December 24, 2016

What are the implications of the UN Security Council’s anti-Israel vote? Here’s the short version.For now, it’s important to note that this is not simply the meaningless act of UN diplomats blowing hot air. This resolution actually puts the State of Israel, our leaders, our citizens and businesses who work with and trade with us in very serious legal jeopardy.   

Speaker Ryan: Obama abstention 'absolutely shameful'

House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) on Friday blasted the Obama administration over its decision to abstain in the UN Security Council vote on a resolution against “Israeli settlements”, calling it "absolutely shameful."  

Obama Joins the Jackals
Obama admin 'stabs Israel in the back' with UN vote on settlements. Multiple sources from across the Jewish organizational world and in Congress are accusing the Obama administration of stabbing “Israel in the back” on Friday by choosing not to veto a United Nations resolution censuring the Jewish state, according to conversations with sources.  

Earthquake Felt in Dubrovnik
A strong earthquake with a magnitude of 4.4 has been felt in Dubrovnik and the surrounding areas. It's epicentre is in Montenegro, at a depth of 13 kilometres. The earthquake struck at 00:39 on Christmas Eve, and follows the recent tremor near Split which registered 4.8 on the Richter scale.  

FBI issues warning to U.S. churches after ISIS calls for terror attacks
The FBI has issued a warning to U.S. churches to be vigilant for threats coming from Islamic State sympathizers after the terror groups called for attacks around the Christmas festival. This warning has expanded from those in the past that warned against attacks against military and law enforcement targets, saying that terror groups “continue aspirational calls for attacks on holiday gatherings, including targeting churches.”  

Six new mysterious blasts of radio energy are detected from deep space
It may be three billion light-years away from Earth, but this distant constellation could be trying to contact us. Six bursts of radio waves have been detected from the constellation Auriga, each lasting just a few milliseconds. While the source of the waves remains unknown, some suggest they mysterious bursts of energy could be a sign of alien life trying to contact us.  

US issues Jordan travel warning after deadly attacks
The US State Department has issued a travel warning for all of Jordan because of "threats from terrorist groups" after recent deadly attacks. It said so-called Islamic State (IS) and its affiliates "continue to plot assaults" in the country. More than a dozen people, including a Canadian tourist, have been killed in attacks in Jordan since last week.  

Israel settlements: Netanyahu rejects 'shameful' UN vote
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says a UN call to end settlement activity on occupied land is "shameful". He stressed that Israel would not abide by Friday's vote at the 15-member UN Security Council. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' spokesman said the resolution was a "big blow to Israeli policy".  

'Israel rejects the anti-settlement resolution at the United Nations'
"Israel rejects the anti-Israel resolution at the United Nations," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Office said in a statement Friday night, calling the UN vote "shameful" and stating that Israel would not abide by it. The Security Council is not doing anything to stop the slaughter of half a million people in Syria, instead they turn their focus on Israel, stated the Prime Minister's Office.  

Trump on Putin's criticism of Hillary Clinton and Democrats: 'So true!'
President-elect Donald Trump tweeted his agreement with Vladimir Putin on Friday evening, after the Russian president said top Democrats were humiliating themselves by blaming their election loss on alleged Russian hacking. "Vladimir Putin said today abo  

Arctic heatwave could break records
Temperatures at the North Pole could be up to 20 degrees higher than average this Christmas Eve, in what scientists say is a record-breaking heatwave.  

Trump warns UN after Israel vote: 'Things will be different' soon
President-elect Donald Trump slammed the Obama administration for its decision not to veto a U.N. resolution critical of Israel's settlements, promising that it would be "different" under his presidency.  

UN demands end to Israeli settlements after US abstains
The UN Security Council demanded that Israel halt settlements in Palestinian territory, after the United States refrained from vetoing a resolution condemning its closest Middle East ally. In a rare and momentous step, the United States instead abstained, enabling the adoption of the first UN resolution since 1979 to condemn Israel over its settlement policy.  

Berlin truck attack suspect shot dead by police in Italy
Italian police shot dead the man believed responsible for this week's Berlin Christmas market truck attack, killing him after he pulled a gun on them during a routine check in the early hours of Friday.  

Backlash Swells in Germany as Hunt for Terrorist Ends
The hunt for the suspect in the deadly attack on a Berlin Christmas market ended before dawn Friday in a shootout with Italian police near Milan, but the political fallout was just beginning to gather force.  

Earthquake hits near New Mexico-Colorado border
CIMARRON, N.M. (AP) - The U.S. Geological Survey is reporting a magnitude 4.5 earthquake in a remote area just south of the New Mexico-Colorado border.  

COMMENTARY: Why do we need the Electoral College?
We have just experienced an election when the popular vote went to Clinton while the Electoral College votes went to Trump. This outcome has happened four times before and should not be regarded as a first-time event in our nation's history. The outcry is that the election is somehow rigged. However, our presidential election process was set up to accomplish exactly what happened. Here's why:  

December 23, 2016

Trump Saves the Day on Obama-Backed Anti-Settlements UNSC Resolution
President-Elect Donald Trump engaged in his first act as leader of the free world on Thursday, when his tweet stopped the game clock on an Egyptian anti-settlements UN Security Council resolution.  

Molten iron river discovered speeding beneath Russia and Canada
This stream of liquid has been discovered for the first time by telltale magnetic field readings 3000 kilometres below North America and Russia taken from space. The vast jet stream some 420 kilometres wide has trebled in speed since 2000, and is now circulating westwards at between 40 and 45 kilometres per year deep under Siberia and heading towards beneath Europe.  

Superstar reporter warns 'fake news' panic is censorship trap
Sharyl Attkisson spotted the fake news trend long before it became a recent catchphrase. And she doesn’t portray it, as do many in the mainstream media, as some right-wing conspiracy. In fact, Attkisson told WND she often sees the mainstream media as prime culprits when they push suspect stories.  

ISIS burns 2 Turkish servicemen alive, releases gruesome video
Islamic State terrorists have released a video which purportedly shows two captured Turkish soldiers being burned alive in Aleppo province, Syria. Jihadists said it was a revenge for Ankara’s involvement in a "war against Muslims".  

Report: Israel asked Trump to intervene to avert UN vote on settlements
Fearing that outgoing President Obama intended to abstain on a UN Security Council vote to end Israeli settlements, Israel reached out to Trump to enter the fray and exert pressure, bringing about a delay on the vote.  

You know who did it’ – Putin hints at WESTERN hand in ambassador assassination
“But maybe - and it is highly likely - that representatives of foreign NATO secret services are behind it.”  

The Seeds of Messiah Planted in the Ruins of Amona
Rabbi Yosef Berger, the rabbi of King David’s Tomb on Mount Zion, told Breaking Israel News that, as Rabbi Eliyahu explained, suffering always precedes great achievements for Israel.  

Storm Barbara LIVE: Latest path updates, maps, charts and weather warnings
FIVE weather warnings are now in place for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland with the Christmas 2016 weather forecast threatening more violent storms for Britain. Storm Barbara will bring winds of more than 90mph and 20ft waves to western Scotland, with Northern Ireland, northern England and north Wales also at severe risk.  

UN to Vote on Draft Resolution, Demands Israel "Immediately Cease All Settlement Activities"
““Here in Israel we are at the forefront of the battle between radical Islamic terror and freedom […] we are out there fighting for you, for the free world. Whoever today supports a resolution against Israel is in effect raising his hand for the forces of evil.”  

Russia, Syria Turn The Tide In Syrian Civil War
The last civilians and rebel fighters left the city of Aleppo Thursday, giving the Assad regime complete and total control of the city for the first time in four years.  

FLASHBACK: Newcasters Ridiculed Idea Miss. Church Burning Wasn’t A Hate Crime
The arrest of a black suspect in the burning of a black Mississippi church has left egg on the faces of the The Young Turks, which last month ridiculed the possibility the attack wasn’t a hate crime.  

Putin to Democratic Party: You lost, get over it
“Democrats are losing on every front and looking for people to blame everywhere,” Putin said in answer to a Russian TV host, one of 1,400 journalists accredited to the marathon session. “They need to learn to lose with dignity.”  

Trump tweets about nuclear weapons, raising questions and fears
President-elect Donald Trump called for an expansion of the United States' nuclear capabilities on Thursday, in a tweet that alarmed nonproliferation experts who said that a boost to the U.S. arsenal could fuel global tensions. In his Twitter post, Trump said, "The United States must greatly strengthen and expand its nuclear capability until such time as the world comes to its senses regarding nukes," but gave no further details.  

ISIS Puts Out Holiday Attack List Of U.S. Churches
The Islamic State published the names and addresses of thousands of churches in the United States and called on its adherents to attack them during the holiday season...posted...in the group’s “Secrets of Jihadis” social media group. A...message...announced the group’s plans to utilize its network of lone wolf attackers to “turn the Christian New Year into a bloody horror movie.”  

Egypt delays UN motion on Israel as Trump intervenes
Egypt has delayed a UN vote on a text condemning Israeli settlements in occupied territory after Israel asked Donald Trump to intervene. Israel contacted the US president-elect's transition team after learning that the Obama administration might abstain in a Security Council vote. The move would have allowed the motion to pass, a US official told the BBC.  

Melbourne Christmas Day 'terror attack' foiled, say Australia police
Australian police have foiled a major terror attack in Melbourne on Christmas Day, officials say. Three men detained in early morning raids on Friday are facing terror charges. Three other people were held but later released. The plot involved the use of explosives and other weapons, police say.  

Successful Ebola vaccine will be fast-tracked for use
A highly effective vaccine that guards against the deadly Ebola virus could be available by 2018, says the World Health Organization. Trials conducted in Guinea, one of the West African countries most affected by an outbreak of Ebola that ended this year, show it offers 100% protection. The vaccine is now being fast-tracked for regulatory approval.  

Man wanted for Berlin Christmas market terror attack shot dead in Milan
The suspect in the Berlin Christmas market truck attack was killed in a shoot-out in a suburb of the northern Italian city of Milan on Friday, Italy's interior minister said. Anis Amri, a 24-year-old Tunisian national, was wanted for the death of 12 and injury of over 50 when he crashed his truck into the winter festival in the German capital.  

With iron will and key allies, Syria's Assad defies expectations
Written off by the West, Syria's President Bashar al-Assad has defied all expectations of his downfall, thanks to his iron will but also his crucial alliances with Russia and Iran. Syria's army declared Thursday it has recaptured all of Aleppo, allowing the 51-year-old president to deal a potentially knock-out blow to the opposition forces that rose up against him in 2011.  

Metro working with Trump inaugural committee to design SmarTrip covers
A day after Metro started selling special inauguration-themed SmarTrip cards that don't feature President-elect Donald Trump, the transit agency confirmed it's designing special sleeves for the fare cards that will feature the incoming president.  

Gene drive’ moratorium shot down at UN biodiversity meeting
World governments at a United Nations biodiversity meeting this week rejected calls for a global moratorium on gene drives, a technology that can rapidly spread modified genes through populations and could be used to engineer entire species.  

What India Has Done To Its Money Is Sickening And Immoral
IN NOVEMBER India's government perpetrated an unprecedented act that is not only damaging its economy and threatening destitution to countless millions of its already poor citizens but also breathtaking in its immorality. Without any warning India abruptly scrapped 85% of its currency. That's right: Most of the country's cash ceased to be legal tender. Shocked citizens were given only a few weeks' notice to take their cash and turn it in at a bank for new bills.  

Katie Couric to Guest Host ‘Today Show’ Despite Deceptive Editing Controversy
NBC News will install Katie Couric as a guest co-host on the “Today Show” beginning in January despite controversy surrounding deceptive editing in her recent gun documentary, according to a report published on Wednesday.   
Muslim students demand prayer rooms in every 'major building'

Students at the University of Maryland have released a list of 64 demands in their effort make the campus more amenable to “marginalized student populations.” The project, known as ProtectUMD, is a collaborative effort between 25 student organizations at the University of Maryland, including Students for Justice in Palestine, Bisexuals at Maryland, and the Black Student Union.  

December 22, 2016

France to convene Middle East peace conference on Jan. 15
France will convene some 70 countries on Jan. 15 for a Middle East peace conference in Paris, its foreign minister said on Thursday, and will invite the Israeli and Palestinian leaders to meet separately at its conclusion.  

IDF Prepares for Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Warfare
The IDF is preparing to deal with unconventional threats on Israel’s northern border, including those involving nuclear, biological and chemical warfare. The “Yahalom” Special Operations Engineering Unit has established the new Seyfan company for this purpose, which last week joined the unit for its first training exercise.  

Congress: Obama Admin Fired Top Scientist to Advance Climate Change Plans
A new congressional investigation has determined that the Obama administration fired a top scientist and intimidated staff at the Department of Energy in order to further its climate change agenda, according to a new report that alleges the administration ordered top officials to obstruct Congress in order to forward this agenda.  

ISIS BLOODBATH: Turkey kills 1,005 terrorists in major assault in Syria in Russia REVENGE
More than 1,000 jihadis allied to ISIS - also known by the Arabic acronym Daesh - have been killed in the fighting and at least 16 Turkish troops also died while dozens have been injured. Turkey’s army said in a statement: “Once this area has been seized, Daesh's dominance of al-Bab will to a large extent be broken.”  

To Islamists, the Germans are a bunch of cowards
Islamists consider the Germans as a bunch of cowards. “You love life, we love death”, they continue to repeat. Because wherever they look, the combatants of Allah see only people and governments only too ready to capitulate. And Germany is Europe’s soft underbelly.  

FEMA exposed hundreds to potentially fatal toxin
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has acknowledged that hundreds of Ohio emergency responders were exposed to a potentially fatal toxin while training at a FEMA facility in Alabama, according to an Associated Press report. Ricin is a poison found naturally in castor beans that kills cells by preventing them from creating protein. Exposure to the toxin can lead to death.  

THE SOLAR WIND HAS ARRIVED
Earth is inside a stream of solar wind blowing out of a huge hole in the sun's atmosphere. NOAA forecasters estimate a 60% chance of G1-class geomagnetic storms on Dec. 22nd.  

Stunning photos capture rare snow in the Sahara Desert
Incredible photos capture freak snowfall in the Sahara Desert, believed to be first time it has fallen on the unforgiving red dunes in almost 40 years.  

Russian ambassador's assassin 'guarded Recep Tayyip Erdogan'
Mevlut Mert Altintas, 22, served on police details backing up Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s personal body guards eight times since the failed military coup that rocked Turkey in July, Abdülkadir Selvi, a columnist known for his close ties to the government, wrote in Hurriyet on Wednesday.  

Israel urges U.S. to veto U.N. resolution on halting settlements
Israel urged the United States on Thursday to veto a U.N. Security Council draft resolution calling for an immediate halt to settlement building on occupied land that Palestinians want for a state. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took to Twitter in the dead of night in Israel to make the appeal, in a sign of concern that President Barack Obama might take a parting shot...  

EPA Employees Not ‘Intentionally’ Breaking Law By Deleting Official Texts, IG Claims
“I applaud the inspector general at EPA for recognizing that there is a problem with EPA officials using texting for official business and the conflict it presents for maintaining records,” Smith said in a statement. “Out of the 3.1 million text messages analyzed by the IG, only 86 of the text messages were logged into the enterprise system at EPA as a federal record.  

WH Boasts: Obama Commuted More Criminal Sentences ‘Than Last 11 Presidents Combined’
The White House is boasting that with the 153 federal inmates that President Barack Obama granted clemency yesterday, Obama has now commuted more criminal sentences than all the presidents going back to Harry Truman combined.  

Obama Has Provoked WW III Three SeparateTimes Since the Election
For the past 12 hours, Trump supporters are breathing a collective sigh of relief that President-elect Trump was abe to withstand the latest attack upon his ability to obtain the Presidency. Between the long arm of the George Soros bribery machine and the Communist-type pressure techniques of the DNC, the Electors were able to withstand thee pressures and do the right thing by electing Donald Trump.  

Texas Senator Konni Burton is taking on “policing for profit” with anti-asset forfeiture bill
Civil asset forfeiture has been a massive breach in the rights of American citizens happening right under their nose, yet not often spoken about. For those who don’t know what it is, civil asset forfeiture is, it was originally intended as a crime fighting tool to prevent drug trafficking. However, it has been abused far too often to enrich departments.  

Tiny quakes ‘the heartbeat’ of Mount St. Helens
More than 120 tiny earthquakes have taken place during a seven-day period recently beneath Mount St. Helens, but the U.S. Geological Survey said there are no signs of an imminent eruption. Beginning Nov. 21, the USGS said, four swarms of small quakes were detected. The tiny earthquakes were mostly too small — magnitude 0.3 or less — to be exactly located by the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network or even felt on the surface.  

Trump appoints China critic Peter Navarro to trade post
US President-elect Donald Trump has appointed economist Peter Navarro, a fierce critic of China, as the head of a new national trade body. He will lead the White House National Trade Council, and serve as director of trade and industrial policy. Mr Navarro advised Mr Trump during the campaign. His books include The Coming China Wars and Death by China.  

IS conflict: 14 Turkish soldiers dead in worst day's loss yet
Fourteen Turkish soldiers have been killed in fierce fighting against so-called Islamic State in Syria, the Turkish army said. Wednesday's clashes happened in the town of al-Bab, which Turkey is helping rebels take from IS control. A further 33 Turkish soldiers were reported wounded.  

Dust cloud hits Western Australia as cyclone looms
A giant dust cloud has hit Western Australia ahead of the nation's first cyclone of the season. Cyclone Yvette is expected to make landfall in Australia's northwest over the Christmas weekend. Meteorologists have issued a severe weather warning, predicting wind gusts of 160km/h (100mph), heavy rain and possible flash flooding.  

Australian Christian Lobby 'car bomb' not politically motivated, police say
A man has driven a van filled with gas bottles into the Australian Christian Lobby (ACL) headquarters in Canberra. Australian Capital Territory Police said the incident was not "politically, religiously or ideologically" motivated. The 35-year-old driver suffered serious burns after the explosion destroyed the vehicle and damaged the empty office.  

Muezzin, Kotel bills frozen until after Trump inauguration
The coalition has agreed to hold its fire for the next three weeks, following a request from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to put all controversial legislation on hold until after January 20. ...The fact that the bills have been set aside for the coming weeks does not necessarily reflect on how the coalition will choose to move forward after that point.  

Kremlin calls US-Russia ties
The Kremlin hopes that Donald Trump's administration will help improve the strained Russia-U.S. ties that it describes as "frozen," but it doesn't expect any immediate breakthroughs, President Vladimir Putin's spokesman said Wednesday.  

Tunisian suspect in Berlin Christmas market attack faced past German terror probe, official says
The prime suspect sought in the deadly attack on a Berlin Christmas market — a 24-year-old Tunisian migrant — was the subject of a terrorism probe in Germany earlier this year and was not deported even though his asylum bid was rejected, a senior German official said Wednesday.  

Three consequences of China’s ‘airpocalypse’
China is spluttering under sky-high pollution levels which have brought factories, roads and schools to a standstill for several days. State news agency Xinhua reported Tuesday that 23 cities in the Middle Kingdom have activated red alerts, the most severe weather warning. Xinhua also cited Beijing Capital International Airport's official Weibo account, which said that as of 2pm Tuesday, 273 flights had been cancelled.  

Gingrich says Trump is done with ‘drain the swamp’ slogan
Donald Trump fired up campaign crowds with a promise to “drain the swamp” of Washington corruption. But former House Speaker Newt Gingrich says the president-elect has soured on that populist rallying cry now that he has won the White House.  

Baby Boomers Increasingly Having Social Security Checks Garnished To Cover Student Loan Payments
According to a new report from the Government Accountability Office, the federal government is increasingly garnishing Social Security benefits to help cover student loans payments owed by baby boomers. According the Wall Street Journal, a total of $1.1 billion has been garnished since 2001 with $171 million being collected in 2015 alone.  

Obama shock: Another $6 billion in 'midnight regulations'
President Obama, who this week has issued a flurry of environmental rules, is planning to unleash another set of "midnight regulations" right before he leaves office that will cost Americans $6 billion.  

Black Man Arrested In "Vote Trump" Arson Of Mississippi Black Church
Mississippi authorities have made an arrest in the burning of an African-American church spray-painted with the words, “Vote Trump.” Mississippi Department of Public Safety spokesman Warren Strain says Andrew McClinton of Leland, Mississippi, who is African-American, is charged with first-degree arson of a place of worship.  

December 21, 2016

Third Temple on the Way as Priests Prepare Ritual Shabbat Showbreads
Last Saturday, a Shabbat reenactment of a Temple ritual took place in the holy city of Hebron, giving participants a taste of the Temple service as it was in Biblical times while taking a practical step towards preparing for the Third Temple.  

Harry Reid Says He ‘Did What Was Necessary’ By Lying About Mitt Romney’s Tax Returns
Outgoing Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid said Wednesday that he “did what was necessary” in 2012 when he falsely accused Mitt Romney of not having paid his taxes for 10 years....in an interview with The Washington Post in September, Reid said that lying about Romney’s taxes on the Senate floor was “one of the best things I’ve ever done.”  

Media Blackout On Obama’s Last-Minute Civil Rights Appointments
Liberal news outlets like The New York Times, The Washington Post and CNN are keeping their readers in the dark about two aggressive appointments to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights made by President Obama with just weeks remaining in his presidency.  

Moscow doubts killer of ambassador was a lone wolfThe spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday refused to offer theories behind Monday's assassination of the Russian ambassador to Turkey but indicated that Moscow doesn't believe the gunman acted on his own.   
Naples astride a rumbling mega-volcano
A slumbering Campi Flegrei volcano under the Italian city of Naples shows signs of "reawakening" and may be nearing a critical pressure point, according to a study published Tuesday. Italian and French scientists have for the first time identified a threshold beyond which rising magma under the Earth's surface could trigger the release of fluids and gases at a 10-fold increased rate.  

'The Christmas tree and TV were swaying' - East Timor quake felt as far away as Darwin
A magnitude 6.7 earthquake which struck today near East Timor was felt as far afield as Darwin in Australia.

Israel's Spacecom buys Boeing satellite for $161 million, to launch in 2019
Israeli satellite operator Space Communications said on Wednesday it would launch a new telecommunications satellite in 2019 after losing a prior one in an explosion. Spacecom said it was buying a satellite from Boeing Satellite Systems International for $161 million.  

Kremlin slams new U.S. sanctions, says may respond
The Kremlin said on Wednesday that new sanctions imposed on Russia by the United States would damage relations between the two countries and that Moscow would respond with its own measures. "We regret that Washington is continuing on this destructive path," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on a conference call.  

ISIS spreads locations of Russian embassies online to incite more attacks…
ISIS are spreading the locations of Russian embassies in a sick bid to incite more attacks on officials. Jihadis disseminated a PDF containing the addresses and contact information of Russian embassies following the shock slaughter of Moscow’s envoy to Ankara and the attack on a bustling Christmas market in Berlin on Monday.  

'Refugee' resettlement accelerates in Obama's final months
Through the first 11 weeks of fiscal year 2017, the United States welcomed 23,428 individuals as “refugees,” according to the Refugee Processing Center. At this rate, the U.S. will resettle roughly 110,580 this fiscal year, which would exceed President Obama’s target of 110,000. Contrast that with last year, when the U.S. welcomed only 13,786 “refugees” through the first 11 weeks of FY 2016.  

Obama bans oil drilling 'permanently' in millions of acres of ocean
Outgoing US President Barack Obama has permanently banned offshore oil and gas drilling in the "vast majority" of US-owned northern waters. Mr Obama designated areas in the Arctic and Atlantic oceans as "indefinitely off limits" to future leasing. The move is widely seen as an attempt to protect the region before Mr Obama leaves office in January.  

Iraq bomb attack targets Iranian Kurdish opposition party
Seven people have been killed and 15 wounded in a bomb attack on the offices of an Iranian Kurdish opposition party in northern Iraq, security sources say. A parked motorcycle and an explosive device were detonated late on Tuesday next to the headquarters of the Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (PDKI) in Koy Sanjaq, east of Irbil. The attack took place as party members celebrated the winter solstice.  

EU data retention ruling goes against UK government
The UK government says it is "disappointed" after the European Court of Justice said the "indiscriminate" collection of data was against EU law. EU judges said communications data could only be retained if it was used to fight serious crime. Its verdict came after a legal challenge to the UK government's surveillance legislation.  

Israeli forces secure Jerusalem for tens of thousands ahead of Christmas
Border Police have concluded security preparations to accommodate tens of thousands of Christian tourists from across the globe making pilgrimages to Bethlehem and the Christian Quarter of Jerusalem’s Old City for the Christmas period. ...Izhaky added: “It’s about security, but also about respect, so people can travel safely and quickly without problems. We want them to come and enjoy themselves.”  

US Population Grows At Slowest Pace Since The Great Depression; Residents Flee Illinois Again
According to data released by the US Census, in 2016 the U.S. population grew at the lowest rate since the Great Depression, while the state of New York shrank for the first time in a decade. The biggest loser, again, was Illinois which shrank for a third consecutive year, losing 38,000 people, mostly from the Chicago area.  

At least 29 dead, dozens injured after explosion at Mexico fireworks market
An explosion ripped through Mexico's best-known fireworks market on the outskirts of Mexico City Tuesday, killing at least 29 people and injuring scores more while sending a huge plume of charcoal-gray smoke billowing into the sky.  

Naples astride a rumbling mega-volcano
A slumbering Campi Flegrei volcano under the Italian city of Naples shows signs of "reawakening" and may be nearing a critical pressure point, according to a study published Tuesday.  

Vandals desecrate Ukraine tomb of revered Hasidic rabbi
Vandals smeared blood and left a pig’s head marked with a swastika at the Ukraine grave-site of Rabbi Nachman of Bratslav, a popular pilgrimage site visited by tens of thousands of Hasidic Jews every year.  

North Korea prepares ballistic-missile sub for sea worthiness
North Korea’s GORAE-class, experimental, ballistic missile submarine may be preparing to put to sea, possibly heralding further testing of sea-launched ballistic missiles or SLBMs. North Korea has tested SLBMs from land and sea multiple times over the last two years. The most recent test possibly may have been in December of this year from a land-based test site.  

UN warns Palestinian population will double to 9.5 million by 2050
A new UN study projecting rapid growth in the Palestinian population should serve as a “wake up call” to Israel and the international community, a senior UN official said Tuesday.  

December 20, 2016

Ephemeral antimatter atoms pinned down in milestone laser test..physicists have made the first measurements of how antimatter atoms absorb light. Researchers at CERN, the European particle physics laboratory outside Geneva, trained an ultraviolet laser on antihydrogen, the antimatter counterpart of hydrogen. They measured the frequency of light needed to jolt a positron — an antielectron — from its lowest energy level to the next level up, and found no discrepancy with the corresponding energy transition in ordinary hydrogen.  
Strong quake strikes near Solomon Islands; no tsunami threat
A strong earthquake struck near the Solomon Islands in the South Pacific on Tuesday, but there were no initial reports of injuries or damage and it did not trigger a tsunami warning. The magnitude-6.7 quake was likely an aftershock of a powerful earthquake that hit the Solomon Islands on Dec. 9.  

CNN Uses Germany Attack To Bash The Right
The attack in Berlin killed at least 12 people and injured dozens more, but on CNN’s website, the network’s top story warned about “the fallout of fear” and said that “attacks fuel [the] far right’s assault on democracy.” 

Putin VOWS to OBLITERATE ISIS after assassination of Russia's ambassador to Turkey
He said the assassination of his country’s ambassador to Turkey was “clearly a provocation” and vowed vowed to make those responsible “feel the heat”. "The only response we should offer to this murder is stepping up our fight against terror.  

Trump condemns Berlin attack, says things 'only getting worse'
U.S. President....Donald Trump on Monday condemned an attack at a Christmas market in Berlin that killed nine people and injured dozens more, linking the attack to "Islamist terrorists" before German police officials had said who was responsible.  

German state minister: "We are in a state of war"
"We must say that we are in a state of war, although some people, who always only want to see good, do not want to see this," the minister, Klaus Bouillon, told German broadcaster SR.  

First test of rival to Einstein’s gravity kills off dark matter
A controversial approach to gravity that challenges Albert Einstein and suggests dark matter doesn’t exist has passed its first test. astronomers studying the distribution of matter in more than 30,000 galaxies say their observations can be explained by an alternative theory that does away with dark matter. If this “modified gravity” is correct, it would up-end hundreds of years of fundamental physics.  

Federal judge orders release of search warrant from Clinton email case
U.S. District Judge P. Kevin Castel ruled Monday morning that the public had a right to see the warrant, which he said was secretly filed with the court on Oct. 30. “The search warrant, the application for the search warrant, the affidavit in support of the application for the search warrant, and the search warrant return will be unsealed and posted on the Court's electronic case filing system” subject to redactions, Castel said in his order.  

US shuts its missions in Turkey after gunfire on Ankara embassy
A man in his 40s aimed automatic gunfire at the US embassy in Ankara Tuesday morning and was taken into custody. No one was hurt.  

Trump Wins Electoral College Vote, Officially Elected 45th President
Donald Trump easily won the nationwide Electoral College vote on Monday, surpassing the minimum 270 votes needed to officially become the president-elect of the United States. The billionaire businessman became America’s 45th president after electors in Texas put him over the 270-vote threshold, despite anti-Trump protests and multiple campaigns to try to flip electors to support other candidates.  

Europe’s Far-Right Anger Is Moving Mainstream
In the wake of the Brexit vote in Britain and the recent Italian referendum, and with national elections looming in 2017 in the Netherlands, France, and Germany, there is concern that Europe may be inundated by a populist wave, driven in large part by right-wing parties exploiting anti-globalization, anti-immigrant, and anti-Muslim sentiments.  

HB2 law: North Carolina to repeal 'bathroom bill'
North Carolina lawmakers will repeal a controversial HB2 law which limits protections offered to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people. Democratic Governor-elect Roy Cooper announced the repeal after Charlotte City Council voted to strike down a local law that prompted HB2. The law requires transgender people to use toilets that correspond to the sex listed on their birth certificates.  

China returns seized underwater US drone
A US underwater drone seized by the Chinese navy in the contentious South China Sea has now been returned. The drone was handed over some 92km north-west of Subic Bay in the Philippines, officials said. China seized the vehicle in international waters, in one of the most serious confrontations between the powers in decades.  

Russian official in Israel: Envoy's murder in Turkey will up Moscow's strikes in Syria
The assassination of Russia’s ambassador to Turkey in Ankara on Monday will lead to Moscow to increased its military involvement in the Syrian civil war, said Russian Deputy Ambassador to Israel Alexy Drobinin. The Russian diplomat made the remarks in an interview with Israel’s Channel 10 TV on Monday night. His comments came after an off-duty Turkish police officer shot and killed Russian envoy Andrei Karlov at an art gallery...  

Global Jewish leaders send condolences to Berlin Christmas market victims
“Europe once again finds itself in shock,” a top European rabbi said Tuesday, the morning after a deadly attack at a Christmas market in Berlin, which killed 12 people and wounded 48 others. “This was a cowardly attack on people preparing for their religious holidays in a joyful environment,” said Chief Rabbi Goldschmidt, President of the Conference of European Rabbis.  

Twice As Many “Faithless” Electors Dump Clinton As Trump
While there was a lot of buzz about faithless Republican electors dumping Trump, it turns out that more Democratic electors dumped Clinton. Specifically, two Republican Texas electors voted for candidates other than Trump: one voted for John Kasich and one voted for Ron Paul. But four Democratic electors voted for candidates other than Hillary Clinton:  

Italian Muslim convert found guilty of helping Islamic State
An Italian woman who traveled to Syria two years ago proclaiming her support for Islamic State was sentenced in absentia on Monday to nine years in jail on terrorism-related charges, a court ruled.  

Suspect in Berlin Christmas market attack came to Germany as refugee, reports say
The man believed to have driven a truck into a crowded Christmas market in Berlin Monday evening had come to Germany as a refugee from Pakistan this past February, multiple German media outlets reported.  

I.M.F. Stands by Christine Lagarde, Convicted of Negligence
The International Monetary Fund threw its support behind its leader, Christine Lagarde, on Monday despite her conviction in a French court on charges of misusing public funds.  

Saddam Hussein had no clue what he was doing
The revelations are contained in the upcoming John Nixon book “Debriefing the President: The Interrogation of Saddam Hussein.” Nixon was a CIA analyst in Iraq who had been assigned the task of finding Saddam and then getting information out of him. But he quickly found that “Saddam seemed clueless.”  

Donald Trump Seals Electoral College Victory, Officially Becomes 45th US President
It's finally over: Donald Trump has secured 304 Electoral Votes following the Texas vote (with 2 faithless electors), officially securing the presidency of the United States. Of course, the now official President-Elect Trump took to twitter to confirm the victory:  

December 19, 2016

Russian Ambassador to Turkey Killed; Gunman Shouted 'Don't Forget Aleppo'
Russia’s ambassador was shot dead in the Turkish capital on Monday in an assassination apparently linked to Syria’s civil war, heightening tensions over a conflict that’s drawn in almost all the region’s main powers.  

Time to face reality, Obama — Trump is going to be president
So this is how it ends — in a whimper wrapped in self-pity and recriminations. With President Obama on the defensive at his final press conference and Hillary Clinton’s last campaign event resembling a wake, the Democratic Party is limping off the stage and into the political winter..the Dems are at their lowest point in nearly a century..they are on the outside looking in.  

Strong Earthquakes Rattle Coast of Ecuador
The strongest quake in the series hit with 5.8 magnitude around 2:00 a.m. local time Monday morning near Atacames. Several strong earthquakes rattled Ecuador's northwestern coast in the pre-dawn hours of Monday, leaving some areas without power but with no reports of casualties.  

Christmas weather forecast HORROR: Terrifying maps show Storm Barbara will RAVAGE Britain
Forecasters have in the past 24 hours stepped up warnings for severe gales, torrential downpours and thunder over the festive season. A major change in the weather is due with Scotland in the firing line for the first hammering. Britain faces a brutal week of gales and torrential rain with plunging temperatures threatening snow over high ground. All eyes are then on a double whammy of storm hell which is due to unleash mayhem from Christmas Eve.  

Mossad chief gives secret intelligence briefing to Trump staff
Mossad chief makes clandestine trip to US to meet with incoming Trump administration.  

IDF uncovers massive weapons factory in Hevron
Israeli forces shut down one of the largest underground gun factories ever discovered in Judea and Samaria.  

Pentagon Faces ‘Significant’ Cyber Security Challenges
The Pentagon faces “significant” cyber security challenges as the U.S. military becomes reliant on electronic networks and infrastructure to conduct its operations, according to the Defense Department’s inspector general.  

Report: Documents show U.S. has approved sale of Chicago Stock Exchange to Chinese firm
The sale of the Chicago Stock Exchange to a Chinese investment group has been approved, according to U.S. Treasury documents. The sale was approved by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) to a Chinese group led by Chongqing Casin Enterprise Group despite the objections of several U.S. lawmakers who cited concerns about the level of influence the Chinese state might gain over the Chicago exchange, Reuters reported.  

U.S. electors expected to officially confirm Trump victory
The U.S. Electoral College is expected on Monday to officially select Republican Donald Trump as the next president...  

Russia, Iran and Turkey to hold Syria talks in Moscow on Tuesday
The foreign and defense ministers of Russia, Iran and Turkey will discuss the future of Syria and the city of Aleppo at talks in Moscow on Tuesday, Turkish and Russian officials said. "(The meeting) will be to understand the views of all three sides, laying out where we all stand and discuss where we go from here," an official from Turkey's foreign ministry told international media in Istanbul on Monday.  

4.6-magnitude earthquake shakes Guam
A magnitude 4.6 earthquake shook Guam on Monday afternoon. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the epicenter struck about 21 miles north-northeast of Yigo village, at 12:29 p.m. The quake had a depth of about 75 miles.  

Muted U.S. Response to China’s Seizure of Drone Worries Asian Allies
...In the eyes of America’s friends in Asia, the brazen maneuver to launch an operation against an American Navy vessel in international waters in the South China Sea...has raised questions...It was ...seen by some as a taunt to President-elect Donald J. Trump, who has challenged the One China policy on Taiwan and has vowed to deal forcefully with Beijing in trade and other issues.  

Farrakhan sees a new opening for black separatist message
Minister Louis Farrakhan, head of the Nation of Islam, spoke from a podium draped in the...Pan-African flag, a symbol of black pride. ...In a speech before the State of the Black World Conference in New Jersey, he warned, "The white man is going to push. He...will limit the freedom of others." Then he pointed to the crowd, smiled and said, "That's what you needed," as motivation to finally separate from whites.  

Jewish settlers agree to leave Amona site in occupied West Bank
Residents of a Jewish outpost in the occupied West Bank have agreed to evacuate the area just one week before the deadline for eviction. The community of Amona accepted a government relocation proposal with 45 votes in favour and 29 against. Sunday's decision comes after a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.  

Ukraine army 'repulsed rebel attack' near Debaltseve in east
Ukraine says its army has repulsed an offensive by pro-Russian rebels in the east who sought to seize territory near the strategic town of Debaltseve. The Ukrainian military command said five of its troops and 25 rebels were killed in heavy fighting on Sunday. The figures could not be independently verified. It is the most serious flare-up for several weeks on the front line.  

Irish senators slammed for anti-Israel bias
Irish senators attacked Israel with accusations of apartheid during a parliamentary debate in late November about the closure of the bank account of a BDS group, prompting criticism on Friday from the Jewish state and the Simon Wiesenthal Center. “What has happened with Bank of Ireland is very sinister.  

IDF tanks fire at Hamas targets in response to Gaza border shooting
Shots were fired at IDF troops stationed on the border near the southern Gaza Strip on Monday morning, the military said. There were no reports of injury or damage in the incident. Shortly afterward, the IDF responded with tank fire targeting Gaza-based Hamas positions.  

Suicide bomber kills at least 52 soldiers in Yemen
A suicide bomber blew himself up outside a military camp in the southern Yemeni city of Aden on Sunday morning, killing at least 52 soldiers, a security official said. The Islamic State group's Yemen-based affiliate claimed responsibility.  

Trump Can't Stop It: "The People Who Have Been Orchestrating The Collapse Have Not Halted Their Agendas"
Not since the election of Ronald Reagan has the mood on the right shifted in such a positive direction so suddenly. But now that everyone is feeling so good about things, very few people still seem interested in prepping for hard times ahead. In fact, it is like a nuclear bomb went off in the prepping community.  

Foreigners are dumping US Treasurys
All kinds of things are now happening in the world of bonds that haven’t happened before. For example, authorities in China today halted trading for the first time ever in futures contracts of government bonds, after prices had swooned, with the 10-year yield hitting 3.4%. Trading didn’t resume until after the People’s Bank of China injected $22 billion into the short-term money market.  

Jordan says 10 killed in 'cowardly terrorist attack'
Ten people were killed and 34 were wounded Sunday in what a Jordanian official called a "cowardly terrorist attack."  

Maryland church ordered to evict homeless or pay $12,000 fine
When Rev. Katie Grover arrived on a recent morning at Patapsco United Methodist Church, one of two congregations she pastors in the Baltimore area, she was surprised to find a $12,000 citation attached to the door.  

DNC Chair Contradicts Obama: Russian Hackers Came After Us 'Until End of Election'
Democratic National Committee Chair Donna Brazile said Russian hackers persisted in trying to break into the organization's computers "daily, hourly" until after the election -- contradicting President Obama's assertion that the hacking stopped in September after he warned Russian President Vladimir Putin to "cut it out."  

North Korea’s Nuclear Arsenal More Dangerous Than Previously Thought
North Korea has long-range nuclear warheads which can reach Britain, continental Europe and the United States, a South Korean government official reportedly said Saturday. The statement came amid reports that the military of the Kim Jong Un-ruled country is now capable of attaching nuclear warheads to missiles which can travel a few thousand miles.  

Quake off Solomons and Papua New Guinea is region’s third strong quake in two weeks
A 6.0-magnitude earthquake struck off the Solomon Islands on Sunday, the U.S. Geological Survey said, the third strong tremor off the Pacific nation in less than two weeks.  

4.5M earthquake recorded south of Hawaii Island
An offshore magnitude-4.5 earthquake south of Hawaii Island happened at 6:30 a.m. Sunday. The earthquake was centered about 37 miles south of Ka Lae (South Point) at a depth of 22.7 miles. The earthquake was felt on the island,  

6.1 Magnitude Earthquake Shakes Peru, No Injuries Reported
An earthquake of 6.1 magnitude struck Sunday in Peru near the border with Brazil but no damage was reported, the government said. The quake hit 60 miles southeast of the town of Esperanza at a depth of 550 kilometers, the Geophysical Institute of Peru said.  

December 18, 2016

Ex-Witch Reveals Connection Between Yoga and Satan
...there is such a huge controversy around yoga," Eckert says. "If you look at yoga, it just seems like this great way to get healthy and align your body and your spirit and stretch, and people just absolutely love it." But don't be deceived.  

Earthquake strikes Papua New Guinea: Residents flee to hills after magnitude-7.9 quake
A magnitude-7.9 earthquake struck east of the Pacific nation, triggering a tsunami warning for parts of the archipelago. Residents living along Papua New Guinea’s coastline have fled to higher ground as a result.  

Snopes, Which Will Be Fact-Checking For Facebook, Employs Leftists Almost Exclusively
Snopes, which will now have the power to declare what news is or is not legitimate on the world’s largest online platform, almost exclusively employs leftists. Facebook announced Thursday that mythbusting website Snopes will be one of a few fact-checking organizations allowed to label stories as “fake news.”  

Report: 820,000 criminal illegals, 84% with felonies, serious misdemeanors
Illegal immigrants with criminal records...total at least 820,000, with most having felony and serious misdemeanor convictions, according to a new report. Some estimates have suggested up to two million criminal illegals, but the numbers cited by the Center for Immigration Studies still show an enormous group larger than the populations of four states, Alaska, North Dakota, Vermont or Wyoming.  

U.S. to disclose estimate of number of Americans under surveillance
The U.S. intelligence community will soon disclose an estimate of the number of Americans whose electronic communications have been caught in the crosshairs of online surveillance programs intended for foreigners, U.S. lawmakers said in a letter seen by Reuters on Friday. The estimate, requested by members of the U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee, is expected to be made public as early as next month, the letter said.  

IS suicide bomb kills 40 Yemen soldiers in payday queue
A suicide bomber has killed at least 40 soldiers and wounded many more in the southern Yemeni port city of Aden. Reports say the soldiers were queuing up to receive salaries near a military base when the attacker struck. The bomber immersed himself in the crowd of soldiers at al-Solban base in al-Arish district, an official said.  

Venezuela delays 100-bolivar banknote withdrawal
Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro has delayed the withdrawal of the 100-bolivar banknote until 2 January. The sudden change of policy comes after days of economic chaos. In a national broadcast, Mr Maduro claimed his country had been the victim of international sabotage, which had prevented new 500-bolivar currency notes arriving in time.  

China to return seized US underwater drone, Pentagon says
The Pentagon says it has "secured an understanding" with China that it will return an underwater drone seized in the South China Sea. China captured the US vessel in international waters on Thursday. It has not explained why and accused the US of "hyping-up" the incident. US President-elect Donald Trump accused the Chinese of "stealing".  

Bennett: 'Amona deal heralds end of settlement evacuations, dawn of Israeli sovereignty in W. Bank
The proposal hammered out overnight to prevent a forceful evacuation of Amona will hopefully put behind the era of settlement evacuations and the idea of two-states, and herald an era of Israeli sovereignty in Judea and Samaria... ...The proposal would move 24 families to an eight-dunam site next to the existing location. In addition, efforts would be made to acquire another 50 dunam site nearby for expansion.  

Trump donated $10k to Bet El settlement
US President-elect Donald Trump donated $10,000 to Bet El in the West Bank in 2003, according to documents uncovered by The Jerusalem Post Sunday. A Trump Foundation tax form from 2003 shows Trump gave the sum to American Friends of Bet El. Other Jewish organizations to which the Trump Foundation donated that year are UJA-Federation, American Jewish Committee and American Jewish Historical Society.  

In Pakistan, five girls were killed for having fun. Then the story took an even darker twist.
It was just a few seconds, a video clip of several young women laughing and clapping to music, dressed for a party or a wedding in orange headscarves and robes with floral patterns. Then a few more seconds of a young man dancing alone, apparently in the same room. The cellphone video was made six years ago, in a village deep in Kohistan, a rugged area of northwest Pakistan. It was the last time the young women, known only as Bazeegha, Sareen Jan, Begum Jan, Amina and Shaheen, have ever been definitively seen alive.  

Trump Rebuts Michelle Obama’s Remarks on the Loss of ‘Hope’
President-elect Donald Trump took issue Saturday with First Lady Michelle Obama’s contention that she and others are now feeling the loss of “hope,” saying there is good reason for Americans to feel optimistic about the nation’s future.  

Trump ambassador, son-in-law could upend decades of U.S. policy on Israel and Palestinians
Here in the desert hills of the West Bank, near the Palestinians’ principal city of Ramallah, a group of Orthodox Jews has built the town of Beit El, a place that most of the world considers an illegal settlement constructed on occupied Palestinian land.  

Harvard Professor Admits His Efforts To Turn Electoral College Against Trump Have Failed Miserably
A few days ago we wrote about the Harvard Professor, Larry Lessig, who was offering free legal services to any Republican elector willing to consider switching their vote from Trump to any other candidate when the electoral college meets on December 19th. That said, in an interview to be aired tomorrow on "Aaron Klein Investigative Radio," the disaffected, leftist, sore loser admits that his efforts to disrupt the 2016 presidential election have been a colossal failure and will likely result in only a handful of electors switching their votes.  

Venezuela Deploys National Guard As Venezuelans Protest Worthless Cash
As hyperinflating Venezuela's latest experiment in monetary lunacy continues with president Maduro announcing earlier this week he would remove 75% of the physical cash in circulation by eliminating the highest denomination 100 Bolivar bill, desperate and cashless Venezuelans, angry that the government hasn’t exchanged their voided bank notes as officials had pledged, on Friday rose up in protest and looted stores across parts of Venezuela.