March 5, 2016

Philippines seizes North Korean cargo ship to enforce U.N. sanctions
The Philippines said on Saturday it had seized a North Korean freighter that was covered by harsher United Nations' sanctions against Pyongyang over its nuclear program. Manila will also deport the vessel's 21 North Korean crew and will await a U.N. inspection team from the United Nations, foreign ministry spokesman Charles Jose said in a text message. "In compliance with the United Nations resolution, the North Korean ship in Subic will be impounded and not allowed to leave port," he said.  

Public School Students Taught To 'Pledge Allegiance To An International Flag'
It is widely accepted that American public schools are controlled by liberals...schoolchildren being indoctrinated with left-wing ideas. ...Kindergarten students from PS75, a public school in New York City...took part in a class project...children were made to create an American flag with the flags of other 22 other nations superimposed over the stripes. Below the flag read the words "We pledge allegiance to an International Flag."  

Zika caught 'killing' brain cells
Zika virus kills the type of tissue found in the developing brain, researchers have shown. It was able to destroy or disrupt the growth of neural progenitor cells, which build the brain and nervous system, in lab tests. The discovery, published in the journal Cell Stem Cell, adds weight to claims that Zika is causing brain abnormalities in babies.  

Migrant crisis: Greece 'overwhelmed' by arrivals
Europe's most senior official for migration has told the BBC that Greece is "overwhelmed" by new arrivals and that the whole world must react. At least 2,000 new migrants are registered in Greece every day. But more than 10,000 are stranded on the northern border with Macedonia, as EU countries have re-imposed internal border controls.  

Pakistan police halt marriage of 10-year-old girl
Pakistani police say they have halted the marriage of a 10-year-old girl, who was due to wed a 14-year-old boy to end a dispute between their families. Local village elders had ordered the marriage after the girl's brother was accused of killing his wife. Correspondents say "vani" marriages, where a woman is ordered to marry to settle the crime of a relative, are illegal but remain common in Pakistan.  

UN raps Israel for 'wide-scale demolitions' of Palestinian homes
The United Nations saw fit on Friday to issue an urgent press release denouncing Israel for "wide-scale demolitions" of Palestinian homes in the West Bank. According to the communique issued by the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, Israeli authorities have accelerated the pace of demolitions in Khirbet Tana, a village just southeast of Nablus.  

Intelligence Report: Israel’s strategic position has improved
The IDF sees an outside possibility of war in 2016 against Hamas in the south or Hezbollah in the north, but all in all Israel’s strategic position has improved. ...The NIE was drafted by the research department of Military Intelligence with input from the research departments of Mossad (the external espionage agency) and the Israel Security Agency (the domestic service – Shin Bet).  

Why Aren't More Americans Working?
According to today's employment report, 59.8 percent of Americans ages 16 and older had jobs in February. That's the highest employment-to-population ratio in years, and the rate of increase is clearly on the rise.  

4 Catholic nuns, 12 others killed in Yemen retirement home
Gunmen in southern Yemen on Friday stormed a retirement home run by a charity established by Mother Teresa, killing 16 people, including four Catholic nuns, officials and witnesses said.  

Japan's negative interest rate policy is doing the exact opposite of what was expected
The Bank of Japan is one of the newest central banks to adopt a negative interest rate policy (NIRP), and we’re already starting to see some of the negative impacts investors were worried about. Typically, the point of monetary easing is to expand the economy, but analysts are seeing the opposite happen in Japan following the adoption of the NIRP.  

Ben Carson ends campaign, will lead Christian voter group
Ben Carson on Friday officially ended his presidential campaign and revealed his next move: chairing a group focused on getting out the Christian vote in November.  

North Korea Is Threatening Nuclear War Against the US (Again)
Once again, North Korea's state-controlled media is reporting the power and capability of the country's nuclear program. "Under the extreme situation that the U.S. Imperialist is misusing its military influence and is pressuring other countries and people to start war and catastrophe, the only way for our people to protect sovereignty and rights to live is to strengthen the quality and quantity of nuclear power and realize the balance of power," North Korea's leader, Kim Jong Un, announced on Friday through KCNA, the country's news agency, reports CNN.  

Indiana set to divest from companies that boycott Israel
Indiana is preparing to pull tens of millions of dollars in retirement investments out of companies that are seeking to inflict economic harm on Israel.

March 4, 2016

Hezbollah vows to invade Israel in the next war
Hezbollah sources cited in a unique speak peak into the Lebanese Iran-proxy terror group claim that they have gained powerful weapons and experience from the Syrian civil war, which will allow them to invade Israel in their third war against the Jewish state.  

‘Potential Criminal Charges’ Could Be On The Way To Hillary, Aides
A Department of Justice decision to grant immunity to Hillary Clinton’s top IT aide indicates officials are “considering potential criminal charges” against the former secretary of state or her aides, according to a source familiar with the investigation. The immunity was reportedly given to Bryan Pagliano, Clinton’s 2008 presidential campaign IT director, who followed her to the State Department in 2009.  

N. Korea must be ready to deploy nuclear weapons at 'any moment' - Kim Jong-un
The comments by the North Korean leader, reported by state media, come just days after the UN Security Council imposed tough sanctions on Pyongyang for carrying out a nuclear test in January in which North Korea claimed to have successfully detonated a hydrogen bomb in an underground facility.  

European Affairs: BDS spreading like wildfire in Europe?
A lack of US-style resistance to the growing BDS movement in Europe has ignited a worrisome trend across the continent. It is now up to pro-Israel groups to extinguish the flames.  

Light earthquake, 4.8 mag was detected near Central Mid-Atlantic Ridge
A light earthquake with magnitude 4.8 (ml/mb) was reported Central Mid-Atlantic Ridge (0 miles) on Saturday. The earthquake was roughly at a depth of 10 km (6 miles). Exact location of earthquake, longitude -32.5085 West, latitude 4.4473 North, depth = 10 km. The temblor was detected at 10:33:42 / 10:33 am (local time epicenter).  

Officials test water, skin care products in mysterious Wisconsin bacteria outbreak
Health officials are testing water, skin care products and over-the-counter medications, and interviewing patients and families, to try to identify the source of an outbreak of a bacteria that has sickened 44 people in southern Wisconsin and may have contributed to 18 deaths. Lab tests suggest a common source of the bacteria, called Elizabethkingia. But the investigation...has not revealed the source...  

Scientific paper which says the human hand was designed by a 'Creator' sparks controversy
A recent scientific paper on the movement of the human hand has faced strong criticism for referring to a 'Creator' throughout. The paper, titled: 'Biomechanical characteristics of hand coordination in grasping activities of daily living' was written by a team of four researchers, three from Huazhong University in China, and one from Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts.  

Migrant crisis: Asylum seekers in EU 'doubled in 2015'
The number of people seeking asylum in the European Union in 2015 reached 1,255,600 - more than double that of the previous year, new figures suggest. Syrians, Iraqis and Afghans topped the list of applicants, with more than a third going to Germany, Eurostat says. Thousands more migrants are arriving in Greece from Turkey every day.  

Hamas: Infiltrations into Israeli settlements to manifest the next phase of the 'intifada'
Hamas has declared that the recent terror attacks committed by Palestinians in Israeli settlements in the West Bank show that "the next phase of the ‘Jerusalem intifada’ will cause great fear among settlers, who will no longer enjoy security." ...Hamas Spokesman Husam Badran praised the two stabbing attacks and the shooting attack that took place Wednesday in Nablus that resulted in the injuring of three IDF soldiers.  

Philippines borrowing planes from Japan to patrol South China Sea
apan is lending five surplus TC-90 training planes to the Philippine Navy for surveillance and patrol operations in the South China Sea. The Philippines and other countries in the region are involved in territorial disputes with China over islands in the South China Sea, while Japan and China are feuding over the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea.  

Iraqi engineers: Mosul Dam failure could kill 1.5M
Some 1.5 million Iraqis could be killed if the Mosul Dam collapses, a former Iraqi government engineer warned Thursday. Asrat Adamo, who was the Iraqi Irrigation Ministry's chief engineer when the 2 mile-long dam was constructed 30 years ago, told NBC News a $296 million rehabilitation and maintenance project, announced Wednesday, may not come in time to prevent the collapse of the dam. A collapse would flood cities downstream on the Tigris River. The city of Mosul could be inundated and Baghdad flooded.  

Israeli Air Force deploying 'David's Sling' missile defense system
The David's Sling missile defense system is being delivered to the Israel Air Force ahead of the system's full deployment.  

North Korea leader tells military to be ready to use nuclear weapons
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un ordered his country to be ready to use its nuclear weapons at any time and the military to be in "pre-emptive attack" mode in the face of growing threats from its enemies, state media said on Friday.  

China says 2016 defense budget to rise 7-8 percent
China's defense budget this year will rise by about seven to eight percent compared with 2015, the spokeswoman for the Chinese parliament said on Friday.  

March 3, 2016

DOJ grants immunity to ex-Clinton staffer who set up email server
Bryan Pagliano, a former Clinton staffer who helped set up her private email server, has accepted an immunity offer from the FBI and the Justice Department to provide an interview to investigators, a U.S. law enforcement official told CNN Wednesday. The FBI has been asking for Pagliano's cooperation for months as dozens of investigators pored over thousands of Clinton emails in a secure room on the fourth floor of FBI headquarters.  

The Salvation Army and the LGBT Community
The Salvation Army embraces employees of many different faiths and orientations. Our hiring practices are open to all, and we adhere to all relevant employment laws, providing domestic partner benefits accordingly. ..those in the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) community - support us with time and financial resources because of a common cause and commitment.....  

Hillary’s Turn for KKK Controversy: Video Discovered of Clinton Praising Former Klan Leader in 2010
A video has surfaced of Hillary Clinton warmly eulogizing a former KKK leader, Robert Byrd, after his death in 2010. In the video, Clinton called the late Klan leader, a member of the US Senate, a “friend and mentor” and a man of “surpassing eloquence and nobility”. As Secretary of State, she said, she relied on his support and counsel.  

NASA Studies Tree Rings to Show Eastern Mediterranean Drought Worst in 900 Years
A new NASA study finds that the recent drought that began in 1998 in the eastern Mediterranean Levant: Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, and Turkey, is probably the worst drought of the past nine centuries.  

DEMOCRATS UNMASKED
See if you can answer the following question: Which political party recently featured the following headlines on its official website?  

WMDs OPCW inspector in Syria collecting samples (Photo: AP/2013) OPCW inspector in Syria collecting samples (Photo: AP/2013) UN inspectors lookin
OPCW says sulfur mustard used on Kurdish troops in August southwest of Erbil; experts say ISIS either got the gas from undeclared Syrian chemical stockpile, or gained the basic know how to conduct crude chemical attack.  

Putin to take part in conference call on Syria with Merkel, Cameron, Hollande – Kremlin
Vladimir Putin will take part in a conference call on the ceasefire in Syria with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, British Prime Minister David Cameron, and French President Francois Hollande on Friday, Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov said.  

California to See Inches of Rain and Feet of Snow as Atmospheric River Weather Pattern Arrives
California is set to see a return of powerful Pacific storms that will unleash bouts of heavy rain, mountain snow, and gusty winds at times through the next week or two. This much wetter weather pattern will be accompanied by a so-called atmospheric river, or "Pineapple Express", at times.  

Moderate earthquake, 5 mag strikes near Boudinar in Morocco
A moderate earthquake magnitude 5 (ml/mb) strikes 49 kilometers (30 miles) from Boudinar in Morocco on Thursday. A tsunami warning has not been issued (Does not indicate if a tsunami actually did or will exist).  

Moderate earthquake: M5.2 quake has struck near Nichinan in Japan
A moderate earthquake magnitude 5.2 (ml/mb) has struck on Thursday, 16 kilometers (10 miles) from Nichinan in Japan. Event id: us10004u9q. Ids that are associated to the earthquake: us10004u9q. A tsunami warning has not been issued.  

Moderate earthquake, 5.5 mag was detected near Leof in Indonesia
A moderate earthquake magnitude 5.5 (ml/mb) has occurred on Thursday, 77 kilometers (48 miles) from Leof in Indonesia. The temblor was reported at 16:36:32 / 4:36 pm (local time epicenter).  

Moderate earthquake, 5.6 mag strikes near Atambua in Indonesia
A moderate earthquake magnitude 5.6 (ml/mb) strikes 53 kilometers (33 miles) from Atambua in Indonesia on Thursday. A tsunami warning has not been issued.  

Indonesia's early tsunami warning buoys down when big quake hit
All 22 of the early-warning buoys Indonesia deployed after the 2004 tsunami disaster were inoperable when a massive undersea earthquake struck off the coast on Wednesday, a National Disaster Mitigation Agency official said.  

Beetle mania! Bug invasion of 'biblical proportions' prompts 'end of the world' fears
A beetle invasion of biblical proportions has hit beaches in Argentinian seaside resorts - causing some to suggest it could mean the end of the world. Locals reacted with horror after seeing millions of the bugs swarm onto beaches in the resorts of Mar de Ajo, 31 miles away from the capital Buenos Aires.  

Strange radio bursts from space come in clusters: study
Mysterious and powerful radio waves from deep space are coming in clusters, scientists revealed on Wednesday, having only discovered their existence a decade ago. The repeated pulses emanate from well beyond the edge of the Milky Way Galaxy, according to a study published in the journal Nature.  

Cause of recurring booms remains a mystery
Unexplained loud booms have been affecting residents around Grundy County for weeks, and the cause has yet to be determined. “It’s weird because it’s unlike most booming noises you hear,” said Glen Briggs, the emergency management director of Grundy County. “If you hear a car crash or something like that, you can pretty well tell which direction it came from.  

Devices on public buses in Maryland are listening to private conversations
The Maryland Senate on Tuesday delayed action on a bill that would clamp down on when public buses and trains can record the private conversations of their passengers. Sen. Robert A. Zirkin (D-Baltimore County), chair of the Senate Judicial Proceedings...said he wanted the committee to address an amendment offered by some of those who are concerned about costs associated with the bill.  

Russian Faces Up to Year in Prison for Denying Existence of God
A Russian faces up to a year in prison for saying "there is no God" during an argument on social media, his lawyers said Wednesday. Viktor Krasnov also wrote the "Bible is a collection of Jewish fairy tales" during the discussion on European social networking site Vk.com in 2014, lawyer and human-rights activist Pavel Chikov posted on his Facebook page.  

Teen 'possessed by devil' suffers violent convulsions in church after 'threatening to kill mum'
A teenager feared to be 'possessed by the devil' dropped to the floor suffering violent convulsions after she was taken to church. The parents of the young Honduran girl are now desperately asking for help to rid their daughter of these 'evil spirits'.  

Fewer Agents Projected to Patrol Border
The federal government will have fewer agents patrolling the border by next fiscal year. It’s under the proposed budget released by the Department of Homeland Security. The agency is budgeting for 300 fewer agents in 2017 than they did for this fiscal year.  

North Korea 'fires missiles' into sea hours after UN vote
North Korea has fired six short-range projectiles into the sea, South Korea's defence ministry has said, hours after the UN imposed tough new sanctions. A South Korean spokesman told the Yonhap news agency the projectiles were fired at about 10:00 local time (01:00 GMT) from Wonsan on the east coast. They were either rockets or guided missiles, the ministry said.  

Report: Russia's military intelligence chief killed in secret operation in Lebanon
The Head of Russia's military intelligence service, Colonel-General Igor Sergun, was killed in January during a secret mission in the Lebanon's capital, Beirut, the Lebanese daily newspaper al-Akhbar reported Thursday. The Kremlin announced the death of Sergun on January 4, saying that he died in Moscow after a heart attack.  

March 2, 2016

Americans are 'being betrayed by their own president'
The Obama administration is ordering Border Patrol agents to release illegal immigrants without making them appear in court or keeping track of their whereabouts, and it’s also dramatically rolling back aerial surveillance along the southern border, leading a senior congressman to suggest the public is unaware it is being “betrayed” by its commander in chief.  

U.S. military invites vetted experts to 'Hack the Pentagon'
The Pentagon said on Wednesday it would invite vetted outside hackers to test the cybersecurity of some public U.S. Defense Department websites as part of a pilot project next month, in the first-ever such program offered by the federal government.  

Moldova synagogue attacked in shocking pogrom
Torah scroll thrown to the ground, menorahs ripped off walls and stolen by attackers who remain at large.  

Saudi-led Gulf Cooperation Council Declares Hezbollah a Terror Group
The six-member Gulf Cooperation Council led by Saudi Arabia formally declared Hezbollah to be a terrorist organization on Wednesday (March 2). The group has already been declared a terrorist entity by the European Union and the United States.  

Major 8.1 magnitude quake strikes southwest of Indonesia: USGS
A powerful and shallow earthquake of magnitude 8.1 struck off the west coast of the Indonesian island of Sumatra on Wednesday, the U.S. Geological Survey said. The epicenter was 808 km (502 miles) southwest of Padang, USGS said. It was 10 km (six miles) deep. There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties but the shallower a quake, the more likely it is to cause damage. USGS originally put the magnitude at 8.2.  

Pentagon chief warns Beijing of ‘specific consequences’ over South China Sea militarization
US Defense Secretary Ash Carter has warned China against militarizing the disputed island chain in the South China Sea and threatened “specific consequences” should Beijing not wind down its activities in the region.  

Michele Bachmann Reveals Prophetic Fulfillment in Current Events in Russia, Middle East
Bachmann has stated many times that the world is moving towards Armageddon, with grave implications for the future of Israel. Her opponents criticize her for framing political issues in Biblical terms, but her Biblical perspective allows her to view imminent catastrophe in a positive light, accepting it as part of God’s plan.  

Mosul dam engineers warn it could fail at any time, killing 1m people
Iraqi engineers involved in building the Mosul dam 30 years ago have warned that the risk of its imminent collapse and the consequent death toll could be even worse than reported. One million people along the Tigris could be at risk from a 20-metre-high flash flood if the Mosul dam collapses  

5.2 magnitude earthquake causes panic in the Malang district
Jakarta. A 5.2 magnitude earthquake caused panic in the Malang district of East Java on Wednesday (03/02), but no casualties were reported, according to a local official.  

‘Allah ordered me’ to kill child: Beheading nanny appears smiling in court
The nanny accused of beheading a four-year-old girl in Moscow and waving her severed head outside a Metro station told journalists before a court hearing that ‘Allah ordered’ her to murder the child.  

Moody's cuts China outlook on eve of NPC, cites reform, fiscal risks
Moody's downgraded its outlook on Chinese government debt to "negative" from "stable" on Wednesday, citing uncertainty over authorities' capacity to implement economic reforms, rising government debt and falling reserves. The Moody's downgrade comes just days before the National People's Congress (NPC) is due to vote on China's 13th five year plan, a closely held development blueprint for the next five years...  

Syphilis sparks concern in popular vacation city
Nevada is experiencing the highest rate of syphilis in the West following an outbreak in Las Vegas. Health officials say it's part of a national spike...Social media's link to syphilis in the gay community has prompted health officials to take their educational outreach directly to the websites and apps, in some cases creating profiles or buying advertisements.  

Migrant crisis: Russia and Syria 'weaponising' migration
Russia and Syria are "weaponising" migration as an aggressive strategy towards Europe, the senior Nato commander in Europe has said. US Gen Philip Breedlove also said criminals, extremists and fighters were hiding in the flow of migrants. Migrants are continuing to accumulate in Greece, after Macedonia stopped allowing more than a trickle through.  

Report: Turkey demands weapons from Israel as part of normalization effort
A representative appointed by Turkey's Defense Ministry has been sent to Israel in order to procure Israeli made weapons and aircraft equipment as a condition for the return to normalized relations between the two countries...in order to negotiate financial terms concerning weapons sales. Israe...demanded to know whether the weapons were intended to attack Kurdish rebels...  

Gulf Arab states designate Hezbollah a terrorist group
The six-member Gulf Cooperation Council has designated Hezbollah a terrorist organization, it said on Wednesday, ratcheting up pressure on the Iran-allied group that wields influence in Lebanon and plays a key role in the Syrian crisis. Gulf Arab states imposed sanctions on Hezbollah members in 2013 in retaliation for the group's intervention in Syria's civil war in support of President Bashar Assad.  

Jordan thwarts ISIS suicide bombing plot inside country
Jordan said on Wednesday it had thwarted a plot by Islamic State militants to blow up civilian and military targets in the country. A statement carried by the state news agency Petra said security forces had located the militants, who were carrying suicide belts, in a hideout in the northern city of Irbid near the border with Syria.  

You Won’t Get Arrested for Public Boozing (or Urinating) in Manhattan Anymore
Go ahead and pop the champagne: the NYPD will no longer arrest most people who are caught drinking alcohol in public in Manhattan, the city announced today—but they can still get a summons.  

Drug dealers will be executed by force-feeding them their own supply under new rules being considered in Indonesia
Drug dealers in Indonesia will be made to eat their own supply until they die if new rules are pushed through. The country's National Narcotics Agency has suggested the punishment in a desperate bid to tackle growing drugs problems. The proposal would strengthen already tough laws, which include death by firing squad if citizens are caught drugs trafficking.  

Osama bin Laden Warned an Islamic State Would Fail
Among those who warned of the demise of the self-proclaimed Islamic State was Osama bin Laden, according to newly released documents recovered during the 2011 raid that killed the al Qaeda leader.  

Top German Court Considers Bid To Outlaw Far-Right Party
Germany's highest court opened hearings Tuesday on a bid to outlaw the country's biggest far-right party, which officials accuse of promoting a racist and anti-Semitic agenda.  

Iran upped oil exports by 30% last month: minister
Iran boosted oil exports by 30 percent last month, Oil Minister Bijan Zangeneh said, after Tehran dismissed an output freeze despite historic low prices. Zangeneh told the Shana news agency that exports increased to 1.75 million barrels per day during the Iranian month of Bahman, which runs from January 21 to February 19.  

Rev. Graham: ‘I Won’t Be Buying Any Girl Scout Cookies This Year’
Commenting on Catholic Archbishop Robert Carlson’s warning about the pro-abortion and pro-homosexual agenda of the leadership of Girl Scouts USA, evangelical pastor Franklin Graham said the archbishop is “exactly right” and that more “church leaders need his boldness” to speak out, and added, “I won’t be buying any Girl Scout cookies this year.”  

March 1, 2016

White House Says It Has Not 'Reached' Determination That ISIS Slaughter of Christians Is Genocide
Asked on Monday if Islamic State terrorists are carrying out a campaign of genocide against Syria's Christians, White House Spokesman Josh Earnest said the word genocide "involves a very specific legal determination that has, at this point, not been reached."  

Note Addressed to Jewish God Found in Latest Release of Clinton Emails
Despite wishful thinking that Obama’s adviser may have spiritual leanings, officials ultimately said that the attachment in the email containing the note to Hashem was actually a joke sent to Clinton by an aide.  

Putin boosts Russian campaign to smash ISIS by deploying warships into sea
VLADIMIR Putin is bolstering his campaign to smash the heinous Islamic State (ISIS) by deploying Russian warships to combat terror groups from the sea.  

DAY THE EU FELL APART: Leaders rip chunks out of each other on worst day of migrant chaos
As tear gas rained down on rioting migrants in Greece and France bickering countries squabbled over who should take the blame for the spiralling crisis which shows no sign of slowing. Once again the cavernous divisions between different EU countries were laid bare for all to see, with Angela Merkel angrily defending Germany's role in the chaos amid sniping from other member states.  

King Abdullah Meets Two Fringe Jewish Groups to ‘Re-launch’ Peace Efforts
For reasons we’ll discuss shortly, no news outlet other than Jordan’s own media covered the meeting. We opted to report on it because of our dedication to raising the red flag when the enemies of the Jewish State appear to regroup and scheme yet another attack on their favorite target.  

Ukrainian Jews Flee To Israel Amid Anti-Semitic Attacks in War-Torn Ukraine
Over 100 Ukrainian Jews fled war-torn Ukraine and arrived in Israel on Tuesday, February 23. Many Ukrainian Jews have been leaving their country of birth due to violence and frequent anti-Semitic attacks.  

‘We will participate’: Saudi military admits US coalition mulling ground invasion in Syria
Saudi Arabia has acknowledged that the US-led anti-ISIS coalition has held a “political” discussion about a potential ground troop deployment in Syria. Riyadh’s statements have been criticized by Damascus as destructive and a threat to regional security.  

ASTEROID TO MISS EARTH
Last month, NASA reported that near-Earth asteroid 2013 TX68 might come very close to Earth on March 5th--as little as 11,000 miles away. Since then, researchers have collected more data and refined their calculations of the asteroid's orbit. Now it appears that the 30-meter space rock won't reach Earth until March 8th, and when it does, it will miss our planet by a wide margin of 3 million miles.  

Is the San Andreas Fault about to shift? Unprecedented amounts of Carbon Monoxide released into the atmoshphere along the West coast of the US
On February 27th enormous amounts of Carbon Monoxide leaked into the atmosphere along the West coast of America see above...it's the amount of Carbon Monoxide which is simply stunning. It is well understood that large amounts of Carbon Monoxide is released into the atmosphere before an earthquake, however the amount of Carbon Monoxide release on the 27th of Feb is as far as I can tell unprecedented. This release of Carbon Monoxide could be an indication of an imminent major quake along the volatile San Andreas Fault  

'Bright flash' seen in skies over Scotland
Police received a large number of calls after a big, bright flash was seen, with people reporting seeing a blue, white or green light, with some saying they also heard a rumbling sound. There is speculation it could have been a meteor or may have been a sonic boom. The light appears to have been seen as far south as Berwickshire in the Scottish Borders and Newcastle.  

Moderate earthquake, 5.7 mag has occurred near L’Esperance Rock in New Zealand
A moderate earthquake magnitude 5.7 (ml/mb) has occurred on Monday, 229 km SSE of L’Esperance Rock, New Zealand (142 miles). A tsunami warning has not been issued (Does not indicate if a tsunami actually did or will exist).  

EARTHQUAKE RATTLED PARTS OF WNC OVERNIGHT MONDAY
Earthquake officials tell WHKP News that a 2.5 magnitude quake shook the Burnsville (North Carolina) area about 9:38 Monday evening.  

China to lay off five to six million workers, earmarks at least $23 billion
China aims to lay off 5-6 million state workers over the next two to three years as part of efforts to curb industrial overcapacity and pollution...Beijing's boldest retrenchment program in almost two decades. China's leadership, obsessed with maintaining stability...will spend nearly 150 billion yuan ($23 billion) to cover layoffs in just the coal and steel sectors in the next 2-3 years.  

Fighting infections with viruses, as antibiotics fail
When doctors told Christophe Novou that his leg would have to be amputated at the hip due to a raging bacterial infection, the 47-year-old Frenchman thought about killing himself. ...That's when an article about a clinic in Georgia offering an obscure treatment for hard-to-treat infections using live virus -- something called phage therapy -- caught his eye.  

Only 15 percent say they have benefited from ObamaCare
Just 15 percent of people say they have personally benefited from ObamaCare, although more than one-third believe it has helped the people of their state, according to a poll released Monday. Most Americans — a total of 56 percent — say they haven’t felt directly affected by the Affordable Care Act. Among those who have felt affected, more people say the law has hurt them than helped them, according to polling...  

US Army will have laser weapons by 2023
The US Army is planning to deploy the first laser weapons in 2023, it has been revealed. Mary J. Miller, deputy assistant secretary of the Army for Research and Technology, told the House Armed Services Committee's Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities 'I believe we're very close,' when asked how close the Army is to developing offensive and defensive directed-energy weapons.  

Law firm in new legal threat over UK air pollution
The UK government has been warned to drastically reduce air pollution or face renewed legal action. In April the Supreme Court ruled an immediate plan was needed after the UK breached EU limits for nitrogen dioxide (NO2). The government said it was committed to cleaning the air and had delivered its plans accordingly.  

Study shows Zika 'might cause' Guillain-Barré syndrome
New research gives the first evidence that Zika virus might cause a severe neurological disorder called Guillain-Barré syndrome. The study was carried out using blood samples from 42 patients who became ill in a previous outbreak. The Lancet authors say they developed the neurological problems around six days after Zika infection.  

Jordanian Waqf minister: No negotiations with Israel over Temple Mount cameras
Jordanian Waqf Minister Hail Daoud denied Israeli reports on Tuesday about progress in Israeli-Jordanian negotiations over surveillance cameras on the Temple Mount, claiming that such negotiations have never taken place. ...Hail emphasized that Jordan, and not Israel, had demanded to install surveillance cameras on Temple Mount under Jordanian inspection in order to defend al-Aksa and document Israeli infringements on religious rights.  

America's strong support for Israel remains steady, poll finds
The American public remains strongly pro-Israel, with even those aged 18-29 saying they are more sympathetic to Israel than the Palestinians by a more than 2:1 margin, according to a Gallup poll released Monday. According to the annual survey...62 percent of the public say their sympathies lie more with Israel than the Palestinians, and only 15% say they are more sympathetic to the Palestinians.  

Iran's nuclear chief: Israel isn't a state, therefore its not a threat
The head of Iran's Atomic Energy Organization, Ali Akbar Salehi, has dismissed Israel as a threat to the Islamic Republic, saying Tehran's lack of recognition of the Jewish state renders its warnings as "empty threats." "We essentially do not see [Israel] as a state, therefore it's not a threat to Iran," London-based news outlet Al-Araby al-Jadeed quoted him as saying in an interview published Monday.  

Despite initial ruling, Venezuela seeks to silence U.S. website
Is a U.S. website causing the collapse of the Venezuelan economy? That’s what Venezuela’s Central Bank seems to want to prove as it pursues legal action to shutdown www.dolartoday.com. The bank blames the website for runaway inflation and a plummeting currency.  

Israel arrests two Palestinian 'snipers'
Israel's military announced Monday the arrests of two Palestinian brothers accused of being "snipers" who shot and wounded two civilians and two soldiers in Hebron in the occupied West Bank.  

Russian warplanes sit idle on Syria base during cease-fire
Dozens of Russian warplanes sat idle Tuesday on the tarmac at this Russian air base in Syria on the fourth day of a cease-fire brokered by Moscow and Washington.  

A New York judge just ruled that the FBI can't force Apple to unlock iPhones
A federal judge in Brooklyn has ruled that the government can't force Apple to help break an iPhone's passcode security. No, it's not the San Bernardino shooting case, a similar situation where the FBI is seeking to compel Apple to provide custom software to help it access data on a criminal's iPhone.  

Abortion Case Returns to Supreme Court after Scalia’s Death
The Supreme Court will hear a major abortion case on Wednesday which involves the right of certain states to enforce regulations against abortion clinics. ABC News reports that the case, Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt, involves a Texas law enacted in 2013 which requires clinics that perform abortions to meet the standards of outpatient or ambulatory surgical centers. The law also requires doctors performing abortions to have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals.  

U.N. Security Council to vote on new North Korea sanctions Tuesday: U.S.
The U.N. Security Council plans to vote on a resolution on Tuesday that would dramatically expand existing U.N. sanctions on North Korea in response to its Jan. 6 nuclear test, the U.S. mission to the United Nations said on Monday.  

Clashes break out as France begins clearing Calais migrant camp
Clashes with police broke out on Monday as work got underway to clear part of the shanty town outside Calais in northern France where migrants are trying to reach Britain.  

Zika is expected to infect 1 in 5 Puerto Ricans, raising threat to rest of U.S.
Zika has landed forcefully in America, in one of its poorest and most vulnerable corners, a debt-ridden territory lacking a functioning health-care system, window screens and even a spray that works against the mosquitoes spreading the virus in homes, workplaces, schools and parks.  

February 29, 2016

Economic Recovery? 13 Of The Biggest Retailers Are Closing Down Stores
Obama recently stated that anyone that is claiming that America's economy is in decline is "peddling fiction". Well, if the economy is in such great shape, why are major retailers shutting down hundreds of stores all over the country?  

Magnitude-6.4 earthquake hits Taiwan, collapses buildings
The U.S. Geological Survey says a magnitude-6.4 earthquake has hit southern Taiwan.  

U.S. court test on abortion reflects success of strategy shift
When the U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday hears a major abortion case...at issue...standards for doctors and facilities where the procedure is performed. That the high court is taking up a case about such arcane regulations reflects the success of a legal strategy that abortion opponents embraced about a decade ago and initially caught some abortion-rights advocates off guard.  

Kofi Annan on Why It's Time To Legalize Drugs
Drugs are dangerous, but current narcotics policies are an even bigger threat because punishment is given a greater priority than health and human rights. It's time for regulations that put lives and safety first, argues former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan. ...This year, between April 19 and 21, the United Nations General Assembly will hold a special session on drugs and the world will have a chance to change course.  

Energy price slump sends eurozone into deflation
Consumer prices in the eurozone fell sharply in February to minus 0.2%, putting more pressure on the European Central Bank. The slide into deflation is a sharp reversal from the revised 0.3% increase recorded in January. It is the first fall in inflation since September when it shrank by 0.1%, according to Eurostat.  

Migrants charge through Macedonia fence on Greek border
A crowd of migrants has burst through a barbed-wire fence on the Macedonia-Greece border using a steel pole as a battering ram. TV footage showed migrants pushing against the fence at Idomeni, ripping away barbed wire, as Macedonian police let off tear gas to force them away. A section of fence was smashed open with the battering ram. It is not clear how many migrants got through.  

Women activists to launch freedom flotilla to break the siege on Gaza
The Freedom Flotilla coalition has announced that a women's boat to Gaza is expected to set sail for the Strip...to break the blockade on the coastal territory and express solidarity with the Palestinian people... In an interview...Dr. Essam Youssef, the head of the Popular International Committee to support the Gaza Strip...will announce the launch of the flotilla on...March 8.  

'Palestinian Authority collapse a question of when, not if'
The Palestinian Authority is going to collapse whether Jerusalem wants it to or not, and Israel will pay the price in terrorism evolving out of the ensuing anarchy, Immigrant and Absorption Minister Ze'ev Elkin said Monday. Elkin, a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s...security cabinet, said...that the current wave of terror is just a “promo” for what will happen after the PA collapses.  

U.S. shale's message for OPEC: above $40, we are coming back
For leading U.S. shale oil producers, $40 is the new $70. Less than a year ago major shale firms were saying they needed oil above $60 a barrel to produce more; now some say they will settle for far less in deciding whether to crank up output after the worst oil price crash in a generation.  

Pentagon Research Could Make ‘Brain Modem’ a Reality
The Pentagon is attempting what was, until recently, an impossible technological feat—developing a high-bandwidth neural interface that would allow people to beam data from their minds to external devices and back.  

Twitter accused of shutting down Hillary critics
Bernie Sanders supporters are saying their Twitter account was “censored and locked down” after they criticized Hillary Clinton.  

Ohio Pastor Shot & Killed During Sunday Service
An Ohio pastor with deep roots in the Dayton community was shot and killed at his church, and police have taken his brother into custody for the slaying.  

Syria rebels say attacks by army and Russian planes threaten truce
The Syrian opposition warned on Sunday that attacks by the army, backed by Russian warplanes, threatened a U.S.-Russian deal for a cessation of hostilities with collapse and endangered future peace talks. 

Twin suicide bombing kills 70 in Baghdad's deadliest attack this year
A twin suicide bombing claimed by Islamic State killed 70 people in a Shi'ite district of Baghdad on Sunday in the deadliest attack inside the capital this year, as militants launched an assault on its western outskirts.  

February 28, 2016

The asteroid of 'uncertain orbit' that REALLY could smash into Earth, according to NASA
AN ASTEROID set for a staggering close whistle past of Earth in just 10 days could return to strike the planet as early as next year, NASA has admitted. We are expected to be risk free when the space rock hurtles past us at as close as 11,000 miles away - 21 times closer to us than the moon - on March 8. But the US space agency cannot yet be 100 per cent certain about its orbital path.  

The Great Wall of Europe: Hungary splits continent in two with huge fence to stop migrants
HUNGARY is set to split Europe in two by building a huge network of fences along its entire southern border in a desperate bid to stop the flow of illegal immigrants. Mr Orban has styled himself as a defender of Christian Europe, repeatedly ignoring pleas from European Union (EU) bureaucrats to open up his country's borders to millions of migrants.  

Analysis: Iran, ISIS Likely to Unite for WWIII
Israeli military analysts are now beginning to prepare top officials, who are in turn beginning to prepare the nation, for what eventually may become the start of World War III. The other question is how long until someone strikes the spark that ignites the conflagration -- the region is already in chaos.  

Moderate quake in Mindanao, Philippines
KUALA LUMPUR: A moderate earthquake measuring 5.4 on the Richter scale occurred in Mindanao, the Philippines at 5.06 pm today, according to the Malaysian Meteorological Department.  

Earthquake terror: Violent shake jolts Christchurch awake, residents left on edge
It was of strong intensity and was close to the central city - just five kilometres south of Christchurch.  

EU's Tower of Babel may fall while leaders distracted
It's little wonder the European Union can't find common solutions to Europe's urgent problems when its main members are having such different national conversations. Like the biblical Tower of Babel, Europe's ambitious construction is in danger of toppling because its peoples are not speaking the same political language.  

The Russia-Armenia alliance is threatening Turkey, a critical U.S. ally
The growing military alliance between Russia and Armenia is threatening Turkey, an indispensable U.S. ally and partner in the fight against the Islamic State. The announcement that Russia is sending a new set of fighter jets and combat helicopters to an air base only 25 miles from the Turkish border is just the latest example of this alliance.  

Iran election: Reformists win all 30 Tehran seats
Allies of Iran's reformist president, Hassan Rouhani, have won a landslide victory in Tehran, in the first parliamentary vote since Iran signed a nuclear deal with world powers. With 90% of the votes counted, the pro-Rouhani List of Hope is set to take all 30 parliamentary seats in the capital. The leading conservative candidate Gholamali Haddad-Adel is in 31st place.  

Saudi TV's mockery of Nasrallah angers Hezbollah supporters
Dozens of young Hezbollah supporters took to the streets of the predominantly Shi’ite quarter of southern Beirut late Saturday to protest a satirical sendup of their leader, Hassan Nasrallah, which aired on a Saudi-owned satellite television station. ...Saudi Arabia, the Sunni monarchy, considers Iran-backed Hezbollah a terrorist organization.  

Egyptian MP: Netanyahu mediated between Obama and Sisi following the 2013 military coup
Egyptian Member of Parliament, Tawfik Okasha, has revealed that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu mediated between Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and US President Barack Obama following the military coup that took place in Egypt in July 2013. ...Okasha called for normalization with Israel, claiming that "Egypt is a very beautiful bride for Israel, and if Israel does not marry Egypt, it will destroy it."  

Drought in South Africa creates maize shortage
South Africa's economy is in serious trouble. First there was the contraction of the mining industry, followed by the retrenchment in manufacturing and now the farmers are facing a crisis.  

Kim Jong-un Oversees Tests of New North Korean Anti-Tank Rocket
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has supervised the testing of a new anti-tank rocket developed by the country in the midst of increasing tensions, state media reported on Saturday.  

The B-21: At $500 million each, is this a better bomber?
On Friday, the US government announced that the Air Force’s next bomber would be manufactured by Northrop Grumman and named the B-21.  

Clinton sweeps South Carolina primary as 'Super Tuesday' looms
Hillary Clinton defeated Bernie Sanders in a landslide in the Democratic primary in South Carolina, projections showed, seizing momentum ahead of the most important day of the nomination race: next week's "Super Tuesday" showdown.  

Dozens killed, wounded in Afghanistan suicide attacks
A Taliban suicide bomber blew himself up near the Afghan defense ministry in Kabul on Saturday, causing heavy casualties just hours after an attack in the eastern province of Kunar killed 13 people and put prospects for new peace talks in doubt.  

Mass Shooting In Washington State Ends With Five Dead
Within hours of the Kansas shooting that ended with four people dead and 14 wounded, a man in Washington State gunned down four people in his home. The local sheriff’s office is calling the mass shooting a “family-domestic situation."

The Tunnels of Gaza’s Next War
By all accounts, Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, is on a tunnel-building streak. Hamas has boasted of building fifty tunnels since the Israel–Gaza conflict of July, 2014, though Israel insists those numbers are exaggerated. But residents of kibbutzim that border Gaza are increasingly warning of clattering and drilling noises under their homes.  

Up to 6 drive-by shootings of cars in a few weeks along California highway
A car speeds along a California highway when someone pulls up, then opens fire. It happened Saturday morning along Interstate 80 in Richmond, just like it's happened up to five other times since November in the same place.  

Mysterious artifact discovered at Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity
According to the Times of Israel, the artifact is made of brass, silver, shells and stones. Although officials confirmed that the artifact has been cleaned up, it is not on display, and there are no images of it as yet.  

'Pandemic' Asks: Is A Disease That Will Kill Tens Of Millions Coming?
Citing a 2006 survey, Shah says, "the majority of ... pandemic experts of all kinds, felt that a pandemic that would sicken a billion people, kill 165 million people and cost the global economy about $3 trillion would occur sometime in the next two generations."  

Hamas hopes to gain seaport from Israel-Turkey reconciliation
Hamas says it is hopeful an emerging deal to restore ties between Israel and Turkey will result in the construction of a port on the coast of the impoverished Gaza Strip. Turkey has stipulated that it will not normalize ties with Israel, ruptured in 2010, unless Israel lifts its naval blockade on Gaza. Hamas, the rulers of the Gaza Strip, hope a seaport might be built if Israel does lift its restrictions.  

Joint Israel-US air defense drill to begin missile training
Juniper Cobra 16, a massive, joint Israeli-American air defense exercise is scheduled to culminate next week with a simulation of a wide-scale missile strike on Israel. Israeli Air Force officials declined to elaborate on the exact nature of the scenarios included in the drill, saying only that "all relevant scenarios" were being considered.  

Germany says uncertain where 130,000 registered migrants are
German authorities do not know the whereabouts of 130,000 asylum seekers, the government said in a parliamentary document seen by AFP on Friday. Out of some 1.1 million asylum seekers registered in 2015, "about 13 percent did not turn up at the reception centres to which they had been directed," the government said in a written reply to a question from a lawmaker of the Left Party.  

Drought in South Africa creates maize shortage
South Africa's economy is in serious trouble. First there was the contraction of the mining industry, followed by the retrenchment in manufacturing and now the farmers are facing a crisis. The major cause of the country's agricultural problems is the long-standing drought, which has reached its driest and hottest levels in over a century.  

Somalia al-Shabab: Deadly attack on SYL hotel in Mogadishu
Militants have stormed a hotel in the Somali capital Mogadishu, leaving at least nine people dead, in an attack claimed by al-Shabab. The attackers set off a car bomb outside the heavily fortified Somali Youth League hotel before moving in. An explosion also targeted a popular park known as the Peace Garden. Police say the attack is now over after they shot and killed four attackers.  

Al Qaeda Makes a Comeback
Intelligence analysts paid close attention last month when al Qaeda's master bombmaker, Ibrahim al Asiri — whose name tops U.S. kill lists — issued an audiotape from his hiding place.  

Deadline expires for homeless at San Francisco tent city
A city deadline for homeless people to vacate a San Francisco tent city came and went Friday evening with no action.  

You should of said, “Don’t you want to know when it’s coming out?”
Senior U.S. defense officials voiced concern about North Korea's nuclear ambitions on Friday as they toured American missile defense sites a day after watching the military test-fire its second intercontinental ballistic missile in a week.  

Syria ceasefire begins under US-Russia deal
Guns fell silent across Syria on Saturday after a landmark UN-backed ceasefire came into effect, the first major truce in five years of civil war that have claimed more than 270,000 lives.  

China is finally facing reality
Zhou Xiaochuan, the head of China's central bank, the People's Bank of China, rarely makes public statements. But with the country's economy slowing down and driving significant volatility in global markets, and with G-20 world leaders meeting in Shanghai, he made a speech.