarch Kirill to meet in Cuba to heal 1,000yr rift
The head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, is to meet his Roman Catholic counterpart, Pope Francis, during a historic visit to Latin America. The groundbreaking meeting is to happen in mid-February in Cuba. The meeting between heads the two major Christian churches would be an unprecedented move to mend a millennium-long rift between the Western and Eastern branches of the religion, which started with the Great Schism of 1054.  
Syrians mass on Turkish border as regime advances
Tens of thousands of civilians are reported to have joined the exodus after fierce fighting by advancing government forces who severed the rebels' main supply route into Syria's second city.  
Jews, Christians, Arabs, and Druze Come Together in Prayer on the Israel-Syria Border
On Monday, Eliyahu Mclean led approximately 100 people in a multi-faith prayer and “Great Abrahamic Pulse Meditation” for the welfare of the Syrian people, at the border in the Golan Heights overlooking Syria. At the gathering was a remarkable mix of Muslims, Druze, Christians, and Jews.  
Esau and Ishmael Unite Against Israel in Fulfillment of Ancient Prophecy
For Bible believers, these and similar news items that reflect increasing cooperation between the Arab world and the West should be viewed as fulfillment of ancient Jewish prophecy. Jewish tradition contains a 2,000 year-old prophecy that the children of Esau (today’s Western nations) and the children of Ishmael (today’s Arab nations) will unite against the Jewish people at the End of Days.  
Magnitude 4.6 earthquake hits east Japan
- No tsunami warning issued; bullet train services at parts of line between Tokyo and Osaka briefly disrupted  
Magnitude 5.2 quake hits Quezon province
A 5.2 magnitude earthquake hit Quezon province on Friday afternoon, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology’s (Phivolcs). In its bulletin, the earthquake occurred at 1 p.m. with epicenter traced 11 kilometers (kms) southeast of Lopez in Quezon which also felt intensity 4.  
Bioethics center says Britain moving toward genetically modified babies
A Catholic bioethics institute has accused the British government of moving toward the creation of genetically modified babies after scientists were given permission to alter the DNA of embryos in experimentation. "Experiments to edit the genes of human embryos represent a further step towards the creation of GM babies," said a Feb. 1 statement by David Jones, director of Anscombe.  
The post box in Bermuda numbered 666 which receives Google profits worth £8BILLION a year
Google has no offices or staff in Bermuda but sends billions of profit there Island has a 0 per cent rate of corporation tax and is used as a tax haven But Google claims it has no 'permanent base' in the UK despite vast offices Britain lobbied EU not to put sanctions on Bermuda for sheltering tax  
Mochas, Midrash and Mystery: Pope Francis, another Moses
Drawing on an essay about Moses as the paradigm of the true religious leader by Archbishop Bruno Forte, I would like to notice three qualities of Moses that I find compelling in Pope Francis: humility, encounter with the divine, and service to the people.  
Assange ‘unlawfully detained’ in embassy, UN panel reportedly will rule
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange's three-and-a-half-year stay in the Ecuadorian embassy in London amounts to "unlawful detention," a United Nations panel examining his appeal will reportedly rule on Friday. Assange, a former computer hacker who has been holed up in the embassy since June 2012, told the U.N. Working Group on Arbitrary Detention that he was a political refugee whose rights had been infringed by being unable to take up asylum in Ecuador.  
Germans Are Turning Sour On Angela Merkel
German Chancellor Angela Merkel, once the adored "mutti," or mother, of her country, is seeing her popularity plummet. "I don't think there is any question anymore," Werner J. Patzelt, a political analyst at Technical University Dresden, told The Washington Post. "Angela Merkel is really in trouble."  
Tortured Italian student died 'slow death': Egypt official
The body of an Italian graduate student who disappeared last month has been found with multiple stab wounds, cigarette burns and other signs of torture and a "slow death" on a roadside on the outskirts of Cairo, an Egyptian prosecutor said Thursday. Giulio Regeni, a 28-year-old Cambridge University PhD candidate who had been researching labor rights in Egypt, went missing on Jan. 25, the fifth anniversary of the popular uprising that toppled longtime autocrat Hosni Mubarak. His body was found Wednesday.  
Syrian rebels are losing Aleppo and perhaps also the war
Syrian rebels battled for their survival in and around Syria’s northern city of Aleppo on Thursday after a blitz of Russian airstrikes helped government loyalists sever a vital supply route and sent a new surge of refugees fleeing toward the border with Turkey.  
US demands end to Russia strikes after Syria talks collapse
The United States demanded Thursday that Russia immediately halt its bombing campaign in Syria after a bitter breakdown in peace talks exposed the deep rift between world powers aiming to end the five-year conflict.  
Protests, EU demands add pressure on Greece's Tsipras
Tens of thousands joined anti-government protests across Greece Thursday as the country was crippled by a general strike against painful pension reforms demanded by bailout lenders.  

Thursday, February 4, 2016

February 4, 2016


Branstad says Cruz employed ‘unethical and unfair’ tactics Monday nightGovernor Terry Branstad is crediting Ted Cruz for running an “old-fashioned”, 99-county campaign that yielded victory in Monday night’s Iowa Caucuses, but Branstad is joining the chorus criticizing Cruz for “questionable” campaign tactics. “This thing that they distributed on Caucus night saying that Dr. Carson was likely to drop out and his supporters should support Cruz, that is, I think, unethical and unfair,” Branstad said this morning. “I think there’ll be repercussions to that.”  
EU on brink of 'terrifying crisis' Five of Europe's big banks are in danger, warns expert


SOME of Europe's biggest banks are on the brink for a crisis that echoes the 2008 meltdown, a finance expert warned today, as fears over the global economy escalate.  

‘Russia & Israel Partners Against Holocaust Denial’
Russia and Israel are partners in the struggle against Holocaust denial, says Valentina Matviyenko, head of the Federation Council of Russia.  
Top House Republican demands Kerry explain $1.7 billion Iran payment
The chairman of the House Foreign Relations Committee demanded Wednesday that Secretary of State John Kerry explain a $1.7 billion settlement paid to Iran that some Republicans have described as a "ransom" tied to last month's release of five American prisoners.  
WikiLeaks' Assange 'unlawfully detained' in Ecuador embassy, U.N. panel to rule, BBC says
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange's three-and-a-half-year stay in the Ecuadorian embassy in London amounts to 'unlawful detention', a United Nations panel examining his appeal will rule on Friday, the BBC reported.  
81% of Germans say refugee crisis 'out of control' under Merkel govt
More than four in five Germans believe Chancellor Angela Merkel’s government isn’t controlling the refugee crisis, and welcome tougher measures to deal with it, a poll by ARD Deutschlandtrend has suggested.  
ASTEROID TO BUZZ EARTH
An asteroid named "2013 TX68" will fly by Earth on March 5th as close as 17,000 km from our planet's surface. That would put it well inside the Clarke Belt of geosynchronous satellites. The space rock is about 30 meters wide, or 50% larger than the asteroid that broke up in the atmosphere over Chelyabinsk, Russia, three years ago.  
Three Caribbean countries rattled by quake
An earthquake measuring 4.9 rattled several Caribbean islands on Tuesday, less than 48 hours after an earthquake with a magnitude of 4.8 was felt in Antigua and Barbuda and Guadeloupe.  
Top IS commanders 'taking refuge' in Libya
Senior commanders from so-called Islamic State (IS) have moved to Libya from Iraq and Syria recently, a top Libyan intelligence official says. The official told BBC Newsnight that increasing numbers of foreign fighters had arrived in the city of Sirte. Representatives from 23 countries met in Rome on Tuesday to discuss the growing threat from IS in Libya.  
Syria civil war: Leaders in new plea for massive refugee aid
World leaders have opened a donor conference in London with an urgent plea for billions of pounds in aid for refugees from war-torn Syria. "There is a critical shortfall in life-saving aid," said UK Prime Minister David Cameron. Both he and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon spoke of the need to get all Syrian refugee children into education within months.  
Paris climate deal could 'displace millions of forest dwellers'
The Paris climate agreement could make millions of forest dwellers homeless, according to a new analysis. Many developing countries will try to curb carbon emissions by setting aside forested areas as reserves. But experts are worried that creating national parks often involves removing the people who live in these areas.  
It could be too late to avoid catastrophe in Venezuela
As markets brace themselves for the negative effects of the decline in oil prices, Venezuela will probably be the first big domino to fall. Domestically, the most likely scenario is an imminent economic collapse and a humanitarian crisis. Internationally, it will imply the largest and messiest emerging market sovereign default since the Argentine crisis of 2001. The situation is made worse by the inability of the political system, at present, to address the situation.  
Donald Trump on Obama's mosque visit: 'Maybe he feels comfortable there'
Real-estate mogul Donald Trump said on Wednesday that US President Barack Obama may have visited a Maryland mosque because "he feels comfortable there."  
Is It Time To Panic About Deutsche Bank?
Back in April 2013, we showed for the first time something few were aware of, namely that "At $72.8 Trillion, The Bank With The Biggest Derivative Exposure In The World" was not JPMorgan as some had expected, but Germany's banking behemoth, Deutsche bank.  
WikiLeaks' Assange says to leave Ecuador embassy, accept arrest if loses U.N. case
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange will leave the Ecuadorian embassy in London, where he took refuge in June 2012 to avoid extradition to Sweden, and accept arrest on Friday if a UN panel investigating his case rules against him, he said in a statement.  
Syria Talks Go off the Rails as Russia Ignores Cease-Fire Call
With the Syrian government intensifying its assault on rebels in Aleppo, the United Nations formally suspended faltering peace talks in Geneva Wednesday and appealed to the big powers to prod their Syrian proxies to end the fighting.  
5.2 magnitude earthquake strikes Timor island in Indonesia
An earthquake of magnitude 5.2 struck Timor island in eastern Indonesia early today, US seismologists said, but no tsunami warning was immediately issued. The shallow quake struck at around 4:30 am local time (0200 IST), some 11 kilometres north of the city of Kupang, the US Geological Survey said.  
At the United Nations Nothing Justifies Terrorism, Except Palestinian ‘Frustration’
The United Nations played the Holocaust game last week so it could play another lethal game this week. The ruse consists of making a big deal about the gas chambers for Jews back then, while stoking the fires of anti-Semitism burning right now.  

Wednesday, February 3, 2016

February 3, 2016

Student: Gay-straight alliances are NOT a safe place for me
Let me get this through your head: I DO NOT FEEL SAFE. This idea that Gay Straight Alliances make a safe space for everyone, is false.  
American Jewish Leader Urges Jews to Get Out of America
Palatnik is referring to the dangers of increased anti-Semitism. “There’s been a build up. Anti-Semitism is worse than before the Holocaust. In Paris you can’t wear a kippah on the street. Is that what we’re waiting for?” she asked.  
Hiker Discovers 3,500-Year-Old Egyptian Seal in Galilee
this particular seal is dedicated to Pharaoh Thutmose III, who reigned around the 15th century BCE and imposed Egyptian administrative rule over Canaan.  
CO-ROTATING INTERACTION REGION
NOAA forecasters estimate a 40% chance of polar geomagnetic storms on Feb 3rd when a co-rotating interaction region (CIR) is expected to hit Earth's magnetic field.  
West’s lack of morals & disregard for law caused current political crisis – Duma speaker
“The tensions in the international situation have seriously increased over the past few years and this happens primarily because a group of Western nations, first of all, the United States of America, are neglecting the major principles of international law or interpret them freely,” Interfax quoted the Russian parliamentary leader as saying at a meeting with law students on Monday.  
NATO should keep its promises for Russia to trust it - security chief
Russia is open to negotiating better relations with NATO, but it’s only possible if the Western military bloc starts keeping its promises and considering the national interests of other countries, the head of the Russian Security Council told the press.  
Russia assures Israel: We're not passing weapons to Hezbollah
An internal Russian probe has determined that Israeli fears of Russia passing arms to the Lebanese terror organization Hezbollah are baseless. The Israeli ambassador to Moscow, Zvi Heifetz, relayed the findings to a Knesset committee and added that the relations between the two countries "are flourishing in an unprecedented manner."  
First U.S. Zika virus transmission reported, attributed to sex
The first known case of Zika virus transmission in the United States was reported in Texas on Tuesday by local health officials, who said it likely was contracted through sex and not a mosquito bite, a day after the World Health Organization declared an international public health emergency.  
'Journalists orchestrating events to make Israel look bad'
MKs, IDF accuse media of fomenting conflict in West Bank; journalists’ groups say security forces are increasingly violent towards reporters.  
Oil rises after Russia says open to OPEC meeting
Oil rose on Wednesday, paring earlier losses after fresh comments from Russia about its openness to talk with OPEC over output cuts helped revive hope among investors that the world's largest producers could act to boost prices. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said if there is consensus among the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and non-OPEC members to meet, "then we will meet".  
Fears Zika virus could contaminate emergency blood supply
New concerns have emerged over the widespread Zika epidemic as it's feared the virus can be spread through sex and can impact blood donations. Scientists probing the rapid onslaught of the virus claim pregnant women can catch it through unprotected sex. At least one UK resident was warned not to have sex without a condom after contracting the virus.  
The Fed Wants to Test How Banks Would Handle Negative Rates
As interest rates turn negative around the world, the Federal Reserve is asking banks to consider the possibility of the same happening in the U.S. In its annual stress test for 2016, the Fed said it will assess the resilience of big banks to a number of possible situations, including one where the rate on the three-month U.S. Treasury bill stays below zero for a prolonged period.  
Microsoft buys UK AI firm SwiftKey
UK-based artificial intelligence firm SwiftKey has been acquired by Microsoft, the company has confirmed. The Financial Times reports the deal is worth $250m (£174m). SwiftKey is known for its predictive keyboard, which can be found installed on millions of smartphone devices.  
Egypt overturns death sentences for 149 Muslim Brotherhood supporters
An Egyptian court has overturned the death sentences of 149 supporters of the banned Muslim Brotherhood group and ordered a retrial. The defendants were convicted of carrying out a 2013 attack on a police station in Kerdasa, near Cairo, in which at least 11 officers were killed. Egypt has cracked down on Islamists since the army overthrew President Mohammed Morsi in 2013.  
Zika virus infection 'through sex' reported in US
A rare case of the Zika virus being transmitted through sex, not a mosquito bite, has been reported in the US. A patient infected in Dallas, Texas, is likely to have been infected by sexual contact, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) told the BBC. The person had not travelled to infected areas but their partner had returned from Venezuela.  
South Korea warns North against satellite launch
South Korea has warned the North it will "pay a harsh price" if it goes ahead with its plan to launch a satellite into space. North Korea said on Tuesday it intended to carry out the launch between 8 and 25 February. Critics say it is a cover for a test of ballistic missile technology.  
US House passes bill again to restrict Obama lifting Iran sanctions
The US House of Representatives narrowly approved legislation on Tuesday that would restrict President Barack Obama's ability to lift sanctions under the international nuclear deal with Iran... House members voted 246-181 to pass the "Iran Terror Finance Transparency Act," almost entirely along party lines, with almost every "yes" vote coming from Republicans and Democrats overwhelmingly opposed to it.  
German FM urges Iran's President Rouhani: Please visit Germany
German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said on Wednesday that he had told Iranian President Hassan Rouhani he was welcome to visit Germany the next time he comes to Europe. Speaking after meeting Rouhani in Tehran, Steinmeier said he had urged him "to keep Germany in mind as a destination on his next trip to Europe."  
Top German Journalist Admits Live On Air National News Agenda Set By Government
A retired media boss at a major German state broadcaster has admitted his network and others take orders from the government on what — and what not — to report.  
Poll: 63% of Israelis Rank President Obama ‘Worst for Israel in The Last 30 Years’
A survey shows that Jewish Israelis rank Barack Obama as the “worst” U.S. president in relation to Israel in the last 30 years -- 63% of Israelis put Obama in the “worst” category while 16% rated Jimmy Carter as the second “worst” president.  
‘Zero confidence’ in Obama to stop Zika virus
The World Health Organization now calls the Zika virus a global emergency and a 30-year immigration official says the U.S. response should be obvious, but he suspects President Obama will do virtually nothing to stop the virus from entering the U.S.  
N. Korea confirms imminent satellite launch
North Korea confirmed Tuesday it was planning an imminent space rocket launch -- a move the US immediately condemned as "another egregious violation" of UN resolutions following Pyongyang's nuclear test last month.  
Syrian army threatens to encircle Aleppo as talks falter
A Syrian military offensive backed by heavy Russian air strikes threatened to cut critical rebel supply lines into the northern city of Aleppo on Tuesday, while the warring sides said peace talks had not started despite a U.N. statement they had.  
Plane makes emergency landing after explosion tears gaping hole in its side
A passenger plane was forced to make an emergency landing in Somalia on Tuesday when an explosion shortly after takeoff tore a large, gaping hole in its fuselage. Two people were hurt in the incident onboard the Dijbouti-bound Daallo Airlines flight, officials told BBC News, which occurred at 10,000 feet over Mogadishu. Local reports also suggested that at least one man was blown out of the plane.  

Tuesday, February 2, 2016

February 2, 2016

White House rallies public, private efforts to prepare for devastating earthquakes
Spurred by renewed fears of the fabled “Big One” shattering the West Coast, the Obama administration on Tuesday promoted stronger earthquake-preparedness efforts as part of a first-of-its-kind White House summit.  
Doomsday Clock Set at Three Minutes to Midnight, But What Does the Bible Say?
“Three minutes (to midnight) is too close. Far too close,” the Bulletin said in a statement. Rabbi Yitzchak Batsri, a noted Kabbalist from Jerusalem, who was unconcerned about the global threats used to determine the doomsday clock. “While the world exists, it is through God’s mercy and not because of our merit. Therefore, until God’s mercy ends, the world cannot end, no matter what men do.  
Small Quake Shakes up Sleepy Down East Maine
A small earthquake served as a wakeup call Tuesday for sleeping residents in Eastport, Maine, the easternmost city in the U.S. The magnitude 3.3 earthquake, among the smallest generally felt by people, was recorded just before 7 a.m. in the waters between Maine and Canada, and about 6 miles northeast of the city, the U.S. Geological Survey said.  
“To God be the Glory”, Says Ted Cruz After Sweeping Trump in Iowa Caucus
The surprising results of Monday’s Iowa caucuses are in, and Senator Ted Cruz is the clear Republican winner, upsetting Donald Trump’s frontrunner status in the race for the GOP presidential nomination. “To God be the glory!” Cruz cried to a crowd of his supporters after winning 27.7 percent of the vote. “Tonight is a victory for courageous conservatives across Iowa and all across this great nation.”  
Magnitude 6.8 earthquake shakes northeastern Taiwan
An earthquake measuring 6.8 on the Richter Scale occurred off the coast of northeastern Taiwan at 10:19 p.m. Tuesday, the Central Weather Bureau reported shortly after the temblor. The quake's epicenter was located at sea about 185.4 kilometers east of Keelung City Hall in northern Taiwan at a depth of 212.7 km, the bureau said.  
Macroscopic quantum entanglement achieved at room temperature
In quantum physics, the creation of a state of entanglement in particles any larger and more complex than photons usually requires temperatures close to absolute zero and the application of enormously powerful magnetic fields to achieve. Now scientists working at the University of Chicago (UChicago) and the Argonne National Laboratory claim to have created this entangled state at room temperature on a semiconductor chip, using atomic nuclei and the application of relatively small magnetic fields.  
Violent weekend pushes Chicago to most homicidal January in 16 years
The start to the new year has been a particularly deadly one in the Windy City, where authorities say more homicides were committed this January than any other since 2000 -- owing partly to the month's violent final weekend. Chicago police say 51 homicides were committed in January -- an increase of 22 over January 2015 (29) and more than double the number recorded in 2014 (20).  
Hillary Says She’s Not In ‘Anyone’s Pocket’ After Taking $6 Million From George Soros
In the last 6 months, the Hillary 2016 super-PAC raised $25.3 million, meaning that Soros’s contribution accounted for almost a quarter of its fundraising haul.  
BP reports biggest ever annual loss
BP (BP.L) slumped to its biggest annual loss last year and announced thousands more job cuts on Tuesday, showing that even one of the nimblest oil producers is struggling in the worst market downturn in over a decade.  
Hillary Clinton supporters endorse 19th century socialist Karl Marx as her vice president
Some Americans seem to be disconnected with historical reality, as a number of Hillary Clinton supporters signed a mock petition to approve 19th century socialist philosopher Karl Marx as "her choice" for vice president if she's elected president.  
WHO declares global emergency over Zika virus
The World Health Organization declared a global emergency over the explosive spread of the Zika virus, which has been linked to birth defects in the Americas, calling it an "extraordinary event" that poses a public health threat to other parts of the world.  
Australia reports two cases of Zika virus, detects mosquitoes at Sydney airport
Two Australians were diagnosed with the Zika virus after returning home from travels in the Caribbean, a state health service said on Tuesday, confirming the first cases of the mosquito-borne virus in the country this year.  
Undersea earthquake felt in NZ
An earthquake registering 6.6 on the Richter scale has been felt throughout the North Island. The 366km deep undersea earthquake was centred 850km north of Whakatane at 8am. The earthquake was felt in Tauranga and as far away as Wellington says GeoNet duty seismologist Caroline Holden.  
M5.7 quake strikes Japan’s northeast, no tsunami warning issued
The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) said an earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.7 shook northeastern Japan on the afternoon of February 2, 2016, although no tsunami warning was issued.  
A strong earthquake measuring 6.7 magnitude has hit northeast India
The strong earth tremor is reported to have cracked walls while a recently completed six-storey building in Imphal collapsed. Many other buildings werte also damaged Other buildings were also reported to have been damaged. In Manipur atleast six people have been killed with more than 30 injured, the Press Trust of India news agency reported.  
Aetna CEO Has `Serious Concerns' About Obamacare Sustainability
The head of the third-biggest U.S. health insurer said he has “serious concerns” about whether or not Obamacare’s new markets are sustainable, echoing criticism from other top for-profit insurers. “We continue to have serious concerns about the sustainability of the public exchanges,” Aetna Inc. Chief Executive Officer Mark Bertolini said on a call Monday while discussing the company’s fourth-quarter results.  
Mystery surrounds Muslim cleric in US mountain compound
The influential Muslim cleric lives quietly on a gated 26-acre compound in the Pocono Mountains, where he prays, works, meets admirers and watches from afar as terrorism accusations that have landed him on Turkey's most-wanted list unfold in court. Rarely seen in public, Fethullah Gulen has long been one of Turkey's most important scholars, with multitudes of followers in his native country and around the world.  
Russia deploys frontline fighter jets to Syria amid Turkish tension
Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said Monday that Su-35 fighters have been deployed to Hemeimeem air base in Syria. The Su-35 is Russia’s most advanced fighter that is fielded in significant numbers... “Starting from last week, super-maneuverable Su-35S fighter jets started performing combat missions at Khmeimim airbase,” Maj. Gen. Konashenkov told the Russian state news agency, TASS.  
Outbreak of female, vampire-like attackers in New Zealand
A number of people have been injured during a series of vampire-like biting attacks on New Zealand’s North Island. Over the past two days, a woman was accused of biting a man’s neck so hard, her teeth cut through an artery, while another woman was arrested after allegedly chomping on a woman’s ear.  
America’s Economic Freedom Has Rapidly Declined Under Obama
Millions of people around the world are emerging from poverty thanks to rising economic freedom. But by sharp contrast, America’s economic freedom has been on a declining path over the past decade. According to the 2016 Index of Economic Freedom...America’s economic freedom has tumbled. With losses of economic freedom in eight of the past nine years, the U.S. has tied its worst score ever, wiping out a decade of progress.  
As Feds Plan to Cut Border Monitoring, Texas Officials Ask Why
Gov. Greg Abbott and U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, a Laredo Democrat, pressed the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on Monday to explain why the agency plans to reduce its aerial surveillance on the Texas-Mexico border. In a letter to DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson, the lawmakers said the cut to a requested 3,850 hours of aerial detection and monitoring in 2016 amounts to 50 percent less coverage than recent years.  
Syria conflict: Jordanians 'at boiling point' over refugees
King Abdullah of Jordan says his country is at "boiling point" because of an influx of hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees. Ahead of a donor conference on Syria, the king told the BBC that there was enormous pressure on Jordan's social services, infrastructure and economy. "Sooner or later, I think, the dam is going to burst," he warned.  
China snow strands 'nearly 100,000' at Guangzhou station
Heavy snow has disrupted public transport in southern China, stranding tens of thousands of people outside a rail station, police say. The crowd outside Guangzhou station swelled to nearly 100,000 at its peak on Monday night, police said. Central China has experienced some of its coldest weather in years.  
Jordanian BDS campaign launched against renewed negotiations for Israeli gas imports
The Jordanian BDS movement launched a social media campaign against gas imports from Israel following reports of renewed negotiations between Jordan and the American gas company, Noble Energy, over the gas deal. An official Noble Energy delegation arrived in Jordan's capital, Amman, on Monday, to discuss the Israeli-Jordanian gas deal with senior government officials, the Jordanian newspaper al-Ghad reported on Monday.  
Legal US pot sales soar to $5.4B in 2015: Report
Legal U.S. pot sales soared to $5.4 billion for 2015, up 17.4 percent from $4.6 billion in 2014, according to data released Monday by the ArcView Group, which tracks the cannabis markets.  
Six cases of Zika virus diagnosed in California, officials say
Six people in California have been diagnosed with the Zika virus in the past three years, state public health officials said Monday. All of the cases were contracted abroad.  
Nations gather in Rome to discuss anti-Islamic State push, Libya
Nearly two dozen nations gather on Tuesday to plot their fight against the Islamic State militant group in Syria and Iraq and how to choke off its rise in Libya.  
Putin is fanning Syrian civil war, Britain's Hammond says
Russian President Vladimir Putin is undermining international efforts to end the Syrian civil war by bombing opponents of Islamic State in an attempt to bolster Bashar al-Assad, British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said on Monday.  
John Cleese: Political Correctness Will Lead To An Orwellian Nightmare
John Cleese says political correctness has gone too far, especially on America's college campuses, where he will no longer go to perform. As BigThink reports, the very essence of his trade — comedy — is criticism and that not infrequently means hurt feelings. But protecting everyone from negative emotion all the time is not only impractical (one can't control the feelings of another), but also improper in a free society.  
National debt hits $19 trillion
The national debt hit $19 trillion for the first time ever on Friday, and came in at $19.012 trillion. It took a little more than 13 months for the debt to climb by $1 trillion. The national debt hit $18 trillion on Dec. 15, 2014.  

Monday, February 1, 2016

February 1, 2016

Winter Storm Kayla Prompts Blizzard Warnings in the Plains, Midwest
Blizzard and winter storm alerts have been expanded to cover 13 million Americans from Nevada and Arizona to the Great Lakes as Winter Storm Kayla kicks into high gear with heavy snow and high winds, leading to major travel headaches early this week.Blizzard warnings stretch from far north-central Kansas into southern Minnesota...  
Fears of the 'big one': Volcano explodes 1.8 miles high hours after massive earthquake
A HUGE volcano has seen a massive eruption of toxic ash and gas just hours after a major earthquake rocked the region, causing shopping centre evacuations. The Karymsky volcano in Russian Kamchatka's eastern volcanic zone spewed ash up to 3km into the air, according to the Regional Emergencies Ministry. Airlines have been placed on an "orange" warning to avoid the area following today's eruption. It came less than 48 hours hours after a magnitude 7.3 earthquake tore through the region...  
150,000 homes without power, gusts up to 115mph as El Nino storm hits US southwest
Over 150,000 US households were left without electricity as gusts of an El Nino-driven storm downed trees and power poles is Southern California. Gusts of wind up to 115mph were recorded, with locals taking to social media to share the aftermath.  
A New Madrid Earthquake Is Coming And America Will Be Shaken Like Never Before
In fact, the U.S. Geological Survey has admitted that the New Madrid fault zone has the “potential for larger and more powerful quakes than previously thought“, and the number of significant earthquakes in the middle part of the country has more than quintupled in recent years.  
Leviathan’s First Deal Signed With Israeli-Turkish Consortium
The Leviathan natural gas field is launching its debut into the world of domestic production and foreign export, simultaneously. The mammoth natural gas field will supply two private companies with its natural resource in a new $1.3 billion contract signed with Edeltech Group (owned by the Edelsburg family) and its Turkish partner, Zorlu Enerji.
Comment: Shooting attack in Beit El signals the start of an armed intifada
The terror attack yesterday [Sunday] in Beit El seems to mark the beginning of the next armed intifada we have so far sought to avoid.  
Will Two-Thirds of Israelis Perish?
There is a popular belief, even among Christian lovers of Israel, that according to Zechariah’s prophecy, two-thirds of the Jewish people in Israel “will be cut off and perish” (Zech. 13:8). This interpretation is tied to the belief of how God will bring about Israel’s ultimate salvation.  
Very shallow M6.0 earthquake hits Balleny Islands region, Antarctica
A very shallow earthquake registered by the USGS as M6.0 hit Balleny Islands region, Antarctica at 17:39 UTC on January 31, 2016. The agency is reporting a depth of 10 km (6.2 miles). EMSC is reporting M6.0 at a depth of 40 km (25 miles). There are no people living within 100 km (62 miles) radius.  
Gov't approves mixed prayer area at Western Wall
According to the proposed arrangement, a new prayer area will be set up south of the existing separate prayer areas. The new prayer area will be modeled on the one set up at Robinson's Arch two years ago where Women of the Wall could worship, and will allow Reform and Conservative Jews to pray according to their custom.  
60% of Jordanian students have never heard of 'Al-Aqsa'
A new survey published by the University of Jordan raises a startling statistic which challenges quite a few deeply-rooted fundamental assumptions surrounding the Temple Mount. The survey, conducted among 6,000 Jordanian students, asked only one question: What is al-Aqsa Mosque? The result: More than 60 percent of the students did not know how to answer.  
We Need a New Government Agency to Oversee the Search for Immortality
Scientists increasingly agree that we’re fast approaching a moment in medicine—probably within 30 years—where we won’t just be significantly lengthening human lifespans, but probably conquering death too. Medicine’s main goal will no longer be to just improve health, but to attempt to guarantee survival for every person that exists on the planet. We must remember the greater good for society and ourselves...  
China shares fall as economic pulse slows
Chinese shares stumbled lower on Monday after an official measure of activity in the giant factory sector fell to its lowest since mid-2012, offering no respite for markets from the country's economic drift.  
Pope Francis Said to Bless Human-Animal Chimeras
A Spanish scientist working at the Salk Institute in California told Scientific American that Pope Francis personally blessed his cutting-edge research to mix human cells into animal bodies.  
4.1 Earthquake Recorded in Western Montana
The quake occurred at 7 a.m. yesterday in a sparsely populated area about 15 miles east of the small community of Lincoln or 28 miles northwest of Helena.   
Scientists get 'gene editing' go-ahead
UK scientists have been given the go-ahead by the fertility regulator to genetically modify human embryos. The research will take place at the Francis Crick Institute in London and aims to provide a deeper understanding of the earliest moments of human life. The experiments will take place in the first seven days after fertilisation and could explain what goes wrong in miscarriage.  
Lift-off for Europe's space laser network
Europe has begun to roll out a data superhighway in orbit above the Earth. The first node in the network is a telecommunications satellite that was launched from Baikonur, Kazakhstan. It will use a laser to gather pictures of the planet taken by other spacecraft and then relay them to the ground.  
Liberal Jews to get prayer site at Jerusalem's Western Wall
The Israeli government has approved the creation of a new prayer space for non-Orthodox Jews at the Western Wall in Jerusalem, allowing men and women to pray together. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called it a "creative solution" that would "unify the people of Israel". Orthodox Jews voted against the move but said they accepted the decision.  
Syria conflict: Dozens killed near Sayyida Zeinab shrine
At least 71 people have died in blasts near the Shia shrine of Sayyida Zeinab, south of Syria's capital Damascus. A bus station and a building housing military headquarters were hit by the blasts, which mangled nearby vehicles. It happened as the government and opposition groups gathered in Geneva in a bid to start talks aimed at a political solution to the conflict.  
African Union abandons plans to send peacekeepers to Burundi
The African Union has abandoned its plan to send 5,000 peacekeepers to help restore stability to troubled Burundi. Officials said they would instead encourage political dialogue between Burundi's opposing sides. Burundi's President Pierre Nkurunziza had fiercely opposed the AU plan's to send peacekeepers.  
IDF partial blockade in Ramallah response to alerts of future attacks from city
The IDF has placed a partial blockade around Ramallah on Monday morning, allowing only residents of the Palestinian city to enter and leave it. An army spokeswoman said the partial closure placed around the major city...came following "concrete alerts regarding future acts of terrorism originating in the city," as well as a spate of recent attacks, including the shooting attack by a PA policeman on IDF soldiers on Sunday.  
Company Developing ‘Tech Tattoos’ So People Can Track Their Medical, Financial Info
Could we soon be carrying all of our medical and financial information on a tattoo? Software company Chaotic Moon has developed a “tech tattoo” that gets embedded into a person’s arm and can track a person’s financial and medical information.  
Israel's Netanyahu Warns Gaza Militants Against Attacking
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned the Islamic militant group Hamas that rules Gaza on Sunday that his country will retaliate with "greater force" than deployed in the 2014 Gaza war if cross-border tunnels are used to attack Israel.  
Was Zika outbreak caused by release of genetically modified mosquitoes in Brazil?
The Zika virus outbreak currently gripping the Americas could have been sparked by the release of genetically modified mosquitoes in 2012, critics say. The insects were engineered by biotechnology experts to combat the spread of dengue fever and other diseases and released into the general population of Brazil in 2012.  
Ouch: U.S. economy stumbles with 0.7 percent growth in 4Q 2015
Obama will be gone this time next year, but have we learned enough from the past seven years not to elect another socialist or a socialist who masquerades as something else?We’re always told that consistent economic growth will get us out of all our fiscal problems. That’s not true, although it would certainly help. We recently told you that deficit projections for coming years are looking pretty scary, and even those projections depend on some pretty rosy assumptions about future economic growth.  
Election 2016’s about Obama’s visceral hatred of America
Election 2016 is about the turnaround survival or continuing downfall of Western Society as we know it.The 2016 election is about the possibility of releasing the USA from its lockdown of hatred; a hatred that has all but swiped America off the world map; a hatred that gutted America’s role as leader of the Free World, the same way as it gutted the nation’s Armed Forces; a hatred that allows murderers and rapists to be set free from prisons; a hatred that gives carte blanche to ISIS, which the current administration refuses to even name, and everything in between.  
Boko Haram burned children alive in Nigeria, witness says
A survivor hidden in a tree says he watched Boko Haram extremists firebomb huts and heard the screams of children among people burned to death in the latest attack by Nigeria's homegrown Islamic extremists.  
Global Trade Collapsed In January: Bellwether South Korea Exports Crash "Most Since Lehman"
As the first major exporting nation to report each month, all eyes and hopeful speculative capital was glued to tonight's South Korean trade data. After a brief respite in November, December's drop was worrisome, but January's just reported 18.5% crash - the most since the financial crisis - has only been seen during a US economic recession.  
US pledges $97M to combat Ethiopia's drought
The U.S. has boosted its emergency food aid to Ethiopia by nearly $100 million to combat one of the worst droughts in decades, the U.S. Agency for International Development announced Sunday.  

Sunday, January 31, 2016

January 31, 2016

Humans could become GMO
Genetic engineering is currently an immature and imprecise science. Scientists cannot forecast all the impacts of a particular genetic modification. They do know, however, that many modifications come with strings attached. For instance, a genetic modification to establish HIV resistance would also increase susceptibility to West Nile Virus, not to mention that the changes are permanent and heritable.  
Colorado to Iowa, Michigan face blizzard Monday into Groundhog Day
Snow and slippery travel over the central United States will evolve into dangerous blizzard conditions to start February, including Groundhog Day. A storm will strengthen and gather snow and wind as it tracks across the Southwest states into Monday to the central Plains and Upper Midwest during Monday night into Tuesday night.  
Pope Francis Said to Bless Human-Animal Chimeras
While the Catholic Church has opposed research on human embryos, it endorses evolution and generally takes a liberal view on scientific matters. In fact, the Vatican’s position on “human-animal chimeras,” as the mixtures are known, may be more liberal than that of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, which in September instituted a ban on funding chimera research until it can weigh ethical questions associated with it.  
Satanic group set to lead Phoenix City Council in prayer
A Satanic group is set to deliver an opening prayer at an upcoming meeting of the Phoenix City Council, sparking controversy. The local Satanic Temple will deliver the invocation at the Council’s Feb. 17 meeting after winning approval -- and at least one Councilman is calling that a joke, Fox 10 reported Thursday.  
The US Mosque Obama Has Chosen For His First Presidential Visit Has Deep Extremist Ties
The Baltimore mosque President Obama has chosen as the first U.S.-based mosque to visit during his presidency has deep ties to extremist elements, including to the Muslim Brotherhood. The White House announced on Saturday that Obama will visit the Islamic Society of Baltimore (ISB) on Wednesday. He has visited several mosques overseas as president but has resisted visiting one in the homeland.  
Thousands march in Paris rain to protest state of emergency
Thousands of people marched in the Paris rain on Saturday to denounce plans to renew France's state of emergency and revoke the French citizenship of dual nationals convicted of terrorism. Human rights groups, politicians and unions joined the march in the French capital, and in other demonstrations around France.  
Syria conflict: Deadly blasts near Sayyida Zeinab shrine
At least 45 people have been killed in three blasts near the Shia shrine of Sayyida Zeinab, south of the capital Damascus, Syrian state media say. Scores of people were also reported to have been wounded. The shrine, which is highly revered by Shia Muslims, has been targeted before, most recently in February last year.  
Zika: Colombia cases in pregnant women double in a week
The number of pregnant women in Colombia infected with the Zika virus has doubled in a week, officials said. Almost 2,000 pregnant women now have the virus, Colombia's National Health Institute said, out of the more than 20,000 people infected across Colombia. The mosquito-borne virus has been linked to babies being born with abnormally small brains.  
Turkey says Russia violated its airspace near Syria border
Turkey has accused Russia of again violating its airspace and warned it would "face consequences" if such infringements continue. The foreign ministry said a Russian jet flew into its airspace on the border with Syria on Friday. Moscow described the claim as "baseless propaganda". Tensions between the two countries have been high since November, when Turkey shot down a Russian jet.  
Report: Senior Hamas official blames Iranian 'liars' for deserting Hamas
Deputy Chairman of Hamas' political bureau, Musa Abu Marzouk, blamed Iran for lying about financial aid to Hamas, claiming that the Palestinian Islamist movement has not received any Iranian funding since 2009, Asharq al-Awsat reported on Sunday. In a recording of a private conversation...Abu Marzouk is heard saying that "the story is not like Iran presents it… The Iranians are masters of diplomatic wordplay.  
Israel would consider invitation to peace talks with Palestinians: spokesman
Israel would consider a French invitation to peace talks with the Palestinians, but believes France has made a mistake by saying it will recognize a Palestinian state if the talks fail, an Israeli government official said on Saturday.  
Big Food now highly dependent on aborted fetal tissue for product development
Nearly four years have passed since the Obama administration gave PepsiCo approval to continue its use of aborted human fetal tissue in flavor-enhancing research, despite opposition from its shareholders. The controversial practice came under fire after the Pro-Life group Children of God for Life exposed the food giant’s partnership with Senomyx, a biotech firm that conducts research using aborted fetal cells to develop artificial flavors incorporated into a number of products sold by Kraft Foods, Nestlé and other large food companies.(1)  
Russian ICBM Forces Placed On Highest Alert
Russia’s TASS Agency,as reported by Next News Network, is reporting that 10 missile regiments of Russia’s Strategic Missile Force are combat ready and are now positioned at the highest level of alert.  
US warship sails by island claimed by China: Pentagon
A US warship sailed within 12 nautical miles of a disputed island in the South China Sea Saturday to assert freedom of navigation, drawing a protest from Beijing, officials said. "We conducted a freedom of navigation operation in the South China Sea earlier tonight," Pentagon spokesman Jeff Davis said in a statement.  
Is Angela Merkel now backtracking on refugees?
German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Saturday attempted to appease vocal critics of her open-door policy for refugees by saying that the asylum seekers from Syria and Iraq would return home once the conflicts are over in the region.  
China is cracking down on Christians
One of the most prominent Protestant figures in China, the Rev. Gu Yuese, has been detained, along with his wife, and held incommunicado as part of what Chinese evangelical leaders say is a broad official crackdown in China on what is described as harmful “foreign influences."