Strange bedfellows: The Russian-Turkish-Iranian axis
…Russia, Turkey and Iran are in an ad hoc alliance against Islamic State but which may turn against the West as well. Still, the new alliance might be termed as a marriage of inconvenience where each of the parties has different motives and is acting at cross purposes in partitioning the Syrian bear. Russia has fulfilled a long-held dream of reaching the warm water of the Mediterranean and is casting itself as the hegemon in the region.
Linda Sarsour, Women’s March organizer, works to link civil rights struggles to Palestinian cause
Linda Sarsour briefly mentioned her Palestinian roots as she spoke before her largest audience yet this weekend, when hundreds of thousands marched on Washington and ground the capital to a halt. The executive director of the Arab American Association of New York served as a national co-chair for the historic Women’s March – a protest against freshly sworn-in President Donald Trump that spread worldwide, with massive sister marches from Los Angeles to Berlin.
Israel advises citizens in Egypt’s Sinai to leave, cites attack risk
Israel on Tuesday advised its citizens in Egypt’s insurgency-hit Sinai peninsula to leave the region, warning of the threat of an imminent attack. Israeli holidaymakers are often warned of the risks they face in Sinai, which borders Israel, but the “Level 1” alert issued by the anti-terrorism directorate is its most severe warning.
Liberman: In next war, IDF won’t stop until the enemy raises the white flag
Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman said on Tuesday that in the IDF’s next conflict he would instruct the army to use full force, and not take any half measures. Speaking at a conference held by the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv, Liberman said, “The next conflict to break out will be with full force. There are no more conflicts with half power or quarter power… We won’t stop in the middle – these are the IDF’s orders at this time.”
Brexit: MPs call for White Paper on EU exit plan
MPs are stepping up their calls for the government to publish its plan for Brexit in a formal policy document. A number of Conservatives have joined Labour in asking for a White Paper on negotiating objectives, arguing it will allow for a fuller debate. It comes after the Supreme Court ruled MPs must vote on whether the government can start Brexit.
Brazil sees sharp rise in yellow fever cases
Health officials in Brazil say there has been a sharp rise in the cases of yellow fever in the country. They said there had been 63 confirmed cases of the mosquito-borne illness so far this year, up from seven in the whole of 2016. Most of the cases have been in rural areas of Minas Gerais state, a Ministry of Health statement said.
UN condemns Israel’s West Bank settlement plans
The United Nations has condemned Israeli plans to build more settlements in the occupied West Bank. A UN spokesman said “unilateral actions” were an obstacle to peace based on a two-state solution. On Tuesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would build 2,500 more homes in Jewish settlements “in response to housing needs”.
ISIS Unveils Weaponized Drone Program in New Video
ISIS supporters on social media were boasting that the terror group now has an air force after the Islamic State released today their first video showing weaponized drones being used against Iraqi forces. ISIS has previously used drone photography in videos to capture aerial shots of battles, and they have also been using drone IEDs that have progressively gotten more advanced.
Bus-Size Asteroid Buzzing Earth Tonight Stars in Slooh Webcast
A bus-size asteroid will safely pass between Earth and the moon today (Jan. 24), and the online Slooh observatory will provide live views of the space rock just hours before its closest approach. The asteroid, called 2017 BX, is about the size of a bus, according to NASA’s Asteroid Watch tracker. NASA estimates that the object is about 28 feet (8.5 meters) wide.
China is controlling the weather and will soon make it rain over an area twice the size of FRANCE
China is spending £138million on the new initiative to solve the drought in its northwestern provinces, according to the South China Morning Post. It’s sending airplanes to spray chemicals like dry ice and silver iodide across the sky to create more rainfall in a technique called cloud seeding. The China Meteorological Administration expects rainfall and snow to be increased over 960,000 sq km as a result.
Trump administration seeks to muzzle U.S. agency employees
U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration has moved since he took office last week to curb the flow of information from several government agencies involved in environmental issues, in actions that may have been designed to discourage dissenting views. Employees at the Environmental Protection Agency, the Interior Department, the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) have seen directives from the newly minted leadership seeking to limit how they communicate to the public, according to multiple sources.
‘We are a pro-life Congress’: House votes to make Hyde amendment permanent
The House of Representatives passed H.R. 7 Tuesday, legislation that — if passed by the Senate and signed by the president — would make the Hyde amendment permanent law. The amendment, named for the late Rep. Henry Hyde (R-Ill.), prohibits the use of taxpayer funds to pay for elective abortion procedures. The bill — dubbed the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act — passed in a 238 to 183 vote, with 11 members not voting.
Life, but not as we know it: Scientists engineer first semisynthetic organism with three-base-pair DNA
Researchers at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) claim to have created the first stable semisynthetic organism with extra bases added to its genetic code. The single-celled organism is also able to continually replicate the synthetic base pair as it divides, which could mean that future synthetic organisms may be able to carry extra genetic information in their DNA sequences indefinitely.
…Russia, Turkey and Iran are in an ad hoc alliance against Islamic State but which may turn against the West as well. Still, the new alliance might be termed as a marriage of inconvenience where each of the parties has different motives and is acting at cross purposes in partitioning the Syrian bear. Russia has fulfilled a long-held dream of reaching the warm water of the Mediterranean and is casting itself as the hegemon in the region.
Linda Sarsour, Women’s March organizer, works to link civil rights struggles to Palestinian cause
Linda Sarsour briefly mentioned her Palestinian roots as she spoke before her largest audience yet this weekend, when hundreds of thousands marched on Washington and ground the capital to a halt. The executive director of the Arab American Association of New York served as a national co-chair for the historic Women’s March – a protest against freshly sworn-in President Donald Trump that spread worldwide, with massive sister marches from Los Angeles to Berlin.
Israel advises citizens in Egypt’s Sinai to leave, cites attack risk
Israel on Tuesday advised its citizens in Egypt’s insurgency-hit Sinai peninsula to leave the region, warning of the threat of an imminent attack. Israeli holidaymakers are often warned of the risks they face in Sinai, which borders Israel, but the “Level 1” alert issued by the anti-terrorism directorate is its most severe warning.
Liberman: In next war, IDF won’t stop until the enemy raises the white flag
Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman said on Tuesday that in the IDF’s next conflict he would instruct the army to use full force, and not take any half measures. Speaking at a conference held by the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv, Liberman said, “The next conflict to break out will be with full force. There are no more conflicts with half power or quarter power… We won’t stop in the middle – these are the IDF’s orders at this time.”
Brexit: MPs call for White Paper on EU exit plan
MPs are stepping up their calls for the government to publish its plan for Brexit in a formal policy document. A number of Conservatives have joined Labour in asking for a White Paper on negotiating objectives, arguing it will allow for a fuller debate. It comes after the Supreme Court ruled MPs must vote on whether the government can start Brexit.
Brazil sees sharp rise in yellow fever cases
Health officials in Brazil say there has been a sharp rise in the cases of yellow fever in the country. They said there had been 63 confirmed cases of the mosquito-borne illness so far this year, up from seven in the whole of 2016. Most of the cases have been in rural areas of Minas Gerais state, a Ministry of Health statement said.
UN condemns Israel’s West Bank settlement plans
The United Nations has condemned Israeli plans to build more settlements in the occupied West Bank. A UN spokesman said “unilateral actions” were an obstacle to peace based on a two-state solution. On Tuesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel would build 2,500 more homes in Jewish settlements “in response to housing needs”.
ISIS Unveils Weaponized Drone Program in New Video
ISIS supporters on social media were boasting that the terror group now has an air force after the Islamic State released today their first video showing weaponized drones being used against Iraqi forces. ISIS has previously used drone photography in videos to capture aerial shots of battles, and they have also been using drone IEDs that have progressively gotten more advanced.
Bus-Size Asteroid Buzzing Earth Tonight Stars in Slooh Webcast
A bus-size asteroid will safely pass between Earth and the moon today (Jan. 24), and the online Slooh observatory will provide live views of the space rock just hours before its closest approach. The asteroid, called 2017 BX, is about the size of a bus, according to NASA’s Asteroid Watch tracker. NASA estimates that the object is about 28 feet (8.5 meters) wide.
China is controlling the weather and will soon make it rain over an area twice the size of FRANCE
China is spending £138million on the new initiative to solve the drought in its northwestern provinces, according to the South China Morning Post. It’s sending airplanes to spray chemicals like dry ice and silver iodide across the sky to create more rainfall in a technique called cloud seeding. The China Meteorological Administration expects rainfall and snow to be increased over 960,000 sq km as a result.
Trump administration seeks to muzzle U.S. agency employees
U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration has moved since he took office last week to curb the flow of information from several government agencies involved in environmental issues, in actions that may have been designed to discourage dissenting views. Employees at the Environmental Protection Agency, the Interior Department, the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) have seen directives from the newly minted leadership seeking to limit how they communicate to the public, according to multiple sources.
‘We are a pro-life Congress’: House votes to make Hyde amendment permanent
The House of Representatives passed H.R. 7 Tuesday, legislation that — if passed by the Senate and signed by the president — would make the Hyde amendment permanent law. The amendment, named for the late Rep. Henry Hyde (R-Ill.), prohibits the use of taxpayer funds to pay for elective abortion procedures. The bill — dubbed the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act — passed in a 238 to 183 vote, with 11 members not voting.
Life, but not as we know it: Scientists engineer first semisynthetic organism with three-base-pair DNA
Researchers at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) claim to have created the first stable semisynthetic organism with extra bases added to its genetic code. The single-celled organism is also able to continually replicate the synthetic base pair as it divides, which could mean that future synthetic organisms may be able to carry extra genetic information in their DNA sequences indefinitely.
Pardon me: Navy sailor in jail for submarine photos pleads for mercy from Trump
A former Navy sailor imprisoned for taking photos inside a submarine has sought a pardon from President Donald Trump, who, as a candidate, often cited his case as unjust. Supporters of Kristian Saucier, 29, say the one-year sentence he drew last summer was overly harsh in light of treatment afforded former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton over her illegal private email server, and former President Obama’s granting of clemency to Army Pvt. Chelsea Manning, who leaked classified information.
A former Navy sailor imprisoned for taking photos inside a submarine has sought a pardon from President Donald Trump, who, as a candidate, often cited his case as unjust. Supporters of Kristian Saucier, 29, say the one-year sentence he drew last summer was overly harsh in light of treatment afforded former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton over her illegal private email server, and former President Obama’s granting of clemency to Army Pvt. Chelsea Manning, who leaked classified information.
Suicide bombers are using babies to avoid detection
Babies are terrorists’ newest weapon, Nigerian officials warn. Female suicide bombers carrying infants set off explosive devices in Madagali on Jan. 13 after they were let through a security checkpoint where they were mistaken for civilians, the BBC reported. The women killed themselves, two babies and four others.
Babies are terrorists’ newest weapon, Nigerian officials warn. Female suicide bombers carrying infants set off explosive devices in Madagali on Jan. 13 after they were let through a security checkpoint where they were mistaken for civilians, the BBC reported. The women killed themselves, two babies and four others.
Lieberman: ‘In the next conflict—we will not stop until a white flag is raised’
At a conference held by the Institute for National Security Studies on Tuesday, Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman said that the IDF’s orders are to “go in full force.” “If the other side doesn’t yield and raise a white flag, we don’t stop.”
At a conference held by the Institute for National Security Studies on Tuesday, Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman said that the IDF’s orders are to “go in full force.” “If the other side doesn’t yield and raise a white flag, we don’t stop.”
Trump To Sign Executive Order Restricting Immigration From Seven Countries
Having taken on the Keystone pipeline and America’s struggling manufacturing sector in a flurry of executive actions on Tuesday, moments ago Reuters reported, citing several congressional aides and immigration experts briefed on the matter, that on Wednesday Donald Trump will sign several executive orders restricting immigration. The president is expected to sign the orders at the Washington headquarters of the Department of Homeland Security, whose responsibilities include immigration and border security.
Having taken on the Keystone pipeline and America’s struggling manufacturing sector in a flurry of executive actions on Tuesday, moments ago Reuters reported, citing several congressional aides and immigration experts briefed on the matter, that on Wednesday Donald Trump will sign several executive orders restricting immigration. The president is expected to sign the orders at the Washington headquarters of the Department of Homeland Security, whose responsibilities include immigration and border security.
Mexico Warns It Is Ready To Quit NAFTA If Trump Crosses “Red Lines”
Under relentless pressure from President Donald Trump, Mexico is said to be ready to discuss changes to trade rules about a product’s country of origin to try to avoid a disruptive fight with the United States over commerce. As the two countries begin a difficult new relationship, Mexico sees possible common ground with Trump on the “rules of origin” of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) that binds the two countries and Canada, Reuters reported. However, as AFP adds, even before the talks started, Mexico has drawn red lines ahead of the negotiations with Trump’s administration, warning it could quit the talks and a major trade pact if the discussions hit a wall, no pun intended.
Under relentless pressure from President Donald Trump, Mexico is said to be ready to discuss changes to trade rules about a product’s country of origin to try to avoid a disruptive fight with the United States over commerce. As the two countries begin a difficult new relationship, Mexico sees possible common ground with Trump on the “rules of origin” of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) that binds the two countries and Canada, Reuters reported. However, as AFP adds, even before the talks started, Mexico has drawn red lines ahead of the negotiations with Trump’s administration, warning it could quit the talks and a major trade pact if the discussions hit a wall, no pun intended.
Israel plans more than 2,500 new settler homes to start Trump era
Israel announced plans on Tuesday for 2,500 more settlement homes in the occupied West Bank, the second such declaration since U.S. President Donald Trump took office signaling he could be more accommodating toward such projects than his predecessor.
Israel announced plans on Tuesday for 2,500 more settlement homes in the occupied West Bank, the second such declaration since U.S. President Donald Trump took office signaling he could be more accommodating toward such projects than his predecessor.
Police: Man whose drug sentence commuted by Obama is slain
The Federal Bureau of Prison moved the remaining inmates from a Michigan halfway house Tuesday after a man whose drug-related prison sentence was commuted by President Barack Obama was fatally shot there by two men with assault-style rifles who sought him out.
The Federal Bureau of Prison moved the remaining inmates from a Michigan halfway house Tuesday after a man whose drug-related prison sentence was commuted by President Barack Obama was fatally shot there by two men with assault-style rifles who sought him out.
U.N. ‘racing’ to prepare aid for civilians ahead of battle for west Mosul
The United Nations said on Tuesday it is “racing against the clock” to prepare emergency aid for hundreds of thousands of endangered civilians in Mosul with an Iraqi army offensive looming to oust Islamic State from the western half of the city.
The United Nations said on Tuesday it is “racing against the clock” to prepare emergency aid for hundreds of thousands of endangered civilians in Mosul with an Iraqi army offensive looming to oust Islamic State from the western half of the city.
Decision looms on Assange extradition to Sweden
Swedish authorities are getting closer to either indicting WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange on rape charges stemming from an incident in August 2010 or letting it drop, Fox News has learned.
Swedish authorities are getting closer to either indicting WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange on rape charges stemming from an incident in August 2010 or letting it drop, Fox News has learned.
U.K.’s May Faces Brexit Revolt as Lawmakers Challenge Her Power
U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May is battling a rebellion from her own lawmakers which threatens to complicate her talks over leaving the European Union.
U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May is battling a rebellion from her own lawmakers which threatens to complicate her talks over leaving the European Union.
Disgraced newsman Rather thumps Conway for ‘alternative facts’
Disgraced former anchor Dan Rather knows a thing or two about “alternative facts.” So, in a sense, Rather, 85, was the perfect guest for Chris Matthews’ “Hardball” on Monday. But in an ironic twist worthy of an Alanis Morissette lyric, the veteran newsman – who once used forged documents as the basis for a politically damning report about former President George W. Bush – took President Trump’s counselor Kellyanne Conway to task for her language defending Press Secretary Sean Spicer.
Disgraced former anchor Dan Rather knows a thing or two about “alternative facts.” So, in a sense, Rather, 85, was the perfect guest for Chris Matthews’ “Hardball” on Monday. But in an ironic twist worthy of an Alanis Morissette lyric, the veteran newsman – who once used forged documents as the basis for a politically damning report about former President George W. Bush – took President Trump’s counselor Kellyanne Conway to task for her language defending Press Secretary Sean Spicer.
Christian University to Send Students to Mosque for ‘Religious Experience’
Students enrolled in a world religions course this semester at Texas Christian University must attend a mosque service as part of the class. The field trip was scheduled to take place on Good Friday – one of the most holy days for Christians – observed as the day Jesus Christ was crucified.
Students enrolled in a world religions course this semester at Texas Christian University must attend a mosque service as part of the class. The field trip was scheduled to take place on Good Friday – one of the most holy days for Christians – observed as the day Jesus Christ was crucified.