March 12, 2016

Ojai Earthquakes Widely Felt in Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties
Two moderate and several small earthquakes have been felt mainly in the Ojai area, but also through Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties.  

German anti-refugee party targets 'political earthquake' in elections
“It’s like we’re living in the final phase of the Third Reich, Merkel’s sitting in the Wolf’s Lair or the Führer bunker,” he said, referring to the Nazi leader Adolf Hitler’s favoured hideouts. “She’s redefining the laws of Germany without consulting anyone.”  

Magnitude 5.5 quake rocks Northern Luzon provinces
A magnitude 5.5 earthquake rocked the provinces in the Ilocos and Cagayan Valley regions on Saturday noon (March 12, 2016), a report from the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said. Local Phivolcs Researcher Porferio De Peralta said the 5.5 magnitude quake occurred at exactly 12:00 noon Saturday with an epicenter located at 40 kilometers northwest of Laoag City and a depth of 10 kilometers.  

White House narrows search to three for U.S. Supreme Court
The White House has narrowed its search for a U.S. Supreme Court nominee to three federal appeals court judges, Sri Srinivasan, Merrick Garland and Paul Watford, a source familiar with the selection process said on Friday.  

EPA Spends $295,507 to Track Energy and Water Use of Office Workers
The Environmental Protection Agency is spending nearly $300,000 to develop technology that will track the energy and water use of office buildings, with a colored light bulb system that will send “visual messages” to employees when they are using too much. Lucid Design Group, a California-based software company, received the funding from the agency with the goal to “change the habits” of Americans at work.  

Genetically modified mosquitoes clear key hurdle for Key West test
The release of genetically modified mosquitoes in the Florida Keys cleared a significant hurdle Friday when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced they pose no significant environmental danger. The preliminary findings, to be published in the Federal Register, will be open for public comment for the next 30 days.  

Sidestepping Apple dispute, Obama makes case for access to device data
U.S. President Barack Obama on Friday made a passionate case for mobile devices to be built in such a way as to allow government to gain access to personal data if needed to prevent a terrorist attack or enforce tax laws. ...he made clear that, despite his commitment to Americans' privacy and civil liberties, a balance was needed to allow some intrusion when needed.  

Mikhail Lesin death: Russia demands details from US
Russian officials have criticised a lack of communication by US authorities over the death of Mikhail Lesin, a former aide to President Putin. They said they became aware of details of his injuries only when the medical examiner's report was released on Thursday. Mr Lesin, 57, was found dead in a US hotel four months ago. US coroners say he died of head injuries.  

France accedes to Netanyahu request, shuts down Hamas-run TV station
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed his gratitude on Saturday to French President Francois Hollande after the latter’s government shut down a Hamas television station that aired content which constituted anti-Israel and anti-Jewish incitement. The prime minister had earlier urged Hollande to move against the transmission of Al Aksa television...being broadcast on the French satellite service EUTELSAT.  

Israel strikes 4 Hamas targets in Gaza
The Israeli Air Force carried out strikes against four Hamas targets in the northern part of Gaza, the Israel Defense Forces said Saturday. One 10 year-old Palestinian boy was killed and his 8-year-old sister was injured, according to Palestinian medical sources and the Al Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas.  

Europe’s migrant crisis dims once unassailable Merkel’s aura
Lectured by the president of tiny Macedonia. Challenged at EU summits. Defied by supposed allies in Austria and Bavaria. Such is the lot these days of Europe’s most powerful leader, Angela Merkel. The once-unassailable force in Brussels and Germany is now being worn down by an epic migration crisis.  

Syria opposition to attend Geneva peace talks
Syria's main opposition group said it would attend peace talks on Monday but accused the government of President Bashar al-Assad of preparing to escalate the war to strengthen its negotiating position.  

Source: Clinton IT specialist revealing server details to FBI, 'devastating witness'
Former Hillary Clinton IT specialist Bryan Pagliano, a key witness in the email probe who struck an immunity deal with the Justice Department, has told the FBI a range of details about how her personal email system was set up, according to an intelligence source close to the case who called him a “devastating witness.”  

North Korean leader Kim orders more nuclear tests
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un watched a ballistic missile launch test and ordered the country to improve its nuclear attack capability by conducting more tests, the official KCNA news agency reported on Friday.  

March 11, 2016

Ben Carson plans to endorse Trump
Conservative favorite Ben Carson, who last week suspended his campaign for the Republican presidential nomination, plans to endorse Donald Trump on Friday morning,  

Bid to ban Muslims from replacing UK law with Sharia courts to be put before MPs TODAY
The bill comes amid growing concern over the way Sharia courts are being used by many in the Muslim community as an alternative legal system in Britain and how they are systematically discriminating against women in civil cases such as divorce.  

Engineers develop flexible skin that traps radar waves, cloaks objects
Iowa State University engineers have developed a new flexible, stretchable and tunable "meta-skin" that uses rows of small, liquid-metal devices to cloak an object from the sharp eyes of radar. The meta-skin takes its name from metamaterials, which are composites that have properties not found in nature and that can manipulate electromagnetic waves.  

US Lawmakers Call on EU to Put All of Hezbollah on Terrorist List
In a letter to the European Union’s Ambassador to the United States, David O’Sullivan, U.S. Representatives took the EU to task for pretending there is a legitimate “political” wing of Hezbollah.  

Syrian Opposition Ready to Join Russia, Damascus in Fight Against Terrorism
A range of representatives from the armed Syrian opposition is ready to join efforts with the Russian Aerospace Forces and Damascus government troops in the fight against Daesh and al-Nusra Front, which are both prohibited in a number of countries including Russia and the United States, Russian UN Envoy in Geneva Alexei Borodavkin said.  

North Korean leader Kim orders more nuclear tests: KCNA
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un watched a ballistic missile launch test and ordered the country to improve its nuclear attack capability by conducting more tests, the official KCNA news agency reported on Friday.  

Can the UN legally impose a solution on Israel?
A movement is afoot to get the UN to predetermine borders between Israel and the future 23rd Arab state and to recognize “East Jerusalem” as its capital. Such predetermination would be in violation of the Roadmap which calls for a negotiated solution where “negotiated” implies freedom to say “no”.  

The Pope Wants to Talk to You
Jesuit Pope Francis continues his crusade to pull all the religions together. In a recent prayer video, he stated: “Most of the planet’s inhabitants declare themselves believers. This should lead to dialogue among religions. We should not stop praying for it and collaborating with those who think differently.”  

Russia to ship first S-300 missile system to Iran in Aug-Sept: RIA cites official
The first delivery of Russia's S-300 missile defense system to Iran will take place in August or September this year, RIA news agency on Friday quoted Sergei Chemezov, the head of Russia's industrial conglomerate Rostec, as saying. RIA quoted an unnamed source earlier as saying that first S-300 missiles would be shipped to Iran already in February.  

China angered as U.S. approves frigate sale to Taiwan
China expressed anger on Friday after the U.S. State Department said it had authorized the sale of two surplus U.S. Navy frigates to Taiwan for $190 million, subject to congressional approval, amid rising tension in the South China Sea. China considers self-ruled Taiwan a wayward province, to be brought under its control by force if necessary.  

Kim Jong Un orders more nuclear tests: KCNA
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un watched a ballistic missile launch test and ordered the country to improve its nuclear attack capability by conducting more tests, the official KCNA news agency reported on Friday. The report did not say when the test took place but it was likely referring to North Korea's launch of two short-range missiles on Thursday that flew 500 km (300 miles) and splashed into the sea.  

FBI could force us to turn on iPhone cameras and microphones, says Apple
If the FBI wins in its case against Apple to help it unlock the San Bernardino killer’s iPhone 5C, it won’t be long before the government forces Apple to turn on users’ iPhone cameras and microphones to spy on the... The FBI has demanded that Apple creates custom software that bypasses certain security features of the company’s iOS to allow law enforcement to brute force the passcode of the gunman’s iPhone 5C.  

Nearly 200 cases of Zika in US; officials press for funds
Nearly 200 cases of Zika infection have been reported in the U.S. - all traced to travel abroad. Health officials released the numbers Thursday, and pleaded for Congress to provide $1.9 billion to fight the virus in Latin America and help prevent it from spreading to the continental U.S.  

US claims capture of IS chemical weapons expert
The Pentagon says it captured a chemical weapons expert from the so-called Islamic State (IS) and obtained key information for air strikes. A spokesman said Sulayman Dawud al-Bakkar, also known as Abu Daoud, had been caught in Iraq in February. The Pentagon said the capture had "removed a key IS leader from the battlefield".  

South Sudan militias raped women in lieu of wages, UN says
Militias allied to the South Sudanese army have been allowed to rape women in lieu of wages during fighting against rebel forces, a UN report says. Investigators found that 1,300 women were raped last year in the oil-rich Unity state alone, it added. In a separate report, Amnesty International says more than 60 men and boys were suffocated in a shipping container by government forces.  

As federal Syria idea is floated, Russia says Kurds should have spot at peace talks table
Russia is convinced that the United Nations peace mediator on Syria Staffan de Mistura should take a decision on including ethnic Kurds in Syria peace talks, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Friday. Holding the peace talks without the participation of Kurds would be a "demonstration of weakness" by the international community, Lavrov told a news briefing.  

Rigged Democracy – Nearly 10% Of Democratic Party Superdelegates Are Lobbyists
On July 25, these superdelegates will cast votes at the Democratic National Convention for whomever they want, regardless of primary and caucus outcomes. Democrats like to describe superdelegates as mostly elected officials and prominent party members, including President Obama and former Presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter.  

Saudi could 'turn page' if Iran changes policies
Saudi Arabia and other Gulf monarchies could turn a page and build strong relations with Iran if it respects them and stops "meddling" in their affairs, Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir  

Gingrich: Obama 'sending his contempt' for Reagan with funeral no-show
Newt Gingrich on Thursday ripped into President Barack Obama's decision to skip the funeral of former first lady Nancy Reagan as "sending his contempt" and "hostility" toward the presidency and ideology of Ronald Reagan.  

BDS claims victory as G4S to exit from Israel
G4S noted in its 2015 results on Wednesday that it would be exiting the Israeli market after a review of its portfolio of businesses. The British company said that it has sought to remove dozens of businesses from its portfolio in the last two years and this decision had the same motives as other sales.  

Greece to seek break in debt repayments to creditors
Greece will seek a break in bailout debt repayments as part of negotiations with creditors expected in the spring, Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said Thursday.  

Quake shakes central NZ
Central New Zealand has been shaken by a 4.6 magnitude earthquake. The quake, located in the Cook Strait around 35 kilometres east of Seddon, struck at a depth of 11km at 9.24am on Friday.  

March 10, 2016

Earthquake in India: 2 medium-intensity tremors hit Meghalaya in less than 4 minute
Two medium-intensity earthquakes, both epicentred in and around state capital Shillong, hit Meghalaya today in a span of less than four minutes.  

Exorcist weighs in on 'vampire' murder in Mexico
The murder of a 24-year-old man in Chihuahua, Mexico last month is being considered by authorities as a “possible satanic ritual” designed to transform the victim into a vampire.  

Moderate earthquake: M5 quake has struck near Putre in Chile
A moderate earthquake with magnitude 5 (ml/mb) was detected on Thursday, 68 kilometers (42 miles) from Putre in Chile. Exact location of event, depth 95.37 km, -69.6507° West, -18.8082° South. The temblor was reported at 05:34:12 / 5:34 am (local time epicenter). A tsunami warning has not been issued  

A party that approves shooting refugees is getting really popular in Germany
Alternative for Germany (AfD) has become the country’s third most popular political force, thanks to its aggressive anti-immigration rhetoric. Most recently, AfD leaders shocked moderates when they said they approved shooting refugees who attempt to illegally cross the border.  

Merkel Increasingly Isolated as EU States Close Borders to Migrants
Serbia, Slovenia, Croatia and Macedonia closed their borders to migrants this week — following Bulgaria and Macedonia's decision to do the same on its border with Greece, stranding tens of thousands of migrants and prompting Merkel to say closing borders "is not the solution to the entire problem."  

MRSA superbug’s resistance to antibiotics is broken
Merck Research Laboratories in New Jersey have found a way to break this resistance. They have identified two compounds that make beta-lactam antibiotics powerful against MRSA again. Called tarocin A and tarocin B, these compounds target a different part of a bacterium’s cell wall, called teichoic acid. Neither of these drugs kill bacteria on their own, but when either one is combined with an antibiotic, the combination can kill MRSA in both clinical samples and in infected mice.  

Two-state solution may be dying on Obama's watch
Obama's former special envoy for the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations Martin Indyk stated that the US President and the Secretary of State are seriously concerned that the two state solution will no longer be possible.  

North Korea fires missiles, liquidates South Korea's assets
North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles into the sea on Thursday in defiance of U.N. Security Council resolutions, as South Korean and U.S. forces conducted massive war games. The North also announced it had scrapped all agreements with the South on commercial exchange projects and would "liquidate" South Korean assets left behind in its territory.

‘That’s horse sh*t!’: FBI can already unlock iPhone without Apple’s help – Snowden
NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden said that the FBI’s claim to need Apple to unlock the iPhone a San Bernardino shooter is a sham.  

Leaked ISIS ‘entry forms’ could expose 22,000 terrorists from over 50 states
A batch of leaked Islamic State documents with the names of some 22,000 militants from 51 countries has been passed to UK security services. The papers, which were obtained by Sky News via a defector, could expose terrorists planning attacks in Europe. The files reportedly contain data on 22,000 Islamic State (IS, ISIS/ISIL) recruits from all over the world, including the UK and rest of Europe, the US, Canada, North Africa and Middle East.  

Over 17 Inches of Rain Triggers Historic Flash Flooding In Parts of the South
As feared, torrential rain has triggered major flash flooding across parts of the South, and more heavy rain is yet to fall over the next day or so over the same areas that have been swamped already.  

Light earthquake, 4.6 mag was detected near `Ohonua in Tonga
A light earthquake with magnitude 4.6 (ml/mb) was detected on Friday, 167 km SE of `Ohonua, Tonga (104 miles). A tsunami warning has not been issued (Does not indicate if a tsunami actually did or will exist).  

English-speaking ISIS jihadi warns America they will be attacked 'very soon'...
An English-speaking ISIS jihadi has warned America they will be attacked 'very soon' and 'by Allah's permission do to your country what we did to Paris'. In a chilling new ISIS video, he warns the US and President Barack Obama that the terror group will 'kill, slaughter and burn your people'.  

Migrant crisis: Merkel condemns closure of Balkan route
German Chancellor Angela Merkel has blamed European nations for "unilaterally" shutting the Balkan route for migrants. She said this had put Greece in a "very difficult situation" and such decisions should be taken by the whole of the EU. Austria, Slovenia, Croatia, and non-EU members Serbia and Macedonia have all acted to stem the migrant flow.  

New Zealand cuts interest rates for the fifth time since June
In a surprise move, the Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) has cut its lending rates for the fifth time since June last year to a record low of 2.25%. The bank said the 25 basis point cut was due to global growth worries and weaker demand from China - an important trade partner. New Zealand is the world's largest dairy exporter but the sector has been facing some challenges.  

North Korea 'fires short-range missiles'
North Korea has fired two short-range ballistic missiles into the sea, South Korea's military has said. It said the missiles, launched off the east coast, flew some 500km (310 miles) and fell into the water. Shortly after the launch, Pyongyang announced it "nullifies" all inter-Korean cooperative projects and will liquidate South Korean assets in the country.  

Disillusioned ISIS member turns over details of 22,000 supporters
Thousands of documents identifying 22,000 supporters of Islamic State in over 50 countries were handed over to Sky News by a disillusioned former member of the group... It said it had informed the authorities about the documents, which were on a memory stick stolen from the head of Islamic State's internal security force by a man who had been part of the Free Syrian Army rebel group before joining Islamic State.  

'Iran has never accepted UN resolutions on missile work'
A senior Revolutionary Guards commander has said that Iran's ballistic missile program will not stop under any circumstances and that Tehran has missiles ready to be fired, according to Iranian state television. Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh made his comments after a series of ballistic missile tests conducted by guard units that drew international concern...  

Herzog to Biden: Jews will continue to be murdered if we don't separate from the Palestinians
If Israel does not take steps to separate from the Palestinians, Jews will continue to be killed in terror attacks and the two-state solution will be in danger, opposition leader Isaac Herzog told US Vice President Joe Biden on Thursday. Biden met with Herzog...in a conversation that focused on...terror and on Biden's impressions on the Palestinian issue based on his talks with leaders during his visit.  

Why This Sucker Is Going Down - The Case Of Japan's Busted Bond Market
The world financial system is booby-trapped with unprecedented anomalies, deformations and contradictions. It’s not remotely stable or safe at any speed, and most certainly not at the rate at which today’s robo-machines and fast money traders pivot, whirl, reverse and retrace.  

U.S. forces in Iraq capture ISIS chemical weapons expert
CBS News learned Wednesday that U.S. Special Operation forces in northern Iraq have captured an ISIS commander who was developing chemical weapons. Among them -- mustard gas -- first used by Germany in World War I.  

Germany’s Embrace of Migrants Spawns Rise of Far-Right Leader
In the current tussle for the future of Germany, Frauke Petry is what you might call the anti-Angela Merkel. Where Ms. Merkel, the chancellor, has welcomed refugees, Ms. Petry, a rising far-right leader, has said border guards might need to turn guns on anyone crossing a frontier illegally.  

Biden criticizes Palestinians for not condemning attack
Vice President Joe Biden on Wednesday criticized Palestinians for a “failure to condemn” a stabbing spree that killed an American student and war veteran the day before, after Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ political party posted a statement online praising the stabber.  

Iran fires 2 missiles marked with 'Israel must be wiped out'
Iran test-launched two ballistic missiles Wednesday emblazoned with the phrase "Israel must be wiped out" in Hebrew, Iranian media reported, in a show of power by the Shiite nation as U.S. Vice President Joe Biden's visited Jerusalem.  

March 9, 2016

Flash Flood Emergencies Declared in Louisiana Parishes as Rising Waters Force Evacuations'From the Gulf Coast all the way up into southern Illinois, a days-long rain and storm event is underway, spelling major concerns about severe flooding that may affect millions. Two deaths have been confirmed from flooding brought by this storm system. 
Survey Finds High Level of Support for Instating Religious Law in Israel

The two most interesting reveals were that there is a surprisingly high level of support for incorporating Jewish laws and values into governmental activity, and that almost half of all Jewish respondents (48 percent) favored transferring or expelling Israel’s Arab population. 
In Birthplace of Jesus, Evangelicals Gather to Reject Israel, Embrace Palestinian Cause

Evangelicals are the strongest supporters of Israel, so it is particularly disturbing when a group from within their midst aligns with the Palestinians – even going so far as to support acts of violence against Jews while accusing Israel of violent crimes. Yesterday, while the conference was at its peak, five terror attacks were perpetrated against Israelis.  

Obama starts interviewing candidates for Supreme Court vacancy
President Barack Obama has started to interview candidates for the U.S. Supreme Court... Among the interviewees are Chief Judge Merrick Garland of the U.S. Court of Appeals...(District of Columbia); Judge Sri Srinivasan of the same court; Judge Paul Watford of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals...(San Francisco); Judge Jane Kelly of the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals...(St. Louis); and U.S. District Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, ...(Washington, D.C)....  

Miami’s oceanfront nuclear power plant is leaking
What is arguably America’s least-well-placed nuclear power plant is leaking radiation into the sea. The University of Miami has found that the Turkey Point Nuclear Power Plant, located just south of Miami, has caused levels of tritium, a radioactive isotope, in Biscayne Bay to spike to 200-times higher than normal levels.  

Veil of secrecy lifted on Pentagon office planning ‘Avatar’ fighters and drone swarms
High over Alaska last summer, the Pentagon experimented with new, secret prototypes: Micro-drones that can be launched from the flare dispensers of moving F-16s and F/A-18 fighter jets. Canisters containing the tiny aircraft descended from the jets on parachutes before breaking open, allowing wings on each drone to swing out and catch the wind. Inch-wide propellers on the back provided propulsion as they found one another and created a swarm.  

Migrant crisis: Slovenia moves to 'shut down' Balkans route
Slovenia has introduced new border restrictions for migrants as part of efforts to close the Balkans route from Greece to Western Europe. Only migrants who plan to seek asylum in the country, or those with clear humanitarian needs will be allowed entry. In reaction, Serbia said it would close its borders with Macedonia and Bulgaria to those without valid documents.  

Zika virus: Sexual transmission 'more common than thought'
Sexual transmission of the Zika virus is more common than previously thought, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). After an emergency committee meeting on Tuesday, the UN health agency also said there was increasing evidence of links between Zika and various birth defects. Zika is most commonly spread by mosquitoes but several countries have reported cases of sexual transmission.  

Japanese court orders nuclear reactors offline
A court in Japan has ordered Kansai Electric Power to shut down two of its reactors in Takahama, western Japan. The Otsu District Court ruling came after complaints by local residents about the safety of the plant. It comes ahead of the fifth anniversary of the earthquake and tsunami that led to the Fukushima nuclear disaster.  

Amid ballistics test, Iran officer says missiles designed to reach Israel
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) test-fired two ballistic missiles on Wednesday morning that it said were designed to be able to hit Israel, defying a threat of new sanctions from the United States. The launches followed the test-firing of several missiles on Tuesday as part of a major military exercise that the IRGC says is intended to "show Iran's deterrent power and... ability to confront any threat".  

Amid bout of attacks, Netanyahu decides to complete barrier in Jerusalem area
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu decided to complete the security barrier in the area of Jerusalem in the aftermath of the three terror attacks Tuesday, in which an American graduate student was killed and 15 people were injured. The attacks occurred around the time that US Vice President Joe Biden landed in Israel for a two-day visit.  

LAPD’s First Openly Gay Officer Charged In Domestic Violence Case
The Los Angeles Police Department’s first openly gay officer will make his first court appearance Tuesday on domestic violence charges.  

Iran Threatens to Walk Away From Nuke Deal After New Missile Test
Iran on Tuesday again threatened to walk away from the nuclear agreement reached last year with global powers, hours after the country breached international agreements by test-firing ballistic missiles.  

Sweden Warns Women Not To Go Out Alone After Dark: "This Is Serious"
As you might have noticed, Europe is falling apart. Some manner of ambiguous “deal” with the Turks notwithstanding, the EU is going to collapse under the weight of the millions of asylum seekers that have inundated the bloc over the past 12 months.  

China is turning to Reaganomics to fix its economy
Xi’s plan includes tax cuts, deregulation and reductions in state spending—economic policies you might expect to come from the desk of Reagan or Thatcher. We might also expect the results of these policies to be the same in China as in the U.S. and United Kingdom in the 1980s: a boom in entrepreneurship and innovation.  

American killed in Tel Aviv stabbing spree as Biden visits
A Palestinian went on a stabbing spree along the Tel Aviv waterfront Tuesday as US Vice President Joe Biden arrived in the city, leaving an American tourist dead and 12 people wounded, police said.  

North Korea's Kim says country has miniaturized nuclear warhead: KCNA
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said the country has miniaturized nuclear warheads to be mounted on ballistic missiles, the North's KCNA news agency reported on Wednesday.  

Top ISIS thug may have been killed in US airstrike
A red-bearded Islamic State commander described by American officials as the group’s de facto minister of war may have been killed in an air strike in Syria on Friday by the U.S.-led coalition, several U.S. officials said on Tuesday.  

March 8, 2016

Shoulder-mounted SkyWall launcher takes aim at illegal drones
From trained eagles to radio beam disabling systems, countermeasures to deal with rogue drones illegally entering sensitive airspace are proliferating almost as fast as drones themselves. British engineering firm OpenWorks' approach to dealing with unmanned aerial interlopers takes the form of a shoulder-mounted launcher that captures errant aircraft in a net from up to 100 m (330 ft) away.  

Late night tells 3 times as many jokes about 2016 Republicans as Democrats
Republican presidential candidates frequently complain about reporters, but they routinely face even greater ridicule by a wing of the media that makes no pretense to being fair and balanced — television’s late-night humorists.  

Report: Obama to Enlist Anti-Israel UN in Last-Ditch Effort for Middle East Peace
Obama plans to make one more desperate bid for peace between Israel and the Palestinians by way of an international body known to be hostile to Israel – the United Nations (UN).According to a report from the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), Obama’s last-ditch effort to revive Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations is likely to include a UN Security Council resolution which would set a framework for a viable deal.  

White House surprised as Netanyahu cancels U.S. visit
Netanyahu was expected to be in the United States to attend the annual conference of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. Monday the White House announced the one-on-one was canceled. Netanyahu will address the conference by satellite, a source told CNN, saying he chose not to visit the United States during the bitter 2016 presidential election campaign.  

China says it won't budge on South China Sea sovereignty
China's foreign minister took a hard line Tuesday on the country's claims to virtually all the South China Sea, saying Beijing won't permit other nations to infringe on what it considers its sovereign rights in the strategically vital area, APA reports quoting Associated Press.  

Obama’s Lobbing Yet Another ‘Peace Plan’ at Israel
This one, the White House threatens, may involve a United Nations Security Council Resolution that will impose a solution, rather than the Israelis and the Palestinian Arabs working out the details of how they will co-exist “side by side in peace and security.”  

The World Is Getting Worse, But This Time America Won't Save It
The United States is led by a president whose primary foe seems to be the prime minister of Israel, even though the prime minister's country happens to be the freest, most moral and most pro-American country in the Middle East. The commander of the U.S. Pacific Command recently told Congress "that China is clearly militarizing the South China Sea," in order to gain "hegemony in East Asia."  

Iran Revolutionary Guards conduct ballistic missile test
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) test-fired several ballistic missiles from silos across the country on Tuesday, state television said, defying recent U.S. sanctions on its missile program.  

6.2 magnitude earthquake strikes southwest of Samoa
A 6.2 magnitude earthquake has struck off the Samoa islands, Geoscience Australia and the US Geological Survey (USGS) reported, adding that the epicenter of the quake is about 200km from Apia, the capital and largest city of the island country.  

Ex-Guantanamo prisoners suspected of rejoining militants increases: U.S.
The number of former Guantanamo Bay prison inmates who are suspected of having returned to fighting for militants doubled to 12 in the six months through January, the Obama administration said on Monday. The increase could fuel Republican attacks on Democratic President Barack Obama's plan to close the U.S. military prison in Cuba...  

Iran Revolutionary Guards conduct ballistic missile test
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) test-fired several ballistic missiles from silos across the country on Tuesday, state television said, defying recent U.S. sanctions on its missile program. The test happened two months after the United States sanctioned businesses and individuals linked to Iran's missile program over a test of the medium-range Emad missile carried out in October 2015.  

Biden coming to Israel to discuss US military aid
US Vice President Joe Biden will land in Israel on Tuesday afternoon, six years after his last visit. Biden's main objective for the visit is working to convince Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to sign a new Memorandum of Understanding between Israel and the United States, which will ensure Washington's continued security aid to Jerusalem for the next 10 years.  

Migrant crisis: EU and Turkey plan one-in, one-out deal
The EU and Turkey say they have agreed the broad principles of a plan to ease the migration crisis. Under the plan discussed in Brussels, all migrants arriving in Greece from Turkey would be returned. For each Syrian sent back, a Syrian already in Turkey would be resettled in the EU. Turkey would also get extra funding and progress on EU integration.  

Report: Obama considering peace push, including UN Security Council resolution
US President Barack Obama intends to renew his efforts to revive Israeli-Palestinian peace talks during the remainder of his term in office... The plans for a new peace push, reported as US Vice President Joe Biden was set to visit Israel on Tuesday, could possibly include a UN Security Council resolution that would provide a framework for a deal between Israel and the Palestinians, according to the report.  

Bloomberg decides against third-party bid for White House
Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said Monday that he will not run for president, citing a concern that his independent bid would hand the White House to Donald Trump or Ted Cruz.  

U.S. airstrike kills more than 150 at Somalia terrorist camp, military says
The United States launched a series of airstrikes on an al-Shabab training camp in Somalia Saturday, killing more than 150 militants and averting what a Pentagon official described as an “imminent threat” posed by the group to both U.S. and African Union troops stationed in the war-torn country.  

Air strike hits Syrian market, opposition says truce must be respected
A Syrian or Russian air strike was reported to have killed at least 19 people and possibly many more at a market in northwestern Syria on Monday, straining a cessation of hostilities agreement meant to pave the way for peace talks.  

Oberlin trustees fire back at school, crackpot prof
Trustees and alumni at a presitigious Ohio college are turning up the heat on the school administration, which has so far taken no action against a nutty professor who believes Jews were behind 9/11 and the Charlie Hebdo terror attack in France.  

Israel's Netanyahu declines offer to meet with Obama: White House
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has declined an offer to meet President Barack Obama at the White House later this month and canceled his trip to Washington, the White House said on Monday, citing Israeli news reports.  

Sexual Assaults Soar At Swedish Swimming Pools After Refugee Influx
Young male asylum seekers have turned Sweden's public swimming pools into ordeals of rape and sexual assault.  

March 7, 2016

According to US Navy, US naval strike group John C. Stennis completed routine operations in the South China Sea.
The US naval strike group John C. Stennis completed routine operations in the South China Sea, challenging territorial claims by China in what the United States and other nations consider international waters, the US Navy said in a press release on Monday.  

What Do Israelis Really Think About Trump, Clinton and Bernie?
Trump is seen by many as the most “Israeli” candidate, sharing the sometimes grating characteristics that Israelis are known for – aggression, bluntness, and arrogance, among others. The traits, while many view them negatively, indicate strength and toughness, qualities Israelis believe are necessary for wading into the Middle East conflict.  

Beware Twitter Users: Your Tweets Help The Government Predict The Future
Everything that people used to keep to themselves in previous generations, is now willingly shouted into the internet abyss for all to hear. Social media users often feel free to share their most controversial, subversive, and inflammatory thoughts on a platform that could reach millions of people.  

Swedish Liberals Propose Abortions for Men
The youth wing of Sweden's Liberal Party has proposed that men who don't want to be fathers are allowed a "legal abortion," the Aftonbladet newspaper reported.  

Messianic Soldiers In The Israeli Army: Bolder Than Ever About Their Faith
From the survey results, it is clear that openness about Yeshua (Jesus) in the Israeli army is indeed the new "normal". Of those Messianic soldiers asked by KNI, a remarkable 96% say that their fellow soldiers know of their belief in Yeshua as the Messiah.  

Mr. President, Mr. Secretary: It is Genocide. Say so!
Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry have until March 17th to issue a determination that ISIS’ attacks on Christians in the Mideast are genocide. Time is running out. The foot-dragging and hesitancy of this administration in calling it genocide is inexplicable. Why do they have to be prodded to do what is right?  

Judge Napolitano: Grand Jury May Soon Indict Hillary
FOX News posted a video by Judge Andrew Napolitano (shown) to its website Thursday where the judge lays out the details for his belief that Clinton will be indicted in the coming weeks.  

Muslims In Brooklyn Take Over City Street With ‘Prayer Service’ In Show Of Force And Intimidation
The real question you need to be asking is not why are Muslims praying, why are the praying on a public sidewalk, shutting the entire street down in the process? Isn't that what their mosques are for, to assemble in large groups and pray to their god? Why is this being done in large numbers outside?  

Report: ISIS gunmen stage mutiny, kill local commander in de facto capital
According to the reports, Abu Ali al-Tunisi, the commander of the military wing of ISIS' northern Syria branch, was killed by his former charges. The incident was apparently precipitated by growing tension within the military wing over divisions of powers on the ground as well as the distribution of profits.  

Seething fury led up to Revolutionary War
“If we submit to these regulations, all is gone. … Our forefathers passed the vast Atlantic, spent their blood and treasure, that they might enjoy their liberties, both civil and religious, and transmit them to their posterity. … Now if we should give them up, can our children rise up and call us blessed?”  

Indonesia leader calls on Muslim world to unite on Palestine
-Indonesia's president on Monday urged a summit of Muslim nations to be part of the solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict rather than part of the problem.  

Jews fear as neo-Nazis gain support in Europe
The Our Slovakia party gained 14 parliamentary seats in Slovakia's recent elections, taking its place at the National Council for the first time. The far right extremists scored 8 percent in an election that failed to produce a majority result. European Jewish Congress President Dr. Moshe Kantor explained that hate-groups disguised as democratic parties are entering European parliaments.  

China angered by planned U.S. export restrictions on ZTE
China's Foreign Ministry expressed anger on Monday at the U.S. Commerce Department's plans to place export restrictions on Chinese telecoms equipment-maker ZTE Corp for allegedly violating U.S. export controls on Iran. The restrictions will take effect Tuesday, Reuters has learned, and apply to any company worldwide that wants to ship American-made products to ZTE Corp in China. Those companies are not the target of the export curbs on ZTE.

Migrant crisis: EU rift on Balkan route as summit starts
The EU has begun a crucial summit on the migrant crisis, but a rift has already emerged on the closure of the main route through the Balkans. A draft communique had revealed the EU was about to declare the route "now closed", but the German government rejected this as "speculation". Turkey is also attending the summit, which is tackling Europe's worst refugee crisis since World War Two.  

Tunisia kills militants near Libya border
Tunisian security forces have killed 21 militants after they launched a cross-border raid from Libya, the government says. Fighting followed an attack on an army base and a police station in the eastern town of Ben Guerdane. Four civilians were also killed in the clashes, according to the interior ministry.  

Rare 2,500-year-old woman’s seal from First Temple period unearthed in Jerusalem
Who was Elihana bat Gael? An exceptional woman during Jerusalem’s First Temple period, some 2,500 years ago, according to the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA). A rare seal bearing her name was recently unearthed in a large ancient building during excavations carried out in the Giv’ati parking lot at the City of David, in the Jerusalem Walls National Park, the IAA announced on Sunday.  

Federal Judge May Release New Documents Related To Obama’s Targeted Assassination Program
On Friday, U.S. District Court Judge Colleen McMahon ordered the Obama Administration to hand over three documents related to the targeted assassination program for the court’s review and possible release to the public. The three documents relate to the law and policy that govern the controversial program.  

Will Russia End Up Controlling 73% of Global Oil Supply?
Russia has played a master stroke in the current oil crisis by taking the lead in forming a new cartel, but it’s a move that could spell geopolitical disaster. The meeting between Russia, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela on 16 February 2016 was the first step. During the next meeting in mid-March, which is with a larger group of participants, if Russia manages to build a consensus—however small—it will further strengthen its leadership position.  

ISIS Suicide Bomb Kills At Least 70 South Of Baghdad
A truck bomb at an Iraqi checkpoint south of Baghdad killed at least 60 people and wounded more than 70 on Sunday, medical and security officials said, and Islamic State claimed responsibility for the blast.  

Mysterious repeating signals arriving from deep space
Researchers just announced the discovery of radio signals from beyond our galaxy that are behaving in strange ways. Fast radio bursts—or FRBs—are very rare, very quick blasts of radio waves originating billions of light years  

N. Korea threatens pre-emptive nuclear strike on South, US
North Korea threatened "indiscriminate" nuclear strikes against South Korea and the US mainland, as the two allies prepared to kick off large-scale joint military drills on Monday.  

New Proposal to Divide Jerusalem Unites People Against It
A new plan on how to divide Jerusalem’s Jewish and Arab neighborhoods has had the peculiar distinction of uniting people against it.  

March 6, 2016

Severe Weather, Flood Threats Return to Plains, South This Week
A dual threat of severe thunderstorms and heavy rain is shaping up in parts of the Plains and South this week. While some locations may see strong to severe storms, flash flooding will likely be the biggest concern from the Gulf Coast to possibly as far north as the Ohio Valley. Through this weekend, an impressive storm system will barrel onshore across the West, then dive east and southeast across the country.  

Heavy Rain, Feet of Snow Target California as 'Miracle March' Atmospheric River Weather Pattern Arrives
A "miracle March" parade of Pacific storms that may last well into the week ahead has begun soaking California and other parts of the West Coast. Saturday night into early Sunday morning, roads were flooded around San Jose and Oakland. Mudslides also created traffic issues, including in Santa Cruz where a mudslide and basketball sized boulders blocked a south bound lane on highway 17.  

Nancy Reagan, Actress Who Became Powerful First Lady, Dies at 94
Former first lady Nancy Reagan, who as an aspiring actress married affable leading man Ronald Reagan, and then offered her unfailing support and Hollywood style as his unlikely political career took them to the Sacramento’s governor’s mansion and then all the way to the White House, has died. She was 94.  

South Korea and US set for 'largest ever' war games
The US and South Korea are set to begin their largest ever joint military exercises amid high tensions on the Korean peninsula. More than 300,000 South Korean and 15,000 US troops will take part in the drills, Yonhap news agency reported, citing a military official. South Korean defence minister Han Min-koo has said the exercises will be twice the size of last year.  

Ahead of Biden visit, Netanyahu rejects speculation of pending collapse of US-Israel ties
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday morning rejected speculation by some that relations between Israel and the United States are on the verge of collapse, pointing toward US Vice President Joe Biden's upcoming visit as a reflection of the two nation's strong ties. Netanyahu added that relations remain strong on all fronts, and that Israel and the US stand in solidarity to face challenges in the Middle East.  

ISIS branch calls on Muslims to kill 'Russian apostates', vows to attack Putin
Islamic State's so-called 'Caucasus Province' has called on Russian Muslims to "kill apostates in Russia," vowing to attack President Vladimir Putin and implement Sharia in the country. In a video titled "Profitable Trading" released by the ISIS branch in the Northern Caucasus region of Russia on Saturday, the group's fighters urged Muslims in Russia to join them, claiming that "the Caliphate is already here."  

Egypt imposes entrance ban on Hezbollah's leaders following Gulf's declaration
Egypt has allegedly put Hezbollah's leaders on the list of people banned from entering the state, as a part of its commitment to the security of Gulf States. According to Arab media reports, an Egyptian security official said that Egypt decided to ban Hezbollah leaders from entering the state following the latest decision of the Gulf Cooperation Council to label Hezbollah as a terrorist organization.  

Russia ‘stoking refugee unrest in Germany to topple Angela Merkel’
Russia is trying to topple Angela Merkel by waging an information war designed to stir up anger in Germany over refugees, Nato’s most senior expert on strategic communications has claimed.  

How Fiduciary Rule May Censor Financial Broadcasters Like Dave Ramsey
Popular financial radio show host Dave Ramsey caused a firestorm on Twitter TWTR +0.26% last week when he weighed in against the “fiduciary rule”—the controversial pending Department of Labor regulation that would impose new restrictions on a vast swath of financial professionals who handle IRAs and 401(k) accounts.  

Taliban reject peace talks with Afghan government
The Taliban on Saturday refused to hold direct peace talks with the Afghan government, dealing a blow to international efforts to revive long-stalled negotiations aimed at ending the deadly 14-year insurgency.  

Assad must go at start of Syria transition, says Saudi
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad must leave office as soon as a transitional authority is set up, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said Saturday, insisting there is no way he can retain power.  

Canada is pretty much out of gold
The Canadian government’s gold reserves had been steadily declining since the mid-1960s, when the commodity rich nation stored more than 1,000 tonnes. Half of that gold stock was by 1985, with the most significant portions of reserves sold through the 1990s to 2002. As of 2015, Canada had only three tonnes of gold in storage.